MIDCITY AUGUST 2010
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4BUVSEBZ "VHVTU Q N Fxplore the new restaurants of
Mount Vernon Triangle by dining around the neighborhood tasting appetizers, entrees, drinks, and desserts from eight different eateries! A master ticket is $15 in advance; $20 at the door to participate in this event. Tickets can be purchased in advance at www.mountvernontriangle.org or on the day of the event at 5th Street Ace Hardware 1055 5th Street, NW Take Metro to Gallery Place-Chinatown or ride the X2, 80, D4, or P6 bus.
www.mountvernontriangle.org capitalcommunitynews.com u
CONTENTS AUGUST 2010 2010 education edition
out and about
DC Area Community Colleges... 6 Broad in their offerings, inexpensive, and accredited, two-year colleges are a great educational resource.
08 10 18 21 22 24
Hit the City • Hunter L. Gorinson Calendar • Hunter L. Gorinson Boxing in a Back Alley • Krystle Cantu Jazz Avenues • Steve Monroe Insatiable • Celeste McCall Retail Therapy • Hunter L. Gorinson
26
A Workout Paradise on 7th Street • Amanda Abrams
Finding the Right Fit 10 A good match between the student and a school’s educational philosophy can make all the difference in a student’s high school years. Moving DC Forward... 18 Can our city can move forward aggressively with education reform without our current Chancellor, Michelle Rhee? They Don’t Miss A Beat 22 Learning Dance at St. Mark’s Dance Studio Advertisers Directory 25 Briefs on top schools in the District
your neighborhood 28 29 30 31 32 34 36
the Nose • Anonymous 14th and U • Tanya Snyder Shaw Streets • Ralph Brabham Logan Circles • Mark F. Johnson Bloomingdale Business • Amanda Abrams District Beat: Ward 6 goes to the polls • Paul D. Shinkman The Numbers: Three Big Questions for the Election Season • Ed Lazere and Elissa Silverman
kids and family (SEE 2010 EDUCATION EDITION)
at home
18 18
38
Changing Hands • Don Denton
40
Classifieds
COVER:
Photo: Bargain hunters from across the area look forward to the Studio Theater’s annual yard sale. Photo by Luis Gomez
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By Hunter L. Gorinson
The Weird West of Matthew Mann’s “Cinecitta Chapel” Chuck Jones, Alexis de Tocqueville and Sergio Leone are not the sort of fellows one often hears name checked in the fine arts world, let alone alongside that of a proto-Renaissance sacred artist and architect like Giotto di Bondone. They are, nevertheless, just a few of the influences DC-based painter Matthew Mann has poured into his new six painting cycle, “Cinecitta Chapel,” on display at the Flashpoint Gallery through September 4. Inspired by Giotto’s 14th century masterwork, “Scrovegni Chapel,” Mann has conjured up a minutely detailed world for “Cinecitta.” However, unlike the Italian’s original frescos -- which chronicled the life of Joachim, father of Joseph, in pictorial form -- Mann’s pieces are populated by bottle-toting, pyromania-prone cowboys, walled medieval cities, and hallucinatory skyscapes. Named for Rome’s legendary Cinecetta film studio,which counts “Ben-Hur,” “La dolce vita,” and “For a Few Dollars More” amongst its legendary productions, Mann’s cycle is darkly comical Americanization of an Italian form -- much in the same way the spaghetti westerns did the inverse to a presumed dead, all-American genre. Throw in an ample amount of Looney Tunes-fueled violence, cross-country travelogue and dream logic, and Mann’s combination of influences old and older presents some strangely relevant points to the modern eye. “I think [all the elements] are pretty closely related visually. With Trecento painting, there’s a lot of planes that intersect and I just related that to the way that cels are overlaid in animation,” the artist told MCDC. “It sets up this weird spatial relationship that I also think is related to desktop space and the way we interact with each other online.” Expect that to be a point expanded on when the Philippa Hughes of Pink Line Project joins Mann for a panel discussion of “Cinecitta Chapel” on Wednesday, August 25 at Flashpoint that will also feature a performance from local “Thought DJs” WE ARE SCIENCE! 916 G St. NW • flashpointdc.org
Asylum Puts on Bad Girl Grindhouse at Its Best
From Columbia Heights to the Capitol Riverfront, there’s many a free, summertime film series wrapping up this month, but, without exception, all are family friendly affairs. Credit goes to Adams Morgan’s Asylum then for upping the catfight and kung-fu quotient of this summer’s movie selection with an exploitation film jamboree that u DC midcity | August 2010
A detail of Mann’s fifth “Cinecitta Chapel” work,“Arson at Nacotchtank Falls.”
The forever young (and belted, buckled and booted) “superwomen” of “Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!”
Tell Them, Meet Grandaddy’s Newest Progeny -Admiral Radley
Half of Grandaddy and all of Earlimart come together to man Admiral Radley’s good ship down the East Coast this month.
hits its high note this Tuesday, August 17 with a screening of Russ Meyer’s 1965 “ode to the violence in women,” “Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!” Shot on a shoestring budget in the Mojave Desert, the film follows three hot rod racing, gogo dancers with a penchant for loose morals and tight clothing into violent morass of their own making. One of the breast-obsessed director’s few movies to skirt the softcore trappings of his later output, “Faster Pussycat” remains holy writ in genre film and rock and roll circles 45 years after its release with nods to the film -- in particular the iconic image of black-clad anti-heroine, Varla (Tura Satana) -- turning up in works by Quentin Tarantino and Queens of the Stone Age in recent years. In typically hyperbolic fashion, “Hairspray” director and “Pope of Trash,” John Waters, himself has called Meyer’s most enduring film “beyond a doubt, the best movie ever made.” And there’s no better chance to see at then at a rare public screening. Unavailable on NetFlix and shelved by only one video store in the District, the uninitiated should find dialogue like “Drive! And don’t miss!” best paired with a catcalling audience anyway. The 8 PM screening will be followed up another Meyer feature, “Vixen” - Meyer’s first foray into full-on nudie romps and one of the first X-rated films of all time. Call it a film seminar for the demented and debauched inside us all. 2471 18th St. NW • www.asylumdc.com
“Shaw Main Streets Sent Me!”
At a time when faux-retro garage rock and electro acts ruled the day, Modesto, California’s Grandaddy were one of the few bright spots amidst the early aughts’ music scene. Rather than attempting to impersonate the past, the five-piece was the rare success whose music seemed to be rooted in the present, if not the future. To the point, Grandaddy’s two most successful albums -- “The Sophtware Slump” and “Sumday” -- were at once both sweet and sorrowful ruminations on society’s downward slide into technology-fueled detachment from nature and the people around us. (And still somehow catchy to boot.) It’s the rock fan’s good fortune then that four years after the band parted ways, Grandaddy’s driving force -- vocalist and songwriter Jason Lytle -- has reteamed with drummer Aaron Burtch to not so much form a new band as merge with another. Enter Admiral Radley -- the result of two of Grandaddy’s better fifths getting sandwiched between the sounds of prolific L.A. indie duo Earlimart. For those even casually familiar with either, the division of labor within “ADRAD” should be readily apparent. On the band’s debut record, “I Heart California”, the tracks alternate between Lytle’s reedy wisp and crunchy chord changes, and Earlimart’s baritone rich, roots pop -- with little or no overlap between the two. That leaves the stronger suits of both intact, especially Lytle’s trademark witticisms. (Take his pitch for a new Golden State motto -- “fake tits and the symphony” -- on the album’s opening title track, for instance.) Still, dealing with that dichotomy between the longtime friends, now bandmates, should make for an interesting stage show when Admiral Radley makes their Washington debut at DC9 on Saturday, August 21. New York’s Hooray for Earth open up the show at 9 PM. Tickets are $12 in advance or $14 at the door. 1940 9th St. NW • www.dcnine. com u capitalcommunitynews.com u
★ ★ ★
calendar
AUGUST ter, or floated in space. Tapley paints in a style of realism that challenges her abstract compositions. 1515 14th St. NW. 202-234-5601, www. hemphillfinearts.com. “Through Their Eyes: Haitian Artists’ Visions of Home.” Through August 7. The Smith Farm Center for Healing and the Arts. An exhibition of work by artists and children currently living in Haiti, “Through Their Eyes” includes photographs and handcrafts produced by children, traditional Vodou flags hand-sequined by seasoned artisans, and postearthquake photograph’s by National Geographic’s Maggie Steiber. 1632 U St. NW. 202-483-8600. www.smithfarm.com.
“Salomé” with Silent Orchestra. August 7, 3-4:30 PM. Smithsonian American Art Museum. This presentation of 1923’s “Salomé” -- widely regarded as one of America’s first art films -- will feature a score performed live by DC-based silent film accompanists Silent Orchestra. Free. 750 9th St. NW. 202-633-7970, americanart. si.edu.
ART EXHIBITS “Dupont Circle Scenes.” August 6-August 29. Opening Reception August 6, 6-8 PM. Juried by Dwight Young of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, this show presents work by local artists depicting scenes in and around Washington’s Dupont Circle neighborhood. 1314 18th St. NW. 202-463-0203, www.foundrygallery.org. Mary Early: “Sculpture.” Through August 7. Hemphill Fine Arts. The exhibition is comprised of two large installation pieces complemented by a small-scale work. Each component is fabricated from laminated strips of wood bound by cheesecloth, covered in natural beeswax and polished. These seemingly generic shapes are balanced against one another, interlocked to create a whole sculptural installation. 1515 14th St. NW. 202-234-5601, www. hemphillfinearts.com. Emma Tapley: “New Paintings.” Through August 7. Hemphill Fine Arts. These new works depict views of the natural world filtered through a window, reflected on wa-
10 ◆ DC midcity | August 2010
an eye for darkly filtered Americana come together for this joint exhibition that Weber says “explores themes that connect a global audience [through] the use of historic images with a strong instinct.” 1530 14th St. NW. 202-234- 2711, www.galleryplanb.com. Carlos Muñoz Jiménez: “Palimpsest.” Through August 31. 2015 Q St. NW, second floor. Multi-layered art redefines the meaning of the individual and its multiple personas, from the public to the one which is even unknown to the individual or which is ignored, hidden, and repressed. Hosted and juried by Bob Russell. Free and open to the public. 202-257-5752, www.carloscreatesart.com.
“E7: Tetrad.” Through August 14. Transformer Gallery. Featuring new works by Reuben Breslar, Jennifer DePalma, Adam Dwight, and Treva Elwood, this year’s “Exercises for Emerging Artists” program highlights various incarnations of drawing, painting, and animation that explore themes of artistic process, personal history, character study, and the struggle for perfection. 1404 P St. NW. 202-4831102, www.transformergallery.org. “Travelogue.” Through August 27. Carroll Square Gallery. Travelogue highlights four artists -- Elsie Hull, Ruth Pettus, Foon Sham and Polly Townsend -- whose artworks are inspired by either their personal explorations around the globe or the idea of travel in general. 975 F St. NW, 202624-8643, www.carrollsquare.com. 1460 Wall Mountables 2010. Through August 29. DC Arts Center. Now in its 20th year, this annual exhibition has become a celebrated summer tradition at the center as dozens of artists challenge themselves and each other via the innovative use of their tight, two by two wall spaces. 2438 18th St. NW. 202-462-7833, www.dcartscenter.org. Jason Wright and Mike Weber: “Take You Home.” Through August 29. Gallery Plan B. Two artists with
Works by Chuck Close, Lyle Ashton Harris, Kim Keever and Robert Longo. Through August 31. Adamson Gallery. As a companion visual to the exhibition “Chuck Close - Prints: Process and Collaboration,” currently on display at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Adamson Gallery will have on view several prints by Close printed and published by Adamson Editions. 1515 14th St. NW. 202232-0707, adamsongallery. jimdo.com.
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Works by Recent College Graduates: “Introductions 6.” Through September 4. Irvine Contemporary. The gallery hosts its sixth curated “MFA annual” that brings a selection of new artists from leading, nationally recognized art college programs to Washington. 1412 14th St. NW, 202-332-8767, www.irvinecontemporary.com. “Rethinking Design: Contemporary Design in Mexico.” Through October 16. Mexican Cultural Institute. Featuring more than 200 objects created by the most talented and innovative designers in Mexico today, this exhibition showcases artists integrating social, economic and environmental elements through the use of varied objects and materials to create unique products 2829, 16th St. NW. 202-728-1628, www.instituteofmexicodc.org.
CLASSES, LECTURES & WORKSHOPS Queer Women of Color Poetry Workshop. August 7, 1:30 PM. The DC Center and Tongues Afire DC invite queer women of color to a poetry workshop acilitated by local poet Jade Foster. Free. 1810 14th St. NW. 202-682-2245, www.thedccenter.org. Chocolate Truffle Making Class. August 10 and 24, 6:30-8:30 PM. ACKC DC. This 2 hour class focuses on techniques you can use in your own kitchen using ingredients you can find in local stores. The best part...you take home what you make! Classes limited to 15 participants. $35. 1529C 14th St. NW. 202-387-COCO, www.thecocoagallery. com. Tea & Treasures: Political Porcelains. August 11, 11 AM-12 PM. Hillwood Museum. Learn about the artistic and political pomp and circumstance that developed around porcelain services depicting insignia of the military and state orders of imperial Russia. Continue chatting with Dr. Scott Ruby, curator of Russian and Eastern European art, over a cup of tea. Limited to 12 people. Suggested donation of $12/general, $10/seniors, $7/students, $5/children. 4155 Linnean Ave. NW. 202-686-5807, www.hillwoodmuseum.org. “Counterinsurgency in Pakistan: The Inside View.” August 11, 6:30 PM. International Spy Museum. The Pakistani Army, the Frontier Corps, the CIA, the Pakistani Intelligence Service, and others have partnered to capture Al Qaeda and Taliban leaders. But how successful are counterinsurgency efforts? Join a panel of experts as they explore what’s really happening on the ground in Pakistan and their predictions for the future. $12.50/general, $10/members. 800 F St. NW. 202-EYE-SPY-U, www. spymuseum.org.
