Hill Rag Magazine February 2016 by Capital Community News

hillrag.com â&#x20AC;˘ February 2016

Est. 1981

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CAPITOL HILL

SHAW

342 8th Street, NE COMMERCIAL/MIXED-USE Todd Bissey 202-841-7653

1717 New Jersey Ave, NW $879,500 Genie Hutinet 202-413-7661

CAPITOL HILL

10 7th Street, NE $1,600,000 Legal 3-Unit Todd Bissey

202-841-7653

CAPITOL HILL

1327 D Street, NE $838,500 Genie Hutinet 202-413-7661

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CAPITOL HILL

1103 9th Street, NE #2 3BR/3.5BA - $880,000 Todd Bissey

202-841-7653

CAPITOL HILL 518 9th Street, SE Detached shotgun house with parking & 2-story addition is much larger than it appears.

IAL ERC M M CO CAPITOL HILL

Genie Hutinet 202-413-7661

804 H Street, NE 790’ - Office Space Stan Bissey

202-841-1433

508 H Street, NE 1,300’ - Office Space Stan Bissey

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CAPITOL HILL

IAL ERC M M CO CAPITOL HILL

U ST. / 14TH ST.

1520 Ind. Ave, SE #3 1BR - $264,000

1415 Chapin St, NW #408 2BR - $474,000

Pete Frias 202-744-8973 www.PeterFrias.com

IAL ERC M M CO CAPITOL HILL

724 East Capitol St, NE 2,000’ - Retail Space Stan Bissey

202-841-1433

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202-841-1433

KALORAMA

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Pete Frias 202-744-8973 www.PeterFrias.com

2310 Ashmead Pl, NW #203 1BR - $352,000

119 5th St, NE Legal 2-Unit

“WHERE WASHINGTON SHOPS FOR A NEW ADDRESS!”® 225 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20003

Tel: 202-544-3900 www.johncformant.com

Sales • Rentals • Commercial Leasing • Property Management • Investments

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PROUD TO BE A SPONSOR OF CAPITOL HILL COMMUNITY FOUNDATION’S LITERARY FEAST 4 H Hillrag.com

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This Wacky Weather Got You Thinking of Spring? US TOO! The Annual CHRS House & Garden Tour is Just Around the Corner! We’re gearing up for our 59th tour on Mother’s Day weekend. Care to share your style, your historic home, your lush gardens? If you think your home should be on the tour, give us a shout. Or suggest a neighbor’s home or garden. Interestingness is the criteria - give it a shot! Rhonda Sincavage will explore “Historic Preservation and Community-Building on Capitol Hill”, February 24, at 7 p.m. at Maury ES

Capitol Hill is a special place. We promote, preserve, and enhance the character of our historic neighborhoods.

Join Us Today at 202-543-0425 info@chrs.org; www.chrs.org; @CHRSDC 8 H Hillrag.com

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Grant, Ryall & Andrew Put our years of Washington real estate experience to work for you! Call us and letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s get started.

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Grant Griffith, (202) 741-1685 | Ryall Smith, (202) 741-1781 | Andrew Glasow, (202) 741-1654 Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage - Don Denton, VP Broker | 605 Pennsylvania Ave SE, WDC 20003 - Main: 202.547. 3525

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What’s Inside?

black history special 36

Rain

18 Calendar

162 Last Shot

Jonetta’s Take: Black History IS American

Meeting Dr. Woodson

Black History Local Events

Jonetta Rose Barras Alexander M. Padro

capitol streets

16 What’s on Washington

156 Classified Ads

E. Ethelbert Miller

History

In every issue:

74 Hill Rag Crossword

Black History and the Coming of Black

Heard on the Hill: Think Before You Click

Bulletin Board

Jen DeMayo

Kathleen Donner Kate Coventry

The Numbers: Income Matters

South by West

Office of Planning Unveils Vision for

William Rich

Feb. Shaun Courtney

Buzzard Point

An Offbeat, Upbeat Field Trip: A Tour of DC Water’s Blue Plains Catherine Plume

Advanced Wastewater Treatment Facility 66

ANC 6A Report

Elizabeth Nelson

ANC 6B Report

Jonathan Neeley

ANC 6C Report

Christina Ruston

ANC 6D Report

Andrew Lightman

ANC 6E Report

Steve Holton

community life

Everyone Loves the Buzzard Point Marina

Capitol Hill Village Revs Up for Its 2016 Gala ‘Mardi Gras’ Celebration

Photo: LaShawn Creekpaum

Hayden Wetzel

Mike Canning Elise Bernard

H Street Life

Our River: A Nice Guy You Want on Your Side

Telling the Story of Capitol Hill Montessori

Movies on the Hill! Miracle Theatre to Open This Month

Christine Rushton

Mike Canning

“The Artist Within” at Hill Center’s Young Artists Gallery Elizabeth Nelson

Bill Matuszeski

Snow Photos from the Blizzard of 2016

real estate 89

Real Estate Matters

Changing Hands

Heather Schoell Don Denton

131

on the cover: Young Woman with Peonies. 1870. Frédéric Bazille. oil on canvas, 60 x 75 cm (23 5/8 x 29 1/2 in.) framed: 83.8 x 99.4 x 7.6 cm (33 x 39 1/8 x 3 in.) Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon. 1983.1.6. At the National Gallery of Art. Located on the National Mall, between 3rd and 9th Streets NW, along Constitution Ave., NW. Monday–Saturday: 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Sunday: 11:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. Closed December 25 and January 1. Visit www.nga.gov for more information.

arts and dining 99

Mosaic Puts the Pieces Together

Barbara Wells Karen Lyon

102

The Folger Celebrates ‘The Wonder of Will’

104

Anacostia Community Museum Documents a Dozen Tumultuous

Years of Washington History

106

Dining Notes

109

Valentines Day Calendar

110

Harper Macaw, DC’s First Chocolate Factory

112

At the Movies

114

Art and The City

Pleasant Mann

Celeste McCall Meghan Markey

Mike Canning Jim Magner

116

The Literary Hill & Poetic Hill

119

Jazz Project

Karen Lyon

Jean-Keith Fagon

health and fitness 121

Making Sense of New Government Dietary Guidelines

Pattie Cinelli

126

Let Them Play!

128

The District Vet: Heart Disease

Dr. Meg van Achterberg Dan Teich

kids and family 131

Kids & Family Notebook

138

School Notes

Kathleen Donner

Susan Braun Johnson

homes and gardens 147

The Hill Gardener: Plant Early Bloomers This Spring

152

Max Insulation: A “Do Good” Business Model

154

Dear Garden Problem Lady

Wendy Hill

Cheryl Corson Catherine Plume

You Cured Me! During blizzard, I bumped into former patient. Formerly, this young woman had suffered her whole life with near daily migraines.

EST.

“Haven’t seen you in forever!” I said. She shrugged her shoulders. “You cured me. . . . I never really said ‘Thank you,” she replied. I remember how her neck just wasn’t straight. Her symptoms were the result. For the better health and life experience of you and your family Dr. David Walls-Kaufman

Capital Community News, Inc. 224 7th Street, SE, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20003 • 202.543.8300 www.capitalcommunitynews.com EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Melissa Ashabranner • melissaashabranner@hillrag.com

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Arts, Dining & Entertainment

Capitol Hill Chiropractic Center 411 East Capitol St., SE | 202.544.6035

Read More About This Subject On www.capitolhillchiropractic.com Serving The Capitol Hill Community Since 1984

1976

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Jim Magner • jjmagner@aol.com Celeste McCall • celeste@us.net Jonathan Bardzik • jonathan.bardzik@gmail.com Karen Lyon • klyon@folger.edu Mike Canning • mjcanning@verizon.net Jean-Keith Fagon • fagon@hillrag.com Stephen Monroe • steve@jazzavenues.com Barbara Wells • barchardwells@aol.com Jon Genderson • jon@cellar.com

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Patricia Cinelli • ﬁtmiss44@aol.com Jazelle Hunt • jazelle.hunt@gmail.com Candace Y.A. Montague • writeoncm@gmail.com

Real Estate

Kids & Family

Kathleen Donner • kathleendonner@gmail.com Susan Johnson • schools@hillrag.com

Homes & Gardens

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Commentary

Ethelbert Miller • emiller698@aol.com T�� N�� • thenose@hillrag.com T�� L�� W�� • editorial@hilllrag.com

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Don Denton • DDenton@cbmove.com Experience - Talent - Results CALL OR STOP BY TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT

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202.506.3609 H 661 C ST SE, 2ND FL. or book online:

www.MichaelAnthonySalonDC.com

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.

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F A G O N

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All Credit Cards Accepted February 2016 H 15

Picasso at the Lapin Agile at the Keegan

The long running Off-Broadway absurdist comedy takes us to a Parisian bar in 1904, where the young Picasso and Einstein are just a few years away from creations that will change the course of the 20th century. Mix in some chic girls, a savvy art dealer, a clever barkeep; and the stage is set for the sublime and ridiculous. Picasso at the Lapin Agile runs through \ Feb. 13. $30 -$40. This is Keegan Theatreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 19th season in Washington, DC and their inaugural season in their newly renovated theater at 1742 Church St. NW, between 17th & 18th and P & Q Streets NW. keegantheatre.com. Bradley Foster Smith and Amanda Forstrom. Photo: C. Stanley Photography

Atlas INTERSECTIONS Festival 2016

Kicking off the Atlas Performing Arts Center 10th Anniversary, the Atlas INTERSECTIONS Festival 2016, Feb. 26 through March 6, brings the best of DC arts and artists to the stage and H Street NE with performances, experiences and happenings in theatre, dance, music, vocal, choral, opera, visual arts, video, film, writing, sculpture, photography, circus, spoken word, public art, community art and art space activation. The complete INTERSECTIONS schedule is in the Calendar section of this paper. Enjoy. Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. 202-399-7993. atlasarts.org.

See the Xuejuan Dance Ensemble: A Dance of Languages at the Atlas INTERSECTIONS Festival 2016 on Feb. 27, 2:30 p.m. Photo: Jack Yan and Lei Ke

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Cupid’s Undie Run

Once a year, in February, you have an opportunity to see hundreds of attractive people running down a public street, for about a mile, in their underwear. With any luck there will be snow on the ground. To watch, position yourself on Pennsylvania Avenue SE between Seventh Street and the Capitol on Saturday, February 13 by 2 p.m. To participate, visit cupidsundierun.com. Cupid’s Undie Run takes place in 39 cities around the world and raises millions for the Children’s Tumor Foundation.

Courtesy of the Washington Antiquarian Book Fair

Washington Antiquarian Book Fair

At the 41st Annual Washington Antiquarian Book Fair, exhibitors from around the country will convene, offering both serious collectors and budding enthusiasts rare books, manuscripts, modern first editions, autographs, prints, maps, drawings and other rare finds. The Washington Antiquarian Book Fair is on Friday, Mar. 4, 4 to 8 p.m. and Saturday, Mar. 5, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Rosslyn at Key Bridge, 1900 North Fort Myer Dr., Arlington, VA. The entire show is $14; Saturday is $8. $5 admission on Saturday for librarians and students with valid ID. Children 12 and under free. Read more at wabf.com.

Photo: Jim Boswell

A New Moon Rises at Air and Space

The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) has captured dramatic landscapes of the Moon for more than six years. The exhibition A New Moon Rises showcases those breathtaking images from Apollo landing sites to majestic mountains that rise out of the darkness of the lunar poles. The 61 large prints presented in this exhibition reveal a celestial neighbor that is surprisingly dynamic, full of grandeur and wonder. Opens late February. airandspace.si.edu. Crater 308 on the Moon. Photo: Courtesy of NASA

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F E B R U A RY CALENDAR Black Masala. Live Performance is on Feb. 27, at 10 PM. Pictured are (left to right) Duﬀ Davis, Monty Montgomery, Mike Ounallah, Kristen Long, Steven Cunningham, Kirsten Warﬁeld, Nathan Graham and Matt Rippetoe. Photo: John Shore.

atLas inteRsections FestivaL 2016

Feb. 26 to March 6. The lineup follows. Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. 202-399-7993. atlasarts.org. Sound. Feb. 26, District Sax Quartet: Rhythm of the City, 9 PM; Feb. 26, 9 PM, Amadou Kouyate: Amadou Kouyate and the Proper SKANKS; Feb. 27, 3:30 PM, The In Series: Latina Supremes;

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{february events calendar}

to the Max!; Feb. 27, 9 PM and March 5, 1:30 PM, Dakshina/Daniel Phoenix Singh Dance Company: Mortal Tongues, Immortal Stories; Feb. 28, 2 PM, Dissonance Dance Theatre: Heads or Tails; Feb. 28, 2:30 PM, Alice Howes: The Jury; Feb. 28, 3 PM, Motion X Dance DC: Altered Archives; Feb. 28, 4 PM, MOVEIUS Contemporary Ballet: Perspectives: Contemporary Women in Dance; Feb. 28, 7 PM, NACHMO/ DC: NACHMO Ordinary Dance Show--Final Showcase of National Choreography Month/DC; March 5, 5 PM, Gin Dance Company: Introspections; March 5, 6:30 PM, Tehreema Mitha Dance Company: Blue Gold; March 5, 7 PM and March 6, 5 PM, Aura Curiatlas Physical Theatre: DREAM LOGIC; March 5, 8 PM, Mirenka Cechová: FAiTH; March 6, 2 PM, Metropolitan Youth Tap Ensemble--Stomping Grounds: where art and life intersect; March 6, 2:30 PM, NEA Youth Arts Connect; March 6, 5 PM, Company Danzante & Veronneau: Rhythms of the Heart; March 6, 7:30 PM, DC Dance Theatre Company: Re’surjens: Faith, Life, Love.

the Russian Folk Orchestra; March 5, 6:30 PM; March 5, 9:30 PM, Brad Linde: Roger Over and OUT!; March 6, 6 PM, William Brent & Noah Getz: StreamStretch; March 6, 7:30 PM, Phonic Wrinkle: Vintage Divergence.

Story. Feb. 26, 7 PM and Feb. 27, 7 PM, Annalisa Dias: Servant of the Wind; Feb. 26, 7 PM and Feb. 27, 7 PM, Aaron Reeder: IMAGE--Life in the comics; Feb. 26, 9:30 PM and Feb. 27, 2 PM, The Rude Mechanicals: Antigone Reflected; Feb. 27, 1:30 PM and Feb. 28, 2 PM, Terry Nicholetti: Meeting Bessie Bluefeld: Immigrant, Feminist, Entrepreneur; Feb. 27, 5 PM and Feb. 28, 9:30 PM, Sepia Works/Marjuan Canady: Girls! Girls? Girls.; Fev. 27, 9 PM, Conscience Drama Directive: THE PRESCIENT CONSCIENCE OF ERIC BENTLEY: the SCOTUS Marriage Decision (2015) and “Lord Alfred’s Lover” (1978); March 4, 6:30 PM, Éamon Boylan & Company: Juvenilia; March 4 9 PM, Goldie Patrick and Dave McDuffie: Body Language: Image and Imagery; March 4, 9:30 PM, Restoration Stage Inc: Veils; March 5, 8 PM, Story District: Mind Over Matter: True stories about living with mental illness; March 5, 9 PM and March 6, 8 PM, AWoL Productions: Ten Principles )’(; March 6, 1 PM, Arena Stage: Voices of Now Program Mead and Mentor Ensembles; March 6, 3:30 PM, FRESHH Inc: My Mic Sounds Nice; March 6, 5:30 PM, City at Peace: Live; March 6, 6:30 PM, Youth Summit Meeting: What’s up with your art?

Movement. Feb. 26, 8 PM and Feb. 27, 5 PM, Zip Zap Circus USA / AirBorne DC: Reaching the High Notes; Feb. 27, 1:30 PM, MOVES/ The Maverick Lemons Dance Project: HASHTAG; Feb. 27, 2:30 PM, Xuejuan Dance Ensemble: A Dance of Languages; Feb. 27, 4:30 PM and March 5, 2 PM, Jane Franklin Dance: Wash Over You Part I and II; Feb. 27, 6:30 PM, Taurus Broadhurst Dance: Defining Love; Feb. 27, 8 PM and Feb. 28, 6:30 PM,, Furia Flamenca Dance Company: Flamenco

Free in the Lobby. Feb. 26, 6:30 to 7:15 PM, Joy of Motion Dance Center Youth Dance Ensemble; Feb. 26, 7:30 to 9:15 PM, Veronneau; Feb. 27 and March 5, 9 AM to noon, DJ Dustin; Feb. 27, noon to 2 PM, Bellwether Bayou; Feb. 27 and March 5, 2 to 2:45 PM, Mosaic Theatre Company of DC; Feb. 27, 3 to 5 PM, Flo Anito; Feb. 27 and March 5, 5 to 6 PM, Musical Theatre Division of the Catholic University of America; Feb. 27, 6:15 to 7 PM, Furia Flamenca and Guests; Feb. 27, 7:30

Image: Courtesy of GALA Hispanic Theatre

Señorita y Madame – The Secret War of Elizabeth Arden & Helena Rubinstein. Feb. 4 to Feb. 28. A stinging comedy of the personal and business rivalry between two 20th Century female icons by Gustavo Ott. In Spanish with English surtitles. GALA Hispanic Theatre, 3333 14th St. NW. 202-234-7174. galatheatre.org. Feb. 27, 4 PM; Feb. 27, 10 PM, Cantigas: On our way to Cuba; Feb. 27, 10 PM, Black Masala: Live Performance; Feb. 28, 4:30 PM, Domingues and Kane: Gut + Voltage: Viola da Gamba and Electronics in Synthesis; Feb. 28, 5 PM, John Kocur Presents: Jazz Meets Irish Music; Feb. 28, 6:30 PM, Opera on Tap, DC Metro: Opera on Tap presents: We got 99 problems but a pitch ain’t one; Feb. 28, 7 PM, EcoSono / Matthew Burtner / Rita Dove: The Ceiling Floats Away; March 4, 7 PM, Cristian Perez Quintet: South American Jazz; March 4, 8 PM, Capital City Symphony/Go-Go Symphony: Go-Go Symphony; March 4, 8:30, Night Watch Paradox: Magnificent Machines and Astonishing Tales; March 5, Washington Balalaika Society: From Russia with Love: The Art of

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to 10 PM and March 5, 8 to 10:30 PM, Analog Soul Club; Feb. 28, 1:30 to 3:30 PM; March 4, 6:30 to 9:30 PM and March 5, 2 to 4 PM, DJ RBI; Feb. 28, 3:30 to 5:15 PM, eXposure Film Series; Feb. 28, 5:30 to 7:15 PM, Not What You Think; March 4, 6:30 to 7:15 PM, Michelle Ava Dance; March 5, noon to 2 PM, Hari Vasan; March 5, 3 to 4:45 PM, Boris Willis Moves; March 5, 6 to 8 PM, Just Vibe Ensemble; March 6, 5:30 to 7:30 PM, Redwine Jazz Band. See Kids and Family Notebook in the back of the paper for INTERSECTIONS family programming schedule.

PRESIDENTS’ DAY Presidents’ Day at Mount Vernon. Feb. 13 to 15. To kick-off George Washington’s 284th birthday, enjoy a sample of Washington’s favorite hoecakes, on Feb. 13-14 (included in admission). Celebrate President George Washington on Presidents’ Day, Feb. 15, with free admission. mountvernon.org. Presidents’ Day Public Skate at Fort Dupont Ice Arena. Feb. 15, 11 AM to 2 PM. $5 for skating and skate rental. Fort Dupont Ice Arena, 3779 Ely Pl. SE. 202-584-5007. fdia.org. Presidents’ Day Library of Congress Main Reading Room Open House. Feb. 15, 10 AM to 3 PM. Twice each year, the Library of Congress opens its magnificent Main Reading Room for a special open house to share information about how the public can access the Library’s resources year-round. Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. SE. loc.gov The President Woodrow House on Presidents’ Day. Feb. 15. 50 percent off admission and free admission for anyone alive during Woodrow Wilson’s administration, born before 1922. The President Woodrow Wilson House, 2340 S St. NW. WoodrowWilsonHouse.org. George Washington Birthday Parade in Old Town. Feb. 15, 1 to 3 PM. This is

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the largest parade celebrating Washington’s birthday in the US. washingtonbirthday.net/parade.

MUSIC Music at Rock and Roll Hotel. Jan. 31, School of Rock Silver Spring; Feb. 5, Loud Boyz; Feb. 6, Beauty Pill; Feb. 6, 13, 20 and 27 and March 5, DJS Rex Riot & Basscamp; Feb. 9, Ezra Furman; Feb. 13, Grisfolk; Feb. 18, Georgetown Cabaret; Feb. 19, Seratones; Feb. 20, Kaleo; Feb. 25, Julia Holter; Feb. 27, Jack Garratt; March 4, Aztec Sun; March 5, Common Kings. Rock and Roll Hotel, 1353 H St. NE. 202-388-7625. rockandrollhoteldc.com. Introducing the Chiarina Chamber Players: Capitol Hill’s new chamber music series! Led by Carrie Bean Stute and Efi Hackmey, artistic directors. Next concert: Sunday, February 28th, 4:00pm, at Lutheran Church of the Reformation (212 E. Capitol St. NE). Featuring the music of Dvořák and Mozart. Free admission; donations welcome. www.chiarina.org Sunday Concerts at the Phillips. Jan. 31, Arditti Quartet; Feb. 7, Sandrine Piau, soprano; Feb. 14, Várjon-BarátiVárdai Piano Trio; Feb. 21, Bella Hristova, violin; Feb. 28, Steven Osborne, piano; March 6, Jordi Savall, viol; March 13, Christopher Park, piano. $30, $15 for members, students, and visitors 6 to 18; includes museum admission for day of the concert. Reservations recommended. phillipscollection.org/music. Blues Night in Southwest. Every Monday, 6 to 9 PM. Feb. 1, Avon Dews Blues Revue; Feb. 8, David Cole & Main Street Blues; Feb. 15, Electrified Blues Band w/Charlie Sayles; Feb. 22, Full Power Blues. Feb. 29, Bad Influence Band; March 7, Danny Blew & the Blues Crew; March 14, Lou Jerome Band; March 21, Nadine Rae & the All-Stars; March 28, Vintage #18 Blues Band. The cover is $5. Children are free under 16 years old. Reasonably priced meals offered.

Where the Art World and the Real World intersect. The Atlas INTERSECTIONS Festival 2016 brings the best of the arts and artists from DC and beyond to the stage and H Street with performances, experiences and happenings in theatre, dance, music, spoken word, community art, and more. Discover how arts, culture and connection happen on H Street. Tickets on Sale Now! Full Festival Schedule & Tickets:

atlasarts.org/intersections @atlaspacdc

atlasarts

#INTERSECT16

Atlas Performing Arts Center

1333 H Street, NE | Washington, DC 20002 202.399.7993 ext. 2

Join Us at Nandoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Peri Peri on H Street! Pay what you can at Nandoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Grand Opening Weekend, February 13 & 14, 411 H Street NE! 100% of the proceeds go to support Atlas community programs. Stop by for ticket giveaways, great food, and more! Photo Credit: Xuejuan Dance Ensemble

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RESIDENTIAL BROKERAGE Your Strong Local Brokerage With Deep National & International Roots

656 Massachusetts Ave NE Coming Soon for $1,699,000 Victorian elegance meets 21st Century functionality at every turn in this 4,100+ square foot well maintained and fully upgraded Capitol Hill Home with garage parking! Entertain family as well as friends from the eat-in chef style kitchen, host a dinner party in the formal French country dining room and spacious formal living room complete with fireplace, retreat to the wine cellar for an afternoon tasting or lounge on the sofa in front of the expansive media center/family room. This property has been meticulously maintained and cared for since it was built in 2003. The house is perfectly positioned within the Historic District to provide close-in access to all of the Capitol Hill neighborhood amenities. With this address you will live comfortably and conveniently.

Call For an Appointment. Topher Cushman

Associate Broker Coldwell Banker Capitol Hill office 202-327-4682 www.tophercushman.com Topher@tophercushman.com

202.547.3525 - Main Office INFORMATION DEEMED RELIABLE BUT NOT GUARANTEED

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202-484-7700. Westminster Presbyterian Church, 400 I St. SW. westminsterdc.org.

Soir Ensemble. Free. Anderson House, 2118 Massachusetts Ave. NW. 202-7852040. societyofthecincinnati.org.

Church of the Epiphany Weekly Concerts. Every Tuesday, 12:10 PM. Feb. 2, Amy Domingues, Viola da Gamba Anthony Harvey, theorbo Jeremy Filsell, continuo; Feb. 9, Mardi Gras celebrated with New Orleans Jazz from Mike Flaherty’s Dixieland Direct; Feb. 16, Vasily Popov, cello Ralitza Patcheva, piano; Feb. 23, Black History Month; Peate Peagues and Irvin Peterson; March 1, Washington Bach Consort. Free, but offering taken. 1317 G ST. NW. 202-3472635. epiphanydc.org.

The Music and Life of Duke Ellington with Rusty Hassan. Tuesdays, Feb. 16 to March 9, 6:30 to 8 PM. Hill Center, 921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. hillcenterdc.org.

Jazz Night in Southwest. Every Friday, 6 to 9 PM. Feb. 5, From Brazil to Bebop and Beyond; Feb. 12, A Jolley FamilyTribute to Noble Jolley, Sr.; Feb. 19, DC International Trombone; Feb. 26, Tribute to Gloria Lynne; March 4, Tribute to Gloria Lynne. The cover is $5. Children are free under 16 years old. Reasonably priced meals offered. 202-484-7700. Westminster Presbyterian Church, 400 I St. SW. westminsterdc.org

Concerts at the Library of Congress. Feb. 20, 8 PM, Handel and Haydn Society; Feb. 27, 2 PM, Juilliard String Quartet. These free concerts are in the Coolidge Auditorium located on the ground floor of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. SE. loc.gov.

Music at Ebenezers. Feb. 5, The 9 Singer-Songwriter Series; Feb. 6, Derek Fawcett; Feb. 13, Kevin William; Feb. 19, Fawn; Feb. 20, Cold Weather Company & Colton Kayser; March 5, Max Garcia Conover & Ben Cosgrove. Ebenezers Coffeehouse, 201 F St. NE. 202-558-6900. ebenezerscoffeehouse.com. Aaron Diehl Trio at the Atlas. Feb. 11, 8 PM. $20-$28. Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. atlasarts.org. Gay Men’s Chorus “The Way We Were” at the Atlas. Feb. 12, 8 PM; Feb. 13, 5 PM and 8 PM. Their select vocal ensembles bring you their favorite hits over the years. Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. gmcw.org. Society of the Cincinnati Concerts. Feb. 13, 10:30 AM. Jacqueline Neimat, soprano; April 2, 10:30 AM, William Baskin, acoustic guitar; May 21, 10:30 AM, Beau

American Roots Concert Series: I Draw Slow at Hill Center. Feb. 20, 8 PM. Their sound brings together Irish tradition with modern Americana while staying rooted in the old time style of Appalachia. $15 in advance, $20 day of. Hill Center, 921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. hillcenterdc.org.

Music at Mr. Henry’s. Capitol Hill Jazz Jam every Wednesday night. Shows run 8 to 11 PM.; doors open at 6 PM; no cover; two items per person minimum. Henry’s Upstairs, 601 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. 202-546-8412. mrhenrysdc.com.

THEATER AND FILM

Chocolate Covered Ants at Anacostia Playhouse. Through Feb. 7. Adrienne Taylor (Suli Myrie) is a professor at a fictitious women’s college where she’s researching the plight of the Black woman in America. “Chocolate Covered Ants” chronicles the final leg of her research—an examination of Black men– to determine what effect (if any) they have on the mental, social and physical survival of Black women. $35. Read more and order tickets at restorationstage.biz or 202-714-0646. The Anacostia Playhouse is at 2020 Shannon Pl. SE. Picasso at the Lapin Agile at Keegan. Through Feb. 13. This long running Off-Broadway absurdist comedy places Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso in a

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Parisian cafe in 1904, just before the renowned scientist transformed physics with his theory of relativity and the celebrated painter set the art world afire with cubism. Keegan Theatre, 1742 Church St. NW. 202265-3767. keegantheatre.com. The Critic & The Real Inspector Hound at Shakespeare. Through Feb. 14. Experience a madcap night of life in the theatre with two classic behind-the-scenes comedies. Lansburgh Theatre, 450 Seventh St. NW. 202-547-1122. shakespearetheatre.org. I Shall Not Hate: Mosaic Theater Company of DC at the Atlas. Through Feb. 14. The story of the Gaza fertility doctor (nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize) who refuses to relinquish his commitment to coexistence, even after tragedy befalls his family during Operation Cast Lead. The Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. 202-399-7993. atlasarts.org. Sweat at Arena. Through Feb. 21. A group of close friends shares everything: drinks, secrets and laughs. But when rumors of layoffs shake up the local steel mill, the fragile bonds of their community begin to fray and a horrific crime sends shock waves across two generations. Arena Stage, 1101 Sixth St. SW. arenastage.org. The Glass Menagerie at Ford’s. Through Feb. 21. One of the greatest American plays of the 20th century, The Glass Menagerie explores the visceral bonds of family. Southern matriarch Amanda frets constantly over her two live-in adult children—the painfully shy Laura and Laura’s restless poet brother, Tom. Ford’s Theatre, 511 10th St. NW. 202-347-4833. fords.org. The Sisters Wosensweig at Theater J. Through Feb. 21. The Rosensweig sisters are different

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as can be a no-nonsense international banker, a kvelling mother of four and a bohemian world-traveling journalist. When the three hilariously reunite at Sara’s London home for her 54th birthday celebration, a barrage of suitors and unexpected revelations make for one interesting weekend. Theater J, 1529 16th St. NW. 800-494-8497. washingtondcjcc.org.

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Between Riverside and Crazy at Studio. Through Feb. 28. Irrepressible ex-cop Walter Washington is facing eviction, City Hall and the recent death of his wife. Studio Theatre, 1501 14th St. NW. 202-3323300. studiotheatre.org.

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A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Folger. Through March 6. This magical comedy of tangled lovers, mischievous fairies—and a band of players to boot—is given a fresh, new staging by Aaron Posner, with DC favorites Holly Twyford as Bottom and Erin Weaver as Puck. Folger Theater, 201 East Capitol St. SE. 202-544-7077. folger.edu. The City of Conversation at Arena. Through March 6. Georgetown hostess Hester Ferris runs in an elite circle, opening her home for political foes to lay down arms and raise a glass. When her son’s formidable, conservative wife comes on the scene, the parlor pleasantries of DC’s past descend into entrenched posturing and an ultimatum that could implode the family. Arena Stage, 1101 Sixth St. SW. arenastage.org. Guards at the Taj at Woolly. Feb. 1 to Feb. 28. India, 1648: two imperial guards watch as the sun rises over the newly-completed Taj Mahal, an aweinspiring monument to the emperor’s dead queen. Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, 641 D St. NW. 202-393-3939. woollymammoth.net. Spooky Action Presents Collaborators by John Hodge. Feb. 11 to March 6. Thursday to Saturday, 8 PM; Sundays, 3 PM. Recipient of the 2012 Lawrence Olivier Award for Best New Play, Col-

laborators is a darkly comic take on an imaginary relationship between Russian writer Mikhail Bulgakov and dictator Joseph Stalin. Who is the author and who is writing history? 1810 16th Street, NW. 202-248-0301. spookyaction.org. Three Days of Rain at CHAW. Feb. 20 and 27, 8 PM. In this two-act play, a newly discovered journal recalls Greenwich Village in the early 1960s when two young architects (unaware they’re on the brink of fame) struggle with plans for the iconic Janeway House. Free with suggested donation. Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, 545 Seventh St. SE. 202-547-6839. chaw.org. National Archives Showcase of Academy Award – Nominated Documentaries and Short Subjects. Feb. 24-28. The National Archives hosts free screenings of the Academy Award nominees in four categories: Documentary Feature, Documentary Short Subject, Live Action Short Film, and Animated Short Film. Register at archives.gov or call 202357-6814. The Lion at Arena. Feb. 26 to April 10. Singer/songwriter Benjamin Scheuer’s solo musical The Lion makes its Washington, DC debut at Arena Stage. Scheuer uses his guitar—actually, six guitars—to take audiences on a rock ‘n’ roll journey and tell a heartwarming coming-of-age story that explores his transition from boyhood to manhood. Arena Stage, 1101 Sixth St. SW. arenastage.org.

sPoRts and Fitness Washington Capitals Ice Hockey. Feb. 2, 4, 7, 16, 20, 24 and 26; March 2 and 4. Verizon Center. capitals.nhl.com. Washington Capitals Practice Schedule. Non-game day, 10:30 AM; game day, 10 AM; and day after game, 11 AM. All practices are at Kettler Capitals Iceplex, 627 No. Glebe Rd., Suite 800,

Arlington, VA. They are free and open to the public. kettlercapitalsiceplex.com. Washington Wizards Basketball. Feb. 5, 19, 23, 28 and 29; March 5. Verizon Center. nba. com/wizards. Canal Park Ice Skating. Through mid-March. Monday and Tuesday, noon to 7 PM; Wednesday to Friday, noon to 9 PM; Saturday, 11 AM to 10 PM; and Sunday, 11 AM to 7 PM. Adults are $9; children/seniors/military are $8; and skate rental is $4. Holidays hours vary. Canal Park is at 202 M St. SE. canalparkdc. org. National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden Ice Skating. Through March 13. Open Monday to Thursday, 10 AM to 9 PM; Fridays, 10 AM to 11 PM; Saturdays, 11 AM to 11 PM; Sundays, 11 AM to 9 PM. $8.50 for adults; $7.50 for ages 50 and over, ages 12 and under, and students with a valid school ID for two hour session beginning on the hour. $3 for skate rental. Seventh Street and Constitution Avenue NW. 202-216-9397. nga.gov. Washington Harbour Ice Rink. Through mid-March. Monday to Tuesday, noon to 7 PM; Wednesday to Thursday, noon to 9 PM; Fridays, noon to 10 PM; Saturdays, 10 AM to 10 PM; Sunday, 10 AM to 7 PM. Skating is $9$10. Skate rental is $5. Washington Harbour is at 3050 K St. NW. 202-706-7666. thewashingtonharbour.com. Public Skating at Fort Dupont Ice Arena. Fridays, noon to 2 PM and Saturdays 12:45 to 1:45 PM. Public Skate, $5 for adults (13 to 4); $4 for seniors and children (five to 12); $3, skate rental. Fort Dupont Ice Arena,

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Friends of Southeast Library Book Sale. Monthly on the second Saturday, 10 AM to 3 PM. Most books are $1. Proceeds benefit children’s programs. Southeast Neighborhood Library, 403 Seventh St. SE. 202-698-3377. dclibrary.org/southeast. Eastern Market. Daily except Mondays and important holidays. Weekdays, 7 AM to 7 PM; Saturdays, 7 AM to 5 PM; Sundays, 9 AM to 5 PM. Flea market and arts and crafts market open Saturdays and Sundays, 9 AM to 6 PM. 200 block of Seventh St. SE. 202-698-5253. easternmarketdc.com. Fresh Tuesdays at Eastern Market. Tuesdays, 3 to 7 PM. Farmers’ line of fresh produce. Eastern Market, 200 block of Seventh St. SE. 202-698-5253. easternmarketdc.com. Union Market. Tuesday-Friday,

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February 2016 H 31

2016 Fagon Community Guide to Capitol Hill

PHOTO SUBMISSIONS! Hi Neighbors, The Hill Rag staff is hard at work putting together this years Capitol Hill Guide and we need your help! We are looking for candid neighborhood photos to illustrate life in our incredible community. So please send us your favorite Capitol Hill pictures for us to consider. Submissions should be emailed to: editorial@hillrag.com Send a high-resolution photo with a caption and photo credit The Guide will hit the stands this April. 32 H Hillrag.com

11 AM to 8 PM; Saturday-Sunday, 8 AM to 8 PM. Union Market is an artisanal, curated, year round food market. 1309 Fifth St. NE. 301652-7400. unionmarketdc.com.

