Category Archives: The Features

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The Features
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Are You Registered To Vote? You Probably Should Be

11.2.10 Paige Weaver

The franchise might be the single greatest part of Western Democracy. Sovereign, the right to vote is the right to annually overthrow your government through legal means, and to bring about change in your society through the exchange of ideals and plans.

Okay, enough with the romantic PoliSci 101 bullshit. You have very few things required of you as an individual citizen. One of those things is the obligation to vote. I don’t care if you vote an empty ballot, spoil your ballot on purpose, or write in Mickey Mouse, but I care that you get up on Election Day, put on some pants, and go pull the lever, color the bubble, or tap the touch-screen, because this stuff matters.

Turnout rates across the area are certainly nowhere near where they should be. But, between early voting, absentee balloting, and 13-hour poll days on Election Day, you’re really out of excuses for not voting.

Not sure if you’re registered? Know you’re not registered and need a quick guide or even an online form to get you started? The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments has a gorgeous new site to help you get registered, as well as let you check your registration, get the skinny on early or absentee voting, and help you exercise your franchise.

Vote. It’s important.

Bonus Points if you volunteer in your community to help administer the elections. Leave me a comment with your jurisdiction, and I’ll get you the information on how to become a pollworker. It’s usually paid, it’s always fun, and you’re fostering democracy in your own community. How sweet is that?

Entertainment, Special Events, The Features, We Love Arts
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2012 All Roads Film Festival (with Ticket Drawing!)

Photo courtesy of Mr. T in DC
National Archives Film Canisters
courtesy of Mr. T in DC
The National Geographic All Roads Film Project presents the 8th annual All Roads Film Festival, featuring stories and talent from vibrant and diverse cultures. Meet the filmmakers at panel discussions, dance to live music Friday night, and enjoy a free photography exhibition in the National Geographic courtyard. The festival runs Thursday, September 27 through Sunday, September 30. All screenings will take place in Grosvenor Auditorium at National Geographic Society headquarters, 1600 M Street NW, unless otherwise noted. Tickets are $10 per film or you can purchase a festival pass for $100.

National Geographic is graciously offering our readers a chance to attend a screening of their choice. Simply put in the comments what two films interest you and we’ll draw a few winners (a pair of tickets for each winner) on Tuesday morning.

The schedule after the jump. Continue reading →

Arlington, Special Events, The Features
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See Opera Differently This Fall

Opera on a blanket afagen

September’s not just the start of pumpkin season, festival season, or football season – it’s the start of opera and musical season, too!

Get your classical groove on with these affordable and out of the ordinary events:

Opera in the Outfield

On September 29, Nationals Park opens up for another night of free opera (FREE opera! Did you hear that? That’s like finding a unicorn). This year the show of choice is Mozart’s classic Don Giovanni as performed by Washington National Opera.

Continue reading →

Sports Fix
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Week Three Preview: Bengals at Redskins

Photo courtesy of BrianMKA
Under the lights
courtesy of BrianMKA

This is the moment Redskins fans have been waiting for since the trade for the number two overall pick was announced. The home debut of RGIII. In the first two weeks of the season Robert Griffin III has been everything that has been advertised and more. He has gotten it done with both his arm and his legs and has shown off tremendous poise for a rookie playing the most important position in the NFL. The Redskins lost last week because the defense had no answer for the the Rams passing attack and Josh Morgan lost his cool and drew an unsportsmanlike penalty after RGIII had led the Redskins into at position to tie the game.

It is a little confusing as to how poorly the Redskins defense has performed. The answer could be as simple as they were an easy mystery to solve. The Redskins defense is built around the pass rush. Given time and any quarterback in the NFL is going to pick apart their weak secondary, and now with Orakpo and Carriker done for the season that pass rush is going to suffer a bit putting even more pressure on the secondary. Meriweather is expected to return this weekend and having a true safety on the field could be an added benefit.

Continue reading →

Sports Fix
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Nationals clinch first post-season berth for DC since 1933

bang, zoom go the fireworks philliefan99

In the seven years since Washington returned to organized baseball, there hasn’t been a single season better than .500. This season’s 91-58 Nationals have claimed at bare minimum a Wild Card berth in the playoffs this season, and with it a share of DC history.

Words are inadequate to the raw emotion of relief and triumph that seemed to overtake the fans in the 9th inning as Drew Storen retired the heart of the Dodgers lineup on strikes. 30,359 roared as one to celebrate the win, but the Nationals were low-key in post game interviews, quick to point out that the Division was still up for grabs, and that they won’t rest as long as they’re in pursuit of something no DC baseball team has claimed since Calvin Coolidge was in the White House: the World Series trophy.

