Category Archives: Special Events

Food and Drink, Special Events, The Features, We Love Drinks
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Drinks Preview: ARTINI

Erik Holzherr of Wisdom's ARTINI. Photo credit: T. Silva. Courtesy of the Corcoran ARTINI 2010 Committee.

This Saturday the Corcoran Gallery of Art presents ARTINI, and if you’ve been waffling about attending I hear there are roughly less than 100 tickets still left, but going fast and not available at the door. So jump!

ARTINI is a fabulous event mixing two of my favorite things – art and cocktails. Twelve local mixologists have created drinks inspired by works in the current exhibit at Corcoran, A Love of Europe: Highlights from the William A. Clark Collection. Preview events featuring the submissions have been ongoing this month (I know, I know, I should’ve told you earlier, mea culpa, it’s been a crazy time lately). Tonight you can sample Art & Soul and tomorrow try out Rasika from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at the respective restaurants. The Washingtonian is a co-sponsor and handles the voting, with the winning artini announced Saturday. The inspiration works will be on display that night as well.

The cocktail reception runs from 8pm to midnight, with $85 tickets for 1869 Society members and $100 for non-1869 Society members. That includes a cocktail bar, music by DJ Chris Nitti, and tours of both the Clark exhibit and Turner to Cezanne: Masterpieces from the Davies Collection. Proceeds support ArtReach, which provides free high-quality arts education programs to underserved communities in DC.

So many mixologists already take their inspiration from art. It’s a natural collaboration. Here’s a quick rundown of who’s on board and a few teasers to get you in the mood. Continue reading →

Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Artist Anne Marchand’s Luminous

Photo courtesy of
‘Walkthrough Art’
courtesy of ‘Kevin H.’

The Crystal City BID’s ARTFUL Program, which hopes to share with people the influence that art can have over public spaces, is currently exhibiting Lumnious by Washington, DC -based artist Anne Marchand.  Marchand’s Luminous exhibition features eight large, mixed media canvases inspired by a combination of mystical poetry and images taken from the Hubble Space Telescope – where “art and the universe merge”.

Luminous is open until April 26 and is supported by The Crystal City Business Improvement District (BID) in partnership with Vornado/Charles E. Smith.

The exhibition is located at 2231 Crystal Drive.

There is also an opening reception for the exhibit tomorrow, March 24th – Please RSVP at rsvp[at]crystalcity.org.

Special Events, The Features
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WeLoveDC Presents: Let Teddy Win @ Nationals Park

This guy cannot, does not or will not win. Nevertheless, he’s the DC mascot that we most want to see succeed. And just like his indisputably big head, our desire to see him win won’t ever deflate. Let’s cheer him on at WeLoveDC’s second event of the year, WeLoveDC SPORTS: Let Teddy Win @ Nationals Park. This could finally be his big night.

On Wednesday, April 21, just two weeks after opening day, the Nats are playing the Rockies at 7:05 p.m. We’re teaming up with the Nats and the founder of LetTeddyWin.com to go behind the scenes of the stadium and to root for DC’s least-successful mascot.

We’ve got group tickets by the scoreboard bar in section 237, strategically located to have lots of opportunities for socializing — in the seats, at the bar or overlooking the game at the Miller Lite Beer Pen. (Seats in this section are covered in case of inclement weather, but you can still see the scoreboard.)

Let Teddy Win! Get your tickets now! There are a limited number, and they will sell out in advance.

As you would expect, this event is about more than just a baseball game. Meet up with us as early as 5:30 p.m. to tour the stadium and prepare for Teddy’s race. Click through to read more about what we have in store for you:

Continue reading →

Entertainment, Fun & Games, Music, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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9:30 Club To Host U.S. Air Guitar Championship Regionals

Photo courtesy of
‘The Fro, Finals (finished 5th place)’
courtesy of ‘brianmka’

For those about to rock … here’s your chance! The D.C. Regional Air Guitar Championships are being held this April at the 9:30 Club.

The Official U.S. Air Guitar Championship website reports that entry slots for D.C. are nearly full. If you want to enter — prop up the digital camera, throw together your most rockin’ of rockin’ fits (and by “fit”, I mean “outfit”), and convince those judges you’ve got what it takes to compete by sending in an audition video via YouTube.

