With snowball fights erupting all over DC in the wake of the Snomageddon II, I partook in a snowball fight at the Clarendon Metro station:

Snow won't stop this dog owner.

Don’t worry guys, unlike last time it snowed, I have a shovel this time around.

Well we’re now officially into Snowmageddon II, Snopocalypse II, whatever you want to call it (except I’m not a big fan of flurricane- sorry Chelsey.) The New York Times calls the storm “Potentially Epic.”

I say removed the potentially.

I walked out onto my porch this morning to appreciate the snow and noticed a few brave souls out with their pets- and even a crazy runner who thinks he can fit in his morning jog with all the snow on the ground.

Well I hope everybody is safe and warm, I’m mostly likely going to spend the weekend with movies and a bottle of white.

Snow Totals And Forecast

Current weather.com forecasts report, “Snow along with gusty winds and blizzard conditions at times. Snowfall rates of an inch or more per hour. High around 30F. Winds N at 20 to 30 mph. Snow accumulating 4 to 6 inches.” The National Weather Service says, “High near 31. North wind around 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Total daytime snow accumulation of 6 to 10 inches possible.”

Everything looks sunny for Sunday- perfect day to spend shoveling yourself out.

Want to know how much snow did you get? Check out the NWS Snow totals. WUSA also has a really cool live cam that currently reports 16 inches in DC.

Paul Farhi over at the Washington Post is sick of all the local news coverage of the snow storm, look Paul it’s kinda like Brett Favre news coverage: people are sick of it but at the same time people want to know.

Everything Is Closed, Nothing is Working

Photo courtesy Maxie

Airports? Mostly closed.

Metro? Underground only.

Metrobus? Suspended.

Amtrak? Crippled.

Roads? Clogged (Route 66 is totally shut down.)

Forget about the unofficial motto for the Postal Service, it looks like this storm is too much for them to handle- no service today.

I’ve heard that a number of my friends around the area are experiencing power outages. Luckily I have power to write this blog. Here are the numbers you should have handy in case you lose power:

BGE: 1-877-778-2222

Pepco: Outages, 1-877-737-2662; Downed lines, 202-872-3432

Dominion 1-888-667-3000

Allegheny Power 1-800-255-3443

Just don’t try and leave the house.

Snowball Fights & Other Events

If you are brave enough to venture out there are a number of snowball fights scheduled today and Hotel Monaco in Alexandria is having a snow sculpting contest.

If you are looking for a fight (the snowball kind, not the Jersey Shore variety) then check out the listings over at Washington City Paper, WTOP, and NBC Washington.

Last Word

Whatever you do guys, just don’t follow the words of Andrew Church, and panic.

I’ll end this post with some morning video from my friend Raylene:

You know those MASN Defining Moments ads? Where a crazed Nats or Os fan retells their favorite baseball moment?

Well that could be you!

I ran across this Craigslist ad looking for fans to make their next season’s worth of promos.

The Philadelphia Casting Co. is looking for Nationals and Orioles fans to audition in Baltimore tomorrow and Monday (hopefully you won’t be snowed in!) Auditions will be held Sunday afternoon and Monday, Feb 8th in Baltimore and in Washington, DC on Monday February 15th. 15 lucky Nationals fans and 15 fortunate Orioles fans will be chosen to appear on-camera in promos, if you get called back you pocked a cool $150. If you actually get chosen for a shoot you get $350. Not too bad for 30 seconds of fame. They are looking for people of all ages, 18-80.

Callbacks are in Baltimore on February 20th & 21st.
Shoot dates are March 1, 2, 4, or 5, TBD.

The ad recommends that you have, “a natural passion for the Os or Nats.” Might be hard to find in this crowd of ho-hum sports fans.

If you are interested Email a picture to:  project@philacast.com for an appointment- include email, cell, and location you would be able to audition in (Baltimore or Washington, DC.)

“He’ll walk around DC in that Panda hat, try and make funny jokes, and perhaps say something inappropriate to a cast member or woman- but he’s a wannabe lover- not a fighter.”

Didn't Emily and Ty have a fight right there last week?

That’s what I wrote about Andrew after we first saw him in the first episode of The Real World DC.

Looks like I was wrong.

It appears that fighting is in the air, after Emily and Ty have a tiff in the previous episode, this week’s episode centers around a pointless argument between Andrew and Ashley.

Two sides, too stubborn to end a pointless battle. While some think The Real World DC has gone back to it’s usual trite drama this maybe more DC than you think.

Drama In DC

Andrew And Ashley Have A Pointless Fight

So how did this all start? Ashley feels that she doesn’t know Andrew as well as she’d like and wants to get to know him better. Andrew doesn’t show more beyond his goofy exterior and interior motives of getting laid. While Ashley finds Andrew funny, she feels uncomfortable when his act goes a little too far.

Rough-housing or Physical Abuse?

