An Urban Lifestyle Magazine
MIDCITY FEBRUARY 2014
APPLICATIONS BEING ACCEPTED FOR THE 2014-2015 SCHOOL YEAR Pre-K 3, Pre-K 4, Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade
Building on our strong foundation as an early childhood program
Information / Open House Sessions on the Following Thursdays, 9:30 am-10:30 am*:
February 20 & 27 March 20 & 27 April 24 May 1 *You must register to attend, limit of 20 people per session. Call (202) 545-0515 to register.
Apply for admissions at: www.myschooldc.org • Application deadline March 3, 2014.
Accredited by Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Voted Best Preschool in DC, City Paper Readers Poll 2013!
• Before & After Care • Small classroom size and well trained staff • Individual planning for each student • Hands-on and project-based curriculum Free and open to all DC residents. Tuition paid by non-residents.
www.bridgespcs.org 1250 Taylor Street, NW, Washington, DC 20011 p: 202.545.0515 e: info@bridgespcs.org
www.bridgespcs.org
SBRC’s NonProfit Workshop Featuring
DCRA’s Corporations Division, DC Office of Tax and Revenue & DC Bar Pro Bono Program: What: If you want to learn and or deepen your knowledge about organizational types (i.e. LLC., INC., etc) and basic federal, state and local tax liabilities then you should register for this workshop. Presented By: DCRA’s Corporations Division and DC Office of Tax and Revenue When: Thursday, February 27, 2014 Time: 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
SBRC’s Money Smart for Small Business Program Banking Services and Insurance Workshops What: If you want to learn basic banking services and how to choose the insurance products that are best for your business then these sessions are for you. Presented By: BB&T Bank When: Thursday, February 6, 2014 Time: 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Organizational Types and Tax Planning and Reporting Workshops What: If you want to learn and or deepen your knowledge about organizational types (i.e. LLC., INC., etc) and basic federal, state and local tax liabilities then you should register for this workshop. Presented By: DCRA’s Corporations Division and DC Office of Tax and Revenue
DC Chamber of Commerce’s:
Small Business DC Health Link Enrollment Days What:
When: Thursday, February 6, 2014 Time: 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
If you need help enrolling through the DC Health Link for health coverage for you and your employees, you can schedule an appointment for one-on-one assistance in creating an account and completing the enrollment process. During this session, a certified In-Person Assister (IPA) and insurance broker will work with business owners to navigate the DC Health Link online system and answer questions during the one-on-one meeting. By appointment only. Call 202-624-0614.
Presented By: DC Chamber of Commerce – DC Health Link Program When:
4th Wednesday of each month
Time:
10:00 am – 3:00 pm
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CONTENTS FEBRUARY
MIDCITY
08 What’s on Washington 10 Calendar Black History Month Special
19 26 50
19
Frederick Douglass in Washington • John Muller
24
E on DC • E. Ethelbert Miller
out and about 26 28 29
Insatiable • Jonathan Bardzik Retail Therapy • Mariessa Terrell Reclaim Your Fitness with Parkour • Jazelle Hunt
your neighborhood 31 32 38 41 42 43 44 45
The Nose • Anonymous District Beat • Andrew Lightman The Numbers • Ed Lazere and Jenny Reed Washing Away the Memories • Denise Romano Shaw Streets • Pleasant Mann Bloomingdale Business • Jazzy Wright Logan Circles • Mark F. Johnson ANC 6E News • Steve Holton
kids and family 50
Kids and Family Notebook • Kathleen Donner
at home 51
Changing Hands • Don Denton
52 Classifieds COVER: Vancouver-based, China-born artist Wanting set the stage for her sophomore album Say The Words with 2012’s Everything In The World. Her first offering debuted at #1 in China, eventually reaching triple-platinum status. Stepping out of her comfort zone, Wanting spent four months in Los Angeles working with Aniello during early 2013. Wanting had penned a myriad of songs already since Everything In The World, and together they fine-tuned them and broke new ground sonically. Embracing everything from jazz to hip-hop, she elevated her passionate and powerful pop sound to new heights. Wanting will be performing at the historic Sixth & I Synagogue on March 13 at 8 p.m.
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Hill Rag • Mid City DC • East Of The River • Fagon Community Guides Capital Community News, Inc. 224 7th Street, SE, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20003 202.543.8300 capitalcommunitynews.com EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Melissa Ashabranner • melissaashabranner@hillrag.com
Publisher: Jean-Keith Fagon • fagon@hillrag.com Copyright © 2013 by Capital Community News. All Rights Reserved.
Look for Next Issue of MCDC on March 8 Editorial Staff Managing Editor: Andrew Lightman • andrew@hillrag.com CFO & Associate Editor: Maria Carolina Lopez • carolina@hillrag.com School Notes Editor: Susan Braun Johnson • schools@hillrag.com Kids & Family Notebook Editor: Kathleen Donner • kathleendonner@gmail.com Food Editor: Annette Nielsen • annette@hillrag.com
KIDS & FAMILY Kathleen Donner • kathleendonner@gmail.com Susan Johnson • schools@hillrag.com
Arts, Dining & Entertainment Art: Jim Magner • jjmagner@aol.com Dining: Emily Clark • clapol47@gmail.com Celeste McCall • celeste@us.net Jonathan Bardzik • jonathan.bardzik@gmail.com General Assignment: Maggie Hall • whitby@aol.com Literature: Karen Lyon • klyon@folger.edu Movies: Mike Canning • mjcanning@verizon.net Music: Jean-Keith Fagon • fagon@hillrag.com Stephen Monroe • samonroe2004@yahoo.com Retail Therapy: Marissa Terrell • mterrell@sbclawgroup.com Theater: Barbara Wells • barchardwells@aol.com The Wine Guys: Jon Genderson • jon@cellar.com
Homes & Gardens Derek Thomas • derek@thomaslandscapes.com Catherine Plume • caplume@yahoo.com
Calendar & Bulletin Board Calendar Editor: Kathleen Donner • calendar@hillrag.com, bulletinboard@hillrag.com General Assignment Martin Austermuhle • martin.austermuhle@gmail.com Maggy Baccinelli • mbaccinelli@gmail.com Dana Bell • dana@hillrag.com Elise Bernard • elise.bernard@gmail.com Ralph Brabham • ralphbrabham@yahoo.com Stephanie Deutsch • scd@his.com Kathleen Donner • kathleendonner@gmail.com Michelle Phipps-Evans • invisiblecolours@yahoo.com Mark Johnson • mark@hillrag.com Stephen Lilienthal - stephen_lilienthal@yahoo.com Celeste McCall • celeste@hillrag.com Charnice Milton • charnicem@hotmail.com John H. Muller • jmuller.washingtonsyndicate@gmail.com Will Rich • will.janks@gmail.com Linda Samuel • lindabsamuel@yahoo.com Heather Schoell • schoell@verizon.net Virginia Avniel Spatz • virginia@hillrag.com Michael G. Stevens • michael@capitolriverfront.org Peter J. Waldron • peter@hillrag.com Roberta Weiner • rweiner_us@yahoo.com Jazzy Wright • wright.jazzy@gmail.com Jennifer Zatkowski • jenn@hillrag.com
Society & Events Mickey Thompson • socialsightings@aol.com
COMMENTARY Ethelbert Miller • emiller698@aol.com The Nose • thenose@hillrag.com Production/Graphic/web Design Art Director: Jason Yen • jay@hillrag.com Graphic Designer: Lee Kyungmin • lee@hillrag.com Web Master: Andrew Lightman • andrew@hillrag.com Advertising & Sales Account Executive: Kira Means, 202.543.8300 X16 • kira@hillrag.com Account Executive: Jennifer Zatkowski, 202.543.8300 X20 • Jenn@hillrag.com Account Executive: Dave Kletzkin, 202.543.8300 X22 • Dave@hillrag.com Classified Advertising: Maria Carolina Lopez, 202.543.8300 X12 • carolina@hillrag.com Distribution Distribution Manager: Andrew Lightman Distributors: MediaPoint, LLC Distribution Information: distribution@hillrag.com Deadlines & CONTACTS Advertising: sales@hillrag.com Display Ads: 15th of each month Classified Ads: 10th of each month Editorial: 15th of each month; submissions@hillrag.com Bulletin Board & Calendar: 15th of each month; calendar@hillrag.com, bulletinboard@hillrag.com
BEAUTY, Health& Fitness Patricia Cinelli • fitmiss44@aol.com Candace Y.A. Montague • writeoncm@gmail.com
We welcome suggestions for stories. Send queries to andrew@hillrag.com. We are also interested in your views on community issues which are published in the Last Word. Please limit your comments to 250 words. Letters may be edited for space. Please include your name, address and phone number. Send Last Word submissions to lastword@hillrag.com. For employment opportunities email jobs@hillrag.com.
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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE
IS A DID YOU KNOW? If you knowingly collect benefits by intentionally providing false or inaccurate information when you filed your claim, you are committing FRAUD. Examples include: • An individual returns to work but continues to collect UI benefits. • An individual works a part-time job but does not report his or her earnings to the state, thereby collecting more benefits than he or she is allowed.
UI Fraud is punishable by law! PENALTIES Can Include: • Criminal prosecution • Penalties and fines • Forfeiting future income tax refunds • Ineligibility to collect UI benefits in the future Don’t make your unemployment problem worse. If you think you may have committed UI Fraud, let us help you address the issue.
• An individual performs temporary work while collecting UI benefits, but does not report the earnings when filing his or her weekly claim. • An individual holds back information or gives false information to the state UI agency.
1.877.372.8360 Call us today or visit does.dc.gov to read more about UI Fraud.
Midcity DC | February 2014 u 7
see our website for more events! www.whatsonwashington.com
The Summit: In-Depth Exploration of DC Theater in Three Acts
Arena Stage is offering a rare opportunity for DC-area theatergoers to hear groups of distinguished actors, directors, playwrights and artistic directors discuss their work and the myriad challenges facing their art form, in a series of three Monday evening panels entitled The Summit. The three free installments (Feb. 17, March 24, April 28) will gather some of the region’s most accomplished theater professionals to talk about everything from their passion for their craft to the problems of trying to lure new audiences to live theater. Tickets are free, but reservations are encouraged. Tickets may be reserved online at arenastage.org, by phone at 202-4883300 or at the Sales Office at 1101 6th St. SW.
Arena’s Molly Smith. Photo: Tony Powell
INTERSECTIONS Festival at the Atlas
Imagine: Art that encourages compassionate listening and provocative questioning. The best established, emerging, community and student artists from DC and beyond. Theaters filled with diverse, dynamic audiences. Conversations over a glass of wine in the café with someone new who has just had the same experience as you. Chances to perform, engage, party! All this and more await you at the Atlas INTERSECTIONS Festival over three weekends from Feb. 21-Mar. 8. Many performances are free! Celebrating their fifth anniversary, this unique all-arts festival brings together more than 100 performing groups over eight days to offer intersections of music, theatre, dance, film, opera and spoken word that capture a kaleidoscope of perspectives on our ever-evolving community and world. All five of our performance spaces will be alive with world premieres and innovative collaborations among artists of all ages, races, cultures, communities, and art forms. The Atlas is at 1333 H St. NE. intersectionsdc.org There is an INTERSECTIONS Mutts Gone Nuts Benefit Performance for Atlas Family Programming and animal rescue on Saturday, Feb.22 at 1:30 p.m.
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TAPAS - Spanish Design for Food
TAPAS - Spanish Design for Food features more than 200 objects and instruments, videos, photographs, and installations to explore the interaction between design and gastronomy, two creative disciplines enjoying a boom in Spain and currently achieving international acclaim. The exhibition, in the former residence of the Ambassadors of Spain at 2801 16th St. NW, and will be on view through Mar. 23, 2014. Gallery hours are Wednesday-Friday, 2-6 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Free admission. Dress For Dinner napkin designed by Héctor Serrano, produced by Worldwide
Post-Oil City: The History of the City’s Future
More than half of the world’s population is living in cities. “Post-Oil City” is an international planning and landscape architecture exhibit which originated in Germany. Innovative projects in Asia, Africa, and America address urgent questions: How will the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy affect the process of urban planning and the city? How will the use of renewable energies affect urban metabolism and the politics of sustainability and mobility? The exhibition is on view through Mar. 1, Monday-Friday, 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m.; and Saturday 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m., at the University of the District of Columbia, 4200 Connecticut Ave. NW, Architectural Research Institute, Building 32 (2nd floor). Mars Exploration Rover. Photo: Courtesy of Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum
Spirit & Opportunity: 10 Years Roving Across Mars
Fifty stunning Mars images are on display through Sept. 14, 2014 at the National Air and Space Museum, Independence Ave. at 6th St. SW. This exhibition celebrates the amazing images and achievements of the two Mars Exploration Rovers on the 10th anniversary of their landings on the Red Planet. The twin Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity were launched toward Mars in the summer of 2003. airandspace.si.edu
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calendar ★ ★ ★
FEBRUARY BLACK HISTORY MONTH
in African American history. Room G-25, National Archives, 700 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. archives.gov
Civil Rights Litigation Case Files from the Department of Justice. Feb 11, 11:00 AM. Tina Ligon, archivist, discusses recently processed Department of Justice litigation case files that relate to the modern civil rights movement and highlight key events
Visionaries of Black Education: Julius Rosenwald and Dr. E.B. Henderson. Feb 20, 6:00 PM. Join them for a special Black History Month event to examine how philanthropist
Photo: Courtesy of Cupid’s Undie Run
Cupids Undie Run. Feb 15, noon-4:00 PM. Cupid’s Undie Run is returning for its 5th year in Washington, DC. On Valentine’s Day weekend, come put the hilarity in charity with hundreds of half-naked runners taking to the streets in celebration of their fundraising for the Children’s Tumor Foundation. Last year Cupid’s raised over $1.3 Million to end NF. Make this year’s fundraising (and party) the biggest and best yet. Start a team, join a team, or just run solo and make some new friends. The party, at Pour House, Hawk ‘N’ Dove and Capitol Lounge on Capitol Hill, starts at noon; run time is 2 p.m.; then back for more fun until 4 p.m. Arrive early and stay late... and feel free to remain pants-less the entire time! Registration (still open) is now $100. cupidsundierun.com
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THE DATE! AVE SMarch 19, 2014 | 9 am – 7 pm
Julius Rosenwald and educator Dr. E.B. Henderson created educational opportunities for black children and introduced the game of basketball to Washington in the process. $15. Carnegie Library, 801 K St. NW. historydc.org Mount Vernon Celebrates Black History Month. Feb 1-28. In observance of Black History Month, Mount Vernon highlights the lives and contributions of the slaves who built and operated the plantation home of George and Martha Washington. Throughout the month, a daily Slave Life at Mount Vernon tour explores the lives and contributions of the slaves who lived at Mount Vernon. A wreathlaying and presentation occurs daily at the slave memorial site throughout the month of February. Black History Month activities are included in regular Estate admission: adults, $18; children ages 6-11, $9; and children under 5 are admitted free. mountvernon.org Tour the Frederick Douglass House. Tours are at 9:00 AM, 12:15 PM, 1:15 PM, 3:00 PM and 3:30 PM. Ranger led tours are the only way to see the inside of the Frederick Douglass house. Tours are ticketed, and there are a limited number of tickets available for each tour. Tour tickets are available by reservation or on a first-come, first-served walk-in basis. Visitors are strongly encouraged to
2014 GWHCC BUSINESS EXPO Connections Opportunities and Growth! Walter E. Washington Convention Center 801 Mt. Vernon Place, NW Washington, DC 20001
Free Admission – Register at:
www.gwhcc.org/expo If you want to be and entrepreneur or have a business and want to get more contacts and resources, join us for this event. • • • • • •
Connect with Local Businesses Meet Buyers and Decision Makers Attend Business Workshops Explore International Business Opportunities Network, Network and Network Learn about our Small Business Assistance Program
For more information call: (202)728-0352 or email Alma Alfaro-Laska at: aalfaro-laska@gwhcc.org. Our Small Business Assistance Program is funded by the DC Department of Housing and Community Development with suppot from Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs.
