District Fray Magazine // April 2020 by DC Fray // District Fray

C A N N A B I S C U LT U R E • E C O I N I T I AT I V E S • u r ba n g a r d e n s

A LIFESTYLE + ENTERTAINMENT MAGAZINE • APRIL 2020

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NAVIGATING

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RESTAURATEURS AND BUSINESS OWNERS GIVE BACK LOCALLY RS GIVE BACK

GREEN DRAG

ECO-FRIENDLY PRACTICES CREATE INCLUSION AND ACCEPTANCE

I.M.P. COPING

HOW THE TEAM BEHIND SOME OF D.C.’S MOST BELOVED VENUES IS GETTING THROUGH COVID-19

CURTAINS CLOSED

D.C. THEATERS IN THE DARK AMID COVID-19

:PLANTS: THE POWERFUL CONNECTOR AMANDA MCCLEMENTS ON COMMUNITY, CONNECTION AND INDOOR JUNGLES

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Little Leaf’s Amanda McClements. Photo by Cassidy DuHon.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

RADAR

CULTURE

5 District Denizens

42 Podcasts + Books

8 Homespun

71 In Other Words

9 Up-And-Comers

LIFE

11 Stir-Crazy

EAT

49 Cannabis Culture 51 Local Eco Initiatives

15 Arcadia

53 Support Local Businesses

18 Urban Gardens

56 Capitol Riverfont

24 D.C. Central Kitchen

PLAY

DRINK 25 Cannabis + CBD Drinks

MUSIC 30 DJ Jerome Baker III

64 Fitness From Home

ROBERT KINSLER Publisher MONICA ALFORD Editor-in-Chief TRENT JOHNSON Deputy Editor M.K. KOSZYCKI Assistant Editor JULIA GOLDBERG Editorial Designer TOM ROTH Key Account Manager

FUN 69 Crossword Puzzle 70 Illustration

34 Cheakaity 36 Kurt Vile Photo courtesy of Mark Nagib of Pink Fox.

WRITERS Kelsey Cochran Lani Furbank Nicole Hertvik Kayla Marsh Lanna Nguyen David Ross ARTISTS E$ James Coreas COVER PHOTOGRAPHER Cassidy DuHon ON THE COVER Amanda McClements

â&#x20AC;&#x2021; DISTRICT FRAY |

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

NAVIGATING THE NEW NORMAL To say the past few weeks have been harrowing would be an understatement. We’ve watched our city and the entire country suffer as a result of Covid-19, and making a magazine in the midst of this pandemic has been difficult for us to wrap our heads around. But then we reminded ourselves that we have the great privilege of being able to cover our local community, and by continuing to give them a voice during this time, we can support them as well. We also wanted to highlight what we can all do to keep sane during social distancing over the next few months, from creating our own indoor jungle with plants purchased from D.C. shops to livestreaming performances by local musicians, actors and other artists. Jungle desk. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Wallace.

Our April issue features D.C. area small business owners, artists, chefs, and other hardworking and talented folks who are struggling to survive economically during the DMV’s stay-at-home orders. Cover subject Amanda McClements, owner of Salt & Sundry and Little Leaf, is a local voice in the small business community striving to protect her staff, stay connected to her peers and provide insight into a hobby that’s perfect for self-quarantine: growing a green thumb. We chatted with her and several of her plant enthusiast peers for tips on how to beautify our surroundings. Nicole Hertvik wrote a thoughtful piece on how the local theater community is reacting to the economic impacts of the coronavirus, and Lanna Nguyen spoke with several D.C. area restaurateurs about what they are doing to support those in need. We put together a thorough roundup of ways to support local businesses across the arts, food and drink, and other industries, and spoke with DC Central Kitchen about their efforts. On the sanity front, we dug deep to cover all of the ways we can take care of our mental health during Covid-19. From the talented team at I.M.P.’s recommendations for staying connected to music while we pine for encores at 9:30 Club and The Anthem to a substantive list of podcasts and books to keep you engaged, we’ve got you covered. We also tapped into all things green for this issue: D.C.’s cannabis culture, local eco initiatives, urban gardening and the art of green drag, to name a few. And as always, we interviewed some of the creative minds that make our city so incredible: Dominique Wells (DOMO), Jerome Baker III, Cheakaity, Eric Dolgas (E$), Caroline Phillips and Sophie Stich, among others. As we enter into this era of uncertainy as a city, we want to thank our readers for continuing to stay connected to us as a resource for what’s happening in the D.C. area. We appreciate your continued support, and we’re all in this together.

MONICA ALFORD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 4

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DISTRICT DENIZENS | HOMESPUN | UP-AND-COMERS | STIR-CRAZY

A COMMANDING PRESENCE:

DOMINIQUE WELLS WORDS BY MONICA ALFORD | PHOTOS BY TRENT JOHNSON

â&#x20AC;&#x2021; DISTRICT FRAY |

RADAR | DISTRICT DENIZENS Dominique Wells commands attention. On a Tuesday afternoon in mid-February, I spend a little over an hour walking with the DJ, music curator and creative consultant around her stomping grounds in Glenarden, Maryland. Not once does she stop talking and not once do I stop listening attentively. I’m hanging on every word not because I’m doing due diligence as a reporter but because she speaks with such conviction, and it resonates with me. Everything she says and does is intentional. When I first reached out to set up our interview, I asked her to give me a few options for spots to meet in person – spots that felt like home. We landed on Atlantic Seafood, a tiny carryout restaurant nestled in the corner of a strip mall across the street from the apartment building where she spent a chunk of her formative years. “That’s why your option today was a carryout,” she tells me. “I don’t want to go to a f--king museum downtown. I didn’t really grow up doing those kinds of things. I grew up in [now defunct go-go clubs] Neon and Icebox, and off Bladensburg Road and in Trinidad, and wherever my family was. I’m proud of it because I felt for a long time when you come from stuff like that, you’re trying to assimilate so much away from it or you feel ashamed of it or it makes you less than someone else who comes from what seems like more than that. So now, I’m just like, ‘Yeah, nah. I’m cool with it. I don’t care how you feel about it. I’m going to be me.’” Wells, better known as DOMO in D.C.’s creative community, digs deep as we walk and talk – first over fries with mumbo sauce from Atlantic and then on a tour of the complex where she lived for several years during childhood. Our conversation is peppered with little side stories about her sister and friends, and she pauses only to exchange greetings with folks in the neighborhood and to compliment a little boy with, “I like your shoes, man.” Even though she bounced around Prince George’s County and Northeast D.C. as a kid, she says she still used to come back to Glenarden to see her friends and even now, she feels connected to the area. “I still get my hair braided around here,” she notes. “I feel very rooted here. People feel [connected] to wherever they’re originally from culturally, or whatever their American experience is. But this is all we’ve got, you know? So, it’s very much my makeup.” Wells has spent the past two years building a career as a renowned DJ, playing everything from EDM festival Electric Forest and Google’s 10-year anniversary to curating “The New DMV” playlist on Apple Music and killing it as the on-air DJ for MTV’s Singled Out. She even got to spin for former president Barack Obama at a small event, and proudly recalls that when he came into the room and heard what she was playing, he said, “Well, the DJ knows.” “And I said, ‘You’re damn right I do,’” she says, laughing. She’s also continued to support the local scene, referring to the folks behind iconic D.C. events like Broccoli City Festival as her family. “It’s been kind of ironic to pivot from being someone who worked for the festival to being someone who is in the festival lineup,” she adds, noting her time managing Broccoli City’s main stage. While her career as an artist is very important to her, our conversation shifts to her work with GIRLAAA, her D.C. area collective focused on providing a creative platform and safe space for women of color. Wells runs the agency with several other black female powerhouses – artist and illustrator Tenbeete 6

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Solomon, known as Trap Bob, marketing maven Kelcie Glass and DJ Avanti Fernandez, known as Mane Squeeze – among them. “I love these women so much,” she says of her GIRLAAA family. “We’re equally elevating at the same pace in our own respective areas. I feel like we all started shifting at the same time and now GIRLAAA is crazy because of all of us.” What started as a vehicle for curating parties centered on music and art in an intentional way has rapidly evolved into something much larger, and now Wells and her peers are working together to solidify their identity as an agency that sets them apart. “However I can uplift women, especially women of color, who are just doing tight shit and being themselves and functioning on the same level – that’s all I’m with right now. We’re supportive of whoever’s doing that, and I think that’s why we thrive individually and together.” She says GIRLAAA will always be D.C. centric, but thinks it also has national capability. And while existing programming like go-go performances at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage and pending plans for events with institutions like the Hirshhorn and collaborations with creative agency No Kings Collective have been put on hold due to Covid-19, locals can keep up with the collective via Instagram and their email newsletter. As our walk continues and we head back toward the strip mall parking lot, Wells opens up about working for the federal government for seven years before switching gears completely to follow her current creative path. She balanced working as a contractor for the Department of Energy with going to school and a second job, and after several promotions ultimately landed in the office of the Under Secretary of Energy. But she says the shift from Obama to Trump’s administration was unnecessarily abrasive for her department, and it was her breaking point. “That was really frustrating and draining for me at a time where I felt like, this ain’t my shit anyway. I was like, I care about this and I think this work is important. But I also felt like I had hit a ceiling in that agency, and I didn’t want to stay longer with that administration. I felt this internal shift in my whole everything that I needed to pivot, and it was now or never.” Wells is still in partial disbelief that she’s been able to succeed in a career as an artist, and so quickly, while creating a platform for likeminded, talented women that has also gained such momentum. “The things that I loved started to be the things that were making the money and I was like, ‘Okay, tight,’ because I spent a long time not doing that. Working in corporate structures, especially as a black woman, you have to really put on a different self. You’re not allowed to come in and be off. You’re not allowed to not look the part. You have to work so much harder. I’m appreciative to be in a space now where I can be myself and not really care that much about how people feel about it anymore.” She shares a cringeworthy story with me about a workday during her government career when she didn’t straighten her hair and just left it natural, and someone patted her on the head and described her look as “ethnic.” “I spent so long doing that part,” she says, “wearing the suits so people didn’t judge me so harshly or straightening my hair so I fit in and speaking a certain way.” She’s empowered, now more than ever, to do exactly what feels right for her – and she maintains a positive outlook even though she’s tackled adversity along the way. “Whenever something weird happens or it feels like

something bad is happening while I’ve been on this journey, there’s always something that counters it that says, ‘It’s not really that bad because this is better’ or ‘This is why that happened.’ I try to immediately pivot to those moments.” We’re now back at Atlantic Seafood, and she’s schooling me on the go-go greats, Southern trap and then – this is a big moment for us – she introduces me to “Optimistic” by Sounds of Blackness via her car speakers. We chat for a few more minutes as she jokes about overextending herself and trying to stay sane with so many irons in the fire. “I’m really winging it very well – sometimes. My right foot’s falling off, but I’m going to get there hopping on the one.” Whether it’s feeding off the energy from a crowd going crazy over her go-go deep tracks or jumping in to support local artists

during last year’s Don’t Mute DC movement, it all comes down to connecting with and supporting her community. “I feel responsible for being helpful or impactful, and to not be counterproductive toward either of those things. That’s all I try to do. If that means I’m using my platform to support something that’s important so maybe some more people have a little bit more awareness – even if it’s just one person – cool. Or if I’m lending my time to something that’s an important thing to the community, cool. I try to be helpful, however that looks.” Follow Wells on Instagram and Twitter at @djxdomo. Follow GIRLAAA on Instagram at @girlaaa.world and sign up for their email newsletter at www.domo.world/girlaaa. DISTRICT FRAY |

RADAR | HOMESPUN

NATIONAL CANNABIS

FESTIVAL FOUNDER

CAROLINE

PHILLIPS ON ACTIVISM & DIVERSITY

“People are knowledgeable about a lot of different things. They know the laws, they know we live in suppression from Congress. There’s a general knowledge in the community about how the government works and doesn’t work. You see activism on so many levels.” Caroline Phillips tells me this while I’m on lockdown in my home, practicing social distancing because of the very real and serious Covid-19. And she’s the right person to speak with, because if anyone knows a thing or two about local activism, it’s this D.C. native. She’s produced countless events with her company The High Street, and is the founder of the largest marijuana-themed event on the East Coast: the National Cannabis Festival. “I wanted to make an event that tapped into the knowledge and diversity of D.C.,” she says. “I wanted people to learn how to be helpful, and I knew that would resonate in our community.” Phillips became familiar with cannabis and its relationship with the city during the battle for clearance as a medicinal use drug in the early 2010s. Her awareness heightened further when the city was battling for decriminalization in November 2014 via Initiative 71, the voter-approved legalization of the recreational use of cannabis. “I worked with a local dispensary to host a small happy hour and it became so much bigger than we expected,” she says. “That’s when I first became aware of the medical access [and] banking issues. All these amazing advocates showed up and spoke up.” From there, she produced other events in the area but felt they didn’t represent the D.C. she knew and grew up with. The attendees were largely affluent and white, which left too many voices unheard. She needed to create something local that would include all people who care about the issue. “We really try to create opportunities for participation at all levels. 8

| APRIL 2020

WORDS BY TRENT JOHNSON We have the medical dispensaries from Maryland and D.C. who give out info. We have the local craft makers who have things you can decorate your homes with. We have glass blowers [and] local clothing stores. The focus is local and regional.” The first iteration of the festival on April 23, 2016 brought together 5,000 attendees from 30 different states to the RFK Festival Grounds. The festivities include everything from exhibits and panels to a marketplace and musical acts. Though the fifth annual event has been postponed until September 19 because of coronavirus, it’s still set to feature Method Man and Redman, Young M.A. and other big names. “I think the overall response has been very positive,” she says of producing such a large festival in her hometown. “When I started, I didn’t have a crystal ball with how laws would unfold in the area. I think the festival is very much a reflection of the community in D.C. and in some ways, it highlights the challenges in how things are regulated in the city. It also highlights how important it is to get out of the way of D.C. voters, and help build on these opportunities for people that live here.” Despite the stay-at-home order in the District, Phillips has heard positive buzz about the state of cannabis culture in the nation’s capital, including a boost in sales and a dedication to keep serving people in a safe way. “There are a lot of people who use it as medicine who are now restricted to their homes. Maybe people are making dispensary visits part of their plan. It’s interesting to see how the medical cannabis community is able to understand and execute on plans to continue business.” The fifth annual National Cannabis Festival is rescheduled for September 19 at the RFK Festival Grounds. Tickets $55-$85. National Cannabis Festival: 2400 E Capitol St. SE, DC; www.nationalcannabisfestival.com Caroline Phillips. Photo by Anna Kathryn Stevens for Brightest Young Things.

UP-AND-COMERS | RADAR

MARKETING MOGUL

SOPHIE STICH TALKS TOASTWORTHY MOMENTS FROM HER BAR ON WHEELS WORDS BY KAYLA MARSH Photo courtesy of Sophie Stich.

Cheers to life’s most enjoyable moments and one of D.C.’s most savvy marketing moguls, Sophie Stich: founder of Toastworthy, a modern celebration experience serving you drinks from a vintage Airstream. The 1965 Airstream Caravel, also known as the Toaster, is its own pop-up venue designed to be a welcoming, open space for bartenders and guests alike. It’s used for the worth-it moments, of course, and has served all kinds of events – think holiday parties, birthday bashes, family gatherings, photoshoots, wedding receptions and more – with a charming experience that’s hard to find anywhere else. The event host, caterer or private venue provides the libations, and the Toaster will do the rest. In an Instagrammable era where all we talk about is the mood or vibe whenever we go out, Toastworthy is a modern masterpiece that’s right on trend. From mastering marketing at her previous jobs with SoulCycle and Sweetgreen to road-tripping to and from Ohio while the Airstream was being renovated, Stich has finally found her calling. “I’ve always had this service aspect in my life,” she says. “My greatest joy is bringing people together and building community, which is really difficult right now [because of the pandemic]. But I was always trying to find different ways to maintain that aspect I love: people. I’m super curious about people’s backgrounds and building unique experiences for them and the special moments in their lives. That’s what Toastworthy’s about.” The Wisconsin native moved to the D.C. area in 2008 to attend George Washington University, where she studied psychology and public health. After three years at a public health genetics nonprofit, she began exploring different career paths and landed at SoulCycle DISTRICT FRAY |

RADAR | UP-AND-COMERS in an in-studio marketing position. Stich continued to engage with a large customer base through her next job at Sweetgreen, which left her in a headspace of wondering if she wanted to be a business owner. “I thought I had the guts to start a business, but didn’t know what that was,” she recalls. “As a woman and being younger, I was doubting myself [and thinking], ‘Do I have a good enough idea? Am I this creative person?’” Ultimately, she was able to use her newfound strengths for brand marketing to succeed with Toastworthy. “It’s been so much fun to do that for myself. I’m always thinking about where I want to be in five years with the business. It’s been a really awesome experience.” One of her most creative moments happened to be at 2 a.m. one random night in 2017 while scrolling through Instagram videos. One particular video of a prosecco cart in England caught her eye, and she thought to herself, “I’ve got it.” “I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s so f--king cool. Why isn’t there anything like that here?’ It was just one of those life moments where this light switches. This was such a f--king great idea. There was no mobile bar in D.C. yet.” Within a week of seeing the video, Stich was hooked on the idea of running a bar on wheels in D.C. She acquired her Airstream in 2018 and took her time renovating it with the seller, an Ohio-based Airstream restoration business. Toastworthy was up and running by early 2019. “There have been a handful of moments where I feel like it was really right, and this felt right. As time goes on, I’ve realized just how good of a fit Toastworthy is for me in a weird way. It has just really aligned with my life and all my experiences. I’m always

excited about it and despite everything that’s going on, it’ll be around for a while.” Does the queen of toasts go crazy for champagne? Of course. But Stich also loves a good glass of wine or a creative cocktail. “I’m big on cocktails. As a daily drink, I love rosè or white wine. While I do love champagne, I chose it more as a symbol for celebrating life. But the Airstream isn’t exclusively serving champagne.” Stich even adds champagne-free cocktail recipes on Toastworthy’s Instagram account. “I make sure that not all the cocktail recipes have champagne and that I’m posting photos of different things,” she says. “I think when people are really excited about what we are, they don’t think about the champagne that much.” Toastworthy has attracted several unique event partners over the past year, from hosting with Kendra Scott to being invited to Times Square on New Year’s Eve for a sex toy company’s activation. Stich says she really just enjoys being there for someone’s special day. “Whether it’s a brand partnership or someone’s intimate birthday party, I feel so special to be part of these moments with people and to celebrate. I consider it a huge honor.” Enjoying drinks from a vintage Airstream is just one way to enjoy a fabulous event, but the modern appeal and enchantment of Toastworthy is the only way we want to party when social distancing comes to an end. Visit www.toast-worthy.com for more information and follow Stich and her Airstream on Instagram @toast.worthy.

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STIR-CRAZY | RADAR

Is the cabin fever getting real yet? Staying at home is obviously important in an effort to flatten the curve, but it is also getting a little claustrophobic. We all miss getting drinks with friends after work, catching a show over the weekend or watching the Nats kick ass. However, for the time being, looking for things to do in D.C. will involve a lot less time at the 9:30 Club and a lot more time on YouTube and Instagram. We have rounded up some events for you to “attend” from the comfort of your own couch while we ride out social distancing. WORDS BY KELSEY COCHRAN

CULTURE

on Instagram @nationalaquarium for Q&As with aquarium workers and tours. For more information on the aquarium’s virtual offerings, visit www.aqua.org.

The famed dance company Alvin Ailey is launching this online platform offering videos with some of the company’s best work. Full-length performances will stream on Thursdays and dancers stuck at home will be uploading clips of their own to the series #TheShowMustGoOn. Follow Alvin Ailey on social media @alvinailey to learn some dance moves for yourself. For a list of all the available performances, visit www.alvinailey.org.

Playwrights on Plays

Easy Women Smoking Loose Cigarettes at Signature Theatre

Smithsonian Archives

Ailey for All

While live performances at the Signature Theatre have been canceled, you can still stream their amazing work. Stream Easy Women Smoking Loose Cigarettes through April 12 for a smart, insightful and funny show. Just don’t stream it while on a Zoom call for work, you won’t be able to stifle your laughter. Learn how to stream the play at www.sigtheater.org.

Google Arts & Culture Collection

Just because favorite museums are temporarily closed, doesn’t mean you can’t explore them. The Google Arts and Culture Collection features works of art found in museums all over the world, including D.C.’s own Smithsonian collections. There are thousands of items for you to explore, so be sure to carve out a good chunk of time for a day at the museum. To look through the catalog, visit https://artsandculture.google.com.

The Maryland Film Festival

The regional film festival is moving to an online platform. Explore a wide selection of carefully curated films from April 29 to May 3 or check their website for non-festival films to stream. Check their Instagram account @mdffparkway for announcements about live Q&A’s with filmmakers. For a full list of participating films, visit https://mdfilmfest.com/festival.

National Aquarium via Webcam

One of the nation’s most famous aquariums is inviting marine enthusiasts to visit their favorite exhibits via the webcams set up at the aquarium’s Blacktip Reef, Pacific Coral Reef and Jellies Invasion. They are also publishing fun at-home activities such as word searches and marine-inspires coloring pages. Follow them

Join Round House Theatre for a new weekly online discussion series, Playwrights on Plays. Round House’s Literary Manager Gabrielle Hoyt will host interviews with playwrights about their work and inspirations. This will be a live and interactive virtual event. For information on times and streaming platforms, visit www.roundhousetheatre.org. The Smithsonian has uploaded almost 3 million items at the time of press to their new Smithsonian Open Access forum. The public is invited to use, transform and share the 2D and 3D digital items any way they please. Use this time at home to view ancient artifacts or improve your artistic skills by tracing a famous painting. See the extensive collection at www.si.edu.

