January 18, 2013 Modern technology has made a lot of our favorite activities seem arduous, inconvenient and sometimes even a bit absurd. Why write a letter when an email will suffice? Why head to a sporting event when the experience is just as good on TV? One of those quaint notions that has been struggling in the face of convenience recently is going to the movies. Tickets are expensive. The seats are uncomfortable. You need to arrive early, lest you get stuck in the front of the theater, straining your neck to see the screen. Often, it’s easier to wait until a movie comes out on DVD or on-demand where you can watch it in the comfort of your own home, on a nice TV, in your favorite chair. With sales Read more [...]

January 10, 2013 Almost the entire Washington, D.C. metro area is undergoing tremendous growth. From the bourgeoning Bethesda scene to Merrifield’s new Mosaic District, new spots in and around this city are plentiful. And there’s one neighborhood that is really experiencing the benefits of this boom, opening some of the neatest spots in the city, although you rarely read or hear about them. In South Arlington, the stretch of Columbia Pike that runs from Glebe Road all the way to the Pentagon, high-end cocktail bars are opening next door to bustling Mexican restaurants that are down the street from rustic taverns. This influx of restaurants, shops and bars has been relatively rapid, with numerous places Read more [...]

December 21, 2012 One of the typical complaints about this city is that it tends to empty out during the holidays. Usually this could be a cause for disappointment. In winter,  however, it means that in the week between Christmas and New Year’s, there is an excellent chance to attend events and visit places that are typically laden with visitors in the preceding weeks. One such activity typically full of people that would be much more pleasurable in sparse crowds is Gaylord National Harbor’s biggest event of the year. ICE! at the National Harbor is a winter delight, a "snow"-covered carnival that will leave children enthralled and parents amazed. It is also the perfect way to spend one of the days between Read more [...]

December 13, 2012 With cold weather having descended upon D.C. for good, a bevy of winter attractions are now available for locals and tourists to enjoy. While many of the options are familiar to residents, two new venues have both opened up this year, both within the city limits, that allow you to partake in one of everyone’s favorite outdoor, cold-weather activity. Outdoor ice skating can be everyone's favorite way to spend a winter weekday evening or chilly weekend afternoon. There's nothing like sashaying about on a sheet of frozen water while the cold wind whips at your face. Inside Washington, D.C., there used to be only one location to go to, a small oval in the middle of the Sculpture Gardens But Read more [...]

December 6, 2012 Serendipity is the occurrence of a happy accident, having something happen you weren’t expecting, and having it work out with marvelous and wonderful results. While living in Washington, D.C. or during a visit, you might have found yourself wandering the streets of Georgetown, looking for something to eat. If you look up when crossing the neighborhood’s busiest intersection—Wisconsin and M Street—you’ll find yourself looking at a sign that bears that exact word. And wouldn’t you know it, it is a place you can grab a bite. Serendipity 3, located on the Southeast corner of the intersection, harkens back to an older time in America: the 1950s to be precise, with art deco décor Read more [...]

November 28, 2012 The holiday season in America has become a truly commercialized affair. Nowhere was that more apparent than last weekend, with almost the entire time centered around shopping. From Black Friday to Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday, the kickoff to the holiday season is and has been a rush to snatch up the cheapest TVs and the newest game consoles. But there is a lot more to the holidays than the gifts you give. The holiday season is a time to relax and unwind. To celebrate festivities and enjoy camaraderie and community. Thankfully, this weekend, one neighborhood in Virginia is kicking off its holiday month with events that having nothing to do with heading to the mall or the web. Old Read more [...]

November 21, 2012 With winter comes many wonderful things: Thanksgiving, December holidays, even an entirely new year at the beginning of January. But there’s one thing that winter brings that almost everyone dislikes: low temperatures, and with it, colds galore. Sniffling and sneezing, shivering and shaking, wearing the warmest of clothing and still feeling chilly. Every person detests that awful feeling of being sick. But almost all of us have the same perfect remedy for the common cold. Soup. And just in time for the winter season, a spectacular soup shop has opened up in Adams Morgan, where you can sip hot broths and eat  sumptuous, spicy toppings, with flavors and temperatures sure to amplify Read more [...]