Drivers that may be alcohol impaired or unable to safely drive can request a free taxi ride to their home, up to a maximum cost of $50, through January 1, 2009.

It’s never wise to drive after indulging and especially during the holiday season. Again this year, area police will be establishing sobriety checkpoints around the region.

Most years, Metro DC police set up approximately 30 during holiday season, including some surprising locations. One year, I saw a check point in the heart of Georgetown, catching post-happy hour drivers.

Washington DC, Virginia and Maryland all have a .08 blood alcohol content (BAC) limit for a establishing DUIs, and Maryland adds a .07 for a DWI.

The penalties for a receiving a first-time DUI are severe, including losing your license, fines, points, and possible jail time.  Washington, DC also requires mandatory jail time of a minimum of 5 days for drivers arrested with a BUC in excess of .20. While Virginia also has mandatory jail time for higher BACs on the first offence, resulting in 5-15 days if the BAC is over .15.

The SoberRide program is in effect daily only between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. and offered to licensed drivers at least 21 years old.

The rider (or person who requested the cab) is responsible for any fare on the meter over $50.

Call 1-800-200-TAXI (8294) from any Washington, DC , Virginia or Maryland mobile phone, pay phone or landline and mention “SoberRide”.

Calls and rides can originate from any of the following locations:

• District of Columbia
• Maryland – Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties, or the cities of Rockville, Bowie, College Park, Gaithersburg, Greenbelt and Takoma Park
• Virginia – Arlington, Fairfax, Prince William and Eastern Loudoun Counties, or the cities of Alexandria, Falls Church, Fairfax, Manassas and Manassas Park

A total of 17 area taxi companies are participating this year.

Image – Flickr – checkpoint
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Post from: The DC Traveler

American Dance Institute’s Youth Ensemble will perform a shorter version, just an hour long, of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker.

Children an experience the magic of the story and dance in  less intimidating setting and more relaxed environment.

The performances will be held in the intimate 140-seat world-class facility, where children can get a close up view of the performance by ADI students and instructors.

The Nutcracker
The American Dance Institute
1570 E, Jefferson Street
Rockville, Maryland  20852 (map it)
301-984-3003

Dates and Times – Saturday and Sunday, December 20 and 21, 2008, at 3:00 p.m. or 7:30 p.m.

Tickets – Adults – $20.00, Seniors and children 12 and under -$10.00. Contact the Institute at tickets@americandance.org or by phone at 301-984-3003

Nearest Metro Subway Station – Twinbrook Station – Red line, then a 10 minute walk, or take the Ride On #26 bus Glenmont – Montgomery Mall. 

Parking – Free

Image – Flickr
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Post from: The DC Traveler

The Elephant Deal explorers the gap between military life and civilian life in the United States. Taken from Man Equals Man and The Elephant Calf, it explores how the common man is transformed though the breaking and recreating of the recruit, from a civilian into the perfect fighting machine.

500 Clown and The Elephant Deal
Ina and Jack Kay Theater
University of Maryland
Route 193 (University Blvd.) and Stadium Drive (next to the football stadium)
College Park, Maryland  (map it)

Dates and Times – Thursday – Sunday, December 11-14, 2008 at 8:00 p.m., except Sat. and Sun. at 3:00 p.m.

Tickets – $35.00, Seniors – $32.00, students with ID – $7.00 and are available online or by phone at 301-405-2787.

Nearest Metro Subway Station – College Park-University of Maryland – Green line, then a 2-mile cab ride. The theater can call a cab for you to get back to the Metro.

Parking – Garage parking across for the theater is $5.00.

Image – Flickr – 500 Clown
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Post from: The DC Traveler

Four years later, WGN-TV in Chicago, broadcast a 3-minute holiday short, that brought Frosty the Snowman to life.

In 1969, a 30-minute television cartoon was broadcast and is today, an annual holiday classic.

Adventure Theater in suburban Glen Echo, Maryland bring to live the story of how the mischievous Frosty comes to life, thanks to a magical top het, and quickly becomes everyone’s favorite snowman.

Adventure Theatre
Glen Echo Park 
7300 MacArthur Blvd.
Glen Echo, MD 20812  (map it)

Dates and Times - December 5, 2008 through January 4, 2009.
Saturdays at 11:00 a.m., 1:30 and & 4:00 p.m., Sundays at 1:30, additional afternoon performances on December 26, 29, 30, and January 2 and 7:00 p.m evening performances on December 5, 16, 17, 18,19, and 23.

Tickets – Adults – $15.00, children 12 & under – $12.00 and are available online.  this is an all ages shop.

