Category Archives: The Daily Feed

The Daily Feed
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Get Your Demo Ready for Fort Reno 2011

Photo courtesy of
‘100 Cassettes’
courtesy of ‘Marc Arsenault – Wow Cool’

The glorious jewel of DC summertime music, the Fort Reno concert series, is now opening the window for submissions.  The organizers are looking for local and original music (sorry cover bands, no joy for you) and are now soliciting for you to send your demo tapes in. They’re looking for physical tapes, CDs or Vinyl, and they don’t need your whole press kit, just a link to your website if you’ve got one, and one awesome song.

Now’s your chance, DC, form up that grindcore ska band, or that shoegazer artrock string quartet, or that screamo folk group, and get that demo in.  You’ve got from Monday until the 12th of March to send in your demo.  Get on it! The very future of music depends on it.

Adventures, Essential DC, Food and Drink, Fun & Games, History, Life in the Capital, News, The Daily Feed, The District
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Eater Names Fojol Bros To Top 20 Food Truck List

Photo courtesy of
‘Fojol Bros. of Merlindia’
courtesy of ‘Dave Kleinschmidt’

Ahhhh…Fojol Brothers. You make lunch in DC so strange, wonderful and delicious. You are well worthy of your newly bestowed spot on Eater’s “List of Top Twenty Food Trucks in America.” Represent DC baby! Represent!

If you have yet to experience the cuisine and showmanship of this food truck, you are clearly living an unfulfilled DC life. Staffed by mustachioed, Sgt. Pepper costumed order takers and cooks, this clown car-esque truck roams DC streets serving up Indian fare (both veggie and non-veggie) to the office bound, weary masses.

Congratulations Fojol Brothers. We salute you!

The Daily Feed
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Testudo Gets a “This is Sportscenter” Spotlight

YouTube Preview Image

For the second time in as many months, Washington area sports are getting another spotlight from the Worldwide Leader’s long running “This is Sportscenter” ad campaign. This time our subject is the mascot of the University of Maryland – Testudo the Terrapin.

He’s late to a meeting…because he’s a turtle. This is up there with the Oregon Duck starring out at the ducks on the pond in terms of excellent uses of silent mascots in the ESPN series of commercials – although nothing beats the abuse that Otto the Orange gets in the ads.

via Testudo Times

Music, The Daily Feed
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U Street Music Hall’s (Twitter) Manifesto

There are many, many reasons that I love and support U Street Music Hall. One of them that I don’t get to write about very often is the dedication of U Hall’s owners to making their club a great experience for music fans and music makers alike.

On Saturday night, in the middle of UK DJ/Producer Sinden’s set, a customer reached into the DJ booth from the dance floor and angrily slammed Sinden’s laptop shut after being denied a request that had already been played. This is a very uncool thing to do in general, but particularly when you consider the facts that a laptop is a key component to a DJ’s arsenal, Sinden was in mid-set entertaining a packed club, and LAPTOPS DON’T GROW ON TREES AND ARE EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE. The incident really upset/incensed co-owner Will Eastman, who prides himself on offering a great U Hall experience for both the audience and the talent. Starting on Saturday night, Eastman began twittering about the incident. His tweets carried over into Sunday and he even had a few on Monday. Eastman’s tweets read like an informal manifesto for his club. Some choice tweets are reprinted here with Eastman’s blessing.

@willeastman:

“Public service announcement: an asshole closed @gsinden laptop because he wouldn’t play a request. Said asshole is now banned for life.”

“Public service announcement: DJs @uhalldc do not play requests.”

“I love every U Hall supporter & I want everyone who supports U Hall to know douchebaggery will never, ever be tolerated there. Period.”

“Ok, I may lose some followers here, but I’m going to tell it like it is.”

“If you don’t really love music, if you just wanna get drunk and try to get laid, don’t come to @uhalldc It’s not for you.”

“If you like to fight, go worry about your tiny penis somewhere else. Do not come to U Hall.”

“If you like to grind on girls, go to a strip club. Do not come to our club.”

“If you’re too drunk to read the sign that says Emergency Exit, you should go home.”

Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Rep. Allen West’s “plan” for DC Voting Rights

Photo courtesy of
‘Bad Idea (crop)’
courtesy of ‘starbuck77’

While I applaud Rep. Allen West (R-FL) for taking a keen interest in the politics of the District of Columbia, his plans to address representation for the District through a taxation exclusionary zone in the District seem at odds with what the citizens of the District want (voting rights), at odds with how to accomplish what they want (through the will of those who live here), and at odds with his Tea Party backing (Really? You want to get increase the deficit by $20B+?).

