Mid City DC Magazine – October 2022

The Washington Ballet’s NEXTsteps

NEXTsteps, featuring new ballets created just for The Washington Ballet by emerging and acclaimed choreographers, re ects the voices of our time.

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

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

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

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

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

Photo: Cory Weaver

Photo: Spencer Bentley

Emergency Neon at Honfleur Gallery

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

Sanctuary City at Arena

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

Move the Way you Want

at the Phillips

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

Beth Orton at Sixth & I

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

Detail from Climate Change. Materials used: Neon, Animation Controllers,

storm

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

Reckoning: Protest. Defiance. Resilience. at the NMAAHC

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

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

Arcade Fire at The Anthem

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

US Oyster Festival in St. Mary’s County

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

Washington Bach Consort’s Free Noontime Cantata Series

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

Photo: W.E. Stone Photography

Photo: Tom Wolff

“Dracula” at Synetic

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

Art and Ideals: President John F. Kennedy

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

“Intimate Apparel” at Theater J

The time is 1905, the place the Lower East Side. Sewing beautiful lingerie gives Esther, an African American seamstress, an intimate look at the love lives of her diverse clientele, but she yearns for a romance of her own. She nds herself in an epistolary courtship with a mysterious Caribbean man, though her heart secretly belongs to the Orthodox Jewish fabric merchant with whom she can never share a

Authentic Flamenco by the Royal Opera of Madrid

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

touch. Written by two-time Pulitzer Prize-winner and MacArthur grant awardee Lynn Nottage, this moving portrait of love, resilience, and the triumph of the human spirit has become one of the most beloved plays of our time. $64 to $89. “Intimate Apparel” is on stage at Theater J, 1529 16th St. NW, Oct. 19 to Nov. 13. theaterj.org.

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

RuPaul’s Night of the Living Drag at National Harbor

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

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

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

The DC Beer Festival Returns

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

Elegies: A Song Cycle at Keegan

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

Logan Lowdown

To honor our 19-year-old tortoise-shell cat Gypsy (and her littermate Jesse), Peter and I visited Gypsy Kitchen, 1825 14th St. NW, near Logan Circle. We also wanted to savor its spirited Middle Eastern cooking, and we’re glad we did. The handsomely appointed, brick-lined dining area looked tempt ing, with colorful rugs and tapestries, but we opted for the rooftop instead. There we were seated on comfy cushioned chairs with a view of the bustling street below. (Gypsy Kitchen is part of Atlantabased Southern Proper Hospitality.)

Helmed by chef Eric Milton, Gypsy’s large dis play kitchen turns out dishes from Spain, Greece, Lebanon, Morocco, Israel and beyond. We began with bil labne ‒ house-made hummus presented in a long-handled pan and crowned with tender lamb. Fresh from the oven, the accompanying golden dome of pita bread was speckled with spices. A “small plate” of duck prosciutto, reportedly cured with oranges and Turkish coffee, arrived with crisp pita chips.

Peter’s gazpacho was an unusual presentation with grilled ciabatta and garnished with mint leaves. The soup was a medley of tomatoes, watermelon and spices. The crunchy Tunisian fried chicken

Insatiable

by Celeste McCall

had slung its last taco in mid-August to make way for Ghostburger’s expansion. Espita fans can still enjoy modern Mexican fare at sister restaurants Destina and Las Gemelas at Union Market’s La Cosecha.) Ghostburger chefs Robert Aikens and Ben Tenner have revived the original Ghostburger, stacked with American cheese, red onions, pickles and “spooky” sauce. A Real Cheesesteak contains shaved ribeye, caramelized onions and homemade cheese whiz, all snuggled in a Sarcone’s roll. The bread is trucked down from Philly. Menu new comers include A Better Italian Hoagie, packed with Italian deli meats, provolone and veggies. For haunting hours and more information, visit www. ghostburgerdc.com.

Return to Maketto

sandwich was stacked between bun halves and ac companied by tasty fries. As usual, we over-ordered. Service was leisurely, but it was Sunday brunch and the restaurant was probably understaffed.

Among other menu options are whole-roasted branzino, roasted lamb, serrano ham and grilled prawns. The extensive wine list encompasses old and new favorites from Mediterranean wine-grow ing regions. For hours and more information, visit www.gypsykitchendc.com.

Ghostly Arrival

Boo! Halloween arrived early in Shaw as Ghost burger debuted at 1250 Ninth St. NW. The process was not easy. When Ghostburger first opened in side Espita Mezcaleria in August 2020, co-found er Kelly Phillips told Eater DC that the pop-up would only last a month or two. Yeah, right. But the pandemic-era ghost kitchen proved widely popu lar as its signature “smash burgers” and Philly-style sandwiches practically flew out of the kitchen. The carryout mezcal cocktails were also hot tickets.

Therefore, Ghostburger was able to hang in there. It permanently opened last month in Es pita’s vacated space. (The Oaxacan-style cantina

After getting a new battery for my wristwatch in the Atlas District, Peter and I decided to revisit Maketto, 1351 H St. NE. We’d forgotten how good this place is. If anything, Erik Bruner-Yang’s cooking ‒ mainly Cambodian and Taiwanese ‒ is better than ever. Since it was raining, we sat inside in the downstairs area, where upscale sportswear is displayed. From the medium-plates menu I decided on the spicy

Near Logan Circle, Gypsy Kitchen showcases Middle Eastern cuisine in a festive, attractive setting.

Maketto, in the Atlas District, features Erik Bruner-Yang’s Cambodian and Taiwanese cooking, including this egg-crowned beef and rice bowl.

The Queen Vic (Atlas District) is a popular destination for Anglophiles, especially since recent royal proceedings.

beef and rice bowl, laced with braised beef, homemade pickles, fried garlic and lots of hot peppers. When they say spicy, they mean it. The crowning glory was a runny fried egg.

Since it was a dreary fall day, Pe ter wanted something hot. He went for the Cambodian-style pho, a sa vory broth replete with pork mor sels, rice noodles, spring onions and jalapeno circles. The flavorful soup arrived with a pungent dip which resembled duck sauce.

Among small plates are several kinds of dumplings, spring rolls and sourdough scallion pancakes. Large plates (entrees) encompass drunken shrimp, fried rice, roasted trout and roast duck. Our savvy server, Brandon, explained the dishes and answered our questions. For more information, visit www. maketto1351.com.

God Save the King!

In honor of the late Queen Elizabeth II and the new monarch, King Charles III, Peter and I brunched at Queen Vic, in the Atlas District. Located at 1206 H St. NE, the pub is a popular gathering place for Anglophiles mourning the queen’s death. On a recent Sunday, even the weather was English ‒ cool and rainy.

Another culinary destination for a Brit-fix is Aboveground, a vibrant kiosk in Union Market.

