Mid City DC Magazine November 2015

An Urban Lifestyle Magazine NOVEMBER 2015

MIDCITY

DCRA FREE SEMINARS

FOR EXISTING AND ASPIRING DISTRICT BUSINESSES Senior Entrepreneurship Program Date: Thursday, November 5, 2015 Time: 10:15 am – 11:45 am Location: Hattie Holmes 324 Kennedy Street NW Washington DC 20011 To Register: http://bizdc.ecenterdirect.com/ ConferenceDetail.action?ID=41353

The Regulatory Process of Starting a Business Date: Monday, November 16, 2015 Time: 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm Location: Southwest Neighborhood Library 900 Wesley Place SW Washington DC 20024 To Register: http://bizdc.ecenterdirect.com/ ConferenceDetail.action?ID=41340

Money Smart for Small Business - Insurance and Banking Services

SmartStart Integrated Licensing and Money Smart for Small Business Program

Date: Thursday, November 12, 2015 Time: 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm Location: 1100 4th Street SW 4th Floor (E-4302) Washington DC 20024 To Register: http://bizdc.ecenterdirect.com/ ConferenceDetail.action?ID=41243

Date: Monday, November 16, 2015 Time: 9:00 am – 11:00 am Location: 1100 4th Street SW 2nd Floor (E-268) Washington DC 20024 To Register: http://bizdc.ecenterdirect.com/ ConferenceDetail.action?ID=41340

How to Open a Small Business Navigating Government

by Navigating through DCRA’s Contracting with DC Procurement Regulatory Process Technical Assistance Center Date: Tuesday, November 17, 2015 Time: 9:00 am – 10:30 am Location: 1100 4th Street SW 2nd Floor (E-200) Washington DC 20024 To Register: http://bizdc.ecenterdirect.com/ ConferenceDetail.action?ID=41232

Date: Thursday, November 19, 2015 Time: 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm Location: 1100 4th Street SW 4th Floor (E-4302) Washington DC 20024 To Register: http://bizdc.ecenterdirect.com/ ConferenceDetail.action?ID=41230

For further information : Jacqueline Noisette (202) 442-8170 jacqueline.noisette@dc.gov Claudia Herrera (202) 442-8055 claudia.herrera@dc.gov Joy Douglas (202) 442-8690 joy.douglas@dc.gov

November 2015

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CONTENTS NOVEMBER 2015 08 10 50

what’s on washington calendar classifieds

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19 DC Is Going Foam

Free! • Catherine Plume

out and about 20 Insatiable • Jonathan Bardzik 22 Depeche Art • Phil Hutinet 24 Let’s Get Physical • Jazelle Hunt

MIDCITY

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ON THE COVER:

your neighborhood 26 27 28 30 32 34 37 38 40

E on DC • E Ethelbert Miller The Nose • Anonymous District Beat • Jonetta Rose Barras The Numbers • Wes Rivers Trifecta of Fear • Jonetta Rose Barras Bulletin Board • Kathleen Donner Bloomingdale Buzz • Ellen Boomer Shaw Streets • Pleasant Mann Mt. Vernon Triangle • Ellen Boomer

42

Photo: Jason Yen

kids and family 42 Notebook • Kathleen Donner

at home 49 Changing Hands • Don Denton

November 2015

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Editorial Staff

Beauty, Health & Fitness

M������� E�����: Andrew Lightman • andrew@hillrag.com CFO � A�������� E�����: Maria Carolina Lopez • carolina@hillrag.com S����� N���� E�����: Susan Braun Johnson • schools@hillrag.com K��� � F����� E�����: Kathleen Donner • kathleendonner@gmail.com

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

Arts, Dining & Entertainment

Derek Thomas • derek@thomaslandscapes.com Catherine Plume • caplume@yahoo.com Cheryl Corson • cheryl@cherylcorson.com

A��: D�����: L���������: M�����: M����: T������: W��� G���:

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

Calendar & Bulletin Board C������� E�����: Kathleen Donner • calendar@hillrag.com, bulletinboard@hillrag.com

General Assignment Elise Bernard • elise.bernard@gmail.com Ellen Boomer • emboomer@gmail.com Stephanie Deutsch • scd@his.com Michelle Phipps-Evans • invisiblecolours@yahoo.com Maggie Hall • whitby@aol.com Stephen Lilienthal - stephen_lilienthal@yahoo.com Pleasant Mann • pmann1995@gmail.com Meghan Markey • meghanmarkey@gmail.com John H. Muller • jmuller.washingtonsyndicate@gmail.com Jonathan Neeley • neeley87@gmail.com Will Rich • will.janks@gmail.com Heather Schoell • schoell@verizon.net Virginia Avniel Spatz • virginia@hillrag.com Michael G. Stevens • michael@capitolriverfront.org Peter J. Waldron • peter@hillrag.com Jazzy Wright • wright.jazzy@gmail.com

Real Estate Don Denton • DDenton@cbmove.com

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

Homes & Gardens

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

Production/Graphic/Web Design A�� D�������: Jason Yen • jay@hillrag.com Graphic Design: Lee Kyungmin • lee@hillrag.com W�� M�����: Andrew Lightman • andrew@hillrag.com

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November 2015

FIND US AT THESE LOCATIONS! A Divine Shine

723 T Street, NW

Habesha market

1919 9th st

Senior Building

1713 7th St. NW

Al Crostino

1926 9th Street, NW

Harris Teeter

1631 Kalorama RD NW

Shaw Library

945 Rhode Island AVE NW

Bank of Georgetown

1301 U St NW

Harris Teeter

1201 First St, NE

Shaw Mainstreet

875 N Street, NW, Suite 201

Beau Thai

1550 7th St. NW

Home Rule

1807 14th Street, NW

Shaw Metro

1800 7th st NW

Ben’s Chilli Bowl

1213 U ST NW

Howard Founders Library

500 Howard Place, NW

Shaw Metro Street Box - NE Corner 8th & R Streets., NW

Big Bad Woof

117 Carroll ST NW

Howard University

2225 Georgia Avenue, NW

Shaw Metro Street Box - NE Corner 7th & S Streets., NW

Big Bear

1700 1st ST NW

Java House (Deliver on 17th & Q) 1645 Q ST NW

Showtime Lounge

113 Rhode Island Ave. NW

Bloomingdale Wine & Spirits

1836 First St. NW

Kafe Bohem

602 Florida Avenue, NW

Simon Vintage

1911 9th Street, NW

Bread for the City

1525 7th Street NW

Kennedy Recreation Center

1401 7th ST NW

Skynear Design Gallery

1800 Wyoming Avenue, NW

Bus Boys & Poets

1025 5th ST NW

Lettie Gooch

1517 U Street, NW

SMASH Records

2314 18th Street, NW

Bus Boys & Poets

2021 14th ST NW

Lincoln Westmoreland Apts.

1730 7th Street, NW

Solid Core

1821 7th Street, NW

Calabash

1847 7th St. NW

Logan Hardware

1734 14th St NW

Starbucks

1425 P St NW

Cambria Hotel

899 O St. NW

Lost & Found

1240 9th St. NW

Starbucks

2225 Georgia AVE NW

Cantania Bakery

1404 North Capitol NW

Marriott Hotel

901 Massachusetts Ave NW

Starbucks

1301 Connecticut Ave, NW

Capitol Food Market

1634 North Capitol St.

MLK Library

901 G ST NW

Studio Theatre Street Box

14th & P Street, NW

CCN Office

224 7th ST SE

Modern Liquors

1200 9th ST NW

Sunset Spirits

1627 First St. NW

Chaplin

1501 9th Street, NW

Mount Vernon Sq. Metro

7th & M ST NW

T Street Market

80 T St. NW

Chinatown Coffee

475 H ST NW

Nelly’s

900 U St NW

The Coffee Bar

1201 S St NW

City First Bank

1432 U ST NW

Nest DC

87 Florida Ave. NW

Third District MPD

1620 V ST NW

City Paws Hospital

1823 14th St NW

Northwest One Library

155 L ST NW

Trilogy NoMa

151 Q Street, NE

Coldwell Banker

1606 17th ST NW

NW Settlement House - S St.

1739 7th Street, NW

Tryst

2459 18th ST NW

Commissary

1443 P St NW

Off Road Cycling

905 U Street, NW

Tynan Coffee

1275 First St. SE

Compass Coffee

1535 7th St. NW

Passport

11th & U Streets, NW

U Street Cafe

1301 U ST NW

CVS

2129 14th ST NW

Paul Laurence Dunbar Sr. Apts

U & 15th Street NW

U Street Metro

11th & U Streets, NW

CVS

3031 14th ST NW

Pekoe Acupuncture

1410 9th Street, NW

U Street Wine & Beer

1351 U St NW

CVS

1000 U ST NW

Peregrine Epresso

1718 14th St NW

Universal Gear

1919 14th Street, NW

CVS

1418 P ST NW

Petco Unleashed

1200 First St. NE

Unleashed

1550 7th St. NW

CVS

1637 P Street, NW

Phyllis Wheatly YWCA

901 Rhode Island Ave, NW

Uprising Muffin Company

1817 7th St NW

CVS

400 Massachusettes AVE NW

Piassa

1336 9th ST NW

Velvet Lounge

915 U Street, NW

CVS

1900 7th ST NW

Planet Pet

1738 14th St NW

Vida

1612 U St NW

Dodge City

917 U Street, NW

Politics & Prose

5015 Connecticut Ave, NW

Walgreens

1325 14th ST NW

Dove House Liquors & Restayrant 1905 9th Street, NW

Rahama African Restaurant

1924 9th Street, NW

Wanda’s

1851 7th Street, NW

Drafting Table

1529 14th ST NW

Reeves Center

2000 14th ST NW

Whole Foods Yellow Box

1440 P Street NW

Dunkin Donuts

1739 New Jersey Ave NW

Reeves Center Street Box

14th & U Street, NW

Why Not Boutique

1348 U Street, NW

Emmaus Services for Aging

1426 9th ST NW

Reformation Fitness

1302 9th St NW #1

Wilson Building

1350 Pennsylvania AVE NW

First Cup Coffee

900 M ST NW

Right & Proper Brew

624 T St. NW

Windows Cafe

101 Rhode Island AVE NW

Flash

645 Florida Avenue, NW

Rite Aid

1306 U Street NW

Wydown Coffee Bar

1924 14th St NW

Foster House Apartments

801 Rhode Island Ave, NW

Rito Loco

606 Florida Avenue, NW

Yes Organic Market

2123 14th St NW

Giant

1345 Park RD NW

Safeway

490 L St. NW

YMCA

1711 Rhode Island Ave, NW

Giant

1050 Brentwood RD NE

Safeway

1747 Columbia RD NW

Yoga District

1830 1st ST NW

Giant at O Street Market

1400 7th St NW

Safeway

1701 Corcoran ST NW

GMCHC Family Life Center

605 Rhode Island Avenue NE

Sbarro

1101 7th St. NW

Grassroots Gourmet, LLC

104 Rhode Island Ave NW

Seaton Market

1822 North Capitol St. NW

MIDCITY YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

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Black Nativity at Anacostia Playhouse

This retelling of the Christmas story from an Afrocentric perspective is infused with rich gospel, blues, funk, jazz, and dance with griot style story telling from an ensemble cast. Embracing the original spirit of Hughes’ work, Black Nativity serves as a deep exploration of cultural identity, pride, and unity within the African-American community while also bringing a fresh voice to this holiday classic. It’s at the Anacostia Playhouse, 2020 Shannon Pl. SE, from Nov. 25 to Jan. 3. Tickets are $35, adults; $20, military, students and seniors; $10 for children 12 and under. Order tickets online at theateralliance.com. Black Nativity originally premiered at New York City’s Lincoln Theatre in December 1961. It was the first play by an African American playwright to be produced at the venue.

This production is recommended for audiences of all ages.

Canal Park Ice Skating Lessons

Canal Park Ice skating lessons begin on Nov. 21.

Children are accepted into classes from age three, up. The rink offers a class for adults as well. All learn-to-skate classes last 30 minutes. Skaters are assigned to an instructor and class time based on skill level and experience. Private and semi-private lessons are also available. Canal Park Public Ice Skating begins for the season on Saturday, Nov. 7. Hours are Monday and Tuesday, noon to 7 p.m.; Wednesday to Friday, noon to 9 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Adults are $9; children/seniors/military are $8; and skate rental is $4. It’s open every day including all holidays but the hours vary. Canal Park is at 202 M St. SE. canalparkdc.org.

Photo: Courtesy of Canal Park Ice Rink

Black Nativity 2015 Ensemble. Photo: Courtesy of C. Stanley Photography

November 2015

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Thanksgiving Day Trot for Hunger 5K

Please join So Others Might Eat in supporting the hungry and homeless in the District by participating in the Thanksgiving Day Trot for Hunger at Freedom Plaza (corner of 13th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW).

Proceeds from the 5K benefit thousands of homeless families and single adults, include the elderly and people suffering from mental illness, by providing much-needed food, clothing and healthcare. The only turkey trot in the District, the Trot for Hunger is a tradition for thousands of area residents and a meaningful way to remember people in need on Thanksgiving Day. The kids one mile fun run is at 8:30 a.m. and the 5K run/walk is at 9 a.m. Register at soome.convio.net. P.S. You don’t have to run, or even walk, to enjoy this event. Just show up at the start, hand over a donation and let others do the work.

Very satisfying!

Costumes are encouraged at the Trot for Hunger, and the event features a Little Turkey One Mile Fun Run for young Trotters. Photo: Skewed Patella Photography by Derek Parks

Torpedo Factory Art Center Holiday Open House

On Saturday, Dec. 5, 4 to 9 p.m., Torpedo Factory artists keep their studios open late for their annual Holiday Open House. Visit 82 artists’ studios, seven galleries, two workshops, and the Alexandria Archaeology Museum. The Alexandria Choral Society performs seasonal favorites throughout the evening.

Founded in 1974 in an old munitions plant, the Torpedo Factory Art Center is home to the largest collection of publicly accessible working artist studios in the country. And it really once was an actual torpedo factory. The Torpedo Factory Art Center is at 105 N. Union St., Alexandria, VA. torpedofactory.org Photo: Courtesy of the Torpedo Factory Art Center

Iconic Lone Sailor statue with Veterans Day wreath, 2014. Photo: US Navy Memorial Photo by Jeff Malet

Veterans Day Wreath Laying at the Navy Memorial

The United States Navy Memorial will honor Veterans Day with a wreath laying ceremony with special guest speaker Vietnam War Medal of Honor Recipient Sen. Bob Kerrey and author presentations on Navy and Marine Corps history, and readings by the Veterans Writing Project. On Wednesday, Nov. 11, author talks begin at 11 a.m. for Combat at Close Quarters and noon for They Were Heroes. The wreath laying is at 1 p.m. and Veterans Writing Project at 2 p.m. The Naval Heritage Center is at 701 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. navymemorial.org.

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NO V E M B E R

Calendar

Photo: Courtesy of the National Gallery of Art

National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden Ice Skating.

Nov. 14 to Mar. 13. Open Mondays through Thursdays, 10 to 9 PM; Fridays, 10 AM to 11 PM; Saturdays, 11 AM to 11 PM; Sundays, 11 AM to 9 PM. $8.50 for adults; $7.50 for age 50 and over, age 12 and under, and students with a valid school ID for two hour session beginning on the hour. $3 for skate rental. Seventh Street and Constitution Avenue NW. 202-216-9397. nga.gov.

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VETERANS DAY

Veterans Day 10K & Tidal Basin Walk.

Nov. 8, 8 AM. Honor America’s veterans with a run through West and East Potomac Parks along the Potomac River. Fast, flat course.

T-shirts, refreshments, random prizes. 301840-2042. runwashington.com.

Veterans Day Public Skate at Fort Dupont.

Nov. 11, noon to 2 PM. $5 for adults (1364); $4 for seniors and children (5-12); $3, skate rental. Fort Dupont Ice Arena, 3779 Ely Pl. SE. 202-584-5007. fdia.org.

Mount Vernon Salutes Veterans. Nov. 11, 9 AM to 4 PM. In honor of our nation’s veterans, Mount Vernon admits all active duty, former, or retired military personnel free-ofcharge. 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Mount Vernon, VA. mountvernon.org.

Wreath Laying at World War II Memorial.

Nov. 11, 9 AM. 17th Street between Constitution and Independence Avenues NW. 202619-7222. wwiimemorial.com.

Veterans Day Wreath Laying at Arlington. Nov. 11, 11 AM. President Obama will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington. The public is invited to watch this ceremony and to listen to the speech that follows. There is standing room at the wreath laying and seating in the adjacent amphitheater for the speech.

Get there early. The better the weather, the earlier you should arrive. Leave umbrellas and backpacks at home. Parking and ride to the ceremony are free. arlingtoncemetery.mil.

Wreath Laying at Air Force Memorial.

Nov. 11, 11 AM. Wreath laying ceremony and a two-minute moment of silence will be observed to commemorate those members of the US armed forces who were killed in war. Air Force Memorial is at One Air Force Memorial Drive in Arlington, VA. airforcememorial.org.

Women Veterans Rock. Nov. 11, 11 AM. Rally and celebration at the George Washington University Marvin Center, 805 21st St. NW. WomenVetsRock.com.

Veterans Day Observance at The Wall.

Nov. 11, 1 PM. Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

202-393-0090. vvmf.org.

Women’s Memorial at Arlington Cemetery Veterans Day Observance. Nov. 11, 3 PM. The ceremony will include formal military honors, a keynote address, veterans’ remarks, and wreath layings. womensmemorial.org.

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Jingle All The Way 5K. Dec. 6, 9 AM. Prance, dance, or just be a vixen. The 11th running of the Jingle All the Way is complete with holiday spirit, costumes, hot coffee, and photos with Santa. Race starts at Freedom Plaza. No race day registration. $40. Register at runpacers.com/race/jingle-all-the-way-5K.

Sue Parrotte (2093) and Sue Parker (2360) join in the festive costume atmosphere as they finish their 2014 Jingle All the Way 5K. Photo: Courtesy of Pacers Running/SBR Photo

THANKSGIVING

Montgomery County Thanksgiving Parade.

Nov. 21, 10 AM to noon. 50 foot balloons, floats and marching bands. Downtown Silver Spring on Georgia Avenue from Sligo to Silver Plaza. silverspringdowntown.com.

Practicing Gratitude through Poetry at the National Cathedral. Nov. 24, 6 PM. An evening of contemplative practice on the last Tuesday of each month; free and open to the public. nationalcathedral.org.

“Season’s Greenings” at the Botanic Garden. Thanksgiving Day through Jan. 3, daily,

10 AM to 5 PM. The best things in life are free: the fragrance of a freshly cut fir tree; the magic of holiday lights and sumptuous decorations; and the delight of a child discovering the make believe world of model trains. The train show, known as “Pollination Station,” features sculptures of pollinators like butterflies, bees, and bats, as well as flowers and plants; all of which are made from plants. Free. 100 Maryland Ave. SW. 202-225-8333. usbg.gov.

Holy Eucharist with Hymns at the National Cathedral. Nov. 26, noon. This 40 minute service includes prayers, Scripture,

a homily, and Holy Eucharist. All are welcome. Washington National Cathedral, 3101 Wisconsin Ave. NW. 202-537-6200. nationalcathedral.org.

George Washington’s Thanksgiving Proclamation at Mount Vernon. On view through Jan. 6, 2016, in the Donald W. Reynolds Museum and Education Center, this important document was drafted after a contentious 1789 debate in Congress. It calls upon the President to “recommend to the people of the United State a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed.” This document marks the first national celebration of

Thanksgiving on Nov. 26, 1789. mountvernon.org.

Small Business Saturday. Nov. 28. This day encourages people to shop at small businesses on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. americanexpress.com.

EARLY CHRISTMAS

Cut-Your-Own Christmas Tree Farms in Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. Visit pickyourownchristmastree.org for farms and directions. Then follow the prompts.

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A Christmas Carol at Ford’s. Nov. 19 to Dec. 31. Join the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future as they lead the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge on a journey of transformation and redemption. Ford’s Theatre, 511 10th St. NW. 202-347-4833. fordstheatre.org.

