HillRag Magazine Feb 0211 by Capital Community News

capitalcommunitynews.com February 2011

Est. 1981

CAPITOL HILL

234 Maryland Avenue, NE 1BR w/ PARKING – $368,500 www.chriszimmer.com/234md

Todd Bissey 202-841-SOLD THE BISSEY TEAM

CAPITOL HILL

1439 Constitution Avenue, NE

DUPONT

CAPITOL HILL

1520 16th Street, NW #201

1627 Mass Ave, SE #104

$675,000

$639,500 – 2BR/2BA w/ Parking

$199,000 – 1BR w/ PARKING!

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www.chriszimmer.com/1520nw16

www.chriszimmer.com/DC7497632

Todd Bissey 202-841-SOLD THE BISSEY TEAM

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

Colin Johnson

202-536-4445

TEXAS OVERLOOK CONDOS 4715 Texas Avenue, SE

• 1BR & 2BRs • 2 Blocks to METRO • Parking • FHA Approved

$139,900 - $199,900 Fern Pannill 240-508-4856

CAPITOL HILL

204 5th Street, SE $999,000

$318,500 www.chriszimmer.com/3201walnut

www.homevisit.com/DC7490443

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

WOODRIDGE

3201 Walnut Street, NE

www.chriszimmer.com/4715texas

Genie Hutinet 202-413-7661

Stan Bissey 202-841-1433 THE BISSEY TEAM

CT A R NT CO CAPITOL HILL

916 G Street, SE $779,500 www.MouseOnHouse.com/13121

Genie Hutinet 202-413-7661

D SOL 16th STREET HEIGHTS

CAPITOL HILL

1539 Upshur Street, NW

1007 K Street, NE

CAPITOL HILL

608 D Street, SE

$839,500

$719,900 – H Street Corridor

www.chriszimmer.com/1539UP

$498,500

www.MouseOnHouse.com/13122

www.chriszimmer.com/608DSE

Stan Bissey 202-841-1433 THE BISSEY TEAM

Todd Bissey 202-841-SOLD THE BISSEY TEAM

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

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

Sales • Rentals • Commercial Leasing • Property Management • Investments

www.phyllisjaneyoung.com

HOUSE TOUR SUPERSTAR!

Jazz & Juleps on the Porch!

1332 Massachusetts Avenue

COMING SOON! AT THE CAPITOL’S DOORSTEP! Turreted & Totally Tantalizing!

300 C Street, NE

SUBLIME Condo 3 br 2.5 ba + f/p! Lincoln Park’s Your Garden

COMING SOON! SENATE SIDE SENSATION! + Splendid Garden! ++ GARAGE!

1020 East Capitol

323 A Street, NE EASTERN MARKET!

Phyllis Jane Young Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Licensed Broker in DC, MD, and VA

Top to Bottom Sizzle!

613 Independence Ave, SE

Call: 202-544-4236 Visit: phyllis@phyllisjaneyoung.com Visit my listings at cbmove.com, realtor.com, oodle, trulia, cyberhomes, zillow, google, yahoo, aol, craigslist, washingtonpost, nytimes, AND OF COURSE www.phyllisjaneyoung.com!

Presented by Wm. C Murphy

Don’t Take Our Word For It... When You Work With Tom’s Team, Get Packing! NEW FOR FEBRUARY!

327 10th St., SE #3

315 12th NE #302

The Center of The Universe! Eastern Market for a Song! So Wallet Friendly it’ll Soon be GONE! Stylish 1-BR in boutique building. Bamboo floors, breakfast bar and big personality. Extremely social kitchen, and extremely tucked away most sylvan Hill block. Radiant bathroom floor, Fisher & Paykel Dishwasher, Kitchen Pantry w/ pull out drawers, PET FRIENDLY!!! $363,750

Tarzan and Jane would covet this tree-top loft Amazing light, social space and sex appeal. Massive and mind-cleansing living space with Brady Bunch Kitchen (Alice not included). Will check every box on your list... Boutique Building, Top Floor, Skylights galore, Secure Parking, Sumptuous Suites, Exterior Decks, on and on...Simply the best unit in the building... $479,000

516 13th Street, SE Light, Location & Lovely Interior are Key Components. Purse-Pleasing Price will get it done. This place literally exudes charm. Not charm like small, but charm like magical power. Such Feung Shui; centered stair, centered kitchen, centered fireplace, all centrally located with deep and lovely exterior space. Double check this location. Within 5 blocks of 2 Metros, Eastern Market and Barrack’s Row... $488,500

1126 K Street, SE

1512 Mass Ave., SE

Think Toyota Prius... with 260 horses under the hood. So adorable, smart and efficient... The only acceleration issue will be in your heart. Big light, big yard, big location & big, strong, high-end finishes. 2-3 Blocks to Harris Teeter, Potomac Metro, a New York minute to Barracks Row, and 12 blocks to The US Capitol Complex... $378,500

Under $400k, What more can I say? Sleek & Sophisticated, Designed to Delight! Both Economically and Ecologically friendly. Simply a Heart-Warming home with a Wallet-Friendly disposition. More affordable than condos, with parking in the back, deep front yard, and so close to Lincoln Park your dog could walk himself... (Look both ways Pooch!) Please pay attention to the details by Great Space, LLC. $379,000

202.255.5554

Tom Faison Jesse Hagopian Tim Barley

202.255.5554 202.288.1053 202.577.5000

Walk Softly & Carry A Large Draft! Come Down to THE NEW Bullfeathers • • • • • •

Over 30 Drafts at the Bar! Delicious Homemade Food The Longest Bar on Capitol Hill Four Large Flat Screen TVs Call Us About Private Parties: Breakfast. Lunch & Dinner

Bullfeathers 410 First Street, SE

202.484.0228 www.bullfeathersdc.com

02.11

What’s Inside

ineveryissue 12 14 75 116 124 126

Go ... See ... Do Washington’s Best Calendar Dining Coupons Classified Ads Last Word The Nose

capitolstreets 25 28 36 38 39 40 42 43

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Hill Buzz / by Celeste McCall The Bulletin Board The Numbers: What Would Rahm Do?/ by Elissa Silverman Is a Moratorium Necessary on 8th Street? / by Gwyn Jones Opinion: There will be No Moratorium / by Ivan Frishberg Eyes on Eastern:: Countdown To ReLaunch / by Heather Schoell ANC 6A / Gallaudet Plans New Building / by Roberta Weiner ANC 6B / Van Ness Elementary Gets Support / by Lex Kiefhaber ANC 6C / New Officers Elected/ by Lex Kiefhaber ANC 6D / Capital Gateway Marina Development / by Roberta Weiner

communitylife 49 52 54 56 58 60

Spotted on the Hill / by Peter Vankevich New Hill East Listserv / by Alice Ollstein Truth in Numbers: Survey of Barracks Row Businesses / by Sharon Bosworth H Street Life: Smith Commons Opens / by Elise Bernard South by West / by Kyle Johnson Buy Local: Capitol Hill / by Julia Christian

realestate 61 62

George Washington’s Houses/ by Robert M. Pohl Changing Hands: Residential Home Sales / compiled by Don Denton

ARTSdiningentertainment Special 67 70 72 74 76 78 80 82

A Different Kind of Local Brunch / by Roberta Weiner Dining Notes / by Celeste McCall Wine and Food in Tuscany / by Jon Genderson Theater: A Shortage of Shorts / by Brad Hathaway At the Movies / by Mike Canning Art and the City / by Jim Magner The Literary Hill / by Karen Lyon The Jazz Project / by Jean-Keith Fagon

beautyhealthfitness 83 84 86

Living Wholeheartedly/ by Ronda Bresnick Hauss Your Pet Won’t Live Forever / by Debbie Duel Dieting: Men are from Mars; Women are from Venus / by Nina Kolbe

kidsandfamily 89 94

Kids & Family Notebook / by Mary-Frances Daly School Notes / compiled by Susan Braun Johnson

homesandgardens 101 104 108 110 112 114

National Arboretum in the Year of the Rabbit / by Rindy O’Brien Ask Judith: One success and Take All It Off / by Judith Capen @ Your Service / by Heather Schoell Designing for Change / by Lisa Brent Garden Spot: The Pleasures of Indoor Gardening / by Derek Thomas Dear Garden Lady / by Anonymous

COVER: Hilaire-Germain-Edgar Degas (1834–1917). Dancers at the Barre, ca. 1900, Oil on canvas 51¼ x 38½ inches. Acquired 1944, The Phillips Collection, 1600 21st Street, NW. Washington, DC 20009. 202-387-2151. www.phillipscollection.org. On exhibit for the 90th Anniversary celebrations of The Phillips Collection.

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HILL RAG MID CITY DC EAST OF THE RIVER FAGON COMMUNITY GUIDES

And The Hits Just Keep on Coming! By Dr. David Walls-Kaufman

Capital Community News, Inc. 224 7th Street, SE, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20003 202.543.8300 • www.capitalcommunitynews.com

eesh, folks. I wish you would get on line now and then and check out Journal of Maternal and Pediatric Health, Chiropractic. They are doing exceptional work. Over the Christmas season, these are some of the research headlines that have accumulated there:

1) Improvement in a Child with Pervasive Developmental Disorder Undergoing Chiropractic Care 2) Improvement in a Pediatric Patient with Neurofibromatosis Type 1 and Asthma: A Case Report ‘ <http://chiropracticpediatricresearch.web.officelive.com/2011_1066_ neurofibro.aspx> 3) Chiropractic Care of a Pediatric Patient Suffering from Recurrent Otitis Media and Respiratory Syncytial Virus: a Retrospective Case Report <http://chiropracticpediatricresearch.web.officelive.com/2010_1067_om_rsv.aspx> 4) Improvement in Cystic Fibrosis in a Child Undergoing Subluxation-Based Chiropractic Care: A Case Study <http://chiropracticpediatricresearch.web.officelive. com/2010_1069_cystic_fibrosis.aspx> 5) Resolution of Childhood Nocturnal Enuresis Following Subluxation-Based Chiropractic Care: A Retrospective Case Report <http://chiropracticpediatricresearch.web. officelive.com/2010_1020_enuresis.aspx> 6) Resolution of Neurological Tics and Reduction in Vertebral Subluxation in a Pediatric Patient Undergoing Chiropractic Care: A Case Report <http://chiropracticpediatricresearch.web.officelive.com/2010_1041_neurotics. aspx> 7) Resolution of Vertigo, Migraines and Neck Pain in a 12 Year Old Boy Receiving Chiropractic Care - A Case Study <http://chiropracticpediatricresearch.web.officelive. com/2010_1046_vertigo.aspx>

If you know neighbors or friends with kids with chronic health problems like these, odds are that chiropractic care of the nervous system might greatly help them. It’s not about you. It’s about them. To find out about chiropractic and how it helps such a diverse spectrum of human ailments, contact our office. For the better health and life experience of you and your family – Capitol Hill Chiropractic Center 411 East Capitol St., SE 202.544.6035. Serving our neighborhood since 1985.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Melissa Ashabranner melissaashabranner@hillrag.com EDITORIAL STAFF

SOCIETY & EVENTS

MANAGING EDITOR: Andrew Lightman andrew@hillrag.com CFO & ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Maria Carolina Lopez carolina@hillrag.com KIDS & FAMILY EDITOR: Susan Braun Johnson schools@hillrag.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Mary-Frances Daly maryfrances@hillrag.com

Mickey Thompson • socialsightings@aol.com

HOMES & GARDENS Rindy O’Brien - Hill Gardener • rindyob@mac.com Derek Thomas • derek@thomaslandscapes.com Judith Capen • judith.capen@architravepc.com HomeStyle: Mark Johnson • mark@hillrag.com

NEWS & NEIGHBORHOOD REPORTS ARTS, DINING & ENTERTAINMENT

ANC6A:

ART: Jim Magner • jjmagner@aol.com DINING: Celeste McCall • celeste@hillrag.com HIT THE CITY: Kathleen Donner • kathleen.donner@gmail.com LITERATURE: Karen Lyon • klyon@folger.edu MOVIES: Mike Canning • mjcanning@verizon.net MUSIC: Jean-Keith Fagon • fagon@hillrag.com RETAIL THERAPY: Scott Frazini • scott.frazini@gmail.com THEATER: Brad Hathaway • brad@potomacstages.com TRAVEL: Maggie Hall • whitby@aol.com THE WINE GUYS: Jon Genderson • jon@cellar.com

Tanya Snyder • tanya.c.snyder@gmail.com Hunter Gorinson • hunter.gorinson@gmail.com ANC6C: Hunter Gorinson • hunter.gorinson@gmail.com ANC6D: Roberta Weiner • rweiner_us@yahoo.com BARRACKS ROW: sharon@barracksrow.org H STREET LIFE: Elise Bernard • inked78@hotmail.com THE NOSE: thenose@hillrag.com LOGAN CIRCLE • mark@hillrag.com SHAW • shaw@hillrag.com MOUNT VERNON TRIANGLE • triangle@hillrag.com BLOOMINGDALE • bloomingdale@hillrag.com 14TH & U • 14thandU@hillrag.com ANC6B:

CALENDAR & BULLETIN BOARD HILL RAG, MIDCITY DC & EAST OF THE RIVER: CALENDAR EDITOR: Kathleen Donner calendar@hillrag.com, bulletinboard@hillrag.com

GENERAL ASSIGNMENT

PRODUCTION/GRAPHIC DESIGN ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR: Jason Yen 202.543.8300 X21 • jay@hillrag.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER / WEB MASTER: Jason Nickens 202.543.8300 X17 • jason@hillrag.com

Michelle Evans • invisiblecolours@yahoo.com Celeste McCall • celeste@hillrag.com Heather Schoell • hschoell@verizon.net Tanya Synder • tanya.c.snyder@gmail.com Virginia Avniel Spatz • virginia@hillrag.com Peter Waldron • peter@hillrag.com Kathleen Donner • kathleen.donner@gmail.com Stephanie Deutsch • scd@his.com Paul D. Shinkman - pdshinkman@gmail.com Melanie Sunukjian - melsunuk@gmail.com Shannon Holloway - holloway.shannon@gmail.com

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Deborah Bandzerewicz 202.543.8300 X13 • deb@hillrag.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Kira Means 202.543.8300 X16 • kira@hillrag.com CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING: Maria Carolina Lopez 202.543.8300 X12 • carolina@hillrag.com MARKETING ASST.: Giancarlo Fagon

BEAUTY, HEALTH & FITNESS

DISTRIBUTION MANAGER: Andrew Lightman DISTRIBUTORS: Southwest Distribution DISTRIBUTION INFORMATION: distribution@hillrag.com

Patricia Cinelli • fitmiss44@aol.com Ronda Bresnick Hauss, LCSW • www.quietwaterscenter.com quiet_waters_center@yahoo.com Peter Sherer • Peter@expmatters.com

KIDS & FAMILY Kathleen Donner • kathleen.donner@gmail.com Susan Johnson • schools@hillrag.com

ADVERTISING & SALES

DISTRIBUTION

DEADLINES & CONTACTS ADVERTISING: sales@hillrag.com DISPLAY ADS: 15th of each month CLASSIFIED ADS: 10th of each month EDITORIAL: 15th of each month; submissions@hillrag.com BULLETIN BOARD & CALENDAR: 15th of each month; calendar@hillrag.com, bulletinboard@hillrag.com

We welcome suggestions for stories. Send queries to andrew@hillrag.com. We are also interested in your views on community issues which are published in the Last Word. Please limit your comments to 250 words. Letters may be edited for space. Please include your name, address and phone number. Send Last Word submissions to lastword@hillrag.com. For employment opportunities email jobs@hillrag.com.

ADVERTISEMENT 10 ★ HillRag | February 2011

capitalcommunitynews.com

HELLO 2011!!! Lets Make it Great Together –Your Neighborhood Realtors!!

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317 10th St, NE # 11 $300,000 | The Hawthorne is waiting with all its Art Deco charm. 7 windows! 1BR, 1BA, FP, storage closet, new appliances, A/C, HW ﬂoors, bookshelves, deck, H street, 2 metros, Barracks Row, low condo fee. Phew!

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The Norris Group capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 11

GO.SEE.DO. Frederick Douglass: Author and Book Lover Birthday Celebration. Born a slave, Frederick Douglass selected his own February 14th birthday. This year the National Park Service at the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site in Anacostia has moved the celebration to the closest Saturday so that more people can enjoy the day. The keynote speaker is R. Dewayne Betts. His first book, the memoir “A Question of Freedom” tells his story of literature, insanity and finding manhood in prison. In 2010 Betts received the NAACP Image Award for Literary Debut. The day will also feature oratorical contest recitations, kids’ actitivies, face painting, live entertainment and food for purchase. It may be cold outside but the celebration will be in heated tents, the house itself and the auditorium. Saturday, Feb. 12, 10:00 AM-3:00 PM. 1411 W St. SE. 202-426-5961. nps.gov/frdo

Frederick Douglass in his home library

Cupids Undie Run.

Hundreds of runners will hit DC’s snowy streets for Cupid’s Undie Run. Photo: M.V. Jantzen 12 ★ HillRag | February 2011

TIt’s only the second year for Cupid’s Undie Run and already many of the slots are taken. You can, however, still enjoy this spectacle from the sidewalk. Cupid’s Undie Run, on Saturday, February 12th, is a one+ mile run by the US Capitol in the participants bedroom-best (all for a good cause) underwear. The party begins at noon at the Pour House, 319 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. Runners then strip down for the Undie Run at 2:00 PM. The course takes them east on Pennsylvania Avenue to First Street, by the Capitol and then back again. Proceeds benefit the Children’s Tumor Foundation which is the world’s largest non-government organization dedicated to ending Neurofibromatosis through research. Register online. cupidsundierun.com

The Entrance to the Grand Canal, looking West, with Santa Maria della Salute, about 1729, Canaletto, oil on canvas, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. The Robert Lee Blaffer Memorial Collection, Gift of Sarah Campbell Blaffer

Pictured from left to right: Kelly Mayfield of Contradiction Dance, Jeramie Bellmay, and Anthony Wills Jr. performing at the Fridge’s The Sunday Circus. Photo: Elliot Richter

Venice: Canaletto and His Rivals. On view from Feb. 20 - May 30 in the East Building, the National Gallery of Art presents 21 of Canaletto’s finest paintings of Venice with 34 more by his most important contemporaries, including Gaspar Vanvitelli, Luca Carlevarijs, Michele Marieschi, Bernardo Bellotto, and Francesco Guardi. The entrance to the exhibition will feature a one of the world’s oldest gondolas. It once belonged to the American painter Thomas Moran and will be on loan from the Mariners’ Museum, Newport News, VA. The convergence of art and science will be represented in a monumental first edition of Iconografica Rappresentatione della Inclita Città di Venezia (1729), one of the greatest printed maps of cities, and two 18th-century examples of the camera obscura, an optical device likely to have been used by the view painters. 202-737-4215. nga.gov

Fresh Produce Festival of Live Art at the Fridge DC The Fridge (quirky and cool art space in the rear alley of 516 Eighth St. SE, directly across from Matchbox) is devoting the month of February to Live Art! They will be welcoming over 60 local and national performance artists to come and express themselves with absolute freedom. Most tickets are $15. Seating for each show is very limited and advance tickets are highly recommended. Order online at thefridgedc.com. Opened in September 2009, The Fridge DC is an art gallery, performance space, music venue and classroom located on Barracks Row. Their mission is to foster creativity and community dialogue by serving as a conduit for expression through the arts and providing exhibition space to emerging and established artists.

Discover Strathmore.

Children enjoying a fun project at last year’s Discover Strathmore. Photo: Jim Saah

Discover Strathmore is a free family event on Monday, February 21, 11:00 AM-4:00 PM, at the Music Center at Strathmore with live performances, demonstrations and hands-on activities. This year, Discover Strathmore will highlight Washington area musicians Luke Brindley, The Mancuso-Suzda Project, the 18th Street Singers, St. Augustine’s Catholic Church Chorale and Gospel Choir, The Washington Revels and The Youth Brothers in a variety of styles from jazz to folk to choral to gospel. The festival will also feature the art of dance with CityDance Ensemble, hip-hop poetry, theater and photography workshops, music classes by the Levine School of Music, a percussion workshop with the Baltimore Symphony, hands-on arts and crafts activities, and demonstrations by local visual artists in Sumi-e painting, watercolor, polymer clay, knitting and sculpture. Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Ln, N. Bethesda, MD. 301-581-5200. strathmore.org capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 13

★ ★ ★

FEBRUARY

HillRag CALENDAR LOOKING FOR LOVE

Sex(pionage) Spies, Lies and Naked Thights--the Valentine Edition. Thursday, Feb. 10, 6:30 PM. International Spy Museum. From ancient intrigues to Anna Chapman, spies, counterspies, and terrorists often conduct their undercover activities under the covers! International Spy Museum Board Member, retired FBI supervisory special agent, and owner/founder of the Centre for Counterintelligence and Security Studies, David G. Major will reveal how seduction is used as a tool to attract and manipulate assets, to coerce and/or attempt to coerce and compromise targets, and to control spies in both reality and fiction. Major will tell all about the spies who stop at nothing to get their man—or woman! Guests will enjoy a Zola Choctini as they gather essential knowledge for any questionable or suspicious relationship. 18 and older only. $25. 800 F St. NW. 202-393-7798. spymuseum.org Phillips after 5. First Thursday of every month, 5:00-8:30 PM. The Phillips Collection, 1600 21st St. NW. Gallery talks. Live jazz. Museum shop. Food. Socializing in the Galleries. Cash Bar. Admission is the price of the current exhibition. 202-387-2151. www. phillipscollection.org Washington Savoyards’ “Gondoliers” at the Atlas. Feb. 11-13. Gilbert & Sullivan’s Gondoliers will be introduced to the audience with a staged concert reading. Whet your appetite because it will be fully staged during the 2011-2012 season. Everyone loves Venice and you will love the beautiful music and the story of gondoliers and kings, mistaken identities, (unintentional) bigamy, and the requisite happy ending. $15-$25. 1333 H St. NE. 202399-7993. atlasarts.org Valentine’s Dance Party with The Fabulettes. Saturday, Feb. 12, 8:00 PM. Rocking 60’s girl group music with 7 piece band. Singles welcome! $25 Donation w/ rsvp, $30 at the door. Corner Store, 900 South Carolina Ave. SE 202-544-5807. cornerstorearts.org The Power of Chocolate. Feb. 12 and 13. 10:30 AM-4:30 PM. This multi-day celebration of one of the world’s favorite flavors includes free chocolate samples, food demonstrations, daily performances by three local Maya groups, presentations by an Indigenous cacao cooperative, a talk focused on the history of chocolate and hands-on activities for families, including paper mola-making. Free. National Museum of the American Indian, Fourth St. and Independence Ave. SW. 202-633-1000. nmai.si.edu In Every Language Love at the Sackler (An Open House for All Ages). Saturday, Feb. 12 and Sunday, Feb. 13, Noon-4:00 PM. After a slideshow of images representing love in Asian art, use printing blocks inscribed with the word “love” in more than a dozen Asian languages to make valentines. Free. Sackler Gallery of Art, 1050 Independence Ave. SW. 202-633-4880. asia.si.edu Poetry at Noon at the Library of Congress. Tuesday, Feb. 15, noon-1:00 PM. A selection of love poems will be read. Free. Whittall Pavilion, Ground floor, Thomas Jefferson Building. 202-7075394. loc.gov Woo at the Zoo. Friday, Feb. 18, 6:30 PM and 8:30 PM. This extraordinary evening, open to both singles and sweethearts,

14 ★ HillRag | February 2011

Where Arts Merge and Cultures Meet. 600 DC artists. 100 performances. 9 days. Looking for a different kind of arts experience? You’ve found it. Intersections: A New American Arts Festival, at the Atlas Theater. The performances fuse live music, dance and drama and run each weekend between Fri., Feb.25, through Sun., March 13. Above: Paige Hernandez of theHEGIRA. Photo: Sergey Apasov. is a light-hearted exploration into the sexual behaviors of animals. Hosted by the Zoo’s most charismatic animal experts, Woo at the Zoo presents an opportunity to learn about animal mating, dating and reproductive habits in an honest and humorous forum. $25. 202-633-4240. nationalzoo. si.edu Evenings at the TM. Thursday, Feb. 24, 6:00 PM. The Textile Museum, 2320 S St. NW. $20. Advanced registration required; space is limited. 202-667-0441. textilemuseum.org Washington National Opera Presents Puccini’s Madama Butterfly. Feb. 26-Mar.19. The most beloved opera of all time, Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, comes to Washington in performances starring famed sopranos Ana María Martínez and

Catherine Naglestad. $25-$300. Kennedy Center Opera House. 202-295-2400. dc-opera.org Cymbeline by William Shakespeare. Through Mar. 6. The Shakespeare Theatre Company premiere of Cymbeline follows Imogen on her search for reconciled love against the backdrop of a colorful and magical journey. Forbidden love, mistaken identities, banishment and a magic potion— Shakespeare combines multiple styles in this endlessly inventive fairy tale. $37$75. Lansburgh Theatre, 450 Seventh St. NW. 202-547-1122. shakespearetheatre.org Spy At Night at the International Spy Museum. Every Friday and Saturday night, 6:00 PM. Every Friday and Saturday night. Pick your poison at a full cocktail bar and enjoy food fit for a

capitalcommunitynews.com â&#x2DC;&#x2026; 15

global arms smuggler – it’s all prepared from the award winning Zola kitchen. Unwind, yes, but don’t let your guard down. $20. 800 F St. NW. 202-3937798. spymuseum.org MidCity Mixer. First Monday of every month, 6:00-8:00 PM. Cafe Saint Ex, Gate 54 (basement), 1847 14th St. NW. 202-265-7839. www.saint-ex.com First Wednesday Jazz @ The Historical Society. First Wednesday of every month, 6:00-9:00 PM. The Historical Society of Washington, DC, 801 K St. NW. Described as a “motivational mixer” featuring jazz, R&B and neo soul. $10 cover. Food and spirits are extra. 202-383-1850. www.historydc.org Volunteering Made Easy by One Brick. One Brick brings volunteers together to support other nonprofit organizations by adopting an innovative twist to the volunteer experience: they create a friendly and social atmosphere around volunteering, and after each volunteer event, invite volunteers to gather at a local restaurant or cafe where they can get to know one another in a relaxed social setting. www.onebrick.org

BLACK HISTORY MONTH America I AM: The African American Imprint. Exhibition open daily, Feb. 2May 1. National Geographic Museum. Filled with poignant artifacts covering nearly 500 years of history, “America I AM” celebrates the undeniable imprint African Americans have had on America. Visitors will encounter objects ranging from shackles used in the slave trade, to abolitionist material to the poetry of Langston Hughes. The exhibition also features items from contemporary African American figures, such as Serena Williams, Michael Jordan and Prince. An interactive area allows visitors to leave video “imprints” of their own experiences, a collection that continues to grow throughout the tour. An Example for All the Land: Emancipation and the Struggle over Equality in Washington, DC. Tuesday, Feb. 8, noon. In her book An Example for All the Land, Kate Masur discusses Washington, DC, during the period of Reconstruction after the Civil War. The city became a laboratory for political experimentation as the question of racial equality produced a debate about black Washingtonians and their demands for public respect, equal access to employment, public services, and the right to vote. A book signing will follow the program. Free. National Archives, Jefferson Room (Special Events Entrance on Constitution Avenue), 700 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. archives.gov African American Heritage Tour. Saturday, Feb. 12, 8:30 AM. Tour begins at THEARC and includes Lincoln Park and

16 ★ HillRag | February 2011

the Frederick Douglass. Tickets can be purchased at the Washington Informer office at 3117 MLK Ave. SE. washingtoninformer.com Beyond the Basics: Emancipation Records of the District of Columbia. Wednesday, Feb. 16, 11:00 AM. Damani Davis, archivist, teaches this month’s “beyond the basic” archival research skills for genealogists, held on the third Wednesday of each month (all skill levels welcome).National Archives, Room G-24, Research Center (Enter on Penn. Ave.), 700 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. archives.gov Umoja on U-Black History Celebration. Feb. 20, 6:00 PM. The inaugural Umoja on U-Black History Celebration hosted by Juanita Busy Bee Britton and EZ Street. Special performances by the Black Notes, Farafina Kan, Maimouna Youssef, Gods’illa and the Ballou High School Choir. $10-$20. Discount tickets for seniors (65+) and children (10 and under) available at the Lincoln Theatre Box Office Mon.-Fri., 10:00 AM-6:00 PM. Lincoln Theater, 1215 U St. NW. 202-2862688. thelincolntheatre.org George Washington’s Enslaved Workers Lecture. Wednesday, Feb 16, 7:30-8:30 PM. Thanks to the extensive records kept by the master of Mount Vernon, enough information exists to give us a glimpse into the lives and personalities of some of its enslaved workers. Professor Peter Henriques examines six individual slaves, Sambo Anderson, Caroline, Charlotte, Hercules, Ona Judge, and Christopher Sheels. The picture that emerges gives a view sometimes at odds with most conventional views of slavery, and touches on the various ways real people tried to deal with the fact that they were considered human chattel. $12. Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, 134 N. Royal St., Alexandria, VA. 703-746-4242. alexandriava.gov/GadsbysTavern Sing out! Songs of Freedom. Feb. 17–18 and 24–25, 10:15 AM and 11:30 AM. We are with civil rights activists in 1960, just after the student sit-ins began all across the South. With evocative images, first-person characterization, original dialogue, archival music, and song, we explore the meaning behind the National Museum of American History’s Greensboro lunch counter exhibit. Learn the songs the Freedom Fighters sang as they changed our nation. Educational content recommended for ages 6 and up. $6 for adults. $5 for kids (under 2, $3). Carmichael Auditorium, National Museum of American History, 14th and Constitution Ave. NW. 202-633-8700. discoverytheater.org. Exploring the Ex-Slave Pension Movement at the National Archives. Tuesday, Feb. 22, 11:00 AM. Miranda Booker Perry, archivist trainee, discusses the quest for ex-slave pensions and the role Federal agencies played in suppressing freed people. Free. Room G-24, Research Center (Enter on Penn. Ave.). 700 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. archives.gov Mount Vernon Celebrates Black History Month. In observance of Black History Month, Feb. 1-28, Mount Vernon interpreters highlight at the slave quarters the lives and contributions of the slaves who built

and operated the plantation home of George and Martha Washington. New this year: After years of research, the refurbished slave quarters building is now open. Reproduction clothing, tools, furniture, cookware, ceramics, toys, and personal accessories outfit the space to emphasize the living conditions and experiences of enslaved people as skilled craftsmen, house slaves, and laborers on the Mansion House Farm. Throughout the month, a daily Slave Life at Mount Vernon tour explores the lives and contributions of the slaves who lived at Mount Vernon. A wreathlaying and presentation occurs daily at the slave memorial site throughout the month of February. Black History Month activities are included in regular Estate admission: adults, $15.00; children ages 6-11, $7.00; and children under 5 are admitted free. 703-780-2000. MountVernon.org

AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD Gross National Product in “The Sound of Palin”. Fridays and Saturdays, through Feb. 18, 8:00 PM. Gross National Product returns with a comedy revue entitled “The Sound of Palin.” The title sketch “Sound of Palin” is a GNP mini- bastardization of Rodgers and Hammersteins’ classic musical which follows the political witt-less-cisms of Palin from Mayor to Reality Star and Beyond? “The Hill is Alive” with laughs as that ex-Gov with that twangy G-rated mouth sings and dances her way to the Presidency in 2012 and “Climbs every Office.” $10-$20. Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. 202399-7993. atlasarts.org EasyPass for INTERSECTIONS at the Atlas. Enjoy life in the fast lane at INTERSECTIONS by purchasing an EasyPass. EasyPass holders have unlimited access to festival performances and guaranteed seating when they reserve their tickets at the box office before Feb. 4. After Feb. 4, tickets are available on a space available basis. You can even use you EasyPass on the day of the show, but it might be standing room only. Reserve your EasyPass and tickets now to follow a festival roadmap or choose your own path. EasyPasses are non-tranferrable. $300. 1333 H St. NE. 202-399-7993. atlasarts.org St. Augustine’s Art & Spirit Coffeehouse. Wednesday, Feb. 2, 7:00 PM. Boxwood Recorder Trio: Bruce Crane, Mark McDowell and Jane Udelson will perform music from Renaissance to modern day. Coffee and desserts, followed by audience Q&A. Free, donations accepted for artists’ honorarium. St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church, 600 M St. SW. 202-554-3222. staugustinesdc.org Ernestine Jackson & Her Band Tina’s Bluz. Friday, Feb. 4, 8:00 PM. Blues and gospel with a five piece band. $20 Donation w/ rsvp, $25 at the door. Corner Store, 900 South Carolina Ave. SE 202-544-5807. cornerstorearts.org Hyperion Ensemble Concert. Feb. 4, 8:0010:00 PM. The Ensemble performs Strauss, Schoenberg and Brahms. Free. Coolidge Auditorium, Ground floor, Thomas Jefferson

capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 17

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Chris Velan with Kindlewood and Timothy Bracken at Ebenezer’s Friday, Feb. 25, 7:30 PM-10:00 PM. $10. Ebenezer’s Coffeehouse, 201 F St. NE. 202-558-6900. ebenezerscoffeehouse.com Building. 202-707-5502. loc.gov Bountiful Vegetable Gardening Using Organic Principles. Feb. 8, 7:00 PM. Shepherd Ogden, a national expert on organic vegetable gardening, and an early leader in the marketing of certified organic garden seed in North America, will discuss ways to use organic principles to get the most out of small Capitol Hill gardens. Goal: the most food possible from small spaces over the shortest time. Free. Church of the Brethren, corner North Carolina Ave. and Fourth St. SE. (Fourth St. door). 202-543-7539.

like if people were happy 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year? Educated African Americans’ attitudes about race, class and social activism are put under a humorous microscope as two Washington couples endure a civilized weekend camping trip for a birthday celebration and much needed rest and recuperation. One night together complicates and ultimately illuminates their inner and outer lives. “Meet the Artist” Jennifer L. Nelson at 7:00 PM on Feb.26. For age 16+. Atlas Performing Art Center, 1333 H St. NE. 202-399-7993. atlasarts.org

The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare. Through Mar. 6. A shipwreck, one of Shakespeare’s favorite launching devices, starts off this comedy’s craziness of coincidence and confusion. Antipholus and his servand Dromio journey from Syracuse in search of their long-lost, identically named twin brothers. Their arrival in Ephesus sets off a chain of mishaps as the twins are mistaken for each other, culminating in a climax of comedic chaos. $30-$60. Folger Elizabethan Theatre, 201 E. Capitol St. SE. 202-5444600. folger.edu

Gallery Night at Ebenezer’s. Friday, Feb. 11, 7:30-10:00 PM. Come out for a night of music, poetry, and visual art on display from artists who live in the metro DC area. Free. Ebenezer’s Coffeehouse, 201 F St. NE. 202558-6900. ebenezerscoffeehouse.com

Bernstein’s Broadway at the Library of Congress. Feb. 7, noon-1:00 PM. Carol Oja, William Powell Mason Professor of Music, Harvard University speaks on Bernstein’s Broadway. Free. Coolidge Auditorium, Ground floor, Thomas Jefferson Building. 202-7075502. loc.gov

Folger Friday: Deborah Tannen. Friday, Feb 11, 7:00 PM. Deborah Tannen, author of You Were Always Mom’s Favorite!, explores the intricacies of family relationships, especially twins and other siblings, in The Comedy of Errors and in families today. Free. Folger Elizabethan Theatre, 201 E. Capitol St. SE. 202-544-4600. folger.edu

Stefan Alexander with Heather Maloney and Damion Wolfe at Ebenezer’s. Thursday, Feb. 10, 7:30-10:00 PM. $10. Ebenezer’s Coffeehouse, 201 F St. NE. 202-558-6900. ebenezerscoffeehouse.com Theater of the First Amendment: 24, 7, 365. Feb. 10-27. What would the world look

18 ★ HillRag | February 2011

Utrecht String Quartet Concert. Feb. 11, 8:00-10:00 PM. The Utrecht String Quartet performs Auerbach, Schubert, Meijering and Tchaikovsky. Free. Coolidge Auditorium, Ground floor, Thomas Jefferson Building. 202-707-5502. loc.gov

Southeast Library Book Sale. Saturday, Feb. 12, 10:00 AM-2:00 PM. 403 Seventh St. SE. 202-698-3377. dclibrary.org/southeast CHAW Art Exhibition Opening. Saturday, Feb. 12, 5:00-7:00 PM The Capitol Hill Art League presents an all-media juried show.

