’73/365′
courtesy of ‘ekelly80’

Michael: This weekend I will see two sonic titans in concert. On Friday night, I am going to check out DC/VA locals Dark Sea Dream. I do not know how this incredible sounding local band has slipped under my radar for so long, but Friday night is the night to fix that. I honestly cannot believe how unearthly these guys sound. It’s like the end of a My Bloody Valentine concert is where these guys begin! Sunday night I’ll be at the glorious return of Godspeed You Black Emperor at 9:30 Club. A lot has happened in the post-rock/post-metal universe since this Canadian collective defined the genre a decade ago. I am extremely curious to hear how their epic instrumentals sound after all of these years and how they stack up against all of the interesting bands they inspired.

Tom: Friday night, after a rehearsal at Strathmore, I’ll be toasting my friend Genie at the Passenger and her all too brief return to DC.  Saturday afternoon, we’ll be camped out at Iota working away with our crack design team on the next version of We Love DC, before John takes the stage with Juniper Lane in their Live EP release party.  Me, I’ll be singing with Choralis on Saturday night, as part of their Evening with Brahms concert at Strathmore. Tickets are still available for both.  Sunday? Garden work.  Gotta get the beds ready to plant, I’ve got seedlings in my basement ready to go! Continue reading →

’22/365′
courtesy of ‘ekelly80’

Tiff: With Tom out of town I’m rolling single-style and already my weekend is overflowing into this week. Tonight there’s the DC Web Women <RELOAD> Happy Hour at Science Club (you see what they did there). Tomorrow, there’s DJ lil’e’s Lady Gaga vs. Madonna vs. Kylie dance party at the 9:30 Club. It’s sold out, but at e’s last sold-out 9:30 gig, they re-opened the box office as people started to trickle out later in the night, so there’s still hope. Saturday is all about me time: haircut, movies, food Tom doesn’t like… expect to see me wandering around Gallery Place, is what I’m saying. Sunday I’m going all domesticated and baking some shortbread for a friend’s tea party (the kind with actual tea, not the political kind) before putting on my finery (or what passes for it) and nibbling finger sandwiches.

Patrick Palafox: This weekend I’m thinking about heading down to Takoma Park and checking out The Electric Mayhem Comedy Hour that’s happening over at the Electric Maid at 268 Carrol St. NW. this Friday. This will be their third show and all they ask is for a $5 donation. That’s a bit steep for a comedy show, but I think I will drop down the cash, because I’m rich. Continue reading →

‘(061/365)’
courtesy of ‘kimberlyfaye’

Michael: I’m hoping to stock up on rest this weekend because next week has a plethora of amazing shows for me. That said, I cannot resist Smith Westerns at Rock & Roll Hotel on Friday night. Their sophomore album “Dye It Blonde” is incredible and I think this show will live up to the high expectations it has fostered.

Tom: The first warm weekend of the year looks to be a wet one, so I’ll be mostly plotting to stay inside. Friday night I’ll be out at Iron Horse celebrating a friend who is starting her first business next week (Congratulations, Cheryl!) and Saturday afternoon we’ll be jaunting over to Siné for drinks with area sportsblogger WFY to talk about the future of the Nationals and get ready for the first telecasts and radiocasts of the year.  Sunday means bottomless mimosa at Rustik DC, followed by preparing for another long week of blogging. Continue reading →

‘Let’s Have Some Fun’
courtesy of ‘Kevin H.’

Rebecca J.: Friday I’m headed to the Black Cat to catch Fred Armisen perform where I’m hoping for some salutes to his Gov. Paterson and Barrack impressions. After that we’ll head to the basement of Cafe St. Exwhich always gets crazy. On Saturday, as I’m headed to a “Look At This Fucking Hipster” party in the evening, the day will be spent scavenging thrifts shops for the most absurd hipster get up imaginable. I’m already scared to see the bf in skin tight tapered pants. Yowsa! After the wild and craziness of Friday and Saturday, Sunday will be all about relaxing, recovering and watching all things Oscar.

