Arts & Entertainment
Out and About: Weekend Picks
Your guide to the fun stuff going on around the region this weekend, including a Tune Inn fundraiser, the White Night Full Moon Outing, a food truck fest, the Mussel Throw Down, Harry Potter Scavenger Hunt, Heather Goss's space lecture, lots of live music, and so much more.
Popcorn & Candy: Manacled Mormons and Androgynous Aliens Edition
DCist's highly subjective and hardly comprehensive guide to the most interesting movies playing around town in the coming week, including bondage, aliens, and corpses. Now in your grocer's aisle.
The Poor Man's Spy Museum
Now, instead of dinner theatre, an old motel hosts a kitschy array of exhibits on cryptology at the National Cryptologic Museum, which serves as the national intelligence community's only public museum.
more a&e; posts
- Capital Fringe Review: Socrates the Lover 3:40 PM0
Promotional material from "Socrates The Lover". Ancient Greek plays. I find them a bit uninteresting and dated, as a whole. They're so 2,500 years ago. Dress 'em up with a gimmick or two, some cute songs, a pair of boobs, gay and straight cavorting,...
- Capital Fringe Review: The Bird 3:20 PM0
John Feffer in "The Bird". John Feffer is a bona fide Capital Fringe star. After wowing everyone from out of left field two years ago with Krapp's Last Power Point and following that with Edible Rex last year, he's back again with The Bird,...
- Out and About: Weekend Picks 1:35 PM28
Photo by SarahSpies.FRIDAY FUNDRAISER: The Friends of Tune Inn have organized a fundraiser for the staff of the Tune Inn, which was recently damaged by a fire, and hope to raise $50,000. The event will be held at American Legion Post 8 (224 D...
- Capital Fringe Review: The Foo Fah Show 1:10 PM0
What sort of audience is The Foo Fah Show for? Over the course of several short fairy tales that are either ridiculous or meaningless depending on your perspective, writer/performer Marc Spiegel weaves audience-assigned sound effects into his stories. He started this brand of storytelling...
- Photo of the Day: July 15, 201112:00 PM3
spiggycat's damaged film transports this contemporary photo into a different time. (EXIF.)...
- Capital Fringe Review: A Day at the Museum 9:30 AM0
Fringe's "A Day At The Museum".A Day at the Museum is an artful, surprising, and engaging Capital Fringe work. I had preconceived doubts about this wordless play. Looking at the promotional photo and description ("A nude woman in a painting looks out at people"),...
- Capital Fringe Review: Night Sky, A New Play 4:30 PM0
Night Sky might be the least Fringe-y show ever put on at Capital Fringe. It's a straight play -- fourth wall resolutely in place -- about the drama between a stubborn and lively older woman and the people close to her over whether she is...
- Popcorn & Candy: Manacled Mormons and Androgynous Aliens Edition 4:00 PM1DCist's highly subjective and hardly comprehensive guide to the most interesting movies playing around town in the coming week. Joyce McKinney Tabloid What it is: Erroll Morris' latest portrait of an obsessive looks at the strange case of Joyce McKinney, beauty queen -- and kidnapper?...
- This Particular Free Ticket Will Run You $100 3:45 PM2
Presale tickets for this year's Virgin FreeFest disappeared in about ten minutes today. Obviously, this means that it's time for people to start selling them at exorbitant rates on Craigslist. Ain't capitalism grand? Of course, we'd at least wait on the black market option...
- Capital Fringe Review: The VindleVoss Family Circus Spectacular! 3:30 PM1
Karim Muasher and Carrie Brown have the comfortable camaraderie, polished stage presence and patiently-honed wackiness typical of Fringe festival circuit regulars. Their well-traveled The VindleVoss Family Circus Spectacular! is a pleasant road-tested little package of offbeat clowning with just a touch of poignancy. The...
- Capital Fringe Review: The Super Spectacular Dada Adventures of Hugo Ball 2:00 PM2
Photo by Pat Padua. A woman, cradling a baby doll, emerges from the wings after a puppet show. "That was DISGUSTING! And in front of my BABY!" The Pointless Theatre Company's Super Spectacular Dada Adventures of Hugo Ball comes with its own critics, blindly...
- About Tonight: July 14, 2011 1:30 PM9
Photo by spatwei. BASTILLE DAY: L'Enfant Cafe (2000 18th Street NW) throws their annual Block Party, complete with French Maid Race (8 p.m.) and masked ball (9 p.m.), in celebration of Bastille Day. 4-11 p.m. $5. CARNIVAL: Come one, come all to the DC...
- Capital Fringe Review: CRAVE 1:00 PM0 There are only two ways to engage with CRAVE. Either you set yourself at an appreciative distance, admire the passionate efforts of the actors and then walk out at the end as if you had just watched a well-performed string quartet, your day proceeding...
- Photo of the Day: July 14, 201112:30 PM19
Is this just ice cream -- or is it edible sculpture? La Tur's food porn may fit right in with the Phillips Collection's new photo contest, held in conjunction with their Frank Stella show. The gallery asks you to "snap a photo of something...
- Capital Fringe Review: Sanyasi11:30 AM0
In the Hindu tradition, a sanyasi is someone who chooses to renounce all earthly possessions and ties in order to attain nirvana, or liberation from the material world and oneness with a supreme being. This is considered the highest level of spiritual development, and is...
- The Poor Man's Spy Museum11:00 AM15Photo used under a Creative Commons license.by DCist contributor Leah Caldwell Located in Ft. Meade, a few blocks from the curtain-walled NSA headquarters, the National Cryptologic Museum is housed in a former Colony 7 Motor Inn that dates back to the 1960s. The motel was...
- Capital Fringe Review: Good Girls Don't, But Indian Girls Do10:30 AM1
After debuting Give Them Vagina at last year's Capital Fringe -- wait, how did DCist miss that one? -- Vijai Nathan returns to her roots in 2011 with Good Girls Don't, But Indian Girls Do. The show makes for a funny hour and it...