The juror of the show is Janis Goodman, arts reviewer for PBS/WETA and Professor of Fine Art at the Corcoran College of Art and Design. Free. CHAW, 545 Seventh St. SE. Show runs until Mar. 4. Gallery hours are: 9:30 AM-9:00 PM (M-Th), 9:30 AM-6:00 PM (F), and 9:00 AM-2:00 PM (Sat). 202-547-6839. chaw.org The Capitol Reading Series @ Riverby Books. Feb. 15, (third Tuesday of every month), 7:00 PM. This month features poet Holly Karapetkova. 417 E. Capitol St. 202-543-4342. riverbybooks.com The Co-Creators of Kill Shakespeare on Their Epic Comic Graphic Novel. Tuesday, Feb. 15, 7:30 PM. Anthony Del Col and Conor McCreery, the creators of Kill Shakespeare, discuss their work. This comic book series is an illustrated epic adventure that finds Shakespeare’s greatest heroes (including Hamlet, Juliet, Othello, Falstaff, and Puck) pitted against the Bard’s most threatening villains (including Richard II, Lady Macbeth, and Iago) in a quest to thrack down and kill—or save—a reclusive wizard by the name of William Shakespeare. $15. Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 E. Capitol St. SE. 202-5447077. folger.edu Rudder North with Micah and Joanne Kim at Ebenezer’s. Thursday, Feb. 17, 7:30-9:00 PM. Rudder North is made up of JD Fahr and Derek Torsani. They consider themselves to be an indie/ folk band and they enjoy using as many instruments and sounds as they can. $8. Ebenezer’s Coffeehouse, 201 F St. NE. 202-558-6900. ebenezerscoffeehouse.com

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Rev Freakchild & Mulebone Concert. Friday, February 18th at 7:30 PM. Blues, roots rock duo. $20 Donation. Corner Store, 900 South Carolina Ave. SE 202-544-5807. cornerstorearts.org Quatuor Debussy Concert. Feb. 22, 8:00-10:00 PM. The Quatuor Debussy performs Glass, Pubccini, Mulhaud and Franck. Free. Coolidge Auditorium, Ground floor, Thomas Jefferson Building. 202-707-5502. loc.gov Jazz Night (and fishfry) in Southwest. Fridays, 6:00-9:00 PM. Westminster Presbyterian Church. Local musicians perform and the Southwest Catering Company provides a fish fry 5:30-8:30 PM. $5/general; free/children under 16. Modestly priced food. 400 I St. SW. 202-484-7700. westminsterdc.org/jazz. Blue Monday Blues. Mondays, 6:009:00 PM. Westminster Presbyterian Church. Local musicians perform, and the Southwest Catering Company provides a fish fry from 5:30-8:30 PM. $5/general; free/children under 16. Modestly priced food. 400 I St. SW. 202-484-7700. westminsterdc.org/blues.htm.

capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 19

Eddie Daniels & Roger Kellaway Concert. Feb. 25, 8:00-10:00 PM. “A duet of one”- two jazz masters with classical leanings and an impressive command of the American Songbook. Free. Coolidge Auditorium, Ground floor, Thomas Jefferson Bldg 202-707-5502. loc.gov

will include action plans. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. Free. All four classes are free and are held at Casey Trees Headquarters, 3030 12th St. NE. 202-8339125. caseytrees.org

Rocknoceros at Ebenezer’s. Saturday, Feb. 26, 10:30011:30 AM. After 10 months of knob-turning and fader-sliding, Northern Virginia’s premiere power-trio for children has emerged from the recording studio with it’s third CD, PINK!. Rocknoceros (pronounced like rhinoceros) has dominated the Washington, DC children’s music scene since its inception in 2005, winning four Washington Area Music Awards, and landing an ongoing Videoon-Demand offering through COX Cable. With the release of PINK!, Rocknoceros continues to find its way into the hearts and homes of music-lovers of all ages. $10 (everyone over one year). Ebenezer’s Coffeehouse, 201 F St. NE. 202-558-6900. ebenezerscoffeehouse.com

SPORTS, DANCE AND PHYSICAL FITNESS

Paolo Pandolfo & Thomas Boysen Concert. Feb. 26, 8;00-10:00 PM. Pandolfo and Boysen perform SainteColombe and Marais. Free. Coolidge Auditorium, Ground floor, Thomas Jefferson Building. 202-707-5502. loc.gov Furia Flamenca: Lorca-Flamenco Poetry at the Atlas. Feb. 27, 7:30 PM. Sparks fly when the ferocity and passion of Flamenco meets the tragic beauty of Frederico Garcia Lorca’s poetry. Under the direction of founder Estela Velez, Furia Flamenca’s work has been presented throughout the region, including the Kennedy Center and National Theatre. Their festival performance will build upon their sumptuous style, combining flamenco’s gypsy heritage with modern flamenco choreography, while innovatively interpreting one of the world’s greatest poets. For ages 8 & up. Atlas Performing Art Center, 1333 H St. NE. 202-399-7993. atlasarts.org

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Sustainable Sites Initiative Class. Wednesday, Feb. 9, 6:30-9:00 PM. Steve Windhager will discuss the Sustainable Sites Initiative at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. The Initiative was created to develop comprehensive guidelines for those who want to create and measure sustainable landscapes. A light dinner will be provided. Free. Trees 101. Saturday, Feb. 12, 9:00 AM-noon. Get to know Washington’s trees. This course provides a foundation in tree anatomy, tree identification and an overview of how trees function to provide the benefits we enjoy in the urban forest. The session will culminate with a street tree identification walk led by Casey Trees staff. A light breakfast will be provided. Free. Innovations in Plant Health Care. Wednesday, Feb. 16, 6:30-9:00 PM. This presentation will provide an update on managing landscape plant heath with emphasis on invasive exotic pests and soil health management. Emphasis will be placed on new tree injection techniques for managing exotic borers as well as other lethal tree pests, advances in Integrated Pest Management with reduced risk/natural products and beneficial releases as well as innovations in soil management strategies with emphasis on organic amendments. A light dinner will be provided. Free. Stand Up for Trees. Saturday, Feb. 26, 9:00 AM-2:00 PM. Take action and advocate for trees in your community. You will learn what tools are available through the District’s municipal services, then hear success stories and receive advice from community members who have on the ground experience in effectively increasing tree canopy in their neighborhoods. Workshop format

By George 10K & 5K. Saturday, Feb. 19, 7:30 AM. East Potomac Park, Hains Point. 703-481-3530. runwashington.com Georgetown Men’s Basketball at the Verizon Center. Feb. 5, 13, 23 and 26. Buy and sell tickets at the “Stub Hub” on the Hoyas website. guhoyas.com Washington Capitals Ice Hockey. Feb. 1, 6, 8, 12 and 25 at the Verizon Center. Buy and sell tickets on teamexchange.ticketmaster.com. Visit the Washington Capitals website at http://capitals.nhl.com. Washington Wizards Basketball. Feb. 4, 5, 9, 12, 22, 26 and 28 at the Verizon Center. nba.com/wizards East Potomac Tennis Center (indoor courts). Open daily. Indoor courts available year round at 70 degrees. 7:00 AM-10:00 PM. Winter indoor court fees are $17$36/hour depending on the time. 1090 Ohio Dr. SW (East Potomac Park). 202-554-5962. eastpotomactennis.com Southeast Tennis and Learning Center (indoor courts). Open daily; Monday through Saturday, 9:00 AM-9:00 PM; Sunday, 9:00 AM-6:00 PM. Four indoor courts. Six outdoor courts. Summer hourly fees at $6 to $10 for adults. Kids 17 and under play for free. 701 Mississippi Ave. SE. 202-645-6242. dpr.dc.gov/dpr Ice Skating at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden. Open through Mid March (depending on the weather). Monday through Thursday, 10:00 AM-9:00 PM; Friday and Saturday, 10:00 AM-11:00 PM; Sunday, 11:00 AM-9:00 PM. View magnificent works of sculpture while skating in the open air and enjoying music from the state-of-the-art sound system. $7 for adults, $6 for children 12 and under, students with ID and seniors 50 and over. Skate rental is $3. Seventh St. and Constitution Ave. NW. 202-289-3361. nga.gov/ginfo/skating Fort Dupont Ice Arena Public Skating. Fridays in Jan., noon-1:50 pm; Saturdays in Dec., 11:15 AM-12:15 PM. $5, adults. $4, children and seniors. Skate rental, $3. 3779 Ely Place, SE. 202-584-5007. fdia.org Tidal Basin 3K Monthly Run. Third Wednesday of each month, noon. This run is free and informal. West Potomac Park (meet on Ohio Drive at West Basin Drive, near the Tourmobile. stand). 703-505-3567. www. dcroadrunners.org National Marathon and Half-Marathon Registration Open. The race is Saturday, Mar. 26, 7:00 AM. The National Marathon is the only marathon held entirely within the boundaries of the District of Columbia. The races begin and end at RFK Stadium, 2400 E. Capitol St. providing the opportunity to run past all of the historic monuments, museums and corridors of the city. This course is the fastest flat-looped marathon in the country and is a Boston Marathon qualifying race. Registration is $105. Half Marathon is $85. Register online at nationalmarathon.com. Rumsey Pool is closed on President’s Day, Feb. 21. Tango Lessons in the North Hall. Every Thursday and first Saturday, take tango lessons in Eastern Market’s North Hall. Beginning lessons are at 7:00 PM; inter-

CASINO

NIGHT

IS COMING Dice, Dancing and Desserts Saturday, February 12th,

7:30 - 11:00p.m. @ Eastern Market, North Hall Tickets ($25 advance / $35 at the door) cover beer, wine and $30,000 of “funny money” to get you started at the Blackjack and Craps Tables. Texas Holdem is back this year too! And if you’re not a gambler, come enjoy dancing, homemade desserts, and great company.

All proceeds support the Capitol Hill Cluster School, a DC public school serving students on Capitol Hill. Tickets can be purchased on the http://www.capitolhillclusterschool.org or at the door.

Check out our new TV show “Lifestyles of the Fit and Fabulous” at lifestylesoftheﬁtandfabulous.com See our Article Creating Real Change, in the Jan. Hill Rag, pg 72.

capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 21

mediate at 8:00 PM and dancing-untilmorning begins at 9:00 PM. $10 per lesson. $12 to just dance ($10 if you’ve taken a lesson). tangodc.com African Dance Class. Every Monday, 7:15-8:30 PM. For adults. No prior experience necessary. Walk-ins welcome. THEARC. $10. 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE. 202-889-5901. thearcdc.org Yoga Class. Every Saturday, 10:0011:15 AM. For adults. No prior experience necessary. Walk-ins welcome. THEARC. $10. 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE. 202-889-5901. thearcdc.org

CIVIL LIFE Community Office Hours with Ward 6 Councilmember Tommy Wells. First Thursday of the month in Southwest and third Thursday of the month on H St. NE; both are 8-9:30 AM. All Ward 6 residents encouraged to come out and meet with Wells and members of his staff. Call Wells’ office for meeting location, 202-724-8072. tommywells.org ANC Meeting for 6-A. Second Thursday, 7:00 PM. Meeting at Miner Elementary School, 601 15th St. NE. 202-4238868. anc6a.org ANC Meeting for 6-B. Second Tuesday, 7:00 PM. Meeting at Brent Elementary School, 301 North Carolina Ave. SE. 202-543-3344. anc6b.org ANC Meeting for 6-C. Second Wednesday, 7:00 PM. Meeting at Heritage Foundation, 214 Mass. Ave. NE, first floor conference room. 202-547-7168. anc6c.org ANC Meeting for 6-D. Second Monday, 7:00 PM. Meeting at Arena Stage, 1101 Sixth St, SW. This meeting location may change after January. 202-554-1795. anc6d.org AARP (Chapter 2881) Monthly Meeting. Second Tuesday of every month, noon. Liberty Baptist Church, 527 Kentucky Ave. SE. Will Hill, President. Call him at 202544-3785 for more information. Orange Hat. Every Friday, 7:30-8:30 PM. An informative, pleasant stroll around the neighborhood to discuss current neighborhood issues and visit areas of interest. Dogs, kids welcome. Rain cancels. Meet at corner of Kentucky, 14th and D sts.SE

OUT OF TOWN George Washington’s Birthday at Mount Vernon. Monday, Feb. 21, 9:00 AM-4:00 PM. All visitors are admitted free of charge this day. Meet “George Washington”, participate in the presidential wreath laying at Washington’s

22 ★ HillRag | February 2011

Additions & Basement Experts tomb at 10:00 AM and enjoy music and military performances by the US Army Old Guard Fife & Drum Corps and the Commander-in-Chief’s Guard. Mount Vernon, VA. 703-780-2000. mountvernon.org Old Town’s George Washington Birthday Parade. Monday, Feb. 21, 1:003:00 PM. This is the largest parade celebrating Washington’s birthday in the USA!Old Town Alexandria, VA. washingtonbirthday.net Widdershins at Little Theatre of Alexandria. Feb. 26-Mar. 19. Set in Wales in 1902, a family of four disappears leaving only one mysterious clue behind – the word “widdershins” written on a scrap of paper. In comes the odd, but effective, Inspector Ruffing to solve the mystery. Ruffing’s attempt to understand what’s happened leads him deep into his own dark soul. Beautiful women, dark secrets, Impressionist artists, and Druids all figure in this unusual and thought-provoking play. Don’t miss the area premiere of this baffling mystery by Don Nigro, an audience favorite at the 1st International Mystery Festival in 2007. Little Theatre of Alexandria, 600 Wolfe St., Alexandria, VA. 703-683-5778. thelittletheatre.com National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Park. Open daily, year-round. A brick “Walk of Honor” will link the official monument to the Visitors Information Center and the historic Firefighters Chapel.16825 So. Seton Ave., Emmitsburgh, MD. 301-447-1365. firehero.org Clara Barton National Historic Site. Open daily, except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Clara Barton dedicated her life and energies to help others in times of need - both home and abroad, in peacetime as well as during military emergencies. The house shown by guided tour only. Tours at 10:00 AM, 11:00 AM, noon, 1:00 PM, 2:00 PM, 3:00 PM and 4:00 PM. 5801 Oxford Rd., Glen Echo, MD. 301-3201410. nps.gov/clba Patuxent River Trail 10K. Saturday, Feb 26, 10:00 AM. The race will cover a loop course on the trails of Patuxent River Park. It will be a fundraiser for the park’s conservation programs, hosted by the Quantico Orienteering Club. Patuxent River Park, Croom Airport Area. qocweb.org Alexandria Farmer’s Market. Every Saturday morning (year-round, rain or shine), 5:30-10:30 AM, 301 King St. (Market Square), Alexandria, VA. The Farmer’s Market at Alexandria City Hall is thought to be one of the nation’s oldest continually operating farmer’s markets. Farmers and artists have been selling their products since 1753. The market features produce vendors, framed art, handicrafts, jewelry and other wearable art, and baked goods. 703) 838-4770. alexandriava.gov. ★

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Capitol Streets HillBuzz by Celeste McCall

Bullfeathers Re-Opens Bullfeathers, one of Capitol Hill’s longtime favorite hot spots, and a famous congressional gathering place, has just reopened under new ownership. Med Lahlou and Tony Harris (who also own Tunnicliff ’s Tavern and Stoney’s in MidCity)) are excited to open Bullfeathers’ doors to the community once again. Opened in 1979 by Gordon King, the name Bullfeathers is comes from 26th president Teddy Roosevelt. Not wanting to use profane language in public, he coined the phrase “Bullfeathers!” as a euphmism for “BS.” The restaurant offers residents and politicos a lengthy bar, good food and a warm, fun gathering space. Like their mentor, T.R, the Bullfeathers owners find that good food and drink with friends makes the everyday “Bullfeathers” more tolerable. 410 First St. SE. 202-484-0228.

TOP: Jessica Mulroy, Partner at the new Bullfeathers BOTTOM: The Bullfeathers bar is commodius. Photos: Andrew Lightman

(…and you’re just not good enough) at The Fridge DC (…and you’re just not good enough) explores the destruction and development of the human psyche, spirit and ﬂesh through various forms of rejection. (…and you’re just not good enough) dissects and derides our insatiable need for acceptance and celebrates serial solitude. The production is developed from original, individual submissions from artists in various disciplines including poetry, ﬁlm, theatre, movement, music and visual art. These singular pieces share a unifying thread and will be combined to form capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 25

Blue Iris Flowers has Valentine Day Specials to make your Valentine’s Day more memorable... Candy, Balloons, Gifts, Bouquets, Boxed Roses and other decorative vases. Owner Dennis Bourgault in front of 733 8th St. SE, the new digs of Chateux Animaux. Photo: Andrew Lightman

Please Order Early! (We deliver)

a larger, social art event. (…and you’re just not good enough) parallels the tumultuous despair and joy we all experience in the quest for love and ultimate acceptance. $15. (…and you’re just not good enough) will be performed at The Fridge DC. Rear Alley, 516 Eighth St. SE, Feb. 10, 11 and 12, 8:00 PM. 202-664-4151. thefridgedc.com

Chateau Animaux Reopens Down the Block

BLUE IRIS FLOWERS On 7th Street At Pennsylvania Avenue (Inside Eastern Market)

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Celebrating Books & Authors on Capitol Hill Sunday, May 15, 2011 • 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. North Hall, Eastern Market www.literaryhillbookfest.org Please help support this community event! E-mail us at volunteer@literaryhillbookfest.org or send a donation to Literary Hill BookFest, 1373 Independence Ave., SE, Washington, DC 20003. Sponsored by Capital Community News

26 ★ HillRag | February 2011

Chateau Animaux–the popular pet shop which has vacated its digs at 524 Eighth St. SE, has found a new home at 733 Eighth St. SE, across the street from the Marine Barracks. The store will open in the ﬁrst week of February will oﬀer its usual great inventory of pet food (including yummy dog treats), collars and leashes, various pet shampoo, gifts and other supplies. For updates on Chateau Animaux, call 202-544-8710 or visit www.chateauanimaux.com.

INTERSECTIONS: A New American Arts Festival at the Atlas Not many neighborhoods have their own, fabulous arts festival, but we do. For three weekends starting Feb. 25Mar. 13, the Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE, will present its second annual INTERSECTIONS: A New America Arts Festival. The festival will feature a dynamic and diverse multidisciplinary arts

schedule that reveals the collaborative energy of artists and audiences from DC and beyond in nine days of boundary-crossing performances and events. The festival schedule includes performances in music, theatre, dance and vocal concerts from more than 600 artists from the Washington metropolitan region. Tickets can be purchased at intersectionsdc.org and at the Atlas Box Oﬃce at 202399-7993 ext. 2. For more information about the festival, visit intersectionsdc.org.

Gumbo at the Market As winter drags on, it’s comforting to discover another Eastern Market outdoor vendor, and a foodie one at that: Puddin’, which sells “divine” comfort food: chicken and sausage gumbo, vegetarian gumbo, shrimp and grits. Created by Toyin O. Alli, Puddin’ started right here at Eastern Market. Priced at $8.50, a large container easily feeds two for a warming, satisfying lunch. Most Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. outside the North Hall on North Carolina Ave. SE. Visit www.dcpuddin.tumblr.com

Casino Night to Benefit the Cluster School, Feb. 12 Come to Eastern Market’s North Hall for a fun-ﬁlled evening of dessert, drinks, dancing, dice and more. Tickets ($25 in advance, $35 at the door) cover beer, wine and $30,000 of “funny money” to get you started at the Blackjack, Craps Tables and Texas Holdem. If you’re not a gambler, just come the party. Sat., Feb. 12, 7:30-11:00 p.m. This year, the Family Room will be oﬀering childcare for Casino Night from 7:00 to 11:30pm. The cost is $35 for one child; $45 for two; or $55 for three. Reservations and a $10 deposit are required. Call 202-640-1865; stop by (411 8th Street SE, 2nd Floor); or e-mail info@thefamilyroomdc to make a reservation. capitolhillclusterschool.org ★

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bulletin board Diana Ingraham Named Executive Director of Hill Center The Old Naval Hospital Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of Diana Bosworth Ingraham as the first Executive Director of the Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital on Capitol Hill. Ingraham will manage the new community center, which opens this summer and will offer educational and cultural opportunities to Capitol Hill residents and visitors. She brings executive, development, fundraising and strategic planning experience to this new leadership role. For the past 13 years, Ingraham has run US Independents, a consulting company that provides media and business expertise to national and international independent filmmakers, public media outlets and other nonprofit organizations. Her clients have included the Smithsonian Institution, the American Architectural Founda-

tion, the Philadelphia Orchestra and the American Film Institute (AFI). She served as the founding organizer of the international film and media conference that accompanies the annual AFI-Discovery Channel Silverdocs Documentary Festival. “Diana is a real find.” said Nicky Cymrot, President of the Old Naval Foundation’s Board of Directors. “The Foundation is delighted to have someone with a wealth of professional experiences that so well suit the many needs of the Hill Center and the diverse community it will serve.” In addition to a range of classes, exhibits, lectures, performances and social programs, the environmentally friendly campus will provide a unique venue for special events and conferences; a family friendly café in the old carriage house, as well as office space for local nonprofits. “Hill Center will bring rich opportunities to one of the most exciting commu-

ambitious project, which will preserve the historic building and grounds, create an enduring and vital city resource, and enrich the life of its neighborhood.

William Penn House Quaker Potluck & Dialogue, Feb. 13

Diana Bosworth Ingraham

nities in the Washington area,” said Ingraham. “I look forward to spearheading such a vibrant new venture.” Ingraham was named after a nationwide executive search conducted by the Foundation. She lives in Bethesda, MD with her husband and two children. She will join Hill Center on February 1. The Old Naval Hospital, located at 9th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, opened in 1866 as a hospital for Civil War veterans. The building is currently undergoing a landmark restoration. A capital campaign is underway to raise the funds to complete this

You are invited to a potluck and Quaker dialogue at 6:30 PM on Sunday Feb. 13. The program is presented by Janet Riley, Sandy Spring Friends Meeting Friends International Library. Janet Riley will present stories about her work on an international children’s project, Power of Goodness, which is presently is focused in war torn Chechnya. The monthly potluck is usually on the ﬁrst Sunday of each month at 6:30 PM. In February, this event is on the second Sunday due to the Super Bowl on the ﬁrst Sunday. This is an opportunity for fellowship among Quakers, attenders and fellow seekers. Bring a dish to share; family members, neighbors and friends are always welcome. William Penn House, 515 E. Capitol St. SE. 202-543-5560. WilliamPennHouse.org

A Brass Act “Musical Mondays” Concert On Monday, Feb. 28, 8:00 PM, a dozen or more of DC’s finest trombonists will create a sonic experience not to be missed. The Washington Trombone Ensemble will perform along with the historic Möller pipe organ at Capitol Hill United Methodist Church. Guiding the performance will be Sam Woodhead, Director, and Jon Kalbfleisch, Conductor and Organist and winner of multiple Helen Hayes Awards. The rich tapestry of sound with regal trombones combined with the magnificent Möller will feature the music of Strauss, Wagner, Gabrielli, Stephenson, Bach and more. This concert is part of the free “Musical Mondays” concert series offered by Capitol Hill United Methodist Church to the public as a way of sharing musical excellence with the community. 421 Seward Square, SE (corner of Fifth and Pennsylvania Ave. SE). 202-546-1000. chumc.net. The “Musical Mondays” season will conclude on April 18 with a performance by widely acclaimed organist Timothy Olsen, who will perform a vibrant and varied program of organ favorites. LEFT: The Washington Trombone Ensemble 28 ★ HillRag | February 2011

Hine Junior High School Redevelopment Project Special Meeting ANC 6B will hold a special meeting on Feb. 2, 7:00-9:00 PM, at the Brent School, 301 North Carolina Ave. SE, to hear the latest on the plans for the redevelopment of the Hine site. The presentation will be made by Stanton-EastBanc, the development team selected by the city. There will be time for questions by both 6B commissioners and the public. The original project plans can be viewed at hineschool.com. Questions about the project should be directed to Ken Golding, the head of the Stanton-EastBanc team at kengolding@erols.com.

SW Neighborhood Performance at Arena Stage On Sunday, Feb. 13, 1:00 PM, individuals who live or work in Southwest DC can buy $25 (and applicable fees) tickets for “The Arabian Nights” at Arena Stage. Proof of Southwest DC residency or continued employment for each audience member of each party must be presented at the time of purchase. Tickets are limited to four per person and are based on availability. To purchase tickets, call 202-488-3300 or stop by the Arena Stage Sales Oﬃce. arenastage.org

Southwest Ecodistrict Public Meeting Walk-ins are welcome on Tuesday, Feb. 15, 6:00-8:00 PM, at the Southwest Ecodistrict Public Meeting. Call 202-482-7200 for the meeting location. The National Capital Planning Commission in coordination with other federal agencies and the District of Columbia continues its work to transform the 10th St. and Maryland Ave. corridors in Southwest DC. The Southwest Ecodistrict Initiative is aimed at advancing the vision set forth in the Monumental Core Framework Plan by fostering an inviting, lively, mixed-use community, while accommodating the future needs of the federal and local governments. The initiative also supports President Obama’s Executive Order 13514 that calls on federal agencies

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New Jersey SE Underpass will be Transformed into Water Pylons The Capitol Riverfront BID has received a 2011 Public Art Building Community Grant the proceeds of which will help install the proposed Water Pylons art project--a painted and lighted art enhancement for the New Jersey Ave. SE underpass. Water Pylons will transform the underpass into a modern representation of water that announces New Jersey Avenue as a gateway to the Capitol Riverfront community. The 18 freeway support columns visible from New Jersey Ave. SE will be painted varying shades of blue, the color most often associated with water. The painted blue pylons will reference the neighborhood’s waterfront in an abstract theme that is distinct and surprising, but not distracting to motorists or pedestrians. The bright, reflective blue paints will create a cleaner, brighter, and more visually appealing underpass environment. In addition, four LED overhead lights mounted at the entrance and exit of the underpass will add illumination and reflections of the art. The goal of the art project is to improve the look, feel, and experience of traveling into and out of the Capitol Riverfront along New Jersey Avenue, SE, while also creating unique gateway art that represents the identity, sense of place and community in the Capitol Riverfront neighborhood. Project schedule includes public meetings in March and April and final installation by Sept 2011. 202-465-7079. capitolriverfront.org

Theater Event Benefiting the Wanda Alston House The Gertrude Stein Democratic Club invite you to join them for a Black History Month Theater event beneﬁting the Wanda Alston House. Join them for the ﬁnal show of the play “Marcus, the Secret of Sweet”

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by Tarell Alvin McCraney on Sunday, Feb 13, 2:00 PM at the Studio Theatre, 1501 14th St. NW. There will be a talk-back with the cast following the play. Following the talk-back there will be a 4:00 PM party beneﬁting the Wanda Alston House at 1409 Playbill Cafe. Purchase the $40 tickets online at steindemocrats.org. They are also looking for 20 people to join the host committee with a $100 contribution. The Wanda Alston House (WAH) is the only LGBT transitional supportive housing program of it’s kind in the midAtlantic region. WAH provides housing and supportive services to homeless LGBT youth, most of whom have been abandoned or kicked out of their homes because of their identity. All tax deductible donations to the Wanda Alston House should be made payable to the program’s ﬁscal agent, Transgender Health Empowerment. theincdc.org.

“Fossilized” at Florida Avenue’s Industry Gallery

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Industry Gallery at 1358 Florida Ave. NE (second floor) presents “Fossilized,” the first solo US exhibition of work by Jens Praet, through Feb. 26. The Belgium-born, Florence-based Praet has shredded and recycled copies of Art in America, Capitol File, Details, Fast Company and Robb Report mixed with clear resin to create five different designs - console, bench, sidetable, large table and large shelf - each in an edition of 12 with each design made from a specific title. Corresponding works for all the designs, except the large table, were also executed using shredded documents mixed with semi-transparent white resin to create the balance of the exhibition’s nine works. “Fossilized” is part of the designer’s Shredded Collection, which originated out of his concern about sustainability and the amount of waste paper being generated globally. Industry Gallery, based in the Atlas/

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1615 Benning Rd NE is part of a presentation of historic buildings in Rosedale spondored by CHRS and the Rosedale Citizens Alliance on March 8.

H Street Arts District, specializes in 21st century design. The gallery regularly holds single artist exhibitions representing a broad spectrum of design trends by international artists who create functional art from industrial materials. Open Wednesday-Saturday, 11:00AM-5:00 PM, and by appointment. 202-399-1730. industrygallerydc.com.

History of the Rosedale Neighborhood Presentation The Capitol Hill Restoration Society (CHRS) and the Rosedale Citizens’ Alliance (RCA) are sponsoring a presentation on historic buildings by EHT Traceries, a wellknown architectural history ﬁrm. The event will take place on Tuesday, March 8 from 6:15 p.m.–8:00 p.m. at the Rosedale Recreation Center, 500 19th Street, NE. The presentation will describe 32 ★ HillRag | February 2011

the development history of the area approximately bounded by H Street/ Benning Road (north); East Capitol Street (south); 15th Street (west); and 19th Street (east). Find out who developed the neighborhood and learn about the diﬀerent types of architecture and buildings from knowledgeable architectural historians. This event is free and open to the public and brought to you in part by the CHRS “Beyond the Boundaries” program, which seeks to promote the appreciation of neighborhood history and support historic preservation eﬀorts outside the boundaries of the Capitol Hill Historic District. You can get details about all of our events on our website, www.chrs.org.

Curb Lane Closure on H Street The District Department of Transportation has closed the curb lane on the north side of H St. NE, between 13th and 14th Sts. The lane

will be closed for approximately four months, weather permitting, to accommodate underground work associated with the H Street Reconstruction Project. During this period curbside parking will not be permitted on the north side of H St. Curbside parking on the south side of H St. will not be aﬀected. Two trafﬁc lanes in each direction will remain open during peak hours. 202-544-7603. dcstreetcar.com

Jonathon Kass Hired as Well’s Staff Director Ward 6 Councilmember Tommy Wells, the new Chair of the Council’s Committee on Public Works and Transportation, has hired Jonathon Kass to serve as the staﬀ director for the committee. Mr. Kass holds masters degrees in City Planning and Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, with concentrations in Transportation Engineering and Land Use and Transportation Planning. Mr. Kass previously served as the Deputy Legislative Director for the committee. Councilmember Wells was selected to lead the Council’s Committee on Public Works and Transportation for the next Council session, as well as serve as one of DC’s representative on the WMATA Board. tommywells.org

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M.O.M.I.E’s TLC Annual Gala Sunday, Feb. 21 6:00 PM, join them in celebrating Black History by honoring local change-makers in our community who are paving the way! Enjoy entertainment, food, good company, and take a tour of the 2010 Children’s Gallery of Black History! All Souls Church, Unitarian, 1500 Harvard St. NW. 202-545-1919. momiestlc.com

Traffic Restrictions on South Side of 12th and H St. NE Through about mid-Feb., the 700 block of 12th St.--from H St. south to G St. NE--will

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be restricted to south-bound traﬃc only. The standard two traﬃc lanes will be reduced to one lane so that the construction contractor can install streetcar tracks and complete related work at the corners and across the intersection. 202-544-7603. dcstreetcar.com.

Sunday Circus at The Fridge DC The Sunday Circus features a diverse and changing set of performing artists– from the traditional variety arts, to music, poetry, magic, dance, spoken word, experimental performance, and that which cannot be deﬁned. Each monthly show is a voyage into the world of DC’s hidden talent, and will also showcase occasional out of town special guests. The Sunday Circus on Sunday, Feb. 20, 6:17 PM (door opens at 5:17 PM), features Russ Henry, Sheldon Scott, Jon Lee, Jeramie Bellmay, Hierogamy, Eric Rubin, Sariel Lehyani, Brash & Dr. Finius J. Nodnol III, Esq. $15. $10 if you if you dress for the circus. The Fridge DC. Rear Alley, 516 Eighth St. SE. 202-664-4151. thefridgedc.com

Congressional Cemetery Named to National Underground Railroad Network

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on Thursday, Feb. 3 from noon-1:00 PM at the U.S. Navy Memorial. The event is free and open to the public. 202-737-2300. navymemorial.org

National Cherry Blossom Photo Contest FotoDC and the National Cherry Blossom Festival have joined to co-produce the ﬁrst annual National Cherry Blossom Photo Contest focused on cherry blossoms and the nation’s greatest celebration of spring. The contest, which runs from Feb. 11–April 9, will accept entries in three categories: Landscape, People, and Festivities, taken during this year’s Festival, Mar. 26–April 10, or taken within the previous two years. Winners of each category will receive $500 in prize money, exposure on the popular FotoDC and National Cherry Blossom Festival websites, and recognition through a special winners’ celebration. In addition, winners and the top 100 images will be exhibited in print or projection form during FotoWeek DC’s annual festival in November 2011. Details will be available on Feb. 10, with submissions beginning on Feb. 11. FotoWeekDC.org.

Congressional Cemetery has been named to the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. Established by Congress in 1998 and managed by the National Park Service, the mission of the Network to Freedom is to commemorate individuals, preserve sites and promote the historical significance of the Underground Railroad and its role in eradicating slavery. To qualify, sites, programs and facilities must provide verifiable documentation that corroborates their association with the Underground Railroad. Congressional Cemetery at 1801 E St. SE is the final resting place of slaves, slave owners, antislavery men and women, and politicians who worked to end slavery. congressionalcemetery.org and nps.gov/history/ugrr

Housing Counseling Services Foreclosure Prevention Clinics

Honoring The Four Chaplains at the Navy Memorial

The American people, through the nation’s library, will receive a gift of vintage sound recordings from one of the world’s largest recording companies. More than 200,000 historic master recordings—many long out-of-print or never released—will be donated to the Library’s Recorded Sound Section, which has more than 3 million sound recordings in its collections. Totaling in excess of 5,000 linear feet, UMG’s gift is the largest single donation ever received by the Library’s audio-visual division and the ﬁrst major collection of studio master materials ever obtained by the nation’s oldest cultural institution. Among the collection’s

On the 68th anniversary of the tragic sinking of the U.S. Army Transport ship Dorchester in World War II, The United States Navy Memorial and the Library of Congress Veterans History Project will co-host a commemorative event to honor “The Four Chaplains,” a remarkable group of military spiritual leaders from different denominations who sacrificed their own lives to save scores of others during this fatal German U-Boat attack. Their story and the spirit of their efforts will be shared by keynote speaker Rabbi Arnold E. Resnicoff

Housing Counseling Servicesa oﬀers free Foreclosure Prevention Clinics to help homeowners in the DC metropolitan area in danger of losing their homes. Clients will receive valuable information and individual counseling to help them identify their realistic options for avoiding foreclosure and to avoid “foreclosure rescue scams.” Wednesdays, February 2, 9 and 16, noon and Feb. 23, 6:00 PM. Call Elias Cohn at 202-6677006 for more information. housingetc.org

Universal Music Group Donates 200,000 Master Recordings to the LOC

thousands of metal and lacquer discs and master mono tapes are released and unreleased versions of recordings by such seminal artists as Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby, Tommy Dorsey, Billie Holiday, the Andrews Sisters, Connee Boswell, Jimmy Dorsey, the Mills Brothers, Guy Lombardo, Ella Fitzgerald, Fred Waring, Judy Garland, and Dinah Washington, among others. The Library will stream recordings from the collection on a website to be launched in the spring. loc.gov

Nominations for List of DCs Most Endangered Places The DC Preservation League, DC’s only citywide nonproﬁt organization dedicated to preserving and protecting the historic and built environment, is accepting nominations for its annual list of Most Endangered Places in Washington for 2011. Nomination form can be found at dcpreservation.org and must be postmarked by Monday, Feb. 21. Selections will be announced in May. Nominate your local treasure! 202-7835144. dcpreservation.org

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District IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center Offices Relocate The Internal Revenue Service Taxpayer Assistance Center, formerly located at 500 N. Capitol St. NW, has relocated to 77 K St. NE. Walk-In taxpayer assistance will be available at the new location Monday through Friday; from 8:30 AM-4:30 PM. Taxpayers can visit the Taxpayer Assistance Center to get help with IRS notices, pick up tax forms and publications, make a payment, or get assistance ﬁling their Federal Income Tax return. 800-829-1040. IRS.gov ★

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What Would Rahm Do? DC’s Budget Challenge by Elissa Silverman t’s February. Our newly elected leaders have had a few weeks to settle into their offices, hire staff, and decide where to display the signed photos and footballs. So now what? It’s time to govern and start making the tough choices talked about on the campaign trail. The biggest challenge facing Mayor Vince Gray and Chairman Kwame Brown is to craft a fiscally responsible budget that keeps the District moving forward. It’s not going to be easy. Our tax collections still haven’t recovered from the recent economic downturn, and the gap between current expenses and expected revenues next year is about $400 million. With challenges come opportunities. “Never let a serious crisis go to waste,” said former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel. Indeed, there are a few key ways to use DC’s budget crisis to the city’s advantage: making overdue changes to our tax system, reforming the city’s process for awarding business tax breaks, improving long-neglected job training efforts for families with children, and making DC government more accessible and transparent.

marrow. Cutting further would put at risk many investments that have made our city more productive and healthy: new school facilities; new swimming pools, ballﬁelds, and libraries; new transportation systems such as buses and streetcars; and a health system that has reduced our uninsured rate to one of the lowest in the nation. Next year we have a few less options to help us close the budget gap, given the drying up of federal stimulus funds and Mayor Gray’s commitment to not dip into our budget reserves. That’s why Mayor Gray has mentioned the possibility of tax increases. This presents a good chance to do targeted changes to modernize DC’s tax system, which is imbalanced and requires a tune up. For example, DC’s top income tax rate starts at just $40,000, and there are tax incentives that have been on the books for years without any review. Then there’s the fact that DC residents with moderate earnings— between $30,000 and $60,000— actually pay a larger percentage of their income in DC taxes than higher-income earners. It’s the right time to make changes for the better.

Opportunity No. 1: Modernize Our Tax System So It Makes Sense (and Cents)

Opportunity No. 2: Make 2011 the Year to Reform the Way DC Gives Business Tax Breaks

Is the problem with our budget that DC government has gone on a Kardashian-like spending spree? A comparison of DC spending now and three years ago doesn’t reﬂect that. In fact, DC’s current budget is about $700 million less than in Fiscal Year 2008, adjusting for inﬂation. Mayor Gray has said that we’ve already cut to the point where we are not just down to the bone but into the bone 36 ★ HillRag | February 2011

The District cannot shore up its tax system if the city keeps giving away future revenue sources. Yet that is what DC does every time it approves a 10- or 20-year property tax break for a selected business. A number of tax abatements proposed last year – for defense contractor Northrop Grumman, for the retail businesses in Union Station, for a luxury hotel project in

Adams Morgan – raised eyebrows and highlighted a tax abatement process that is ad hoc and lacks transparency. It is little surprise that the District got an ‘F” from a national nonprofit for the lack of public disclosure around tax subsidies. We can do better. The District needs to get a handle on the tax breaks we already have awarded — and how much it is costing the city — and we need a process going forward for making the best use of these economic development subsidies. Here are some simple questions that should frame decision-making about each proposed economic development subsidy. • Does the project represent an economic development priority for the District? • What are the costs of the project? • What are the benefits to the city? • Is the subsidy needed for the project to get built? A bill introduced in 2009 titled the Exemptions and Abatements Information Act would go a long way toward improving DC’s tax abatements, by requiring information on costs and benefits to be provided before an abatement is considered. Unfortunately it did not come up for a vote before the full DC Council last session, but the bill should be debated and approved this year. Another big chance to do better is for the Mayor and Council to decide on a tax abatement budget for each year, which set an overall amount of tax dollars that will be given away in subsidies. These reforms would force the Council to prioritize projects and ensure that only the most worthy receive tax payer assistance.

