Midcity DC Magazine April 2014

An Urban Lifestyle Magazine

MIDCITY APRIL 2014

Trying to get a

Business License?

Certificate of Occupancy?

Corporate Registration Process

What Category does my business fall under?

SBRC’s New One-on-One Sessions: Basic Steps to Obtaining a Business License During this session, the DCRA Small Business Resource Center (SBRC) staff will provide one-on-one assistance with navigating through the regulatory process. You will gain in-depth knowledge of registering with corporations (i.e. Limited Liability Company, Corporations, Non-Profit, etc.) and with the basic steps of obtaining a business license. Additionally, you will receive assistance with the zoning application process (i.e. Certificate of Occupancy and or Home Occupancy Permit).This opportunity is geared towards future and current business owners looking to conduct business in the District of Columbia.

To Register Go To: http://bizdc.ecenterdirect.com/Welcome.action Sessions available Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursday by appointment only.

If you need further assistance with registering please email us at jacqueline.noisette@dc.gov or claudia.herrera@dc.gov. You can also contact us at (202) 442-4538.

SBRC’s Money Smart for Small Business Program: Financial Management and Credit Reporting Workshop What: When: Time:

If you want to gain basic financial management and credit reporting concepts of how to run your own business, these sessions are for you.

Thursday, April 3, 2014 5:30 pm 7:30 pm

SBRC’s Money Smart for Small Business Program: Banking Services and Insurance Workshop What: When: Time:

If you want to learn basic banking services and insurances concepts of how to run your own business, these sessions are for you.

Thursday, April 17, 2014 5:30 pm 7:30 pm

Small Business Brief Advice Legal Clinic Meet One-on-One with a Lawyer for Free!

What:

If you are an existing or an aspiring small business owner, come and meet one-on-one with attorneys at this brief advice clinic. You can get information on business formation, contracts, leases, taxes or any other questions you may have related to small business legal issues. Or, if you do not have specific questions, come and tell the attorneys about your business—they can help you spot legal issues or give you general advice.

When: Tuesday, April 22, 2014 Time: 5:00 pm 7:30 pm

What Effects the Affordable Care Act Tax Law Will Have on Your Company What:

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) introduced new tax changes ranging from new taxes, limits to tax deductions, tax breaks and tax credits. Come and listen to what business owners should know about finalizing 2013 taxes and begin planning for the 2014 tax season. Topics discussed will include tax credits, W2 reporting of health costs, additional Medicare withholding of wages and employer shared responsibility. Join us for this free listening session.

When: Thursday, April 24, 2014 Time: 5:30 pm 7:30 pm

Non-Profit Seminar: Presented by DCRA’s Corporations Division, Office of Tax and Revenue and DC Bar Pro Bono Clinic’s Non Tax Act Where:

1100 4th Street SW, Washington DC, 20024 To Register: http://bizdc.ecneterdirect.com Assistance: Call (202) 442-4538

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CONTENTS APRIL 10

MIDCITY

08 What’s on Washington 10 Calendar out and about 18 20 22

24

18

Insatiable • Jonathan Bardzik Let’s Get Physical • Jazelle Hunt The Little-Known Backbone of DC’s Music Scene • Anthony J. Rivera We’ve Got the Funk • Denise Romano

your neighborhood 26 28

30 32 36 37 38 39

40

District Beat: The Primary’s Over • Andrew Lightman The Numbers: Making Sure There’s A Place To Call Home • Kate Coventry and Jenny Reed Strictly Business: Licensing Madness • Miriam Savad Bulletin Board • Kathleen Donner Logan Circles • Mark F. Johnson Shaw Streets • Pleasant Mann Bloomingdale Bites • Jazzy Wright ANC 6E • Steve Holton

kids and family 40

Notebook • Kathleen Donner

at home 46 48

Changing Hands • Don Denton The Garden Fairy • Frank Asher

50 Classifieds COVER: Cherry Blossoms by the Tidal Basin. Photo: Andrew Lightman.

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Hill Rag • Mid City DC • East Of The River • Fagon Community Guides Capital Community News, Inc. 224 7th Street, SE, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20003 202.543.8300 capitalcommunitynews.com EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Melissa Ashabranner • melissaashabranner@hillrag.com

Publisher: Jean-Keith Fagon • fagon@hillrag.com Copyright © 2013 by Capital Community News. All Rights Reserved.

Look for Next Issue of MCDC on May 10 Editorial Staff Managing Editor: Andrew Lightman • andrew@hillrag.com CFO & Associate Editor: Maria Carolina Lopez • carolina@hillrag.com School Notes Editor: Susan Braun Johnson • schools@hillrag.com Kids & Family Notebook Editor: Kathleen Donner • kathleendonner@gmail.com Food Editor: Annette Nielsen • annette@hillrag.com

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

Arts, Dining & Entertainment Art: Jim Magner • jjmagner@aol.com Dining: Emily Clark • clapol47@gmail.com Celeste McCall • celeste@us.net Jonathan Bardzik • jonathan.bardzik@gmail.com General Assignment: Maggie Hall • whitby@aol.com Literature: Karen Lyon • klyon@folger.edu Movies: Mike Canning • mjcanning@verizon.net Music: Jean-Keith Fagon • fagon@hillrag.com Stephen Monroe • samonroe2004@yahoo.com Retail Therapy: Marissa Terrell • mterrell@sbclawgroup.com Theater: Barbara Wells • barchardwells@aol.com The Wine Guys: Jon Genderson • jon@cellar.com

Homes & Gardens Derek Thomas • derek@thomaslandscapes.com Catherine Plume • caplume@yahoo.com

Calendar & Bulletin Board Calendar Editor: Kathleen Donner • calendar@hillrag.com,

bulletinboard@hillrag.com General Assignment Martin Austermuhle • martin.austermuhle@gmail.com Maggy Baccinelli • mbaccinelli@gmail.com Dana Bell • dana@hillrag.com Elise Bernard • elise.bernard@gmail.com Ralph Brabham • ralphbrabham@yahoo.com Stephanie Deutsch • scd@his.com Kathleen Donner • kathleendonner@gmail.com Michelle Phipps-Evans • invisiblecolours@yahoo.com Mark Johnson • mark@hillrag.com Stephen Lilienthal - stephen_lilienthal@yahoo.com Celeste McCall • celeste@hillrag.com Charnice Milton • charnicem@hotmail.com John H. Muller • jmuller.washingtonsyndicate@gmail.com Will Rich • will.janks@gmail.com Linda Samuel • lindabsamuel@yahoo.com Heather Schoell • schoell@verizon.net Virginia Avniel Spatz • virginia@hillrag.com Michael G. Stevens • michael@capitolriverfront.org Peter J. Waldron • peter@hillrag.com Roberta Weiner • rweiner_us@yahoo.com Jazzy Wright • wright.jazzy@gmail.com Jennifer Zatkowski • jenn@hillrag.com

Society & Events Mickey Thompson • socialsightings@aol.com

COMMENTARY Ethelbert Miller • emiller698@aol.com The Nose • thenose@hillrag.com Production/Graphic/web Design Art Director: Jason Yen • jay@hillrag.com Graphic Designer: Lee Kyungmin • lee@hillrag.com Web Master: Andrew Lightman • andrew@hillrag.com Advertising & Sales Account Executive: Kira Means, 202.543.8300 X16 • kira@hillrag.com Account Executive: Jennifer Zatkowski, 202.543.8300 X20 • Jenn@hillrag.com Account Executive: Dave Kletzkin, 202.543.8300 X22 • Dave@hillrag.com Classified Advertising: Maria Carolina Lopez, 202.543.8300 X12 • carolina@hillrag.com Billing: Sara Walder, 202.400.3511 • sara@hillrag.com Distribution Distribution Manager: Andrew Lightman Distributors: MediaPoint, LLC Distribution Information: distribution@hillrag.com Deadlines & CONTACTS Advertising: sales@hillrag.com Display Ads: 15th of each month Classified Ads: 10th of each month Editorial: 15th of each month; submissions@hillrag.com Bulletin Board & Calendar: 15th of each month; calendar@hillrag.com, bulletinboard@hillrag.com

BEAUTY, Health­­& Fitness Patricia Cinelli • fitmiss44@aol.com Candace Y.A. Montague • writeoncm@gmail.com

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

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see our website for more events! www.whatsonwashington.com

National Arboretum Garden Fair & Plant Sale

This year, the National Arboretum Garden Fair & Plant Sale is on Friday, Apr. 25, 1-4 p.m. and Saturday, Apr. 26, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. The annual event features new, rare, and hard-to-find plants, garden supply vendors, books, children’s activities, refreshments, entertainment, and more. Bring your garden questions to National Arboretum staff members for expert advice. On Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., the Washington Revels Gallery Voices will entertain with madrigals and some traditional Revels songs, dance the Maypole and invite fairgoers to join in Maypole dancing. Free admission. The National Arboretum is located in NE, approximately ten minutes from the Capitol Building. There are two entrances: one at 3501 New York Ave. NE, and the other at 24th & R Sts. NE, off of Bladensburg Road. The Garden Fair & Plant Sale is in the parking lot of the New York Avenue entrance. Call the Friends of the National Arboretum (FONA) at 202-544-8733 for more information. usna.usda.gov Last year’s fair attendees browsing the plants. Photo: Courtesy of the U.S. National Arboretum

Easter Sunrise Service at Arlington Cemetery

On Easter Sunday, Apr 20, 6:15 a.m., all are welcome to attend the traditional, non-sectarian sunrise service at Arlington National Cemetery in the amphitheater. The service, hosted by the U.S. Army Military District of Washington Command Chaplain, supports the Command Master Religious Program and provides spiritual support for Service Members and their families. There is no Metrorail service at this hour but parking is plentiful and free. Tram transportation within the cemetery is provided to the amphitheater. Even though this is late April, expect it to be chilly and/or rainy and dress accordingly. 703-607-8000. arlingtoncemetery.org LEFT: Approximately 3,500 people will attend the Easter Sunrise Service at Arlington National Cemetery. Photo: Courtesy of Arlington National Cemetery

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T. rex Coming to Natural History Museum

This month, Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum welcomes a 7-ton, 38foot long new resident--a 66 million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex fossil, which will serve as the centerpiece for the museum’s new 31,000-square-foot national fossil hall, slated to open in 2019. Thanks to a 50-year loan from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, a spectacular real T. rex specimen will arrive on Apr. 15. This T. rex will be one of the stars of the new National Fossil Hall which opens in 2019. From Apr. 15-Oct. 20, come visit the Rex Room to see them studying, conserving, photographing, and 3D scanning its bones--and dozens of other fossils being prepared for the new exhibition. National Museum of Natural History, First Floor Special Exhibits Gallery (Off the Rotunda in Mammals Hall). mnh.si.edu Smithsonian Associates Presents “The Nation’s T. rex Is Coming…Look Out!”. Apr. 17, 6:45 p.m. in the Baird Auditorium at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. A discussion of the discovery of one of the most complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeletons ever found. $25. For tickets and information, call 202-633-3030 or visit smithsonianassociates.org.

Jack Horner, Curator of Paleontology at Museum of the Rockies, provides scale for Tyrannosaurus rex fossils at excavation site near the Fort Peck Reservoir, Fort Peck, Mont., June 1990. Photo: Courtesy of the Smithsonian Natural History Museum

Filmfest DC

The Washington, DC International Film Festival (Filmfest DC) returns for the last time April 17-27, celebrating nearly three decades of bringing award-winning movies to Washington, DC theater goers. Among its extensive program of over 80 features, documentaries, comedies, shorts, award winners and discoveries, the District’s premiere film festival will highlight audience favorite series Trust No One: Espionage and Thrillers, The Lighter Side and Justice Matters. Feast Your Eyes will be a special series of full-length features whose fun, inventive and original stories all revolve around the theme of food. For more informationcall their hotline 202-234-FILM (3456) or search filmfestdc.org.

RIGHT: The Bachelor Weekend. Directed by John Butler Ireland

Exploring the Sky @ Rock Creek

Exploring the Sky is an informal program that for over sixty years has offered monthly opportunities for anyone to see the stars and planets through telescopes from a location within the District of Columbia. Sessions are held in Rock Creek Park once each month on a Saturday night from April through November, starting shortly after sunset. They meet in the field just south of the intersection of Military Rd. and Glover Rd. NW, near the Rock Creek Nature Center. A parking lot is located next to the field. Beginners (including children) and experienced stargazers are all welcome—and it’s free. Remaining dates and times this year are May 3, 8:30 p.m.; June 21, 9 p.m.; July 19, 9 p.m.; August 23, 8:30 p.m.; September 20, 8 p.m.; October 18, 7:30 p.m.; and November 1, 7 p.m. Call the Nature Center at 202-895-6070 with any questions or check out nps. gov/rocr or capitalastronomers.org.

Joe Morris, President of National Capital Astronomer Association, with his telescope just outside the Nature Center. Photo: Courtesy of the National Park Service

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calendar H H H

APRIL

EASTER The Great Vigil of Easter at National Cathedral. Apr 19, 8:00 PM. This is the night when Christ broke the bonds of death…and rose victorious from the grave. Tonight we hear the ancient stories of God’s redeeming work, moving from darkness to light, from solemn chant to joyful song, as we celebrate the glorious Resurrection. Intersection of Massachusetts and Wisconsin Aves. NW. 202-537-6200. nationalcathedral.org Solemn Easter Vigil Mass at National Shrine.

Apr 19, 8:00 PM. National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, 400 Michigan Ave. NE. 202-526-8300. nationalshrine.com Easter Sunrise Service at Arlington Cemetery. Easter Sunday, Apr 20, 6:15 AM (but get there earlier). The Easter Sunrise Service on at the Arlington National Cemetery Amphitheater will begin with a musical prelude. There is no rail service at this hour but parking is free.

703-607-8000. arlingtoncemetery.org Easter Sunrise Service at the Lincoln Memorial. Apr 20 (rain or shine), 6:30 AM. Easter morning, over 6000 people gather annually at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. As the sun rises over the Capitol dome, the mall rings with sounds of joyful celebration as we proclaim together that Christ as risen. Lincoln Memorial.

Festival Holy Eucharist at National Cathedral. Easter Sunday, Apr 20, 8:00 AM and 11:00 AM (free tickets required). 4:00 PM, Evensong on Easter Day. 5:15 PM, Organ Recital. Intersection of Massachusetts and Wisconsin aves.

NW. 202-537-6200. nationalcathedral.org

Pointless Theatre presents their adaptation of Tchaikovsky’s iconic ballet with a reimagining of their very first production, Sleeping Beauty: A Puppet Ballet.

Pointless Theatre Company’s Sleeping Beauty: A Puppet Ballet Through May 4. Pointless Theatre presents their adaptation of Tchaikovsky’s iconic ballet with a reimagining of their very first production, Sleeping Beauty: A Puppet Ballet. This highly visual spectacle features Pointless’ distinctive blend of dance, pantomime and puppetry, and weaves a fantastical tale of the extremes of love. Sleeping Beauty premiered as part of the 2010 Capital Fringe Festival and was voted “Pick of the Fringe: Best Experimental Show.” Mead Theatre Lab at Flashpoint, 916 G St. NW. pointlesstheatre.com 10 u midcitydcnews.com

Easter Sunday Mass at National Shrine. Easter Sunday, Apr 20, 7:30 AM, 9:00 AM, 10:30 AM, Noon, 4:30 PM. Spanish Mass at 2:30 PM. National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. 400 Michigan Ave. NE. 202-526-8300. nationalshrine.com Holy Saturday at St. Matthews. Apr 19. Mass at 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM. Easter Vigil Mass at 8:00 PM. Cathedral of Saint Matthew the

Apostle, 1725 Rhode Island Ave. NW. 202347-3215. stmatthewscathedral.org Solemnity of the Resurrection of the Lord at St. Matthews. Apr 20. Masses at 7:00 AM, 8:30AM, 10:00 AM (english), 11:30 AM, 1:00 PM (en español), 5:30 PM. Cathedral of Saint Matthew the Apostle, 1725 Rhode Island Ave. NW. 202-347-3215. stmatthewscathedral.org National City Christian Church Easter Services. Apr 20, 8:30 AM, Gospel; 11:00 AM Traditional; 11:00 En Espanol. 5 Thomas Circle. 202-232-0323. nationalcitycc.org Saint John’s Church at Lafayette Park Easter Services. Apr 20, 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM. Easter music with Brass Quintet and Timpani. 1525 H St. NW. 202-347-8766. stjohns-dc.org

MUSIC Music at The Howard. Apr 12, Southern Soul Assembly Tour; Apr 13, LIV Warfield and the NPG Hornz; Apr 14, The Trillest Tour; Apr 18, Tank; Apr 19, Los Amigos Invisibles; Apr 20, William Fitzsimmons; Apr 23, Tech N9ne; Apr 24, Musiq Soulchild; Apr 26, Kindred the Family Soul; Apr 27, Nappy Roots; Apr 28, Raul Midon; Apr 29, Strunz & Farah; Apr 30, The Lox; May 2, The Foreign Exchange and Young Thug; May 3, Sevendust Acoustic; May 7, Noa (Achinoan Nini) in Concert; May 8, Paul Mooney; May 10, Balkan Beat Box. Howard Theatre, 620 T St. NW. 202-803-2899. thehowardtheatre.com Music at Sixth and I. Apr 13, Daniel Rossen; Apr 19, An Evening with Cloud Cult; Apr 24, Brad Mehldau Trio; Apr 26, Lo-Fang; May 11, Keren Ann. Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, 600 I St. NW. 202-408-3100. sixthandi.org Music at 9:30. Apr 14, London Grammar; Apr 16, Pat Green; Apr 18, The War On Drugs; Apr 19, The Revivalists and Moon Taxi; Apr 20, Tycho; Apr 21, Boy George; Apr 22, Christina Perri; Apr 24, Galantis; Apr 25 and 26, Alabama Shakes; Apr 27,

WIDE SHOE OUTLET Men’s and Women’s sizes up to 15 EE Brands: Naturalizer • Soft Spots Ros Hommerson • Propet Walking Cradles • Easy Street Slingshots are Back

Marlow Heights Shopping Center 4123 Branch Ave. Marlow Heights, MD

301-702 1401 Free Gift With Ad Midcity DC | April 2014 u 11

DCSEU mascot with a solar panel

Better Than Ezra; Apr 28, Band of Skulls; Apr 29 and 30, CHVRCHES; May 1, Future Islands; May 2, The Both (Aimee Mann & Ted Leo); May 3 and 4, Nickel Creek; May 6, Wye Oak; May 7 and 8, HAIM; May 9 and 10, Papadosio - 2 Night Pass. 9:30, 815 V St. NW. 877-435-9849. 930.com Music at Black Cat. Apr 14, Odonis Odonis; Apr 15, Black Lips; Apr 16, Cloud Mothings; Apr 17, We Are Scientists; Apr 18, DJ Rekha; Apr 19, Awesome Con-Cert; Apr 23, Avers; Apr 24, Chuck Regan & the Camaraderie; Apr 25, New Order.Duran Duran Dance Party; Apr 26, Dot Dash; Apr 27, Toadies; Apr 29, The Stadnells; May 1, Say Hi; May 2, Chelsea Peretti; May 3, Matt Pond Pa; May 10, Graveyard. Black Cat, 1811 14th St. NW. blackcatdc.com Music at the Lincoln. Apr 16, The Best Of Rufus Wainwright; Apr 17, Stephen “Ragga” Marley; May 8, Johnny Hallyday. Lincoln Theatre, 1215 U St. NW. 202-328-6000. thelincolntheatre.org Music at the Atlas. Apr 25, Martha Redbone; Apr 26, S Percussion; May 3, I Draw Slow. All performances, 8:00 PM. Atlas performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. 202399-7993. atlasarts.org

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Opera in the Outfield-The Magic Flute.