Talking Shorts Presents Dystopia

Every week, Talking Shorts will present seven short films on the subject of dystopia, free to stream online. The audience can then vote for their favorite film at the end of the week, making the watch party into a fun interactive game. Talking Shorts will also be asking audience members to donate to causes uplifting those affected by the outbreak. To learn more about the festival, visit www.talkingshorts.com.

EAT + DRINK

Kwame Onwuachi of Kith/Kin Gives Tutorials Kith/Kin’s famed chef is hosting healthy cooking classes on his Instagram every week. Onwuachi knows it can be hard to keep healthy eating habits while we’re at home, but hopefully his classes can inspire foodies on couches around D.C. and nationwide to eat nutritious and delicious meals. He will also be leaving 10 minutes open after the demo for a Q&A with attendees. Follow him on Instagram @chefkwameonwuachi.

Chronicles of a Quarantined Chef

In light of the Covid-19 crisis, chef Lincoln Fuge from Present Company Public House and his wife Lauren Brooks have started the YouTube series “Chronicles of a Quarantined Chef.” The DISTRICT FRAY | 11

RADAR | STIR-CRAZY chef is stuck at home like the rest of us and is taking the time to go through his fridge to whip up some tasty meals. Follow along in your own kitchen for a cooking class experience or write down their tips for the future. To see the videos, search “Chronicles of a Quarantined Chef ” on YouTube.

Happied Virtual Happy Hours

The app Happied is connecting Washingtonians for virtual happy hours at their favorite bars. Learn how to make cocktails from local bartenders, meet new friends and support your neighborhood watering hole from afar. There is limited availability per happy hour, so sign up soon and get your bar kit ready. Times and prices vary. Learn more about the app and its offerings at www.playhardcrew.com.

Mangia DC Virtual Cooking Class

Join Mangia DC on Zoom and learn to cook using what’s in your pantry. The classes focus on three different dishes and allow for time to ask the featured local chef any questions. While this is a free class, donations are encouraged, and all proceeds go to the Mangia staff. Various times. Sign up at www.mangiadc.com.

Maxwell Park Friday Night Pours

Maxwell Park wine bar has started hosting Friday Night Pours, a new TGIF series on their Instagram Live. The series kicks off at 7 p.m. on Fridays, with new themes explored each week. Order some wine to follow along with the class or tune in and sip on some budget-friendly Two Buck Chuck. Join by following @maxwellpark_shaw on Instagram.

masterclass. Music players of all levels are invited to participate, and there will be a live chat for participants to ask Jasper String any questions. For information about the class visit www.acmp.net.

Ballet Caliente Online Classes

Check out the Ballet Caliente website to choose from multiple levels of ballet, tap dance or studio classes. What better way to stave off boredom than learning ballet in your bedroom? For more information, visit www.balletcaliente.com.

Republic Restoratives Distillery

Capitol Hill Arts Workshop Online

EDUCATION

Island Music Company Lessons

This Northeast D.C. distillery is hosting free cocktail classes on Instagram Live, Friday nights at 6 p.m. They will be publishing the cocktail recipe beforehand so that attendees have time to get the ingredients delivered if they don’t have any on hand. Follow along on Instagram @republicrestoratives.

Livestream String Masterclass

Associated Chamber Music Players (ACMP) presents the Jasper String Quartet’s free livestream masterclass on April 11. The Jasper String Quartet is working with two student quartets and an ACMP adult-amateur ensemble to bring you a string quartet 12 | APRIL 2020

Capitol Hill Arts Workshop’s (CHAW) teaching artists are posting crafts, storytelling, artists talks, takeovers and more to their YouTube channel. Let your creative side loose and delve into new projects with the guidance of CHAW artists. Whether you’re looking to make DIY face masks or improve your photography skills, you could learn a lot by tuning into the CHAW YouTube channel. Search Capitol Hill Workshop on YouTube. Island Music Company is offering remote music lessons as we continue to social distance. If you don’t have an instrument, sign up for voice lessons. You’ll be so good after a few you can start holding your own quarantine concerts for your pets. For information about the company’s offerings, visit www.islandmusicco.com. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Photo by Paul Kolnik.

GYM CLOSED? MAINTAIN MOMENTUM WITH

BALANCE VIRTUAL TRAINING Free Live Videos and Teambuildr WODs

Free 20-Minute Virtual Training

Train virtually with a Balance personal trainer or with one of our live instructors and keep pace with your ďŹ tness goals almost any time, any where. Or try our Hybrid Training program and get free workouts delivered to your inbox daily. Then join the fun on our Facebook Video page and catch free live streams of daily 30-minute workouts, and scoop up delicious, nutritious recipes! The possibilities are virtually limitless. Visit www.balancegym.com/balance-virtual-training to get started.

RADAR | STIR-CRAZY

WithLoveDC Virtual Yoga

WithLoveDC is continuing their weekly yoga sessions with the United States Botanical Gardens, just virtually. This one-hour meditation and yoga practice is free to all, but only the first 500 people who sign up will be able to join. Even though people must be apart, WithLoveDC is carrying on in its mission to promote community health and well-being. For information on times and how to register, visit www.usbg.doubleknot.com.

MUSIC

Andrew Bird’s Live from the Great Room

Musician Andrew Bird is producing a series of intimate performances and conversations with other musicians all held in Bird’s home, and live on YouTube. Many SXSW fans will have already tuned in to see performances from Yola and T. Bone Burnett. Bird hopes this series can bring a bit of inspiration and joy to everyone stuck at home. Check out the series by searching Andrew Bird’s Live from the Great Room on YouTube.

Bandsintown on Twitch

Strathmore Workshops

Strathmore has long hosted artist workshops where patrons could learn how to hone their craft from professionals. Now, these workshops have moved online for free (donations are encouraged, though). Join their Artists in Fiction book club, creative writing workshops and more. Check out www.strathmore.org for more information.

FITNESS

Dance Place Virtual Programming

The D.C. studio has moved its adult dance classes to Facebook. Join other dance enthusiasts weekdays at 6:30 p.m. and on Saturdays at 11:15 a.m. for this live virtual dance class. Consider donating to help Dance Place continue to teach the community a love of dance. For information on Dance Place’s virtual programming, visit www.danceplace.org/virtual-programming.

Moon Joggers Virtual Race

The 50th Anniversary of the Apollo 13 launch will be celebrated April 11 by Moon Joggers with the options of joining a 1 mile, 5K, 10K, half marathon or full marathon. While the run cannot proceed in person this year, the event will be hosted online. Runners can log their miles at any time in the month of April, but are encouraged to do so between April 11-17. Fifteen percent of each registration will be donated to the Challenger Center. For more information about the races visit www.moonjoggers.com.

Sportrock Fitness Challenges

Sportrock is continuing to inspire its patrons to get active and have fun while at home. Though their climbing walls cannot be used right now, you can join an auction for private virtual lessons with their directors or look to their Instagram account for fitness challenges. Be sure to tag your friends and challenge them to stay active as well. Follow along on Instagram @sportrock. 14 | APRIL 2020

Bandsintown has created a Twitch account to stream concerts and bring you live music. People watching from home can donate to MusiCare’s Coronavirus Relief Fundto assist musicians and music professionals struggling during this time. Artists can also reach out to Bandsintown to announce their own livestream concert. Check out the performances at www.twitch.tv/bandsintown.

Death Cab for Cutie Live from Home

Ben Gibbard, lead vocalist and guitarist of Death Cab for Cutie, has begun a virtual concert series “Live from Home.” Streaming for free on Facebook and YouTube every Thursday at 6 p.m. PST, Gibbard only asks fans donate to a cause each time they tune in. So, pull up a seat and enjoy the musical stylings of Ben Gibbard in your living room. Learn about the series and get all the options for viewing at https://found.ee/BenGibbard-LiveFromHome.

Live from the Living Room

Strathmore Artists in Residence are hosting Live from the Living Room, a live concert series hosted every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. on Strathmore’s Facebook page. Each concert will be about 20 minutes and showcase wildly different genres of music. Support these rising artists by tuning in. For a full schedule, visit www.strathmore.org.

Shut In & Sing Project

A group of songwriters and singers has come together to create this project, which includes a robust roster of artists performing nearly every day. The list of musicians includes a number of great folk singers. For the full daily set of the virtual pay what you can concerts, visit www.stageit.com/ShutInandSing. Ben Gibbard Live From Home. Photo from Gibbard’s website.

EAT

WORDS BY LANI FURBANK

EAT 2020 marks the 10th anniversary for the Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food & Agriculture. The year has already been an unprecedented one – not just because of their goals to expand their work over the next decade – but because of the coronavirus pandemic. Like nearly every organization around the world, Arcadia is working to adapt to the new normal and find ways to achieve their mission amid the chaos. While many are struggling in the face of Covid-19, one thing has become crystal clear for Arcadia. They are desperately needed, now more than ever. “This crisis that we’re in right now is going to reveal to us the absolute imperativeness of us as a society rediscovering and investing in local and regional food,” says Pamela Hess, Arcadia’s executive director. “When everyone is fearful of food shortages and they go to the grocery stores and the cupboards are bare, who is going to fill them? It’s going to be local and regional farmers [who] bring to the table a whole other set of resiliency that backs up, and in some cases can replace, the prevailing food system that is both national and global.” Creating a more sustainable and equitable local and regional food system is Arcadia’s central mission. Their work is farreaching in the greater Washington region, but it all begins on their farm in Alexandria. “We’re different from other food organizations,” Hess continues. “Most food nonprofits that you’ll come across are doing emergency feeding. If we do what we’re supposed to do and we do it well, there will be less need for emergency feeding.” Instead of working reactively to address food insecurity and the public health crisis caused by processed food, Arcadia is taking proactive steps to build a supply chain for underserved communities to access affordable, healthy, local food. Hess explains that the current food system is “extraordinarily efficient at producing large numbers of calories that are cheap at the point of sale and devastatingly expensive in terms of public health.” Arcadia’s founder and the owner of Neighborhood Restaurant Group, Michael Babin, set out to change the status quo by ensuring that everyone, regardless of their zip code or income, can benefit from fresh local food. The first problem to solve is the lack of supply to meet the demand. Arcadia’s farm managers Katherine Collins and Kenneth Meyers, along with their veteran farm fellows and a robust volunteer corps, cultivate 3.8 acres of land, growing 40 different types of fruits and vegetables. Last year, they produced more than 30,000 pounds of produce, which amounts to more than 150,000 FDA servings of fresh fruits and vegetables. “We’re adding to the supply of local food,” Hess says. “We raise it in a way that’s building soil fertility, which in itself has an environmental benefit.” This food goes to several outlets, including the mobile market program and farm education. “Our farm is also the destination and the campus for school children to build demand for this food.” Arcadia hosts field trips and farm camp to get kids excited about local food and agriculture from a young age. “You have to grow up eating this and being exposed to it if you’re going to eat it as an adult. Sometimes, it’s really hard for parents to get kids to try unusual, weird stuff. Bring them to our farm and we will turn them into beet lovers because they get to see the beets getting dug up and being washed off and then prepared in a way that’s really delicious.” According to surveys taken before and after farm taste tests, there is a 34.8 percent increase in the number of kids who 16 | APRIL 2020

reported liking beets after visiting Arcadia. The farm is growing fresh, local food and they’re growing fresh, local food eaters, but most importantly, they’re growing farmers. “The nation needs 700,000 new farmers over the next 20 years to replace the farmers who are aging out of the profession,” Hess says. “Our farm is a training ground for military veterans and active duty personnel, spouses and family members who want to become farmers.” The trick is getting their produce into the hands of those who need it. “We’re really good at the really hard part of food distribution, which is that last mile.” They cross the finish line in their mobile market: a farmers market on wheels. “The mobile market is really this very cool, nimble thing that we’re really coming to appreciate the magic of right now because of the coronavirus. It turns the narrative about low-income people and nutritious food on its head.” Many wrongly assume that certain neighborhoods lack grocery stores and farmers markets because the demand isn’t there. Hess says, “The fact is that the economics of providing fresh, healthy food are such that the demand and the money to pay for it has to be really high before anybody’s going to bother to do it. That’s where Arcadia comes in. We have whole sections of the city that don’t have fresh, healthy food. And then in 2012 rolls in the Arcadia mobile market on this idea that if we provide it and it’s convenient, affordable and really good quality and we’re nice to people who come to buy it, maybe they’ll buy it. And we found that to be true.” They sell in 10 neighborhoods and offer a whole diet of affordable produce, meat, eggs and grains from Arcadia Farm and sustainable partner farms. “Our general price is 30 to 50 percent less than what you’ll see at a fancy farmers market for the same quality food. Then on top of that, if you’re using SNAP [Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps], WIC [Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children], or Senior Farmers Market Nutrition vouchers, we’re going to give you a 50 percent discount.” The market sold $44,000 worth of food in the first year, and then increased sales by 50 percent the second year. “Any venture capitalist will tell you they want in on that business.” Last year, the market sold $256,000 of food. “It’s a 600 percent increase in demonstrated demand over the first year that we were out there, at roughly the same number of stops,” Hess notes. Seeing the incredible demand during the regular May through November schedule, the mobile market recently began doing monthly winter pop-ups in tandem with community festivals. Their March pop-up was at risk of being cancelled due to the coronavirus, but mobile market director Erin Close saw the need was even more dire. “Both sides of the food system are struggling,” Close says. “Our customer base, who already experience food insecurity and barriers to accessing food every day, are now further isolated. Local farmers, many of whom work with restaurants that are now closed, are scrambling to find other outlets.” Close and her team were able to pivot to provide food without compromising staff or customer health. “We have moved to a preorder-only model, so customers can order online. We pack everything with heightened care and

safety measures. Then the customers pick up at designated sites around the city.” During their March pop-up, they also partnered with DC Central Kitchen to distribute free breakfast and lunch to families with school-age children. There is one last gear in the machine that makes Arcadia run. “Because we do not charge the prevailing market rates for our food, we cannot afford to pay the prevailing labor that it would cost in order to hire enough people to work on the farm,” Hess says. The volunteer corps allows Arcadia to keep their costs down while still providing top-quality food. In 2019, 404 volunteers donated more than 2,700 hours of work to the farm. And, volunteers don’t need to have any prior farming experience to lend a hand. “I offer training on food safety and a little bit about the sustainable growing practices that we use so that folks are competent and able to keep our customers safe when they’re harvesting other people’s food,” Collins says, “but also so that they understand the bigger picture of what we’re going for on the farm.” She sees a wide range of backgrounds in her volunteers. “Sometimes we have high school students coming out and sometimes we have retirees coming out, and everybody works together,” she says. “We’ve got seasoned gardeners coming out or folks who have worked on farms before and then others who’ve never really planted anything. I think that’s what is cool about the experience, too. Everyone’s sharing their lived experiences with each other.” Volunteer Megan Frone works in cancer genetics but has a passion for local food. She grows her own food and lives just up the street from Arcadia. She would drive by the farm every day on her way to and from work and always wondered about it. Upon learning about the organization, she immediately signed up as an Arcadia member and put herself on their volunteer list. “Basically ever since then, they haven’t been able to get rid of me,” she says. For the past three years, Frone has worked on the farm on Saturdays, cared for the chickens on Sundays and stepped in when volunteers were needed for events or odd jobs. “Wherever they need me and whatever they need me to do, I’m more than happy to do. I love being able to contribute and I learn a lot, too.” There are various opportunities for different levels of engagement, from one-day individual or group volunteer days to regular shifts of work. Depending on the season, tasks range from planting to harvesting to weeding. In return, volunteers can enjoy the literal fruits of their labor. “Once the farm starts cranking, there’s often a lot of produce going spare that volunteers are welcome to take home before we donate the rest to local food pantries,” Collins says. She also hopes to instill in volunteers the true value of food. “I think people gain a deeper appreciation for food and how it’s produced,” she says. “Our current economy does a poor job of valuing food, and we have come to expect it to be really cheap all the time. And I think that when people help to produce food that they believe in, they realize what it takes to do that.” Hess says with a laugh, “There’s not a single volunteer that works when we are harvesting green beans that ever takes a green bean for granted again. Green beans are hard to harvest. You squat for an hour in front of a bush and then you finally stand up and you’ve got this little thing of green beans. And then you go, ‘My God, how is anybody only charging $3 a pound for these things?’” Photos courtesy of Arcadia.

Tangible lessons on the farm are what have kept Frone coming back season after season. “Years ago, I didn’t necessarily recognize the seasons,” she recalls. “I didn’t recognize that our food was getting shipped from miles away and mechanically ripened. It’s just so rewarding to reconnect to our food system, to know where our food comes from, to know how it’s grown. It’s better for us, it’s better for the environment and so it’s a really rewarding way to learn all that.” Arcadia’s 10th year will look a little different due to the coronavirus. Spring school field trips are cancelled and they’re not able to accept volunteers right now. Despite this, Hess and her team have big plans for the next 10 years as they aim to embody the meaning of their name. “It’s the ancient Greek mythical, pastoral utopia,” Hess explains. “A place where there was always food on the trees and animals happily chewing grass in the fields and no one wanted for anything. That’s what we’re going to try to be: a place where humans, animals and food are living in perfect harmony and building a culture of health for everyone regardless of how much money they have. And that health is built on really good, easily accessible, affordable, gorgeous, delicious food.” While Arcadia isn’t currently taking volunteers due to the coronavirus, they hope to open their doors to the public again soon. To get involved, sign up for their newsletter and fill out the volunteer form at www.arcadiafood.org.

DISTRICT FRAY | 17

EAT

Urban Gardens Feeding Families and Growing Communities in D.C. As the air warms and greenery sprouts from trees again, the time for lush gardens is now. Seeds from melons, corn, squash, tomatoes and any other produce are sowed in the hopes of bountiful summer and fall harvests. This scene may sound like it belongs on farmlands in rural America or in the backyard of a suburban home, but it’s happening in our own city. Forgotten lots and overgrown fields are being converted into urban gardens right here in D.C., providing food and community to the District’s residents. Multiple urban garden organizations have emerged since the passage of the D.C. Urban Farming and Food Security Act of 2014, also known as D.C.’s Farm Bill, acting as a spark for residents to put their green thumbs to use, grow food themselves and maybe make a few friends. While fostering community is a goal of these organizations, the main objective is to provide Washingtonians access to fresh produce. “It’s important to know your neighbors and develop rapport with everyone, but the sole purpose is [to create] food security and self-sufficiency,” says Saleemah Shabazz, former program 18 | APRIL 2020

WORDS BY KELSEY COCHRAN

coordinator of Common Good City Farm and current gardener at LeDroit Park Community Garden. Northeast and Southeast D.C. are home to some of the city’s major food deserts, classified by the D.C. Policy Center as areas where the walking distance to a grocery store is more than 0.5 miles, more than 40 percent of households do not have a reliable vehicle available and the average family income is less than 185 percent of the federal poverty level. For residents living in these areas, food insecurity is a part of everyday life. In order to reduce the total number of people living with these circumstances, communities have turned to urban gardening. Without this vegetation, many would not have access to healthy food options, including Shabazz. “I’m low-income and this addresses my need and supplements a lot of my food,” she says. “This is where all of our food comes from: the earth. It promotes health, activities and education, and it’s a natural thing to do. We can’t avoid it.” Shabazz explains that the need for gardening in D.C. is so great that many people are on the waiting list for their own plot Cultivate the City tomatoes. Photo by Niraj Ray.

at LeDroit Park. She has worked with the property managers at Kelly Miller, a public housing community development, to build garden beds on their property for residents to use.But there are still people without plots of their own. Luckily, there are other gardens also attempting to address this need. One such garden is DC UrbanGreens, located in Fort Dupont Park. Taboris Robinson, food access entrepreneur at DC UrbanGreens and owner of contract service DMV Urban Greens, focuses his efforts on providing fresh produce from the gardens to his community. Robinson sets up a stand to sell the produce he has grown at affordable prices, and also delivers food to those in need. When he runs out of food to offer, community members stop him on the street to inquire when they can get their next batch of fruits and vegetables. Robinson’s number one priority is getting healthy food in his neighbors’ hands. “I try to make sure it all goes back to the community,” he says. “In Wards 7 and 8, you have more liquor stores than you do grocery stores, so it’s hard [for people] to get healthy food. I try to bring it to them so that their first option is getting fresh vegetables instead of canned goods.” Providing food is not the only way to stifle food insecurity in our food deserts – education is a priority as well. While working as program coordinator of Common Good City Farm, Shabazz set up cooking demonstrations from local chefs and brought in community members to participate. Robinson believes a large part of his job at DC UrbanGreens involves educating community members on the importance of a healthy diet. While these two gardeners believe in the value of education, growing food is the number one priority at the end of the day. Niraj Ray, founder and CEO of Cultivate the City, says a majority of what his organization does is provide the educational tools for D.C. residents to grow their own food rather than vending

produce or creating community plots. Ray describes his thinking similar to the old idiom about teaching a man to fish. “I feel like there’s a capacity to how much I can personally grow,” Ray says. “But the more I teach people how to grow, and get them interested in growing food locally and activating underutilized spaces, that just has more of a cascade effect.” The average city dweller may visit their local park occasionally for a breath of fresh air, but may not think of how else to use the space. Urban gardens provide a space for people to connect with the earth, get a good meal and acquaint themselves with likeminded individuals. Ray hopes to provide a community to those he educates. “Living in a city, you don’t always get to have a lot of those social interactions,” he says. “I think gardening provides those social opportunities. I always say, if everyone on the street is growing different items – someone’s growing tomatoes, someone’s growing onions, someone’s growing peppers – together, you have a great salsa.” Learn more about each of these organizations and how you can get involved below. Cultivate the City: 910 Bladensburg Rd. NE, DC; www.cultivatethecity.com DC UrbanGreens: 3779 Ely Pl. SE, DC; www.dcurbangreens.com LeDroit Park Community Garden: 3rd and Elm Streets NW, DC; www.dpr.dc.gov/page/community-gardens

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RESTAURANT RELIEF RESTAURATEURS + BUSINESS OWNERS FIND WAYS TO GIVE BACK

WORDS BY LANNA NGUYEN

How are restaurateurs responding to the pandemic? As Covid-19 wreaks havoc on the service industry, some chefs, restaurant owners and establishments are finding ways to keep stomachs full and spirits lifted even as their own dining rooms and storefronts remain empty. For them, hospitality is more than just a business – it’s a way of life. 20 | APRIL 2020

David Guas in the kitchen. Photo courtesy of Bayou Bakery.

