Hill Rag Magazine – October 2022

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colleague and I agree.

it Up With HillFest Concert in the Park

Saturday Concert Crowns

Music by

Must See Art Exhibitions by

Hutinet

Days of

O’Gorek

the Movies: A Rundown on Some

Holidays by

for

Canning

and The City by Jim Magner

Cuisine by Celeste McCall

Hill by Karen Lyon

Hill by

Lyon

Jazz Project by Jean-Keith Fagon

At-Large Council

SBOE

O’Gorek

Advisory

O’Gorek

River:

Anacostia

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F

A L L

The Washington Ballet’s NEXTsteps

NEXTsteps, featuring new ballets created just for The Washington Ballet by emerging and acclaimed choreographers, re ects the voices of our time. On Oct. 12 to 16, at Harman Hall, 610 F St. NW, stretching the boundaries of modern ballet, NEXTsteps continues with fresh works created by visionaries Dana Genshaft and Silas Farley alongside The Washington Ballet’s Andile Ndlovu as he features a new commissioned work following his highly lauded B1 (‘Be One’), a celebration of human unity. $25 to $105. washingtonballet.org.

Photo: Spencer Bentley

The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci at STC Comprised solely of text from the surviving notebooks of the 15th-century Renaissance man himself, Notebooks is a true revelation that celebrates the interplay of science, art, and the human spirit in a glorious kaleidoscope of beauty and remarkable insight. Through Oct. 23, Tony Award winner and MacArthur “Genius” Award recipient Mary Zimmerman, the creative leader behind some of Shakespeare Theatre Company’s most imaginative productions, brings the writings of Leonardo da Vinci to life in this stunning revival of one of her earliest creations. Shakespeare Theatre Company, Klein Theatre, 450 Seventh St. NW. shakespearetheatre.org.

Photo of Adeoye in Goodman Theatre’s 2022 production of The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci by Liz Lauren.

Il Trovatore at the KC (For a family at war, the enemy is within.)

Jealousy. Sorcery. Vengeance. Forbidden love. Verdi’s melodrama set in 16th century Spain has it all for the “perfect” opera night out, with one rousing aria and chorus after another. Washington National Opera audiences last saw the sweeping tale in 2004, and it returns with grand sets, elaborate period costumes, soaring melodies, and the instantly recognizable Anvil Chorus. Few singers can master Verdi’s demanding vocal acrobatics, and a world-class cast assembles now to give justice to one of opera’s most spectacular works. Tickets are $45, up. Il trovatore is at the Kennedy Center from Oct. 22 to Nov. 7. kennedy-center.org.

WHAT’S

Photo: Cory Weaver

Emergency Neon at Honfleur Gallery

Through Nov. 5, Hon eur Gallery, 1241 Good Hope Rd. SE, presents a solo exhibition by internationally acclaimed light sculptor Craig Kraft. Kraft, a Smithsonian instructor for the past 24 years, has used neon light to create monumental outdoor light sculptures, such as Vivace sited at the Shaw Library in DC, but now turns his attention to pressing social and political issues such as ignored and unaccounted for missing children, climate change, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Trump in American politics, and nding HOPE against all odds. Gallery hours are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, noon to 5 p.m. and by appointment. hou eurgallerydc.org.

Sanctuary City at Arena

From Oct. 21 to Nov. 27, Pulitzer Prize winner Martyna Majok brings us the powerful story of two young DREAMers who ght to establish a place for themselves in America, the only country they know as home. Poignant, timely, and highly theatrical, Sanctuary City illuminates the triumphs and challenges these lifelong friends face, and how

Move the Way you Want

at the Phillips

Move the Way you Want is a site-speci c immersive installation transforming the former Dining Room of the Phillips House into phantasmagoric dreamscapes where past and present meet, and the sacred and urbane overlap. In adhesive canvas printed with digital imagery, Gothic-like archways and lavish Baroque-like windows frame a present-day beach scene with bike shares, abandoned scooters, Pelotons, and hi-tech gadgets. Additionally, a video-projection features a mythical horse walking on a beach toward a spaceship-coffeeshop-altar, ready to embark on an unknown journey. All of this reinforces the fantastic and ritualistic aspects of the project, as well as the cynical view of our fast-paced, consumerist culture. Move the Way you Want is at the Phillips Collection, 1600 21st St. NW, through Dec. 31. phillipscollection.org.

Beth Orton at Sixth & I

After struggling with incorrectly diagnosed health issues for years, the singersongwriter turned a major corner in 2014 when she was nally able to begin managing her condition with medication after the correct diagnosis. These experiences turned into the eight-track Weather Alive, the rst album she’s ever self-produced in her nearly 30-year career. On Tuesday, Nov. 1, 8 p.m. (doors at 7 p.m.) the pioneering folktronica artist showcases her signature storytelling and explores themes of acceptance and healing. $30. Sixth & I. 600 I St. NW. sixthandi.org.

Detail

Materials used: Neon, Animation Controllers, found storm debris:

Jonathan Monaghan, Move the Way you Want (still), 2022, Vertical video (color, sound), media player, projector, 8-minute seamless loop, Courtesy of bitforms gallery, New York

Reckoning: Protest. Defiance. Resilience. at the NMAAHC

Visual art has long provided its own protest, commentary, escape and perspective for African Americans. The Black painters, sculptors, photographers and textile artists featured in Reckoning exemplify the tradition of exhibiting resilience in times of con ict, as well as the ritual of creation, and the de ant pleasure of healing. Reckoning: Protest. De ance. Resilience. looks at the ways in which visual art has long provided its own protest, commentary, escape and perspective for African Americans. National Museum of African American History and Culture, 1400 Constitution Ave. NW. nmaahc.si.edu/reckoning.

Created by: Charles Henry Alston, Walking, 1958, oil paint and gesso on canvas, H x W (framed): 48 1/2 × 64 5/8 × 1 1/4 in. (123.2 × 164.1 × 3.2 cm). Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Sydney Smith Gordon, © Charles Alston Estate

Arcade Fire at The Anthem

Arcade Fire, a Canadian indie rock band, has also been described as indie art rock, dance-rock, and baroque pop. They play guitar, drums, bass guitar, piano, violin, viola, cello, double bass, xylophone, glockenspiel, keyboard, synthesizer, French horn, accordion, harp, mandolin and hurdy-gurdy, and take most of these instruments on tour; the multi-instrumentalist band members switch duties throughout shows. $69.50 to $194.50. Arcade Fire performs as part of the “We” Tour with Beck, at The Anthem, 901 Wharf St. SW, Oct. 27 to 29 (Oct. 28, sold out). The anthemdc.com.

US Oyster Festival in St. Mary’s County

The 56th annual US Oyster Festival at St. Mary’s County Fairgrounds is on Saturday, Oct. 15, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday, Oct. 16, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Cook-offs are on Saturday and shucking contests are on Saturday and Sunday. The festival features good food; live music; and Professor Horn & Punch & Judy shows both days. Kids’ features include in atable slide, face painting, corn hole and scavenger hunts. Entry at gate is $15; free for ten and under. St. Mary’s County Fairground, 42455 Fairgrounds Rd, Leonardtown, MD, is about 50 miles from DC. usoysterfest.com.

Photo: W.E. Stone Photography

Washington Bach Consort’s Free Noontime Cantata Series

Now entering its 34th season, the Washington Bach Consort’s Noontime Cantata Series continues its mission of bringing the music of Johann Sebastian Bach to Washington, DC audiences. Concerts on Mondays, Oct. 3, 31; Dec. 5; March 6; April 3; and May 1, at 12:10 p.m., are at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 301 A St. SE. Concerts on Tuesdays, Oct. 4; Nov. 1; Dec. 6; March 7; April 4; and May 2, at 12:10 p.m., are at Church of the Epiphany, 1317 G St. NW. The Consort is committed to ensuring that current and future audiences experience the music of Bach and his contemporaries by performing the music of Bach and his contemporaries to the highest artistic standards, and nurturing the appreciation of Bach’s music through education and community outreach activities, and interpreting the music for audiences of today, thereby ensuring his legacy. bachconsort.org.

Photo: Tom Wolff

“Dracula” at Synetic

Howling wolves, creeping mists, a ruined castle silhouetted against the night sky . . . Bram Stoker’s classic tale rises again in Synetic’s bold and bloody adaptation of the world’s most iconic horror story. This sensuous and terrifying thriller arrives just in time for Halloween. $20 to $60. Dracula is at Synetic Theater, 1800 S. Bell St., Crystal City from Oct. 13 to Nov. 6. synetictheater.org.

Art and Ideals: President John F. Kennedy

On its 51st birthday, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts celebrated its namesake with the opening of Art and Ideals: President John F. Kennedy—a new permanent exhibit exploring Kennedy’s presidency and his commitment to the arts. Crowning the Center’s landmark 50th anniversary season, the exhibit looks back at Kennedy’s Presidency and legacy and examines how his values continue to inform the vision of the nation’s cultural center. Bringing to life the worlds of culture and politics at a time of tremendous social change, Art and Ideals appeals to a wide range of visitors, whether familiar or unfamiliar with US history, whether grade-school level readers or far above. kennedy-center.org.

Authentic Flamenco by the Royal Opera of Madrid

Flamenco is an expression of passion and emotion; with it, the feelings that make us human are honored and celebrated. Originating in Spain, this special show, in partnership with the Royal Opera of Madrid and produced by SO-LA-NA, brings together award-winning professionals for an unforgettable performance with stunning vocals, instruments, and dances. Whether you’re an avid amenco lover or just seeing it for the rst time, there’s no better, more authentic way to witness rsthand the raw power of this captivating Spanish art form. General admission is $49.50. Authentic Flamenco by the Royal Opera of Madrid is on stage at The Miracle Theatre, 535 Eighth St. SE, from on select days, Oct. 14 to Nov. 6, 6:30 and 9 p.m. themiracletheatre.com.

“Intimate Apparel”

at Theater J

The time is 1905, the place the Lower East Side. Sewing beautiful lingerie gives Esther, an African American seamstress, an intimate look at the love lives of her diverse clientele, but she yearns for a romance of her own. She nds herself in an epistolary courtship with a mysterious Caribbean man, though her heart secretly belongs to the Orthodox Jewish

fabric merchant with whom she can never share a touch. Written by two-time Pulitzer Prize-winner and MacArthur grant awardee Lynn Nottage, this moving portrait of love, resilience, and the triumph of the human spirit has become one of the most beloved plays of our time. $64 to $89.

“Intimate Apparel” is on stage at Theater J, 1529 16th St. NW, Oct. 19 to Nov. 13. theaterj.org.

Authentic Flamenco star Yolanda Osuna performs. Photo Courtesy hunt&gather

RuPaul’s Night of the Living Drag at National Harbor

The dolls are back and this time it’s getting deadly as a cast of Rupaul’s Drag Race favorites steps into the heels of the seven deadly sins! Hosted by spook queen superstar Yvie Oddly, join Lady Camden (Pride), Aquaria (Sloth), Kim Chi (Gluttony), Vanje (Wrath), Asia O’Hara (Envy), Deja Skye (Greed), Bosco (Lust) and Rose (Vanity) for a spine-tingling, hellraising dragtastic spectacular. On Friday, Oct. 28, 8 p.m., lled with humor, drama and constant entertainment, the show shines a light on drag queen culture and LGBTQ+ issues, breaking into the mainstream with charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent. $58 to $68. The Theater at MGM National Harbor, 7100 Oxon Hill Rd., Oxon Hill. MD. mgmnationalharbor.mgmresorts.com.

Sheila Blake’s “Memory is a Funny Thing” at Foundry Gallery

Two quotes from the artist: “I’ve begun to paint my memoir. I invited the spirits of my former life and trusted that I would have a chance of touching on what Wallace Stevens called the essential poem at the center of things.” “I’ve been a painter all my life. Creating the illusion of space and light with paint is what thrilled me from the beginning, and it is what thrills me now.” Memory is a Funny Thing is at the Foundry Gallery, 2118 Eighth St. NW, through Oct. 30. Gallery is open Friday to Sunday, 1 to 7 p.m. foundrygallery.org.

The DC Beer Festival Returns

On Saturday, Nov. 5, 3 to 5 p.m. and 5 to 8 p.m. (rain or shine), the DC Beer Festival returns to Nationals Park, bringing together dozens of craft breweries, featuring their fall seasonal beers. Taking place throughout the stadium’s concourse including Center eld Plaza, Budweiser Brew House, Bud Light Loft and Budweiser Terrace, the DC Beer Fest will have over a dozen food trucks throughout as well as lawn games, DJs, and more. General admission for either session is $50 which includes unlimited tastings with food sold separately. dcbeerfestival.com.

Craig Finn & The Uptown Controllers at Union Stage

Craig Finn is a Minnesota-bred singer/songwriter based in New York City, best known as the singer of The Hold Steady. The Hold Steady achieved critical acclaim and a worldwide fanbase with their unique pairing of dense lyrical narratives with big rock guitars. The Hold Steady has released eight LPs, including Open Door Policy in February 2021. Finn’s fth solo album, A Legacy of Rentals, was released in May 2022. When performing his solo material live, Craig Finn is joined by a dynamic group of musicians called The Uptown Controllers. $30. Craig Finn & The Uptown Controllers perform at Union Stage, 740 Water St. SW, on Sunday, Oct. 16, 8 p.m. (door at 7 p.m.). unionstage.com.

We Happy Few’sLa Llaorona

The weeping woman of Lat-in American myth and legend ismore than just a warning for mis-behaving youths. This ghost storytakes us on a horrifying journeyback in time to meet La Llorona inthe esh and to watch as the trag-ic young woman becomes a thingof nightmares. La Llorona’s ori-gin story weaves us through threegenerations of women and theirrelationship with family, love, andcolonization. We Happy Few’s LaLLaorona is on stage at CapitolHill Arts Workshop, 545 SeventhSt. SE, from Oct. 26 to Nov. wehappyfewdc.com/lallorona.19.

Both Sides Now: Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen

Longtime friends and one-time lovers Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen are two of the most in uential songwriters and storytellers of the past 50 years. Celebrate their mutual in uence on the others work with some of their beloved chart-toppers including “Cactus Tree,” “Hallelujah,” “Big Yellow Taxi,” “Suzanne,” “Both Sides Now” and many other unforgettable tunes that de ned a generation. $38. This Cabaret show is at Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave. Arlington, Nov. 1 to 13. sigtheatre.org.

The Cabaret will be performed by Robbie Schaefer and Danielle Wertz, above.

The Temps and The Tops at National Harbor

The Temptations, often referred to as American Music Royalty, are world-renowned superstars of entertainment, revered for their phenomenal catalog of music and proli c career. Dr. Otis Williams, the sole surviving, original member of The Temptations, Ron Tyson, a lead vocalist with the group for 39 years, Terry Weeks, a lead vocalist for 25 years, Willie Greene, Jr., bass vocalist with the group for six years, and Anthony Grant, who recently joined the group, always look forward to serenading fans with their soulful voices, lighting up stages with their famous Temptations’ Walk, and bringing joy to audiences. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990, the Tops also received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and were ranked #79 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. $55 to $75. Saturday, Dec. 3, 8 p.m. The Theater at MGM National Harbor, 7100 Oxon Hill Rd., Oxon Hill. MD. mgmnationalharbor.mgmresorts.com.

Terror in the Parlor: The Evolution of the American Horror Story

On Saturday, Oct. 22, 6 to 9 p.m., explore the Daughters of the American Revolution Museum after hours and learn the history behind our horror stories, from folk tales told ‘round the re to the black and white terrors of the silver screen. $25. Registration includes a drink ticket (good for beer or wine), light snacks. Cash bar for additional drinks at $5. This event is for age 21, up. DAR Museum, 1776 D St. NW. dar. org/museum.

Ani DiFranco with The Righteous Babes Revue

Widely considered a feminist icon, Grammy winner Ani DiFranco is the mother of the DIY movement, being one of the rst artists to create her own record label in 1990. Her music has embraced punk, funk, hip hop, jazz, soul, electronica and even more distant sounds. Her collaborators have included Utah Phillips, R&B saxophonist Maceo Parker and Prince. After recording with Ani in 1999, Prince described the effects of her independence. “We jammed for four hours and she danced the whole time. We had to quit because she wore us out. After being with her, it dawned on me why she’s like that—she’s never had a ceiling over her.” $41. Anni Di Franco is at the 9:30 Club, 815 V St. NW, on Sunday, Nov. 20, 7 p.m. 930.com.

Chiarina Chamber Players in Concert

Founded in 2015 by pianist E Hackmey and cellist Carrie Bean Stute, Chiarina ChamberPlayers brings distinctive chamber music performances and innovative programming to an in-timate neighborhood setting on Capitol Hill. With a roster of world-class artists, their missionis to create an engaging, inclusive listening experience that connects audience members, per-formers, and music by a wide spectrum of composers from the eighteenth through the twen-ty- rst centuries. Upcoming concerts are Oct. 1, Attacca I: Grieg, Shostakovich, Shaw; Oct. 2,Attacca II: Ravel, Schubert, Shaw; Nov. 6, Form, Shape, Groove; and Dec. 4, Winter Journey.Concerts are 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at St. Mark’s, 301 A St. SE. $25 online; free for 18 and un-der. chiarina.org.

Mosaic’s “The Till Trilogy” (in rotating repertory)

The Till Trilogy, Oct. 4 to Nov. 20, is a series of plays by noted playwright Ifa Bayeza that re ect on the life, death, and legacy of Emmett Till, whose murder in 1955 remains one of the most pivotal moments in American history. Under the direction of Talvin Wilks, the three plays—The Ballad of Emmett Till, Benevolence, and the world premiere That Summer in Sumner—will star 10 actors performing in rotating repertory for the rst time. Filled with music, poetry, and imagination, this rare theatrical event will honor the ongoing ght for racial justice in our country and offer audiences an opportunity for collective reckoning, re ection, and response. $50 to $64. $20 for students; $10 rush tickets available for each performance. Mosaic Theater Company at Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. mosaictheater.org.

Elegies: A Song Cycle at Keegan

Elegies is a celebration of life and music, penned by Tony Award-winning composer and lyricist William Finn, which commemorates the lives of people both real and ctional with rousing theatricality and unforgettable songs. From Finn’s friends, to his mother, to his dogs, to the victims of the World Trade Center collapse, these characters and their stories will enchant and enrich your spirit in this stunning masterwork that celebrates the human experience and life’s in nite joys. $65; $55 for students and seniors. Elegies: A song Cycle is at Keegan Theatre, 1742 Church St. NW, from Oct. 22 to Nov. 20. keegantheatre.com.

National Symphony Orchestra concertmaster Nurit Bar-Josef performs with pianistEfi Hackmey during a recent concert presented by Chiarina Chamber Players, Capitol Hill'schamber music series.

calendar

Howl-O-Ween Pet Costume Contest. Howl to the Chief pet supply shop at 719 Eighth St. SE is holding a pet costume contest at Lincoln Park on Oct. 29, 1 p.m. There will be prizes and swag bags for the first 100 entries. Visit howltothechief. com for registration details and costume catagories.

ExPats Theatre: Einstein’s Wife. Through Oct. 16. Einstein’s theory of relativity revolution ized modern science and his name became synony mous with genius. Lesser known is the story of Mi leva Maric, the physicist, mathematician, and fellow student at Zurich Polytechnic who was Einstein’s first wife. $25 to $40. The Atlas, 1333 H St. NE. atlasarts.org.

Pet Blessing at Congressional Cemetery. Sunday, Oct. 2, 4 p.m. 1801 E St. SE. congressio nalcemetery.org.

Jazz and Blues in Southwest. Jazz on Fridays, Blues on Mondays, 6 to 9 p.m. Blues—Oct. 3, Bad Influence Band; Oct. 10, Mama Moon & the Rumpshakers; Oct. 17, The Big Boy Little Band; Oct. 24, Clarence Turner Blues Band; Oct. 31, The Nighthawks. Jazz--Oct. 7, Lyle Link Quintet; Oct. 14, Michael Thomas Quintet; Oct. 21, Lena Seikaly & Friends; Oct. 28, Tribute to Butch Warren. $10 cov er. Children are welcome and free under 16 years old. Reasonably priced meals offered. Westminster Pres byterian Church, 400 I St. SW (Fourth and I, south side of intersection). westminsterdc.org.

Holiday at Arena Stage. Oct. 7 to Nov. 6. An upand-coming Wall Street lawyer from a working-class family aspires to quit and enjoy life once he’s made enough money, a prospect that doesn’t thrill his wealthy, well-born fiancée but excites her more un conventional sister. $56 to $95. Arena Stage, 1101 Sixth St. SW. arenastage.org.

Mutt Strutt (two-mile walk through SW) at Lansburgh Park. Oct. 8, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mutt Strutt features pet costume contest, raffle prizes and pet pho tographer. $20 for a pet accessory bag. Lansburgh Park is at 1098 Delaware Ave. SW. Register at swdccc.org.

Friends of SE Library Book Sale. Oct. 8, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Join the Friends of Southeast Library (FOS EL) to shop a range of titles with prices starting at $1. Proceeds supplement library programs. Sale is most second Saturdays. 403 Seventh St. SE. dclibrary.org/ southeast.

Hill Center Concerts. Sunday, Oct. 9, 4 p.m., Cathy Fink & Marcy in Concert, $18; Sunday, Oct. 30, 4 p.m., Global Sounds on the Hill: Feat. Celtic FiddleGuitar Duo Rakish in Concert, $18. Hill Center, 921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. hillcenterdc.org.

Soul Strolls at Congressional Cemetery

Oct. 14, 15, 21 and 22; 6 to 10:30 p.m. Their annual twilight tours explore the stories of indi viduals buried there through guided tours and costumed interpreters. Hour-long tour every 15 minutes. $35. 1801 E St. SE. congressionalcem etery.org.

CELEBRATING 70 YEARS

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LOC Fall Concerts. Friday, Oct. 14, 8 p.m., Banda Magda; Saturday, Oct. 15, 8 p.m., Apollon Musagète Quartet with Garrick Ohlsson; Saturday, Oct. 29, 8 p.m., Founder’s Day Concert; Thursday, Nov. 3, 8 p.m., Jamal Aliyev, cello and Fazil Say, piano. Free. All concerts are in the Thomas Jefferson Building, Coolidge Auditorium. loc.gov.

Capital City Symphony: An Artist in the World. Sunday, Oct. 16, 5 p.m. The Atlas, 1333 H St. NE. atlasarts.org.

Charades Theatre Company: The Mold that Changed the World. Oct. 18 to 23. Would you save the world if you could? Alexander Fleming’s penicillin was a life-changing discovery that became a world-changing cure. $10 to $25. The Atlas, 1333 H St. NE. atlasarts.org.