Things blow up when the two goof around during a pizza dinner. She tries to smear pizza on his face; he tries to smear pizza on her bed; and before you know it he takes empty boxes and tries to throw them her way. What he thought was just another act of horseplay is something she doesn’t react kindly too.

Coming from a past of physical abuse she doesn’t like the gesture at all and the two argue to the point she leaves the house and spends the night at the hotel.

In the words of Emily during the show, “seriously?”

While I feel that victims of abuse shouldn’t be taken lightly, I feel that Ashley actually disrespects them by using it as a veil to go about and tell her story to the rest of the roommates, looking for sympathy. It reminds me how Vinny on Jersey Shore just walked around announcing that he got pink-eye. Is this something you really want to walk around the house telling everyone? I feel for the rest of the roommates, who looked just as disinterested as I was about the fight.

So after spending the night at the hotel she the two stop talking, each believing the other needs to apologize first. In a memorable scene, Andrew grabs a book on body language and is seen reading the chapter on conflict, comparing the photo examples with her current demeanor. Now Andrew isn’t innocent in the affair either, he walks around calling Ashley a drama queen, refusing to let her win.

So who do I think the winner is in this fight? No one. Ashley is a drama queen and Andrew is acting like a jerk. Unbelievable that this started over a pizza.

Callie Doesn’t Know What LGBT Means

While Mike is busy working over at the HRC, it’s time for everybody else to get jobs. Or at least for MTV to hook them up with jobs. Callie goes in for an interview at the Washington Blade (now the DC Agenda.) The Blade was unexpectedly shut down by its parent company a couple of months after Callie finished her internship with the paper. Back in December I talked with Callie about the incident and she told me she was surprised to hear about its fate, telling me about all the good times she had while working at the paper.

Well those good times started off rough, after securing an interview she had to create a resume and in college student fashion waited til the last minute to get it done.

Tip: Don't wait til you are 15 minutes late to get ready for your job interview

The morning of the interview she runs around half dressed, without a resume, freaking out about the situation. While her roommates put some finishing touches on the resume Callie expresses her frustration that she doesn’t even know how to use the Metro system.

It’s ok I don’t think WMATA knows either.

She arrives at the Washington Blade offices, under-dressed like all the other Real World job interviews, and tells editor-in-chief Kevin Naff that she knows nothing of Gay & Lesbian issues.

Unqualified? Absolutely not! She is on MTV after all.

Naff decides to give her a test assignment at Halo’s 5th anniversary party. She snaps some photos while Mike meets a new guy, Eric. Mike brings Eric back to the house where Eric pushes Mike onto the bed and the two hook-up.

So Mike is working over at HRC and Callie now has a job at the Washington Blade. They all live in a house in Dupont Circle. I wonder what the theme of the season is going to be? Is this what MTV thinks of when they think of Washington D.C.? I only question this because they could also be showing off other things about D.C.- like politics maybe?

Memorable Quotes

Andrew knows all too much how I feel about living here: “It’s tough to be a guy in Washington D.C.”

Two Up

Emily

Sure I was down on you last week, but you earned some points as soon as you reacted to Ashley leaving the house for a hotel.

Josh

I think I got your role on the show down, you are either cheating on your girlfriend or listening to other roommates bitch while looking cool and collected.

Two Down

Ashley & Andrew

Save the drama for your mamas. That fight was a waste of an episode.

Look I Know That Place!

ACKC Cocoa Bar: I’ve walked by it but never been- I prefer coffee.

National Press Building: Home to many media outlets and former home of The Washington Blade.

Tom Tom: I’ve been there a couple of times, nothing memorable.

HRC: Where we learn Mike is working on Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell related issues- very apropos given the current attention given to it.

The Churchill Hotel: Located a couple of blocks from the house, I wonder if MTV paid for the room. Amazed that MTV would simply let one of the cast members spend the night away from all the cameras.

The Metro: MTV don’t try and fool us- I totally saw you splice in a shot of an train in NE DC while Ashley and Callie were traveling underground from 14th street back to Dupont.

Final Word

Andrew, you still need to work on your game. You try and take home this girl (named Andrea, but not to be confused with another Andrea you’ll meet later) and your best line is , “come see my house?” Almost as transparent as, “wanna come back to my place and see a movie?”

Another tip: Girls don't dig the animal hats.

The second snowpocalypse of the winter of 2009-2010 has already begun, even though flakes are not predicted to begin falling until tomorrow. In case you can’t see outside from your cubicle; it’s partly sunny and around 35 degrees outside just now, here in NW DC.  Perfectly nice weather.  (I just went to CVS.)  However, the federal government has decided to declare Friday, Feb. 5 an “unscheduled leave” day already, due to concerns about commute troubles and other worries.

