Yearly Archives: 2010

Music, We Love Music
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2010 Sonic Circuits Festival Of Experimental Music & Beyond

It may come as a surprise to some that Washington DC is in the vanguard of the global experimental music scene. There is a plethora of locally-based acts creating noise and atmospheric improvisational music, turning found sound into symphonies and traditionally non-musical objects into instruments. Every time I check it out, this DC-based scene seems to get larger, as the existing groups inspire new musicians and amateurs to let their freak-flags fly and their musical imagination run wild. As the DC scene begets new acts locally, the global noise/improv scene looks to DC as a friendly enclave for their outsider music thanks to the large, open-minded fan-base that lives here.

Sonic Circuits is a group, backed by the non-profit organization Improv Arts Inc., that serves as the primary promotion engine for the thriving DC experimental music scene. They organize and host shows year-round in the DC Metro area that showcase some of our areas best, brightest, and weirdest musical acts. Since 2001, Sonic Circuits has hosted a yearly, week-long festival in Washington combining the best local acts from this underground scene with some of its most interesting artists and groups from around the world. The 2010 Sonic Circuits Festival Of Experimental Music & Beyond begins this Saturday, September 18th. There are activities planned for every night of this week-long festival. The festival concerts take place at multiple venues in DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Full festival schedule, venue, and ticket information can be found here.

Find my Hot Ticket picks for the 2010 Sonic Circuits Festival after the jump.

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The Daily Feed
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Food Truck Tracker

Photo courtesy of
‘Sculpture Garden – Sunshine and a Good Book – 7-30-09’
courtesy of ‘mosley.brian’

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but folks, this weather isn’t going to stick around forever. Soon it’ll be cold and rainy and (eek!) snowy. By then the last thing you’ll want to do it change in to your snow boots to chase down a food truck. Ergo, take advantage of these street warriors today and soak up some Vitamin D while you’re at it.

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News, The Daily Feed
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Rhee clarifies “Devastating” comment

Photo courtesy of
‘Jeffrey Zients, Sir Michael Barber, Michelle Rhee’
courtesy of ‘Center for American Progress’

In the Post’s Local Opinions Blog, DCPS Chancellor Michelle Rhee clarified her earlier comments on the election, wherein she called the results devastating.  She has stepped back her remarks to refer to the status of the election as a repudiation of reform efforts:

“I was describing the perception by some that this election had been a referendum on reform of the D.C. schools itself. If the results were to be read as a repudiation of reform, that indeed would be devastating for D.C. children, for the city and for children throughout the country who are so dependent on successful school reform efforts.”

Rhee’s status as Chancellor has come to be the subject of much public speculation in the wake of Vincent Gray’s win of the Democratic Party nomination for mayor on Tuesday.  TBD today speculates on who might take her place atop DCPS if Gray decides that Michelle Rhee cannot serve his new administration, and questions have abounded to Gray, as well, with Mark Plotkin finding new and unique methods of asking the same question over and over and over today to Gray on his radio show.  Gray has publicly said he won’t make any decisions until he was properly elected and not just nominated.

The Daily Feed
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DC to add another temple to film

Photo courtesy of
‘AFI Silver Theatre’
courtesy of ‘Rolenz’

For being a place that’s thoroughly awful to stage a movie in, DC is a city that absolutely loves its movies.  We’ve got the gorgeous Uptown from the heyday of movies, we’ve got AFI’s theatre in Silver Spring, and starting construction soon, we’ll have the Warner Brothers Theater at the National Museum of American History.

Warner Brothers donated $5M this week to NMAH to renovate their current theatre to a state of the art palace of film and movies.  The theatre will feature both film and digital projection technologies and will also have the capability for 3D movies to be shown, but it’s also going to have the ability to show original 35mm film, which is something everyone should be excited about.  Perhaps we can convince the Library of Congress to have showings there with films kept in their amazing archive in Culpeper?

Timeline for construction of the theater isn’t yet being discussed, but we’ve asked Smithsonian for clarification and we’ll get back to you with what we find.  If I can make a small suggestion, though, Smithsonian and Warner Brothers, go art deco with the theater. Make it big and beautiful.

