Juniper Lane rocking Iota Friday

The very talented band Juniper Lane is returning to Iota this Friday night, and I'm very excited to be blown away again by lead singer Vivion Smith's amazing vocals.

Last time I saw them perform at Iota, I was so impressed that Juniper Lane instantly shot up near the top of my list of favorite local bands. They have excellent audience engagement, poise, energy, and enthusiasm for their music that it almost guarantees a fun night out. Melodime will be opening for them at 9pm, who I have have never seen before but curious to see how they incorporate a violin into their five piece rock/blues/folk/country band.

New Restaurants Coming Soon to Clarendon

It seems that everyone is talking about the updates of the new restaurants set to open soon in the ever growing Clarendon neighborhood. This Washingtonian article details how the owners of Liberty Tavern are increasing their ownership in local territory, with Lyon Hall and Northside Social coming soon.

Northside Social is the replacement for the closed Murky Coffee on the same spot behind St. Charles Church. It will also serve coffee like Murky, but will also offer wine and I imagine a more sophisticated/less hipster atmosphere.

Lyon Hall will be a "European-style brasserie", and have what appears to be a operational basement. Given they have applied for a live music license from the County until 1am, I'm wondering if they plan on hosting live bands in the basement similar to the DJ's at Eleventh's basement. It will be located at 3100 Washington Blvd, marked on the map above.

Thanks to all those who sent me tips on this article via email and twitter! I have been lagging on updating this blog lately, hope to get back in the swing of things soon.

Snowball fight @ Clarendon Metro

The second major snowfall of the season blanketed Clarendon in almost two feet of snow, shut down half of the restaurants and venues, and left cars stuck in snow drifts. Many residents took to walking in the plowed streets to stave off cabin fever, some of them skiing, snowboarding and sledding over the massive snowdrifts.

Someone organized a snowball fight on Craiglist at 3pm around the Metro station. A couple dozen people participated, but the snow was too powdery to make adequate projectiles, and the police where called due to possible public drinking.

RiRa, Liberty Tavern, Gilattos, Hard Times, Mister Days, Boulevard Woodgrill, and Flatbread all stayed open today to help warm up those who ventured out. Sadly Iota, Mexicali Blues, Cupcake Bakery, and La Tasca all closed.

These are a few shotsI took, and more Clarendon snow pictures can be found on this Flickr gallery and at the brand new ArlNow.com.

Charity Cupid's Undie Run in DC Feb 13

There is several races planed for the upcoming Valentine's weekend, including the Cupid's Undie Run on the 13th. This 1.75 loop around the Capital starting is raising money for the Children's Tumor Foundation.

Unlike other races, this one requires its participates to wear only underwear during the event. Luckily its a short run, and the fact that those over 21 have access to drink specials helps too!

The $30 registration provides "access to all day drink specials, post-race food, t-shirt, and the opportunity to gallivant around the Capitol in your bedroom best!"

Pre-Valentine Charity Fundraiser at the W Hotel

This Thursday Feb 4th the W Hotel on 15th Street DC is hosting a pre-Valentine fundraiser. The "Hanky Panky" cocktail party is raising money for
Becky's Fund, a charity supporting domestic violence prevention.

The non-profit's founder, Becky Lee, was runner up on Survivor: Cook Islands and used the money to start this charity which "leverages education, Web 2.0 technology and essential resources to enable critical one-to-one connections between victims and survivors."

Transformer Explosion at Ballston Hilton

On Decemeber 22 there was a sizable explosion in Ballston near the Hilton hotel. Police had Stuart and Stafford streets closed when I drove past around 5pm.

It turns out the electrical transformer, a large green box that steps down high voltage current before it goes into a building, faulted and exploded. Not sure if there where any injuries, but a witness did say they saw rescue workers with stretchers present.

Here is a picture of the new transformer being installed after the damaged one was removed.

Exit Clov at Iota this Saturday

I first saw the progressive and politically charged tunes of Exit Clov more than a year ago at Iota. I really enjoyed the show and the diversity of instruments. Susan and Emily pictured here were very talented, with excellent vocals, keyboard, dual violins and two cowbells!

They will be making another appearance this Saturday night at Iota along with Poor But Sexy. Highly recommended!

Boxcar Collision and Haiti Concert @ Iota

To no one's surprise the the Haiti benefit concert tonight at Iota was packed to capacity. With more than a dozen local bands participating in this charity event to raise money for the Red Cross, Iota was definately the best place in Clarendon to spend this chilly Friday night in.

I was ablepush myself into the crowd to see my local favorite band Boxcar Collision on stage. Ashlee Wilcox was keeping the standing-room-only entertained with her talented guitar playing and vox.

A great night for a great cause! Thanks to all the other bands that came out to put on this memorable show.

On Tap Magazine at Clarendon Grill this Saturday

This Saturday at Clarendon Grill the local magazine On Tap is having a CD Release Party to celebrate On the Verge-Volume IV, an annual CD featuring local bands. The evening will toast to another year and another CD full of talented area artists who are "on the verge."

11 artists are in the lineup including The Cheaters, Crash Boom Bang, Hotspur, and one of my favorites Rome In A Day! No cover before 10 p.m.

Now if I could only convince On Tap to add an RSS feed to their site...

Happy Hour for Haiti @ Current Sushi

Another DC area venue is helping raise funds for the victims of the Haiti earthquake. Current on Connecticut Avenue,known for its cool atmosphere and great sushi, is hosting a happy hour for Haiti Tuesday night from 5:30 – 8:00 PM. 100% of all proceeds benefit the Oxfam American Haitian Earthquake Response Fund.