By Katie
Last week I warned everyonethat my favorite fall event was upcoming… the HIGH HEEL RACE! And last night, with a good dose of determination, and four layers of clothing, I staked out a front row spot at the race. I was able to get fantastic view of all the fabulosity, so I give you, dear reader: The High Heel Race 2008 in photos. Click on through to view them… Continue reading
By Jonathan
Voting Place Sign, by Jonathan
As we close in on the election next Tuesday, the press has been having a field day with the “early voting” going on across the country. Not to be left out, and having to file an absentee ballot myself, I decided to see just what was happening in Arlington.
First, all the registrars wanted me to point out that no one in the area has “Early Voting”. Maryland, Virginia, and the District all provide for Absentee Ballots, which means you can only vote early if you have a valid reason. Both the District and Virginia provide for absentee voting in person or by mail. In Maryland, you can only vote Absentee by mail. And that deadline has already passed, so if you missed the absentee ballot in Maryland your only chance is Tuesday. (Don did a great job of covering all the details in his previous post, so I won’t belabor the point.)
So, if you want to vote in person, when should you go?
By Wayan
What would an all Public Charter School system look like?
While I’ve heard the moaning about the DC Public School System since my first days in DC, I never really cared about it. I was a swinging single and my whole goal was to keep away from anything kid-related, though many would say I acted child-like.
But now that I’m soon to be a parent, I am thinking more about my child’s future education, and as a District resident, the schooling options. Looking around, I see a lot of promises broken and lives wasted in the DC Public School system, yet hope with Public Charter Schools.
So I propose a radical change: Let’s ditch the failing public schools for a fully Public Charter School System.
Here we have one of the highest-cost, lowest performing public education systems in the United States, and our city government is expending untold millions of dollars and political capital to fix. The problems are myriad, and all of them, from lack of parental involvement to aimless youth, to an entrenched & bloated bureaucracy, seemingly intractable.
Faced with this boondoggle, parents are desperate for options and have already created a parallel system to educate their children. Over 40% of parents send their children to Public Charter Schools, and I would argue that they are the 40% that care about their child’s education. In addition, Public Charter Schools are doing a better job of educating at less cost. And almost all require greater parental involvement, student motivation, and teacher engagement than public schools.
I know that when my child gets to be school age, they’ll be headed off to a cool bilingual charter elementary school – we now have several schools to choose from in Petworth, some more convenient than others.
So why not take all taxpayer & Gates Foundation money that’s currently going down the public school rathole, and put it towards an all-charter school system? We could save the the DC government a few billion a year and give a better education to the city’s children.
Or look at it another way: could a fully Public Charter School system really be worse than what we have now?
By Wayan
Queue for job, courtesy of le Haricot
The economy is a mess. Our 401(k)’s are toast. And we’re all stressed. Now the WaPo has quantified our job-loss fears:
In September, there were more mass layoffs — instances in which employers slashed 50 or more jobs at one time — than in any month since September 2001, the Labor Department said yesterday. And nearly half a million Americans have filed new claims for unemployment benefits in each of the past four weeks, the highest rate of such claims since just after the terrorist attacks seven years ago. Anecdotal reports suggest that the hemorrhaging in the job market has only begun.
I know all the banking headlines and Dow drops have me scared to open the morning paper. Yet until recently I felt immune.
This is Washington, where the Federal Government is a steady employer, where the Pentagon still spends billions every day, and where power is shifting with the resurgence of Federal financial oversight. On a personal level, knock on wood, my company is okay. We have most of our funding secured through 2009, though after that…
By Ben H. Rome
Biking on Steps, courtesy of M.V. Jantzen
Lots of odds and ends for this rundown. We’ve got VRE hikes, DC bike angst, and more Metro news than you can shake a SmarTrip card at.
VRE: Looks like after some review, the VRE will not be raising fares by 15 percent in January, but only a “modest” 7 percent. Which, I’m sure for VRE households like mine is a lot easier to swallow. But it’s also more likely that we’ll see another fare hike again in July of next year. The original plan was a 10 percent bump for July along with the January spike; VRE didn’t say anything about the summer hike but with the lower rate boost in January it only makes it more likely the July hit will remain the same. Unless fuel prices drop dramatically, that is.
By Wayan
I hope my Ziggy will be tossing a graduation hat in 2023, student loan free
With a Ziggy on the way, I’m now thinking long term. Like 2023, when Ziggy will be tossing a graduation cap into the air. To get there, I’m wondering which 529 College Savings Plan I should be routing all the baby shower festivities towards. Yes, I’m going to be that guy who asks for college tuition in lieu of diapers or daddy gear.
Looking around at the tri-state area, I’m surprised to see that both Virginia and Maryland have well-regarded plans, and Washington offers a sweet financial incentive to invest with the District. The question is – which should I (or you) choose?