CIVIC LIFE Save the Date: March 18 The second annual Dick Wolf Memorial Lecture will be held at 7:00 PM on Friday, March 18, at the Hill Center at 921 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE. The event is free and open to the public. The Dick Wolf Memorial Lecture showcases excellence in research and writing on urban planning and historic preservation in the District of Columbia by a student or intern. The winner will deliver the presentation and receive a $1,000 prize. Last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inaugural lecture was a standing room only event. Congresswoman Nortonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s NW District Office. Open weekdays, 9 AM to 6 PM. 529 14th St. NW, suite 900. 202-783-5065. norton.house.gov. ANC 6A. Second Thursday, 7 PM. Meeting at Miner Elementary School, 601 15th St. NE. 202-423-8868. anc6a.org. ANC 6B. Second Tuesday, 7 PM. Meeting at Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital, 921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. 202-543-3344. anc6b.org. ANC 6C. Second Wednesday, 7 PM. Meeting at Heritage Foundation, 214 Mass. Ave. NE, first floor conference room. 202-547-7168. anc6c.org. ANC 6D. Second Monday, 7 PM. Meeting at 1100 Fourth St. SW, DCRA Meeting Room, Second Floor. 202-554-1795. anc6d.org. ANC 6E. First Tuesday, 6:30 PM. Meeting at Northwest One Library (new location), 155 L St. NW. anc6e.org. Have a tip for the Calendar, email calendar@hillrag.com. u

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Frederick Douglass

Civil War Soilders

BLACK

Harriet Tubman Booker T. Washington

George Washington Carver

Jackie Robinson

Rosa Parks

World War 2 Soilders

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

W.E.B. DuBois

H I L L R A G

Malcom X

Thurgood Marshall

S P E C I A L

I S S U E

Miles Davis Guion Bluford

President Barrack Obama

February 2016 H 35

BLACK HISTORY SPECIAL

Black History and the Coming of Black Rain by E. Ethelbert Miller

lack no more? I was always curious about the Africans who saw that first European boat “swimming” off the coast of their neighborhood. Was the sky that day a lovely blue? Going back just a few years here in DC I thought the first white jogger might have been mistaken for a missionary. Even now I’ve been told one can detect the signs of global warming by listening to new arrivants to the city trying to decide what to wear two days in a row. Is climate change another way of saying gentrification without moving one’s lips? Once the challenge of living in this city was filled with dangerous romance. Wealth and poverty co-existed like college roommates in a dorm. Wealth was always touching Poverty’s hair and searching for an explanation. But there is nothing like a kink to keep someone in their place. How did Poverty simply turn into displacement? What “weave” might one day tell? Sometimes we survive and sometimes we don’t. It doesn’t take a magician to understand black people are disappearing from DC. For some strange reason one never sees any moving trucks. No footprints for my native blood to track. I was born into a West Indian family in New York City. It was the pursuit of a college education that introduced me to DC and the Southern road. The year was 1968 when I walked across the Howard campus just a few months after Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. Like many cities in our nation, Washington D.C. felt the hard lash of flames. In the late Sixties destruction became an urban thing. Detroit was renamed Destroyed. Even James Brown couldn’t stop black people from dancing in the streets. History contains the fine print of memories. A few weeks ago I was sitting in my daughter’s condo in Anacostia. She was softly rubbing her pregnant belly. February is the month she will give birth to her first child. Another black boy will enter the world during Black History Month. The historian Carter G. Woodson selected February to pay tribute to blackness because it was the month Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln were born. It’s nice the month is also known for Valentine’s Day and love. Yet in 2016 one ponders aloud whether the once famous Chocolate City has been reduced to a box of chocolate. In many places around the city one will see small pool pockBlack History is just a moment in time. Beyond the gateway perhaps my King will come. Photo: Andrew Lightman

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ets of black people sitting near curbs or doorways as if time was fanning herself and waiting for a blind date. I wonder what stories I will one day tell my grandson. How will I describe what this city was like before he took his first step? Every day it seems impossible to describe what is taking place. If this city was a vessel we would all be seasick from the motion of change. My daughter is giving birth during the time of the crane. New buildings being erected everywhere as if God’s plan consisted of a divine set of Legos. It’s not just the new buildings that are spreading the fever of despair among black people, it’s the attitude of a non-black minority counting its numbers and realizing that after addition comes multiplication. Black people are skilled as the masters of division and subtraction. The new math equals a new city. At times white people just don’t see black people. Black people at times only see white people. If you’re Korean or Japanese you’ll always be Chinese to someone in the hood. Race relations have become the new slippery slope. Meanwhile, the 21st century is shaping up to be a take home exam on religion. Today when I walk the city streets they no longer recognize me. When my daughter (and son) were children we could walk from Adams Morgan to Vertigo Bookstore near DuPont Circle. The place was a destination, a meeting place, a cultural beacon where books were like flavors of ice cream. The taste of books has also changed; the smell of print being pushed aside for the glow of a screen. Like old electronic equipment some of us are simply being pushed aside. Walk the streets and the newness can blind the old residents. Yes, the city is more beautiful but it seems as if beauty is not engaged to my future. There is a loneliness that comes with a city in transition. It’s walking

into a new restaurant and having the patrons look at you as if it you were from Money, Mississippi. It’s standing in a new grocery store and having someone move your food out of their way without politeness. It’s sitting on a crowded bus and being a crowd of one. Every seat is taken but the one next to you. Your Bible tells you later that the plague you suffer from is not contagious nor is your blackness. But you wonder. I could lose myself in this city. Where is home these days? If I were from North or South Carolina I might think about returning to the rural area of old folks. Even my West Indian blood at times begs for a sip of bush tea and the joy of carnival. But I have no dreams of moving to Barbados or returning to New York. The South Bronx of my youth is now called SoBRO, and so even the Bronx Tales have been painted over and maybe the Puerto Ricans are lighting candles praying for some saint to save the last remains of el barrio. I have often asked my African friends which is worse, being taken from the land or having the land taken from you? Do we dare compare the scars of slavery with those of colonization? All I know is that beneath the many the circles of this city, beneath the higher frequencies, beneath the stares, beneath the shadows of condos, there exists a quiet rage that will not disappear. One day this city will hear the thunder and there will be no quiet storm but instead a black heaven opening and delivering the howl of the newborns and the hard rain of justice and salvation. E. Ethelbert Miller is a literary activist and the board chair of the Institute for Policy Studies. His Collected Poems edited by Kirsten Porter will be published by Willow Books in March 2016. Miller was inducted into the Washington DC Hall of Fame in April 2015. u

February 2016 H 37

BLACK HISTORY SPECIAL

Black History IS American History Jonetta’s Take

by Jonetta Rose Barras

son’s honor, replete with a bronze sculpture. His former Ninth Street NW home has been declared a national historic site and is under renovation. fell out of love with Black History Month, as a As the founder and director of the Associaseparate event, decades ago. I make that contion for Negro Life and History, Woodson estabfession not to cast aspersion on famed scholar lished the second week in February to highlight and historian Carter G. Woodson, who creatcontributions of blacks to the United States. He ed Negro History Week. Actually, I celebrated selected that time to capitalize on the birthdays of the fact that last year the National Park SerPresident Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douvice, spurred by District residents in the Shaw glass, a former slave, abolitionist, and recorder neighborhood, including Alexander Padro, of deeds for the District of Columbia. Woodson dedicated a $1 million memorial park in Woodalso pushed for public schools across the nation to teach “Negro” history. The US Department of Education embraced that effort. Eventually the week grew into a monthlong commemoration and teach-in with nearly every state joining in the celebration. So, what’s my beef? The role AfricanAmericans played in this country’s development isn’t some appendix, some footnote to be amplified once a year. Further, blacks should not be relegated to the sidelines of American history. As Jim Sleeper, author of “Liberal Racism,” wrote, “the descendants of slaves are in some ways the most American of us all.” Carter G. Woodson. Image Courtesy of Ancella Bickley Collection, Truth be told, West Virginia State Archives even before 1926, Ne-

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gro History Week should have been declared an anachronism. Blacks were already key players in the physical, cultural, and political infrastructure of American society. They had been the foundational backbone of the economy. They had fought on the frontlines of several wars: the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and World War I. They helped construct the White House, the US Capitol, and other government buildings in the nation’s capital. (Recently, while in New Orleans, I was reminded that African-Americans helped construct that city’s French Quarter, which isn’t strange since Benjamin Banneker completed the work of another Frenchman, Pierre L’Enfant.) Then as now, their music, dance, and theatrical performances comprised the core of what is largely considered the original American culture. More important, through their great personal sacrifices they extended the boundaries of democracy, solidifying the vision of the country’s founders in ways no others have done. Nevertheless there are those who choose to confine their remarkable achievements to a mere month of rote recitation, spouting the names of a few, albeit well-respected, individuals over and over: Sojourner Truth, Harriett Tubman, Madam C. J. Walker, W.E.B. DuBois, George Washington Carver, Booker T. Washington, Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Don’t act like what I am saying is foreign to you. Deliberately or not, that repetition has perpetuated the view that blacks have made a minor mark on the American landscape. Of course there has been and continues to be a plethora of inventors, intellectuals, architects, managers, and corporate leaders like those at McDonald’s, Xerox, American Express, and yes, Time Warner, who have since contributed to American exceptionalism. But far too many blacks do not see themselves as owners of this country. They have allowed themselves to be portrayed as victims, as freeloaders, as beggars, although in this 21st century they have more than one trillion-dollars in purchasing pow-

er. I vigorously rebel against that depiction. I refuse to accept the part of some insignificant sideline player, only worthy of a 28- or 29-day mention. That is an insult to my great-grandparents, my grandparents, my parents, the men and women who lived in communities where I grew up or where I worked, people who ignored the brutal beatings they sometimes received as they made America the great country it is. What’s more, I am no fan of balkanization. Women’s History Month and Hispanic History Month do not receive my embrace. Slicing and dicing our society or narrative promote and sustain division. It exacerbates racial tensions and the kind of venomous rhetoric that fills some national, and local, political campaigns. The indisputable fact is this: black history is American history. If there are folks who have not come to realize that, that’s their problem, not mine. I share Sleeper’s analysis that “the best of the civic culture which the early civil rights movement tried to embrace and redeem presumes not that our racial and ethnic story lives and affinities should disappear. But that they should not prevail as the central organizing principles of our lives … Full citizenship in the American republic entails a commitment to join in a race- transcendent human experiment.” With that as the goal, isn’t it time to end Black History Month? Isn’t it time to ensure that all stories from all peoples, from all Americans, are written into a single, accurate, and inclusive cultural narrative? Jonetta Rose Barras is a freelance writer. u

February 2016 H 39

BLACK HISTORY SPECIAL

Meeting Dr. Woodson A

Coming Face-to-Face with the Father of Black History by Alexander M. Padro

frican American History Month in 2016 marks the first time in over 60 years that visitors to Shaw will be able to sit down with Dr. Carter G. Woodson, the Father of Black History, in the neighborhood he called home. He’ll be waiting for you every day on a tall, rounded stone bench in the triangle park at Rhode Island Avenue, NW at Ninth and Q Streets. You can sit beside him and watch the traffic and pedestrians go by. You can put your hand on his and run your hands over his books on the back of the bench. You can even talk to him. Just

The bronze statue’s stern gaze conveys Dr. Woodson’s drive to accomplish his goals of making black history understood and appreciated. Photo: Alexander M. Padro.

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don’t expect him to answer. Dr. Woodson’s skin is the color of bronze, and so are his clothes. In fact, he’s actually made of the metal, and not just figuratively. Carter Godwin Woodson died in 1950, but the Harvard-educated historian who pioneered the study of African American history as a profession and scholarly discipline is back in the neighborhood he called home for three decades, in the form a larger-than-life-sized statue by noted sculptor Raymond Kaskey, known in Washington for his work on the lions at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial and the eagles, wreathes and reliefs at the National World War II Memorial. The Woodson memorial, in a city park named for him in 2001, was completed last year and dedicated in December 2015. As a historian and son of former slaves, Woodson understood that the contributions of African Americans to the nation’s history in a wide range of fields had been intentionally left out of history books and classrooms, and how that affected the self-image, lives and futures of people of color. “Not to know what one’s race has done in former times is to continue always as a child,” Woodson wrote in his 1935 book, “The Story of the Negro Retold.” Woodson became one of the founders of the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (today’s Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH)) while on a visit to Chicago in 1915. Through the Association and its publications, like the Journal of Negro History, Negro History Bulletin, and dozens of books and articles, Dr. Woodson devoted his life to research and advancing the understanding of Black history among all people, but most especially, African Americans themselves. By promoting Negro History Week starting in 1926, Dr. Woodson sought to put Black history on the calendar in the same week as the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln, the Great Emancipator and Frederick Douglas, the Great Orator. (ASALH

The Woodson Memorial is dramatically lit at night. Photo: Alexander M. Padro.

expanded Negro History Week into Black History Month in 1976.) Woodson had to form his own publishing house, the Associated Publishers, because commercial publishers saw no possibility of profiting from printing and distributing books on Black history. As Woodson noted in “The Miseducation of the Negro” (1933), “Of the hundreds of Negro high schools recently examined by an expert in the United States Bureau of Education only eighteen offer a course taking up the history of the Negro, and in most of the Negro colleges and universities where the Negro is thought of, the race is studied only as a problem or dismissed as of little consequence.”

Woodson’s Base In Shaw

Dr. Woodson was a Washingtonian for decades, living and working in and around what is now known as Shaw, the center of Black life in the Washington, DC metropolitan area at the time. The Association’s earliest offices were in a now demolished building on U Street across the street

from the Lincoln Theatre. Woodson purchased the building at 1538 Ninth Street, NW in 1922 as both his home and the offices of the Association and Associated Publishers. He served a principal of Armstrong Manual Training School on the 100 block of P Street, NW, today home to a charter school, and taught at the M Street High School, today’s Dunbar High School. Both schools were part of the segregated Colored division of the District of Columbia Public Schools. He was later a professor and dean at Howard University. Dr. Woodson took many of his meals at the cafeteria in the basement of the Phyllis Wheatley YWCA, directly across Rhode Island Avenue from the park that bears his name. His funeral services were held at Shiloh Baptist Church, on the same block in Shaw where he lived and worked. Shaw neighborhood elders tell of seeing Dr. Woodson when they were children, walking on the street carrying piles of books, perhaps making deliveries of volumes published by the Associated Publishers or taking them to the post

February 2016 H 41

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Visitors are drawn to sit next to Dr. Woodson’s statue. Photo: Pleasant P. Mann.

office. They nicknamed him “The Book Man,” and also recall that the scholar always had candies in his pockets for them. The Woodson Home National Historic Site, incorporating Dr. Woodson’s home and office and two adjacent row houses, was established in 2006 by the National Park Service after authorizing legislation was signed by President George W. Bush in 2003 and acquiring the building from ASALH. The site is currently in the first phase of construction and renovation, which will allow the public to begin touring the home this year. Don’t let Dr. Woodson’s stern look put you off. Sculptor Kaskey captured the intensity of a man who spent his life dedicated to a cause, often without taking a salary, a man who overcame great obstacles to achieve what he is known worldwide for accomplishing. You’d expect a man like that to sport a serious mien. If you were to ask Dr. Woodson about the role of the historian and the value of history, he

might well answer with quotations like these three from other authors on these subjects, which he included in “The Story of the Negro Retold”: “The historian is the prophet looking backward.” The Spaniard Cervantes’ words, “History is the depository of great actions, the witness of what is past, the example and the instructor of the present and the monitor to the future.” And the quote carved in the blocks at the top of the back of the monument: “Truth comes to us from the past, like gold washed down from the mountains.” Borrow one of Dr. Woodson’s books from the library before you visit. Read his words while you contemplate his visage as he gazes west towards Logan Circle. Let his words ring in your head. And before you depart, be sure to look him in the eyes and say, “Thank You, Dr. Woodson.” Alexander M. Padro is an eight-term Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner representing the Shaw neighborhood and executive director of Shaw Main Streets. u

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BLACK HISTORY SPECIAL

Black History Local Events

“Jazz Singers” Exhibition Opens at Library of Congress. Feb. 11 to July 23. The exhibition will offer perspectives on the art of vocal jazz, featuring singers and song stylists from the 1920s to the present. Performing Arts Reading Room Foyer on the first level of the James Madison Building, 101 Independence Ave. SE. loc.gov

1966: Civil Rights at 50 at Newseum. 9 AM to 5 PM, daily. Explore milestone civil rights events of 1966, including the rise of the Black Power movement and the ambush and shooting of James Meredith during his “March Against Fear” through Mississippi. Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. newseum.org. Twelve Years that Shook and Shaped Washington: 1963-1975. Change was in the air, some of it unsettling and threatening. Against a national background of Lyndon Johnson’s “Great Society,” anti-war protests, Black Power and Feminism, this exhibition focuses on events, people and challenges that transformed the city between 1963 and 1975. Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. 202-633-4820. anacostia.si.edu.

Portrait of Billie Holiday, Downbeat, New York, NY, ca. Feb. 1947. Photo: William P. Gottlieb. Music Division, Library of Congress.

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Make Some Noise: Students and the Civil Rights Movement at Newseum. 9 AM to 5 PM. Make

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BLACK HISTORY SPECIAL Some Noise explores the new generation of student leaders in the early 1960s who fought segregation by making their voices heard and exercising their First Amendment rights. Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. newseum.org. The Dred Scott Decision: Slavery, Succession and Its Aftermath. Feb. 3, 6:30 PM. On March 6, 1857, the United States Supreme Court ruled in Dred Scott v. Sandford that Black people – whether enslaved or free – were neither citizens of the United States nor could sue in Federal Courts. In recognition of Black History Month, Christopher A. Bracey, Professor of Law at The George Washington University Law, will make a presentation on this landmark decision. MLK Library, Black Studies Center, Room 316, 901 G St. NW. 202-727-0321. dclibrary.org/mlk. NMAAHC Black History Month Family Day. Feb. 6, 10 AM to 4:30 PM. A collection of guided family activities and story times will be provided to help young children understand themes of the Civil Rights movement. From 2 to 4:30 PM, March!: A Discussion Featuring Congressman John Lewis and co-author Andrew Aydin. This event is at the American History Museum. nmaahc.si.edu. Selma: The Struggle for the Voting Rights Act. Feb. 8, 6:30 PM. Open up the inner logic of Dr. King’s decision not to give up the protest at the Edmund Pettus Bridge and why it marked the symbolic beginning of the long march to the capitol, Montgomery. Northeast Neighborhood Library, 330 Seventh St. NE. 202-698-0058. dclibrary.org/northeast. The Long Emancipation: The Demise of Slavery in the United States. Feb. 10, noon. Answers to questions about who ended slavery remain fiercely contested more than a century and a half after the passage of the 13th Amendment. National Archives, 700 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. archives.gov. Is It a Challenge Today to Discuss Race in America, Publicly? Feb. 10, 6:30 PM. In recognition of Black History Month, Chris L. Jenkins, Assistant Local Editor at The Washington Post, will discuss the topic and barriers to racial dialogue. MLK Library, Black Studies Center, Room 316, 901 G St. NW. 202-727-0321. dclibrary.org/mlk. Frederick Douglass Birthday Celebration in Anacostia. Feb. 13. This day of events and activities is organized by the Anacostia BID. Visit their website at anacostiabid.org for specifics. The Black Panthers-Vanguard of the Revolution Screening. Feb. 18, 6:30 PM. Indie Lens Pop-Up and WHUT present a free screening of Stanley Nelson’s acclaimed documentary at Busboys and Poets, 2021 14th St. NW. The event includes a screening followed by a discussion of DC’s Black Arts Movement of the 1960s and 70s and its legacies. Reservations required at bp-dc.eventbrite.com. Film and discussion also at Anacostia Community Museum on Feb. 17, noon to 2 PM. Foods of the Civil Rights Movement at the American History Museum. Feb. 20, Mar. 12, Apr. 8, May 6; 2 PM. What were the foods that nourished the Civil Rights Movement? Sur La Table Chef Lindsay Leopold takes you through some of the signature soul food creations that fed the organizers of the sit-ins, boycotts, and marches. Talks are in the Demonstration Kitchen. americanhistory.si.edu. Black Angels Over Tuskegee at THEARC. Feb. 25 and 26, 7:30 PM. This award-winning, historical docudrama is a narrative of six men embarking upon a journey to become the first aviators in the United States Army Air Forces during a tumultuous era of Jim Crow. Tickets are $10-$20. THEARC Theater, 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE. 202-889-5901. thearcdc.org.

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For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf at Anacostia Playhouse. Feb. 24 to Mar. 26. This stirring ‘choreopoem’ weaves together 20 separate poems with music and movement to tell the stories of love, empowerment, and struggle of seven African American women. Anacostia Playhouse, 2020 Shannon Pl. SE. theateralliance.com. Word Becomes Flesh at Anacostia Playhouse. Feb. 24 to Mar. 26. Through spoken word, dance and visual images, a collective of performers delivers a series of letters from a single father to his unborn son, documenting the range of emotions, fears, and expectations. theateralliance.com. The Souls of Black Folk by W. E. B. DuBois. Feb. 27, 1 PM. You are invited to attend the Southwest Library book discussion. Copies of this month’s selection, The Souls of Black Folk by W. E. B. DuBois are available for checkout at the information desk. Southwest Neighborhood Library, 900 Wesley Pl. SW. 202-724-4752. dclibrary.org/southwest. Remembering Marion Barry Tour at the ACM. Mar. 6, 11 AM and 1 PM. Barry was a guiding force in the District who came to national prominence when he was elected mayor of Washington, DC – the first prominent civil rights activist to become chief executive of a major American city. Anacostia Community Museum is at 1901 Fort Pl. SE. anacostia.si.edu. Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. Occupying the last available space on the National Mall, the museum is situated prominently between the National Museum of American History and 15th Street, next to the Washington Monument. When it opens to the public this year, it will be a centerpiece venue for ceremonies and performances, as well as a primary exhibition space for African American history and culture. Watch construction progress at nmaahc.si.edu/Building/ Camera. Tour the Frederick Douglass House. Daily at 9 AM, 12:15 PM, 1:15 PM, 3 PM and 3:30 PM. The site preserves and interprets Cedar Hill, where Frederick Douglass lived from 1877 until his death in 1895. The centerpiece is the historic house, which sits on top of a 51-foot hill and is surrounded by eight acres of the original estate. Restored to its 1895 appearance, the house is furnished with original objects that belonged to Frederick Douglass. 1411 W St. SE. nps.gov/frdo. The Lives of Frederick Douglass at President Lincoln’s Cottage. Mar. 3, 6 to 8 PM. Famed abolitionist, orator and writer Frederick Douglass wrote three autobiographies in his lifetime. Historian Robert S. Levine, author of the new book The Lives of Frederick Douglass, will discuss and reflect on Douglass’s many narratives to present a more complete and fascinating look at the social reformer. Dr. Levine is Professor of English and a Distinguished University Professor at the University of Maryland. Visitors to President Lincoln’s Cottage enter the campus through Eagle Gate, at the intersection of Rock Creek Church Rd. NW and Upshur St. NW. lincolncottage.org. u

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Think Before Heard on the Hill

You

Click!

A Rant for Local Retail

by Jen DeMayo

h, February! The month we love to hate. Perhaps there are those who love it. (Skiers and Austrians maybe?) There are many reasons for anti-February sentiment. First is the weather. The cold is fun at first but by February I’m done. Bleak misery is frequently compounded by the saccharine “holiday” that falls in the middle of this short month. Depending upon where you fall on the Hallmark Holiday Observing Spectrum, Valentine’s Day can be marked by elaborate dinners or perhaps flowers, chocolates, even cards and candygrams sent by classmates. The other end of this spectrum is marked by sneering indifference. Me? I think the holiday is well placed on the calendar to perk up this miserable month and to remind us to eat a bit of chocolate simply because it makes us happy. My children’s former elementary school does not celebrate specific holidays but does observe Share the Love Week in mid-February. Each year I am reminded of this sweet tradition and try to uphold the sentiments.

Where else but at Homebody can you find witty and stylish servingware? Photo: Andrew Lightman

In that vein I have been thinking about how we share the love as a community. Specifically in our love-hate relationship with the ever-changing landscape of business development. Each announcement of a new restaurant on Barracks Row or H Street is followed by a chorus bemoaning the loss of retail, frequently followed by a wish list of stores we’d like to see. But do we? You say you want a shoe store. But would you be willing to address your Zappos addiction to help keep it in business? (I say this as a huge fan of Zappos.) In all seriousness, that is what it takes. It’s really like an NPR pledge drive. Keeping our unique small businesses is our responsibility, and if we want to live in a community with more local and fewer chain businesses then it is going to be up to you to do your part, and that means shopping locally when possible. I have been friendly with local business owners for several years in my work as a member of the CHAMPS board. More recently I have been working in retail at one of our beloved local businesses and have become even more familiar with the daily struggle to maintain a brick-and-mortar retail business in this city. The Internet, bless its heart, is a miraculous invention. It allows us to easily communicate with all of humanity in our pajamas. We can stream The staff at Clothes Encounters wants to help you look your best. Photo: Andrew Lightman

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terrible television shows and no one, save our Netflix overlords, knows our guilty pleasure. We can diagnose our own ailments, research the Mongols, and order dinner simultaneously. For those of us who have clear memories of life preInternet it is astonishing. But its effect on brickand-mortar retail is frequently detrimental. There are some who will read this and say, “Well that is progress.” Perhaps they are right and we are sliding toward the inevitable obliteration of small business due to globalization and the Internet. But that is sad, and most people, at least those who choose to live in urban areas, yearn for the diversity and energy that small local businesses offer. If we are interested in keeping the few retailers we have and encouraging new ones, we the community members are part of the equation that keeps them open, and here are a few things we can do.

Think before We Click Amazon, dirty word to most small business

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owners, is not going anywhere. I use it when I cannot find what I need or want locally. It was a lifesaver when I was looking for certain oddball, gluten-free flours when my son was first diagnosed with celiac. The other one just outgrew his uniform khakis seemingly overnight and there were none left at the brick-and-mortars, national chains even, so I went online. I do feel less guilty about that because I can’t buy big kid’s clothes on the Hill. But if you can buy what you want and need locally, try do that when you can. Don’t assume that small business equals more expensive. That is often not the case. Certain brands are pricier than others of course, and you will pay more for something made in the US and Europe than you will for something made in China, but check them out. Remember, a local business is not going to be Target. They can’t buy in enormous quantities, and given their small footprint they frequently curate a unique selection that is part of what makes a visit rewarding.

Metro Mutts, courtesy of Metro Mutts

Don’t Tell the Shop Owner You Will Just ‘Get It Online’ This happens all the time in local businesses. Really love that doodad but don’t feel like buying it today? Don’t stick a knife in the shop owner’s heart by saying you’ll just get it online later. You would be shocked at how frequently people say this. I have seen people order items from their phones while in the store. It’s one thing not to support a small business, but this is an unnecessary level of cluelessness. Sure, the shop owners are frequently cheerful and do actually enjoy helping you find what you are looking for, but they are not martyrs. If they legitimately don’t have what you are looking for and can’t help you in a timely fashion, they understand you will look elsewhere. But telling them you’ll just get that item there on the shelf on Overstock is not very nice.

If You Don’t Have Anything Nice to Say… or Just Say No to Yelp I’m not asking you to keep opinions to yourself or refrain from telling managers about a negative product or experience, but try to avoid taking your vengeance to the Internet as your first attempt at justice. This goes for all businesses including service enterprises such as restaurants, salons, and dog walkers. Sometimes people are tired, had an argument with a loved one, got a parking ticket, or

have a terrible headache. Occasionally things go wrong, and when you are small business these small things can have a large impact. Some of these businesses can’t afford to pay to have more than one employee at a time, or maybe someone called in sick and that may require a briefly locked door should nature call. Instead of an online screed that can never be removed, try to give the business a heads-up. Before you take to their Facebook page, allow them to apologize, explain, and perhaps make it up to you in some way. Before you Yelp, know that the website wants businesses to pay them to boost their online profile and erase negative reviews, and most small businesses choose to spend their few marketing dollars elsewhere. These are challenging times for retail. Unlike restaurant, salon, and other personal care businesses, which are far less affected by online commerce, small businesses make up an important part of this community, and I’d like to see them stick around. I hope that many of you do too.

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Speaking of retail killed by Amazon, bookstores are supposedly making a comeback. Northwest added a new shop last year, and the Hill may soon be getting a new, first-run bookshop to join our excellent used book stores Riverby and Capitol Hill Books. Location, name, and pretty much everything else are TBD at the moment, but I’ll let you know soon. Jen DeMayo has been a waitress, an actor, and a puppeteer. She worked for many years for the Atlas Performing Arts Center, which has resulted in her being a relentless H Street booster/ streetcar apologist. Originally from the New YorkNew Jersey area, she is one of the many who whine endlessly about DC’s lack of good bagels and pizza. She is mom to two boys who attend DCPS (off the Hill). No matter what she may end up accomplishing in her life, she is sure that her obituary headline will say she was the founder of Moms on the Hill. Contact Jen atjendemayo@ gmail.com. u

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Bulletin

Board

Friday ARTnights at CHAW Knit and Sip, Feb. 5 and 19, 7 to 9 p.m. Bring your own project or purchase a kit from the instructor to learn the basics. All experience levels welcome. $30 per session. An optional $10 gets a starter ball of yarn and knitting needles. Drop-In Figure Drawing, Feb. 5 and 19, 7 to 9 p.m. Work on drawings or paintings in front of a live model in a session without formal instruction facilitated by artist Will Fleishell. Bring your own drawing materials. Easels are available. The session is $15 for drop-in students. Paint & Sip, Feb. 12, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Receive step-by-step instruction from CHAW teaching

artists Ellen Cornett and Sheppard Bear. Paint while enjoying snacks and wine. $30 includes all materials and refreshments. Grooving with GiGi, Feb. 12, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Have you ever been a curious kitten about the art of burlesque? Unleash that inner tiger with CHAW’s burlesque workshop. Guests will not only perform beginner burlesque dance moves, but also learn about the history of burlesque. Registration is $25. Crafts & Craft Beer, Feb. 26, 7 to 9 p.m. Join teaching artist Cherie Lester for an evening of crafting, community and craft beer. No experience is necessary.

Friday ARTnights inject some creativity into happy hour! No experience needed to come enjoy a little wine with a side of CHAWsome arts experiences. Photo: Leslie Mansour, Capitol Hill Arts Workshop

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Overbeck Lecture: A New History of Our City by Tom Lewis On Monday, Feb. 8, 7:30 p.m., at the Hill Center, 921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, the Overbeck History Lecture Series welcomes Tom Lewis, author of “Washington: A History of Our National City,” for an illustrated book talk emphasizing the Capitol Hill neighborhood’s role in the long and varied pageant of the federal city. The first comprehensive history of the District of Columbia since Constance McLaughlin Green’s Pulitzer Prize-winning effort more than fifty years ago, Lewis’s book presents Washington’s story as a series of portraits of individuals, noted and obscure, who built the city, shaped its politics and culture, and promoted or impeded the rights of

Ward 6 Town Meeting Mayor Muriel Bowser Ward 6 Council Member Charles Allen Affordable Housing and Services for the Homeless Crime Prevention and Criminal Enforcement Friendship Public Charter Schools at Chamberlin Campus 1345 Potomac Ave SE (Potomac Metro) Wednesday, February 3, 2016 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM Sponsors and Supporters (Partial List) Office of Mayor • DCMPD • Capitol Hill Group Ministry CHAMPS • DC Dept of Health • Capitol Hill Village Georgetown Law Dems • Serve DC • Jim Loots, Esq. Near SE Community Partners • DC Access LLC CM Anita Bonds • CM Vincent Orange Central Shaw Neighborhood Association Capitol Hill Restoration Society • Friends of Garfield Park

For More Information: Chuck Burger 202-258-5316 or cburger@cbmove.com

e s

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its citizens. The lecture is free but a reservation is recommended. Visit hillcenterdc.org/home/programs/2578 or call 202-549-4172. Tom Lewis is a professor emeritus of English at Skidmore College and the author of several books, including: “The Hudson;” “A History; Empire of the Air;” and “The Men Who Made Radio.” He has also collaborated with director Ken Burns and Florentine Films on a number of documentary films for public television. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Capitol Hill Community Achievement Awards Each spring the Capitol Hill Community Foundation gives three awards to individuals for exceptional service in our neighborhood. This year, for the first time, one of these will be the Steve Cymrot “Spark” award, given in memory of the founder of the Foundation and recognizing a contribution which has had a widespread and lasting impact in our community. This year the honorees are Naomi Mitchell, John Franzen and, as the first recipients of the Steve Cymrot Spark Award, Sports on the Hill leaders Patrick Coyne, Greg Frane, Larry Kaufer and Luis Granados. In announcing these awards, board president Nicky Cymrot said, “Our community is rich in individuals of remarkable talents and generous spirits. It is a privilege for the Foundation to identify such people and to honor them.” At the same time as these awards, the Capitol Hill community Foundation gives the Arnold Keller, Jr. Award of $10,000 to a local organization. This year’s Keller Award will benefit Capitol Hill Village’s Membership Plus program which provides subsidized memberships to its many programs assisting Hill residents as they age. The Capitol Hill Community Achievement Awards will be given at a gala banquet at the Folger Shakespeare Library on Tuesday, April 26. It is a fundraiser for the Foundation and is open to the public. For information about the dinner please call Dee Seward at 202-547-3742 or Buck Waller, 410-745-5503. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Open Call for Juried Art Exhibition at CHAW

Art Enables Free Workshops “Make art” or “be more creative” included among New Year’s resolutions? Come to the monthly Art Enables workshops. Always held on the second Saturday of the month from 1 to 4 p.m. On Feb. 13, make a relief print card just in time for Valentine’s Day. Art Enables workshops are free and open to people of all ages and abilities. The workshops are first come, first served. Art Enables, 2204 Rhode Island Ave. NE. 202-554-9455. art-enables.org. Beth Baldwin, 6” x 9” monoprint. Photo: Courtesy of Art Enables

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This March, the Capitol Hill Arts League (CHAW), hosts its annual DC-metro Open Call juried art exhibit based on the theme Appetite for Art. The call challenges metro artists to interpret local art and food. 2-D and 3-D works will be accepted. This year’s jurors are Public Art Project Manager Deidre Ehlen MC Williams, and Stephen Cheung, owner of Fusion Grill and Lavagna. They will select 30 pieces, picking five for cash prizes. All artists, 18 years of age or older residing in the Washington, DC metropolitan area are eligible. Deadline for submissions is Feb. 16. Details are at caphillartleague. org. All awards will be presented at the opening reception and jurors’ talk on Saturday, March 5, 5 to 7 p.m., with the jurors presenting their remarks at 6 p.m. The exhibit, which will be held at the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop at 545 Seventh St. SE, runs March 5 through April 15. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Haitian Art and Handicraft Sale Over 300 original Haitian paintings and a vast array of unique handicrafts will be available for sale at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 301 A St. SE, on Feb. 5 from 6 to 8 p.m. (opening reception); Feb. 6 from 10

a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Feb 7 from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The sale is free and open to the public, with handicrafts starting from $5 and paintings from $50. All sales are 50 percent tax deductible. For more information, visit thehaitiproject.org or call 845797-2123. For the past 14 years, the Vassar Haiti Project has not only supported Haitian artists, but proceeds from art sales fund sustainable development initiatives in Chermaitre in rural northwest Haiti. ---------------------------------------------------------------------

ANC 6Eâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New Meeting Location Advisory Neighborhood Commission 6E will meet at the Northwest One Library, 155 L St. NW, during 2016. The library is behind the Walker Jones School at the corner of New Jersey Avenue and L Street NW. The meeting is on the first Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. anc6e.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------

Las Placitas Opens at New Location Las Placitas El Salvadorian and Mexican restaurant has reopened at 1100 Eighth St. SE. An outdoor dining area will open in spring. ---------------------------------------------------------------------

2016 Visitor Parking Passes Register for a 2016 Visitor Parking Pass (VPP) online at vpp. ddot.dc.gov/vpp. The VPP program is designed to allow District of Columbia residentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; guests to park for more than two hours on Residential Permit Parking (RPP) zoned blocks. A VPP is only valid during the hours of RPP enforcement and in the same RPP zone and ANC

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boundary as the residence. The passes are not necessary on holidays or other times when parking restrictions are not subject to enforcement. Residents living in certain buildings are not eligible for VPP. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Keep The Unsheltered Safe this Winter Call DC Shelter Hotline at 1-800-535-7252 if you see someone in who appears to need shelter from the cold. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DPR Fitness Centers Now Free for DC Residents As of Jan. 1, 2016, the DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) has waived resident fees at DPR Fitness Centers. The centers feature a variety of equipment including elliptical, stationary bikes, treadmills, free weights (dumbbells and kettlebells) and universal weight machines. Ward 6 Fitness Centers are The Kennedy Recreation Center, 1401 Seventh St. NW, 202671-4794; The King Greenleaf Recreation Center, 201 N St. SW, 202-645-7454; The Rosedale Community Center, 1701 Gales St. NE, 202-2586149; and The Sherwood Recreation Center, 640 10th St. NE, 202-698-3075. dpr.dc.gov. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Escalators Repairs at Waterfront Station Metro is replacing the three entrance escalators at Waterfront station. The current escalators are almost 25 years old and have exceeded their useful life. The new escalators will be more durable and reliable. The mezzanine elevator will also be replaced. Each escalator replacement requires about 35 weeks for site preparation, demolition, construction, installation and testing. Replacing all three in succession will take a total of about two years. Two escalators will always be available during the project: one going up, and one going down. Riders should be aware there that in the event of a service disruption, the station may need to be temporarily closed to prevent safety hazards related to overcrowding.

Courage Caps Launched to Support TAPS Courage Caps, Washington Capitals team-issued branded hats and T-shirts, are on sale now. Spon-

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sored by Telos Corporation, 100 percent of their sales benefits the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS). Courage Caps and T-shirts can be purchased for $20 online at WashingtonCaps. com, at the Washington Capitals Team Store at Kettler Capitals Iceplex and at the Team Store and at stands throughout Verizon Center during Capitals home games. www.taps.org. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SW AARP Luncheon Meeting The Southwest Waterfront AARP Chapter #4751 will hold its February luncheon meeting on Feb. 17 at noon at River Park Mutual Homeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Community Room, 1311 Delaware Ave. SW. Elinor Bacon, President ER BACON Development, LLC., will speak on The Wharf plans, environmental aspects, retail, public open spaces, market rate and affordable housing. Lunch is $5. For more information, contact Chapter President Betty Jean Tolbert Jones, bettyjeantolbertjones@yahoo.com or 202-554-0901. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Service Charges Eliminated for LOC Concert Tickets There are no more ticket service charges for free concerts on the Library of Congress (LOC) Capitol Hill campus. Visit loc.gov/concerts for details. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

District Grants to Reduce Mobility Barriers for The Elderly Safe at Home promotes aging-in-place for older adults (60 and older) and people living with disabilities (18 to 59 years old) by providing up to $10,000 in home accessibility adaptation grants to reduce the risk of falls and reduce barriers that limit mobility. District residents who: (1) own or rent their home; (2) are either 60 years or older, or between 18 and 59 living with a disability; and (3) have household income at or below 80 percent of the Area Median Income. Contact the Safe at Home Program at 202638-0050 or email afeathome@homecarepartners. org to work with a trained specialist to complete an application and collect supporting documentation needed for enrollment. Once accepted, an occupational therapist will work with the applicant to identify potential fall risks and mobility barriers in his/her home developing a list of modifications and equipment to reduce them. The Safe at Home staff then hires a general contractor to install the modifications and equipment.

EMULSION Juried Show Calls for Entries Participation is open to anyone 18 years and older who resides or creates art within 50 miles of East City Artâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s headquarters at 922 G St. SE. This includes the greater DC and Baltimore regions. The application deadline is Feb. 15. The exhibition venue is Gallery O on H, 1354 H St. NE in the heart of the Atlas Entertainment District. EMULSION will be on view April 9 to 15 accompanied by panel discussions and artist talks. Read more at eastcityart.com/category/calls-for-entry. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jobseeker Legal Clinics Having difficulties getting or keeping a job? On Thursdays, Feb. 11, March 10 and April 14, 3 p.m., come to a Jobseeker Legal Clinic at Southwest Library. Meet one-on-one with an attorney from Neighborhood Legal Services Program to discover any barriers to employment that might be resolved by an attorney. Get information about criminal record sealing, credit reports, background checks, obtaining driving and professional licenses, resolving child support arrearages and other issues. Southwest Neighborhood Library, 900 Wesley Pl. SW. 202-724-4752. dclibrary.org/southwest. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Free Tax Clinics Coming Soon Capitol Hill Group Ministry will once hold free tax clinics for individuals and households with annual incomes of $57,000 or less. For the past 40 years, unpaid volunteers from the neighborhood have dedicated themselves to helping District residents prepare their federal and DC income tax returns. For more information, contact Abby Sypek at sypek@chgm.net or call 202-5440631 x 200. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DC United Announces Home Schedule DC United will play their home opener of the 2016 MLS regular season Sunday, March 20 at 5 p.m., at RFK against the Colorado Rapids. Single game tickets go on sale Feb. 18 at 10 a.m. DC United fans can secure the best seating locations by joining the Black-and-Red family in 2016 for as low as $20 per match. To reserve your seats and get priority for their new stadium at Buzzard Point, call 202-587-5000. dcunited.com.

