By Rebecca
If Halloween is this weekend, then that means only one thing. The 2010 DC Drag Queen Race is this Tuesday. The race starts at 9pm, but crowds begin to form along 17th Street around 6pm and the show/parade/pageantry starts around 7pm. Definitely an event a must-go-to DC event.
Museum of Unnatural History / Photo by author
Entering the new Museum of Unnatural History is like stepping into a hybrid realm of Harry Potter and the Old Curiosity Shop. An “homage to fictional scientists,” the small space is crammed with whimsical, highly entertaining “artifacts,” including Saber Tooth Dental Floss, Unicorn Burps and a plaque of the World’s Best Noses. If Darwin had explored Narnia and not the Galapagos, this is what his treasure-stuffed study might have looked like.
The Museum is the wacky retail storefront of 826DC, the local chapter of the national writing center founded by bestselling author Dave Eggers. 826DC began its life in 2008 as Capitol Letters Writing Center, and officially joined with 826 in February 2010. The new space, located on Columbia Heights Plaza, provides a permanent home for the non-profit, which aims to enhance the creative and expository writing skills of District students. Until now, the organization has operated out of coffee shops, libraries, schools, and wherever else volunteers could scrounge up space. Although the majority of 826’s writing workshops will continue to take place in classrooms, the Columbia Heights location — which officially opens tomorrow — offers a fixed spot for after-school tutoring, field trips and evening and weekend writing workshops.
By Rebecca
‘Group Shot’
courtesy of ‘DDFic’
Washington DC’s very own Celtic punk-rock band Scythian, pronounced (sith-ee-yin), which usually haunts Fado’s in Chinatown, will take their high-energy, adrenaline-peddling, interactive brand of music to the 9:30 Club on December 4th. The $15 general admission show will also feature Canadian world Celtic rock band, Enter The Haggis (I love the name and I love me some haggis).
The Washington Post says, “Scythian’s enthusiasm is contagious, and shows seem to end with everyone dancing, jumping around, or hoisting glasses.” And with the 9:30 Club’s draft list which includes Bass, Guiness, Newcastle and Smithwick’s, this sounds like a ripe ‘ol good time to me. Cheers!
By Rebecca
This past Tuesday night at the Verizon Center, the Reston Raiders (from none other than Reston, VA) took park in the “Mites on Ice” inter-squad scrimmage during a Caps game intermission. While “Mites on Ice” is regular entertainment at Caps and other NHL games, the Raiders’ goal celebration was completely new.
Apparently, in trying to psyche the kiddies up for the game, Caps staffers suggested the players do never-before-seen celebrations, like a snow angel. Then someone mentioned a game puck and the kids magically inferred that whoever was first to do an snow angel after a goal would get the puck. So every kid was hyper-focused on being the first to flop to the ice and flap their arms and legs after the goal. One kid was so aggressive he even did a face down snow angel. Fortunately, the Caps rock and each player received a puck for their celebration efforts.
Now the only question left is whether Ovechkin will pull out the snow angel after his next goal. I’d love to see that.
By Tom Bridge
Photo courtesy of DCPS
Yesterday afternoon, we had the chance to sit down with DCPS Interim Superintendent Kaya Henderson to talk about her new position within the school system, what she loves about DC, and what her goals are as the new interim superintendent of the city schools.
You graduated from Georgetown, you have a bachelors in foreign service, in diplomacy if you will, when did you decide that Education was what you were looking for?
Kaya: When I went to Georgetown, I thought like most folks in the school of foreign service, I wanted to change the world. The world being a big place, I had traveled a ton when I was growing up and I was fascinated by what was going on in lots of other places in the world. In the course of my four years, as my friends were headed off to farflung places to help other people, it became pretty clear to me that there was something weird about going to Latin America or Africa or Asia to help other people, I felt there were significant needs here.
By Rebecca
Ladies, ladies, ladies. I realize we have a lot of necessary things we need to take with us to work. Makeup, laptops, mobile devices, gym clothes, chapstick, tampons, pens, epically large wallets filled with receipts and old college IDs…but just because society has leadened us with this burden, doesn’t mean our ridiculously large handbags are entitled to their very own seat on the bus or metro.
We (or rather you) may have paid Balenciaga or Hermes $3,000+ for your non-water proof, leather handbag, but WMATA didn’t get a dime for that, so either put it on your lap or suck it up and put it on the floor.