By Ben H. Rome
Setting, courtesy of rockygirl
I’ve been to Two Nineteen in Old Town Alexandria a few times now. And each time, sadly, has been one step less in my dining experience.
The first time I had dinner there was in May with my mother-in-law. I’d been wanting to try this French restaurant situated in an old Victorian home first built by Lewis MacKenzie and I wasn’t disappointed. The filet mignon with bearnaise sauce was exquisite, the wine was expertly chosen, and the creme brulee sublime. Since my wife appreciates fine dining as well, I resolved to return with her in tow so we could enjoy it together.
By Katie
All the authors here at We Love DC have written essays on why they love DC. As one of the newbie authors, I was asked to follow in the same tradition. So here it is, why I love DC.
Post-college all my art school and college friends headed for New York. I, instead, decided on DC. People always asked, “Why DC, what is it about DC?” and I always would respond “Well, because it’s not New York.” Which, still, to this day, works as a great reason to love DC. I would argue that we have as many fabulous museums here, as many great free cultural things to do, yet DC is decidedly NOT New York.
New York makes me claustrophobic. The streets are so busy, the sky so crowded with buildings, the hustle and bustle more hustle than bustle. I get overwhelmed there, sensory overload, too much, too fast. I like New York in small doses, but never in long, extended stays. It hits you hard, and doesn’t stop. That is fine for my college friends, but not for me.
DC, on the other hand, is far more manageable. It has sky; you are never without seeing the sky. Blue, expansive, gorgeous sky. I never feel walled in here; you can always see up, out, and over. The streets are always crowded, but I can usually reach my arms out and spin in a circle without hitting someone. I can maintain my personal space bubble at almost all times, Metro excluded. I also love reminders that big things are happening here, every day, all day. Continue reading
By Max
George Gordon Meade by NCinDC
Last week, for the first time in my life, I was summoned for jury duty. Imagine the horrified look on my face when I received notice in the mail that sure enough, my time had come, the time to sit all day in a waiting room full of complete strangers and hope that I didn’t get picked as a juror. My friends had all told me how terrible it was and provided me with many excuses to get out of being picked. “Tell them that your uncle is a cop. Tell them that you could never judge another person for what they may or may not have done. Tell them that you’re a racist pig. Tell them you have an uncontrollable bladder.” But somehow, deep down inside, I had a morbid curiosity of seeing our legal system in action and actually did want to be picked. I wanted to be on a jury of peers, to listen to a case, hear the judge bang on his desk with a gavel, hear an attorney yell, “Objection!”, deliberate for hours, and finally deliver a verdict which would decide the fate of the defendant. I wanted Law & Order, only this wasn’t TV.
By Max
Nation’s Triathlon by Noah Devereaux
Last week our fine city hosted the annual Nation’s Triathlon where competitors are challenged to swim 1.5K through the murky Potomac, bike 40K, and run 10K. It’s a feat so easy that even our very own Mayor Fenty can do it. I’m kidding of course. The only way I could compete in this race is if it were a 51.5K bike ride.
This amazing shot by Noah Devereaux takes the sweaty, strenuous, and sometimes painful event and strips away the grit, replacing it with grace and beauty. The perfect lane lines and tree-lined street capture your eye and lead it toward the majestic Capitol at the end of Pennsylvania Avenue. The warm morning sun glimmers off the newly paved road and creates a shadow for the runner to compete against. It takes months of dedicated preparation to compete in a race like this, but this photo makes it look like a mere jog through the park.
By Max
Photo of Kalorama Heights by furcafe
This Sunday you will be faced with a very difficult question: Shall I watch football or go on the Kalorama House Tour instead? Well for the devout football fans out there this is probably a no brainer. But if your team isn’t the Redskins (or any other east coast team for that matter) and you can’t watch your team because you don’t have DirecTV (go Broncos!), well then your decision just got a much easier.
Washington has many neighborhood house tours throughout the year that give you the opportunity to sneak through other people’s houses without being arrested. Oh, and these aren’t usually your typical houses either, they’re more like your rich uncle’s house. You know, the one who drives the Bentley? The exception to this rule was last year’s Dupont Circle House Tour which was a huge let down. If I wanted to walk through a messy house that’s for sale, I’ll just walk through my own.
By Wayan
Next week we are going to have my two favorite celebrations of bicycle power in Washington DC:
First up, we have Car Free Day on Monday, September 22, where people from around the world celebrate a day free from the shackles of the automobile. Around here, we have many options to be Car Free DC, and I choose the bicycle.
Next, you can choose to join me in taking over the city next Saturday, September 27th, with the return of Bike DC – a noncompetitive, community bike ride through 17 car-free miles of Washington, DC. Organized by WABA, it’s an amazing experience – entire city streets filled with bicycles. This year both Pennsylvania Avenue and Massachusetts Avenue will be bike-only. But be careful how enthusiastic you get – Bike DC was how I became a triathlete.
