Posts with the tag DC

Still Protesting DC Gay Marriage Law, Catholic Charities Ends Spousal Benefits

Pema Levy — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:10:40 EST

Yesterday, all 850 employees of Catholic Charities in Washington, DC received a letter (actually an e-mail) informing them that as of today, Catholic Charities would no longer provide health benefits to spouses either of new employees or current employees not already enrolled in the plan. The DC Gay Marriage law approved in December is set to go into effect on Wednesday.

Back when the DC City Council was debating legalizing gay marriage, the Catholic Church made a huge fuss - a political bluff - threatening to cut off social services to DC's 68,000 poor and homeless it currently served. Well the bill passed. In February, in order to adjust to the new law, Catholic Charities stopped its 80-year-old foster care program and about 40 children were transferred to new foster care facilities. Now, in what is hopefully the last adjustment the Church will have to make, Catholic Charities will cease to provide spousal benefits (a program only about 100 employees currently use). So basically, a few hundred people have been slightly inconvenienced by the Catholic Church's adjustment to the gay marriage law.

So, for all the threats and hype circulating in December about thousands of poor people without services, the transition has been relatively easy and painless. It is unfortunate that Catholic Charities chose to withdraw spousal benefits rather than simply re-categorize "spouses" as "legally domiciled adults" like in San Francisco and at many Catholic Universities (I explained this and the whole debacle in January here). Even though the Church has taken a different route this time, it seems to have caused relatively little harm for all the hype it produced. Why? Because the Church has decided that it is not content to preach during mass, it wants to play politics as well.

Further proof that all the talk about ending social services was a political ploy comes this little analogy many people have mentioned when discussing spousal benefits. In the past, the Church has provided services to couples in its employ through basically a don't ask don't tell benefits policy - namely - people who had been previously married. See, people who have been remarried after a divorce are not considered legitimately married in the eyes of the Church. Basically, because it would be socially bizarre to make a fuss over an accepted social norm (divorce), the Catholic Church turned a blind eye and never looked back (Andrew Sullivan fleshed out this comparison in Februay). This only goes to show that when it came to gay marriage in DC, the Catholic Church probably drew upon something besides its strict adherence to Church dogma when they made a big hullabaloo over gay marriage.

Fortunately, despite the recent back-and-forth between the Church and the city, it seems those who rely on the Church for social services will come out largely unscathed. Perhaps the real victim will be the Church itself. After all, getting called on your bluff means you lose the hand. Personally, I am greatly appreciative of the Church's commitment to the common good; I want to see that work uninterrupted by the slow and halting march of progress.

DC Political Elites Out of Touch?

Liberaltarian — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:54:05 EDT

..And in other shocking news, the sky is blue! The Pope is Catholic! Economists are myopic!

The Washington Post has a great article today about how many national political figures who live in DC, and are "representing" DC at the DNC next week, are clueless about DC itself:

Harold Ickes is the prototypical insider, a career political operative who knows as much about how Washington works as anyone. Just don't ask the former Clinton White House official and Democratic superdelegate what ward he lives in.
"Oh boy," Ickes said recently by phone. "It's either 2 or 7. I live in Georgetown."
Or who represents him on the D.C. Council.
"Don't know."
Or the name of the public schools chancellor.
"I don't know the name, an Asian woman."
If Ickes isn't plugged into the local political scene -- correct answers: Ward 2, Jack Evans and Michelle A. Rhee -- that's because there have long been two separate and distinct Washingtons. One is federal, the other local, and rarely do those in these two worlds think of one another.

Though that last sentence isn't really correct. I know the writer was going for a semblance of "balance," but the fact is that local-DC politicians are acutely aware of what's happening on Capitol Hill. Congress has veto power over DC, and not vice-versa. Reminds me of the roving racists in Youth for Western Civilization, hosting Tom Tancredo speeches in diverse communities.

Perhaps it's best described by stealing a line from Stephen Colbert's epic win of a Correspondents Dinner performance: "DC is a chocolate city too, with a marshmallow center."

Friday Falafel Fight!

KDubz — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:11:11 EDT

Should you find yourself in Adams Morgan this weekend and looking for something that's not jumbo slice (or want something to add to your boozy buffet), you're in luck. Two of the best falafel places in the city is there.

CommonWealth Gastropub

KDubz — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 10:16:22 EDT

Yesterday marked the official (albeit soft) opening of Columbia Heights newest eatery: CommonWealth. The premise is upscale English pub far (think English food, but not gross).