This grocery cart doesn't have snow tires

The flakes are supposed to begin tomorrow sometime around mid-day, and wreak complete havoc on the evening rush hour.  With inch-an-hour snowfall possible during the workday, it’s conceivable that Metro could close its above-ground stations (due to 8″ or more snow) before the rush hour period even ends.

If you are planning on going out for supplies and haven’t yet, please be sure to allow plenty of time for standing in the check-out lines, and try to bring your most Zen-like patience with you.  I’ve already heard several co-workers talking about long lines at grocers last night and this morning. During December’s Snowpocalypse, several major grocery stores in Arlington and Alexandria became almost completely devoid of meat, in addition to the usual staples of milk, bread, and toilet paper.  Since it’s Super Bowl weekend on top of the snowstorm, I’m going to go out on a limb and predict that chips and dip will be thin on the shelves this time around, too.

Once the snow stops falling, please wait for the roads to be cleared if you can, before attempting to drive (especially if you are even the least bit intimidated by snowy conditions).  If you must head out, please clean the snow off your entire car.  Don’t drive around with two feet sitting on the roof; it can slide off and hit drivers behind you, causing major accidents.  If you’ve got a sidewalk going through your property, please be courteous and clear it so that others may pass by.  In some jurisdictions, this is required by law.

Try to be ready, be patient, and enjoy the snow!  Do some sledding, build a snowman, have a snowball fight.  Be safe, DC!  Happy flaking!

I am easily amused by DC’s over reaction in warning people of massive events. So I’ll just let the text of the Arlington Alert I received yesterday say it all:

Another severe winter storm, with near blizzard conditions, is forecast to hit Arlington Fri., Feb. 5 through Sat., Feb. 6. Be prepared to shelter in place for 3 to 5 days . Please stay off the roads. Snow crews will plow primary and secondary roads first for emergency vehicles. After severe storms (more than 10”), it may take 36-48 hours after the snow stops before County plows can get to residential streets.
If they think I’ll be snowed for 3-5 days for a near-blizzard, what should we do if Snogasm turns into a full fledged Snopocalypse?

Today the headlines may be about this morning Oscar nominations but a couple weeks ago the DC theatre scene was already buzzing with the recent announcement of the Washington Area Theatre Community Honors awards. The organization nominates and rewards the best in community theatre in the Washington DC area.

Back on January 17th, the nominees were announced 38 categories. The big nominees were Reston Community Players (32 nominations), Little Theatre of Alexandria (27 nominations), and Silver Spring Stage (23 nominations). Reston was not only the most nominated theatre but also had the top two nominated shows, with their recent production of Curtains earning 19 nominations including outstanding musical. Reston’s production of The Full Monty came in second with 13 nominations. The Arlington Player’s production of Follies came in third with 12 nominations.

Here are the nominees for outstanding musical and play (the complete list can be found here):

Outstanding Musical

• Curtains – Reston Community Players
• Falsettos – Elden Street Players
• Follies – Arlington Players
• The Full Monty – Reston Community Players
• The Musical of Musicals – Elden Street Players

Outstanding Play

• columbinus – Silver Spring Stage
• The Goat or, Who is Sylvia? – Silver Spring Stage
• Gross Indecency – Little Theatre of Alexandria
• It Runs in the Family – Little Theatre of Alexandria
• Six Degrees of Separation – CCT with 2nd Flight Theatre Company

The awards will be announced and presented at a ceremony on March 14th at The Birchmere. The WATCH awards are the first of the local theatre awards in the DC area, with the Ruby Griffith awards and Helen Hayes awards presented later in the year.

What is it about fame that makes you unable to hold down a relationship?

We’ve seen many Hollywood marriages go down in flames, many Hollywood romances fizzle before the tabloids get their fair share of pasting them on magazine covers- so what is it about attracting a lot of attention that spells bad things for relationships?

I don’t really know the answer but I do know one thing: never go on a reality show with a girlfriend, especially The Real World.

Ty and Mike were smart in ending their relationships before moving into the house, Erika and Josh however… well what was the over/under on episodes before Josh or Erika would cheat on their partners?

Drama In DC

Emily And Ty Start To Get Annoying (Well At Least To Me)

Are Emily And Ty done?

The show started off with lots of talk on the Emily-Ty relationship… or maybe as Dane Cook calls it, a relation-shit.

I get it guys, you love hooking up and love the fact you guys aren’t attached emotionally. It’s the ultimate situation right? (Well maybe it’s not The Situation but still…) You don’t need to constantly feed us confessionals and asides about how cool it is they hate relationships but are hooking up…

However things don’t go so well when Ty starts to come off more girly than Emily- dropping the “L word” on her in the bar.

Now I don’t know if Ty really is a softy deep down, or if he thinks using the L word will get him laid- problem is he has to remember he’s not dealing with any ordinary girl. Emily probably has bigger balls that Ty right now- and proud of it!

