‘Eat Wonky’
courtesy of ‘tbridge’
Just in case you brought your wetsuit to work today, here is where you can find some lunch in the great flood.
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By Ashley
Category Archives: The Daily Feed
By Ashley
By Tom Bridge
Shutdown Looms: Now what?
‘Locked’
courtesy of ‘John-Morgan’
Late yesterday Speaker Boehner told House Republicans to get their staffs ready for the shutdown and the impact on the government of a full shutdown. This morning the White House did the same, asking OMB to distribute shutdown priorities and protocols to agencies today. While negotiations are far from over, there are three days until the continuing resolution expires, there’s certainly cause for concern as the two sides have each said this is the last midnight for negotiations.
As we approach the deadline, we’re hearing that the District Government may also have to shut down. Why? As Mike Madden, editor of the City Paper, tweeted this morning: “Why would fed shutdown shut down D.C.? Because all of D.C.’s local tax revenue has to be re-appropriated back to city by Congress.” So, even though the city runs on local tax revenue, the appropriations process being halted stops the flow of money into the city.
In their breakfast meeting this morning, the council was told that the Mayor has designated the entire DC Council staff as essential, but OMB questioned that choice, according to WTOP’s Mark Segraves. Segraves also quoted Councilman Catania as saying, “This is bullshit,” which is just about how I feel about it.
If a shutdown does come, we’re looking at a standstill across the city. As a friend sent over, though, that doesn’t mean that everything’s closed. This is still a town with a lot to do, even when a shutdown’s on.
By Tom Bridge
Storm brutalizes area
‘Harvest Moon Thunderstorm’
courtesy of ‘MudflapDC’
Unless you sleep like the dead, you know about the line of storms that ran through the area about 4:45am this morning, which woke me out of a solid slumber. The rain pounded against our windows, the wind whistling through the windows. According to the Capital Weather Gang, a line of tornadoes moved from Upper Marlboro to Marlton in the 5am timeframe.
So go easy today, DC, everyone’s been up since way too early. Hope none of you lost branches or had awful drives in today.
By Tom Bridge
Ceremonial Dirt at CityCenter
Photo by Sylvia Brown, used with Permission
There’s nothing I miss about the old convention center. It made Moscone Center’s North and South halls feel airy and light, and the exterior was deeply ugly and unfriendly. I cheered loudly when they imploded it back in 2005. The site has been a parking lot, a bus station and a tennis court since then, but today the formal construction process for a new multiblock development on H Street between 9th and 11th got underway today with a ceremony at the site.
Of course, since the whole surface is asphalt, and while construction has actually started, they had to truck in the dirt so that they council could demonstrate their digging skills. I’m not sure why this still has to happen, other than the ridiculous photo op, but here we are.
The development is fairly substantial, covering 10 acres on the eastern end of the downtown, with a $700M financing package courtesy of the Qatari Diar Investment Fund, a part of the Qatari sovereign wealth fund. The move is the first for the QDIF in the US, which also has a stake in the new Shard building in London.
By Tom Bridge
Weaver willing to do the Dirty Jobs according to video
‘Cup cake eating contest – Columbia Heights Day 001’
courtesy of ‘squidpants’
So far, from the advertising perspective, the At-Large campaign has been pretty bland. Lots of standard fare all the way around. Some have been upset by campaign ads near editorial material, in the Current newspapers for example, but overall the content of the ads is nothing to write home about. Trite sayings, promises that are rarely backed up, and logos that aren’t exactly inspiring.
That’s no surprise, though, as campaigns generally aren’t won or lost on logo design or ad placement, they’re won and lost on numbers. Stuck with a money deficit and an attention deficit as many reporters and pundits call this a Biddle vs. Orange race, Bryan Weaver has put out a campaign video spoofing the material done by Mike Rowe’s Dirty Jobs television show. It’s a pretty entertaining watch. It’s after the cut. Continue reading
By Tom Bridge
19th Century breasts incite painting attack at National Gallery
The Gauguin painting Two Tahitian Women (NSFW, painted breasts), on loan from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to the National Gallery, came under attack by a patron on Friday afternoon. The post-impressionist work was protected by a plexiglas case which the attacker attempted to rip from the wall, and then banged on with her fists.