FEEDING THE FRONTLINE

While the pandemic rages on, some businesses have launched campaigns to help support those on the frontline who are working to keep communities and the public safe. Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken created its Comfort for the Crisis initiative as a way to provide some relief to hospital staff. To co-founder Elliot Spaisman, the initiative is an extension of what Astro represents. “We started Astro with the idea of combining two comfort foods that brought us joy as kids. In these difficult and uncertain times of Covid-19, we decided to launch Comfort for the Crisis in an effort to extend a little bit of joy to the people in our community who have been impacted most severely.” Patrons can donate to the fund through an online ordering page, which helps finance daily deliveries from Astro’s food truck to nearby hospitals. For every $500 donated, Astro has pledged an additional $100 of food. The public is encouraged to add drop-off locations via Astro’s social media pages where Spaisman notes they’ll “continue to take suggestions from the community for drop-offs as we hope to bring some comfort in the form of doughnuts and fried chicken to as many healthcare workers, unemployed hospitality workers and others on the front lines of this pandemic as possible.” To offer hospital workers a sweet reprieve from long, stressful workdays, Buttercream Bakeshop’s #ButtercreamCares campaign delivered a range of baked goods and confections to nearby hospitals including Sibley Memorial, Howard University and Children’s National, among others. The campaign has since retired, but in its nearly two-week run raised $6,800 in public donations. Supporters purchased pay-itforward care packages for essential workers filled with unicorn bars, cookie cream pies, brownies, citrus meringues and other treats – including sweet notes of thanks from the bakery’s staff. Chef and owner Tiffany MacIsaac notes that #ButtercreamCares deliveries extended beyond the initial targeted demographic of hospital staff. “The community has been incredibly excited and has come out in full force. It has also given people the idea to place orders for grocery store workers, leasing offices/building security, and others who are working and may be unable to take time off.”

REPLACING TRADITIONAL SAFETY NETS

With the closure of Arlington Public Schools, Chef David Guas of Bayou Bakery made the decision to temporarily suspend his restaurant’s service to focus on providing meals to families in need. Together with local organization Real Food for Kids, Guas prepares and distributes healthy, vegetarian meals every weekday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. out of his Arlington restaurant. The initiative continues to grow from its March 17 launch, with nearly 400 meals served a week and added support from Camellia Brand beans and other donors. “We’ve received heartfelt comments and [interest in giving] back financially, but also cheerleading and championing our mission,” Guas says. “The outreach and support have been unbelievable.” On any given day, LEON’s naturally fast food fuels downtown D.C. workers looking for healthy, quick options close to their offices. Now, the UK-based chain is shifting operations to support vulnerable populations. Kids receive free meals, a major boost now that DC Public Schools are closed through April 24. Coffee is on the house for all hospitality workers, and care workers receive 50 percent off their purchase. The current menu features healthy mainstays from their all-day options including chicken rice

boxes, pitas stuffed with chicken shawarma or falafel, and lighter sandwiches. For LEON President Glenn Edwards, serving the community just makes sense. “Our mission is to help everyone eat and live well, now more than ever,” he says. “We want to help those who need it most right now from care workers working real hard on the frontlines to those who are going without during this crisis. Although our business is being deeply affected, as many businesses are, we’re here for this community.” While José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen provides disaster relief meals to vulnerable communities across the country, in D.C., the chef and restaurateur has morphed some of his popular restaurants into community kitchens. For Andrés and his team, it’s an opportunity to “help provide food for those who want it in a safe manner.” “We feel these community kitchens can help during this challenging time,” Andrés says, “and those who cannot afford to pay, we will welcome as well.” Affordable meals are available for purchase and takeout from 12-4 p.m. with the help of volunteer staff at various ThinkFoodGroup restaurants including America Eats Tavern in Georgetown, all three Jaleo locations and Zaytinya in Penn Quarter.

INDUSTRY LOVE

Many restaurant workers – from back-of-house staff to general managers – quickly found themselves with shortened schedules or were laid off entirely in the wake of Covid-19. With thousands in the area affected by the sudden industry crisis, Chef Edward Lee and his partners at KNEAD Hospitality + Design quickly stepped in. “This whole situation is heartbreaking, and we are doing what we can to help the thousands of workers who have for years been so loyal to us,” Lee says. “We cannot forget about them now or we will not have an independent restaurant industry to speak of when this is over.” Through the Lee Initiative’s Restaurant Workers Relief Program, they opened D.C.’s branch at Succotash’s Penn Quarter location, where Lee is the culinary director. Free daily takeout meals and essential supplies, including diapers, non-perishable canned foods, toilet paper and more, are available on a first-come, first-served basis to hospitality workers recently laid off or who have experienced a significant reduction in work hours and pay. The program serves around 250 meals an evening with a menu that is updated daily. With support from sponsors, Lee hopes to keep the relief program going for as long as possible, although monetary and supply donations are welcomed from the public. “We give out everything and run out of food and supplies every night, but we will do this as long as we can afford to. Monetary donations at www.leeinitiative.org help to keep this program going.” Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken: 1308 G St. NW, DC; www.astrodoughnuts.com Bayou Bakery: 1515 N Courthouse Rd. Arlington, VA; www.bayoubakerydc.com Buttercream Bakeshop: 1250 9th St. NW, DC; www.buttercreamdc.com The Lee Initiative’s Restaurant Workers Relief Program: www.leeinitiative.org LEON: 655 New York Ave., 1724 L St. and 1350 I St. in NW, DC; www.leon.co/us ThinkFoodGroup: www.thinkfoodgroup.com DISTRICT FRAY | 21

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TAKE-OUT TIME From Michelin-starred restaurants to neighborhood watering holes, takeout and delivery options abound with the latest D.C. government restrictions limiting dine-in service. Whether you’re looking for large-format, family-style meals, a dinner for two or booze delivery specials, support local restaurants by ordering out.

AMBAR

The Clarendon outpost of the Balkan-inspired restaurant recently launched family-style takeout meals mirroring the restaurant’s “without limits” concept. Guests can order customizable feasts with preset pricing for meals serving up to four ($60) and eight people ($110). Choose from a range of salads, spreads, and some of Ambar’s hearty dishes including slow-roasted lamb, pork belly stuffed cabbage and beef short rib goulash, among other items. All orders come with house-made pita bread and cornbread. 2901 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA; www.ambarrestaurant.com

THE DABNEY

The rustic, Mid-Atlantic focused restaurant in Blagden Alley now offers a three-course prix fixe menu for $45 with options for adding on bottled wine, beer, cider or cocktails. Get a taste of Michelin-star dining at home with a mix of the restaurant’s classic dishes in addition to some new plates. Orders may be placed by calling the restaurant at 202-450-1015. 122 Blagden Alley, NW, DC; www.thedabney.com

LUPO MARINO

Happy hour at home never looked better. This Southern Italian restaurant at The Wharf is now making its popular aperitivo menu available for takeout or delivery. Enjoy $10 margherita and pepperoni pizzas, discounted fried small plates (including their fritto misto and arancini), and select wines daily when ordering between 4-7 p.m. In addition to happy hour, Lupo Marino is offering 50 percent off their full selection of wine, beer and spirits when guests purchase a pizza, panino or pasta dish for pickup. 40 Pearl St. SW, DC; www.lupomarinodc.com

NINA MAY

The Logan Circle restaurant with an emphasis on seasonal, hyperlocal ingredients and sourcing within 150 miles offers à la carte takeout and delivery options in addition to a multicourse chef’s choice meal for two. The latter menu changes regularly but has included items such as crispy Maryland oyster lettuce wraps, egg yolk pappardelle with duck confit and new frontier bison hanger steak au poivre. Don’t forget to add on bottles of wine, beer, and Shake & Make cocktails that serve two. 1337 11th St. NW, DC; www.ninamaydc.com

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DC Central Kitchen’s Food Relief Efforts WORDS BY KELSEY COCHRAN

As the D.C. restaurant industry reels from the ongoing havoc Covid-19 is wreaking, the greater community is coming together in spirit to show their support. From donating to various GoFundMes to purchasing gift cards to use once this is all said and done, we are seeing how much D.C. residents care for their fellow Washingtonians working in the service industry. One local nonprofit intrinsically connected with the restaurant industry is standing out in the crowd as a leader in efforts to lend a hand. DC Central Kitchen (DCCK) CEO Michael F. Curtin Jr. was able to take a breather from the chaos to speak with District Fray about how DCCK is managing during the pandemic. District Fray: Usually, DCCK functions as a training center for unemployed adults to enter the restaurant industry. How have you had to change your operations due to the pandemic? Michael F. Curtin Jr.: The focus of what we do is working with people who have had significant barriers in their life and help them find meaningful careers in the hospitality business. We’ve been able to hire folks who have graduated from our training program to support those businesses as well as help them find jobs in the community around the restaurant industry. We’ve always provided thousands of meals a day to the community, whether that’s to shelters, [or] other nonprofits. We have had to put our training program on hiatus now for the safety of the students, [and] unfortunately, put a halt to bringing volunteers in to help prepare meals. But we still have to prepare these meals to bring to our community partners and the thousands of school kids we feed every day who are now not in school, not getting breakfast and lunch and, sometimes, supper in the school programs. How many meals have you been able to make? Two weeks ago, I think we made about 36,000 meals. Last week we made just under 43,000. We’re also supporting our students who have been put on hiatus by providing grocery bags for them as well as grocery bags for others to supplement what they might not have at home and what they might not be able to get at the grocery stores. How are you able to produce all these meals without volunteers? We have about 60 staff members who are producing school meals daily. A lot of the labor we were using

24 | APRIL 2020

there has been redirected to bagged school lunches that we are handing out, as well as community meals. We’ve re-purposed our staff. Some of the school staff has opted to go on unemployment while we maintain their health insurance, but anyone that has wanted work, we have been able to keep them working and on the payroll and maintaining everyone’s benefits by moving staff into a place where volunteers might have been in certain areas in our production. How can people support DCCK as you continue to sustain the community? [If you] go to our website, we have a Covid-19 page that lists several things people can do. Although we want to engage with people before we ask them to invest in us financially in normal times, we want people to know that money is absolutely vital right now to keep the growing need for help satisfied. We have been working directly with farms and food wholesalers that are suffering, but we are going to need money to continue to do that. We’re also asking people to do what they can to support the restaurant industry. We would not be where we are without their three decades-long support. Follow us on social media and share what we’re doing: making meals and making sure that the most at-risk people in our city are getting the food that they need to get through this crisis. After this is all said and done, how do you think the community and restaurant industry will have changed? Food has always been something that has brought us together. We have always tried to capitalize on that idea here at DCCK. I think we have taken that for granted sometimes. I really hope that once we get on the other side of this, we have a more intense, healthy relationship with food and know what it means to gather and to be a part of our community. I hope we celebrate and understand the effort that goes into creating a community gathering place. I hope we are going to see commonality, and the fragility of the food system that exists, and be more serious about fixing it [so it] can support our entire community, regardless of where you live and your economic circumstances. To learn more about DC Central Kitchen’s efforts to provide healthy meals across the city and/or to get involved and volunteer, visit www.dccentralkitchen.org.

DRINK

REFRESHED AND RELAXED: THE FUTURE OF CBD AND CANNABIS IN YOUR CUP The beverage industry is always looking to shake things up, and as a growing number of states gets more familiar with cannabis and CBD culture, those behind drink counters have begun tinkering. With an increased interest in low-ABV and alcohol-free cocktails in recent years, locals are always looking for new ways to get their drink on in the District. WORDS BY KELSEY COCHRAN â&#x20AC;&#x2021; DISTRICT FRAY | 25

DRINK

While the sale of cannabis in D.C. is not fully legalized, local beverage makers are gearing up to embrace this trend by experimenting with mimicking smells and tastes. With an eye toward the future and curiosity about how these infusions work, we spoke with the head roaster of Southeastern Roastery about CBD-infused coffee and DC Brau’s brewmaster about opportunities for cannabis-like materials in beer.

CANDY SCHIBLI

JEFF HANCOCK

FOUNDER AND HEAD ROASTER, SOUTHEASTERN ROASTERY

CO-FOUNDER, PRESIDENT AND BREWMASTER, DC BRAU

District Fray: Southeastern Roastery specializes in CBDinfused coffee. Can you explain that a little bit? Candy Schibli: I make coffee that is infused by an isolate. I infuse the whole bean after I roast it and sell it [as whole beans]. We have a product I’m working on right now where I’m putting [that coffee] into [Keurig] K-Cups, so that’s new and fun. We’re hoping it catches on and people like it as part of their breakfast routine.

How are local breweries embracing the cannabis-infused drink trend? Jeff Hancock: Under the federal laws that govern breweries, it is still very much prohibited to put any kind of THC product in beer. Things I have heard of being allowed in beer with prior approval have been non-psychoactive compounds from the cannabis plant, such as terpenes.

Coffee is intended to energize, whereas CBD is intended to relax you. How do the two work together? It offers a relaxing yet awakened feeling to pot smokers. You’re more alert and can be present in a calm and put-together way.

What intrigues you about cannabis in beer? It is a new beverage category, which is not something that comes along that often in the industry. There are also so many flavor combinations and ways to enhance the consumer-end experience. One can pull from all the various “highs” associated with cannabis to create a multitude of effects such as energetic and creative highs associated with sativa-dominant strains, more relaxed body highs associated with indica strains, and a mixture of both with all the hybrid strains being grown at the moment.

What inspired you to make CBD-infused coffee? Curiosity, mostly. I wanted to see how the infusing process would work if I was going to go into that. I wanted a challenge. I thought, “Let me see how this will work and if this is something people will enjoy.” I wanted to be on the front end of this market. When did you start Southeastern Roastery? I started in December of 2016. [I sell my product] through restaurants and cafés in the area. I’m slowly but surely pivoting, mostly because of the coronavirus outbreak, to doing some deliveries. We just put out a menu for brunch offerings with Z&Z [Za’atar in Foggy Bottom] to pair with our coffee. Do you think the D.C. market has embraced CBD coffee? It’s not a huge moneymaker. It’s more of a novelty. I think slowly but surely, more people will get into the market. I would love to get Southeastern Roastery to the point where I can explore other avenues for coffee and getting people engaged. What does the future hold for your roastery? I’m in the process of establishing a roastery and café in Baltimore. Once I get more independence in my establishment, I’ll explore CBD-infused options like tea. Find Southeastern Roastery at Songbyrd Record Cafe and Music House, Dio Wine Bar, The Village Cafe, The Dish & Dram, Dovecote Cafe, Burn & Brew, or online at www.southeasternroastery.com. Follow them on Instagram @southeasternroastery. 26 | APRIL 2020

As weed is decriminalized in D.C., do you think we should expect to see more cannabis beers pop up in the future? Until the federal government says it’s legally acceptable to use THC in the manufacture of beer, the only way to get cannabis-infused beers will be through an inventive homebrewer who can safely make a tincture and infuse it in beer. I’ve had some myself and it is worth seeking out or creating some of your own. The closest we can get to that now would be to put a couple drops of an ethanol-based tincture into one’s beer. A little goes a long way. Do you think the local market will embrace this trend if and when it becomes a sellable item? Even if D.C. went full-on recreational, it would still be at the discretion of the [federal government] since it isn’t technically a state and cannot make certain decisions that don’t involve federal oversight. Brewers, however, can get creative in making beers similar to “canna beers” using specific hop varieties that closely resemble the smell of fresh cannabis. After all, hops and cannabis share similar terpene profiles, and hops are one of the critical four elements of craft beer and beer in general. Learn more about DC Brau at www.dcbrau.com and follow them on Instagram @dcbrau. DC Brau brew. Photo by Steph Harding.

RELIEF RESTAURANT EMPLOYEE RELIEF FUND The Restaurant Employee Relief Fund (“Fund”) was created to help restaurant industry employees experiencing extraordinary hardship in the wake of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak.

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SUPPORT D.C. BUSINESSES While it is important to keep some “social distancing,” it’s also important to remember your fellow Washingtonians and lend a (sanitized) hand to those in need. District Fray has rounded up a number of restaurants and bars that you can support in order to ease the strain during this time. This list will continued to be updated at www.districtfray.com.

VENUE

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CACTUS CANTINA

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LAURIOL PLAZA

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MUSIC

EMBRACING ALL FORMS OF ARTISTRY: A CONVERSATION WITH LOCAL DJ JEROME BAKER III Despite the slowdown most people and systems all over the world are facing because of Covid-19, Jerome Baker III hasn’t stopped creating, DJing and learning. Many of us are leaning into this newfound time at home to take up a new project or skill, and Baker is no exception. The D.C.-based artist is always on the climb toward something new, and even though he’s no longer able to DJ in the traditional sense, his shift toward an adapted version of his craft came quickly and naturally. WORDS BY M.K. KOSZYCKI 30 | APRIL 2020

“It’s really [about] opening up to being an artist more so than just a DJ,” he says. “You have to embrace all forms of artistry. For example, I’m teaching myself Adobe Illustrator right now. A lot of times when my daughter goes to sleep at night, I stay up and learn how to craft this and vector that. You have to add value to everything that you do.” Perhaps this innovative attitude comes from the multimedia spaces within music that Baker fell in love with as a kid in the ‘90s. The Phoenix, Arizona native fondly recalls driving with his family and listening to DJs on the radio spin hits, or days in the summer watching Yo! MTV Raps with his brother and being “infatuated” with the DJs onscreen and the music they introduced him to. “It piqued my interest, being able to play different kinds of music to a crowd. I’m 39 now and it’s just been a lifelong fascination. There’s some power involved, some control. You control the crowd, the radio, the event. I just fell head over heels for it.” As far as the actual genres or artists played during his sets, Baker has an immaculate sense of what his crowds want, or maybe even need, to hear before they know themselves. He says it all comes down to a love for music as an all-encompassing concept – not one genre, artist, style or era – and an understanding of what the power of sound can do for people. “It all just goes back to being a fan of music and exploring music of all different genres. Depending on the event I’m playing, I know what the expectations are musically. I do get a lot of free reign because I do take a lot of time to prepare. There’s very rarely a time where I’m going to walk into a gig and not be ready. But a lot of it is just about having an appreciation for music, and letting it lead the crowd.” Unsurprisingly, Baker’s gigs are as diverse as the genres represented at each. He’s played everything in D.C. from private events to well-loved, DJ-centric venues, made appearances at

SXSW, and was a DJ for online outlet BuzzFeed for six years. Basically, Baker says, he’s open to “anything and everything.” “When you are in my field, you can’t just hope and throw caution to the wind. I’ve been DJing in D.C. actively for 15 years, so I’ve been able to make a lot of relationships. Bartenders [and] managers move around from place to place. And if you do good business and you’re able to keep your reputation solid, people will hire you. So that, mixed with a pointed and very strategic social media plan, helps me keep business of all sorts coming in.” That strategic social media plan has helped Baker adapt to being unable to perform in the same room with audiences during coronavirus. On Instagram, he goes live to DJ for virtual audiences. On Twitter, you’ll find him sharing specialized mixtapes or retweeting resources for fellow creatives who might also be affected by the pandemic. And wherever you get your podcasts, you’ll find him hosting “Whats’a Podcast,” where he notes he’s been able to hone in on his communication skills. Something he doesn’t get a chance to use much at the DJ booth has become a new tool behind the mic for his podcast. “Again, you’ve got to really embrace all forms of artistry that you’re comfortable with, and some that you’re uncomfortable with, because being uncomfortable will help you learn and not be complacent. For me, it’s a lot of long nights. But obviously, when everything’s returned to being open, the benefit is hopefully that I’ll be doing four times more than what I was prior to the shutdown.” Keep up with Baker on Instagram and Twitter by following him @jeromebaker3rd. You can listen to “Whats’a Podcast” on Apple Podcasts, and other major podcast platforms. To check out his mixtapes, remixes and more, visit www.jeromebakeriii.com.

Photos courtesy of Jerome Baker III.

DISTRICT FRAY | 31

MUSIC

HOW THE TEAM BEHIND SOME OF D.C.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;S

MOST BELOVED

VENUES

IS GETTING THROUGH COVID-19 WORDS BY M.K. KOSZYCKI

32 | APRIL 2020

Photo courtesy of I.M.P.

