The world knows full well that former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, in his own words, "think[s] grandiose thoughts," but do we really want to hear his ideations for the most amorous day of the year? The Republican presidential candidate was asked how he plans to spend Valentine's Day. more ›

You may have missed the chance to run around with your sweetie or find that special someone in skivvies on Saturday. But there's no shortage of Valentine's Day promotions out there for lovers or singles looking for a little bit of last minute inspiration for tomorrow's Hallmark holiday. more ›

If you didn't have anything better to do Saturday, perhaps you were on Capitol Hill running around in your skivvies, for Cupid's Undie Run, a barely-clad benefit to raise money to fight neurofibromatosis. Photographer Kevin Carroll was there. more ›

As part of a Valentine's Day promotion, the National Zoo wants you to know the many different ways that animal show their love for each other. more ›

We've been hearing from a few people around D.C. -- who may or may not have spent the night on the couch last night -- that some Valentines didn't end up getting their flowers yesterday. It sounds like the root cause of the problem might have been a popular deal between Groupon and floral retailer FTD that might have been a little too ambitious, considering that February 14 is one of the few days on the calendar on which everyone wants flowers delivered. more ›

Love persists. Through even the most difficult conditions and despite the most demanding obstacles. This photo by jrspeaks captures the metaphor of love, an impossibly precious commodity that shines through the gravel of the everyday, and -- I'm not going to lie -- I just kind of want to smash it under the heel of my boot. Happy Valentine's Day, etc. more ›

Couples looking to get an early start on Valentine's Day, take note. Metrorail will close at midnight tonight. Now -- let me talk to my single readers. Do you know who loves you? The D.C. Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration. (And me.) ABRA tweeted that bars not already subject to voluntary agreements may serve alcohol until 3 a.m. tomorrow night. For those of you who have Presidents Day off on Monday, the decision is a boon. And for people who have yet to line up a Valentine, you've been given an extension. Contact your favorite romantic watering hole to see whether they will give you a few extra hours to make a bad decision. more ›

Somebody really loves Bill. As philliefan99's picture makes abundantly clear, some lovestruck individual took the time to declare his or her love for Bill in the fleeting medium of a snowbank. But is there a contradictory message to declaring one's love in the snow? Is love recorded by this ephemeral expression truly love, or merely a passing infatuation that will melt away (hopefully before March)? more ›

From the twitterwires comes the exciting news that the Black Cat will host the next Record Fair. That ought to alleviate the crowding, which has been as much a feature of the event as nostalgia during its previous incarnations at the Warehouse and Civilian Art Projects (which is now in the Warehouse). Som Records, DC Soul Recordings, and The Vinyl District are reuniting for a very special Valentine's Day edition of the Record Fair, bringing some 30 record dealers together for your perusal. The event will not be light on entertainment, either: Eric Hilton (Thievery Corporation), Kid Congo Powers, and Bluebrain are all spinning. Take a look at DCist's photos from the May '09 fair. more ›

The folks at Destination D.C., the city-funded District tourism bureau, have hired Dr. Ruth Westheimer to be their newest spokesperson. An event scheduled at the National Press Club Thursday morning promises an appearance from the diminutive psychosexual therapist, alongside At-large D.C. Council member Kwame Brown, to celebrate the launch of Destination D.C.'s latest ad campaign, described as a "month-long 'stimulus plan' designed to boost hospitality business by highlighting the romantic and playful side of the District.' Just in time for Valentine's Day -- get it? We're also told that Brown will be there in order to "swear in" Dr. Ruth as "Honorary Secretary of Love & Relationships" of the city. more ›

Well, it was bound to happen: a holiday that is predicated on people spending boatloads of cash is just not of the utmost national importance this year. Stories like WUSA's are everywhere -- profiles of florists and other such purveyors of romantically-inclined wares, bemoaning the adverse financial effects which a combination of penny pinching and this year's weekend placement is bringing to their usual boon of Valentine's sales. more ›

Last night D.C., Maryland, and Virginia all showed their love for Obamarama, but in all the chaos leading up to the Crab cake primary, did you forget that Valentine’s Day is just a day away? Whether you’re looking to make plans for one, two or three (we won’t ask), here are some dining and drinking options that are still available to procrastinators. more ›

If you're lucky enough to have your mom or grandma somewhere easily accessible, then you have the distinct pleasure of celebrating Mother's Day with the real McCoy. As for me, I'll have to settle for a teleconference with my mom while eating pancakes shaped like Mickey Mouse that I'll pretend she made for me. Sniff. I love you, Mom! more ›

We'd like to start this week's run-down by wishing a very happy birthday to parent blog Gothamist, which turned four on Friday. If it wasn't for them, the rest of us wouldn't be here. They celebrated their birthday by nabbing an interview with Entourage star Adrian Grenier, who misses NYC public transportation when he's working in LA. They also reported on NYU students protesting a band whose name is also known as a slur,... more ›

In case you didn't hear, tonight's the night. Unbuckled. Pela. These United States. DC9, 9 p.m. You'll thank us later. more ›