We settled in the Vic’s cozy downstairs bar area, where a halfdozen TV screens would soon provide royal coverage. Sipping spicy Bloody Marys, we chowed down on (so-so) sh and chips and delicious, lling shepherd’s pie. Layered with savory ground lamb and cheese and crowned with u y mashed potatoes, the piping hot dish could feed two. We took half of it home. Other menu options encompass chicken pot pie, bangers and mash, vegan curries, burgers and a full English breakfast of bacon, eggs, baked beans, tomatoes and mushrooms. For hours and more information, visit www. thequeenvicdc.com.

Another Brit Fix and Congrats

In Union Market, 1309 Fifth St. NE, Aboveground o ers chef Nicholas Joseph Martino’s British victuals like sausage rolls, sh-and-chips, condiments and

sweets, plus cocktails and sodas. For more information, visit www. abovegrounddc.com.

By the way, congrats to Union Market, which has celebrated its rst decade in business. For more information visit www. unionmarketdc.com.

France to Virginia omas Je erson would be proud. Irregardless, a “modern American bistro,” has arrived at 502 H St. NE, the former digs of French-themed Le Grenier. Expect seasonal local produce, homemade pastas and Virginia wines. Executive chef Ben Browning, formerly with Adams Morgan’s now-defunct Mintwood Place, will showcase a six-course tasting menu ($85) plus an a la carte menu at the 12-seat bar.

Choosing the wine list are resident sommeliers Mika and Ian Carlin, who fell in love with Virginia wines while attending law school at UVA. Je erson, our nation’s third president, also enjoyed the fruit of the vine but had no luck growing grapes at Monticello.

For Irregardless hours and more information, visit www.irregardlessdc.

Enjoy All-Day Breakfast at Cracked Eggery

Bright neon signs and a vast array of breakfast sandwiches meet the eye at Cracked Eggery (1921 Eighth St. NW) in Shaw. Egg sandwiches, bowls and tater-tots are the main features of this all-day breakfast eatery.

Co-founder Mike Tabb is a lifelong Washingto nian who said his love for breakfast food dates back to his childhood. “If I got up early, my dad would sometimes take me to McDonald’s breakfast on the way to school,” Tabb remembered. “It’s always just kind of been a nostalgia thing and something that’s been a part of my life and a lot of people’s lives. Breakfast is such a family thing.”

Tabb said his menu started out with a tradition al bacon, egg and cheese sandwich but quickly ex panded to include more diverse options. The eccen tric menu provided “a new take on breakfast,” and he and his colleagues quickly learned that eggs can be used in almost any dish. A favorite menu item is the Southern Charm, a sandwich that started out as a BLT but now features fried green tomato and pimento cheese.

Many of the offerings are traditional South ern-inspired or side dishes that the restaurant has turned into sandwiches. “It’s still approachable,”

Business Briefs

by Sarah Payne

Tabb explained, referring to the menu. “But I also hear customers say, ‘Wow, I’ve never had it in this form before.’”

“We try to keep it as local as possible,” Tabb said of the ingredients used in his breakfast creations. The bread, eggs, sausage and more are sourced from DMV-area farmers, some thing he stressed improves the quality of the food. “Building these relation ships with local people is invaluable for us, and hon estly, the quality is better.”

Cracked Eggery Shaw is open Sunday through Monday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. The Cleveland Park location (3420 Connecticut Ave. NW) is open Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

To see the full menu or to order online, go to www.crackedeggery.com.

Recover Like a Pro

at District Cryo

Sore, achy muscles meet sweet relief at District Cryo (1300 Ninth St. NW). The center offers a variety of therapies to help athletes recover and everyone feel their best.

Owner Antwain Coward is a DC native who grew up a few blocks from District Cryo’s Shaw location. He said the community response to his wellness center has been overwhelmingly positive.

“It literally is my neighborhood,” Coward said of the Shaw site. “I re member when it looked completely different growing up there, so to come back and be a part of how it’s been revi talized and changed is great, and I think my neighborhood appreciates it.”

While Coward’s background is in finance, his time as a student-athlete at

Case Western Reserve University introduced him to the importance of finding the best tools for recovery.

Before opening District Cryo, Coward watched an “explosion” of boutique fitness studios such as Cross Fit, SoulCycle and SolidCore open in the District, but found there were few tools for recovery available. “You’re seeing people pushing their bodies more but with no real, clear evidence of recovery or things you should be doing alongside that physical exertion,” Coward explained.

The center offers a variety of recovery modali ties. Cryotherapy is a quick experience, lasting only two to three minutes, when the body is exposed to temperatures ranging from minus 200 to 300 F. The therapy has been shown to improve recovery time in athletes, reduce inflammation, relieve pain and much more. Cryo, however, is not just for athletes. The ben efits have been shown to relieve symptoms related to arthritis, fibromyalgia, tendonitis and more.

An infrared sauna, allowing for a detoxifying sweat, is also available at the center. Compression services are offered as well, something Coward said is best suited for avid cross-fit fans and marathon run ners. Treatments last 30 minutes to an hour.

District Cryo offers two intro packages, includ ing two 40-minute infrared sauna sessions for $70 and two total-body cryotherapy sessions for $75. District Cryo is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sun day, 12 to 5 p.m. The Alexandria location (421 King St.) operates with the same hours.

For more information on District Cryo’s offer ings, visit www.districtcryo.com.

Cracked Eggery co-founders Mike Tabb, AJ Zarinsky, Ross Brickelmaier and Donald Patterson. Photo: Rey Lopez

District Cryo owner Antwain Coward. Photo: Alexander Padro, courtesy Shaw Main Streets

Take a Culinary Trip and Sip around the World at Lulu’s Winegarden

Created by husband-andwife team Paul and Brittany Carlson, Lulu’s Winegarden (1940 11th St. NW) provides a beer garden experience with wines from around the world.

Northern Virginia native Paul Carlson has opened several restau rants since coming to the District in 2007, including Vinoteca, Lulu’s pre decessor at the same location, and the Royal DC on Florida Avenue. Lulu’s, which features patios and indoor and outdoor seating options, offers wines by the glass and the bottle in addition to Southwest-inspired dishes.

Carlson described Lulu’s as a “casual and enjoyable” space that fo cuses on the opportunity for people to gather together. Prior to the onset of COVID, the tables were even in tended to be communal, something the Carlsons hope to return to. “We wanted to be more approachable to groups,” Carlson affirmed. “Wine bars tend to attract couples or small groups, individuals, but we want it to be more open to large groups. Our wine pro gram really focused on trying to be more community centered.”

Lulu’s carries wines from around the world and wines that are local to the DMV. Currently, the restaurant is showcasing wines from the Southwest and Mexico. “We want our guests to enjoy wines that are true representa tions of varieties and regions that they are known for. You’ll see a lot of the major wine regions represented on our shortlist.”