12 ◆ DC midcity | August 2010
“Teaching with Documents and Works of Art: Norman Rockwell and the ‘Four Freedoms.” August 11-13, 9 AM-4 PM. Smithsonian American Art Museum. At this three-day workshop, educators will learn how to excite students about history, social studies and the humanities by exploring connections between Rockwell imagery and archival documents related to Rockwell, life on the home front during World War II and more. $200. 750 9th St. NW. 202-633-7970, americanart. si.edu. Hollaback Transgender Support Group. August 11 and 25, 6:30-8 PM. Washington DC Community Center for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People. Hollaback, a social and support group for the transgender community designed by the DC Community AIDS Network, hosts meetings in the DC Center’s activity room on the second and fourth Wednesday of every month.1810 14th St. NW. 202-682-2245, www.thedccenter.org. Chef Series: Joe Palma of Westend Bistro. August 12, 6-7 PM and 8-10:30 PM. The Columbia Room at The Passenger. Award-winning bartender Derek Brown is joined in pairing cocktails with food on Thursday nights twice a month by DC’s top culinary talent. Each chef will prepare two dishes that Derek will pair with hand crafted cocktails, then try their hand at creating a craft cocktail with a dish of Derek’s creation. $74 per person. 1021 Seventh St. NW. 202-3930220. www.passengerdc.com. The Studio Visit @ WPA: Critique Session. August 14, 10 AM-12 PM. Washington Project for the Arts. As part of WPA’s “Coup d’Espace” initiative, Manalo and TSV will hold an open forum here for artists to discuss current work or works in progress. The forum will be moderated by curator and arts leader, Karyn Miller. This event is free and open to the public, but space is limited to 20 guests. You must rsvp to kbilonick@wpadc. org to reserve your spot. 2023 Massachusetts Ave. NW. 202-234-7103, www. wpadc.org. Chocolate/Wine Pairing Class. August 18, 6:30-8:30 PM. ACKC DC. The seminar provides instruction on how to become knowledgeable about fine chocolate and fine wine, and what to look for in pairing the two. Pairing of four wines and chocolates provided, along with a gift sampler of ACKC chocolates. $60. 1529C 14th St. NW. 202-387-COCO, www.thecocoagallery.com. Floral Design Workshop: Home Grown Splendor. August 21, 10:30-12:30 PM. Hillwood Museum. Create an arrangement using flowers bursting with color from Hillwood’s own summer gardens. Adrienne Summers AIFD, Hillwood’s floral designer, supervises. Supplies provided. Limited to 20 people. Suggested donation of $12/general, $10/seniors, $7/students, $5/children. 4155 Linnean Ave. NW. 202-686-5807, www.hillwoodmuseum.org.
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neighborhood. Along the way, you’ll find outstanding sculptures and other art installations all created by DC-based artists. There will be live music at Big Bear Café, which, along Windows Café ,will also be offering free refreshments at the end of the walk. bloomingdaleartwalk.wordpress.com. 11th Annual Dog Days of Summer Sidewalk Sale. August 7-8. 14th & U St. NW corridors. MidCity shops, galleries and restaurants will take their wares to the sidewalk, to feature performers, sales, and special events, including a prop sale at The Studio Theatre, a behind-the-scenes walkthrough at Source, wine tastings at Cork, and much, much more. 202246-0343, www.midcitylife.com.
DC Youth Orchestra Program 50th Anniversary Concert. August 21, 6-7 PM. Kennedy Center Concert Hall. A blow out concert featuring the alumni orchestra, hosted by winner, four-time Grammy winner, four-time Emmy winner, Tony winner, three-time Golden Globe awardee, and winner of the Pulitzer Prize, Marvin Hamlisch. Reception to follow at the Watergate from 7:30-9:30 PM. Free. 2700 F St. NW. 202723-1612, www.dcyop.org.
Yoga for Runners and Athletes: Meditation/Concentration. August 21, 11:30 AM-1 PM. Shakti MindBody Studio. Athletes of all levels and sporting disciplines are invited to join specialist Angelyn Shapiro for a 90-minute session highlighting practice techniques that explore the body-mind connection and keep the mind focused for competitive success. $25. 1302 9th St. NW. 202-783-6463, www.shaktimindbodystudio.com. Chef Series: R.J. Cooper. August 26, 6-7 PM and 8-10:30 PM. The Columbia Room at The Passenger. Award-winning bartender Derek Brown is joined in pairing cocktails with food on Thursday nights twice a month by DC’s top culinary talent. Each chef will prepare two dishes that Derek will pair with hand crafted cocktails, then try their hand at creating a craft cocktail with a dish of Derek’s creation. $74 per person. 1021 Seventh St. NW. 202393-0220. www.passengerdc.com. “Own the Room!” August 31, 7-9 PM. The Valenti Room. Whether you’re in a sales presentation or attending a reception or just meeting someone new for a date, you can own the room from the moment you enter. Course leaders use their engaging manner to share their knowledge and build your confidence so that you approach every situation as an opportunity to “Own the Room!” $30. 888 16 St. NW. 202-686-5990, www.prosinthecity.com. Gentle Evening Yoga. Every Wednesday, 5:306:45 PM. The Smith Farm Center for Healing and the Arts. Designed for people living with illness and caregivers, these sessions teach various techniques to help reduce stress and balance mind, body and spirit. $10/session; $25/month. 1632 U St. NW. 202-483-8600. www.smithfarm.com.
14 ◆ DC midcity | August 2010
Housing Search Clinic. Every Thursday, 4 PM. Housing Counseling Services. Learn what resources are available to you when looking for a rental property and how to prevent housing discrimination from making your search more difficult. Free. 2410 17th St. NW. 202-6677006. www.housingetc.org.
DANCE Sharna Fabiano Tango Company. August 7, 8 PM; August 8, 7 PM. Dance Place. Inspired by authentic tango aesthetics and social themes, the company explores the deep nostalgia, intimacy, and longing inherent to the form. Passionate embraces meet quiet moments of personal reflection, and gender roles are challenged as women and men exchange following and leading. $22/general; $17/artist, student, senior (age 55+), member, teacher (pre-k-12); $8/child, 2-17. 3225 Eighth St. NE. 202-269-1600, www.danceplace.org. Bellydance Party. August 21, 2-4 PM. Flow Yoga Center. Starting off with the building blocks of the dance, students will explore the hot moves of an ancient African dance form that tones the body, frees the energy of the chakras and connects us deeply to our sensuality, creativity and capacity for healing. $30. 1450 P St. NW. 202-462-3569, www.flowyogacenter.com.
FESTIVALS & FUN EVENTS Bloomingdale Art Walk. August 7. 12-4 PM. First St. between Florida Ave. and Rhode Island Ave. NW. Take a leisurely summer walk and experience the wonderful Bloomingdale
Walking Tour: “Before Harlem, There Was U Street.” August 7, 14, 21 and 28, 3-5 PM. Meet at U St./Cardozo Metro Station. Explore the neighborhood that was shared by African American intellectuals, business leaders, and families of all economic levels. The businesses they owned and the houses they lived in are featured on this walk. $15/general, $10/students. 1600 U St. NW. 202-484-1565, www.washingtonwalks.com. SynchroSwim 2010. August 8. 6-7 PM. Capitol Skyline Hotel. Washington Projects for the Arts, in collaboration with the Rubell Family Collection + Conner Contemporary Art, presents the second annual synchronized swimming performance competition featuring Washington area artists. 10 I St. SW, 202234-7103. www.wpadc.org.
bands, dance performances, children’s games and rides, a petting zoo, a dog show, art, and contributions from local businesses and community organizations. 3103 13th St NW. 979229-9139, www.cohiday.org. Tuesday Night Open Mic Poetry. Every Tuesday, 9-11 PM. Busboys & Poets at 14 & V. For two hours audiences can expect a diverse chorus of voices and a vast array of professional spoken word performers, open mic rookies, musicians and a different host every week. $4. 2021 14th St. NW. 202-387-7638, www.busboysandpoets.com. Harold Night. Every Tuesday,10 PM. Almaz Restaurant. Presented by the Washington Improv Theater, “Harold” starts with an audience suggestion and explores whatever themes emerge through a series of scenes. All of the action is brought to life by WIT’s own “Harold Teams” right before your eyes. $5/general, free/WIT students. 1212 U St. NW. 202-462-1212, www.washingtonimprovtheater.com. Art + Coffee. Wednesdays through Sundays, 1:30-3:30 PM. Smithsonian American Art Museum. Enjoy a tour in the Luce Foundation Center for American Art and enjoy a complimentary coffee or tea in this elegant space. Beverages served until 3:30 p.m. except during special events. 750 9th St. NW. 202-6337970, americanart.si.edu. Ethiopian Cultural Show. Every Wednesday, 7-10 PM. A weekly bazaar of Ethiopian and East African goods and crafts featuring a com-
Family Fun Sunday: In a Japanese-style Garden. August 15, 1-5 PM. Hillwood Museum. Families can steal time away to explore the quiet energy of a Japanese-style garden then create a miniature Japanese garden using art materials. Suggested donation of $12/general, $10/seniors, $7/students, $5/children. 4155 Linnean Ave. NW. 202-686-5807, www.hillwoodmuseum.org. “Cheryl’s Gone” Reading Series. August 19, 8 PM. A monthly reading and performance series, usually falling on the third Thursday at 8pm. Big Bear provides a limited menu of drinks available for donation which help pay for any traveling artists. Free. 1700 First St. NW. 202-470-5543, www.cherylsgone.com. Hillyer Open Mic Event. August 20, sign-up at 6 PM, performances at 7 PM. Hillyer Art Space. Every third Friday, host Fred Joiner presents a stunning array of the District’s poetic talent in a variety of styles. Free/members. $5/non-members. 9 Hillyer Ct. NW. 202-338-0680, www.artsandartists.org/artspace.php. Columbia Heights Day Festival. August 28, 10 AM. Harriett Tubman Elementary Field. An all day festival featuring live
Rosanne Cash: Reading, Talk and Book Signing. August 11, 7 PM. Sixth & I Historic Synagogue. In “Composed: A Memoir,” Cash writes about her upbringing as the child of country legend Johnny Cash, leaving Nashville for New York, and the long process of finding her place in the music industry. $10/general or $26.95 for two tickets and book from Politics & Prose. 600 I St. NW. 202408-3100, www.sixthandi.org.
plimentary, traditional coffee ceremony. 1114-1118 U St. NW. 202-667-8735, www.dukemrestaurant.com. “The Lowercase” Poetry Reading Series. First Wednesdays, 7 PM. “The Lowercase” is a creative outlet for the volunteers at 826DC (formerly Capitol Letters). They get together every month to share their writing in an “informal and relaxed atmosphere.” Anyone is welcome. A limited drink menu is available. 1700 First St. NW. 202-470-5543, www.bigbearcafe-dc.com. 14th & U Farmers Market. Every Saturday, 9 AM-1 PM. The Reeves Center. Your source for locally produced vegetables, fruit, flowers, grass-fed beef, pastureraised pork, eggs, breads, pasta, farmstead cheese in the urban center of Washington DC. 14th & U Sts. NW. www. facebook.com/14UFarmersMarket. Saturday Road Ride. Every Saturday, meet at 10 AM, depart by 10:15 AM. The Bike Rack. The Saturday ride is more of an introductory ride and caters to road riders who are new to the sport, hybrid riders intimidated by the faster pace of the Sunday ride, and anyone who just wants a shorter (approx. 20 to 30 miles) and slower (12 to 14 mph) pace. Helmets mandatory. Free. 1412 Q St. NW. 202-387-BIKE, www.bikerackdc.com. Sunday Road Ride. Every Sunday, meet at 8:30 AM, depart by 8:45 AM. The Bike Rack. A 40-mile, moderately paced ride that emphasizes group riding techniques, newcomers to the group riding are welcome as riders regroup throughout, so that nobody is left behind. Helmets mandatory. Free. 1412 Q St. NW. 202-387-BIKE, www. bikerackdc.com.
FILM & MUSIC 5 Eye Asian Film Festival. August 1-29, 8:30 PM. On each Sunday in August, catch a free outdoor showing of five award-winning movies, some of which have never before been screened in the United States. Presented by the Mount Vernon Triangle Community Improvement District and the Asian Heritage Foundation. August 1: “Hero”; August 8: “Cape No. 7”; August 15: “The Host”; August 22: Akira Kurosawa’s “Dreams”; August 29: “Lage Raho Munna Bhai”. Fifth & I Sts. NW. 202-661-7590, www.mountvernontriangle.org. Steinway Series: Goldenberg Duo. August 8, 3 PM. Smithsonian American Art Museum. Susan Goldenberg, violinist with the Kansas City Symphony, and William Goldenberg, professor of piano at Northern Illinois University, present an eclectic program including works by Frank Bridge, Samuel Barber, Claude Debussy, and Ludwig van Beethoven. Free. 750 9th St. NW. 202-633-7970, americanart.si.edu
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“For the Love of Sound” Documentary Film Series. August 9-30, 6:30 PM. Goethe-Institut Washington. This series of documentaries deals with music and the people who dedicate their selves to it. Through different approaches, the directors and protagonists declare their love of rhythm and sound while providing interesting insights into the ways of life of musicians. August 9: “Pianomania”; August 16: Tearing Your Heart Apart”; August 23: “A Father’s Music”; “August 30: “Touch the Sound.” $6/general, $4/ members, students and seniors. 814 Seventh St. NW. 202-289-1200, www. goethe.de. U Street Movie Series: “The Soloist.” August 10, Doors at 7 PM; Film around 8:30 PM. (Rain date August 17). Harrison Recreation Center. This year’s free movie series celebrates the musical history and culturally diverse roots of the U St. neighborhood. Free popcorn for the first 100 entrants. 1330 V St. NW. 202-673-6865. movies.ustreet-dc.org. Movie Nights in the Heights: “Shrek.” August 12, 8-10 PM. Harriet Tubman Elementary Field. Hosted by the Columbia Heights Day Initiative, join your neighbors for an outdoor neighborhood movie series that also features an opening set of love music. No alcohol, flashlight recommended. Free. 3103 13th St NW. 979-229-9139, www.cohiday.org. Summer Screenings: Independent Series. August 21, 7-10 PM: Capital Irish Film Festival; August 28, 7-10 PM: Washington Jewish Film Festival. The Lounge at the Renaissance Dupont Circle. See the Lounge at this Dupont hotel transformed into an intimate theater, allowing guests to discover thought-provoking and engaging film, courtesy of the DC Commission on Arts & Humanties. Free. 1143 New Hampshire Ave. NW, 202-775-0800, dcarts. dc.gov.
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16 ◆ DC midcity | August 2010
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“Black over White.” August 24, 7:009:30 PM. Renaissance Hotel Dupont Circle. When a concert tour takes two members of the popular Israeli band, the Idan Raichel Project, back to Ethiopia for the first time since leaving as children, they experience a surprising flood of emotions. Followed by a surprise selection of short films from around the world. Free, but RSVP required. 1143 New Hampshire Ave. NW. 202-518-9400, www.washingtondcjcc.org. KidSpy Spies on Screen:“ Spy Kids.” August 25, 2-4 PM. International Spy Museum. Follow the Cortez family through this fast-paced adventure in the classic family spy film, “Spy Kids.” $7/general, $5.60/members. 800 F St. NW. 202-EYE-SPY-U, www.spymuseum.org. Secret Agent 23 Skidoo. August 29, 10:30 AM. Sixth & I Historic Synagogue. The top name in kid-hop fea-
tures positive party rhymes, magnetic stories, and eclectic, well-produced beats from a cast of Asheville musical all stars. $8/advance, $10/at door. 600 I St. NW. 202-408-3100, www.sixthandi.org. Just Us. Every Thursday, 9 PM-1 AM. Dukem Restaurant. Oldies but goodies from Motown’s past performed live weekly with Ethiopian twist dancers. Free. 1114-1118 U St. NW. 202-6678735, www.dukemrestaurant.com.
