Category Archives: Special Events

Entertainment, Music, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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We luv you, Britney

Photo courtesy of ~BostonBill~
Hang in there Britney, courtesy of ~BostonBill~

Britney Spears, everyone’s favorite train wreck, released her new album today, but the real news is that she’s coming to DC!

Welcome, crazy dad, dangerous paparazzi, and baby daddy drama. The madness won’t descend on DC until March 24, but the internet presale started today and goes through December 5th at 10pm. If you’re willing to spend upwards of $300 three months before the actual show, all you have to do is enter promo code IHEARTBRIT at checkout. Don’t say I never did anything for you.

Downtown, Penn Quarter, Special Events, The Mall, We Love Arts
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We Love Arts: Pompeii at NGA

Marine mosaic detail, from a house in Pompeii (2nd century BC), by chrisjohnbeckett, on Flickr

"Marine mosaic detail, from a house in Pompeii (2nd century BC)," by chrisjohnbeckett, on Flickr

One of the most incredible sights in my life was watching angry red streaks of lava etch the side of Mount Etna. I was on my way to the Catania airport during a vicious rainstorm. As the lightning crackled through the dark sky and the burning streams pulsated, the laconic driver assured me in typical Sicilian fashion – “c’è normale” – that’s nothing, it’s normal, it isn’t even a “real” eruption. My heart was racing even though I was safely miles away from the volcano, so awesome was the power of nature.

So I can only imagine how more horrifying the power of Mount Vesuvius was when it erupted in AD 79. But the people of the Bay of Naples still live under its threat, no doubt echoing their Sicilian counterparts in thinking, “c’è normale,” even with the ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum close by to remind them. Pompeii and the Roman Villa: Art and Culture Around the Bay of Naples, at the National Gallery of Art, cleverly lulls you into a similar state of complacency. The exhibit first highlights the decorative art of Pompeii and the surrounding area, taking you through the various rooms and courtyards of a typical villa of the Roman Empire. Only at the end are you hit with a dark room and depictions of volcanic explosions, a haunting evocation of “La Civita” – the lost ancient city.

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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.

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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.

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Entertainment, Special Events, We Love Arts
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We Love Arts: Kooza (Cirque du Soleil)

Chavari 2 Courtesy of Cirque du Soliel

Chavari 2 Courtesy of Cirque du Soliel

Earlier this past summer WaPo’s DC Scout sent me an email giving me pre-sale access to tickets for Cirque du Soleil’s touring show, Kooza. I bought tickets, and then promptly forgot about the show until looking at my calendar for November. I was pretty excited to remember Kooza! I’d never been to see a Cirque show, though I always hear rave reviews every time I talk with someone about a Cirque show that they’ve seen.

Kooza is playing at National Harbor, up above the main harbor on what they call the plateau, basically a huge parking lot and a big paved surface for Kooza’s tent. Matt and I arrived at the big top tent, or the “The Grand Chapiteau” about an hour before the show started. We got there just as the 4 p.m. showing was letting out, which was good because we got a good parking spots. And then we headed up to the main tent, which opens an hour before the show. Smart, since Cirque has shops and refreshment stands open before the show and lets you take food in. The beer selection is not to shabby (they featured Magic Hat‘s aptly named Circus Boy hefeweisen) and we got to share a chocolate mousse pie.

We headed into our seats and that’s when the show began. Immediately clowns started coming out into the audience, picking on people. There were a few scattered through the audience acting as spectators, and then surprising people by jumping up and being a part of the show. I love that kind of audience interaction, and knew we were in for a good time.

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All Politics is Local, Special Events, The Daily Feed, The Hill
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A Marriage Equality Protest, this Saturday

There seems to be a sizable across-the-nation protest shaping up for this weekend. In our area it’ll be in front of the Capital, of course, but there are sites listed in Baltimore and Richmond as well. Here’s hoping the 2,500 maybe-attending folks listed on the DC protest’s Facebook page will brave the rain and make some noise.

1:30pm Nov 15th
U.S. Capitol Reflecting Pool:
100 Constitution Ave NE
Washington, DC 20002

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.”

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Life in the Capital, Special Events
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Looking Sideways @ Big Bear Cafe

With Her Head in the Clouds by Cesar Lujan

If you love black & white photography as much as I do, you won’t want to miss the opening of Looking Sideways at Big Bear Cafe.  This exhibit features the beautiful work of Cesar Lujan, a local DC photographer who has an eye for minimalism, unique camera angles and use of space.  When it comes to his photos, the phrase “less is more” definitely comes into play.

Presented by Ten Miles Square, this exhibit gets a jump start on FotoWeek, which for some of us won’t come soon enough.  Here’s more on the exhibit:

“Cesar Lujan takes images that present a bit of a role reversal. Rather than landscapes and settings merely providing context for people and their actions, Lujan sees the idle presence of people creating the context for what becomes the real main characters here: impressive architecture and unusual urban scenes.”