There’s no doubt every person and industry is challenged by our current environment during Covid-19. But when your very livelihood depends on large gatherings, how do you cope with these changes? How do you encourage those who rely on you for in-person entertainment to hang in there? While nearly impossible questions to answer, we did pick the brains of some of the talent behind concert promotion and production company I.M.P. They had some great advice for everyone who feels a void in their life because live music has come to a screeching halt. And while they can’t wait to see you on the other side at The Anthem, 9:30 Club, Lincoln Theatre and Merriweather Post Pavilion, they have plenty of ways for you to pass the time and support their efforts, too. District Fray: Working in an industry where you eat, sleep and breathe music, how do you discover new artists? Where should one go to find new music and artists to support during this time? Dustin Sugar-Moore, Director of Marketing: Spotify is my go-to these days. I’ll often pick a song or artist I know I love, then create a Spotify radio station based on them. Spotify will play things you know and love mixed with new and old music you may have never heard of. Matthew Franco Doherty, Grassroots Marketing Manager: DIY Mag. [And musician] Ryley Walker’s Twitter [has] amazing recommendations [and] all the classic annals of NME [New Musical Express]. Check out interviews of artists you like and admire. See what they’re listening to, who they collaborate with, what groups they used to be in and who their inspirations are. Bandcamp is also an excellent, artist-friendly resource. Read your favorite artists’ own bios and press releases. Check out their websites and social media channels. No artist is an island. You’ll eventually discover something new. What advice do you have for fellow music lovers who are feeling a void without regular concert attendance? Jordan Grobe, Communications Coordinator: Hang in there and be ready to really hit the ground running when we’re back. The fall already tends to be a busy season, so when you combine the normal fall tour schedules with the folks who now have to reschedule their winter/spring tours, be ready to do a lot of dancing, celebrating and reconnecting. Morgan McKee, Promotions Manager: Focus on your memories of those shows rather than the videos you probably took during them. How did you feel? What did you smell? What did you hear? Who did you meet? Remember what those human connections were like and be ready to go back once this is all over. Your favorite musicians will thank you. Are there any future shows, releases, livestreams, etc. you’re really looking forward to? McKee: I’m ready for [Merriweather Post Pavilion] season. Nothing could be polar opposite than a self-isolating quarantine: 15,000 people basking outside in the summer sun, enjoying themselves before an evening of a singularly shared event. Doherty: [The] new Waxahatchee album, Katie effin’ Crutchfield’s fifth LP under this moniker. She continually expands her sound beyond just a guitar and vocals with each release and looks to do even more so with Saint Cloud. [She’s] arguably the next in line following a storied history of legendary Southern songwriters à la Lucinda Williams. [And the] Gold Cage debut album. They’re America’s answer to Just Mustard,

like Cigarettes After Sex with bite rather than whimper. And once again, Ryley Walker’s Twitter. It’s incredible and must be protected at all costs. How can people support artists right now? And how can they support venues like yours, so you can continue bringing music to people after this all ends? Connor Jenkins, Advertising Manager: Purchasing their merchandise and recordings is massive. Some artists, such as Fleet Foxes, The National and Soccer Mommy, are even donating all of their proceeds to their touring crews, which is incredible. A lot of [venues] have fundraising campaigns to support their staff and merchandise as well. The great news is that shows are getting rescheduled, and we’ll all be collectively losing our minds the first opportunity we have to walk through a venue’s doors and hear that first note with the rest of the audience. Sugar-Moore: Lots of artists are getting creative online – livestreaming concerts, teaching art classes, performing dance routines – and most of it is free. Artists are out of work too, though. So if you’re going to watch a free concert, maybe buy some merch or a record from their online store, or donate to a charity the artist supports. Many venues, like ourselves, are pushing gift cards, as it’s basically our only form of income at the moment. We are matching all gift card purchases with a donation to the I.M.P. Family Fund, which helps out our currently out-of-work hourly staff to make ends meet until we are able to reopen. It’s an investment in the future of D.C.’s music scene, our venues in particular and our stellar staff. How are you keeping sane right now? Any new hobbies, TV shows, podcasts, etc. you’ve discovered that are helping? Grobe: I started a Facebook group [Quarantunes Listening Collective] centered around the idea of a virtual book club, but for albums. We do a deep listen of an album on our own, and then set up a group video chat to talk about it afterward. It’s been bridging the social divide that a lot of us have been feeling, and has even been connecting people that didn’t know each other before since it’s totally open to everyone to join. Jenkins: I’m eternally grateful we live in a time where we can video chat with loved ones. Through virtual happy hours and catch-up sessions, my friends and family are keeping me sane during these strange times. Also, I’m trying my best to stay active, catch up on reading and movies, and start some new TV shows. We live in such a time of so much archived and new content that it’s impossible to finish, even in quarantine. To contribute to the I.M.P Family Fund, visit http://merch.930.com/products/i-m-p-family-fund. Sign up for newsletter updates and get the latest on show updates at www.impconcerts.com. DISTRICT FRAY | 33

MUSIC

Soulful Musician Cheakaity

Brown Just Keeps On Plugging WORDS BY DAVID ROSS

“On a normal weekend, I wake up early and sit in [my] big blue chaise and look out the window,” says Maryland-based musician Cheakaity Brown. “It’s a great place to daydream and listen to music.” Unfortunately, these aren’t normal times and this upcoming weekend, that blue chaise won’t have normal significance. Even if he does his weekend morning routine where he lays back, listens to music and trails off, it still isn’t the same. This weekend’s trail off will likely be an escape from the chaos that is the present world that surrounds us during Covid-19. Brown is a 30-year-old R&B artist who was born at Providence Hospital in Brookland and raised in Oxon Hill in Prince George’s County. His name is pronounced “Chah-Keh-Tay.” “My father is from Liberia, West Africa,” he says. “[Cheakaity] is a combination of two of my great-grandfathers’ names. From Kru [people] in Liberia, it means warrior, the one who can split unbreakable things into two.” Brown currently lives in Clinton, Maryland. Those familiar with the area will find it no surprise that he’s from where he’s from. The soil of Prince George’s County has uprooted many soulful voices – too many to recall. It’s a culturally rich area that prides itself on being the wealthiest black county in the country and is home to amazing gospel choirs with a preponderance of churches. Take the YouTube video of Brown performing “Goku.” There are stylistic elements in that song like the relaxing piano intro, vocal tone changes and octave shifts that are typically only learned in one institution: the church. When asked whether he grew up singing gospel, I could hear the smirk through his voice. “Yes, there be but one factory.” A prominent factory indeed, one that fights for its identity in 34 | APRIL 2020

these difficult circumstances. “Honestly, there’s no blueprint for any of this,” Brown says. “I will say that background [growing up in the church] has helped me more [than] had I not had it. It’s something about being contained in your house and not having an option.” His story is one of many: a talented artist with a question mark placed on his or her future. He’d been holding down a job as a server for Bantam King, the former Burger King turned popular ramen spot in Chinatown. “I’m used to fast money. All servers are in a band or something. The money is not demanding on your schedule.” But fast money done slowed up – to a screeching halt – in mid-March when he was laid off from Bantam. Still, Brown put himself out there in early April by performing his album Grown Man live from his living room and broadcasting it on YouTube Premiere. He did a superb job of making the space where his blue chaise sits look completely different, with greenish-blue lighting, the appearance of plants through projections and whispers of smoke, which came from either a smoke machine or the lighting itself. In the days leading up to his performance, I was curious about the recording process. Pulling off anything livestreamed can be difficult, and room for error just doesn’t exist. He mentioned wanting to have a full band, but given social distancing pressures, that would’ve proven difficult. When the live performance started after an amazing two-minute countdown with a colorful montage, the musician appeared lonely. His DJ remained off camera while Brown sang his tunes, trying his best to keep it lively by dancing and adding extra vocal emphasis during certain parts. It wasn’t until the track Photos by Jada Imani M.

“Hennessy Blues” that I felt Brown was reaching his comfort zone. He was preaching to us. There’s a razor-sharp guitar lick that made me miss the presence of an actual guitarist, and that’s when I began to feel sad. It’s not his fault. It was just another sobering reminder of where we are right now. Artists often rely on the backing of a band musically and emotionally. There’s comfort in looking over your shoulder and knowing you have a drummer who is basically a metronome or a guitarist who arrives right when you need them. As I watched him from my couch on the TV in my apartment, I struggled to find the connection he likely had been seeking to create. “The livestream was definitely a learning curve for me,” he says in retrospect. “Next time, I want it to be a literal livestream and not prerecorded, although I appreciate the control and freedom prerecording gave me.” Luckily, the one thing some of us have been granted is the gift of time. When I ask Brown about his plans during self-quarantine, he says, “I’m just going to keep plugging,” which is all any of us can really do. His album Grown Man is a great achievement: a nice sugar cube dropped in this abyss of sadness we’re living in right now. But unfortunately, this sadness doesn’t seem to be retreating anytime soon. When I ask what his ideal performance is once the dust settles, he tells me, “A big live show in person: [the] same show with the entire band [and] physical copies of the album.” It is my sincere hope that we are able to return to such a world soon enough so we can witness talented artists like Brown provide the live human experience he’s been dreaming about. Follow Brown on Instagram and Facebook @cheakaity, find his music on Spotify and Apple Music, and learn more at www.cheakaity.com.

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MUSIC

WORDS BY M.K. KOSZYCKI

36 | APRIL 2020

Photo by Jo McCaughey.

It’s surprising to hear that later this year, Kurt Vile will embark on his first solo tour in 10 years. Though he recently made the rounds with singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett to support their collaborative album, 2017’s Lotta Sea Lice, and his band The Violators, this tour is already shaking out to be a special one. Vile’s not truly alone, though, which makes sense. His collaborative spirit is a hallmark of his successful career. He’ll share the stage with Welsh musicians Cate Le Bon and Stephen Black, plus drummer Stella Mozgawa of Warpaint. “There’s a lot of friends I’ve made like Cate Le Bon, who put out my favorite record of last year,” he says. “We share a good friend in Stella Mozgawa, who drums in Warpaint. It just feels like family.” You can sense the excitement for this new evolution of his live show in Vile’s voice. Though he’s successfully produced introspective, blues-tinged rock since 2008, he’s not one to rest on his laurels. By taking this group of equally talented musicians on the road with him, he’ll allow himself the opportunity to grow alongside them and let his solo work shine through. “Cate is absolutely opening with some version of a solo show herself. I’m going to play solo, and then we’ll all play together. I’ll sit in with Cate any way she wants [me] to. It’s very open. It can just evolve every night, really, or it’ll become this piece that gets tighter and tighter. That’s the beauty of it. You never know exactly what’s going to happen, but we’re just going to figure it out night by night.” Vile is especially proud of 2018’s Bottle It In, a critically acclaimed accomplishment (Barack Obama even selected the song “One Trick Ponies” as one of his favorites of 2018). And while this tour will certainly highlight what made that album go so far as to receive accolades from a former president/now tastemaker, among many others, he has an interesting way of keeping it in perspective within his greater body of work.

“I’m proud of that record,” he explains. “It’s definitely my deepest, but I feel like every record is my deepest record in some way. It just maps out where I’m at in my head, physically and mentally, in a weird way. But I’m not thinking about [this] new album. I’m thinking about all my albums combined. I’m working on music at home and thinking ahead. I’m always looking forward and backward at the same time.” Outside of his solo work or records with The Violators, he expanded his reach further alongside Courtney Barnett with their aforementioned collaborative effort. The pair found lots of success with their work, exposing each other to their respective fan bases and offering true blue fans of both a totally different listening experience by leveraging their collective talents. “I collaborate with a lot of people in my life. Everything bounces off. I loved working with Courtney. She’s like a sister. It was a special thing. I was inspired by her, and inspired to work with her. I think it’s about just connecting with people in the moment and hitting the studio while you’re together.” And in typical Vile fashion, he’s on the move to his next project while celebrating and reflecting on what he has already accomplished. “I’ve been in and out of professional studios since the last record came out because I’m always in a moment where it makes sense to go into the studio. So I have things in the vault that I’m really excited about already.” Catch Vile and friends at Lincoln Theatre on September 15 (rescheduled from the original date of April 24). Doors at 6:30 p.m., show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $36. For more information on Kurt Vile, visit www.kurtvile.com. Lincoln Theatre: 1215 U St. NW, DC; 202-888-0050; www.thelincolndc.com

DISTRICT FRAY | 37

CULTURE

FADE TO BLACK: CORONAVIRUS CLOSURES FORCE LOCAL THEATERS TO RETHINK THEIR FUTURES WORDS BY NICOLE HERTVIK 38 | APRIL 2020

Debra Booth’s set for 2019’s Richard the Third. Photo by Scott Suchman.

The paint was still drying on the set of Signature Theatre’s world premier production Camille Claudel. The five members of Happenstance Theatre Company were packing for New York City where they were scheduled to make their off-Broadway debut. And the 170 teens in Young Artists of America at Strathmore (YAA)’s Beauty and the Beast were days away from the first dress rehearsal of a production that composer Alan Menken was planning to attend. These are just a few of the 70 shows that came to an abrupt halt in the D.C. region as the coronavirus put America and all of its performing arts organizations on lockdown last month, forcing theaters to shut their doors indefinitely in response to a crisis that has no clear end in sight. With no way of knowing when they will be able to open again, organizations are now being forced to make gut-wrenching decisions to ensure their very survival. The business side of theater is a precarious model in the best of times, and few organizations have enough of a cushion to make up for the sudden loss of revenue that befell them last week. “I’m not gonna lie,” says Signature Theatre Managing Director Maggie Boland, “I’m absolutely concerned about the long-term impact this is going to have on the industry as whole. We are all under strain. Some won’t survive, and we will all come out of this smaller.” So how are theaters, whose very existence depends upon people getting together, supposed to stay alive when people are forced to stay apart? And what are the region’s arts organizations doing to ensure they withstand this unprecedented challenge? I spoke to the management of numerous organizations to find out.

FUNDRAISING Log onto any theater website these days and you are likely to see a message that goes something like this: SEND HELP. Even though shows aren’t running, theaters can’t pause their operations entirely. Depending on size and structure, organizations typically have fixed costs including rent or mortgage payments, utilities, and staff salaries. Contractual obligations to playwrights and designers still need to be paid on cancelled shows, even for work that may never see the light of day. And because no one knows when they will be able to reopen, theaters have no way of knowing just how long they will have to operate on reserves (if they have any to begin with). Theaters are working diligently to develop short-term and long-term plans and rewriting those plans almost daily as new information about the duration and severity of the crisis becomes available. “The hard part is that there is no firm ground for determining the future,” says Shakespeare Theatre Company Managing Director Chris Jennings. “We are all making multiple contingency plans for now.” An initial step nearly all theaters have taken is to set up a fund to accept public donations. Arena Stage calls theirs the Roaring Back Fund, while Round House Theatre boasts the Round House Resilience Fund and Shakespeare Theatre Company the Phoenix Fund. Call it what you want, the goal is the same: To replace some of the cash that evaporated overnight when box offices closed, endowments shrunk and tuition payments ceased. Jennings has observed some success with STC’s Phoenix Fund, noting that the theater is already more than halfway to its goal and that most gifts are from first-time donors contributing small amounts. Other organizations are looking to grants and government

assistance to make up for the lost ticket revenue. GALA Hispanic Theatre, a nonprofit 264 seat theater offering bilingual programing since 1976, relies heavily on grant money. “Tickets are only about 20 percent of our revenue, but it’s a vital 20 percent,” founder Rebecca Medrano shared. “When I apply for grants, I need to show that we offer something people want to buy tickets to see.” Organizations without large staffs or property may have an easier time waiting things out. YAA, a performing arts training program for young people across the region, produces shows at venues including Strathmore and The Clarice, but has no spaces of its own to maintain. “We are just in a holding pattern for now,” producing artistic director Rolando Sanz says. Theaters estimate losses in large numbers. Round House, a mid-size theater with an annual budget of $8 million dollars estimates its expenses to be about $100,000 per month during the crisis. Shakespeare Theatre Company, with an annual operating budget of $18.5 million, projects losses of $3.5 million for the remainder of the season that they have cancelled. Signature Theatre’s Boland puts it in stark terms: “We don’t have a big financial cushion. Trying to maintain the operations while not producing anything is a giant math problem. If we can’t produce in the summer, it will be a catastrophe with millions of dollars of lost revenue,” she says.

STAFFING It takes a village to keep a theater running and many organizations are now being forced to reconsider how much staff they can afford. Arena Stage and The Kennedy Center both recently announced large staff furloughs, but most other organizations are working to keep staff intact, while admitting they are unsure how long they will be able to do so. Ed Zakreski, managing director of Round House Theatre says he and artistic director Ryan Rilette have sketched a framework for continuity guided by four priorities. “We want to keep our staff employed, find a way to help artists who are out of work, provide online content and be prepared to launch our season in the fall.” Zakreski says their ability to keep paying staffers is due to a small reserve fund and good fortune that the first three shows in their season were big moneymakers for the theater. “We’re not in a bad cash position from that point, but we still need help,” he observed. “Continuing to pay staff for as long as possible is a matter of prioritization for us.” Sabrina Mandell from Happenstance Theatre is prioritizing the three ensemble members who make up Happenstance along with herself and her husband. The small itinerant ensemble that specializes in physical comedy has been together for 14 years. Mandell is using savings to pay performers through the summer even for contracts that have been cancelled. “I’ve got to take care of my people,” she says. Signature, Woolly Mammoth, Shakespeare Theatre Company and GALA also stressed the importance of taking care of staff for as long as possible. “We’re trying to lead with our values,” says Woolly Mammoth Managing Director Emika Abe. “We are grappling with doing the right thing by artists who have held this time for us and were planning on this income.” Although full-time staff positions are safe for the time being, Boland highlights all the other jobs Signature Theatre would normally be providing right now. DISTRICT FRAY | 39

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“Under normal circumstances, we would have two shows running and another in rehearsals. All those front of house employees and all our actors, who are really the heart of this institution, are now out of work.” But continuing to pay full-time staffers is a luxury that theaters may not have if this closure drags on for more than a few months. “It depends on how long this goes on,” GALA’s Medrano states. “If it goes to summer, we will have to lay people off.”

STORING SETS AND CROSSING FINGERS After devoting blood sweat and tears to productions that never opened or closed early, some theaters are hoping to remount those shows in the future. “On the last day staff was allowed in the building, I walked through the empty theater,” Signature’s Boland recalls. “The Camille Claudel set was finished and it was astoundingly beautiful. All that work and no one saw it. I was crying.” Signature put the set in storage and hopes to present the musical next season. As for Signature’s much-anticipated plan 40 | APRIL 2020

produce the musical Mamma Mia! at The Anthem this summer? “Circumstances are changing every day, but right now it’s still on the calendar for June,” Boland says. “We hope people will be ready for a huge dance party by then.” Round House has also stored the set for its production of Cost of Living and will remount that show in September of 2021. The play won playwright Martyna Majok the Pulitzer Prize for drama last year and was meant to be a homecoming for Majok whose play Ironbound played at Round House as part of the first Women’s Voices Theatre Festival in 2015. Majok joined the Round House team on a virtual happy hour Zoom call last week to toast the production that is, for now, caught in limbo. Some theaters are leaving themselves wiggle room as they navigate the future. Woolly is intentionally using the word “suspended” regarding its production of There’s Always the Hudson which was supposed to open on April 6. “Part of what is so heartbreaking in all of this is that we determine our seasons 12 to 18 months in advance,” Abe says. “We’ve been excited for these works for a long time. Paula Lázaro, the playwright of There’s Always the Hudson has been working toward this premiere for four years and now it’s just gone.” But finding future time slots for these orphaned shows is a daunting task since most spaces already have their programming set far into 2021. Happenstance Theatre Company was slated to make its off-Broadway debut last month at New York’s 59East59 Theatre. The show, Barococo, won’t get another chance to play there until at least February 2022, if then. That is the first slot the venue has open. “We are just peaking as a creative ensemble and I’m really sad because this feels like such a waste,” Mandell says. Strathmore, the multi-disciplinary arts center in Bethesda, Maryland, is facing this crisis with the mantra “the artist is the priority,” says president and CEO Monica Jeffries Hazangeles. The organization hosts up to 450 acts each year at its three venues, from large orchestras to intimate concerts, but has managed to reschedule all but one of the shows it has had to suspend so far. While some theaters including Arena Stage, Round House, Studio Theatre and Shakespeare Theatre Company, have preemptively cancelled the remainder of their season, others are holding out hope that they will be able to run shows by June. YAA has tentatively rescheduled Beauty and the Beast, the production that means so much to nearly 200 high-schoolers, for June 12. Alan Menken, the show’s Tony Award-winning composer has volunteered to do a virtual talkback with the students in the production. GALA would love to put on their annual Tango show in June, an event that Medrano characterizes as “a real money maker.” But staging the event would involve bringing dancers in from New York and Argentina, increasingly unlikely as travel bans and lock downs are still extending. There is also the uncertainty of audience readiness. “What if you put on the show and no one comes?” Medrano muses.

