Category Archives: Fun & Games

Adventures, Entertainment, Essential DC, Fun & Games, Life in the Capital, People, The District, The Features, The Great Outdoors
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Soccer Playing Opportunities: WAWSL & WISL

Photo courtesy of


‘Ft Slocum Soccer Ball’
courtesy of ‘Wayan Vota’

As the summer months draw to a close, so begins the Fall soccer season. And for those of us who have played practically all our lives, soccer is in the air. We’re hypersensitive to the lowering of sun’s trajectory, the crisper air, and the smell of freshly cut grass. It all evokes memories of the morning practices and games, when the dawn’s mist slowly lifted from the field.

Fortunately the DC area offers plenty of soccer playing opportunities for any and all levels, and for those who wish to play on coed, men’s or women’s teams. Should your preference be a single sex team, there are two leagues in particular that I believe offer the best soccer playing experiences in the DC area, and they’re recruiting players of all levels for the fall season.

Next November 2022 do not miss out all the details of the Qatar World Cup at ESPN that will have all the details of the matches.

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Entertainment, Fun & Games, Music, We Love Music
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The Winning Ticket: Kele

As a way to say thanks to our loyal readers, We Love DC will be giving away a pair of tickets to a 9:30 Club concert to one lucky reader each week. Check back here every Wednesday morning at 9am to find out what tickets we’re giving away and leave a comment for your chance to be the lucky winner!

This week we’re giving away a pair of tickets to see Kele on Thursday, September 2nd at the 9:30 Club. (Note: Doors are 6:30pm)

Formerly known as Kele Okereke, the Bloc Party front man is touring to support his first solo album, “The Boxer”. On “The Boxer” Kele offers up a little more emotion and a lot more electronics than his mainline gig usually does. Listening to his album a few times, I’m having a difficult time imagining what this concert experience is going to be like. Judging from Kele’s choice in tour-mate, Does It Offend You Yeah?, it is probably safe to assume there will be a healthy does of danceable beats. This show is worth attending just to hear “We Are Rockstars“. No matter how over-played that song was a few summers ago, it still destroys.

For your chance to win these tickets simply leave a comment on this post using a valid email address between 9am and 4pm today. One entry per email address, please. Tickets for this show are also available through Ticketfly 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.

For the rules of this giveaway…
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Entertainment, Fun & Games, Music, We Love Music
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The Winning Ticket (Ska Day Bonus): The Mighty Mighty Bosstones

The Ska fans here at We Love DC are so stoked about this weekend’s plethora of Ska concert options that we decided one giveaway to celebrate this good-time genre just wasn’t enough! So I got on the horn with my good buddies The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and finagled a pair of tickets to give away to one lucky reader for their concert at the 9:30 Club on Saturday, August 21! (Well, actually I had to trade Dicky my lucky pair of braces for ’em – but the less said about that the better!)

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones are without a doubt one of (if not THE) most important American Ska / Ska-Punk bands. Coming out of the Boston hardcore punk scene in the mid-80’s The Bosstones introduced Trad and 2-Tone Ska sensibilities to that harder-edge sound. They slugged away in the trenches for years, gaining respect in both punk and ska circles, until the 90’s when their moment had finally come. Their popularity exploded as the 3rd-Wave Ska revival took hold in the US. A movement of ska and ska-tinged punk bands that the Bosstones were largely responsible for inspiring with all those years of hard touring and legendary concerts. On Saturday night The Mighty Mighty Bosstones make their return to DC and to the 9:30 Club. Between this show and Sunday’s Bad Manners/English Beat double bill this weekend is ska heaven.

Since this is bonus giveaway, let’s make this one a little more interesting.

For your chance to win these tickets leave a comment on this post with the most ridiculous, outrageous Ska performer name or band name you can imagine. Make sure you use a valid email address, so we can find you if you win. This contest will run between Noon and 4pm today; at which time the winner will be selected at random. One entry per email address, please. Tickets for this show are also available through Ticketfly 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.

