Category Archives: The District

The Daily Feed, The District
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Retrofitting Strip Malls on the Kojo Nnamdi Show

Photo courtesy of
‘Tivoli Square Streetscape’
courtesy of ‘Mr. T in DC’

For every active, vibrant public space in DC, there’s another lifeless, auto-oriented public space right down the street.   Wisconsin Avenue in Georgetown is an urban designer’s dream, while a few miles north on Wisconsin Avenue there are parking lots and gas stations lining the streets.  New York Avenue north of Chinatown is a developing hub, while New York Avenue on the eastern edge of the city is a car-oriented paradise of fast food and motels.  The reason is simple: the closer-in areas developed when walking or streetcars were the primary mode of transportation (so everything is close to the street, compact, and walkable), while the outer areas developed in the car era (with plenty of room for parking and a focus on convenience).  Now we know that, for the most part, strip malls don’t provide the public space and active streets that we urban planners love. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed, The District
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Wow. Really.

Photo courtesy of
‘14042009339’
courtesy of ‘snarglebarf’

Seen in the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s twitter feed: “Just spotted in the museum: Academy Award-winning director Martin Scorsese, here to accept MPAA’s Jack Valenti Humanitarian Award tonight!”

It tickles me that they named a humanitarian award after Valenti, the man who created an organization that is one of the most stifling influences on speech in film ever, presided over it for 30 years as it promoted violence over sexuality and engaged in homophobia, took some time out along the way to attempt to engage in protectionism by stifling innovation and promote a draconian law that made it illegal simply to tell people about certain technologies. I have no documentation proving that he ever kicked a puppy.

I’m sure the actual physical award was designed by committee to be completely bland and uninteresting and comes with a 40 page document describing the acceptable ways and places where it can be observed. If Scorsese doesn’t have an appropriate licensed shelf then perhaps he should just buy himself a proper one that they approve of.

Downtown, Essential DC, Life in the Capital, The District, The Features, Where We Live
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Where We Live: Logan Circle

Photo courtesy of
‘Logan rowhomes’
courtesy of ‘NCinDC’

This week: Logan Circle! With a great mix of housing and retail, good connections to the city’s transportation network, and proximity to downtown, Logan Circle is one of DC’s most sought-after neighborhoods. What makes it so great? Well…

History: Logan Circle was part of Pierre L’Enfant’s original plan for DC, and was called Iowa Circle until 1930, when Congress renamed it to honor Civil War hero John Logan. After the Civil War, the area became home to DC’s wealthy and powerful, and by the turn of the century it was home to many black leaders, including Mary McLeod Bethune. Logan Circle, along with nearby Shaw, became the epicenter of Black Washington in the early- to mid-1900s. Continue reading →

The District, The Features, Where We Live
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Where We Live: Brookland

Photo courtesy of
‘snowy, icy, icky’
courtesy of ‘wageslaves’

Welcome to the first installment of a new feature on We Love DC! Every two weeks, we’ll introduce you to a different neighborhood in the city. This week: Brookland! Located in Northeast, Brookland is full of small-town charm with the amenities of being in the middle of a big city.  It’s walkable, full of history, and rich in community character.

History: The neighborhood gets its name from the 1840 Brooks Mansion, home of Colonel Jehiel Brooks (a veteran of the War of 1812).  In the 1870s, the B&O Railroad opened Brooks Station adjacent to the Brooks Estate, which provided commuter rail service to Downtown DC and Silver Spring.  In 1888, the city’s first electric streetcar line opened, and the area grew quickly.  Brookland developed as a streetcar suburb, and in 1889 the Catholic University of America opened on a 70-acre tract of land near the station.   In the mid twentieth century, religious groups were encouraged to buy property in the area to support the university, and thus the area became known as “Little Rome” with a high concentration of Catholic institutions. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed, The District
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Time for a Tune-up

Photo courtesy of
‘My Suede By Giant Shimano Coasting Bike lookin mighty fine.’
courtesy of ‘needlessspaces’

This past weekend, I rode my bike for the first time since winter — down to the Washington Monument for my first-ever experience with DC Kickball (more on that later). It was glorious. Well, the trip down was glorious, the ride back — not so amazing, because it is clear that my bike, a Ross road bike from god-knows-how-long-ago, needs a tune-up, stat.

Living on the hill, my nearest and best resource for all things bike-related seems to be Capitol Hill Bikes, on 8th St. SE across from the Marine Barracks. Cap Hill Bikes has a beautiful showroom and store with all the gadgets and legit bike additions that are too professional for my joy-riding biking needs, as well as an adjacent servicing outfit with replacement parts and all that jazz. Their website also boasts some sweet mapping tools for riding around town. 

It’s so great to see commuters back on their bikes and saving energy (while expending a little of their own). What great bike resources do you utilize in and around DC? Do you bike to work? Favorite places to bike?

