By Brian Mosley
Happy Passover, Easter, or just a re-return to Spring this weekend! And if you’re out and about, take your camera and be sure to share your photos with us.
BTW: We’re still interested in finding new photo writers. If you’re on the fence, now’s the time to put up or…not. I’m not very good with making ultimatums. Still, it’s a fun job; well worth it. So sign up if you’re interested. Continue reading
DSC_8044
courtesy of MudflapDC
The Washington Nationals’ struggles against top-tier teams in 2014 continued on Thursday night with a 0-8 loss at home against the St. Louis Cardinals. Right-handed pitcher Adam Wainwright held the Nats to just two hits in the complete game shutout at Nationals Park.
Washington’s right-handed starter Taylor Jordan had a shaky first inning which did not increase the Nats’ odds of finally beating a team they’ve dropped seven consecutive games to (eight counting last night). Jordan lasted five and a third innings and gave up seven hits and seven runs (five earned), walked two, struck out four, and hit a batter on 96 pitches (61 strikes).
By Don
Fedward: After last week’s movie-and-grill-a-palooza we’ve got another packed weekend coming up. In theatre, there’s Arguendo at Woolly Mammoth, and Moth at Studio Theatre 2ndstage. Saturday is Customer Appreciation Day at Ace Photo, and I’ve been itching for a camera upgrade. We also need to start prepping our garden this weekend for the Franciscan Monastery Garden Guild annual plant sale next weekend (if you go this weekend it’ll be pretty, I’m sure, because it always is, but there won’t be anything for sale). And then Sunday, it’s over the river we go to see Don, his Darling Wife, and That Darn Toddler for Easter dinner.
Esther: In honor of Thomas Jefferson, who would have celebrated his 271st birthday this week, I’m spending my weekend honoring the man who did a bunch of important stuff for the country, including inventing the swivel chair. Starting Friday night by unwinding from the week, I’m going to hit Quill, the upscale bar located in the Jefferson Hotel at 16th and M St NW in DC, where specialty cocktails are the order of the night. Saturday, I will enjoy the last vestiges of the cherry blossoms on the Tidal Basin and visit Mr. Jefferson himself at his memorial, which celebrates its 70th birthday this year. Saturday night, I’ll be at the rooftop bar and lounge at the Graham Georgetown, since it’s located on Thomas Jefferson St NW and has an amazing view of the Potomac. And Sunday, brunch will be had at one of Thom’s former hangouts, Gadsby’s Tavern in Old Town Alexandria. I’m sure Thomas Jefferson couldn’t envision a better birthday weekend.
Tom: This weekend we’re cleaning up the neighborhood, starting with 12th St NE. BNCA is doing a cleanup starting at 12th and Newton from 10a-12p followed by margaritas at San Antonio Bar & Grill. After that, it’s flyering for the Great Brookland Yard Sale in May. After that it’s time to roll down to Nats Park for their weekend series against the Cardinals.
Don: I’m defying the expectations of all the “mundanes” in my life and NOT going to AwesomeCon Apparently I’m cheaper than I am nerdy, and most of the appeal to me would be wandering the vendor floor. And paying an admission fee to be allowed to pay more money for things offends my sensibilities. If I didn’t have to work the day away in the code mines I might go watch the Guinness attempt by the Capitol Reflecting Pool at noon Friday, though, since the price – free – is right. I’m skeptical they’ll get more than 1,500 people in costume but I would think once you break a few hundred you’ve got something worth seeing. Beyond that we’ve got some family in town to meet That Darned Toddler for the first time, but I’m hoping they’d be interested in some cheap seats at Nats Stadium for Saturday or Sunday’s afternoon games.
Rebecca: Friday evening I’ll be over at Union Market for their first Drive-In movie of the season, National Lampoon’s Vacation. Saturday morning I’ll be back there to drop off some old electronics as part of Earth Day. The drop off event goes from 10am-4pm. Sunday, it’s Easter so to celebrate Lent ending I’ll be slow cooking the most delicious pot roast imaginable which I’ll pick up from Smith Family Farms at the Palisades Market.
By Mickey
With the success of Captain America: The Winter Soldier and other movies storming out of the Marvel Studios stables, there is little question that comic books and associated media have definitely been embraced by mainstream audiences.