She loves commitment just as much as the next stereotypical guy, and has cooled off after that awkward exchange in the bar.

So does this mean Emily and Ty are over? I say no- I can see this pushing and pulling between the two to last long enough to make us wish MTV had better story lines.

By the way, can the cast stop spying on them? Ashley is once again caught spying on her roommates, and Erika and Callie join in later in the episode. What is it about roommates hooking up that makes people want to watch?

Rule #1: You don’t fall in love at The Jersey Shore The Real World House

Long Distance Relationships Aren't Realy Going To Work On The Real World

Teasers from last week revealed Josh would be infidelitous soon, too bad that’s going to be his first real storyline on the show.

Josh and his girlfriend, Ashley Marconi, are talking on the phone, being all mushy, so far so good.

Next thing though, the house gets a phone call (can you really call The Real World house?) Josh’s mother, gives him the tip that his girl maybe “running around with other guys.” Man I wish my mom actually used cool lingo like that.

Cut to Josh and Ashley yelling on the phone. For a minute there I actually thought I was watching The Jersey Shore for a minute, something about phone arguments and tattoo just got me confused (Josh wasn’t talking on a duck phone right?)

So Josh deals with the girlfriend news the only way he can- with pain… and nose rings…

This Ain't The Notebook.

I was surprised he hadn’t gotten his nose pierce before I just assumed it was amongst all the other body mods he’s got going on. After he gets the work done he’s back at home saying how he actually doubts Ashley really cheated on him and says, “She’s going to be there for me and I know I’m probably going to be there for her.”

Emphasis on the probably. You know it’s not going to end well if you say “probably going to be there”.

Ashley visits from Philly and have lovey-dovey, burger sharing, moments. When she leaves I witness the worst staged goodbye kiss ever.

As she waits for the bus to leave Josh runs on, asks the driver for two seconds, and locks lips with his girl. The kind of spontaneous moment that would of been genuine if the camera was already on the bus waiting for Josh to run in.

Ms. Collins Might Not Exactly Be In Josh's Range But Who Cares- She's Hot!

So how does Josh deal with his girl now out of town? Hitting up Tattoo bar and dancing with DC socialite and blogger Kelly Ann Collins. The two go back to the house where Emily catches them making out and handles it in a very mature fashion:

“OMG They are making out! They are making out! The are making out! OMG!”

Well played Em. Also well played Josh- the 35-year old Collins could be considered a Cougar snag but the blogger’s attraction to famous people and cameras probably helped him out a bit. I’d like to see you get within 10-feet of her if you were just an ordinary person.

The only downside of making out with hot bloggers? It’s eventually going to end up on The Internet. It also doesn’t help when this is the daily routine for your girlfriend when you are away

Taken from Ashley’s blog:

Let’s face it, the whole time Josh was away I was a complete mess! For a whole month, I don’t even think I moved off the couch.

I had the same routine everyday:

1) wake up & shower (brush teeth etc.)

2) eat, that’s if I had an appetite

3) stalk his life

4) wait for a phone call

REPEAT

That explains why Ashley quickly found out and was furious at Josh the next day.

Another couple in dire straights- thanks to MTV!

(Also thanks to Elizabethany for the info on Ashley’s blog- make sure you catch her weekly Real World DC podcast!)

The Girls Sing, Drink, and Be Merry

Erika also gets some more face time this week, she lands a chance to sing on stage with The Cab, a band she respects not because of their record sales, but more because she has them on her iPod. I have a lot of music on my iPod- I can’t say I respect every artist I put on there. Good thing Erika is more judgmental with the music she has on her iTunes. I often whore my iPod out to the likes of Kelly Clarkson or Justin Timberlake- I mean girls like that stuff right?

In other news, girls do two things when they are drunk: drunk dial boys & cry. Callie has did both these things this week.

Memorable Quotes

Mike on short people: “She’s like a real person but smaller- like pocket size.”

Two Up

Erika

Yes I know she is still a ticking time bomb, but she managed to get the face time she deserves without causing drama. Of course I still think that’s to come.

Callie

I understand her reasons for drunk dialing, as pointed out by Emily, so I give her a pat on the back and say, “I’ve been there.”

Two Down

Emily & Ty

If only the two were really over so I can move on…

Josh

How can I not look down on you after cheating on Ashley? However I will say the way the two fight makes me believe they are just a couple that’s always been arguing and cheating on each other. It’s probably the way the two work out as a couple in some weird way.

Look I Know That Place!

Earth Treks Climbing Center: Located in Rockville, Columbia, and Timonium; looks like the crew actually ventured into MD to scale some walls.

Jinx Proof Tattoo and Piercing: Where Josh goes for pain.

Lucky Bar: I enjoy Lucky Bar for happy hours, less for actual going out at night.