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Ski Lodge appears at Sixth and I on Mar. 3. Photo: Courtesy of Sixth & I Historic Synagogue
Music at Sixth and I. Feb 10, Julianna Barwick with Vasillus; Feb 16, Jonathan Wilson with The Blank Tapes; Feb 19, Asaf Avidan; Mar 1, Kathy Mattea; Mar 3, Ski Lodge, The Belle Game & Starlight Girls; Mar 8, Mark Mulcahy. Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, 600 I St. NW. 202-408-3100. sixthandi.org
make a reservation to guarantee their place on the tour. Tours last approximately 30 minutes. 1411 W St. SE. 202426-5960. nps.gov/frdo Trace Your DNA with AfricanAncestry.com. Founded in 2003 by Dr. Rick Kittles and Gina Paige, this Washington, DC based company has helped more than 100,000 people connect with their original roots in Africa. With the industry’s largest and most comprehensive database of more than 32,000 indigenous African DNA samples, African Ancestry determines specific countries of origin--and in most cases--ethnic groups with the highest level of accuracy. For more information, visit africanancestry.com. Civil Rights at 50 at Newseum. On display through 2015. “Civil Rights at 50,” a three-year changing exhibit, chronicles milestones in the civil rights movement from 1963, 1964 and 1965 through historic front pages, magazines and news images. Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Ave, NE. 888-639-7386. newseum.org 1964: Civil Rights at 50 at Newseum. Through Dec 2014. “1964” features powerful images of Freedom Summer, from volunteer training sessions in Ohio to clashes with segregationists and the search for three missing civil rights workers who were later found murdered. Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Ave, NE. 888-639-7386. newseum.org NAACP: A Century in the Fight for Freedom Online Exhibition. The NAACP: A Century in the Fight for Freedom exhibition presents a retrospective of the major personalities, events, and achievements that shaped the NAACP’s history during its first 100 years. myloc.gov/Exhibitions/naacp MLK Memorial. Open to visitors all hours, every day. 1964 Independence Ave. SW. nps.gov/mlkm
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Separate and Unequaled: Black Baseball in the District of Columbia. On view indefinitely. From Reconstruction to the second half of the 20th century, baseball, the great American pastime, was played in Washington, DC, on segregated fields. “Separate and Unequaled” looks at the phenomenal popularity and community draw of this sport when played by African Americans. Featured are such personalities as Josh Gibson and “Buck” Leonard, star players of the Negro Leagues most celebrated team, the Washington Homestead Grays. The show also highlights community teams that gave rise to the various amateur, collegiate and semi-pro black baseball teams and leagues. For special viewing hours and tours, call 202-633-4844. Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. anacostia.si.edu
VALENTINE’S A Drag Valentines Salute to the Divas. Feb 9, 8:00 PM. Howard Theatre, 620 T St. NW. 202-803-2899. thehowardtheatre.com Amel Larrieux-Come Be Our Valentine. Feb 14, 8:00 PM and 10:30 PM. Howard Theatre, 620 T St. NW. 202-8032899. thehowardtheatre.com Woo at the Zoo. Feb 14. Valentines will enjoy a complimentary drink and hors d’oeuvres and the opportunity to decorate sweets for your sweetheart. A cash bar will also be available featuring specialty drinks served in the exclusive Woo at the Zoo commemorative glass. All the fun takes place in the Zoo’s Visitor Center. For ages 21 and older. $125 for two. National Zoo, 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW. nationalzoo.si.edu
Sweet “Arts” and Valentines at American Art Museum. Feb 14, 11:30 AM-7:00 PM. Make a last-minute card, take themed scavenger hunts through the collection, and snap a picture at their photo booth. Enjoy sweet treats and wine in our café and get your Valentine something special in our museum store. Smithsonian American Art Museum, Kogod Courtyard, 8th and F Sts. NW. 202-633-7970. americanart.si.edu Chocolate for Your Valentine Cooking Demonstration. Feb 14, noon-1:30 PM. Demonstration presented by Adrienne Cook, Gardening Specialist and Danielle Cook, Nutritionist. What’s more fitting for Valentine’s Day than plenty of chocolate? Join the Cook Sisters for a delicious menu of dishes that incorporate chocolate. Free. US Botanic Garden, 100 Maryland Ave. SW. 202225-8333. usbg.gov Mating Call-The Dating Life of Birds and Bees Concert. Feb 14, 3:00-5:00 PM. This concert program reveals the hidden mating practices of our winged and feathered friends. Along with accessible scientific commentary, vocal artist Nancy Scimone celebrates these convivial courtships with lively bee and bird-themed songs by Mercer, Gershwin, Bizet and more. Free. US Botanic Garden, 100 Maryland Ave. SW. 202-225-8333. usbg.gov
SPECIAL EVENTS Washington, DC International Wine and Food Festival. Feb 13–15. Thursday, 8:00-11:00 PM; Friday-Saturday, 7:00-10:00 PM. In its 15th year, the Festival returns for DC’s oenophiles and gastronomy enthusiasts to enjoy
three days of signature events, master classes and wine dinners. Guests can look forward to opportunities to sample highly rated wines, artisanal cocktails and craft beer while sharing in the art, culture and fun of food and wine. $120. Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. wineandfooddc.com George Washington Birthday Celebration Parade. Feb 17, 1:00-3:00 PM. The nation’s largest George Washington birthday parade marches a one-mile route through the streets of Old Town Alexandria. visitalexandriava.com “Meet President Wilson” at the President Woodrow Wilson House. Feb 17. The President Woodrow Wilson House will be open on President’s Day to celebrate all of the great men who have led our country. Hear our 28th President’s insights on his time in office and the role of the President during guided tours through his private residence in Washington. Photo opportunities will be available. $10 adults; $8 seniors; $5 students; children under 12, free. The President Woodrow Wilson House, 2340 S St. NW. 202-387-4062. woodrowwilsonhouse.org The Dalai Lama Washington National Cathedral. Mar 7, 9:30 AM. Through a talk entitled, “Beyond Religion: Ethics for the Whole World,” the Dalai Lama will share his vision of a path to leading an ethical, happy and spiritual life, and offer a road map to building a more compassionate and peaceful world. Washington National Cathedral, 3101 Wisconsin Ave. NW. cathedral.org National Cherry Blossom Festival. Mar 20-Apr 13. Kite Festival, Mar 29; waterfront fireworks, Apr 5; parade and Japanese street festival, Apr 12. .nationalcherryblossomfestival.org Volunteer at the Cherry Blossom Festival. By volunteering for the National Cherry Blossom Festival, its events largely free and open to the public, you support an important event in and for our community. You’ll also have the opportunity to make new friends and have fun. Join us in welcoming the many visitors and residents to the Festival! Go to nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/get-involved.
MUSIC Music at The Howard. Feb 11, The Fab Four; Feb 12, Natalie Clavier presents Lumen live and Frederico Aubele live; Feb 13, Dru Hill; Feb 15 and 16, An Evening with Tamia Mateo; Feb 20, Yasiin Bey (aka Mos Def); Feb 21, Regina Belle; Feb 22, PJ Morton (of Maroon 5); Feb 23, Kat Dahlia; Feb 26, 2nd Annual Nolafunk Mardi Grad Ball Tour; Feb 27, Hopsin Cheyne; Feb 28, Slick Rick and Rakim; Mar 2, Night of the Pharaohs;
Mar 3, Juan Perro (ex Radio Futura); Mar 5, Vertical Horizon Tonic Dishwalla; Mar 6, The Never Sober Tour featuring Juicy J Travi$ Scott; Mar 6, Valarie Simpson. Howard Theatre, 620 T St. NW. 202-803-2899. thehowardtheatre.com Music at INTERSECTIONS Festival at the Atlas. Feb 21. 7:30 PM, Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, My First Time; 8:00 PM, Capital City Symphony, Go-Go Symphony; 9:30 PM, UrbanArias, Opera Like You’ve Never Seen It. Feb 22. 1:30 PM, Charles Williams and The Royal Family Blues Band, Roots of the Blues; 4:30 PM, Remembering the Palladium, An Encore and More Production; 4:30 PM, Atlantic Reed Consort, Acoustic Disturbance; 5:30 PM, After the Show, Music Geeks Meet Up; 7:00 PM, SynchroniCity, Classics from an Urban Perspective; 9:30 PM, Christylez Bacon and the Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra, Hip-Hop UnPlugged Album Release Concert; 9:30 PM, Alarke, Shrugging Sounds; 10:30 PM, Open Jazz Jam Session, Presented by The Washington Post. Feb 28. 9:00 PM, Library of Congress Presents Lansiné Kouyaté and David Neerman; 8:30 PM, Before the Show, Ukulele Moment; 9:30 PM, Victoria Vox-Vox Ukulele Cello, Outside the Box. Mar 1. 12:30 PM, Positive Vibrations Youth Steel Orchestra Expressions of Youth: New Music for Steel Band; 4:00 PM, Mark Sylvester and Natalie Spehar, New Duets; 7:00 PM, All Points West, DarkCity. Mar 2. 4:00 PM, Not What You Think, We Who Believe in Freedom Cannot Rest; 5:30 PM, UrbanArias, Opera Like You’ve Never Seen It. Mar 7. 5:30, DC Youth Orchestra Percussion Ensemble, Strength and Sensitivity; 10:00 PM, Eme and Heteru Afro Roots: 70’s African Music Revolution. Mar 8. 4:00 PM, Alif Laila Sitar, Colors & World Percussion; 7:00 PM, Nistha Raj & Behzad Habibzai No Hay, Yahan; 8:00 PM, No BS! Brass, An Evening with No BS! Brass. Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. 202-399-7993. intersectionsdc.org Gospel Choir Brunch at Union Market. First Saturday of every month, usually starts at about 11:00 AM. Experience Gospel Choir Brunch on the first Saturday of every month with a dynamic performance featuring the Israel Baptist Church. Brunch specials are available from vendors. Union Market, 1309 5th St. NE. unionmarketdc.com National City Christian Church Organ Concerts. Every Friday, 12:15-1:15 PM. Free. 5 Thomas Cir. NW. 202-232-0323. nationalcitycc.org Sunday Gospel Brunch Featuring the Harlem Gospel Choir. Every Sunday, 12:30-2:00 PM. $30-$45. The Howard Theatre, 620 T St. NW. 202-803-2899. thehowardtheatre.com National Jukebox. The Library of Congress presents the National Jukebox, which makes historical sound recordings available to the public free of charge. The Jukebox includes recordings from the extraordinary collections of the Library of Congress Packard Campus for Audio Visual Conservation and other contributing libraries and archives. Go to loc.gov/jukebox.
THRIVE! A health and wellness program for breast cancer survivors The George Washington University Cancer Institute is looking for women who have completed active treatment (surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation) for breast cancer and received their breast cancer diagnosis more than 18 months ago who are interested in participating in a 12-week online program aimed at empowering survivors to improve their health and well-being. Women currently taking hormonal medications are eligible to participate. If you qualify to participate in this research program, you would be asked to: complete several surveys before, during, and after the program; set health and wellness goals; and provide information weekly to the research team regarding your dietary intake, physical activity, and progress toward your goals. You will receive: · 12 weeks of information and tools regarding nutrition, physical activity, stress relief, and emotional coping– including recipes, video demonstrations, and more · Motivational support from a health coach · A pedometer and nutrition application to track health goals If you complete the 12-week program and surveys, you will also receive a $30 gift card to Amazon.com. Contact Elizabeth Hatcher, RN at 202-994-2215 for details.