Here's what I thought:

The Waning Days of Summer

WhoKnew... — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 22:46:32 EDT

So this is it. On Saturday at 11:30 AM, I'll be leaving on a jet plane and departing the district for good (at least for now). I've learned a lot this summer and, despite the tone of some of blog entries, this is an incredible and I envy those of you who are lucky enough to call this place home. Here's my take of the best (and worst) of our nation's hot, humid Capitol.

Restaurant Week!

KDubz — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 17:20:44 EDT

Next week is DC's Summer Restaurant Week!

In case you didn't know, this is where local restaurants offer up a prix fixe menu at $20.08 for lunch and $35.08 for dinner. While that may sound uncheap, consider that many of the restaurants participating are the best in the city.

Beware, though, as not everyone offers a good menu. Here's how you choose a restaurant:

Where Is Everyone? The August Slowdown

KDubz — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:00:40 EDT

So you may have noticed that there's fewer people around. This is an annual occurance known as the August Slowdown (aka the August Exodus). Congress is out of session, and it's hot as all hell, so many take this opportunity to leave town (I'm planning to be out of town 14 of the remaining 26 days of the month).

Basically, in August you're left with a third of the population. One third goes on a real vacation. Another third goes to Ocean City/Rehobeth (and sometimes Virginia Beach). The rest stay and sweat among the tourists.

Take this opportunity to hit up places you've been meaning to, but have otherwise been too busy. The typical tourist hot spots will still be crowded, but anything outside of monumental earshot should be entertaining reduced audiences.

How 'bout a hipster-esque weekend

KDubz — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 09:39:28 EDT

Here's what all the cool kids are up to.

Thursday: SCOTS and The Hall Monitors

KDubz — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 12:11:57 EDT

Tomorrow night at the 9:30 Club should be a dance-y good time (provided that people actually dance, but that's a discussion for another day) for those who enjoy Garage/Rockabilly/R&B/Surf music.

The opening act is none other than DC's own The Hall Monitors. I saw them earlier this year at DC9 opening for The Woggles, and they were super fun. We bought them some beers after the show and hung out with them for a little bit. Ginger (the chick) kicks ass.

The headliner is Southern Culture on the Skids, a group out of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. From what I've heard of them, they throw in some humor in their performances and can get a bit raunchy ... which I always appreciate.

So go and dance (seriously, if you go and don't dance, you are worthless).

Capitol Eye Candy ... Well, Mostly

KDubz — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 09:12:31 EDT

If you haven't heard, every year The Hill puts out it's list of the 50 most beautiful people on Capitol Hill. Like everything else on the Hill, the selection is highly political, requires a good deal of behind-the-scenes organizing and bargaining, and the results aren't always what they should be (Sen. John "my-wrinkles-have-wrinkles" Warner and Rep. Vito "combover" Fossella made the list).

I really wanted to degrade all these folks and mock The Hill's lack of basic literary skills, but The DCeiver beat me to the punch.

How to impress your parents on their visit

KDubz — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 14:10:15 EDT

"My parents are coming to town. Sweet! Free food! Shopping! Wait. What am I going to do with them?"

For one weekend, you need to not only pretend that you don't cry yourself to sleep on a regular basis, but also that you're out in DC loving life and the city.

Here's how:

Yogurt Fight!

KDubz — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:50:25 EDT

Whether you've noticed or not, the air ain't the only thing getting hot around town. There is a battle raging. One whose competitors are fierce and will take no prisoners. One whose competitors will stop at nothing to stamp out the competition. Know that blood will flood the streets and screams will be heard throughout the day and long into the night. Well ... maybe not, but the froyo wars are heating up.

We're not talking about TCBY here (though I could totally go for a Reese's Pieces Shiver). We are talking about a frozen dessert that's more yogurty than an ice cream substitute (you kind of have to taste it to get it). If you've been to LA or NYC in the past few years, you'll likely have noticed people going nuts for Pinkberry. While they may be "the original," they have yet to set up shop in DC (though word on the street is there are plans). For now, the ruthless dealers of dairy are Tangysweet, Mr. Yogato, and Sweet Green. And while the battle is just getting under way, and only time will tell who the ultimate victor is, I am (prematurely) prepared to declare a winner.

But before that, let's take a look at the contestants:

Mo' food: Jumbo Slice

KDubz — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 14:46:58 EDT

Being originally from New York (OK, upstate, but I have discerning tastes with roots in NYC), I'm a perpetual complainer about two things: bagels and pizza (I would complain about cheesecake, but have accepted the fact that nowhere can come close to Junior's). Having all but given up on a finding a good bagel in this town (there are edible bagels; there are even halway decent ones; there are no good bagels). I'm in the same predicament with pizza. It's not that there aren't delicious pizza options out there, it's that none of them are my ideation of what pizza should be.

