Washington City Paper (March 13, 2015)

CITYPAPER Washington

Politics: Postelection fundraising 7

Free Volume 35, no. 11 WashingtonCityPaPer.Com marCh 13–19, 2015

Unhappy with traditional public education, African-American parents take schooling into their own hands. 14

By Jonetta Rose BaRRas • PhotogRaPhs By DaRRow MontgoMeRy

food: afghans return to their roots 23

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INSIDE

#WineFling

14 the school house

Unhappy with traditional public education, AfricanAmerican parents take schooling into their own hands.

By jonetta rose Barras PhotograPhs By darrow montgomery

4 chatter District line

7 Loose Lips: The money never stops in D.C. politics.

9 City Desk: What to rename after Marion Barry?

10 Housing Complex: D.C.’s missed housing opportunity 12 Gear Prudence 13 Savage Love 20 Buy D.C.

D.c. FeeD

23 Young & Hungry: Don’t tell local Afghan restaurateurs you can never go home again.

26 Sauce-O-Meter 26 Are You Gonna Eat That?

La Poutina at Taco Bamba 26 Underserved: On a Bearskin Rug at Bar Charley

arts

31 Fame Changer: The National Gallery finally gives one Renaissance painter his due 34 Arts Desk: The movie theaters, they are a changin’ 34 One Track Mind: Raheem DeVaughn’s ode to womankind 36 Theater: Lapin on Bigger Than You, Bigger Than Me 38 Film: Olszewski on The Mind of Mark DeFriest and Merchants of Doubt 40 Speed Reads: Kiviat on Doctor Dread’s The Half That’s Never Been Told

city list

43 City Lights: Eugenia León pays tribute to Spanishlanguage singers 43 Music 48 Theater 50 Film

March 23 - 29, 2015 SIP INTO SPRING DC Uncork, unwind and enjoy special spring wine pairings, tastings and flights at participating DC area restaurants during the 2015 Spring Wine Fling.

52 showtimes 54 classiFieDs

Participating Restaurants

Diversions

2941 Restaurant, Falls Church, VA

51 Crossword 55 Dirt Farm

on the cover

Photograph by Darrow Montgomery Pictured: Renée Flood-Wright and LaMont Wright with their children RaSeph and Sia Li

Aggio, Washington, DC Beacon Bar and Grill, Washington, DC Boss Shepard’s, Washington, DC Café Soleil, Washington, DC Central Michel Richard, Washington, DC The Grill Room, Washington, DC The Heights, Washington, DC Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab, Washington, DC i Ricchi Ristorante, Washington, DC Ici Urban Bistro, Washington, DC

“”

won’t somebody think of the rich people?

—page 7

M Street Bar & Grill, Washington, DC Mourayo, Washington, DC MXDC, Washington, DC Occidental Grill & Seafood, Washington, DC Ovvio Osteria, Merrifield, VA Pinea, Washington, DC Pizza Vinoteca, Arlington, VA Ruth’s Chris Steak House Connecticut Ave., Washington, DC Ruth’s Chris Steak House Convention Center, Washington, DC Slate Wine Bar and Bistro, Washington, DC Smith & Wollensky Restaurant, Washington, DC Wildfire, McLean, VA PRESENTED BY

LEARN MORE ONLINE AT RAMW.ORG

washingtoncitypaper.com march 13, 2015 3

CHATTER

in which readers discuss wage theft and bro bar death

Labor Pains

From the parking lot of the Rhode Island avenue home depot to the cover of Washington City Paper: Mike Paarlberg’s story on the margins of the D.C. labor market (“Workers’ Fights,” March 6) introduced readers to low-wage workers regularly exploited by employers and the groups working to help them. @ jlupf tried to put the piece in perspective for the more fortunate Washington worker: “If your worst problem w/ DC is that you had to intern for 6 mos, see @mpaarlberg’s @wcp piece on the DC labor market.” @TulaConnell had a similar thought: “Next time you see day laborers in a parking lot waiting for work, think of this.”

After complimenting Paarlberg on the piece, Daniel Buck questioned via Twitter whether the shady contractors in the piece could be publicly shamed: “I wonder if the names of offending contractors, e.g., based on complaints filed or adjudicated, could be posted publicly, like restaurant health violations, so that consumers would know who not to hire.” The lone negative comment came from dead labor organizer Samuel Gompers (or some person using his name to leave online comments): “If labor laws are so much better in El Salvador and everywhere else, how come workers will try anything to get into the United States?” Really makes you think.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18 AT 6:00 PM

Rest In Fleece. Naturally, commenters were more in-

Eastern Market North Hall 225 7th Street Southeast

$45 Prices will increase Washingtoncitypaper.com/events

clined to discuss the death of D.C.’s bro bars instead of unfair and illegal labor practices. City Paper intern and Georgetown junior James Constant bravely infiltrated the youth drinking scene to find out where local college kids are DFMO-ing (look it up) now that McFadden’s and Rhino Bar are gone.

“Try Rhino,” @Sammysams15 helpfully said.

“This is good service journalism about which bars to avoid, cleverly disguised as service journalism for college kids,” tweeted Mother Jones’ Tim Murphy. art wrote: “Brohibition? DFMOs? Fratty, hard-partying GW set? I could tell this was written by a college student!!! [Ed. note: Well done.] Too bad Georgetown zoned itself out and only tourists and 50 year olds are trying to socalled party there. Does Jack Evans do Sex on the Beach shots?” @GoldbergLawDC singled out Georgetown’s new on-campus pub: “Georgetown U is smartly loosening its alcohol policies, to push drinking back onto campus, where it’s safer for all.”

Clearly concerned, FluxGirl commented, “Go back to the dorm and study!! And stay off my lawn!” while Ward 4 D.C. Council candidate Acqunetta Anderson advised students looking for a place to drink to “visit the library to prepare for your future.” Jim_ Ed1 offered hope to the sober GW and Georgetown students: “Eh, something will pop up eventually to fill the void. When I was in school 10 years ago our haunts were Porters, My Brothers Place, and Lulus, all of which went to that sticky floored resting place in the sky. So long as there’s a market of 20 year olds looking to volume drink cheap hooch, someone will figure out a way to make money off of it.” Politico’s Kendall Breitman accused Constant of not being hip to the scene: “Shocked that this article is written by a fellow ~*~millennial~*~ ...seems strangely out of touch w DC bar scene.” Constant plans to respond by doing a keg stand while wearing a base—Sarah Anne Hughes ball cap backwards.

Want to see your name in bold on this page? Jump into the comments at washingtoncitypaper.com. Or send letters, gripes, clarification, or praise to mail@washingtoncitypaper.com.

PuBLISHER: Amy Austin EDIToR: mike mAdden MAnAGInG EDIToRS: emily q. hAzzArd, sArAh Anne hughes ARTS EDIToR: christinA cAuterucci FooD EDIToR: jessicA sidmAn CITy LIGHTS EDIToR: cAroline jones STAFF wRITERS: will sommer, AAron wiener STAFF PHoToGRAPHER: dArrow montgomery ConTRIBuTInG wRITERS: john Anderson, mArtin Austermuhle, jonettA rose BArrAs, ericA Bruce, sophiA Bushong, kriston cApps, jeffry cudlin, sAdie dingfelder, mAtt dunn, sArAh godfrey, trey grAhAm, louis jAcoBson, steve kiviAt, chris klimek, ryAn little, christine mAcdonAld, dAve mckennA, BoB mondello, mArcus j. moore, justin moyer, triciA olszewski, mike pAArlBerg, tim regAn, reBeccA j. ritzel, Ally schweitzer, tAmmy tuck, joe wArminsky, michAel j. west, BrAndon wu InTERnS: jAmes constAnt, morgAn hines onLInE DEvELoPER: zAch rAusnitz DIGITAL SALES MAnAGER: sArA dick BuSInESS DEvELoPMEnT ASSoCIATE: kevin provAnce SALES MAnAGER: nicholAs diBlAsio SEnIoR ACCounT ExECuTIvES: melAnie BABB, joe hickling, AliciA merritt ACCounT ExECuTIvES: lindsAy BowermAn, chelseA estes, mArk kulkosky MARKETInG AnD PRoMoTIonS MAnAGER: stephen BAll SALES EvEnTS MAnAGER: heAther mcAndrews SALES AnD MARKETInG ASSoCIATE: chloe fedynA CREATIvE DIRECToR: jAndos rothstein ART DIRECToR: lAuren heneghAn CREATIvE SERvICES MAnAGER: BrAndon yAtes GRAPHIC DESIGnER: lisA deloAch oPERATIonS DIRECToR: jeff Boswell SEnIoR AD CooRDInAToR: jAne mArtinAche DIGITAL AD oPS SPECIALIST: lori holtz InFoRMATIon TECHnoLoGy DIRECToR: jim gumm SouTHCoMM: CHIEF ExECuTIvE oFFICER: chris ferrell InTERIM CHIEF FInAnCIAL oFFICER: glynn riddle ConTRoLLER: todd pAtton CHIEF MARKETInG oFFICER: susAn torregrossA CREATIvE DIRECToR: heAther pierce DIRECToR oF ConTEnT/onLInE DEvELoPMEnT: pAtrick rAins CHIEF TECHnoLoGy oFFICER: mAtt locke CHIEF oPERATIon oFFICER/GRouP PuBLISHER: eric norwood DIRECToR oF DIGITAL SALES AnD MARKETInG: dAvid wAlker LoCAL ADvERTISInG: wAshington city pAper, (202) 332-2100, Ads@wAshingtoncitypAper.com voL. 35, no. 11, MARCH 13-19 2015 wAshington city pAper is puBlished every week And is locAted At 1400 eye st. nw, suite 900, wAshington, d.c. 20005. cAlendAr suBmissions Are welcomed; they must Be received 10 dAys Before puBlicAtion. u.s. suBscriptions Are AvAilABle for $250 per yeAr. issue will Arrive severAl dAys After puBlicAtion. BAck issues of the pAst five weeks Are AvAilABle At the office for $1 ($5 for older issues).

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DISTRICTLINE

No plea deal for MarioN C. Barry

washingtoncitypaper.com/go/barryplea

Loose Lips

Checkbooks and Balances The campaign’s over, but Karl Racine and Muriel Bowser are still taking money.

Won’t somebody think of the rich people?

The lobbyists, contractors, and developers who make up the District’s donor class spent last year opening their checkbooks for D.C. Council, mayor, and attorney general candidates. They didn’t just have to max out to mayoral frontrunners like Muriel Bowser and Vince Gray, either. Any savvy donor reserved at least a couple grand for vanity hopefuls like Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans or At-Large Councilmember Vincent Orange. Then they had to pitch in for the rare competitive mayoral general election.

For the District’s heavyweight bundlers, being hit up for maximum contributions didn’t even stop after November’s general elections. There was an inaugural ball to fund (LL’s favorite: a $1,320 in-kind donation from Moet Hennessy). Plus, thanks to a new wave of Bowser-endorsed candidates in the Ward 4 and Ward 8 special elections, donors have another reason to lighten their bank accounts (and ingratiate themselves with the new mayor along the way).

Some donors can’t even stop giving to campaigns that were supposed to have ended months ago, because Bowser and Attorney General Karl Racine are still taking checks. Since winning in November, both have kept on raising money for their otherwise long-finished campaigns. In Racine’s case, the money could eventually make its way into his own bank account.

That’s because the District’s first elected attorney general has a major creditor: himself. Racine also owes $7,385 to Apollo Political, the consulting firm that helped him win an abbreviated race against four other candidates. That debt is down from $34,770.30 following some post-election payments, but even then, Racine’s biggest

Darrow Montgomery

By Will Sommer

Loan Ranger: Karl Racine is still fundraising to pay off his campaign debts. creditor was still Karl Racine.

During the race, Racine, a former managing partner at white-shoe law firm Venable LLP, dipped into his personal fortune to loan himself $226,000. Office of the At-

torney General spokesman Ted Gest tells LL that Racine’s fundraising is aimed at settling his campaign debts. So far, Racine’s campaign hasn’t paid him back any money yet, but he did make a $27,385.30 payment

to his political consultants.

Racine isn’t alone. Bowser won the general election with a hefty cash advantage over rival David Catania, and her campaign doesn’t list any debts on its Office

washingtoncitypaper.com march 13, 2015 7

DISTRICTLINE of Campaign Finance reports. But that didn’t stop her from bringing in $5,700 since the race ended, from usual suspects donors like Banneker Ventures, a prominent local developer and ally of Bowser mentor Adrian Fenty.

A person familiar with Bowser’s campaign operations says Bowser hasn’t done any fundraising herself, while her staff is only collecting on contributions that had been promised before the campaign ended. Bowser, who was a relatively lowpaid (at least compared to a high-power lawyer) member of the Council before becoming mayor, didn’t loan her campaign money, so none of what she’s raising will go back to herself.

The Wilson Building crowd knows the benefits of the always-open campaign bank account. As of Jan. 31, Orange had four accounts open from previous runs, going back as far as his disastrous 2006 mayoral bid. Keeping the accounts open allowed Orange to slowly pay back his

campaign’s debts to himself (currently at $162,500), which meant that donors eager to have a councilmember on their side had a chance to essentially fill Orange’s personal bank account.

According to the latest campaign finance reports, Orange’s campaigns haven’t paid him anything or raised money lately. But by 2013, Orange had taken in $5,000 in loan repayments from his unsuccessful 2010 bid for chairman.

What Orange did is legal, according to the Office of Campaign Finance. But that might be the problem! If you’re a city contractor looking to get in good with a councilmember—a type of character that the ongoing federal investigation into Gray and fundraiser Jeff Thompson shows the District doesn’t lack for—there are worse ways to butter up your target than effectively making a direct deposit in their bank account.

Like Orange, Racine’s contribution aren’t coming from the civic-minded double-dig-

8 march 13, 2015 washingtoncitypaper.com

it individual donors that campaigns like to trumpet. Instead, they’re coming from the corporations and people in the District who have an interest in helping a “candidate” long after they’ve taken office.

In December, Racine got $1,500 from a PAC controlled by Reed Smith, the law firm affiliated with prominent Wilson Building lawyer A. Scott Bolden. WalMart gave $1,000, while Capital One gave $1,500. Employees from Carefirst BlueCross kicked in $1,100, and a lawyer for AT&T gave $500.

The business of each of those donors, whose money could head to Racine’s bank account, has a chance of ending up in front of the attorney general. Wal-Mart found itself at the center of one of the District’s biggest political fights of 2013, while insurance regulators have pressured Carefirst to empty its sizable reserves.

So far, Racine has scrupulously recused himself from potential conflicts of interests. With Venable representing Chicago-

based utility Exelon in its attempted takeover of District power company Pepco, Racine handed the legal issues associated with the merger off to a deputy, according to Gest.

But how many things can he recuse himself from? Asked about how Racine will handle contributors to his effort to pay off his campaign loans, Gest says Racine will “take appropriate action” to avoid a conflict of interest.

Last month, Racine introduced Chief Deputy AG Natalie Ludaway to the Council by noting that ditching her private law firm for the government amounted to a significant pay cut. Racine took a similar hit when he left Venable for the District government, but so far, there are a lot of people who seem to be willing to help him CP make that difference up.

Got a tip for LL? Send suggestions to lips@ washingtoncitypaper.com. Or call (202) 6506925.

DISTRICTLINE City Desk

Tomorrow’s history today: This was the week the bread got better at the P Street Whole Foods.

Barry Me Standing

Mayor Muriel Bowser recently announced the formation of a committee tasked with figuring out the best way(s) to honor Mayor-forLife Marion Barry—most likely, renaming streets, buildings, or infrastructural projects after him, although the possibilities here are truly limitless. We’ve compiled reader suggestions, petitions, and ideas emailed to the Council to form a master list of Barry in memoriam —Emily Q. Hazzard suggestions. Let’s weigh the options.

Grand Gesture: suGGested By: Pro:

Con:

Rename the Department of Employment Services’ building.

Email to the mayor’s office

Barry’s Summer Youth Employment Program is a well-liked part of his legacy.

The least-controversial choice, which kind of makes it the leastBarry choice. Meh.

Name the new D.C. United stadium

City Paper commenter LJnDC

Anything sounds better than Buzzard Point

This is where Barry was caught with drugs, which forced him out of the 2002 Council race.

A Change. org petition

A major city People will still call the thoroughfare and the neighborhood “H Street,” site of neighborhood so this seems tepid. transformation?

Sure!

Rename H Street NW/NE and Benning Road

Rename the 14th Commenter Street Bridge SPGorman

Rename UDC the “Marion S. Barry Jr. University of the District of Columbia” Erect a statue

“Guarantees no one can EVER forget him,” correctly notes SPGorman

“I reGret that I have But one run to GIve for my Country.”

—peter Ufland, a sledding enthusiast, scofflaw, and patriot who joined District residents last Thursday in defying a congressional ban on sledding activities on Capitol Hill. Around two dozen children and their parents showed up to take illicit downhill rides on what we really, really hope will be the last snow day of the year. Read more at washingtoncitypaper. com/go/rebelsledders

Guarantees his legacy involves fender benders, horrendous traffic

A joint Vincent Barry had a ton of Orangedegrees, so a school Jack Evans would be fitting.

Council bill

A school named for Barry is a running gag in Jon Lovitz’s High School High.

Email to the The Barrys really mayor’s office love being seen on horseback.

This would push Barrysastride-horses to the level of meme. Barrys needs no more meme-ificiation.

Rename the Gallery Commenter “He made the deal Isn’t this the Metro stop to Place-Chinatown PowerBoater69 with [Abe] Pollin that visit if you want to get your Metro station transformed that phone stolen by teenagers? part of the city.”

Rename the Wilson Building

Commenter KEEP IT 100

This is where he was shot (and lived)!

This is where he was shot.

3100 BLOCK OF mT. pLEasanT sTrEET nW, marCH 5. BY DarrOW mOnTGOmErY washingtoncitypaper.com march 13, 2015 9

DISTRICTLINE

$27 million:

Cost of operating H Street NE streetcar this fiscal year

Housing Complex

Use It or Lose It

A law that gives D.C. the right to buy and preserve affordable apartment buildings has never been funded. city government. “We were in that mode: How can we look at new tools In February 2008, Marion Barry, for the preservation of housing?” then the chairman of the D.C .

The law didn’t come with a dedCouncil Committee on Housicated funding source, but in the ing and Urban Affairs, introduced boom times that still lingered as a bill to help preserve affordable Barry started drafting the legislahousing in the District. If a proption in 2007, that wasn’t much of erty owner was going to sell an a concern. “The idea was to get it apartment building that was home passed, and then try to look at the to low-income residents and put budget from there and try to move affordable housing at risk, the some funding,” says the staffer. legislation stipulated, the District Then the housing market crashed, would have the chance to step in and with it the economy. The Housand buy it in order to keep those ing Production Trust Fund, which apartments affordable. uses fees from property transactions “If we are serious about preservto finance affordable housing proing our affordable housing stock duction and preservation, dried up, we must take an active and aggresas did the budget surplus. “We had to sive role in doing so,” Barry said deal with the reality,” says the staffin introducing the measure. The er. “So we didn’t really push it much bill, known as the District Opporto try to find new money.” tunity to Purchase Act, or DOPA, Since then, however, the picpassed the Council unanimously six ture has changed. With real estate months later and became law that changing hands for record pricChristmas Eve. es, the Council approved a $79.3 DOPA was intended as a commillion commitment to the Trust panion to the 1980 Tenant OpporFund for the current fiscal year. tunity to Purchase Act, or TOPA, The city ran a $204 million budget which gives tenants the first right surplus last year. And as housing to buy their building before it options for low-income residents can be sold or demolished. Since the continue to shrink, the need for end of the recession, with housing more affordable-housing preservacosts shooting up across the city, tion is acute.

TOPA has been used time and Yet the Department of Housing again to allow low- and middleand Community Development still income tenants to remain in place. hasn’t issued the regulations governAccording to a September 2013 ing DOPA—not a legal prerequisite re port from the D.C . Fiscal Rope-a-DOPA: The law was designed to protect affordability at large complexes like Marbury Plaza. for DOPA to apply, but a necessary Policy Institute, a city loan profirst step before DHCD can begin gram to help low- and middle-income DOPA has never been used. In fact, even as ply of affordable housing. “As we got our feet invoking it. Nor has the city identified a fundtenants buy their buildings under TOPA D.C.’s stock of affordable housing continues wet, a lot of the comments from the advocacy ing source for the program. helped preserve nearly 1,400 affordable to disappear, the city has never even issued the community had been that we’d focused a lot on According to DHCD spokesman Marhousing units in the past decade—a regulations that would govern its usage. production of housing, but what about pres- cus Williams, the agency is “actively figure that represents just a fraction of Barry, who died in November, had taken ervation?” recalls a former housing committee working on DOPA regulations” that will overall TOPA transactions. over the housing committee in 2007 with an staffer who worked on DOPA but asked to re- allow the city to begin preserving affordBut more than six years after it became law, eye toward preserving the city’s vanishing sup- main anonymous due to ongoing work with the able housing under the law.

Photographs by Darrow Montgomery

By Aaron Wiener

10 march 13, 2015 washingtoncitypaper.com

Marbury Plaza.

