Category Archives: Downtown

Downtown, History
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National Geographic Museum: The Etruscans – An Italian Civilization


‘Nattional Geographic – Etruscans 01 – 06-09-11’
courtesy of ‘mosley.brian’

I love history. And for me, the older the history, the more I love it. There’s something that fascinates me about seeing how the first people of a given culture tried to figure out the concept of civilization. And for the first couple of millenniums of human history the difference between civilized and true barbarism was incredibly fine. But sadly, DC doesn’t have a large selection of museums that cater to ancient history nerds like me. The Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum has an exhibit which hasn’t been updated since I was in elementary school; and Dumbarton Oaks Museum has a nice collection on the Byzantine Empire, but that is more medieval history than ancient. There isn’t much else without going to another city.

Imagine my excitement to find out that the National Geographic Museum was holding exhibit on the ancient Etruscan Civilization! For the non-history buffs out there, the Etruscan Civilization was an Italian peoples which inhabited roughly the area of modern day Tuscany (which is where we get the name). That area is, roughly speaking, bound by the Tiber River (and Rome) to the south, the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west, and the Apennine Mountains to the north and east. The Etruscans were an important culture in Italy from about 750 BC to around 500 BC, and were an significant influence on Roman culture and history. Continue reading →

Downtown, Entertainment, Interviews, Music, Special Events, The Features, The Mall, We Love Arts
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NMAI’s Indian Summer Showcase Not Just for Natives

Photo courtesy of
‘Bill Miller and Derek Miller (no relation) perform at the 2010 Indian Summer Showcase at NMAI’
courtesy of ‘bhrome’

Tomorrow afternoon, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian is hosting a free outdoor concert to kick off their yearly Indian Summer Showcase. This year, the Indian Country/Country Indian concert will feature Victoria Blackie (Navajo), Rebecca Miller (Six Nations, Canada), and Becky Hobbs (Cherokee). The concert will take place at 5 pm outside on the Welcome Plaza in front of the museum’s main entrance.

I was fortunate enough to squeeze some time from Victoria and Becky to talk about their music, their heritage, and what inspires them in their artistry.

First, there’s Victoria Blackie. Last year’s winner of the Debut Artist of the Year at the Native American Music Awards, she also performed at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. Her voice has been described as powerful with lots of soul, hearkening back to the days of Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, and other female greats of the past. And don’t let her small stature fool you (she’s 5’1”); her voice is strong enough to pull you in and versatile enough to appeal to a wide range of country enthusiasts.

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Downtown, History
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National Geographic Museum: Race to the End of the Earth

Photo courtesy of
‘National Geographic – Race Preview – 05-24-11 01’
courtesy of ‘mosley.brian’

What would you do, what would you go through, to be the first explorers to the South Pole? Would you go through months of trekking through -40F degree cold, on a strict ration of food, constantly freezing and wet, and risking death every day? If that sounds like a great time, the National Geographic has the exhibit for you!

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first men to reach the South Pole, the National Geographic Museum is hosting an exhibition entitled Race to the End of the Earth. It recounts the challenges of two explorers during their race to reach the South Pole. On a 1,800-mile journey through Antarctica in 1911, explorers Roald Amundsen of Norway and Robert Falcon Scott of Britain fought the elements and raced each other to gain the honor. The exhibit is well suited for the National Geographic, because it adds the adventure and exploration elements to a fascinating and not well known historical story.

