Cook Your Way to Brooklyn

It’s Friday, yo!

And while we here at HOH are resigned to logging yet another lost weekend, all you aspiring chefs/cooking enthusiasts out there may want to clear your calendar for the Chinese Take-Out Experiment invading the Rock N Roll Hotel (1353 H St. NE) on Sunday afternoon.

Culinary combatants Theo Peck and Nick Suarez return to Capitol Hill for another installment of their roving cooking competitions, having introduced their “Food Experiments” series last year with their sold-out D.C. Taco throwdown.

This time around, they’ve got their little hearts set on chowing the most creative Chinese cooking they can find. Full story

David Dreier Eulogizes Small-Business Owner Dick Clark

On Wednesday, after Dick Clark joined Don Cornelius in the “American Bandstand” and “Soul Train” in the sky, House Rules Chairman David Dreier came to the floor to remember him.

In order to do this, however, Dreier had to interrupt the colloquy between Tom Graves (R-Ga.) and Rep. Rob Woodall (R-Ga.). They were talking about the plight of small businesses and how taxes are bad.

How could Dreier make the Clark news relate? Full story

Rockin’ in the USA

A chorus of lawmakers and musicians sings "Friends in Low Places" at 2010's GRAMMYs on the Hill event. (Douglas Graham/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

The Recording Academy will again clutch personal heroes to its bosom next week, feting Rep. Howard Berman (D-Calif.) alongside award-winning artist John Mayer as part of the annual GRAMMYs on the Hill shindig taking over the Liaison Capitol Hill hotel (415 New Jersey Ave. NW) on Wednesday. Full story

Run, Chuck Grassley, Run!

(Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

For those who’ve never experienced a fleet-footed exit by interview escape artist Sen. Chuck Grassley, believe us, it’s the greatest blow-off you’ll ever receive.

Our colleague Steven T. Dennis recently ate the Iowa Republican’s dust in a race to the Senate subway. He later managed to pin down the supersonic septuagenarian for a chat about his training regimen.

“I run four days a week, three miles a day,” Grassley shared of the habit that he adopted on New Year’s 1998. Full story

A Bold Statement

Thanks to the efforts of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky has been deemed the mecca of college basketball. (Chris Maddaloni/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

The Senate decreed Tuesday that Kentucky is the college basketball capital of the world.

Kentucky’s Republican Senators — Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul — introduced a resolution that essentially declared the Bluegrass State the baller center of the universe. It states, and we may be paraphrasing here, Kentucky is the best, Kentucky is the greatest, we love Kentucky so much we’re going to marry it. Full story

Eliot Spitzer’s Rendezvous

Eliot Spitzer makes us laugh.

The former New York governor and one-time CNN talker recently took over Keith Olbermann’s “Countdown” show on Current Television.

Current is a sort of wildlife refuge for Democratic politicians, such as former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm and California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who are pretty of face and smart of brain. Full story

The C in C-SPAN Also Stands for Classical

(Courtesy C-SPAN)

Ever wonder what that classical music is on C-SPAN?

No? OK, maybe it is just us.

But if you’re curious now, you may want to follow a new Twitter feed curated by network executive Rob Kennedy, @cspanmusic.

As Roll Call noted last year, C-SPAN plays quite a bit of music by long-dead European composers to fill all that dead air during, say, Senate quorum calls.

The new Twitter feed focuses solely on its musical selection, not the particular legislative procedure being deployed.

But, this being C-SPAN, there’s still room for some wonkery. The icon for the Twitter account is a C clef, an older notation now mainly used by viola players. It features a quarter note on middle C.

“We like all of the ‘C’ references,” Kennedy explained in a tweet.

Birthday Surprise for Denham Staffer

Happy birthday, Bret Manley!

Manley, Rep. Jeff Denham’s (R-Calif.) legislative director, turns 29 today.

To commemorate his special day, a couple of his dearest friends decided to indulge his love of streamers — and hatred of using his car — by covering it with streamers in such a way that he can’t open the door to operate it. Oh, those wacky kids.

