DC

Explorations: Roosevelt Island

Posted by Matt

Have you ever looked at a map and found things that looked cool and wanted to go there?

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Well, I have, and I’m going to explore these places, time permitting (read: DC only).

Our first installation will be Theodore Roosevelt Island. I had always kind of wondered what was on this magical land-locked island and Saturday was warm enough to explore / run.

Teddy Roosevelt, besides saving the day in Newsies, was also an early conservationist. So his society bought the land from George Mason, whose mansion had been spoiled by stagnant water, and renamed it, washing the original Native American name out of history [wikipedia doesn’t lie].

img_0237.jpgFortunately for us, we have boardwalks to run over (most of) the swampy guck. This part reminded me of Plum Island, MA.

Being that it was a boardwalk over water.

 

The only way this island could be cooler is if there were a tram to it, like New York City’s [Franklin D.] Roosevelt Island:

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Next in this sure to be long-lived series: a squiggly road I found. If you have any suggestions of things that look fun (at least on a map), let me know in the comments and we’ll explore.

Oh, and you need directions to Roosevelt Island? But wait, you want them to be as tacky as possible? Don’t say I never did anything for you:

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bikewashington

Deleted Scenes

Posted by Matt

UPDATE: WE GOT TO MEET DAN!, Deleted Scenes’ frontman, providing further evidence that every single person from Olney, Maryland not only knows each other, but also still hangs out.

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“Local band.” It’s one of those combinations of terms that usually softens up our critical senses. Like “school play” or “free beer.” It’s a qualification that makes us tend to go a little easier, allow a little benefit with our doubt. You may not stop in your tracks if you heard that band on the radio, but for a band from your stomping grounds, well, they deserve some credit.

–DCist

Checking out “local band” Deleted Scenes tonight. Their Myspace selections are a tad slow but I somehow already have like 4 of their MP3s in my bloated iTunes library and I like the sound.

Doesn’t hurt that the show is at Rock n’ Roll Hotel, a venue I’ve been meaning to check out:

For as long as man has lived in society, hotels have lined his roads, offering weary travelers a safe and comfortable shelter for the night.

Topiary, vision is scary

Posted by Matt

I’ve clearly neglected mStem this week, primarily because I’ve been ridiculously busy at work. But there’s nothing worse than reading about why someone was too busy to post to their blog, so here:

edscissors.jpgMy coworker JP tossed me two sweet tickets to Edward Scissorhands at the Kennedy Center. Besides being the only person there in apple juice-soaked blue jeans and smuggled Smartfood, I had a great time. I’m not sure how into theatre or dance anyone reading this is, but if you come across tickets or find yourself on the short bus labeled Kennedy Center, it’s worth it. The set was great, including a dinosaur topiary that came to life and danced.

One minor gripe:  When a performance ends, you don’t grab your jacket and leave right as curtain call starts.  You’re not at a movie theater with credits rolling.  I think this is the first play I’ve seen in DC, but a significant number of people in attendance were too busy to put in another 4 minutes at the end.

There are loads of decorative details that make Matthew Bourne’s “Edward Scissorhands” at the Kennedy Center such a fun, loopily inspired spectacle — among them the twin bouquets of giant shears that Edward wields (in the place of hands) with so much expressive power, and the periodic snowfall that underscores his joy.

But the topiary trumps all.

–WashPost

Smoke free, DC

Posted by Matt

Today, bars, restaurants, and workplaces across DC are at last smoke-free.

No longer will Garret and Gwen come home with random burns on their skin from drunk girls waving fire around with reckless abandon.

No longer will carcinogenic secondhand smoke be blown in our faces.

But most importantly, this is a victory in the battle against unnecessary laundering. No longer will a perfectly clean sweatshirt or pair of jeans have to be washed simply because I spent twenty minutes at a happy hour.

From the Smokefree DC FAQ:

What’s wrong with smoking and non-smoking sections? Isn’t that a good way to make everybody happy?
No. Smoking and non-smoking sections in restaurants are misnomers. Smoke travels; it knows no boundaries. Having smoking and non-smoking sections is like have peeing and non-peeing sections in a swimming pool – it doesn’t work. Like that yellow substance in the water, smoke circulates, and everybody is exposed to it.
Won’t bars and restaurants lose business if they go smokefree?
No. Every reliable study of sales tax data shows that in localities that have gone smokefree, business is just as good – if not better – than when smoking was permitted.