The opening is this Saturday, November 8th from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.  Big Bear Cafe is located on the corner of 1st & R Street NW in Bloomingdale and looks to be a promising supporter of the local art scene.

Hope to see you there!

Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Tysons Management on Santa’s “Naughty” List

Looking Down at Santa Claus
Looking Down at Santa Claus, courtesy Flickr user magandafille

There’s a nasty suit brewing between the management of Tysons Corner Mall and Michael Graham, the bearded gentleman who has been the Tysons Santa for the last 18 years. 

Graham, a carpenter from Tennessee, counts on the $30,000 he makes playing Santa, particularly since he bought a house last year. His contract was terminated on short notice, after Graham had already purchased the custom Santa suits and boots to make the whole effect as realistic as his snowy white beard. Tysons management insists that they notified Graham of the early termination of his contract; Graham says he didn’t find out about it until he called to schedule his first day of work. 

The issue seems to center around how much money Graham is paid for Santa- the new events photography company the Tysons management hired says that Graham’s $175 per hour is “ten times the going rate” for mall Santas. And yes, $175 is a lot of money, but as with all things, you get what you pay for, and everyone seems to agree that Graham is a particularly excellent Santa.  If the average mall Santa is making less than 20 bucks an hour, that probably explains the cheesy fake beards, the smelly suits, and the gin breath. And it’s not like your local Santa doesn’t deal with his share of hazards- uptight parents, panicked children, biohazards from kids peeing in his lap… if you want to deliver a quality Santa experience to your shoppers, you have to pay for dedication to the work, no?

UPDATE: One of the commenters at the Washington Times story tracked down some information about what actually is the going rate for mall Santas. It looks like Mr. Graham was not so wildly overpaid at all.

Downtown, History, Interviews, Special Events, We Love Arts
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We Love Arts: “Breaking News”

Courtesy of the Folger Shakespeare Library

A true and exact relation of the late prodigious earthquake & eruption of Mount Ætna. London, 1669

The Folger Shakespeare Library recently opened their newest exhibit Breaking News: Renaissance Journalism and the Birth of the Newspaper on September 25. The exhibit runs through January 31, 2009 and is free to the public. I recently had a delightful Q&A session with Jason Peacey, one of the exhibit’s curators and a Lecturer in History at University College London, and Amy Arden at the Folger here in DC.

Give us an idea what a visitor to the Folger’s latest exhibit should expect.

Breaking News follows the story of the newspaper from England to America. Visitors will see many things that they recognize, from the kinds of topics covered – politics, natural disasters, extreme religious sects, crime – to the actual format of newspapers from this period with headlines, columns, and serialized issues. One thing that may surprise people is how much of a role wartime reporting played in launching the newspaper; during the 1640s civil war raged in England between the supporters of the king (known as Royalists) and the supporters of Oliver Cromwell and Parliament (the Parliamentarians). Both sides produced their own accounts of the conflict and printed newspapers in an attempt to sway public opinion in their favor. It was a ripe time to be a journalist!

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Downtown, History, Penn Quarter, Special Events
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Off the Beaten Path: ISM Happenings

Photo courtesy of Me
Warder_building, courtesy of Me

I get a lot of updates on programs from a certain set of buildings at 8th and F St, NW, mainly because I had the privilege to work there when I first moved to the area. Their programs are top-notch and always interesting; this month’s offerings are no exception. So because secrets seem to abound all over our fair city, here’s your chance to discover some on your own at one of the area’s more clandestine sites.

Oh, come on. Indulge me the super-secret spy stuff. This place is one of the things I love about DC (though I do have my own personal thoughts about their ticket prices), so it’s just natural I share it with all of you.

The rundown after the jump.

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Entertainment, Food and Drink, Special Events, We Love Drinks
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We Love Drinks: O’Shucks

Mead

O’Shucks is a quaint little tavern at the corner of Valley Meade and Meadow Lane, your go-to place for a fall respite, for drinking al fresco under the dappled sun, not too expensive, but certainly tending towards crowded when the weather is nice, attracting a diverse clientele ranging anywhere from families to minstrels, where all sorts of miscreants gather for libations before heading off to jousting and ogling blacksmiths and elephant rides and…

Wait a minute. Not only is that the longest run-on sentence I’ve yet to produce, it’s also not really about a DC neighborhood bar, is it? Yes indeed, it’s We Love Drinks Goes to the Maryland Renaissance Festival! Continue reading →

History, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Union Station at 100

Union Station: 1921 (via Shorpy)

Today (Sat 4 Oct 2008) marks the 100th anniversary of DC’s Union Station, and also the 20th year since its reopening as a mixed retail and transport hub. Union Station and Amtrak will be celebrating with exhibits, memorabilia, and tours of historic train cars and locomotives.

