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2020 HOUSE TOUR GOING VIRTUAL PEEK INTO HOMES YOU’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO SEE! Our free, 3-D, #StayAtHome House Tour will debut in mid-September. To whet your appetite, visit chrs.org/ what-i-love-about-my-house/ to view mini-videos!
FUN NEW WAYS TO EXPLORE THE HILL CHECK OUT OUR NEW SOCIALLY DISTANT WAYS TO EXPLORE! Check out the new ways CHRS brings alive the history and culture of Capitol Hill through scavenger hunts, walking tours, and virtual tours - all on our website. PLEASE BECOME A MEMBER - it helps support these activities and more! www.chrs.org.
HISTORIC SITES WALKING TOUR EXPLORE CAPITOL HILL’S DIVERSE HISTORY Presenting a free, selfguided walking tour. Some sites noteworthy for their architecture or original function, others for their connection to individuals and events that shaped our community and country. Scroll as you go or print it out. chrs.org/historicsites-tour-2020/ Home of Richard H. Cain, African American Representative from South Carolina during Reconstruction
CONNECT WITH US! Visit www.chrs.org Email CapHRS420@gmail.com or call 543-0425 Follow us on @CapHRS @CHRSDC CapitolHillRestorationDC
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COMING SOON!
FALL 2020
A Special Issue on the RENOVATION, REPAIR & LANDSCAPING of Capitol Hill Homes! On Stands: 8/29 INTERESTED IN ADVERTISING? CONTACT YOUR SALES REP TODAY!
202.543.8300 CAROLINA X12 | KIRA X16 | ANDREW X19 | MARIANA X20 August 2020 ★ 9
IN THIS ISSUE AUGUST 2020
2020 SUMMER-FALL EDITION / PRE K-12
ATIO C U D E
N
A Resource for the Education and Enrichment of Students in Washington, DC
24
47 End Meeting
A CAPITAL COMMUNITY NEWS PUBLICATION / CAPITALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM
Summer/Fall Education Special Issue! (See Center Fold)
Business Profile: Southwest Coffee Shop Reopens After COVID by Elizabeth O’Gorek
61
The Garden Miracles that Bring Us Peace
14
WHAT’S ON WASHINGTON
by Tom Getman
73
Capitol Cuisine
Pickleball: Not Just for Seniors
by Celeste McCall
by Pattie Cinelli
capitol streets 19
Capitol Hill Safeway Opens August 12 by Elizabeth O’Gorek
20
Leap into Sessions at The Little Gym: Day Camp, Gymnastics in New Penn. Ave Space by Elizabeth O’Gorek
22
MassageLuXe Reopens: H Street Spa Offers Facials, Water Massages by Eva Herscowitz
24
Southwest Coffee Shop Reopens After COVID by Elizabeth O’Gorek
26
The Numbers: Summer Brings New Benefits and Wage Increases for District Workers by Doni Crawford
28
Florida Ave. Streetscape Project Begins Next Phase – July Report: ANC6A by Nick L. Alberti
30
Name Changes for Brent and Tyler Schools – July Report: ANC 6B by Elizabeth O’Gorek
37
ANC Recommends Sanitation Stations for Homeless – July Report: ANC 6C by Eva Herscowitz
39
Wharf Developers Promise to Limit Truck Traffic – July Report: ANC 6D by Eva Herscowitz
42
Bulletin Board by Kathleen Donner
homes and gardens 47
The Garden Miracles that Bring Us Peace by Tom Getman
50
The Deer House Is for Sale: Next Chapter for a Capitol Hill Icon by Rindy O’Brien
52
August Welcomes the Sunflower by Rindy O’Brien
54
Dear Garden Problem Lady by Wendy Blair
56
Changing Hands by Don Denton
arts and dining 61
Capitol Cuisine by Celeste McCall
64
At the Movies by Mike Canning
66
The Wine Girl by Elyse Genderson
68
Art and The City by Jim Magner
70
Literary Hill by Karen Lyon
71
Poetic Hill by Karen Lyon
family life 73
Pickleball: Not Just for Seniors by Pattie Cinelli
76
#Here2HelpDC: Managing a COVID Side Effect: High Utility Bills by Catherine Plume
78
The District Vet: Problem Solving by Dan Teich
80 CLASSIFIEDS 86 CROSSWORD
on the cover: Boy on a Rock, (cropped) Courtney Applequist 36”x48”, Oil on Canvas 2019, Price upon request Courtney Applequist is a painter living & working in the Washington DC area. Her work comes from careful observation and sensorial memory of the seen world, employing the use of found geometries & colors to imply the essence of a moment. Courtney is a member of Foundry Gallery where select works can be seen regularly. For her full body of work, please visit courtneyapplequist.com, or on Instagram @courtneyapplequistart. Upcoming Solo Show scheduled for October 2021 at Foundry Gallery, 2118 8th Street, NW Washington DC 20001. (202) 232-0203. info@foundrygallery.org
Next Issue: August 29
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We welcome suggestions for stories. Send queries to andrew@hillrag.com. We are also interested in your views on community issues which are published in the Last Word. Please limit your comments to 250 words. Letters may be edited for space. Please include your name, address and phone number. Send Last Word submissions to lastword@hillrag.com. For employment opportunities email jobs@hillrag.com. 12 ★ HILLRAG.COM
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SMITHSONIAN ASSOCIATES STREAMING
WHAT’S ON W A S H I N G T O N
Smithsonian Associate has announced new programs offered on Zoom through September via its new online learning initiative, Smithsonian Associates Streaming. Choose from the performing arts; archaeology; art & architecture; astronomy & space; authors, books & writing; biography; the Civil War; culinary arts; American history; world history; international culture; news, politics & media; personal development; philosophy & religion; popular culture; and science & nature. Prices for lectures are $25 to $30; and $20 to $25 for Smithsonian Associates members. Prices for courses and studio arts classes vary. For tickets and information, visit smithsonianassociates.org/streaming. Discovering the Wines of South Africa, Thursday, August 20, 6:45 p.m.
DC NEIGHBORHOOD SCAVENGER HUNT
OPENS NGA WEST BUILDING REreop ened select gal-
has The National Gallery of Art Gallery Floor to visitors, includund Gro ding Buil t Wes the on s lerie at the Opéra and True s ega ns D ing the temporary exhibitio pe, 1780–1870. The wellto Nature: Open-Air Painting in Euro r top priority, and they being of their visitors and staff is thei to meet new health nce have adjusted their visitor experie re required for enes a pass ed and safety guidelines. Tim at 10 a.m. for the folday Mon each ased try and will be rele ains temporarily closed; lowing week. The East Building rem n daily from 11 a.m. to ope y the Sculpture Garden is currentl nd for all visitor guidees a pass d 4 p.m. To reserve free, time lines, visit nga.gov/reopening.
Every neighborhood in DC is special, but no matter what neighborhood you’re in, you always know you’re in DC. How many DC Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt items can you find? Take pictures along the way, check off what you’ve found, and share your progress with Historical Society of Washington, DC on Twitter or Instagram @dchistory or facebook.com/dchistory. dchistory.org/programs/online-programs. View of the Capitol from Cedar Hill in Anacostia. Photo: Ted Eytan
KENILWORTH AQUATIC GARDENS REOPENS
BOTANIC GARDEN COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS
Tambra Raye Stevenson leads a cooking demonstration. Photo: Courtesy of the US Botanic Garden.
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Join the US Botanic Garden (on YouTube) for recipes and cooking demonstrations using the fruits and vegetables of the season—sauces, soups, sides and salads. You’ll find how-to videos with cooking tips as well as some ideas on what you might grow at your own house for cooking. Find recipes, cooking demos and a massive archive at usbg.gov/cooking.
Photo: J Yen
Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, 1900 Anacostia Ave. SE, has reopened. Park hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. All buildings, including the restrooms, are closed. On busy days, the National Park Service may temporarily close the park gates to limit the total number of visitors on site. They ask that you please consider a weekday visit. Mornings are the best time to see the lotus. Visitors will follow a different (signed) path to enter and exit the park. New pedestrian patterns are in place to maximize social distancing. Please observe all posted signs. Some areas, like the park’s boardwalk, are closed because safe distancing cannot be maintained. nps. gov/keaq.
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Childe Hassam, Poppies, Isles of Shoals, 1891, oil on canvas. WHAT’S ON WASHINGTON
VISIT OLD TOWN ALEXANDRIA Kings Street is closed to traffic for outdoor dining, the Tall Ship Providence is (finally) open to visitors and you can get there by the scenic route—Water Taxi. Now is the time to visit Old Town Alexandria. On weekends, the Water Taxi to Old Town departures from The Wharf to Old Town Alexandria and National Harbor beginning at 11:45 a.m. and runs until 9:35 p.m. Weekday early-morning and late evening commuter water taxi routes begin at 7 a.m. and run until 9:35 p.m. wharfdc. com/getting-here/water-taxi.
NGA ARTFUL MOMENTS FOR FRONTLINE WORKERS Spending a few mindful minutes with a work of art can be especially powerful during this time, when life is unexpectedly complex and we often feel we have more questions than there are answers. In appreciation for everything nurses and all health care professionals are undertaking, the National Gallery of Art offers a moment of quiet reprieve—for health care workers and anyone else who could benefit. They invite you to take some time away from complications and worry by exploring a work of art with them in a guided meditation. nga.gov/blog/artful-moments-frontline-workers.
Enjoy a 45-minute guided tour of Providence, a reproduction 18th century sloop, and meet Captain John Paul Jones. Learn what life was like aboard the ship during the early days of the American Revolution. tallshipprovidence.org.
LOC HOMEGROWN AT HOME CONCERTS The American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress presents traditional music and dance from a variety of folk cultures thriving in the United States and around the world in a new online concert series each Wednesday at noon, through September. Each concert is pre-recorded at the home of the featured artists and presented on the American Folklife Center Facebook page. During the concert premiere, viewers will have the opportunity to use the chat feature to engage with the artists in real time as they tune into the performance. All concerts will be made permanently available on the Library of Congress YouTube channel. The series is free and tickets are not required. loc.gov/concerts/folklife. Eva Salina is a groundbreaking interpreter of Balkan songs. Peter “Perica” Stan is an accordionist known for his playful innovation. Eva and Peter pay tribute to female voices in Serbian and Romani music. They perform on Aug. 26. Photo: Stephen Winick, Library of Congress
DINE OUT AT THE WHARF The Wharf has added tents and cabanas along the waterfront, and the following restaurants have expanded and reopened their patios and rooftops for distanced outdoor dining with additional safety protocols: Canopy Central Bar and Café; Cantina Bambina; Chopsmith; Kaliwa; Kirwan’s; Kith/Kin; Lupo Marino; Mi Vida; Pearl Street Warehouse; The Grill; Tiki TNT/Thrashers Rum; Toastique; Whiskey Charlie; The Brighton SW1; Rappahannock Oyster Bar; and Hank’s Oyster Bar. View their current operating status page to see who requires reservations for outdoor dining, or to order takeout or delivery. wharfdc.com/current-operating-status. 16 H HILLRAG.COM
Photo: Pearl Street Warehouse on the Wharf
OUTDOOR MOVIES
This summer, Congressional Cem etery, 1801 E St. SE, is partnering with the Folger Shakespeare Library to host “Shakespeare Reimagined” featuring fun movies based on Shakespeare’s plays. Folger Library staff will talk about the play the mov ie is based on as well as fun facts about the play and Shakespeare’s life. $10. Here’s the lineup: Aug. 21, O; Sept. 18, She’s The Man; Oct. 2, West Side Story. Movies start at sundown and there are only 100 spots. congressionalcemetery.org. Broccoli City, along with Events DC, has launched Park Up DC, pop-up drive-in movies on the RFK Stadium Campus that run Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through October 31. Movies are shown on a 45ft. wide HD LED digital screen with high-quality sound delivered through each vehicle’s FM radio. A dmission starts at $29 per vehicle. Safety measures include properly distanced vehicles, cashless prepaid tickets, mandatory masks wor n outside of vehicles, cashless mobile delivery options from local food trucks, and fully sanitized porta potties. Tickets exclusively at ParkUpDC.com.
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capitol s ree s t
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/ Business Profiles /
CAPITOL HILL SAFEWAY OPENS AUGUST 12 by Elizabeth O’Gorek
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he new Beckert’s Park Safeway (415 14 St. SE) is set to open August 12, parent company Albertson’s confirmed Wednesday. It is the end of more than two years of work on the 60,000 square foot Safeway store which anchors the mixed-use building known as Beckert’s Park. Representatives of Safeway and developer Foulger-Pratt broke ground June 27, 2018 on the five-story building, which also includes 325 units of housing, 8,000 square feet of additional retail and below-grade parking. The new ‘state-of-the-art’ grocery is 10,000 square feet larger than the former store, which was constructed in 1980. The site was planned to include “drive-up and go” grocery pick-up even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to a Starbucks coffee shop, the store will offer what Division President Tom Lofland called “all the bells and whistles.” The store’s bakery will feature new items including hand made fresh fruit Danish and croissants, artisan breads made from scratch, hand-dipped and decorated caramel apples, mochi desserts, premium gelato, pudding ring cups,
and more. The department will also feature a Nuts on Clark Popcorn shop, which will offer popcorn in flavors such as cheese, caramel, butter, and the Old Bay recipe. A raw oyster bar will be part of the new seafood department. Customers will be able to choose from nine local oysters including Roaring Point, Blackberry, and Chincoteague, with a variety of flavors and salinity levels. The seafood service case will offer over 36 feet of seafood offerings, including natural, fresh, smoked, and local items. Capitol Hill residents can grab lunch at the new deli, which will feature a sushi bar, a specialty cheese shop, a sandwich bar, grab-n-go meals, poutine, poke bowls. Customers will be able to pre-order items from the meat department, including dry aged choice beef ribeye or New York strip steaks aged from 21 to 42 days. Shoppers will also be able to choose from a huge selection of organic, grass-fed, natural and choice grade beef items with a butcher block to cut special orders to customers’ needs.
A design rendering shows the Beckert’s Park Safeway (415 14th St. SE), which will open to the public August 12, 2020. Courtesy: Safeway
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The new liquor department will feature 76 feet of beer, three rows of wine, as well as a selection of wine and spirits that will be sold in a special new store-within-thestore, a separate liquor store connected to the grocery. The store will be open 24 hours, seven days a week. At the July 14th meeting of Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6B, Commissioner Chander Jayaraman said the separate liquor outlet is expected to be open from 7 a.m. to midnight. Further information on COVID-19 health precautions is expected to be issued shortly. Watch progress on the store exterior (and see a time-lapse of progress) visit: https://lnkd.in/ dU2g3PM u
THE LITTLE GYM
New Day Camp, Gymnastics on Penn. Ave by Elizabeth O’Gorek
TAE KWON DO RESTARTING IN SEPTEMBER. 10’ SOCIAL DISTANCING. FULLY MASKED. TEMPERATURE CHECKS.
6TH & EYE ST., NE. - PARKING • MASTERGUTMAN@GMAIL.COM 20 H HILLRAG.COM
T
his has been a trying time in all of our lives, and we are ready to do our part to keep the children and families of our community thriving,” said Chad Mussmon, the owner of brand new children’s activity space The Little Gym (625 Pennsylvania Ave. SE). The Little Gym began to offer classes and day camps on site starting Monday, July 13. “We’re excit-
The Little Gym Capitol Hill offers skill-building gymnastics to kids aged 3 months to 12 years. Courtesy: The Little Gym Capitol Hill
ed to open up and work through this time as safely as possible,” said Mussmon. For the past 22 years, Mussmon operated three Little Gyms in Northern Virginia, where he and his spouse raised five kids themselves. Mussmon said he has wanted to open a space in the District for a long time. He finally succeeded in his search last year, and work began on The Little Gym Capitol Hill in January. Work was just winding down when COVID hit. The Little Gym offers skillbuilding gymnastics lessons to students aged from 4 months to 12 years. Parent and me classes are offered to kids under 3. Independent classes are offered to kids aged 3 years and older. “We’re not a competitive facility, but we’re not a playplace, either –although there definitely is play,” said Mussmon. “We offer skill-based sessions in a very fun, confidence-building way.” For now, Mussmon said, the focus is on day camps, with gymnastic classes on evenings and weekends. In the future, there are plans to offer ‘kindermusik’ music classes, as well as dance lessons in ballet, tap August 2020 H 21
OXON HILL RECREATION CLUB, INC. NOW ACCEPTING NEW MEMBERS ENJOY SUMMER 2020 WITH US! Tired of being wait-listed and paying high membership costs and fees? Join our swim club! Only 20 minutes from Capitol Hill near National Harbor in Maryland. Our outdoor 50 meter pool complete with deep well is situated in a park-like setting with mature shade trees and lots of open space. Come celebrate special occasions in our large picnic area, enjoy family fun with outdoor movie nights, campouts, themed potluck dinners and yearly crab feast. Included is a children’s play area and reserve space for your personal small garden. Email oxonhill_pool@yahoo.com
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and hip-hop. Day camps are offered in morning (9 a.m. to noon), afternoon (1 p.m. to 4 p.m.) or all-day blocks; evening class times vary. Of course, there are modifications to keep everyone safe during the pandemic. The facility is operating at 30 percent capacity, with classes reduced in size from 20 to 9 students in independent sessions, and five students for parents and child classes. Everyone entering the building has their temperature taken before admittance. All adults in the facility are masked, and children are encouraged to wear masks depending on ages. Children move through gymnastic stations as individuals, rather than in groups
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of three, and all stations (horse, mat, etc.) are spaced 10 feet apart. The facility is following all guidance from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in sanitizing equipment, doors, bathrooms and surfaces, allowing 30 to 45 minutes between each session for deep cleaning. “We are doing whatever we can to adapt to current conditions to make it safe for everyone,” said Mussman. Get more information, see class schedules and schedule a tour of the facility by visiting www.thelittlegym.com, calling 202-450-1175 or sending an email to tlgoncapitolhilldc@thelittlegym.com ◆
H Street Spa Offers Facials, Water Massages
M
by Eva Herscowitz
assageLuXe Spa opened in mid-February with “great momentum,” owner Rosalyn Brown said. But exactly five weeks after the spa opened, it temporarily shut its doors. Surging COVID-19 cases put operations on hold, leaving Brown to support spa employees, make rent and pay vendors. So when MassageLuXe reopened June 25, staging a safe and successful return to business was critical. So far, sticking to health guidelines and social media outreach has paid off. “We’ve been booked and really, really busy since we opened,” front desk employee Domonique Maldonado said. “I guess it’s the fact that everyone’s been in their house for about three months. Everyone needs to refresh again.” Brown said the spa’s layout — a street-level lobby above several massage rooms — gives the location “built in soundproofing.” Safety precautions make quality massage, facial and waxing services possible amid COVID-19. Guidelines across MassageLuXe locations (the spa is a franchise) call for temperature checks
and frequent sanitation. At the H Street spa, one service room even serves as storage for overflow personal protective equipment. It’s not just well-executed health procedures that are drawing customers. Ofwwferings like a LuXe Lounge stocked with tea, coffee and water and the HydroLuXe water massage give customers a “quality experience,” Brown said. “They can have a moment of clarity and relaxation, and really just enjoy that self-care that is hard to come by,” she said. “Our job is really to be a service to our clients.” On spa services, Maldonado recommends facials, which she said are just “as important as massages.” Alisha Roberts, who has friends who have scheduled appointments at MassageLuXe, said she has heard only positive reviews of the spa. Roberts promoted the spa on social media after coming across a post Brown made in a Facebook group for Black Washingtonians. Roberts, who co-founded Richard Wright Public Charter School, said she wanted to promote the Black-owned spa as it navigated reopening.