- Capital Fringe Review: My Name is Pablo Picasso 9:30 AM0
"My Name Is Pablo Picasso" at Fringe. My Name is Pablo Picasso technically has a twist, but it's so standard and obvious that you may guess it from this review alone. A mysterious old fortune teller appears at the studio of young Picasso (before...
- Click Click: Eleanor Friedberger @ Black Cat
4:30 PM1
Eleanor Friedberger, best known as being one half of the Fiery Furnaces, came to town last night -- the second night of her solo tour in support of her new album, Last Summer, which was released yesterday. With a full band in tow, Friedberger played...
- This Week in Jazz 4:00 PM2
Sonny Fortune.>> Infusing music from his native Cameroon with jazz and other global elements, Armand Ntep creates a seamless, international sound and vibe. He will be playing Strathmore tonight as part of the venue's free outdoor concert series, weather permitting. 7 p.m. >> Nasar Abadey...
- Capital Fringe Review: An Hour With Ken Johnson 3:30 PM0
To spend An Hour With Ken Johnson, Laura Zam dons a men's suit and a mop of black hair. She twists her tongue to speak in an Alabama twang. She's pitch perfect as she channels the hackneyed advice of a second-rate motivational speaker, presenting...
- Arts Agenda 3:00 PM1
Victor Ekpuk, Composition #.11, 50 x 50", pastel and graphite on paper, 2011 As the summer wears on and people go on vacation, the number of art related events tends to drop. That being said, here's what's going on this week: >> A panel...
- About Tonight: July 13, 2011 1:30 PM1
Photo by kimberlyfaye MOVIE: The NIH's Science in the Cinema series at AFI Silver Theatre (8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring) continues tonight with a screening of The Soloist, followed by a discussion on schizophrenia with Dr. Daniel R. Weinberger. Tickets can be picked up...
- Photo of the Day: July 13, 201112:35 PM3
Who couldn't use a little more cowbell in their lives? Pablo.raw took this great candid portrait of a cowbell player (cowbeller?) during a drum circle at Malcolm X Park....
- DCist's 2011 Capital Fringe Coverage12:10 PM1
The first week of the Capital Fringe Festival is nearly in the books, and DCist's Fringe brigade has been working hard to keep you in the know about a variety of shows. Be sure to check out all our 2011 Fringe coverage here....
- Capital Fringe Review: UPheaval10:30 AM0
"UPheaval" at Fringe. UPheaval: fearless, talented and extremely lithe air-dancers from the DC Aerial Collective do their thing. It's like one act from a Cirque de Soleil show, except performed in Studio's intimate Mead Theatre instead of a circus tent. What more do you...
- DCist Preview: Stephen Marley @ 9:30 Club 4:35 PM0
Though the genre extends far beyond the one family, the Marley name is virtually synonymous with reggae. So it's fortunate that the musicians carrying the legacy of the legendary patriarch are all vital musicians in their own right. Ziggy, Damian and Julian Marley have all...
- Capital Fringe Review: Moby Dick, An Adaptation for Theatre 4:00 PM1
The mask of Captain Ahab, designed and built by Amy G. Bergman and Marianne Murphy. Photo by Pat Padua. The Loose Ends Theatre Collective's Moby Dick, An Adaptation for Theatre, efficiently condenses Herman Melville's 200,000-plus words into ninety minutes of compelling theatre. Michael Bergman...
- Capital Fringe Review: e-Geaux 2:30 PM1
Who are you? Who should you be friends with? Who is your soulmate? These are some of the questions that Pepys, Inc. aims to answer as it launches e-Geaux, "an app that optimizes your life" based on your Facebook data. Tech-addicts are quite familiar...
- About Tonight: July 12, 2011 1:30 PM1
Photo by abe.o. MOVIE: Summer Screenings: Independent Film Series, co-sponsored by the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities, kicks off at the Renaissance Washington DC Dupont Circle Hotel (1143 New Hampshire Avenue NW) tonight with a screening of My Trip Down The Pink...
- Capital Fringe Review: The Oregon Trail: Quest for the West! 1:00 PM1
The cast of "Oregon Trail". Look, ma, they made The Oregon Trail: The Generational-Touchstone Computer Game into The Oregon Trail: Quest for the West!: The Musical! It sure sounds like prime Fringe material -- Snakebites! Buffalo hunting! Four-part harmonies! Audience interaction! -- but somehow...
- This Week In Hip-Hop12:35 PM0
The PharcydeTuesday: >> As a part of the Hip-Hop Theater Festival, local artist Tabi Bonney performs at the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage with Bajah + the Dry Eye Crew, Rujeko Dumbutshena and Maimouna Youssef. Free. 6 p.m. >> The 6th Annual "DC Loves Dilla" show...
- Photo of the Day: July 12, 201112:00 PM20
On a day when temperatures are forecast to reach 101°F, there's nothing like a photo of people tubing down the Potomac to really motivate you to work. Thanks a lot, Sanjay Suchak....
- Photo Booth: Against the Wind (No, Literally)10:30 AM7
The District got a brief taste of the severe storms which brought Chicago to its knees yesterday, and as clouds rolled in, this editor's first thoughts turned to those who had congregated at Fort Reno. Indeed, headliners Title Tracks had to postpone their set last...
- Capital Fringe Review: Pascal's Aquarium10:00 AM0
I was initially wooed by the idea of adorable sea creature puppets singing and swearing about their life in an "upscale restaurant fish tank" in Nice-eeNice Productions' Pascal's Aquarium. But one quickly longs for the YouTube kitten videos at home, which are at least...
- Weekly Music Agenda 5:00 PM1
Eleanor Friedberger. Photo by Francis Chung. MONDAY The Fort Reno season kicks into high gear with the propulsive, hooky indie-rock of Title Tracks, the charming lo-fi stylings of America Hearts, and the precocious pre-teen garage-rock of Cat Jack. Free. 7:15 p.m. TUESDAY In the...