The Daily Feed, The District
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Spa Week In DC

Photo courtesy of


‘find your inner self’
courtesy of ‘dMap Travel Guide’

Do you need a massage? Of course you do! A mani-pedi? Quite possibly, yes! An antioxidant facial? Duh. Can you afford these luxuries? PSH, NO! Except, wait, cause yes you can! DC Spa Week is fast approaching, from April 13-19th, spas all across the DC metro area are offering $50 special spa treatments. Hot spa treatments open up the skin’s pores, help the body to ward off toxins, and also encourage the body to burn calories. Additionally, deep tissue massages can help the body to break down fatty deposits through the pressure and friction exerted on the skin.

The Med Spa list includes such upscale locations like the Red Door Spa by Elizabeth Arden, and The Pearl at the Ritz Carleton alongside individually operated spas in the area, you would be mesmerized by how easy it is to set an appointment online thanks to their incredibly easy to use website, you could read more to see how they manage to do it.

Massages are the most popular treatment, but you can snag a hair cleanse and gloss, body scrubs, green tea facials and some places are even offering highlights and haircuts for $50. It’s like the Restaurant Week of relaxation. Treatments that may be provided include body massage, hair, foot massage, facials, waxing, microdermabrasion, body treatments, manicures, pedicures, aromatherapy, moxibustion, ear candling, and gua sha (scraping). To book an appointment or buy spa products, visit the emeraldspa website.

It goes without saying that visiting a spa is a fantastic way to relax and de-stress. A visit to the spa offers a great opportunity to separate yourself from life’s everyday stressors and have some precious ‘me time’. Allowing yourself this time to wind down and relax has so many additional benefits, such as a clear mind and increased productivity once you leave your treatment!

Sign up to view all the deals, and snag one at a spa near you.

Entertainment, Essential DC, Fun & Games, Life in the Capital, Music, Special Events, The District, We Love Arts, WMATA
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We Love Arts: Cherry Blast

I think we can all agree that one of the reasons “we love DC” is the arrival of spring each year when our city is transformed from a bleak, gray land of zombies into a cheery land of fresh-faced partiers.  The harsh winter weather is behind us, the cherry blossoms are beginning to bloom, girls swap their jeans for skirts, and it’s time to start planning how you’ll enjoy every waking minute before the sweltering heat invades our city.

What better way to celebrate the disappearance of winter than checking out the National Cherry Blossom Festival?  While it officially started on March 28th, it runs until April 12th and is packed full of fun things to do, ranging from blossom tours to photo safaris to wicked awesome Japanese-themed art fashion anime parties.  Say what?  That’s right, on Friday the Pink Line Project kicks into gear again to throw a party that is sure to be the highlight of this year’s festival.  Enter stage left: Cherry Blast.

Continue reading →

Night Life, The Daily Feed, The District, WTF?!
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Kal Penn Coming to DC

Photo courtesy of
‘Kal Penn speaking at Inaugural Opening Ceremony’
courtesy of ‘JaneJGA’

Before catching 24 last night, we caught the last appearance of Kal Penn (famous for Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle) on House. As it turns out, Penn is coming to DC to work for the White House. He’ll be the associate director in the White House office of public liaison, with an office in the OEOB. Welcome to DC, Kal, we hope you love it here as much as we do.

Downtown, The Daily Feed, The District
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Meters Up! (No Joke)

Photo courtesy of
‘Renovated Museum of American History in DC’
courtesy of ‘EvinDC’

Reminder to everyone that DC parking meter rates are increasing this month, starting today. If the meter was a $1/hr, it’s going to $2/hr. All other meters are going up .25, so .50/hr meters are going to .75/hr and so on.

DDOT said they are in the process of updated all the 15,453 meters in the District to reflect the rate increases, and are expected to be updated by April 30.

The Daily Feed, The District, WTF?!
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Can I get your number?

Photo courtesy of
‘ow’
courtesy of ‘Ryan Forsythe’

I spent some extra time on the Metro this morning (left my computer at home, only to realize it once I got to my desk. ugh.) and for once, I read both the Express AND the Examiner. What caught my eye this morning was the lead story in The Examiner – staff members from some of DC’s restaurants have been committing identity fraud by taking credit card information from customers.

Timely, since I’ve recently started paying close attention to my reciepts. I’ve started regularly checking for my credit card number to be printed on the copies of my reciepts along with the expiration date, and making sure to scribble it out. I’ve noticed it in tons of places – Guajillo, Summer’s Sports Bar, to name my most recent two – but not just at restaurants – Tschiffely Pharmacy in Union Station does it too. I take the time to scratch out my numbers and expiration date, but I imagine I’m the exception.

Where have you noticed this? Do you scratch out your numbers?

The Daily Feed, The District
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More Cuts at NPR

Photo courtesy of
‘NPR Sign’
courtesy of ‘Mr. T in DC’

It’s looking like it’s grim times at DC-based National Public Radio. A letter from NPR President Vivian Schiller indicates they’re looking at a $7M deficit this year (after a draw down from reserves), and an $8M deficit next year. Anyone over the VP level is forgoing retirement contributions and pay increases of any kind this year and next, and there’ll be a two-week furlough at the end of 2009. They’re eliminating 4 senior positions, two through attrition, and two others to be determined.

