Category Archives: Essential DC

Essential DC, Talkin' Transit, The Features, WMATA
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Talkin’ Transit: Stop-Gaps and Cuts

Photo courtesy of
‘CSC_1718’, courtesy of ‘Ghost_Bear’

By now, everyone has heard (or is aware) that WMATA has a $29M gap in their budget to fill. And soon. Early suggestions by some parties (coughGrahamcough) was to use part of the $200M bailout money to fill the gap. Which is a stupid idea. And most board members agreed; that idea got tossed last week. (I’m glad there’s some actual common sense being demonstrated now over in Metro’s HQ; use the stimulus money for the listed projects originally put forth. It’s not a magic piggy-bank to use for stop-gaps.)

So what does WMATA do? Michael Perkins over at GGW gave a great rundown of the four options that Metro really has at this point. Probably one of the most controversial to many is the option of cutting services. Yet Metro seems to be holding this one option at arm’s length. It’s very much a hot-button topic for commuters, because no matter what Metro decides to cut (if at all this year), some people will be unhappy.

So let’s pretend you’re Catoe & Co: What services, routes or other Metro minutia would you cut in order to help bridge that gap? We’ll assume that the most obvious and best option – jurisdictional subsidy increases – isn’t viable and that Metro’s only option now is to cut down services and / or increase fares. What do you do? What’s most fair to you? Continue reading →

Downtown, Essential DC, Food and Drink, We Love Food
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We Love Food: Georgia Brown’s

Photo courtesy of
‘Smothered Fried Chicken’
courtesy of ‘Sabine01’

I’m a southern girl, I think I’ve made that abundantly clear on this blog. (Also, while we’re at it, let me just say, UNC is going to PWN you during March Madness, everyone. But I digress…) So what southern girl can’t love some Georgia Brown’s? A few friends and I headed there during my favorite week of the year, restaurant week, and were treated to some down-home food. I’ve been raised on southern cooking like Crook’s Corner and Mert’s Heart and Soul, so I was dying to find out if Georgia Brown’s lives up to it’s famous truly southern brethren.

I’m all about bread, I think I’ve also made that clear on this blog. If you start me off with some crappy bread, I’m going to be sad. It’s like a warm up jog before the workout, I need the bread starter to shine for me, gear me up for the meal to come. And boy, did Georgia Browns give me a run for my money. They sent out biscuts and corn bread and I’m not just warming up, I’m basically working out. They dished up biscuts with peach butter and corn bread – fresh, with actual corn in it. (Insert heavenly angelic aaaaah noise here!) Now that’s a way to start a meal. So I was sold right then and there, in my mind, there’s little you can do wrong after some biscuts and sweet butter… or is there? Continue reading →

Essential DC, The Daily Feed, WMATA
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Metro Tops Google

Photo courtesy of
‘camera bag on shoulder tripod’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’

Kudos to Michael Perkins over at Greater Greater Washington: from his efforts and many, many other Metro riders, WMATA is finally going to release schedule and routing info into the open Google Transit Feed Specification format by March 23. They announced this last night at the DC Council oversight hearing for WMATA.

According to WMATA’s Facebook page, we the public will be able to download bus and rail schedule and route info from Metro’s website. The data will be freely available to all who agree to their terms of use. The data released will be the exact same data that feeds Metro’s online Trip Planner…and Metro reserves the right to withdraw the data if necessary.

So in the end, this “punt” by Catoe and Co is actually better than the failed Google deal, as this allows anyone to use that data. Who knows, maybe we’ll see a Facebook application utilizing it in the future…

Downtown, Essential DC, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Cherry Blossoms A-Coming!

Blossoms

They’re coming! According to the just-held National Cherry Blossom Festival press conference this morning, the expected ‘bloom date’ is going to be…

April 3 through April 9! Keep in mind this is when 70 percent of the blossoms of the Yoshino Cherry  trees that surround the Tidal Basin are open.