Opportunity No. 3: Improve How We Help Parents Move to Work The District’s welfare program for families with children, known as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), got a lot of attention last year, particularly out of concern that some families have received welfare for a significant amount of time. This led some policymakers to call for new welfare time limits, but it also pointed out that there are thousands of parents in the District with limited job skills who have not been well served by education and training options in the city. As DC’s economy recovers, these families could be left behind. Despite the fiscal crunch, the District need to maintain and improve investments in its residents. In the case of TANF, this means doing a better job with the training resources already available – and devoting more if needed. Welfare time limits may be debated again this spring. But time limits alone will not improve employment outcomes and the well being of DC’s families with children – which should be the real goal. To get the best results, the District first needs to identify who is ready for work and who is not, and then it needs to help prepare those who are not. That means vastly improving the system for assessing the strengths and barriers faced by parents on welfare, creating new education and training options targeted to a family’s individual needs, and setting up a system of work exemptions, such as for victims of domestic violence or for families caring for a relative with a disability. The good news is that the District is poised to do just that. Well

before time limits were raised, the Department of Human Services was working on a plan to improve assessments and expand education and training options to TANF recipients. That plan will be ready for rollout this year. Both Mayor Gray and DC Council need to make sure these positive innovations have the chance to take hold, particularly by providing adequate funding. Otherwise, the District will be handicapping its ability to use TANF for the powerful workforce development tool that it can be.

Opportunity No. 4: Make DC Government Even More Accessible A period of fiscal austerity is a great time for low-cost initiatives, like government transparency. Mayor Gray is off to a good start with a memo his first week in office requiring DC agencies to come up with ideas to enhance public participation and collaboration. That should include putting more spending information online and having agencies hold budget briefings for the public as soon as the Mayor releases his spending plan The Council could learn from Mayor Gray’s transparency initiatives. In particular, Council Chairman Brown should agree to release the Council’s final budget plan two days before the vote in order to give the public a chance to weigh in. This would avoid the streetcar debacle of 2010, where major budget changes were revealed mere hours before the scheduled vote. With challenges come opportunities. Mayor Gray and Chairman Brown have tough decision ahead but opportunities to move us forward as well. Silverman is a policy analyst at the DC Fiscal Policy Institute (www.dcfpi. org), which conducts research on tax and budget issues that affect low- and moderate-income DC residents. ★

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capitolstreets news

Is a Moratorium Necessary on Eighth Street SE? ANC 6B’s Controversial Protests Of Recent Liquor License Applications Have People Wondering If A Moratorium Application Is The Next Step by Gwyn Jones

s 8th Street SE and its surrounding for applicants, they do not guarantee that an neighborhood continues to evolve, establishment’s license application will be decommunity activists and business nied. While the ABC Board gives an ANC owners will be following closely the work of protest “great weight” in considering applicaANC 6B’s retail mix task force as it wrestles tions, it could, at its discretion, grant a license with the increase of restaurants on this corif it determines through the process that the ridor. applicant’s case is stronger than that of the In November, ANC 6B started what ANC. many are calling a “de facto moratorium” on All the while, the ANC commissioners new liquor licenses along the corridor north have been careful to say that their actions do of the Southeast/Southwest Freeway by ininot constitute a moratorium. Rather, they tiating protests against any new Alcoholic maintain that these protests are their only Beverage Control (ABC) Board license apoption to deal with new applications while plications. So far, the ANC has initiated three they figure things out. To that end, Metzger’s protest hearings: in November 2010 against hopes to have a task force report to the ANC applications for Nooshi and Moby Dick, now by the end of the month. under construction at 524 8th Street SE, and Metzger’s task force has had several in December 2010 against the application for meetings over the last few months, including Pacifico, a new restaurant proposed for 514 three public forums, the most recent of which 8th Street SE. was Jan. 17. He said that the work of the task While it’s not unusual for an ANC to force is considering a range of strategies that protest new license applications or renewals would help guide development along Barthat involve substantial changes, there can be racks Row. A moratorium is only one such very different reasons for doing so. In many strategy. cases, the ANC protests such applications or renewals in order to ensure negotiations for a The Moratorium Process “Voluntary Agreement” which lays out eleThe fact is that the ABC Board is ments of operation that conform to commuthe governmental body with the pownity desires – such as hours, noise abatement, er to create moratoria on the numEnjoying al fresco dining at Cava, one of the newer restaurants on 8th Street whether entertainment is allowed, etc. SE. Photo: Andrew Lightman ber of licenses that it will issue within Parties to a protest –an ANC or a citizens’ a certain designated area of the District. But association and the establishment owner – are fect on community safety, noise, and trash. for people to participate in the process, it required by the ABC Board to attempt to reach a Under the protest process, licensee/applicants helps to know a little about it. compromise. Without a protest, the ANC or oth- are required to go through mediation with the A moratorium applies to “on-premises retailers” er group would not have standing with the ABC party(ies) protesting the application. The result of – restaurants, taverns, brew pubs, night clubs all fall Board regarding the application, so the protest gives successful mediation is often a voluntary agree- under different classes of either C (spirits, wine and them leverage in the negotiations. Once a voluntary ment. Currently the ANC is in discussions with beer) or D (wine and beer) licenses. They can adagreement (VA) is reached, typically the protest is Nooshi and Moby Dick, according to Commis- dress a single class of license, for example for taverns, dropped, and the VA becomes a part of the estab- sioner Norman Metzger (ANC6B03), who also which are issued a specific type of Class C license. lishment’s license. leads the ANC’s Retail Mix Task Force. Or it can cover multiple classes, such as all Class C In the cases of Nooshi, Moby Dick, and Paci“We need to show good faith as we go to me- and Class D licenses. fico, however, ANC Commissioner David Garrison diation,” Metzger said. “If we don’t, we stand to Any group with standing can request that (6B01) noted in recent ANC meetings the reason lose much more than we gain. The ABC Board the ABC Board institute a moratorium: an abutfor their protest was not due to the unwillingness of could approve the license application anyway, and ting property owner; a group of five or more the owners to work on a VA. Instead, these protests we’d wind up with a liquor license and no voluntary property owners sharing common ground; an inare based on the grounds that the 500 block of 8th agreement, and that’s potentially for the life of the corporated citizens’ association; an affected AdviStreet SE has an over-concentration of licenses, and license.” sory Neighborhood Commission (ANC); or the additional establishments would have an adverse efWhile protests certainly slow the process down D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), 38 ★ HillRag | February 2011

but it is ultimately up to the Board itself to make the determination. Moratoria also need to be very specific to a location – within 600, 1200 or 1800 feet of a specific establishment, depending on the moratorium request. And the request must detail how an over-concentration of licenses affects at least two of four specific areas: 1) the effect of the establishment on real property values; 2) the effect of the establishment on peace, order, and quiet, including noise and litter provisions; 3) the effect of the establishment on residential parking needs and vehicular and pedestrian safety; and 4) the overall suitability of the establishment for the area in which it is/will be located. Once the ABC Board determines the request meets all requirements, it sets a hearing date and notifies all ANCs within 600 feet of the proposed moratorium area. Anyone can testify at these hearings in support of or in opposition to the proposed moratorium. In addition, the Board also request formal comments from District representatives, including the councilmember representing the affected ward, the Office of Planning and the Metropolitan Police Department’s district commander who covers the proposed moratorium area. Following the public hearing, the Board can approve the request in its entirety; partially approve it by enlarging or decreasing the moratorium area; partially approve it by limiting the moratorium to no more than one class of license; or deny the request entirely. Moratoria are typically in effect for 5 years, after which the Board reviews them for renewal. The Board can also set moratoria for shorter periods if it chooses.

Moratoria in Other Parts of the City Because business and neighborhood environments vary widely across the city, it’s safe to say that no two moratoria are alike. Currently, moratoria are in place for areas within Georgetown, West Dupont Circle, Adam’s Morgan, Glover Park, and East Dupont Circle. In the ABC Board rulings, moratoria zones are defined very specifically. Most cover areas of 1200 or 1800 feet from a specific location, and are described with lists of blocks and streets that are best reviewed with map in hand. All the moratoria exempt hotels (current and future) from the moratorium, and in some cases, specific developments are exempted. For example, the Georgetown moratorium exempts Georgetown Park, Georgetown Park II, Prospect Place Mall, Georgetown Court, and Washington Harbor from the license limits. The Glover Park moratorium is unusual in

that it not only restricts the “on-premise retailers” like restaurants and bars, it also restricts “off-premises retailers,” namely liquor stores and grocery stores, which are covered by Class A and Class B licenses. The renewal process for the East Dupont Circle moratorium kept the license limit to 22, but allowed for the lateral expansion of four establishments even though there was strong support, including a recommendation from ANC2B, to limit expansion to only two. Drawn out for over a year from March 2009 to May 2010, including multiple extensions, hearings and ultimately emergency rulings, notes from the renewal process gave some insight into the Board’s reasoning. In its Notice of Emergency Rulemaking (May 28, 2010), the Board also noted that “while it gave great weight to the ANC and considered heavily the concerns of the residents who live most closely to the commercial corridor, it is the Board’s position that moratoriums are not meant to be in place indefinitely. The existing East Dupont Circle moratorium has been in place for over eighteen (18) years and there has been a great deal of change in the neighborhood it is intended to preserve.” The East Dupont Circle Moratorium comes up for renewal in three rather than five years. Moratoria do not always help a neighborhood. In nearby West Dupont Circle, emergency rulemaking was used to loosen moratorium restrictions to help spur growth. A building on the 1500 block of Connecticut Avenue NW had been vacant for several years. When an opportunity arose to put restaurants in place there, ANC2B asked the Board to exempt that block from the moratorium as an incentive to leasing of the buildings, saying it was necessary “to contribute to the revitalization of a neighborhood that has endured vacant properties due to the departure of a large corporation.” All of this is fairly wonky, even by Washington standards, but if ANC6B considers requesting a moratorium for a section of 8th Street SE as one of its growth strategies, it’s important for people to know that there is a specific process, and they can participate in that process. “There’s no such thing as a [standard] moratorium,” Metzer asserted. “People need to realize that a moratorium is a flexible thing, and each one in the city is unique to its own neighborhood.” Like everything, moratoria, as they have been implemented in different neighborhoods here in the District, have their pros and cons. It’s up to the ABC Board, the ANCs and citizens to ensure they serve, not strangle, the neighborhoods they’re intended to protect. ★

Opinion There Will Be No Moratorium by Ivan Frishberg

or the last few months there have been many public meetings, blog posts and much debate on whether or not there should be a moratorium on new liquor licenses along some part of Barracks Row. Now that a lot of the dust has settled here are a few reasons why I believe that while some level of debate may never be over, any proposal for a moratorium certainly is. • It is not supported by the broader community. An online poll on TheHillIsHome.com had over 300 people vote and were 88 percent in opposition. It is not a scientific poll but I believe it reflects broader public sentiment as I have heard it and is important because the only way to move a moratorium forward is with a vote of the City Council and the support of our Council Member. • There is no proposal and the votes aren’t there. As of now there is no ANC Commissioner proposing a moratorium and I do not see sufficient support to move one. • The City has spent over $8 million to develop a vibrant economic corridor along Barracks Row. They will not act to kill the goose that is just starting to lay golden eggs. Cutting off investment and revenue is not on the City’s agenda right now. • Expert testimony at the ANC’s Retail Mix Taskforce suggests that a moratorium will do nothing to help increase retail on Barracks Row and most retailers and advocates for retail do not like the idea one bit. • There are two taskforces that have been established to look at the issues of retail development around the Capitol Hill area and neither one is likely to take up the idea of a moratorium. Thoughtful and well-informed investigation has not led the community in that direction. We could all agree that we need to find ways to address some of the noise and parking concerns along any commercial corridor. I certainly understand the concerns and experiences of direct neighbors to Barracks Row as I live at the back of restaurants and retail myself. When I can’t park on my block I carry my two kids and our bags from whatever spot I can get. We can and will find ways to make progress on those issues, but I think it is time that we all acknowledged that the moratorium idea is effectively dead and spend our time on other solutions. Ivan Frishberg is the ANC commissioner for ANC6B02 and the ViceChair of the ANC6B. He is writing as an individual commissioner and not on behalf of any other commissioners or the commission. He can be reached at ivan6b02@anc6b.org. ★

capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 39

capitolstreets news Eyes on Eastern

Eastern High: Countdown to Re-launch by Heather Schoell tors to provide the space to do that.”

The new Eastern High School is renovated and reinvented, and the re-launch is long-anticipated. What remains is the rich history and tradition of Eastern, a fresh slate of academic oﬀerings, coupled with a continuation of its “points of pride”, as incoming principal Rachel Skerritt calls them. The marriage of new initiatives with traditions, accelerated learning with bridging the achievement gap, and bringing together the community’s teens in a way that Capitol Hill hasn’t seen in generations – this is a tall order, and the educational future of our youth is what’s at stake. Get a taste of what’s in store, and then join Skerritt for an in-depth view of Eastern on Feb. 5.

Establishing Culture Rachel Skerritt was selected by DC Public Schools and a community panel to re-launch Eastern. Her job this year is to plan, hire, and organize so 9th grade students can start learning on the ﬁrst day of school in August 2011. “School culture is such an important component to school success,” said Skerritt. “Eastern will be academically structured, but what is also super important is the feel of the building – how students and visitors deﬁne it is key.” Eastern is already full of tradition, such as the sacred stairs that students may not traverse until they have graduated. “Eastern gets to re-launch its rich traditions and history – we don’t have to create a song, and it’s already got its points of pride. The marching band has never ceased to exist. [Band leader] 40 ★ HillRag | February 2011

Building on the Foundation

Mr. Perry has even recruited EliotHine Middle School kids for the future of the band, to keep it going,” she said. “Reform has been underway at Eastern for years. Reform has been underway at Eastern for years. [Current principal] Mr. Chisholm has maintained a strong spirit for students and staﬀ. He’s had a challenging job and his fantastic group of seniors graduating this year is evidence of his success.” Eastern’s culture will be deﬁned by high-quality instruction in each class. Skerritt will build strength by cultivating a school community, in part with a summer bridge program. “The summer program won’t be too long – we don’t want students tired out before they even start school! It’ll be an opportunity for students to get to know each other, learn the

building, and get their schedule so that on the first day they can hit the ground running. We will start outreach efforts as soon as we know who’s coming.” The third component will be the school’s college focus: teachers’ alma maters will be posted outside the classrooms, students will dress in uniforms (think sweater vests), and a College and Career Prep course will ready 9th graders for success. “This will be an advisory course, small student groups with a teacher or staff member. Students will learn time management, study skills,” Skerritt explained. “There will be journal writing, workshops, research exercises, guest speakers, respectful arguments. Students don’t inherently know how to respectfully debate – they have to be taught that, and it’s our responsibility as educa-

“There are several bricks in the foundation,” Skerritt said. “While there’s a lot to do, I don’t feel like this is the ﬁrst of it. Dialogue has been going on about the school. I think that growing grade by grade is a smart approach, and was in part what drew me to the position.” The building is ready for modern teaching and learning. “A great facility doesn’t make a great school,” Skerritt said. “While it’s beautiful and will make students feel good being there, it’s not the building that will make it great.” What will? Skerritt aims to make Eastern a center that can accommodate most every need for students as people. That means clubs, sports, extra-curricular activities, community service, and even health care. The acclaimed DC Youth Orchestra Program (dcyop.org) is now housed at Eastern, and all Eastern students (and Eliot-Hine students in Eastern’s band) have DCYOP tuition waived, which is an enormous savings for families in time and money, and complements Eastern’s tradition of musical performance. Access to health care is another huge Eastern High perk. Unity Health will continue to operate a full-service health center, on-campus, free for students, and serving only students. There will be a fulltime nurse, and part-time pediatrician, dermatologist, mental health counselor, and dentist (the latter starting in fall 2012).

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certification. Law & Public Policy Law & Public Policy will begin at the sophomore level with electives in law and debate and internships in the upper grades. IB is an approach to learning, highminded critical thinking that ties together Incoming Eastern Principal Rachel Skerritt. Photo: Heather Schoell content from one class to another (i.e. a concept such as Academic Offerings “language understanding” that is Eastern is in a position to becarried from English class to art come a destination school, as its class to science) for a more comacademic offerings are varied and plete exploration in depth and relevant to today’s learners. Inbreadth. Th e IB Diploma Program coming 9th graders will be split into three groups, each with a core is a choice not for everyone – it’s group of teachers (math, science, largely self-guided and highly rigEnglish, and history), who will orous. Coursework is judged excollaborate and really get to know ternally, as it is a global program their students to better advise with consistent standards. AP also offers academic rigor them. The 9th grade will consist in stand-alone college-level coursof these core classes (math and es. Students may choose AP classEnglish leveled), art and music, es based upon interest or pathway, leveled Spanish, and PE. All stuand all Eastern students are exdents will learn the same materipected to take at least one advanced als in English, so all students will share that commonality – the dif- course during their four years at the school. ference will be in the workload. “I want to emphasize that An exciting component of Eastern will offer an experience Eastern is its learning pathways that will speak to the whole stu– Biomedical Sciences, Internadent,” Skerritt said. “The rigor, tional Baccalaureate (IB), Adcoursework, additional programs vanced Placement (AP), and Law in a place where they feel they & Public Policy. Pathways are belong – a thriving place that refluid – students will have opporspects them, challenges them, and tunity to follow them or to sample where their intellectual, social, them as electives. Health Science has been an and emotional needs are met.” Please join Principal Skerritt element of Eastern for years, and at Eastern on February 5 for a is the only school in DC that ofone-hour informational presenfers EMT certification, where tation on their four-year course students can actually graduate as map at noon, followed by an opEMTs. Biomedical Science will tional tour. Give your input, ask follow a national curriculum, with questions, and see the building if the pathway starting at 9th grade you haven’t already. Eastern High with biology, and moving up with each grade to 12th, at which point School is at 1700 E. Capitol, NE. the path diverges to accommodate preference for pre-medical, nurs- Heather Schoell is a regular contributor to Capital Community News, and can be ing, pharmaceuticals, or EMT reached at hschoell@verizon.net. ★

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capitolstreets ANC reports

NEWS ANC 6A

by Roberta Weiner

New ANC Officers/ Committee Chairs Elected The ﬁrst order of business at the January ANC meeting, after welcoming the body’s four new Commissioners, was the election of oﬃcers for 2011. David Holmes, who previously served as Vice Chair, was elected Chair. Vice Chair will be Drew Ronneberg, Lia Veenendaal-Selck is the new Secretary; and Nick Alberti retains his position of Treasurer. Committee chairs for this year were also elected. New Commissioner Adam Healy will take over the Alcoholic Beverage and Licensing Committee and Commissioner Drew Ronneberg remains chair of the Economic Development and Zoning Committee. Community members Elizabeth Nelson, will chair Community Outreach and Omar Mahmoud, will chair Transportation and Public Space. Committee members, who are also 42 ★ HillRag | February 2011

community members, were also reelected. The Commission passed a by-laws change that will enable Committee chairs, like Commissioners, to oﬀer committee-related resolutions to the full ANC. More information on oﬃcers and committees will be found on the ANC’s web site, www.anc6a.org.

Gallaudet University Plans New Building Gallaudet University is planning to construct a new 60,000 square foot, five-story building that will include a 175-bed dormitory, and a first floor living and learning center. Because of the pressing need for the building, they are seeking approval for construction separately from its Global Master Plan, which will be presented to the ANC at a later date. They would like to begin construction †his April and have the building ready for occupancy by July 2012. The ANC unanimously agreed to support the construction of the building.

Voluntary Agreement Is Modified—Again For the past several months, the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board has been returning Voluntary Agreements (VA) to ANC’s for changes, this after many of them have been in eﬀect for a long time. Because of this, and to make their standard VA as eﬀective as possible, the Alcoholic Beverage Licensing Committee has been working on a revised document that was presented to the full ANC. One change would require that owners and employees not use public space to park, or use it to place trash bins, tables, chairs and other equipment. A question was raised as to whether ABRA could enforce such a requirement, and it was a job for DDOT to enforce. However, the change was accepted. Another approved change will require owners to maintain an incident log to keep track of any incident involving patrons inside or immediately outside the establishment, containing details and times. Finally, a third change would establish a procedure for institut-

ing a “reimbursable detail, ” the use of off-duty police officers to provide security for an establishment, with the owner reimbursing MPD for the cost of providing the officers. After a good deal of discussion, it was decided that the way the provision was written it could not be properly enforced, and the Commission voted to return the document to the Committee for further work.

Other Actions In other actions, the ANC: * Learned from Commissioner David Holmes that the construction permits for the Apple Tree Learning Center had been voided by DCRA because they had expired, and the school will have to re-apply for them. * Voted unanimously to not protest a substantial change requested by The Argonaut (1433 H St. NE) that modiﬁes their outdoor space. The restaurant already has a Voluntary Agreement that deals with the uses of their outdoor space, and encompasses the changes they plan to make. * Voted not to protest an applica-

tion for Angelico H Pizza & Tapas (1421 H St. NE), as the establishment signed a Voluntary Agreement with the ANC. This will be their ninth location, but the ﬁrst in Washington. It will be a restaurant with a pizza oven and a summer garden. * Voted to protest the license of HR-57, a 19-year-old community-based jazz club moving from another location. It will hold about 100-105 people. They will have a happy hour with simple food, and charge admission after 7:45 p.m. While details such as hours, trash, and soundprooﬁng have been dealt with, there are outstanding issues with noise and entry allowed with open containers. It is, essentially, a BYOB club, and more information is needed on the details of the law. A Voluntary Agreement is being negotiated, but has not yet been completed. The next meeting of ANC 6A will be held on Thursday, February 10, at 7L00 p.m. at Miner School, 601 15th Street NE. ★

ANC 6B by Lex Kiefhaber

Starting off the New Term ANC 6B began its 2011 run as the new members settled into their seats and surveyed the scene from the viewpoint of neighborhood commissioner. David Garrison called the meeting to order, handling the gavel as Chairman for the last time. First on the docket was electing new oﬃcers: Chairperson and vice-chairperson, secretary, treasurer and parliamentarian. Neil Glick was elected chairperson, Ivan Fishburg was elected vice-chairperson, Jared Critchﬁeld secretary, Carol Green treasurer and Brian Flaheven parliamentarian. Glick then took his seat at the center of the semi-circle and began his term as chairman with a short introductory speech, say-

ing that the “ANC is charged to be custodians for the Capitol Hill community, the neighborhood and its residents.” Not long into the address Metzger interjected a brief discussion of keeping good order and with a wrap of the gavel, Green concluded the overtures and began the business of local governance. Addresses, phone numbers and e-mails for the oﬃcers can be found at the ANC’s website, www. anc6b.org.

Van Ness Elementary School Much of the evening’s discussion centered around the potential re-opening of the Van Ness Elementary school. While DC Public Schools will make the final decision, the ANC can voice its opinion in an officially sanctioned letter. Frishburg composed a letter in support of re-opening the school in which he noted the significant support of community members, the recent closures of schools in the district, the unique facilities Van Ness offers, and the importance of fostering continuity between elementary and middleschools within neighborhoods. Frishburg noted that surrounding schools were at capacity. Tyler Elementary has a waitlist of over 200 and Brent’s waitlist exceeds 300. Garrison made clear that his objective was not to oppose the opening of the Van Ness school, but before the commission could submit an official letter, they needed to do the diligence of an open and thorough deliberation. The discussion that ensued touched on the involvement of charter schools (it was agreed that opening Van Ness would not be a vote against charter schools), what the official boundaries of the school would be and why this school in particular was of unique importance. Frishburg offered that “the numbers presented speak to the fact that we could reach capacity across the community,” even after Van Ness was reopened, and not acting would only exacerbate the dilemma of wait lists and over-

Learn How to Research Your House’s History at the February Preservation Café Wednesday, February 16, 2011 from 6:30 – 7:15 pm Ebenezers Coffeehouse, 2nd & F Streets, NE, downstairs Speaker: Matthew Gilmore, Local Historian At its February 16 Preservation Café, CHRS is offering the first of a two-part series on house history research. Part One, which will focus on history of the house itself, will outline the resources available to document the history of a home, including maps, tax records, and photographs. Part Two on April 20, which will focus on researching the people who have owned your house, will outline resources for learning about previous occupants, including city directories and census records. Together, these two Preservation Cafes will provide a primer to get you started researching your historic home. Both events are free and open to the public; no reservations are necessary. Matthew Gilmore, a former reference librarian in the Washingtoniana Division of the DC Public Library, has been giving local history workshops since 1995 and serves on the program committee for the annual conference on Washington, DC, studies.

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capitolstreets ANC reports capacity schools. Furthermore, the number of housing units in SW is expected to triple in the coming ﬁve to seven years, further necessitating the availability of public primary education. Naomi Mitchell, a community outreach adviser to Tommy Well’s oﬃce, noted that much of the population that would likely attend Van Ness have been relocated and are expected to return. That area has been reserved for a school, and more than likely the returning families would be loyal to their community and want their children to be educated together, from elementary onward. Eventually, the commission voted to support sending the letter recommending that Van Ness be reopened, with one abstention by Ms. Oldenburg.

Other News Erik Holtzer, a three-year resident and two-year business owner on Capitol Hill, advocated for starting a neighborhood watch. He believes that a community presence in the form of a neighborhood watch would be a strong step to curtail crime. Holtzer volunteered to participate in walks, and Brian Pate voiced his support for the idea and committed himself to three nights a month. Flahaven also commended the idea, and added that his single member district has a few neighborhood watch associations already. The Bavarian Beer Garden set for construction in SE, just below Barracks Row, agreed to a voluntary agreement stipulating that they not have live music on Monday nights, and not after 1 a.m. all other nights. The commission voted to withdraw protest of the established agreement pending the signing of the voluntary agreement, with Metzger, Glick and Garrison in opposition. Residents of the 600 block of G street SE were granted a special exception to allow an addition to an existing single-family, semi-detached dwelling. Glick and Garrison opposed, Oldenburg and Pate abstained, and the rest of the commis44 ★ HillRag | February 2011

sion voted in support of the motion. Commissioners David Garrison, Ivan Frishberg, Norman Metzger, Kirsten Oldenburg, Brian Pate, Brian Flahaven, Jared Critchﬁeld, Neil Glick, Francis Campbell, and Carol Green were all in attendance. ★

ANC 6C by Lex Kiefhaber

New Year, Same Story Tony Richardson, Anne Phelps, Karen Wirt, Tom Hamilton, and Mark Dixon all returned to the 6C commission for another year of voluntary agreements and special zoning exemptions. Bill Crews, Kevin Wilsey, and Keith Silver ﬁlled the remaining seats. The meeting began with the selection of a new executive council, from chairperson on down. Wirt was nominated for chairperson, a role she executed with restrained, but authoritative calm in 2010. She was elected without opposition. Dixon was tapped for Vicechair and was elected unanimously. Next on the docket was the position of secretary. Phelps attempted a coup to overthrow herself (she held the position in 2010) by suggesting Crews for the post. He politely declined. After a halfhearted plea by Phelps, asking if “there is anyone else who might be willing to be the secretary?” she was elected unanimously. Upon receiving the title, she said, “By default, I will remain--with enthusiasm!” Richardson will continue to serve as treasurer. The commission voted to make the youth and education and public safety committees into community liaison positions, changing in name but little in function. The grants committee will remain a committee, with Crews serving as its chairperson. Addresses, phone numbers and e-mails for the oﬃcers can be found at the ANC’s website, www.anc6c.org.

Website Stalled Again Commissioner Richardson again introduced his proposal to build a website for his personal single member district using commission funds to hire a local resident. The student tapped to oversee the website’s construction had agreed to build the website at a discounted rate, and promised to include the most cutting edge technology. Richardson had circulated an email among the commissioners in an attempt to preempt a lengthy inquiry into the particulars of the website and its overall purpose. In response to the email, Hamilton raised concerns about the use of the term “branding,” speciﬁcally the phrase “professional consultation with the intention of a branding solution.” Hamilton was unsure if this was an appropriate use of the commission’s funds. To this Richardson replied that the website was for the beneﬁt of his constituents, and that “the money’s there for expenses to improve the community.” Further, it would serve as a template for other commissioners, if they chose to follow his example and create websites for the single member districts. The vote to allocate the funds failed to achieve

a majority: Dixon, Richardson and Silver voted in favor; Crews, Wilsey and Hamilton opposed, and Phelps and Wirt abstained. After the meeting, Richardson re-aﬃrmed his contention that the website will some day come to fruition, and that it will be to the beneﬁt of the community to see it developed.

It’s All in the Name The Commission heard arguments from the NoMa BID, short for North of Massachusetts Avenue, to change the name of the New York Ave-Florida Ave-Gallaudet University metro stop. The contention is that the name is long and imprecise, seeing as the metro stop isn’t exactly at the intersection of New York and Florida Avenues. It also doesn’t evoke a sense of place or community. Metro stops such as the Shaw- Howard University or Foggy Bottom-GW University include the name of the school, but also the moniker for the neighborhood, which gives the surrounding community a greater sense of identity. The proposal is to change the name of the station to the NoMa-Gallaudet U station, keeping the University but replacing the long and complicated street names with a more recognizable moniker for the

local community. It was mentioned that the term NoMa was coined by the city over a decade ago and is used by the city in ofﬁcial documents to refer to the neighborhood surrounding the station. The issue was brought before the commission as an informative brief, not as a voting item. The commission would like to hear more on the issue, and suggested it be revisited next month once the community has an opportunity to better voice its opinion.

Other News * Brandon Hamdon, representing an organization seeking to cure or prevent colon cancer, announced the 6th annual “Scope it Out” 5K race. The race will be held on Sunday, March 20, beginning at 9 a.m. Pennsylvania Ave will be closed from 3rd Street to 12th Street from about 5 a.m. to just before noon. * The Chinatown Parade will hold its annual celebration to bring in the new year on February 6th, on H street in Chinatown. * The Commission heard a presentation on the 395 Air Rights project earlier in committee, and were by-in-large impressed with the changes that had been made to better accommodate the commissions concerns. * The motion to support an application from Gallaudet University to amend their campus plan was unanimously supported by the commission, who made reference to Gallaudet’s continued incorporation of the commission in its plans. Commissioners M. Tony Richardson, Anne Phelps, Karen Wirt, Bill Crews, Mark Dixon, Kevin Wilsey, Tom Hamilton and Keith Silver were all in attendance. ★

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ANC 6D

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SW Traffic Problems

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ANC 6D welcomed the New Year by holding its January meeting at the new Arena Stage. The meeting was held in the Molly Smith Study, an open glassed-in area facing the waterfront, allowing attendees a lovely view to accompany the evening’s business. In his welcoming remarks, Arena’s managing director Edgar Dobie thanked the ANC for its help in facilitating street closures and other necessary steps to assuring the success of the theatre’s October opening celebration which was attended by 15,000 people. He reported that the Arena season had opened well beyond expectations, and that Southwest Night (a night for each show when local neighbors can purchase discount tickets) was, unfortunately, sold out for the season. He said they are aware that more seats will have to be made available next season. He also mentioned that tours of the facility can be organized and that spaces within the building are available for rental for events.

Election of Officers ANC 6D officers for 2011 were elected: Chair: Ron McBee; Vice Chair: Roger Moffatt; Secretary: Bob Craycraft; Treasurer: Cara Shockley; and, in a new addition, Parliamentarian: David Garber. Addresses, phone numbers and e-mails for the officers can be found at the ANC’s website, www.anc6d. org. The Commission also approved its meeting schedule for 2011. Open community meetings will continue to be held on the second Monday of each month, except August, when there is no meeting, and October, when the meeting is held on the third Monday of the month. According to the list, the meetings will still be held, unless otherwise an-

The complex and persistent problems with traffic on the newly re-opened 4th Street, SW near the Waterfront Metro were once again addressed, this time by James Cheeks, a traffic engineer with DDOT, who reported that after talking with many community members, the problems that have been plaguing the community—illegal U-turns and right turns on red, an unnecessarily short red light—will start to be dealt with within the next 60 days. He promised enhanced enforcement, new signage, and the relocation of bus stops, among other things. Commissioner Andy Litsky suggested that DDOT consult with Ft. McNair, which contributes to the problem, and which should be encouraged to cooperate with the neighborhood. He was asked to come back to the Commission before any changes are made, and he assured the ANC that he would send a list of changes prior to their implementation. He also reported that the longawaited comprehensive traffic study of the length of M Street, including projections for future traffic flow, would be happening as part of the Great Streets program.

Capital Gateway Marina Development The ANC was given a preview of the very first residential development planned for Buzzard Point. A new apartment building, with limited ground floor retail, will rise at 1st and V Street SW, across from Coast Guard headquarters and the marina. The matter-of-right project will have 97 units, nine of which will be, under the City’s inclusionary housing law, affordable units at 80% of AMI (about $80,000 for a family of four). The plan for the building, which was very well received by the Commissioners, is to incorporate a lot of glass and be curved on the side facing the water to maximize the views. The commission was told that the Pepco

plant is dormant, and will not be a problem for the residents. Roger Moffat, in whose district the building lies, said he would like to see a statement from Pepco to that effect. Project attorney Cynthia Giordano said that the land had been rezoned from industrial to mixed, and Pepco was involved in that process, along with the National Park Service whose land abuts the project, The Park Service is planning to install a low wall to provide a setback from the water. Moffatt also expressed some concern about parking and traffic in the area, which is currently moderate. He was told there would be the minimum allowable parking spaces in the building, and plans for getting people to Metro and other transportation routes were being considered. Another issue that arose is that, while, according to Giordano, several sustainable elements will be incorporated into the building, the developer does not plan to seek LEED certification for the property. She said that they plan to obey the Green Building Act, and are looking at native plants that don’t require great care for the landscaping. Former Commissioner David Sobelsohn asked whether community benefits were being considered for the project, and was told that the building is itself of great benefit to the community. Giordano said that they had not yet considered the question of employing local people in the construction phase of the work. The presentation was done in advance of a Zoning Commission late January hearing on how well the project meets the guidelines established in the Capitol Gateway Overlay. The ANC voted 5-0-1, with Commissioner Bob Craycraft abstaining, to support the Buzzard Point project, with the proviso that the support was contingent on the developer’s commitment to keep the area as walkable and traffic-free as possible.

New Visitor Parking Passes DDOT’s Damon Harvey reported that 2011 Visitor Parking Passes will be mailed to residents of the Southwest/Near Southeast community in March. The current passes expire on March 31. These are the passes that are required for guest parking in residential parking zones. There is one pass per household. The passes will be the same as last year, including a householdspeciﬁed serial number, but in a different color. He pointed out that the 15-day visitors’ passes are still available from MPD, and require more individual information. More information is available at the MPD web site. Mr. Harvey can be reached at damon. harvey@dc.gov, 202/671-0949.

Other Actions In other actions, the ANC * Heard an update on activities of the Southwest/Near Southeast Community Benefits Coordinating Council (CBCC) from Rev. Ruth Hamilton, and their upcoming plans, including a community meeting on March 5, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Amidon Bowen School. * Heard a report about the new International Baccalaureate (IB) program at Jefferson Middle School, which will begin in the fall with a new principal for the program and a separate entrance at the school. The middle school program will be phased out over the next two years as the IB program is phased in. * Voted to support two races, the St. Patrick’s Day 8K that will be run on Sunday, March 13, and the Scope It Out 5K Walk/Run for Colon Cancer on March 20th. Each race only touches on the ANC’s area, and does not affect any residential area. * Voted to support an amendment to a voluntary agreement with Boomerang Boat to increase passenger seats from 49 to 62. The next meeting will be held on Monday, Feb. 14, 2011, at St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church, 600 M Street SW, at 7:00 p.m. ★ capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 47

48 ★ HillRag | February 2011

Community Life Spotted on the Hill:

The Brown Creeper article and photo by Peter Vankevich

ver the years in this column, we have played with the theme of DC being a town of hawks and doves as species of both families of these birds have been proﬁled. Fans of spy/political mysteries written by local authors such as David Baldacci and Daniel Silva will readily also categorize our area as one which has its high proﬁlers and those that go about their business quietly and in nearly concealed identities. Our

featured bird this month, the Brown Creeper (Certhia Americana), is of the latter type. Unlike the majestic Bald Eagle or perhaps a captive strutting pretty peacock that might be seen at the National Zoo, the creeper is a bird that subtly blends into its environment, almost becoming invisible. It is also aptly named as it goes about its business of ﬁnding food in a stealth manner and is often overlooked by both its focused and hungry enemies

as well as casual nature observers. Both sexes look alike and the plumage coloration can be described as having brown upperparts with light streaks and spots and a white underside. Another imaginative way to describe this bird is that it looks like a piece of tree bark. Even in flight it has been described as a little dry leaf blown about by the wind. One of only ten species worldwide of a family known as treecreepers, it is the only member present in North America. In Europe the Eurasian Treecreeper looks almost identical to our bird and was thought to be conspecific, but later they were separated into two species. Part of the justification for considering them to be separate is that neither species would apparently respond to the song of the other, both of which consist of a short soft high-pitched complex series of notes. Ah, those lumpers and splitters – never a dull moment with them. At one time of the year or other, Brown Creepers can be found throughout a large part of North America. They are found year-round in their nesting areas and also are known to migrate south in the fall. The vast majority nest in large mature forests farther north. There are, however, records of nesting birds in some of the counties of Virginia and Maryland. The best time to see them in the District is from October till March. Once seen, these birds can be readily identified when viewed through binoculars by focusing on the unusual capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 49

<MJWJ NS YMJ <TWQI NX 5FR 0WNXYTK$ Her Christmas 2010 Adventures

shape of the bill which is long, thin and slightly decurved. That feature along with short legs, toes with sharp claws and a long stiﬀ tail help it forage for its food that consists of a variety of insects and larvae, spiders and their eggs. In winter, they will also eat a small amount of seed but one should not expect to see them on a top ten list of visitors to birdfeeders. As one would expect, creepers may be seen on dead and decaying trees since they contain a larger amount of its food source than many live trees. It is believed that creepers increased in numbers in New England due to Dutch elm disease and the gypsy moth infestation which killed thousands of trees. Even in micro-ecological systems such as yards, dead trees have their positive niche. One of the fascinating aspects of this bird is its feeding behavior. They will start at a low portion of a tree trunk and begin gleaning or peck-probing on the trunk surface moving upward in a spiral around the tree. When they get near the top, they’ll ﬂy to the bottom of another tree or even the same trunk and start over again. When they become aware of a predator such as a Sharpshinned Hawk, they will become still and press their bodies tightly against the bark. For a glimpse of their numbers in the area, over the past several years, Christmas Bird Count observers have reported between the mid-teens to high twenties on a single day in mid to late December. Most of these are probably found in Rock Creek Park. This bird was photographed in the small wooded area between Congressional Cemetery and the Anacostia River. If you have any interesting birds visiting a feeder on Capitol Hill that could be a possible feature for this column, or would like to join me for a stroll on the Hill with your binoculars or camera on a weekend morning, feel free to contact me, petevankevich@gmail.com. ★

50 ★ HillRag | February 2011

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communitylife

New Hill East Listserv Contention and Camraderie in a Neighborhood by Alice Ollstein

hen Jim Myers started the Hill East listserv in the mid-90s, he never anticipated it would evolve into its current incarnation. “People are posting to ask where you get good caviar around here. Reporters want to be on it as a good source for news stories, government oﬃcials are using it to communicate with their constituents,” said Myers. “A lot of things that are now common on the list that we never would have thought of.” Myers launched the listserv to give him and his neighbors an easier way to dialogue about the serious problems plaguing the area. “It was a rough neighborhood then,” said Myers. “There were homicides, drug dealing, dead bodies on the corner, drive bys… But there was also a great camaraderie with the neighbors. We were joining together to try to deal with these issues.” The group started with about 50 members, all of whom knew one another. Now, nearly two decades and two servers later, the listserv has over 2,350 members, with new members joining almost daily. The geographics of the listserv have also expanded outside of Hill East proper — north to Benning Road and westward to the Capitol. These changes have made the discussions on the listserv more var- Potomac Gardens residents can access the Newhilleast listserv on their own computer or in the Little ied, more anonymous, and more con- Light’s computer room. tentious —leaving its founding memWhile this younger, upper-midbers wondering if it can still serve the found that the demographics of the same purpose of bringing neighbors virtual community do not match the dle class sector of the community demographics of the neighborhood. can easily access and participate in together to solve local problems. Over 80 percent of the listserv mem- the online discussions, not everyone Access and Demographics Myers surveyed the listserv bers were white, and a large majority in the neighborhood can do so. Steve Park runs the faith-based members in August of 2006, and were newer residents with kids. 52 ★ HillRag | February 2011

non-proﬁt Little Lights Urban Ministries, and works mainly with the youth of the Potomac Gardens public housing projects. He says very few residents of Potomac Gardens are listserv members, despite that fact that Potomac Gardens has been a frequent topic of discussion over the past few years. “Because of all the recent attention, PG residents may start joining the listserv,” said Park, whose organization provides a computer lab in one of the Potomac Gardens buildings. “When the things posted on the listserv are read more here, it may force a dialogue.” Melvina Middleton is president of the Residents Council at Potomac Gardens, and an active member on the listserv. When comments appeared on the listserv a few months ago pointing to Potomac Gardens residents as possible perpetrators of violent crimes, Middleton felt moved to make her voice heard — both on the listserv and at local PSA meetings. “When people tried to blame everything on Potomac Gardens, I felt very angry,” she said. “I knew I needed to speak up.”