- Capital Fringe Review: Embodying Poe: Poetry in Performance 4:35 PM1
R. Michael Oliver.One of the central tenets behind the Capital Fringe Festival is its mission to give a platform to cutting-edge work. But as anyone familiar with Fringe will tell you, attempts at edginess often lead to gimmicks, vulgarity or otherwise very rough work. In...
- Capital Fringe Review: for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf 3:30 PM4
L-R: Fahlonee Harris-Tate (Lady in Red), Michele Rogers (Lady in Blue), Kristin Poe (Lady in Green), Nicole Brewer (Lady in Brown), and Deanna Dykes (Lady in Purple). Photo by Joshua DeMinter.The seven actresses enter the stage dressed all in white. And, as they speak to...
- Capital Fringe Review: Assembly Required: Comedy A to Y 2:30 PM1
Rob and Flick join the Capital Fringe Festival again as the "edu-tainers" in Assembly Required, the team that "travels around giving important lessons to schoolchildren and convicts." While waiting for the show to start, guests see a slideshow of faux lessons given to other...
- About Tonight: July 11, 2011 1:00 PM2
Photo by m hoek READING: Sapphire, the author of the novel Push, which became the movie Precious, reads from her new book The Kid tonight at Politics and Prose (5015 Connecticut Avenue NW). 7 p.m. Free. MUSIC: Title Tracks, America Hearts and Cat Jack...
- Capital Fringe Review: Who Killed Captain Kirk?12:30 PM14
When did it become cool to be a Star Trek fan? That was certainly not the case when I was in high school, way back in the analog days of the early '90s. At some point during my adulthood, "geek" became the new black, leaving...
- Photo of the Day: July 11, 201112:05 PM22
Very simple photos like this one from abe_o can be beautiful. It makes me feel like I am in some secret corridor of the Imperial Star Destroyer....
- Virgin FreeFest Lineup, Date Announced10:45 AM17
Late last night, Sir Richard Branson took a break from his busy schedule of golfing in the dark and trying, unsuccessfully, to sail across the world to tell us all about this year's Virgin Mobile FreeFest, which will take place on September 10 at...
- Capital Fringe Review: The Malachite Palace10:10 AM0
"The Malachite Palace". A young princess is trapped in a tower. (Well, maybe not so much trapped as highly discouraged by her royal family from leaving the palace.) Will her friendship with a more daring bird convince her to flee her cage? It's the...
- Capital Fringe Review: Hotel Fuck 1:00 PM4
Photo by Pat Padua. The action of Washington Shakespeare Company’s Hotel Fuck begins with Champ (Gabriel Swee) miming a trombone line that sounds like one of the inter-joke musical cues on Laugh-in: "Wha-wha-wha wha-wha-WHA!" This is prelude to Champ singing, “I’m happy, you‘re happy,...
- Sunday Walking Tall Photo: July 10, 201112:00 PM2
Photo by dr_kim_veis ["o] The secret life of feet. The lighting, placement, patterns; all create a scene that, in a tongue-in-cheek way, anthropomorphizes these lower appendages. Maybe this one we can call "The Gilted Lover" or "Starlet in the Spotlight." But for all we...
- Capital Fringe Review: Gallantry: A Soap Opera in One Act11:00 AM3
I guess with a soap opera, the whole point is the scandalous story arc and, at least in the early days, to sell soap. What's being said doesn't matter so much as long as you're catching the basics. That serves Gallantry: A Soap Opera...
- The Return of Go-Go 1:45 PM1
Photo by Photos by Chip Py City Paper’s Arts Desk occasionally features musings from D.C. rapper Head-Roc, who on Friday wrote fervently about what he sees as the burgeoning return of go-go music. Head Roc stamps go-go the “original funk expression from the people...
- Saturday An American Classic Photo: July 9, 2011 1:45 PM1
Photo by Matt.Dunn When it comes to portraits, this is as good as it gets. We're not sure which pageant this beauty won, but nevertheless she epitomizes an "American classic." She even has that pageant wave down pat. I'm guessing she did pretty well...
- Out of Frame: Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff 5:30 PM1
Cinema's a tough industry for an artist. Sure, actors can become stars, and some actors might even gain notoriety for the artistry of their performances, but those two tracks don't always merge. A select few directors might also be raised up on the pedestal...
- Three Stars: The Blackberry Belles 4:40 PM
When a band has just finished recording an album, it's obvious in the best way possible. The band has a certain chemistry and tightness that makes for an impressive performance. No note, beat or movement seems without purpose, but the movements seem unforced and...
- Capital Fringe Review: Please Don't Beat Me Up 3:35 PM0
Please Don't Beat Me Up: Stories and Artifacts from Adolescence is more or less one man's Mortified performance extended to an hour-length show. In the Mortified project, individuals with a flair for the art of comedy and storytelling cathartically share their actual horrific adolescent...
- Oreen Cohen: Running Drill @ Transformer 2:15 PM1
Detail from Oreen Cohen's Running Drill (2011). Photo by Pat Padua. Transformer's Exercises for Emerging Artists series is now in its eighth year. The gallery launched the program in 2004 to give young artists an opportunity for creative and professional growth. This process includes...
- Capital Fringe Review: Fat Men In Skirts 1:45 PM0
Photo by Heather Whitpan."I'm sorry, but it's done! What do you want me to do about it now?" "Well, stop eating her, for one thing." Exchanges like that let you know the madcap feel of Fat Men In Skirts, Molotov Theatre Group's creepy, disgusting...
- Out and About: Weekend Picks 1:15 PM2
Photo by Rukasu1.FRIDAY: MUSIC: Dance for the Dying bring their synth/dance/pop sound and celebrate the release of their new EP tonight at Red Palace (1212 H Street NE). Hiding Places and Loose Lips open. 9:30 p.m. $8. >> Ska band The Thrilltones perform at...
- Photo of the Day: July 8, 201112:00 PM6
At the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, you can learn how to do all sorts of things. {ryan} caught up with this budding percussionist in the Colombia culture tents along the Mall. (EXIF.) If you too want to learn about Colombia, xylophones and more, this is...