Mount Vernon by Candlelight. Nov. 27, 28, Dec. 4, 5 and Dec. 20, 5 to 8 PM. Join “Mrs. Washington” as she hosts an enchanting evening of candlelight tours, fireside caroling, and festive treats. Timed tickets are $22 for adults and $15 for children 11 and under.

George Washington’s Estate & Gardens, 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway. 703-7802000. mountvernon.org.

Christmas at Mount Vernon. Nov. 27 to Jan. 6, 9 AM to 4 PM. Holiday visitors will enjoy themed decorations, chocolatemaking demonstrations, and 18th century dancing. George Washington’s Estate & Gardens, 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway. $17, adult; $8, child, 5 and under free. 703-780-2000. mountvernon.org.

Zoolights. Nov. 27 to Jan. 1, 5 to 9 PM nightly, except Dec. 24, 25 and 31. Don’t miss your chance to meander through the Zoo when it is covered with thousands of sparkling lights. Attend special keeper talks and enjoy live entertainment. Free.

National Zoo, 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW. nationalzoo.si.edu.

New in 2015 at Zoolights. Dec. 3, Brew Lights; Dec. 10 and 17, Date Nights. There is paid admission, adult drinks, photo opps and carousel rides. All activities that are fun on a date. All three nights are for ages 21 and older only. nationalzoo.si.edu.

The Nutcracker at THEARC. Nov. 28 and 29.

Set in Georgetown and replete with swirling snowflakes, cherry blossoms and historical characters including George Washington as the heroic nutcracker, The Washington Ballet’s The Nutcracker has become a tradition for generations of family and friends to celebrate the holidays. Tickets are $30 to $50 with a $15 discount for east of the river residents. THEARC, 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE. 202-889-5901. thearcdc.org The Nutcracker at the Warner. Dec. 3 to Dec. 27. See description above. Warner Theater, 513 13th St. NW. 202-783-4000. warnertheatredc.com.

Lights on the Bay at Sandy Point State Park. Dec. 1 to Jan. 1, 5 to 10 PM. $14 per car. Enjoy from your car. Sandy Point State Park, 1100 East College Pkwy., Annapolis, MD. visitannapolis.org.

Festival of Lights at Mormon Temple.

Dec. 3 to Jan. 1. Lights are on from 5 to 11

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H y p e r L o c a l | hīpər

. lōk(ə)l |

Hyperlocal connotes information oriented around a well defined community with its primary focus directed toward the concerns of its residents. synonym: M I D C I T Y D C N E W S . C O M Daily online. Monthly in print.

PM. 9900 Stoneybrook Dr., Kensington, MD. 301-587-0144. dctemplelights.lds.org.

Christmas Concert for Charity at the National Shrine. Dec. 4, 7:30 PM, but arrive earlier. This annual Christmas Concert for Charity features the voices of the Basilica Choir and the Catholic University of America Choir and Orchestra. There will be a free will offering to benefit a charity. National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, 400 Michigan Ave. NE. 202-526-8300. nationalshrine.com.

US Army Band “Pershing’s Own” American Holiday Festival. Dec. 4, 8 PM; Dec. 5, 3 PM and 8 PM; Dec. 6, 3 PM. Joy to the World!

The annual kick-off concert for the DC, holiday season will be at DAR Constitution Hall.

Free tickets online at usarmyband.com. If sold out, there are usually some empty seats on stand-by.

“A Christmas Carol” at The Little Theatre of Alexandria. Dec. 4 to 19. The familyfavorite classic by Charles Dickens equipped with special effects, Victorian carols and Tiny Tim returns to the Little Theatre of Alexandria. $15. The Little Theatre of Alexandria, 600 Wolfe St., Alexandria, VA. 703-6830496. thelittletheatre.com.

NPR’s A Jazz Piano Christmas at the Kennedy Center. Dec. 4. Join the Kennedy Center and NPR as top jazz pianists perform their favorite holiday songs. This Washington tradition continues to bring new twists to holiday classics with world-class musicians. $49. kennedy-center.org.

Gay Men’s Chorus “Rewrapped” at the Lincoln. Dec. 5, 6, 12 and 13. Not your grandmother’s carols! Your favorite holiday songs as you’ve never heard them before. Tickets are at GMCW.org. Lincoln Theatre, 1215 U St. NW. 202-328-6000. thelincolntheatre.org.

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

or laura@hillrag.com for more information on advertising.

Holidays through History Open House.

Dec. 5, 4 to 8 PM. Celebrate the holidays at Anderson House, Dumbarton House and Woodrow Wilson House. Stroll through the three festively decorated mansions and learn about historical Christmas traditions. Shuttle bus transportation provided between museums. Reservations recommended. $10-$20. societyofthecincinnati.org.

Scottish Christmas Walk Parade and Concert. Dec. 5, parade 11 AM to 1 PM; massed band concert, 1 PM. Parade route begins at the corner of Wilkes and South Saint Asaph Streets and ends at King and Royal Streets.

Concert in front of City Hall at Market Square. Alexandria, VA. scottishchristmaswalk.com.

“Christmas in the Castle” by The Christmas Revels. Dec. 5 to 13. Celebrate the win-

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ter solstice and start your holidays with this fully staged performance at Lisner Auditorium at GWU. $12, up. revelsdc.org.

Wolf Trap Holiday Sing-A-Long. Dec. 5, 4 PM. “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band and members of local choirs and vocal groups perform. Free. wolftrap.org.

Holiday Boat Parade of Lights. Dec. 5, 3 to 6 PM. Alexandria’s harbor lights up when more than 50 illuminated boats cruise the Potomac River at the historic waterfront.

Alexandria’s Historic Waterfront at the foot of Cameron Street, Alexandria, VA. 703-8385005. visitalexandriava.com.

Dumbarton Concerts: A Celtic Christmas.

Dec. 5 and 6, 4 PM; Dec. 12, 4 PM and 8 PM; Dec. 13, 4 PM. A holiday tradition for over 25 years, the Barnes and Hampton Celtic Consort performs traditional Celtic music alongside Christmas carols by candlelight. $17-$35.

Dumbarton United Methodist Church, 3133 Dumbarton St. NW. dumbartonconcerts.org.

National Gallery of Art Holiday Concerts.

Dec. 6, 3:30 PM. Violinist Mark O’Connor performs with a six-piece ensemble in An Appalachian Christmas. Dec. 13, 3:30 PM. Trio Sefardi celebrates Hanukkah. Dec. 20, 3:30 PM. Eric Mintel Quartet performs music in recognition of the 50th anniversary of A Charlie Brown Christmas. Jan. 3, 3:30 PM. The New York Opera Society rings in the New Year with singers and a pair of ballroom dancers in a Viennese-style New Year concert. Concerts in the West Building, West Garden Court. nga.gov.

This Endris Night at the National Cathedral. Dec. 8, 8 PM. Cathedral and the Diderot Quartet join forces to present a program that dwells on the mystery of Christmas as told through the ages. Washington National Cathedral, 3101 Wisconsin Ave. NW. 202537-6200. nationalcathedral.org.

Daughters of the American Revolution Christmas Open House. Dec. 9, 5:30 to 8 PM. Live holiday music, tour 31 period rooms, cider, hot chocolate and cookies, Santa (bring a camera). Visitors are encouraged to bring new and lightly used children’s books to donate to their DAR Open House book drive. DAR Memorial Continental Hall, 17th and D Streets NW. 202-572-0563. dar.org.

Winternational at the Ronald Reagan Building. Dec. 9, 11 AM to 2 PM. They invite you and your family, friends and colleagues to experience the holiday traditions from a global perspective. Free and open to the public. Pennsylvania Avenue and 15th Street NW. itcdc.com.

Step Afrika! Magical Musical Holiday Step Show 2015 at the Atlas. Dec. 10 to

15

22. DC’s internationally-known percussive dance company invites you to celebrate the holidays with clapping, stomping and all around fun for all ages featuring their furry friends from the Animal Kingdom and a special dance party with DJ Frosty the Snowman. $15-$39.50. The Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. 202-3997993. atlasarts.org.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra “The Ghosts of Christmas Eve” Rock Opera. Dec. 10, 7:30 PM. The story follows the journey of a young runaway who, on Christmas Eve. Breaking into an abandoned vaudeville theater seeking shelter from the cold, she experiences ghostly visions from the concert hall’s past.

Verizon Center. Ticketmaster.com.

Caroling in the National Gallery of Art Rotunda. Dec. 12, 13, 19 and 20; 1:30 PM and 2:30 PM. National Gallery of Art, Fourth Street and Constitution Avenue NW. nga.gov.

Wreaths Across America at Arlington Cemetery. Dec. 12, 9:30 AM. Opening Ceremony is at 9:30 AM, at McClellan Gate, near the main entrance. At the ceremony, volunteers will receive a short briefing then move to the designated areas of the cemetery to participate in the laying of wreaths at headstones. For more information, go to wreathsacrossamerica.org.

Celebrate Kwanzaa at Dance Place. Dec. 12 at 8 PM and Dec. 13 at 4 PM. Kick off the holiday season with Dance Place as Coyaba Dance Theater hosts their annual Kwanzaa Celebration, displaying the excitement and vibrancy of the holiday with their work based around the seven principles of Kwanzaa. Dance Place, 3225 Eighth St. NE. 202-269-1600. danceplace.org.

An Irish Carol at Keegan Theatre. Dec. 12 to 31. The story, a homage to Dickens’ classic, is told as only the Irish can. An Irish Carol follows one evening in the life of David, a wealthy pub owner who has distanced himself from others and lost touch with his own humanity in the interest of self-protection and material success.

Keegan Theatre, 1742 Church St. NW. 202265-3767. keegantheatre.com.

U.S. Air Force Band Holiday Concerts.

Dec. 12, 3 PM and 6 PM. Show features the Concert Band and the Singing Sergeants.

Free. DAR Constitution Hall, 1776 D St. NW. usafband.af.mil.

The Joy of Christmas at National Cathedral.

Dec. 12 and 13, 4 PM. A Washington tradition with carillon, Advent wreath procession, the great organ, and traditional carols led by the Cathedral Choral Society. $25-$75. Washington National Cathedral, 3101 Wisconsin Ave. NW. 202-537-6200. nationalcathedral.org.

Moms On The Hill

2015 School Information Night

[ SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8TH ] [ 2:00–5:00 PM ]

[ CAPITOL HILL DAY SCHOOL ] [ 210 SOUTH CAROLINA AVENUE SE ] The closest Metro stop is Capitol South on the blue and orange lines Preschool, Public, Charter, Private, Catholic/Parochial, Middle Schools, High Schools and other programs. Come see all of your options!

More Info:

[DOWNEYSCHOOLCONSULTING@GMAIL.COM] ALL PARENTS (including non-members) ARE WELCOME Breathing Space Yoga, Busy Bees Music & Art Playgroup, and Fulcrum Properties Group are pleased to be providing high quality, low cost babysitting during the event.

Sign up at www.BreathingSpaceDC.com.

Organized by MoTH (Moms on the Hill)

16 MIdc i tydcnews.coM

Capital City Symphony Annual Holiday Concert and Sing Along at the Atlas. Dec. 13, 4 and 7 PM. Presented with the Congressional Chorus, the American Youth Chorus and the Atlas Performing Arts Center.

Free. capitalcitysymphony.org.

Andrea Bocelli in Concert Holiday Tour.

Dec. 13, 7:30 PM. Verizon Center. Tickets at andreabocelli.com.

Thomas Circle Singers “Sing We All Nowell.” Dec. 13, 4 PM. St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 4900 Connecticut Ave. NW. thomascirclesingers.org.

SPECIAL EVENTS

First Annual DC PodFest. Nov. 6, 7 and 8.

Podfest is a weekend podcast intensive for podcasters and podcast fanatics. They will focus on the business, creativity, and diversity in podcasting in various ways. Prepare to be engaged, entertained, and productive. Wonderbread Factory Event Space, 641 S St. NW. dcpodfest.com.

Fuego Flamenco Festival at GALA. Through Nov. 15. With artists from Spain and the United States. Fuego Flamenco XI is an exploration of traditional flamenco and its breadth and diversity through contemporary expressions. GALA Hispanic Theatre, 3333 14th St. NW. galatheatre.org.

Artomatic 2015. Through Dec. 12. Artomatic returns for its signature free art event to be held this year in Hyattsville, MD. Artomatic draws over 1000 artists and performers throughout the area to showcase their talents for a six weeks free exhibition that routinely attracts more than 75,000 visitors. 8100 Corporate Dr., Hyattsville, MD. Artomatic.org.

Sugarloaf Crafts Festival in Gaithersburg.

Nov. 20 to 22, 10 AM to 6 PM. Lovers of fine crafts and art will find more than 400 top artisans displaying and selling their unique creations in pottery, sculpture, glass, jewelry, fashion, home décor, furniture and home accessories, items for the garden, and photography. Montgomery County Fairgrounds, 16 Chestnut St., Gaithersburg, MD. sugarloafcrafts.com.

MUSIC

DC’s Different Drummers Concerts. Nov. 7, 7 PM. “la musique des femmes” A concert by DCDD’s Capitol Pride Symphonic Band at Church of the Epiphany, 1317 G St. NW. Nov. 8, 5 PM. “Heroes Among Us: A Tribute to the Music of WWII” presented by DCDD’s DC Swing at Church of the Reforma-

tion, 222 East Capitol St. Tickets are $21.

NE. dcdd.org Music at The Howard. Nov. 7, Stephanie Mills; Nov. 8, Sevyn Streeter; Nov. 9, Minus the Bear; Nov. 10, An Evening with Anderson Ponty Band; Nov 12, The Charlatans; Nov. 13, Pabla Alboran; Nov. 14, Angie Stone; Nov. 15, A Tribute to the Music of Motown; Nov. 16, Dawn; Nov. 17, Uprising; Nov. 19, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic; Nov. 20, Jane Eugene; Nov. 21, Dom Kennedy; Nov. 22, Macy Gray; Nov. 27, Eddie Palmieri Salsa Orchestra and Break Science; Dec. 4, John Scofield & Jn Cleary Duo and Juvenile & Backyard Band; Dec. 11, Vanessa Carlton; Dec. 12, Dennis Williams’ Forgiving but not Forgetting.

Howard Theatre, 620 T St. NW. 202-8032899. thehowardtheatre.com Music at Black Cat. Nov. 7, DIIV; Nov. 8, The Royal Concept Parade of Lights; Nov. 9, Allison Weiss; Nov. 10, Moving Units; Nov. 11, Hippo Campus; Nov. 12, Ben Chaplan & the Casual Smokers; Nov. 13, Fuzz; Nov. 14, 8X8: 8 Performers, 8 minutes each; Nov. 15, Wand; Nov. 17, Priests Shopping; Nov. 18, Exodus; Nov. 19, !!!; Nov. 21, Diarrhea Planet; Nov. 22, The Max Levine Ensemble; Nov. 23, The Cowards Choir; Nov. 25, Sinkane; Nov. 27, Canna Holiday Pop Up and Twist & Crawl Dance Party; Nov. 30, Big Hush; Dec. 2, All Them Witches; Dec. 3, Mindless Faith; Dec. 4, Super Art Fight Second Annual Non Denominational Holiday Spectacular; Dec. 9, Darwin Deez. Black Cat, 1811 14th St. NW. blackcatdc.com.

Music at 9:30. Nov. 7, Odesza; Nov. 8, MisterWives; Nov. 9, GWAR; Nov. 10, RAC; Nov. 11, EL VY; Nov. 12, Rachael Yamagata; Nov. 13, Grimes and Wild Child; Nov. 14, Yonder Mountain String Band; Nov. 15 and 16, Shakey Graves; Nov. 17, Chris Robinson Brotherhood; Nov. 18, The Wood Brothers; Nov. 20, Azealia Banks; Nov. 21, Slow Magic & Giraffage; Nov. 22, Lights & The Mowgli’s; Nov. 23, Ryn Weaver; Nov. 25, The English Beat; Nov. 27, Brillz; Nov. 28, Keller Williams’ Thanksforgrassgiving; Dec. 3 and 4, Dark Star Orchestra; Dec. 5, Deerhunter; Dec. 7, Corrosion Of Conformity; Dec. 9, The Academy Is...; Dec. 10, Ex Hex; Dec. 11, Jim Breuer; Dec. 12, The Pietasters. 815 V St. NW. 877-435-9849. 930.com.

Music at the U Street Music Hall. Nov. 7, Yacht; Nov. 10, Public Image Ltd; Nov. 11, GIVERS; Nov. 12, Minnesota SPACE JESUS; Nov. 13, Nada Surf and Crookers; Nov. 14, Family of the Year and Anna Lunoe; Nov. 18, Kill Paris + Manic Focus; Nov. 19, Seth Troxler; Nov. 20, Fur Coat; Nov. 21, David Wax Museum and Pleasurekraft; Nov. 25, Dragonette and AK1200 & Gridlock; Nov. 27, Deep Sugar: Ultra Nate & Lisa Moody; Nov. 28, Citizens!; Dec. 2, Sepalcure (Ma-

chinedrum & Braille); Dec. 3, Vince Staples; Dec. 4 Kingsley Flood and Maribou State; Dec. 5, Tokimonsta; Dec. 10, Jody Wisternoff & Cubicolor; Dec. 11, Eric Bellinger. U Street Music Hall, 1115 U St. NW. 202-588-1889. ustreetmusichall.com.

Sunday Brunch at the Howard. Nov. 15, 1:30 PM, Shades of Soul; Nov. 29, 1:30 PM, Go Go Brunch featuring Chuck Brown Band; Dec. 6, 1:30 PM, Harlem Gospel Choir. $20$40. Howard Theatre, 620 T St. NW. 202803-2899. thehowardtheatre.com

Music at the Lincoln. Nov. 7, Jim Jeffries; Nov. 8, Accordian Virtuosi of Russia; Nov. 13, Steve Hackett; Nov. 19, Dave Rawlings Machine; Nov. 22, Steps and Melodies from the Arab World; Dec. 1, Cuban Vibra!; Dec. 8, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings. Lincoln Theatre, 1215 U St. NW. 202-328-6000. thelincolndc.com.

Society of the Cincinnati Concerts. Nov. 28, 1:30 PM, David Pedraza, viola, and Anna Nizhegorodtseva, piano; Dec. 12, 1:30 PM, Alexander Barnett, classical guitar. Free. Anderson House, 2118 Massachusetts Ave. NW. 202-785-2040. societyofthecincinnati.org.

Music at Ebenezers. Nov. 7, Rob Williams; Nov. 12, Russell Howard; Nov. 13, Rachel Levitin (Full Band) EP Release; Nov. 14, Dara Sisterhen; Nov. 28, Matthew Fowler; Dec. 3, Acoustic Guitar Project; Dec. 5, Davis Bradley Duo. Ebenezers Coffeehouse, 201 F St. NE. 202-558-6900. ebenezerscoffeehouse.com.

Music at Sixth and I. Nov. 8, Luray and Fellow Creatures; Nov. 10, Kat Edmonson with Milton; Nov. 14, David Mayfield and Sean McConnell; Nov. 21, Joey Alexander Trio; Nov. 22, Anonymous 4 with Bruce Molsky; Nov. 28, Hot Tuna; Dec. 8, Bulletproof Stockings; Dec. 12, Dar Williams. Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, 600 I St. NW. 202-4083100. sixthandi.org.

Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington: The S* Show at the Atlas. Nov. 14, 5 PM. Sondheim. Sinatra. Streisand. Celebrating three of the greats in one evening. $20 to $35. atlasarts.org.

Washington National Opera Presents Appomattox. Nov. 14 to 22. From the Civil War to the Civil Rights Movement, the battle for equality in America marches on. This landmark production marks 50 years since the Voting Rights Act and 150 years since the end of the Civil War. Tickets start at $25 and are available online, in person at the Kennedy Center Box Office, and by calling 202-467-4600. Kennedy Center Opera House. kennedy-center.org.