During the recession and the immediate aftermath, DOPA was largely forgotten because the city simply lacked the funds to use it, says Steve Glaude, executive director of the Coalition for Nonprofit Housing and Economic Development and previously director of Community Affairs under former Mayor Vince Gray. “I can honestly say, in my previous position, a lot of community interest group stuff came my way,” he recalls. “The DOPA regulations never did.”

Now, housing advocates are beginning to recognize the opportunities they’ve missed.

Last week, a working group of the DC Preservation Network, consisting of leaders on housing policy across the nonprofit, legal, and government sectors, released a comprehensive strategy for preserving affordable rental housing. Among its core recommendations was to set aside funding for DOPA, and to “issue regulations for DOPA without further delay.”

The report highlights the case of Elsinore Courtyards, a 13-building apartment complex in Marshall Heights whose residents couldn’t make more than half the area median income under a federal tax-credit deal. The project fell into default in 2010, and was sold at auction in 2012 without any affordability requirements.

Properties like these—large complexes east of the Anacostia River—are precisely the ones DOPA was meant to protect. “I don’t think we ever thought this would be a solution for every building,” the former committee staffer says.

“But let’s say we had one of the few real real large buildings that still exist in [wards] 7 and 8 that the city had an interest in preserving.

Instead of going through court battles, why not use a tool that’s available to preserve affordable housing?”

As an example, the staffer cites Marbury Plaza, a 672-apartment complex on Good Hope Road SE where tenants went on strike against poor housing conditions. At a complex that big, not only does the loss of lowincome housing put a substantial dent in the overall affordable housing stock, but it can also be harder for tenants to muster the organization and resources to purchase the property under TOPA. Under DOPA, tenants would still retain the right of first refusal on a property. But the law would be a valuable tool “where there is a compelling public interest to preserve the afford-

ability but the tenants for one reason or another don’t do it,” says Joel Cohn, legislative director at the Office of the Tenant Advocate.

Tenants invoking their right to buy their buildings don’t generally buy the property themselves. Instead, they can assign the purchase rights to a developer of their choosing, in exchange for guarantees of preserved affordability and renovations. DOPA would work the same way, with the District more likely to hand properties off to developers who will keep the units affordable than to hold onto them itself. (Properties are eligible for DOPA only if at least onefourth of the units are affordable to households earning under half of area median income, and the District is obligated to maintain that affordability.)

But in other ways, DOPA falls short. TOPA is triggered if a property is being sold or demolished, or if the rental housing there is discontinued. The DOPA law, however, covers only the sale of a building. That appears to run counter to the Council’s intent; the housing committee report before its passage stated that “the Mayor’s opportunity to purchase the housing accommodation shall be in the same manner and with the same definitions, rights, and timeframes as the opportunity of tenants and tenant organizations.”

The committee staffer says the omission was “probably just an oversight.”

It’s an oversight that could have consequences, if the city ever funds and issues the regulations for DOPA. A building like the Museum Square Apartments in Mount Vernon Triangle, where the owner told tenants last year they’d have to pay $250 million under TOPA to prevent the building from being demolished, would appear to be a prime candidate for DOPA if the city’s challenge to that exorbitant price tag is successful. After all, its 302 households all qualify for subsidy vouchers under the federal Section 8 program.

But the language of DOPA, unless amended, wouldn’t cover the building because it’s being demolished, not sold.

Anita Bonds, who chairs the Council’s housing committee now, was not available for an interview but says in a statement, “DOPA was raised at our committee’s performance oversight hearing on Feb. 26, and we are waiting for the Department of Housing and Community Development to get back to us on how the law has been implemented, if ever.”

If and when it’s finally implemented, advocates say DOPA could have a major impact on the city’s supply of affordable housing, particularly with the District’s coffers much fuller than when it became law. “Given the crunch on affordable housing and the likelihood that we’re going to have a healthy stream of funding, having that additional tool will be nice,” says Glaude. “I see a time down the road when DOPA is going to save a lot of CP affordable units.”

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Got a real-estate tip? Send suggestions to housingcomplex@washingtoncitypaper.com. Or call (202) 650-6928. washingtoncitypaper.com march 13, 2015 11

Adopt a friend today!

Gear Prudence: I want to bike with my dog, but I don’t know where to start. Any advice?

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Breed: Coonhound Color: White - With Red, Golden, Orange Or Chestnut Age: Adult Size: Large 61-100 lbs (28-45 kg) Sex: Male Jasper’s’ Info..

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I am already neutered, purebred, up to date with shots, good with kids, and good with dogs.

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Dear FIDO: You can bike with your dog pretty much the same ways people bike with children: a handlebar-mounted seat/ basket up front, a covered pull-trailer in the back, or a specialized leash contraption running alongside. (Note: Gear Prudence does not endorse the leashing of children, nor would child welfare agencies. So in this regard, biking with your dog does differ from biking with children.) The front-basket approach is best for small pets under 25 pounds; if your dog is larger than that, look for a trailer. GP is wary of the leash method, as the potential seems high for things to go badly on narrow trails and busy streets.

Dog-specific bike baskets and trailers come at various prices, so shop around. Fit and comfort matter, as does your dog’s safety (which is paramount, really). There’s also the possibility that your dog really won’t enjoy bicycling with you, so be aware of this before spending a ton of money. It might just be best to leave the pup and home and focus on biking back —GP your dog’s favorite treats instead.

Gear Prudence: I was riding to work the other morning behind a bicyclist whose bike didn’t have fenders. He rode through every single puddle and the spray kept splashing me. It sort of seemed like he was doing it on purpose. At a red light, I politely asked if he could try avoid riding through more puddles, and he laughed at me. Was my request really that wrong?

Shouldn’t bicyclists not try to splash others?

—A Likely Lout; Why Even Try? Dear ALLWET: Road spray and paranoia: two great tastes that go great together. While bicyclists should not deliberately ride through puddles with the intent of getting others wet (and while riding without fenders is, itself, a generally dubious proposition in wet conditions), it’s highly unlikely that purposeful cruelty and a desire to see you begrimed compelled his actions. And even if this bicyclist was actually trying to ride through puddles, you’re not exactly helpless in the situation, either. Pass him, or drop farther back. Your bike commute isn’t a log flume, and you’re not required to remain in the splash zone.

There’s also no reason to impinge upon a fellow bike commuter with an odd request that he ride a different way unless it really endan—GP gers (and not just annoys) you.

Gear Prudence is Brian McEntee, who blogs at talesfromthesharrows.blogspot.com and tweets at @sharrowsdc. Got a question about bicycling? Email gearprudence@washcp.com.

SAVAGELOVE When I was 15, I had a three-month-long sexual relationship with a 32-year-old woman. She was a friend of the family, and my parents were going through a divorce. I stayed with her for the summer, and she initiated a sexual relationship. Looking back, I can see that she had been grooming me. We used to have conversations online and via e-mail that were very inappropriate considering our age difference. The relationship ended when I went home, but she remained flirty. As a 15-year-old, I had a hard time sorting out my feelings for her, but we remained in contact. Now we speak sporadically, and it’s usually just small talk. Soon after, I met a girl my own age and we started dating. Twenty years later, we are happily married and have two wonderful children. Our sex life is active and fulfilling. The only problem is my wife is very proud of the fact that we were each other’s “first and only” sex partners. When we first slept together at 16, I couldn’t admit that she wasn’t my first, and I didn’t want to get the older woman in trouble. I don’t want to hurt my wife by revealing the truth. Can I keep this secret to myself? —This Revelation Undermines Total Harmony Like you, TRUTH, I lost my virginity to an older woman at age 15. My first was closer to me in age (20s, not 30s) than your first—the woman who preyed on you—and I never felt like she took advantage of me. If anything, I was taking advantage of her, as our sexual relationship helped me sort out my shit. (I could get through sex with a girl, yes, but I had to think about guys the whole time. I resolved to cut out the middlewoman and have sex with guys instead.) Over the years, well-meaning people have tried to convince me that I was damaged by this experience, but I never felt that way.

Based on your letter, TRUTH, it doesn’t sound like you were damaged or traumatized by this relationship. You quickly figured out that what she had done to/with you was squicky and inappropriate; the fact that she didn’t leave you damaged or traumatized doesn’t make what she did okay. But it sounds like your only issue—it’s the only issue you raise—is whether you can continue to allow your wife to think she was your “first and only.”

You can.

Unless you need to unburden yourself to the wife for your own sanity, TRUTH, or you think there’s a chance she could discover the truth on her own, don’t let one marital ideal—you should be able to tell each other everything—obscure an equally important if less obviously virtuous marital ideal: You don’t have to tell each other everything.

Protecting your spouse from the truth, allowing your spouse to have their illusions, is often the more loving choice. While there are deceptions that aren’t okay—crushing

student-loan debt, a second family hidden in another city, you are Dinesh D’Souza— some deceptions are harmless. Allowing your wife to continue to believe that she was your “first and only” falls squarely into the —Dan harmless camp.

I’m a 30-year-old gay man engaged to my partner of four years. During a conversation about faithfulness, I let slip to my dad that we are monogamish. He immediately went into a screed about the affair my mother had and how being open means I’m setting myself up for hurt. He suggested he couldn’t support the marriage unless we were monogamous. He’s coming from a place of love, but I need advice on how to let him see that marriage doesn’t always equal monogamy.

—Stressed Ontarian Now

I could get through sex with a girl, yes, but I had to think about guys the whole time.

You could point out to your dad that monogamy didn’t protect him from hurt—Mom cheated on Dad, Dad got hurt—and then quickly add that being monogamish doesn’t make you immune to hurt. If your partner were to violate the terms of your monogamish relationship, then you could get hurt, SON, just like Dad got hurt when Mom violated the terms of their monogamous relationship. Or you could tell your dad what he wants to hear—you’ve decided to be monogamous—and run him on a need-to-know basis. And unless you and your husband-tobe want to formally bring a boyfriend into your relationship at some point—including your boyfriend at the holidays, bringing him along on family trips, etc.—Dad doesn’t need to know that you’re having three-ways, joining sex clubs, or tag-teaming twunks at the —Dan Folsom Street Fair.

My boyfriend and I have been together for three

years. I grew up in Hawaii and currently reside on the mainland. My parents love my boyfriend, and we try to visit their home in Hawaii once a year. Until recently, they were caring for my uncle, but he died last year. I told my mom that we were coming to visit, and she was elated. However, when I asked if we could stay in the newly spare bedroom, she said “no” and cited her religious beliefs. We weren’t raised in a religious household, but my mom has become more “Christ-y” since I left. When I ask why she would treat me differently than her other two heterosexual kids, who ARE allowed to stay in the spare bedroom with their partners, she just says that those are “her rules.” I told her that as long as she discriminates against us based on our “chosen lifestyle” (her words), then she can’t expect a visit from us. Am I being unreasonable? —Vexed In Seeking Island Time

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Nope. As an adult, your only leverage over your parents is your presence, VISIT. Tell your mom that if she can’t treat you with respect, then she has no one to blame but her—Dan self for your absence.

I’m a 30-year-old straight guy, married to a 38-year-old woman. When we were dating, we had an amazing sex life, but over the last eight years, we’ve averaged once or twice a year. I don’t pressure her or make her feel bad, I tell her how attracted to her I am, I’ve asked about her interests and her pleasure, etc., but all I ever get in return is “I’m overweight, I’m depressed, I don’t know why my sex drive is low.”

She’s seen doctors but ignores their advice, and tells me she feels bad for me but there’s nothing she can do. We haven’t had sex for more than a year. I’m a good-looking guy who spent most of his 20s in a sexless marriage. The usual advice is to do more of the housework and take care of the kid, but I do most of that already while working full-time. I’m at my wit’s end. I feel depressed, angry, and beyond frustrated. I don’t know how to deal with this. —Boy Lacks Ultimate Erotic Balance As Life Lacks Sex Yours is one of those cases where doing the “wrong” thing (staying in the marriage and getting sex elsewhere) may be preferable to doing the “right” thing (divorcing your depressed wife, traumatizing your poor kid, starting over again on Tinder). If you want to be honest with the wife, BLUEBALLS, tell her that you can accept a sexless marriage but you won’t accept a sexless life. The upside for her: You’re not going to leave her, and she’s no l onger under any pressure to put out. With any luck, your wife will be relieved, and you can transition to a functional, happy, com—Dan panionate marriage.

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washingtoncitypaper.com march 13, 2015 13

Sia Li and RaSeph Wright with their mother RenĂŠe Flood-Wright

14 march 13, 2015 washingtoncitypaper.com

The living and dining rooms inside Monica Utsey’s unit in the Fort Chaplin Park Apartments on East Capitol Street aren’t marked by the typical 21st century interior decor. Instead, packed bookcases stand in one section. Colorful pocket folders hung vertically from a wall are filled with workbooks. Educational posters dot one space, while an erasable chalk-board is mounted in another. A small student-style desk, anchoring a corner, holds pens and markers. Next to it, a larger table that also serves as the gathering place for family meals is decorated with a spiral flip book, turned to a quote by famed abolitionist and former D.C. Recorder of Deeds Frederick Douglass. The place is a virtual school house.

Utsey is one of thousands of African Americans nationwide, many of them middle-class, who are homeschooling their children and persuading other families to join in a growing movement. They see their actions as a strong defense against what they consider an inadequate and increasingly hostile system of public education. For them, homeschooling also is a viable tool for constructing in their children a positive self-confidence and uncompromising appreciation for black history and culture.

“I did not want my children to receive an education that excluded their historical contributions, resulting in low self-esteem,” explains Utsey, who began her homeschooling journey reluctantly. “I also did not want my oldest son to associate being smart with being a nerd.”

She was an editor with an online magazine, imagining herself with a career as some New York writer, perhaps with Essence. Then, she became pregnant in 1999; when that first child turned 3 years old, she says she decided to enroll him in a language immersion program. She toured several public and private schools, including the Washington International School and the Rock Creek International School.

“My husband [Eric] vetoed nearly every school I visited because of lack of diversity. He kept saying, ‘You have a [college] degree, why can’t you teach him,’” says Utsey, who has a degree in journalism from Howard University.

After attending a homeschooling workshop sponsored by the Black Alliance for Educational Options, she immediately saw it as a possible solution to her dilemma. “As years went on, I became more planted in the home school community. It became more of a lifestyle,” she says. Her sons are now 15 and 8 years old, and she’s been teaching them at home for a decade.

Talk to other African-American homeschoolers around D.C., and you hear similar stories.

“When we made the decision to blaze this trail, there was no turning back,” says Renée Flood-Wright, a visual artist who lives with her husband, LaMont Wright, 11-year-old daughter, and 13-year-old son in Columbia Heights.

Their apartment is filled with learning materials, and an entire wall has been converted into a chalkboard.

Initially, Flood-Wright and her husband enrolled their son in the Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom Public Charter School.

Later, they put their daughter in Bancroft Elementary, a nearby D.C. public school. FloodWright felt staff at both institutions were insensitive to African-American children: “I was feeling like we have only one shot at getting this right.”

Former senior U.S. Department of State staffer Kyna Clemons and her husband, George, who live a few minutes from National Harbor in Prince George’s County, had their youngest children in private school. But as the size of the family grew—ultimately to seven children—“tuition became too expensive,” putting them on the home school path. “I was loving my career. I was working for the State Department and had a real high-powered job, travel all over Europe,” Clemons says. “My [supervisors] agreed to let me work from

home. I did that for about two years.”

Eventually, Clemons had to decide between the job and the education of her children. “My husband and I took a leap of faith, and I resigned [from work] to homeschool our children full time,” she continues. “It’s just a beautiful thing to be able to teach your children. There is nothing that has brought me more enjoyment than getting on my knees and digging for worms.”

Brian Ray, founder and director of the National Home Education Research Institute, estimates 2.4 million children in grades K-12 nationwide are being homeschooled. Of that total, he says, 200,000 are African Americans.

In the Washington metro region, all three jurisdictions require homeschooling parents to provide annual notification to their state or local education departments. In the 2012-13 school year, Virginia had 34,668 homeschoolers, including those with religious exemptions, according to the Virginia Department of Education. The most recent numbers listed on the Maryland State Department of Education website were for 2006-07; then, there were 24,277 home school students. A call to the office for more recent data was not returned by the time this story was published.

In 2008, the first year the D.C. Office of the State Superintendent of Education began tracking homeschoolers, there were 198 students being taught in non-public education or private settings. Now, there are 330, according to OSSE. None of the jurisdictions collect data by race, however.

But in a city that still has a black plurality, bordered by the nation’s wealthiest majority black county, homeschooling cooperatives offer a hint of African-American involvement.

For example, Sankofa Homeschool Community, launched by Utsey “principally for African Americans, biracial, and other ‘people of color,’” boasts a regional membership of 300 families. Pier Penic’s Culture at Home group has nearly 500 member families. Clemons re-

washingtoncitypaper.com march 13, 2015 15

Pier Penic cently established Ujima: Children of the Sun Homeschool Mpotam with 10 families and 30 children.

“At least once a week, I get a call from someone who wants to home school,” says Utsey.

“There is definitely an upward trend,” says OSSE spokesman Briant Coleman.

In the popular imagination of most Americans, homeschooling conjures images of white religious families, determined to protect their children from society’s sinful and ungodly ways. That picture doesn’t convey many of the reasons parents make such a choice. African Americans are homeschooling for some of the same reasons as their white counterparts, says Ray, who just completed a study, “African American Homeschool Parents’ Motivations for Homeschooling and their Black children’s Academic Achievement.” He found six primary motivations, including the “desire to develop strong family relationships, customize the education of each child,” and “provide moral instruction.”

“People can question what the movement is doing, but about 99 percent of African Americans rotting in prison are people who are the product of public schools,” asserts Penic, who of the people I spoke with is, perhaps, the most bullish on home schooling. She was enrolled in public schools in Boston during that city’s intense racial desegregation battles in the 1970s. Things were so bad, she says, her father refused to send her to school because of busing and worries about her safety. Officials threatened to throw him in jail if he continued violating anti-truancy laws. Adamant about not subjecting his children to the violence that permeated desegregation, he told authorities he’d be willing to go. Instead, he sent Penic to a Connecticut

boarding school. She never regained a trust of public schools—anywhere.

“Private schools also aren’t preparing [black children],” says Penic, whose homeschooled daughter is currently enrolled at Trinity. Those results quieted some friends and members of her family who initially were critical of her decision not to send her children to a traditional school. “They changed their tunes.”

The trend toward homeschooling isn’t that surprising, given rising negative reports and perceptions about the country’s public education system. African Americans, especially, have not fared well. Test scores for those in urban centers have been among the lowest reported by the U.S. Department of Education; independent reports have documented alarming rates of expulsion of black boys, in particular. Historic numbers of schools in urban centers, including in the District, have been closed, leading to allegations of discrimination against low-income and working-class blacks. Then there are questions about the curriculum: Some critics argue that the standard material doesn’t invite any appreciation of black history and culture. “[African Americans’] culture is not honored and bonding is not even a consideration,” education advocate Jawanza Kunjufu wrote in a 2013 essay in the Atlanta Voice.

“They are given low expectations which helps to explain how students can be promoted from one grade to another without mastery of content.”

Ray says hostility toward black males repeatedly pops up in his research around why an increasing number of African Americans are choosing to home school. In 2010, the Schott Foundation for Public Education

16 march 13, 2015 washingtoncitypaper.com

asserted that “in the majority of U.S. states, districts, communities, and schools, the conditions necessary for black males to systemically succeed in education do not exist… In fact, the data indicates that most systems contribute to the conditions in which black males have nearly as great a chance of being incarcerated as graduating.”

Flood-Wright recounts an episodes in her children’s lives that sealed her determination to home school. Her son seemed to be having a “wonderful” time in kindergarten at Stokes PCS. “Then first grade came along and an inexperienced [teacher]” seemed unable to manage the classroom and certainly was uncomfortable with the energy level of FloodWright’s son.

“There were these silly punitive things. He kept being sent to the dean’s office.

“The way they are teaching in these schools, every black boy will be in special education,” she adds.

OSSE reported that in the 2012-13 school year, 10,000 out of 80,000 students had been suspended at least once. The charter school suspension rate was more than 72 percent higher than that of DCPS. The OSSE report also found that black students were more than six times as likely to be suspended or expelled than their white counterparts.

Incredibly, 180 of those suspended or expelled were 3- and 4-year olds. The D.C. Council’s Committee on Education led by atlarge member David Grosso approved legislation in March that would curb such action.

Utsey frequently hears African-American parents’ frustrations about the public education system. She recalls receiving a telephone call from one mother who was considering homeschooling as an option after repeated struggles with administrators at a charter school. They were complaining that her son was misbehaving and engaged in one problem after another.

“But when I met him, I couldn’t believe he was the same person they had described,” Utsey says. “Sometimes, some children need something different than what is being offered.”

Says Penic: “People are developing a distrust for school system. Based on that distrust, more are coming to the conclusion they need to have choice.”

In the 1970s, during the height of the Black Power movement, many African Americans held the same view of un-inviting public schools. They subsequently opened independent, African-centered schools or appealed to the government for community schools, largely operated by parents and neighborhood leaders. The District had an array of such institutions, including Watoto Shule, Ujamaa Shule, and Roots, which remain in operation—although the later has morphed into a charter school.

