DCist

Go Home Already: Just Around the Corner

Sommer Mathis — 2009-11-09T18:30:33-05:00

Photo by Kevin H.

This seemed inevitable: DCPS CFO Noah Wepman was fired on Friday, according to sources. Wepman was made to look a fool by the D.C. Council after they grilled him at a hearing on the recent D.C. Schools RIFs, to the point where he admitted withholding budget numbers from the legislative body. [WTOP]
A bicyclist was struck and killed Saturday morning by a Bladensburg police officer, authorities only announce today. "The cyclist, who police have not identified, was pulling onto Annapolis Road from the Bladen Plaza Shopping Center about 2 a.m. when he crossed the path of a Bladensburg police officer headed west, police said. The front right section of the cruiser hit the cyclist, and he was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, police said." [WaPo]
Potential new owners for the Maples, a historic mansion on Capitol Hill, weren't able to put together the funds they needed in time to make the purchase, and now PETA is looking at the property. [The Hill is Home]
Businesses along Bonifant Road in Silver Spring are worried that the proposed Purple Line will block automobile access to their storefronts. [Silver Spring Penguin]
Dave Stroup profiles mayoral candidate Leo Alexander, writes, "There is more to Alexander's campaign" than being against illegal immigration. [District Daily]
Bruce Johnson profiles the Greater Mount Calvary Holy Church, site of many tragic funerals for young people in the last year, most recently that of 19-year-old shooting victim Aaron Brice. [WUSA]

Anacostia Streetcar Track Work Causing New Traffic Pattern

Sommer Mathis — 2009-11-09T17:45:46-05:00

Photo by bossa67

Just as work to lay down tracks for the H Street NE streetcar line disrupted traffic in August, the District of Columbia Department of Transportation is warning drivers that the ongoing installation of streetcar tracks for the Anacostia Line will change traffic patterns at the intersection of South Capitol Street and Firth Sterling Avenue for the next couple of weeks.

New restrictions at the intersection began at 9:30 a.m. this morning, and will last until on or about Friday, November 20. From the advisory:

Traffic from the Naval Annex on Defense Boulevard will be prohibited from turning right onto southbound South Capitol Street from Defense Boulevard. All outbound traffic from the Naval Annex to southbound South Capitol Street will be directed to take the following detour:

*Go through the intersection on Firth Sterling Avenue, SE *Turn Left on Barry Road *Right on Firth Sterling Avenue *Left to go south on South Capitol Street

The detour is approximately ½ mile in length.

Additional work will continue on South Capitol Street and Firth Sterling Avenue until mid-January. All motorists are encouraged to use alternate routes to avoid delays, including I-295 North to Suitland Parkway to South Capitol Street SE; Malcolm X Avenue SE to Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue to W Street to 13th Street to I-295 North; South Capitol Street SE to Suitland Parkway to I-295 South; or I-295 to 11th Street Bridge to Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue to South Capitol Street.

More on Dr. Dremo's Potential Return

Andrew Wiseman — 2009-11-09T17:22:59-05:00

On Saturday we posted about Dr. Dremo's, the much-beloved and missed Arlington bar that closed in January 2008 -- they were looking for investors for a potential new location in Clarendon. Since then, a few others folks picked up on the story: you can read interviews with owner Andrew Stewart by blogger Tom Cizauskas and our own Missy Frederick in the Washington Biz Journal.

Stewart, whose father Bill opened Dremo's predecessor Bardo's, says he's identified a location "within 1000 feet of the Clarendon Metro." It's a 2,400 square foot space with room for an expansion up to 4,500 square feet, plus 3,000 to 4,000 square feet of outdoor seating. The old location of Dr. Dremo's had about 8,000 square feet. Stewart said he hopes to open in the space in spring of 2010.

For those worried that the old spot's quirky atmosphere would be lost, Stewart writes in a prospectus that "It is our intent to recreate Dr Dremo's in many facets as the previous location." He also told Frederick he still has the copper tabletops from the old location, as well as many signs and booths, although some of the merchandise, including the 1000-pound totem pole that was sitting out front, were sold at auction.

The prospectus says the place will only serve beer and wine, but no hard liquor, to avoid having to deal with any percentage of food vs. alcohol sales rules. They would still offer burritos, sandwiches and other eats that can be heated and served quickly. Similar to the old Dremo's wall of beer taps, new Dremo's would have 25 to 36 taps of beer, with Stewart emphasizing that many will be hard-to-find beers. Hopefully they'll include the weird ones from the old joint, like the chocolate donut beer.

For those interested in investing, there's a $10,000 minimum, with an understanding that it would be paid back over 2 years. Email newdremos(at)gmail(dot)com if you're interested.

Weekly Music Agenda

Mehan Jayasuriya — 2009-11-09T16:38:51-05:00

Max Tundra (Thursday at the Black Cat) | Photo by Mehan Jayasuriya

MONDAY
>> Made famous by their star turn in the 2007 film Once, Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, better known as the Swell Season, have been charming audiences around the world with their trans-European folk fusion ever since. Tonight they'll stop by the 9:30 Club with Doveman. Sold out, 7 p.m.

>> Quirky Australian singer-songwriter and former Decoder Ring vocalist Lenka will perform at the Rock and Roll Hotel tonight. Even if you've never heard her name, you've likely heard her 2008 hit "The Show," which made its way into numerous commercials and movies. With Colin Smith and Danni Rosner, $15, 8 p.m.

TUESDAY
>> If you're looking for your weekly dose of insular bedroom-pop, look no further than perpetually morose singer-songwriter Marissa Nadler, whose ethereal compositions simultaneously evoke Mazzy Star and Eastern European folk. At DC9 with Alela Diane, $8 in advance/$10 at the door, 9 p.m.

>> From Q and not U to Georgie James, John Davis has a pretty respectable track record going, as far as D.C. musicians go. Will Title Tracks, his sunny, '70s AM pop outfit, prove that the third time is indeed the charm? Find out tonight at the Black Cat's Backstage. With Bryan Scary & the Shredding Tears and the Black Hollies, $10, 8:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAY
>> At this point, Bob Dylan fans have to take what they can get. If you're lucky, he'll dust off an old gem, shake a leg or launch into an unlikely cover (Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," anyone?). If you're unlucky, he'll plow though a set of unrecognizable reworkings, mumbling the lyrics unintelligibly under his breath. Still, the man is a bona fide legend and given that he just released an album of Christmas carols, you might even get to hear a gravel-throated rendition of "Silver Bells". 'Tis the season, after all. At the Patriot Center, $57.50, 8 p.m.

>> If you threw up in your mouth a little just thinking about Dylan singing Christmas carols, you might want to head over to the 9:30 Club for a chaser. Richmond metal legends Lamb of God will tear through a headlining set with Darkest Hour, Periphery and This or the Apocalypse in tow. $35, 7 p.m.

THURSDAY
>> The last time that theatrical English electro-popper Max Tundra rolled through town, we found that his "knack for both pop songcraft and experimental flourish" resulted in "a disarming combination, especially when coupled with [his] confident stage presence". See him at DC9 tonight with Deastro, $10, 9 p.m.

>> In the mood for some slick, radio-friendly emo-pop? Or do you just enjoy the sound of 10,000 tweenage girls screaming in unison? Either way, the Patriot Center has you covered tonight, with the All American Rejects and Taking Back Sunday. $35 (with discounts for GMU faculty and staff), 8 p.m.

Cold Cave (Friday at the Rock and Roll Hotel | Photo by Jayme Thornton

FRIDAY
>> Slumberland Records might now be based in California but the storied twee-pop label traces its roots back to the D.C. scene. Come celebrate Slumberland's 20th anniversary at the Black Cat, with a showcase that features a sampling of the label's current roster, including sets by Crystal Stilts, Brown Recluse and Pants Yell! $13 in advance/$15 at the door, 8:30 p.m.

>> You might not expect a band fronted by former American Nightmare/Give up the Ghost frontman Wesley Eisold and Xiu Xiu alum Caralee McElroy to sound like vintage Factory Records but Cold Cave has the late Joy Division/early New Order sound down pat. For a night of dark yet dancable synth-pop, head over to the Rock and Roll Hotel, $10, 8:30 p.m.

SATURDAY
>> Halloween might have passed but if you still have a hankering for some the spooky stuff, you'll want to head down to DC9, where London goth-punks Gallows will be playing with like-minded acts the Scare and the Mostly Dead. $15 in advance/$18 at the door, 7 p.m.

>> The Black Cat's "Second Saturdays" local music showcase continues with a Backstage CD release party for the latest album from indie-poppers Olivia Mancini & the Mates. With Stripmall Ballads, $8, 8 p.m.

SUNDAY
>> Does Rakim really need an introduction at this point? Probably not. But here's one anyway: he's easily one of the most influential, skilled and revered emcees in the history of hip-hop. And tonight, you'll get to see him in the intimate confines of the Black Cat. With Rhymefest, $20 in advance/$25 at the door, 8 p.m.

