Am I allowed to hand those parking meter receipts to someone else if there's still time left on it? Indeed you can. We explain. more ›

The residents of Washington are no stranger to fire hydrant troubles. So when a DCist reader noticed that the hydrant in the photo to the right had been spewing water for some time, an email landed in our inbox. more ›

A couple of readers have written us to ask why the Master Clock at 34th Street and Massachusetts Ave NW, at the entrance of the U.S. Naval Observatory, hasn't been working for the last few months. more ›

It wasn’t until we were rolling up to the East Falls Church station that the operator made an announcement that this train was "express service to Vienna," and would not stop at Dunn Loring, and that we’d have to get out at West Falls Church and wait for the next train which was “directly behind us.” This only applied to those who had to go to the Dunn Loring station.Angel said she had to wait about four minutes after exiting at West Falls Church before catching the next train to Dunn Loring. Asking around today, at least one other DCist staffer had a Metro train mysteriously skip a stop once, so we asked Metro about it. more ›

I wanted to ask you if you had any great recommendations for relatively cheap, hands on seafood restaurants around DC. My sister is coming to town for her 16th birthday, and since she lived in Salt Lake City, there is really no delicious seafood there to speak of (besides brine shrimp). Anyways, any help you or your readers could offer would be lovely.

Yesterday's Ask DCist feature addressed a weird, metallic, pulsating noise that appeared to be emanating from the HUD building in Southwest Washington, and could be heard clearly as far away as Eastern Market. All signs pointed to a busted steam pipe on the HUD roof, and indeed, U.S. General Services Administration spokesperson Michael McGill has since confirmed for us that at 3:30 a.m. on Monday, GSA received a call that a valve malfunction at the HUD building was causing built up pressurized steam to escape from the steam system, resulting in the loud noise. A repair crew was dispatched to make an adjustment to the valve, and the HUD building was open for business at its regular 8 a.m. start time on Monday. more ›

Anne, who lives at 11th and Pennsylvania SE, writes in: more ›

We got a couple reports of a huge crowd of people gathered around Thomas Circle this morning, but by the time we got down there, no such crowd could be seen. A helpful security guard at 1120 Vermont Ave. NW filled us in that there was a fire drill in the large office building shortly after the work day began, so that probably explains the gathering. No big deal, in other words. more ›

Reader Amber Lupin writes in: more ›

By DCist Contributor Stephanie Taylor Halloween is fast approaching, and because the scariest day of the year was inconsiderate enough to fall mid-week this year, much of the drunken pin the rib on the skeleton madness begins next weekend. But the District has very few true costume shops. If you've sorted through your closet and still haven't found a winner for this year's costume, we thought we'd offer a few suggestions as to where to... more ›

Photo by Eddie Kim more ›

Last month we got a letter from reader Christine, who related the follwing story and asked us to look into it. I recently moved to Fairfax, VA to live with my parents until my marriage next month to a marine who is stationed at 8th and I Marine Barracks in SE. After their Friday evening parade, many of the guys like to grab a beer or two. This Friday, myself, my fiancee, and five others... more ›

Hey, DCist, I like fireworks and celebrating the birth of our country. Where should I go, what should I do, help a sister out. -DCist reader Sarah The best (and entirely serious) tip we have for you is of course to avoid the National Mall like it's going to give you cancer. It's a sea of tourists and transit trauma every year down there, but this year it's shaping up to be even worse, with... more ›

This morning we got an inquiry on the DCist Tip Line about officers wielding police tape closing off the Dupont Circle CVS. By the time the intrepid DCist News Team arrived on the scene at 11:00 a.m., things were pretty much cleared up. more ›

Woooeee. As noted in the Morning Roundup, the DCist staff party was a bit of a killer last night. Ask DCist Adam about his recipe for Tom & Jerrys. Or, alternatively, if you want to live, don't. Here's some bits and pieces to send you out the door and, if your weekend is anything like ours, into a frenzy of holiday parties. >> Be careful if you're headed out and around the Shaw Metro stop... more ›

It's been a tradition since time immemorial (or at least since pagan days): the Christmas tree. A reader getting into the holiday spirit wondered where to get their piney living room centerpiece in the city, since it's probably frowned upon to take a saw to some trees in Rock Creek Park. Thankfully, at least for those among us with the Christmas spirit, trees are available all over the city. Here's a few of our... more ›