Big Games at the Northeast Library. Saturday, Oct. 22, 2 to 4 p.m., everyone is welcome to come to the Northeast Library garden for an afternoon of games—outdoor bowling and Connect Four to chess and board games. Northeast Library, 330 Sev enth St. NE. dclibrary.org/northeast.

KiKi at Wunder Garten. Sunday, Oct. 30, 6 to 8 p.m. Kiki is a monthly drag party featuring hosts Crystal Edge and Katrina Colby. Come for drag bin go, games, and music provided by a live DJ. Wunder Garten, 1101 First St. NE. wundergartendc.com.

Halloween Pet Portraits at Congressional Cemetery. Oct. 30, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. $30. Get time-slot reservation. 1801 E St. SE. congressio nalcemetery.org. u

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Brought to You By Schneider's of Capitol Hill

Charles Siegert, a circus worker killed by a tiger, as portrayed by Kelly Carnes.

The Capitol Hill Jazz Foundation (CHJF) is proud to announce the return of HillFest! After a two-year hiatus due to COVID, the fourth annual music festival returns to the Hill on Wednesday Oct. 5th through Saturday Oct. 8th, 2022.

HillFest is an annual week-long music conference concluding with a day-long music festival held outdoors in the Capitol Hill neighborhood the rst week in October. The event is produced by CHJF with support from the DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR).

“We are excited to present another year of activities that celebrate the breadth of jazz education programs in Washington DC,” said Herb Scott, Founder and Executive Director of CHJF.

The foundation works to nancially assist District based jazz musicians, venues and education programs.

CHJF serves the District’s jazz community though HillFest, arts advocacy on behalf of District jazz musicians and a weekly jazz jam session at Mr. Henry’s (601 Pennsylvania Ave. SE). This year, attendees can step up on stage at the Jazz Jam, held Wednesday, Oct 5 from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. and a special added jam at 21 at 21 (21 Gessford Ct. SE) from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 6.

This year’s event features two days of conference -style interviews, including sessions with bassist Michael Bowie and the world’s first AfricanAmerican piano manufacturer, Warren Shadd.

JAZZ IT UP WITH HILLFEST CONCERT IN THE PARK

Free Saturday Concert Crowns Five Days of Focus on the Music

by Elizabeth O’Gorek

They will be interviewed by jazz journalist Keanna Faircloth, host of Evening Jazz on WPFW FM.

The kick-o concert takes place with the Friday masterclass with Billy Harper at The Yard (700 Penn Ave. SE, Second Floor) and with a performance by Julian Berkowitz at Mr. Henry’s.

HillFest is crowned by Saturday’s all-day free concert on two stages in Gar eld Park (800 Third St. SE) featuring internationally touring and recording star Billy Harper and fteen other regional and local

acts including the Imani-Grace Cooper Quartet, Julian Berkowitz and Eric Williams.

The Saturday concert event includes special performances for children at the kid’s stage, food and arts-and-crafts vendors, dancing and so much more.

Main stages are located in the park along F Street SE: one at Second Street and the other at Canal Street SE. There are also additional events at 700 Pennsylvania Ave. SE and at Mr. Henry’s

“Capitol Hill is now among the most proli c and highly regarded arts districts in Washington and the whole region,” said David Weiner, CHJF Board Vice Chair and Director of 21 at 21. “And HillFest, with its return to in-person presentation, is the capstone event of the outdoor season.”

For a full schedule, list of performers, participants in conference panels and marketplace, please visit www. hillfest.org. For more information about CHJF, visit www.capitolhilljazzfoundation.org ◆

OCTOBER MUST SEE ART EXHIBITIONS

by Phil Hutinet

“DC Art Now 2022”

DCCAH I Street Galleries

On view through October

There is no doubt that DC is home to some of America’s greatest artists and that these greats are nally getting the recognition they deserve. Sam Gilliam and Alma Thomas are among those who come immediately to mind. These two DC-based artists gained national and international recognition in the last years of their lives and posthumously. Gilliam had a retrospective at the Hirshhorn this summer and last year, Alma Thomas was the rst Black woman to have had a solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York.

Currently on view at the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities I Street Galleries is “DC Art Now 2022.” This is the Commission’s annual exhibition of selected works by nalists of its Art Bank Program grant. It is worth mentioning that both Gilliam and Thomas have works in the Commission’s Art Bank.

Why is this important? This is your chance to not only see some great artwork by regional

artists but an opportunity to witness history in the making –who among the artists exhibited this year may eventually rise to national and international prominence in the years to come?

200 I Street SE, Washington DC, 20003. Hours: Monday–Friday: 9am–6pm. https://dcarts.dc.gov

“Galería del barrio”

DC Public Library Mount Pleasant Branch

On view through October Eckington-based artist Carolina Mayorga, who is also one of Capitol Hill Arts Workshop’s most beloved instructors (she redecorated CHAW’s exterior in 2021), formed a partnership with DC Public Library to exhibit work with a public participation component. The rst collaboration of its kind for DC Public Library, Mayorga assembled a group of fellow Latino artists. Hanging throughout the Mount Pleasant Library, the works consist mostly of representational drawings and prints featuring everyday items like plants, cleaning products and canned goods, all of which will feel both intimate and familiar to the viewer. This is intentional; artists Carolina Mayorga, Ric Garcia, Carlos Carmonamedina, Veronica Melendez, and Irene Clouthier, seek to connect library patrons and visitors with recognizable objects with the ultimate goal of art appreciation.

Mayorga will go a step further with regards to public participation this month. She has created a coloring book consisting of the artists’ drawings which the library will distribute free of charge to the public on October 15. Mayorga hopes the public will not only engage in art appreciation but will create artwork of their own by reinterpreting color variations of the artists’ original forms.

3160 16th Street NW, Washington DC, 20010. Hours: Sunday: 1pm–5pm | Monday and Tuesday 10am–6pm | Wednesday: 10am–8pm | Thursday: 12pm–8pm | Friday: 10am–6pm | Saturday: 10am–6pm. dclibrary.libnet.info/event/7237512

UPCOMING PROGRAMS CONCERTS

American Roots Concert Series

The Revelers: Sunday, October 2, 4:30pm-6:30pm

Global Sounds on the Hill Celtic Fiddle-Guitar Duo Rakish: Sunday, October 30, 4:00pm

More: Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer in Concert: Sunday, October 9, 4:00pm-6:00pm

Family Happy Hour w/King Bullfrog: Friday, October 14, 5:00pm-7:00pm

COOKING CLASSES & TASTINGS

Kitchen 101: Knife Skills Tuesday, October 4, 6:00pm-7:30pm

Easy Vegetarian Indian Cooking: Time for Tiffin - Indian Snacks Made Easy

Thursday, October 13, 6:00pm-8:00pm

Halloween Sugar Cookie Decorating

Saturday, October 22, 11:00am-1:00pm

Master Chef: Vegan Sweet & Savory with Sticky Fingers Owner Doron Peterson

Sunday, October 23, 11:00am-2:00pm

HUMANITIES & PERFORMING ARTS

Storytelling: A Workshop in Creative Nonfiction Saturday, October 22, 1:00pm-4:00pm

LECTURES & CONVERSATIONS

Pulitzer Prize-Winning Historian Marcia Chatelain in Conversation w/Noted Chef Carla Hall Wednesday, October 12, 7:00pm-8:15pm

Profs + Pints: Medieval Monsters

Tuesday, October 18, 6:00pm-8:30pm

Talk of the Hill w/ Bill Press: CBS Chief Washington Correspondent Major Garrett & Elections Expert David Becker

Wednesday, October 19, 7:00pm-8:00pm

STUDIO ARTS

Basic Drawing Techniques: Drawing From an Image

Starting Tuesday, October 4, 6:30pm-8:00pm

VIRTUAL: Free Live Demonstration: Adobe Lightroom Classic for Digital Photography

Saturday, October 8, 11:00am-12:00pm

VIRTUAL CLASS: Introduction to Adobe Lightroom Classic for Digital Photography

Starting Tuesday, October 11, 7:00pm-9:00pm

Workshops: Watercolors, Linocut Printmaking, and Sip ‘n Paint

Saturday, October 15, 1.5/2 hr slots from 12:00pm-7:30pm

ONGOING PROGRAMS

Armed Services Arts Partnership (ASAP)

Breathing Space Yoga

Busy Bees: Music & Art Playgroup

French Courses: All Levels

Frontlines: Infant and Child CPR

Mr. Mike’s Music

Piano Lessons with Gordon Tenney

Studio One Dance

Super Soccer Stars

Tai Chi Chuan

Tippi Toes Dance

Warrior Fusion Karate

Programmatic support provided by the Capitol Hill Community Foundation and the DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities.

Hill Center Hill Center SOLOS

On view through January 6, 2023 Hill Center is hosting its annual solos ex hibition consisting of eleven regional art ists. While each solo exhibition is inter esting in its own right, recent portraits by Thom Goertel who photographed wom en in Cuernavaca, Mexico, are especially worth the visit. The following explanation by Goertel for his process summarizes the description of his subjects perfectly: “I shot environmental portraits of 36 impov erished women in central Mexico, in and around their homes. The focus was not on poverty, but on their beauty and how time and their lives shapes and changes that beauty.”

921 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE Washing ton, DC 20003. Hours: Monday–Thurs day: 8am–8pm | Friday: 8am–6pm | Sat urday: 9am–5pm | Sunday: 10am–5pm. www.hillcenterdc.org/galleries

Hemphill Fine Arts

Julie Wolfe “Opposing Forces”

On view through October Wolfe originally worked as a board game designer prior to her career as a fine art ist. The work in “Opposing Forces” can be split into three categories –the first consists of Rorschach patterns painted on felt; the second, large tableaus which exquisitely make use of color theory; and the third are playful paintings clearly in spired by her time as a game board de signer. Wolfe’s maturity as a practicing artist is demonstrated by her confidence and her willingness to use unconvention al materials upon which to paint such as felt (in lieu of canvas) and colorizing digi tal prints by hand using pink enamel.

The curation of the exhibition should be duly noted. One of the great pleasures that one will derive from seeing this ex hibition is the way in which it was hung. Hemphill’s staff took extraordinary care in scaling the work in the physical spaces of the gallery rendering smaller works more prominent while allowing larger work to “breathe” by hanging each on its own wall.

434 K Street NW, Washington DC, 20001. Hours: Tuesday - Saturday, 12pm–5pm. www.hemphill nearts.com

Maryland Hall

“Perspectivas Latinas” group exhibition

On view through October Don’t panic! The other capital city in our region is not nearly as far as you think. A quick, easy ride out Route 50 and you can be there in less time than it will take you to drive and attempt to park on 14th Street NW on a Saturday night!

Curated by Wilfredo Valladares, “Perspectivas Latinas” is an extraordinary grouping of some of the most influential mid-career regional Latino artists in the DC region. Featuring 20 participants who work in just about every medium imaginable and ll up all of Maryland Hall’s exhibition galleries, the assortment of work, mediums and subject matter re ect not only the artists’ incredibly diverse backgrounds but the complexities of Latin American identity and culture. In the United States, Latin American culture is too often presented as one which is both homogenous and uniformly connected by a common language –Spanish.

However, the exhibition deftly shatters this perception. The artists in “Perspectivas Latinas” hail from such divergent countries as Brazil, where Portuguese and not Spanish is spoken, Chile, Columbia , Costa-Rica, Cuba, El Salvador, Honduras and Mexico. Through their work, the viewer will come to understand the breadth and complexity of Latin American culture, identity and language.

801 Chase St, Annapolis, MD 21401. Hours: Monday-Thursday 9am–5pm., Friday 9am–6:30pm | Saturday 9am–4pm. www.marylandhall.org/galleries/ exhibitions-calendar/latinx-perspective

the founding publisher of East City Art, DC’s visual art journal of record. For more information visit www.eastcityart.com

AT THE MOVIES A Rundown on Some Notable Films for the Holidays

by Mike Canning

This month’s column o ers lmgoers a preview of upcoming major lms–mainstream and indie–coming out during the holiday season, lms that may likely contend for end-of-year awards. All will be released in DC area theaters between Thanksgiving and New Year’s and already carry varying degrees of buzz. First, some notable sequels to watch for:

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – It was inevitable, after its gigantic world-wide success in 2018, that Marvel Pictures’ “The Black Panther” epic would come out with a sequel. And while it does not have its original centerpiece-–the deceased Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa–it returns with major characters from the original. Also, Ryan Cogler is back as director-writer for this follow-up uniting much of the production team from the original. The lm continues exploring feminist themes from the rst lm, with actresses like Letitia Wright, Angela Bassett, Danai Gurira, and Florence Kasumba confronting other countries’ challenges to the kingdom’s reign. Expect lavish African symbols and designs and titanic battle scenes done with ash and spirit. (Out November 11, 2022)

Avatar: The Way of Water – Another highly anticipated sequel arrives l3 years after its original (“Avatar” 2009) continuing the pro igate CGI vision of the invented world of the Na’vi. The new wrinkle is that much of the film takes place with elaborate “performance capture” creatures performing underwater for the rst time. Several original cast members return such as Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana (heads of the Sully family) , Stephen Lang, and Sigourney Weaver, inter alia, along with newcomers Kate Winslet, Edie Falco, Michelle Yeoh, and Vin Diesel. According to the studio

(20th Century Fox), this sequel “begins to tell the story of the Sully family, the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they ght to stay alive, and the tragedies they endure.” (December 16, 2022)

Glass Onion: a Knives Out Mystery – This is a follow-up to director/ writer Rian Johnson’s very sophisticated whodunit wherein a cynical allstar cast confronted a ba ing murder in a closed mansion. An exception to the cynical trend is the detective in the case, the New Orleans sly dog Benoit Blanc played by Daniel Craig, who returns in this new mystery. The setting this time is exotic Greece where Benoit is drawn to solve his next crime. Again, he is accompanied by a varied and intriguing cast (with no holdovers from the rst lm). Turns out that Johnson’s series has enough momentum for his studio to already shoot “Knives Out 3,” scheduled for release in 2024. Intriguing note: just after leaving the 007 character, Craig takes on another recurrent character with Blanc. (Out December 2, 2022)

Then, some other major Hollywood e orts:

The Fabelmans – After years of musing on the idea, director Steven Spielberg has nally created his long-contemplated, semi-autobiographical movie about his own coming of age as a lmmaker. The picture, a comedic drama, follows his alter ego, Sammy Fabelman, (Gabriel LaBelle) from the ages of seven to 18, growing up in suburban Arizona with his sisters and his mother Mitzi (Michelle Williams) and his father Burt (Paul Dano), the rst a gifted pianist and the second a computer expert. It’s a family, as Mitzi says, “between the artist vs. the scientist” The lm re-creates Sammy’s

Steven Spielberg (center) directs a scene from his upcoming semi-autobiography

“The Fabelmans.” Photo courtesy Universal Pictures

The main cast of “Women Talking” re-lives their past traumas. An Orion Pictures Release. Photo Credit: Michael Gibson © 2022 Orion

early passion for the movies and his experience making his early films with a Super-8 camera. Judd Hirsch as Uncle Boris and Seth Rogen, as a family friend, also play major roles. Spielberg teams up with longtime collaborators Tony Kushner (his co-writer), John Williams (composer), and Janusz Kaminski (cinemaphotographer). (November 23, 2022).

I Wanna Dance with Somebody – Standard musical bio pic about the legendary R & B singer Whitney Houston, who died too young. It follows a roughly annual motion picture about recent major pop figures, such as “Rocket Man,” Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Respect,” and this past year’s “Elvis.” Directed by the talented Kasi Lemmons (“Harriet,” “Talk to Me”), it stars British newcomer Naomi Ackie as Whitney, Stanley Tucci as famous record producer Clive Davis, Tamara Tunie as Whitney’s mom Cissy, and Ashton Sanders as Bobby Brown. As with other recent bio pics of this nature, it shows the star’s arc of rising from obscurity through discovery to superstardom. Be prepared for a panoply of Houston’s greatest hits. (December 21, 2022)

A Man Called Otto – “A Man Called Otto” is an English-language redo of the lauded 2015 Swedish dark comedy “A Man Called Ove,” nominated for best Foreign Language Film. This American version has a first-class curmudgeon named Otto, played by an irascible Tom Hanks. The story plays out in Pittsburgh, where a 60-year old widower, still shaken by the recent death of his wife and the loss of his long-time job, decides to commit suicide. Yet his earnest efforts are continually thwarted by his new neighbors. This comedy-drama was directed by German-Swiss Marc Foster whose features range from his early “Finding Neverland” to

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the Bond blockbuster “Quantum of Solace.” (December 14, 2022)

Finally, a couple of independent lms from literary sources: Women Talking – Look for a heavy but heartfelt drama in this Canadian work based on a 2018 novel written by Miriam Toews which director Sarah Polley has adapted for the screen. A community of conservative Mennonite women living in Bolivia have been subjected to collective sexual assault and a select group of them, gathered in a hayloft, confess their experiences to a local teacher. The women who serve as witnesses form a lineup of current major cinematic talents including Frances McDormand, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, and Rooney Mara, among others. Polley, once a prominent Canadian child actor, turned feature director in 2006 and last created one of cinema’s most intriguing documentaries with “Stories We Tell” in 2012. (December 30, 2022).

White Noise – An apocalyptic black comedy lm adapted from the 1985 novel of the same name by novelist Don DeLillo and written and directed by Noah Baumbach (“Marriage Story”). It chronicles the life of Jack Gladney, professor of Hitler studies at an obscure midwestern university, husband to Babette, and father to a mixed bag of four children, whose life is devasted by “the Airborne Toxic Event,” a cataclysmic train accident that casts chemical waste creeping over his town. Adrien Brody plays Jack, while Gerta Gerwig (long-time collaborator of Baumbach) is Babette. Don Cheadle also graces the cast. DeLillo’s “White Noise” was lauded by literary critics when it came out as a gem of dystopian ction–but hardly lmable. It will be a test to see if the clever Baumbach can actually pull it o as a movie.

30, 2022) ◆

ART IN THE CITY

“A

rt is a time machine. A work of art will always be there.” Buzz Duncan knows that 10 people will have 10 di erent interpretations, but the painting remains the same. His story will be unchanged.

He doesn’t usually chase a story. It comes to him. He “feeds o things.” Wherever he is, he is open to what he sees and feels. Usually, he sees something that strikes him in a particular way and he has to get it down in paint. But occasionally he decides on a topic, like the pandemic, and needs to make his personal interpretation.

However he begins, his art is always about energy. He is not hesitant to experiment with the styles

by Jim Magner

and techniques of those who came before him. The list of in uences begins with Basquiat, Jackson Pollack, Picasso, and Sam Gilliam—the Washington Color School.

ARTIST PORTRAIT: BULSBY “BUZZ” DUNCAN

link to the amazement of the universe.

Color may be the true subject of his work, regardless of the famed styles. He wants it to get your attention. No shrugs. No yawns. He makes it hard to walk past. He wants questions, conversations. He doesn’t believe in perfect art. “The mistake is not accepting that the ‘ awed’ stroke is the reason the image comes to life.”

After his initial explosion phase, he is now trying to “lay it out…be more patient,” which is resulting in more pensive pieces like the boys sitting up against the fence. They are “just kickin’ it.” Looking at the world. Taking it in.

He is open more and more to faces—not formal portraits so much as how people appear in real life in real time. In this way, each painting will indeed be a time machine.

Jim Magner’s

Thoughts on Art

You don’t see many children depicted in art, except maybe those cute quasi-erotic cupids in religious art. They tend to be on the naughty side and I suspect the artists snuck them in under false pretenses.

But real-life human children? Young people just being young people? Looking, watching, wondering—learning how to survive—and sharing the newness and wonder of it all? Not much. It’s a shame. There is so much beauty in childhood. Most of it is the light in their eyes—the

If you watch a child or a teenager watching you, you know there’s much going on in those heads. You remember doing that. Your brain was running up and down the scales of human awareness— human impulses—human understanding. It’s the junction of human nature and individuality. Or as Buzz Duncan said about the boys at the fence: “Just kickin’ it.” It’s kids as people.

We adults usually just look, not watch. We miss so much meaning. It is the same with looking at art. Rarely more than a glance. Art, real art, is not a picture or a statue—it’s a value—a concept—something that can lift you into another world. You can’t get there without emotions—not the ordinary ones— but the shocks and traumas that build up over time and experience.

We all have those, don’t we? Those surprise personal disasters that knock us o our feet, or the shock-

Duncan Tribal 1, 40x30, Acrylic. photo by artist

Duncan Boys Working, 40x30, Acrylic. photo by artist

and non-juried shows inside their own gal lery space at 545 7th Street, SE, and other venues in the area including the Hill Cen ter. The artwork is for sale in each show—an excellent way for artists to reach a broad art buying public. For more information: www. caphillartleague.org.

waves of national or international so cial earthquakes that roll over us like a tsunami. That’s when we want to go back to being that child, watching and wondering, with the light of universal amazement in our eyes—reaching for the secrets of eternity.

At the Galleries

Sheila Blake

Foundry Gallery 2118 - 8th Street, N.W.

– Oct. 30

Recep: Oct. 1, 4 - 7:30 “Memory Is a Funny Thing” is a new exhibit by Sheila Blake. She has be gun to paint her memoir, inviting the spirits of her former life—stumbling through cultur al landscapes. The scenes come from old snap shots, where every painting is close to a rebirth. www.foundrygallery.com

Capitol Hill Art League (CHAL)

Hill Center, DC

921 Penn. Av., SE

To Jan. 8

This is the Capitol Hill Art League Juried Exhi bition at the Hill Center with over 35 CHAL art ists. As usual, you will find a wide variety of medi ums and viewpoints…and of course, excellence. The entire gallery is both online and in-person.

This exhibit was organized by the Capitol Hill Art League (CHAL), which is a program of the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop. CHAW was cre ated years ago to promote all the arts including classes for children and adults, performance and art exhibitions. The Art League promotes juried

Looking ahead a month, the Hill Center will host the finished art of the “8th & I Young Ma rines.” The opening is November 2, from 5 to 7. This is an award-winning program for boys and girls between the ages of eight and eighteen. It’s truly a wonderful program—check it out. hillcenterdc.org/galleries.

American Painting Fine Art. 5125 MacArthur Blvd., NW #17

To Oct. 8

This is a large and enriched show of 23 artists with over 50 paintings. While landscape is the major focus, there is a wide range of topics and approaches to the genre. Two works by Bulsby “Buzz” Duncan are included (see “Artist Profile.)

The gallery show will end October 8, but it will remain online. www.classicamericanpainting.com

A Capitol Hill artist and writer, Jim can be reached at Artandthecity05@aol.com u

Duncan Playing for Keeps, 36x48, Acrylic photo by artist

Duncan Brothers, 36x48, MixedMedia, photo by Greg Staley.