Congressional Chorus in Living, Laughing & Loving: Celebrating the Circle of Life Through Song, Poetry and Dance. Nov. 14, 7:30 PM. Tickets can be purchased online at congressionalchorus.org. The price is $33 for general admission. Church of the Epiphany, 1317 G St. NW. 202-347-2635. epiphanydc.org.

Community-Wide Spirituals Sing. Nov. 15, 6 PM. Kennedy Center Millennium Stage. This event brings together a gathering of choirs and community participants from across the region for an evening of spirituals. Free. kennedy-center.org.

Jazz Night and Blues Night in Southwest.

Jazz is every Friday, 6 to 9 PM. Blues is every Monday, 6 to 9 PM. Expect a large, fun and friendly crowd. The cover is $5.

Children are welcome and free under 16 years old. Reasonably priced meals offered.

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

Church of the Epiphany Weekly Concerts.

Every Tuesday, 12:10 PM. Free but offering taken. 1317 G St. NW. 202-347-2635. epiphanydc.org.

THEATER AND FILM

Angelika Pop Up Movies at Union Market.

Nov. 7, The Anthem of the Heart; Nov., 9 and 14, Ronaldo World Premier; Nov. 10, 11 and 16, Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie; Nov. 15 and 17, Jewels - Bolshoi Ballet; Nov. 18 and 24, Henry V - Royal Shakespeare Company; Dec. 6 and 15, The Lady of the Camellias - Bolshoi Ballet. Angelika Pop Up at Union Market, 550 Penn St. NE. 571-512-3311. angelikafilmcenter.com/dc.

The Magic Tree at Keegan. Through Nov. 13. On a stormy night, they shelter in an abandoned summer home and tentatively discover what it is they have in common.

But just when it seems something beautiful might emerge, the opposite appears.

Keegan Theatre, 1742 Church St. NW. 202265-3767. keegantheatre.com.

The Dealer of Ballynafeigh at Keegan.

Through Nov. 14. The boss’s niece is in a coma and Billy’s job is simple: scare the dealer who sold the girl the bad stuff. Billy is prepared for his bad-ass torture mission, except he has to bring his Ma along (it’s her night for the car, after all). Keegan Theatre, 1742 Church St. NW. 202-265-3767. keegantheatre.com.

Gimme a Band, Gimme a Banana! The Carmen Miranda Story. Through Nov. 14.

Gimme a Band, Gimme a Banana will utilize Pointless’s signature brand of multidisciplinary, ensemble-driven artistry and

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THE PERFECT THANKSGIVING DISH!

puppetry to tell the story of the legendary Brazilian performer Carmen Miranda. Logan Fringe Arts Space, Trinidad Theatre, 1358 Florida Ave. NE. capitalfringe.org.

Forum Theatre’s World Builder at Woolly.

Through Nov. 21. Max and Whitney live in their own, imaginary worlds. They are both patients in a clinical trial experimenting with a new drug-a treatment that will cure them of their schizophrenic dreams and flights of fancy-that will make them functioning members of society. Woolly Mammoth Theatre, 641 D St. NW. forumtheatre.com.

Winners and Losers at Woolly. Through Nov. 22. Is Kanye West a winner or loser? What about the Berlin Wall? Or goat cheese? Old friends Marcus and James spare nothing and no one in a seemingly harmless drinking game that separates the champions from the chumps. But what begins as a playful exercise slowly reveals itself as a dangerous unpacking of privilege, status symbols, and class divisions. Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, 641 D St. NW. 202-393-3939. woollymammoth.net.

This is Rwanda: The Beginning and the End of the Earth. Through Nov. 29. Mosaic Theater launches its inaugural season with a world-premiere epic about the madness and majesty of Rwanda. Raymond, an African film student at NYU enthralled with the mysteries of Alfred Hitchcock, is compelled by a mentor’s death to return to Rwanda to uncover a deeper horror story: the roots of violence that killed his beloved grandfather, a Tutsi master storyteller whose legacy he seeks to redeem. $20$60. Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. 202-399-7993. atlasarts.org.

Scena Theatre’s The Cripple of Inishmaan at the Atlas. Through Nov, 29. When a Hollywood director visits a remote Irish island to make his latest film, the locals clamor for their once-in-a-lifetime shot at stardom. A young outcast and “Cripple” named Billy is desperate to escape poverty and gossip— so he vies for a role against all odds. Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. 202399-7993. atlasarts.org.

Oliver at Arena. Through Jan. 3. Artistic Director Molly Smith blends the chaotic worlds of Victorian London with 2015 London to infuse a modern edge to the classic story about an innocent orphan living among double-dealing thieves and con men. arenastage.org.

Pericles at the Folger. Nov. 13 to Dec. 20. Pericles, Prince of Tyre, sets sail on an extraordinary journey through the decades and is blown from the coasts of Phoenicia to Greece and to Turkey. Chased by the

wicked King of Antioch, Pericles finds his true love in Thaisa and loses her and their daughter Marina on the rough seas. Folger Theater, 201 East Capitol St. SE. 202-5447077. folger.edu.

Sons of the Prophet at Theater J. Nov. 18 to Dec. 20. This dark comedy centers on Joseph, a young Lebanese-American man in Nazareth, Penn. After Joseph’s father dies in the wake of a freak accident involving a plastic deer decoy, he’s pretty sure lightning won’t strike twice. Theater J, 1529 16th St. NW. 800-494-8497. washingtondcjcc.org.

Bad Jews at Studio. Dec. 3 to Jan. 3. The night after their grandfather’s funeral, three cousins engage in a verbal battle royale over a family heirloom. Studio Theatre, 1501 14th St. NW. 202-332-3300. studiotheatre.org.

Jerusalem 3D at National Geographic.

Saturdays and Sundays through Mar. 31, 2016, at noon, 1, 2 and 3 PM. Unprecedented access to the city’s holiest sites, as well as rare aerial footage of the Old City and the Holy Land, combine to make Jerusalem 3D a unique and stunning cinematic experience. $7. National Geographic Museum, 1145 17th St. NW. 202–857-7700. nationalgeographic.com.

SPORTS, FITNESS AND DANCE

Washington Harbour Ice Rink. Through mid-March. Mondays through Tuesdays, noon to 7 PM; Wednesdays through Thursdays, noon to 9 PM; Fridays, noon to 10 PM; Saturdays, 10 AM to 10 PM; Sundays, 10 AM to 7 PM. Skating is $9-$10. Skate rental is $5. Washington Harbour is at 3050 K St. NW. 202-706-7666. thewashingtonharbour.com.

Canal Park Ice Rink. Nov. 7 through midMarch. Mondays and Tuesdays, noon to 7 PM; Wednesdays to Fridays, noon to 9 PM; Saturdays, 11 AM to 10 PM; and Sundays, 11 AM to 7 PM. Adults are $9; children/ seniors/military are $8; and skate rental is $4. It’s open every day including all holidays but holiday hours vary. Canal Park is at 202 M St. SE. canalparkdc.org.

Washington Capitals Ice Hockey. Nov. 7, 13, 19, 21, 23, 25 and 27. Verizon Center. capitals.nhl.com.

Washington Capitals Practice Schedule.

Non-game day, 10:30 AM; game day, 10 AM; and day after game, 11 AM. All practices are at Kettler Capitals Iceplex, 627 North Glebe Rd., Suite 800, Arlington, VA.

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18 MIdc i tydcnews.coM

They are free and open to the public. kettlercapitalsiceplex.com.

Washington Wizards Basketball. Nov. 10, 14, 17, 24 and 28; Dec. 2, 4, 6 and 9.

Verizon Center. nba.com/wizards.

Public Skating at Fort Dupont Ice Arena. Fridays, noon to 2 PM and Saturdays 12:45 to 1:45 PM. Public Skate, $5 for adults (13-64); $4 for seniors and children (5-12); $3, skate rental. Fort Dupont Ice Arena, 3779 Ely Pl. SE. 202-584-5007. fdia.org.

Nearby Public Tennis Courts. Banneker Community Center (eight outdoor tennis courts), 2500 Georgia Ave. NW. 202-6736861. Kennedy Recreation Center (one outdoor tennis court), 1401 Seventh St. NW. 202-671-4794. All courts are open daily, dawn to dusk. Some are lighted for extended evening play. Courts are available on a first-come, first-served basis for one hour intervals; extended use of tennis courts requires a permit. Proper shoes and attire is required. 202-671-0314. dpr. dc.gov.

Closest Indoor Public Pools. Turkey Thicket, 1100 Michigan Ave. NE. Open Mondays through Fridays, 6:30 AM to 8 PM; Saturdays, noon to 5 PM; closed, Sundays. 202576-9236. Rumsey Pool, 635 No. Carolina Ave. SE. Open Monday through Friday, 6:30 AM to 9 AM and noon to 9 PM; Saturdays, 1 PM to 5 PM; Sundays, 10 AM to 5 PM. 202-724-4495. The pools are heated and free for DC residents. Have ID with you. dpr.dc.gov.

MARKETS

Downtown Holiday Market. Nov. 27 to Dec. 23, noon to 8 PM, daily. More than 150 exhibitors and artisans selling an array of high-quality gift items including fine art, crafts, jewelry, pottery, photography, clothing, tasty treats, and hot beverages. Market at F St. NW, between Seventh Street and Ninth Street. downtownholidaymarket.com.

Del Ray Artisans Holiday Market. Dec. 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19 and 20. Market features handcrafted work from local artists; handmade ornaments to benefit Del Ray Artisans; plus a Bake Sale to benefit Alexandria Tutoring Consortium. Colasanto Center, 2704 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria, VA. TheDelRayArtisans.org.

Parcel Market at Canal Park. Dec. 5 and 6. This is a holiday market featuring a 10,000 square-foot ice rink, an interactive art installation, a large-scale retail

tent and food area showcasing a curated list of talented local designers, artists, food artisans, and restaurants and small businesses, with live and local musical performances. Canal Park, 202 M St. SE. canalparkdc.org.

National Museum of the American Indian Native Art Market. Dec. 5 and 6, 10 AM to 5:30 PM. The NMAI Art Market offers one of a kind, handmade, traditional and contemporary items directly from the artisans. More than 35 Native artists from North and South America will participate in this annual weekend market featuring a wide selection of items for purchase including handmade jewelry, beadwork, pottery, prints and sculpture. Free. Fourth Street and Independence Avenue SW. 202633-1000. nmai.si.edu.

Alexandria’s Holiday Market. Dec. 5 to 24. While shopping for unique art and craft items for loved ones, at this unique holiday market, visitors can enjoy live entertainment, traditional European food and sweets, wine and beer. 300 John Carlyle St., Alexandria, VA. alexandriaholidaymarket.com.

Penn Quarter Farmer’s Market. Thursdays, 3 to 7 PM, through Dec. 17. Market at north end of Eighth Street NW, between D and E. SNAP (EBT/Food Stamps) accepted. freshfarmmarkets.org.

Bloomingdale Farmer’s Market. Sundays, 9 AM to 1 PM, through Nov. 22. First and R Streets, NW. 202-536-5571. marketsandmore.info 14th & U Farmer’s Market. Saturdays, 9 AM to 1 PM. 14th and U Streets, NW. marketsandmore.info.

Dupont Circle Farmer’s Market. Sundays (rain or shine), year round, 10 AM to 1 PM. 1500 block of 20th St. NW. 202-362-8889. freshfarmmarket.org.

Foggy Bottom Farmer’s Market. Wednesdays, 3 to 7 PM, through Nov. 25. Market at 23rd and I St. NW. SNAP (EBT/Food Stamps) & G World card accepted. freshfarmmarkets.org.

Farmer’s Market by the White House.

Thursdays, 11 AM to 2 PM, through Nov. 19. Market at 810 Vermont Ave. NW. SNAP (EBT/Food Stamps) accepted. freshfarmmarkets.org.

Eastern Market. Daily except Mondays and important holidays. Weekdays, 7 AM- to 7 PM; Saturdays, 7 AM to 5 PM; Sundays, 9 AM to 5 PM. Flea market and arts and crafts market open Saturdays and Sundays, 9 AM to 6 PM. Eastern Market is Washing-

ton’s last continually operated “old world” market. 200 block of Seventh St. SE. 202698-5253. easternmarketdc.com.

Logan Circle Citizens Association. Visit logancircle.org/calendar for meeting dates and times. logancircle.org.

Branch Avenue Pawn Parking Lot Flea Market. Saturdays, year-round (weather permitting). Set up after 10 AM. 3128 Branch Ave., Temple Hills, MD.

Mount Vernon Square Neighborhood Association. Third Tuesday, 7:30 to 9:30 PM. Yale Steam Laundry, 437 New York Ave. NW. lifein.mvsna.org.

Union Market. Tuesdays to Fridays, 11 AM to 8 PM; Saturdays to Sundays, 8 AM to 8 PM. Union Market is an artisanal, curated, year round food market featuring over 40 local vendors. 1309 Fifth St. NE. 301-6527400. unionmarketdc.com.

U Street Neighborhood Association. Second Thursday, 7 to 8:30 PM. Source, 1835 14th St. NW.

Georgetown Flea Market. Sundays, 8 AM to 4 PM. 1819 35th St. NW. georgetownfleamarket.com.

Maine Avenue Fish Market. Open 365 days a year. 7 AM to 9 PM. 1100 Maine Ave. SW. 202-484-2722.

CIVIC LIFE

Congresswoman Norton’s NW District Office. Open weekdays, 9 AM to 6 PM. 529 14th St. NW, Suite 900. 202-783-5065. norton.house.gov.

All Ways Mount Pleasant. First Saturday, noon to 2 PM. LaCasa. All Ways is a citizen’s association primarily for the tenants of the larger apartment buildings of Mount Pleasant. 3166 Mt. Pleasant St. NW. aass.org.

Chinatown Revitalization Council. Fourth Monday, 7 to 8 PM. 510 I St. NW. Chinatown Revitalization Council promotes the Chinatown renewal and the preservation of its cultural heritage. The public is welcome.

Convention Center Community Association. Last Tuesday, 7 to 8:30 PM. Kennedy Rec Center, 1401 Seventh St. NW. Downtown Neighborhood Association.

Second Tuesday, 7 to 9 PM. US Naval Memorial Center, 701 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. miles@dcdna.org. dcdna.org.

East Central Civic Association of Shaw.

First Monday, 7 PM. Third Baptist Church, 1546 Fifth St. NW. Contact: Al Hajj Mahdi Leroy J Thorpe Jr, 202-387-1596.

Eckington Civic Association. First Monday, 7 to 8:30 PM. Harry Thomas Recreation Center, 1743 Lincoln Rd. NE. eckingtondc.org.

Edgewood Civic Association. Last Monday, 7 to 9 PM. Edgewood senior building, 635 Edgewood St. NE, Ninth Floor. theedgewoodcivicassociationdc.org.

ANC 1A. Second Wednesday, 7 PM. Harriet Tubman Elementary School, 3101 13th St. NW. 202-588-7278. anc1a.org.

ANC 1B. First Thursday, 7 PM. Reeves Center, 2000 14th St. NW (Second Floor). 202870-4202. anc1b.org.

ANC 1B11. Second Monday, 7 PM. LeDroit Senior Building (Community Room), 2125 Fourth St. NW. 202-481-3462. anc1b.org.

ANC 1C. First Wednesday, 7 PM. Mary’s Center for Maternal and Child Health, 2355 Ontario Rd. NW. 202-332-2630. anc1c.org.

ANC 1D. Third Tuesday, 7 PM. 3166 Mount Pleasant St. NW. 202-462-8692. anc1d.org.

ANC 2C. First Wednesday, 6:30 to 8:30 PM. Watha T. Daniel Library, 1630 Seventh St. NW. 202-682-1633. anc2C.org.

ANC 6E. First Tuesday, 6:30 PM. Meeting at Watha T. Daniel/Shaw Library, 1630 Seventh St. NW. anc6e.org.

Have a tidbit for the Calendar? Email calendar@hillrag.com. u

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dc Is Going Foam Free!

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here’s some good news coming for the Anacostia River – and for all waterways in the region! Legislation banning the use of expanded polystyrene foam (EPS), commonly known by the brand name Styrofoam, goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2016. The legislation applies to all DC businesses and organizations that serve food including restaurants and carry-outs, cafes, delis, grocery stores, bars, pubs, food trucks, and cafeterias. While non-EPS such as clear plastic “clamshells” and plates will initially be allowed under the legislation, by January 2017 businesses will be required to switch to compostable or recyclable containers as well as straws, lids, and utensils.

The DC Department of Energy and Environment’s (DOEE) “Foam Free DC” campaign has been conducting outreach about the upcoming requirements for the last several months. Part of that effort is asking the public to report businesses that are still using foam on the DOEE website and on Twitter (www.doee.dc.gov/foam and @FoamFreeDC) so they can contact these establishments to ensure that they’ll be ready for the ban starting Jan. 1. A recent and informal survey of Capitol Hill restaurants that have long used foam found that many of them have already complied with the regulation.

why Is this Legislation needed?

The accumulation of plastics in waterbodies around the world is of growing concern. According to the 2015 Ocean Conservancy report, “Stemming the Tide: Land-Based Strategies for a Plastic-Free Ocean,” the quantity of plastic estimated to enter ocean environments in 2025 is double that of 2015.

So, why is DC focusing on EPS? Resourcefulschools.org reports that Americans use 25 billion plastic foam cups every year. Foam doesn’t readily decompose, and it will remain intact in landfills for hundreds of years. Left outdoors it breaks down into small pieces which wildlife often mistake for food. With their light weight, foam cups, plates, and clamshells are easily carried by wind and rain and end up in storm drains, creeks, rivers, and eventually the ocean. Foam litter is one of the most

by Catherine Plume common types of trash found in the Anacostia River.

DOEE Director Tommy Wells has been a longtime advocate for the Anacostia, and as Ward 6 Councilmember crafted the much lauded DC Bag Bill that went into effect in 2009. He notes, “We are excited about the District’s upcoming ban on EPS and the important positive effects the ban will have on our urban environment. Over time, EPS breaks into smaller and smaller pieces, and other pollutants – like oil, grease, and heavy metals – can adhere to them. These pieces are then consumed by fish and wildlife and bio-accumulate in the food chain. It’s encouraging to see three major jurisdictions – the District and Prince George’s and Montgomery counties – embracing legislation that will further reduce the amount of harmful pollution consistently found in the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers.”

According to Trash Free Maryland, Prince George’s County will ban the use of foam food

packaging at restaurants and the sale of foam food packaging and foam packing peanuts as of July 2016.

A similar law will go into effect in Montgomery County in January 2016, with restaurants required to use recyclable or compostable materials for disposable food ware as of 2017.

Seattle, Albany, Portland, and San Francisco have also adopted legislation on EPS, but the road to these bans is not always easy. In New York City a ban on foam products was implemented in July after the Sanitation Commissioner determined that foam could not be recycled in an environmentally effective and economically feasible manner. A group of foam manufacturers, recyclers, and commercial users sued, and in September the ban was revoked when a state judge ruled in favor of the plaintiffs. The city will likely appeal the decision. A DC DOEE spokesperson explains, “New York City’s law differs from the District’s ban in two crucial ways: (1) the New York ban was created through agency rulemaking and (2) the ban was preconditioned on the unavailability of recycling programs. The District’s ban is statutory and was passed by the City Council. While no recycling companies operating in the Washington metropolitan area accept foam, DC’s EPS ban is not tied to the availability of recycling programs.”

DC’s EPS legislation is part of the Sustainable DC Omnibus Amendment Act of 2014. It contributes to the “Sustainable DC Plan” which was developed through a District-wide consultative process in 2011-12 under the Gray administration, and is now being continued under Mayor Bowser. The plan seeks to improve the quality of life for all residents by 2032 by working toward ambitious (but attainable) goals for buildings and housing, climate, energy, food, nature, transportation, waste, water, and the green economy.

The District’s foam ban was passed by the DC Council to reduce foam litter in the Anacostia River and its tributaries. Think of it as a gift to our rivers and wildlife, and perhaps even a pathway to a swimmable Anacostia!

