On the first day of January, 1863, in the midst of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln made history by issuing an important proclamation to states and counties rebelling against the Union. He wrote:
“. . . I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated states, and parts of states, are, and henceforward shall be free; and that the executive government of the United States, including the military and naval authorities thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of said persons.”
The Emancipation Proclamation, as the issuance is called, did not end slavery, but it did change the nature of the Civil War, allowing freedom to be gained with every advance of Union troops. It also allowed black men to join the Union Army and Navy. By the time the war ended in 1865, nearly 200,000 black soldiers had fought for the Union and for their freedom.
This January marks the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, and to celebrate, the document will be on display in the east rotunda at the National Archives from December 30, 2012 to January 1, 2013. The document itself comprises five pages written in long-hand cursive script and was originally bound with blue and red ribbons tucked under a seal of the United States. Later it was placed in a volume with other proclamations that was transferred from the State Department to the National Archives in 1936. Today, the original document is only displayed for a short time each year because of its sensitivity to light and the need to preserve it for future generations.
See the lighting of the Capitol Christmas Tree on December 4. Photograph courtesy of Flickr user david_shane.
Where to Go Ice Skating
DC
National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden. Open through mid-March, weather permitting. Hours are Monday through Thursday 10 to 9, Friday and Saturday 10 AM to 11 PM, Sunday 11 to 9. A two-hour session is $8 for adults, $7 for children 12 and younger, and students with ID; skate rental is $3.
Washington Harbour Ice Rink. Open through mid-March. Hours are Monday through Thursday noon to 9, Friday noon to 10, Saturday 10 to 10, Sunday 10 to 7. An all-day session is $9 for adults, $7 for children, seniors, and military; skate rental is $5.
Canal Park. Open Monday through Friday from noon to 9; Saturday from 10 to 10, and Sunday from 10 to 7. Admission is $8 for adults; $7 for children/seniors/military; skate rental is $3.
Maryland
Rockville Town Square Ice Rink. Open through mid-March. Monday through Thursday noon to 10, Friday noon to 11, Saturday 10 AM to 11 PM, Sunday 10 to 10. A two-hour session is $8 for adults, $7 for children 12 and younger; skate rental is $3.
Silver Spring Ice Skating at Veterans Plaza. Open through March 25. Monday through Thursday noon to 10, Friday noon to 11, Saturday 10 AM to 11 PM, Sunday 10 to 10. A two-hour session is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors ages 55 and up, and children 12 and younger; skate rental is $3.
Virginia
Reston Town Center Ice Skating Pavilion. Open through mid-March. Monday and Tuesday 11 to 7, Wednesday and Thursday 11 to 10, Friday and Saturday 11 to 11, and Sunday 11 to 7. An all-day session is $9 for adults, $7 for seniors ages 55 and up, and children 12 and younger; skate rental is $5.
Pentagon Row Ice Skating. Open through March 18, weather permitting. Monday through Thursday noon to 10, Friday noon to 11, Saturday 10 AM to 11 PM, Sunday 10 to 10. A two-hour session is $8 adults, $7 seniors ages 55 and up, and children 12 and younger; skate rental is $3.
Additional reporting by Andrea Poe and Monica Sakala.
Get 10 percent off tickets to the Newseum through December. Photograph courtesy of Flickr user Son of Groucho.
Sure, Cyber Monday is mostly about snagging holiday gifts and party dresses at half off. But why not steal some culture deals while you’re at it? Whether you prefer taking in some Shakespeare or hearing live music, these area arts venues are offering great seasonal deals.
The Folger Consort is offering $25 tickets to selected upcoming concerts including Florence: Christmas Music of the Trecento and Paris: Music for the City of Light. To redeem the Cyber Monday deal use the code CYBER25 when purchasing tickets.
Bethesda children’s theater Imagination Stage is offering $10 orchestra seats for “Anime Momotaro,” a folktale production inspired by Japanese animation. Use the code Cyber12 when buying tickets.