C APITOL

CUISINE

by Celeste McCall

It’s here! “Zero waste” Mason & Greens has arrived at 800 Pennsylvania Ave. SE (on the corner). The sustainable newcomer reminded me of the long-gone Cornucopia on Walter Street SE, which dispensed dried beans, rice, pasta and the like, in bulk. Mason & Greens has a similar mission. According to its website, the average American generates about 4.4 pounds of waste per day. Over 250 million tons of trash are

thrown away annually; every hour 2.5 million plastic bottles are discarded.

Mason & Greens proprietor Justin Marino, who operates the store with his wife Anna, showed us around the sunny, two-level space. Management is serious about zero waste. No plastic, period. The policy extends to purveyors who must eschew plastic when shipping to Mason. (Perishable foods are generally exempt for health and safety reasons.) Even employee business cards are printed on seed paper which can be planted.

“We opened our first store in Old Town Alexandria in March 2020,” Justin told me. “Yes, that was unfortunate timing. Back during the early days of Covid, few businesses were able to source merchandise. It was challenging.”

All grocery items are plant-based, including cashew cheese, oat milk, almond butter. You’ll also find jars of pickled baby beets, bread-and-butter squash, salsas, pasta sauces, preserves, dried beans, chips, marshmallows,

granola, animal crackers and much more. Plus fresh fruits and vegetables. Upstairs o ers beaucoup books—including vegan manuals, shampoos, bath oils, soaps, brushes, baskets and household products.

For hours and more information, visit www. masonandgreens.com.

Teutonic Cheer

Café Berlin’s 37th annual Oktoberfest is in full swing at 322 Mass. Ave. NE. Through October 17, guests can qua German beer (and wine) while chowing down on German victuals like Karto el Pfannkuchen (potato pancakes), Goulasch Suppe (soup), Wiener Schnitzel, Sauerbraten (marinated braised beef), Schweinehaxe (roast pork), sauerkraut, Rotkohl (red cabbage) and much more. Oktoberfest, by the way, commemorates the October 12, 1810 wedding of Bavarian Prince Ludwig to Princess Therese of SaxeHildburghausen. In Munich, Germany, the beersoaked blowout usually runs from late September through early October. For Café Berlin’s exact hours and Oktoberfest menu visit www.cafeberlin-dc.com.

Clucking Good

Last month, we reported that Chicken + Whiskey has hatched a spino at 70 N St. SE, in the Navy Yard. So we decided to see what all the clucking was about. Nothing fancy here; it’s fast casual, where customers place their orders at the counter, score a table and await their food.

But Chicken + Whiskey is funky and fun. Unlike

FAR LEFT: Mason & Greens co-owner Justin Marino describes his planet-friendly, plasticfree enterprise.

LEFT: Mason & Greens, a “zero waste” store, dispenses vegan produce— including these red peppers—and other sustainable items.

the Logan Circle parent eatery, where victuals are served in front and the hooch in the rear, the Navy Yard spino has arranged the two components side-by side.

Although the kitchen slings sandwiches, wings, arepas, spicy chicken soup and salads, pollo a la braza (Peruvian-style rotisserie chicken) is the dish to order here. Latino chef/partner Enrique Limardo, who has wielded his whisk at topnotch local restaurants, brines the chicken for 12 hours and slow-roasts it over charcoal. Accompanied by tongue-tingling dipping sauces, the birds were tender and moist, enveloped with crisp, succulent skin.

Since Peter likes white meat and I prefer dark, we ordered the half bird (breast, thigh, wing and drumstick) with two sides. We were both happy. Among side dishes, we chose Caribbeanstyle slaw (red and white cabbage, carrots and pineapple dressing). Our other side was chaufa rice avored with soy sauce, rice vinegar, onion, cilantro and bacon. The dish reminded us of a similar concoction we enjoyed at a restaurant in Lima, Peru. Chaufa rice is popular in Peru due to the 19th century in ux of Chinese immigrants.

Now for the whiskey: there’s lots of it. Lined up behind the long bar are umpteen kinds of liquor—99 according to the Website. Plus fancy cocktails with outlandish names like Jungle Boogy (rum); Bing Bong (Bombay Sapphire gin); Bitcoin Becky (Skyy vodka). The bar also carries beer. Better-than-decent red, white and rose wines are canned. There’s also a lively happy hour and a kid’s menu. Lunch for two with a drink apiece came to $36.74 including tip.

Sandwich Power

Peter and I decided to check out Fight Club, 633 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, where Hank’s Oyster Bar used to be. Fight Club—named after the popular 1999 ick starring Brad Pitt--is a few doors away from Beuchert’s Saloon. Both restaurant/watering holes are operated by chef Andrew Markert, who recently closed his upscale Newland “tasting room” near Eastern Market.

The former occupant’s long, convivial bar remains, and eye-catching lanterns hover overhead. Several TV screens bring football and other action.

Fight Club’s casual menu encompasses snacks and sandwiches, cocktails, beer and wine. (My glass of rose was pleasant, and the list in-

cludes many other choices.) I ordered the “Heir to the BLT,” replete with house-made peppered bacon, pistachio butter, brown butter mayo, lettuce and ripe yellow tomato slices. Peter chose the crab and egg salad sandwich. Both sammies were delightfully messy, requiring several napkins. Among other options are the signature Fight Club sandwich, piled with club steak, roasted tomatoes and bacon; falafel wrap (cashew and tofu), wedge salad; deviled eggs; half-smoked pups and onion rings.

In keeping with the movie theme, our $55 tab arrived in a DVD holder. For hours and more information, visit www. ghtclubdc.com.

LIVE MUSIC

Every Wednesday Capitol Hill Jazz Jam

10/1 - Batista Diferente

10/6 - Christian Perez Trio

10/7 - Julian Berkowitz Quartet

10/8 - Herb Scott Hillfest Show

10/13 - DC Divos Show

10/14 - Rachel Burns EP Release Party

10/15 - Landon Paddock

10/20 - Fran Vielma Orchestra

10/21 - Rob Patrick

10/22 - Jeff Weintraub

10/24 - Capital Lab Band

10/27 - Petra Martin

10/28 - Aaron Myers Show

10/29 - Julian Berkowitz Group

Cheesy Market Watch

Thanksgiving is more than a month away, but it’s not too soon to think about entertaining. And that includes good cheeses. For almost six decades, Bowers Fancy Dairy Products—tucked inside Eastern Market—has been hawking artisan cheeses from all over the world. The stand is now operated by Mike Bowers, whose grandfather Harris Rockford Bowers launched the business in 1964. A recent foray uncovered gorgeous cheeses like Roquefort, a selection from Cowgirl Creamery, and a vast range of cheddar, chevre, feta, ricotta and many more. We also saw fresh butter (including bu alo); mustards, chutneys, pates, crackers and Boska cheese slicers. For the holidays, expect festive gift baskets. Eastern Market is closed Mondays; for more information visit www.bowerscheese.com.

Gone

On Barracks Row, Nooshi, the Asian noodle and sushi restaurant upstairs at 524 Eighth St. SE, has closed after a decade in business.

Mon-Fri 11am – 1:30am

Sat & Sun 10:30am – 1:30am

Located in Eastern Market, Bowers Fancy Dairy Products has been hawking artisan cheeses—and much more—since 1964.

LITERARY HILL

A Compendium of Readers, Writers, Books, & Events

by Karen Lyon

Hollywood on the Hill

Capitol Hill has the remarkable distinction of being home to not one, but two bestselling authors, both of whom currently have movies in the works.

“The Pale Blue Eye” is based on Louis Bayard’s gothic novel of the same name about a series of ctional murders that takes place at the United States Military Academy West Point in 1830. The crimes are investigated by veteran detective Augustus Landor, who is aided in his grim task by a young cadet named Edgar Allen Poe. Eerie and atmospheric, the book all but begs for a cinematic adaptation— and, happily, director Scott Cooper has obliged.

Landor is portrayed by Christian Bale, and Harry Melling, who played Dudley Dursley in the Harry Potter lms, takes on the role of Poe. Other members of the ensemble cast include Gillian Anderson, Robert Duvall, and

Lucy Boynton. The movie is scheduled to be released to theaters this December and will begin streaming on Net ix in January 2023. www. louisbayard.com

James L. Swanson’s “Manhunt” is being made into a six-part true-crime series for Apple TV+. The Edgar Award-winning book, “Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer,” which has been described as “part historical fiction and part conspiracy thriller,” focuses on the aftermath of the Lincoln assassination in 1865 and the pursuit of John Wilkes Booth and his co-conspirators.

Created and written by Monica Beletsky and directed by Carl Franklin, the series features Tobias Menzies as Lincoln’s war secretary Edwin Stanton, Anthony Boyle as Booth, Hamish Linklater as Lincoln, and Lili Taylor as Mary Todd Lincoln. Filming is currently underway in Savannah and Philadelphia, where a historic theater is standing in for Ford’s (the National Park Service nixed the use of the historic site in DC). The premiere date has not yet been announced. @JamesLSwanson

Home Alone

Everything is going swimmingly for Christopher after his mother decides he’s old enough to stay home alone, “free to do what-

ever he wanted for the very rst time.”

To show how well he can take care of himself, he cleans his room, vacuums under the sofa, and even washes the breakfast dishes. The furniture compliments him—”I’d like to say how glad we are that it’s your house now,” says the sofa—and the appliances all hum with approval. Emboldened by his success, he sco s at the refrigerator’s suggestion of a peanut butter sandwich for lunch and decides instead to fry himself an egg. And that’s when all hell breaks loose.

In “Christopher Fries an Egg,” author Christopher Datta brings to life a day when a little boy discovers the limits of his new-found independence—and nds an unlikely ally. It’s a sweet fantasy, “peopled” with stoves that talk and a fried egg that sprouts arms and legs so it can vengefully stalk him all over the house. ‘“Here’s Christopher!’ bellowed the egg. ‘And it’s his turn to sit in the frying pan because now the house is mine!’”

Artist Christine Vineyard’s whimsical illustrations perfectly capture the action, as the once-friend-

Movies based on books by bestselling Hill authors Louis Bayard and James L. Swanson are currently in the works.

Local writer Christopher Datta and artist Christine Vineyard team up for a new children’s book, “Christopher Fries an Egg.”

All is not palm trees and piña coladas when a New Jersey couple moves to a Florida retirement community in Jack Wennersten’s “The Florida Story.”

ly household objects turn on the hapless boy. Between Datta and Vineyard, “Chris topher Fries an Egg” is a match made in kiddie-lit heaven. Parents will be charmed and kids might gain a better understand ing of their limitations (although whether they’ll be inspired to clean their rooms is another story).

Christopher Datta is the author of four novels for grown-ups—“Touched with Fire,” Fire and Dust,” “The Demon Stone,” and “A Perfect Disguise”—as well as two memoirs, “Guardians of the Grail: A Life of Diplomacy on the Edge” and “Run Scout Run.” Christine Vineyard is the au thor of “Good Jokes Bad Drawings” and her art, including renderings of local land marks, is available at www.lidflutters.com.

Angst in the Sun

Bob Levine was “the perfect embodiment of a PR man.” The life he and his wife Lucy built in the New Jersey suburbs seemed perfect, too. But then things changed. The commuter trains to New York were getting more crowded by the day and their com munity “had become a suburban immi grant ghetto.” At his job, Bob was feeling increasingly like a dinosaur, eclipsed by younger, more tech-savvy professionals. So, when he’s offered a buy-out, he jumps at the chance to fulfill his retirement fan tasy of “palm trees and sea breeze bliss.”

In “The Florida Story: A Lifestyle You Deserve, A Place You Belong,” Jack Wennersten follows the fortunes of the

Levines as they pursue their dream to retire in Florida. Bob’s neighbor and friend tries to dissuade him. “You know, Bob, Florida is an in vented place,” he warns him. “You can’t become a new person or have a new life just by changing geography.” But Bob is adamant. “We are looking to build a new way of life,” he declares. “It’s more than just palm trees and piña coladas.”

At first, the Levines’s move to a gated retirement community is bliss, as Lucy lounges by the pool and Bob joins a se nior softball team. But for Lucy, the “ac tive adult life” touted by Isla Vista’s devel oper soon palls. Even after she discovers a ladies’ bridge club that offers much more than card play, she continues to have “dark occasionally troubling moments” when she wonders if this is all there is. Bob, too, harbors doubts. Was it possible that, “in stead of being his life’s answer, Florida was merely the problem that opened a fissure in his supposedly stable life”?

As Wennersten notes in his prologue, “Most retirees who head south seek re demption in the sunshine. But all too often they recycle what they left behind.” “The Florida Story” captures the disillusion ment of people who are able to “buy qui et,” trading their suburban existence for life in a more idyllic setting, but are un able to find inner peace. “The angst and problems continue,” one character ob serves. “People don’t change over time that much.” And sunshine, alas, is not a cure for darkness of the soul.

John R. Wennersten is a Professor Emeritus of American History at the Uni versity of Maryland, Eastern Shore, and the author of twelve nonfiction books, in cluding, most recently, “Strange Fruit: Racism and Community Life in the Ches apeake, 1850 to the Present.” “The Flori da Story” is his first novel. u

POETIC

H I LL

by Karen Lyon

Sandra J. Lee is a native Washingtonian. She has an adult daughter and works in the childcare field. Her poem below puts an eloquent spin on the changes we all experi enced as the pandemic impacted our daily lives.

Pivot

2020 was the year

We all had to pivot

From dining out to Eating in

From going to a movie theater

To binge tv watching Pivot

From hugging friends and relatives

To waving from a distance

Get on your heels and

Switch directions Pivot

If you would like to have your poem considered for publication, please send it to klyon@literaryhillbookfest.org. (There is no re muneration.) u

by Jean-Keith Fagon

A brief synopsis of various music for your listening pleasure.

Perfect Moods ••••

Contemplative, contemporary piano miniatures (Celebrating Piano Music)

Perfect Moods is a multi-cultural collection of acclaimed albums of modern piano repertoire. Armenian pianist Mikael Ayrapetyan exploration of his countryman Haro Stepanian’s exquisite Preludes is arresting; deftly ngered, percussively insistent and with a truly heartfelt projection of the work’s tender closing phrase. It is truly rare to nd the ash of expressiveness that illuminates the spiritual and sensual “Melodies of the Upper Worlds” by the prominent Kabbalist Baal HaSulam; as well as Ayrapetyan’s own “A Whole in 12.” Composer-pianist Tanya Ekanayaka performs her “Twelve Piano Prisms” — a diverse mix of melodies from her native Sri Lanka combined with music from other countries and genres. The album devoted to Valentin Silvestrov presents an essential overview of this Ukrainian composer’s post-modern piano music, with its lingering allusions to the past. In this as in so much else, for Phillip Glass the focus is on love, not least in music for the BAFTA-winning score for the movie, “The Hours,” but also in the breathtaking “Modern Love Waltz.” All of the composers included in this set showcase contemporary piano music at its most accessible which gives this set its durability and its hold on the a ections.

Out of the Fog ••• Emilie Nicolas, vocals

Daniel Herskedal, tuba/brass

At the opening of “Out Of The Blue” from the album Out of the Fog, one can really feel the sweet joy of singer-songwriter Emilie Nicolas’ thrilling voice, blending with its extra atmospheric dimensions to this splendidly recorded performance. It could not be more welcome when a recording transforms a work, as this one does, setting it on a new plane with fellow Norwegian composer/performer Daniel Herskedal. Of the entire album, “While I Look For You” exempli es one of Ms. Nicolas’ most richly imaginative, harmonically sophisticated and imperious songs. Above all, Mr. Herskedal consistently brings out the poetry, drawing on emotions far deeper than are suggested by this operetta-like song. From rst to last, often with a throb in her voice, her vocal acting convinces you that her renditions are genuine; deep emotions, painful at times, intensi ed by the ravishing beauty of her voice. Crafted with an enchanting warmth and brilliant nesse, it’s the blend of Mr. Herskedal’s unequivocally trademark sound of multi-layered tuba and brass, empowering harmonies and soaring melodic lines, and the collaboration with Ms. Nicolas that gives this album its uniquely de ning quality.

The Great American Songbook •••

Erich Cawalla, vocals and saxophone Erich Cawalla’s latest album, The Great American Songbook, is exactly what it is with cover songs like “When Sunny Gets Blue,” and “One For My Baby (And One More For The Road),” vocally distinctive and well-characterized, lovingly concentrating on subtleties and phrasing of texture. But this recording with its wellconsidered control of tempo is a reminder that Mr. Cawalla is an artist of intelligence and delicacy as well as splendor of voice. Mr. Cawalla sings most beautifully and sensitively, providing an embodiment of emotional outpourings in this music, singing softly at the right moment. The album bristles with robust melody as well as delicate scoring, betraying a masterly hand at work.

Election Special Coverage for the District of Columbia

t h E A t - l A rg E c ouncil r A c E Crime, Housing & Education

by Elizabeth O’Gorek

The marquee race on the ballot is for two of the five at-large seats on the Coun cil. However, the District Home Rule Charter reserves two of the at-large seats for non-Democrats. Incumbents Anita Bonds (D, anitabonds2022.com) and Elis sa Silverman (I, elissafordc.com) are competing in an eight-way contest that includes incumbent Dem ocratic Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyon McDuffie (D, mcduffiefordc.com), who was ruled ineligi ble earlier this year to run for Attorney General as a Democrat. Also running are Republican Giuseppe Niosi (niosi2022.com), Green Party candidate Da vid Schwartzman (dcstatehoodgreen.party/candi dates/David-Schwartzman) and independents Fred E. Hill (fredhill4councilatlarge.com), Karim D. Mar shall (marshallfordc.com) and Graham McLaughlin (grahamfordc.com).

The race to date has mostly focused on public safety, the District’s housing crisis and the state of Dis trict education. Where do the candidates stand?

Crime

This year’s rise in crime has been a major focus dur ing primary debates. Bonds supports Mayor Muri

el E. Bowser’s (D) propos al to expand the ranks of the Metropolitan Police Depart ment (MPD) to 4,000 officers. While a “big proponent of community policing,” Bonds believes more officers could both improve the police de partment’s clearance rate in solving crimes and help in crease the public’s comfort.

“I really and truly believe that we need to see more of ficers on the streets,” Bonds said at last spring’s Hill Cen ter forum. “People feel com fortable when they see an offi cer in their community and we just don’t have officers in our community as we once did.”

Hill and Niosi agree, but take it a step further. The police are being under-resourced and understaffed, they argue.

“When the guns are going off, nobody’s dial ing “love, peace and understanding,” they’re all dial ing 911,” Hill said. “And if you don’t have the officers and the first responders there to respond to that, we’re all going to be in worse shape than we are now.” Hill would raise salaries for police officers by 30 percent.

The Council has been unresponsive to “rampant crime” in the District, Niosi argues. Police face un derstaffing, underfunding and antiquated technology.

“Our neighbors, including small children, are dying because the Council continues to slap our po lice force in the face,” Niosi said in an August press re lease. “They bow to national progressive special inter ests at the expense of lives here in the District.”

Meanwhile, Marshall is tired of debates over the number of city police officers. There should be more of an emphasis on how they are trained and recruited instead, he states, pointing out the recommendations of the police reform commission were largely ignored.

“To destroy crime, you have to eliminate the par ent of crime —poverty,” Marshall says, pointing to ad

ditional opportunity for youth and a focus on rehabilitation for youth crime as solutions.

Silverman agrees. The recommendations of the DC Police Reform Commission still need to implemented, she says. DC needs to work to build community trust in police. In particular, the com mission’s recommendation to pair behavioral specialists with MPD officers needs to be implemented, she says. Traffic enforcement should also be moved from MPD to the Dis trict Department of Transpor tation (DDOT).

McDuffie points to his authorship of the NEAR act. “We need to double down on the work,” to emphasize accountability for crimes. “We cannot simply focus on law enforcement, we have to focus the opportunity side of the equation,” he says. He believes the answer lies in expanding job training and providing more economic opportunities.

Schwartzman supports “defunding police” and redistributing funds to other programs. The NEAR Act, he says, should be fully implemented. In partic ular, he supports the creation of an office of violence prevention in the DC Dept. of Health. He wants to equip The Civilian Complaint Review Board with subpoena powers to better hold officers accountable.

McLaughlin believes a multi-level approach is necessary. In conversation, he called for a “social con tract” that provides universal childcare and good ed ucation. Still, an adequate force is necessary to hold people accountable if they hurt others, he says. Pros ecution and incarceration are necessary, but jail needs to be reconsidered to be more therapeutic and prepare returning citizens for re-entry into the community.

Housing Bonds currently chairs the Council’s Committee on Housing and Executive Administration. DC has been

Elissa Silverman

recognized as a national leader on affordable housing, she has proudly pointed out during primary debates. “Building, preserving and providing housing at a rent that residents can a ord are challenging processes, but DC is slowly overcoming,” she says. She is committed to working to ensure that every District resident has a safe, sanitary, and affordable place to call home and pushing for policies that expand tenants’ rights and preserve and increase of the District’s a ordable housing stock.

McDu e, another incumbent, agrees. New housing should be built across the city. He touts Mayor Bowser’s e orts to distribute new housing more equitably across the city. He credited his legislation with establishing a ordable housing set-aside requirements when District-owned land is being disposed for the development of multi-family residential projects.

Bonds has had her record challenged. During a debate at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, Marshall criticized her committee’s oversight of DC’s housing agencies. Bonds “is kind of asleep at the switch,” he says. The city needs a way to leverage the more than 10,000 vacant homes across the District into a ordable housing, he suggests.

Piling on, Schwartzman pointed out the Housing Protection Trust Fund (HPTF) has not meet minimum requirements for a ordable housing in the law, according to the DC Auditor. Those requirements should be increased in the short term, he says. A longer-term solution he suggests, is for DC to “decommodify housing” by adopting a social housing approach and supporting community land trusts with rent set at 30 percent of household income.

Hill criticized the city’s de nition of a ordable. DC, he argues, should reformulate the Average Median Income (AMI) to exclude its suburbs, “two of the wealthiest counties in the country.” He joins Marshall’s call for greater oversight of developers. Project plans that start from high-proportion affordable housing rarely still include them when built, he claims.

Education

Silverman, a member of Bond’s committee, has been a persistent critic of the operations of the HPTF. She has also questioned the operations of the DC Housing Authority (DCHA). In the Council’s discussions on the Comprehensive Plan, Silverman, while a strong supporter of historic preservation, called for increasing residential density and housing for the lowest income brackets. Affordable housing should be located in a uent communities as well. The preservation of a ordable housing stock should be the city’s highest priority, she argues.

McLaughlin largely agrees with Silverman. Housing, he argues, should be built throughout the city, particularly near transit hubs in wealthier neighborhoods. He also calls for the preservation of the current a ordable housing stock. However, councilmembers, he believes, need to get more involved in the weeds of housing development. DC must use every tool available, increasing density, expanding two and four-unit zoning, partnerships with faith-based institutions, to build more a ordable housing, he believes.

