Category Archives: The Daily Feed

The Daily Feed
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Hot Ticket: Mogwai @ 9:30 Club, 4/19/11

Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die

UPDATE: According to their official website, Mogwai are postponing this date until October due to issues with their visa. All tickets for this show will be honored.

Mogwai. How do I even begin recommending that you check out my favorite band of all time? I’d rather you not even come, in case you don’t understand what they’re about. In fact, I’d prefer that we keep the crowd really small – like, just me and the band members, please.

I know, it ain’t gonna happen. This Tuesday, Mogwai are sure to pack the 9:30 Club again. Mogwai are legends of the post-rock scene, who “invented,” or at least popularized, the genre along with bands like Explosions in the Sky and Godspeed You Black Emperor. They earned the motto “loudest band in the world” from their devastating live shows. And yeah, it’s going be loud – the last few times I’ve seen them, they’ve hit notes that I could feel rattling my bones.

The typical Mogwai song has a melancholy air to it, building up slowly to a burst of energy and noise and bliss. Mogwai have distilled this formula to perfection; while I prefer the older albums, each new album they release have a couple of songs designed to show their strength live. I’m looking forward to checking out Rano Pano and San Pedro from their February release, Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will. Any fan of loud music or instrumental rock needs to check out this band right now. Anyone looking for an intense concert experience should be there on Tuesday.

Mogwai
with Errors
9:30 Club
Tuesday, February April 19, 2011
$20

Sports Fix, The Daily Feed
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Nats’ bats crack Brewers, win 8-4

Photo courtesy of
‘2ND’
courtesy of ‘MissChatter’

What a difference a year makes. On April 18th, 2010, Jason Marquis didn’t get a single batter out before he was sent to the showers having surrendered 7 runs in the first inning.  On April 17th, 2011, Marquis wasn’t invincible, but he certainly was good against the streaking Brewers.  Marquis went 7+ and threw 100 pitches in his win today, and continued the Nats streak of starters going more than 5 innings, which they’ve done in every game so far this season. The bats awoke in the fifth and sixth innings for the Nationals, and that was enough to bring the team back to .500 for the season in an 8-4 victory.

 

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The Daily Feed
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Werth gives cold Nats 4-3 win over Brewers in extra innings

Photo courtesy of
‘1ST’
courtesy of ‘MissChatter’

There was no heat at Nationals Park on Friday night.

Game time temperature was 56 degrees, decreasing with the breeze and as the sun went down. It was colder than the press box at Verizon Center where the Caps were taking on the Rangers in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinals playoff series.

There was no heat in the stands, as maybe 15,000 loyal fans were at the park, dutifully cheering on the Nats against the Brewers and rewarded, with a 4-3, 10-inning win. By the end of the game, there were maybe several hundred customers looking for a Nats victory.

Perhaps the rest were busy watching hockey.

And, there was no heat on the mound as neither starting pitcher – Tom Gorzelanny for the Nats, Chris Narveson for the Brewers – came close to hitting 90 miles-per-hour on the radar gun on a consistent basis.

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Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
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Friday Happy Hour: DC Brau Public Ale

It’s time for Friday Happy Hour, highlighting a drink we’ve recently enjoyed, every Friday at 4pm! Please share your favorites as well.

This Friday Happy Hour is a little unusual: I have never tried the thing I am going to recommend. In fact, only a few people I know have yet had the chance to sample it. However, starting tonight, that is all going to change.

DC Brau is the first brewery to be crafting beer within the District in a generation. Much has been made of the risks the entrepreneurs behind it took and their forays into public policy to make the city more hospitable to themselves and other new breweries that might want to crop up. For more, one can read a profile we did on Brandon Skall and Jeff Hancock last year.
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The Daily Feed
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Food Tweet of the Week” Barcode

Photo Courtesy of Barcode

I’ve talked about how good Barcode is at using Twitter effectively before. The Farragut North restaurant by day, club by night tweets almost obsessively. If you write something to @barcodedc, owner Antonis Karagounis will get back to you immediately. Try him.

Quite the savvy promoter, and also part of the team behind Lima and Ultrabar, Karagounis believes that Twitter can be used to draw customers in and keep them up-to-date with what’s going on in the restaurant and beyond. He uses the technology so much that he’s almost given up on talking on the phone, asking people to please e-mail rather than leave a voice message. LOVE it.

He tweets so many pictures of delicious food, that I sometimes wish I worked closer to Barcode to have that quick lunch opportunity.