More from Post’s Get There blog, DCist, and USA Today. Via Rebuilding Place in the Urban Space we get a link to Now Arriving Washington: Union Station and Life in the Nation’s Capital, an extensive dissertation in progress, with a wonderfully voluminous history section.

So be there. Bring cameras.

Adventures, Downtown, Fun & Games, Special Events, The Mall
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Mallwatching: National Book Festival

Photo courtesy of caryn74
Book World, courtesy of caryn74

I have to admit, this one snuck up on me.

To be fair, it seems to do that to me every year; you’d think a writer like me would be a bit more cognizant of the National Book Festival, especially since it’s right across the Potomac every September.

This year, though, I have an excuse. (We won’t talk about previous years…)

BUT! Just because I’m lame doesn’t mean you should be! The National Book Festival will go on, rain or shine, as scheduled tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Located on the National Mall between 3rd and 7th streets, the festival is free and open to the public. Continue reading →

Adventures, Alexandria, Business and Money, Food and Drink, Fun & Games, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Ice Cream (Anti) Social

DSC_0444
courtesy of Ben

So Tom points me to an announcement on Cold Stone Creamery’s website, regarding their promotion of two new flavors and their partnership with the Make-A-Wish Foundation during the month of September. And apparently, tonight is also the 7th Annual World’s Largest Ice Cream Social at all CSC locations from 5-8 p.m, where they’re giving out free ice cream. (Icecreampocalypse, anyone?)

I totally don’t have anything against M-A-W; my sister was a recipient of theirs a year before she passed away. I do, however, continue my lingering grumpiness with the Alexandria CSC location. (They’ve still not sent coupons or called to apologize!) If I could have a wish resolved from M-A-W, it’d be “I wish this CSC would have a faster line!“

Downtown, History, Media, Penn Quarter, People, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Why Spy?

Photo courtesy of handwrite
this is why i am a spy, courtesy of handwrite

The world today is as volatile a place as we’ve ever known. So how does the U.S. maintain its intelligence assets against the faceless enemy of terrorism and extremists? In his latest book Why Spy?, Frederick P. Hitz, former inspector general of the CIA, draws on his extensive experience to suggest how the U.S. can rise to the challenge. Hear from this insider’s perspective on the safety of America and why it depends on how well—and why—we spy. In this lunchtime conversation, he’ll discuss the pitfalls of the past and share suggestions for successful U.S. intelligence in the future.

Meet and greet the author at the International Spy Museum on Friday, 9/26 from noon – 1 p.m. This “debreifing” session is free and open to the public.

Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Books books books

Photo courtesy of erin m

Wheaton at the Library of Congress, courtesy of erin m

For some reason the fall is when a plethora of book-related festivals and events burst out everywhere in the area, and one of the early leaders is coming to a close over the next five days: the Jewish Literary Festival at the 16th street JCC. I think the most interesting item on deck is Andrea Askowitz’s talk on Sunday about her amusingly named book, My Miserable, Lonely Lesbian Pregnancy.

Okay, maybe I have a curious definition of amusing. And my opinion might be colored by the fact that Askowitz is a professor from my alma mater. And because brunch is included in the price.

But there’s a schedule of other events running between now and the close on Wednesday. None of the remaining events are free but at $9 for the non-brunch events they’re not going to break the bank either.

Special Events, The Daily Feed
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That’s one whacky crop circle

A WTOP story led me to this link : Cows N Corn is the website of the Leonard Family Dairy, who do a differently laid-out corn maze every year. This year’s is a reproduction of the Virginia is For Lovers logo. At an hour west south-west from DC, it’s not a bad drive. It that’s too far for you to go solely to wander around in a field you could wait till the 20th and hit their Barn Dance and Dinner. A corn maze, all you can eat, and square dancing? What more could you want?

Business and Money, Special Events, Sports Fix, The Daily Feed
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DC Adds EagleBank Bowl

RFK Panorama 2
RFK Panorama by busybee

DC will have the honor of the first College Football Bowl Game of the year on December 20th, with the EagleBank Bowl at RFK Stadium. This year’s game will feature the Navy Midshipmen against the #9 team from the ACC, provided that both teams come up with six wins this season.

EagleBank has signed a four-year sponsorship deal for the new Bowl Game targeted at the military service academies, with parts of the proceeds from each year’s game going to charities that support Veterans. Tickets will run from $45 to $135 a game, or, mostly cheaper than a ticket to the Nationals.

Essential DC, History, Life in the Capital, Special Events, The District
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We Remember: September 11, 2001

Photo courtesy of MatthewBradley
courtesy of MatthewBradley

As we stop today to take a moment to remember, some of the staff here at WeLoveDC wanted to share our own thoughts about this tragic day in our history with our readers. Please feel free to share your thoughts in comments – but we do ask that you be respectful. (Comments will be moderated as necessary.)

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