Lots of Washington is under construction, and in just in time for the influx of tourists. more ›

When it comes to suspicious people and actions to be on the lookout for while sightseeing around D.C., taking pictures of monuments with a nude foot in the air would normally rank high on my threat meter. When it's Danny DeVito, maybe not so much. more ›

The National Park Service will shut down access to the Reflecting Pool between the Lincoln Memorial and the World War II Memorial for up to two years as part of a $31 million renovation project beginning later this month, according to WTOP. The planned improvements include a new recirculation system, which will improve the water quality of the Pool, and a paved walkway around the perimeter of the pool, which should be a sizable upgrade over the dead grass which currently circles the pool. (More detailed information on the upgrades approved by the National Capital Planning Commission can be found here.) During construction, public access to the area around the pool shouldn't be impeded too much, though the pool itself will be drained and fenced off. more ›

With military recruitment numbers continuing to spiral downward, this week's quote of the week got us thinking. All the military really needs is better marketing. You can't really envy their task in trying to get people to sign up for an unpopular war. Maybe they need to play down the grim realities. Play up the softer side of the military. Use things like the volleyball montage from Top Gun to show that doing your duty... more ›

Let's admit it- springtime brings out the fuzzy side of D.C., DCist and our DCist Flickr pool -- amidst the number of blooming flowers and cute animals photographs, Andertho's photo of ducklings in the Reflecting Pool caught our eye. Perhaps it's that two of the little fellas seem to be looking right at us and quizzicly (and identically) asking: "watcha doin' out there? come on in..." We'd join ya, but we happen to know... more ›

This morning DCist Ryan found a story in the New York Times about the lack of public restrooms in Gotham City. DCist Michael said he'd recently observed a tourist relieving himself in Washington Circle, and theorized that this might also be a problem in our nation's capital. I then asked if I could come forward and tell a story I had never told anyone. Way back in the twentieth century, as a high school kid... more ›

The Voting Rights March and Rally in front of the Capitol Reflecting Pool today was by all accounts a big success despite chilly winds and rain. We estimate between 4,000 - 5,000 supporters came out to demand a full vote for D.C. in the House of Representatives. Many more showed up too late for the rally, which was originally scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. but was shortened and started early due to the weather conditions. more ›

As you've no doubt heard, we're putting on our best coats and walking shoes to fight for voting rights with a march and rally this afternoon. Several blocks will closed to traffic during the events, which kick off at 2:30 p.m. in Freedom Plaza with a march that leads to a rally at the Capitol Reflecting Pool beginning at 4:00 p.m. Between these times Pennsylvania Ave. NW from 3rd to 14th Sts. and 3rd St.... more ›

Good morning, Washington. Today is the day of the Voting Rights March. If you can, gather at Freedom Plaza at 2:30 p.m. to march to the capitol with your friends from DCist and other Washingtonians. Or, just meet us for the rally planned at 4 p.m. at the Capitol Reflecting Pool. Either way, we hope you make it out for at least one hour to show your support for District voting rights. Don't let this... more ›

We're just a weekend away from the March for Voting Rights, which kicks off at 2:30 p.m. on Monday, April 16 at Freedom Plaza, ending at the U.S. Capitol Reflecting Pool at 4 p.m. for a rally. As we've mentioned before, you only have to take an hour off of work to join in the cause, and we'd encourage everyone to do so. We'll be there, and this is why: We're Too Close To... more ›

As we mentioned yesterday, next Monday, April 16 is the long-awaited Voting Rights March. Activists, residents and supporters will take an afternoon to demand that Congress finally do something to remedy the 200-year-old disenfranchisement of the District's residents. We'd like to see as many people out there as possible, but we recognize that it's hard to take an entire afternoon off, regardless of how good the cause is. Fear not, though -- you may only... more ›

All too often, for the sake of diplomacy, people don't say what they really mean. Some institutions (i.e. Congress) have turned this into an art form, couching the most egregious of insults in flowery language. Fun to parse, but not very straightforward. Now imagine a world in which everyone comes right out and says what they mean. We here at Overheard would love that because it would give us a lot more material with which... more ›

With the warmer weather comes the time for the National Mall to be jam-packed with people seeking to soak in all that our nation’s capital has to offer. While the museums and monuments beckon to all, it has been argued for some time now that the Mall, which is run by the National Park Service, needs a little revamping.... more ›

It must be great to be gay in Virginia these days, huh? Today we find that the march towards equality in our southern neighbor is taking a resounding step backwards, as the state Senate yesterday agreed to a November referendum that would amend the state constitution to ban gay marriages. It seems that traditional heterosexual unions weren't standing up to the corrupting beat of gay rights, thus threatening the state's delicately-woven social fabric and... more ›

Good morning, Washington. We hope you had an enjoyable weekend - whether it was checking out the D.C. United game (they tied Chicago 0-0 and will play again next weekend), discovering the FSM in the Metro, or checking out Howard's homecoming. Be prepared for wet weather today - today will be cloudy with rain developing later in the day and temperatures in the 50s. more ›

For those out there who hate Thievery Corporation and Ted Leo but love freedom, the Pentagon is offering an alternative to Operation Ceasefire. None other than country music legend Clint Black will headline a concert in support of the military and Sept. 11 victims on the four-year anniversary of the attacks. The concert, named "America Supports You," will follow up the Department of Defense’s two-mile Freedom Walk from the Pentagon to Arlington National Cemetery to... 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 ›

Since this DCist grew up in lake effect snow country, we always get a chuckle out of local reaction to an incoming snow storm. And this one, where snowfall predictions seemed to haved increased to panic levels, petered out at a modest four inches or so. (See Capital Weather for a detailed analysis of different forecasts, and check out what our friends are dealing with up in New York.) So to all those people... more ›

We realize that some of you may have taken an extended four-day weekend for the Veterans Day holiday, so here's some of what you may have missed since your last visit. (DCist photo of Reflecting Pool at dusk Sunday by Mike Grass) >> Center for Science in the Public Interest classifies Cheesecake Factory no-carb cheesecake as "food porn." >> The NTSB scolded WMATA back in 1996 about the possibility of train cars falling apart... more ›

There's been a bit of dire news regarding global warming floating about recently. We realize that there are competing views on whether global warming is an actual threat, but with icebergs the size of Texas and Arizona breaking away from the Arctic icepack (jeopardizing the journey to the North Pole via the Polar Express) and National Geographic saying that by the end of the century global coastlines could be significantly inundated (book your travel to... more ›

With Capital Weather indicating that this weekend should be quite nice, with temperatures in the low 80s with partly cloudy skies, DCist encourages you to get out, enjoy the weekend and perhaps do something new. more ›