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HR 57 Weekly Jam Sessions. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 8:00 PM-midnight. Since 1993 HR-57 has provided a place where aspiring musicians gather to learn the history and cultures of the genres of jazz and blues. It’s a venue for the exchange of ideas and information between aspiring and professional musicians, students, aficionados and the general public. $8. 1007 H St. NE. 202-253-0044. hr57.org Church of the Epiphany Weekly Concerts. Every Tuesday, 12:10 PM. Free but free will offering taken. 1317 G ST. NW. 202-347-2635. epiphanydc.org Steinway Series of classical music concerts at American Art Museum. Second Sunday, 3:00 PM The Steinway Series is a classical music concert that features the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s refurbished Steinway Concert Grand piano. Free. McEvoy Auditorium, Lower Level American Art Museum (between Seventh and Nineth and and F and G sts. NW.) 202-633-1000. americanart.si.edu “Take Five” (free jazz at the American Art Museum). Third Thursday, 5:00-7:00 PM. Smithsonian American Art Museum, (Great Hall on the 3rd floor), Eighth and F sts. NW. 202-633-1000. AmericanArt.si.edu
THEATER AND FILM The Tallest Tree in the Forest at Arena. Through Feb 16. The incomparable Daniel Beaty (Emergence-See!) brings to life the true story of Paul Robeson, hailed as the ‘best known black man in the world’ for his incomparable singing and acting, brought low by accusations of disloyalty to America. Arena Stage, 1101 Sixth St. SW. 202-488-3300. arena-stage.org Rorschach Theatre’s Glassheart at the Atlas. Through Feb 16. Beauty never showed up. The Beast and his remaining magical servant have moved into a shabby apartment near a 7-11, hoping for a lower cost of living and better luck with girls. This fairy tale includes a building manager with a taste for gingerbread and children, spells that come with a price, an eligible maiden, a kidnapping, and a relentlessly cheery lamp that discovers what-and who-must be sacrificed for an ordinary life. The Atlas, 1333 H St. NE. 202.399.7993. atlasarts.org The Best Man at the Keegan. Through Feb 22. A play about power, ambition, political secrets, ruthlessness and the race for the presidency, Gore Vidal’s The Best Man is set at the national convention where two candidates are vying for their party’s nomination during the primary season. Keegan Theater, 1742 Church St. NW. 703-892-0202. keegantheatre.com Tribes at Studio. Now through Mar 2. Billy, a deaf man whose hearing family has never listened to him, comes to define his identity on his own terms in this sophisticated drama about family, belonging, and the limitations of language. Studio Theatre, 1501 14th St. NW. 202-332-3300. studiotheatre.org Yellow Face at Theatre J. Through Feb. 23. Theater J begins the second half of its 2013-2014 season exploring Crucial Questions, Critical Fault Lines and Necessary Conversations with David Henry Hwang’s Yellow Face, an
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engaging, meta-theatrical cultural satire about political correctness and racial identity. Theater J, 1529 16th St. NW. 800 494-8497. washingtondcjcc.org The Importance of Being Earnest at Shakespeare. Through Mar 2. Oscar Wilde’s most perfect of plays is a comedy of class, courtship, and avoiding burdensome social conventions. Lansburgh Theatre, 450 7th St. NW. 202547-1122. shakespearetheatre.org Richard III at the Folger. Through Mar 9. Weighing how history is written, Robert Richmond returns to direct another of Shakespeare’s celebrated stories of the English throne. With the skeletal remains of the long-vilified king being discovered earlier this year, beneath a parking lot of all places, this staging features Drew Cortese as the Machiavellian king. Folger Shakespeare Library, E. Capitol St. SE. 202-544-7077. folger.edu Mother Courage and Her Children at Arena. Through Mar 9. Kathleen Turner returns stars as a tough-as-nails matriarch who profits off the very war that steals her children from her one by one. But will the cost of war be higher than she’s prepared to pay? Arena Stage, 1101 Sixth St. SW. 202-488-3300. arena-stage.org We Are Proud to Present at Woolly. Feb 10-Mar 9. A rehearsal room descends from collaborative to absurd as a group of idealistic actors-three black and three whitecome together to tell the little-known story of a centuries-old conflict in South West Africa. Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, 641 D St. NW. 202-393-3939. woollymammoth.net National Archives Marks Lincoln’s Birthday with The Gettysburg Story. Feb 12, 7:00 PM. Panel discussion with Jake Boritt, Stephen Lang and Gabor Boritt to follow screening. Attendees should use the Special Events Entrance, located on the National Mall at Constitution Ave. and 7th St. NW. archives.gov
EXHIBITIONS, GALLERIES AND OPENINGS Form Transformed: Five Sculptors at Touchstone. Through Mar 2. Sculptors Wheeler, Shaw, Luckett, Frazier and Brotman transform earthen materials and detritus into elegant sculptural forms using fire, colorants, adhesives, carving tools and imaginations keyed into limitless possibilities of three dimensional construction. Touchstone Gallery, 901 New York Ave. NW. 202-347-2787. touchstonegallery.com Women of Vision: National Geographic Photographers on Assignment. Through Mar 9, 10:00 AM-6:00 PM daily. For the last decade, some of the most powerful and impactful stories have been produced by a new generation of photojournalists who are women. These women are as different as the places and the subjects they have covered but they all share the same passion and commitment to storytelling that has come to define National Geographic. 1145 17th St. NW. 202-8577700. nationalgeographic.com Nelson Gutierrez at DC Arts Center. Feb 14-Mar 16. DC Arts Center, 2438 18th St., NW. 202-462-7833. dcartscenter.org
David Hicks’ “Nucleus” at Cross Mackenzie Gallery. Through Feb 28. “Nucleus” is an exhibition of new ceramic sculpture by the prolific and compelling California based artist, David Hicks. Cross Mackenzie Gallery, 2026 R St, NW. 202-333-7970. crossmackenzie.com Afrofuturism: Artists on Three Continents Explore “Black to the Future”. Through Feb 28. This exhibition presents three artists-from Germany, Ghana and the United Stateswho use the lens of fiction to address issues of alienation and otherness. They travel through space and time to explore identity and reexamine the past. Goethe-Institut Washington, 812 7th St. NW. goethe.de/ins/us/was Cindy Cheng: The Hero and the Villain at Flashpoint. Feb 21-Mar 29. Flashpoint Gallery showcases bold, new work and cultivates emerging and mid-career artists working in a variety of media including site-specific installations, performance pieces, new media and other experimental forms. Flashpoint Gallery, 916 G St. NW. 202-315-1305. culturaldc.org First Fridays in the Dupont Circle Neighborhood. First Friday of every month, 6:00-9:00 PM. First Friday openings are a collaborative effort to strengthen arts and culture in the beautiful, multi-cultural neighborhood of Dupont Circle. On the first Friday of every month, galleries in the neighborhood host simultaneous openings for art enthusiasts from all walks of life. They encourage all come to the openings and to circulate between neighboring galleries, which host an ever-changing array of styles and media. $5 suggested donation. Overdrive: L.A. Constructs the Future, 1940–1990. Through Mar 10. Overdrive: L.A. Constructs the Future, 1940–1990 traces the city’s transformation into an internationally recognized destination with its own design vocabulary, canonized landmarks, and coveted way of life. National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW. 202-272-2448. nbm.org Unveiling of “Records of Rights”. The new permanent exhibition in the Rubenstein Gallery, “Records of Rights,” uses original documents, photographs, facsimiles, videos, and interactive exhibits to explore how Americans have worked to realize the ideals of freedom enshrined in our nation’s founding documents and how they have debated issues such as citizenship, free speech, voting rights, and equal opportunity. National Archives, 700 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. archives.gov Shakespeare’s the Thing at the Folger. Through June 15. Explore Shakespeare’s influence on visual art, performance, and scholarship through treasures from the Folger collection hand-picked by Folger staff, including a special look at how fans have celebrated Shakespeare from his time to ours. Marking Shakespeare’s 450th birthday. Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 E. Capitol St. SE. 202544-4600. folger.edu Studio Gallery. Through Mar 1. Solo Show: Travel Scapes by Andrew Acquadro. Color This Time by Peter Karp. My Roots/ My chains by Monica Perez-Roulet. Studio Gallery, 2108 R St. NW. 202-232-8734. studiogallerydc.com ASCAP: One Hundred Years and Beyond” Exhibition. Feb 13-Feb 14, 2015. The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers exhibition features 45 objects,
including sheet music, photographs, pamphlets, posters and more. Some highlights include the first ASCAP license, which was issued to Rector’s Restaurant in New York City (Broadway and 44th Street) in 1914; the original manuscript of “The Pink Panther,” in the hand of composer Henry Mancini; Paul Williams’ lyrics for “The Rainbow Connection”; and the original lyrics, including drafts and revisions, for “The Way We Were” by Alan and Marilyn Bergman. Performing Arts Reading Room Gallery on the first level of the James Madison Memorial Building, 101 Independence Ave. SE. The exhibition is free and open to the public from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday. loc.gov
SPORTS, DANCE AND FITNESS Washington Capitals Ice Hockey. Feb 8; Mar 2 and 8. Verizon Center, 601 F St. NW. 202-628-3200. capitals.nhl.com Washington Wizards Basketball. Feb 9, 18, 22 and 25; Mar. 3 and 5. Verizon Center, 601 F St. NW. 202-397-SEAT. nba.com/wizards Dance at INTERSECTIONS Festival at the Atlas. Feb 21. 10:30 PM, Kaution Dance Kru, The Banji Project. Feb 22, 1:00 PM, Before the Show, Unlocking Indian Dance; 2:00 PM, Jayamangala Navgathi, New Directions. Feb 23, 2:30 PM, Dance Dimensions, Reflections; 3:00 PM, Vision Contemporary Dance Ensemble, Heritage Celebration of Praise; 5:00 PM, Tehreema Mitha Dance Company BLUE JEANS Classical and Contemporary; 5:30 PM, MOVEIUS Contemporary Ballet & Musical Guests, Spark. Feb 28. 7:00 PM, DEVIATED THEATRE, Creatures and Cosmos; 9:30 PM, Taurus Broadhurst Dance, The Underground. Mar 1. 1:00 PM, Dance Performance Group, It’s Us!; 1:30 PM, Dance Dimensions, Reflections; 7:00 PM, B-FLY ENTERTAINMENT, The Nayika Project; 9:30 PM, Dissonance Dance Theatre, Watch Me Bounce. Mar 2. 2:00 PM, Xuejuan Dance Ensemble, Two-Way Mirror; 2:00 PM, Jane Franklin Dance & Percussionist Tom Teasley, Blue Moon / Red River. Mar 7. 7:00 PM, Bowen McCauley Dance, From the Ground Up. Mar 8, 1:00 PM, Gin Dance Company, An Afternoon with Gin; 1:30 PM. Metropolitan School of the Arts, Anybody Can Get It; 4:30 PM, Furia Flamenca Dance
Company, Recordando la Alhambra. Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. 202-399-7993. intersectionsdc.org Canal Park Ice Rink. Open MondayFriday, noon-9:00 PM; Saturday, 10:00 AM-10:00 PM; Sunday 10:00 AM-7:00 PM. Adult fee is $8; children, seniors (55+) and military fees are $7. Skate rental is $3. On Tuesdays, two can skate for the price of one from 4:00-6:00 PM. The park is at Second and M sts. SE, one block from the Navy Yard Metro (New Jersey Avenue exit). canalparkdc.org Ice Skating at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden. Open through mid-Mar (weather permitting). MondayThursday, 10:00 AM-9:00 PM; FridaySaturday, 10:00 AM-11:00 PM; Sunday, 11:00 AM-9:00 PM. $7 for adults, $6 for children 12 and under, students with ID and seniors 50 and over. Skate rental is $3. Seventh St. and Constitution Ave. NW. 202-289-3361. nga.gov/ginfo/ skating
Saturday, March 8th 6:30pm International Spy Museum 800 F Street, NW Please join BASIS families and friends in celebrating BASIS teachers and a world-class education. All proceeds support the BASIS DC Annual Teacher Fund.
questions volunteer donate contact: bassisstarsgala@gmail.com www.facebook.com/BASISStarsGala
Nearby (heated) indoor public swimming pools. Turkey Thicket, 1100 Michigan Ave. NE. 202-576-9236. Rumsey Pool, 635 No.Carolina Ave. SE. 202724-4495. All DC public pools are free for DC residents. Have ID. dpr.dc.gov Rock N Roll Marathon Registration Open. Marathon is Mar 15. runrocknroll.competitor.com Rock N Roll Mini Marathon (new in 2014). Mar 15. Feel all of the excitement in just 3.1 miles. Participate in the Mini Marathon, which will be an officially timed 5k. runrocknroll.competitor.com
MARKETS Washington, DC International Wine and Food Festival Market. The Festival Marketplace is a new feature, free and open to the public from noon-8:00 PM on Thursday, Feb 13 and Friday, Feb 14. Come meet over forty artisans that will be showcasing their unique products and offering special Festival discounts and complimentary beverages. Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. wineandfooddc.com Fresh Tuesdays at Eastern Market. Every Tuesday, 3:00-7:00 PM. Tuesday afternoon farmers’ line of fresh produce. Eastern Market, 200 block
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of Seventh St. SE. 202-698-5253. easternmarket-dc. com
ily for the tenants of the larger apartment buildings of Mount Pleasant. 3166 Mt. Pleasant St. NW. aa-ss.org
Union Market. Tuesday-Friday, 11:00 AM-8:00 PM; Saturday-Sunday, 8:00 AM-8:00 PM. Union Market is an artisanal, curated, year-round food market featuring over 40 local vendors. 1309 Fifth St. NE. 301-6527400. unionmarketdc.com
Chinatown Revitalization Council. Fourth Monday, 7:00-8:00 PM. 510 I St. NW. Chinatown Revitalization Council (CRC) promoting the Chinatown renewal and the preservation of its cultural heritage. The public is welcome.
Eastern Market. Daily except Mondays and important holidays. Weekdays, 7:00 AM-7:00 PM; Saturdays, 7:00 AM-5:00 PM; Sundays, 9:00 AM-5:00 PM. Flea market and arts and crafts market open Saturdays and Sundays, 9:00 AM-6:00 PM. Eastern Market is Washington’s last continually operated “old world” market. On weekends the market area comes alive with farmers bringing in fresh produce, craft and flower vendors, artists, a flea market and street musicians. 200 block of Seventh St. SE. 202-698-5253. easternmarket-dc. com
Convention Center Community Association. Last Tuesday, 7:00-8:30 PM. Kennedy Rec Center, 1401 Seventh St. NW. www.ccca-online.
Dupont Circle Farmers Market. Sundays year round (rain or shine), 9:00 AM-1:00 PM. The Wall Street Journal and The Financial Times of London named the market one of the top farmers’ markets in the country. During the peak season, there are more than 30 farmers offering fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, cheeses, fruit pies, breads, fresh pasta, cut flowers, potted plants, soaps and herbal products. 20th St. and Mass. Ave. NW, 1500 block of 20th St. NW (between Mass. Ave. and Q St. in the adjacent parking lot of PNC Bank). 202-362-8889. freshfarmmarket.org Georgetown Flea Market. Sundays year around (except in the case of very inclement weather), 8:00 AM- 4:00 PM. The crowd is as diverse as the items for sale! Antiques, collectibles, art, furniture, rugs, pottery, china, jewelry, silver, stained glass, books and photographs are an example of the available items. 1819 35th St. NW. 202-775-3532. or georgetownfleamarket.com
CIVIC LIFE moveDC Transportation Plan Advisory Committee Meeting. Feb 10, 6:30-8:30 PM. The TPAC is made up of District residents from each ward that are active in transportation-related issues and other civic endeavors and is charged with acting in an advisory role to the moveDC project team throughout the plan development process. Reeves Center, 2000 14th St. NW (2nd floor public meeting room). wemoveDC.org Spanish Language Small Business Brief Advice Legal Clinic. Feb 12, 5:00-7:30 PM. All are welcome but they will have additional Spanish speaking attorneys to assist DC’s Spanish speaking entrepreneur pool. This clinic is for aspiring or existing small business owners. Attendees will meet one-on-one with attorneys for brief advice on any legal issues their businesses may be facing. Clinic is in the Office on Latino Affairs, 2000 14th St. NW at the Reeves Municipal Building. All-Ways Mount Pleasant. First Saturday, noon-2:00 PM. LaCasa. All-Ways is a citizen’s association primar-
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Downtown Neighborhood Association. Second Tuesday, 7:00-9:00 PM. US Naval Memorial Center, 701 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. miles@dcdna.org. dcdna.org East Central Civic Association of Shaw Meeting. First Monday, 7:00 PM. Third Baptist Church, 1546 Fifth St. NW. Contact: Al Hajj Mahdi Leroy J Thorpe Jr, 202387-1596. Eckington Civic Association. First Monday, 7:00-8:30 PM. Harry Thomas Recreation Center, 1743 Lincoln Rd. NE. www.eckingtondc.org Edgewood Civic Association. Last Monday, 7:00-9:00 PM. Edgewood senior building, 635 Edgewood St. NE, nineth floor7-9pm. They encourage all Eckington and Edgewood residents to come out and take part in the lively civic life of our communities. www.theedgewoodcivicassociationdc.org Logan Circle Citizens Association. Please contact Jennifer Trock at jennifer.trock@logancircle.org for meeting dates and times. logancircle.org Mount Vernon Square Neighborhood Association. Third Tuesday, 7:30-9:30 PM. Yale Steam Laundry, 437 New York Ave. NW. lifein.mvsna.org U Street Neighborhood Association. Second Thursday, 7:00-8:30 PM. Source (second floor classroom), 1835 14th St. NW ANC 1A. Second Wednesday, 7:00 PM. Harriet Tubman Elementary School, 3101 13th St. NW. 202-588-7278. anc1a.org ANC 1B. First Thursday, 7:00 PM. Reeves Center, 2000 14th St. NW (second floor). 202-870-4202. anc1b.org ANC 1B11. Second Monday, 7:00 PM. LeDroit Senior Building (basement community room), 2125 Fourth St. NW. 202-481-3462. www.anc1b.org ANC 1C. First Wednesday, 7:00 PM. Mary’s Center for Maternal and Child Health, 2355 Ontario Rd. NW. 202332-2630. anc1c.org ANC 1D. Third Tuesday, 7:00 PM. 3166 Mount Pleasant St. NW. 202-462-8692. anc1d.org ANC 2C. First Wednesday, 6:30-8:30 PM. Watha T. Daniel Library, 1630 Seventh St. NW (new location). 202682-1633. anc2C.org u
Hear the Three Candidates Speak!