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Historic Preservation and Community on Capitol Hill Rhonda Sincavage, Director of Publications and Programs at the National Trust for Historic Preservation, will be the featured speaker on Wednesday February 24, 2016 at 7 p.m. Ms. Sincavage will explore the relationships between historic preservation, quality of life, and the continued vibrancy of our community. Capitol Hill is on the cusp of rapid change, and as a community we are confronted with issues such as the economics, diversity, and environmental sustainability of the Historic District. In a 2011 TED Talk, Ms. Sincavage very effectively addressed these and other relevant issues for historic preservation in the national context, and will bring the discussion home to Capitol Hill. The event is sponsored by the Capitol Hill Restoration Society and will be held at Maury Elementary School, 1250 Constitution Avenue NE – enter from the 200 block of 13th St. The presentation will be preceded by a brief business meeting at 6:40. The doors will open at 6:30 p.m. The event is free, handicapped-accessible and the public is encouraged to attend; no reservations required. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hill Designer Nominated for International Award Capitol Hill resident and owner of Masterpiece Staging and Design, Tiffany Hardgrave, has been selected as one of the top 10 “Rising Stars” for 2016 by the Real Estate Staging Association. Hardgrace is the only RESA finalist selected in the northeast United States from an international group of stagers and designers. Masterpiecestaginganddesign.com. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ford’s Theatre Raises $90k for N Street Village The Ford’s Theatre production of “A Christmas Carol” collected $90,000 on behalf of N Street Village during this year’s curtain call donation drive. Donations were collected Nov. 19 to Dec. 27. In addition to a collection at each curtain call, patrons were encouraged to make donations through the Ford’s Theatre Box Office, and members of the “Christmas Carol” company and Ford’s Theatre Society

staff contributed to the campaign. fords.org. www.nstreetvillage.org. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

RENOVATIONS REMODELING

Tech Time at Northeast Library Tech Time is a drop-in clinic focused on mobile devices such as tablets, laptops and smart phones. Master downloading books, magazines and music onto your devices. Experts are standing by 5:30 to 7 p.m., the second Wednesday of each month to answer any questions. Northeast Neighborhood Library, 330 Seventh St. NE. 202-698-0058. dclibrary.org/northeast. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Home Pre-Purchase Orientations Throughout 2016, Pre-Purchase Orientations will be held every Thursday at 11 a.m. and the first Wednesday of every month at 6 p.m. at Housing Counseling Services, 2410 17th St. NW, Suite 100. Registration is encouraged at housingetc.org. For more information contact them at 202-667-7006 or training@housingetc. org. All HCS workshops are available in English and Spanish. Other languages are available with advance notice. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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New Orthopedist on the Hill Dr. Aham E. Onyike has opened an office on 600 Pennsylvania Ave, SE Suite #202. Washington, DC 20003. Dr. Onyike specializes in joint replacement surgery of the hip and knee and has built a reputation as a “Patient’s Choice” in these areas. His other areas of expertise include general orthopaedics, fracture care, work-related injuries, sports medicine, and athletic injuries. He is a member of Avante Orthopaedics, a network of individual highly specialized orthopaedic surgeons who have formed a collaborative network to provide comprehensive treatment of orthopaedic problems in various geographical regions. 202544-5858 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Have a tip for the Bulletin Board, email bulletinboard@hilrag.com. u

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The Numbers: Income Matters

How DC Can Give Children a Better Chance of Escaping Poverty by Kate Coventry

large and growing body of research finds that family economic stability, or the lack thereof, has lasting impacts on a child’s ability to succeed in school and in later life. The challenges poor parents face in creating a positive environment for their children – like inadequate access to healthy food or unstable and unhealthy housing – can lead to toxic levels of stress and adversely affect both physical and cognitive development, including brain development. Low-income children enter school well behind other children and then perform more poorly. They complete fewer years of education and then work less and earn less as adults than others. That may sound depressing and hopeless, but it shouldn’t. Research also shows that increasing a family’s income, even by a small amount, can make a big difference on a range of outcomes for poor children, including test scores, school attendance, high school graduation, college enrollment, and future employment. This research helps explain why reducing poverty from generation to generation is so hard. Children facing toxic stress have trouble focusing at school, contributing to DC’s stubborn achievement gap despite years of school reform. It tells us that policies to improve family stability, such as affordable housing and paid family leave, are not just nice to offer but actually are critical to the city’s economic future. One important place to start is DC’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. TANF provides a level of aid to unemployed parents so low that it guarantees families will live in constant stress: just $441 a month for a family of three. A plan to raise benefits over the next three years is really important to improving family stability. The District also needs to reform the TANF time limit that is set to go into effect in October 2016, which could leave thousands of families with no income and in deeper stress. Changing the time limit with the goal of supporting family stability, such as giving families time they need rather than a rigid time limit, would help ensure that TANF supports better child outcomes rather than worsening them.

Poverty’s Impacts Low-income children are more likely than other children to face malnutrition and exposure to toxins, resulting in high

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rates of asthma, lead poisoning, low birth weight, developmental delays, and learning disabilities. Beyond that, a growing body of research suggests that poverty can leave children in highly stressful environments, “toxic stress,” with serious negative impacts. Toxic stress impairs the development of the area of the brain crucial to the acquisition of executive functioning (EF) skills such as memory, attention-focusing, planning, and the inhibition of impulsive behaviors. One study found that a young adult’s working memory at age 17 “deteriorated in direct relation to the number of years children lived in poverty.” Children experiencing toxic stress are also more likely to have emotional behavioral disorders and struggle to manage stress. Exposure to toxic stress can change the immune system and lead to increased inflammation, associated with poor health outcomes like asthma, cardiovascular disease, and autoimmune disorders. Additionally, toxic stress in early childhood is a risk factor for later risky behavior, like illicit drug use, that can negatively affect adult health. One study found that poor children had an average of 7 to 10 percent less grey matter in areas of the brain associated with academic test performance than children living above 150 percent of the poverty line. This explains as much as onefifth of the gap in achievement scores between children from lower and higher-income families.

Financial Stability Helps Children The good news is that increasing a family’s income, even by a small amount, can reduce stress and improve a range of outcomes for poor children. One study found that an increase of $3,000 in annual family income before age five was associated with 19 percent higher earnings and a 135-hour increase in annual work hours during adulthood. A study of Native American families who received $4,000 per adult annually from their tribe’s casino profits found their children were more likely to graduate from high school by age 19. The children were less likely to commit minor crimes, less likely to report dealing drugs in their youth. Children from the poorest families experienced the largest gains. A second study found that additional casino-profit income reduced behavioral and emotional disorders associated with lower levels of educational attainment and employment. It also improved personality traits like conscientiousness and

agreeableness. The largest gains were for children who prior to the casino payments had shown more symptoms of emotional and behavioral disorders and were behind their peers in these personality traits.

What DC Can Do These findings show that policies that boost incomes, help families meet their basic needs, or otherwise promote financial stability not only help families cope with the rising costs of living, but also help children live up to their potential and contribute fully to the economy. While the District has done a great deal in this regard – increasing the minimum wage, expanding housing assistance, and creating the largest earned income tax credit (EITC) for working poor families at the state level – the policies in its TANF welfare-to-work program could leave very low-income families in deep poverty. Actions taken over the next several years could greatly improve TANF’s role in promoting family economic stability. DC’s TANF benefits are very low, just $441 per month for a family of three. The District should follow through on a series of planned increases over the next three years that would raise benefits to $644 per month, 35 percent of the poverty line. This still leaves DC’s benefits low but at least would put them in line with other high-cost jurisdictions such as Boston, Los Angeles,

and New York City. The District should modify its TANF time limit to help more families move toward greater financial stability without pushing more children into deep poverty. Under the current time limit policy, some 6,000 families with 13,000 children who have received assistance for 60 months or more are slated to lose all benefits by October 2016. Recognizing the complex lives of many poor families and the dangers of children living in deep poverty, 44 states allow some families more time after the time limit to move to self-sufficiency. But DC’s rigid time limit has no exceptions. Most families removed from TANF across the country are not able to replace lost benefits with employment income, leaving many to face chaotic and unstable lives. This leads to increases in homelessness and child neglect. The District should replace its rigid time limit with a policy that gives families the supports and time they need to make progress. Ensuring that children do not fall into deep poverty will create a brighter future for them and for the District as a whole. Kate Coventry is a policy analyst at the DC Fiscal Policy Institute (www.dcfpi.org). DCFPI promotes budget and policy solutions to reduce poverty and inequality in the District of Columbia and to increase the opportunity for residents to build a better future. u

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South by West by William Rich DC United Stadium PUD Application Filed DC United submitted a Planned Unit Development (PUD) application on January 19 for their new planned stadium on Buzzard Point, to be located three blocks from Nationals Park at 100 Potomac Avenue SW. The 19,000-seat stadium has been designed by Populous (the same designers of Nationals Park) and DC-based Marshall Moya as “contemporary-industrial” as a nod to Buzzard Point’s industrial nature. Building materials include glass, concrete panels, zinc and aluminum panels and the stadium will rise to a maximum height of 98 feet. The stadium will also be designed to meet Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Gold standards (Nationals Park was designed to meet LEED-Silver standards). No on-site parking is planned, although 3,400 off-site parking spaces have been identified for use by patrons, both on Buzzard Point and at parking lots used for Nationals games. There will be 233 bicycle spaces, although it is unclear whether a bike valet will be set up at the soccer stadium like Nationals Park. The main entrance will be on the northeast corner of the site at a plaza along Potomac Avenue SW with 18 gates. From Potomac Avenue SW, spectators will get a view of the inside of the

DC United’s new stadium on Buzzard Point will be an anchor of an entertainment district along the Anacostia River. Rendering: DC United

stadium and field since the pitch will be near ground level. The zoning application touts this streetactivating feature as unique to virtually any other professional sports stadium. Premium ticket holders will enter through a separate gate area south of the main entrance and two other entrances for fans will be at the northwest and southwest corners of the stadium. An entrance on the southeast corner will be used for media. Ticket booths will be located on the east side of the stadium. A building straddling the stadium at the corner of 2nd and T streets SW will contain retail on the first floor in the portion of the building located outside of the stadium, with office space on the second floor. Inside the stadium, this building will contain concessions on the first floor and DC United’s offices on the second floor. The team’s locker room will be below this building in the basement. Decorative fencing will run along the west edge of the stadium along 2nd Street SW and a pedestrian walkway will be located on the east side to minimize disruption of the pedestrian flow on 1st Street SW. Most of the seating will be on the east side of the stadium, due to an easement with Pepco which gives the utility company 24/7 access to a portion of the stadium footprint on the east side of the property. The west side of the stadium has outdoor seating while the east and north sides will have both outdoor seats and suites. Outdoor seating will also be located on the south side of the stadium. The main scoreboard will be placed on the north side of the stadium. The team store will be a separate, one-story building fronting R Street SW, located to the northwest of the main entrance so it will be accessible not just during game days. There is a separate parcel on the northeast section of the stadium footprint adjacent to the entry plaza that is not a part of the PUD application. This parcel will be developed in the fuPier 4 will be refurbished with two stories added to the existing one-story structure behind ture, likely as a hotel with retail. The stadium is scheduled to start the head house. Rendering: PN Hoffman

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Hoffman-Madison Waterfront (HMW) has filed with the Zoning Commission to modify the approved Stage One PUD for Pier 4, located adjacent to the new Waterfront Park currently under construction at The Wharf. Initially, the plan was to work on Pier 4 in the third phase of The Wharf, but HMW has decided to move up construction of Pier 4 to coincide with the completion of Waterfront Park, in order to minimize disruption to the park. In addition, the development team seeks to change the permitted use from residential to commercial in light of the lack of support from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to allow townhouses constructed on the pier. Instead, Pier 4 will continue to be used by Entertainment Cruises, which currently operates out of the pier and neighboring Pier 3. Entertainment Cruises will consolidate its operations to Pier 4. A permit was given to HMW in 2015 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to do the following, according to the Zoning Commission application: To renovate, including constructing additional stories not to exceed a total structure height of 55 feet above the existing site, in the same roofline footprint; to construct an approximately 23-foot wide by 200foot long pier at the channelward end of the existing pier structure, to install two dolphins; and to construct a 20-foot wide by 40-foot long floating platform with 6 piles on the west

side of the existing pier, all to extend a maximum of 530 feet channelward of the existing bulkhead. The plan for the pier is to maintain the brick head house structure for passenger ticketing and locker rooms for employees and build a twostory addition to the existing concrete canopy structure located behind the head house. McGraw Bagnoli Architects has designed the new pier building as a concrete structure with wood and metal accents. A passenger staging area, restrooms, and office space will be located on the first floor while the second and third floors will contain more office space and terraces, both covered and uncovered. While plans for Pier 4 have been pushed forward, Karen Anderson from the Gangplank Slipholders Association stated her frustration at the January 2016 Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6D meeting with the lack of urgency to move up construction of Gangplank Marina in favor of Pier 4 and 7th Street Park, two other waterside portions of The Wharf that were originally planned for a later stage and subsequently moved to phase one. Gangplank Marina is home to the largest live-aboard community on the East Coast and residents are coping with the need to move their houseboats around the marina while construction of The Wharf progresses. The development team reiterated their intention to keep the slipholders at The Wharf and build a new Gangplank Marina, although it will not be completed until a later phase of development. Hoffman-Madison Waterfront will present their plans for Pier 4 to Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6D in the coming months for their support.

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Office of Planning Unveils Vision for Buzzard Point Residents Want to See Increased Density Paired with Better Transit Planning and Increased Transportation Options.

n light of the more than $900 million in improvements proposed for Buzzard Point between the DC United soccer stadium and the new South Capitol Street Bridge, DC government planners are identifying opportunities for the city to enable transformative chang-

by Shaun Courtney es in Southwest. But nearby residents are concerned about the impacts from some of the city’s plans. Most notably, the Buzzard Point Vision Framework anticipates some 11.3 million gross square feet of new development, including more than 6,000 residential units, among other potential shifts for the this industrial area in Southwest DC.

The Vision

The Urban Design Concept sets out potential future uses for Buzzard Point.

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Today Buzzard Point in Southwest is characterized by its industrial uses, lack of green space, inaccessibility, and poorly organized street connections. But two huge investments of public and private funds could act as catalysts to transform Buzzard Point: the $600 million South Capitol Street Bridge replacement (Phase 1) and the new $300 million DC United Soccer Stadium. Hoping to capitalize on the existing proposals for Buzzard Point and its surrounding community, the DC Office of Planning (OP) envisions a mixed-use, mixed-income neighborhood emerging that is greener, more walkable, with better transit connections, and with a more natural relationship with the water. A few of the key principles for redevelopment are: A Vibrant Mixed-Use Neighborhood. Commercialfocused development around a new South Capitol Street

A new rendering of the future DC United Stadium, a catalyst for additional development at Buzzard Point.

A Waterfront Plaza could include the future Maritime Museum.

oval could be part of the bridge project, and new residential development could be concentrated at the southern end of Buzzard Point near the waterfront. Dynamic Parks and Public Spaces. A promenade for bikers and pedestrians, small parks marking the end of various surface streets, a new Waterfront Plaza at the intersection of South Capitol and S streets, and possibly a Maritime Museum could provide a new focus on the waterfront. An Improved Multimodal Transportation System. Potomac Avenue, a “symbolic boulevard,” could increase pedestrian traffic between Buzzard Point and the Capitol Riverfront; Half Street could function as a “central spine” for better east-west connectivity.

Heather Schoell Capitol Hill Real Estate

A Living and Sustainable Environment. Low-impact developments could naturally treat runoff, plantings along the river could help clean the water, and an increased street tree canopy would provide shade.

Transit Troubles Transportation options, or the lack thereof, are perhaps the biggest concerns about new development among nearby residents of Buzzard Point and the DC United Stadium. Residents want to see a comprehensive transportation plan for the area. “With more than 6,200 residential units [proposed], we can deduce that upwards of 12,000 people would be living on [Buzzard Point],” said Roger Moffatt, representing the advisory neighborhood commission (ANC) for the area that includes Buzzard Point. “Add to that the entire commercial and retail portion, and we have a super congested area with only two streets for ingress and egress.” The southern area where much of the residential development is proposed is served by access from Second and First streets SW. Though planners for the future stadium note that it is adjacent to the Riverwalk bicycle route and within walking distance from both the Navy Yard-Ballpark and the Waterfront Metro stations, there are currently no transit services or bicycle facilities within the Buzzard Point area. The DC Circulator 2014 Transit Development Plan Update of the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) includes three routes that could service the area near Buzzard Point, with stops at the Waterfront Metro and the Southwest Waterfront, but none of the proposed lines would extend south of M Street into Buzzard Point. The vision framework suggests DDOT could consider such extensions in future plans, especially once the stadium is built. The plan also touches on the proposal for a new north-south streetcar line serving Buzzard Point, “while recognizing that the implementation of the system at Buzzard Point would be several years away.” The ANC and residents want to see more transportation planning before the city encourages additional density, so as to not “overload” residents already living in Southwest, according

to ANC Commissioner Rhonda Hamilton. “Increased density puts stress on existing residential parking,” she noted. “I think that there is a lot of disregard in terms of how it all mixes together.” Moffat advocates for making the area primarily pedestrian in nature, opening the streets to vehicular traffic for deliveries and the like during only limited hours.

202-321-0874 heathersdc@gmail.com

Near-Term Catalysts While the entirety of the city’s vision for Buzzard Point may take decades to come to fruition, one of the initial catalysts, DC United’s new stadium, is scheduled to be ready for the 2018 season. The city government is assembling the land parcels for the stadium and clearing them for construction. The city may turn the land over to DC United as soon as this summer, DC United’s managing general partner, Jason Levien, told The Washington Post in December. The club is going through the planning and zoning process for its new home, which could hold between 18,000 and 23,000 fans. DC United filed its planned unit development (PUD) with the Zoning Commission in late January. Meanwhile the six-lane Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge will bring with it improved street connections and create a new traffic oval to bring together South Capitol Street with Potomac Avenue and Q and R streets. That project received approval from the Federal Highway Administration last summer. DDOT should select a design-build team by December, with work approved to begin next winter.

Next Steps OP sees early changes coming from the new bridge and the stadium, with development to follow those initial investments in five to 10 years. Full realization of the vision for both Buzzard Point and the adjacent Capitol Riverfront would come in 10 to 15 years, according to the framework. On Feb. 3 the Southwest Neighborhood Assembly will meet to discuss the Buzzard Point Vision Framework. Shaun Courtney is a freelance reporter and real estate writer. Shaun has called DC home since 2002 and now lives in Kingman Park with her husband and son. u

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An Offbeat, Upbeat Field Trip

A Tour of DC Water’s Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Facility

n a cold and windy DC morning, I joined eight others on an unusual field trip - a tour of DC Water’s Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant located on the south side of the Potomac River in Southwest DC. DC has a unique – and state-of-the-art municipal wastewater treatment system, and I wanted to learn more about it. Yanique Richards was our enthusiastic tour guide. Here’s what I found out. Drinking water and wastewater are treated at separate facilities, unlike at most municipal water systems. Water that is delivered to our homes comes into DC from the upper Potomac River and is treated at the Washington Aqueduct in northwest DC, run by the US Army Corps of Engineers. Meanwhile, DC Water’s Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant treats sewage from DC (and parts of Maryland and Virginia) and combined sewage and stormwater from approximately a third of the city. The Blue Plains plant can treat 384 million gallons of water daily, enough to fill RFK Stadium daily. Wastewater is transported to Blue Plains through a series of pipes and tunnels. Once reaching Blue Plains, the water goes through a series of cleaning processes, the first being a physical cleaning that has a high “yuck” factor as smelly solids such as the peas you washed down the drain and the baby wipe you flushed down the toilet the night before are separated from the water. The extracted waste is transported to an incineration plant in Loudoun County while the water continues through a series of physical and biological cleaning processes to further remove nutrients and pollutants from the water before it’s released into the Potomac. DC Water is improving water quality in our rivers. Like the sewer systems of many cities, DC’s system is old. In approximately one-third of the city, rain runoff from streets combines with grey and black water from homes and businesses. As DC has grown, green space that once provided a filtration source for water runoff has been replaced by impermeable surfaces such as concrete and as-

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article and photos by Catherine Plume phalt, stressing the system. During heavy rains, the old system can’t handle the volume, and raw combined (diluted) sewage water sometimes overflows directly into the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers and Rock Creek. While the system was designed for this overflow to avoid sewage backup into homes and streets, it is not optimal from a health or en-

DC Water Control Room: ensuring all the systems are working properly.

An early stage cleaning: waste is removed from the water

vironmental perspective. Over the past several years, DC Water, through the Clean Rivers Project, has been boring tunnels that will serve as water holding tanks for any excess water. These tunnels are between 80 and 180 feet beneath DC and will hold the diluted sewage until it can be treated at the Blue Plains facility. The Anacostia River Tunnel System should be completed by 2022 while the Potomac and Rock Creek systems may have a longer timeline. The total cost of the project is $2.6 billion. DC Water is using waste to create energy and fertilizers. As a part of its commitment to lowering electricity costs by $10 million a year while also reducing its carbon footprint, DC Water has invested in four state-of-the-art anaerobic digesters and Cambi thermal hydrolysis vessels. This system is now producing some 10MW of power from the methane derived from the wastewater solids – enough energy to power some 8000 homes daily. The power is being used on site, and over time, DC Water hopes to power approximately one-third of the plant with this energy and avoid shutdowns such as the one that occurred during the 2011 earthquake. Once the methane has been extracted from the solids, the solids are converted into Class A biosolids which, when mixed with other ingredients, form a compost-like material that can be used as fertilizer on agricultural lands. DC Water is currently distributing these biosolids to area urban and youth gardens and to some farms in Virginia. They hope to begin selling biosolids to local farmers in the near future. Our tour of Blue Plains ended where treated water was being returned to the Potomac River. There was a clear line in the water where clear Blue Plains treated effluent met with the murkier water of the Potomac’s natural flow. “I would swim in the DC Water effluent,” Yanique tells us. What better testimony for DC’s effluent quality could you ask for? Catherine Plume is a lifelong environmentalist, a writer, and blogger for the DC Recycler: www.DCRecycler. blogspot.com; Twitter @DC_Recycler u

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ANC 6A Report by Elizabeth Nelson

dvisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6A Chair Phil Toomajian called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. with Commissioners Matt Levy, Omar Mahmud, Patrick Malone, Calvin Ward, Sondra Phillips-Gilbert, and Stephanie Zimny in attendance. Commissioner Chris Ward has resigned. Mike Soderman has submitted a petition to run for the vacant seat, 6A03.

Election of Officers and Selection of Committee Chairs and Members As this was the first meeting of the year, it opened with the election of officers followed by nomination and approval of committee members and chairs. The officers are: chair, Phil Toomajian; vice-chair, Omar Mahmud; secretary, Calvin Ward; treasurer, Stephanie Zimny. The committees and their members are: Economic Development and Zoning, Brad Greenfield (chair), Dan Golden, Andrew Hysell, Laura Gentile, Missy Boyette, Brian Carlson, Justin Thornton, Michael Hoenig, Matt Turkstra; Alcohol Beverage Licensing, Jay Williams, Christopher Seagle (cochairs), David Oberting, Michael Herman, Roger Caruth, Justin Rzepka, Mark Samburg, Stephanie Zimny; Transportation and Public Safety, Todd Sloves, Omar Mahmud (co-chairs), Jeff Fletcher, Andrea Adleman, Lara Levison, Hassan Christian, Elizabeth Nelson; Community Outreach, Dana Wyckoff (chair), Raphael Marshall, Roni Hollmon, Gladys Mack, Joyce West.

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Report from Executive Office of the Mayor Seth Shapiro, the Ward 6 liaison, reported that Jan. 23 is the last day for tree pickup and that trees should be placed where trash is collected rather than in the tree boxes. Regulations banning the use of Styrofoam containers went into effect on Jan. 1. Infractions can be reported to the Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) by calling 311. Shapiro announced that the Executive Office of the Mayor and the Office of Planning (OP) will host “Preserving and Planning for Progress” from 5 to 8 p.m. on Jan. 26 at the Carnegie Library at Mount Vernon Square, 801 K St. NW. The topic will be how the District can accommodate 800,000 residents while preserving its history.

Report from the Department of Human Services Jay Melder, representing the Department of Human Services (DHS), addressed two topics: the mayor’s plan to end homelessness, and objections from neighbors regarding the use of the Sherwood Recreation Center as a homeless shelter. Residents living in close proximity complained of disruptions this season, even though the center was open only one night and had only six occupants – a fraction of what is expected as winter wears on. According to Melder, “homelessness is solvable and has been successfully addressed elsewhere” and Mayor Bowser’s plan is “evidence-based and cost-effective.” He outlined the plan in considerable detail, all of which has been reported elsewhere. He then addressed neighborhood concerns specific to Sherwood. Neighbors reminded him of Bowser’s commitment last winter not to use Sherwood as a homeless shelter this winter. Melder countered that the space was needed due to a ballooning pop-

ulation in winter and that proximity to Union Station made it convenient. In an effort to reduce community impact, Sherwood is housing only women this year and is not a primary shelter but for hypothermia nights only. He gave assurances that the site would be well managed and that “If Sherwood becomes an issue, we’re gonna deal with it.” The commissioners voted 5-0-2 (Levy and Phillips-Gilbert abstaining) to send a letter to Mayor Bowser objecting to the use of Sherwood as housing and reminding her of last year’s commitment that she would not use Sherwood, or any other recreation center, as a homeless shelter in the future.

Alcohol Beverage Licensing Committee Actions Per the vote taken at the November 2015 ANC meeting, the ANC’s protest of Ocopa’s (1324 H St. NE) entertainment endorsement request has been withdrawn, subsequent to receipt of Ocopa’s plan for its entertainment endorsement, which includes a commitment not to have music that can be heard

ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSION 6A PHIL TOOMAJIAN, CHAIR, PHILANC6A@GMAIL.COM Serving the Near Northeast, North Lincoln Park, Rosedale, and Stanton Park communities inside neighboring houses. The commissioners voted unanimously to accept a settlement agreement (SA) with, and support a stipulated license for, Sally’s Middle Name (1320 H St. NE), which is seeking a substantial change to a CR (restaurant) license. The SA includes language related to noise mitigation on the establishment’s outdoor space. The commissioners also gave unanimous support for a stipulated license and SA for Sospeso, which will serve Mediterranean food at 1344 H St. NE when it opens later this year. The vote was preceded by an inquiry from Vice-Chair Mahmud regarding the establishment’s plans for trash storage. The applicant, Michael Rosato, replied that he planned to put the trash in bins on public space in the alley at the rear of the premises. When advised that he was unlikely to receive approval to store trash in public space, he said he would investigate interior storage or renting space nearby.

Transportation and Public Space Committee Actions The ANC voted unanimously to send a letter to the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) requesting that the streetcar’s hours include Sunday service, providing passenger service seven days per week. DDOT is currently projecting that the system will become operational sometime in February. Mahmud said that he would like to see the line extended, but that would require structural changes to the Hopscotch Bridge and other improvements.

Economic Development and Zoning Actions The commissioners voted unanimously to write a letter to the Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) in support of the application for variances from off-street parking, parking aisle width, and loading-berth requirements plus a special exception from the H Street Overlay requirements, to convert a vacant church at 1301 H St. NE into a new four-story, mixed-use commercial and residen-

tial building with the following conditions: residential parking permit (RPP) restrictions will be in place; the building will use the H Street address; and the developers will use consistent design on the side of the 13th Street side of the building, which faces rowhouses. The project will include nine, three-bedroom residential units. The commissioners then considered a request for support from ANC 6C, represented at the meeting by Mark Eckenwiler, regarding two zoning issues. To summarize: • ANC 6C has proposed an amendment to the H Street Zoning Overlay that would make explicit the requirements regarding façade preservation. Eckenwiler noted that the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) has been unwilling or unable to enforce a reasonable interpretation of existing regulations. He cited the example of Ben’s Chili Bowl, which was granted a zoning bonus (allowed to build a larger structure) in exchange for a commitment to preserve the façade of the existing building. However, with the exception of one interior wall, the entire building was demolished without objection from DCRA, Director Matt LeGrant’s decision being “inconsistent with the spirit of the H Street Overlay.” In brief, the proposed amendment would require retention of a minimum of 90 percent of the façade area; retention of all character-defining features; in situ retention of the façade and not demolition followed by reconstruction; and preservation of all elevations both fronting on H Street and any side street. ANC 6A voted unanimously to write a letter to ANC 6C expressing support, in principle, for changes to the H Street Overlay that clarify preservation requirements and remove other ambiguities. • ANC 6C has also proposed a change to the definition of a

ANC 6A generally meets the second Thursday of the month, at Miner Elementary School, 601 15th Street, NE.

www.anc6a.org Next ANC 6A meeting is 2nd Thursday, Feb. 11th 7 p.m, Miner E.S., 601 15th St. NE Alcohol Beverage Licensing Committee - Tuesday, Feb. 23rd, 2016 7pm at Sherwood Recreation Center • 640 10th St., NE Jay Williams - Co-Chair (906-0657) / Christopher Seagle - Co-Chair

Transportation & Public Space Committee - Monday, Feb. 22nd, 2016 7pm at Capitol Hill Towers Community Room • 900 G St., NE J. Omar Mahmud - Co-Chair (594-9848) / Todd Sloves - Co-Chair

Economic Development & Zoning Committee - Wednesday, Feb. 17th, 2016 7pm at Sherwood Recreation Center • 640 10th St., NE Andrew Hysell - Co-Chair / Brad Greenfield - Co-Chair

Community Outreach Committee - Monday, Feb. 22nd, 2016 NOW HELD EVERY 4TH MONDAY OF THE MONTH 7pm at Maury Elementary School • 1250 Constitution Ave., NE Multi-purpose Room (enter from 200 Block of 13 Street) Dana Wyckoff - Chair (571-213-1630)

Please check the Community Calendar on the website for cancellations and changes of venue.

Advisory Neighborhood Commission 6C P.O. Box 77876 • Washington, D.C. 20013-7787 • www.anc6c.org • (202) 547-7168 ANC 6C generally meets the second Wednesday of each month. 214 Massachusetts Ave NE

ANC 6C COMMISSIONERS ANC 6C01 Daniele Schiffman Daniele.Schiffman@gmail.com

ANC 6C04 Mark Eckenwiler 6C04@anc.dc.gov

ANC 6C02 Karen Wirt (202) 547-7168 6C02@anc.dc.gov

ANC 6C05 Christopher Miller 6C05@anc.dc.gov

ANC 6C03 Scott Price (202) 577-6261 6C03@anc.dc.gov scott.price@anc.dc.gov

ANC 6C06 Tony Goodman (202) 271-8707 tonytgood@gmail.com

ANC 6C COMMITTEES Alcohol Beverage Licensing Committee First Monday, 7 pm Contact: (870) 821-0531 anc6c.abl.committee@gmail.com

Transportation and Public Space Committee First Thursday, 7 pm Contact: mark.kaz.anc@gmail.com

Grants Committee Last Thursday, 7 pm Contact: ducotesb1@gmail.com

Planning, Zoning, and Economic Development First Wednesday, 7 pm Contact: zoning@eckenwiler.org Twitter: @6C_PZE

Parks and Events Committee First Tuesday, 7 pm Contact: christinehealey100@gmail.com

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building area in the District’s zoning regulations, to exclude unenclosed covered porches in the calculation of “building area.” As Eckenwiler explained, the current definition has the effect of encouraging the removal of covered porches so that larger additions can be built. This is particularly troublesome in his neighborhood of historic homes where porches are often torn off. By a 6-1 vote, ANC 6A decided to write a letter to ANC 6C that supports, in principle, the change to remove unenclosed covered porches from the definition of building area. Malone did not give a reason for dissenting.

Announcements Commissioner Zimny reported that the results of the community survey initiated by the Miner Elementary School PTO have not identified a winning concept for what kind of school the community wants (international baccalaureate, language immersion, etc.). Also, DC Public Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson will be asked to attend a community meeting to address concerns regarding the management of the school. Commissioner Ward expressed concern about speeding on 19th street, which recently resulted in a car crashing into his front yard. The ANC has already requested attention to this problem. Ward noted that, if speed bumps are not installed, he would be in favor of traffic cameras, which he generally opposes but which he feels may be necessary at this location. Commissioner Malone wants Maury Elementary School to present its building expansion plans at a future ANC meeting. Neighborhood Watch training will be offered at Maury Elementary School from 7 to 9 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 8. Naomi Mitchell of Councilmember Charles Allen’s office and Commissioner Toomajian announced that legislation introduced by Allen provides for rebates to residents, businesses, churches, and nonprofits who install surveillance cameras on their properties. There is a limited budget for these rebates so it will be advantageous to apply as soon as the program is implemented. Kaboom will build a playground on the 2000 block of C Street NE. Per Kaboom’s established practices, there will be community input to the design and also the actual construction. Some facilities for adults will be included. ANC 6A meets on the second Thursday of every month (except August) at Miner Elementary School. The 6A committees meet at 7 p.m. on the following dates: Alcohol Beverage and Licensing, third Tues-

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day of each month, Sherwood Recreation Center. Community Outreach, fourth Monday of each month, Maury Elementary School. Economic Development and Zoning, third Wednesday of each month, Sherwood Recreation Center. Transportation and Public Space, usually third Monday of every month, Capitol Hill Towers. Visit www.anc6a.org for calendar of events, agendas and other information. u

ANC 6B Report by Jonathan Neeley Commission’s Stance on Vision Zero In December, DC announced its proposed plans for Vision Zero, an effort to completely eliminate traffic deaths by 2024. Among the plans are lower speed limits (down to 25 mph on some major arterials) and more speed cameras, new bike lanes and crosswalks, and an Urban Design Unit to help the Office of Planning redesign dangerous public spaces. The plan also envisages revising the manual traffic engineers use to make sure it mandates safe designs for everyone, not just cars. The possibility getting the most attention, however, has been higher fines for speeding. Specifically, they include a jump from $300 to $1000 for driving more than 25 mph over. ANC 6B sent a letter to DDOT supporting the fine increase. In an email to residents, 6B Chair Kirsten Oldenburg explained that driving fast enough to get such a fine would mean a driver was really disregarding people’s safety: “On a residential street,” she wrote, “that works out to 50 mph. A pedestrian hit at that speed has only a 10 percent chance of survival.” 6B’s letter did voice a few concerns with the Vision Zero proposal. The commission was concerned that the fines could disproportionately hurt low income residents, and that there might not be enough resources to enforce the rules frequently and quickly. The letter also asked whether DDOT’s plan for Vision Zero was backed by evidence that it would make residents safer rather than simply generate revenue for the city.

New development on Pennsylvania Avenue 6B voted in support of developers CAS Riegler moving forward on a building at 1401 Pennsylvania Avenue SE that will have retail on the bottom with 174 residential units over six levels above and 58 parking spaces. The building will be taller and denser than usual because of a Planned Unit Development (PUD) agreement CAS Riegler worked out with 6B. PUDs give developers rezone a parcel to increase its density in return for public amenities. In this case, according to Capitol Hill Corner, CAS Riegler has agreed to put money toward efforts that make it easier for residents not to own cars. One-year memberships to Capital Bikeshare and Car2Go and a SmarTrip card will be included in the building’s leases. There will be a substantial amount of bike parking. A screen will be placed in the lobby displaying transit options in real time. CAS Riegler will also contribute to improving the green space and safety infrastructure at the Potomac Avenue Metro station, fixing up playgrounds at Friendship Chamberlain Elementary and Hopkins Apartments and planting trees around Ward 6.

Commission Brian Flahaven Departs Brian Falahaven, who has served on 6B for five years, including as chair, has stepped down. He and his wife are expecting a second child in the spring. “I’m proud of working with you to keep our neighborhood united in Ward 6, pressuring the city to move forward with development plans for Reservation 13, advocating for a road diet and traffic calming along 17th Street SE, and pushing for a neighborhood-centric vision for Barney Circle and the Southeast Boulevard,” he wrote on his website. “I’ve also done my best to keep you updated and informed of ANC 6B meetings and neighborhood developments on my website. While I’m going to miss being a commissioner, I plan to continue being active on neighborhood issues, particularly Reservation 13 and the future of the RFK Stadium site,” he wrote. The DC Board of Elections is now accepting petitions to replace Flahaven. Once the board validates the petitions, a special election will be held if there is more than one candidate.

Progress on the Southeast Boulevard DDOT has been working to decide on what to do with the Southeast Freeway since 2013. In early January, DDOT presented 6B’s Transportation Committee with draft results of a feasibility study. This is

Law Offices Of

James m LOOts, Pc the latest in the litany of studies the agency has conducted. The study concluded that it is possible to build an underground bus garage for WMATA and tour buses with entrances and exits at both 11th Street and Barney Circle. However, it is likely to be at least another decade before construction is complete. At its Feb. 3 meeting, 6B’s Transportation Committee will make a recommendation to the ANC regarding what kinds of feedback it should give and next steps it should suggest. “This is a huge project with a lot of components,” said 6B Chair Kirsten Oldenburg, noting that long-time 6B commissioner Brian Flahaven departure leaves her as the only person on the commission with extensive background on the project. ANC 6B’s next full meeting will be Tuesday, Feb. 9 at the Hill Center at 921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. u

ANC 6C Report by Christine Rushton

ike a Samuel Beckett play – a story that never ends – the streetcar for H Street reappeared on the agenda for Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6C. Among a smaller agenda of items at the first meeting of 2016, the commissioners again fought against more restrictions on use of the streetcar that the city keeps promising will run for the public soon. Commissioners also announced their new and continuing officers and committee chairs for all ANC divisions. The quorum: Karen Wirt (6C02, chair), Tony Goodman (6C06), Mark Eckenwiler (6C04), Christopher Miller (6C05), and Scott Price (6C03). Daniel Schiffman (6C01) was absent.

Streetcar on H Street The DC Department of Transportation (DDOT) recently said the H Street streetcar might not run on Sundays to allow for weekly maintenance. But the ANC agreed that the amount of money, time, and patience invested in this project should result in a car that runs seven days a week, especially to bolster weekend economic opportunities. The commissioners voted unanimously to support a joint letter,

with ANCs 6A, 5D, and 7D, to the mayor’s office, DDOT, and the councilmembers, requesting the cars operate seven days a week.

DDOT Vision Zero Plan Commissioner Eckenwiler sat in on the Transportation and Public Space (TPS) Committee meeting this month and recommended slight changes to the DDOT’s 2016 Vision Zero Plan to reduce traffic fatalities to zero by 2024. Some members of TPS felt the $1,000 fine for speeding more than 25 miles per hour over the limit was too high for the low-income drivers in the city. But Eckenwiler argued for the fine. A community member at the ANC 6C meeting said the issue with driving too fast stems from speeds set too low. Commissioner Goodman explained that the city originally was not built to support so much car traffic. Community members also argued that the Vision Zero plan didn’t include initiatives to stop allterrain vehicles (ATVs) and motorbikes from ripping around the main and side streets on Capitol Hill. One member said he witnessed police patrolling the H Street corridor ignore a group of ATVs and motorbikes tear up the street. Eckenwiler explained that police have a policy not to pursue because there’s more risk in a chase than relying on tips from community members to find the offenders and revoke their vehicle license. The ANC voted unanimously to support the increase in speeding fines, add language to make running a red light with a pedestrian in the crosswalk a criminal offense, and send a letter to the mayor’s office requesting more action on curbing ATV and motorbike violations.

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Curb Cuts on K Street NE A renovated three-unit condominium building on the 300 block of K Street NE requested rights to put in a curb cut along the street into the entrance of the building’s driveway. However, the community and members of the commission agreed that the curb cut would unfairly take away a street parking spot available for parking permit holders in that region. The developer erroneously told the new owner that the lot included the permits for the curb. Despite historical evidence showing the curb cut existed in the early 1900s for access to a carriage shed, the committee concluded that the owner’s argument lay with the developer, not the neighborhood. The ANC voted 3-2 against the owner’s application. Price and Goodman supported the permit.

