Results tagged “jeffsimmermon”

The Post finally picked up on the Murky Coffee brouhaha this morning, and it appears it's been a topic of conversation at other locally owned coffee shops around town. We snapped this photo at Big Bear Cafe in Bloomingdale today. Thanks to Catherine Andrews for the tip.

It's become an epic fight of the caffeinated world. In one corner, the java-head who likes his espresso on the rocks. In the other, the emphatic barista and his posse of "mud" slingers.

Former DCist contributor Jeff Simmermon has a fascinating couple of posts (warning: photos of dead animals in that link) over at And I Am Not Lying for Real (hat tip: Free Ride) about an apparent feud between two Santeria practitioners in the Mt. Pleasant/Adams Morgan area.

Those dirty white doves lying by the curb alongside three little samurai hats made of coconut, their car-flattened heads some distance away -- they're not just some sick coincidence, a bored metalhead's idea of art or a Hot Topic teen's notebook dream rendered real. According to my neighbor, they're part of a spell meant to discredit him in the DC Santeria community and rob him of some of his prominence and prestige.

Continue reading "Is There a Santeria Feud in Mt. Pleasant?"

From DCist contributor Jeff Simmermon.

We crossed Dupont Circle after our staff meeting last night, marveling at how in D.C., even parks full of people relaxing are still somehow frantic. As we crossed the circle, we saw our hands-down favorite bunch of street performers. We don’t know their official name, but they are a squadron of joyous, soulful trombones with percussive accompaniment. They’re out there in the heat and the cold, performing a colossal public service by lifting the spirits of hundreds of people every night they perform.

Good morning, Washington. Today will be mostly sunny with highs in the lower 80s. If you're driving in Northwest, be advised NBC4 is reporting portions of Missouri Avenue and Military Road are closed due to a water main break. DCist contributor Jeff Simmermon snapped this photo in Dupont Circle last night. Alexandria Power Plant To Close: A power plant on the banks of the Potomac river in Alexandria that has long antagonized residents may close...

Editor's Note: Long before Cindy Sheehan captured the media's attention by setting up camp outside President George W. Bush's ranch in Crawford, Tx. and demanding a meeting with him, a woman braved weather and a generation of curious onlookers to push her cause, just feet away from the White House. DCist's resident interviewer Jeff Simmermon took to the streets to find out who this woman is and what she is doing there.

Djakarta is the artist behind the “Niggaz4Life” pieces, currently on display as part of the E2: Carving a Path exhibition, previously mentioned on DCist. Her work derives its title from NWA’s classic rap album and song “Niggaz4Life,” released in 1991. Djakarta’s video work is a montage of film clips from popular Hollywood films that portray black people singing, dancing, and mugging for the camera with the exhibit’s namesake song as a soundtrack. Her two-dimensional works are imitations of the classic military recruitment poster, featuring prominent celebrities Vin Diesel, Mariah Carey, and Tiger Woods as central figures. The posters are samples from a city-wide poster campaign, wherein posters were placed on telephone poles, newspaper boxes, walls and even inside newspapers. We caught up with Djakarta recently to talk about her artwork and the social issues that inspired it.

What is the intention behind the posters and postcards?

These are like Army recruitment posters, but inverting the message so that instead of one person pointing at the masses and saying “I Want You,” it’s the masses of black people saying “We Want You,” so they’re like wanted posters. It’s easy to identify the celebrities, and I wanted to catch people’s attention and make them ask questions. I like the juxtaposition of these clean-cut mulatto celebrities who don’t really associate themselves with being black have “Niggaz4Life” stamped on their forehead or stamped across their chest in a poster that say “We Want You.”

And hopefully when people see “Niggaz4Life” they’ll go “whoa.” They won’t think Mariah Carey has a new CD out. They know that’s definitely something she’s not going to attach to herself to, and the same with Vin Diesel and definitely not Tiger Woods, so hopefully it just causes people to think a little bit more.

(Review and pictures from DCist contributor Jeff Simmermon) Although we did not skate or harbor elaborate revenge fantasies in high school, we do enjoy a bit of metal from time to time. When our friend with connection to this summer's Ozzfest rang us up Sunday morning with backstage passes, we were on it like dogs on a slaughterhouse dumpster. Here are some snapshots of the bands we saw at Nissan Pavilion; pictures and reviews are...

Happy Tuesday. Now it's time to get back to work. We hope you enjoyed your weekend. Here's a photo taken by Jeff Simmermon of the official and unoffical fireworks viewed from Columbia Heights.

Looking for a few good shows? Our music picks for this week follow. TUESDAY: >> The Carlsonics (pictured at right) continue their month-long Tuesday night residency at DC9. Read the DCist review of their performance here. With The American Watercolor Movement & The Heartless Bastards. $6. THURSDAY: >> Noise Against Facism: The Inauguration got you down? You should head over to the Black Cat tonight, where for $12 you can see Mirror/Dash, a duo of...

The Carlsonics have earned quite a reputation around the District. In addition to being a tight, competent, exuberant and damn good rock and roll outfit, they put on one hell of a live show, or so DCist has heard. Well, the rumors are true. In the small, U-shaped upstairs hall at DC9 last night, the Carlsonics rocked like no band should rock on a Tuesday night.