- Capital Fringe Review: An Adult Evening with Shel Silverstein10:50 AM0
Not your childhood take on Shel Silverstein. The press releases warning "This ain't no Giving Tree," the pre-show Metallica and the sign advising playgoers to "Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here" prepare you for a night of mature themes. It's too bad the...
- Popcorn & Candy: Young and Misunderstood Edition 3:15 PM1
DCist's highly subjective and hardly comprehensive guide to the most interesting movies playing around town in the coming week. Psycho What it is: The birth of the shower scene. Why you want to see it: Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) is an office drone entrusted with...
- DCist Preview: Béla Fleck & the Flecktones @ Wolf Trap 1:45 PM2
Much "new" music is formed when hitherto unrelated styles are mashed together to form a hybrid that resonates with the public. A perfect example of this type of innovation comes in the form of Béla Fleck & the Flecktones, one of the most creative and...
- About Tonight: July 7, 2011 1:00 PM0
Photo by (Alex) It's my whole damn raison d'etre! THEATER: The Capital Fringe Festival kicks off tonight and runs through July 24. From our recommendations roundup, one promising choice for tonight is The Beasts at 6 p.m., but check out the full schedule. Tickets:...
- Photo of the Day: July 7, 201112:30 PM32
Sometimes less is more. This enigmatic scene was captured on film by C. Michael Poole at the Mormon Temple with a vintage Hasselblad....
- Liturgy @ DC9 4:45 PM0
By the standards of conventional logic, fast music should beget fast movement from the listening crowd. Speed is certainly an integral factor in Liturgy's music: guitarists Hunter Hunt-Hendrix and Bernard Gann possessed fingers that moved at a dizzying pace for the entire set and...
- This Week in Jazz 4:15 PM0
Khaira Arby.>> Trombonist Fred Wesley is a funk legend, having played with James Brown's legendary horn section, Ray Charles, Tina Turner and a host of other icons. He will be leading the new JBs tonight during a free 6 p.m. performance on the Millennium Stage....
Photo by Laura_Grageda.Things are moving quickly around the D.C. beer world. Expanding markets, collaborations, new equipment...oh my! As that old saying goes: "No rest for the brewers." (Or something like that.) DC Brau DC Brau, who sponsored The Brewery Manufacturer's Tasting Permit Amendment Act of...
Photo by Amber Wilkie Photography. August 15 through 21 -- that's the word from Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington, who announced the return of the city's wildly popular Summer Restaurant Week this afternoon. More than 200 restaurants will participate in this summer's Week -- as usual,...
Photo by LaTur The official D.C. bird is the wood thrush. The official D.C. flower is the American Beauty Rose. And now, D.C. will have an official cocktail: the Rickey, joining Louisiana (the Sazerac) as the only other state place to have an official...
Photo by timsackton.Dish of the Week: Swiss Chard Where: Coppi's Organic, your local farmers' market Sesame Street and Sam Kass say we should eat our colors, but dark, leafy greens are an often neglected and misunderstood "anytime food." Kale can be tough and bitter,...
Photo by singing beagle. The collaborators behind the mega Italian food-and-drink emporium Eataly are hoping to open outposts in Washington and Los Angeles, with one of them launching by the end of 2012. Partner Joe Bastianich (son of TV chef Lidia) tells the Huffington...
Photo by staceyviera.The Tune Inn, the venerable pub which was forced to close after a fire broke out inside its kitchen on June 22, has no shortage of supporters. It's no surprise, then, to hear that a fundraiser for the bar's wait staff has materialized....
’Tis the gift to be simple, ‘tis the gift to be free.... Appalachian Spring, more specifically the seventh section of the suite known to many as Simple Gifts, is the soundtrack José Andrés hears for his new pop-up restaurant, America Eats Tavern. "For every restaurant...
Dish of the Week: Strawberry-rhubarb brown betty If you're anything like me, you're taking advantage of the bounty of fruit currently in season. Peaches, nectarines, blueberries, watermelon, rhubarb and cherries are overflowing at the markets. And to my own surprise, even the normally bland...
TenPenh Restaurant serves its last ahi tuna burger and Chinese-style smoked lobster today. After 11 years at the corner of 10th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, the Passion Food group eatery will shut its doors after failure to come to an agreement on their...
When I invited a friend to join me for dinner during Graffiato's opening weekend, she talked about why you shouldn't go to a restaurant when it first opens. You've got to wait for it to settle in and work out its kinks, or something like...
Photo by Eddie Arrossi. The whirlwind surrounding Savor Week has finally died down, and all the photos, tasting notes and conversations can finally be digested and reflected upon. Many of us in the beer community were telling what day it was by which events...
Written by DCist contributor Kat Lucero Lost Society, a new U Street steakhouse, is anything but lost. Located in the heart of the neighborhood's nocturnal playground -- on the northeast corner of 14th and U Street -- this newest kid on the block will open...
Fried zucchini blossoms with mozzarella and marmalade (Kat Lucero) Written by DCist contributor Kat Lucero If you're hungry for Italian food news, then munch on this: Grandma's house just got sleeker. And by this, I mean Casa Nonna (which translates to "grandmother's house" in...
Last night, the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) hosted the RAMMY Awards at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel. The awards recognize local restaurants, restaurant staff and restaurant owners. The big winners last night? "Power couple" Kyle Bailey (Birch & Barley) and Tiffany MacIssac (Neighborhood...
Last Friday, we reported on a pair of brick-throwing incidents which left two Columbia Heights bars -- Meridian Pint and Room 11 -- with broken windows. With the investigation still ongoing, DCist has obtained security camera footage from outside Meridian which shows the vandal...
Tres leches cake at Cuba Libre.Dish of the Week: Tres leches cake Where: Oyamel, Cuba Libre The recent closing of Cafe Atlantico reminded me of the first time I had tres leches cake. Tres leches cake is a spongy cake soaked with "three milks"...
I had visited The Potter's House on Columbia Road several years ago, when a friend's band used the space to play a fundraiser gig for a local non-profit. I think the Christian bookstore / coffeeshop / fellowship hall was selling coffee and cake that night,...