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Rear Additions on C Street NE Rowhouses New concept plans to add rear additions, a penthouse, and roof decks on several units along the 400 block of C Street NE caused several community concerns at the Planning, Zoning and Economic Development Committee (PZE) meeting. Commissioners expressed concern for the changing of historic facades and vestibules that may block sunlight and make the height of the new additions visible from Stanton Park. Neighbors directly surrounding the lot spoke about light studies showing an adverse impact on their own home’s sun exposure; how the construction caused flooding in basements next door; and how a proposed overhang would block an entire window. But one neighbor expressed support for the project and for the filling of the alley space behind the house to deter the homeless from loitering and potentially endangering young families in the area. The ANC voted unanimously to adopt the recommendation to support the project, with the request that the developers work to resolve the concerns over visibility from Stanton Park and concerns from neighbors.

Basement Addition on Lexington Place NE A resident on the 600 block of Lexington Avenue NE requested approval to expand their attic and build a front entrance to their basement. The committee members objected that a front basement entrance could potentially require paving of public property and would make the door visible from the front. They unanimously voted to support the request, with the exception that the plans change to move the basement entrance to the side or back. Also, the property owner needed to replace iron supports on the front porch for support and update building plans with the correct dimensions.

Triangular Lot on Florida Avenue NE In an effort to allot more space for community plazas, Goodman urged support of the PZE’s recommendation to close N Street NE from Third Street to Florida Avenue. He said vehicles did not necessarily need to use that small road space and it would work better as a community space. The developer of the multifamily unit lot on the corner supports the closure but will have a hearing on Feb. 22 to negotiate with DDOT. Goodman proposed more rideshare and bicycle installments along the street to alleviate needs for resident parking. The ANC voted unanimously to send a letter to Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen, DDOT, and the DC Office of Planning supporting the road

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closure, and elected Goodman as a delegate.

Reservation 84 DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) as well as Community Engagement moved forward on acceptance of Reservation 84 – a plan to create a triangle park at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue, Constitution Avenue, and Seventh Street NE. Earlier in 2015 the commissioners did not know which DC department controlled the land and discovered it was unassigned. DPR took control and will start to improve the land for community activities like yoga classes and art classes.

Stuart-Hobson Dumpsters Commissioner Eckenwiler shared his concern for the dumpsters outside Stuart-Hobson Middle School. Despite agreements that the school could place the dumpsters on public space along Fifth St. NE if the gates remained closed, Eckenwiler said he often sees the gates wide open and trash visible. The ANC voted unanimously to send a letter to the school’s chancellor to improve the management of the dumpsters.

Alibi Liquor License Settlement The ANC came to a settlement agreement for Alibi restaurant’s liquor license and entertainment endorsement requests for the location on the 200 block of Second St. NW. An illegal structure on the lot was demolished during negotiations and there is little residential property surrounding Alibi. However, a property owner behind the site will continue his protest of the application on Jan. 29. The Alcoholic Beverage Committee (ABC) may throw out the license request, but if not the commissioners inserted language in the settlement specifying what can and cannot be done on the lot that the former structure stood on.

Other Actions Commissioner Eckenwiler presented concerns at the December meeting over the policy enforcement practices of the DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) regarding permit and zoning requests. Eckenwiler felt the department is not enforcing city and community regulations as written. The commissioners voted unanimously to support a hearing to address the concerns outside of the normal oversight hearings. Po Boy Jim’s on the 700 block of H Street NE and the ABC negotiated limitations on hours and when doors actually close for the restaurant. The commissioners agreed the resolution did not include all desired points, but thought they would be manageable in the future. The NoMa Parks Foundation closed a $14

million deal with Pepco to buy two acres of land bordering the Metropolitan Branch Trail, New York Avenue, and Harry Thomas Way NE. Depending on community discussions and plans laid out during the next year, the area will serve as an open park for informal recreation. Foundation leaders hope to start developing in 2017. Neighbors of Stuart-Hobson Middle School want to work with the school to gain use of the newly renovated field. The commissioners started to work with the school’s Parent Teacher Association to determine when the school programs use the fields. ANC 6C regularly meets on the second Wednesday of the month at the Heritage Foundation, 214 Massachusetts Ave. NE. The next meeting is on Feb. 10 at 7 p.m. u

ANC 6D Report by Andrew Lightman

t its meeting on Jan. 11, ANC 6D grappled with an agenda mostly focused on development. Commissioners Marjorie Lightman (6D01), Stacy Braverman Cloyd (6D02), Vice Chair Andy Litsky (6D04), Chair Roger Moffatt (6D05), Rhonda N. Hamilton (6D06), Meredith Fascett (6D07) and Rachel Reilly Carroll (6D03) were in attendance.

A Plan for Buzzard Point Patricia Zingsheim, Associate Director of Revitalization and Design Division for the DC Office of Planning (OP), gave an overview of the office’s plan for Buzzard Point. [The details of this are discussed in an article on page 62 in this issue.] Commissioners questioned Zingsheim closely after her presentation. They were concerned that existing transportation infrastructure could not handle its proposed residential density (5,800 to 6,200 apartment units) and the crowds drawn to future sporting events. The neighborhood’s ingress and egress routes were very limited, commissioners pointed out. “How are you going to get there? How are you going to get out? These are the crucial questions,” stated Vice Chair Litsky. “Where will people shop for groceries?” asked Lightman. The market drives the development of

neighborhood retail businesses just as it did in NOMA and the Capitol Riverfront, replied Zingsheim. “After several years on the ANC, I have less faith in the market than you,” retorted Lightman. “I want limited access to cars,” stated Chair Moffat. Commissioner Hamilton urged Zingsheim to craft a plan that places less stress on narrow residential streets. She also asked if the plan takes into account the environmental hazards posed by the Pepco substation. The Buzzard Point Plan will be presented by OP at a meeting of the Southwest Neighborhood Assembly to be held at 7 p.m. on Feb. 3 at the DCRA building at 1100 4th St. SW.

The Wharf PN Hoffman’s Vice President of Development Matthew Steenhoek provided an update on developments at The Wharf. The pile driving is complete. The project has in one section made it to grade. Scaffolding is about to be installed on the Case Bridge to prepare for installation of the new lighting. Improvements are being made to the utilities, trash and fish cleaning facilities at the Southwest Fish Market. Hoffman is working with the DC Department of Employment Services on a training program to help employ residents of public housing. Work has commenced on the new waterfront park. Mostly, this has involved site grading and utility work. The park will be delivered later this year. The entire project is on target to open in the fall of 2017. Litsky asked Steenhoek about Hoffman’s request for special permits to allow 5 a.m. cement work. Trucks have been lining up on Maine Avenue SW at that hour, he pointed out. He asked for more notice in future on such requests. A number of residents in the audience echoed his sentiments. Speaking of its plans for the

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harbor, Steenhoek stated Hoffman is committed to keeping DC Sail. Mooring balls will be included in the channel across from East Potomac Park, he added. Later in the meeting, Steenhoek presented plans for the new 7th Street Recreational Pier. The facility that extends from the park planned at the intersection of Seventh Street and Maine Avenue will incorporate boat launches, swings, a fire feature and floating wetlands. A floating dock will provide a dry kayak launches. Hoffman is exploring options for kayak storage and rentals. It is slated to open in the fall of 2017.

The Soccer Stadium DC United came before the commission prepared to discuss its submission to the DC Zoning Commission of a Planned Unit Development (PUD) for its new stadium. At the time of this article’s publication, the PUD has been filed. 2. Commissioner Litsky voiced the general commission concerns that existing north-south transportation routes were inadequate for soccer events. He asked that this be addressed in the PUD’s transportation plan. He also requested that DC United incorporate a bicycle valet service similar to that offered at Nationals Stadium. 3. Commissioners Hamilton and Lightman reiterated long-standing concerns over the health implications of the remediation and construction on the surrounding neighborhood. “Do you have a dust plan?” asked Hamilton. “How are you going to protect our health?” “We do not want our lives sacrificed to build this stadium,” she stated. 4. “The city’s current plan to clean the stadium site is frankly put, pathetic!” stated a resident in the audience. DC United representatives stated that they are working with the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Economic Development (DMPED) on coordinating a community health study with the Department of Health. Dust control plans have been adopted by both Pepco and DC United for their respective Buzzard Point construction projects, they stated. There were some issues with the audio-visual display. So the commission elected to hear a detailed presentation at a subsequent meeting when the PUD would be under consideration. The PUD will be presented in either April or May.

2 South Capitol Street Crescent Communities LLC and RCP Development plan a 13-story building at 2 South Capitol, currently the site of a McDonalds. The new residential building will contain ground floor retail. To facilitate the project, the developers asked for

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a reformulated curb cut, relief from side and rear yard requirements, for two 30 foot loading berths rather than a single 55 foot as required and roof structures of different heights. In return, the commission requested it be kept informed of any request for after-hours construction. They asked a copy of the construction management plan be filed at their office. It required the developer to provide pet waste management facilities at the entrances the new building. It accepted the developer’s decision to provide a $25,000 grant to an affordable housing non-profit as the project is not subject to inclusionary zoning. Lastly, they required the developer to agree not to file an application with DDOT to permit residents to have Residential Parking Permits (RPP); and to place a notice in all its residential leases to that effect. Hamilton expressed her disappointment with the developer’s decision not to incorporate any affordable units into the project, which is not required to do so under statute. “We cannot continue to be a diverse community, if we have projects like this,” she stated. The commission voted six to zero, Litsky being absent, to send a letter to DDOT Public Space Community regarding the curb cuts. They voted four in favor and with Hamilton abstaining, Reilly Carroll and Litsky being absent, to send a letter to the DC Board of Zoning Adjustment (B) in support of the zoning relief.

After-Hours Construction at Elliot Forrest City came before the commission to ask for zoning relief for the District Winery project at the Lumber Shed in their Yards development. The Winery is a 20,000 square foot event space, restaurant and winery. They asked for relief from the requirements of floor area ratio, set lot occupancy, side yard and mezzanine height. The commission voted unanimously to send a letter of support of the relief to the BZA. Forrest City also requested permission to extend construction hours for their project on the northwest parcel of the Waterfront development south of Westminster Presbyterian Church known as The Elliot. They need the flexibility to extend work hours until 9 p.m. for finishing work associated with concrete pouring. The commission agreed to send a letter in support to the DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs for seven days excluding Sundays and holidays.

Miscellaneous Matters •

JBG’s Half Street Project JBG presented an innovative design for a residential project a Half and N Streets SE. The 400-plus residential structure will contain more than 65,000 square feet of retail on the first two floors. The building is incorporating larger units, a long term goal of the commission, with 20 percent of the total allocated to two-bedrooms and 10 percent allocated to three bedrooms. What really caught the commissioners’ attention were the renderings of its curved façade that incorporated extensive green plantings along the terraces. The project hopes to secure a LEED Silver certification. “I love this,” stated Braverman Cloyd. JBG requested support for relief from lot occupancy, set back and compact car parking requirements under the Capitol Gateway Overlay as well as a 30’ foot loading berth. In return for a letter in support, the commission required pet waste disposal, no RPP for residents and adequate notice for any application of after-hours construction. The commission voted unanimously to send a letter to the BZA in support of the zoning relief.

•

There was a short, sharp discussion about placing the eastbound side between 430 and 600 M St. SW under the RPP restrictions. Green signs would be posted limiting non-residents to parking for two hours and allowing residents to park for an unlimited time. The approximately 10 spaces are currently un-zoned which allows anyone to park for an unlimited time period. Litstky asked the commission’s support for a letter to DDOT requesting the change. Moffat, Braverman Cloyd and Reilly Carroll remained skeptical. Lightman was concerned about limited parking for residents of the Lex and Leo, who are not eligible for RPP. In the end, the commission voted in favor of the sending the letter with Fascett alone abstaining. The commission voted unanimously at the suggestion of Hamilton to send a letter recognizing the long service of Westminster Presbyterian Pastors Ruth and Brian Hamilton to the Southwest community. The commission voted unanimously to send a letter of support of the 11th Street Bridge Park Project, which is due to begin preconstruction planning. The commission voted unanimously to send a letter to the Center for Disease Control requesting a health study of the community surrounding the proposed new soccer stadium. There was a brief discussion about the appropriateness of non-residents appearing as commission witnesses at alcohol licensing hearings. The matter was tabled for the chair to

•

deal with outside the meeting. The commission unanimously approved letters in support of the Marine Corps Marathon, The Race for Respect and the Walk to the Cure. The commission voted unanimously to send a letter DDOT about drainage issues on unit block of P Street SW. Lightman thanked Executive Director of the Office of Advisory Neighborhood Commissions Gottlieb Simon for his long service to the community both in his present job and during his previous service on and for the commission. She also thanked Moffat for his two recent terms as chair. She presented each with a gift. The audience greeted the announcements with standing ovations. The commission approved the agenda and December minutes unanimously. The commission voted unanimously to authorize participation in the ANC Security Fund and its $25 cost. It also approved the 2016 meeting schedule.

Election of New Officers The ANC held elections. The new officers were voted in by acclamation: Chair Litsky, Vice Chair Reilly Carroll, Secretary Braverman Cloyd and Treasurer Fascett. ANC 6D will meet next at 7 p.m. on Feb. 8 at 1100 Fourth St. SW, second floor. For more information, visit www.anc6d.org. u

ANC 6E Report by Steve Holton Zoning Project for K Street Hotel and Condo Representatives of the DC firm PGN Architects LLC spoke before the members of Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6E during the January meeting to discuss plans for developing a property located at the corner of Fourth and K streets NW into a mixed-use building of condos and hotel rooms. The plans call for 200 hotel units, 30 residential units, and a small amenity space that will be used as a bar and lounge area. PGN representatives showed detailed plans of the project and noted that they had previously met with the DC Office of Zoning in October and November to discuss having the ability

to provide valet parking service. In conjunction with the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) they are proposing to locate the two valet parking spaces on the Fourth Street side. The group also requested support from the ANC for variance relief for 72 parking spaces that they will not be able to provide onsite. The representatives said that they have reached out to nearby parking facilities to cover the extra spaces and have recently received four letters of intent from interested facilities that have offered a combined 140 to 150 spaces, which will more than secure the 72 spaces needed. After the commissioners raised parking concerns the project representatives pointed out that most of the occupants will be on business and pleasure travel and unlikely to arrive in a car and take up a space. Representatives also noted that there will be no large ballroom or function space on the property to make it a destination spot that would accommodate events such as weddings. It is estimated that construction of the project could take two to three years. The commissioners voted in favor of supporting the group’s zoning relief request for parking, rear yard, and loading relief.

Ambar Receives Support for ABRA License A representative of Ambar, a new bar and restaurant located at 1547 Seventh St. NW, requested support for a Class C, CR license from the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA). The representative told the commissioners that Ambar will provide no entertainment on the premises and is strictly a restaurant. There are plans for an enclosed sidewalk cafe on the property. If approved, cafe hours will end at 11 p.m. and midnight, consistent with the operating hours of the interior. The commissioners motioned to communicate support for the license request to ABRA subject to the approval of a settlement agreement between the commission and the restaurant owners.

Rooftop Zoning Request for Fifth Street Hotel Representatives of a hotel located at 901 Fifth St. NW requested support for structure relief for a rooftop bar and restaurant. They assured the commissioners that the space would not be used as a nightclub but rather a cocktail lounge. Other uses for the rooftop will include residential recreation space. The commissioners passed a motion to communicate support for the structure relief request to the Board of Zoning Adjustment contingent on the space not being used as a nightclub.

Supports Change of Class Application Variety Store, located at 1618 Eighth St. NW, requested support to change from an Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Board Class B license to a Class A license. The establishment is a convenience store that sells beer and wine, and the license change will provide the ability to sell liquor. Subject to the signing of a settlement agreement between ANC 6E and Variety Store’s owner, the commissioners supported the application change and will communicate that support to ABC and ABRA.

Large-Tract Review for DC Bar The DC Bar Association leases office space at 1101 K St. NW and is making an effort to purchase property located at 901 Fourth St. NW. Other than an existing three story building on the property, the site is a parking lot. Project plans call for a multi-building complex featuring three new buildings that will house office space. Ground-floor retail use will be a part of the new complex, and suggestions have been made to have part of it serve as a daycare center and restaurant. Development plans call for a service alley between the buildings for loading purposes; the parking entrance will be located on the I Street side of the property. It is a DC regulation that buildings with over 50,000 square feet of space must go through a large-tract review process, a multilayer review by the Office of Planning. A DC Bar representative explained that the bar association had come to the ANC meeting to seek support. The commissioners motioned to support development of the site and noted that the building’s designs sustained the architectural style of the neighborhood.

2016 Elections To begin the meeting, the commissioners held an election of officers that was presided over by former ANC 6E Chair Lydia Goring. Marge Maceda (6E05) was reelected as chair for the second straight year; Alexander Padro (6E01) was elected vice-chair; Antonia Barnes (6E06) will serve as the secretary for 2016; and Kevin Chapple (6E02) will remain as the treasurer.

Next Meeting ANC 6E will meet again at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 1 at the Northwest One Library on 155 L St. NW. Visit www.anc6e.org to view the newsletter; follow on Twitter @ANC6E and on Facebook by searching ANC6E. Steve Holton can be contacted at ssholton@gmail.com and followed on twitter @ssholton. u

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“Spilling the beans ”

Crossword Author: Myles Mellor • www.themecrosswords.com • www.mylesmellorconcepts.com

by Myles Mellor and Sally York Across:

1. Mayhems 7. Oregon grape 14. Old Toyota 19. City in northern Syria 20. Prayers 21. Bring to a boil? 23. Palmists, e.g. 25. Advance money 26. High ___ 27. Escort’s offering 28. Medicinal balsam 29. Enumerate 30. Dances to “Hernando’s Hideaway” 33. Trinity component 35. Gofers 36. Survives a dangerous experience 43. Followers of a witchcraft cult 44. Poker holding 45. Laura’s husband on “The Dick Van Dyke Show” 46. Damp and chilly 49. Pint-sized 50. Rough 52. Not short 55. Founded: Abbr. 56. Yo-Yo Ma’s instrument 57. Botheration 59. Part of a TV transmission 60. Plants 62. Jewish teacher 65. Humans, e.g. 66. Rossini composition 70. Opposite of celebrate 71. Hidden 72. Signs off on 73. Have the throne 74. Not waste 75. Packed away 77. “Marriage Ref” network 80. Etc. 82. Called 84. Convex molding 86. Food additive 87. Slick 89. Hodgepodge 90. Barely make 91. “Yeah, sure!” 96. State in NE India

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99. Big galoot 100. Making no value judgments 101. Allowance 103. Go through volumes 107. Charged item 108. Chi preceder 111. Type of alkali 112. Revealing particulars 116. Shells out 117. More serious 118. “All clear!” is one 119. Feeling of apprehension 120. Electron tube 121. Fearsome ﬂy

Down:

1. Knife handle 2. Hand cream ingredient 3. Designer Wang 4. Elect 5. PC “brain” 6. Speech sounds 7. Tropical American bird 8. “We ___ the World” 9. See 1-Down 10. Sonja Henie’s birthplace 11. “O Sanctissima,” e.g. 12. Sudden ﬂow 13. Lunkhead 14. Back-to-school mo. 15. Imaginary 16. Early-arriving baby, for short: var. 17. Galloping 18. Staring intently 22. Baby blues 24. “Cogito, ___ sum” 29. Completely 30. Heavy, durable furniture wood 31. Wan 32. Calyx part 34. Done, to Donne 36. Prospector’s ﬁnd 37. Ovid poem title 38. Blow off steam 39. Drudge 40. Women’s ___ 41. Encouraging word 42. Legal org. 46. Equestrian 47. “All kidding ___...”

Look for this months answers at labyrinthgameshop.com 48. ___ Who 50. Hospital ﬂuids 51. Fastens, in a way 53. Flock 54. The “Wolf” 56. Mint 57. ___ of Tiﬂis, Christian saint 58. Consecrate 60. Beats with a cane 61. Grassy plain 63. Age 64. Common European bird 65. White rice’s lack 66. Pipsqueak 67. Ammonia derivative 68. Driver’s helper? 69. Managed, with “out”

70. Angelina’s beau 74. Naked 76. Hilo hello 77. It follows 11 78. Off-color 79. Sacks for Wacs 81. ___ spill 82. Moppet 83. U.N. workers’ grp. 84. Gumbo vegetable 85. Sign of secrecy 88. Pound sound 90. Heartfelt 91. Recording 92. Blue-pencils 93. Cylindrical 94. Certain settler

95. Kind of ring or swing 96. Nile snakes 97. Dome-shaped Buddhist shrine 98. Femme fatale 102. Den 104. Spirit 105. Hit the ground 106. Lover of Aeneas 108. Windshield option 109. Word of woe 110. Archipelago part 112. Kitchen meas. 113. Outlaw Kelly 114. Frank McCourt memoir 115. “___ before beauty”

{community life}

Everyone Loves the Buzzard Point Marina by Hayden Wetzel

ucked away at the far tip of Buzzard Point, just south of the mammoth PEPCO Power Plant, is the unassuming Buzzard Point Marina. (It’s actual address is V and Half St SW.) This cozy little place holds tight to a bit of land wedged between the Anacostia, a very plain 1970s office building and the plant – land formed when the Army Corps of Engineers shaped the waterfront in a dredging project of 1912. The Federal Government purchased the land in 1930 and control passed to the National Park Service in the late 1950s (accordNibbles, the mascot, guards the marina. ing to NPS). In the 1930s city planners envisioned Buzzard Point as a new industrial center for the District, a plan that never came to fruition. The former garden farms and minor factories had pretty much disappeared anyway, leaving only some boat clubs and yards (repair shops) along the riverbank. The waterfront next to Ft. McNair was developed in 1930 by the Corinthian Yacht Club, which had been displaced from the Virginia side of the Potomac, and in 1945 appeared the first newspaper ad for the Buzzard Point Boat Yard a short way to the east. Corinthian closed in 1964 in a dispute with its landlord, NPS, when it refused to admit black members, the space taken in The marina ca. 1980, with the power plant behind. 1991 by the current James Creek Marina. (The go – almost the only thing to catch your attention. old James Creek, later the James Creek Canal, Ft. McNair is on your right, past the big empty lot used to flow into the river at this point.) (soon to be filled with fancy condos). Then sudThe Buzzard Point Boat Yard owners had denly a wonderful discovery: after this desolation a opened a public marina at their facility by 1966. glimpse of green – some scraggly trees, two minor There continues to exist a vestigial B-P Boat Yard white-painted buildings, a small cinder parking lot, company operating the B-P Marina as a concession and boats in water! You’ve come to a little oasis. from NPS. It has had a series of one-year extensions It’s not really beautiful, or “Washingtonian” – it’s on its earlier five-year contract for at least thirteen homey. “It’s a great place to enjoy the water – not a years. The marina currently holds 90 slips on docks parking lot for boats, it’s more like a neighborhood, built in 1976 and in need of upgrades – one of the kind of like a second home,” as second-generation chief points of contention with NPS. slip-holder Terri Thompson describes it. Do you Visit the Marina and you will have a pleassee the Canadian goose bossing two plaster deer? ant surprise. Head south from Q on First St SW That’s Nibbles, the marina’s mascot. through the treeless wasteland that has characterThe marina has had a prickly relationship with ized Buzzard Point for about ninety years and adNPS for a long time. The Park Service delivered mire the beautiful art deco 1933 power plant as you

eviction papers in 1966, 1970 and 1980, citing inadequate facilities (repairs were hurriedly made). The Evening Star in 1980 described the marina as “that aptly named house of rotting hulks . . . Few of the boats that get to Buzzard Point ever leave except by travelling vertically down to the depths of the Anacostia. [It has] a reputation as a hospice for the terminally ill of the local yachting world.” The Post two years earlier painted a different if not completely contradictory picture – a laid-back, friendly place run rather casually and very much to the taste of the less-elite boating crowd: “[For renting a boat for the day] I’ll take Buzzard Point, where there’s a nice selection of battered daysailers as well as . . . cruisers, each with its own byzantine rate structure that seems subject to charge depending on who’s doing the renting and which way the barometer’s heading . . . What, then, is Buzzard Point’s appeal? . . . It’s a genuine sailing marina.” A few people lived fulltime on their boats, much against District regs. And now extinction again faces the little place. Last September NPS told the marina to pack up, listing a slew of problems, and promising to re-think the use of that area (park? new marina?) as part of its larger Anacostia River park plan. Slip-holders quickly organized the Buzzard Point Marina Boat-Owners’ Association and in December filed suit to halt the eviction, mostly on procedural grounds. That case will be heard in February. The marina’s owner (the Boat Yard) promises its own suit very soon on some other basis. In the meanwhile, boat-owners’ usage has predictably dropped (to 33 in the water, 9 on land, and 3 in repair), due to winter weather but more to uncertainty. Both sides have dug in behind walls of arguments (“They don’t upgrade their docks” vs. “They don’t issue permits for us to upgrade our docks”) and hints of darker motives (which I will not recount). The odds of the poor little rattle-trap marina surviving the grand planning of the new, beautiful Buzzard Point seem slight. I suggest you visit soon. u

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Capitol Hill Village Revs Up for Its 2016 Gala ‘Mardi Gras’ Celebration by Mike Canning

he excitement is growing among Capitol Hill party connoisseurs about the eighth annual Capitol Hill Village gala, one of the most anticipated events on the community’s calendar. With the timely theme of “Meet Me at Mardi Gras,” this year’s gala will take place at Union Market, Dock 5 (upper level), 1309 Fifth Street NE, on Saturday, Feb. 27, from 7:00 to 10:30 p.m. Getting into the dancing spirit at a previous Capitol Hill Village gala. The event will celebrate and revel in all aspects of that grand New Orleans festival with muthings are shaping up. He is “thrilled at the variety a number of national cooking and travel shows. sic, food, and fun. As Capitol Hill Village (CHV) of items we’ve gotten this year. Both the local busiSinger notes, “He has cooked for presidents, kings, Executive Director Molly Singer describes it, nesses and our neighbors have really come through queens, heads of state, and movie stars. His menu “This Gala is about two very important things: so now we have the most items ever. All the best will feature hearty appetizers and buffet stations fun and living a long life! We have so many fanvacation houses from years past, lots of restaurant as well as a selection of desserts. Some of the food tastic elements lined up – food, music, decor, and gift certificates, outings to musical concerts, more will be New Orleans-themed to keep us all in the guests! We have a terrific lineup of DC social, potheater tickets than ever before, including some spirit of crawfish and gumbo.” Wine, beer, and soft litical, media, and cultural leaders. It’s going to be with a post show dinner with the artistic directors!” drinks will be provided. a real who’s who of DC. I am reBrennan highlighted another wrinkle in this This year’s gala is attractally excited.” year’s auction – “lots of behind-the-scenes tours, ing a range of attendees inUnion Market is a new veninto the Smithsonian archives, the Textile Musecluding many “under 50s” ue for this event and will provide um’s closets, and to the NBC television studios bringing their fun, friends, ample space for a dance floor, for a news-show taping.” He also mentioned that and food together. Building with striking thematic decoraCHV members themselves prove what a very veron CHV’s rising profile across tions and tables for food and satile group they are by offering sundry lessons and the city and on the increased drink gracing the complex. The services: from knitting to golf, from meditation to awareness of longevity and its music, laden with New Orleans flower arranging. benefits to individuals and melodies from many genres and Another part of the auction features Salon community, this year’s gala epochs, will be provided by the Dinners, intimate sit-down meals in Capitol Hill and attendees will represent inimitable D.J. Picayune, a prachomes with guests both informed and celebrated. many facets of Washington. ticed record spinner. More than a dozen occasions are scheduled inA major part of the gala’s Catering will be provided cluding financial and economics experts, promidraw and a significant part of its by Mikko Catering, featuring nent actors, and noted journalists. fund-raising effort have been its Cokie Roberts, NPR and ABC comchef Mikko Kosonen, a Europementator, will be a guest at one of Besides providing a fabulous party, the gala silent auction. This year’s aucthe gala’s salon dinners. an-trained chef who has been on serves as the major annual fundraiser for Capition chair, Bruce Brennan, says

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Thomas Landscapes Over 20 Years of Experience tol Hill Village’s expanding programs. A major part of that fundraising comes from area sponsors and donors. Chief among them this year are the National Capital Bank and Home Care Assistance, designated this year as the Mardi Gras King and Parade Captain, respectively. Three other companies, Compass Real Estate, Tom Faison Real Estate, and Gary Jankowski Real Estate, are major givers at the Mardi “Krewe” level. Other donors will be highlighted at the event, on the Capitol Hill Village website, and in other venues. “Meet Me at Mardi Gras” calls for festive dress and encourages the community’s creativity in addressing its theme. Black tie is optional. Individual reservations for the gala will cost $125 and tables for 10 can be reserved for $1,100. Donor and sponsor levels range from $1,000 to $11,000. Parking is free and plentiful at the Union Market lot, and a transportation shuttle will be available from a central location on the Hill. Capitol Hill Village supports its members through education, resources, and referrals coordinated by the office staff headed by Executive Director Singer and by volunteers who serve with tasks like driving and friendly visits. Balancing its service mission, CHV also offers social activities to motivate and inform its members, now numbering more than 400 individuals. Updates and information on the CHV gala can be found at www.capitolhillvillage.org or by calling the office at 202-543-1778. Mike Canning, movie reviewer for this publication, works on the 2016 gala committee and is a charter CHV member. u

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{community life}

H Street Life by Elise Bernard

t’s cold out there, and the low temperatures bite all the more fiercely when a mild winter leaves us unaccustomed to them. But don’t let that keep you huddled up indoors. There’s way too much fun and excitement to be had along the H Street NE Corridor.

Nerds in NoMa Offers a Thinking Person’s Happy Hour The popular Nerds in NoMa (http://www.nomabid.org/lobby-project) series returns to present you with a thoughtful alternative to the usual happy hour. The free monthly panel discussions, which will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. every third

Change brews at Vendetta.

Thursday through April, offer the opportunity to engage and exchange ideas with friends and others interested in the future of the District of Columbia. January’s session, dubbed “Hack D.C.,” focused on the role of civic hacking, open data, and technological innovations in improving life in the District. Upcoming panel subjects include the process of creating public art, a look at discovering urban adventures, and an examination of how DC is addressing climate change. With popcorn, beer, and wine available, the panels offer a chance to unwind a bit while ruminating on such topics. All Nerds in NoMa events are offered free of charge, but the organizers do suggest reserving your spot online. Events will be held at 1200 First

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St. NE, which is accessible via the NoMa Metro station on the Red Line.

From Bocce to Brewpub at Vendetta H Street NE restaurant and bocce bar Vendetta (http://vendettadc.com, 1212 H St. NE) recently changed owners and will undergo a format shift in the coming months. The new team members, no strangers to the H Street NE Corridor, include chef Teddy Folkman, chef Adam Cox of MaisonDixon, barman Joe Englert, and Jimmy Silk of H Street Country Club (http://www.hstreetcountryclub.com, 1335 H St. NE). Folkman rose to fame as chef at Granville Moore’s (http://www.granvillemoores.com, 1238 H St. NE) when he defeated Bobby Flay in a moules and frites throwdown. Adam Cox cooks up spicy fried chicken and other Southern fare for Maison-Dixon that has been popping up around our area for a while (including at Vendetta). Englert has held an ownership interest in restaurants and taverns along the H Street strip. The new owners have big plans for the tavern, involving transforming Vendetta into a brewpub serving a menu built around Cox’s Maison-Dixon, Nashville-style hot chicken concept. But before that happens Vendetta will offer a “Long Island red sauce” menu devised by Folkman. Said Folkman, “Big changes are on their way, but for now, we’re just having fun cooking dishes I’ve been eating or making since childhood.” Vendetta will serve a special “Lady & the Tramp” menu for two on Valentine’s Day. With a nod to the neighborhood’s sizable deaf community, Vendetta’s new owners note that the venue’s popular ASL trivia nights aren’t going anywhere.

Dangerously Delicious Pies aims to reopen with a new look this month.

When making an emulsion one seeks to blend two seemingly unmixable components. The art show brings together artists from the art worlds of Baltimore and DC, two very different cities. Residents over age 18 who reside, or create art, within fifty miles of organizer East City Art’s headquarters at 922 G St. SE are invited to submit entries online (https://emulsion.submittable.com) for consideration. All entries must be submitted by Feb. 15 along with an entry fee of $40. First prize is $1,500, second is $1,000, with $500 for third place and a $150 gift card awarded to each of two People’s Choice award winners. All works will receive

Emulsion Mixes Things Up at Gallery O on H Regional juried art show Emulsion (http:// www.eastcityart.com/emulsion) returns to Gallery O on H (http://www.galleryoonh. com, 1354 H St. NE) for a third year.

Your next meal at Po Boy Jim could include live music.

State of the Art Service Center

consideration and may include (but are not limited to) two-dimensional pieces such as paintings, photographs, drawings, or digital images, three-dimensional sculptures, performance art, and new media. The exhibit will open on April 9 with a reception, and all art will remain on display through April 15. Daily programming will include panel discussions and artist talks.

Dangerously Delicious Pies Temporarily Closes for Renovation H Street’s Dangerously Delicious Pies (http://www.dangerouspiesdc. com, 1339 H St. NE) is temporarily closed for renovation, with reopening scheduled by Valentine’s Day, pending unforeseen construction delays. The shop is known for quiches and sweet and savory pies, including favorites like the Baltimore Bomb (Berger cookies melted down and swirled into a vanilla chess filling) and the SMOG (steak, mushroom, onion, and gruyere).

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Po Boy Jim Shows It Can Carry a Tune New Orleans-flavored sandwich spot Po Boy Jim (http://poboyjim.com, 709 H St. NE) recently got the go ahead from the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA) to proceed with plans to offer live music performances and DJs as well as the occasional karaoke. While you’ll be able to enjoy some tunes along with your shrimp po boy, don’t expect the restaurant to turn into Bourbon Street anytime soon. ABRA instructed Po Boy Jim’s owners to mitigate any negative impact on neighbors resulting from the increased noise. For more on what’s abuzz on and around H Street NE, visit my blog at http://frozentropics.blogspot.com. Send me tips or questions at elise.bernard@gmail.com. u

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Our River: The Anacostia

Jim Foster: A Nice Guy You Want on Your Side

im Foster is starting his seventh year as the president of the Anacostia Watershed Society (AWS). We had a long talk the other day at the society’s DC Office – a couple of houseboats moored at one of the historic Anacostia marinas above the 11th Street Bridge. The idea was to get his thinking on where we are on the river’s restoration. Foster has a friendly, almost jovial manner, but there is a fierce sense of commitment to the river not far below the surface. He is a city boy, having grown up in Pittsburgh and Boston. With his environmental management degree he has seen most of the issues in the Anacostia from many angles – as a consultant, an employee of

by Bill Matuszeski one of the big developers, a project director of cleanups, and now as head of the largest citizenbased environmental group focused on the river. We started by talking about Jack Wennersten’s book, “Anacostia: The Death and Life of an American River” (2008). I had been re-reading it recently and remarked that it seemed rather downbeat compared to how folks feel about the river just eight years later. “On the contrary,” said Foster, “that book was critical to changing the tenor of the discussion; it served as a catalyst for moving attitudes from bleak to promising, from embarrassment about what had been allowed to happen to the river to eventual pride.” I had better cease with the casual comments, I said to myself.

Jim Foster on our river. Photo: Anacostia Watershed Society

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We turned to Foster’s sense of his role in the morass of activity underway with the river’s restoration. “My job is to work with citizens to hold the public agencies accountable; and with the public agencies to make sure they have the will and the resources to get their part of the job done. I also feel strongly that we need to especially hold the federal agencies to the task.” They are the ones, he said, who did much of the damage before the District had home rule, by destroying the wetlands in the name of “improvements,” by permitting the toxic pollution, and by building the sewer overflow system, among other things. He added that “we need to keep all the parties in communication, from upstream watershed groups and park agencies to school groups and federal agencies – constant contact is key.” Foster emphasized the importance of funding. “The restoration of the Anacostia is a complex combination of voluntary and mandated efforts with public agencies either directly responsible or responsible to assure others are doing their share. This means getting funds into their budgets, starting yesterday. There would be nothing worse than figuring out what needs to be done and then hearing them say, ‘We’re sorry but it isn’t budgeted.’” That means planning well in advance. He explained, “We know the city, the National Park Service, the Army Corps of Engineers,

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and many others will need to fund shoreline restoration, natural area recovery, toxic sediment removal, removal of impermeable surfaces, and any number of other needs. And they know it too. They should be working now to get these costs into their budgets in coming years. If they aren’t, we are wasting our time.” It has to be noted that a lot is in the works. Beginning in mid-April, AWS and Riverkeeper will begin city-funded boat trips for the public along the tidal Anacostia, offering for some their first look at the wilder and more remote areas above the arboretum. There will be tie-ins to the Cherry Blossom Festival, which this year will again focus its final weekend on the river. Later this year the final link in the River Trail system will open, closing the three-mile gap from Benning Road to Bladensburg and creating a system of 70-some miles along tributaries and the main stem. “This will mean thousands of folks seeing new parts of the river on walks and bicycle trips,” said Foster. “When the rowers discovered the river about ten years ago it began to make a big difference in the level of support for improvement. Adding the trail users should be a huge boost to our efforts.” By next year’s AWS Earth Day Cleanup, volunteers should be seeing far less Styrofoam container trash, thanks to product bans taking effect across the watershed this year. Foster hoped by 2017 to see the District and Maryland enact bottle deposit programs, the only way to dramatically reduce the huge and growing source of river trash. We are two years from completion of the largest portion of the new tunnel storage system to capture and hold combined storm and sanitary sewer volumes until they can be run through the Blue Plains Treatment Plant. Upon full completion in 2022, the tunnels are predicted to reduce the number of overflows of raw sewage from an average of once a week to perhaps once a year. “This river will never be Perrier,” explained Foster; “it’s an urban river, but it can sure be a lot better.” In 2018 a proposal for cleaning up contaminated sediments will become available to the public by the DC Department of Energy and Environment. This will outline steps

to remove, cap, or otherwise deal with those sediments as well as new loadings that occur from upstream and re-suspended sources. Foster added, “Other challenges for DC include ensuring that polluted runoff is also sharply curtained from Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, and that future development throughout the watershed – from Wheaton to New Carrollton and from College Park to Buzzard Point – is river friendly so that the gains we are making are not soon undone.” While this cleanup of sewage, trash and toxics goes on, what are the emerging challenges for the DC portion of the river? “The biggest issue I see,” explained Foster, “is that the neighborhoods along the river are changing. They are going high-rise and higher income in most cases, and we need to guard against the average citizen being cut off from the river and cut out of its offerings. That’s why it is important to support groups like the Historic Anacostia Boating Association, which works to keep the traditional boathouses and affordable marinas.” And he asked, “What will we have accomplished if we have a riverfront lined with hotels and condos used by wealthy visitors and marinas for their boats that they are taking on their way to Florida for the winter?” Foster acknowledged that the District is interested in economic development, “but it has to be done in a way that is our friend.” He asked for development for the people who are here. “We need to make clear that we expect someday to swim in the river and eat the fish, and we are holding our elected officials, public agencies, and all the other stakeholders accountable to make it happen on a reasonable timeframe.” I know a number of public officials who had better get busy on their budgets for the next few years.

