Posts Tagged ‘blog’
A Harmonica-Playing Elephant? The National Zoo’s Got That
Posted by Lorin Drinkard / Thursday, May 3rd, 2012
Not your average animal. / Photo credit: Devin Murphy, Smithsonian’s National Zoo
A trip to our capital’s (free!) zoo makes for a must-do for tourists – and locals – alike. In addition to the soon-to-be added group of Asian otters, the Zoo is home to a new breakout musical star.
From The Green Room With: Mandisa
Posted by Lorin Drinkard / Tuesday, April 10th, 2012
Mandisa = American Idol
alumna + 3 Grammy noms
+ 4 albums + a nationwide tour
For Christian singer/songwriter Mandisa, this short list just begins to describe her musical accomplishments in the recent years. We chatted with the bubbly, Zumba-loving artist about faith, fitness and what she has up her vocal sleeves (the Girls Night Live tour, also featuring Laura Story, stops in Woodbridge this Saturday!).
We’re excited about your upcoming tour coming to Woodbridge, right here in Northern Virginia. What led you to be a part of the Girls Night Live events?
Have Your St. Paddy Cakes + Eat Them, Too
Posted by Lorin Drinkard / Tuesday, March 13th, 2012
Go green. Eat a cupcake. / Photo credit: Shutterstock/Yanick Vallee
With the great Irish holiday approaching, are you ready for all things green? We’re talking leprechauns, party beads, parade floats, men marching in kilts, funny wigs, shamrocks, beer, sweet treats and more.
Oh, The Places To Go [Tuesday Edition]
Posted by Lorin Drinkard / Tuesday, March 6th, 2012
Happy Tuesday. / Photo credit: Shutterstock/ Alex.Zhernosek_FFMSTUDIO.COM
Our roundup of what to do + where in NoVA on this fine wintery weekday. Check ‘em out:
DC Fashion Week Lets Its Hair Down
Posted by Lorin Drinkard / Friday, February 24th, 2012
In the midst of a bustling, fashion-filled week, District area fashionistas, photogs, bloggers, stylists [hair and makeup], models, agents and more holed up in Dirty Martini last night for a trendy good time. Up several flights of stars, the typical lounge was converted into a runway for local designers to showcase their latest and greatest bedazzled bling and other accessories. Before and after the show, the room was abuzz as DMVers networked hard. Convenient white name tags revealed each guest’s field of work (“Oh, you’re a blogger?”) and colorful typeface business cards went flying.
A floral piece from Bernice Morgan's runway collection. / Photo credit: Amol Pandit
We caught up with the one and only Ean Williams, a fashion legend in the city, the main man behind DC Fashion Week and all-around stellar guy, to get his thoughts on local fashion and why he loves our lively capital city. He expressed how DC is unlike other cities because “of the nightlife. After 5, the city comes alive.” Sure, we’re all buttoned up and business professional during the day but that doesn’t mean we’re not all trading out power suits for fashionable alternatives after hours. We couldn’t agree more, Mr. Williams.
The man himself, Ean Williams, with NoVA Mag's Jolleen Tran. / Photo courtesy: Amol Pandit
Also spotted: the Glam Squad, The Cheeky Style interviewing guests all night, Hadley Moore‘s Robin Hunt, designer Kelly Tang, Olivia Gossett of ILWYW and stylist Ujjib were mingling among the fashionable crowd.
–Lorin Drinkard
Posted by Katie Greenan / Thursday, July 28th, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
When it comes to attraction, should you tell that special someone how you feel or play hard to get? Earlier this week one local, Greg, shared his opinion: it all comes down to timing. And readers seem to agree with him. Check out the video below to hear what researchers suggest.
Share your relationship stories with us. E-mail me at littleredbook@northernvirginiamag.com.
-Katie Greenan
Posted by colin / Friday, June 10th, 2011
Black bears spotted across Northern Virginia
Metro doors open on wrong side, trap riders
Alexandria mortgage lender treasurer sentenced in $3 billion fraud
Toddler unharmed after father forgets him in car
Speed cameras set sights on beltway
José Andrés Unveils Hora Feliz
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Wednesday, March 18th, 2009
Lean times call for bold initiatives (learned that from this dude named Barack-something-or-other), and restaurateur José Andrés is ready to rip this recession a new one with his $4 “Jaleo hour” deals.