COUNCIL ELECTION FORUMS
Charles Allen Darrel Thompson Shelonda Tillman
On Capitol Hill The Hill Center | Friday, February 28th. 7 to 9 p.m. In Southwest Westminster Presbyterian Church | Tuesday, March 4th. 7 to 9 p.m. In Shaw Watha T. Daniel/Shaw Library | Tuesday, March 11th. 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Andrew Lightman, Managing Editor of Capital Community News, will moderate. Questions will be gathered from sponsoring organizations as well as on cards from the audience. These Forums are sponsored by The Hill Rag, MidCity DC, The Ward 6 Democrats, The Hill Center, Westminster Presbyterian Church, ANC 6E, The Near SE/SW CBBC, The Capitol Hill Restoration Society, The Southwest Neighborhood Assembly and Empower DC.
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Frederick Douglass in Washington
Frederick Douglass in his early fifties. Photo: Library of Congress.
I
by John Muller
n June 1853 an editorial in the Daily Evening Star, “Handiwork of Abolitionists,” warned that Frederick Douglass, the newspaper publisher and editor from Rochester, New York, was not welcome in the nation’s capital. The powerful oratory of Douglass, in his mid-thirties, before crowds in New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Ohio, as well as his own editorials condemning the policies of slavery in the United States, made his potential presence an inflammatory threat where slavery was the law of the land, as was the case on the streets the District of Columbia. A decade later, Douglas, the most famous fugitive slave in our country’s history, came to Washington City during the Civil War and met with President Abraham
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Frederick Douglass lived on Capitol Hill at 316-318 A Street NE for five years before moving across the Anacostia to Cedar Hill. Photo: Melissa Ashabranner
Lincoln for the first time. “Any of our citizens who will take the trouble to walk through and around our city, can see what the skinflint abolitionists of the North are doing for us,” wrote the Evening Star. “There was a time when it was possible to preserve order among the negro portion of the population of Washington; but then the great majority of that portion were slaves. - now, since Mrs. Stowe and compatriots, Solomon Northrup and Fred Douglass, have been exciting the free negroes of the North to ‘action.’” Frederick Douglass’ relationship with the United States Capitol was, in fact, curious and lifelong. In his 1845 autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, Douglass revealed he finally came to understand who abolitionists were when, as a young teen, he read in a Baltimore newspaper of their activities in Congress. “In its columns I found, that, on a certain day, a vast number of petitions and memorials had been presented to Congress, praying for abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia, and for the abolition of the slave trade between the states of the Union.” He would later tell this story throughout the country and across the Atlantic Ocean, adding, “From this time I understood
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the words abolition and abolitionist, and always drew near when that word was spoken, expecting to hear something of importance to myself and fellow-slaves.” From a distance, Douglass knew the nation’s capital city symbolized an inherent hypocrisy in the United States Constitution. In May 1846, while in England, Douglass said, “In the national District of Columbia, over which the star-spangled emblem is constantly waving, where orators are ever holding forth on the subject of American liberty, American democracy, American republicanism, there are two slave prisons.” Through the 1850s, while an editor, writer, orator and activist, Douglass did not waver in his faith that the day of jubilee would be realized, when American slavery would be forever abolished. During the Civil War Douglass met with President Lincoln on two separate occasions and was in Washington City to attend Lincoln’s second inaugural in March 1865. President Andrew Johnson was wholly uninterested in the citizenship claims of the more than four million freed slaves; Douglass and a group of prominent black men met him in February 1866, but were unable to persuade Johnson to change course.
Frederick Douglass Comes to Washington Following the Civil War, Douglass’ three sons - Lewis, Frederick, Jr. and Charles - secured government positions in Washington and began establishing relationships, socializing with leaders of the city’s black community. Businessman George Downing and pastor of the Fifteenth Street Presbyterian Church, John Sella Martin, encouraged the elder Douglass and his children to launch a newspaper in Washington that would serve as the black community’s voice in chronicling both local affairs and Reconstruction efforts throughout the former Confederate States. On Thursday, January 13, 1870 the New Era was published as a weekly, making it the only paper of its day published and edited by “colored men.” In September Frederick Douglass purchased all ownership rights and re-christened the paper the New National Era. At the time Douglass was the only black member of the Press Gallery. The paper would later merge with another weekly, but ultimately ceased publication in September 1874. While editing the New National Era, in April 1871 Douglass was appointed by President Grant to serve on the city’s legislative council. This local position would be the apex of Douglass’ legislative career, although others had loftier aspirations on his behalf. The year before, Hiram Revels from Mississippi became the first black American to join the United States Senate. Charles Douglass, Frederick’s youngest son, had a front row seat to the swearing-in. “Many voices in the Galleries were heard by me to say, ‘If it would only have been Fred Douglass,’ and my heart beat rapidly.” Charles urged his father to seize the moment as “the door is open, and I expect to see you pass in.” Never one to aggrandize his own self-importance, Douglass would later write, “I was earnestly urged by many of my respected fellow-citizens both colored and white, and from all sections of the country, to take up my abode in some one of the many districts of the South where there was a large colored vote and get myself elected, as they were sure I easily could do, to a seat in Congress-possibly in the Senate.” Writing in his 3rd autobiography, Douglass
explained, “I had not lived long enough in Washington to have this sentiment sufficiently blunted to make me indifferent to its suggestions.” However, Douglass trusted his instinct and knew his own limitations. He confessed, “I had small faith in my aptitude as a politician, and could not hope to cope with rival aspirants.” While living in the nation’s capital for the last 25 years of his life, Douglass was a prescient voice for local representation. Less than a month before he died, Douglass attended a meeting of the District Suffrage Petition Association where he asked, “[W]hat have the people of the District done that they should be excluded from the privileges of the ballot box?” Known for his principal roles as an abolitionist, suffragette, editor, author, intellectual, and statesman, Douglass was an advocate for the full rights of citizens of the District of Columbia, a cause that remains active today.
Douglass as a Neighbor After his home in Rochester was destroyed by a fire in the summer of 1872, Douglass permanently moved his family to Washington, buying his first home on Capitol Hill, 316-318 A Street NE, which still stands today. For the five years Douglass lived on Capitol Hill he became a prominent Washingtonian and used his influence to help nurture the next generation of black intellectuals and civil rights activists. He accepted an appointment to serve on the Board of Trustees at the recently founded Howard University, where for more than two decades Douglass
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The front of Cedar Hill, the home of Frederick Douglass from 1877 until 1895. Photo: John Muller.
was a public advocate and private mentor to students at the university, lending a hand in the organization of the first alumni association and helping students secure government positions upon graduation. In March of 1877 Douglass was nominated by President Rutherford B. Hayes to serve as Marshal of the District of Columbia and was confirmed by the Senate. In his lifetime, Frederick Douglass was the American Myth incarnate—once a full-flight fugitive slave, the world’s most famous bondsman, three decades later he was appointed United States marshal of the nation’s capital city by the president. Douglass’s 1845 autobiography, The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, stands the test of time. At the time of its release, Douglass was an outlaw flaunting the freedom he enjoyed in the North. Traveling and orating on both coasts of the Atlantic Ocean, his clarion voice boomeranged throughout American and British reformist communities making his capture imperative for the antebellum South. Before anyone could capture him, his freedom was purchased while he traveled throughout the British Empire. Upon his return to the United States, Douglass was no less of a risk taker; his Rochester home, just as it had been in Lynn and New Bedford, Massachusetts, was a safe house for runaway slaves seeking the safety of Canada. Often, Douglass would arrive in the early morning to his newspaper offices to find fugitives awaiting him. He recalled, “I had as many as eleven fugitives under my roof at one time.” As marshal of the District of Columbia, Douglass had the responsibility of bringing fugitives to justice, a long way from his days of quartering them. Douglass was in close contact with Washington’s criminal class nearly every day as marshal. He said as much, telling readers in his last autobiography that the marshal’s office “made me the daily witness in the crimi-
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nal court of a side of the District life to me most painful and repulsive.” The irony of Douglass serving as Marshal was captured by the Evening Star in April 1877 when the paper reported, “An ex-constable was in the criminal court at Washington on business the other day, and was asked by one of the bailiffs if he was looking for Marshal Douglass. ‘No sir,’ was the reply, ‘not now; but there was a time, when he was a fugitive slave, when I tried hard to find him.’” No matter the turn of history, his position as Marshal gave Douglass the ability to purchase a larger home to accommodate the bundle of grandchildren he often looked after, the journalists frequently coming to his home to seek comment, and the groups of Howard University students who regularly called upon their mentor. Deeds to Frederick Douglass’s purchase in September 1877 of a mansion and a nine-acre homestead in Uniontown, present-day Anacostia, for $6,700 can be found both in the National Archives and DC Archives. The Douglass home across the Eastern Branch afforded new comforts and privacy. Within weeks of moving his family from Capitol Hill to Uniontown and becoming one of the neighborhood’s most prominent property owners, Marshal Douglass busied himself in the affairs of his community. From participating in recreational readings with the
Neighborhood children spend hours playing at the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site in Anacostia. Photo: John Muller.
Uniontown Shakespeare Club to investing in the local street car, the Anacostia & Potomac River Railway Company, Douglass was a ubiquitous member of his neighborhood.. “Frederick Douglass, in spite of his age, walks about Washington as briskly as a boy,” observed the New York Tribune in early 1884. Approaching seventy years old, Douglass, standing slightly over six feet tall, “weighs more than 200 pounds, his hair is white, and his health is perfect.” Two years earlier, Douglass had told a friend, “I have not felt in better health at any time during the last five years. I now walk every morning from ‘Cedar Hill’ to the City Hall and am less fatigued than when I adopted the practice.” By the late 1870s, Uniontown had begun to see a merchant class develop, with barbers, pharmacists, grocers, carriage builders, coach painters, feed dealers and blacksmiths. These Uniontown business owners were among the many individuals who advocated for a larger police force. Francis Allen was known in the community and thought to be an ideal candidate to join the police force. He was born in Maryland in 1845 but had moved into the District during the war, where he served with the D.C. Volunteers for three years before being honorably discharged. He was thirty-two and employed as a streetcar driver when he filled out his initial application in 1877 to join the force. “I wish to add my good word for Mr. Allen,” Douglass wrote to Major Thomas P. Morgan, superintendent of police, on letterhead from the U.S. Marshal’s Office on September 11, 1878. “I am not very well acquainted with him but I am with those who are. From them I learn that Mr. Allen is a man of excellent character.” Joining Marshal Douglass in an undated letter to the Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia supporting Allen’s application to join the police force were local postmaster and hotelier Robert F. Martin, real estate investor Henry A. Griswold, druggist Samuel F. Shreve, fancy goods merchant James Grimes, feed dealer Charles Jenkins, clerk William Green and other notable citizens. According to scholar Sandra Schmidt, Allen was finally appointed on March 8, 1879, serving nearly twenty years. Allen was assigned the Uniontown beat. Plans to commemorate the bicentennial of Douglass’s birth in 2018 are just now beginning. Original scholarship is expected that will bring Douglass into greater focus. With the planned opening of the National Museum of African-American History and Culture on the National Mall, more attention by scholars and greater public interest into the life and times of Frederick Douglass, one of the most prominent Civil Rights leaders in the history of this country, and, in fact, our local history as Washingtonians, will surely emerge. To arrange a tour of the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site please call 202-426-5961 or visit http://www.nps.gov/ frdo/index.htm John Muller is the author of Frederick Douglass in Washington, D.C.: The Lion of Anacostia (The History Press, 2012). u
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www.larrysweetcorn.com 24 u midcitydcnews.com
by E. Ethelbert Miller
’ve started to forget black history. I can’t remember when my mother or father died. The date and year seems like yesterday, no it was years ago, but how long? I check a bookcase in my home office; there is a place where I keep the funeral programs of family members. I also have a small altar consisting of pictures and items that belonged to those I loved. A small toy monkey with a silly smile on its face was the last thing my mother held in the hospital just before death arrived to comb her hair. Why do we keep things the dead once touched? I am leaving work again. I join the walking dead. A death city (DC) zombie. I head down the street to catch the Green Line. My journey home has become a regular underground tragedy without Shakespeare to take notes. It’s a lesson in tolerance and the search for beauty and small acts of kindness. I’ve read enough black books to know something is happening to my people. We are no longer blues people. Some of us have been kicked off easy street. But easy street was never easy. We are trapped in shadows with pockets filled with discarded lottery tickets. How many of us no longer feel lucky? I want to love my people not in the abstract but in the flesh. I want to feel the warmth of blackness that I once felt on that day the heart’s trumpet blew and a million black men walked these streets. I want our clothes to fit again. My ears demand new spirituals and not the vulgarity of sound. It’s almost time for me to lay my burden down. There comes a point in one’s life when you pick-up a form, an application, or a survey and there is only one more box to check. History is sitting next to you willing to loan you a pen or pencil. So it looks as if soon everything will end and I’ve been 63 years a slave. Outside the Metro there are places where my ancestors were sold. Today the chains are invisible and the subway car I enter makes me feel like Clay the threatened character in the play The Dutchman that a young LeRoi Jones once wrote. I’ve started calling Washington the District. Not the District of Columbia but simply The District – as if it was a zone. A place gone bi-polar and torn suddenly between becoming heaven or hell. Where is my train heading and why are there only two tracks? There is something about the L’Enfant Plaza metro station that annoys me. Is it the sounds of youth or the noise of despair? Is it my imagination that this station is darker than all the others in the system? At times I mistake the station as being some mystical crossroads. A place where one would either sell oneself to the devil or maybe simply hand over a cell phone. I once accidently touched a person and it was a medieval moment. My hand was almost bitten off and I was only saved by my salamander instincts. There is something “wicked strange” happening in our city. I fear a big fog coming in. With all the construction taking place and an economic movement to change the height restrictions for buildings, maybe our Tower of Babel is near. On the trains and buses I already hear many languages being spoken. I also see countless people wearing headphones – listening to what can only be a different world or District. There seems to be a growing darkness, shaping even our nights.
E. Ethelbert Miller is a literary activist. He is the author of two memoirs and several collections of poems. Mr. Miller is the director of the African American Resource Center at Howard University. www.eethelbertmiller.com u
Midcity DC | February 2014 u 25
out and about
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+ Dining
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by Jonathan Bardzik
Love, Beer, and Strippers
I blame it on my husband’s friend Ed, whose birthday falls on Feb. 14. Rather than spending each Valentine’s Day staring lovingly into Jason’s eyes over plates of exceptional food, we join Ed for cheap beer and strippers (and I’m not much of a beer drinker). Bound and determined to spend at least one romantic night together, I got an early start this year.
