On the surface, religious institutions and indie rock bands are strange bedfellows. Give it a bit of thought, however and you’ll realize that the two camps have much in common: a desire to attain some form of transcendence, an often evangelical following, beards. So maybe putting on an indie rock show in a place of worship isn’t such a strange thing after all. And if there’s one house of prayer in the city that’s made…

>> Is the Rock and Roll Hotel haunted? While John Edward (not Edwards) or a similarly qualified expert has yet to confirm it, the staff says they’ve seen and heard a few eerie things. The owner explains that the club stands on the site of an old funeral home. Maybe they couldn’t get prime Indian burial ground real estate. [via Wonkette] >> The D.C. Sports & Entertainment Commission hosts a community meeting tonight to discuss…

As sunny weather descends (or perhaps that should be in the past tense, now that we look out the window) on the Washington area, DCist’s thoughts turn to the plethora of outdoor activities that will soon be made not only possible, but enjoyable, by the temperate days. If you’re like us, you look forward to spring because it means the annual renaissance of local farmers’ markets. If you call yourself a Washingtonian, you’re already…

Hey D.C., watch where you step. It’s still icy out there, but today’s temps should reach the 40’s, melting the remaining ice for at least a while. Some kids are still in luck with a few school delays this morning, mostly in the Virginia suburbs. Here’s hoping the warmer conditions mean drivers can stop acting like it’s locusts, not snow, crunching under the tires. Chief Inspector Also Convict: Clearly D.C. doesn’t have any problem with…

In a year full of high-profile restaurant openings, perhaps no restaurant’s opening was more highly anticipated among the foodie crowd than PS 7’s. Why? The Penn Quarter restaurant would pair former Vidalia chef Peter Smith with 2006 RAMMY award winner and former Notti Bianche general manager Danny Boylen. And how couldn’t that be a winner? Not much more than a month after its opening, we’ve heard through the grapevine that Boylen has parted ways…

In its first weekend, the Capital Fringe Festival turned downtown D.C. into a moveable feast of performance, as show after show made its Fringe debut. As we enter Day Five of the festival, it’s now time to go get a second helping—a show you want to see again or a show your friends have told you is a must-see. Even still, a handful of shows will get their start today. At DCist, we’d love to…

This is just one of those moments where you give thanks for digital cameras and one-step online publishing. Courtesy of Ridor, a blogger who identifies himself as the “Most Controversial Deaf Blogger in America,” today we find that even the District’s finest need a break from the usual toil of chasing after the city’s criminals. Ridor tells us that his friend and fellow blogger Jason Lamberton was going about his normal day on Sunday, only…

Stiff. Boring. Buttoned-up. We might joke about our conservatively dressed city, but let’s face it: there’s nothing that makes you feel more polished and professional than a great suit. We bet you can remember the suit you were wearing when you landed your first real job, and there are aspiring professional women in our city who are ready to make a similar memory. Suited for Change, a D.C.-based nonprofit that provides professional attire to low-income…

I have been wanting to eat some good sushi that isn’t too expensive. Do you have any suggestions? Ah, inexpensive sushi is a bit of an oxymoron isn’t it? As Ask DCist’s friend bluntly put it, “cheap fish sucks.” But we think we can wrangle up a few lesser-expensive, quality options so you can gorge yourself on more frequent sushi dining. DCist profiled and continues to recommend Kotobuki on MacArthur Boulevard in the Palisades as…

Naturally, with the Inaguration comes the flurry of travel articles from a variety of publications giving potential visitors an overview of their capital city and a flavor of what there is to see and do while they’re here. We particularly enjoyed National Journal’s map of Texas superimposed on the District of Columbia. Clever, clever, National Journal (but you put Route 29 on 16th Street, and if you’ve read DCist you know not to fall victim…