Jenn: It could be an art-filled weekend, starting tonight with ARTventures on H where from 5:30-8pm you can wander through 13 galleries on H Street NE for an art walk that not only gets you culture but also gets you fed – for every gallery you enter, your “passport” is stamped to get you 12% off participating H Street hotspots from 7-9:30pm. Total happiness. Also worth a stop at some point is Rosemary Feit Covey’s exhibit “Death of the Fine Art Print” at Morton Fine Art, where you can see how this provocative artist is stepping out of her comfort zone in a fascinating way. Continue combining art with food by hitting Locolat next door for an evil waffle-burger (yes, it’s a burger with waffles for a bun, topped with beer-saturated cheese. I told you, evil!). Ok, you could also just have a regular Belgian waffle but either way, go for the decadence this weekend. Continue reading →

‘Lincoln Logs’
courtesy of ‘His Noodly Appendage’

Dave: Have you seen the weather report? Give me a patio on Friday afternoon and watch out. Whether or not it’sactually spring, I’m going to pretend it is. I have to take it pretty easy, though: to truly ring in the President’s Day weekend, I’m going to don a giant President’s costume as I cover the Nationals Racing Presidents auditions this weekend (look for that full story on Monday). From there, it’ll be a little more normal – perhaps a little extended brunching on Sunday with the benefit of the Monday holiday.

Patrick Palafox: I’m going to go to the DC Improv this Sunday to take my first class of their Five Minutes to Funny Course, which is where Brad and Ralph met before having their Awesome Thursdays at R.F.D. Open Mic. Looking forward to learning more about the art of making people laugh. My best joke so far is I put my hand on somebody’s arm pit and give them a tickle. It works every time, but will also lead to jail. I need to tickle people without actually touching them. Continue reading →

‘Cupcakes’
courtesy of ‘spiggycat’

John: This weekend I’ll be starting off with a nice quiet dinner at home here at the WLDC DirtLab. Saturday (and Friday as well) my old bandmates in Honor By August will be doing a double-header at the recently renovated IOTA Club and Café in Clarendon. Sunday, I think that the Lyon Hall Local Pork dinner and wine pairing is hard to beat and delicious to boot.

Addison: Friday, I’m heading to the Zoo for a little bit of educational fun (ok, and cute baby animals) at the Woo at the Zoo event. Saturday, I plan on taking a quick day trip into Virginia horse country to sample the wares at Horton Vineyards and Blue Mountain Brewery, since I really felt the urge to get out of the city. Saturday night, I’m headed to a friend’s house to tap his first batch of homebrew. Sunday is family time, since my mom will be in town. Continue reading →

’30/365′
courtesy of ‘ekelly80’

Michael: Decisions, decisions. Friday night is stacked with good options. Insane Israeli rockers Monotonix are at Comet Ping Pong at the same time as legendary techno-scientist Tom Middleton is at U Street Music Hall. Both will be a blast so it will probably come down to a coin toss. Definitely hitting Chromeo at 9:30 Club on Sunday night though. These guys completely wowed me at FreeFest and I am curious if they can do the same minus the Dance Forest contact high.

Ben: Friday will be spent taking in a screening of Shared Experience: Telling Our Stories at the National Museum for the American Indian (and next week is much ado about chocolate!). Saturday is a day of writing and rest, and then there’s the big game on Sunday – no, not the one with the Steelers. It’s here at the Verizon Center: Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Washington Capitals. Continue reading →

‘sweet snowflake’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’

Addison: If I survive Snow-tastrophe 2011, this weekend I plan on making the trek out to Tysons Corner, since I haven’t bought new work clothes in 2 years and will (hopefully) have a bunch of interviews coming up before I get my master’s in May.  Saturday night, I’m going to be hitting up Bayou in Georgetown for a friend’s birthday. Brunch on Sunday will be at Churchkey with some friends and WLDC staff where we sample the number one sandwich in the country, the Luther.  The rest of the weekend will likely be spent in a diabetic coma.

