Tag Archives: dc

Downtown, Fun & Games, News, The Daily Feed, The Mall, WTF?!
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Meteors over Screen on the Green?

Photo courtesy of
‘Strisciata stellare ad Est’
courtesy of ‘gerlos’

Did anyone else see the large meteors that fell over DC, last night? I was at Screen on the Green last night watching 12 Angry Men (always awesome) and I saw two flaming chunks of rock fall over the Capitol.  And I’m not talking about dainty shooting stars. These were large enough and close enough to be seen despite the city’s light pollution and definitely caught the attention of most of the movie goers. You could even see the rocks beginning to break up and shed chunks of debris.  They kind of looked like fireworks right before the explode.  Did anyone else see them, or am I crazy?

The Features
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Behind the Design: Immortal Beloved

Image Credit: Max Cook

Design is everywhere.  Your toothbrush is designed, your office is designed, and even the carts at the grocery store are designed (next time check out the difference between the elongated single carts and the compact double carts – the latter makes maneuvering through a crowded aisle much, much easier).  Design is truly meant to improve the physical and emotional relationship that we have with a space or a product.

Having spent a couple of years studying design, my sense of awareness in regards to its implications has been heightened.  No matter what I do, I take notice – the good, the bad, and the extremely ugly.  And one type of environment that has always left me wondering is the hair salon.   Why the heck do they all look and feel like clones?  High-end salons are almost always ornamented with chandeliers; trendy salons love to play glaring music – the louder the better; and I don’t think a “budget cut” salon exists without some dated, checkered vinyl flooring.  Can’t someone please answer my salon design woes and create something truly unique?

And in fact someone has finally answered my prayers! His name is Kelly Gorsuch and he is the owner of Immortal Beloved.

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The Daily Feed
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Final Artist Call for DCCAH Pop-Up Public Art Project

Photo courtesy of
‘(184/365)’
courtesy of ‘kimberlyfaye’

The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (DCCAH), DC Creates! Public Art Program is looking for participants for their “Pop-Up Public Art Project”.   The initiative will establish a 14-block creative corridor along H Street NE.  This project is hoping to help H Street in becoming a destination for arts, business and community experiences in city design.

The deadline to enter is Friday, July 9 at 6pm.

For questions call DCCAH at 202-724-5613.

The Daily Feed
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My Favorite Museum Shop

Photo courtesy of
‘Hirshhorn Museum Shop’
courtesy of ‘kimberlyfaye’

For the 4th of July holiday I went to Atlanta to visit family, and while I was there we went to the Coca-Cola Museum.  Since this was not the first time I had been to the attraction (we go at least once a year), and there is only so many flavors of international Coca-Cola product you can taste, I decided to hang out in the gift shop. With one arm wrapped around an extra-large plastic Coke bottle/piggy bank, I began to miss my D.C. museum shops. I am convinced that nothing else compares to the museum shop at The National Gallery of Art or The Textile Museum, and of course, my very favorite, the one found at The National Building Museum.

This got me thinking, our readers always know the best secrets of the city, so I thought I would throw this one out your way – what is your favorite D.C. museum shop and why?

The Daily Feed
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Real Housewives of D.C.

Photo courtesy of
‘Lincoln’s Cottage Southern Exposure’
courtesy of ‘christaki’

Bravo has announced that the Real Housewives of D.C will premiere on the network August 5th at 9 PM.  The  cast will include Catherine Ommanney, Lynda Erkiletian (founder of T.H.E Artist Agency, or as Bravo puts it, “one of the top modeling agents in D.C.” — Bravo, how many model agencies do you think we actually have?), Mary Schmidt Amons, Michaele Salahi (yes, part of the White House crasher duo), and Stacie Scott Turner.

Although I have no idea if this Real Housewives franchise will be as popular as NYC or NJ, I definitely will be tuning in.  I welcome any opportunity to support the city I love and watch mind-numbing TV all at the same time.