Watching Your Words On a listserv of several thousand people, many of them new, it is expected that some comments posted will rub others the wrong way. But many of the original members are shocked at how vitriolic the conversations can be. “We have a whole new population coming in, and some of the new people may not speak with the sensitivity that people accustomed to Washington life

Dave Lloyd & Associates Top 1% of agents Nationwide have,” said Myers. “There have been comments that are prejudiced, or use offensive stereotypes, and that creates disputes.” Myers, who does not censor or moderate what gets posted on the listserv, says that watching these arguments unfold is “like watching a train wreck in slow motion”. He believes the growth in membership has led to a drop in both accountability and civility. “When we started, we were people who knew each other, and the tendency was to be a little more thoughtful,”he said.“Now,we don’t know who these people are. So it can go back and forth…sometimes bitterly.” This is especially true when it comes to topics of class and racial differences. Newer residents unused to the diversities and disparities in Hill East often post things offensive to “the old timers” — as Myers calls them. “You have people with no experience dealing with these issues,” he said. “They’re sharing stereotypical views of black people, and ideas about the housing projects that are troubling in some ways.” This sentiment came across in several recent posts. Local resident Cynthia Evans wrote: “The Internet is a medium too many people hide behind to spew their prejudice and just be as uncivil as they know how to be.” One incident came to a head two years ago, when several people posted on the listserv calling on theirs neighbors to “march” on Potomac Gardens. “The listserv became a sort of vigilante mob, with people calling for violence,” said Ward 6 Councilman Tommy Wells. Local resident Christopher Brewer also remembers the notorious “protest march” on Potomac Gardens, which was defused before it could take place. He called the listserv “a pretty consistent source of embarrassment for the neighborhood.” Brewer has been on the listserv for two years, and though he sees its merits, he feels, “It makes our neighborhood seem much more

antagonistic than it really is.” Listserv members have also posted their worries over the years that the negative content would contribute to a bad reputation for the neighborhood, and discourage people from buying houses in Hill East. Sometimes the listserv provokes discussion, but it can also silence it. Myers feels that people are refraining from posting their concerns out of fear of what kind of response they will get. “A lot of people became afraid to speak out about certain issues because they were getting smart alec answers from people they’ve never heard of,” he said. “It’s become harder to have a good discussion with so many people and so many attitudes.” First District Lieutenant Christopher Micciche of the D.C. Police expressed concerns that listserv spreads misinformation. “Communication is diﬀerent now than it was in the past,” says Micciche. “People are getting their information, factual or anecdotal from online listservs, which can cause alarm.” Local police have also faulted the listserv and its convenience for low turnout at their PSA meetings. To combat both problems, they started their own listserv: MPD-1D.

Clearing the Air Despite all the criticisms of the listserv, its users say it ﬁlls an important function in the community. It helps parents of young children— who might not be able to attend meetings—stay informed. It has aided the organization of countless meet-ups and events. It connects neighbors and facilitates the sharing of information. Myers feels even the arguments and controversies are important. “I think it can serve a purpose to see this disputes unfold,” he said. “Maybe it helps work out things. It all comes out on New Hill East, I think for the better. How do you work out your problems if you don’t talk about them?” ★

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communitylife

Truth In Numbers Survey of 8th Street Businesses Shows Healthy Diversity by Sharon Bosworth

BRMS Occupancy Survey of 8th Street SE* Professionals/Consultants, etc; Not Open to Public (46) .............. 30% Serving Food Only (13 - 9%) or Food with Alcohol (20–13%) .... 22% Service Providers (Open to Public) (25) ....................................... 16% Residential (25 units) .................................................................... 16% Tangible Goods - Retail (18) ........................................................ 12% Vacant; other (7 properties) ............................................................. 4% Total Residence/Business Entities Surveyed (154) ..................... 100%

t Barracks Row Main Street, we have just concluded a survey of the occupants of the buildings on 8th Street. We now have a real-time snapshot of who is actually located at the addresses lining Barracks Row. This survey was conducted by our staﬀ the old fashioned way: walking up and down the street; knocking on doors; talking to people who answered those doors; reading signs on mail slots; speaking with the postman and the UPS guy; interviewing building and business owners. The survey was driven by the need to update our 8th Street directory, which was last published in 2009. (If you would like a copy of the entire survey, just give us a call at 202-544-3188). What we discovered may surprise you. If your perception is that the corridor is sliding into an abyss of overcommercialization, you would not be correct. The facts support a totally different conclusion. Take a look at the re-cap in the chart below. You will see a 200-year old corridor bouncing back after hitting a low point 10 years ago to become a model provider of goods and services to a sophisticated urban community. Today’s 8th Street is balanced

54 ★ HillRag | February 2011

and diverse, with significant increases in two categories: Professionals/Consultants, and Service Providers. What we now have is a street that is alive, up to the minute, safe, clean, and fun to visit. All ages, income levels and political persuasions can find something here. From insuring your car to finding a play space for your child to framing your loved one’s most recent award to planning your new kitchen to having your dog groomed – it’s all right here waiting for you.

businesses like New York based OTC Markets Group have been here for years. Just this month OTC Markets Group changed their name from Pink OTC to signal recent growth. Since 2005 their staff of 10 on Barracks Row has operated part of the world’s largest electronic marketplace for brokers and dealers to trade unlisted stock. Others like Joe Clem and Ken Michaud, partners at Pioneering Evolution LLC, a management consulting and software development company in the 400 block of 8th Street, just moved in. “When we decided to locate here in December of 2009, we considered Class A high rises in other parts of the city but they felt too stuffy for how we live today,” the partners confirmed. “Our 15 employees love the laid back vibe, the convenience, and the diversity

Second Floor Surprises Much of this treasure trove is hidden from view. A full 30% of occupants of 8th Street are professionals and consultants, many on second floors with private offices. You won’t be able to pop in un-announced; you’ll have to call for an appointment first. They are dentists, attorneys, engineers, consultants, and non-profits. Each of these 46 entities bring clients, patients, visitors or suppliers to the street every day. Some have surprisingly large staffs. Dr. Greaves, the dentist at 729 8th Street whose office sees roughly 30 Jackie Walker of Nationwide Insurance sells patients per day by appointment only, the ultimate intangible product out of her employs 10 people. Dr. Greaves and storefront office. Photo: Andrew Lightman

of 8th Street.” Since the early 1900’s, when oyster houses lined 8th Street, restaurant owners have been attracted to our corridor for good reason. The clients and staﬀ of the above mentioned professionals and consultants need to eat somewhere every single day. Also, the employees of our two military bases get tired of their mess halls. In fact, over 15,000 people work every day at the Navy Yard alone. Now, over 100 years after the heyday of oyster houses, 25% of our 129 businesses continue to serve food. It’s our second largest business category.

Thriving Service Economy Service providers are now 16% of our total, ranking #3 in our survey. These are dry cleaners, barbers and beauty shops, walk-in tax services like Jackson Hewitt along with Pawticulars and Valerie’s Animal Den, both of which provide dog walking among other services. Pawticulars is also a retailer. Actually, today most of us think of these service providers as retailers… we buy shampoo at salons and paper products at FedEx; the line between retail and service is blurred. Combine our service providers with our retailers like Groovy DC and Homebody, and the total accounts for 28% of the occupants surveyed, just two points below our largest category, the professionals and consultants, at 30%.

Increase in Residential Units Rounding out the survey, we were astonished to discover that there are 25 residential units on Barracks Row. For Nora who lives in a third ﬂoor apart-

ment overlooking one of 8th Street’s intersections, it’s a happy solution on many levels. “I love it here--my friends always want to visit. I have no parking problems – I sold my car! I use the Circulator or take Metro. When that doesn’t work I have a Zipcar parked right behind my building. I wish I had thought of this years ago!” A couple we recently met live in the 700 block, and they concur. Both are writers, working from home. Living on 8th Street gets them out into the real world mix fast whenever they need to take a break. “We really don’t hear much of anything except an occasional ﬁre truck; we love being right where the action is. We write better with all the energy around us!”

Old World Solutions for New Century Shoppers Listening to the heartbeat of the city seems to be something people have enjoyed for centuries. Europe is full of old world cities where residential units above shops is the norm. In the past 10 years, even in the United States, the development of covered regional malls surrounded by acres of parking has waned, replaced by more intimate openair shopping hubs dubbed lifestyle centers that are built from scratch to look old and settled. Most of the new lifestyle centers include ﬁrst ﬂoor businesses, with residential units above, not unlike Barracks Row. Jonathan Shartar of Madison Marquette, a national shopping center development company that recently bought the Blue Castle, summed it up this way: “In 2008 we purchased the old Car Barn building but we also bought into the neighborhood. The 8th Street corridor today is exactly the type of urban shopping area being built all over the country. But here, it happened organically. We are excited to be a part of this evolution!” ★

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4PVQT (PVSNFU 4BOEXJDIFT Specialty Cheeses & Deli • Dolcezza Gelato Kingsbury Chocolates • Emmi & Total Yogurts Sweet Treats • Pies Baked to Order

224 7th Street, SE | 202-544-5999 9-7 weekdays, 9-6 weekends capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 55

communitylife

h street streetlife life

Smith Commons Opens and Argonaut Returns by Elise Bernard

t’s February again, and the temperatures may be cold, but H Street is so hot right now that I could barely ﬁt all the news in this month’s column. This month will see multiple new businesses open, and a major arts festival that stretches into March when we’ll celebrate Mardi Gras.

Fine Dining at Smith Commons Smith Commons (1245 H Street NE, http://www.smithcommonsdc. com) officially opened its doors on the H Street Corridor last month, bringing another excellent option for patrons interested in an upscale dining experience. The menu offers a little something for all tastes, without feeling scattered. The beef carpaccio offers an excellent start, and my confit of duck leg worked perfectly with the port wine sauce. The first floor dining room buzzes with a frenetic energy reminding one what city living is all about. The average dinner check is priced at $30-40 per person before tip. The top two floors offer a more lounge like feel, with couches that invites visitors to relax while enjoying a cocktail. I’ve spoken with many neighbors who have been greatly impressed with the new establishment, and the owners and staff appear just as excited to be here. Chef Fredrik De Pue described his experience thus: “So far, the response from the H Street community and Washington, DC diners has been tremendous. The restaurant is busy every night, and I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with many of our neighbors. I think Smith Commons is going to make a nice addition to 56 ★ HillRag | February 2011

Smith Commons offers upscale dining in an elegant, yet comfortable atmosphere. Photo: Greg Powers

Intersections Arts Festival Returns to the Atlas

Paige Hernandez of the autobiographical Paige in Full performs as part of the Intersections Festival. Photo courtesy of Intersections

the booming H Street dining scene.” What’s become abundantly clear since opening day is that there is nothing at all common about Smith Commons.

Intersections (http://intersectionsdc.org) returns for a triumphant second year at the Atlas Performing Arts Center (1333 H Street NE, http://www.atlasarts.org). The interactive arts festival offers everything from music, to dance, to visual arts, to spoken word, to film. Events are geared towards different age groups, and interests, and many events are offered free of charge.

Argonaut Dining Sails Back Onto the Scene

Following a devastating ﬁre in June the kitchen at the Argonaut (1433 H Street NE, http:// argonaut.typepad.com) closed

for several months, and just reopened in January. With the reopening comes a new menu, and a new look for this classic H Street eating establishment. The old favorites like the Argo burger, fish tacos, and the sweet potato fries still find a place on the menu. Only now they nestle amongst newer offerings like steamed snow crab legs and gulf shrimp. Vegans and vegetarians will also find expanded options like a new mushroom burger, tempeh tacos, and the option of vegetarian bacon. The drink menu also sports a complete overhaul. Though the Argonaut’s Booty Beer sticks around, it has many new friends. The Argonaut now offers 12 beers on tap at any given time, and all but four of those will rotate. The new beer menu focuses heavily on American craft brews, and the time and attention paid to selecting them shows in the quality of the offerings. A personal favorite, the Edmund Fitzgerald Porter from Great Lakes Brewery, will keep me coming back. Indecisive, or curious, beer drinkers can enjoys the beer flights. For those wanting the experience, but not the buzz, Erdinger Alkoholfrei Weißbier offers a refreshing alternative to the previous non-alcoholic offering of O’Doul’s. The wine list gets the same treatment, and features 12 wines by the glass. The cocktail menu remains largely unchanged. The first floor interior takes on a totally new look with a relocated bar carved to look like a ship. One notable change is that the relocation of the bar to the left side of the dining

The Argonaut returns with a new look and new flavors. Photo: Shaaren Pine

room allows for outdoor bar seating when the weather cooperates. Newly laid ﬂoors render the Argonaut’s days of wobbly tables merely a memory (no doubt a relief to patrons and staﬀ alike). Mondays remain family night, and Booze Clues (pub quiz) maintains its hold on the upstairs bar on Wednesdays. Once the weather warms dog owners can bring their well-behaved (and leashed) pooch on the patio from 12-5pm Saturdays for the Metro Mutts (508 H Street NE, http://www.metromuttsdc.com) Doggie Happy Hour.

The Establishment of Church and State Erik Holzherr, of Wisdom and Fruit Bat (1236 H Street NE, http://www.dcfruitbat.com), recently opened the slightly more mature brother of Latin inspired fresh squeezed cocktail bar Fruit Bar. Church and State (2nd ﬂoor of 1236 H Street NE) focuses on classic cocktails, and is Holzherr’s “baby.” Though I hadn’t visited as of press time, initial reports from soft openings are positive, and Holzherr certainly knows his cocktails.

Khan’s Mongolian Bar-B-Q Moves Forward I recently got a sneak peak inside Khan’s and I’m happy to report that construction is nearly

complete. This Mongolian bar-b-q restaurant (with full bar, of course) boasts an attractive interior, and at around $9 a bowl, an equally attractive price point. Visitors will have their choice of tables, booths, or a seat at the bar. Preparations are in the works for patio seating, but a planned power substation for the H Street Streetcar (http://www. dcstreetcar.com) might throw a kink into things on that end.

XII Launches Brunch XII (1123 H Street NE, http:// www.twelvedc.com) recently launched a new Sunday brunch running from 12-5pm. Oﬀerings includes all the classics, plus the popular chicken and waﬄes. Entrée prices for brunch range from $8-14.

Doctor Granville Moore’s Adds Sunday Brunch Starting sometime in February everyone’s favorite H Street Belgian restaurant will oﬀer its Saturday brunch on Sundays as well (11am3pm). Dr. Granville Moore’s (1238 H Street NE, http://www.granvillemoores.com) has also extended its mussels happy hour to Monday through Thursday from 5-8pm. For more on what’s abuzz on and around the H Street Corridor you can visit my blog http://frozentropics.blogspot.com. You can send me tips or questions at inked78@hotmail.com. ★

capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 57

communitylife

BYwest

SOUTH by William Rich NA’s President, Vice President, District Representative, and Advisory Board member. SWNA was founded in 1964 to help mitigate social tensions as a result of urban renewal. One of Jones’ greatest achievements has been her work with youth. SWNA’s Youth Activities Task Force,

The World Bank in 1999 that is still what different than some of those in existence today. Another popular who have lived here longer,” said Ms. For almost 30 years, Thelma Jones program of the Southwest Youth Ac- Jones. With new development closhas been a community activist in tivities Task Force is “Computers for ing in on the neighborhood, from the Southwest, working countless hours Kids,” an 8-week training program Capitol Riverfront area to the east on a slew of Board committees, orgathat teaches children ages 10-13 to and the Southwest Waterfront to the nizations, and causes. Jones is a fightuse Microsoft Office programs, in- west, Jones feels that those in puber, evidenced by how she has been cluding Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. lic housing especially are concerned able to bring change to people’s lives Since the program began in Oc- about their future in Southwest beand with her successful battle tober 2007 at the King-Green- cause “they have little or no voice.” over breast cancer. She says she leaf Recreation Center, more A challenge that Southwest faces as gets her passion for community than 45 kids have graduated and the neighborhood moves forward, service from her parents. “My upon completion, each received according to Jones is “we need to reparents are civic-minded – my a refurbished computer donated think how we regard each other as it mom was the president of the by businesses or individuals. relates to building and maintaining PTA and my dad was a shareAs someone who has been trust and understanding. We must cropper farmer and a handyman involved in the community for determine how we can better help who helped anyone who needed several decades, Ms. Jones has those in need to become more self assistance,” said Jones. been witness to many changes in sufficient instead of adding to their A native of eastern North Southwest. Following a decadesfears which only creates more tension Carolina, Jones came to Washlong lull of development in the and misunderstanding.” ington in 1972 after graduating neighborhood, Capitol Square from Durham College in Durtownhouses on G Street, SW New Apartment Building to ham, NC. “My mother didn’t were built in 2001. According to want me to become a farmer’s Jones, “the townhouses (where Start Construction wife, so she arranged for me The apartment building boom former DC Police Chief Charles to live with my aunt in Souththat occurred over the past few years Ramsey used to live) were praceast DC,” recalled Jones. Once tically sold out by the time they in the Near Southeast neighborsettling in DC, Jones started were completed.” Following hood has now crossed South Capitol working full-time at The World Capitol Square was Potomac Street. After more than three years Bank, where she worked for a of delays due to the economic downPlace Condos, then summer while in college. She the refurbishment worked at The World Bank for Thelma Jones has been serving the Southwest community of the apartments at 33 years until retiring in 2005. for nearly 30 years. Photo by Jim Johnson Town Center and While taking the V7 bus each which was created in 1985, estabmore recently Waterfront morning from Southeast to her job, lished a Summer Jobs Program which Station and Arena Stage. she would pass by the Southwest helped place more than 800 kids in Along with all the new neighborhood and say to herself: summer jobs, including local busidevelopment over the “What a great looking community, nesses and Th e World Bank, during past few years, new people I’d like to live here one day.” That the almost eight years the program have been moving to the wish came true when Jones moved was in existence. “Th e Mayor’s Sumneighborhood, bringing to Channel Square apartments at 3rd Street, SW & P Street, SW in 1976. mer Jobs Program was modeled after with them a change in Jones’community service began in what we did in Southwest and once attitude about the renais1982, when she served on the South- that city-wide program took off, we sance occurring in Southwest Neighborhood Assembly’s no longer needed to continue ours,” west. “Many of the newer (SWNA) Scholarship Committee. said Ms. Jones. Based on her suc- residents welcome the deCamden South Capitol will be the first brand-new apartment Since then, Jones has served as SW- cess with the Summer Jobs Program, velopment in the neighcommunity to be built in Southwest in decades. Courtesy of Jones founded a similar program at borhood which is someCamden Property Trust and WDG Architecture

An Interview with Thelma Jones

58 ★ HillRag | February 2011

N OEL K ANE

turn, Camden Property Trust will finally start construction at their Camden South Capitol project this March, located at the northwest corner of South Capitol Street, SW & O Street, SW. The project was approved by the District in 2007, but the only progress made since then was demolition of existing buildings on the site, including a taxi garage. In the past year, financing has loosened for multifamily construction, resulting in a recent increase in apartment building activity. Despite the thousands of apartments built in the city during the past decade, Camden South Capitol will be the first brand-new apartment building to start construction in Southwest since the 1970s, although Potomac Place Condos began construction in 2003 as apartments. The 276-unit, high-rise apartment building designed by WDG Architecture will be located directly across the street from Nationals Park and contain about 3,000 square feet of ground floor retail. Twelve of the residential units will be reserved as affordable housing and there will be a total of 250 below-grade parking spaces. According to Mark Coletta, Vice President of Real Estate Investments at Camden Property Trust, the total development cost will be $88 million. “The rooftop pool and deck look very cool” said Coletta. From the rooftop, residents will get a great view of the Friday night fireworks show that takes place during Nationals home games, as well as the Washington Monument, the Capitol building, and the Anacostia River. Balconies on the upper floors of the South Capitol Street, SW side of the building will also get a view of baseball games. Leasing will commence in April 2013 and construction should be complete by June 2013.

T T O R N E Y

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William Rich is a blogger at Southwest…The Little Quadrant that Could (www.southwestquadrant.blogspot. com). ★

capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 59

BUY LOCAL: Capitol Hill Because Our Neighborhood is Our Business by Julia Christian

ecently, there has been significant discussion about the retail mix on Capitol Hill – specifically in the Eastern Market/Barracks Row area. While this discussion has been focused on retail recruitment, there’s another aspect that must be addressed. Before discussing what kind of new retail the neighborhood wants and needs, we must focus on retaining and growing the businesses that currently exist. If we cannot, as a community, support and sustain what have, it will be difficult to recruit additional businesses. The obvious first step is a concerted effort to buy locally. When you spend your dollars locally, our entire community benefits! Buying locally: • Expands Local Economic Benefits Exponentially: When you buy from a locally-owned business, a significant portion of your money is used to make purchases from other local businesses and service providers, thereby strengthening the economic base of the community. • Keeps More Money Right Here: $68 of $100 spent at a locallyowned business stays in the community. At a national chain, that number is $42. • Ensures the Uniqueness of our Community: Our distinctive variety of businesses is integral to the unique character of Capitol Hill—whether it’s Barracks Row, Eastern Market, H Street, Pennsylvania Avenue, Massachusetts Avenue or even the corner store on your block. • Helps Reduce Our Community’s Environmental Impact: Since locally-owned businesses make more local purchases, there’s less packaging, less transportation, and a smaller carbon footprint. • Helps Create Jobs: Small businesses are the largest employers nationally and provide a significant number of jobs in our community. • Means Better Service: Local busi60 ★ HillRag | February 2011

•

Want, Not What Someone Wants You to Buy: Locally-owned businesses generally select products based on the needs and interests of their customers rather than a national sales plan. Encourages Local Prosperity: Studies show that entrepreneurs and skilled workers are more likely to invest and settle in communities that preserve the distinctive character of their one-of-a-kind businesses

Buying Locally Made Easy

•

nesses generally hire people with a good understanding of both their products and their customer base. Hill business owners are often onsite themselves, building lasting relationships with their customers. Is an Investment in Our Community and Our Community Groups: The majority of our Hill business owners are also local residents. Wholly invested i n

•

the community’s future, they are unlikely to leave and locallyowned businesses donate to nonproﬁt organizations at more than twice the rate of national chains. Puts Your Taxes to Good Use: Local businesses require comparatively little infrastructure investment and make more eﬃcient use of public services compared to nationally-owned stores entering a community. • Means Getting What Yo u

CHAMPS, Capitol Hill’s chamber of commerce, has launched a new initiative: BUY LOCAL: CAPITOL HILL. For $50 a year, members receive two BUY LOCAL window decals, a Capitol Hill tote, and a membership card that provides discounts at many Hill businesses, including restaurants, bars, retailers, salons, and services ranging from ﬁtness and home improvement to pet supplies and law. Funds generated by the campaign underwrite the cost of ongoing promotions to encourage Hill residents to buy locally through special events and incentives. Full details, registration, and the most current list of discount providers are all available online at www.capitolhill. org.

The Capitol Hill Draw The neighborhood-serving characteristic of our commercial activity is a large part of what draws visitors. Capitol Hill truly is a small town in a big city. Local business owners forge relationships with residents and it’s this close-knit interaction that makes the Capitol Hill experience unique. By fostering these relationships and supporting our current businesses, we not only help what we have, we help ensure that we can attract the additional things we want. Julia Christian is a Capitol Hill native and is the Executive Director of CHAMPS – Capitol Hill’s Chamber of Commerce. Learn more about CHAMPS at www.capitolhill.org. ★

RealEstate George Washington’s Houses on Capitol Hill by Robert Pohl

ously won the competition to design the Capitol, and Washington had forged a deep friendship with him since then. Over the next two years, Washington would stop by DC on his way from Mount Vernon to Philadelphia in order to watch the progress of both the Federal City (as Washington always referred to it) and his house. Thornton eagerly showed off both, and slowly both projects inched towards completion. Washington’s houses were the Thornton and Washington first to be completed, and on NoWashington hired Dr. William vember 9, 1799, Thornton had the Thornton to both design and build great pleasure of taking Washinghis new house. Thornton had previton through the Postcard of the Burton Hotel, ca. 1911. The sign on brand new build- the front proclaims that this is “The Geo. Washing. Washington ington House.” (Streets of Washington) returned to Mount Vernon – and become in 1802). Washington’s heirs caught the croup that sold off the shell, and it was rebuilt. would end his life a few days later. The house on From Residence to Hotel A later inhabitant was CommandCapitol Hill went er Charles Wilkes, who was placed in through its own tribucharge of the Department of Charts lations. Used first as a and Instruments of the Navy in 1833 boarding house, it was and bought the house in 1834. While one of the few priliving there, he organized the Wilkes vate buildings burned Expedition, which spent four years when the British set traveling around the world and colfire to DC in 1814, lecting plants, a collection that was to apparently because a become the basis for the US Botanical clerk had stored government files there Garden. Wilkes used the building first (meanwhile, Thornton as his domicile, then later as his office Engraving of the houses as built. Published in 1889, this image is was convincing the during the 17 years he spent working not quite historically accurate, showing five bays across the front, British to spare the on his reports on the expedition. rather than the six that all other pictures show. From W.A. Croffut, While Wilkes was the owner, Patent Office, whose “Historic Houses in Washington” published in Frank Leslie’s Popular North Capitol Street was regraded, Monthly, June 1889. (Indiana University Library via Google books) commissioner he had n 1798, George Washington signed a contract to buy two lots on North Capitol Street, a block north of the Capitol. He had been encouraged to do so by boosters of the new city, in hopes that this would encourage others to do the same and thus fill the city – and the city’s coffers. Having the father of the country invest in this new venture seemed the best way to improve its standing, and Washington readily agreed.

capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 61

and suddenly the entrance to the house was 20 feet above the level of the street. A picture taken during the Civil War shows the house standing high above the street, a state of aﬀairs that caused the house to remain empty for 18 years. During the building boom after the war, two ﬂoors were added underneath the building, so that its entrance was once again at street level. Around this time local businessman Nelson J. Hillman ran a boarding house there, and it was as the Hillman House that George Washington’s old property became famous. For several decades at the end of the 19th Century, this was the place to live for both congressmen as well as those who worked in the Capitol. Around 1890 it was renamed the Kenmore, and it was as such that it took in shorter-term guests, including young Jack London, who stayed here in 1894 while tramping across the country.

real estate changing hands Changing hands is a list of most residential sales in the District of Columbia from the previous month. A feature of every issue, this list, based on the MRIS, is provided courtesy of Don Denton, manager of the Coldwell Banker office on Capitol Hill. The list includes address, sales price and number of bedrooms.

219 ASCOT PL NE 4109 12TH ST NE 3100 13TH ST NE 1031 GIRARD ST NE 207 CROMWELL TER NE 55 CRITTENDEN ST NE 103 WEBSTER ST NE 223 CROMWELL TER NE

Robert Pohl is a tour guide living on Capitol Hill. If you’re interested in taking one of his tours, see walkingshtick.com. ★

62 ★ HillRag | February 2011

3 3 4 3 3 3 2 3

$1,120,000 $1,050,000 $870,000 $867,000 $862,000 $830,000 $825,000 $825,000 $780,000 $705,000 $690,000 $672,000 $670,000 $670,000 $659,429 $630,000 $610,000 $521,000 $490,000 $449,500 $425,000 $397,000 $375,000 $345,500 $290,000 $275,000

5 3 4 3 3 7 3 4 3 4 3 2 2 2 3 4 2 4 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 2

$750,000

$821,025 $800,000 $775,000 $759,000

3 3 3 3

$605,000

CAPITOL HILL 148 TENNESSEE AVE NE 330 CONSTITUTION AVE NE 111 8TH ST SE 129 NORTH CAROLINA AVE SE 146 D ST SE 1010 EAST CAPITOL ST NE 522 5TH ST SE 1323 NORTH CAROLINA AVE NE 1365 INDEPENDENCE CT SE 30 14TH ST NE 1331 NORTH CAROLINA AVE NE 409 1ST ST SE 1309 SOUTH CAROLINA AVE SE 638 E ST SE 429 3RD ST NE 906 12TH ST NE 413 4TH ST NE 527 10TH ST SE 1321 POTOMAC AVE SE 811 L ST NE 1001 F ST NE 241 14TH PL NE 416 SOUTH CAPITOL ST SE 1364 C ST NE 1671 ROSEDALE ST NE 1334 K ST SE

Notoriety and Destruction Early in the 20th Century, notoriety struck the hotel when a census office clerk, William Seymour Ayres, was found dead there. He had been shot by Mrs. Lulu Bonine, in what she claimed was self-defense. Shortly thereafter the place was turned over to Amelia W. Burton, who renamed it The Burton. Then, when the government attempted to buy it in 1911, it was discovered that George Washington had never paid the full purchase price, having paid only $375 of the original $500 price. While this was being sorted out, the property was once again renamed; this time it was given the name Washington Inn. Tragedy struck again in late 1911 when the son of the hotel’s proprietor was found dead in one of the rooms with a – presumably – self-inflicted bullet wound in his head. This was followed almost immediately by a small fire in the hotel, in which, fortunately, nobody was injured. Two years later all the buildings in the area were condemned, and torn down. Of George Washington’s building, all that remains is a small plaque in the ground in what is today Upper Senate Park.

$299,900 $285,000 $258,139 $235,000 $194,000 $166,300 $134,900 $133,000

CENTRAL 616 E ST NW #1114

CHEVY CHASE 5035 41ST ST NW 5345 28TH ST NW 2809 MCKINLEY PL NW 6124 32ND PL NW

CLEVELAND PARK 3706 35TH ST NW

COLUMBIA HEIGHTS 1033 PARK RD NW 1325 HARVARD ST NW 1435 MONROE ST NW 3525 HOLMEAD PL NW 747 QUEBEC PL NW 642 MORTON ST NW 738 KENYON ST NW 1443 PARKWOOD PL NW 750 MORTON ST NW 712 KENYON ST NW

Neighborhood

Close Price

1988 RETTA GILLIAM CT SE 1421 RIDGE PL SE 2246 MOUNT VIEW PL SE

FEE SIMPLE 16TH STREET HEIGHTS 1500 CRITTENDEN ST NW 4821 16TH ST NW 5716 16TH ST NW 5631 COLORADO AVE NW 1403 CRITTENDEN ST NW 1328 FARRAGUT ST NW

$745,000 $625,000 $588,000 $355,000 $300,000 $215,100

3 5 4 0 4 3

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY PARK 4527 YUMA ST NW 4220 45TH ST NW 4229 BRANDYWINE ST NW 4836 ALBEMARLE ST NW 4931 ALBEMARLE ST NW 4027 VEAZEY ST NW 4432 SEDGWICK ST NW 4445 WARREN ST NW 4516 WINDOM PL NW

ANACOSTIA

$1,198,000 $875,000 $867,500 $858,750 $835,000 $807,110 $764,400 $760,000 $715,000

4 4 5 4 4 3 2 3 3

$395,000 $85,000 $76,900

3 3 4

$182,500

$643,000 $620,000 $339,900 $320,000 $290,000 $289,000 $282,150 $279,525 $240,000

5 6 4 2 3 3 3 3 3

$399,000 $373,250

3 3

BRENTWOOD 2218 16TH ST NE

BRIGHTWOOD 421 VAN BUREN ST NW 6709 16TH ST NW 6618 13TH PL NW 519 SOMERSET PL NW 6123 14TH ST NW 707 ROXBORO PL NW 905 TUCKERMAN ST NW 7413 9TH ST NW 5703 5TH ST NW

BROOKLAND 1008 URELL PL NE 106 V ST NE

$1,000,000 $675,000 $665,000 $590,000 $580,000 $439,900 $437,500 $390,000 $290,000 $252,000

12 5 4 3 7 4 3 4 3 3

CONGRESS HEIGHTS 226 MALCOLM X AVE SE 108 BRANDYWINE PL SW 916 SAVANNAH ST SE 3827 1ST ST SE 212 NEWCOMB ST SE 341 PARKLAND PL SE 3844 9TH ST SE

$239,000 $207,500 $199,571 $80,000 $78,000 $65,000 $55,500

4 2 3 2 3 3 3

$869,000 $789,000 $615,000 $450,000

5 3 4 6

$245,000 $229,000 $229,000 $140,000 $100,000 $95,000

3 5 3 3 4 3

CRESTWOOD 4834 16TH ST NW 1712 UPSHUR ST NW 1703 TAYLOR ST NW 1615 DECATUR ST NW

DEANWOOD 732 50TH ST NE 1117 48TH PL NE 4810 SHERIFF RD NE 4081 GRANT ST NE 305 56TH ST NE 5004 BROOKS ST NE

4929 BLAINE ST NE 5005 MEADE ST NE 4560 EADS ST NE 1003 49TH ST NE 6328 SOUTHERN AVE NE 4226 EADS ST NE 333 54TH ST NE 241 57TH PL NE 4205 GRANT ST NE

$93,000 $75,000 $61,000 $61,000 $60,000 $51,500 $50,000 $45,000 $11,000

4 3 3 2 2 2 3 2 3

$1,800,000 $942,500 $945,000 $600,000

5 3 4 4

$450,000 $255,000 $499,900

2 2 3

$1,495,000 $1,425,000

6 6

$249,000 $217,000 $91,900

3 3 3

$1,200,000 $715,000

4 3

$2,600,000 $2,200,000 $1,200,000 $1,075,000 $910,000 $872,500 $560,000

8 4 3 3 2 2 1

$805,000

$2,775,000 $1,925,000 $1,725,000 $1,285,000

6 5 6 3

$925,000

$481,500 $321,000 $265,000

3 3 3

$145,000

$379,000 $715,000 $430,000 $680,000

3 4 1 4

$147,000 $106,050

2 4

DUPONT 2018 R ST NW 1729 CORCORAN ST NW 1752 CHURCH ST NW 1540 T ST NW

ECKINGTON 25 S ST NW 2011 3RD ST NE 38 T ST NW

FOREST HILLS 3250 FESSENDEN ST NW 4636 BROAD BRANCH RD NW

FORT DUPONT PARK 1682 FORT DUPONT ST SE 4303 GORMAN TER SE 4026 SOUTHERN AVE SE

FOXHALL 2310 KING PL NW 4441 P ST NW

GEORGETOWN 3026 P ST NW 3338 DENT PL NW 3648 WINFIELD LN NW 1413 33RD ST NW 1241 30TH ST NW 1609 34TH ST NW 3203 CHERRY HILL LN NW

GLOVER PARK 3815 CALVERT ST NW

KENT 5000 MILLWOOD LN NW 5025 GLENBROOK TER NW 5041 GLENBROOK TER NW 2728 CHAIN BRIDGE RD NW

LANIER HEIGHTS 1785 LANIER PL NW

LEDROIT PARK 2208 FLAGLER PL NW 326 U ST NW 311 ELM ST NW

LILY PONDS 1112 42ND ST NE

LOGAN 1440 T ST NW 923 T ST NW 1705 VERMONT AVE NW 1544 8TH ST NW

MARSHALL HEIGHTS 5501 BASS PL SE 5300 DRAKE PL SE

MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE HEI 2750 32ND ST NW

$3,250,000

$350,000 $329,900

4 3

$855,000 $849,000 $750,400 $715,000 $685,000 $645,000 $625,000 $500,000

7 8 4 4 3 3 4 3

MICHIGAN PARK 5504 4TH ST NE 4112 19TH ST NE

MOUNT PLEASANT 1819 LAMONT ST NW 1830 LAMONT ST NW 3225 WALBRIDGE PL NW 2047 ROSEMONT AVE NW 3224 WALBRIDGE PL NW 1828 KILBOURNE PL NW 1740 HOBART ST NW 1857 INGLESIDE TER NW

capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 63

S W E E T TA L K from a past client!