>> The trend of bands playing classic albums in their entirety is showing no signs of slowing down — this month alone, Washington has already been treated to a live rendition of Born to Run, with Doolittle soon to follow. If that's not enough for you, head down to the 9:30 Club, where pioneering synth-pop weirdos DEVO will play their 1978 debut album Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! in full. With JP Inc., $45, 7 p.m.

>> London act the xx are perhaps the most buzzed-about band to emerge from the CMJ class of 2009 — they played so many showcases at CMJ, in fact, that they had to take a break from touring afterward. Come see what all the fuss is about at DC9 tonight. With Jon Hopkins, Sold out, 9 p.m.

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Marion Barry Filming a Reality TV Show Pilot

Sommer Mathis — 2009-11-09T16:24:40-05:00

Congress Heights on the Rise had the scoop Sunday morning: former D.C. mayor and current Ward 8 Council member Marion Barry is currently filming a pilot for a reality television series. No joke.

No word yet on when the show would make its way to TV or on what network, but folks are telling The Advoc8te they have seen the film crews trailing Barry about town and that members of his staff have confirmed that they are in fact filming a pilot for Barry's reality show. No idea yet on what the focus of the reality show will be, but if in fact true, The Advoc8te isn't really all that surprised. Wasn't it just the next illogical progression for the ultimate showman - his own reality series?

Barry Chief of Staff Bernadette Tolson confirmed for DCist that the pilot is in fact happening, though she claimed not to know the names of the producers behind it (seems pretty hard to believe that Barry's top aide wouldn't have the details, but given this is the Mayor for Life we're talking about, we suppose anything's possible).

We'll be aggressively updating this story as we learn more.

Same-Sex Marriage Already Basically Legal in D.C.?

Martin Austermuhle — 2009-11-09T16:10:06-05:00

The D.C. Council's Committee on Public Safety and the Judiciary may have just spent two long days hearing public testimony on the same-sex marriage bill for no good reason. A draft report coming out of the committee and currently being circulated to the rest of the council argues that marriage equality already exists in the city, and a law legalizing it isn't much more than a formality.

"In recognizing same-sex marriage in the District, Bill 18-482 does not redefine any concept in the law (indeed, the Committee maintains same-sex marriage is already permitted under District law), as nowhere in our Code is the institution of marriage reserved to opposite-sex couples," reads the report. "Rather, Bill 18-482 removes the custom, or practice, that marriage is only between a man and a woman. This simple legislative act puts in the law what is already in the law: that the right of marriage applies fully to all in the District."

In a process described as "prolonged and incremental," the draft report cites a number of laws and initiatives dating back to 1992 that replaced gender-specific language in the D.C. Code and established domestic partnerships for same-sex couples. It also states that the factors relied upon by the D.C. Superior Court in 1995 ruling prohibiting same-sex marriage in the city have been "methodically, and purposefully, reversed by the Council or have become obsolete through societal and cultural changes." In short, same-sex couples in the District currently enjoy all the legal rights of marriage, and the legislation currently before the D.C. Council will merely establish that fact as law and custom.

For as big a fight as same-sex marriage has been in other parts of the country, the District's approach to legalizing it seems methodical and anticlimactic to an extreme. The symbolism of it of course matters, but the committee appears to have decided that the right of same-sex couples to marry in D.C. already exists -- it just hasn't ever been referred to as "marriage."

The bill is expected to be marked up on Tuesday, with a full council vote planned for December 1.

Thao and the Get Down Stay Down @ Black Cat

Valerie Paschall — 2009-11-09T16:01:01-05:00

This isn’t the first time that Thao Nguyen has sold out the Black Cat. It’s actually become an expectation, like death and taxes, that the young guitarist from Falls Church, VA and her awkwardly named band will bring the crowds and start a party. Party seems an unlikely description of a show by a band who specializes in rather harsh tunes about heartbreak and loss. But Thao’s feisty presence and quickness to invite others onstage elicited a celebratory homecoming atmosphere.

The Portland Cello Project gave an interesting prelude to the festivities. The collective of five cellists sat in a round and performed everything from original folk-laden compositions and classical numbers to renditions of songs by Pantera and Britney Spears. They even brought additional musicians onstage, like guitarist Justin Power (who also contributed to the Portland Cello Project album) and delved into audience participation. Adam Thompson of the Get Down Stay Down judged the audience on how well they sang along to PCP’s rendition of "Hey Ya!". Using the Pitchfork scoring system, Thompson decided that the audience got a 7.1, which probably eliminates D.C. from "Best New Audience" consideration.

]]>But the level of audience enthusiasm rose steadily during Thao's set. Her lyrics have always been touched with vitriol, and songs like "Body" find her smoky voice sounding even more disillusioned and biting. Her guitar gave out a bit of a rootsy twang, but the songs never slowed down enough to wallow in that heartbreak. She stomped her cowboy boots and swung her head and guitar as she sang lines like, "Did he hurt you in a new way?" as if daring the men whom she sang of to dampen her fire.

For all the depressing lyrical content, Thao & the Get Down Stay Down threw what Thao referred to as "the best homecoming dance ever." They repeatedly brought out members of their opening act to participate in drumming and maraca shaking, most notably during their final number, a tribute to Thao's mother. Thao seemingly even held her own participation contest, saying that the winners would get to come onstage and make an acceptance speech. Only after the winners took the stage did the audience realize that the "contest" was a front for one of their friends to propose to his girlfriend.

For all the nuance and meaning in the songs of the Get Down Stay Down, the line to which their live show most closely ascribes is "We don't dive, we cannonball." If they continue to cannonball into D.C. the way they did Friday night, they will continue to sell out the Black Cat every time.

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WTOP: Fenty Using Police Escort for Cycling Team Rides

Sommer Mathis — 2009-11-09T15:25:48-05:00

D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty's obsession with physical fitness may be about to get him into trouble with his constituents. It seems that when he's out training with his cycling team, D.C. Velo, the mayor has been using a large motorcycle police escort that allow him to both flaunt traffic regulations and tie up traffic, WTOP's Mark Segraves is reporting. WTOP spotted Fenty and his team as they "rode on parkways where bikes aren't permitted, ran red lights and stop signs and created traffic backups wherever they went." These rides reportedly occur during weekday business hours, and there's evidence that they are responsible for a large amount of police overtime hours spent doing nothing but waiting for the mayor to show up for his ride. Plus, there's video!

Best part of the story? This narrative about Fenty spotting the WTOP news crew and attempting to dodge them:

Last month, Fenty spotted WTOP with a video camera as he rode along Rock Creek Parkway. Minutes late, as Fenty and his teammates rode along the parkway, the mayor darted across the road and onto the bike path, where he dismissed the police escort and took off through the woods.

A few days later, when WTOP caught up with the mayor and his bike team again, they had moved their training ride to Bethesda, where more than 20 cyclists - along with a D.C. Police escort - tied up traffic along Goldsboro Road, MacArthur Boulevard and other major roadways.

Supreme Court Denies Sniper's Request to Stay Execution

Sommer Mathis — 2009-11-09T15:10:30-05:00

The U.S. Supreme Court has denied convicted D.C. Sniper John Allen Muhammad's request to stay his execution. Barring any unforeseen intervention, the decision means that Muhammad will be put to death by the state of Virginia at 9 p.m. on Tuesday night. The Post notes that Justices John Paul Stevens, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor all objected to the speed at which the high court made its decision, writing that they "allowed Virginia to truncate our deliberative process on a matter." The court sped up its normal review process after Virginia scheduled Muhammad's execution for Tuesday.

'Trun' on to the 15th Street Contraflow Bike Lane

Sommer Mathis — 2009-11-09T14:30:50-05:00

DDOT workers were out putting the finishing touches on the contraflow bike lane on 15th Street NW today, installing the permanent plastic pylons that separate the line of parked cars from the new sidewalk-adjacent bike lane.

But it looks like there are still a few wrinkles to get ironed out with the signage. DCist spotted this pretty large "typo" today:

After we snapped this photo, we noticed Greater Greater Washington had spotted another spelling mistake on the lane over the weekend, but we didn't see the "YEILD" spelling on our walk of the entire lane today, so it's possible that one's been fixed already.

About Tonight

Kaysha Gurell — 2009-11-09T13:30:48-05:00

Photo by Tony DeFilippo

ART: Fotoweek DC festival opened last Friday and continues all week. Tonight we recommend a discussion on digital storytelling hosted by National Geographic and NPR (6:30 p.m.) and an opening reception at Carriage House, featuring work by some of the best fashion photographers in the city (at 7 p.m.) You can also stop by Local 16 every night this week after 5 p.m. to mingle with photographers and festival organizers, enjoy drink specials and watch photo projections.

READING: James Loewen, author of Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong, will read from and sign copies of his book tonight at the the 14th Street Busboys and Poets. 6:30 p.m.

