Category Archives: The Daily Feed

Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
By

Food Tweet of the Week: Bourbon Steak

Photo courtesy of
‘Venison, Bourbon Steak’
courtesy of ‘bonappetitfoodie’

Let me just start this by saying that if you haven’t tried Bourbon Steak’s fries yet, please do…but that’s a totally different story.

The restaurant, located in Georgetown’s Four Seasons, hasn’t stopped tweeting since it first logged on back in December 2009. @BourbonSteakDC currently has more than 2,100 followers and tweets about five times a day. The polite restaurant will always thank you on Twitter for coming in to dine, and recently it got be excited about an event I had somehow forgotten about. 

Continue reading →

Food and Drink, Penn Quarter, The Daily Feed
By

Café Atlántico Celebrates Carnaval

The Caipirinha
The Caipirinha
by Samer Farha

Although chef José Andrés has yet to respond to my offer to judge a Gin and Tonic showdown (which still stands) it’s worth noting that tonight from 4-6, there’s a free cachaça tasting at Café Atlántico. It’s the first event in the restaurant’s Brazilian Carnaval, which culminates next Tuesday with a three-course, prix fixe dinner, samba performance, and dance party. If you’re looking for a different sort of Mardi Gras experience, you could do worse than Carnaval.

If you’re not familiar with it, cachaça, a spirit distilled from raw sugarcane, can be considered a cousin of Rhum Agricole, which itself is not to be confused with other types of rum distilled from molasses. Like rum, it can be light or dark depending on the process and aging. Unlike rum, cachaça has up to six grams per liter of added sugar. Confused? Afraid? Don’t be. If you like rum, you’ll probably like cachaça too. The classic cocktail featuring cachaça is a caipirinha. In its purest expression, it is a sipping cocktail consisting of little more than muddled lime and sugar, crushed ice, and cachaça, in an old fashioned glass. Some bartenders serve theirs in a Collins (tall) glass, topped with soda, which makes an excellent refresher in warm weather.

Tonight at Café Atlántico you can sample two different brands of cachaça: from Leblon, casked in Cognac barrels, and Novo Fogo, whose silver cachaça is rested in steel tanks so it is still white. Also part of its Carnaval celebration, the restaurant hosts a capoeira demonstration on Sunday and the aforementioned dinner on Tuesday. Reservations are recommended for the weekend and required for Tuesday night’s dinner.

I’ll be there Tuesday night to lean on Chef Andrés personally on the matter of his bar’s gin and tonic. Oh, and to try the food. I’ll report back on that subject next week.

The Daily Feed
By

You Can Dodge a Wrench, But Can You Dodge Diabetes?


Photo of the author, circa 2009, provided by Dodging Diabetes.
(Yeah, the organizers put this in their media kit to me. Smart PR.)

Who doesn’t love a good playground game? While I may mock kickball at really every opportunity, I have come to embrace dodgeball over the last years, especially if it is an organized tournament for a good cause like Dodging Diabetes. Not only do events like this offer a healthy dose of recess nostalgia, but by participating, you can help contribute to the $80,000 that the tournaments has raised since it began for Joslin Diabetes Center.

With dozens of teams participating, there will be hundreds of dodgeball players who make their way out to the Champions Fieldhouse in Rockville for the sixth annual event. This year’s tournament is coming up in a little more than a week – Sunday, March 13 – and the early bird deadline for teams to sign up at the discounted $350 rate has been extended to Monday, March 7.

Like the founders of the event – both area natives – I have several family members who face this disease, so it’s an easy cause to get behind. I’ve actually participated a few times in the past, and it really is a ton of fun on top of the philanthropy. Now, I had the advantage of several years of camp counseling under my belt, so I may have come in a bit as a ringer. While I won’t give out too much advice beyond the obvious (Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive and Dodge), may I remind any players out there that defense can be a darn good offense against a hot shooting team. Now go sign up!