The Southwest-inspired fare, Carlson said, is underrepresented. He emphasized that wine can pair with a variety of different cuisines. “You can drink wine with anything,” Carlson assured. “It doesn’t solely have to be with meat and cheese. We really want ed to tie together the things that make us happy, the things that have been an anchor for us in a community.”

Lulu’s is open Tuesday through Thursday from 5 to 10 p.m., Friday, 4 p.m. to 12 a.m., Saturday, 12 p.m. to 12 a.m., and Sunday, 12 to 10 p.m. Brunch is served on Saturday and Sunday from 12 to 3 p.m. To see the full food menu and wine and cocktail lists or order online, visit www.lulus winegarden.com.

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

Lulu’s Winegarden owner Paul Carlson. Photo: Alexander M. Padro, courtesy Shaw Main Streets.

Election Special Coverage for the District of Columbia 2022

t h E A t - l A rg E c ouncil r A c E

Crime, Housing & Education

by Elizabeth O’Gorek

The marquee race on the ballot is for two of the five at-large seats on the Council. However, the District Home Rule Charter reserves two of the at-large seats for non-Democrats. Incumbents Anita Bonds (D, anitabonds2022. com) and Elissa Silverman (I, elissafordc.com) are competing in an eight-way contest that includes in cumbent Democratic Ward 5 Councilmember Ke nyon McDuffie (D, mcduffiefordc.com), who was ruled ineligible earlier this year to run for Attorney General as a Democrat. Also running are Republi can Giuseppe Niosi (niosi2022.com), Green Party candidate David Schwartzman (dcstatehoodgreen. party/candidates/David-Schwartzman) and in dependents Fred E. Hill (fredhill4councilatlarge. com), Karim D. Marshall (marshallfordc.com) and Graham McLaughlin (grahamfordc.com).

The race to date has mostly focused on public safety, the District’s housing crisis and the state of

District education. Where do the candi dates stand?

Crime

This year’s rise in crime has been a ma jor focus during primary debates. Bonds supports Mayor Muriel E. Bowser’s (D) proposal to expand the ranks of the Met ropolitan Police Department (MPD) to 4,000 officers. While a “big proponent of community policing,” Bonds believes more officers could both improve the police de partment’s clearance rate in solving crimes and help increase the public’s comfort.

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

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

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

Elissa Silverman

expense of lives here in the District.”

The Council has been unresponsive to “rampant crime” in the District, Niosi ar gues. Police face understaffing, underfund ing and antiquated technology.

“Our neighbors, including small chil dren, are dying because the Council contin ues to slap our police force in the face,” Niosi said in an August press release. “They bow to national progressive special interests at the

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

“To destroy crime, you have to eliminate the parent of crime —poverty,” Marshall says, pointing to additional opportunity for youth and a focus on rehabilitation for youth crime as solutions.

Silverman agrees. The recommendations of the DC Police Reform Commission still need to im

plemented, she says. DC needs to work to build community trust in police. In particular, the commission’s recommendation to pair behavioral specialists with MPD o cers needs to be implemented, she says. Trafc enforcement should also be moved from MPD to the District Department of Transportation (DDOT).

McDu e points to his authorship of the NEAR act. “We need to double down on the work,” to emphasize accountability for crimes.

“We cannot simply focus on law enforcement, we have to focus the opportunity side of the equation,” he says. He believes the answer lies in expanding job training and providing more economic opportunities.

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

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

Housing

Bonds currently chairs the Council’s Committee on Housing and Executive Administration. DC has been recognized as a national leader on a ordable housing, she has proudly pointed out during primary debates. “Building, preserving and providing housing at a rent that residents can a ord are challenging processes, but DC is slowly overcoming,” she says. She is committed to working to ensure that every District resident has a safe, sanitary, and a ordable place to call home and

pushing for policies that expand tenants’ rights and preserve and increase of the District’s a ordable housing stock.

McDu e, another incumbent, agrees. New housing should be built across the city. He touts Mayor Bowser’s e orts to distribute new housing more equitably across the city. He credited his legislation with establishing a ordable housing setaside requirements when District-owned land is being disposed for the development of multi-family residential projects. Bonds has had her record challenged. During a debate at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, Marshall criticized her committee’s oversight of DC’s housing agencies. Bonds “is kind of asleep at the switch,” he says. e city needs a way to leverage the more than 10,000 vacant homes across the District into a ordable housing, he suggests.

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

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

Silverman, a member of Bond’s committee, has been a persistent critic of the operations of the HPTF.

She has also questioned the operations of the DC Housing Authority (DCHA). In the Council’s discussions on the Comprehensive Plan, Silverman, while a strong supporter of historic preservation, called for increasing residential density and housing for the lowest

David Schwartzman

Fred Hill

Graham McLaughlin

Karim Marshall

McDu

income brackets. A ordable housing should be located in a uent communities as well. e preservation of a ordable housing stock should be the city’s highest priority, she argues.

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

Education

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

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

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

McDu e did not weigh in on mayoral control. Di erent schools have di ering resources

and also di erent resources, he says. ere is a need to make sure funding is equitable, pointing to issues with funding transparency, particularly the way in which at-risk dollars are spent, he argues.

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

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

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

HE

VOTE

WIN!!

GRANT

ADMINISTRATION WILL:

I-71 Enforcement Halted Gray Market Cannabis Too Big to Stop?

by Kenneth V. Cummins

Mayor Muriel Bowser’s (D) haphazard effort to gain control of DC’s spiraling illegal, gray market for marijuana has quietly halt ed after the mayor and her top aidesappear have apparently had a Hamlet moment: “To be, or not to be.’’

With entrepreneurs crowding to cash in on the cannabis gold rush, the so- called I-71 mar ket, named for the referendum that legalized personal use, possession and exchange of canna bis, appears to have grown too big to shut down. Capital Community News’ recent Spotlight DCfunded investigation found single storefronts grossing as much as a quarter million a month. More to the point, of view of the I-71s, the more than150-plus businesses employ ing significant numbers of District residents.

Flush with cash, members of this nascent I-71 industry retained the services of well-known lob byist Josh Lopez to protect their interests. In Sep temberlate August, Lopez managed to convince the mayor’s office to shut down the first coordinated, multi-agency attempt at enforcement.

Enforcement Derailed

The planned Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Ad ministration (ABRA) Joint Cannabis Task Force, comprised of eight District departments and agen cies, was scheduled to begin inspecting the I-71 stores after Labor Day. The week before, according to government and industry sources, the mayor’s of fice quietly pulled the plug.

“I’ve heard that Josh Lopez was hired by the so-called I-71 businesses, and his connections with the EOM (Executive Office of the Mayor) stopped the Task Force, ‘’ said DC Council Chair man Phil Mendelson (D), an advocate of enforce ment, who has been grappling with the cannabis legislation since last winter and who has oversight over Tthe DC Dept. of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA).