MOVIE: The Goethe Institut is screening Jana and Jan, Helmut Dziuba's 1992 film about a man who gets sent to a reformatory as he tries to escape to West Germany, only to meet his future wife there just as 1990 begins. Part of the Wende Flicks: Last Films from East Germany series, 6:30 p.m., $6.

MUSIC: Nice little local line-up at Black Cat Backstage tonight: Mobius Strip sound a bit like the love child of They Might Be Giants and Sleater-Kinney, while Petworth returns from a months-long hiatus with a new bassist and the promise of a fuller sound. 9 p.m., $8.

D.C. Foster Kids Are in Need of Christmas Presents

Sommer Mathis — 2009-11-09T12:55:19-05:00

Photo by erin m

Susie Cambria, via her excellent Budget & Policy Corner blog, reminds us that there are 900 D.C. foster children who are hoping to get Christmas presents this holiday season, and the Child and Family Services Agency needs D.C. residents to help. If you're able to purchase a few gifts for some needy local foster kids this year, you can find more details on this flier. Just tell CFSA how many children you can buy gifts for, and they'll give you the age, gender and sizes for each child. Delivery dates for gifts for specific kids are Dec. 7 & 8, while general toy donations can be dropped off on Dec. 14 or 15. Also on the flier are details on how to put together a Thanksgiving dinner basket for a CFSA family.

Photo of the Day: November 9, 2009

Meaghan Gay — 2009-11-09T12:30:13-05:00

Sometimes it's the most simple photograph that catches your eye and steals your attention. This photo from every.seven is exactly that: simply beautiful.

DCist Goes to the Opera: Götterdämmerung

Charles Downey — 2009-11-09T11:45:13-05:00

Conductor Philippe Auguin

In 2006, when Washington National Opera opened its American Ring Cycle, few could have imagined that it would end as it did on Saturday night, with a concert performance of Götterdämmerung. After very promising productions of Das Rheingold and Die Walküre in 2006 and 2007, financial considerations delayed the staging of Siegfried by one season, to last spring, when it ended up with a troubled casting and special-effects woes. The collapse of the financial and housing market last fall was the final nail in the coffin, forcing the company to cancel the plans to mount the entire four-opera cycle this month. By all logical expectations, this doomed Ring should have come to an ignominious end, with nothing but the fact that it finally concluded to show for all the trouble.

So, imagine the surprise of everyone in the Kennedy Center Opera House — critics, subscribers, and likely even the orchestra and the cast — when this Götterdämmerung turned out to be one of the most transcendent musical experiences in recent memory. Somehow, the planets aligned and Wagner's demanding and multicolored score leapt off the page in a vivid performance that had an excellent mixture of propulsion and timeless stasis. The pole star, the guiding force of the assembled forces was French conductor Philippe Auguin, who made quite a memorable debut at the WNO podium. The orchestra applauded him, with a loud rumble of their feet, at his first appearance, and the ovations for him from the audience at the start of the second and third acts were among the loudest and most appreciative heard for a conductor in a long time. His beat was crystal clear, his tempi consistent and well chosen, and the economy of his gesture allowed singers and players to come together in a solid and inspired performance. The sense of confidence in the pit was evident in the sound of the orchestra, which gave one of its best performances of the last several years.

The cast sang from a mostly bare stage, some using scores on music stands and others singing from memory and doing more acting than not. Replacing the originally cast Siegried, Ian Storey (who, ~~called in himself to replace Pär Lindskog,~~ withdrew from both Götterdämmerung and Ariadne auf Naxos because of illness), veteran tenor Jon Fredric West stepped in and gave an authoritative, breezy, and stentorian performance. The voice has lost some of its beauty over the years, but not its leathery power, although as when he sang the role in the Met's Ring cycle a few years ago, power came at the price of polish. He was matched in intensity by the explosive Brünnhilde of soprano Iréne Theorin, whose reserved singing in Ariadne (she had to sing the title role in that opera the following afternoon!) paid off, as well as the scheming malevolence of Gidon Saks's loathsome Hagen and the pusillanimous bluster of Alan Held's Gunther. The supporting cast was equally strong, with the exception of the flimsy Gutrune of Bernadette Flaitz, who seemed ill. Standing out for exceptional praise was Elizabeth Bishop, who came back from a nondescript performance in Falstaff last month to sing her heart out as the Second Norn and especially as Waltraute, and the volcanic Third Norn of Carter Scott, in another noteworthy WNO debut.

With some luminous backdrops of clouds or sky-like colors and some lighting effects (designed by Mark McCullough), a few costume changes (mostly formal gowns and tuxedos), narrative cues on the supertitle screen, and the dramatic gestures of the singers the story was told quite effectively. The absence of visual distractions even seemed to heighten one's focus on the orchestra, which did not let down one iota in the transitions between scenes, even though there were no sets to change or actions to accompany. In fact, if one had added a few Japanese Kabuki theater costumes and limited the stage movement even more, you would have had something close to a Robert Wilson staging.

In a metaphorical way this conclusion to director Francesca Zambello's American Ring Cycle could not have been more appropriate. In Das Rheingold Zambello cast Wagner's gods as American captains of rapacious capitalism, with Wotan taking out a mortgage on the worst possible terms to build a home ultimately beyond his means. When the speculation and resulting bubble went bust, life imitated art. An opera company's grand project went up in flames, but perhaps by the act of self-immolation, the destruction can not only be turned to some eventual good but was, by its own right, intensely beautiful to behold.

This concert performance of Götterdämmerung will be repeated only once, this coming Sunday (November 9, 2 pm). If I could go to it again, I would.

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Presented By:

2009-11-09T11:45:13-05:00

D.C. Eases Poster Regulations Ahead of ANSWER Trial

Sommer Mathis — 2009-11-09T11:10:08-05:00

Photo by Sommer Mathis

The District has issued revised regulations that increase the amount of time groups promoting events like anti-war protests may place posters around the city, the Examiner reports today. Previously, event-specific posters could only be up for a total of 60 days, but under the new rules, posters may go up anytime before the event, even a year or more ahead of time, with the only limitation being that they must come down 30 days after the event has taken place. The rules also allow for non-event related posters to be displayed for a total of 60 days, according to the Examiner.

All of these changes have been made just a week before oral arguments are set to begin in a lawsuit filed by the ANSWER Coalition and the Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation. You'll recall that both groups were fined thousands of dollars in 2007 for placing posters around the city in advance of an anti-war march that year, leading to accusations that the city was inhibiting free speech. The Examiner notes that DDOT acknowledges that these revised rules were issued "to help expedite mitigation of any constitutional concerns" raised in ANSWER's lawsuit.

Big Shake-Up at Washington Times

Sommer Mathis — 2009-11-09T10:40:58-05:00

Looks like there's been a major change in leadership over the weekend at the Washington Times. This morning, the paper put out a news release announcing that President and publisher Thomas McDevitt, CFO Keith Cooperrider and Chairman Dong Moon Joo have all been fired, while former VP Jonathan Slevin has been named Acting President and Publisher. The news comes less than a month after the Rev. Sun Myung Moon handed over day-to-day control of the Unification Church, which owns the Times, to his three sons.

Over at Politico, Michael Calderone reports that senior editors are being briefed this morning by members of the paper’s Board, only without executive editor John Solomon, leading to speculation that there could be more changes in store on the editorial side.

Deer Dies After Lion Attack Inside National Zoo

Sommer Mathis — 2009-11-09T09:35:45-05:00

Many of you have likely already seen this YouTube video shot by Ephraim and Christy Smethers (and fair warning, it's graphic in the same way that many nature shows are) of a deer being attacked by a lion at the National Zoo yesterday. The deer, which had presumably wandered in to the Zoo from neighboring Rock Creek Park, managed to run inside the lion habitat, and the lions, being lions, went after the young animal like it was a tasty snack.

The chase went on for as much as 20 minutes, according to witnesses who spoke to the Post, right in front of Zoo visitors on a busy, beautiful Sunday afternoon. Eventually Zoo officials got the lions inside and removed the injured deer from the enclosure. A subsequent examination found that the animal would not survive its injuries, so it was euthanized, according to the Post.

Zoo officials are describing the incident as "highly unusual." I'll say. Were any readers actually at the Zoo yesterday?

Morning Roundup: The Ugly Truth Edition

Sommer Mathis — 2009-11-09T09:15:36-05:00

Photo by Paul Frederiksen

Good morning, Washington. The ongoing parks and recreation building contracts dispute between the Fenty administration and the D.C. Council isn't going anywhere any time soon, as the Council now has 90 days to figure out how to permanently prevent the mayor's office from funneling projects through the D.C. Housing Authority. In today's Examiner, Michael Neibauer asks an important question: could all of this have been avoided if the D.C. Council had just let Allen Lew do the work? You'll recall that last December, the Council voted to prevent Fenty from giving parks construction oversight to Lew, chief of the Office of Public Education Facilities Modernization, which Neibauer reminds us "was a slap at Fenty in the midst of an ongoing war between the two branches. And it was the best thing that could have happened to Fenty's buddies in the construction industry." In other words, that both the mayor and the council are capable of acting like little children is hardly new.