Living Rich: Alba Osteria Opens in Mount Vernon Triangle
During the recent weather shutdown Jason and I slipped and slid our way through deserted snowy streets to newly opened Alba Osteria (www.albaosteriadc.com, 425 I St. NW). The space, a cozy yet swank blend of orange and amber, offered the perfect seat to watch snow falling outside. The menu, inspired by chef Roberto Donna’s native Piedmont region of northwest Italy, reunites Donna with past collaborator, chef Amy Brandwein. We hungrily ordered our way through small plates, pastas, and a main. The bowl of zuppa alla Cavanese arrives filled with still-firm braised cabbage, thick bread, and creamy, sweet Fontina cheese. Alongside, the beef consommé sits in a press with ground raw beef infusing the broth while three minutes of sand spills through the timer
standing next to it. The result is hearty and delicate: vegetable soup meets French onion. Potato, eggplant, and cauliflower fritters – crisp and delicately crusted with creamy centers – were as light as the chicken livers were rich, sitting in a marsala and porcini gravy atop creamy polenta. Full but unable to stop, we tucked into our main course, beef tenderloin. The beef paired the delicate, smooth textures of tenderloin and mashed potatoes with satiny marsala sauce and sweet Fontina grounded by mushrooms. And the house-made pasta? The miniature agnoloti dumplings filled with short rib, in a sauce of jus and bone marrow, were, well, beefy. Super beefy and delicious. The small twists of dense, nutty chestnut trofie pasta were coated in a finanziera sauce made from organ meats and other interesting parts of beef and chicken. The Piedmont region is known for its rich tradition of food and a growing recognition as a hub of European culinary innovation. Alba Osteria is on its way to earning the same reputation.
Cold Weather Comfort:City Tap House Opens in Penn Quarter
Jason hates cold weather, so the odds of getting him on a ski slope are slim to none. However, clomp-
Left: Alba Osteria’s perfectly crisp eggplant, potato, and cauliflower fritters reveal creamy, rich interiors. Right: Alba Osteria’s hip amber and orange interior is the perfect cozy escape from the cold outside. Photo: Stacy Z. Goldberg 26 u midcitydcnews.com
ing into City Tap House’s (www.citytaphousedc. com, 801 I St. NW) warmly lit, hip-yet-rustic dining room in slush-covered boots felt wonderfully close to après ski, rosy cheeks and all. Our server Chris’ engaging, easy humor belied solid knowledge of a beer list long enough to need its own clipboard, and the fantastic food that flowed from the kitchen. While long lists of craft beers have become common, well-curated ones remain rare. The four beers we drank (we were working toward statistical significance) were excellent. Cleveland’s Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter drank light for a heavier beer and paired well with the tartufo brick oven pizza. Creamy taleggio cheese holds up perfectly to earthy roasted mushrooms and black truffle. Saltysweet guanciale – Italian salt pork – gives a bright pop, and the fried egg an easy burst of sunshine amid bold flavors. The make-your-own ham-and-cheese arrived innocuously enough. However, toasted bread, crisp edged with a chewy center aside a jar of pimento cheese, shaved Benton’s aged country ham, and firm, bright yellow, curry-pickled green tomatoes were extraordinary. Jason’s hanger steak was cooked perfectly with just a hint of gaminess gained from proximity to the cow’s kidneys. Rich shallot pan sauce balanced even richer herbed butter. Duck fat fries and black truffle aioli accompany the steak. The monkfish osso bucco, served on the bone, was sweet, meaty, and firm with crisp skin. The cider jus offered brightness, maitake mushrooms were lightly earthy and sweet, and cubes of butternut squash coated in Spanish paprika lent smoky warmth. I was debating dessert or a final beer when Chris suggested both. He delivered my new (and first) favorite dessert beer, Breckenridge’s silky smooth, nitro-poured vanilla porter. We’re going back. GM and partner Jonathan Balls’ description of their bloody Mary bar and the enigmatic of-
with crisp onion, radish, and fresh cilantro. The star of the taco menu, hands down, is the queso y hongos. Rich mushrooms balance Mexico’s version of feta. Peppers and onions add layers of flavor. I would go back for these alone. As for the cocktails, I trusted the margaritas were serviceable and grabbed two of the house drinks. Ensenada is light and crisp – tequila, pineapple, lemon, and chipotle. I wrapped the night with a Short Mexican Stiffy. That’s really the name. And our waiter wouldn’t even say it, shorting our order to a Short Mexican. Tequila, agave, mescal, bitters, and orange. It’s a grown-up cocktail, boozy and sharp, warming under the heaters on a cold night.
Roof to Table: Bidwell Opens at Union Market
City Tap House’s tartufo pizza tops crisp, brick-oven crust with rich taleggio, roasted, truffled mushrooms. and the sweet yolk of a fried egg. Photo: Ryan Lavine
fer of a “beermosa” are as tempting as another shot at the menu.
The Container Store: El Rey Opens on U Street
U Street’s hottest new hipster hangout is the much talked about shipping-container-constructed El Rey (www.elreydc, 919 U St. NW) taqueria and tequilaria from brothers Eric and Ian Hilton. The bright back half of El Rey is protected only by a retractable roof and warmed with gas heaters. Fortunately the large crowds and tequila quickly heat the place up. The menu is simple and good. While it seemed a little pricey for a full dinner, the $8 margaritas and $3 three-bite tacos make a great pit stop between bars or late night on your way home. The tacos range from good to great. The al pastor – pork and pineapple – gets a nice kick from chipotle aioli. Pork carnitas, braised and fried, are amazing – rich meat balanced
of jalapeño: spring on a plate. The lobster tacos show off sweet seafood paired with a creamy avocado and tomatillo salsa. Cozying up to the bar, I warmed my insides gently with the glogg – spiced wine with rum and brandy – while the Feel the Heat’s gin and jalapeño offered bolder heat. The last bite we had that evening was a lamb chop: high-quality meat, perfectly seasoned and cooked. No tricks, just really good. If they ever need a new motto, it’s one Chef Mooney can certainly claim.
Happy Valentine’s Day
So, I got my romantic dinners. May your Valentine’s days be sweet and filled with love. And, if you’re interested in my advice, avoid cheap beer and strippers. Jonathan Bardzik is a cook, storyteller, and author living in Eckington. Known for his weekly live cooking demos at Eastern Market (Saturdays from March to November), Jonathan loves cooking fresh ingredients as much as seeking them out in DC’s growing restaurant scene. His first cookbook, “Simple Summer: A Recipe for Cooking and Entertaining with Ease,” is available (and would make a wonderful gift!). Grab a copy and find out what Jonathan is cooking at www.jonathanbardzik.com or his Facebook page, “What I Haven’t Cooked Yet.” Need some foodporn? Follow @JonathanBardzik on Twitter and Instagram. u
Chef John Mooney admitted on a cold January night that it would be a couple more months before his first harvest from their planned rooftop garden at Union Market, but Bidwell’s (www.bidwelldc.com, 1309 5th St. NE) menu already relies heavily on locally sourced ingredients. Union Market now has a full-service, sit-down restaurant. The menu, taking many cues and its motto, “responsibly sourced,” from Mooney’s West Village restaurant, Bell, Book and Candle, ranges from American comfort to new American bistro. Swedish meatballs are fresh out of a 1970s party crockpot, rich and comforting, slathered in gravy. The classic patty melt tops a perfectly cooked burger with rich, sweet, grilled onions, aged cheddar, and house-made thousand island on toasted rye bread. With raclette and white truffle oil, topped with a delicate poached egg, Bidwell may have the best grilled cheese I’ve ever tasted, never losing the crisp, buttered, grilled bread and melty cheese that makes this true American comfort food. The marinated fluke sashimi is beautifully bright with fresh mint, sparkling pink Bidwell serves what may well be the best grilled cheese ever! Raclette and white truffle between crisp, grapefruit, and the bright heat buttered bread under a delicate poached egg. Photo: Bidwell
Midcity DC | February 2014 u 27
out and about
+ Shopping
RETAIL THERAPY
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rctic blasts notwithstanding, I decided on Feb. 1, to step away from the MacBook Pro and support an independent MidCity retailer in person. My gumption was rewarded. I snagged a handful of butterflies, black salted confections, and an icebreaker for use in any DC neighborhood. I’m so ready to share. V-Day can’t come soon enough.
Butterflies by the Handful
Though DC temperatures have dipped drastically, I remain optimistic that a change is going to come sooner than later. Hoping against hope requires so much more than an internal dialogue. It helps to have a tangible reminder to coax me into disregarding the status quo in favor of a yet undisclosed future. I found my talisman to herald spring hanging on the wall at And Beige. Numerous pressed-decor butterflies framed under glass by Nature’s Curiosity resonated with me immediately. As did the two giant monarchs poised for flight in a makeshift terrarium. I chose the butterfly dome, snagged from a local estate sale, to serve as my beacon! And Beige, 1789 Florida Ave. NW
Icebreakers
I heart all DC neighborhoods, especially those that continue to swell with new residents and their pets, hailing from all over the United States. One of the best ways to get to know my MidCity DC neighbors is to meet them at Planet Pet on a Saturday. Best known for their cageless boarding and doggie daycare servic28 u midcitydcnews.com
by Mariessa Terrell es, Planet Pet is also a fabulous place to break the ice without the usual queries of “What do you do?” Of course having a pet to check in helps when initiating a conversation. Yet I discovered early that making new friends like Satish Iyer and Pepper, an Australian cattle-dog mix, is super easy when you have a few Planet Pet iced doggy cookies in your pocket. Planet Pet, 1711 Florida Ave. NW
Black, Caramel, & Salted All Over
Because there are never enough caramels in any box of Valentine’s Day chocolates gifted by friend or foe, I have made an executive decision. From now on I will take charge of my own confectionary requirements. Having long ago outgrown Sugar Daddy caramel lollies, I bypassed 7-Eleven and headed to MidCity’s most sophisticated confectioner shop and bakery, Hans Pedr’ Kaffe. Named after celebrated local skateboarder Hans Pedr’, the revamped and modernized “kaffe” offers chocolates, pastries, and breads baked on site. When I politely asked for caramels, the proprietor and baker, Jessica Knudsen, selected a golden caramel dark chocolate with Hawaiian black sea salt tucked inside. Don’t leave your V-Day treats to amateurs. Find ambrosia for yourself in the U Street corridor. Hans Pedr’ Kaffe (formerly Locolat Cafe), 1781 Florida Ave. NW Mariessa Terrell, aka Simone Butterfly, Fashion Investigator, does her sleuthing at www.simonebutterfly.com and @ SimoneBtrfly. u
Butterflies for sale at And Beige. Photo: Angela Heath
Meet Satish Iyer and Pepper. Photo: Angela Heath
Salted confection, before and after, at Hans Pedr’. Photo: Angela Heath
Let’s Get Physical
Reclaim Your Fitness with Parkour
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o, how’s that fitness resolution coming? I’m only asking because we’ve officially reached the time of the year when many champagnefueled promises are dashed to bits on the rocks of reality (or the icy fist of the “polar vortex”). But Let’s Get Physical is a judgment-free zone. This month’s feature, American Parkour Academy (APK), might be a good place to resuscitate those goals. You may have seen parkour in the 2006 James Bond flick “Casino Royale,” and sometimes during “American Ninja Warrior” on NBC or G4TV. Although parkour involves techniques of running, jumping, crawling, and flipping, it is more about the concept of mentally and physically challenging yourself by using the environment and transcending its obstacles, than the moves themselves. APK is located at the mouth of I-395 near Mt. Vernon Square and shares a repurposed three-level firehouse with cross-fit gym Primal Fitness. With its bright graffiti mural, walls tagged with thank-yous from visitors, mounted rack of skateboards, aging vending machine, and scaffolding jungle gym, the center feels like a giant kids-only clubhouse. Which is appropriate, because basic-level parkour feels a lot like recess. “Parkour sets itself apart in that it doesn’t feel like a workout, it feels like play,” says Travis Graves, who has been teaching parkour for six years and is the APK program director. “All species of animals have play patterns, mostly mimicking their survival. Same with humans. Because that activity is not necessarily in our lives for survival anymore, we have to find ways to keep our bodies in order. Parkour is one of those ways.” APK beginners usually enroll in Parkour Foundations, a four-week class that teaches the building blocks of those impressive feats. With some self-confidence, practice, and a dash of daring you too can scale walls and polish off 10-foot drops with a nimble forward roll, all without breaking stride. But before that there are the basics. One of the first things budding traceurs (or parkour enthusiasts) learn is quadrupedal movement (QM), a specialized way of crawling that surprisingly
by Jazelle Hunt demands full body strength and coordination. After that is proper landing and precision landing, respectively, learning to absorb shock from a jump and learning to stick a landing. For the latter, students practice hopping onto trainers, which look like large, wooden capital I’s. The next class covers the previously mentioned forward roll as well as fluidly jumping, landing, and tucking into it. That’s all in the first week. Traceurs-in-training will also learn vaulting (jumping over obstacles); underbars (jumping feet first through gaps or under low horizontal bars or between a bar and the floor); wall runs (scaling 8- to 10-foot walls); and tic tacs (ricocheting up more than one wall to get up and over an obstacle). Slowly but surely each foundations lesson takes a baby-step out of your comfort zone. Yes, this seems physically or mentally formidable at first. Elaine Heinz, who has been practicing on and off for almost a year, agrees. “Jumping is hard because it’s scary to jump heights or gaps that look really big even if they’re not big,” the 16th Street Heights resident explains. “The mental part is the hardest part of [parkour] because it’s easy to psych yourself out and think it’s too much. I’m constantly surprising myself.” Before APK’s foundations, parkour seemed inaccessible at best and a creative way to get seriously injured at worst. But the instructors do a good job of breaking goals down into smaller, feasible movements. And the pleasant surprise of progression and the allure of moving in forgotten ways come in handy, because the next-day soreness is almost enough to call it quits. Pro tip: When the cool-down routine includes ankle, forearm, and shoulder blade stretches, know that things are about to get real. Let’s Get Physical has tried a few “full-body” fitness methods, but parkour engages heretoforeunknown muscles. The iliacus, for example. I missed that day of anatomy, but APK provided a refresher. “Parkour is very all-encompassing and very useful at building athletic skills in general, agility, balance, and creativity in movement,” Graves explains, with a smile. “Also biceps.”
From top to bottom: In the Parkour 1 course, traceurs-in-training learn to combine skills, such as precision jumps into a vault. Photo by Jazelle Hunt. The safety vault is the first (and perhaps easiest) vault you’ll learn. Photo by Peter Waterman.
