Category Archives: Special Events

Special Events, The Daily Feed
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New Years Eve’s Blue Moon

Photo courtesy of
‘The Moon on November 27, 2009’
courtesy of ’37Hz’

It appears we have a special treat in-store for us at the close of this decade. There will be a “blue moon” on New Years Eve — which hasn’t happened in the District for 19 years.

Despite popular belief, a blue moon has nothing to do with color. A blue moon is the second full moon in a given month — which when you think about it … really isn’t THAT special. But there’s nothing like looking up at a full moon on the eve of a new decade to get you dreaming about what the future might hold!

NASA Solar System Ambassador Greg Redfern also told WTOP that there’s a chance for another celestial treat this New Years Eve due to a weather front. There’s a possibility for lunar rainbows because, “In a full moon,” he said, ““if there happens to be some source of water in the air […] lunar rainbows recorded.”

The next blue moon won’t fly in the sky until August 2012, so I suggest going light on the champagne during the early evening hours so you don’t miss out on this piece of celestial eye-candy.

What a Blue Moon REALLY Means, compliments of Tom Bridge.

Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Eaglebank Bowl Between UCLA-Temple TONIGHT

Welcome to RFK Statidum

I had no idea that DC had its own college football bowl game until today. But We Love DC did!

The Eaglebank Bowl will be played TODAY at RFK Stadium and will be televised live on ESPN starting 4:30 p.m. between UCLA and Temple.

Never heard of the Eaglebank Bowl? I have a feeling if I hadn’t heard of it until this morning, you haven’t either. So here’s the rundown straight from the source: “The EagleBank Bowl was created and co-founded by Marie Rudolph and Sean Metcalf. The DC Bowl Committee, Inc. was then formed to host the EagleBank Bowl as a community and charitable organization in Washington, D.C. Our title sponsor, EagleBank, and our co-promoter, the Washington Convention and Sports Authority, have both been instrumental in the bowl game’s success.”

The focus of the Eaglebank Bowl is “to recognize and pay respect to the dedication and sacrifices made by all those who serve our country, at both the U.S. military academies and in the U.S. Armed Forces.” Sadly, the California Bruins must now brave the 30 degree weather due a certain team’s inability to fulfill their contractual obligation of playing in the bowl game … seeing as they weren’t eligible. Who might that be? Army.

Army didn’t fulfill their part of the deal by finishing their season 5-7. A team needs six wins to be eligible for a bowl. Oh well.

Game tickets are still available.

Photo by Rachel Levitin.

Entertainment, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Real World DC Debuts Wednesday

Photo courtesy of
‘MTV’s “Real World” House in DC for 2010’
courtesy of ‘dbking’

The time has come — the Real World DC makes its television debut THIS Wednesday! Who’s excited? I know I can’t possibly be the only one.

For those of you who are as stoked as myself but aren’t into hosting your own viewing party, we’ve got a couple of alternatives to offer. First: Nellie’s Sports Bar is hosting a Real World DC Watch Party Wednesday night at 10 p.m.

They’ve even got a clever tag attached: “Watch at Nellie’s to see what happened at Nellie’s!”

Not into the Nellie’s scene? That’s okay. There are other viewing parties.

UPDATE (12/29, 10:50 a.m.): The Washingtonian announced one more Real World DC “party” for Wednesday night. Ring in the after-hours lovin’  with cast member Mike Manning at Halo in Logan Circle.

UPDATE (12/28 , 1:27 p.m.): Cast member Josh Colon is scheduled to be at the party at Tattoo Bar starting at 8 p.m. Visit NBC Washington for more information. This event DOES cost you some cash though. So if you’re willing to drop it, then go for it.

Continue reading →

News, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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NatGeo Closed, Warriors Open

Photo courtesy of
‘National Geographic Terra Cotta Warriors – Eternal Faces – 11-18-09’
courtesy of ‘mosley.brian’

Some important information NatGeo wanted us to pass along:

Though the National Geographic Society and its employees will be closed Monday, the National Geographic Museum and its popular exhibition “Terra Cotta Warriors: Guardians of China’s First Emperor” will reopen to the public for regular operating hours from 10-6 p.m. Only ticket holders for Monday, Dec. 21 will be permitted during their designated time.