Which may leave us to question why hasn’t D.C. had its own comic book convention, particularly with Wizard World popping up in almost every other major U.S. city these days?
Well, we don’t have to wait any longer, as D.C. now has the locally produced Awesome Con, scheduled for this weekend, Friday, April 18, through Sunday, April 20, at the Washington Convention Center!
Awesome Con will feature guests from movies and television, most notably Billie Piper, well regarded for several seasons of Doctor Who; Cary Elwes, always memorable for The Princess Bride; Sean Astin, who played a hobbit in the trilogy Lord of the Rings; and many others. I personally may be most excited by Dirk Benedict of the A-Team and the original Battlestar Galactica.
Representing the literary world, Awesome Con will host guests such as award-winning science fiction author Timothy Zahn, who is responsible for 10 Star Wars Expanded Universe novels, including seven novels featuring Grand Admiral Thrawn: the Thrawn Trilogy, the Hand of Thrawn duology, Outbound Flight and Choices of One. Awesome Con also will feature more than 200 artists, including the likes of George Perez and John K. Snyder III.
Of course, Awesome Con will feature a large floor of more than 100 dealers and exhibitors, serving up a large amount of comic books and science-fiction merchandise. It also has an impressive number of panel discussions, including Q&A sessions with your favorite celebrities and chats on everything from tabletop gaming to improv comedy to surviving the zombie apocalypse (honestly).
Check out the full schedule to see all of your options, and hit the exhibitor floor between sci-fi speed dating and quizzing Doctor Who creators about the show. (I’d rather queue up for Ms. Piper myself!) Some VIP tix are still available!
Awesome Con
The Walter E. Washington Convention Center
801 Mount Vernon Place NW
Washington, DC 20001
Friday, April 18-Sunday, April 20
Friday 3-8pm; Saturday 10am-7pm; Sunday 10am-5pm
$30-$200
All ages
By Paul Allen
Hey DC, it’s time for tea with one of my new favorite bartenders, Carlie Steiner. I first met Carlie a few weeks ago, and after a few coffees and a rather short meeting, we were already scooting all over town in her new Vespa, Sophia, shooting back and forth about classic cocktails, and quickly becoming fast friends.
If there’s one piece of advice I can give about the food and bev scene in DC, is don’t follow places, follow people. No matter where you go and what you like, I guarantee that if you develop a relationship with a bartender, server, manager, barista, whatever, you will love wherever it is they are working or whatever it is they are doing. Try to get less caught up in what new bars are opening and instead try to make connections with industry people that you like and respect, because if I follow them wherever they go, you’ll have the same great experience every time. And Carlie is one of those people to follow.
Fairly young to the DC bar scene, Carlie started in New York at culinary school, where she honed her skills as a chef, learning valuable techniques to put to use behind the bar and in the kitchen. It’s no wonder then that she was hired right out of school to work the bar at José Andrés’ Minibar, where she made such an impression that she was moved over to his new, experimental cocktail lab, Barmini. Continue reading
There have been a lot, A LOT of cherry blossom photos posted over the past week. One could argue that every angle and vantage point around the Tidal Basin has been used and abused, that it’s hard to create a unique and unseen photograph of those fluffy little flowers. While that may be true to a certain extent I’d argue that that just makes it more of a challenge. It used to be that you could get down to the water by 8 am and still have the place (mostly) to yourself with a good hour or two until the tour buses and sandal-clad tourists started making the rounds. Now only the most dedicated, those who are willing to forgo those extra moments of shut eye just so they can have a moment with the trees without the distraction of fellow human beings, are the ones who get the photographs of the bloom in all it’s glory. Cathy Hammer got down to the Tidal Basin before sunrise on a Sunday to get this amazing shot. She set her f-stop at 13, set the shutter for 30 seconds and let it go. The result is stunning. The water seems to be frozen and the whole scene shows crisp detail. A scroll through her photostream offers some wonderful evening shots as well. It may be an angle we’ve seen before but certainly never quite like this. Great job, Cathy.
By Mickey
A booming sad voice fills the air from the very first song.
“Hey now, letters burning by my bed for you.”