Tattoo Bar: The bar is so rock & roll, just like Josh. Also the place where he meets Kelly Ann Collins and where the two held their RWDC premiere party. Looking at some of the photos the two still look close.

Josh And Kelly Ann Collins At Tattoo Bar

9:30 Club: DC’s premiere music club.

Buca di Beppo: Where does Josh take his lady? To the finest Italian chain restaurant in DC! At least it’s not Olive Garden.

Shady Bus Terminal: For those that know where the bus terminal is in NE, you have to admit that it’s not in the nicest part of town. I myself had a shady encounter just walking past it.

Rhino Bar: Where everybody is a douchebag and we know Callie hates d’bags.

McFadden’s: DC’s college bar. Love the open bar promotions, hate the watered down drinks.

Final Word

MTV fails at setting up Josh’s relationship with Ashley as all kisses and hugs.  How does Josh go from being angry at his cheating girl to saying how much he loves his, “little ball of fire?” Next thing you know they are sharing burgers in the kitchen but once she leaves he’s out making out with bloggers.

No relationship is totally perfect and even though Josh cheated on his girlfriend, I didn’t believe it was a violation of something that was truly pure to begin with. Looking at the Real World Dailies- I think I rest my case.

I ran across local rapper Eezy Money’s DC remix of Empire State of Mind called Capital Conscience and I have to admit it’s really catchy- check it out:

(h/t Rebecca)

DMB at Virginia Beach

I am a big DMB fan.

Even though I’ve been to 30+ shows in my short life, I always try to catch the local stops the band makes and today the band released their summer tour dates, which includes a show at Nationals Park on July 23rd. This won’t be the first concert held at Nationals Park (John & Joel played there last July) but this will be a rare stadium stop for a band that have scaled down their venue sizes in recent years. However the band has made an occasional stadium stop in recent years, with shows at Fenway Park last year.

While I’m excited to be able to commute to a DMB show via Metro, a few fans have expressed dismay at the lack of tailgating options. While I will miss the parking lots before a show, I am more than fine with a pre-game at my place or at a downtown bar.

Dave Matthews will also coming into town on May 20th at DAR Constitution Hall, for a show with longtime friend and collaborator Tim Reynolds.

It’s going to be an exciting year for me in seeing Dave- I haven’t been this excited for Nats park since the Red Sox were in town.

Here's a tip, don't try and hit on a girl and her best friend at the same time. You aren't getting the three-some.

The Panda wasn’t so pimpin’ on this week’s episode of The Real World DC. We all know that his main goal in is to get laid- well I’ll tell ya that as another dude living in the area- it’s not the easiest task to accomplish. Of course it helps when you have a decent game, which he certainly does not.

Meanwhile Mike and Ashley were getting along and found something to bring them together: their love of god. Unfortunately a few d-bags at The Big Hunt caused an episode long fight that left me wondering how one could maintain anger over something so trite.

Let’s take a closer look.

Drama In DC

Pimpin’ Panda Gets A Few Lessons

It doesn’t take a public policy analyst to see that there are a lot of flaws in Andrew’s game. Besides the weirdness, animal headware, and awkward sayings; he goes right for the kill faster than a cheetah hunting prey in the African Serengeti.

But then again aren’t most guys like that?

Even I know how to unhook a bra... well I think I do...

Andrew apparently needs some help if he wants to land someone besides a fame-seeking drunk groupie. So his roommates decide to give him some tips. I learned along with him as the roommates dispensed some interesting tips such as buying a girl appetizers AND dinner and the correct way to unhook a bra.

Lucky for him he had his friends teach him that- I had to learn the hard way. It probably still takes me 5 minutes to figure that sucker out. I’ll master it. Someday.

So with his new-found knowledge Andrew ventures out for some field work and lands Allison Mead, a Georgetown Student who has been no-so-secretly dreading the day her encounter would air on MTV.

Why so much dread Alli (as she’s called on the show)? Andrew totally digs you- he thinks you possess everything he’s looking for in a girl:

Congrats Allison Mead, you are now Girl #2 for Andrew.

“She has a high pitched voice that I like and she says ditzy things- these are the qualities I look for in a girl.”

Hmm I think we have to work on Andrew’s game and his taste in women.

After spending the night and resisting his advances, the two go out to a picnic lunch in Dupont. Not that bad of a date idea Pimpin’ Panda. So how did the date go?

Andrew: All the girls were interested this morning…

Alli: Why, what did they say?

Andrew: Do you really like her? And all that stuff…

Alli: What did you say?

Andrew: I played it cool.

Alli: Oh…My god…

Andrew: I told them I was in love with you…

Alli: Awkward…

Yes awkward indeed. This date didn’t go well at all. However Andrew doesn’t give up easy. He manages to invite her back over that night and she visits… with her cousin…

Ya things aren’t going well at all.

I hate it when I get stuck in the spooning zone...