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Daily online. Monthly in print.

Bill Matuszeski writes monthly about the Anacostia River. He is the former director of the Chesapeake Bay Program, DC vice-chair of the Citizens Advisory Committee on the Anacostia River, and a member of the Mayor’s Leadership Council for a Cleaner Anacostia River. u

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{community life}

Telling the Story of Capitol Hill Montessori Students Join New Club to Research and Display Local History by Christine Rushton

tudents with a knack for history get a chance to explore their community stories in a new club with the Capitol Hill Montessori at Logan. On a recent Tuesday, 26 first to eighth graders took part in the Thinking Like a Historian club after school as part of the pilot program headed by the Story of Our Schools nonprofit organization in DC. The club is lead by teachers Lesa Warrick and Mary-Beth Lowery and designed by program founder Jen Harris. With partial funding from DC Public Schools (DCPS), the students will research their community, interview neighbors and will later construct a mobile exhibit to display the story of their school in the Montessori’s entryway on the 200 block of G Street NE as soon as fall 2016. “I think a lot of eyes can be opened from this project,” Harris said. “A lot of new residents can learn through the project.”

Building the Groundwork for Story of Our Schools Harris, also the Story of Our Schools executive director, developed the idea in 2014 after visiting Payne Elementary to vote. She said she realized schools act as community centers as well as educational institutions. As an exhibit designer and photographer by trade, she saw an opportunity to share the local history with people visiting for events like voting and meetings. Harris moved to the Hill East neighborhood in 2011. She and her husband renovated their 1909 house and were intrigued by the stories neighbors shared about the families that had lived in the area for decades before. She said she wants to preserve these Capitol Hill stories in a rapidly changing environment. And she wants to give local students a chance to share in that process. With her team of eight at Story of Our Schools, she plans to expand the program in 2016 by setting up programs at more DCPS schools and applying for grant funding to supplement the funds the District has pledged.

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They will use the money to buy basic tools, plan field trips and pay for Students at the Capitol Hill Montessori at Logan look over asexhibit costs. signments for their research into their school’s history. Photo: Harris teamed up with CapiJen Harris tol Hill Montessori after reaching out to several DCPS schools with an idea to teach students research skills and facilitate an opportunity to document their local histories. As for each future projects’ focus, that’s up to what the students want to learn about, she said. “Students are going to drive the creation of the exhibit on the campus,” Harris said. “Every school will be different because every story is different. It serves as an ongoing education Students at the Montessori look at black and white photos to determine what historic time period tool that informs and excites residents.”

Teaching Students the Art of Research

and events happened when this photo was taken. Photo: Jen Harris

Brandon Eatman, principal of the Montessori at Logan, welcomed the club. He said he’s excited to see the students take on the responsibility and bring their history alive. He stopped in on the Montessori’s club meeting to see the students facilitate their own learning and engage in their community. “To see the level of conversation the kids are having — the ‘aha’ moments — you see that fire igniting their interests,” Eatman said. “You want them to learn more about the history of Logan and what this school has come to be.” The project will enhance the students’ research and writing skills while also giving them a chance to work on collaboration, he said. “When the exhibit finally is up and in place, it will be a one-of-a-kind exhibit and learning space in the school,” he said. “Not only for students who weren’t a part of the project, but for open houses, parents — they can learn about the history of the school and see the work that students are capable of doing.”

Members of the Thinking Like a Historian: The Club at Logan analyze and write about historical photos during a club session. Photo: Jen Harris

Build Teamwork and Responsibility In the classroom, the students raise hands to share what they’ve learned about an-

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Jen Harris, founder and executive director of Story of Our Schools. Photo courtesy Jen Harris

alyzing historical documents like photographs. They use vocabulary terms like background, foreground, motion, blur, and definition to place each photo and understand the context in which it was taken. “Two months down the road, we want you to be able to process and reflect on your own,” club teach Lowery said to the students. Beyond learning research skills, Lowery and her teaching partner Warrick encourage the students to take responsibility for their assignments and progress. To them, it’s a team effort to put together this project. They want their students to understand that, too. “We are a community, we support each other,” Lowery said to the club. “We’re tighter and stronger than a team.” Story of Our Schools hopes to bring digital technology and online elements to future projects. For now, though, Harris said they will focus on making sure the students produce a final display the community, their families and they can preserve. “To have them create this lasting project builds a sense of pride,” she said. “This could bring our community together.” u

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{community life}

At Long Last, Movies on the Hill! Miracle Theatre to Open This Month

or the first time in decades, an actual movie house will function in the heart of Capitol Hill. The Miracle Theatre is scheduled to open in late February at 535 8th Street SE on Barrack’s Row, where many Hillites may remember The People’s Church was housed. The principal purpose of the building is to serve as a meeting space for members of the National Community Church (NCC), a locallybased congregation, headed by Lead Pastor Mark Batterson, that has now established eight satellite churches in movie theaters and a night club in the DC area (the Church also runs Ebenezers’ Coffeehouse at 205 F Street NE on the Hill). According to the theater’s manager, Juliet Main, the theater will operate on the weekends, with screenings on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings, along with some matinees. The exact opening date is not yet fixed, but Main said she is

The new marquee of The Miracle Theatre on 8th Street SE. Photo courtesy of The Miracle Theatre.

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by Mike Canning hoping to begin with a soft opening in February and a grand opening to follow. The fare for the theater is best defined as “mainstream” in second-run with a good dose of family friendly shows for people in the neighborhood. Asked what kind of films might be booked, she thought of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” as a possibility, as well as “The Peanuts Movie.” She emphasized that she would program films that are “beautiful, truthful, and aspirational— and just plain fun.” Refurbished seating in The Miracle Theatre. Photo courtesy of The Physically, the Miracle repliMiracle Theatre. cates the structure of the previous church. In fact, the organization was able to keep and refurbish the too, that she hopes The Miracle can eventually 370-seat layout—with balcony—and add a new partner with Barrack’s Row restaurants and eatscreen and digital projection. In touring the theeries to provide a “dinner and a movie” option ater recently, it showed numerous nice decorafor Hill families. tive touches, including a bright new marquee, The Miracle Theatre honors a centurybrightly draped walls, new lighting and mirrors, old tradition with its opening. On December and a spiffed-up lobby, where basic concessions 27, 1909, The Meader Theatre opened its doors would be sold. A new street-side ticket booth to Capitol Hill in the space as a vaudeville thehas already been installed to mimic classic theater with a mix of entertainment, including moaters of old. tion pictures and live performances. The buildMain noted that the “common space is set ing continued to operate as a movie house under up for film and live performances, but “we would several names until 1960: Meader, New Meader, be able to offer other events, such as discussions, Family, and Academy. During its many transilectures, and music programs.” Already, the Mirtions and renovations, the theater showed a range acle is scheduled to host performances of the of films including silents, triple-feature Westerns musical production “Swing Time” ( http://www. and, in the late 1950s, foreign films. swingtimethemusical.com/) with a repertoire of In 1962,The People’s Church purchased the classic World War II numbers. building and served the Capitol Hill community For this non-profit theater, Main said the vifor half a century. Then on March 23, 2011, Nasion is that “all profits will be given back to the tional Community Church purchased it, launchcommunity for worthy projects in DC or with ing its eighth location in the metro DC area and international organizations.” As an example of embarking on a mission to revive the building’s such giving, she cited Ebenezers’ motto of “cofrich history as a movie house and live entertainfee with a cause”—i.e., serving fairly traded cofment destination. fee while giving away profits to provide a weekly Mike Canning reviews movies for the Hill Rag. u meal to the homeless in the area. Main noted,

{community life}

“The Artist Within” at Hill Center’s Young Artists Gallery by Elizabeth Nelson

he art program at Miner ES (601 15th Street NE) focuses on teaching for artistic behavior. Students are encouraged to explore various media, identify their own interests and develop these interests over time. Their teacher, Nicol Davis, believes “it is essential to provide student artists with many ways to be successful… and to broaden their art ex-

ABOVE: Miner ES Fifth Grade student experimenting with mixed media collage. Photo: Nicol Davis LEFT: Landscape inspired by the changing seasons. Photo: Nicol Davis

periences by providing many types of materials for creation.” She demonstrates a variety of skills and presents the work of established artists. The children are then given free rein to choose techniques that allow them to express their creative ideas and experiment in a series of media centers set up to facilitate drawing, collage, painting, ceramics, and photography. Collaboration is encouraged. The work currently on view in the Young Artists Gallery at Hill Center reflects their interpretations of nature, neighborhood, emotions, dreams, literary characters - and themselves. Subjects include portraits in pastels or colored pencil, a mixed media landscape inspired by the changing seasons and a crazy collage of cups representing the Mad Hatter’s daughter’s tea party. The show is on display in the ground floor gallery at Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital, 921 Pennsylvania Ave, SE until the end of February. Ms. Davis invites you to come visit. She acknowledges the challenge of managing the wide range of materials for so many developing artists, but says “the outcome is so worth it.” Her students are inspired by the creativity of their peers – and they hope their Capitol Hill neighbors will be also. u

February 2016 H 85

Kaitlyn Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Rourke with Koufax. Photo: Anne Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Rourke

Photo: Suzanne Wells Lea Crusey, Jeb Ory and 14 month old Sybil Ory.

Photo: Bhavna Pandit

Rosie and her snow kingdom. Photo: Justin Henderson

Blizzard of 2016

Photo: Marita Percival

Photo: Elliot Williams

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Photo: Charlie Schinnerer

Slap Shot snow boarding down the street. Photo: Kathy Flemming

Photo: Jill Sewell

The Capitol Hill ladies cross country skying brigade. Photo: Dare Johnson

Photo: Daniele Megan Schiffman

Photo: Kathy Flemming

Photo: Luis Zevallos

February 2016 H 87

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vis it www.C huckBu rg e r. c o m 88 H Hillrag.com

{real estate}

e t a t s E Real s r e t t a M

photo: Jason Yen

You Owe e r o f e B w o Kn

by Heather Schoell

o you’re looking to buy a house or condo, and unless you’re sitting on a million bucks, you need a mortgage loan. If you’ve never gotten one before, we can walk through the beginning process; and if you have, know that it’s a bit different now.

First step – pick a lender. Compare rates and fees. Beware: super low rates may be made up with elevated fees! You might get a great rate online, but if you feel like you’ll need some handholding, you’re probably not going to get it from one of these lenders. Local lenders may do better

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TIP: Do not buy a car during the loan process. Do not make large purchases. Do not open credit accounts, and don’t close them either. Any of these things changes your credit/debt ratio, and that could lower your credit score and jeopardize your loan. Closing accounts lessens your access to credit. Example: You had access to $50,000 worth of credit and owed $7,000 (14 percent debt). Then you closed store cards and a major credit card that had no balance, paring down your available credit to $30,000. Now you have 23 percent credit/debt. Oops. with guiding you through the process, and their proximity can be hugely helpful. Local branches of large banks may offer special deals, such as closing-cost assistance. Once you pick a lender you need to get pre-approval for a loan. They need your Social Security number, income, and debts. If you don’t have a specific property in mind, no problem – it’s best to get the ball rolling so that you can pounce once you find the property you want to buy. When you do give your lender a specific property address, they then have three days to get you a loan estimate (LE). This form is new since lending regulations changed on Oct. 3, 2015. It’s supposed to simplify loan information for a more well-informed consumer. If you remember when food manufacturers had to standardize nutritional label information, it’s kind of like that. It combines the old good faith estimate with the Truth in Lending Disclosure – their baby is the LE, and it’s adorable. It’ll give you the details you need to help you understand the loan – terms, costs, taxes, etc. – everything in one tidy three-page document.

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If you agree to the terms you have 10 business days to sign it and send it back after your offer is ratified. (Don’t wait that long! In this market you need to be nimble and ready to go if you want that property.) Your signature authorizes the lender to go forward with the application. The faster you give them all the documents they require (bank statements, investment statements, etc.), the faster they can process your loan. Online statements make gathering documents easy.

Please Share! You’ve done your inspections and walkthrough. Three days before closing, you’ll receive another new document called Closing Disclosure (CD), a final statement of your loan terms and closing costs. This partially replaces the old HUD-1. Of note, this closing document will only go to the borrower – it doesn’t go to the seller’s agent, nor does it go to your agent, who needs to review it for you! Please share it with your agent – we need to make certain that you’re not being charged for the home warranty that

the seller was supposed to pay for, or that it has you down as owing a transaction fee when we waived it due to your membership with the affiliated credit union (or the like). If you don’t share the CD with your agent, you may be overpaying. Have a real estate question? Let’s hear it! Email me with “RE Q” in the subject line! Heather Schoell is a Capitol Hill REALTOR® with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty and can be reached at heathersdc@gmail.com, at the office at 202-608-1880, or by cell at 202321-0874. u

TIP: If you’re lucky – not Power Ball jackpot lucky, but lucky enough to have family members send you money – have them do it early. Get it deposited and let it sit. This is so you and your relative don’t have to deal with questions from the lender. If you have a sizable deposit showing on your bank statement, you need to explain where it came from. If it was a gift, then the lender will send your giver a form to fill out that asks to confirm that the money was a gift, as well as asking where the money came from. Save Grandma the trouble. If the money is in your account more than two bank statements ago (approximately 60 days for checking accounts, could be longer for savings), you won’t trigger the gift inquiry.

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February 2016 H 91

{real estate}

Changing Hands Changing hands is a list of most residential sales in the District of Columbia 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

CLOSE PRICE BR

FEE SIMPLE 16TH STREET HEIGHTS 1445 MANCHESTER LN NW 1419 DECATUR ST NW 1430 CRITTENDEN ST NW 5523 13TH ST NW

$1,115,000 $785,000 $686,000 $475,000

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY PARK 4150 46TH ST NW

ANACOSTIA

1321 DEXTER TER SE 1395 MORRIS RD SE 1373 MORRIS RD SE 1323 DEXTER TER SE 1349 W ST SE

BLOOMINGDALE 2235 1ST ST NW

BRENTWOOD 1312 W ST NE

BRIGHTWOOD

1421 WHITTIER ST NW 6015 5TH ST NW 6619 6TH ST NW 6512 7TH ST NW 6310 7TH ST NW

BROOKLAND

4103 18TH PL NE 4041 7TH ST NE 1004 SIGSBEE PL NE 1332 RITCHIE PL NE 204 CHANNING ST NE 3117 13TH ST NE 3310 18TH ST NE 19 FRANKLIN ST NE 1310 ALLISON ST NE 2628 10TH ST NE 3727 18TH ST NE 4813 10TH ST NE 4920 8TH ST NE 226 WEBSTER ST NE 1012 BUCHANAN ST NE 5027 NORTH CAPITOL ST NE 4963 8TH ST NE

CAPITOL HILL

810 NORTH CAROLINA AVE SE 421 4TH ST SE 317 11TH ST SE 202 10TH ST NE 204 9TH ST NE 621 6TH ST NE 405 KENTUCKY AVE SE 730 MARYLAND AVE NE 1210 F ST NE 1240 K ST SE 1511 INDEPENDENCE AVE SE

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5 4 4 4

$961,000

$289,995 $205,452 $170,000 $160,000 $119,700

2 3 4 2 4

$1,275,000

$275,000

$730,000 $460,000 $425,000 $330,000 $285,000

4 4 3 4 3

$760,000 $650,000 $614,000 $605,000 $599,900 $548,000 $525,000 $516,000 $499,000 $440,000 $425,000 $380,000 $360,000 $350,000 $350,000 $335,000 $332,500

4 6 3 3 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 3 4 3 2 2

$1,180,000 $980,000 $825,000 $802,000 $795,000 $790,000 $740,000 $691,000 $620,000 $550,000 $380,000

3 3 2 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2

D ON’T LET THESE HI L L DE A L S

M E LT AWAY ! CENTRAL 1264 NEW HAMPSHIRE AVE NW

$1,630,000

CHEVY CHASE 6238 29TH ST NW 6221 32ND PL NW 2938 KANAWHA ST NW 3611 JENIFER ST NW 5612 33RD ST NW 6211 BROAD BRANCH RD NW

$2,060,000 $1,385,000 $1,200,000 $875,000 $840,000 $700,000

E BL A IL W! A AV NO

337 18th Street NE $665,000 3BR/2.5BA

6 6 5 4 3 3

$399,000

CLEVELAND PARK 3031 NEWARK ST NW 3711 RENO RD NW

$1,975,000 $1,350,000

COLUMBIA HEIGHTS 1424 PARKWOOD PL NW 1468 NEWTON ST NW 1524 UPSHUR ST NW 3904 KANSAS AVE NW 505 COLUMBIA RD NW 623 KENYON ST NW

$789,000 $667,000 $648,999 $575,000 $570,000 $520,000

CONGRESS HEIGHTS 190 CHESAPEAKE ST SW 4033 MARTIN LUTHER KING JR AVE SW 142 WILMINGTON PL SE 451 OAKWOOD ST SE 4338 MARTIN LUTHER KING JR AVE SW 138 XENIA ST SE 3336 BROTHERS PL SE

$300,000 $282,000 $265,000 $258,000 $216,000 $133,350 $120,000

CRESTWOOD 2029 TRUMBULL TER NW 4010 ARGYLE TER NW

$973,000 $900,000

DEANWOOD 25 53RD PL SE 4023 BLAINE ST NE 5232 DIX ST NE 5523 JAY ST NE 5119 LEE ST NE 813 1/2 48TH PL NE 5350 CAPITOL ST NE 5215 CLAY ST NE 1118 51ST PL NE 4645 HUNT PL NE 5629 EADS ST NE 321 56TH ST NE 5329 HAYES ST NE 4898 SHERIFF RD NE 603 44TH ST NE 5210 CLAY ST NE 5034 JUST ST NE 915 45TH PL NE 5050 JUST ST NE

$438,000 $429,000 $410,000 $404,000 $399,999 $345,000 $330,000 $319,000 $314,900 $285,000 $270,000 $230,000 $214,000 $195,730 $190,000 $169,900 $140,000 $100,096 $67,000

2 6 6 4 4 3 3 3 3

E BL A IL W! A AV NO

Perfectly placed between Lincoln Park and H Street - wide open main level leads to flexible kitchen space and central dining area with deck and private yard backing up to accessible alley. On the upper level, you’ll find a DRAMATIC master suite with built-ins and a large bedroom and 2nd bath and bedroom level laundry!

LD S! SO AY D 5

1217 Independence Avenue SE $1,050,000 4BR/3.5BA

324 Kentucky Avenue SE $599,000 2BR/1.5BA Discover the convenience of Metro, groceries, restaurants and Lincoln Park! Open main level, floor to ceiling wood-burning brick hearth w powder room adjacent to kitchen and dining. Step outside the wide sliding door to your private oasis w BIG deck, gardens and extra storage! On the sky lit upper lvl, 2 BRs feat elfa closet, hardwood floors and bath.

1 block to THE PARK! preserved marble and chestnut hearth, original newel post, hardwood floors, original carpentry details and built-ins throughout, PLUS expanded brick footprint to bring this row home to nearly 2,500 SF with private brick patio beyond. Don’t miss this BIG piece of Victorian history!

4 3 4 2 2 3 4 5 5 IN

5 4 4 4 4 5 3 5 3 2 2 2 2 3 2 3 3 2 1

1222 D Street NE 2BR/2.5BA

Another stunning renovation by Quest Home Builders - this time in lovely Kingman Park near RFK Metro. COMPLETE rebuild featuring optimal mix of semi-detached layout and custom craftsmanship! Unique butler’s pantry adjacent to kitchen of stone and steel. 3 BR up and fully finished walk-out lower level w guest bath PLUS secured private parking!

CHILLUM 17 LONGFELLOW ST NE

E BL A IL W! A AV NO

507 14th Street SE 2BR/1.5BA Just steps from Potomac metro, Jenkins Row and countless new Pennsylvania Avenue developments! Featuring, open living and dining with hearth, custombuilt kitchen overlooking perfectly planned brick and slate private patio. On the upper level, BIG bedrooms and walk-in closets with updated bath!

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DUPONT 1704 SEATON ST NW

$778,000

ECKINGTON 56 R ST NE 13 RANDOLPH PL NW 322 TODD PL NE 201 RHODE ISLAND AVE NE 161 RHODE ISLAND AVE NE

$940,000 $929,999 $752,800 $625,000 $470,000

FOREST HILLS 3107 FESSENDEN ST NW 2938 UPTON ST NW

$18,000,000 $1,426,000

3 5 4 3 3 3 7 6

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FORT DUPONT PARK 3350 ELY PL SE 1436 41ST ST SE 1139 46TH PL SE 539 HILLTOP TER SE 4231 H ST SE 4292 1/2 SOUTHERN AVE SE 1413 42ND ST SE 1136 46TH ST SE 1569 41ST ST SE 4316 CHAPLIN ST SE 4441 ALABAMA AVE SE

$337,000 $334,950 $320,000 $315,000 $267,000 $235,000 $210,000 $170,000 $165,000 $150,000 $131,600

FORT LINCOLN 3104 35TH ST NE

$283,000

5 4 3 3 2 4 4 3 3 3 3 3

FOXHALL 4615 KENMORE DR NW

$1,100,000

FRIENDSHIP HEIGHTS 5020 42ND ST NW 4110 JENIFER ST NW

$1,170,000 $789,000

GEORGETOWN 3100 DUMBARTON ST NW 1633 33RD ST NW 1421 34TH ST NW 3409 PROSPECT ST NW 1310 29TH ST NW 2909 OLIVE ST NW 1659 WISCONSIN AVE NW 3410 O ST NW 3322 PROSPECT ST NW 2706 OLIVE ST NW

$3,950,000 $2,500,000 $1,850,000 $1,697,500 $1,240,000 $1,200,000 $1,100,000 $990,000 $958,750 $935,000

GLOVER PARK 2211 38TH ST NW

$715,000

HILL CREST 3605 SUITLAND RD SE 3002 M PL SE

$570,000 $183,000

KALORAMA 2302 KALORAMA RD NW

$2,400,000

LEDROIT PARK 133 ADAMS ST NW 335 U ST NW

$920,000 $755,000

LILY PONDS 3337 ALDEN PL NE 3315 CLAY PL NE 330 34TH ST NE 3437 CLAY ST NE 126 KENILWORTH AVE NE

$340,000 $247,000 $220,000 $190,000 $185,000

MARSHALL HEIGHTS 5354 E ST SE 4869 F ST SE 5129 ASTOR PL SE 5357 ASTOR PL SE

$343,000 $300,000 $261,000 $160,000

MICHIGAN PARK 4005 18TH ST NE 4405 16TH ST NE

$445,000 $400,000

MOUNT PLEASANT 1632 NEWTON ST NW

$920,000

OBSERVATORY CIRCLE 3615 EDMUNDS ST NW 3523 EDMUNDS ST NW

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$1,325,000 $980,000

3 4 3 5 3 4 3 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 5 2 5

OLD CITY #1 1110 E ST SE 1428 G ST SE 1521 C ST SE 629 10TH ST NE 319 14TH PL NE 415 KENTUCKY AVE SE 1648 KRAMER ST NE 520 24TH ST NE 2011 GALES ST NE

$980,500 $920,000 $875,000 $650,000 $595,000 $495,000 $349,900 $325,000 $261,000

OLD CITY #2 1612 6TH ST NW 1434 FLORIDA AVE NW 1643 4TH ST NW 1828 8TH ST NW 1805 5TH ST NW 1809 6TH ST NW 413 RICHARDSON PL NW

$1,000,000 $949,900 $765,000 $655,000 $634,000 $550,000 $530,000

3 2 2 2 3 3 3 2 3 3 3 4

4863 POTOMAC AVE NW 5307 POTOMAC AVE NW 5062 SHERIER PL NW 1519 ELLIOT PL NW

$2,075,000 $1,325,000 $715,000 $669,000

PETWORTH 4501 5TH ST NW 4010 MARLBORO PL NW 4018 ILLINOIS AVE NW 5027 4TH ST NW 913 CRITTENDEN ST NW 4614 4TH ST NW 619 VARNUM ST NW 730 TAYLOR ST NW 313 EMERSON ST NW 4213 4TH ST NW 4842 KANSAS AVE NW 5500 4TH ST NW 415 DECATUR ST NW 700 LONGFELLOW ST NW 5001 9TH ST NW 5413 4TH ST NW 5413 7TH ST NW

$810,000 $801,500 $799,900 $740,000 $728,500 $690,000 $645,000 $501,000 $465,000 $453,000 $430,000 $425,000 $425,000 $420,000 $410,000 $399,000 $376,000

1832 WOODMONT PL SE 2425 WAGNER ST SE 1901 RIDGE PL SE 3442 21ST ST SE 2498 SKYLAND PL SE 3480 23RD ST SE

$512,650 $330,000 $275,000 $257,000 $175,000 $165,000

RIGGS PARK 701 HAMILTON ST NE 5508 5TH ST NE 5818 8TH ST NE 513 PEABODY ST NE

$585,000 $449,900 $330,000 $320,000

SHEPHERD PARK 7520 12TH ST NW 1216 FLORAL ST NW 7533 12TH ST NW

$826,500 $612,000 $536,000

TAKOMA PARK 15 VAN BUREN ST NW 30 TUCKERMAN ST NW 53 UNDERWOOD ST NW

$399,900 $365,000 $326,000

THE HAMPSHIRES 4 3

5 3 3 3 3 2 2

PALISADES

RANDLE HEIGHTS 4 3

4 4 4 3 2 3 2 3 2

6119 SOLENT PL NE 6105 SOLENT PL NE 205 BEACON PL NE

$645,610 $592,003 $549,220

5 4 3 2 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 4 5 3 4 5 3 2

TRINIDAD 1521 TRINIDAD AVE NE 1269 OWEN PL NE 1710 MONTELLO AVE NE 1647 MONTELLO AVE NE 1151 OATES ST NE

TRUXTON CIRCLE 1422 3RD ST NW

3 3 3 2

$659,000

U STREET CORRIDOR 1807 12TH ST NW 1909 12TH ST NW

$850,000 $1,467,500

WESLEY HEIGHTS 4717 FULTON ST NW

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OBSERVATORY CIRCLE 2801 NEW MEXICO AVE NW #604 2801 NEW MEXICO AVE NW #1123 2801 NEW MEXICO AVE NW #306 2111 WISCONSIN AVE NW #222 2800 WISCONSIN AVE NW #408 2800 WISCONSIN AVE NW #810

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U ST CORRIDOR 1722 U ST NW #A 1415 CHAPIN ST NW #408 2020 12TH ST NW #402 2020 12TH ST NW #505

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WAKEFIELD 4600 CONNECTICUT AVE NW #208

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4200 MASSACHUSETTS AVE NW #506A 3283 SUTTON PL NW #C 3281 SUTTON PL NW #B 4201 CATHEDRAL AVE NW #213W 4201 CATHEDRAL AVE NW #803W 4201 CATHEDRAL AVE NW #517W

$940,000 $675,000 $637,500 $275,000 $257,000 $245,000

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$299,900

$64,000

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$130,000

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Mosaic Puts the Pieces Together by Barbara Wells

ast fall Mosaic Theater Company of DC launched its first season, “The Case for Hope in a Polarized World,” on the wings of lofty aspirations. The company’s press packet proclaimed: “Mosaic plays marry a love of ideas, character, conflict, immediacy and personal and public resonance, working with the finest actors in our city to create thrilling performances that matter.” The Washington Post’s Peter Marks chimed in, saying “Mosaic’s arrival has the potential to be the most significant birth on the local theater scene in years.” Phew! Could any theater live up to such high expectations? Apparently, yes. Mosaic does. From the start, Mosaic was no ordinary theater. After his December 2014 separation from Theater J in a battle for artistic freedom, Mosaic founder Ari Roth unleashed a vision for theater that’s not just inclusive and enlightening, but also transformative. “With calamity at stake and injustices still all around us, we choose not to hang our heads or look only inwards,” he wrote in the program notes for Mosaic’s first production. “We look up and out and

mobilize across lines and divisions and form a common flank of humanity to beat back injustice and outrage.” That’s a lot to ask from any theater, but with unbridled enthusiasm and a contagious passion, Roth needed just a few months to compose his mosaic. He built a fervent board of directors comprising many luminaries of the D.C. theater community. He secured an anchor position at the Atlas Performing Arts Center on Washington’s burgeoning H Street corridor. He won a $250,000 challenge grant from The Reva and David Logan Foundation, providing a match for contributions from a rapidly growing donor pool. And in a master stroke, Roth enlisted two immensely talented and highly acclaimed partners: Serge Seiden, most recently Studio Theater’s producing director, and Jennifer L. Nelson, former producing artistic director of the African Continuum Theater Company and a 26-year veteran of Living Stage Theatre Company.

A Stellar Season Unfolds Mosaic’s season opened on Nov. 2, 2015, with

Deidra LaWan Starnes as Mary and Doug Brown as Joe in “The Gospel of Lovingkindness” at Mosaic Theater Company of DC. Photo by Stan Barouh.

Doug Brown as Baptiste, Deidra LaWan Starnes as Mary, and Manu H. Kumasi as Noel in “The Gospel of Lovingkindness” at Mosaic Theater Company of DC. Photo by Stan Barouh.

Jay O. Sanders’ “Unexplored Interior (This is Rwanda: The Beginning of the End of the Earth).” Spanning the 100 days in 1994 when Hutu extremists slaughtered 800,000 people, the play spotlights what Roth calls the world’s “shamefully passive” response. “Our task now is one of Corrective Remembrance,” he said. “Through purposeful, artful, authentic, humanizing and memorializing, we remember Rwanda as it was, as it must become anew from all that was lost.” The ambitious production featured a 14-member cast, from former Helen Hayes Award nominees to bright young actors in their professional debuts. Against a landscape of haunting projections by Jared Mezzocchi, a pioneer in using images to illuminate a performance without overwhelming it, the players conjured the deeply personal stories of people on every side of the conflict.

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ber committee that enlists artists, academics and activists for “talkbacks” after the shows. “We’ve had a staggering number of really probing conversations, allowing for deep immersion into the content of the plays,” Roth said. For “Unexplored Interior,” Mosaic hosted talkbacks with experts in international policy, a Peace Café with Pulitzer Prize-winning author David K. Shipler, a talk with Holocaust survivors, an interview with the play’s author at the Library of Congress and more. “For Gospel of Lovingkindness,” The Washington Informer joined Mosaic in community outreach, engaging mothers who have lost children to gun violence and men who have banded together to form support networks. “‘The Gospel of Lovingkindness’ was realThe company of “Unexplored Interior” at Mosaic Theater Company of DC. Photo by Stan Barouh. ly transformed by the intensity of the community conversation,” Roth said. Beyond the revelation of the actors on the “Whether we’re in the 260“We were able to touch the Lang Theatre stage was the revelation of the peoseat Lang Theater or the 88community with a sense of ple in the audience who mirrored them. Young. seat Lab II, we’re making urgency.” This, of course, is Old. Black. White. Rich. Not so rich. Every one each space feel like home.” Roth’s primary goal. As he’s emerged from the theater asking — most for the That was abundantly written in program notes, first time: How could this happen? How did we not clear in Mosaic’s third pro“It is essential that our Moknow? How can we stop it from happening now? duction, Aaron Davidman’s saic maintain an active role For its second production, “The Gospel of “Wrestling Jerusalem.” In a in convening neighbors Lovingkindness,” Mosaic transitioned from the stirring solo performance, near and far for shared exglobal specter of genocide to the violence on the Davidman commands the periences of the dramas unstreets of Chicago — no different from random Lang Theatre’s 43-foot stage folding in our community.” shootings in Washington or countless other U.S. with nothing more than his And the selection of cities. This gripping story follows the lives of two physical presence and evocplays itself draws audiences youths, one full of hope and one racked by deative lighting designed by that are unusually diverse “Wrestling Jerusalem” writer and spair, intersecting in a tragedy that has become all Allen Wilner. for Washington area theperformer Aaron Davidman with Mosaic too common. Commissioned by aters. “It’s very important Founding Artistic Director Ari Roth. Photo “The point is not this specific young man’s Roth nearly 10 years ago, the to me how mixed our audiby Teddy Wolff. life,” said the play’s director, Jennifer L. Nelson. play depicts 17 characters — ences have been, but they “The point is that it happens to other young men. Jews, Muslims, agnostics — in the trenches of the are different mixtures,” Roth said. While audiences … It’s a cyclical event, and until we interrupt the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. As Davidman rapidly attending Mosaic’s first two plays were notable for cycle, then we are doomed to just repeat the same morphs from one character to the next, each of their racial diversity, “Wrestling Jerusalem” attractthings over and over again.” their brilliantly conceived monologues in just mined an audience of varied religious backgrounds. In the Atlas’ intimate Sprenger Theatre, an utes crystallizes a distinct perspective on intractaThough gratified by this success, Roth reensemble of four astonishing actors assumed the ble tensions, whether ancient or as fresh as yestermains focused on the work ahead. “We feel very play’s multiple roles, directing their monologues to day’s headlines. much on mission. All the work has been resonatunseen characters, to one another and to audience ing with what we set out to do,” he said. “But it members seated just a few feet away. The intensiwill take time to build a really robust audience. If You Build It, They Will Come ty of the play was reinforced by the immediacy of We have tremendous room to grow.” Yet broad support and a wellspring of talent alone both the actors and the fellow audience members can’t seal Mosaic’s success. The company’s mission Barbara Wells is a writer and editor for Reingold, a responding to the performance, seated in a u-shape demands a diverse audience of thoughtful people social marketing communications firm. She and her around the stage. with a hunger for theater that matters. Mosaic is not husband live on Capitol Hill. u “Serge, Jennifer … our entire team is very only attracting but also cultivating that audience comfortable artistically in these spaces,” said Roth. through community outreach, led by a 12-mem-

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The Folger Celebrates ‘The Wonder of Will’ by Karen Lyon

his promises to be a banner year for Shakespeare. The 400th anniversary of his death is inspiring a global commemoration of his enduring legacy, and the Folger Shakespeare Library on Capitol Hill is Bard Central. The Folger is leading a nationwide celebration of “The Wonder of Will,” pulling out all the stops to offer exhibitions, performances, special events, and a traveling show presenting one of the rarest books in the world to every state in the Union. Why are we still celebrating an author who’s been dead for four centuries? Folger Director Michael Witmore has the answer. “We still pay attention to Shakespeare,” he says, “because, no matter how networked our world becomes, he remains one of the ultimate connectors.” With “The Wonder of Will” the Folger is enhancing those connections, not only with audiences here on the Hill but also with people all over the

Title page of

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t Folio. the 1623 Firs

country – and, through online resources, well beyond. “In a sense,” says Witmore, “Shakespeare wrote the preamble to modern life. Long before anyone knew what to call it, this clever man from Warwickshire was writing about the modern world. That world is still our world, and we’re inviting everyone to encounter it anew this year as we celebrate ‘The Wonder of Will’ around the country and here in Washington, DC.” Here’s a taste of what’s in store.

On the Hill

A history-making exhibition, “Shakespeare, Life of an Icon,” brings together 50 of the most important documents relating to Shakespeare’s life and career, many of which have never before been on public display. Highlights include deeds of his real estate purchases, diary entries and descriptions of Shakespeare by his contemporaries, and the only surviving copy of the first edition of “Titus Andronicus.” Items are drawn from the Folger collection as well as from the Bodleian Libraries at the University of Oxford, the British Library, and other institutions in the UK. Curated by Heather Wolfe, the exhibition opens at the Folger on Jan. 20 and runs through March 27. The Folger’s regular programs of theater, early music, poetry, and lectures will have a special focus during “The Season of Wonder.” Don’t miss Folger Theatre’s presen-

tation of “District Merchants,” Aaron Posner’s modern local take on “The Merchant of Venice” (May 31-July 3), and Folger Consort’s performances of early and new music celebrating Shakespeare. The New Sonneteers will offer a contemporary look at an old form in an April poetry reading, and lectures throughout the year by leading scholars will provide an in-depth look at the many facets of the Bard. Kids can enjoy the legacy of Shakespeare too, at family programs designed to both teach and entertain. Learn all about how the world’s greatest playwright lived at “Living the Shakespeare Life,” Feb. 6, and honor Women’s History Month with a presentation on “The Merry Women of Shakespeare,” March 5. Each program has two sessions: 10-11 a.m. (ages 5-7) and 11 a.m.-noon (ages 8-14). Registration required.

On the Road One of the cornerstones of “The Wonder of Will” is “First Folio! The Book That Gave Us Shakespeare,” a traveling exhibition of the First Folio that will visit all 50 states, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico. This history-making show is a once-in-a-lifetime chance for Americans to see an original 1623 First Folio, the first collected edition of Shakespeare’s works without which plays such as “Macbeth,” “Julius Caesar,” “The Tempest,” and “As You Like It” might have been lost forever. The Folger is sending this rare volume – of which it owns 82 of the world’s remaining 233 copies – on a year-long tour of the United States. The exhibition, which also includes local events, was or-

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The “First Folio! The Book That Gave Us Shakespeare” traveling exhibition.

ganized in association with the American Library Association and Cincinnati Museum Center. Be sure to alert family and friends to visit it when it’s in their town. A full list of tour stops and dates, along with an interactive map, is at www.folger.edu/first-folio-tour.

features more than 500 documents from institutions throughout the US and the UK. The largest and most authoritative resource available for primary sources documenting the life and career of Shakespeare, the site includes images, descriptions, and transcriptions of manuscripts and printed works referring to him and his works, both during his lifetime Online and shortly after his death. While it may be a Renaissance library, the FolFinally, you can be part of the story. The ger has hardly been resting on its ruff when it Folger invites you to “Share Your Shakespeare comes to digital resources. Several new online Story” by recording your personal experience sites are available to help you celebrate “The with the Bard and sharing your video on social Wonder of Will.” media using the hashtag #MySHX400. The If you’re curious about the life of the Folger website (www.folger.edu/myshx400) ofman from Stratford-upon-Avon, look no furfers questions to help prompt your creativity ther than “Shakespeare Documented” (www. and even provides artwork for you to use as a shakespearedocumented.org), a website that backdrop to your star turn. You may never get a better opportunity to be … or not to be. Folger Shakespeare Library So join the celebration and 201 East Capitol St. SE experience “The Wonder of Will.” Main 202-544-4600, Box Office 202-544-7077 Whether you’re new to him or an www.folger.edu old Shakespeare hand, it could be Mon.-Sat.: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. a learning experience. As Witmore Sun.: noon–5 p.m. says, “400 years in, we still need Extended Hours: Fri. until 8:00 p.m. Shakespeare’s powerful, adaptable, indispensable stories to teach us who Docent tours: Mon.-Sat., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., we are.”