THEATER “Eight.” August 5-14. DC Arts Center. “Eight,” by young English playwright Ella Hickson, is a series of eight thematically connected monologues about young people struggling to find identity in a culture wracked by war, plagued by terrorism and on the brink of economic collapse. $15/general, $10/DCAC members. 2438 18th St. NW. 202-462-7833, www.dcartscenter.org. “Passing Strange.” Through August 8. The Studio Theatre. Rocking last year’s Broadway season with soulful songs and funky harmonies, “Passing Strang”e follows a rock musician on his quest for authenticity. From songwriter and performance artist Stew comes a new kind of musical full of sex, drugs, and rock’n’roll. $38. 1501 14th St. NW. 202-332-3300, www.studiotheatre.org. “Separated at Birth.” August 11-29. Flashpoint. Devised by DC’s own dig & pony, this “clown show” set in a train station follows two lonely circus dwellers that seem destined to meet. $15. 916 G St. NW. 202-315-1305, www. flashpointdc.org. “Avenue Q.” Through August 15. Landsburgh Theatre. Broadway’s smash-hit 2004 Tony Award winner for best musical, best score and best book, this hilarious show -- full of heart and hummable tunes -- is about trying to make it in NYC with big dreams and a tiny bank account. $86. 450 Seventh St. NW, 202-547-1122. www.shakespearetheatre.org. “In the Next Room, or the Vibrator Play.” August 23-September 19. Woolly Mammoth Theatre. At the dawn of the electrical age, a new medical device is developed to treat and pacify “hysterical” women, but it unknowingly produces a very different result. Pulitzer Prize-nominated playwright Sarah Ruhl shares this story of repressed sexuality and physical exploration with equal doses of humor and emotion. $30. 641 D St. NW. 202-393-3939, www.woollymammoth.net. Want to see your event listed in the calendar? E-mail calendar@hillrag. com by the 20th of the month prior to publication. Submissions may be edited. Publication not guaranteed. ◆
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1501 U Street, NW / 202-265-9800 capitalcommunitynews.com ◆ 17
“Focus and Concentration” Colin Shire performs a punching drill on the bag. Photo: Krystle Cantu
B ox in g in a
B a c k A l le y antu stle C y r K y b
I
n a corner of Blagden Alley, a whistle lets out a high pitched shrill. Shouts are heard from within the garage-like gym. The smell of sweat, musk and the vibe of determination fill the air. The dim lights glisten on cinder block walls, and gray concrete floors. A taped up boxing ring focuses the scene; across from it hang three punching bags swinging off black metal bars. Contenders perfect their skills on punching bags and practice foot-work and endurance in the ring. The workout is intense. Halfway through, students are dripping with sweat. “There is nothing harder than getting in shape to do this,” says Dave White, 14-year boxing trainer of “Downtown Boxing.” “Boxing is the most difficult sport. I don’t expect people to be able to do much their first time out.” At the end of all this: 100 crunches done in sets of four, followed by three sets of 30-40 pushups and bicycle kicks. 18 ◆ DC midcity | August 2010
“How many is that? Two or three?” White shouts. “Three,” Students reply. “Alright, get in the ring, first set of push-ups. Up position. Down!”
The Start White, now 58, was an amateur boxer for five years in his midtwenties. Hailing from Atlanta he did most of his sparring in Austin, Texas, where he attended law school. He received the Regional Golden Gloves Award in 1980. Shortly after, he moved to DC and worked in a number of careers, one of which involved working as a lobbyist. “Being a lobbyist just really wears you down,” White said. “The work was just so grinding that I couldn’t take it anymore.” Unable to forget his prizefighting days, he gave up lobbying and opened a boxing studio in Chinatown. “I was just tired of doing what I was doing.” White said. “I didn’t even have a big plan. It was almost by accident.”
White’s Gym has taken place in three different locations over the past 14 years. The name “Downtown Boxing” originated from his second trial location. “I signed a 3-year lease on the first place I had,” he said.“ I didn’t even think it would last three years.” Downtown Boxing’s current location sits off M Street, NW in Blagden Alley which is between 9th and 10th Streets. “Everybody who comes here is making a major effort to get here,” White said. “They have find their way here. It’s not easy.” Despite its awkward location, White’s Gym is quite a success. He trains a group of motivated boxers, young and old, men and women. Many attend two to three times a week, sometimes more. “There are a lot more people wanting to do this than I ever imagined,” he said. “Nobody is forced to be here. Anybody that comes in here and decides it‘s not for them will disappear quickly.”
The Contenders Mark Armstrong, 53, said boxing has now been a part of his weekly routine for twelve years. “I’ve tried other things. But I don’t know anywhere else where I’d be able to work out like this,” Armstrong said. “After the first couple of lessons I fell in love with it.” Armstrong attends work-out sessions at Downtown Boxing twice a week. He holds a great deal of respect for White, both as a teacher and a motivator. “I came in knowing nothing and he worked with me,” he said. “He never takes it easy on me, which is good. He has been my trainer and my friend.” Armstrong thinks that the harsh temperature conditions of the gym work to his advantage, as well. “It’s kind of a challenge. I like to push myself when it’s really hot in here,” he said. “I’m going to keep doing this until there is some major reason I have to stop.” White charges $100 per month for training (discounted to $75 if you’re a student). Although most of his pupils attend for the exercise benefits, White said he has trained a few of his students for pro fights. “Endurance” Dave White (left) with Contender, Rebecca.(right) Photo: Krystle Cantu
“Some of these guys get pretty good.” he said. “I’ve got guys in here who want to turn pro, and I train them to get to where they need to be.” White once trained a fighter who participated in a few amateur-pro fights in Texas. The fighter is currently working for a government agency and residing overseas. White said. The contender is expected to return in August and is eager to start training again. “I have a friend in Texas who manages a gym and puts on fights,” White said. “I already got him {White’s student] one fight in Texas and he was pretty good.”
Boxing is for Women Too Sophia Castillero has been attending the gym for almost a year. She isn’t training for pro, but after a trial of many other sports, she chooses to stick with boxing. “This sport works best for me,” she says as she wraps her hands. “It’s an hour that goes by really fast, for a person that doesn’t like to work out.” Castillero has tried a multitude of gyms, but favors the serious atmosphere of Downtown Boxing. “Everybody is wearing appropriate shoes and it has appropriate equipment,” she said. “I’ve
“Holding the Punch” Dave white (left) with Contender, Adam Weers (right) Photo: Krystle Cantu capitalcommunitynews.com ◆ 19
“Guarding the Knuckles” J.P Mejorada wraps his hands before a session. Photo: Krystle Cantu
found some other gyms that are closer to my house, but I prefer to come over here.”
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A bell dings, it is now a rest period for all the boxers in the room. White begins to strap on his padded vest for “holding the punch”, an exercise in which fighters will practice foot-work, punches, focus and dodging technique. The contestant will practice throwing punches at White and moving around the ring at the same time. This prepares them for sparring. “I’ve managed to do this longer than any other job I’ve had,” White says as he steps into the ring with a student-competitor. “I don’t feel miserable when I go to work, That’s the main thing.” The bell sounds again and the round starts. The sound of fighters pounding their bags echoes throughout. “I get to be my own boss,” he chuckles. “I have no regrets.” More information about sessions can be found at DowntownBoxing.Com. Dave White can be contacted at Manager@DowntownBoxing.com or at 202-332-0012. Location is easily accessible to the Mt. Vernon Sq. metro. The gym is off Blagden Alley which is between 9th and 10th Streets off M Street, NW. ◆
out and about
+ Music
Jazz Avenues By Steve Monroe
The Saxmen Cometh... It’s August, the birthday month of saxophone legends and pioneers Lester Young and Charlie Parker. And Rahsaan Roland Kirk and Wayne Shorter. And Ike Quebec, Bobby Watson and Branford Marsalis. So it’s a month to honor all saxophonists of the heritage, past, present and future. Area venues are right on key, featuring a plethora of horn men this month. Blues Alley features Jacques “Saxman” Johnson, Ron Holloway and Marshall Keys to start off the month. Johnson is the U.S. Army Band veteran who produced and directed The Army Blues, the official jazz band of the Army. Later he was associate professor of jazz studies at the University of the District of Columbia. Holloway has played with Dizzy Gillespie and many others, and won several Washington Area Music Association jazz awards, and Keys is the long time area player known for his golden ballad tone. Twins Jazz has Braxton Cook, Paul Carr and Bruce Swaim. Carr celebrated his new recording, “Straight Ahead Soul,” with a CD release party last month at Blues Alley, before a large crowd. The party featured guitarist Bobby Broom, pianist Allyn Johnson, bassist Michael Bowie and drummer Lenny Robinson, with Johnson was in fine form in particular on “Straight Ahead Soul,” and “Scrappy.” Cook, a Carr protégé, was one of 30 high school musicians s to participate in the 2009 Grammy Jazz ensemble, and won a first prize gold medal in the 2009 National ACT-SO competition sponsored by the NAACP.
A Happy Happy for Billy Taylor A shout out for pianist Dr. Billy Taylor, who celebrated his 89th birthday last month. A musician, composer, writer, educator, broadcaster and Jazz advocate, Taylor is the Kennedy Center’s Artistic Director for Jazz, among other roles he still fulfills. For the first time in four years, Taylor and his trio will return to the Kennedy Center for the season-opening concert on October 2nd. Other events are planned for his 90th year celebration,
Charlie on the D.C. Jazz Festival Caught up with Charlie Fishman, executive producer of the D.C. Jazz Festival, for a comment on the 5th annual event in June: “The festival, aside form the disappointment that Moody had to cancel due to his recuperative period from major surgery, and Dianne Reeves having to cancel due to a family medical emergency (although I called in a huge personal favor and got Roberta Flack who very generously and graciously agreed to replace Dianne), and not having sufficient funding to do the Mall, was a great success. And we managed to come out ok financially.”
WDCJN Needs YOU!
ABOVE: The man with the golden tone, Marshall Keys, performing in 1990. LEFT: Ron Holloway, with a sound often compared to that of sax legend “Jug,” Gene Ammons, performs at Blues Alley this month.
according to his website. A compilation of his recordings on his own Taylor Made Jazz and Soundpost Recordings is being produced in conjunction with the release of his catalogue digitally, later this year, so that his most recent recordings will be available online at iTunes, Amazon and other digital stores. This writer first heard Taylor in the 1970s, when he, the founder of the Jazzmobile, the free outdoor traveling jazz educational and performance venue, led a Jazzmobile group in concert in Rochester, N.Y. Who out there remembers the Jazzmobile??!!
Tireless jazz emissary George V. Johnson could use your donations and/or advertisements for the Washington DC Jazz Network website. He is asking for help with operating expenses. “It’s time to give back to the network. With now over 1,000 members we can do this very easily if everyone gives a little. [We have] Approximately 2,000 site visits per day from around the world!” Go to washingtondcjazznetwork.ning. com for more information. ◆
August Highlights: Freddy Cole Quartet, Aug. 7-8, Blues Alley ... Jacques Johnson, Aug. 10, Blues Alley ... Ron Holloway, Aug. 14, Blues Alley ... Marshall Keys, Aug. 15, Blues Alley ... Braxton Cook, Aug. 18, Twins Jazz ... Paul Carr, Aug. 20, Twins Jazz ... Tribute to Nina Simone and Miriam Makeba, Aug. 20-21, Bohemian Caverns ... Arturo Sandoval, Aug. 20-22, Blues Alley ...Doreen’s Jazz New Orleans, Aug. 22, Twins Jazz ... Doreen’s Jazz New Orleans, Aug. 24, Blues Alley ... D.C. Jazz Masters with Herb Smith, Peter Edelman, Aug. 27, Westminster Church ... Bruce Swaim Quartet, Aug. 27, Twins Jazz ... Wallace Roney, Aug. 27-29, Blues Alley ... August Birthdays: Big Nick Nicholas 2; Eddie Jefferson 3; Louis Armstrong, Sonny Simmons 4; Lenny Breaux 5; Rahsaan Roland Kirk 7; Lucky Millinder, Benny Carter 8; Jack DeJohnnette 9; Claude Thornhill 10; Russell Procope 11; Earl Coleman, Pat Matheny 12; Mulgrew Miller 13; Stuff Smith 14; Oscar Peterson, Mal Waldron, Bill Evans 16; Ike Quebec, Duke Pearson 17; Oscar Brashear 18; Jimmy Rowles 19l Count Basie, Art Farmer 21; Bobby Watson 23, Claude Hopkins 24; Wayne Shorter, Pat Martino 25; Branford Marsalis 26; Lester Young 27; Kenny Drew 28; Charlie Parker, Dinah Washington 29; Kenny Dorham 30.
capitalcommunitynews.com ◆ 21
out and about I N
+ Dining
S
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By Celeste McCall
S
ushi with Skee Ball? Why not? You don’t often encounter sushi in a sports bar, but times and menus are changing. Old Dominion Brewhouse (Washington’s first microbrewery, established in 1989), has expanded its menu. Along with its eclectic lineup of fried calamari, spinach artichoke dip, Asian lettuce wraps, chicken quesadillas, wraps, Oak Barrel chili, pastas and steaks, you can now order sushi and sashimi with your ale. And it’s very good.. At a recent lunch, I scanned the Sushi Bar Platters (there’s also ala carte items) I decided on a $19 as-
sortment. Eight slivers of ultra fresh fish (including top grade tuna, salmon and mackerel) arrived on snowy pillows of rice, along with a half dozen California rolls. Delicious. Less successful was Peter’s Mongolian-style stir fry. It’s a bargain; for $10 diners choose a sauce (Peter got a sweet-and-sour Mongolian), and then choose from beef, pork, chicken or fish. Peter opted for pork, which was too tough to eat. However, our server Travis (brand new on the job), was very accommodating, and promptly brought Peter a substitute plate of chicken. Oh yes, Old Domin-
ion pours numerous Old Dominion beers; Peter liked his Old Dominion Light. (I settled for Oyster Bay (New Zealand) Sauvignon Blanc. Old Dominion is a pleasant, casual place, comfortably dim, with a dozen TV screens tuned in to sports. Even at lunchtime, we could hear the clatter of patrons playing Skee Ball. A real bargain is Old Dominion’s Happy Hour–Monday through Friday from 4 to 7 p.m., with $4 sushi and Large draft beers for just $4.75. Located at 1219 Ninth St. NW, near the Mount Vernon Square/DC Convention Center Metro (Green/
Yellow Line), Old Dominion is open daily for lunch and dinner. Call 202289-8158 or visit www.olddominionbrewhouse.com.