MOVING ONLINE Unable to stage live productions, theaters are quickly discovering new ways to reach audiences. Olney Theatre Center and Signature Theatre each filmed their most recent productions (The Amateurs Ghost light on the set of Signature Theatre’s Camille Claudel. Photo by Maggie Boland.

and Easy Women Smoking Loose Cigarettes) and sold tickets to allow people to watch the plays online. Both sold out quickly. Some organizations are hosting internal events to keep organizations connected. Round House hosts a regular Friday happy hour for its staff on Zoom. YAA rehearses online. Woolly Mammoth has developed a reading group in which its board members read plays together. Sanz is working to keep his students connected online. “Our organization is a main source of friendship for these kids. And this happened when they were also in rehearsal for their school musicals which also closed.” YAA students can now join watch parties where they view past productions and high-five each other through chat screens. Strathmore’s Children’s Chorus and Maryland Classic Youth Orchestra are also continuing to rehearse online. But most efforts to move online are geared toward the public since organizations know it is paramount that they stay on people’s radar if they hope to retain their audience base. Round House is offering a slew of free online content under the moniker “Round House in Your House.” This content includes online theater classes for students, live cocktail making demonstrations for those 21 and over (quarantini anyone?), and a series of video chats called “Playwrights on Plays” in which A-list playwrights including Majok (Cost of Living), J. T. Rogers (Oslo) and Dominique Morisseau (Pipeline) host weekly online sessions discussing their work and a play of their choice that inspires them. Audience members are encouraged to read the play before joining the discussion. Shakespeare Theatre Company has had great success with the #ShakespeareChallenge, Artistic Director Simon Godwin’s call for people to perform their favorite sonnet online. STC also plans to take its annual mock trial online this year. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will preside over the event which normally sells out within minutes. Strathmore now uses Facebook to livestream a weekly concert series called “Live from the Living Room” featuring its resident artists, including the Grammy-nominated hip-hop artist Christylez Bacon. For families, Strathmore presents “Family Jam Sessions” on Saturday mornings, free of charge. “This is an especially big challenge for young people and kids who are really grieving connections,” Strathmore’s Hazangeles says. Theaters without budgets for splashy web consultants or techsavvy staff members have found it more difficult to transition to online content. “It’s really been an eye opener in how behind we are on technology,” Medrano says. “Our senior staff are all in our 70s. You would have laughed seeing us try to get on Zoom.” GALA also hopes to get online to connect its Paso Nuevo students, low income minority students who would normally be participating in GALA’s free after-school theater programing. Contrast that with the experience of 4615 Theatre Company’s artistic director Jordan Friend. One of the new kids on the theater block, Friend is a fresh-faced 26-year-old whose theater company, now in its third season, was forced to close a worldpremiere production called Museum 2040 halfway through its scheduled run. Friend responded by developing online play readings featuring company members just a week after theaters closed. He’s also performing solo concerts live on Facebook, playing audience requests and sharing his Venmo address in case anyone wants to supplement his lost income. For Woolly, a socially driven theater, the question of how to move online becomes an existential one. “How do we make people understand that we aren’t just

frivolous entertainment?” Abe muses. Woolly is currently using its 3D printer to make masks for medical professionals and working with Chef José Andrés’ Employee Support Fund. The theater has created #Woollycreates, a hashtag for people to use in sharing the ways that they are being creative from home.

LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE With so much uncertainty, things could get worse before they get better. Theater leaders are trying to remain optimistic, but the whisper of the unknown makes it hard not to think in doomsday terms: What if theaters remain shut beyond spring or summer? And what if, when theaters do reopen, the audience doesn’t come? “Will people feel safe to gather after this?” Abe wonders, noting that some people will be concerned about the close proximity of theater seating. “That makes us vulnerable.” “I think this is just the beginning,” Mandell adds. “I think there is a lot of delusion around the long-term impact this is going to have.” Boland worries about the lasting economic effects of the crisis. “What if the goal post keeps moving past the point where theaters can mobilize and come back? What if the economy is so damaged that the support won’t be there because people can’t afford it?” But artists are also excited about next season and the opportunity to start fresh. Zakreski, who was part of the team that helped the Kennedy Center recover after 9/11, is enthusiastic about Round House’s fall lineup. The season opens with Octavio Solis’ Quixote Nuevo, a modern characterization of Don Quixote, the Spanish idealist known for dreaming impossible dreams and facing difficulties head on. It is an apt metaphor for the challenge that theaters now face, but also for the power of theater to reinvent itself when faced with such a challenge. “Artists are resilient and accustomed to change,” Boland concludes. “This will push us to be smarter and more creative. If anyone can bounce back from this, it’s theater artists.”

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP? If you have a ticket to a show that was cancelled, let the organization keep the money rather than asking for a refund. Donate to theatreWashington’s Taking Care Fund that will provide grants to out of work theater artists. Consider a donation to the fundraising initiative featured on your favorite theater’s homepage. Buy season tickets to your favorite theater for the 2020-2021 season and spend the next month imagining the joy of being back in a theater. To learn more about these theaters and find ways to help support, visit their websites below. 4615 Theatre Company: www.4615theatre.com Arena Stage: www.arenastage.org GALA Hispanic Theatre: www.galatheatre.org Happenstance Theatre: www.happenstancetheater.com Olney Theatre: www.olneytheatre.org Round House Theatre: www.roundhousetheatre.org Shakespeare Theatre Company: www.shakespearetheatre.org Signature Theatre: www.sigtheatre.org Strathmore: www.strathmore.org DISTRICT FRAY | 41

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CURIOSITY FUELED THE BRAIN

WASHINGTONIANS TALK BOOKS AND PODCASTS WORDS BY TRENT JOHNSON

Curiosity is a quality pertaining to a person’s knack for inquisitive thinking when it comes to exploration, investigation and learning. This is most notable in the children in your life who constantly ask, “Why?” However, stoking this fire isn’t limited to people under the age of 18. In fact, a person’s penchant for investigation is something that should never be extinguished, regardless of status or accomplishment. A world without curiosity is at risk of being dull and mundane, a series of routines where you go about your business, rinse and repeat. This is even more imperative now, as we’ve all been tasked with keeping ourselves indoors in a (mostly) nationwide effort to flatten the curve caused by Covid-19. Luckily, there are two mediums that lend themselves especially well to digestible forms of learning: podcasts and books. We reached out to a few creative Washingtonians to ask them about their relationships with podcasts and books, and how they use these resources to spark their inquisitive fires. 42 | APRIL 2020

FEED THE MINDS OF LOCALS MELISSA L. JONES OF FULL SERVICE RADIO’S “EDIBLE ACTIVIST” District Fray: How did your own curiosity in the food industry spark “Edible Activist?” Melissa L. Jones: It’s birthed from my main media platform, FoodTalksNColor, where we’re amplifying the communities of color and showcasing how we’re reimagining ourselves on the land. I didn’t think of doing a podcast at all. I had no experience. For people who don’t know, how do you blend the title words? How do you strike that balance? Food intersects with a ton of things. You can’t talk about healing without talking about food and vice versa. You can’t talk about food without talking about the equity and wage gap. It opens itself up to other topics. It’s very diverse. For me, I’m on this mission to highlight as many of our voices as possible. And yes, agriculture is at the core, but it intersects with many things. What kind of feedback have you gotten from listeners? It has been overwhelming, and I have a heartfelt gratitude. I started FoodTalks without a background in agriculture. Do you listen to podcasts? I listen to a variety of podcasts, and it depends on my posture at that time. Right now, everything is about wealth building for black families. Literally, I’m listening to “Earn Your Leisure” episode after episode. They have an amazing podcast where they discuss the fundamentals on how black people should build wealth. That’s been my go-to for the past month or so. What kind of books do you read to spark curiosity, not necessarily about food but about any topic? Any book based on healing the body, and the mind healing the body. Those are the topics of books I gravitate to. I read tons of articles too. I love Medium, it’s a wild card. It can be anything from religion to sex, whatever. I just pick things that pique my interest. Why do you think podcasting has been such an effective medium for your particular subject matter? I’ve always had relationship building skills, and having relatable, easy conversations that anyone can follow is what’s made this podcast successful. Once you remove jargon and politics – though policy is important – and have a conversation, it’s digestible. I’m part of the audience in a lot of these cases. I’m learning from asking questions in addition to just being able to have people in and share perspectives. It’s not boring, it’s fun. We talk about culture, music. It’s very relaxing.

CURIOSITIES ABOUT CREATION + CURATION CHRIS MAIER, FOUNDER OF LITTLE SALON How often do you frequent podcasts to spark your curiosity? Chris Maier: For me, it comes in waves. I’ll listen to things that inspire me and I’ll dive in. I love longform storytelling and narrative pieces. I often find myself listening to podcasts about makers. I like to get behind the scenes and see how people are creating. There’s one called “Song Exploder,” which explains how people put together songs from a technical standpoint and how they arrived at that place lyrically. I love film and I find myself returning to “No Film School” a lot. Melissa L. Jones. Photo courtesy of subject.

As an entrepreneur, do you read busines or advice books? I’ve probably read a business book in the past month. They can be dry, but the thing that’s great about them is I can distill them down to a few observations of truth. I read them a lot differently than I read a novel or poetry or short stories. Do you take any inspiration in curation and running your creative agency from any particular podcasts or books? I guess I do in the sense that all of those mediums are vessels for communication. The book is an experience and a podcast is an experience, and we have to think about how we enter into that story. How do we want to move around in that story, and how are we going to send you off into the night but wanting to come back for more? You’re someone I consider extremely plugged into the cultural beat of the city. Are there any local podcasts that you’ve enjoyed in the past few months? Yeah, there’s so many. That talent stretches across the city. Nathan Hill has a great podcast about design and the environments we live in [called “Design Intercourse”]. “The Inner Loop Radio” is a great podcast that ties into the local literary scene and asks larger questions about literature. You have authors speak at Little Salon regularly. Who are some D.C. authors people should be aware of? We’re so lucky to have so much great literary talent. Rion [Amilcar] Scott is a great author. You should read the tremendous The World Doesn’t Require You. Even though I’m not a young adult, I’ve been working my way through Jason Reynolds’ books. He’s a singular talent in this city and he’s also one of the truly genuine people in the creative scene. It’s great to see someone who’s creating national book award-caliber work in this city. I saw Amber Sparks [speak]. She’s a magical realist writer who just had a new book [And I Do Not Forgive You: Stories and Other Revenges] come out. Her work will send your imagination into some interesting and magical places.

DIGESTIBLE DOSES OF FRIENDLY ADVICE MEGHAN KEANE, MANAGING PRODUCER OF NPR’S “LIFE KIT” How does the team behind NPR’s “Life Kit” establish what kind of stories are helpful for listeners and when? Meghan Keane: The easy part about “Life Kit” is coming up with topics to cover, since most of them are universal. We all bring challenges or triumphs about personal finance, health and parenting to our meetings. We are also thinking about what times of year people are seeking out certain kinds of advice and plan ahead. For example, the 50th anniversary of Earth Day is coming up, so we’ve been planning advice about how to be more green for months. What was the initial inspiration behind the format? Why is this kind of information digestible in a podcast format, and how does it compare to advice books? The initial inspiration comes from NPR’s mission statement to create a more informed public. The idea of “Life Kit” is to take all that reported knowledge and give people informed, actionable tips. There’s no shortage of self-help books out there, but I think people respond positively to “Life Kit” because they see us as a trusted friend who has great advice. There’s something about

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CULTURE the sound of a person’s voice you trust saying, “You can do this!” What kind of role does the audience play in topic selection? We’re always thinking about what our audience is interested in. Often, we get notes saying, “Hey, I loved XYZ episode! You should drill more into this specific arena within that topic.” Those are encouraging because it shows listeners are hungry for comprehensive advice, and gives us ideas for future episodes. Sometimes, we think we know how we’re going to cover an episode, but when we talk to our listeners, it sheds light on what we were missing. What topics do you gravitate toward as a listener? I think our friends at “Short Wave” are doing a great job covering health advice along with their broader science reporting. I’m a fan of straight-up advice shows, so podcasts “Dear Sugars” or “Love Letters” are good bets. I also think shows like “Invisibilia” and “Throughline,” while not advice, do offer interesting perspectives about life and give a nice context about how to move through the world. Are there any topics you have coming up that you’re particularly excited about? We’re doing an episode about how to think through if you want kids or not. I think it’s a huge decision that weighs on people, and a practical guide might make it a little less intense. We’re also starting to do more practical advice in the realm of culture, including an episode about how to appreciate poetry. I need that episode.

Smith’s book, Just Kids, and another I’ve read is Keith Richards’ autobiography Life. I think what draws me to these types of books is getting a sense of how these artists translate their life experiences into their art. You get great insight into the creative process. Do you look for similar inspiration in podcasts? There’s a podcast done by the Arts Administrators of Color Network, a group of artists that don’t identify as white. They do a podcast called “Art Accordingly,” which talks about a lot of different topics related to issues for people who are not white in the art world. A colleague of mine turned me onto it.

BOOK RECS And I Do Not Forgive You: Stories and Other Revenges by Amber Sparks In The Dream House: A Memoir by Carmen Marcia Machado Fire in the Belly: The Life and Times of David Wojnarowicz by Cynthia Carr Just Kids by Patti Smith

Does that one help you with your own work on the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities? Yeah, it’s definitely something I listen to for professional development. My role on the Arts Commission is to advocate for equity so I feel it translates to my work.

Life by Keith Richards

What other topics do you gravitate toward within those mediums? I’m really into speculative fiction. It’s all about envisioned, near-future scenarios. There’s a collected stories book titled A People’s Future of the United States about what the near future could look like in the United States, all speculative takes on the future. That definitely occupies a lot of my mental space.

You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay

A People’s Future of the United States by Charlie Jane Anders, Lesley Nneka Arimah and Charles Yu The World Doesn’t Require You: Stories by Rion Amilcar Scott

PODCAST RECS “Art Accordingly” “The Beauty Archeo”

As an integral member of the D.C. arts community, have you noticed the uptick in locally produced podcasts? It feels like it’s definitely at an alltime high. Absolutely. The LINE Hotel has a podcast network called Full Service Radio. That’s definitely something that’s come out of our creative communities: leveraging podcasts. My friend Pussy Noir, a well-known queer nightlife performer, [has a great] podcast, “The Beatuy Archeo.” They look into how fashion has had an impact on history.

NPR’s “Dear Sugars”

JOSEF PALERMO, ARTIST, PRODUCER + ARTS ORGANIZER

Listen to “Edible Activist” at www.thelinehotel.com/full-service-radio.

NPR’s “Short Wave”

What books help and inspire you as an artist? Josef Palermo: I’m actually really interested in memoirs and biographies. One of my favorites is Fire in the Belly by Cynthia Carr, a biography of an artist from New York’s Lower East Side. I also read Patti

Learn more about Little Salon at www.littlesalondc.com.

Do you have any local to D.C. podcast/ book recommendations for people? I really like “Dish City” from WAMU. It’s a great dive into the food scene and its history in D.C., which I think gets sadly overlooked.

DISCOURSE ON PERSPECTIVE + DIVERSITY

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For more information about “Life Kit,” visit www.npr.org/lifekit. For more on Palermo and his work, visit www.josefpalermo.com.

“Design Intercourse” WAMU’s “Dish City” “Earn Your Leisure” NPR’s “Fresh Air” “The Inner Loop Radio” NPR’s “Invisibilia” “Love Letters” “No Film School”

“Song Exploder” NPR’s “Throughline”

LIFE

PLANTS: THE POWERFUL CONNECTOR

LITTLE LEAF OWNER AMANDA MCCLEMENTS

ON COMMUNITY, CONNECTION + INDOOR JUNGLES WORDS BY MONICA ALFORD | PHOTO BY CASSIDY DUHON â&#x20AC;&#x2021; DISTRICT FRAY | 45

LIFE “I totally lit a cactus on fire.” I’m on the phone with Amanda McClements, a notable presence in D.C.’s small business community and founder of lifestyle boutiques Salt & Sundry and Little Leaf, as she readily opens up about this green thumb snafu. “I stuck an incense stick down in the soil and when I lit the incense, the cactus just went up in flames because it was so dry,” she tells me with a chuckle. “It just torched.” This story has a happy ending though, as she assures me the cactus is alive and thriving. “The lesson is do not stick incense in your plant soil or burn your Sydney Hale candle beside your air plant.” McClements is now referring to my own whoops moment, when I managed to kill the most low-maintenance plant possible by lighting a candle too close to it. Hours later, my plant pet was burnt to a crisp. My reason for mentioning this to her is twofold: a locally made Sydney Hale candle was my first Salt & Sundry purchase years ago, and I wanted to come clean about my complete and utter lack of ability to keep a plant alive. But what felt like an admission of guilt – my mom has never let me live down the air plant incident – was met with an “it happens to all of us” mentality. “People think they have a green thumb or they don’t, and that’s not true,” she says. “I kill plants. My managers kill plants. It’s really just about the confidence and the commitment. I have probably 20 or 30 plants at home. I kill my fair share. Luckily, I have a shop full of plants to replenish them when I need to.” Little Leaf, Salt & Sundry’s little sister shop and self-described tiny jungle in Logan Circle, opened in December 2016 to serve two different communities. “We’re serving the first-time plant parent who just wants something that’s going to be low-maintenance they can take care of, and then we’re serving the really passionate plant collectors who want the rare, the interesting, the hard to find.” McClements relies on her team of enthusiasts to keep their finger on the pulse about what collectors are interested in and stays in constant communication with her growers to get the scoop on what’s available. Instagram has been an extremely effective tool for the shop, where she and her team can post plant enthusiast eye candy as soon as it’s ready for sale. “We can get our hands on something like a batch of string-of-pearls and post that on Instagram, and we’ll have a waitlist of 30 people by the end of the day who are going to run to the shop and grab one because they’ve been waiting to add that to their collection.” She says Little Leaf is designed to set people up for success, a gentle nudge to get comfortable owning and caring for plants. “Don’t be so intimidated,” she urges. “You’ve got this. Once you have some confidence with one type of plant, you can start branching out, and then it becomes a really fun way to collect things in your home.” While everything green, from terrarium-making workshops to succulent collections, has seen an uptick in popularity in the District over the past few years, McClements assures me that plants aren’t a trend. “What we’re really seeing is a correction from a time when people weren’t paying that much attention to plants. Back in the ‘60s and ‘70s, people had really lush jungles in their apartments and that was chic then. I like to think of it as we’re in a correction back to plants being a necessary part of creating a beautiful environment in your home.” She recalls her plant-filled childhood, and one night in particular when she was kicking her legs back and forth on the 46 | APRIL 2020

floor while doing her homework and stuck her foot firmly into a giant cactus. She laughs as she tells me about all of the cactus prickles in her foot, and it’s evident that her deep love of plants goes back to her formative years. “My mom was a total hippie. I was born in the 70s and we always had a huge jungle inside the house as well as outside. My parents were huge gardeners and grew a lot of food. I have such fond memories.” On a more macro level, she says plants are a really powerful connector. “I think that’s why you’re seeing people rally around that in communities. You can get a small plant for a couple of dollars, and as you gain confidence and have success, you’re rewarded with these little victories. It becomes this addictive hobby that connects you to all of the other people who are also obsessed.” The resounding sense of community around this accessible hobby is a huge draw for those of us struggling to stay sane through social isolation amid Covid-19. But plants check some other important boxes during self-quarantine, too: the ability to control our environment, beautify our surroundings, care for a living thing and support our local businesses. When I pick McClements’ brain about pro tips for those of us looking to start, or grow, our plant collections, she is quick to tell me that a lot of plants can get by on very little – in other words, don’t love your plants to death. Avoid overwatering them or putting them into bright sun too soon. Be patient. “One of my favorite pieces of advice, which is probably more important now than ever because we’re all sitting here staring at our plants all day long, is that a little neglect goes a long way. If you’re somebody who tends to want to mess too much, let them be. Water them less frequently than you might think. A lot of the plant deaths we see have more to do with over-loving your plant than under-loving your plant. And then of course, there are people on the other end of the spectrum who want plants they can neglect. We sell a lot of plants that only need to be watered once or twice a month.” Her pick for an easy and rewarding plant to bring home? The heartleaf philodendron. I spotted many of these beauties in her shop during our cover shoot hanging from the walls with long, elegant tendrils trailing down. “They’re very common. They’re easy to find. But I just love them because they’re beautiful. They’re really good communicators. They tell you what they need. When they need water, you can tell from their leaves.” She also recommends propagation as an engaging activity: you snip stems from an existing plant, put them in water and let them grow roots. Little Leaf even has a propagation wall that says, “Rooting for you,” which McClements says feels very appropriate right now. The shop invites locals to come in and trade the team for something they’re propagating at home or grab one of Little Leaf’s stems or vines for a nominal fee and take it home to continue the process. While the shop is currently closed due to the pandemic, purchases can be made online at www.littleleafshop.com. She’s also in the process of rolling out delivery options for Little Leaf and exploring market partners, both of which should be announced by early April, to support D.C.’s stay-at-home guidelines. On April 9, she’ll make her first plant drop to Coconut Club’s community market, where a variety of plants will be available for sale. “We want people making as few trips from home as possible, so we’re encouraging folks to stock up on essentials at the

FIRST PAGE. Amanda McClements. THIRD PAGE. Jennifer Wallace. Photo courtesy of subject.

market when they head over for a plant.” Salt & Sundry is following suit, shipping out orders as fast as possible and completing some local deliveries when requested. As a fixture in the local community – the UNC-Chapel Hill grad has lived in the District since 2001 and in Logan Circle for 15 years – McClements is a voice for many small business owners navigating the tumultuous waters of the coronavirus. Salt & Sundry’s flagship location in Union Market opened in 2012, and in those eight years, she says it’s been really fun to watch the forward momentum of D.C.’s creative scene. She clearly feels a deep connection to her peers, so much so that she started a group chat on Slack with other restaurant owners and retailers as an information exchange and source of comfort. “I’ve always been an open book and I think a lot of business owners feel the same,” she says. “It’s really encouraging and heartening to have a group of people you can swap ideas and trade resources with, and where every time the mayor announces legislation or the federal government passes a relief package, we’re all messaging back and forth about what that means and how we can take advantage of the programs to help us pull through and survive.” Her passion for the community extends to helping those in need. Aria Development Group recently purchased 75 plants from Little Leaf, which will be delivered to George Washington University Hospital on April 8 as thank you gifts for the staff’s tireless efforts.