Dave: Have to say, not even a smidge of snow and the subsequent overblown reaction can dampen my spirits for hanging around DC this weekend. I’m finally here for about six weeks straight, so I’m looking forward to getting reacquainted with this District of mine. Friday night will involve a night around Columbia Heights, sounds like a birthday celebration will take me to The Hub. Saturday’s big event will be a musical appearance with the rest of The Greensides at the DC chapter of Penn State alumni’s fundraiser for its Thon event. On Sunday, I’m hoping to join the WLDC Luther competition at Churchkey – even if we apparently don’t get health benefits through our authorship, according to the higher-ups. Continue reading →

‘Looking Glass Lounge’
courtesy of ‘Edward Hoover’

Brittany: Thursday I am going to Virginia. Apparently, going to Virginia either means I like you lots (the boy I am meeting for lunch; the other boy I am meeting for drinks) or you are paying me (my day job, sending me to a conference in Arlington for the day). Today, it is both. What this weekend is really about, though, is Dismemberment Plan at Black Cat. Expectations are high, if slightly conflicted (Am I succumbing to early-onset nostalgia? Is it not even that early?). What happens Saturday will depend somewhat on how the show evening goes, but I would not count on me to be up too early in the morning.

Max: I’m escaping DC this weekend for the chaotic rush of NY, which unfortunately means I’ll be missing out on some cool things going on.  Friday hosts the opening of “climate, control” at Civilian Art Projects, featuring work by J. McCracken, Jan Razauskas, and Millicent Young that shows the “artists’ response to their immediate surroundings, as well as the exacting nature of their practice.”  On the music front, one of my favorite local bands, The Jones, is playing at the Rock and Roll Hotel at 8:00.  On Saturday, local art patron/collector extraordinaire, Henry Thaggert interviews Laura Elkins about her deeply personal show “White House Negligee” at The Fridge at 5PM (so bummed to be missing this).  On Sunday, lots of hipsters, snobs, and hungover people will be mopping up their sorrows at brunch with some eggs benedict at numerous restaurants near you. Continue reading →

‘Martin Luther King Memorial – The Eyes – 12-04-10’
courtesy of ‘mosley.brian’

Erin: I’m breaking out of my normal working-for-the-weekends routine to head out to Alexandria with 3,000 of my closest friends and strangers for the 9th annual Magfest, a four-day celebration of videogaming and gaming music and gaming culture and…well…all things gaming. (Tickets are sold out, but check back at We Love DC early next week for photos! And hey, if you’re going? Look for me: I’ll be the one with the pink hair begging everyone to pose for photos.) Somehow, I’ll be dragging my tired self into work at 7 on Sunday, which is really just a way to pass the time until I can mosey on over to Passenger, where brunch is served until 11 p.m.

Brittany: Thursday evening, the Phillips Collection celebrates being on 21st Street since 1921 with a speakeasy theme party. There will be vintage costumes and cocktails which means I am obliged to attend. Next on the agenda is Friday night’s impossibly buzzed-over Lemuria-Magrudergrind show – a Positive Force benefit at St Stephens. Saturday, apparently everybody I know will be at the Black Cat for the Sockets Records Showcase. I may try to make it over myself, after attending a birthday dinner for one of my besties at Rasika. (Dear server that gets our group that night: Yes, we will all only be ordering from your “vegetarian-slash-side dish” category – but I promise we will make it worth your time in alcohol sales.) Continue reading →

‘2/365’
courtesy of ‘ekelly80’

Max: After the much needed holiday hiatus (that was much too short), it’s tempting to spend the next few month on my couch watching Netflix movies and hibernating.  Alas, there are some great exhibits opening at the galleries this weekend that I will brave the cold for.  On Friday, First Friday to be exact, I’ll be checking out Leah Appel’s dreamy photos of Savannah at Hillyer Art Space, then possibly eating at one of my favorite DC restaurants, Bistro du Coin. Saturnalia opens Saturday night at Irvine Contemporary, a group show featuring some of the gallery’s artists.  On the other side of town I’ll be checking out Laura Elkins’ White House Negligee at The Fridge.  Sunday will probably be spent doing something exciting like tax preparation and napping.

Carl: After a whole month of weekends packed with activities, Beautiful Girlfriend and I finally have some unstructured time to just enjoy being together in this great city. I hope we can get out to the National Portrait Gallery, which has an exhibit about Katharine Graham, as well as one titled Elvis at 21. Presley, that is. Someday I want to be known for just my first name. The rest of the weekend will be spent eating meat and finishing my book manuscript. Continue reading →

‘White House Christmas 12’
courtesy of ‘afagen’

Rebecca: The day after Christmas will involve a trip to Two Amys for some simple mozzarella pizza done to perfection. Throw in some oven-roasted olives, deviled eggs with green sauce, salt cod croquettes and this will be one helluva holiday leftovers break. After the meal, I’ll stroll over to the nearby National Cathedral to view their creche scenes which are on display until January 7th.