Ole! Just two days after Spain’s first ever World Cup victory, Estadio debuted at 1520 14th St. NW. The 113-seat restaurant showcases contemporary Spanish cuisine with an emphasis on northern dishes. Among executive chef Haidar Karoum’s creations are tortilla Espanola (potato and onion omelette), Salmorejo (thickened gazpacho), and grilled
Open Kitchen at Estadio. Photo: PFAU Communication 22 ◆ DC midcity | August 2010
Tell Them, “Shaw Main Streets Sent Me!”
groundbreaking launched the first construction in Shaw’s commercial district since the 2008 financial crisis. Also in the development will be the Howard Theatre and Renaissance Project (formerly Broadcast Center One), City Market at O, and–later this fall--the Marriott Marquis Convention Center.
Logan laundry A Common table at Estadio. Photo: PFAU Communication
bread with boquorones (white anchovies), and roasted peppers. Along with traditional tapas, Karoum also makes mini-tapas, called “pintxos” in the Basque region. Small entrees are “racions,” priced from $12 - $19. Estadio is open for dinner beginning at 4 p.m., with weekend brunch planned for fall. Much like sister restaurant Proof (also operated by Mark Kuller), Estadio serves quesos (cheeses) and embutidos (charcuterie). Breads are baked inhouse. Wine Director Sebastian Zutant has a list with more than 200 labels, mostly Spanish, with a few South American, Portuguese, and domestic labels. Estadio (Stadium in Spanish) is located at 1520 14th Street NW, between the U Street/ African American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo (Green/Yellow Line) and Dupont Circle (Red Line) Metro stops. For more information, please call 202-319-1404 or visit the website at www.estadio-dc.com.
Shaw News Next summer, the Shaw neighborhood will welcome a Burmese restaurant, the DC spinoff of Silver Spring’s Mandalay Restaurant. For inspiration, Mandalay owner Aung Myint is traveling to Myanmar (Burma), to work with Burmese chefs to come up with 30 unique dishes. A fellow traveler/business partner will refine the cocktail list. Mandalay’s groundbreaking ceremony–which featured a Burmese buffet--took place last June. Situated at 1501 Ninth St. NW, the 6,000 squarefoot mixed-use development replaces a former used car lot, a neighborhood eyesore for decades. For updates visit www.mandalayrestaurantcafe.com. Mandalay’s construction and restaurant build-out are being financed by a $2.1 million U.S. Small Business Administration loan. The
Money laundering? Noooo, not money. Would you believe , shirts and movies? Whisk Group and Abdo Development are joining forces to unveil Italian Shirt Laundry, a combination pizzeria and bakery named for the long-ago business at 1601 14th St. NW. And that’s not all. Nearby will be the Italian Cinema, 1404 14th St., NW, which will serve pasta, charcuterie. As its name suggests, Italian films will be screened against a wall on the restaurant’s roof. Look for the two Italian hot spots later this year or in 2011. Leases have been signed and blue prints drawn. Mark Weiss, owner of the Whisk Group (which also operates Againn (downtown), reportedly has a chef in mind. Stay tuned.
Dog Days at Againn Speaking of Againn: the British-themed restaurant is hosting Dog Days of Summer. Through August 30, guests may bring their leashed dogs to weekday happy hour and Sunday brunch at AGAINN’’s 20-seat outdoor café. Monday through Friday from 5 to 7 p.m., two-legged companions may order $5 beers and $7 wines, along with entrees like smoked salmon and the trimmings; pints of prawns with Marie Rose sauce, both priced at just $5. Pups get special “doggy treats.” For Againn’s Sunday brunch (served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.), dogs chomp on house-cured bacon, while their owners savor asparagus fritatta with house-made chorizo, English peas, and pecorino; or smoked Coppa Benedict with house-made English muffins, poached egg, and hollandaise sauce. Bloody Marys and Mimosas are just $5. Againn is located at 1099 New York Ave. NW (entrance of 11th Street, just one block from the 11th Street exit of Metro Center). Valet parking is available daily. For reservations or additional information call 202-6399830 or visit www.againndc.com. ◆ capitalcommunitynews.com ◆ 23
out and about
+ Shopping
Goodwood 1428 U St. NW 202-986-3640 www.goodwooddc.com
Retail Therapy by Hunter L. Gorinson
Typically governed by Madison Ave. buzzwords and marketability studies, the world of modern “decorative arts” isn’t typically known for its straight ahead, like-or-don’t sensibilities. Fortunately, the husband and wife team of Daniel and Anna Kahoe haven’t spent the past 18 years traveling the East Coast to dwell on the minutiae of obscure Scandavian design. Rather, their “eclectic urbanite” abode soars with the best in bachelor pad Americana. Well, make that the kind of high-grade rummage, right for any man equally suited to a pith helmet or cowboy boots. Inside a converted U St. residential storefront, Hef-worthy, 60s nudes ($259) and bikini bottom close-ups ($525) hang on the walls the alongside all shades of mounted fauna -- antelope ($395), brown trout and ($65) and a prominent rack of Texas longhorn ($595) among their staples. For the real collector of rustic American décor, there’s more than a few rare home furnishing finds lining Goodwood’s floor Not your typical tastemakers: Robert Sarsony’s 1974 “Red Bikini” on the walls of Goodwood. shan’t to be found this side of Dixie. Seventy-eights of Dust Bowl-era folk or Delta blues can’t rival the feel of an authentic, federal courthouse bench ($595), nor a modern carnival mimic the effect of a full length funhouse mirror ($1200) on one’s bedroom wall. Nonetheless, all of the store’s all vintage, adventurer-suited stock is constantly being sold off and shuffled, so look in often for new finds in the odd and awesome.
Fashion, meet art: U St. in summary at Caramel.
Caramel 1603 U St. NW 202-265-1930 www.caramelfashion.com There’s many a U St. boutique vying for the high-style, local design dollar, but fouryear-old Caramel has set itself apart by turning its District-savvy eye to the fine arts alone and its fashion sense firmly abroad. In between month-long exhibitions from DC area artists such as Gabriel Pons and Tom Drymon, Caramel owner Sarah Watkins consistently turns up diverse array of international men’s and women’s designers sans the Georgetown price tag -- whether it be the all-organic cotton solids of France’s Ethos ($79 and up), the abstract prints of Belarus’s Yutiva ($49 and up), the floral summer wear of Uttam London ($79 and up) or the dapper, men’s cuts of Canada’s Biscot Milano ($65 and up). “I want people to feel like if anyone comes in, they can find something that appeals to them…[whether] it’s fun pieces to go out in at night or something work appropriate as well,” said Watkins, who dubs her store’s style “casual contemporary.” But if the art is local and the clothes global, Caramel’s deep selection of accessories draws from a bit of both. A few pieces of jewelry comes by way of Beijing-via-DC designer Ping Ping Bling, while London Badge and Button exclusively supplies one of kind cufflinks, to name but a few. For a closer look at each designer in stock for both him and her, check out Caramel’s exhaustingly thorough website. 24 ◆ DC midcity | August 2010
Tell Them, Nahom Records 1918 Ninth St. NW 202-667-2323 www.nahomrecord.com
“Shaw Main Streets Sent Me!”
Perhaps unlike any other DC neighborhood, Little Ethiopia row services not a niche but a community. In the case of Nahom Records, that’s a customer base that stretches from around the block to across the globe. Founded stateside a decade ago, Nahom is the world’s premiere record label for Ethiopian music. Accordingly, their Little Ethiopia headquarters and storefront trades not only in the sounds of Africa’s second most populous nation, but every aspect of its culture as well. Five hundred some years of Ethiopian history distilled World music neophytes might be surprised to – in both notes and words – at Nahom Records. find a few, true global superstars lining Nahom’s shelves. Among the label’s best sellers is Tewodros Kassahun -- better known to many as Teddy Afro, or by his reputation as “Africa’s Bob Marley” --along with Nahom’s own 22 volume deep “Greatest Hits” collections ($5-10), and selections that range from traditional to jazz to hip-hop. Accentuating that collection is a supply of books and DVDs -- ranging from feature films to dance performances to cultural documentaries. According to label founder and shop owner, Elias Woldemariam, that stock isn’t targeted to Washington’s thriving Ethiopian community alone. “We want to invite everyone in,” said Woldemariam, an Addis Abbaba native and former musician himself. “Not just Ethiopians, but every ethnic group.”
Meeps Vintage Fashionette 2104 18th St. NW 202-265-6546 www.meepsdc.com Thrift store shopping can be a hit or miss affair -- a pair of boots here, a well-worn tee that probably predates your birth there, and plenty of impulse buys in between that rarely, if ever, make it beyond the armoire. The cooler heads of Meeps Vintage Fashionette in Adams Morgan, however, have prevailed in doing most of the hard work for us. Since 1992, they’ve staked their name on rescuing the best in everyMeeps Vintage: Making the “church lady hat” a seven-day thing from cabana shirts ($16 and up) to Member’s Only jackets ($34-42) to tuxedos ($48) from Goodwill obscurity and giving them life anew. Which isn’t to say that all of their wares are strictly period. Head to their “Local Focus” sections -- motto: “free yourself from mass production -- and one will find a bevy of once bargain rack outwear repurposed for the 21st century. Designers like Brilliant Stranger, Refab and Revamp Clothing specialize in piecing together disparate elements for a new whole -- such as taking a typical pearl button, Western shirt and screenprinting a pair of twin derringers onto the chest ($24), or reconfiguring a dollar bin slip and scarf into, yes, a flouncy summer blouse ($42). Still, it is the height of summer, so the store’s two most popular items these days are their wide selection of off-brand sunglasses ($14.99) and oh so shady “church lady hats ($18 and up). ◆ capitalcommunitynews.com ◆ 25
out and about
+ Business Profile
A Workout Paradise on 7th Street By Amanda Abrams
I Rania Jaziri is at ease on the pole in her studio (Photo: Amanda Abrams)
26 ◆ DC midcity | August 2010
t’s a novel idea in a location starved for new businesses. But the coolest thing about Jordin’s Paradise might be its owner, Rania Jaziri, a bubbly German immigrant who’s all of 26 years old. Certain that her concept—making workouts fun by adding elements like dance and laughter—was a good one, she wrote a business plan, pooled her savings, rented a space, and opened for business this January. A leap of faith like that has got to take courage. But Jaziri says it wasn’t as scary as it sounds. “I never really thought it wouldn’t work,” she explained. “If you have a vision in your mind, you don’t let anyone distract you. And I couldn’t find this anywhere else.” “This” is the range of classes that Jordin’s Paradise now offers: pole dancing (beginner and advanced), laughing yoga, hula hooping, belly dancing, and “inner diva” (dancing in heels). “It’s about tricking people into working out,” said Jaziri. Her theory is that having fun can simultaneously get you into shape, whether you’re dancing, laughing, or just moving sexily. Dancing, she pointed out, can burn 600-700 calories an hour while toning calves, arms, and posteriors. Laughing yoga? It’s ultimately about improving breathing and working those belly muscles. But pole dancing has gotten the most attention. Yes, there are the sexy moves, the gyrating hips, the undulating spine. But at the heart of successfully and gracefully twirling around a pole are arms that can support a body’s weight and an iron core to power those legs up. It’s not as easy as it looks. “Oh, you will feel it in your arms and legs and abs. At the same time, you’re having a good time—and it makes you feel sexy,” said Jaziri, who explained that she’d always wanted to try pole dancing, and finally asked some ‘exotic dancers’ to teach her. Jaziri initially came to the U.S. as an au pair three years ago and eventually wound up working as a personal trainer in a gym. A longtime dancer and sporty type, she tried to incorporate some un-
conventional steps into the exercise routines she led, but the gym didn’t have the props or capacity to take it further. That’s how she wound up in a one-room studio at 1121 7th Street NW, across from the Mt. Vernon Square/7th St.-Convention Center Metro station. The business first opened in January, just before Snowpocalypse and its sibling hit the area—not an especially fortuitous time to start any kind of enterprise that requires customers to leave their homes. But since then, business has steadily increased. The location is not a particularly bustling one— in fact, the studio door remains locked at all times, and customers have to buzz to enter. But some people have walked by and gotten intrigued; other customers initially heard about the studio through Groupon, which offered a deal on classes, or fundraising events Jaziri and her teachers have been involved with. The drop-in fee for a one hour class is $39, more than double what many yoga studios charge. But classes are intentionally kept small, and Jaziri says her teachers pay close attention to each student’s needs: “It’s like a boutique facility, and you’re paying for a partly personalized session.” Plus, she added, competition and the intimidation factor common to dance classes are strongly discouraged at her facility. And there are other perks too, like Jaziri’s recent brainstorm, “Metro-poling.” It’s exactly what it sounds like: she led a group of students onto the Metro, where they practiced their pole dancing skills on a car’s vertical steel rails. One can only imagine the surprise—and appreciation, perhaps—of the car’s few other riders. “And then we all went to Ozio’s and took over,” said Jaziri, finally sounding like the 26-year-old she is. For more information, visit www.jordinsparadise.com, or call 202-997-8211. ★
FREE SEMINARS Presented by the…
Washington Area Community Investment Fund, Inc. (WACIF)
Small Business Loan Day Meet with a panel of community small business lenders to discuss your financing needs. August 14, 2010 • 11:00-1:00pm – 1150 Varnum Street, NE, Washington, DC 20017
Preparing for a Loan How to get you and your business ready for financing! August 17, 2010 • 6:30-8:30pm – 1150 Varnum Street, NE, Washington, DC 20017
Starting your Small Business A Legal Perspective August 25, 2010 • 6:30pm-8:30pm – 1150 Varnum Street, NE, Washington, DC 20017
For more information Call WACIF to RSVP: (202) 529-5505 Additional WACIF information can be found at www.wacif.org Interpretation services and accommodations for persons with disabilities are available. Contact WACIF one week prior to event for any special assistance needs. Support for WACIF’s programs and services is provided by the DC Dept. of Housing & Community Development, DC Dept. of Human Services – Early Care & Education Admin., Prince George’s Co. Dept. of Housing & Community Development, MD Dept. of Housing & Community Development, US Small Business Administration, US Dept. of Health & Human Services, Economic Development and Training Institute, Inc., National Capital/RLA Revitalization Corporation, Capital One, Naomi and Nehemiah Cohen Foundation, Cafritz Foundation, Wachovia Bank and other individual and corporate donors and investors.