(Photo: Luis Magán)
From 4:30 p.m. – 7 p.m., Sunday through Friday, all three Jaleos–including our award-winning Crystal City branch–will serve up assorted tapas (including signature offerings like patatas bravas and gambas al ajillo), homemade sangrias (stand down, VA ABC!), standard rail drinks and select draft beers. By-the-glass Spanish wines will also be available at half-price.
Reciprocal specials are expected at Zaytinya and Oyamel, as well.
Meanwhile, there’s other changes afoot at Jaleo … (stay tuned)
–Warren Rojas
Fighting the Good Fight (Mostly)
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Monday, March 16th, 2009
Happened upon this hastily scrawled shopping list carelessly left behind (strike 1) at the pharmacy counter of my local Giant:
Found it interesting that the author took the time to seek out organic, fat-free milk and cage-free eggs (the non-descript “H2O” could denote self-bottled water, but I’ll play the cynic here and assume they were going the pre-packaged/designer route – strike 2), yet could not pass up the opportunity to feast upon the trisodium citrate (industrial flavor additive), partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil (genetically modified cooking agent), dried corn syrup (industrial sweetener) and distilled monoglycerides (industrial emulsifier) found in every Fruit Roll-Up:
(strike 3! You’re outta here, buddy!)
Anybody else ready to cop to their Achilles’ heel snack(s)?
(I’ve been known to enjoy a Drake’s Devil Dog (or two), but can claim blissful ignorance as I refuse to read the nutritional content).
–Warren Rojas
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Monday, March 2nd, 2009
Nothing like a snow day to bring this area to a grinding halt, huh? (We know, Obama. We should toughen up).
Good thing it takes more than a few inches of scattered flakes to topple the interweb, or else we wouldn’t have been able to launch the latest Northern Virginia Magazine blog: Gut Check.
For our inaugural post, we decided to tackle the subject of food in film.
Confidence is high that many gastronauts are already foaming at the mouth in anticipation of this year’s “Julie & Julia” adaptation, an homage to that cackling culinarian Julia Child by amateur cook and pioneering gastro-blogger, Julie Powell.
And while most foodies love to clog chat boards with ebullient tributes to the fantasy dining depicted in flicks like “Big Night,” “Like Water for Chocolate,” and “Babette’s Feast” (random musings here, here and here), we’re infinitely more fascinated by those times cinema baits us with the meal-time equivalent of a Sunday drive (“Move along. Nothing to see here”) then straps us in for an emotional/psychological roller coaster that’s about to go off the rails.
Here, in no particular order, are a handful of dining sequences that illustrate what happens when the simple act of breaking bread breaks really, really bad:
1) The Untouchables: Deniro’s Al Capone espouses the virtues of America’s pastime while sending an indelible message to the weak links in his organization.
2) The War of the Roses: perhaps entertaining guests whilst actively pursuing the dissolution of one’s marriage is not the best idea. Skipping the fish course, on the other hand, projects sound judgment.
3) Alien: already paranoid space jockeys think they’re out of the woods following a harrowing scrape with a previously unknown species. At least until their parasitic antagonist makes the grandest of entrances by eviscerating John Hurt mid-celebratory meal.
4) The Whoopee Boys: Paul Rodriquez poses perhaps one of the greatest existential quandaries (“Do fish have balls?”) and defiles a Cornish game hen while channeling Eddie Murphy, all before dessert.
5) Parenthood: Nothing like having your battery-operated skeletons dragged out of the closet-or nightstand, as the case may be-in the middle of a big family gathering.
6) The Nutty Professor (remake): From grandma’s libidinous tendencies to rampant flatulence, Sherman Klump endures perhaps the most mortifying first date ever courtesy of his wildly dysfunctional family.
7) Donnie Darko: the candid exposition of sibling rivalry, distaste for all things Dukakis and ersatz expletives flying round the Darko table ensures you won’t catch this modern fairytale on Nick at Nite anytime soon.
Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life: the real tragedy is that the ill-fated Mr. Creosote arrives too late to enjoy Eric Idle’s jolly dinner ditty.
9) Rushmore: I’ll have the pathos with a side order of sexual frustration
10) Borat: Because sometimes breaking the ice involves stepping on toes.
Did we miss any of your favorite epicurean train wrecks?
–Warren Rojas