May 3, 7:00 PM at Nationals Park, 1500 S Capitol St. SE. Free. operaintheoutfield.org Church of the Epiphany Weekly Concerts.

Every Tuesday, 12:10 PM. Free but free will offering taken. 1317 G ST. NW. 202-3472635. epiphanydc.org Sunday Gospel Brunch Featuring the Harlem Gospel Choir. Every Sunday, 12:30-2:00 PM. $30-$45. The Howard Theatre, 620 T St. NW. 202-803-2899. thehowardtheatre.com

THEATER AND FILM Camp David at Arena. Through May 4.

Sixty-two miles north of Washington, DC, nestled in Catoctin Mountain Park, lies the clandestine retreat known as Camp David.

For thirteen tumultuous days, President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn host Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat in an attempt to create the impossible: Peace in the Middle East. Arena Stage, 1101 Sixth St. SW. 202-488-3300. arena-stage.org

Pointless Theatre Company’s Sleeping Beauty: A Puppet Ballet. Through May 4.

Pointless Theatre presents their adaptation of Tchaikovsky’s iconic ballet with a reimagining of their very first production, Sleeping Beauty: A Puppet Ballet. This highly visual spectacle features Pointless’ distinctive blend of dance, pantomime and puppetry, and weaves a fantastical tale of the extremes of love. Sleeping Beauty premiered as part of the 2010 Capital Fringe Festival and was voted “Pick of the Fringe: Best Experimental Show.” Mead Theatre Lab at Flashpoint, 916 G St. NW. pointlesstheatre.com Tender Napalm at Signature. Through May 11. Gentle enemies or brutal lovers, Tender Napalm explores the contradictory nature of love. A pair of young lovers creates a fantastical world through interweaving dialogue of increasing perplexity in this violent and sexually charged poetic symphony. Mature audiences. Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave. off I-395 at the Shirlington exit (#6). After the exit, blue Signature signs mark the way to the Theatre. signaturetheatre.org The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at Ford’s. Through May 17. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee follows six

DC Sustainable Energy Utility POWER LUNCH. Apr 25, 11:00 AM-3:00 PM. The DC Sustainable Energy Utility is preparing to host the city’s most energizing lunch break at the Half Street Fairgrounds (just outside Nat’s Park main entrance). The focus of the event is to provide Navy Yard workers and District residents with information on how they can reduce energy use in the District through a fun lunch hour with food trucks. They’re partnering with WMATA, DDOE, DDOT, and Capital Riverfront. There will be a hybrid bus, a solar display, music (some live and some DJ) and great raffle prizes from local businesses. For more information, visit dcseu.com/powerlunch. awkward adolescents through their daunting and hilarious championship quest. As they navigate the tournament’s pressures, the eccentric coterie finds a new sense of belonging. Along the way, they learn that there is more to life than winning a trophy. Ford’s Theatre, 511 10th Street NW. 202-347-4833. fordstheatre.org One Destiny at Ford’s. Through May 17.

Learn about Lincoln’s assassination from two men who were there. Actor Harry Hawk and Ford’s Theatre co-owner Harry Ford revisit the events of April 14, 1865. As they reconstruct the sequence of events, they

t

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grapple with the question: Could John Wilkes Booth have been stopped? Ford’s Theatre, 511 10th Street NW. 202-347-4833. fordstheatre.org

on the school’s athletic field sends Sebastian on an apocalyptic mission, changing their friendship forever. Studio Theatre, 1501 14th St. NW. 202-332-3300. studiotheatre.org

Scena Theater Staged Readings at Woolly.

Apr 19, Lady Lay by Lydia Stryk (German); Apr 20, The Velvet Weapon by Deborah Brevoort (Czech); Apr 26, Guilt by John Shand (Australian); Apr 26, The Understudy by Dave Hunsaker (Alaskan), based on the Russian novella “Thirty-Three Abominations”. All readin gs at 7:00 PM in Melton Hall, Woolley Mammoth Theatre Co. scenatheater.org Arguendo at Woolly. Through Apr 27 (extended). Elevator Repair Service—the innovative company that created Gatz—comes to Woolly with their newest show, Arguendo.

This time, they bring their unique theatrical style to the Supreme Court, tackling the 1991 First Amendment case Barnes v. Glen Theatre, brought to the court by a group of go-go dancers petitioning for their right to perform completely naked. Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, 641 D St. NW. 202-3933939. woollymammoth.net

Golda’s Balcony at Theater J. Apr 10-27. A riveting portrait of one of the great women of our time, Golda Meir, Golda’s Balcony is the final work from Tony® Award-winning playwright William Gibson (The Miracle Worker, Two for the Seesaw), and an awardwinning smash that, in 15 sold-out months on Broadway, set the record for the longest one-woman show in Broadway history. Theater J, 1529 16th St. NW. 800 494-8497. washingtondcjcc.org

Henry IV, Part 1 at Shakespeare. Through June 7. A young prince must decide between tavern roughhousing and the burden of his father’s legacy, in the coming-of-age story of heroism, corruption and war. STC Artistic Director Michael Kahn directs the masterful Stacy Keach (King Lear, Macbeth) who plays Shakespeare’s beloved character, Falstaff. Shakespeare Theatre Company, Sidney Harman Hall, 610 F St. NW. 202-547-1122. shakespearetheatre.org Henry IV Part 2 at Shakespeare. Through June 8. Continuing from Henry IV Part 1, Young Prince Hal seeks to prove to his father, King Henry IV (Edward Gero), that he’s ready to the throne by leaving his lowlife behavior behind him. The King’s sudden illness and a bloody war force Hal into action. Shakespeare Theatre Company, Sidney Harman Hall, 610 F St. NW. 202-547-1122. shakespearetheatre.org Moth at Studio. Apr 9-May 4. Anime-obsessed Sebastian and emo-Wiccan Claryssa survive high school with a mix of imagination and belligerence. But then a horrific event

Fiasco Theater’s The Two Gentlemen of Verona at the Folger. Apr 17-May 25. PayWhat-You-Can on Tuesday, Apr 22, 7:30 PM. Tickets will be available to the public one hour prior to the performance. Cash purchases only. New York’s inventive Fiasco Theater has established its reputation for bringing Shakespeare’s most whimsical and timeless tales to the stage. This dizzying romantic adventure is a comedy filled with bandits, mistaken identity, and also the “sourest-natured” dog Crab.

Folger Shakespeare Library, E. Capitol St. SE. 202-544-7077. folger.edu The Three Penny Opera at Signature Theatre. Apr 22-June 1. The MAX Theatre transforms into London’s gritty underworld in this reimagined futuristic dystopia for The Threepenny Opera, an adaptation of John Gay’s 1728 ballad-opera The Beggar’s Opera, a satirical commentary on politics, poverty, injustice and corruption at all levels of society. Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave. off I-395 at the Shirlington exit (#6). After the exit, blue Signature signs mark the way to the Theatre. signature-theatre.org Living Out at the Gala. Apr 24-May 18. Ana, a Salvadoran nanny and a mother of two.

Nancy, a lawyer challenged by fulfilling both personal and professional goals. Two working mothers who make difficult choices so they can provide a better life for their children.

A funny and touching play that explores the shared humanity between a nanny and her.

GALA Theatre, 3333 14th St. NW. 202-2347174. galatheatre.org

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Smokey Joe’s Café at Arena. Apr 25-June 8. Let Broadway director Randy Johnson, (One Night with Janis Joplin), transport you to the golden age of Rock, Rhythm and Blues with the hits of Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame legends Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller.

Arena Stage, 1101 Sixth St. SW. 202-4883300. arena-stage.org Things You Shouldn’t Say Past Midnight at the Keegan. May 2-24. Ever been racially slurred in the sack? Ever been subjected to strangers yelling at you at 3am about the most intimate details of your life? Ever been to New York? Peter Ackerman’s screwball bedroom comedy follows three pairs of lovers trying to enjoy a night of romance.

Keegan Theater, 1742 Church St. NW. 703892-0202. keegantheatre.com

EXHIBITIONS, OPENINGS AND GALLERIES The Lobby Project: featuring Fawna Xiao.

Through Apr 18 at at 1200 First St. NE. Printmaker Fawna Xiao’s “Black Mountains” are abstracted responses to black and white photographs of mountains covered in snow, with a focus on rocky faces and folds. The series is an exploration in texture and shape; Xiao seeks to transform the natural landscape into unnatural geometry.

Jamea Richmond-Edwards at DC Arts Center. Through Apr 20. In, “The Cost of Making her Run: Fear, Flight, Freedom” Jamea Richmond-Edwards employs intimate portraits of women and dramatic photographs in a complex exploration of her personal cosmos. The works, centered on the dichotomy of self-belief and doubt, are inspired by life experiences, family narratives and the legacy of Harriett Tubman. Addressed are concerns of identity, racial discrimination and subjugation, coupled with artistic challenges and triumph. DC Arts Center, 2438 18th St., NW. 202-462-7833. dcartscenter.org Floating Worlds Eleanor Kotlarik Wang at Studio Gallery. Through Apr 26. Organic

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forms appear to float on paper, wood or canvas surfaces in the new work by Eleanor Kotlarik Wang. They are airy, free and unattached to any sense of space and time. Layers of silkscreen images combined with paint applications are sanded and scratched through, then resurfaced in various combinations of subtractive and additive approaches. Studio Gallery, 2108 R St. NW. 202-232-8734. studiogallerydc.com Two Architects--Design at Cross Mackenzie Gallery. Through Apr 30. Roy Kesrouani and Ben Van Dusen. Cross Mackenzie Gallery, 2026 R St, NW. 202-333-7970. crossmackenzie.com Emily Biondo and Bradford Barr:Touch Me at Flashpoint. Through May 10. Emily Biondo and Bradford Barr will create an interactive light environment that is generated by the physical interactions of two people. Individual viewers will have an immediate and dynamic effect on their surroundings by simply touching another person. From that interaction, the installation will begin to glow, change and flash, immersing viewers in a lit geometric space built by their own touch.

Flashpoint Gallery, 916 G St. NW. 202-3151305. culturaldc.org Shakespeare’s the Thing at the Folger.

Through June 15. Explore Shakespeare’s influence on visual art, performance, and scholarship through treasures from the Folger collection hand-picked by Folger staff, including a special look at how fans have celebrated Shakespeare from his time to ours.

Marking Shakespeare’s 450th birthday. Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 E. Capitol St. SE. 202-544-4600. folger.edu Ralph Fasanella: Lest We Forget at American Art Museum. Through Aug 3. Ralph Fasanella (1914-1997) celebrated the common man and tackled complex issues of postwar America in colorful, socially-minded paintings. American Art Museum, 8th and F Sts. NW. 202-633-7970. americanart.si.edu Pop Art Prints at American Art Museum.

Through Aug 31. In the 1950s and 1960s, pop art offered a stark contrast to abstract expressionism, then the dominant movement in American art. The distinction between

high art and popular culture was assumed until artists like Jasper Johns, Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Rauschenberg, Andy Warhol and others of their generation challenged a whole range of assumptions about what fine art should be. American Art Museum, 8th and F Sts. NW. 202-633-7970. americanart.si.edu “Peruvian Gold” at National Geographic.

Through Sept 2. “Peruvian Gold: Ancient Treasures Unearthed” will showcase extraordinary objects from Peru’s pre-Inca heritage, including gold ceremonial and funerary masks, textiles, ceremonial ornaments, ceramics and jewelry. National Geographic Museum, 1145 17th St. NW. ngmuseum.org American Cool at the National Portrait Gallery. Through Sept 7. What do we mean when we say someone is cool? Cool carries a social charge of rebellious self-expression, charisma, edge and mystery. National Portrait Gallery, 8th and F Sts. NW. npg.si.edu “A Thousand Years of the Persian Book” Exhibition. Through Sept 20. An exhibition at the Library of Congress will explore the rich literary tradition of the Persian language over the last millennium, from illuminated manuscripts to contemporary publications. The exhibition will bring attention to the literary achievements of Iran and the greater Persian-speaking regions of Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Central and South Asia and the Caucasus. Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 E. First St. SE. loc.gov ASCAP: One Hundred Years and Beyond” Exhibition. Through Feb 14, 2015. The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers exhibition features 45 objects, including sheet music, photographs, pamphlets, posters and more. Some highlights include the first ASCAP license, which was issued to Rector’s Restaurant in New York City (Broadway and 44th Street) in 1914; the original manuscript of “The Pink Panther,” in the hand of composer Henry Mancini; Paul Williams’ lyrics for “The Rainbow Connection”; and the original lyrics, including drafts and revisions, for “The Way We Were” by Alan and Marilyn Bergman. Performing Arts Reading Room Gallery on the first level of the James Madison Memorial Building, 101 Independence Ave. SE. The exhibition is free and

open to the public from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday. loc.gov Cool & Collected: Recent Acquisitions.

Through May 25, 2015. The National Building Museum presents an exhibition dedicated solely to the objects and documents in the Museum’s permanent collection. National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW. 202-2722448. nbm.org First Fridays in the Dupont Circle Neighborhood. First Friday of every month, 6:009:00 PM. First Friday openings are a collaborative effort to strengthen arts and culture in the beautiful, multi-cultural neighborhood of Dupont Circle. On the first Friday of every month, galleries in the neighborhood host simultaneous openings for art enthusiasts from all walks of life. They encourage all come to the openings and to circulate between neighboring galleries, which host an ever-changing array of styles and media. $5 suggested donation.

Third Thursday Open Studios (Brookland).

6:00-8:00 PM. Meet the artists, peruse the art and join in activities and events. Arts Walk at Monroe Street Market, 716 Monroe St. NE.

SPORTS AND FITNESS Hopkins vs Shumenov Light Heavyweight Championship Unification. Apr 19, main event 9:00 PM. IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion Bernard Hopkins faces WBA World Champion Beibut Shumenov in an attempt, at 49-years-old, to become the oldest fighter in boxing history to unify world titles. $25, $50, $75, $200 and $300 are on sale at ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000. DC Armory, 2400 East Capital St. SE. Washington Nationals Baseball. Apr 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27 at Nat’s Park. Tickets, $5, up. washington.nationals. mlb.com Alexandria VA Baseball Boat to Nationals Park. Through Sept 26. Times vary upon Nationals schedule. The Potomac Riverboat

Company offers baseball enthusiasts the chance to avoid the crowds and take a leisurely cruise from Old Town Alexandria to Nationals Park. Online-ticket purchases include free parking. Boats returning to Alexandria depart 20 minutes after final pitch. Boat operates for 80% of Nationals games--check website for specific available dates. Departs from the Alexandria Marina, 1 Cameron St., Alexandria, VA. One-way $15; Round-trip $25. 703684-0580. BaseballBoat.com DC United at RFK. Apr 12, 7:00 PM vs. New York; Apr 26, 7:00 PM vs. FC Dallas. RFK Stadium. dcunited.com 5 Mile Disco Roll Or Run (on the waterfront). May 3, 8:00 AM. 5 Mile Disco Roll Or Run at the Waterfront in Hains Point West Potomac Park. You can take a break from just running at this fun 1st year event where you can roller skate or run. They will have 80’s music playing and want you to wear your best 80’s skating /running gear. $45. active.com 2014 Public Service 5K. May 4, 8:00 AM. To kick off Public Service Recognition Week 2014, government employees, their families and friends, and area running enthusiasts participated and showed their support and appreciation for our country’s dedicated public servants.

Anacostia Park. publicservicerecognitionweek.org Tidal Basin 3K Monthly Run. Third Wednesday of each month at noon. This run is free and informal. West Potomac Park (meet on Ohio Dr. at West Basin Dr., near the Tourmobile stand). 703-505-3567. dcroadrunners.org Closest Indoor Public Swimming Pools. Turkey Thicket, 1100 Michigan Ave. NE. Open Monday through Friday, 6:30 AM-8:00 PM; Saturday, noon-5:00 PM; closed, Sunday. 202-576-9236. Rumsey Pool, 635 No.Carolina Ave. SE. Open Monday through Friday, 6:30 AM-9:00 AM and noon-9:00 PM; Saturday, 1:00-5:00 PM; Sunday, 10:00 AM-5:00 PM. 202-724-4495. The pools are heated and free for DC residents. Have ID with you. dpr.dc.gov Nearby public tennis courts. Banneker Community Center (eight outdoor tennis courts), 2500 Georgia Ave. NW. 202-673-6861. 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 firstcome, first-served basis for one-hour intervals; extended use of tennis courts requires a permit. Proper shoes and attire is required. 202-671-0314. www.dpr.dc.gov/dpr Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon. Oct 5. Registration now open. 703-587-4321. wilsonbridgehalf.com

Marine Corps Marathon Registration. Register online at marinemarathon.com. Marathon is Sunday, Oct 26.