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the nose Man on a Mission vs. Bulletproof by Anonymous
M
an on a Mission vs. Bulletproof. No, Dear Readers, these are not insipid summer blockbusters. These are our choices for DC Council Chairman. The Nose himself isn’t quite sure which lever to pull. In The Nose’s fantasy universe where “W” lost his second election and the Tooth Fairy still left surprises under one’s pillow, former Ward 3 Council member Kathy “Saint” Patterson would have jumped off her well-paid perch at the Pew Trust to save the day. Alas, there is more chance of a resurrected Jesus campaigning door-to-door for Mayor Blackberry, then that long lost voice of sanity rejoining DC’s fractious Council. Sadly, Dear Readers, The Nose vowed to his Maker not to write-in. A tough decision remains.
The Orange Crush: Positives The “Man on a Mission” is Vincent “VO” Orange, who represented Ward 5 for eight years on the DC Council and produced a documentary video of that title for his failed 2006 mayoral bid. Arguably, VO’s biggest political accomplishment was convincing Home Depot to build a store at the Brentwood Shopping Center in Ward 5. Yes, Dear Readers, the Home Depot’s sea-of-parking-lot design is dreadful from an urban planner’s perspective. There’s no customer service, and its economies of scale have had a negative impact on the Brookland True Value Hardware. But, the big box store does employ folks, lots of them. VO also has some academic cred. He’s got a law degree from Howard 28 ◆ DC midcity | August 2010
University and an advanced degree in taxation from Georgetown. Perhaps this might help with that annual exercise in arcane calculus known as the DC budget. As chairman of the government operations committee, VO did help usher through living wage legislation, which requires those receiving public subsidies to pay workers at least $11.75 an hour with an unfortunate exemption for retailers. VO is fun. He’s got a sense of flare. He sings at campaign events. He thinks thematically. His name is Orange. His ties are orange, his house is decorated in orange. Home Depot: orange.
The Orange Crush: Negatives The Nose puts a lot of stock in the company candidates keep. For VO, that list includes: former atlarge councilmember and slots lobbyist John L. Ray; slots proponent and businessman Pedro Alfonso; and the mysterious contributors to his 2006 mayoral exploratory committee who retracted their contributions rather than risking the disclosure of their names. VO cites the rebuilding of McKinley Tech as an accomplishment. The Nose is dubious. The city spent millions and millions on the school to make it state-of-the-art facility. Does anyone today mention McKinley in the same sentence as Banneker or Wilson? On the subject of poor investments, VO also was a solid supporter of the Nationals stadium deal. VO came out strongly against gay marriage when he ran for mayor in 2006. Now he has flip-flopped on the issue. Perhaps David “Can’tStandya”
Catania calling it “marriage equality” made it sound less gay.
Bulletproof: Positives Kwame Brown would definitely raise the fashion bar in the chairman’s office. After we suffered through years of Linda Cropp’s St. John’s knits, Bulletproof would set a new standard. He would make Stacy and Clinton of What Not To Wear—as well as Carol Schwartz and the DC government gay mafia—proud. Bulletproof is friendly. He asks about your spouse. He kisses babies. He remembers your dog’s name. He plows your street. He picks up your trash. He waves at you from the “Kwamemobile.” Didn’t anyone on his staff remember to tell him that he actually won his last two elections? Just like the Energizer Bunny, he keeps going and going. Bulletproof talks a lot about the need for vocational training in this city. He is the legislative champion of Phelps, the first public vocational high school in DC in over a decade. This, The Nose believes, is a good thing to focus on given a 28 percent unemployment rate in Ward 8. Bulletproof has also been a solid advocate for small businesses, particularly those that are minority-owned. He is an unwavering supporter of the city’s “Main Streets” and “Great Streets” initiatives. Bulletproof authored the legislation that created a governmental department dedicated to small business development, and more recent legislation that provided tax credits to businesses that create 10 or more jobs in the District. Bulletproof supported marriage equality in the face of opposition from neighbors in Ward 7. On the Council, he has emerged as one of
the Mayor Blackberry’s most consistent critics demanding accountability on matters relating to “Fraternitygate” and minority hiring.
Bulletproof: Negatives Bulletproof tends to make statements that are less than bulletproof. He has the reputation among both advocates and his colleagues to say that he is with them, and then he will vote against them. Sometimes he won’t take a position at all. More than once, Bulletproof has voted “present” on important matters of public policy—such as the confirmation vote for BlackBerry Consigliere Peter Nickles. Moreover, The Nose is hard pressed to think of a specific piece of recent legislation that Bulletproof authored himself on the level of importance of the Bag Bill or Marriage Equality. On the Council, he seems more of a supporting player rather than a lead. Then there’s Bulletproof ’s academic cred. When Bulletproof first ran at-large, his campaign materials said he attended the Tuck School of Business at Ivy League Dartmouth. Actually, Bulletproof spent a week up in New Hampshire at a Tuck executive business program. Stretching things is a bit of a pattern for this ambitious at-large councilmember. Indeed, Bulletproof stretched his finances so much that three credit card companies have sued him for payment. What did Bulletproof think? Chase and Citibank would give up? Forget? Dear Readers, good luck in choosing. The Nose plans to spend some time on the Eastern Shore staring into the water, lighting incense for Saint Kathleen. ◆
14th and U by Tanya Snyder
I
n an act of boundless solidarity with the Gulf of Mexico, U Street experienced its own oil spill in July. A truck rolled down the corridor Wednesday, July 7 oozing kitchen grease for seven blocks, making the roadway too slick to drive on and leaving behind a stench like bad Chinese food. The Department of Public Works said the truck collects cooking oil from restaurants. It apparently sprung a leak around 16th and U Streets sometime around 5 in the morning, driving seven blocks east before running dry. That whole seven-block section had to be closed to traffic, frustrating drivers already harried by their morning commutes. Fourteenth Street was briefly shut down between T and V too. City work crews (in 102 degree weather) spread first one, then another, layer of sand on the roadway to soak up the grease. Even some patches of sidewalk had to be closed off after pedestrians slipped, according to the Washington Post. WTOP’s Kristi King reported that “one bicyclist who wiped out said he was more embarrassed than hurt. His shirt and pants were covered in black grease.” For much of the day, various segments of the road were being opened, closed, and restricted. The part between 16th and 14th, where the leak began, was the worst, and traffic restrictions there lasted the longest. For several hours, only buses were allowed. Drivers were told to keep their speeds down to 10 miles per hour. When traffic was open on other sections, it was mostly to help work crews with their job: the vehicles helped pack down the sand. Then the street would close again, so trucks could remove it. It wasn’t until close to 4:00 in the afternoon that things were more or less back to normal.
Go-Go Legend Gone-Gone Don’t confuse it with Ben Ali Way… an alley just one block east of there will soon be named for Little Benny, the go-go front man who died at the end of May at age 46. Little Benny (born Anthony Harley) led the group Little Benny & the Masters, best known for the hit “Cat in the Hat.” His U Street funeral in June featured Chuck Brown, whom he
cording to the Mayor’s office, they chose that location because “the Masonic Temple was one of the main arenas where [Little Benny] played and he used to enter into the Masonic Temple via the back alley.”
Dog Days Are Here
Get ready for the Dog Days of August! Photo courtesy of MidCity Business Association Get costumes, furniture, and more at the Studio Theatre’s annual sale. Photo credit: Luis Gomez Photos14th and U Report
often played with. Even if you can’t tell by the cat-and-mouse relationship the city has with the go-go scene, Mayor Adrian Fenty seems to have a warm place in his heart for Little Benny. He mourned his death with a special statement (not to be outdone, rival mayoral candidate Vince Gray quickly did the same.) Both attended Little Benny’s memorial service. But now the flourish: Fenty is honoring Little Benny with an alley off U Street – a tribute reserved only for those who left a lasting mark on the corridor, like Ben Ali, who gave DC the gift of 2 a.m. chili cheese fries, for which we will all be forever grateful. “Lil’ Benny Way” (yes, we’re scratching our heads about the “Lil” too) will reportedly be dedicated on the alley off of 11th Street NW between U and T streets August 7 at noon. Ac-
The U Street neighborhood comes alive for Dog Days of August, an annual weekend event bringing together all the boutiques, restaurants and galleries of the area. For the 11th year of the event, they’re going all out. Where else can you get ball gowns, go-go boots, dollhouses, and donuts all in one place? We at Mid-City DC are especially looking forward to the Studio Theatre Prop and Costume Sale. They’ll be selling off all the booty from the 2009-2010 season. For the fashionistas, they’ve got leather jackets, wigs, and handmade hats you’ll want to try on. But their annual garage sale is much more than just clothes. They’re selling off their props and sets from this season too. Pick up a boardroom table, or a one-of-a-kind dollhouse, or an electronic hospital bed. Looking for an antique 1920s adding machine? They’ve got two! All that and a Starbucks sign to boot. Studio Theatre staff and board members also donate their own stuff to the sale, so there’s really no limit to what you’ll find. The sale is just the first day of Dog Days – Saturday only, 10:00 to 5:00. For those of you who aren’t shopaholics, you’ll enjoy meeting local artists and performers from area theaters and cultural organizations. And bring the kids: performances include improv, step, and light saber workshops – yes, you and your 12year-old read that right. There’s also a free showcase performance of the upcoming year at Source. At the shops and boutiques in the neighborhood, you’ll find discounts of up to 80%, not to mention a donut and lemonade stand at Cork wine bar on 14th Street, a beach party at ACKC Cocoa Bar (as if you needed an excuse to go to that chocolate fantasy shop.) Dog Days of August, Saturday, August 7 and Sunday, August 8, throughout the 14th and U Street corridors. ◆ capitalcommunitynews.com ◆ 29
your neighborhood
Shaw Streets by Ralph Brabham comfortable seating for 200 customers, a large program room for up to 100 people, two 12-person conference rooms, and a vending area. A neon light sculpture by local artist Craig Kraft will be installed outside the library, adding even more visual interest to the library’s streetscape. Apart from the new building’s aesthetic beauty and functional prowess, the library is poised to be a hub of diverse people and activities. Branch manager Eric Riley oversaw the interim library located a few blocks away on Final Days of Construction of the New Watha T. Daniel/Shaw Library Rhode Island Avenue. in July 2010 He recently described the library as the “nexus of the neighShaw’s Beautiful New borhood” and “an incubator for innovative programming.” Library Will Be the Many activities that kept the inHeart of the Community terim library brimming with life are 2004 marked the end of an era on the calendar for the new library: for Shaw’s readers. The dark, uninvit- book clubs, story times, film series, ing and bunker-like Watha T. Daniel knitting circles, children’s music Library, which had loomed over the sessions, and craft classes. intersection of Rhode Island Avenue Other new programs are in the and 7th Street since 1975, closed for a works, such as “Makers,” a program long-awaited reconstruction. to reinvigorate interest in engineerThis month the beautiful, new ing and design through interactive neighborhood branch will reopen at 3-D modeling software, “Digital the same location. The three-story Scrapbook,” a program to provide a structure is approximately 22,000 visual, interactive resource on Shaw square feet and features an airy, open, neighborhood history, “Glee Club flexible design to provide inviting /Garage Band,” a program to learn spaces for all. Among its many new how to write, play, and record popular features are separate reading areas for music, and even “Bollywood Dance adults, teens and children, a children’s Aerobics.” program room, space for 80,000 The Grand Opening Party is books, DVDs, CDs and other library scheduled for Sat., August 28, 10 a.m. materials, 32 public access comput- to 4 p.m. ers with free Wi-Fi Internet access, 30 ◆ DC midcity | August 2010
Fall Completion for Bread for the City Expansion Bread for the City provides vulnerable residents of Washington, DC, with comprehensive services – including providing food, clothing, medical care, and legal and social services – in an atmosphere of dignity and respect. Since 1994, it has provided services at 1525 7th Street, NW, a historically-designated former lumber warehouse. The 7th Street location became increasingly cramped for the nonprofit over the years, necessitating an expansion into the adjacent vacant lot. Bread for the City’s expansion began last year. It will provide the non-profit with much needed space, accessibility and flexibility to provide services to its clients on a broader scale, more efficiently, and in a space that fosters the non-profit’s mission. The new main entrance to the building will be spacious and inviting, with a staircase and elevator and open hallways. A wide reception area will feature plenty of seating for visitors. The medical clinic will allow Bread for the City to triple its capac-
ity to provide free health care to the community. The medical clinic will have more exam rooms, a larger dispensary and a new lab and, in time, will accommodate a dental suite. The social services department and legal clinic will expand into the space previously occupied by the medical clinic, providing them with more private meeting space for client visits. The food pantry will be re-organized to accommodate Client Choice, the successful new way of distributing food that the organization has utilized with success in its Southeast Center since March 2010. With the help of D.C. Greenworks, Bread for the City is building a 3,500 square foot green roof. The actual construction of the building has been made possible by the D.C. Primary Care Association, through its Medical Homes DC capital initiative. With this support and gifts from several individuals and private foundations, Bread for the City secured more than 97 percent of the $8.3 million that the expansion will cost. If interested in supporting this expansion, one can donate to the capital campaign at http://breadforthecity.org/capitalcampaign. ◆
Expansion of Bread for the City is expected to be complete this fall. Photos: Drew Porterfield
Logan Circles by Mark F. Johnson queria is on tap to take up the slack. This 274-seat restaurant is to open in a long vacant space next door to the Black Cat, at 1819 14th Street. Maybe it’s just too hot to do any major construction work right now, but we’re still waiting for JBG to start on its 14th and S Streets project. As discussed in previous issues of this column, the development firm is planning to build a blocklong condo from S Street, atop the former Whitman-Walker administrative offices to Swann Street, keeping the retail spaces currently vacated as part of the new rebuilding plan. They maintain that they are on target to start the work so I guess we’ll see some action later this year. This, after all, is the time of year to chill-lax and enjoy a fruity cocktail.