Carl: I am spending this weekend in Takoma Park with Beautiful Girlfriend. Christmas day will be spent with her family, up near Baltimore and the day after Christmas we will be spending time watching the snow pile up in front of Kramerbooks in Dupont Circle as we sip hot cocoa. Dupont always has a cool energy and if there’s snow, as is predicted, I think it will be just plain fun. God bless us everyone. Or something. God bless hot cocoa, anyway. Continue reading →

‘(348/365)’
courtesy of ‘kimberlyfaye’

Carl: Friday I will take my beautiful girlfriend to Don and Darling Wife’s house for holiday festivities. Hopefully this year they won’t make me dive for anything in the outdoor pool. Two years ago I was promised full frontal nudity by another partygoer if I stayed but it never materialized, so I don’t know what to think. Saturday BG and I are going down to Mount Vernon to see the whole holiday get-up down there, including the Christmas Camel. After that, we will have a nice late lunch of curried chicken (to be featured on my post-vegetarianism blog) and watch a movie in the evening. Sunday we have no plans. I’d love to get out and walk a few miles if the weather doesn’t suck too badly.

Patrick: I will be celebrating my birthday weekend the same way I celebrate it every other year: by doing something else. It sucks having a birthday in December, but I’ll spare you the sob story (which you can read here) and tell you how I’ll be entertaining friends coming into town from Massachusetts. Friday they want to visit the National Christmas Tree and hit up their favorite neighborhood: Adams Morgan. Of course as tourists they think it’s really cool but as a local the fratty bar streets can wear a bit thin. However for them I will brave the cold for some drinks and maybe a Jumbo Slice. When I’m in AdMo I typically like hitting up low-key places like Black Squirrel or Millie and Al‘s but at 27 I won’t be afraid to go fratty and show new visitors Dan’s Cafe just for the shock value. Saturday night we will probably go back out to Dupont Circle or Chinatown. Sunday night I’ll be watching my Patriots on Sunday Night Football- but not sure where yet. Besides Kelly’s Irish Times, where would be a great place to catch the game? Continue reading →

‘Indian Scarves’
courtesy of ‘Rukasu1’

Max: The weather is set to warm up a bit this weekend but I will still be hibernating as much as possible.  I’ll be getting drunkfestive at a holiday party Friday night – hope nobody gets locked in the bathroom again this year!  I’ll be going to the Albus Cavus Gala at The Fridge Saturday night to support an amazing group of local artists and possibly buy some great artwork in their silent auction.  Funds raised will be used to pay for scholarships, supplies, instructors and space rental. Tickets are still available!  On Sunday I’ll be going to see the much anticipated Black Swan which I hear is excellent.  Even if it isn’t, Natalie Portman is super hot and I want to marry her.

John: By the time you read this I will be somewhere in the mountains near Crozet, Virginia on a deer hunt with Locavore Hunter Jack Landers (whose class I attended earlier this year) on a private guided hunt. Most of my weekend will be spent down in Charlottesville, but some of it will be back here. I’ll be longing for some brats and beer at Lyon Hall and doing a bit of Wassailing around in Alexandria on Saturday evening. Continue reading →

‘Holiday Market 1’
courtesy of ‘Tony DeFilippo’

Tom: This weekend is a big one. Friday night I’m seeing the band we talked about this fall, Atomic Tom at Jammin’ Java.  I’m excited for our first Christmas in our new house, and that means we need a Christmas Tree.  As it happens, Café Saint-Ex is having a Christmas Tree sale to benefit the cafeteria reconstruction project at John W. Ross elementary in DC, so we’ll be picking up our tree there from 2-4 pm on Saturday.  That night, look for me at the Echos concert in Falls Church getting in the spirit of choral Christmas music.  Sunday? Brunch at Ted’s, some serious football-watching, and it’s St. Nicholas Eve, so I’ll leave one shoe out and hope for good stuff.

