Parklife DC

-

May 20, 2016

Don’t collect baseball cards…collect loyalty cards!

Over the last few months, I’ve managed to collect a fair number of new loyalty cards from local businesses in DC.

Seems like the loyalty program concept is having a resurgence. Not that it ever really left per se, but more and more businesses, including restaurants and coffee shops, are using these to entice repeat business.

As annoying as it might be to have a ton of physical cards to carry around, I actually prefer that approach because it is something tangible. I can remember it and see the progress. I like the feeling of finally getting something you’ve earned over time.

Obviously sign-up for your local grocery store, so you can get the discounts. I mostly use Giant.

If you like concerts, one you should definitely get is the ‘Friends With Benefits’ card for the 9:30 Club. It’s also good at other venues they book, like the Lincoln Theatre and Merriweather Post Pavilion. Get points for attending shows and buying drinks/food and then redeem for more shows, merchandise or a gift card. Check it out here.

Then it just depends on where you like to go on a regular basis. Many of my local lunch spots use loyalty cards, so I’ve been taking advantage. For example, Nando’s Peri Peri and Micho’s Lebanese Grill have good ones, you get free things while you’re building up to a free entrée.

Most are free, but you can also consider paid memberships.

REI is like a drug addiction, but you absolutely cannot shop there without their $20 lifetime membership. You get a 10% refund at the end of each year! And remember the new 51,000-square-foot REI flagship store is coming to NoMa this year, so you’ll need it!

And although not technically a paid membership, Chick-fil-A has a Cow Calendar Card system. Buy the calendar, and every month you get free things with your card. Usually good stuff. There is even a website to track how you’ve done. It’s a good gift idea, and how I got mine. Eat mor chikin indeed.

What’s your current favorite loyalty card?

Around Town: Bike to Work Day in DC, 5/20/16

By

-

May 19, 2016

To promote healthy ways to commute to and from work, the 2016 Commuter Connections and the Washington Area Bicyclist Association are offering the annual Bike to Work Day on Friday, May 20th.

You can visit 83 pit stops around DC (and in Virginia and Maryland). Each pit stop will have food, drinks, T-shirts and a chance to win prizes.

Today is the last day to register! And you must register to receive a free T-shirt (and select a pit stop to pick it up). Register here.

Stay healthy DC.

Bike to Work Day
Friday, May 20
83 pit stop locations
Free
All ages

Don’t Miss: DC On Tap Beer Festival @ Washington Convention Center, 5/21/16

By

-

May 18, 2016

If the opportunity to indulge in three hours of unadulterated beer tasting is presented to you, will you seize it?

This Saturday, May 21st, is the DC On Tap Beer Festival (part of a larger craft beer festival series put on by American On Tap across the country).

Seize the opportunity! You can sample over a 150 beers from more than 80 different breweries, including DC breweries like 3 Stars, Handsome Beer and Atlas Brew Works.

This week (May 16-22) is also American Craft Beer Week, so it is extra apropos that you go.

There will also be food for purchase, live music and a few vendors to peek at while you steel yourself for the next rounds of beer.

Just to whet your appetite a bit, here are just a few of the beers I’ll be targeting:

Maine Brewing Company – Mean Old Tom (a mean, old stout with hints of vanilla)
Caboose Brewing Company – Saison (they opened in VA about a year ago, and I haven’t tried any of their beers yet)
Brewer’s Art – Zeke’s Coffee Porter (should wake me up!)
Handsome Beer Company – Strange Charm (a brown ale with a Belgian twist from the newest DC-based brewery – they rent space from other breweries for now)

It may be summer, but I still like them dark.

Buy your tickets now!
America On Tap Craft Beer Festival Series: DC On Tap
Walter E. Washington Convention Center (Exhibit Hall D – Level 2)
May 21
5:00-8:00pm (VIP 4:00-8:00pm)
$45 (VIP $60)
21+

Music Park: La Sera @ 9:30 Club — 5/12/16

By

-

May 18, 2016

Katy Goodman of La Sera @ 9:30 Club, 5/12/16

La Sera kept the night alive on May 12th, as they opened for the punk-laden Titus Andronicus, a late counterpoint to the early Parquet Courts show at the 9:30 Club.

Each decked out in matching ‘uniforms’ (white tees and black jeans), La Sera played a poppy, breezy 13-song set for the expectant hordes. That the horde was there for loud, unrepentant punk rock was obvious, but still La Sera won the crowd over (or me) with Katy Goodman’s vocal stylings and an at times twangy, surf-like rock sound.

Don’t Miss: Dolly Parton @ Wolf Trap, 6/8/16

By

-

May 18, 2016

Tickets are available online.

Dolly Parton (Photo courtesy Webster Public Relations)

In a few short weeks, country music legend Dolly Parton will launch her largest North American tour in 25 years, making an early stop locally at the Filene Center at Wolf Trap on Wednesday, June 8, 2016.

Dolly’s Pure & Simple Tour, which includes a total of 16 dates, coincides with her summertime release of a double-disc album Pure & Simple with Dolly’s Biggest Hits. The collection features her most popular singles as well as a few new songs. During the tour, she will perform the new songs as well as old favorites, some of which have not been heard live for many years.

