Category Archives: Special Events

Entertainment, News, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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The National Christmas Tree Ceremony Thursday

Photo courtesy of
‘White House Christmas tree’
courtesy of ‘afagen’

It’s the most wonderful time of the year … or at least – it almost is!

The White House Christmas Tree is ready to sparkle in the night sky. The lighting ceremony is scheduled for 5 p.m. Thursday evening, featuring The Obamas and musical guests Sheryl Crow, Common, and Ray LaMontagne. Click here for a complete list of the night’s performers.

This year’s tree will be draped in 750 strings of white LED lights while those 2,800 folks who got seats and the 7,000 dedicated American’s who nabbed “standing room only” tickets huddle together for warmth,  basking in the glow of the illuminated blue spruce.

You can catch entire ceremony from the warmth of your own living room live on WETA – TV or at WETA’s website.

Fun & Games, Life in the Capital, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Scrum-a-licious Shopping Spree

Photo courtesy of
‘Rugby Shirts’
courtesy of ‘Joe Shlabotnik’

The head prepsters at Rugby, the Ralph Lauren clothing brand with a shop/restaurant in Georgetown, are having a little Holiday Wardrobe give away.

In exchange for some of your info, you can enter to win the grand prize, a $2000 gift card, to purchase whatever you want from their classic and signature pieces. The bonus is that your purchases can be for anyone you’re shopping for-mom, dad, grandma, the bf, etc. The runner-up receives a $1000 card, not too shabby, and for third place, a $500 card, not too shabby as well.

So start the lineout, get your pack in order and go for the try.

Dupont Circle, Food and Drink, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Urbana’s Repeal Day Soiree

Photo courtesy of
‘Gin Fizz’
courtesy of ‘Charles Haynes’

This Saturday, December 5th will see several celebratory events to mark the 76th Anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition. If you’re in the mood to gussy up in vintage togs and drink gin out of an actual bathtub bar, then Urbana may have the right party for you.

Located in the super swank Hotel Palomar in Dupont Circle, Urbana will feature a $33 prix fixe three course menu (1933, get it?) deliciously designed by chef Alex Bollinger (bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin with polenta? now that’s the bee’s knees) beginning at 5:30pm and going through the evening. 1920’s music will complete the theme.

Classic cocktails like the Sazerac and the Gin Fizz will be available for $8 – and if you are in vintage attire, your first Gin Fizz is the “1920’s price” of 25 cents. Golly. If only I could get a cocktail dress for the 1920’s price.

Arlington, Food and Drink, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Morton’s Final Smoke Out

Photo courtesy of
‘Smoke, Farragut Park Washington DC’
courtesy of ‘Photos by Chip Py’ 

To mourn or celebrate the Virginia statewide smoking restrictions really isn’t my purview, being a proud (and let’s face it, clueless) DC resident, but if you are in that demographic and also just happen to love steaks and cigars, this is for you.

Three Morton’s locations in Virginia, the fair state that tobacco made, will be hosting “Smoke Out” parties this evening – Monday, November 30. Crystal City, Reston Town Center, and Tysons Corner will all feature 7pm dinners sponsored by Virginia Tobacco, Paul Garmirian and Davidoff Cigars. Their cocktail and dinner cigars will be paired with specially designed dishes and Virginia wines.

Contact the individual restaurants for details. Sounds very “Mad Men” decadent. Celebrate or mourn, Virginia, whichever you prefer.

Dupont Circle, Special Events, The Daily Feed, The District
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Free Carriage Rides, Movies, Food in Golden Triangle

Photo courtesy of
‘Horse at Night’
courtesy of ‘M.V. Jantzen’

To get everyone in the holiday spirit, The Golden Triangle BID is projecting classic holiday movies like “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “A Christmas Story” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” high above Connecticut Avenue on the wall of the Tiny Jewel Box. A different movie will play each day during the week of December 14th from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Did someone say free food??? The BID is also giving 10 lucky winners (plus three friends each) a free horse-drawn carriage ride and a $100 restaurant gift card, good at Kellari, M Street Bar & Grill, Elephant & Castle Pub and Restaurant, Famous Luigi’s, The Melting Pot, Sam & Harry’s, BLT Steak, or The Lafayette at The Hay-Adams hotel.

Register on the BID’s website to win the Golden Triangle’s cheer-filled evening by December 10 (next Thursday).

Full movie schedule: Continue reading →

Adventures, Entertainment, Essential DC, Food and Drink, Life in the Capital, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Share Your Thanksgiving Mishaps

Photo courtesy of
‘OH GOD TURKEY.’
courtesy of ‘ibroadfo’

I’m sure we all have them, or have at least been a party to them. My story involves our next door neighbors nearly setting our apartment building on fire by leaving their bird in the oven a tad too long. There we were, just sitting down to our meal, when the sirens sounded and the firemen were knocking on our door. Luckily, the building didn’t go up in flames, and I believe our neighbors celebrated by hitting up the Chinese restaurant around the corner.