Is there anything more satisfying than knocking off work a few minutes early and heading to your local pub of choice to soak in a couple rays while downing an ice cold beverage? (Answer: no.) Now you can add the Red Palace to your...
Graffiato, the new Penn Quarter restaurant from former Zaytinya chef and Top Chef contestant Mike Isabella, is set to open on Thursday, June 23. The no-frills restaurant, located at 707 6th Street NW, will serve up artisanal pizzas, pasta, locally made charcuterie and cheeses,...
Photo by furcafe.Did somebody call for a doctor? Rumblings are afoot that Dr. Dremo's -- the much-loved home of donut beer, the Night of 101 Elvises and off-the-wall decor -- is again in the market for a new Arlington location. Yesterday, we received an email...
Dark and Stormy at Bar Pilar. Photo by furcafe. Drink of the Week: Dark and Stormy Where: Bar Pilar, The Passenger There are lots of great ways to beat the summer heat, but few are better than a quintessential tropical cocktail. The Dark and...
With the recent classic cocktail renaissance, there has also been a renewed interest in punch. But this is not the sherbet punch of high school proms or children's birthday parties. Instead, it takes the form of a potent potable, combining a minimum of five ingredients,...
Colorado's New Belgium Brewery announced today that they have officially signed contracts with 17 distributors throughout the tri-state area. Fat Tire, Ranger IPA and the brewer's fall seasonal Hoptober Ale will be available in 22-ounce bombers around D.C. on August 22. The brewery's tripel...
Photo by Kevin H. Washington's professional baseball team has some trouble getting people -- I mean, other than visiting fans, of course -- to buy tickets to games at Nationals Park. But you can't say they aren't trying! Offering incredibly cheap tickets and hot dogs,...
Photo by snickclunk. Drink of the Week: Cheerwine Where: DC Empanadas, Spy City Cafe For some reason, most classic sodas still around today seem to have found their origins in southern pharmacies. Was it the mix of the long, hot summers and Southern Baptist...
Photo by D©Bloom. We know, we know: it's a little early to be talking about booze. But hey, according to a press release from the Dirty Martini, some of you people are probably already drunk! The Connecticut Avenue restaurant has launched a new, 48-ounce...
There are numerous names for them: Rocky Mountain oysters, prairie oysters, calf fries, cowboy caviar, dusted nuts, swinging beef, Montana tendergroins. Or, more simply, deep fried calves' testicles. No matter what you call 'em, you can get your fill at the Montana State Society...
Photo by JosephLeonardo. Given its long queue, we'd have to rate Shake Shack's arrival in the District as a hit -- and so it's with excitement that we saw Dan Steinberg tweet this morning that the burger joint's second location in the District, inside Nationals...
Max's Ice Cream board by samthegirl. Dish of the Week: Local ice cream Where: Max's Ice Cream, York's Castle Tropical Ice Cream Gelato and frozen yogurt seem to have been hogging all the frozen treat attention lately. But ice cream is the original treat...
Photo by Kevin H.During Savor Beer Week, we will be highlighting some exciting beers and events to attend every day throughout the week. Savor Beer of the Day: Odell 90 Shilling Ale Why you should drink it: In the current American craze of over the...
Photo by Kevin H. That's right -- it's the first Friday in June, so it's time to celebrate the donut (or doughnut, if you prefer). National Donut Day was actually created by, of all groups, the Salvation Army in 1938 as "a patriotic remembrance of...
Photo by southpaw20.During Savor Beer Week, we will be highlighting some exciting beers and events to attend every day throughout the week. Beer: Captain Lawrence Smoked Porter Why you should drink it: Captain Lawrence Brewing Company has made quite a name for themselves, quickly...
During Savor Beer Week, we will be highlighting some exciting beers and events to attend every day throughout the week. Beer: Big Boss High Roller IPA (on cask) Why you should drink it: The D.C. Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration has left a lot of...
Photo by volcanojw.During Savor Beer Week, we will be highlighting some exciting beers and events to attend every day throughout the week. Beer: Flying Dog Coffee Imperial Stout (on nitrogen) Why you should drink it: This limited edition pour is a rich, roasty stout that...
Photo by bgblogging. I was first introduced to the garlic scape by former Washington Post food writer Kim O'Donnel back in 2006. These beauties, resembling scallions or young onions, are a cousin of these veggies, but unique and interesting on its own. Curlycued, verdant...
As we approach Savor Beer Week, we will be highlighting some exciting beers and events to attend every day throughout the week. Beer: 3 Stars and Evolution's Syndicate Saison Why you should drink it: D.C.'s next brewer is coming at you with a limited...
Summer rolls at Huong Viet by Bethany L. King. Dish of the Week: Summer rolls Where: Ba Bay, Pho Viet, Pho 14, Pho DC The name says it all: summer rolls. Delicately flavored, slightly chewy rice paper encompasses a selection of light, cool ingredients...
Photo by Sexy Fitsum. From corpse revivers to boilermakers, there is no shortage of places to get a drink in the District. And while we can argue until last call which haunts are dives or not, this second-tier city has some of the best...
Photo by Paige Weaver. Strawberries are at market! And they're the harbinger that we'll soon be able to enjoy a bounty of wonderful summer fruits like cherries, peaches, plums, and other berries. When they've reached the peak of ripeness, they're pretty much impossible to...
Photo by awkward.media. Grub Street has created a monstrous ad impression-grabbing slideshow from hell about 50 State Dinners (Plus One) to try during a summer road trip. But that "plus one" isn't D.C. Instead, the site prefers to inflate Californian egos with two options:...
On Friday, we took a quick peek at Peregrine Espresso's new digs at 1718 14th Street NW -- by far, the biggest question we got was "so, when will the place be open?" Soon, caffeine freaks! According to owner Ryan Jensen, the coffee shop...