MOUNT VERNON

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468 RIDGE ST NW

WAKEFIELD $512,500

$727,000

$1,745,000

$690,000 $565,000 $550,000 $510,000 $496,500 $405,000 $400,000 $399,000 $375,000 $325,000 $315,000 $285,000 $174,955 $160,000 $1,000,000 $825,000 $650,000 $650,000 $495,000 $425,000 $346,000 $335,000 $170,000 $170,000

3 2 2 4 4 3 3 2 5 2 2 3 3 3 5 4 4 4 2 3 2 5 0 0

$1,135,000 $740,000 $710,000 $635,000

6 3 4 2

$553,000 $524,000 $487,000 $452,500 $421,000 $395,000 $349,955 $303,000 $299,000 $260,000 $180,000 $149,900

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

$180,000

$235,000 $171,000 $321,000

3 3 3

$570,000

$565,000

$950,000

$385,000

NORTH CLEVELAND PARK 4206 38TH ST NW

OLD CITY

WE HAVE MANY MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS. CAN'T WE START ONE WITH YOU? Happy Valentine's 2011

202-741-1770 202-741-1786

276 15TH ST SE 911 G ST SE 915 MARYLAND AVE NE 417 M ST NE 604 5TH ST NE 821 KENTUCKY AVE SE 1717 C ST SE 1008 15TH ST SE 1612 E ST SE 1119 C ST NE 1377 FLORIDA AVE NE 314 17TH ST NE 750 18TH ST NE 532 24TH ST NE 1421 S ST NW 1508 R ST NW 1225 5TH ST NW 1516 SWANN ST NW 940 N ST NW 1909 8TH ST NW 510 RHODE ISLAND AVE NW 20 N ST NW 725 T ST NW 727 T ST NW

PALISADES 5025 SHERIER PL NW 4837 RESERVOIR RD NW 4555 INDIAN ROCK TER NW 5017 V ST NW

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RIGGS PARK 1241 GALLATIN ST NE 5216 12TH ST NE 219 PEABODY ST NE

SHEPHERD PARK 1305 LOCUST RD NW

SPRING VALLEY 3819 49TH ST NW

TAKOMA PARK 40 LONGFELLOW ST NE

$355,000 $342,599 $189,000 $169,000 $155,000 $95,000 $82,000 $77,500 $54,000

3 4 3 3 2 4 2 3 3

$565,000 $399,999

3 3

U STREET 1004 S ST NW 1215 W ST NW

4 4 3 3 3 2 5

$520,000 $490,000 $465,000 $85,000

2 2 1 0

CONDO ADAMS MORGAN 2328 CHAMPLAIN ST NW #305 1801 CALVERT ST NW #401 2428 17TH ST NW #GSW 1666 BEEKMAN PL NW #G16

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY PARK 4101 ALBEMARLE ST NW #508

$692,000

$117,500 $110,000 $32,000

1 1 1

$335,000

$590,000 $345,500 $325,000 $255,900 $207,000

2 2 1 1 1

$1,085,000 $815,000 $617,500 $569,000 $440,000 $401,000 $400,000 $338,000 $330,000

2 2 2 1 1 2 1 1 1

$494,900 $409,900 $359,900

1 1 1

$399,999 $365,500 $285,000 $625,000

2 1 1 2

$480,000 $379,000 $349,900 $343,500 $328,500 $299,900 $288,000 $285,000 $230,000 $215,500

3 2 3 2 1 2 2 1 2 1

$76,900 $42,000

2 2

$450,000 $450,000 $357,000 $321,000 $269,000 $230,000 $225,100 $390,000

2 2 1 1 1 0 0 1

$360,000

BRENTWOOD 1386 BRYANT ST NE #304 1386 BRYANT ST NE #201 1308 BRYANT ST NE #3

BRIGHTWOOD 422 BUTTERNUT ST NW ## 101

CAPITOL HILL 200 JUSTICE CT NE #B 1364 C ST NE 1455 A ST NE #B 1100 7TH ST NE #4 11 2ND ST NE #102 2425 L ST NW #702 2425 L ST NW # 439 ST NW #439 2301 N ST NW #316 2425 L ST NW #609 1010 MASSACHUSETTS AVE NW #PH-111 1150 K ST NW #1008 1111 25TH ST NW #915 777 7TH ST NW #416 2141 P ST NW #305

CHEVY CHASE 5201 WISCONSIN AVE NW #101 5201 WISCONSIN AVE NW #203 5201 WISCONSIN AVE NW #210

CLEVELAND PARK 3830 39TH ST NW #E-113 2722 ORDWAY ST NW #6 3601 WISCONSIN AVE NW #402 2737 DEVONSHIRE PL NW #318 1307 FAIRMONT ST NW #A 1324 EUCLID ST NW #203 1421 COLUMBIA RD NW #101 1308 CLIFTON ST NW #116 1436 OGDEN ST NW #5 3318 SHERMAN AVE NW #203 1437 SPRING RD NW #25 1436 OGDEN ST NW #1 1304 FAIRMONT ST NW #4 1461 GIRARD ST NW #101 717 BRANDYWINE ST SE #201 709 BRANDYWINE ST SE #201

DUPONT 1821 15TH ST NW #1 1527 16TH ST NW #3 1929 16TH ST NW #202 1904 R ST NW #6 1727 MASSACHUSETTS AVE NW #116 1545 18TH ST NW #808 1825 T ST NW #403 1825 T ST NW #104

ECKINGTON 15 RHODE ISLAND AVE NE #2

64 ★ HillRag | February 2011

$415,000 $399,000 $360,000 $347,300 $240,700 $230,000 $193,000

CONGRESS HEIGHTS

TRINIDAD 1254 FLORIDA AVE NE 1118 FLORIDA AVE NE 1812 H PL NE 760 18TH ST NE 1832 L ST NE 1224 16TH ST NE 1806 H ST NE 1712 M NE 1702 MONTELLO AVE NE

2000 EVARTS ST NE 3417 SOUTH DAKOTA NE 3515 26TH ST NE 3716 31ST PL NE 1820 NEWTON ST NE 1843 CHANNING ST NE 2505 RHODE ISLAND AVE NE

COLUMBIA HEIGHTS

SHAW MT VERNON SQ 507 Q ST NW

CENTRAL

PETWORTH 724 WEBSTER ST NW 4318 9TH ST NW 5618 9TH ST NW 4315 2ND ST NW 5410 8TH ST NW 817 INGRAHAM ST NW 326 EMERSON ST NW 911 WEBSTER ST NW 704 MISSOURI AVE NW 724 UPSHUR ST NW 4913 ILLINOIS AVE NW 713 JEFFERSON ST NW

$1,015,000

WOODRIDGE

OBSERVATORY CIRCLE 2714 35TH PL NW

3627 CUMBERLAND ST NW

FOGGY BOTTOM 2401 H ST NW #707 922 24TH ST NW #317

$284,000 $250,000

1 0

$645,000 $565,000 $330,000 $255,000

3 2 1 1

$795,600 $345,900 $339,900

2 1 1

$605,000 $350,000

2 2

$3,000,000 $350,000

3 1

$259,900

$550,000 $296,000 $182,000 $164,000

2 1 0 0

$379,600 $260,000

2 2

$632,000 $614,000 $563,500 $407,000 $639,000 $612,500 $528,000 $515,000 $468,000 $369,990 $354,000 $720,000

2 2 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 2

$51,000

$540,000 $250,000

2 1

$589,000 $280,000

2 2

$929,000 $328,500

2 1

$565,000 $445,000 $380,000 $373,000 $369,900 $365,000 $240,000 $169,000 $369,000

2 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 2

$516,000

$620,000 $605,000

2 2

$27,900

$199,000 $108,000

1 0

FOREST HILLS 4025 CONNECTICUT AVE NW #801 4701 CONNECTICUT AVE NW #303 3883 CONNECTICUT AVE NW #716 2939 VAN NESS ST NW #826

FRIENDSHIP HEIGHTS 5201 WISCONSIN AVE NW #104 5201 WISCONSIN AVE NW #308 5201 WISCONSIN AVE NW #211

GARFIELD 2801 CONNECTICUT AVE NW #22 2501. CALVERT ST NW #303

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GEORGETOWN 3150 SOUTH ST NW #1A 2500 Q ST NW #511

GLOVER PARK 3925 DAVIS PL NW #203

KALORAMA 1819 BELMONT RD NW #4 2310 ASHMEAD PL NW #207 2410 20TH ST NW #311 1900 BILTMORE ST NW #1

LEDROIT PARK 161 RANDOLPH PL NW #02 1929 1ST ST NW #203

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LOGAN 1408 Q ST NW #12 1402 SWANN ST NW #8 1520 O ST NW #202 1113 O ST NW #2 2109 10TH ST NW #102 2100 11TH ST NW #401 1320 13TH ST NW #44 1300 N ST NW #406 1412 11TH ST NW #3 936 N ST NW #1 1300 N ST NW #714 2232 13TH ST NW #3

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MARSHALL HEIGHTS 5 46TH ST SE #10

MOUNT PLEASANT 1701 KALORAMA RD NW #210 1661 PARK RD NW #401

MT. VERNON/SHAW 1234 4TH ST NW #1 1230 4TH ST NW #1

OBSERVATORY CIRCLE 2801 NEW MEXICO AVE NW #1124 2801 NEW MEXICO AVE NW #823

OLD CITY 2020 12TH ST NW #510 1730 NEW HAMPSHIRE AVE NW #16 811 4TH ST NW #1015 811 4TH ST NW #407 910 M ST NW #1007 811 4TH ST NW #502 2120 VERMONT AVE NW #14 1725 NEW HAMPSHIRE AVE NW #203 440 L ST NW #607

PALISADES 4617 MACARTHUR BLVD NW #B

PENN QUARTER 916 G ST NW #903 916 G ST NW #803

RANDLE HEIGHTS 2472 ALABAMA AVE SE #A-104

RLA (SW) 300 M ST SW #N402 1435 4TH ST SW #B316

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Kitty Kaupp & Tati Kaupp Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage 605 Pennsylvania Ave SE 202-741-1699, kkaupp@cbmove.com 530-532 7th Street SE $3,150,000 Commercial zoned C2A. Edwardian Brick Two Story, elegantly appointed semi detached bldg. 6553 SF of office space. Pkg- 17 Available land for future development. Land area 7,923 SF. Prime location at Eastern Mkt & Metro & PA Ave SE , Navy Yard. 8 blocks from the US Capitol,House Side.

635 Pennsylvania Ave SE Lease $3,000 / Month Commercial Lease. 2nd Floor office space, 1200 Square Feet with street front entry. Renovated with open layout, glass block, light-filled windows, roof deck. Located between 6th & 7th and Pa Ave SE at the Eastern Market & Metro, retail & commercial corridor. Barracks Row-8th Street & Navy Yard just blocks away. Walk to US Capitol, House side, Library of Congress 22 15th Street NE #22 $519,000 Historic Car Barn loc on East Capitol St. 2BR, 2.5BA unit on 2 levels, Approx. 1462 SF. Open floor plan LR+DR, Large eat-in Kitchen, granite counters, separate pantry + W/D room. Oak Hardwoodd floors, CAC. MBR w/ ample double closets. Spacious 2nd BR +2nd BA . Ample storage. Private front patio. Pkg space included. Outdoor pool. Near Lincoln Park, a quick walk to Eastern Market & Metro. 316 F Street NE Commercial Lease Strategic location on Historic Capitol Hill at US Capitol and Union Station,Senate side, SEC building,& Mass Ave retail corridor. 6402 Square Feet available in increments from 165 SF up, on 1st & 2nd levels. Lower level available 2000 SF. Beautifully renovated building with high ceilings, large windows, marble lobby. Grand presence. 1365 Independence Ct SE $799,000 Brick 4 level end unit at Bryan SquareTH. 3 BR 3.5 BA + Family Room/Den. New const. 2004 LR/DR ,Frpl + Kitchen open flow/entertaining. Hrdwd fls,granite & SS Kitchen +office area. Marble BA, Master sep shower +tub,double vanities. Walk in closet. Custom upgrades incl Lutron Whole House Light Control System, whole house ethernet. Roof top terrace w/ skyline views + 2 car Garage/Pkg.

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449 R ST NW #12

$256,000

$160,000

$549,000 $375,000 $729,000 $449,000 $440,000 $415,000

2 1 2 2 2 1

$415,000 $195,000

3 1

$875,000 $620,000 $260,000 $260,000

2 2 1 1

$1,088,500 $1,000,000 $600,000

2 2 1

$314,900

$610,000 $479,900

3 3

$212,000

$385,000 $276,000

2 1

$365,000 $296,000 $275,000

2 1 1

$295,000

$1,300,000 $390,500

4 2

$215,000

$149,000

$335,000 $138,000

2 0

$357,500

THE NORTH END 5040 1ST ST NW #201

U STREET 2020 12TH ST NW #406 2120 VERMONT AVE NW #201 2125 14TH ST NW #501 919 FLORIDA AVE NW #204 919 FLORIDA AVE NW #603 2020 12TH ST N #301

WATERFRONT 747 3RD ST SW #402 300 M ST SW #N109

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4200 MASSACHUSETTS AVE NW #402 3101 NEW MEXICO AVE NW #1011 4201 CATHEDRAL AVE NW #1107E 3033 NEW MEXICO AVE NW #206

WEST END 1177 22ND ST NW #4G 1177 22ND ST NW #2F 1155 23RD ST NW #NPH1B

WOODLEY PARK 3100 CONNECTICUT AVE NW #304

COOP CAPITOL HILL TOWER 1000 NEW JERSEY AVE SE #1106 1000 NEW JERSEY AVE SE #1208

DUPONT CIRCLE 1514 17TH ST NW #603

FOGGY BOTTOM 2500 VIRGINIA AVE NW #507-S 2475 VIRGINIA AVE NW #628

FOREST HILLS 3001 VEAZEY TER NW #626 3001 VEAZEY TER NW #513 3001 VEAZEY TER NW #815

HARBOUR SQUARE 560 N ST SW #N 515

KALORAMA 2101 CONNECTICUT AVE NW #43 2100 19TH ST NW #802

MOUNT PLEASANT 1669 COLUMBIA RD NW #415

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View on www.kittykaupp.com 66 ★ HillRag | February 2011

1311 DELAWARE AVE SW #S131

WATERFRONT 560 N ST SW #N-404 520 N ST SW #S-030

WATERGATE 700 NEW HAMPSHIRE AVE NW #1515 ★

Arts & Dining A Different Kind of Local Brunch Weekend Eating is More than the Same Five Things by Roberta Weiner

ew York Times restaurant critic Sam Sifton recently noted rather dyspeptically that “[people] only want the same five things [for brunch] in the same five ways. Brunchy creativity is a desperate lie …brunch is just a large sleeping pill taken in advance of an afternoon on the couch doing the crossword and dozing, or watching sports, or crying into your pillow about how miserable brunch was when you thought it was going to be great.” Not true, at least for this fan. There are times, in fact, when the “same five things,” well prepared and at a comfortable venue—for example, Tunnicliff ’s, the Hawk and Dove, Ted’s Bulletin (although I wouldn’t count their tasty homemade beer biscuits, Pop Tarts or Twinkies as “usual suspects”)--hit exactly the right spot, But I heartily disagree that brunch, at least in our neighborhood, fails as an exercise in creativity for either chefs or eaters. A look at some local menus reveals a plethora of the appetizing, the unusual, even the unique, waiting to be sampled by weekend diners—there are even variations on the standards. This is by no means comprehensive, just some personal choices for the creative brunch. (Incidentally, for those not up for the new, most of these places also serve the standards.)

Barracks Row and Environs

Customers can have brunch their way with our new ala carte menu,” says Banana Cafe proprietor Jorge Zamarano. Photo: Andrew Lightman

Banana Café (500 8th Street SE, 202543-5906): Banana Café (500 8th Street SE, 202-543-5906): Banana Café reaches for the Caribbean-centric with a quesadilla—choice of vegetable, beef, chicken or shrimp; a breakfast burrito; or huevos rancheros, eggs with chilis and Mexican capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 67

accompaniments. And, we can’t forget the margaritas and mojitos! Belga Café (514 8th Street SE, 202-544-0100) There are waffles-and then there are Belgian waffles. And Belga’s interpretations of their native specialty certainly meet expectations. Winter varieties include an airy sage-infused cake with duck confit, a goat cheese version with roasted tomato and red pepper coulis, and, for an amusing American twist, a cornmeal waffle with pulled pork. Belga also uses another eponymous food, Belgian endive, to produce a tasty quiche. Café 8 (424-A 8th Street SE, 202-546-8308): I don’t know whether brunch is a Turkish custom, but Café 8 makes one think so with an

that eggs benedict can come with the Greek café’s deliciously spiced lamb. Fusion Grill (515 8th Street SE, 202-546-5303): The website brunch menu for this pan-Asian restaurant features a photo of—steak and eggs! However, explore a little and find a dim sum plate, Chinese sausage, a Chinese roast pork frittata, and for vegetarians, organic scrambled tofu with tomatoes, curry, caramelized onions and pea shoots. Matchbox (521 8th Street SE, 202-548-0369): Appealing non-pizza offerings spark the brunch offerings at what its owners call a “vintage pizza bistro.” Examples? A goat cheese and chorizo roll with tomato sauce, asparagus, eggs and potatoes. Or a cast iron skillet filled with eggs, chorizo,

202-546-5006) : Among the highlights at this longtime Barracks Row favorite with a Southern seafood slant are eggs benedict (yes, they’re one of the same five things), but here embellished with Starfish’s great crab cakes, an omelet given New Orleans spin with shrimp and andouille sausage, and classic shrimp and grits. The Chesapeake Room (501 8th Street SE. 202-543-1445): Among the variety of dishes made from locally-grown, sustainable foods, the happy brunch-er will find some of the Chesapeake Room’s greatest hits: their fried green tomato crab stack, a crab cake with the tomato doing duty instead of a roll, garnished with basil aioli and spic-y tomato jam; oyster stew with bacon; and a variation on shrimp

stantial, delicious German food. And the brunch specials don’t disappoint: a Bavarian breakfast of fried potatoes, dumplings, bacon and chicken with fried egg and gravy (yes, you read all that correctly!); the Nernburger platter with German breakfast sausages and sauerkraut; and there are potato pancakes with cherry/orange chutney, goat cheese and gravlax? And don’t forget their great homemade desserts. White Tiger (301 Massachusetts Avenue NE, 202-546-5900): For something absolutely not on the “same ﬁve things” list, The White Tiger, on Sundays only, presents a delicious and elegant all-you-can-eat Indian buﬀet with curries, interesting vegetables, Indian breads, chutneys and dessert. Go hungry, and don’t be shy about round

LEFT: A delicious cocktail compliments a crab cake served on a bun made of fried green tomatoes at The Chesapeake Room. Photo: Andrew Lightman BELOW: H Street’s Granville Moore’s is the perfect place to brunch on mussels on a cold winter day. Photo: Andrew Lightman

French toast Turkish style at Cafe 8. Photo: Andrew Lightman

appetizing version. There’s a Greek omelet with feta, tomatoes, onion and cucumber, and a Moroccan omelet, whipped up with a wonderful highly spiced harissa sauce, feta and other Middle Eastern tastes. They also feature pides, canoe-shaped boats of Middle Eastern bread stuﬀed with toppings as varied as ground lamb, spinach and feta, spicy sausage shrimp or grilled chicken. Cava (527 8th Street SE, 202543-9090): Cava’s brunch menu, surprisingly, falls pretty much into the standards category, except…except that French toast is made with challah--the, traditional egg-y Jewish Sabbath bread that provides a foundation for the very best French toast—and 68 ★ HillRag | February 2011

and manchego cheese, garnished with salsa verde and chipotle sour cream. Montmartre (327 7th Street SE, 202-544-1244): The Hill’s quintessential French bistro (see the rave reviews on Yelp, Open Table or other foodie blogs!) plays to its roots for brunch with an appealing assortment of buckwheat crepes, loaded with a variety of ﬁllings including spinach, tomato and eggs with prosciutto or smoked salmon, or smoked salmon with mushrooms, Swiss cheese and crème fraiche, to highlight just two. Added to that, there’s croque monsieur, the classic French grilled ham and cheese sandwich, or a substantial and satisfying bowl of Montmartre’s notable mussels, with a choice of sauces. Starﬁsh Café (539 8th Street SE,

and grits that translates the grits into croquettes and the shrimp into crabmeat, all napped with lobster cream.

Massachusetts Avenue NE Bistro Cacao (320 Massachusetts Avenue NE, 202-546-4737): This great-for-a-wintry-day townhouse locale is another haven for local Francophiles. The tempting variety of crepes, croque monsieur, seafood quiche and omelets, provides a special opportunity to enjoy good food and good company in an unusually cozy and comfortable atmosphere. Café Berlin (322 Massachusetts Avenue NE, 202-543-7656): Another place to go hungry, it’s the Hill’s longtime favorite for authentic, sub-

trips to the buﬀet for more.

H Street NE Ethiopic (401 H Street NE, 202675-2066). This unique outpost on H Street serves lunch on Saturday and Sunday, and features delicious Ethiopian specialties, served on large platters with injera—spongy, soft bread with which to eat (forks on request). Ethiopian food can be spicy, with stews and sautés—lamb, chicken and beef—making up part of the menu. The other part is the wonderful assortment of vegetables, which come in great combinations perfect for sharing. If you’re new to this cuisine, try it. If you’re an experienced Ethiopian diner, it’s excellent.

Granville Moore’s (1238 H Street, 202-399-2546): Starting sometime in February everyone’s favorite H Street Belgian restaurant will offer its Saturday brunch on Sundays as well (11am-3pm). And while it is mostly a menu of standards, there are the renowned musselsto –slop up with baguette and a beer, bison burgers, and most importantly, for vegetarians, there are Eggs Benedict with vegetable sausage, and other veggie specialties. Liberty Tree I(1016 H Street E, 202-396-8733): This pan-New England establishment features tasty examples of everything from Portuguese sausage (brought to New Bedford and other fishing villages by a still-extant Portuguese fishing community) to Maine lobster, presented here in Eggs Kennebunkport— guess what, it’s lobster Eggs Benedict—but good! Another unusual treat is their Breakfast Pizza with herb butter, home fries, bacon, mozzarella, eggs and Vermont maple syrup, which is what I guess makes it New England-y! XII (1123 H Street NE, http://www.twelvedc.com) recently launched a new Sunday brunch running from 12-5pm. Offerings includes all the classics, plus the popular chicken and waffles. Entrée prices for brunch range from $8-14. Finally, there’s the massive, all-encompassing all-you-caneat Southern-style brunch at B. Smith’s (50 Massachusetts Ave. NE, 202-289-6188) at Union Station. It’s $35 and includes everything from shrimp and grits to pecan pie. And, unlimited Bloody Mary’s or mimosa’s are included in the price. Most of the places in this quick overview serve mimosas and Bloody Marys, and many have extensive and creative drink menus that go well beyond them. They all have web sites that can be checked out. Enjoy. ★

• • • • • • •

A diverse product line of quality beverages from all over the world One of the largest and most unique wine selections on Capitol Hill A friendly and knowledgeable staff Located just minutes form Downtown, DC and Alexandria, VA 1 block south of Eastern Market Metro on the vibrant Barracks Row Owned by the Williams Family since 1978; established before 1919

The best weekly wine tastings on “The Hill”- Sat (3-6pm)

CAFE BERLIN Fine German Cuisine

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202-543-7656 capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 69

ARTS& Dining

Dining Notes by Celeste McCall

Atlas Shrugs Off H Street Construction Washington’s Atlas District–the H street NE Corridor–has been hopping. Never mind the bothersome construction for our future streetcar system; people are flocking there anyway. Smith Commons, a three-story restaurant/lounge, has opened at 1245 H St. NE, (www.smithcommonsdc.com). Along with internationally accented American fare, artisanal beers, wine and cocktails will flow in a relaxing atmosphere. Smith’s ground-floor dining room is festooned with burlap curtains, vintage photos and a spacious bar, while mismatched chairs and sofas are plopped in the upstairs lounge in front of a huge picture window. There’s even a third bar. Come spring, a spacious patio will be added.

them under seafood, chicken, pork, beef, beef, lamb and vegetables. Each group comes in snack, appetizer and entree size. Fisherman’s chowder (an appetizer) was a cream-based stew, laced with clams, mussels, shrimp and cobia (ﬁsh). Our favorites were the thin strips of grilled Indian-spiced beef, artfully arranged with eggplant puree and curry-spiked cauliﬂower. We also loved the spicy

Y Rousseau Colombard, a Pinot Grigio-like vintage from California’s Russian River Valley, and a delightfully fragrant Big Nose Cabernet blend from Washington State’s Columbia Valley. Dinner for two came to $85, plus tip. Service was excellent, and we will return. The Atlas Room is open Tuesday through Thursday from 5:30 to 10 p.m., until 10:30 Friday and Saturday;

Downtown Since we often patronize the movie theaters in Penn Quarter’s Verizon Center, we’ve been watching the progress of Redline, which has slid into the former IndeBlue space across the street. Unlike its pricy predecessor, Redline, billed as a “retro-lounge,” is moderately priced. Emerging from executive chef Fabrice Reymond’s kitchen are American-style appetizers like tuna tartar spring rolls; mini beef burgers, pork barbecue, crab cakes, fried calamari. Entrees encompass Peruvian-style roast chicken with plantain mashed potatoes; eggplant and heirloom tomato lasagna; marinated hanger steak. The brick-lined lounge is on the second story, with leather-lined booths

More We were sad to see Napa 1015 depart, but are thrilled with the space’s successor, The Atlas Room. Our neighbors Bruce and Karen had been raving about the two-and-a-halfmonth-old restaurant, so we checked it out on a cold winter evening. Atlas seats 45, including high tops at the cozy bar in back. Highlighting the nicely lit decor are framed antique maps, dark green walls, pearlgrey drapes and hatbox-shaped lighting ﬁxtures. Chef/owner Matt Corde’s menu is equally creative. Instead of grouping dishes according to courses, he lists 70 ★ HillRag | February 2011

p.m. and Sunday from 10 to 3, the ala carte repast replaces the Banana’s previous all-you-can-eat buﬀet. Among appealing menu items are eggs Benedict with breakfast potatoes; the Banana BIG breakfast (three eggs, bacon, potatoes, toast), or BABY, with just 2 eggs; omelettes; huevos rancheros (fried eggs perched atop tortillas); waﬄes and smoked salmon. To drink: Lucy’s wild & crazy champagne with mango rum and nectar. Or–Ricky’s caliente (spicy) bloody Mary, made with pepper absolut vodka. If nothing there grabs you, the Banana’s regular luncheon menu is also available. The Banana Café is at 500 Eighth St. SE; call 202-543-5906 or www.bananacafedc.com.

Redline, a retro lounge at 707 G Street, NW. Photos: Courtesy of Redline

lamb fritters and chicken croquettes, but did not need the rather bland, monochromatic root vegetable gratin. The cocktail listing is a trip, with a sensational Mai Tai ( Jamaican rum, Cointreau, housemade orgeat, lim juice), New Orleans-style Sazerac (pernod, absinthe and bitters); H Street Rickey (vanilla and clover-infused bourbon, club soda, lime.) Whew! Among wines-by-the-glass, we chose

weekend brunch is in the works. The lounge serves until 1 a.m. weeknights and until 2 a.m. weekends. Closed Monday. Call 202-388-4020 or check out the nifty website: www.theatlasroom.com

New Brunch On Barracks Row, the Banana Café has unveiled its new weekend brunch. Served Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3

Tunni's Is The Place to Be on equipped with a ‘‘pour your own’’ beer system, 33 HDTV screens and electronic display boards. Redline is at 707 G St. NW, near the Gallery Place-Chinatown Metro Stations (Red, Green and Yellow Lines). Redline opens daily at 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, and at noon on weekends. For reservations call 202-5431724 or visit www.dcredline.com.

Betty Crocker Goes Cordon Bleu New businesses keep arriving at NoMa, the area north of Union Station and the U.S. Capitol. As we were still learning our way around the enormous Harris Teeter supermarket, we heard that another business is on the drawing boards. Later this spring, local chef Gillian Clark plans to unveil a neighborhood restaurant in NoMa at Third and K Streets, NE, in the Loree Grand at Union Place. Clark’s “Kitchen on K Street” will debut in April or May. This is NoMa’s second restaurant announcement in recent weeks; Todd and Ellen Gray of Equinox have also announced plans for their Watershed Restaurant, set to open in NoMa’s Hilton Garden Inn, probably in April as well. Seating about 100 people plus 25 on the patio, Kitchen on K Street will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. Clark plans to expand the menu from her now-defunct Colorado Kitchen, with roast chicken, meatloaf, and weekend brunch (with homemade donuts). “Imagine Betty Crocker gone Cordon Bleu,” Clark explained. Clark chose the NoMa spot for its neighborhood feel and history; the Loree Grand, a large, multi-use complex, is named in honor of Loree Murray, a longtime Northeast resident and community leader. Kitchen on K will serve from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., ‘til 11 p.m. weekends. Clark will have her hands full; she also operates the General Store in Silver Spring. ★

Celebrate Fat Tuesday! March 8th, 2011 The Party Begins at 6 PM $4 Hurricanes • Free Beads

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ARTS& Dining

Wine and Food in Tuscany by Jon Genderson

Twenty-two wine afficianados enjoy lunch with Marco Mazzarini of Poggio Amorelli on a trip to Tuscany sponsored by Schneider's of Capitol Hill. Photos: Courtesy of Jon Genderson

Above: Beautiful view of Tuscan grape vines. Below: Rick Genderson, Daniele Catalani and Jon Genderson after a big meal.

er/winemaker at Castillo Vicchiomaggio, had our group swooning. John and his family have restored a castle where construction was begun in the tenth century. The property is magnificent with some of the finest views in all of Tuscany. John guided us through his meticulous vineyards, the winery and finally the caves before serving us a five course lunch at his restaurant. Our quick visit to Florence for the evening was almost a letdown after such wonderful hospitality. I think the most fun I had on the trip was visiting a large grocery store in Poggiobonsi. Vastly different from the small markets in other towns where we shopped, this store was larger than a Costco. It had everything, including a huge bakery with fresh breads of every kind imaginable, pizza and desserts. There was a little old lady carving a 100lb pig, fresh sausages and salamis, and a cheese selection unlike any I have seen. Our last full day was spent in Montalcino,

talian food is all the rage these days with numerous Italian restaurants opening throughout the city. Last year saw a new Italian opening here on the Hill, Acqua al 2; Carmine’s from New York opened a branch in Penn Quarter; and the long awaited Galileo III was opened by Roberto Donna. Italian cooking classes are also becoming more popular as food aficionados rediscover the wonders of Italian cuisine. It was with this in mind that the very talented Daniele Catalani, chef/proprietor of Tuscana Café at 2nd and “F” Streets NE along with his wife, Vicki, teamed up with my brother Rick and I to take our customers on a wine and food adventure to Daniele’s native Tuscany. We took 22 aficionados in late September for five days of winery tours and tastings with the owners and winemakers, multiple course lunches with their best wines followed by cooking classes, wine tastings and dinners at our villa.

72 ★ HillRag | February 2011

We stayed at the charming Locanda le Piazze, a boutique hotel located on a Tuscan hilltop amongst beautiful vineyards roughly halfway between Florence and Sienna. The hotel oﬀered a good size kitchen for Daniele’s cooking classes and large living and dining rooms for our tastings and dinners. Our bus driver, Giancarlo, drove us everywhere so no one was concerned about how much we drank and as our wine dinners were ﬁnished with excellent grappa and lemoncello, it was a pleasure to be able to walk to our rooms. The trip was quite relaxing with only one winery visit scheduled per day. We never left our villa before 10:00 a.m. and usually had a glass of wine in our hands by noon. Highlights of the trip included a tour and tasting at Poggio Amorelli with owner/winemaker Marco Mazzarini. His wines are delicious and we learned a great deal from him over a very long lunch in Castellina in Chianti. Our visit with my old friend John Matta, own-

the beautiful hilltop town where Brunello is produced. We met Patrizia Aglieta in the town square and followed her over curving dirt roads that I thought way too small for our vans. Finally we emerged at Patrizia’s house; her garage is the winery. The views from her home were breathtaking and everyone gasped when they saw the spread of Tuscan delicacies spread before us on her dining room table. Aside from running the winery, Patrizia also owns a professional cooking school in Rome. We tasted through several vintages of her Pomo Supertuscan and her Brunellos while eating way too much food. It was a truly wonderful time. The trip was so much fun we are doing it again this spring from May 24-31. This fabulous all inclusive trip guarantees a great time for all. Please feel free to contact me (jon@ cellar.com) for more information.

Wine Highlights from Tuscany

Castillo Vicchiomaggio Ripa della Mandorle 2008 ($15) Bright cherry, dried cherry and sandalwood jump from the glass of this delicious supertuscan from Castillo Vicchiomaggio. A delicious blend of 80% Sangiovese and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, this medium bodied gem is soft, lush and balanced. At this price you will want to purchase by the case!

Castillo Vicchiomaggio Chianti Classico Reserva Vigna La Prima 2007 ($40) The 2007 Vigna La Prima was a clear favorite of everyone in our group. This single vineyard Chianti Classico is big and mouthfilling with gobs of black cherry and blackberry fruit. There is wonderful depth to this fruit, excellent concentration, and full, fat, complex flavors that linger well into the long finish. It is delicious now but will continue to improve for a decade.

Poggio Amorelli Chianti Classico 2007 ($20)

Castello Vicchiomaggio Ripa della More 2006 ($60)

This delicious 2007 Chianti Classico has violets and vanilla on the nose which follows through to a full-bodied palate, soft tannins and a long, ﬂavorful ﬁnish. It represents incredible value!

This “SuperTuscan” is predominantly Sangiovese blended with Cabernet and Merlot. It possesses a gorgeous nose of toasty, vanillin-scented new oak, and plenty of jammy, red and black fruits. Wellendowed with full body, excellent richness, and a chewy, ﬂeshy, spicy, tannic ﬁnish.

Poggio Amorelli Chianti Classico Reserva 2006 ($30) Ripe and focused, this gorgeous Chianti Classico Reserva has excellent berry fruit, a round, full bodied and sustained palate leading to a stylish ﬁnish. The ripe, caressing tannins are beginning to soften and will allow this delicious wine to evolve for several more years.

Ricasoli Chianti del Baron 2006 ($16) Fresh and clean with black fruits, earthy mineral ﬂavors, and a zingy ﬁnish. Great for pizza and pasta.

Ricasoli Brolio Chianti Classico 2006 ($25) Dark and full with blackberry and dark chocolate undertones leading to a silky texture and lots of fruit. The long and rich ﬁnish is almost decadent.

Roberto Aglieta Brunello di Montalcino 2004 ($70) This may be the finest Brunello I have tasted. Unfortunately, Roberto Aglieta passed away in 2008 after making the 2008 vintage. He and his winemaking will be sorely missed. This spectacular 2004 is finessed and regal with layers of perfumed fruit framed by silky tannins. It is elegant yet massive with complex flavors of red and black fruit, spice, leather and earth. You can taste something else with each extremely pleasurable sip. Hold on to this beauty for at least ten more years and it will be the finest wine in your cellar. Jon Genderson is co-owner of Schneider’s of Capitol Hill ★

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ARTS& Dining

TH E ATE R A Shortage of Shorts

DC Deserves to See More Short Plays by Brad Hathaway

uick! What’s the one failing of the Washington theatre community? Not enough classics? No. Not enough new plays? No. Not enough cutting edge work? No. Not enough fabulous talents on stage or oﬀ? No! Not enough musicals? Are you kidding? Not enough works based on books, or African-American, or Irish or Jewish themes or … No, No, No, No, No! The only area I can think of where our theatre community comes up short is - well, short stuﬀ. Barbara Parnisi, who edits the annual “The Best American Short Plays” for Applause Theatre and Cinema Books says that in her home town of New York City she attends between 35 and 50 festivals of short plays each year as well as attending individual productions at theaters around town. Then, of course, the mail brings scripts for her consideration for the book. In all, she says she considers between 700 and 1,000 short plays for each year’s volume. She also says that her contacts in Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco report healthy activity in short plays. So why is it there are so few opportunities to sample this intriguing genre here in our own otherwise incredibly vibrant theatre community? As far as I can tell, none of the sixteen plays whose scripts she prints in the latest edition has ever been performed on a stage here. This is troubling when you consider the delights in the current volume. There’s David Ives’ whimsical “St. Francis 74 ★ HillRag | February 2011

Preaches to the Birds” which ﬁnds the saint known for communicating with animals engaging in a discussion of religious dogma with two vultures who have begun eating his carcass just a few beats before death makes it

ready for them. There’s Neil LaBute’s “A Second of Pleasure” detailing the conversation between two illicit lovers at the moment they decide to break up because the woman

wants to stop cheating on her husband while the man admits the cheating itself is part of the thrill. I’ve been covering both professional and community theater here for nearly ﬁfteen years and I’ve seen an evening of short plays here and there on rare occasions, but I’m only aware of three regular festivals - two professional and one featuring the work of community theaters from all over the region. Those of you who read this on the day the paper comes out might want to act quickly to catch one of those festivals. The Madcap Players’ Midwinter Festival of Short Plays is running through Sunday’s matinee, January 30, at the H Street Playhouse. It oﬀers fully professional presentations of nine plays in just over two hours. There’s Mark Harvey Levine’s sweet and not at all depressing scene of two teenage sisters planning the funeral of the younger one due to her terminal condition, “What Ever I Want,” and Alex Dremann’s humorous “The Narcoleptic Pillow Fight” in which a married couple who seem to have been drawn to each other by the fact that they both have a sleep disorder, try to carry on an argument while one or the other seems to fall asleep in the middle of nearly every other sentence. Robin Pond’s “Quantum Entanglement” looks at the common warning “be careful what you wish for” in a short play of a couple with the power to change the past, and in “Falling” playwright Angie

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Brad Hathaway reviews theater in Virginia, Washington and Maryland as well as Broadway and writes about theater for a number of national magazines. He welcomes feedback from those he writes about and those he writes for. He can be reached at brad.hathaway@verizon.net. ★

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A really good play is only as long as it needs to be. No filler. No stretching to make an evening out of a concept that only really needs an hour - or half an hour or even less. Parnisi’s only criteria for being a “short play” is that it is performed without an intermission. One of the plays in her latest volume, Carey Lovelace’s “The Stormy Waters, The Long Way Home” is only three pages long. But it packs a punch that would be diminished by more words. Many really intriguing ideas are well worth doing, but not worth an entire evening. Actually, there may be more great ideas for scenes out there than there are great ideas for a multi-act play. The test of a topic isn’t if it is good enough to deserve an entire evening but, rather, if it is worth doing in the first pace. Besides, stretching beyond the worth of the concept weakens it and leaves the audience unsettled by the waste of their time. Our theatre community is blessed with many companies whose specialties would lend themselves to mounting shorter works. Round House Theatre prides itself on stage adaptations of literature. How about some adaptations of short stories? The American Century Theatre’s mission is to present important but neglected works by the great American playwrights of the past century. How about some of the one-act plays of Eugene O’Neill, Thornton Wilder or Edward Albee? There are many short pieces by Irish authors that could be of interest to the audiences of Keegan Theatre or Solas Nua. Some now offer readings of shorter works, but we need a chance to see fully staged productions of the best of this genre.