D.C. Sniper Execution Set for Tuesday: Convicted D.C. sniper John Allen Muhammad is set to be executed on Tuesday night, and there are plenty of stories about the lead-up to Muhammad's lethal injection. The Post focuses on how the families of his victims are dealing with the pending execution, as does the Examiner, along with noting that Muhammad's legal team is busy filing last-minute appeals. The AP (via WashTimes), meanwhile, profiles Virginia prosecutor Paul B. Ebert.

Shopkeeper Killed During Armed Robbery: WTTG/FOX5 reports on the devastating crime that left 51-year-old shopkeeper Rufina Hernandez shot dead in her Brightwood liquor store. By all accounts, Hernandez did not resist the two armed men who held her up on Saturday night, but after she handed them money, they shot her anyway. 'Police are offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the two suspects. The gunman is described as a medium-skinned black male between 30 and 40 years old. He was last seen wearing a flannel shirt. The second suspect is a dark-skinned Hispanic male about six feet tall, thin and wearing a black hooded sweatshirt.' The Post updates that police think the two men might live nearby.

Briefly Noted: Fatal stabbing in apartment south of Rock Creek Cemetery ... Three people arrested after allegedly shooting at D.C. police officers ... Marion Barry's mother dies ... Area suffers housing shortage near job centers.

This Day in DCist: In 2007, we were introduced to Clinton Portis's newest alter ego, Choo Choo the dance instructor.

Week Around the Ists

Sommer Mathis — 2009-11-09T08:25:55-05:00

Photograph by James So on Flickr

Gothamist had a week of big stories unfold—Mayor Bloomberg narrowly won his controversial third term while the Yankees won their 27th World Series Championship (yes, suck it, Philly) and celebrated with a ticker tape parade.
Seattlest talked about gay marriage, performing, and the sexiness of the Pacific Northwest with Rufus Wainwright.
Bostonist saw a near death experience on the subway.
Shanghaiist welcomed Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson to our town. To prove how Chinese they were, they proceeded to play a game of Chinese chess for us.
DCist watched as a local gay couple got engaged in the middle of a D.C. Council hearing on whether to legalize same-sex marriage in the nation's capital.
Torontoist learned what happens when a big city paper announces plans to outsource 100 union editing jobs—an editor takes revenge by editing the crap out of the internal memo that made the announcement.
Chicagoist reveled in the beauty of its city in Autumn.
LAist eagerly reported that a prominent doctor was found guilty on multiple charges in a "road rage" incident in which he slammed on his brakes to deliberately block a cyclist riding behind him.
SFist continued to follow the details of the Richmond High School gang rape, where a student was beaten and raped on school grounds over a two-and-a-half-hour period.
Londonist completely geeked out with London's very own periodic table of trivia.
Phillyist didn't dwell too long on the Phillies' World Series loss, what with Philadelphia's transit workers having been on an unpopular strike, which forced many Philadelphians to bike or drive to work.

Caps Briefing: Getting the Message

Eli Resnick — 2009-11-08T15:00:23-05:00

Photo by Ghost_Bear

Tonight the Capitals came from behind to beat the Florida Panthers 7-4. With Alex Ovechkin and Mike Green among a slew of injured players, Mike Knuble put up four points to spark the win. The total tied his personal best, from Valentine's Day, 2003. Asked what it was like to be a leader on this team, Knuble calmly dismissed the assertion. "It's just one game," he said, talking up the importance of hard work over a long season.

Throughout his conversations with the press, Knuble humbly echoed several of coach Bruce Boudreau's thoughts about the meaning of the game. In separate interviews after the dramatic win over their division rival, both Boudreau and Knuble said that the key to the Caps' success in the third period was understanding the importance of a win tonight for the entire season.

Boudreau said that after the second period he didn't yell at his players. He just told them what the game meant. He told them that Carolina had lost and that if Florida lost, it would put some distance in the divisional race. He said he wanted the Caps to realize that Florida would remember this game, and that it would affect their confidence for the rest of the season as they thought about whether they could catch up.

Knuble, in a different room after the game, told reporters that it was good to get two points in the standings, and that it was good not to let Florida get those two points. He said with the other teams that lost tonight, it meant a lot to stay ahead of those teams and increase the distance. By minimizing his own contributions and focusing on the meaning the coach assigned for this contest, Knuble showed just why he is a great veteran leader in the NHL. By scoring two goals and adding two assists, he showed why he is a great player.

I asked Knuble about the play in the game against Columbus in which he singlehandedly controlled the puck in the offensive zone for 30 seconds of a penalty-kill -- drawing a standing ovation from the entire Verizon Center crowd.

He pulled his tape off his socks, smiling dismissively.

"You don't plan for that," he said. "You try to get 5 seconds or 10 seconds." Then he pointed out that he hurt the team later that night by taking a penalty in the third period.

The Capitals have maintained for years that they are building a team of leaders and people of good character. With his unshakable focus on the meaning of each game to the team's success, it's easy to see why Mike Knuble is here to lead this kind of a team.

Other highlights of the night included two goals for Tomas Fleischmann and one for Mathieu Perreault. Fleischmann continued to show the benefits of the upper-body conditioning he focused on while enduring leg surgery to remove a blood-clot over the summer.

After scoring his second goal of the night, Fleischmann stayed on the ice for the next faceoff and lined up close against Florida right wing Michal Repik. When the puck came to Repik, Fleischmann didn't try to rely on foot-speed to race around to it as he might have last year. Instead, he focused on knocking Repik over before the puck arrived and let his teammates recover it. It was the kind of play one would expect from a veteran defensive specialist -- not a young, small offensive player like Fleischmann.

Speaking of small offensive players, Perreault had some terrific plays down low leading up to his goal. He moved the puck confidently and made the kind of play from behind the goal line that helped linemates Chris Clark and Eric Fehr look as offensively dangerous as they should.

Last night's win was the second time this season the Caps have come from behind when trailing after two periods. Panthers' coach Peter DeBoer was impressed with his own team, saying, "If you were to draw a blueprint of how to win on the road, it would have been this game." Clearly DeBoer sees the same risks for his club's confidence that Boudreau hoped to establish, but the Panthers also kept the game even until midway through the final period.

The Caps won through a complete team effort. Only two of their forwards and three of their defensemen failed to register a point. Quintin Laing even scored his second goal of the year, setting a career high. Though Laing usually focuses on shot-blocking, lately he has grown more and more confident in the offensive zone. The Caps are a stronger team when 72% of their players produce offensively.

Panthers Defenseman Bryan McCabe summed up the net effect: "They are a very skilled team with or without Alex [Ovechkin]. They're one of the best offensive teams in the league, and they showed that tonight."

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Sunday GIF Party Photo: November 8, 2009

Kriston Capps — 2009-11-08T13:15:19-05:00

Someone has placed a Star-Spangled GIF in front of kimberlyfaye's photo of the Old Executive Office Building -- lulz! But why does it not animate? Why do you not wave freely? Why no fireworks, little American Flag? Where does your eagle soar? I don't know what I'm talking about.

Alexandria Residents Allegedly Having, Considering Sex

Kriston Capps — 2009-11-08T12:15:54-05:00

Photo by oddlittlebird.

If two sex shops are able to remain open in the relatively small Old Town Alexandria commercial district, someone must enjoy patronizing them. Yet Alexandria city planners proposed to ban further sex shops from opening in the historic district, according to ABC7. That decision that would have grandfathered in Le Tache but forced the more recently opened Lotus Blooms to close. Both stores are located on King Street. (Those links are potentially NSFW, especially if you work in Old Town Alexandria.)

The Washington Business Journal's Missy Frederick reports that the City of Alexandria’s Planning Commission voted 5 to 1 against new zoning regulations that would require sexy stores be spaced well apart in the OTA. Adult shops would have been prohibited from opening doors within 1,000 feet from one another -- lest a concentration of sexy-time accumulate in the Historic District, provoking strange new feelings in the bathing-suit areas of residents and passerby who stroll within its nexus. Sexy nexus. Sexus.

According to the reports, the board will consider further legislation to regulate what sort of tasteful smut you can advertise to curious yups. But you know what -- no hurry on that. There isn't any timeline for addressing what may be the most germane concern brought forward by Alexandrians: what these shops are putting in their storefronts. Only Planning Commissioner John Komoroske voted on the straight and narrow in favor of the original zoning amendment. The other five Commissioners are all naughtier, or more tolerant of free enterprise, speech, and the will of the market. Who has Old Town's best interests at heart?