SALES AND MARKETS Great Brookland Yard Sale. May 10, 10:00 AM-2:00 PM (individual times can vary). 70+ yard sales. All over the neighborhood, in individual seller’s yards. brooklandbridge.com Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church “It’s History” Sidewalk Sale. May 10, 8:30 AM-3:00 PM. Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church at 201 4th St. SE. capitolhillpreschurch.org Grant Avenue (flea) Market in Takoma Park. May 11, June 8, Sept 14 and Oct 12, 10:00 AM-3:00 PM. The market is at the intersection of Grant Ave. and Carroll Ave. in Takoma Park, MD with antiques, collectibles and funky finds. grantavenuemarket.com Penn Quarter FRESHFARM Market. Thursdays through Dec 18, 3:00-7:00 PM. North end of 8th St., between D and E, NW. freshfarmmarket.org H Street FRESHFARM Market. Saturdays, 9 AM-noon, Apr 19-Dec 20. The H Street Market is celebrating it’s 10th anniversary this year. SNAP (EBT/Food Stamps) accepted. 13th and H Sts. NE. freshfarmmarket.org

G G ROOFING

Union Market. Tuesday-Friday, 11:00 AM-8:00 PM; Saturday-Sunday, 8:00 AM-8:00 PM. Union Market is an artisanal, curated, year-round food market featuring over 40 local vendors. 1309 Fifth St. NE. 301-652-7400. unionmarketdc.com Dupont Circle Farmers Market. Sundays year round (rain or shine), 9:00 AM-1:00 PM. The Wall Street Journal and The Financial Times of London named the market one of the top farmers’ markets in the country. During the peak season, there are more than 30 farmers offering fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, cheeses, fruit pies, breads, fresh pasta, cut flowers, potted plants, soaps and herbal products. 20th St. and Mass. Ave. NW, 1500 block of 20th St. NW (between Mass. Ave. and Q St. in the adjacent parking lot of PNC Bank). 202-362-8889. freshfarmmarket.org Georgetown Flea Market. Sundays year around (except in the case of very inclement weather), 8:00 AM- 4:00 PM. The crowd is as diverse as the items for sale! Antiques, collectibles, art, furniture, rugs, pottery, china,

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jewelry, silver, stained glass, books and photographs are an example of the available items. 1819 35th St. NW. 202-775-3532. or georgetownfleamarket.com Maine Avenue Fish Market. Open 365 days a year. 7:00 AM-9:00 PM. 1100 Maine Ave. SW. 202-484-2722.

CIVIC LIFE Small Business Brief Advice Legal Clinic.

Apr 22, 5:00-7:30 PM. This clinic is for aspiring or existing small business owners.

Attendees will meet one-on-one with attorneys for brief advice on any legal issues their businesses may be facing. Clinis ia at DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs’ Small Business Resource Center, 1100 4th St. SW (scond floor). Call 202-737-4700 ext. 3369 or email dmaxwell@dcbar.org for more information.

Congresswoman Norton’s NW District Office. Open weekdays, 9:00 AM-6:00 PM. 529 14th St. NW, suite 900. 202-783-5065. norton.house.gov All-Ways Mount Pleasant. First Saturday, noon-2:00 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. aa-ss.org Chinatown Revitalization Council. Fourth Monday, 7:00-8:00 PM. 510 I St. NW. Chinatown Revitalization Council (CRC) promoting the Chinatown renewal and the preservation of its cultural heritage. The public is welcome.

Convention Center Community Association.

Last Tuesday, 7:00-8:30 PM. Kennedy Rec Center, 1401 Seventh St. NW. www.ccca-online.

Downtown Neighborhood Association. Second Tuesday, 7:00-9:00 PM. US Naval Memorial Center, 701 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. miles@ dcdna.org. dcdna.org East Central Civic Association of Shaw Meeting. First Monday, 7:00 PM. Third Baptist

16 u midcitydcnews.com

Church, 1546 Fifth St. NW. Contact: Al Hajj Mahdi Leroy J Thorpe Jr, 202-387-1596.

Eckington Civic Association. First Monday, 7:00-8:30 PM. Harry Thomas Recreation Center, 1743 Lincoln Rd. NE. www.eckingtondc.org Edgewood Civic Association. Last Monday, 7:00-9:00 PM. Edgewood senior building, 635 Edgewood St. NE, nineth floor7-9pm. They encourage all Eckington and Edgewood residents to come out and take part in the lively civic life of our communities. www.theedgewoodcivicassociationdc.org Logan Circle Citizens Association. Please contact Jennifer Trock at jennifer.trock@ logancircle.org for meeting dates and times. logancircle.org Mount Vernon Square Neighborhood Association. Third Tuesday, 7:30-9:30 PM. Yale Steam Laundry, 437 New York Ave. NW. lifein. mvsna.org U Street Neighborhood Association. Second Thursday, 7:00-8:30 PM. Source (second floor classroom), 1835 14th St. NW ANC 1A. Second Wednesday, 7:00 PM. Harriet Tubman Elementary School, 3101 13th St. NW. 202-588-7278. anc1a.org ANC 1B. First Thursday, 7:00 PM. Reeves Center, 2000 14th St. NW (second floor). 202870-4202. anc1b.org ANC 1B11. Second Monday, 7:00 PM. LeDroit Senior Building (basement community room), 2125 Fourth St. NW. 202-481-3462. www. anc1b.org ANC 1C. First Wednesday, 7:00 PM. Mary’s Center for Maternal and Child Health, 2355 Ontario Rd. NW. 202-332-2630. anc1c.org ANC 1D. Third Tuesday, 7:00 PM. 3166 Mount Pleasant St. NW. 202-462-8692. anc1d.org ANC 2C. First Wednesday, 6:30-8:30 PM. Watha T. Daniel Library, 1630 Seventh St. NW (new location). 202-682-1633. anc2C.org ANC 6E. First-Tuesday, 6:30 PM. NW One Library, 155 L St. NW. u

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Midcity DC | April 2014 u 17

out and about

I

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+ Dining

S

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by Jonathan Bardzik

Here Comes the Sun

By the time this goes to print I am certain that Washingtonians will be enjoying spring, sitting shirt-sleeved at sidewalk cafés, our fair city festooned with cherry blossoms. During the past month of dining, however, it was cold.

Wet, gray, and cold. While this winter’s weather has many questioning DC’s climate, the sheer volume of restaurant openings has definitely placed us among the country’s hottest dining cities. Where to start?

Everyday Dining at the Fainting Goat

Coat drawn tightly, I walked through a blustery, icy night to dinner

at the Fainting Goat (faintinggoatdc. com, 1330 U St. NW). Walking off the cold street I entered a cozy interior, the atmosphere successfully accomplishing what chef James Barton – formerly of the Oval Room – had wanted: leaving fine dining to create a new take on your neighborhood bistro.

My friend Matt and I began with pork fries – pulled pork pressed in a terrine, breaded and fried for a lightly crisp exterior, served with a sweet onion jam. A plate of fluke ceviche, bright and fresh with mild acidity, warmed by ginger and chilies, balanced the rich fries. The crisp bite of watermelon radish finished the fish beautifully.

Our favorite starter was the pumpkin bread. A smooth, rich, but not

sweet puree topped toasted peasant bread with just a hint of earthy char.

Nutty, toasted pepitos and a drizzle of sweet, aged balsamic warmed and brightened the plate. We seriously debated a second order.

The namesake goat, well-sold by our server, lived up to the hype. Meltingly tender meat was accompanied by absolutely magic root vegetables. Parsnips, turnip, and black garlic joined pearl onions, wine-braised and cooked to perfection. Star anise kept the dish bright and rich, while buttery puff pastry dumplings balanced the light gaminess of the meat.

While a menu offering only 14 dishes divided among small plates, first courses, sandwiches, and entrées may seem limited, we dined on close to half the menu and are eager to return.

Lupo Verde Stands Out in DC’s Italian Restaurant Crowd

Indigo finds a home in NoMa serving richly spiced northern Indian food.

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I slipped and slid through slush from my taxi to the entrance of newly opened Lupo Verde (lupoverdedc.com, 1401 T St. NW).

The cozy, two story restaurant, occupying a rowhouse left vacant for six years, offered welcome warmth.

So did the menu.

Chef Orlando Amaro has linked up with the restaurateurs from Station 4 (station4dc.com, 1101 4th St. SW) to serve a rustic Italian menu. Crisply fried artichokes, marinated overnight in

lemon and orange, began to take off the chill, along with a L’Americano cocktail, bitter with Campari and sharp with gin.

Cheeses and meats from the case downstairs (available for walk-in customers) preceded salty and herbal seared shrimp over a bed of lentils and creamy, fatty lardo di Colonnata cured pork. The lagana e ceci chickpea soup was warmed with a rich, homemade chicken broth and homemade pasta.

The biggest surprise, for me, was the pasta menu. I have to admit I typically skip the pasta at Italian restaurants, finding the meat and fish preparations far more interesting. Lupo Verde’s menu is an exception. The rustic, hand-shaped pasta is served quite firm with an amazing range of sauces from egg- and cheese-thickened to cream-free carbonara, cut through with cracked pepper and guanciale (Italian salt pork). The striglie offers a rich lamb ragu, the maltagliato, literally “badly cut,” pasta is joined by tender eggplant.

I’ll return to enjoy the salt baked branzino and floor-to-ceiling windows on a mild spring day.

Indigo Goes Bricks and Mortar

The stars shown crisp and clear as I turned off H St. NE to find Indigo’s permanent home in NoMa (243 K St. NE). Well known for serving northern Indian food from its tent at Eastern Market on the weekends, Indigo is now available the rest of the week.

Sonoma Starts Sunday Brunch

Sonoma gets brunch right including the ultimate test, perfect eggs Benedict.

Arriving shortly before 6:00 p.m., I found the small dining room had quickly filled and remained packed with eat-in and take-out diners. From the first dish it was easy to see why.

Owners, husband and wife team Dinesh and Nidhi Tandon, have created an atmosphere that feels like home, complete with serve-yourself wine. The menu, drawn on a chalkboard next to a window into the kitchen, spills out into collective art: quotes, maps, and drawings that cover the walls.

Our first plate of hobi, or cauliflower, arrived yellow with turmeric, mild and warm from cumin, with a floral note of coriander. Up next, the dal we ordered was rich but not leaden like many lentil dishes, lightened by an exotic blend of cinnamon and star anise.

The meats, a lamb curry and chicken tikka, were different than I had eaten before, influenced by Nidhi’s northern Indian upbringing. The chicken was coated with a gravy-like sauce, sweet and rich; the lamb was meltingly tender with a back note of smoky heat and a nice bitter savoriness.

Instead of naan Indigo offers paratha, stuffed flatbreads. The garlic paratha was green with spinach and bright with sharp, fresh garlic. The onion paratha was sweet and earthy.

Much more than a palate to sop up sauces, these breads are filling and worth eating on their own.

While offering only 20 seats inside, Indigo offers a significant patio seating 60 on warmer days. Which, rumor has it, might arrive sometime this year.

I love Sonoma (sonomadc.com, 223 Pennsylvania Ave. SE). It’s where my husband and I had our first date. It’s the restaurant we took my parents to on their first visit to see our home, and the food, local and fresh, is always amazing. I was thrilled to discover they were opening for Sunday brunch.

Jason and I walked through a cold downpour on the last weekend in March, taking a seat inside Sonoma’s front window. Sonoma has stuck to their strong points in creating their brunch menu.

Anchored by their amazing burgers and pizza, cheese and charcuterie, they’ve added staples like brioche French toast and steak and eggs.

Though getting a little tired of kale, I ordered the kale salad with crisp Asian pear and candied pumpkin seeds. The pear vinaigrette’s sweetness provided a nice balance to kale’s bitter notes. Jason ran in the opposite direction, ordering the zeppole, lightly cakey, fried donuts with a crisp, crumbly exterior sitting in a pleasantly bitter blend of dark chocolate and orange.

Putting Sonoma to the test I ordered eggs Benedict. Served atop crisp thick toasts, the perfectly poached eggs spilled yolk over the plate, paired with salty prosciutto and homemade Hollandaise, rich and buttery, brightened by lemon. Jason ordered the breakfast pizza topped with fingerling potatoes,

more of Sonoma’s house-made prosciutto, truffled cheese, and fried eggs.

The chef showed perfect restraint, leaving the eggs wet and letting the truffle add a light earthy funk, rather than being overpowering the way this trendy ingredient is on so many restaurant menus at the moment.

On warmer days we’ll enjoy our Sundays in their sidewalk seating, in full view of the Capitol.

Warmer Days Ahead

How cold is it? The calendar says spring is here, and on March 29 I returned to Eastern Market (easternmarket-dc.org, 225 7th St. SE) for my weekly cooking demos. The next day it snowed. The “Farmer’s Almanac” promises, however, that spring will return with DC’s fair weather and cherry blossoms, and we’ll soon be serving asparagus and sweet strawberries on Saturday mornings. See you there!

Jonathan Bardzik is a cook, storyteller, and author living in Eckington. Known for his weekly live cooking demos at Eastern Market (Saturdays from March to November), Jonathan loves cooking fresh ingredients as much as seeking them out in DC’s growing restaurant scene. His first cookbook, “Simple Summer: A Recipe for Cooking and Entertaining with Ease,” is available now (and would make a wonderful gift!). Grab a copy and find out what Jonathan is cooking at www. jonathanbardzik.com or his Facebook page “What I Haven’t Cooked Yet.” Need some foodporn? Follow @JonathanBardzik on Twitter and Instagram. u

Midcity DC | April 2014 u 19

out and about

+ Fitness

LET’S GET PHYSICAL

Rodney White (left) cracks a joke while holding the bird dog pose. Photo by Jazelle Hunt.

Laugh Your Way to Lean!

by Jazelle Hunt

L

aughing Yoga at Jordin’s Paradise is a good litmus test for uptight tendencies. Can you laugh on cue with a bunch of strangers for no real reason?

I wasn’t sure what kind of awkward escapade would meet me when I entered the bright studio. Six participants were hanging out on their yoga mats, arranged like a multicolor asterisk so we could all see each other. An upbeat Motown-era playlist served as a backdrop as we chatted and waited for class instructor and studio owner, Rania Jaziri. Another instructor, Michele Iris Hall joined us, too.

Now standing, the class began with a few basics: head and shoulder rolls, and stretches. Suddenly, a raucous laugh exploded through the group. Jaziri and Hall, standing directly across from each other, were all-out, wholeheartedly laughing about something, as if a shared glance had reminded them of an inside joke. The rest of us chuckled along at the outburst, despite being totally lost. But their bewildering, doubled-over laughter became genuinely funny, or at least amusing to see. Jaziri’s laughter in particular—which starts with a sneeze-like “Aahh” followed by a jumble of playground “ha’s”— is a jubilant geyser waiting for the slightest opportunity to erupt. It quickly infected everyone in the room, making it easy to let go of quizzical qualms and join in on the slightly absurd moment.

Laughing Yoga at Jordin’s Paradise offers a unique blend of poses and laughter exercises. Take the cat-cow, for example. Positioned on all fours, we dropped our chins and curved our spines up into a cat pose while inhaling deeply. On the exhale, we lifted our chins and lowered

20 u midcitydcnews.com

our stomachs downward into a cow pose; except, we didn’t simply exhale.

We “mooed.” Long and committed.

We also had a group cackle about how silly that is.

“Very good, very good, yeah!” (Rania Jaziri pictured second from It may seem as though it’s just right). Photo by Jazelle Hunt. for kicks, but everything in Laughing Yoga serves a purpose. really open your mouth at all during the “The vibration in your chest [from day,” Jaziri says, demonstrating. “We’re so mooing] is actually like ohm in a regular much on the phone, at our desks, bodies yoga class. It helps circulation, digestion, compacted and hunching forward, that Laughing Yoga instructor and studio owner, Rania Jaziri has an infectious laugh. Photo by and stress,” Jaziri explains, adding that, it’s so much harder to get into yoga posi- Jazelle Hunt. “it doesn’t matter if you’re [laughing] for tions because we’re so tight all the time.” real. It helps you inhale and exhale deeply.

Not every pose is laced with hysterics; stay fit, agrees.

In advanced yoga classes they tell you to Jaziri makes the class work a bit too, hold“Frankly, yoga is very seriinhale or exhale for 8 to 10 counts, but ing poses such as the pigeon and bird dog ous. But I can be funny in this when you’re not trained, you don’t know for several moments, allowing the class to class without even trying, people how to do that.” breathe and sink into them. Nor are the just laugh at what I say. It’s not a She’s right—a breath seems longer laughs all choreographed; the 60-minute stressful situation like formal yoga, when exhaled as a bunch of laughs. As session is punctuated with a few more where you have to do it right,” he for the rest of the body, the class does de- of Jaziri and Hall’s fall-outs, a few quips shares. “I can do it any way on mand some stretching and core strength. from the group, and an affirmation that my mat, I can say ‘oh this hurts,’ Though the yoga neither flows nor brings feels something like a tee-ball team hudI can say, ‘I like this music.’ We out the sweat, it does warm and loosen dle: “Very good, very good, yeah!” can laugh, and enjoy the moment. the body in no time. And, it’s accessible There’s one thing keeping this class There’s no atmosphere of compeenough to be a first-time yoga class. from veering into screwball territory—it tition, nobody’s showing off, noAfter the stretching, the laughs be- doesn’t take itself too seriously. came intentional. With palms placed “It’s yoga, but it’s on the stomach, fingertips together, the more lighthearted. Some class huffed out a series of “ha-ha’s.” Next, people think yoga is too hands on chest for a series of “he-he’s;” spiritual, or religious. and then fingertips on throat for a series I have nothing against of “ho-ho’s.” There’s also Jaziri’s version of chanting classes; I take the Cobra pose (think sea lion impres- them all the time. But it sion). In this position, the class looked throws some people off,” up—open-mouthed and with tongues Jaziri explains. extended, as if catching snowflakes—and Silver Spring resi“ha-ha’d” at the ceiling. dent, Rodney White, “When our tongue is out it actually who takes Laughing relaxes all the muscles in your neck, your Yoga, Zumba, Doonya, Crocodile pose with a side of giggles. (Michele Iris Hall pictured center, jaw, your face, your shoulders. You don’t and other yoga classes to Katherine Walker pictured right). Photo by Jazelle Hunt.

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body’s dressed in the perfect yoga gear.”

The mental and emotional pickme-up is a big draw, too. Jaziri believes that starting the day with happiness—even if that means smiling in the morning and listening to Pharrell’s “Happy,” even when you don’t feel like it—changes the entire day.