Over 40 restaurants and area businesses, as well as a large crowd, descended on four blocks of Wilson Boulevard yesterday for this year's Taste of Arlington food festival. During Sunday's five-hour event, attendees purchased eight taste tickets for $20 in advance, or $25 on the...
Sixth & Rye, Spike Mendelsohn's new kosher deli food truck, debuted this morning on the curb outside the Sixth & I Historic Synagogue. Lines, unsurprisingly, were long -- but the product was worth the wait. Helmed by Chefs Spike Mendelsohn and Malcolm Mitchell, the truck...
Grapefruit slushito at Estadio Dish of the Week: Slushitos Where: Estadio During the summer, I always crave Slurpees after a long walk or gym session. Even better: when that frozen drink has some booze in it. And if you're tired of frozen margaritas or...
Photo of Eastern Market by woodleywonderworks Written by DCist contributor Kat Lucero The D.C. Grey Farmers Market recently announced Local 16 (1602 U Street NW) as the location for its second event, which will be held tomorrow, May 21 from noon to 4 p.m....
Coffee buffs in the Mid City area were thrilled when news broke last August that the award-winning baristas of Peregrine Espresso would be opening up a second location at 1718 14th Street NW. Last night, DCist got a first look at the new digs. Anyone...
Photo used under a Creative Commons license with scaredy_kat.You would think that others would have learned their lesson from Chef Spike Mendelsohn when it comes to talking culinary smack about D.C. I was a bit surprised to read this tweet from the Going Out Gurus...
Photo by @Greg_Hudson. So you wanted to be first in line for today's Shake Shack opening? Tough luck -- the fella in the above photo set up shop early this morning, chair in tow. The lucky guy appears to be Andy Lomeli, who tweeted that...
Photo by pjcoleman.American Craft Beer Week (May 16-22) is upon us and there are events all over the city. As if we needed a reason to celebrate with a pint of good suds, the Brewer's Association created a week to celebrate the small and...
The exterior of Café Atlántico. Photo by spectreman.Superstar Chef José Andrés will temporarily shut down Penn Quarter's Café Atlántico this summer to open a pop-up restaurant paying tribute to the history of American cooking. In a partnership with the National Archives, Andrés' America Eats Tavern...
Photo by katieharbath. This time of year, the farmers market produce selection is a little sparse, you have your leafy greens (like nettles), asparagus, early strawberries, and lovely red radishes. I think, perhaps, radishes are looked over or seen only worthy as an occasional...
The 52-foot long bar at Jack Rose. GOG's Fritz Hahn tweeted this afternoon that new 18th Street watering hole Jack Rose "passed all inspections, getting liquor license today. Staff training starts ASAP, opening by 6/1 is 'definite.'" We got in touch with owner Bill...
Photo by staceyviera. Dish of the Week: Breakfast sandwich Where: Market Lunch, Ben's Chili Bowl, any local diner Today, we pay homage to the mighty breakfast sandwich, that wonderful agglomeration of eggs, cheese, cured meat and bread. Sure, you could eat all these things...
Last year, DC Central Kitchen teamed up with the 9:30 Club to start what will hopefully continue as a traditional kick off to summer: the first-ever Sound Bites. The event brings local chefs and bands to the iconic club to prepare food and provide...
Photo by Meaghan Gay. One interview, some very angry reactions and around a hundred comments about whether or not he was right or not later, and Spike Mendelsohn had little choice but to respond to his comments claiming that "it is nice to be...
Photo by Brian Oh.Top Chef alumni/restaurateur Spike Mendelsohn is the subject of a frank interview at Danny Harris' excellent People's District today. Through most of the one-way chat, Mendelsohn talks openly about how the District compares to New York ("H Street and U Street look...
Photo by fromcaliw/love. Before you head out to one of the several musical options around the District tonight, you might want to pop into a nearby pub: hometown brewer DC Brau will release its second offering, Penn Quarter Porter, at several bars around town this...
Photo by [puamelia].The silly ice cream shop with the made up name, Häagen-Dazs, is giving away free ice cream around the D.C. area from 4-8 p.m. today. With comfortable temps in the 70s, it feels like a fantastic day to take a stroll through the...
D.C.-based chef José Andrés has been on a roll over the past year. He's been interviewed on 60 Minutes, and has come in to his own as an advocate for eradicating world hunger, including participating as a speaker at The Economist's World in 2011...
Photo used under a Creative Commons license with scaredy_kat. The workers have been hired and the signage has been installed. Now all that stands between us and a Shake Shack roadside burger is a few days and a line sure to be longer than The...
Photo by furcafe. After D.C. Council Chair Kwame Brown decided to move Councilmember Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6) off of his perch atop the Committee on Transportation and Public Works earlier this week, no amount of outrage from Wells' most fervent supporters was able to stop...
Big education news this afternoon: the District of Columbia has sent separation notices to 413 teachers this year, 309 of which will be terminated from their jobs at the city's public schools due to poor evaluation scores. The remaining 104 teachers were let go...
AP File Photo Former Wizards star Gilbert Arenas has never been shy about airing his thoughts on Twitter. In fact, Arenas' stream of consciousness blasts have kind of become the stuff of legend -- you never know what's going to happen or who Agent...
Of course, First Lady Michelle Obama picks the one night that I'm not holding down the fort at DCist headquarters along U Street to take a trip to nearby Eatonville for some dinner. (No POTUS, though, who told NBC4's Jim Vance yesterday that "Michelle...
The city's local political Twitterati are all aflutter this morning about this column by Harry Jaffe in the Examiner, which proclaims Kwame Brown, but six-plus months into his tenure as Chair, as the "most powerful" leader in the Council's history. Like it or not,...
Photo by elliotmitchell. Good morning, Washington. It was quite a day for our local NBC affiliate yesterday, landing an interview with both President Barack Obama and the first on-camera questioning of Mayor Adrian Fenty since he left office. Both interviews produced some news --...
Photo by furcafe.>> No, Ron Moten does not actually get an erection when he's working with people in the community. [Loose Lips] >> "Tucked amid the tidy neighborhoods throughout the Washington area, homes of hoarders are hiding carpets soggy from the urine of dozens of...