Congratulations to the Washington Nationals, on behalf of a grateful city, on restoring respectability to our baseball chops. Bravo Zulu, and may the sub horn sound.

Entertainment, Special Events, We Love Arts
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Theater Preview: Black Watch

Ryan Fletcher, John Tiffany, and Scott Fletcher of the National Theatre of Scotland's production of Black Watch Jenn Larsen

Miss last year’s sold-out run of The National Theatre of Scotland‘s award-winning production of Black Watch ? You’re in luck. NTS has returned to DC and the Shakespeare Theatre Company for an extended stay through October 7. Created by playwright Gregory Burke from interviews of Scottish soldiers, it details the experiences of those who served in the Iraq War as members of the legendary regiment, the Black Watch. This production uses fast-paced, inventive movement to tell a story that often gets lost in the fog of war.

“We’re not out here to tell anybody it was wrong to invade Iraq,” director John Tiffany said at the media preview yesterday, “We’re out to tell the story of the people who were out there. It’s our duty to know what they experienced if we’re going to ask them to fight for us.”

It’s easy in Washington to feel burned out by policy talk, and I’m ashamed to admit that when I first saw Black Watch was returning, I didn’t feel compelled to see it. Yesterday’s preview changed my mind, and I urge you to see this production. This is a powerful human story of men thrust into the alternating horror and boredom of war. The play succeeds in bringing them back to the forefront of our thoughts, where they rightfully belong. As Tiffany told me, “It’s about people, not politics.” Continue reading →

Entertainment, History, Interviews, People, The Features
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Tony Mendez and ARGO: The True Story

Author and Former CIA Agent Antonio Mendez (Photo courtesy Joanna Mendez)

On November 4, 1979, Iranian militants stormed the American embassy in Tehran and captured dozens of American hostages, sparking a 444-day ordeal and a quake in global politics that still reverberates today. But there’s a little-known drama connected to the crisis: six Americans escaped from the embassy only to remain trapped in the city, facing torture or death if the militants discovered their whereabouts. With time running out, CIA officer, Antonio Mendez devised an ingenious yet incredibly risky plan to rescue them.

Disguising himself as a Hollywood producer, and supported by a cast of expert forgers, deep-cover CIA operatives, foreign agents, and Hollywood special effects artists, Mendez traveled to Tehran under the guise of scouting locations for a fake science fiction film called Argo. While pretending to find the perfect film backdrops, Mendez and a colleague succeeded in contacting the escapees and smuggling them out of Iran right under the noses of their pursuers.

Such is the real-life setting for ARGO: How the CIA and Hollywood Pulled off the Most Audacious Rescue in History, which released in stores earlier this week. Mendez will be present at a book launch party at the International Spy Museum tomorrow evening. The former agent-turned-author took a few minutes to talk about the experience, the new book, and the upcoming movie Argo (starring and directed by Ben Affleck) releasing October 12. Continue reading →

We Love Weekends
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We Love Weekends – Sep 21 – 23

Nats v. Pirates W 7-4-1538 MudflapDC

Rachel: I’ll be playing one of my last solo acoustic shows of the year this coming Friday at Fireflies in Delray (Alexandria). There’s no cover charge and the splendidly talented Molly Hagen will also be performing. The two of us will be there from 9 – 11 p.m. so feel free to stop by and enjoy the music while grabbing a nosh or a drink. Saturday’s kind of up for grabs. It might be spent at the Navy Yard for a ballgame, not sure yet though. Then comes Sunday when I’ll most definitely be at Nats Park …because why not, right?

jsprig

Alexia: so many shows, so little time. Thursday night I’m super stoked to see the Make-Up reunion at Black Cat, along with super-sassy favorites of mine openers Coup Sauvage and the Snips! Saturday my mind is blown by how many shows there are going on that I want to see. First, I want to check out GEMS (new band from the duo that brought you Birdlips) opening up the night at Rock & Roll Hotel. Then comes the hard part- dividing myself into three people so I can be at the following places at once (or developing super-speed to race from one to the next) there’s E.D. Sedgwick & Heavy Breathing at Comet Ping Pong, Shark Week at Velvet Lounge (if you haven’t seen these kids yet, do it before they get too big and leave DC in their dust!), and DJ Will Eastman is doing an epic 6-hour DJ set to celebrate the 12th anniversary of his dance night Bliss at U Street Music Hall. I’ll see you on the flipside.