Admit it, you all have been waiting for this. (Just like me.) And don’t forget that the actual Festival this year runs from March 28 through April 12, so remember to take lots of photos and drop them into our Flickr pool!

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 →

All Politics is Local, Business and Money, Crime & Punishment, Downtown, Essential DC, Life in the Capital, The Daily Feed, The Great Outdoors, WTF?!
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D.C. Parking Injustice – Tow Me… Blow Me…


Law enforcement scofflaws
Originally uploaded by philliefan99

Did you hear me Mr. Fenty and Ms. Babers? D.C.’s quest to now emulate Chicago with the new administration has reached new lows. As the Democrats and Obama administration have been touting friendliness to green technologies, smart transportation alternatives, and conservation, the city they now hold a majority in,  took a TWELVEFOLD step backwards. I had created the D.C. Motorcycle parking map of the Metro region to help those folks on two wheels track down ever vanishing spots (one set is in center court in the Verizon Center… how convenient), and since most garages do not allow motorcycles in, it’s necessary. Over this past weekend, the D.C. Parking Authority (aka, the D.C. DMV) cranked up the rates without warning for the motorcycle spots to be commensurate with the rates for cars (or even more so), from 12 hour meters which were 25 cents for an hour and 24 minutes, to now 7 minutes per quarter… a loss of 77 minutes 92% of your parking value… WTF?! It shocked most folks parking on the G Street meters (which until the beginning of last year were free) on the west side of the Old Executive Office Building so much, that today, EVERY bike has decided not to pay. Seriously D.C., are you trying to discourage smart commuting?

Continue reading →

Essential DC, Life in the Capital, Talkin' Transit, The Features
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Talkin’ Transit: Rules of the Road

Photo courtesy of
‘follow your path’ courtesy of ‘philliefan99’

There’s lots of news everywhere regarding Metro and Inaugupocalypse, so I don’t see a need to rehash all that here. Instead, I’ve been intrigued with a lot of referencing lately to cycling in the District, especially as an alternate form of travel. I was thinking it might be a good idea to run down some of the rules and guidelines for biking in the District, for both cyclists and drivers to remember.

The “golden rule” to keep in mind? Cyclists traveling on roadways have all the general rights and duties of drivers of vehicles. This is true for the entire region, not just the District. Continue reading →

Essential DC, The Features
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Thrifty District: New Year’s Resolution Edition

biker on mt. vernon trail

We’re into the depths of New Year’s resolution season and one of the most typical resolutions of the season is losing weight. And since our economy is in the crapper (oh you didn’t know?) I figured I could pair our continuing series, Thrifty District with everyone’s favorite New Year’s resolution and give you some tips on how to lose weight in 2009, while still maintaining a budget. I’ve got some cheaper alternatives to the gym (and great places to get gym time for free!), cheap yet healthy foods to eat recommended by nutritionist Danielle Omar, and some great places to find healthy recipes online (you know, so you don’t have to spend money on cookbooks!). Continue reading →

Essential DC, History, Interviews, People
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He Loves DC: Peter Earnest (Part 2)

Photo courtesy of Me
Peter Earnest, courtesy of Me

Last week, we introduced you to the Executive Director of the International Spy Museum, Peter Earnest. He sat down with me back before Thanksgiving; we talked for quite a while covering both his personal observations and his professional opinions on the Washington DC area.

Before we continue with the rest of the interview, I need to point out that Peter can be an extremely funny guy. If you doubt, witness the two-part episode that aired about a month ago on Stephen Colbert’s show, specifically the “Fallback Position” segment he does periodically. He did two segments with Peter, an interview and a look at some items in the museum proper. If you’ve not seen them, you must. (Each segment is about six minutes long.) Don’t worry, we’ll still be here when you get back.