The Gallery has not identified the attacker, except by her gender, and she did appear in court on Saturday related to the incident. The painting is part of an on-going exhibit at NGA called Gauguin: Maker of Myth, which runs through early June. The painting has been removed to the conservation room to inspect its surface with a microscope for damage and may remain out of the exhibit for a period.
By Rebecca
WeLove BabyLove DC
‘Pink Knit Baby Booties’
courtesy of ‘[F]oxymoron’
Based on a successful charitable model, BabyLove DC provides clothing, products, gear and other necessities to pregnant mothers and their children in DC’s inner city. The group hosts monthly drives to collect new and gently used items, such as baby monitors, crib bedding, bottles, clothing, toys, diaper carriers, etc. All donations must have been purchased within the last 3 years, with certain items (diapers, breast pumps, bottles, cribs and feeding supplies) accepted as new only.
BabyLove’s next drive takes place this Saturday, April 9th from 9am-1pm at Hardy Middle School (34th Street and Wisconsin Avenue, NW) just across from the Social Safeway.
In addition to donations, BabyLove needs volunteers to help sort and repair clothing, and help coordinate and run their drives and charity events. If you’re interested in volunteering or donating, you can contact BabyLove DC at info@babylovedc.org
By Tom Bridge
Director of DOES fired late Friday
This is Dr. Rochelle Webb (University of Phoenix), former nominee for the head of DOES. Late Friday, the word got out, first to Alan Suderman, that she’d been fired from her position at the agency. Webb, who has been staying at the W Hotel downtown to the tune of almost $5,000, and had been driven to and from work by a staffer, against job descriptions for all involved, has been lately embroiled over the above, and the job that the city found for her son.
The city’s unemployment rate is above 9%, with some wards closer to 25%, and is in dire need of good job training services, which is the mission of DOES. Watching the Mayor struggle with his choice, and then terminating her appointment over some (very) poor choices about moving expenses, it’s setting the Mayor’s agenda on employment issues back six months.
With Gerri Mason Hall out the door this week related to Sulaimon Brown’s scandal, Gray is short a fall guy for this particular scandal. Given the number of incidents since Gray took office in January, I’m not exactly sure who in their right mind who go to work for the DC government in an executive capacity.
By Jenn Larsen
ARTINI Congratulations!
Ronald Flores of Art and Soul with his ARTINI Coleman's Juice. Photo by author.
Congratulations to Ronald Flores of Art and Soul, who was awarded the Critics’ Choice at Saturday night’s ARTINI 2011 celebration at the Corcoran Gallery of Art. The intrepid We Love DC drinks team had been following the entries closely every week with our Friday Happy Hours, and congratulations are really due to all the competing mixologists. It was an honor for me to serve on the judging panel alongside last year’s winner Justin Guthrie (now Estadio’s general manager), Todd Thrasher of Restaurant Eve/PX, Corcoran’s assistant curator for contemporary art Beatrice Gralton, Washingtonian editor Sophie Gilbert, and notable chef Mike Isabella of the soon-to-open Graffiato.
It was an extremely tight race! Flores’ cocktail was inspired by William Christenberry’s sculpture Coleman’s Cafe and was crafted with Gentleman Jack Tennessee whiskey, mezcal, yuzu-agave syrup, rhubarb bitters, and housemade vanilla cola. Garnished with a housemade Slim Jim (which honestly I mistook for a half-smoked cigar upon first sight, a nice homage to Christenberry’s shack of a cafe), the drink was called Coleman’s Juice and had a distinctly smoky flavor.
The evening was filled with gorgeous guests (seriously, anyone who still thinks Washington is “Hollywood for ugly people” needs to get to next year’s ARTINI and be blown away by the eye candy!) in the beautiful classical surroundings of the Corcoran. I’ll detail the other very worthy contestants and wrap up my experience later this week in Thursday’s We Love Drinks.