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Farrow explores the different meanings of the one word title with plot points about falling in love, falling for a false argument or simply falling in an uncontrolled descent. There’s even a fifteen minute musical by Shawn Northrip that delivers precisely what the title promises, “Paul Bunyan vs. the Tree Conservation Coalition.” Come June there will be two more opportunities to sample short plays. Source, the small theater on 14th Street operated by the Cultural Development Corporation hosts an annual festival that, among other things, features plays that run no more than ten minutes apiece. Last year, the festival had three evenings with a total of 18 plays of such diverse natures as a heart transplant patient who finds the heart she gains brings its own love with it, a woman who has to bury her first husband twice, and a play built on the set-up to a joke: “Cupid walks into a bar… “. The Source festival is a professional production with some of our finest directors and actors. Among last year’s directors were GALA’s Abel Lopez, actor Craig Wallace, Rorschach Theater’s Randy Baker and the Washington Stage Guild’s Bill Largess. Community theaters compete for honors in a nationwide festival of not quite so short plays. Locally, NVTA (the initials used to stand for the Northern Virginia Theatre Alliance before the group went to using just the letters when companies from DC and Maryland joined up) hosts a festival in June from which the winners move on to a regional competition with the possibility of a national prize as well. Last year the NVTA OneAct Play Festival had four groupings over two weekends with short plays produced by seven local companies. The Castaways Repertory Theatre of Woodbridge won “Best Production” honors for the hour long “The Meeting,” an original play by Greg Powell that takes place in an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. NVTA’s festival this year will be June 17-

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ARTS& Dining

ATTHE MOVIES

A Trio of Contemporary Stories from the US, the UK, and Canada by Mike Canning

The Company Men “The Company Men” thoughtfully treats a theme rarely addressed in mainstream Hollywood: the workings of business in America—and the consequences of the global economy. Writer-director John Wells (known as executive producer of TV’s “ER” and “The West Wing”) takes on the story of a corporate down-sizing by limning the fates of three company men let go from a Boston-based conglomerate (rated R, it runs 109 min.). Bobby Walker (Ben Affleck) is a hot-shot salesman for the company, GTX. Phil Woodward (Chris Cooper) is a lifer who worked his way up from the shop floor to an executive suite. Gene McClary (Tommy Lee Jones) is the firm’s co-founder, a crusty sort who has seen GTX transformed from its original ship-building purpose into a massive multinational. Gene’s original partner, Jim Salinger (Craig T. Nelson), is smart enough— or reptilian enough—to embrace the now predatory company’s global reach. The personnel director, Sally Wilcox (Maria Bello), agonizes as she carries out the firings that all dread. We follow each man redirecting his life, from Bobby, in a demeaning job search, to Phil, facing increasing disbelief and despair, to Gene, feeling a loss of purpose and focus. The ends are tragic for one, and partially redemptive for two, as they join to recreate a new, more humane business. The latter element appears to be Well’s overall message: we must abandon an economy of financial manipulation and return to actually making useful things. This has become a bromide for the Great Recession, but the film makes it feel urgent through its rounded portrayals of the three company men. Affleck, in a role precisely suited 76 ★ HillRag | February 2011

Tommy Lee Jones (left) and Ben Affleck in THE COMPANY MEN. Photo: Folger/ The Weinstein Company

to his talents (even his Boston accent), moves convincingly from insouciant sales guy through frustrated ex-breadwinner to plucky self-starter. Cooper’s appropriately dour face is just right for role of the man whose entire reasonfor-being has died, while Jones’ innate curmudgeon matches perfectly a grand ol’ man who has seen the world he knew spin off in a new direction. One of the pleasures of “The Company Men” is the quality of the several supporting roles. First among them is Rosemarie DeWitt, as Bobby’s wife Maggie, who embodies the sensible, hopeful presence of a supportive wife, the kind of woman any guy who’s been laid off would want in his corner. Kevin Costner, as a contractor who takes on Bobby when he most needs work, is a nice mix of up-front sarcasm and hidden compassion. Wells, in his first feature film, has debuted with an utterly contemporary and affecting look at our society.

Another Year Mike Leigh, vivid chronicler of British life, wrote and directed “Another Year,” which features an older London couple as their lives rub up against friends in various states of dysfunction. The year is presented over four seasons, each a chapter in the couple’s life. Veterans Jim Broadbent and Ruth Sheen play the couple (Tom and Gerri), he a geologist, she a counselor, who’ve attained an easygoing, domestic bliss. Rarely do the movies show a genuinely happy, yet distinctive, husband and wife, but Leigh does it here, with his two actors making all the right moves of tranquil yet loving home life. It’s their mutual care and comfort that contrasts so dramatically with that of their friends. Among those dysfunctional friends is Mary (Leslie Manville, a regular in Leigh ﬁlms). She is a needy near-alcoholic whose giddy presence conceals a life of unrelieved empti-

ness. She seeks for an affirmation she never finds and exhibits a desperate desire to connect with a man, even the son of her friends. This portrayal can be compared to other of Leigh’s unsympathetic characters who yet achieve fullrounded definition. Think of the baleful David Thewlis in “Naked” or the giddy Sally Hawkins in “Happy-Go-Lucky”—both figures that were very irritating--yet still compelling. Typically, Leigh makes movies with a steady, even pulse, an earned naturalism that eschews easy drama for the complexities of life, and that he does it again in “Another Year.” (The film, now in release, is rated PG-13 and runs 129 min.)

Barney’s Version Canadian novelist Mordecai Richler’s picaresque novel of 1997, “Barney’s Version,” becomes a picaresque movie of the same name, a neat parallel with an earlier Richler novel from 1959, “The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz,” which became an acclaimed film of 1974 and made a star out of a young Richard Dreyfuss. Richler writes about his own milieu, the bustling, Jewish confines of Montreal, with a story that covers 35 years in its protagonist’s life. The protagonist is Barney Panofsky (Paul Giammatti), a schlemiel and a schlub, a macher and a putz— line up all the Yiddish attributes--the wayward kid of his cop father, Izzy, (Dustin Hoffman). He becomes a producer of a long-running Canadian soap opera and makes a career out of it. He is also a schemer, a drunk, and a serial marrier. His first wife (Rachelle Lefevre)—from a Roman

interlude—kills herself, and his second (Minnie Driver) drives him nuts as he pines for what will become his third bride, lovely, sweet Miriam Grant (Rosamund Pike). He lives his dreams for a while, having two fine kids in the bargain, but that dream cannot last. A major weakness of “Barney’s Version,” is its treatment of women. Here, I think Richler may be blamed for depicting females who are stereotypical and one-dimensional. Many major North American writers have had trouble writing convincingly about women, think of Philip Roth, Norman Mailer, and Saul Bellow, among others, and Richler here, as re-written by screenwriter Michael Konyves, is guiltly of the same. Wife No. 1 is a coarse cipher; wife No. 2 is narcissistic and vulgar. Wife No. 3 is perfect (rather too perfect) and though played sweetly by Ms. Pike (an English actress of quality), she lacks definition next to the ebullient Barney. But the reason to see this movie is Paul Giamatti, one of our great film character actors. “Barney’s Version” aims to be both funny and poignant, and it achieves that in the character of Barney, a role made for the skills and persona of Giammatti. Think of his leading roles in “American Splendor” and “Sideways,” marvelous and revelatory takes on the contemporary sad sack, and stack this one alongside it. His rough-bearded face, hang-dog eyes, every-present gut, wiseacre tone—all combine to give his Barney a resonance and believability to cherish. The film, rated “R” with a running time of 132 minutes, was released on January 28. Long-time Hill resident Mike Canning has written on movies for the Hill Rag since 1993 and is a member of the Washington Area Film Critics Association. His reviews and writings on film can be found online at www.mikesflix.com. His reviews of Mike Leigh films include “Secrets and Lies,” “Career Girls,” and “Topsy-Turvy.” ★

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Artist Portrait: Bruce McNeil

ruce McNeil photographs the Anacostia River. He is in love with the drifting, mysterious energy that both separates and unifies a city. It flows through the dreams of a people and the passions of the photographer. The result is the difference between a snapshot and a work of art. McNeil is there when darkness comes and the surface reflects our universe of moon and stars and the lights along its banks and over its bridges. He is out there in the icy dawn in the winter to catch the first reflections on the frozen surface. He is there in the sweltering heat of the summer days when the waters are slow and grumpy. He is there through all seasons to photograph the wild things that come and go, the trees and flowers that grow along the banks, and the creatures that slide beneath the surface. Bruce brings all of these elements together in one image, through the strength of intense light and color to transpose this “meek” landscape and expose its natural beauty – the magic that thrives beyond casual appearances. He has practiced “fine art photography in the abstract” for many years. The camera lens is his brush. Originally from New York City, he lived in Montreal before coming to DC. His interest in photography

78 ★ HillRag | February 2011

A Capitol Hill artist and writer, Jim can be reached at ArtandtheCity05@aol.com

began with a job as a dark room technician at Look Magazine in the ‘60s, and he has studied with Minor White and other masters of the camera. He has a long list of solo shows in this area and is represented in many private and public collections. His interest in the river environment, and promoting its worth is not just personal. He encourages others to share the experience and create art that will inspire respect for this living ecosystem. Bruce has organized the Anacostia School of Photography. All the artists are from Southeast Washington. They have a group show at the Parish Gallery in Georgetown, opening Feb. 4. (See Gallery Openings)

Jim Magner’s Thoughts on Art Art has always been in love with water. We love water in art because it’s like being in love with ourselves. We are, all of us, mostly water…about 65% by volume. Our brains are about 75%. I sometimes think water invented us just to get around a little more. Rivers in particular jolt me with a deep-seated emotional reaction. Our blood, about 83%, lubricates, cools, transports nutrients from head to toe and carries oﬀ wastes. Just

artandthecity

BY JIM MAGNER

like rivers and streams. I was raised in the desert around Tucson and even the dry riverbed had an emotional grip on me. I loved uncovering the fragments of man and nature that were strewn through its sand-packed bed, cleaned and polished to a gem-like finish. Then the big rain would come, the river would roar and wash away the contempt of those too foolish to respect it. As a boy, I played in the cool streams that bounced and bubbled through rocky desert canyons, even in the summer. As an art student I was drawn to the canyons in the early mornings. When the air warmed, the colors sprung to life and all the things that lived in and by the water would reveal themselves in flashes and sounds. I painted quickly to capture each magic moment. I painted what I saw and tried to paint what I could only feel. Bruce McNeil (see Artist Profile) photographs the Anacostia River. He reaches beyond appearances to capture the force of the river’s path through time and place. He understands that the power of water is in what you see, what you don’t see, and what you can only feel. Bruce McNeil understands the Anacostia.

At the Museums “In Unison: 20 Washington, DC Artists” The Kreeger Museum 2401 Foxhall Rd NW - Feb. 26 This show evolved from a monoprint project initiated by local Washington Color School legend, Sam Gilliam. The select group of artists interacted in the print studio to reach a true sense of collaboration. “Creating a group portfolio and exhibiting together expresses the ideas of unity and identity that are underlying motives of the project, and which are vital to sustaining a thriving artistic community.” www.kreegermuseum.org

“Caribbean Interventions” Art Museum of the Americas 201 18th St. NW - Mar. 10 “Wrestling with the Image: Caribbean Interventions” highlights contemporary art from 12 Caribbean countries. The “wrestling” refers to the

individual interpretations of what it means to be Caribbean. The artists attempt to confront cultural and artistic stereotypes without abandoning cultural traditions. It is ultimately about movement – the movement of form, color and style within the picture itself, the dispersement of people throughout the islands and the great mixing of origins and ideas. www.museum. oas.org.

Philip Guston, Roma The Phillips Collection 1600 21st St. NW Feb. 12 - May 15 Philip Guston (1912–1980) drew inspiration “…from the ﬁlms of Federico Fellini and the ruins of ancient Rome to the works of Italian Renaissance and modern painters.” This is an exhibition of nearly 40 paintings focused on work he completed as an artist-in-residence at the American Academy in Rome in 1970-71. It’s part of a citywide celebration of Italy, La Dolce DC. www.phillipscollection.org.

At the Galleries “Revealing the Treasures of the East” Parish Gallery, 1054 31st St. NW, Feb. 4 – 27 Bruce McNeil (See, Artist Proﬁle) leads the Anacostia River School of Photography in a group show that celebrates the beauty and promise of the river that drifts from rural Maryland to urban DC on its way to join the Potomac. It opens with an artist reception at the Parish Gallery in Georgetown, Feb 4, 6-8. This should be a great experience. Don’t miss it. www.parishgallery.com.

All-Media Show Capitol Hill Art League 545 7th St. SE, Feb. 7 – Mar 4 CHAL opens its all-media juried exhibit Sat., Feb. 12, from 5 –7 with an artists’ reception that welcomes the public. The juror for the exhibit, Janis Goodman, from the Corcoran College of Art and Design, will discuss the pieces selected for the show. The receptions are always a good time and a learning experience. www. caphillartleague.org ★ capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 79

★ ★ ★ the FEBRUARY CALENDAR LITERARY HILL

A Compendium of Readers, Writers, Books, & Events by Karen Lyon

s promised last month, I’ll be sharing some outtakes from my early interviews with local writers as a run-up to the Literary Hill BookFest (sponsored by Capital Commuity News) on May 15. For information about the Fest, to volunteer, or to make a tax-deductible donation, please visit our website at www.literaryhillbookfest.org.

The first annual BookFest celebrating books and authors on Capitol Hill will be held at Eastern Market on May 15.

Bearding the Lion in His Den “I don’t do smiley faces,” Jonathan Yardley warned us. “I look like a fool when I’m smiling in photos, so I’ll give you my solemn look.” True to his word, he pulled a sour face in the ﬁrst several photos that my husband/ photographer Ed McManus took. Then Sophie got into the act. The minute the little dachshund jumped into his

lap, Yardley’s face relaxed and, while he wasn’t exactly wreathed in smiles, he didn’t look quite so forbidding. Forbidding was exactly what I feared when I finally approached the Pulitzer Prize-winning critic of the Washington Post for a “Hill Writers” interview in January of 2004. Two years before, I had interviewed his wife Marie Arana, editor of the Post’s Book World, who had just published her best-selling memoir, “American Chica.” She was warm, charming, and open about the difficulties of making the transition from reviewer to reviewee, her family’s reaction to the revelations in her book, and how, when she and Yardley married, he moved to the Style section of the paper so he would not be working for her. “That would have been very uncomfortable,” she said with a giggle. “He wouldn’t have listened to me at all.” Eventually, however, the time came to beard the lion in his den. After all, how intimidating could he be? As it turned out, not very much at all. We chatted about the long and varied career trajectory that landed him at the Post, and about his growing up the son of a headmaster at a private school. “[My father] and I had a very complicated relationship,” he said. “His outspokenness and… firm

Washington Post book critic Jonathan Yardley sits with his dachshund Sophie for a 2004 “Hill Rag” interview. 80 ★ HillRag | February 2011 2010

and curmudgeonly opinions… all that I can trace directly to my father.” He also revealed a trait that most people would not associate with him. “I’m really quite shy,” he said, which is why he did not follow in the footsteps of his early mentor James Reston. “There are some shy people who use reporting as a way to overcome that, but I really can’t ask people questions they don’t want to answer.” Yardley also confessed that, while he has written nearly 5,000 book reviews, several biographies and a memoir, he can’t write fiction. “I wrote one paragraph once and I realized that was it,” he said. “I just don’t have an ounce of the creative imagination.” He recalled what his friend and novelist Anne Tyler once told a reporter -- “I’ve got these characters who come pull on my skirts, demanding, Pay attention to me.” -- which led him to his favorite hobbyhorse: the current state of American literary fiction. “In the late 70s and early 80s, I taught [a few of ] what are very pretentiously called ‘writing seminars’ and I got to see the creative writing types…guys with big egos and minimal talents [who are] passing these students through the mill,” he said. “And then I began to see it in what I fairly think is called ‘the product’: assembly-line fiction, all of it perfectly done, all very solipsistic, too lazy and smug to make an effort to engage the reader. They’re just sort of, Here I am, aren’t I great? Or, Aren’t I pathetic, and don’t you want to hold my hand and sob with me?” Yardley’s taste runs more toward nonfiction and classical literature, a taste frequently reflected in the choices for his thoughtful and gracefully-written reviews. He also had the chance to indulge his passion for older books in ‘Second Reading,’ a recurrent feature in the Post in which he brought to light lesser known gems and revisited some classics, often finding, as he did with “Catcher in the Rye,” that they don’t stand the test of time.

At one point in our interview, as I struggled to keep up with this intellectually stimulating man (who was able to use the word ‘execrable’ in conversation without sounding like a pompous idiot), I glanced over his shoulder to see Sophie and the other family dachshund, Jaeger, performing an act more commonly associated with the barnyard. There was a short gap in my note-taking while I refocused my attention. Later, when Yardley mentioned that Arana would be home soon and invited me to stay for a drink, he laughingly revealed that cocktail hour, for some reason, often whipped the dogs into an amorous frenzy. “I know!” I wanted to say. “You should have seen them earlier!”

Taking Heart in the Big Apple Ariel Sabar delivers a Valentine in his new book “Heart of the City: Nine Stories of Love and Serendipity on the Streets of New York.” Inspired by the story of his own parents, who met in Washington Square Park, Sabar wondered about others who had met and fallen in love in public places. “I always knew I had America to thank, at least in part, for my parents’ meeting. But had I overlooked the role of Washington Square Park? Could a vibrant public space, in some subtle but essential way, play matchmaker?” Sabar, whose previous book, “My Father’s Paradise,” won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Autobiography, turned his reportorial eye to the question of how where we are affects what we do and how we feel. In his introduction, he explores the field of environmental psychology, cites experiments showing how different settings influence people’s reactions to the same set of stimuli, and shows how the proper place – with a moderate level of activity, a focal point, perhaps some water and a sense of mystery – can, as one expert he quotes puts it, “push you over the edge into falling in love.” “But I am a storyteller by trade,’ he writes, and so, [with] “New York

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City as my laboratory, [I] began a search for couples.” The nine pairs whose stories he tells in “Heart of the City” span several generations and defy age, class, and national origin. Yet from sailors on leave to classical musicians, from disoriented tourists to waifs sleeping on park benches, the people in these engaging stories all share a common sense of romance and wonder. Like a big box of chocolates, their stories make you want to linger over their sweetness–-and then rush to the epilogue to ﬁnd out what happened to these people who so captured your imagination. But what of Sabar himself? Did he also ﬁnd the love of his life in Central Park or at the top of the Empire State Building? Well, no. As alluded to on his dedication page and expanded on in a recent e-mail, his initial meeting with his wife-to-be was far less romantic. “She caught my eye in college while ladling turkey tetrazzini or some other awful thing onto my plate at the mess hall.” He and Meg now have two children and live on Capitol Hill. ★

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Thoughts of a Jazz Lover! Jazz can be enigmatic, an alchemy of mysterious sounds and moods that is spontaneous and yet deliberate in its free ﬂowing creativity. The music can be complex, but good jazz feels as simple as ﬁrst love—it goes straight to the heart and rests there, beating gently. At times, the music can be so life-like that it speaks to you with honesty and love. One still gets a keen sense of understanding of the complexity of the music. There is such a high note of haughtiness, perhaps a natural aristocracy from a kind of inbred austerity about jazz that puts it in a class by itself, elevating one to a higher ground of one’s consciousness. It almost borders on elitism, and yet jazz strikes one as a beautiful music for everyone. And it is, especially for those of us who not only enjoy, but truly love, the music. True, most good jazz musicians more than likely think of jazz as the arbiter of modern music. And on a good day, I think they are correct. You can walk in your door after a hard day’s work and a harrowing Metro ride, put on Sarah Vaughn and your world is transformed. Your mind clears, your body relaxes and suddenly life is pretty good. There’s no drug in the world that can do that. Jazz is beautiful music. Jazz Brazil •••

by Jean-Keith Fagon

Cote d’Azur •••• The Rippingtons, Peak Records Russ Freeman and the Rippingtons have thrilled their fans for more than 25 years with fun-loving music, at times to the jubilation point of ecstasy. Still, this latest release, Cote d’Aur, inspired by Mr. Freeman’s love for the French people and the revered region of the French Riviera, conjures up wild, exotic dancing and celebration and mesmerizing dreams of ancient Arabian nights. “This is the best album I’ve ever written,” says Mr. Freeman, “and unlike on any other Rippingtons recording, the music is a pristine crystallization of the way I ﬁrst heard it in my head. I think the incredible cultural connection between France and America hit me one night in Nice when I was watching a show on the history of St. Tropez.” Every musician shines on this album and every song

82 ★ HillRag | February 2011

Mark Weinstein, Jazzheads Although this album is billed as Brazilian jazz the music here is too laid back and much more about Mark Weinstein with his flutes. With the exception of the title track “Brazil,” “Dawn’s Early Light,” “Memphis Underground,” and “Samosco,” the album lacks the spicy flavor and flamboyant flair of Brazilian culture and celebratory music. Supported by fine musicians Kenny Barron (piano), Nelson Matta (bass) and Marcello Pelliteri (drums and percussion), this album is worth checking out. It seems that love is, in a manner of speaking, such powerful and mysterious force that has no earthly boundaries for any of us.

Art Of Love ••• Robert Sadin, Deutsche Grammophon For those of us who have discovered and experienced love, made love, lost love and found love again, this album is a classic collection on the “Art of Love” by musicians from all around the world. There is something reverent, almost sacredly prescient, in songs like “Douce Dame” by Hassan Hakmoun, “Force Of Love” and “Helas” from Charles Curtis, “Love Without End” and “Tu, meu sonho vivo” by Milton Nascimento, “Natalie’s Song” by Natalie Merchant, and “Dame, si vous m’etes lointaine” performed by Robert Sadin.

Broke Down Beautiful ••• Steve Krause, Producer Ben Wisch “Steve Krause meditates upon the dualities of life, love and loss on the singer-songwriter’s second album, Broke Down Beautiful, an acoustic adult rock collection produced by Grammy-winner Ben Wisch. At the core of his ten original songs are his lyrics — provocative, clever turns of phrase artfully wedded to intimate melodies and a warm, expressive voice. He has a way of engaging his listeners so deeply that they feel as if they are having an intimate conversation with a friend. His soothing, resonant and occasionally haunting melodies are thoughtfully coaxed from an acoustic guitar, and range from softly finger-picked ballads to rhythmically strummed up-tempo cuts. Producer Ben Wisch adorned the tracks with gentle instrumental accents and subtle flourishes using countrified steel and cool-toned electric guitars, keyboards and organs, aching cellos and violins, and drums and percussion that further the artist’s revealing messages. Mr. Krause does not get bogged down by darkness or overwrought by emotion. Instead, he offers glimmers of comfort and hope, beacons of light leading towards brighter days. Standouts include “I Were A Book,” “Halls Of Your Heart.” All CDs and DVDS reviewed in this article are heard through Bowers & Wilkens 802D Speakers and ASW 4000 subwoofer, and Rotel Preamp 1070, amplifier 1092 and CD player 1072. CDs are available for purchase through amazon.com For more information about this column, please email your questions to fagon@hillrag.com. ★

Health & Fitness “Love is the most important thing in our lives, a passion for which we would fight or die, and yet we’re reluctant to linger over its names. Without a supple vocabulary, we can’t even talk or think about it directly.” - Diane Ackerman as quoted in “The Gifts of Imperfection” by Brene´ Brown

Living Wholeheartedly Knowing You are Worthy of Love and Belonging by Ronda Bresnick Hauss, LCSW

client of mine recently recommended that I watch a talk about vulnerability, given by the qualitative researcher Brene´ Brown, which is posted on the internet (see www.ted.com). This 20-minute talk was remarkable and I highly recommend it to you. As is often the case with me, when I ﬁnd something interesting I want to know more about it. So I bought one of Dr. Brown’s books and settled in to read for the weekend. What interests me most about Brown’s research is that she asks such intriguing questions about life, wondering about such matters as: what it takes to live life wholeheartedly, knowing that we are both imperfect and vulnerable but at the same time also worthy of love and belonging. She explores the ideas of courage, compassion and connection as daily practices, which she maintains are the tools for developing worthiness. Why is worthiness so crucial? Because her research shows that the only thing that separated the men and women who felt a deep sense of love and belonging from the people who struggle for it is that they believed that they were worthy of love and belonging. So, if we want to fully experience love and belonging, according to Brown, we must believe that we are worthy of love and belonging.

Being Enough We are all biologically, cognitively, physically and spiritually wired to love, be loved and belong, says Brown’s research and that of many others. If those needs are not met, we suﬀer. Many of us, however, believe that we will be worthy of love and belonging only after certain conditions are met -- for ex-

ample: once we lose 20 pounds, get sober, make partner, get married, get pregnant, get the approval we are looking for from others, and so on. The greatest challenge for most of us is believing that we are worthy right now of love and belonging -- that we are enough, just as we are, right in this moment.

Courage, Compassion, Connection The tools for developing worthiness, says Brown, are to practice courage, compassion and connection in our daily lives. The word courage -- the root of which is cor or the Latin word for heart -- originally meant to speak one’s mind by telling all one’s heart, she explains. Everyday courage is about being willing to put our vulnerability on the line -- to be willing to speak honestly and openly about who we are and what we are feeling and about our experiences (both good and bad). In deﬁning compassion, Brown draws on the wisdom of the Buddhist nun Pema Chödrön: “In cultivating compassion we draw from the wholeness of our experience-- our suﬀering, our empathy, as well as our cruelty and terror. It has to be this way. Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded. It’s a relationship between equals. Only when

we know our own darkness well can we be present with the darkness of others. Compassion becomes real when we recognize our shared humanity.” Brown’s point is that when we are vulnerable and open we will inevitably experience pain and that our ﬁrst response to pain is often to self-protect, to look for someone or something to blame or to be judgmental. To live a wholehearted life means being willing to be honest and forgiving -- compassionate -- when we get hurt and shut down. This means being loving and compassionate with ourselves as well as with others. Being connected to others is another pillar to living life wholeheartedly. Connection is the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard and valued -- when they can give and receive without judgment and derive strength from the relationship. To live wholeheartedly means being willing to give and to receive with an open heart.

The Journey Living a wholehearted life is a process, not a one-time event. It is a commitment to be willing to share authentically, feel the pain of others and stay genuinely connected to the world. Brown notes, “To practice courage, compassion, and connection is to look at life and the people around us, and say, ‘I’m all in’.” That, succinctly, is living a wholehearted life. Ronda Bresnick Hauss is a licensed clinical social worker and the founder of the Quiet Waters Center for Trauma, Stress and Resilience, on Capitol Hill. She uses an integrative approach to psychotherapy using traditional talk therapy, meditation, visualization, and creative, non-verbal techniques. She can be reached at 202-544-5050 and at http:// www.quietwaterscenter.com. ★

capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 83

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Your Pet Won’t Live Forever Life After the Death of Your Companion Animal by Debbie Duel a repeat of Fred. Callie, whom she adopted from the Washington Animal Rescue League, is a smooth-coated mixed border collie. “I made a conscious decision to adopt a dog who was very different from Fred,” said Diane. “Fred had such a large circle of friends; I didn’t want people making comparisons.” Like Fred, Callie plays in Garfield Park and routinely hangs out in Diane’s Hill office, but there is no mistaking the two dogs. Some people deal with the Nineteen years old and much-loved, Tasha the day before she died. loss of an animal by immediately choosing to adopt an animal of the ruce, our best cat, died August 20, same breed and sex. Some even 2010. A street-wise tomcat who came give the new animal the same name as the to us as a bedraggled foster, Bruce one who died. In Marjorie Sharmat’s 1991 lived with my family for just six years. Once picture book, “I’m the Best,” Dudley, the new in our home, Bruce’s health and appearance dog, realizes that his family is still mourning improved instantly. In no time, Big Bruce be- the loss of their 14-year-old dog, Fritz. came top cat. The other cats backed off when “Fritz was their dog,” Dudley realizes. Bruce wanted their food, and when Nigel, “He got old, I guess. And that was that. They a 70-plus-pound black Labrador retriever, really miss him. Too bad. Sad. ‘But, listen moved in, Bruce made his unassailable sta- ,folks,’ I want to yell. ‘I can’t take anybody tus known with just one full-faced hiss and else’s place. I’m just me.” a quick left hook to the nose. Bruce could Our house felt empty after Bruce died. beat anyone and anything—except for kid- Never mind that Nigel and the two surviving ney failure. cats, Micky and Merl, were still under foot, We take animals into our homes knowing sleeping on the bed, and begging at the dinthat we will outlive them, yet that knowledge ner table. I longed for a big bruiser of a cat: a does not make their deaths any easier to bear. tough guy, a cat with an attitude. I wandered When Capitol Hill resident Diane Shust’s through the cat room at the shelter where I dog died, Diane took a day off from work to work. There was no shortage of cats. On any grieve privately. Fred was a month shy of his given day, the League houses 50 of them. I 15th birthday. “I knew his time was coming liked Bruno and Harley, but neither was to an end, but you are never prepared when it Bruce. It was too soon. happens,” said Diane. Her friends sent cards, Dealing with the death of an animal made donations to animal rescue groups, and companion can be difficult. If you Google emailed Diane pictures of adoptable dogs. “pet loss support,” you get 39,500,000 hits, Although she was not ready to bring anoth- including hotlines from UC Davis, Cornell, er dog home immediately, Diane knew she Tufts, and other universities. Many shelters would eventually adopt another dog. “It was offer pet bereavement support groups, and just a matter of when.” there are therapists who count it among their A scruffy Benji-type dog, Fred often vis- specialties. ited District of Columbia Public Schools as As hard as pet loss can be for adults, it a humane education goodwill ambassador, a can be even more devastating for children, job that earned him a spot in the photo and for whom the death of a pet is often the first essay book “To The Rescue” by Elise Lufkin face-to-face brush with mortality. Helping and Diana Walker. In fact, it was his photo them work through their grief can be espethat graced the cover. cially tough when Mom and Dad are trying Diane’s new canine companion is not to cope, too. Happily, there are scores of pic-

ture books that focus on the loss of a beloved friend, and these can be quite helpful when it comes to discussing death and bereavement with your kids. Besides “I’m the Best,” my own collection includes “I’ll Always Love You” by Hans Wilhelm, “The Tenth Good Thing about Barney” by Judith Viorst, “Mustard” by Charlotte Graeber, and “Desser, the Best Ever Cat” by Maggie Smith. When my son Max was only four—he’s 13 now—we read this in “Desser:” A month after Desser died, we went to the pound. Dad said Desser would want us to get a new kitten because we are “cat people,” especially me. Max, too, is a cat person and started needling me for a kitten soon after Bruce left us. I had not considered a kitten. Kittens are little. Kittens are troublesome. Bruce came to us as a cat. All of our cats came to us as cats. Even Nigel was a full grown dog when he moved in. Max strategized; he took advantage of my grief and where I worked. He asked if I could bring home a kitten for a night, “just a night.” I did—twice. The second time Charlotte Tibbs stayed. “I think they are somewhere between liking me and loving me,” declares Dudley in “I’m the Best.” Charlotte Tibbs is fun. She’s funny, too. But I cannot say that I love her unconditionally—yet. I often think that if Bruce was here, he would bop her a couple of times to teach her that it is better NOT to walk across the mantle knocking the pictures to the ﬂoor. And then maybe, possibly, I would be able to love her scrawny, troublesome self with all of my heart. Debbie Duel, the Washington Animal Rescue League’s director of humane education, has 20 years of experience in humane education, leading classroom programs, workshops, teacher trainings, and conferences. She has also published two children’s books with humane themes. Debbie can be reached at Debbie.duel@warl.org. ★

capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 85

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s we heada into 2011, I reflect on my weight loss patients’ successes and failures of the past year. I see people for many different health conditions, but weight loss is a frequent challenge especially for the inhabitants of Venus. A typical interaction with a man may be: “Thanks for the diet. I’ll work on it.” I get a call six weeks later. “Hi, I just wanted to let you know the diet was great, I lost 30 pounds, my diabetic numbers are totally normal and I lost three suit sizes. Hasta la vista, see ya.” With women on the other hand it goes like this: “I was doing great, but I got swamped at work, my kids needed xyz and my boss was in a bad mood so I got off track.” Since I see more women than men for weight loss, I have spent some time deliberating on the differences between the sexes in approaching diets. Why do men seem to lose weight more quickly than women? One reason is that men’s bodies are trained by evolution to have strength and speed. They have a different muscle-to-fat ratio in their bodies, which makes it easier for them to speed up their metabolism and burn fat. Women, on the other hand, are hard-wired to reproduce. They keep an insulation layer of fat on their bodies that men don’t have. In addition, fat is essential for the production and storage of reproductive hormones. Additionally, the erratic hormonal fluctuations that can occur in perimenopause and menopause many cause weight gain and a change in body shape in some women. This is due to vacillating levels of estrogens and progesterone.

While carbohydrates are an essential component of a balanced diet, many of us become increasingly sensitive to them as we grow older. Over-consumption of simple carbohydrates (found in white bread, candy, soda, white rice and many breakfast cereals) creates a rollercoaster eﬀect on your appetite. You feel energized and sated for a little while as your insulin spikes, only to crash a few hours later when your blood sugar drops. This low blood sugar triggers the brain to send out the hunger signals again and the snack cycle may repeat itself again if you give in to it. Serotonin is just one of a host of neurotransmitters secreted by the brain that regulates mood, attention and energy levels. Ongoing stress can deplete our serotonin reserves, leading to intense food cravings, particularly for the reﬁned carbohydrates that when eaten mimic the sense of well-being created by serotonin. Persistent low serotonin levels lead to plummeting energy levels, particularly in the late afternoon. This rollercoaster is especially prevalent in the winter since serotonin seems to be altered during the seasons of the year when there a fewer hours of sunlight.

NANCY L. LITHGOW, RN, MSW

Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker

The Perfect Diet The perfect diet is a balance of whole grains, fruits and vegetables to trigger a slow, sustained release of insulin that lowers blood levels of large amino acids except tryptophan; Protein, to raise blood levels of all large amino acids, many of which are also rich in tryptophan; and Omega-3 fatty acids, found in cold water ﬁsh, which also raise serotonin levels. At this point you are asking “What is tryptophan?” Tryptophan is an essential amino acid which raises blood levels, then brain levels of tryptophan, which in turn increases serotonin production. So the perfect diet for women has to factor in the balance of complex carbohydrates, protein, and fat as well as the careful addition of vitamin B6 to aid in the manufacturing process of serotonin. I also suggest supplementing with Omega-3 to raise eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in the brain.

The Perfect Food To manufacture the “perfect”food, one which would be healthy, tasty, minimize cravings, keep you satisfied for hours, boost serotonin levels, spare muscle while you lose fat and make you rich ( just kidding), I tinkered around my kitchen and came up with Lean and Mean Oatmeal. The base is just plain old fashioned oatmeal to which I add a special blend of protein with all the essential amino acids (including tryptophan), soluble fiber to keep you feeling full while reducing your cholesterol level and some natural flavorings. So women may struggle a bit more to stay on diets, but in the end we can succeed, and we do end up living longer. And can men multitask as well as we can? Nina Kolbe RD CSR LD is a registered dietitian with a practice on Capitol Hill. Email ninakolbe@aol.com with questions or comments or more information on Lean and Mean Oatmeal. ★

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Foreclosure Prevention Counseling And Assistance ARE YOU FEELING OVERWHELMED WITH YOUR MORTGAGE PAYMENTS? HAVE YOU MISSED A MONTH ALREADY? HAVEN’T MISSED A HOUSE PAYMENT YET BUT AFRAID THAT YOU MIGHT? DON’T WAIT UNTIL IT’S TOO LATE!

CALL US AT THE GREATER WASHINGTON URBAN LEAGUE For Foreclosure Prevention Counseling and Assistance 202-265-8200; Visit www.gwul.org for more information. Funded in part by:

88 ★ HillRag | February 2011

Kids & Family notebook compiled by Kathleen Donner

Family Days at INTERSECTIONS: A New American Arts Festival For three weekends starting Feb. 25, the Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE, will present its second annual INTERSECTIONS: A New America Arts Festival. The festival will feature a dynamic and diverse multidisciplinary arts schedule that reveals the collaborative energy of artists and audiences from DC and beyond in nine days of boundary-crossing performances and events. The festival schedule includes performances in music, theatre, dance and vocal concerts from more than 600 artists from the Washington metropolitan region. Each Saturday during the three week festival has been programmed with Family Day performances, café concerts and activities. Family themed events include a new children’s musical, circus performances and live music workshops. Capture the Wind! on Saturday, Feb. 26, 1:00-6:00 PM. Wind Art!, with the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop. Make a colorful pinwheel or a soaring wind-sock and capture the wind like Mirandy! Kids of all ages will enjoy these hands-on arts activities. At 1:00 PM, 3:30 PM and 5:00 PM, see DC Diﬀerent Drummers and hear ﬂutes, saxophones and more in three concerts of toe-tapping music by DC’s most colorful band. At 1:30 PM, see BodyMoves Contemporary Dance Company. At 2:30 PM, celebrate Mirandy! with a Cakewalk and a mural. At 4:00 PM, join young Mirandy on her quest to win a cakewalk contest by capturing the perfect partner— Brother Wind. At 5:00 PM, meet Mirandy and Brother Wind author Patricia McKissack. 202-399-7993. intersectionsdc.org.

