Category Archives: The Daily Feed

Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
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RJ Cooper’s Rogue 24 Opens July 27

Photo courtesy of
‘The Proper Way to Use a Knife’
courtesy of ‘Sprezzatura Images’

The long-talked-about and much anticipated Rogue 24 by RJ Cooper is slated to open on July 27. The 52-seat restaurant near the convention center will feature a theatrical open kitchen in the middle of the dining room, and will offer either a 16-course or 24-course menu. And while there’s no bar, per se, for you to wait at when the restaurant is undoubtedly packed when it first opens, there is a 14-seat “salon” where you can order cocktails and tastings a la carte.

“Rogue 24 is both a studio and stage for dedicated culinarians and sommeliers to have an immediate impact on guests with their knowledge and commitment to excellence,” said chef and owner RJ Cooper in a media release. “For guests seeking an intimate dining experience, we’ve turned the traditional restaurant inside out and brought the kitchen to the guests. Each table is a chef’s table, and each course is carefully constructed to build upon the flavors of the previous course, guiding the taste buds on an unexpected journey.”

Not only is the restaurant owned and led by RJ Cooper, former Chef de Cuisine at Vidalia and 2007 James Beard Foundation award recipient for Best Chef in the Mid-Atlantic, but Cooper is bringing a team of all-stars to the restaurant as well. Derek Brown of the Columbia Room will be in charge of the cocktail and mixology program, and Matthew Carroll, who was previously the wine director at 2941 and the sommelier at the Inn at Little Washington, will serve as the GM and sommelier. Not a shabby lineup at all, eh?

You can start making reservations on July 14, and note that you’ll need to give your credit card to hold a reservation. My advice is to get your dialing fingers ready since I’m betting reservations will be snatched up quickly…

The Daily Feed
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George Washington’s Rye Whiskey

Photo courtesy of
‘General Washington’s Whiskey – 09-03-10 1’
courtesy of ‘mosley.brian’

Do you know who was the nation’s largest distiller in 1799? Here’s a hint: he is first in the hearts of his countrymen (I’m sure the booze helped with that). That’s right, George Washington, of Revolutionary War and first President fame, was the nation’s largest distiller of whiskey at the time of his death. But the really interesting thing is we still have his whiskey recipe, and the amazing people at Mount Vernon, George Washington’s home, have been brewing it for the past two years, using historical distilling techniques (full disclosure: my mother works at Mount Vernon and is responsible for bottling and selling the whiskey).

On July 4th, Mount Vernon sold their latest batch of the unaged rye whiskey (Roll Call; subscription required). That’s right, it’s an unaged whiskey; it spent no time in barrels, and thus doesn’t have the color of a typical whiskey. It’s also strong, coming out at 43% alcohol. To give an idea on how strong, my mom likes to tell a story that when her staff bottled the first batch last year, the fumes actually got one of her employees tipsy. It’s made in limited quantities (around 400 bottles), and they only sell it two or three times a year. Lines are long and the bottles go quickly, even at a hefty sum ($95). Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Friday Happy Hour: Sangria at Estadio

Do you know there are places that do not serve things like sangria at lunch on weekdays? Or technically will serve it, but you might be the only table in the place drinking while everybody else is sipping Diet Coke because they have to go back to the office? Apparently in DC this is pretty widespread, which I think is just ridiculous. How will we ever be taken seriously as a top-tier international city if you cannot pass a couple of hours with friends and wine in the middle of the day at any charming little cafe? That is pretty basic “civilized lifestyle” stuff.

Luckily, the people at Estadio have things figured out, which makes them one of the go-to spots for me to meet a friend for lunch. (The other, notably, is Proof, which is by the same team.)
Continue reading →

Entertainment, Food and Drink, Night Life, People, The Daily Feed
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Congratulations, Duffy’s!

Photo courtesy of
‘Duffy’s’
courtesy of ‘Jenn Larsen’

Back in late April when I profiled publican Andy Duffy on the challenges of running your own tavern, we talked about the hope that the hours restrictions would be lifted on Duffy’s in a then-upcoming ABC Board vote. The restrictions have been a real hardship over the past five years since Duffy’s opening, causing him to lose out on providing drinks and nosh to the post-concert crowd, and there’s always been the worry that the limited hours might eventually sink the beloved neighborhood pub.