Have any really good Thanksgiving mishap stories? Share them and we can all hopefully learn from our mistakes.

News, Special Events, The Daily Feed, WTF?!
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“DJ Zimm” To Host DeAngelo Hall’s Birthday Party? Yeah, That’s Happening.

Photo courtesy of
‘Ryan Zimmerman 3’
courtesy of ‘afagen’

Attention all DC sports fans — Ryan Zimmerman is officially the coolest Washington National. Why? He’s hosting/MC-ing Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall’s birthday party at the Shadowroom.

How did this pairing come about? No one’s sure at this point. What we do know is that it’s happening.

An anonymous source for the National Enquirer said Zimmerman might be “doing magic tricks and making balloon animals for the kids,” but really … who in the heck made the final decision in naming the Golden Glover/Silver Slugger/All-Star the host of a party?

I mean, COME ON folks! We’ve all seen his interviews. Can he play ball? Yes siree. But can he host a party? I guess we’ll find that answer sooner than we thought.

Adventures, Entertainment, Essential DC, Life in the Capital, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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National Parks Not National Parties

Photo courtesy of
‘B’day party at the park’
courtesy of ’emrank’

Today’s Georgetown Metropolitan covered the growing incidence of kids’ parties staged at Montrose Park, part of Rock Creek National Park,  in Northwest DC.

Apparently, some of these parties have gotten “a little crazy” with parents trucking in pony rides, miniature petting zoos and moon bounces.

From the GM article, it appears the parties aren’t causing the neighborhood any trouble, but word seems to spreading, so my suggestion to neighborhood parents is to stick with the classic pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey and pinata. You can’t go wrong with those classics.

Downtown, Special Events, The Features, We Love Arts
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First Look: the Terra Cotta Warrior Invasion

DSC_4413

Yesterday was the opening of “Terra Cotta Warriors: Guardians of China’s First Emperor” at the National Geographic Museum. A rare treat, the exhibit is on the final stop of a four-city US tour and closes on March 31, 2010.

Promotion for this visit has been going on since spring of this year. The hype is justifiable, however. This particular exhibit features the largest number of terra cotta figures to ever visit the US. Fifteen figures from the tomb of China’s First Emperor Qin Shihuangdi (221 B.C. – 210 B.C.) are in a magnificent display that spans two galleries ans 12,000 square feet.

I only had an hour this past Wednesday to visit – SmithGifford and NatGeo had a special invitation-only event for local bloggers and photographers. I was too busy shooting photographs to really absorb the whole experience, but I definitely will be heading back to soak it all in. It’s well worth the cost. And there’s a special offer for WeLoveDC readers as well – I’ll spill the beans after you browse some photos from that evening; you can decide for yourself if you want to go. Continue reading →

Special Events, The Daily Feed
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The Dog Whisperer Goes on Tour

Photo courtesy of
‘DSC_0977’
courtesy of ‘Arlington Karl’

If you missed Cesar Millan, aka The Dog Whisperer, when he was in town a little while ago for a book signing, never fear–he’s coming back December 6! Not for another book signing, though. Oh, no. The Dog Whisperer is on tour.

I couldn’t make this up if I tried. It’s called The PowerPack Tour, and it’s coming to the George Mason Patriot Center on December 6 at 5:30 pm. “From Sheepdogs to Schnauzers, Poodles to Pomeranians, Cesar Millan will have audiences spellbound as he shares his amazing insights on dog psychology and how people can inadvertently play a role in their dog’s behavioral issues,” said tour producer Bill Silva. Tickets are $150.00, $75.00 and $39.50 plus applicable service charges at Ticketmaster or the Patriot Center box office.

Before his seminar, The Dog Whisperer is joining forces with the Washington Humane Society for a blanket and towel drive, which will be at the Patriot Center starting at 3:30pm December 6. The towels (any size or color, just no holes) go in the cages to keep the animals warm before they get adopted, which is awesome.

Foggy Bottom, Music, News, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Public Enemy Spreads Holiday Cheer To Homeless DC Youth

Photo courtesy of
‘Public Enemy’
courtesy of ‘LivePict – LIVEPICT.COM’

DC just got some serious points added to their street cred.

Hip hop bad boys Public Enemy are back and are storming the DC streets tonight via a flat-bed truck (slowly making their way to GW’s Lisner Auditorium). If that doesn’t make you want to shout “FLAVOR FLAAAAAV”, I don’t know what will.

