All across the Ist-A-Verse (or at least the American parts thereof), writers and editors are in the midst of enjoying their three-day weekend. But after the week we’ve all had, we feel like the break is not only needed, but deserved. Just look at everything we’ve been doing! Gothamist headed into the Memorial Day weekend with a number of tasks accomplished. They worried about Long Islanders giving New Yorkers a bad name. They tried…

Monday >> NY jazz pianist Marc Cary returns home to D.C. for back to back Blues Alley shows. Cary has built a strong following on a willingness to explore other genres, and has released records infused with electronic and latin rhythms, in addition to more straightforward post-bop jazz. 8 and 10 p.m., $20. >> Metal Church was lighting up Seattle’s dreary nights with thunderous guitars a decade before everyone started paying much attention to the…

LAist has so much fun this week! They go to E3, where they overhear the timeless remark “Man, this is where nerdy girls get laid.” Is that a promise? They also give us this week’s best CDs and make us realize that LA is the best place to use Zillow. Ah, Houstonist. They’re biking to work, that is, if they can figure out how to get there. That’s right, Mapquest says “Houston had the…

In recent years, Virginia has aggressively billed itself as an East Coast alternative to the wine country destinations of California and the Pacific Northwest. And unsurprisingly, Virginia wineries have sprung up like magazine articles apologizing for Kanye West’s self-confidence. But with very few exceptions, the wines coming out of the Old Dominion generally either cost far more than they should (Chrysalis Vineyards’ passable viognier runs a hefty $29 per bottle, while Alban Vineyards’ excellent Central…

District drivers, this DCist included, often claim that drivers from Maryland and Virginia are responsible for the city’s traffic woes. All too often a D.C. driver stuck behind someone driving too slowly or not willing to run a yellow light will look for clues in the offenders license plate — anything bearing the words “Virginia” or “Maryland” will provoke an irate “Well they just don’t know how to drive in the city!” Is there something…

Sure, to you it may just be a cup of joe, or a half-caf soy latté with hazelnut. But for others — like Ryan Jensen — it’s much, much more. Jensen is a barista at Murky Coffee on Capitol Hill, and this Saturday Jensen gets to show off his barista skills as a competitor in the fourth annual United States Barista Championship. The competition, held in Seattle, will determine the U.S. competitor in the…