Katherine Walker, a student at George Washington, had a similar impression after trying Laughing Yoga for the first time.

“My mood is a lot more lifted now.

At first when I was thinking about coming [to Jordin’s Paradise] I was wondering, you know, what is Laughing Yoga?” she says. “But Rania’s laugh is contagious, so I started laughing. It’s actually very genuine, everyone is really friendly and it’s a good environment. Just try it one time, and you’ll come back.”

And, according to White, who travels from his Rockville office to take the class, the positivity reverberates.

“I’m always happier. People see that and say, ‘hey you’re really happy, you always bring me up at work.’ It gives me the energy to keep going, be pleasant, and see the lighter side of people and situations,” White shares. “When was the last time you had a good laugh?

You can come laugh with me, or you can come and laugh at me, because either way I’m going [to class].”

Laughing Yoga—Fridays at 4:30 p.m., at Jordin’s Paradise (1215 Connecticut Ave. NW 4th Fl.)—is FREE for all through April! Beyond that, a four-class pass is $49; an eight-class pass is $88; and a 10-class pass is $99. Unlimited classes per month for $149, or unlimited classes per year for $999. Call (202) 997-8211 or visit www.jordinsparadise.com for more information. u Midcity DC | April 2014 u 21

out and about

+ Music

The Little-Known Backbone of DC’s Music Scene Paperhaus’ Alex Tebeleff Bolsters the City’s Do-It-Yourself Community

T

he synthesizer Alex Tebeleff is fiddling with bellows out fat, futuristic sounds that vibrate the gut. He twists knobs back and forth and taps the keyboard, drawing out new tones. They sound like something from a video game.

Fellow Paperhaus bandmates Eduardo Rivera and Brandon Moses sit in the living room patiently waiting for him to wrap it up. “I’m making the filter punch itself in its face,” Tebeleff says later while describing how to modulate the instrument.

Tebeleff, 26, is making an impact on the city’s and possibly the nation’s music scene with more than just sounds. He manages Paperhaus, the do-it-yourself, or DIY, music venue

by Anthony J. Rivera

out of a Petworth neighborhood rowhouse. At one time several members of the band Paperhaus called the venue their home. Paperhaus has quietly become one of the best music venues in the District. At this point, Tebeleff says, he has to turn several acts away or refer them to another venue. Anyone who follows National Public Radio’s music critic, Bob Boilen, knows the house and the band have caught his attention.

The city’s legendary punk music scene opened Tebeleff ’s mind to the DIY method – producing shows at

unlicensed venues, often in residential homes. He became particularly distressed by what he calls the objectification of human beings by America’s economic system.

There is an ethic baked into the DIY scene, says Tebeleff, who prefers to call it DIT, or do-it-together.

The philosophy, he says, is all about creating options together, building a community and helping out fellow musicians. “It’s also people having the [expletive] to say, ‘You know what, nobody else is going to do this so I’m going to do it,’” he says.

Tebeleff also works as a booking agent for other underground venues around the city. Heavy metal, jazz,

punk, blues, pop, and even stand-up comedy – wherever the show is, he tends to prefer more diverse lineups.

“Alex seems to push the musical envelope,” says Matt Laslo, 31, a reporter for WAMU who covers Capitol Hill and is a lover of underground music.

Laslo says he has been to at least 50 shows at the Paperhaus. He remembers first coming around and seeing Tebeleff as a warm, welcoming face greeting people before show time. The only objective was to have fun and focus on the music.

Brandon Moses of the band Paperhaus watches as Alex Tebeleff toys with a synthesizer during practice.

Alex Tebeleff of the band Paperhaus smiles at the crowd during a show at Rock and Roll Hotel.

Instruments and equipment lie across the floor at Paperhaus in Petworth.

Alex Tebeleff of the band Paperhaus tweaks his new synthesizer during practice at the venue in Petworth.

22 u midcitydcnews.com

Paperhaus is not “straight edge,” the intoxicant-free lifestyle popularized by the District’s punk scene during the 1980s, but the band members say they are cautious about shows getting out of hand. The house, for instance, does not supply alcohol, although visitors are encouraged to “bring your own booze.” “When there’s not five people in your bathroom doing cocaine off a knife, you know, things tend to go a lot smoother,” bandmate Moses says.

Thousands of dirty shoes have worn the floors, carpet, and baseboard molding of the house. A bust of Darth Vader, a pile of yesterday’s mail, a guitar strap, a bass drum pedal, and more clutter the living room. A psychedelic sunburst blanket of blues and blacks separates the entryway of a makeshift bedroom from the rest of the place. The largest space on Paperhaus’ main floor is closest to the front door. It is clearly the staging area for the venue’s acts. When they practice, the band occupies the stage along with a few microphones, a guitar stand, and a galvanized metallic drum set.

It is strange to imagine this modest space in Northwest being a national-level destination for independent and underground bands, but that is exactly what it is. Ra-Jah Kelly, 30, is a manager at The Dunes, an art space and part-time music venue that Tebeleff helps book. He says Tebeleff is one of the most respected booking agents in the city. “He’s able to look at [the music business] from both perspectives,” says Kelly. “He’s very gregarious.”

“Besides Paperhaus and The Dunes, what else is there?” asks Sam Lu, 22, a George Washington Uni-

versity student studying international relations. Lu has been to at least six shows at Tebeleff ’s venue, and to nearly 30 shows around the city in the past year. No other DIY venues are as consistent or established, he says.

Much of Paperhaus’ success comes down to Tebeleff ’s commitment to all forms of art. The famous Russian abstract painter Wassily Kandinsky made an impression on him and it is clear why. Stand at the top of the stairs with a bird’s-eye view of the stage at Paperhaus. It is essentially a canvas filled with squiggly cords, oblong equipment, and intersecting straight lines that Tebeleff is constantly looking down at while on stage. This kind of abstract art has inspired countless artists and Tebeleff is no exception.

“The value of music in American society has changed,” he says. Musicians are favoring the quality of analog recordings over digital. The enthusiasm for vinyl records has been rebuilding steadily and, according to Tebeleff, live acts are regaining their place as the most credible demonstration of talent.

Tebeleff wants to push the envelope not only of the band’s music but also of the District’s artistic scene in general. “Our role I feel is becoming less and less important because there’s more and more people doing it,” he says. The DIY scene “shouldn’t be focused on one place … I think there should be lots of places.”

Talent, says Tebeleff, is blooming in this city; people just need to become more aware. “There’s culture here being created and it doesn’t have much to do with the Smithsonian,” says Moses. “Or Barack Obama,” Tebeleff adds. u Midcity DC | April 2014 u 23

out and about

+ Festivals

We’ve Got the Funk U Street to Host First Ever Funk Fest

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he first annual Funk Fest, coming to U St. on May 3, will be a dream come true for one native Washingtonian.

Justin Rood lives on the corner of 13th St. and U St. in a house that is rumored to have once been home to Duke Ellington. Months ago, Rood had a dream that a “funk parade” of local musicians was moving through his neighborhood around twilight. As the parade passed, people came out of their homes and joined in the fun.

“I woke up and thought that this was something that should already be happening,” Rood recalled.

After weeks of talking to people about how to go about organizing a funk parade, Rood crossed paths with Chris Naoum of Listen Local First, a non-profit dedicated to supporting local musicians.

“The businesses wanted a U St. festival. We want to get people out hanging in the streets during the day. It’s their driving support that got the idea off the ground,” Naoum said, adding that over 120 local businesses, non-profits, civic leaders and community groups are stakeholders in the event, including the African Civil War Museum, Kennedy Center, ANC1B and Councilmembers Jim Graham and Anita Bonds.

24 u midcitydcnews.com

by Denise Romano

A Day Full of Funk

The Funk Fest will begin at noon with a day fair along the U St. corridor. There will be performers, musicians, dancers, community non-profits and different vendors for the

public to directly interact with.

The parade kicks off at 5 p.m. at the corner of Vermont and V Streets. It will proceed west on V St. to Ben’s Alley Way, right next to the famed Ben’s Chili Bowl, down the alley, ending on U St. “It’s a very short and sweet parade. Given that this is the first year, this is what the city has allowed us to do,” Rood explained. “We are going to make it awesome this year and awesomer next year.”

Candice Mills and the Funk Parade All Star Band perform. Photo courtesy of the Funk Parade

Beginning at 7 p.m. and ending at 10 p.m., local music venues will be opening their doors hosting free live music. Participating so far are Solly’s U Street Tavern, U Street Music Hall and JoJo Restaurant and Bar.

U Street: A Cultural Hub

Holding the Funk Parade on U St. wasn’t by chance. Rood said, “U St. is the most culturally, economically and ethnically diverse place in the city.

This event brings excitement that is universally accessible to the young, the old and those from all walks of life.”

U St. has been where people celebrate after historical events for decades. Rood recalls the night Barack Obama was elected president in 2008, when crowds partied until 4 a.m. “I was seeing strangers hugging, a Metro bus got stuck and the driver was honking, everyone was out their windows cheering hours after the election was called,” he explained.

“I think that’s the power of the neighborhood that we want to capture and encourage.”

Naoum said that U St. is similar to Sixth St. in Austin, with a “vibrant, awesome feel centered around music.”

He said that the Funk Fest will be an “unbelievable way to really highlight and promote the amazingly talented musicians in our community: Go-Go, Latin, funk, jazz, hip-hop, reggae.”

Rood said that the festival focus is not just on performances, but being “interactive, participatory and collaborative. Anyone who wants to be in the parade can be in the parade. It’s all happening at a human level and hopefully can foster conversations and connections between

the audience and the performers themselves.”

A Boon for Business

Those who live and work on U St. are looking forward to the funk.

Todga Ereatur, owner of The Codmother, said that May 3 will be “awesome for business. It definitely will draw a lot of walking people here.”

Kian Parsee said that he will definitely check out the festival with his family.

Shoe Maker, the self-proclaimed mayor of the 10th St. block of U St. said that he hopes that the Funk Fest won’t be as raucous as the “Slut Walk” was last August when both men and women walked scantily clad through the streets, aiming to unify society by raising awareness of sexual assault and victim’s rights “We need some relaxation and peace of mind concerts. Give the people something to enjoy,” he said.

Making it happen

Organizers are still putting the finishing touches on the Funk Fest.

In the meantime, there is an Indiegogo campaign to make sure that the Funk Fest goes on without a hitch. To donate to the campaign, see a full schedule of events or to find out more information, visit FunkParade.com In addition, Local 16 is throwing a pig roast fundraiser on April 12 between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. Tickets are $15 and include all-you-can-eat pork and two Peronis. Purchase them at https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/first-dc-funk-parade/contributions/new?perk_amt=15&perk_ id=1867667. u Midcity DC | April 2014 u 25

your neighborhood

+ District Beat

The Primary’s Over!

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he District Democratic electorate has spoken. Councilwoman Muriel E. Bowser garnered 35,899 votes, a 44.24 percent plurality, to secure the Democratic mayoral nomination, though despite the spring weather, only 22.5 percent of registered Democrats bothered to go to the polls.

To put this in perspective, Bowser’s winning coalition constituted a mere 10 percent of her party and eight percent of the total electorate. In comparison, the ever-popular City Council Chairman Phil Mendelson garnered 58,711 votes on the same day.

How did Bowser manage to win a plurality with such low numbers? Many of Gray’s 2010 supporters stayed home.

by Andrew Lightman against Fenty,” says J.R. Meyers, a political consultant from Ward 5 and former Chief of Staff to Ward 7 Councilmember Yvette Alexander. In 2014, “people ultimately decided that they didn’t care. The City would operate equally well whether Vince or Muriel

amount of votes east of the river,” Greg Rhett, a resident of Eastland Gardens in Ward 7.

“The mayor’s campaign underperformed,” Meyers states.

Gray Supporters Stayed Home

In 2010, Gray won by generating large turnouts in Wards 4, 5, 7 and 8. Not surprisingly, given the ongoing federal investigation into his 2010 campaign, Gray lost an enormous amount of support between 2010 and 2014 in these wards, an average Voters gather at Thankful Baptist Church on Capitol Hill. Photo: Andrew Lightman drop of 17.55 percent in overall turn out. Most of these defections were in the won,” Meyers says. city’s eastern regions. In Ward 7, between 2010 and “There have been so many regular and special 2014, Gray lost 9,687 votes. In Ward 5, he saw his elections that voters are fatigued. Even if the numtally reduced by 9,939. Similar reductions occurred bers were higher, the percentages would have rein Wards 4 and 8. mained constant,” Meyers continues.

Where did the 2010 Gray voters go in the city’s “[Any] candidate of any party, who was compeeastern Wards? tent and honest, and could deliver economic oppor“In 2010, people got animated about voting tunities, he or she would have gotten a substantial 26 u midcitydcnews.com

Breaking Down Bowser

Fueled by Machen’s revelations involving Gray’s 2010 campaign, Bowser racked up votes in the city’s western wards. In Ward 1, a 45.92 percent win at the polls brought her 4,654 votes. In Ward 2, she received slight majority of 50.53 percent garnering 3,398 votes.

Bowser’s big win was in Ward 3. There, buoyed by multiple Washington Post endorsements, she secured 64.15 percent of the vote totaling 7,736 ballots. In Ward 6, she squeaked by favorite son Tommy Wells with 4,850 votes or 37.72 percent of the total.

Together the city’s western wards constituted 57.77 percent of Bowser’s total haul. Clearly, her campaign’s message of eliminate Gray at all costs resonated. “(US Attorney) Ronald Machen was the decider.

He killed Wells and Evans. He got voters to think strategically,” says Meyers. “Voters valued their vote and used it to pick a winner,” he continues.

“Voters were not affirmatively voting for Muriel, but defensively against Gray,” concurs Elissa Silverman, former Loose Lips, who ran in the 2013 special election for the At-Large seat.

After romping through the city’s western wards, Bowser secured an additional 7,439 votes on her home turf of Ward 4. This was roughly the same amount she received in the 2008 and 2012 primaries.

Interestingly, Bowser got 1,000 fewer votes than her mentor, Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, garnered in the 2010 Primary. Bowers fell just short of securing a majority in Ward 4 with only 49.98 of the total.

By holding steady in her home ward and bring in the western wards, Bowser cobbled together a large enough plurality to secure the Democratic nomination.

“Muriel executed her plan and got her target numbers,” states Meyers. “She needs to embrace the Gray supporters and continue to campaign on the same high level.”

Catania’s Challenge

In most years, victory in the District’s Democratic primary would all but guarantee one’s election. The November general election, usually held a few weeks after the primary, was regarded as a mere formality. All of this changed when the date of the primary was moved to April in 2012.

The gap between April and November provides sufficient time to mount an Independent or

Republican campaign against the A Comparison of 2010 and 2014 Democratic nominee. Petitions can be picked up in mid-June and must Turnout Among Gray Supporters be filed a month later. Long summer days provide excellent conditions for campaigning.

Recognizing the opportunity afforded by the change in schedule, the At-Large, Independent, Councilmember David A. Catania declared his intention to run for mayor on March 12.

First elected as a Republican in a 1997 special election, Catania, who shed his party affiliation in 2004, has been elected a total of five times. It is important to remember that voters for the At-Large council memfinances, healthcare and emergency services, burber can vote for two candidates. Many vote for the ied under the weight of Machen’s investigation, Democrat without selecting a second choice. For are likely to reemerge over the next few months as example, in 2006, this so-called ‘under vote’ totaled Bowser and Catania step up to each other.

65,387. So those who vote for Catania are likely to “Muriel and David Catania are very similar on be more committed to him. economic policy. Where they differ is on social policy, In the last three November general elections, where David is more liberal. Running against CataCatania has averaged 55,000 votes. This constitutes nia is going to force her to come up with a vision for an average of 30 percent of the total votes cast. In a Bowser administration.” observes Silverman. contrast, Phil Mendelson, the Democratic candiAlways the policy wonk, “David is going to try date, received an average of 95,000 votes or 51 per- to convince voters that he is the smartest person in cent of the total. the room,” concurs Meyers.

Catania’s strength is greatest in Wards 3, 4 and Bowser, for her part, will be busy mending fences 6 where he routinely gets an average of 9,000 votes. with the city’s many Democratic constituencies. FeelIn 2006 and 2010, he received more votes in Ward ings wounded in the cut and thrust of the campaign 4 than Bowser. In Ward 3, he received more than will have to be set aside to foster unity in the face of 11,000 votes in all three previous elections. So it is Catania’s Independent challenge. In the meantime, clear that Catania has the base to run on. voters will be working to get over their fatigue.

Barbara Savage, a longtime resident of Hillcrest, has yet to make up her mind about her choice From Ethics to Policy in November.

She looks forward to hearing from “I think the vote on April 1 showed that there both candidates. is a great desire for a change in the way the city is “I believe that our vote should be based on governed. As we get into a new campaign in which what’s most important to this city. Not about voters are judging who should be mayor rather gender.

Not about race. Not about sexual orientathan who should not be mayor, more attention will tion.

But about the ability of the person to govern be paid to issues and records,” said former Ward the District.

I have always voted that way.

6 Councilmember Sharon C. Ambrose, Chair of We can’t be one city if we are not being inclusive,” Catania for Mayor. u says Savage.

Issues of homelessness, education, taxation and Midcity DC | April 2014 u 27

your neighborhood

+ The Numbers

Making Sure There’s A Place To Call Home

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huge spike in families seeking shelter this winter caught DC’s leaders by surprise – and highlighted major shortcomings in the city’s homeless services. Instead of moving out of shelter quickly, hundreds of homeless families remain stuck in a run-down city shelter, budget motels, and until recently, rec center gym floors. The failures have been so monumental that homeless services became a major issue in the Democratic mayoral primary.

But the end of the political primary season is not a time for attention to wane. This year’s homeless problem has its roots in a broken system – one that left our main shelter nearly full even before winter – and a tremendous lack of low-cost housing. How DC government responds as the weather climbs above freezing – and how it prepares for next winter – is extremely important to ensure that what happened this past winter doesn’t happen again.

The solutions include better program management, increased funding for selected programs, and stepped-up efforts to create a supply of affordable housing. None of that will happen without leaders who see this as an urgent problem that they take responsibility for.