Melancholy yet so very strong, the voice of Hannah Reid of London Grammar is so powerful an instrument that you are forced to wonder if she could simply tour as an a cappella act and be tremendously successful solo.
But no. Given a bit of time at Monday night’s sold-out performance by London Grammar at the 9:30 Club, the gentle guitar of Dan Rothman and playful keyboards and drums from Dot Major swell under the vocals and provide each song with a full sound, as with the opener, “Hey Now.”
By Mickey
Country singer Pat Green released a second album of covers, Songs We Wish We’d Written II, in 2012. With his cover series, the Texas country artist explores more of the influences in his nearly 20-year career with songs like Joe Ely’s “All Just to Get to You.” But he also surprises by reaching outside of his genre with a song like “Even the Losers” by Tom Petty, to which he adds his affable demeanor and mellow croon.
Green is probably best known for his song “Wave on Wave,” which hit #3 on the U.S. Country chart in 2003. He makes his mark with his easygoing, laidback style, which serves as hallmark to that song and others. Tomorrow, Green performs at the 9:30 Club, which may not be a traditional venue for country artists. But after selling out shows by Loretta Lynn, why shouldn’t the 9:30 Club host some country folks who can work D.C.’s best space? Pat Green might just fit that bill.
Pat Green
w/ Cory Morrow
9:30 Club
Wednesday, April 16
Doors @7pm
$35
All ages
By Mickey
Maja sings at Jesper in Philadelphia
The Sounds brought plenty of shake-shake-shake to the 9:30 Club Saturday.
In a very nearly totally sold-out room, the Swedish quintet kicked off the night with “Emperor,” a song from their new album. If some in the audience didn’t know it that well, the band got their attention with better-known “Song with a Mission” from their popular second album, Dying to Say This to You, and kept the crowd jumping and squealing in delight for the rest of the night.
All members of The Sounds performed with a furious energy. Vocalist Maja Ivarsson was in good form, singing huskily through selections from all five of the band’s albums as she writhed, hopped and slinked across the floor. Ivarsson however did not perform too many of her trademark kicks Saturday. I caught The Sounds earlier in the week at the Union Transfer in Philadelphia, and Ivarsson was striking out with her legs in dramatic fashion as she pranced along the stage in heels with some disregard as to how much of her underwear she showed off. Still, Ivarsson stomped and vamped through the set — at one point during the end of the show, she even slid down on her belly to sing seductively into a microphone that had fallen on the ground.
By Brian Mosley
Perfect weekend. These past few days were exactly what make living in DC so great. Sun, warmth, and great weather. We waited through a hellacious winter for this, and it was worth it. Next two days aren’t great, but I’ll happily take it if that means we get weekends like we just got.
BTW: do you love reading Weekend Flashback? Ever considered writing it? If so, here’s your chance because we’re looking for photo writers! If interested, please send in your info and we’ll be in touch. Continue reading
By Paul Allen
I’ve spent a lot of time talking about what to drink this spring, tequila, aperitivi, all the drinks at Lupo Verde, but I’ve saved the best for last. What could it be, beer gardens? Tiki drinks? All good, but no. This time of year, when I’m not drinking a Bicyclette, I’m drinking scotch.
I know, weird, it’s finally warm out and I’m suddenly in the mood for scotch, arguably the most wintery libation of them all. And usually I’m a purist; scotch, neat, maybe with a drop of water. Never with ice, and (until recently) never in a cocktail. But this season all those nice cocoa, dried fruit, and coconut flavors have been creeping their way into my spring cocktails.
The Mcqueen
2 oz blended scotch, I use Dewars
¾ oz dry vermouth, I use Dolin Vermouth de Chambéry
¼ oz white creme de cacao, Marie Brizard works fine
Build in a rocks glass filled with ice and garnish with a lemon zest.
