By Tom Bridge
Photo by Ian Koski / Nationals Daily News
The Nationals’ losing streak stopped at six games tonight, as Livo outpitched Bruce Chen, and Mike Morse and Cristian Guzman each struck for solo homers in the 2-1 victory. Matt Capps, after surrendering two hits in the 9th, retired the side on three brutal called strikeouts to pick up his 21st save and cement Livo’s sixth win.
By Erin McCann
Yes, the man who stepped on a Red Line car and just had to cut loose (a la “Footloose”) has seen the video and heard our plea to step forward. Readers of We Love DC, I present to you: your DC Metro Dancer, Bob Grannan. Bob, we salute you.
By Tom Bridge
‘Lannan about to release’
courtesy of ‘afagen’
A day after manager Jim Riggleman said that struggling hurler John Lannan had “long leash” and would make his next start in Baltimore this weekend, the team sent him to AA Harrisburg. Lannan was sent down, and reliever Joel Peralta was retrieved from AAA Syracuse. The team will run with 4 starters for the next week or so, due to a Thursday off-day before the Baltimore series that allows for a bit more flexibility in the schedule.
The move comes as a bit of a shock, given Riggleman’s assurances yesterday that Lannan was a fixture of the club, and they’d stand by him through a rough spot. The team is hoping that Lannan can fix his mechanical issues with the pitching coach there, Randy Tomlin, that has helped John in the past.
This the first time that the team has been without Lannan for more than a day or two since he was called up in 2007.
By Rebecca
Vintage Washington DC Tall Drinking Glasses Circa 1950 Set of 2
Today’s Find Of The Day celebrates many of our city’s finest monuments and buildings, and one of my summer favorites, iced cold beverages. These vintage drinking glasses feature black and gold images of The White House, The Capital Building, Iwo Jima Memorial, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Lincoln Memorial arranged around the seal of the POTUS. The unique and quite handsome set were made around 1950.
On a Monday afternoon, all I can do is imagine both glasses filled with either some Jack Daniels and Ginger Ale, or perhaps a Gin Rickey. Heaven.
‘The Golden Filter’
courtesy of ‘yousayyeah’
On Friday night, DC9 mainstay, Liberation Dance Party brought in New York’s The Golden Filter for a special appearance to amp up the already crazy dance party LDP hosts week after week. Unsurprisingly, the result was an even crazier dance party. The Golden Filter delivered a killer set of sexy electro-pop to a packed house eager to dance, dance, dance! And dance they did, taking to the riser boxes, standing on the booths, shaking and grinding while the band delivered on the promise of their amazing debut album, Voluspa, with a live performance that was a delight to watch through the filter of moving bodies.
By Jenn Larsen
‘Frankie Goes to Washington…………’
courtesy of ‘LaTur’
The 2010 Capital Fringe Festival schedule is live, and as always it’s jam-packed with a rich mix of the serious and the seriously messed-up. Now in its fifth year, the festival is an incredible opportunity for artists to present work not normally seen on DC mainstream stages, and a chance for you to indulge in watching (and sometimes participating in!) some crazy theatrical risk-taking.
Tickets are on sale starting today, and the festival itself runs July 8-25 with about 130 different performances to choose from. Payment options range from tickets to individual shows ($15 each) or packages to multiple shows ($50 for four tickets, $75 for six, $110 for ten and $300 for all) – note you will also need the $5 Fringe Button to enter any Fringe venue. Show venues are mainly in the Mount Vernon Square area, with Fort Fringe & The Baldacchino Gypsy Tent Bar set up at 607 New York Avenue NW.
I’ve only ever made it to a show or two in Fringes past, but this year I’m intending to be more ambitious and see as many shows as I can for you! Watch for timely (within 24 hours of first night, yikes) reviews here as part of our collaboration with DC Theatre Scene.
So get ready for some fast furious theatrical fun!
By Ben H. Rome
‘DSC_6274’
courtesy of ‘bhrome’
Ready for Caps hockey yet?
Well, when you are, know that the first preseason game for the team is on Sept 22 in Columbus against the Blue Jackets. The first home preseason game is at the Verizon Center on Sept 28 against the Boston Chokes Bruins. The other two home games are Oct 1 and Oct 3, against Columbus and Nashville, respectively. There are six games in total on the preseason schedule; last year, the Caps went 4-2-0.