2012.09.15 DC People and H Street Festival 15698 tedeytan

Marissa: Maybe it’s my imagination, but it seems like there are even more festivals happening this autumn. So with that in mind, I plan on heading down to check out the DC State Fair/Barracks Row Fall Festival on Saturday. After that, to mark the first official day of fall I’ll probably wear a sweater, scoop chili into my mouth while cheering for some football game on TV, holding a pumpkin and glancing at the changing leaves outside. Can you tell how excited I am for this season!? Saturday night holds a birthday celebration for two close friends and come Sunday it might be time to channel that enthusiasm into some apple picking.

DC Brau - On the Eight Day, God Touched the Beer Cans... - 08-06-11 mosley.brian

Tom: I wish to go to the Festival! That is, the Friends of Rhode Island’s Fall Fest on Saturday afternoon, with food from Lace on the Avenue, Rita’s and Taste, there’s going to be some awesome eats, as well as some amazing art from Art Enables, and a great event from DC Brau, as well as the DC Statehood Committee of the Brookland Neighborhood Civic Association. Sunday I’ll be focused on the Nationals, as they continue their miracle worst-to-first season against the Brewers. Somewhere in there, I’ll be visiting some of DC’s fine car dealership in search of a sweet new ride.

Vileinist

Natalia: I have fall and food on my mind (what else is new?) Friday I am headed to Elizabeth’s Gone Raw to celebrate the week-end and try my first raw dining experience, which I will share with all of you following. Saturday, I am headed out to Homestead Farm to pick and purchase my weight in apples. With the cooler temps, baking is a must, so I am excited to spend some time reading up on the perfect apple pairings, and mastering the art of pie. Saturday night I am headed to Johnny’s Half Shell for a Texas style crab fest, for the last summer reminder. Sunday, undefined, but maybe Ill give in to learning a bit about Football.

beer holdup philliefan99

Don: My goal is outdoors, beer, and baseball. All of which should be lovely. Woooooooo Nats!

Fedward: The Social Chair is going shopping for accessories and accoutrements (the top billing for Spanx on that page makes me appreciate my gender prerogative even more than I already did). We’re also headed to KoGiBow for a cake topper. That probably means we should finalize our plans for cake or cake substitutes, huh. When did time start moving so quickly? 29 days to Puerto Rico!

Music, The Features, We Love Music
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We Love Music: Bloc Party @ 9:30 Club — 9/17/12

Ed Sheeran, Blood Red Shoes, Hot Chip, Bloc Party, XX, others at Frequency Fest in Austria globalite

When Bloc Party announced to back-to-back dates at the 9:30 Club over the summer, it seemed a bit ambitious. The London quartet had not put out an album in four years after a prolific three-album period. Bloc Party didn’t do the usual trick of announcing one night, waiting for it to sell out, and then announcing a second night. They announced both nights Sunday and Monday together.

The first night sold out and then weeks before the performance so did the second night. The closer the dates came, the more buzz grew from people I know. My oldest friend Doug, a diehard Bloc Party fan, was leading the buzz in my ears. He was confident that lead singer Kele Okereke and crew were going to hit the musical ball out of the 9:30 park — and this despite his lukewarm reaction to the band’s fourth album, Four, which dropped a month before they appeared in Washington to promote it.

But the genius of Bloc Party is that they know what works and when it works. Okereke for all of his vocal energy radiates a quiet calm when he’s not jumping around to his own post-punk compositions. The band’s smart use of their fourth album songs and a reliance on their most popular tunes quickly allayed any fears I had that these guys may have lost their spark. It clearly has remained there all along.

Continue reading →

Entertainment, Music, Night Life, The Features, We Love Music
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The Winning Ticket: Win before you can buy: The Killers w/Tegan & Sara @ Patriot Center, 12/18

We Love DC is giving away a pair of tickets today to see The Killers at the Patriot Center before you can buy them! The Killers will be playing along with openers Tegan & Sara at George Mason’s Patriot Center on Tuesday, December 18th. Tickets go on sale this Friday, September 21st at 10am through ticketmaster. You can also purchase tickets in person at the box office of the Patriot Center or the 9:30 club.

For your chance to win these tickets simply leave a comment on this post using a valid email address until 4pm today. One entry per email address, please.

For the rules of this giveaway…

Comments will be closed at 4pm and a winner will be randomly selected. The winner will be notified by email. The winner must respond to our email in 24 hours or they will forfeit their tickets and we will pick another winner.

Tickets will be available to the winner at the will-call window at the Patriot Center on the night of the concert. The tickets must be claimed with a valid ID. The winner must be old enough to attend the specific concert or must have a parent’s permission to enter if he/she is under 18 years old.

Comment away!