Photo by Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie.Yesterday, we reported on the arrest of Asad ULTRA Walker, a street artist that police allege goes by the moniker "MAR5" and one MPD Sergeant called "a leader and founding member of the 'KGB' graffiti crew that dates back...
Photo by AlbinoFlea.Yesterday, the District's Office of the Inspector General has wrapped up its report on the whole Charlie Sheen escort brouhaha, concluding that the police officers involved in the escort didn't do anything wrong. The Examiner reports that "officers seemingly have executed" details including...
Photo by B Jones Jr.Good morning, Washington. The House of Representatives is scheduled to consider the District's appropriations bill this week -- the Committee on Rules first took up the $10.8 billion budget bill yesterday, and floor action on the measure is expected as early...
Photo by M.V. Jantzen. So, everyone survived that big afternoon storm, right? Okay, good. To the links! Big Fort Reno news: The Evens are going to close out the festival on August 4. [Arts Desk] Several cars in a subdivision ten miles north of downtown...
Loose Lips was the first to break the news this afternoon that Marion Christopher Barry, the 31-year-old son of D.C. Councilmember Marion Barry, had been arrested and charged with possession with intent to distribute PCP in late May. On the day of his arrest,...
Photo by dcJohn.This morning, news came that District police had arrested Asad ULTRA Walker, a street artist that police allege goes by the moniker "MAR5", on Sunday morning. MPD Sergeant Jon Dorrough sent a message to the department's Fifth District listserv announcing the arrest, which...
Photo by elliotmitchell.WMATA's efforts to try and improve communication with riders took another step forward today, as the transit agency released a schedule of all the major weekend track work planned through next June. The schedule, which is available here, should prove helpful for those...
(AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez)Ward 6 ANC Commissioner Keith Silver was set to face trial today in D.C. Superior Court after having been arrested on April 18 during a D.C. voting rights protest. But after a fight over whether Mayor Vince Gray should appear as a...
(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Did you miss last night's All-Star Game? If so, you missed lone Nationals representative Tyler Clippard getting the official win as the National League took down their American League counterparts, 5-1. But even if you didn't get the chance to...
Photo by Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie.Most people would say that fiscal policy isn't made overnight, but the D.C. Council seems to think otherwise. In May, the D.C. Council decided to impose a tax on out-of-state municipal bonds, partly to prevent a competing proposal that...
Photo by Mr. T in DC. Around 1:45 a.m. this morning, three men with guns entered venerable Columbia Heights watering hole Wonderland Ballroom and proceeded to rob an employee before fleeing. The employee was not injured in the crime. Thanks to a quick response, police...
Photo by suburbannation.Good morning, Washington. The fallout from yesterday's Council reshuffling continues, now that observers have had a solid 24 hours to digest the news. The most scathing evaluation of Council Chair Kwame Brown's decision to remove Ward 6 Councilmember Tommy Wells from his post...
Photo by yostinator. Remember: Stay hydrated, folks. Councilmember Phil Mendelson pulled a bill which would have allowed the District to sell and transfer guns this afternoon, after it was clear that he had neither the support of the Mayor nor the votes to pass the...
Photo by dcJohn.Maurice Dews, who stands accused of three counts of arson, including one fire which led to the injury of several firefighters on April 8, will appear in court tomorrow morning after being ruled competent to stand trial. Dews was arrested last Wednesday after...
Starting later this year, D.C. parks, pools and recreation centers will be able to accept corporate sponsorship and ads. Today, we got a sense of what that might actually look like in practice. This morning, Mayor Vincent Gray and D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton joined...
Photo by RoxandaBear. Too hot for you today? Take a cue from Mei Xiang up there and head to the pool! The District's Department of Parks and Recreation, as it usually does on days of extreme heat, has extended hours at several of the city's...
Photo by Eric Gilliland.Despite public outrage with the reasoning, Council Chair Kwame Brown's decision to reassign Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6) off the Council's Committee and Public Works and Transportation passed by a 12-1 vote this afternoon. Wells was the lone objector. In his introduction...
While campus plans for American and Georgetown Universities -- the latter of which is apparently considering expanding into Northern Virginia to circumvent the wrath of its Advisory Neighborhood Commission -- Howard University's plans are rolling along. The University officially released its finalized decennial Campus...
Tough news for those of you who were hoping to do a little bit of gambling while you wandered outside to pick up a truck lunch this afternoon: the D.C. Lottery's Lucky Lottery Mobile, slated to have its first run at Farragut Square today,...
Photo by Samer Farha. Pepco -- the company so bad that it even baffles WMATA -- was recently named the most hated company in America. (Yes, even worse than Comcast!) The electric company's president, Tom Graham, doesn't completely agree, of course: “I don’t agree...
Photo by Amber Wilkie Photography. In the wake of this morning's news that D.C. Council Chair Kwame Brown plans to strip Councilmember Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6) of his chairmanship of the Committee on Public Works and Transportation, questions are flying as to the wisdom of...
Photo by philliefan99.Good morning, Washington. What was already expected to be a long, contentious day inside the Wilson Building got even more interesting this morning, when Greater Greater Washington broke the news that Council Chair Kwame Brown is expected to strip Ward 6 Councilmember Tommy...
Photo by Mr. T in DC. It's so hot outside, the District has issued a hyperthermia alert. And tomorrow's going to be even hotter. (The Mayor wants you to check on your neighbors.) The new Metro cars the agency showed off last week have less...
(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) The Post obviously figured that they had a juicy scoop with this item about Michelle Obama's calorie intake during a trip to Shake Shack this afternoon. See, the First Lady's all about youth fitness, and eating "a whopper of a...
The 2011 Summer Fancy Food Show -- "North America’s Largest Specialty Food & Beverage Event," which features 180,000 products from 2,400 exhibitors and 80 countries -- is in full swing at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. But what happens with all the leftovers...