The MassageLuXe lobby. The spa reopened June 25 after closing for two months as COVID-19 cases spread. Photo: Rosalyn Brown
“We all were really excited to know it’s Black-owned, and it’s right on the H Street Corridor, which is such a hotbed of activity,” Roberts said. “We’d love to have clients come in and try us out for the first time,” Brown said. “We want to provide them a sense of peace in the midst of all this chaos.” Make an appointment at MassageLuXe online here, or call 202558-6160. Visit the spa’s Facebook page for more information. Eva Herscowitz is a journalism student at Northwestern University currently interning with the Hill Rag. She writes for Northwestern’s student newspaper, The Daily Northwestern. You can reach her at eva@hillrag.com u
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SOUTHWEST COFFEE SHOP REOPENS AFTER COVID
Sacred Grounds Serves Coffee, Sandwiches and Honey’s Desserts
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by Elizabeth O’Gorek
arie Stanley and Cathy Stanley say it was their grandfather who inspired the name for Honey’s Desserts, the loafs, cakes and tarts served at their Southwest coffee shop Sacred Grounds Café (222 M St. SW). “All his grandchildren called him Honey,” said Cathy of her grandfather, “because that’s what we heard my grandmother call him,” interjects Marie. “And that name stuck with him, all his life, he was ‘Honey,’” finishes her sister. A week after their opening on March 7, they were forced to close because of the pandemic. Now, after three months, the family, including Marie’s son Nigel Broadnax, has reopened Fridays and Saturdays for front door pick-up of coffee beverages, sandwiches, salads and Honey’s Desserts and is about to launch on the
In Memory Of
Greta Broers Burger August 21, 2013 – July 2, 2020
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n July 2, Greta Broers Burger, a popular Hill resident these last several years unexpectedly, but peacefully passed.
Beloved companion of Nancy and Chuck, Greta will always be known for her infectious smile and affection for all the many Capitol Hill children, neighbors and fellow canines she met. A familiar face Greta was a friend to all, be they 2 or 4 legged. All were greeted with a wagging tail and a lick. As her Shepherd breed compelled, she was always attentive to the needs of others as she boldly protected house and neighborhood.
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From her front door perch overlooking the 400 block of 6th Street SE, Greta stood tall on duty. Her only guilty pleasure was snagging baguettes or dog biscuits from unsuspecting 2 leggers. An enthusiastic kind soul Greta will be greatly missed at home and in the great neighborhood that greeted her everyday. Nancy and Chuck would like to personally thank all the many neighbors, children and friends who have offered their condolences and support. This is another reason why Capitol Hill is a very special place. We know Greta felt that way!
Sisters Cathy (left) and Marie Stanley operate Sacred Grounds Café as well as Honey’s Desserts, the bakery that produces the loaves, tarts and cakes featured in the shop. Courtesy: M. Stanley
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GrubHub delivery platform. The shop serves banana bread, carrot, sweet potato and apple loafs. They offer sweet potato and apple crumb tarts and a new chocolate espresso cake with coffee icing. The reopening has been going well, said Cathy, especially after the success of the grand opening. Hundreds of neighbors came to meet the two proprietors and pick up a free coffee. “It was wonderful,” said Marie. “It was better than we thought. It was busy from the moment we opened to the moment we closed.”
A Partnership With St. Matthew’s Marie and Cathy are local residents and members of St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, which built a brand-new church building that opened in January 2019. The building had a café space but no operator. The sisters decided to step in and partner with the church to operate the café. The location is perfect, said Marie. “It was Southwest, and southwest is not only up-and-coming, it’s here,” she said. There is a lot of foot traffic, with an apartment next door and with the location set perfectly between Nationals Park and The Wharf. Sacred Grounds Café is currently open Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Learn more by calling 202-725-8642, by visiting Sacred Grounds Café is at 222 M St. SW, between Valo Apartments and St. Matthews Lutheran Church. Follow @SacredGroundsCafeDC on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Visit HoneysDesserts. com to place orders for pick-up at the café or email honeysbananabread@gmail.com u
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.capitol streets.
/ The Numbers /
SUMMER BRINGS NEW BENEFITS and Wage Increases for District Workers
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by Doni Crawford
n July 1, 2020 the District became a better place to live, work, and raise a family. DC workers can now claim local paid leave benefits to attend to urgent family needs without having to worry about the loss of income. And the minimum wage in DC increased from $14 per hour to $15 per hour the same day—making it a bit easier for workers to take care of themselves and their families. These policies better ensure that workers have a better level of financial stability. We still have a long way to go to ensure the District can be a place where everyone succeeds, but this is welcome progress.
Paid Family Leave Benefit Payments Commence The Universal Paid Leave Act, passed by the DC Council in 2016, grants eight weeks of parental leave for parents to be with their children, six weeks of family leave for workers to care for sick relatives, and two weeks of medical leave for workers to care for their own health needs. This limits our chances of having to make impossible choices between caring for the people we love and earning the money we need to survive. Equity is built into part of our paid leave program. DC’s paid leave structure ensures that the lowest-wage workers benefit the most by replacing 90 percent of average weekly wages for those earning up to $22.50 per hour. The program accounts for workers who have more than one employer, capping a maximum weekly benefit at $1,000 per week for all workers. If you’re wondering how DC’s paid leave policy will benefit you, check out the paid leave benefit calculator on the Department of Employment Services site. The recent coronavirus-induced economic downturn is a powerful reminder of the importance of worker security and protections. Paid family leave is a key tool to reduce worker stress and support their desire to prioritize family and personal health. For example, the paid family leave program will assist in reducing DC’s high rate of infant 26 ★ HILLRAG.COM
mortality, according to research by the DC Council Budget Office. It will help prevent the tragic reality that many new mothers have faced—being forced to return to work just days after childbirth because they couldn’t afford to take unpaid time off. But overly restrictive and exclusionary final rules that the Executive has imposed means that fewer people will have access to the program. Some of these rules include requiring someone to be employed when applying for benefits (increasing the possibility of termination); limiting applying for benefits retroactively after sudden health emergencies; and cutting off end-of-life care for a loved one immediately upon their death. This undercuts the broader goals of the program and our collective well-being. The DC Committee on Labor and Workforce Development hopes to eventually consider legislative expansions to program eligibility given these stringent regulations.
New Minimum Wage DC’s lowest wage workers are also benefitting from a pay bump: DC’s minimum wage has increased
from $14 per hour to $15 per hour for workers, no matter the size of their employer. The global health pandemic has led to a spike in immediate health and human service needs across the District, and this pay increase is needed now more than ever to keep families stable. The tipped minimum wage also increased—from $4.45 per hour to $5.00 per hour. Going forward, both minimum wage and the tipped minimum wage will increase to reflect inflation—a best practice—and help keep up with rising costs. Initiative 77, approved by over 50 percent of DC voters in 2018, would have eliminated the tipped minimum wage, but the Council repealed it. As of the time of this writing, the Council is set to approve a 2021 fiscal year budget that fully funds the provisions of the repeal legislation, which includes requiring employers to streamline how they report tipped wages to mitigate wage theft and the launch of a public campaign to inform tipped workers on their rights. Fully funding of these initiatives would be a win for DC workers. Due to centuries of structural racism and racist policies that restricted Black workers to the lowest paying jobs, the Black median household income in DC is $45,200 and has not changed over the past decade, despite a boom in economic growth up to the pandemic. Nearly half of all workers who are benefitting from a $15 minimum wage are Black, and another 24 percent are Latinx. Similarly, people of color disproportionately make up 70 percent of DC’s tipped workforce and are most benefitting from the tipped minimum wage increase. But these increases are not enough and will not close the deeply entrenched racial wealth gap in DC. A larger redistribution of resources, land, and other wealth building opportunities are needed to do so. Given DC’s high cost of living, it is important for District leaders to continue to help workers with the lowest wages stay in DC. Residents need to earn $32.83 per hour to afford a two-bedroom rental home in DC—the fourth highest housing wage in the country, the National Low Income Housing Co-
alition estimates. And the ongoing pandemic will surely exacerbate the barriers that many of our lowincome, longtime Washingtonian neighbors were already facing to stay in DC. While the $15 minimum wage is critical to ensuring a fair wage for the lowest-paid workers, DC leaders should take steps to increase it to a living wage— a more accurate pay rate needed for a household to afford housing, child care, food, health care, and other necessities. A living wage would be closer to $17.76 per hour for a worker with no children.
Resources for Workers DC government and our partners have a number of resources available for DC workers to learn more about their rights and the paid family leave program: • The DC Office of Paid Family Leave website includes stepby-step instructions on how to apply for paid family leave benefits. • The DC Paid Family Leave campaign website provides accessible eligibility and benefits information on the three types of DC paid family leave. • The First Shift Justice Project assists people with applying for paid family leave, appealing denials, or addressing retaliation. • DC Jobs with Justice frequently offers free Know Your Rights clinics for workers and employers to learn more about DC’s labor laws and worker rights. Doni Crawford is a policy analyst at the DC Fiscal Policy Institute (www. dcfpi.org). DCFPI promotes budget and policy solutions to address DC’s economic and racial inequities and increase opportunities for residents to build a better future. u
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.capitol streets.
Florida Ave. Streetscape Project Begins Next Phase JULY REPORT: ANC6A by Nick L. Alberti
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hair Amber Gove (6A04) convened the July 9, 2020 meeting of Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6A via WebEx with Commissioners Marie-Claire Brown (6A01), Phil Toomajian (6A02), Mike Soderman (6A03), Ruth Ann Hudson (6A05), Stephanie Zimny (6A06), Sondra Phillips-Gilbert (6A07) and Brian Alcorn (6A08) all in attendance.
Florida Avenue and Dave Thomas Circle Project Updates Amanda Stout, Deputy Chief Officer for Project Delivery at the Department of Transportation (DDOT) reported that the Florida Avenue street scape project has progressed to 90% design completion which includes widening the sidewalks under the rail bridge at 2nd and 3rd Streets and changing the previously planned 2-way protected cycle track to one-way protected lanes on either side of the street from 2nd to H Streets. Though plans for work to Dave Thomas Circle at the intersection of New York and Florida Avenues are only at 65% completion, they already include extending these protected bike lanes through the intersection to Eckington Place NE. DDOT is working with the NoMA BID and NoMa Parks Foundation to help design the three new public spaces created by this redesign. More information on either of these projects can be found at floridaaveproject.com.
Department of Justice Pandemic Fraud Hotline Assistant United States Attorney Doug Klein presented on the Department of Justice’s Covid-19 Pandemic Fraud Hotline. The number is 202-252-7022. Information provided via this hotline is sent directly to the Attorney General’s office. Mr. Klein also provided tips for identifying potential scams encouraging folks to independently verify any information received in e-mails or found on websites. Many scammers will set up websites or send e-mails from addresses that are very close to that of a legitimate operation. Additionally, he suggests not clicking links in e-mails sent from unfamiliar sources, keeping one’s antimalware software up to date and always researching an operation’s validity, such as a charity, before sending a donation. For more information pertaining to potential Covid-19 related scams, visit www.sec.gov.
School-Within-School @ Goding Modernization Diana Halbstein, the project Coordinator for the Facility Planning and Design for District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS), reported on the coming modernization occurring at School-Within-School @ Goding (SWS). This redesign is focused on catering to the needs of this school’s specialty programming including a major renovation altering the building layout, plus an addition targeting space for approximately 350 students, a small increase over the current facilities capacity. The project is currently nearing completion of the concept design phase and soon to be entering the schematic design phase. Construction is planned to begin in January 2021 with an anticipated finish date of August 2022. In the meantime, a temporary campus will be constructed in a field near Phelps High School. 28 ★ HILLRAG.COM
DCRA: Shifting to Digital The Ward 6 Account Manager from the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA), Anthony Diallo, introduced the ANC to scout.dcra.dc.gov, a resource hub for answering questions and finding information regarding local businesses, permitting, owner resources and more. Mr. Diallo also updated the ANC on the DCRA’s current operating status. The agency’s goal is to operate entirely digitally and while they have not yet achieved this goal, Mr. Diallo reported that even though DCRA’s physical offices are not open, the agency has approved as many, possibly more permits than is typical and they are continuing to keep up with inspection and other licensing as per usual.
Motions and Recommendations 1. The Commissioners voted, unanimously, to send a letter of support to DDOT for Mozzeria’s public space application for an outdoor patio at 1300 H Street. NE including conditions standard to similar agreements reached with other area businesses. 2. The Commissioners voted, unanimously, to send a letter of support to the Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) for a special exception from the rear addition requirements to construct a two-story rear addition to an existing attached principal dwelling unit at 229 14th Street, NE (BZA #20301) in the RF-1 Zone. 3. The Commissioners voted, unanimously, to approve the revised ANC 6A Residents Guide and to post the document to the ANC 6A.org website. August 2020 H 29
YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD REALTOR
GEORGE OLSON (202) 203-0339 - (M) (202) 203-0339 - (D) george.olson@cbmove.com Capitol Hill Office 605 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE 202.547.3525
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4. The Commissioners voted, unanimously, to establish a Facebook page for the Commission and that the page be administered by the ANC 6A Community Outreach Committee (COC). 5. The Commissioners voted to take no action on the application of DC Culinary Academy, LLC, t/a The Outsider at 13571359 H Street NE for renewal of its Class C Tavern License, and no action on any application of DC Culinary Academy, LLC, t/a The Outsider at 13571359 H Street NE for a change of trade name. 6. The Commissioners voted, unanimously, to authorize Amber Gove, Phil Toomajian and David Levy to represent ANC 6A for discussions with DDOT regarding the establishment of an outdoor H Street NE “Streatery” district. 7. The Commissioners voted, unanimously, to send a letter to DDOT in support of the proposed designation of 12th Street NE (from East Capitol to K St), G Street NE (from 2nd to 15th Streets) and Gales Street NE (from 15th to 21st Streets) and authorize Gove to represent ANC 6A for discussions with ANC 6B and ANC 6C to identify additional roadways that should be designated as “slow streets” under the DC Slow Streets Initiative. Visit www.anc6a.org for a calendar of meeting times, meeting agendas and other information. u
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Name Changes for Brent and Tyler Schools JULY REPORT: ANC 6B by Elizabeth O’Gorek
T
he values of the community are something to be cherished and appreciated, and as part of that there are aspects of our history with which we need to wrestle,” said Commissioner Corey Holman (6B06), introducing a resolution that asks the DC Council to change the names of John Tyler Elementary (1001 G St. SE) and Robert Brent Elementary School (301 North Carolina Ave. SE) at the July 14th meeting of Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6B. The resolution also supports school communities in a process of changing the names of John Tyler Elementary (1001 G St. SE) and Robert Brent Elementary School (301 North Carolina Ave. SE) and requests that DC Council advance a bill calling for the Mayor to establish an advisory commission to systematically review controversial markets, places and place names “that are seen as oppressive and inconsistent with District of Columbia Values.” The commission split the resolution into two, with unanimous support given to the resolution in favor of moving forward on the advisory commission. It asks council to advance Bill B23-0234, introduced April 2, 2019 to require the Mayor to establish a body that would study monuments, markers and symbols and make recommendations on places and place names. Although a public hearing on the bill was held in January of this year, it stalled before reaching the Com-
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August 2020 ★ 31
THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA HOUSING AUTHORITY
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ) SOLICITATION NO.: 0023-2020
BASELINE SERVICE PROVIDER The District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) is accepting applications for Baseline Service Providers for services available throughout various DCHA properties. SOLICITATION DOCUMENTS will be available on DCHA’s website at www.dchousing.org under “Business” and “Solicitations” beginning Monday, July 13, 2020. DCHA will accept proposals on a rolling quarterly basis, beginning August 2020 through November 2021 for as long as DCHA has capacity. SEALED PROPOSAL RESPONSES ARE DUE ON OR BEFORE 12:00 p.m. noon on the first Thursday of the quarter as follows: Thursday, August 13, 2020 Thursday, May 6, 2021 Thursday, November 5, 2020 Thursday, August 5, 2021 Thursday, February 4, 2021 Thursday, November 4, 2021 Email LaShawn Mizzell-McLeod, Contract Specialist at LMMCLEOD@dchousing.org with copy to business@dchousing.org for inquiries or additional information.
THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA HOUSING AUTHORITY
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) SOLICITATION NO.: 0013-2020
ABATEMENT/LEAD RENOVATION, REPAIR AND PAINTING (RRP) SERVICES The District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) requires certified and professional firms to provide Abatement and Lead RRP services throughout various DCHA properties. SOLICITATION DOCUMENTS will be available on DCHA’s website at www.dchousing.org under “Business” and “Solicitations” beginning Monday, July 13, 2020. SEALED PROPOSAL RESPONSES ARE DUE ON OR BEFORE Monday, August 3, 2020 at 12:00 PM noon. Email LaShawn Mizzell-McLeod, Contract Specialist at LMMCLEOD@dchousing.org with copy to business@dchousing.org for inquiries or additional information.
At the July 14th meeting of ANC 6B, held via Webex, Commissioner Corey Holman (6B06) sketched on this Google Map image to show areas along the Anacostia Riverfront that are the focus of a rezoning discussion. Screenshot/Google Maps via Webex]
mittee of the Whole for markup. There was discussion on the resolution calling for renaming the two Capitol Hill schools, which passed by a vote of 5-2, with one abstention. Calling the case for changing the name of Tyler, a school named for former President John Tyler, a slaveholder later buried under the flag of the Confederacy a ‘slam dunk’, one parent argued that the case against Robert Brent was less clear. Brent was the first Mayor of Washington DC serving from 1802-1811. He led the city when DC Council passed legislation restricting the movement of non-white citizens in public space, including a requirement to carry identification as well as a curfew. Some commissioners argued that more needed to be known about Brent himself and whether the legislation came from Brent or the Council. Others argued that the ANC should leave this decision to the school communities, only weighing in on the matter of the legislation to create the commission.
COVID-19 related humanitarian relief. $5,000 was granted to Shirley’s Place (1338 G St. SE), the daily drop-in center operated by Everyone Home DC, a nonprofit working to assist those experiencing homelessness. The funds will be used to purchase brand-new winter clothing. The organization would usually distribute donated items but is moving to newly purchased goods to avoid transmitting the Covid-19. A grant of not more than $15,000 was also designated for Serve Your City DC (SYC DC), the Hill-based nonprofit anchoring the Ward 6 Mutual Aid Efforts. The organization will use the funds to purchase food, cleaning supplies, PPE and other necessities for families suffering during the public health crisis. The grant will also support the purchase and refurbishment of devices and internet hotspots for students to use while distance learning, as well as cover transportation costs as SYC DC collects items from donation spots and transports them to storage or to families.