The Daily Feed
By

New IMAX Film “Arabia 3D” Opens at Smithsonian

A look at the history and modern culture of Saudi Arabia, Arabia 3D has opened at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum. Filmed in stunning 3D IMAX, the film explores a nation which the filmmakers felt may be often misunderstood by Westerners in vivid detail. The first major international film to ever be shot entirely in Saudi Arabia, this production comes from the team that previously made such popular IMAX movies as To Fly – the first-ever IMAX which has been showing at the Smithsonian since its 1976 release – and Everest – the most-viewed IMAX to date.

Though the subject matter might initially seem less compellingly visual than an ascent up Mount Everest, the medium is put well to use. The camera soars over vast deserts and modern, glittering cities and deep below the Red Sea. Camels and coral appear convincingly dimensional just in front of the viewer’s eyes. Most stunning, though, is the footage of pilgrims at the Hajj. Taken from close within and from far, far above, the viewer gets a visceral sense of the intensity of the single largest annual gathering of humanity in the world. Continue reading →

capitals hockey, The Daily Feed
By

Caps Rock the Blues, 3-2

Photo courtesy of
Jason Arnott Has Had an Immediate Impact
courtesy of ‘clydeorama’
The Capitals came from behind twice to defeat the St. Louis Blues 3-2 last night at the Verizon Center. General Manager George McPhee is looking awfully good this morning as newly acquired Jason Arnott scored the winning goal in the third period. Once nearly unbeatable at home, the Caps won back-to-back home games for just the first time since November. Sitting in second place in the Southeast Division and fifth overall in the Eastern Conference, the Caps are looking to move up in the standings with 17 games to go.

The Caps got off to another uneven start in the first period, playing aggresively but not wisely. Passes were not connecting, and there were too many turnovers and missed defensive assignments. The Blues had several excellent scoring chances with passes going through the slot or even through the crease, and one shot rang off the post. The Caps gave up numerous odd-man breaks, and finally a 3-on-2 turned into a 1-on-0 and Alex Steen beat Michal Neuvirth top shelf to make it 1-0. Continue reading →

Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
By

This Week in Food

Photo courtesy of
’15/365′
courtesy of ‘_rockinfree’
What’s coming: Fifty years ago when I was a student at University of Maryland-College Park, I fell in love with Chipotle. Only I could get myself into credit card debt by buying one vegetable burrito every day for one year. Anyway, Prince of Petworth hears that Chipotle will open up a series of Asian themed restaurants this year that could be called ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen. Long name. A source tells PoP that ShopHouse has signed a lease in Dupont Circle at 1516 Connecticut Ave next to BGR.

In openings: Tom Sietsema tweets that Penn Quarter’s Hill Country BBQ will start serving its brisket and beans on March 12th. Hello Texas! Just two weeks later on the 28th, Pizzeria da Marco will open in Bethesda. Metrocurean tells us that the 130-seat restaurant will serve traditional Neapolitan pizzas fired in a 4,500-pound wood-burning oven. In what’s prob my fave opening of the month, PoP reports that Paila Chilean Grill and Cafe has opened up at 1424 Park Rd in Columbia Heights. See the menu here.

Continue reading →

Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
By

FREE FOOD ALERT: Chick-fil-A Free Fryday

Photo courtesy of
‘Chick-fil-A’
courtesy of ‘ Jomo’

Get ready for a little Friday pick-me-up, folks. Chick-fil-A’s throughout the metro region will be giving free fries with your order this friday, March 4th. The “Free FryDay” is in honor of the Heinz Dip & Squeeze ketchup packets. All you have to do is mention either the ketchup packets or Free FryDay between 2 and 4 pm to get yourself some free medium waffle fries. I believe this is what Charlie Sheen would refer to as “winning.”

The Daily Feed
By

Sturm, Wideman, Arnott does not a Stanley Cup make

Photo courtesy of
‘IMG_5283.jpg’
courtesy of ‘bridgetds’

The deadline has passed. The contenders have loaded up. Plans have been made for the future, be it long-term team architecture or the short term with eyes on playing some extended Spring Hockey.

And Dennis Wideman and Marco Sturm along with Jason Arnott have made their way to D.C.

In many ways this makes a lot of sense.

But does it?

Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
By

And the Cherry Blossoms Cometh…

DSC_0189

Hard to believe it, but the National Cherry Blossom Festival is right around the corner! The official festival celebration is from March 26 through April 10 this year.