For the rules of this giveaway…
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Fun & Games, Life in the Capital, Night Life, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Mod Madness Tonight at the Textile Museum

Has the rain got you down?  Do you just want to curl up on the couch in your sweats and watch Mad Men reruns?  Well don’t, because only boring people get bored.  Tonight is your chance to show off your own mod style as the Textile Museum hosts its second “PM @ the TM” with a tribute to textile designs and fashion from the 50’s and 60’s.  It will be complete and utter Mod Madness:

“Step into the museum’s garden for cool drinks, noshes and jazz by the Pete Muldoon Quartet.  Escape the heat with gallery tours led by WE ARE SCIENCE and music by DJ Jahsonic in the exhibition Art by the Yard: Women Design Mid-Century Britain and enter to win prizes from area businesses and restaurants.  Silk screen your own t-shirt or bag to take home with the Washington Printmakers Gallery and Kristina Bilonick.  D.C.’s most fashionable will be on hand to nominate the “best mid-century dressed”  so show us your best fedoras, swing skirts and mod shifts!”

Worried about getting your skinny tie wet?  Don’t be, they’ve rented a giant tent.  While all advanced tickets are sold out (i.e. lots of fun people will  be there), tickets will be for sale at the door for $10 and includes two drink tickets for members, one drink ticket for non-members.  Don’t be a square – be there.

Adventures, Entertainment, Fun & Games, Life in the Capital, People, The Daily Feed, The District, The Great Outdoors
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Run in the Rain with Michael Wardian

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

Tonight at 6:30pm, The Georgetown North Face’s weekly run features ultra-marathoner Michael Wardian.  Wardian has competed a races all over the world, including four wins in DC’s National Marathon, and is  a fantastic resource for those interested in marathon running. So despite this dreary wet weather, get your running shoes on and enjoy a run in today’s slightly less humid and hot summer evening.

Entertainment, Fun & Games, Music, We Love Music
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The Winning Ticket: The English Beat & Bad Manners

As a way to say thanks to our loyal readers, We Love DC will be giving away a pair of tickets to a 9:30 Club concert to one lucky reader each week. Check back here every Wednesday morning at 9am to find out what tickets we’re giving away and leave a comment for your chance to be the lucky winner!

This weekend DC has a boatload of Ska bands coming to town, so we thought it would be fun to make today Ska Day on We Love DC. To that end our 9:30 Club ticket giveaway this week is for a pair of tickets to see The English Beat and Bad Manners perform at the club this Sunday, August 22nd.

These titans of 2-Tone Ska have been providing rude boys and rude girls with skanking good times for over 30 years in the UK and the US. Bad Manners led by their infamous front-man Buster Bloodvessel are legends in the ska world known for their manic live energy and Buster’s larger than life stage presence. The English Beat (or The Beat) make up one-third of the 2-Tone Ska holy trinity and really should require no introduction to all the proper gangsters out there. Along with The Specials and Madness, The English Beat was one of the biggest Ska bands of the 1980’s. They were hugely successful in the UK and along with Madness and The Specials were responsible for breaking 2-Tone’s sound and style in the US. These days The Beat operate on both sides of “the pond”, but are much more active in the US thanks to the seemingly endless energy of band-leader Dave Wakeling. If you’re sitting there reading this trying to think of a song by The English Beat, allow me to help you: ‘Mirror in the Bathroom’, ‘Hands off, She’s Mine’, and ‘Twist & Crawl’ are just some of the essential 2-Tone hits on their seminal album “Just Can’t Stop It”. Together these two bands are going to put on one hell of a party. So dust off your pork-pie, don your finest threads, strap on those boots, and enter for your chance to be there. I was originally thinking of making this giveaway for Rudies only, but you civilians reading should feel free to take a shot too! (PS- Tune in here at Noon for a Ska bonus giveaway!)

For your chance to win these tickets simply leave a comment on this post using a valid email address between 9am and 4pm today. One entry per email address, please. Tickets for this show are also available through Ticketfly 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.

For the rules of this giveaway…
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Entertainment, Fun & Games, Music, We Love Music
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The Winning Ticket: The Saw Doctors

Saw Doctors @ 9:30 Club

As a way to say thanks to our loyal readers, We Love DC will be giving away a pair of tickets to a 9:30 Club concert to one lucky reader each week. Check back here every Wednesday morning at 9am to find out what tickets we’re giving away and leave a comment for your chance to be the lucky winner!

This week’s giveaway is a great treat from the Emerald Isle: two tickets to see The Saw Doctors at the 9:30 Club on Thursday, August 12th (Tomorrow!)