Support Granted for COVID Work
Support NOI to Rezone
The commission voted to support grants to two organizations providing 32 H HILLRAG.COM
Commissioners supported a Notice of Intent (NOI) to file a Map Amendment for Reservation 344-D, colloqui-
ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSION 6A AMBER GOVE, CHAIR, AMBERANC6A@GMAIL.COM Serving the Near Northeast, North Lincoln Park, Rosedale, and H Street communities ANC 6A generally meets the second Thursday of the month, at Miner Elementary School, 601 15th Street, NE.
www.anc6a.org ALL ARE WELCOME. ANC6A is on recess in August, The Next meeting is 2nd Thursday, September 10th, 7:00 p.m. The committee meetings will be held Via WebEx as Time Sensitive items arise. Please check our website to verify if a meeting is scheduled and to obtain the WebEx information for that specific meeting. Transportation & Public Space Committee meeting Will be on recess in August. The next meeting 2nd Monday of the month September 14th at 7pm. Alcohol Beverage Licensing Committee meeting Next meeting 3rd Tuesday of the month, August 18th at 7pm. Please find the Webex information on the ANC website. Economic Development and Zoning Committee meeting Next meeting 3rd Wednesday of the month, August 19th at 7pm. Please find the Webex information on the ANC website. Community Outreach Committee meeting Next meeting 4th Monday of the month, August 24th at 7pm. Please find the Webex information on the ANC website. We appreciate your understanding and until we know that the emergency has subsided but please check our website www.ANC6A.org for additional information and updates.
Advisory Neighborhood Commission 6C P.O. Box 77876 • Washington, D.C. 20013-7787 www.anc6c.org • (202) 547-7168
ANC 6C will meet September 9 by teleconference. Information will be posted on the ANC 6C website.
ANC 6C COMMISSIONERS ANC 6C01 Christine Healey 6C01@anc.dc.gov
ANC 6C04 Mark Eckenwiler 6C04@anc.dc.gov
ANC 6C02 Karen Wirt 6C02@anc.dc.gov
ANC 6C05 Joel Kelty 6C05@anc.dc.gov
ANC 6C03 Jay Adelstein 6C03@anc.dc.gov
ANC 6C06 Drew Courtney drewcourtney.anc @gmail.com
ANC usually meets the second Wednesday of each month at 7:00 pm, 214 Massachusetts Ave, N.E. Please check the ANC 6C website for dates.
ANC 6C COMMITTEES Alcoholic Beverage Licensing First Monday, 7 pm Contact: anc6c.abl.committee@gmail.com Grants Last Thursday, 7 pm Contact: torylord@gmail.com Twitter: @ANC_6C_Grants Environment, Parks, and Events First Tuesday, 7 pm Contact: jgmccann@gmail.com
Transportation and Public Space First Thursday, 7 pm Contact: anc6c.tps@gmail.com Planning, Zoning, and Economic Development First Wednesday, 6:30 pm Contact: 6C04@anc.dc.gov Twitter: @6C_PZE
August 2020 H 33
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ally known as ‘Boathouse Row’ from unzoned land to a MU-11 designation. The area includes the Anacostia River waterfront adjacent to the 11th Street Bridge, with a focus on the portion at the base of the triangle formed by 11th Street SE and the Southeast Freeway. A 45-day notice to property owners is required before an application to amend the zoning map can be submitted. ANC 6B has been engaged in informal discussion with the Office of Planning (OP) in regard to a larger vision for the waterfront, linked to discussions begun a year earlier about the need for a new location for a District heliport and the potential for zoning to interrupt use of the land for that purpose. The lease is set to expire on the South Capitol Heliport (1724 South Capitol St. SE) and ANC 6B has known since August 2019 that operator Congressional Aviation (CA) is looking for a new heliport site. District officials told ANC 6B that they expected CA to suggest the former DC Gas Light Company’s East Station at 12th and Water Streets SE, but that no commitment had been made. Holman said that the NOI was prompted by a notice that both he and 11th Street Bridge Park Director Scott Kratz had received from the OP Neighborhood Planner for Ward 6 on July 14th. Holman described the notice as saying “that he [the planner] is no longer allowed to speak about this project, and to refer all questions to the City Administrator, which to Scott and I signaled that they are moving forward with this project.” If the property remains unzoned, Holman said, the Zoning Commission can pass a text amendment allowing heliport use, which the ANC would then have no authority to oppose. If the area is zoned MU-11, construction of a heliport
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would require a variance, allowing the ANC standing in the case. The ANC voted to support: • A Board of Zoning Amendment (BZA) application for a second story addition to an existing alley building at the rear of 203 Third St. SE. The applicant wishes to renovate and add a second story to a garage structure in order to use it as a primary residence. The application includes a rooftop deck. The commission had reviewed the Historic Preservation Application (HPA) multiple times in 2019 and delayed a hearing of the BZA in June to hear from neighbors in opposition to the project on grounds of privacy concerns. The rooftop patio will look down into the rear yard of the adjacent Third Street Property. The applicant has offered to erect privacy screening, but the neighbor argued this would compromise air and light. The commission voted to support special exemption to side yard and alley centerline setback requirements, as well as an area variance for conversion of a substandard tax lot to an alley lot on the condition that the applicant record a covenant ensuring the property is designated residential for a minimum of 15 years, as well as on the condition that privacy screening be utilized. • A letter requesting the Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB) delay the hearing of an application to add a second story to an existing building at 419 Eighth St. SE. The applicant was out of town during the commission’s Planning and Zoning Committee meeting and requested a deferral until the September meeting. Due to COVID-19 safety con-
cerns, ANC 6B held the July meeting of the full commission on Tuesday, July 14th virtually via Webex with a quorum of six commissioners. Appearing were Commissioners Jennifer Samolyk (6B01), Gerald Sroufe (6B02, Secretary), Brian Ready (6B03, Chair), Kirsten Oldenburg (6B04), Steve Holtzman (6B05), Corey Holman (6B06, Treasurer), Kelly Waud (6B07, Parliamentarian), Chander Jayaraman (6B08, ViceChair) and Denise Krepp (6B10). ANC 6B09 is currently vacant. ANCs do not meet in August. The next meeting of ANC 6B is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, September 8. For the most up-to-date information on meetings and how to join a virtual meeting via Webex, visit anc6b.org. ANC 6B has been working to update its website. You can visit the new site, learn about Commissioners and committees, and subscribe to the newsletter by visiting anc6b.org or connect with the commission via email at 6b@anc.dc.gov or find @ANC6B on Twitter. ◆
ANC Recommends Sanitation Stations for Homeless JULY REPORT; ANC 6C by Eva Herscowitz
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dvisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6C voted 5-1 to draft a letter to the DC Department of Human Services (DHS) recommending portable toilets and handwashing stations be provided for people experiencing homelessness who live in encampments
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North of Massachusetts Avenue. Commissioner Drew Courtney (6C06) moved the letter, explaining that representatives from the NoMA/H Street Civic Association sent a letter to DHS urging the placement around NoMA encampments of sanitation stations that are routinely cleaned. Courtney said representatives from Ward 6 Mutual Aid have also expressed support. Because people experiencing homelessness are particularly at-risk of COVID-19 exposure, Courtney said supporting the placement of stations is a “no brainer.” Treasurer Joel Kelty (6C05) abstained, saying that he felt people who live in houses and apartments near the NoMA encampments had not had an adequate opportunity to weigh in on the sanitation stations. Kelty said supporting infrastructure improvements may “encourage the permanence of these encampments without a longer term, bigger picture plan.” He proposed using the ANC’s grant funding to outsource oversight of the toilets and handwashing stations to a local non-profit, but ultimately abstained from the vote on the letter, the recommendations of which he said he believes are “not a fully developed idea.” Courtney said he supports adding to the letter a friendly amendment specifying the sanitation stations are not meant to replace long-term solutions to reducing homelessness. He rejected Kelty’s proposal that the letter limit the placement of the sanitation stations to the pandemic’s duration. “If the pandemic went away tomorrow, having toilet facilities and having clean hands would still seem to me to be prudent,” Courtney said.
Resumption of Residential Permit Parking Enforcement ANC 6C voted unanimously to send a letter to Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) and DC Department of Public Works (DPW) Director Christopher Geldart expressing the commission’s “emphatic support” that DPW resumes enforcement of Residential Permit Parking (RPP). Vice-Chair Mark Eckenwiler (6C04) moved the letter, citing concerns that DPW is not enforcing RPP violations during the pandemic even as the District has moved to Phase 2. With daytime commuters and workers returning to the District and parking in RPP spaces, Eckenwiler said the lack of enforcement makes it difficult for residents to find parking. The RPP program limits on-street parking to participating residents living on designated blocks. 38 H HILLRAG.COM
Parking is limited to two hours during the hours of operation for those vehicles without the appropriate zone RPP sticker. RPP is a jointly administered program that includes the DC Department of Transportation (DDOT), DPW and the DC Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). After circulating a draft, Eckenwiler said the commission plans in the letter to identify several “hotspots” where they believe RPP is not enforced. “This is something that protects residents,” Eckenwiler said. “It’s entirely consonant with public health interests in the present pandemic for DPW to do the enforcement under the existing rules.”
Consent Calendar The ANC voted to approve the items on consent: • Oppose a permit approval for a two-story rear addition at 312 Third Street NE, a historic preservation site, citing errors and omissions in the application. Eckenwiler proposed withholding a letter to allow the applicant to present a revised application. • Support the concept approval of a two-story rear addition at 120 Fourth Street NE, another historic preservation site. • Support proposed changes to zoning regulations for alley lots, which deal with regulations including minimum setbacks from alley center lines and conversion of tax lots to record lots. • Send a letter to DDOT and the Florida Ave NE Intersection Project recommending the design protects people traveling by foot or bike by including concrete curbs, wider sidewalks beneath the rail bridge and improved street lighting. • Send a letter to DDOT supporting the implementation of slow streets on G Street and Third Street NE, with an additional recommendation to place a barrier at Third and I Street to curb truck traffic and maximize pedestrian safety near Giant supermarket. The letter also recommends DDOT implement additional slow streets, which allow people traveling by foot or bike to social distance, on Fifth Street and Seventh Street. • Recommend a Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) appeal of a certificate of occupancy at 409 H Street NE that was issued an error for a floor area ratio (FAR) in excess of the by-right residential maximum of that zone. • Send a letter to the ZC and Office of Planning (OP) supporting the text of amendments to rulemaking, roof top and upper floor elements.
Testimony on Union Station Expansion Project Courtney volunteered to present testimony at the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Tuesday, July 14 telephonic hearing regarding the Union Station Expansion Project. Following commissioners’ vote in the June ANC 6C meeting, the FRA granted the commission a 60-day extension to review the 4,700-page draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the Union Station expansion, Transportation and Public Space (TPS) Committee Chair Christy Kwan said. Kwan noted that Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) sent a letter to the FRA expressing her concerns about the expansion’s proposed 1,600-car parking garage, which potentially disrupts the development of public space and other transportation forms. Kwan said she recommends commissioners now examine the expansion’s impact on traffic flows, intercity buses, and pick-up and drop-off at Union Station that could create a “snarl” of traffic in the neighborhood. Ahead of the submission of comments from Kwan and others regarding the Environmental Impact Assessment for ANC 6C’s September meeting, Courtney will present testimony at the upcoming FRA hearing Tuesday, July 14. All members of ANC 6C were present at the July 8 meeting: Christine Healey (Secretary, 6C01), Karen Wirt (Chair, 6C02), Jay Adelstein (6C03), Mark Eckenwiler (Vice-Chair, 6C04), Joel Kelty (6C05), Treasurer) and Drew Courtney (6C06). ANC 6C usually meets at 7:00 p.m. on the second Wednesday of every month (except August) in the ground floor conference room at the Heritage Foundation (214 Massachusetts Ave. NE). The next meeting of ANC 6C is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday, September 9. In the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, DC Council passed emergency legislation March 17 making it possible for ANCs to meet virtually or not at all during a public health emergency. ANC 6C is meeting via Webex. For the most up-to-date information and links to join meetings of the ANC and its committees, visit anc6c.org. Eva Herscowitz is a journalism student at Northwestern University currently interning with the Hill Rag. She writes for Northwestern’s student newspaper, The Daily Northwestern. You can reach her at eva@hillrag.com u
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Wharf Developers Promise to Limit Truck Traffic
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ANC 6D JULY REPORT TOP “AV” RATED BY MARTINDALE-HUBBELL
by Eva Herscowitz
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dvisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6D met July 13 over WebEx. Commissioners Gail Fast (6D01), Anna Forgie (6D02), Ronald Collins (6D03), Andy Litsky (6D04), Fredrica (Rikki) Kramer (6D05), Rhonda Hamilton (6D06) and Edward Daniels (6D07) were in attendance. As vertical construction accelerates, managers of Phase 2 of The Wharf promised to reduce disruption by limiting the circulation of trucks through residential areas. In response to concerns from Vice Chair Andy Litsky (6D04) on the circulation of concrete trucks in “the residential community,” Construction Manager Tony Albanese said trucks will travel routes approved by the DC Department of Transportation (DDOT). He added that trucks will travel to the Vulcan Materials Company facility along M Street SW and not cut through residential areas including 4th Street SW. Still, Commissioner Anna Forgie (6D02) said trucks have frequently cut through residential streets during past projects. “That has been a problem on many projects,” she said. “My hope is that you do everything that you can to ensure that it does not happen.” Albanese said the size of the site’s curb lane permits the circulation of 14 trucks, and contractors
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ing, and added that parking trucks legally is a rule for the 1,400 union workers in the DMV. He said his team investigates photos of illegally parked vehicles, and following investigations and “[has not] seen the same… drivers” in photos. But Daniels said disruptions caused by Verizon trucks “[have] been going on every single day for over a year,” and disciplinary actions occur only after residents send Verizon officials photos. He urged Thompson to take “proacThe Wharf’s Phase 2 construction site. Photo courtesy Balfour Beatty. tive” action. In response to commissionwill work only from Monday through Saturday beers’ concerns, Thompson said he can develop a fortween 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Litsky added that constitumal plan to prevent illegal parking. Chairperson Gail ents have expressed concerns about traffic disruptions Fast suggested he and Acosta-Velez present it at ANC from food trucks parked on Maine Avenue in front of 6D’s September meeting. banks and Arena Stage, and urged Albanese to contact the Executive Office of the Mayor (EOM) to disVan Ness Modernization Project courage food trucks from parking there. DCPS Project Manager Camilo Sanin outlined upAlbanese said contractors are continuing garage coming renovations part of the Van Ness Elementaconstruction while taking “extreme precautions” ry School modernization project: the renovation of to protect workers amid COVID-19. Vertical conthe Joy Evans Recreation Center, three classroom adstruction of an office tower has already begun (parditions and a renovation of the Historic Fieldhouse. cel 6 and 7), and construction of a hotel and mixedAlthough commissioners did not vote on matters income apartment complex (parcel 8) will begin in related to the project, Department of General Serviclate August. es (DGS) Project Manager Megan Andargie said the Project Director Matt Steenhoek said around half team may apply for “some” summer weekend permits, of Phase 2 rentals are market-rate affordable housing. which would require a vote. But as residents face unemployment and income loss as a result of COVID-19, Commissioner Rhonda Spin Equity Program Hamilton (6D06) said developers should work to enElectric scooter company Spin is offering two equity sure residents housed in The Wharf ’s Phase 1 units programs, Community Partnership Associate Alexreceive adequate support. ander Davis said. The Everyday Heroes program ofThe Wharf ’s second phase of projects is schedfers approved essential workers free 30-minute Spin uled to open in summer 2022. More information is rides, and Spin Access gives reduced rides to peoavailable at phase2.wharfdc.com. ple with limited incomes upon presentation of eligible documents. Illegally Parked Verizon Vehicles Visit www.spin.app/covid19 for information Verizon officials are pursuing “progressive disciabout Everyday Heroes, and call 1-888-262-5189 for pline” for utility truck drivers who fail to park leSpin Access information. gally, Verizon Director of Field Operations Chad Thompson said. Commissioners shared photos of Consent Agenda Verizon utility trucks blocking turn lanes and crossThe ANC voted to approve the items on consent: walks. Commissioner Edward Daniels (6D07) said il• Send a letter to Attorney General Karl Racine legally parked trucks are especially common in Single asking him to investigate air pollution in Buzzard Member District (SMD) 6D07 and 6D02. Point, noting the prevalence of COVID-19 comThompson said he has partnered with Mario plications in communities where pollution-agAcosta-Velez, Verizon’s Director of State Governgravated respiratory illness is common. The letment Affairs/External Affairs, to enforce legal park40 H HILLRAG.COM
• •
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ter’s goal is to urge Racine to investigate why the Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE) has failed to conduct a cumulative impact assessment on Buzzard Point pollution. Send a letter to DOEE about future comments on Vulcan Materials Company’s air quality permit, which is up for renewal. Send a letter to Racine asking him to look into the intended placement of phone monopoles throughout the community. Hamilton said residents have not been provided with an assessment of the health and environmental impact. Send a letter of inquiry to the EOM regarding the status of The Aya, a Short Term Family Housing facility. Although Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) held a February ribbon cutting ceremony, Forgie said the building has not opened to families due to a failed audit and inspection. Send a letter of support to Southwest Business Improvement District (SWBID) for a resident’s Commission of Fine Arts grant application to install a mural adjacent to Syphax Gardens.
Development, Planning and Transportation The ANC voted unanimously to: • Send a letter to Allen and Nicole Rogers, the Permit Center Supervisor at the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA), about after-hours utility work. The letter requests utility companies operating within a certain distance of residences abide by the same permit requirements the DCRA imposes for other developers and contractors. • Approve a notice of intent (NOI) DDOT issued to install protected bikeways along the 900-1400 block of 1st Street SE. • Send a final letter to the Zoning Commission (ZC) on the WhyHotel, a temporary hotel set to open during the lease-up phase of the RiverPoint development at 2100 Second St. SW. Commissioners previously criticized the WhyHotel for its lack of affordable units. • Send a letter to Executive Director of the DC Public Library Richard Reyes-Gavilan asking him to consider reopening the Southwest Interim Library before construction of the Southwest Library’s on-site replacement is completed. The next meeting of ANC 6D is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, September 14 via Webex. For information and links to join ANC meetings, visit anc6d.org. u
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August 2020 ★ 41
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BULLETIN BOARD Capitol Hill Safeway to Open Capitol Hill Safeway, 415 14th St. SE, is scheduled to open on Wednesday, Aug. 12. It is the end of more than two years of work on the 60,000 square foot Safeway store which anchors the 402,012 mixeduse building known as Beckert’s Park. The new grocery is 10,000 square feet larger than the former store, which was constructed in 1980. The store will be open 24 hours, seven days a week.
Photo: Tim Ervin
New York Mets at Nationals Park on April 1. Washington’s initial homestand will feature three games against the Mets before welcoming the Atlanta Braves, April 5 to 7. Washington will host 13 homestands--with two of at least nine games--and 14 weekend series during the 2021 season. mlb. com/nationals.