Aaron Gilchrist Judges Scripps National Spelling Bee at Potomac Lighthouse PCS Potomac Lighthouse Public Charter School participated in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, a program established to promote literacy and to help students throughout their lives, through a school-wide Spell-

Mirandy and Brother Wind by Patricia McKissack

ing Bee held in January. The School-Wide Spelling Bee was comprised of 20 spellers from Grades 3-5. The top two spellers advance to the Regional Cluster Competition with the opportunity to ultimately advance to the Citywide and National Spelling Bee. Aaron Gilchrist, anchor for the weekend editions of News4 Today of NBC4 Washington, DC, will serve as a guest judge for the event. 800-901-6943. lighthouse-academies.org

Oh Susannah! Kids’ Show at Ebenezers Coffeehouse Toddler music is featured on the third Friday of every

month (Feb. 18), 10:30 AM, at Ebenezers. $5 per child. Children under 1 year accompanying a paying sibling is free. 201 F St, NE. 202558-6900. ebenezerscoﬀeehouse.com

Children’s Gallery of Black History “Rise Up! A Journey for Economic Empowerment Worldwide” Through handson, child-friendly exhibits, this year’s Gallery will celebrate those who pushed against the odds to attain ﬁnancial and community sustainability; including Carter G. Woodson, Nina Simone, and A. Philip Randolph. Feb. capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 89

kidsfamily notebook designed for the novice, with complete listing of required materials and project background. sciencefairadventure.com

Library Events for Teens and Kids

Children’s Gallery of Black History. A youngster engages with the Queen Hatshepsut Exhibit. Photo: Chitra Subramanian

16-19 and Feb. 22-26; 10:30 AM-2:00 PM. $.50/child, $2/adult. Group rates available. All Souls Church, Unitarian (Lower Level), 1500 Harvard St. NW. 202-545-1919. momiestlc.com

AAAS Family Science Days During American Association for the Advancement of Science Family Science Days, browse interactive exhibits, learn about cool science jobs, and have your questions answered by experts in the ﬁeld. This event is free and open to the public, especially middle school and high school students. Saturday, Feb. 19 and Sunday, Feb. 20, 11:00 AM-5:00 PM, Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Exhibit Hall D, 801 Mount Vernon Pl. NW. aaas.org

Science Fair Website Science Fair Adventure is the authority on science fair projects, ideas and experiments. Their comprehensive listings features science fair projects across several distinct categories, including chemistry, physics, biology, and many more. Each project is listed in an easy to follow manner with stepby-step instructions on how to carry out the project. Their goal is to educate and enhance the learning experience for students and science fanatics while providing casual readers with useful and fun information. Each project is 90 ★ HillRag | February 2011

Pre-school and Toddler Story Time at Southeast Branch. Every Wednesday, 10:00 AM for ages 3-5 and 11:00 AM for birth-2. Story time held in downstairs meeting room. 403 Seventh St. SE. 202-698-3377. dclibrary.org/southeast Pre-school and Toddler Story Time at Northeast Library. Every Thursday, 10:00 AM for ages 3-5 and 11:15 AM for birth-2. 330 Seventh St. NE. 202-698-3320. dclibrary.org/ northeast Teen (electronic) Gaming Night at Northeast Library: Third Wednesday of every month, 5:30-7:30 PM. 330 Seventh St. NE. 202-698-3320. dclibrary.org/northeast

DCPS Urban Education Leaders Internship Program The DCPS Urban Education Leaders Internship Program is an intensive multi-disciplinary internship program that runs during the academic school year, administered by the Office of the Chancellor. They are recruiting talented, entrepreneurial and committed interns and fellows who would like to explore policy in practice at the local government level, making a difference in the lives of over 45,000 public school students, principals, and central office employees. This program is designed for leaders who are near completion of their undergraduate or graduate/professional degrees by the start of the program. The program is also open to DCPS high school students in grades 10-12, who work primarily on administrative tasks. 202442-5885. k12.dc.us/internships

African American Pioneers in Aviation Family Day On Saturday, Feb. 12, 10:00 AM3:00 PM, visitors to the National Air and Space Museum will meet famed African American pilots from World War II, the Tuskegee Airmen, who fought discrimination both at home

and abroad; talk to Museum experts; and participate in hands-on activities, story time, and book signings. 202633-1000. nasm.si.edu

2011 CHAW Summer Arts Adventure Camps Join CHAW this summer as they explore the arts and culture of the Canary Islands, Hawaii, Indonesia, and Crete. CHAW will oﬀer four two-week sessions June 20-Aug. 12. Specialty camps include Recreation Camp, Ceramics Camp, Photography Camp, Musical Theater Camp, and Rock n’ Roll Camp. Registration has begun. 202-547-6839. chaw.org

Oratory Festival at Ford’s Theatre Much of Abraham Lincoln’s power came from his ability to communicate his ideas to the people of the United States. Students from Washington-area schools will perform some of Lincoln’s most famous speeches including his First and Second Inaugural Address, his House Divided speech and the Gettysburg Address. Tickets to the Oratory Festival can be reserved free of charge at the Ford’s Theatre Box Oﬃce. Feb. 4 and 11, 9:30 AM, 10:30 AM and 11:30 AM. Ford’s Theatre, 514 10th St. NW. 202-426-6924. fords.org

An Early Look at Spring Family Program at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens Starting Saturday Feb. 12 and then each Saturday in Feb., join a ranger at the visitor center at 10:00 AM for a early look at spring. The birds have paired oﬀ by Valentine Day, and trees have started to bud out and bloom in some cases. Don’t miss this ﬁrst blush of spring. The program is weather dependent. In the event of really cold weather, they we will have a garden craft program in the visitor center. Suitable for 4 year olds and up. All programs are free and meet at the visitor center. Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens, 1550 Anacostia Ave. NE. 202-426-6905. nps.gov/keaq

Casey Trees Unveils Children’s Education Web Page Casey Trees’ new educational webpage, Arbor Kids, features fun and interactive activities to get kids outdoors and learn about trees and their many environmental, social and economic beneﬁts. Arbor Kids is a rich resource for educators, caregivers and parents alike. Each downloadable activity incorporates Casey Trees’ ROOTS (Restoring Our Own Trees Through Service) curriculum, developed for kindergarten to 8th grade students, and integrates geography, science and math to cultivate knowledge of the District’s urban forest. Activities can be done alone or in groups. Find Arbor Kids at caseytrees.org/education

Live Webcast--National Youth Summit: The 50th Anniversary of the Freedom Rides On Wednesday, Feb. 9, middle and high school students across the country will join together electronically for a National Youth Summit on the Freedom Rides and activism. Freedom Rides veterans Congressman John Lewis, D-GA, Diane Nash, Jim Zwerg, and Reverend James Lawson will share how they became involved in the Freedom Rides and how their lives were aﬀected by them. They will join ﬁlmmaker Stanley Nelson (Freedom Riders) and scholar Raymond Arsenault to discuss the meaning of the Freedom Rides and the role of young people in shaping America’s past and future. Students will be encouraged to participate in the discussion through email (nmahweb@si.edu), Facebook, Twitter, and the conference portal, and will be asked to think about themselves as makers of history. Free registration is required. smithsonianconference. org/freedomrides

“Sprouts” Program for Preschoolers at the Botanic Garden Bring your preschooler (3-5 yrs.) to the U.S. Botanic Garden for plantrelated fun this winter. Sign up for a one month session and attend four diﬀerent programs. (February will be

a repeat of the January programs.) Each Wednesday session. 10:30-11:30 AM, will have varied activities that may include a story, art activity, or walk in the garden. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Participating children must be 3 years of age. Free but pre-registration is required. 202-225-l116. usbg.gov

Centennial of Airmail Family Festival On Saturday, Feb. 19, 11:00 AM-3:00 PM, games and activities bring the first airmail flight to life at the National Postal Museum. Learn about daredevil pilot Fred Wiseman, the woman who received the first mail by airplane, and the differences between the Wright Brothers’ planes and the one Wiseman flew. Free. 2 Massachusetts Ave. NE. 202-633-5555. postalmuseum.si.edu

Black History Month Stamp Collecting On Saturday, Feb. 12, 11:00 AM-2:00 PM celebrate Black History Month at the Postal Museum by making your own stamp collection featuring prominent African Americans such as Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, and Sojourner Truth. After making your collection, be sure to see the Negro Leagues Baseball Stamp exhibit. Free. 2 Massachusetts Ave. NE. 202-633-5555. postalmuseum.si.edu.

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Become a Host Family to African Students! Visions in Action is looking for families to host high school students aged between 15 and 18 and their teachers from French-speaking West and Central Africa as part of a youth leadership and international exchange program supported by the State De-

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partment. The participants have been carefully selected by the Public Affairs sections of the various United States embassies, and represent the best in their countries. The 20 participants this fall are from Mauritania and Burkina Faso, and will be in the Washington DC area for 3 weeks, Mar. 5-26. Interested families should contact Samuel Bong, Kadiatou Diallo, or Brielle Seitelman at exchange@visionsinaction.org or by phone at 202-625-7402.

enrichment activities include community service, drama, sports, stone carving, and other activities at the Cathedral. TEEP is designed to enrich the minds and lives of students, engage them creatively, and engender a love and discipline for learning. For more information, contact Patty Johnson at 202-537-5251 or pjohnson@cathedral.org.

President’s Day Holiday Public Skate

Georgetown Athletics is proud to announce the “Bring Your A Game” program, a new partnership with DC public schools which encourages and rewards students’ hard work in the classroom. By showing proof on a report card of an ‘A’ earned during the 2010-2011 academic year, the student is entitled to receive up to four complimentary tickets to the Feb. 23 Georgetown vs Cincinnati men’s basketball game. The student is also eligible for up to four complimentary tickets to any of the following Georgetown women’s basketball home games this season: Saturday, Feb. 5 vs Cincinnati, 3:00 PM; Tuesday, Feb. 8 vs South Florida, 9:00 PM; Wednesday, Feb. 23 vs Pittsburgh, 7:00 PM. For ticket redemption, parents can stop by the McDonough Arena Box Oﬃce on the campus of Georgetown University between the hours of 1:00-5:30 PM, Monday through Friday. A valid report card must be shown. Tickets are subject to availability and there is a maximum of four tickets per child/ report card shown. If you have any questions about this program, email sportspromo@georgetown.edu.

Fort Dupont Ice Arena welcomes all skaters on Monday, Feb. 21, noon1:50 PM. Children 12 and under and seniors, $4. Skaters 13 and older, $5. Skate rental is $3. 3779 Ely Pl. SE. 202-584-5007. fdia.org

A Celebration of Verse The Kennedy Center presents the world premiere production of American Scrapbook: A Celebration of Verse Jan. 29-Feb. 6 in the Kennedy Center Family Theater. American Scrapbook: A Celebration of Verse is an hour-long play based on two collections of poetry selected by Caroline Kennedy: The Best-Loved Poems of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and A Family of Poems: My Favorite Poetry for Children. With script by Jason Williamson and direction by Kathleen Amshoﬀ, this production for young audiences leads a journey through the touchstones of the Kennedy family. The production is part of The Presidency of John F. Kennedy: A 50th Anniversary Celebration and is recommended for audiences aged nine and up. All tickets cost $18 and can be purchased online at kennedy-center.org or by calling Instant Charge at 202-467-4600.

Education for Excellence Program at the National Cathedral The Education for Excellence Program (TEEP) is a free ﬁve-week summer program for middle school students from under-resourced communities across the city. Academic classes are taught each morning by faculty from the three Cathedral schools. Afternoon cultural and 92 ★ HillRag | February 2011

“Bring Your A Game” Free Georgetown Basketball Tickets

Discover Engineering Family Day at the National Building Museum On Sat., Feb. 19, 10-4:30, The National Building Museum and the National Engineers Week Foundation invite you to debunk the myths of engineering and discover how professional engineers turn an idea into reality. Kick oﬀ and celebrate National Engineers Week by participating in this hands-on and funﬁlled festival! $5 suggested donation. National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW. 202-272-2448. nbm.org ★

ST. PETER SCHOOL The Key to Educational Excellence since 1868

St. Peter School Auction

VIVA LAS VEGAS! Saturday, February 12, 2011 at 6 p.m. St. Peterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Church Hall 2nd and C Streets SE Washington, DC 20003 For more information and to purchase tickets, email: stpeterauction.sps@gmail.com

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Accepting applications for grades PS-6

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With a French and Spanish immersion program and a dual focus on academic excellence and community service, Stokes School prepares culturally diverse elementary school students to be leaders, scholars, and responsible citizens who are committed to social justice.

2011 Open House: February 24, 9:30 - 11:00 am. RSVP to Ms. Cortes @ 202.265.7237 The Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom Public Charter School 3700 Oakview Terrace, NE | Washington, DC 20017 | 202.265.7237 capitalcommunitynews.com â&#x2DC;&#x2026; 93

kidsfamily school notes

school notes Compiled by Susan Braun Johnson

Washington Yu Ying News Yu Ying PCS Celebrates Chinese New Year On February 6 Washington Yu Ying PCS students will be celebrating the Chinese New Year by performing at the Chinatown Community Cultural Center and marching in the Chinatown parade. The whole school will celebrate with an assembly and a number of activities spanning the two week New Year period. Yu Ying is DC’s only Chinese Immersion school. It is located at 4401 8th St. NE, near the Brookland neighborhood. - Mary Shaftener. www.washingtonyuying.org.

Payne Elementary News Two Payne Elementary Students Win New Computers During the month of December two Payne ES students were fortunate to have received a new computer for use at home! Students in grades 35 entered an essay contest in which they responded to a prompt that read;

Payne Students, Najzhae Canada-Smith and Precious Inzar McLaughlin are happy winners of two new computers: 94 ★ HillRag | February 2011

“Someone has decided to award you a new computer. Explain how this computer can help to make you a better student. Be sure to include details to support your reasons.” Computers were donated by three Payne Alumnae inclusive of the Hemphill and Canty families both of whom are dedicated to the academic success of the students attending Payne Elementary. Each essay was reviewed using a very detailed set of guidelines and two (2) winners were selected. After reading the winning essays, our recipients were presented with their computer during our “Sharing Our Light Around the World” holiday assembly. Our winners were from 4th grade, Precious InzarMcLaughlin and 5th Grade, Najzhae Canada-Smith! –Velika Scott. 305 15th St. SE.

St. Peter School News Graphing Calculators A Great New Tool In Algebra Class A generous 2010 grant from the Capitol Hill Community Foundation Fund has allowed St. Peter’s algebra students to use TI graphing calculators in the classroom. The algebra class is using the calculators to ﬁnd the slope of lines, study direct variation, and learn about linear and nonlinear equations. The TI software also allows students to use a large graphing calculator on the SmartBoard. Algebra students Ben Hulse, Frances King, Milan Marshall, Adham Fields, Caroline Peranich, Maura Reilly, Eric Romero, Julia Schillo, and Emma Williams have quickly adapted to the new technology!

St. Peter’s Algebra students show off new graphing calculators

Student Families Collect Books For Catholic Charities

Home for the Aged, run by the Little Sisters of the Poor. The students sang to the residents, presented cards and enjoyed cider and cookies. They even met a 102 yr-old woman who graciously handed out pennies to each student! The ﬁrst graders are looking forward to returning this spring to participate in reading groups with several of the residents.

St. Peter School “student families” - comprised of learners in each grade and led by an eighth grader - kicked oﬀ the New Year by getting to know school students in their twin parish, Our Lady of Grace, in Fort San Michel, Haiti. The earthquake in January 2010 left both parish schools with signiﬁcant damage. St. Peter students sent the Haitian students playground equipment, letters describing games to play with the equipment, student photos and disposable cameras. They are looking forward to building a relationship with the Haitian students!

Viva Las Vegas on The Hill!

Black History Month In Fourth Grade

Tyler Elementary News

St. Peter School fourth graders are using Black History Month to focus on quotation interpretation. Students are interpreting quotes from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and other well-known African Americans, writing down what the quote means to them and how it can inﬂuence their life today. The class bulletin board features some of the insights from these young scholars.

Mark your calendars for a memorable evening of dining, dancing and high bidding! St. Peter School will proudly present the “Viva Las Vegas ” Auction on February 12, 2011 at 6p.m. at the St. Peter’s Church Hall (Second and C Sts., SE). For more information, please contact auction co-chairs Cindy Johnson or Tami Plofchan at stpeterauction.sps@gmail.com. – Sally Aman. St. Peter School, 422 Third St., SE, 202-544-1618, www.stpeterschooldc.org.

A Voyage through the Arts Tyler students are taking an artistic journey of discovery, thanks to The Phillips Collection and the DCPS Arts Integration program. Teachers and students from kindergarten through 5th grade are

First Grade Visits Little Sisters of The Poor For the second year, Ms. Keener’s ﬁrst grade class visited residents of the Jeanne Jugan

Ms. Herrmann and her third grade class at Tyler work on individual art work at a visit to The Phillips Collection.

exploring Jacob Lawrence’s Migration Series - paintings that depict African American migration northward from an oppressive South to find better opportunities after World War I. As part of The Phillips Collection’s Art Links to Literacy program, Tyler students participate in classroom workshops led by gallery staff and visit the Collection to see Lawrence’s works firsthand. Students then work together telling their own migration stories on three canvas panels. The Phillips’ Education Department also provides three hours of professional development for teachers. The training emphasizes how art combined with reading and writing, can help students develop critical thinking skills and instill a lifelong love of learning. Several classrooms have already begun creating their own migration series. Ms. Hermann’s third-grade class is creating three panels showing their community’s past, present and future. Second grade students in Ms. Gladney’s class are creating panels of the beginning, middle and end of Martin Luther King’s I Have a Dream speech. The 5th grade students in Ms. Dunn’s class are remembering their years at Tyler through their canvas panel drawings. The entire project culminates in a display of the student’s artwork at the museum as part of its Young Artists Exhibitions. The students and their families will be invited to the museum to view their work in February and again in May. Suzanne Wells and Ryan Cree, 1001 G St., SE, tylerpta@hotmail.com.

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Free Preschool Enrolling for 2011-2012 Bridges is a small, public preschool and pre-kindergarten program for children 3-5 years old. Program Features: • School Day 8:00am-3:00pm, Before Care 8:00-8:30am, After Care 3:00-6:00pm. • Small classroom size and well trained staff. • Individual planning for each student. • Thematic and project-based curriculum. Now accepting Applications for the 2011-2012 school year. Applications accepted January 1, 2011 – April 15, 2011. Applications received after April 15 will be placed on our waiting list. Applications are available at the school or on our website, www.bridgespcs.org. OPEN HOUSE / INFORMATION SESSIONS AT THE SCHOOL ON THE FOLLOWING THURSDAYS: • Thursday, February 3, 2011 from 9:30-10:30 am • Thursday, March 3, 2011 from 9:30-10:30 am • Thursday, April 7, 2011 from 9:30-10:30 am Bridges Public Charter School 1250 Taylor St. NW Washington, DC 20011

p. 202 545-0515 f. 202 545-0517 www.bridgespcs.org

Bridges Public Charter School is free and open to all DC residents. Tuition paid by non-residents.

capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 95

kidsfamily school notes need your voice! Ms. Bailey, our Afterschool Program Coordinator, is looking for an enthusiastic volunteer to come to Maury after school once or twice a month to read stories with aftercare program students in Pre-K and Kindergarten during a 30-minute story time session. She’ll be happy to supply ideas and books! If interested, please email Ms. Bailey at latroy.bailey@dc.gov, or call her after 11 a.m. at 202-698-3838.

River Park Nursery School students perform in a school program for parents and friends

River Park Nursery News River Park Nursery School’s Sock Hop March 5 Come in from the cold and join the fun at River Park Nursery School’s annual Sock Hop and Silent Auction on March 5. This family event features great music, food, games and activities for the kids. There will also be some friendly competition to snap up terriﬁc auction items from local restaurants and businesses on Capitol Hill. Poodle skirts and leather jackets are welcome! All proceeds beneﬁt the nursery school. Reminder: applications for next year are due February 21. For more information, please email Jeni Freed at jenifreed@gmail. com or visit RPNS online: www.riverparknurseryschool.org.The school is located at 212 E. Capitol St. NE. 202 546-7767 - Suzanne Nelson.

Weather Station Installed The Oﬃce of Public Education Facilities Modernization has furnished and installed a WeatherBug weather station at Maury! Go to Weatherbug. com and follow the links to see live streaming weather from our rooftop. Maury will use the corresponding curriculum, WeatherBug Achieve, to get students directly involved in meteorology, which focuses on math, science, and geography.

Are you a Dedicated Storyteller! Do you love reading aloud? We 96 ★ HillRag | February 2011

Ludlow-Taylor Elementary News Celebrating Black History Month

This month, Ludlow-Taylor will celebrate Black History month with a musical celebration on February 25. The winter concert was phenomenal, with a wide selection of offerings, and the debut of a Glee Club. Please join us to see what Mr. Pierre and the students have in store for us at February’s concert. Open House In addition, preparations for April Maury Elementary is hosting testing are in full swing. The faculty of another open house! Meet Principal LTES reduces the pressures of testCarolyne Albert-Garvey and learn ing by promoting the idea of “celabout the cool things going on at our ebrating” the students’ knowledge. To school! Take a tour of the classrooms this end, LTES educational coach and see our teachers and students in Ms. Toussaint has created an incenaction on Feb. 8 at 9 am. tive program for the students. Every week, students take a computerized test that lets teachers and administraMaury Loves Disco strikes again! tors evaluate the effectiveness of the Maury is hosting its annual dance week’s lessons – what each student is party extravaganza! Grab your chilgetting and what needs further review. dren (and their dancing shoes) and As students show progress, they earn come party with us! Maury Loves tickets, which they can then redeem Disco is happening on February 11, for prizes. This process helps get stufrom 6:30-8 p.m. Cost of admission is dents excited about their progress and $3 for people old enough to walk, but motivates them towards success. One crawlers are free! All proceeds go to important dynamic of this awards the Maury PTA. - Tara Givens. Visit system is that it recognizes progress the campus and Principal Carolyne and not only achievement; thus, any Albert-Garvey/Resident Principal Tui student can earn rewards, not just the Roper at 1250 Constitution Ave., NE. top performers. LTES would welcome www.mauryelementary.com, call 202any community donations for prizes, 698-3838. age appropriate for grades 3-5, the testing population. Feel free to drop them off at the school office, attention Ms. Toussaint. In other news, preparations It’s Academic Quiz Show continue for our spring gala Finds Success and silent auction to be held on The weekend before ThanksMarch 18 at the Atlas Performgiving, the St. Anselm’s It’s Acaing Arts Center. The theme demic/Quizbowl team competed is “Ludlow Taylor in Lights.” in the University of PennsylvaTickets will be $35 each, or two nia’s Quaker Academic Chamfor $60 and will go on sale in pionship, a tournament that February – please check this draws high-school teams from column in the next issue of the St. Anselm’s Abbey School It’s Academic TV Team and the New York, New Jersey, Dela- The Hill Rag for more details. If you Abbey mascot, the Panther, at the TV taping, January 8 ware, Maryland, the District of have any items or services you Columbia, and Pennsylvania. St. wish to donate for the silent Anselm’s team of junior Aidan Mehi- if the team’s dominance in regional auction, please contact Alison Black at gan (captain), junior Jacob Wasserman tournaments translates into success ablack@artba.org. (co-captain), and sophomore Patrick on the TV screen. - E.V. Downey, St. Finally, the LTES open houses Merkle was undefeated after the first Anselm’s Abbey School, 4501 South have been a resounding success. If you seven preliminary rounds, with Me- Dakota Avenue, NE, 20017, 202-269- have not yet had the chance to learn 2379, admissions@saintanselms.org

St. Anselm’s Abbey News

Maury Elementary News

higan the overall top scorer for the tournament. After five undefeated playoff rounds, the team defeated two former national champions to claim first place. Two weeks later, the team headed south to Richmond, Va., to compete in a tournament at the prestigious Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School. This time Aidan, Jacob and Patrick were joined by sophomore Jamie Anderson. After winning all seven preliminary rounds, three playoff rounds and the championship game remained. Following the first two playoff rounds, two players had to return to D.C., but the shorthanded squad easily defeated the four players from Thomas Jefferson High School (Fairfax, Va.) in the third playoff round before knocking off Dorman High School from Spartanburg, S.C., in the championship game. This capped a second exciting victory for the team in less than a month. On January 8, the team participated in the area’s best known quiz tournament, the televised edition of “It’s Academic” produced by WRC (Channel 4). WRC’s “It’s Academic” holds the Guinness World Record as the world’s longest-running TV quiz show. St. Anselm’s squared off in the first round against two large public schools, Hayfield (Alexandria, Va.) and Magruder (Rockville, Md.). The St. Anselm’s team was cheered on by an enthusiastic group of fans, as well as the school’s Jazz Band and Panther mascot. Tune in on February 19 to see

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kidsfamily school notes about all the exciting things going on at LTES, please join us on February 16 or March 16 at 9am. Rumor has it there’ll some food and coﬀee . . .and perhaps you’ll get lucky, and parent Amy Oﬀner will put out one of her wonderful spreads. Thanks Amy!!! Donny Kirsch. 659 G St. NE, 202 698-3244.

Brent Elemenary News Brent After Hours

the ﬁrst public school in the nation to participate in this event. After school, kids may choose from a large variety of PTA-sponsored activities including the Chess Challenge, Rube Goldberg Society, Lego Lovers, Library Lovers, Health and Fitness with Coach David, Tae Kwon Do, Drama Club, Mad Science, Spanish, Chinese, Kids Care and Power Tots Yoga. This is in addition to regular aftercare and homework help! Please join Brent parents, teachers, administrators, neighbors, and friends at Brent’s Spring Gala on April 2. The event, to be held at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church at 3rd and A Sts., SE, will feature food from several popular local restaurants as well as many fabulous things up for auction. -E.V. Downey, Brent Museum Magnet Elementary School, 301 North Carolina Avenue, SE, 202-698-3363.

Families and teachers from Brent participating in the Bird Count at Hains Point.

Students at Brent Museum Magnet Elementary School are not only kept busy in the classrooms, but also after school and on the weekends. Students, teachers and families from Brent didn’t let the cold deter them from coming out to participate in a New Year’s Bird Count on January 8. After gathering at Brent’s cafeteria, the students spread across the city for three bird walks, at East Potomac Park, Kenilworth Park Aquatic Gardens and the National Arboretum. The event is a spin-oﬀ of the centuryold Audubon Society gradation where volunteers across the country gather for a few weeks each winter to count and identify birds. The data they gather help wildlife oﬃcials determine the health of bird populations and how to protect birds and their habitats. Brent’s participation in the event was initiated by super science teacher Mike Mangiaracina who also arranged for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service experts to speak with the students and families before they headed out for the walk. The students recorded seeing just over 1,100 individual birds which represented 29 species included geese, ring-billed gulls, mallards, and eagles. Brent was 98 ★ HillRag | February 2011

Capitol Hill Cluster School Living a Dream at Watkins “I have a dream!” a fourth grader from Watkins Elementary shouted from the Lincoln Memorial steps on January 13, 2011 — the culmination of a school-wide celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and his heritage. “From every mountainside,” a pair of fourth graders cried, “let freedom ring!” Every January, Watkins’ entire fourth-grade heads to the Lincoln Memorial to recite King’s August 28, 1963, speech. Each student is assigned a line in advance; on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, they take turns standing on the precise spot where Dr. King gave his speech and pronouncing their lines—together reciting the speech in its entirety. This year, Watkins’ new assistant principal, Dr. Joan Jackson, expanded the program into a school-wide learning initiative she calls “Living the Dream.” In every classroom, students read, discussed, and wrote about King and his legacy. Notes Assistant Principal Jackson: “On that August 1963 day, African Americans marched for jobs, educa-

in a School, 425 C Street NE; Watkins Elementary and Montessori, 420 12th St. SE; Stuart-Hobson Middle School, 410 E St. NE)

Amidon-Bowen News Uncle E Brings Peace Makers To Amidon-Bowen

Capitol Hill Cluster School students display their hand-made peace signs while reenacting Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1963 March on Washington

tion, and justice. Today, we ﬁnd ourselves investigating the same issues that Dr. King’s march addressed. During classroom visits, I saw students learning about the Montgomery bus boycott; researching terms related to nonviolence, diversity, and political change; and singing songs from the Civil Rights Movement. They give me hope that today’s generation—and, speciﬁcally, our students at Watkins— have a greater understanding of what social justice means. They will carry the torch and pass it on.” After studying Civil Rights in class, every Watkins class (and several Peabody classes) headed to the Mall. To recall King’s March on Washington, they carried homemade signs and posters reading “Let Freedom Ring,” “Peace,” and “Go Watkins 4th Graders!” Teachers, students, and parents then gathered at Lincoln Memorial to hear the fourth graders’ spirited rendition of King’s speech and lively performances of “We Shall Overcome” and “Wade in the Water.” “The students, as well as their parents, were actively engaged in the story of Dr. King’s dream,” said Assistant Principal Jackson. “Today, as a learning community, all of us at Watkins and the Capitol Hill Cluster School are living the dream of Dr. King.” - Molly Dewsnap Meinhardt and Julie Somers. www.capitolhillclusterschool.org (Campuses: Peabody Early Childhood Center and School With-

Eric Kellum, author of the popular book series Diccle, Boggie and Lolo, presented a program in January to Amidon-Bowen students. He presented a multi-media, interactive show that involved the children in problem solving in situations when they were the object of bulling by others or becoming the bully themselves. There were contests that pitted the teachers against students and a skit acted out by students with delightful puppets. Eric, known as Uncle E, led the group

Eric Kellum, “Uncle E”, and Amidon Bowen Students operate puppets to show how everyone can be a “Peacemaker”

in a pledge to use the skills of “Peace Makers” in everyday situations. Eric and His wife and ﬁve children live in Prince Georges County. In addition to writing children’s books, he presents entertaining variety shows that promote family values and character.

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capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 99

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Saturday’s January 8th, February 12th, March 12th and April 9th 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM (tour begins promptly at 10:00 AM) Mention the Hill Rag and get $25 off registration fee Principal orientation and tour of the school most Thursdays 9:00 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.

DIW’s Spring Semester Has Started! There’s still time to register for classes! There are tons of new teachers and new classes to explore! Enroll now before it’s to late! Check out all the new Community, Pre-Professional and Pre-Dance classes now!

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middle school and to help prepare them for this important step in their education. They can make appointments to meet at the school on the 2nd Wednesday of every month from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with Marketta Wiley, DCPS Oﬃce of Family and Public Engagement. – Meg Brinckman

Friendship Schools News Friendship Collegiate Academy Open House Feb 2 Be a part of the best high school football program in D.C. Currently seeking DC student athletes in grades 8 -10. After the Open House and Tour there with be a ceremony for collegiate seniors signing college commitment letters as part of National Collegiate Signing Day on February 2, 10 - 11:45 am. Open House. Signing Day ceremony starts at noon – 1 p.m. 4095 Minnesota Ave., NE, 202-3965500. www.friendshipschools. org.

Jon Rolle of FPCS Wins DC Teacher of the Year Award Calling it a “recognition of hard work and proof that public charter schools provide a great environment for teachers to grow and develop” Friendship Public Charter School is proud to announce Jon Rolle has been named the 2011 District of Columbia Teacher of the Year by the Oﬃce of the State Superintendent of Education. Rolle, who teaches third grade at Friendship’s Southeast Academy, is the second Friendship teacher to win the award. Last year, Stephanie Day, a teacher at Friendship’s Chamberlain campus received the honor. FPCS serves more than 6,500 students at six charter school campuses and four traditional public schools in D.C. and Baltimore. “Mr. Rolle won because he believes in his students and knows what they can achieve Continued on page 115

100 ★ HillRag | February 2011

Homes & Gardens Hill Gardener

National Arboretum in the Year of the Rabbit Arboretum Will be Undergoing Many Changes article and photos by Rindy O’Brien

The Arboretum’s Administration Building will be closed for 14 months for major renovation. Once reopened some of the office spaces that look out on the back Courtyard will become classroom spaces.

ebruary 3, 2011 is the beginning of the Chinese New Year and is known as the “Year of the Rabbit” or by its formal name of Xin Mao. The Chinese sign suggests that it will be a temperate year with unhurried pace. The rabbit also symbolizes intrinsic beauty. So it’s only ﬁtting that the US National Arboretum, a part of our Capitol Hill backyard, is committed to opening our eyes to the natural world around us through special events, workshops, and lectures this year. For the Arboretum, 2011 will be a period of changes and transitions.

A New Leader On December 3, 2010, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

announced the appointment of Dr. Colien Hefferan, as the sixth Director of the U.S. National Arboretum. She holds a PhD degree in economics from the University of Illinois, and has been a part of the USDA staff for 32 years. Most recently, she served as advisor to the Director of USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Dr. Hefferan replaces Dr. Thomas S. Elias who retired in December of 2009. Not only is she the first woman to hold this position, but also most of the previous directors’ academic backgrounds were in biology and plant research. “Dr. Hefferan has already reached out to many of the support groups at the US National Arboretum,” says Kathy Horan, Executive Director of the Friends of the National Arboretum. Dr. Hefferan

was the Administrator of the Cooperative Research, Education and Extension Service for a number of years. The “Co-op Service” as it is known in more rural areas of the country is the arm of the Department of the Agriculture that works with a broad cross-section of the public. With that background in reaching out to the public, Dr. Heﬀeran will strengthen ties with all the Arboretum’s constituencies.

An Exhibit to Celebrate the Rabbit For “Year of the Rabbit: A New Year Stone Exhibit,” the Arboretum has gathered viewing and object stones from China, Japan, Italy, South Africa and North America. The installation opened on January 29 and continues capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 101

the idea of destroying or eliminating plant collections caught Department of Agriculture bureaucrats by surprise. Hundreds of phone calls, emails, and letters to the Department by concerned and angry residents seems to have saved the azaleas and the hope is that a permanent funding solution can be found.

Spring Events Thousands of azaleas bloom in late April into May at the National Arboretum and are breathtakingly beautiful.

through March 27. It celebrates the transition from winter to spring, which according to the National Arboretum, the Asian culture considers the beginning of a new year. A view stone is one that has natural shapes and patterns that may look like the image of a rabbit, or may evoke the feelings of a rabbit. Other objects from Asian culture that are related to the New Year and spring will also be part of the exhibition. The National Arboretum’s curator for the show, Kathleen Emerson-Dell, hopes “that visitors to the show will be inspired to experience the New Year in new ways.” The exhibition is indoors at The National Bonsai & Penjing Museum on the National Arboretum’s grounds. The museum is made up of three pavilion houses and over 150 plants, including the world famous bonsai, “Goshin”, which is a forest planting by John Naka. There is also a 400-year old white pine that survived Hiroshima. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., but it is closed on President’s Day.

Azalea decision may get a lucky break In late fall, many gardeners and supporters of the National Arboretum were shocked to hear that the Arboretum staﬀ was considering a plan to take out 10,000 mature azaleas on its famous wooded hill. This azalea collection typically draws more than 100,000 visitors to the arboretum over six weekends in the spring. The federallyfunded institution has been struggling ﬁnancially for years, and the proposed 102 ★ HillRag | February 2011

The Arboretum’s Visitors Services and Administration Building closed late in 2010 for significant remodeling. The Albert G. Mumma Jr. design from the early 1960s combines modernistic elements with oriental forms. Unfortunately, the building never functioned quite properly inside, and the $9 million renovation effort includes asbestos abatement, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, and other critical repairs. The project is expected to take about 14 months and is being paid for by some of the federal stimulus money. In the meantime, the new director and staff are working out of a leased office trailer just off the main parking lot. Visitors can enter the trailer to get information and directions. The National Arboretum staff is taking all of this in stride and it hasn’t stopped them from teaming up with a number of stakeholders to offer an array of workshops, lectures, and plant sales to keep you well versed in gardening trends as spring approaches. On March 26, the 27th Lahr Native Plants & Landscape Solutions Symposium will be held at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Campus, since the auditorium will not be available. The speakers include nationally known garden experts such as Allan Armitage, Scott LeFleur, Cole Burrell, Sylvan Kauman, Carole Ottesen and Jeremy West. The full day symposium will cover topics like “thinking outside the pot,” and “saving the neighborhood from invaders.” The annual native plant sale will again be sponsored by the Friends of the National Arboretum, and FONA members can sign up for $71. Registration fills up fast, so early reg-

The FONA Garden Fair and Plant Sale is one of the best known on the east coast. The Washington Revels always participate on the Saturday sale singing spring folk songs. Photo Credit: Friends of the National Arboretum.

The walk in the Morrison Garden is a high point of spring.

plan was a result of the Arboretum losing a private grant that had funded two gardeners for a number of years. Groups including the Friends of the National Arboretum pledged to continue to work to find other sources of money. The azalea collection is considered by many in the magnolias will be examined carefully on April area to be more spectacular Arboretum 2 when Andrew Bunting, Curator of the Scott Arboretum than the Cherry Blossoms comes to town and offers a free tour and talk. Registration is when they bloom in April required. and May. The collection Fortunately, Dr. Hefferan, the new covers more than seven Director of the National Arboretum, acres with several thousand shrubs has slowed down implementation of blooming at once. In addition to the the plan to remove the azaleas. She azaleas, the plan also would eliminate wants to fi nd a way to suspend the the boxwood collection that is nearby to earlier directive. An announcement Mt. Hamilton’s azaleas. The American about the future of the azaleas should Boxwood Society reports that the colbe forthcoming very soon. lection is one of the best in the United Apparently, the public outcry over States and features about 500 plants.

istration on either the Arboretum or Fona website is encouraged. On April 2, Andrew Bunting, Curator of the Scott Arboretum and President of the Magnolia Society International, will join National Arboretum staff for an in-depth look at magnolias at the National Arboretum. These magnificent trees are part of the Holly and Magnolia collection. The lecture is free, but registration is required. Casey Trees has teamed up with the National Arboretum to help Hill homeowners figure out which tree is right for you. At a free workshop coming this spring, they’ll offer advice on what to plant if you have a small yard or live on the shady side of the street. Check the Casey Trees or Arboretum website for more details. April 29 and April 30, the Friends of the National Arboretum will host its sensational Garden Fair and Plant Sale. The sale is considered one of the best on the East Coast. It features many rare and hard-to-find plants. This year, the plant sale will open on Friday afternoon to non-members starting at 1 pm and is always open to the public on Saturday. Another new addition is the online auction and pre-sale orders that will be offered starting in late February through the FONA website. The Fair is always fun for serious and casual gardeners alike and celebrating the azaleas blooming will make it even more special. The US National Arboretum is located at 3501 New York Avenue, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20002 and is open 9am to 5 pm. There are Metro buses that run near by, but no subway stop is available. Listed below are the web addresses to learn more about what is new at the Arboretum or workshops and special events that are happening. www.usna.org, www.fona.org, www.caseytrees. org, www.bonsai-nbf.org Rindy O’Brien is the former Executive Director of the Friends of the National Arboretum, and believes it is the best open space on Capitol Hill. Comments or thoughts, rindyob@mac.com ★

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homesgardens

Ask Judith

One Success and Take It All Off by Judith Capen RA

I’

d like to share a successful restoration/preservation project. A retaining wall replacement. Some might consider it sad that this owner spent a lot of time and money to end up with walls that look like they have always been there. But I consider it a triumph. While living in a historic neighborhood in old houses doesn’t present so many opportunities for wild selfexpression, we do have super-stable property values. To paraphrase a coworker, once Chief Historic Architect for the National Capitol Region of the National Park Service, “Historic preservation is not personal taste.” This house was built in the ﬁrst decade or two of the 20th century. As far as anyone I know knows, granite retaining walls with “toothpaste” joints also date to then. These walls are likely original to the house and thus needed to be preserved. Why the granite wall is on top of the concrete retaining wall eludes me. No matter: both have certainly been there long enough to be historic and must be respected as such. Basics of wall construction are similar everywhere, although the location of this one along a public alley complicates things. The standard depth for the bottom of footings in our area is 30 inches below grade. If the alley slopes, you can step the footing, or some of the footing will be more than 30 inches below grade, which won’t hurt. Less than 30 inches is the problem because then it wouldn’t be below the frost line. It may have been during the last Ice Age that frost got that low around here, but that’s still the rule. We wor104 ★ HillRag | February 2011

ry about frost because freezing earth expands from moisture in it. The upward pressure is dramatic. Enough to heave paving, building foundations with buildings above, and footings of retaining walls. The engineer (yes, this project needed one. This wall, retaining six feet of earth and over eight feet in total height including subgrade, needed a structural engineer to apply his calculating skills to the substantial

wall and help manage the contractor) calculated the thickness of the wall and the conﬁguration of its footing relative to certain assumptions or requirements for what’s behind it. Part of what was needed to be behind was gravel because water needs to drain from behind the wall. Saturated soil contributes a truly astonishing amount of force trying to push the wall over. My main advice in these situa-

tions is to get an engineer to design the wall, then ask contractors to price the design. Then the contractors will all be pricing the same project, no creativity on their parts. Creativity is not what you want in a contractor. As for competent contractors: ask around. Talk to neighbors and friends, especially on the Hill, for recommendations.

