Monthly Archives: May 2010

The Daily Feed
By

Supreme Court Closes Front Door

Photo courtesy of
‘Jack Defends the Supreme Court’
courtesy of ‘tbridge’

Oh Security Theater. You’re so old. You’re so busted. And yet, we have to live with you, like the creepy ex who just won’t stop coming back. Today’s victim is the Supreme Court’s front door, symbolic for many reasons, if not the carved marble which reads, “Equal Justice Under Law.” Starting today, visitors and petitioners will be required to use the side entrance to go through additional security procedures before going inside.

In response, Justices Ginsburg and Breye penned an unofficial official dissent, highlighting the history of the design of the Court, as well as the significance of the front door: Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
By

DC Shafted at Beard Foundation

Photo courtesy of
‘Washington Monument’
courtesy of ‘kimberlyfaye’

Oh, Beard Foundation, we had such high hopes for you last night. So much of DC’s much-vaunted restaurant scene was up for your prestigious awards, and you chose to honor…none of them. Yep, you read that right. The Mid-Atlantic region Best Chef went to Philly (sorry Cathal, Brian and Peter). Outstanding Pastry Chef went to Napa Valley’s Nicole Plue (sorry Amanda), and Outstanding Chef went to Tom Colicchio from Top Chef (So very sorry, José). Rising Star was a spot of particular hope for the DC Foodie crowd, with Johnny Monis from Komi competing, but sadly that too went awry.

It may feel like a bit of sour grapes, but I do believe that DC got the shaft today, while Philly, NYC and Napa got the elevator. What say you? Was DC’s snub deserved?

Featured Photo
By

Featured Photo


4.29.10 by moxie.marmalade

It’s summer now, right?  What, this is spring?  You could have fooled me.  It’s as if we jumped straight from winter into the sweltering days of summer with only a few enjoyable days in between.  The good news is that Mother Nature wasn’t fooled as many flowers are in bloom across our region.  While this beautiful calla lily may have been found in a bucket at the Penn Quarter Farmers Market, I saw many flowers as I toured the area this weekend.  Mount Vernon’s gardens were filled screaming kids and loads of colorful blooms.  The roses in the Bishop’s Garden at the National Cathedral weren’t as abundant as I’ve seen them, but there were some beauties there for sure.  And at Fort Reno Park (the highest natural elevation in DC) and the National Arboretum, buttercups covered the ground like a sea of gold.

While not necessary, the best way to photograph flowers is with a macro lens.  The photograph above was taken with a Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro lens, showing us the details of the calla lily and throwing the background out of focus for some beautiful bokeh.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go turn up my air conditioner and pour myself a sweaty glass of iced tea.  Let me know when the temperature is down to 75 degrees and the humidity is gone.

Adams Morgan, Food and Drink, News, The Daily Feed, We Love Drinks
By

Fat Tire Comes to DC

Photo courtesy of
‘”Fat Tire” – San Francisco’
courtesy of ‘adamjackson1984’

I’ve heard rumors that New Belgium was going to start shipping their famous Fat Tire beer out East, and it seems those rumors are true. The GOG reports that the Black Squirrel in Adams Morgan snagged some bottles of the famous ale, along with a few other varieties from New Belgium. Up till now, North Carolina was about the closest place you could get Fat Tire and I’ve heard of many a beer aficionado making a point to grab a few cases when they were down that way.  Me, I’ve never had it, so I’m heading to the Black Squirrel tonight to try some, as I hear quantities are limited.

The Daily Feed
By

UVa Lacrosse Player from Chevy Chase Suspected in Murder of Fellow Athlete

Photo courtesy of
‘steps’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’

There is some tragic news coming out of Charlottesville this afternoon. A senior lacrosse player, George Huguely, has been charged with first degree murder after a member of the women’s lacrosse team, 22-year-old Yeardley Love, was found dead early Monday morning. Hugely, also 22, attended the Landon School and is from Chevy Chase; reports indicate that there was some sort of relationship between the two in the past.

A portion of the statement from University of Virginia’s President, John Casteen, is below, and we wish the best for the families and university community as they recover from this news:

Although we know nothing other than what appears in the Charlottesville Police Department’s more recent statement, this death moves us to deep anguish for the loss of a student of uncommon talent and promise, and we express the University’s and our own sympathy for Yeardley’s family, team-mates, and friends. That she appears now to have been murdered by another student compounds this sense of loss by suggesting that Yeardley died without comfort or consolation from those closest to her. We mourn her death and feel anger on reading that the investigators believe that another student caused it. Like students who have contacted us in the last few minutes, we know no explanation of what appears now to have happened.

The Features
By

Mother’s Day 2010: Meals for your Mom!

Photo courtesy of
‘mimosas!’
courtesy of ‘@heylovedc’

This Sunday is all about Mommies, and if you still don’t have any plans, have no fear.  There are of tons of ways to honor her here in the District and surrounding area, with none other than food of course!  I’ve taken the liberty of highlighting some great spots that are sure to please all of the mothers in your life, so be sure to get your reservations in before they’re gone!