With the post-pandemic return of District’s students to in-person learning, education is at the forefront of voter concerns. With DCPS teachers working without a contract for three years, the public school system appears to be in crisis. Most of the candidates faulted the mayor.

Hill calls for the elimination of mayoral control. He criticizes Council for inadequate oversight. “The only way we’re going to x that part is if we change from those people who sit in those seats right now,” he says. Bonds disagrees. She is a strong supporter of the mayoral control.

Silverman splits the di erence. High-need schools are not seeing the bene ts of mayoral control, she argues. Placing education under a standing council committee will lead to more e ective oversight, she argues. In addition, the school funding formula needs to be reexamined, because it leaves schools with high-needs students with insu cient resources. She calls for the creation of baseline funding, ensuring every school would have key personnel such as nurses.

Kenyan McDuffie

Giuseppe Niosi

David Schwartzman

Fred Hill

Graham McLaughlin

Karim Marshall

McDu e did not weigh in on mayoral control. Di erent schools have di ering resources and needs and also di erent resources, he says. There is a need to make sure funding is equitable, pointing to issues with funding transparency, particularly the way in which at-risk dollars are spent, he argues.

There just needs to be a single person to hold accountable, Marshall contends, whether the mayor or a superintendent. The system also requires more council oversight. Planning should become a function of the education committee and for smarter budgeting, he says.

McLaughlin calls for a unified educational plan encompassing both public and public charter schools. Just by looking at school modernizations across DC, anyone can see the inequities in education, he says. He claims it is impossible to assess the e ectiveness of the District’s $450 million in at-risk student funding. “We need to get into the details and nd where that money is and hold folks accountable to ensure the money is going to kids that need it,” McLaughlin says. McLaughlin would fund The Birth to Three Act. He supports engaging in high impact tutoring for grade two students, as they switch from learning to read to reading to learn. He calls for the District to create pathways for post-graduation, either to college or to trades.

Niosi believes mayoral control has led to greater accountability. He strongly supports school choice. Parents can be trusted to know what is best for their children, he argues. However, the inadequate state of some school buildings makes choice uneven. The Council should examine school maintenance policies and reevaluate the school budget process, he says

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M EET THE SBOE C ANDIDATES Two New Faces Vie for Ward 6 School Board Seat

by Elizabeth O’Gorek

On Nov. 8th, Ward 6 residents will elect a new Ward 6 representative on the DC State Board of Education (SBOE). Incumbent Jessica Sutter took o ce in 2019 but announced this summer she would not run for a second term. Brandon Best and Joshua Wiley have thrown their hats into the ring.

Both the name and the role of the board changed in 2007, when DC Council passed the District of Columbia Public Education Reform Amendment Act, putting the DC Public School (DCPS) system under mayoral control.

Since then, representatives to the DC SBOE focus on school policies instead of how schools are run. They do this primarily by discussing and voting on proposals formulated by the O ce of the State Superintendent (OSSE).

MEET THE CANDIDATES

Joshua Wiley (ward6wiley.com)

Joshua Wiley is an Assistant Principal at a Ward 4 DCPS Elementary school. He says that he is running to represent Ward 6 on SBOE so he can better advocate for families. “For this election specifically, if you don’t have kids in DCPS or DC schools, or if you don’t work inside DC schools – I’m not talking about central o ce, I’m talking about inside DC schools – I think you should let this election out. This is not for you,” Joshua Wiley said.

“If you’re not living and breathing it every day, sit this one out.”

Working in the schools puts him in a unique situation to understand both the way schools function and the issues they face from the inside out, he said, helping them better navigate the system, providing avenues for solutions and helping them to get involved.

One of Wiley’s key concerns is teacher retention. “There have been too many times that students have come to me and said, ‘Mr. Wiley is this teacher coming back?’” he said. Teacher attrition takes away the community a child is building around them, he said, and a positive adult role model in their lives.

He wants to ensure teachers are being treated fairly, citing teacher concerns with the IMPACT system used to assess teachers, which has been criticized as biased by an American University study.

He wants to work towards greater teacher security, pointing out not only that the teachers union has been without a contract for three years and that charter school teachers work without union protection. Security should extend to pay, he said. A teacher starting out in DC might not earn enough to live where they work, which he said is unfair to the teacher as well as to the community that can bene t from their presence.

Pointing out that teachers are held accountable via promotion and pay for test scores every year, he argued that if the agencies charged with making environments conducive for learning fail to do so, there should be consequences. “So let’s say if half the HVAC in buildings are not working, somebody is getting red,” he said. “Because if half the kids don’t pass a test, there are teachers getting red.”

Wiley called for the revival of DC Council’s Education Committee, disbanded in 2020, saying it provided better oversight than the Committee of the Whole, but said additional checks and balances are needed in DC education.

Brandon Best (BestforWard6.com)

Brandon Best says he’s running for Ward 6 SBOE because he believes the District’s public and public charter school students should have the same opportunities as private school students.

Best was a teacher and a school level administrator in DC for 10 years before and spent eight years managing family engagement projects at DCPS. He is now senior director of region-

Wiley did not directly call for an end to mayor control of the schools. But he said anybody managing schools should solely focus on education, rather than managing it in addition to public safety, housing, health and the economy. Wiley stopped short of saying that DCSBOE should be running District schools, but did argue it should have a larger role. “What’s the point of electing people who don’t have a say?” he said. “I think the State Board of Education should be able to initiate some policy. “

ing, health and the economy. Wiley stopped short

systems promoting family and community engagement and advocacy in 28

Acknowledging the changes to the 2022 budgeting process, he nonetheless called for even greater school autonomy in the budgeting process. In terms of addressing the achievement gap, he said DC must rst address the opportunity gap, saying that all kids should have access to after-school care and programs.

terms of addressing the achievement gap, he said

LEFT: Joshua Wiley,

Brendon Best,

CANDIDATE FORUM

From great neighborhood

public spaces, I’m proud of the work we’ve done to make Ward 6 the incredible place it is. I’m running for re-election because we need leadership who will guide us not just back to normal, but to a better community for everyone. I know I can help do that.

school districts nationwide.

He said his current role prepares him for the function of DC SBOE: advising on policy and providing support, advocacy and oversight of District schools.

“I think this is actually kind of important because the mission of the state board is to provide policy, leadership, support, advocacy and oversight. And it’s also noteworthy that the board views the way of accomplishing these things [is] by engaging families, students, community members along with elected o cials – and that’s exactly what I’ve been doing for the past decade.”

Best himself attended Ward 6 schools and says he is the only candidate in the race that has actually supported the ward’s families and schools. Having worked in both public and public charter schools, he said he understands the challenges in both systems.

He aims to bring his family and community engagement approach to SBOE. One idea is to add a parent and a teacher advisory committee to supplement the existing student advisory committee and comment on SBOE policy recommendations.

It is necessary to reexamine course o erings to ensure they are preparing students for the workforce, he said. “I think the question that we should all be asking is, how are we supporting our schools to prepare our children for the workplace of tomorrow?” Students should have the opportunity to enroll in programs around cognition, coding and nancial literacy, he suggests.

Best is also interested in continuing to work to ensure students get to and from school safely, including working with the Safe Passages to Schools program. A few years

HE

E l E ction of A dvisory n E ighborhood A nc c ommission E rs on n ov E mb E r b A llot Redistricting Changes Boundaries, Shifts Incumbents

by Elizabeth O’Gorek

In the Nov. 8th General Election, DC residents will have the opportunity to elect the ANC (Advisory Neighborhood Commission) representative in their district. The ANCs are a non-partisan body of elected officials that represent local residents. Commissioners serve two-year terms without pay. All commission

ers in all wards are up for election this year. Each commissioner represents a Single Member District (SMD) of approximately 2,000 residents. The ANCs’ main role in the District is to be their neighborhood’s official voice in advising the District government (and Federal agencies) on things that af fect their neighborhoods.

The boundaries of the ANCs and SMDs are updated every ten years, based on the results of the latest decennial census. The latest boundar ies were approved by the DC Council on June 7, 2022, and approved by Mayor Muriel Bows er. Updated ANC and SMD boundaries will be used for the November 8, 2022 General Election.

To see if your ANC or SMD boundary has changed, enter your address in the new 2023 Locate Your ANC/SMD tool at https://arcg. is/1PrKXG.

Changes to ANC Boundaries

Ward 6 experienced the biggest changes during redistricting. Navy Yard neighborhoods are now located in ANC 8F. ANC 6A is smaller, reduced to six SMDs between East Capitol and Florida and Seventh and 15th Street NE. ANC 6B ex pands west to meet the interstate 395 at Washing ton Avenue and east to 15th Street SE above Po tomac, dipping south at E Street and 19th Streets SE to include Congressional Cemetery, bound ed on the south by the Anacostia River. ANC 6C is located north of East Capitol, but the area has shrunk to encompass south of Florida Avenue, west of Seventh Street NE and east of Union Sta tion along First Street NE and then north along the railway tracks.

Two SMDs in Ward 6, the section of Navy Yard bounded by H Street and M Streets SE and South Capitol and New Jersey Avenue SE, are lo cated in a Ward 8 ANC. They are SMD 8F to the north and 8F04 in the south. The redistricting of Navy Yard into Ward 8 significantly shrinks the bounds of ANC 6D, moving the eastern bound ary to South Capitol Street SW, and south of In dependence Avenue SE. ANC 6D reaches south to encompass Hain’s Point south of East Basin Drive.

Many readers of the Hill Rag are now residents of Ward 7, meaning they have new SMDs and representatives. The new bound aries of Ward 7 encompass three neighbor hoods west of the Anacostia: Kingman Park, included in 2000; the portion of Hill East that is east of 15th Street; and Rosedale. Both the latter were formerly in Ward 6. The Ward 7 Redistricting Taskforce incorporat ed these neighborhoods into two cross-riv er ANCs: 7D and 7F. Former residents of ANC 6A07, 6A08, 6B09 and 6B10 are now in Ward 7 ANCs 7D06, 7D07, 7D08 and 7D10. Meanwhile, the former 7D01 retains the same boundaries but is now 7D05. ANC 7F07, which is entirely populated by the DC Jail, also remains the same. Phase 1 and 2 of Reservation 13 development, including the Park Kennedy Apartments (1901 C St. SE) and The Ethel (1901 C St. SE) are part of ANC 7F08.

Changes in Representation

The changing of boundaries also seems to have ushered in a period of refresh for many Hill commissions. Many of those commis sioners who have represented the area for years have decided not to seek election in 2022. That includes Andy Litsky, who rep resented parts of Southwest for more than four decades. Nobody is on the ballot to rep resent his most recent SMD, 6D04. Karen Wirt (6C01), the outgoing chair of ANC 6C who was first elected in 1992, has also cho sen to step down.

Commissioner Denise Krepp will not run again to represent 6B09, which is now part of 7D09. In fact, only three of the com missioners representing what is now ANC 6B are seeking re-election; Jerry Sroufe and Ed ward Ryder are running unopposed to rep resent ANC 6B02 and 6B08 respectively. Al ison Horn, former representative for 6B09, is running unopposed to represent the new ly-constituted 7D10. Meanwhile, Chander Jayaraman, who stepped down last term to stage a run for the at-large council seat, is run ning unopposed in the new 6B06.

Many of the commissioners for the for mer ANC 6A are seeking re-election in their newly-defined SMDs. All of the SMDs for ANCs 6A, 6B and 6C have candidates on the

ballot. There are a number of notable con tests. In 6A01, Christina Goodlander chal lenges incumbent Keya Chatterjee. Tamber Gove runs to retain her office against Alex andra Kelly for 6A04. In ANC 6D02, incum bent Ronald Collins is challenged by new comer Tom Seidman.

Opportunities for Write-Ins

There is an opportunity for a write-in can didate for ANC 6D04 where no-one has stepped up to take the office to be vacated by Andy Litsky.

Candidates are on the ballot for all of the Hill East ANC 7D SMDs. In addition to Horn in 7D10, returning commissioner Bri an Alcorn steps up to represent constituents again in the new 7D08; Ashley Schapitl and Shane Seger are running to represent 7D09, Denise Krepp’s former ANC.

However, there is no representative on the ballot for the DC Jail in 7D07. In terms of the full cross-river commission, there is not yet a name on the ballot for SMD 7D02, between Hayes Street NE and Ben ning Road NE along the Anacostia; nor for 7D03, which represents communities in the buildings bound by Hayes and Jay Streets NE, Mayfair and Paradise-Parkside.

If you wish to vote for a write-in can didate, or an individual whose name is not printed on the ballot, you may write in that individual’s name on the blank “write-in” line and fill in the oval to the left of that line.

Those candidates still have to file paper work with the DC Board of Elections (202727-2525) if they want to win the election as a write-in candidate. Write-in nominees have to file an Affirmation of Write-in Candidacy on a form provided by the DCBOE not lat er than 4:45 p.m. on the seventh day imme diately following the election.

Write-in nominees who fail to sub mit the documents required by this section within the required times will be deemed “ineligible.” That means if they don’t file, they can’t win, even if they have a thousand votes and there is no other candidate.

Learn more about the 2022 Gener al Election at dcboe.org. Learn more about ANCs at anc.dc.gov. u

ago, while employed at KIPP, he created a program called “A Mile in My Shoes,” where city leaders traveled to and from schools with students to see the challeng es on route.

Asked about mayoral control, he not ed that SBOE representatives do not have a say on who runs the schools, but said that DC Council should debate the matter. His role, Best says, is to work within the system and eliminate inefficiencies.

Those inefficiencies are largely be tween agencies, he said. He points to the dysfunctional HVAC systems in many District schools and the lack of stream lined communications that prevent effi cient repairs.

Best agrees that teacher retention is a concern. He says the 2021 SBOE teach er retention survey found teachers listed reasons for leaving such as concerns with the IMPACT system, teacher safety, COV ID protocols and teacher health. The IM PACT system needs to be re-assessed, he says, and teachers should be incentivized to stay for terms of perhaps four or five years.

“We also need to support our unions,” he said, “and [make] sure that our teachers have a contract.”

Noting that $1 billion has been allo cated to address learning loss after COV ID, he said he’d like to see transparency about how and where those funds are al located. High-impact tutoring will be pro vided to 4,000 District students in FY23; it should be provided for more children, he adds. He said he would like to see each school have their own plan to address learning loss.

He does see challenges with the school budgeting process, saying he agrees with a funding model proposed by DC Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) that pro poses that additional funds are given di rectly to schools that serve more at-risk stu dents, as opposed to channeling it through DCPS Central Office. “I believe this is a viable option, as long as there is transpar ency around where the money is going,” Best said. u

capitolstreets

OUR RIVER: THE ANACOSTIA

The APACC Leads the Private Sector In the Clean-Up of the Anacostia

by Bill Matuszeski

The Anacostia Park and Community Collaborative (APACC) was founded in 2015 by Phil Pannell of the Anacostia Coordinating Council and Doug Siglin. It has grown and begun to emerge as a major leader of the private sector in e orts to engage the citizens of Wards 7 and 8 in activities related to the Anacostia River and adjacent public lands, and to involve Ward 6 folks as they turn towards an ever more attractive

water body and shoreline o ering many forms of engagement. As the leaders of the group would say, their main goal is to make “the River and its park system the best possible resource for residents of Wards 7 and 8”. But they would like it all to attract and entertain whoever is drawn near.

Last February, the APACC hired Brenda Lee Richardson to the top management post of Coordinator. She has been President of Chozen Consulting LLC, a company fo-

APACC Equity Tour by Brenda Richardson with government and non-profit representatives. Photo: Brenda RichardsonView upriver from Poplar Point. Photo: Bill Matuszeski

cusing on community engage ment and government relations, with much of their work in our area. As a former Board member of many local environmental and development volunteer groups, she has already brought a sense of urgency and organization to APACC. She has her B.A. in Po litical Science from the Universi ty of Michigan and her Masters in Social Work from the University of Maryland.

APACC now has 42 mem ber organizations, some local, some regional and some nation al, but all dedicated to making the River something the local res idents will to be drawn to. Ex amples from different levels in clude Zion Baptist Church of Ward 7; Fairlawn Citizen’s As sociation in Ward 8; Communi ty Preservation and Development Corporation in both Wards 7 and 8; Living Classrooms on King man Island in Ward 6; Anacostia Riverkeeper in the entire Anacos tia watershed; DC-wide Apple seed Center for Law and Justice; region-wide Casey Trees; and the national office of the Audubon Naturalist Society. These and the other members bring a wide range of expertise and experience to the table.

As an Anacostia watershed citizen, how do you relate to all this and figure out how to en gage? The best place to start is the Anacostia Parks and Com munity Collaborative website at http://www.anacostiaparkcom munity.org. There you will learn of upcoming events affecting the River, the parks along it and the neighborhoods adjacent. You can share your ideas and build your coalitions to work on a range of projects. For example, there is a Citizens’ Poplar Point Working

Group that is documenting and elevating the stories and dreams of folks who have been working to transform the large vacant area north of the Frederick Douglas South Capitol Street Bridge for thirty years; it is now subject to a wide range of conflicting devel opment plans, although 70 of the 130 acres are allegedly set aside as parkland.

The overall purpose of the APACC effort is to bring the communities along the River into the decisions about the fu ture offerings that it provides to all who live there. Everyone’s participation is needed. The lo cal focus on priorities and needs and threats to communities and the environment must be avail able and listened to. The envi ronment should be defined as much broader than what nature and the River bring; it should in clude ways to take advantage of nature and enjoy its ability to re fresh us in all manner of ways. APACC can be seen as a forum to work out issues related to chang es being proposed. It provides a source of funds and other sup port for local projects. Environ mental education and projects to improve the communities should also be seen as a source of train ing and jobs for local talent.

We can make it happen along Our River, and we cannot afford to let the opportunities to work together with APACC pass us by.

BIll Matuszeski is a member of the Mayor’s Leadership Council for a Cleaner Anacostia River, and the retired Director of the Chesapeake Bay Program. He also serves on the board of Friends of the National Arboretum and on Citizen Advisory Committees for the Chesapeake and the Anacostia. u

A Focus on Violent Crime

ANC 6A REPORT

by Nick Alberti

Chair Amber Gove (6A04) convened the September 8, 2022 meeting of Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6A with Commissioners Keya Chatterjee (6A01), Commissioner Phil Toomajian (6A02), Robb Dooling (6A06), Sondra Phillips-Gilbert (6A07) and Brian Alcorn (6A08) in attendance. Commissioners Mike Soderman (6A03) and Laura Gentile (6A05) were absent Community Presentations

Public Safety: Gun Violence Prevention

Director of the O ce of Gun Violence Prevention Linda Harllee Harper noted that this is a concerning time in DC as incidents of gun violence are increasing. The mayor creat-

ed the Gun Violence Prevention Emergency Operation Center two years ago in collaboration with Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA) and sta were dispatched to communities across the city with the highest levels of gun violence. A year ago, an O ce of Gun Violence Prevention was created directly within the O ce of the City Administrator, and the purpose is to coordinate and collaborate with di erent government agencies and remove barriers to accessing city services. The Community Justice Action Fund recently released a report on jurisdictions with the best investments in gun violence prevention, and DC was the rst on the list, re ecting that investments are in the right places and there should be long term positive impacts. The recent investments in the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR), for example, lead to unique programming for teens and at-risk youth. The O ce will focus on the People of Promise initiative, trying to nd and engage 250 individuals at risk for high gun violence that were identi ed in a recent assessment by the National Institute of Criminal Justice Reform. Especially as juvenile violence is rising, authorities ask for the help of schools, community members, and faith institutions to identify and engage at-risk youth. DC has one of the strongest juvenile con dentiality laws in the country and the nuances of the juvenile system are not widely understood by the public. Harllee Harper recommends having the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS) at a future meeting. The DYRS Parent Support Group is called Anchored in Strength, facilitated by Princess Whitaker Taylor who can be reached at 202-431-1668. Ms. Harllee Harper can be reached at linda.harlleeharper@dc.gov.

Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen

Councilmember Allen recognized that public safety is an urgent priority and has con dence in Commander Bryant, Captain Savoy, and their teams to strategically address the troubling violent incidents happening in Ward 6 and the District as a whole. The Councilmember believes there needs to be a whole government approach to violence prevention, meaning several government agencies need to be working alongside MPD. The government is taking a “both/and” approach, attempting to both prevent cycles of violence and asking deeper questions and responding swiftly when incidents of violence occur. There has been a renewed focus on H Street Corridor, where authorities are focused both on preventing violence and responding and intervening quickly when it does happen. In response to a shooting near Maury Elementary, which was a targeted incident, the Councilmember would like to get the Department of Consumer and Regulatory A airs (DCRA) and other agencies involved to augment MPD’s services. He also reminded the community that in addition to the Red Flag Law, if a family member reports a juvenile’s gun possession, that

gun can be safely taken away and the juvenile will not be charged with pos session. In addition to gun violence, the Councilmember recognizes other public safety concerns, such as reck less driving and notes that we need slower and safer streets, especial ly as children are walking to school again. The Councilmember continues to support crisis response teams and highly recommends residents take ad vantage of the security camera rebate program: ovsjg.dc.gov/service/priva tesecurity-camera-system-incentiveprogram.

First District (1D) Commander Tasha Bryant

First District Commander Tasha Bryant participated in summer workshop with other major US city police departments and found that all of these cities are facing the same challenges of increased crime and youth violence. Commander Bryant reported that overall 6A crime is actually down, but there has been a string of violent offenses. The nightlife initiative that started on June 17th on H Street is in effect on Friday and Saturday nights, and MPD will install dedicated officers in the corridor, giving the community and business owners the opportunity to connect with officers and establish relationships. The amount of carjackings and stolen cars has decreased, and MPD is hoping to modify behavior by letting residents know to not leave their cars idling or in unsafe parking areas. MPD is seeking any additional information or videos from the shooting on Tennessee Avenue and the homicide at Eastern High School and ask that residents remain aware of their surroundings and report anything suspicious to MPD. Commander Bryant noted that while there is some controversy around curfews, MPD has mostly been implementing curfews to keep at-risk juveniles at home.

The following actions were accepted by unanimous consent:

Alcohol Beverage Licensing (ABL)

• ANC 6A will protest the license application of Bronze DC, LLC t/a Bronze DC unless a Settlement Agreement is reached prior to the protest deadline.

• ANC 6A will update the existing Settlement Agreement with DC Conscious Cafe, LLC t/a DC Conscious Cafe to reflect the current standard agreement for the ANC.

• ANC 6A will pr otest the license renewal application of Chupacabra, LLC t/a Chupacabra unless an updated Settlement Agreement is reached prior to the protest date.

Transportation and Public Space (TPS)

• ANC 6A will send a letter to the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) requesting that the Traffic Safety Investigation (TSI) Dashboard include the entire text of the submission, information about work orders, and planned timeline for resolution.