Entertainment, Music, Night Life, The Features, We Love Music
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The Winning Ticket: The Spring Standards at Red Palace, 9/20

photo courtesy of The Spring Standards

Today We Love DC is giving away a pair of tickets to see The Spring Standards at Red Palace, this Thursday, September 20th! Tickets are on sale now through the Red Palace website or Ticket Alternative, and tickets can be purchased at the door. Their sound is sometimes folk, sometimes indie-pop, Americana leaning, with a definite country flair at times. This year, they released a double EP titled yellow//gold. Check out these videos for a taste of their range of sound, from the indie-pop-rock “Here We Go“, the country/bluegrass flair of “The Hush” , and folk loveliness of “Bells & Whistles”.

For your chance to win these tickets simply leave a comment on this post using a valid email address until 4pm today. One entry per email address, please.

For the rules of this giveaway…

Comments will be closed at 4pm and a winner will be randomly selected. The winner will be notified by email. The winner must respond to our email in 24 hours or they will forfeit their tickets and we will pick another winner.

The winner will be on the guest list (plus one) at Red Palace the night of the concert. The tickets must be claimed with a valid ID. The winner must be old enough to attend the specific concert or must be accompanied by a parent or guardian if he/she is under 18 years old.

 

The Spring Standards

Thursday, September 20th

Red Palace

Doors 7:30/show @ 8pm/$10/18+

Music, The Features, We Love Music
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We Love Music: Dragonette @ The Black Cat — 9/15/12

dragonette dakin.hardwick

Dragonette are well on their way to finding a much deserved wider audience.

The band is about to put out its third record on Sept. 25 on the heels of a crossover dance hit, “Hello,” from their collaborations with house DJ Martin Solveig. The combination of Solveig and Dragonette has been nothing less than inspired, as the French producer has been able to write very catchy songs and sultry Martina Sorbara has been able to sing them with a now trademark sweet sophistication.

Dragonette has taken their lessons learned from collaborations with Solveig and others and applied them to their third album, Bodyparts, which really is a terrific dance record. They debuted those songs to Washington at the Black Cat Saturday with a sold-out audience that embraced the material new and old and left buoyantly as happy and giddy as the sound of the album.

Continue reading →

Sports Fix
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Redskins lose to Rams 31-28

New jersey came today! #Redskins #RGIII #HTTR henryjose

Most of the talk from yesterday’s 31-28 lose to the Rams will focus on the Josh Morgan penalty that cost the Redskins a chance to tie the game with a late field goal, but more of the talk should be on the coaching staff. Mike Shanahan has not done a good job since he has become coach of the Redskins. The roster has been nothing special, but yesterday is a great example of how coaching can lose games.

After the Josh Morgan penalty that pushed the Redskins out of field goal range the Redskins tried a field goal. At that point in time there were just under 2:00 minutes left and RGIII had led the Redskins into field goal range before the penalty to begin with. The question is why try a play with a close to 0% chance of working instead of going for it on fourth and sixteen. With an offensive weapon like RGIII that is a higher percentage play than trying for a 62 yard field goal.

Continue reading →

Sports Fix
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Week 2: Redskins at Rams Preview

Feature: Photo courtesy of ChrisYunker
Edward Jones Dome
courtesy of ChrisYunker

Last season the Redskins played the Rams in St. Louis in week four, and the Redskins won to move to 3-1 on the season. If you remember that game at all the Redskins won because their defense was about to sack Sam Bradford seven times and limit Stephen Jackson to 45 yards rushing. In week one this season the Rams played the Lions and Sam Bradford ended up being sacked three times. The Rams were not a good team last season, and aren’t likely to be that much better this season. It is in many ways puzzling that after beating a Saints team that didn’t lose a home game all last season at home that many are still picking the Redskins to lose to a Rams team that only won two games total.

With the Redskins front seven matched up against the Rams offensive line this game should go much the same way as last season’s did defensively. Orakpo, Kerrigan, Bowen, and Carriker might as well go ahead and set up residence in the Rams backfield. The Rams should struggle to get going offensively. Their only hope is for Stephen Jackson to have a good game in order to keep the Redskins defense off balance enough to give Bradford time to pick apart the Redskins weak secondary, but if the Redskins were able to handle Drew Brees and the Saints offense then their is no chance they should struggle against the Rams.