Continue reading →

Downtown, Entertainment, Special Events, We Love Arts
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Celebrate Hawai’i at NMAI

Photo courtesy of
‘530919_Shoshone_Indians_Ft_Washakie_Wyoming_Indian_Reservation_and_
The_National_Museum_of_the_American_Indian’
courtesy of ‘whonew’

Kicking off last night at the National Museum of the American Indian is a special exhibit about our 50th state, Hawai’i. The exhibition, “This IS Hawai’i” is a collaboration between NMAI and Transformer, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit visual arts organization. Together, they present a multisite exhibition featuring new and experimental works of art that explore what it means to be Hawaiian in the 21st century. The artwork includes sculpture, action figures, drawings, an interactive website and a fictional work titled “Post-Historic Museum of the Possible Aboriginal Hawaiian.” The work of Maika’i Tubbs will be presented at Transformer, opening day Saturday, May 21, and the work of Solomon Enos and Carl F. K. Pao will be presented at the NMAI’s Sealaska Gallery, with artist Puni Kukahiko’s outdoor sculptures presented at both sites. The exhibition is presented in tandem with the museum’s annual Hawai’i Festival, which is this weekend.

There are other events planned around this exhibit through Memorial Day weekend, including the museum’s popular Dinner and a Movie, live performances, a fellowship dance, and interactive discussions. All of the events are free at the museum.

Continue reading →

Downtown, Education, Special Events, The Features, We Love Arts
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National Geographic Live: May 2011

©Sunny Khalsa; courtesy National Geographic

May winds down the Spring 2011 National Geographic Live series of programs. If you’re looking for something to do in the evenings, we highly suggest you check out some of their offerings this season. And to provide further incentive, we are providing two lucky readers with a pair of tickets to an event of their choice this coming month!

To enter the drawing, simply comment below using your first name and a legit email address, listing the two events from the following program list you’d like to attend. (Note that there is one event not eligible and we’ve noted it for you.) Sometime after noon on Wednesday (May 4) we’ll randomly select two winners to receive a pair of tickets (each) to one of their selections.

(For ticket information, visit online or call the box office at (800) 647-5463.)

Music On…Photography Moby ($18) (SOLD OUT)
May 9, 7:30 pm
Moby has sold more than 20 million albums worldwide, played over 3,000 concerts in his career, and has had his music included in hundreds of films, such as Heat and The Beach. He has been taking photographs for as long as he’s been making music. See his riveting images and be among the first to learn about his much-anticipated new project.

Continue reading →

Downtown, Food and Drink, The Features
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Sneak Preview of PAUL

Photo courtesy of
‘PAUL Bakery’
courtesy of ‘bonappetitfoodie’

Ask a Washingtonian if there’s a good place to get bread in the city and you’ll get an earful. I’m not about to debate our city’s carbohydrate merits. Rather, I want to talk about the opening of PAUL, a new bread shop and bakery that might be the one to raise the bar for bread in DC.

PAUL already has more than 450 bakeries elsewhere in the world (mostly in Europe), and so at first I was a little nervous about a “chain” bakery opening their first U.S. store in DC. What I found though was a bakery with a rich history, dedicated people behind it and quite frankly, fantastic bread.
Continue reading →

Downtown, Food and Drink
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Seasonal Cocktails at POV

Photo: Daniel Swartz for W Washington DC

I need to write this sentence: Warm weather whistle-whetters await at the W. Now, that out of the way, we can talk about some drinks.

The terrace of POV at the W is stunning and the perfect spot for a drink on a warm, pleasant evening. It was on just such a lovely evening this week that I was invited by the hotel to sample their spring and summer seasonal cocktails – and was delighted by several of the offerings as well as the setting. Continue reading →

Downtown, Education, Entertainment, Special Events, The Features, We Love Arts
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National Geographic Live: April 2011

Hidden Alaska, ©Michael Melford; used with permission by National Geographic

April brings another full month of programs at NatGeo for their popular National Geographic Live! series. If you’re looking for something to do in the evenings, we highly suggest you check out some of their offerings this season. And to provide further incentive, we are providing two lucky readers with a pair of tickets to an event of their choice this coming month!

To enter the drawing, simply comment below using your first name and a legit email address, listing the two events from the following program list you’d like to attend. (Note that there is one event not eligible and we’ve noted it for you.) Sometime after noon on Friday (April 1) we’ll randomly select two winners to receive a pair of tickets (each) to one of their selections. You’ve got until 11 am on Friday to enter!