Join Dreaming Out Loud's Black Farmers CSA
Dreaming Out Loud's mission is to create economic opportunity for DC residents by Father McKenna building a healthy, equitable Center Food food system. Through NoPantry Open New Kenilworth Park Photo Contest Begins vember 18, members receive The Father McKenna CenThe Friends of Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens is hosting a photo contest highlighting the beauty to eight weeks of fresh fruit, vegter, 900 North Capitol St. be captured at the park. Each month, they will feature a different category, so return often to take, etables and prepared foods at NW (ground level of St. Aloyand enter, your photos. And the best part? You choose the winners by voting on social media. Con- Kelly Miller Farmers Market sius Church), operates a daily test rules will be available soon on fokag.org. For now, get to the park and take some pictures. Cat- or at one of their communiFood Pantry for low-income egories and deadlines are: Lotus (deadline passed); Abstracts, Aug. 22; Plants & Flowers, Sept. ty pickup locations: Wednesfamilies, particularly seniors, 22; Landscapes, Oct. 22; and Wildlife, Nov. 22. Winners receive bragging rights and their pho- days, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Kelwho are residents of Ward 6. to at the top of the Friends Facebook and Twitter pages for one month. They are also working to ly Miller Middle School, 301 The Food Pantry is open each provide winners with unique access to Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens to take photos and meet the 49th St. NE; Thursdays, 10 weekday. Families seeking food other winning photographers. Questions? Contact Megan at megan@fokag.org or 202-695-0374. a.m. to 2 p.m., IDEA Public assistance check-in with volunCharter School, 1027 45th St. teers and select the products dition techniques. This two-week program, taught by NE; Saturdays, 3 to 5 p.m., All they want to meet their specific family’s needs. Famaccomplished theater professionals, is geared towards Souls Church, 1500 Harvard St. NW; Mondays, 1 to ilies may visit the Food Pantry as often as every two those interested in studying theater in college or those 3 p.m., Wework Navy Yard, 80 M St. SE. They ofweeks. fathermckennacenter.org. just beginning their careers. This virtual format allows fer flexible pricing including free produce for famistudents in the DC area and around the country to join lies in need. Read more at csa.dreamingoutloud.org. Arena Stage Announces Virtual this brand-new program. The Virtual Audition IntenAudition Intensive sive will run August 3 to 14, Monday through Friday. DC Libraries Take-out Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater Classes are via Zoom. To read more and register, visService Available announces its newly created virtual audition intensive. it arenastage.org/auditionintensive. Take-out service is now available at Anacostia, Developed and led by Arena Stage’s Community EnBenning, Cleveland Park, Mt. Pleasant, Northeast, gagement department, the online intensive prepares Nationals Announce 2021 Schedule Shepherd Park, West End and Woodridge libraries students and artists ages 16 to 22 for careers in theThe 17th season of Nationals baseball will comon weekdays from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 3 to 7 ater with group and private coaching sessions in aumence with an Opening Day matchup against the 42 H HILLRAG.COM
August 2020 H 43
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p.m. The locations will be closed from 2:30 to 3 p.m. every day for sanitizing. Return items, pick up holds, browse the window collections, check out items and remote print at any of the eight locations. Search the catalog and place holds online at dclibrary.org. For help, use the chat service in the bottom right corner of your screen or call the Library at 202-747-1017 for adult materials or 202-7475054 for youth materials. You will receive an email notification when your holds are ready to pick up. dclibrary.org/reopening.
ESL Conversation Circles Are you a non-native speaker of English who would like to practice your English language skills or build vocabulary? If yes, join the DC Public Library on Mondays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. for virtual ESL Conversation Circles. The online sessions are for non-native speakers of English ages 18 and older with low intermediate or higher English language skills. Contact libraryexpress@dc.gov for the link.
Arena Stage Announces New Season Starting January 2021 Arena Stage has announced the updated 2020/21 Season. The season reflects Arena Stage’s commitment to compelling, dynamic work that is packed with drama, humor, music and first-class storytellers. With this lineup, Arena Stage continues its commitment to strong representation for artists of color and women artists. The first three productions Celia and Fidel, Seven Guitars and Toni Stone were previously scheduled in the 2019/20 Season but were cut short due to COVID-19 restrictions. Musicals American Prophet: Frederick Douglass In His Own Words and Life After will round out the season calendar. The five-production season which includes two world premieres, one Power Play and two musicals will begin January 22. arenastage.org.
Black Lesbian Support Group Via Zoom
Goodwill Retail Store and Donation Center, 2200 South Dakota Ave. NE, have reopened. They will operate daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Masks and physical distancing required. dcgoodwill.org.
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The DC Department of Motor Vehicle has resumed in-person services as part of Phase Two. The public will be required to make appointments for most DC DMV services as the District continues efforts to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). The service changes are as follows: All service centers, adjudication services, and the Brentwood Commercial Driver License Office will operate on an “appointment only” basis. Appointments can be scheduled at dmv.dc.gov/page/dmv-appointment-details. The Inspection Station will operate on a first come, first served basis with modified hours. The Self-Service Vehicle Emissions Inspection Kiosk will re-open with 24/7 access. Road skills tests have resumed.
If your small business or nonprofit needs help understanding the financial relief options available, including the Paycheck Protection Program, you can request brief legal advice at probono.center/covid19financialrelief. On July 3, the Paycheck Protection Program Extension Act was enacted. The Act extends the deadline to apply for the Paycheck Protection Program to August 8. For more information on the Paycheck Protection Program and other legal topics related to COVID-19, visit the DC Bar Pro Bono Center's COVID-19 Legal Resources for Nonprofits & Small Businesses site at lawhelp.org/DC.
DC Goodwill Retail Store and Donation Center Reopen
Mayor Bowser has announced that the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has signed a letter of intent with the District to move their national headquarters to Washington, DC within the future redevelopment of the Frank D. Reeves Center of Municipal Affairs at 2000 14th St. NW. The District plans to redevelop the Reeves Center, through a solicitation to be issued this year, into a transit-oriented, mixed-use development with office
DC DMV Resumes In-Person Services
PPP Extended: Need Legal Advice or Information?
On the third Sunday of every month, 1 to 3 p.m., join the Beta Kappa Chapter of the Beta Phi Omega Sorority for a peer-led support group devoted to the joys and challenges of being a Black lesbian. You do not need to be a member of sorority in order to join, but they ask that you either identify as a lesbian or are questioning that aspect of your identity. thedccenter.org.
NAACP Headquarters to Move to DC
advance not only integration of the United States Armed Forces in 1948 but also passage of the Civil Rights Acts of 1957, 1964, and 1968 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Originally produced in the 2019/20 Season, Celia and Fidel, opened and closed on the same day because of the pandemic. Written by Eduardo Machado and directed by Molly Smith, this captivating story follows Fidel Castro’s rise to power, his political partner and closest confidant, Celia Sánchez, who inspired a revolution, and their fight over the children of the revolution, and the future of a nation.
space, affordable housing, and neighborhood serving amenities in a way that reflects the site’s historic and cultural significance. Founded in 1909, the NAACP is America’s premier and largest civil rights organization. Through its Washington, DC bureau, the NAACP helped to
Mount Vernon Reopens Mount Vernon currently offers an outdoor experience with the gardens, outbuildings, forest trail, slave memorial, Washington’s tomb, museum exhibits and shops open. The mansion, theaters, food court and restaurant are closed for the time being. Admission is the same at $20 for adults; $12 for ages six to eleven; and free for five and under. mountvernon.org.
Mental Health Support for the Creative Community The DC Office of Cable TV, Film, Music and Entertainment Creative Affairs Office has announced
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Capital Bikeshare Introduces eBike Fleet The District Department of Transportation and its six partner jurisdictions have announced that new eBikes with pedal-assist technology have returned to the Capital Bikeshare system. The eBikes can be unlocked using a scannable, contactless QR code in both the Capital Bikeshare and Lyft apps, or by using a member key. By boosting riders’ own pedal power, eBikes help riders make longer trips with ease. eBikes can be parked at Capital Bikeshare docking stations for free, and also at public bike racks using a built-in cable lock for an additional out-of-station fee. goDCo.com. ◆ August 2020 ★ 45
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home and garden THE GARDEN
MIRACLES THAT BRING US PEACE by Tom Getman
O
ur own various philosminds in Luke’s Gospel, to “consider ophies and faith trahow the lilies grow.” We did just that ditions provide suswith more attentiveness than at any tenance during these time in the last 43 years in our Captroubled times. But in itol Hill home and garden. And since the deep recesses of our hearts and minds we did not travel to our far-flung chilwe tremble with the awareness that nadren and grandkids as usual this year, ture’s justice will not sleep forever. So, in we also noticed anew that “the birds of this moment of awaiting and acting with the air have their nests” where to “lay compassion, we find solace, comfort their heads” and birth their young. and hopefully good health in disciplines We were captivated by the annual and mindfulness. Morning contemplative prayer, an edifying TV series or two, pickleball, long walks and zoom reunions with loved ones keep us engaged during this time of disequilibrium. Indeed, quarantine, or as we like to say, sequester (as in being isolated on a jury learning facts of a case), can bring reminders of comforting and empowering resources. This seems especially true when pandemic limits one to house and garden, and the attentive next-door friendly neighbors of both the twolegged and feathered kind. This 2020 spring/early Baby wrens use Tom Getman’s shoe as a summer caused us, as Jesus re- perch while practicing flight.
Karen Getman tends her garden. Four birdhouses hang from the crape myrtle welcoming new occupants.
return of our house wrens. They soothed our spirits with their lovely songs and their focused care for their surroundings, nests and progeny. Things seemed alright with the less polluted world in our little patch of creation with a sweet season of clean air; even as tragedy, and death reigned, and systemic abuse was revealed in the streets and government. The evil of inequality in our institutional systems stands in stark relief against the present gentleness of the natural order. Courtland Malloy wrote in a recent Washington Post, “House wrens are among the best singers. They are small, brown and fearless. When a fat, red-orange-headed woodpecker poked its beak into the wren house [in his garden], the female waiting to enter dropped her twig and attacked.” Mr. Malloy points out indirectly the prevailing social “survival of the fittest” and the gentler natuAugust 2020 ★ 47
REAL ESTATE UPDATE WITH REGARDS TO COVID19 Phase Two of reopening begins today in the District of Columbia. In her updated executive order, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser addresses open houses: XII. PHASE TWO REAL ESTATE, CONSTRUCTION, AND DEVELOPMENT Open houses may be held… provided that: There is no crowding within the building or at the site, such that all persons or groups can maintain social distance;
Building a nest.
There shall not be more than fifty (50) persons at a property indoors at any one time; and
A wren carries food to its chicks. Photos: Tom Getman
Agents or hosts must make best efforts to capture names, time of arrival, and contact information of attendees, to assist in possible contact tracing. Please wear a mask and keep a responsible social distance. LET OUR DECADES OF EXPERIENCE ASSIST YOU IN YOUR NEXT REAL ESTATE TRANSACTION...
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ral selection of our miniature conservancies. In our small sanctuary six fragile but resilient wren fledglings fell into the garden flower bed from their maternity house and scampered for two days all over the patio and onto my feet like hopping toads. Each hour they managed to alight a bit higher onto plants from where to glide in their maiden flights. We were relieved as we observed the continuous protection and feeding by the parents and Audubon’s counsel “don’t touch to assist as there is 70% survival among the newly fledged wrens,” no matter
Baby wrens wait for food.
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how at risk they seem. That in contrast to only 30% of other bird species. Over the last six years in which we have noticed the arrival of these seasonal visitors it has not been our privilege to have the time or the presence to witness this gift of the created order. Several times we saw them arrive but then promptly “took off ” for our own summer sojourns to various continents. When we returned, we found only withered flowers and empty nests and the vague awareness of the missed seasonal migration dance and concert. Today as I look out our kitchen window to the garden, I notice three more wren houses in our thriving crape myrtle tree are being occupied by a new round of busy prospective feathered couples. To affirm our wonderment and caring, maybe the bird song has spread that there are open-hearted house renters who need more encouragement. Maybe these are emissaries to affirm that the created order is still intact and able to encourage hearts and spirits. As our Palestinian friends are wont to say in such transformative, peace-inducing moments...ilham dul illah! u
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THE DEER HOUSE IS FOR SALE Next Chapter for a Capitol Hill Icon
T
by Rindy O’Brien
he Deer House, one of Capitol Hill’s finest and most well-known homes, has just been put on the market. It’s a good time to look at the features and history of what Gary Jankowski, Coldwell Banker Residential real estate agent, calls a “once in a lifetime opportunity.” The seven-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bath house, is located at 712 East Capitol Street, NE and is fondly known by generations of kids and residents as the Deer House thanks to its front yard sculpture. The villa style home has had only four owners since Antonio Malnati applied for the general building permit on August 2, 1902. Malnati had emigrated from Milan, Italy and worked as a stonecutter in the Baltimore and DC area, including work on the Old Executive Office Building. He hired architect George S. Cooper to design the house, and he estimated that the home would cost $10,000. The house broke a real estate price barrier in 2000 when Connie Tipton and her late husband Tip purchased it for $1.1 million from longtime Hill residents Lael and Ron Stegall. Connie says she still has framed copies of all the press it generated at the time. Over the next two decades, the Tiptons enjoyed bringing the majestic stone and brick home into the twenty-first century by updating the kitchen, and all the electrical and plumbing fixtures. Connie says, “We were very careful in our renovations to keep the historical and classic elements of the original house. The kitchen was designed with entertaining large functions in mind.” Today, the asking price for the stunning home and gardens, including a private driveway that can accommodate two cars, and a detached two car heated garage is listed for $4.75 million. The Wall Street Journal featured the home on July 15, 2020 as the House of the Day describing the house as colorful with good bones and a great location seven blocks from the Capitol. Connie Tipton says her best memories of the home are of the many countless garden parties, weddings, and fundraising events she and her husband hosted. “It really is an entertainer’s dream,” says Connie. The house and garden can easily host events for 200 or more people. The Tiptons were top trade association lobbyists for the Dairy Foods Association and had the opportunity to host many national and local politicians and elected officials. A number of local charity executives were sad to hear the house would be changing hands, as they have benefited greatly from the generosity of the Tiptons and the great success of fundraisers held at the Deer House. Besides the adult gatherings, the Deer House also was locally known for its Halloween decorations and a must “trick or treat” stop. “Every year we had about 20 to 30 friends and volunteers help us set up the Halloween decorations,” Connie
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1) Front of house - Three lots were joined to create the Deer House and Gardens in 1902. 2) The wide living room space and large kitchen make the house a natural for hosting parties, fundraisers, and even weddings. The house and gardens can accommodate over 200 people. 3) The bedrooms and baths were all updated after the 2000 purchase of the home, and provides amazing spaces. Photos: Courtesy of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage and Homesnap
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4) The fresco mural was painted by Russian artist Andrew Kouznetsov and depicts scenes from the house also including local neighborhood children. 5) Generations of Hill children have loved the deer statue. Its origin is unknown, but old-timers remember it always being a part of the front yard.
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said, “and we would have thousands of kids come through the garden.” Generations of children have also enjoyed the statue of the deer that resides in the front yard. No one really knows how or when the statue got there. But the speculation is it is original to the house. Connie says the deer has sported a red nose at Christmas and bunny ears in the spring. “Over the years, people would always refer to our house as the deer house, so we eventually decided to “officially” name the house, The Deer House, and commemorated it with a plaque,” says Connie. In addition to the deer, the Tiptons had the side porch rebuilt and enjoyed sitting there in the evenings. It looked out on a wall and Connie said Tip came up with the idea of having a fresco mural painted on it, to give them something pretty to look at. Andre Kouznetsov, a transplanted Russian artist, painted the artwork. He followed old school fresco painting techniques, to ensure that the work will remain for years to come. He incorporated many of the features of the house and even painted several of the neighborhood children sitting on the bench. Rarely will you find such a large home on Capitol Hill. There is a large in-law suite with two bedrooms and one of the full bathrooms occupies the terrace level. Connie noted that two different Senators, one from each party, rented the apartment over the time they lived there. While the house will soon have new owners, luckily for Capitol Hill Connie isn’t moving far away having purchased a nearby condo. “I am looking forward to a new lifestyle and am enjoying the stunning sunset views of the Capitol and beyond. I wouldn’t think of living anywhere else, ” says Connie. For more information on the house contact Gary Janowski, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage firm at 202-547-3525. Rindy O’Brien is a long-time hill resident and great admirer of the Deer. To contact her rindyobrien@gmail.com u
536 13th St NE Adorable 2 BR 1 BA with private patio. Newly refreshed with all new appliances, new roof, painted inside and out.
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SOLD 133 THOMAS ST NW LEDROIT $1,000,000 SOLD 209 9TH ST SE CAPHILL $829,000 SOLD 655 E STREET SE CAPHILL $1,150,000 CONT 7405 BULL RUN DR VA $819,000
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AUGUST WELCOMES THE SUNFLOWER
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o much has been different about the summer of 2020 – our health, our economy, our daily lives. Amid all the disruption, it’s always helpful to lean on the comforts of nature. And, due to shifting weather – endless 90 degree temperatures and high humidity, some of nature’s bounty is arriving ahead of schedule. Flowers that normally bloom in August have started popping out in mid-July. The beautiful pinks and purples of the Crape Myrtle trees suddenly are in full bloom. Vegetables ripened early, flooding local farmer’s markets and fruit stands with a wide array of summer produce. And the summer standby, the sunflower, began spreading its sunshine yellow colors weeks before its usual showy August arrival.
A Very Unique Flower Sunflowers (Helianthus) are native to the Americas and are almost indestructible plants. Most of the 70 different species grow very tall with the solid stalk
photos and article by Rindy O’Brien making them quite hard to chop down at the end of the season. Sunflowers do well in the heat and with little water because the roots are long and deep so they can reach water sources other plants cannot. But they can wreak havoc in the compost pile because they take forever to break down. Who doesn’t think summer when they see the large round sunny yellow flowers waving in the summer breeze? Interestingly, sunflowers are the only flower that actually has the word flower as part of its name. The plants also have a very unique trait called heliot-
Hill Gardener, Rindy O’Brien, explores McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area in Poolesville, Maryland. The Montgomery County Department of Natural Resources plants 4-5 fields of sunflowers each year, and is free to explore.
ropism. When the plant puts out its first buds, the buds face the sun at all times throughout the day. The bud begins to face east with the rising sun, and ends up facing west by the end of the day. It is the only flower to do this. By the time the bud matures into a full flower, hormones in the plant leave the flower facing east. While there are some species of sunflowers that are perennials, most of the sunflowers we see are annual. They may selfgerminate from dropped seeds if you leave the heads on the plants throughout the winter. The perennial Maximillian sunflower features small blooms in late summer and early fall. It takes 80 to 120 days for a sunflower to produce its giant flowers.
Fields of Sunflowers
The field of sunflowers is grown for conservation purposes but has become a favorite tourist spot in the Washington area in August.
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While sunflowers are popular in the summer markets and in August flower arrangements, the sunflowers are incredibly beautiful when they are found in fields, row after row of the sunny plants waving in the wind. In our area, the McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area, a part of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, puts on a powerful sunflower display. Each spring, they plant four to five giant fields of sunflowers in perfect rows. This summer display of sunflowers have become a favorite local summer day trip. It is extremely popular with photographers often featuring young ladies dressed up in their sum-
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A bouquet of wildflowers and sunflowers make a fun summer centerpiece. You can pick your own at the Valley View Acres second annual Sunflower Festival this month.
mer best. Seeing row after row of the flowers is simply awe-inspiring even on a hot day. While the sunflowers definitely make McKee-Beshers a tourist destination spot in August, the real reason the wildlife staff plants the flowers each spring is as a food source primarily for mourning doves as part of the department’s conservation programs including hunting. In the fall season, beginning in September through early January, mourning doves are hunted in the fields. Visitors are welcomed at the site, and signage is good at the parking lots to direct you to the different fields. This year the seeds were planted on May 13th. Since the plants are basically a crop, they are planted in very precise rows leaving just enough room for those that want the experience to walk through the fields. There is plenty of room in the fields to social distance, although the parking lots can be a bit crowded on the weekend. Signs remind visitors that the flowers are there for the wildlife, and visitors must not damage, disturb, or pick the sunflowers. Also important to know before going is there are no public facilities at
the site, so no bathrooms, water, or staff to direct you. McKee- Beshers is located in Poolesville, Maryland, and is about an hour drive from the Hill. The easiest route is up the George Washington Parkway, onto the Capitol Beltway and take Exit 39 (River Road) west to Potomac. It is about 12 miles out on River Road, followed by a quick turn on Seneca Road. For those unfamiliar with this area, it is also full of large mansions and golf courses. Directions are available at the website, https://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Pages/publiclands/central/mckeebeshers.aspx This area was acquired through the Open Space Funding for Maryland’s State and local parks and conservation areas. This summer, Congress is expected to pass, and the President has said he will sign into law, the Great American Outdoors Act. This legislation reinstates the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which helped Maryland with funding for the wildlife area. This is wonderful news for future gardens and conservation areas.