(Courtesy Bret Manley's friends)

Last we heard, Manley hadn’t yet seen the birthday mess that is his car. Have fun tonight, Bret!

The Price of Plumber Has Gone Through the Roof

Samuel “Joe the Plumber” Wurzelbacher will be visiting Tortilla Coast on Capitol Hill on Thursday to do as political candidates do: Raise the monies.

For $500 for individuals and $1,000 for a political action committee, you or your PAC can drink coffee and eat breakfast with the most famous plumber running for office in northern Ohio. Full story

Drink Your Dinner

A handful of renowned D.C. chefs, including two Capitol Hill tastemakers, will vie for the “Hop Chef” crown April 28 during Brewery Ommegang’s inaugural beer-cooking competition, a barley-and-hops-fueled fete coming to the Atlas Performing Arts Center (1333 H St. NE).

Those savvy enough to sign on as guest tasters — attendance is being capped at 200; reserve your spot ($75 per person) here — will have the opportunity to sample custom beer-spiked dishes prepared by several area chefs. Full story

Livin’ on a Prayer

Former Vice President Dick Cheney (above) hanging out with President Barack Obama? Pray at the Pump founder Rocky Twyman wants to make it happen. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

When last we communed with spiritual cheerleader Rocky Twyman, he was pestering the Almighty about lowering gas prices:

That was back when regular unleaded was flowing for $3.95 (ahh, the good old days).

These days, the Pray at the Pump founder has a higher calling: healing our fractured government.

Twyman and his “prayer warriors” will occupy Lafayette Square this afternoon in an effort to get President Barack Obama and Vice President Joseph Biden to visit recovering former VPOTUS Dick Cheney. Full story

UAW Flick Comes to Capitol

Rep. John Conyers is urging Members and staff to watch a documentary on the United Auto Workers at the Rayburn House Office Building tonight. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

It’s been a few years since the movie theaters at Union Station closed, leaving Capitol Hill bereft of places to catch a flick. And while Landmark Theatres or AMC might have no use for the area, you can still catch the occasional movie at venues on the Capitol campus.

Case in point: tonight’s screening of “Brothers On the Line,” a documentary about brothers Walter, Roy and Victor Reuther, who helped shape the United Auto Workers in the mid-20th century. Full story

Washington, D.C., Not Big Fan of Isaiah Washington

(Emily Holden/CQ Roll Call)

Following George Clooney’s strut through Capitol Hill is tough — or so learned former “Grey’s Anatomy” actor Isaiah Washington.

When the actor known for playing the gifted Dr. Preston Burke arrived today, we expected to see a gaggle of adoring fans lining up, or at least a few gawkers, but alas no such luck.

It might be that “Grey’s Anatomy” fans are still holding a grudge over Washington spitting out a homophobic slur directed at former co-star T.R. Knight. Or maybe everyone just sided with Cristina after the split?

Full story

Brad Sherman to Howard Berman: Show Me Yours

Rep. Brad Sherman (above) has released his 2011 tax returns and is urging his primary opponent, Rep. Howard Berman, to do the same. (Douglas Graham/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

The confluence of Tax Day and redistricting has prompted Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) to bare all for his potential constituents: He’s published his 2011 tax returns.

An aide to Sherman, a non-practicing tax attorney and certified public accountant, asserted that the Congressman took the fiscal leap of faith in the name of transparency and accountability. Oh yeah, and then there’s that whole facing off against former neighbor Rep. Howard Berman (D-Calif.) for their newly redrawn seat this fall. Full story

Digital Buddies

Montana, it seems, is for the digitally interesting.

Monica Lindeen, the state’s insurance commissioner and auditor, is running for re-election this year.

She and Sen. Jon Tester (D) served together in the Montana state Legislature, he in the Senate and she in the House. Aside from being from Montana, serving in the state Legislature and being Democrats, these two crazy kids have another thing in common: missing fingers and the need to fundraise!

Full story