Yearly Archives: 2010

The Features, We Love Arts
By

We Love Arts: Pousette-Dart

Richard Pousette-Dart, Cosmos, 1950-51. Oil and graphite on board, 36 x 48 in. Courtesy of Knoedler Gallery. © 2010 Estate of Richard Pousette-Dart / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

“I strive to express the spiritual nature of the universe.  Painting for me is a dynamic balance and wholeness of life; it is mysterious and transcending, yet solid and real.” – Richard Pousette-Dart

Exhibition titles are supposed to be exciting and alluring.  They should make you go, “I have got to see this”, or at least, grab your attention for a second or two.  The exhibition title for the current Pousette-Dart showing at The Phillips Collection is anything but that.  Nothing about the phrase Predominantly White Paintings gets you jumping out of your chair, heading for the door (unless of course you are familiar with the artist’s work already).  However, you may want to reconsider.

Richard Pousette-Dart is among the most celebrated abstract expressionists of the avant-garde New York, sharing the limelight with the likes of Pollock, Gorky, and de Kooning – a circle of artists that only a very few (of the very many) had the artistic merit and vision to join.  During the early 1950’s, Pousette-Dart departed from his distinguished colorful paintings and arrived upon white, not a color, but simply a characteristic of light’s reflecting powers. Now, for the first time in over 50 years, twenty-five of Pousette-Dart’s Predominantly White Paintings are on display.  And let me tell you, nothing about them is boring.

Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
By

St. Elizabeth’s Documentary Project Seeks Support

Photo courtesy of
‘St. Elizabeths – Face of Drama – 12-13-08’
courtesy of ‘mosley.brian’

DC attorney Joy Haynes and her sister, a full-time filmmaker, are seeking public support of a documentary project at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital. They intend to help 5 patients create video diaries, which will be edited to stand on their own, as well as into a documentary that tells their stories. Since part of the idea is also to help St. Elizabeth’s patients learn skills that they can continue to use after their treatment, patients will also participate in other B-roll filming tasks as well as editing. At the conclusion of the project, the cameras will be donated to the hospital for its existing arts programs.

The Daily Feed
By

OMG BABY PANDA

image008.jpg
Oh my sweet jeebus, I just DIED INSIDE thanks to this unbearable cuteness. Mama Red Panda Shama is here with her week old cub, who is nameless, and totally adorable.  The Red Panda exhibit at the zoo is off-limits for a while as Shama and the cub need privacy to bond but you can bet money that this Fall there will be massive lines to gawk at the adorableness that just burned out my eyes.

Arlington
By

Why I Love DC: Patrick Pho

Photo courtesy of
‘Oz’
courtesy of ‘brianmka’

I never really knew Washington, DC despite traveling there every year.

As a kid my family would pack up the van and we would take semi-annual trips to Herndon, VA where my grandparents lived. Despite being 30 minutes away from The District we hardly went inside the beltway, however the sight of the Washington Mormon Temple was a sight I never forgot as a child. It was a sign that we were close to DC and close to the Dulles Toll Road that would take us to grandma’s house.

Flash forward a a few years and I’m a senior at Fitchburg State College, wondering where to go on internship. Nearby Boston was an option and so was Atlanta, headquarters to CNN. Despite being a film/video major I didn’t want to go to LA or New York City like all my other classmates- I wanted to do something different. I remembered the trips to Virginia every year and figured Washington, DC wouldn’t be a bad place to spend a semester.

Little did I know it would become the place I would start my life.   Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
By

DC Crafts: Find Of The Day

political donkey and elephant

With political races gearing up for the November mid-term elections, why not have today’s Find Of The Day make a nod to the Dems and Repubs. These two 9.5″ tall Royal Haegar planters are in excellent shape, and according to flabbyrabbit, have no chips. Neither the donkey nor the elephant are rocking the  red, white and blue, but are both a matching shade of cream with greenish brown accents. Don’t know how the party leaders feel about that, but I have a feeling the word “unpatriotic” would come to mind.

All Politics is Local, Arlington, Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
By

President Obama Makes A Return Stop To Ray’s Hell Burger

Photo courtesy of
‘”you gonna eat that?”‘
courtesy of ‘oceandesetoiles’

It’s hot out there in the district but that won’t keep President Obama from being a gracious host to Russian President Dmitri Medvedev. The two just hit up Ray’s Hell Burger in Rosslyn where the two had burgers and shared fries together. What a touching moment for the US and Russia, sharing fries! According to Fox News’ Major Garrett Obama enjoyed a burger w/cheddar cheese, onions, lettuce, tomato & “bread & butter” pickles and Medvedev had a burger with cheddar cheese, onions, jalapenos and mushrooms.

How bold of the Russian leader to opt for the spicy on his burger!