Those schools began to fade a decade ago, however, with the introduction and rapid spread of charter schools, even if it was Congress—not local officials—that initially pushed them on the city. The independently operated but publicly funded institutions were considered promising by many African-American,

middle-class parents. They perceived the traditional schools as wholly dysfunctional; there was constant in-fighting between members of the Board of Education. Additionally, there was a dearth of high-quality instructors and administrators in many schools in black neighborhoods. The absence of a rigorous curriculum exacerbated matters, causing consternation over whether African-American children, as adults, would be able to compete in a global market. In other words, the problems that had sparked creation of those alternative black schools remained.

Now, after two decades of charters, a poxon-all-of-them attitude may be developing among homeschoolers. According to some reports, including a study by Stanford University’s Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO), some District charters don’t perform much better than traditional schools, prompting some of the dissatisfaction.

Does the rise of middle-class black homeschoolers suggest the love affair with charters is dying? Some blacks I spoke with say yes, and predict more families will escape to their living and dining rooms to teach their children, particularly if a newly proposed student assignment system keeps them out of the higher-performing middle and high schools. Mayor Muriel Bowser recently provided a reprieve for some students who would have been denied entry to the popular Alice Deal Middle School and Wilson High School in upper Northwest and Eastern High School in Kingman Park. But those tweaks affect only a small number of people overall.

Homeschooling, says Penic, is “another way of exercising choice for [the] advancement of our children.”

Today’s homeschooling is not your grandmother’s homeschooling. It isn’t even a version of those 1970s Afro-centric schools. The families teaching their own children are using concepts like unschooling, a cacophony of programs like Classic Conversations, and a vast instructional network that utilizes cooperatives and the Internet.

“It’s becoming more a business. Families like ours can’t afford it. We’re losing the parent role as the instructor,” laments Clemons (although clearly with the creation of her own cooperative, she has made the adjustment). “[D.C.] is one of the best cities to homeschool in,” says Flood-Wright. “I live on 16th Street, so I don’t even have to take my car. I can just hop on the bus and go to the library, to the [National] Mall, to any of the museums.”

Flood-Wright says she has made believers of those who initially questioned her decision; her children have excelled. For example, during the past two years, her son has worked with Meridian Hill Pictures, making documentaries.

“Last fall, he was one of the youngest people invited to a film summit at the White House,” she says. “He met [First Lady] Michelle Obama. My relatives brag about what my children are doing.”

In his study, Ray found black homeschooled students “performed as well or better than

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the national average of public school students of all races/ethnicities, while Black students in public schools scored, in general, far below average.”

Penic has developed a partnership with several Smithsonian museums, including The National Museum of African Art. She also works with The Intel Computer Clubhouse at Gum Springs in Alexandria.

She recently held her weekly meeting of The American Girl Book Club, which has become part of the D.C. homeschool network, at the National Portrait Gallery. Her elementary-age charges convened for a discussion of one of the heroines under the glass canopy, amid the trees and ground-level water fountain of the Robert and Arlene Kogod Courtyard, before being set loose in a directed treasure hunt to other parts of the facility. On a different day, another group of Penic’s students will gather for her class entitled “Creative Writing Unbound: Conversations in the Art World—Realism, Naturalism, Modernism.”

“I am a fan of the classics. I have created a lot of my own curriculum and put together classes,” says Penic, who has a master’s degree in English literature. Her classes sometimes are attended by white children, but she says she’s made clear to their parents that she cannot adjust her African-centered focus. “Just in case there is any confusion about what I do, I tell them we’re going to talk about slavery; we’re not going to change that. We aren’t going to stop going to the Anacostia Community Museum.”

Penic also has served somewhat as a guidance counselor for many home-schooled children entering college. In the process, she has found more and more universities are eagerly accepting students who have been educated by their parents. She ticks off a list of such schools that home-schooled students attend, including Princeton, Harvard, Dartmouth, and Morehouse.

“I am an unschooler at heart,” says Clemons. “I use textbooks as resources, but I follow my child’s interest.” Until recently, she embraced “Classic Conversations,” a program that offers classes once a week and then requires parents to reinforce the lesson the other four days. The instructional vantage point is often from European history and culture, says Clemons. “One day it hit me that we weren’t teaching our children our history and who they were as African children.”

Not everyone is enamored with an Africancentric or Afro-centric educational approach, however. There is the view that it is far too limiting and only hinders African-American students’ capacity to effectively compete.

Earlier this year, there was a dust up at the Howard University-run middle school when three instructors were fired, allegedly for placing too much emphasis on black history. Parents asserted that a new principal banned lessons about the African-American holiday Kwanzaa and former D.C. Mayor Marion Barry. Students staged a protest, demanding the instructors be reinstated. That has yet to happen.

Monica Utsey and her son Ayinde The strong emphasis on African-centered education doesn’t mean excluding other lessons, says Utsey: “Of course, the goal is to teach critical skill sets.”

What’s more, she says homeschoolers “teach to mastery.” They also don’t give grades as traditional schools do. Consequently, “there’s no pressure to finish [a course of study] at a certain time.”

“If a child has to work at a lower level, there is no ridicule,” says Utsey, describing the instructional approaches she’s embraced, from un-schooling to “Classical Conversations.” She says she’s used curriculum developed by African-American education experts and has enrolled her children in live Web-based classes.

Holding down a part-time job running a literacy program at a local Boys & Girls Club sometimes has meant she’s had to rely on the network of other homeschoolers, especially after her husband died in 2013. For example, when her son, a chess player, wanted to attend a national competition in Atlanta, a father of one of the homeschoolers in her co-op who was also planning to attend volunteered to chaperone Utsey’s child. That was a good thing: He placed third in his 300-member division.

Utsey says next year she expects to enroll her son, who will be 16, in a couple of classes at the University of the District of Columbia Community College. “I would like for him to graduate high school and have an associate’s degree by the time he is 18,” she says. “Then he can go onto to a full-time college program.”

In June, she will attend the Home Educa-

18 march 13, 2015 washingtoncitypaper.com

tors Association of Virginia’s conference; she has gone each year for the past five. She and others I spoke with say interacting with that group, whose sizable membership is mostly white and religious, has been crucial to their own development.

“When I first started going, there were not a lot of African Americans,” Utsey says. “It had a strong Christian [tone], but that didn’t bother me. They didn’t make anyone feel unwanted. They were home-schoolers like me.

“The workshops were great. That’s like our teacher training,” adds Utsey.

Penic expects to lead two workshops at the Organization of Virginia Homeschoolers conference. One will focus on navigating homeschoolers through the college admissions process. The other will deal with homeschooling teens through high school.

“It’s a myth that you have to be well-educated,” says Utsey. “Once you’re connected with a community that’s active, you’re pretty much at home stretch.”

The job does have its challenges, however.

All homeschoolers have had to grapple with how to prevent their children from being isolated from the larger community of their peers without necessarily being captured by the negatives that may exist in such environments.

Flood-Wright enrolled her children in an after-care program at the popular Sitar Arts Center in Adams Morgan. Utsey tried to provide an opportunity for her son to actually play basketball on a school team in the District. “You can’t play on a high school team.

You can’t even petition to play.” Utsey says.

Seeking a solution she went to a private school in Maryland, which, she says, wanted “him to cut his [dreadlocks], if he wanted to play on the team.” Ultimately, he got to play with a Boys & Girls Club team on Benning Road NE. Then there’s the battle to keep the government at bay. Not unlike charter operators, homeschoolers believe fewer rules and regulations allow them to create an optimum learning environment for their children.

That isn’t always what educational authorities, charged with enforcing standards for all students, have in mind.

In the District, the Office of the State Superintendent sought in 2014 to establish regulations that would have made the state superintendent the “head homeschooler,” beginning in 2016. OSSE also established that a student had to earn 24 credits in order to receive a state-issued diploma. Those proposed rules created a huge uproar from homeschoolers—black and white.

Mike Donnelly, a Home School Legal Defense Association staff attorney, described the regulations in a report on homeschoolers as “a significant and unreasonable overreach of the state,” asserting they would require submission to a “cookie-cutter curriculum.”

“If D.C. wants to do this to their public schools that’s fine. But leave home schools alone,” he wrote.

OSSE spokesman Briant Coleman says the regulations were misinterpreted, but adds that the agency removed confusing examples to “make clear the State Superintendent was not intended to be the head of homeschooling in the District” and “parents’ autonomy has not changed.” A final version of the regulations has yet to be released.

That need for freedom has meant that homeschoolers don’t collect thousands of dollars in per-pupil spending like public and charter schools do. In the District last school year, charters received an estimated total of $600 million for students who attend those institutions. Technically, the money follows the child. So, if a student leaves a DCPS facility and enrolls in a charter, that charter would receive somewhere between $11,000 and $13,000 taxpayer dollars. Some private schools also receive public funds for District students, through a federally financed voucher or scholarship program.

Those programs were championed by Congress. But homeschoolers lack such support.

Ray of the National Home Education Research Institute estimates that homeschooling expenses represent “over $24 billion that American taxpayers do not have to spend, annually, since these children are not in public schools.”

“We don’t even get a tax credit,” says Utsey.

Even without the money, however, those I spoke with wouldn’t change their decision.

“We just accepted that our tax dollars would not be used for our purposes,” says Clemons. “[But] even if my kids had been given scholarships to the most prestigious school in Washington, D.C., I would still home school.

“I like taking responsibility for our chilCP dren’s education.”

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Over 300 attendees packed Southwest art gallery Blind Whino Thursday, Feb. 26, as Washington City Paper and Calvert Woodley hosted a night of vodka. Six of the city’s top mixolgists, each representing a different brand of vodka, wowed attendees with their hand-crafted cocktails featuring everything from dry ice to smoke.

Featured mixologists included Gypsy Soul’s Jo-Jo Valenzuela, Room 11’s Dan Searing, beverage consultant Giancarlo Cruz, and Dupont Circle’s Mari Vanna’s diverse portfolio of infused vodkas. Absolut Elyx’s McGarrit Franco won the heated competition for the evening’s best cocktail with his Garden of Sweden. As guests tasted the various expressions from each distillery, Spike’d Events provided an amazing display of pizza’s from We, The Pizza, and DJ Shea Van Horn provided the evening’s soundtrack with an upbeat blend of ’80s music.

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DCFEED

The Old Bay fried chicken dOughnut sandwich is coming to Falls Church. Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken will open a location there this summer. Read more at washingtoncitypaper.com/go/Astro.

YOUNG & HUNGRY

Afghan and Again Restaurateurs return to their Central Asian roots.

By Jessica Sidman

Darrow Montgomery

ting back to his Afghan roots. The Washington Post recently was the first member of his family to come to the United Local 16 owner Aman Ayoubi and his mom, Benazir reported that the Popal family, who owns French restaurants States. He first arrived in New York but soon came to D.C., Ayoubi, have been in the restaurant’s kitchen since 9 a.m., Café Bonaparte, Napoleon, and Malmaison, have decid- where he worked as a busboy at the Capital Hilton. Withpreparing dinner for a dozen family members and close friends ed to convert their Adams Morgan spot, Napoleon, into an in a dozen years, he worked his way up to the director of (plus one reporter). Rather than the U Street NW spot’s regu- Afghan restaurant. (They’re not sharing the name just yet.) food and beverage before moving on to a couple of other lar menu of pizzas, sandhotels and eventually openwiches, and chicken tening his own restaurants and ders, they’re cooking up nightclubs. Local 16 debuted Kabuli pulao, ashak, and in 2002. other Afghan specialties.

Likewise, restaurateurs Zubair and Shamim Popal The ashak—boiled and their three children left ravioli-like dumplings Kabul at the onset of the war filled with leek, spring in 1980. Zubair Popal worked onion, and cilantro— as director of sales for Interarrive on a big platter Continental Hotels, and so his topped with a bologfamily settled at the companese-like sauce made of ny’s hotels in the United Arab beef and lentils, a yoEmirates. “Our kids were very gurt sauce, and mint. little. My daughter was only 6 Kabuli pulao—fragrant months old,” Shamim Popal rice with raisins, carrecalls. “Without the famirots, and saffron—acly, it’s hard to raise three kids companies lamb. The without any help, but being in feast also includes a lena hotel, it was a blessing for us, til and bean soup with a comfortable life.” lamb, a spiced eggplant The family lived in Interwith yogurt, and baklaContinental hotels for eight va with a hint of lemon years, during which time and cardamom.

Shamim Popal joined weekly Ayoubi hasn’t been cooking classes hosted by one to Afghanistan in more of the hotel’s chef. That was than 30 years, but the her introduction to cooking. food has always been “We were not allowed to go in home to him. Now, he’s the kitchen in Afghanistan,” attempting to document she says, “because we had his mother’s recipes, cooks and they were always which have never been like, ‘Get out of the kitchen! written down, with the Home-Cooked: Aman Ayoubi (right) is documenting his mom Benazir’s (left) recipes and serving them at Local 16.

What are you doing here?’” hope of someday turnThe Popals eventually came to America and settled in Alexing them into a book. The meal is also a test run for a new Af- It’s set to open at the end of March, just after the Afghan new ghan menu that Ayoubi is officially introducing this week (in year Nowruz, which translates to “new day” and marks the andria. Their kids Omar, Mustafa, and Fatima went on to graduate from Georgetown University and George Washington addition to Local 16’s standard menu). If it’s successful, he’d beginning of spring.

University. Other family members had ended up in Germany, love to one day convert the entire restaurant to his native cuisine. “First we have to introduce it and educate people,” he Ayoubi fled Kabul, Afghanistan, in December 1979, two Holland, and France, so the Popals traveled to Europe every year days after the Soviets invaded and at the beginning of a and fell in love with charming cafes. Having grown up around the says. “Let them taste it. Let them make the decision.”

Coincidentally, Ayoubi isn’t the only local restaurateur get- nine-year war that displaced millions. At 19 years old, he hospitality industry, the siblings wanted to open a cafe washingtoncitypaper.com march 13, 2015 23

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of their own. In 2003, they opened Café Bonaparte in Georgetown with their parents’ backing. Five years later came Napoleon, and last year, Malmaison.

Initially, it didn’t occur to Shamim Popal to open an Afghan restaurant. The French restaurants were successful, she says, so they stuck with that. Popal didn’t even really know how to cook Afghan food until she came to America and her mother-in-law, who lived with them at the time, started teaching her. She then began regularly cooking it at home. “I didn’t want my kids to eat [outside] of the house because it was really not healthy food,” she says. “I even prepared food for their lunch boxes.”

Afghan cuisine is a blend of influences from many neighboring countries. Saffron from Iran, on Afghanistan’s western border, figures prominently, as do spices like coriander and turmeric, which are also ubiquitous in the curries of nearby India and Pakistan. Afghan food, though, isn’t very spicy. Grilled meats and rice dishes resemble what you’ll find throughout the Middle East, while yogurt brings to mind the Mediterranean. There’s even some influence from China—which shares a very small stretch of Aghanistan’s border—and Central Asian countries in the form of dumplings. In addition to ashak (the dumplings filled with leeks and green onions), another of Afghanistan’s most famous dishes is called mantu (in the same family as Turkish manti or Korean mandu). These dumplings are typically filled with lamb or beef and topped with a tomatolentil-meat sauce and a yogurt-based sauce.

“We love that dish so much my dog’s name is Mantu,” Ayoubi says.

The dish is one of about half a dozen Afghan staples Ayoubi is serving at Local 16.

He’s also using pizza ovens (rather than the traditional clay ovens) to prepare stuffed bread with pumpkin or leeks called bolani, which Ayoubi describes as “almost like a calzone.”

Even though there are certain signature dishes, recipes—passed down through generations—can be highly personal and individualized from family to family. “Some of my recipes are really secret recipes,” says Popal, demurring when I ask her to share what’s on her menu, which is still in development.

“If I go to my cousin’s home, she won’t cook the same way I cook, because the recipes are different... It’s the same thing with all the Afghan restaurants.” She’s personally writing the menu for the family’s new restaurant, which affords her some new liberties: “Every time [my kids] open a restaurant, I was involved in the kitchen, but I couldn’t say anything to the chefs because they’re chefs… It is exciting because I have the power of the kitchen.”

It wasn’t just her family that was keen on opening their own Afghan restaurant. Popal says it was the international crowd of diners at their French restaurants, too. “All the time we heard from customers: ‘When are you going to open that delicious Afghan food restaurant?’ Trust me, I heard it probably every week in the last 12 years,” she says. “Recently we were like, ‘You know, why not? Why can’t we change Napoleon?’”

Popal says the increasing competition, with the arrival of French restaurants Le Diplomate and Mintwood Place, wasn’t one of their motivations for the switch. But in D.C.’s growing foodie scene, diners are perhaps more enthusiastic than ever about lesser-known cuisines. (Just look at the hype around the city’s first Laotian restaurant, Thip Khao.) Of course, Afghan food is by no means new to D.C. Afghan Grill, for example, has resided in Woodley Park since 2001, and there are plenty of other destinations nearby. (Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s brother has owned an Afghan restaurant in Baltimore for years.) But the fact that two restaurateurs in prime District locations are converting their menus to Afghan food at the same time will no doubt give the cuisine more visibility.

Ayoubi says he’s wanted to do this for years. Local 16 has featured an Afghan dish or two on the menu in the past, but they were never really promoted. He’s also hosted Christmas parties with Afghan food and private Afghan-style lamb roasts on the roof.

“I was always saying that if I ever open one more restaurant, it will be an Afghan restaurant,” he says. Instead of putting lots of money into a new space, Ayoubi ultimately thought it best to introduce a menu at his existing restaurant.

And with his 72-year-old mother getting older, he wanted to make sure he wrote down the family recipes. “If nobody’s going to document it, then I’m afraid one day, they will forget about it,” he says.

Both Ayoubi and Popal say America’s military involvement in Afghanistan has helped bring attention, or at least curiosity, to the country’s food. “Now everybody knows about Afghanistan,” Ayoubi says. “Now everybody wants to know about the culture, what these people are eating.” Ayoubi believes Afghan food will catch on in America the same way Korean or Vietnamese food did after waves of immigrants from countries arrived after U.S. wars there. Not only are there now more Americans who’ve been to Afghanistan, there are also larger Afghan communities in Washington and elsewhere around the country, Ayoubi says. “And I think it’s going CP to get bigger and bigger.”

Eatery tips? Food pursuits? Send suggestions to hungry@washingtoncitypaper.com.

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DCFEED

what we ate last week:

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SAUCE-O-METER

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How the week’s food happenings measure up

MUMBO SAUCE

Underserved The best cocktail you’re not ordering

What: On a Bearskin Rug with cold-brewed coffee, cocoa nibs, ancho chili whipped cream, Averna, Mezcal, and Becherovka herbal liqueur

No pot clubs or marijuana edible sales for D.C.

Where: Bar Charley, 1825 18th St. NW

Four on-demand alcohol delivery services are now operating in D.C.

Freezing temperatures temporarily halted D.C.’s mussels supply.

Zero calorie soda in Champagne bottles at Whole Foods

Burger and pizza joint owner Spike Mendelsohn named chairman of D.C.’s Food Policy Council

Are you gonnA eAt that?

Price: $12 Bread Furst loaves coming to P Street Whole Foods

D.C.’s first cat cafe raises more than $15,000 within 24 hours.

The Dish: La Poutina Where to Get It: Taco Bamba, 2190 Pimmit Dr., Falls Church; (703) 639-0505; tacobambarestaurant.com Price: $4 each What It Is: A poutine taco. Chef-owner Victor Albisu starts with a base of seasoned fries topped with barbacoa jus, cotija cheese, and bacon crumbles. The meat and cheese get a spicy-citrus mayo, onions pickled with beet juice and red-wine vinegar, and a sprinkling of cilantro and pickled Fresno chile slices. It’s easily converted into a vegetarian taco by swapping in chipotlemushroom jus upon request.

What It Tastes Like: Most of the ingredients are pretty rich, but the pickled onions and chiles really cut into it, adding brightness and pop. The textures are what make this taco really special, though. You’re get-

26 march 13, 2015 washingtoncitypaper.com

This double patty burger with bacon and onion rings at Stanton & Greene

Legendary Chinese chef Peter Chang opens a restaurant in Arlington this weekend.

Bourbon experts are opening a distillery called Joseph A. Magnus & Co. in D.C.

ting a blend of creaminess, crunch, and softness with spice, which is what Albisu loves about it. None of the flavors really stand out on their own, and the end result is pretty damn tasty.

The Story: Albisu says he was inspired by a plate of poutine he ate in New York recently. Plus, he’s always trying to surprise diners with his taqueria’s “nuevo tacos.” To complement the more traditional offerings, he likes to offer “a revolving door of tacos that keep our customer base entertained.” (This one will be on the menu through spring.)

Not to mention the fact that its complexity and punchy flavors are in line with Albisu’s preference for aggressive flavors and layered textures—and his ability to go whole hog: “Once you’re eating a french fry taco, I think you’ve already decided to enjoy yourself, so why not make it spicy and load it up?”

—Rina Rapuano

What You Should Be Drinking Bar Charley is trying to make embarrassing cocktails from the ’90s cool again with its refined take on a chocolate martini. Except that On a Bearskin Rug doesn’t contain any actual chocolate beyond the cocoa nibs used as a garnish. Instead, the drink gets its deep flavor from coffee, mezcal, and an Italian amaro called Averna. Other oddball ingredients like Becherovka—a cinnamon-dominated herbal liqueur from the Czech Republic that Bar Manager Nick Nazdin fondly refers to as grown-up Goldschläger— also make it a tough sell, at least until someone breaks the seal. “Once one goes out, a bunch of people will order it because it looks really cool,” says Nazdin. “But unless that happens, we’ll go days without making one.”