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Pick Your Own Finally, if you would like another way to enjoy 4 acres of sunflowers, the Valley View Acres Farm at 4005 Valley View Road in Middleton, Maryland is hosting its second annual Sunflower Festival. There is a $3 admission fee, children under five years get in free. You can pick your own sunflowers and wildflowers to take home. The farm charges $1 a stem for sunflowers and $3 for a bunch of wildflowers. The festival has food, drinks, and crafts. The festival happens on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from July 18th through August 16th. Arrive between 10 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. For more information, see the website, http://www.valleyviewacresmd.com Local farmers markets, including Eastern Market and the Tuesday Amish market, also are selling sunflowers at $1 a stem. The great thing about sunflowers is that they last days longer than other cut flowers if you change the water and cut the stems daily. It is your chance to bring this summer treasure right into your home.
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Rindy O’Brien was thrilled to finally visit the sunflower fields after hearing about its beauty for years. Enjoy. Contact: Rindy at rindyobrien@gmail.com ◆
August 2020 ★ 53
The Capitol Hill Garden Club presents
Dear Garden Problem Lady, by Wendy Blair
Photo by Gayle Krughoff
Read his story at CapitolHillHistory.org Chris Calomiris was born at home on First Street N.E. where the Dirksen Senate Office Building stands today and worked for half a century as a produce vendor at Eastern Market. Read his oral history interview on our website – and consider joining us as a volunteer.
AN INITIATIVE OF THE CAPITOL HILL COMMUNITY FOUNDATION.
54 ★ HILLRAG.COM
I’ve killed another tree peony. I gave it good soil, lots of sun, and water. It lived three years, but this year no blooms at all. I cut the suckers that came from below its graft. What might have been the problem? Maybe you did everything right. These expensive shrub-like perennials are supposed to be hardy and not temperamental. They can take time, but usually produce a few blooms after two years. Use a rich, neutral pH soil between 5.5 and 6.5 (see chart), and excellent drainage. Over-watering is the only no-no. Fill a deep bed with lots of composted manure and peat moss, and use fertilizers in the 5-105 range (emphasizing phosphorus). They are considered sun-lovers, but in our baking summers some dappled shade might work better. You were ex-
actly correct in cutting the suckers. Tree peonies are so beautiful, do try again with another. October is the best season to plant. When will the mosquitoes go away in my garden? Not anytime soon. As you know, mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water, so get rid of any. Mosquitoes perish when temperatures fall consistently below 50’F. Thousands of last year’s acorns are still turning into little oak trees all over our yard. Ideas? Weed each one out by hand, dear. Soften the earth by watering the seedling well, to make sure you get the (by now) long taproot. Use the classic, single-pronged weeder, or the two-
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pronged so-called Jekyll weeder – favorite of British Gardening guru Gertrude Jekyll. You wrote in June that the EPA calls the weed killer Roundup safe. So why did Bayer, its corporate owner, set aside billions to settle lawsuits by people who claim their cancer was caused by Roundup? In 2019 three different American juries found Roundup did cause cancer. Apparently juries were moved by victims and doubted scientific studies. Monsanto, the former owner of Roundup, lost million-dollar verdicts. Plaintiffs multiplied. Monsanto sold Roundup, which remains the best commercial herbicide worldwide. Bayer bought it, perhaps failing to understand how devastating American jury trials might still be. Bayer’s stock plummeted. But Bayer would not agree to settle with the by then tens of thousands of plaintiffs. Along came COVID 19. American courts closed. No more jury trials – perhaps for a long time. Dying cancer sufferers feared no soon recompense. Lawyers feared no pay. Their side relented first. They reached a settlement with Bayer for much less than the 20 to 30 billion they first demanded. Bayer, continuing to call Roundup safe, has budgeted around $10 billion for Roundup settlements. Capitol Hill Garden Club meetings are currently happening – virtually. Meetings are free and open to all at capitolhillgardenclub.org. You will find enlightening gardening lore and ideas. Feeling beset by gardening problems? Your problem might prove instructive to others, and help them feel superior to you. Send them to the Problem Lady c/o dearproblemlady@gmail.com. Complete anonymity is assured. ◆
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CHANGING HANDS Changing Hands is a list of residential sales in Capitol Hill and contiguous neighborhoods from the previous month. A feature of every issue, this list, based on the MRIS, is provided courtesy of Don Denton, manager of the Coldwell Banker office on Capitol Hill. The list includes address, sales price and number of bedrooms. NEIGHBORHOOD
PRICE BR
14TH STREET CORRIDOR 1413 T St NW #407 1425 Euclid St NW #10 1426 Swann St NW 1451 Belmont St NW #119 2125 14th St NW #413 1009 Webster St NW 1220 Ingraham St NW 1365 Kennedy NW #306 1405 Allison St NW 5313 14th St NW 5513 13th St NW
$365,000 $609,500 $1,375,000 $710,100 $599,000 $950,000 $799,000 $260,000 $915,000 $520,000 $788,000
1 2 3 2 1 5 4 1 3 5 4
$554,200 $552,500 $361,000 $643,000 $524,900 $545,000
2 2 1 1 1 2
$510,000 $449,000 $580,000 $248,000 $410,000 $586,200 $520,000 $275,000 $318,500
4 4 4 2 2 4 4 3 3
2665 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE #202 $190,000
3
ADAMS MORGAN 1810 Kalorama Rd NW #B1 1855 Calvert St NW #102 2370 Champlain St NW #21 2428 17th St NW #1NW 2440 16th St NW #106 2627 Adams Mill Rd NW #409
ANACOSTIA 1341 T St SE 1357 Morris Rd SE 1504 16th St SE 1531 U St SE 1621 R St SE 1640 V St SE 1743 W St SE 2106 16th St SE 3415 Hayes St NE
BARRY FARMS
BLOOMINGDALE 115 Rhode Island Ave NW #2 1812 N Capitol St NW #204 44 Bryant St NW 46 V St NW 52 W St NW 79 P St NW
BRENTWOOD 1302 Bryant St NE #2 1333 Adams St NE #4 1343 Bryant St NE #2 1348 W St NE 1386 Bryant St NE #304 2223 14th St NE 2242 16th St NE 2261 13th St NE
CAPITOL HILL
1010 North Carolina Ave SE 1111 Pennsylvania Ave SE #212 1111 Pennsylvania Ave SE #303 1118 I St SE 1123 Independence Ave SE 121 16th St NE 121 4th St NE 1223 Massachusetts Ave SE 1229 E St SE 1306 Massachusetts Ave SE 1321 Independence Ave SE 1343 Pennsylvania Ave SE #1 1362 E St SE 1363 C St NE 1363 E St SE 1379 F St NE
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$530,000 $579,350 $1,549,000 $1,320,000 $1,211,000 $1,025,000
2 2 4 5 4 4
$299,000 $299,000 $310,000 $660,000 $273,000 $525,000 $590,000 $530,000
2 2 2 3 1 3 4 3
$1,098,000 $774,900 $925,000 $757,500 $1,072,078 $1,015,000 $1,950,000 $1,300,000 $1,325,000 $1,350,000 $1,060,000 $495,000 $800,000 $602,500 $850,000 $832,000
3 1 2 3 4 4 4 3 3 5 3 2 3 2 3 3
CAPITOL HILL EAST 1 Bruce Robey Ct NE 1106 G St NE 1812 D St NE #1 1821 I Street NE #2 405 16th St SE 410 15th St NE #27 438 15th St SE 449 19th St NE
CENTRAL
1133 14th St NW #606 616 E St NW #1012 920 I St NW #612
$1,099,000 $730,000 $510,000 $390,000 $614,000 $370,000 $1,190,000 $785,000
4 2 2 2 3 1 4 3
$511,000 $511,000 $565,000
1 1 1
COLUMBIA HEIGHTS
1391 Pennsylvania Ave SE #242 1391 Pennsylvania Ave SE #263 1391 Pennsylvania Ave SE #451 1422 A St NE 1529 C St SE 16 14th St NE 1606 Potomac Ave SE 1612 A St SE 1801 Fort Davis St SE 1818 C St SE #3 214 8th St SE 225 12th St SE 248 11th St SE 251 15th St SE 305 C St NE #401 316 3rd St SE 317 4th St SE 345 Kentucky Ave SE 404 10th St SE 407 E St NE 413 6th St SE 429 5th St NE 431 New Jersey Ave SE 440 12th St NE #201 5 Walter Houp Ct NE 508 D St NE 511 6th St NE 515 F St NE 529 12th St SE 610 3rd St SE #8 629 E Capitol St SE 630 Elliott St NE 631 F St NE 647 14th Pl NE 649 Acker Pl NE 655 A St SE 712 12th St NE 732 5th St SE #4 75 14th St NE #75 750 13th St SE 908 13th St SE
$295,000 $474,900 $480,000 $985,000 $674,900 $720,000 $1,142,000 $799,000 $495,000 $740,000 $1,952,000 $1,595,000 $860,000 $845,000 $315,000 $955,000 $865,000 $1,410,000 $1,090,000 $995,000 $895,000 $1,301,000 $1,150,000 $655,100 $955,000 $1,075,000 $690,000 $1,285,000 $1,180,000 $365,000 $2,999,000 $849,000 $1,613,000 $765,000 $920,000 $665,000 $1,150,000 $520,000 $405,000 $1,235,000 $759,000
0 2 1 4 2 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 3 3 0 4 3 5 2 3 3 3 4 2 3 3 2 4 4 1 8 3 4 3 3 2 4 2 1 4 2
1006 Monroe St NW #2 1109 Harvard St NW #R 1207 Columbia Rd NW #3 1245 Shepherd St NW 1306 Euclid St NW 1318 Upshur St NW 1323 Clifton St NW #25 1324 Euclid St NW #3 1330 Park Rd NW #C 1343 Otis Pl NW 1348 Euclid St NW #406 1361 Taylor St NW 1440 Oak St NW 1447 Chapin St NW #104 1447 Chapin St NW #404 1451 Belmont St NW #311 1451 Belmont St NW #423 1464 Harvard St NW #14 1468 Harvard St NW #32 1531 Park Rd NW #3 2030 8th St NW #401 2812 Georgia Ave NW #3 3035 15th St NW #302 3110 Georgia Ave NW #302 3224 Park Pl NW 3435 14th St NW #6 3463 14th St NW #2 3511 13th St NW #202 3540 Rock Creek Church Rd NW #104 3541 11th St NW #1 3541 11th St NW #101 3541 11th St NW #2 3541 11th St NW #202 3541 11th St NW #203 3541 11th St NW #3 3541 NW 11th St NW #201 3566 13th St NW #5 3577 Warder St NW #301 3579 Warder St NW #1 3819 14th St NW #UNIT 1 3902 14th St NW #319 4120 14th St NW #27 420 Irving St NW
$830,000 $673,100 $928,800 $695,797 $1,200,000 $846,900 $699,000 $565,000 $719,900 $860,000 $785,000 $1,080,000 $657,000 $236,000 $290,000 $524,900 $750,000 $781,000 $395,000 $585,000 $575,000 $507,500 $459,000 $395,000 $500,000 $880,000 $575,000 $390,000 $347,000 $579,999 $699,999 $564,999 $655,000 $695,000 $579,999 $694,999 $799,999 $539,000 $535,000 $612,500 $340,000 $410,000 $765,000
CONGRESS HEIGHTS 1215 Trenton Pl SE 16 Atlantic St SE 163 Upsal St SE 166 Forrester St SW 217 Atlantic St SE 3023 8th St SE 3431 10th Pl SE 3906 1st St SE
DEANWOOD 222 57th Pl NE 224 57th Pl NE
3 3 3 5 8 4 2 2 2 3 2 4 5 2 1 1 2 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 3 2 2 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 2 3
$470,000 $467,000 $375,000 $235,000 $246,000 $510,000 $517,000 $228,000
2 5 3 2 2 4 4 4
$510,000 $515,000
4 4
234 Division Ave NE 235 Division Ave NE 38 Anacostia Rd NE 4001 Clay Pl NE 4003 Ames St NE 4043 Gault Pl NE 410 53rd St NE 5061 Jay St NE 5065 Just St NE 5097 Sheriff Rd NE 5211 Dix St NE 5218 E Capitol St NE 5307 Jay St NE 5316 Gay St NE 5505 Hunt Pl NE 559 45th St NE 5643 Clay Pl NE 5823 Field Pl NE 6106 Clay St NE 6130 Banks Pl NE 932 52nd St NE
DOWNTOWN 475 K St NW #1107
DUPONT
1318 22nd St NW #206 1318 22nd St NW #503 1711 Willard St NW 1731 Willard St NW #201 1745 N St NW #314 1771 Church St NW #1 1401 17th St NW #205 1514 17th St NW #214 1545 18th St NW #502 1615 Q St NW #1113 1615 Q St NW #803 1615 Q St NW #813 1629 16th St NW #4 1632 S St NW #2 1701 16th St NW #304 1701 16th Street NW #356 1713 S St NW #1 1718 P St NW #L18 1725 P St NW #201 1731 T St NW #2 1747 T St NW #3 1754 Corcoran St NW #48R 1772 T St NW 1815 19th St NW #2 1823 S St NW #4 1825 T St NW #P17 1830 17th St NW #603 1901 19th St NW #401
ECKINGTON 122 V St NE 126 Quincy Pl NE #2 19 Quincy Pl NE 1925 Summit Pl NE 202 Randolph Pl NE #1 202 Randolph Pl NE #2 220 T St NE #2
FAIRFAX VILLAGE 2475 Virginia Ave NW #318/319 730 24th St NW #818 922 24th St NW #502
$340,000 $600,000 $497,500 $365,000 $460,000 $525,000 $370,000 $359,900 $292,500 $380,000 $574,900 $390,000 $403,000 $170,000 $453,000 $330,000 $500,000 $479,000 $453,000 $377,000 $349,999
3 4 3 3 3 3 4 2 2 2 4 3 4 2 4 2 3 4 3 2 2
$499,900
1
$440,000 $485,000 $1,025,000 $435,000 $999,900 $575,000 $620,000 $385,000 $325,000 $426,000 $523,500 $411,897 $2,100,000 $665,000 $210,000 $415,000 $485,000 $220,000 $791,000 $455,000 $909,900 $453,000 $1,060,000 $415,000 $825,000 $45,000 $625,000 $639,000
1 1 2 1 2 2 2 1 0 1 2 1 3 2 0 1 1 0 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 0 2 2
$900,000 $825,000 $975,000 $775,000 $650,000 $727,000 $395,000
4 3 4 3 3 3 2
$500,000 $305,000 $254,900
2 1 0
FORT DUPONT PARK 1116 44th Pl SE 1645 Fort Davis St SE
$514,900 $480,000
4 3
ESCAPE THE HEAT IN YOUR NEW HOME! LET US HELP! 3309 E St SE 3312 Dubois Pl SE 3426 Croffut Pl SE 4355 G St SE 4382 Dubois Pl SE 510 Ridge Rd SE #201 712 Chaplin St SE
$574,000 $480,000 $370,000 $445,000 $360,000 $92,000 $395,000
FORT LINCOLN 3162 1/2 Berry Rd NE 3711 Jamison St NE
$300,000 $685,000
H STREET CORRIDOR 1205 I St NE 1238 I St NE 1317 Linden Ct NE 704 8th St NE 714 I St NE 816 12th St NE 922 6th St NE #1
HILL CREST 1004 30th St SE 1620 29th St SE #402 1725 31st St SE 2014 37th St SE #A 2117 Fort Davis St SE #A 2216 30th St SE 3015 Nash Pl SE 3112 Alabama Ave SE 3807 W St SE #101
HILL EAST
128 18th St SE #3 1424 L St SE #201 1524 D St SE 1615 Potomac Ave SE 1628 C St SE #101 1717 Independence Ave SE #B 206 16th St SE 532 Tennessee Ave NE
KINGMAN PARK 1622 Gales St NE 521 14th St NE 529 24th St NE 559 24th St NE
LEDROIT PARK 129 W St NW #203 129 W St NW #403 1848 5th St NW 1922 1st St NW #B 41 Rhode Island Ave NW
LILY PONDS 3313 Clay Pl NE 3316 Clay Pl NE 715 Barnes St NE
LOGAN CIRCLE
1302 R St NW #4 1515 15th St NW #709 1900 15th St NW #5 1107 S St NW 1300 N St NW #411 1303 R St NW 1304 Rhode Island Ave NW #4 1304 Rhode Island Ave NW #6 1310 Corcoran St NW 1310 Q St NW #2 1311 13th St NW #102 1312 Massachusetts Ave NW #109 1314 Vermont Ave NW #2 1437 Rhode Island Ave NW #110 1441 Rhode Island Ave NW #311 1445 N St NW #202 1514 Kingman Pl NW 1534 15th St NW 1550 11th St NW #308 1712 15th St NW #2 1628 11th St NW #305
3 4 3 3 3 2 2
G IN ! M N O O C O S
3 2 3 3 4 3 3
$440,000 $330,000 $875,000 $225,000 $240,000 $340,000 $492,000 $735,000 $175,000
3 2 4 2 2 3 4 5 2
$620,000 $515,000 $748,000 $665,000 $345,000 $936,000 $986,050 $925,000
2 2 2 2 1 3 3 3
$820,000 $825,000 $715,000 $460,000
2 2 3 2
$520,000 $569,899 $850,000 $568,000 $855,000
2 2 5 3 4
$414,500 $335,000 $375,000
2 2 3
$1,410,000 $795,000 $429,500 $1,499,000 $415,000 $1,350,000 $1,025,000 $900,000 $1,745,000 $3,150,000 $510,000 $656,956 $694,000 $640,000 $540,000 $590,000 $1,750,000 $1,495,000 $599,900 $755,000 $523,500
3 1 1 5 1 5 2 2 4 3 1 2 2 2 1 2 3 3 2 2 1
1223 E St NE 4 BD / 2 BA $995,000 ICONIC TURRETED VICTORIAN ON FRIENDLY HILL BLOCK! Step up to a GRAND Victorian w/ restored reproduction slate turret - a rare & classic find on the Hill! Chestnut pocket door on main level gracefully divides a spacious front living room and large dining/kitchen layout. Climb the original heart pine staircase to 2nd level, w/ front Owners’ BR with bay windows; plus, 2 add’l bedrooms and renovated hall bath highlighting the rear. BONUS family room or guest suite below, w/ 4th bedroom, den, full bath and rear walkout to private rear patio/ gardens. A Capitol Hill ‘hit’ just steps to Stanton and Lincoln Park, H Street, Atlas District, and more!