Andrew does manage to get some alone time with Alli (thanks to Emily sleeping upstairs for the night.) By the way, why didn’t Emily just shack up with her favorite man-to-hate/love Ty? Well unfortunately Alli once again plays the nice girl and doesn’t do anything with Andrew, much to his dismay.

Later on Andrew calls her up to get a “check your e-mail” request. In a rather lengthy e-mail she must of said something along the lines of, “look you are really weird but I liked the fact you were on TV so I thought I’d go along for awhile- but in the end you are still really weird so I don’t want to date you anymore. I really hope you don’t hate me.”

Sorry Allison, he probably hates you- also who breaks things off via e-mail, what are you 21? Wait a minute…

Andrew clearly has no sense of dating when he calls it a break-up. Sorry Andrew, you weren’t even Facebook official yet.

Mike And Ashley Have A Trite Fight

Trouble in paradise...

Everything was going so well for Mike and Ashley, they shared a little kiss early in the season, they both like god and think church is cool, what could go wrong?

The Big Hunt apparently.

The group gets heckled by bar patrons on a night out to the Dupont haunt, which immediately made me wonder if it happened the same time they ran into their biggest enemies on the blogger world. Bottom line was this: Ashley got really bitchy about the situation and Mike hates it when Ashley is a bitch, so he tried to smooth things out by being friendly to the hecklers, which Ashley didn’t enjoy.

So that sparked the fight which lasts the entire episode. While out at the Polo India Club, Mike calls Ashley a bitch when she gets mad when someone snaps a photo of them. This manages to fan the flames high enough for an argument in the kitchen where Ashley pulls out a woman’s secret weapon: tears.

“All my hostility for her melted away when I saw her cry, ” remarked Mike.  Eventually the two talk it out and make-up with a joint confessional.

Here’s my take: I understand Ashley’s anger towards the DC locals, the city knew all about the show filming and they were easy targets where ever they went. However I also understand Mike’s point of trying to be nice and not have Ashley give the cast a bad image. However I’ll side more with Mike on this one. If I was in this situation I’d take the high road and be nice.

Memorable Quotes

Andrew asking the same question I ask everyday: “What’s up with DC? Guy can’t get some lovin’?”

Josh upon walking into Nellie’s Sports Bar: “We walked into the lion’s den without even knowing it.”

Mike it’s public when you have sex on a boat: “I’m just trying to figure out it a Gondola is a public place”

Andrew on how it feels to not get any action: “I didn’t get to sleep once, I laid there thinking about my boner. I’m pisssed.”

Andrew on his move to get a girl to give it up: “I just kept poking her with it.”

Two Up

Emily

After the house acting pretty immaturely when Andrew brought home a girl, Emily was a great roommate in giving up the room for him and his date.

Andrew

While he does have no game at all, it’s entertaining to see him try and land a girl. At the same time I’m also learning what NOT to do by watching him.

Two Down

Ashley

She has drama queen written all over her. Like Mike, I don’t know how much more I can take.

Mike

While he gets points for teaching Andrew how to take off a bra and I side with him a little bit in the fight, I really will knock both him and Ashley down for getting into such a stupid fight in the first place.

Look I Know That Place!

Capitol Skyline Hotel: Home of their weekly summer pool parties, I always look at it when I am driving to Nationals Park for a game- and wonder how that place manage to attract so many people. I mean if you look at it from the outside it looks like it should be bombed out.

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church: Located on Church & 15th, it looks as if it will be the Sunday place of worship for Ashley and Mike. I think I walked in there once when I was lost looking for the Keegan Theatre.

The Big Hunt: I was disappointed when I heard the cast stopped by there this summer, expecting the cast to stick to swanky clubs; I didn’t think they would actually stop at decent local dives like Big Hunt.

Little would they know that Nellie's would become a RWDC regular destination.

Nellie’s Sports Bar- “I like sports. I like bars,” says Andrew when wondering if the guys should redeem a mysteriously sent gift certificate to Nellies. Little did they know that they were walking into a gay bar. I almost did the exact same thing while trying to find a good sports bar. Their reaction as they walk in is half hilarious/half homophobic.

Rhino Bar: Is this going to get a plug every episode?

Sweetgreen: If I ever want a salad I guess I should stop by there, apparently the pita chips are awesome.

Russia House: Which one is it on Connecticut? The one with the Russian flag!

Polo India Club/Bistrot Du Coin: Ashley said that they were outside a club when she flipped over someone snapping a photo of them, looking at the video they were actually in between the Polo India Club and Bistrot Du Coin, which makes sense since it’s up the street from The Russia House.

Final Word

MTV you need to do a better job with your shameless corporate placement. I understand Subway must be a sponsor since they had subs waiting for them when the moved in. Also the Michael Phelps ad I saw during the breaks was somewhat entertaining. However nothing says shameless like gratuitous logo shots:

They walk in...

They order food...