Medvedev is in Washington today to talk with Obama about the global economy and other assorted international business stuff that World Leaders often talk about. Obama is no stranger to Ray’s, having visited the joint with VP Biden last May.

Check out more photos and video below:

Continue reading →

We Love Weekends
By

We Love Weekends, June 26-27

Photo courtesy of
‘Upshur Swimming Pool’
courtesy of ‘Mr. T in DC’

Carl: Friday night may see me going to hear some jazz at the sculpture garden, where I will no doubt enjoy a cooler of malt liquor with fellow writer Katie. Saturday I will be sleeping late (likely waking up around 7:30), possibly finishing some yard work for an elderly friend, and then going to my friend Don‘s birthday party. He’s not the elderly guy I do yard work for but I suppose I should offer. On Sunday I might meet a friend for brunch and later head off to a cookout in the Westover neighborhood. If I get there early, there’s always the Lost Dog Cafe, where I can cool off and sip some suds while I await the appointed hour.

Max: I’m headed up to Philly this weekend for a much needed escape from Dodge, but if I were sticking around the District I would hit up the not to be missed show at Flashpoint, Jeffry Cudlin: BY REQUEST – it’s going to be the off the hook.  I’d also check out the show opening at Conner Contemporary Saturday night, 32 Under 32, featuring 32 up and coming local artists that are under the age of 32.  Lastly, I’d stay indoors as much as possible because this lovely weather is supposed to continue throughout the weekend.  Fall can’t get here soon enough for me.   Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
By

DC’s Official Dinosaur. Really.

Photo courtesy of
‘Capitolsaurus Court’
courtesy of ‘DC Like a Local’

So there I was, scrolling through Twitter, completely unaware that my world was about to be rocked. Maura Judkis said, “I can’t believe that I’ve lived here 7 years and only just now learned that D.C. has an official dinosaur.”

What? We have a DINOSAUR? Oh yes, not only does DC have an official dinosaur, but that dinosaur has a song.

In 1898, during sewer work at 1st and F Streets SE, workers found a dinosaur bone. Just one. A vertebra. But that vertebra didn’t match any known specimens at the time, so the Smithsonian drew what their researchers concluded the dinosaur’s skeleton might look like and put the bone into their collection. In 1998, the centennial of the discovery, some enterprising DCPS students at Watkins and Smothers Elementary School lobbied the DC Council to dub it the Capitalsaurus and declare it the official dinosaur of the District of Columbia. They also designated 1st and F SE as “Capitalsaurus Court.”

But the best part of all this, in my opinion, is the fact that the bill actually includes the song the kids sang about the dinosaur and the pressing need to pass the bill.

The Capitalsaurus is not the only dinosaur whose fossils have been found in DC. There have been several other fossils found in the area, and Dr. Peter Kranz of the University of Maryland has compiled a report on many of them.

The Daily Feed
By

Free Food Alert! Dunkin’ Turbo Visits DC

Photo courtesy of
‘Dunkin Donuts Medium Coffee’
courtesy of ‘Mr. T in DC’

I don’t know about you, but I’m always in the mood for free stuff these days.  That being said, this weekend, good ole’ Dunkin’ Donuts will be on hand at Safeway’s National Capital Barbecue Battle XVIII.  Located on Pennsylvania between 9th and 14th Street, there will be a giant RV filled with free coffee samples and other goodies for you to enjoy.

The District is just one stop on the Dunkin’ Turbo Big Taste Tour, which is introducing the public to the new Dunkin’ Turbo packaged coffee.  So if you’re in the area and have a craving for some coffee, make sure you stop by!  Saturday the RV will be open from 11am-9pm, and on Sunday from 11am-7:30pm.  You can check out all of the tour stops at the website.

The Daily Feed
By

goSmithsonian Scavenger Hunt Saturday

Photo courtesy of
‘Smithsonian Castle – Star Wheel – 2-16-09’
courtesy of ‘mosley.brian’

If you’ve got an iPhone or an Android phone and feel up for some traipsing about the National Mall this Saturday, you might as well win an iPad while you’re flirting with heatstroke, no? Play the goSmithsonian Mobile Scavenger Hunt on Saturday starting at 9:30AM at the Smithsonian Castle. You download the SCVNGR app from the iPhone App store or the Android Market, and choose the goSmithsonian Trek. Then your phone will provide you with a series of challenges and questions pertaining to various Smithsonian museums for you to complete for points. Report back to the Castle at 2, where the highest scorer wins an iPad.

Sounds like fun. If I weren’t already triple-booked for Saturday, I’d see you there. Be sure to RSVP.