According to council and administration sourc es, after the mayor’s office was contacted by Lopez, John Falchiccio, the mayor’s chief of staff who dou bles as Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic

Development (DMPED), directed Task Force Coordinator, ABRA Director Fred Mosally to put the effort on hold. Mosally relayed the or der to DCRA Director Ernest Chappah and the “roll-out’’ of the Task Force stopped. Mo sally had announced the creation of the Task Force the first week of August.

Falchiccio, administration sources say, is theonly one person empowered to make that call for Mayor Bowser. Lopez and Falchiccio’s long relationship dates back to early days of the Mayor Adrian Fenty’s (D) administration. They worked together for much of the past eight years for the Bowser administration. Neither Falchiccio nor DMPED’s spokesper son replied to questions about the enforce ment pause.

Lopez’s name comes up as a “Registrant” in the Board of Ethics and Government Account ability (BEGA) reporting search tool for the Dis trict. However, a search returns no records match ing his name under any of the headings.

The I-71 Industry

“I-71’’ is the term created by cannabis entrepreneurs, who claim to be legally operating under the provi sions of Initiative 71, passed by voters in 2014. The referendum legalized recreational and medicinal use of marijuana in the District but permitted per sonal possession of no more than two ounces and the non-commercial exchange of up to an ounce.

These entrepreneurs offer services and goods for sale. Any purchase is accompanied by a “gift” of cannabis. The businesses claim this is sanctioned under I-71, since the weed is not being “sold.”

In September, Capital Community News (CCN), in partnership with and funding from Spot light DC, published an investigation of 60 I-71 storefronts. Of the 60 stores identified, 31 appeared to be operating withouta Basic Business Licenses;. 29 had business licenses on record with the DC gov ernment (28 current and one expired) and only. 35 of the 60 shops had Certificates of Occupancy. Re porters were unable to clearly establish whether all of these businesses were collecting sales taxes.

A typical cannabis dispensary, the CCN inves tigation found, maintains an inventory of multiple pounds of weed. , pPossession of such amounts, with the exception of District District-licensed medical dispensaries, remains a felony under city law. ThusTask Force inspections, therefore, might have triggered criminal as well as civil enforcement.

Dodging The Bullet

Political observers speculate that Bowser wants to avoid the chaos that would ensue from caused by shutting down more than 100 I-71 businesses that operate in the District. In the wake of criticism of the national War on Drugs, locking up gray mar ket entrepreneurs on felony drug charges is not a good look.

Moreover, the effort threatened to put hundreds of DC residents out of work just weeks before her November re-election.

“If something dramatic is done, there will be thousands of people who lose their jobs,’’ warns Maryland attorney Lonny Bramzon, owner of Street Lawyer Services on H Street NE. “I see a lot of people thriving from this, and their families, too. A lot of Black and Brown people are building careers and building communities around this.’’

Bramzon’s shop “gifts’’ weed in return for dona tions to his business.

“I’m concerned that we are ignoring the reality on the ground,’’ says one H Street NE I-71 store owner Lonny Bramzon. “If all the gifting shops are shut down, there will be people all over the streets trying to sell weed . . . . “ at would create problems we are trying to avoid here.’’

The Sound of Crickets

Asked to comment, Lopez failed to respond to phone calls and text messages. Acquaintances and medical marijuana industry sources also report di culty in contacting him.

Much of the DC government hasalso has gone silent on the subject. ABRA’s spokesman, who was responding to questions prior to the pause in enforcement, is directing reporters’ questions to the Mayor’s o ce, which has been slow to respond. Calls and texts to Falchiccio were not returned. Questions submitted to the mayor’s o ce remained unanswered at the time of publication.

e loudest silence is coming from DC Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Chief Robert Conte, who refused requests for an interview and forbid his District Commanders from commenting. Conte in the past has been vocal about the negative impacts] of I-71 businesses on public safety.

Due to the primarily cash nature of cannabis commercial transaction, security at stores is tight. According to sources within MPD, Conte was concerned police o cers accompanying the I-71 enforcement e ort might could encounter armed guards. In addition, as sworn o cers, police would might be compelled to arrest entrepreneurs found with multiple pounds of weed in their possession.

Talk of “riots and mayhem are is just scare tactics,’’ says Chair Mendelson `If we don’t act now, it (the I-71 market) will get bigger,’’ he predicted. “And, the bigger it gets, the harder it will be to control..’’ ◆

Shaw Streets

by Pleasant Mann

agencies encourages people to disperse. There were also questions on why the reimbursable detail offi cers (RDOs), off-duty police officers contracted to protect the area outside businesses at night, stay on Ninth Street instead of moving around the neigh borhood, and why on some nights there is only one RDO officer present. Boteler noted that movement is limited by the contract. Kane pointed out that the number of officers available to serve as RDOs has been limited by the fact that MPD was not allowed to add officers to the force for a year.

The head of the Ninth Street Business Associa tion said that he had seen improvement in public safety along U Street but that there were problems with some of the initiatives. In particular, MPD’s street closings on the weekends caused problems for customers coming by ride-sharing services. The police responded that they tried to accommodate ride-sharing by allowing drivers to come through the closed street or closing just one lane.

Shaw’s Tavern Celebrates 10th Anniversary

Popular hangout Shaw’s Tavern celebrated its 10th anniversary the night of Sept. 1. Among the crowd marking the occasion were Deputy Mayor for Eco nomic Development and Planning John Falcicchio and Director of the Mayor’s Office of Nightlife and Culture Solana Vander Nat. Vander Nat presented tavern manager Rob Heim with a proclamation from Mayor Muriel Bowser congratulating the es tablishment on its anniversary. Then Alexander Pa dro, executive director of Shaw Main Streets, briefly reviewed the role that Shaw’s Tavern played in the neighborhood’s commercial revitalization. After wards, the celebrants continued to enjoy the com plimentary champagne, snacks and entertainment.

U Street Corridor Task Force Meets

Representatives of the Metropolitan Police Depart ment (MPD), District agencies and local business es, and neighborhood residents, met on the after noon of Sept. 27 for a U Street Corridor Nightlife Security Task Force town hall. Convened by the Mayor’s Office of Nightlife and Culture, the task

force was created in July to enhance public safety for the businesses and patrons of the U Street com mercial corridor. The September town hall was held to update businesses and residents on the status of the effort.

Assistant Chief Monica Kane and Third Po lice District Commander James Boteler noted that crime statistics were go ing down. For example, thefts from autos were down 20%, while motor vehicle thefts were down 67%. Boteler noted that the U Street corridor had not seen a homicide since the task force started operating.

Audience members asked what could be done about people loitering at night. The response was that while the District does not have an antiloitering law, the appearance of task force probation of ficers from the federal Court Services and Offender Su pervision Agency (CSOSA) and other regional probation

The meeting ended with the observation that the DC Council had approved alcohol-serving es tablishments to be open 24 hours a day during the World Cup, which might complicate the security situation. The U Street Corridor Nightlife Security Task Force is scheduled to terminate at the end of October but is likely to be extended. Kane also said that the task force model may be applied to other District commercial corridors.