All videos must be under a minute long and sent to list_serve@930.com by Sunday, March 21.

Winners will be announced March 31 and regionals will be held on April 10.

Rock on!

Entertainment, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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The Eagles Announce June Tour Stop At Nationals Park

Photo courtesy of
‘03106-17Crop’
courtesy of ‘furcafe’

Dave Matthews Band aren’t the only headliner’s planning to rock out at Nationals Park this summer.

Satisfy your craving to bust out into random song (i.e. scream classic karaoke tunes like “Hotel California” at the top of your lungs … in public … without shame) when The Eagles  stomp through town during their upcoming tour on Tuesday, June 15.

Tickets go on sale next Monday, March 29 at 10 a.m.

The Dixie Chicks and Keith Urban will join The Eagles as special guests on this tour stop.

Food and Drink, Life in the Capital, News, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Social Safeway: The Supermarket Superstar

Photo courtesy of
‘Shopping – Race to the Checkout’
courtesy of ‘David Blackwell.’

Great googlie mooglie!  With all the interwebz chatter about the grand reopening of the Social Safeway at 1855 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, one would think this was the greatest development in DC since sliced bread, and as one of those local residents, who has been supermarket less for almost a year, and therefore semi-breadless, it is indeed a long awaited event! And no, Whole Paycheck (aka Whole Foods) does not count as a supermarket, even though I do love their produce and two-for-one pizza Tuesdays.

This Safeway is going to be, quite frankly, TheBomb.com. Not only will it be  Safeway’s most state-of-the-art, greenest, opened 24 hours, full-service grocery store to date, but it will also feature: a wine cellar complete with a wine steward, a specialty cheese department with certain varieties flown in fresh daily from Europe; a sit-down sushi bar; brick-oven pizza; Italian-style gelato bar; an upgraded Starbucks coffee bar; indoor/outdoor seating area featuring a fireplace, HD televisions, complimentary WiFi, and open balcony overlooking Wisconsin Avenue; a SunTrust Bank; a Bergmann’s Dry Cleaners; and wait for it……..A NUTBAR!!!!! offering a wide selection of warm, ready-to-eat nuts that can be flavored or ground on site to create spreads and butter. OMG!!!!

Social Safeway 2.0 is set to open its brand spanking new, glorious, long awaited doors May 6th.  From the looks of the construction site’s live webcams, there’s a fair amount of fixing up to do in the next month and a half month. Giddy up Safeway! Giddy Up!

Arlington, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Clarendon Strikes up a St. Paddy’s Eve Parade

Photo courtesy of
‘Lemon #37’
courtesy of ‘Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie’

Remember how it snowed in February? I definitely don’t need to remind anyone that the city lost a lot of events in the storms. Well, among the many things that got Snowpocalypsed was the annual Fat Tuesday parade hosted by the Clarendon Alliance. Not to fear, instead of being completely swept away in a snow drift, the parade transformed into a St. Patrick’s Day eve festival – i.e., tonight! If you want to check it out, and it actually is more fun than you’d think, floats will begin rolling up Wilson Blvd. at around 8 p.m., starting from Barton Ave.

In the area or venturing out to Clarendon for the parade? Why not give a little back while you’re out preparing for St. Patrick’s Day? Relay for Life Arlington will be hosting a post-parade gathering at Mister Days at the corner of Washington blvd and N. Highland St. Present this coupon, and Mister Days will generously donate a portion of your check to Relay For Life of Arlington. You can also make a donation at the door, and there will be a small raffle for gift certificates to the bar and other exciting items.

Downtown, Entertainment, Essential DC, Special Events, We Love Arts
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National Geographic Live: March 2010

America's Endangered Species, ©Joel Sartore; courtesy of the National Geographic Museum

The spring season of National Geographic Live – a series of dynamic lectures, concerts, films and more – continues this month, with more great offerings.

Thanks to the awesome response from last month, the National Geographic Museum is offering up two pairs of tickets to our readers for any of the following events. Simply comment below (PLEASE use a legit email address and your first name) with what two events – in preferred order – you’d like to attend. We’ll do a random drawing on Friday (March 12) at 10 a.m. and get the winners set up with their first (or second, if your first choice is full) selection. Keep in mind that tickets are for single events only.