Either way I dare say you should join me in a pedal-powered city of cycling!
By Max
Attention all photographers! If you haven’t entered your photos in the FotoWeek DC Photography Competition, you’re running out of time. The deadline for submissions is next Monday, September 22nd but you can submit your photos until September 29th for an additional fee (no one likes additional fees).
For those of you out of the loop, FotoWeek DC is a brand new photography showcase event for professionals, ameteurs, and students alike. And now even the little (K-12) kiddies can participate! For more about this event, allow me to quote from their website:
The week of November 15-22, 2008 will mark the launch of FotoWeek DC, the first annual gathering of a diverse and wide-ranging photography community in the nation’s capital, including photographers, museums, universities and all those involved in the profession across the metro D.C. area, including Virginia and Maryland. Unique among American cities, Washington, D.C. is a nexus of artistic, business, political and public sector energy, in which photography plays an integral role. FotoWeek DC seeks to bring together all photographers and imaging professionals from every discipline to join with the public in celebration of the medium.
By Max
The Generals of the Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Convention,
Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D.C., October 15, 1963,
© 2008 The Richard Avedon Foundation
There really isn’t a just way to describe how incredible and important Richard Avedon’s photographs are, at least in words that haven’t already been written or spoken. He’s been called “America’s pre-eminent editorial portrait and fashion photographer” which is accurate, but he, like all master photographers, is also a great historian. Richard Avedon: Portraits of Power, a new exhibit set to open this Saturday at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, has brought together more than 200 of his photos that cover over 50 years of his career and of American history, some of them having never been on exhibit or published.
By Ben H. Rome
courtesy of MatthewBradley
As we stop today to take a moment to remember, some of the staff here at WeLoveDC wanted to share our own thoughts about this tragic day in our history with our readers. Please feel free to share your thoughts in comments – but we do ask that you be respectful. (Comments will be moderated as necessary.)
By Ben H. Rome
Green Market, courtesy of M.V. Jantzen
Ok, this project was inspired by a flurry of emails with some of the WeLoveDC staff and an idea.
Don spotted this list a few weeks ago and after some back-and-forth with several of our more foodie–focused people, I thought it would be an interesting series for our corner of the intrawebz.
Starting in two weeks, check out our DC 100 and the staff’s various experiences with food on this list. We’ll be tracking the list’s progress here and on my own website.
Cropped from The End is Not for a While, xkcd.com
Randall Monroe of xkcd has given me a fantastic idea. Click through above to read the whole panel, and then come back and help me figure out what should go on my contentment protest signs. I’m going to keep them in the trunk of my car, because you never know when you’ll run into a random protest here in DC.
I don’t know if you’ve heard, but some political candidate apparently gave some sort of speech last night. He gave it in front of a portico with Greek columns, which was roundly scoffed in some corners as “arrogant,” or “presumptuous,” as if said candidate were erecting a temple in his own honor.
Without expressing an opinion one way or the other on any candidate, I’d just like to point out that this is the kind of high-minded political discourse found in those email forwards your crank uncle sends you. Greek columns are only evocative of a temple? Really? Not, say… the White House? I’m pretty sure that when a presidential candidate tries to get voters to imagine him in the White House, it’s called “campaigning,” not “presumption.”
In the spirit of mocking the silliness of our political posturing over common architectural features, I present a small gallery of some of the best examples of Greek columns around DC. Might make for a good walk around this weekend when the rain stops. And please share your favorite DC Greek column photos in the comments.
By Max
this jersey says it all by dharmabumx
As August comes to a close, we should all be thankful for the amazing weather we’ve had this summer in DC. Sure, there were a few weeks with temperatures in the high 90’s and Vietnam-like humidity, but for the most part we’ve had many reasonable days in the 80’s – perfect weather for baseball and beer. Well, pretty much perfect weather for anything and beer, but when I look at this photo I want to Metro over to the Nationals stadium, buy a ticket, gorge myself with a halfsmoke from Ben’s, and wash it down with a really expensive cup of beer, all the while knowing that our team is destined to find a way to lose.
With only a month left of baseball for the Nats, why not go drink some beer in our new stadium? Might as well get as much out of your tax dollars as you can. They host the Dodgers tonight through Thursday followed by a series against the Braves through the weekend. Be sure to memorize the lyrics to Sweet Caroline for an extra good time.
By Brittany
Thanks to our blog-friends at YESORNO, I read about this silly article that appears in the current issue of W Magazine.
One of the worst pieces of writing about D.C. ever to be drafted on napkins in the Condé Nast cafeteria, it claims that nightlife in Washington is cleaved in twain, with young republican prepsters at Smith Point on one side and “hipster” (by which, oddly, they seem to mean “ethnically diverse,” but that interesting use of poetic license may be among the least of the factual errors in the piece) progressives at Local 16 on the other.
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