If you’re down on the National Mall this weekend and see, oh, 12,000 flags stuck in the ground, don’t be alarmed. The Federal Government hasn’t started an experimental flag farm, nor is the display an effort of the area’s squirrels to show their patriotism. The flags have been planted to represent the 12,000 members of the United States military who have been discharged under the practice of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” The policy, which governs…

We’ve gotten a couple emails wondering about the strange things afoot with the two scheduled Spoon shows at the 9:30 Club in October. In case you haven’t heard the somewhat confusing story, Spoon booked two nights (October 22 and 23) at the 9:30 Club, and tickets went on sale August 9. Sometime last week, tickets mysteriously stopped being sold, without explanation. Then this past weekend, people who’d already purchased tickets received the following email:…

It’s almost impossible to discuss the state of punk and hardcore music in this town without someone making a grand pronouncement like “the D.C. scene is dead”. Ask any of the old timers and they’ll tell you that the kids in Washington just don’t care about punk rock anymore. It’s not hard to understand where these folks are coming from; given the vital role that our city played in the evolution of hardcore music, it’s…

Update, Part 3: Here’s the audio of Rep. Gohmert’s wisdom on the District’s lack of representation. Or, should we say, over-representation? And we’ve redesigned the banner for his website to better reflect his new responsibilities… Louie Gohmert — The District’s Voting Representative powered by ODEO–> Update, Part 2: Here’s a pic of Louie. He seems like a nice guy. And this is what he said, according to the Congressional Record: “I would submit to…

>> Start your Thursday night gallery hopping at Flashpoint, where they’re holding an opening reception for Shifting Waters, a collection of drawings by Janis Goodman, an associate professor of fine arts at the Corcoran. Her gestural markings create animated representations of water in its many natural forms. Ask yourself if the dark graphite Goodman uses accurately translates her subjects’ connection to life and nature, at the opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. >> It’s…

Woooeee. As noted in the Morning Roundup, the DCist staff party was a bit of a killer last night. Ask DCist Adam about his recipe for Tom & Jerrys. Or, alternatively, if you want to live, don’t. Here’s some bits and pieces to send you out the door and, if your weekend is anything like ours, into a frenzy of holiday parties. >> Be careful if you’re headed out and around the Shaw Metro stop…

And a good Friday to you, Washington. It’s just about the weekend, a great time to continue that celebrating or mourning that you’ve had going on for the last few days, depending on what side of the political aisle you’re on. Today will be a sunny day, with highs around 70. The temperature is slated to hit the same mark on Saturday, only it will be a partly cloudy day. Sunday will see highs in…

Inside the House is a DCist feature offering an insider’s view of fine dining issues by the hostess at a D.C. restaurant. Her views are strictly her own and do not in any way represent those of her employer. By DCist contributor Nadya S. Nikiforova Ask anyone what makes a great dining experience, and you are likely to hear that only half of it has to do with food. Much of the rest comes from…

Ask most people their favorite Indian bread and naan often takes the spotlight. I can’t knock naan. The refined flour yields some of the same qualities that made Wonder Bread appealing when I was three. But sometimes I crave something with a little more flavor — and a lot more cholesterol. Something that speaks to that same inner voice that drives me to consume things like late-night pizza and tasty burgers with reckless abandon. Parathas,…

Food incites emotion. Ask a guy to recall his mother’s most delicious dessert or his favorite meal on his last trip to Italy, and he’ll likely have plenty to say. Perhaps because they’re food-related, shows on the Food Network conjure similar passions—just read any blog comment on perky Rachael Ray, sultry Giada DeLaurentiis or exuberant Emeril Lagasse. It seems that even when we’re not eating their meals, we often respond to the processes and presentations…