Entertainment, The Daily Feed
By

We Love DC Does Top Chef DC: Episode 2

Photo courtesy of
‘Classic school lunch. Yum.’
courtesy of ‘Ben+Sam’

Top Chef is off and running after a lackluster premiere, in fact the lowly 1.8 million that tuned in last week was the show’s lowest premiere since the beginning of the season. When you take into account the lower than usual turnout for the Real World DC premiere, one would have to think if DC is the place where reality TV goes to die. I certainly hope not! Producers are right to think that the Washington, DC backdrop is sexy- I mean where else can you have a National monument in every B-roll shot? Also where are you going to find cool guest judges like White House chef Sam Kass?

The cook for the Obama family prepared meals for the family in Chicago and moved to DC after the election. He’s a self-starter with no formal training or experiencing running a restaurant or hotel. Instead he’s more of a working chef that continues to cook for the First Family while also advising and supporting Michelle Obama’s healthy living agenda.

I bet you didn’t know that about about Mr. Kass. The again you might have been too busy staring at him wondering if it would be possible to get trapped in an elevator with both him and Tom. In 2009 Kass was listed in People’s “100 Most Beautiful People,” yet another reason to get this White House official on camera.

Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
By

After Strasmas, D.C. Gets New Wall’s Day

Photo courtesy of
‘Arenas lets it fly’
courtesy of ‘afagen’

Yesterday was a little bit of a busy sports day. Landon Donovan, an epic Wimbeldon match (to the point where “epic” doesn’t actually do it justice), Strasmas 3, and, oh yeah, Landon Donovan. Why should the fun stop now? Tonight is the 2010 NBA Draft, and your Washington Wizards carry the first pick.

All signs are pointing towards a selection of John Wall, who played one season as point guard from Kentucky. Wall would be a great boost for a team that has drifted into low relevance in a town that has moved from Redskins quarterback-shuffling to a brief Caps playoff run and along to Strasburg’s heralded debut for the Nationals. When the Wizards lucked into the number one draft pick last month, it represented a pretty banner day for District sports fans, and John Wall would stand as a worthy addition to the Mount Rushmore of prospects that have come to the DC area in the last years.

Coverage for the draft beings at 7 tonight, and you can catch it all on ESPN. The clock will start around 7:30, and Wall very likely will be a Wizard shortly after that.

Entertainment, Interviews, Media, People, Special Events, The Features, We Love Arts
By

DMVIFF: A Festival for Filmmakers

Tanecia Britt; photo courtesy DMVIFF

This weekend marks the start of the DMV International Film Festival, showcasing the talents of various artists in our area. (‘DMV’ stands for the District, Maryland, and Virginia, for those wondering.) By showcasing up and coming artists from around the world, the DMVIFF is a non-profit organization dedicated to expanding the area’s indie film market through the development and presentation of original stories for the screen. The DMVIFF hopes to educate about the business of film through workshops and panel discussions during the course of the festival. The festival – and organization – has been put together by Tanecia Britt, a DC native and a freelance director.

The festival, which runs Friday through Wednesday the 30th, was the brainchild of Britt after her return from London where she obtained her Masters in Film Video and New Screen Media. “After I got back and created my first feature, School Without Walls, I had trouble entering the film in various area film festivals,” she said. “School was selected in 3 international festivals, so I was confused as to why it wasn’t accepted here in the DC area. It was then I noticed a real lack of knowledge of film festivals, so I decided to do something about it.”

Continue reading →

capitals hockey, The Daily Feed
By

Ovie, Theodore Walk Away With Hardware

Photo courtesy of
‘Theodore Warms Up’
courtesy of ‘bhrome’

Last night at the NHL Awards in Las Vegas, the Washington Capitals did not come away empty-handed. Both winger Alex Ovechkin and goalie Jose Theodore (who won’t be back this year) nabbed individual awards, with Ovie also being elected to his fifth-straight First Team All Star honor.

Theodore won the Bill Masterson Memorial Trophy, which honors the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey. Theodore, who lost his son Chace last year to respiratory complications, created the “Saves for Kids” charity to benefit the neonatal intensive care unit at Children’s National Medical Center in DC. “Obviously, it was a tough year emotionally, but I’m really proud of the way I handled myself,” Theodore told NHL.com. “Then winning this award just brings back some tough memories or good memories, it depends, but it’s tough. With all the support I had, it was just fun to see people around me that cared for that.” He presented a check for $35,000 to Children’s at the beginning of May after pledging money for each save, win, and shutout he made during the season. The donation also included matching donations and support from the Capitals organization and fans.

Ovechkin led off the awards ceremony, winning the Ted Lindsay Award (formerly the Lester B. Pearson Award) as the players’ MVP for the third straight season. However, Ovie didn’t collect his third Hart trophy (the NHL MVP) as expected; that honor went to Vancouver’s Henrik Sedin.

Mike Green was a finalist for the James Norris Memorial Trophy (outstanding defenseman) but lost to Chicago Blackhawks Duncan Keith.