Dc Should Do Better

By Homeless Families Next Year

DC’s family shelters start to swell every November, because city law gives families a right to shelter when tem28 u midcitydcnews.com

by Kate Coventry and Jenny Reed

peratures are below freezing. Yet this winter, the main emergency shelter at the former DC General Hospital was nearly at capacity when winter started.

That led to a number of unfortunate steps.

First, the city began to place homeless families in low-cost motel rooms.

Then, after concerns were raised from officials in the Maryland suburbs about motel placements there, DC began to turn to recreation centers as shelter.

Mayor Gray and his team saw rec center gyms not only as last-ditch shelter but also as a way to discourage families from seeking shelter by offering deplorable living conditions.

The rec centers had flimsy partitions that did not provide privacy, sleeping spaces without doors, lights that were often kept on all night, and no access to showers. Families in rec centers also had to reapply for shelter in person every day, and were not allowed in any night when temperatures stayed above 32 degrees.

The conditions were so deplorable, in fact, that families placed in recreation centers took legal action -- and won. DC Superior Court judge. Judge Robert Okun issued an injunction against using rec centers, noting the irreparable harm that would be caused to the families if they continued to stay there.

The city argues it does

not have space beyond rec centers. So the mayor’s plan is to put out all families that came into shelter after January 30, when the weather warms this spring. Remember that all of these families came into shelter because they had no safe place to go. Most still do not and yet will have no access to shelter until next winter.

Leaving families with no safe and stable place to go is bad not only for them but for the city as a whole. The de-stabilizing impacts of homelessness make it hard for parents to get back on their feet and hard for children to succeed in school. Failure to help families also would likely result in a repeat next year of this year’s crisis.

Instead of putting families with children on the street, the city should place families in stable shelter, provide services to address the problems that led to homelessness, and allow them to stay in shelter until they help the family secure housing – undoing the harmful effects of homelessness as quickly as possible.

500 Families, 100 Days

In response to growing pressure, Mayor Gray announced a new effort to identify 500 apartments for homeless families by June – over a period of 100 days. Most families would receive short-term subsidies with supportive services, but the most troubled families would get long-term help. This effort will reduce the number of homeless families in shelter so that DC General is not full next winter, making it easier to absorb the inevitable increase in homeless families that will occur.

Mayor Gray said it was a “call to arms” to the wider community—including landlords, realtors, developers, banks and the faith community—to identify low-cost apartments for these families.

DCFPI applauds this effort and has advocated along with others for just such an approach. But it is important that this be seen not as a onetime event but instead that is followed up with long-term

reforms to the way homeless services are provided.

Avoiding A Crisis Next Winter

Given the District’s breathtaking loss of moderately or low-priced housing, the city needs a system to address the inevitable problem of homelessness. That includes better implementation of programs that work, increased funding, and a better supply of low-cost housing for families trying to exit shelters.

Those Key Steps Include the Following:

Better staffing and operations of key programs. The District aims to serve most homeless families with “rapid re-housing,” a program that moves families from shelter into housing quickly with temporary subsidies and social supports. But the program is under-staffed and training is inadequate to ensure all providers use best practices. Mayor Gray pledged to hire more staff, but that is moving slowly.

Better use of supportive housing for most troubled families. Permanent Supportive Housing uses the successful “housing first” model to place families into long-term housing and then provide wrap-around services.

Yet while the city budget provided funding since last October to place 20 families, the Gray Administration has not moved a single family.

The District should not only use those budgeted slots but also identify more funding to serve the remaining families in need.

Targeted efforts to keep families from becoming homeless. The District could adopt the “Homebase”

model from New York City to target emergency rental assistance funds and to provide supports to families on the verge of seeking shelter. DC also can look to the Cleveland Mediation Center for ways to help families avoid shelter by safely reconnecting with relatives and friends.

Offering access to shelter beyond the winter. As noted, families have access to shelter only in cold weather. Opening up shelter access year round would help avoid a crush of families seeking help each winter.

It also would enable families to get help when they need it, thus undoing the effects of homelessness as quickly as possible. Homelessness doesn’t depend on the weather, and neither should DC’s policy to shelter families with no safe place to go.

Developing a real effort to create low-cost housing. No effort to reduce homelessness can be successful in the long-term without increased resources for affordable housing. Rapid re-housing depends on a sufficient number of low-cost units for families to move into. And most poor families spend more than half their income on housing, leaving thousands at risk of homelessness.

Our city can do a much better job than it did this year to help families reestablish their lives in the community and regain the stability needed to take proper care of their children.

Getting as many families out of shelter this spring and summer will help thousands of children and allow the District to start next winter on the right foot.

Kate Coventry and Jenny Reed are analysts with the DC Fiscal Policy Institute. u Midcity DC | April 2014 u 29

your neighborhood

+ Strictly Business

Licensing Madness

by Miriam Savad Strictly Business is a column for small businesses in Washington, DC, examining individual cases and exploring how the city could be more small business friendly.

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cquiring a business license is one of the final, and costly, hurdles to jump through when starting a business. Most businesses need a Basic Business License (BBL) or a Professional License from the DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA). Licenses must be renewed every two years, and DCRA licenses more than 30,000 small businesses citywide in over 150 different categories.

Of course, prior to applying for a BBL, there are a number of steps to take that are required for all licenses business activities, including: Obtaining a valid Federal Employee Identification Number (FEIN); registering with the Office of Tax and Revenue and showing that you’ve filed an FR500 for DC business tax; obtaining a Certificate of Occupancy for your business premise or a Home Occupation Permit if you work out of your home; submitting a Clean Hands Self Certification form attesting that you do not owe more than $100 to the DC government ; and, if you are a corporation, partnership or limited liability company you must be registered in the District, be in good standing and have a Registered Agent To file for a new BBL you can apply online, mail in an application or go in person to the Business License Center at DCRA. BBL fees include 30 u midcitydcnews.com

an application fee of $77, an additional $27.50 per endorsement (business activity) fee, and “license category fees” that relate directly to business activities.

While many businesses will just require a General Business License, there are also specialized license categories for food establishments, industry, and specific service with separate fees.

These specialized license fees vary greatly. For example, a bakery has a category license fee of $375, in addition to application, endorsement and technology fees, which bring the total to $517. A grocery store has license fee of $289, with a total cost of $422.40.

An ice cream manufacture license has a license fee of $2,730, with the total cost around $3,107. (Does this explain why we have so few ice cream shops in the District?)

According to DCRA spokesperson Matt Orlins, “The District’s intent is to set business licensing fees that reflect the government’s actual cost in processing the licensure request. For example, the fee for a restaurant, which requires health inspections, ought to higher than the cost for a street photographer’s business license, which would not require a health inspection. In the case of a bakery versus an ice cream manufacturer, an ice cream manufacturer may be more akin to a dairy, which has historically cost much more to license than many other food providers. When the Council enacted Title 47 in 1996, the biennial fee for a bakery was set at $222, and the annual fee for a dairy was $3,300. An ice cream manufacturer fell in the middle

at $1,050, annually.”

Lourdes Morales of the Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce has provided technical assistance to aspiring entrepreneurs in the DC Metro area for many years.

She tells the story of one individual who put 20 years of his personal savings into opening a restaurant. But, by the time he signed a lease and obtained all the permits, he didn’t have the $500 needed to pay for his license. Constrained by language barriers and little credit, he had limited access to capital and had difficulty in planning properly for the expense. Morales has seen many entrepreneurs stuck by these barriers and costs.

As the licensing fees can prove to be a significant cost, some entrepreneurs look to the surrounding jurisdictions when preparing their business plans and doing cost-benefit analyses.

Arlington County has a very different approach than the District (all Northern VA counties have similar policies).

The actual business license cost for the majority of businesses in Arlington County depends on the amount of business activity each year as measured by gross receipts: • If your gross receipts for an activity are less than $10,000, you owe no tax • If your gross receipts for an activity are between $10,001 and $50,000, you owe $30 • If your gross receipts for an activity are between $50,001 and $100,000, you owe $50 • If your gross receipts for an activ-

ity exceed $100,000, the tax rate is based on the type of business (for example, for retailers/wholesalers the rate is $.20 for every $100) Similarly, in Maryland, business licensing is done on the county level and through the county court house, although some licenses can be applied for online. Fewer types of businesses require licenses, so generally unless an auctioneer, plumber or laundry service, many small businesses owners would actually be exempt. In Montgomery County a restaurant would have to pay $25 for a 12-month license and a cleaning/laundry service with fewer than 10 employees would have to pay $15.

Given that DC licensing fees are predominantly consistently higher and a more complex than the surrounding counties, I encourage DCRA, as per Mayor Gray’s Business Regulatory Task Force recommendations, and the Committee on Business, Consumer and Regulatory Affairs chaired

by Councilmember Vincent Orange, to review and compare licensing fees, analyzing any adverse effects on potential and current small businesses. Like in Virginia, business fees should be determined by a business’s revenue, rather than an outdated system based on costs to the District. DC’s current licensing fees were set in December 2010 under Mayor Adrian Fenty and can be changed either legislatively by the DC Council or by rulemaking.

Miriam Savad is an activist for community economic empowerment living in Washington, DC. u

Midcity DC | April 2014 u 31

your neighborhood

+ Bulletin Board

Bulletin Board Up in the Air: NoMa Launches WiFi

It’s not just spring that’s in the air in NoMa: A brand-new, free outdoor WiFi network is also in the air and now available in many outdoor public spaces throughout the neighborhood.

The first phase of this new service has been installed by the NoMa BID, and

additional phases are planned. As the first neighborhood in Washington, D.C., to offer free outdoor WiFi, the NoMa BID is providing this interactive amenity to make NoMa even livelier. To access the system, select “NoMa Connected” from the list of wireless networks on your mobile device or laptop. Click the CLICK HERE box to agree to the Terms and

Trinidad Art in the Alley Call for Artists

Conditions. You’re connected! nomabid.org/wifi

Blo Blow Dry Bar to Opens in Dupont

Blo Blow Dry Bar, the world’s largest Blow Dry Bar chain, opened its first Washington DC location in Dupont Circle on Mar. 22. Just steps from Embassy Row, Blo is the perfect place to go for bullet-proof confidence before work (opening as early as 7 a.m. by appointment only), or post work-out session, 7 days a week.

You’re not cheating on your hairdresser. Scissors are verboten.

Dye, ditto. No cuts, no color: Just WASH BLOW GO. Hair Cadets (aka Clients) choose from seven styles. Walk-ins accepted and online reservations are available for the time-pressed (go to blomedry.com). Blo Blow Dry Bar is at 2126 P St. NW. 202293-2258

Historic Dupont Circle Main Streets Spring Fling

Photo: Courtesy of FRESHFARM Markets

Penn Quarter Farmers’ Market Offers CSA Program

The market is open Thursdays, 3:00-7:00 p.m., through Dec 18, at the north end of 8th St, between D St. and E St., NW. A Community Supported Agricultural Program (CSA) is available at the market. The CSA Includes a variety of fruits and vegetables sourced from numerous farmers at each market. Add-on items include bread, eggs, yogurt, milk and a weekly “market treat are available for purchase.” A newsletter about the CSA and recipes from FRESHFARM Markets popular Chefat-Market program are included. Runs for two 12-week sessions: May 14-July 31 and Aug. 13-Oct. 30. Medium shares that feed 1-2 people are available for $25 a week; large shares that feed 3-4 people are available for $35 a week. To learn more about the CSA, visit freshfarmmarketcsa.squarespace.com.

32 u midcitydcnews.com

Historic Dupont Circle Main Streets is organizing its annual Spring Fling: Silent Auction and Buffet Dinner on Thursday, Apr. 24, 6-9 p.m. in the Washington Hilton Hotel, 1919 Connecticut Ave. NW. Tickets are $15 in advance; $20 at the door. Buy tickets at eventbrite.com/e/spring-fling-silentauction-tickets-11024439395.

Auction pre-bidding goes live on Apr. 17 at dupontcircle.biz.

Art in the Alley is a one-day art festival celebrating local art in local places.

It is held twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall in the alley behind 1200 block of Florida Ave. NE, Trinidad, DC. The next event is Saturday May 10, 6-10 p.m. Art in the Alley is open to artists living in the greater DC metro area. Preference is given to artist from the Trinidad neighborhood and Northeast DC. All mediums are accepted. Emerging, self-taught and outsider artists are encouraged to participate. The submission deadline is April 26. Artists will receive confirmation by May 1. All artwork must be installed at venue between 3-5 p.m. the day of the event and removed between 10-11 p.m. the same day. Art is displayed along alley walls and fences. Limited additional display panels are available. There is no limit to the number of pieces or size of artwork. Artists are welcome to create artwork during the event. Apply online at artinthealleydc.wordpress.com.

Playwrights’ Collective “The Welders” Awarded $5,000 to Produce New Works

The Welders—Washington’s only playwrights’ collective devoted exclusively to developing and producing new plays—has been granted $5,000 by the Hollister-Clagett Family Foundation for the Performing Arts. The grant is offered to emerging arts organizations that develop and produce new work.

Based in Alexandria, VA, the Hollister-Clagett Family Foundation for the Performing Arts supports small organizations devoted to deeply exploring all aspects of their art form.

“We believe that The Welders fulfill

our idea of the continuing creativity and innovation needed to engage audiences and make an impact on our lives and our community,” said Charlotte Hollister, president of the foundation. thewelders.org

Shaw Main Streets Annual Meeting Rescheduled

The Shaw Main Streets Annual Meeting scheduled for Mar. 25, had to be postponed due to delays in completing construction on the venue, the glass-enclosed rooftop lounge at City Market at O’s West Building at 800 P St. NW. For the safety and comfort of meeting attendees, they have rescheduled the meeting to Tuesday, Apr. 29, 7-9 p.m.

AT&T Expands 4G LTE Coverage to More U Street Customers

As part of its continuing network investment and ongoing 4G LTE rollout, AT&T has activated an additional mobile Internet cell site in Washington, DC in the heart of the vibrant U Street Corridor, near Vermont Avenue. The new cell site is one part of AT&T’s ongoing efforts to expand 4G LTE coverage and to drive investment and innovation to deliver the nation’s best, most advanced mobile Internet experience for customers.

Register for Adult Acting Classes at The Studio Theatre Acting Conservatory

Summer intensive is full-day immersion. Morning classes include movement, voice, and improvisation.

Daily afternoon acting training includes monologues and scene study from both contemporary and classical literature. Movement, Voice, ImMidcity DC | April 2014 u 33

provisation, and Acting performances at class end. Two three-week programs available. Register at studiotheatre.org/education/classes/ youngactorregistration.aspx.

Yarn Swap @ MLK Library

Knitters and crocheters know that there is no such thing as too much yarn. On Apr. 14, 6-7:30 p.m. at MLK Library (first floor), come to the Knitty Gritty Committee’s first-ever yarn swap, and trade stashes, needles, notions and other fiber artsy supplies. If you would like to participate in the trade, bring at least one skein of yarn that is in good condition. Feel free to bring more, as the more you bring, the more you trade. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G St. NW. 202-727-0321. dclibrary.org/mlk

DC Circulator Summer Hours

Outdoor BBQ Returns to the National Building Museum

Hill Country’s Backyard Barbecue will return to the National Building Museum’s West Lawn. The immwensely popular outdoor experience will open Thursday, May 1 and run through Labor Day weekend. In addition to award-winning Texas-style barbecue and ice-cold Shiner beers, the Backyard Barbecue will offer live music from local and touring artists. The Museum will again host a number of late nights so that visitors can enjoy barbecue and great summer programming inside the Great Hall. The National Building Museum is at 401 F St. NW. Starting Thursday, May 1, Hill Country’s Backyard Barbecue will be open Thursday through Saturday from 4–9 p.m. Additionally, the outdoor venue will be available as a premiere private-event space throughout the summer. For more information about Hill Country Barbecue Market or Hill Country’s Backyard Barbecue, contact Sarah Abell at Baltz & Company at sabell@baltzco.com, 917-584-8567 or Melissa Gold at mgold@ hillcountrywdc.com, 703-599-1643.

The DC Circulator is running extended service hours for the summer season on the following two routes: Union Station-Navy Yard route will run Monday through Friday, 6 a.m.-9 p.m. and Saturdays, 7 a.m.-9 p.m.). Extended service will be provided for Washington Nationals baseball games and buses along this route will run additional service on game days. Potomac Ave-Skyland via Barracks Row route will run Monday through Friday, 6 a.m.-9 p.m. and Saturdays, 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Both routes are increasing service by two hours on weeknights and adding Saturday service. The extended hours will last until Sept. 30.

For every Washington Nationals night game (beginning at 4:05 p.m. or later), the Union StationNavy Yard route service will operate until midnight.

For Sunday home games, Circulator will operate this route from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Known for its convenient 10-minute headways, the Circulator costs $1 a ride, with additional discounts for seniors and District students. More information about the routes and schedules is available at dccirculator.com.

District Plans to Swap Land to Preserve Brookland Green

Plans have been announced for the District’s De-

34 u midcitydcnews.com

partment of General Services to swap unused parcels of land in exchange for the Brookland Green site owned by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. WMATA plans to redevelop the land adjacent to the Brookland Metro Station. Those plans originally included redeveloping the Brookland Green, a parcel of land that contains mature trees. Under the proposed agreement, the District would assume control of the Brookland Green site, leaving the remainder of the land to be developed by WMATA.

Permit to Distill Liquor Now Available to District ABC Establishments

Three new alcoholic beverage laws are in effect that could impact the businesses of on-premise establishments and alcohol manufacturers in the District.

An ABC licensed restaurant, tavern, nightclub, hotel or multipurpose facility that has a class C license can now apply with the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation

Administration (ABRA) for a Distillery Pub Permit. The permit allows an on-premise establishment to manufacture, distill and store craft liquors—like gin and vodka—on licensed premises or in an area immediately adjacent to the premises. The Distillery Pub Licensure Act of 2013 (B20-29) also permits licensees to sell the liquor they produce to patrons for either on or off-premise consumption. Sales for offpremise consumption must be in sealed containers and can occur from 7 a.m.-midnight, seven days a week. Spirits may also be sold to wholesalers for resale to other ABC licensees in the District. An ABC licensed establishment can apply for a distillery pub permit by visiting ABRA’s office located at 2000 14th St. NW. The annual fee for the permit is $7,500.

