‘party on’
courtesy of ‘jasminejennyjen’
Need something to do tonight that involves relaxation and the outdoors all rolled into one?
The Rosslyn outdoor summer movie series at Gateway Park (located at 1300 Lee Highway in Arlington) is in its second week now of their “I Love the ’90s” 2010 season. This week’s movie: Wayne’s World.
Movie starts at dusk. Admission is free.
Party on.
courtesy of Ian Koski, Nationals Daily News
Six weeks ago, the Nationals didn’t think they’d be holding on to Scott Olsen. The prospect of saving the ball club $750,000 by not having to pay the left-hander his full contract after last summer’s shoulder surgery was a thought that crossed general manager Mike Rizzo’s mind more than once.
Gee, isn’t Rizzo smiling now?
Olsen pitched a gem of a game despite losing the decision in the 8th inning. The youngster who sprung out of Triple-A Syracuse weeks ago proved to NatsTown that his early promotion was no mistake. He struck out 8 over 8 innings with a potential no-no on the line before the Braves broke that up with a David Ross line-drive single to left during the 8th.
Olsen also notched a personal victory on the night, crushing his previous record of seven consecutive scoreless innings pitched by carrying that streak to 20 which is the longest such streak set by a Nationals pitcher this season.
The 3-2 victory on the night was highlighted by talent hailing from a clubhouse with two consecutive 100+ loss seasons. One thing is for certain – these are not the Nationals of yester-year. Continue reading
By shannon
‘Downtown Silver Spring’
courtesy of ‘METROgrl’
Most Where We Live features focus on neighborhoods of a couple thousand people, but this week we’re tackling the third most populous place in Maryland: Silver Spring, a community of over 76,000 people. So while half of Montgomery County seems to have Silver Spring mailing addresses (making the city larger than any other city in the state except for Baltimore), we’ll just focus on the urban area of Silver Spring around the Metro station. But that being said there are lots of cool other areas in Silver Spring, from the park-like residential neighborhood of Woodside Park to the urban-suburban blend in Wheaton. As Dan, author of just up the pike and life-long Silver Spring resident, says, “In Silver Spring, you can go from a busy urban center to pick-your-own farms in just a few miles, all with the same address.”
By Don
I love that headline from the Virginia Department of Game. They get slightly more precise near the end of the release: Remember, if you live in Virginia, you live in bear country. Sounds a little hyperbolic, no? Check out this map on the VDGIF website
Click to expand or go look at the original page, but in a nutshell the aqua color indicates “occupied” and yellow indicates where there are occasional sightings. They’re nice enough to provide an item on the key for “rare/unoccupied” but there’s not an inch of it on the map.
Before you put on your coonskin cap and grab your musket, however, consider how poorly “occasional” is defined. The Virginia Black Bear Management Plan[pdf] makes the prospect of bear home invasion seem a lot less likely. The habitat picture is a lot more restrained:
That’s not to say folks in Loudoun and Fairfax should be too shocked if they come across a bear; The management plan says a male bear’s range can encompass 300 square miles. It’s about 50 miles as the crow flies out to Berryville, which sits firmly inside bear habitat. If it’s going to happen, this is the most likely time: the bears are pigging out as they try to regain weight they lost while hibernating.
If you’re one of our Virginia readers and you see one, stay the hell away. Even small bears can be dangerous and tiny ones often have larger ones nearby. The VDGIF webpage on living with bears (sounds like a San Francisco sitcom) offers more details and the video linked above.
‘National Book Festival 2009’
courtesy of ‘R2DC’
The Library of Congress has just announced that it has received a $5 million donation from David M. Rubenstein, cofounder of the Carlyle Group. The donation, spread over the next 5 years, makes the festival’s future more certain, as it was founded by Laura Bush in her first year as First Lady and was relying on the interest of subsequent First Ladies to continue.
By Tom Bridge
‘8099 mushroom’
courtesy of ‘crabchick’
Last summer’s horrific crash near Fort Totten revealed a colloquial term for the emergency brake aboard all trains: the Mushroom. Named for its shape, the Mushroom engages the emergency brakes and brings the train to an immediate halt. Yesterday, Metro reported an incident involving the emergency brakes being engaged on a Red Line train at Forest Glen as it approached the Station. No one was injured, but it’s concerning to hear that so long after last summer’s crash, that perhaps the system’s train indication still isn’t working.
This was one of our questions for interim GM Sarles at the blogger roundtable that was supposed to happen late yesterday. We were told that GM Sarles had a meeting late in the day with Congress and that was why our meeting was delayed, but the timing here could be considered suspect. The questions remain: What state are the train detection circuits in on the Red Line? It certainly is not promising to hear that the emergency brake was deployed here in light of what we’ve been promised.
We’re hoping that the roundtable will be rescheduled for early next week, and we can find out ourselves.