Total guilty pleasure drink for me. Steve McQueen has been one of my style icons since I was a kid. Though I’ve got dark hair, so I do more of a Burt Reynolds thing, ah well. But that’s not going to stop me from coming up with a Steve Mcqueen styled drink. Nothing fancy, simply a blond rob roy, smooth as jazz but still with a bit of edge, e.g. McQueen in Bullitt. Continue reading
Those little pink and white flowers that draw thousands of gawkers every year to our fair city have finally emerged from their hiding places. Unlike Punxsutawney Phil who always gets the forecast wrong these little joyful fluffs of joy mean the warm weather is here. Unfortunately it also means the trees are in constant danger for the next few weeks as every bride, groom, mother, father, son, daughter, man, woman, child feels the need to climb into the very, very old branches for a photograph or to pluck the flowers. If you don’t want to make the trek down to the Tidal Basin then this Week in Review is for you. Enjoy the cherry blossom goodness and don’t forget to throw your hat in the ring if you’re interested in becoming a WLDC photo writer! Continue reading
By Rebecca
Yeah so this week’s Throwback Thursday got a tad hindered by me deciding to take the entire day off to enjoy yesterday’s GLORIOUS-ness. I mean who could resist the temperature, the sun, the light breeze, the blossoms, the flowers, the birds…..I could go on and on, but you know exactly what I’m talking about. To remedy the situation I’ve come up with 5 posts that can seriously help shape the future of your DC weekend.
In that spirit, it’s been real hard to find a futuristic photo of DC that doesn’t have the Capitol exploding or zombies running down Pennsylvania Avenue tearing out entrails, so I ran with a vision of DC-VA-MD rapid bus transit routes. This proposal, from WAY back (cough 2010), would have buses “act somewhat like rail in that vehicles would make few stops and run between them fairly quickly. It would most resemble the Metro lines that are currently on or near freeways, since these stations would be close to the freeway and therefore more like park and ride lots with potential for development rather than serving commercial corridors as underground Metro lines do.” Alas, I don’t see this happening, but it does propose a pretty awesome hypothetical DC transit system. Silver line, why hast thou forsaken us?!!!!
Without further adieu, here are 5 articles that should shape your future DC plans – be they not already be predetermined….think on that peoples and Neil deGrasse Tyson!
By Don
Rebecca J: Friday I’ll be taking it easy with some wind down the week yoga at Down Dog Yoga. Saturday I’m playing footie in morning, BBQing down in the Palisades in the afternoon and then headed to the much anticipated – makes me SOOOOO happy they’re in town – The Sounds show at the 9:30. Sunday more footie in the morning followed by a scrumptious Easter Sunday lunch supplied from the fresh fares at the Palisades Farmer’s Market.
Tom: This is a weekend for visiting the parks and enjoying the outdoors, so we’ll be starting with Noyes Park, Ft. Bunker Hill, and Turkey Thicket, to do some outside enjoyment of the city with our son Charlie. We may venture down to the Cherries, but with the crowds and the perfect weather does beauty trump hassle? We may head for the DC Insider’s favorite spot instead. There’s discussion of outdoor margaritas for the weekend, but Mike Madden from the City Paper has me thinking some time outside with a stroller at Meridian Pint is where all the cool parents hang out. Great job with the Best of DC, guys.
Fedward: while my first inclination would be to go to Red Apron and buy All The Meats for a weekend of non-stop grilling and eating, we can’t actually just skip everything on the schedule. Sigh. There’s some good theater closing this weekend so we’re seeing Water by the Spoonful at Studio, and we caught Brief Encounter at Shakespeare Theatre last night, and can recommend it highly. Saturday, because irony, we’ll be spending the glorious day inside the AFI Silver Theater for free movies thanks to Car2Go. Sunday I finally get to do my grilling and I can’t wait. 60-day aged rib-eye, here I come.
Don: Fedward beat me to the cheapskate punch in mentioning the AFI free movie outing but he can’t take Roosevelt Island from me. If we decide we’re in the mood for a long walk we may peep some cherry blossoms by the tidal basin. Last year we had family along so we took them to the Arboretum which also has cherry trees and is more doable if you have mobility challenged folks along and have no choice but to drive. There’s even a Saturday tram tour which, as of 1pm today, still has openings. That’s pricier than free at $22 a head, but if you need it, you need it. Entry and parking is still free if you just need a more accessible and less crowded (though only by so much) place than the Tidal Basin.
By Tom Bridge
It wasn’t Jordan Zimmermann’s night tonight, but it ended up not mattering. The Nationals’ pre-season ace was haggard tonight in just 1 2/3 innings pitched, surrendering 5 runs on 7 hits and a pair of walks. The outing was definitely the worst Zimmermann’s career, and from the start he just didn’t look fresh. Perhaps it was the aftermath of his flu from the previous week, perhaps it was just a rare off night, but manager Matt Williams was quick with the hook and turned to his long man.