The Daily Feed
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SOHO – A Space of Her Own

Photo courtesy of
‘Butterfly Girl’
courtesy of ‘katieharbath’


You are cordially invited to join The Art League & The Alexandria Court Service Units SOHO’s celebratory art exhibit this Thursday, June 10th at 5:30.

SOHO – Space of Her Own is an art-based program that serves 5th grade girls “by providing yearlong mentoring through engagement in creative art activities and meaningful community service projects”.  At the end of each year, each girl’s bedroom is renovated, “HGTV-style”, as a way to provide them their very own safe haven to thrive.

I had the fortunate opportunity to serve as a mentor two years ago and truly can’t encourage your attendance and support enough.

For more information about SOHO, or to learn how to become a volunteer, call 703-519-1741.

The Art Leagues’ Duke Street Annex.  One Duke Street (Corner of Duke & South Union Streets).  Old Town Alexandria, VA.

The Daily Feed
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Cyclist Struck Twice and Killed in Southeast DC

Photo courtesy of
‘Ghost Bike’
courtesy of ‘eldan’

Sad news to start out the week: Friday night around 10:45, David Haywood Williams was riding his bike along Southern Avenue SE when he was struck by two separate cars and killed.  The driver of the first car stopped, but the driver of the second car sped off when paramedics arrived at the scene.  Police are still searching for the driver of the second car, a dark blue compact Toyota or Nissan.

It’s a sad reminder that even though DC is becoming more bike-friendly by the day, both cyclists and drivers should be aware of and respectful of one another.  Please take a moment this morning to check out the League of American Bicyclists tips for cyclists and motorists to share the road safely.

Mythbusting DC, The Features
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DC Mythbusting: City of Neighborhoods

Photo courtesy of
’11th Street NW Rowhouses’
courtesy of ‘Mr. T in DC’

Washington DC is a city of neighborhoods, many of which the tourists who visit our fair city never really experience. But the unique neighborhoods of the District are what make it special– the beautiful rowhouses in Capitol Hill, the commercial centers in Penn Quarter and Georgetown, the arts districts in Logan Circle and U Street– these are the coolest parts of the city. But what do you really know about DC’s neighborhoods? How many neighborhoods do you think the District has?  Can you locate Kent, Swampoodle, or Twining on a map?  And how do these neighborhoods compare? Read on to learn more about the District’s unique neighborhoods.

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The Features
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First Look: Behind the Design, Buddha Bar DC

via Max Cook

There is nothing understated about Buddha Bar.

From the moment you find yourself standing in front of two enormous, yet intricately detailed, iron-clad gates, reading the brand’s etched signage, you just know that you are about to embark on a rather exceptional experience.

The play on monumental proportions continues once you step inside the door.  Don’t be fooled by the cozy entryway, with its stunning mosaic stone rugs, because as soon as you turn the corner to enter the bar and dining area, the ceilings rise and the floor plate drastically expands. Quite atypical for the DC-scene, Buddha Bar consists of 9,500-square-feet of space and has 22-foot high ceilings.

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The Daily Feed
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Thomas O’Brien at the Corcoran Tonight

Photo courtesy of
‘Corcoran Gallery of Art’
courtesy of ‘dcjasmine’

Tonight at 7 PM, interior designer Thomas O’Brien will be giving a talk at the Corcoran, discussing his new book American Modern (Abrams, 2010), a survey of seven of his most influential projects.  O’Brien is the founder and President of Aero Studios, one of America’s most influential design firms, and Aero, it’s home goods boutique in NYC.  Furthermore, he has created a line of home furnishings and bedding called “Vintage Modern” for Target, designed a fittings collection for Waterworks, and has been featured in numerous publications such as Elle Decor, House Beautiful and Architectural Digest.

I hope to see you there!

A book signing will follow the talk.