I’m sure that this is just a trial balloon on West’s part, putting up a possible solution to a crisis without thinking it all the way through. While this would make DC an attractive area for the wealthy (what, “Real” Housewives didn’t do that already?), wouldn’t the influx of shelter-seeking Americans drive out those who already live here through higher rents (born by market demand) and further harm the area?

 

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The Daily Feed
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Hamilton’s Tap Dance

Hamilton's Tap Dance
‘Hamilton’s Tap Dance’
courtesy of ‘A. L. Huber’

Food and drink challenges are fun; secret, off-menu food and drink challenges are even more fun. The Tap Dance Challenge at Hamilton’s Bar and Grill falls into the later category. The challenge itself is deceptively and enticingly simple: for $30 you have the opportunity to drink one pint of each of the ten beers than Hamilton’s has on tap (Magic Hat #9, Coors Light, Lienenkugel’s Sunset Wheat, Miller Lite, Yuengling, Samuel Adams Boston Lager, Smithwick’s, Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA, Samuel Adams Seasonal, Guinness Stout), in order and within three hours. The rules are also simple: no vomiting. If you violate this rule and don’t manage to deposit your bodily fluids in an appropriate receptacle, expect to pay an additional $20 cleaning charge. Win and you secure bragging rights and a stylish tshirt.

So, if you decide to attempt this challenge, here are a few pieces of advice. First, don’t attempt this challenge if you enjoy sobriety.  You will get drunk: the human body can only metabolize approximately .5oz of alcohol an hour (about the amount in one 12oz beer, 6oz wine, or 1.5oz shot) and this challenge involves drinking at more than three times that rate. Second, eat a fairly large, balanced meal several hours before you attempt the Tap Dance. A mix of carbohydrates and proteins in your system will help slow alcohol absorption. Third, bring a friend. It will be very helpful if you have a friend with you who is not participating in the challenge so that they can help you out if you need it later (thanks to my lovely girlfriend for putting up with me Saturday night!). Finally, don’t be a hero. Understand that this is a fairly daunting challenge, both in terms of alcohol and volume. If you or your friends think it’s time to throw in the towel, it probably is; sometimes, discretion is the better part of valor.

Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
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We Love DC & SeamlessWeb Giveaway

Photo courtesy of
‘After all, coffee is bitter…….’
courtesy of ‘LaTur’

Do you like coffee? Do you like freebies? Well, we have both for you. SeamlessWeb, a website that lets you order delivery and takeout from 5,000 plus restaurants in 27 cities, is bringing its Free Coffee Days promotion to DC.

From February 7th to 27th SeamlessWeb will hand out out more than 75,000 free cups of coffee all over the city from a SeamlessWeb branded truck (Feb. 7-10) and partner restaurants (Feb. 14-27).

To coincide with this promotion, SeamlessWeb is giving us two $25 gift cards to give two of our lucky readers. Comment below telling us why you love coffee, and we’ll choose two winners using random.org.

Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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The Winning Ticket (Extra): Gang of Four

We’ve got a pair of tickets to see post-punk legends Gang of Four at 9:30 Club with your name on them!

The gang are back under the leadership of Jon King and Andy Gill with a new rhythm section and a great new album. This is one of my favorite bands and their show at the club in 2005 made my short-list for the year’s best by living up to and surpassing my highest expectations. Gang of Four perform at 9:30 Club on Wednesday, February 9.

For your chance to win these tickets simply leave a comment on this post using a valid email address between now and 4pm today. One entry per email address, please. If today doesn’t turn out to be your lucky day, check back here each Wednesday for a chance to win tickets to other great concerts. Tickets for this concert are available on Ticketfly.

For the rules of this giveaway…
Continue reading →

Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
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New Chef at Buddha-Bar

Photo courtesy of
‘Buddha Bar 16’
courtesy of ‘maxedaperture’

Downtown Buddha-Bar has announced a new executive chef, Simon Volante, who officially joined the restaurant last week.

While Volante most recently worked as the executive chef at RED Restaurant & Bar in Los Angeles, he has also worked at DC’s Willard Room Restaurant, Jeffrey’s at the Watergate, Aquarelle and The Jefferson Hotel. At RED, Volante focused on an Asian-fusion dining concept, which he’ll undoubtedly carry over to Buddha-Bar.

Mikhail Don, co-owner of Buddha-Bar said in a statement, “Chef Volante is a natural fit to lead Buddha-Bar DC’s culinary team, and we are thrilled that he accepted our offer. You can expect inspiring things from us this year, as I’m confident that Chef Volante will take our innovative, fresh cuisine to even greater heights.”