Craig Stammen for 3 1/3 innings of solid work scattering a pair of hits and a walk. Ross Detwiler skated through the sixth with ease, giving the Nats’ offense a chance to make their mark. They would begin their comeback on a Bryce Harper home run – a long overdue towering blast that landed eight rows back in the upper deck over the Robinson sign. Though the call was reviewed, it hooked clearly around the foul pole, moving the Nats to within 2. Anthony Rendon started the fifth with a leadoff triple, and came in on a 6-3 groundout off the bat of Jayson Werth shortly thereafter. In the sixth, the Nationals would give Ross Detwiler a lead, making the Marlins’ pen pay for some critical mistakes including a rather embarrassing fielding error by Dan Jennings. The Nationals would send eight men to the plate in the sixth, combining small ball tactics and some good luck into a pair of runs and their first lead of the night.
The joy would be short-lived in Natstown, though, as Jarrod Saltalamacchia would start the seventh inning with a moonshot of his own off Drew Storen, tying the game at 6. Christian Yelich, who went 3-4 with a pair of walks, would score the go-ahead run for the Fish in the top of the 8th. Both Storen and Clippard were vulnerable tonight, each giving up an earned run in an inning apiece, despite 4Ks in 9 batters. With most of the bullpen used today, the Nationals will be relying on Stephen Strasburg to go deep into the game tomorrow afternoon. But we’re not there yet. No, this story has had a number of twists and turns so far, but the best is yet to come.
Down 7-6 as the bottom of the 8th inning came around, the Marlins decided to turn tonight’s game from merely a dumpster fire into a full-on rolling dumpster fire, and sent beleaguered yet somehow continually employed Carlos Marmol to the mound. While he managed to retire Jose Lobaton, he would plunk pinch-hitter Nate McLouth on the foot, give up a single and an error to Denard Span, and then inexplicably walk Anthony Rendon to load the bases for Jayson Werth.
I can’t imagine why anyone would look at the Nationals lineup and say, “you know, I think the numbers look good here. Let’s walk Rendon. Sure, he’s on a tear, but have you seen that Werth guy? He’s no good, right? I mean, it’s not like he’s walked four times in nine lifetime at-bats against Marmol, right? Wait, he has? Aw man.”
But someone has to dive on that terrible grenade, and sure enough, tonight it was Marmol. Werth tattooed an 0-1 fastball into the visitors’ pen, making it 10-7, and the Nationals improved to 6-2. Tomorrow’s tilt is a 4:05pm start at Nationals Park for the potential sweep. The Nationals have won their second of three series so far this year, and they did it after a five run deficit in the second. Not too shabby. This the kind of game they won in 2012 on the strength of their pen and their offense. Good to see they’ve got it back for 2014.
By Mickey
There is no more important figure in modern rock history than David Bowie. And there’s a Bowie party you should put on your calendar for Thursday, April 10, at the Satellite Room–Space Oddity: A David Bowie Dance Party!
I’ve long called Bowie “The Godfather of New Wave,” as he married glam guitar to synthesizers and produced a blueprint that revolutionized European pop music in the late 1970s. An entire subset of fashionistas, the New Romantics, took their inspirations directly from him and wrote amazingly intricate dance songs that still endure today.
Bowie the man, the myth, the icon still inspires today, as he has for more than four decades.
In my opinion, Hunky Dory with the likes of “Life on Mars?” and “Queen Bitch” was his first thoroughly great album, but he then followed that up with the opus The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, perhaps everyone’s favorite Bowie album. During the very prolific years that followed, Bowie produced the famous Berlin trilogy—Low, Heroes and Lodger—and then hit his commercial zenith with the amazing Let’s Dance soon after. He put out a new album every several years, taking any significant break only recently 2003-2013. Last year’s The Next Day was an absolutely wonderful return, for which Bowie deservedly won a BRIT Award.
