The DC Traveler

May 11th, 2008

Mother’s Day Trivia

I searched the web for all kinds of Mother’s Day trivia.

Here’s what I came up with:

• The percentage of women with 4 or more children - dropped from 36% of American women in 1976 to 11% just 30 years later. 
• The number of new moms each year - 4 million, with 11% being teen mothers and 2.5% accounting for moms over 40+ year old. 
• Percent of births occurring in a hospital - 99+%.
• Number of Mother’s Day cards sent annually - 155 million, the 3rd highest of any holiday.
• Dollars spent on Mom on Mother’s Day - just under $100 on average, including dinner, gifts, flowers and cards.
• World’s youngest mother - Lina Medina, who, in 1939, delivered a 6½-pound boy in Lima, Peru, at an age of 5 years and 7 months.

• World’s oldest mother - Maria del Carmen Bousada de Lara of Spain, delivered twins at the age of 66 in 2006.
• Shortest interval between births - Just 208 days (just under 7 months) was how quickly Jayne Bleackley gave birth in 1999 and 2000.
• Longest interval between births - 41½ years, by Elizabeth Buttle, who’s first child came in  1956 when she was 19 and her second child was born in 1997, when she was 60.
• Most children born to a mother - An unbelievable 69 by Feodor Vassilyev in 18th century Russia. Her family (actually a small city) included 16 sets of twins (32), seven sets of triplets (21), and four sets of quadruplets (16).  All but two survived infancy. But that’s nothing compared to the female oyster, who can produce 100 million offspring during her lifetime.

Images - Mom & son, hippos, geese 

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May 11th, 2008

Happy Mother’s Day

If anyone in my life deserves a special day, it’s my Mom. 

The fact that I didn’t drive her to drink, cause her to ring my neck or cause her to end up in a padded cell with a monogrammed straight jacket, is testament to her undying patience and love.

So to you Mom, thanks for being the best mother a kid could have.

And cheers to all the 80 million Moms in the U.S. on their special day.

The history of Mother’s Day in America actually dates back to the Civil War. In 1914 President Woodrow Wilson declared the first national Mother’s Day. It was intended as a day for Americans to fly the American flag in honor of mothers whose sons had died in war.  Within ten year, the person who had promoted the concept of a day honoring mothers who lost sons in battle, was so fed up with the commercialism of the day, that she filed suit to get the holiday canceled.

Mother’s Day is the most popular day to dine out and historically, more phone calls are placed on Mother’s Day than any other day of the year.

                   Happy Mother’s Day!!!

Images - Pulmeria

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May 10th, 2008

If I Could Dine and Dance with the Animals - ZooFari

The National Zoo’s annual fund-raiser, ZooFari, is this weekend and it brings close to 100 of Washington, D.C., best chefs, restaurants and wine makers,  for an evening of dancing, live music and entertainment, animal encounters, and gourmet foods.

A few of the notable restaurants include DC’s Kinkead’s and Vidalia as well as 2941 in suburban Falls Church, VA.

Since this year’s theme highlights the zoo’s efforts to save amphibians from global extinction, I doubt frogs legs will be served.

ZooFari at The National Zoo
3001 Connecticut Ave., NW 
Washington, DC  (map it)

Dates and Times - Thursday, May 15, 2008, 6:30 - 10:00 p.m.

Tickets - $175.00 and are available online or by calling 202-633-4470.

Nearest Metro Subway Station - Woodley Park/Zoo/Adams Morgan or Cleveland Park - Red Line then a 3-block walk.

Parking - Limited parking is available at the zoo as well as street parking is available, but watch for rush hour limitations and parking meters hours, as some my be in effect.

Images - panda, frog

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May 10th, 2008

Cheers…It’s Cocktail Week!

World Cocktail Week is a project sponsored by The Museum of the American Cocktail to acknowledge the American cocktail culture and recognize your friendly bartenders.

According to the museum, the first recorded use of the printed word “cocktail” was on May 13, 1806, in The Balance, an Albany, NY paper.

And to help us celebrate, (as if we need an excuse), events are planned in 11 cities, including a cocktail-themed dinner at Proof, here in Washington, DC (775 G Street, NW) at 7 p.m. on Monday, May 12, 2008.  Tickets are $135 per person and includes hors d’oeuvres with five specialty cocktails created by some of DC’s more interesting mixologists.  Then sit own for a five-course tasting menu with an additional five specialty cocktails.  Bottom line, plan on having a designated driver or taking a cab home that night.