Ok, on with our conversation! We cover everything from public perception on espionage to cabbies to people; find out what Peter had to say after the jump. Continue reading →

Essential DC, Life in the Capital, Weekend Flashback
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Weekend Flashback: 12/12 – 12/14

Photo courtesy of jjgardner3
nclud Holiday Party, courtesy of jjgardner3

Crazy-beautiful weekend, with cold temps to remind us what month we’re in, and a clear blue sky yesterday that made you ignore said cold.

We’re halfway through the holiday season; have you thought about entering our first Holiday Photo Contest? I’ve put up a couple of the entries we’ve seen so far in the flickr pool; hope these inspire you to get out there and take your own photos to enter – just don’t get into any fights, okay?

A weekend medley after the jump. Continue reading →

Downtown, Essential DC, History, Monumental
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Monumental: U.S. Navy Memorial

DSC_1261

Architect Pierre L’Enfant envisioned a memorial in the capital to “celebrate the first rise of the Navy and consecrate its progress and achievements.” However, it never took shape until 1980 when Rear Admiral William Thompson, USN (Ret.) received blessing from Congress to construct a Navy Memorial on public land.

The Memorial Foundation, formed in 1977 by Admiral Arleigh Burke and other Navy colleagues, selected Market Square – across the street from the National Archives – as the site of the memorial. Construction started in 1985 and was officially dedicated on October 13, 1987, the 212th birthday of the US Navy.

There are two parts to the Navy Memorial, the public plaza and the Naval Heritage Center, which occupies one of the two buildings that flank the memorial. Just inside the entrance is a sculpture by Stanley Bleifeld, The Homecoming. The Center caters to building personal links between naval service personnel, both veterans and active-duty, and their families.

Continue reading →

Adventures, Downtown, Entertainment, Essential DC, Fun & Games, Life in the Capital, Special Events
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DC Loves the Holidays

Photo courtesy of FredoAlvarez
Union Station Wreaths, courtesy of FredoAlvarez

Ok, I confess.

My initial intent with doing a “Holiday Happenings” article was to hit the majority of the cool stuff happening in the area. But as I did more and more research, the more amazed (and flummoxed) I became with the sheer volume of cool holiday stuff to do around here.

This’ll be my third Christmas in the area and my first real foray into finding out what all is going on to sate my holiday appetite. Normally we just hit the area neighborhood to ‘oooh’ and ‘aaah’ over light displays but this year? We wanted to really take advantage of the season.

Hence wanting to take this project on. Boy, am I ashamed to say I was utterly ignorant on the goings-on around here during December.

Continue reading →

Essential DC, Weekend Flashback
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Holiday Photo Contest!

Photo courtesy of Intiaz Rahim
Jefferson Memorial HDR, courtesy of Intiaz Rahim

Hope everyone had a great holiday / extended weekend. While everyone was digesting food and recovering from family visits, November snuck out the door. Welcome to December!

First off, we’ve got some exciting news for you! Today we’re kicking off our first-ever photo contest, and you’re all invited! Of course, I should explain the rules before just cutting you all loose…

The theme is “Holidays in DC” which means that yes, every photo submitted must reflect the holiday / winter season in our area.

Continue reading →

Essential DC, Interviews, Life in the Capital, People
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We Thank DC


In This Temple
Originally uploaded by stuckincustoms

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! As per custom with many today, we here at WeLoveDC want to take a moment and share what we’re thankful for with regards to the DC Metro area, our home.

We all wish you a great and bountiful day today, many leftovers for tomorrow, and good shopping deals over the weekend. But most of all, we wish every one of our readers well and toast at our tables to your health, your happiness, and your prosperity.

Our personal “What we’re thankful for about DC” after the jump.

Continue reading →

Adventures, Entertainment, Essential DC, Food and Drink, Special Events
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Extended Weekend: What to Do?

Photo courtesy of F1RSTBORN
Jive Turkey, courtesy of F1RSTBORN

In town for the holidays and not a cook? Looking for some dining options other than wrestling with a big ol’ Butterball and your mom yammering in your ear? Hosting relatives and looking for things to get them out of the house? Or are you an international visitor and don’t celebrate with us Yanks?