This weekend is the NHL Draft; I’ll have a rundown on how the Caps fared and their prospects next week. Only three more months before the puck drops…
By Dave Levy
In case you missed last Friday’s interview with Sam Lloyd of Scrubs and the acapella band, The Blanks, check it out and get excited for the fact that the quartet will be performing two shows in the DC area later this week at the Arlington Drafthouse.
Excited yet? How about the chance to go for free? We have four pairs of tickets to give away (two for each night), and we’ll have two contests this week to find our winners. To enter, all you need to do is leave a comment on this post – but I’ll only count it if you leave a link or the lyrics to your favorite, classic TV theme song. The Blanks are probably most known to Scrubs fans for their covers of a few sitcom and cartoon openings, so this seems like an appropriate challenge. I’ll even get it going with my personal favorite that happens to double as my phone ring:
We’ll select two winners at random from all eligible comments who leave their favorite theme by 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday. The first two winners will get to pick which night they want to see the band (either Friday’s 10 p.m. show or Saturday’s 7 p.m.), and we’ll have another contest later this week for the other two sets.
By Tom Bridge
World Cup Soccer
Record: 0-0-2, 2 points
Next Game: Wednesday 10am
Wednesday morning brings us the next chapter of the World Cup for Team USA, and they’ll be playing for their tournament life. USA will need a victory if they want to advance, but Algeria’s allowed just one goal so far in two games, so it’ll take a lot of doing. A tie would still allow the US to advance, but they stop being in control of their own destiny. If they were to tie, they would need England to lose against Slovenia, or tie, but score less than 2 more goals than we do against Algeria.
There are some outcomes that would require actual coin flips in order to determine the advancing team. Via ESPN: “If the U.S. draws with Algeria and England draws with Slovenia, and England scores exactly two more goals than the U.S., the U.S. and England would be even on all tiebreakers for second place. The tie would be broken by drawing lots … aka, a coin flip.” Continue reading
By Dave Levy
Dear We Love DC Readers,
Please help us find the gentlemen in the above video who is clearly a dancing maniac, or, in the least, give us your best guess as to what he is rocking out to that inspired this dance on the Metro.
Kindly,
WLDC staff
P.S.: You have to appreciate those on the train who started applauding as the video concludes.
via Buzzfeed
By Tom Bridge
‘Cory Doctorow’
courtesy of ‘rob_knight’
If you know who Cory Doctorow is, chances are, you’re a geek or a nerd. Or both? It’s hard to tell, depending on how the term’s being bandied about this week. Anyhow, science fiction author and BoingBoing co-editor Cory Doctorow is giving at the the New America Foundation on “How Copyright Threatens Democracy“.
The issue isn’t a simple one, and comprises a complex discussion of the role of the creative in business, as well as the legal rights to publish material, something that’s coming to an interesting head in the next few years as newsprint media continues its retreat. As books and music and movies expand to take on new forms, what will Copyright do? While I frequently disagree with Doctorow, it’s hard to argue that he’s not one of the most knowledgeable people in the world concerning US Copyright laws. Come out, it’ll be neat.
Monday, June 28, 2010 – 6:30pm – 8:30pm
New America Foundation
1899 L Street NW Suite 400
Washington, DC, 20036
RSVP
‘The Argonaut Bar’
courtesy of ‘InspirationDC’
As you may have heard by now, Argonaut on H Street had a pretty bad fire over the weekend. While the damage was mostly confined to the kitchen and bar area, it’s going to be a little while before it can re-open in its previous state. Because the kitchen is unusable, it will need a revised liquor (tavern) license to reopen while the kitchen is being repaired, and liquor licenses mean ANC meetings and NIMBY neighbors and all kinds of delays like that, not to mention the insurance process that has to begin now. In the meantime, the owners and staff of Argonaut are essentially unemployed.
So it’s time to help out. There’s a fundraiser for Argonaut on Wednesday, June 30 at Rock and Roll Hotel. It’s $20, all of which will go directly to Argonaut, and cocktails are complimentary. There’s also a silent auction planned.
By Tom Bridge
The fine for running a red light in Arlington, when you’re caught by Police, is $162 plus 4 points on your license. The fine when you’re caught by new traffic cameras in Rosslyn: $50 and no points. The cameras are at the intersections of Lee Highway and Fort Myer Drive and North Lynn Street, designed to catch those salty individuals who decide to risk moving through to block the box in rush hour, or for those who gun it through the yellow. There are two others, at Washington Blvd and Lee Hwy at the Arlington/Falls Church border, and one at Fairfax and North Glebe in Ballston.
