March for Peace, January 27 on the National Mall

(More photos)

The January 27 March for Peace and Justice demonstration took place this past Saturday in DC. The turnout was impressive and the message was clear: the immediate withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq. Protesters held the Bush Administration accountable for misleading us into war, then mismanaging the war's execution.

Motel at DC9

Last night DC9 hosted a CD release party for Motel, an ensemble appropriately described as "the intersection of DC hip-hop with original NYC jazz." The show was remarkable. The MCs provided cerebral and socially aware lyrics well suited to the music, which was a superb amalgam of fusion and funk. I recommend Motel's new album, "Lost and Found."

Motel
www.welcometomotel.com

DC9 Nightclub
1940 9th Street NW, Washington, DC 20001 (map)
202 483 5000 | www.dcnine.com

Elevation Burger in Falls Church, Virginia

I checked out Elevation Burger in Falls Church this afternoon, which is a new "healthy" burger restaurant. Although I'm dubious of the healthy-ness of burgers and fries, I appreciate their having two different veggie burgers on the menu. Veggie burger #1 has a meat-like taste, and veggie burger #2 tastes like veggies.

For beef eaters (no, I don't mind the guy on the gin bottle) there are organic beef burgers, which sound pretty tasty. The greasy fries they serve are sliced right in front of you and cooked fresh in olive oil.

While the food is better than ordinary fast food, it's not exactly do die for. (The milkshakes are supposed to be killer, but I haven't tried one.) Also, it's nice that the prices aren't "elevated" -- even though they server higher quality food that is freshly made, both meat and veggie burgers cost just around $3.

Elevation Burger
442 S Washington Street, Falls Church, VA 22046 (map)
703 237 4343 | www.elevationburger.com