When local food vendors bring a little bit of character to an otherwise bland city park, you'd think the community would rejoice, right? Wrong. Brick-and-mortar restaurants in Adams Morgan have long complained about Unity Market, an improvised collection of Latino food vendors that have...
(AP Photo/Matt York)Future Nationals savior Bryce Harper has been in Phoenix this week -- mostly to trade some tips with former NBA sharpshooter Dan Majerle, but also to play a little baseball. Here's hoping the former went a little bit better than the latter did....
Photo by Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie.The Washington Post may have discovered the best way to battle the public's penchant for only reading the headlines of stories before moving on -- just don't bother changing the text of said headlines from stock placeholders. Of course,...
Photo by pgkcat.Boy, this story by Freeman Klopott in the Examiner sure starts bad, doesn't it? "The District will not meet a July 27 deadline to fall in line with a federal mandate designed to create a national sex offender registry," Klopott writes, "likely causing...
Photo by ep_jhu. No, not like that -- literally hot. The Weather Channel has apparently ranked the District as the sixth hottest city in the United States. The District's 86.2 degree average summertime temperature was good enough to land us among the company of southwestern...
Photo by Matt.Dunn.Good morning, Washington. Sure, it's Monday. And yes, it looks like it'll be unbearably humid out there. But it's not everyday that you get a free Slurpee, now is it? Anyone? Anyone? There's a big question of who will take over Ward 5...
Photograph from San Francisco's Gay Pride Parade by Tim Marshall, via SFist. SFist shared news that LGBT history will be added to California text books. Chicagoist has aldermen who want to propose 8:30 p.m. curfews for kids 12 and under. LAist learned that the...
Photo by erin m We're not the first to report this, but such renown deserves a mention. Billboard recently named the 9:30 Club among the hottest and most influential clubs in North America. The District hot spot earned second place on Billboard’s list of most...
Photo by Kevin H. Real estate tracking firm Clear Capital released a new report Friday that found that the D.C. metro region is projected to end this year as the top performing housing market in the country. By the end of the year, D.C....
Photo by thecourtyard An update, a repeat offender and a playground shooting: >> On Saturday, two people were shot and killed and another critically injured in a shooting in Columbia Heights. Police have identified the two men who were killed as 32-year-old Jimmie Lee...
Photo by MichaelTRuhl Good morning, Washington. House Speaker John Boehner has abandoned efforts to cut a grand debt-reduction deal, blaming its collapse on Obama’s insistence that significant new tax revenue is needed. Boehner now has his eye on a more modest deal. Mike Allen sums...
Photo by christaki In early June, the Washington Post’s Tara Bahrampour wrote a story about a Starbucks in a Falls Church strip mall that had become a remarkably diverse enclave for local immigrants from countries like Morocco, Egypt and Somalia. Cab drivers, construction workers, scientists...
Photo by philliefan99 Thunder Burger chef Ryan Fichter is a serious predator. Fichter launched a "Wild Wednesdays" promotion at the Georgetown eatery last week that features exotic animal meat, kicking off with alligator ribs and planning for more adventurous mid-week treats including rattlesnake, boar,...
Photo by Cazimiro Plenty of heinous crimes to report: >> A triple shooting this morning in Columbia Heights has left two people dead. According to D.C. Council member Jim Graham, the third victim was taken to a hospital in critical condition. Police say they're...
Photo by ianseanlivingston Good morning, Washington. It was a humid, soggy mess in and around the District yesterday. Alternating between rain-soaked and sweat-sodden, we surrendered to a torrent of heavy rain that took its toll on Maryland. Fortunately, yesterday’s deluge has given way to...
The jokes write themselves. [Mike DeBonis]...
Photo by Kevin H.There are plenty of ways to help someone who's trying to find their way around Washington, D.C. Some use the monuments, while others try to explain the alphabetical / syllabic / numerical nature of the street grid. (It's easier than you think,...
Photo by specimenlife. It's almost the end of another work week, which means that not only is it time to start planning what you'll be spending your hard-earned days off doing, but also how long it'll take you to get around if you need to...
Brittany Norwood, the woman accused of brutally killing her coworker Jayna Murray inside the Lululemon store on Bethesda Avenue in March, will go to trial in October. Prosecutors said during a court hearing this morning that they plan to introduce a barrage of forensic...
Photo by andrewmtu.Sure, there's an anti-Walmart crowd inside the District of Columbia. But those people are only thinking about important things like fair labor rates, land use and the destruction of small businesses! Good thing the Wall Street Journal is here to remind us that...
Photo by Mr. T in DC.Have you ever been out to lunch at one of the various food trucks which roam around the city and thought that the one thing which would make your midday meal complete is a scratch-off lottery ticket? Yeah, me neither....
Photo by lovedc.This morning, the District of Columbia released its annual Comprehensive Assessment Score results for the previous school year -- and the news is, well, familiar. WAMU was the first to report this morning that secondary students achieved slightly higher scores in math and...
Photo by Bogotron. It may be sunny outside right now, but here's hoping you packed an umbrella with you today: the morning's mild weather will soon give way to rainfall potentially exceeding two inches per hour. So says the National Weather Service, which has issued...
A fire broke out inside a two-story commercial building at 1351 U Street NW around 5 a.m this morning, causing significant damage to the ground-floor U Street Beer and Wine shop, as well as the second-floor dance/martial arts studio. There were no injuries, and the...
Photo by savvy112 Good morning, Washington. Today, the the Post runs the third editorial in as many days focusing on the ethical controversies dogging the District's elected officials. The newspaper's editorial board now asks for quick resolutions where few seem to come; yesterday, it...
Photo by dr_kim_veis [''o ]. Jim Epstein of Reason, one of the journalists arrested for trying to record a recent public meeting of the D.C. Taxicab Commission, has published the story he was working on. A man has been arrested for arson for allegedly starting...
Alan Suderman's rundown of Councilmember Harry Thomas' bank records has given us all a chance to marvel at the Ward 5 representative's enjoyment of Hooters, satellite television and 7-Eleven on D.C.'s dime. But there's one expense not mentioned in Suderman's story that's also worth...