Nearest Metro Subway Station – Bethesda – Red line, then a 3-mile taxi ride.

Parking – Free parking is available in the park’s lot at MacArthur Blvd and Oxford Road. The theater is a short 5-10 minute walk though the park.

CLICK READ MORE BELOW TO READ TO WORDS TO “FROSTY”

Image – Flickr – Frosty

Frosty the Snowman

Frosty the snowman was a jolly happy soul,
With a corncob pipe and a button nose,
And two eyes made out of coal.

Frosty the snowman is a fairy tale, they say,
He was made of snow but the children
know how he came to life one day.

There must have been some magic in that
Old silk hat they found.
For when they placed it on his head,
He began to dance around.

Oh, Frosty the snowman
Was alive as he could be,
And the children say he could laugh
And play just the same as you and me.

Thumpety thump thump,
Thumpety thump thump,
Look at Frosty go.

Thumpety thump thump,
Thumpety thump thump,
Over the hills of snow.

Frosty the snowman knew
The sun was hot that day,
So he said, ‘Let’s run and
we’ll have some fun
now before I melt away.’

Down to the village,
With a broomstick in his hand,
Running here and there all
Around the square saying,
Catch me if you can.

He led them down the streets of town
Right to the traffic cop.
And he only paused a moment when
He heard him holler ‘Stop!’

For Frosty the snowman
Had to hurry on his way,
But he waved goodbye saying,
‘Don’t you cry,
I’ll be back again some day.’

Thumpety thump thump,
Thumpety thump thump,
Look at Frosty go.

Thumpety thump thump,
Thumpety thump thump,
Over the hills of snow. _________________________________________________

Post from: The DC Traveler

As part of a 23 city national tour, the Rockettes, dressed in their famous Babes in Toyland outfits, will delight audiences with their precision chorus line dancing and signature high kicks.

I saw the Rockettes’ show in New York City a few years ago and it is a fun performance.

Radio City Christmas Spectacular
1st Mariner Arena
201 W Baltimore Street
Baltimore, Maryland  (map it)

Dates and Times – December 2 – 7, 2008, different show times depending on the day of the week.

Tickets – $29.00, $59.00 and $79.00 and are available online.

Parking – Paid parking is available.

Images – Flickr – saluting  _________________________________________________

Post from: The DC Traveler

Enjoy as Alice partakes in a race where everyone wins, a mad tea party, stolen tarts and her dream-filled escape to a strange land of amazing creatures, including the Madd Hatter, King and Queen of Hearts and the grinning Cheshire Cat.

The World Premiere of Alice, at Round House Theatre in suburban Bethesda, blends the childlike fantasy with a wildly imaginative theatrical experience that should delight both children and adults alike. 

Alice
Round House Theatre
4545 East West Highway
Bethesda, MD 20814 (map it)

Dates and Times – Wednesdays – Sundays, November 26 – December 28, 2008.

Tickets – $50.00 – $60.00 and are available online.  Appropriate for children 6 and up.

Nearest Metro Subway Station – Bethesda, Red line, then a 1-block walk.

Parking – Paid parking ($4.00) in the attended underground garage across the street from the theatre. Entrance is on Waverly Street.

Image – Alice – public domain
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Post from: The DC Traveler

In a play perfect for children ages 4 and up, Imagination Stage brings back this musical comedy about the “worst behaved class in whole school” – the fifth graders of Room 207 at Horace B. Smedley Elementary School.

The unruly and spitball shooting students are so bad, even during story time, that their behavior drives their beloved and sweet Miss Nelson away. The next day, the appearance of the dreaded and not-so-sweet substitute, Miss Viola Swamp, changes everything.

Desperately trying to create an excuse for their teacher’s disappearance, they come up with several implausible stories, including a trip to Mars and a deadly shark attack. But later decide to engage in a mission to find and bring back their wonderful teacher, by hiring a bumbling detective named McSmogg.

Perhaps a bit predictable for the adults, kids are sure to smile at the silly, innocent and funny characters, as well as the discovery that the substitute teacher may not really be who they think.

Miss Nelson is Missing
Imagination Stage – Lerner Family Theatre
4908 Auburn Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20814 (map it)

Dates and Times – Weekends from November 22, 2008 – January 4, 2009 – Performance times – Saturdays and Sundays 12:30 & 3:30 p.m., with an additional show on Saturdays at 7:00 p.m. Additional weekday matinees on Dec. 24, 26, 29–31, and Jan. 2, 2009

Tickets – $10.00 – $21.00 and are available by phone at 301-280-1660.