Director of the Mayor’s Office of Nightlife and Culture Solana Vander Nat, Shaw’s Tavern manager Rob Heim and Shaw Main Streets Executive Director Alexander Padro celebrate Shaw’s Tavern’s 10th anniversary. Photo: Pleasant Mann

Third Police District Commander James Boteler and Assistant Chief Monica Kane report on the U Street Corridor Nightlife Security Task Force. Photo: Pleasant Mann

Chef Rob Rubba

Gets Another Award

Rob Rubba, chef/owner of Shaw’s plant-based fine dining restaurant Oyster Oyster, has gotten anoth er honor this year. Food & Wine magazine has declared him one of the Best New Chefs in America for 2022. The magazine lauded Rubba for his creativity, saying that at Oys ter Oyster he “executes a deeply seasonal menu with the energy and excitement that restaurants with 20 times the budget and 20 times the staff wish they could do – and for a fraction of the price.” The article also remarked on Rubba’s measures to make his operation sustainable, including dropping plants from the menu that carry a high-carbon foot print due to shipping requirements.

Food & Wine asked Rubba for his favorite spots in DC. The list is heavy on Shaw establishments, including Pearl’s Bagels, Maxwell Park Wine Bar, Taqueria Xochi and Seylou Bakery, where pastry chef Charbel Abrache “makes my favor ite croissant ever.”

In Other Food News

Doro Soul Food is moving into the Prescription Chicken incubator at 1819 Seventh St. NW. Led by Chef Elias Taddesse, chef/owner of Melange (the burger and sandwich shop in Mount Vernon), the new outpost will provide casual food that is a mix of American soul food and Ethiopian traditions. Expect fried chicken with Ethiopian spic es, cumin cornbread and doro wat spiced mac and cheese.

Shaw’s Dacha Beer Garden has been nominated again by USA To day to compete for a spot on the list of the 10 Best Beer Gardens in the nation. Dacha made the list last year and is going against 20 nominees this year for the prestigious desig nation. You can vote for it by going to https://10best.com. Voting goes until

Shaw Holds

by Pleasant Mann

near the R Street entrance of the venue to show and o er their work for sale. On the plaza, progressive hip-hop artist Christylez Bacon performed with Irish harpist Abbie Palmer, followed by local vocalist Ace Ono and her band. e Batala Washington female drum corps created a stir by marching all the way from Seventh and P streets to Banneker Plaza, where they presented a rousing drum set to an appreciative crowd. e last performance was Quintessence, a troop of re and soap bubble artists that dazzled the crowd with pyrotechnics. Video artist Robin Bell projected his latest e ort, “Future 22,” on the wall of the school. Noted DC muralist Aniekan Udo a drew a crowd of spectators as he worked on a live Afro-futurist mural, “Tomorrow Is Today.”

Shaw Community Center

Shaw, the neighborhood that originated the District’s Art All Night festival, held its 11th Art All Night on the evening of Saturday, Sept. 24. Due to the growth and development of Shaw, this year’s festival had to change some of its traditional venues.

Art All Night Kid’s Zone

e festival actually began in the afternoon with the Art All Night Shaw Kid’s Zone, sponsored by Events DC. At the Watha T. Daniel/Shaw Library, activities included paper collage-making, a screenprinting demonstration, a drag storytime performance and watercolor painting session for children downstairs. Outside the library, the Hung Tao Choi Mei Leadership Institute performed a Lion Dance for an electri ed crowd. Neighboring Eighth Street was closed to set up a Foamboree, with kids jumping through mountains of soap bubbles, while Rita’s Ice provided free, fresh-fruit frozen treats.

Mount Vernon Square

At sunset, Events DC started with an outdoor Art All Night Shaw activation at the Carnegie Library that included face painting, glow-in-the-dark body

tattoos and a rainbow colored Foamboree. ere was also an interactive community mural, a My Wish for DC chalkboard, six-foot DC letters for attendees to write and draw on, LED furniture, lawn games and DJ Divine keeping the attendees dancing the night away.

Watha T. Daniel/Shaw Library

e Shaw Library was also full of activity that night with face painting and a zumba dance class along with video recordings conducted for the DC Public Library’s annual Evil Laugh Contest. In the basement, Sidney Bu alow conducted do-it-yourself acrylic and watercolor painting workshops for adults and children. Outside, the Hung Tao Choi Mei Leadership Institute came back to hold a Lucky Light Lion Dance, and performance artist Shanna Lim channeled participants’ sadness over lost loved ones as an Angel of Grief.

Shaw Artists Market and Main Stage

e center of Shaw’s activities for the night was at Banneker Academic High School’s west plaza and parking lot, the site of the art market and main performance space. Fourteen local artists set up tents

In front of Lincoln Temple, 11th Street was closed to provide space for an electronic game pavilion and a stage for the Black Alley Band, youth from the Washington Jazz Arts Institute and a fashion show. Among the most exciting outdoor o erings were the wrestling matches presented by the C3W professional wrestling group. e crowd cheered at every body slam, with action heightened by announcer commentary.

Artist Aniekan Udofia live-painted an Afro-futurist mural during Art All Night Shaw 2022. Photo: Alexander M. Padro, courtesy Shaw Main Streets

A standing-room-only crowd watched at the DC Housing Finance Agency during the Art All Night Shaw 2022 Mini Ball.

Children of all ages enjoyed the lion dancers during the Art All Night Shaw 2022 Kid’s Zone. Photo: Alexander M. Padro, courtesy Shaw Main Streets

Events DC’s Carnegie Library Art All Night Shaw lawn activation literally glowed in the dark. Photo: Events DC

Robin Bell’s video projection loomed over the Shaw Artists Market during Art All Night Shaw. Photo: Victoria Pickering

Team Rayceen

Perhaps the hottest spot of the night was at the DC Housing Finance Agency, where Rayceen Pendarvis and collaborators pre sented a full program. The Washington DC Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence greet ed visitors at the door, leading to a night filled with poetry, an LBGT blues singer, rappers Starranko and Nia Monae and a fashion show. Midnight brought a Shaw Mini Ball competition, where contestants vied in events such as Best Dressed Spec tator and Best Voguing.

T Street Block Party

Right Proper Brewing Company held its second Art All Night Shaw Block Party with a list of musicians and spoken-word artists performing both inside the brew pub and outside on its patio. Next door, in front of the Howard Theater, the Black Beer Garden featured the Black Brew Move ment and Urban Garden Brewing, offer ing an array of beers from BIPOC craft brewers, along with works offered by local artists. Across the street, The Cornerstone offered free putt-putt golf.