Through the 21st of July, the cameras are giving out warnings, but they’ll ramp up the revenue machine for the county starting thereafter.
‘Glass slippers’
courtesy of ‘Glamhag’
Stephanie Williams, a medical student at GW, was crowned Miss District of Columbia 2010 last night at U Street’s Lincoln Theater. After a disappointing second place finish last year, Miss Williams came back to secure top honors with her Broadway singing and commitment to preventive care. The question on everyone’s mind however is whether she can pull off a body slam like exiting Miss DC Jen Corey. Time will tell my friends, time will tell.
Williams will go on to compete in the Miss America 2011 pageant on January 15th.
By Ben H. Rome
‘Soccer Ball in Fountain’
courtesy of ‘Mr. T in DC’
What a weekend! Despite the heat, the DC area celebrated the passing of spring into summer with all kinds of activities: dancing, World Cup, festivals, soapbox racing, music and more. Summer’s now on in full force, so if you’re looking to linger with spring, today’s flashback is the day to do it.
By Dave Levy
‘Thundering Herd’
courtesy of ‘flipperman75’
Local running blogger Tom Jones from 528,000 Feet had a pretty nifty idea on how to both raise money and awareness around prostate cancer research. Jones, a Senate Staffer by day, is a long-distance runner and cycler, and like many who participate in long races and marathons, Jones has selected a charity to support through donations and pledges around his quest. Instead of just asking for donations to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, though, he’s upping the ante by offering something very cool in return for your family.
By Tom Bridge
‘Teddy FAIL’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’
After a 5-3 loss, manager Jim Riggleman said that the Nationals were “going to pass the character test.” Last season’s team under Manny Acta never had that chance, and before the All-Star Break, they were 26-61. The Nats this season, after starting 20-15, have dropped 24 of their last 35, including six straight. They’d have to lose every game between now and the All Star Break to get anywhere close to as rough as last season was. I don’t see that happening.
By Tom Bridge
‘Hook and Ladder’
courtesy of ‘Edward Hoover’
An electrical fire in the kitchen at Argonaut in DC early this morning has caused some serious damage to the H Street Restaurant. They’ve said they’ll have someone down at DCRA first in the morning tomorrow for permits to clean things up, and expect to be up and going again in a few weeks. The fire was largely confined to the kitchen, but the firefighters broke out the front windows to vent smoke.
By Ben H. Rome
If I say the name “Leonardo da Vinci,” what’s the first thing to pop into your mind? Most likely, thoughts of paintings such as the Mona Lisa or the Last Supper, or perhaps illustrations of his flying machine concepts. Maybe in some cases, the idea of a “Renaissance Man.” And you’d be right with all of those answers – but you’d also only be scratching the surface.
The National Geographic Museum’s latest exhibit, “Da Vinci-The Genius,” attempts to broaden that answer for you. This comprehensive traveling exhibition details the life and work of Leonardo da Vinci and will be on display from June 18 through September 12, 2010 and is made available by Grande Exhibitions, Fondazione Anthropos of Italy, and the French engineer Pascal Cotte.
“We have all heard of Leonardo da Vinci; most people think of him as the artist that painted the Mona Lisa, or maybe they heard he did flying machine drawings,” said National Geographic Museum Director Susan Norton. “But here, you can come to see full-sized models of what he designed in the 15th Century to address what he thought of as challenges, issues, and problems, and I think people will be fascinated when they come.”
She’s not wrong. Continue reading
By Tom Bridge
Photo by Cheryl Nichols, Nationals News Network
Stephen Strasburg’s second start saw the Nationals’ bats struggle to the point of embarassment against the White Sox’ Gavin Floyd, who faced the minimum through six innings. That feat came partially at the hands of some terrible running for the Nationals. They hit into two double plays, and took part in an ugly strike-em-out/throw-em-out DP in the 6th.
Strasburg worked well tonight, though, notching 10 strikeouts (just one looking) through 7 innings pitched, giving up a just four hits. Two of those came in the first, a single and a bloop double that gave the Sox the chance to capitalize. After those two hits, Strasburg would retire 15 straight Sox, 9 on strikeouts, before allowing another runner. Continue reading
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