Carl: I will be spending Friday evening having dinner with my beautiful girlfriend, who cooks wonderfully and hopefully will slaughter a goose or wildebeest for the meal. Saturday I have a couple photo shoots lined up. One for my ongoing tattoo documentary, and the other, at least potentially, with WLDC’s very own Rachel Levitin. That evening I will make dinner for my sweetie and sit before a roaring fire with some Drambuie and a fine cigar, assuming I can break into the right house to do that. Sunday I hope to see my old friend Wayan. Remember Wayan, his Clockstopping Hottie Wife and their Butterbean? Well, there’s a new butterbean I need to go meet. It’s been too long since I have seen these wonderful folks. Continue reading →

”
courtesy of ‘Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie’

Jenn: It seems like suddenly winter is here, so warm up with some hot jazz Saturday night with the Ravi Coltrane Quartet at the historic Sixth & I Synagogue. Coltrane is the son of jazz legends saxophonist John Coltrane and pianist Alice Coltrane, but he’s his own man on the saxophone and is backed by one of the best rhythm sections playing today. Afterwards you could snuggle up under a furry wrap and escape with a Hot Peanut Buttered Rum at POV, now serving their warm cocktails menu on the heated roof terrace. Or hit some theater, with the Tectonic Theater Project performing this weekend only at Arena Stage. Their play cycle dealing with the murder of Matthew Shepard and its aftermath on the town, The Laramie Project and The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later, is bound to be riveting. I’ll have reviews of that and Synetic Theater’s restaging of The Master & Margarita, with artistic director Paata Tsikurishvili’s return to the stage, up next week.

Patrick: I’m really bummed that I’m missing the big We Love DC staff meeting on Friday- but somebody has to cover the Wizards/Grizzlies game. So you’ll find me on the floor of the Verizon Center and around the press tables. Say hi if you catch me typing away. Saturday afternoon I have a hot date with the National Museum of Crime and Punishment. I’ll have to remember to bring my sunglasses for the CSI Experience exhibit– I’m sure it’ll be hot… perhaps too hot to handle(YEEEAAAAAA *cue The Who) Saturday night is still up in the air but now that I’m halfway through No Drink November, I could use some suggestions on a place that will whip up some non-alcoholic cocktails! Continue reading →

‘fallen leaves’
courtesy of ‘ekelly80’

Max: What an insane weekend this is going to be – I’m both excited and exhausted just thinking about it.  Friday night I’ll be checking out Julie Wolfe’s opening at Hemphill Fine Arts, then jetting across town to see “Boxing Gym” at West End Cinema.  On Saturday I’ll be going across the river to the Artisphere for the Rosebud Film & Video Festival (only $10 to watch movies all day!), followed by seeing the legendary Bob Dylan play at GWU.  And on Sunday I’ll be riding in (and photographing) the second annual Tweed Ride, followed by a very long nap.

Tom: This is a weekend of parties for us!  Saturday, my friend Ian is celebrating with some quality strikes and spares at Bowl America in Falls Church.  When was the last time you went honest-to-God bowling? And I mean with the pitchers of cheap beer, and shoes that were old in the Nixon Administration?  When I moved to town, bowling leagues were the skee ball and beer pong of the day. Time to get in touch with the roots.  Sunday we’re cooking breakfast for pretty much all our friends, and that’s going to mean a trip to Eastern Market’s Canales Quality Meats on Saturday morning to stock up on breakfast sausage and bacon, as well as waffle mix from the Giant. We may also try to catch the Tweed Ride as spectators, and very probably the Redskins game, as after the bye, we haven’t possibly heard enough about Donovan McNabb’s children’s friends feel about him getting benched for a down two weeks ago.   Continue reading →

‘blue wagon wheel’
courtesy of ‘ekelly80’

Rachel: Friday night I’ll join a few friends for a little while at the Green Turtle (near the Verizon Center) to catch the action of the Caps vs the Boston Bruins. Saturday’s a big day. I’ll be watching a wonderful matinee performance of the Harvest of Harmony at AU’s Greenberg Theatre featuring the incredibly talented Barbershop group the Singing Capital Chorus and a few other Barbershop groups from the greater D.C. area. Saturday night I have my own gig at Tonic Lounge (2036 G Street NW, near GW Law School). The cover is $5 for the night and I’m the first of 5 acts. I’ll take the stage at 8 p.m. if you’re interested! Then, Sunday …. which in my world equals Brunch Day. A friend and I pick random neighborhoods and walk into a place hoping it’s good. This week’s neighborhood: Dupont Circle. Got any suggestions? Leave them in the comments!