First up is Brunch and Bubbly at Proof.  This year they celebrate for the first time, and guests will receive a complimentary glass of champagne.  Located just a block from the Verizon Center and metro accessible, Proof is not only conveniently located, but a smart choice for Mother’s Day brunch.  Executive Chef Haidar Karoum has prepared an a la carte brunch with such dishes as the Sautéed Wild King Salmon with spring peas, maitake mushrooms and grilled ramps and Crispy Soft Shell Crab with fingerling Potatoes, asparagus, anchovy and remoulade.  If this sounds like your cup of tea, you can contact the restaurant at 202-73-PROOF (202-737-7663) or visit the website at www.proofdc.com.  Brunch will be served between 11am and 3pm. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
By

Red Line Delays Due to Track Fire

Delays.jpg

An “arcing insulator” has caused a fire on the Red Line tracks (Shady Grove direction), outside Dupont Circle. At the same time, a track circuit issue is giving Metro problems at Farragut North. Single-tracking is currently in effect between Dupont and Van Ness. Expect major delays in both directions this afternoon. Official WMATA release here.

Update: “Normal” service has been restored.

Entertainment, The Daily Feed
By

Free Opera Tickets!

TICKET GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED. Thanks everybody for the interest!

We have five free tickets to Thursday’s performance of The Marriage of Figaro to giveaway! Washington National Opera’s Domingo-Cafritz Young Artists are featured in this one-night-only event May 6 at 7:30pm at the Kennedy Center’s Opera House. Part of Generation O, the Opera’s young professionals group aimed at patrons aged 18 to 35, it’s a great opportunity to enjoy Mozart’s opera frolicking through the battle of both the sexes and the classes – revolutionary in its day and still a riot.

Respond below if you’d like to go and we’ll set you up with the WNO.

All Politics is Local, Life in the Capital, News, Special Events, The Daily Feed
By

Teacher Appreciation Week: Hooray Teachers!

As part of Teacher Appreciation Week and tomorrow’s Teacher Appreciation Day, the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) is offering a variety ways to honor and recognize our local teachers for the lasting contributions they’ve made and continue to make in our lives.

Chancellor Michelle Rhee wrote a personal letter and created the above video highlighting the efforts made by DC teachers during the last year and encouraging the public to extend their own personal thank yous to teachers.

Visit the DCPS site to read outstanding district teachers profiles, publicly thank your own DCPS teacher, or generate your own special 140 character DCPS teacher message and tweet it to @dcpublicschools.

All of the above are fantastic ways to participate in this worldwide teacher celebration week and they only require a few moments of time to show our appreciation to teachers for all the effort they put in each day to teach and for the education that we and our youth receive thanks to them.

Night Life, The Daily Feed, WTF?!
By

DC to reconsider untenable parking policies

Photo courtesy of
”
courtesy of ‘Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie’

Surprise, surprise. DC is proposing changes to its new parking meter policies because, well, they didn’t work. The DC Department of Transportation is proposing that the meter time limit be lifted after 6:30 PM. Public comments indicated that drivers weren’t offended by having to pay for parking in the evenings, but that the 2 hour time limit on meters made it difficult to engage in activities like dinner out or movies. The meters in high-demand areas would be reprogrammed to accept 4 hours’ worth of quarters after 6:30 so that users don’t have to slip out to feed them.

Council Member Jack Evans (D-Ward 2) wants to repeal evening enforcement altogether. Which would be cushy, but I’d be happy with just accelerating the adoption of pay-by-phone and pay-by-credit-card meters along with the increased time limit. Four hours’ worth of quarters is still 32 freaking quarters that I have to have handy if I want to park downtown, which continues to be logistically ridiculous.

The Daily Feed
By

MLB Delivery Man of the Month for April: Matt Capps

Photo courtesy of
‘PRE’
courtesy of ‘MissChatter’

Congratulations are in order for at least one of the Caps calling DC their home at the moment — Matt Capps to be exact.

Capps was named Delivery Man of the Month of April by Major League Baseball after completing 10 saves (the highest among all pitchers so far this season) and posted a 0.68 ERA with 15 strikeouts in 13.1 IP over 12 appearances.

The Nationals closer also set a club single-season best and career-best record for April saves and consecutive save conversations to the start of the season.

This is the first time Capps has received Delivery Man of the Month recognition. The only other National to win this distinction was Chad Cordero after he converted 15 saves in 16.1 shutout innings during 16 games in June 2005.

Maybe next month Tyler Clippard will have a shot at Delivery Man of the Month? Either way, it’s nice to see the Nats pitching staff get some positive recognition.

The Daily Feed
By

Signed, Sealed, Delivered, They’re His: Leonsis & The Wizards

Photo courtesy of
‘Caron Butler at the line’
courtesy of ‘afagen’

The deal is finalized – Caps owner Ted Leonsis signed the purchase agreement proposed by the estate of the late Abe Pollin on Sunday, committing Leonsis to purchase the last 56 percent of the Wizards organization and the Verizon Center that he did not previously own … until now.