Catherine Plume is a lifelong environmentalist, a writer, and a blogger for the DC Recycler: www.DCRecycler. blogspot.com; Twitter @DC_Recycler. u

OUT & ABOUT / DINING

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by Jonathan Bardzik

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hanksgiving may be my favorite holiday. With all due respect to the mad rush of December and the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving has it all: the pomp and circumstance of a well-set table laden with a host of dishes lacking in simpler summer holidays, but without the December crush of parties, gift buying, and daunting decorating. That said, Thanksgiving can get a bit dull, weighed down by starchy traditions (peas, potatoes, and stuffing) that no longer delight our adult palates. However, I’ve found some answers to make this Thanksgiving one to remember.

Pour a Different Bottle

This year’s memorable Thanksgiving starts with a new bottle of wine. The annual case of Gewürztraminer is not so much a tradition as it is a rut.

Enter Grand Cata (GrandCata.com, 1550 Seventh St. NW), the new Latin American wine and food shop opening in Shaw just in time for Thanksgiving. I met owners Julio Robledo and Pedro Rodríguez to check out the space and learn more about the business.

First I asked them what I should drink for Thanksgiving. Robledo says, “In order to make a great pairing we are looking for balance, nothing overpowering. That is why I normally pick a lighter red wine for my Thanksgiving meal.” He recommended I serve an Argentine Bonarda. “This red grape,” he says, “produces light to medium-body wines, with soft tannins perfect for brightening up the flavor of baked turkey and washing down the saltiness of stuffing.”

Set for the holiday, I asked more about the the owners and their store. Robledo and Rodríguez are classic DC entrepreneurs, the first a Chilean journalist and the second moved to DC from Puerto Rico, where he grew up, to pursue international media development. They fell in love with wine and

food, and today, with a combined 12 years of experience in the wine industry, they are using their history, culture, and professional skills to bring a selection of wines from South America and the Mediterranean heritage countries of Portugal, Spain, and Italy to Shaw along with meats, cheeses, and an impressive selection of beers.

What can you expect to find? Rodríguez shares, “I’m heavily influenced by the Catalan culture. I did my graduate school work in Barcelona and was exposed to many styles of wine. My favorites come from the Priorat region in southern Catalunya where we find indigenous Spanish grapes such as Garnacha and Carignan that showcase a unique expression of the grapes, due to the mineral rich ‘llicorella’ black slate soil.”

And Robledo? “I was born in Arica, Chile, which is a coastal city next to the border with Peru.

The influence of the Peruvian culture and food is as big there as the influence of the Pacific Ocean.

That’s why one of my favorite dishes is ceviche. As for wine, I love ones with pronounced acidity and minerality like the ocean. Pinot noir and sauvignon blanc from Casablanca Valley in Chile and carignans from around the world are some of my all-time favorites.”

Sounds like they’ll keep my get-togethers interesting right through the holidays and into the new year.

Dinner out on Thanksgiving Eve

For those who travel home, the night before Thanksgiving is known for meeting up with friends. For those of us who stay in DC to enjoy having the quiet city to ourselves, it is a perfect night for a quiet meal in a neighborhood joint.

My husband Jason and I will be grabbing a dinner at the newly opened Union Social (UnionSocialDC.com, 100 Florida Ave. NE), just a few blocks from our house. We stopped in the other

The centerpiece of Shaw’s new Grand Cata – Spanish for “tasting”– is where owners Julio Robledo and Pedro Rodríguez will serve tastings of the Latin American wines and foods that fill their store.

Union Social succeeds with an innovative take on the classic burger, pairing lamb and spicy harissa with pickled onions and an herbed aioli.

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Big Bear’s vegetables always inspire, like these sweet roasted beets with fennel yogurt, arugula, and orange.

Make this Thanksgiving dessert one to remember with pumpkin maple whoopie pies from Grassroots Gourmet.

night to check it out. From Rappahonnock oysters and pots of mussels to a giant 10-ounce filet and a lamb burger, Union Social is the new neighborhood pub, complete with locally sourced ingredients and classically inspired cocktails.

Our mussels meuniere were delicious, sweet and briny with a broth I wanted to drink. In fact this is the first restaurant that, in addition to charred bread, offered a soup spoon, which Jason and I gladly accepted. Jason’s filet was delicious and perfectly medium-rare, with a good, richly caramelized sear and the pleasantly gamey taste that comes with grass-fed beef. The underseasoned fingerlings we chalked up to the pains of opening a new restaurant, because the spinach was so good; in fact it was the best thing on a really good plate of food.

With a bit of apprehension I ordered the lamb burger on the recommendation of our waiter. It seems like everyone wants to make the burger their own these days and usually end up with something overly complicated that would have been better off left alone as a perfectly grilled patty of beef. However, our waiter, and the Union Social kitchen, came through. The lamb was beautifully rare with a good smoky char on the outside.

The spicy flavor of harissa in the lamb was balanced by lightly pickled red onion and an herbal mayo that reminds you of the importance of bitter flavors with rich meats.

A few hiccups aside, we look forward to going back as they hit their stride. The basics of good service and delicious food are all in place.

Vegetable Inspiration

No one in town serves more interesting vegetables than Big Bear Cafe (BigBearCafe-DC.com, 1700 First St. NW). I give weekly cooking demonstrations at farm markets around DC, which means I cook a lot of veggies. Big Bear always inspires me.

My recent lunch included roasted beets, served in a bowl smeared with fennel pollen-seasoned yogurt, and an arugula salad with oranges and a sweet oat and sesame seed granola. Despite my long description it was simple and perfect. The fennel paired with beets was a revelation. Beets and fennel will certainly appear on my Thanksgiving table no matter how much Jason hates them (“They taste like dirt,” he’ll say.”).

He’ll quit complaining when I take him to Big Bear the next day for a turkey sandwich. Their houseroasted turkey was rich without being heavy, served on toasted, pressed ciabatta with cider vinegar-pickled onions, arugula, and a light, rosemary aioli.

Thanksgiving morning we’ll hit the patio for breakfast. With a full day of cooking ahead, we don’t need to dirty any more dishes at home. Plus DC is always blessed with a temperate Thanksgiving, and Big Bear Cafe has the best outdoor dining space in the city.

Don’t Forget Dessert

I make my own pumpkin and apple pies. Last year I even made Indian pudding with pumpkin icecream, but a recent visit to Grassroots Gourmet (GrassrootsGourmet.org, 104 Rhode Island Ave.

NW) gave me pause. “Everyone forgets chocolate!” exclaimed co-owner Sara Fatell. She’s right. A little bitter chocolate would be perfect at the end of this starch-laden holiday dinner. Fortunately I can just buy one. Grassroots is serving up pies for Thanksgiving, from the chocolatey chocolate bourbon pecan pie and cranberry apple crumb, to more traditional pumpkin and apple.

But why stop there? Let’s really shake things up with whoopie pies. Grassroots maple, cream cheese, buttercream frosting is decadent yet subtle, more than just sugar and fat. Enjoy it stuffed in a pumpkin maple whoopie pie or spread on a cake or cupcake. You really can’t go wrong.

Happy Thanksgiving

Have a wonderful holiday. May you enjoy traditions from roast turkey to your grandmother’s stuffing along with new flavors that keep the day interesting and fresh. And don’t eat too much. There’s a big December ahead!

Jonathan Bardzik is a cook, storyteller, and author living in Washington, DC. Known for his regular live cooking demos at Eastern Market, Jonathan loves cooking fresh ingredients as much as seeking them out in DC’s exciting restaurant scene. Jonathan’s second cookbook, “Seasons to Taste,” is available now at SeasonsToTasteCookbook.com. Order a copy and find out what Jonathan is cooking at www.jonathanbardzik. com or his Facebook page, “Jonathan Bardzik.” Need some foodporn? Follow @JonathanBardzik on Twitter and Instagram. u

OUT & ABOUT / Art

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Depeche Art Mid-City Gallery Exhibitions and News

LEFT: Olderman. Image: Tia Thompson RIGHT: Dreads. Image: Tia Thompson

by Phil Hutinet

Tia Thompson Captures a Disappearing Eckington

Commuters traveling along North Capitol Street are now greeted by a brand new “Welcome to Eckington” sign. However, when Tia Thompson moved to the neighborhood from her hometown of Fort Pierce, Fla., in 2013, this was not the case. Between 2013 and 2014 Thompson serendipitously began to photographing her new neighborhood, and as she began connecting with her neighbors Thompson quickly saw a larger story take place before her eyes – a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood and fear of displacement by long-term residents.

Unlike many of her peers who came of age during the advent of digital photography, Thompson incorporates film into her work. “For me, I’ve been shooting film for six years or so,” she explains.

“A couple years ago I was hitting a wall creatively and I wanted to challenge myself. I did not want to get bogged down by being in front of my computer.” Thompson uses a Hasselblad camera from the 1950s which uses a 6x6 medium-frame format.

Thompson came to appreciate the deliberate nature of film photography which, in addition to patience,

she believes “requires you to think about how you shoot as a photographer.”

Progressing in her new medium, Thompson began taking pictures in her adopted neighborhood. A resident named Hank stopped her and asked if she would take his picture. He then grabbed his friend, and Thompson took both of their pictures. “Many of the people in the neighborhood asked me to take a picture of them. So I got to know them and they got to know me” explains Thompson. In this predominantly working-class African-American neighborhood several generations of native Washingtonians live side-by-side only steps away from the place where they grew up. However, as new development encroaches on the neighborhood and new residents move in, long-time residents perceive a threat. While the fate of the long-term residents in the face of skyrocketing real-estate prices is uncertain, Thompson’s series has captured the life and culture as several generations in Eckington have experienced it.

Hamiltonian 2015 Fellows Present ‘Fellows Converge: The Broom of the System’

This year’s six Hamiltonian Fellows are Kyle Tata,

a Baltimore native who works in photography, collage, and cyanotypes; Nara Park, a sculptor who has exhibited widely in the DC area; Rob Hackett, who has a background in printmaking but currently works in sculpture; Christie Neptune, from New York City, who works primarily in lens-based media; and Jim Leach, a sculptor based in Baltimore. They will “converge” by collaborating on a body of work titled “The Broom of the System.”

DC Fotoweek

The annual two-week photography expo returns, using the former residence of the Spanish ambassador as the festival’s hub. Art galleries and organizations citywide participate in the event, which kicks off with a ticketed party on Friday, Nov. 6, followed by artist talks, contests, and exhibitions. In MidCity both the Leica Store’s gallery downtown and Touchstone Gallery will participate with a series of photography exhibitions and programming.

Tonie Savoie at Long View Gallery

For artist Tony Savoie, “Art does not do anything to solve issues. It does help us see how we relate to the

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world – it puts the questions out there for those who are interested.” Savoie examines the current state of American politics by quoting from both mainstream popular culture and contemporary protest movements. Savoie believes that despite our best efforts, in the end, as a people we capitulate to authority. Savoie’s brightly colored paintings employ a layered fiberglass fabric technique using liquid resin which he compresses, creating layer after layer to achieve his desired textured results.

Exhibition and Events, Opening Dates

DC Fotoweek FotoWeekCentral | Former Spanish Ambassador’s Residence 2801 16th St. NW www.fotodc.org/events • Daily Events, Nov. 7-15 Betsy Forster,“Tuscan Trees.” Image: Touchstone Gallery

Betsy Forster, Works from Miriam’s Kitchen and DC Fotoweek at Touchstone

Betsy Forster’s “Nature Sketched” is a culmination of several pastel landscape paintings realized in her studio. Based on plein air oil paintings, it was completed at sites including the Virginia countryside, Jackson Hole, Wyo., the Galapagos Islands, and Tuscany.

Miriam’s Kitchen, an organization dedicated to ending chronic homelessness in DC, will exhibit work from artists who participate in its award-winning art therapy program, Miriam’s Studio. “The Handpicked Exhibit” presented by the Touchstone Foundation will feature outsider work created in all media.

DC Fotoweek at Touchstone will include the following Touchstone member photographers: Elaine Florimonte, Carolyn Johnson, Harvey Kupferberg, Michael Lang, Rosemary Luckett, Pete McCutchen, Newton More, Mary D. Ott, and BD Richardson. Photography will include everything from black and white to color, from landscapes to abstract, and from digital to pinhole.

Phil Hutinet is the publisher of East City Art, dedicated to DC’s visual arts.

For more information visit www. eastcityart.com. u

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Recent work by Tony Savoie. Image: Long View Gallery

Hamiltonian Gallery 1353 U St. NW 202-332-1116 www.hamiltoniangallery.com “Fellows Converge: The Broom of the System” Nov. 7-Dec. 19 • Opening Reception, Saturday, Nov. 14 | 7-9 p.m.

Exhibitions on View

Hemphill Fine Arts 1515 14th St. NW 202-234-5601 www.hemphillfinearts.com “Wild World” by Renée Stout Through Dec. 19 Long View Gallery 1234 Ninth St. NW 202-232-4788 www.longviewgallerydc.com New work by Tony Savoie Through Nov. 29

“Bird” by Foley. Image: Touchstone Foundation and Miriam’s Kitchen

Dane Winkler,“Untitled (unwrapping a gift from Naoko Wowsugi),” 2015 HD video, 1:26 minutes. Courtesy Hamiltonian Gallery

Touchstone Gallery 901 New York Ave. NW 202-347-2787 www.touchstonegallery.com “Nature Sketched” by Betsy Forster Nov. 6-29 Handpicked Outsider Exhibition Series DC Fotoweek

OUT & ABOUT / Fitness

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Let’s Get Physical

Two Southern Girls’ Down South Bounce class took over the Howard Theatre. Photo: Elaine Cheng

Dance Fitness, Down South Style

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by Jazelle Hunt

his installment of Let’s Get Physical is a slight departure from the usual. It’s about sisterhood, self-actualization, and holistic wellness. And twerking.

On an overcast Saturday morning last month roughly 70 women of all ages and sizes gathered at the Howard Theatre for Down South Bounce, a Southern music-fueled, dance-fitness session. Presented by 2 Southern Girls, in partnership with Helix Social, the event, a $30 “day party meets workout,” brought a photo booth, glow sticks and strobe-light rings, Relay Foods and PHOG Water vendors with free samples and swag items, and deep South party hits blasting over the Howard’s concertgrade sound system.

It was a judgment-free zone. Under the cover of darkness and colorful stage lights everyone was there to shake it like the rent was due.

Up on stage personal trainer and Howard University alumna Neechie Greer led a standard warmup with a heavy focus on quads, which in this case meant dropping it to Lil’ Jon & The Eastside Boyz’s “Get Low” and Big Tymers’ “Hood Rich.”

Accomplished dancer and instructor Tya Harrison graced the stage later, flanked by a cadre of young black women of all shapes and sizes. Kia Wood, aka DJ Shrug, spun a playlist that was dirty South perfection. The crowd got its entire life with classics such as 69 Boyz’s “Tootsee Roll,” Master P’s “Make ‘Em Say Uhh,” Khia’s “My Neck, My Back,” and of course Juvenile’s “Back That Azz Up.” Participants shook their moneymakers through some new hits as well, including Beyonce’s “7/11” and Silento’s “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae).” DJ Shrug even threw The Wobble in there!

Each two-minute snippet brought its own block of repetitive, high-cardio choreography, plus a few chances for playful freestyling. There were legit dance moves, from sexy body rolls and body pumps to flatbacked twerking. And there were legit exercises mixed in, from hip-popping in a side lunge to grapevine steps into a standing knee raise or boxing jabs,

to booty-bouncing in a deep squat.

But if the sweat droplets all over the floor weren’t enough to prove this was a workout, the ingenious “twerpee” sealed the deal. Add a twerk to step two of a burpee – the high plank position – and you’ll have a rough idea.

Put another way, DJ Jubilee’s “Get It Ready, Ready” instructed everyone to “walk it like a dog,” and we did as we were told.

By the end of class I was a sweaty mess. Harrison gave out a prize to the “top twerker” in the crowd. There was also an impromptu twerk competition judged by crowd applause. “I was born and raised in Georgia, so this is like tradition. I love raunchy music,” said Ciara Famble, who lives in Bethesda and usually just goes to the gym a few times a week. “It was a challenging workout and a fairly long class.” Harrison moved through the choreography seamlessly, so keeping up was a challenge at times.

But Harrison’s encouraging shout-outs, like, “Put some stank on it!” kept morale high.

“Once I started to treat it like a dance class it became more fun. Some moves were so quick I didn’t even do them for a lot of the time … by the time I got it, we had moved on,” said Petworth resident Haley Griffin, who attended with two friends. “You’ll have a blast. Nobody’s watching to see if you can dance.”

Vermecia Alsop and Dominique Charles – the women behind 2 Southern Girls – hope to oblige.

They met as students at Howard University. In May they were chatting and wishing for a workout that revived all the music and dance of their coming-ofage. Alsop looped Tya Harrison, her sister, into the conversation. “Every time I have an event I call my sister. She’s my consultant. And when we explained what we wanted to do she was like, ‘I can do that.’ I was like, ‘really?’” Alsop said.

Dancer and Down South Bounce instructor Tya Harrison sneaks some arm toning with Rae Sremmurd’s “No Flex Zone.” Photo: Elaine Cheng

“We pulled in our network. [Down South Bounce] was a creation through friendships, and laughter, and being silly. It makes me kind of emotional. If it wasn’t for Howard University, my network, I don’t know what I would be without that connection.” And it almost didn’t happen. Helix Social is still in its first year, which is said to be the hardest for entrepreneurs, and 2 Southern Girls is even younger.

In finding support for the event Alsop hit a wall of no’s before sitting down with the Howard Theatre’s event manager and pouring her heart out.

“From our first conversation talking on the phone … and seeing it now, it’s amazing. It’s a feeling of accomplishment,” said Harrison. “We walk up and see ‘Down South Bounce’ on the outside calendar …

I’m like oh shoot, this is for real. This is happening.

And seeing the whole set-up, I got goosebumps.”

Charles, who grew up in New Orleans, is the founder and CEO of 2 Southern Girls, and the logistical mastermind. Alsop, who has family roots

noVeMBeR 2015

in DC but grew up in Atlanta, is the aerial-view visionary. Through 2 Southern Girls, an event production firm, they hope to continue to execute everything from dinner parties to Down South Bounce.

Alsop, a former athlete, launched Helix Social as a way to promote fitness and health through fun pop-up events. This past August, Helix Social hosted the first annual Spin City Go-Go ride in Chinatown. Last December it presented the Dance Like Beyonce workout on Capitol Hill, taught by Queen Bey’s choreographer for “Run the World.” The next affair, tentatively called Lover’s Rock, will be a dating event centered on rock climbing; details are still to be determined.

“People have always talked about fitness. It hit me that it’s intertwined like a helix – health and fitness,” Alsop explained. “If you just work out, that’s only 20 percent. You have to change your whole mindset. ” Two Southern Girls hopes to host another Down South Bounce class in the District at a later date, and it plans to build partnerships to take the event to other cities. “It’s so hard to do the things you want to do,” Charles said. “I think a lot of times we get stopped because of finances, and work, and all the things we have going on. It’s really hard to chase your dreams the way you want to. I’m so proud of this thing and what it’s become.”

Keep up with Down South Bounce’s availability at www.downsouthbounce.com. Contact Dominique Charles at dominiquecharles@ gmail.com for more information on 2 Southern Girls’ event production services. Visit www.joinhelixsocial. com or email events@joinhelixsocial. com for more information on Helix Social events. u

INTERESTED IN ADVERTISING WITH US? Call Kira Means 202-400-3508

or kira@hillrag.com for more information on advertising.

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Neighborhood / NEWS

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E on DC

Make Me Strong and Wise at Sixty-Five

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by E. Ethelbert Miller

’m running short of days. It’s November and another year is coming to an end. This month I turn sixty-five. When I was a child this was the number my parents looked for in their horoscopes along with fortune cookie advice. It would mean retirement; sixty-five was an end to backaches and swollen ankles. It was a time when rumors disguised as whispers would talk about returning to the South or the West Indies. But around dusk each night the dreams faded and paradise and comfort was reduced to quoting a psalm from the Bible.