And they leave...

I think I saw the sign the first time.

Photo courtesy of Flickr user Alana Elliot

The title doesn’t lie. As you know I love to talk about free food and this deal is almost too good to be true.

But it is.

Goodwill of Greater Washington and Wendy’s are kicking off an incredible fundraiser: Between January 4th and February 28th, 2010, any customer who purchases a Frosty-shaped key tag at participating Wendy’s in the Greater Washington, DC region for $1, will receive a free Frosty with any purchase at Wendy’s for the remainder of 2010.

$1 buys you free dessert with your Wendy’s meal for all of 2010. How sweet is that?

DavCo Restaurants based in Silver Spring, owns over 155 Wendy’s restaurants and has the exclusive rights to the metropolitan areas of Baltimore MD, Washington DC, and St. Louis MO.

“At Wendy’s we understand the dignity, independence and self sufficiency that come from work”, commented Rick Borchers, DavCo Restaurants’ Chief Operating Officer. “In the midst of a recession, partnering with Goodwill just made logical sense. We are excited about the opportunity to help our local community.”

Approximately 80 cents from every key tag sold will benefit Goodwill.

“Given the magnitude of this promotion, and the critical importance of Goodwill’s job training and employment services in today’s challenging economy, we believe the Frosty™ fundraiser will have a measurable impact on our community”, said Brendan Hurley, Goodwill of Greater Washington VP of Marketing & Communications. “We are very grateful for Wendy’s generosity and philanthropic spirit.”

You should be able to purchase your key tags at participating Wendy’s restaurants and local Goodwill retail stores.

Brendan Hurley from Goodwill sent me an e-mail telling me that the campaign has done great in it’s first couple of weeks- so be sure to grab your key tag and enjoy Frosty’s for all of 2010!

Funny thing about bringing guns across a State/District line-it’s a felony. 

Already suspended by the NBA, and the subject of an attempted disappearing act by the Wizards, Gilbert Arenas has been charged with felony gun possession-carrying a pistol w/o a license. 

The really bad news is that this almost certainly ends Arenas’ year of playing, and probably ends his time as a Wizard.   One has to imagine that once the Wizards get new management and the lawyers get a good look at this they’ll find good cause to tear up what remains the absolute worst $111 million dollar contract ever signed. 

Thankfully, the good news (although still speculation) is that although this charge can get you 5 in the nick, but the charges are being filed in an “information”-which likely means that a plea deal is being worked out.  Personally, I believe Gilbert that the bringing of the guns (and even the waving them in the face of teammates) was without malicious intent and likely in jest-which of course doesn’t excuse the law, but hopefully mitigates the situation enough that he won’t go to jail.

Frankly-this isn’t a huge surprise.  There hasn’t been any effort by Arenas to hide the fact that he did have the guns and so the hammer was going to fall.  If he hadn’t acted like a complete dope the past two weeks, it might have dropped lighter and quieter-heck, he might even still be playing.  Alas, we are well beyond that point.

Any shocking fallout will be updated here.  On another note, enough of these negative, tumultuous sports teams in DC!  I’m going to look into a few Caps posts.

You can easily breakdown last night’s episodes into two easy-to-digest plot lines/life lessons:

1. Sometimes you shouldn’t date/hook-up with someone that’s too much like you.
2. Never ever, EVER call a woman fat.

Two easy to remember lessons to remember as we walk away from the third episode of The Real World DC.

Drama In DC

Ty And Emily Are Mr. & Mrs.Smith

Emily and Ty Love To Hate Each Other

So Ty and Emily both enjoy sex, being confident yet insecure, and macho. It’s just a recipe for disaster as the two try to find some sort of official arrangement after “cuddle buddy night.”

After hooking up with Emily, Ty tries to feel some sort of remorse because he promised himself he wouldn’t hook-up with anyone while on the show. Really? It’s the Real World! What’s more real than using your temporary fame to score some chicks? At least Andrew was openly honest with his intentions. Ty becomes boringly vulnerable as he decides he should tell his ex-girlfriend about the hook-up, because ex-girlfriends love nothing more than to hear who you are currently sleeping with.

Ty’s vulnerability hits a drama-queen high when he decides to pour his heart out while the cast is out dancing. Blame it on the alcohol perhaps- but I see through you Ty and so does Emily. She is right on the money when she observes that Ty simply wants every girl to want him. His move to try and guilt Emily away from dancing with “other black guys” is weak and just shows how controlling you are.

Oh no cue the angry black man arch-type.

After the night out the two continue to bicker in front of the rest of the a cast, making me wonder how many episodes will revolve around those two and how much more can I stand it. Since Emily and Ty are so macho and tough, Emily feels the need to demonstrate her toughness by not punching like a girl and spitting in Ty’s face.

And The Party Just Took A Turn For The Worse...

