Edison Place

If you were to take a walk with me as I left my frequent Office of the Day (and here), we wouldn't exit this side, actually, but the opposite side of the building, so we wouldn't pass Daguerre. We might glance down the street, toward Chinatown and the Verizon Center, or stop off for coffee. Then we'd pass through Edison Place, above, where reflections of reflections bounce endlessly off of modern buildings, but open up for a view of historic buildings, like the DC Museum in the distance. We'd see a few of these guys along the way, before passing by NPR, then past a few of the recently opened bars and nightclubs and arts centers. I'd point out where a few things used to be here and there, walking toward the new condos. Maybe we'd stop at Busboys and Poets for an early dinner or happy hour. Then we'd wish each other a good evening and agree to do it again soon, though we probably wouldn't, but, still, it was a good day spent with great company.

District Underground

I would love to have some insider information to share with you--what's going on behind the scenes in the government, or maybe some subversive art scene or music collective. But if you what to see how people really live in the DMV, here ya go. Every day, I spend roughly 2 hours scuttling around like an ant through the tunnels of DC.

On the Fringe

Just down the street from Lux and the DC Eagle is the headquarters for DC's Fringe Festival that just wrapped up over the weekend. Every summer, the festival brings together actors, dancers, puppeteers, and poets, giving them a place to perform and an audience enthusiastic about performing arts. As the name suggests, these are often experimental, uncensored performances that don't always fit into mainstream theatre. The festival program always indicates which shows aren't recommended for children, which are more of the PG-13 variety, and which are for all ages.

Stepping Stair Rail

This is the alley beside Lux Lounge, a nightclub that opened a couple of years ago near the Convention Center. I like the juxtaposition between the refurbished front of the club and the old brick signage. Just down the street in the distance is the DC Eagle, one of the city's oldest gay bars. Though the Eagle (or some incarnation of it) has been in the neighborhood since some time in the 60s, it's only been over the last 3 years or so that the area has really come alive, with popular nightspots, cafes, and shops. Now I can't take full credit for this, but I moved into a quiet little neighborhood, and *boom* suddenly it's the cool place to be.

As promised...

Remember years ago when you thought a pack of Poptarts was a respectable breakfast? Have you eaten one since then? They aren't nearly as tasty or as nutritious as you might remember. The "home-made" poptarts from Ted's Bulletin are as delicious as you remembered those foil-packaged pastries. I hadn't planned on posting the photo here, so I didn't go through the trouble "styling" or finding the best light (i.e. I didn't embarrass myself in public by spinning the plate around and jumping from booth to booth) to illuminate both the sugary glaze with colorful sprinkles and the thick strawberry-jam filling. It was real jam, folks. With real strawberry seeds. Not...whatever that stuff is that's in Poptarts. Don't get me wrong; I'm not really a food snob, and I still enjoy the occasional Poptart, usually with a cup of Earl Grey, you know, to class it up. But Ted's version tastes better than nostalgia. Now, if only they'd serve Chef Boyardee.

This! Just! In!

Despite its retro feel, Ted's Bulletin opened just over a year ago and was an instant favorite on Barracks Row in DC's Eastern Market neighborhood. On the weekend when the market is filled with people, the wait for a table is over an hour. On a weekday afternoon, you're much more likely to be get a table before passing out. Ted's calls itself a family restaurant, but it's not exactly Applebee's. They serve a lot of old favorites, like meatloaf dinners, chicken fried steak, and all-day breakfast. There are also quite a few interesting options though, like the Walk of Shame Breakfast Burrito, which, according to the menu, includes "sirloin steak, scrambled eggs, hash browns, cheddar, green chile [sic] sauce." There's a burger with bacon and peanut butter, and one called "The Sloppiest Joe." I can attest to its superlative sloppiness. There's a full bar, an extensive cocktail list, and....a milk shake menu. They have the standard tripartite, plus, flavors like Oreo, Orange Push-Up, and PB&J, along with.....ADULT MILKSHAKES--you heard me--in flavors like Grasshopper, The Nutty Professor, and Mocha Kahlua. The pastry chef also makes a "home-made poptart" that...well, more on that later. ;-)

Looking Down: stikman!

If you've walked around DC much (or NYC, Philly, or--on the other coast--San Francisco) you've probably seen "stikman," a tiny yellow creature that looks as though he was flattened on the pedestrian crossing. When I first moved to DC, I thought it must have been some kind of official "crossing" symbol because they were everywhere, but what would be the point of having a pedestrian mascot if no one knew anything about him? Give me a break; I was new to the ways of the big city. Pedestrian mascot could totally be a thing. After I had been here a while and was learning more about the DC's street art scene, I started hearing a thing or two about the artist, stikman, and his eponymous figure. This guy was crossing the street at H & 8th, but if you go a little further down the street, you can follow him across 7th and Mass Ave.

Yale Laundry

On most days, I don't get a chance to get out on picture-taking expeditions. There's not very much of interest between my house and the metro station and the metro station and my job. The walk is made a little more interesting by the ease and just plain fun of the photo apps on my phone. I use any combination of Instagram, Hipstamatic, and Retro Camera. Hipstamatic is particularly fun because there are a lot of films you can choose from, each of which has a different effect when paired with a different lens. You can set the app to "randomize" and just shake the camera to make all the settings change. Just walking around taking random shots can produce really interesting results. This for instance, is the Yale Laundry chimney, smokestack, whatever you want to call it. The laundry was turned into luxury lofts several years ago, but, thankfully, they kept the chute.

Rainy Days and Mondays

I took this a few days ago while the pavement was still wet with rain and deserted of tourists. Summer confuses DC for Florida and sends temperatures soaring into the high 90s...or above. With humidity so thick you need a snorkel, afternoon thunderstorms are the only relief.

More From the Navy Memorial

Le Quatorze Juillet!

One baguette to go? To celebrate Bastille Day, PAUL hosted a baguette relay race. Here's a random tidbit for you, apparently Bastille Day was first celebrated in America. We had recently had our own revolution, and were thus overly optimistic about France's. France, meanwhile, was a little too busy to celebrate. Plus, Americans will use any excuse for a party, and what better way to celebrate than a baguette relay race? We like bread. We like to run. We do not, apparently, have even the vaguest idea of the tune to Le Marseillaise. (Some of the crowd could stand to watch Casablanca a few times.)

The lady here was sort of the host of the event, explaining the rules to the contestants. One of the rules was not to run. It was largely ignored as the racers circled the Navy Memorial.

Here's the first batch of runners lining up. After the race, the host knighted the winning team using a baguette.

Be it Halloween or Bastille Day, any celebration is an excuse to pull out the naughty French maid costume.

Navy Memorial

The sailor stands on the edge of the Navy Memorial, looking towards the open plaza, which is paved to represent the globe. The Navy Memorial is a popular meeting place in DC, and on Tuesday nights, the Memorial hosts free concerts.

Happy 5th of July!

Taking pictures of fireworks is hard work.

Nothing Says America Like...

Happy Forth of July everybody! Unless we get rained out, I might have a few shots of the National Fireworks for you tomorrow. *fingers crossed*