We’ve got you covered.

Behold, a quick-and-dirty WeLoveDC look at dining and fun options for the upcoming four-day weekend.

Continue reading →

Essential DC, Talkin' Transit, Travel, WMATA
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Talkin’ Transit: Turkey Time!

Photo courtesy of M.V. Jantzen
Coming and Going, courtesy of M.V. Jantzen

So for the first time since moving down here, my wife and I aren’t driving anywhere for the holiday; since we bought our house this summer, we’re the hosts for this year’s holiday season.

However, I feel your pain, people. If you’re reading this now, you’re either like me and not going anywhere this holiday weekend, or you’re just procrastinating from packing and will most likely get caught in area traffic.

For you lazy bones, I’ve got some tips on alternate road routes, but we’ll knock out a few regional transit items first.

Continue reading →

Adventures, Downtown, Entertainment, Essential DC, Life in the Capital, Weekend Flashback
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Weekend Flashback: 11/21 – 11/23

Photo courtesy of M.V. Jantzen
Back from the Past, courtesy of M.V. Jantzen

From new theater openings to the reopening of the NMAH, from yard work to group fun, you guys really made the most of this past weekend. Sooooo many good photos, I couldn’t stop!

Keep up the great work capturing life in our area. With the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, I know I’ll find some great stuff from everyone for next week.

And watch this space next Monday: we’re going to have a photo contest, and you’re all invited!

Continue reading →

Essential DC, Featured Photo, Life in the Capital
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Featured Photo

Fixation Opening Party by vincent gallegos

It would be an extreme understatement if I said that it was ‘a night to remember’.  Friday night’s opening party for Fixation at Fight Club was one hell of a way to get FotoWeek DC started.  This show tied together art, people, and the city like no other.

It’s impossible to explain how comfortable and chill the party was, all the while electric and full of energy.  You couldn’t escape the eclecticism.  The crowd ranged from wealthy, “in the know”, socialite art collectors to artists and die hard skaters.  The music switched from electronica to rock and roll, then drifted back to club music to keep the party rolling.  Our beverages began as champagne and later morphed into beer, while our food went from gourmet pizza to food off of a snack cart.  If you commissioned a painting to represent the night, it would contain elegant brush strokes smeared with spray paint, colors from across the spectrum.

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Essential DC, Life in the Capital, Night Life, Special Events, The District
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Friday Night’s Fixation @ Fight Club

This is it, folks.  FotoWeek DC is kicking off in style!  With so many events to choose from over the course of the week, I highly recommend you start things off by paying a visit to the underbelly of DC, aka “Fight Club”.  Brought to you by Ten Miles Square and The Pink Line Project, Fixation is sure to be a photography show (and night) to remember.

If you’ve never heard of Fight Club before, you’re definitely not alone.  If you have heard of Fight Club, you’re incredibly hip to the underground scene and are probably annoyed that a bunch of fancy artists are invading your space.  This exclusive skate park is home to DC’s local skater scene and is sure to be a place you’ll tell your grandkids about.

But enough about the venue, this show is about photography!  Nine amazing local DC photographers will be featuring their work (all of it for sale) Friday night, some familiar names you are sure to recognize.

“These nine photographers each create a narrative with a short series of images, building the viewer a bridge between the image of our Nation’s Capital and the people actually living inside it. Their photographs inspect our city’s subculture and the people who thrive in it, whether it is the pure ecstasy of a public baptism or the discovery of an elusive quiet moment as 18th Street rages nearby. Some create their own scenes, driven by the absurdity or crucial absences in our cityscapes. Others sneak in the backdoor of highly defined alternative lifestyles, finding characters dolled up for primetime, squeezed in the underbelly of the D.C. club scene. What they all have in common is a fixation on the individual in the hands of a much bigger picture.”

Continue reading →