DCist Predicts: Redskins @ Falcons

Graham Hough-Cornwell — 2009-11-08T11:35:25-05:00

This time last year, the Washington Redskins were fresh off an election-eve home beatdown by the Super Bowl champs–elect, the Pittsburgh Steelers, in a game noted for the stunning prevalence of Steelers fans at FedEx Field. A little past the halfway mark of the season, that game officially kicked off the team's late-season demise, where they'd go 2-6 and labor to put up points in virtually every game. The offensive line looked slow, tired, and hurting, and so did Clinton Portis -- whom we all hoped only looked like that because he was behind that slow, tired, and hurting o-line. The defense, for the most part, manfully willed the team into games before the offensive ineptitude just became too great a burden to bear.

We expressed surprise at last year's collapse (I believe it was Mike Wise who granted us a playoff spot after week 4?), but there were plenty of signs in that 6-2 opening stretch: the inability to put teams away, narrow wins over Cleveland and Detroit, and a lackluster home loss to the Rams. Flash forward one year and we have team that's already collapsed at the half-season mark being steered by Mr. Kurtz into the dark heart of complete NFL irrelevance. The Redskins have enjoyed a schedule that very nicely (very nicely) favored them to be 5-2 at this point. The rest of the schedule could see them go 1-8 or even 0-9. That begins this week, with Atlanta handing Dan Snyder's bunch a 23-13 loss on the road.

At this point, the question is to what extent Snyder realizes that this is no run of bad luck. He has a 2-14 team on his hands, despite the incredible cash he laid down in the offseason to try to improve it. I would guess he thinks this team is mediocre, maybe in the 7-9 range, but I have trouble believing he grasps the depths this team has reached. I think we start to see those today -- on the road against a good team coming off a tough loss, a team that needs wins to stay in the playoff chase and a team with loads of offensive talent. The 'Skins ought to be able to fool QB Matt Ryan into a few mistakes, and maybe they can cash in those for a few points. And by "few", I mean 3.

I don't think this game will necessarily be as ugly as some previous ones or some left to come, but are there any circumstances under which it might be "pretty"? Nope. No chance. It's a 70-degree, perfectly clear autumn day in November here in D.C. The 'Skins are playing in a crappy dome in Atlanta, and the Fox broadcast will almost certainly feature one of their bottom-of-the-rung booth teams. I'm not suggesting that you don't watch today -- I'm just saying that you might want to think it through.

Classical Music Agenda

Charles Downey — 2009-11-08T11:00:45-05:00

Pianist François-Frédéric Guy will play all thirty-two Beethoven piano sonatas at La Maison Française

Free concerts are the headliner again this week, followed by a few concerts, of far too many on the schedule, that will require some money.

>> If you have the Veterans' Day holiday off, the Zephyrus Ensemble performs a program of music by Couperin, Rebel, and Rameau on Wednesday at lunchtime (November 11, 12:10 p.m.) at the National Gallery of Art, in the ground floor lecture hall of the West Building.

>> This year's first concert in the series presented by musicians from the Marlboro Festival is on Thursday night (November 12, 7:30 p.m.), with music by Mozart, Brahms, Messiaen, Takemitsu, and Saariaho, at the Freer Gallery of Art (Jefferson Drive at 12th St. SW). You can reserve tickets in advance through Ticketmaster, for the usual fees, or show up early to get an unclaimed seat.

>> A trip to Baltimore on Saturday could include a free concert by the Pavel Haas Quartet (November 14, 3 p.m.) at the Baltimore Museum of Art. A reservation (call 410-516-7164) is probably a good idea.

>> The Ibis Chamber Music Society presents a free concert of music by Duparc, de Falla, Piazzolla, and others on Saturday night (November 14, 7:30 p.m.) at Arlington's Clarendon United Methodist Church.

>> The price of admission to the Phillips Collection on Sunday includes a free concert by pianist Lucille Chung (November 15, 4 p.m.).

>> The National Gallery Vocal Arts Ensemble will perform music by Gevaert, Janequin, and Rameau at the National Gallery of Art on Sunday (November 15, 6:30 p.m.).

NOT FREE:
>> If the idea of five hours of Wagner sounds like a good thing to you -- and it should -- book your ticket immediately for the second (and only other) performance of Götterdämmerung by the Washington National Opera on Sunday afternoon (November 15, 2 p.m.). The first performance last night, a sort of semi-staged concert affair, was a mesmerizing evening, thanks in no small part to the guest conductor, Philippe Auguin. I will have a full review tomorrow.

>> If you are the obsessive-compulsive sort, a Beethoven fanatic, or both, French pianist François-Frédéric Guy will undertake the Herculean task of performing all thirty-two Beethoven piano sonatas in the space of eight days. He kicks off the cycle this Friday (November 13, 7 p.m.) at La Maison Française, and it continues through November 22. Attend the whole thing, nine concerts, for $100.

>> Legendary soprano Kiri Te Kanawa will speak on the Washington Performing Arts Society's Conversations with Legends series, at the Embassy of New Zealand on Thursday (November 12, 7 p.m.). Just don't throw underwear at her. If you want to hear her sing, she will give a recital with pianist Warren Jones on Saturday night (November 14, 7 p.m.) at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall.

>> A lot of people do not put much stock in piano competitions any more, quite understandably. Take a listen and decide if the jury at this year's Van Cliburn Competition got it right when they awarded a gold medal to Haochen Zhang, who will play a recital on Friday (November 13, 8 p.m.) in the Barns at Wolf Trap.

>> Piano sensation Lang Lang takes over the National Symphony Orchestra this week, performing concertos by Beethoven and Prokofiev. There is only one performance (November 13, 8 p.m.) in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall.

>> The last competitor in the weekend of pianists is Jean-Yves Thibaudet, who will play an all-Gershwin program with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra on Saturday (November 14, 8 p.m.) in the Music Center at Strathmore.

>> For more concert information, go to Ionarts.

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Click Click: Kurt Vile @ Black Cat

Kriston Capps — 2009-11-07T16:15:34-05:00

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Every so often a songwriter emerges who captures something about the city he calls home. Elliot Smith was as Portland as fixies and strollers. There is something free and unmistakably flyover about Omaha, Nebraska's Conor Oberst. Kurt Vile -- who finished a tour to support his latest record (and first release on Matador Records), Childish Prodigy, at the Black Cat on Thursday -- is making his claim as a lo-fi laureate of Philadelphia.

Mr. Vile -- who boasts one of the greatest names in rock -- played two shows, in a sense. For the majority of an extended set for the packed backstage, Vile was joined by two members of his better-known band, The War on Drugs, as well as guitar-wizard Jesse Turbo. Much like The War on Drugs, Kurt Vile and the Violators is distinguished by a folk-drone sound, heavy on repetitive guitar rhythms drenched in chorus pedal. For both the Violators and The War on Drugs, drummer Kyle Lloyd drives the heavy rhythm on his distinctive kit, leaning heavily on the toms primarily using a pair of hefty mallets. (Lloyd doesn't use a high-hat at all.) Playing with the Violators, Kurt Vile strays into sonic guitar-tech territory, with Adam Granduciel lending rhythm and Jesse Turbo on hand for stray sounds, pedal effects, held notes, and other Sonic Youth-y touches. "Could I get more echo on my harmonica?" Turbo asked toward the end of the set.

That's the Kurt Vile from the new record. If there's a complaint to be made about it, it's that Vile has strayed from the bedroom-recording aesthetic of his prior efforts, Constant Hitmaker and God Is Saying This to You. Playing sans Violators on several songs during the set, Vile's unembellished acoustic guitar shined. His mumbled drawl is more successful paired with his clean yet occasionally discordant picking. Though his draped locks never left his face during the show -- to the vocal frustration of a few fan-girls in the audience -- lyrics like, "I came across a girl/ She was a tomboy/ And I was a peepin' Tom," rose above the fray on his solo numbers.

The Dylan-esque couplets are easy to pick out: "You tell me a good man is hard to find/ Well, what are you, blind?" Yet on "Freak Train," easily the crowd favorite, Vile's growl sounded more like another Kurt whose sound defined a city. The lyrics occasionally venture into grunge territory, too. A sample chorus: "I don't care/ I don't care/ I don't care/ I don't care."

Vile and the Violators lean heavily on droning rhythm guitar and long verses and choruses, for the most part dispensing with the rock-n-roll bridge altogether -- not unlike their more cosmopolitan counterparts, TV on the Radio. (Also not unlike San Francisco's Girls, who are members of the same freshman class at Matador.) Vile (with or without the Violators) is enormously attentive to the overall sound -- but maybe less so to the performance at hand. He comes across as meaning a lot but caring not so much, choosing specifically the moments when he'd really play, but otherwise letting the sound carry him. Maybe that's obvious for an artist whose lyrics so determinedly explore ambivalence. There is something of a Philly charm to that.