The National Geographic Store stocks everything from atlases to gadgets and is offering free shipping today only.
Stephen Colbert shares a moment with wax Stephen Colbert. Photograph by Sophie Gilbert.
Stephen Colbert’s super PAC might have shut itself down this week, but the comedian and founder of Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow still has a presence in Washington thanks to Madame Tussauds. Colbert unveiled his new wax likeness at the museum Friday. “It’s so beautiful,” he said. “Now, if you excuse me, I’m going to go murder someone so a piece of my soul snaps off and he becomes my horcrux.”
Colbert, who’ll also be reading from his latest book, America Again, this afternoon at Politics and Prose, posed for the waxwork back in June, the same day the Supreme Court’s decision on the Affordable Care Act was announced. At the very moment that CNN erroneously reported that the law had been overturned, Colbert was stuck, motionless, asking through clenched teeth if someone could bring a television into the studio. “I had to sit here while people came in and read the news to me so I had something to say for the show that night,” he said.
Image courtesy of the Canal Park Development Association.
The Capitol Riverfront neighborhood is already home to Yards Park (voted one of the best new parks in America by Atlantic Cities), Nationals Park, the Fairgrounds concert and events space, and the coming-in-2013 complex of restaurants and retail that’ll include Neighborhood Restaurant Group’s Bluejacket Brewery and Buzz Bakery. But as of next week, the area south of Capitol Hill is also getting a brand new, $12 million, three-block park, complete with an ice rink, a large-scale cube for art installations and light displays, two water features, and a new restaurant helmed by Barracks Row restaurateur Xavier Cervera.
Crowds gathered outside the White House and on U Street to cheer the President’s victory. Photographs by Andrew Propp.
The tone might have been somber at the RNC’s official election party last night—Roll Call reports that “by 11:15 PM, it was over”—but the shindig at the Ronald Reagan Building was one of the few places in town where people weren’t celebrating.
After NBC News became the first media organization to project that President Barack Obama would win reelection at 11:12, crowds of people began assembling on U Street and outside the White House, shouting, “Four more years,” and jumping up and down. Outside 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, revelers climbed trees and waved signs saying “Reelect Obama.” Someone brandished Shepard Fairey’s iconic Hope poster, along with a rainbow flag.
The crowds on U Street clustered around Ben’s Chili Bowl, chanting “USA” and dancing in the middle of the road. Someone let off a firework, and another person held up a wrestling belt with the Obama logo painted on it. WUSA9 reporter Bruce Johnson tried to interview the crowd, but the chants of “Yes, we can” were so loud that he couldn’t make out what most people were saying.
Things were quieter on Capitol Hill, where many bars were half-empty and many people seemed concerned about what the results would mean for their own jobs. But at the Liaison Capitol Hill, where the Democratic National Committee hosted its official election-night party, Senate majority leader Harry Reid’s speech was consistently interrupted by cheering, the New York Times reports: “Little could dampen the crowd’s spirits. House or no House, they went on to chant, ‘Four more years.’”
When it comes to politics, this city has no problem with self-expression. Typical
Washingtonians will offer their unsolicited opinion on the intricacies of the electoral
college and the finer points of tax reform before they’ve so much as learned your
name, and what they lack in manners, they make up for in sheer eggheadedness. But
actually mustering up the courage to speak to the cute brunette in line at the Bloomingdale
polling center? We much prefer to rely on the social safety net also known as Craigslist’s
Missed Connections page. There were a fair
few voters seeking out hotties they’d failed to score with on the website this morning;
here are a few highlights. [Ed. note: All ads appear with original spelling, punctuation,
and emoticons.]
Gray Fur Trimmed Coat & Fishnets - m4w (Alexandria)
gorgeous. well dressed. mature.
wearing a gray coat with fur trim.
fishnets, heels
very pretty
shaded glasses
we rode the elevator together.
i asked you if you voted.
i’d vote for you anyday. :)
hope you see this -- 7th floor? i think.