3 p.m.; Sun., noon, 3 p.m. Special exhibition tours: Wed., noon, and Sat., 2 p.m.

For more on the special 2016 activities visit www.wonderofwill.folger.edu. u

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{arts and dining}

Anacostia Community Museum Documents a Dozen Tumultuous Years of Washington History article and photos by Pleasant Mann

ny American moving to Washington, DC, will inevitably wonder about puzzling phenomena they’ll notice soon after arriving. Why does the work of the District Council rarely appear in the paper or local newscasts? What’s so important about being a District native, and what could possibly be the function of a group called the Association of the Oldest Inhabitants? Is there a difference between a civic association and a citizen’s association? Which senator I am supposed to write if I have a problem with federal legislation? Why does the District’s unforgiving parking enforcement allow anybody to park anywhere near a church on Sundays? These quirks about life in DC arose from long struggles over race, sovereignty, and equity. The Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum attempts to explain how they came about in its new exhibition, “Twelve Years That Shook and Shaped Washington: 1963-1975.” In a city where history is usually told from a top down perspective by elite leaders and institutions, “Twelve Years” tries to show how the grassroots efforts of District residents during this tumultuous period shaped the city that we live in today. The exhibition starts at 1963, when an era of change seemed imminent, marked by the enthusiasm brought by the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. At the time, District residents had virtually no voice in determining their affairs. While they had just gotten the right to vote for President and Vice President from the 23rd Amendment, all District decision-making came from federal appointees. Urban planners were still patting themselves on the back for razing Southwest Washington to create a virtual new city on the waterfront. The exhibition illustrates the smugness

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Twelve Years that Shook and Shaped Washington.

of the era by showing a 1964 film by the American Institute of Architects entitled “No Room for Ugliness,” which applauds the Southwest urban renewal project and considers it a model for the rest of the nation. A page from a report explains that DC’s black residents feared that there were plans to move them from the center of town to the other side of the Anacostia. With the Southwest renewal project, that is what actually happened. But things had to change. The 1960 Census revealed Washington as the first major US city with a majority black population. The initiatives of the New Frontier and the Great Society led to an emphasis on local community control of urban renewal and anti-poverty initiatives. The exhibition explains that the use of community development corporations to implement social programs led to a number of notable organizations, such as Youth Pride, a neighborhood cleanup program that grew into Pride, Inc., the city’s most visible anti-poverty program. The exhibition also screens a film, “The People and the Police,” that documents an early effort to establish a model police precinct that works with the community it serves. An important part of “Twelve Years” is its outline of the improvement of public higher education in the District. When the 1964 Chase Report to the President declared that the lack of public higher education venues in the District was hurting the economic opportunities of residents, something had to be done. Federal legislation created the Washington Technical Institute (WTI), a two-year institution, and the four-year Federal City College (FCC). Higher education also got a boost when Antioch College brought a clinic-based model of legal education to the District. WTI and FCC later merged with the District of Columbia Teachers College to form the Uni-

versity of the District of Columbia (UDC). After Antioch could no longer support its law school in the District, the DC Council continued to provide funds until it eventually became UDC’s David A. Clarke School of Law. The exhibition also gives a sense of the DC college scene by providing yearbooks from American University, Howard University, and Catholic University from the late 1960s. In a section called “New Voices” the exhibition outlines how the feminist, gay, and Latino communities started to develop a public presence in the District. While early issues of the Gay Blade and the feminist newsletter Off Our Backs help mark the emergence of new social groups, video reminiscences give additional insight to the new institutions that were built. A video of Arturo Griffiths describes the early days of Latino organizing, while Deacon Maccubbin gives the history of his gay bookstore, Lambda Rising, and the first Gay Pride Day. Perhaps the biggest revelation of “Twelve Years” is its documentation of the development of an indigenous arts culture. Prior to the 1960s evidence of art made in Washington was hard to find. However, the growth of public funding for the arts, along with support from major foundations, led to a flourishing of artistic activity in the District. New forums like the Washington Gallery of Modern Art gave visibility to the Color Field Painters, who were gaining acclaim in the District and nationwide. The exhibit displays the work of prominent members of this movement including Sam Gilliam and Howard Mehring, along with the tools of painter Alma Thomas. In the area of drama, the Arena Stage started to get national attention, with Richard Coe of The Washington Post declaring that “Washington is now the second most active professional theater town on this continent.”

how the exhibition omitted novelist Rita Mae Brown, an important lesbian and feminist icon, who worked with the Furies Collective on Capitol Hill during this period. Also, by cutting the exhibition off at 1975, it just misses the establishment of a number of organizations such as d.c. space, the Washington Project for the Arts, and the 9:30 Club, some of which are still supporting DC arts and culture. The exhibition does mention the Stories from Washingtonians video station. DC Riots and the Poor People’s Campaign in 1968, but has trouble explaining the reasons for their lasting impact on the District. “Twelve Years” ends with the struggle for Home Rule in DC. There had been six different bills in the Senate to give Home Rule to Washington between 1948 and 1966, but they all died in the House District Committee. After the last attempt, President Lyndon Johnson used his executive authority in 1967 to reorganize Development of Music culture in Washington, DC. the District government, replacing the traditional three District commissioners with a mayor-commissioner and an appointed ninemember city council. From then on the District got its first elected school board in 1968, a nonvoting delegate to Congress, and finally an elected mayor and city council that took office at the beginning of 1975, bringing Home Rule back to the District after a century’s absence. The exhibition is capped off with a video station, where noNew gay and feminist voices. table residents such as politician Arrington Dixon, activist Roach Local musicians such as Roberta Flack and Brown, and sculptor Uzekee Nelson offer their Chuck Brown developed national reputations memories of the period and what followed. in this period. An expansive look at what it took to build There are a few weak points in “Twelve the foundation that the District rests on today, Years.” A display outlining changes in fash“Twelve Years That Shook and Shaped Washion presents a dashiki and some dresses, but ington” is on exhibit at the Anacostia Commuskips the platform shoes, capes, and plumed nity Museum until Oct. 16, 2016. u hats that typified the era. It is hard to imagine

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{arts and dining}

Dining Notes by Celeste McCall

alentine’s Day is coming up on Sunday, Feb. 14. For that special someone with a sweet tooth, visit J. Chocolatier, 321 Seventh St. SE, upstairs from Groovy. Created by Hill resident Jane Morris, JC carries myriad decadent chocolates, mostly crafted by Jane in a nearby kitchen. Best sellers are fleur de sel caramels (encased in dark chocolate with milk chocolate stripes, sprinkled with French sea salt, hence the name), and the Figgy Nut Bar (bittersweet chocolate with dried figs and walnuts), which goes beautifully with a cheese plate. J. Chocolatier is open Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., but will open on Friday, Feb. 12, from 11 to 7. For more information visit www.jchocolatier.com. For Cupid’s Night Out: Montmartre, 327 Seventh St. SE, offers a three-course, prix-fixe repast for $55 per person, not including wine. Served from 5:15 to 10:00 p.m., the menu will include trumpet mushroom soup with truffle cream, tuna tartare, New York strip steak, seafood

risotto, Kahlua creme brulee, and much more. Reservations are a must; call 202544-1244. At Cafe Berlin, 322 Massachusetts Ave. NE, Valentine’s plans are not complete, but the restaurant will offer specials on Saturday night as well as Sunday’s repast. Call 202-543-7656.

Big Easy on the Hill Mardi Gras arrives on Feb. 9 at Bayou Bakery Coffee Bar & Eatery at the Hill Center, 901 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. From 6 to 9 p.m. guests will savor David Guas’ authentic N’awlins grub including jambalaya, crawfish Monica, muff-alottas, andouille & shrimp gumbo, plus lagniappe (complimentary snack). Price is $30 per person, not including drinks. Heated party tents and a live band will add to the festivities. For tickets and more information visit BayouBakeryDC.com or call 202-664-5307. Bayou now serves dinner; we’ve sampled turnip and cauliflower soup, crawfish Monica (homemade pappardelle, creole cream sauce, mushrooms), and chicken piquant (thighs with spicy tomato stew and veggie quinoa).

New Home

Fleur de sel caramels are among Valentine’s Day gift possibilities at J. Chocolatier. Photo: Celeste McCall

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We enjoyed a zesty lunch at the “new” Las Placitas, which reopened recently at 1100 Eighth St. SE. The Salvadoran/Tex Mex eatery had moved from 517 Eighth, where it ruled for a quarter century before departing to make room for a Matchbox expansion. The reborn Las Placitas (“Little Plates”) sports a bright, fresh look and flavor. Tables are napped with crisp linen; margaritas are tangy and fairly potent. Peter ordered his favorite – puerco al horno – tender pork morsels roasted with sauteed onions. My El Tipico platter was loaded with a feather-light, chicken-filled tamale, a crispy, succulent pupusa (a sort of pancake filled with shredded pork), curtido (Latino coleslaw), yucca fries, and sweet platanos. Chunky guacamole complemented our

A tangy margarita and chunky guacamole launch a delicious lunch at the “new” Las Placitas. Photo: Celeste McCall

gratis chips and salsa. The new location may seem remote, but many customers come from the nearby Navy Yard complex, and the transplant also does a lively carryout business. Open daily for lunch and dinner, Las Placitas has kept its original phone number: 202-543-3700. The new digs are right next door to Ziaafat, the homespun Pakistani eatery at 1002 Eighth. Proprietor Tony Khan’s made-from-scratch-fare encompasses chicken kebabs, spicy ground beef, lots of veggies, and delicious naan (bread). Ziaafat has some seating and is great for carryout. Call 202-546-0000.

Bay City Transplant Last fall an iconic San Francisco restaurant arrived downtown: Tadich Grill (near the Federal Triangle Metro), the first spinoff of the 167-year-old San Francisco landmark of the same name. The original is the nation’s third oldest continuously operating restaurant, having survived relocations, name changes, shady politicians, and the 1906 earthquake. A charming marriage of hominess and sophistication, the DC Tadich mirrors the parent’s old-fashioned tiled floors and dark paneling. After a brief

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wait our party of five was escorted to a cozy nook, where we sipped Edna Valley Albarino while perusing the extensive menu. We dove into warm sourdough bread, shipped in thrice weekly from San Francisco. We shared an appetizer of tender, crisply fried calamari escorted by house-made cocktail sauce zinged with horseradish. An appetizer serving of a pair of meaty crabcakes (Dungeness resting on avocado cream and local crab perched atop zippy remoulade) was flavorful. We could have stopped then. But Peter and I went for the restaurant’s signature cioppino, a montage of scallops, shrimp, mussels, whitefish, and Dungeness crab swimming in a savory, tomato-based broth served with crusty garlic bread. The $34.95 price tag seemed high, but the portion easily fed two. However, they tacked on a $5 split plate charge. Our friends shared the perfectly roasted halibut crowned with lump crabmeat, asparagus, and mushroom fricassee. Creating these dishes is executive chef Wil Going, formerly with Chef Geoff’s. Service was excellent. Our tab for two was about $150 but was worth every penny. We shall return. Located at 1001 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Tadich Grill is closed on Sunday. Call 202-638-1849 or visit www.icon.com.

Asian Monkey Business In honor of its Asian heritage, Mandarin Oriental, Washington DC is celebrating Chinese New Year-Year of the Monkey--with special accommodations, dinners, elegant afternoon tea and more. Festivities begin Feb. 11, from 5 to 6 p.m. with a vibrant Chinese Lion Dance, complete with drums, cymbals and ribbon dancers. Asian-inspired canapes and tea will be served. The package also includes two adult passes on Big Bus Tours which whisks guests to and from the National Zoo (to visit our panda cub, Bei Bei),

welcome swag, internet access and luxurious digs for one night. Priced at $365, the package is valid Feb. 5-28. Call 202-554-8588 or visit www.mandarinoriental.com/washington. Throughout the month, Muze and Empress Lounge will serve Dim Sum daily from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. featuring such delicacies as foie gras pot stickers and siew mai with black truffles. Lunch and dinner creations include stir-fried Maine lobster, pork buns with black bean sauce and crispy shallots and chicken soup with ginseng and wolfberries. For reservations call 202-787-6148.

Coming Soon The NoMa neighborhood will soon welcome SEOULSPICE, Eric Shin’s restaurant showcasing Korean comfort food. Look for it at 145 N St. NE (Two Constitution Square), Suite 400, near the NoMa/Gallaudet U Metro station. The menu is based on rice bowls (bibimbap) and korritos (kimbap burritos), “street” tacos, and salads. These bases are enhanced with beef, chicken, spicy pork or tofu, plus vegetables including bean sprouts, kale slaw, and kimchi (pickled cabbage). Housemade juices, soft-drinks, and alcoholic beverages flow. Eric is multi-talented. A professional musician, he holds the Acting Principal Percussion chair with the National Symphony Orchestra.

Winging It Our friend Nan, a rabid sports fan, had raved about Buffalo Wild Wings, the new sports bar a baseball’s throw from Nats Park and an ideal venue for Super Bowl viewing on Feb. 7. Come early as seats go fast. There are a dozen monster screens showing various games. Try the house sampler, a platter heaped with deep-fried boneless wings, beer-battered onion rings, mozzarella sticks, and nachos, slathered with marinara sauce and ranch

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Heaped with goodies, the Buffalo Wild Wings house sampler is a customer favorite. Photo: Nan Raphael

dressing. Part of an international chain, Buffalo Wild Wings pours umpteen imported and local beers (with samples). “Wild” Bloody Marys are generous and spicy. Open daily, Buffalo Wild Wings is at 1220 Half St. SE (between M and N). Call 202-8632790 or visit www.buffalowildwingsdc.com.

Here ‘n There Now two years old, Sona Creamery & Wine Bar, 660 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, has remodeled; the pre-cut cheese retail section has been removed to expand the bar/ dining area. No worries, you can still buy cheeses from the menu. Ocopa, the recently renovated Peruvian restaurant at 1324 H St. NE, has a new chef, Yuki Nakandakari. Half Japanese and half Peruvian, Nakandakari should add some interesting dishes.

Bye for Now Dining Notes is taking a month off to savor the warm, sunny climes of Florida. See you in April! u

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Valentine’s Day Events Capitol Hill Presbyterian Valentine’s Concert and Wine Tasting. Feb. 13, 6:30 PM. Music includes Broadway and movie love songs, Edith Piaf numbers and, maybe, the Beatles. The central theme is love. $15 for the concert; $30 for the concert and wine tasting. Discounts for groups of two or more. Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church, 201 Fourth St. SE. capitolhillpreschurch.org. Valentine Tea & Chocolate Tasting at Dumbarton House. Feb. 13, 1 to 3 PM. $25. Reserve ticket is advance. Dumbarton House, 2715 Q St. NW. dumbartonhouse.org. Love in Every Language at the Sackler. Feb. 13 and 14, noon to 4 PM. Enjoy a digital slideshow of images of

The Fabulettes are Jane Q. Brack, Diana Quinn and Esmirelda Grecco.

The Fabulettes Dance Party at Corner Store

Feb. 13, 8 PM. Celebrate Valentine’s Day with the most singles-friendly dance party in town at the Corner Stores. $25, advance; $30, at door. Corner Store, 900 South Carolina Ave. SE. 202-5445807. cornerstorearts.org.

love in Asian art, create Valentine’s Day cards using woodblock prints that say “love” in more than a dozen Asian languages and fold heart-shaped origami. All ages welcome with adult companions. Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, 1050 Independence Ave. SW. asia.si.edu. Hill Center Concert Series: Debra Tidwell, Vocalist. Feb. 14, 7:30 PM. Debra Tidwell will reconvene her annual one-woman Valentine’s Day show, a perennial sellout. $15 in advance, $20 day of. Hill Center, 921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. hillcenterdc.org. Practice with Love Yoga Gathering. Feb. 20 and 27; 10:30-11:30 AM. The Practice With Love classes aim to create an accessible space for all people to tune into their breath while enjoying the amazing spaces around our beautiful city. WithLoveDC brings their free yoga gatherings to the US Botanic Garden. This program is first-come, first-served. Participants are encouraged to bring their own mats. No pre-registration required. usbg.gov. 2016 Love Stamp Showcases Three-Dimensional Artwork. The 44th inductee into the Postal Service’s Love stamp series, the stamp features a heart created using the ancient art of quilling, also called paper filigree, which involves rolling and shaping narrow strips of paper, laying them on their edges and gluing them in place to form intricate designs. usps.com. Tour the Harper Macaw Chocolate Factory. Saturdays, 12:30 PM, 1:30 PM, 2:30 PM, 3:30 PM, 4:30 PM, and 5:30 PM. Harper Macaw Chocolate Factory is at 3160 Bladensburg Rd. NE. harpermacaw.com. u

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Harper Macaw, Sweet in Nature and Taste

DC’s First Chocolate Factory Supports Rainforest Conservation Efforts in Brazil by Meghan Markey

n a sharp casual suit Colin Hartman has got to be the most dapper chocolate maker ever. I am on a tour of the factory for his new chocolate company, Harper Macaw, in Northeast DC off of Bladensburg Road. The quirky logo rests on a sign behind a run-downlooking storage facility. Open the doors, though, and it’s what I imagine Heaven smells like. A deep, rich chocolate aroma emanates through the cozy cafe space outfitted with a large glossy reclaimed wood table surrounded by walls stacked with vibrantly packaged bars of chocolate. Twenty people or so mill about, sipping some of the best damn hot chocolate I’ve ever tasted. “Usually Sarah runs these tours,” Hartman says, referring to his wife and head chocolate maker. “But she’s at an industry event in San Francisco. I can be longwinded and go off on tangents, so bear with me!” He wasn’t kidding. Launching into the story of Harper Macaw, Hartman gave one of the most detailed tours I’ve ever been on. It was charming and extremely informative. The art of chocolate making requires one to be a mad scientist of sorts, between the washing, winnowing, roasting, tempering, molding, and packaging. There’s a whole lot of timing and tinkering involved to produce the intricate, high-quality flavor profiles that the people at Harper Macaw are going for. Chocolate, I learned, has over 600 flavor notes, more than wine. Harper Macaw was the brainchild of Hartman’s wife Sarah, who after leaving culinary school in her native Brazil worked for French chocolate powerhouse Valrhona before moving on to independent chocolate company Dan-

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delion in San Francisco, where she really learned the ins and outs of the process. In fall 2013 she felt ready to open her own high-quality chocolate outfit. She and Hartman didn’t want to be merely another independent chocolate maker. Sure, they wanted to make the best chocolate they could, but they also felt strongly about environmental stewardship and conservation. The Hartmans wanted to give back to Sarah’s home country and assist Brazil’s efforts in tropical reforestation, particularly the Atlantic Forest, a hub for cacao farmers but also part of one of the most threatened areas in the world. They’ve partnered with domestic and international NGOs to facilitate this effort, and 5 percent of sales goes toward reforestation and conservation efforts in the area. After many trips to Brazil they chose three farms from which to source their cacao beans, each environmentally sustainable and socially responsible; one farm operates a school that serves the wider community. But why choose DC for the location of their factory? They didn’t want to operate out of New York (where the couple met at New York University) or San Francisco; both cities already had independent chocolate makers. They had spent some time in DC and were drawn to the manageable size of the city, its neighborhood feel, and, importantly, the lack of other chocolate outfits. “DC is a manageable city. After living in New York, Philadelphia, and Sao Paolo it felt much cozier not having these huge skylines and tall buildings. DC was experiencing this exciting movement in the food and beverage industry, and we wanted to be a part of that,” Hartman explains.

Harper Macaw Chocolate Makers, from reft to right Amanda Greene, Katie Yen, Sarah and Colin Hartman. Courtesy Harper Macaw.

It’s no big surprise they settled on a location in Northeast, near DC Brau. They looked in Shaw and other areas, but the warehouse spaces were run down and expensive. They finally found a facility that had working plumbing and ample space from which to grow their business. Northeast has become a popular spot for its prevalence of relatively affordable properties for independent craft outfits: Harper Macaw joins DC Brau, Atlas Brew Works, Jos. A. Magnus & Co., One Eight Distilling, and New Columbia Distillers. Harper Macaw’s colorful, distinctive branding wasn’t always so. Formerly called Concept C, the name lacked an identity and had no

The massive factory space at Harper Macaw. Courtesy Harper Macaw.

connection to the company’s environmental efforts and values. After much thought they settled on Harper Macaw because it marries the names of two endangered species from the forests they are working to conserve – the harpy eagle and the blue hyacinth macaw. “Harper” sounded a bit more polished than “harpy.” One guest on the tour asked if this was a wink toward Bryce Harper, the beloved Nats rightfielder. “Not really,” chuckles Hartman, to the laughter of the tour. The Hartmans are focused on refining their process to make a consisHarper Macaw also sells various fresh baked goods used from their chocolate. Photo: Jason Yen

Valentine’s Event at Harper Macaw

Bite Me: A Pairing Menu of Local Provisions & Concoctions Indulge your senses while enjoying some local DC love. This incredibly unique collaboration pairing of local eats and drinks includes 15 local makers and purveyors in a 4 course fixed pairing menu. Local purveyors include Atlas Brew Works, Capital Kambucha, Compass Coﬀee, Dangerously Delicious Pies, DC Brau, Element [Shrub], Gordy’s Pickle Jar, Leonora Bakery (Northside Social), Pie Sisters, Red Apron, Sona Creamery, and wines provided by Scheider’s of Capitol Hill. Tickets are $100, but for the first 20 of each slot we reserved an Early Bird special of $85. Friday, February 12th at 7PM Sunday, February 14th at 3PM Sunday, February 14th at 7PM Contact: hello@harpermacaw.com

or 202-800-0351

tently high-quality product. They’ve already found some of the best cacao beans – half of the quality of chocolate relies on this – but are constantly experimenting with roasting times and flavor profiles. They offer a 67 percent, a 77 percent, and a 74 percent dark chocolate bar, along with a 52 percent milk chocolate bar. The gorgeous packaging features animals from the forests of Brazil. It’s important to the Hartmans both to sell their chocolate in retail stores and be sure customers know their story and experience their chocolate. Open every Saturday, the factory offers tours on the hour from 1 to 5 p.m. for $10, where you can see firsthand the machinery and techniques behind the scenes. The tour ends with a chocolate tasting (who could resist?). On Feb. 13, Harper Macaw collaborates with Dinner Lab to present a multi-course meal, entitled “A Tempered Romance,” showcasing cacao’s culinary properties. Expect nothing but deliciousness from Chef Michael Haney of Birch and Barley. Locations are always kept secret until a few days before the event. Check out Dinner Lab’s website for tickets and more information (www.dinnerlab.com). Harper Macaw also has big plans for, you guessed it, Valentine’s Day weekend.They will also host a series of tastings at their factory on Valentine’s Day weekend. What could be sweeter than spending your weekend at DC’s first and finest chocolate factory? As the saying goes, “Save the earth, it’s the only planet with chocolate.” Harper Macaw chocolate can be purchased at locations across the city, but in the neighborhood you can find it at Maketto, Red Apron, and J. Chocolatier, in addition to the factory at 3160 Bladensburg Road NE; 202-800-0351. u

J. Chocolatier

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New Chamber Music Series on the Hill Introducing the Chiarina Chamber Players: Capitol Hill’s new chamber music series! Led by Carrie Bean Stute and Efi Hackmey, artistic directors. Featuring the music of Dvořák and Mozart.

Sunday, February 28th at 4 p.m. Lutheran Church of the Reformation 212 E. Capitol St. NE For more information, visit www.chiarina.org

CAFE BERLIN Fine German Cuisine

Valentine’s Day A Special Menu for That Special Someone Visit www.cafeberlin-dc.com for Details 322 Massachusetts Ave, NE Washington, DC 20002 202.543.7656

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{arts and dining}

At the Movies

Grand British Dames; Star Actresses Shine at Awards Season

by Mike Canning e start off the film-going year of 2016 with two sterling turns by a pair of the best actors in Great Britain and on the planet, both offering performances of subtlety, range, and class. Both Maggie Smith (81) and Charlotte Rampling (almost 70) present screen personas that probably will be too little seen but should be relished by any moviegoer looking for superior displays of acting. In this awards season, both ladies have already been recognized with nominations as Best Actress in a Leading Role by the American Academy (Rampling in “45 Years”)) and by the British BAFTA organization (Smith in “The Lady in the Van”). Both of their current films opened in limited release in the DC area on January 22, 2016.

cle, on its last gasp, is pushed into Bennett’s driveway at his home in Camden Town, London. This might seem merely inconvenient, but the unimaginable part is that Shepherd squatted in her van for 15 years before Tom Courtenay (left) and Charlotte Rampling star in “45 Years.” Photo copyright Agatha A. Nitecka, courtesy IFC Films she finally passed way, the super-mellow writraises the stakes a little by giving Miss Mary an iner tolerating her, assisttriguing backstory, one that adds a new wrinkle to ing her, mildly berating her, and—most usefully— the plot—and provides a lovely excuse to incorpofinally writing about her (the film runs 103 mins. rate Chopin’s sublime First Piano Concerto into the and is rated “PG-13”) . sound track—but this element is small potatoes comWhile Bennett churns out some of his counpared to the core element of the film: the delicate intry’s best writings over this period, he always has Miss teraction between Bennett and Ms. Shepherd. Mary as a ready-made subject, with her combinaThe Lady in the Van Alex Jennings is one of those versatile English tion of a sense of entitlement, a stern demand for priThis film, announced as a “mostly true story,” ofcharacter actors in their mid-50’s who Anglophiles vacy, gad-about thinking, and the need for a lavatory. fers one of those eccentric, idiosyncratic accounts will recognize from a miscellany of TV shows and Bennett’s first version of the story, done with Magthat probably could only happen in England. It films (perhaps most notably as Prince Charles oppogie Smith, came in a stage play in 1999 (one year concerns the slow invasion by one Mary Shepherd site Helen Mirren in “The Queen”) but whose actafter Shepherd died). Ten years later, he wrote an (Smith), homeless but living in a decrepit Bedford ing life has essentially been a theatrical one. Here, radio adaptation of their arrangement for the BBC. van, into the life of British author, playwright, and impeccably displaying the real Bennett’s somewhat In his screenplay, Bennett presents a second, wit Alan Bennett (Alex Jennings) when her vehiprissy delivery, he is spot on, the slightly fuzzy-mindbrooding version of himself, a ed but clear-spoken master of the literate comedytougher conscience in the same drama. He makes a charming foil to the hell-hathwardrobe wandering around no fury of Maggie Smith as Mary. his home advising his more beSmith, of course, is perfect as the troubled nign author self to either give Shepherd, the part having been written for her and the woman short shrift or to fulpolished to a shine by her theater and radio perly tackle her as a subject for creformances. Both garrulous and secretive, both truative output. This alter ego ally nutty and surprisingly perceptive, she dominates lows Bennett to play what likely “The Lady in the Van” as she more or less comes to were two sides to the real Alan dominate the serene neighborhood where she stays Bennett’s attitude as he conwith both her grotesque sense of privilege combined templated his testy squatter: with a flinty vulnerability. Typical of her demandone side perturbed by her trouing yet crass qualities are evident in this exchange: blesome presence and the other Miss Shepherd (to Bennett): What with all this side, with the best British sangto-do, I think I’m about to be taken short. froid, simply accepting his pe(then making a beeline for Bennett’s open culiar situation. Alex Jennings (left) as Alan Bennett and Maggie Smith as “The Lady in front door). Can I use your lavatory? In his narrative, Bennett the Van.” Photo by Nicola Dove, Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

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Alan Bennett: No! Uh... the flush is on the blink. Miss Shepherd: I don’t mind. Priceless!

45 Years As effective as Maggie Smith is as a mercurial oddball in “The Lady in the Van,” Charlotte Rampling matches her in a very different, slow burn performance in “45 Years.” This film constitutes both a moving chamber piece and an advanced acting class by two long-time English stars, Rampling and Tom Courtenay as the Mercers, Kate and Geoff, an older British couple poised to celebrate their 45 years of steadfast and uneventful marriage (the film is 95 min. and is rated “R” for mature themes). Kate Mercer and her husband Geoff had to cancel the party marking their 40th wedding anniversary when Geoff underwent bypass surgery. Now there is only a week before the couple, comfortable and childless, will mark their 45-year anniversary in a posh setting in their town in Norfolk in the northeast corner of England. The mundane preparations for the event are overthrown when shattering news arrives for Geoff from Swiss authorities, reporting that the perfectly preserved body of an old girlfriend has been found in an Alpine crevasse where they were on vacation 50 years before. This is a piece of Geoff’s past of which Kate is only vaguely aware, and the news tests their union and leads her to question their relationship. Her doubts are multiplied when she discovers a cache of unknown slides that Geoff has hidden in the attic. As she goes through the motions of the party preparation, Kate wonders whether she can go through with the celebration. There is nothing flashy here. As the days tick down, everything moves at its appropriate, measured pace, and the pastoral countryside and small

town settings are delicately evoked by writer-director Andrew Haigh, but the superb Brit-style understatement of gesture, visage, and tone evokes veiled motivations longing to surface, especially in Kate. Charlotte Rampling made her first splash in “Georgy Girl” in 1966 at 20, and she has appeared in more than 100 productions since. For many of those roles, she personified a slightly mysterious, sometimes nefarious beauty who smoldered through roles (see “The Verdict” from 1982) in mostly British and French films, a woman of trim body, luxurious hair, and seductive eyes. Now we have an older Rampling, but just as beautiful as a mature wife, trying to figure out whether her tranquil life might go off the rails. In the final party scene, the build-up to the couple’s celebration is outwardly jolly yet full of tension, and Kate’s final look of distress at its end is shattering. Tom Courtenay complements Rampling’s performance superbly, playing a mildly addled, liberal-minded good old boy, labor activist, and head of the local soccer team’s booster club. Since his dedicated wife has clearly taken the lead in their marriage, you can see Geoff fighting against the trend, wandering a bit and acting out at times like a little boy, getting nicely drunk at the big feté. Courtenay handles all of these traits with quiet skill mingled with panache. The pair last year both won Best Acting awards at the Berlin Festival for their stellar work in this film. The prizes were well deserved. 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. u

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Artist Portrait: Lynn Mehta

southern California. You can see Lynn’s work this month at the Hill Center (see At the Galleries) and at www.lynnmehta.com.

Jim Magner’s Thoughts on Art

Lynn Mehta grew up in San Diego – La Jolla – where the sounds and smells of the rolling, pounding surf are as much a subconscious presence as they are a physical reality. I lived there for a while when I was young. We lived on the side of a hill looking out over the great Pacific. I would stand spellbound, entranced by the incredible ocean expanse that leads visually to the curved horizon, the line where water and sky dissolve into one ever-transforming tone. That’s the place where thunderous clouds are born from clear skies and black angry shadows are released. Winds rush in, bringing the salt air. It’s more than a memory; it’s an indelible mindfulness. If you’re an artist it imbeds itself in your core, your DNA. It stays with you. It stayed with Lynn Mehta. The early information of this powerful force has been carried over the years into the sights, sounds, and feelings in her paintings wherever she goes and in almost any subject she picks. It could be Chesapeake Bay or the human dynamic in a DC underpass. Psychologists talk of the formative years, those early times when everything is new and some ordinary sight, sound, smell, or just a spine-tingling feeling can stick with you, take up a place in your blossoming brain and gain importance. For Lynn it was the ocean. But for you it could be the clamor of the city with its faces, the enduring and endearing people who filled your home and your neighborhood. It could be a summer storm in the desert, snow on the prairie, or the sound of the wind in the mountains. But then, it wasn’t always a lovely, friendly domain, was it? It came with threats: an underlying malevolence that became a chunk of that indelible mindfulness that can give power to a painting and meaning to life.

At the Museums

Boat Launch, oil

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he paint moves. It carries you into a swirling, living space. You join in its questioning of all that is apparent: people and the things that grow or flow or sit quietly waiting for your curious attention. Then forms begin to take shape within the brush strokes and you join them in their transportation to an alluring and compelling time and place. Lynn Mehta travels to everywhere, exploring the world in color and form. There is fluidness in her work that connects the oceans to the deserts to the farmlands and into the cities – backstreets and main streets. Her paint celebrates the luxuriousness of its own reason for being, be it an ocean scene, the desert at night, or a crowded street corner in DC. Each place retains its own identity. Its own soul. A “plein air” painter, Lynn wants to be centered in the dynamics of the outdoors, where the colors are honest and forms distinct. As a result her deep shadows have pure strength, while bright yellows and whites hold their own and give you an open, fresh air experience. Skies come alive. They dance with the trees below; they turn sunset orange or ocean green and spread those colors across the landscape. They sing with the waves that pound the shore or reflect the isolation of a country road. In her words, the skies are “dirty,” heavy, full of matter, not a thin curtain of blue. There is often a “loneliness” in the light that brightens or deepens the forms below. Lynn Mehta grew up in California and has a BA in art from San Diego State. She has studied with acclaimed artists around the world, beginning with her mother who painted the landscapes of

by Jim Magner

Salon Style National Museum of Women in the Arts 1250 New York Ave. NW Through May 22 Drawn from the National Museum of Women in the Arts’ collection, “Salon Style: Portraiture by Women Artists of 18th-Century France” shines an overdue light on painters Adelaide Labille-Guiard, Marie-Victoire Lemoine, Elisabeth Louise Vigee-LeBrun, Marie-Genevieve Navarre, and Rosalba

City: A Portrait Through Stamp Art” is a good reason. It includes 30 pieces of original artwork commissioned by the US Postal Service for stamp production. The principal subject is “a vibrant and colorful portrait of New York City.” New York has had more city-related stamps than any other place except maybe Washington and Hollywood. www.postalmuseum.si.edu

2016 Fagon Community Guide to Capitol Hill

9th St. Market, oil.

Carriera. These formidable artists overcame any number of disadvantages to be accepted into the French Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture. Benefits and privileges were still truncated: “They were not allowed to vote on new members, lodge within the Louvre or participate in Academy art classes.” “Salon Style” arranges its works like the historic salon, from eye level to the ceiling, allowing for a maximum number of items to be displayed. Smaller images such as portrait and still life are displayed near the bottom, and large history painting is at the top. Sculpture of the Hellenistic World National Gallery of Art, West Building Sixth St. and Constitution Ave. NW Through March 20 “Power and Pathos: Bronze Sculpture of the Hellenistic World” brings approximately 50 of the finest surviving bronze sculptures from the Hellenistic period – late fourth century B.C. to first century A.D. They are “wonderfully lifelike” but none is more compelling than the bronze and gold horse head, “The Medici Riccardi Horse” of c. 350 B.C. Don’t miss it. www.nga.gov Original Stamp Artwork National Postal Museum 2 Massachusetts Ave. NE Through March 13, 2017 You may not often go to the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum for art, but “New York

At the Galleries Hill Center Galleries Old Naval Hospital 921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE Through Feb. 28 This is a big show juried by CHAL, the Capitol Hill Art League. You will find almost 70 works by 35 terrific artists in a wide range of media and techniques, including Lynn Mehta (see Artist Profile), Kim Bursic, Tara Hamilton, and Bob Fuller. “Bulfinch: Memories and Fairytales” Capitol Hill Art League 545 Seventh St. SE Through Feb. 27 Hannah Sternberg found an old manuscript of her second novel, “Bulfinch,” and sent pieces of it to artists throughout the world, “challenging them to transform the pages into multimedia works exploring the themes of memory and revision.” The exhibit includes professional and amateur artists as well as a strong representation of DC artists. This is “a unique and whimsical look at the nexus between storytelling and the visual arts.” www.chaw.org A Capitol Hill artist and writer, Jim Magner can be reached at Artandthecity05@aol.com. His award-winning book, “A Haunting Beauty,” can be acquired through www.ahauntingbeauty. com. u

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LITERARY HILL

A Compendium of Readers, Writers, Books, & Events

by Karen Lyon Poetry Among the Shards Memo to poetry lovers: get a copy of Jean Nordhaus’s exquisite new collection. This is one lyrical journey you’ll want to take. The intertwined poems in “Memos from the Broken World” are spare and elegant, echoing themes of loss and breakage, of the unmendable griefs of childhood,

of moments of self-doubt when “All the roads / lead nowhere or to someone else’s door,” and of a yearning for the time before the moon began to wane. In a longer piece entitled “On the Road to Qumran” Nordhaus delivers searing impressions of a visit to Israel, where she sees echoes of her own family in the “fierce women / who’d have hidden in their sleeves / a cherished spoon, a dented / grater for the journey.” Even a light moment such as the long-overdue death of her mother’s old Electrolux – “broken strap dangling like a floppy ear, / brushes worn to nubbins” – yields poignant flashes of insight: “Why / does each relinquishing drag all the others / in its wake?” Throughout it all she evokes the passing beauty around us and reminds us that vessels must sometimes break in order to sustain life. “Let them break and go on breaking / that our story may continue,” she writes. And in a haunting refrain, she exhorts us: “Do not forget.” Jean Nordhaus is the author of six books of poetry including “Innocence” and “The Porcelain Apes of Moses Mendelssohn.” Her poems have appeared in publications such as American Poetry Review, New Republic, Best American Poetry, and Pushcart Prize: Best of the Small Presses, and she serves as review editor for Poet Lore.

Growing Up on the Edge

Themes of loss and continuity weave through a new collection by a Hill poet.

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In her new poetic memoir, “Border Crossing,” Deidre CreativeSoul writes of growing up in the neighborhoods that lie along the border between Maryland and DC, “where my family has lived for more than a century,” and of struggling to move beyond her child-

hood to embrace a new life. Using a variety of styles, from free verse to rhyming rap, from elegies and cantatas to poetic exposition, she traces her life’s journey in three phases. In “Retrograde” she’s a child dancing with abandon until “the voice of the preacher” intrudes, “seep[ing] into her subconscious / lacing her premature gyrations / with a corset of guilt.” In “Return” she looks back with fresh eyes at that child bouncing in the back of a pickup truck “as we cross Kenilworth Avenue.” “We are tied to this land,” she writes, “with a bond deeper than slavery / leases or slum budgets; we are slaves / to the memories created / in these places: we return / to the source / of our suffering / in search of a cure.” Finally, in “Rebirth” she comes to terms with her adult self, concluding with a moving visit to the site where African slaves awaited transport to the New World. “[I] t made me feel very strong,” she writes, “because my family survived that place, and everything America threw at them so that I could be here today. And they passed their strength on to me. So I must be stronger than I think.” Deidre CreativeSoul has an MFA in creative writing from Emerson College and is a Cave Canem poetry fellow. As Deidre Gantt she wrote for East of the River, a Capital Community News publication, from 2007 to 2010. Connect with her at www.deecreates.com.