Adventures, Entertainment, Essential DC, Fun & Games, Life in the Capital, The Daily Feed, The District
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FoxNews: GU’s Bulldog More Dangerous Than A Momma Grizzly

Photo courtesy of
‘Georgetown v. Villanova basketball – 2’
courtesy of ‘Aaron Webb’

FoxNews has published a list of the Top 15 Most Dangerous College Mascots and the slobbering, cute furball pictured above (aka: Georgetown’s “Jack The Bulldog) has made the list. Fortunately, he’s in good company with fellow bulldog comrade, the University of Georgia’s smushball “Uga.” What actually qualifies Jack and Uga for the list is unknown as the news agency didn’t outline the criteria or list methodology.

Personally, I can think of a lot of other “mascots” that are more dangerous than the animals on this list; they generally tend to involve college students dressed up as mascots. Human decision making, especially college student decision making, is a hell of a thing.

News, The Daily Feed
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Adrian Fenty, Republican?

Photo courtesy of
‘Mayor Fenty 502’
courtesy of ‘yospyn’

The results of the DC Election just got a bit more interesting.  This morning, DCBOEE released the totals of write-in candidates (PDF) for the Republican and Statehood Green party ballots, and the winner of the Republican primary for Mayor was Adrian Fenty.  He has until 4:45pm today to issue the board a letter of intent to accept the nomination if he wishes to have his name on the ballot this November.  Could he choose to run again in November?

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The Features
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The Rundown: September Edition

Photo courtesy of
‘Airborne’
courtesy of ‘theqspeaks’

As America’s fittest city, the District is home to a high concentration of athletes, and it seems like every week brings another road race or triathlon to town.  With everything from 5Ks to marathons coming up in the next couple months, fall is a busy time for road races in the DC area.

If you’ve always wanted to start running, now’s the time to start– the weather can’t be beat, and a Couch Potato to 5K training program will have you ready for your first 5K in just 2 months!  Don’t believe you can do it?  Well, 2 years ago I couldn’t run more than two blocks without stopping, but I followed the training program, got bitten by the running bug, and now I’ve got countless 5Ks and 10Ks under my belt, along with a handful of half-marathons and triathlons.

Ready to race?  Here’s what’s going on in the running world over the next month.

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The Daily Feed
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Jon Stewart Will Rally in DC to Restore Sanity


From RallyToRestoreSanity.com

Fans of The Daily Show are likely already aware that Jon Stewart is coming to Washington, D.C. in late October. As you may recall, tickets for four tapings of Stewart’s popular cable news show went on sale and quickly disappeared a few times back in August, and many Stewart-ites were left out in the cold.

Didn’t get tickets? Good news. It just got interesting, and you’ll now have a chance to see Mr. Stewart anyway. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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To Booze with a View

Photo courtesy of
‘Kennedy Center Terrace’
courtesy of ‘volcanojw’

Feel like learning a little something while taking in the sweeping views atop the Kennedy Center? Might I add, learning something…about booze? Well you are in luck because on Wednesday, September 29th, the Roof Terrace Restaurant will be holding the first installment of their monthly themed wine tasting series.

This first event will focus on Spanish wines, complimented by hors d’oeuvres created by the Kennedy Center chefs, which I’m sure are designed to soak up the alcohol to ensure you don’t get a little too close to the edge. The tasting costs $40 per person and reservations are required, which can be made here.

The wine tastings run through December, with upcoming themes such as “Harvest Celebration” (10/22), “Drink Local” (11/15) and “Champagne & Everything Bubbly” (12/7).

The Daily Feed
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John Legend Speaks to Howard University Students

Photo courtesy of
‘Finance maze’
courtesy of ‘RambergMediaImages’

Grammy-Award winner John Legend spoke to Howard University students about education inequality today on Howard’s District campus.

According to The Washington Post, Legend’s appearance kicked off a partnership between the College Board and MTV that addresses the challenges students currently face when applying to receive financial aid.

Over two million college students a year fail to apply for the $70 billion in government financial aid made available on an annual basis. Not only that, but almost two-thirds of current students find that the process of applying for financial aid isn’t easy.