Note that the photography exhibitions that open this month do not require tickets and are free for visitors to enjoy.

Okay, enough about rules. Check out the March offerings after the jump.

Continue reading →

History, News, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Women Airforce Service Pilots To Receive Congressional Gold Medal

Photo courtesy of
‘… WASPs and B-17’
courtesy of ‘x-ray delta one’

Today at 11am, the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) will get their much deserved recognition when they receive the Congressional Gold Medal, 68 years after their honorable and noble service to this country during WWII.

Faced with a shortage of U.S. based pilots in 1942, the Air Force recruited 1100 civilian female pilots and had them fly military aircraft across the country, test newly developed aircraft (including the B-29 Superfortress bomber that dropped the first atomic bomb on Japan) and tow targets for ground and air target practice.

Despite serving their country for two years and losing 38 WASPs  in the line of duty, the WASPs were not granted military status until 1977.

Yesterday, WASP survivors and family members gathered for a Remembrance Ceremony at the U.S. Air Force Memorial and a Salute Reception at the Women’s Memorial. Fewer than 300 WASPs are alive to receive the commendation and experience this truly historic event in U.S. women’s history.

People, Scribblings, Special Events
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Scribblings: Gail Harris

Photo courtesy of
‘Missile Exercise’
courtesy of ‘mashleymorgan’

Gail Harris was assigned by the U.S. Navy to a combat intelligence job in 1973, becoming the first woman to hold such a position. When she retired at the end of 2001, she was the highest ranking African American female in the Navy; her career spanned 28 years of leadership in the intelligence community, from the Cold War to Desert Storm to Kosovo. Her last challenge was in developing policy for the Computer Network Defense and Computer Network Attack for the Department of Defense. She recently authored A Woman’s War: The Professional and Personal Journey of the Navy’s First African American Female Intelligence Officer and will be at a special program at the International Spy Museum tomorrow night at 6:30 p.m. She’ll share her unique experience and perspective in providing intelligence support to military operations while also battling the status quo, office bullies, and politics.

After the jump, a brief Q&A between the International Spy Museum and Gail Harris. Continue reading →

Downtown, News, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Wedding Bells

Photo courtesy of
”
courtesy of ‘erin m’

Today is the day that many gay couples in the District have been waiting for: wedding day.  DC has processed the first batch of marriage license applications that were filed last week and will begin issuing said licenses today. Around 150 couples should have the document in hand by this evening, allowing them to marry when they see fit.  A few couples have opted to make today the day they and are tying the knot at various institutions around the city.

Special Events, The Daily Feed
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The Nationals Team-Up With The Cherry Blossom Crew To Welcome Spring

Photo courtesy of
‘Washington Nationals Game’
courtesy of ‘acaben’

The Nationals are teaming up with the Official Cherry Blossom Festival crew to celebrate the beginning of Spring this April. Festivities include an appearance by Screech and the GEICO Racing Presidents in the National Cherry Blossom Parade on Saturday, April 10 in addition to on-site events at Nationals Park.

Cherry Blossom Festival representatives will be present at the April 3 exhibition game vs. the Boston Red Sox and two games vs. the Phillies on April 7 & 8.

We’ll keep you posted as more details become available.

Entertainment, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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The National Archives Presents Free Screenings Of Oscar Nominated Films Today Through Sunday

Photo courtesy of
‘Academy Award Winner’
courtesy of ‘Dave_B_’

Pumped for the Oscars this weekend? The National Archives are in on the fun and are presenting free screenings of films in four of the Academy Award’s nominee categories including Documentary Feature, Documentary Short Subject, Live Action Short Film, and Animated Short Film.

The screenings begin tonight and run through Sunday in the Archive’s William G. McGowan Theater. Free tickets are available at the National Archives Special Events entrance on Constitution Avenue beginning one hour prior to start time.

Seating for the screenings are on a first-come, first-serve basis. And no – you’re not allowed to save any seats. The theater crew say it’s strictly prohibited.

For a full list of the screening schedule, visit the Archives website. The first screening starts at 7.