Business Activations

Other Shaw businesses participated in Art All Night. Beau Thai restaurant set up a stand outside and offered glow-inthe-dark necklaces and had patrons cre ate their own postcard designs, to be im mortalized on Instagram. Lee’s Flower and Card Shop offered free floral-crown workshops, with participants getting to wear their creations during the festival. Compass Coffee, Shaw’s Tavern, Quattro Osteria, Wanda’s on 7th, Stop Smack’n, Motown Square Pizza, Electric CoolAid, La Jambe and Touchstone Gallery also participated by holding art exhibits or sponsoring musical performances.

Art All Night Shaw 2022 was pre sented by Shaw Main Streets, with major funding from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, the Department of Small and Local Business Development and DC Main Streets. Sponsors included Events DC, Pepco, DC Water, U Street Parking, Friends of Watha T. Daniel/Shaw Neighborhood Library, Miller Copying Service and Beyond. u

ANC 6E

by Pleasant Mann

Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6E held its meeting for September 2022 on Tuesday evening, Sept. 6. Due to the restrictions on public meetings caused by the Coronavirus pandemic, the meeting was held as a virtual conference. Chair Michael Eichler (6E01) called the meet ing to order with Alex Lopez (6E02, secretary), Frank Wiggins (6E03, treasurer), Rachelle Nigro (6E04, vice chair), Patrick Parlej (6E05), Denise Blackson (6E06) and Kevin Rogers (6E07) in at tendance. There was a quorum to conduct official business.

Police Service Area (PSA) Reports

Lieutenant McHugh of the First Police District noted that there was a homicide in 1D at Seventh and I streets on Aug. 25, with two other victims shot nearby a little later. Crime had decreased, with reports of vehicles stolen down 46% and thefts down 11%. Crime suppression teams were working on drug dealing and dis orderly crimes, leading to 20 arrests recently. The DC attorney general had decided not to prosecute those arrested for misde meanor disorderly conduct.

Parlej asked about the police presence at the 7-Eleven Store on K Street, where he heard of “crazy things going on there.” McHugh said that the site had their attention. A resident said that the area around Chinatown Park was becoming dangerous.

Lieutenant Ross of the Third Police District started his report by noting that a juvenile had recently been shot on the 1700 block of Seventh Street. There had been arrests made in the area, with crime definitely trending down. Wiggins responded that while general crime was going down, shootings were going up. He men tioned a recent shooting in broad daylight.

Ninth Street Cycle Track

Representatives of the DC Department of Transportation (DDOT) presented to explain the notice of intent issued to construct a protected bicycle track on Ninth Street. They stated the goal of having 70% of trips in the District accomplished by walking, biking or mass transit. Currently, only 50% of trips were done this way. The Ninth Street track should encourage the use of bicycles for transportation since most people were reluctant to bike on that busy street without a protected lane.

The cycle track would run on the east side of Ninth Street, reducing the street from two lanes to one lane going north. The track would go around the streateries on the 1200 block of the street. The changed traffic patterns would require prohibiting left turns from southbound Ninth Street to N and P streets. The design included dropoff points for churches and kept di agonal parking on Sundays.

Children frolicked in the Foamboree bubbles during the Art All Night Shaw

Kid’s Zone. Photo: Pleasant Mann

Black Alley Band’s go-go groove set the mood during Art All Night Shaw. Photo: Victoria Pickering

BULLETIN BOARD

redefine beauty and virtuosity. SOLO FLIGHT is a compilation of discovered moments through the lens of people intertwined and connected in their isolation. On view from 7 p.m. to midnight in the storefront of 1831 14th St. NW. www.culturaldc.org

Dead Man’s Run 5k at Congressional Cemetery

Dead Man’s Run returns to Historic Congressio nal Cemetery on Friday, Oct. 28, at 6 p.m. For the annual 5k dose of healthy Halloween fun, dress in your best costume, put on your running shoes and come with an appetite for fun. There are awards for the top three male, female and non-binary finishers, as well as best individual costume and team costume. Beer and wine will also be served. $35. Register at www.runsignup.com/Race/DC/ Washington/DeadMansRun.

CulturalDC Activates 14th Street Storefront with SOLO FLIGHT

Through Oct. 30, CulturalDC presents SOLO FLIGHT, a series of “movement portrait” films created by people with and without disabilities. Conceived and directed by Heidi Lansky, it is coproduced by CulturalDC and Ben Levine Produc tions. The works disrupt space, dismantle norms and

Spooky Action’s Maple and Vine Spooky Action Theater’s 2022-23 season begins with “Maple and Vine,” by Jordan Harrison, directed by Stevie Zimmerman. City dwellers Katha and Ryu have become disenchanted with their 21st-centu ry lives. When they meet Dean, from an idealistic community that exists in a permanent state of 1955, they forsake cellphones and sushi for cigarettes and chicken a la king, taking on new identities that challenge who they thought they were and might become. Speaking about his fictional Society for Dynamic Obsolescence, Harrison says, “The notion that less freedom could make you happy is a mor ally problematic idea. I’m hoping that the audience thinks, ‘I would never do something like that. Or would I?’” $30 on Thursdays and Sundays; $40, Saturdays and Sun days; student admission $20 with ID. Spooky Action is at 1810 16th St. NW. www.spookyaction.org

SHERO Community Walk

On Oct. 15, join this year’s SHE RO Community Walk to celebrate 50 years of amazing SHEROs who have transformed their lives because of support from the com munity. Since 1972, N Street Vil lage has opened its doors and of fered life-affirming wrap-around services to women experiencing homelessness. The annual SHE RO Community Walk honors the thousands of women who have walked through its doors and changed their lives. Everyone is encouraged to join in the celebra tion on Saturday, Oct. 15. Checkin begins at 8:30 a.m. at 1333 N St. NW, and the walk will begin

around 9:30 a.m. N Street Village seeks to raise $150,000 to ensure clients continue to receive sup portive housing, meals and access to mental and physical health services. Participants can create a fundraising page as an individual or as a team and can walk in person or virtually. For more informa tion, visit www.sherowalk22.nstreetvillage.org/.

Israeli Dancing in the Parking Lot

Are you looking to meet great people and have fun, all while getting a high-energy workout? On Thurs day, Nov. 3 (and Dec. 1, Jan. 5 and Feb. 2), from 6 to 7 p.m., get your feet moving to the beats of rikudaiam (Israeli dance). This monthly drop-in session attracts young people and families from across the DC metro area. Instruction will only include line dance (no circle or couples dances). Free to attend and open to all, beginners and experienced dancers alike, no dance partner necessary. Israeli Dancing in the Parking Lot is at the EDCJCC parking lot, 1529 16th St. NW. www.edcjcc.org u

Turkish Festival

The Turkish Festival is organized and financed by the Turkish American community and businesses in the Washington metro politan area. It draws crowds of up to 20,000 and features live music, DJs, dance performances, a floating stage, food court, kids’ tent, tea house and beer garden. The 2022 Turkish Festival is on Sunday, Oct. 16, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., on Pennsylvania Avenue NW, between Third and Seventh streets. Free admission. www.turkishfestival.org

DCHFA, Your Homeownership Resource in the District.