“They’re supporting a small business (us!) and giving the hardworking frontline folks a bit of cheer. We are super pumped.” And as for her own mental health needs, beyond the occasional cactus fire and adding to her collection of stunning plants, she’s taking virtual Barre3 classes. “I love the community there and it’s a good way to move our bodies as we’re all cramped on our computers trying to save our businesses.” Her other sanity-saving activities include frequent takeout orders with ample libations, an important driver for local restaurants, and getting out for walks whenever she can within healthy social distancing guidelines. While she’s hunkered down in survival mode practicing selfcare and doing everything she can to protect her work family, McClements is also lifting her head up to see what and how everyone else is doing. She implores our community to use social media, Instagram especially, to help businesses like hers survive. “Follow your favorite local businesses, restaurants, clubs, yoga studios. We’re all pivoting to that medium to try to get through this. Social media is the game now for us all, so follow. Follow everyone.” Shop online at www.littleleafshop.com and follow Little Leaf on Instagram @littleleafshop. Check out Coconut Club’s market at 540 Penn St. in NE, DC on Wednesday through Friday from 3-7 p.m. to snag a plant in person.

PLANT PICK-ME-UPS INTERVIEWS BY MONICA ALFORD

Whether you’ve never successfully kept a plant alive or have an Instaworthy indoor garden you’re looking to expand, this bevy of talented women have you covered with pro tips, newbie recommendations and other green thumb insight. We chatted with two pros: Little Leaf’s shop manager and visual content creator, Jennifer Wallace, and Haylie Ahart, owner and lead designer of local company Wander + Whimsy Floral and Event Styling. And we also made sure to catch up with two plant enthusiasts who just so happen to be the dynamic duo behind Buttercream Bakeshop: owner and chef Tiffany MacIsaac and lead decorator and partner Alex Mudry-Till. Read on for a rundown on plant projects to tackle, the best green advice they’ve received, how they’re supporting local businesses during the coronavirus, their own self-care practices and much more. District Fray: What first drew you to plants, flowers and other green things? Jennifer Wallace: Once I became obsessed with plants and constantly spoke about them, I thought it would be a great idea to do it every day. I had to feed my obsession. Haylie Ahart: I started my career in NYC in a sales position where my biggest clients were florists. I eventually fell in love with their artistry. There’s magic in creating experiences that only happen once. It’s living art. I was drawn to the idea of designing spaces that people have their big milestone moments in. DISTRICT FRAY | 47

LIFE I head to Pinterest, find an arrangement I admire and try to recreate something similar with the materials I have readily available. It’s a challenge and lets me flex my creative muscles. By the end, I am never looking at the inspo pic, but it’s a great way to start. Bonus points if you do this on your balcony or in the backyard. Playing with nature in nature is always inspiring. MacIsaac: Stick with “simple” plants. I always recommend pothos because they are drought tolerant to an extent, grow quickly and there are lots of leaf designs. But don’t get down on yourself if something deemed “easy” dies. I have more than 75 indoor plants that are thriving, but I’ve killed every ivy and succulent I’ve ever gotten. “Easy” or “simple” to one person might be kryptonite to another. You’ll eventually find your groove and what works in your environment. There’s a perfect indoor plant for every person. What’s the best advice you’ve ever received about how to care for a plant or floral arrangement? Alex Mudry-Till: Pay attention to what the plants are telling you. Just like when a relationship is on the rocks – there are always signs. Wallace: I learned a while back how important it is to have a well-draining soil so that you can properly water your plants without the fear of overwatering. In their natural habitats, when it rains it pours, so you can’t be afraid to give your plants a good, thorough watering. Starting with a great soil mix is key. How can locals support D.C. area plant and flower businesses during Covid-19? Where are you buying plants and flowers right now? Wallace: Ordering online and buying gift cards are the best way to help support if you’re able to. Ahart: Local farmers, flower shops and grocery stores. Locals should Google their neighborhood flower shops and farmers. Most of them are offering no contact deliveries or drive-thru pickups, and it’s a great way to support local businesses.

What pro tips can you offer plant enthusiasts while we’re all stuck indoors? What are some new challenges to tackle or ways to spruce up surroundings? Tiffany MacIsaac: If you are an enthusiast and have experience, try leveling up by adding an installation to allow climbing/vining plants to grow up the walk or hang from the ceiling. I have wall baskets from WallyGro that I highly recommend, and I’ve created a few climbing features using some simple metal hoops and wall hooks I ordered from Amazon. It’s also a great time to experiment with propagation. You can cut your own from existing plants or order cuttings on Etsy. Wallace: This is the best time to give your plants all the love and attention they need: repotting, giving your plants fresh soil for the new growing season, researching things you don’t quite understand yet like fertilizing and learning how to create your own soil mix. It’s also a great time to work on some cool DIY projects, like building a plant wall, putting up shelves to make more room for plants and making terrariums. The sky’s the limit. What about recommendations for newbies looking to try something new to avoid stir craziness? Ahart: Check out our Instagram [@wanderandwhimsyfloral]. Or if you’re a real DIYer, sometimes when I am lacking inspiration, 48 | APRIL 2020

What are you doing to stay sane right now? What meditative, creative and/or therapeutic outlets do you have? Mudry-Till: I started a number of flowers and vegetables by seed back in February, so checking in on the trays every morning when I wake up feels like it helps keep a routine for me. Keeping my morning structure similar to what it normally is: having designated times for emails, getting a workout in, checking my seed trays, having an end time to sit down and have dinner with my husband, etc. This keeps the Groundhog Day effect away. Ahart: I am avidly listening to everything [by motivational speaker] Gabrielle Bernstein. I highly recommend her. I am also designing my new studio space and designing florals just for me. Wallace: Every morning, I wake up and do a 10-minute yoga session found on YouTube. It’s a great way to wake up, get your blood flowing and start the day off in a calm and relaxed mood. Soon after that, I check on all my plants because they make me happy and I love getting wrapped up in plant care. This routine has definitely been keeping me sane. Follow Wallace on Instagram at @jungleinaroom and learn more about Little Leaf at www.littleleafshop.com. Follow Ahart @wanderandwhimsyfloral and read about Wander + Whimsy at www.wanderandwhimsyfloral.com. See what MacIsaac and Mudry-Till are up to at www.buttercreamdc.com. Haylie Ahart. Photo by Sav Brown // @savbrown.

LIFE

WORDS BY TRENT JOHNSON | ILLUSTRATION BY JAMES COREAS

In 2014, D.C. local voters rallied together to pass the now-famed, oft-cited Initiative 71. The bill represented a giant step toward fully legalizing the recreational use of marijuana in the District, legislation that would reduce crime and help the plant become less stigmatized. But without statehood, the bill can only do so much for residents, despite their explicit and clear desires regarding the leafy, green plant. “All of the benefits of legalizing are not able to be actualized,” says Queen Adesuyi, a policy manager at Drug Policy Alliance’s Office of National Affairs. “All of D.C. is enthusiastic about this, they have everything they need to roll out a plan, but Congress is blocking it. It’s still a problem.” Adesuyi deals with marijuana legalization on a national and local level, and says the federal government often causes interference, preventing an environment like California and Colorado. However, residents voted for what they believed in and there are still laws on the books that protect businesses, medicinal dispensaries and individuals. D.C. also houses a vocal activist scene with regards to cannabis because of its proximity to the powers that be. The culture surrounding cannabis in the District isn’t dissipating or easing back, but rather heats up and as Congress considers the idea of decriminalizing marijuana on a larger scale, D.C. is more than ready to take advantage in all sectors.

A BOOMING BUSINESS As of now, the law allows D.C. residents 21 and older to possess up to 2 ounces of marijuana, which they can consume on private property. The transfer of up to 1 ounce of marijuana is also allowed, as long as no money, goods or services are exchanged, according to the mayor’s office. Following Initiative 71 going into effect in February 2015, a number of businesses began to sprout up in the District. One was lifestyle brand Pink Fox, which opened its doors for business shortly after the bill passed. The company primarily

sells products such as T-shirts, backpacks and other accessories. “Supreme built their company off skateboarders, the aggressive street movement. Kate Spade built their company off the upper west side and a particular look,” says co-founder Mark Nagib about the inspiration. “Not every college grad wants to wear a big stoner shirt to their class and grandmothers don’t want to do that either. Bridging that gap became our goal.” Those kinds of “big stoner” shirts aren’t exactly a prominent feature to D.C.’s scene as a whole, given the city’s proximity to the federal government’s policy makers. Big Brother’s presence notwithstanding, the folks at Pink Fox are able to give minimal DISTRICT FRAY | 49

LIFE amounts of cannabis as gifts that can accompany their products. “There’s a law on the books, and laws are easily interpreted by legal experts, and as long as you’re operating within that law, you’re good,” Nagib says matter-of-factly. “I understand the conversation about the gray area, but at the end of the day D.C. has a law on the books that allows for medical cannabis and recreational cannabis, and you get to participate if you’re over 21.” With these laws and apparent loopholes, comes more opportunity for expansion of an already existing culture. Now that brick and mortar spots are viable options for business, the culture has continued to grow exponentially because of people like Nagib. “There’s a lot of people contributing to it,” he says. “It’s nice to have other recreational means for stress relief. The alcohol industry had a monopoly on that. To have cannabis that is easy to access, and familiar to a lot of individuals, it helps legitimize cannabis. They start to see the stoner mentality in a different way.” Another business to take root in D.C. in the aftersmoke of 71’s passing was the Daily High Club. Harrison Baum’s idea was simple: Take the business model from Dollar Shave Club, Loot Crate and other subscription services, and use it to send items like pipes, bongs and other tools through the mail. “The Women Grow event and the DC State Fair were the first cannabis events we ever participated in,” Baum says. The grass was greener on the West Coast, where he’d eventually move his company. Now based in Los Angeles, there is no stigma to the industry he participates in, a level of understanding he failed to get in the DMV. “Part of the move was, to be blunt, the culture in D.C. wasn’t as supporting, we weren’t able to find as many people to collaborate with. It was very taboo still,” Baum says. “From a personal perspective, two to four years ago, people gave you a weird look, whereas in California people don’t think twice about it. I had friends that were weary of talking to me about this.” The sensation of taboo has eased since the move, Baum notes, as he’s noticed a huge uptick in regards to the promotion of products involving cannabis and THC. Part of the shift is because of regular staples like the National Cannabis Festival, set to take place this year on September 19, which helps educate people on local and national issues. “Things like that play a much bigger role than people think,” Baum says. “The first one was the first time I’d ever seen someone smoke in public and the fact that the festival happened without any violence or issues, it opened eyes. I think it’s definitely changed people’s perspectives.”

POLICY Adesuyi first took interest in the D.C. cannabis culture when she was a student at Georgetown University. There, she performed extensive research highlighting the city’s use of racial and social justice as a campaign tool on both sides of the marijuana issue. “They wanted to legalize because of the racial injustice and racial arrests disparity,” Adesuyi says. “I’m originally from the Bronx, so I left a place that was overpoliced to move to Georgetown. I was in D.C. during Initiative 71, and I saw those experiences put forth in a campaign. People care about the plant and the medicine, but most people came to the table because of the stark racial disparities here. That was a strategy that got people.” 50 | APRIL 2020

Another motivating factor for people was the hope that D.C. could one day join states like California and Colorado, with fully realized dispensaries open to the public. This hasn’t happened yet, largely because of the federal government’s inclusion of a prohibition in federal spending bills that disallows any bill legalizing or regulating marijuana sales in D.C. since 2015. “Because of the budget rider, it’s insulated the D.C. cannabis community from seeing what it could truly look like,” Adesuyi says. “With a gray market, it’s decriminalized, but there’s no real testing happening on the products. Not to mention, people are still being criminalized and that racial disparity still remains, with more arrests for possession with intention to distribute.” Despite these roadblocks, she says the current Congress is easily the most cannabis-friendly and forward in U.S. history and points to people taking notice of “the sky not falling” every time a new state votes to legalize recreational use of marijuana. “Overall, we are at the height of cannabis reform,” Adesuyi says. “Moving progressive marijunana reform is an all-hands-ondeck dynamic. The local cannabis culture in D.C. is robust with so many people coming to the table for so many reasons.”

COVID-19 AND CANNABIS The prohibition in the annual spending budget expires in September 2020, which in theory provides time to ensure that it’s excluded in the next one, however Covid-19 has halted all forward momentum. “If Covid-19 didn’t happen, I’d have a completely different response for you,” Adesuyi says. “This year, it’s so hard to talk about what’s happening because it’s disrupted a lot. It’s unclear to me what the appropriations process will even look like this year, because normally it would start now. Our process to lift up the rider is being directly affected by the coronavirus.” As people began to close themselves in and socially distance in early March, it was already hard to get those same people through the doors of businesses. And on March 30, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser advised residents to shelter in place and a number of businesses like Pink Fox were forced to close doors for good as they were deemed “non-essential.” “We’re not dealing with it any longer, we’ve been ordered to shut down and we support that 110 percent,” Nagib says. “I can say I’m disappointed that my small business is closed, but it’s not anyone’s fault. I don’t disagree with what the mayor did.” From the pause in business to the pause in potential policy changes, the virus has made an impact on D.C.’s cannabis culture, as it has in every other sect of life. But the movement is healthy, picking up steam and is slated to return in full force once it’s again safe to venture outside. “I think the ultimate dream is to be able to have an Amsterdam-like scenario, where there are legal coffee shops where you can go and spend your money, and do what you’re looking to do,” Nagib says. “Whether it’s to purchase something over the counter, whether it’s to have a burger and a joint at the same time. We’re talking about crime going down, we’re talking about jobs, we’re talking about easing the opioid epidemic.” Learn more about these organizations and their efforts below. Daily High Club: www.dailyhighclub.com Drug Policy Alliance: www.drugpolicy.org Pink Fox: www.pinkfox202.com

D.C. CONTINUES GREEN STREAK WITH HELP FROM LOCAL ORGS When associating D.C. with a color, what comes to mind? Probably red: the color of the icons on the District’s flag, which also adorns the Capitals, Nationals and Wizards in some shade or fashion. Or perhaps you think of navy blue: a color, like red, that is so intimately tied with the national flag. Maybe it’s some other color: gray because of the Brutalist architecture, brown because of the D.C.’s Chocolate City moniker, or burgundy and gold for the football diehards. Another acceptable answer is green. In October 2019, WalletHub published a study that revealed D.C. as the No. 4 ranked green city in America, to no surprise. The city is first among large cities in LEED-certified projects and square footage and first among large cities in Energy Star certified buildings and square footage, on a per capita basis, according to the city’s website. The District has also made restoring the Anacostia River to swimmable by 2030 a priority and promoted an initiative to move 80 percent of all waste away from incineration and landfills. The city isn’t alone in its action and often enables organizations like the Anacostia Riverkeeper, Anacostia Watershed Society and others to perform studies, conduct trials and find solutions. “We’re in a very nonprofit rich environment in D.C.,” says Trey Sherard, outreach coordinator and staff biologist with the Anacostia Riverkeeper. The Anacostia Riverkeeper is part of the international Waterkeeper Alliance and seeks to protect and restore the Anacostia River for all those who work, live and play near the watershed. This involves volunteer work, deploying green infrastructure and providing educational resources. According to its website, the main goal is to restore the river as a fishable and swimmable resource for the people in the DMV. You can technically fish there now, although you’d be facing potential health risks if you ate the fish. Swimming is not allowed. “When we say fishable, we mean it’s safe to eat what you’re catching without worrying about how many ounces is safe,” Sherard says. “We can’t just work on conservation for conservation’s sake; we want to conserve it for the fish, birds, turtles and all the people who use it. ” Successes for the Riverkeeper include managing waste via large trash traps. Sherard says there are four in the District, with more to come. Shrinking the amount of refuse, specifically plastic which accounts for 60 percent of the waste caught in said traps, is a huge focal point for all organizations on the river. Another on the front lines, fighting for zero waste as a whole is the D.C. chapter of the Sierra Club. Photo courtesy of Anacostia Watershed Society.

WORDS BY TRENT JOHNSON

“Waste reduction efforts include meeting with the city council and looking at efficient ways to reduce waste and how to meet the city’s goals,” says Catherine Plume, the chapter chair. “Right now we’re at about 20-25 percent on our diversion rate. That was preCovid, so how are we going to get to 80 percent by 2032? We’ve had some resistance to the ideas, and that can be a source of frustration. [But] the District and the mayor recognize these issues.” The Sierra Club is a national organization dating back to 1892, with a focus on large scale preservation on a national and local level. With 3.8 million volunteers nationwide, the four primary campaigns in D.C. include: clean energy, clean water, smart growth and the aforementioned zero waste. Anyone can get involved and volunteer with the committees, which is active in the city at events, protests and in efforts to alter policy. “The focus is on D.C. issues,” she says. “ There are tons of opportunities to participate with any of our four committees, we do things in river tributary clean ups, we do boat trips on the Anacostia and our zero waste committee helps organizers at a lot of events to help sort waste into compost and recycle.” Clean(er) water is also a focus of the Anacostia Watershed Society, which has began reintroducing mussels into the river for purification in 2015. Through surveys to understand which specific mussel communities could thrive in the river’s habitat, the team at the society began propagating them into the Anacostia. “We started the first propagation project in August 2018, where we put them in floating baskets,” says Jorge A. Bogantes Montero, natural resources specialist. “We had eight different sites, including Kingman Lake. The idea is to introduce 35,000 over the length of the project.” One adult mussel can filter 10-20 gallons of water per day, which has significant benefits to the river’s biofiltration, Montero says. Because of the positive effect these mussels are having on the Anacostia so far, and the promise of more shortly, the Watershed Society is pushing a goal of swimmability by 2025, five years ahead of the city’s goal of 2030. “We’re being a little more ambitious, because we do monitoring every year and we’ve seen a constant increase in the conditions in terms of clarity,” Montero says. “The Anacostia River tunnels really changed the game, because it’s already improving the river system a lot.” With an improved river and better waste management, places DISTRICT FRAY | 51

LIFE like the city’s Kingman Island suddenly become go-to stops for those yearning fresh air. Currently, the nonprofit Living Classrooms uses the island as an exploratory ecosystem for local children to learn about their environments. While educating and spurring adults to get involved in eco-friendly initiatives is imperative to the policy of today, sparking curiosity in children will prove fruitful in the future when hot button issues like climate change become even more present. “I feel a lot of pressure to work toward making sure people have opportunities to connect with nature and make sure that’s equitable,” says Lee Cain, director of Kingman Island. “We have to make sure the next generation are understanding of our connection as humans with the environment.” The island also stages the Kingman Island Bluegrass Festival, a day-long series of concerts, which doubles as a fundraiser for the setting’s yearlong programming. Since 2016, with the help of Sierra Club volunteers, the event has operated under a zero waste effort. “We were composting 80-90 percent of the waste,” Cain says of last year’s success. “At the end of the festival last year, 9,000 people came and we only had five bags of trash.” Cain lives and breathes anything that involves conservation and can easily rattle off the history of Kingman Island, from its time in the ‘20s and ‘30s as an aid to make the river more navigable for ships to its designation as a State Conservation Area in 2018. The island isn’t exclusive to children’s benefits, as people can enjoy the running and biking trails or volunteer programs. Living Classrooms also offers “green job” training through its ranger program, which helps out-of-work adults discover entry-level jobs in the green sector via hands on experience. Participants spend half their time doing maintenance, landscaping and construction projects, and the other half in the classroom.

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“Rangers do the work of being on the island and doing maintenance work, learn habitat restoration and learn hospitality,” Cain says. Volunteers will have to wait to help out in any hands-on capacity due to the citywide social distancing requirements spurred by Covid-19. All organizations and nonprofits are feeling the effects of the coronavirus. Kingman Island decided to cancel this year’s festival and has transitioned its educational resources to online. Anacostia Riverkeeper has transitioned a majority of their Earth Day programming to its social media channels and the Watershed Society has postponed their Earth Day cleanup until October 3. For the Sierra Club, all committee meetings have transitioned to Zoom. Despite the uncertainty on when society’s wheels will start turning again, all the organizations charged with conserving our environment haven’t stopped checking water levels or doing walkthroughs onsite. If D.C. is to remain green, and continue as a leader in the field, then the city must continue to work with the people who care most about all initiatives eco-friendly. “I think the city as a whole is pointed in the right direction,” Plume says. “We have the nation’s most ambitious renewable bill. But we have to figure out how to ensure economic recovery for residents and small businesses while incorporating the elements we’ve worked hard to achieve and keep moving forward. ” For more information about these respective organizations, visit their websites below. Anacostia Riverkeeper: www.anacostiariverkeeper.org Anacostia Watershed Society: www.anacostiaws.org Living Classrooms Kingman Island: www.kingmanisland.org Sierra Club: www.sierraclub.org/dc

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LIFE

STAND WITH SMALL BUSINESSES WORDS BY DISTRICT FRAY STAFF There are myriad businesses in the DMV that need all the support they can get in the time of Covid-19. Throughout the issue and in the list below, we’ve featured several for you to support if you’re willing and able. While nowhere near exhaustive, we do hope it provides you with a place to start if you’re considering supporting the community, and contributions would help to ensure the aftermath of this crisis is a little less rough for everyone.

FOOD + DRINK ANXO

Contribute to their employee relief fund or grab cider through contact-less pick up from their Truxton Circle and Brightwood Park locations. Visit www.anxodc.com/shop and www.gofundme.com/f/anxo-employee-emergency-fun.

BUTTERCREAM BAKESHOP

Pick up a cake for your spring celebration needs or gift one to a first responder. Visit https://buttercream-bakeshop.square.site.