However, I've managed to quell my inner rage by adopting every Washingtonian's guilty pleasure as a proxy: jumbo slice.

Unfree Food: Good Stuff Eatery

KDubz — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:59:32 EDT

It's been a heck of a week for food around these parts. Last night, I FINALLY got to one of the new hot spots in town, Good Stuff Eatery. I say "FINALLY" because this is my third attempt to eat there. The first time, they were closed for filming of stupid Top Chef (OK, it's not stupid, but I had a hangover that only some good greasiness could cure). The second time, they were closed for two hours in the afternoon for some stupid other reason (I believe the sign said something about "spite" and "you."). Last night, a friend and I really want to get something hot and juicy in our mouths and decided the third time's a charm. Having put far too much effort (and schelps to the House side of the Hill) into just being able to eat there, my expectations were set high.

Metro Etiquette: Move to the Center of the Car

KDubz — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 10:31:13 EDT

I know I've mentioned it before, but seriously people, if you are on a crowded train, move to the center of the car.

This morning, there was some issue on the Green line, and I had to wait 9 minutes after just missing a train. After that 9 minutes, I had to wait an additional 4. You want to know why? Because the stupid and selfish people on the train DID NOT MOVE TO THE CENTER OF THE CAR. Blame also goes to the train operator who decided to close the doors instead of waiting until I (along with some other kind folks) tried to find a place to squeeze in. Let this be a warning to the DC metropolitan area: If you do not move to the center of the car, you WILL incur my wrath.

Y'all Got Me Hungry: My Favorite (Cheap) Places

KDubz — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:12:30 EDT

So will all this hubbub about the Free Food-a-thon, my appetite has been whetted. But I crave not free food, I crave absolute deliciousness. Luckily, some of my favorites around town ain't hard on the wallet.

Local News to Know: Intercity Buses Might Move

KDubz — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 16:40:50 EDT

So you love your bus options for getting to other towns.

However, the DDOT has them in their sights.

Getting to NY: The Other Bus

KDubz — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 14:04:05 EDT

So one of the best things about DC is how easy it is to travel up and down the East Coast. It can be cheap, too. You just have to take the bus. Sometimes it can be a hassle, but let's be honest Amtrak's no charm (and as expensive as flying) and air travel is in shambles right now.

It used to be that your only options were between a Chinatown bus and Greyhound, neither particularly appealing. But, with the introduction of competition, all buses to NY (and Philly) have noticeably improved.

Here are your options:

Metro Delays a.k.a. This Is What You Get for Living in Virginia

KDubz — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 17:33:15 EDT

This weekend, there's going to be scheduled track maintenance on the Blue and Yellow lines from 7 a.m. Saturday until 7 p.m. Sunday resulting in single-tracking between Pentagon City and Braddock Road.

Metro advises you add 35 minutes to your travel plans:

"To alleviate train congestion through the single track location, every other Yellow Line train traveling in the direction of Huntington and every other Blue Line train traveling in the direction of Franconia-Springfield will terminate at Pentagon City Metrorail station and return to Fort Totten and Largo Town Center Metrorail stations respectively. All other Blue and Yellow Line trains traveling between Pentagon City and Huntington/Franconia Springfield Metrorail stations will operate every 36 minutes. "
[emphasis added]

Capital Fringe Festival

KDubz — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 15:38:25 EDT

So it's time for the Capital Fringe Festival. Before proceeding with what, when, and where, I'm going to pass along a recommendation by Svetlana at BYT: TAKE DEEP BREATHS. HYDRATE. TRY NOT TO OVERWHELM YOURSELF. REPEAT.

For real, kids. This series can be overwhelming (trust me, it took a bottle of Xanax to write this post), so take it slow and let it flow.

Getting back to the task at hand, Capital Fringe Festival is happening this year from today until July 27. It's goal is to "connect exploratory artists with adventurous audiences by creating outlets and spaces for creative, cutting-edge, and contemporary performance in the District." Basically, to create some cool stuff that's in one way or another outside the "mainstream." The festival features over 600 individual performances involving over 200 companies in 30 venues all over town (hence, the Xanax).

No one can do it all. So, your best bet is to pick a few things and hit them up. To make things even easier for you, I've provided you with some that caught my eye.