Public Enemy’s evening is set to start at the Sasha Bruce House with a Thanksgiving dinner for the 30+ homeless kids staying in the home as a part of National Homeless Youth Awareness Month. Shortly after, they’ll load up that flat bed and start doing what they do best — busting beats and pumping politically incorrect jams.

The flat bed show is scheduled to start around 7:30 pm at the Foggy Bottom intersection of 18th and G Streets NW.

Want VIP access to the show? Easy — bring a winter coat to donate and you’ll get an instant ticket upgrade.

Want to track the truck? The Post’s got the dish of where it should be and around when.

News, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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American Red Cross Auctions Off History To Close Defecit

Photo courtesy of
‘Hospital’
courtesy of ‘saturnism’

Rose Percy’s long stint with the American Red Cross comes to close today. The 23-inch, Tiffany jewelry wearing,wax doll is being auctioned off  in an effort to expunge the $33 million budget deficit the Red Cross has amassed over time.

Rose isn’t the only treasure being sold. Nurse uniforms from World War I in addition to the numerous other historical items from the Civil War era and before will be the hot items to spot in the auction.

Roger Lowe, Red Cross spokesman, said, “It’s a chance to buy a piece of history.”

All proceeds from today’s auction will benefit Red Cross general fund, which aids in the effort to execute their humanitarian mission.

To see a complete list of auction items, click here.

News, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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The Sky is Falling!

Photo courtesy of
‘227 Images Perseid Meteor Shower’
courtesy of ‘aresauburnâ�¢’

The sky is falling! Or at least … it will be.

At around 4 a.m. Tuesday, the Leonid meteor shower will blaze across the sky at an average speed of 20-30 meteors per hour.

Back in the day, c.1833, the Leonids’ “were seen to ‘fall like snowflakes in a blizzard,’ with estimated rates of several dozen per second,” according to Sky & Telescope Magazine.

What’s your best chance of seeing this stellar light display? City dwellers might find the meteors a bit more difficult to see but the stargazers further out from the orange glow of the urban sky have the best chance of catching the show.

Skies will be partly cloudy in the early Tuesday hours, according to NBC4 meteorologist Tom Kierien. So be on the look out for a few random streaks of light running through the sky. Is it a bird? Probably not. Is it a plane? There’s a chance, but at that hour in the morning your best bet is that it’s the Leonid meteor shower giving you a show.

Food and Drink, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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The New Vintage

Photo courtesy of
‘Bottle’s Top’
courtesy of ‘Samer Farha’

Want to benefit a good cause while drinking wine and eating food prepared by Esquire’s best new chef? Look no further than Heart’s Delight: the New Vintage Eat Local ~ Drink Local wine auction, hosted at the Blue Ridge this coming Wednesday.  $50 gets you in the door and allows you to sample fare prepared by the acclaimed Chef Barton Seaver.  His dishes, which are locally sourced, will paired with beer and wine from the DC area.  Proceeds from the auction benefit the American Heart Association, and the event is designed to give young, philanthropically minded professionals an opportunity to network and volunteer.  If you’re interested in attending, be sure to buy your tickets by the end of the day!

All Politics is Local, Business and Money, Essential DC, History, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Final Commemorative Penny Makes Its Debut

Photo courtesy of
‘Lincoln in Illinois (2009 Proof Lincoln Cent)’
courtesy of ‘kevindooley’

This morning the U.S. Mint issued the fourth and final coin of the 2009 Lincoln Bi-Centennial One-Cent Program.

Despite the rainy, cold, miserable weather, coin enthusiasts of all ages patiently waited in line to be the first recipients of the special edition penny and to turn their hard earned paper currency into coin.

This final penny carries a special edition backside showing an unfinished Capitol Building representative of the divided union Lincoln presided over. The three previously issued coins feature the log cabin where Lincoln grew up, a youthful Lincoln reading on a rail post, and a young working Lincoln standing in front of the Illinois State Capitol (feature in the above picture).

Entertainment, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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“The Wizard of Oz Turns 70” – Encore Presentation To Be Held At Mazza Gallerie

Photo courtesy of
‘Going to Oz’
courtesy of ‘alessandraelle’

The MGM classic and family favorite “The Wizard of Oz” makes a triumphant return to the silver screen this Tuesday night in Friendship Heights’ Mazza Gallerie theater at 6:30 pm. Classic film historian and Turner Classic Movies host, Robert Osborne, will be in attendance to introduce the film and share the documentary “To Oz! The Making of a Classic”. “To Oz!” gives fans a behind-the-scenes look at how L. Frank Baum’s children’s novel became a timeless film sensation for generations and generations to come.