Nearest Metro Subway Station – Bethesda – Red line, then a ½-mile walk or take the free Bethesda 8 trolley to Auburn and Norfolk Avenues.

Parking – Free parking is available in the area.

Image – 5th grade class – Flickr
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Post from: The DC Traveler

Created by J. Seward Johnson, Jr. as part of a sculpture exhibition, the 5-piece cast aluminum piece is now at its new home on a sandy beachfront location at Washington’s National Harbor, near the stage and plaza. 

The new location is inches off the waters edge and a smaller, somewhat less inviting and playful place than the former locations in a large grassy park.

Watch the video of the statute’s removal from Hains Point and installation at National Harbor.

The Awakening
National Harbor
137 National Plaza
National Harbor, MD 20745  (map it)

Dates and Times – Open daily, 24-hours a day.

Admission - FREE

Nearest Metro Subway Station – Branch Avenue – Green line, then a 20-minute bus ride (NH-1 Metrobus).

Parking – Garage parking is available at $1.00 per hour ($10 max.)

Images – from personal collection   ©2008, Jon Rochetti 
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Post from: The DC Traveler

At The Birchmere:

• Powerhouse singer Susan Tedeschi – Sunday, Nov. 16 at 7:30 – $35.00
• Christmas with Aaron Neville & His Quintet - Sunday, Nov. 30, 2008 at 7:30 – $45.00

The Birchmere
3701 Mt. Vernon Ave.
Alexandria, Virginia 22305 (map it)

At the State Theatre in Falls Church, Virginia

• Los Enanitos Verdes from Argentina - Saturday, November 15, 2008 at 9:00 – $30.00
• The Radiators with their New Orleans funky Rock & Roll sound –
  Thursday, November 20, 2008 at 7:00 – $22.00

State Theatre
220 Washington Street
Falls Church, VA
703-237-0300 (map it) 

At the jazzy Blues Alley in Georgetown:

• Expects smooth jazzy tunes from Boz Scaggs and a few recognizable favorites from his 1976 chart topper, Silk Degrees - Wednesday, November 19 at 8:00 and 10:00 – $72.50
• The smooth keyboard sounds of Alex Bugnon – Friday, November 28 – Sunday, November 30 at 8:00 and 10:00 – $25.00

Blues Alley
1073 Wisconsin Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20007 (map it)

At the hip and cool 9:30 Club:

• Robert Earl Keen and his Texas country sound – Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 7:00 – $35.00
• Sound Tribe Sector Nine – the 5-piece electronic jam band fusing electronic and live instruments – Saturday, Nov. 15 and 16 at 8:00 – $22.50

Sound Tribe Sector Nine – Aimlessly

9:30 Club
815 V Street, NW
Washington, DC (map it)
202-393-0930

Live at the Ram’s Head in Annapolis, MD:

• WAR, the musical melting pot band that blended rock, Latin, jazz and R&B and sold millions with “Low Rider”, "The Cisco Kid," and "Why Can’t We Be Friends"- Tuesday, November 11 at 6:00 and 9:00 – $39.50

WAR – Low Rider

• Attention all ladies…it’s Thunder From Down Under, the buffed up, oiled up all male review from Australia – Wednesday, November 26 at 6:30 and  10:00 – $30.00

Ram’s Head Tavern
33 West Street
Annapolis, Maryland  21401 (map it)
410-268-4545

Image – Flickr – Susan Tedeschi
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Post from: The DC Traveler

The test kitchen chefs select a couple dishes to perfect, then try dozens, and sometimes over a hundred versions of the dish until its perfect, easy for the home cook and as easy as possible.

The resident chefs show step-by-step instructions making recreating their dishes simple and stress free.

The show also tests cooking equipment and gadgets, and has a food tasting segment where supermarket foods are rated after being tested by a panel of tasters.

The show’s host, Christopher Kimball is also the publisher of a great hands-on and mostly advertising-free cooking magazine, Cook’s Illustrated and recently launched a second publication, Cook’s Country Magazine.

Kimball is hitting the road to promote his new cookbooks, The America’s Test Kitchen Family Baking Book and The Cook’s Country Cookbook.

Christopher Kimball of America’s Test Kitchen
Friendship Heights Village Community Center
4433 S. Park Avenue
Chevy Chase, Maryland 20815 (map it)

Date and Time – Thursday, November 13, 2008, 7:00 p.m.

Tickets – Free, but reservations are required by calling 301-656-2797

Nearest Metro Subway Station – Friendship Heights – Red line, then a 4-block walk.

Parking – Limited free street parking, with paid parking at the mall across the street.

Image – Flickr – Kimball
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Post from: The DC Traveler