By Will Packard
Holtby: Rock
courtesy of clydeorama
Rookie goaltender Braden Holtby put on the best show of his short and stellar NHL career as he stopped 44 shots to lead the Caps over the Boston Bruins by a score of 2-1 to even the best of seven series at two games apiece.
The Caps managed to score twice on just 21 shots, but it was enough to make Holtby’s heroics count. Alexander Semin scored the game winning goal on a power play. Continue reading
By Tom Bridge
The first-place Washington Nationals stumbled in the first inning on Thursday night, with Edwin Jackson giving up six hits – three of them triples – before the side was retired. The damage was done, and the Nats trailed 5-0 on the back of some shaky routes from their outfielders. A few of those triples might’ve been doubles from a more experienced and fielding-focused outfield, and might have saved a run.
After the rough first inning, Jackson settled down to his previous self, retiring 12 of 13 in four additional innings, and notching 5 Ks on the night. After 89 pitches, he’d head for the showers just a run behind. The Nationals would score in the 2nd on a pair of singles and a wild pitch, and pick up three runs in the third on Ryan Zimmerman’s towering drive over the visiting bullpen – his first of the season, and a moon shot at 410 feet – but that wouldn’t be enough to stop the Astros.
By Tom Bridge
courtesy of Max Cook
With Mayor Vincent Gray’s term having descended into scandal before it could even get underway properly, and Mayor Adrian Fenty having lost his re-election bid in a disastrous confluence of cronyism, hubris and effectiveness, it’s hard not to think back to the days of Mayor Anthony Williams and smile just a bit, especially given his immense popularity as mayor. Today, Williams was named to be the next CEO of the Federal City Council.
The Council has spearheaded several large projects in the history of the District, including the massive redevelopment of Southwest DC in the 1960s, the redevelopment of Union Station in the 1980s, the move of the Wizards to the Verizon Center in the late 1990s, and the construction of the Convention Center in the middle of the last decade. One local blogger compared the Federal City Council to the Stonecutters.
Williams’ return to the forefront of the District’s stage is a welcome breath of fresh air, given the last 24 months of scandal, infighting and drama. Attach the stone of triumph, Tony!
By Tom Bridge
Metro is releasing more about what their new “Rush Plus” service, which will start this summer, in video form. Highlights include additional orange line trains through the core of the system, as well as additional green and yellow line trains with new destinations. The service kicks off June 18th and is said to affect upwards of 110,000 riders each day.
Happy Fan
courtesy of MrStinkhead
It is almost the perfect formula for a vulture win. The starting pitcher, Jordan Zimmermann, pitched a masterful seven innings giving up only one run on four hits and no walks with three strikeouts. The Nationals once again weren’t going to make it easy on him as Jordan Zimmermann has given up a run in every one of his starts but only one, and before the eighth inning tonight the Nationals had scored exactly zero with Zimmermann as the pitcher of record.
That all changed in the bottom of the seventh when Ankiel hit a double after Jayson Werth had grounded out for the first out of the inning. During Ramos’ at bat the Astros pitcher, Lucas Harrell, balked to advance Ankiel to third with one out. Needing only a sacrifice fly to tie the game the Nationals poor situational hitting would continue with Ramos striking out. Roger Bernadina would pick up his teammates and tie the game by lacing a double into left.
New Gala Theatre Sign and Light
courtesy of Mr. T in DC
In case you haven’t noticed, the DC theater community is growing, and fast; but what kind of plays can we look forward to down the road? If you’re interested in the future of DC theater, there’s no better place to look than toward our youngest playwrights.
Next Monday and Tuesday, April 23-24 at 7:30pm, Young Playwrights’ Theater (YPT) will present 12 new plays by area youth at their annual New Play Festival at GALA Hispanic Theatre.
By Tom Bridge
photo by Paulo Ordoveza
I was driving up Wilson Boulevard this morning, fairly convinced I’d missed the whole thing, and resigned to check it out on Flickr later today when I looked up and saw Discovery, the SCA, and two T-38s fly over Ballston at low altitude. I nearly drove right into the car in front of me.
I found myself overcome with emotion at watching this incredible feat of engineering and humanity before my very eyes. Losing the shuttle program may be good for space exploration in the long run, but in this short run it feels very sad to see manned space exploration take a pause. We can do such amazing things when we make it a priority. Here’s hoping we haven’t seen the last of programs like the STS.
While most of DC was at the Verizon Center (or camping out in front of their television sets) watching game three of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Nationals fans turned up at ballpark for Stephen Strasburg’s 2012 home debut against the Houston Astros. The park wasn’t packed but that didn’t stop Strasburg from continuing to prove his worth as a young, reliable baseball talent. Continue reading
By Addison H
The Capitals came into Monday night’s game fresh off an inspired overtime victory in Boston, hoping to turn the tide in their favor in the friendly red confines of the Verizon Center. Despite a fast start, a few unfortunate bounces and defensive miscues prevented the Caps from taking the lead in the series.
Continue reading
CapMac
courtesy of yostinator
Just another week. Don’t eat just another lunch though. Go find out where the food trucks are today.
By Tom Bridge
Ian MacKaye and Lamp
courtesy of yostinator
It’s almost impossible to overstate the importance of DC music legend Ian MacKaye, who today celebrates his 50th birthday. MacKaye’s contributions to the world of music are myriad, from his days with Minor Threat and Fugazi, to his work with Dischord Records, the music scene has never been the same.