They even tried changing the way the ingredients are listed and relieved the drink of its original name: OMG Chocolate Martini.

Why You Should be Drinking It On a Bearskin Rug is just sweet enough to play the role of a nightcap. In fact, it tastes like a gourmand got his hands on Starbuck’s Frappuccino recipe and tweaked it to be smoother and far more sophisticated.

Most importantly, that single ounce of coldbrewed java from local roaster Zeke’s Coffee provides just enough caffeine to keep you awake after a long night of drinking. The whipped cream amplified by ancho chile liqueur from Puebla, Mexico and a spritz of Fee Brothers Aztec Chocolate Bitters contributes a bedroom naughtiness feel to the drink, because every sip guarantees a little will be left behind on your lips. It’s quite possibly the best part of the cocktail because the chile liqueur lends a spicy earthiness. You’ll want to dribble a shot of it on ice cream ASAP, but if that’s not in the cards, you can just order round two of On a Bearskin Rug. —Laura Hayes

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2014-2015 season

NOW THRU MARCH 24 A three-week, multidisciplinary, international festival showcasing the many cultures of Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking peoples, and their impact around the world

STEVEN REINEKE Conductor

LEA SALONGA

HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE: PICASSO CERAMIST AND THE MEDITERRANEAN

Exclusive U.S. exhibition!

Now thru Mar. 22 | Atrium & Atrium Foyers

EUGENIA LEÓN (MEXICO)

Eugenia León y Las Voces de Mujeres, Voces del Pueblo

Mar. 14 & 15 | Eisenhower Theater

CARMEN SOUZA

(CAPE VERDE)

Live at Lagny Jazz Festival Tour

Mar. 17 & 18 | Terrace Theater

PIAZZOLOGÍA (ARGENTINA)

El Mundo de Piazzolla su Vida y su Obra (U.S. PREMIERE)

Mar. 20 & 21 | Eisenhower Theater

ORQUESTRA JOVEM DO ESTADO (BRAZIL) (U.S. DEBUT) WITH SOPRANO HAROLYN BLACKWELL

From Villa-Lobos to Tom Jobim: Symphonic Music From Brazil

Mar. 22 | Concert Hall

Vocals

LEA SALONGA, ERIC KUNZE , TERRENCE MANN, KATHY VOYTKO, MARIE ZAMORA UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND CONCERT CHOIR CHILDREN’S CHORUS OF WASHINGTON

Hits from Les Misérables, Miss Saigon, and more Boublil & Schönberg musicals!

March 27 & 28 | Concert Hall Additional support for the 2014-2015 NSO Pops Season is provided by The Honorable Barbara H. Franklin and Mr. Wallace Barnes.

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Plus, more dance, music, theater, literature panels, forums, installations, and culinary offerings.

IBERIAN SUITE: global arts remix is curated by Alicia Adams, Vice President of International Programming

Tickets on sale now!

(202) 467-4600 kennedy-center.org Tickets also available at the Box Office | Groups (202) 416-8400

For complete festival information, visit KENNEDY-CENTER.ORG/IBERIA IBERIAN SUITE: global arts remix Presented in cooperation with the governments of Portugal and Spain

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Presenting Underwriter HRH Foundation

(202) 467-4600 kennedy-center.org

Festival Benefactors include the Portuguese Secretary of State for Culture, Ambassador Elizabeth F. Bagley, Natalia and Carlos Bulgheroni, Amalia Perea Mahoney and William Mahoney, and David and Alice Rubenstein

Tickets also available at the Box Office | Groups (202) 416-8400

30 march 13, 2015 washingtoncitypaper.com

Major Sponsors include Arte Institute, Caixa Geral de Depósitos, Camões – Instituto da Cooperação e da Língua, EDP, Fundação Luso-Americana, Marca España, SPAIN arts & culture, ThinkFoodGroup, and Wines of Portugal

CPARTS

Local trio NATive DeeN on making music for Muslim youth and hip-hop’s historic ties to islam: washingtoncitypaper.com/go/nativedeen

Fame Changer How the National Gallery is finally giving one Renaissance painter his due

By John Anderson

Here’s a fun game: Ask your friends to name their favorite Renaissance painters. Friends without artistic backgrounds would probably list the names of Ninja Turtles. Some might include Sandro Botticelli, Durer, or Bosch. Artists may add Titian, Jan Van Eyck, Giotto, or Giovanni Bellini.

A name that would likely make none of those lists is Piero di Cosimo, currently the subject of a monographic retrospective at the National Gallery of Art. Considering that it’s been nearly 500 years since Piero died and 19 of his works reside in collections across North America, it might seem unlikely that this exhibition is his first-ever solo retrospective. But Piero lacks the household-name fame of his peers, and pulling off an exhibition of this nature is harder than it seems.

Piero was a 15th-century Florentine painter remembered, as in his brief biographical chapter in Giorgio Vasari’s The Lives of the Artists, as a madman who allegedly ate eggs like a voracious Cool Hand Luke. Despite Piero’s many surviving paintings, we know little about his personality, compared to his better-known contemporaries (like Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli, and Michelangelo). “There are all sorts of documents that detail where he lived,” says New York University’s Dennis Geronimus, a Piero scholar who curated the exhibition with NGA’s Gretchen A. Hirschauer. “Those are typically tax records.” Other documents might list his profession, which in three instances list him as a miniaturist. “In the 21st century, that means he illuminated manuscripts. And that fleshes him out as an artist,” Geronimus says.

“The current retrospective is long overdue,” says curator Theresa Papanikolas of the Honolulu Museum of Art. That museum’s Piero portrait, “St. John the Evangelist,” is one of 44 works assembled in the NGA exhibition, and like much of Piero’s work, it was once attributed to someone else. The painting, which depicts St. John blessing a chalice to exorcise its poison, represented by a curled and angry snake levitating from the cup, was thought to be the work of Leonardo. The softness of the evangelist’s flesh, the shift between dark and light painted values within the drapery, the snake’s life-like qualities, and the black background are reminiscent of Leonardo’s “Lady with an Ermine.” Other works were initially attributed to Luca Signorelli or Filippino Lippi.

At the NGA press preview, Hirschauer explained that Piero is a favorite among curators and scholars but little known by others. “[Piero] is not likely the household

name [in Boston],” remarked Frederick Ilchman, chair of European art at the city’s Museum of Fine Arts. The MFA’s Piero on loan to the exhibition is a small piece consisting of two angles. It’s a portion of a larger altarpiece that lives at the Yale University Art Gallery and is usually kept in storage, partly due to its fragility. Piero’s lack of mainstream street cred doesn’t dull Ilchman’s appreciation for the old master. “He was just a brilliant technician. His paintings illustrate subtle treatment of folds of cloth, how he depicted hair, and the softness of skin.”

Piero’s eccentric mythological scenes are particularly beguiling for art buffs. In his painting “Perseus Rescuing Andromeda,” Perseus “Madonna and Child with Saints Vincent Ferrer and Jerome” swoops in from the upper right and slays an by Piero di Cosimo (c. 1510-1515) imaginative-looking Leviathan in the center of the composition. In the lower left corner, people huddle private devotional, allegories, altarpieces,” says Hirschauer, on a beach, recoiling in fear from the monster; on the low- who first approached Geronimus about a Piero exhibition in er right, the same people rejoice with Perseus and the res- 2008. The NGA’s three works by Piero were part of a donacued Andromeda while two musicians play instruments that tion of 393 Renaissance masterpieces from Samuel H. Kress, do not exist in real life. The remaining foreground includes one of the museum’s nine founding benefactors.

Kress’ contributions weren’t limited to the National Galintricately detailed botanical elements, while the background shows the wash of several villagers hanging out to lery. “The Kress collection is a chunk of many collections dry. By contrast, “some of his religious paintings—nativities, throughout the country,” says Sarah Lees, a curator at the and paintings with the Madonna and child—are incred- Philbrook Museum of Art in Tulsa, Okla. “That’s how our ibly tender,” Ilchman says. “So he has a wide range with a Piero got here; it is one of the handful of great Italian Renaissance paintings in our collection.” Due to the Philtremendous facility.”

If Piero’s name sounds at all familiar, that’s likely due to brook’s considerably smaller collection, its visitors might be a small scandal at the New York Times last summer. In an an- more familiar with Piero—his paintings don’t get lost among nouncement about NGA’s Piero exhibition, columnist Carol scores of masterpieces as they do in D.C. Jon Seydl, a cuVogel lifted a passage from Wikipedia that summarized Vasa- rator at the Worcester Art Museum, says the same is true of ri’s entry on Piero’s peculiarities in The Lives of the Artists.

Worcester, Mass. “While it’s true that Piero di Cosimo is not Geronimus first encountered Piero’s work as a high school yet a household name, he is perhaps better known here in student wandering the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which Worcester than in most places,” he says. “Since the painthe considered a “second home.” On his frequent visits, he ing is so important for us, we worked with the National Galfound himself returning to two panels of satyrs and men lery on an exchange loan of their ‘Small Cowper Madonna’ burning the forest while hunting game. Years later, when it by Raphael.”

Age, fragility, and the difficulty of maneuvering paintcame time to pick a dissertation topic as a graduate student, Geronimus blurted Piero’s name out to his supervisor over a ings on wooden panel—which NGA conservator Elizaslice of pizza, and both realized the potential of the subject. beth Walmsley likened to “moving a piano”—are obvious “At that point, there may have been only three serious books reasons an institution might be reluctant to lend out 500on the artist, and Sharon Fermor’s was the only book writ- year-old works of art for an exhibition. But there are othten after 1970,” Geronimus says. His research brought him to er considerations at play, too. “In order to do an exhibition NGA in 2000, where he first met Hirschauer. on Renaissance art, you need a new context, new juxtapo“We have three paintings characteristic of [Piero’s] work: sitions,” Ilchman says. “You need to learn something new washingtoncitypaper.com march 13, 2015 31

CPARTS Continued

about them in order for everyone to fall into line.” The last monographic exhibition of Piero’s work was in 1938 in a commercial gallery in New York City, and consisted only of seven works (four purchased by Kress). Assembling 44 paintings, many the crown jewels of smaller institutions, allowed for plenty of novel perspectives and conclusions.

Any piece considered for loan to a museum has to undergo careful inspection by conservators to determine the work’s condition. For this exhibition, nine of 44 paintings underwent restoration, including “The Visitation with Saint Nicholas and Saint Anthony Abbot” from the NGA collection.

The painting, measuring more than 36 square feet, took senior conservator Michael Swicklik about a year to restore.

But one of the pieces on view at NGA is an even larger feat of restoration that’s still underway. Nicknamed “the Yale altarpiece,” “Madonna and Child with Saints Vincent Ferrer and Jerome” is only halfway done more than a year into its restoration; it was considerably damaged before it arrived at its home base, the Yale University Art Gallery. It is by far one of the roughest paintings in the Piero exhibition. Years of weathering and stress from moisture, heat, and cold have separated the seven boards that support the painting, creating distinct lines that rise vertically across the face of the composition. An earlier conservation effort completed before 1928 attempted to fill those seams with

an over-painting and fill the upper corners of the painting with an arch.

“The areas of original paint that [the conservator] has uncovered from below the thick repainting have proved to be in surprisingly good condition,” says Ian McClure, Yale’s chief conservator. The surface is pockmarked with scratches and chips, paint flecked away like scabs removed from the skin, but despite its rough appearance, the flesh on the face of the Virgin Mother appears almost porcelain, soft and delicate. A sash that drapes across a shoulder of the Virgin and into the hands of the Christ child still looks translucent.

During this exhibition, the Yale altarpiece is exhibited with two panels depicting angels hung above it, one from the MFA and one from a private collection. It’s a reunion of sorts, intending to piece together the parts of the full altarpiece as curators speculate Piero originally intended. There’s another reunion in the exhibition, too. Two panels depicting bacchanals—“The Discovery of Honey,” loaned from the Worcester Art Museum, and “The Misfortunes of Silenus,” loaned from Harvard University’s Fogg Museum—were once commissioned for a bedroom and haven’t been seen together since 1937. The exhibition also boasts several paintings of atypical form: a number of circular paintings, called tondos, and several long, thin panels called spalliera, which were once set into pieces of furniture. While other artists of the late 15th cen-

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tury would also have painted in such dimensions, to have as many by one artist in one place as the NGA show does is rare.

Another unusual piece: the Innocenti altarpiece, which has never left Florence since it was first painted more than 500 years ago. While curators note the monumental importance of the exhibition for Piero scholars, for the Innocenti Museum, it was also an issue of fortunate timing: Its facility is currently closed for renovation.

It is a simple task to marvel at the beauty of Piero’s paintings. With three of his pieces in its collection, NGA didn’t have to organize a monographic retrospective to get someone to appreciate him. But now, with 44 on view, the museum is more likely to draw the multitudes—and maybe to get Piero’s name to stick, as scholarship did for Botticelli in the early 20th century. Despite the many scholars and authors dedicated to studying Renaissance artworks, there are still artists from the period ripe for discovery (or rediscovery, as it were). It’s a bold reminder that sprinting through a landmark art museum to see that one important work isn’t always the right strategy. May this Piero exhibition convince viewers to skip the crowds and take their time on the other pictures on the walls. So often, the CP rediscovered masters are hiding in plain sight.

“Piero di Cosimo: The Poetry of Painting in Renaissance Florence” runs to May 3 at the National Gallery of Art.

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CPARTS Arts Desk

P.A. Palace, a longtime purveyor of go-go records in Maryland, closed its last store: washingtoncitypaper.com/go/papalace

One trAck MinD

Raheem DeVaughn

Love Sex Passion Standout Track: No. 4, “Queen,” a powerful tribute to women from D.C. R&B artist Raheem DeVaughn. The singer’s fifth album, Love Sex Passion, dropped with a plethora of bedroom anthems last month. But standing out among songs with suggestive titles like “Black Ice Cream,” “Miss Your Sex,” and “Strip” is the empowering “Queen,” where DeVaughn thanks women for their support and strength over subtle, piano-driven production from Chucky Thompson.

Musical Motivation: Fittingly, “Queen” was inspired by the Queen of Soul herself, Aretha Franklin. “She was a big fan of [my 2008 track] ‘Woman,’ and she asked if I could do something similar for her,” DeVaughn says.

After the legend fell ill, DeVaughn ended up re-recording the song as a challenge to himself.

“One day I was [listening to records] I had in the vault. That song came on, and I said I was going to try and do a male version of it just to see how it came out.” The end result? Something Franklin would certainly champion.

A Deeper Love: DeVaughn, the self-crowned “Love King,” is obsessed with affection—and it extends beyond physical love. “Queen” is about gratitude. “As far as calling myself the ‘Love King,’ it wasn’t to say I’m the king of the bedroom or anything like that,” DeVaughn says. “I can do a politically charged song or a record that’s made to make women feel beautiful. That’s the best kind of love.” In a music industry replete with songs that cast women in a negative light, DeVaughn maintains that showing respect and appreciation is crucial: “That’s using your gift for the greater good.”

—Julian Kimble Listen to “Queen” at washingtoncitypaper.com/ go/queen.

Movieng on

West End Cinema will close at the end of March, marking a significant loss for independent film fare in D.C. When it opened in 2010, most of the city’s theaters were big-box clones serving stale popcorn beneath whatever the major studios were pushing that week. West End owner Josh Levin claims that the theater couldn’t make ends meet in an industry landscape that includes new luxury theaters and popups, plus the on-demand lure of Netflix and other streaming services.

When West End packs up its projectors, where will you go? Here’s a look at some of West End’s old —Christina Cauterucci competitors and new additions to the D.C. cinema scene.

E StrEEt CinEma

Where: Metro Center Opened: January 2004 Film selection: Indie films you’ve actually heard of, docs, plus some weirder stuff Refreshments: Crab-covered pretzels ($7.50), espresso drinks and full bar Admission: $11.50 They say: “a sophisticated adultoriented atmosphere”

nEtflix

Where: Your couch Opened: Streaming began in 2007 Film selection: Every damn thing Refreshments: Leftovers, a six-pack, and whatever’s in the Sodastream Admission: $8.99 per month, standard membership They say: “You can pause, rewind, fast forward or re-watch as often as you like.

It’s really that easy!”

34 march 13, 2015 washingtoncitypaper.com

angElika PoP-UP

Where: Union Market Opened: June 2014 Film selection: Tiny indies, Oscar bait, and special events Refreshments: wine-and-snack pairings to share ($27), beers ($8-$12) Admission: $11 They say: A full “luxurious” Angelika Film Center is set to open at Union Market later this year.

arClight

Where: Bethesda Opened: October 2014 Film selection: Standard mainstream fare Refreshments: Prosciutto-wrapped dates ($8), lobster rolls ($15), “signature martinis” Admission: $13.75 They say: “We don’t just offer a movie; we offer a movie experience.”

iPiC

Where: North Bethesda Opened: October 2014 Film selection: Mainstream box-office hits Refreshments: Bison ribeye ($38), crabcakes ($18), whiskey cocktails ($13) Admission: $13 for standard seating, $22 for reclining chairs and seatside service They say: “sinfully decadent...you own the night”

SUnS CinEma

Where: Mount Pleasant Set to open: Summer 2015 Film selection: Vintage, international, and arthouse cuts Refreshments: The cinema plans to partner with local chefs and bartenders.

Projected admission: $5 They say: “We also plan to screen vintage television, animated shorts, and classic sportscasts.”

5 P.M. SALSA CLASS; 6 P.M. PERFORMANCE

22 SUN H Timba Street with

DC Casineros (U.S.) Timba Street sports a modern Cuban salsa-fusion of Son Montuno, Cuban Rumba, and Afro-Cuban rhythms. Leading this dance party is the worldrenowned DC Casineros. Free salsa class at 5 p.m.

IN THE TERRACE THEATER

23 MON H American Ballet Theatre at 75—A Documentary Film*

FREE PERFORMANCES 365 DAYS A YEAR EVERYDAY AT 6 P.M. H NO TICKETS REQUIRED *Unless noted otherwise

MARCH 15–31 IBERIAN SUITE: global arts remix Presented in cooperation with the governments of Portugal and Spain Presenting Underwriter HRH Foundation

15 SUN H Hiromi Suda (Japan)

The vocalist brings her singular and innovative sound in a performance of Brazilian music.

Presented with the support of the Embassy of Japan and the National Cherry Blossom Festival.

16 MON H The Gift (Portugal)

The acclaimed alternative rock band has performed with The Flaming Lips and at South by Southwest.

Presented in collaboration with Arte Institute.

17 TUE H Sofia Ribeiro and Luísa Sobral (Portugal/Colombia) Two of today’s top female Portuguese musicians perform a double bill.

Presented in collaboration with Arte Institute.

The Kennedy Center hosts the world premiere screening of Steeplechase Films’ feature-length documentary celebrating the rich history and legacy of America’s first ballet company. Directed by Ric Burns.

25 WED H Natalia Zukerman and The JT Project Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter/guitarist Zukerman teams up with the jazz/soul/R&B group for a night of jazz, soul, and great guitar.

Part of Songwriters: The Next Generation, presented by The ASCAP Foundation.

26 THU H Jameson Rogers and Sarah McDonald

Mississippi-based singer/songwriter Rogers and Brooklyn-based jazz composer, vocalist, and French hornist McDonald perform original works.

Part of Songwriters: The Next Generation, presented by The ASCAP Foundation.

IN THE FAMILY THEATER

27 FRI H Comedy at the Kennedy Center: Mike Lawrence*

This performance was made possible through the generous support of the World Bank Group.

28 SAT H Samuel Prather’s Groove Orchestra

The acclaimed fado singer merges cante alentejano with traditional fado, bossa nova, Brazilian popular music, and jazz.

Presented in collaboration with Arte Institute.

20 FRI H Rodrigo Leão (Portugal)

The multi-instrumentalist is a founding musician of the well-known Portuguese ensemble Madredeus.

Presented in collaboration with Arte Institute.

5 P.M. SAMBA CLASS; 6 P.M. PERFORMANCE

21 SAT H Brass Ensemble São Paulo (Brazil) The ensemble makes its U.S. debut with a program of South American rhythms including songs made famous by Carmen Miranda, popular songs from Carnaval, and more. Free samba class at 5 p.m.

Presented with the support of Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Governo do Estado de São Paulo, Consulado Geral dos Estados Unidos em São Paulo, Ministério da Cultura do Brasil, and Governo Federal do Brasil.

The Millennium Stage was created and underwritten by James A. Johnson and Maxine Isaacs to make the performing arts accessible to everyone in fulfillment of the Kennedy Center’s mission to its community and the nation.

Additional funding for the Millennium Stage is provided by The Isadore and Bertha Gudelsky Family Foundation, Inc., The Meredith Foundation, The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, Dr. Deborah Rose and Dr. Jan A.J. Stolwijk, U.S. Department of Education, and the Millennium Stage Endowment Fund.

The Millennium Stage Endowment Fund was made possible by James A. Johnson and Maxine Isaacs, Fannie Mae Foundation, James V. Kimsey, Gilbert† and Jaylee† Mead, Mortgage Bankers Association of America and other anonymous gifts to secure the future of the Millennium Stage.

Kennedy Center education and related artistic programming is also made possible through the generosity of the National Committee for the Performing Arts and the President’s Advisory Committee on the Arts.