By Tom Bridge
‘Penguin crossing’
courtesy of ‘afagen’
Late yesterday, WMATA fired a Metrobus driver who was involved in an accident in Southeast for failure to follow standard procedure. The April 13th incident involved a W2 at Irving & Alabama SE striking a pedestrian whose condition is currently unknown. Metro has taken months in the past to handle this sort of discipline, so it’s relieving to see that they’re taking this more seriously in the wake of last summer’s safety crackdown.
’61/365 – the source’
courtesy of ‘dracisk’
Jenn: Drinks + Theater = Fun! That’s my motto anyway. Saturday afternoon I’m hosting a small readers event at Bistrot Lepic (have no fear if you didn’t get one of the few spots available, as I’ll have a Drinks Special up on Thursday so you can all learn what we learned). You should take Mom to BRABO that afternoon for a complimentary rosé wine tasting with sommelier Leah Dedmon (2-4pm at the Butcher’s Block). That evening I’m attending the opening ofConstellation Theater’s Ramayana – from French wine to Indian mythology, should be a fascinating day. Sunday evening I’ll be at Theater J finding out what goes on at the Mikveh. Both reviews up next week. Cheers and bravo!
Dave: Weather, do me a favor and stay nice, ok? It’s sports weekend for this guy. Friday, the now ranked BC Alumni softball team (although I will leave out my diatribe on minimal participation in the Capital Alumni Network’s Coaches Poll leading to a lower-than-expected rank) looks to continue the season down on the mall; Saturday, I’m going on a good walk spoiled (i.e., Golf, in the words of Mark Twain) out at the Andrews Air Force Base West Course; and Sunday is a hopefully-cooler-than-last-weekend intramural soccer game. Then Sunday night will come and I’ll have to try to figure out (a) where my weekend went and (b) why I’m sore, but at least it’ll probably be over a brew atRagtime while watching the Red Sox take on the hated Yankees. Continue reading
By Max
What Do You See? by clownish
To promote the relaunch of their magazine, Bloomberg Businessweek is offering free shoe shines at Union Station. That’s right, on Monday May 10th and May 17th from 7 to 11am, you can get your shoes shined for free – a $9 value! While your wingtips are being waxed, read the magazine’s launch issue which “includes expanded content, new sections, and a completely retooled and enhanced navigation”.
Don’t worry, there won’t be any clowns there.
By Dave Levy
Photo originally appeared at DC Sports Bog
While the feeling lasts, talking about the currently relevant Nationals is a lot of fun. In that spirit, I had to share this great submission from one of Dan Steinberg’s readers. DC sports junkies probably are already avid followers of Steinberg’s excellent DC Sports Bog at the WashingtonPost.com, and you have to love when he gets photos like the one above: the spotting of a #34 “Harper” jersey at Nationals Park during yesterday’s game.
Since things are starting off hopeful for Nats fans this season, and getting better since last year’s #1 draft pick, Stephen Strasburg, is on his way up the system, you may have forgotten already that the Nationals retain the number one pick in this year’s draft, too. And all signs point to a stud of a catcher out of Las Vegas by the name of Bryce Harper. It’s not that hard to dig for the hype on this prospect, so hopefully this fan-made Nationals shirt will be joined by many, many more. Dan’s description from his post is pretty uplifting to think about: “wunderkind catcher Bryce Harper, the guy who figures to catch Strasburg’s first playoff pitch. (And I don’t think that’s even a joke at this point.)”
By Donna C.
‘one (final version) (#117)’
courtesy of ‘j / f / photos’
Tomorrow night, you’ve an option to get very relaxed and happy, when a Yoga for Foodies event comes to Zola.
David Romanelli, who co-founded Yoga + Chocolate, will lead a one-hour flowing yoga class, to stretch your consciousness and your tummy for the three-course dinner that will follow. The menu is chock full of fresh, local, seasonal food, such as an oyster salad, dandelion greens, and strawberry and rhubarb gratin.
His plan is to make you aware of what you’re eating, where it comes from, and how it makes you feel. Which likely will be mmm, mmm good.
By Tom Bridge
‘Surveillance’
courtesy of ‘ep_jhu’
Get off 66 at the DTR, and you have two choices: go directly to the Airport and pay nothing, or take the road with exits, and pay as you go. Apparently, though, there are enough people who are driving out to the airport and thence hitting the private roads. Gov. McDonnell has signed a bill to act to prevent this, which is great, the main airport road is for airport business, and I get this. The problem, though, is that they want to automate this process.
Yes, they want to put a camera out there to do photosurveillance and detection of who is and who is not on Airport business. I’m not exactly sure how that would work, and none of the initial reports seem to indicate how this machine would hand out its $600 tickets to the masses. How the heck would this work?
‘9TH’
courtesy of ‘MissChatter’
Rookie Luis Atilano, who was a former Braves first round pick, had the first shaky start of his major league career Wednesday night against the Atlanta Braves (12-15). The start ended up costing the Nationals (14-13) to fall behind early in the run count during the night’s contest.