See this week’s Tweet of the Week below:

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People, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Anthony Horowitz Signing at ISM Saturday

Photo courtesy of
‘(055/365)’
courtesy of ‘kimberlyfaye’

Those of you who have teenaged spy thriller fans may want to take note that acclaimed author Anthony Horowitz will be at the International Spy Museum store tomorrow at 1 pm. He’ll be signing copies of his latest Alex Rider adventure (and also the last), Scorpia Rising, and talking with fans.

Anthony Horowitz is the creator and writer of the television series Foyle’s War, Midsomer Murders, and Collison. He has also adapted many of Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot novels for the ITV series. He’s also known for his string of bestselling children’s books, including the Alex Rider, The Power of Five and The Diamond Brother series. The ninth and final Alex Rider book, Scorpia Rising, just released at the beginning of April.

For more information, contact the International Spy Museum at 202-393-7798.

Sports Fix, The Daily Feed
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Nats shut-out by Lee, drop series to Philly in 4-0 loss

Photo courtesy of
‘2ND’
courtesy of ‘MissChatter’

Cliff Lee, much like Roy Halladay on Wednesday, was a force of nature that the Nationals just couldn’t contend with. Lee racked up 12 strikeouts in a complete game shutout of the Nationals to close out the opening series against the Phillies in front of 24,875 mostly Philadelphia fans on a perfect April evening.  The Nationals had two strong chances against Lee, but managed to make a hash of both of them.  Sadly, this was their night to waste a great start by Jordan Zimmermann, who was perfect through five, and went 7+ and allowed just 1 earned run, striking out 4 and walking none.

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The Daily Feed
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Chipotle’s Asian Restaurant Concept to Debut in DC

Photo courtesy of
‘norma jean loves chipotle’
courtesy of ‘NCinDC’

The folks behind Chipotle are taking a crack at something new – and DC will be its guinea pig. If it worked for Burrito Bowls…why can’t it for noodles? As Eater reported:

The burrito chain has announced they’re opening a chain of Asian restaurants called ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen, the first of which will open in Washington, DC this summer. Inspired by Thai, Malaysian, and Vietnamese cuisines, the restaurants will serve dishes made from seasonal ingredients including “grilled and braised meats, a variety of fresh vegetables, aromatic herbs, spicy sauces, and an array of garnishes.”

Sounds like fortune cookies wrapped in recycled paper instead of plastic, if you ask me.

The Daily Feed
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This Week in Food

Photo courtesy of
‘BLT Steak’
courtesy of ‘my_amii’
Open

Lincoln Restaurant turns three days old today. The McPherson square restaurant pays tribute to our former president and serves plates like oysters, gingerbread and chicken fricassee. Washington Business Journal tells us the decor is inspired by a log cabin and that one million pennies decorate the tile floor. Of course, a Sunday Brunch is coming soon.

Chipotle!

More details are here about Chipotle’s Asian Spin-Off, ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen, due to arrive in Dupont Circle this summer. From a press release: “The ShopHouse menu will pair the bold and complex flavors of southeast Asia with fresh, sustainably raised ingredients…Customers will move along a service line and customize their meal according to flavor preference and diet, in a format similar to the one that has become the hallmark of Chipotle’s success.”

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The Daily Feed
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Your lunch tomorrow might just be $1

Photo courtesy of
‘Two Dollar #8’
courtesy of ‘Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie’

If you possess a smartphone and don’t have the Living Social Instant Deals app installed, you might want to consider getting it today.  Tomorrow, Living Social will be rolling out new lunch specials, including California Tortilla’s Chinatown location, and Sticky Rice on H Street, for just a buck.  You can check out their Instant Deals online, or by mobile phone, or download the app.  Cheap eats? Always relevant.

The Daily Feed
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“Internet” gambling coming to DC

Photo courtesy of


‘$20 Chip’
courtesy of ‘bigmikesndtech’

When DC first announced the concept of the legalization of online gambling, I had hoped what it might mean was access once again to the main online poker rooms in a manner that was clearly above board. It does not appear that will happen, at least not in the first year of its operation. Instead, what the city will get is a series of “hot spots” for online gambling provided by Greek company Intralot.  Intralot will be offering online poker, but only near the specific hot spots for the first year or so, with the rake for each hand split by Intralot and the District 50/50.

Intralot has targeted July 1st for a free no-stakes gambling site with favorable craps payouts, and then the launch of actual gambling around the 1st of September, unless Congress decides to re-intervene, despite letting the 30-day period for comment on the law pass. The CFO’s office has released projections that the gambling could raise $13M for the city coffers between FY 2012 and FY 2014, which would be used to offset social services cuts.

The locations for the initial hot spots have yet to be chosen.  If they prove successful, and if the technology is deemed functional to ensure only those in DC are playing, home gambling over the actual Internet could start next year.