By Rebecca
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courtesy of ‘Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie’
Vox Populi has conducted an unofficial survey of those sad, sad people waiting in line at Georgetown Cupcake through hail, sleet, humidity, blazing heat, etc. The poll gives us an inside peak into the GC shopper political affiliations, average wait times, where GC shoppers are from, are they repeat visitors and how did they hear from GC. Unsurprisingly, the vast majority of GC visitors were first timers and they had not heard of Baked & Wired :(
By Rebecca
‘PEYTON- Infinity Cowl Olive Green Brass Buttons’
courtesy of ‘smittenkittenorig’
After close to a decade of business on P Street, the Proper Topper’s Georgetown shop will be closing its doors on October 31st. Fear not, the billowy blouses, floral dresses and chic hats will still be available at Proper’s Dupont shop. To lighten their consolidating shop load, the store is hosting a “Wrap-It-Up” sale starting this Saturday with discounts going up as the closing time approaches. Additionally, this Sunday the shop will host the (rescheduled) Proper Swapper, where attendees can swap clothes, eat treats and help raise funds for Martha’s Table.
By Rebecca
Alright, so when Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings roll around, maybe going to a dance performance isn’t the first activity that pops into our heads. However, this weekend with the 2nd annual VelocityDC Dance Festival at the Shakespeare Theater, it should be.
The premise of the festival is simple: showcase the amazing, often unknown, talents within the local DC dance community and make the performance accessible to everyone in DC by pricing tickets at an affordable price ($18). Peter DiMuro of Dance/MetroDC and festival organizer credits Fall for Dance as the inspiration for the festival and hopes that “by showing several companies at once, we show the local area community how great the Dance scene in DC is and hopefully get them out to other performances.”
VelocityDC isn’t your typical, Kennedy Center dance performance with two acts, an intermission and a gray haired, crushed velvet clad, dozing off audience. Continue reading
By Rebecca
Zozo: International Walk to School Day! from Streetfilms on Vimeo.
Perhaps on your commute today you noticed an increase in the level of munchkins and parents walking around the city. That’s because today is National & International Walk Your Child to School Day.
Beginning in 1997, the Partnership for a Walkable America sponsored the first National Walk Our Children to School Day in Chicago, modeled after the United Kingdom’s lead. The event’s mission was simply a day to bring community leaders and children together to create awareness of the need for communities to be walkable.
In 2010, the event has gone completely global and it’s goals have slightly expanded: To Create Safe Routes, To Engage Kids of All Abilities, To Enhance the Health of Kids and To Improve The Environment.
By Rebecca
‘How Smart is that phone’
courtesy of ‘Photos by Chip Py’
The Woodrow Wilson House has put together a cell phone audio tour of historic Embassy Row. Narrated by Cokie Roberts, the tour gives listeners an inside look at the history and cultural of this fabulous stretch of Northwest DC, where diplomats, historic figures, residents, and most likely many, many spies live and work.
Highlighted sites include: the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia, the Residence of the Ambassador of Turkey, The Islamic Center, Charles C. Glover Memorial Bridge and more.
To take the tour, stop by the Woodrow Wilson House to pick up the pocket guide and don’t forget to bring your cell phone! You can also download a free podcast version of the audio tour at www.embassyrowtour.org.
‘Judith Viorst at National Book Festival’
courtesy of ‘tiffany bridge’
Last week was not my best. My car was broken into. I paid the DMV $125, courtesy of a speeding ticket I earned on my way to an ill-fated meeting. I got a fat lip, and the vending machine in my building ran out of frosted Pop-Tarts. It was, by all accounts, a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad week.
But all bad days — and weeks — come to an end. Saturday dawned much brighter, and I set off to the National Book Festival to meet children’s author (and personal hero) Judith Viorst. One of Washington’s leading literary figures, Mrs. Viorst immediately made me forget my recent string of bad luck. Chances are, one of her books has helped brighten one or two of your days as well.
After all, Mrs. Viorst authored the iconic children’s book Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Published in 1972, it has sold over two million copies, and ranks as one of the most famous and best loved picture books of all time. It has taught generations of children that rotten days happen no matter who you are, or where you live. It also suggests that while Lady Luck can be cruel, the tides of fortune change. The gum you woke up with in your hair can be removed with ice or peanut butter. The hated pajamas you must wear to bed will get dirty; you’ll get to wear your favorite pair tomorrow night. Windshields can be fixed, and vending machines are restocked. With the end of every bad day comes the potential for a great one.
By Rebecca
‘an entity’
courtesy of ‘romana klee’
Andy Keller, known to many as the “Bag Monster” is bringing his 500 – 700 plastic bag suit and plastic bag display to DC today. If you caught Andy when he visited DC on September 6th, then you already know that Keller’s suit represents the amount of plastic bags the average American uses in a year and the rest of his display, 45,000 plastic bags, a single person’s lifetime consumption of bags. Keller’s goal is to educate communities about the harms of single-use bags, and while DC’s bag tax has helped diminish bag consumption, we’ve still got a ways to go.