PLEASE NOTE: There

is no free parking for free performances.

The Kennedy Center welcomes persons with disabilities.

Cinderella

The Quebec trio brings meticulous accompaniment on the guitar, a pulsing accordion, grit-and-polish vocals, and a fiery fiddle to create soaring harmonies.

The New York City–based comedian has been featured as a stand-up on TBS’s Conan, and Comedy Central’s John Oliver’s New York Stand-Up Show. Opening set by D.C. area native Jason Saenz.

19 THU H António Zambujo (Portugal)

March 26–29

24 TUEH Le Bruit Court Dans La Ville

18 WED H José André (Bolivia)

The nine-year-old blind pianist and Latin jazz phenomenon makes his U.S. debut with D.C.-based drummer Alejandro Lucini and bassist David Jernigon.

Kevin McKenzie, Artistic Director with the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra

Choreography by Frederick Ashton Music by Sergei Prokofiev Sets and Costumes by David Walker

Hee Seo and James Whiteside in Cinderella. Photo by Rosalie O’Connor

Brought to you by

March 24 & 25

Theme and Variations (Balanchine/Tchaikovsky)

Pillar of Fire (Tudor/Schoenberg)

Rodeo

(de Mille/Copland)

The D.C.–based collective of musicians and vocalists breaks down the barriers of jazz, funk, Afrobeat, R&B, soul, hip-hop, modern gospel, and more.

29 SUN H

Family Night: Voices Rising

From Chicago, the 60 talented young singers perform a wide variety of repertoire celebrating America.

Part of Music in Our Schools Month.

30 MON H Very Be Careful (VBC)

Straight from L.A., the group performs Colombian vallenato music.

31 TUE H Senri Oe

The Japanese pop star and actor turned NYC-based jazz pianist makes his Millennium Stage debut.

Presented with the support of the Embassy of Japan and the National Cherry Blossom Festival.

ALL PERFORMERS AND PROGRAMS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. *Free general admission tickets will be distributed in the States Gallery (Family Theater Lobby for Mike Lawrence) starting at approximately 5:30 p.m., up to 2 tickets per person.

Live Internet broadcast, video archive, artist information, and more at

kennedy-center.org/millennium For more information call: (202) 467-4600

TAKE METRO to the Foggy Bottom/GWU station and ride the free Kennedy Center shuttle departing every 15 minutes until midnight.

GET CONNECTED! Become a fan of Millennium Stage on Facebook and check out artist photos, upcoming events, and more!

March 24–29 Opera House The Kennedy Center’s Ballet Season is presented with the support of Elizabeth and Michael Kojaian.

General Dynamics is the proud sponsor of the 2014-2015 Ballet Season.

American Ballet Theatre’s engagement is made possible through generous endowment support of The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund.

washingtoncitypaper.com march 13, 2015 35

TheaTer

Insecurity State

The flaws in Field Trip’s latest highlight the need for more original, local plays.

Bigger Than You, Bigger Than Me

By Kathryn Coughlin Directed by Nick Vargas Field Trip Theatre at Anacostia Arts Center to March 15

Point of fact: D.C. theater is not producing enough plays about contemporary life in D.C. It’s one thing to put on works about locals with Politico-approved “skin in the game,” like Arena Stage’s upcoming Antonin Scalia argument The Originalist; it’s another to inquire about the lives of those who live and work on the edge of national importance, trying to make sense of themselves.

Field Trip Theatre, in its mission statement, strives to accomplish just that. The troupe’s first season outside of Fringe—traditionally a more hospitable home for District-set works than the regional powerhouses with expensive seats to fill—opens with Bigger Than You, Bigger Than Me. It’s an original work from local playwright Kathryn Coughlin revolving around three public employees in their early 30s. That a new local play concerned with the District should premiere at the Anacostia Arts Center is also a welcome deviation from the ambitious yet frequently imported selections that typically come through the nonprofit space.

It’s really a shame, then, that the play offers so little inside its sinister soundscape of helicopters and video games. These nightmares fill the air as an elementary school teacher tries to discern whether her colleague is having premonitions about a terror attack. Beth (Sophie Schulman) is, for lack of any other defining characteristics, the sane one, frustrated by her students and by her grandfather’s constant worries over her safety. Her new friend and pot buddy Adele (Mia Branco) seems merely aloof at first: She doesn’t give as much thought to her students as she does to strangers she passes on the Metro. Adele lives alone in an apartment with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Capitol, a setting that facilitates a vision of… something awful.

Living on top of so many potential terror targets and an invisible network of high-level intelligence can create a potent tonic of adrenaline and paranoia, a recognizable D.C. mindset that Adele seems to be tumbling through.

The themes of windows and news reports, of looking at events happening out of physical reach, would seem to point toward that in-

Photographs by Daniel Corey

By Andrew Lapin

Local Unrest: District thirty-somethings navigate personal travails and national anxieties, but the balance feels off.

terpretation. The set design, two diamondshaped apartments adorned with large views of the Capitol and surrounding neighborhoods, emphasizes characters gazing at things the audience can’t see.

But the play doesn’t have enough nuance to create the ambiguities it needs. Adele’s dream (the first sign of any dramatic tension) arrives halfway through, after a first half that has done little apart from setting her up as a foil to Beth’s boyfriend. Tucker, played by a standoffish Joshua Simon, is a national security analyst whose work is too classified to share and who would rather play video games than talk to anyone.

Beth is caught in the middle, with a tragic backstory that pays off in a rather cheap fashion.

Coughlin, herself an elementary school teacher, at first seems to be mocking Beth’s naïveté (the character is desperate for “quietly troubled” kids, her favorite brand). But the rest of the play’s philosophy is painted in such broad strokes that any potential for irony gradually seeps away. In this universe, people either Make A Difference or they don’t.

36 march 13, 2015 washingtoncitypaper.com

The best exchange in Bigger Than You happens as Tucker struggles to carry on a conversation about what he does at work. It’s strange to embark on a career so classified you can’t tell your significant other, let alone make casual conversation at a party, and Coughlin’s dialogue captures this unsettling feeling well. It’s also a more localized dilemma (many District residents have met someone who can’t talk about his or her job) rooted in emotional reality (what does that level of secrecy do to a person?). But this is one moment of authenticity in a larger thesis that prefers to create conflict between false dichotomies: the baseless premonition stacked against physical evidence; the teacher and the security analyst arguing over whose job is really important.

Schulman and Branco give effective performances as they worm their way through mealymouthed monologues about safety and security.

The play is set shortly before a 9/11 anniversary, and Coughlin’s mind is clearly on the national fascination with death and destruction. But the actors are hampered by stagnant direction from Nick Vargas, Field Trip’s artistic director.

Characters sit around with awkward blocking, reciting their lines with silences so big you could steer a plane through them.

Sorry, was that a tacky evocation of 9/11 to make a boilerplate dramatic point? Tell that to these characters. Early on, Beth offers a grisly fantasy of blowing up a Le Pain Quo-

tidien in the same tone as one might discuss an ideal morning commute (modern America, everybody). Later, Adele gives a stomachcurdling monologue of the horrors that await the District if no one heeds her vision: chaos in the streets, dead children stacked on top of each other. Tucker writes her off as a head case, even as she begs him to take her warnings to his bosses. She later does the same to Beth, pushing her to warn the school of an imminent threat.

We’re meant to feel conflicted over these exchanges, it seems. But any serious national security worker, even one as compassionate as Tucker is abrasive, wouldn’t spend half a second chasing leads to placate Adele. This isn’t Twin Peaks; there’s no Black Lodge of metaphysical intrigue where government workers take dreams seriously. Such a play might have have been fascinating in its own right, but Coughlin hasn’t established the right tonal atmosphere for it here.

It feels wrong to fault Field Trip for filling an unserved void in local theater, particularly with a run as brief as this (the play closes the 15th). It’s not their fault we have so few playwrights willing to take a chance on District-set dramas or so few theater companies willing to sponsor them. But this should be an opportunity to realize we can do better in our efforts to capture the local mood, to find the real dramas that eat away at people like the heroes of this play. This lack of local voices is bigger than CP Bigger Than You. 1231 Good Hope Road SE. $10–$15. (202) 631-6291. anacostiaartscenter.com

A BRILLIANT

AND BRAVE THEATRICAL EVENT. – DC METRO THEATER ARTS

PSYCHOLOGICALLY

TANTALIZING. – THE WASHINGTON POST

GLORIOUSLY MELODIC.

INTERESTING AND

THOUGHT-PROVOKING. – BROADWAYWORLD.COM

Kid Victory contains explicit content.

VISIT US AT CFA.GMU.EDU

Virginia Opera

Tod Ellison and Friends

BBC Concert Orchestra

La Traviata

Classic Broadway

Keith Lockhart, conductor; Charlie Albright, piano

SATURDAY, MARCH 21 AT 8 P.M. SUNDAY, MARCH 22 AT 2 P.M. “The Fallen Woman.” One of the most dearly loved operas, Verdi’s is an age-old tale of true love and sacrifice, set to gorgeous music. Violetta, the most desirable courtesan in Paris, falls in love with Alfredo and gives up her glamorous life for him. But, Alfredo’s father objects – her “past” is ruining the family name, so Violetta selflessly leaves Alfredo. Alfredo is angry and bereft.

How will it all turn out? Sung in Italian with English supertitles.

Saturday – $86, $72, $44; Sunday – $98, $80, $48

SUNDAY, APRIL 12 AT 4 P.M. Sought-after music director and conductor Todd Ellison returns to the Center for the Arts bringing the classics of his world – Broadway! Joined by some of Broadway’s finest singers, Ellison and his Friends will entertain you with songs from favorite shows such as Damn Yankees, Les Misérables, West Side Story, Hello, Dolly! and much more. You’ll feel like you’re in New York City! $46, $39, $28 ff

FRIDAY, APRIL 24 AT 8 P.M. Ravel: Le Toubeau de Couperin, Ravel: Piano Concerto in G major, Walton: Crown Imperial, Vaughn Williams: Norfolk Rhapsody No. 1 in E minor, Britten: Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell Under the baton of principal conductor Keith Lockhart, also the conductor of Boston Pops, BBC Concert Orchestra performs music of British and French composers and is joined by pianist Charlie Albright. “Its style is gutsy…the ensemble is solid.”

(Los Angeles Times) $60, $51, $36

ff = Family Friendly performances that are most suitable for families with younger children

TICKETS 888-945-2468 OR CFA.GMU.EDU

Located on the Fairfax campus, six miles west of Beltway exit 54 at the intersection of Braddock Road and Rt. 123. washingtoncitypaper.com march 13, 2015 37

Film

So Far Con

Climate deniers and escape artists have a lot in common.

The Mind of Mark DeFriest Directed by Gabriel London Merchants of Doubt Directed by Robert Kenner

By Tricia Olszewski Deception is practiced by both the good and the evil. At the most harmless end of that spectrum are magicians like Jamy Ian Swiss, whose commentary about his career frames Robert Kenner’s Merchants of Doubt.

Swiss calls his kind “honest liars,” hoodwinking audiences who know they’re being duped. Opposite these tricksters are the cons, the lying liars whose use of misdirection, subterfuge, and artifice on the unwitting is often unlawful.

The titular subject of The Mind of Mark DeFriest has been called an escape artist with the skill of Houdini; even the people he’s unexpectedly fooled admit to his cleverness.

Merchants, meanwhile, exposes talking heads posing as experts who claim to debunk scientific conclusions that are not in the financial interests of whichever industry signs their paychecks.

DeFriest, 49, has never hurt anyone, but he’s spent more than half of his life in prison. Merchants offers Big Tobacco as one of the most egregious perpetrators of fraud— yet no one in the industry has served time for selling a product that kills its millions of consumers. To compare the two films seems like a sleight of hand: Which one is about the bad guys, again?

Both take sides, as docs usually do. But The Mind of Mark DeFriest, written and directed

by Gabriel London, is a little less down-yourthroat. DeFriest was 19 and living in Florida when he first went to jail to serve a fouryear sentence for “stealing” his late father’s tools—tools that his dad left him in his will.

But he took them before probate proceedings, so his stepmother called the cops.

A month after he was locked up, DeFriest escaped in a less-than-magical way: He ran for it. He didn’t last long on the lam, but he got a life sentence for trying. DeFriest, a brilliant mind rendered restless, decided to turn it into a game, repeatedly breaking out of whatever facility the authorities threw him in.

He proved to be more MacGyver than Houdini, but his impressive stunts only dimmed the chances that he’d ever be a free man again.

It takes a while to get a hold of DeFriest’s story as London sets it up with rapidfire voiceovers, highlighted reports, and news articles that fly at the screen. Down-South accents, too, make some dialogue difficult to decipher.

But the director eventually slows things down

remain in prison, because of a minor—and arguable—crime he was charged with at 19.

It’s too late to make your voice heard on this case, but the film’s portrait of the ugly side of a judicial system that ultimately serves no one is a cry for unjustly punished prisoners of all sorts.

Before Merchants of Doubt’s first frame appears on the screen, anyone could guess that it’s designed to make viewers angry. Director Kenner also helmed 2008’s Food, Inc., the documentary that spurred its audiences to swear off mass-produced meat and processed food, study up on GMOs, and consider a life in farming. Merchants was adapted from a 2010 nonfiction book by historians Erik Conway and Naomi Oreskes, the latter of whom is in the film but not identified as the originator of its source material. That’s a Free as a Jailbird: Houdini meets MacGyver in DeFriest.

and fills in the blanks, with DeFriest describing his experiences along with friends, family, and the wardens and lawyers who knew him.

Animated sequences, with Scoot McNairy voicing DeFriest, serve as flashbacks. Some, naturally, are violent, but a fair number are just plain funny, as is DeFriest. His sanity was questioned at the beginning of his time in prison and again Rants on Fire: Marc 20 years later, when he first Morano tries to agreed to try for parole. (Pre- drown out climate viously, he believed there was scientists. no chance.) And though DeFriest may indeed suffer from mental illness, especially after all his years be- little weird, but audiences riled up about the hind bars, his mind is as sharp as the make- topic will forgive a few such details as long as shift ice pick he once fashioned (along with the right subjects are demonized.

And Kenner won’t disappoint them. His handmade keys, guns, and anything else he storytelling, however, isn’t exactly smooth, could use to see the sun again).

The Mind of Mark DeFriest turns into a clunking from smoking to fire retardants to public plea, asking viewers of early screenings global warming and then smoking again, but to vote on whether they thought it fair that he in relation to climate change. Of course, the

38 march 13, 2015 washingtoncitypaper.com

film offers a lot of stats, righteousness, and accusations from both sides about the other side’s lies. The information onscreen will infuriate you, particularly if you lean left—because as many commentators point out, these decades-long debates aren’t about science, but about politics. (A tobacco representative saying, “Anything can be considered harmful,” then giving applesauce as an example, reinforces the theory that book learnin’ plays little part in these debates.)

An especially exasperating segment focuses on Marc Morano, who describes himself, air quotes implied, as an “environmental journalist,” which basically means he goes on TV and shouts down anyone who thinks climate change is real and that human beings contribute to it. A clip of him on The Piers Morgan Show battling Bill Nye is prime evidence that Morano is essentially just an asshole. (He admits to publishing the email addresses of scientists who insist on the facts of climate change, urging his fans to send them hate mail. “I enjoy doing it,” Morano says.)

During his interview here, however, Morano comes across as smart, reasonable, and funny, perhaps the first person to accurately deliver a musty joke with his twist: “I’m not a scientist, although I do play one on TV occasionally. OK, more than occasionally.” And he could be considered representative of his ilk. Those in charge of knocking down—or, as a tobacco company memo calls it, “neutralizing”—the people who threaten to take money out of their pockets with their fancy facts need to be conniving and at least a little brainy to stay a step ahead. It takes wits to argue witlessly.

Unsurprisingly, Republican politicians don’t fare so well, with clips of recent presidential candidates acknowledging that we are worsening our global climate at an alarming rate—but only before their campaigns. Once the votegrabbing began, their positions changed: “We don’t know enough about it.” This footage is indisputable, but showing a sloppy geezer at a rally wearing a T-shirt with “Global warming my [downwardpointing arrow]” emblazoned on the back isn’t the most respectful (or convincing) way for a filmmaker to make a point. Kenner might as well have included a Bush-ism as an asterisk to viewers at the end of Merchants of Doubt, proud that they now know for certain that bogus talking heads play scientists for pay: “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me— CP you can’t get fooled again.”

The Mind of Mark DeFriest opens Friday, March 13 at West End Cinema.

Merchants of Doubt opens Friday, March 13 at E Street Cinema.

MAIDA WITHERS DANCE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY 40th Anniversary – Dance & Technology World Premiere

MINDFLUCTUATIONS “sheer exhilaration” - Wash Post

Dance / Virtual Artworks / Live Electronic Music A stunning evening of dance, spectacular 3D artworks that interact with a dancer wearing a special neuro headset, robotic sound instruments and live electronic music.

Thur. March 19 / 8pm

GW Lisner Auditorium | 730 21st St NW TICKETS: $25 to $38 Lisner Box Office: 202-994-6800

lisner.gwu.edu Foggy Bottom-GWU Metro (Blue, Orange, and Silver Lines) | More Info: maidadance.com/news

GERARDO CONTINO

Y LOS HABANEROS

Smithsonian American Art Museum Mingering Mike’s Supersonic Rewind

Dance Party

Singer and songwriter Gerardo Contino, former lead singer of NG La Banda, will bring his energetic Cuban salsa and timba group Los Habaneros to shake up Artisphere’s ballroom.

“Los Habaneros features an elite lineup of some of New York’s most highly regarded musicians in Latin music and beyond.” —Timba.com

FRI MAR 13 / 8PM / BALLROOM

This weekend!

Saturday, March 14, 5–8 pm

THE PIGEONING

It’s a throwback dance party with our DJ spinning the soul hits of the 60s and 70s and live music from The Vybe Band. Meet the artist Mingering Mike, put on your best 70s look for the photo booth, and make your own album covers inspired by the exhibition, Mingering Mike’s Supersonic Greatest Hits. FREE Powered by Pepco.

Smithsonian American Art Museum 8th and G Streets, NW | 11:30–7 | Free | AmericanArt.si.edu Mingering Mike, “Boogie Down” at the White House, Big D & Mingering, 1975, mixed media on paperboard, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mike Wilkins and Sheila Duignan and museum purchase through the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment. © Mingering Mike

“...a very funny bunraku puppet play for grown-ups (which) has as whimsical a relationship with time as it does with realism.” —New York Times MAR 27 & 28 / 8PM / DOME THEATRE

www.artisphere.com

1101 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22209 Free parking weekdays after 5pm + all day on weekends Two blocks from the Rosslyn Metro Follow us: @Artisphere Like us: ArtisphereVA washingtoncitypaper.com march 13, 2015 39

BooksSpeed ReadS The Reggae agenda

Thanks for voting us the Best Farmers Market in DC!

The Half That’s Never Been Told

By Doctor Dread Akashic Books, 288 pps.

Fresh Food Market-Tu-Su Arts & Crafts - Weekends easternmarket-dc.org Tu-Fr 7-7 | Sa 7-6 | Su 9-5

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40 march 13, 2015 washingtoncitypaper.com

In 1987, Washington City Paper ran a cover story by Jon Cohen. The headline: “Rastaman Corporation: In Babylon on the Potomac, Gary Himelfarb built a milliondollar reggae record company.” As it explains how Himelfarb came to run his own label, RAS Records, the article references a four-page autobiography that Himelfarb wrote about how he first discovered reggae in the early 1970s and fell in passionate love with that Jamaican groove. Twenty-eight years later, under his nom de reggae, Doctor Dread, Himelfarb has expanded upon that synopsis with a full-length memoir, The Half That’s Never Been Told: The RealLife Reggae Adventures of Doctor Dread.

Doctor Dread was born in D.C. in 1954, moved to the suburbs in the first grade, and got into pot and psychedelics after being cut from the Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School junior varsity football team—but none of that is mentioned until page 140. Rather than take a conventional chronological tack, Dread has cobbled together a patchwork collection of stories about the many reggae artists he’s worked with, peppered with his own life lessons and tales about the music industry, his time as a local reggae radio DJ, and world travels. The book’s table of contents mainly consists of the names of musicians who were associated with his label.

The Half That’s Never Been Told opens with Dread in a Kingston, Jamaica studio at 2 a.m., producing a Reggae for Kids album when singer Gregory Isaacs comes in pointing a pistol at him, demanding money to help feed his crack habit. Readers won’t learn when this event (or many others recounted in the book) took place; Dread admits in later pages that some of his recollections were muddied by the marijuana and mushrooms he was consuming at the time. But the book’s opening conveys Dread’s laid-back demeanor, his ability to work with eccentrics, his sense of

the difference between crack addicts and recreational pot users, and how Dread, a white American suburbanite who was raised Jewish, found Rastafarianism and earned the trust of so many of reggae’s finest artists. “I just accepted [Isaacs] as Gregory,” Dread writes. “In fact, that is how I get along with most people. I just try to accept them for who they are: I take the good with the bad. Only Jah is perfect, so the rest of us can simply try to do our best.”