DC BRAU

Visit their site to find local shops still open and selling their beer, and order online for delivery. Follow @dcbrau and visit www.dcbrau.com.

ELLĒ

Preorder bread and support their staff directly through GoFundMe donations. Visit www.eatatelle.com/online-orders and donate at www.gofundme.com/f/elle-employee-relief-fund.

JACK ROSE DINING SALOON

Grab carry out and booze, including rare beer and wine, and even cocktails. Visit www.jackrosediningsaloon.com.

ARTS ARTECHOUSE

Grab an all-access pass for you and a guest for $25, good through 2020. Visit https://artechouse.square.site.

BLACK CAT

Support the iconic venue’s staff through GoFundMe. Visit www.gofundme.com/f/black-cat-employee-fund.

DC9

Buy a “ticket” that’s actually a donation to support this intimate venue and contribute to a staff relief GoFundMe. Visit www.gofundme.com/f/dc9-nightclub-employee-relief-fund and www.dc9.club.

EAST CITY BOOKSHOP

Grab a stay-at-home surprise pack for something to look forward to. Visit www.eastcitybookshop.com to fill out a google form to place your order.

SONGBYRD MUSIC HOUSE AND RECORD CAFE

Tune into their live music trivia and contribute to their staff relief fund. Visit https://songbyrddc.square.site and www.fb.com/SongbyrdDC/ for online event updates.

SUNS CINEMA

KELLY’S IRISH TIMES

Join their Patreon where they’ll send you movie recommendations, cocktail recipes and more. Follow @sunscinema and visit www.sunscinema.com for more.

KITH/KIN

Trade’s drag queens and staff’s Venmos are available online for direct support. Tune into their online drag shows and tip them digitally. Visit www.tradebardc.com and follow @TRADEbarDC on Instagram.

LUKE’S LOBSTER

SMALL BUSINESSES

Order via delivery or arrange for a pick up. You can also contribute to the relief fund for the Kelly’s staff. Follow @irishtimesdc and visit www.kellysirishtimesdc.com.

Chef Kwame Onwauchi has set up a relief fund to support his staff. Donate at www.gofundme.com/f/kithkin-staff-support and follow @kithandkindc.

Order Luke’s seafood online to prep on your own, or grab delivery or carry out. Order on www.lukeslobster.com for takeout or delivery.

TRADE DC

REWILD

MGM ROAST BEEF

Order online and snag free delivery with a $60 purchase using the code REWILD113. Visit www.rewilddc.com.

SOUTHEASTERN ROASTERY

This outdoor activity haven is having a 2020 Looking Forward sale on select vouchers with huge savings. Visit www.sandyspringadventurepark.org/looking-forward-sale.

This recently reopened sandwich shop offers carry out, pickup and delivery. If you’re a healthcare worker, you can eat for free. Follow @mgmroastbeef and visit www.mgmroastbeef.com.

Offers food and coffee delivery, coffee subscriptions and even online classes. Visit www.southeasternroastery.com.

SANDY SPRING ADVENTURE PARK

DISTRICT FRAY | 53

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SHOP MADE IN DC

Support a plethora of D.C. makers with a whole host of goods for sale on their site. Visit www.shopmadeindc.com.

THRŌW SOCIAL

Gift cards are 30 percent off with the code TOGETHER30. Additionally, for every $150 you spend on gift cards, you’ll receive access to a free cabana rental upon reopening. Visit www.throwsocial.com.

ANSWERING THE CALL: COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS In this scary time, D.C. has proven itself a true community. We’ve taken notice of a number of inspiring acts of kindness popping up all over and wanted to highlight some of the individuals and organizations we believe are doing great work.

MAGGIE AWAD, MARKETING DIRECTOR

“My neighbor in Southwest organized a group to help anyone who was immunocompromised or just unable to leave their condo with any tasks they needed during quarantine.”

RHIANNON BUNEK, PERMITS MANAGER

Two teachers in Arlington started a fundraiser to purchase grocery cards for low income children in the school district, since many rely on the school for meals during the week. Donate here: www.gofundme.com/f/optin-one-pantry-at-a-time. “It feels more ‘real’ than some of the larger-scale, national fundraisers (not that those aren’t also great!), but this hits closer to home! It was also great to see [my son] Parker’s reaction.”

ERIN HESSLER, SENIOR MARKETING COORDINATOR

In a shift from its usual coffee production, Compass Coffee is aiding D.C. by producing hand sanitizer for first responders. Learn more at www.compasscoffee.com.

“Compass Coffee was already one of my favorite local businesses. It’s great to see that they’re able to use their resources to fill the demand for sanitizer and help the community.”

TRENT JOHNSON, DEPUTY EDITOR

Story District is bringing its storytelling show to a virtual audience for the first time ever on April 14 at 7:30 p.m. Learn more at https://storydistrict.org. “Story District maintaining their mission to deliver authentic arts entertainment via digital is just another example of how adaptable the arts community as a whole has been through this tough time. ”

M.K. KOSZYCKI, ASSISTANT EDITOR

Coconut Club has undertaken numerous effots, follow them on social media @hellococonutclub. “While I miss after work happy hours at Coconut Club, it’s been amazing seeing how from the beginning they’ve rallied around the community to support just about everyone who has been affected. ” 54 | APRIL 2020

KAYLA MARSH, DIGITAL & ADVERTISING COORDINATOR

106.7 The Fan hosted a fundraiser money on their “opening day” broadcast to honor the Nats. For more information, go to https://thefandc.radio.com.

“It’s cool because it’s a way for us in D.C. to honor the Nats opening day date with raising money for a good cause in the District.”

BRITT RHEAULT, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF SPORTS

Good Stuff Eatery is providing free meals to children until schools reopen. Learn more at www.goodstuffeatery.com. “It is great to see someone from our community, giving back to the community. Everything feels so up in the air so knowing you can rely on establishments like this is fantastic!”

ALLISON SCHRANK, JAX CITY COMMISSIONER

Every Sunday, from 8:30-9:30 p.m., people from around the globe are invited to light up the night by placing some sort of light outside to create a wave of light across the world. Learn more at www.unitethenight.com. “It’s simple, but just helps remind us that everyone is in this and that we will get through it together.”

LAND OUR VINTAGE LAND ROVER

United Fray is currently helping with a fundraiser run by the Social Sports Foundation, which gives people the opportunity to win a Land Rover Defender while supporting sports and events small businesses. Entry prices range from 10 entries for $10 to 200 entries for $100. A portion of proceeds also goes directly to community relief funds, including Support Our Stripes, the Restaurant Association Workers Relief Fund, the I.M.P. Family Fund and theatreWashington Relief Fund. More donations will be made in the coming weeks. https://go.rallyup.com/frayrover Photo courtesy of DC Fray

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Neighborhood Newness LIFE

A Look at Modern Living in D.C.’s Capitol Riverfront WORDS BY M.K. KOSZYCKI + KAYLA MARSH Parks, waterfront recreation, convenient shopping, one-of-a-kind dining, sports attractions, inspired workspaces and premier events are all components of the booming Capitol Riverfront neighborhood in Southeast D.C. One of the fastest growing neighborhoods in the District, Capitol Riverfront is a true live, work and play experience that gives businesses, residents, retail and guests an exciting environment to connect and thrive. With so much growth over the past year, District Fray dove into some of the most exciting places to enjoy while eating, drinking, living and relaxing – plus ways to support the neighborhood’s small businesses during the Covid-19 crisis.

FABULOUS FOOD + DRINK Grab some takeout from these locations, add them to your list of places to visit come the end of Covid-19 and keep your eyes peeled for some exciting new spots in the neighborhood.

ABC Pony Though Erik Bruner-Yang says he loves the Novel apartments, which houses his latest venture ABC Pony, a nostalgic aspect drew him to the Capitol Riverfront neighborhood, too. “I also went to prom at Capitol Skyline Hotel in the late ‘90s. I loved that McDonalds that used to be there,” he reminisces. ABC Pony blends different cuisines and cultures for a unique menu. “I think ABC Pony is a really special restaurant cooking creative dishes inspired by Italian and Asian cultures. It has a great vibe and it is super affordable,” Bruner-Yang explains. “[It] is a story of the American dream, coming to the U.S. as an immigrant and learning about other food cultures while still holding on to your own personal identity. I was really inspired by the energy of the movie Do the Right Thing.” The spot is currently offering takeout, and he’s appreciative of how great the community has been in supporting them amid the current crisis. Bruner-Yang also kicked off the Power of 10 Initiative, which positively impacts not only ABC Pony but the D.C. food community as a whole. “It has been amazing to see the community really rally around their favorite restaurants to help keep them open. People are doing lots of to go orders, purchasing gift cards and sending lots of love via email.” Visit www.powerof10initiative.com and follow @abcpony on social media for more. 2 I St. SE, DC; www.abcpony.com

Anchovy Social This rooftop spot at the Thompson Hotel is one stylish way to snack while overlooking Capitol Riverfront. Since opening in January this year, Anchovy Social’s Assistant Food and Beverage Director Joshua Scott admits the vibe and vivid rooftop views has really brought the community together. “We have had wonderful feedback on the space itself, and on food and service. [We’re] really looking forward to seeing people in the space again soon.” Anchovy Social is temporarily closed, but you can look forward to eggplant parm dip, smoked trout tin, cacio e pepe chips and more once it’s safe to gather again. The beverage list is just as enticing. “We have some great drinks ready for summer that will remind you of your youth,” Scott says. Keep in touch with them on social media @anchovysocial for updates. 221 Tingey St. SE, DC; www.anchovysocial.com 56 | APRIL 2020

Maialino Mare This Roman-inspired seafood restaurant opened its doors earlier this year in January in Capitol Riverfront. Think coastal, European eats courtesy of executive chef Rose Noel, who’s worked in several well-established restaurants in New York. Noel has thoroughly enjoyed cooking on the D.C. waterfront for the past few months. “I love being near the water. The group of restaurant owners and staff [in Capitol Riverfront] have all been very kind and welcoming,” she says. She crafts dishes to remind you of the trattorias in Rome: “classic, simple and delicious.” She and her team strive to craft an unforgettable meal made of some of her favorite seasonal ingredients.“I love seafood and vegetables. It is great to be so close to the coast and the bay,” Noel says. “Amazing fresh ingredients makes cooking simple food easy.” While temporarily closed, Union Square Hospitality Group has a plan to lend a hand to staff facing financial hardship with its USHG HUGS, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) fund to support USHG team members who are facing unexpected and exceptional financial needs. You can donate to their employee relief fund at www.ushgnyc.com/ushghugs and follow @maialinomare for more. 221 Tingey St. SE, DC; www.maialinomare.com

Maxwell Park The expansion of this spot from Shaw to a second Capitol Riverfront location ensures that casual sippers and vinophiles alike can enjoy their wide range of wines. “A wine bar run by former restaurant sommeliers is unique wherever you put it,” says proprietor and sommelier Brent Kroll. “I think we add a fun bar involving wine that’s not too serious or stuffy. It kind of has the feel of a cocktail party.” Kroll notes that he was drawn to the social and friendly feelings the neighborhood evoked when he’d hang out there on his days off, and sees momentum being gained in terms of Capitol Riverfront’s commercial growth. “Everyone has been super kind. The location fits [the neighborhood] and we had been off to a great start.” This Maxwell Park is connected to Albi, a Middle Eastern restaurant with a modern American twist, where Kroll is also a partner and assists with the wine. “I highly recommend trying both,” he says. Currently, they offer weekly contact free pick-up at their Shaw location – just check out the selection on their site and email your order to info@maxwellparkdc.com to snag some quality wines. Follow them on social media @maxwellpark_navyyard. 1346 4th St. SE, DC; www.maxwellparkdc.com

The expanded Parc Riverside means MORE

Our exciting expansion brings a modern edge to the stylish contemporary design Parc Riverside has become known for, while doubling the amenity spaces available for all our residents to enjoy. Brand new studio, 1- and 2-bedroom apartment homes available now. Call to schedule your tour today.

1011 First Street SE | Washington, DC 20003 l 844.703.5247 | ParcRiverside.com ÂŠToll DC LP; Toll DC LLC. All copy, plans and artwork contained in or represented by this brochure and its enclosures are the sole property of the owners. Photos are images only and should not be relied upon to confirm applicable features. Any reproduction of them or other use without the written permission of the owners is strictly prohibited. This is not an offering where prohibited by law. 155419 02/20

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Gatsby Restaurant KNEAD Hospitality & Design, who also brought Mi Vida, Succotash and The Grill to the D.C., added this contemporary American diner to Capitol Riverfront in its namesake Gatsby apartment building in partnership with Mah Ze Dahr Bakery out of NYC. 1201 Half St. SE, DC; www.gatsbyrestaurant.com; @gatsby_restaurant

La Famosa Slated for a 2020 opening inside The Bower, La Famosa aims to provide authentic Cuban cuisine to the District and will join the ranks of the growing “fine casual” trend and will serve lunch and dinner in addition to all-day coffee. 1300 4th St. SE, DC; @eatlafamosa

Mary This Spike Gjerde-owned eatery is coming to Buzzard Point’s new food hall, sitting on First Street Southwest facing the Anacostia River. Fine dining and waterfront views can’t open up soon enough. 2100 2nd St. SW, DC

Punch Bowl Social Punch Bowl Social is equal parts bar, restaurant and grown-up entertainment utopia that allows visitors to enjoy bowling, arcade games and more for a twist on usual happy hour. www.punchbowlsocial.com; @punchbowlsoical

Peaceable Kingdom Also by Spike Gjerde is a plant-based market coming to Buzzard Point in 2020, and will combine an indoor farmer’s market, coffee shop, two full-service restaurants (Mary and Buzzard Point Fish House) and a bar. 2100 2nd St. SW, DC; www.peaceablekingdom.co

Roy Boys

Atlas Brew Works Atlas Brew Works’ new Half Street Brewery & Tap Room is the perfect place to enjoy some flagship brews and new releases to pair with New York-style slices by Andy’s Pizza. 1201 Half St. Suite 120, SE, DC; www.atlasbrewworks.com; @atlasbrewworks

Buzzard Point Fish House The duo behind Ivy City Smokehouse, Tony & Joe’s and Nick’s Riverside Grill are making moves in the up-and-coming Buzzard Point neighborhood with a casual seafood restaurant. 2100 2nd St. SW, DC 60 | APRIL 2020

This second location of the fried chickenand-oyster joint opened in Capitol Riverfront in 2019 and wows with fresh local oysters, crispy classic Nashville-hot chicken sandwiches, ice cream tacos in a waffle shell, and more. 1025 1st St. SE, DC; www.royboysdc.com; @royboysdc

Union Kitchen Grocery You’ll find snacks, coffee, grab-and-go foods and more, highlighting members of their Food Business Accelerator program, assisting entrepreneurs in getting their products into the world. https://unionkitchen.com/grocery ABC Pony. Photo by Foreign National.

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LIFE

RESIDENCES WITH STYLE Capitol Riverfront has become the ideal neighborhood for D.C. living with spectacular views, walkable shops and dining, and its best quality, in my opinion: being home to both Nationals Park and Audi Field. You’ll find there are no bad views from any of the neighborhood’s chic residence buildings, some luxurious and others humbly tasteful, depending on your style. This residence guide highlights some of the neighborhood’s best places to live, along with some upcoming properties we can’t wait to tour and explore in-person, but for now, virtual tours and gallery photos will have to do.

62 | APRIL 2020

1205 Collection The sophisticated addition to West Half, 1205 Collection’s elegant appeal includes chef-caliber kitchens with stylish stone countertops, nature-inspired cabinetry and high-end European appliances in stainless steel. Plus, the property is all about exclusive vibes with access to rooftop private lounges designed by V Starr, Venus Williams’ interior design firm, and the penthouse-level clubroom, providing a luxury stylish lounge bar experience with direct terrace views to Nationals Park’s centerfield and the excitement of Half Street. 1205 Half St. SE, DC; www.westhalf.com/the-1205-collection

1221 Van

West Half

The contemporary chic 1221 Van has 291 spacious apartments, perfect for urban living. The building’s interiors and social spaces designed by Cecconi Simone are known for their style and comfort with sleek, modern lines and warm, organic materials. This pet-friendly property also houses Mexican restaurant Mission, Walter’s Sports Bar, District Dogs, Boombox Boxing Club and Mimosa Salon. 1221 Van St. SE, DC; www.1221van.com

These ballpark district apartments boast luxury living just steps from Nationals Park in the Capitol Riverfront neighborhood. New eateries Basebowl and HipCityVeg will be joining West Half’s collection of retailers right by the Navy Yard metro. Its light-filled living spaces have wide-plank flooring, chefcaliber kitchens with stainless steel appliances, Caesarstone countertops and high-end fixtures; and spa-inspired baths with stone countertops. 1201 Half St. SE, DC; www.westhalf.com

Estate at The Yards In the heart of The Yards, this property is one luxury collection of studio and two-bedroom boutique residences highlighting striking views of the Southeast waterfront, elegant Parisian-style accents and a carefree spirit that’s inspired by the French concept of joie de vivre. Estate’s chalets and villas are designed to showcase natural light and warm wood accents that pay tribute to the artisans of French luxury. 220 Water St. SE, DC; www.estatedc.com

F1RST Residences Enjoy the heat of long sunny days and the company of cool friends and neighbors on the F1RST Rooftop. Soak up the sun as you lounge by the pool, cheer the Nats to a win from the Upper Deck and watch the sunset over D.C. as your pup takes a run around the park. 1263 1st St. SE, DC; www.f1rstdc.com

Parc Riverside West Parc Riverside West offers luxury one and two-bed apartments with white quartz countertops, two-tone soft-close cabinetry, ceramic penny-tile kitchen backsplash and tons of amenities near Southwest D.C. This property is beloved for its rooftop pools, two fitness centers and bocce ball court. 1011 1st St. SE, DC; www.parcriverside.com

Peninsula 88 Condos This unique new waterfront home ownership in the Capitol Riverfront shares only 75-100 feet of Nationals Park between the building and the river in Buzzard Point. These condos are for sale so you can own your own experience that includes an immaculate rooftop terrace, urban style finishes and calming river views of the Anacostia and Potomac. 88 V St. SW, DC; www.peninsula88.com

RiverPoint at Buzzard Point “Residential properties rarely have as much going for them as our RiverPoint development,” says Tom Wilbur, executive vice president of Akridge. With Potomac and Anacostia River views, sights of the Capitol and national monuments, this property is home to many shops and restaurants that inspire modern city living in the heart of Buzzard Point, a mere walking distance from Nationals Park and Audi Field. 2121 1st St. SW, DC; www.riverpointdc.com

Watermark Another new riverfront property, Watermark offers views of Audi Field, the Capitol and Washington Monument. Its Riverwalk Promenade features walking and biking paths and provides easy access to the new Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge. Explore its modern kitchens, expansive windows, state-of-the-art fitness center and more just off the banks of the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers. 900 Half St. SW, DC; www.watermarkdc.com Yards Park Sculptural Bridge. Photo courtesy of Capitol Riverfront BID.

OUTDOOR OPTIONS Whether you’re here for work, play or call the neighborhood home, Capitol Riverfront’s beautiful outdoor features have something for everyone to take advantage of and get back to nature.

Anacostia Riverwalk Trail The Anacostia Riverwalk Trail is ready for all forms of adventure. Go for a run, hop on your bike or take the dog for a walk on one of the 12 open miles of the 20-mile long trail, which is quipped with bike racks, seating and interactive maps.

Ballpark Boathouse Explore the actual river that gives the neighborhood its name. At the Ballpark Boathouse, you can rent a kayak or canoe starting at $16 per hour, and float past historic sites like the Washington Navy Yard, the U.S. Capitol and Fort McNair. Classes are also available for those who want to improve their riverfaring skills, or opt for a Twilight Tour for some great golden hour views.

Canal Park This sustainable park, named for the historic Washington City Canal, provides entertainment no matter the season. In the summer, cool off and enjoy a 42-jet dancing fountain and water scrims. When winter rolls around, lace up your ice skates and twirl through the southern block, transformed into an outdoor skating rink.

Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge: A Look Ahead This new bridge and its notable archways are currently halfway to completion and is slated to be finished in 2021, providing new safety features for cyclists and pedestrians, the feature offers four pedestrian overlooks and two piers for all to enjoy. For the latest, check out www.newfrederickdouglassbridge.com.

Yards Park Catch some rays or play fetch with your furry friends at this award-winning park. During warmer days (and when social distancing is a thing of the past) you can find concert series, workout classes and more hosted at this outdoor hub. To keep up with all things Capitol Riverfront, visit www.capitolriverfront.com. Follow on Instagram @capitolriverfront, on Facebook at www.fb.com/capitolriverfront and on Twitter @CapitolRvrFront. DISTRICT FRAY | 63

PLAY

INSIDE JOBS: HOW LOCAL FITNESS PROFESSIONALS RISE TO CURRENT CHALLENGES Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been an interesting narrative about fitness in the time of Covid-19 circling around almost every (digital) social circle. WORDS BY M.K. KOSZYCKI | PHOTO BY CASSIDY DUHON 64 | APRIL 2020

Somehow, there’s an idea that we should all use this time to get “model” hot, as opposed to just surviving and doing our best each day. While that’s not only an unrealistic and unhealthy goal, there’s a happy medium stemming from the health and fitness world in the wake of a time when those very things are being threatened. Enter three D.C. fitness professionals, all passionate about more than just physical results. While no one will deny that those are great too, these individuals have done much more than get fit through their routines. They’ve created communities, encouraged mindfulness and given countless people positive outlets. Just because the doors to their studios or one-on-one classes have closed, doesn’t mean they’re not hard at work bringing all of the above to the District and beyond in a time when it’s perhaps needed most.