Watch the official music video for “Home” by Dolly Parton on YouTube:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-ifWeaSdrc]

Dolly has been quite busy lately with a very well-received performance at the ACM Awards in early April, followed by the DVD release of her successful TV movie, “Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors,” on May 3. The movie became the most-watched movie on network television in three years with 15.8 million viewers, sparking demand for the DVD release.

Of course, Dolly has received quite a few other accolades in her career, including induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame, winning seven Grammys, and receiving many other honors for her hit songs, including “Jolene,” “9 to 5,” and “I Will Always Love You,” making her the most honored female country music artist of all time.

Dolly Parton
Filene Center at Wolf Trap
Wednesday, June 8
Show @8pm
$45-$150
All ages

Music Park: Parquet Courts @ 9:30 Club — 5/12/16

By

-

May 17, 2016

Andrew Savage of Parquet Courts gets cathartic at the 9:30 Club on Thursday, May 12, 2016.

Parquet Courts were not happy about their early timeslot at the 9:30 Club last Thursday, and their stage banter reflected that.

“It’s pretty early. It’s happy hour, isn’t it?” suggested vocalist Andrew Savage. “If it’s happy hour, you got into the show for half price, right?”

“9:30 Club? More like the 6:30 Club!” agreed other vocalist Austin Brown. At the end of the show, he added, “Have a good time later. Tonight. When it’s dark.”

Don’t Miss: Steve Aoki @ Echostage, 5/29/16

By

-

May 17, 2016

Tickets are available online.

Steve Aoki (Photo courtesy MSO PR)

I never set out to meet Steve Aoki.

But one day in June a few years ago, I found myself at Terminal 5 in New York City, happily shaking hands with the energetic house musician.

You see, Steve was just so damn authentic and earnest, I was immediately impressed with his attitude. I was there by invitation of Duran Duran, who were collaborating with Steve on a house version of their popular hit “Hungry Like the Wolf.” On my way upstairs at Terminal 5 to see the band, Yasmin and I ran across Steve, who was fervently greeting admirers as they clamored for a handshake or a picture or an autograph. Steve was determined to make sure no one was left out, and he was positively gracious in the face of activities that could have made other artists sour.

Well, on that day on June 20, 2012, we took in Steve Aoki’s very entertaining stage show. As that was some time ago, it’s fortuitous that Steve is on tour once again, hitting Echostage on Sunday, May 29, with new material.

Among that new material is a collaboration between Steve Aoki and Felix Jaehn with featured vocals by Adam Lambert for a song titled “Can’t Go Home” for Ultra Music. Watch the official video, featuring model Eryn Krouse and a monkey, for “Can’t Go Home” on YouTube:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uA3ttXhRBYU]

Recently, Steve Aoki released his second artist album NEON FUTURE I, on Sept. 30, 2014 via Dim Mak/Ultra Music, and the album features his Gold-certified single “Delirious (Boneless)” with Chris Lake and Tujamo featuring Kid Ink, “Born to Get Wild” featuring will.i.am, and “Rage the Night Away” featuring Waka Flocka Flame.

He released the second part of the Neon Future album, NEON FUTURE II, on May 12, 2015, and it features collaborations with Linkin Park, Matthew Koma, Snoop Lion, Rivers Cuomo, and NERVO, along with a spoken word bit by director JJ Abrams.

Steve will hold down the fort without these collaborators at Echostage, of course, but the man is a born entertainer, so be prepared to come and dance until you drop.

Steve Aoki
w/ Rain Man
Echostage
Sunday, May 29
Show @9pm
$30
18+

Snapshots: Charlie Hilton @ Black Cat — 5/11/16

By

-

May 16, 2016

Charlie Hilton performs at the Black Cat on Wednesday, May 11, 2016. (Photo by Mickey McCarter)

Charlie Hilton of Blouse released a solo album, Palana, in January via Captured Tracks. She’s been on tour to support the album, opening for Jack Tatum and Wild Nothing as Wild Nothing perform around the United States in support of their third album.

On the tour, Charlie visited the Black Cat on Wednesday as the Wild Nothing opener to perform her new songs. The solo album was produced by her Blouse bandmate Jacob Portrait, and Charlie told me Wednesday that Blouse would soon return for a third album of their own. Palana is a pleasing album that finds Charlie in similar dreamy, gazey territory as Blouse but with an even bigger emphasis on Charlie’s singing.

Music Park: Wild Nothing @ Black Cat — 5/11/16

By

-

May 16, 2016

Jack Tatum of Wild Nothing performs at the Black Cat on Wednesday, May 11, 2016.

Jack Tatum had a homecoming of sorts when Wild Nothing played at the Black Cat on Wednesday. The dreampop crooner formed his band in Blacksburg, Va., during his time at nearby Virginia Tech, and the very full mainstage was swamped with folks who came to see Jack’s friendly, familiar face as he toured in support of the third Wild Nothing album, Life of Pause.