Q. May I take the plaster off some brick walls? - Dale A. I received this question via holler mail: my neighbor charged across the street after I waved to him as I was leaving the house and asked,

A.A.

ROOFING CO. apparently, for my blessing. I said I thought it is generally ok.

Here’s the commentary: Removing bubbling plaster from brick walls in basements is a no-brainer. The bubbles mean moisture and once plaster has been wet its chemical composition changes and there is no repair. It just has to be removed. Once removed, you COULD replaster. But in basements the bubbling plaster is a sign of moisture and if you have been reading my interminable basement-and-moisture and moisture-in-basement columns you know there is no easy solution. Often there is no solution, easy or otherwise, because of the construction of our houses: brick, no vapor barriers, creeping damp, the whole nine yards. My approach is to accept the fact that all our basements will be plagued to varying degrees with moisture and buy a dehumidifier. And install no new finish materials over the concrete floors or walls that could trap moisture leading directly to mold/mildew. At our office, basically a bythe-book restoration/rehabilitation, the basement was plastered started bubbling near the front wall. We diagnosed a built in gutter sloping away from the downspout and installed a beautiful little copper downspout at the new low point. The downspout has a five foot extension to lead the water as far as possible away from the foundation wall. The problem seems to be solved but we were left with a section of plaster that was toast and the knowledge that moist brick can take literally years to dry. So, we removed the plaster back to where it was sound and have taken a wait and see approach for the last ten or so years. Truth be told: we like the eroded edge of the plaster and the tenant hasn’t complained. In our case, the moisture problem was very localized so we didn’t feel compelled to take

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off more than the damaged plaster. If a lot of interior plaster is in bad shape you might be tempted to remove it all. Pause a moment for thought, though. If the house or room is very intact with original trim and openings an exposed brick wall is probably not appropriate. (Tennis shoes with Armani). But if the house was “gutted” and all you have left is bubbling plaster to go with the tacky ranch molding, an exposed brick wall could be just the thing. Beware though. You will likely find funky brickwork under the plaster. The builders of our houses always intended that brickwork to be covered so they assigned their hung-over masons or beginners to lay those walls with the brick rejects. (Speaking of funky: you may be able to make an asset out of a liability. Think of Dr. Granville Moore’s interior: loving retention of surfaces showing all their long history. Perfect surfaces aren’t always the answer.) Second, you may find powdery, sandy mortar that really should be repointed. Another discovery you will make is that exposed and unpainted brick sucks up whatever light arrives in the room. In basements, leaving the brick unpainted may precipitate seasonal affective disorder. If you decide to paint the brick a light color you really will need to repoint as paint doesn’t adhere well to sand. If you do remove plaster, repoint, and paint you will discover you have a wonderfully durable, low maintenance wall. The texture of the wall makes it the most dirt and schmutz concealing vertical surface imaginable. Yet another thing about our old houses to appreciate. Written by Judith, reachable at judith. capen@architravepc.com, who seems to have given up her middle initial, wondering about the utility of that extra letter anyway. ★

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homesgardens Zeyno Kitchen & Bath Gallery 1242 Pennsylvania Ave., SE 202-546-3452 • zeynokbg.com

@ Your Service by Heather Schoell

ere we go – already into the second month of the year! By now, winter has outworn its welcome, and we are so over the cold, looking ahead to tulips poking out of the frozen tundra. Help move spring along by becoming the destination yard with a new bird feeder. Refresh

your surroundings with a little re-do in the powder room, and renew your tired ride with a fresh coat of paint. Welcome, spring! Heather Schoell is a regular contributor to Capital Community News and can be reached at hschoell@verizon.net. ★

Connell & Schmidt Builders 240-298-4120 • connellschmidt.com You know those twolong-standing eyesores at 221-223 11th St., SE – the rowhouses with the lovely plywood windows? Hurray, they’re now ﬁnished! Neighbors rejoice! The properties were renovated by Connell & Schmidt Builders, who, with this highly visible property, are carving a niche out of the Hill renovation pie and getting a lot of attention. If you have something that needs a little revitalization in your home, Jesse and JD, owners of Connell & Schmidt are another option for your smart consumer research. JD is a local – he went to Gonzaga, and Jesse is a Boston transplant. Give JD a call at the number above to talk about your intended project and learn what Connell & Schmidt can bring to the table. “@ Your Service” is a compendium of what’s happening in the service and consumer industry on the Hill (food and drink excluded). Know something really cool and new for sale or for service? Let us know!

It’s the blue rowhouse right next to the gas station, the one with the interesting wall of wood along the back side. The owners are new parents Utku and Erin of Dila Construction, and they have just turned this empty house into a solar-powered showroom for cabinetry, tile, and flooring. You can come in, get a feel for the woods, see how the tile looks in Utku and Erin in the solar-powered different lights, and all the while Zeyno showroom. support a local business and not leave the Hill. Win-win! Dila Construction (named for a niece) is separate from Zeyno (named for another niece), so you can pick out the materials for a do-it-yourself project, you can have your own contractor come in, or you can hire Dila for the installation. Want to love your new cabinets? Zeyno is offering Hill residents 10% off Bertch cabinet orders through Valentine’s Day!

Ginko Gardens 911 11th St., SE 202-543-5172 • ginkogardens.com

Bird feeders to fit your style.

Maaco 1913 Bladensburg Rd., NE 202-552-1800 • maaco.com

Jason and Marcus will hook you up with a fresh coat of paint. 108 ★ HillRag | February 2011

Tweet! As in the bird, not the verb – although you could tweet that you’re at Ginko Gardens getting a new bird feeder and some hot sauce suet (it keeps the squirrels from pillaging). It’s the perfect time to build up your bird center because February is National Bird Feeding Month! Ginko Gardens now carries a whole line of local company Wild Bird Center for all your winged friends’ needs. In fact, much of the upstairs is dedicated to the bird center, perhaps as thanks for role of birds in propagating ﬂora, spreading the pollen and such. It’s time to give back, don’t you think? (Also makes a nice gift to your favorite bird enthusiast!) There are feeders, diﬀerent varieties of suet and seed, and hummingbird.

One of the perks of city living it is not: dents and scratches on your poor car. Maaco (as in “Uh-oh, better get”) just opened up locally, and they’re ready to make your dull, salty car shiny and new again. Go in for a free estimate – it only takes ten minutes. Get a new car look without new car payments. There are several level options to choose from, ranging from “about to sell it” to “keeping this car for the long haul”. Ask sales manager Marcus Woods or store manager Jason Reynolds about their grand opening special – half oﬀ for a limited time. Open M-F 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sat. from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Located just past the Arboretum at the intersection of T St.

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homesgardens

Designing for Change Creating A Safe Haven to Ease Life Challenges by Lisa Brent

ood or bad, change is the one constant in everyone’s life. Career changes, bumps in the economic road, and normal life stage events such as starting a family, experiencing an empty nest, moving (for all kinds of reasons), and facing the issues surrounding aging, are by nature, challenging. They require us to be creative and flexible when we might not be feeling up to it. One way to ease the stress of change is through creating a personalized physical environment that provides support and nurturance. Kathleen Soloway, a long “A place to unwind” Photo by Kathleen Soloway. time hill resident, has created a new kind of interior design diverse community, spanning all ages, business geared to specifically address moving through all sorts of life transithis issue. As a clinical social worker tions. One unique challenge in our for many years she had the privilege of neighborhood is introducing children meeting with individuals and families into our Victorian homes. A particuin their homes as they navigated life’s larly fun project Kathleen worked on challenges. “I became very intrigued was helping a young family find a way at the notion of personal space and to update their living room for adult how it affects an individual’s wellbe- entertaining while maintaining a speing,” said Kathleen. Following a life- cial play space for their young children. long passion for interior design, she After much brainstorming about the completed studies at the Corcoran functional needs for the space Kathand has started a business designed leen proposed creating a storage and to help folks create homes and of- play space in the bay window, with fices that offer them personal support new attractive, comfortable (and child as they move through all kinds of friendly) furniture in a conversational life transitions. arrangement. The family was even able to fit in a desk under the stairs to enable them to be together when a Introducing Children into parent was using the computer.

Victorian Spaces

Kathleen believes that Capitol Hill is the perfect community to practice her “design for change” philosophy. The Hill is such a wonderfully 110 ★ HillRag | February 2011

Downsizing/ Streamlining Another rewarding aspect of Kathleen’s work has been with older

line their homes, reducing clutter and creating systems for organizing mail, bills and easy access to emergency assistance. She encourages her clients to think deeply about what kinds of things brought them comfort and ease. In one case Feng Shui principles were introduced to help a new home feel more serene and comforting.

Taking Control

Kathleen Soloway. Photo by Stan Soloway.

adults who have connected with her through the Capitol Hill Village. More information about this nonproﬁt organization which aims to help Hill residents stay in their homes as they grow older can be found at www.capitolhillvillage.org. Placing safety and security as ﬁrst priorities for her clients, Kathleen has worked with several individuals to stream-

Taking control of one’s personal space may seem a daunting task. Many people express a lack of confidence in making changes to their interior spaces. To help others create a personalized and nurturing environment, Kathleen spends quite a bit of time helping clients think through their functional needs for their space as well as their emotional desires. A good example of this was a recent project for a new Government appointee creating a second home here on Capitol Hill. As this was a time limited appointment, the client did not want to invest a lot of money but wanted a comfortable place to relax and unwind at the end of his 14 hour days. He chose a lovely light filled efficiency condominium next to Eastern Market, with easy access to Metro and delicious carry out food. His apartment was furnished inexpensively using IKEA, consignment shops and on-line sources. The design featured both a Murphy bed

'SBNF PG .JOF and a comfy sofa placed strategically in the bay window. This placement was chosen so that the client could instantly visually unwind, as this was the first thing he would see upon entering his home. The fabric chosen for his windows allows for both light and privacy and in addition reflects his Central American heritage. One of Kathleen’s clients who was recently downsizing to an assisted living community commented that they appreciated feeling a sense of control over the design process, especially at a time when everything else in their lives felt so completely out of their control. They expressed tremendous pride in their new home and shared positive feedback that they had received from their new neighbors. The inclusion of cherished artifacts and furniture eased their transition to unfamiliar territory and created avenues of conversation about their earlier lives within their new community. These kinds of meaningful environments can be created anywhere. Several years ago Kathleen personalized the room of a friend who was in a nursing home by blowing up pictures from his earlier travels. This created wonderful conversational opportunities for the friend and the care staff of the nursing home and allowed him to enjoy the memories of his adventures. Kathleen believes the key to this kind of work is in the listening. “All of us have a rich fabric of life experience. We long for ways to express our truest selves and we need spaces that allow for this possibility. Paying close attention to our wishes and desires, our needs for functionality, and for beauty can result in the creation of the perfect haven providing comfort, security and inspiration.” Kathleen can be reached through her business, Design for Change, at: 202543-7040, Ksoloway@designforchange. net, www.designforchange.net ★

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homesgardens gardenspot

The Pleasures of Indoor Gardening A Great Way to Pass a Gray February Day article and photos by Derek Thomas dening, they have not had success with indoor plants. Well, indoor gardening is easy and fun.

he artic air this winter has been persistent. Even the toughest gardeners have hung up their trowels. At the onset of February, although the shortest month, avid gardeners like myself will all agree time seems to crawl and the ﬁnal day of this gray and cold month never quickly comes. For me, February’s impact is softened by time spent with indoor plants. In tending my houseplants, there is always something going on to keep my spirits up: my violets are in bloom while the snow and ice falls against their sunny windowsill; my Meyer lemon has fruit ripening right after the holidays; or my Phalaenopsis orchid spikes and blooms in spite of the frigid scene outside. If it were not for these gems of inspiration, these great indoor garden friends, my winters would most likely be best spent far away from the gray February beast.

1. Diffenbachia 2. African Violet

Success with houseplants Perhaps one of the most interesting things that many of my colleagues in the green world often say is “I can’t get anything to grow indoors.” Although these people are avid plant people, intimately involved in gardens and gar112 ★ HillRag | February 2011

3. Tillandsia 4. Citrus 5. Phalaenopsis Orchids

The four most important ingredients to indoor plant success is: • Always take the time to find out if the plant is easy or difficult. There are difficult plants that are sold in the garden trade because they are attractive, such as a plant like a Vanda Orchid which, though beautiful, will be better left to a skilled orchid person. • Always find out the plant light needs. A plant like dieffenbachia will survive in both bright intense light and medium shade indoors; however if you want success with citrus plants indoors make sure you get sun, and lots of it, through your windows. • Water requirements must be known for a plant to thrive indoors. Plants need differing amounts of water and under-watering a plant that needs moist conditions will be just as detrimental as over-watering a cactus! • Soils and regular fer-

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Where to start Below are a few of my favorite indoor plants. All are easy to care for. Dieﬀenbachia: These wonderful lush multi patterned tropicals are easy to grow and will add years of joy to your indoor landscape. They like to be planted in good garden soil with lots of moisture retaining additives like vermiculite or perlite. Fertilize three times per year. Keep growing medium moist but not wet. They grow in a number of light conditions indoors. If you grow in a sunny window, the plant will have larger leaves and more intense patterns and color on the leaves. If grown in a low light condition, the plant will be leggy with the leaves spaced further apart on the center trunk with less dramatic patterns and color. Please be careful with this plant since the leaves will cause a dangerous swelling of the tongue if eaten, hence the nickname “dumb cane.” If you have pets or kids pass on this plant. African Violet: One of the best and easiest plants to grow indoors. Give this plant a moist potting mix high in peat and water regularly from below. Water on the leaves and center crown of this plant will injure or kill it. Keep pot in a saucer and when in need of water put water in saucer and plant will soak it up. Keep in a sunny window and away from cold drafts and this plant will bloom all year long. In summer months make sure sun coming

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tilizing with good products make a diﬀerence. Good soil makes for good roots and ultimately good plants. Good fertilizer is the food that will fuel healthy plant growth. Both are priceless in making sure your indoor plants last a lifetime. Also remember to repot your plants once a year to a pot that is not more than 2” larger than its current planter. However if you want to keep the plant small leave in the same pot but take 2” of soil oﬀ the top and add new soil as a top-dress.

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into window is not too intense because sunburn will occur. Tillandsia: These are true air plants. Give them bright light and spray or soak with water once a week and enjoy. The Tillandsia most people are familiar with is Spanish moss, however there are hundreds of varieties and the joy of growing these plants are their truly carefree nature. No soil, sunny location and squirt with water once a week and you have a great plant. Citrus plants: These plants are easy, fun, and great to help introduce kids into the joys of gardening. Give these plants well-drained sandy soil. Citrus plants like lots of water, but not a soil that is soggy or waterlogged. Allow soil to dry a bit between thoroughly drenching. Give your citrus plant plenty of sun and you will have limes lemons or small oranges in the winter months! Fertilize and put out door in a protected location in late spring and get a summer crop of fruit! Phalaenopsis Orchids: Also know as moth orchids, these tough plants will bloom and grow in an east or northeast window for years. Phals like sphagnum moss potting mix or use commercial orchid soil. Fertilize with a commercial fertilizer diluted to half strength once a month and change out potting mix annually in summer to prevent salt build up from fertilizer. Keep on a tray with pebbles to help increase the humidity and enjoy the blooms several times each year. If orchid does not spike (send up a bloom stalk) by mid-September, place in a room where night temps drop into the 60s and there should be a spike by mid-November. Derek Thomas is principal of Thomas Landscapes. His garden designs have been featured on HGTV’s Curb Appeal, and Get It Sold. His weekly garden segment can be seen on WTTG/Fox 5 in Washington. He can be reached at www.thomaslandscapes. com or 301.642.5182 ★

If looking for a Capitol Hill business to provide you with wonderful houseplants check out these locations this February. Ginkgo Gardens: 911 11th St. SE. 202543-5172 Fragers Hardware: 1115 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. 202-543-6157 Surroundings: 1023 East Capitol St. SE. 202-546-2125 114 ★ HillRag | February 2011

The Capitol Hill Garden Club presents

Dear Garden Problem Lady, A knowledgeable neighbor tells me that nothing grows in my front garden because the soil there is so compacted that I really need to “double dig” it. What does he mean? Double digging is a highly effective way of improving bad soil and getting essential air back into it. First, do make sure that no one is going to walk on your front garden after you have performed this laborintensive task. You must create stepping-stones or a path for people to walk on instead. You cannot double dig if the yard is filled with tree roots, or you will kill the trees. That said, start at one side. Dig a row of soil, one shovel deep, and put all the loosened earth into a wheelbarrow. Then loosen the soil at the bottom of the remaining small trench to a depth of eight or so inches, and add organic material to it – compost, dried leaves, manure. Then, parallel to the first, dig a second row, turning over its topsoil into the first trench and mixing that with organic material. Continue doing this, row after row, until you have dug and enriched the entire front yard. Fill the last trench with the topsoil you put in the wheelbarrow from the first trench, enriching it with organic material. I found a dead rat on our front walk. What conclusions should I draw? There are rats around. They live underground and eat refuse. If you see other rats, you should call 311 to be directed to the relevant DC pest control office. I dislike the dark purple of our large Buddleia bush’s blooms – they do not show up well. Also, I have now learned this so-called “butterfly bush” is a nonnative that doesn’t support butterflies

Ceanothus

at the correct time to help them multiply. I’d like to dig it up and get rid of it – any advice? Buddleia is tough. Do it after a rain. The root ball will be large, and the roots spread out. It is quite invasive – and yes, its bloom is not early enough to support butterﬂies when

their newly hatched larvae need food. Dig it up, add some good, light soil, and then plant a Ceanothus gloire de Versailles, a native species that has similar lilac-shaped blooms of a paler violet blue than your Buddleia’s dark ones. Ceanothus grows to a size of six feet by six feet. Feeling beset by gardening problems? Send them to the Problem Lady c/o The Capitol Hill Garden Club at andrew@hillrag.com. Your problems might prove instructive to others, and help them feel superior to you. Complete anonymity is assured. Capitol Hill Garden Club programs are free. On Tuesday, February 8 at 7 p.m. Shepherd Ogden, a national expert on organic vegetable gardening, will outline ways to get the most out of small Capitol Hill spaces. At the Church of the Brethren, 4th Street door, corner North Carolina Avenue and 4th Street, SE. Membership details at 202-543-7539. ★

ation day. - Jane Angarola. 210 South Carolina Ave, SE; www. chds.org; 202-386-9919.

Continued from page 100

when held to high expectations. Friendship is delighted that one of its hardworking, dedicated teachers has earned this honor for the second year in a row,” said Donald Hense, Chairman of Friendship Public Charter Schools. Rolle was selected by a panel of District education leaders from charter and traditional public schools chosen by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education. The application process included a written application and essays, an interview, and a classroom observation. As the 2011 D.C. Teacher of the Year, Rolle will receive a $3,000 check and represent the District of Columbia in the National Teacher of the Year competition and program in Dallas, Texas. Students at Friendship Public Charter School score above the District average in reading and math and growth in student proficiency is higher than the District average. The graduation rate at Friendship’s high school is 94.76 percent - 22 percent higher than the graduation rate for D.C.’s traditional public high schools. Friendship’s mission is to provide a world-class education that motivates students to achieve high academic standards, enjoy learning and develop as ethical, literate, well-rounded and self-sufficient citizens who contribute actively to their communities. Rolle earned a Masters in Urban Education from University of Pennsylvania. Like last year’s winner, Jon Rolle is a Teach for America alum.

Capitol Hill Day School News CHDS Eighth Graders Wrap Up High School Applications While everything that happens in the years leading up to graduation prepares CHDS 8th graders for their transition to high school, their families are guided in this process by the High School Advisor, who helps students ﬁnd schools well-suited to their academic and social strengths and goals. From September through mid-December, the students meet weekly with faculty who prepare them

Other School News CHDS upper grade students enjoy a flamenco lesson in Spanish Club [credit:Lisa Sommers.

to take the Secondary School Admission Test, an admissions requirement of most independent schools. The advisor leads workshops about the application process, including role playing exercises and mock admissions interviews. In November, CHDS alumni in 9th – 12th grade meet with families to answer questions about specific schools. The advisor also gathers with parents of 7th graders in the spring and then again in the fall of their children’s 8th grade year. Throughout the fall, parents get together individually with the advisor to discuss school choices and teacher and outside recommendation possibilities. The advisor keeps parents apprised of open house dates and application deadlines. In January and February, the advisor meets with the admissions staff at every high school to which the 8th graders have applied to update their files and advocate on their behalf. While the families change, two things remain constant: Every year, the CHDS’s 20 or so 8th graders will enroll at 10 to 15 different high schools, and high school admissions staff will be impressed with the maturity and poise of our candidates. CHDS graduates are confident in their academic abilities, socially adept, and flourish at a wide range of competitive and challenging high schools, including private and public, single sex and coed, boarding and day. Currently, 82 CHDS alumni are enrolled at 30 different high schools. The Class of 2011 has submitted applications to 25 high schools. Like others before them, they have been nurtured, challenged, supported, and taught to think critically and independently. In the coming weeks they will have options to consider and decisions to make as they count down to gradu-

SEED Student Receives Heroes of Heart Award

At the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service Literary Celebration, The Heart of America Foundation® honored SEED DC student Anthony Black with its Heroes of the Heart® Award. The award identifies inspirational individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to enrich the lives of others. The co-founders of The Heart of America Foundation presented Anthony with this award in honor of his service to his community, his resiliency and willingness to share his personal story of his family’s quest to provide him with a quality education. He told this story as one of five students featured in Davis Guggenheim’s recent documentary film Waiting for “Superman”, which has sparked a national conversation about the importance of education reform. www.seedfoundation.com ; www.heartofamerica.org. www.waitingforsuperman.com.

Hundreds Volunteered at DC Public Schools on MLK Day of Service On Jan. 17, the Martin Luther King Jr. National Day of Service, hundreds of volunteers lent a helping hand in a variety of service projects – from those that focus on literacy, to largescale mural projects – that will beautify and improve DC public schools.

Literacy: Powell, Payne and Emery The DCPS kicked oﬀ the day of service with a “Teaching Your Child How to Read” literacy project at three schools: Emery Education Campus (1720 First St. NE); Payne Elementary (305 15th St. SE); and Powell Elementary (1350 Upshur St. NW).

Rebuilding Arts Program: Takoma at Meyer In an eﬀort to rebuild art supplies at Takoma at Meyer and aesthetically

enhance the interior of the new school site, the school has teamed up with the University of the District of Columbia and federal government volunteers for a donation drive and mural project at Takoma at Meyer, 2501 11th St. NW. During the “Rising out of the Ashes through Service” event, more than 100 volunteers beautiﬁed school grounds with classroom art and hallway mural projects. For more information, email udcserves@gmail.com.

Instilling Pride, Creating Legacy: Mckinley Mural Project McKinley Technology High School students and teachers joined dozens of volunteers from the nonproﬁt Greater DC Cares on Jan. 17 to paint murals in the NE DC school as part of its McKinley Technology High School Legacy Project 2011. For more information, email Michael.taylor3@ dc.gov.

New Intermediate School Division Head at The Potomac School Potomac School Head Geoff Jones announced today that Jerry Kountz will serve as the next Division Head of the Intermediate School (grades 7 – 8). He is currently serving as the founding Head of the SEED School of Maryland, a public, statewide, college preparatory boarding school and the second SEED School in the nation. He has served as principal of a number of middle schools in Prince Georges County and was twice nominated for The Washington Post’s Outstanding Principal’s Award. In addition, he has directed several leadership programs, coaching and mentoring middle school principals to be effective instructional leaders. Head Geoff Jones said, “Having a keen understanding of the adolescent journey, Jerry will understand the nuanced balance of support and challenge necessary for all of 7th and 8th graders to flourish as they transition from the elementary grades to high school. His commitment to the kind of community that makes possible academic excellence readily aligns with Potomac’s vision and mission.” - Jill Lucas. 703873-5539; www.potomacschool.org. ★

capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 115

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fagon@hillrag.com 202-250-1217 capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 121

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122 ★ HillRag | February 2011

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E-mail your ad with credit card information to carolina@hillrag.com or call 202.543.8300 x12 capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 123

thelastword Well’s Inaugural Remarks

Remembering Bill Mitchell

n the night of January 19 at about 11 p.m., 33-year-old William Robert Mitchell (Bill) was shot multiple times and killed while walking home from the New York Avenue METRO Station. Earlier in the night, he had attended the play Cymbeline with his mother at The Shakespeare Theater in NW. Born on Jan 5, 1978, Bill grew up in Rockville, MD, and attended College Gardens Elementary School and Wootton High School. He graduated from Wheeling Jesuit College in West Virginia, where he played rugby, nurtured his love of the outdoors, and had a tight group of friends who enjoyed their Annual Activity Fun Day (AAFD) thereafter. He lived most of his life in the D.C. area, loved to travel, and had an affinity for red wine. Although he recently had a career in sales, he was drawn to the sea and was in the midst of applying to a Seafarer program. Bill had a very outgoing and approachable disposition, and a special relationship with the children in his life. Especially generous to his family and friends, he also believed in local volunteering. He never passed up the chance to make someone else’s life better, whether that meant babysitting for his family and friends, helping a friend move, or tutoring at-risk kids at Horton’s Kids in DC. He volunteered for the National Botanical Gardens, and he was also part of his neighborhood’s Bloomingdale gardening effort a few years back, which planted trees and cleaned up the triangle park at the intersection of Florida and North Capitol Street in NW where, ironically, he was killed. Survivors include his parents; Kathleen and William L. (Bill) Mitchell; sister, Megan Shapiro; sister, Allison Hoefling; and brother, Brian Mitchell; and his grandfather, Robert Patrick Magee. He will be forever loved and missed by his family and friends. Bill died as he lived, standing up for what he knew was right. His family hopes that his senseless death can help in some way to make the area he lived in a safer place.

124 ★ HillRag | February 2011

Let me begin by acknowledging my colleagues, especially those re-elected along with me: Jim Graham, Mary Cheh, Harry Thomas, David Catania and Phil Mendelson. Congratulations to all of you. I look forward to serving the citizens of Washington with you for another four years. I also wish to recognize our new chair of the city council, Kwame Brown, the youngest chair in our history, and of course our new mayor, Vincent Gray, our most experienced mayor in our short history of home rule and a valued friend and colleague of mine for more than 20 years. We have an enormously talented and capable team for tackling our ﬁscal challenges ahead while continuing to advance a progressive agenda for our city. I am humbled and proud to have been elected again to serve the wonderful people of Ward 6. Ours is a diverse community with residents of all ages, incomes, backgrounds and ethnicities, working together to build neighborhoods of quality and character for everyone to enjoy. I am grateful for their continued support for our shared vision of a livable and walkable city. In fact, in Ward 6 we are privileged to live in some of the nation’s best livable, walkable neighborhoods, from the Southwest Waterfront to Rosedale, from Capitol Hill to Penn Quarter, from HillEast to Northwest One. We also have some of the greatest emerging new neighborhoods, such as the Riverfront Ballpark district, NOMA, Mount Vernon Triangle and H Street NE. Taken together our ward is one of the most desirable places to live in America. In the next four years it is our challenge to continue the great progress we have made in creating

these diverse and inviting neighborhoods—where parents want to raise their families, where seniors can age in place, where entrepreneurs can build small businesses and where gay couples enjoy the same rights of other D.C. citizens. A livable and walkable city must have strong schools. In Ward 6, we are well on our way to seeing that every elementary school—whether traditional, charter or private—is a school of first choice. Today most of them have waiting lists, and for the first time in memory they are a reason to move to the District rather than to leave our city. But we have much more work to do. We cannot rest until every elementary school meets the highest standards. We also must establish robust middle school choices in Ward 6 and make Eastern High School once again the pride of Capitol Hill. A livable and walkable city also must be connected, with easy and affordable access to all of its neighborhoods. We must improve and expand our public transit options, creating an interconnected network of walking trails, bike lanes, bus routes, and subway and new streetcar lines that get people to everything our city has to offer—jobs, shopping, recreation and the arts—while supporting economic development in communities that historically have been left behind. Together we can meet these challenges and more. As we emerge from a recession and grapple with budget constraints, we must focus more than ever on our collective vision. This is the time to come together. It is up to all of us to sustain our momentum. I am committed to building a livable and walkable city in the nation’s capital that is a model for others across the nation and around the world. Together with you and my colleagues, we will keep building the city that

supports our citizens and creates opportunity for everyone. Tommy Wells Councilmember Ward 6

Why I Oppose the 8th Street Moratorium Proposal FLASH to moratorium supporting restaurateurs on Barracks Row: A moratorium to preclude competition will not help your business. In fact, competition may be your salvation! A moratorium on new restaurants on Barracks Row is a bad idea for those of us who are always looking for that greener salad. And a Moratorium on new restaurants on Barracks Row is a bad idea if it gives some restaurateurs a reason to stick with a failed business plan. Please, ANC, don’t interfere in a natural and beneﬁcial business cycle; disavow the moratorium idea before you do any more harm. Restaurateurs that are struggling to survive should take advantage of the free bounty brought by ebullient competition. New restaurants draw new and repeat patrons to the immediate area. No business should ask for more than to have potential customers primed for their product parading past their portal. Some of that parade is sure to march in. And then the task is to bring them marching back—if you can. Repeat business must be earned. Failing restaurateurs should look for the solution to their problem in their kitchens, in their decors and in the unappealing presentation of their help. Failure is the fault of owners and employees, not of competitors. Failing restaurateurs should improve their own businesses and compete; they should welcome competition and respond to it as a healthy challenge that will lead to more and better business for everyone in the area.

The restaurant business can be very competitive; if conducted correctly, a good proﬁt can be earned, if incorrectly, employers can become employees. When it does happen, a restaurant failure is not all bad. Usually, a new restaurant with a fresh presentation will replace the failed restaurant—unless, of course, somebody imposes a moratorium on new restaurants. Let’s not have a moratorium. Let’s keep on bringing in new restaurants until the market determines that we have the best restaurant mix possible. And then let’s let it all happen again and again, because restaurants need to reboot periodically. Larry D. Quillian

The Art of Confrontation As a help to fellow residents, I thought I would put down on paper my most commonly used phrases when confronting kids, potential thieves and people who don’t scoop their pets poop. These have been very successful and used frequently by me since moving to the Hill in 1994. • Not scooping their dogs poop: “EXCUSE ME, do you need a bag? I have one right here.” OR “You know, there are a lot of kids on this block and they dig in the tree boxes and run around-it’s really your civic duty to pick up after your dog. Let me get you a bag.” • Scoping out houses or cars on our block: “Excuse me, but what are you doing? Are you lost? Do you need assistance? Do you need me to call the police? I think I should call the police.” • Kids kicking over pumpkins, throwing rocks, tormenting other kids, generally making mischief and misbehaving: “Hey! You know that’s not right-KNOCK IT OFF! I know your parents!” -which is true, sometimes.

• Guys urinating on school property in the middle of the day: “Hey! Come on now, you know that’s not right. Kids are in class in there. Have a little respect for them and yourself.” • Contractors dumping trash in alley: (open window and yell) “Hellooo!-I have written down your license plate number and I am reporting you to the DC Department of the Environment for illegal dumping. I think you should still clean it up though. Have a nice day.” Usually these scoﬄaws are so put oﬀ by direct confrontation, that they quickly get up and go. Or they just do what I ask them, looking very sheepish and embarrassed. I also make a point to make direct eye contact with them so they know that I am taking a good mental note of what they look like, and they don’t like that at all. I would like to encourage all of my neighbors to take the time to confront people. You don’t have to feel like you can’t say something. Trust your instinct; If you think something is wrong, it probably is. Gina Arlotto

Don’t Forget About Low Income Residents I am a low-income, white resident of the Hill who has been here for ﬁfteen years. Though I have seen changes in the neighborhood, fortunately I have been able to keep my low-income apartment so that I can use transit to get to my job in town. The high-income people sometimes forget about people like me who live here and in Potomac Gardens; honest people who happen to make less money than they do, but deserve to live here just the same. We need to come together in this neighborhood to preserve Potomac Gardens and other low-income

rental housing, to expand it, and to make social services available to those who need them. What happened to the Friendship House clients? Did Friendship House have any programs at Potomac Gardens that might have kept youngsters out of trouble? The inﬂux of wealthy residents has some of us on edge, and there will be those desperate enough to hit someone over the head on the street if they feel their housing and thus their life is being threatened by these rich people. That doesn’t excuse these crimes but it could explain them. Instead of kicking us out or threatening our housing, our rich neighbors should pitch in and help agencies that can in turn help us and support us. Our low-paid but often satisfying jobs make the wealthy lifestyle possible here, which these new residents moved here to enjoy. Housing is a human right. Let’s work together to preserve it for all our neighbors. Sincerely, Yvonne Farrell, yfsanfranfan01@aol.com

Can The Nose PLEASE consider sparing us the crapola served up by ‘The Nose’ in future. That piece about Tommy Wells was sophomoric, and-perhaps more pertinently-totally unfunny. I don’t mind somebody putting out a strong opinion, even if I disagree with it, if it is well-argued and attributed. But this contributed absolutely zero to the ongoing debate about how to develop the city, and the author, perhaps unsurprisingly, hid behind the ‘anonymous’ tag. Good luck with your paper! Sam Bunting thebunting@googlemail.com ★

capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 125

the NOSE by Anonymous

he New Year must be upon us: the mailman just delivered a W-2 to The Nose. Piles of receipts and bank statements teeter on his desk much as they do in in the office of the Nitpicker. Fearing suffocation by avalanche, The Nose struggles to make sense of this chaos in advance of his accountant. It is a gruesome ritual of self-flagellation that he vows every year never to repeat. Unfortunately, in The District of Columbia, in the words of one famous hotel queen named Leona, “Only the little people pay taxes.” Yes, Dear Readers, if you are responsible for the public’s purse, there’s no need to fork over a dime to the taxman, much less file a return. Councilmember Michael “Soak the Rich” Brown, to cite an example, is on a lay-a-way program with the Fed. Recently, in response to being outted by The Nose’s dwindling fraternity, he anted up $14,117.70 to cover unpaid District property taxes. Now, it’s not as if Brown couldn’t afford an accountant to keep him straight. The man possesses a very modest six figure income. A more famous example of District tax holidaymakers is Councilmember Marion “I Forgot to Put It in The Mail” Barry, whose legendary failure to pay or even file in the first half of the decade resulted in a criminal conviction. Barry has been on probation since 2006. Moreover, he seems simply unable to help himself. In 2009, Barry almost ended up in prison for missing a filing deadline. Hasn’t Barry ever heard of H&R Block? Turbo Tax? Pocket calculators? Stamps? Even The Nose’s five-year old niece is smart enough to fill out a 1040-EZ. Unlike the Mayor-for-Life, The Nose works hard to prepare his taxes. The long hours spent poring over old bank statements have impacted his eyesight. His old rickety file cabinet constitutes and imminent fire hazard. So, why should Brown and Barry be spared this misery? As councilmembers, aren’t they responsible in part for maintaining this arcane system? Michael and Marion! It’s time for you both to grow up and serve your time in tax purgatory with the rest of the public. Cribbing from “What’s The

126 ★ HillRag | February 2011

Use?”, the famous Berstein number from Candide, here is their imagined response: MICHAEL BROWN I have always been wily and clever at withholding and filing and such, and I feel just as clever as ever, but I seem to be losing my touch. Oh, I’m losing my touch! Yes, I’m clever, but where does it get me? The taxman still gets his entire take. All I get is my lake trout, while he gorges on truffles and cake! What’s the use? What’s the use? There’s no profit in cheating. It’s all so defeating! What can you say? Eventually I still have to pay! MARION BARRY That young Brown is no use in this Council, not a penny have I made on him yet. And the one thing that pays in this building, is my fraudulent game of earmark roulette! It’s my game of roulette, but I have to pay so much attention, to the Chairman and his henchmen. That each time when they manage detection, I’m a poor man all over again! BARRY & BROWN What’s the use? What’s the use of questionable endeavors and being so clever? Eventually we still have to pay! Since filling out tax forms and check writing seem to be such a challenge for Brown and Barry, The Nose is happy to offer his assistance. Name the time and place, and he will show up pen and calculator in hand. Hey, misery loves company. Have a comment for The Nose? Email thenose@ hillrag.com. ★

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