The Daily Feed
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JFK Just A Guest, Not Joining The Nationals Racing Presidents

Photo courtesy of
‘Close race’
courtesy of ‘afagen’

We’ve covered the Racing Presidents from Nationals Park a time or two here. Hell, some of us have even climbed in the suit for corny features. Through all of that, I’ll admit that one of the most fun conversations I’ve had has been about when it would be time to expand the Racing Presidents with a new theme of mascots that aren’t sharing Mount Rushmore. Modern day presidents? The forgettable ones?

How about one of the most memorable of the 20th century, like JFK? Could it be that this last one may be happening?

Conspiracy theories abound since Wednesday evening when a comically-large-headed gentlemen bearing a resemblance to our nation’s 35th president made a guest appearance in the 4th inning stretch Nationals event. Check the video below:

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Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
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Where to Eat and Celebrate the Royal Wedding

Photo courtesy of
‘Hot Tea, Cold Day’
courtesy of ‘Samer Farha’

Sure, we’re no longer British subjects and yes, we’re thousands of miles across the pond. But that doesn’t mean we can’t raise our pinkies and toast to the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

For the complete tea time experience, The British Pantry in Aldie, VA, is offering special royal wedding teas from April 26th to April 29th. They’ll have raffles for a “commemorative royal wedding gift.” But if you don’t win you can always buy a royal wedding tea towel, that way you’ll have Prince William in the palm of your hand each and every day.

Over at AGAINN, if you donate a teapot to the restaurant during the rest of April you can have a free appetizer or dessert. The restaurant plans on displaying and serving tea in all of the donated teapots.  Aside from British fare of scones and finger sandwiches, AGAINN will be serving tiny wedding cakes. Proceeds from the cakes will go to PeacePlayers International – Northern Ireland, a DC-based charity the royal couple is donating to as well. Should you also be a blushing bride like Middleton, you can enter to win a tea party for you and your friends.

If an afternoon tea isn’t enough for you, you can stay overnight at the Ritz-Carlton on April 28th and awake to partake in the royal wedding viewing party at 5 AM. The viewing party breakfast for $40 per person will include different British treats, while the overnight package will give you two tickets to the viewing party, as well as special cocktails and “18 carat sapphire cupcakes” to celebrate the royal nuptials.

The Daily Feed
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Nats Almost Comeback To Beat Halladay

Photo courtesy of
‘Trying to turn the double play’
courtesy of ‘afagen’

The last time Nationals left-handed pitcher John Lannan faced Phillies right-handed pitcher Roy Halladay was September 27, 2010 at Nationals Park. That was the day the Phillies clinched their fourth consecutive National League East division title.

Jayson Werth went 3-for-5 against Lannan that night, hitting a solo home run and a two-RBI double.

In Wednesday’s game, Werth went 1-for-4 and scored a run against Halladay but that wasn’t enough to fend off Philadelphia during their 3-2 victory over Washington.  Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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MASN Introduces Nationals Buzz Guest Bloggers


Photo by Rachel Levitin

As a few of you know, last year was my first full-season covering the Washington Nationals. Tom Bridge and I had the privilege of bringing you the latest news from Nationals Park during each home game. This summer, Dan Rowinski joins us in our effort to cover baseball in Washington.

During the off season, MASN Sports inquired about whether or not I would be interested in joining a small group of Nats bloggers as part of their effort to expand the voices heard on their Nationals Buzz blog. My first thought was: “I’d be a fool to turn down a chance to talk baseball more often than I already do.”

Fast-forward to April and the guest voices of Nats Buzz have now joined the blog’s veteran scribe, Kristen Hudak. Continue reading →

History, The Daily Feed
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Smithsonian Snapshot of the Week: Space Tea

Space Tea, courtesy of the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum

The Smithsonian has started a new project, giving us (and you!) a weekly peek at an object in the Institution’s vast collection (137 million items!) that is not on current display in any of their museums. This week’s artifact comes as a celebration of yesterday’s announcement of their acquisition of the Space Shuttle Discovery.

Space Shuttle Columbia lifted off from Kennedy Space Center April 12, 1981, at 7 a.m. EST to begin the first shuttle mission, STS-1. The primary mission objectives were to accomplish a safe ascent into orbit, check out all the systems on the space shuttle and return to Earth for a safe landing. The first flight of the reusable spacecraft successfully met all of these objectives.

This powdered tea was returned from the first Space Shuttle mission food kit. Astronauts would inject water through the port from a dispenser in the galley, shake the container to dissolve the tea crystals and squeeze the accordion-shaped container to drink the liquid. The container is compact and suited to weightlessness. The tea is typical of Shuttle-era menu choices, but the packaging has changed since the early missions, first to covered cups and then to foil pouches with straws.