Buddha-Bar’s previous executive chef, Greg Fortunato, left on good terms with Buddha-Bar and moved back to Las Vegas to be closer to his family, according to a public relations representative for the restaurant.

Sports Fix, The Daily Feed
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Wizards Collapse Late In Defeat Against Hawks

Photo courtesy of
‘Wizards’
courtesy of ‘erin m’

There’s no “me” in Wizards.

Go with me on this one, I had to change up the adage a little bit.

After half-time the Wizards went back onto the floor trailing the Atlanta Hawks 52-46. Over the course of the second half the Wizards managed to catch back up to within striking distance but didn’t have enough juice in the final quarter and fell short 92-99. The key difference was in their free throw shooting where they went 8-18, compared to 26-35 from the Hawks. Doesn’t matter if you criticize the FT% or the free throw attempts, it’s still a terrible number.

On the surface the team didn’t do too bad: the players shot 50%, Nick Young had another solid night with 21 points (and a new fro), and Al Thornton had a dunk that is already being called “Dunk of the Year.

The problem is the team isn’t performing to the true sum of the parts. Everybody is trying to one the game on their own, not as a team.

Continue reading →

News, The Daily Feed
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Fire at Museum of Natural History this morning

Photo courtesy of
‘Smoke on the Mall’
courtesy of ‘kimberlyfaye’

A mid-commute fire at an out-building at the Museum of Natural History on the Mall started a bit of a fracas, traffic-wise near the intersection of Constitution and 9th street NW this morning.  The fire is reportedly the result of a welding mishap in the building that holds the museum’s cooling equipment.

The smoke cloud was disturbing to many this morning, resembling a mushroom cloud in shape, and certainly not the way one would want to start a Monday morning.  The fire was quickly doused by DC Fire/EMS, and they have reported the museum was in no danger.

Shake it off, DC. No problem here.

capitals hockey, The Daily Feed
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Caps Turn Back Clock, Strike Lightning

Photo courtesy of
‘Backstrom’
courtesy of ‘Dan4th’

Tuning in the Caps/Lightning contest last night was like watching a game from last season. The Capitals’ top line dominated, the team was ready offensively, goaltending was solid, and it felt like it was 2010 all over again.

The Caps dropped Southeast Division rival Tampa Bay by a 5-2 score, putting 5 goals behind Lightning goalie Dwayne Roloson, who has previously stoned the Caps – twice. Nicklas Backstrom potted two goals and four points, captain Alex Ovechkin contributed a power play goal (his first since Oct 30) and three assists, and linemate Jason Chimera finished it off with an empty netter. The result was a happy one for Caps fans, who let out a collective sigh of relief across the DC area.

Whether the team that showed up last night in Tampa is the one returning home this weekend remains to be seen, however. The Caps face a battered Penguins team on Sunday during a Super Bowl appetizer match-up; game time is 12:30 on NBC.

The Caps’ penalty kill streak was ended at 27 when Brett Clark tipped a puck in behind Semyon Varlamov with only 7 seconds left in a Matt Hendricks penalty. But it was the last score the Lightning would get on the night.

The Caps are now only three points behind Tampa in the division.

The Daily Feed
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Arenas returns to help Magic grind out Wizards

Photo courtesy of
‘Introducing Gilbert Arenas’
courtesy of ‘afagen’

It came down to a grind.

The Wizards do not grind well.

Dwight Howard had 22 points and 15 rebounds, Jameer Nelson had 11 assists against one turnover and weary Magic blew away the Wizards at Verizon Center 110-92.

It was the first game that Gilbert Arenas, traded for Rashard Lewis in December, played the team he had been with for seven years. He got a mixed ovation when he first entered the game late in the first quarter and, ironically, was the epitome of the grind that the Magic used to carry the win. Arenas played 24:38 and had 10 points, six assists and six rebounds and when it was time to play defense handled himself beyond his coach’s expectations.

Continue reading →

Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
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Friday Happy Hour: Goose Island Dominique

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

I may be against eating meat but I am totally in favor of day drinking. When Addison arranged a ChurchKey for brunch on Sunday, I asked to tag along. As a vegetarian, I wanted nothing to do with the Luther – I just wanted to socialize and drink beers at noon.

Noon seem early for a bourbon-barrel aged wild ale – but by the time we wrapped up the multi-hour brunch session, several glasses of Goose Island Dominique had made their way to our table. I think everybody ordering beer at the table had at least a small glass.

Goose Island produces the very delicious Bourbon County Stout, which is aged in used bourbon barrels. After they age the stout in those barrels, they recycle them again to age a wild-yeast farmhouse style ale to produce the Dominique. The barrel-aging infuses the beer with a bourbony, spirituous quality and vanilla note, which blends perfectly with the more tart, sour, and rustic flavors.