Just announced this morning by National Park Service Chief Horticulturist Rob DeFeo, the optimal bloom time for the blossoms will be March 29 – April 3, right in the middle of the Festival. The average peak bloom date is April 4 with varying lengths; last year was a short window due to the heavy snows that blanketed the area in February protracted heat wave in March 2010.

This year’s Festival boasts nearly 400 free events and performances surrounding traditional and contemporary arts and culture, natural beauty, and community spirit; in celebration of the 99th anniversary of the gift of cherry blossom trees. The Blossom Kite Festival, always a great event held on the National Mall, has moved to the first Saturday of the festival, March 27.

For the first time in 15 years, the popular Sakura Matsuri Japanese culture street festival on April 9 will charge an admission fee of $5.

Fashionable DC, The Daily Feed
By

Solas Nua Brings Modern Irish Fashion to DC

Monday night, Solas Nua presented Paisean Faisean – a showcase of several new Irish fashion designers. Styled by DC-based blogging duo Birds of a Pleather (who also make up part of the wonderful Worn Magazine team), the show included pieces by Orla O’Connor, Katarzyna Wypych, Deirde Williams, By Yvonne, Ellis Boyle, Emma Manley, and Kathy Mooney – all upcoming Irish designers rarely seen in the U.S.

The always-lovely upstairs space at Fathom Creative was washed with harsh white light from all directions – including a series of raw florescent tubes on the floor used to demarcate the L-shaped runway. A video piece, “Dias A/W 2010,” by Soyna Lennon and Christian Ammann looped silently on a suspended screen and one wall was cloaked with gauzy white drapes, out from which the models would appear. Packed with camera crews and attendees, the room took on a hint of downtown loft.

The collections by Katarzyna Wypych and Orla O’Connor, in particular, seemed to really reference Ireland’s craft and fashion traditions with their use of wool knit materials as they use in this Kurta Pajama for Men, but transformed into much more experimental pieces. It was, however, Ellis Boyle’s dresses which seemed to really win over the crowd, achieving an elegant balance of wearability and modern design. The Caribbean-born, Spain-raised, and now Ireland-based designer showed a marvelous use of textiles cut to move with the models – who seemed to particularly enjoy flouncing the frothier skirts as they walked.

Solas Nua is a non-profit dedicated entirely to promoting contemporary Irish arts and bringing them to American audiences. This show, presented in conjunction with Ireland’s Year of Craft celebration, was one of a number of events the organization is hosting in Washington in the coming months. Today is the opening of their Irish Writers Festival and there are other arts and music events on the horizon.

The Daily Feed
By

Win a Pseudo Date With James Franco!

Photo courtesy of
‘high times magazine arrivals 280908’
courtesy of ‘ramsey everydaypants’

Up until last Sunday, I lived under the delusion that James Franco could not possibly be as awkward as his mirror makeout sessions and laser kitty Twitpics might suggest. But then the Oscars rolled around, and even the hot could not mask the painful truth. Congratulations, James Franco. You are officially the most awkward man alive.

But maybe DC will bring out the best in him. On March 31, the wonderful 826DC writing center will be hosting An Evening with James Franco at the Hotel Monaco, featuring the Academy Award nominee in the flesh. For $250, you can make eyes at Franco over dinner, while laying down a cool $1,000 will get you into a VIP reception with the man himself. Between your shared celebrity, wealth and ridiculously good looks, I’m sure you and James will find plenty to talk about. If not, you can always fall back on that age-old ice breaker, Charlie Sheen.

If you’re interested in attending the benefit, please contact Joe Callahan at joec@826dc.org or 202-525-1057. For more information about 826DC, please visit the site or read about it right here on We Love DC.

Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
By

Chef News at Againn and Art & Soul

Photo courtesy of
‘Againn’
courtesy of ‘Samer Farha’

Againn and Art & Soul are both getting new executive chefs. Mike Sindoni, previously the chef de cuisine at Againn, will now be heading up the kitchen as executive chef. Former executive chef at Againn, Wes Morton, has moved to Art & Soul.