That’s not entirely true. Hence Legend’s involvement. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Redskins, Reporters and Retweeting

Photo courtesy of
‘240|365’
courtesy of ‘Danilo.Lewis|Fotography’

For hardcore NFL fans who are waiting between Sundays, any nugget of data they can get during the week is a gift. For some, the most interesting information comes from something very few people ever get a chance to see: practice. The most important thing that comes out of those midweek events are reports from beat journalists assigned to the team. Sure, nothing the casual fan may care about, but for those stat crunchers and junkies who need to know who’s probable, who’s limping and who’s having a good week, a Team Brief can’t be beat.

Before the era of web-based phones and instant communication, reporters would file through the queue, get their information at a presser or from a sports information officer, and then move along. Nowadays, bring in Twitter or other platforms for instant reaction, and all of a sudden that journalist can do pretty fine on his own – before the team’s front office has a chance to course correct. That’s not sitting well with the Redskins. Continue reading →

News, The Daily Feed
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Bomb Threat in Rosslyn Shuts down N. Moore St.

Photo courtesy of
‘253/365’
courtesy of ‘BrianMKA’

There is a developing situation at 1901 N. Moore Street in Rosslyn, where a suspicious package, received by Townhall.com.  N. Moore Street is closed between Lee Hwy and 19th Street while police are working the area. The package is currently being X-rayed by the bomb squad.  It’s not clear what set the situation off, but the area is to be avoided while they’re working out what’s happening there.

Food and Drink, Night Life, The Features, We Love Drinks
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We Love Drinks: Biergarten Haus

Photo courtesy of
‘people watching soccer’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’

Biergarten Haus is on the defensive.  They’re still sore from the reaming Tom Sietsema gave them in the Post (having your food described as “a lethal weapon” always hurts), and there’s a certain measure of bitterness amongst the staff against the Yelpers for their similarly worded reviews criticizing, amongst other things, the service. To me, Biergarten Haus isn’t about the food or the waiters, it’s about the beer. And how is the beer?  Well, it’s better than the food or the waiters. It’s not the best, but it’s good enough.

Biergarten Haus is the latest and greatest nightlife phenomena in DC.  It seems like one comes along every year or so, and Washingtonians pack the place out and make it impossible to find a seat on the weekends.  Last year it was Churchkey, this year it’s Biergarten. It’s a blessing and a curse.  The broader neighborhood benefits from the patronage that is turned away at the door for lack of space.  The patrons themselves face the frustration of massive crowds, slow service and lack of seating.

The beer garden was hyped and highly anticipated before it even opened its doors.  After a series of delays and extended soft openings, the DC citizenry was practically clamoring to get inside to experience the Biergarten for themselves.  When the establishment finally did open in June, it was rough, to say the least. If you came after 6, there were no seats.  If you happened to get a table, you where crammed in with literally hundreds of other people.  The staff was too small, the service was too slow and people generally left disenchanted. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Spa Week is Back!

Photo courtesy of
’81/365: And My Flippy Floppies 3/22/10′
courtesy of ‘@heylovedc’

Most people have a favorite time of year.  Maybe you love the week of Thanksgiving, or, perhaps that sweet space between Christmas and New Years Eve.  But for me, nothing quite compares to Spa Week.  Yes friends, you heard me, Spa Week.  An entire seven days dedicated to simply giving  people (me) the opportunity to relax at a discounted price.

Spa Week in D.C. will be celebrated October 11-17 and you will need an appointment to join in the fun (hence why I am sharing this news with you now, leaving plenty of time to make your calls).  Participating D.C. spas are listed here and all treatments will cost $50.

The 60-min pedicure at Elizabeth Arden’s Red Door Spa in the Willard is calling my name.

