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FINDING A TASTY lunch during the workday has become a bit easier, thanks to the influx of food trucks bringing everything from salads and Indian curry to cupcakes to downtown D.C. While you've always been able to buy other fare from parked vendors, a new breed of food purveyors are using social media such as Twitter and Facebook to serve hungry patrons.
Sweetgreen, which has four locations in the area, launched Sweetflow Mobile in June 2009 to sell yogurt, salads and oatmeal.
Tim Noonan, the director of Sweetflow Mobile, says there are 14 rotating toppings for the yogurt, and salads are made with seasonal ingredients from the farmers market. According to Noonan, the truck has allowed Sweetgreen to introduce its products to people who may not live near one of the permanent locations.
Continue Reading "A Street Corner Near You: D.C. Food Trucks Go Online" »
D.C. STAGE PRODUCTIONS are steeped in complexity this spring, exploring prejudice, family discord and societal fault lines; even the musicals are murky, even murderous. Thankfully, there's a frothy French farce to lighten the mood. But those who like their comedies dark will find much to enjoy.
'HIGH FIDELITY': LISTMANIA
Composer Tom Kitt's musical version of "High Fidelity" — based on the Nick Hornby novel — may have bombed on Broadway, but supposedly, it was meant to be performed in an intimate setting ... like the D.C. Arts Center in Adams Morgan. Stephen Gregory Smith stars as Rob, the list-making record shop owner, in Landless Theatre's production.
» D.C. Arts Center, 2438 18th St. NW; Feb. 18-March 14, $25. (Woodley Park-Adams Morgan)
'THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA': AN AMERICAN IN FLORENCE
Molly Smith directs Arena Stage's production of "Light in the Piazza," the 2005 musical based on Elizabeth Spencer's novella and the 1962 film. The story centers on a naïve young American named Clara who is wooed by a charming, handsome Italian (Fabrizio, naturally), but dark family secrets and questions about Clara's true nature threaten to derail the romance.
» Arena Stage, 1800 S. Bell St., Arlington; March 5-April 11, $55-$74; 202-488-3300. (Crystal City)
Eccentric Humor
The singularly British nuttiness that was "The Secret Policeman's Ball" was brought about by Monty Python's John Cleese and featured a parade of high wit, style and absurdity. The 1976 film directed by Roger Graef captured a live performance (and rehearsals and interstitial silliness) staged for an Amnesty International benefit and included sketches from Dame Edna, Peter Cook, Eleanor Bron and the Pythons. As part of the Secret Policeman's Film Festival, a six-day "Ball"-fest, AFI Silver presents "Pleasure at Her Majesty's." The movie's producer and co-creator, Martin Lewis, and culture writer Richard Harrington hold a between-screenings chat and Q&A. "The Secret Policeman's Ball" screens with "The Mermaid Frolics," a television special of the 1997 benefit also directed by Graef.
» AFI Silver, 8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring; Fri., Dec. 11, 7 p.m.; festival runs through Dec. 15; 301-495-6700. (Silver Spring)
Word From on High
Andean and Andean-themed films are the focus of the metro area's first festival devoted to movies — from documentaries to serious dramas to horror flicks — about Peru's altiplano region. The festival runs through Saturday and is part of Arlington County's multi-ethnic Planet Arlington program.
» Rosslyn Spectrum Theatre, 1611 N. Kent St., Arlington; 7:30 p.m., through Sat., Dec. 12, $10 per film; 800-551-7328, Arlingtonarts.org. (Rosslyn)
Photo courtesy Amnesty International
ONGOING: What better time than Halloween weekend to sink your teeth into Synetic Theater's dark, sexy and dramatic "Dracula"? The local company uses its signature blend of theater and dance to tell Bram Stoker's eternally resonant story of the bloodsucking count, his adversaries and his victims.
» Rosslyn Spectrum Theatre, 1611 Kent St., Arlington; through Nov. 15, $40-$45; 800-494-8497, Rosslynva.org.