The true contest of the rookies was never realized due to Braves Outfielder Jason Heyward, who is now listed as day-to-day, leaving the game after the top of the 2nd inning with an injured groin.
What we did see was a Nats team with some bite to them. There were four ties and five lead changes over the course of this extra-inning game, giving the Nats plenty of time to swing their bats.
Nyjer Morgan recorded his 11th multi-hit game of the season finishing the night going 3-for-5 with 2 doubles and a run scored. Ian Desmond (.310 avg) continues to shine from not only a defensive standpoint but from the batter’s box having homered for the 2nd time in as many nights. Continue reading
By Rebecca
SupermarketGladiators
At 8:05am this morning, literally minutes after the new Social Safeway opened its doors to public, and the competition between the super giant and the Whole Foods up the street had already begun.
As I walked down Wisconsin Avenue, the former Pizza Hut, located directly across the street from Whole Foods entrance and parking garage was being decorated with a big bright banner/decal that read “Hungry Georgetown? Safeway: We are just down the block.” How neighborly and friendly of the Safeway to let Whole Foods know they’re there for them. I mean WF might indeed be hungry and in need of a good sandwich.
In all seriousness, I’m all about some good competition. WF has had it made since the Social Safeway closed last year for renovations leaving Glover Park, Burleith and Georgetown residents sans a non-organic, “non-gourmet,” whole paycheck devouring grocery store. Advertising the new Safeway directly across the street from WF is a genius marketing maneuver by Safeway. Well done sirs. Well done.
Shop Around The Corner
By Donna C.
‘365.105: The cook’s herb garden’
courtesy of ‘WordRidden’
There are lots of things I think would be cool to do, so I just dive in without proper training. One is growing herbs on the deck. Understandably, my results have been mixed. The potted mint is going great guns, but last year the basil plant that had been visibly shooting up daily as if it inspired Jack and the Beanstalk suddenly turned black, dropped its leaves, and keeled over. No more fresh basil for me.
So when Arlington Adult Education offered a class called Growing Herbs in Containers, I signed up—mostly out of sympathy for the plants. And then I came late to class. When I walked in, instructor Dottie Jacobsen stopped her talk, greeted me, then asked, “What’s your growing situation?” Under the bright lights and many watching eyes, I came clean: “I kill plants.”
And presto! Within two short hours, I had a long list of things I’d done wrong and could easily correct. Since some of my plants did actually survive, this knowledge was inspiring. “Many of my students have gone on to be excessive container gardeners,” Jacobsen reassured us. “They say, ‘it’s a jungle out there.’” What are her tips?
By brownpau
The Orange Line is abuzz with delays. A train has been offloaded for mechanical difficulties at East Falls Church, and another train at Ballston appears to have begun emitting smoke. This would happen right at the peak of rush hour just when hordes of hungover Washingtonians need to be at work for Seis de Mayo. Naturally there is no notification of delays whatsoever on the website.
Update: Since there has been no further buzz or WMATA update I can only assume that the delays are cleared by now.
By brownpau
Via Shorpy, here’s an old photo of Union Station when it was new, as seen from the side of the rails. Besides the old steam locomotives, notice anything glaringly different from how this scene looks now, 104 years later?
‘Hirshhorn After Hours #15’
courtesy of ‘Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie’
In a few weeks the Hirshhorn will be opening “Yves Klein: With the Void, Full Powers”. In anticipation of the exhibit, Yves Klein will be taking over all of the Hirshhorn’s social media outlets. Quotes by Klein (1928-1962) will be posted daily to Twitter and Facebook with links to accompanying images, video and audio, giving everyone an inside look into the artist’s creative perspective (and hopefully getting them interested in the exhibit).
I think that this is a really interesting and creative way to promote an upcoming exhibit. Way to go Hirshhorn!
By Tom Bridge
‘Metro Bus, Downtown Washington DC’
courtesy of ‘Photos by Chip Py’
Metro has just announced that a passenger on board a U2 Metrobus was shot early this evening near the intersection of 18th & Minnesota Ave SE. The passenger was transported by life-flight helicopter to Washington Hospital Center with significant injuries. No motive is apparent, and MPD is investigating.
By Tom Bridge
‘DC United vs Chicago Fire 15’
courtesy of ‘maxedaperture’
D.C. United takes on Kansas City tonight at RFK, but before the game, they’re having a huge pre-game party in Lot 8 at RFK with Live Mariachi music and piñatas and cheap margaritas and empanadas all night! Sure, it’s not Lauriol Plaza or Rio Grande, but there’s going to be a whole lot more elbow room, and the drinks will be just as tasty out at RFK, and this way, you can do something that’s actually part of Latin American culture: watch a fútbol match afterward! Kickoff’s at 7:30 as United goes for their first win.
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