By Tom Bridge
Nationals lose laugher to Braves 11-2
‘scooting through’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’
April baseball can be a peculiar thing. The Nationals today displayed that peculiarity in all of its ugliness before a crowd of 22,210, surrendering 11 runs to the Braves,
Despite a month of Spring Training ball, both the Braves and Nationals made some ugly miscues in the field this afternoon. In the bottom of the first, Braves’ veteran Chipper Jones crossed in front of Jayson Werth on the basepath, inciting a collision that threw Werth off his balance and cost him a few steps. He turned 3rd and headed for home to be thrown out, but awarded the run on obstruction.
Twice the Nationals’ outfielders ran into trouble with balls in the right-center gap, with Werth and Ankiel having some miscommunication over who was playing lead. The biggest defensive trouble came from Danny Espinosa today, whose efforts in the fifth formally cost him an error and the Nationals a run, but that was just one of four plays on the day that hurt the Nationals in the field.
By Ovechkin’s OT winner sends Caps to the top of the East
‘ovi en fuego…’
courtesy of ‘choofly’
Alexander Ovechkin scored the game-winning goal with 1:41 remaining in overtime to give the Washington Capitals a 5-4 overtime win over the Buffalo Sabres in a weird and wild game Saturday night at the Verizon Center. The win moved the Caps to the top of the Eastern Conference by one point over the idle Philadelphia Flyers, though Philadelphia does have a game in hand.
However thrilling the win was to the 18,398 fans who made up the 100th consecutive sellout crowd for a Capitals home game, Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau was in a less-than-celebratory mood at his postgame press conference.
“I’m concerned with the process of how we played,” Boudreau said, “I thought it was way too close to looking like last year.” Continue reading
By Dan Rowinski
Thunder and finesse from Ankiel and Nats power past Braves
‘7TH’
courtesy of ‘MissChatter’
One swing of Rick Ankiel’s bat made John Lannan and the Nationals winners for the first time in 2011 on Saturday as Washington beat the Braves 6-3 in a soggy affair at Nationals Park.
Ankiel took a 91 mile-per-hour four-seam fastball from Braves starter Tommy Hanson to right field above the out-of-town scoreboard in the third inning to give the Nats a 4-1 lead, all they would need to sink Atlanta on another chilly day at the ballpark.
Ankiel also layed down a perfect squeeze bunt in bottom of the seventh inning with the bases loaded to score third baseman Ryan Zimmerman and make the score 5-2 Nats. Catcher Wilson Ramos (three singles) and right fielder Jayson Werth (two doubles and an infield single) both had three hits to pace the Nats 10-hit performance.
By Nats Offer Japan Relief Effort
‘Moon over Nationals Park’
courtesy of ‘BrianMKA’
The team launched a special “text to give” program on Opening Day and will continue to encourage Nationals fans to donate to UNICEF throughout the weekend. In order to successfully “text to give,” text “JAPAN” to 864233.
Fans can also purchase $10 Japan aid game tickets Saturday, April 2 and Sunday, April 3. The Nationals will donate $5 from the price of each $10 ticket to UNICEF. Sections eligible for this donation include the Upper Infield Gallery, Upper Outfield Gallery, Outfield Gallery, Lower Rightfield Terrace and Upper Rightfield Terrace.
Japan aid tickets can be purchased at the Washington Nationals Main Box Office or online.
By Brittany
Friday Happy Hour: ARTINI Edition – Week Four
Photo credit: Daniel Swartz/REVAMP.COM Courtesy of Corcoran Gallery of Art
For the last time in 2011, Friday Happy Hour takes a look at the Cocoran’s ARTINI 2011 Each of the twelve participating bars have a created a special cocktail inspired by works from the Cocoran’s collection which are on offer leading up to the April 2nd gala. Each bar gets one “feature night” when their creation is showcased and a portion of the proceeds is donated to the Corcoran – though the drink continues to be available the entire month.
With the gala tomorrow, this week saw the final three features: AGAINN, The Gibson, and P.O.V.. All three drinks this week were quite good in what was perhaps the strongest line-up of any of the four three-bar groupings.
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By Tricia Barba
Food Tweet of the Week
‘Lobster Truck’
courtesy of ‘yostinator’
It’s funny how self-promotion can either come across as annoying and uneccessary or cute and endearing. Food trucks pretty much have to promote themselves to survive, and make sure customers know what they’re offering, when, and where.