We Love Weekends
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We Love Weekends, September 18-19

Photo courtesy of
‘Numbers, bikers’
courtesy of ‘martha_jean’

Dave L.: Since I have no crazy, 22-hour trips to Boston planned and my alma mater is on its bye week, I’m going to take advantage of plenty of things around the city before ducking out of dodge for vacation. Friday evening seems like a great time to go find a patio bar since the weather is looking exceptional. Maybe somewhere on the Hill? Saturday stands to be a little more planned, at least as much as chaos can be organized, with an End of Skeeson party on tap for another successful season of United Skeeball down at Rosslyn’s Continental. Team name for everyone who loves puns: Snakes on A Lane 3 – the Skeelogy.

Michael: Big music weekend in DC! Thursday night, I’ll be mixing it up from the DJ booth in the Industrial/Electronica room at REVOLUTION at FUR. Friday night, I’ll finally be seeing No Age in concert along with their impressive openers Holy Fuck. This is an awesome double bill! Then the DC Sonic Circuits Festival kicks off on Saturday night with an ultra-rare performance by Magma. On Sunday the experimental music fest continues down in Fairfax, where I’ll be trying to survive 12-straight hours of improv noise-jams. Wish me luck! Continue reading →

Adventures, All Politics is Local, Crime & Punishment, News, The Daily Feed
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Dude! Where’s My Ginseng?!!

Photo courtesy of
‘DSC_1465’
courtesy of ‘Chloester’

NBCWashington reports that two local area men have been found guilty of harvesting and hunting for wild herb ginseng at Savage River State Forest. Wild ginseng touted for its anti-tumor, anti-viral, antioxidant, and metabolic effects can potentially sell for $300 per pound.

According to the Western Maryland Research & Education Center, Ginseng grows “in hardwood forests in the eastern United States on well-drained, north-and east-facing slopes with rich soils.” Sounds like the DC area is the perfect.

The greatest threat to wild-simulated ginseng is human theft, also known as “hunting sang” in the Appalachian region. Currently, Ginseng is  listed by the Convention for International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), and harvesting, buying, collecting and selling ginseng requires proper documentation and permits.

Interviews, The Features
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He Loves DC: Clint Khoury

Photo by Rachel Levitin

You know him as Clint the Nats In-Game Host at Nationals Park. When he’s not at a ball game, Clint’s just another District area resident appreciating this city for all it has to offer.

Rain or shine, you can find Clint exploring the nation’s capital from the seat of his bicycle or by foot year-round. Clint can’t imagine being anywhere else than the District. Here’s why: Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Opa! Greek Festival This Weekend!

Photo courtesy of
‘chicken souvlaki on a pita’
courtesy of ‘iwona_kellie’

I go pretty crazy for a Greek festival. I drive by St. Sophia’s on a daily basis, and I have a giddy little heart attack when they hang the sign announcing the dates for their biannual food and fun fest. It’s not within walking distance of my house this weekend, but the Sts. Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church is having their 50th Anniversary Greek Festival September 17th-19th.

I’ll be the first to admit that I go for the food (the souvlaki! the spanakopita!) but I stay for the fun. In addition to the traditional grub, there will be Greek coffee, beer, wine, live music, and a Greek bazaar full of all the Mediterranean trinkets your heart desires.

The festival runs from 12pm-9:30pm on Friday and Saturday, and 12pm-8pm on Sunday. More information can be found here.

Food and Drink, Special Events
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Where to Break the Fast

Photo courtesy of
‘Food’
courtesy of ‘Pug50’

For Jews, Yom Kippur’s Break-the-Fast meal is the caloric equivalent of Thanksgiving. After 24 hours of penitent fasting, you compensate for a day’s worth of eating in a frenzy of bagels, lox and whitefish salad. I’ve honestly seen entire pans of noodle kugel disappear in under five minutes. Not surprisingly, the holiday generally ends with hours of complaining about how much everyone ate. It isn’t pretty, but it’s tradition.

But for out-of-town transplants, recreating the customary gluttony might be a difficult task. Maybe you don’t have family or friends close by. Or perhaps hosting guests – or even a full-size bed – just isn’t possible in your shoebox of an English basement. But that’s no reason to break the fast at home by yourself. Because let’s face it – that feels a lot like emotional binge eating.

So here are a few options to help make this Saturday’s Yom Kippur celebration merry and bright. They range from the religious to the ridiculous, but all guarantee some belly-busting good times.

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