The Saw Doctors are a great Irish rock band. In Ireland these guys are superstars with 18 Top-30 singles and 3 #1-singles over the last 25 years. I’d bet a pint or two that there are some fans over there who would kill to see The Saw Doctors in the intimate, indoor setting of the 9:30 Club. If you’re unfamiliar with The Saw Doctors, they specialize in a great story-telling pub-rock sound. In some ways they play like an Irish-version of The Stranglers. Their lyrical style is full of great Irish humor and whimsy, but can also deliver some real bar-keep wisdom too. Also of entertainment value on Thursday night will be The Saw Doctors’ legendary fan-base, made up of enthusiastic Irish diaspora of which DC has plenty.

For your chance to win these tickets simply leave a comment on this post using a valid email address between 9am and 4pm today. One entry per email address, please. Tickets for this show are also available through Ticketfly 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.

For the rules of this giveaway…
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Entertainment, Fun & Games, Music, We Love Music
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The Winning Ticket: Galactic

As a way to say thanks to our loyal readers, We Love DC will be giving away a pair of tickets to a 9:30 Club concert to one lucky reader each week. Check back here every Wednesday morning at 9am to find out what tickets we’re giving away and leave a comment for your chance to be the lucky winner!

This week’s giveaway is a funky jazzy good time with two tickets to see Galactic featuring Cyril Neville and Corey Henry at 9:30 Club on Friday, August 6th.

Galactic is touring in support of their latest album “Ya-Ka-May”, a mash-up of New Orleans music styles and influences featuring a slew of vocal collaborators, who each bring their own genre’s influence to the mix. In other words Galactic are still the great, genre blending, jam band that they have become known around the world as. The most intriguing thing to me about Galactic’s new project is their inclusion of “bounce” inspired hip-hop, New Orleans’ emerging hip hop brand. Friday night’s concert will feature plenty of Galactic’s trademark funk/jazz mega-jams, hopefully some of their new album material, and the guest vocals of a living legend, Mr. Cyril Neville.

For your chance to win these tickets simply leave a comment on this post using a valid email address between 9am and 4pm today. One entry per email address, please. Tickets for this show are also available through Ticketfly. 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.

For the rules of this giveaway…
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Entertainment, Fun & Games, Music, The Daily Feed
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Like the Barenaked Ladies? Have a free extra ticket to their show. Love, CalTort

Photo courtesy of
‘Barenaked Ladies, The Big Bang Theory’
courtesy of ‘watchwithkristin’

Let me ask you two questions: 1 – Who doesn’t love California Tortilla? 2 – Who doesn’t love a burrito joint that gets you a free concert ticket for the price of one? If you answered yes to both, which I’m going to assume that you did, then you’re in for a treat.

The fine folks at California Tortilla are running a special offer for this Sunday’s Barenaked Ladies concert at Merriweather Post Pavilion. All you’ve got to do is visit CalTort’s ticket site and enter the code “caltort” when prompted. Then, you’ll receive a second ticket to the show for the price of one.

That’s not all. If you purchase a ticket to the show through CalTort, you’ll be placed in a drawing to win passes to an excluseive pre-concert sound check party. You don’t need a million dollars to get in on this action. Enter today!

Adventures, Business and Money, Entertainment, Essential DC, Fun & Games, Life in the Capital, Media, News, The Daily Feed
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And The Day Is Mine! WAMU’s “Big Broadcast” To Reair On Sunday Mornings

Photo courtesy of
‘open mic’
courtesy of ‘timsnell’

Joy of joys! WAMU will be reairing The Big Broadcast on Sunday mornings. If you haven’t caught this fabulous show, hosted by Radio Hall of Famer and local DCite Ed Walker, then you’ve truly been missing out. The four hour long show features recordings of popular radio programs from the ’30s, ’40s and ’50s, and is seriously the best way to ease back into the coming work week.

While some of the programs can be on the cheesy side, i.e. “har. dee. har. har.” most of the shows offer fantastic whodunit story lines, wonderful radio renditions of classic books/plays and feature some of the brightest stars of that day like Orson Welles, James Stewart, Olivia De Havilland, Henry Fonda, Frank Sinatra, and many more.

Adventures, Entertainment, Fun & Games, Life in the Capital, News, People, The Daily Feed, The District
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Sign Her Up! Redskins Latest Recruit

Photo courtesy of
‘New Washington NFL Uniform’
courtesy of ‘Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com’

Today Albert Haynesworth for the third day in a row chose not to take the Redskins conditioning test, which consists of two timed 25 yard shuttle runs with a 3 1/2 minute rest in between each set. So local Fox 5 reporter, Lindsay Murphy, took it for him and came pretty darn close to passing.