• A NC 6A will write a letter to DDOT in support of the Low Im pact Development proposals for the intersections of on West Vir ginia Avenue/8th Street/K Street and West Virginia Avenue/L Street/9th Street, with the provi sions that DDOT retain the south crosswalk on West Virginia Ave nue and 8th Street NE, or make the crosswalk at 8th and K Streets NE a raised crosswalk to slow traffic coming around the pocket park and onto West Virginia Ave nue NE, and add trees to both new green spaces; and ANC 6A send a letter to the Department of Ener gy and Environment (DOEE) re

GOVE, CHAIR, 6A04@ANC.DC.GOV

Serving

Park,

meets the second

on

ALL ARE WELCOME

The Next meeting is 2nd Thursday, October 13, 7:00 p.m.

Transportation & Public Space Committee meeting

3rd Monday, October 17, 7:00 p.m.

Meeting via Zoom

Economic Development and Zoning Committee meeting

3rd Wednesday, October 19, 7:00 p.m.

Meeting via Zoom

Community Outreach Committee meeting

4th Monday, October 24, 7:00 p.m.

Meeting via Zoom

Alcohol Beverage Licensing Committee meeting

4th Tuesday, October 25, 7:00 p.m.

Virtual Meeting via Zoom

in information will be posted under Community

at anc6a.org 24 hours prior to the meeting.

Advisory Neighborhood Commission 6C

P.O. Box 77876 • Washington, D.C. 20013-7787 www.anc6c.org • (202) 547-7168

Next meeting Wednesday, October 12, 2022. Information will be posted on the ANC 6C website.

ANC usually meets

7:00 pm, 214

Ave, N.E.

ANC 6C COMMISSIONERS ANC 6C COMMITTEES

6C01

Healey 6C01@anc.dc.gov

ANC 6C02

Wirt

ANC 6C03

Adelstein 6C03@anc.dc.gov

6C04

Eckenwiler 6C04@anc.dc.gov

Alcoholic Beverage Licensing

First Monday, 7 pm

Contact: anc6c.abl.committee@gmail.com

Grants

Last Thursday, 7 pm

Contact: torylord@gmail.com

Twitter: @ANC_6C_Grants

Environment, Parks, and Events

First Tuesday, 7 pm

Contact: 6C06@anc.dc.gov

Transportation and Public Space

First Thursday, 7 pm Contact: anc6c.tps@gmail.com

Planning, Zoning, and Economic Development

First Wednesday, 6:30 pm

Contact: 6C04@anc.dc.gov

Twitter: @6C_PZE

questing that the bioretention areas be regularly maintained and cleaned.

• ANC 6A will send a letter to DDOT in support of NOI #22-221-TESD to install multimodal safety improvements on C Street NE between 11th and 15th Streets, and request that loss of linear feet of parking for setbacks be minimized to the extent possible while ensuring safety.

Economic Development and Zoning (EDZ)

• ANC 6A will send a letter of support or a plan to construct a rear three-story addition; add a partial third floor on the existing house, and renovate the existing house for a home at 223 8th Street NE (HPA 22-329) in the Capitol Hill Historic District.

• ANC 6A will send a letter of support to the Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) for a special exception to raze three existing buildings and to construct a new, six-story with cellar and penthouse, mixed use building at 814 14th Street NE (BZA 20744).

• ANC 6A will send a letter of support to BZA for a special exception, to construct a mixeduse building at 1341 H Street NE (BZA 19358) in the with the caveat that the owner make best efforts to get letters of support from neighbors.

• ANC 6A will provide comments to the Zoning Committee at the public hearing on a proposed Racial Equity Analysis Tool (ZC Case 22RT1) to evaluate all zoning actions through a racial equity lens. A draft presentation will be delivered to the ANC from the EDZ.

Community Outreach Committee (COC)

• ANC 6A will appoint Kelsey Grimes, Jessica Clark and Iris Gill to the Community Outreach Committee.

Commission Business

• ANC 6A will send a letter to DDOT requesting the addition of a stop at Lincoln Park at East Capitol and 12th Streets (both north and south of the park) to the proposed Deanwood-Union Station Circulator route.

Other Motions

• ANC 6A will send a letter to the DDOT Public Space Commission in support of Brown AME’s application to replace their existing chain

link fence with a decorative black metal fence no taller than 72 inches and in accordance with the documentation submitted in their application. The motion passed five in favor with Commissioner Toomajian abstaining.

Visit www.anc6a.org for a calendar of meeting times, meeting agendas and other information. u

MPD Commander On Shooting Near Eastern

ANC 6B RepoRt

by Elizabeth O’Gorek

Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) First District Command er Tasha Bryant appeared before Advisory Neighborhood Commis sion (ANC) 6B during their regu lar meeting Tuesday, Sept. 13 to discuss two crimes near Eastern High School (1700 E. Capitol St. NE).

Attending were Commissioners Jennifer Samolyk (6B01), Gerald Sroufe (6B02), Brian Ready (6B03), Kirsten Oldenburg (6B04), Steve Holtzman (6B05), Corey Holman (6B06), Edward Ryder (6B07), Alison Horn (6B09) and Denise Krepp (6B10). 6B08 is vacant.

Bryant said MPD received a call the afternoon of the ANC meeting, reporting sounds of gunshots near the school. She said officers recovered one casing, but found no victims. The casing is being submitted to forensics to determine if the firearm that it came from was used in another crime.

Commissioner Denise Krepp (6B10) called the commander the same afternoon. Krepp said that a neighbor heard the gunshots and watched the kids scramble. “Our kids, DC kids deserve to be in a better environment,” Krepp said.

The gunfire comes only ten days after a death near Eastern High School. A man was found unconscious but breathing, face down on the fields near the school. He later died.

Bryant said at the time, officers weren’t sure how he was killed; neither acoustic detection system Shot Spotter nor residential cameras recorded any clues. Bryant said the man was stabbed in the face with a blunt object. There may have been a dispute between the man and others that led to his murder, Bryant

said, noting that police may have found a witness since the event. Krepp offered to write a community impact statement.

Carjackings

Bryant noted that carjacking numbers are actually down overall versus the same time in 2020, adding that any number was unacceptable.

Commissioner Jennifer Samolyk (6B01) noted that at their April meeting, Attorney General for DC Matthew Graves told commissioners that DC Council is in the process of reevaluating the DC Code. One proposal is to eliminate carjacking as a standalone offence. Carjackings currently come with a seven-year mandatory minimum; armed carjackings have a 15-year minimum sentence. The proposal is to treat these as robberies, which would reduce the associated mandatory minimum prison sentence. USA-DC plans to oppose the move.

Samolyk expressed concern about this change and asked Bryant for the MPD position on the issue. Bryant said she had some concerns about the changes, saying that even young people should be held accountable for their crimes. But there’s a difference between a seasoned criminal and a juvenile who doesn’t understand the crime they commit, she added.

“I don’t want the penalty for a kid who sees a vehicle running and takes it to be the same for one who beats up a citizen,” Bryant said. “That’s not the kind of penalty we want to see.”

Watkins Elementary Street

Closed for Walk to School Day District Department of Transportation (DDOT) Safe Routes to Schools lead Gina Arlotto told commissioners about a pilot program that would close a portion of streets in front of schools to vehicles. The pilot program would take place at one school in each ward on bike-to-school day, scheduled this year for Wednesday Oct. 12. In Ward 6, the pilot school selected is Watkins Elementary (400 12th St. SE).

Arlotto said plans currently call for closure of 12th Street between D and E Streets SE. Hours have not been finalized. The street may be closed for a few hours around drop-off and pick-up, Arlotto said, or it could be closed for the duration of the school day, in which case DDOT will program the space.

The pilot comes after DDOT observations throughout the District showed that the block in front of schools is the most dangerous space for a child as they enter and leave.

The goal of the pilot program is to allow for safer transport on a critical day and to promote the use of alternative modes of transportation. DDOT will also raise awareness for neighbors and commuters about safety and hand out materials on safer drop o and pick-up procedures.

The program has general support from DC Council and the Mayor’s office, Arlotto said, and may make it into city-wide legislation implementing it on the rst day of school over the next couple of years.

Some commisioners said that while they supported the idea, they thought the plan would simply decentralize chaos from the front of the school to the corners.

Commissioner Kirsten Oldenburg (6B04), who lives across from Watkins, said promoting student safety is a great idea, but a better idea would be to help parents conduct drop-o and pick-up safely.

Arlotto said the pilot may mean some inconvenience for motorists, but said DDOT feels very strongly that the idea, used in many European cities, is worth taking a look at and to see if it can be expanded more widely in the coming years.

ANC Voted to Support

• An Historic Preservation Application (HPA) for new construction of a three-story townhouse with basement on the vacant lot at 1107 Tenth St. SE. Neighbors expressed some concern about the absence of an outlet to the interior alley behind the lot; the applicant noted that his construction would not a ect access but agreed to continuing conversations among neighbors who abut construction as

As Capitol Hill’s St. Peter’s Church concludes its year of 200th anniversary events, learn more about Irish-born Father Michael J. O’Sullivan who served as pastor from 1970 to 2005. Over those 35 years, he guided the renovations of the church, school and rectory, making St. Peter’s an important gathering place for the Hill community as well as the parish’s spiritual home. Read Father Michael’s oral history at CapitolHillHistory.org.

preserve Capitol Hill history by becoming a volunteer.

an opportunity to address the issue.

• Changes to a planned unit development (PUD) at 1333 M St. SE. There will be a reduction in retail space and an increase in residential vehicular and bike parking. The ANC asked the applicant to increase electric charging in parking spaces past the required minimum of 1 for every 50 units, commit to having 20 percent of parking spaces electric vehicle ready and to increase the space for cargo or tandem bikes,. Commissioners reiterated support for the project overall but argued that while District regulation on these items is in its infancy that such planning would help facilitate a decrease in driving and would be a selling feature for residents.

• An application from Brent Elementary School (301 N. Carolina Ave. SE) for School Parking Zone (SPZ) permits. The SPZ program allows school sta to park in identi ed Residential Parking Permit (RPP) zones during daytime hours and must be supported by a transportation coordinator and school transportation plan. The measure is intended to replace the widespread neighborhood donation of Visitor Parking Permits (VPP) to school sta , as those can be used at any hour and are unlimited. There was some debate amongst commissioners about the actual number requested by the school, but support was assured when it was determined that only 38 of the 65 sta were to be allocated a pass.

• The DC Circulator Plan for an East Capitol Street Route. The new route will proceed west from RFK Stadium along East Capitol to Third Street NE, proceeding up to Union Station and then return along the same route, connecting Ward 7 to Union Station. How-

ever, neighbor John Hirschmann pointed out that there were no stops between Eighth and 17th Streets and asked commissioners to include a request for stops near Lincoln Park. The ANC supported the plan and made the request for additional stops.

ANC 6B holds their next full meeting Oct. 11, with executive and committee meetings taking place during the two weeks prior. Learn how to attend meetings and connect with the commission by visiting anc6b.org.

Union Station Safety Concerns, Traffic Legislation

ANC 6C REPORT

by Sarah Payne

Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6C met Wednesday Sept. 14 via WebEx. Commissioners Christine Healey (6C01), Karen Wirt, Chair (6C02), Jay Adelstein (6C03), Mark Eckenwiler (6C04), Joel Kelty (6C05) and Drew Courtney (6C06) attended the meeting.

Douglas Carr, Union Station Redevelopment Corporation CEO, was present to address various community concerns at Union Station (50 Massachusetts Ave NE). Commissioner Jay Adelstein (6C03) raised concerns from his constituents about criminal activity around the station and unhoused individuals lingering in the vicinity of Union Station.

Carr emphasized that the station has many resources at its disposal for addressing the concerns of the community, particularly regarding public safety.

Photo by Lis Wackman

“We have a fairly robust amount of resources, specifically regarding the homeless, including contract sup port,” Carr said.

Commissioner Joel Kelty (6C05) encouraged Carr to focus additional law enforcement support on the front portico of the building.

“I’ve been through there several times in the past few weeks, and I’ve also received complaints from other neighbors,” Kelty said. “It is not the beautiful pedestrian experience it once was. There’s a tremendous amount of loitering and smoking, and there is food waste all over the sidewalks.”

Commissioner Mark Eckenwil er (6C04) echoed Kelty’s concerns, but said mental health issues should be at the forefront of the safety solu tion and said “more needs to be done” for these individuals.

“People, many of them experienc ing significant mental health issues, are out there screaming in a very menacing and threatening way [that would oth erwise] be impermissible,” Eckenwiler said, “and that obviously creates an un welcoming atmosphere, both for resi dents and also people who are visitors to the area.”

Adelstein emphasized the neighborhood’s interest and commitment to making Union Station a better, safer transit hub for all. “This ANC is very interested in the redevelopment efforts and plans, and we have at least two members who are on consulting parties,” Adelstein said. “We wish you all goodwill in your efforts to make it a premier building.”

Carr expressed appreciation for the feedback both from commissioners and community members saying he was excited about the opportunities that the station presents to the local community and the District as a whole.

The Commission Voted Unanimously to:

• A dopt the ANC’s Alcohol Bev erage Committee (ABC) recom mendation to support alcohol

renewal applications for Taque ria Rosticeria Fresca (701 H St. NE), Yotel Washington DC (415 New Jersey Ave. NW), Hil ton Garden Inn-DC/US Capi tol (1225 First St. NE) and King Street Oyster Bar (22 M St. NE).

• Adopt the ABC Committee rec ommendation to protest renewal application of The Boiling Crab (300 H St. NE) regarding chang es to its trash disposal area that implicates public space, which will impact the settlement agree ment. The proposal is a bay win dow bump out to accommodate garbage storage and removal that the establishment does not have sufficient space for inside. The Boiling Crab has proposed a twoyear trial period with this adjust ment. The chair of the Transpor tation and Public Space (TPS) Committee, Michael Upright, was approved to serve as a repre sentative from the ANC to nego tiate with the establishment.

• Adopt the Planning, Zoning and Economic Development (PZE) committee recommendation to offer written testimony on both a construction management frame work bill and a liability insurance bill on Sept. 30. The committee expressed concern about the po tential for small projects to incur significant and unnecessary in surance costs, the scope of pro tections, tailoring and structural issues within the bills, in addition to a technical change that the PZE previously expressed opposition to.

• Adopt the PZE committee rec ommendation to provide testimo ny regarding the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA)’s split into two agen cies. The testimony will serve to remind the Council that a for mal nomination and confirma tion by DC Council is required

in naming a new administrator for each agency. It will also remind the Council of the ANC’s “deep dissatisfaction with performance over many years of the incumbent zoning administrator” and to urge the council to press the mayor to make the nomination and ensure a confirmed administrator for the new agencies.

Other Matters

• A representative for a new residential development, located at 1242 Fourth St. NE, provided an introduction to the project. The proposal is for a 90 unit project, all of which will be available at 60 percent of the area median income (AMI) and below. The project is currently going through a planned unit development (PUD) map amendment process and collaborators are looking forward to working with ANC 6C as the process progresses.

• Declan Falls, a representative from DC Council Chairman Phil Mendelson’s o ce, spoke about the Chairman’s work in the council and upcoming hearings with speci c focus on education. Falls highlighted the Paid Parity Act, passed last fall, which distributes funds to early childhood educators. Educators are now eligible to receive a payment of up to $14,000. Residents can learn more about your own eligibility and submit an application at https://osse.dc.gov/ ecepayequity.

• The commission voted unanimously to send comments opposing additional parking spaces at the Logan Montessori School (215 G St. NE) to the District Department of Trans-

portation (DDOT). The school submitted a request for 22 additional parking permits as part of the school parking zone program (SPZ). The SPZ program allows school sta to park in identi ed Residential Parking Permit (RPP) zones during daytime hours and must be supported by a transportation coordinator and school transportation plan. The measure is intended to replace the widespread neighborhood donation of Visitor Parking Permits (VPP) to school sta , as those can be used at any hour, and are unlimited. Eckenwiler called DDOT’s process for issuing the SPZ passes “preposterous” as it plans to distribute passes to the school and later scale back the number of permits issued over time, by 10 percent in every succeeding year. He also emphasized the school’s proximity to Union Station and other public transit options available in lieu of additional parking spots. The school currently has 24 on site spaces, and Eckenwiler stated that the ANC is “willing to engage with them on potential alternatives.”

• The commission adopted a recommendation from the ANC’s TPS Committee to submit comments in connection with the rulemaking for DDOT’s booting and towing plans. The proposal includes added changes regarding the removal of a vehicle displaying fraudulent or counterfeit tags to also include windshield stickers and decals. Counterfeit tags, Eckenwiler said, have become a “ubiquitous” problem over the years in the District and the ANC also proposes the inclusion of a provision about cov-

ered and obscured license plates.

ANC 6C will meet next on Oct. 12 at 7 p.m. via WebEx. You can register to attend the meeting and read more about the commission here.

Sarah Payne is a general assignment reporter for Capital Community News. She can be reached at sarahp@hillrag.com.

ANC Opposes Massive Maine Ave. Developments

ANC 6D REPORT by Andrew Lightman

Advisory Neighborhood Commission 6D (ANC 6D) met on Sept. 12 and Sept. 21 via Zoom. Commissioners Dr. Marjorie Lightman (6D01), Jared Weiss (6D02, secretary), Ronald Collins (6D03, treasurer) Andy Litsky (6D04), Fredrica (Rikki) Kramer (6D05, vice chair), Edward Daniels (6D07, chair) were in attendance for both meetings. Rhonda Hamilton (6D06) was absent from the Sept. 16 meeting.

807 Maine Avenue SW PUD

The commission weighed an endorsement of Mill Creek Residential’s request for a Planned Unit Development (PUD) to develop 807 Maine Ave. SW, currently the site of the Disabled Veterans Association. Mill Creek envisions a 110-foot building with 20 additional feet of penthouse and mechanical space with a Floor to Area Ratio (FAR) of 87 percent. The site is currently zoned MU-12, which allows for 65 feet of height if there is Inclusionary Zoning (IZ) and a FAR of 80 percent.

Commissioners Lightman, Litsky and Kramer had been tasked with negotiating with the developer for the previous several months. Lightman placed a motion on the oor opposing the project.

The commission had historically supported such developments, citing its role in The Wharf, she said. However, that support was predicated on the applicant demonstrating an understanding of Southwest’s unique character and embracing the community’s vision in-

corporated in the Southwest Small Area Plan (SW SAP, www.planning.dc.gov/publication/ southwest-neighborhood-plan). In addition, the commission expected all such requests to be accompanied by a pro er of substantial community bene ts. This particular PUD “violates” the “spirit” of the SW SAP.

The height of The Wharf properties located across Maine Avenue to the south, the developer argued, justi ed its request for equal development on the avenue’s northern side. As the largest private development in DC, The Wharf, Lightman explained, was a special circumstance resulting from years of community engagement, no fewer than eight related PUDs and three separate Acts of Congress as well as more than $80 million dollars in District nancing. As a result, it was speci cally excluded from the SW SAP, whose southern border was drawn at Maine Avenue SW.

There are no buildings of height comparable to The Wharf on the northern side of Maine Avenue SW. Between Ninth and Seventh Streets SW, there are low rise o ce buildings and Je erson Middle School. The Riverside Church and the Waterside Towers townhomes occupy the space between Seventh and Sixth Streets. These lower scale developments and substantial green space provide relief, preventing Maine Avenue SW from turning into a highrise tunnel, she pointed out.

It is a landscape with intentional variations in scale and height, which is an essential component of the modernist vision which de nes Southwest and is enshrined in the SW SAP. Moreover, its mix of market rate and a ordable housing cements the demographic diversity that is an essential character of this neighborhood, Commissioner Kramer added.

The SW SAP is “memorialized in the Comprehensive Plan and represents the voice of the Southwest community.” It must be honored,” stated Kramer. “If we allow this type of height and density to go forward, we put a huge number of other parcels at risk. If you start to allow the rede nition of the north side of Maine Avenue, it can snowball. It becomes a free for all,” she stated.

Holland & Knight Attorney Kyrus L. Freeman, representing Mill Creek, disagreed strongly with Lightman and Kramer’s comments. “We have an eleven page document explaining how

the project is consistent with the plan,” he stated.

“We have ample market rate apartments. We do not need this build ing.” Litsky summing up the commis sioners’ opposition. “The main fea ture of the SAP was that everyone gets to stay here. This project does noth ing to support that,” stated Commis sioner Collins: “We must follow our own SAP. The height and density is sues are important to our community,” Commissioner Jared said.

Mill Creek offered a set of com munity benefits as part of its PUD ap plication: a $100,000 contribution to Jefferson Academy; the provision of a Pickup/Dropoff Zone (PUDO) on Maine Ave nue on the project’s southern side, the creation of increased green space between 7th and 9th Streets SW, a contribution to the SW BID’s Mi cro Mobility Project and an increase in afford able residences over the Inclusionary Zoning (IZ) requirement.

Both Kramer and Lightman decried the community benefits proffered by Mill Creek. The green space was actually already public space. PUDOs are provisioned not by developers, but the DC Dept. of Transportation (DDOT). The SW BID is governed by a board of property owners including Mill Creek. So, any contribution to its mobility project was simply moving money from the developer to another entity that they control, Lightman observed wryly. Lastly, the proposed contribution to Jefferson was both “paltry and insulting” given the project’s profitability, Kramer observed. She termed the project’s IZ component of under 20 percent as insufficient.

The commission voted unanimously to oppose the project and authorized Commissioner Kramer to testify before the Zoning Commission on the matter.

899 Maine Avenue SW

A week later at its Special Meeting, the Com mission took up the matter of 899 Maine Ave nue PUD. Developer Jair Lynch has proposed rezoning the parcel to MU-9. This would al low for the construction of a mixed use project of roughly 500 apartments, a supermarket and a bank. 19% of the residential component (75

units) would be affordable at 60 percent of Av erage Median Income (AMI), including three large family sized apartments. The design is LEED Platinum with all loading on a new al ley constructed on the east side of the property boarding Jefferson Academy and Jefferson Play ing Field. The project would rise 130 feet on Maine Avenue and taper down to 110 and 90 feet on Ninth Street and G Street SW respec tively.

Commissioner Lightman began the discus sion by placing a motion opposing the PUD on the floor. The proposal, much like the one pro posed for 807 Maine Avenue, violates the spir it and intent of the SW SAP by contributing to gentrification in two ways, she argued. First, it would establish a height and density standard on Maine Avenue that would threaten existing low density affordable housing to the east by in creasing land values. Secondly, the addition of this number of market rate apartments would se riously change the demographics of the neigh borhood making it both economically and ra cially less diverse.

The project would significantly exacer bate the area’s traffic congestion, Commission ers Lightman, Kramer and Collins stated. The alley behind it would become a cut through for cars heading to the highway, since the curb cut on G Street SW would serve as both an exit and entrance, while the one on Maine Avenue was restricted to north bound traffic, they argued. Lastly, supermarket deliveries would further complicate an already dangerous situation on G Street SW.