Dog Days! Afternoons at U/14’s Annual Street fest It used to be that during the month of August you could walk around certain parts of DC and see either no one or very few folks in the streets. That’s pretty much never the case around U/14 anymore, and certainly not during the annual Dog Days weekend. The once modest “sidewalk sale has evolved into an all-out street fest.” Dog Days, which started 11 years ago as a way to drum up business for local merchants at a time when the streets were pretty deserted due to a combination of heat and summer vacations, has now been replicated in other parts of town, including Adams-Morgan. Merchants, particularly along 14th Street, between U and Rhode Island, put sale merchandise out on the sidewalk and offer hefty discounts inside as well. Others dish up treats to beat the heat and offer little inducements to get you to come inside and spend. But there’s also the carnival-like stuff too. For example, at last year’s Dog Days, Chinese dragons prowled the street, shirtless dudes in board shorts got dunked into splash pools, and sno cones of various flavors kept everybody refreshed., while cool, cheap merchandise got peddled on the streets outside of storefronts, and crowds gathered in the streets heading for the next adventure. Dog Days weekend is Aug. 7-8 and this is pretty much the closest thing the U/14 area will get to a summer state fair! Before you know it, Dog Days will have become an August version of Adams-Morgan Day!
Future Site of Italian Cinema, with pasta and Italian movies on the menu.
U/14 Development Heating Up We are in the lazy, hazy, crazy (from the heat) days of summer but business development in the area seems to show no let up. That Abdo development building next to Caribou near 14th and Rhode Island is slated to become yet another upscale restaurant. An opening is planned for later this year for what is to be called the “Italian Cinema” to be located at 1404 14th Street. The proposed new eatery is slated to be a slightly more upscale spot than the Italian Shirt Laundry, across the street at 1601 14th, mentioned in this column last month. The menu, sources say, calls for pasta and charcuterie. The cinema part?? Oh yeah! Italian films are to be screened against a wall on the restaurants roof, a concept I don’t think we’ve seen before in DC.
If you just want a burger and want to skip the film, how about Desperado Burgers and Bar, to open at the corner of 14th and S in the space formerly occupied by Garden District? True, Whole Foods offers grilled burgers on the sidewalk now but can we reasonably expect them to continue to grill when the weather turns frosty? Desperado is scheduled to open sometime later this year as far as I hear. Maybe they will have something called the “outlaw special.” That I think I might order. And, just as we said goodbye to one Mexican restaurant recently, as Café Salsa closed its doors in the 1600 block of 14th, new south of the border spot Tan-
Donovan House Rooftop Party On a hot summer night in the city, there are at least two good places to find yourself. One is by a pool and the other is at a fresh rooftop party, replete with dj, bar, beautiful people and a fabulous view of the DC skyline from its Thomas Circle Good things come from on high like the weekly rooftop dance party.
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your neighborhood
Bloomingdale Business by Amanda Abrams Allison Carney: Local diva shoots first video at 14th Street’s Hunted House
vantage point, just a little south and west of Logan Circle. Come to think of it, this spot even has the pool too! I’m talking about the chic boutique hotel known as the Donovan House, located right at the corner of 14th and Thomas Circle. On Thursday nights this summer, the rooftop has hosted a smartly dressed and decidedly hip cocktail set who meet and mingle while dj Jamil spins cool, loungey tunes, many from the 60s and 70s! Jamil’s playlist might be well-known to those who go to Marvin’s further up 14th Street because that he where he regularly spins. The crowd of 20-40-somethings, mostly of color and totally of flavor, have been raising the hotel roof all summer as this Thursday night party starts their weekend off on a high note! Not to be outdone, nearby Beacon Hotel, on Rhode Island Avenue, just off Scott Circle, has a rooftop party of its own.
Local Diva Shoots first video at 14th Street Hunted House She’s got a cd coming out and hey, she needed a video to go with it. Local diva, Allison Carney, a home-grown girl just recently shot her first video at Hunted House, the mid century modern furniture store, located next door to Room & Board, at 1830 14th. The diminutive diva, just recently voted best local R & B singer in the Washington City paper’s “Best of DC” poll, brought a bunch of ladies and gents as well as a film and sound crew with her to shoot her video, which catches her in many different moods to match the songs on the cd. Carney chose Hunted House because it is set up in various rooms, being formerly three separate apartments. In addition to the 60s and 70s furniture, she wanted to be able to go from space to space and reinvent her mood as she wandered through the warren of rooms. Filming took three days and no word yet on when the video will be released. In the meantime, Carney has been performing at local DC clubs, including Ibiza. ◆ 32 ◆ DC midcity | August 2010
The Big Bear Circus Just about every citywide blog reported on ANC5C’s July 20 vote against Big Bear Café obtaining a liquor license. But what’s going to happen next is murky. Despite all the hoopla, it turns out that the ANC’s decision is meaningless: the meeting missed the deadline established by DC’s Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA). But the objections of a group of 28 Bloomingdale citizens did make it through, and that group is now in the process of negotiating with Big Bear’s owner, Stuart Davenport, to come to a voluntary agreement. According to ABRA, the process could take a few more months, but the groups are encouraged to work together independently in the interim. Andre Eaddy, a member of the protest group who lives within 150 feet of Big Bear Café, said he’s heartened by the discussions he’s held with Davenport. “Based on my conversations and the things [Big Bear management] is willing to accept, I personally think a compromise can be reached.” He emphasized, though, that he doesn’t speak for the entire group, some of whose members are adamantly opposed to any kind of liquor license for the café. Meanwhile, Davenport is working on getting a zoning change for the establishment, which is currently zoned residential.
John Salatti: The King of Bloomingdale Missing from the ANC5C meeting was the one commissioner who conceivably could have changed the event’s dynamics. John Salatti covers ANC5C04—a section of Bloomingdale just north of Rhode Island Avenue—and is one of the commission’s few outspoken Big Bear supporters,
but he was out of town for the meeting. He’s also one of the few things virtually all Bloomingdale residents appear to agree on. No matter what they think of him personally, residents across the area and across the board admit he’s done very good things for the neighborhood. “Oh, he’s great. He’s the best commissioner that’s ever been commissioned,” said Dr. Victor Currie, a 17-year resident who lives on First Street. Currie explained that he’s asked Salatti for help with diverse problems—some that required a response from the city, others that involved his neighbors—and has repeatedly been satisfied with the results. “He’s reliable: you ask him stuff and he’ll follow up on it in a timely fashion. He’s a wonderful guy.” Salatti, who’s now running for his third term, was initially recruited for the job in 2006, after living in the neighborhood for less than two years. Since starting, he’s worked on a variety of projects. Some are small, like making sure sidewalks are free of snow or helping neighbors get dead trees removed. Others are bigger: Salatti’s been instrumental in trying to bring new businesses to the area and assisting with the necessary permits and licenses. And some of his projects are at the level of initiatives. “Back when I was running for my second term, I’d ask people about their concerns, and they’d always mention crime,” said Salatti. In response, he started the Bloomingdale Public Safety Initiative. It’s not huge: the project’s biggest component is the public safety walks he arranges on a weekly or biweekly basis, with 5-25 people marching along streets and through alleys to discourage illegal activity. But it makes a difference. “We want to be a visible presence on the street,” explained Salatti. “And I’ve
The project should get going in six months or so; its rollout will start small, but eventually cover an area of 10,000-15,000 inhabitants. “It’s not that expensive,” Salatti pointed out. “It can get off the ground quickly.” All those do-gooder initiatives take time; Salatti estimates that he spends roughly 40 hours a week on ANC business. And that’s on top of the small business (teaching writing skills to lawyers and judges around the country) he runs out of his U Street home.
Why Is He Doing It?
John Salatti, at right, and Bloomingdale resident Greg Bloom discuss an upcoming activity. (Credit: Amanda Abrams) [2 photos: choose one]
heard that the drug people don’t like it. Also, people are connecting with each other on the walk—it’s a community building exercise.” On top of the public safety project, he’s working to help corner store proprietors, and is supporting a 4-H club in the area.
Getting Bloomingdale Wired But one of Salatti’s key issues, currently, is communication—electronic, in particular. “[Bloomingdale] has a core group of about 1,000 people who are really connected. A lot more are in the dark,” he said, adding that neighborhood has a to-
tal of roughly 5,000 residents. “It’s an issue where some people have a lot of information and a lot more don’t.” He still recruits volunteers to distribute paper fliers across the area when something big is coming up. But wouldn’t it be easier in the long run to get those 4,000 folks who are currently offline wired instead? Salatti and some other neighborhood movers and shakers had been talking about the issue this spring when he met John Capozzi, an employee with the city’s Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO), at a party. It turns out, he
said, that OCTO was chewing on the exact same problem. “They’ve been looking for a pilot project and a neighborhood to work with,” said Salatti, “and this was an ideal fit.” The project, which Salatti and his partners have dubbed “The Bridge,” will work like this: with the city’s help, wireless repeaters will be attached to light posts and tall buildings to spread a signal throughout the area. Meanwhile, OCTO and others will focus on getting functioning computers to people who need them, and students from McKinley Tech will act as technicians and trainers.
All this civic activism doesn’t necessarily run in Salatti’s family, though his parents both worked for the city of New York. No, to get an answer you have to go back to John Salatti in his 20s, when he was trying to figure out what to do with his life. One day, after reading about a lawyer who also ministered to homeless men in Harlem, he had a flash of insight and applied to Emory University’s Law and Religion program, eventually earning dual degrees. That was a while ago. These days, he’s using his law degree to make money, but he never did find the right spiritual home to put his divinity degree to use. So in a sense, Salatti says, that’s the role his ANC work plays: he’s ministering to the community. “It’s about service to this place,” he explained. “I use the lawyer side to solve problems, and the spiritual element to see the bigger picture.” That fully explains the hard work, the vision, the relationships he’s cultivated. But Bloomingdale residents: don’t expect it to last forever. “This is a good focus for this side of myself at this time,” said Salatti. “But there comes a time when it’s time to put it down. Eventually I want to cultivate people who can do this themselves.” ◆
capitalcommunitynews.com ◆ 33
your neighborhood
+ District Beat
Ward 6 goes to the Polls article and photos by Paul D. Shinkman
F
ive hundred, exuberant, raucous residents mobbed the Eastern Market north hall last Tuesday to listen to the six mayoral candidates and voice their enthusiasm for the two front runners. Mayor Adrian Fenty and City Council chair Vincent Gray were the center of attention at the forum, both touting their years of DC government experience, and accusing each other of budgetary and administrative irresponsibility. Gray started off strong before any of the others had a chance to speak, as the hall erupted into applause when moderator Sam Ford of ABC 7 News announced his name. Ford, and co-moderator Andrew Lightman, managing edi-
tor of The Hill Rag, were quick to control any outbursts and protests, threatening to deduct the wasted time from the subject of the crowd’s cheers.
Development Fenty focused on the accomplishments of his mayoral administration, and tailoring the list directly to Ward 6, began with his opening statement by touting the rebuilding of Eastern Market after the 2007 fire. “That commitment, like hundreds of others I’ve made as mayor of the District was not only done on time, on budget, but in excellent fashion,” he said.
Fenty also defended the decision to shut down the popular Anacasotia Waterfront Corporation. The quasi-public institution, he claimed, was both ineffective and inefficient. The resulting mayoral control of the AWC developments preserved their vision of refurbishments along the Anacostia River “rivaling parks in Chicago, built along the waterfront,” Fenty said. Gray disagreed, arguing that organizations like the AWC were more flexible and nimble than government in fostering development. Gray blamed the mayor for the delays on revitalization projects like the development of Reservation 13 (Hill East Waterfront), which AWC would have more effectively
The panel of mayoral candidates at the forum in Eastern Market last Tuesday. From left to right: Leo Alexander, current Mayor Adrian Fenty, Michael Green, City Council chairman Vincent Gray, Sulaimon Brown and Ernest Johnson.
34 ◆ DC midcity | August 2010
overseen, he said.
Budget and Taxes “It’s OK to consider raising taxes,” Fenty said, pointing to his adherence to his promise four years ago to keep taxes at their current levels. He added that letting go 2,500 city employees to balance the budget during his tenure was “the right thing to do.” Previous administrations, he charged, did not make these “tough decisions” and overspent budgets. “What the administration has done is raised every fee and fine in sight,” Gray rebutted, referring particularly to increased rates for parking meters forcing drivers
Mayor Adrian Fenty looks out at the assembled crowd as he greets moderator Sam Ford of ABC 7 News before the mayoral forum in Eastern Market last Tuesday.
to keep “nine rolls of quarters” in their pockets as these rates continue to rise. He also cited the City Council’s refusal in May to increase parking meter rates to $3 per hour.
Cronies and Contracts Mayoral candidate Sulaimon Brown piggybacked on Gray’s criticism of Fenty’s fiscal attitudes to take a crack of his own at the Mayor. Brown, who spent much of his time lauding Gray as well as himself, brought up the recent alleged impropriety of Fenty’s issuing park surveying contracts to friend and former fraternity brother Sinclair Skinner, who subbed out the work to other contractors and then marked up their invoices several fold when he submitted them for payment.. Moderator Lightman asked Fenty if he would consider refusing volunteer support from Skinner until after pro bono lawyer Robert P. Trout investigates the incident and reports to a special Council committee in September, possibly after the primary election
on September 15. “No,” the mayor stated simply. “He is a volunteer on my campaign,” Fenty said of Skinner after the forum. “Just like so many other volunteers that we have, he is not only appreciated, but we thank him for his support.”
Public Safety Gray emphasized the importance of a multi-pronged approach to rehabilitation of young criminal offenders and keeping them out of facilities like the 60-bed New Beginnings youth detention facility – a $46 million complex that opened last year. Fenty used this opportunity to attack Gray on the high rates of crime and recidivism, and to shift responsibility to previous administrations, citing that the New Beginnings has been talked about for 30 years. Fenty pledged to keep Police Chief Cathy Lanier, while Gray refused point blank to promise to retain any member of the current administration if he is elected.
Education
Other Issues
In his opening remarks, Gray promise to promote a “birth through 24” education system modeled around “parity” in both funding and infrastructure between the public and charter school systems, and promoting a strong community college and University of the District of Columbia. On whether he would retain Public School Chancellor Michelle Rhee, Gray reaffirmed his decision to avoid any personnel decisions before entering office. Fenty pledged to do everything possible to support her. Fenty challenged Gray’s refusal to support Chancellor Rhee as “trying to have it both ways,” quickly offering his own support for her “reform efforts” and the “tough decisions” she makes.
Other forum participants brought up unique issues. Leo Alexander was the only candidate to mention same-sex marriage, saying he would conduct a public referendum on the issue because “once it’s voted on, it’s over with.” He also stated that upon becoming mayor, he would authorize a “top to bottom” audit of the government. “Audits are what keep good people honest,” he said. Alexander also proposed building a new, green government complex on the 25-acre former water filtration plant at the corner of North Capitol Street and Michigan Avenue to combine all government agencies and save $140 million annually in leasing fees across the city, he said.