Given how useless, lazy and overpaid Haynesworth has been during his time at the Redskins, I say “Sign Her Up!”

Fun & Games, History, People, The Daily Feed
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Baby-pocalypse

Photo courtesy of
‘Sunny Morning’
courtesy of ‘spectreman’

Snow days can be boring, especially when the drag on beyond just one or two. The novelty of the storm starts to wear off, books get read, TV’s shows get old, board games get overplayed and you start to wonder what you’re going to do with your life until work starts again. For couples trapped at home together, certain… activities present themselves as more opportune than at other times during the year. Aaand, that’s what happened during Snowpocalypse 1.0. and that now, 9 months after the storm, lots of babies are soon to be born. WaPo reports that are hospitals are staffing up to deal with the spate of births scheduled for August. Not everyone buys into  “disaster” induced conception, but the theory seems sound to me. It’s amusing, at the very least.

Adventures, Business and Money, Entertainment, Food and Drink, Fun & Games, History, Life in the Capital, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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National Cheesecake Day: Get Your Forks Out

Photo courtesy of
‘The Cheesecake Factory’
courtesy of ‘Bitman’

In honor of National Cheesecake Day, all Cheesecake Factories have slashed prices on all their cheesecakes by 50%.  They’re also debuting their latest addition, Reese’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake Cheesecake, which looks ultra yummy good. So stop in your local Cheesecake Factory, and treat yourself you a slice.

Fun & Games, Getaways, The Features
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Getaways: Dollywood

Train
Photo by Rachel Levitin

Pigeon Forge, Tennessee doesn’t sound like a hot spot for a prime piece of amusement park real estate. The best this slice of the American life can offer besides its gorgeous location among Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains is a stretch of road right off the highway. There’s an extensive slew of “As Seen on TV” stores, mini-golf and go-kart tracks galore, and even a Titanic museum. Add some monster truck raceways and that’s pretty much Pigeon Forge, or at least that’s what I thought until being introduced to Dollywood.

Dolly Parton is one smart whippersnapper. The often outspoken, always smiling, firecracker of a performer is Country music’s sweetheart and rightfully so. Parton was born in 1946 in Locust Ridge, Tenn. to impoverished sharecroppers and lived in a cabin with 11 siblings without electricity or running water. Since then, she’s done pretty gosh darn good for herself.

Parton has accrued quite a lofty sum of money in her name for her wide variety of classic Country tunes (and covers of said Country tunes). It’s thanks to those tunes and quirky demeanor that she’s built a lucrative entertainment empire, part of which includes the greatest gift she could have even bestowed upon her family in the Smokies — Dollywood. Continue reading →

Entertainment, Fun & Games, Music, We Love Music
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The Winning Ticket: Deadmau5

Deadmau5 @ 930 Club

As a way to say thanks to our loyal readers, We Love DC will be giving away a pair of tickets to a 9:30 Club concert to one lucky reader each week. Check back here every Wednesday morning at 9am to find out what tickets we’re giving away and leave a comment for your chance to be the lucky winner!

This week’s ticket giveaway is so hot it’s making the sun jealous! This week we are giving away a pair of tickets to the SOLD OUT Deadmau5 show at the 9:30 Club on Friday July 30th!

Deadmau5′ current tour is THE dance music event of the Summer. The man in the mau5-head has been throwing down spectacular live sessions all over the world and for the next three nights he will be taking up residence at the best club in the country! Deadmau5 has elevated his game from simply spinning beats to creating a mind-blowing audio/visual experience complete with jaw-dropping digital light-shows, a custom built DJ-booth that has to be seen to believe, and most importantly his excellent custom-blend electronic music. Missing Deadmau5 is perhaps my biggest Coachella Festival regret this year. Every report that I’ve read out of Coachella indicates that Deadmau5′ 2010 show is an unforgettable, electronic music experience. This week DC is lucky enough to get a triple-dose of Deadmau5 shows. Thanks to the techno-savvy however, all three shows are already sold out! But fear not dear readers, one of you still has a shot at catching Deadmau5′ stunning show this Friday night!

For your chance to win these tickets simply leave a comment on this post using a valid email address between 9am 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.