For those less concerned about muscles and more about possible embarrassment, NoMa resident Christina Caraballo says not to worry. “Come see. It’s a very welcoming environment, and it doesn’t matter your level of comfort,” Caraballo advises. Her 4-year-old daughter took up parkour and Caraballo enrolled herself a month later. “Leave your ego out of it. You’re not going to get better without messing Midcity DC | February 2014 u 29
up. Don’t be self-conscious, it takes the fun out of it.” For those concerned about their level of fitness or ability Parkour L.I.T.E. class offers personalized training and serves as both a stepping-stone to foundations and a refresher for more advanced traceurs. Last, for those in need of some fitspiration meet George Washington University student Laura Kadue. Before starting college she compiled a list of interesting and uncommon things she wanted to try, and parkour was on it. After gaining the “freshman 15” and losing it during a trip to Europe, Kadue turned her desire to keep it off into an opportunity to tackle her list. “I like being fit but I don’t like working out. I’m not self-motivated,” she explains, adding that she aims to stick with parkour at least until summer. “Class is really fun, the time just flies by. Wednesday[‘s class] was technically hard, but still didn’t seem like a trial, you’re not killing yourself trying to complete moves. I want to make it to summer.” American Parkour Academy is located at 219 M St. NW. The fourweek, 12-class Parkour Foundations course is $90. The next session starts on March 3; for the first two weeks class is held Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 6:00 p.m., and Saturday at 1:00 p.m. Participants can take the second two weeks of class on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 7:00 p.m., or Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday at 7:00 p.m. It costs $20 to drop in to subsequent classes. Gym membership fees range from $60 to $180 per month. Call 202-642-1275 or visit www.americanparkour.com for more information. u 30 u midcitydcnews.com
the nose
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by Anonymous
ue to the cold snap, The Nose has fled to his hidey-hole where the whiskey is delicious and the takeout soulful. Slightly tipsy late one recent evening, he lay on the couch, his redbone coonhound Dixie warming his feet, pondering the fate of our fair metropolis. Suddenly, much as Paul saw the cross that fateful evening centuries ago, The Nose had an epiphany while staring at the ceiling. The central question of the 2014 mayoral contest is not gentrification, urban growth, unemployment, affordable housing or education. These shibboleths have long ceased to fire the electorate’s limited imagination. Rather, let us take ‘transformative politics’ seriously and ask ourselves, “What would Andy do?” Put on your imagination caps, Dear Readers, and join The Nose in some unspecified future dimension in which Andy “Barrista” Shallal holds dominion over The Wilson Building. Walking in on the first day of a Shallal raj, one notices an array of large photos on the wall. It is a rogue gallery of radicals. Che Guevara, Martin Luther King, Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, Angela Davis. They adorn an entryway blessedly free of metal detectors. Rather, a smartly dressed young woman behind the desk asks politely, “Do you and your party wish to be escorted to your destination?” Up the stairs on the right is elegantly appointed cafe. This oasis combines the serving of snacks and lattes with the social mission of training the unemployable. On the top shelf behind the bar to The Nose’s delight are stronger medicinal remedies. Andy shares The Nose’s faith in the efficacy of caffeine and alcohol. After fortifying his constitution with the appropriate poisons, The Nose is escorted upstairs through hallways filled with the soft melodies of Trane and Johnny Hartman. He walks carefully to avoid tripping over the backpacks and power cords of the many new millennial employees of the District government sitting in armchairs, faces lit by the glow of their laptops and iPads, ears plugged into buds. Glancing into a conference room, The Nose is regaled by a bureaucrat extolling the advantages of a new municipal app in the dulcet tones of spoken poetry. So, excuse The Nose for not believing “the hype.” With
apologies to Public Enemy, here is a rap for the Shallal utopia: Back, caught you voting for the same thing It’s a new thing, check out the lattes I bring Uhh, oh, the roll below the Beltway cause I’m campaigning low Next to Kojo, (C’mon!), turn up the radio They claiming I’m marginal But now I wonder how, some people never know That voter could be my friend, guardian I’m not a Virginian, I rock District elections and Clear all the crassness, I’m not here to gentrify Number one, never on run, leave Che to the guns, Listening to my opponents I wish I had one The minute they see me, fear me I’m the epitome, a public enemy Enthused, infused when others make you snooze I refuse to blow a fuse Let them see my face on the news Don’t believe the hype, it’s not a sequel As an equal can I get this through to you In the evenings debaters are scared of me Cause I’m mad, plus I’m the enemy Word to Tommy, yo if you can’t swing this Learn the words, you might sing this The meaning of all of that, most media is the wack Some writers I know are damn devils For them I say, don’t believe the hype (Yo Tom, they must be on the pipe, right?) Their pens and pads I’ll snatch cause I’ve had it I’m not a addict fiending for static I’ll see their tape recorder and I grab it No, you can’t have it back, I’m on the ballot I’m going to my media assassin, Chuck -- I gotta ask him Yo Chuck, you were commentator, are we that type? Don’t believe the hype! Can the man who merchandized radicalism to sell lattes really change the face of District politics? Have a comment for The Nose, email thenose@hillrag.com u
Midcity DC | February 2014 u 31
your neighborhood
+ District Beat
Handicapping The Race
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he first real glimpse of the mood of the District electorate appeared in The Washington Post’s January poll of voters conducted by Abt-SRBI. There were few surprises. Mayor Vincent C. Gray’s support hovered at 27 percent of likely voters. In the next rank, Councilmembers Jack Evans (D-Ward 2), Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6) and Muriel Bowser (DWard 4), each garnered half Gray’s support in a statistically even split of roughly 36% of the electorate. The other candidates in this crowded field, mired in the single digits, divided 18 percentage points. Another 11 percent of those surveyed had “No Opinion.” This article attempts to handicap the race for the four candidates who received double-digit approvals. Tempering the poll data with an analysis of historic voting patterns, it will estimate the number of votes for Gray, Evans, Bowser and Wells.
Estimating Voter Turnout
One always starts an election analysis by estimating the turnout. In this article, we have chosen to average the percentage of registered Democratic voters who voted in the last three Democratic Primaries in each ward and apply that ratio by ward to the Board of Election’s current tally of 336,779 registered Democrats. This exercise yields an estimate of 105,274 likely votes. As seen in the accompanying table, the two wards with the largest number of votes are Ward 4 (16,029) and Ward 6 (15,495). Wards 5 (14,698) and 7 (14,050) follow. Wards 3 (13,073) and Ward 1 (12,285) are next. Ward 8 and Ward 2 voters contribute the smallest amount (11,313 and 8,151 respectively). Together the city’s eastern wards (4, 5, 7 & 8) contribute 53.37 percent of the estimated vote. The western wards (1, 2 & 3) together supply 31.88 percent. Ward 6, at 32 u midcitydcnews.com
by Andrew Lightman the city’s political center, itself comprises 14.74 percent of the estimated vote. Given that the majority of estimated voters lie in the city’s eastern wards, Gray’s status as a native son should prove strong. As importantly, both Ward 4 and Ward 6 might prove potential springboards if they can be persuaded to back their respective councilmembers. Given its 7.76 percent contribution to the estimated vote, Ward 2 provides a much less secure perch to launch an Evans bid.
Assessing Gray Historically
In the 2006 and 2010 Democratic primaries,
Estimated Voter Turnout by Ward for the 2014 Democratic Primary
Mayor Gray averaged 55.30 percent of the vote across all eight wards. However, his performance was geographically skewed to the east. East of the Anacostia, the mayor racked up overwhelming margins (slightly over 82 percent). His average majorities in Ward 4 and Ward 5 ran roughly 60 percent. In Ward 1 and Ward 6, Gray garnered an average in excess of 44 percent. Gray proved weakest in Ward 3 where he only got 23 percent of the vote. In neighboring, vote-poor Ward 2, he amassed a more respectable 32 percent. The continuing federal probe into the 2010 ‘Shadow Campaign’ has certainly negatively impacted Gray’s popularity with the electorate. Thus his historical performance at the ballot box cannot provide sole guidance to his future prospects. So, it is time to add insights offered by polling data.
Trending Positive?
In July of 2012, The Washington Post had Abt-SRBI conduct a poll on public impressions of Mayor Gray. It found that 34 percent of all adults had a favorable impression of the Mayor. When asked whether Gray should step down as mayor, 62 percent of whites agreed joined by 48 percent of African-American respondents. A year later, a poll conducted by Lake Research Partners for Candidate Tommy Wells, found only 31 percent of likely voters in the Democratic Primary had a favorable impression of the Mayor. This dismal view of Gray’s stewardship was confirmed by a poll of voters conducted by Hart Research Associates this past September, which found support for the Mayor hovering at 35 percent of District voters. However, this winter Gray’s prospects seem to be trending positive. In the January Washington Post poll, 54 percent of respondents viewed Gray as untrustworthy, a
7 point improvement. The proportion that saw him as trustworthy increased to 32 percent. Most importantly, the majority, 59 percent, believed the city to be on the right track. Asked whether they had a favorable or unfavorable opinion of the mayor, respondents split evenly: 41 percent affirmative and 41 percent negative. Interestingly, 18 percent had no opinion.
A City Divided
Digging deeper into the Washington Post poll paints a much more nuanced picture. Respondents divided along fault lines involving length of residency, race, class and geography. Length of residency plays a major role in the public’s support for Gray. Only 15 percent of registered Democrats, who have resided in the city for five years or less, plan to vote for the mayor. Conversely, 29 percent of those with 40 or more years in the District plan to cast their vote for Gray. The mayor’s support rises to 30 percent among registered Democrats who have resided in the city for between 20 and 39 years. Support for the mayor is also strongly differentiated by race. Among registered Democrats, six percent of white men and nine percent of white women plan to vote for the mayor. Conversely, 33 percent of black women and 30 percent of black men plan to cast ballots for Gray. Class plays a role as well. 61 percent of wealthy respondents Midcity DC | February 2014 u 33
Estimating the Gray Vote
cent of all respondents in the poll in Wards 2 and 3 held an unfavorable view of Gray with 18 percent holding no opinion. Across the Anacostia River, 56 percent of those polled liked the mayor with 14 percent holding no opinion. (Due to the grouping of the Washington Post poll data into ward pairs, the situation in Wards 1, 4, 5 and 6 is not clear.) The poll indicates that Gray can expect little support from the city’s wealthy western wards (1, 2 & 3) and on Capitol Hill. Rapidly gentrifying areas full of newer residents such as Bloomingdale, the U Street Corridor, Columbia Heights, Logan Circle, Shaw, The Capitol Riverfront and Petworth are also likely to provide slim support. Fortunately for the mayor, these deficits are more than offset by his strength in the DC’s vote-rich, eastern neighborhoods, which are full of older, long-term, mostly African-American residents, many of whom possess lower incomes.
Estimating the Gray Vote
To estimate Gray’s potential vote, this article averages his percentages by ward in the 2006 and 2010 Democratic primaries with Gray’s percentage of support among registered earning above $100,000 disprove of the mayor. Among registered Democrats in this demographic 15 percent plan to vote for him. Opinion of those earning under $100,000 but over $50,000 is split with 43 percent disliking the mayor while 40 percent retain a favorable opinion. In this group, 22 percent of registered Democrats say they will cast their ballots for the mayor. Of those earning under $50,000, 50 percent like the mayor, 28 percent dislike him, with 22 percent holding no opinion at all. Yet, 34 percent of its registered Democrats are committing their support to Gray. The last factor that seems to play a role in the public’s opinion of the mayor is geography, which in the District often correlates with class and race. 52 per34 u midcitydcnews.com
Predicting the Challengers’ Vote
Democrats in the recent Washington Post poll. These percentages are then applied by ward to the earlier estimate of votes. As show in the accompanying table, this mixed model shows Gray taking 42,017 out of an estimated total of 105,274 ballots, roughly 40 percent.
those who have lived in the city in excess of 40 years plan to vote for him. Most telling was the degree to which the poll respondents remained unaware of the challengers. 56 percent had no opinion of Wells. 52 percent held no opinion of Bowser. 48 percent had no opinion of Evans.
Polling the Challengers
History Provides a Guide
Three ward councilmembers, Bowser, Evans and Wells, are Gray’s strongest challengers. As with the mayor, factors of age, race, income and geography shape the pool of their supporters among registered Democrats according to the Post poll. Evans and Wells perform best among white men, 19 and 21 percentage points respectively. Wells pulls ahead of the entire pack with 26 percent of white women, a share double that of any other candidate. Black women favor Bowser with 15 percent compared to 33 percent for Gray. Evans garners 9 percent. Wells falls behind with 3 percent. (Vincent Orange (DAt Large) was supported by 14 percent.) Among black men, Bowser pulls in 12 to the Mayor’s 30 percent. Wells and Evans both earn a respectable 9 percent. Interestingly, Wells, long a proponent of progressive taxation, garners 23 percent of those making over $100,000. He does worst, three percent, with those making under $50,000, where the Mayor is strongest. The middle income, $50,000 to $100,000, splits its support evenly among the challengers, while the mayor garners 22 percent. Candidate support also varies strongly by geography. Wells takes 29 percent of a combined Wards 5 and 6, seven points ahead of the mayor. Bowser pulls 17 percent in a combined Wards 1 and 4, a point short of the mayor’s 18 percent. Evans polls at 22 percent in a combined Wards 2 and 3, with Gray hot on his heels at 20 percent. Length of residency most strongly shapes Wells’ constituency. Recent arrivals to the District, give him 19 percentage points. Conversely, only four percent of
Another important consideration is the challengers’ historical performance in ward Democratic primaries. This provides an excellent measure of the strength of their base. Wells had the strongest performance. In his first election in 2006, he received 8,323 votes. In 2010, he garnered 12,862. Bowser received 7,132 in her second election to the Ward 4 seat in 2008. Her reelection effort in 2012 garnered 7,541 votes. Evans won Ward 2 with a paltry 3,175 against a strong challenge. With no opposition, he received 2,947 votes in the 2012 primary. So, of the three, Wells is the proven vote getter historically.
Estimating the Challengers
To estimate the potential vote for the three challengers, we averaged their percentage of votes in their home wards in the 2006, 2008 and 2010 Democratic primaries with their percentage of support among registered Democrats in the recent Washington Post poll. Outside the challengers’ homewards, the percentages from the poll are solely relied on. These percentages are then applied by ward to the article’s earlier estimate of votes by ward. As show in the accompanying table, this mixed model shows: • 18,814 votes for Bowser or 17.90% • 16,562 votes for Wells or 15.76%; • 14,704 votes for Evans or 14% These three together possess 55,014 votes, 12,997 more than estimated for Gray. In addition, if one adds up the estimated votes for the three challengers and Gray and subtracts from the total estimated, 12,957 votes remain unaccounted for. Midcity DC | February 2014 u 35
While Bowser leads her two rivals in estimated votes, Wells has proved his ability to run strong in his home ward, which by itself constitutes 14.74 percent of the estimated vote. Ward 2’s weak contribution to District elections seems likely to hamstring Evans.