A rendering of the massing of 899 Maine Ave. SW. Courtesy Jair Lynch.

colm N. Haith took issue with the com missioners’ criticisms. We have had over 50 meetings with the ANC and neigh borhood stakeholders, he stated. The project will fund significant traffic im provements on Ninth Street SW miti gating its impact. The height and scale are responsive to Southwest’s unique design. Neighborhood-serving retail and varied unit mix reflect Southwest culture, especially given the provision of three affordable family sized units, he said.

Goulston & Storrs Urban Plan ner Shane Dettman echoed Haith. SW SAP only supplements Comp Plan. It should play an advisory role, he argued. In fact, the Council enacted the SW SAP on July 14, 2015.

“We know what our own Small Area Plan is. This does not comport with it,” retorted Commissioner Litsky.

The increased density, Dettman argued, is justified by the community benefits offered. These include public art, electric charging stations, improvements to Ninth Street SW crosswalks and sidewalks, new dedicated bike lanes, 19 percent affordable, larger sized affordable units, increase benches, improvements to the Maine Avenue streetscape, a transparent ground floor, LEED Platinum design, a supermarket and a bank. Moreover, the project’s 75 units exceed the requirements of IZ, he stated in conclusion.

Litsky took issue with Dettman. The developer had said nothing, he pointed out, about the impact of the massing on the townhouses to the north. Where is the traffic study that justifies a grocery store? Where are signed letters of intent from the bank and supermarket tenants? “What bank in its right mind would locate there?” he queried.

“You have too big a building in too small a spot in too dangerous a place,” Litsky stated in summation.

To say that the small area plan is merely advisory is “a slap in the face to the community,” stated Chair Daniels. Grocery stores create massive traffic congestion, he pointed out, citing the situation created by the Navy Yard Whole Foods.

“This doesn’t look like Southwest. It is sup posed to look like Southwest, not The Wharf,” Kramer echoed. The project, she further argued, undermines the neighborhood’s economic and de

mographic diversity. By violating the small area plan on this site would place at risk affordable housing located to the east, she continued.

“For this building to be accepted, everything else is at risk,” Kramer stated.

The building would change the proportions between market level and affordable housing in the surrounding neighborhood, stated Commissioner Lightman.

“It is not simply a tall building, it is an egre giously tall building,” Lightman said.

The criticisms of commissioners were echoes by the project’s neighbors.

“This part of Southwest is NOT The Wharf,” stated Erin Berg of the Capitol Square HOA. She complained that Jair Lynch had fought their par ty status. There is already a chaotic traffic situation in which 9th and G Streets are often completely blocked, stated neighbor Gustavo Pinto, displaying photos of the streets in question.

The commission voted unanimously to oppose the project and authorized Commissioner Kramer to testify on its behalf.

1301 South Capitol Street SW Rich Markus, the architect behind 1301 South Cap itol Street SW project, presented its current config uration to the commission. It is scheduled to before the Zoning Commission on Oct. 3. The project has been redesigned with the curb cut for loading in the back. But, that alteration faces a difficult path to DDOT approval. If the curb cut application is un successful, the project will go forward with a load ing zone on N Street SW, Markus stated.

“This project is going into N Street, an extreme

ly narrow street. This is going to wors en as development progresses. Whatev er you see now is only going to get worse. There are only two parking spaces to service this building,” Commissioner Litsky tardily retorted.

The commission voted unanimous ly to support the project predicated on the proposed pedestrian alley being wid en to create an off street loading zone, authorizing Commissioner Kramer to testify.

ABC Matters

The commission voted unanimously to protest Solace Outpost, 71 Potomac Ave SE, on the basis of peace, order and quiet. The restaurant wants to in crease its summer garden from 350 to 861 seats. There will be no outside TVs. Commissioners dif fered over whether the expansion would adverse ly impact neighbors. Chair Daniels urged contin ued negotiations.

The commission voted to unanimously protest:

• the Blue Jacket, 300 Tingey Street SE, on the basis of peace, order and quiet;

• the Silver Diner, 1250 Half St SE. The request was for additional summer garden seating.

The commission took no action on either Ka liwa, 751 Wharf St SW and on The Bullpen, 1201 Half St. SE.

The commission voted to unanimously to file a petition for review for dismissal of the Pendry Ho tel and Hell’s Kitchen Protest.

The commission voted unanimously at Com missioner Litsky request to write a letter to the Of fice of the Attorney General clarifying the protocol for protest.

Nats Park Certificate of Occupancy

Events DC, manager of Nationals Park, has request ed a modification to the stadium’s original PUD re garding its retail development requirements along First Street SE. Since the stadium’s opening, a series of temporary certificates of occupancy have issued due to a failure to comply with the PUD’s terms. Events DC is requesting PUD be revised to elim inate the issue and allow for the granting of a per manent certificate.

Events DC proposes simply to finish the build out of the existing retail bays. The requirement for

The plan for 1301 South Capitol St. SW. Courtesy Architect Rich Markus.

expanded retail envisioned in the original 2006 zoning order would be abandoned. Events DC has led for a Modi cation of Consequence (MOC) to accomplish this, which would not trigger a public hearing.

The commission voted unanimously to oppose the MOC. The matter, a number of commissioners stated, should be handled as a Modi cation of Signi cance, which requires a hearing before the Zoning Commission, authorizing Commissioner Litsky to testify.

Other Matters

The commission opposed a proposed modication to the RiverPoint PUD, 2121 First Street SW, allowing the creation of a new mezzanine level that would provide a 46-seat summer garden for a future restaurant tenant due to noise concerns, authorizing Commissioner Kramer to testify.

MPD First District Captain Kevin Harding and Lieutenant Megan Mulrooney briefed the commission on public safety. Violent crime down 50 percent overall in the last 30 days, they stated, but robberies are up 56 percent.

The commission decided to form a committee to assist in the distribution of $70,000 of funds for community bene ts negotiated by the DC Dept. of General Services are part of lease

renewal for its buildings on the 1100 block of Fourth Street SW.

The ANC commissioners had a productive three-hour walk through with DDOT relating to the I Street Bike Lane in July. The agency will return in October with an updated plan, reported Chair Daniels.

DC Water gave an update on its Potomac Tunnel Project related to the installation of supportive utility ducts along Independence Avenue SW. This will be completed by August 2023. The construction of the tunnel itself will begin in December of 2023.

ANC was approved for release of its 2022 Q3 and Q4 allotments, reported Collins.

The commission unanimously to:

• Corrected agenda approved;

• Tabled its approval of the July minutes;

• Approved letters of support for the Wharf Ice Rink, The Mutt Strutt and the Susan B. Komen Walk

• Approved continuing resolution for spending until the FYI 2023 budget is approved at its October meeting.

ANC 6D meets at 7 p.m. on the second Monday of every month. Their next meeting is Oct. 11. For more information and links to join ANC meetings, visit www.anc6d.org.

Over 95% of my business are past clients or their referrals who come back to me time and time again.

engaged Linda Pettie to sell my Capitol Hill DC condo in a hurry for a good selling price. She quickly developed a plan for getting me from a very lived in condo to a staged condo that quickly sold for a good price.

is personable, well organized, hard-working, professional, and is a joy

work with.”

Events DC, manager of Nats Park, wants to modify the PUD requirement for expanded retail at the Park. The ANC opposes this. Photo: Events DC.

BULLETIN BOARD

Frederick Douglass Family Day at Anacostia Park

On Saturday, Oct. 15, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Nation al Park Service invites you to come out to Anacos tia Park and explore your own physical and men tal well-being surrounded by community and the influence of Frederick Douglass. From 11 a.m. to noon, meet Frederick Douglass during a perfor mance and talk with Frederick Douglass reenactor Nathan Richardson. From noon to 4 p.m., enjoy

bike rides, yoga, 19th century lawn games, live music and storytelling. Frederick Douglass Fam ily Day is being held at Anacostia Park near the Skating Pavilion, 1500 Anacostia Dr. SE. nps. gov/frdo.

SE Library Costume Swap

On Sunday, Oct. 9, 1 to 4 p.m., bring a costume and/or take a costume. Donate your used or out grown costumes to the Southeast Library through Oct. 9. Then come shop their free cos tume collection and walk away with a fresh new look for Halloween. South east Library is at 403 Seventh St. SE. dcli brary.org/southeast.

CHRS House Expo

Autumn Hiking: Sugarloaf Mountain

Spend an autumn day hiking to the summit of Washington, DC’s local moun tain, a natural treasure less than an hour’s drive from the city. The picturesque and rocky Sugarloaf offers spectacular views of the surrounding countryside of Montgomery and Frederick counties in Maryland. With color in the trees and fallen leaves on the ground, exciting rural vistas open up. Guided by popular study leader Melanie Choukas-Bradley, learn about the mountain’s plants and wildlife, seasonal changes, geology, and history. Spend time on the summit for a light lunch and a bit of “forest bathing. $75. Autumn Hik ing is available on Nov. 9, 10 and 11; 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Registration for this tour will end by 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 8. smithsonianassociates.org.

On Saturday, Oct. 29, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Capitol Hill Restoration Society will hold a free House Expo at the Eastern Mar ket North Hall fea turing a wide vari ety of home service exhibitors and rep resentatives of city agencies. Finding qualified experts to do this work can present a challenge. Often the best con tractor is a local contractor, and you can meet them at House Expo. You’ll

Dead Man’s Run 5k at Congressional Cemetery

After a rain washout last year, Dead Man’s Run makes its triumphant return to Historic Congressional Ceme tery on Friday, Oct. 28, 6 p.m. No bones about it, their annual 5k is a dose of healthy Halloween fun. Dress in your best costume, put on your running shoes, and come with an appetite for fun. There are awards for the top three male, female, and non-binary finishers, as well as best individual costume and team costume. Beer and wine will also be served. $35. Register at runsignup. com/Race/DC/Washington/DeadMansRun.

also find experts in related fields, including real estate, finance, insurance, property management and representatives of city agencies. chrs.org.

View from the peak of Sugarloaf Mountain. Photo: Courtesy of Smithsonian Associates

DCHFA, Your Homeownership Resource in the District.

DCHFA, Your Homeownership Resource in the District.

DCHFA, Your Homeownership Resource in the District.

DCHFA, Your Homeownership Resource in the District.

DC Open Doors

DC Open Doors

DC Open Doors

DC Open Doors is your key to homeownership inthe city. is programo ers competitive interest rates and lower mortgage insurance costs on rst trust homebuyer or a D C. resident , be purchasing a home in the District of Columbia

DC Open Doors

homebuyer or a D C. resident , be purchasing a home in the District of Columbia

HPAP provides interest free deferred loans for down serves as a co-administrator of this DC Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) rst-time home buyer program.

DC Open Doors is your key to homeownership in the city. This program offers competitive interest rates and lower mortgage insurance costs on first trust mortgages. You are not required to be a firsttime homebuyer or a D.C. resident to qualify for DCOD. You must, however, be purchasing a home in the District of Columbia.

DC Open Doors

DC Open Doors is your key to homeownership inthe city. is programo ers competitive interest rates and lower mortgage insurance costs on rst trust

DC Open Doors is your key to homeownership int city. is programo ers competitive interest rates and lower mortgage insurance costs on rst trust homebuyer or a D C. resident , be purchasing a home in the District of Columbia.

DC Open Doors is your key to homeownership int city. is programo ers competitive interest rates and lower mortgage insurance costs on rst trust homebuyer or a D C. resident , be purchasing a home in the District of Columbia.

Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP)

HPAP provides interest free deferred loans for down serves as a co-administrator of this DC Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) rst-time home buyer program.

HPAP provides interest free deferred loans for down serves as a co-administrator of this DC Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) rst-time home buyer program.

HPAP provides interest free deferred loans for down

years or older who have fallen behind on insurance and tax payments as a result of their reverse mortgage. Quali ed District homeowners can receive up to

serves as a co-administrator of this DC Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) rst-time home buyer program.

HPAP provides interest free deferred loans for down payment and closing cost assistance up to $202,000 combined. DCHFA serves as a co-administrator of this DC Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) first-time home buyer program.

years or older who have fallen behind on insurance and tax payments as a result of their reverse mortgage. Quali ed District homeowners can receive up to

DC4ME

years or older who have fallen behind on insurance and tax payments as a result of their reverse mortgage. Quali ed District homeowners can receive up to

DC4ME provides mortgage assistance with optional down payment assistance to D.C. government employees. DC4ME is o ered to current full-time District government employees, including employees of District government-based instrumentalities, independent agencies, D.C. Public Charter Schools, and organizations, provided the applicant/borrower's employer falls under the oversight of the Council of the District of Columbia.

years or older who have fallen behind on insurance and tax payments as a result of their reverse mortgage. Quali ed District homeowners can receive up to

COVID-19

DC4ME provides mortgage assistance with optional down payment assistance to D.C. government employees. DC4ME is o ered to current full-time District government employees, including employees of District government-based instrumentalities, independent agencies, D.C. Public Charter Schools, and organizations, provided the applicant/borrower's employer falls under the oversight of the Council of the District of Columbia.

DC4ME provides mortgage assistance with optional down payment assistance to D.C. government employees. DC4ME is o ered to current full-time District government employees, including employees of District government-based instrumentalities, independent agencies, D.C. Public Charter Schools, and organizations, provided the applicant/borrower's employer falls under the oversight of the Council of the District of Columbia.

DC MAP COVID-19 provides nancial assistance to those a ected by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Quali ed borrowers can receive a loan of up to $5,000 per month to put toward their mortgage for up to six months.

COVID-19

DC4ME provides mortgage assistance with optional down payment assistance to D.C. government employees. DC4ME is offered to current full-time District government employees, including employees of District government-based instrumentalities, independent agencies, D.C. Public Charter Schools, and organizations, provided the applicant/borrower’s employer falls under the oversight of the Council of the District of Columbia.

DC4ME provides mortgage assistance with optional down payment assistance to D.C. government employees. DC4ME is o ered to current full-time District government employees, including employees of District government-based instrumentalities, independent agencies, D.C. Public Charter Schools, and organizations, provided the applicant/borrower's employer falls under the oversight of the Council of the District of Columbia.

DC MAP COVID-19 provides nancial assistance to those a ected by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Quali ed borrowers can receive a loan of up to $5,000 per month to put toward their mortgage for up to six months.

COVID-19

COVID-19

DC MAP COVID-19 provides nancial assistance to those a ected by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Quali ed borrowers can receive a loan of up to $5,000 per month to put toward their mortgage for up to six months.

DC MAP COVID-19 provides nancial assistance to those a ected by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Quali ed borrowers can receive a loan of up to $5,000 per month to put toward their mortgage for up to six months.

to apply to any

homeownership programs.

At-Large Candidates Forum 10/11

Here is your opportunity to hear the candidates for the DC City Council At-Large seats. Sponsored by Capital Community News, the event takes place Tuesday, Oct. 11 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Riverside Baptist Church, 699 Maine Ave. SW.

Let’s Write a Novel: How to Start

You have a story in you and you’re ready to write it. Where do you start? Writing a novel is a vast undertaking, full of challenges. In this workshop on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2 to 4 p.m., at Southeast Library, you’ll explore common methods successful authors use to plan their plots, develop their characters and navigate roadblocks. You’ll leave with the confidence and tools to manage the writing process from concept to completed first draft. Southeast Library, 403 Seventh St. SE. dclibrary.org/southeast.

See It Before the Sequel: Black Panther

Before Black Panther: Wakanda Forever hits screens this November, join the

Southwest Library to revisit the movie that started it all. On Thursday, Oct. 27, 5 to 7:30 p.m., they will screen Black Panther, PG-13, and have Black Panther-inspired activities and a chance to win tickets to Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. About the Movie from Marvel: A superhero known as Black Panther defends Wakanda, a technologically advanced country in Africa that has hidden itself away from the rest of the world. Now, he must face a dissident who wants to sell the country’s natural resources to fund an uprising. Run time is 135 minutes. Feel free to come in costume. Southwest Library, 900 Wesley Pl. SW. dclibrary.org/southwest.

Talk of the Hill w/ Bill Press: Major Garrett and David Becker

Era of the Big Lie. The Big Truth provides a factdriven counter to President Trump’s Big Lie about 2020 election fraud and examines its potentially dire consequences for the 2022 midterm election and beyond. $10. Hill Center, 921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. hillcenterdc.org.

MuralsDC’s Art Allery

MuralsDC’s Art Allery collection features a host of new murals along the wall of 1335 H St. NE, between the H Street Country Club and the Atlas Theatre. It is directly across from eight pre-existing murals on the wall of 1331 H Street, NE.

Profs & Pints DC: Medieval Monsters

Friends of the National Arboretum Fall 5k

On Saturday, Nov. 12, at 9 a.m., join Friends of the National Arboretum for a 5k run or walk on the idyllic grounds of the National Arboretum. Strollers and dogs are allowed but must stay on a 5’ non-retractable leash. Children 12 and under are free but must be registered. Register by Oct. 16 to receive early-bird pricing, $40, and a race shirt. Standard registration after Oct. 17 increases to $50 and does not include a shirt. fona.org.

On Wednesday, Oct. 19, 7 to 8 p.m., Veteran journalist Bill Press sits down for an in-depth conversation with Major Garrett, CBS’s Chief Washington correspondent, and David Becker, the nation’s foremost elections expert, to discuss their new book, The Big Truth: Upholding Democracy in the

On Tuesday, Oct. 18, 6 to 8:30 p.m., Profs and Pints DC presents: “Medieval Monsters,” with Lilla Kopár, a professor of medieval literature and culture at Catholic University. Her illustrated talk will explore the origins of medieval monster lore in the classical, biblical, and Norse mythological traditions. It also will give us a much more nuanced understanding of monsters, explaining how we don’t just fear them, but love them and badly need them in our lives. Advance tickets are $12; at door, $15, or $13 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors.

Talk starts 30 minutes later. Hill Center, 921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. hillcenterdc.org.

Evil Laugh Contest

Through Oct. 20, compete in DC’s Annual Evil Laugh Contest. Submit a 10-second video of yourself doing your most wicked, spine-tingling evil laugh. Who can participate? Anyone and everyone can— your grandmother, your screaming baby, your pet guinea pig. Trophies will be awarded in several categories such as, Best Vocals, Art Direction, Dramatic Performance. If you win, you must be able to pick up your prize at your local participating DC Public Library. For inspiration, check out Evil Laughs on Film at dclibrary.org/node/68802. For more Evil Laugh Contest details, visit dclibrary.org/ evillaughcontest.

NoMa Outdoor Movies

The NoMa BID remaining Wednesday night movies are Oct. 5, Encanto, 7:15 p.m.; and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, 7 p.m. Movies begin at sunset, with seating

Hitchcock Masterpieces on the Big Screen

“Master of Suspense” Alfred Hitchcock directed over 50 feature lms, many of which are still widely watched. To give you a good scare this Halloween season, The Miracle Theatre gives you a chance to see four of his best on the big screen. Here they are: on Friday, Oct. 7, Vertigo (1958) with James Stewart and Kim Novak; on Thursday, Oct. 13, Rear Window (1854) with James Stewart and Grace Kelly; on Friday, Oct. 21, Psycho (1960) with Anthony Perkins and Janet Leigh; and Friday, Nov. 11, The Birds (1963) with Tippi Hedron and Rod Taylor. All movies begin at 7 p.m. $8 for adults; $6 for students with ID, military and seniors. The Miracle Theatre is at 535 Eighth St. SE. There is a public parking lot on Eighth, between I St. and Virginia Ave. SE. themiracletheatre.com.

on the lawn one hour prior to showtime. Movie-goers can bring their own blankets, chairs, and picnic dinners. Food and drinks will also be available from food trucks. Movie screenings are at Alethia Tanner Park, 227 Harry

Fall

The Turkish Festival

The Turkish Festival draws crowds of up to 20,000 and features live music, DJs, dance performances, a float ing stage, food court, kids’ tent, tea house and beer gar den. The event is organized and financed by the Turkish American community and businesses in the DC Met ro Area. Sunday, Oct. 16, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Penn sylvania Ave. NW, between Third and Seventh. Free ad mission. turkishfestival.org.

capitolstreets

where to start. Each student will leave with the beginnings of an essay or a “flash creative nonfiction” piece that they can continue to develop toward publication. $55. Hill Center, 921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. hillcenterdc.org.

Lessons Without Borders: US and International Response

On Thursday, Oct. 13, 6 to 7:15 p.m., hear about US and International Response Opera tions with an update on the DC migrant’s situ ation. Speakers are Cindy Atkins, Senior Mass Care Specialist Managing Director, FEMA Re sponse and Recovery; and Tatiana Laborde, Managing Director, SAMU First Response. The program is at Southwest Library, 900 Wes ley Pl. SW. swna.org.

Thomas Way NE. For more information and weather-related schedule updates, visit cinomatic.org.

Former Wendy’s Art Wrap

The NoMa BID and NPR have partnered with DC Walls to transform a former Wendy’s restaurant into a 360-degree piece of art. The building, located at DC’s infamous intersection, known locally as “Dave Thomas Circle,” was selected as a painting site for this year’s edition of the DC Walls Festival. This mural will remain on view until the building is razed, which is expected in the first quarter of 2023 as part of the city’s plans for improving the intersection.

Southwest Waterfront AARP Fall Meeting

All are invited to the Southwest Waterfront AARP Fall Meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 19, noon, at River Park--South Common Room, 1311 Delaware Ave. SW. The guest speaker is Elinor Bacon, President of E.R. Bacon Development, LLC. Lunch is $5. For more information, contact Betty Jean Tolbert Jones at bettyjeantolbertjones@yahoo.com or 202-554-0901.

Storytelling: A Workshop in Creative Nonfiction

On Saturday, Oct. 22, 1 to 4 p.m., Dust off those old blog posts or travel journals, and prepare them for submission. Creative nonfiction is a broad genre that includes personal essays, memoir, humor, portraits/profiles, nature and travel writing, journalism (popular, long form, and literary), general-interest criticism—and more. Pieces typically mix the factual and the highly personal, marrying research, memory, the poetic, and the playful. Students in this course will read short examples of the genre, discuss the elements of writing that make for evocative and meaningful nonfiction, and learn about writing and publishing strategies. This course is ideal for beginners and those who have always wanted to write but weren’t sure

Vassar Haiti Project Art Sale

The Vassar Haiti Project co-hosts the fourth bi-annual sale of Haitian paint ings and handcrafts at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 301 A St. SE, on Nov. 4 to 6: Friday, opening reception, 6 to 9 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Support art, education, health and sustainable de velopment in villages in rural Haiti at this celebration of Haitian art and cul ture, showcasing over 200 original paintings and handcrafts. Admission is free. Masks and registration at the door will be required. Since 2001, the Vas sar Haiti Project used proceeds from the sale to fund sustainable development initiatives in 45 villages in the rural northwestern Haitian mountains. Visit thehaitiproject.org, to learn more about their work and the upcoming event.