Exhibition tickets for Saturday, Dec. 19 will be automatically refunded minus the ticket-processing fee. Previously announced alternate viewing hours have been cancelled due to predicted icy road conditions in the evening. People interested in attending the exhibition at a later date should contact the ticket office by phone at 202.857.7700 so that further processing fees can be waived. Due to system limitations we are unable to waive fees for tickets re-purchased online. Continue reading →

Food and Drink, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Winter 2010 Restaurant Week Best Bets

Photo courtesy of
‘Ping Pong Dim Sum Reflection’
courtesy of ‘Mr. T in DC’

I say it every go-round, but some of you are new to the city or new to restaurant week (Jan 11-17th), so I’ll briefly repeat myself (click here for my full thoughts) – you want to book a restaurant week place that is going to be a great deal that you can’t get at any other time. That, to me, is the key to success for RW. There are a LOT of great places on that list that have prix-fixe menus all throughout the year that are $35 or less. I’ve rounded them up for you, so here are places to avoid.

A lot of really great places, like PS 7’s and Oya, tend to extend the deal for a few weeks, or months after. I’d recommend taking them up on that extension and not bending over backwards to get a table during RW proper.

That said, here is my short list of my best bets:

Lunch: 2941, Bourbon Steak, Volt, Westend Bistro

Dinner: Bibiana, Adour, Me Jana, Poste, Volt, Zentan, Willow, 1789

Entertainment, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Free Irish Film Fest Tickets!

Gabriel Byrne in "Stories from Home." Photo courtesy Capital Irish Film Festival.

Gabriel Byrne in "Stories from Home." Photo courtesy Capital Irish Film Festival.

The good folks at Solas Nua are giving our readers a chance at free tickets to the Capital Irish Film Festival’s closing night screening! The first 20 readers who order tickets using the code “welovedc” will be comped the regular admission fee (limit 2 tickets per person).

Gabriel Byrne: Stories from Home is a “revealing and evocative” documentary detailing Byrne’s public and private life, showing this Sunday, December 20 at the E Street Cinema at 6pm. Byrne is probably best known for his current role on HBO’s In Treatment, but my personal favorite will always be The Usual Suspects…

Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Skeeball League at H Street Country Club

Photo courtesy of
‘Skeeball at H Street Country Club’
courtesy of ‘InspirationDC’

While I’m a bocce girl myself, I’m also a big fan of skeeball. (I’m good at sports that involve standing in one place, drinking, and rolling balls.) So when H Street Country Club announced their skeeball league, I immediately notified my bocce team. We could use some winter practice…

The press release from H Street says, “Beginning Janurary 10, teams of eight will battle the best D.C. has to offer for a chance at glory, skee-ball greatness and prizes. This season, H Street Country Club has joined United Skeeball Association, which hosts games in several cities along the East Coast, to offer D.C. adults a competitive, social league that offers a fun way to connect with people. Skee-ball games will be held at H Street Country Club every Sunday and Tuesday night for eight weeks. Once a week, each team will play two games to determine final rankings. The season will culminate with a one-day playoff and championship challenge.”

Registration for season two at H Street Country Club is officially open. Players can start a team or join individually and find a team at www.unitedskeeball.com/leagues/h-st-country-club. The deadline to sign up for season two is January 10, 2010.

Fun & Games, News, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Gonzaga upsets 10th ranked Mater Dei for DC Classic title

Photo courtesy of
‘Gonzaga – 09 Jesuit Gridiron Classic – Eagles Nest – 9-19-09’
courtesy of ‘mosley.brian’

Saturday night’s Championship game of the Gonzaga DC Classic held at America University’s Bender Arena proved to be as exciting of a match up as its billing promised.

After two days of  tournament play, the final two teams, Mater Dei (CA) and Gonzaga College High School (DC,) both nationally ranked programs at 10th and 17th respectively, were set to face off.  Based on rankings alone Mater Dei was favored, but no one doubted that the talented Gonzaga squad would make this a tight, action packed game.