On the Hill in January The Hill Center hosts an Overbeck Lecture with Tom Lewis, author of “Washington: A History of Our National City,” Feb. 8, 7:30 p.m.; Talk of the Hill with Bill Press featuring Jane Mayer, author of “Dark Mon-

In a new poetic memoir, a DC native finds strength in exploring her roots.

ey: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right,” Feb. 18, 7:00 p.m.; and The Life of a Poet with Ron Charles and poet Dunya Mikhail, March 2, 7:00 p.m. Free, but register at www. hillcenterdc.org or 202-549-4172. The Folger Shakespeare Library offers “Crime Writers on Shakespeare,” a Free Folger Friday event with authors James DeVita

and Quintin Peterson, Feb. 5, 6:00 p.m., and the Edgar ® and Dagger awards for his hisan O.B. Hardison Poetry Series reading, in cotorical thrillers, which include “Roosevelt’s operation with Letras Latinas, featuring RegiBeast,” “The Pale Blue Eye,” and “Mr. Timnald Dwayne Betts and William Archila, Feb. othy.” He also writes book reviews and essays 8, 7:30 p.m. www.folger.edu or 202-544-7077. for all the top publications (find him at www. The Library of Congress presents “Books louisbayard.com). And his “Downton Abbey” & Beyond” talks by Sonja B. Williams, aublog is blooming hilarious. thor of “Word Warrior: “O, Abbots,” he Richard Durham, Radio begins “Of Pearls and and Freedom,” Feb. 3, Swine,” the installment noon, and Louis W. Sulfor Season 6, Episode livan, author of “Break2. “She walks in beauty, ing Ground: My Life like the night of cloudless in Medicine,” Feb. 24, climes and starry skies … noon; a poetry reading I am referring, of course, by Jennifer Atkinson and to Golden Empress, that Vijay Seshadri celebratgorgeous 500-pound ing the birthday of poet hunk of pig-flesh who beElizabeth Bishop, Feb. 8, came, I believe, the first noon; and a Main Readmember of the Downing Room Open House ton Abbey estate to win in the Jefferson Building a beauty contest. Long on Presidents Day, Feb. overdue, I’d say.” Now 15, 10 a.m.-3:00 p.m. there’s some snark I can www.loc.gov get behind. With Lou as Check out local author Louis Bayard’s The Smithsonian Asa guide I just might have “Downton Abbey” recaps in The New sociates offer “World War to give the show anothYork Times. I: A Literary Legacy” with er shot. monthly sessions on four great books of the peGo to nytimes.com and search Louriod, starting with “All Quiet on the Western is Bayard. And while you’re online be sure Front” by Erich Maria Remarque, Feb. 9, 6:45 to keep tabs on the Literary Hill BookFest, p.m. www.smithsonianassociates.org scheduled for May 1 at Eastern Market. We’re at www.literaryhillbookfest and on Twitter and Facebook #LHBF16. u The Lyon’s Share Dear readers, are you daft for “Downton Abbey”? I have to confess that I’m not. I watched about 10 minutes of it once and found the underlying tensions hard to bear – especially since I suspected that their resolution would come only via snarky comments delivered in genteel accents through clenched jaws. Too, too unsatisfying. But even an unregenerate non-fan like me can enjoy the “Downton Abbey” recap blogs posted by Louis Bayard in The New York Times. You all know Lou, our local writing star. A New York Times notaJoin us on Sunday, May 1, at Eastern Market for the 2016 BookFest. ble author, he’s been nominated for both

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The Poetic Hill ARE YOU SLEEPING WITH A PSYCHOPATH?

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hantel Bivins is a DC native who earned degrees in print journalism from Hampton University and in public policy from Bowie State University. She has worked in politics and communications at the National Black Caucus of State Legislators and in business development for the Development Corporation of Columbia Heights, and she is currently a freelance communications consultant. As a writer and editor her work has appeared in StyleandTrendreport.com, the Auto Game, and VERGO magazine. Her poem seemed a particularly good choice for the month of Valentine’s Day.

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I love you like the summers change From spring to summer and fall to winter Like the sun shines and the snow falls Like my love for beautiful things in you which I find most of those beautiful things And my love for you will never change as 4 seasons pass and come again Because in you I find not what I was missing But what I have been in need of and didn’t know until you Love is not just a feeling But it’s you and it’s me It’s what we are together 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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{arts and dining}

Thoughts Of A Jazz Lover azz can be enigmatic, an alchemy of mysterious sounds and moods that is spontaneous and yet deliberate in its free flowing creativity. There is a high note of haughtiness, perhaps a sort of natural aristocracy from a kind of inbred austerity about jazz that puts it in a class by itself, elevating the music to a higher form of consciousness. Your mind clears, your body relaxes and suddenly life smiles at you. Jazz is beautiful music.

What Was Said •••• Tord Gustavsen: piano, electronics Simin Tander: voice Jarle Vespestad: drums The piano sounds of Tord Gustavsen on “A Castle in Heaven” are so enveloping that one can feel the essence of its gravity tugging at your soul with the beautiful and sensational voice of Simin Tander. These songs seem to merge with your heartbeats, opening up your world like a thousands stars across the universe. Here is a moment of clarity that seems to immortalize your soul with beautiful dreams of life’s unending mystery. What is heard here is not about where we are coming from, but where we are going as we are swept along by the impeccable notes from Mr. Gustavsen’s piano. Such thoughts are felt and embraced by Ms. Tander’s voice on the “Journey of Life.” A haunting voice, it is the embodiment of beauty, power, and utter ecstasy. The song “Rufuse” is a declaration for recusing oneself from life’s troubles and embracing our inseparable love of our humanity. Mr. Gust has given us an album in celebration for the code of life that raises that unanswerable question: what is life? Life is real; life is magical; life is to be celebrated with our best gift: living on the planet earth.

Moments ••• Rob Tardik The vocal refrain sung on guitarist Rob Tardik’s newly released Moments album is the theme that highlights those moments that

P roject by Jean-Keith Fagon have shaped and make up his life. An eclectic outing that shows off his penchant for crafting catchy pop melodies paired with contemporary jazz, R&B, funk and Latin grooves, Moments is also a fitting platform for his lyrical fretwork on acoustic, nylon and electric guitar. The album opens with a delightful fiesta, “Sip and Salsa,” followed up with the feel-good “Rite Of Passage” with the support of saxophonist Will Donato on solo. Vocalist Aiden Castillo croons soulfully on “Moments In Time” to which Mr. Tardik adds deft acoustic guitar embellishments. Mr. Donato guests again on the blissful “Serendipity,” a graceful standout beauty. Other musicians appearing on the album include Steve Oliver, Nate Harasim and Gabriel Mark Hasselbach.

Acousticalevy •••• Barrington Levy Barrington Levy, one of Jamaica’s most enduring reggae stars, has established himself as one of the biggest and best known artists both at home and on the international scene. With 32 albums to his credit, Mr. Levy has a distinctive and mesmerizing voice that at times resonates the very roots and soul of his Jamaican culture. Blessed with a powerful and seamless vocal range, Mr. Levy’s music projects a sense of purity and innocence that has not only captured the imagination of his people but has helped establish Jamaican reggae music as the closest universal music of our modern day. How fitting it would

be today to hear Bob Marley’s voice crying out “One heart, one love, let’s get together and feel alright.” As in many reggae songs the words “reggae brings back love to all the people” is a rallying cry for the people of Jamaica. Over the past 35 years Mr. Levy has produced an astonishing list of hits, ranging from the classic lovers rock, roots and culture, one drop and onto the more recent dancehall craze. Adored by his fans world-wide, Mr. Levy to date has not capped his success with a Grammy Award for his music. But that is about to change with his latest album, Acousticalevy which has been nominated for the 2016 Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album. The music of Acousticalevy is almost a complete breakaway from Mr. Levy’s usual style. Over years many artists have tried to produce acoustic music, sometimes referred to as being unplugged. One of the most successful acoustic albums was Eric Clapton’s Unplugged released in 1992. It would be a nice tribute for Mr. Levy if his acoustic album could win him his first Grammy Award on February 15 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Mr. Levy told me he is planning to attend the ceremony. We all wish him well. Acousticalevy is brilliantly conceived and masterfully produced with some of his best hits. The timbre and vocal harmony is heartwarming and emotionally appealing, at times even painful with its messages of life’s hardships for many of us. Truly a remarkable album, and one of his best to date. Highlights include “Murdera,” “Prison Oval,” “Only You,” and my two favorites “Vice Versa Love” and “Vibes Is Right.” All CDs and DVDS reviewed in this article are heard through Bowers & Wilkens Nautilus 801 speakers and ASW 4000 subwoofer, and Rotel Preamp 1070, amplifier 1092 and CD player 1072. B&W speakers are now available at Magnolia, Best Buys (703.518.7951) and IQ Home Entertainment (703.218.9855). CDs are available for purchase through amazon.com For more information about this column, please email your questions to fagon@ hillrag.com. u

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{health & fitness}

Making Sense of New Government Dietary Guidelines by Pattie Cinelli

e eat because we are hungry. We eat because we are depressed. We eat because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to eat. We eat because everyone else is eating. We eat because we are stressed. We eat because it tastes good.

Whatever the reason, everyone has to eat. Nourishing our bodies keeps us alive. What we choose to eat contributes to how well we live, function, sleep, and stay disease-free. Last month the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Holistic health coach Stacy Peterson advises a client. Photo: Stacy Peterson

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released updated dietary guidelines that incorporate the latest scientific research to help us understand how to make better food choices. The guidelines “encourage healthy eating patterns to prevent chronic diseases” and reflect advancements in scientific understanding that connect healthy eating choices with health outcomes over a lifetime. They focus on eating patterns as a whole – not on individual nutrients or foods in isolation, but on variety and consistency. HHS says it wants to empower us through tools we need to make healthy choices. However, the information can be overwhelming. What are healthy eating, nutrientdense foods, and “good oils”? How do I figure out if I’m eating less than 2,300 milligrams per day of sodium? What do the recommendations mean when they say we should get less than 10 percent of our calories per day from added sugars? Am I getting less than 10 percent of my calories from saturated fat? I talked to Stacy Peterson, a holistic health coach and nutrition educator on the Hill, about practical ways in which we can apply this guidance. Peterson has an undergraduate degree in kinesiology and a master’s of science in human nutrition and functional medicine. She was a competitive swimmer and a strength and conditioning coach at American University and the University of San Diego. “You have to figure out what works for you,” she explained – “your genetic makeup, your body type, your goals, your tastes, your lifestyle, and your health needs. It’s about balance and moderation. We can all make small changes that can positively affect our physical and mental health through good food choices.” Simple things, like eating protein for breakfast instead of car-

bohydrates, “can affect how we feel and function during the day. It’s like throwing a log onto a fire instead of burning paper. The log burns slower and longer.”

Nutrient-Dense Foods One of the guidelines suggests eating a variety of nutrient-dense foods. “They are foods that have vitamins and minerals in them that allow cells to function optimally,” said Peterson. “They also help eliminate toxins from the body.” For example, she suggested eating dark green leafy vegetables, root vegetables, avocados, tomatoes, and things that are colorful such as peppers, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower. Sweet potatoes are better than white potatoes, she noted, because white potatoes cause a spike in your glycemic index (blood sugar level).

Salt Do I consume more than 2,300 milligrams of salt per day? I have no idea what that looks like. “I recommend about one teaspoon of salt per day,” Peterson said. “Whether you are eating chips or shaking it onto your eggs it doesn’t take much to get to one teaspoon.” She said because of the high amount of processed foods we are consuming – 80 percent of the salt that we consume comes from processed foods – we are getting the wrong kind of salt. “We need salt. It regulates our blood pressure and helps the brain communicate with our muscles so we can physically move. We don’t want to cut out salt completely.” However, what kind of salt you are using makes a big difference. “Pink Himalayan salt is precious salt that’s been cured under extreme pressure. It has less sodium chloride and more natural trace minerals such as phosphorus

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and vanadium which our bodies need – about 15 percent more than table salt, which adds man-made minerals.”

Sugar When the guidelines recommend consuming less that 10 percent of calories per day of added sugars, it means sugars and syrups that are added to foods or beverages when they are processed or prepared. This does not include naturally occurring sugars in foods such as fruit and milk. “You have to read ingredients lists,” said Peterson. “You would be surprised at what has added sugar.” I took her advice and picked up a bag of potato chips and read the label, which stated “2 grams of sugar.” Salt and/or sugar are added to many foods that are boxed or canned.

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Guidelines recommend consuming less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fats that can be found in foods such as whole milk, butter, meats, and tropical oils such as palm and coconut. I was confused. Are these foods not good for us? “Not all saturated fats and oils are equal,” said Peterson. “Not one oil is great for everything.” The question, she said, is, “How are we eating the oil?” For example, olive oil should be cooked on very low heat or no heat. However, butter and coconut oil are good when cooking with high heat. Explained Peterson, “Canola oil, safflower oil, and sunflower oil are not suitable to be used with high heat. They smoke, which is a sign of decomposition, and become ran-

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The guidelines suggest eating a variety of protein foods regularly. Not all protein is the same. “Lean meat from animals that are grass fed and/or organic are preferable,” according to Peterson. “If you buy from a local butcher find out where they get the meat.” Embracing the connection between nutrition and the prevention of chronic conditions such as obesity, type-2 diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease is a challenge. It requires selfawareness and knowledge of “good” foods. It requires diligence for reading labels and being open to new scientific approaches and discoveries as well as having patience with yourself while discovering the unique way in which to eat healthy. For more detailed information on the dietary guidelines go to www.dietaryguidelines.gov. For assistance in developing a personal healthy eating plan contact stacypeterson@accelerationsports.net or call her at 805-704-7193. Pattie Cinelli is a holistic health and fitness personal trainer and yoga and Pilates instructor who started writing this column more than 20 years ago. She writes about leading-edge health and fitness experts and programs that can assist Capitol Hill residents in living well. You can email her with column ideas or questions at fitness@ pattiecinelli.com. ◆

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{health and fitness}

Let Them Play!

’m a child psychiatrist on Capitol Hill, and on my way to work the other day I happened to pass by the playground of Brent Elementary School. Kids at recess were running, kicking balls, climbing, and chasing one another. A group of girls were acting out some complex story in the corner. Two boys were wrestling, keeping it just to the side of the line where a teacher wouldn’t intervene. I found myself smiling. Their energy was contagious. But what makes play so wonderful for children? It turns out it’s not just pent-up energy run amok. We know from scientific studies that play teaches kids how to make decisions, cooperate, solve problems, and learn new skills. Animal studies show that play activates the prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain involved in planning and self-control. Play helps children learn social skills, which are a strong predictor of later academic

by Dr. Meg van Achterberg success. High rates of early imaginative play predict higher levels of creativity later in life. Nobel Prize recipients and MacArthur “Genius” grant winners have reported a high level of childhood engagement in “make-believe worlds.” And then there’s the physical benefit: the more outside play kids get, the more apt they are to have a normal body weight. What can parents do to encourage healthy play? Here are some tips that I’ve found helpful as both a parent and in my private practice: 1)

Be playful yourself. Maybe you’re not up to the monkey bars or playing “Pretty Pretty Princess” for the fifteenth time this week. But playfulness is not just for the playground or toy room. You can make up silly rhymes together, count the steps it takes to circle the block, or even lie on the couch with your child and see how long

you can keep a feather floating in the air with just your breath. 2)

Choose toys without batteries. Any toy that talks is telling you the “right” way to play with it. But a ball or a stick or an oldfashioned doll encourages kids to figure out how to make the most of it – which is the sort of mental freewheeling that helps brains forge those wonderful prefrontal cortex connections.

Cull your toy collection. Kids get overwhelmed with too many choices. A clean, uncluttered play space with well-chosen toys encourages more organized and imaginative play.

Don’t over-schedule your child. Make time every day for unstructured play, especially if your child is younger than 10.

Photo: Andrew Lightman

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Tolerate a little chaos. Sometimes the couch cushions are needed for forts and the plastic bowls are going to become hats.

Let play happen where it happens. On the walk to school or the store, allow that extra minute of hopping on the sidewalk squares. “Hurry up” is a phrase I know I say all too often to my own kids, but I’m trying to be aware of it and use it only when I am truly late.

Don’t get stuck on the “right way” to play with a toy. Unless a kid is going to break something or hurt someone, let their natural creativity lead the way. Get outdoors. Studies show that when kids are in nature they have less stress and fewer ADHD symptoms, and play more cooperatively and creatively. This doesn’t mean you have to take a hike or organize an expensive ski trip. Take an hour to explore Fern Valley or the Children’s Garden at the National Arboretum, a short drive from the Hill. Limit screen time. This seems obvious but is hard to do in practice. Think of screen time as junk food: kids love it, it keeps them quiet for a little while, but you wouldn’t want to make it the bulk of their diet.

10) Just because they are waiting in line or in a car doesn’t mean they have a constitutional right to play on your phone. Boredom is a great opportunity for kids to draw, tell you about something fun they did, or dream up a new game.

11) No screen time when friends are over. All those wild ideas that kids bounce off each other and build into elaborate new games don’t happen when attention is fixated on a screen. 12) Start early. If you have a baby or toddler, now is the time to evaluate your relationship with your smart phone and decide how much screen time you want for your child. Now is the time to set rules about the kinds of toys you want for your kids and to get into the habit playing outside every day weather permits. This is an investment in your child that will not only strengthen her brain but bring you both decades of joy.

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The good news for Hill parents is that we live in a close-knit community where kids run with other kids. Parents don’t need to drive their kids all over creation to find a friend. But children, especially young ones, do still need parents to help build their hyper-local kid community. It may be as simple as sitting on the front stoop and giving your toddler a bucket of chalk, and waiting to see which neighbors stop by to join the fun.

Further Resources Alliance for Childhood: www.allianceforchildhood.org National Institute for Play: www.nifplay.org Association for Play Therapy: www.a4pt.org Meg van Achterberg, MD, is board certified in general psychiatry and child and adolescent psychiatry. She is the founder of Capitol Hill Child Psychiatry PLLC. ◆

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{health and fitness}

Heart Disease The District Vet by Dan Teich

ebruary is for hearts and love. Happy Valentine’s Day! So let’s chat about that muscle which never stops loving your pet, its heart. Like your heart a dog or cat’s pumps blood containing oxygen and nutrients to nearly every cell in the body. The heart is an efficient pump, but when it is diseased or stressed fluid may build up in the chest, abdomen, or both, causing heart failure or disturbances in the normal electrical rhythm of the muscle. Heart disease in pets has many similarities to human cardiac problems, but there are also differences.

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Like any physical problem, it is important to recognize when your pet may be having heart problems. Dogs and cats do not develop atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) as people and do not have classic heart attacks, but they do show other signs. Although they do not grab their chest in pain, dogs may display clinical signs including decreased ability to exercise, tiring easily, coughing, breathing difficulties, distended abdomen, lack of appetite, or simply acting “old.” Cats show similar signs but can be even more subtle. They may include restlessness and an inability to appear rested or comfortable, hiding, and open-mouth

breathing. Sadly, in both dogs and cats sudden death is a possibility. Certain factors may increase your pet’s susceptibility to developing heart disease. These include a few similar to humans: being overweight, eating a poor diet, age, and genetics and familial predilection. This is particularly true in certain breeds of dog including boxer, Boston terrier, Cavalier King Charles spaniel, and cocker spaniel and in Maine coon, Persian, ragdoll, and Siamese cats. The single most important step you can take to protect your pet’s heart is to schedule regular physical exams with your veterinarian. They will listen to the heart, check for nor-

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mal heart sounds and rhythm, evaluate for risk factors, discuss potential problems, and monitor overall health. Many heart problems can be medically managed. Dogs and cats can also develop heartworm disease, a condition where spaghetti-like worms live within the right side of the heart. The worms are transmitted via bites from infected mosquitoes. Heartworm is most common in dogs but can also occur in cats. Prevention is easy and involves giving your dog or cat a monthly preventive, in a chewable or topical form. Heartworm disease may lead to severe cardiac compromise and even death. Giving your pet a monthly preventive is the easiest thing you can do to decrease your pet’s risk of developing the deadly disease. Obesity is another factor strongly correlated with heart disease. Love your pet via feeding a high-quality diet and getting him or her adequate exercise. Many problems can be helped simply with diet and exercise. The good news for pets with heart problems is that there are many effective treatments that extend time and quality of life. Many medications used in human medicine were pioneered in the veterinary world and are proven to be safe and effective. In more serious cases of heart disease a veterinary cardiologist may even be consulted. With proper care, diet, activity levels, and medications, many pets with heart disease may lead a happy and active life. Remember that love from your heart this February and every day should extend to your pet’s heart, too. Dan Teich, DVM, is at District Veterinary Hospital, 3748 10th St. NE, www.districtvet.com and desk@districtvet.com. ◆

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525 SCHOOL ST SW WA S H I N G T O N D C , 2 0 0 2 4

Washington Global Public Charter School is a tuition-free middle school (6th, 7th and 8th) open to all students in Washington, DC. We offer a robust international and research-based academic program to develop globally competitive students who are ready for college and careers. Our program includes projectbased learning, small learning communities and classes, technology instruction, arts, and foreign language classes in Spanish and Chinese. We strive for all of our students to be healthy and active through our nutrition, physical education, and athletic programs. We also serve as a community school that promotes local engagement and service-learning for our students.

WHAT MAKES WASHINGTON GLOBAL UNIQUE: • Chromebooks for Each Student • College Preparatory International Curriculum • Intensive Foreign Language Courses (including intensive classes for bilingual students)

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Come Join Us at Our Open House for 2016-2017 Enrollment! February 4 & 23, 2016 | 5 - 6 pm RSVP with Yezica Diaz at ydiaz@washingtonglobal.org or call 202-796-2415

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{kids & family} N O T E B O O K by Kathleen Donner Celebrate Chinese New Year On Feb. 6 at 11 a.m., the Kennedy Center plans a number of free activities for kids of all ages—including Chinese paper cut making, Beijing Opera stage makeup demonstration and costume dress-up, traditional instrument demonstrations, Monkey King mask making, Chinese knot making, red lantern making, and calligraphy demonstrations. Free, no tickets required. kennedy-center.org. Henan Arts Troup perform at last year’s Chinese New Year Celebration Family Day. Photo: Courtesy of the Kennedy Center

Boy Scout Troop 500 Annual Pancake Breakfast The 14th annual Capitol Hill Boy Scout Troop 500 Pancake Breakfast will be held on Feb. 20 from 8 to noon at the Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church, Fourth Street and Independence Avenue SE. Sample four kinds of pancakes, bacon, sausage, juice, coffee, tea, hot cocoa, milk and unlimited seconds. Tickets, available at the door, are $15 for adults and $5 for children under 12. Additional donations appreciated. www.capitol-hill-scouts-troop-500.org. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kids’ Programming at INTERSECTIONS During INTERSECTIONS Festival 2016 (Feb. 26 to March 6), each Saturday morning the Atlas comes alive with performances and activities for all members of the family. The Atlas lobby will be filled with music, balloons, clowns, instrument “petting zoos” and more. All lobby activities are free.

INTERSECTIONS ticketed family events include: Shakespeare for The Young: Midsummer Magic, Feb. 27 and March 5, 9:30 a.m.; Cri-Cri El Grillito Cantor: The Singing Cricket, Feb. 27 and March 5, 10:30 a.m.; General Mischief Dance Theatre: Mischief goes Mobile/”Up and Away”, Feb. 27, 11:30 a.m.; Arts on the Horizon--Space Bop, March 5, 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. and March 6, 11:30 a.m., 3:30 p.m.; Classical Ballet Theatre presents “Day on the Ranch”, March 5, 11:30 a.m.; March 12, 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. The Atlas Performing Arts Center is at 1333 H St. NE. The box office number is 202-399-7993 ext. 2. atlasarts.org. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Infant Massage at Hill Center During this hands-on course, parents and caregivers will learn how to comfort and soothe their baby, reduce or eliminate infant fussiness and help their babies to sleep better and longer. It will be held on Saturdays, Feb. 13 to 28, 1:30 to 3 p.m. Learn to

relieve gas, colic and constipation through a special Gas & Colic Routine. Study infant behavioral states, cues, reflexes and about Gentle Movements that are vital for an infant’s development and the connection between brain hemispheres. This class is perfect for parents and caregivers with infants sixweeks old through pre-crawling. $150. Register online at hillcenterdc.org. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

American Youth Chorus Auditions American Youth Chorus has rolling auditions throughout the year. There are also scheduled auditions during the summer and in January. Children ages 8 to 14 from DC, Maryland, and Virginia may audition. No preparation or experience is necessary. A simple audition with the Artistic Director takes about 15 minutes. To schedule an audition, email AYC Manager Susan Kennedy at AYCmanager@congressionalchorus.org or call 301-502-4952. Potential singers need not prepare a song in advance. The chorus is divided into two sections based on age. The Junior Division (ages 8 to 10) rehearses on Tuesdays from 4:30 to 6 p.m. The Senior Division (ages 11 to 14) rehearses on Thursdays from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Rehearsals take place at the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, 545 Seventh St. SE.

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Give Your Child an Extraordinary Start to School! Enroll in kindergarten at the Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center, where every day is a new adventure! Open House: Tuesday, February 23, 2016, 10:15am – 11:30am Application Deadline: Monday, February 29, 2016 Questions? Contact Meredith McMahon at 202.633.1395 or mcmahonm@si.edu

Music and Movement Every Friday at 11 a.m., sing, dance and reveal your inner musician at Southeast Library’s music and movement time for children ages 0 to 5. This music time is dynamic and interactive. Free tickets are required due to limited space. Tickets are distributed beginning 30 minutes before music time on a first-come, first-served basis. Southeast Neighborhood Library, 403 Seventh St. SE. 202698-3377. dclibrary.org/southeast. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chess Club for Kindergarteners to Eighth Graders

OUR ORDINARY IS EXTRAORDINARY!

Wednesdays, Feb. 3 to Apr. from 6 to 7 p.m., learn chess from a Silver Knights Chess coach. Class time is split between lesson and play. Chess Club is taught by experienced educators using a curriculum developed by National Masters. Playing chess is a great way to develop a child’s critical thinking skills, sportsmanship and patience. Financial assistance is available. $170 for 10-week session. Register online at hillcenterdc.org. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Children’s Movies Families are invited to enjoy a wide range of innovative film programming that includes classics, recently produced shorts and foreign features. The films are selected to appeal to both youth and adult audiences. Age recommendations assist parents in selecting the most emotionally and intellectually stimulating films for their children are available. Feature films are in English, unless otherwise noted. All children’s films are shown in the East Building Auditorium which seats 500 people. Seating is offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Groups are welcome. Programs are free. No advance registration is required. Coming up are Frosty Films (ages 4 and up), Saturday, Feb. 13 at 10:30 a.m. and Sunday, Feb. 14 and Monday, Feb. 15 at 11:30 a.m.; and Monkey Kingdom (ages 6 and up), Saturday, March 19 at 10:30 a.m. and Sunday, March 20 at 11:30 a.m. nga.gov. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Camp at Valley Forge On Feb. 27 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., celebrate George Washington’s birthday by attending

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Camp at Valley Forge. Children will learn about the Continental Army’s experience at the winter encampment (1777-78) through handson activities, including drilling, cooking over a campfire and building a miniature camp model. This program is for ages 8 to 11. $35 per child. Snacks are provided, but children must bring their own lunch. Reservations required. Anderson House, 2118 Massachusetts Ave. NW. 202785-2040. societyofthecincinnati.org. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

African American Pioneers in Aviation Each February, the National Air and Space Museum celebrates the significant contributions African Americans have made to flight and space exploration despite the overwhelming obstacles they had to overcome. Visitors enjoy presentations, hands-on activities and stories. Meet astronauts, fighter pilots, and others who will share stories of their challenges and accomplishments. Learn about inspiring historic figures like Bessie Coleman through reenactments or story times. African American Pioneers in Aviation and Space is on Feb. 20 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the National Air and Space Museum, Independence Avenue at Sixth Street SW. airandspace.si.edu. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

New Support for Homeless LGBTQ Youth Casa Ruby has added six new shelter beds to better serve LGBTQ youth at the Casa Ruby Drop-In Center. This expansion was made possible by a $45,000 grant by Verizon to support Wanda Alston House and Supporting and Mentoring Youth Advocates and Leaders (SMYAL). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Giant Panda Cub Bei Bei Makes Public Debut Giant panda cub Bei Bei went on public exhibit on Jan. 16. In the past three months, he has transformed from a pink hairless lump weighing about five ounces to a robust 12.5-pound black-and-white cub capable of crawling and sometimes walking on his own. Bei Bei is larger than both his older siblings Bao Bao and Tai Shan were at the same age. The Panda House has been closed since August to give the mother and cub quiet and

APPLICATIONS BEING ACCEPTED FOR THE 2016-2017 SCHOOL YEAR Apply for admissions at: www.myschooldc.org or call (202) 888-6336

time to bond. The Panda House is now open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., daily. Mei Xiang and Bei Bei will continue to have access to the den where Bei Bei was born. There they are only visible on the panda cams. On high visitation days, visitors will be allowed into the Panda House in small groups. nationalzoo.si.edu. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My First 5K/10K This race is definitely for those who have never run a 5K before. Here is a chance to run or walk with your peers and to scratch it off your bucket list. My First 5K/10K is Feb. 20 at 10 a.m. at C&O Canal Towpath in Georgetown, 3700 Water St. Register at active.com/washington-dc. Kids ages 11 and under run for free. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My School DC Lottery Information On Feb. 13 at 11 a.m., join My School DC at Northeast Library to learn how to apply through the common lottery for DCPS and public charter schools. Questions? Call 202888-6336 or visit MySchoolDC.org. Northeast Neighborhood Library, 330 Seventh St. NE. 202-698-0058. dclibrary.org/northeast. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Celebrate the Lunar New Year On Feb. 6 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., ring in the Year of the Monkey with art! The second annual Sackler/Freer Lunar New Year celebration features free attractions for all ages including: Dance performances by Madison Chinese Dance Academy; Ribbon-dancing tutorials; calligraphy; paper folding and knot tying; mask making and coloring; Lunar New Year resolutions; family-friendly tours of Monkeys Grasp for the Moon and photo booth fun. The Sackler Gallery is at 1050 Independence Ave. SW. asia.si.edu.

National Parks Adventure IMAX The National Parks IMAX, G-rated takes viewers on an off-trail adventure into the nation’s awe-inspiring wilderness. Spectacularly wild and beautiful places like Yosemite, Yellowstone, the Everglades, the Redwoods, Arches, and Canyonlands are illuminated with immersive giant-screen cinematography. National Parks Adventure opens at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum on Feb. 12. mnh.si.edu. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

National Archives Story Time for Pre–Schoolers On Wednesday, Feb. 17, 10 to 11 a.m., it’s story time at the National Archives. Join them for stories, activities, and crafts about Presidents. This program is designed especially for 3 to 5-year-olds and accompanying adults. The National Archives is at 700 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. archives.gov. Also at the Archives, delve into the history of the Emancipation Proclamation and learn about US Presidents through hands–on activities in the Boeing Learning Center, Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. throughout the month of February. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Old Town Alexandria Scavenger Hunt Hunt through the brick-lined streets of Old Town to discover historic places and learn about George Washington and other patriots. Divide into teams and see who wins. This activity is for ages 7 to 11. Map and clues are available at the Christmas Attic, 125 South Union St., Alexandria, VA. visitalexandriava.com. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How Plants Work for Middle and High School Teachers Never have time to get to the US Bo-

Pre-K 3 through 4th grade

Building a strong foundation for learning

Open Houses on the following Thursdays, 9:30 am-10:30 am*:

February 18 & 25 March 17 & 24 . April 21 & 28 *You must register for these sessions by calling (202) 726-1843. For the 2016-2017 school year Bridges PCS will be in our new location:

100 Gallatin St. NE, Washington, DC 20011.

www.bridgespcs.org 1250 Taylor Street, NW, Washington, DC 20011 p: 202.545.0515 Accredited by Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Voted one of the Best Preschools in DC, City Paper Readers Poll 2013 -2015!

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Apply at: www.myschooldc.org Application deadline March 1, 2016

Preparing culturally diverse elementary school students to be leaders, scholars, and responsible citizens who are committed to social justice. • French and Spanish immersion program • Dual focus on academic excellence and community service

Open House February 25: 9:30 AM–10:45 AM School tours on the following Wednesdays from 9:00 AM -10:00 AM February 3 • February 17 • March 2 • March 16 • April 6 Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom PCS 3700 Oakview Terrace, NE | Washington, DC 20017 | 202.265.7237 www.ewstokes.org February 2016 H 133

tanic Garden? Join Lee Coykendall for a behind-the-scenes workshop and learn how to use the Garden as an extension of your classroom. This workshop is designed for middle and high school teachers. Training is at the US Botanic Garden, 100 Maryland Ave. SW, on Thursday, Feb. 4, from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Pre-registration is required. usbg.gov. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Disney On Ice Get tangled up in Disney’s 50th animated feature with Rapunzel and Flynn and enter the worlds of your other favorite Disney princess-

es: Tiana, Cinderella, Jasmine, Ariel, Aurora, Belle, Mulan and of course Snow White. Ahoy, Mateys! Set sail with Peter Pan, the always sassy Tinker Bell and the cantankerous Captain Hook and his pirate pals on an adventure beyond Never Land! Trek the wilds of Africa with Simba, Nala, Pumbaa and Timon as they discover the true meaning of the ‘Circle of Life.’ Tick-Tock! Tick-Tock! Don’t be late to a very important date with Alice and the Mad Hatter as they march with the Queen of Hearts’ Army of Cards. Set a playdate with Woody and Buzz Lightyear because the toys are back in

Discover Engineering On Feb. 27, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., discover how professional engineers turn ideas into reality and do some engineering and problem solving of your own at the National Building Museum. Join engineers in their exploration of thermodynamics, electricity, aerodynamics and more at more than 25 activities and demonstrations. The National Building Museum is at 401 F St. NW. 202-272-2448. nbm.org. Photo: Courtesy of the National Building Museum

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Enc Empowouraging e Imagin rment and Safe anation in a d Enviro Caring For Chnment il Ages 3 dren -10

From June 20 - August 12, 2016 Younger children (ages 3-5) will enjoy performances, trips, picnics in the park, water play. Older ones (ages 6-10) will enjoy science classes, field trips, Labyrinth games, fitness classes, arts, weekly visits to the pool, gardening, cooking classes and more.

Registration Begins February 1st Download applications at www.politepiggys.com Mail to PO Box 31215, WDC 20030 Flexible Scheduling: ages 3-5: ages 6-10:

Weekly $315 $345

Early Bird Discount:

Whole Day $63 $69

Half Day $41 $47

Drop In $68 $74

$15 weekly discount for all prepaid weeks paid for by 4/4/2016.

More Info: 240-396-8957 ask for VanNessa www.politepiggys.com politepiggysdaycamp@yahoo.com February 2016 H 135

town. Disney On Ice Presents Treasure Trove is at the Verizon Center, Feb. 10 to 15, for 10 shows. Tickets, starting at $20, are on sale now at ticketmaster.com. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fish Tales Story Hour Have you ever heard a fish tale? Well, this one is true! Join biologists at the Aquatic Resources Education Center (AREC) in Anacostia Park, for Fish Tales; a nature based story hour for 2 to 4-year-old children and their parents and guardians. On Feb. 6 and 30; and March 5 and 19; from 10 to 11 a.m., AREC staff biologists will read stories about aquatic animals and lead corresponding craft activities for DC’s youngest naturalists. Stories will focus on the aquatic wildlife in our city and include close encounters with the education center’s resident fish, frogs, turtles and more. To register for Fish Tales Story Hour, email doee.arec@dc.gov and indicate the number of participants you are bringing. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

10 YEARS ON CAPITOL HILL

Run by Mr. Tony

Affordable Weekly Summer Sessions June 27 to July 29 $250/ 8:00am-3:00pm – $50/ aftercare 3:00pm-6:00pm $20/ week registration fee – 50% sibling discount To enroll go to www.adventurecampdc.com / enrollment

Our main goal is to get out to have an ADVENTURE every day! * exploring real nature * splashing around in a water adventure * city’s shows and exhibits We will walk and use public transportation

Located at JO Wilson Elementary School (660 K St. NE) More info (202) 725-6087 • www.adventurecampdc.com 136 H Hillrag.com

Jack and Phil, GiantSlayers, INC. In this contemporary, tongue-incheek adaptation of the classic fairy tale Jack and the Beanstalk, Jack is a sporty, popular kid whose mother is facing foreclosure on their house. Jack enlists Phil, his smart yet nerdy neighbor, to accompany him to a pawnbroker to trade in his Grandfather’s gold watch for quick cash. Instead, the boys are paid in magic beans. And, soon enough, a beanstalk grows tall with golden eggs, a harp, and a Giant’s home waiting at the top! After discovering the treasures, Jack becomes an overnight TV sensation, but his failure to acknowledge Phil’s help threatens the boys’ friendship, and very nearly leads to disaster when the Giant decides to come down the beanstalk. Best for ages 5 and old-

er. On stage Feb. 3 to March 13, at Imagination Stage, 4908 Auburn Ave., Bethesda, MD. imaginationstage.org. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gene Luen Yang Ambassador For Young People’s Literature The Library of Congress, the Children’s Book Council and Every Child a Reader announce the appointment of Gene Luen Yang, Printz Award winner and two-time National Book Award finalist, as the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. The program was established by the three organizations in 2008 to highlight the importance of young people’s literature. Yang will travel nationwide over the course of his two-year term promoting his platform, “Reading Without Walls,” showing kids and teens that reading is a vital part of their lives and speaking to parents, teachers, librarians—everyone invested in young people’s literacy—about how better to connect with kids and teens and help them love reading. Gene Luen Yang is the first graphic novelist to be named National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. loc.gov. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Revolutionary War Reenactment at Fort Ward Park On Feb. 14, there will be an historic camp and tactical demonstrations throughout the day including a Revolutionary War skirmish at 2 p.m. between the Redcoats and the Colonial Army. Participants include renowned reenactment units from around the United States dressed in authentic period costumes and demonstrating authentic l8th Century weaponry. Admission is free. Fort Ward Museum & Historic Site is at 4301 West Braddock Rd., Alex-

andria, VA. washingtonbirthday. net/revwar-reenactment. -----------------------------------------------------------------------

Len Piper’s Pinocchio at Glen Echo This production is a life-sized marionette version of Carlo Collodi’s classic children’s tale created in the 1960s by the father of the Puppet Co.’s co-founder, Christopher Piper. This production has been completely refurbished and adapted for the Puppet Co. stage. On stage at Glen Echo through Feb. 21. Plays Thursdays and Fridays at 10:30 a.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Recommended for ages 5 and older. Running time is 50 minutes. thepuppetco.org. Coming soon are Beauty and the Beast, Feb. 25 to Apr. 10, and Sleeping Beauty, Apr. 14 to May 29. -----------------------------------------------------------------------

Marine Corps Chocolate-Themed Family Day On Feb. 13 from noon to 3 p.m., learn how the Tootsie Roll came to the rescue of Marines during the Korean War as well as other uses of chocolate by US Marines. National Museum of the Marine Corps, 18900 Jefferson Davis Hwy. (Teacher-in-Residence trailer), Triangle, VA. usmcmuseum.com. Coming soon is the Astronomy Family Day at the National Museum of the Marine Corps, Saturday, March 12, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. ----------------------------------------------------------------------Have a tip for the Kids and Family Notebook? Email bulletinboard@ hillrag.com. u

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INTERESTED IN ADVERTISING WITH US? Call Laura Vucci 202-400-3510

or laura@hillrag.com for more information on advertising. February 2016 H 137

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School Notes

by Susan Braun Johnson

The Capitol Hill Cluster School The Cluster PTA hosted its second Family Fun Night on January 19 at Stuart-Hobson Middle School. A lively DJ encouraged Cluster students and families to dance the night away. The night of music, dancing and dinner enhanced the strong Cluster community. Winter break readers rocked the Capitol Hill Cluster reading challenge. Peabody students rode the Reading Rocket to 80,625 minutes so far this school year. Watkins students have read 134,050 minutes. Stuart-Hobson students have read 68,958 minutes! Freshfarm’s FoodPrints Program released its first video. The recording captures the students’ passion for growing, harvesting, preparing, and eating nutritious food from gardens both at Peabody and Watkins, as well as at a number of other schools on the Hill. Watkins first grade teacher Ms. Bowers, Cluster parents Bernetta Reese and Beth Bacon and Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen all have starring roles. Collectively, they explained to viewers the benefits of a life-long love of growing and preparing food, the application of STEM skills in a practical setting, and encouragement of healthy eating.