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Unless voters change their allegiance, or a new federal indictment surfaces, Gray is clearly the strongest candidate with an estimated 40 percent of the vote. Yet the election is not a shoe-in. In the eastern wards, Gray must fend off challenges by Bowser and Orange in Wards 4 and 5. Bowser, in particular, has the money to mount an effective ground war on her vote-rich home turf. Gray could also lose votes in Ward 6, whose Southwest quadrant proved a key element of his 2010 campaign, if Wells mounts an effective field operation. Given the fault lines of race, geography, residency and class, there also appears to be little opportunity for Gray to grow his share of the vote in the city’s western precincts. And, of course, the threat of future federal indictments hangs over Gray’s head like the sword of Damocles. To beat Gray, the challengers must accomplish a simple set of tasks. First, they must turn out voters in their wards with an effective GOTV (Get Out The Vote) operation. Wards 4
and 6, which are both voterrich and possess large pools of registered Democrats, can provide the numbers to overcome Gray’s eastern base. Evans is at a severe disadvantage here. Wells, on the other hand, is the only one of the three who has ever received more than 10,000 votes in an election. As importantly, the challengers must convince the electorate of the efficacy of their campaigns. Voters do not like to waste their votes. They will seek to cast them for a likely winner. So, a successful challenger must create the appearance of momentum to pull voters from the camps of their rivals. Remember, it was Gray’s surprise victory in the Ward 4 straw poll during the 2010 campaign that distinguished him in voters’ minds as a viable challenger to former Mayor Adrian M. Fenty. Publicity and advertising are the keys to creating a sense of momentum. Here, Evans and Bowser retain the edge over Wells with their potent fundraising machines. No doubt, the wealthier campaigns intend to use robo calls and direct mail to acquaint the voters with their candidate. Creating momentum and running effective field operations are the keys to defeating Gray. It remains to be seen if his three prominent challengers can put these pieces together before April Fool’s Day is upon us. u Midcity DC | February 2014 u 37
your neighborhood
+ The Numbers
A Review of the DC Tax System Recommendations for Making It Fairer
I
t’s that time of year when we get the forms needed to file our taxes, which triggers thoughts about how much we contribute to the DC and federal treasuries. It’s an important thing to think about, but it’s hard to get a full picture of why we tax the way we do from our individual perches. So lucky for all of us, there’s been a group of people who just spent 18 months looking at the DC tax system – whether it is fair and easy to follow, whether it supports our ability to attract residents and businesses, and whether it follows sound taxing principles. That was the mission of the DC Tax Revision Commission, of which our own Ed Lazere was a member, which spent more than a year taking a comprehensive look at our tax system. It approved a package of recommendations at the end of 2013 that soon will be considered by the DC Council. The Commission was tasked with addressing issues of fairness, broadness, and competitiveness, and it reached consensus on alterations to personal income, business, and sales taxes. The commission did not feel any major changes were needed to property taxes, yet the Council recently considered two property tax cuts: One bill, which seems to be on a path to be adopted, would lower property taxes for longtime senior homeowners. The other, which was tabled but will be reconsidered this month, would tightly limit how much a homeowner’s property tax bill could grow each year. Both raise red flags about fairness and seem to undo the commission’s goals. It’s important to keep in mind that tax changes don’t occur in a vacuum. There’s a cost to lowering a tax rate that has to be made up either through reduced services, higher taxes for another group of residents or businesses, or growth in tax collections from an expanding economy. Luckily, revenue is projected to be on the upswing for the District given the influx of new residents, so many of these recommendations could be adopted without
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by Ed Lazere and Jenny Reed affecting funding for things like education, health care, or libraries.
commission recommended raising the maximum EITC benefit for childless workers to about $500.
Making the Income Tax Fairer
• Raising the personal exemption and standard deduction to match the federal levels. DC’s current deductions offer far less relief than the average state. Raising these deductions to federal levels would help reduce taxes for a large share of DC households, particularly low and moderate-income residents. The Commission also proposed phasing out the personal exemption for households with incomes over $150,000, which is similar to federal income tax provisions.
The Commission heard early on in its deliberations that DC’s tax system was not balanced and that low- and moderate-income DC residents pay
• New income tax brackets & rates. Currently, DC’s tax system imposes high marginal tax rates on low-and moderate income residents. The commission proposed lowering rates for households with income between $40,000 and $60,000 (or $40,000 and $80,000 for married couples and heads of household).
more than anyone else in combined sales, property and income taxes, as a share of their income. There were several recommendations to try to level the playing field for individuals.
• Maintaining a top tax rate. Until recently, DC’s top income tax rate was 8.5 percent and started at $40,000 of taxable income. That changed when DC adopted a higher tax rate of 8.95 percent on income over $350,000. However, that top rate was set to expire at the end of 2015. The Commission recommended maintaining a top tax rate on incomes above $200,000 ($350,000 for married couples and heads of household) but at 8.75 percent.
• Expanding the earned income tax credit (EITC) for childless workers. The EITC helps boost the wages and takehome pay of low-income workers. Unfortunately, the current benefits are very low for workers without children. A parent with one child qualifies for a maximum credit of $1,300, while a single person with no children can get no more than $190. The
• Broadening the Sales Tax Base The Commission also proposed to make important changes to the sales tax by expanding the base of goods and services that are covered by the sales tax. The Commission examined research that expanding the sales tax to cover services is important because services represent a steadily growing share of personal purchases. The commission pro-
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posed to broaden the sales tax base by including the following services, based on expert research: construction contractors, carpentry and other construction related services, storage of household goods, mini-storage, water for consumption at home, barber and beautician services, carpet and upholstery cleaning, health clubs and tanning studios, carwashes, bowling alleys and billiard parlors.
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The commission proposed cutting the income tax rate paid by businesses in DC, in order to match Maryland’s tax rate. Yet research presented to the Commission showed that DC has out-performed surrounding jurisdictions in business and job growth in the last decade, despite having a higher corporate income tax rate. The experts who testified before the commission did not endorse a commercial property tax cut. The commission also recommended exempting all estates worth less than $5.25 million from tax. Currently, estates under $1 million are exempt. A number of states phased out their estate taxes in the mid-2000s, yet there is no evidence to suggest residents are leaving DC to find lower estate taxes – our estate tax collections have remained solid. Researches who have studied the impact of residential migration due to estate taxes find the effects are very modest – and not large enough to justify exempting wealthy estates.
Cutting Property Taxes: Not A Top Priority
The District has the lowest residential property taxes in the metropolitan Washington region. In fact, most homeowners pay tax on only three-fourths of what their home is worth. In addition, the District offers substantial property tax help to seniors and to all lower-income homeowners – through a 50 percent break for seniors with incomes below $125,000 and a property tax credit for any 40 u midcitydcnews.com
homeowner with income below $50,000 who faces high property taxes. Those are big reasons why the Commission did not recommend changes to the property tax, and the DC Council should heed that decision. However, the Council is currently debating two property tax bills that both give disproportionate benefits and raise questions about tax fairness. The Residential Real Property Tax Relief Act of 2013, which was tabled last month but will likely come up this month, proposes to reduce property taxes in a way that will give the biggest benefits to owners of the most valuable homes in the District and will create large disparities in tax bills among owners of similarly valued homes. The legislation proposes to reduce the property assessment cap – which limits the yearly growth in a homeowner’s taxable assessments – from 10 percent to 5 percent. On the surface, it may sound like a good way to help all District homeowners deal with increasing property taxes. But if DC’s property taxes already are on the low end, it doesn’t make sense to put broad-based property tax reductions a priority. Then there’s the Senior Citizen Property Tax Relief Act of 2013, which passed on a first reading last month. DCFPI agrees with the goal of this bill – to provide assistance to DC residents struggling with high-housing costs – but believes it is not the most effective way to target property tax assistance to those who need it the most. Most important, the bill would leave out half of all seniors, who rent their homes and are actually more likely to have housing cost challenges. DCFPI recommends expanding the city’s property tax credit, which has provisions to help renters as well as homeowners, while adopting provisions to provide extra help to lowerincome seniors. Instead of creating these inequities, the DC Council should prioritize proposals that provide tax relief to low- and-middle income residents. Enacting the tax commission’s proposals would be a great place to start. u
Washing Away the Memories
Mr. Wash Closes to Make Room for Condos
I
by Denise Romano
t’s 11 degrees on a Tuesday afternoon. Despite the frigid temperatures cars snake around the corner of 13th and N streets, waiting in line for Mr. Wash. Dozens of workers busily put the finishing touches on cars as customers wait. This classic lunchtime scene for over 30 years, is now a thing of the past. Mr. Wash closed its doors on Wednesday, Jan. 29, to be razed to make way for condominiums, courtesy of the Holladay Corporation. Also closing down is Jerry Chan’s, the Chinese takeout restaurant located next door to Mr. Wash. It’s a sign of the times. The increasingly trendy Shaw neighborhood is sprinkled with hipsters frequenting cafes and bars. Glass paneled, seven-story condos already line 13th Street as far as the eye can see. These sleek apartments are just more nails in the coffin for Chocolate City. “This city is going to condos, coffee and donut shops,” said one employee just a day before Mr. Wash shut down. The now unemployed native Washingtonian has been working at Mr. Wash for the past four years. Said Thomas Jackson, who has worked at the location for three years, “I’m sad it’s over but it’s time to move on and make a change and find somewhere else.” He is looking to “enjoy unemployment” for a while and maybe find work at another car wash. Scenes from Mr. Wash’s last day in service. Customers waiting that chilly afternoon for their last service from this Mr. Wash weren’t surprised by the and the community down here. It’s sort of a recognition of a job well done. We news but still expressed disappointment. “It’s sad. Evstuck around long enough and luck came and found us.” eryone who works here is great and friendly to me and my wife,” said Shawn But Temple noted that the city and the federal government could do a Andrews, who lives down the alleyway from the car wash, between N and O more cost-effective job at selecting where its vehicles are washed as in most streets. “It’s sad to see everyone go, but I suppose you can’t stop progress.” cases the persons making those decisions consider only the price of the car Ron Anderson has been a customer for 10 years. “I am very sorry to hear wash as determining its cost, whereas the reality is that the cost to the taxthis. I wish it wouldn’t [close],” he said. “This is the only car wash in Northwest payer of the person’s time driving the vehicle usually far exceeds the price of in this trendy area. It’s growing. We need more car washes, not less. There are the car wash. “The three components of the cost of a car wash are cost of the more cars. The business is so good, why close?” driver’s time (salary), wear-and-tear on the vehicle per mile, and the price of Mr. Wash, family owned and operated, has six other locations in Maryland the car wash. For example, DC’s First District and its sub-station police cars and Virginia. Management at both the corporate office and at this location are four minutes away from Splash, but the Department of Public works has declined comment. determined that their police vehicles should be washed at a site 20 minutes Although the District’s unemployment rate is at 8.1 percent, a low that distant with the officer’s time costing the city some 79 cents per minute each the city hasn’t seen since December 2008, according to the Federal Bureau of way, for a driver’s cost differential of nearly $27, much more than the cost of a Labor Statistics, at least a dozen employees are now out of work. car wash.” he said. However, Tim Temple, owner of Splash! car wash located jsut off Capitol He added that “another example is the Park Police, with its HQ on Haines Hill at 10 I Street, SE, said he will be hiring some of Mr. Wash’s employees, Point, washes its cars at the wash on the 5000 block of Wisconsin Avenue, including one man who has worked there for four years. With a background several blocks from the District line with Maryland.” in finance, Temple has been running his car wash for over 18 years. He said However, Temple is looking forward to servicing Mr. Wash’s many customthat he is “here to bridge the gap” and that he looks forward to servicing Mr. ers. “We are here to serve and are a trusted and tried business,” he concluded. Wash’s clients. “It’s bittersweet, but we will probably be the biggest car wash in u DC after this. It’s a bonanza for the Hill,” he said. “It’s an exciting time for us Midcity DC | February 2014 u 41
your neighborhood
Shaw Streets by Pleasant Mann
Shaw Parcel Offered for Development
The District government has just offered one of the last vacant urban-renewal lots in Shaw for development. The site, known as Parcel 23, is on the southwest corner of 8th and O streets NW, across the street from the recently opened City Market at O development. At just over 13,000 square feet the site has been used as a parking lot by two nearby churches for decades. The request for proposals issued by the deputy mayor for planning and economic development seeks plans that have “a mix of uses that are compatible with and leverage surrounding neighborhood development” and “are responsive to community and stakeholder preferences.” More than 50 participants attended a pre-response conference at the Kennedy Recreation Center on Jan. 9 for developers interested in bidding on the 8th and O Street lot. Responses to the District’s offer are due by Tuesday, March 4, 2014. After the proposals are received a review process will develop a short-list of qualified developer candidates, who will describe their plans at a community meeting. The short-listed bidders will eventually submit their “best and final” proposals before a final selection is made. The District expects to award the site to a developer this spring.
Parcel 23 with City Market at O in the background. Photo: Pleasant Mann La Colombe Cafe in Blagden Alley. Photo: Pleasant Mann
Doors Opening in Shaw
The Hilton Brothers, famed for a number of establishments along the U Street corridor, including the Brixton at 9th and U streets NW, opened another one at the beginning of January. El Rey, at 919 U St. NW, has a Mexican theme emphasizing
La Colombe Coffee Bar. Photo: Pleasant Mann
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El Rey on U Street. Photo: Pleasant Mann
the basics. The offerings could be summed up as tequila, tacos, and Mexican beer. El Rey has gotten media attention, however, for its unique construction, the building being totally made of steel shipping containers. A retractable roof will provide for al fresco dining in good weather. The building’s takeout window to the right of the front door will provide a new afterhours food option and adds an additional note of south-of the-border casualness. La Colombe, the renowned Philadelphia coffee roaster and café, opened its first DC location in Blagden Alley, right next to the Rogue 24 restaurant, at
the beginning of February. La Colombe founder Todd Carmichael stars in “Dangerous Grounds,” a reality show on the Travel Channel documenting a worldwide search for exotic beans. La Colombe prides itself on devotion to the craft roasting, brewing, and consumption of quality coffee, which many java aficionados swear is the best in the world. At its DC location it will rely on local supply sources such as bakers Frenchie’s and Rare Sweets for pastries and Trickling Springs Creamery for dairy products. The Wonder Bread Factory at 641 S St. NW is starting to fill up, with two of-
fice tenants moving in soon. The first is Youth for Understanding USA, which manages an international high school and community college exchange program. The other is WeWork, a co-worker services business that provides office space and facilities support to startups and individual entrepreneurs. Also, the office space at neighboring building Progression Place is now fully leased, with developer Four Points moving their offices into the last remaining space. They join United Negro College Fund, Teach for America, College Success Foundation, and the National Urban League’s Washington Bureau.
And Rumors of Leases
In perhaps an inevitable sign of gentrification in Shaw, Curbed DC reports that Starbucks has signed a lease at City Market at O. The Starbucks is going to be on the ground floor of the project’s Cambria Suites Hotel and expects to open this spring. The Washington Business Journal noticed that the District released a letter from Zoning Administrator Matthew Le Grant responding to an inquiry about permissible uses at the Jefferson at Marketplace building undergoing construction on the west side of the 1500 block of 7th Street NW. The reply, to attorneys Saul Ewing LLP, confirmed that Unleashed by Petco can operate in one of the new building’s retail spaces. The assumption is that there are serious plans to open an Unleashed in Shaw. This would be the third location in the District for the new urbanformat pet supply store from Petco. And although it will take a while, Landmark Theaters, which is known for showing mostly art and independent films, announced that it will open a six-screen cinema at the Atlantic Plumbing project, currently under construction at 8th and V streets NW. The addition of a movie theater in Shaw will certainly enhance its reputation as a major entertainment destination. However, the project is not expected to be completed until the end of 2015. u
Bloomingdale Bites
McMillan Development Gains Supporters
by Jazzy Wright
A new advocacy group has sprouted up to publicly support the McMillan redevelopment plan. The members of Neighbors for McMillan, founded in December of last year, are Bloomingdale and Stronghold residents who want to bring new park space, retail, jobs, and dining options to the community – amenities they say can be brought to the area by the proposed redevelopment of the McMillan sand filtration site. Members plan to express their support for the city-backed Vision McMillan Plan at various upcoming community meetings and planning hearings. The group is distributing green “Create McMillan Park” lawn signs in neighborhoods surrounding McMillan Park. “We started the group to get the word out about McMillan and promote factual information instead of the emotional cry we’ve heard before,” said Barrie Daneker, an active member of the organization, who said that more than 60 lawn signs were distributed to the community during the first month of the group’s existence. “Neighbors want to express themselves and support this project. The District has owned the property for 30 years and spent $9.3 million to develop it. We’re hoping to build the park space and affordable housing that the people have called for.” Daneker continued, “A lot of us are long-time residents who have what I call ‘McMillan fatigue’ after watching the development project go on for 30 years.” Daneker, who lives in Bloomingdale and previously worked as an advisory neighborhood commissioner in the Stronghold neighborhood, says that past conversations about McMillan focused excessively on community opposition to the site. In a letter to the community he wrote, “For too long now, opponents of any redevelopment – or those who foolishly think that creating a park on the entire space is remotely financially feasible – have been bullying this community, taking over the conversation and misrepresenting the views of the larger community.” According to Daneker individual contributions fund Neighbors for McMillan. He added that the group has not yet asked corporations or local businesses for donations.
