Yesterday, the United States Postal Service announced that next year's batch of collectible Forever stamps would feature a very Washingtonian scene -- a rendering of the cherry blossom trees in full bloom. more ›

With cherry blossom season, tons of restaurants are incorporating cherries and blossoms into their food. But with the recent warmup, I'd rather have my cherries in cool liquid form. more ›

MONDAY >> Start out this lovely spring week right by taking in local group Deleted Scenes (***) and their particular brand of you-name-it-they've-play-it-surf/rockabilly/garage/punk rock at the Red and the Black. Hero Cycle, Hot Lava and Paper Airplanes open. $8, 9 p.m. TUESDAY >> Quirky and fantastical sister-duo CocoRosie play the Rock and Roll Hotel. One half of the duo sings and plays guitar and flute, while the other sings and covers percussion ("rattles things, makes... more ›

Another week, another set of transit headlines. This week we've got "controversy" over the new Taxicab Zone Map, Metro's contribution to the, er, local economy, and questions about the new rail cars Metro's been bringing on line. Also, yet another story of inaction on Metro funding...but by Maryland. Worth noting: The Metro Riders Advisory Council is holding an event this evening at Metro's 600 5th St. NW headquarters to take suggestions on transit improvements... more ›

Today DCist begins a new supplement to our weekly agendas. If you still don't have plans for tonight we've got an assortment of activities to get you off the couch and out enjoying all the area has to offer. >> Jumping on the cherry tree bandwagon, Black Cat hosts The Cherry Blossom Jam. Rap artists Marsha Ambrosius, of Floetry fame, Chrisette Michelle, Frestile and MN8. [1811 14th St. NW, $22, Doors open at 8... more ›

FRIDAY: >> By far one of the most fun bar nights in town is always where ever the Guerrilla Queer Bar Takeover kids end up -- the mingling of gays and straights in D.C. ever a combination as terriffic as chili and cheese. So you can bet we'll be swinging by to celebrate the Third Anniversary of the Guerrilla Queer Bar Takeover at Black Cat tonight. The takeover starts in the Red Room at 9... more ›

>> If "gorgeous weather" isn't enough of a reason to get you outside, this weekend's kick-off for the National Cherry Blossom Festival should get you to shake off that winter gloom. Head over to the National Building Museum tomorrow to kick-off the celebration with Family Day events from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and the opening ceremony from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Lots of hands-on art activities, like oragami and fruit carving, will keep... more ›

Good morning, D.C. Thanks to all of you who came out to the Voting Rights Happy Hour last night. We had a great time meeting everyone and chatting about the future of full voting rights for D.C. Our friends and co-hosts at DC Vote were thrilled to be able to sign up so many new interested members and volunteers for their upcoming Voting Rights March on April 16, so thanks to them for coming out... more ›

It certainly is telling that even with all of the crime emergencies, red-light enforcements, speed traps, juvenile curfews, ShotSpotters and surveillance cameras, there's still no end of criminal mischief that can be had by any poorly-mannered child with an armload of rocks. Earlier this year, as the spring gave way to the heat of the summer, every major press organ in the city covered the upswing in incidents related to the damage and injury caused by rock-throwing kids. Especially well-documented were the goings-on on a stretch of 11th Street, NW in Columbia Heights, where children, using the vantage point of high balconies to both target victims and evade arrest, turned the corridor into a harrowing ordeal for cyclists, pedestrians and motorists alike. more ›

Last month we reported that the District's first official triathlon, the Nation's Triathlon, was a go. After months of haggling with competing jurisdictions for permit, race organizers got the final go-ahead for the event, which would include a swim in the Potomac River, a bike ride up Rock Creek Park, and a run to the U.S. Capitol and back. Plenty of readers made jokes about swimming in the Potomac. Hell, so did I --... more ›

Though they left us with a good deal of thunder and lightning, the storms that hit our area yesterday cut a deadly path through other parts of the country, particularly Tennessee. We're not in the clear yet, though -- there is a wind advisory for the District and surrounding areas in effect until 1 p.m. today. D.C. Smoking Ban Really Goes Into Effect Today: Ahhhh, government efficiency. There has been some confusion to date... more ›

Today's photo of the day was taken by maxedaperture. No camera or photo info is listed. There are more Cherry Blossom photos in the DCist photostream than you can shake a tourist at, so head on over if you didn't get your fill over the weekend. more ›

But really, we're happy that Metro is being well-used; bring on the people! As long as they don't block the doors: enough residents do that already. And remember, on the station escalators, stand to your right, walk on the left. more ›