Cue angry black guy/creepy moment #2 (remember #1 was the most memorable, “You will have sex with me” line.)

Ty throws Emily up against the wall hold her hands above her. This is either going to get very kinky or end with a Ty and Emily PSA saying how domestic violence is wrong.

Luckily the moment defused before Ty could become a total asshole. Unfortunately he is already an 80% asshole 20% tool in my eyes. In confessional he acknowledges that you can’t hit a girl- which means he’s a step above certain people on other MTV shows.

So will Emily and Ty continue to bicker and hook-up? Probably. That’s real.

Never Ever Call A Woman Fat

While the cast wasn’t busy watching Emily and Ty fight and hook-up they were talking amongst themselves about body image, and how everybody is insecure about their bodies. MTV makes a fair attempts to approach an issue that doesn’t revolve bars and hot tubs. However when eight beautiful strangers complains about their bodies you can’t help but realize their good looks got them on the show as much as their penchant for crying, yelling, and making-out.

Josh does make a very good point: that girls are sensitive about their bodies. It’s something that all guys should know and respect but unfortunately some guys don’t.

Like Ty.

Does This Pen Make Me Look Fat?

In a discussion about Playboy models, Ty makes the observation about Callie not being skinny enough for Playboy. Clearly upset, Callie goes outside and all the girls rally around her in a conversation worthy of The View.

I will say this, having met Callie and seeing her on the show- she’s is absolutely gorgeous, and she would be just my type. Ty thinks he’s being a realist by saying only skinny people make magazine covers. He’s actually wrong- being skinny may get you on covers but being famous helps out as well- I’ll be seeing you on the cover of Baltimore Weekly before your reality show fame dies out.

So how does the MTV wrap up this storyline? By dancing it out.

After a forced apology from Ty, the girls head on over to a dance studio for a Latin Dance class. Something else I’ve learned about girls from Dane Cook- sometimes they just want to dance. Boys? Well fuck boys.

Memorable Quotes

Possible reason Ashley may take up cock-blocking: “I love how we’re sexually frustrated but you’re not.”

Two Up

Erika

So far the season has been dominated by Andrew, Emily, and Ty- and their antics have ranged from entertaining to annoying. I will give Erika some props this week for getting some more face time on camera without causing drama… yet.

Josh

A few people out there are begging for more Josh and he didn’t get a whole lot of face-time in this episode, but I’ll appreciate the knowledge he dropped concerning women and self image.

Two Down

Ty

You can’t have your cake and eat it too. Stop trying to control a girl who’s clearly too much like you: a player. You lose points with me for your weak attempt to be vulnerable in a bar and for pulling the asshole move of calling Callie fat. Oh ya screaming, “look at me bitch!” doesn’t work either.

Emily

I have to include her here because when she gets together with Ty it becomes this Heidi/Spencer- like mess that sucks the attention from other cast members and us viewers. We get it, you want to be free… and that you love black guys. You go you rebel you.

Look I Know That Place!

Sweetgreen: Local DC salad chain, unlike Callie I’m not a vegan- so I haven’t been there.

Washington Sports Club: The gym where the cast works out during their summer here, I love how their walk back from the gym often takes them by  Royal Palace, a place I’ll never forget.

The White House: How do you know you are living in Washington DC? When you get lost and somehow end up at the White House. Callie goes for a long run and got lost and is seen running up to the White House trying to find her way back. The same thing actually happened to me on my first day of work.

Pedicabs: Nice b-roll shot of the DC Pediccabs that were the source of much drama this summer.

Lauriol Plaza: I’ve been dying to go there and try their margaritas- best in town I hear.

Flow Yoga Center: When Emily says, “I discovered this great dance class” I wonder if she meant, “the Producers found and signed-off on this great dance class to end our storyline on body image.”

Final Word

Melodramatic line of the week:

Emily: Did we break anything last night?

Ashley: Only each other.

Thank goodness for Obama graffiti, remember because the show takes place here in DC, Obama’s likeness needs to make an appearance once every 15 seconds.

My friends at the Washington Post just informed me that  Metro System General Manager John. B. Catoe Jr. will step down from his post as head of the Washington Metro Transit Authority.

As chief administrator of the second largest rail transit system and the seventh largest bus network in the United States, Catoe had his contract renewed this past September til 2012. He will step down on April 2nd. He announced his intentions to step down after a special board meeting held on Thursday.

Complete details can be caught on Washington Post’s Get There blog.

Last night I was at a happy hour with co-workers discussing the failures of the Metro system. Interesting to see that after all the calls for his resignation, it looked as if he wouldn’t leave but now is.

I’ve always been a fan of the Metro system here in DC- I consider one of the best; however I can see that it has been on a sharp decline in service and capacity in recent months. The system needs to fix itself after the tragic Metro crash back in June. I hope a change in leadership helps restore WMATA as one of the best public transit systems in the country.