The first half was, literally, breathe taking. Court play swung back and forth at a rapid pace with both teams running the length of the court and holding stoppage time to a minimum. Fast breaks set the game’s pace, both defenses played tight, turnovers were abundant and perimeter shooting dominated the scoreboard. The half time score, a low 26-24 with Gonzaga leading Mater Dei, reflected the tight game play. Continue reading →

Special Events, The Daily Feed
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More Terra Cotta, Please!

Photo courtesy of
‘DSC_4432’
courtesy of ‘Ghost_Bear’

Due to popular demand, National Geographic has quietly announced that the Terra Cotta Warriors exhibition will remain open for an extra hour for the weekends through December. Keep in mind that daytime tickets are all sold out, but slots remain for 5:30 and 6 p.m. entry slots on Dec 12, 13, 19, 20, 26 and 27. There’s an extra 300 tickets per day being released but they’re not expected to last long!

Tickets are available for purchase online at www.warriorsdc.org, by phone at 202.857.7700, or in person at the box office.

Special Events, The Features
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Gonzaga DC Classic

Gonzaga Basketball courtesy of Gonzaga

This Thursday through Saturday, local basketball powerhouse Gonzaga College High School hosts the 21st annual Gonzaga DC Classic basketball tournament, bringing the best in boys high school basketball to Washington, D.C.

Since 1989, this tournament has played host to future college stars such as Robert Churchwell, Duane Simpkins, Vaughn Jones, Donta Bright, Keith Boothe and numerous other All Americans.  It’s prime recruiting ground for college coaches and scouts, with a fair amount of the players already committed, and is considered one of the most prestigious holiday tournaments in the country. So simply put, this is a high level of play and super fun to watch.

The pre-holiday tournament features elite teams from across the country and has consistently pulled in some of the  nation’s top boys high school basketball programs including: NY’s Christ the King and LaSalle Academy, Philly’s Roman Catholic, Lousiana’s South Lafourche, and many, many more.

For local area basketball enthusiasts, the tournament has also included strong representation from the top local programs of DeMatha, St. John’s Prospect Hall, Good Counsel and tournament host, Gonzaga, currently ranked 17th in the nation.

Continue reading →

Entertainment, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Capital Irish Film Festival

Gabriel Byrne in "Stories from Home." Photo courtesy Capital Irish Film Festival.

"Gabriel Byrne: Stories from Home." Photo courtesy Capital Irish Film Festival.

The Capital Irish Film Festival starts tomorrow, with 18 screenings of more than 60 new Irish films. Running December 10th through December 20th, at various locations including the E Street Cinema, it’s presented by Irish contemporary arts organization Solas Nua.

Tomorrow’s opening night features The Eclipse (one of my all-time favorite actors, the amazing Ciaran Hinds), with other screenings throughout the 10 days including Hunger (the riveting Michael Fassbender as IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands) and Gabriel Byrne: Stories from Home (a documentary about the actor’s life and process).

With a ton of great films to choose from you can’t go wrong exploring the wide range of Irish talent in film today.

Special Events, The Daily Feed
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ZooLights Are Back!

Photo courtesy of
‘ZooLights Preview’
courtesy of ‘macmoov’

ZooLights are back and on display as of Friday night at the National Zoo.

This animal & holiday themed light festival will be open on weekend nights through Dec. 13 and each night between Dec. 18 – Jan. 2. But remember! The zoo will be closed on Chirstmas Eve, Chirstmas Day and New Year’s Eve.

“Special Theme” nights are also planned in conjunction with the festival and include: performances from local choirs, puppet shows, “Military” night and “Date” night.

Tickets are $8 for the public and $5 for zoo members.

Special Events, The Features
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Supporting Local Artists at DC Holiday Markets

Photo courtesy of
‘Batik’
courtesy of ‘tbridge’

After the enthusiastic response to our Gift Guide to DC Artists last week, I wanted to do a follow-up to further assist you awesome bunch of DC Enthusiasts in your gift-giving efforts.

I didn’t get a chance to talk about holiday markets, which are a great way to check out local and regional artists and let the perfect gift suggest itself to you.