In honor of the week, I came up with my own version of a quintessential  (tongue in cheek) cocktail for Washington, DC.

The Inside the Beltway Martini

In a $286 government-funded shaker, mix:

• 2 parts hot air
• 1 part broken promises
• 1 part lobbyist bribery
• a dash of shameless partisan posturing
• 2 parts sanctimonious speechmaking
• a dash of sex scandal
• top it off with a big splash of righteous indignation

Serve in a large feeding trough and garnish with a piece of braised pork fat. 

This drink is guaranteed to make you drunk with power.

Some of my fellow bloggers got in the “mix” and came up with their own tongue in cheek versions of a cocktail in their city or destination.

• The first is another version of a DC Cocktail, from my fellow Washington, DC blogger at Starked DC, J.Michael.
• Then we have Susan, at The Disney Traveler, with something I assume Mickey Mouse might serve his pals.
• Justin at The Toronto Traveler has one from up north.
• From Japan, Shane at The Tokyo Traveler bring us her version of a saki margarita.
• Alex at Sirened shakes up his version of the “tini”.
• Mary Jo at Fly Away Cafe, tells us about her version of the perfect Flight Attendant cocktail, just remember to keep your seat belt fastened. 
• Another one from Mary Jo who also writes The Seattle Traveler, and her version of the Seattle Space Needle.
• Matt at The Chicago Traveler, bring his take on a Windy City libation.
• Geoff at The Switzerland Traveler came up with a couple of Zurich-inspired cocktails as well.
• From The Las Vegas Traveler, Heather brings us three unique local cocktails, plus the real Las Vegas Cocktail that I suspect even Elvis would have enjoyed.
• Coming to us from the Mile High city of Denver, Shawn from The Denver Traveler, gives us the Denver Cocktail, which of course is served…on the Rockies.
• And a late entry from Paul at Starked SF, the San Francisco Treat…and it has nothing to to with Rice-A-Roni.

CHEERS!!

Images - martini, sign, bartender

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May 9th, 2008

Weekend Lights at the Cathedral

If you happen to pass by Washington National Cathedral at night this weekend, you may want to stop by to watch the exterior illumination and lighting show projected on to the south and west sides of the building.

In celebration of the Cathedral’s centennial, and the observance of the feast of Pentecost, Swiss lighting artist Gerry Hofstetter brings his illumination light art for three nights to Washington, DC for a free show. 

One of the artist’s most famous lighting efforts was the lighting of icebergs in Antarctica. Images included a polar bear and a map of the continent.

A free, live outdoor multicultural, interfaith musical performance will start at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, (weather permitting) on the Cathedral’s grounds. So bring a picnic and enjoy the show.

Other good vantage points around the city include from the patio of The Kennedy Center, several of DC’s bridges( Roosevelt, 14th St.,  Bridge, and Memorial), the Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials and East Potomac Park.

Lighting to Unite
Washington National Cathedral
3101 Wisconsin Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20016  (map it)

Dates and Times - Friday - Sunday, May 9 - 11, sunset to midnight

Tickets - FREE 

Nearest Metro Subway Station - Tenleytown/AU or Woodley Park,/ National Zoo/Adams Morgan - Red line, then a short bus ride. 

Parking - Limited garage parking is available at the Cathedral, as well as street parking.

Images - building lights, stars

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May 9th, 2008

Comments on Controversy — Sidewalk Ping Pong

In the first of an ongoing series, J-Michael at Starked DC and I will be examining the totally ridiculous, unimportant, and silly issues (such as the $76 million dollar pants story), that seemed to make it to the front page of DC’s newspapers. And perhaps once in a while, ever try to tackle the more serious DC related issue issues.  Often it might be a simply our opinions; on others, we will take opposing views in a point–counterpoint format.

Today’s issue was recently reported by The Washington Post and revolved around Comet Ping Pong Pizza, located in upper Northwest Washington, DC. Comet had, until recently, a ping pong table on the sidewalk in front of their restaurant.

Placed there as both a noticeable advertising gimmick and for customers or their children to play a game or two of ping pong while waiting for their pizza.  It became a bit of a neighborhood landmark.