My parents taught me about the importance of work and the paying of bills.

In spring of this year I went to work only to discover there was no work. Like many Americans each year I was given a white envelope filled with severance pay instructions and how to pay for my health benefits. Also included were instructions about resume writing which looked somewhat like the order forms from a cheap carryout.

This was the year I went for a regular eye exam only to discover I had cataracts.

Cataracts and arthritis were always part of my mother’s vocabulary. During her last days I looked at her hands and remembered how they sewed buttons and served meals. Her hands one day unable to open a can, her legs preventing her from seeing what was on the top shelves in the kitchen.

My father never looked his age. He was forever young. When my sister and I went to the funeral home to arrange for his burial, someone mistook her for his wife. I think of my father as this year prepares to wear its winter coat. This Thanksgiving I will give thanks, knowing in a few months I will be a grandfather.

It’s amazing how one’s life can change in a span of months. We count daily our blessings. My mother often repeated a short prayer whenever my father went off to work and when he returned home. I finally understand her faith, this belief in the unseen, this way of making sense out of nonsense, of finding one’s way in the dark when it appears there is no way.

It’s easy to say the world has gone crazy after turning off the news. Still we cannot turn our backs to the future. It’s coming and it just might be fierce. What I cherish about being an artist is the ability to create beauty and construct bridges of hope. Last month I gave a talk about the writer June Jordan who died in 2002.

She was fighting cancer when I was completing my memoir, “Fathering Words.” I sent her the excerpt about how we first met in the 1970s. She wrote back a beautiful letter about how she was happy to be alive.

Sixty-five is just a number that will get me a senior citizen Metro card and some Medicare. It does not define the artist in me – a person moving forward, walking these city streets. Let us not be defined by desks and offices, by computers and conference rooms, by the packages we deliver, the food we prepare, the rooms we clean, or the buildings we construct.

Let us embrace the love which speaks the language of trees, wind, and rain. To go on loving means not to forget. Even as memory fails we must not love less. At sixty-five I want to live more.

E. Ethelbert Miller is a writer and literary activist. His “Collected Poems,” edited by Kirsten Porter, will be published by Willow Books in March 2016. Miller was inducted into the Washington DC Hall of Fame in April 2015. u

noveMBer 2015

developers Are a Mayor’s Best Friend

by Anonymous

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hen Mayor Muriel trod the boards as a poor supplicant in the Democratic Primary, she touted herself as a “Fresh Start.” “Me thinks she is extoling her love for crispy veggies,” The Nose pondered as he first listened to her perform at the hustings.

Meet Muriel Bowser: Fresh Princess of Ward 4.

Well, the breeze has changed direction. Now, members of the Green Team are working hard to take shadow campaign tactics out of the closet. Why hide one’s contributors when one can glory in their strictly legal $10,000 donations?

This Fresh Start requires the services of a FreshPAC, whose independent election expenditures will no doubt aid Bowser in her quest to win friends and influence councilmembers. After all, DC politics is a simple game of counting to seven.

Inspired by our mayor’s audacious political savvy, The Nose has decided to form his own fundraising organization, StalePac. Dedicated to the supposition that politics is best when it resembles reality television, StalePac will fund the return of such prized personalities as Kwame “Bulletproof ” Brown and Harry “The Player” Thomas. Of course, StalePac will always keep a “piece of a piece” for Michael “Son of ” Brown.

Sometimes sitcom reruns make the best couch suffering material.

In the meantime, The Nose has authored a tune for our esteemed lady mayor set to the strains of Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend:

Developers are glad to dig in the dirt.

They delight in biding duels But I prefer those who live to donate like expensive fools.

A kiss on the hand May be regally continental, But developers are a mayor’s best friend.

A kiss may be grand But it won’t pay for air-time rentals Or subsidize your campaign’s humble flat Or help you take your opponent to the mat.

Political allies grow cold As mayors grow old, And we all lose our popularity in the end.

But green-backed or rectangular-shaped, Donated Benjamins don’t lose their shape.

Developers are a mayor’s best friend.

There may come a time When a pol needs a Lawyer, But Developers are a mayor’s best friend.

There may come a time When a hard-boiled legislative Boyar Thinks you’re not so nice, Make him a deal or else no dice.

He’s your guy When your favorables are high, But beware when they start to descend.

It’s then that those political louses Go public with their grouses.

Developers are a mayor’s best friend.

I’ve heard of public affairs That are not strictly economic, But Developers are a mayor’s best friend.

And I think affairs That you must keep plutonic Are better bets If them come with big checks.

Time rolls on, And the honeymoon is gone, And you can’t straighten up when you politically bend.

But stiff backed Or in a stiff breeze You can always put them in a squeeze.

Developers! Developers!

I don’t mean CBEs! Developers are a mayor’s best friend.

THE NOSE

Even the editorial mandarins of the august Washington ComPost are starting to notice a fresh odor drifting across town. u

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Neighborhood / NEWS

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It Is Time for The Council Freshmen to Graduate

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f a consultant created a PowerPoint org-chart of the current DC Council committees, it would resemble a mass of ill-defined squiggles. That design, seemingly lacking rhyme or reason, is the brainchild of the legislature’s chairman, Phil Mendelson (D).

The council may say, for example, the key to solving the city’s homeless crises is preserving and constructing affordable housing. But neither homeless issues nor the Interagency Council on Homelessness (ICH) come under the purview of the legislature’s Committee on Housing and Community Development. Instead they are within the Committee of the Whole (COW), headed by Mendelson.

The COW is mess. It controls the University of the District of Columbia and its associated community college, although there is a Committee on Education. Mendelson has jurisdiction over the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, despite the fact there is a Committee on Transportation and the Environment. Interestingly, the transportation committee does not oversee Metro. It does, however, have oversight of the Department of Recreation and also the Department of General Services, a multimillion dollar agency concerned with the management and operations of the city’s real estate holdings and school modernization.

The Committee on the Judiciary is responsible for 40 agencies, offices, or commissions, including the DC Board of Elections and the Commission on Fathers, Boys and Men. Is there a message in that latter connection?

Equally troublesome is that the committee composition erodes transparency. What new resident, hoping to connect with the District government regarding the state of its vacant property, for example, would think to reach out to the Committee on Transportation and the Environment?

Some city hall insiders say the committee structure reflects the chairman’s need to control as much of the legislative terrain as possible. His decision not to give chairmanships to any of the freshman legislators is consistent with his desire to dominate. “The committees are too broad and disparate,” says Dorothy Brizill of DC Watch, a good-government group.

“There are issues not getting the attention they deserve.” She cites, among others, elections reform, contracting and procurement where the city spends

by Jonetta Rose Barras hundreds of millions of dollars annually, and Metro, to which the District provides a sizable subsidy.

Brizill is not alone in her criticism. Some advocates and civic leaders assert oversight is adversely affected. They say Mendelson’s failure to assign committees to freshmen misuses the legislature’s human capital and the public’s money. Those and other concerns have some people calling the council ineffective.“This has to be the weakest city council in memory. There is a dearth of real leadership,” says longtime civic leader Terry Lynch.

None of that fazes Mendelson, who says this is an old and settled issue. “I am not planning any changes of the committee structure. It’s hard for the council to reorganize in the middle of the council period. It sets us back.”

The Past Should Be Prologue

When Mendelson created the committees at the start of the new council period last January, he claimed that he wanted to give new members time to get acclimated to the council. The freshmen went along with his decision, although most were not new to District government.

Ward 1’s Brianne Nadeau (D) had been an advisory neighborhood commissioner, an elected post.

Ward 6’s Charles Allen (D) worked for eight years as chief of staff to then-Councilmember Tommy Wells; many council staffers help drive their bosses’ legislative and public policy agendas. At-large Councilmember Elissa Silverman (D) reported and analyzed council actions when she worked for the Washington City Paper, The Washington Post, and later the DC Fiscal Policy Institute. “[They] didn’t suddenly get born and decide they wanted to be elected to the council,” says Brizill. The freshmen, including the more recently elected Ward 4 Councilmember Brandon Todd (D), knew their way around the block, down the stairs, and into the basement where secrets may be buried.

“I voted [in January] against the committee structure,” says Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans (D).

“It concentrates way too much authority in the chairman’s hand. It concentrates way too much authority in a couple of committees that don’t have the personnel or the expertise to deal with issues.”

Mendelson refuses to even assign the newcomers

subcommittees or special committees as his predecessors did. Consider that in 2005 then-Chairman Linda Cropp appointed freshman Councilmember Vincent Gray to lead a special committee on the prevention of youth violence. She also named Marion Barry to head a subcommittee on statehood and self-determination.

Committee Overload

As a result of Mendelson’s adherence to an illogical structure, the council is operating with eight standing committees, the lowest number in more than a decade. During Council Period 14, for example, there were 10 committees; in period 16, there were 11 members.

The reduction during this Council Period 21 means more work for committee chairmen, although additional funding was provided to increase staffing levels, according to the secretary of the council. Nevertheless, those who spoke with the District Beat say they are seeing adverse effects. “There has been a lack of effective oversight, monitoring of programs and seeing how the dollars are being spent,” says Brizill, who for the last 20 years has been a frequent presence at the John A. Wilson Building.

“If we had 13 committees people would still complain about oversight,” counters Mendelson.

“More or fewer committees don’t speak to the quality of oversight. The dissatisfaction with oversight isn’t necessarily addressed by reorganization.”

But it couldn’t hurt. Additional training for councilmembers on how to conduct effective oversight could improve the quality of their work.

During February, each standing committee conducts a performance oversight of agencies under its charge. In April, the council switches focus to examining the mayor’s budget proposal, agency by agency.

But generally the council’s public hearings or roundtables are related to legislative proposals.

For example, the Committee on Transportation and the Environment, chaired by Ward 1’s Mary Cheh (D), held only one oversight hearing on the Department of General Services unrelated to the budget. That took place in July and focused on City Auditor Kathy Patterson’s report on school modernization, which revealed several highly irregular financial transactions. Cheh has scheduled for this month a joint public hearing with the education committee

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on school modernization. But she has not yet to conduct a pure oversight of the DGS to examine in greater detail management and operations problems exposed by the auditor’s report.

The judiciary committee, chaired by Ward 5’s Kenyan McDuffie, may have held 30 public hearings or roundtables thus far. But based on the District Beat’s analysis, it appears 12 of those were related to performance oversight, a precursor to budget hearings, or actual budget hearings. Another 16 were related to specific legislative proposals or confirmation of mayoral appointees. Only two could be characterized as pure oversight, examining the internal operations of an agency including programs, personnel, and outcomes. As Brizill mentioned, there has been little attention to elections issues.

“It is impractical for anyone to think that every measure that is referred to a committee would, or should, move forward,” responds McDuffie.He says he has “focused significant [oversight] time and attention on community policing, violent crime, and fire and emergency medical services.”

No one expects McDuffie to ignore crises.

But both crime and elections are important to government operations. In the past, when an agency has required an intense drill down, council chairmen have elected to create subcommittees. When there was a problem with the Metropolitan Police Department under then-Chief Larry Soulsby, a joint special committee was created and chaired by Evans and Ward 3’s Kathy Patterson; Mark Tuohey was hired as special counsel.

Why wasn’t a special committee on fire/ emergency medical services established before the council approved the executive’s privatizing plan? Could another solution have been developed through a more intense process?

Who Benefits

Councilmembers without chairmanships are not subjected to the heavy lift that McDuffie and his staff endure. They do not have to deal with striking balances on legislation between what may have been introduced and what can be passed, after comment from citizens and the executive. They do not have to file reports, and when the budget comes back around this spring, they will not have the tedious task of matching the mayor’s proposal with public expectations and available funds, and the cer-

tification that must be provided by the chief financial officer. In other words, their days can be fairly easy.Council members without chairmanships receive the same pay as those with committees, however.

Wilson Building sources told the District Beat that some councilmembers, including Nadeau, were complaining privately about the structure, arguing they wanted to get in on the action.But Nadeau declined to be interviewed for this article. She also did not respond to questions submitted to her via email.

Silverman says she is happy with the current arrangement. “Having a committee right away means you have to focus on issues.”She says time away from the gavel during the past 10 months has given her staff the opportunity to “gel” and to “see where I can add value to the council.” She continues, “We’re getting a sort of liberal arts [education] curriculum track as opposed to a professional curriculum track.” She has the ability, she says, to meet agency directors when she is “not their overseer,” which allows “the opportunity to develop good, rich relationships.”

Having cordial relations with agency managers is a good thing. But that isn’t more important than strong oversight that ensures an honest and effective government, serving the needs of residents. Silverman predicts that next year, “The council will be stronger,” and she and her staff will be better able to determine “where[we]can add the most value.”

District voters had some expectation that Silverman and other council freshmen were ready to hit the ground running. Lynch says, “Councilmembers don’t want to be in the line of fire of either the chairman or the mayor.

Some councilmembers are dependent on the mayor, others are cautious to a fault; they are concerned that one false step could derail their reelection, imperiling the perks of the job.”

He cites as example the recent proposal to build a practice facility for the Wizards and have the government pick up the tab. There is no context for how that facility might connect with the “whole development pattern,” continues Lynch. “So many opportunities for council oversight and engagement have been missed.”

Jonetta Rose Barras is an author and freelance writer based in DC. She sometimes blogs at jonettarosebarras.com u

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DC’s Got It Going On

We Don’t Need Big Tax Incentives to Attract Businesses

by Wes Rivers

T

he District of Columbia has become a magnet for a young and increasingly skilled workforce. With DC’s vibrant nightlife and cultural landscape, a comprehensive public transportation system, great new libraries and parks, and school choice options, it is not surprising that young people want to begin their careers here and stay. That gives businesses a large pool of talent to tap and supports a thriving restaurant and retail sector.

That’s why Mayor Bowser’s $60 million proposed tax break for the Advisory Board Company – one of DC’s largest corporate subsidies in recent memory – doesn’t make sense. The proposal, like many before it, raises the question of whether tax incentives are needed to maintain a strong economy and keep businesses in an already attractive market. The Advisory Board tax subsidy threatens to set a bad precedent for business tax breaks that are not needed and in fact make it hard to continue investing in the things that have made DC attractive to a talented workforce, like schools and parks.

What Would DC Get?

On the face of it, Mayor Bowser’s proposal has a lot going for it. In return for $60 million in tax breaks over 10 years, the Advisory Board would have to

lease a brand-new building in the District and add 100 District residents to its payroll every year for 10 years – 1,000 residents in total. In addition the Advisory Board’s lease would last five years longer than the tax abatements, so that the company could not leave DC as soon as the tax breaks end. Finally the Advisory Board would have to invest in a variety of community benefits, including volunteer hours at schools and mentorships, and training and workforce development activities for DC residents.

In the world of corporate tax subsidies this one goes a long way to being a performance-based incentive. The Advisory Board would only get tax abatements if it stays in DC for a considerable amount of time and hires more District residents. But what if the Advisory Board really wanted to stay in DC anyway, and was already on a path to expand?

In that case even the best-structured tax abatement would be a bad deal for the city. If tax abatements are not needed to keep the Advisory Board here, then the $60 million subsidy is simply less money for the city to invest in schools, parks, or healthcare.

No Impact on Business Location Decisions

Companies locate where it makes the most sense in the long-term. That usually means places with a skilled workforce and a good quality of life. State and local taxes usually are not major factors, because taxes are a small part of a company’s expenses.

This is not mere speculation. Business leaders frequently note that taxes are not high on the factors that affect where they locate. Companies seek tax incentives because they can – not because they are essential to a location decision.

A look at the Advisory Board deal suggests that they would like to stay in DC. The mayor’s proposal requires the company to sign a commercial office lease this year. With that deadline it is likely that lease negotiations have been underway for some time. Beyond that, a $6 million/year tax break would offset only part of the higher rent the company would pay in DC compared with the suburbs. And $6 million is less than 1 percent of the Advisory Board’s annual revenue. Is that really enough to keep them

some place they don’t want to be? Seems doubtful.

In other words, even though the Advisory Board says it needs a tax break, every other indication is that they want to stay in the city. That probably is because the company’s client base is here – and because the young talented people who work there want to live in DC. Is it possible the tax incentive is needed for the company to stay financially viable or to hire District residents? The answer is no, according to DC’s chief financial officer. The CFO pointed out that the tax abatement would be relatively small in the scheme of the company’s overall taxes and expenses. It is likely that the Advisory Board will hire 120 new residents a year with or without the abatement, based on their recent growth.

The Best Corporate Attraction Strategy

The fact that DC has become very attractive to millennials, many of whom are staying once they have children, is worth exploring. If educated and skilled workers want to live in the District, more companies needing skilled workers will want to be here, as will retail businesses.

There is no hard evidence on why young people are flocking to DC, but public investments matter.

The opening of Metro’s Green Line about 15 years ago spawned development in areas like U Street, Columbia Heights, and Petworth as more residents gained quick access to downtown and other parts of the city. Beyond that the District has invested heavily in DC Public Schools and in a robust charter school sector. Add the investments in playgrounds, sports fields, and libraries and you have a recipe for a city that will keep residents and draw restaurants and other retail amenities.

That means that tax subsidies are the wrong approach to creating a business climate because they don’t work that well and because they take away money from things that really do matter, like schools.

Make A Better Deal

If the DC Council agrees with the mayor that the risk of the Advisory Board leaving the city is too

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great, it should make changes to ensure DC gets the best deal possible.

Most important, under the proposed deal, the Advisory Board could get a large share of the tax breaks even if it does not meet the hiring goals. For example, if the Advisory Board increases DC resident employment by 500 in five years and then stops growing, it could claim 82 percent of the tax-break package – even though it only met half of the hiring goal. Instead the formula should be adjusted so that the share of the $60 million received matches the share of the 1,000-job goal met.

In addition nothing prevents the Advisory Board from terminating the newly created positions after the end of the 10-year tax breaks. DC should have some protections built into the deal ensuring that residents are hired for the term of the lease.

That could be accomplished with a “clawback” provision to reclaim a portion of the tax breaks if net DC hiring growth falls below 1,000 after the tax breaks end.

There is always the risk that the Advisory Board will leave the city if it does not get additional tax breaks.

But the District faces that risk every day and is still doing well. Despite the higher cost of office space the District consistently has lower office vacancy rates than the suburbs.

With limited resources and growing needs in the city, DC’s leaders need to be thoughtful about how tax dollars are used. A large business tax abatement that really is not needed sets the expectation that other companies can get the same, a standard that will mean less and less money for other priorities.

Wes Rivers is a policy analyst at the DC Fiscal Policy Institute (www.dcfpi. org). DCFPI promotes budget and policy solutions to reduce poverty and inequality in the District of Columbia and to increase the opportunity for residents to build a better future. u

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Trifecta of Fear

Blame the Message and the Messengers

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ee something, say something. Young black men are prime perpetrators of crime in the District of Columbia. White police officers are waging a war on African-American males. Those three messages are distributed daily by the media. They are also repeated ad nauseam in the public square by many elected officials, civic leaders, public intellectuals, and average citizens.

Combined, the messages translate into a single word: fear. That became clear during a recent encounter between two sets of District residents and police officers at a commercial bank in DC’s Capitol

by Jonetta Rose Barras fering grievously at the hands of law enforcement, he ran from the police officers, possibly believing he would be the next African-American man to die on a city street.

A palpable fear is eating at the core of America, even as most citizens are desperately trying to bury the vestiges of racial hatred that has affected blacks – and whites.

Many of the current presidential candidates are helping to exacerbate phobias. As are some books like “Between the World and Me”

by Ta-Nehisi Coates, an AfricanAmerican male who writes to his son: “We are captured, brother, surrounded by the majoritarian bandits of America. And this has happened here, in our only home, and the terrible truth is that we cannot will ourselves to escape on our own.”

Coates misrepresents the full narrative of black men in America while stripping his son’s generation of its hope. Black men are cast as both bogeymen and victims, unable to chart their own destinies.

Closer to home, some DC elected officials sell and resell the “usagainst-them” doctrine, determined to improve their political standing at any cost.