For Sindoni, the change to executive chef was a natural progression. He had been working at Againn since it opened in 2009 and had already had an active role in shaping the menu. Now he’s looking forward to collaborating more with the rest of the kitchen staff and floating around new ideas in the kitchen, he says. While there won’t be any major changes to the food at the British gastropub, Sindoni’s background is heavily influenced by Italian food, he says, which could peak through more in the food.

Further downtown at Art & Soul, Wes Morton has just started as the executive chef. “I’m excited about getting back to my Southern roots. It’s the first time in my career where I’ll be able to express myself in this way,” Morton says. Similar to Againn, I don’t think the food will change drastically, though it’s always interesting to see a new chef’s ideas and talents play out on the table. “My goal is to to keep the the essence of what Southern food is while giving our dishes a lighter feel with a modern and clean presentation,” Morton says.

The Daily Feed
By

Where March Madness Doesn’t Involve Charlie Sheen and the 3/2 Sports Ticker

YouTube Preview Image

Lead Item: Ah, March, you and your craziness. “Madness” if you will. Just because the concept is currently being redefined by Charlie Sheen, it doesn’t mean we can’t take a moment in the lead item today to talk about the local and semi-local hoops teams to the DMV. While the list of regional teams through Virginia, DC and Maryland is lengthy, the somewhat sad news is it is realistic that your rooting interest for a local squad to cut down the nets in the big dance is limited to one of five choices from the Mid-Atlantic:
Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
By

Hot Ticket: TR3 @ State Theater, 3/3/11

Guitar virtuoso Tim Reynolds and his band, TR3 are headlining the State Theatre in Falls Church, VA on March 2nd. Probably best known for his live acoustic performances alongside Dave Matthews and as a permanent member of the Dave Matthews Band, Reynolds has been performing with TR3 since 1984. The band has seen several different lineup changes over the years and now features Mick Vaughn on bass and Dan Martier on drums. TR3 is touring on their 2009 release “Radiance” which features an eclectic blend of music ranging from blues to middle eastern inspired riffs. Reynolds’ supreme technical guitar skills are constantly on display throughout the album and is a different style of music than what he plays when on stage with Dave Matthews Band.

Reynolds probably isn’t on anyone’s “Top 100 Guitarist Lists” which is a shame because anyone who has seen him perform knows that he’s an undisputed master of his instrument. Flying under the radar of such accolades is probably just fine with Reynolds and his humble demeanor, however. If you appreciate excellent guitar-work this is a show you won’t want to miss.

Tim Reynolds/TR3
w/ Justin Trawick
@ The State Theater
3/3/11 – doors: 7pm
$16

News, The Daily Feed
By

Shutdown Countdown: 3 Days

Photo courtesy of
‘Mall Turf Sign’
courtesy of ‘Mr. T in DC’

Today is Tuesday, March 1st. Congress’ continuing budget resolution (CR) that has kept the government funded will expire on Friday, March 4th at the end of the day. While Congress is still negotiating a deal that would extend the current CR for two weeks to allow for further talks about the impasse between the Republicans and Democrats regarding spending priorities.

The last shutdown of the government took place in late 1995/early 1996, when the government closed for 21 days, shuttering the National Parks, the Smithsonian, and putting almost all of the Federal Workforce on furlough.  The exceptions have to do with protection of “life and property,” but many functions of government will be stopped in its tracks for the period.

Continue reading →

Entertainment, The Daily Feed, We Love Arts
By

2011 Helen Hayes Awards Nominees Announced

The gathering at the Helen Hayes gallery at the National Theatre looked like any other networking event. Wine and appetizers were served as people made introductions and small talk. However a pianist playing soft music and a lit podium revealed that this wasn’t an ordinary reception.

It was the nominations announcement for the 27th Annual Helen Hayes Awards, DC’s premiere theatre awards honoring the past year in local professional theatre.

Helen Hayes was a DC-born actress who became known as the, “First Lady of the American Theatre”. Her legacy includes being one of 12 people who has won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony. Besides having the awards named after her there is also a theatre on Broadway that also shares her name.

Continue reading →