So a Bowie party should be an impressive undertaking as diverse and as captivating as the man himself. In New York City, they have an excellent fellow named Michael T., who performs regularly at Bowie parties (hosted by Twig the Wonderkid) and himself is practically a Bowie impersonator. But here in DC, we haven’t had as many Bowie parties. The last major one that I recall was in 2007 at the Rock and Roll Hotel—hosted in part by our own perfect fellow to produce a Bowie party, DJ Chris Strange (who always capably adapts, like Bowie, to his environment with his partner in crime DJ Medusa).
DJ Ed Metaphysical will spin Thursday’s Bowie party, and I’ve heard good things, although I’ve never personally caught the man in action. All of the cool cats will be there, and so should you!
Space Oddity: A David Bowie Dance Party
Satellite Room
Thursday, April 10
Show @10pm
Free!
21+ to drink
By Brian Mosley
The mood of a photograph can be important. If the light and color are bright, that tends to give the photo a good, happy feel; if the shadows are dark and colors subdued, the viewer can start to get an ominous feeling. Then you have a photo like Laura’s above, where you feel like you’re eavesdropping on a high level meeting of Bond villains.
Granted, a lot of the mood comes from the processing of the photo. However, the underlining composition and lighting do more than a little to make this image work. Capturing the people in the bright light from the skylights, while framing the shot so that they are the only people present, gives the sense that we’re intruding on a conversation. Adding in the modern, and subterranean, architecture of the National Gallery’s cafeteria, and the black and white treatment, and the villain layer feel is complete. All that’s left is to have an over-sized laser and someone telling James Bond that he is expected to die.
Friendly reminder, WLDC is looking for some new blood to be photo writers. If interested, there’s till plenty of time to voice your interest.
Batting practice fisheye
courtesy of BrianMKA
The Washington Nationals found themselves on the winning side of 5-0 game against the Miami Marlins Tuesday night thanks to a solid outing from left-handed starting pitcher Gio Gonzalez and impressive offensive efforts from first baseman Adam LaRoche and third baseman Anthony Rendon.
Gonzalez threw 101 pitches, 61 strikes, over six innings and gave up three hits while walking two batters and striking out five to secure his second win of the season.
Washington scored early, taking a one-run lead in the first inning when LaRoche drove outfielder Jayson Werth home with two-out. Manager Matt Williams’ line-up failed to score again until the sixth inning, but that’s when things got interesting.
By Mickey
All That Remains (Photo by P.R. Brown)
DC has been enjoying an interest in all things metal lately, particularly with the spectacular Spirits in Black monthly at various locations and Monday Heavy Metal nights at Satellite Room.
So it’s a perfect time to get out tomorrow and catch All That Remains as they hit the 9:30 Club Wednesday as they prepare to release their seventh studio album in the near future. Meanwhile, the band recently released a video for their song “What If I Was Nothing” from their last album, 2012’s A War You Cannot Win.
Sonically, A War You Cannot Win covers a lot of ground! Songs like the opening track “Down Through the Ages” and “You Can’t Fill My Shadow” are prime examples of the “metalcore” for which the band is known–howling hardcore choruses over thumping metal guitar riffs. Watching the video above, however, you would accurately conclude that the band is not without its sensitive side, capable of breaking out sweeping ballads to express wistful reflections of sorrow. Metalheads can be sensitive too!
Clearly, these guys have some tricks up their sleeve. Come out and see what other surprises they have in store for us!
All That Remains
w/ Darkest Hour, Wilson, Wings Denied
9:30 Club
Wednesday, April 9
Doors @7pm
$20
All ages
By Rebecca
Congratulations to you, Capital Weather Gang, you DC weather of weather people, you forecasters among meteorological forecasters, you are the WeLoveDC 2014 DC March Madness Champions.
In your first round versus the Swachos at American Ice, you showed poise, control and desire. Your Elite Eight game proved a tough and combative match against the #1 seed DC Music Scene and despite the haters and naysayers you pulled off the upset. Which didn’t give you much time to rest up and strategize for your match up against the much loved Half Smoke at Ben’s. But despite its chili cheese goodness, this hot dog could not hold off your appetite for winning. In fact, it probably fueled your fire, as you entered the Championship match against the National Gallery of Art. Who would have known you’d curbstomp those paintings and sculptures, but you did, and you did it with the utmost respect for the Fine Arts.
So congratulations again and the 2015 season begins today.
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