Activists from Black Lives Matter block Pennsylvania “Very seldom, if Avenue SE in protest over police treatment of Jason ever do they put anyGoolsby. Photo: Andrew Lightman thing on television or

Hill neighborhood.

Reacting in fear to the uptick in violent crime in her community, a white woman saw a black male who made her uncomfortable. To her he may have been a proxy for those the media claim responsible for crime.

Following the see-something-saysomething directive, she, unsurprisingly, called the police. Officers from the Metropolitan Police Department raced to the scene believing a robbery to be in progress.

Jason Goolsby, the young, black male who was the object of the woman’s fear, possessed his own anxieties. Conditioned by the many media images of contemporaries suf-

in the paper about what young black men are doing that is positive. Every time it’s about something negative, and therefore the belief [held by much of the public] is that it must be indigenous to the entire race,” says Francis Campbell, a former advisory neighborhood commissioner, third generation Washingtonian, and Capitol Hill resident with whom I spoke recently about the Goolsby episode.

The father of five sons, one of whom still lives in DC, Campbell has a special interest in the flawed narrative of black men advanced by far too many people. “There is an element that is going to do wrong,” says Campbell. “But [there is] a blanket attitude toward young men of color.

My sons have never been arrested, never used drugs. They are successful.”

“It’s insulting,” Campbell continues. “We’re not all doctors and lawyers, but we’re good people.”

It may be that everyone at that Capitol Hill bank was a good person. Fear produces illogical, sometimes knee-jerk, reactions. Consequently I empathize with Goolsby and the telephone caller.

When my daughter occasionally calls me concerned about a group of African-American men she has seen around her apartment, I try to assuage her worries. But I also understand the story from the perspective of those black men. Sometimes they are homeless. Sometimes they have simply congregated to chat with friends. A few times they may be up to no good. It’s the latter that causes my daughter consternation. How to know the difference? If I am unsuccessful, I regurgitate the see-some-

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thing-call-the-police mantra.

“It’s tough,” says Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen, taking my point and reflecting on the telephone caller’s predicament. “It’s hard to put ourselves in her shoes and judge whether what she saw was suspicious or not.” “There is a heightened sense of fear,” Allen continues, talking about the hike in violent crime in that community that the press conveniently failed to mention in reports about the Goolsby affair. On Oct. 21, 2015, the MPD reported six robberies on Capitol Hill in a span of 30 minutes, including at 9th and F Sts. NE; 3rd and G Sts SE; 1300 E SE. “Sometimes when I take the dog out at night, I find myself looking over my shoulder. A guy was murdered a block from my home.” Still, Allen says, Goolsby may be due an apology. He was thrown to the ground by police believing they were in pursuit of a robber; but he had done nothing wrong.

Why didn’t Goolsby remain calm, stand firm, and proclaim his innocence to the police? Why did he run? Trust can be a risky business, particularly when there is history that whispers in your ear advising against it.

In the District there are more than 3,000 police officers. Despite reports about excessive use of force by law enforcement, most follow the rules as they perform their duties. We know only a few of them have been fired or reprimanded for questionable actions while on the job. That reality rarely makes it to the headlines.

Still, I understand the fear of police. I have my own troubled history of encounters, including one in Jackson, Miss., decades ago. I remember images of my mother going to the funeral home flashing before me.

Chokwe Lumumba and I were driving downtown when we heard the police siren. As they approached

he cautioned me not to antagonize anyone- a natural tendency. Lumumba was an attorney representing several young African-American males. I was a community organizer trying to drum up local support for them. The officers surrounded our vehicle with guns drawn. A sawedoff shotgun was aimed at my head.

As Lumumba had advised, I complied with every order, including subjecting myself to a search. We were told subsequently that there had been a report of two armed men circling the courthouse. I laughed at that tale, especially as a female officer had also been dispatched. There have been other frightening episodes in my lifetime.

A couple of years ago Lumumba was elected mayor of Jackson. Unfortunately he died suddenly while in office. Still I took solace in that shift. Equally important, however, I refuse to permit negative historical situations to redirect my entire life, dictating how I interact with people who don’t share my skin color.

Allen scheduled last month a meeting to discuss the rise in crime.

Council Chairman Pro Tempore Kenyan McDuffie, who oversees the Committee on the Judiciary, also held town halls and summits. Was that enough?

I don’t think so. We are all responsible for ending the dangerous and exploding fear plaguing the city, and the country. District leadersthe mayor, council, and others - can help. It’s possible that the network of advisory neighborhood commissions could take the lead, however, instigating conversations among small groups of residents with the aim of nurturing community, building greater trust, and shining a bright and lasting light on the good in us, all of us.

Jonetta Rose Barras is a DC-based writer. Her opinions have appeared in numerous publications including The Washington Post and Washington Examiner. u

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Development Planned for Fourth and K NW

37th Logan Circle Holiday House Tour

In a tradition that spans eight mayors, seven presidents and over 40 feet of snowfall, the Logan Circle Community Association (LCCA) will host its 37th Annual Logan Circle Holiday House Tour on Dec. 6, from 1 to 5 p.m. Visit some of Logan Circle’s most memorable and breathtaking interiors. A variety of musicians and singers will lend holiday cheer. Don’t miss the always-warming and welcoming Wassail Reception at Studio Theatre. Advance tickets are $30 and can be purchased at logancircle. org/house-tour. Tickets on the day of the tour are $35. logancircle.org.

City Market at O Wins Global Award

City Market at O has been selected as a winner of a 2015 Urban Land Institute (ULI) Global Award for Photo: Evy Mages

Excellence. It was one of only ten projects in the world chosen honored. The ULI Global Awards for Excellence recognize projects that provide the best crossregional lessons in land use practices. The criteria for the awards include leadership, contribution to the community, innovations, public/private partnerships, environmental protection and enhancement, response to societal needs, and financial viability. www.citymarketato.com or uli.org/programs/awards-competitions/uli-global-award-for-excellence/.

NatGeo Photography Seminar

On Dec. 6 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., you can learn how National Geographic photographers create their outstanding pictures. Traveler photographers Dan Westergren and Jim Richardson share the secrets behind capturing the most memorable images—from technical know-how to the instincts that guide their choice of subjects to shoot. See examples of published images and why they became the top selects. $199 per person. Register at nationalgeographic.com/ngtseminars.

Opera Unmasked

Ground Zero Exhibition at the DC Arts Center

Craig Kraft, an internationally recognized light artist and neon sculptor, brings his “Ground Zero” series to the DC Arts Center in Adams Morgan through Dec. 6. On Nov. 15 at 7 p.m., Kraft will discuss neon’s history, application, and fabrication. Gallery hours are Wednesdays through Sundays from 2 to 7 p.m. All events are free and open to the public and are at DC Arts Center, 2438 18th St. NW. For more information call 202-462- 7833, email info@dcartscenter.org, or visit dcartscenter.org.

Interested in opera but don’t know where to start? Learn about the composers, music, and storytelling that make opera a moving experience.

Each screening will be accompanied by a brief introductory lecture courtesy of the Maryland Opera Studio. Opera Unmasked is at 2 p.m. on Nov. 7; Dec. 5, Jan. 2; Feb. 6; Mar. 5, Apr. 2; and May 7. MLK Library, 901 G St. NW. 202-727-0321. dclibrary.org/mlk.

Lima Hotels plans to develop a 14-story building on the corner of Fourth and K Streets NW. Scheduled to break ground in mid-2016, the high-rise structure will have 200 hotel rooms on the First through 11th floors. It will be topped by 30 apartment homes on the 12th through 14th floors. The site at 317 K St. NW is within the 15-square-block Mount Vernon Triangle. A small commercial building and auto body shop on the site will be demolished.

Pay-By-Space Parking Makes its Debut

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) has instituted a new, simpler method of paid street parking in the area bounded by E, H, Third and 11th Streets NW. With Pay-By-Space, drivers can pay to park in defined spaces by entering the four-or-five-digit space number on space marker posts at the payment kiosks or on their mobile devices with Parkmobile. There is no need to display a receipt on a dashboard. The area includes approximately 1,000 on-street parking spaces. PayBy-Space allows DDOT to keep track of parking space usage. In early 2016, drivers will be able to access parking availability information to make it easier to find a spot. Questions may be directed to 202-671-2700 or 311 or parkdc.dc.gov.

Join an ESL English Conversation Club

Come to Shaw Library’s ESL English Conversation Club to practice English skills in a casual environment. While the conversation group is for English learners at all levels, participants should possess some English knowledge. Drop in Tuesdays between 7 and 8 p.m. The Watha T. Daniel Library is at 1630 Seventh St. NW. 202-727-1288. dclibrary.org/watha.

42nd DC Historical Studies Conference

The Annual Conference on DC Historical Studies, held from Nov. 12 to 15, presents the latest insights and research on all things Washingtonian. Presenters and audience members--historians and history fans--mix it up in a series of discussions, book talks, films, and lectures.

The conference opens on Nov. 12 at 6 p.m. at the National Archives with the Curt C. and Else Silberman Foundation lecture and reception. Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Eric Foner, the author of “The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery,” addresses “Reconstruction and the Fragil-

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November 2015

ity of Democracy.” The lecture will take place at the William McGowan Auditorium, National Archives.

The lecture is followed by a catered reception. Attendees are required to register for the lecture.

The conference sessions begin the morning of Nov. 13. Check-in opens at 9 a.m. daily.

All panels take place at the Historical Society of Washington, located at the Carnegie Library at Mt. Vernon Square, 801 K St. NW. Registration is open. $30 for the conference. $20 for seniors and students. $5 for each walking tour. To register and to see the complete schedule, visit dchistory. org/conference.

Annual Logan Circle Elections

Join Logan Circle residents on Nov. 19 from 7 to 9 p.m. for an LCCA potluck, awards and elections.

The turkey, ham, and beverages are delicious. Please bring a favorite dish to pass to Fathom Gallery, 1333 14th St. NW, for this great, old-fashioned supper. logancircle.org.

Museum of Women in the Arts on Nov. 16 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Register at arttable.org.

Free CPR Training

Mayor Bowser has launched a “Hands on Hearts” initiative to train 5,000 people in hands-only CPR and the use of automated external defibrillators (AED) by September 2016. Hands-only CPR is a technique that involves chest compression without artificial respiration. Studies indicate that handsonly CPR performed immediately can increase a cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival. The training instructs participants to focus on their hand placement, tempo and the number of compressions for two minute intervals. For information on how to sign up, visit fems.dc.gov.

Cherry Blossom Festival Seeks Local Talent

The DC Jewish Community Center has announced the appointment of Adam Immerwahr as the new artistic director of Theater J. Immerwahr is an award-winning director, whose work has included off-Broadway plays in New York as well as regional and international productions. Immerwahr is currently the associate artistic director at the McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton, NJ. theaterj.org.

National Cherry Blossom Festival is accepting submissions for the third annual National Cherry Blossom Festival Sing Into Spring Competition. The winning vocalist will sing at the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade on April 16, 2016. The competition is open to all residents of DC, Maryland, and Virginia age eight and up. Applicants should submit a 30-second YouTube video for consideration by Nov. 13 regonline.com/Register/Checkin. aspx?EventID=1751562. A selection committee of celebrity judges will choose up to 20 finalists to move forward and perform in a live audition on Jan. 6, at the Atlas Performing Arts Center.

Work on Large Mural Begun

Mayor Bowser Urges Climate Action

Theater J Welcomes New Artistic Director

The DC Department of Public Works (DPW) MuralsDC project has begun its next mural at 2001 15th St. NW. The artwork that scales about six stories is being painted by popular DC muralist Aniekan Udofia. It is the program’s largest to date.

The mural pays homage to Paul Lawrence Dunbar and the history of the U Street corridor. MuralsDC is a DPW-funded graffiti prevention initiative that replaces tagged walls with original works of art. To date, the project has painted more than 50 murals in every ward of the city.

State of Art/DC: A Conversation

Be part of the discussion about the future of art in this region. Join visual art professionals, artists and passionate art advocates in an envisioning of the future of DC region’s art scene. The evening’s program is presented by ArtTable at the National

Mayor Bowser has announced that DC will host mayors and city sustainability directors as part of the Our Cities, Our Climate international mayoral exchange convened by US Secretary of State John Kerry and UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change Michael Bloomberg. The exchange will bring together international city sustainability officials, US officials, and US organizations to share best practices and discuss solutions. A one-page summary of the OC2 international exchange can be found at eca.state.gov/ ivlp/our-cities-our-climate.

Street Sweeping Ends: Leaf Collection Begins

Residential street sweeping ended on Oct. 30. “No Parking/Street Cleaning” restrictions have been lifted. All other parking restrictions remain in effect. Residential street sweeping will resume Mar.

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1, 2016. DPW employees have transitioned to leaf collection duties. Leaves will be removed at least twice. The schedule can be found at dpw.dc.gov.

Please have leaves ready for collection by the Sunday of each of collection week.

Washington Capitals Blood Drive

The Washington Capitals and Inova Blood Donor Services will host a blood drive on Nov. 14 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Kettler Capitals Iceplex in Arlington, Va. Appointments are required and can be made by calling 1-866-BLOODSAVES (1-866-2566372) or by signing up online at inovabloodsaves.org.

All donors receive a bobblehead of forward Evgeny Kuznetsov as well as a Capitals T-shirt.

Call for Aspiring Curators

The DC Arts Center Curatorial Initiative selects an apprentice curator each year to assist in the process of planning and mounting exhibitions under the tutelage of an experienced mentor curator. In the spring the mentor curator selects artists and plans the exhibition and accompanying catalog with the assistance of the apprentice. In the autumn, the roles are reversed and the apprentice plans and executes an exhibition with the assistance and advice of the mentor. Interested applicants should email their application, résumé and writing sample to info@dcartscenter.org by Nov. 15. More information can be found at dcartscenter.org.

Cherry Blossom Festival Seeks Local Talent

National Cherry Blossom Festival is accepting submissions for the third annual National Cherry Blossom Festival Sing Into Spring Competition. The winning vocalist will sing at the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade on April 16, 2016. The competition is open to all residents of DC, Maryland, and Virginia age eight and up. Applicants should submit a 30-second YouTube video for consideration by Nov. 13 regonline.com/Register/Checkin. aspx?EventID=1751562. A selection committee of celebrity judges will choose up to 20 finalists to move forward and perform in a live audition on Jan. 6, at the Atlas Performing Arts Center.

DC Health Link Enrollment Ending

DC Health Link Open Enrollment ends on Jan. 31, 2016. Read more at dchealthlink.com; or call customer service at 855-532-5465, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

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New DC Circulator Website

DDOT has launched a new DC Circulator website that allows users to quickly access important bus and route information with ease. Built on a platform that adapts to all screen sizes, the new site offers visitors timely, relevant information and an improved user experience on any device. Visit dccirculator.com.

Tom Brokaw to Deliver WWII Lecture

Photo: Courtesy of Serve DC

Join the DC Resident Snow Team

There are new penalties and fines this winter for those who don’t shovel their sidewalks within the first eight hours of daylight after a snowfall. To help seniors and the disabled, Serve DC has launched an effort to recruit 2,500 members for the DC Resident Snow Team. Volunteers will help shovel snow this winter.

In anticipation of severe weather, Serve DC is hosting numerous orientation sessions each week to coordinate location assignments and shovel distribution.

Register at 202-727-7925 or serve.dc.gov/page/dcresident-snow-team.

Bikeshare Plans to Double Stations EOTR

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) has released a draft of its first ever Capital Bikeshare Development Plan for public feedback.

Under its guidelines, the District would receive an additional 99 stations over the next three years. By 2018, approximately 65 percent of residents, 90 percent of jobs, and 97 percent of all transit entry and exit points in the District would be within a quarter mile walk of a bikeshare station. DDOT is soliciting feedback on the plan until Nov. 15. Comment at dcforms.dc.gov/webform/capital-bike-share-form.

The Friends of the National World War II Memorial host the Third Annual “Haydn Williams” World War II Memorial Legacy Lecture on Nov. 10 at 1 p.m. at the National Defense University’s Lincoln Hall Auditorium, 260 Fifth St. SW. Tom Brokaw has been selected to give the lecture entitled “Big Ideas for Big Challenges.” It will be followed by a question-and-answer segment. Seats are available to the public. www.wwiimemorialfriends.org.

Mayor Bowser Urges Climate Action

Mayor Bowser has announced that DC will host mayors and city sustainability directors as part of the Our Cities, Our Climate international mayoral exchange convened by US Secretary of State John Kerry and UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change Michael Bloomberg. The exchange will bring together international city sustainability officials, US officials, and US organizations to share best practices and discuss solutions. A one-page summary of the OC2 international exchange can be found at eca.state. gov/ivlp/our-cities-our-climate.

Dispose of HHW, E-cycling and Personal Documents

nue and H Street NW for the next eight months to facilitate excavation for the new southbound portal to I-395. Look for shifts and detours on Mondays and Tuesdays between 7 a.m. and midnight; and between Wednesdays and Fridays between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Weekend work may occur as needed between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.

DDOT is also closing a single northbound lane in the I-395 Mall tunnel from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. for the next six months. The work includes the installation of the AM-FM rebroadcast system, emergency public address system and a tunnel radio system compliant with DC safety codes. For additional details, contact the project’s public outreach office at 202-719-0196 or visit 3rdsttunnel.com.

DC Health Link Offers Vision

DC Health Benefit Exchange Authority now provides access to individual vision insurance plans through a partnership with Vision Service Plan. It is one of a few state-based marketplaces to offer customers access to stand-alone vision plans. Read more at dchealthlink.com/beta-2016.

2016 Cherry Blossom Festival Dates

The 2016 Cherry Blossom Festival will be held from Mar. 20 to Apr. 17. The festival signature events are: Pink Tie Party fundraiser, Mar. 18; Opening Ceremony, Mar. 26; Family Day, Mar. 26; Blossom Kite Festival, Apr. 2; Southwest Waterfront Fireworks Festival, Apr. 9; National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade, Apr. 16; and Sakura Matsuri—Japanese Street Festival, Apr. 16. nationalcherryblossomfestival.org.

Pepco Urges Customers to Think Safety

DPW has announced the November schedule for disposing of household hazard waste (HHW), ecycling and personal documents for shredding at the Fort Totten Transfer Station. Weekly, Saturday HHW and e-cycling drop-off is Nov. 14, 21, and 28 between 8 am. and 3 p.m. DPW accepts personal documents for shredding the first Saturday of the month only. For a list of all household hazardous waste and e-cyclables accepted by DPW go to dpw.dc.gov and navigate to Household Hazardous Waste Drop-off.

Pepco urges customers to avoid power lines when carrying long or tall items, such as ladders, scaffolding and tree saws. Touching a power line with any part of one’s body or most objects can result in serious injury or death. Electricity can move through conductive materials such as water, metal, wood, aluminum, strings and plastics. When trimming branches, check for power lines in or near trees before using a ladder or scaffolding. Certain critical clearances are required by law. A minimum of 10 feet must be maintained when working below or adjacent to power lines. Find additional safety information and tips at pepco.com.

Third Street Tunnel Construction Impacts Traffic

Have an item for the Bulletin Board, email bulletinboard@hillrag.com. u

Traffic patterns will change on Massachusetts Ave-

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Bloomingdale Buzz

by Ellen Boomer

A Bar by Any Other Name

Design workshop with landscape architect Molly Scott.

The vibe at Wicked Bloom DC Social Club is somewhere between a dive bar and an upscale restaurant. With craft cocktails and a food menu courtesy of its sister restaurant, DCity Smokehouse, this neighborhood bar is just starting to blossom. The owners, Scott Jacobs, Melvin Hines, and the Southeast Restaurant Group (SERG), have drawn a loyal following at their restaurant DCity Smokehouse, which they opened two years ago. They’ve participated in the Bloomingdale Farmers’ Market, Bloomingdale Community Day, Art All Night, and the House Tour and Art Show.

“We look at [the location] as the nucleus of the city,” Jacobs explained. “Two to three times per week, we see people from the neighborhood. We know our customers’ names. They’ve given us a lot of love and acknowledgment.”