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Downtown, Fun & Games, News, The Daily Feed, The Mall, WTF?!
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Meteors over Screen on the Green?

Photo courtesy of
‘Strisciata stellare ad Est’
courtesy of ‘gerlos’

Did anyone else see the large meteors that fell over DC, last night? I was at Screen on the Green last night watching 12 Angry Men (always awesome) and I saw two flaming chunks of rock fall over the Capitol.  And I’m not talking about dainty shooting stars. These were large enough and close enough to be seen despite the city’s light pollution and definitely caught the attention of most of the movie goers. You could even see the rocks beginning to break up and shed chunks of debris.  They kind of looked like fireworks right before the explode.  Did anyone else see them, or am I crazy?

Adventures, Entertainment, Essential DC, Food and Drink, Fun & Games, Life in the Capital, People, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Ben’s Chili Bowl At Six Flags America!

Photo courtesy of
‘ka’
courtesy of ‘CstrzRock’

If you enjoy all the roller coasters, water rides, shows, family attractions for all ages, funnel cake, cotton candy, etc. already available at Six Flags America! then as of today you’ll be able to add chili and half-smokes to your list.

Our favorite chili and half-smokes from historic Ben’s Chili Bowl will be served at two locations: Hurricane Hot Dog in Hurricane Harbor water park and Colonial Cheesesteaks in the theme park. This endeavor will be Ben’s first theme park location and only the fifth place in the Washington, DC area where guests can dine on these famous DC eats.

Adventures, Alexandria, Arlington, Downtown, Dupont Circle, Entertainment, Foggy Bottom, Food and Drink, Fun & Games, Music, Night Life, Penn Quarter, Petworth, The Great Outdoors, The Hill, The Mall, We Love Weekends
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We Love Weekends: July 24-25

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

Rachel: Well, I’m fresh off a stint in Nashville to audition for American Idol. It didn’t go my way but I learned a lot and am ready to rock out harder than ever before after being “cut” from the program before ever seeing any air-time. I’ve got a gig booked for Saturday night at the Tonic Lounge (located at 2036 G Street NW, near the Foggy Bottom Metro). I’m not the only entertainment on tap, several artists from the DC area will take the stage too. So grab a drink at the bar, stay for the tunes, and if you’re a Glee fan I guarantee a solid new cover added to my repertoire from the second half of last season’s show. Not gonna tell you what it is, you’ll have to stop by to hear it. Show starts at 8 p.m. with a $5 cover. I’ll also have albums on sale with proceeds going to the National Kidney Foundation in honor of my late father who received a heart transplant in 1999. Hope to see you there! It should be a rockin’ good time.

Patrick: Weeks of no social life ends this weekend. Noises Off! opens this Saturday at Keegan Theatre in Dupont Circle. As the stage manager I’ll be in the booth playing the role of incompetent sound technician #1. No seriously, come see the show and watch the actors freak out at me during Act III. The show will run through August so I hope to see everybody there eventually. While I’m running the show I’ll also be trying to figure out where to eat and drink before and after performances- anybody have any suggestions for places I should check out around 17th Street?

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Entertainment, Fun & Games, Music, We Love Music
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The Winning Ticket: Seu Jorge and Almaz

As a way to say thanks to our loyal readers, We Love DC will be giving away a pair of tickets to a 9:30 Club concert to one lucky reader each week. Check back here every Wednesday morning at 9am to find out what tickets we’re giving away and leave a comment for your chance to be the lucky winner!

This week’s prize is a pair of tickets to see Seu Jorge & Almaz on July 27th at the 9:30 Club. (Please note this is an early show: 6pm doors).

Seu Jorge is well known as a brilliant, Brazilian singer-songwriter and solo performer. His soulful, samba-infused songs sparked a revival of Brazilian music and influence in popular music in the early 00’s. In 2010 Seu Jorge is once again catching the world’s attention with his new band Alamaz; featuring Seu Jorge on vocals, drummer Pupillo, guitarist Lucio Maia, with bassist Antonio Pinto. Their self-titled debut album drops in the U.S. on the same day as their show at the 9:30 Club. I wouldn’t be too surprised if they treat the DC crowd to an extra special performance to celebrate the arrival of their new long-player.

For your chance to win these tickets simply leave a comment on this post using a valid email address between 9am and 4pm today. One entry per email address, please. Tickets for this show are also available through Ticketfly. 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.

For the rules of this giveaway…
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