Photo courtesy Graeme B. Shaw
SATURDAY: Feel like classing up your Halloween this year? Look no further than Synetic Theater's Vampire's Ball in Arlington.
Following a performance of "Dracula," this theater is throwing a gala at the Rosslyn Spectrum Theater which will feature a vampire-inspired fashion show, drinks and a DJ set by resident composer Konstantine Lortkipanidze.
Prizes will be given out for the most macabre and daring costumes, so bring your A-game.
» Rosslyn Spectrum Theater, 1611 N. Kent St., Arlington; Sat., Oct. 31, "Dracula" at 8 p.m., Vampire's Ball follows; $75; 800-494-8497. (Rosslyn)
Written by Express' Sarah Mimms
Photo courtesy Graeme B. Shaw
THIS WEEKEND: Synetic Theater is drawn to the darker edges of literature and stage for its striking dance-theater adaptations, but this season, the troupe tries something on the lighter side. "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is the latest in Synetic's series of wordless Shakespeare productions, and we're certain its lovers, fairies and fools need no amplification.
» Rosslyn Spectrum Theatre, 1611 N. Kent St., Arlington; 703-824-8060.
Written by Express' Arion Berger and Nathan Martin
Photo by Raymond L. Gniewek
YES, YES; a certain Oscar-winning actress who tends to play royalty will grace D.C. stages this fall, but only for a limited time — if you don't have a ticket, best of luck. Local theaters are putting on a bevy of works classic and modern, musical and, uh, music-less — from girls playing Shakespeare to guys being replaced by machines.
Continue Reading "All the World's a Stage: Theater Events" »
FRIDAY: Watching "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" evokes a particularly acute pang of nostalgia. Not just for big-shouldered jackets and pleated jeans, but for that blissful feeling of freedom, indulging in rampant naughtiness amid a sea of responsibility.
The back-to-school bell tolls for thee, so catch the late John Hughes' ebullient hit before hitting the books.
» Rosslyn Outdoor Film Festival, Gateway Park, 1300 Lee Highway, Arlington; Fri., Sept. 4, dusk, free; 703-522-6628. (Rosslyn)
Photo courtesy Paramount Home Entertainment
SATURDAY: Saturday, at 9:32 a.m., Dark Star Park's physical elements create a shadow alignment. How does this mysterious event happen? Heck, ask the sculptor when Nancy Holt and others gather for the food, music and performance at the Dark Star Park Day Festival.
» 1655 Fort Myer Drive, Rosslyn; begins Fri., July 31, with dusk screening of "E.T.," through Sat., Aug. 1, free; rosslynva.org.
Written by Express' Rue Khalsa
Photo by Erik Battle
IF YOU BUILD IT, they will bike it — or walk it or jog it. Trailblazers are always hungry for a new route, and they got a beaut in the new 1.1-mile stretch alongside the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, which connects Old Town Alexandria to the National Harbor development in Prince George's County. Here's our spin on the trip:
» Getting There
The Virginia side is a cinch to access from the Mount Vernon Trail. Just head south from Rosslyn. When you arrive in Old Town, follow the bicycle signage along North Washington Street that leads you to a half-mile path that winds to the mouth of the bridge. (Currently, no trails connect to the Maryland side.)
» The Ride
Whether you're on foot or wheels, don't rush the trip. As you're headed into Maryland on the wide lanes (enough room for riders to zoom two abreast), a mesh-style wall lets you scoff at cars on your right, and a chest-high railing at your left makes it safe to gaze at the Potomac without toppling into it. Three overlook locations offer resting spots for an extended gander. Bonus: Free telescopes let you spy on passing boats.
As you reach your destination, the packed gravel morphs into seashell bits, and a sign directs riders to dismount and pull over at two large temporary bike racks. Then you're free to show off your glorious helmet hair.
Continue Reading "Be a Bridge Commander: The New Woodrow Wilson Bridge Trail" »
Addison Road