FIND BALANCE Five years ago, Dan Carter left his job as a senior digital producer at The Discovery Channel, and opened Danimal Yoga. He craved the connection and touch provided by in-person yoga and fitness classes, noting that “touch is such a beautiful gift we give in yoga.” With physical contact nearly impossible, Carter is pivoting back to his roots while creating ways for audiences to connect with yoga’s other gifts. “Here we are five years later, and I’m having to relearn all of the technology that I used to use all the time at work,” Carter says. “I am very lucky in that I have a bit of a head start, but I am also feeling very challenged by the fact that I picked this job because I wanted to be there with people and now I’m having to do it all over the internet again.” Those challenges haven’t stopped Carter from adapting or injecting the humor and lightness that have become a hallmark of his classes at Danimal Yoga over the past five years. “Thankfully, there are platforms like Zoom where I can now see my students, and I can give them a little bit of feedback as the live feed is going along, as opposed to Facebook and Instagram Live, which are a really great way to get a big broadcast out, but are not as intimate.” Carter offers free live weekly classes on his studio’s Facebook page, and leads other classes via Zoom for a more interactive component, which can be purchased on his website. In recognizing that this is a difficult financial time for many, he also offers discounted or free memberships to those who may be impacted by the financial fallout of the current climate but still want to be in a yoga community. “I would say the main goal of yoga is to still the fluctuations of the mind – to get our minds to turn off for a moment. I don’t feel like yoga poses are the only way to get there,” Carter says. “I offer yoga bootcamp, mindfulness, self massage – lots of different formats. Above all else, with all of those formats, I am always keeping people laughing. I think we just need laughter right now,” Carter explains of the benefits of the Danimal Yoga approach to fitness and mindfulness. “We’re getting really creative with these classes now. I’m doing a drag-themed fitness class, where I will be performing as a drag queen, and students are allowed to do the cardio sets with me or I will put on lipstick numbers and they can watch those. It’s a nice option for people who like to get a workout, but also want to take rest and be entertained and laugh. I’m just trying to keep things as light and as happy as possible.” In addition to finding equal time for stillness and silliness, Carter also encourages reflection on what truly makes people

happy in order to cultivate a mindfulness practice, something that seems especially essential in these uncertain times. “One big change does not totally transform your life. It is a series of small decisions that you have to make. Take 30 minutes of day for mindfulness practice, whether that’s meditation or journaling or just finding an outdoor space that is safe to be in. Sit there and let [your] mind wander and just imagine your best self and like what is going to make you happy right now,” he says. “I think that’s where the small changes will come from because we all have time now. We’ve all got an opportunity to cook from home, to do more fitness classes. But it seems like most people are unhappy right now, and I think people need to set aside time to find that happiness.” To take a class with Carter, visit www.danimalyoga.com for a full schedule of his fitness activities available through Zoom and social media.

KEEP UP WITH YOUR COMMUNITY In the process of adjusting to her new reality away from her recent past life of 5 a.m. classes, Gina McAlpin, community marketing manager and founding instructor of Barry’s in Dupont Circle, realized one of the hardest parts of this new normal was being away from her community. “Yes, we’re a fitness workout. But that’s not the biggest thing that stands out to me when I think about Barry’s. I think about family, and I think about community,” McAlpin explained. “This time is so strange, and we have to be separated from that human connection we all crave. The one thing that makes Barry’s so special is that no matter what people are going through, they would come to our studio all the time to be able to be with people that build them up and make them stronger.” To offer instructors, other staff members and their widereaching community in D.C. and beyond a digital sense of their already strong camaraderie, the studio quickly sprung into action with live workouts to connect everyone virtually. “[We realized] we need to take this community online, still show up for each other and [work out] in a live format to where we can physically see how many people are coming together every single day at any given time,” McAlpin says. On Barry’s website, workouts are described as high intensity interval training classes, “alternating muscle focus to ensure the body gets a balanced workout and proper time to recover.” Though they typically take place in the studio’s signature Red Rooms, McAplin and other Barry’s trainers allow you to transform whatever spot in your house you have into a Red Room of your own. While no equipment is necessary, you can purchase a Fit Kit online, complete with accessories needed to round out your workout. “For anyone who’s curious about Barry’s, they can literally be in the comfort of their own living room and no one has to know they’re just dipping their toes into the water, especially without the equipment. All they have to do is show up in front of their cellphone,” McAlpin says of Barry’s new online offerings. “It’s right there on Instagram Live. It’s 100 percent free. And I think what we want is people to get that first taste, get that experience [with Barry’s]. And as things are pretty much uncomfortable all over the world, one thing you can do is make yourself better and stronger during the process.” DISTRICT FRAY | 65

PLAY To access Barry’s livestreams, you can visit www.barrys. com/barrysigtv/ or follow on Instagram for a full schedule and join via Instagram Live whenever you choose. Instructors from around the world, including McAlpin herself, are leading these at-home workouts. You can also purchase a Fit Kit and learn more about the workout on www.barrys.com, so you’re prepared to hop into the in-person community in the future.

EMBRACE SOMETHING NEW As a current instructor and owner of Barre3 on 14th Street, Alicia Sokol recalls running as “the first example of moving [her] body for no other reason than it felt good.” As her busy life as a mom and professional progressed, she sought out a workout that was gentler, eventually leading her to Barre3. Her passion for this approach to fitness, described on the Barre3 website as a “full-body balanced workout combining strength conditioning, cardio and mindfulness,” is apparent in her current roles at the D.C. studio. Although the recent pandemic forced the studio to swerve from 70 in-person classes per week to a fully online platform, Sokol and her team haven’t stopped providing clients new and old with a holistic workout and an online community. “The thing I am most proud of is that my studio is a place of healing. Some people come to us with injured knees, or shoulders, or necks, but more often than not, our clients seek healing for their heads and hearts. One of our members recently said, ‘it’s amazing the cork floors aren’t broken yet given how much heavy baggage is dropped on them every day,’” Sokol recalls. “I thought that was so on point. We provide a welcoming, safe space where people can come just to be who they are and let go of what’s weighing them down.” Now, a library of classes is available to members online for easy at home workouts, and you can still register for livestream classes through Zoom, filmed in studio with just one person inside for safety. “This has allowed us to see each other and communicate in a way we never imagined would be necessary. We are offering one class per day at various times during the week. Our classes are either 45 or 60 minutes and include a combination of strength conditioning, cardio and mindfulness,” she says. “Each workout is designed to be done without props (just a mat is needed) and every posture is fully adaptable so that each person can feel successful in the workout.” Whether you’ve religiously attended Barre3 in person, jumped from different studios or are looking for something to pass the time at home, Sokol encourages you to explore your options from home, and find some form of movement that you love, instead of forcing one that’s not enjoyable. “This is a great time to start something new,” says Sokol. “All of our routines and patterns have been disrupted, so why not explore a bit. Grant yourself some grace and do what feels good. I always think it’s funny when people say things like ‘I started running, but I hate it!’ If you don’t enjoy something, find another thing. There are many ways to move your body that feel good. Now is a great time to explore what that might be.” If Barre3 sparks your interest, you can get started with livestream 66 | APRIL 2020

classes. As an added benefit, Barre3 has partnered with No Kid Hungry to ensure those out of school are still receiving meals. Barre3 is selling the class packages (3, 5, 10 and 20) at 10 percent off and donating 10 percent to No Kid Hungry. Class packages can be used for livestream classes now or saved for when the studio reopens. And if you’re a healthcare hero on the front lines of the pandemic, Barre3 offers livestream classes at no charge for two weeks. Just email 14thstreet@barre3.com to get set up. All other new members can sign up for a 15-day free trial to access at home of pre-recorded Barre3 workouts. To work out with Sokol and her 14th Street studio community, purchase class packages at https://bit.ly/b314thclasspacks. Barre3: www.barre3.com; @barre3dc14thst Barry’s Dupont Circle: www.barrys.com; @barrys Danimal Yoga: www.danimalyoga.com; @danimalyoga

MORE MOVEMENT + MINDFULNESS 305 Fitness Turn your living room into a dance studio with this joyful, judgement free dance workout that will have your heart racing. Check out their robust assortment of classes – even meditations – offered through their YouTube channel. www.305fitness.com Balance Gym In addition to a rotating cast of Facebook Live classes, you can access pre-recorded at home workouts, free online coaching. Les Mills group class templates, and a workout of the day via Balance Gym. If you want to truly up your game, you can purchase hybrid training or sign up for live, one on one coaching via Skype. www.balancegym.com The Be.come Project This all-levels friendly, body-neutral workout comes with the motto that ensures participants will be “working out because we love our bodies, not because we hate them.” This program has always been digital and your first 10 days are free – all you need is a mat, a phone or computer, and 25 minutes. www.thebecomeproject.com Boombox Boxing No bag or equipment is required to get the most out of this creative, high energy boxing workout. The studio published a weekly schedule on Instagram, and everyone is welcome to tune in via Instagram Live. www.boombox-boxing.com Epic Yoga DC This yoga studio has taken its regular offerings and transformed them for fully digital consumption. Registrations are done as most yoga studios follow, through a membership, a class pack or a one time drop in, and classes cover things like movement and meditation, yogalates, and vinyasa. www.epicyogadc.com

PLAY

GREEN DRAG: HOW ECO-FRIENDLY PRACTICES

CREATE INCLUSION AND ACCEPTANCE WORDS BY M.K. KOSZYCKI | PHOTOS BY CASSIDY DUHON To those only marginally familiar with the art form, the word “drag” may evoke imagery associated with RuPaul’s Drag Race, a boozy brunch downtown with queens serenading revelers, or elaborate makeup and masterfully applied wigs. While all represent components of drag, there is much more to it, including outlets for even more creativity, accessibility and connection within queer communities and the outdoors. Photographer Cassidy DuHon is behind the Instagram account @dragofthewoods, and a quick scroll gives you a sense of something bigger than “traditional” drag. The bio states that DuHon is “capturing the beauty of the drag we find and make in nature.” Here, you’ll find photos of people of all shapes, sizes, colors and ages expressing themselves through drag, whatever that means to them. The simple, the horrifying, the glamorous, the elaborate – all captured with nature in the background. “I like seeing drag queens outside their natural habitat of cities,” DuHon explains. “There’s such a contrast between people doing what are often these very contrived, artificial looks in a good way, in a natural setting. It also gives people more of a sense of peace and non-urgency in all of it, where there’s time to climb a tree and let the dress drape down. It makes for a more relaxed feeling.” There’s a deeply palpable appreciation for both his subjects and the environment in how they are captured in all of DuHon’s photos. Many of them are taken at an event called Leaning Into Sissy Affirmation (LISA). DuHon founded LISA in the tradition

of the Radical Faerie movement, a loosely formed group of queer people who, starting in the ‘70s, aimed to get back to nature and connect with one another through large gatherings in the woods. Although LISA is invite-only, the event is accepting and affirming of all queer identities. “Everyone that’s wanted to come has been invited to,” he says. “We’re trying to keep it outside of a ticketed, commercialized thing. I want people to come there with a sense of intentionality. I think that is important, since queer spaces have become more blended into mixed spaces. Even the spaces that are queer, it’s in a more mainstream way. I have a belief that a little bit of queer separateness sometimes yields a different form of creativity.” One such person leaning into this creative space is Chris Pugliese, whose drag name is Necro Nancy. If the name is any indication, it’s not the glitz of typical drag. Pugliese’s style is glamorous, fantastical and a little disturbing. He cites auteur director and proprietor of all things magically disturbing, David Lynch, as an influence, along with many movies in the classic horror canon. “There are many queens who can do pretty, and they should, and that works for them,” Pugliese says. “I’m always looking for something you don’t see, whether it’s through using unconventional materials or visually. My goal in my looks is to make you not want to look at me. I feel like a successful look is when you can’t look at me for a long period of time, and it sends shivers down your spine.” DISTRICT FRAY | 67

PLAY

Another hallmark of Pugliese’s work – and many others who attend LISA – is the sustainability of it all. Many queens who participate in these events get creative with their supplies, often crafting looks from recycled materials, thrift store purchases or repainted items. One of Pugliese’s creations includes a dress and headpiece handcrafted from iconic red-and-white “thank you” bags, rounded out by grotesque makeup and a horrifying but confident expression on his face and in his pose. “A lot of practices drag queens are doing are actually pretty damn green,” Pugliese says of this approach. “You see queens on RuPaul’s Drag Race hiring designers to make completely new things that have never been seen before. For the majority of drag queens, inclusive of myself, there’s no budget for that. What a lot of people do is the second principal of the three Rs: reduce, reuse, recycle.” This creative repurposing has another great benefit: using recycled materials, thrifting and the like is generally less expensive than always buying brand new materials and costumes, therefore reducing the financial barrier of entry for queer people who want to participate in drag. “We are actively trying to encourage people to use old shit or make things from reclaimed materials, and people do a really good job of that,” DuHon says. “I say that not even so much to be environmentally friendly – that matters, too – but also because there are people that avoid all of the drag arts because they have this belief that it’s going to be expensive and people will judge them.” In an environment that actively asks you to think outside your usual perceptions, the natural side effects are more inclusivity and an extension of the reverence this community has for the way nature allows them to celebrate drag and queerness. Follow @dragofthewoods on Instagram and keep up with DuHon and Pugliese via @duhonphotography and @ginpluscoffee, respectively. 68 | APRIL 2020

Reiki by Sandrika

Distance Crystal Reiki to soothe your Anxiety and Stress Special Deal $20 for 20 minutes. ReikibySandrika

reikibysandrika@gmail.com

FUN CROSSWORD BY KELSEY COCHRAN

Another word for cash

10.

A park popular for running trails and picnic areas (two words)

12.

Green electric scooters

13.

The 42-acre area home to Nats Park, Bluejacket and the Trapeze School (two words)

17.

Bans on this are increasing

18.

Glass building housing plants (two words)

19.

Birdwatching is popular at this Virginia park (two words)

20.

Park and aquatic gardens

22.

Spark ___, save the planet

23.

The flowers of a tree

25.

An outdoor experience, journey or activity

28.

Produced using solar panels, wind turbines, and hydro and geothermal power (two words)

12 13

16 17

ACROSS Cherry blossom season

3 4

Birds are singing, flowers are blooming and everyone is itching to go outside and enjoy the weather. Has spring finally sprung? District Fray has put together this crossword puzzle to celebrate all things spring, green and lush in D.C. 2.

18 19 20 21

27 28

34 35 36 37 38

42 43

46 47 48

Check www.districtfray.com for the answer key.

31.

A D.C. original createyour-own salad joint (two words)

DOWN

33.

Fly this on the National Mall

Celebrates eco films and documentaries

26.

Also known as creative reuse

35.

Best place for airplane watching (two words)

Plants, animals, landscape of the earth

27.

River separating D.C. and Virginia

Government agency that enforces, permits and monitors

Park with longest cascading fountain in North America (two words)

29.

Cleanest type of renewable energy

30.

Do this with glass, plastic and cardboard

32.

Celebrates activism, education and legalization of substance (acronym)

35.

Celebrates the art of transforming oneself into another person, but outdoors (two words)

36.

Prince George’s County suburb at the end of two Metro lines

38.

Free-to-visit D.C. landmarks

41.

“Here comes the __”

44.

A water-facing area

45.

Park once home to earthen fort built to protect the nation’s capital during the Civil War

46.

A great way to get to work and reduce carbon footprint

47.

Nickname for marijuana

48.

Nonprofit focused on healthy food systems (two words)

49.

Seven-acre-square named after French aristocrat

Do this for fun, to transport or work out

Grassy area to view D.C. monuments

Bike, run or hike on these

11.

Shop specializing in succulents and other plants (two words)

14.

The official flower of D.C. (two words)

15.

Cultivate the City and Little Wild Things promote these green spaces (two words)

37.

Often purchased at farmers markets

39.

Island where local bluegrass festival is held

16.

The accepted botanical genus named for the plant we know by other slang

40.

Park that houses the National Zoo

21.

What’s usually in full “swing” by spring

42.

Blades cut by blades

24.

Place to buy fruits, veggies and homemade goods

43.

Popular spring and summer wine

DISTRICT FRAY | 69

ILLUSTRATION BY E$. Follow E$ on Instagram @theedollarsign.

FUN

IN OTHER WORDS

E$ ERIC DOLGAS

ILLUSTRATOR, PAINTER + VISUAL ARTIST

Eric Dolgas definitely has a style, or better yet, a freestyle. The gowith-the flow illustrator, painter and visual artist better known as E$ produces a distinct feel and flavor with every piece he touches, whether it be a personal project or a full-blown mural. While social distancing in his home during the DMV’s stay-at-home order, we caught up with Dolgas about his work, self-quarantine and a bunch of other things, rapid-fire style. District Fray: Since Covid-19 essentially shut down the city, what have you been doing in social isolation? How is it affecting your art? Eric Dolgas: I’ve been binging art a little bit. I’m working on a painting for the [District Fray] launch party, and I have a couple other collaborations that I’ve been working on. I went to my art store, and bought every art supply I would need for the next two months. I’ve been going on an art binge ever since. What’s your relationship with plants? I do not have a green thumb. I tried to grow a few bonsai trees from an Urban Outfitters DIY box. They ended up being duds. E$. Photo courtesy of subject.

WORDS BY TRENT JOHNSON

You did an illustration revolving around cannabis for our issue on page 70. What’s your relationship to cannabis in D.C. as a consumer, activist, etc.? I have always been a huge proponent of the legalization of marijuana and it’s very important to my art. What are some of your favorite things to do outdoors around the D.C. area? Are there any places in nature that inspire your illustrations? I have a little tree park next to my house in Fairfax if I want to clear my head and sit in nature. There’s also a running trail between my house and my parents’ house, and all you hear is nature sounds. What put you on the map as an artist? I do a lot of commissions. A lot of people end up finding me because I did a commercial for VICELAND, and I did a music video with Action Bronson.

DISTRICT FRAY | 71

IN OTHER WORDS

First thought that comes to mind when you hear D.C.? Georgetown University, where I went to school. Favorite place to draw in the city? Home studio is where I’m comfortable. I don’t do a lot of outsidethe-house drawing. When your friends come to D.C., where do you take them? To see a show at Songbyrd [Music House and Record Cafe], 9:30 Club or the Fillmore. Try to catch a game at Capital One Arena, whether it be Wizards, Georgetown or the Capitals. Go to the Hirshhorn, which is my favorite museum in the city. What aspect of D.C. is underrated? I think the art scene, really. I introduce so many people to different art shows. There are a lot of super talented people in the city. Overrated? My gut is just to say the monuments, but I grew up here, so you kind of take them for granted. What shows are you binging right now? I just finished Tiger King, which is crazy. I’m looking forward to Ozark, my favorite show on Netflix other than Narcos. Do you have any goto movies? Interstellar, The Shawshank Redemption and Pineapple Express. What about the outside world do you miss most? I miss the gym the most. It’s kind of unique because it’s a tennis club and it’s never crowded. I’ve been working out there since 2004. I’ve seen employees grow up there. Least? Traffic. Go-to snack at home? Goldfish. I can crush a bag in one sitting. Best career advice you’ve gotten? [No Kings Collective’s] Peter Chang one time sat me down and explained scoping out murals and getting supplies, and all along I’ve been trying to get in the mural game. He schooled me to the game. What kind of work would you do for free? When my friends have babies, I typically do a nursery painting in the room. Favorite aspect of your job? I hate monotony. I’ve always been a freestyle artist, ad lib off the page. I just think [you should] find your own style and have everything be fresh. Least favorite? When I have a project I can’t get emotionally attached to. Which living person do you most look up to? My dad. He’s always been my hero. What is your most treasured possession? When I was in college, I painted a box of blunts. I used to have it on the wall at my parents’ house, but now I have it. What is the silliest thing you own? I have this little toy gun, and when you press the trigger, you get an electric jolt. People still pick it up and pull the trigger, and their reaction is priceless. What are you hoping to accomplish in the District this year? I have a couple small murals at Exiles Bar and Songbyrd. [I’m] hoping to extend to murals this year and get into [mural battle] Secret Walls. For more information about Dolgas and his works of art, visit www.EMoneyOriginals.com. Follow him on Instagram @theedollarsign. 72 | APRIL 2020

E$’s box of blunts painting. Artwork courtesy of subject.

2020 U.S. CENSUS GET COUNTED NOW.

@DCCensus #GetCountedDC

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District Fray Magazine // April 2020

Articles inside

In Other Words // E$

PLAY // Green Drag

PLAY // Inside Jobs

LIFE // Neighborhood Newness

LIFE // Stand with Small Businesses

LIFE // D.C. Continues Green Streak with Help from Local Orgs

LIFE // Plants: The Powerful Connector

CULTURE // Curiosity Fueled the Brain

CULTURE // Fade to Black

MUSIC // Forward & Backward at the Same Time

MUSIC // How the Team Behind Some of D.C.'s Most Beloved Venues is Getting Through Covid-19

DRINK // Refreshed and Relaxed

EAT // A Champion in Chaos

EAT // Restaurant Relief

EAT // Urban Gardens Feeding Families and Growing Communities in D.C.

RADAR // Stir-Crazy

LIFE // Cannabis Culture is Changing in D.C.

EAT // Arcadia Adapts to the New Normal

Music // Soulful Musician Cheakaity Brown Just Keeps On Plugging

RADAR // Up-And-Comers

RADAR // Homespun

MUSIC // Embracing All Forms of Artistry

RADAR // District Denizens