Dread’s repeated invocations of Jah throughout the book never come across as pushy and fundamentalist—he keeps it personal and expresses a broad range of interests, including the Baltimore Orioles, cooking, and learning about world cultures. The same goes for his drug references: Marijuana is sacred to Rastafarians, and the book is replete with Dread’s tales of it, from getting high with his teenage girlfriend in Ecuador and Colombia to smoking the high-quality American sensimilla at a festival in Humboldt County, Calif.

But elsewhere, Dread’s repetition wears thin: he describes his reggae production technique (he likes to record the rhythm tracks in advance of the vocals) in an identical manner in three separate chapters.

To his credit, Dread offers nearly enough anecdotes about Bunny Wailer, Freddie McGregor, Israel Vibration, and a friendly Bob Dylan to make up for the rehashing.

Even so, the book is a tale of business, family, ethics, health, and survival that transcends reggae fanatic minutiae. Dread, who never went to college, spells out the difficulties of running a record label—working with temperamental musicians, spending big money on touring, winning his artists’ confidence through bonuses and jerk snapper cookouts—and expresses his admiration for fellow indies, Atlantic and Dischord. Dread sold 80 percent of RAS to Rounder Records in 1987 and saw his salary triple before changes in the music industry led him to buy back his company in 1997 and then later sell it again after a distributor went bankrupt and he lost thousands of dollars.

Dread describes how the music industry changed and how, after open-heart surgery, he took wearying jobs hawking fish to restaurants to pay his bills. While his shock at how employees “working for the man” get treated sounds a bit naïve, his lively stories make the half he’s told an entertaining read, and readers will readily forgive its flaws.

—Steve Kiviat

Is the Glass half full?

Is the Glass half empty? how about half off!

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LIVE On the Weinberg Stage

< The Steel Wheels

Americana Festival March 27 & 28, 2015

Delta Rae

g

g

TICKETS

7:30pm

The Steel Wheels

Nora Jane Struthers & The Party Line Knox Hamilton g Big Hoax g The Hello Strangers

$27.50 each day $46.00 both days

With food by Chef Bryan Voltaggio and a selection of American spirits, it’s all the excitement of an outdoor festival—minus the bugs!

WeinbergCenter.org • 301.600.2828 • Hotel packages available.

THIS SATURDAY!

CRISTINA PATO

Spanish bagpipe/singer & Silk Road Ensemble veteran in an electrifying blend of pop, jazz, Celtic, Latin, and other styles Sat, Mar 14, 8pm Sixth & I Historic Synagogue

“Wild and wonderful!’’ ~NPR Zakir Hussain is co-presented with GW Lisner Auditorium and is made possible by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Amphion Foundation. Cristina Pato is made possible through the ArtsCONNECT program of Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation with support from the National Endowment for the Arts. Performances at Sixth & I are made possible by the Abramson Family Foundation and by an anonymous gift.

ZAKIR HUSSAIN

DakhaBrakha

The incomparable tabla master and world music innovator leads his new Indo-Celtic ensemble.

Thu, Apr 2, 8pm Sixth & I Historic Synagogue

NEXT WEEK!

Pulse of the World: Celtic Connections

Tue, Mar 17, 8pm GW Lisner Auditorium

Soaring vocals and pounding rhythms from the Ukrainian band that took Bonnaroo by storm

TICKETS: WashingtonPerformingArts.org • (202) 785-9727 washingtoncitypaper.com march 13, 2015 41

42 march 13, 2015 washingtoncitypaper.com

CITYLIST Music

Friday Rock

Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Theater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 8 Film . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

SearCh LISTIngS aT waShIngTonCITYpaper.Com

CITY LIGHTS: FRIDAY

POINT BREAK LIVE

2461 18th St., NW Washington, DC 202-667-5370

DC9 1940 9th St. NW. (202) 483-5000. Kevin Morby, Ryley Walker. 7 p.m. $10. dcnine.com.

“Where the Beautiful

Gypsy sally’s 3401 K St. NW. (202) 333-7700.

Brother Joscephus and the Love Revolution. 9 p.m. $15–$19. gypsysallys.com.

People go to get

Ugly.”

The hamilTon 600 14th St. NW. (202) 787-1000.

The Lone Bellow, Odessa. 8:30 p.m. (Sold out). $25–$30. thehamiltondc.com.

“One of the 25 best bars in America”

RoCk & Roll hoTel 1353 H St. NE. (202) 388-ROCK. The Deadmen, Tomás Pagán Motta, Wanted Man. 8:30 p.m. $15. rockandrollhoteldc.com.

- Playboy Magazine

Redheads always drink 1/2 price Shiner Bock!

Funk & R&B FillmoRe silveR spRinG 8656 Colesville Road, Silver Spring. (301) 960-9999. Kalin and Myles, Golden, Anjali. 7:30 p.m. $32. fillmoresilverspring.com.

LIVE MUSIC EVERY NIGHT Thu: Ladies Night

ElEctRonic

(No Cover For Ladies)

Patrick Alban & Noche Latina

U sTReeT mUsiC hall 1115 U St. NW. (202) 5881880. Tensnake. 10 p.m. $15. ustreetmusichall.com.

Latin & World Beats

Fri: Skyla Burrell

Jazz

Hard Drivin’ Blues

amp by sTRaThmoRe 11810 Grand Park Ave., North Bethesda. (301) 581-5100. Loston Harris Trio. 8 p.m. $35. ampbystrathmore.com.

Madam’s House Party On The Second Floor-Featuring DJ India 10:00pm

blUes alley 1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW. (202) 3374141. Peter White. 8 p.m. & 10 p.m. $37.75. bluesalley.com.

BluEs Zoo baR 3000 Connecticut Ave. NW. (202) 2324225. Sooky Jump Blues Band. 9 p.m. Free. zoobardc.com.

countRy biRChmeRe 3701 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria.

(703) 549-7500. Dave Alvin and Phil Alvin and the Guilty Ones, the Far West. 7:30 p.m. $29.50. birchmere.com.

WoRld aRTispheRe 1101 Wilson Blvd., Arlington. (703) 875-1100. Gerardo Contino y Los Habaneros. 8 p.m. $15–$30. artisphere.com. kenneDy CenTeR millenniUm sTaGe 2700 F St. NW. (202) 467-4600. Manhattan Camerata. 6 p.m.

Free. kennedy-center.org.

TRopiCalia 2001 14th St. NW. (202) 629-4535.

Quantic. 7 p.m. $15–$18. tropicaliadc.com.

Vocal linColn TheaTRe 1215 U St. NW. (202) 328-6000.

Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington. 7 p.m. $25–$59. thelincolndc.com.

Sat: James Armstrong Traditional Blues w/ Comtemporary Grit

Before she became the first woman to win an Oscar for Best Director, Kathryn Bigelow helmed Point Break, a surfer-dude crime thriller that’s become a cult classic thanks to its stunning action sequences and formidable acting: It’s Keanu Reeves at his most endearingly vacant. It’s an “enlightened” Patrick Swayze. It’s Gary Busey before he went nuts.

And, randomly, Anthony Kiedis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Point Break is the Top Gun of the waves, and it’s resonated so deeply that it’s spawned Point Break Live!, a Rocky Horror-esque interactive film screening. The theatrical parody allows one lucky audience member to perform an on-the-spot audition to play Reeves’ Johnny Utah; the rest of the crowd acts as extras and quotes favorite sequences word for word. Take this as an opportunity to reenact the infamous bank robbery scene and put Reeves’ blank performance as Utah to shame. The film shows at 8 p.m. at the Howard Theatre, 620 T St. NW. $20–$35.

—Julian Kimble (202) 803-2899. thehowardtheatre.com.

Saturday Opening Act: Rico Amero Soulful Blues

7:00pm - 9:00pm Madam’s House Party On The Second Floor-Featuring DJ India 10:00pm

Sun:Down Stacy Brooks Home Blues Mon: One Nite Stand Reggae, Funk & R&B Tue: The Johnny Artis Band Rock, R&B & Reggae

saturday Rock

9:30 ClUb 815 V St. NW. (202) 265-0930. Ryan Bingham & Lucero, Twin Forks. 8 p.m. (Sold out). 930.com.

FillmoRe silveR spRinG 8656 Colesville Road, Silver Spring. (301) 960-9999. Andy Grammer, Alex & Sierra, Paradise Fears. 8 p.m. $26.50. fillmoresilverspring.com.

The hamilTon 600 14th St. NW. (202) 787-1000.

Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad. 8:30 p.m. $17–$23.

Wed: The Human Country Jukebox Band Open Mic-8pm Second Floor

thehamiltondc.com. Brent & Co. 10:30 p.m. Free. thehamiltondc.com.

RoCk & Roll hoTel 1353 H St. NE. (202) 388-ROCK. Will Butler, TEEN. 8 p.m. $13. rockandrollhoteldc.com.

Sun, Tues & Thurs

Second Floor: Drunkaoke

U sTReeT mUsiC hall 1115 U St. NW. (202) 588-

(Karaoke with Two Drink Minimum)

1880. U.S. Royalty, Made Violent, Pleasure Curses. 6

www.madamsorgan.com

p.m. $18. ustreetmusichall.com.

washingtoncitypaper.com march 13, 2015 43

velveT loUnGe 915 U St. NW. (202) 462-3213.

Black Dog Prowl, Spotted Atrocious. 9:30 p.m. $8. velvetloungedc.com.

ElEctRonic eChosTaGe 2135 Queens Chapel Road NE. (202) 503-2330. Tiësto. 9 p.m. $50. echostage.com.

opERa Gala hispaniC TheaTRe 3333 14th St. NW. (202) 234-7174. The InSeries’ Don Giovanni. 8 p.m. $22–$45. galatheatre.org.

classical

U sTReeT mUsiC hall 1115 U St. NW. (202) 5881880. Lido. 10 p.m. $10. ustreetmusichall.com.

aRTispheRe 1101 Wilson Blvd., Arlington. (703) 8751100. National Chamber Ensemble: The Three B’s for Three. 7:30 p.m. $30. artisphere.com.

Jazz

caBaREt

blUes alley 1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW. (202) 3374141. Peter White. 8 p.m. & 10 p.m. $37.75. bluesalley.com.

amp by sTRaThmoRe 11810 Grand Park Ave., North Bethesda. (301) 581-5100. Over the Rainbow: The Songs of Harold Arlen. 8 p.m. $30. ampbystrathmore.com.

BluEs Zoo baR 3000 Connecticut Ave. NW. (202) 2324225. Smokin Polecats. 9 p.m. Free. zoobardc.com.

Folk Gypsy sally’s 3401 K St. NW. (202) 333-7700. The Cravin Dogs, Quimby Mountain Band, Brummy Brothers. 8 p.m. $12–$16. gypsysallys.com.

WoRld kenneDy CenTeR millenniUm sTaGe 2700 F St. NW. (202) 467-4600. Leticia Moreno, Christoph Eschenbach. 6 p.m. Free. kennedy-center.org. sixTh & i hisToRiC synaGoGUe 600 I St. NW. (202) 408-3100. Cristina Pato. 8 p.m. $25. sixthandi.org.

WaRneR TheaTRe 513 13th St. NW. (202) 783-4000.

Moein. 8:30 p.m. $49–$95. warnertheatre.com.

Vocal linColn TheaTRe 1215 U St. NW. (202) 328-6000.

Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington. 2 p.m. & 7 p.m. $25–$59. thelincolndc.com.

sunday Rock blaCk CaT baCksTaGe 1811 14th St. NW. (202) 667-4490. Girl Band, Hemlines. 7:30 p.m. $10. blackcatdc.com.

DC9 1940 9th St. NW. (202) 483-5000. Twerps, Ultimate Painting, Expert Alterations. 8:30 p.m. $10–$12. dcnine.com.

The hamilTon 600 14th St. NW. (202) 787-1000.

Melvin Seals and JGB, Ron Holloway Band. 7:30 p.m. $15–$25. thehamiltondc.com.

CITY LIGHTS: SATURDAY

“BEFORE THE LAW” Transformer’s latest show combines Bulgarian folk songs with video installations and a Kafka parable, which seems almost too zany to work. In the hands of Philadelphiabased artists Jane Carver and Raúl Romero, however, these disparate elements just might come together into something weird and wonderful. Kafka’s story, from which the show takes its name, tells the story of a man trying to enter the law and the guard that blocks his way; the artists use that idea as a jumping-off point to explore the boundaries between absolutism and relativity through sounds and images. Carver pairs the sounds of diaphonic singing with Romero’s transfixing videos, and the gallery becomes a performance space. At the show’s opening celebration, women’s vocal ensemble Slaveya performs, fully immersing visitors in the sounds and sights of the exhibition. The exhibition is on view Wednesdays through Saturdays noon to 6 p.m., to April 25, at Transformer, 1404 P —Caroline Jones St. NW. Free. (202) 483-1102. transformerdc.org.

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washingtoncitypaper.com march 13, 2015 45

CITY LIGHTS: SUNDAY

EUGENIA LEÓN Since the 1970s, Mexican singer Eugenia León has established a reputation for interpreting dramatic Spanish-language songs. A diva in the classic sense of the word, she’s earned praise for her choice of songs, theatrical delivery, and commitment to progressive causes. León started her career by performing songs from the politically minded, folk-tinged nueva canción genre but soon broadened her repertoire to include bolero, tango, and norteño works. For the Kennedy Center’s Iberian Suite festival, León presents a multimedia program entitled “Eugenia León y Las Voces de Mujeres, Voces del Pueblo” (Voices of Women, Voices of the People). She’ll warble from the songbooks of powerful female sirens from 14 countries, including Argentina’s Mercedes Sosa, Cape Verde’s Cesária Évora, Colombia’s Totó La Momposina, Cuba’s La Lupe, and American jazz icon Nina Simone. During León’s set, projections will flick through images of the featured singers and, León says, “the world from the female hands. The hands that create, construct, hold, and caress.”

Count on grasping León’s message no matter her language. Eugenia León performs Saturday and Sunday at 8 p.m. at the Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater, 2700 F St. NW. $25– —Steve Kiviat $60. (202) 467-4600. kennedy-center.org.

RoCk & Roll hoTel 1353 H St. NE. (202) 388-ROCK. Milo Greene, Caroline Smith. 8 p.m. $16. rockandrollhoteldc.com.

kenneDy CenTeR millenniUm sTaGe 2700 F St. NW. (202) 467-4600. The Gift. 6 p.m. Free. kennedy-center.org.

Jazz

Jazz

blUes alley 1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW. (202) 3374141. Peter White. 8 p.m. & 10 p.m. $37.75. bluesalley.com.

bohemian CaveRns 2001 11th St. NW. (202) 2990800. Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra. 8 p.m. & 10 p.m. $10. bohemiancaverns.com.

WoRld kenneDy CenTeR millenniUm sTaGe 2700 F St. NW. (202) 467-4600. Hiromi Suda. 6 p.m. Free. kennedy-center.org.

Hip-Hop FillmoRe silveR spRinG 8656 Colesville Road, Silver Spring. (301) 960-9999. Young Thug, Travis Scott, Metro Boomin. 8 p.m. $37.50. fillmoresilverspring.com.

opERa Gala hispaniC TheaTRe 3333 14th St. NW. (202) 234-7174. The InSeries’ Don Giovanni. 2:30 p.m. $22–$45. galatheatre.org.

classical mUsiC CenTeR aT sTRaThmoRe 5301 Tuckerman Lane, Bethesda. (301) 581-5100. András Schiff, piano.

4 p.m. $35–$75. strathmore.org.

Monday Rock

biRChmeRe 3701 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria.

(703) 549-7500. Tommy Emmanuel, Richard Smith.

7:30 p.m. $49.50. birchmere.com. blaCk CaT baCksTaGe 1811 14th St. NW. (202) 667-4490. Perfect Pussy. 7:30 p.m. $13. blackcatdc.com.

46 march 13, 2015 washingtoncitypaper.com

kenneDy CenTeR eisenhoWeR TheaTeR 2700 F St. NW. (202) 467-4600. Carmen Souza. 8 p.m. $25–$60. kennedy-center.org.

tuesday Rock

Gypsy sally’s 3401 K St. NW. (202) 333-7700. John Kadlecik and the DC Mystery Cats. 8 p.m. (Sold out). gypsysallys.com.

RoCk & Roll hoTel 1353 H St. NE. (202) 388-ROCK. Ben Sollee, Becca Stevens. 8 p.m. $15. rockandrollhoteldc.com.

ElEctRonic blaCk CaT 1811 14th St. NW. (202) 667-4490.

Perfume Genius, Jenny Hval. 7:30 p.m. $15–$17. blackcatdc.com.

WoRld GW lisneR aUDiToRiUm 730 21st St. NW. (202) 994-6800. Zakir Hussain. 8 p.m. $22–$39. lisner.org. kenneDy CenTeR millenniUm sTaGe 2700 F St. NW. (202) 467-4600. Sofia Ribeiro, Luísa Sobral. 6 p.m. Free. kennedy-center.org. mUsiC CenTeR aT sTRaThmoRe 5301 Tuckerman Lane, Bethesda. (301) 581-5100. Carlos Núñez with the Sean Culkin Dancers. 8 p.m. $22–$47. strathmore.org.

Wednesday thursday Rock

Rock

biRChmeRe 3701 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria.

(703) 549-7500. Liz Longley, Brian Wright. 7:30 p.m. $20. birchmere.com.

9:30 ClUb 815 V St. NW. (202) 265-0930. Joshua Radin, Rachel Yamagata, Cary Brothers. 6:30 p.m. $35.

930.com.

DC9 1940 9th St. NW. (202) 483-5000. Young Widows, Shannon Wright, The Austerity Program. 8:30 p.m. $12. dcnine.com.

ElEctRonic 9:30 ClUb 815 V St. NW. (202) 265-0930. Robin Schulz, Le Youth, Seba Yuri, Presa. 9 p.m. $20.

930.com.

blaCk CaT baCksTaGe 1811 14th St. NW. (202) 667-4490. Sebadoh, Qui. 7:30 p.m. $18–$20. blackcatdc.com.

www.blackcatdc.com @blackcatdc MARCH SHOWS

DC9 1940 9th St. NW. (202) 483-5000. Polyon, SOLIDS, Stronger Sex. 8:30 p.m. $8. dcnine.com.

Gypsy sally’s 3401 K St. NW. (202) 333-7700.

Sundy Best. 8:30 p.m. $10–$12. gypsysallys.com.

THU 12

ElEctRonic

FRI 13

Jazz

GW lisneR aUDiToRiUm 730 21st St. NW. (202) 994-6800. MindFluctuations. 8 p.m. $25–$38. lisner.org.

hill CenTeR aT The olD naval hospiTal 921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. (202) 549-4172. Washington Women in Jazz Festival. 7:30 p.m. $15–$20.

U sTReeT mUsiC hall 1115 U St. NW. (202) 5881880. Kindness, Pell. 7 p.m. $15. ustreetmusichall.com.

kenneDy CenTeR millenniUm sTaGe 2700 F St. NW. (202) 467-4600. José André. 6 p.m. Free. kennedy-center.org.

1811 14TH ST NW

Jazz TWins JaZZ 1344 U St. NW. (202) 234-0072. Marty Nau. 8 p.m. & 10 p.m. $10. twinsjazz.com.

Folk

countRy

Gypsy sally’s 3401 K St. NW. (202) 333-7700. Lincoln Durham. 8:30 p.m. $12–$15. gypsysallys.com.

Gypsy sally’s 3401 K St. NW. (202) 333-7700.

Sundy Best. 8:30 p.m. $10–$12. gypsysallys.com.

MAGIC MAN

CLOSE 2 THE EDGE

EAST VS WEST COAST EDITION

DJ DREDD & O’S COOL & GRAP LUVA FRI 13

8X8 8 PERFORMERS / 8 MINS EACH

SAT 14

MIXTAPE

SAT 14

HEAVY ROTATION

SUN 15

GIRL BAND

MON 16

PERFECT PUSSY

TUE 17

VINYL HIP HOP ALL NIGHT

PERFUME GENIUS

THU 19

SEBADOH

FRI 20

2ND STORY LEAGUE MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIP

SAT 21

THE JUKE JOINT BLUES REVUE

LIVE MUSIC & BURLESQUE (18+) SAT 21

COMMON PEOPLE

90S ALT POP DANCE NIGHT

EVERY WEEKEND AT 7PM

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

TEN FORWARD SICK SAD WORLD CITY LIGHTS: MONDAY

MAKESHIFT SHELTERS The songs of local indie-rock quartet Makeshift Shelters might sound eerily familiar the first time you hear them. The emotional neediness lead vocalist Ella Boissonnault delivers on the band’s tracks may remind you of high school, when you fought with your parents about curfew and shopped exclusively at Hot Topic. Young suburban love at its starry-eyed best and volatile worst are Makeshift Shelters’ bread and butter—just listen to “This Song Is Definitely Not About a Boy,” a lament about not being able to hold hands with a boy. Boissonnault sings urgent lyrics with unassuming sweetness over clattering percussion while bandmates Andrew Clark and Phil Edfors wail on their guitars. The band’s album release party at Comet Ping Pong might not bring out all of the District’s lovelorn teens, but their songs will remind you of the days when you screamed Dashboard Confessional lyrics at the top of your lungs. Makeshift Shelters performs with Taking Meds and Polyon at 9 p.m. at Comet Ping Pong, 5037 Connecticut Ave. NW. $12. (202) 364-0404.

—Jordan-Marie Smith cometpingpong.com.