If you spot the bag monster, send us a tweet @welovedc with his location.
By Rebecca
‘Roller Girls’
courtesy of ‘Edward Hoover’
On Saturday, October 2nd, the DC Rollergirls kick off their 2010 season with the Cherry Blossom Bombshells taking on the DC Demoncats at 4pm. For those of you who haven’t yet experienced some girl-on-girl rollerderby action, what the heck are you waiting for?!!
There’s campy player names (Miso Knotty, Ridin Dirty, Ovary Action, Marion Barracuda, etc.,) full-contact rules, high levels of athleticism, intense amounts of strategic action, the possibility of being tackled by a rollergirl if you stand near the sidelines and, the kicker, no beer lines (FYI: it’s cash only). Oh, the matches are kid friendly as well, so bring the little tikes with you!
By Rebecca
‘Georgetown v. Villanova basketball – 2’
courtesy of ‘Aaron Webb’
FoxNews has published a list of the Top 15 Most Dangerous College Mascots and the slobbering, cute furball pictured above (aka: Georgetown’s “Jack The Bulldog) has made the list. Fortunately, he’s in good company with fellow bulldog comrade, the University of Georgia’s smushball “Uga.” What actually qualifies Jack and Uga for the list is unknown as the news agency didn’t outline the criteria or list methodology.
Personally, I can think of a lot of other “mascots” that are more dangerous than the animals on this list; they generally tend to involve college students dressed up as mascots. Human decision making, especially college student decision making, is a hell of a thing.
By Dave Stroup
‘H Street NE DC Flag’
courtesy of ‘Mr. T in DC’
OK folks, we’re here. Primary Day is tomorrow, and soon the votes will be counted and this will all be over. It has been a pleasure covering these races, and trying to give readers the best information possible about the candidates. This final Campaign Notebook will serve as a basic assessment of each race and what to expect tomorrow. As always, we urge all our readers who live in the District to go to the polls and vote. There’s a lot of predictions and analysis in here, so let’s get to it. Continue reading
By Rebecca
Along with taking over the Blue Bus Dupont to Rosslyn Route, the DC Circulator has decided to get all techie on us with the roll out of QR codes. Recently, I noticed these bar code-esque additions (located near the bus exits) on my daily commute and I was, naturally, curious. Where would the code take me and my smartphone? Turns out the location it’s too exciting, it’s a quickie “how are we doing” customer service form. However, it did open my eyes to the super mobile and user friendly “Where is My Bus? For DC Circulator” app that covers all the various DC Circulator routes and schedules. Super useful.
By Ben H. Rome
‘Kogod Courtyard’
courtesy of ‘BrianMKA’
So now that the tourists are (mostly) gone, time to get out and hit our various museums and their great programs and exhibitions! There’s a lot going on this month at the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) and we’re going to run down the list for you. Programs are free and open to the public unless otherwise indicated; the SAAM is located in Penn Quarter at 8th and G Streets, NW. Note that some programs are at the Renwick Gallery at 17th and Pennsylvania and are noted accordingly.
Intersections/Intersecciones (Sept. 10, 6:30 p.m.)
Artists Kathy Vargas, María Martínez-Cañas, and Martina López discuss the intersection of Latino culture and gender identity in their work. Moderated by Muriel Hasbun, associate professor of fine art photography at the Corcoran College of Art + Design. No tickets required; seating available in McEvoy Auditorium on a first-come, first-served basis.
Art à la Cart (Sept. 12, Noon – 3 p.m.)
Travel throughout the galleries to find interactive carts where kids can handle brushes, palettes, bison hide, bottle caps, and quilt squares. Ages 7-12. Pick up your Art à la Cart map and passport at information desks located in the F Street and G Street lobbies.
By Tom Bridge
It’s not every day you catch a NASCAR driver burning rubber on Vermont Avenue just a block from the White House. Today, as part of an event to promote the Post-9/11 GI Bill, 71-car driver Landon Cassill got to do a burnout in front of the Veterans’ Administration building on Vermont Ave. The 71-car will feature ads for the Post-9/11 GI Bill’s My Story campaign, focused on demonstrating the benefits of the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
Personally, I love that they added this to the road-tattoo block of Vermont, almost as a “signature” to the previous “art” that was put there.
By Dave Stroup
‘Polling Place Sign’
courtesy of ‘moonShadows7’
Well, we’re down to the wire here. Early voting has started. Also, this is the first week where there has been a significant change in outlook, and that’s a bad thing for the guy on the wrong end. There are only eleven days left until the primary, and Mayor Adrian Fenty is facing a double-digit deficit in the polls. Can he recover in time? Well, let’s get down to the nitty gritty. Continue reading
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