>> Bad news: The Sex Worker Art Show at the Rock and Roll Hotel has been cancelled due to inclement weather. Check the HIPS website for news of a possible reschedule date. more ›

Happy Valentine's Day, Washington. It's icy out! And, as Encino Man taught us, where there's ice, puzzlement and disorientation won't be far behind. We know you've got questions: will your power stay on on? Will you have to go into work? How horrible is your commute going to be? We'll get to that in a second. But first, we must remind you of the traditional Washington area winter storm news edict: THERE SHALL BE NO... more ›

By Amanda and Ben Page more ›

Monday >> This past December, Matthew Ryan released his latest album, From A Late Night High-Rise, a collection of songs inspired by the death of his friend and the sentencing of his brother to 30 years in prison. Tonight you can experience his acoustic contemplations on stage at Iota Club with Tim Easton. 8:30 p.m., $12. >> Do you want to see Silver Spring's Flaming Cooters? Did you ever think you would hear those words... more ›

We know what you're thinking. It's the week of Valentine's Day. You're either coupled-up, buying the flowers, and getting ready for your $250 dinner at the Tabard Inn with your sweetie; or you're single, planning on spending Wednesday watching "Lost" with your roommate, and secretly signing up for the next speed-dating session at Chi-Cha Lounge. So what better way to prepare for either event than standing in front of a packed room, re-hashing the hell that was your last break-up? Am I right?? more ›

Happy National Freedom to Marry Day, everyone! And that means everyone: lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and straight. We figured with Valentine's Day approaching we'd give you a bit of a rundown on just how state-sanctioned your love is depending on if you live in a commonwealth, state or district. This year's NFMD brings mixed news for gay couples wanting to enjoy wedded bliss, or at least all the swag from their Crate and Barrel registry.... more ›

FRIDAY: >> This weekend is filled to the brim with events surrounding the 2007 Urban Film Series tour just in time for Black History Month. Dozens of short and feature-length films addressing the black experience are being screened at Regal Cinema Gallery Place, many with panel discussions following. There's a bevy of established and rising talent to see, but our pick for Friday has to be a conversation and book-signing with the Wizard's own center... more ›

Tom reports in this week's Dish that John Wabeck, executive chef of Firefly just south of Dupont Circle, is departing at the end of the month. Wabeck has been plating up fantastic dishes for years at Firefly, which is why it ranks as one of my favorite places. Now he's decided that he might want to pursue, according to Tom, either "the wine thing," or "the kitchen thing." Sounds like a case of burnout to me. It's too bad, too, because I was really looking forward to the Spring menu. more ›

FRIDAY: >> Bliss, the Black Cat's indie rock dance party, presents a combination DJ/Live show. Kicking things off will be The Juan Maclean, followed by the always memorable (and not nearly as dead as you might have thought) Edie Sedgwick. 9 p.m., $12. >> We're all by now familiar with the greatest hits of the Kubrick canon: The Shining, Dr. Strangelove, 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, etc. But if you've never had the... more ›

, a story of lonely, middle-aged people coming together (Feb. 23)...and that's about it. We may be a cynical, single city, indeed. more ›

Good morning, Washington. Well, as good as it can be -- it's back to work after a day of honoring the presidents. Luckily we have some news for you, including an indictment involving an Oprah scam and Maryland and Virginia trying to figure out just what to do about their roads. And for those of you looking forward to the next big celebration or day off, just remember that St. Patrick's Day is only a... more ›

First off, a huge thank you to all of our readers who have aided in the effort to save the Heurich House. On the heels of a successful Valentine's Day fundraiser was the February 15 deadline for possible foreclosure of the mansion. To that effect, we have some heartening news. more ›

The end of next week could be pretty bleak. The excitement of early February, from Groundhog Day to the Olympics Opening Ceremonies to Valentine's Day to Presidents Day, comes to a rushing halt as the long weekend draws to a close. Bereft of any elementary school-style holiday-appropriate window appliques, you may find yourselves plodding along, just trying to muddle through. But we here at DCist, well, we saw this coming. We knew you needed one last big bang before you bid the shortest month of the year goodbye. And so, we bring you (drum roll, please) Unbuckled 2.0, next Thursday, February 23. more ›

We already knew that Ben Gibbard is a romantic. Leave it up to him to open up ticket sales to Death Cab's show with Franz Ferdinand (on April 11 at DAR Constitution Hall) on Valentine's Day. I don't know about you, but I think my heart just grew three sizes. At 1 p.m. today, you can go click to click with the rest of the city's hipsters to try and snag a pair of tickets.... more ›

To our readers, we love you guys. Happy Valentine's Day from DCist! If the shopping scene last night at Tyson’s Corner Center Hallmark, Kay Jewelers and CVS was any indication, some folks were a little tardy on picking up the heart-shaped pendants and Whitman’s Samplers. Were you one of the tardy rushing for anything and everything heart-shaped and colored red? Or are you instead going to play the "But honey, it's a Hallmark holiday" card?... more ›