FRIDAY: >> There are few names in modern dance as big as Merce Cunningham. The veteran dancer and choreograhper brings his company to the Kennedy Center tonight and Sat. to perform a few of their paradigmatic pieces, including Fabrications, featuring music by Emanuel Dimas de Melo Pimenta, and Sounddance, with music by David Tudor. These shows are a sure thing. $21 to $50, both shows at 8 p.m. >> Serious ambient and electronic music fans... more ›

FRIDAY: >> We're definitely planning on checking out a new performance series called Take That Hill that's looking to turn in to a semi-regular evening of short films and short story readings presented by local lit mag Barrelhouse. Sounds promising, and we'll have the rundown on how it went down for you come Monday. At Warehouse Theater's screening room, $5, 8 p.m. >> Dude, free Yeah Yeah Yeah's listening party at Cue Bar, plus the... more ›

Via the Post, we see that the National Park Service has issued its official guess at when the cherry blossoms will reach their peak. The verdict: March 27 - April 1, a range of dates that's conveniently in the middle of this year's National Cherry Blossom Festival. This year's festival will include events ranging from soccer tournaments to kite flying to two different kimono exhibitions. You can find a list of all the events here.... more ›

D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams may not be mayor for much longer, but he does have a few wishes for his successor's benefit, writes the Post today. First off, that the title be changed from "mayor" to "governor," a recognition of the fact that the District serves both the functions of a city and a state. Second, a good retirement package. Third and final, a mayoral house. Williams quickly backed off of asking for a mayoral... more ›

With an eye to reducing what has become endemic crowding on certain lines, WMATA will decide today whether or not to introduce eight-car trains which will run less often that the current six- and four-car configurations, reports WTOP. Under the plan currently being considered, 20 percent of Metro trains would have eight cars by December 2006, with that number increasing to 50 percent by 2008 and paralleling a total phase-out of the itsy-bitsy four-car... more ›

FRIDAY: >> The Sixpoints Music Festival, which highlights good local music played at good local venues, continues this weekend. Make sure to check out the schedule here and support your local music scene. >> Ross Douthat, blogger extraordinaire and reporter at The Atlantic Monthly, managed to pull a pretty nifty trick: he attended Harvard, reaped the rewards of the degree, and then got a hefty advance to write "Privilege: Harvard and the Education of the... more ›

This week's art events include exhibits inspired by the Cherry Blossom Festival, the monthly Bethesda Art Walk, and much more. Keep reading for DCist's picks -- and let us know what yours are! more ›

Today will be sunny and breezy, with highs in the 60s. This photo was taken on the National Mall yesterday. See DCist photos for more recent photos. more ›

Holy crap! There was a tornado in the Tidal Basin yesterday, and the rest of the weekend promises to bring another deluge. Nevertheless, we've got some recommendations to keep you dry and having fun. FRIDAY: >> Talented local artrockers Metropolitan hosts a record release party at the Black Cat for their third CD, "The Lines They Get Broken." Aqueduct and Federal City Five open. 9:30, $8. >> The Brindley Brothers, local musicians and owners of... more ›

Good morning Washington. Normally DCist won't use our platform to ask you for help in a personal matter. But we must turn to you and say: "Help, our keg was stolen last night!" To celebrate good weather, 10+ DCists, surrogates and friends gathered at the Columbia Heights home of one of our contributors to eat, drink and plot how to introduce blogging to Loudoun County. And when we were all inside (we let our guard... more ›

It may not look or feel like it, but spring really is in the air. Sure the calender's moved past winter, but a more tell-tale sign is that cherry blossom fever has hit the city. more ›

FRIDAY: >> The circus has come to town! Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus will be having an evening show tonight, 7:30 p.m. at the MCI Center. If you get there 90 minutes early, you can enjoy free entertainment, and during the pre-show Three Ring Adventure, kids can meet performers and pose for photos with the crazy clowns. Tickets can be purchased here. SATURDAY: >> If you're feeling energetic come Saturday AM, why not... more ›

Good morning Washington. For those on Capitol Hill and others, we hope you've been enjoying the Congressional recess this week. To everyone else, enjoy your Good Friday if you have it off. For the weather today, check Capital Weather. Rain will be moving in around lunchtime with highs near 50. They're Coming!: Tourists, a million strong, will be coming into the city for the National Cherry Blossom Festival. And according to the Post, the first... more ›

Today will be partly cloudy with highs in the mid 50s. Hunger Strike at Georgetown: A hunger strike by group of 22 students at Georgetown has entered its sixth day. The students are members of the Georgetown Living Wage Campaign, which has been pressuring the university to increase the wages of its lowest paid employees for a year. David Swanson has posted a column and photos about the strike on his website and Indymedia, and... more ›

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