Household Hazardous Waste and Ecycling Drop-off Every Saturday

The DC Department of Public Works will accept household hazardous waste and e-cycling at the Ft. Totten Transfer Station* every Saturday (except holidays) starting Saturday, Apr. 5, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. DPW will continue to accept documents for shredding the first Saturday only (except holidays) of the month. District residents may bring toxic HHW items such as pesticides, batteries and cleaning fluids to Ft. Totten, along with e-cycling items such as computers, televisions and other unwanted electronic equip.m.ent. On the first Saturday only, residents may bring up to five boxes of documents to be shredded. No business or commercial material will be accepted. To accommodate residents whose religious beliefs prohibit them from using the Saturday drop-off, DPW will accept household hazardous waste and e-cyclables the first Thursday of the month, 1-5 p.m. Ft. Totten is at 4900 John F. McCormack Dr. NE. To get there, travel east on Irving St. NW, turn left on Michigan Ave., turn left on John F. McCormack Dr. NE and continue to the end of the street.

New Central Union Mission Building Dedicated

Washington’s oldest social service agency has

returned to the heart of the nation’s capital. Central Union Mission’s new location at the Gales School, 65 Massachusetts Ave. NW, was dedicated on Mar. 25. The dedication ceremony culminates two years of construction and many years of planning and negotiation between the District government and Central Union Mission. The Mission successfully competed in the public solicitation process conducted by the District’s Department of Real Estate Services to identify an organization to restore the former school building for use as a homeless shelter. Approximately $15 million of private funds will be invested to renovate the facility using a sustainable design that will maintain the building’s historic integrity.

Cox Graae + Spack Architects modernized the interior, which includes a 5,000-square-foot addition. The building’s classrooms were converted into living quarters, office space, day rooms and meeting rooms. The former basement and attic are now offices, an exercise room, a clothing distribution room, laundry facilities, living suites and common areas. The new facility offers space for transitional housing and residential suites; legal, medical, dental and drug treatment services; job, life skills and computer training; and adult literacy and GED classes. Brailsford & Dunlavey provided project management for the Gales School in addition to pro bono work in pursuing other potential Mission locations. Forrester Construction began work in summer 2012, and BB&T Bank provided financial support. Landscaping includes a courtyard on Massachusetts Avenue with trees donated by Casey Trees.

Central Union Mission is a faithbased 501(c)(3) nonprofit. In addition to its emergency shelter program,

the Mission operates a rehabilitation program for men with life-controlling issues, a clothing and furniture distribution center, a retreat and recreation center with a camp for underprivileged children and a ministry to families. For additional information, contact Deborah Chambers, director of strategic partnerships and community engagement, at 202-745-7118, ext. 227, or visit missiondc.org.

German-Born Architects in Downtown DC Walking Tour

In the mid-19th century, many talented architects fleeing repressive regimes in Germany settled in Washington, DC, where they designed and built everything from private residences to large government buildings. A century later, in the same tradition, Mies van der Rohe’s starkly monumental Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library added a distinctly modern and internationalist note to DC’s old German immigrant neighborhood. On Wednesday, Apr. 23, noon-1 p.m., local historian and tour guide Elizabeth Sherman will reveal first-hand how architects Julius Germuiller, Julius Wenig, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe—and especially Adolf Cluss—left their indelible stamp on the built identity of our nation’s capital. In conjunction with AIA DC Architecture Week. Meeting point will be in front of the National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW ( Judiciary Square Metro). No charge. RSVP to goetheinstitutwashington.eventbrite.com.

DC: Replacing Graffiti with Free Murals

The Department of Public Works (DPW) is seeking wall donations for its graffiti prevention initiative MuralsDC. Funded by DPW in cooperation with

the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, MuralsDC replaces tagged walls with original works of art. DPW will consider submissions for this free program that meet the following criteria: Donated space must be for commercial use (cannot be a private residence) and located in the District of Columbia. The program will consider concrete and brick surfaces only. Donated space must be highly visible by vehicles and/ or pedestrian traffic. Property owners can download a MuralsDC Authorization and Release Form at dpw.dc.gov by selecting “Sanitation Services” in the left navigation menu, then “Litter and Graffiti Prevention” and then “MuralsDC”. Further information is also available by contacting Nancee.lyons@ dc.gov or visiting muralsdcproject.com.

Ben’s Opens in Arlington

On Thursday, Mar. 6, Ben’s Chili Bowl opened the doors of its first new stand-alone location in over 55 years at 1725 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA. Visitors to Washington, DC have usually heard about Ben’s Chili Bowl long before their arrival. Many remember the news of President Obama stopping by to enjoy a Chili Half Smoke. Ben’s has been seen on Man vs. Food, CNN, Oprah, Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations, Good Morning America, Larry the Cable Guy, Pauly Shore, The Daily Show, and countless other national and international shows.

For 55 years, Ben’s has graciously served the people, and every guest has always been embraced as family. When segregation was still alive, Ben’s offered a peaceful gathering place and safe haven for all people, regardless of any differences in background or perspective.

Society has grown and changed, but Ben’s remains the same and continues

to celebrate people from all walks of life as they come together to eat, laugh, and discuss life as they see it.

Playable Art DC International Design Competition

The DC Office of Planning (OP) announced today the Playable Art DC international design competition, an innovative effort to bring art-based play spaces to underserved neighborhoods.

Playable Art DC promotes the use of art as a means of creating new types of play spaces in areas that are constrained by space, topography, or other barriers such as busy streets. The art works will also explore different themes of play including creative play, physical play, social interaction, and games. The application deadline is Thursday, Apr. 24, 2014. For more information about Playable Art DC, visit playableartdc.org.

Foreclosure Prevention and Legal Services Hotline

DC residents who find themselves behind on their mortgage, being sued by their lender, or confronting a potential mortgage scam are urged to call a new hotline set up by Housing Counseling Services, Inc. and funded by the DC Department of Insurance, Securities, and Banking. Depending on your circumstances, DC residents may receive free housing counseling from a HUD approved, non-profit housing counseling agency and free legal services. The hotline (202-265-2255) is staffed Monday through Friday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Messages will be taken during all other hours and returned by the end of the next business day. You may also send an email to info@housingetc.org. u

Midcity DC | April 2014 u 35

your neighborhood

Logan Circles

by Mark F. Johnson

District Flea Market which opened on April 5

Fearless Flyer Finds Fans on Fourteenth

When Trader Joe’s opened its 14th Street location around the Ides of March, you might have thought it was Michael Jackson who came back from the dead instead of Julius Caesar. That’s because the store blasted the pop Thriller’s music while its opening day party was going on inside, and a long line of people waited on the street to get in.

The store was so busy that first weekend that it ran out of the Washington, DC, Trader Joe’s shopping bags. The food chain commissions bags for various locations and they have become collector’s items, it seems. Actually the new Trader Joe’s, on the ground level of the Louis 14 rental building near the corner of 14th and U, is larger than the location in Foggy Bottom, the other nearby one, according to staff. It has wide aisles, the usual winding checkout line, and of course the requisite below-street-level parking.

We Can Go Dutch in Mid-City

We have already reported the Dutch takeover of 1830 14th St., a now beautiful 19th-century building painted to look like a house in Amsterdam. The 36 u midcitydcnews.com

building sat vacant for a while after the art gallery closed and Hunted House Vintage and Mid Century Modern furnishings moved from the upstairs to H Street NE two years ago. Now Amsterdam Falafel has opened its second location in the city on the ground level of the building, turning the long space into a cleaner, fresher version of the original and smaller space on Adams-Morgan’s main street, otherwise known as 18th Street. The falafel shop is known as an afterhours hangout for the drunk and hungry, and chances are it will attract a similar crowd among the late-nighters in teeming U/14. The new franchise does not yet have a liquor license, so no alcohol, at least not right now.

Also, Amsterdam Falafel has not expanded upstairs, so the spirit of the 1960s and 70s has not been disturbed.

Streets Market Has Opened Too

The term “food desert” hasn’t aptly described 14th Street for several years, as it generally denotes an area of low(er)-income residents where betterknown and better-stocked food stores are less willing to locate. That aside, U/14 is more a food-store oasis these days, and Streets Market on the ground level of Capitol View is the newest one to sprout up in the food-fertile area. Located at the corner of 14th and Chapin, Streets Market sells organic and locally grown produce, meats, and, following the current natural kick, eco-friendly products for the house, like detergents and sprays. They promise to open a bakery when the weather warms up for good.

The multi-windowed space is actually quite attractive. Anyone walking down 14th from Columbia Heights on the way to Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods

can’t help but notice the nice layout of the new store.

Crème, the restaurant from 13th and U, is about to relocate to Capitol View very soon.

T H

Graham Brings Forth a Bill to Help Ward 1 Businesses

e S S o t b m

Ward 1 Council member Jim Graham has introduced a bill to designate business-rich areas like U/14 and Adams-Morgan as retail priority areas, which would allow certain businesses to apply for grants under the Great Streets DC program. These grants allow businesses to enlarge their premises, build display cabinets, and expand their signage among other things that supposedly help make a business more appealing to customers and enhance the overall character of the street. There are 11 such designated areas in the city including H Street NE, which was the first.

Compared to areas like Georgia Avenue, North Capitol Street, and H Street NE, U/14 and Adams-Morgan, desirable business locations for years if not decades, would not seem to need this kind of help, but of course all areas of the city have gone through various degrees of a slump. As newer, more affluent residents flock to DC, making business districts even more attractive is not a bad idea. For Graham it is also an election year. He has faced tougher competition than in the past, and winning business support helps in an election year.

The Memories Are All Washed Away

Can’t believe I forgot to wish a fond farewell to Mr. Wash on 13th just south of Logan Circle before it washed its last car a couple months ago. The long-standing car wash company, the only one in the area and certainly the most popular, especially on sunny weekend mornings and afternoons, was razed for the development of a residential project on the site. I’m sure most of us in the U/14-Logan Circle neighborhood have seen our dingy chariots emerge dazzlingly clean after a run through the car wash. I had a great chat with former mayor Adrian Fenty there shortly after he lost the election to Vincent Gray four years ago.

Perhaps he too was there to wash away the memories! u

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Shaw Streets

by Pleasant Mann

Thurgood Marshall Center Honors Phenomenal Seniors

The Thurgood Marshall Center Trust held a ceremony on Feb. 28 to honor the District’s “Phenomenal Seniors.” Awards went to Cecilia Marshall, widow of Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and honorary chair of the trust, as well as a senior from each of the District’s eight wards. Entertainment was provided by poet CeLillianne Green and singer Joe Coleman, a member of the 1950s musical group The Platters.

New Endeavors by Women Inaugurates New Building

New Endeavors by Women (NEW), a nonprofit supporting formerly homeless women, opened its new building at 611 N St. NW on March 4. The new building, which was built on the site of NEW’s old one, will be certified LEED Silver and has won a design award from the local AIA chapter. At the start of the ribbon-cutting ceremony Cherrie Phelps-El, a participant in NEW’s program, noted that “when I went into this building, I said ‘Wow, somebody cares.’ I was always a queen, but now I’m a queen with a crown.” The building, which will house 30 women, even includes art work from the District’s Department of General Services local art program. In celebrating the building, Mayor Vincent Gray said that he remembered the old, dilapidated building from his days as the District’s Director of Human Services, and noted the change the new building represents.

Digital DC Announcement

Mayor Gray and the deputy mayor for planning and economic development chose Shaw as the location to announce their new Digital DC initiative. The occasion was the opening of the WeWork co-working center at the Wonder Bread Factory (641 S St. NW).

WeWork provides desks, office space, and office service support to small startup entrepreneurs who become part of a community, thus serving as the ideal platform for the announcement .

The most notable aspect of the initiative is the establishment of a Digital DC Tech Opportunities Corridor, which would stretch from 7th Street and New York Avenue NW all the way to Georgia and Kansas avenues NW. The corridor would establish a tech talent pipeline for the District by providing access to

Mrs. Thurgood Marshall accepts Phenomenal Senior Award.

Photo: Pleasant Mann

affordable office space and transportation options for digitally-oriented enterprises. The Digital DC effort will also have a branding website to publicize the District’s digital assets and establish a Digital DC Tech Fund to support early-stage entrepreneurs in the local tech industry.

Coudriet Way Dedicated

On March 21 a ceremony was held at City Market at O to name the stretch of 8th Street between O and P streets in honor of Jeff Coudriet, a noted civic activist who died in 2011.

Coudriet was a prominent LGBT activist, serving as president for both DC’s Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance and the Gertrude Stein Democratic Club.

While he had a stint as a staffer on Capitol Hill, he worked for most of his career on the DC Council. After crafting legislation to overhaul the city’s manage-

ment of liquor, Coudriet served as the first director of the newly created Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration. As the clerk for the District Council’s Finance and Revenue Committee under Councilmember Jack Evans, Coudriet was recognized as an expert in supporting big projects in the District requiring tax increment financing, successfully getting efforts like Gallery Place in Chinatown and later City Market at O off the ground.

Roadside Development, the developers of City Market at O, wanted to honor Coudriet. While the stretch of 8th Street is open to city traffic, it actually has the status of a private street. Thus they were able to rename the street for Coudriet. As Richard Lake, a principal of Roadside, put it, “we didn’t get permission, we just did it.”

Shaw Main Streets Gala and Annual Meeting

Shaw Main Streets will hold its fundraising gala on Wednesday, April 16, marking a decade of service to the neighborhood with the theme “A Toast to Shaw.” The myriad award-wining mixologists, brewers, and coffee purveyors now operating in Shaw will be featured at the event. Of particular note will be the new coffee-infused rum from La Colombe, which was featured on an episode of the Travel Channel show “Dangerous Grounds.” The event will also see the presentation of the organization’s Shaw Champion awards for 2014. The gala will be held at the Long View Gallery (1234 9th St. NW), starting at 7:00 p.m.

Shaw Main Streets will also have its annual meeting on Tuesday, April 29, at the Rooftop Lounge of City Market at O (800 P St. NW). The event will include presentation of the awards for Best New Businesses in Shaw for 2013. RSVP to: shawmainstreetinc@gmail.com.

And Then There Were Two

Mayor Vincent Gray and WeWork Co-Founder Adam Neumann cut ribbon at WeWork Wonder Bread Opening. Photo: Pleasant Mann

May 1 will see the opening of two new hotels in Shaw. First, after years of construction, the barriers on 9th Street will be removed and the Marriott Marquis will open for business. The hotel’s 1,175 guest rooms will be immediately put to use in support of the Association of the United States Army conference at the Washington Convention Center across the street. On the same day the 182-room Cambria Suites hotel will open at the City Market at O complex. u Midcity DC | April 2014 u 37

your neighborhood

Bloomingdale Bites

by Jazzy Wright

Mexican Restaurant to Open

A full-service Mexican restaurant is coming to Bloomingdale this summer. Washington restauranteurs Anthony Dundas-Lucca and Phil Rodriguez, owners of 1905 Restaurant in Shaw, are planning to open El Camino at 108 Rhode Island Ave. NW, next to Boundary Stone and Grassroots Bakery. Listed at 1,800 square feet, the new eatery will seat nearly 50 patrons both inside the restaurant and on the outdoor patio area. According to Dundas-Lucca, the restaurant will focus on classic Mexican dishes, as opposed to Tex-Mex-style meals.

“We will serve more authentic style Mexican food much more lighter and fresher,” he said. As for drinks, patrons can expect Latin-inspired cocktails and local drafts. “We’re hoping to collaborate with local breweries.”

Given that co-owner Rodriquez live in Bloomingdale, the owners said that they have been drawn to the budding area for quite some time.

“We’re excited to bring high-quality, affordable Mexican food to the the area,” said Dundas-Lucca.

As of this writing, El Camino owners are securing a liquor license for the restaurant.

Bloomingdale Helps Swings Primary Election

In early April, Ward 4 Councilmember Muriel Bowser (D-Ward 4) defeated Mayor Vincent C. Gray in the DC Democratic primary election, beating Gray by eight percentage points. Critical to Bowser’s win was gaining support from the cluster of swing voting precincts scattered throughout the city.

Bloomingdale voters helped to 38 u midcitydcnews.com

swing the vote in favor of Bowser by razor thin margins: She took Ward 5’s Precinct 19 with by 40 votes. At Precinct 135, she won with just 15 votes. In all, less than 23 percent of all eligible voters in the Bloomingdale area turned out on election day.

Believing that the Bloomingdale voters might help swing the election, Democratic candidates frequently courted them..

Bowser hosted a meet-andgreet at Rustik Tavern in May of last year. In October, she kicked off her Ward 5 campaign in Bloomingdale.

Councilmember Jack Evans (D-Ward 2) hosted a meetand-greet at the home of a Bloomingdale resident in November of last year. Ward 6 Councilmember Tommy Wells hosted several candidacy events in Bloomingdale, including the celebration of his 57th birthday at Boundary Stone. Wells also met with the Friends of McMillan group in September 2013.

Now that Bowser is the Democratic nominee, all eyes will be on her development plans for the city. Currently the chair of the Council Committee on Economic Development, Bowser mentioned that she has reservations about the cost of housing included in the McMillan project.

“There’s still a lot of unrest in the community around the McMillan project and I think it’s going to be important that the mayor’s views on that project are laid out so that the community can understand it,” Bowser said in an interview with the Post. “I’ve been concerned about McMillan because of the amount of affordable housing that would be included—I think there

New Mexican restaurant, El Camino, to open on Rhode Island Avenue. Photo: Jazzy Wright

needs to be more. I think it has some way to go to meet the community’s approval, but it’s definitely got some ways to go to move forward.”

DC Water Closes Section of First Street

DC Water will close First Street between Channing St. NW and Michigan Ave. NW during the month of April as part of its flood-relief McMillan Stormwater Storage Project. According to a release from the city agency, DC Water will construct two underground structures to divert stormwater into a holding tank within the McMillan Sand Filtration Plant and existing trunk sewer.

The two diversion structures at North Capitol Street and First Street, along with retention basins on Irving Street, will delay approximately 4.5 million gallons of stormwater from reaching the Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park neighborhoods during heavy rainfall.

DCWater encourages residents to

use North Capitol St. as an alternative route for travel on First St.

Elastic Highways Buses on Hold

In a tweet published in March, Fojol Bros owners announced that they are shutting down their traveling carnival food trucks this spring. Over the past few months, the business owners were planning to expand their mobile food company with a new mobile dining venture called Elastic Highways.