The fascinating thing about this beer is that it seems to be so balanced that it really appeals to a wide variety of tastes. Everybody with whom I have sampled this seems to enjoy it. When I found myself at ChurchKey again with another beer nerd, his sip of mine turned into him ordering himself another glass. (I forced myself to have something else and ordered a different Goose Island, the Pepe Nero, for my next drink.)

It does not go overboard in any single direction which may not impress the heads who want something really intense or distinctive. Instead, the beer has a certain elegance and subtlety – without being boring.

The Daily Feed
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Hot Ticket: Chromeo @ 9:30 Club, 2/6/11

Hey Ladies,

While all your boyfriends and husbands are jumping out of their armchairs, hooting at the television in their salsa stained Rothilsberger jerseys on Sunday, you can be at the 9:30 Club listening to the sexy smooth sounds of Canada’s most recent threat to monogamy since k.d. lang and Gordon Lightfoot. Of course I’m talking about Chromeo.

It’s your choice. You can be at home, relegated to sitting on the ottoman to make room for your fella’s friends on the couch; watching your man give his bro a touch-down celebratory hug that contains more affection than he’s shown you in a year; or you could be at the 9:30 Club on Sunday night, being seduced by Chromeo’s sultry sythesizers and worked-over by their brassiere busting bass.

Head over to 9:30 Club on Sunday and let Chromeo’s P-Thugg and Dave 1 give you the attention you deserve.

Chromeo
w/ MNDR and The Suzan
@ 9:30 Club
2/6 – 7pm
$25

The Daily Feed
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Redskins Shenanigans Not Related to Dan Snyder

Photo courtesy of
‘00207256’
courtesy of ‘Keith Allison’

As if this week wasn’t enough of a PR nightmare for the ‘skins, let’s add another problem child to the mix, shall we? Mister Irrelevant passes along the report: professional breakdancer (have you ever seen his worm?) and at-one-point-this-season Washington Redskin Albert Haynesworth has been charged with minor assault after an incident with another motorist in Reston. The play-by-play, with an interjection from Mr. I:

– Albert Haynesworth was driving his pickup truck, tailgating some guy in a 1994 Honda Civic.

– The guy in the Civic made a “non-verbal hand gesture.” ([Mister Irrelevant] note: Right on, guy.)

– When the vehicles came to a stop, Haynesworth got out and approached the guy.

– The two “had a brief exchange of words, and then [Haynesworth] struck the Civic driver.”

Haynesworth signed a seven-year, $100m deal before the 2009 season. He’s still being paid by the Redskins, I believe.

The Daily Feed
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Hot Ticket: Fern Knight @ Comet Ping Pong, 2/5/11

If you are in the mood for pizza on a weekend evening, Comet Ping Pong on North Connecticut is one of the fine choices you have in our fair city. Most weekends there come with the bonus of live late night music with excellent, mostly local musicians often featured. Coming this Saturday night are two excellent variants of the psychedelic folk world.

Martin Bisi’s music is edgy and exciting with a wide variety of shifts between quiet and loud, spacey and grounded, linear and obtuse. Even if I did not enjoy the music I have sampled from him, I would go just to see his special guest: Brian Viglione of the Dresden Dolls. The last time, I saw the Dolls, Viglione impressed me as one of the finest drummers I had seen that year.

Fern Knight also plays psychedelic folk music and through their several albums have moved their sound around quite a bit. One thing is guaranteed, there will be strings. Cellos, violins, violas, along with percussion and more. No matter what else they dream up, you can be certain it will be an exciting personal journey. They have dazzled DC before at the Velvet Lounge and I can’t wait to see what they will come up with this Saturday.

Martin Bisi & Fern Knight
Comet Ping Pong
Saturday, Feb. 5th
10:30pm

Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
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Food Tweet of the Week: Co Co. Sala

coco2

Photo Courtesy Co Co. Sala

I love following restaurants on Twitter so I can hear about everything from what dishes they’re cooking up, to what events they’re hosting, to what specials they might have coming my way soon. Last week I took a look at how DC restaurants use Twitter successfully. Today I’m happy to award We Love DC’s first Food Tweet of the Week award to Co Co. Sala!

The chocolate lounge & boutique serves American cuisine and specializes in espresso and chocolate-based drinks, artisanal chocolates, and exquisite pastries. Co Co. Sala first got on Twitter in June 2009, but started using the social media tool actively in June 2010. The restaurant currently has more than 4,000 followers and sends out about 20 Tweets a day, all actually in conversation with diners.

See the cutest tweet ever after the jump. Continue reading →