If you're not looking forward to setting your Thanksgiving or Christmas table with your best Ikea acrylic, you might want to take a short road trip this weekend to get some new wares. The Valley Craft Network, a 26-year old association of professional artisans and craftspeople, is holding its annual holiday studio tour this Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nestled in the Middletown and Pleasant Valleys west of Frederick, Maryland, the... more ›

As we've told you already, it's Restaurant Week here in Washington, which means those of us left in town can eat three course meals at some of the best restaurants around for $20.07 at lunch and $30.07 at dinner. As a Restaurant Week proponent, I view this unofficial dining holiday as a chance to try out places I've never been, and think restaurateurs should use the time as an opportunity to reach out to people... more ›

From the tallest skyscraper in the City of Brotherly Love to Canadian tourism copywriting brilliance, here's what you should know from our -ist cities: This week, Phillyist took a gleeful listen to the White Stripes' exciting new release, watched in awe as their new tallest skyscraper was finally completed, found a cheaper way to get to Gothamist, invented a tasty new dessert, and brought back their Craigslist Round-Up feature with a bang. Bostonist watches... more ›

The between-set music for Friday night’s homecoming show for DC boys The Walkmen was Big Star. Nothing but Big Star, all the time. About as a fitting as they come for California openers Broken West, who might currently be the most deserving heirs to the tattered power pop crown. They opened with lead single "Down in the Valley," drawing out the opening, ringing A-chord, double rhythm-guitar parts in classic power pop fashion. Occasionally, the band... more ›

CNN has just released a report on the "hottest" zip codes in the Baltimore/Washington area--those zip codes that have seen the largest median price increase in the last five years. Given the continuing real estate boom in the area, its surprising that the 10 zip codes all lay in Montgomery County, with four in the sprawling, massive D.C. suburb that is Silver Spring. DCist suspects that this is due to the development of Downtown Silver Spring, with its new AFI theater, the culinary delights of one of Maryland's three Potbelly locations, and the over-priced produce of the ubiquitous Whole Foods Market. No doubt DCist friend The Deceiver will bristle at the new hotness:

Sure, New Yorkers sometimes have to drag Long Island City behind them and L.A. is saddled with the Valley, but it just doesn't compare to the dispiriting, soul-leeching blight that is Silver Spring, which, even as it attempts to upscale itself feels more and more like rusty tin can crapulence. What's that stench from the North? Oh, it's that sprawling slum with the pretty movie theatre!