At the moment, four Elastic Highways retrofitted buses are parked on the parcel of land at the corner of Rhode Island and Florida Avenues NW. Fojol Bros. owners told the Washington City Paper that the Elastic Highways project has been put on hold.

According to Fojol Bros. co-owner Justin Vitarello, the Elastic Highways buses were going to be used to serve diners in the day, while entrepreneurs could rent workspace on the bus during evening hours. u

ANC 6E

by Steve Holton

A Future for the Farm?

Principal Michael Moss of the Walker-Jones Education Campus spoke before the commission to give an update on the school’s Farm Redevelopment Program. The farm is located at the corner of K Street and New Jersey Avenue NW and directly impacts the curriculum and work they do at the school as reported by Moss.

The school has a substantial amount of funding directed toward the project and has created two additional positions to assist the farm. School officials are prepping the land for the upcoming growing season so that the students will be able to plant crops, which will be used to teach kids how to prepare healthy food. “Many kids do not know how to prepare healthy food so they often go to the local carry out, which isn’t healthy, said Moss.

We want to present them with ways to have a sustainable health and diet.”

The future of the farm is up in the air, with the city possibly reclaiming the land and developing it. The growing question for Walker-Jones is whether or not the farm will stay in place or be relocated if the city decides to develop the parcel of land. “If it isn’t in walking distance it is of no use to us in terms of developing our curriculum, and we are seeking direct answers from the city,” said Moss.

The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development sent a project manager to the meeting to address the board and concerns of Walker-Jones. The project manager said that it was the first time someone from Walker-Jones had spoken on behalf of an agreement between the school and the city regarding the parcel of land, and that there was no existing agreement in place

between the two parties. As a result, said the project manager, the city is potentially liable if someone is injured on the property, and it will have to take measures to mitigate the liability for the District and community. The project manager said that the city is not trying to discontinue the farm but rather collect more details so that it can be integrated into any redevelopment plan as an urban farm component. The component would place the farm as close to campus as possible so that children and the community can access it. “It sounds like Walker-Jones is putting the land to good use, and we are happy to communicate with them further and discuss how we can continue the farm for both interim and long-term use,” said the project manager.

Residential Project Relief

Chip Glasgow from Holland & Knight LLP requested zoning relief to construct a 10-story residential building at 1031 4th St. NW. The lot area is 12,000 square feet and the structure will be 110 feet in height with 124 dwelling units. The zoning relief request, which will accommodate construction vehicles and equipment, will go before the DC Office of Zoning with the support of Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6E. Ground-breaking for the project could be as early as September.

Although the zoning relief request passed, the board expressed concerns about continuous construction in the area. “You may want to have a community forum, because residents are fed up with living in nothing but a noisy construction zone over the last few years” said ANC 6E 05 Commissioner Marge Maceda.

Commission Denies Temporary Firehouse Consideration

DC Department of Fire and Medical Emergency Officials were on hand to discuss a possible temporary station for Engine Company 16 at 10th Street and Rhode Island Avenue NW. The temporary location would accommodate the overload from other stations until an alternate and permanent station can be built in another location. The temporary station would be directly across the street from a public school, and the board stated concern over the disruption and noise that it would bring to the community. The commission voted to oppose the plan and urged the DC fire chief to seek other alternatives.

Shaw Crime Report

Sergeant Joshua Strassman gave a monthly update on crime to the commissioners and meeting attendees.

There was an assault and attempted robbery on two area residents, but an arrest was made before any items were taken. Three burglaries occurred in a building on E Street NW late at night, and arrests were made in all three cases. Most crimes committed over the last few weeks have been auto theft, three of them in the vicinity of 1st and L streets NE. They usually happen during the late hours to patrons of clubs who leave purses and iPods out in plain view in their vehicle. The windows were smashed and the items stolen were the most easily available.

“Officers are following up to get additional information by checking local security cameras” said Strassman. The local Walmart has had an increase in arrests by off-duty undercover officers, which has taken the burden off area patrol officers.

Curb Cut Approved

Scott Fuller with IBG Partners requested support for a public space permit for construction that would include a curb cut for a Homewood Suites Hotel located at 465 New York Ave. NW. The curb cut will be located on the L Street side of the property and will help alleviate traffic concerns that the new hotel may bring. “The alternative would have cars approach the hotel from the back of the property, which would take traffic through neighborhoods and a local alleyway” said Fuller. The curb will be cut at an angle so that vehicles can’t make a left turn into traffic. The commissioners passed a motion to support the request when brought before the city.

Other Topics of Note

A motion passed to support a revised plan for a facade on a building located at 415 M St. NW. The revised plan will be brought before the Historic Preservation Design Review Board.

A motion passed to support removal of a mid-block bump-out located on the block of 900 French St. NW as a part of a streetscape improvement.

A motion passed to support zoning relief for Compass Coffee located at 1535 7th St. NW to add 23 seats. The cafe currently has 18 seats available to customers.

The commissioners will meet again at 6:30 p.m. on April 1 at the Northwest One Library, 155 L St. NW. Visit www.anc6e.org to view the ANC 6E newsletter. Follow on Twitter @ANC6E and Facebook by searching ANC6E. u

Midcity DC | April 2014 u 39

kids and family

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by Kathleen Donner Kids’ Poetry Reading at Shaw Library

April is National Poetry Month!

On Tuesday, Apr. 15, 4 p.m., celebrate by attending the Watha T. Daniel/ Shaw Neighborhood Library’s Kids’ Poetry Reading. They’ll have books by some of your favorite children’s authors and poets, poetry-themed crafts and activities, and light refresh-

B

ments available. Feel free to bring some of your favorite poems--or even some of your own original poetry!-to share. The Kids’ Poetry Reading will take place in the Children’s Story Time Room and is recommended for children ages 6-12. Watha T. Daniel/ Shaw Neighborhood Library, 1630 7th St. NW. 202-727-1288. dclibrary. org/watha

O O Mother’s Day Family Festival at the American Art Museum

On Saturday, May 10, 11:30 a.m.3 p.m., celebrate your family and the caregivers in your life during this family day. Make portraits of your loved ones; create a bouquet of paper flowers to give to someone special; and make a decorative family tree to display in your home with artist Alyson Johnson. Folk band the Knuckle Dusters performs live! Enjoy a puppet performance by Wits End Puppets in the museum with your family. American Art Museum, Kogod Courtyard, 8th and F sts, NW. 202-633-1000. americanart.si.edu

Spring Fling at Kennedy Recreation Center

Come out for Kennedy’s Spring Fling. The day will include activities including games, egg hunt and more on the new playground. Kennedy Recreation Center is at 1401 7th St. NW. For more information, contact Louis Graham at 202-509-2348 or louis.graham@dc.gov.

Apply for a Summer Internship at Sitar

The biggest celebration of science--the USA Science & Engineering Festival—is coming to the DC Convention Center on Apr. 26-27 to inspire kids. The free event will feature 3,000 hands-on exhibits and 100 stage shows with STEM rock stars.

Kid-Oriented USA Science and Engineering Festival at the Convention Center

Don’t miss the 3rd USA Science & Engineering Festival Expo on Apr. 2627, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. (both days)–hosted by Lockheed Martin. Explore science & engineering with more than 3000 fun, hands-on activities in fields like robotics, genomics, advanced manufacturing, 3D printing, space exploration and more.

Other highlights include over 100 stage shows featuring Dirty Job’s Mike Rowe, Basketball legend Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Bill Nye the Science Guy, Grammy Award-Winners ‘They Might Be Giants’, and more. Free of charge and open to all ages. Pre-register now for a chance to win prizes. USAScienceFestival.org 40 u midcitydcnews.com

The deadline has passed, but interested applicants ages 14-21, may still turn in an application to be considered on a rolling basis. Visit sitarartscenter.org for information on how to apply. Sitar Arts Center, 1700 Kalorama Rd. NW, Suite 101.

Marmalade in the House of Sweden (poetic movements, soft circus and deliciousness)

Two free shows, noon and 2 p.m. on Sunday, Apr. 13 at the Swed-

K ish Embassy, 2900 K St. NW. Show is for ages 2, up. Register at marmalade. eventbrite.com. For more information, call 202-467-2600 or visit swedenabroad.com/washington.

Turkey Thicket Playgound Opens

The Turkey Thicket Playground design centers on two themes: transportation and a “mini-village.” The transportation component will include trains, cars and boats; the mini-village component will include mountains, play houses and a farmers’ market. Other new features include sensory play equipment, a community garden, seating, a splash pad with a lighthouse and boat, a climbing hill, musical instruments, shade structures, a movie wall, a walking track and more. The Turkey Thicket Playground is at 1100 Michigan Ave. NE

Lola’s Laboratory at National Theatre

Lola’s Laboratory offers educational experiences for kids to create together, express themselves, and inspire each other through a combination of expressive arts and imagination. Now in residency at The National Theatre, Lola’s Lab will present “Readers Theater Camp” this summer. Lola’s Lab will enhance campers storytelling skills and unlock their imaginative methods by putting the focus on the words and delivery, starting from creative writing activities and learning what goes into making a good script. During the camp, children will learn to interpret literature using vivid vocals and physically expressive actions. Campers will work in an ensemble to create an original dramatic piece for the stage as well as work with professional musicians to compose and perform two songs. Team

APPLICATIONS BEING ACCEPTED FOR THE 2014-2015 SCHOOL YEAR Pre-K 3, Pre-K 4, Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade

Building on our strong foundation as an early childhood program

Information / Open House Sessions on the Following Thursdays, 9:30 am-10:30 am*:

April 24 May 1 *You must register to attend, limit of 20 people per session. Call (202) 545-0515 to register.

Apply for admissions at: www.myschooldc.org 2nd round applications accepted March 4–May 15.

Accredited by Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Voted Best Preschool in DC, City Paper Readers Poll 2013!

Bridges PCS is an expanding elementary school growing to serve grades Pre-K–5th by 2017-2018.

• Before & After Care • Small classroom size and well trained staff • Individual planning for each student • Hands-on and project-based curriculum

www.bridgespcs.org 1250 Taylor Street, NW, Washington, DC 20011 p: 202.545.0515 e: info@bridgespcs.org

Free and open to all DC residents.

Tuition paid by non-residents.

w w w. br i d g e sp c s . org Midcity DC | April 2014 u 41

building and improvisation games will round out this camp, resulting in a fun and educational experience! Read more at lolaslaboratory.com.

DDOT and WMATA Roll Out “Kids Ride Free on Bus” Program

DDOT and WMATA announce the release of an electronic “Kids Ride Free on Bus” pass for District students.

This electronic pass is now ready for use by District students who ride free on Metrobus and the DC Circulator during designated program hours.

District students will be able to tap

their registered DC One Card on the farebox target on a Metrobus and/ or a DC Circulator until the end of the school year. DDOT will provide detailed information to schools, and WMATA will post information on its website about the timeframe for District students to “activate” the free electronic bus pass on their DC One Card. By Apr. 30, WMATA will require all students to “tap” their individual DC One Card on the farebox target to board the bus for free during weekdays only between 5:30-9 a.m. and 2-8 p.m. For more information, contact DDOT’s School Transit Sub-

sidy Office at 202-673-1740 or visit ddot.dc.gov/node/537462.

Hok-Noth-Da Story Time at American Indian Museum

Most Sundays, at 11:15 a.m., come hear a Native staff member read stories by or about people from different Native communities throughout the Western Hemisphere. “Hok-noth-da” means “Did you hear?” in the Shawnee language. This is for kids ages 4-8.

The stories take place in the American Indian Museum, imagiNATIONS Activity Center, 3rd Level. The National Museum of the American Indian is located on the National Mall between the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum and the Capitol Building. nmai.si.edu

Kids Eat Free on Mondays

At a Party for the Planet eco-craft station, visitors learn the importance of reusing materials, specifically, how to turn newspaper into a plant pot. Photo: Meghan Murphy, National Zoo

Party for the Planet at the Zoo

This year the Zoo is celebrating Easter Monday and Earth Day together on Monday, Apr. 21 (rain or shine), 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Please join them for special family-focused activities and live entertainment. They’ll have a traditional Easter Egg Hunt and animal demonstrations as well as visits from the Easter Panda! It’s also a Party for the Planet and you can bring your old cell phone to recycling stations in the Visitor’s Center and learn about green design and sustainability initiatives at the Zoo. Admittance is free. nationalzoo.si.edu 42 u midcitydcnews.com

At Union Street Public House, 121 So. Union St., Alexandria, VA, kids under 12 eat free from the children’s menu on Mondays with the purchase of an adult entrée. Union Street Public House occupies a renovated Colonial waterfront warehouse in Historic Alexandria. Union Street has been serving locals and visitors with fresh seafood, grilled steaks and chops in a warm atmosphere since 1986 and has earned its reputation as “Old Town’s Favorite Tap & Grill.” 703-548-1785. unionstreetpublichouse.com

Kids Run the Bases at Nat’s Park

Kids ages 4-12 can run the bases after select Sunday home games. Kids Run the Bases begins immediately following the game, weather permitting.

Dates this year are Apr. 6, 20 and 27; May 18; June 22; July 6 and 20; Aug. 3, 17 and 24; Sept. 7 and 28. An adult

must accompany runners to the field.

One adult per child on the field. Starting at first base, kids will be directed to run around the bases as the adults continue along the warning track and meet the runners near home plate. Once the game has ended, it takes the grounds crew approximately 20 minutes to prepare the field. Kids and parents/guardians can begin lining up at the end of the 7th inning. However fans who want to stay and watch the entire game will still be able to line up once the game has ended. Participants must exit the ballpark through the Right Field Gate.

The line forms outside of the park on the sidewalk along First St. washington.nationals.mlb.com

BIG BAND JAM! 2014

This is the only jazz festival in America specifically created by kids for kids. It is a celebration of America’s music on America’s Main Street. It has been selected as one of the “TOP 100” event destinations in the United States in 2014 by the ABA Tour Operators of America.

This year’s theme is the “Count Basie Legacy” and the featured artist/clinician is internationally renowned saxophonist Bob Mintzer of The Yellowjackets. Mr. Mintzer will be conducting a free midday master class daily on Pershing Park plaza on Pennsylvania Avenue next to The White House. School ensembles will receive instruction daily from Apr. 22-25, noon-1 pm. In addition to these classes there will be clinics, workshops and adjudication for all participating ensembles. Additional venues that are partnering with them are Blues Alley, The Kennedy Center, Ronald Reagan Building, National Press Club, Grace Episcopal Church, Westminster Church and The Church of the Epiphany. For the schedule, visit bigbandjam.org/calendar.

OUR MISSION: To Strengthen Families and Build Vibrant Communities in Washington DC RISE uP client employed for more than six months.

Come join the Edgewood/Brookland Family Support Collaborative’s Employment Services programs: Readiness, Individualized Support Employment Program (RISE uP), serves DC residents 18 and older who meet program eligibility guidelines Fatherhood, Education, Empowerment and Development (FEED) Program, serves fathers 18 and older who reside in Ward 5 or 6 Both Programs offer: • Resume and interviewing skills preparation • Job placement assistance • Job retention support • Case Management services

Call 202-832-9400 x 127 to sign-up and energize your career search RISE uP is funded by the United Planning Organization (UPO) and is part of UPO’s Community Services Block Grant FEED is funded by the US Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (Grant #90FK0054-01-00) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Edgewood/Brookland Family Support Collaborative 200 K Street, NW, Suites 1 & 3 Washington, DC 20001 202-832-9400 (phone) 202-216-9263 (fax) | www.ebfsc.org

Midcity DC | April 2014 u 43

Around The World Storytime at MLK Library

Mondays at 11 a.m., come and read, sing and dance with stories and songs from around the world. This story time will be partially in English and also feature songs and stories in a variety of foreign languages. For ages 0-5. Call 202-727-1248 for more details. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G St. NW. 202-727-0321. dclibrary.org/mlk

OK2TALK

Teens and young adults who suffer from mental illness can feel hopeless and alone. Many don’t know what’s wrong with them but feel like it’s their fault. Those who understand what is happening fear they can’t be helped.

Because of the stigma attached to mental illness, it’s often hard for those suffering and their families and friends to talk about what they’re going through.

But help is available, and it works.

The goal of OK2TALK is to create a community for teens and young adults struggling with mental health problems and encourage them to talk about what they’re experiencing by sharing their personal stories of recovery, tragedy, struggle or hope. Anyone can add their voice by sharing creative content such as poetry, inspirational quotes, photos, videos, song lyrics and messages of support in a safe, moderated space. They hope this is the first step towards getting help and feeling better. ok2talk.org

The Family Breakfast Project

Unlike dinners, which can be periods of reflection, breakfast typically starts the day on an optimistic note-making it the ideal time for families to start their day together. In fact, stud44 u midcitydcnews.com

ies show that kids who eat breakfast do better in school, miss fewer school days, and have fewer disciplinary problems.

Research suggests that eating breakfast is associated with better school performance--in fact, studies also show that breakfast helps kids stay alert and perform cognitive tasks better. Many other studies on academics and nutrition have found that eating breakfast also improved outcomes such as memory, test grades and even school attendance. A family breakfast can be had in as little as 7 minutes but the benefits are significant. Studies show that breakfast is associated with improved nutrition, healthier body weights and better school performance. Read more at cheerios.com/en/familybreakfast.

Annual Easter Egg Hunt at Lee-Fendall House Museum in Alexandria, VA

The Lee-Fendall House Annual Easter Egg Hunt returns to Alexandria on Apr. 18-20. Once again, they will fill their garden with hundreds of colorful toy-filled Easter eggs. Other activities include games, crafts to take home, refreshments and photos with the Easter Bunny. Every participating child will receive an Easter Egg. All children of elementary school age or younger (children aged 0-12) are eligible to participate in the Easter Egg Hunt. Older children and adults are welcome to enjoy all their other activities. Easter Egg Hunts are Friday, Apr.18, 3 p.m.; Saturday, Apr. 19, 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Apr. 20, 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Admission is $12 for children age 0-12, $5 adults and children 12 and older. Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden, 614 Oronoco St., Alexandria, VA 22314.