And a good Friday to you, Washington. It's just about the weekend, a great time to continue that celebrating or mourning that you've had going on for the last few days, depending on what side of the political aisle you're on. Today will be a sunny day, with highs around 70. The temperature is slated to hit the same mark on Saturday, only it will be a partly cloudy day. Sunday will see highs in... more ›

DCist reader David writes in with this important question: Where does one get kegs in D.C.? I've lived here around a year, and have no idea. Online price lists are a plus, as is a NW location. We hear you, David. Sure, we're not in college anymore, but sometimes when you're set to throw a really big par-tay, going with a keg can be the most cost effective and least messy (no bottles to clean... more ›

A faithful reader writes in: Last year, the men's basketball team at GMU made the final four. This year, the team should see a lot more interest from alumni like me. Any idea if people tailgate before basketball games outside the Patriot Center? Pro and college football are usually the premier tailgate sports, but we don't see any reason why people can't brave the chilly weather and tailgate at college basketball games. Basketball arenas are... more ›

Good morning, D.C. Check out this lovely shot of the Capitol by Grundlepuck. The statue looks sad, or at least concerned — perhaps it's contemplating the fate of Rep. Bob Ney, the self-proclaimed "Mayor of Capitol Hill." According to the Post, Ney's just been further implicated in the Abramoff scandal. Duncan Drops Out Of Race: The Democratic field in the race for the Maryland governorship. Montgomery County Executive Doug Duncan has withdrawn from the race,... more ›

I was just wondering if DCist knows about a movie that is being filmed today on 16th & Kalorama, right across from Meridian Hill park. When I walked by on my way to work there was a camera crew set up filming in front of the building right on the corner that has recently been renovated. They were filming someone dressed in what I think was a military uniform walking out of the door. Any ideas? I'm curious to know what the movie is! more ›

American University's graduation is May 14 -- which also happens to be Mother's Day. I need to find a good but not exorbitantly expensive brunch option. Any suggestions? In case you and your mom will be spending Mother's Day in the area, DCist encourages you to consider booking a reservation for Sunday brunch sooner rather than later. With American University's graduation falling on the same day, plenty of places are already full -- including brunch... more ›

I've walked by the old Convention Center site recently, and there's this weird artsy-looking walkway between H Street and New York Avenue. What the hell is it? You'd be surprised how many emails we've received with this exact question. You'd also be surprised how a staff of writers and editors as big as our own could be so easily stumped. We had no idea. Until today. According to a press release from D.C. Mayor... more ›

Below, we take a brief look at development stories along the Red Line, but first, a brief Ask DCist: more ›

Who would you consider a hip stylist in D.C.? Maybe it’s someone booked solid for months, whose salon offers a menu of primping options and feels like a visit to Zen. For others, it’s someone under the radar who transforms you from your-cooler-than-average self into Eleanor Friedburger from Fiery Furnaces or retro-Reese as June Carter Cash in Walk the Line. more ›

My friends and I are non-alcoholic drinkers. Our ages range from 18 to 26 (college students to young professionals). We like varieties of drinks (other than Starbucks), and we're looking for Friday night hangouts in D.C. Any suggestions? more ›

, but recently Ask DCist has stopped waiting for questions and taken to scouring the city for citizens in need. Sadly, as internet geeks our powers are pretty much limited to answering questions. Also, in lieu of a badass orbital command center with sophisticated remote sensors, we're pretty much stuck with our couches and RSS readers. But that won't stop us. more ›

Is it Girl Scout Cookie season yet? I just got this powerful craving for some Thin Mints and those peanut butter ones (what do they call them?) and have no clue where to go to buy them. Where in D.C. are people (legitimately) selling Girl Scout Cookies? We hear you, sister. And those peanut butter ones you mentioned? They're called Tagalongs®, and they are without a doubt my favorite Girl Scout Cookie variety, though the... more ›

Saturday Night Live’s recent “Lazy Sunday” short film has given me an intense craving for cupcakes. The ones featured, from New York City’s Magnolia Bakery, brought to mind the following question: where can you find high-quality cupcakes in D.C.? “I don’t think this cupcake thing is at its height,” a bakery owner told New York magazine this past fall. With our northern neighbor's Buttercup Bakery in the process of franchising nationally and Warren Brown’s outfit... more ›