Interviews, People, The Features
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A We Love DC Interview: ArchitectDesign

Image Credit: National City, Stefan Hurray of ArchitectDesign

D.C. is home to its share of blogs and bloggers, and our passions cover a wide range of topics.  Residential architect, Stefan Hurray of ArchitectDesign focuses his writing on architecture, design, and travel – often times, sharing with loyal readers some of the inspiration he finds in his very own backyard (i.e. Logan Circle).

Archute.com recently shared with me his passion for architecture, design, and of course, D.C.

We Love DC: What is ArchitectDesign?

Stefan Hurray: A visual diary of places I find inspiring. It might be something I’ve visited myself or the occasional magazine story.

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The Daily Feed
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Peter Max in DC

Photo courtesy of
‘Peter Max’
courtesy of ‘brew ha ha’

Pop Icon Peter Max will be in DC this weekend.  Making two appearances at the Wentworth Galleries tomorrow, April 24th. Max is known for his bold colors and ‘psychedelic’ imagery of american culture. This weekend’s show will feature 100-plus pieces of art – ranging from his well known “cosmic” images to his more iconic paintings such as “Flag with Heart”.

Wentworth Galleries

[Saturday, April 24th, 1-3 PM] Montgomery Mall.  7101 Democracy Blvd. Bethesda, MD.

[Saturday, April 24th, 6-9 PM] Tysons Galleria. 1807 U International Drive. McLean, Va.

Entertainment, Music, We Love Music
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We Love Music: The Wedding Present @ The Black Cat 4/9/10

The Wedding Present play Bizarro at the Black Cat courtesy of Frank Bors Jr.

This year marks the twentieth anniversary of The Wedding Present’s seminal, break-up album, “Bizarro“; and to celebrate, band founder David Gedge is touring the U.S. playing the album in full. On Friday night The Wedding Present stopped in at The Black Cat to play a handful of non-“Bizarro” tracks and then the album proper from beginning to end. While the current Wedding Present line-up skews slightly younger than the blokes that originally played this material, the crowd on Friday night was definitely composed of first generation fans judging by the abundance of middle-aged and soon to be middle-aged men in attendance. It was certainly a night for reliving passionate youth for many as “Bizarro” is one of the great relationship-angst albums of all time. So great in fact that Gedge’s heart-wounded lyrics can still inspire a crowd of grown men to scream along with him even now, twenty years removed from the soul-crushing trials of youthful romance and the debut of the perfect soundtrack for them.

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Entertainment, Music, We Love Music
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We Love Music: Serena Maneesh @ DC9 4/7/10

Serena Maneesh
courtesy of Serena Maneesh.

Norwegian, neo-shoegazer, wunderkinds Serena Maneesh (finally!) returned to the DC area on Wednesday night when they played a painfully short but brilliant set at DC9. It has been four long years since Serena Maneesh first brought their mammoth live sound to our area; when they played to an embarrassingly small crowd at the State Theater in 2006. I was one of the lucky few in attendance that night and I have been a babbling fool about this band ever since; singing their praises every time the shoegazer revival is up for discussion and playing just about every track off their first self-titled debut at my DJ nights over the years. If you read my original review and then their #2 spot on my 2006 best shows list, it is obvious how taken I was by their My Bloody Valentine-esque approach to live performance. The State Theater show is one of the best shows I have ever attended. Hence my many years of agony awaiting their return.
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Entertainment, Music, We Love Music
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We Love Music: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club @ 9:30 Club 4/5/10

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
courtesy of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club rumbled into town on Monday night to subject a sold-out 9:30 Club to a shock and awesome display of rock-n-roll annihilation. Touring in support of their latest long-player, “Beat the Devil’s Tattoo“, BRMC embraced that album’s raw power style to play a set that was fast, loose, and loud. So loud that it often felt like the band was testing the audience’s commitment to BRMC’s maximum rock approach. The noise assault drove fans out in staggered waves through the set but left behind a sizable core of diehards to truly enjoy the display of sonic audacity and seemingly-effortless talent being unleashed on stage. Being a long-time BRMC fan, I was a bit shocked at the levels with which they could still manage to surprise and impress. After many years of watching Black Rebel Motorcycle Club perform, their Monday night, aural brainwashing made me feel like I was seeing the band for the first time all over again.