Peabody Early Childhood Peabody has welcomed two new teachers. Kindergarten teacher Fiona Gruver graduated from Virginia Tech with a degree in Political Science and French. She also holds a Master in Elementary Education. Gruver started her career in education as a first grade teacher in the Bronx and Brooklyn, before deciding to return home to the DC area with her husband. Pre-K4 teacher Nichole Morgan

Brent’s Girls on the Run Team celebrating a great season.

holds a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood/ Elementary Education from Temple University; and as well as a Master from American Intercontinental University. Morgan taught kindergarten in neighboring Prince George’s County for nine years before joining the Peabody team.

Watkins Elementary As part of a ten-year annual tradition, Watkins Elementary students re-enacted Dr. King’s historic “I Have a Dream” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Monument. Watkins Principal Elena Bell joined leading students in song and celebration. This year the special commemoration took place on January 15, Dr. King’s 87th birthday. Watkins student Beverly Lee is the number one second-grader on First in Math in the entire country. Having earned 34,640 stickers so far this school year, Lee is also one of the top 20 players overall. First in Math is an online program that reinforces a range of skills, from addition to complex algebra. Watkins uses the application to keep students engaged in math.

Stuart-Hobson Middle Stuart Hobson Girls Volleyball Team placed second citywide.

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The Stuart Hobson Middle School STEM Fair was held on January 20.

Students in sixth, seventh and eighth grades demonstrated their knowledge of the Scientific Method in discussions on projects and experiments. The students have been preparing for this day since early November. The hard work will pay when they compete in the District of Columbia City Wide STEM Fair on March 19. The Capitol Hill Cluster School’s website is www.capitolhillclusterschool.org. It features weekly updates for all three campuses. Peabody is located at 425 C St. NE. Watkins is located at 420 12th St. SE. Stuart-Hobson is located at 410 E St. NE. Katharine Kaplan. u

Brent Elementary Girls on the Run Brent’s fantastic Girls on the Run team put all their training and hard work together for a 5k last month. Aided by beautiful weather and their incredible third grade coaching team, Ms. Hill, Ms. Kraemer and Ms. Maschari, the girls finished strong.

Second Grader Wins International First Prize Clara Merrick, a Brent second grader won first prize in the Teachers Against Prejudice poster contest in the first and second-grade age group! This international contest was open to all students in elementary grades one through four including

Clara Merrickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prize winning poster.

students from private and public schools as well as home-schooled students. Teachers against Prejudice is a non-profit group dedicated to fighting prejudice, intolerance and bigotry through education. The group stands for a future built on the respect and acceptance we can all create today. Congratulations to Clara.

Come Visit Want visit Brent? Please come to an Open House. At these events interested families meet Brent Principal Peter Young, teachers and parents. Come and hear more about Brentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s high-quality responsive education and unique museum program and receive a tour of the school. The Open House schedule is 9 to 10:30 a.m. on the following Mondays: Feb. 1, March 7 and May 9. RSVP to Denise Diggs at denise.diggs@dc.gov. Children are welcome. Brent Elementary is at 301 North Carolina Ave. SE. Call 202698-3363 or visit www.brentelementary.org for more information. Denise Diggs. u

J.O. Wilson Elementary Wonderful things are happening in the special subject classes at J.O Wilson Elementary! Students take French class every week. Now, students will be able to practice their French language skills in the library as well. Thanks to a $1,500 grant from the Capitol Hill Community Foundation, the school library is purchasing a collection of early readers in French. Titles should be on the shelves in a few weeks! Many people find walking a labyrinth to be a calming and peaceful activity. Unlike a maze, a labyrinth generally has one path; and can be used to focus the mind. This winter, J.O. Wilson has been partnering with Labyrinths for Peace in art class. Starting in January and continuing for six weeks, Kindergarten and a third grade classes have been exploring a variety of media to create labyrinths. The culminating project will be a large scale painted labyrinth on canvas for the school to keep. Music classes this school year have an extra instrumental music component that has helped to spark

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Where Every Customer is Family! Serving the Finest Cuban, Puerto Rican and Latin Cuisine. 202-543-5906 500 8th Street, SE www.bananacafedc.com February 2016 H 139

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mitment is required. All interested persons should contact the Miner Elementary PTO at minerpto@gmail.com.

NASA and Gardening Coming to Miner! In addition to Miner’s partnership with the Folger Shakespeare Library, the school recently announced a Science and Engineering Club partnership with NASA Goddard Space Center. Beginning this spring, the program will implement a gardening curriculum with Cultivate the City. Grant funding for the garden curriculum is expected in the spring.

On the Go Miner students continued learning outside the classroom. The fourth grade classes visited the Phillips Collection; and participated in a Shakespearean stage combat program at the Folger Shakespeare Library. Preschool visited the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Community members may soon see Miner second graders on matching blue bicycles as they start the DCPS program that teaches every second grader in the District how to ride.

Open House, Feb. 18 Fifth grade students learn to play the drums with Levine School of Music Instructor Andrew Hare.

student interest in the performing arts. Companies for Causes and Levine School of Music partnered with J.O. Wilson to support the music program. One day each week, an instructor from Levine joins the music class to teach students to play the drums and other percussion instruments. J.O. Wilson is at 660 K St. NE. For more information log on to jowilsondc.org. Kate Sweeney u

Maury Elementary Studying Ceramics Maury students have a unique fundraising idea to help pay for the fifth grade class trip to Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama. They are planning an ice cream social using bowls they are making themselves. Customers will buy their favorite bowls then fill them with delicious ice cream and toppings. Fourth and fifth graders are learning three different techniques for making ceramic vessels: coil, slab and pinch pots, incorporating many whimsical details like feet, faces or geometric appliques. The bowls will be fired in Maury’s own kiln, glazed and re-fired. They then will be washable and microwaveable.

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Maury at the Market: Save the Date The annual fundraising party at Eastern Market is scheduled for March 19. To become a sponsor or donate to the silent auction, contact Kenyon Weaver at mauryatthemarketdc@gmail.com or visit auction. mauryelementary.com. Tickets will be available on the website. This is an opportunity to have a very good time while supporting a neighborhood school. Maury Elementary is located at 1250 Constitution Ave. NE. Call 202-698-3838 or log on to mauryelementary.com for more information.

Miner’s final fall open house event will be Feb. 18 at 9:30am. If you are interested in being added to the Miner playdate and student interest list, please email minerpto@gmail.com. Miner is at 601 15th St. NE. For more information log on to www.minerelementary.org. Holly Harper u

Payne Elementary Junior Cadets at Payne Thanks to the Junior Cadets Program, Payne Elementary School’s fifth graders know firsthand that police officers can be partners, role models and mentors. In 2010, the Washington DC Police Foundation partnered with the Metropolitan Police De-

Elizabeth Nelson. u

Miner Elementary Cub Scout Leaders Sought Miner Elementary’s Cub Scout program has been a part of the school for nearly a decade. With a number of students and staff changing positions, there is a need for community volunteers to lead small groups of boys in the traditional scouting activities. A one-hour weekly com-

Maury students making ceramic ice cream bowls.

partment (MPD) and DC Public Schools to implement Junior Cadets. The program brings public safety education to fifth grade classrooms in DC. By accepting the position of Junior Cadet of the MPD, Payne’s fifth graders pledged to be a good citizens, good students, stay drug-free and demonstrate non-violent behavior. Officer Williams and Sgt. Flipping of MPD’s School Safety Division facilitate bi-monthly classroom lessons about community policing, law enforcement and how the community can help police. They believe fifth grade is an ideal time to develop this relationship. For more information on the Junior Cadet Program, visit their website: www.dcpolicefoundation.org/junior-cadet-program.html Payne is located at 1445 C St, SE. Facebook: PayneES | Instagram: PayneDCPS | Twitter: @paynedcps @payneprincipal www.paynedcps.org. Mary Fitzhugh-Johnson. u

Tyler Elementary Dance, Sing, Spell and Celebrate “Alchemy!” Tyler Tigers in the Creative Arts Program were working diligently alongside resident artists for over eight weeks this winter. Their work culminated in an exciting “Tyler Mosaic” performance of preschool through fifth graders on Jan. 14. The show featured original songs, step dancing, a dramatic play and other styles of dance. Special and sincere thanks go to Akin Gump and the Capitol Hill Community Foundation for their support of the resident artists and other programs. Tyler students from kinder-

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garten through fifth grade also participated in the Jan. 29 school-level Scripps National Spelling Bee. The bee is inclusive at Tyler. It is an opportunity to showcase the outstanding spelling skills of students in all three programs including those on the autism spectrum. Tyler Elementary invites everyone to come out and support the Seventh Annual Fundraiser, “The Alchemy of Great Taste,” on Feb. 27 from 7 to 11 p.m. in Eastern Market’s North Hall. The event features delicious bites and drinks from local restaurants and beverage sponsors, a silent auction and a raffle for an Apple watch. Dance to great live music by Stop Thief! (See ad in this Hill Rag for a complete list of sponsors.) To buy tickets in advance, visit www. tylerelementary.net. Supporters also may write off a portion of their ticket costs as a charitable donation. All proceeds go directly to student programming, the purchase library books, the launching of after school programs. The funds also provide teachers with specialized learning materials. Thank you for your support, Capitol Hill, and Tyler looks forward to seeing you on Feb. 27! Tyler Elementary is at 1001 G St SE. Visit www.tylerelementary.net. Meredith Baker u

School Within a School Literacy Night In January, the School Within a School (SWS) hosted its annual Literacy Night for parents. Teachers from all grades conducted workshops on ways to help children build a solid foundation in reading and writing. The sessions included instruction on encouraging emerging readers; and using visual art to inspire writing; making a kidfriendly writing center in one’s home.

Creating a Culture of Kindness In honor of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the school community pondered: “How can we make sure everyone feels included and treated equally, in spite of our differences?” Students and staff shared thoughts during the monthly community meeting in the multipurpose room. Families were also encouraged to discuss Dr. King’s legacy at home.

Jazz Gala and Auction Spring is just around the corner. That can only mean one thing! The 19th Annual SWS Jazz

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Gala and Auction! This year’s gala will be held on March 5 at St. Mark’s Church on Capitol Hill. Join the school community for appetizers, beer and wine, music and both silent and live auctions. Every dollar raised goes to the school to support staff development, technology, assistant teacher salaries and more. To buy tickets or to learn more, visit swsauction.org. Caption Tyler Tigers perform Tyler Mosaic!

Open House See Reggio-inspired classrooms in action. Talk to parents of current SWS students. Visit the school’s open house on Feb. 20 at 9 a.m. School within School is located at 920 F St. NE. Call 202-727-7377 or visit schoolwithinschool.org for more information. Hannah Schardt u

Eliot-Hine Middle Students Interview the O’Jays & Gladys Knight Eliot-Hine students, under the direction of technology teacher Mr. Birks, interviewed the O’Jays and Gladys Knight at their concert at DAR Constitution Hall on Jan. 15. Both are Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees. Knight has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The O’Jay’s received a BET Lifetime Achievement award in 2009. Other recent interviews by Eliot-Hine students include British Deputy Ambassador Patrick Davies and Swedish Ambassador Björn Lyrvall. Birks is working to get his students an interview with the president.

Higher Achievement Program Eliot-Hine offers Higher Achievement. This program makes a measurable impact on test scores, grades, social/emotional skills and long-term success. On average, 75 percent of scholars who complete the program improve their grade point average (GPA) by at least one letter grade, 96 percent graduate from high school - two times the rate of their peers, and 75 percent graduate from college - four times the rate of their peers. Higher

Achievement’s year-round program is grounded in research. It combines high expectations with high support — demanding academic work plus mentoring, skill-building, individual student achievement plans and personal encouragement. The program includes the Afterschool Academy (Oct. to May), the Summer Academy (six weeks in the summer covering math, literature, science, and social studies), and high school placement services (for eighth grade scholars). To be enrolled in the program, applicants and families must complete an application and schedule an interview. For more information visit higherachievement.org.

Upcoming Community Events at Eliot-Hine • Feb. 4, Karaoke Night, 6 to 8 p.m. • Feb. 10, PTO Meeting, 6 p.m. • EH Ski Club at Ski Liberty Eliot-Hine IB Middle School is located at 1830 Constitution Ave. NE, Call 202-939-5380 for more information. Twitter @EliotHine or FB: Eliot-Hine. Heather Schoell

Capitol Hill Day School CHDS Celebrates Black History Month For 15 years, Capitol Hill Day School has celebrated Black History Month with a school-wide study of notable people – such as Langston Hughes, Katherine Dunham, Mae Jemison, Martin Luther King, Jr., George Washington Carver, Ben-

Eliot-Hine students Naﬁsa Weeks and Lance Spencer interview the O’Jays at DAR Constitution Hall! Photo M. Birks

jamin Banneker, Romare Bearden – and events (50th anniversary of the March on Washington and the issues, music, and people of the Civil Rights Movement). This year, students will explore the life and works of Maya Angelou – poet, memoirist, educator, dramatist, producer, actress, historian, filmmaker, philanthropist and civil rights activist. She was the first African American to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature, and held 50 honorary degrees.

Summer Fun Think warm thoughts and sign up for CHDS Summer Camp! Go to www. chds.org/summercamp and check out the 54 one-week sessions. Does your child like to be on the move? There are camps for soccer, sailing, tennis, basketball, flag football, hiking, and water parks. For the techies, Youth Digital is offering mod and game design plus animation camps. Learn about the science of games from Labyrinth Games and Puzzles. The youngest campers can be scientists, chefs, musicians, yogis, artists, and builders, and explore fairy tale animals, the tropics, and more. Campers in grades two to four can focus on museums, art of all kinds, poetry, fossils, and monsters and aliens. Fifth to

eighth graders can make movies, do fashion design or theatre games and improv and hone their storytelling skills. Camps begin June 20 and end on Aug. 5. The day begins at 9 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m., and extended care is available. Capitol Hill Day School, is located at 210 South Carolina Avenue, SE, Call 202-386-9919 for more information. Jane Angarola u

Friends Community School Celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Friends Community School marked the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with activities in honor of the prominent civil rights leader. More than 250 students, staff and parents marched to Pops Park in Berwyn Heights. They held a rally for peace and equality in commemoration of the 1963 Children’s March led by Dr. King. In advance of the rally, students made signs, studied Dr. King and discussed his ideas and their modern application. At the rally, they listened to speeches. They sang three songs from the civil rights era, “Oh, Freedom,” “If You Miss Me at the Back of the Bus” and “We Shall Overcome.”

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CHDS 4th Graders learning African dance with Coyoba Dance Co. Photo: Lisa Sommers.

Eighth grade students performed a play called “King in Montgomery: Ten Years in the Nonviolent Civil Rights Movement,” an original production directed by middle school teacher Annie Boggess. The performance included freedom songs and excerpts from Dr. King’s writings. The play tells the story of nonviolent tactics used in the civil rights movement. The Friends Chorus participated in the 25th Annual Tribute to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the University of Maryland. Led by performing arts teacher Kiersten Whitehead and accompanied by pianist Debbie Jacobson, students performed “Take Time in Life” and “Light a Candle.” Friends Community School is a Quaker school and the Quakers had a close relationship with Dr. King from the mid-1950s until his death in 1968. Quakers helped arrange the pilgrimage he took to India with his wife Coretta Scott King to visit the people and places associated with the non-violent leader Mahatma Gandhi. Friends Community School is a Kindergarten through eighth grade Quaker school located in College Park, MD. For more information, visit www.friendscommunityschool.org. Eric Rosenthal u

St. Peter School Holocaust Survivor Shares Experience Holocaust survivor Manny Mandel spoke to middle school students about his experience at BergenBelsen, a concentration camp during World War II.

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Friends Community School held a peace rally in honor of MLK Day!

Born to a Jewish family in the port city of Riga, Lativia, Manny moved to Hungary after his father accepted a post as one of four chief cantors in Budapest. As the harassment of Jews escalated, he was marked with the Star of David. His father would follow him to school every day because he was worried for Manny’s safety. In 1944, Manny and his family were put on a train bound for Bergen-Belsen. Manny and his family were among a group of 1600 Hungarian Jews whom Adolf Eichmann offered to trade for Allied material. They eventually were taken to Switzerland by Nazi transport. He and his family immigrated to the United States in 1949. Today, Manny travels the country with the US Holocaust Museum speaking to people about his experience, and the critical role faith plays in resiliency.

St. Peter Auction & 80s Dance Party at the Mandarin Oriental – Feb 6

Celebrating Catholic Schools Week

Bridges Public Charter School

“Proud St. Peter School Family” yards signs popped up all over the Hill in honor of National Catholic Schools’ week, an annual celebration of the faith, knowledge and service that are the anchors of a Catholic education. The week kicked off with student participation in parish Masses, followed by events saluting the school’s academic rigor and Catholic identity. It included an annual science fair competition, a school-wide geography bee, and family math night. The week marked the value of a Catholic education that brings to life a compelling vision of a bright and informed future anchored by faith.

Bridges transforms Mamie D. Lee Campus

Mark your calendars for the St. Peter School Auction & 80s Dance Party on Feb 6 at the Mandarin Oriental. This premier event promises to be a blast! Going back in time for a better tomorrow – the evening will include a DJ, dancing, seated dinner and complimentary cocktails. Not to mention the chance to bid on loads of unique and incredible auction items. Don’t miss out on this amazing evening that benefits supports St. Peter’s tuition assistance program, facility improvements and academic program enhancements. For more information visit www.stpeterschooldc. org. St. Peter School is located at 422 Third St, SE. Sally Aman u

Bridges Public Charter School began construction on a new, permanent facility accommodating all grades. The site at 100 Gallatin St. NE, off Fort Totten Road, was previously occupied by the Mamie D. Lee School. Bridges will be co-located with Briya Public Charter School and Mary’s Center. Briya hosts an adult education and infant-toddler program. Mary’s Center offers medical and dental services to the community. Bridges will add fourth grade next year and fifth grade in the fall of 2017. “When the 2016-2017 school year starts at Bridges, the entire campus will have a brand new

Holocaust survivor Manny Mandel speaks to St. Peter School middle school students.

look,” said Olivia Smith Founder and Head of School. “Bridges will occupy the new building at the north end of the lot. The building will include classrooms, art and music studios and will meet the needs of Bridges’ 400 plus students. A multipurpose room will be available for community events.“ Designed to achieve LEED for Schools Gold Certification, the new facility incorporates a green roof to contain rainwater, a water retention area and permeable pavers. The school’s plans include gardens, an outdoor classroom teaching space and three playgrounds designed for children of different ages. Bridges Public Charter School is located at 1250 Taylor St. NW. To learn more log on to www. bridgespcs.org.

DC International School Spring Athletics DC International’s (DCI) spring athletics are ready to begin later this month! Tennis, track, rugby, softball, and lacrosse are offered through the after-school ACE program during the third and fourth quarters. This in an opportunity for students to build community and develop IB learner profile traits outside of the classroom.

STEM Classes Students in DCI’s Chinese STEM classes are constantly innovating. This winter, students are building an air-driven car with sails, researching eye strain caused by smartphone screens and creating

DCI Students enjoy making and flying kites!

solutions to prevent eye damage, making their own recycled paper, and building kites out of old plastic bags! Some of the kites flew as high as three stories. STEM is a core aspect of DCI’s curriculum as the school strives to prepare students for the everchanging and technology-based future. DCI is located at 3220 16th St. NW. For more information visit www.dcinternationalschool.org. Lauren Games. u

Capital City Public Charter School Seniors Win Prestigious Awards Two seniors from Capital City Public Charter School were officially awarded the prestigious Posse Scholarship in an award ceremony on Jan. 6. This full-tuition scholarship includes on-going mentorship and internship opportunities for awardees. This is the first year that Capital City has had two Posse Scholars. Danny will attend the University of Rochester to study engineering and Mesgana will attend The University of the South to study biology & pre-med. Senior Noemi was named to the DC State Athletic Association All-State team for soccer. This is a tremendous honor for Noemi as only a select few DCPS or public charter school students were named to the team. Capital City Public Charter School is at 100 Peabody St. NW. Visit www.ccpcs.org.

Bridges Public Charter School’s new campus.

Washington Latin PCS What do city kids do when they want something totally different? For Alex Crute, Sam Mader, ZhenHua Pavetti and Theo Shoag, it means spending a semester in rural Wisconsin in the winter! The four Capitol Hill residents, juniors at Washington Latin Public Charter School, will be studying for a semester at the Conserve School in northern Wisconsin (www.conserveschool.org). The Conserve School is a semester boarding school that provides an immersion in environmental studies. All four boys received a Lowenstine Honors Scholarship covering full tuition, room and board (www.conserveschool.org/affordability) Alex, Sam, ZhenHua and Theo all began their academic career at the School Within a School at Peabody. They went to different elementary schools, Watkins, Thompson, Capital City Charter and Two Rivers. They reunited at Washington Latin Public Charter School for middle school. All four remained for high school. Theo and Alex, both Boy Scouts in Troop 500, hold the triple crown of high adventure scouting having hiked, canoed, and sailed on high adventure scouting trips. Alex and Sam spent a summer in Kenai, Alaska, helping to clear trails with the Student Conservation Association. Washington Latin Public School is located at 5200 Second St. NW. Visit latinpcs.org for more information. u

Pamela Daley u

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{home & garden} Plant Early Bloomers This Spring article & photos by Cheryl Corson, RLA, ASLA

ustomers like to buy plants when they’re in bloom. Urban plant retailers like Ginkgo Gardens and Frager’s can only fit so many perennial plants in their limited outdoor space. Put these together and you’ll realize that if you don’t know the range of available perennial plants, your new garden will look good each year primarily during the weeks in which you made your first big plant purchase. You may wind up with a gorgeous, pastel early spring garden or a bold mid-summer garden, or a late fall garden. If you want some of each, you can special order plants. For example, ask our local retailers for coneflower (Echinacea), or Joe Pye weed (Eupatorium), or hyssop (Agastache), or Chelone (turtlehead) in May, before they bloom. If you commit to a certain plant and quantity ahead of time, this is easily done, since the growers who supply the retailers have almost everything all the time. Alternately you can also practice Zen patience and start some perennials from seed, also sold at our retail garden centers plus stores like Yes! Market. We all want to plant in spring, but it’s good to save space for later-season plant showstoppers.

This Year Is Different I often caution eager spring retail plant shoppers against buying too many early bloomers at once, but this year is different. Our record high This overlooked native tree, Carolina silverbell, ﬂowers just after the dogwoods with blossom clusters attractive to beneﬁcial pollinators.

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Called Lenten rose for their usual bloom time, these bloomed in January but may send up new blossoms soon.

December temperatures prompted many early spring plants to bloom well before their time. My Facebook news feed is full of folks sharing examples: quince (Cheanomeles speciosa), winter jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum), azalea, Daphne odora, iris, pincushion flower (Scabiosa columbaria), cherries, witch hazel (Hamamelis), camellia, Lenten rose (Helleborus orientalis). Also still blooming in December were late-season perennials and annuals: passion vine (Passiflora incarnata), all kinds of roses, Michaelmas daisy (Aster “Blue Autumn”), snapdragons (an annual), black-eyed Susan (Rudebekia) and blanket flower (Gaillardia). Many of us found guilty pleasure in these December flowers and warm temperatures. But now that it’s truly cold and those blossoms have turned brown and frozen, what price do we pay? The truth is that the early spring plants will not bloom again – this year. Or they may produce

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far fewer blossoms. This is a disappointment for humans, but it could be truly difficult for bees, which depend on much needed early nectar, and for birds in need of insect larvae to feed their newborn young.

What You Can Do to Help Hopefully we will have a “normal” spring and not a snow-packed March. If so, and you’re in the market for a flowering tree, you can plant an early blooming native before it breaks dormancy so the blossoms will attract pollinators to your garden. Good species to choose from include serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea or Amelanchier laevis), native sweet crabapple (Malus coronaria), cornelian cherry dogwood (Cornus mas), flowering dogwood (Cornus florida “Appalachian Spring”), and the underrated Carolina silverbell (Halesia diptera). All these are relatively small understory trees and well suited to Capitol Hill front or

back yards. Early blooming perennials beneficial to pollinators include those with smaller flowers in clusters that can accommodate multiple bees at the same time. It makes sense. While a daffodil, for example, is a good pollen and nectar plant, only one bee can get into this larger blossom at a time. Good early perennials to consider include early flowering native coral bells (Heucheras), native ground cover iris (Iris cristata), bleeding heart (Dicentra), columbine (Aquilegia), and the humble violet. Violets are not only plant nectar food for fritillary butterflies, they serve as host plants on which the fritillaries lay their eggs. Last but not least is the common dandelion. Not only are the tasty edible greens packed with Vitamin C and the deep root a powerful soil aerator, the flowers are, according to garden writer Rhonda Hayes, “an important first source of nectar for bees and other beneficial insects. Their

February 2016 H 149

The Hill Rag 2016 Spring Special Edition

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Seen recently at the huge Baltimore MANTS trade show, the Hart Seed Company’s line of Veggi Confetti offers micro-green seed mix options for home gardeners, available at Ginkgo Gardens.

blooms act as a bridge to survival for bees and other bugs that have managed to make it through winter until more plentiful blooms of spring appear.” See her blog, “In the Yard,” for more on this topic. If you

allow the dandelion flowers to feed the bees and cut them before they go to seed, you can have the best of both worlds. Finally, if you’ve overwintered any edible kale, collards, broccoli raab, or any other plant

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in the Brassica, or mustard, family, the tiny yellow flowers that appear after the plant has started going to seed will be another welcome pollinator nectar plant. Allowing these flowers to persist until a bit later in the spring will help feed the bees on very early spring days. See what this looks like: https://goingtoseed. wordpress.com/category/4-crops/ddry-seed/brassicas/.

Seed Shopping

Winter is the time to read seed catalogues or seed grower websites, and one of the best is that of the Hart Seed Company. Over 100 years old and still family run, this company distinguishes itself in many ways, including selling seed only through independent retailers and not big box stores or by mail order. Ginkgo Gardens is the nearest retailer carrying Hart Seeds, http://hartseed. com/. Their seeds are also free of genetically engineered material. Another way this company is a good corporate citizen is through its Donations Department. Here community gardens, food pantries, school groups, and others can receive 100 free seed packets for a mere $14.95 to cover shipping costs. They only ask for minimal information and email photos or follow-up showing how the project turned out. Here is the form: http://hartseed.com/wp- content/ uploads/2016/01/Hart-Seed-Donations-Form-2016.pdf. Hart Seed Company has introduced several seed mixes this year, responding to the surge of interest in homegrown edibles and grassroots efforts to save the bees. In particular they offer Bee My Friend Mixture and Please Don’t Flutter-By. A new micro-green mix that their offer called Veggie Confetti is a sweet and savory mix of lettuce, kale, chard, spinach, radish, basil, and more,

meant to be used as cuttings. Veggie Confetti can be grown indoors, so no need to wait for spring. The same is true for the organic kale seed mix called Nancy’s Baby Leaf Blend.

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We still have another month to read up on gardening while our garden hands are relatively clean. Two of my favorites are “The Organic Gardener’s Handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control,” edited by Ellis and Bradley, and the updated and expanded edition of the now classic “Bringing Nature Home” by Delaware professor Douglas Tallamy. Local landscape architects Thomas Ranier and Claudia West’s “Planting in a Post-Wild World” is the newest must-read for garden lovers. What these three books have in common is a greater understanding of the interactions of plants, soil, birds, insects – and humans – in our designed and managed landscapes of all sizes. These are books one can return to again and again for inspiration and education. The Hillwood Estate, Museum, and Gardens, just up the road, is hosting garden-related lectures in February including “Capital Houses, a Conversation with James Goode” and “Garden Inspirations with Charlotte Moss,” and more. This looks like a great series. For more see http://www.hillwoodmuseum.org/whats/events-and-programs/lectures-and-talks. Enjoy the rest of winter!

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Cheryl Corson is a local licensed landscape architect and writer who enjoys helping individuals and organizations with landscape design and construction oversight. She has worked on the Hill since 1998. See www.cherylcorson.com. u

February 2016 H 151

{home and garden}

Max Insulation: A “Do Good” Business Model by Catherine Plume, photos Andrea Lee

ichael “Max” Grove is the proud owner of Max Insulation, a Capitol Hill-based business that specializes in making old homes comfortable and energy efficient. Grove knows and understands old houses. In addition to being a licensed general contractor he is certified in building science principles by the Building Performance Institute (BPI). This certification requires a thorough “whole house” understanding of the factors that make an old home comfortable, from evaluating building materials to mechanicals, insulation, internal air quality, and moisture. Grove notes, “It’s a rigorous program that requires a lot of testing and field work with specialists.” Grove has lived on the Hill since 2010. “What attracted me to the DC market was that 90 percent of attics in DC homes are under insulated. That’s not unusual as most Capitol Hill homes are 80 to 100 years old, and insulation wasn’t an integral part of their construction. But an under-insulated attic means that there is significant heating and cooling loss,” notes Grove. The US Department of Energy estimates that a home daily loses 30 percent of its (hot or cold) conditioned air through a poorly insulated attic. “Meanwhile, most accessible unfinished crawlspaces underneath DC homes are either not insulated or not insulated correct-

ly,” explains Grove. “These crawlspaces are a major source of cold and moist air that make homes cold, drafty, and raise the relative humidity inside. Nobody I know enjoys being cold in their own home.” Max Insulation provides whole-house weatherization to ensure greater comfort and improved energy efficiency. “The materials we use include fiberglass, cellulose, rock wool, open- and closed-cell polyurethane spray foam, and rigid foam board,”

Max with Nick Gibbs, Manager for Max Insulation

152 H Hillrag.com

notes Grove. “We work on attics, walls, and crawlspaces. We also build storage platforms in attics and install attic stairs. Additionally we do a fair amount of sound insulation work. Importantly for Capitol Hill, we’ve developed a quick and cost-effective way to sound-insulate English basement ceilings to minimize sound transfer between floors. We deliver on our promise by being technically competent with a social purpose that benefits the Hill.”

Pipes freezing? Is your home cold in winter & hot in summer? 90% of DC Homes are under-insulated!

Experienced Residential Insulation Contractor Air Sealing Radiant Foil Barrier Blown-in Insulation Spray Foam Insulation Batt & Roll Insulation Sound Barrier Insulation 5-STAR YELP RATED Tony Freeman with SOME graduates Aaron Thomas and Cortez Cole on a Capitol Hill Crawlspace Insulation Job.

It’s that social purpose that makes Max Insulation unique. Graduates from DC’s So Others Might Eat (SOME) (http://some.org/) make up the bulk of the Max Insulation workforce. According to Grove, “We first recruited SOME graduates a year ago, and they are all still with me today. Every crew member has passed drug and criminal background checks. Recruits are trained in technical, operational, and safety standards.” That robust training has paid off, and as their YELP page indicates, the Max Insulation crew has earned nearly 50 five-star ratings from customers. Grove notes, “Everyone on the team has a role, from greeting the customer with a big smile, a handshake, and a thank you for choosing Max Insulation, to cleaning up after completing a job, to ensuring quality work is delivered on time. We work hard to ensure that our customers are informed throughout the process. We currently have four SOME graduates working for us. Our program has been so successful that we hope to double that number in 2016.” You can find customer reviews at YELP (www.yelp.com). In addition to its social purpose Max Insulation has an environmental commitment as well. Their insulation material is a green fiber cellulose that is rendered from 80 per-

cent recycled material. Properly insulating a home results in an energy use reduction that correlates with a lower carbon footprint. Perhaps best of all, this energy-use reduction translates to a significant cost savings for heating and cooling that is passed along to the home owner. “There are two things I love about my work,” says Grove. “I love the challenge of determining the right solution to make a home warm and energy efficient at an affordable price while also evaluating if the air quality is safe. Every house is different. Secondly I really enjoy seeing my crew grow personally and professionally by taking big steps in their job roles and their own lives. Two of my guys are now enrolled in college while another was able to rent a very nice place for himself and his three daughters. Our biggest challenge right now is keeping up with all of the requests we receive. With our many fivestar customer reviews people call and say, ‘I only want to work with you.’” It just doesn’t get much better than that! Catherine Plume is a lifelong environmentalist, a writer, and a blogger for the DC Recycler: www.DCRecycler.blogspot.com; Twitter @DC_Recycler. u

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February 2016 H 153

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Dear Garden Problem Lady, by Wendy Blair We received a blue poinsettia for Christmas, with little sparkles all over the blue leaves. How did they get to be blue? They were commercially spray painted en masse and the sparkles dusted on after a misting of glue. Squirrels have again eaten all my camellia buds. So -- another year with no blooms. I know squirrels can’t get through bird netting -but that netting is hard as the dickens to manage. Can’t squirrels stick to acorns, of which there were billions this year? Squirrel Nutkin is omnivorous. With her thick fur and layers of tummy fat she can manage on just one or two acorns a day. The roughage from your camellia buds puts her – digestively speaking -- among the squirrel elite. Are Nandina berries safe for birds to eat? No. Starving animals will eat anything, but Nandina berries are indeed poisonous. Experts say, one hopes correctly, that birds mostly avoid eating them. If I had to choose one seed to put out for birds in winter, what might it be? Some say black sunflower seed provides the best source of fat and carbohydrate.

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We Do: Pansies seem perfect for all winter long – in a mild year, of course. How much cold can pansies stand People around here say the right time to plant pansies is fall. The flowers might droop a bit, but the plants will survive well below freezing – to about 10’ Fahrenheit. Ironically, what kills them off is our summer heat. Anything over about 75’F and they’re gone. My clematis has blown off its protecting (we thought) wall and is flapping around in the freezing wind. Can it be saved? Are you out of your mind? Get out there and secure it – somehow. Think of Scott at the Pole. Do not be a sissy when a clematis is flapping. Much, if not everything, will depend later on its roots for its survival.

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May I share a small discovery? Great prices of used gardening books on Amazon.com. Most helpful. When they are still in print, you can buy used hard cover editions for wonderful prices. But if the book is out of print the price rises. The PL’s recent crush on the witty British gardening enthusiast, Beverley Nichols, led her to discover his wacky trilogy Merry Hall (1951), followed by Laughter on the Stairs and Sunlight on the Lawn available used for astronomical sums. The next public meeting of the Capitol Hill Garden Club is Tuesday, February 9, 2016 at 7 pm. Maxine Levine will discuss Capitol Hill’s Alluvial Soil and how to amend it for various purposes, including container vegetable gardening. Find membership details at capitolhillgardenclub.org. We meet at the NE Public Library, corner of 7th St. & Maryland Ave. NE. Meetings are free and open to all. u

February 2016 H 155

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Providence Construction, Inc. is seeking CBE/SBE subcontractors for the rehabilitation & modernization of 40+ apartments in NW Washington. Trades being considered are: Plumbing, Electrical, HVAC, Elevator Renovation, Roofing & Green Roof installation, Masonry & EIFS installation, Window Replacement, and Interior finishes (drywall & painting, ceramic tile, & flooring). Plans will be available to view for bidding purposes beginning February 1, 2016 at a Dropbox website. Please email: jswarr@mannadc.org to receive that Dropbox web address. Bid reQUirements: CBE/SBE certificate & reporting requirements, DC license, Liability & Worker’s Compensation Insurance for DC, Davis-Bacon Certified Wages & reporting – Residential Scale, HUD Section 3 reporting, & First Source Agreement compliance for contracts over $100,000. Bids dUe FeBrUary 17, 2016 at 3 pm at the oFFices oF the developer: Manna, Inc., 828 Evarts St. NE, Washington, DC or by fax: 202-832-1870 or by email to: jswarr@mannadc.org. Please contact John Swarr (ph. 202-832-1845 x230) Monday thru Friday between 9 AM & 3 PM for questions about this bid process.

Our website just got a whole lot better! capitalcommunitynews.com

LOOK AND FEEL BETTER WITH HOT YOGA!

New Students Only $22 For 7 Days Of Unlimited Yoga!

WE HAVE: • 37+ classes per week • 90-minute Bikram method classes as well as 60 minute express classes • Children’s non-heated Hatha Yoga on Sundays • Fitness assessments including body composition (with RJL Quantum IV) • Discounted classes at 9:30am (M,W,F) and (M,T,W,Th,F) for all. Military, senior, and fulltime academic student discounts with valid ID for all of our classes

Get the Most for Your Advertising Dollars.

MAKE YOUR BUSINESS SUCCESSFUL!

ALL LEVELS WELCOME! No reservations required!

www.hotyogacapitolhill.com 410 H ST. NE | 202-547-1208 info@bikramyogacapitolhill.com

pet services zoolatry (zoo-ahl’-uh-tree) the worship of animals – especially a pet

Mid-Day Dog Walking Service Pet sitting – Medications Administered Crate Training Insured – Bonded Member of National Association of Professional Petsitters

(202) 547-WALK (9255) Meet Our Walkers Online at

www.zoolatry.com

pet adoption

CAPITAL CATS

Adoption Event at Howl to the Chief

Sundays Noon to 3 PM 733 8th Street, S.E.

a five-minute walk from Eastern Market Metro.

Visit our Web site to view pictures and their engaging personalities at www.capitalcats.petfinder.com or www.homealone.petfinder.com Capital Cats is a non-profit cat rescue organization on the Hill that has many wonderful, personable cats and kittens available for adoption to good homes.

contact CAROLINA at

202.400.3503 • carolina@hillrag.com BOX CLASSIFIEDS (QUARTERLY)

2”x 2” 2.5” 3” 4” 5” 7”

$150 $180 $225 $300 $360 $400

LINE CLASSIFIEDS (MONTHLY)

$25 for the first 15 words, 25¢ for each additional word. Bold heading (25 characters max) is free. • Ad design free of charge with one revision. • Rates are per publication. • Prepayment by check or credit card is required.

Capital Community News, Inc.

Hill Rag | Midcity DC | East of the River | Fagon Community Guides February 2016 H 161

Photo: Jason Yen

Photo: Andrew Lightman

{the last shot}

Photo: Andrew Lightman

Photo: Jason Yen

Photo: Andrew Lightman

Photo: Jason Yen

162 H Hillrag.com

Photo: Jason Yen