The biggest and probably most convenient is the Downtown Holiday Market, which will be happening until December 23rd. It’s at 8th and F Streets from noon to 8 on daily, so it’s perfect for slipping out at lunchtime or on your way home from work to take a look.  Take a look at their exhibitor list, because not every artist is there for the whole market. Continue reading →

Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Target To-Go Store In Georgetown

Photo courtesy of
‘Long live this landmark’
courtesy of ‘dno1967’

According to the Washington Business Journal, a Target To-Go Store will be operating in Georgetown (M St. NW and Wisconsin Ave. NW,) Dec. 11-13 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

These temporary shops feature 50 reasonably priced gifts such as toys, housing items and gadgets, plus pre-store launch items from the Rodarte clothing line.

DC, with New York and San Francisco, will be the only cities in the U.S. to have the temporary outlets.

Additionally, Target is scattering 500 gift tags throughout the city. Those who find them get a giftcard and Target will donate $100 to the Salvation Army for each found tag.

Special Events, The Daily Feed, The Hill
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Dance for Refugees

CityDance Ensemble. Photo credit: Paul Gordon Emerson.

CityDance Ensemble. Photo credit: Paul Gordon Emerson.

Tomorrow afternoon from 4-5:30pm, the U.S. Helsinki Commission will host a panel discussion on the plight of Iraqi refugees, the largest displacement in the Middle East since 1948. Free and open to the public at the Capitol Visitor Center’s Main Auditorium, the program will highlight the condition of approximately two million Iraqis straining the resources of their host countries.

As part of the event, CityDance Ensemble will perform Wishes of a Sailor, a piece inspired by their recent tour through the region where they visited Iraqi refugee communities in Syria, Lebanon and Jordan.

CityDance’s own Paul Gordon Emerson will participate in the panel along with U.S. Helsinki Commission chair Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), Rep. Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL), and Dr. Michael Gabaudan of the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.

The refugee situation is dangerous not just because of the human suffering involved, but the risks it presents to the region’s already delicate security. Be inspired by the dance, and learn more at the U.S. Helsinki Commission.

News, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Verizon Center Toy Drive To Honor Abe Pollin

Photo courtesy of
‘Toys’
courtesy of ‘rutlo’

The Verizon Center is honoring the late DC sports owner and local philanthropist, Abe Pollin, on Tuesday with a memorial service and toy drive.

If you’re feeling charitable this holiday season and would like to commemorate the life of a man who served this community, feel free to drop off new/unwrapped toys at the Verizon Center’s entrance on F Street from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m tomorrow.

Pollin’s memorial service begins at 7 p.m. and is free to the general public. Speakers include Mayor Fenty and NBA Hall of Famers Wes Unseld and Earl Monroe.

Special Events, We Green DC
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Party Time: It’s a Green Holiday

Photo courtesy of
‘pine tree’
courtesy of ‘pink_fish13’

It’s time for another green holiday here in DC, and the area’s eco-friendly groups are gearing up to celebrate the season. Join in this slew of fun events, help curb global warming — and let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

Toast Another Year
Wednesday, Dec. 2
6 – 8:30 p.m.

End of the Year Joint Happy Hour
DC
Local 16, 1602 U St., NW

LiveGreen will be joining DC Net Impact, Young Non-Profit Professionals Network, and DC Public Private Partnership to celebrate the holidays and the end of 2009, and to look forward to the year ahead. Nosh on complimentary hors d’oeuvres and belly up to a cash bar.
Continue reading →

Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Holiday Merriment In Georgetown Is Blowing Up

Photo courtesy of
‘Tall Toy Soldier’
courtesy of ‘M.V. Jantzen’

When I checked out the posters for this Sunday’s 2nd Merriment in Georgetown, the performance by kiddie rock band Milkshake, photos with Santa and the American Girl doll activities, gave this festivity a distinctly non-twenty/thirty something year old  vibe.

That was until this morning’s weekly Georgetown BID email, which enlightened me to the Merriment’s awesome dining and shopping discounts AND a flurry of pre/post-events in Georgetown hood. Continue reading →