Drawing on the popularity of DCity Smokehouse, Wicked Bloom will feature similar menu items including BBQ sliders, brisket chili nachos, and a mac and cheese waffle with chopped pork, as well as several small plate items. Dishes will range from about $7 to $14. They’re also offering Wi-Fi to customers and welcome carryouts from DCity Smokehouse. No wonder Zagat just named Wicked Bloom as one of the hottest new bars in DC. The drinks menu includes wine, local beers, whiskeys, bourbons, mezcals, and crafted cocktails with catchy names such as Out of the Frying Pan, Into the Fire, which has mezcal, pomegranate, habanero, and lime, and Mama Said Knock You Out, a mix of rhum agricole, cinnamon, grapefruit, and lime. Cocktails range from $9 to $12.

“We invite people to hang out, socialize, meet neighbors, and build a base in the community,” Jacobs said. “As we grow we’ll start to see more support for small businesses, which generates a sense of community. As long as it’s good food and people have a good time, it’ll transform the community.”

Coming up, Wicked Bloom will host a Pig Roast and Beer Fest on Nov. 14 and a Monday night football viewing party on Dec. 7 to watch the Redskins play their longtime rivals, the Cowboys.

Visit Wicked Bloom DC Social Club at 1540

North Capitol St. NW, at www.wickedbloomdc. com, or call 202-750-6375.

Art and Architecture in Bloomingdale

This year’s Bloomingdale Civic Association (BCA) House Tour had its biggest attendance to date.

Started in 2011 this biennial event raises money for scholarships and for BCA’s beautification and historic preservation efforts, and it brings together long-term and new residents to learn about their neighborhood and each other.

The tour included seven homes and a tour of DC Water’s First Street Tunnel House, which details the First Street Tunnel Project. Bloomingdale architects and designers conducted five design workshops on lighting, colors, staging, and landscaping for an urban garden.

Included in the tour was a tour book which details information about the homes and Bloomingdale’s history. Bertha Holliday and Paul Cerruti compiled a 20-page section of the tour book focused on the social and architectural history of the neighborhood. This year’s book also featured the launch of the LeDroit Park/Bloomingdale Heritage Trail, which is a project of Cultural Tourism DC. “The House Tour serves as an important vehicle for not only promoting the Bloomingdale neighborhood, but also for both honoring the neighborhood and informing residents of the neighborhood’s unique and rich history,” explained Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Bertha Holliday.

After the tour nearly 200 attendees headed

to the historic Old Engine 12 Firehouse Restaurant for the art show and reception to see work by 12 Bloomingdale artists. With live music and wine provided

by Bloomingdale Wine & Spirits, the daylong event brought the community together to learn about and celebrate their neighborhood.

BCA is conducting educational workshops on historic preservation to help determine if Bloomingdale’s residents want to pursue historic designation status.

Contact Bloomingdale Civic Association at www.bloomingdalecivicassociation.org.

Expanding Its Boundaries

Neighborhood favorite Boundary Stone will soon occupy more of Rhode Island Avenue. By expanding to the space formerly occupied by Jak & Co., Boundary Stone will be able to offer more seating, feature private and semi-private rooms, and host live music. To complete this expansion Boundary Stone will close its kitchen from mid-November to mid-December but will still offer a select menu of brunch and dinner items, all cooked on an outdoor grill. The dinner menu will include burgers, a cheesesteak, a Caesar salad, an Italian sub, and a veggie sandwich. Brunch will be served just on weekends and will feature grilled breakfast sandwiches such as the pork-roll egg and cheese and a vegetarian option.

Once the expansion is complete, Boundary Stone will have 60 additional seats, both inside and outside. A second bar will feature the same extensive whiskey selection, craft beers, wine, and cocktails as the current bar offers.

Head chef Travis Kern will expand the dinner menu to include pork chops served with maple syrup grits and Brussels sprouts, and braised short ribs penne with brown butter marinara and Grana Padano. To take the edge off the growing pains, the bar will remain open and the bartenders will continue to greet patrons with a smile.

Visit Boundary Stone at 116 Rhode Island Ave. NW, at boundarystonedc.com, or call 202621-6635. u

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Shaw Streets

by Pleasant Mann

Shaw Tops Best of Washington Reviews

A number of Shaw businesses came out on top of the annual Washington Post Express poll, the Best of DC. Eat the Rich (1839 Seventh St. NW) was declared the source for Best Pitcher Cocktails, and American Ice Co. (917 V St. NW) won the designation as the District’s Hipsterest Bar, while Dacha Beer Garden (1600 Seventh St. NW) was voted the Best Place to Day Drink. The 9:30 Club came in first again this year as the Best Place to Hear Live Music, and the Shaw Dog Park (1673 11th St. NW) was the Best Place for Your Dog to Meet Its Soulmate.

Shaw also was prominently represented in a guide to the best Ethiopian food in DC. In an era when you can find Ethiopian food almost anywhere in DC, food critic Tim Carman identified the six places to get the best in a Food Republic article. Out

of the six, Carman named two restaurants in Shaw.

Zenebech (608 T St. NW) stood out for the housemade injera, the flatbread that is the basis for all Ethiopian meals. CherCher Ethiopian Restaurant (1334 Ninth St. NW) was notable for the authenticity of its offerings, with its resistance to toning down Ethiopian standards and spice levels for American tastes. The restaurant now features a second dining room and bar on the second floor.

Top Chef Comes to Shaw

Kwame Onwuachi, chef for the soon-to-open Shaw Bijou restaurant (1544 Ninth St. NW), has been picked to compete in the next Top Chef competition. Chef Onwuachi will be in a group of 17 “Cheftestants” competing for $125,000 in cash and other prizes. The competition will take place at vari-

Landmark Theaters CEO Ted Mundorff opens the Atlantic Plumbing Cinema. Photo: Pleasant Mann

ous locales all over California. Top Chef, Season 13, will start on the Bravo Network on Dec. 2.

Landmark Theater Opens at Atlantic Plumbing

Oct. 15 saw the inauguration of the new Landmark Theater at Atlantic Plumbing Cinema (807 V St. NW). The six-screen theater brings the first new cinema to Shaw in almost half a century, and its well-stocked bar and outside patio offers another venue for residents and visitors to get together. One of the few movie theaters to have a bar manager, Atlantic Plumbing Cinema intends to develop a set of cocktails based on the movies being shown on its screens. Mayor Muriel Bowser came to the opening for a quick tour before moving on to another event.

Ted Mundorff, CEO of Landmark Theaters, offered remarks noting how pleased he was to be invest-

November 2015

Big dog winners of Shaw Dog Park Halloween Costume Contest. Photo: Pleasant Mann

ing in a community that probably would have been overlooked in past years. The theater reports that the opening weekend shows of the movie “Steve Jobs” were sold out.

City Market at O Wins Major Award

City Market at O recently won a Global Award for Excellence from the Urban Land Institute. The award was given to only 10 urban projects in the world this year as exceptional examples of planning and development. The institute has credited City Market at O for generating “nearly $1 billion of new investment in Shaw” and helping stabilize the area.

City Market at O stood out as a project for its mix of uses including residential, retail spaces, and a hotel, while the “extraordinary creativity on the part of the design, construction, and financing teams accelerated the delivery of housing for seniors, achieved 15 Judging the carved pumpkins at Eat the Rich. Photo: Pleasant Mann

Georgie shows off a skunk stripe at the Shaw Dog Park. Photo: Pleasant Mann

percent more affordability, and consolidated all loading underground to create an uninterrupted retail experience with minimal impact on traffic and noise.”

Halloween in Shaw

Halloween got started early in Shaw this year with a number of events on Saturday, Oct. 24. Shaw Dog Park held its annual Howl-O-Ween costume contest at noon. The dog park, considered the best in the city, covering 15,000 square feet with approximately 2,000 visits per month, was also celebrating the seventh anniversary of its opening. A raffle to support the park boasted prizes donated by neighborhood businesses such as The Pig, Vinoteca, City Paws, Nellie’s, Wagtime, Chaplin’s, Unleashed, and Verandah.

Dogs and their owners could enter three contests: best small dog costume, best large dog costume, and best dog/human couple. The best small

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Shaw Dog Park Halloween costume contestants. Photo: Pleasant Mann

dog prize went to Georgie, who was dressed as a skunk. The best large dog was Fedora, a Doberman with a skeleton painted on her black fur. The best couple was Nala and Lillian Iversen, who had matching Oktoberfest dresses.

Shaw Main Streets also held its annual Halloween bar crawl on Saturday afternoon, where participants moved through 10 bars and restaurants in the neighborhood, enjoying food and drink specials at each stop. On Sunday afternoon Eat the Rich held its second annual Halloween pumpkin-carving contest. Dozens of participants of all ages came to work their creativity on the pumpkins provided. Judges chose two winners.

The winning children’s entry was “Alien Pumpkin” by D’Angelo Scott, a 10-year-old. The adult carving winner was Eric Chang whose “Inner Beauty” was a jack-o-lantern that revealed a skeletal structure. u D’Angelo Scott and his Alien Pumpkin at Eat the Rich. Photo: Pleasant Mann

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Mt Vernon Triangle

by Ellen Boomer

A Winning Team

MVT residents can now brag that they live in an award-winning neighborhood. The MVT Community Improvement District (CID) recently won the Best Marketing Campaign Award from Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) for getting the word out about this thriving neighborhood. At the Oct. 15 event, attended by over 400 guests, the MVT CID team received an award that recognized their creative marketing campaign, which included retail and development maps of the neighborhood, increased social media interaction, and numerous events at the 5th and K Street Plaza.

Led by President Claire Schaefer Oleksiak and her team, along with communications consultant Karen Widmayer and creative design guru Susan Denner of Capital Design (all three are CREW members), the MVT campaign has increased awareness of the neighborhood, promoting its authenticity and vibrant retail, residential and office mix. “We are so honored and excited to have the MVT CID marketing and branding campaign recognized by CREW DC,” Schaefer Oleksiak shared.

“The campaign was developed with our stakehold-

ers to be far-reaching and highly impactful.”

To help this neighborhood realize its potential, the MVT CID created branding materials and a new website and expanded its social media presence, while increasing visibility through walking tours and events and adding boldly colored lightpole banners and trashcan signs.

Most importantly the marketing campaign has focused on improving the quality of life of MVT’s businesses and residents. Clean Team ambassadors, clad in green shirts, are a tangible reminder of the MVT CID’s commitment to making the neighborhood as welcoming, clean, and safe as possible.

What’s next? “We are working now on a new project to bring out the history and culture of the Triangle,” Schaefer Oleksiak said, “and are uncovering some fun and surprising facts!”

Contact MVT CID at 901 Fourth St. NW, at www.mount ver nontr iangle.org, or c al l 202-216-0511.

A Community Crossroads

Sixth & I has been a community gathering place for more than 100 years. From a synagogue to a

Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) awards ceremony: (left to right) emcee Diane Roberts (WUSA9 Sports and Founder of Diane’s Talking), Jerome Raymond (MVT CID), Susan Denner (Capital Design), Berk Shervin (Wilkes Company/MVT CID board member), Claire Schaefer Oleksiak (MVT CID), Leon Johnson (MVT CID), Karen Widmayer (KW Communications), and Bari Nichols (2015 CREW DC president/Lincoln Company).

Sixth & I’s stunning sanctuary.

church to a hybrid synagogue and venue for musicians, authors, and urban professionals, Sixth & I continues to educate and inspire all who walk into its sanctuary.

The beauty of the stained-glass-filled sanctuary often inspires first-time visitors to whisper, but once an author starts telling stories or musicians start performing, that quiet reverence is replaced with laughter, clapping, and dancing. The programming is as diverse as the audience but stays true to the mission of offering topical, thoughtprovoking events. “From text studies, to beer tastings, to pre-Shabbat yoga, there’s something on our calendar for everyone,” said Alli Weiss of Communications Associates. “We really strive to celebrate those intersections between Jewish and secular culture in the DC community.”

In the coming month, for example, Sixth & I will welcome author Orhan Pamuk and actors Ethan Hawke and Mary-Louise Parker as well as musicians Kat Edmonson, David Mayfield, Sean McConnell, and the Joey Alexander Trio. They’ll also host a debate on climate change and a trivia night. “Whether we’re bringing in respected thinkers on topics ranging from religion to tech, pop-culture-icons-turned authors, or treasured

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SoulCycle’s welcoming front desk staff.

names in music, our guests share the commonality of being esteemed voices in their fields,” Weiss explained.

Sixth & I not only offers dynamic programs and draws more people to locally owned restaurants, but also contributes to the community in other meaningful ways. During Sukkot this year it donated enough supplies to Miriam’s Kitchen to create toiletry kits for homeless neighbors in Chinatown.

“Working at Sixth & I means getting to experience a range of unique and unexpected opportunities on a day-to-day basis,” Weiss shared. “In my time here so far I’ve witnessed sold-out crowds of equal sizes for both highholiday services and world-renowned authors.

That intersection is something rare and difficult to achieve.”

Visit Sixth & I at 600 I St. NW, at www. sixthandi.org, or call 202-408-3100.

Leader of the Pack

SoulCycle’s indoor-cycling studio has rolled into MVT and offers residents the chance to join this fitness revolution. In just 45 minutes riders can relieve stress, burn calories, and feel like they’re part of a team, supporting each other to achieve their fitness goals. The MVT location, which has 62 bikes, is SoulCycle’s second studio in DC, and studios will be coming to Georgetown and 14th Street. “With so many new businesses, apartment buildings, and companies moving in, we are thrilled to

be a part of Mount Vernon’s growth and can’t wait to start building our community here,” said SoulCycle’s field marketing manager Sophie Stich.

Each 45-minute class combines highintensity cardio with upper body and core toning, choreographed to music and set in a candlelit studio. The attentive staff helps firsttime riders with bike set-up, and the instructor gives an overview of the class. Expect to spend most of the class standing while pedaling – and sweating. “The dark, non-intimidating rooms allow riders to lose themselves in the workout,” Stich explained. “On top of a great workout SoulCycle offers a mental and emotional release.”

SoulCycle focuses on building community within the studio and with the neighborhood as well. “From hosting rides with charities important to the community, to post-class food samplings with neighboring stores, we get very involved!” Stich added.

The first class is $20, and subsequent classes are $30 each. The studio will offer special rides and in-studio events in the coming months.

“The energy and emotion that comes from 50+ people in the room, all on the same page, working toward a similar goal, giving and sharing themselves through physicality,” Stich said. “It’s amazing.”

Visit SoulCycle at 601 Massachusetts Ave. NW, www.soul-cycle.com/studios/ mtvn/1037/, or call 202-293-7685. u

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Johannah Easley as Akeelah in Children’s Theatre Company’s Akeelah and the Bee at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater, Nov. 13 to Dec. 27. Photo: Dan Norman

by Kathleen Donner

Akeelah and the Bee

Based on the beloved film, Akeelah and the Bee tells the story of an independent 11-year-old from the Chicago projects whose razor-sharp mind keeps her one step ahead of the game in the neighborhood, but is it enough to get her to the top?

Akeelah must turn to family, friends and a few unlikely mentors if she’s going to survive the final round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Playwright Cheryl L. West (Pullman Porter Blues) and director Charles Randolph-Wright (Ruined) bring this spirited adaptation to life this holiday season.

Arena Stage, 1101 Sixth St. SW. 202-488-3300. arenastage.org.

Winter Holiday Events

The White House Christmas Tree will be lit by President Obama and family on Dec. 3 at 5 p.m.

Don’t have tickets? Watch the lighting and the show on television. Visit the tree at any time. The evening music program will begin with performances on Dec. 9 and continue through Dec. 22. There are no performances on Dec. 14. Visit nps.gov/whho for the schedule. There’s also a model train display at the base of the tree that kids will love.

The Capitol Christmas Tree will almost certainly be lit on Dec. 1 at 5 p.m. but this is not confirmed. It’s a big secret that will be announced by the House Speaker’s office when the tree is harvested. The public is invited. No tickets are required. Subscribe to the EOR ebulletins and we’ll let you know as soon as we can confirm. Go to capitalcommunitynews.com, hit “EOR” and go to SUBSCRIBE on the left side of the front page of our online local news service.

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Children learn about zapateo, castanets, and more with specialists from the Spanish Dance Society.

Photo: Courtesy of GALA Theatre

Flamenco en Familia

Flamenco en Familia, free family interactive demonstrations in flamenco zapateo, castanets, and fans, takes place on Nov 14. Members of the Spanish Dance Society will lead two sessions from 11 a. m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 1:30 to 3 pm at GALA Theatre. GALA Hispanic Theatre, 3333 14th St. NW. galatheatre.org.

Here are a few other activities and events that work well for kids: Season’s Greenings at the Botanic Garden; Zoolights; “Oliver” at Arena Stage; “Joy of Christmas” at the National Cathedral; DAR Annual Christmas Open House; Mount Vernon at Christmas and Candlelight Tours; “A Christmas Carol” at Ford’s; National Hanukkah Menorah Lighting at the White House; Caroling at the National Gallery of Art; Waterskiing Santa Comes to Old Town Alexandria; Family Kwanzaa Celebration at the Anacostia Community Museum; First Night Alexandria.

The EOR Calendar in the front of this paper has time(s), date(s), place, costs, ticket information and a brief description of tons of things to do with the kids to celebrate the season.

Presidential History Challenge

The White House Historical Association and the Washington Nationals have created a short-film competition for 11th graders from DC public schools and public charter schools.

This program will examine the constitutional powers of the President focusing on decision-making in the White House. Students have the op-

portunity to create a storyboard for a 50-second video examining a major White House decision made by one of the Racing Presidents. Five winners will have their storyboards professionally filmed and edited for broadcast during a game at Nationals Park in 2016. Historical resources that can help students create their storyboards can be found online at whitehousehistory.org/nationals/ meet-the-presidents. All storyboards are due by Dec. 15. More information about the contest can be found online at whitehousehistory. org/nationals.

Family Story Time at Shaw Library

Story time fun for the entire family, these 30 to 40-minute story times are packed full of books and activities designed to be enjoyed by all ages. Promoting language and literacy skills, these story times are a great way to further a child’s lifelong love of reading and learning. Children actively engage with the stories. Family Story Time at Shaw Library is every Saturday at 10:30 a.m. at the Watha T. Daniel Neighborhood Library, 1630 Seventh St. NW. 202-727-1288. dclibrary.org/watha.

Arts on the Horizon: Point A to Point B

It’s just another day at the Lab, but today’s particular assignment has the two employees scratching their heads. A ball keeps appearing from a spot labeled “Point A” and needs to travel to “Point B.” The catch is that the ball can never travel the same way twice! As the two co-workers-one a careful scientist, the other an athletic risk-taker--begin to solve the puzzle together. They explore different modes of transportation in new, wonderful, and exciting ways.

This world premiere, nonverbal production is inspired by the America on the Move exhibit at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. Best for ages between two and five. Point A to Point B is at the Atlas from Nov. 11 to 15. $9. atlasarts.org.

Little Turkey Fun Run

The only turkey trot in the District, the Trot for Hunger is a tradition for thousands of area residents and a meaningful way to remember people in need on Thanksgiving Day. The Fun Run begins at 8:30 a.m. at Free-

dom Plaza, the corner of 13th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW. To participate, each child or adult must be registered for the official 5K. Fun run is $30. The run benefits So Others Might Eat. soome.convio.net.

Student-Athlete Advisory Council Announced

The District of Columbia State Athletic Association has announced the inaugural members of its StudentAthlete Advisory Council. These six students are Nicole Maria Chapman, Georgetown Day School; Tytilayo Green, Wilson Senior High School; Favor Ogu, Cardozo Education Campus; Chima Osuagwu, Benjamin Banneker Academic High School; Will Thomas, Gonzaga College High School; and Ned Yarsky, Washington Latin Public Charter School. The council is charged with serving as a voice for the city’s high school student-athletes and contributing suggestions for improvements.

The members also help with postgame ceremonies at DCSAA championship events. To learn more, visit dcsaasports.org.

noveMBer 2015

OPEN HOUSES: November 18 5pm-7pm December 16 5pm-7pm

Come tour the school and meet the staff!