It’s tough all over DC, but to see the big media organizations hurt like the newspapers do, it’s definitely concerning.

Crime & Punishment, Life in the Capital, News, The Daily Feed, The District, WTF?!
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Accepting Representation at the Point of a Gun

Photo courtesy of
‘Bang!’
courtesy of ‘Samer Farha’

There’s a hard choice on the table. The Senate will be taking up the revised legislation that would grant the District a voting Representative in the House, but would do so only if we also accepted that all of the District’s gun laws would have to come off the books for good.

The decision puts DC in between a rock and a hard place, as representation that the city has long sought is within grasp, but comes at what could be a terrible price. So, it seems we’re stuck. Compromise one principle to get access to one we’ve been long after? Or stick to your guns (uh, or lack thereof) and keep the dream of true voting perception at arms length still. It seems a bit of a Foustian bargain for the city. What are our leaders saying?
Continue reading →

The Daily Feed, The District
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Men At Work: H St. NE

Photo courtesy of
‘Cone Zone’
courtesy of ‘sandman_kk’

As those of you living in NE – like myself – know, driving or riding down H St. has been a disaster recently. The X2 commute down H that, during the daytime hours, would take roughly 7-10 minutes has slowed to 15+ of late due to ever-changing traffic patterns and construction. 

The construction is due to the on-going and much-needed three-year revamping of the H St./Benning Rd. stretch. Riding down H right now is kind of like off-roading it. 

Continue reading →

The Daily Feed, The District
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Books Set in DC

Photo courtesy of
”
courtesy of ‘erin m’

So… I read chick lit. It’s true, the sparkly pink kind, with high heels and cocktails on the front. The kinds of books my mother would call a brain snack, and I’m not afraid to admit it. As I’ve been devouring popular chick lit books lately, I’ve run across more and more set in DC – I just picked up Mindy Klasky’s Sorcery and the Single Girl and opened up the first page to find the story being set in a bakery in Georgetown.

I gobbled up both of Kristin Gore’s Sammy series books, Sammy’s Hill and Sammy’s House.  Since Kristin Gore is Al Gore’s daughter, I bought her realistic viewpoint of both DC and Capitol Hill. Rebecca Flower’s Nice To Come Home To was a fun read since I was able to imagine exactly what her shop would look like set on upper Connecticut Ave. I’ve heard interesting things about Washingtonienne, and am looking for others – thoughts, dear readers?

What book set in DC has recently tickled your fancy? When you read them, do you find them mostly accurate or is it more a loosly-based 24 In DC translation of our city?

All Politics is Local, Entertainment, The Daily Feed, The District, The Features, WMATA
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McPherson Square station closed

McPherson Square Station, by arvidbr (Creative Commons)

McPherson Square Station, by arvidbr (Creative Commons)

Update: Metro reports that the blue and orange lines are back to normal.  Just in time for the best part of rush hour.  Perhaps today isn’t so unlucky after all!

Dr. Gridlock, from the Washington Post, reported a few minutes ago that McPherson Square Metro Station is closed.  It is reported that a Blue Line train hit someone on the tracks at that station.

This means that all Blue and Orange line trains are turning around at this station.  There is “bus service” between Farragut West and Federal Triangle, but it might just be faster to walk.  No word yet on when the station will be reopened.

Food and Drink, The Daily Feed, The District, WTF?!
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It’s not “Simply Potatoes and Listeria,” Giant.

Photo courtesy of
‘Potatoes’
courtesy of ‘ChodHound’

The latest nutritional scare affects the local DC area, as Giant has recalled a series of potato products because they may contain Listeria, which can make you pretty sick. So, if you bought hash browns, potato wedges or potato slices from Giant recently, you might want to check with Giant. Of course, their Recall page only has stuff on the peanut products, so, someone’s asleep at the switch over there.

Food and Drink, Fun & Games, The Daily Feed, The District, WTF?!
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Snuggie Pub Crawl

Photo courtesy of
‘Cult snacks!’
courtesy of ‘davitydave’

Do you like dressing up like the Polyphonic Spree to go drinking? Then we’ve totally got the Pub Crawl for you. DC will play host soon to the Snuggie Pub Crawl, where you and the closest 50 of your cultist friends can get plastered while wearing a WTF Blanket. But, in all seriousness, proceeds go to charity, and you can always wear a Slanket instead, just to mess with people.

Essential DC, Life in the Capital, Special Events, The District, The Features
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DCist Exposed Opens Friday

Photo courtesy of HeatherMG
DCist Exposed 2009!, courtesy of HeatherMG

It’s that time of year again, photography lovers.  The third annual DCist Exposed Photography Show opens this Friday at the Gallery at Flashpoint.  The juried show “showcases new talent as the artists reveal the city through the eyes of the people who live and work in the DC area.”  If you haven’t been to it in past years, it’s a great chance to view some amazing photographs taken by our superb group of local photographers, many of whom submit their incredible work to our very own WLDC pool.  Continue reading →