But when the head of a local neighborhood association thought it was a hazard, and after complaining to the city, the restaurant’s owner was told by DC Zoning to remove the outdoor table. Customers can still enjoy a game of ping pong on one of the other ping pong tables located inside Comet.  

The sidewalk in front of the restaurant has more than enough room for both pedestrian traffic and the ping-pong table. In fact, the restaurant next door has outdoor seating, which occupies approximately the same amount of sidewalk space.  And both locations allows for ample pedestrian walking space.

The problems were first, that Comet Ping Pong Pizza didn’t have a permit for the outdoor table and second, the table could be considered a public hazard. I guess the risks include the possibility that an unsupervised child might chase a ball into traffic or that a customer that had a couple too many beers, while playing aggressive match, could run over an unsuspecting pedestrian or bicyclist.

The association’s commissioner created the You-Tube video to highlight the potential safety issue.

From my point of view, the sidewalk space in front of the restaurant looks wide enough to safely hold the ping-pong table. Additionally, creating some kind of boundary, perhaps using planters or a “velvet rope”, could safely cordon off the area.

I agree with DC zoning that the table should require a permit. Otherwise,  a precedence is set which could potentially allow any business to put any type of fixture in front of their business.  Taking the issue to the extreme, does anyone really want McDonald’s moving their deep fryer to the sidewalk? Or a dry cleaner to start hanging shirts to dry on clothes  lines in front of their store? 

So my recommendation is, the owner should apply for some type of appropriate permit, understanding that the ping-pong table might then become a piece of “public use” equipment, such as a bench or bike rack, that anyone could use, not just Comet’s patrons. 

Check out J-Michael’s take at Starked DC on this and ADD YOUR OPINION OR COMMENT to this “controversy”.

Image - Comet at night, interior

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May 9th, 2008

Friday Photo Caption Contest - Cats on a Hot Brick Roof

It’s time for another Friday Photo Caption Contest. Once again, no big prize for the best caption, but the people who submit the most creative and funny caption get mentioned on the next Friday Photo Caption Contest on The DC Traveler.  See the last winner’s caption below.

This photo is of a couple cats I startled while I was walking in Capitol Hill, while they were trying to relax on a wall.

A couple to get started:

• @#$%& paparazzi…Now I know how Britney feels.
• If he tries to climb up here, you go for his ankles, I’ll claw his….

TO ENTER –> Simply post a comment or e-mail me at jon@b5media.com using the subject “Photo Caption”.

The winning caption will be posted on The DC Traveler with the next Friday Photo Caption Contest.

The winners from the first Friday Photo Caption Contest are:

“I thought you said this basin was lined with cherry blossoms?” by Marilyn.

““Is it just me… or do you smell something fowl?” by Matt B.

“You know, our relationship seems to just be going in a circle.” by Steve.

Thanks to all who provided captions.

 Images - from personal collection - © 2008 - Jon Rochetti

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May 8th, 2008

Belly Dancers Under the Desert Moon

Flowing costumes, tribal music and the celebration of female sensuality and emotion make up the Under the Desert Moon annual belly dance performance in Washington, DC.

The show highlights traditional eastern and experimental belly dance styles, by over 150 dancers, most from Sahara Dance, Washington, DC’s premiere belly dance school.  About a dozen of of the school’s various dance troupes, each with their own unique style, will be performing. Some are professions, others, students ranging from beginners to advanced.  Also joining are the always entertaining Calmes Triplets.

For some history of belly dance, check out my post about last year’s show,which was a lot of fun, and highlighted some of Washington, DC’s best belly dancers.

This year’s show falls this weekend, over Mother’s Day, so tickets to a performance makes for a unique event to surprise mom with. Plus, after the show, she might also love receiving a gift of belly dance classes from Sahara Dance.

Sixth Annual Under the Desert Moon
Harold and Sylvia Greenberg Theatre at American University
4200 Wisconsin Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20016

Dates and Times – Saturday, May 10, with performances 4 and 8 p.m., and Sunday, May 11 at 1:00 and 5:00 p.m. 

Tickets – Adults $25.00 and are available online. 

Nearest Metro subway station– Tenleytown/AU - Red line, then a 3-block walk. 