Worry no more. Word from Duffy is that the ABC Board has voted to terminate the “voluntary” agreement, which means the restrictions will be lifted. That gives Duffy’s the same hours benefit as other popular nightlife options in the area he helped to make popular. As a local resident and an unabashed fan of Duffy and his pub, I’m thrilled. The paperwork still has to go through (UPDATE 6:30pm: Official license has been received and new later hours will start this Sunday 7/10), but this is still great news and a sign that sometimes, being a true gentleman who perseveres does work out in the end.

Congratulations!

UPDATE 2pm: For more details on the actual ABC order, read on after the break. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Food Truck Tracker

Photo courtesy of
‘Setting up Shop’
courtesy of ‘M.V. Jantzen’

Happy Friday! You got through the short week, so here’s a bit of food truck trivia from Sauca to kick off your weekend.

Question: What profession did the Ambassador of SAUCA do prior to getting into the food truck business?
Answer: Investment Banking. During his career he lived in Latin America, Europe, Africa and the Middle East where he was influenced by the foods of the international street venders and thus, SAUCA was born.

Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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DC JCC To Start a ‘Glee’-inspired Dance Class in August

Photo courtesy of
‘pink shoes’
courtesy of ‘ekelly80’

Glee fans in the District who want to get their groove on have the option now. That’s right. The Washington DC JCC (1529 16th Street NW) is hosing Tuesday evening classes, five total, starting August 2 with instructor Alvaro Maldonado.

The class costs $70 for member/seniors/people under 25 and $85 for everyone else. Students will learn Jazz, Broadway and Modern dance moves inspired by performances from the hit television series.

For more information on how to register for the class, visit the DC JCC’s website.

Food and Drink, Music, Night Life, The Daily Feed
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The Yards Park Summer Concert Series

Photo courtesy of
‘The Footbridge at Yards Park – Gorgeous Evening!’
courtesy of ‘Tony DeFilippo’

There’s not much better than when DC comes alive in the summertime and suddenly all the green lawns and open spaces are filled with people. Though it’s been running for a while now, there are two summer concert series at the Yards Park down at the Capitol Waterfront that if you haven’t already taken advantage of, you should.

The first series brings together food trucks and music during the Wednesday Lunchtime concerts. From 11:30 AM til 1:30 PM, you can get some food truck grub and listen to live music down by N and 3rd Streets SE. You can check out our food truck tracker to see who’s there, or you can check out Capitolriverfront.org to see what trucks will be making an appearance. If you can’t make it down to the riverfront for lunch, Friday nights from 6 PM til 8 PM, there’s more live music along with a beer/sangria garden and food from Devine Foods and Smokin’ Something BBQ.

For the lineup of bands and concert schedule, you can check out The Yards calendar. The lunchtime concerts run until August 17 and the Friday evening concerts run until August 19.

The Daily Feed, WMATA
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Metro shows off new 7000-series cars

Blog newCars61

Rendering released by Metro

2013 doesn’t feel all that far off, and for those of us who were born in the 1970s, it certainly sounds an awful lot like we’re living in the future. The new 7000-series cars that Metro released concept drawings for today will debut in 2013. WMATA ordered 364 of the cars to replace their aging 1000-series cars, and to run on the airport extension line.  The Post got a tour of the plywood mockup, and have posted a video of the mockup, including the fancy new displays which indicate the car’s location on the various lines.

The Daily Feed
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Suicide Squeeze Wins it for Washington

Photo courtesy of
‘the ump dance’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’

Would you believe me if I said the Nats secured their tenth consecutive win by one run or in extra innings on Wednesday night? It’s true. Washington is now 13-3 in one-run games since June 1. They’ve won three out of four games against the Chicago Cubs and are going for the sweep tonight.