(For ticket information, visit online or call the box office at (800) 647-5463.)

Hidden Alaska ($18)
April 5, 7:30 pm
Michael Melford, veteran National Geographic photographer, has documented some of the world’s most pristine places. For a magazine story and new National Geographic book Hidden Alaska, he traveled to Bristol Bay, Alaska—both an important salmon breeding ground and location of enormous copper and gold deposits—where residents are being forced to choose between incompatible futures.
Continue reading →

Downtown, Entertainment, Essential DC, Interviews, People, Special Events, The Features, They Make DC
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As Blossoms Arrive, a Moment with Diana Mayhew

DSC_2585

The National Cherry Blossom Festival kicks off tomorrow, commemorating Japan’s gift of 3,000 Yoshino cherry trees to the city 99 years ago. The Festival is a grand two-week affair that draws over a million people annually, with a diverse range of events all across the District.

Key to the success of this yearly event for the last decade has been NCBF President Diana Mayhew, who took over the helm in 2000 as Executive Director and then in 2007 as President. When she arrived, the Festival was an all-volunteer organization (begun in 1927) and its vision was to ensure that there was year-round, consistent staffing to ensure the growth, quality, and consistency of events. “We also help show the world that Washington, DC is synonymous with spring,” Mayhew told me. “There was a need to provide consistent services to residents and visitors interested in attending Festival events and there was no central communication.” The Downtown DC Business Improvement District (BID) donated the salary of an Executive Director for three years until the Festival got up on its feet, implementing fundraising and sponsorships to support itself and the cost of programming, which is offered free to the public.

Continue reading →

Adventures, Business and Money, Downtown, Entertainment, Fun & Games, The Features
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Playing in the District: Labyrinth Game Shop

DSC_9074

It’s a rare event when a few of my mutual interests collide these days. Happily, my WeLoveDC self collided with my gamer self earlier this month when I managed to make it out to the grand opening of Labyrinth Games in downtown DC. Specifically, right near Eastern Market in Southeast.

Typically today, if you mention “game store” to someone, you’ll most likely get a response directing you to the nearest Game Stop or Toys ‘R Us. That’s because most people tend to think of games in one of two ways – on a console system or other electronic device, or one of those popular box games you find stashed on a shelf in one of the superstore retailers. While that’s just fine and dandy for those looking for the latest release of Madden Eleventy-one or the newest “collector’s edition” of Monopoly, such stores lack the breadth and character of a dedicated game store retailer. And such a store is a rare gem, when one can find it. Especially if they’re independently owned and operated.

Fortunately, DC has finally received such a gem. Continue reading →

Adventures, Business and Money, Downtown, Entertainment, Essential DC, Fun & Games, Life in the Capital, People, Special Events, The Daily Feed, The District
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Freeze Your Nuts Off With Capital Bikeshare

Photo courtesy of
‘Ready, set, go?’
courtesy of ‘fromcaliw/love’

In an effort to keep ridership up during the frigid winter months, Capital Bikeshare is holding a two-month long biking competition starting January 1, 2011. The crux of the competition is to crown the area’s Winter Weather Warrior (aka: the participating member who makes the most trips by February 28,) and then handsomely rewarded he/she with the below prizes:

  • A free, three year extension of their membership
  • Two free annual memberships to give out to friends or family
  • A $100 gift card to Hudson Trail
  • A $25 gift card to Starbucks

In addition to the Winter Weather Warrior, Capital Bikeshare will award the  Long Haul Rider (member taking the most trips on Capital Bikeshare over 3 miles) and the Most Saddle Time (member with the most time spent on Capital Bikeshare) awards in both January and February.

To sign up for the contest you 1) have to be bloody nuts, it’s cold out there, 2) have to be a Capital Bikeshare member and 3) have to sign up to participate.