This purchase agreement means that Lincoln Holdings (a “closely-held” group of investors) will more than likely take over the Wizards in time for the June NBA draft, according to the Washington Post, enabling Lincoln Holdings to have input regarding the team’s player selections and the re-building of the “ailing franchise.”

Essential DC, Music, The Features, We Love Music
By

We Love Music: May Music Preview

Photo courtesy of
”
courtesy of ‘erin m’

April showers bring May flowers, but what does the May DC music scene bring to all of you? Good question. Here’s the answer: Freedom. Complete freedom … as far as prices are concerned. There’s a whole bunch of free concert series and performances to keep your ears occupied and dancing shoes satisfied. Here are a few of my picks as we begin this transition month into the dog days of summer. The way I see it, May is a good practice-run for the overwhelming amount of free events throughout the city come June, July and August. So train well, my young musical padawans, train well. Continue reading →

Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
By

Enjoy French Wine with Us!

Photo courtesy of
‘Mural, Bistrot Lepic’
courtesy of ‘Jenn Larsen’

This event is now full. Thanks for your interest!

If it were up to me, no one would ever be intimidated about ordering wine ever again. So this Saturday afternoon (May 8) I’m hosting a small gathering at Bistrot Lepic’s upstairs wine bar, where owner Cyrille Brenac will help you understand the mystique of the vine with a flight of three of his favorite wines from Lepic’s collection. It’s informal and complimentary, in a lovely relaxed setting featuring some of the best French wines in the city.

The catch? Limited guest list. So if you’d like to come mingle with me and fellow WLDC author Max Cook as we learn about French wine from Cyrille and document it for a Drinks Special article next week, please respond below (and don’t forget to use a real email address when you fill out the comment form so I can reach you!) and I’ll hook you up with all the details.

The Daily Feed
By

The Value of Maps: Avoiding the Delaware Turnpike

deltpk.jpg

Just as we get to summertime and the beach season, the inevitable treks to the Jersey Shore (Snooki-repellent in hand) and Atlantic City, as well as out to Maryland comes an excellent reminder about turnpikes. I grew up in the American Wests, where only bridges could incur tolls. The rest of the roads were glorious freeways, and not the turnpikes of the East. Was I born, perhaps, with a strangely jiggered opinion of toll roads? Perhaps I was.

If you’re as cheap as I am, Slate has an awesome hand-drawn map on how to avoid the Delaware Turnpike and the bullshit $4 that it costs to go just scant miles. So if you, like me, wish to say to Delaware, “I do not care for your toll policies, you scallywags!” then click through and get the whole map, which will show you just how to avoid that blasted toll gate.

News, The Daily Feed
By

Arrest Made in Betts Murder Case

Photo courtesy of
’95/365′
courtesy of ‘Danilo.Lewis|Fotography’

Police made an arrest this morning, according to the Washington Post, related the murder of middle school principal Brian Betts, murdered in his home two weeks ago. The arrest, related to the use of his stolen credit card, places the first suspect in the case in custody. The woman’s name was not released by Montgomery County Police, nor were the charges, but a second warrant is out for the arrest of a man accused with Betts’ murder.

The Daily Feed
By

Suspicious Package at Thomas Circle


Thanks to @jjohnson for the photo

Just got some buzz that Thomas Circle has been closed and evacuated for a “suspicious package.” And here’s another photo of the yellow tape around the area right now from The American Spectator’s Philip Klein.

Guess we’re all a bit on edge after yesterday’s failed Times Square bombing attempt.

Update: The security scare was triggered by a homeless man pushing a garbage can up beside a building. The area is now all clear and Thomas Circle has been reopened. The world is safe again.

Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
By

Congratulations Kojo Nnamdi and Joe Yonan!

Photo courtesy of
‘w/yr host kojo nnamdi’
courtesy of ‘stereogab’

Congratulations are due to Kojo Nnamdi, and his producers, as well as to Joe Yonan, Editor of the Post’s Food Section, for their wins in the James Beard Foundation Awards! Yonan won for his work editing the Food Section, and Kojo won for his radio show. The Beard Foundation exists to “celebrate, preserve, and nurture America’s culinary heritage and diversity,” and issues a set of journalism and multimedia awards, as well as their restaurant and chef awards, which will be given out tonight in New York.

Up for Beard awards tonight are Amanda Cook (CityZen, Pastry Chef), José Andrés (Minibar, Outstanding Chef), Cathal Armstrong (Restaurant Eve, Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic), Brian Voltaggio (Volt, Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic), Peter Pastan (Obelisk, Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic), and Johnny Monis (Komi, Rising Star). Good luck everyone!

Weekend Flashback
By

Weekend Flashback: 4/30 – 5/2/10

Photo courtesy of
‘Cinco de Mayo’
courtesy of ‘vpickering’

The high temps, thickening humidity and threat of rain didn’t stifle our area photographers as they roamed the streets, looking for “just the right shot” to share with all of you. And we’re happy to redirect your daydreaming back to the weekend while your body catches up to the fact that yes, it is indeed Monday.

Continue reading →