The Giving Tree by Adrien Seide

Fuego Flamenco Festival at GALA

GALA’s Fuego Flamenco Festival, Oct. 29 to Nov. 13, features local, regional, and international artists in an expanded threeweek festival. Oct. 29 and 30, ignite your senses with high octane amenco performances by Antonio Granjero and Entre amenco, making their GALA debut. Nov. 4 and 6, Flamingo Men explores the masculine energy and style of amenco, featuring the unique qualities and stylistic range of four accomplished male amenco artists. Nov. 10 to 13, direct from Spain, experience José Almarcha’s masterful guitar playing in Alejandra, an intimate composition that pays tribute to his late mother. $25 to $48. GALA Theatre, 3333 14th St. NW. galatheatere.org.

Army Ten Miler Expo at DC Armory

Even if you aren’t running the race, you are invited to come to the Army Ten Miler Expo at the DC Armory, 2001 East Capitol St. SE, on Oct. 7 and 8, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (both days). The Expo, with over 100 exhibitors, has great deals on clothing, shoes, accessories and other health and tness items. The Old Guard Drill Team and Fife and Drum Corps will perform throughout both days. Free admission. The Army Ten-Miler, on Oct. 9, is the third largest ten-mile road race in the world. The race starts and nishes at the Pentagon with a course that winds through Washington, DC. armytenmiler.com.

Food & Friends’

Thanksgiving Pie Sales

Slice of Life has become a tradition in the Washington Metropolitan Area. Pie Sellers and Pie Teams come together to raise money, ensuring that neighbors facing serious illnesses can enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving meal complete with two delicious pies. Each pie is baked fresh and picked up on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving at conveniently located pickup sites. Each pie sale provides a full days’ worth of nutritious meals for

a neighbor in need. There’s no easier way to give back during the holidays. Pie sales have started. sliceo ifedc.org.

Employment Law Course for Nonprofit & Small Business

This four-part course, Oct. 6, 13, 20 and 27; 5 to 6:30 pm., is sponsored by the DC Bar Pro Bono Center’s Nonpro t & Small Business Legal Assistance Programs and the Center for Nonpro t Advancement. It is designed for the nonprofit executive or small business owner with significant human resource responsibilities. Participants will learn the basics of employment law from experienced attorneys at Crowell & Moring LLP. The course will be held via WEBINAR on four consecutive Thursday evenings. Topics include: Hiring, Firing, and Performance Management; Employee Compensation and Classification, Wage and Hour; Independent Contractor vs. Employee; and Prohibitions on Employment Discrimination. There is a one-time $50 charge for the entire course. Register at probono.center/4-partemployment-law-2022.

Richard W. Rutherford

memorial service will be held

October 9th, at 1 p.m.,

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church,

My Clients Are Saying…

Dare managed the renovation of our

up being

We loved her attitude and approach.

was confident, and helped us move forward, without pressuring us unnecessarily. She was nonjudgmental. She gave us space when we needed. We felt like she was letting us make decisions, but also was willing to sit in the driver’s seat as much as we needed.

She spent tons of her time -- much more than we would have expected from her. She told us beforehand that she enjoyed managing renovation projects, and it was clear that she did. She came by the property frequently during the renovations, to check on how things were going.

She took the lead in marketing the home, and in negotiating the sale for us. The sale price ended up exceeding our expectations.

work with Dare again without hesitation.

Seller

Dare Johnson

Fall Harvest Festival at Mount Vernon

On the Oct. 22 and 23 weekend, celebrate the crisp autumn season with 18th-century activities and demonstrations at the Farm at Mount Vernon. You can explore the farm; meet General Washington; view demonstrations of 18th-century cooking, candle making, surveying, and coopering (making and repairing buckets and barrels); visit with the farrier to learn how horseshoeing was performed in the 18th century; watch 18th-century spinning demonstrations; and learn about textile production. Activities included with regular admission: $28 for adults; $15 for ages six to eleven; free for infants to ve. mountvernon.org.

DC Women’s Sports Teams Adopt Anacostia River

On September 8, the Department of Energy and Environment and Sustainable DC Ambassador Anna Heilferty announced that the Washington Coalition of Women’s Professional Sports (WCWPS) is adopting the Anacostia River, re ecting their commitment to becoming environmental stewards of the river. The WCWPS—which features the Washington Mystics, Washington Spirit, DC Divas and DC Shadow—serves as a supportive organization for all women’s sports programs and professional clubs in the region. DOEE is currently in the midst of implementing Mayor Bowser’s Sustainable DC 2.0 Plan at sustainable.dc.gov/sdc2.

DC Atlas Plus

DC Atlas Plus is a mapping tool that contains over 340 di erent data layers, organized by category. DC Atlas Plus is the updated version of DC Atlas, which was created by OCTO GIS, as an easy way to view geographic information about the District of Columbia. This improved version of DC Atlas allows you to search for addresses, intersections, or place names; analyze and identify data; and create maps that you can share. This site uses geographic information from databases provided by several DC Government agencies. DC Atlas Plus is designed to be used in the following browsers: Chrome, Internet Explorer 9, Firefox, and Safari. Other browsers can be used, but certain functionalities may not be available. atlasplus. dcgis.dc.gov.

Chuck

homegardenand

MEET “QUEEN GRACIE”

Design Team Lisa & Leroy Bring a Fresh Look to Historic Home

by Elizabeth O’Gorek

Walk into the house at 9 Seventh St. SE and you’ll be struck by the mood inside. The house retains many of its historic elements— the original fireplace, delicate paster moldings and original pine oors. But that’s not what you notice rst. It’s a feeling of calm cast by the blues and grays in the living room, punctuated with warm colors in the seating; the pendant light evoking the sun suspended above an Asian-in uenced dining room covered in grass cloth wallpaper.

Classic With A Twist

It’s a work of art, and it perfectly captures the style of Lisa and Leroy, the design team that put it together. Head of the rm Lisa Sha er named the company after herself and her puppy, Leroy. She has carried the tradition forward by naming design projects for client pets. On Seventh Street, that’s their little dog, Gracie; thus, the project name “Queen Gracie.”

Sha er works with clients to achieve their style goals, but she is probably known best for mixing the old and the new, a style she calls “classic with a twist.”

She incorporates the original or historic aspects of the home while modernizing the overall look.

It’s design, but not over design, Sha er said, and it is the look many clients are often after when they call. “They really enjoy the historical elements of their home, and they want to modernize it—but not make it a completely di erent house. They want to walk in and say, ‘Yes, I still recognize this as a Capitol Hill row home.’”

Design First

Lisa & Leroy is a full-service design studio with the ability to perform both design and construction projects from sketch, design and purchasing to renovation and installation—and everything in between.

Sha er came to the design business by accident. Six years ago, she took a break from her high-pressure job in corporate retail, stepping away from a position where she managed over a billion-dollar budget and thousands of employees. Finding herself bored during her year-long leave of absence, Sha er decided to start a company.

She was already a licensed general contractor who had purchased her rst Hill home at the age of 23, completely

redoing the home herself from roof to windows to oors. “Anything we do in a client’s home, I’ve done myself,” she said. She thought that she might try it out for a year, then return to the corporate life. “But then, I fell in love with it,” Sha er said.

Now, Sha er has built a design- rst team that includes an in-house construction team and more than 25 employees.

Her aesthetic sense is critical, but her business background still plays an

The calm of the living room is highlighted by lines old and new and pops of warm apricot in the seating. Courtesy: Lisa & Leroy

Gracie sits on a wingback armchair in the living room, with pops of apricot in the art behind her. Courtesy: Lisa & Leroy

HOUSE EXPO AT EASTERN MARKET

by Elizabeth Nelson

On Saturday, October 29, from 9 a.m.–3 p.m., the Capitol Hill Restoration Society (CHRS) will hold a free House Expo at the Eastern Market North Hall. Everyone wants to properly maintain their homes and many Capitol Hill neighbors are actively planning home enhancement projects – or hoping to do so in the near future. Finding qualified experts to do this work can present a challenge. Often the best contractor is a local contractor, and you can meet them at the House Expo. You’ll also find experts in related elds, including real estate, finance, insurance, and property management – plus representatives of city agencies and local non-pro ts.

Service providers are continuing to sign up, but there are commitments already from general contractors, painters, architects, personal organizers, and hardware and garden goods suppliers. DC Fire & EMS, and other District agencies, will be there to help you be safe in your home. The Department of Energy and Environment will present information on government programs promoting urban sustainability, answering all your questions on solar, water, and recycling. And perennial favorite,

Community Forklift, will show o cool examples of the recycled and reclaimed building materials o ered by this essential, ecofriendly non-pro t.

Additional information and an updated list of exhibits can be found at CHRS.org/ house-expo-2022/.

important role. Sha er says Lisa & Leroy delivers a great client experience because there are processes in place, and because she has learned how to hire as well as how to run a project and a business. “It helps to grow when you have the foundation and knowledge of how to do it,” Sha er re ected.

Queen Gracie

The home, a 2,500 square-foot, 4-bedroom, 2.5 bath, was purchased right at the start of the pandemic. The clients lived elsewhere on the Hill, but wanted to be near the hustle and bustle of the Eastern Market area. As the pandemic wound down and guests became a larger consideration, they were ready to rethink the look of their home. They called Lisa and Leroy to help reimagine the main oor.

“It already had a beautiful replace and facade, some gorgeous plaster moldings to highlight,” Sha er said. “It also had the original hard pine oors— those are all things we wanted to keep and highlight, rather than mask and cover up.” The team took the historic elements of the home, layering in some antiques and whimsical traits.

In the living room, that led to the juxtaposition of a sofa that has more modern, clean lines with a traditional wingback chair in the corner that

Sha er said pays homage to the house and its history.

The client fell in love with samples of the grasscloth wallpaper, Sha er said, so it was the focus of the design for the dining room. The chairs were found at an antique auction and re nished and reupholstered, paired with a brand new, almost sculptural white table. “The tension in that room I thought was so important,” Sha er explained. “Because there’s not a lot of other things in it—so items that you put in need to really make a statement, and those chairs certainly do.”

The home is unified by color, in some places just a nod. The dining room has a golden apricot ceiling, featured in two swivel chairs in the living room and small nods with accessories in the common spaces, even as light a touch as a splash of color in artwork.

Now, Lisa and Leroy are back in the house to design the rest of the home. Most of their business is repeat clients or referrals, Sha er said.

You can reach out to Lisa and Leroy to talk about your project. Visit www.lisaandleroy. com or call 202-758-0028.

DOEE distributed reusable tote bags at last year’s Expo.

Community Forklift at House Expo 2021.

Attendees can get their questions answered by experienced professionals.

The client fell in love with a sample of this grass cloth walipaper, so the Lisa & Leroy team designed the living room around it. ... Shaffer found the dining room chairs at an antique auction and had them refinished to fit the room. Courtesy: Lisa & Leroy

THE PEOPLE’S GARDEN IN OUR BACKYARD

article and photos by Rindy O’Brien

Fall is a great time to check out a tremendous vegetable garden right in our Capitol Hill backyard. At the corner of Je erson Drive and 12th Street, SW not far from the Washington monument sits a beautiful

and bountiful vegetable garden organized and operated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The garden showcases food grown in raised beds, containers, and small plots along with owers used to draw pollinators to the garden. The e ect is stunning and the fall harvest plentiful.

Promoting the Urban Garden

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) employs 100,000 people in 4,500 locations. There are 29 agencies that include the Forest Service, Food, Nutrition and Consumer Affairs, Rural Development and the Agriculture Research Service headquartered in Beltsville, Maryland. Many of us are familiar with the US National Arboretum that is also part of the USDA. From food stamps to food nutrition pyramids, the USDA plays an important part of our everyday lives. It is an agency that has traditionally been thought of as taking care of rural America.

But, as demographics change, more and more Americans are living in cities and non-rural locations. In 2022, USDA is investing more agency resources in urban gardens.

Currently, there are 17 urban hubs or peoples’ gardens that are part of USDA’s urban network. The People’s Gardens vary in size and type, depending on a community’s needs. To qualify for the program, a garden must be located on federally owned or leased property, at schools, faith centers or other places within the community.

They cannot be located at private residences.

From Texas to the Mall

Sunflowers, milkweed, and other summer flowers bring not only color and beauty to the garden but also encourage pollinators like bees and butterflies to the garden.

The Hopi Black Dye Sunflower’s seeds will be collected this fall to make dye.

In each hub, there is an emphasis on sustainable gardening practices and the importance of local, diverse sources of healthy food. As Jorge Penso, head gardener and Natural Resources Specialist / Soil Conservationist at the USDA headquarter garden on the Mall, says, “Food security is becoming a very serious concern for many, and I am very happy to be at the beginning of this national movement to educate and bring food production to urban areas.” The People’s Gardens are providing food for cities with food deserts, educating gardeners on sustainable practices like integrated pest management, use of native plants, and increasing wildlife habitats and the number of pollinators in an area.

Jorge Penso arrived at the USDA headquarters’ People’s Garden this past April from Lubbock, Texas. Originally from Venezuela, Jorge says while he misses Texas and family, he really is enjoying being in a city. While the garden existed in di erent iterations over the past years, it is Jorge and the Natural Resources Conservation Service sta and volunteers, who have made the 12th Street corner into a farmer’s paradise. Some may be familiar with the USDA’s Farmer’s Market located adjacent to the garden. It operates on Fridays from 9 to 2 p.m. from May until the end of October. Jorge says that di erent vegetables, those in season, are highlighted each week, and the People’s Garden provides demonstrations about the plants and how to prepare the vegetable or fruit. “We get a lot of visitors on Fridays,” he says.

Picking a Japanese eggplant from one of the many raised vegetable beds, head gardener Jorge Penso of the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service is enjoying making the People’s Garden the best it can be.

The People’s Garden at the USDA headquarters on the mall is one of 17 urban garden hubs organized to educate folks on growing your own food.

“We are a relatively small food pro ducer compared to other gardens in DC. We produce about 400 pounds of pro duce a year,” notes Jorge. “I was pleas antly surprised to learn about DC’s food efforts to grow and distribute fresh pro duce to those in need. The work of the DC Food Policy Council is really excit ing.” The People’s Garden sends their tomatoes, cucumbers, squash and other vegetables to Central Kitchen.

As a soil conservation expert, Jorge says using a good mixture of fertilizer, compost and soil is the first step in start ing your own vegetable garden. Like a good foundation for a house, soil is your garden’s foundation. The USDA has ac cess to greenhouses in Beltsville, so many of his People’s Garden plants come from starter plants grown there. “We also use seeds and I have seen that some plants, especially the herbs, have taken off,” says Jorge. The star in the 2022 garden is a zucchini plant that grew out of the bed and into the path between containers. It has grown and grown, until now it prac tically has taken over the pathway. As fall arrives, it is putting on flowers, and hopefully a ton of zucchinis. The gar den experiments with planting differ ent combinations of plants and shares those experiments on its website, or in small videos produced for social media. https://www.usda.gov/peoples-garden

More than Vegetables

The garden also has an abundant num ber of flowers and plants that provide a colorful border to the raised vegetable

beds. The sunflowers sway along the 12th street sidewalk. They are about at their end, and Jorge is col lecting the seeds (those not eaten by birds and squirrels.) The sunflow er is a special variety known as Tce qa’ Qu’ Si in Hopi. The Hopi Black Dye Sunflower has been used by the tribe for centuries and produc es a deep maroon color used in bas ketry and wool works. Jorge is not sure how many seeds he will end up with, but is hoping for enough to make the dye. The People’s Garden is all about experimenting and learning. Other summer flowers are plant ed as pollinators to help in the vegeta ble production.

Of course, many native plants, such as milkweed, are used, and soon the milk weed pods will be bursting open send ing their white seeds into the wind. Milk weed is a food source and a host plant for monarch butterflies to lay their eggs. The toxic chemicals in the sap of the milk weed protect the butterflies from pred ators. In the People’s Garden, the milk weed shared its raised bed with peanut plants. Both seemed to be thriving, and Jorge reports that there were a few mon arch butterflies earlier in the season.

The garden is well marked for vis itors to identify the plants, and there are a number of terrific signs providing more information on how to start your own garden.

Volunteer

“The garden is always looking for vol unteers to come help and learn,” says Jorge, “and no experience is need ed.” USDA is really invested in teach ing the next generation of gardeners, and through their videos, websites, and demonstrations, there are many ways to get started. If you are interested in vol unteering contact Jorge directly at Jorge. penso@USDA.gov

The People’s Garden is truly a na tional treasure, and with Jorge’s enthu siasm and skills it has gone from a few plants to a thriving urban garden. u

Signs identify the different plants and help visitors learn more about the special garden.

The Capitol Hill Garden Club presents Dear Garden Problem Lady,

by Wendy Blair

I’ve seen Japonica Camellias higher than 10 feet. We adore Camellias -- but we need smaller plants.

October is still a perfect time to shop for Camellias. It’s confusing to navigate among Camellia types. Both will grow tall without pruning. Sasanquas bloom rst, from late autumn into winter. Japonicas are generally larger and bloom from early to late spring. Remember: both types need afternoon shade, and both types also have coldtolerant varieties. Careful pruning just after blooming can keep both types under control. In general, Sasanqua Camellias are smaller, and their owers more delicate. The late and great William Ackerman of the U.S. National Arboretum bred 50 cold tolerant varieties, of both types, with names like Winter’s Beauty, Winter’s Charm, and Polar Ice. Yuletide is red. Kanjiro is fuschia pink. Big garden centers have lovely choices. Pictured here is Ackerman’s Winter’s Waterlily. It is fall-winter blooming and cold-tolerant.

is the very best time to plant Hollyhock seeds outdoors to have them bloom in the spring of 2023?

For 2023 bloom, plant between May and October anytime up to just before the last frost. If you wait until next early spring they will not bloom until 2024. Hollyhocks seeds germinate well this late. Hollyhocks have long taproots, so avoid needing to transplant seedlings next spring. Plant now, in partial shade—shallowly—just a quarter of an inch below the soil; then still in 2022 space seedlings a good two feet apart.

We planted some gorgeous tall zinnias from seed in 2022, and now we wonder how to gather and save their seeds safely so we can enjoy them again next spring.

Open-pollinated varieties produce seed true to type if they are allowed to cross-pollinate only with other plants of the same variety. If they cross with other varieties of the same species, their seed will not come true. Seeds of Hybrid varieties were produced from the crossing of two di erent inbred lines. First let a few of your prettiest flowers dry on their stalk while still in the garden, until they’re dark brown and dry to the touch. Cut the seed heads o and dry further on a plate or small tray, turning the heads as they lie. Then gently shake or pick seeds out by hand. Allow seeds to dry further a few days, before storing in a labelled paper bag or envelope. Place the seed envelope in a lidded glass jar and store it in a cool, dry closet or cupboard until 2023 planting season.

Capitol Hill Garden Club meetings are free and open to all. On Saturday, October 15, at 9:45 am, the club will visit the

Arboretum for a presentation on the Washington Youth Garden. Visit the

or

capitolhillgardenclub@gmail.com

more information.

beset by gardening

them to the Problem Lady c/o the Editor, Hill Garden News. Your problems might even prove instructive to others and help them feel superior to you. Complete

assured.

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GET MAKEUP OPTIONAL SKIN

At Any Age at Skin Obsession Studio

by Pattie Cinelli

As a child I yearned for beautiful skin. I wanted skin that was creamy smooth, dewy and awless like so many of my classmates. I dreamed of skin that looked good when I woke up without makeup and looked good when I was exercising. I didn’t think there was much I could do with my God-given face equipped with an oily surface, big pores, and blotchiness that was prone to break-outs.

Then I discovered facials. My girlfriends and I tried all sorts of homemade concoctions–facials made with milk, some with yogurt, and others with honey or cucumbers. I even had one mud-based mask made by Native Americans that when I applied it I felt my face get tighter and tighter until I could hardly breathe. Facials were fun to do, they felt good on my skin, but did they actually improve its condition?

Christina Hoang, owner of Skin Obsessions Studio on Capitol Hill believes they did. She feels so strongly about the importance of skin care that she opened her own studio last spring at 660 Pennsylvania Ave. SE specializing in skin revitalization.

Skin Obsessions Studio o ers customers nine di erent types of facials each of which addresses di erent skin types and focuses on di erent personal needs. “We strive to give back con dence and radiance without the need for makeup, surgery or downtime,” she said. “I want to enhance your natural beauty.”

Benefits

Skin care is often the forgotten stepchild of self-care. Facials are thought of as luxuries that we take advantage of during a spa day a few times a year. Yet our face is the rst part of us that we present to the world. It is the part that is exposed daily to the elements. It reveals our emotions, our stress levels and our hydration and nutrition. Our faces can prematurely age us or let us appear younger than our years.

Facial skin care not only feels good but can help address a multitude of

issues. A study published in the journal “Biomedical Research” suggests that facial massage can rejuvenate your skin and ease psychological stress. Treatments can improve blood circulation, increase collagen production, detoxify, treat acne, reduce dark spots and hyperpigmentation, clean pores, add essential nutrients, and add radiance. The bene t I and many are most interested in is how facials can slow the aging process.

People come to Skin Obession with a range of concerns including puiness, wrinkles, dullness, acne, redness, skin irritation, signs of aging, oily skin, dry skin and enlarged pores. She said she works with all skin tones, with people who have sensitive skin, teen or adult acne. Her treatments are oncology safe and can be enjoyed by pregnant woman or lactating women. “I don’t want to induce in ammation so I get a medical history to be able to customize treatment.”

Hoang also can add natural curl to lashes and darken their color. For brows she can darken, shape and laminate. If ne facial hair and dull skin is a concern you may experience dermaplaning, that “gives you a healthy glow that lasts for weeks,” she said.

Treatments

No matter what custom facial or treatment a new client may choose, Hoang, a master esthetician with more than 15 years’ experience, said she always performs an evaluation. “I want to know how you are treating your skin at home, what your concerns are, how much water you regularly drink, what your stress level is, and what kinds of products you are using,” she said. “I also evaluate returning clients regularly. Skin is forever changing and it’s important not to introduce products and services to impair the overall health of the skin.”

For those who are hesitant to have injections or surgery, Hoang, o ers a chemical peel, an intense treatment that can promote hydration, help to rm skin and lessen ne lines and wrinkles. “Throughout any treatment I explain what I am doing so clients can understand how it can bene t them in the long run,

especially with their skin care regimen at home.”

Hoang can accommodate busy folks by conducting skin care consultations on Zoom. “If people aren’t sure where to start with a skin care regimen I can help them create a carefully curated process they can follow at home with a review of their current products.”