In this case the popular Red Hook Lobster Pound was hoping to score another popularity title. After one month of food-truck matchups at Washingtonian, the championship round featured the lobster truck and Solar Crepes. Red Hook called out for help from one of DC’s (and Spain’s and Vegas’) most well-known chefs.
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By Dave Levy
Nationals Still Against Spell Check
It’s a happy day when I get to use to Natinals tag here at We Love DC. A pair of spelling errors were caught by a few folks over at Mr Irrelevant this morning. A video board for player intros left John Lannon (neé and actually Lannan) with a name change, and the Nats’ also are redefining the term Honoriing with that extra I.
I’m also trying to figure out if there’s any Photoshopping on that, right now, but I think the Mottram Bros are anti-dumb April Fools’ jokes. A bigger version after the jump for those not reading this post in a reader. Continue reading
By Food Truck Tracker
‘237/365: Justin from Fojol Brothers’
courtesy of ‘Amber Wilkie Photography’
Happy April Fools’ day! Hopefully nobody played any truly terrible pranks on you. Go see what the food trucks are up to this afternoon. And yes, the Fojol Brothers dress like that every day, not just April Fools’ day.
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Food Truck Gathering at SW Waterfront this Saturday
‘CH Day 2010 Food Trucks’
courtesy of ‘Mr. T in DC’
We haven’t had great weather for strolls amongst the cherry blossoms this week, but maybe we’ll get lucky Saturday and you can go grab some good ‘ole food truck fodder at the Southwest Waterfront Fireworks Festival.
The festival, a part of the larger National Cherry Blossom Festival, will host nine food trucks from 1 PM until approximately 8:30 PM, when the fireworks start. The trucks that will be serving include Red Hook Lobster, Curbside Cupcakes, Fojol Bros., District Taco, Tasty Kabob, Eat Wonky, DC Slices, CapMac and Sidewalk Sweetsations.
The festival is free and completely open to the public. Plus there will be live music and loads of “family friendly” activities running from 6th to 9th street. So cross your fingers for some sunshine, grab a wonky dog or kabob and enjoy the fireworks this Saturday.
By Dan Rowinski
Caps top Blue Jackets, suffer on the blue line
‘IMG_4634.jpg’
courtesy of ‘bridgetds’
The Caps want to start tuning up for the playoffs. After grinding out an 4-3 overtime victory against the Blue Jackets on Thursday at Verizon Center, they have 101 points, eight points more than the Lightning in the division with four to play (six for Tampa).
Washington trails the Flyers by a point for the top overall seed in the Eastern Conference and home ice through to the Stanley Cup Finals. The Presidents’ Cup is out of reach as the Canucks have it all but mathematically wrapped up. So, the Caps are more or less looking at a No. 2 seed heading into the playoffs with a possible No. 1 and it is time to fine tune the program so as to vanquish the ghosts of playoffs past.
Or so you would think.
Bob McKenzie, one of the elite reporters in all of hockey, tweeted during the Caps game on Thursday that defenseman Dennis Wideman was in the hospital with a hematoma on his leg that developed after an awkward hit from Carolina’s Tuomo Ruutu on Tuesday.
By Tom Bridge
Nationals drop opener to Braves 2-0
With weather more suited to the British Open than Opening Day, Nationals Park was still crowded with tens of thousands of fans to watch the team’s 2011 debut. Though coffee and hot chocolate were more likely than ice cold beer (so much so that the upper deck ran out before the game’s halfway mark), that hardly deterred the nearly sellout crowd. The Nats’ offense was just as cold as the stands, though, as they failed to do string together much of anything against the Braves’ Derek Lowe.
Lowe kept the Nationals in check, surrendering just three hits in 5 2/3 innings, striking out six and walking just two. The Nationals had two solid chances with runners in scoring position against Lowe. Jayson Werth (1-4) singled in the first, and went to third on a looping single from Ryan Zimmerman(1-3, BB), a dividend of the Nationals’ speed upgrade and the coaching of Bo Porter. Lowe buckled down and retired LaRoche (1-4) and Morse (0-4) and ended that threat.