3 4
$555,000 $775,000 $996,000 $970,000 $1,389,900 $832,000 $825,000
E BL A IL W! A O AV N
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1105 6th St NE 3 BR / 2.5 BA $859,500
FULL RENOVATION OF CLASSIC CAPITAL PORCH-FRONT BY DELANEY DEVELOPMENT! All new front to back and top to bottom, featuring gleaming oak floors, solid marble throughout eat-in kitchen and 3.5 luxurious new baths, rear deck, patio with green space addition underway, and parking; and lower level suite with separate entrance, kitchenette, bedroom, and bath. All the key ingredients and signature style, just one block from Metro and Anacostia River Trail!
ER T! D C N A U TR N CO
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1020 F St NE 4BR/4.5 BATHS $1,175,000 CELEBRATE THE FOURTH… LEVEL! Renovated Victorian bay-front with a BONUS BRICK 4TH level added to include luxurious tree-top owner’s suite, giant den, and storage attic! Lower level features fully flexible layout for family use or self-contained apartment with kitchen and private bath. At the rear, deck and 2-car parking – leave the car and stroll 1 block to SWS, 2 blks to the best of H St, or 5 blocks to either Stanton or Lincoln Parks!
VICTORIAN BAY-FRONT BEAUTY IS STEPS TO EVERYTHING! Perfect placement - live just steps in every direction to the best of city convenience - Union Market, Whole Foods and H Street, Union Station, METRO and MORE! Experience open living/dining plus wide custom kitchen for great flow! LARGE front owner’s bedroom w/ double closets, spacious second at the rear, and stylish new hall bath renovation! BONUS: English basement apartment below features open living-dining-cooking area plus third bedroom and full bath. Up top, smart savings with full array of solar panels - a $900/yr utility savings!
ER T! D C N RA U T N CO
1734 Independence Ave SE 4BR/3.5BA $1,075,000
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TOWERING TRIUMPH ON TODD PLACE! Perfectly positioned between NoMA, Shaw, and Union Market! Dramatic expansion / whole house renovation delivers 4 luxurious levels, inc. fully flexible Lower Level with 2nd kitchen for guest suite or short-term rental income. 5 OUTDOOR SPACES including ROOF TOP DECK for sweeping city views. Penthouse level owners suite. Private parking in the rear w/ automatic garage door. All the key ingredients, delivered with custom touches throughout.
643 Morton Pl NE 4 BD / 2.5 BA $844,000 LIVE AT THE THRIVING HEART OF NOMA! Steps to Union Market, Union Station, or H Street, enjoy a quiet 1-way block of gardens and friendly neighbors. Features wide profile and open layout, gleaming HW floors, renovated kitchen and baths, and private deck on the sunny South side! Sky-lit upper level delivers 3 bedrooms - one with view of the Capitol -- plus a bonus 4th on the lower level w/ 2nd kitchen and sep. entrance. Private parking, patio and storage area below the deck. To LITERALLY top if all off, the roof holds a full array of solar panels!
202.243.7707
info@joelnelsongroup.com August 2020 H 57
734 7th St. SE o: 202.547.2707 f: 202.547.1977
joeltruittmanagement.com info@joeltruitt.com
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OLD CITY #2
1209 13th St NW #407 1210 V St NW #1 1217 S St NW 1225 13th St NW #304 1300 N St NW #711 139 P St NW #A 1412 3rd St NW 1713 15th St NW #1 1718 P St NW #802 1740 18th St NW #T2 1750 16th St NW #53 1930 New Hampshire Ave NW #15 2001 16th St NW #404 39 Q St NW #A
PENN QUARTER 616 E St NW #1104 912 F St NW #1106 915 E St NW #104 925 H St NW #908
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1427 Howard Rd SE 1631 Gainesville St SE #102 1731 Gainesville St SE #301 1816 S St SE 1830 T Pl SE 1831 S St SE 2014 Mississippi Ave SE 2020 Tremont St SE 2209 S St SE 2640 Stanton Rd SE
4 3 4 2 2
$1,192,000 $808,000 $1,199,000 $1,199,000 $900,000 $439,900 $537,000 $644,000 $649,000
3 2 3 3 2 1 1 2 2
$230,000 $374,900 $560,000 $685,000 $635,000
0 1 2 2 3
$492,400 $808,025 $844,000
1 2 4
$535,000 $914,000 $650,000 $780,000 $200,000 $315,000 $312,500 $700,000 $1,500,000 $850,000 $1,065,000 $1,280,000 $400,000 $648,000 $660,500 $410,000 $554,000
2 3 1 3 5 1 2 2 3 4 3 4 1 2 3 1 2
$630,000 $620,000 $1,930,000 $479,000 $435,000 $830,000 $705,000 $700,000 $440,000 $345,000 $740,000 $360,000 $385,000 $799,700
1 2 4 1 1 2 2 2 1 1 2 1 1 3
$502,500 $825,000 $323,000 $1,225,000
1 2 0 2
$335,000 $180,000 $144,000 $500,000 $489,000 $245,000 $424,900 $415,000 $520,000 $223,500
2 2 2 3 4 2 3 3 3 2
SHAW
1011 M St NW #408 1237 10th St NW #PH UNIT 2 1316 10th St NW 1524 New Jersey Ave NW 1532 Marion St NW 1642 4th St NW 1706 5th St NW 2120 Vermont Ave NW #416 435 R St NW #206 435 R St NW #301 810 O St NW #604
SOUTH WEST 1336 Half St SW #1336 88 V St SW #701
SW WATERFRONT 1101 3rd St SW #507 1101 3rd St SW #612 1295 Delaware Ave SW #77 1301 Delaware Ave SW #N319 134 G St SW #158 54 G St SW #113 700 7th St SW #503
TRINIDAD
1111 Orren St NE #203 1215 Trinidad Ave NE 1232 Oates St NE 1239 Simms Pl NE #5 1265 16th St NE 1308 Montello Ave NE 1308 Trinidad Ave NE 1427 West Virginia Ave NE #2 1617 Corcoran St NE #1 1620 Trinidad Ave NE 1709 H St NE #6 1711 Lang Pl NE 1764 Lang Pl NE
TRUXTON CIRCLE 108 Bates St NW 125 Bates St NW #2 401 R St NW 57 N St NW #132 57 N St NW #N-335
$630,000 $1,399,000 $2,213,000 $604,000 $751,900 $843,500 $580,000 $689,000 $447,500 $445,500 $869,900
2 3 5 2 2 2 3 2 1 1 1
$670,000 $1,401,440
2 2
$335,100 $335,000 $725,000 $224,900 $765,000 $799,500 $400,000
1 1 2 1 3 3 2
$465,000 $856,000 $850,000 $500,000 $425,000 $517,600 $710,000 $770,000 $349,800 $875,000 $499,900 $655,000 $629,500
2 4 4 3 3 3 3 2 3 4 2 3 3
$940,000 $575,000 $1,030,000 $549,485 $790,000
2 2 3 1 2
U STREET CORRIDOR 1209 T St NW 1324 Wallach Pl NW 2020 12th St NW #601 2119 11th St NW #2 1208 W St NW 1218 W St NW 2200 12th St NW
$1,281,150 $1,657,500 $575,000 $692,000 $1,003,000 $1,025,000 $1,475,000
3 3 1 2 3 3 3
VILLAGES AT DAKOTA CROSSING 3624 Wright Ter NE
WATER FRONT 1301 Delaware Ave SW #N522 355 I St SW #416 240 M St SW #E111 520 N St SW #S420 525 Water St SW #230 800 4th St SW #N822 800 4th St SW #S205
WEST END 1111 25th St NW #607 1111 25th St NW #706 1116 25th St NW #2 2201 L St NW #611 2425 L St NW #223 2425 L St NW #534 2425 L St NW #735 ◆
$649,500
3
$229,000 $425,000 $220,000 $339,000 $416,500 $320,000 $337,000
1 1 1 1 1 0 0
$607,000 $735,000 $805,000 $295,000 $535,000 $599,000 $600,000
1 2 2 0 1 1 2
COMING SOON! FALL 2020
A Special Issue on the RENOVATION, REPAIR & LANDSCAPING of Capitol Hill Homes! On Stands: 8/29 INTERESTED IN ADVERTISING? CONTACT YOUR SALES REP TODAY!
202.543.8300 CAROLINA X12 | KIRA X16 | ANDREW X19 | MARIANA X20 August 2020 ★ 59
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arts ining d and
A
s Barracks Row returns to life, sister restaurants Ugly Mug and Valor Brewpub have created a weekend pop-up: Capitol Hill Crab Shack, 723 8th Street SE. Along with crabsby-the-dozen (medium, large and jumbo), diners may order peel-and-eat shrimp, wings, and a Marylandstyle seafood boil for two. Ugly Mug and Valor owner Gaynor Jablonski is a DC native who grew up eating crabs in Annapolis. When he and a friend enjoyed pounding crabs at the Quarterdeck in Arlington, he realized he could do this at Valor. So he and chef Trevor Mahoney contacted Maryland seafood wholesalers, purchased two 80-quart steamer pots, and were off and running. Peter and I recently shared the Crab Shack sampler: deep-fried coconut shrimp, wings and jalapeno poppers. Then we ordered the crab cake sandwich, nestled in a brioche bun with lettuce and tomato. Land lubbers might like the Valor burger (beef or veggie), crispy chicken sandwich or even pizza. Throughout the shutdown, Valor has continued to brew beer; Peter sipped the house-brewed Kolsch. Crab Shack hours are 4 to 11 p.m. Fridays, 3-11 Saturdays and Sundays. For reservations send an email to: events@districtrg. com. or visit www.valorbrewpub.com.
Balkan Facelift After an extensive makeover, Ambar, 523 Eighth St. SE, reopened last month for patio, rooftop and indoor dining. While “still a work in progress,” the renovation is stunning; the bright new deck—which offers a panoramic view of Barracks Row—has a retractable roof. That’s where Peter and I dined on a warm summer evening. We considered Ambar’s bountiful $35 “Balkan Experience,” an array of mezze-size dishes including pita bread, beet tzatziki, skewers, stuffed cabbage, and much more. But we decided to go ala carte. Our server recommended Vranee Stobi, a robust red from Macedonia. Peter chose the crisp, refreshing Ambar Sauvignon Blanc, from Moldova.
CAPITOL CUISINE
by Celeste McCall
tomers to sit six feet apart. To accomplish this, restaurateurs have gotten quite creative. At Mekki Modern Moroccan, 517 Eighth St. SE, high-top tables are artfully situated with adequate open space in each table area. At Bombay Street Food, 524 Eighth, every other booth is left vacant. Booths open for business are set with napkins folded, points up, offering a perky welcome. Across the street, Lavagna, 539 Eighth, has been providing carryout, or you may dine inside or on the patio. To cool summertime palates, coming soon is Jeni’s Ice Cream, 528 Eighth, next door to the future Bitter Grace boutique. Around the corner at 325 Seventh St. SE, look for My Cake Theory Bakery later this summer.
Community Support
On Barracks Row, Ambar’s extensive renovation includes a spacious roof deck (and excellent service).
You can also order beer (including Serbian brews) and cocktails. We slathered freshly baked bread with red pepper feta and beet tzatziki. Other delights awaited: slow-cooked pork belly-stuffed cabbage, resting atop a nest of mashed potatoes and drizzled with what tasted like yogurt. Chicken skewers (white meat) were amazingly moist, thanks to buttermilk-like marinade and dipping sauce. We took our dessert—a version of baklava—home to enjoy later. Ambar’s patio and rooftop are open Sundays from 4:30 to 10 p.m., Monday-Thursday 4 to 10, Friday 4 to 11; Saturday 4:30 to 11. For reservations (recommended) call 202-813-3039 or visit www.ambarrestaurant.com.
More Barracks Row Other Barracks Row restaurants have resurfaced for indoor service. Operating at 50 percent capacity, eateries have reconfigured their interiors to enable cus-
In the Atlas District, Thamee, 1320 H St. NE, has reopened for carryout and pickup, plus free and lowcost meals for the community. For hours and more information call 202-750-6529 or visit www.thamee. com.You can’t miss the brightly colored mural by Nigerian artist Anikan Udofia, in support of Black Lives Matter.
Navy Yard Near Nationals Park, Salt Line has reopened its outdoor bar and dining area. Indoor service is a maybe. On a Sunday afternoon, the spacious patio and bar were hopping. From the seafood-centric menu, our trio shared crab/pimento dip (which needed more crab), scooped up with Old Bay crab chips. Nestled in a buttered roll, the pricy ($28) lobster was tasty but slightly chewy. Escorted by a crisp green salad, the crustacean complemented a pleasant Greek rose. (We were happy to see paper drinking straws.) Cilantro-scented clam ceviche was artistically presented in the oblong razor clam shells, resting on a bed of ice. Watermelon/cucumber/feta salad provided a refreshing side or dessert. Other sides include grilled broccoli rabe with garlic and pine nuts, and grilled corn salad. August 2020 ★ 61
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Heartier options: clam chowder, lobster boil (2-4 people), pan-seared halibut, Portuguese stew, buckwheat bucatini with mushrooms, peas and ramps. Located at 79 Potomac Ave. SE, Salt Line is open daily. For reservations (highly recommended), call 202-506-2368 or visit www.thesaltline.com. Half Street Brewery & Crabs, crabs and more crabs! Weekends, Barracks Valor Brewpub and Ugly Mug morph into a Tap has arrived. The newcom- Row’s popup Capitol Hill Crab Shack. er pours Atlas draft beers (plus wines), along with New York from chef Mario Monte’s kitchen are style Andy’s pizza--served by the slice ropa vieja bowls, potaje (Spanish bean or whole. Located at 1201 Half St. SE, soup), chorizo, chickpea egg bakes, Half Street is currently serving indoors rum cocktails. Call 202-932-2980 or from 4 to 11 p.m. daily. For more invisit www.coladashop.com. formation, visit www.atlasbrewworks. com. Coming soon: Gatsby’s, also at Splitsville 1201 Half St. SE. Two high-profile departures: Vietnamese/American chef Kevin Tien On the Wharf has left Emilie’s, 1101 PennsylvaAfter a refreshing swim at the Waternia Ave. SE. The new executive chef side Fitness Club, Peter and I wandered is Hamilton Johnson, formerly with over to the Wharf. There, we found outVidalia and replacement Honeysuckdoor sustenance at Mi Vida. “The best le (both gone) and American Son Mexican food in town,” Peter declared (downtown). as we crunched on tortilla chips loaded Kwame Onwuachi has resigned as with chunky guacamole. I was sipping executive chef at Kith/Kin, the dressy a refreshing margarita. Since we’re eatAfro-Caribbean restaurant in the Intering light these days, my “entrée” was Continental Hotel on the DC Wharf. ceviche atun (tuna), with silken, sushigrade tuna, orange wedges, avocado RAMMYS Postponed and cucumber, swimming in a sweetThe 38th annual RAMMY Awards, tangy marinade. Peter ordered a pair originally scheduled for July 26, of savory carnitas (pulled pork) tacos, have been pushed back to Sept. 20. served with a bowl of smoky, bacon/ The venue is the same: the Walter pinto bean soup. E. Washington Convention Center. Among other options are quesaNominees include many restaurants dillas, cod Veracruz, roasted branzino, in our neighborhood. marinated skirt steak. Lunch for two Sponsored by the Restaurant Ascame to about $65, before tip. Service, sociation of Metropolitan Washington rendered by Henry S, was excellent. and Events DC, the black tie gala--usuLocated at 98 District Square ally jam packed with food professionSW, Mi Vida is open daily, call 202als—will be scaled back. As always, the 516-4656 or visit www.mividamexico. awards will honor the year’s list of hardcom.njmb working finalists for their contributions Nearby at 10 Pearl St. SW, is the to the local dining scene and the entire Colada Shop, a spinoff of the Loculinary industry. For more information gan Circle Cuban favorite. Emerging visit www.ramw.org. ◆
August 2020 H 63
. arts and dining .
AT THE MOVIES
Two Lively New Documentaries: Both With a Southern Accent by Mike Canning lar black characters with real human dimension. Ever novels and some 30 short stotrue to her Southern roots, she stated, near the end of ries) began when she was in her life: “You know, I’m an integrationist by princiher teens, and she came to pubple & a segregationist by taste anyway.” lic attention with her first novel “Flannery” is sure to introduce this singular and “Wise Blood” when she was 27. confounding writer to new readers. (This work was filmed by John Huston in 1977, and clips of it Boys State are shown). While she did trav“Boys State” (winner of the Grand Jury Prize for el delivering lectures, for most of documentary at this year’s Sundance Film Festival) her life she was a recluse at Anis a week-long annual program in which rising Texas dalusia, writing, corresponding, high school seniors gather for an elaborate mock exand caring for her beloved peaercise: building their own state government (there is cocks. a matching session for girls). Filmmakers Jesse Moss Co-creator Bosco, Jeand Amanda McBaine closely tracked the 2018 edisuit priest, O’Connor scholtion of the program, held at the University of Texas ar, and a professor of Literaat Austin, where 1,100 17-year old young men conture at Georgetown University, tended in a riveting gubernatorial race (the film is ratcame up with the idea to write a Flannery O’Connor is shown observing her beloved peacocks in a period ed “PG-13,” runs 109 minutes and can be viewed on script about Flannery, on which photo by Joe McTyre. Copyright by Long Distance Productions. Apple platforms). he collaborated with Coffman, Flannery The Boys State participants, each selected by loherself a scholar and filmmaker For a writer now so critically acclaimed, novelist and cal American Legion clubs throughout the state, repspecializing in films about writers. short story writer Flannery O’Connor (1924-1964) resented an intriguing mix of young political junkies. In telling her story, the filmmakers employ nevhas never been the subject of a major film biography, The attendees are all divided into the “Federalist” and er-before-seen archival footage, some of her newly disso one is grateful to welcome this new documentathe “Nationalist” parties, neither of which is associatcovered personal letters, and original animations and ry. O’Connor was a distinctive voice of the Southern ed with any particular ideology but is rather guided music to describe her life and legacy. Flannery’s own Gothic style who produced the bulk of her provocaby their respective elected leadership. published words are read on screen by actress Mary tive and complex works living with her mother in a The movie makers, showing a good eagle eye, Steenburgen, who delivers them with an approprifarmhouse (named “Andalusia”) for much of her life— focus on a quartet of committed and distinctive kids ate Southern lilt. The film is also dotted with testia kind of southern Emily Dickinson—but with writto carry the drama. There is conservative Ben, a Reamony from and conversations with those who knew ing of a utterly different kind (the film is unrated and gan fan with a love for politics who bubbles with conO’Connor or were inspired by her (Alice Walker, Luruns 97 minutes; it is available streaming on the Avafidence and savvy even though he is disabled; modcinda Williams, Hilton Als, Robert Giroux, and Alice lon Theatre site). est Steven, a Bernie Sanders fan and thoughtful child McDermott, among others). Filmmakers Elizabeth Coffman and Mark BosThe script stresses the writco have captured the character of this singular Amerer’s profound, but thorny, Cathican voice by presenting an informative narrative in olic faith which permeated her a straightforward chronology of her life, a life curwriting her whole life. It was a tailed by death at only 39 from the ravages of lupus faith matching grace together disease. The film covers her early years growing up in with a searing violence. It also Georgia, where she eventually settled with her mothdoes not avoid O’Connor’s breder in the town of Milledgeville. Her literary bent was in-the-bone racism and her occamuch shaped by stints in the 1940’s at the Iowa Writsionally distasteful treatment of ers’ Workshop and at the writing retreat of Yaddo in Afro-Americans, who are often Saratoga Springs, where she got to know major talstereotyped in her narratives. Yet ents such as Robert Lowell and Carson McCullers. it also acknowledges O’Connor’s Robert MacDougall (left) and Steven Garza are contenders for governor of O’Connor’s slim but memorable oeuvre (two creation of believable and singu- “Boys State.” Photo courtesy of A24 and Apple 64 H HILLRAG.COM
Come join us for breakfast this weekend!! of Mexican immigrants who, though diffident in demeanor, bravely puts himself forward against a conservative tide; handsome Robert, a stud and athlete whose run is only semi-serious but who reveals surprising views that belie his rowdy campaign; and glib René, an African-American from Chicago new to Texan mores whose wit and speaking skills mark him as a natural leader. All these principal figures also reveal themselves touchingly in personal interviews away from the turmoil of campaigning. The film covers a week of political activity, from party nominations and committee assignments through platform-making to party conventions and primaries. This is political activity that is vertigousness to watch, electoral action at warp speed. All the whirl leads up to the Big Kahuna, the governor’s race, wherein Robert, for the Federalists (under cynical party chairman Ben), competes against Steven for the Nationalists (under righteous party chairman René). Luckily for the filmmakers, their contest is a nail-biter, with enough drama for two or three films. It is a kind of miracle that Moss and McBaine were able to pull off the documentary from this ten-ring circus over a week, but they managed. One reason is that they collared seven different sound-and film crews to troll the university campus, collecting hundreds of offhand conversations, speechifying moments, myriad tactical discussions, and those personal interviews with the boys themselves. It occurs to me that, during our own restricted and sour national campaigns, we might be better served— and entertained--by “Boys State.” Hill resident Mike Canning has written on movies for the Hill Rag since 1993 and is a member of the Washington Area Film Critics Association. He is the author of “Hollywood on the Potomac: How the Movies View Washington, DC.” His reviews and writings on film can be found online at www.mikesflix.com. ◆
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601 Pennsylvania Ave. SE
Mon- Fri 12-10pm, Sat and Sun 8am-10pm
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202.543.7656 322-B Massachusetts Ave., NE | Washington, DC 20002
www.cafeberlin-dc.com August 2020 ★ 65
. arts and dining .