It’s a beautiful, cold day out there, Washington, but it’s good to see from Twitter that so many of you are exercising your right to vote. We’ve compiled pictures and tweets from some of the busiest polling centers, and we’ll update as the day continues.
Earlier today we wrote about the Amazing Case of the Mount Vernon Square Bros—and turns out some of our female readers were drawn to the ad’s writers like a pride of bro lions to a watering hole. Two “classy betches” posted their own ad proposing a night of drinking that would, no doubt, lead to the most epic bro-betch romances imaginable. Hope this pans out for you, ladies. But if you end up getting married, don’t tell us—we don’t think we could handle the dismantling of the Jamatorium.
My betch Nora & I saw your ad in the Washingtonian (because really, who reads Craigslist besides serial killers) and couldn’t resist sending an email. You see, my astrologist told me yesterday that 7 is my lucky number this week, so I believe it was fate that your article appeared in my “Google News Alert’’ for “renaissance bro”. The number 7 is important because 1) that is how long your bromance has been going on, but 2) because Nora and I began our girlmance* 7 months ago and it has been going pretty strong. It may not hold a candle to your 7-year bromance, but we have a proposition for you to marinate on: Take us out for a bro-betch-tastic night of drinking. Let me tell you a little about us, since we feel like we truly know your inner-workings from your posting. I’m Chloe (24/F/DC/DTF [probably]) and my betch is Nora (26/F/DC). We enjoy: Bros that don’t wear Ed Hardy, Affliction, Nantucket red, boat shoes, or croakies; Bros that play musical instruments (Nora plays the cello, but usually naked); Bros that have “legit” 9-5 jobs (so do we, although we’re government, so think 9:45 to 4:15); Bros who are liberal about social issues (want their girlfriends to have abortions) and semi-conservative about the economy (hate taxes); Bros that “like to bed” betches (we expect clean sheets, and breakfast pizza leftover from the night before, or at least access to a spoonful of organic peanut butter when we wake up -- safe words are negotiable); and Jameson. Sounds like a stellar time, right? We certainly think it does, let’s make some memories.
*Girlmance - esoteric term used to describe the relationship between two women who share the same level of comradery as bros but also enjoy activities including but not limited too; binge drinking, casual hookups, the Wire, music with electric guitar and cultured undertakings and outings if not prohibited by debilating hangovers. Rare, but have been known to exist in metropolitan areas of DC and NYC.
Craigslist is reliably an interesting place. During our searches we’ve found ads seeking nudist roommates, others touting drum circles held in the living room, and, of course, plenty of Nigerian princes. But the roommate-seeking ad we found this morning immediately shot to the top of our favorites list. We’ll let the text speak for itself.
$800 Seeking Renaissance Bro to Assimilate into Existing Bro Community (Mt. Vernon Square, DC)
My roommate and I are 29 years old, have known each other since freshman year of college, and can basically describe each others’ taints with our eyes closed. Despite our age and our ability to harness wherewithal to accomplish adult-like goals, we are still very immature. We have lived in the same 3-bedroom row house in Mt. Vernon Square for the past 7 years. Throughout these 7 years we’ve been the constant, while the third room has experienced a myriad of spectacular bros over the ages. We have always managed to keep the changing of roommates within our bro family (which we will delve into later), but alas we have reached a crossroad in our adult lives where we must brave the outside world to find the chosen one. I’m not going to lie, all you strangers out there terrify me. Our previous third roommate, who is as gentle as a newborn porcupine yet as powerful as an adolescent bonobo, ended up finding his soulmate, getting engaged, and moving on with his life. Since the end of August, my current roommate and I have been paying for that third empty room out of pocket as we lobbied with our bro high council to fill the position. Our pleas fell on the deaf ears of married bros, new fathers, and committed heterosexuals. As Brooks said in Shawshank, “The world went and got itself in a big damn hurry.” So I come to you, world, to fill the void in my life. . .and to help me get back my damn disposable income that has been going into that third room. . .