Looking for an Investor With a Dremo

Kriston Capps — 2009-11-07T15:31:48-05:00

The Dremo never dies, so long as people long to play flip-cup and watch weird movies in an eclectic taphouse -- assuming there's money for it. Home of the Night of 101 Elvises and the much-missed Psychotronic film series, Dr. Dremo's is looking at a new home. According to an email from manager Andrew Stewart, the backers behind the former Arlington landmark seek to raise $200,000 to build out a location in Clarendon. It's unclear whether the good doctor has found a venue in Clarendon or simply means to keep with the original ambition to find a new home there. Any angel investors out there with a love for Dremo's Redneck Ale? The bar needs $10K minimum, to be paid back over 2 years for 10% annual percentage rate. For my part, I can pledge to spend that much in the form of a tab over 2 years.

Too Much H1N1 Vaccine? Or Too Many H1N1 Vaccine Clinics?

Kriston Capps — 2009-11-07T14:31:04-05:00

Photo by Bullneck

WUSA9 has it that parents and kids waited hours to get the H1N1 vaccine in Cheverly, MD. Yet the Washington Business Journal reports that 55% of Washington-area adults don't plan to inoculate, nothing that a full "one-third of parents with children living at home do not plan on getting the vaccine this year."

So is there a lack in supply or in demand for H1N1 vaccine? Yesterday, Sommer reported that the D.C. Department of Health is in fact cutting back its free H1N1 vaccine clinics within the District proper. More than 11,000 people have received vaccinations in two weeks, a number number that does not count non-priority populations. People without complicating medical conditions are not eligible yet to receive the vaccine at the free clinics -- although, by anecdotal accounts, many clinics in DC have not been busy, and staff at those clinics have been giving them to all comers.

Demand seems to be up in D.C. So is national supply, according to yesterday's Examiner. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says some 8 million more flu vaccines should be available for next week.

Something is wrong with this distribution scheme. Barring the wingnut contingent that believes that vaccines are part of some harmful conspiracy -- looking at you here, Billy Corgan -- there has to be a reason that many adults, and some adults with children, are reporting that they won't get the H1N1 vaccine. If it's the perception that the clinics will be overcrowded, well, that's certainly true of places, but not at all true of other places. According to friends, the clinics in Bloomingdale and Cardozo have been all but abandoned.

Ideally, vaccination efforts in the D.C. area would not divide along state lines, or even among neighborhoods, but focus instead on where people are. From very anecdotal evidence, doubling down on the CVSs and dialing back the number of schools hosting flu shots would speed up the time spent in line and boost perceptions of the whole process.

UPDATE: This Fairfax flu fair seems like the right idea, working on the "If you build it, they will come" model. The Fairfax County Health Department is prepared to provide 12,000 vaccinations today.

Saturday Fort Hood Represent Photo: November 7, 2009

Kriston Capps — 2009-11-07T13:25:44-05:00

Here philliefan99 has captured this tribute to the Fort Hood shooting incident, whose local connection the Washington Post explored yesterday. NBC Washington further notes that Maj. L. Eduardo Caraveo, among the victims in the shooting, was a Woodbridge, VA, native. President Barack Obama (pictured here, kind of) ordered that flags fly at half-~~mast~~ staff until Veterans' Day, calling the shootings "crimes against our nation."

As the Real World Turns

Kriston Capps — 2009-11-07T11:14:08-05:00

A net importer of fame-seeking twits for the 2008–09 season, the District of Columbia has the opportunity to turn that around today, as MTV is hosting casting auditions for the Real World: [Next City] in Adams Morgan. What then, area douchebag, are you doing at home reading your computer? The auditions are happening now, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Town Tavern. Yeah, yeah, I know, the Real Worlders are real people, too; they saved the world for the short time they lived here; douchebag solidarity and all that.

The Saturday Morning Post

Kriston Capps — 2009-11-07T10:38:29-05:00

Photo by mofo

Mornin', Washington. Hope you're awake, because Montgomery County needs your help.

The Washington Post reports that MoCo police have released a comically villainous photograph of the mask used in the October 8 shooting of Ashoka Mody, the International Monetary Fund economist who was shot for no apparent reason after pulling into his garage in Bethesda. Police know that a small, dark car was cruising the area (Millwood Road toward Goldsboro Road) at the time: stealth style, lights off. And police found the mask -- which would seem to strongly indicate Oogie Boogie's collusion in the crime -- in the same area. Police say they cannot be sure whether the suspect was a man or a woman, but did not rule out supernaturally animated sackcloth.

Since police have so few clues to build on, a private party has stepped up the incentive for individuals with knowledge of the shooter or the incident to come forward. The reward for intel leading to an arrest has jumped from a note to $36,000. That's some substantial microfunding for your initiative -- in addition to the peace of mind you'd be bringing to the good people of the IMF.

» Is there a Prince of Petworth backlash? In the annals of blogger throwdowns . . . this is about par for the course.

» Apparently there is a company that will print out your email correspondence, online billing, chatlogs, Flickr images, etc., and transport it physically across the world in trucks. I kid you not! As a promotional effort, this "Post Office" is decorating its paper portables with images from the Smithsonian's National Zoo conservation campaign. Included is a stamp that, er, commemorates the scimitar-horned oryx.

» What do you know, cars can drive on the C & O Canal towpath. Except they're not allowed to do that. Cars can drive right smack into the C & O Canal, too, except they can't do that, either.

Presented By:

2009-11-07T10:38:29-05:00

26 Miles Is Far From Typical Female Fare

Monica Shores — 2009-11-06T16:30:45-05:00

A scene from Round House's 26 Miles.

Round House Theatre's production of 26 Miles will lose potential audience members with its plot synopsis, which features the words "mother," "daughter" and "heart-warming," and conjures up thoughts of Steel Magnolias and chick flicks. Yet there's barely any hugging, crying or any stereotypically feminine gestures iin this intelligent exploration of divorce and estrangement. Thanks to a solid script by Quiara Alegria Hudes, 26 Miles rises well above the realm of mom-daughter drama.

Olivia (Laura C. Harris) is 15 and rudderless, living with an emotionally distant father (Michael Frederic) and a resentful stepmother. Left alone with her sensitive and expansive mind, Olivia writes obsessively and reads National Geographic, dreaming of the world outside her Philadelphia suburb. When swept away by her impulsive mother, Beatriz (Zabryna Guevara), Olivia finally has an opportunity to explore.

Beatriz and Olivia are unlike in most ways and haven't spent substantial time together in years, so much of their interaction involves simply learning how to be in each others' company. Since both of these characters are fully realized individuals, their dialogue is unexpected and clever, eschewing generic topics like relationship advice. And although the male actors inhabit smaller roles, the characters they play are indispensable. Broadway vet Triney Sandoval is particularly memorable as both a romantic food vendor and an apologetic husband.

As Beatriz, Zabryna Guevara is grounded, with the perfect amount of zest. She nails all of her punchlines without becoming exaggerated or desperate. Laura C. Harris mimics a teenage girl's body language with precision and maintain an air of inquisitiveness throughout, while Frederic competently portrays a man struggling to sort out his life's contentious components.

The only missteps here are within the otherwise delightful script; Olivia's narration by way of her notebook writing isn't particularly coherent. Each episode complements the script, but they don't coalesce around one theme, particularly in the case of the opening hypothetical meditation on pickpockets. One digression illustrated by a mountain climber is intriguing but disjointed, interrupting the brisk pace.

But these small complains don't diminish the considerable strength of the production. Far better than being "heart-warming," 26 Miles is simply honest, and the truth is sometimes painful. Appropriately, no conflict has been truly resolved by the play's end; many family problems never are. Partners betray and parents disappoint, but the impulse to understand one's family endures.

26 Miles runs through Nov. 22 at Round House. Tickets are available online.

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Thanks to This Week's Advertisers

tien mao — 2009-11-06T16:00:00-05:00

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on DCist.

Pirate Radio, the new comedy starring Phillip Seymour Hoffman, from the creator of Love Actually. In theatres 11/13.
Ballroom with a Twist, a new production with dancers from So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing with the Stars, 11/20 and 11/21 at the Music Center at Strathmore.
GroupOn, using collective buying power to bring you one ridiculous coupon each day.
American Apparel, with 8 stores in DC, you can look your best after dark.

If you're interested in advertising on DCist or any other site in our network, check out our online mediakit.

Overheard in D.C.: A Strange World

Andrew Wiseman — 2009-11-06T15:15:59-05:00

Photo by lovedc

There's a lot of weird things in the world: Snuggies, hairless cats, Glenn Beck's Christmas book for kids, for example. And some things just defy explanation.

Overheard of the Week

Wednesday Night at at Duffy's Irish bar:

Guy 1: "If he were as broke as he said he was, why did he keep buying Segways?"
Guy 2: "He couldn't give up the lifestyle."
(Pause)
Guy 2: "I think he paid for it out of his 401K."

After the jump, more weird stuff, people with priorities, and kids.