703-548-1789. leefendallhouse.org

Yards Park Lantern Making Family Day

On Sunday, Apr. 13, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., celebrate the Cherry Blossom Festival and the beginning of spring at the Yards Park, a Washington, DC waterfront destination. Like no other public space in the region, the Yards Park brings unique opportunities to enjoy the outdoors and the river. The 5.5-acre park is the size of four football fields and features a ¼ mile boardwalk and a waterfall. It is the centerpiece of the Capitol Riverfront neighborhood and The Yards development. The Lantern Making Family Day will include lantern making for kids and adults; a moonbounce and other games for kids and martial arts performances

by Hapmudo. Yards park is at 355 Water St. SE (3 blocks south of the Navy Yard Metro Station and east of Nationals Ballpark). yardspark.org

BEST Kids--Kids Fun Run

It is that time a year again to break out those running shoes and dig out your favorite superhero costume for their annual BEST Kids 5k & Fun Run. On Apr. 12, 7:30 a.m. at Anacostia Park (northern end of the park adjacent to the skating pavilion), join BEST Kids for this year’s event to support youth in DC’s child welfare system served by the BEST Kids Mentoring Program. Runners, walkers, and strollers are welcome! Kids’ Fun Run is free and open to all kids under 12 years old.

The Kids’ Fun Run will begin at 9 a.m.

To register for the race, sign up all kids the day-of between 7-8:45 a.m. The Kids’ Fun Run is just for fun (not timed and no t-shirts). bestkids.org

Family & Youth Casting Call Fishing in the C&O Canal

On Saturday, May 3, 10 a.m.-

3 p.m., spend a free day fishing at Fletcher’s Cove on the C&O Canal, 4940 Canal Rd. NW. There are volunteer instructors and all the gear you will need to catch fish! When not fishing, children can take part in activities including fish printing/art, knot tying, fly and spincasting instruction, watershed education activities, and fish hatching and local fish and animal displays. Partner agencies and organizations will have displays set up to learn about how they are helping fish and fishing across the country. Don’t miss this fantastic day of family fun. familyandyouthcastingcall.com

“Explore the Universe Day: Everyone Looks Up” at Air and Space

Understand how different cultures see the sky. Learn about telescopes and do some daytime observations (weather permitting). This event is on Saturday, Apr. 12, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the National Air and Space Museum, Independence Ave. at 6th St. SW. 202-633-2214. airandspace.si.edu

Shakespeare in Action Workshop for Families: Birthday Celebration

On Saturday, Apr. 19, 9:30 a.m.noon, come dance, sing, and play- it’s Shakespeare’s 450th birthday! Learn stage combat and celebrate with a performance on the Folger stage. Refreshments served. Recommended for ages 7-14. $35 per adult and 1 child ($10 each additional child). Registration Required. Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 E. Capitol St. SE. 202544-7077. folger.edu u

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+ Changing Hands

Changing Hands

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

Neighborhood

Close Price

BR

FEE SIMPLE BROOKLAND 12 EVARTS ST NE 330 ADAMS ST NE 2003 KEARNY ST NE 43 GIRARD ST NE 1020 RHODE ISLAND AVE NE 2 GIRARD ST NE 4310 10TH ST NE 1013 DECATUR ST NE 934 PERRY PL NE 1426 JACKSON ST NE 6 GIRARD ST NE 4705 12TH ST NE

$699,500 $600,000 $599,000 $590,000 $585,000 $580,000 $580,000 $518,500 $480,500 $459,900 $387,500 $345,000

CHEVY CHASE 5827 UTAH AVE NW 3806 MILITARY RD NW 6315 33RD ST NW 3205 OLIVER ST NW 3361 RITTENHOUSE ST NW 5426 30TH ST NW 5353 RENO RD NW 6205 33RD ST NW 6125 32ND PL NW 5720 NEBRASKA AVE NW 5310 CONNECTICUT AVE NW #9 5228 NEBRASKA AVE NW

$2,250,000 $1,425,000 $1,335,000 $1,250,000 $1,199,000 $1,075,000 $1,045,000 $1,029,000 $850,000 $788,000 $742,000 $695,000

CLEVELAND PARK 3200 ROWLAND PL NW

$1,150,000

COLUMBIA HEIGHTS 3543 HERTFORD PL NW 3646 NEW HAMPSHIRE AVE NW 1456 OGDEN ST NW 1321 BELMONT ST NW 500 IRVING ST NW 1340 OTIS PL NW 517 KENYON ST NW 1322 MONROE ST NW 621 KENYON ST NW 3535 HERTFORD PL NW 734 MORTON ST NW 723 GIRARD ST NW 536 HARVARD ST NW 2615 SHERMAN AVE NW

$849,000 $700,000 $665,000 $628,500 $607,000 $602,000 $590,000 $582,000 $550,000 $532,500 $525,000 $440,000 $418,000 $399,999

4 4 4 4 5 4 3 4 3 3 3 3

$1,599,000 $772,000

ECKINGTON 1936 4TH ST NE

$590,000

46 u midcitydcnews.com

$559,500 $485,000 $425,000

GEORGETOWN 3321 PROSPECT ST NW 3527 WINFIELD LN NW 3317 P ST NW 3316 R ST NW 1661 32ND ST NW 1621 33RD ST NW

$3,895,000 $2,175,000 $1,720,000 $1,600,000 $1,075,000 $985,000

KALORAMA 2121 LEROY PL NW 2130 BANCROFT PL NW 2200 DECATUR PL NW

$3,764,040 $2,200,000 $1,200,000

LEDROIT PARK 6 4 5 5 4 4 5 3 4 3 3 3 3

136 ADAMS ST NW 2306 NORTH CAPITOL ST NW 225 RHODE ISLAND AVE NW 410 OAKDALE PL NW

$699,000 $699,000 $553,600 $455,000

LOGAN CIRCLE 1459 S ST NW 1516 KINGMAN PL NW 2011 13TH ST NW

$950,000 $899,000 $1,040,000

MOUNT PLEASANT 1887 NEWTON ST NW 1882 MONROE ST NW 1705 IRVING ST NW 1738 IRVING ST NW

$1,250,000 $985,000 $702,000 $650,000

OLD CITY #2 3 5 3 4 4 3 3 5 4 3 3 3 3 3

DUPONT 1815 16TH ST NW 1758 SEATON ST NW

1931 LINCOLN RD NE 209 RHODE ISLAND AVE NE 37 T ST NE

5 3 3

927 FRENCH ST NW 1405 COLUMBIA ST NW 1631 NEW JERSEY AVE NW 1532 MARION ST NW 1602 6TH ST NW

$720,000 $650,000 $632,500 $565,000 $502,000

PARK VIEW 650 KENYON ST NW

$696,000

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

PETWORTH 3809 7TH ST NW 4201 4TH ST NW 833 DECATUR ST NW 5303 5TH ST NW 4925 7TH ST NW 822 EMERSON ST NW 5109 ILLINOIS AVE NW 5106 KANSAS AVE NW 4726 5TH ST NW 4617 9TH ST NW 811 MARIETTA PL NW

$750,000 $725,000 $680,000 $662,500 $639,500 $620,000 $600,000 $575,000 $573,000 $500,000 $499,000

4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 4

5132 7TH ST NW $497,000 3 3500 13TH ST NW #205 $347,250 513 DECATUR ST NW $474,900 3 3325 11TH ST NW #UNIT 1 $343,000 305 TAYLOR ST NW $445,000 3 812 OTIS PL NW ## 1 $325,000 4607 5TH ST NW $435,000 3 1341 CLIFTON ST NW #203 $310,000 4307 3RD ST NW $399,999 3 739 NEWTON PL NW #101 $287,500 5113 ILLINOIS AVE NW $365,000 3 1451 PARK RD NW #509 $179,900 5202 ILLINOIS AVE NW $350,000 3 1451 PARK RD NW #515 $179,900 5407 5TH ST NW $345,000 2 1435 CHAPIN ST NW #303 $525,000 413 FARRAGUT ST NW $325,000 3 1421 CHAPIN ST NW #201 $510,000 621 HAMILTON ST NW $320,000 2 3642 NEW HAMPSHIRE AVE NW #PH $820,000 4520 4TH ST NW $294,000 3

DOWNTOWN

910 M ST NW #606 $481,000

CONDO BLOOMINGDALE 158 BRYANT ST NW #2 1810 1ST ST NW #1 1700 2ND ST NW #7 1700 2ND ST NW #10

$659,900 $450,000 $375,000 $365,000

2 2 1 1

CENTRAL

616 E ST NW #1118 1155 23RD ST NW #N5J 2016 P ST NW #201 400 MASSACHUSETTS AVE NW #612 915 E ST NW #203 777 7TH ST NW #304 400 MASSACHUSETTS AVE NW #1004

$790,000 $735,000 $585,000 $475,000 $390,000 $389,500 $290,000

CITY CENTER 920 I ST NW #1005

$2,158,000

CLEVELAND PARK

3540 39TH ST NW #647 3961 LANGLEY CT NW #E-593 3883 CONNECTICUT AVE NW #415 3410 39TH ST NW #712 3883 CONNECTICUT AVE NW #503 3110 WISCONSIN AVE NW #601

$448,000 $441,000 $406,500 $399,999 $399,900 $344,999

COLUMBIA HEIGHTS

1333 EUCLID ST NW #PH2 1478 HARVARD ST NW #4 1223 KENYON ST NW #3 2725 13TH ST NW #3 3325 11TH ST NW #UNIT 8 3325 11TH ST NW #UNIT 7 1476 HARVARD ST NW #C 3475 HOLMEAD PL NW #3 3413 SHERMAN NW #1 1390 KENYON ST NW #805 1223 KENYON ST NW #1 2725 13TH ST NW #2 762 PARK RD NW #2 1512 PARK RD NW #4 1323 CLIFTON ST NW #14 1348 EUCLID ST NW #306 1323 CLIFTON ST NW #3 1356 KENYON ST NW #B 3511 13TH ST NW #205 3325 11TH ST NW #UNIT 6 929 FLORIDA AVE NW #5003 3325 11TH ST NW #UNIT 4 3325 11TH ST NW #UNIT 3 1436 MERIDIAN PL NW #402 3511 13TH ST NW #501 1417 NEWTON ST NW #303 3511 13TH ST NW #304

$892,500 $778,000 $755,000 $703,900 $700,000 $695,000 $673,100 $660,000 $630,000 $610,000 $600,000 $595,000 $570,000 $551,999 $525,000 $519,000 $460,000 $456,000 $449,900 $440,000 $435,000 $400,000 $379,000 $375,000 $359,900 $349,900 $349,900

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

1 1 1 1 1 0 0 2 2 3 1

DUPONT 1625 S ST NW #3 1332 21ST ST NW #102 1711 MASSACHUSETTS AVE NW #416 1 SCOTT CIR NW #709 2301 N ST NW #604 15021506 17TH ST NW #10 1 SCOTT CIR NW #101 1414 22ND ST NW #33

$508,500 $362,000 $310,000 $250,000 $955,000 $425,000 $299,900 $675,000

ECKINGTON 28 Q ST NE #2 239 R ST NE #A 28 Q ST NE #1 233 R ST NE #A 1918 4TH ST NE #3 1916 4TH ST NE #2 2004 3RD ST NE #203

$655,000 $580,000 $540,000 $530,000 $499,900 $426,400 $226,500

FOGGY BOTTOM 2515 K ST NW #104 922 24TH ST NW #209

$295,000 $231,000

FOREST HILLS 2939 VAN NESS ST NW #948 3901 CONNECTICUT AVE NW #103 2939 VAN NESS ST NW #606 2723 ORDWAY ST NW #3 2939 VAN NESS ST NW #816 2939 VAN NESS ST NW #744 2939 VAN NESS ST NW #838

$540,500 $525,000 $422,000 $382,000 $295,000 $268,000 $240,000

KALORAMA 2230 CALIFORNIA ST NW #4C-E 1929 19TH ST NW #3 1929 19TH ST NW #5 2115-2117 S ST NW #3D 1910 KALORAMA RD NW #101 1930 BILTMORE ST NW #300 2138 CALIFORNIA ST NW #502 1822 VERNON ST NW #303 2010 KALORAMA RD NW #102 1840 VERNON ST NW #408 1880 COLUMBIA RD NW #602 2129 FLORIDA AVE NW #503 2227 20TH ST NW #504

$1,120,000 $995,000 $755,000 $725,000 $659,000 $650,000 $640,000 $509,000 $485,000 $428,700 $394,500 $369,000 $295,000

LEDROIT PARK 1869 3RD ST NW #B 150 V ST NW #VL03 149 W ST NW #35 1838 4TH ST NW #1-B

$474,500 $315,000 $246,082 $170,683

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

LOGAN 1211 13TH ST NW #804 1133 14TH ST NW #711

$605,000 $425,000

1 1

1413 1210 1245 2125 2125 1401 1209 1320 1300 1420 1239 1117 903

MO

2435 2435 1654 1700 3426 2435

MO 115 301 475 401 401 555 437 811

OLD

1740 1520 1325 1824 1741 2125 1401 1450 1520 1314 1401 475 1715 440 910 301 207 1930 1733 1615 1 SC 1420 55 M

PET

4226 4226 809 4226 4805 408 617

SHA

1612 815 16 O u

1413 T ST NW #306 1210 R ST NW #BO8 1245 13TH ST NW #816 2125 14TH ST NW #204 2125 14TH ST NW #202 1401 CHURCH ST NW #519 1209 13TH ST NW #202 1320 13TH ST NW #43 1300 N ST NW #611 1420 N ST NW #1005 1239 VERMONT AVE NW #310 1117 10TH ST NW #W-10 903 M ST NW #C

MOUNT PLEASANT

2435 ONTARIO RD NW #4 PH 2435 ONTARIO RD NW #3 1654 EUCLID ST NW #304 1700 KALORAMA RD NW #306 3426 16TH ST NW #105 2435 ONTARIO RD NW #1

MOUNT VERNON

115 NEW YORK AVE NW #2 301 MASSACHUSETTS AVE NW #703 475 K ST NW #902 401 M ST NW #2 401 M ST NW #1 555 MASSACHUSETTS AVE NW #317 437 NEW YORK AVE NW #606 811 4TH ST NW #1008

OLD CITY #2

1740 T ST NW #1 1520 16TH ST NW #201 1325 13TH ST NW #35 1824 S ST NW #302 1741 T ST NW #301 2125 14TH ST NW #109-W 1401 1ST ST NW #2 1450 CHURCH ST NW #C-01 1520 O ST NW #4 1314 W ST NW #B 1401 1ST ST NW #1 475 K ST NW #720 1715 15TH ST NW #30 440 L ST NW #812 910 M ST NW #119 301 MASSACHUSETTS AVE NW #504 207 R ST NW #3 1930 NEW HAMPSHIRE AVE NW #37 1733 20TH ST NW #G3 1615 Q ST NW #912 1 SCOTT CIR NW #606 1420 N ST NW #809 55 M ST NW #103

PETWORTH

4226 7TH ST NW #103 4226 7TH ST NW #201 809 OTIS PL NW #FLAT 4 4226 7TH ST NW #202 4805 4TH ST NW #2 408 KENNEDY ST NW #302 617 JEFFERSON ST NW #203

SHAW

1612 5 NW #2 815 T ST NW #B 16 O ST NW #B u

$305,000 $299,000 $294,900 $405,000 $589,000 $1,015,000 $680,000 $540,000 $425,000 $325,000 $311,000 $940,000 $320,000

1 0 0 0 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 2 2

$932,000 $694,900 $579,000 $545,000 $445,000 $440,000

2 2 2 1 2 1

$392,000 $745,000 $640,000 $675,000 $610,000 $449,750 $418,000 $432,500

2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1

$750,000 $685,000 $678,000 $575,000 $567,300 $567,185 $560,000 $550,000 $508,000 $479,000 $467,500 $451,000 $450,000 $445,000 $428,000 $418,000 $399,900 $399,000 $394,500 $330,000 $254,000 $219,500 $160,000

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

$379,950 $328,500 $319,900 $289,650 $239,500 $235,000 $230,000

2 1 1 1 1 2 2

$589,000 $582,500 $470,000

2 2 2

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+ Garden Fairy

The Garden Fairy A Garden Is A Garden Is A Garden... (Thank You, Ms. Stein)

by Frank Asher

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lants grouped together to form a space of color, texture, scent and taste can take a person into another world. So when deciding what to put into your garden this spring, I invite you to think about the senses. Nothing compares to the scent of a rose, a peony, lavender, thyme, rosemary.

Nothing settles the nerves more for me than to take in a deep breath and get the faint smell of lilac in the spring breeze. Sense memory is very powerful. When the senses are aroused, especially the scent of smell, we are transported.

When I first started to garden, I would always have rosemary and lavender in my designs. Rosemary, known as the herb of remembrance, goes so far back in time. It actually does something to the brain, just like lavender does. It is a scientific fact that lavender calms the nerves. So why not have a few plants in your garden that bring back memories and heal your body, mind and soul.

Speaking of body, edibles are still the thing. With all the corporate occupation of our farmers and farmland using GMO seeds, it is more important than ever to work for food security. What better way than to grow your own produce. Now, some of you might scoff or chuckle here because all you have is a small balcony, but let me say even if you only have a window sill with a small pot of herbs for cooking, you are taking control.

You are taking care of plants. I apologize for sounding like the garden master here, but the atmosphere as well as the planet needs us to grow green things.

The more we take part in "taking care", in nurturing green life, the more of a chance our friendly birds, bees, worms and other

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friends can get it on...And, the more likely we will survive and thrive. See how a garden (or growing things) can invoke images and emotions? It really is all connected in so many ways...

Connections!

I have a client that I am working with that really inspired me. His next door neighbor is totally remodeling his home. The neighbor is from Australia. The neighbor will be planting several native grasses to get the feel of his homeland. My client didn't want is newly designed garden to be so obviously different, because the design we came up with was going to be way different ....So he asked if I could add a few things so that there would be some continuity in the landscape. He made a valid point. He doesn't like how urban yards are so different from yard to yard..I will be adding a few small grasses to his plan just so the yards connect on a small scale. I think his neighbor and he will connect as well.

A design is a design is a design....Simple..What you want in your garden is all up to you. You can make it a desert, or a lush green forest. You can grow nothing but vegetables and herbs...You can have a modern minimum look, or an old English garden ..

It really is up to you. The question is not, " How does your garden grow. The better question is, "What can your garden grow?"

Of course, the answer is up to you.

Frank Asher is the Director of OLD CITY Farm and Guild. "Where people and plants come together." www.oldcityfarmandguild.com/ oldcityfarm@gmail.com u

Midcity DC | April 2014 u 49

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