GOT A SWEET TOOTH?
Explore the Best Sweet Wines from France and Italy by Elyse Genderson
S
weet wines were once considered to be the finest wines in the world, and for good reason. They have incredible longevity and age worthiness, they require labor intensive production methods, and long barrel aging at the winery. They’re also made in historic and storied regions expressing a true sense of place. All of these factors make sweet wines worth a second look. Today, there is a negative perception of sweet wines among many Americans, which is so unfortunate. Historically the first popular wines on the US market were sweet, starting with White Zinfandel from California and Sweet Lambrusco styles from Emilia-Romagna, Italy. Today, savvy wine drinkers want to distance themselves from the sticky-sweet styles of the past. This is a pity. There are so many strengths of sweet wines. Not just for dessert, the food pairing options are endless. You can use them in cocktails to create drinks with a wonderfully full texture. Cocktail drinkers who don’t yet know they love sweet wine should give them a try! Two of the most traditional sweet wines are Bordeaux’s Sauternes and Italy’s Vin Santo. Discover the classic expressions and expand your palate.
Sauternes Located in the southern part of the Graves region in Bordeaux, Sauternes is home to a luscious botrytis-affected sweet wine made mostly from Sémillon grapes. The region has the ideal climate conditions to produce noble rot (a good fungus that concentrates grape sugars and shrivels the grapes to raisins) due to the morning mists. 66 ★ HILLRAG.COM
Grapes are grown in tiny yields and harvesting must be done by hand in several passes through the vineyard selecting individual botrized berries. Try Sauternes with its intensely perfumed aromas and flavors of orange peel, honey, apricot, marmalade, tropical fruit, and caramel and match it with savory dishes. Making a cheese board? Delectable blue cheeses like Roquefort, or stilton pair expertly. Hard sheep’s milk cheeses like Spanish Manchego have a salty character that will also match well. Don’t forget the classic pairing of Sauternes and foie gras for a decadent appetizer. Or, be adventurous and pair it with fried chicken. Its salty and fatty deliciousness is a match made in heaven with Sauternes. Lighter style Sauternes can be used in cocktails as well. Sauternes is delicious in a mulled wine or try a ‘saujito,’ a new take on the classic rum mojito. Alternatively, serve it with Perrier, and orange zest for a simple aperitif. Sadly, Sauternes has been facing a devastating crisis for the past 30 years due to a lack of demand for their sweet wines. In an effort to stay afloat, many producers have shifted to making dry wines in addition to sweet. Try 2018 Blanc Sec de Suduiraut ($23.99) for a top example of a lovely dry white made by a Sauternes house.
Two Styles to Try:
2008 Suduiraut (375ml) $54.99 Mouth-watering and luscious flavors of honey, citrus, zest, apricot, and mango, complemented by vibrant, racy acidity. Rich and full-bodied with tons of complexity, depth and concentration of flavors.
2015 Les Justices Sauternes (375ml) $34.99
the wine girl
Ripe kiwi, white plum, white blossoms, and lime zest shine on this youthful and bright expression of Sauternes.
Vin Santo Vin Santo is Italy’s signature sweet wine made by the appassimento method of hanging grapes in attics or rafters to dry, concentrating the natural sugars. Sun-drying grapes is one of the oldest methods of making sweet wines and the style is famous throughout Tuscany. After grapes are dried in the loft of the house, they are fermented, and then aged in small barrels, sealed and stored in the loft for 5–10 years. These wines are made in tiny lots and tend to be expensive due to the tiny production and many years of barrel aging before they’re sold. The price is worth it! Vin Santo styles are dark amber in color, with layered flavors of dried apricot, lemon, and toasted almonds. The rich fruit flavors are balanced by zippy acidity and high alcohol. For the mixologist, swap in Vin Santo for honey syrup in your Bee’s Knees cocktail to add a rich mouthcoating texture.
Try these styles:
Vicchiomaggio San Jacopo il Santo (500ml) $16.99 Castello Vicchiomaggio is one of the most beautiful estates in Tuscany, with some of the region’s most spectacular wines. The vineyards have a perfect southern exposure to attain ideal ripeness and concentration of fruit. Owner and winemaker, John Matta, has been named “Italian Winemaker of
the Year” four times: 1997, 2002, 2005, 2010, a rare honor. This special Vin Santo offers ripe and rich flavors of honey, dried apricots, and toasted vanilla.
2013 Ferragu Veneto Red Passito (500ml) $79.99 This intense sweet wine is filled with red fruit flavors. It comes from Valpolicella in the Veneto region in Northeast Italy, not from Tuscany. It offers complex notes of spiced cherry jam, cooked plums, and baking spices. Pair with fine dark chocolate. Remember, “sweet” should not be considered a dirty word for wine lovers! Discover how stunning traditional sweet wines can be. Visit Elyse Genderson at Schneider’s (300 Mass Ave NE) to discover wines you’ll love ◆
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August 2020 ★ 67
. arts and dining .
ARTandtheCITY by Jim Magner
ARTIST PORTRAIT: JAMES EARL
D
Sparrows Point Soft and hard ground etching, Based on James Earl’s pen and ink drawing.
iscovery. It’s all about discovery. Searching. Experimenting. Watching. James Earl explores “novel ways to make marks on paper and organize them into coherent images.” This involves math: the systematic placement of two-dimensional configurations and, he says, “the arrangement of blank space, including the margins around a central image.” Jim has spent his life searching. Always looking. As a physicist, he discovered cosmic ray electrons by launching high altitude balloons in the 1950s and has taught physics at the University of Minnesota and the University of Maryland. Jim Earl was “inspired” when
Kinder Pavilion Photo etching, Based on James Earl’s charcoal drawing.
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he walked into a California art gallery and saw Andy Warhol’s Brillo Boxes. Fascinated, he began making silkscreen prints like “Metro Test.” That led to a deep interest in art and art classes at UMD and eventually to a degree in art. That, in turn, brought a desire to draw. You see that in “Kinder Park Pavilion,” a photo etching based on a charcoal drawing. The newer etchings, like “Sparrows Point” may appear to be an expression of particular scene or object rather than reflect or replicate the actual appearance. But when you look closely, they incorporate the same disciplines of organizing positive and negative spaces. It becomes a mathematically arranged composition. Jim found the art history classes to be the most rewarding. He treasures the traditions of art, from cave drawings to religious icons to the Italian Renaissance—from the Impressionists to Pop Art. It is all about discovery—the arrangements of form and space often not realized by the casual observer. But it is there: the physics of art… the inherent mathematics. This is his first solo show, a “retrospective.” See “At the Galleries” for gallery information and images from the exhibition. www. foundrygallery.org
Jim Magner’s Thoughts on Art Art and Math. Opposites? Art is qualitative as all get out. Mysterious. Enigmatic. Art is the transfer of reality, yet, the transfer of the imagined. Art is the miracle of light with the power of impulse. Art is ideas descending from the heavens. Art can bring ecstasy or desolation. Art is elegance with beauty. Art can enrage with hurt. Art can set you free. Flying so high. Into eternity. Art is so personal but can be shared by looks and touches. Soaring together. Art is being one with the sounds and sights of living things. Art is consciousness of the raw earth and seas and roaring winds.} Grinding. Eroding. Flowing. Exploding. Math is quantitative as all get out. Totally. Math brings measurement. In everything. Math is the rock bottom base of bigger/smaller—less/more—faster/slower. Math measures and defines with numbers. Cold hard numbers. But wait… Math is not cold. It is the proportions of nature and principals of natural order. Math is the internal mechanisms of all living things. Of being alive. Math is ladder of inquiry. Math is the stairway to seeing. Really seeing. Math is the composition of understanding.
tors Bringing Balance with Humor. The featured Artists are: Jan Kirsh, Barbara Kobylinska, Cindy Winnick. Check it out on the website. www.zenithgallery.com Foundry Gallery: To August 30. “Now and Then: Fifty Years of Prints.” James Earl (see Artist Profile) This Jim Earl’s first solo exhibit and a comprehensive look at his artistic progression and evolution from early silk screens to etchings. The gallery may be opened on select days, but you can view the whole exhibit at, foundrygallery.org. Capitol Hill Art League (CHAL) presents “Meltdown.” It is virtual for now but may be installed live in September. Congratulations to the prize winners: Rindy O’Brien, 1st, Jason JafMetro Test Silk Screen Print. Original image created by James Earl feri, 2nd, and Judith Searles, 3rd, and Honorable Math and art are lovers. Sometimes secret Mentions, Linda Norton and Kim DiDonato. lovers. Sometimes bold. Forever entwined in a You can see the whole 29 artist show at: www. passion for meaning. It’s the passion of mathcaphillartleague.org. ematical precision and delicate sensibility, Middle East Institute’s MEI Art Gallery joined in the searching. Always searching for presents Lebanon Then and Now: Photograthe source. The beginning. phy from 2006 to 2020. It features 50 works by 17 Lebanese art and documentary photogAt the Galleries raphers. https://www.mei.edu/exhibition/lebTouchstone Gallery has a “3D all member anon-then-and-now. show.” The exhibition is on line with an added guided tour. Touchstonegallery.com A Capitol Hill artist and writer, Jim can be reached National Museum of Women in the Arts at Artandthecity05@aol.com u (NMWA) features, online, the work of the influential Latin American photographer, Graciela Iturbide. This is a major exhibit of the artist’s work. NMWA.org. Artomatic rides again with “Artomatic 2.0, a Virtual Event.” It’s the 20th Anniversary! The website will have all the visual artists, the performance artists and all the usual fun. www.artomatic.org. Zenith Gallery Presents: Women Sculp-
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August 2020 H 69
. arts and dining .
the LITERARY HILL A Compendium of Readers, Writers, Books, & Events by Karen Lyon
A Decade to Make Your Head Spin A neighbor down the street has a sign in their yard that seems to perfectly express our shared sense of exhaustion: “What a Year This Week Has Been.” But lest we think ours is the only time when people were feeling buffeted by one thing after another, Garrett Peck is here to refresh our memories. In “A Decade of Disruption: America in the New Millennium,” he reminds us of the staggering number of significant events that happened in the “lost decade” of 2000 to 2010. You may recall that the decade started with a budget surplus and ended with a burst housing bubble, the dot.com meltdown, failing banks, auto makers in need of bailouts and, in the Great Recession, the most catastrophic financial crisis since the Depression. The “aughts” also saw the terrorist attack on 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the rise of the Tea Party, which led to a dysfunctional and gridlocked government. According to Peck, though, “the single biggest mistake of the decade” was when the Bush administration “followed a false trail of evidence” that led to the invasion of Iraq. The Iraq war, he contends, was not only the “worst intelligence failure in US history,” but it also squandered the international goodwill that America experienced post-9/11 and destabilized the Middle East for years to come. The decade also saw the rise of the Internet and social media, the election of America’s first African American president, and the 70 H HILLRAG.COM
Historian Garrett Peck looks back at the highs and lows of the first ten years of the 21st century in “A Decade of Disruption.”
transition of gay rights “from fringe to mainstream,” paving the way for the repeal of “Don’t ask, don’t tell” and the legalization of gay marriage in the next decade. All told, it’s enough to make your head spin. Peck not only sets out these “key events that Americans shared” in a concise narrative history, but he also offers a thoughtful and informed perspective. He obviously reads wisely and widely, and is able with clarity and logic to explain complex information (such as what led up to the collapse of the financial market) as well as to call upon pertinent experts for additional analysis. He is exceedingly fair, carefully totting up George W. Bush’s successes and failures and, above all, he is hopeful. Despite the 2016 election of “the ultimate disrupter” in Donald Trump, he writes, “we must have faith in the American democracy that we will eventually get it right.” Garrett Peck is an American historian who has written six previous books, including “The Great War in America: World War I and Its Aftermath,” “Prohibition in Washington, D.C.: How Dry We Weren’t,” and “Walt Whitman in Washington, D.C.: The Civil War and America’s Great Poet.” www. garrettpeck.com
Life at Haverim Ahuvim
Stories about several generations of members in an urban synagogue intertwine in Yermiyahu Ahron Taub’s “Beloved Comrades.”
Arnold Kestenberg got tired of somebody else sitting in the seat he’d paid for at the yeshiva, so he found a remedy: he and his wife Myrna started their own “synagogue of comrades.” Housed in a historical mansion whose original owners could no longer afford to
THE POETIC HILL ways came back to Congregation Haverim Ahuvim, didn’t it?” In the end, nearly a century’s worth of synagogue archives get packed away into a mere sixteen boxes—much as Taub lovingly condenses “the history of inextricably intertwined lives” into this graceful and hope-filled book. Let his characters welcome you into Haverim Ahuvim and share their lives. There’s a seat waiting Join the Folger Shakespeare Library for a for you. virtual book club centered around novels Yermiyahu Taub is the inspired by you-know-who. award-winning author of maintain it, the Congregation Haverim the short story collection, Ahuvim becomes the heart of a com“Prodigal Children in the House of munity where all are “welcome to pray G-d,” and six books of poetry, includwithin its walls” and no one is “turned ing “A Mouse Among Tottering Skyaway for lack of a seat.” scrapers: Selected Yiddish Poems.” In “Beloved Comrades,” YermiHis poems and short stories have apyahu Ahron Taub weaves together a peared in numerous publications and “novel in stories” of several generahe has been nominated four times for a tions of families who meet and pray Pushcart Prize. www.yataub.net there, celebrate holidays and passages, cook latkes in the kitchen, and lovFolger Book Club ingly mop the black and white tile Missing your book buddies? Join the floors. We get to know them at their Folger Shakespeare Library, which is places of business—Eli at his store teaming with East City Bookshop for selling women’s undergarments, Sol a virtual book club focusing on novels at his grocery—and at school, where inspired by Shakespeare and the early Mindl’s first-grade teacher decrees modern era. Free and open to all, the that she will now be known by the club will meet via Zoom on the first more “American” name of Mandy. Thursday of the month. We meet Ida, who soothes frightThe debut book to be discussed ful memories by wielding her cookie on August 6 at 6:30 p.m. is “Stapress, turning out cinnamon-scenttion Eleven” by Emily St. John Maned sunbursts of dough that she nevdel, a futuristic story about a troupe er eats herself. We watch Yehoshua, of Shakespearean actors traveling the skinny boy who liked to dress in through a post-pandemic countryside. his sister’s clothes, grow up struggling Register online at www.folger. with his heritage and his homosexuedu/events (click on “Words, Words, ality. And throughout all of the joys Words: Station Eleven”). And buy the and disappointments, the “accommobook at East City either online (www. dations and agency,” the betrayals and eastcitybookshop.com), by phone bad marriages, the bonds and rifts be(202-290-1636), or via email (ortween boyhood friends, mothers and ders@eastcitybookshop.com). u daughters, and estranged sisters, “it al-
T
by Karen Lyon
ori Collins is a native Chicagoan who lives and works in DC. Currently an unpublished writer, she hopes to self-publish her work in the very near future and she is also working on a new podcast, “I’m Not Telling Stories.” She wrote the poem below “as COVID-19 and the protest defending Black lives after George Floyd’s murder intersected, causing our community to take a closer look at racial inequities.” She performed it recently at a reading at Busboys and Poets (socially distanced, she notes, and her mask went back on as soon as she’d finished!).
From Pandemic to Protest
Bird watching for 5 in Central Park
Black Lives are lost and we march, counting the cost, amidst a pandemic
Death
DuBois calculated the cost of liberty and the receipts from lost Black lives confirm
no matter how good or bad your life
Repression, suppression, oppression still cost more
‘tis the great equalizer as told by Duggard how wealthy or poor your life how old or young your life Your Life
Images of grief disrupts our peace
Death will come
That passes all understanding
You’ve checked all the boxes to be counted
And we still cannot comprehend, thus, we ask, why? Why does anyone have to die? But the question morphs into why does anyone have to die like this? Alone A knee to the neck Intubated Socially Distanced Shot in cold blood Without answers and without regrets Cardiac Arrested Asphyxiated No charges No convictions From drive-by testing to random racially profiled traffic stops No mask Uncovered mouths, covered eyes
Socioeconomic status, Race, Zip code These may extend your life but death still comes America, the land of retaliation, cancel culture and the land of hiding in plain sight Still no vaccination in sight We continue to fight We fought for Founding Father’s Freedom We fight for equity in health that has nothing and everything to do with wealth We fight for lives that continue to breathe, for lives that lost the ability to breathe, for lives that cried, “I can’t breathe” We fight or else the Protest becomes the Pandemic.
If you would like to have your poem considered for publication, please send it to klyon@literaryhillbookfest.org. (There is no remuneration.) u
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PICKLEBALL Not Just for Seniors
I
was shocked. The first time I played pickleball every pre-conceived notion I had of the sport was destroyed. Thoughts like, “It’s just for old people. It’s easy. It’s slowmoving,” went out the window. I discovered it’s challenging, it’s fun and it’s great exercise. I’m hooked. Pickleball is the perfect game if you are new to racquet sports. The hand/eye coordination is excellent for keeping your brain in top shape. It’s also great for keeping your muscles toned and flexible and it helps to improve your balance and reflexes. It’s also challenging enough for people who have played other racquet sports. Pickleball is easy to learn but hard to master which is what makes the sport so interesting. Playing about six weeks ago at an
by Pattie Cinelli outdoor court in my community. I found it a good way (and one of the few ways) to meet people and exercise in a time when social distancing is in and indoor activities are out. It’s a popular sport in my neighborhood. We’ve had as many as 20 players show up for one of our sessions which usually averages between 10-12 players.
