When you're a native, you really get tired of hearing that Washington is a lame, boring place that's all about politics and has a transient population. Let's focus on the positive, then, like the new issue of the Chicago-based culture magazine Stop Smiling, which is devoting its current issue to articles and essays about D.C.: Go-go legend-turned-"The Wire" actor Anwan Glover! Crime noir master George Pelecanos! Proto-emo punks Rites of Spring! The history of the Florida Avenue Grill! Photos by Dischord chronicler Pat Graham! The death of the Chesapeake Bay (as told by chef Barton Seaver)! And, er, Ana Marie Cox on why the city is like Nebraska! The release party for this issue at Civilian Art Projects seems like the hottest idea in town tonight, thanks to DJs Ian Svenonius, ageless scenester and former singer (ex-Nation of Ulysses, the Make-Up and Weird War), and Kevin Coombe, the man behind the D.C. Soul Recordings Web site, who's going to be spinning homegrown funk and soul all night. Admission is a suggested donation of $5, which gets you a copy of the magazine, too.

-- Fritz Hahn (Nov. 10, 2008)