Continue reading →

We Love Weekends
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We Love Weekends Sep 14-16

new morning ritual ekelly80

Carl: While Don, Tiff, and the rest of the We Love DC nerds are getting more and more pale, clicking the reload button on the Apple Store website, this weekend I will be getting ready to launch my new book (already available on Kindle). So yeah, I will be getting more pale too. On Saturday I have a funeral to go to as well, and on Sunday I will be slipping into a corset or tights or something before going to the Renaissance Festival with Beautiful Fiancee. I also plan to get back to homebrewing after a hiatus, which reminds me – what beer is good for a spring wedding? I see one of those in my future. Let a brother know.

Rebecca: Friday I’ll be chillin like a villain in Glover Park checking out the newly opened Slate and Mayfair & Pine. Saturday morning WAWSL soccer kicks off early after which I’ll be heading over to the H Street Festival to catch some culture, urban fun, awesome food and spend the day outside. Saturday night I’ll likely stick to H Street and hit up the Star and Shamrock, Sticky Rice and The Rock and Roll Hotel. Filling out my weekend, Sunday will be bottomless mimosas at Scion in Dupont.

Continue reading →

Entertainment, Music, The Features, We Love Music
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The Winning Ticket: Miike Snow @ 930 Club

photo courtesy of Miike Snow

Today We Love DC is giving away a pair of tickets to see Swedish indie-pop band Miike Snow at 930 Club, for the late show on Wednesday, October 24th! Tickets are on sale now through the 930 Club website, Ticketfly, or at the 930 Club box office.

For your chance to win these tickets simply leave a comment on this post using a valid email address until 4pm today. One entry per email address, please.

For the rules of this giveaway…

Comments will be closed at 4pm and a winner will be randomly selected. The winner will be notified by email. The winner must respond to our email in 24 hours or they will forfeit their tickets and we will pick another winner.

Tickets will be available to the winner at the will-call window of the 930 Club on the night of the concert. The tickets must be claimed with a valid ID. The winner must be old enough to attend the specific concert or must have a parent’s permission to enter if he/she is under 18 years old.

Comment away!

Music, The Features, We Love Music
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We Love Music: Ladyhawke @ Rock and Roll Hotel — 9/10/12

Photo courtesy of stusev
Ladyhawke @ Club Capitol (14/11/2009)
courtesy of stusev

The most incongruous thing about Pip Brown, better known as Ladyhawke, is her look — the grunge aesthetics of flannel and t-shirts all the way — despite her sound — a catalog comprised of very accessible and danceable new wave rock gems.

The rest of it all comes together rather well! Sonically, Ladyhawke dwells in that space in the late 1970s when female rock musicians began to be backed by an increasing amount of technology, notably synthesizers. With many of those women, like Pat Benatar, the electronic edge remained just that — an edge. With others, like Kim Wilde, the synthesizer permeated the songs, tripping the wire that fuses guitar to keyboard and thus producing new wave.

Ladyhawke, as her adopted name from the 1985 movie suggests, is very much aware of how to produce that sound but she does it so easily and so naturally you are left with the impression that the music just happens that way. How could it sound any differently?

Well, with selections like her most popular song, “Paris Is Burning,” which she played to enthusiastic, thumping cheers toward the end of Monday night’s show, it could not possibly sound any better. Ladyhawke took the stage roughly half an hour late (par for the course at the Rock and Roll Hotel) and the audience instantly swelled from about 70 polite bystanders for her opening acts to nearly 200 enthusiastic dancers.

Continue reading →

Downtown, History, Interviews, People, Scribblings, Special Events, The Features
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AZORIAN and the CIA Visit the Spy Museum

Hughes Glomar Explorer; photo courtesy Dave Sharp

In February 12, 2010, the CIA declassified substantial information surrounding one of its more secret Cold War projects, Project AZORIAN. The code name referred to the Agency’s ambitious plan to raise a sunken Soviet submarine from the floor of the Pacific Ocean in order to retrieve its secrets.

This Thursday at 10:15 am, the International Spy Museum, in cooperation with the Smithsonian Resident Associate Program, is hosting a special discussion on Project AZORIAN and the Hughes Glomar Explorer. The guest speaker is David Sharp, a former CIA employee who was part of the critical success of the Explorer’s mission.

The story of Project AZORIAN began on March 1, 1968, when a Soviet Golf-II submarine, the K-129 sailed from the naval base at Petropavlovsk on the Kamchatka Peninsula to take up its peacetime patrol station northeast of Hawaii. Something went terribly wrong in mid-March 1968 as the submarine suffered a catastrophic accident and sank 1,560 miles northwest of Hawaii with the loss of its entire crew. Interestingly, the CIA history is silent on the cause of the accident, mentioning neither how the agency came to learn of the sub’s demise nor the exact location of its resting place 16,500 feet below the surface of Pacific. Continue reading →