Happy Birthday, Ian.
Perhaps it was a harbinger of things to come when Tyler Clippard took the mound in the top of the 11th and then promptly fell down trying to deliver his first pitch. Clippard caught a spike and then spun to the ground without releasing the ball. On his next pitch he managed to release the pitch but it was a ball well off the plate. When everything was said and done Drew Stubbs stood on first after collecting a single off of Clippard. The next batter would pop a bunt into the air that Zimmerman would catch with an amazing diving play. One more batter would single before the Reds big threat, Joey Votto, would come to the plate with two on and one down with the score tied at 5-5 in the top of the 11th.
Votto who received a $200 million extension in the off-season demonstrated why he was worth it with a two RBI double to give the Reds the lead. Rolen would then single up the middle to give the Reds a final insurance run before handing the ball over to the shaky bullpen. Sean Marshall would allow the first two batters he faced in LaRoche and Werth to reach base via singles, but would retire the side to end the Nats threat and five game winning streak.
‘win’
courtesy of ‘oddlittlebird.’
Nationals fans have had plenty to be excited about to start the 2012 season. Nerve inducing one-run games, dazzling starting pitching, and players stepping up after weak 2011 performances (ex. Jayson Werth and Adam LaRoche). Despite all of that, the real star of Saturday’s game was off-season pick-up right-handed pitcher Edwin Jackson.
Jackson went the distance in his home debut pitching a complete game, 4-1 victory against the Cincinnati Reds to lead the Nats to their fifth consecutive win. To make the day even better, he got a hit. Not too bad for a back of the rotation starter.
The win secured the Nats’ position atop the National League East standings. Continue reading
By Addison H
Backstrom Checks Stewart
courtesy of clydeorama
Well folks, it looks like we might just have a series on our hands. And if you are a hockey, what a series this is turning out to be. The Caps took on the Bruins in a Saturday matinee game that required five periods to complete, but in the end, the bonus hockey ended up being well worth the wait with the Caps securing a 2-1 win to bring a tied series back to Washington on Monday.
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CapMac truck
courtesy of yostinator
Happy Friday the 13th! We dare you to eat from 13 food trucks today.
By Will Packard
Tim Thomas making the save
courtesy of cerebusfangirl
The Bruins’ Chris Kelly scored 78 seconds into overtime to give the Boston Bruins a victory in the first game of the best-of-seven playoff series. Rookie goaltender Braden Holtby played an outstanding game, making tremendous saves throughout regulation, but was beaten on the first shot he faced in overtime.
“It was a chess game out there and we battled hard,” said coach Dale Hunter after the game. “Unfortunately it was a perfect shot inside the post that won the game.” Continue reading
By Tom Bridge
The Nationals won in extra innings today, notching a 3-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds in ten innings. Craig Stammen picked up his first win of the season, and Alfredo Simon for the Reds picked up the loss on a wild pitch that scored Ryan Zimmerman with two outs in the bottom of the 10th.
The home opener is a beautiful thing. You know you’re going to get a primed crowd, you hope you’re going to get good weather, and just about everyone is happy to be there and full of hopes for the team. The Nationals had all of that going for them when stepped on the field amid the screams of F-18s overhead and a brass band playing in the infield. The last strains of the National Anthem shredded by so much jet noise, the Nationals took the field with high hopes off a 4-2 road trip and sitting atop the NL East early in the season. On the mound for them, Gio Gonzalez, whose last outing had at least one member of the press corps wondering if he might not be the biggest question mar of the season.
Carnivore BBQ
courtesy of yostinator
Get some fresh air and lunch from a food truck!
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Pork at Cochon
courtesy of bonappetitfoodie
The pork craze on the food scene may have quieted down a little bit, but that probably doesn’t (and shouldn’t) change anyone’s feelings about bacon, pork rinds, pork loin or any other delicious part of the hog. So to get quell your pork cravings, Cochon 555 is making its fourth annual stop in DC on April 22nd at The Liaison Capitol Hill Hotel.
This year’s competing chef lineup includes last year’s DC “prince of porc,” Scott Drewno from The Source by Wolfgang Puck, returning competitor Ed Witt from 701 Restaurant, as well as new competitors Mike Isabella from Graffiato, Wes Morton from Art and Soul, and Nicholas Stefanelli from Bibiana. The way it works is all five chefs prepare dishes using parts of heritage breed pigs from snout to tail, and you, dear attendee, get to feast on all of it. When all is said and done, one of our DC chefs will go on to compete against other chefs from around the country at the Grand Cochon event at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen in June.
Additionally, you’ll get to sample wines from five family wineries, as well as beers from Anchor Brewing and other spirits. And just in case the dishes from the competition weren’t enough for you, Bourbon Steak’s Adam Sobel will be preparing a whole BBQ hog–you know, just in case you feel peckish. Those of you who enjoy wielding knives and playing Iron Chef in your kitchen when no one’s looking can check out a butchering demo from Wagshal Market’s Pamela Ginsberg.
Tickets can be purchased online for $125 per person or $200 for VIP tickets with early admission at 4 PM and access to “welcome cocktails” and oysters from Rappahannock River Oysters, LLC. The 2012 Cochon 555 in DC starts at 5 PM on Sunday, April 22nd at The Liaison Capitol Hill Hotel.
District of Pi Pepperoni Pizza
courtesy of Mr. T in DC
Nothing clever to say. Just click on through to see where the food trucks are in your neighborhood today.
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