Overheard needs you! To send the good stuff in: overheardindc(at)gmail(dot)com

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Priorities

On the Orange Line:

Two women are talking.

Woman: "That bitch is crazy. I mean, I know she's his wife and all but that doesn't give her the right to break into Gmail account. I'm his girlfriend, I should be able to expect some privacy."

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This kid is awesome

At the Alexandria City Hall precinct on Election Day:

8-year-old boy after seeing "Clint Eastwood" on the sample ballot: "Look, mom, like Back to the Future!"

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Behold the miracle of the greasy paper bag!

Outside Five Guys in Chinatown:

A middle aged woman to her companion, while walking out with a bag of food: "This place is like heaven."

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Bloggers: so hot right now

On the bus near Logan Circle:

Guy: "Did I tell you? I think that my man-crush of all man-crushes, Ezra Klein, rides my bus in the morning."
Girl: "Who's that?"
Guy: "Oh, he blogs about healthcare and policy and stuff."
Girl: -silence-

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Passive aggressiveness, ahoy!

In the morning on the Red Line approaching Union Station:

First woman: "Your kids are really beautiful."
Woman with three small children: "Oh, thank you."
(pause)
First woman: "I just hope they grow up to be doctors, like mine did."

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Beer? Video games?

October 30, two girls in their early 20s waiting for a fitness class at the gym:

Girl 1: "I'm trying to figure out how to make my Halloween costume more scandalous."
Girl 2: "Ooh, what are you going as?"
Girl 1: "God's Gift to Men."

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A very good question

Outside a coffee shop near Union Station:

30s female: "Who brings Passion of the Christ on a camping trip?"

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The Virginia LaRouchies would disagree

Two people talking in a Virginia office lobby a couple days before the election:

Woman: "Is Election Day tomorrow? Ugh. I'm having a hard time voting for Creigh Deeds."
Man: "Yeah. But the only thing worse than a Virginia Democrat is a Virginia Republican."

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Maybe this is the guy with the Segways

On Connecticut Avenue around 1:30 p.m.:

20-something male on his cell phone: "Yeah man, I totally forgot to tell you about this hot bar tonight... it's called Tom Tom."

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Out and About: Weekend Picks

Kaysha Gurell — 2009-11-06T15:00:48-05:00

Photo by dr kim veis ["o]

FRIDAY

ART: Tomorrow is the start of the FotoWeek DC festival, a must-attend six-day photography extravangza. Consult the Arts Agenda for more details on our picks for the fest. Tonight, check out the opening reception at FotoWeek Central in Georgetown (on M Street between 33rd and 34th Streets NW), starting at 6:30 p.m. for $20 at the door, or $15 in advance.

MUSIC: We highlighted Falls Church native Thao Nguyen today, and recommend seeing her tonight with her band, the Get Down Stay Down, along with tourmates the Portland Cello Project at the Black Cat at 9 p.m. Tickets are $15. David Shultz also opens.

Rock bands taking over Eastern Market? And it's for the benefit of Girls Rock! DC and Guitars Not Guns? Where do we sign? Join Tennis System, Shapiro, Memphis 59 and Spring Tigers this Friday at Eastern Market's North Hall from 7 p.m. to midnight to support "the positive impact music education can have on young girls and boys throughout the District area." Tickets are $20 in advance (available here), and includes snacks. There will be a cash bar and a limited number of tickets will be available at the door.

Also tonight, D.C.-based duo Fly Gypsy takes their hip-hop to Liv, where they'll perform new tracks from their soon-to-be released album, Change For A Dollar. $10, 8 p.m.

MOVIES: National Geographic Live! is screening The Music Lesson, a film about ten classically music trained students from Boston who travel with a group of students from Laikipia, Kenya, to share in their own centuries-old tradition of music. The film starts at 7 p.m. and costs $10.

Or head to the Freer Gallery to see Dam Street, part of the Bringing the World Home: The Global Film Initiative series. The film tells the story of an ostracized woman who finds companionship in a fiercely affectionate boy, but is conflicted with her unresolved past when a marriage proposal comes. Starting at 7 p.m., the film is free on a first-come-first-serve basis.

SATURDAY

MOVIES: Lots of film festivals happening this weekend, as we mentioned in our regular Popcorn and Candy feature. The South Asian Literary and Theater Arts Festival and the Found Footage Film Fest both start Saturday, and the 2009 AFI European Union Showacase kicked off last night.

PARKS: The Shaw Dog Park is celebrating its first anniversary with a free party (donations welcome) from 12- 2 p.m. At the party, you'll find treats for yourself and your pet, dog agility demonstrations, and raffled prizes from local vendors. Show your neighborhood pride by buying a new Shaw Dog long sleeve shirt at the party.

DANCE: The Dhoonya Dance Performance Company is one of several area ensembles that creates a colorful blend of South Asian and Western influences. They also recently performed on the Oprah Winfrey Show in an appearance with Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai. Saturday night, they will present the second iteration of Bollyb!end, their annual music and dance extravaganza. The performance takes place at Montgomery College's Takoma Park/Silver Spring Performing Arts Center. 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20.

JAZZ: Twenty seven-year-old pianist Dan Tepfer, who has already already played with cool jazz icon Lee Konitz and drummer Paul Motian, will be backed up by Three Stars alum Brad Linde's quartet at Twins Jazz in 9 and 11 p.m. sets for $15. Read more about our jazz picks for the weekend here.

ART: DCist's own Heather Goss is the brains behind Fixation, a big FotoWeek DC event at the new Industry Gallery on Florida Avenue. Ten Miles Square and the Pink Line Project are teaming up for the second annual event, which will present the work of nine local photographers whose works "create a narrative with a short series of images, differentiating the stereotypical image of our Nation's Capital from the people actually living inside it." Music starts at 6 p.m. with Yoko K, and continues with ayyoko confidential at 7:30 p.m., and Suspicious Package at 9 p.m. $10 suggested donation. Though not part of FotoWeek, Conner Contemporary will also have an opening downstairs with Koen Vanmechelen: Cosmopolitan Chicken Project (DC) (featuring, yes, live chickens).

MUSIC: Tickets are still available for Peter Bjorn & John and El Perro del Mar at the 9:30 Club. 8 p.m., $25.

Local indie stars Le Loup are back home with a new album, Family, tracks from which they'll be performing tonight at the Black Cat. Former Le Louper May Tabol's current project, Pree, will be opening the show. 9 p.m., $12

SUNDAY

MOVIE: Head up to the AFI Silver to catch a screening of Lukas Moodysson's Mammoth, he acclaimed Swedish director's first English language film starring Gael García Bernal and Michelle Williams. The film is part of the AFI's European Union Showcase which started last night and runs through November 24. Mammoth screens at 5 p.m. for $12.

MUSEUMS: Twenty years ago from Sunday, the Berlin Wall came down. The Newseum is celebrating the anniversary with Berlin Wall Family Day, where you can hear how graffiti has been a form of protest, then try it out for yourself on the Newseum's re-created wall, search for clues in a scavenger hunt, and play quiz games from 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. for the standard admission price.

MUSIC: Head to the Black Cat to support Virginia Beach natives Mae, who had their van and all their instruments and equipment stolen the other night in Philly, but will still perform with guitarist Jenny Owen Youngs tonight. $13 in advance, $15 at the door, 8 p.m.

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Another Guilty Plea in OCTO Case

Sommer Mathis — 2009-11-06T13:31:41-05:00

Yusuf Acar

Yusuf Acar, the former D.C. computer security official who was arrested and charged in March for his part in a bribery scheme that allegedly funneled phony contracts and pay checks through the District's Office of the Chief Technology Officer, is expected to plead guilty, the Examiner reports.

The full terms of the plea agreement are not yet known, but "Acar would pay back more than $200,000 in stolen money, including $69,000 in cash that was seized at his Northwest Washington home at the time of his arrest." Not to mention the $4,500 officers found in his pants.

Photo of the Day: November 6, 2009

Kelly Rand — 2009-11-06T12:21:10-05:00

Technology is amazing; that a simple camera phone can capture such an image. And with jim_darling's keen eye and knack for color and composition, you get one gorgeous photograph.

The Weekly Feed: Running from Pigs Edition

Jamie R. Liu — 2009-11-06T12:15:42-05:00

Image courtesy of woolennium

Dish of the Week: Kimchee jigae

Where: Adam Express, Mandu

The swine flu appears to be aggressively making its way around town, and it sounds like it's going to hit a lot more people before they are able to get the vaccine. I, too, am riding the snot rocket to hell. But in addition to chicken soup, I recommend kimchee jigae.

Kimchee jigae is a stew made with pork stock, pork, tofu, scallions, onion, and of course kimchee. The result is a warm confluence of rich pork flavor, acidity, and spice. It's certainly a great way to clear up congestion. I know there are some kimchee haters, but this preparation mellows its effects. The intent of the dish was to use up "riper" kimchee, since the addition of heat and stock helps to dilute the really strong flavors. It's also worth noting there is some anecdotal evidence floating that kimchee (as well as sauerkraut) has some effect on the flu virus, due to its wealth of good bacteria.

