It wasn't easy picking today's Photo of the Day. Our local photogs have been working overtime, and the DCist Photo Pool is brimming with eye candy -- and that's just the way we like it. This photo of the the Duplex Diner in Adams Morgan comes to us from Captain Easychord. In addition to having nice contrast, the branches on the left and the point-of-view makes it seem like the photographer was somehow elevated; like he climbed a tree to get just the right perspective on the two neon signs. All that, and it makes me want a Duplex' cheeseburger real bad. EXIF. more ›

Flickr user drade took this picture of a family welcoming a new life to the world nearly two years ago, but just added it to the DCist Photo Pool today. And we're glad he did. We love how he captured this quiet moment after all the excitement has died down, with the emotive shadows, and the father lingering ghost-like in the darkness behind mother and child. EXIF.
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Voting for the National Zoo's Name the Baby Anteater contest ended on Aug. 26, but we now finally have an official name for the long-nosed bundle of joy: Aurora. The female name beat out the other choices by a healthy margin of votes (1,600 vs. 1,200 for Isabel and 1,100 for Pilar), and now that zoo officials have finally determined the anteater's gender, the winner of the boy's name contest is moot (though we did... more ›

If you've never visited our sister site Londonist and checked out their fantastic Photoshop-based feature, Touch Up London, you really should right this minute. Every week, Londonist editors ask their photo editing-skilled readers to take an iconic image of their city and "touch it up" into something funny, freakish, or just plain wonderful. There have been 55 selected Touch Up London images already, but this one, by Londonist reader Andy Fisher, is one of our favorites. Do click through and check out the rest of them. more ›

This biggie sized lolcat comes to us from animal lover zenfrisbee, who appears to have spent some quality time at the National Zoo recently. This photo caught our eye for several reasons, the most striking being the string of water drops from this tiger's tail. We also like the cat's facial expression and paw position, which makes him look like your everyday house cat, ready to pounce on one of his toys. Check out zenfisbee's photostream (or even the DCist Photo Pool) for more shots of the tigers lounging in the water. EXIF. more ›

And on a procedural note, don't forget that if your photos on Flickr are not set as downloadable, it's hard for us to use high resolution versions as Photos of the Day or in posts, even if they're tagged with "dcist" or in the DCist Photo Pool. If they're set to downloadable you'll see an "All Sizes" link above the photo. That's not the case with this photo, just a general reminder. Thanks! more ›

Good morning, Washington. With the holiday behind us and temperatures closing in on 90, it now feels solidly like summer, huh? Well, we're glad to have the warm weather. What we're not as glad about is the spike in crime that usually accompanies it. After yesterday's relentlessly depressing conversation about race, gentrification and crime, we're kind of wishing for snow simply to stave off the bitter comment threads that a few bored hooligans can spawn.... more ›

Good morning, Washington. We hope you had as pleasant a weekend as we had, running around in that gorgeous warm sunlight and forgetting you ever complained about the weather in this city in the first place. Not even the threat of rain later this week, nor the mess of traffic on Saturday night that resulted from what was reportedly the least fun White House Correspondents' Dinner ever, could ruin our overall improved moods. Seasonal affective... more ›

It's easy to dismiss yesterday's Voting Rights March. Skeptics can point to the estimated number of participants (anywhere from 2,000 to 6,000, depending on who you ask) and claim that in a city of almost 600,000, that's not very good turnout. They can point to the cause -- a voting seat in the House of Representatives -- and argue that the tough road it faces in the Senate and the veto it will likely receive... more ›

>> As you can see in this photo submitted to the DCist Photo Pool, the building that houses Ruff N' Ready Furnishings, 1908 14th Street NW, has been condemned by city inspectors. The building was old and certainly not in great shape, though we've also heard rumors that the 911 call which prompted police and fire trucks to show up was reportedly made by a man well-known to the building's residents as a habitual drug... more ›

Sadly, the video the url printed on the boxes points to is a pretty unsatisfying teaser hyping the release of the stamps (and make sure you add "www" to the beginning -- leaving it off leads to a dead link). Not that anyone has accused George Lucas of being behind anything remotely satisfying in the last, oh, ten years or so. But we can still appreciate the fun in having these mailboxes around town. Have you seen anymore? more ›

We noticed new contributor Oblivious Dude popping up in our photo pool with some amazing shots. This take on the Building Museum at sunset is especially nice, but take a minute to browse through his photostream and you'll see this is a guy who really knows how to capture colors. more ›

(Editor's Note: Earlier reports of this DCist's loss of an arm are unfounded. It was actually our big toe.) DCist loves Fun Street. You ask: "Where might that be?" In what seems to be an aborted late 1990s marketing rebranding attempt, F Street near the MCI Center was given a Botox injection in the form of "Fun" Street to place emphasis on the strip's funness quotient. It never caught on, but the signs remain.... more ›

With the city's red-hot housing market showing no signs of easing, dozens of luxury condominium projects are either under construction or opening soon throughout the city, especially downtown and near Metro stations. On the web, DCGentrification.com has listings of projects along U Street and in Columbia Heights, JD Land's Near Southeast webpage contains an impressive compendium of information about development in that region, and DCLofts.com has an exhaustive listing of "Lofts, loft-style, and urban condo living in Washington DC, Northern Virginia, and Maryland." more ›

Today will be partly cloudy with a chance of snow showers and temperatures in the 40s. more ›

At an event that seemed at times more like a candidate rally than a celebration for achieving a party position, former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean thanked supporters near Union Station today, pledging an unconventional tenure as head of the Democratic Party. Sen. Jim Jeffords of Vermont also made a brief appearance. The organization Dean founded, Democracy for America, has more photos and information. Click beyond the jump for more photos. more ›

Today will start cloudy and become partly sunny in the afternoon, with highs around 60. The photo is of the brand-new Music Center at Strathmore. more ›

Less than one week after the D.C. Council voted to ban toxic chemicals from being transported through downtown Washington on freight trains, DCist saw a train with dozens of tankers some apparently containing industrial chemicals passing along a track which passes near many sensitive sites in city including Smithsonian museums, Union Station, and under part of the U.S. Capitol complex. The law does not take effect until signed by Mayor Williams, who has announced... more ›

Today will be mostly sunny with highs around 40. The National Weather Service has issued an advisory warning commuters to watch out for icy patches on roads as temperatures dipped below freezing last night. The photo is a fish at The Reef in Adams Morgan. more ›

It's hard to miss the giant "Hoya Saxa" mural while driving past Georgetown University on Canal Road NW. The mural has been an institution since it appeared on the wall sometime in the early 1990s, yet some, such as Barbara Zartman, vice president of the Citizens Association of Georgetown, say the mural is "grafitti" and should be removed. more ›

Today will be sunny and breezy with highs in the 60s. The photo was taken yesterday at the first night of The Pixies' sold out two night engagement at Constitution Hall. Check back later today for DCist posts on yesterday's USDA stabbing and a full review of The Pixies with more photos. more ›