Parking- Free street or garage parking is available under the theatre. Use the Van Ness Street entrance.

Images - dancer 1, dancer in red, face

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May 7th, 2008

Run, Walk or Donate…for the Cure - June 7th

Last year, the Washington DC Race for the Cure® drew over 43,000 participants and raised $3.3 million to help fight breast cancer and to promote awareness.

The idea of a fund-raising walk/race in Washington, DC became a reality in 1989, when 5 years after Nancy Brinker made a promise to her dying sister. She promised Susan G. Komen that she would do her best to help end the deadly disease.

Since 1989, that promise comes closer with each running of the Race for the Cure, and it’s supporters who raise money and increase awareness of breast cancer issues around the globe.

The organization returns an astonishing 84¢ of every dollar raised on research, education, screening and treatment.

With Washington, DC having the highest breast cancer mortality
rate in the U.S., it’s not just a global issue, it’s also a local killer.  

In just one month, you can walk or run as an individual and get friends, family and associates to sponsor you, start or join a team to maximize fund-raising efforts, work as a non-running fundraiser or volunteer or simply make an online donation using the Sleep in for the Cure option (see link below).

To make your online donation for this worthy cause, click here.

Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure
The National Mall - 10th and Constitution Ave. NW
Washington, DC  (map it)

Dates and Times - Saturday, June 7, 2008, 6:45 a.m. - 11:00 a.m., race starts at 8:00. 

Race day activities include:

• Pre-Race Rally - 6:45 a.m. at 3rd St., NW
• Parade of Pink - 7:00 a.m.
• Race Start - 8:00 a.m. at 10th St., NW & Constitution Ave., NW, Walkers start 15 minutes later
• Post-Race Awards, Entertainment and Celebration - 9:30 a.m.
• Kids for the Cure® Race Starts - 10:00 a.m. between 4th and 7th St., NW

Registration Fees - Individuals - $30.00 - $35.00, kids - $20.00 - $25.00, Sleep in for the Cure (non-racers or unable to attend, but wish to make a donation and receive a tee-shirt) $40.00. Registration is available online. 

In-person late registration is available at the U.S. Department of Commerce building at 1401 Constitution Avenue, NW at 14th Street, Thursday & Friday, June 5 and 6,  from 10:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.

Nearest Metro Subway Station - Federal Triangle - Orange or Blue lines, Metro Center - Red line or Archives Navy Memorial–Penn Quarter- Green or Yellow lines, then a short walk or use the DC Circulator.  Metro subways will open at 5:00 a.m. on race day.

Parking - Mall area parking will be challenging that day, so plan on taking Metro.

Don’t forget to check out Cancer Commentary, for a wide variety of caner-related issues.

Images - runners at Washington Monument, wave of runners

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May 6th, 2008

Free Military Tattoos

Starting tomorrow, join the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, The Old Guard, the Old Guard Fife & Drum Corps and Pershing’s Own - U.S. Army Band at historic Fort McNair for free weekly outdoor concerts and pageantry this Summer.

The word tattoo, when it’s used to describe the concert, is different from inking an image of a fire-breathing dragon or some cool zodiac symbol on your arm. A tattoo is a drummer’s or bugler’s signal to call soldiers or sailors to their quarters at night, or a military exercise presented as entertainment.

The 90-minute tattoo features over 100 soldiers, dressed in different era uniforms, who take the audience through America’s history from the point of view of American soldiers.  The story starts with George Washington’s revolutionary Continental Army and ends with the U.S. fighting soldier of the future.

So grab a seat on the bleachers or bring a blanket to sit on the lawn.

Twilight Tattoo
Fort McNair
4th Street and P St. off Maine Ave. SW, use the second gate at P Street 
Washington, DC (map it)
202-685-2888

Dates and Times - Every Wednesday, 7:00 p.m.  May 7 - July 2, 2008

Admission - FREE, no tickets needed.  No food or drinks are allowed, but will be available for sale.  Vehicles may be searched at the entrance gate by base MPs. 

Nearest Metro Subway Station - Waterfront - Green line, then a 3-block walk.

Parking - Free parking.

Images - Revolutionary war - public domain, modern soldier - public domain - DOD/USAF/Stacy L. Pearsall 2007 - Baqubah Search, Iraq, Army Band,  Fife & Drum

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