Max: This weekend is jam packed with some interesting art events.  On Friday at the Phillips Collection, I’ll be going to “Urban Code: New Categories of Art”, a discussion with several of the street artists who are showing their work in the new “Street/Studio 2.0” exhibit at Irvine Contemporary (opening Saturday night including work by Shepard Fairey).  Following that I’ll be heading up to BloomBars in Columbia Heights to hear local arts patron and collector Henry Thaggert in his discussion, “Was Andy Warhol Black?”  Well was he?  Once I’m done using my brain for the evening, I’ll be heading down to the Corcoran for theFotoWeek Launch Party to drink and hang out with fellow photography lovers.  At some point this weekend I’ll be heading up to Silver Spring to check out the Book Arts Fair at Pyramid Atlantic because, well, I’ve never heard of such a thing. Continue reading →

‘The Smiling Skull’
courtesy of ‘Marcellina.’

Patrick: If you’ve ever been asked to add your name to an e-mail list while at a downtown DC bar, you can expect an offer for a free “Happy Hour” in your inbox. Well my fortuitous luck is now your reward. I’ll be kicking off my weekend at Sign of the Whale at a Happy Hour to kick-off the Rally Weekend. Stop on by and drop my name to get some sweet drink specials. Complete details can be found here. After that my Saturday will be solely spent surviving The Rally To Restore Sanity. Be sure to check out my earlier piece for all the tips you need to know if you’ll be there too. Sunday will be spent recovering from Saturday. Now that’s a weekend.

Max: I’m predicting a spike in the murder rate this weekend with all of the activities going on at once; it may be necessary to fire up my helicopter.  Was that the proper use of a semicolon?  Don’t answer that because I don’t care.  But I do care about supporting my photographer friends, which is why I’ll be hitting three gallery openings on Friday.  First I’ll be flying to Georgetown to see Frank Hallam Day’s mysterious jungle campers at Addison/Ripley Fine Art, followed by the opening of a much anticipated photography show at Civilian Art Projects, and finally a crash landing at Social in Columbia Heights for the Cult of Frank Van Riper exhibit.  On Saturday I’ll be doing what all of you will be doing, you know, acting all liberal and cool on the Mall and later getting alcohol poisoning at a Halloween party.  If I’m not in the hospital on Sunday, I may try to cheer for some friends who are crazy enough to run in the Marine Corps Marathon. Continue reading →

‘DSC_0674’
courtesy of ‘mediaslave’

Rebecca: Friday I’m headed to Bar Dupont to celebrate a good friend passing the VA Bar. Woot Jimmy! Ladies, he’s single. Saturday morning, after picking up some produce from the Glover Park Farmers Market, I’ll have my eyes glued to ESPN as College Game Day travels to Columbia, MO where the No. 11 Tigers will take on the No.1 Sooners at 8pm. Go Mizzou! Burn down that stupid covered wagon! Saturday evening will be devoted to the game and, depending on the outcome, will either result in shots of Firefly for everyone atBreadsoda or crying myself to sleep. Sunday I’m off to Chef Geoff’s for a bridal shower followed by my first visit to WLDC author Jenn’s favorite haunt, The Passenger. To wrap up my weekend, I’m off to NoVa to play a night footie match. Whew! This weekend is going to be a doozy.

Michael: Friday night I am going up to Baltimore to see Helmet and Intronaut at SONAR. Regardless of Helmet’s status as a “group”, Page Hamilton always brings it hard in concert. Saturday I heard a rumor that DC party legends Thunderball are performing somewhere in town. I am trying to nail down the details. Will definitely be there if it’s going down. Then Sunday I might check out Four Tet at 9:30 Club because his weird electronics will sound great there. Continue reading →