A HAPPY HOUR "HAPPY" HOUR 1 STAR TREK:TNG TWO DARIA EP. PER WEEK

ROMULAN ALE SPECIALS

EPISODES PER WEEK MYSTIK SPIRAL DRINK SPECIALS

NOW OPEN at 5pm M-F!

RED ROOM & LUCKY CAT PINBALL

TAKE METRO!

WE ARE LOCATED 3 BLOCKS FROM THE U STREET/CARDOZO STATION

TO BUY TICKETS VISIT TICKETFLY.COM washingtoncitypaper.com march 13, 2015 47

www.bethesdabluesjazz.com

M

A

R

C

H

SUNDAY MARCH 15

NEW RIDERS OF THE PURPLE SAGE TU 17

IONA - ST. PADDY’S DAY CELEBRATION WEDNESDAY MARCH 18

THE DRIFTERS FRIDAY MARCH 20 & SATURDAY MARCH 21

MAGGIE ROSE

SUNDAY MARCH 22 “WHIPLASH” WINNER OF 3 ACADEMY AWARDS!

7P - “WHIPLASH”

FILM SHORT VIEWING (20 MINUTES) 730P - HANK LEVY LEGACY BAND PERFORMANCE F 27

FRANK SOLIVAN & DIRTY KITCHEN PLUS BUMPER JACKSONS

SA 28 JOE CLAIR ALL STAR COMEDY BLOWOUT | TWO SHOWS! S 29

FOUFELLOT CAJUN BAND

A

P

R

I

L

TH 2

CHUCK REDD

SA 4

HAROLD MELVIN’S BLUE NOTES

W8

THE CHRIS GRASSO TRIO W/ SHARON CLARK THURSDAY APRIL 9

THE FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS FEAT. KIM WILSON

F 10

THE CHUCK BROWN BAND

S 12

MICKEY BASS AND THE MANHATTAN BURN UNIT

W 15

JIM KWESKIN AND GEOFF MULDAUR

SA 18 THE SOUL CRACKERS W/ TOMMY LEPSON TH 23

FREDA PAYNE

7719 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda, MD (240) 330-4500

Two Blocks from Bethesda Metro/Red Line Free Parking on Weekends 48 march 13, 2015 washingtoncitypaper.com

CITY LIGHTS: TUESDAY

BIKES VS CARS

A 2013 Washington City Paper cover story proclaimed that “there is no war on cars.” But as four-wheeled vehicles share an increasing portion of roadspace with two-wheelers, tensions are bound to arise. Cyclists get frustrated when cars block bike lanes; drivers are bothered by cyclists who slip ahead of cars stopped at red lights. While simple courtesy might solve some of these issues, other countries have better ideas. The new documentary Bikes vs Cars, which kicks off this year’s Environmental Film Festival, examines the relationship between the two entities in cities around the world. From Copenhagen, where 40 percent of residents travel to their jobs by bike, to Sao Paolo, where activists fight for safer bike lanes, director Fredrik Gertten shows what could happen if more people picked hand brakes over motors.

A greener, fitter world is only a few pedals away. The film shows at 7 p.m. at the Carnegie In—Caroline Jones stitute for Science, 1530 P St. NW. $25. dcenvironmentalfilmfest.org.

World BLuEs aLLEy 1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW. (202) 3374141. Cheikh Ndoye, Baaba Mal, Karen Briggs. 8 p.m. & 10 p.m. $45. bluesalley.com.

FrEEr gaLLEry oF art Jefferson Drive & 12th Street SW. (202) 633-1000. Shujaat Khan, Kayhan Kalhor, Sandeep Das. 7:30 p.m. Free. asia.si.edu.

ClassiCal KEnnEdy cEntEr concErt HaLL 2700 F St. NW. (202) 467-4600. National Symphony Orchestra with conductor Christoph Eschenbach performs Mahler’s Ninth Symphony. 7 p.m. $10–$85. kennedy-center.org. mansion at stratHmorE 10701 Rockville Pike, Rockville. (301) 581-5100. Trio con Brio Copenhagen.

7:30 p.m. $27–$30. strathmore.org.

TheaTer

amErican cEntury’s Broadway Hit ParadE Performers from American Century Theater’s previous musical productions return to sing some of their favorite songs from shows like Lady in the Dark, The Cradle Will Rock, and Call Me Mister at this revue compiled by Jack Marshall. American Century Theater at Gunston Theatre Two. 2700 S. Lang St., Arlington. To March 22. $32-$40. (703) 998-4555. americancentury.org.

BacK to mEtHusELaH George Bernard experiments with science fiction in this satirical romp that journies from the Garden of Eden to far into the future.

Washington Stage Guild at Undercroft Theatre. 900 Massachusetts Ave. NW. To March 15. $20-$50. (240) 582-0050. stageguild.org.

BLitHE sPirit Angela Lansbury stars as Madame Arcati in this revival of Noel Coward’s spooky comedy about a séance that conjures up a ghostly ex-wife and leads to complete chaos. National Theatre. 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. To March 29. $48-$98. (202) 628-6161. nationaltheatre.org.

EntrEmEsEs Spain’s Teatro de La Abadía makes its U.S. debut with a series of three short comedic plays by Don Quixote author Miguel de Cervantes: El Retablo de las Maravillas, La Cueva de Salamanca, and El Viejo Celoso. Kennedy Center Terrace Theater. 2700 F St. NW. To March 18. $30. (202) 467-4600. kennedy-center.org.

FrEEdom’s song Abraham Lincoln’s life and words come to life in this musical that tells the stories of individuals’ highs and lows throughout the Civil War. Ford’s Theatre. 511 10th St. NW. To May 20. $27-$69.

(202) 347-4833. fordstheatre.org. g-d’s HonEst trutH Roberta and Larry, a devoted Jewish couple, have the opportunity to rescue a Holocaust torah and give it to their synagogue. Renee Calarco’s new comedy, inspired by the true story of Rabbi Menachem Youlus, examines how communities deal with scandals past and present. Theater J. 1529 16th St. NW. To April 19. $10-$65. (202) 518-9400. theaterj.org. tHE gardEn A family struggles to cope with the patricarch’s descent into dementia in this play by Brazil’s Companhia Hiato. Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater. 2700 F St. NW. To March 19. $36. (202) 4674600. kennedy-center.org.

Kid Victory Legendary composer John Kander collaborates with playwright Greg Pierce on this world premiere musical about a young boy who returns home a year after disappearing and his struggle to reenter society. Signature Theatre. 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington. To March 22. $29-$94. (703) 8209771. signature-theatre.org.

LaugH Mabel, a wealthy orphan, is sent to live with a calculating aunt who aims to steal her fortune by setting Mabel up with her son. Their courtship flounders but reveals a love of movies and ultimately results in a Hollywood-style romance. Wayne Barker designed original music for this world premiere of Beth Henley’s play. Studio Theatre. 1501 14th St. NW. To April 19. $20-$78. (202) 332-3300. studiotheatre.org.

man oF la manCha Don Quixote’s epic journey past windmills and monsters comes to life in this classic musical that features songs like “I Really Like Him” and “The Impossible Dream.” Sidney Harman Hall. 610 F St. NW. To April 26. $20-$110. (202) 547-1122. shakespearetheatre.org. mUCh aDo aboUT noThinG This latest wordless production from Synetic Theater sets the story of confirmed bachelor Benedick and his equally stubborn and single counterpart Beatrice in 1950s Las Vegas. Paata Tsikurishvili directs the company’s 11th “Silent Shakespeare” adaptation. Synetic Theater at Crystal City.

1800 South Bell St., Arlington. To March 22. $15-$95.

(800) 494-8497. synetictheater.org.

The oRiGinalisT Arena Stage Artistic Director Molly Smith directs the world premiere of John Strand’s drama about cantankerous Supreme Court justice Antonin Scalia. Helen Hayes Award winner Edward

UPTOWN BLUES

w/

Open Mic Blues JaM Big Boy LittLe every Thursday

Sookey Jump BLueS Band Smokin’ poLecatS moonShine Society Stacy BrookS BLueS Band Swamp keeperS Band Bruce ewan

Fri. Mar. 13 Sat. Mar. 14 Fri. Mar. 20 Sat. Mar. 21 Fri. Mar. 27 Sat. Mar. 28

the red harmonica king

Sundays mike FLaherty’S

dixieLand direct Jazz Band

3000 Connecticut Avenue, NW (across from the National Zoo)

202-232-4225 zoobardc.com

$10 BURGER & BEER MON-FRI 4 P M -7 P M

TRIVIA EVERY M O N D AY & W E D N E S D AY

$3 PBR & NATTY BOH ALL DAY EVERY DAY

S H AW - H O WA R D METRO ACCESS O F F GREEN LINE

620 T ST. NW WASHINGTON DC, 2001 202.803.2899 THEHOWARDTHEATRE.COM

VALET PARKING + SELF PARKING ON INTERSECTION OF 7TH & T ST FULL DINNER MENU EVERY SHOW NIGHT

JUST ANNOUNCED

600 beers from around the world Downstairs: good food, great beer, $3 PBR & Natty Boh’s all day every day

CITY LIGHTS: WEDNESDAY

MAN OF LA MANCHA

When Miguel de Cervantes published Don Quixote in 1605, readers didn’t know what to make of it. Though it seems relatively straightforward by modern standards, the book’s plot-within-a-plot narration style was a creative innovation that had never been seen before. The novel became a pillar of Spanish literature but remained relatively untouched for centuries until another iteration of the story came along: Man of La Mancha, Dale Wasserman, Joe Darion, and Mitch Leigh’s musical adaptation of Cervantes’ work. Now, it’s the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s turn to chase after windmills.

Led by Associate Artistic Director Alan Paul, this rendition stars Anthony Warlow as the confused, old knight and includes classic showtunes like “Dulcinea” and “The Impossible Dream” in a familiar tale of troubled maidens, loyal friends, and a very tired horse. The musical runs March 17 to April 26 at Sidney Harman Hall, 610 F St. NW. $20–$115. (202) 547-1122. shakespearetheatre.org.

—Tim Regan

*all shows 21+ THURS, MAR 12

UNDERGROUND COMEDY NO COVER DOORS OPEN AT 7PM AND SHOW STARTS AT 8PM FRI, MAR 13

8/7-LOS VAN VAN

5/23-KINKY

6/27-KING SUNNY ADE

5/29-TWEET

5/8-TEEDRA MOSES

5/19-TECH N9NE

ELLIE QUINN BURLESQUE DOORS OPEN AT 8PM SHOW STARTS AT 10PM $15 COVER

RAR BREWERY EVENT S AT, M A R 1 4

VC BURLESQUE PRESENTS

DOORS AT 8PM SHOW AT 10PM $15 COVER MON, MAR 16

DISTRICT TRIVIA

NO COVER TRIVIA STARTS AT 730 PM

LAST RESORT COMEDY NO COVER DOORS OPEN AT 7PM SHOW STARTS AT 8PM WEDS, MAR 18

DISTRICT TRIVIA

FRIDAY MARCH 13TH

THURDAY MARCH 19TH

POINT BREAK LIVE

BLITZ THE AMBASSADOR W/ DJ UNDERDOG, KAHLI ABDU & VHS SAFARI

STARTS AT 730PM NO COVER

SATURDAY MARCH 14TH

THURS, MAR 19

PEARIS J W/ JUS PAUL, J BEALE,TP & RAW ELEMENT

BALTSOUNDMANAGEMENT PRESENTS

UNDERGROUND COMEDY NO COVER DOORS OPEN AT 7PM AND SHOW STARTS AT 8PM FRI, MAR 20

WEIRDO SHOW FEATURING ZAMORA THE TORTURE KING DOORS OPEN AT 8PM SHOW STARTS AT 10PM $15 COVER

BLACK MARKET BURLESQUE “AGENTS OF A.S.SVS DOUBLE DT”

DOORS OPEN 830PM SHOW AT 10PM $15 COVER

LEFT HAND BREWERY EVENT MILK STOUT NITRO, GOOD JUJU, SAWTOOTH, WAKE UP DEAD STOUT

5/22-MOBB DEEP

TUESDAY MARCH 17TH

FEELIN’ LUCKY: FREE ST. PATTY’S DAY CELEBRATION WITH DJ O’S COOL 3/26 KID CREOLE & THE COCONUTS 3/27 TEMPTATION PRESENTS: WERQ OUT! 3/28 RAWKUS 3/29 A TRIBUTE TO THE MUSIC OF MOTOWN 4/2 DAVID CHOI / TESS HENLEY 4/3 ONE MORE TIME THE TRIBUTE TO DAFT PUNK 4/7 NORTHEAST GROOVERS

4/8 4/10 4/11 4/12 4/16 4/17

FRIDAY MARCH 20TH

RAUL ROMERO DE LOS NOSEQUIEN Y LOS NOSECUANTOS SATURDAY MARCH 21ST

MAYSA

MORGAN HERITAGE INCOGNITO MIXTAPE SPRING MUSIC AFFAIR COMEDY AT HOWARD NEMR ALICE SMITH

EVERY SUNDAY !

SATURDAY MARCH 21ST LATE SHOW

FAMILIAR FACES THE FIRST LADY OF GO-GO “MS. KIM’S” 20TH ANNIVERSARY SHOW

SUNDAY MARCH 22ND

Y’ANNA CRAWLEY

WITH DANNI, KEITH ANGELO & THE WILLIAM MCMILLAN BAND HOSTED BY JOSHUA JENKINS & CHERYL JACKSON

WEDNESDAY MARCH 25TH

TITLE FIGHT & LA DISPUTE THE HOTELIER

PRODUCED BY JILL NEWMAN PRODUCTIONS

4/17 LATE-GRAVITY 4/19 MICHELLE BLACKWELL

THE WORLD FAMOUS HARLEM GOSPEL CHOIR 1523 22nd St NW – Washington, DC 20037 (202) 293-1887 - www.bierbarondc.com @bierbarondc.com for news and events

11/20- LOOSE ENDS

UPCOMING SHOWS

TUES, MAR 17

4/20 MONOPHONICS SOUND OF SINNING TOUR 4/24 JARABE DE PALO 4/25 KEITH SWEAT: ALBUM RELEASE SHOW (BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!) 4/30 SHEILA E. 5/2 LEE FIELDS & THE EXPRESSIONS + TROUBLE FUNK

$45 GETS YOU ALL YOU CAN EAT SOUTHERN STYLE BUFFET AND ENTRY TO THE SHOW

washingtoncitypaper.com march 13, 2015 49

Gero stars as Scalia, who spars with a stubborn, liberal law clerk as they prepare for an important case. Arena Stage. 1101 6th St. SW. To April 26. $70-$110. (202) 488-3300. arenastage.org. passion play Sarah Ruhl’s extravagant play jumps from Elizabethan England to Weimar-era Germany to America in the ‘80s as different groups of people act out the annual story of Christ’s resurrection. Forum Theatre at Silver Spring Black Box Theatre. 8641 Colesville Road, Silver Spring. To April 11. $30-$35. (240) 644-1390. forum-theatre.org. soon In this world premiere by composer and lyricist Nick Blaemire, all of earth’s water is due to evaporate in a few months, which sends aimless 20-something Charlie into hibernation on the couch. Her mother, friend, and boyfriend try to encourage her to take advantage of what time is left but she soon reveals past events that have kept her confined physically and emotionally. Signature Theatre. 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington. To April 26. $39-$94. (703) 820-9771. signature-theatre.org.

WhaT i heaRD aboUT The WoRlD Lisbon’s Mala Voadora and England’s Third Angel Theater Company collaborate on this series of vignettes that attempt to explain the world as it continues to expand. Kennedy Center Family Theater. 2700 F St. NW. To March 14. $30. (202) 467-4600. kennedy-center.org.

FilM

’71 After getting abandoned by his unit, a British solider must fend for himself on the streets of Belfast during the height of the Troubles between Ireland’s Catholic and Protestant factions.

(See washingtoncitypaper.com for venue information)

n

CinDeRella Kenneth Branagh directs this liven action adaptation of the classic fairy tale about a girl, a prince, a pumpkin, and a glass slipper. (See washingtoncitypaper.com for venue information) hUnTinG GRoUnD Director Kirby Dick n The examines the sexual assault epidemic on college campuses and profiles the work of survivors and advocates in this stirring documentary.

(See washingtoncitypaper.com for venue information) meRChanTs oF DoUbT This riveting documenn tary explores the work of so-called experts hired to discuss weighty scientific issues like climate change and toxic chemicals. (See washingtoncitypaper.com for venue information) QUeen anD CoUnTRy In this sequel to 1987’s n Hope and Glory, Bill Rohan is all grown up and searching for love while serving in the Army. (See washingtoncitypaper.com for venue information) RUn all niGhT Liam Neeson stars as an aging n hitman who must perform one final job to protect his family. Ed Harris, Common, and Joel Kinnaman also star. (See washingtoncitypaper.com for venue information) salvaTion A Danish man must hunt down n The a dangerous gang after he kills the people who murdered his family in this western starring Mads Mikkelsen. (See washingtoncitypaper.com for venue information)

Film clips are written by Caroline Jones.

charles-Steck Photography

CITY LIGHTS: THURSDAY

POLYON

3 0 1 - 6 3 3 - 5 6 0 1 charles@steckphotography.com w w w. s t e c k p h o t o g r a p h y. c o m 50 march 13, 2015 washingtoncitypaper.com

Volume control is an essential element of any rock show, but its value is often underrated. Most bands stick to a tasteful level, leaving eardrums and some conversations intact.

D.C.’s Polyon does not operate that way. The band’s dialed-up sound may seem excessive, earth-shattering even, but that’s part of its appeal. Whenever Polyon plays, fuzzed-out guitar and cymbal crashes reverberate past the point of good taste until the hooks clang away in your guts. The band’s that good. At DC9, Polyon shares billing with Solids, a twopiece punk band from Montreal. Like Japandroids and No Age, Solids create a massive sound with minimal instrumentation. The band’s 2014 record Blame Confusion is all about build-up: After a shimmer of guitars and rapid-fire drum fills, the album is essentially a 40-minute release of punk fury. DC9 is all about intimacy, but these bands perform like they should fill arenas. Polyon performs with Solids and Stronger Sex at 8:30 p.m. at DC9, —Alan Zilberman 1940 9th St. NW. $8. (202) 483-5000. dcnine.com.

HEAR YE, HEAR YE

BY BREndAn EmmEtt QuiglEY 1

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42 Steve whom the Village Voice called the Douchiest Guitar Player of All Time 43 “Take me ___ am” 44 Seeks change 45 Figure in a kidnapping case 48 Its headquarters are in Langley, Virginia 50 Assistance 51 Burst into tears 52 Wait for a second before doing a cowboy’s shout?

56 Manning the deep fryer, e.g.

59 Value Meal beverage 60 Bill cancellation 61 Big jump in numbers 62 “Don’t be ___” (Google’s onetime motto) 63 Latin lover’s word 64 Minecraft nut 65 Gently touches 66 Stereotypical “xkcd” fan

Down

1 Date night flick 2 Its capital is Luanda 3 Blockbuster, often 4 Bubbly drink 5 Catchphrase

47

55 60

1 Tabula ___ 5 Total fraud 9 Sales team’s figure 14 Big burden 15 Turkish bazaar bread 16 Still single 17 Indie band with the 2007 hit “Kids” 18 “Is that so?” in IMs 19 Book that covers a lot of ground?

20 Woody’s wife getting off?

23 Cheer for a bicycle kick 24 Consume 25 “Drinks are on me” 29 Area for notes 31 A couple-three 33 Incur debts 34 ___ de mer 35 Oscar ___ (the Academy’s choice not to nominate a critically acclaimed work) 36 “Aha moment” sound effect 37 Battle royal between Kanye West and everybody?

40 Kind of blue 41 Truck stop wheels

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6 Artist Damien who puts dead animals in formaldehyde 7 ___ & Janis 8 Sandwich spread that I prefer to dip French fries in 9 Bush’s successor and Gore’s predecessor 10 As far as 11 Horned hooter 12 Drink with crumpets 13 Screens between rounds of Words With Friends, e.g.

21 Director Blomkamp

IOTA CLUB & CAFE 22 Pejorative initialism said for those who want wind farms, only nowhere near their homes 26 Fraudulent investment opportunity 27 Orange dot in Gchat’s status 28 “Dat’s right” 30 City on Lake Michigan 31 Snatches 32 Yours and mine 35 Big gulp 36 Napster founder Parker 37 Load of laundry 38 Bedtime story?

39 Avoid 40 Washington baseballer 44 First singer to have seven songs from a debut album chart on Billboard 45 Saudi Arabian bucks 46 Elocutionist 47 “I say!”

49 Blow a best-ofseven series after being up three games, e.g.

50 Improvise on the fly 53 Did phefuckingnomenal on 54 Exploding star 55 Snapchat’s CEO Spiegel 56 Moo shu pork flavorer 57 Person hired around tax time: Abbr.