As the title implies, we are not just looking for any “bro”, but a renaissance bro that will seamlessly fit into our crew like bacon and chocolate chips into waffle batter. In fact, let us define the term bro. We’re not the “bro” you see on MTV, or any “bro” you see wearing Ed Hardy/Affliction T-shirts. We’re not bros with Nantucket red shorts, boat shoes, and croakies. We’re not the Magic The Gathering/D&D Bros. We are just sensible guys that enjoy immature forays on weekends and intellectual box socials on weekdays. We enjoy the outdoors and traveling. We read a lot of books and discuss the best way to layer the contents of a BLT. We’re not all fart jokes and dildo-hats though. We both have legit 9-5 jobs, graduate degrees, and high levels of general awareness. We have a strong group of bros (approx 30-45 across the eastern seaboard) that come in and out on a regular basis throughout the week/weekends for Monday/Thursday night football, movie night, or bro dinners at sick steakhouses. I know this is a lot, and there is no way I can cover all areas of our bro community, but I hope this weeds out some of the unsavory “bros” out there.
The third caveat about living in this room is. . . you must be a musician or at least love music. The room comes furnished with a full size bed, a large desk, 2 closets, and a bunch of musical instruments. This room has, for 6 of the past 7 years, doubled as our jamatorium. We have a drum-kit, electric piano, half-stack, 2 more amps, 4 guitars, and congas in that room. Unfortunately there is nowhere else in the house to store these items, so they come with the room. Hence, you have to like having musical instruments around your living quarters if you live here. If you are not currently a musician, but want to learn piano/drums/guitar, well we can accommodate that. We don’t jam out every night or even every weekend, we never play music after 10 pm on weekdays, and we will never barge in there while you’re having personal time. However, these instruments ain’t going nowheres. The bed/desk are optional and you can throw them out if you so wish.
Now down to the brass tacks. The room is $800 a month. This includes internet, ADT alarm system, and water. The only utilities we split 3-ways are gas, electric, and DirecTV (with the NFL package and all movie channels). This is a remarkably good price for our location and amenities. Did I mention we have a 60 inch LED TV? It’s awesome. We have all relatively new kitchen appliances in our 2-level row-home. We have a big yard where we maintain a garden every spring/summer. We are walking distance (4 min) from the Mt. Vernon/Convention Center metro and about 9 minutes from the Gallery Pl. Chinatown metro. We got that sick Safeway under city vista as our local grocery store and a brand new Cross Fit on New York Avenue. Just kidding about Cross Fit. . . if you are into that don’t email me. JK, but no, seriously.
I hope this ad did not come off douchey, we’re very reasonable guys. We are liberal about social issues and semi-conservative about the economy. One thing is for sure, we love capitalism. . .so no occupiers or hippies. We never talk about politics or religion anyway. If you’re interested, please reply back, come check out the house. . .hang out on a weekend night and see if you can mesh with our pride of bro lions. If you like it, we’d ideally like you to move in anytime between November 15th and December 15th. No security deposit necessary, the lease is month-to-month (but we ask you give us a 3 month heads up if you’re moving out), and all we ask is for proof of gainful employment. Ideally you will have a 9-5-ish job as well. . .we don’t want bartenders/restaurant guys coming in late at night on weekdays and spraying their hot jazz all over our snuggly dreams. Also, no women. . . sorry ladies. . . I like to bed you, but not live with you. I’ll live with a woman when I take the plunge into holy matrimony.
Please email for cross streets, more info.
The only thing that could possibly make this better would be if they’d gone with the word “bro-munity” in the title instead.
Do you know who posted this? Is this your ad? Share in the comments! Let's be bros.