Life in the Capital, People, Special Events, The Daily Feed, The District
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The Art of the Blog

Photo courtesy of
‘2010:57’
courtesy of ‘::FiZ::’

Friday night I had the opportunity to attend The Art of the Blog at District in Adams Morgan.  Hosted by Ready Set DC, The Art of the Blog is a new, monthly get together for bloggers across the nation’s capital.  With a focus on ‘neighborhood blogs’ this month, the special guest speakers – Dan Silverman of Prince of Petworth & David Garber of And Now, Anacostia – both shared candid interpretations of what it’s like to be a DC blogger.   Continue reading →

Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Issey Miyake’s Design Principles

Photo courtesy of
‘ISSEY MIYAKE’
courtesy of ‘Ruzaini’

Attention all Fashionistas! Tonight the Textile Museum will be hosting one of their renown talks called Issey Miyake‘s Design Principles.  Miyake is a well-known Japanese fashion designer who is known for his technology-driven creations. Tonight’s lecture will be given by Amanda Mayer Stinchecum, a historian specializing in the “cloth and clothing of Ryukyu/Okinawa and mainland Japan”.

Just a lil’ fact for fun: The building which houses the Textile Museum was created by the famous-architect John Russell Pope in 1913.

The Textile Museum is located at 2320 S Street NW DC and tonight’s talk starts at 6 PM. Purchase tickets at 202.667.0441.

Fun & Games, Life in the Capital, News, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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White House To Be Filled With Glee This Easter

Photo courtesy of
‘(137/365) GGG’
courtesy of ‘MarksandSparks’

If you thought getting tickets to last year’s White House Easter Egg Roll was hard, then imagine what’s going to happen with the addition of a performance by the cast of Fox’s Glee.

Yup, that’s right. They’ll be appearing and performing at the April 5 event, so you should start lining up for tickets today.

Apparently, Michelle, Malia and Sasha are among the shows 2038475 million fans and are super pumped. Wonder if Bo is into Glee.

Food and Drink, Fun & Games, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Pancakes! Pancakes! Get Your Free Pancakes!

Photo courtesy of
‘pancakes are good’
courtesy of ‘staceyviera’

In observance of National Pancake Day, participating area IHOPs are serving free short stacks of buttermilk pancakes today from 7am-10pm, and in return asking diners to make a donation to the Children’s Miracle Network.

Be sure to phone your local IHOP before heading out as participation is not mandatory. But I mean, what IHOP doesn’t participate in this awesome celebration and fundraising event.

Special Events, The Features
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PechaKucha Night Vol.11

Photo courtesy of
‘Reception – PechaKucha Vol.11’
courtesy of ‘prettylovelythings’

Capitol PechaKucha Night Vol. 11 was held Friday night at the Embassy of Austria as a unique means to provide global awareness about the earthquake that shattered Haiti. In addition to the Nation’s Capital, on February 20th, 280 other cities across the world held PechaKucha’s in collaboration with Architecture for Humanity to help rebuild Haiti 20 seconds at a time.

The PechaKucha originally began in Tokyo circa 2003 and was developed by Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham of Klein Dytham Architecture as a way to get young designers sharing ideas under one roof.  PechaKucha is translated from the Japanese term for “chit chat” and refers to the type of presentation format that is utilized for the now globally celebrated event.  Each presenter at a PechaKucha displays 20 images, each lasting for 20 seconds, while talking alongside their slideshow – a format that supports a presentation that keeps things interesting for both the presenter and their audience.

Continue reading →

Food and Drink, Special Events, The DC 100, The Features
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DC Omnivore 100: #19 Steamed Pork Buns

Photo courtesy of
’04 Small Steamed Pork Buns’
courtesy of ‘jasonlam’

It’s time for another item on the DC Omnivore 100 list of the top one hundred foods every good omnivore should try at least once in their lives.

In the spirit of the recent Chinese Lunar New Year and the Year of the Tiger celebrations, let’s explore the sweet, doughy, BBQ-esque goodness of steamed pork buns. In China, these roll sized delights are regularly consumed street cart food and are also a staple of the traditional Chinese family gathering of dim sum.

The bun’s exterior and its steaming bamboo container might have you thinking that this is just another dumpling. And while you’d be right, this is a dumpling, the steamed pork bun offers a sticky, rich, doughy and savory experience that starkly differs from the clean and fresh taste of shumai and the nutty flavorings of potstickers. Continue reading →