Sports Fix, The Daily Feed
By

Nats Fall to Royals, 1-0

stras.jpg
Photo by Ian Koski / Nationals Daily News

Looking for the sweep today, the Nationals brought out their ace, Stephen Strasburg, to cement a winning streak and build some momentum, going into the weekend series against Baltimore.  Sadly, the team’s offense couldn’t deliver, in a game fraught with mistakes and misplays, in some cases over-sliding bases, and in others sliding too early, and they fell without scoring, 1-0.

Continue reading →

News, The Daily Feed
By

DC’s Baseball Academy

Photo courtesy of
‘Catcher’
courtesy of ‘bp6316 is alive’

In Fort Dupont Park, in Ward 7, there are a few beat up old baseball fields that are about to get a facelift, thanks to the City’s Department of Parks and Recreation and the Washington Nationals.  This afternoon, I talked to Council Chair Vince Gray at the Nationals game, and he filled me in on a few details.  The City has completed the land transfer with the Park Service, and the Nationals have committed to spending $1M on the academy to get things started and $250k/yr to run the youth academy, designed to get kids active in baseball.

Talking about the academy, it’s clear this is a project near and dear to Gray, who went on about his own time playing at Dunbar High School (he boasted a .500 average his junior and seniors years).  To Gray, getting youth active in baseball is in tandem to getting them employed in the summertime, which could do a lot to keep young people engaged in the community and out of trouble.  He’s also hoping that it might spur on the growth an adult league. Who knows, perhaps we’ll see the Council Chair out in the field some summery night in the future, bat in hand in an adult league?

The Daily Feed
By

DC Crafts: Find Of The Day

courtesy of esty user Artmonger

Today’s Find Of The Day celebrates the beauty of our Capitol building in a 3D watercolor collage by hometown born Artmonger. The artwork requires a multi-step process involving gridwork, painting, computer rendering and foam mounting to give the piece it’s 3D look.  The collage is the perfect gift or decoration for a DCite or even political junkie.  It’s neat-o.

The Daily Feed
By

On The Third Night Of Strasmukkah: A $100k Baseball Card

Photo courtesy of
‘100 MPH!’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’

In about an hour and a half, Stephen Strasburg will take the mound at Nationals Park for the third time, the fourth overall start in his debut season. Sure, it’s going to be a hot one, and people are selling off tickets en masse on StubHub.

If you’re going to stay home or at the office, enjoying the air conditioning, I have a fun game for you. It’s called: “Watch This eBay Auction for A Signed, Rare Stephen Strasburg Baseball Card.” Current total, as of 3:04 p.m. – $100,800.00. As Chris Littman notes over at The Sporting Blog, the bidders seem legit, too.

Entertainment, Music, We Love Music
By

We Love Music: Goldfrapp @ 9:30 Club 6/21/10

Goldfrapp @ 9:30 Club 6/21/10
courtesy of Goldfrapp.

Allison Goldfrapp, the fairy godmother of electro-pop, descended from her pink-chiffon cloud to treat us mere mortals to one hell of a concert at the 9:30 Club on Monday night. The performance was one of the first dates on her U.S. tour in support of her fifth album, “Head First“, but the concert also served as a reminder to the pop-forgetful that she is the best in the biz when it comes to dreamy-vocals set to retro-chic, electro-beats. This summer is ridiculous with its schedule of electro-pop divas visiting DC. From The Golden Filter, to La Roux, to Robyn, and Dragonette each group owes a huge debt to Goldfrapp for putting the pop polish on the synth and keyboard sound that began its revival as the much harsher electro-clash in the late 90’s. Will Gregory and Allison Goldfrapp, the duo that compose Goldfrapp in the studio, have been cranking out great albums since 2000, while Allison and her live band have been putting on terrific live shows full of style and originality that will be hard to forget when seeing their electro-pop descendants perform over the next couple of months. Monday night’s Goldfrapp show took a few songs to really get going but once the band got into their groove it was pure escapist, retroactive, pseudo-futuristic bliss.

Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
By

Shaking Buildings in Old Town, Related to Earthquake?

oldtown

Through two separate reports, we’ve heard that at least one building in Old Town experienced very noticeable shaking today right at about the same time as a relatively major earthquake hit Ottawa and Quebec in Canada. People from Toronto, Detroit, New York and Ohio have reported experiencing some effects from this quake. Is it possible it actually caused shaking in Old Town Alexandria in Virginia?

@thelastgoodnight on Twitter reported it happening at 2:00pm today. It was also reported as being experienced on S Alfred St. Did anyone else feel it?

UPDATE 2:41pm: Apparently there was also shaking felt in Greenbelt, MD. Starting to sound less like strange coincidences and more like very small ripples being felt from the quake up north.