Manager Davey Johnson found success and victory with a well-executed suicide squeeze bunt in the seventh inning off the bat of Wilson Ramos to score the game winning run in a 5-4 victory. The game went back and forth between the two clubs for most of the game, but Johnson’s decision to go for the squeeze was a direct result of Cubs reliever Kerry Wood being a bit wild in the first game of the series. Continue reading →

News, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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LLS To Host Bobby Mitchell Hall of Fame Golf Classic in Leesburg This Weekend

Photo courtesy of
‘170/365’
courtesy of ‘Danilo.Lewis|Fotography’

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is hosting the Bobby Mitchell Autotrader.com Hall of Fame Golf Classic this weekend at Lansdowne Resort in Leesburg, Va. from July 8 through the 10. Over $7 million have been raised in support of this annual event since 1988. Now, 21 years into the effort, its purpose remains strong — find a cure for leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma and to improve the quality of life of patients and their families.

This year’s tournament honors two young locals affected by blood cancer.  11-year-old Taylor Law of Olney, Md. is now cancer free after two and a half years of chemotherapy and will enter middle school this fall where her goal is to stay active as a member of the dance team. 20-year-old Alex Nieves of Centreville, Va. is a Salisbury University lacrosse player who was recently diagnosed with leukemia and is currently undergoing treatment.

Their courage serves as an example for others who are affected. District area residents are encouraged to attend the weekend’s activities not only to support these two young, spirited individuals but to also raise funds for the countless others still seeking a cure. Continue reading →

Adventures, Downtown, Entertainment, Essential DC, Fun & Games, Life in the Capital, The Daily Feed, The District
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Planking with G-Wiz

“Planking,” the ridiculous, yet popular practice of lying face down with arms to the side in an unusual or incongruous location, taking a photo of it and posting it online has reach the upper ranks of the Washington DC sports scene. Pictured to above, you see G-Wiz, the beloved Wizards blue thingy, planking on Ted Leonsis desk. No respect, no respect. G-Wiz was also seen planking across The Nats’ Abe Lincoln, the nearby Chipotle and some WMATA turnstiles.

Sports Illustrated has a solid collection of famous athletes, namely former Wizards player Gilbert Arenas and Dwight Howard, who apparently have PLENTY of free time and nothing better to do than take pictures of themselves planking all over their expensive cars, pool tables, exercise equipment, etc. There’s also a planking example courtesy of Redskins rookie receiver Niles Paul.

The Daily Feed
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Detwiler’s Quality Start Results in Another One-Run Nats Victory

Photo courtesy of
‘DSC_3788’
courtesy of ‘photopete’

The Chicago Cubs didn’t really have a chance of beating the Washington Nationals Tuesday night. If they did, it wasn’t because of Aramis Ramirez’ two-run homer in the sixth but rather the Nats’ ability to stay sharp on defense.

Left-handed pitcher Ross Detwiler made his first Major League start of the season against former Nationals pitcher Ramon Ortiz. Both men made their season debuts Tuesday, which made for an interesting start to the game. Folks were left wondering: if someone implodes, who will do it first? Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Take a second and vote Mike Morse

Photo courtesy of
‘Nat’s – Phillies Broken Bat’
courtesy of ‘Tony DeFilippo’

With the All-Star Break nearing, the Nationals are looking like they might get just a single player, setup man Tyler Clippard, into the game this year. However, there’s a way that you can maybe help Nationals’ 1B Michael Morse eke his way into the game. He’s one of the five players up in the Final Man vote, but he’s up against some pretty stiff competition.

Since early May, Morse has been just crushing the ball, batting .333/.388/.644 since May 2nd, with 14 homers and 37 RBI since he took over the 1B job. He’s been one of the best offensive 1Bs in the National League and definitely deserves the city’s support. Go Vote.

The Daily Feed
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Food Truck Tracker

Photo courtesy of
‘Sol Mexican Grill’
courtesy of ‘ekelly80’

Thanks to the people who submitted some more food truck photos–much appreciated! If you have work today, hopefully you aren’t feeling like there are “bombs bursting” in your head. Benjamin Franklin may have said, “Beer is proof God loves us and wants us to be happy,” but unlike our Founding Fathers, you’re lucky enough to have food trucks to help ease your holiday hangover.
Continue reading →