What is Pickleball? Pickleball is a sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis. Two or four players use solid paddles made of wood or graphite (preferred) to hit a whiffle ball over
a net. It shares features of other racquet sports: the dimensions and layout of a badminton court and a net and rules somewhat similar to tennis. Pickleball has an array of shots and unique names for them. “Dink” is called a drop shot in tennis. There are lobs and overhead smashes. The “kitchen” is the small box seven feet from the net in the front of the court that is the “nonvolley zone.” Points are scored only by the serving team. Games are played to 11 points, win by two.
The History of Pickleball According to legend, the game was created by Washington politician Joel Pritchard to entertain his bored family during the summer of 1965. According to Joel, his wife described the sport as looking
August 2020 ★ 73
. family life .
Pattie Cinelli tries her hand at pickleball, the fastest growing sport in the US.
like the pickle boat in rowing. This refers to a crew of oarsmen who are leftovers from the other boats. The second theory is that it is named after the Pritchard’s dog, Pickles. The dog would chase the ball and run off with it.
Who Can Play Pickleball and Where? DC has only two indoor courts on or near Capitol Hill – at the Sherwood Recreation Center in northeast and at the King Greenleaf Recreation Center in southwest. “The DC government doesn’t support pickleball compared to Arlington where there are many courts both indoor and outdoor,” explained Jim Dougherty, who is the District’s pickleball champion. He took gold in the men’s singles and gold in the mixed doubles in 2018. His winnings qualified him to represent DC in the 2019 National Senior Games. “It was fun representing the District. I’ll be competing again at the 2020 games in Fort Lauderdale this November if they are held.” Jim is not new to competitive sports. He played college tennis and played squash for many years. He was an active player of ultimate frisbee on the mall until a knee injury stopped his playing for a while. “Four years ago I read about pickleball in the Post and gave it a try.” Jim believes pickleball is among the best of racquet sports. “Because the court is smaller you have lots of hits and it’s fast-paced. There are many different kinds of shots that come into play. It’s a much more diverse racquet sport than others, points are longer. Since the court is smaller than tennis you don’t have to cover as much ground and don’t spend as much time chasing a ball.” While the majority of players are baby boomers (75% of players are over 50) I have had a 13-year-old as a partner. One of our opponents was a member of his high school tennis team. I’ve also had as a partner a woman who has nev74 H HILLRAG.COM
er played any sport in her life. In our group we regularly have 30 and 40-somethings as well who have all levels of skill sets. A couple of years ago the US Sports & Fitness Industry Association recognized pickleball as the fastest growing sport in the US. In the past six years the number of participants has grown by 600 percent. While it’s caught on among people with age, Jim said it’s popular among all ages. The national racquetball champion is 21 years old and from the University of Maryland. In that championship last November the oldest competitor was 90 and the youngest was nine. “The sport is co-ed and diverse,” he said. “My friend plays with her kids and grandkids every Sunday.” The USA Pickleball Association (USAPA) has a list of all addresses and names of places at which you can play pickleball, organized by state. The sport is also gaining in popularity internationally. If you can’t find an official pickleball court, do what we do in my community: use a tennis court, outline the court in a different color from the tennis lines and lower the net to a height of three feet. Or, you can create your own court on a blacktop surface. Because you don’t need much area (compared to a tennis court), it’s easy to find a suitable area on which to draw the service courts and no-volley zone, and then hang a net in the middle. If you’d like to learn more before you dive in, check out the USA Pickleball Association website: www.usapa.org. You can also find demonstrations and instruction about pickleball on Youtube. Pattie Cinelli is a health and fitness professional who has been writing her column for more than 20 years. She focuses on non-traditional ways to stay healthy and get well. Please email her with questions or column suggestions at:fitmiss44@aol.com. u
DO YOU KNOW HOW TO BUILD AND MAINTAIN A HEALTHY AND STRONG IMMUNE SYSTEM?
Learn practical ways to keep well and centered during this chaotic time.
JOSEPH FRANK CITRO LEARN: • • • • •
what foods to eat what exercise to do how to get quality sleep release stress what supplements to take
Work with Pattie to keep yourself in optimal shape to deal with anything that comes into your path. Work with a Certified Functional Aging Specialist
30 years of experience
Joe and Connie Citro, Nov. 2019 Joseph Frank Citro died suddenly on Monday, July 20, 2020, after a brief
illness at his home on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, at age 79. He is sorely missed by his loving wife of 55 years, Constance Forbes Citro, his son, Jeremy (Sue) of Worcester, MA, his brother Frank (Ann Willems) of Rochester, NY, his sister-in-law Susan Forbes Martin of Brookline, MA, and his nephews Jamie, Tad, and Jon Martin. He was born on February 15, 1941, in Rochester to the late Frank Louis Citro and Audrey Stadler Citro and grew up in Chili Center west of that city. He received B.A., M.A.T., and Ed.D. degrees from the University of Rochester (where he met Connie). He and Connie moved to Washington, DC, in 1967 for Joe to carry out research in the Library of Congress for his dissertation on Booker T. Washington’s Tuskegee Institute. Expecting to stay only a year, they fell in love with the Capitol Hill neighborhood and purchased their home in the 100 block of 12th St SE in July 1968. Joe taught American History, Civil War History, and African-American History at Prince George’s Community College from 1969 to his retirement in 2008. He was an inspiring professor who believed in making history real, taking his students on trips to historic sites in and around Washington, DC, and to Civil War battlefield sites. He directed summer institutes for high school teachers funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, including an institute on early slave cultures in the Tidewater/Chesapeake and Carolina Low Country. He was on the board of the Capitol Hill Day School and worked on its move to the Dent School. He organized annual crafts fairs, which were held several years running in the late 1970s at the Eastern Market as a fundraiser for CHDS. These fairs showed the way toward what became the flourishing flea markets at the Eastern Market today. An active member of Christ Church Washington Parish since the early 2000s, after his retirement he served as Junior Warden and Vestry Member and oversaw major renovations of the rectory and the spires on the church tower. Joe loved coffee, growing flowers, rigorous workouts, visiting wildlife refuges, restoring his and Connie’s 1909 townhouse, and shopping for everything from antique furniture and historical prints and books to clothes to cards for all occasions to healthy food. He also loved keeping up with local real estate trends, having lunch with Connie at Mr. Henry’s and Radici, and reading the Washington Post and New York Times cover to cover every day. He had high energy levels and standards for excellence, followed through on everything he undertook, and enjoyed working with people of all ages and backgrounds. He had lymphoma four years ago and worked hard to recover from it and the harsh chemo treatments. He never gave up, always had a smile and a warm word of welcome for everyone he met, and was truly a “light bright shining” for the many people who knew and loved him. Contributions may be made in his memory to Christ Church Washington Parish, 620 G St, SE., Washington, DC. Interment is private. A memorial service will be held at a later time.
LET’S TALK. CALL OR EMAIL TODAY.
202.329.5514 FITMISS44@AOL.COM • PATTIECINELLI.COM on THE
Hill
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. family life .
#HERE2HELPDC
Managing a COVID Side Effect: High Utility Bills
H
by Catherine Plume
ave you checked your utility bills lately? With the “away” settings on thermostats collecting virtual dust, home internet routers working overtime, our electricity, water, and gas bills have increased. The DC government has noted these added household expenses and their impacts on families who are already stressed by the ongoing pandemic. Financial assistance is now available to residents struggling with unpaid DC Water bills during public health
emergency and 105 days thereafter. A program to help income-qualified and senior District residents with the repair or replacement of hot water tanks, central air conditioning units, and heating systems has been expanded to include the repair or replacement of window air conditioning units for owner-occupied condominium units and single-family homes. In June, four District agencies charged with serving DC utility consumers kicked off “#Here2HelpDC,” a public awareness campaign to inform residents and businesses about energy and money-saving initiatives that can help minimize negative financial impacts of the pandemic. #Here2HelpDC is a combined initiative of the Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE), the DC Public Service Commission (DCPSC), the DC Sustainable Energy Utility (DCSEU), and the Office of the People’s Counsel for the District of Columbia (OPC). You can access the various services and tips by searching “#Here2HelpDC” online. A few clicks reveal a wide array of tools and tips¬--everything from a virtual tour of OPC’s Smart Home & Energy Affordability Lab to how to better understand your electricity bill, and select an energy supplier on DCPSC’s new DC Power Connect website. Willie L. Phillips, Chairman of the DCPSC notes, “We want District residents and businesses to know that we are with them every step of the way during the COVID-19 recovery. By partnering with District agencies, consumers can easily find help and resources to maintain their essential services”.
“I could really use some alone time, but at least the AC is on all day now!” Credit: P. Mason
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Ted Trabue, Director of the DCSEU notes, “The District government and these agencies in particular are concerned that with many people staying at home and consequently using more electricity, gas and water, residents will be faced with higher bills than usual at a time when some may be struggling. In response to the pandemic, the DC Council passed emergency legislation prohibiting the disconnection of electric, natural gas, water, and telecommunications services for nonpayment. Consumer advocates fear that when those restrictions are lifted, bills will be hard to handle, particularly for District residents out of work and owners of shuttered business experiencing financial hardship. We hope “#Here2HelpDC” can provide DC residents with some tips to help lessen the burden.” DC also offers a wealth of options for saving money on utilities that are not related to the current health emergency, but with the FY20 DC fiscal year coming to a close and FY21 monies in shorter supply, be sure to take advantage of these programs now. • Now is a great time to go solar. Solar installation companies are allowed to work during the health emergency, and income-qualified DC residents can access solar at no cost. See DC Solar for All at https://doee.dc.gov/solarforall. • DCSEU has a wealth of information about energy conservation and product rebates on their website. Did you know that you can receive a $50 rebate on a smart thermostat or up to $375 on a central air conditioning unit or up to $100 for a mini-split system? And, with the confusing array of energy efficient light bulbs
that are now on the market, they provide an easy guide to help you determine the best bulb for a specific location. Check out https:// www.dcseu.com/homes. • With more people planting gardens this year, water use is on the rise. DOEE’s RiverSmart Homes program offers rebates for rain barrels as well as shade trees, and even permeable pavers. See https://doee.dc.gov/service/ riversmart-homes. • And, the DCPSC website provides information on low income discount programs for seniors and disabled residents for electricity, gas, and telecommunications at https://dcpsc.org/ConsumersCorner/Programs/Low-IncomeDiscount-Program.aspx. People’s Counsel Sandra Mattavous-Frye notes, “Working together, we can teach consumers self-help measures that will save them from even more hardships when things get back to normal. I am pleased to have OPC participate in #Here2HelpDC. And, Tommy Wells, Director of DOEE adds, “#Here2HelpDC will culminate later this summer with a virtual summit where agency leaders will urge consumers to take advantage of payment plans, financial assistance programs, rebates, and incentives to help save energy and money.” Stay tuned and get those utility bills under control! Catherine Plume is a lifelong environmentalist, a writer, and blogger for the DC Recycler: www.DCRecycler.blogspot. com; Twitter: @DC_Recycler. She is also the Chair of the DC Chapter of the Sierra Club, however, perspectives expressed are her own and do not necessarily represent the positions of that organization. ◆
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. family life .
THE DISTRICT VET Problem Solving
O
ver the past 17 years, whenever I travel or otherwise find myself out and about, people often ask, “What’s your job?” When I was a neophyte in the profession, I would answer straightforwardly: “I’m a veterinarian.” As my career progressed, my answer to this question became more nuanced. I specify that I practice clinical medicine and perform surgery with dogs and cats. Last week, a co-worker asked me to comment on one of her essays for admission into veterinary school; when she asked what veterinarians do, I answered without hesitation: “We are problem solvers.” I could see in her eyes that a light bulb had clicked on. The question arose while we were looking at
by Dan Teich why our practice management software was not loading on her computer. I noted that the computer is our patient and that it is not well. First, we determine the problem; in this case, the software was not opening. We started with the fundamentals: were the cords connected properly? Next, we assessed the functionality of other programs on the computer, with positive results; a variety of applications opened successfully. Then, we investigated internet access; this was the source of the problem. We effectively performed a physical examination on the computer and ran a lab test: opening a web browser window. Upon opening system preferences, we learned that although the network signal was strong, this computer was not connected to it. With one additional click, the practice management soft-
ware began working as normal. I turned to my co-worker and said, “This is how we approach our cases. First, identify the problem; look for other issues associated with the primary problem; perform a physical exam; map out possible diagnoses; run appropriate tests; and interpret these data to derive a solution.” I added, “This is no different than when a puppy comes in with diarrhea, a condition with many causes, including parasites, food-based distress, and foreign bodies. Collecting a detailed history and working through a case systematically are the cornerstones of our work. Every patient has one or more problems that requires careful analyses and potential solutions.” The role of a veterinarian extends beyond seeing ill patients. In this profession, we need to be “Jills” or “Jacks” of all trades. After addressing the computer issue, I met with a person whose cat was urinating outside of the litter box. Then, I consulted with our hospital administrator to finalize next month’s schedule, balancing our clinical responsibilities while coordinating staff requests for time off. Each of these situations represent problems that require thoughtful solutions. My official title is “veterinarian,” but as demonstrated above, my true role is “problem solver.” So Sydney, you can’t copy this word-forword, but this is my answer to your essay question. Dr. Dan Teich is the Medical Director for District Veterinary Hospital, Eastern Market. He is a Hill resident and can be seen walking to work with Dr. Brian, his golden retriever sidekick. u
78 H HILLRAG.COM
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www.themecrosswords.com • www.mylesmellorconcepts.com
XWORD “Echoing Jumbles” by Myles Mellor Across:
1. Fine fiddle 6. Lackland or Keesler 13. Texas city 19. Foolish affection 21. Anarchic situation 22. “Yoo-hoo!” 23. It keeps you cool 25. Like a pet ready for travel 26. Diagnostic procedure, for short 27. Long story 28. Tarnish 30. Male only affair 31. Civil rights organization 34. Martini’s distilling partner 37. Last in a series 38. Out of fashion 39. Time without end 41. Sub home 44. Fruit used for bowls, when dried 47. Scholastic sports grp. 48. Streak 53. Roads, bridges, etc 58. Trot relative 59. Space station or constellation? 60. Biological drive 61. Bubkes 62. It was flown by James Bond in “Dr. No” 63. Like some D.A.’s 65. Roughage 66. “Hop ___!” 68. Dangerous strain 69. Romantic interlude (var.) 71. Asian Sasquatch 73. Kenyan tribe 76. Superman lover Lane 80. City on the Arkansas River 83. Knocks 87. Distress 88. Soldier show org. 89. Fully 91. Laughter on the internet, abbr.
92. Take back (anagram of 58 across) 94. Quiet man enjoying the waves? (anagram of 53 across) 97. Falls off 99. Mosque V.I.P. 100. Specialized units 101. Unyielding 104. Priced 106. Monsters in legend 110. ___ Schwarz 111. Snake shaped letters 113. Frolics 117. Leeway 118. Nasal cavity 120. ___-bitty 122. “Wonderful!” 123. Followed a scent (anagram of 25 across) 125. Where you might find an Indian dish (anagram of 23 across) 130. Seat of Montana’s Lewis and Clark County 131. Damages 132. Under the influence 133. Waiting, in a way 134. Signals 135. Poppy or flax
Down:
1. Give ___ (care) 2. Shearer of ballet 3. Shoppers’ oases 4. Middle X of X-X-X 5. “Where did ___ wrong?” 6. Pals 7. Specks 8. Baseball score 9. Guy relation 10. Sister of one’s father 11. Blackguard 12. More creepy 13. Heating system conduit
Look for this months answers at labyrinthgameshop.com 14. Spring mon. 15. The Forbidden City 16. Riga natives 17. Parts 18. Rush-like plant 20. Lt.’s inferior 24. Mend 29. Headland in Scotland 32. Author John Dickson ___ 33. Stomp box for guitar effects 35. Aid and comfort 36. ___ the finish 38. Fort wall 40. Become rigid 42. Intimidate 43. Often-repeated abbr. 44. “Monster” that’s really a lizard 45. Small bills 46. Some spaceships
47. Art subject 49. Procrastinator’s refrain 50. ___ time 51. Small dabbling duck 52. Ms Bombeck 54. Govt. security note 55. Cage part 56. Popular vacation spot 57. Ransom’s middle name 64. Headgear 67. Ex-heavyweight champ 70. Vagueness 72. Irks 73. Fertilizer 74. Out of the wind 75. Bag-like structures 77. Not at home 78. ‘This ___ surprise!’ 79. Logical antecedent 80. Tennessee team
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81. Coin word 82. Paper size 84. ___ Romeo (sports car) 85. Rhyme 86. Some cameras: Abbr. 90. Toward the edge 93. “We Know Drama” cable channel 95. Hungarian leader Nagy 96. Start over 98. Muslim mystic 102. Send away 103. Evict 104. Freshen the salad 105. Apropos of 106. Prefix with -pedic 107. Law and Order Criminal Intent character 108. Explorer Amundsen 109. Event announcer 112. Word with “blind” or “broad” 114. Acadia National Park locale 115. Walked nervously 116. Throws away 118. Minn. neighbor 119. Play the lead 121. 1000 and 2000 e.g. 124. Letter accompanier: Abbr. 126. __ glance 127. Where Penguins and Ducks play 128. ___ in his kiss 129. ___ v. Wade
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336 13th St NE
718 North Carolina Ave, SE
Eastern Market Queen Anne w/ Amazing Proportions & Stunning Capital vews from spacious roof deck! 5BR/4FB/2HB on 4 lvls, 4100+ sq.ft.; Open Gourmet Chef’s Kitchen, Gracious MBR Ste, Top Flr Rec Rm (w/ Murphy Bed) LL: 2BR/1.5BA Inlaw Ste; double porches, deep pvt bkyd, in bounds for Brent! ~$3M
T TR RIN EA ID SU AD RE
3600+ sq.ft. ALL NEW CONSTRUCTION! 5+BR/4BA; 40+ windows, Garage, Roof Deck, Patio, MBR Ste + Owners Ste, Ground Flr. BR, HUGE Kitchen, DR, LR; BIG Bedrooms, Opulent Baths! $1.9M
Unit #6 (3BR/2.5BA) is a large two level unit (1000SF) with open main floor including living, dining and kitchen, plus Master Suite, laundry, and half bath; bedroom level includes two large bedrooms and one full bath. $3300 Unit #5 (2BR+Den/2.5BA) is a large two level (1000SF) unit with open main floor including living, dining and kitchen, plus laundry and half bath; bedroom level includes one large bedroom and one den (no window). $3000
Parking Available for rent!
1312 South Carolina Ave, SE
Coming Soon! 3BR/2BA w/ deep front yd; rear balcony, Updated Island Kitchen & Renovated Baths, Original Hwd Flrs & wood trim, anderson windows, HVAC, radiator heat laundry & utility Bsmnt has great potential equity! $900’s
1241 Morse St, NE
COMING SOON! TWO Buildings, One Amazing Compound! 3BR/2.5BA on 2500SF + Accessory Dwelling on a large lot with three-car parking and more! Brand-new custom construction steps from H Street and Union Market Hot Spots. ~$1.2 M’s
Call the Licensed Agents of the Smith Team! They will use their Decades of Experience to Make YOUR Real Estate Dreams Come True!