Streetcars
Gray Wins Straw Poll
Fenty attacked what he characterized as Gray’s late-night decision in May to remove funding from the city streetcar project and subsequent retraction. “He didn’t even let Tommy Wells know, he didn’t let the chair of the Committee on Transportation know,” Fenty said. Gray stated his support for the streetcar project, but outlined concerns over the absence of a complete plan for the future of the city-wide initiative. He returned Fenty’s challenge with a barb of his own. “Well, I’m absolutely amazed that the mayor knows what’s going on in the Wilson building at 10 o’clock or 1 a.m.,” Gray quickly responded, “because I have never seen him around at that time of night.” This was met by wild cheers from the crowd.
Almost 400 of the estimated 500 in attendance participated in a straw poll organized by the Ward 6 Democrats. 56.2% voted for Gray and 40.7% supported Fenty. Neither secured the Ward 6 Democratic endorsement, which requires a minimum of 60% of the votes cast under the organization’s by-laws. “I’ve won some straw polls, I’ve lost some straw polls,” Fenty said to The Hill Rag, adding, “the forum is the most valuable part.” Ward 6 resident Bobbi Adams, 24, was disappointed that the candidates did not take a solid position on a number of main issues, including Michelle Rhee, she said. However she was impressed with some of the lesser known participants. “I’ll be looking at these other candidates from now on,” she said. ◆ capitalcommunitynews.com ◆ 35
your neighborhood
+ The Numbers
Three Big Questions for the Election Season by Ed Lazere and Elissa Silverman
E
lections are about the future, and with that in mind, many candidates seeking office this year have put improving DC’s public schools at the top of their agenda. There’s little argument that better public education is critical to our city’s future. Good teachers and well-equipped classrooms certainly are major factors in improving the lives of our city’s children—one third of whom live in poverty. But it’s also fair to say that even the most talented instructor cannot overcome the impacts of malnutrition, abuse and economic insecurity on a child’s ability to learn. Nearly half of all substantiated cases of child abuse and neglect come from DC’s poorest neighborhoods. Two in five DC families report that they at times don’t have enough money to buy food. Very simply, it’s hard to pay attention in class when you’re hungry or you didn’t 36 ◆ DC midcity | August 2010
get a good night’s sleep because your family lives in a car. These factors contribute to the fact that even within the same school, poor children score lower on math and reading tests than classmates from higher-income families. Research shows that costly social ills—including poor health, illiteracy, and violence—are tied to poverty. So failing to address the problems kids bring with them into the classroom will take school reform only so far. Or put another way, helping the families of poor children may be as important to improving educational outcomes as having capable teachers and a nicely renovated school. That’s why more than 100 organizations—including businesses, faith groups and nonprofits—as well as several thousand DC residents have joined Defeat Poverty DC, an effort this campaign sea-
son to press candidates on their plans to combat one of DC’s most stubborn problems. Defeat Poverty DC is asking candidates three key questions at meet and greets, campaign forums and fundraisers: What will you do to make work possible for the thousands of parents who lack critical job skills? What will you to do to make work pay for the one-third of DC families that are working but poor? What will you do to make basic needs affordable so that all children can grow up healthy and safe?
To Those Who Want to be Mayor: What Will You Do to Make Work Possible? DC’s poverty rate has remained persistently high, and the recent economic downturn has caused the numbers to jump even higher. At the beginning of the year unemployment hit a record 12 percent citywide – and is estimated
at nearly 30 percent in Ward 8. A recent DC Fiscal Policy Institute analysis estimated that last year 11,000 more District residents fell below the poverty line, which is less than $18,000 for a family of three. Keeping our fingers crossed that the recovery is just around the corner shouldn’t be our strategy. We need to get our residents back to work, and part of Defeat Poverty DC’s mission is to get candidates to say how they plan to do that. Nobody said it will be easy: More than 50,000 low-income District residents lack the skills needed to get a job that pays family-sustaining wages and approximately 20 percent of this group has not worked in the past five years. But not talking about it won’t help. We should keep our elected officials accountable for some resources already at our disposal, like DC’s first source requirement.
Under first source, businesses doing work with the city must make their best efforts to hire a majority of DC residents for new openings. But the first source program has been neglected by DC’s leaders and businesses for years. A recent report by DC Auditor Deborah K. Nichols found that record-keeping of first source agreements was incomplete, compliance monitoring was neglected, and there was inadequate use of the first source registry—the list of residents seeking work that employers are supposed to hire from. Not doing our best to make our citizens productive hurts all of us. By not hiring DC residents, paychecks unnecessarily travel out to the suburbs and the opportunity to inject more money into DC neighborhoods is lost.
To Those Who Want to Be DC Council Chairman: What Will You Do to Make Work Pay? For some DC residents who are working, even a full-time job earns too little money to make ends meet. It’s a fact that one in three District families with children, for example, have incomes below 200 percent of the federal poverty line even though one parent is working full-time. What ideas do those who want to represent us have to make sure those who work all day will take home enough pay to support themselves and their families? We need to find ways to train our residents for the jobs that are available. What are the thoughts of those running for office about strengthening DC’s community college, for example? Then there’s DC’s “living wage” law, passed with lots of excitement four years ago yet still not a reality in the city. Across the country, living wage laws mandate that contractors with cities or states pay all workers the specified living wage. This helps make sure that taxpayer dollars are not spent to create poverty-wage jobs. Yet the DC Auditor found that many contractors are not in compliance with the living wage act. We hope the newly elected mayor and DC Council will choose to make the living wage a reality. DC’s leaders might also think more about who pays taxes in the city and how to incentivize work for those who earn
low wages. In recent years, the Mayor and Council have increased the sales tax, gas tax, cigarette tax, and parking meter rates. Yet a new income tax bracket for households over $350,000 was rejected.
To Those Running for DC Council: What Will You Do to Make Basic Needs Affordable? Here’s another fact: A DC resident earning minimum wage has to work three full-time jobs to pay for a market-rate two bedroom apartment in the city. That’s because the cost of living in the District of Columbia is among the highest in the nation, making it especially challenging for low-income residents to make ends meet. Is it any surprise that 100,000 DC households spend more for housing than is considered affordable? Any efforts to help low-income families obtain good jobs and increase their earnings must be coupled with programs and policies that allow them to cover the costs of such basics as food, housing, health and child care. Yet many of these areas have seen severe budget cuts over the last several years. For example, funding for DC’s affordable housing programs in next year’s budget is one-third lower than three years ago. And funding for DC’s childcare programs next year is nearly one-fifth lower than in 2008, even though the reported number of children participating in the programs has held steady.
The Best Future For DC: Better Schools and Better Economic Opportunities This is a big campaign year for DC. The election debate should be about how we plan to conquer our biggest challenges. Defeating poverty might seem like an overwhelming task–but so is creating a model public school system. In both cases, the first step is to make the issue a priority on the political agenda. By asking these questions, we’ll be moving in the right direction. Ed Lazere is the director of the DC Fiscal Policy Institute (www.dcfpe.org), which conducts research on tax and budget issues that affect low-and moderate-income DC residents. ◆
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at home
+ Changing Hands KALORAMA
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.
1853 MINTWOOD PL NW 2119 R ST NW 2318 ASHMEAD PL NW
$1,635,000 $1,235,000 $1,085,000
6 6 4
$630,000 $424,000
4 3
$887,500 $1,960,000
3 2
$402,500 $309,000 $259,900 $250,000 $220,000
3 3 3 2 3
$935,000 $790,000 $540,000
5 4 2
$900,000 $740,000 $725,000 $617,000 $529,500 $490,000 $438,500 $422,000 $412,500 $399,900 $399,500 $351,000 $315,000 $285,000 $270,000 $230,000 $159,000 $75,000 $1,230,000 $970,000 $670,000 $535,000 $450,000 $370,000 $340,000 $320,000 $249,900 $171,000
5 4 3 4 3 4 2 3 3 3 4 0 3 3 4 2 2 2 8 5 8 3 3 3 6 3 2 1
$499,000 $495,000 $450,000 $449,000 $440,000 $427,500 $425,000 $405,000 $399,999 $392,000 $375,000 $373,000 $283,500 $247,000 $245,000 $245,000 $235,000 $185,000
3 3 4 4 3 4 5 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
$311,000 $260,000 $197,000
3 3 3
$359,900 $310,000
3 4
LEDROIT PARK 123 W ST NW 402 U ST NW
LOGAN 2104 10TH ST NW 1324 VERMONT AVE NW
MICHIGAN PARK 4837 QUEENS CHAPEL TER NE 4117 18TH ST NE 2008 SHEPHERD ST NE 2106 TAYLOR ST NE 4512 19TH PL NE
MOUNT PLEASANT 3155 19TH ST NW 1649 NEWTON ST NW 1883 INGLESIDE TER NW
OLD CITY
Neighborhood
Close Price
BR
FEE SIMPLE 16TH STREET HEIGHTS 1608 MONTAGUE ST NW 1233 CRITTENDEN ST NW 1529 VARNUM ST NW 1513 VARNUM ST NW 5001 13TH ST NW 5421 13TH ST NW 1365 SHERIDAN ST NW
$775,000 $690,000 $600,000 $595,000 $581,000 $399,999 $307,500
5 5 4 4 4 3 3
$250,000 $205,000 $109,900
3 4 3
$419,900 $417,000 $305,000 $305,000 $280,000
4 4 2 3 4
$430,000 $360,000 $340,500 $315,000
3 3 4 3
BRENTWOOD 1332 DOWNING ST NE 1862 KENDALL ST NE 1379 ADAMS ST NE
BRIGHTWOOD 5909 7TH ST NW 5909 4TH ST NW 6320 9TH ST NW 524 ONEIDA PL NW 5810 8TH ST NW
BROOKLAND 3300 13TH ST NE 4425 13TH ST NE 2907 NORTH CAPITOL ST NE 4961 8TH ST NE
38 ◆ DC midcity | August 2010
326 CHANNING ST NE 5024 6TH PL NE 1219 MICHIGAN AVE NE 2425 NORTH CAPITOL ST NE 1008 TAYLOR ST NE 2405 3RD ST NE
$274,500 $255,000 $250,000 $244,000 $210,000 $105,000
2 2 3 4 2 2
$650,000 $641,000 $580,000 $549,900 $540,000 $535,000 $525,000 $521,000 $473,000 $468,500 $426,000 $412,100 $370,000 $369,000 $365,000 $339,900 $278,788 $275,000
4 4 4 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 1 3 3 3 3
$375,000 $161,000
4 2
COLUMBIA HEIGHTS 625 PRINCETON PL NW 3103 11TH ST NW 3546 ROCK CREEK CHURCH RD NW 1513 SPRING PL NW 1416 QUINCY ST NW 3633 10TH ST NW 3338 SHERMAN AVE NW 3621 NEW HAMPSHIRE AVE NW 775 COLUMBIA RD NW 640 KEEFER PL NW 467 LURAY PL NW 3724 13TH ST NW 934 QUINCY ST NW 1348 EUCLID ST NW #402 1511 SPRING PL NW 764 PRINCETON PL NW 650 KENYON ST NW 504 KENYON ST NW
ECKINGTON 232 R ST NE 57 TODD PL NE
629 7TH ST NE 612 11TH ST NE 1508 POTOMAC AVE SE 1127 4TH ST NE 1843 INDEPENDENCE AVE SE 829 FLORIDA AVE NE 1332 L ST SE 1517 D ST SE 440 21ST ST NE 931 5TH ST SE 276 15TH ST SE 606 12TH ST NE 1523 EAST CAPITOL ST SE 1670 KRAMER ST NE 615 ORLEANS PL NE 322 19TH ST NE 2003 GALES ST NE 1668 KRAMER ST NE 1776 WILLARD ST NW 1633 VERMONT AVE NW 947 S ST NW 431 Q ST NW 223 R ST NW 712 RHODE ISLAND AVE NW 301 R ST NW 1724 5 ST NW 438 N ST NW 1125 12TH ST NW #35
PETWORTH 4405 5TH ST NW 311 ROCK CREEK CHURCH RD NW 5309 9TH ST NW 4711 GEORGIA AVE NW 628 JEFFERSON ST NW 5112 3RD ST NW 321 SHEPHERD ST NW 4026 ILLINOIS AVE NW 440 JEFFERSON ST NW 5023 8TH ST NW 46 FARRAGUT PL NW 207 TAYLOR ST NW 4011 MARLBORO PL NW 443 DECATUR ST NW 5618 9TH ST NW 4816 5TH ST NW 5319 4TH ST NW 5625 8TH ST NW
RIGGS PARK 5130 8TH ST NE 4908 SARGENT RD NE 690 NICHOLSON ST NE
TRINIDAD 1205 TRINIDAD AVE NE 1246 OATES ST NE
1210 ORREN ST NE 1819 M ST NE 1118 MORSE ST NE 1407 ORREN ST NE 1112 OWEN PL NE 1812 L ST NE 1242 16TH ST NE
$295,000 $240,000 $210,000 $180,500 $145,000 $120,000 $50,000
3 3 3 3 4 2 4
$770,000 $649,000
3 3
$700,000 $499,000 $415,000 $380,000
3 1 2 2
$200,000 $177,000
2 2
$199,900 $185,000 $170,000
2 1 1
$520,000 $380,000 $377,700 $355,000 $330,000 $280,000
1 1 1 1 1 1
$685,000 $660,000 $549,000 $512,000 $449,555 $449,000 $393,000 $380,000 $374,000 $355,000 $291,776 $269,900 $250,000 $245,000 $215,900 $190,000
3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 2
$269,500 $195,000
2 2
$179,900
1
$975,000 $742,500 $720,000 $715,000 $650,000 $589,900 $465,397 $465,000 $432,500 $374,000
2 2 2 2 2 2 1 2 2 1
$617,525 $528,000 $480,000
2 2 2
U STREET 2119 12TH PL NW 1327 V ST NW
CONDO ADAMS MORGAN 1811 ONTARIO PL NW #3 1701 KALORAMA RD NW #212 2038 18TH ST NW #103 2440 16TH ST NW #515
BRENTWOOD 1386 BRYANT ST NE #303 1386 BRYANT ST NE #102
BRIGHTWOOD 608 JEFFERSON ST NW #302 422 BUTTERNUT ST NW #109 6645 GEORGIA AVE NW #202
CENTRAL 400 MASSACHUSETTS AVE NW #607 915 E ST NW #411 400 MASSACHUSETTS AVE NW #1209 1140 23RD ST NW #701 715 6TH ST NW #302 777 7TH ST NW #722
COLUMBIA HEIGHTS 2719 13TH ST NW #1 1354 EUCLID ST NW #402A 3219 11TH ST NW #1 1309 PARK RD NW #202 3600 10TH ST NW #A 2750 14TH ST NW #209 1361 IRVING ST NW #10 1451 HARVARD ST NW #6 1427 CHAPIN ST NW #105 1451 HARVARD ST NW #5 2750 14TH ST NW #607 1443 OAK ST NW #103 1451 HARVARD ST NW #1 1451 HARVARD ST NW #2 3900 14TH ST NW #502 526 KENYON ST NW #B01
GALLUDET PARK 1710 WEST VIRGINIA AVE NE #201
LEDROIT PARK 322 T ST NW #2 320 T ST NW #2 2035 2ND ST NW #G305
2200 17TH ST NW #211 1656 BEEKMAN PL NW #C 3350 17TH ST NW #1 1651 LAMONT ST NW #2A 1615 KENYON ST NW #44 2440 16TH ST NW #419 1613 HARVARD ST NW #204 2440 16TH ST NW #518
$810,500 $575,000 $369,000 $369,000 $320,000 $225,000 $200,000 $173,200
2 2 2 1 1 1 0 0
$439,000 $320,000
2 1
$338,000 $39,900 $680,000 $620,000 $605,000 $499,900 $435,000 $435,000 $377,000 $370,000 $366,500 $360,000 $334,000 $330,000 $185,000
1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 3 0
$550,000 $425,000
2 1
$105,000
0
$140,000
1
$525,000 $378,500 $364,500
2 1 1
$203,500
3
$200,000
0
$910,000
3
$195,000
1
$210,000
0 ◆
MOUNT VERNON 500 M ST NW #3 811 4TH ST NW #806
OLD CITY 1443 A ST NE #A 7 18TH ST SE #204 944 T ST NW #2 1001 L ST NW #802 1312 FLORIDA AVE NW #3 1724 17TH ST NW #34 301 MASSACHUSETTS AVE NW #1005 936 N ST NW #4 2029 13TH ST NW #1 1300 N ST NW #603 1518 SWANN ST NW #2 1212 M ST NW #401 1215 10TH ST NW #2 62 Q ST NW #2 1727 MASSACHUSETTS AVE NW #606
PENN QUARTER 703 6TH ST NW #8 715 6TH ST NW #401
PETWORTH 738 LONGFELLOW ST NW #209
TRINIDAD U STREET 2020 12TH ST NW #311 1435 CHAPIN ST NW #203 2004 11TH ST NW #135 1831 CHANNING ST NE #1831
COOP CENTRAL 1300 MASSACHUSETTS AVE NW #403
KALORAMA 1870 WYOMING AVE NW #601
MOUNT PLEASANT 1801 CLYDESDALE PL NW #324
OLD CITY #2 1514 17TH ST NW #103
LOGAN 1210 R ST NW #212 1502 13TH ST NW #3 1227 N ST NW #D
1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 2 2 1 2 2
WOODRIDGE
KALORAMA 2301 CONNECTICUT AVE NW #7B 1841 KALORAMA RD NW #2 2129 FLORIDA AVE NW #104-2ND FLR 2230 CALIFORNIA ST NW #4CW 2153 CALIFORNIA ST NW #404 2418 19TH ST NW #1028 1915 BELMONT RD NW #1074 1825 KALORAMA RD NW #1 1839 KALORAMA NW #2 1840 MINTWOOD PL NW #404
$349,000 $320,000 $275,701 $585,000 $820,000 $559,000 $550,000 $470,000 $410,500 $296,000 $429,500 $415,000 $360,000 $633,750 $599,000
MOUNT PLEASANT
1648 MONTELLO AVE NE #3
ECKINGTON 219 T ST NE #304 301 SEATON PL NE #2
1325 13TH ST NW #103 7 LOGAN CIR NW #3 1115 12TH ST NW #404 1529 14TH ST NW #504 1400 CHURCH ST NW #609 1221 12TH ST NW #3 1444 CHURCH ST NW #209 1618 11TH ST NW #103 1715 15TH ST NW #42 1133 13TH ST NW #302 1001 L ST NW #206 1626 5TH ST NW #4 2232 13TH ST NW #1 1923 12TH ST NW #2 1923 12TH ST NW #1
$609,000 $395,000 $379,000
2 2 1
capitalcommunitynews.com ◆ 39
To place a classified in MidCity DC, please call Carolina at 202.543.8300 x12 or email: Carolina@hillrag.com.