You can get kimchee jigae at Adam Express or Mandu. At Mandu, they have a vegetarian version, but that's not helping to solve the problem before it's too late. We must get all the pigs before they get us!

Small Bites
I ride, and I ride
The Washington City Paper and Going Out Gurus provide more details about The Passenger, the new bar to be opened soon by Tom and Derek Brown (of The Gibson) inside the Warehouse. Metrocurean says they plan to serve half-smokes, paninis, and stick beef jerky. Partner Paul Ruppert (also of Room 11, and of course, the Warehouse arts complex) tells DCist that the tentative opening date is Nov. 17.

Iron FLOTUS?
In more First Family tracking/stalking, the January 3 episode of Iron Chef America will feature a competition pitting Mario Batali and Emeril Lagasse against Bobby Flay and White House Chef Cristeta Comerford. The challenge will center around produce grown in the White House Kitchen Garden.

Chancellor of food?
Did Michelle Rhee get through to Kevin Johnson's heart through his stomach? Not sure if you want to spend $150 to find out, but she will be competing against Top Chef contestant Carla Hall and southern cuisine entrepreneur Delilah Winder in the True Flavors Celebrity Cook-Off on November 12 at Culinaerie. Each chef will have 35 minutes to make a three course meal with a set of secret ingredients. Proceeds go to TrueChild.

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DCist Preview: Thao & Portland Cello Project

Sommer Mathis — 2009-11-06T11:00:15-05:00

Thao Nguyen & the Get Down Stay Down are at the Black Cat tonight. Photo by Tarina Westlund, courtesy Kill Rock Stars.

By DCist Contributor Adam Mazmanian

Tonight’s Black Cat show will be a homecoming of sorts for Thao Nguyen. The 25-year-old singer-songwriter was born and raised in Falls Church, but by her own admission, she was too busy with college at William & Mary, and maybe "not well connected enough" to get very involved in the D.C. music scene. Now living in San Francisco and signed to prominent indie label Kill Rock Stars, Nguyen doesn’t have to spend a lot of time playing clubs in the Bay Area trying to make it. She says that her band is "always on tour," and when she’s home, "We prefer not to be in a club. It reminds me of work."

To go by Nguyen's songs, this is just the kind of downbeat, self-deprecating remark you’d expect. She sings about disappointment, detachment and, as she puts it, "all kinds of dissatisfied, frenzied feelings" in a remarkably cheery way. She sings in halting, rhythmic bursts that recall the style of Isaac Brock of Modest Mouse or Cameron Bird of Architecture in Helsinki. Her vocals frequently drive the tempo of her songs, creating a kind of electric tension that can explode in a barrage of hand-clapping, or relax into a funky horn part.

Thao is currently touring, along with her band, the Get Down Stay Down, in support of Know Better, Learn Faster, their second full-length album for Kill Rock Stars. The title, Nguyen says, reflects a lot of what you’ll find in her lyrics: a tongue-in-cheek take about how wisdom typically arrives just after it is needed most. "That’s what a lot of it is about," she said. “Urgency, but also this resignation that it is too late.”

Two songs on the new album stand out. "When We Swam" gets my vote as the best indie single of the year. It’s a hybrid of psychedelic folk and doo-wop that features a wistful yet sultry Nguyen picking over the remains of a doomed relationship. The closely-observed and catchy "Body" covers basically the same psychic turf, but from a slightly different vantage. Nguyen expresses the song's core ambivalence by alternating between a sexy, growling whisper and angry, plaintive shouts.

The Portland Cello Project are opening for Thao on their first national tour. Their second album (also on Kill Rock Stars) features Nguyen's vocals on four of the 12 tracks, including versions of her compositions "Geography" and "Beat (Health, Life, & Fire)" from her previous album, We Brave Bee Stings And All.

Jokingly called PCP by adoring fans, Portland Cello Project grew organically out of rock and bluegrass jam sessions among the city’s classically trained cellists. Founder Douglas Jenkins organized gigs of as many as 16 cellists on stage at once, playing classical repertoire as well as pop covers, and conceived of the band as a kind of studio-ready backing orchestra for rockers. Jenkins says the ideal number of cellists for harmonic purposes is about eight, but only four band-members are making the trip.

Jenkins talked about the challenges of rolling up to mid-sized rock clubs with four cellos in tow. Not every soundboard operator is up to the task.

"In Portland, everyone knows how to EQ for the cello at this point," he said. “But out here in the Midwest, it’s been hit or miss."

It may not be as arty as Portland, but D.C. is home to more than its share of rock cellists, so expect on the Black Cat to do a more than serviceable job of mixing and amplifying PCP's rich, warm harmonies.

Thao & the Get Down Stay Down perform tonight at the Black Cat, along with openers Portland Cello Project and David Shultz. $15, 9 p.m.

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D.C. Cutting Back its H1N1 Vaccine Clinics

Sommer Mathis — 2009-11-06T10:20:23-05:00

The D.C. Department of Health announced Thursday that it is reducing the hours and frequency of its free H1N1 vaccine clinics in order to be able to send more doses to doctor's offices and community health centers. DOH says that over 11,000 people have been served in D.C.'s clinics in the past two weeks.

Some of the changes include an earlier closing time of 1 p.m. (instead of 4 p.m.) for this Saturday's clinics, the cancellation of two clinics on Tuesday (at Coolidge High School and McKinley Technology High School) as well as the Nov. 14 clinic at Wilson High School. You can find an updated schedule of the District's clinics at flu.dc.gov.

As more vaccines are shifted to family physicians and community health centers over the next couple of weeks, DOH says residents should call their health care providers to see if they can get the vaccine from them. The date by which the vaccine is expected to arrive at pharmacies has also been pushed back, until after the week of November 23.

DCist Preview: Kailash Kher & Kailasa @ Lisner

Sriram Gopal — 2009-11-06T09:40:32-05:00

When Kailash Kher starts talking about music, it is tempting to dismiss him as someone waxing philosophical about metaphysical concepts, without any substance behind his words. But after a few minutes of listening, it becomes clear that he is the real deal. This palpable enthusiasm comes from a man who sees music as food for the soul, and an ultimate expression of spirituality.

"Music is to me is not just a source of entertainment, it is also a source of enlightenment," said Kher, who performs next Tuesday at the Lisner Auditorium. "Music is a form of nature and a form of pure emotion within every soul."

Kher's beliefs and passion are rooted in Sufism, the ancient and mystical form of Islam that gave rise to Rumi, and other poets who believed that artistic expression is a path to enlightenment and salvation. Kher's father was a folk singer, and Kher himself began singing at age 5. While growing up in India, the popular taste became increasingly westernized, but it was traditional Sufi music that inspired Kher.

"I didn't know who M.J. was until 2001," said the 36-year old singer.

That same year, Kher's passion for music led him to Mumbai, where he struggled initially as a musician, unable to fit into the mainstream. As it turns out, his provincial background ended up reaping huge dividends. He credits his "unadulterated and uninfluenced" sound for landing him session work, singing for Bollywood musicals. These songs became hits, and by 2004, Kher was topping the charts in India.

"From the beginning, I have tried to do something that was unique, new and rare," Kher said. "People cannot get bored easily with my style of work."

Kher became well known throughout the subcontinent, but even with that success, he had other ambitions. Always knowing he would form a band, the time came when he encountered brothers Paresh and Naresh Kamath. The trio assembled a group of musicians and formed Kailasa, with Kher acting as the principal lyricist, and the siblings in charge of the music.

On the U.S. leg of this tour, the band is featuring a special guest. Percussionist Karsh Kale has carved out an impressive career by infusing electronica with South Asian influences. He paid a visit to the District last year, and will join Kailasa on Tuesday.

The band is playing in support of Yatra (Nomadic Souls), Kailasa's first international release. The songs are mostly original, with a mix of new compositions and rearrangements of previously recorded material.

"They are romantic songs," said Kher. "The inspiration is that every soul on this planet is on a journey for love in its purest form."

Named for a Himalayan mountain that holds major significance in several South Asian religions, Kailasa's sound is not at all what one expects. While Kher sings lyrics in Urdu or Hindi using classical forms, the ensemble has a very modern feel. The songs have religious connotations, but do not proselytize any one philosophy. Traditional instruments add color, but the music is built on a guitar/bass/drums foundation. Take away the vocals, and Kailasa could pass for a global dance band.

"It's an international sound with traditional poetry," Kher explained. "People believe that religious and spiritural music is for old people, we are trying to break that myth."

The Washington Performing Arts Society presents Kailash Kher and Kailasa at The George Washington University's Lisner Auditorium on Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25-$45 + service charges.

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