58 Actor O’Heir of Parks and Recreation

LAST WEEK: CANDY CRUSH G I L E A D

P R O N T O

C G R P A A M M O R H S H

S Y A U R A G R L L A I O N O F W N H I R L A M M E C O T E R N R E I T R I A D E S T I N O E E N

R N S I A H A M M Y O A F E N L L S K O I Y P I G S C I I T Y S L O T L F E M M E X L A D E B I

W E A K S I D E

H A R E

A M E N A M M O E O N

L E E S A S

12 taps--IRIsH BEERs--gRowlERfIlls

new hours

open 4 pm

mon-tue-wed-thu

Happy HouR 4-7 pM BEfoRE sHows

open 10 am

fri-sat-sun-hol

BREakfast - BRuncH - BoozE

march

arcology @ iota

tH 7:30 12 dj saM snow on tHE dEcks fREE

no covER $ vInyl - vInyl - vInyl

fR stripmall ballads 13 w/ tHE lowEst paIR sa 14 flashband su 15 claw Mo 16 bachelor boys

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o’tasty irish punk rock

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st. patRIck’s day sHow $10 ................................... wE --do you play?-18 open mic night !

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sa 21

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BEERs & sHots & IRIsH gaRB ...................................

9:00 $10

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SHOWTIMES March 13-19, 2015 Times currenT as of 4 p.m. Wednesday

The Salvation (R) 100 mins.

Fri. 2:40, 5:20, 7:40, 9:20; Sat.-Sun. 2:40, 5:20, 7:40, 9:20; Mon.-Thu. 2:40, 5:20, 7:40, 9:20 Timbuktu (Le chagrin des oiseaux) (PG-13) 97 mins.

Fri. 2:20, 4:40, 7:00; Sat.-Sun. 2:20, 4:40, 7:00; Mon. 2:20, 4:40, 7:00; Tue. 2:20, 4:40; Wed. 2:20, 4:40, 7:00; Thu. 2:20, 4:40 Whiplash (R) 105 mins.

Fri.-Thu. 9:40

AMC Loews Theatres Georgetown

REPERTORY AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center 8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring (301) 495-6700

Veve (NR) 90 mins.

Sun. 9:00; Thu. 7:10

3111 K St. NW (202) 342-6441

Where the Road Runs Out (NR) 91 mins.

Sun. 4:45; Wed. 8:30

American Sniper (R) 134 mins.

Fri. 3:30, 6:30, 9:30

White Shadow (NR) 115 mins.

Tue. 7:25; Thu. 5:15

Birdman (R) 119 mins.

Fri. 3:00, 6:00, 9:00

B’ella (NR) 101 mins.

Sun. 2:30; Tue. 5:15

DISTRICT

Beti and Amare (NR) 94 mins.

Sat. 9:15; Mon. 9:20 Birdman (R) 119 mins.

Fri. 2:30, 7:10; Sat.-Sun. 3:10, 7:45; Mon.-Wed. 2:30, 7:10; Thu. 2:30, 7:30

Angelika Pop-Up at Union Market Between 5th & 6th Streets NE

Black November 96 mins.

Fri. 9:30; Tue. 9:45

(571)512-3313 Eva (PG-13) 94 mins.

Fri. 11:15, 1:15, 3:15, 7:15; Sat. 3:15, 7:15; Sun. 11:15, 1:15, 3:15, 7:15; Mon. 11:15, 1:15, 3:15; Tue. 11:15, 1:15, 3:15, 7:15; Wed.-Thu. 11:15, 1:15, 3:15, 7:15

Broadway Bill (1934) (NR) 104 mins.

Sat.-Sun. 11:00 Four Corners (NR) 100 mins.

Fri. 7:00; Thu. 9:05

The Imitation Game (PG-13) 114 mins.

Fri. 4:50; Sat.-Sun. 5:25; Mon.-Wed. 4:50; Thu. 12:15 Maps to the Stars (R) 111 mins.

Fri. 12:20, 9:45; Sat. 1:00, 10:10; Sun. 1:00; Mon.Wed. 12:20, 9:30; Thu. 9:45 National Diploma (Examen d’etat) (NR) 90 mins.

Sat. 12:45; Wed. 5:15 Run (2014) (NR) 100 mins.

Sat. 2:45; Mon. 7:15 The Samaritans (NR) Sat. 5:00; Wed. 7:10 The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (PG) 122 mins.

Fri. 11:00, 1:30, 2:20, 4:45, 7:15, 9:25; Sat. 11:30, 2:00, 4:30, 7:00, 9:30; Sun. 12:30, 3:00, 5:30, 8:00; Mon.-Wed. noon, 2:20, 4:45, 7:15; Thu. noon, 2:20, 4:45, 7:15, 9:30 She Done Him Wrong (1933) (NR) 66 mins.

Fri. 4:00; Sat. 11:10; Tue. 9:40

American Sniper (R) 134 mins.

Fri.-Sat. 7:00, 10:00; Sun.-Tue. 7:00; Thu. 12:40 Cinderella (PG) 112 mins.

Fri.-Sat. 11:10, 12:30, 2:00, 3:10, 4:50, 7:30, 8:20, 10:10; Sun. 11:10, 12:30, 2:00, 3:10, 4:50, 7:30, 8:20; Mon.-Tue. 12:30, 2:00, 4:50, 7:30, 8:20; Wed. 12:30, 2:00, 4:50, 7:30, 8:10; Thu. noon, 2:00, 4:50, 7:30 The DUFF (PG-13) 100 mins.

Fri. 10:00, 5:50, 11:00; Sat. 5:50, 11:00; Sun. 10:00, 5:50; Mon.-Tue. 3:10, 5:50; Wed. 3:10, 5:35; Thu. 5:35 The Divergent Series: Insurgent 3D (PG-13) 119 mins.

Thu. 8:00

Chappie (R) 120 mins.

Fri. 4:00, 7:00, 10:00

The Divergent Series: Insurgent (PG-13) 119 mins.

Thu. 8:00

Cinderella (PG) 112 mins.

Fri. noon, 12:45, 2:40, 3:40, 5:15, 6:20, 8:00, 9:00; Sat. 11:15, noon, 12:45, 2:40, 3:30, 5:15, 6:20, 8:00, 9:00, 10:35; Sun. noon, 12:45, 2:40, 3:30, 5:15, 6:20, 8:00, 9:00 Cinderella: The IMAX Experience (PG) 112 mins.

Fri. 1:30, 4:20, 7:00, 9:45, 10:35; Sat. 10:30, 1:30, 4:20, 7:00, 9:45; Sun. 10:30, 1:30, 4:20, 7:00, 9:45, 10:15; Mon. 2:40, 5:15, 8:00; Tue.-Thu. 2:40, 5:15, 7:45, 10:15

Focus (R) 104 mins.

Fri. noon, 2:30, 5:00, 7:40, 10:15; Sat. 2:30, 5:00, 7:40, 10:15; Sun.-Wed. noon, 2:30, 5:00, 7:40; Thu. noon, 2:30, 5:00 Kingsman: The Secret Service (R) 129 mins.

Fri. 10:10, 1:10, 4:10, 7:10, 10:05; Sat. 1:10, 4:10, 7:10, 10:05; Sun. 10:10, 1:10, 4:10, 7:10; Mon.Wed. 1:10, 4:10, 7:10; Thu. 4:10, 7:30

The DUFF (PG-13) 100 mins.

Fri. 3:10, 5:40, 8:15, 10:45

Song of the Sea (PG) 93 mins.

Fri.-Mon. 11:00; Tue. 11:00; Thu. 11:00

The Divergent Series: Insurgent 3D (PG-13) 119 mins.

Thu. 8:00

The Metropolitan Opera: La Donna del Lago Encore (NR) 210 mins.

Wed. 6:30; Thu. 1:00

Still Alice (PG-13) 99 mins.

Fri. 1:10, 3:20, 5:30; Sat. 3:20, 5:30; Sun.-Mon. 1:10, 3:20, 5:30; Tue. 1:10, 3:20, 5:30; Wed. noon, 3:20, 5:30; Thu. 1:10, 3:20, 5:30

The Divergent Series: Insurgent An IMAX 3D Experience (PG-13) 119 mins.

Thu. 8:00, 10:45

The Metropolitan Opera: La Donna del Lago (NR) 210 mins.

Sat. 12:55

Timbuktu (Le chagrin des oiseaux) (PG-13) 97 mins.

Fri. 11:00, 1:00, 3:00, 5:00, 7:00, 9:15; Sat. 11:00, 1:00, 5:00, 7:00, 9:15; Sun. 11:00, 1:00, 3:00, 5:00, 7:00, 9:15; Mon. 11:00, 1:00, 3:00, 5:00, 7:00; Tue. 11:00, 1:00, 3:00, 5:00; Wed.-Thu. 11:00, 1:00, 3:00, 5:00, 7:00

The Divergent Series: Insurgent (PG-13) 119 mins.

Thu. 8:00, 9:00, 10:00

Royal Ballet: Swan Lake (NR) 210 mins.

Thu. 7:00

Fifty Shades of Grey (R) 125 mins.

Fri. 1:40, 4:25, 7:15, 10:00

Run All Night (R) 114 mins.

Fri. 12:05, 2:40, 5:20, 10:40; Sat. noon, 2:40, 5:20, 8:00, 10:40; Sun.-Wed. 12:05, 2:40, 5:20, 8:00; Thu. 12:05, 2:40, 5:20, 7:20

Whiplash (R) 105 mins.

Fri.-Sun. 7:40, 9:45; Mon. 7:45; Tue. 7:40; Wed. 7:45; Thu. 7:40

West End Cinema 2301 M St. NW (202)419-3456

Focus (R) 104 mins.

Fri. 2:30, 5:00, 7:40, 10:20

The Imitation Game (PG-13) 114 mins.

Fri. 1:45, 4:40, 7:30, 10:15

The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (PG) 122 mins.

Fri. 10:50, 1:40, 4:30, 7:20, 10:15; Sat. 10:40, 1:30, 4:20, 7:20, 10:05; Sun. 10:50, 1:40, 4:30, 7:20; Mon.-Thu. noon, 2:50, 5:40, 8:30

Kingsman: The Secret Service (R) 129 mins.

Fri. 1:35, 4:30, 7:45, 10:45

Avalon Theatre

The Gunman (R) 115 mins.

Thu. 7:00, 9:45

Avengers Grimm (NR) 90 mins.

Tue. 7:00

Run All Night (R) 114 mins.

Fri. noon, 2:40, 5:20, 8:00, 10:40; Sat.-Sun. 4:30, 7:15

Stories of Our Lives (NR) 60 mins.

Fri. 5:30; Sun. 1:00

The Mind of Mark Defriest (R) 92 mins.

Fri. 2:00, 5:00, 7:20; Sat.-Sun. 2:00, 5:00, 7:20; Mon.-Thu. 2:00, 5:00, 7:20

The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (PG) 122 mins.

Fri. 1:30, 4:25, 7:25, 10:15

Triangle - Going to America (NR) 90 mins.

Sat. 6:30

Road Hard (NR) 98 mins.

Fri.-Sat. 9:45

Unfinished Business (R) 90 mins.

Fri. 3:45, 6:15, 8:30, 10:45

Soleils (NR) 96 mins.

Sun. 6:45; Mon. 5:15

5300 Wisconsin Ave. NW (202) 537-9553

McFarland, USA (PG) 128 mins.

Fri. 10:05, 1:00, 4:00; Sat. 10:10; Sun. 10:05, 1:00, 4:00; Mon.-Tue. 1:00, 4:00; Wed. 12:05, 3:00; Thu. 2:40

The Last Five Years (PG-13) 94 mins.

Fri.-Sun. 5:15, 9:30; Mon.-Thu. 5:15

I’m No Angel (1933) (NR) 87 mins.

Sun. 11:10; Mon. 9:40; Wed. 9:40

AMC Mazza Gallerie

ACADEMY AWARD NOMINEE • BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

5612 Connecticut Ave. NW (202) 966-6000 The Cinema Club - Washington D.C. (NR) Sun. 10:30 Leviathan (R) 140 mins.

Fri.-Tue. 1:00, 7:30; Wed. 1:00; Thu. 1:00, 7:30 Mr. Turner (R) 149 mins.

Fri.-Thu. 4:15

®

“PROVOCATIVE AND IMPROBABLY ENTERTAINING.”

“SIX TALES OF APOCALYPTIC REVENGE. THE YEAR’S MOST FEARLESSLY FUNNY FILM.”

-Joe Morgenstern, WALL STREET JOURNAL FOOD, INC. AND THE COMPANY BEHIND WAITING FOR SUPERMAN AND AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH

-Richard Corliss, TIME MAGAZINE FROM PRODUCERS

PEDRO

AND

FROM THE DIRECTOR OF

A G U S T Í N A L M O D Ó VA R

A FILM BY ROBERT KENNER

A F I L M BY

DAMIÁN SZIFRON

PRODUCED AND DIRECTED BY ROBERT KENNER WWW.SONYCLASSICS.COM WWW.TAKEPART.COM/DOUBT

Washington, DC LANDMARK’S E STREET CINEMA (202) 783-9494

Annapolis BOW TIE HARBOUR 9 (410) 224-1145

Arlington AMC LOEWS SHIRLINGTON 7 (888) AMC-4FUN

Bethesda LANDMARK’S BETHESDA ROW CINEMA (301) 652-7273

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Fairfax CINEMA ARTS THEATRE (703) 978-6991

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Q&As THIS WEEKEND:

FRIDAY, MARCH 13 AFTER THE 7:15 PM SHOW AT LANDMARK’S E STREET with KATHARINE HAYHOE, Climate Scientist & Educator, BOB INGLIS, Former Congressman (R-SC4) and MICHAEL E. MANN, Distinguished Professor of Meteorology, Penn State SATURDAY, MARCH 14 AFTER THE 7:15 PM SHOW AT LANDMARK’S E STREET with JOHN PASSACANTANDO, Former Executive Director, Greenpeace

DC EXCLUSIVE ENGAGEMENTS Washington, LANDMARK’S E STREET CINEMA START FRIDAY, MARCH 13 (202) 783-9494 VIEW THE TRAILER AT WWW.MERCHANTSOFDOUBTMOVIE.COM

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SHOWTIMES (continued) Times currenT as of 4 p.m. Wednesday The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (PG) 122 mins.

Fri.-Sat. 11:30, 2:20, 5:10, 8:00; Sun. 2:20, 5:10, 8:00; Mon.-Wed. 11:30, 2:20, 5:10, 8:00; Thu. 10:30, 2:20, 8:00 Two Days, One Night (Deux jours, une nuit) (PG-13) 95 mins.

Wed. 8:00

E Street Cinema 555 11th St. NW. (202) 452-7672 Ballet 422 (PG) 72 mins.

Fri.-Thu. 2:00, 10:00

Cinderella (PG) 112 mins.

Fri. 10:00, noon, 1:00, 1:30, 2:00, 2:30, 3:00, 4:00, 4:30, 5:00, 6:00, 7:00, 7:30, 8:00, 8:30, 9:00, 10:00, 11:00; Sat. 11:30, noon, 1:00, 1:30, 2:00, 2:30, 3:00, 4:00, 4:30, 5:00, 6:00, 7:00, 7:30, 8:00, 8:30, 9:00, 10:00, 11:00; Sun. noon, 1:00, 1:30, 2:00, 2:30, 3:00, 4:00, 4:30, 5:00, 6:00, 7:00, 7:30, 8:00, 8:30, 9:00, 10:00, 10:45; Mon.-Tue. noon, 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00, 5:00, 6:00, 7:00, 8:00, 9:00, 10:00, 10:45; Wed. noon, 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00, 5:00, 6:00, 7:00, 8:00, 9:00, 10:30, 11:00; Thu. 1:00, 2:00, 4:00, 5:00, 7:00, 8:00, 10:00, 10:45

The Divergent Series Double Feature: Divergent & Insurgent (PG-13) 259 mins.

Thu. 5:30

Castle in the Sky (Tenku no shiro Rapyuta) (PG) 124 mins.

Sat.-Sun. 10:30

The Divergent Series: Insurgent 3D (PG-13) 119 mins.

Thu. 8:00, 9:00, 11:00

A Dangerous Game (NR) 90 mins.

Wed. 7:00

The Divergent Series: Insurgent (PG-13) 119 mins.

Thu. 8:30, 9:30, 10:30

From Beyond (R) 85 mins.

Fri.-Sat. 11:59

Fifty Shades of Grey (R) 125 mins.

Fri.-Wed. 1:40, 4:40, 7:40, 10:50

The Hunting Ground (PG-13) 90 mins.

Fri. 2:30, 5:00, 7:30, 9:55; Sat.-Sun. noon, 2:30, 5:00, 7:30, 9:55; Mon.-Thu. 2:30, 5:00, 7:30, 9:55

Focus (R) 104 mins.

Fri.-Wed. 11:40, 2:20, 4:55, 7:50, 10:35

Merchants of Doubt (PG-13) 96 mins.

Fri. 1:45, 4:30, 7:15, 10:00; Sat. 11:00, 1:45, 4:30, 7:15, 10:00; Sun. 11:00, 1:45, 4:30, 7:15, 9:45; Mon.-Thu. 1:45, 4:30, 7:15, 9:45 Princess Mononoke (Mononoke-hime) (PG-13) 135 mins.

Sat.-Sun. 1:00 Queen and Country (NR) 105 mins.

Fri. 1:25, 4:15, 7:05, 9:45; Sat. 10:50, 1:25, 4:15, 7:05, 9:45; Sun. 10:50, 1:25, 4:15, 7:05, 9:35; Mon.Thu. 1:25, 4:15, 7:05, 9:35 The Rocky Horror Picture Show (R) 100 mins.

Fri.-Sat. 11:59 The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (PG) 122 mins.

Fri. 12:45, 3:30, 4:20, 6:30, 7:20, 9:15; Sat.-Sun. 10:45, 12:45, 3:30, 4:20, 6:30, 7:20, 9:15; Mon. 12:45, 3:30, 4:20, 6:30, 7:20, 9:15; Tue.-Thu. 12:45, 3:30, 4:20, 7:20, 9:15 What We Do in the Shadows (NR) 86 mins.

Fri. 1:15, 3:30, 5:45, 8:00, 10:15; Sat. 10:55, 1:15, 3:30, 5:45, 8:00, 10:15; Sun. 10:55, 1:15, 3:30, 5:45, 8:00, 10:00; Mon.-Thu. 1:15, 3:30, 5:45, 8:00, 10:00

CHASE MOVIE.” Manohla Dargis

The DUFF (PG-13) 100 mins.

Fri.-Sun. 2:10, 7:10; Mon. 7:10; Tue. 2:10, 7:10; Wed. 2:10

Birdman (R) 119 mins.

Fri. 1:00, 6:45; Sat. 6:45; Sun.-Thu. 1:00, 6:45

The Imitation Game (PG-13) 114 mins.

Fri.-Thu. 3:45, 9:30

CRITICS’ PICK

“AN EXCITINGLY JUMPY, FINELY CALIBRATED

The Gunman (R) 115 mins.

Thu. 7:00, 10:00

SELECT ENGAGEMENTS START FRIDAY, MARCH 13

FAIRFAX ARLINGTON BETHESDA Angelika at Mosaic AMC Loews Shirlington 7 Landmark’s Bethesda Row Cinema (571) 512-3301 (888) AMC-4FUN (301) 652-7273

CHECK DIRECTORIES FOR SHOWTIMES NO PASSES ACCEPTED

Kingsman: The Secret Service (R) 129 mins.

Fri.-Wed. 12:20, 3:40, 6:55, 10:10 The Lazarus Effect (PG-13) 83 mins.

Fri.-Sat. 11:45, 4:45, 9:50; Sun. 12:25, 4:45, 9:50; Mon. 11:45, 4:45, 9:50; Tue. 4:45, 9:50; Wed. 11:45, 4:45, 9:50 Run All Night (R) 114 mins.

Fri.-Sat. 11:35, 12:50, 2:15, 3:55, 5:00, 7:05, 7:45, 10:05, 10:40, 11:35; Sun.-Wed. 11:35, 12:50, 2:15, 3:55, 5:00, 7:05, 7:45, 10:05, 10:40; Thu. 11:35, 2:15, 5:00, 7:45, 10:40 The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water 3D (PG) 93 mins.

Fri.-Wed. 4:50, 9:40 The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water (PG) 93 mins.

Fri.-Sat. 11:50, 2:25, 7:20; Sun. 2:25, 7:20; Mon.Wed. 11:50, 2:25, 7:20 Unfinished Business (R) 90 mins.

Fri.-Sun. 12:30, 2:55, 5:30, 8:10, 10:30; Mon. noon, 2:20, 4:40, 11:00; Tue.-Wed. 12:30, 2:55, 5:30, 8:10, 10:30

Wild Tales (Relatos salvajes) (R) 122 mins.

Fri. 1:30, 4:10, 7:00, 9:50; Sat. 10:45, 1:30, 4:10, 7:00, 9:50; Sun. 10:45, 4:10, 7:00, 9:25; Mon. 1:30, 4:10, 7:00, 9:25; Tue.-Wed. 1:30, 4:10, 9:25; Thu. 1:30, 4:10, 7:00, 9:25

Regal Gallery Place 707 7th St. NW (202) 393-2121 American Sniper (R) 134 mins.

Fri.-Sat. 5:20, 11:15; Sun. 5:20, 10:25; Mon.-Wed. 12:40, 4:00, 7:25, 10:30 Chappie (R) 120 mins.

Fri.-Sat. 1:15, 4:15, 7:15, 10:15, 11:00; Sun. 1:15, 4:15, 7:15, 10:30; Mon. 11:35, 1:15, 2:30, 5:25, 7:55, 8:30, 10:55; Tue.-Wed. 11:35, 1:15, 2:30, 4:15, 5:25, 7:15, 8:30, 10:15

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