Downtown, Entertainment, Special Events, The Features, We Love Arts
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We Love Arts: The Nutcracker

Students of The Washington School of Ballet in Septime Webre's The Nutcracker. Photo by Stephen Baranovics (2009).

I’ve always thought of The Nutcracker as the gateway drug for ballet. It hooks you when you’re young, all candy confection and delicacy, with just enough undercurrent of budding sensuality and danger to appeal. Once smitten by the Sugar Plum Fairy and her tasty treats, it’s only a matter of time before The Red Shoes are dancing you unwillingly to the train tracks, or the Black Swan is bewitching you to your doom.

Okay, that’s a bit much! But I was reared on the filmed version of Baryshnikov’s magical American Ballet Theatre production, before I knew the sad backstory of Gelsey Kirkland, before my beloved ballet teacher damned my dreams of being a baby ballerina with the exasperated sigh, “She simply has no turnout.” I can still hum Tchaikovsky’s score almost in entirety. So yes, even a lovely children’s dream ballet like The Nutcracker can bring me to tears.

Septime Webre’s version for the Washington Ballet and its school, playing at the Warner Theater now through December 26, is a local holiday tradition that I experienced for the first time this year. The audience was a mix of nostalgic adults like me, and children brought to experience that heady gateway drug. The visual aspect of the production is perfect – the traditional story of Clara and her Nutcracker Prince, their battle against the wicked Rat King and their trip to the fairy kingdom, lovingly portrayed against the backdrop of Victorian Washington with relatively uncomplicated choreography well executed by a multigenerational cast of talented dancers. It’s a great introduction to the joys of ballet.

Except for one flaw. A flaw that breaks my heart, for what is says about the future of live performance and an art form that struggles to survive in economic distress.

Taped music. Continue reading →

Downtown
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We Love Presents: A District Holiday Gift Guide

Photo courtesy of
”
courtesy of ‘erin m’

Hanukkah is well under way and Christmas is in three weeks, which means that the annual shopping spree of the Holiday Gifting Season is upon us. That also means it is a great opportunity to get out and support the local economy and community by spending your gift dollar with local shops, makers, and other small businesses.

To give you some inspiration, I asked a few women I trust to share their insights about what they plan to give – and what a few of them hope to get – this holiday season:

Kelly Muccio, Owner & Founder of Lost Boys:
Kelly offered two suggestions for gifts for the men on your list which you can find at her lovely menswear shop. There is the Rogan Drift Jacket in Black, “your double-duty blazer,” as she calls it. “Wear it out around town or as your edgy alternative to a status-quo two-button blazer.” She also recommends SeaVees Trail Boots in Walnut, “A trail boot for the street. An American take on the Japanese cult favorite.”
Continue reading →

Adventures, Downtown, Entertainment, Essential DC, Fun & Games, History, Life in the Capital, Special Events, The Daily Feed, The Great Outdoors
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Washington Walks: Haunted House Tour

Photo courtesy of
‘Spooky’
courtesy of ‘kimberlyfaye’

Running every night through October 31st, Washington Walks is hosting spooktacular tours of the haunted pasts surrounding Lafayette Park.  Hear tales about the eerie navy hero Stephen Decatur, the foreboding pasts of Henry Adams and his troubled wife Clover, and relive the night of April 14, 1865 when the grim reaper stalked Abraham Lincoln. The tour ends at the most haunted home in the city, the Octagon Museum. That is…if you make it through the entire tour…MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Cue Vincent Price.

Be at the 17th Street exit of the Farragut West Metro station at 7:30pm, and for $15 you’ll get a two hour long, insiders look into the ghosts and spirits that haunt downtown DC.