DCHFA, Your Homeownership Resource in the District.

DCHFA, Your Homeownership Resource in the District.

DC Open Doors

DC Open Doors

DC Open Doors

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

DC Open Doors

DC Open Doors

DC Open Doors is your key to homeownership in the city. is program o ers competitive interest rates and lower mortgage insurance costs on rst trust

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

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

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

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

DC Open Doors is your key to homeownership in t city. is program o ers competitive interest rates and lower mortgage insurance costs on rst trust

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

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

Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP)

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

HPAP provides interest free deferred loans for down

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

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

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

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

DC4ME

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

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

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

COVID-19

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

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

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

COVID-19

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

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

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

COVID-19

www.DCHFA.org

COVID-19

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

to apply to any of DCHFA’s homeownership programs.

Visit www.DCHFA.org

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

how to apply to any of DCHFA’s homeownership programs.

Members of the French Street Neighborhood Association had asked to have the e ort include a crosswalk across the 1700 block of Ninth Street. DDOT decided against this, believing that it would be more hazardous than the current con guration. DDOT would await completion of the cycle track before considering a crosswalk at French Street.

Work on the cycle track was originally scheduled to begin in spring 2023 but may start in early October 2022. Lopez’s motion to support the Ninth Street cycle track NOI passed unanimously.

Mount Vernon 7-Eleven

Jim Evans, regional director for 7-Eleven operations on the East Coast, gave an update on the amelioration of problems at the K Street 7-Eleven. He said that the store had already established security on a 24/7 basis. e company would also like to try playing opera music outside the store, which had reduced loitering and incidents at other stores. ey were also installing upgraded surveillance cameras.

Nigro said that she liked the store but that people were afraid to walk past the front door. She thought there had been improvements in the situation there. Parlej said there was a community backlash the last time music was played outside the store. Evans reiterated that that the addition of music outside had proved e ective in reducing trouble. A resident asked what the company was going to do with the vacant 7-Eleven at Rhode Island Avenue and Seventh Street. Evans said that he was not prepared to respond to that question but would try to provide an update later.

Alcoholic Beverage Licensing Committee (ABC)

Rebel Taco, 508 K St. NW, requested a license renewal. ABC Chair Alexander Padro said that the applicant did not participate in the ABC meeting but that the recently opened establishment had no investigative history. Parlej had not heard of any constituent issues with the license and supported renewal. A motion to support renewal passed 7-0.

Zoning Advisory Committee

e owner of 925 Fifth St. NW requested to extend a zoning order. At a previous meeting, the ANC opposed the request due to the owner allowing the condition of the lot to deteriorate. Since then, the owner had put up a gate to secure the property was treating the lot for rodents and removing gra ti. ey also noted that the property had received interest from members of the hotel industry and that permits for its development would be issued soon. e Zoning Committee supported extension of the zoning order if the owner committed to continue to maintain the property. A motion to support extension of zoning relief passed 6-0.

Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC)

TAC Chair Lopez started by saying that three community members had died in tra c crashes over the past two years. e committee asked the ANC to issue a letter requesting that DDOT conduct walkthroughs of the area to improve the situation. Eichler mentioned the problem of the pedestrian crossing at Eighth Street and Rhode Island Avenue, where cars never stopped to allow people to cross. Lopez wanted the letter to cover only the issue of fatalities. A motion to send a letter to DDOT passed 7-0.

will hold its next meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 4, at 6:30 p.m. Plans are to hold this meeting as a virtual conference. Visit www.anc6e.org for more information.