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Business and Money, Life in the Capital, News, The Daily Feed, The District, We Green DC
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DC Bag Tax Nets $150,000 For Anacostia River Clean Up

Photo courtesy of
‘Reusable Giant Bags’
courtesy of ‘Mr. T in DC’

The District’s 5-cent bag tax, which started in January 2010,  netted approximately $150,000 during its first month of enactment. According to the D.C. Office of Tax and Revenue, only 3 million bags were issued in the month of January compared to 2009’s 22.5 million bags per month average, and it appears that the new law DC shoppers has been successful in altering  shopping bag habits faster than was expected.

Prior to enactment, the new tax was estimated to generate $10 million in revenue over the next four years and would fund the Anacostia River Cleanup Fund. Given January’s results it appears that consumer behavior has changed so rapidly that this revenue may fall short of its original projection.

Dupont Circle, Fun & Games, News, Special Events, The Daily Feed, The Mall
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International Pillow Fight Day

Photo courtesy of
”
courtesy of ‘Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie’

I guess that early spring is the time international activity days.  Last week we had Kite Day, which was awesome, and this week we have Pillow Fight Day, which will probably be more awesome, I recommend buy amazon pillows, are the best option for this event. If you struggle with getting your mind to shut off when you’re trying to get comfy and cozy under the sheets, hugging an amazon body pillow may be just what you need. Capitol Improv is organizing a massive gathering on the mall on Saturday to observe pillow fight day.  Thus far, over 1600 people have responded to the Facebook invite. The plan is to gather on the WWII Memorial side of the Washington Monument around noon, at which time a few Capitol Improv folks will engage in a shouting match that will quickly devolve into a pillow fight.  At this point, the general public is welcomed to join in.  After a little while, the fight will be moved to Dupont Circle, where it will continue until everyone gets tired of it.  I missed last years pillow fight which had over 400 participants.  I’m not making the same mistake this year.

The Daily Feed
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DC From Space

Washington DC. Weather is getting better. on Twitpic

“Washington DC” image from Astronaut Soichi Noguchi

Smile!  Soichi Noguchi just caught you on film.  He’s a Japanese astronaut on the International Space Station, and he takes photos of various places from space and posts them to his fantastic twitter feed, @Astro_Soichi.  He has posted hundreds of images of the Earth, and yesterday he posted an image of DC from the Space Station.  You can clearly make out buildings like the Convention Center and Nationals Park in this full size version, and because of the glint of the sun, all the water really stands out and you can see the bridges and docks too.  It’s so cool to see the District from such a unique perspective– thanks, Soichi!

All Politics is Local, The Daily Feed, WTF?!
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2010 National Mutt Census Fails DC Dogs

Photo courtesy of
‘DH dog giggle animated avatar’
courtesy of ‘Generic Brand Productions’

This really rubs me the wrong way. The 2010 National Mutt Census, intended for mixed-breed dogs only, allows DC mutt owners to submit their data, but when it comes time to locate DC on the U.S. map and see the summary of DC mutt statistics, it’s missing.  Guess DC must have gotten lost in the Mists of Avalon or Bermuda Triangle, or something. I can’t even tell you how frustrated I was trying to navigate my mouse over the little iotas of map pixels between MD and VA. I was really hoping DC was lurking in their somewhere, but no, we’re not.

So I’ve written to the 2010 National Mutt Census, pointing out our lack of map presence and I’m hoping they will/can put us on the map. You too can help by writing Mars Veterinary (the owner of the site who BTW is located nearby Gaithersburg, MD – I mean, seriously, how did they forget DC?!!) to ask that DC mutts be represented in census.

Fail. 2010 National Mutt Census. Fail.