MTV's Real World is moving to our city. It's inevitable. So why not have some fun with the situation?
Therefore: we present our Real World DC Watch Map.
That's right, following the tradition of Gawker Stalker and Gossip Girl, we've created a map that will document the whereabouts and shenanigans of Washington's newest residents. We want you, reader, to send us tips reporting on your candid encounter(s) with MTV's latest batch of twentysomethings.
Saw them in line at Ben's Chili Bowl? Causing a scene at Lauriol Plaza? Throwing up near Adams Morgan? Let us know by sending your tips to realworld@washingtonian.com, or by using #rwwatch on Twitter.
Filming supposedly starts June 20, so keep your eyes peeled. Send your Real World DC sightings to realworld@washingtonian.com and we'll post them on our map above (as well as keep a static list here for your reference purposes).
What happens when people stop being polite, and start reporting Real World sightings to the internet everywhere the cast goes? We'll find out!
Thursday, July 2 The AFI Silver Theatre has gotten a lot of mileage out of its “Totally Awesome” 1980s film retrospective. Now in its third year, the summer series is one of the theater’s most successful. This year, it opens with a brand-new 35-millimeter print of Ghostbusters, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Recently, star Harold Ramis announced he’d be directing a third Ghostbusters film, slated for a 2012 release. It’ll feature the original cast—Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd included—as well as new characters. We can’t wait. $10; 7PM.
At this point in his career, Tony Bennett needs no introduction. He’s been recording for more than 50 years and singing even longer. He’s won 14 Grammys, has had worldwide crossover success, and has even appeared on The Simpsons. At 82, he still puts on a rousing show—see for yourself tonight at Wolf Trap. Tickets cost $25 to $48; 8 PM.
Bars in DC’s Dupont Circle will host a patriotic bar crawl featuring food and drink specials such as $2 Coors Light, $3 Blue Moon, and half-price burgers, wings, and more. The event starts at Mackey’s Public House at 5 and continues to Rumors, Singapore Bistro, Recessions, Black Rooster Pub, James Hoban’s Irish Bar, Madhatter, the Front Page, Ozio, Steve’s Bar Room, and Public Bar. The event costs $13, or $10 if you bring two cans of food, which will be donated to Manna Food Center. You can also pay in advance online for $9 tickets.
You read that right! Simpy take our quick and easy bridal survey right here, and you could win a free honeymoon from the fine folks at Sandals!
After taking the survey, make sure to pick up a copy of Washingtonian Bride & Groom, on stands now. It has all the information you'll need to make your wedding a beautiful and memorable one.
Weekly Standard editorial assistant Katherine Eastland may describe her sartorial choices as inspired by old people—“I really like granny and grandpa style,” she says—but we don’t remember seeing pictures of our grandma looking so put together, and Eastland looks stunningly sophisticated, not dated. Perhaps it’s the pillbox hat, which adds a touch of whimsy to the look, or the fact that she, like Katharine Hepburn, knows the value of a good tailor. Either way, Eastland has one of the more inspired looks we’ve come across. Check out the video below to see her look—and to find out how books can be used as fashion accessories.
The roasted-red-pepper-and-crab soup at Harry Tap Room’s is so popular that the Clarendon restaurant sells gallons of it each day. It’s no wonder then that one of our readers requested the recipe. Executive chef Alex Reyes describes the soup as having a strong red-pepper flavor with a little bit of a kick. For the best results, he suggests searing the peppers instead of just sweating them. He also recommends using non-pasteurized local crabmeat. For his kitchen, he seeks out blue crab from Virginia.
Send us your photos of Fourth of July fireworks to add to our slide show.
Photograph by Jim Swift
Let's keep the fireworks going this year! We want photos from your Fourth of July festivities, which we'll start posting on Monday. Send photos of the best and brightest pyrotechnics to eleaman@washingtonian.com, then check back here for a photo slide show. We'll add photos as we get them.
Due to the July 4th holiday, we’re publishing the Tweet Beat a day early. Enjoy!
The big news in Congress this week was the Waxman-Markey cap and trade bill, which the house voted on last Friday. Presumably the whips were pushing Twitter along with votes because we’ve never seen such an influx of congressional tweets in an afternoon. Unfortunately, official business managed to distract our representatives from the real, compelling news of the day—not one of them mentioned Michael Jackson. Thanks to Rick Perry for his condolences.
In other news, Newt Gingrich manages to tweet about Jelly Belly beans, his lunch in McDonalds and a seven-foot troll while poor Arnold Schwarzenegger has to have his dinner in a box (blame budget worries). Mark Sanford is back on Twitter, and he wants our forgiveness (still no word from John Ensign). Bobby Jindal is keeping ahead of the criminals, John McCain thinks healthcare is going to make us less healthy and Rob Wittman hangs with boy scouts.
Did a Washingtonian story prompt DC police to take action?
The July issue of the Washingtonian, on sale now, contains an article by freelance writer Brendan L. Smith about the DC police department’s Cold Case Unit. The story focuses on the 1999 murder of Yolanda Baker and details the likely involvement of Terrence Barnett, Baker’s boyfriend.
On June 23, one day before the story appeared in print, DC police arrested Barnett and charged him with second-degree murder in the ten-year-old case.
Barnett had a history of domestic violence and immediately became the lead suspect when Baker disappeared in 1999, but he avoided arrest for a decade. Baker’s family had pushed for the reopening of the investigation by the DC police’s Cold Case Unit.
“It felt good,” says Sergeant James Young about Barnett’s arrest. “I’d like to do it for all of the cold cases.” Young says it was a coincidence that the arrest happened just before the publication of the article, which police knew was forthcoming.
Tons of Fourth of July parties, fireworks, pool parties galore, a pig roast, the closing of the Folklife Festival and Artomatic, and lots more in this jam-packed weekend guide.
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