CLASSIFIEDS ADDRESS NUMBERS
The Affordable finishing touch to your home restoration. Traditional 23 Carat Gold Transom Address Numbers with black drop shadow installed at your home.
JOB OPPORTUNI TY CBE SUBCONTRACTORS NEEDED Bids due by 09/07/2010 • Bexhill Condominiums Manna, Inc. is seeking CBE subcontractors for the construction of new 2-family houses in the Ivy City neighborhood. Trades being considered are: Concrete & Masonry, Plumbing, Fire Sprinklers, HVAC, Electrical, Roofing, and Interior finishes (drywall & painting, ceramic tile, carpet). Plans & specifications are available to view for bidding purposes at the Manna offices. Bid requirements: CBE certificate, DC license, Liability & Worker’s Compensation Insurance, Davis Bacon Certified weekly payroll reports, Section 3 compliance, First Source Agreement compliance for contracts over $100,000. Please contact Charlene Tibbs (ph. 202-832-1845 X 202) Monday thru Friday between (9 AM & 4 PM to reserve a viewing time for the plans & specs for bidding purposes.
W.F. Bowman Landscaping 202-234-6282 Yard Clean Up • Sodding
FITNESS & HEALTH
PERSONAL FITNESS TRAINING
MONUMENTAL GRAPHICS
OPORTUNIDAD LABORAL SUBCONTRATISTAS CON CERTIFICACION CBE
202-251-7980
Licitación Cierra en Septiembre 9, 2010 • Condominios Bexhill Manna, Inc. necesita subcontratistas con certificación CBE para la construcción de 2 viviendas familiares nuevas en la vecindad de Ivy City. Los oficios que se consideran son Concreto y Mampostería (albañiles), Plomería, Sistema de Extinción de Incendios, Unidad de Calefacción, Ventilación y Aire Acondicionado, Electricista, Construcción de Techos, y Terminados de Interior (placas de yeso y pintura, cerámica, baldosa y tapetes). Los planes y especificaciones están disponibles para propósitos de estudio de la licitación en las oficinas de Manna. Requerimientos de la Licitación: Certificado CBE, licencia del Distrito, Seguro de Compensación Legal para Accidentes de Trabajo, Formularios certificados de informe de nómina de pago semanal Davis Bacon, conformidad con la Sección 3, Cumplimiento con el Acuerdo de Primer Origen para contratos por encima de $100,000. Por Favor contactar a Charlene Tibbs (tel. 202-832-1845 X 202) de Lunes a Viernes entre (9 AM & 4 PM) para reservar un tiempo par ver los planos y especificaciones para propósitos de licitar.
Moving, Hauling, Landscaping, Painting, Cleaning, Plumbing, Electrical, Cooling, Heating, Masonry, Carpentry, Roof, Floor, Wall. Call 202.368.2628, 240.281.5513 or 703.789.4445. Email GCMANAGERS@aol.com
ELECTRICIAN
LANDSCAPING
THE HILL’S ELECTRICIAN
START HAVING THE YARD OF YOUR DREAMS
www.monumentalgraphics.net
AIR CONDITIONING AIR CONDITIONING
Polar Bear
AIR CONDITIONING PLUMBING & HEATING, INC.
202-333-1310 www.polar-bear-hvac.com LICENSED BONDED INSURED FALL & WINTER SPECIALS FREE ESTIMATES
Since 1990
www.wilcox-electric.com
CONTRACTORS Over 20 years of Experience
202-546-1010
Residential & Commercial New Work • Rewiring • Repairs • Interior/Exterior Lighting
Residential & Commercial 24 Hour Service
202.575.1064 240.620.2992 * Senior Discount Available * Discount for Church Members 40 ◆ DC midcity | August 2010
Awarded the Super Service Award from Angie's List in 2007, 2008, and 2009.
202-638-1708 WhelanStrengthTraining.com
HANDYMAN RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL
· Comprehensive Design and Maintenance Services · Installation, arbors, retaining walls, walkways, lighting, water features · Patios, roof top gardens, townhomes, single family homes • Trees & shrubs, formal & informal gardens • Custom Masonry, Fencing and Iron work · Restoration and Enhancement
Stephen D. Wilcox Master Electrician References Available Licensed - Insured - Bonded
Redefining Beauty One Client at a Time
301.642.5182 www.thomaslandscapes.com
THOMAS LANDSCAPES
Specializing in urban landscapes since 1989 Derek Thomas / Principal - Certified Professional Horticulturist, Master Gardener. Member of the MD Nursery and Landscape Association & the Association of Professional Landscape Designers
Mulching • Trimming Shrubs Aeration • Dethatching Planting Leaf Removal Mowing Seeding & Fertilizing Hauling
MOVING & HAULING
MOVING & HAULING COMPANY • Bulk Trash • Appliances • Basement Furniture • Yard Cleanup • Weekly Trash Pickups • Evictions • Demolition • Local or Long Distance • Residential or Commercial MD DC VA • 24 Hour Same Day Service “No job too small or big”
202.396.0105 license # 1948
PAINTING
PET SERVICES
Our Prices Won’t be Beat!
ROOFING
DANIEL PARKS Roofing & Gutters
Moses & Sons Roofing Flat Roofs, Slates & Shingles
202-247-1516
NO JOB TOO SMALL!!!
40 years of experience
“Stopping Leaks is Our Specialty”
ISAAC HOLDEN Roofing, Gutters & Painting OVER 30
EMERGENCY REPAIRS WE DO IT ALL RUBBER & FLAT ROOFS WATER PROOFING SLATE ROOFS LEAK REPAIRS METAL ROOFS GUTTER REPAIRS SHINGLE ROOFING CHIMNEY REPAIRS FACIAL/SOFFITS ALUMINUM ROOF COATING
YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
DC Lic. 7610
• • • • • •
PLUMBING WAIT NO MORE PLUMBING 24 hour plumbing service. Master plumber. No job too small. DC license # 1164. Darrell White. 202-575-1885 or 202-812-7115 (tf)
Just Say I Need A Plumber®
Dial A Plumber, LLC®
• Licensed Gas Fitter • Water Heater • Boiler Work • Serving DC • References John • Drain Service • Furness Repair & Replacement
Licensed Bonded Insured
Kenny
202-251-1479 DC P
L U M M E R
’
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I C E N S E
#707
WHS PLUMBING & HEATING Superior Service and Quick Response
We are Repiping & Drain Cleaning Specialists · Competitive On The Spot Pricing · Same Day, Nights, Weekends & Emergency Service · Licensed Plumbers and Gasfitters · Underground Domestic Water and Sewer Line Leak Detection · Underground Pipe Locator
Hill Family Owned & Operated Call William at
(202) 255-9231 20 years of experience Licensed, Bonded and Insured LSDBE Certified
www.whsplumbingandheating.com
PLEASE RECYCLE THIS PAPER
New Roofs & Maintenance Seamless Gutters Waterproofing Chimney Brick Pointing Interior & Exterior Painting
LICENSED & INSURED
REASONABLE PRICES!
Residential/Commercial • Over 40 years in Business Chimney Repairs • Storm & Wind Damage Repair
• New or Re-Roofing • Tear-Off & Replacement • Flat Roof Specialist • Copper, Tin, Sheet Metal & Rolled • Seamless & Flat Roofs • Re-Sealing • Tar, Asphalt, Gravel, Hot Coats • Modified Bitumen • Ask about our gutter specials Insurance Claims • Free Estimates • 24Hr. Service
Fully Insured • Licensed • Bonded “No Job Too Large or Small” Senior & Military Discounts Available!
202-486-7359 All Work Inspected by Owner...Deals Directly with Customers! All Work Fully Guaranteed
• Roof Repairs • Roof Coatings • Rubber • Metal • Slate
WELDING
• Tiles • Chimneys • Gutters • Waterproofing • Roof Certifications
We Do Everything!
BOYD CONSTRUCTION INC. LIC. BONDED. INS
75 years in service
BBB Member
202-223-ROOF (7663)
MIDCITY DC CLASSIFIED RATES LINE CLASSIFIEDS: $25 for the first 15 words; 25 cents for each additional word BOX CLASSIFIEDS: $25 per column inch, two inch minimum; $25 each additional inch; 3 month minimum Multiple paper discounts available. Paid in advance and billed quarterly
• CHIMNEY REPAIR • BRICK POINTING • GUTTER REPAIR/GUTTER REPLACEMENT • INQUIRE ABOUT OUR SPECIALS • FREE ESTIMATES
FREE CATEGORIES: Lost and Found, Items to Give Away, Club Meeting Notices
FREE MAINTENANCE! Licensed • Bonded • Insured Family owned & operated 40 Years Experience
202-607-4038
licensed, bonded & insured
WE STOP LEAKS!
“Try a new coating vs. a roof replacement.”
www.JohnstonandJohnstonRoofing.com
10% off with this ad
FLAT ROOF SPECIALIST
Johnston & Johnston Roofing • FLAT ROOF SPECIALIST • WATERPROOFING • BASEMENT LEAKS • ALUMINUM ASPHALT COATING • SLATE REPAIRS • SHINGLE REPAIRS
* Government and Senior Special Rates
SPECIALIZING IN SEAMLESS GUTTERS
24 Hour Emergency
AT
- 24 hour Emergency Service - Free estimates - Family Owned and Operated
Licensed, Bonded & Insured Free Estimates Senior and Government Discount 10%
15% off with Ad
Keith Roofing
Credit Cards Accepted
202-489-1728
202.486.7184
EXPERT WORKMANSHIP
All Types of Roofing • Seamless Gutters Chimney Repairs • Carpentry • Attic Insulation
202
271 4377
E-mail your ad with credit card information to carolina@hillrag.com or call 202.543.8300 x12 capitalcommunitynews.com ◆ 41
42 â—† DC midcity | August 2010
A full service Ethiopian Restaurant Traditional meat & vegetarian dishes
1919 9th STREET NW WASHINGTON, DC 20001 TEL 202-232-1919 www.habeshamarket.com
Planning a trip to Overseas?
G
HION TRAVEL and Tour is the place to turn! Ghion Travel specializes in travel arrangements to and from Africa, Asia and Europe. Their expertly trained agents will take care of everything from your airline ticket to your hotel and rental car. By working with the most dependable US and international airlines, they are able to offer sensibly priced airfares. Agents offer their advice and ďŹ rst hand knowledge when creating your foreign tour package. Their mission is to provide the best travel experience for their customers. For more details and other inquiries, please call us at (202) 588 1170 or e-mail us at info@ghiontravel.com. Ask about their Jerusalem Tour Program, which runs twice a year for Christmas and Easter.