She said she has been passionate about improving her skin since she was a teen when she experienced acne, scarring, oily skin and dark circles. “I had four older sisters and watched how they treated their skin. It always fascinated me.” Hoang’s dedication to nding ways to achieve optimal skin led her to train with medical professionals. Because she said surgeries can be costly and require long recovery time, Hoang

turned her attention to seeking alternatives.

After moving to DC following her undergraduate studies Hoang was drawn to open her business on the Hill because she said she felt a sense of community. “I just love the people here. This is where I wanted to be.”

Whatever treatment you choose at Skin Obsession, Hoang said what matters most is prolonging the e ects by taking care of your skin at home. “It’s a transformative treatment. Both of us are working together. The results are cumulative over time.”

To make an appointment: www.skinobsessionstudio.com.

Christina Hoang, owner of Skin Obsession.

Christina Hoang giving a client cryo-facial toning

THE DISTRICT VET

Beware of Xylitol

by Dan Teich, DVM

Not all that is sweet is good for your dog. In our quest for lower glycemic index and reduced calorie sweeteners, xylitol has become a more prevalent alternative to sugar within various foods. To us, it tastes similar to white sugar, aka sucrose. And to dogs, unfortunately it tastes the same. While safe and harmless for human consumption, xylitol may be toxic to dogs, leading in some cases to death.

Xylitol is a naturally occurring alcohol found in low concentrations in corn fiber, berries, plums, oats, mushrooms, birch trees and more. When refined, it resembles and tastes like sugar. its popularity has increased greatly, seeing that it has only 2/3 the calories of sucrose, is lower on the glycemic index (affects our blood sugar levels less than sugar), and reduces accumulation of dental tartar and plaque in people. You can find it in sugar-free chewing gums and mouthwashes, candy, pudding snacks, cough syrup, protein bars and powders, gummy chews, human medications, select peanut butters, baking powders, and more. New products containing xylitol emerge every year. In these products it is safe for humans, but in excessive quantities, it can act like a laxative. Frequently oral health products for dogs contain xylitol, but at such a small level that it is not dangerous when used as directed.

Many human medications contain toxic levels of xylitol. Take care when giving any over-the-counter medication (especially children’s syrups) to dogs. Some compounded medications made by human pharmacies may also contain dangerous amounts of xylitol.

In dogs though, xylitol can be deadly. Why? Remember that dogs are not small humans and their metabolic processes, although similar, contain important differences. Levels of sugar in the blood of dogs and humans is controlled by the hormone insulin, which is released by the pancreas. Xylitol does not cause a release of insulin in humans, but does in dogs—to an extreme degree. The rapid release of insulin may cause the circulating blood sugar level to drop to dangerously low levels quickly, within 10-60 minutes after

eating the xylitol. Left untreated, this may result in death. Xylitol is also toxic to the liver in dogs.

The amount of xylitol in products varies widely, with variations occurring between flavors of gum from the same manufacturer. Lower levels of xylitol may cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) whereas increased amounts may lead to irreversible liver damage. Manufacturers of products are not required to list the amount of ingredients in their wares, so determining how much xylitol has been ingested by a pet can be challenging. As little as 75 milligrams per kilogram can lead to hypoglycemia, and over 500 milligrams can lead to life-threatening acute liver failure. Eating powdered or readily-absorbed xylitol can have a fast onset of hypoglycemia. Gum may take a longer period of time to be digested, leading to a delayed onset of problems.

Initial signs of toxicity may include a suite of non-specific problems: vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, uncoordinated waking, restlessness, collapse, seizure, and coma. In liver failure, signs of vomiting, abdominal pain, and yellowing of the gums may develop within one to three days.

If a dog eats a potentially toxic dose of xylitol, emergency measures should be taken. The first is removing the xylitol from the stomach via inducing vomiting. This is only done in an alert animal that is not in danger of accidentally aspirating (choking on and inhaling vomit). Their blood sugar levels are to be monitored carefully by the veterinarian until the risk of hypoglycemia has passed. In cases where large amounts have been ingested and there is a concern for liver failure, other medications, fluids, and supportive measures are taken.

Prognosis for dogs with only hypoglycemia is good. With appropriate monitoring, fluids, and administration of IV dextrose (sugar), they usually make a full recovery. Those with liver damage have an uncertain and guarded prognosis at best.

Dr. Teich is the medical director for District Veterinary Hospitals in Navy Yard, Eastern Market and Brookland.

www.districtvet.com for more

SCHOOL NOTES

by Susan Braun Johnson

Northeast Stars

Northeast Stars students are learning Montessori classroom basics. One of the activities is learning to unroll and roll a work mat. In the Montessori classroom, children use individual work mats to delineate their personal workspace. At the beginning of any floor work, and before taking material from the shelf, the children are asked to create their workspace by placing a mat on the floor, mrking the beginning of the children’s work. Similarly, rolling up the mat and returning the mat to its basket marks the end. Northeast Stars Montessori Preschool, 1325 Maryland Ave. NE; nestars.net

Waterfront Academy

The first day of school for Waterfront Academy on September 6th was an amazing day. This year is going to be a great school year and Waterfront Academy is grateful to have a wonderful staff and student body. They are wishing a wonderful beginning to the year for all! Waterfront Academy, 222 M St. SW; www.waterfrontacademy.org

Payne Elementary

Payne Wildcats have had an exciting start to the

school year. Students boarded boats on the Anacostia River with the Anacostia Watershed Society, and on the Potomac River with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. They learned how to tell if a river is healthy, and what they can do to help. They used binoculars to spot wildlife, tested water to gather data on the health of the river, and learned what kinds of fish are living in the river by catching and releasing fish together.

Payne, 1445 C St SE; www.paynedc.org

balloon arch on the playground before heading in for the first day!]

Ludlow-Taylor Elem., 659 G St, NE; ludlowtaylor.org

School-Within-School @ Goding

On August 29, the first day of school, School-WithinSchool @ Goding Elementary School (aka SWS) opened its newly renovated doors to Mayor Muriel Bowser, Chancellor Lewis Ferebee, Councilmember Charles Allen, and other district officials and distinguished guests at a ribbon cutting ceremony to officially open the school following its modernization. Speeches were given by Mayor Bowser, Councilmember Allen, SWS Principal John Burst, and SWS 5th graders William Toomajian and Alicia Scott. The SWS community is looking forward to the new school year in the new building!

SWS, 920 F St, NE; www.schoolwithinschool.org

Ludlow-Taylor

LT staff, students, their parents all enjoyed a celebratory

DC Prep

Congratulations to DC Prep’s Benning Elementary which was recently announced by the U.S. Department of Education Miguel Cardona as a 2022 National Blue Ribbon School. The U.S. Department of Education describes National Blue Ribbon Schools as “models of effective school practices for state and district educators and other schools throughout the nation.” Visit dcprep.org to see where DC Prep’s six schools are located in Wards 5, 7, and 8. DC Prep, 100 41st St, NE; www.dcprep.org

Van Ness Elementary Otters in the Outfield – Van Ness School Otters took over Nationals Park on Sept 17 to see the Washington Nationals win 5 to 3 against the Miami Marlins. Students were excited to see four home runs, receive Screech promotional

SMYAL supports and empowers lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth ages 6-24. Through youth leadership, SMYAL creates opportunities for LGBTQ youth to build self-confidence, develop critical life skills, and engage their peers and community through service and advocacy. Committed to social change, SMYAL builds, sustains, and advocates for programs, policies, and services that LGBTQ youth need as they grow into adulthood.

giveaways, and—of course—spend time with friends.

Van Ness Elem., 1150 5th St. SE; vannesselementary.org

Maury Elementary

Maury students are learning that, like Greta Thunberg, Malala Yousafvai and Wangari Maathai, they too can be change makers, and do their best to make the world a better place for all. Using the metaphor of seeds and owers, each is identifying a social problem that is important to them and making a mixed-media representation of their resolve to do something about it, transforming the Maury art studio into a garden of hope.

Maury ES, 1250 Constitution Ave. NE; mauryelementary.com

Templeton Academy

Students at Templeton Academy wasted no time diving head- rst into experiential learning this year. Within the rst two weeks of school, students have visited the US Postal Museum, African American History Museum, Museum of Natural History, and the National Gallery of Art. To learn more about Templeton’s innovative programming, please visit templetonacademy.org/dc. Templeton Academy, 406 7th St. NW; templetonacademy.org

Eastern HS

Eastern HS Football, under alumni Coach Roman Morris, kicked o the season with a win over Ron Brown HS. Attendance to games has been high and the school welcomes the community to come out and support the team this season. The big Homecoming Game is 10/8 at 12 p.m.

Eastern,1700 East Capitol St, NE; easternhighschooldcps.org ◆

kids&family

Boo at the Zoo

by Kathleen Donner

The 100-yard Kids’ Dash for ages three to 10 is a great way to encourage your child to be active and healthy.

Race for Every Child Kids’ Dash

The Race for Every Child, on Saturday, Oct. 15 at Freedom Plaza, supports children and families by raising funds for specialized medical care, research into childhood diseases, and important wellness and preventive services at Children’s National Health System. Participants may register to join in-person or virtually. Registration is free. Registration gives you access to a personalized fundraising dashboard and the opportunity to recruit team members and raise vital funds to support Children’s National Hospital. Those who raise $30 or more will receive a Race for Every Child: 10th Anniversary Edition t-shirt. Just one block long, the Kids’ Dash route is on Pennsylvania Ave. NW, starting at 12th St. and finishing at 13th St. It will begin promptly at 9:30 a.m. and participants will dash in waves, based on their age group. childrensnational.donordrive.com.

The Butterfly Pavilion

Visit the Butterfly Pavilion to experience a tropical oasis in the middle of the National Museum of Natural History. It is always a picture-perfect summer day in the Butterfly Pavilion. Butterflies fly freely from one bloom to another and sometimes land on visitors. During this immersive live butterfly experience, you will stroll along tropical plants and experience a rare opportunity— approximately 300 living butterflies from around the world gathered in one place. It is wheelchair accessible. Open daily with timed entries, 10:15 a.m. to 4 p.m. $8 for adults; $7 for kids and seniors; Tuesdays, free. Online ticket sales at naturalhistory.si.edu/exhibits/ butterfly-pavilion. Free Tuesday tickets are available only onsite at the Butterfly Ticket Desk.

It’s no trick, only the sweetest treat: Boo at the Zoo, Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute’s beloved family-friendly Halloween event is back Oct. 28, 29 and 30 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tickets include special after-hours access for animal viewing at the Elephant Community Center, Small Mammal House, Reptile Discovery Center, Great Ape House and Think Tank, dance party, a souvenir tote bag and around 30 trick-or-treat stations around the Zoo. $35. Boo at the Zoo is perfect for kids ages four to twelve. All guests ages two and older must have a ticket. Parking pass is $30 (not included in ticket price). Reserve tickets at nationalzoo.si.edu.

Finding Rhythm: Grow Your Brain with Go-Go Music

On Saturday, Oct. 29, 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., take a journey through the musical brain with Mother Dance, Father Rhythm, and the Curious Scientist. DC’s own Go-go music and brain science come together for this lively show that’ll have kids singing and dancing to the beat. Learn the origins of human rhythm, how rhythm grows the brain, and where children find the source of their own power and connection. Music neuroscientist and show creator Dr. Jessica Phillips-Silver draws together a team of master musicians and teaching artists to tell this powerful, unifying story. This isn’t the Mozart Effect—it’s the Go-go Effect. $20. Best for ages five, up. kennedy-center.org.

The “Butterflies + Plants: Partners in Evolution” exhibition at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. Photo: Chip Clark

Photo: Courtesy of the Arti sts

Hill-O-Ween at Eastern Market

This year’s Hill-O-Ween is on Friday, Oct. 28, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., at Eastern Market. For 20 years, HillO-Ween has been a cherished tradition on Capitol Hill. It’s a chance for kids to show their creativity, dress up, play, and make some of the best memories of their childhood. Hilloweendc.com.

In-Person Dia de los Muertos Family Day

On Saturday, Oct. 29, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., join the Smithsonian American Art Museum in celebrating Día de los Muertos. Bring the whole family to see exciting live performances from Ballet Folklorico Mi Herencia Mexicana, Mariachi Aguila DC, and Sol y Rumba. Enjoy face painting and their featured Día de los Muertos–themed crafts for all ages. Free. Smithsonian American Art Museum, Eighth and G Streets, NW. americanart.si.edu.

Family Happy Hour with King Bullfrog at Hill Center

On Friday, Oct. 14, 5 to 7 p.m., bring the family out to enjoy a Friday evening filled with live music perfect for all ages. This concert will be outdoors in their West Plaza, perfect for little ones to run, dance, laugh, and play to the beat of their favorite songs.

Beer, wine, and cheese and pepperoni pizza will be for sale. Families may bring their own picnics for the evening together. Kids admission $10; adults, $5. Hill Center is at 921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. hillcenterdc.org.

Family Guide for MNAAHC’s

Reckoning: Protest, Defiance, Resilience.

Reckoning: Protest. Defiance. Resilience. tells stories of injustice, resistance and courage. Use their Family Guide to introduce these complex ideas and facilitate conversations in developmentally appropriate and meaningful ways for children through questions and activities connected to featured artworks. Note: To best honor children’s developmental and emotional needs, they’ve provided a preview of the sensitive and graphic imagery and audio in the exhibit. nmaahc. si.edu/reckoning.

Dia de los Muertos Special Concert with Quetzal

Drop-In Hang-Out: Teen Voting in the DMV

Is your voice being heard? Do your DC School Board student representatives know your concerns? Do any of the DC candidates stand for what matters most to you? If you are 16 or older and already registered, what could make voting easier for you? Do you have all the required documents to vote once you leave for college? Does anyone you know need help voting while in jail? Have you ever gotten paid for being a student poll worker? Every Monday in October, 6 to 7 p.m., join the Monday Teen Conversations where you can raise your issues, hear the concern of other teens, and learn about resources you might not know are available. MLK Library, 901 G St. NW. dclibrary.org/mlk.

Air Play at the KC

On Friday to Sunday, Nov. 4 to 6, umbrellas fly, fabrics soar over the audience, balloons swallow people, and snow swirls, filling the stage. Air Play transforms ordinary objects into uncommon beauty through a wordless, magical adventure as two siblings journey through a surreal land of air. Created by circus performers Seth Bloom and Christina Gelsone in collaboration with kinetic sculptor Daniel Wurtzel, this enchanting spectacle combines comedy, live sculpture, circus, and theater to fill both the young and young at heart with wonder. Air Play can be enjoyed by all ages. kennedy-center.org.

National Air and Space Museum Opens Renovated West End

The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum reopens half of its flagship building on the National Mall on Friday, Oct. 14. Eight new and renovated exhibitions, the planetarium, museum store and Mars Café open on the building’s west end. The museum has been undergoing a seven-year renovation and includes redesigning all 23 exhibitions and presentation spaces. Free timed-entry passes are required to ensure visitors have an enjoyable experience. airandspace.si.edu.

The National Museum of the American Indian and the National Museum of the American Latino invite you to celebrate the return of the ancestors with a special Día de los Muertos concert on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2 to 3 p.m., featuring the Grammy award-winning band Quetzal. Quetzal is a bilingual rock group with roots in the cultural and social justice landscape of East Los Angeles. An “ofrenda” (altar) will be featured in the museum’s atrium from Oct. 26 through Nov. 2. Visitors can also create paper butterflies for a display in honor of their loved ones. americanindian.si.edu.

Harbor Halloween

National Harbor Halloween, at 150 National Plaza National Harbor, Maryland, is on Sunday, Oct. 30, 12:30 to 3 p.m. Here’s the schedule: 12:30 to 2:30 p.m., Trick or Treating; 1 to 2:30 p.m. community canopy activities; 1 p.m., Halloween movie; 2:30 p.m., chef pumpkin carving contest; 2:45 p.m., costumed pet parade. nationalharbor.com.

In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson at Imagination Stage Imagination Stage, 4908 Auburn Ave., Bethesda, welcomes Honolulu Theater for Youth’s production of “In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson” to play a special limited engagement from Oct. 15 to 22. The protagonist in the play, Shirley Temple Wong, and her family move from China to the United States in 1947, the year Jackie Robinson was breaking records and racial barriers in baseball. Told

Photo: Courtesy of the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum

The Witch Wartsmith’s Halloween Spooktacular

Witch Wartsmith hosts the annual Halloween Spooktacular and you get to vote on the winner. Part contemporary competition show, part vintage telethon, and part punpalooza, this spooky variety show will tickle your funny bone. Some of their contestants will change year to year, so come back to see old and new friends alike. Witch Wartsmith’s is on stage from Oct. 1 to 31 at the Glen Echo Playhouse, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo and is recommended for ages four and older. It runs on Thursdays and Fridays at 10:30 a.m. and on Saturdays and Sundays at 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Tickets are $15. thepuppetco.org.

through humor and a rich multimedia staging, the play celebrates the bravery and sacri ce of those who bring new perspectives to our country. $12 to $39. imaginationstage.org.

Spies 2: Flight of the Hawk

Oct. 29 to Nov. 20, join S.P.I.E.S. in person, where it is more interactive than ever. This follow-up to the online hit S.P.I.E.S. & the Lost Treasure of Atlantis combines live theatre and taped adventure scenes to create a collaborative

Flamenco en Familia at GALA

On Saturday, Nov. 5, 1:30 p.m., Sara Jerez and Richard Marlowe lead interactive demonstrations with castanets, fans, and zapateo for children as part of the Fuego Flamenco Festival at GALA Theatre, 3333 14th St. NW. Free admission. GALA’s Fuego Flamenco Festival, Oct. 29 to Nov. 13, features local, regional, and international artists in an expanded three-week festival. galatheatre.org.

Fall Harvest Festival at Mount Vernon

On the Oct. 22 and 23 weekend, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., each day, celebrate the crisp autumn season with 18th-century activities and demonstrations at the Farm at Mount Vernon. You can explore the farm; meet General Washington; view demonstrations of 18th-century cooking, candle making, surveying, and coopering (making and repairing buckets and barrels); visit with the Farrier to learn how horseshoeing was performed in the 18th century; watch 18thcentury spinning demonstrations; and learn about textile production. Activities included with regular admission: $28 for adults; $15 for ages six to eleven; free for infants to five. mountvernon.org.

Fair provides a networking opportunity to meet with representatives from more than sixty independent schools. Parents and prospective students get first-hand knowledge about each school’s programs, community, admission requirements and financial aid process. In addition, the fair features interactive seminars focused on the admissions process, the financial aid process and personal/family financial management. Read more and register at blackstudentfund.org.

Frederick Douglass Family Day at Anacostia Park

and exciting experience where each audience gets to be the hero and solve the puzzles–and no two performances are alike. Best for ages five to eleven. Imagination Stage is at 4908 Auburn Ave., Bethesda. imaginationstage.org.

Pumpkin Village at Leesburg Animal Park

Through Nov. 6, Leesburg Animal Park celebrates the season with giant hill slides, lawn games, pony rides, a hay maze, pedal carts, moon bounces and plenty of animal meet-andgreets. Open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and weekends, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 6 p.m. $20.95 for adults; kids two to twelve and seniors, $17.95; under two, free. Leesburg Animal Farm is at 19270 James Monroe Highway, Leesburg, VA. pumpkinfestleesburg.com.

Black Student Fund & Latino Student Fund Annual School Fair

The Black Student Fund & Latino Student Fund Annual School Fair is on Sunday, Oct. 30, 2 to 5 p.m., at the Washington Convention Center, 801 Mt Vernon Pl. NW. Admission is free. The Black Student Fund’s commitment to bringing independent schools and black families together led to the creation of the annual Fair in 1972. The BSF/LSF School

Maryland Renaissance Festival

Unique among most festivals, including renaissance festivals, the Maryland Renaissance Festival utilizes a story line and progresses each year forward in the timeline of Henry VIII, through all his reign and all six of his wives. This season the year is 1536, and as ever, the King’s love life is the source of gossip. The Maryland Renaissance Festival runs Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 23, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., for weekends of thrills, feasting, handmade crafts, entertainment and merriment in Crownsville, near Annapolis. The 27-acre Village of Revel Grove comes to life each autumn with more than 200 professional performers on ten stages, a 3,000-seat arena with armored jousting and streets filled with village characters. Admission is $30 for adults; $15 for ages seven to fifteen; under seven, free. Tickets sold online only. rennfest.com.

On Saturday, Oct. 15, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., the National Park Service invites you to come out to Anacostia Park and explore your own physical and mental well-being surrounded by community and the influence of Frederick Douglass. From 11 a.m. to noon, meet Frederick Douglass during a performance and talk with Frederick Douglass reenactor Nathan Richardson. From noon to 4 p.m., enjoy bike rides, yoga, 19th century lawn games, live music and storytelling. Frederick Douglass Family Day is being held at Anacostia Park near the Skating Pavilion, 1500 Anacostia Dr. SE. nps.gov/ frdo. u

Photo: Courtesy of the Maryland Renaissance Festival

Subjects Offered:

NICOLAS FRANK

SAT & PSAT

• UCLA Junior, 3.94 GPA, member of

• 1560 on the SAT (760-800).

Dean’s

• Presidential Scholar Nominee, National Hispanic Scholar Award.

5+years of experience. Rates as low as $60 per hour

Nicolas will: Analyze and target students’ weak points to efficiently and effectively improve their scores. Then, provide a personalized study plan with ample practice material and diagnostic exams.

ADRIAN PAGAN

WRITING AND COLLEGE ESSAYS

• UCLA Senior, 3.79 GPA, triple majoring in Political Science, History, and Philosophy

4+ years of tutoring experience. Rates as low as $40 per hour

Adrian will: Help scholars improve their writing abilities, including college applications.

KAIHAN DANESH

ACT & UPPER-LEVEL MATH/ SCIENCE

• UCLA Junior, 4.00 GPA, member of the Dean’s list.

• 35 ACT Score

5+ years of tutoring experience. Rates as low as $50 per hour

Kaihan will: Help students build familiarity and confidence with ACT question formatting and styles. Provide a comprehensive prep curriculum to help students improve through manageable loads.

CYRUS MCDOWELL

MIDDLE SCHOOL SUBJECTS

• University of Oregon Junior, 3.87GPA.

years of tutoring experience. Rates as low as $25 per hour

CARPET CLEANING

WOVEN HISTORY

Jumbles”

Across:

To

THE SECOND COMING

BY WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS

Turning and turning in the widening gyre

The falcon cannot hear the falconer; Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;

Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere The ceremony of innocence is drowned;

The best lack all conviction, while the worst

Are full of passionate intensity.

Surely some revelation is at hand;

Surely the Second Coming is at hand.

The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out

When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi

Troubles my sight: somewhere in sands of the desert

A shape with lion body and the head of a man,

A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun, Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds.

The darkness drops again; but now I know That twenty centuries of stony sleep Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle, And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?