This event is sponsored by NCM Fathom, Warner Home Video, and Turner Classic Movies, and tickets are still available at MovieTickets.com

Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Quite The Showing at Capital Food Fight

Photo courtesy of
‘Capital Food Fight 2009’
courtesy of ‘DC Central Kitchen’

I’m a smidge late on the reporting, but that’s how I roll. Fashionably late to the party, you know how it is. Anyways, I had a lovely time at Capital Food Fight! The annual fundraiser for DC Central Kitchen was a blast this year, and despite my throbbing feet, I thoroughly enjoyed seeing some of DC’s best Chefs all in one place. The event is a combo live-battle (Top Chef style with secret ingredients and all) and Washingtonian Best-Of party style food samples. A bit star-studded, I was thrilled to see Eric Ripert, Ted Allen and Carla Hall.

The live battle was entertaining – the adorable Jose Andres co-hosted with Anthony Bourdain. The two make a really funny pair, Bourdain teasing Andres about how many restaurants he has, or how to pronounce Zaytinya. The challengers were Top Chef contestants Bryan Voltaggio (Volt), Mike Isabella (Zaytinya), and local chef Tracy O’Grady (Willow), out-of-town-chef-but-has-a-restaurant-here-does-that-count?-i-guess-we’ll-roll-with-it Michael Mina and last year’s winner Barton Seaver (Blue Ridge, etc.). After making it through three rounds, Michael Mina came out victorious. Sample his food (let’s give David Varley the Chef de Cuisine some credit here too) at Bourbon Steak. I love that restaurant!

Sixty other restaurants came out and had tables, the standout dishes in my mind were courtesy of Bastille, Oyamel and J&G Steakhouse. Others of note were Kora’s sausage over bean puree and Westend Bistro’s foie and duck over a toffee brittle. PS 7’s Gina Chersevani did cocktails for the pre-event VIP reception and I loved her vodka cider cocktail with a cinnamon sugar rim. The DC Central Kitchen student chefs were so friendly, helping out under-staffed restaurants and describing dishes to guests. Congrats to Mina and thanks to the chefs and DC Central Kitchen for putting on a great show.

Adventures, Downtown, Essential DC, History, Special Events, The Daily Feed, The District
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36th Annual Conference on Washington DC Historical Studies

Photo courtesy of
‘Lincoln’s Cottage – Magnified Capitol – 4-25-09’
courtesy of ‘mosley.brian’

This Saturday, November 14, rub shoulders with and pick the brains of prominent DC scholars, students, history buffs and collectors at Charles Sumner School Museum and Archives.

The 36th annual conference unites all those dedicated to collecting and sharing the history of our nation’s capital and its local history.  This year’s highlights include newly uncovered findings on DC’s Underground Railroad, a photo history of the area, learnings from the restored Ford’ Theatre, and more.

Admission is $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors.  Reservations are required. Call 202-383-1840 for more information.

Scribblings, Special Events, The Features
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Scribblings: Christopher Andrew

Photo courtesy of
‘MI5 Headquarters and Towers’
courtesy of ‘the grasshopper lies heavy’

This fall marks the 100 year anniversary of the founding of MI5, Britain’s counter-intelligence and security agency. As a celebration of the agency’s storied success since its inception at the turn of the 20th century, the service has authorized the publication of an official history by Professor Christopher Andrew of Cambridge University. This Thursday, November 12, the public is invited to meet with the author as he discusses his new book Defend the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5 (here’s the Kindle link) at the International Spy Museum from noon to 1 p.m. Attendance is free.

Prof. Andrew reveals the precise role of MI5 in twentieth-century British history: from its foundation in 1909, through two world wars, and its present roles in counterespionage and counterterrorism. He describes how MI5 has been managed, what its relationship has been with government, where it has triumphed, and where it has failed. Defend the Realm also reveals the identities of previously unknown enemies of the United Kingdom whose activities have been uncovered by the agency and adds significantly to our knowledge of many celebrated events and notorious individuals while laying to rest a number of persistent myths.

A brief chat with Professor Andrew after the jump. Continue reading →

Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Last Chance For Lincoln’s Coat

Photo courtesy of
‘DSC_3383’
courtesy of ‘Ghost_Bear’

If you’ve not seen the revamped Ford’s Theatre yet, you may want to soon. Tomorrow, the National Park Service is replacing the original wool overcoat worn by Abraham Lincoln with its replica. The original Brooks Brothers coat will remain in conservation storage until February, where it will return for public viewing until June.

The National Park Service with the support of Ford’s Theatre Society have agreed to display the Lincoln coat for six months annually in an effort to balance conservation of and public access to the historic artifact worn by Abraham Lincoln on the night he was shot at Ford’s Theatre. The coat has been on display in the Ford’s Theatre lobby since February 2009 when the theatre and adjoining lobby opened to the public following its $25 million renovation.