cha ng ing hands

of

Neighborhood Price BR

2129 15th St NW $1,075,000 4

BLOOMINGDALE

1954 2nd St NW $1,550,000 4

1929 2nd St NW $1,175,000 4

54 Randolph Pl NW $1,010,000 3

2411 N Capitol St NE $1,000,000 5

COLUMBIA HEIGHTS

3002 Williams Aly NW $1,780,000 3

624 Princeton Pl NW $1,232,500 4

739 Kenyon St NW $800,000 3

447 NW Park Rd NW $775,000 8

DUPONT

2017 Hillyer Pl NW $2,795,000 5

ECKINGTON

56 R St NE $1,250,000 5

29 Todd Pl NE $750,000 5

KALORAMA

2212 Massachusetts Ave NW $2,500,000 7

LEDROIT PARK

1803 4th St NW $1,270,000 4

601 U St NW $860,000 3

LOGAN CIRCLE

1431 R St NW $1,600,000 5

1417 10th St NW $979,000 2

MOUNT PLEASANT

3324 19th St NW $1,300,000 4

1822 Irving St NW $1,295,000 3

1770 Hobart St NW $1,235,100 3

2300 Champlain St NW $1,155,000 4

1868 Monroe St NW $850,000 4

NOMA

124 Quincy Pl NE $1,189,000 4

637 Orleans Pl NE $863,500 2

OLD CITY #2

1513 Marion St NW $1,005,000 2

1410 3rd St NW $740,000 2

PETWORTH

3910 New Hampshire Ave NW $1,450,000 5

829 Decatur St NW $1,357,500 4

822 Varnum St NW $1,340,000 7

701 Varnum St NW $1,140,000 5

4427 9th St NW $1,130,000 4

814 Farragut St NW $1,100,000 4

4710 8th St NW $1,020,000 3

3rd St NW $880,000 3

3rd St NW $865,000 4

Allison St NW $850,000 3

4th St NW $840,000 4

Jefferson St NW $830,000 3

Ingraham St NW $825,000 3

Decatur St NW $772,000 3

Farragut St NW $680,000 4

Ingraham St NW $675,000 4

8 Farragut Pl NW $595,000 3

8th St NW $585,000 3

Illinois Ave NW $539,000 3

Farragut Pl NW $500,000 4

N Capitol St NW $490,000 3

SHAW

10th St NW $1,175,000 3

6th St NW $1,025,000 3

U STREET CORRIDOR

W St NW $1,274,000 4

CONDO

ADAMS MORGAN

1701 Kalorama Rd NW #407 $620,000 1

Adams Mill Rd NW #200 $575,000 2

17th St NW #416 $525,000 1

California St NW #5 $501,500 1

17th St NW #215 $489,999 1

Euclid St NW #A-11 $478,000 1

BLOOMINGDALE

U St NW #2 $1,055,000 3

Rhode Island Ave NW #3 $525,000 2

Quincy Pl NW #105 $300,000 1

CAPITOL GATEWAY

V St SW #208 $1,140,000 2

V St SW #209 $800,000 1

V St SW #512 $547,000 1

CENTRAL

St NW #601 $845,000 1

Massachusetts Ave NW #513 $570,558 2

21st St NW #211 $430,000 2

14th St NW #305 $300,000 0

CHINATOWN

7th St NW #630 $335,000 1

COLUMBIA HEIGHTS

11th St NW #PH- A $1,250,000 2

11th St NW #B $1,075,000 2

Lamont St NW #1 $1,000,000 3

Lamont St NW #2 $921,000 3

Morton St NW #B $830,000 3

Newton St NW #2 $817,500 3

Spring Rd NW #1 $799,900 3

Rock Creek Church Rd NW #1$784,000 3

13th St NW #101 $525,000 2

Clifton St NW #103 $515,000 2

Sherman Ave NW #405 $481,000 2

Belmont St NW #312 $449,900 1

13th St NW #202 $425,000 2

13th St NW #2 $415,000 2

3511 13th St NW #101 $379,900 1

3902 14th St NW #614 $335,000 1

1438 Columbia Rd NW #404 $320,000 1

1225 Fairmont St NW #105 $320,000 2

1106 Columbia Rd NW #108 $255,000 1

3101 Sherman Ave NW #103 $115,000 1

DUPONT

1280 21st St NW #503 $455,000 1

1931 17th St NW #302 $430,000 1

1615 Q St NW #313 $365,000 1

1 Scott Cir NW #718 $271,000 1

1260 21st St NW #503 $230,000 1

1417 21st St NW NW #A $770,000 2

1330 New Hampshire Ave NW #1014$730,000 2

2024 N St NW #5 $640,000 1

1740 18th St NW #304 $619,000 2

1935 17th St NW #3 $605,000 2

1727 R St NW #503 $590,000 2

1615 Q St NW #1104 $565,000 2

1414 22nd St NW #1 $500,000 1

1833 S St NW #2 $475,000 2

1730 New Hampshire Ave NW #5 $445,000 2

1711 Massachusetts Ave NW #228$405,000 1

1736 Willard St NW #506 $370,000 0

1725 Q St NW #G-2 $285,000 0

1322 15th St NW #B2 $259,000 1

1260 21st St NW #200 $240,000 0

ECKINGTON

153 Randolph Pl NW #2 $780,000 3

1952 3rd St NE #101 $581,950 3

KALORAMA

1801 Wyoming Ave NW #42 $850,000 2

2015 Columbia Rd NW #8 $625,000 1

2022 Columbia Rd NW #307 $520,000 2

1901 Columbia Rd NW #502 $455,000 1

LEDROIT PARK

1915 6th St NW #B $400,000 1

LOGAN CIRCLE

1401 Q St NW #601 $1,199,000 2

1441 Rhode Island Ave NW #513$1,160,000 3

1215 Rhode Island Ave NW #D $955,000 2

1215 Rhode Island Ave NW #C $950,000 2

1325 13th St NW #601 $840,000 2

1340 Vermont Ave NW #7 $775,000 2

1229 10th St NW #1 $715,000 2 1300 13th St NW #309 $682,000 2

1423 R St NW #400 $499,900 1

1312 13th St NW #2 $480,000 1

1133 14th St NW #210 $449,999 1

1215 Rhode Island Ave NW #B $439,000 1

1215 Rhode Island Ave NW #A $425,000 1

1245 13th St NW #913 $419,900 1

1133 14th St NW #1009 $395,000 1 1101 L St NW #201 $370,000 1 1440 N St NW #308 $235,000 0

MOUNT PLEASANT

1618 Beekman Pl NW #C $874,500 2 1613 Harvard St NW #313 $755,000 2 1608 Beekman Pl NW #D $755,000 2 1613 Harvard St NW #301 $699,000 2 2301 Champlain St NW #113 $545,000 2 1446 Newton St NW #2 $473,500 2 1636 Argonne Pl NW #1 $456,500 1

MOUNT VERNON TRIANGLE

M St NW #10 $480,000 1

Massachusetts Ave NW #204 $425,000 1

Massachusetts Ave NW #2 $385,000 1

issue, this list,

on the MRIS, is provided

price and number of

811 4th St NW #509 $460,000 1

NOMA

50 Florida Ave NE #326 $624,500 2

Florida Ave NE #204 $475,000 1

OLD CITY #2

2030 16th St NW #3, $985,000 2

505 Q St NW $945,000 3

945 T St NW #A $740,000 3

437 New York Ave NW #1201 $532,000 1

1718 P St NW #202 $419,000 1

1 Scott Cir NW #808 $405,000 1

1 Scott Cir NW #220 $239,850 1

PENN QUARTER

675 E St NW #350 $470,000 1

PETWORTH

1322 Randolph St NW #3 $870,000 4

519 Longfellow St NW #2 $699,000 3

5024 9th St NW #202 $485,000 2

210 Varnum St NW ###UNIT #3 $464,000 2

210 Varnum St NW #UNIT #1 $414,995 2

839 Kennedy St NW #202 $412,000 2

617 Jefferson St NW #202 $390,000 2

4804 NW Georgia Ave NW #102 $345,000 1

604 Longfellow St NW #402 $344,111 2

927 Kennedy St NW #203 $341,900 1

738 Longfellow St NW #407 $335,000 2

3902 14th St NW #119 $325,000 1

839 Kennedy St NW #C6 $325,000 1

927 Kennedy St NW #103 $320,000 1

738 Longfellow St NW #405 $224,900 1

SHAW

503 Q St NW $1,570,000 4

810 O St NW #903 $1,000,000 1

634 Q St NW #2 $992,000 2

447 Ridge St NW #2 $930,000 2

810 O St NW #503 $785,000 2

1839 6th St NW #2 $599,900 2

500 Florida Ave NW #3 $491,000 2

435 R St NW #406 $429,000 1

U STREET CORRIDOR

2031 13th St NW #3 $845,000 2

11th St NW #2 $795,000 2

Chapin St NW #301 $535,000 2

11th St NW #436 $402,500 1

CoOp

ADAMS MORGAN

Adams Mill Rd NW #309 $378,500 1

Columbia Rd NW #406 $376,000 2

Columbia Rd NW #409 $339,900 1

Columbia Rd NW #302 $230,000 0

DUPONT CIRCLE

17th St NW #503 $210,000 0

LOGAN CIRCLE

16th St NW #621 $360,000 1

kids&family

by Kathleen Donner

Boo at the Zoo

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

Race for Every Child Kids’ Dash

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

The Butterfly Pavilion

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

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

Finding Rhythm: Grow Your Brain with Go-Go Music

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

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

Photo: Courtesy of the Artists

Hill-O-Ween at Eastern Market

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

In-Person Dia de los Muertos Family Day

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

Family Happy Hour with King Bullfrog at Hill Center

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

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

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

Dia de los Muertos Special Concert with Quetzal

The Witch Wartsmith’s Halloween Spooktacular

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

National Air and Space Museum Opens Renovated West End

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

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

Drop-In Hang-Out: Teen Vot ing in the DMV

Is your voice being heard?

Do your DC School Board

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

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

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