Downtown, Entertainment, Fun & Games, Penn Quarter, Special Events, The Features, The Mall, We Love Arts
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October’s Best at SAAM & NMAI

Derek A. Bencomo, Hana Valley, First View from the Peaks and Valleys Series, 1997, milowood, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Fleur and Charles Bresler in honor of Kenneth R. Trapp, curator-in-charge of the Renwick Gallery (1995--2003); photo courtesy Smithsonian American Art Museum

Some great stuff’s going on this month at the Smithsonian’s American Art Museum (SAAM) and the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI). While there’s a ton of events and exhibits happening at both locations, I’ve highlighted some of the more interesting things you may want to check out. Got a free afternoon or in need of some weekend inspiration this month? Well, there’s something here for everyone.

Continue reading →

Downtown, Fun & Games, Special Events, The Features
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Geckos: The New Cuteness?

Photo courtesy of
‘DSC_0015’
courtesy of ‘RomeTheWorld’

Opening today and running through the first week of January is a new exhibit at National Geographic. “Geckos: Tails to Toepads” features just over 15 species of live geckos of different colors, stripes, shapes, and sizes. While there are also interactive displays and a kids-oriented area, the main attraction are the self-contained terrarium-style displays with all sorts of geckos.

Some of them are pretty tough to spot, like the Satanic Leaf-tail Gecko. (There are four in the enclosure, of which I found only two.) Some are pretty “obvious” geckos, similar in appearance to the animated one on television shilling insurance. And some are just downright ugly. But all in all, they are fascinating to watch and most (if not all) are pretty darn cute – for a reptile.

Continue reading →

Downtown, Entertainment, Media, Penn Quarter, Special Events, The District, We Love Arts
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September at SAAM

Photo courtesy of
‘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.

Continue reading →

All Politics is Local, Downtown, Fun & Games, Media, People, The Daily Feed, The Mall
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Restoring Truthiness

Photo courtesy of
‘Stephen’
courtesy of ‘BrianMKA’

There is a movement afoot to bring a demonstration to DC that will actually be awesome. A movement determined to bring Stephen Colbert to the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to call America back to it’s core values, namely truthiness. This movement is gaining traction but is still in its infancy. But I’m spreading the word.  I want this vision to become a reality. Join your voices with the literally dozens of other patriots calling for Stephen Colbert to call us back to our roots.  Maybe if you tweet something awesome, it will end up on the Report.

PS: Colbert Nation, if this rally actually happens, pick up your trash.

All Politics is Local, Downtown, Essential DC, Life in the Capital, News, People, The District, The Features, WTF?!
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And For Mayor, We Endorse…

Photo courtesy of
‘Mayoralty elections (LOC)’
courtesy of ‘The Library of Congress’

As the countdown to voting day continues, many have asked us here at WeLoveDC just who we’re going to endorse for Mayor of the District. We’ve had a long and exhausting debate on our author email list, and quite frankly, we couldn’t come up with a unanimous choice, much less a majority decision. So instead, we decided to offer up our own endorsements for mayor, in our own words.

You may be surprised at who we picked. Continue reading →

Downtown, Essential DC, Life in the Capital, News, People, Special Events, The District, The Features, The Mall
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DC: We Are More Than What Others Say We Are

Fire and Ice
‘Fire and Ice’
courtesy of ‘bhrome’

To the Tea Party tourists visiting this weekend:

We’d like to welcome you to the nation’s capital.

Please note that despite some serious misunderstanding and outrageous assumptions made beyond the Beltway, DC really is a safe city to visit. We do recommend, however, that you just avoid Baltimore completely. Think of it as our certifiably insane sibling to the north, with delusions of class. (And yes, I am kidding. We DCites do have a sense of humor, especially at Baltimore’s expense. And Philadelphia’s.)

Despite some ramblings of various cantankerous individuals, the District does have a lot to offer you on your visit. We bust a lot of myths about our fair city here on this site; please take a moment to see if we’ve answered any of the ones you’ve heard. We also showcase a lot of amazing arts, theater, restaurants, individuals, and other great things about the DC area here; I invite you to check out what else lies beyond the Mall and maybe sample some of our wares. Continue reading →