“oliver” Family Fun Pack

“Oliver” is at Arena Stage through Jan. 2. With the Family Fun Pack, purchase four seats for only $125.

The group must include a minimum of two patrons between the ages of five and 17 per Fun Pack. It cannot be combined with any other offer or applied to previously purchased tickets. There is a limit of two Fun Packs per household. All standard fees apply. Must be purchased by phone or in person. arenastage.org.

capital city symphony Family concert

Bruce Adolphe’s Three Pieces for Kids and Chamber Orchestra is an interactive journey through the orchestra that is sure to be fun for all.

Benjamin Britten’s Soirées Musicales (1933), referencing themes by Rossini, are full of energy and fun. Johannes Brahms’ Hungarian Dances Nos. 5, 6 and 7 are short and sweet works with lots of personality. The concert is on Nov. 22 at 2:30 p.m. There is an Instrument Petting Zoo for 30 minutes before the performance. The cost is $15 to $25. atlasarts.org.

toys and childhood in American History

In time for the winter holidays, this showcase presents a selection of cast-iron and tinplate toys from the museum’s collection dating from the 1870s to the 1950s. Illustrating the ever-evolving nature of American childhood and home life and bringing to light aspects of play, included in the display will be a variety of vehicles, from boats and airplanes to horse-drawn wagons, as well as fanciful toys relating to the American circus including acrobats, clowns and a miniature Ferris wheel. Toys and Childhood is on display from Nov. 20 to Jan.3 at the American History Museum, East Corridor, First Floor. americanhistory.si.edu.

renwick Gallery Family Festival

On Nov. 14 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., experience craft making, artist demonstrations, musical performances, games, and more at the Renwick.

Come see the new contemporary art installations of the WONDER exhibition. Enjoy a fun-filled day with activities for all ages. The Renwick Gallery is at Pennsylvania Avenue and 17th Street NW. americanart.si.edu The Renwick Gallery, home to the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s craft and decorative arts program, reopens to the public on Nov. 13 following a major two-year renovation. A reopening exhibition titled WONDER, featuring nine major contemporary artists, a celebratory weekend of public programs. Three special publications will accompany the reopening.

Free Performances at the national

National Collegiate Prep PCHS The ONLY IBO World High School East of the River

Accepting 9th & 10th grade students

National Prep Offers:

On Saturdays at 9:30 and 11:00 a.m. there are free live performances for children in the National Theatre Helen Hayes Gallery. Tickets are required and distributed first come, first seated. Tickets are distributed a half hour prior to performance.

One ticket per person in line. The National Theatre is at 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. 202-783-3372.

Here’s the remaining line-up: Nov. 7, Single Carrot; Nov. 14, Barynya; Nov. 21, Tales as Tall as the Sky; Dec. 5, Virginia Ballet Company & School, The Nutcracker Selections; Dec. 12, Dicken’s Tale. Read more at thenationaldc.org.

College Preparatory and International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB) Study Abroad with Service Learning Projects 9th, 10th and 11th Grade Honors Classes World Language Studies Small Classroom Sizes Marching Band Football Basketball STEM programs

edFest 2015

Call and enroll your child today!

EdFEST is DC’s citywide public school fair designed to help families find the best fit for their child. EdFEST kicks off the 2016-17 Common Lottery, which opens Dec. 14.

EdFEST will be held on Dec. 12 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the DC Armory, 2001 East Capitol St. SE. Explore more than 180 DCPS and

Calling all students interested in International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement classes!

202.832.7737

Come tour the campus, meet faculty and administration and learn about our exciting and competitive programs.

www.nationalprepdc.org

4600 Livingston Road SE • Washington, DC 20032

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46 MIdc i tydcnews.coM

public charter schools. Find out about schools’ programs and services, including schools’ curriculum, special education and services for English language learners. Learn more about My School DC, the common lottery for DCPS and public charter schools. Explore educational and community programs from city agencies. Participants include DC Department of Health, DC Department of Parks and Recreation, DC Public Library, and more. For more information, visit MySchoolDC.org or call the My School DC Hotline at 202-888-6336.

DC United Unveils New Soccer Mini-Pitch

On Oct. 15, DC United unveiled a new, state-of-the-art mini-pitch located at the Capital City Public Charter School at 100 Peabody St. NW. Following the dedication, local participants in the US Soccer Foundation’s Soccer for Success program and DC United players participated in a small-sided match on the new pitch. Soccer for Success is the US Soccer Foundation’s free afterschool program that uses soccer as a tool to combat children’s health issues and juvenile delinquency. dcunited.com.

Elephant & Piggie’s We Are in a Play!

In this vaudevillian romp of a musical based on Mo Willems’s children’s books, Elephant Gerald and Piggie sing and dance their way through plenty of pachydermal peril and swiney suspense backed by nutty backup singers, The Squirrelles. For ages three and up. Elephant & Piggie’s We Are in a Play! from Nov. 25 to Jan. 3. $20. kennedy-center.org.

Cinderella at the National

With its fresh new take on the beloved tale of a young woman who is

transformed from a chambermaid into a princess, this hilarious and romantic Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella combines the story’s classic elements: glass slippers, pumpkin and a beautiful ball along with some surprising twists. More than just a pretty face with the right shoe size, this Cinderella is a contemporary figure living in a fairytale setting. She is a spirited young woman with savvy and soul who doesn’t let her rags or her gowns trip her up in her quest for kindness, compassion and forgiveness. She longs to escape the drudgery of her work at home to work to make the world a better place. She not only fights for her own dreams, but forces the prince to open his eyes to the world around him and realize his dreams too. At the National Theatre, Nov. 18 to 29. Tickets at thenationaldc.org.

A Family at Christmas at Tudor Place

On Dec. 5 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., celebrate the festive season with your family at Tudor Place. Tour the house to find decorations and clues to Christmas celebrations past, sing with carolers, make holiday crafts and enjoy refreshments throughout an evening of warm merriment. Tours offered throughout the evening to suit families of various ages. For families with under 12’s, tour times are on the half-hour. For adults and families with children 12+, tour times are on the quarter and three-quarter hour. $8 per child and $3 per adult. Tudor Place is at 1644 31st St. NW. 202965-0400. tudorplace.org.

Step Afrika! Holiday Fun Pack

Step Afrika! is back, Dec. 10 to Dec. 22, to delight audiences young and old with their magical musical holiday step show. Audiences are invited to make music with DC’s internationally-known stepping company

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and their furry friends from the Animal Kingdom in this annual holiday tradition. Come ready to bring in the festive season with a bang featuring the electrifying artists from Step Afrika! and special guest DJ Frosty the Snowman. Tickets are $15 to $39.50. The Family Fun Pack is $100 and includes four tickets, one snack and one drink each; two patrons must be 16 and under.

The Atlas performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. 202-399-7993. atlasarts.org.

College Night at the Folger

Pericles, Prince of Tyre, sets sail on an extraordinary journey through the decades and is blown from the coast of Phoenicia to Greece and to Turkey. Chased by the wicked King of Antioch, Pericles finds his true love in Thaisa, but loses both her and their daughter on the rough seas. Pericles expands on the notion of the “romantic play” to encompass life’s dramatic scope amidst an adventure tale replete with storms, shipwrecks and pirates. College Night is on Nov. 20 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15, with a valid student ID. Folger Theater is at 201 East Capitol St. SE. 202544-7077. folger.edu.

A Crew of Pirates! at the Folger

Pirates roam the seas of Shakespeare’s plays. Will they rescue or capture you? A Crew of Pirates! is on Dec. 5 from 10 to 11 a.m. for ages five to nine; and 11 a.m. to noon for ages 10 to 14. Free. Advance online registration is highly encouraged at folger.edu or 202-548-8779.

Learning through Theatre, DC

This November, The National Children’s Theatre, DC Public Schools,

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and DC Public Charter Schools unite to launch Learning through Theatre, DC. In celebration of this inaugural partnership, 10,000 DCPS and DC Public Charter School students will receive free transportation and tickets to see a live performance of Roald Dahl’s award-winning The BFG (Big Friendly Giant) at The National Theatre between Nov. 2 and 13. The National Children’s Theatre will also provide teaching materials and professional development opportunities geared towards STEM and STEAM learning to accompany the theatrical performance to enhance the experience. nationaltheatre.org.

Lemony Snicket’s THE LUMP OF COAL

It is Christmastime! The hilarious and heart-burning, uh, heartwarming holiday adventure of a Lump of Coal who wants to be an artist. Traditionally the dreaded stocking stuffer for children on the Naughty List, this Lump turns one child’s worst nightmare into a dream come true. Direct from Lemony Snicket, author of A Series of Unfortunate Events, this stage adaptation by Norman Allen will delight audiences with its story of unlikely friendships and holiday miracles. At Glen Echo’s Adventure Theatre, Nov. 20 to Dec. 31. adventuretheatre-mtc.org.

Free Access to the Newseum

Newseum has launched a new online educational resource called NewseumED, which gives teachers and students free access to curated, standards-aligned content from its vast collection of more than 35,000 newspapers, magazines and other artifacts. The website offers lesson plans that use primary sources and historic artifacts to make history relevant today. It helps educators shed new light on current debates about the First Amendment and media ethics.

The resource is designed to meet the needs of elementary, middle and high school classrooms, as well as college students and lifelong learners. Visit newseumed.org.

Rock the Boat For Earth Conservation Corps

In order to continue providing daily river clean-up runs and hands-on environmental education, job training and community service programs for District youth, the Earth Conservation Corps (ECC) needs funds to repair their boat. A small nonprofit for more than 20 years, the ECC has worked with the city’s disconnected youth to clean up the Anacostia. In the process of transforming the river, the kids have transformed their lives as well. While ECC has made great progress in watershed restoration, there’s still more to do. The ECC Sweeper is currently docked at the Washington Marina Company for repairs, which has total estimated cost of $4,500. You can make a donation at gofundme.com/dg6kyg3a.

Read more at earthconservationcorps.org.

Girl Scout Brownie Program at DAR Museum

On Nov. 14 from 10 a.m. to noon and Jan. 9 from 1 to 3 p.m., discover how objects help you learn about your family story. Tour the DAR Museum’s Period Rooms. Interact with objects from the Museum’s collection. Make a memory box and family tree. Share stories about your family with other Brownies. $10 per child (includes badge and supplies). DAR Museum, 1776 D St. NW. 202-6281776. dar.org

Sesame Street Live

No matter where you’re from or where you’ve been, everyone is special, so join in. Elmo, Grover, Abby

Cadabby, and their Sesame Street friends welcome Chamki, Grover’s friend from India, to Sesame Street.

Together, they explore the universal fun of friendship and celebrate cultural similarities, from singing and dancing, to sharing cookies. Sesame Street Live “Make a New Friend” will visit EagleBank Arena from Dec. 11, through Dec. 13. Tickets are $18 to $40. For more information, call 703-993-3000. To charge tickets by phone, call Ticketmaster at 800-7453000. Tickets may also be purchased online at ticketmaster.com.

Ratón en Movimiento!

Imagination Stage kicks-off the 2015-2016 Season of My First Imagination Stage with ¡Ratón en Movimiento!, a new bilingual version of the popular Mouse on the Move from Nov. 10 to Nov. 29. Developed

by Imagination Stage, ¡Ratón en Movimiento! follows two adventurous mice ready to explore the world beyond their little mouse-hole. They decide to go to La Luna, since it is cat-free and made entirely of delicious, mouth-watering queso (so they have heard). In this interactive play, the audience becomes part of the story through multi-sensory activities. ¡Ratón en Movimiento! is best for ages one to five. Tickets are $14, with a $5 lap seat for children under 12 months. Tickets may be purchased online at imaginationstage.org, at the Imagination Stage box office, or by calling 301-280-1660.

DC Public High School Graduation Rates Increase by 4% in 2014-15 School Year

The 2014-15 school year graduation rate for public high schools in the District of Columbia increased 4 percentage points over the 201314 school year, with both District of Columbia Public Schools and public charter schools posting gains, ac-

cording to official data released by the DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education.

The graduation rate for DCPS rose 6.1 percentage points to 64.4 percent; the graduation rate for public charter schools rose 2.8 percentage points to 71.7 percent. Overall, 65.4% or 3,210 of 4,912 public school students in the District graduated high school in 2015, four years after entering the ninth grade. For more information, visit osse.dc.gov.

DC Public High School Graduation Rate Increases

The 2014-15 school year graduation rate for public high schools in the District of Columbia increased four percentage points over the prior year.

Both District of Columbia Public Schools and public charter schools posted gains. The graduation rate for DCPS rose 6.1 percentage points to 64.4 percent. The graduation rate for public charter schools rose 2.8 percentage points to 71.7 percent.

Overall, 3,210 of 4,912 public school students in the District graduated high school in 2015. For more information, visit osse.dc.gov.

Have an item for The Notebook? Email bulletinboard@hillrag.com. u

Address

Close Price

BR

FEE SIMPLE BLOOMINGDALE 77 V ST NW 9 ADAMS ST NW

$1,290,000 $665,000

COLUMBIA HEIGHTS 717 HOBART PL NW 1411 TAYLOR ST NW 1471 GIRARD ST NW 1332 SHEPHERD ST NW 3525 NEW HAMPSHIRE AVE NW 1314 SHEPHERD ST NW 819 OTIS PL NW 3300 WARDER ST NW 3816 10TH ST NW 1458 SPRING RD NW 1435 PERRY PL NW 621 KEEFER PL NW 3550 ROCK CREEK CHURCH RD NW 1428 SHEPHERD ST NW 3651 WARDER ST NW 1434 MONROE ST NW 521 COLUMBIA RD NW 1017 EUCLID ST NW 3786 1ST ST SE 877 BARNABY ST SE 617 MALCOLM X AVE SE 3525 MARTIN LUTHER KING JR AVE SE 84 DARRINGTON ST SW 1002 BARNABY TER SE 252 OAKWOOD ST SE

$1,175,000 $923,111 $841,000 $833,550 $825,000 $770,000 $750,000 $735,000 $721,000 $710,000 $707,000 $659,000 $625,000 $600,000 $600,000 $575,000 $527,500 $75,000 $327,000 $299,900 $279,000 $264,000 $230,000 $210,000 $124,500

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

DUPONT 1708 SWANN ST NW 1616 S ST NW

$2,150,000 $1,875,000

LEDROIT PARK 1901 3RD ST NW 615 U ST NW 603 U ST NW 13 V ST NW

$1,310,000 $810,000 $745,000 $680,000

5 6 7 3 3 3

LOGAN 1337 WALLACH PL NW

$1,300,000

MOUNT PLEASANT 1813 MONROE ST NW 1621 IRVING ST NW 1742 KENYON ST NW 2317 ONTARIO RD NW

$1,300,000 $1,220,000 $1,065,000 $999,500

3 5 4 5 4

SHAW 1536 6TH ST NW 432 S STREET NW

$857,000 $849,000

TRUXTON CIRCLE 1635 4TH ST NW

$787,817

2 3 3

WOODLEY PARK

3106 CATHEDRAL AVE NW 3323 CLEVELAND AVE NW 2744 WOODLEY PLACE NW

$1,300,000 $1,250,000 $1,272,000

4 5 4

CONDO 14TH STREET CORRIDOR

1412 CHAPIN ST NW #302 1412 CHAPIN ST NW #206 1412 CHAPIN ST NW #101 1412 CHAPIN ST NW #103 1412 CHAPIN ST NW #105 1412 CHAPIN ST NW #6 1412 CHAPIN ST NW #3

$660,000 $599,900 $513,000 $457,900 $449,900 $399,900 $399,900

ADAMS MORGAN

1700 KALORAMA RD NW #405 2328 CHAMPLAIN ST NW #309 2550 17TH ST NW #607 2301 CHAMPLAIN ST NW #214 1842 CALIFORNIA ST NW #4B 2550 17TH ST NW #215 2550 17TH ST NW #501 2298 CHAMPLAIN ST NW #A 2550 17TH ST NW #511

$790,000 $640,000 $499,900 $489,900 $486,000 $434,400 $419,900 $299,900 $299,900

COLUMBIA HEIGHTS

1128 COLUMBIA RD NW #UNIT 1 3039 16TH ST NW #PH1 3612 PARK PL NW #PH-B 1414 BELMONT ST NW #207 2539 13TH ST NW #1 3612 PARK PL NW #2 3543 WARDER ST NW #1 732 GIRARD ST NW #1 3619 14TH ST NW #5 1200 EUCLID ST NW #1 1465 COLUMBIA RD NW #301 1435 CHAPIN ST NW #104 1451 BELMONT ST NW #102 1435 CHAPIN ST NW #108 3318 SHERMAN AVE NW #203 1514 NEWTON ST NW #302 1514 NEWTON ST NW #102 1020 MONROE ST NW #303 3900 14TH ST NW #422 1436 MERIDIAN PL NW #LL06 3534 10TH ST NW #320 2600 SHERMAN AVE NW #101 1451 PARK RD NW #119

$849,500 $820,000 $750,000 $746,000 $675,000 $675,000 $646,500 $625,000 $620,000 $550,000 $525,000 $515,000 $432,500 $412,000 $397,000 $379,900 $359,900 $349,900 $315,000 $314,500 $285,000 $275,000 $207,500

CONVENTION CENTER 910 M ST NW #120

$545,000

2 2 1 1 1 1 1

$1,230,000 $672,000 $667,000

$395,000 $259,500 $620,000 $475,000 $466,950 $399,999 $399,000 $355,000

LEDROIT PARK 42 W ST NW #3 42 W ST NW #2 2103 2ND ST NW #1 155 V ST NW #7 143 RHODE ISLAND AVE NW #8 2201 2ND ST NW #12

$745,000 $670,000 $625,000 $622,500 $500,000 $239,900

1 0 2 2 2 1 1 1 2 3 2 2 2 0

LOGAN 1 2 1 2 2 1 1 1 0 2 2 3 3 2 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 0

1312 MASSACHUSETTS AVE NW #309 1229 12TH ST NW #3 1444 CHURCH ST NW #104 1715 15TH ST NW #E 1211 13TH ST NW #T4 1313 VERMONT AVE NW #10 1425 11TH ST NW #203 1420 N ST NW #216

$585,000 $559,000 $685,000 $534,900 $419,000 $408,000 $439,900 $249,900

MOUNT PLEASANT 1646 BEEKMAN PL NW #C 1640 BEEKMAN PL NW #A 2301 CHAMPLAIN ST NW #201 1613 HARVARD ST NW #206 3426 16TH ST NW #105 1701 KALORAMA RD NW #309 2412 17TH ST NW #403 2440 16TH ST NW #323 1708 NEWTON ST NW #304

$747,500 $685,000 $625,000 $550,000 $536,769 $499,950 $425,000 $335,000 $324,900

MOUNT VERNON 115 NEW YORK AVE NW #5 460 NEW YORK AVE NW #407 500 M ST NW #4 555 MASSACHUSETTS AVE NW #1212

$521,000 $599,000 $685,000 $415,000

PENN QUARTER 715 6TH ST NW #602 631 D ST NW #843 616 E ST NW #1222

$705,000 $655,000 $475,000

3 2 2

2 2 2 2 1 1 1 0 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 1 3 2 1

SHAW 1512 MARION ST NW #104 1117 10TH ST NW #W2

$210,000 $748,000

U STREET CORRIDOR 1

DUPONT

1801 16TH ST NW #104, 106, 108 1407 15TH ST NW #2 1756 CORCORAN ST NW #1A

2007 O ST NW #301 1711 MASSACHUSETTS AVE NW #717 1621 T ST NW #701 1621 T ST NW #T2 1619 R ST NW #104 1731 T ST NW #2 1280 21ST ST NW #810 1920 S ST NW #101

2030 8TH ST NW #P06 2250 11TH ST NW #103 1418 W ST NW #305 2125 14TH ST NW #504 929 FLORIDA AVE NW #4003 u

$668,500 $627,500 $519,000 $485,000 $438,000

0 2 1 1 2 1 1

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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.

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