Costa Brava Moves Forward
After nearly two years of waiting, construction may be underway on Costa Brava, the soon-to-be-opened tapas
The new “Create McMillan Park” signs. Photo: Barrie Daneker
restaurant on 1st St. NW. According to building permits issued for the restaurant the new eatery will include two dining floors, with 46 seats indoors and 14 outdoors. Located directly opposite the Red Hen, the restaurant is slated to offer Balkan-style tapas cuisine, small Spanish ensembles, and live acoustic music. u Midcity DC | February 2014 u 43
your neighborhood
2
Logan Circles
014 at barely two months old, is still “new”! But yet U/14 is off to a busy start with openings, closings and even a transformation or two.
Closings
Pulp, the card and gift shop in the 1800 block of 14th Street that opened back in 2002, announced that they would close in January. The business, which followed nearby neighbor Go Mama Go in closing after the death of its owner and founder about three years ago, was one of the few small shops on the strip for years, before U/14 began to attract larger chains and restaurants. As far as we know, there is no word yet on who will move into the space. The particular block has seen a lot of recent arrivals since the opening of the District apartment building across the street
by Mark F. Johnson
and its ground floor retailers including Lou Lou and Redeem. Restaurant Bar di Bari on the southwest corner of 14th and R has also served its last supper. But, according to owners, it will be resurrected soon as “Red Light.” Bar di Bari, which served up Italian cuisine, had not actually been in existence for very long. Red Light, however sounds very saucy although apparently few details have been shared about what the concept will be. Perhaps the name alone will be the draw?
Openings
We mentioned a few columns ago that graphics design studio Fathom Creative on 14th near Rhode Island Avenue, would soon be giving up its front space with the large window on the street to a new
coffee bar. That coffee bar now has a name and it is “Slipstream.” The concept here according to owners is to offer what they call “unique service that pulls customers through in an effortless fashion.” Not sure exactly what this means, but the owner, Ryan Fleming intends to do the same thing with cocktails in the evening. Slipstream is slated to open in the spring. Note that Caribou coffee across the street has closed also. It is on its transformation path to Peet’s Coffee. Peet’s bought out Caribou. The Hilton Brothers group, owners of Marvin, Gibson, Eighteenth Street Lounge, Chez Billy among others places, is hoping to steal the show again with Den of Thieves. The music hall concept, which they are calling a “dive bar” opens in the old Blackbyrd space at 2005 14th Street. Most recently the building was a pop up spot for Hanoi House which is looking to take up residence in Atlas. Local deejays will run the show at Den, Eric Hilton says, and the place will be open only on weekends to start. In contrast to the expensive Gibson speakeasy next door, drinks and light food fare at Den is less pricey in keeping with what the owners want to be a more relaxed and sporty concept. It’s all about the dancing at Den of Thieves.
This & That
Red Light specials come to corner of 14th & R 44 u midcitydcnews.com
When you keep your ear stretched wide open you often overhear things within pick up range or whispered to you directly. It is in this fashion that we have heard that an Asian restaurant on the 14th Street strip is looking over on H Street, NE for a space to open a new concept. H Street is now being referred to as DC’s “Williamsburg” for those who know the excitement the transforming neighborhood in Brooklyn is causing. A mid-sized space on H, near Union Station on the (soon to arrive?) trolley line has become available. This particular part of H Street is growing quickly with a mix of retail shops, restaurants and bars. This space was recently of interest to said Asian restaurant. “H” is for “heat” apparently, as things get hotter and hotter over in the land of the X2. u
ANC 6E NEWS by Steve Holton
5th and I (eye) Project Update
In December it was reported from ANC 6E that the Deputy Mayor’s Office would be awarding a contract to one of four development firms to develop a parcel of land at the corner of 5th and I Street, NW. The land is also on the corner of 5th and Massachusetts and is referred to as the Mt. Vernon Triangle. The Deputy Mayor’s Office informed ANC 6E05 Commissioner Marge Maceda that they are finalizing the pro’s and con’s of the four proposal’s submitted. “It is important for the commissioners to give any comments that we may have and send them to the Deputy Mayors Office. Comments would go out to each of the developers so that they can include the information in their best and final offer to the city,” said Maceda. In the beginning the community wanted the space utilized as a park and playground area for children, dog walkers and the elderly. The Deputy Mayor’s Office noted that this type of project wouldn’t bring any money to the city so the offer was removed from the table and several members of the community want any type of plan to include green space. Comments directed toward the Peebles Corporation proposal: We are not interested in low income housing which could lead to failure. Many are open to the hotel/condo idea but are worried about the possible increase in crime and traffic congestion and there are already five hotels in such a small area. Comments directed toward the JBG Firm’s proposal: The retail you proposed including an organic market and a return of bicycle space is just what the community wants. We appreciate your plan for green space in the proposal but we think a community meeting room should have also been in the plan. Comments directed toward the CSG Urban partners proposal: Your proposal shows that you took the time to meet with the community. Having a day care and dog park in your plan is impressive but having a space for creative artists to work is just what the doctor ordered. Comments directed toward the Akridge Firm proposal: Your proposal showed your dedication toward what the community desires. The day care, community and retail space that you included is on our wish list and we love the idea of having
a weekend market. “The developers really cared about what the community wanted without making it a tourist area”, said Maceda. Also the community wants to know what type of retail will be on the ground floor of any building and what traffic problems that two years of construction will bring. “After speaking with the community, a non-residential project such as an office building is the most attractive with hotels coming in second. Offices add additional foot traffic which is important to local retail. I am also happy to see the area is starved for green and recreational space and are taking the appropriate solutions to make this happen,” said Chairman Alexander Padro. The board motioned to submit a letter with commissioners and community comments to the Deputy Mayor’s Office. “There could potentially be 10,000 area residents walking in and around that area, so whatever goes on that plot of land is significant,” said Maceda.
Ideal Tenant
A presentation was given by a representative of the Richard Sandoval Restaurant chain regarding a future restaurant at 7th and Q Street, NW. The company has 25 locations in the U.S. with six of them in the metro DC area. The representative commented that they have not decided on a name but noted that the new location will feature a Mexican rotisserie concept. “We are planning to apply for a patio permit on Q Street and we will have a quick style take-out window for those in a rush. There will also be a bar on the basement level and we are planning to have a D.J.”, said the restaurant representative. Construction will start in late summer and could open by spring of 2015.
to give authorities any details on the incident. A Radio Shack on 7th Street, NW was robbed and it was reported that over $26,000 in iphones and electronics were taken in this one incident. Commissioner Maceda noted that skate boarders are causing damage on private property and primarily on statues. DCPD urged anyone to report any such incidents and they would dispatch someone to check it out. There have also been issues with people parking on the sidewalk of the K Street Street-scape.
Other Topics of Note •
• • •
New Location: The ANC 6E board will meet at 6:30pm on February 5th at the Northwest One Library which is located at 155 L Street, NW. Support motion approved for a Quick Food Service Permit for Rito Loco Restaurant at 606 Florida Avenue, NW. Support motion approved for parking for the Immaculate Conception Church at the future 8th and O Street, NW, development. Support motion approved for a Stipulated Liquor License (beer and wine) for Le Pain Quotidien at 433 Massachusetts Avenue, NW.
Visit www.anc6e.org to view the ANC 6E newsletter. Follow on Twitter, @ANC6E, and Facebook by searching ANC6E. u
Shaw Crime Watch
DCPD was on hand to give the board and residents an update on area crime. There was one arrest regarding sexual abuse which led to closure of several burglary cases. After an arrest of a man and woman panhandling, home burglaries have gone way down. Crime remains steady with tourists who leave their bags or jackets on chairs when leaving a table. There was originally a shooting reported by a victim at 5th and K, NW and it was later revealed as a stabbing. The victim refused Midcity DC | February 2014 u 45
kids and family
+ Notebook
n Donner
by Kathlee
N O T E B O O K Mid-City DC Public Education Forum
The Mount Vernon Triangle Community Improvement District is partnering with Kids in the Triangle to present a public forum, “How Growing Downtown Families Approach DC Public Education” on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 7:30-9 p.m. at Mt. Carmel Baptist Church, 901 3rd St. NW. This public event will be moderated by MVT CID President, Claire Schaefer Oleksiak, and will include panelists Kaya Henderson, Chancellor, District of Columbia Public Schools; Scott Pearson, Executive Director, DC Public Charter School Board; and Michael On Feb. 22, Blue Sky Puppet Theatre performs The Barker of Seville
Moss, Principal, Walker Jones Education Campus. Discussion will focus on the growing changes and needs of the downtown Washington, DC as families navigate the changing landscape of DC public schools and charter schools. Contact the Mount Vernon Triangle CID at 202-216-0511 ext. 23 with any questions. For updates, follow them on Facebook and Twitter (@MVTCID). The Kids in the Triangle (KITT) group is a new community for parents and family members of children who live, work, and play in the Mount Vernon Triangle, Mount Vernon Square and Shaw neighborhoods. Focused on the specific changing needs of parents living downtown, KITT works to bring
Saturday Morning at the National Free Performances for Children
On Saturdays at 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. there are free live performances for children in the Helen Hayes Gallery. Tickets are required and distributed first come-first seated. Tickets are distributed 1/2 hour prior to performance. One ticket per person in line. The National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave., NW. 202-783-3372. On Feb 1, Bright Star Theater-George Washington Carver; Feb. 8, Paul Hadfield-General Foolishness; Feb. 22, Blue Sky Puppet Theatre: The Barker of Seville; Mar. 1, Andres Saklquero-Uno, Dos Tres,con Andres; Mar. 8, Laureen O’Neill James Irish Dance; Mar. 15, Rich Potter, Bert the Nerd; Mar. 22, Bright Star Theatre, Jack’s Adventure; Mar. 29, Tim Marrone, Clowning Around with Shakespeare; and Apr. 5, Curtis Blues, Delta Blues. 46 u midcitydcnews.com
families from the neighborhoods together via their listserv. For more information, contact michmartin72@yahoo.com.
Join the STEAM Team at MLK Library
Are you interested in science, technology, engineering, art and/or mathematics? Join them Fridays at 4 p.m. at MLK Library and design, construct, discover, create, and so much more! This program is for ages 6-12. Call 202-727-1278 if you have any questions. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G St. NW. dclibrary.org/mlk
Discover Engineering Family Day at the National Building Museum
On Feb. 22, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m., become an engineer for a day. Every February, the National Building Museum and the National Engineers Week Foundation invite you to discover how professional engineers turn an idea into reality. Celebrate National Engineers Week by participating in this free, handson, and fun-filled festival. Become a rocket scientist and explore aerodynamics; learn to build a suspension bridge using only basic items; discover the concepts of mechanics and motion using a wind tube; make slime and learn the properties of a “semisolid”; dsign and construct a structure to help protect from a tsunami; invent a pop-fly lever and see how high it launches a ping pong ball. Discover Engineering Family Day is a free, drop-in program. $5 donation suggested. Program and activities are most appropriate for children ages 4-12 with adult supervision. Registration is not required. National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW. 202-272-2448. nbm.org
Family-Friendly Harlem Globetrotters at Convention Center in March
The Harlem Globetrotters will be bringing their 2014 “Fans Rule” World Tour to the DC metro area for three games in March. The first game will take
The First Hebrew Language Immersion Public Charter School in DC
Accepting Applications for SY14-15 Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grade 2
y very Tuesdafrom e ld e h s e s Open Hou Thursday afternoon d morning an ecember-March D To apply visit: myschooldc.org
*With the new common application, families must rank order their school choices. Each child will only receive one offer of admission in the lottery. If Sela PCS is your family’s first choice, you should rank order Sela PCS FIRST. Application Deadline: March 3, 2014
FREE Before and After School Program Small Class Sizes with 2 teachers in each classroom Student Shuttle available with stops at: Eastern Market, 16th and Q, Ft. Totten Metro
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Like us: SelaPCS Midcity DC | February 2014 u 47
place Mar. 15 at Verizon Center at 1 p.m., followed by a second game that evening at 7:30 p.m. at the Patriot Center in Fairfax, Va. A third game will take place on Mar. 16 at the Patriot Center at 2 p.m. harlemglobetrotters.com
Black History Month Craft Night at Northwest One Library
On Feb. 18, 3:30 p.m., learn about amazing African Americans who changed the world, and make crafts inspired by their contributions! Make your own star puzzle for Benjamin Banneker and write messages in invisible ink for Ralph Ellison. All crafts you will do can be found in Carol Gnojewski’s African-American Crafts Kids Can Do! Program is for ages 8-16. Northwest One Neighborhood Library, 155 L St. NW. 202-939-5946. dclibrary.org/northwest
National Symphony Orchestra Family Concert-Peter and the Wolf
On Sunday, Feb. 24 at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., Prokofiev’s timeless musical tale of boy vs. wolf comes roaring to life with the NSO and a vaudeville-inspired performance by actor Michael Boudewyns from theater ensemble Really Inventive Stuff. For ages 5 and up. Come early for the Musical Instrument “Petting Zoo,” a project of the Women’s Com-
mittee for the NSO. Immediately following the 3 p.m. performance, meet concert artists for a free Kids’ Chat. Tickets are from $15. Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW. 202-416-8000. kennedy-center.org
All-Ages Walk-Inz at ArtJamz
Looking for a great family-friendly “funtivity” but can’t schedule anything due to the hectic pace of your family’s ever changing schedule? Just drop into ArtJamz anytime during their All Ages Afternoon Walk-Inz, 5-6 p.m. during the week (except Mondays) and Saturday to Sunday noon-6 p.m. Anyone can come in and paint. Their art-trained Creative Enablers are always on hand to help get you set up and provide tips, guidance and encouragement throughout your session. They also host classes. ArtJamz costs $15 an hour for access to their arty Dupont Studio. That includes unlimited use of water-based acrylic paints and tons of brushes, markers, glitters and various other art materials. Canvases are extra. They have WIFI, coffee and drinks. ArtJamz Dupont Studio, 1728 Connecticut Ave. NW. 202709-8096. artjamzdc.com
Perfect Performances for Kids and their Grown-up Friends at Atlas’ INTERSECTIONS Festival
On Saturday, Feb. 22, noon-4 p.m., join DC Actors for Animals, Atlas Vet, Metro Mutts and more for free family activities in the Kogod Lobby. Boogie Babes’ The Singing Lizard performs at noon. At 1:30 p.m., there will be a Mutts Gone Nuts a benefit perLearn a skill all 18th-century gentleman must know—swordplay. Photo: Gadsby’s Tavern Museum formance for Atlas Family Programming. Entertainers Scott and Joan Houghton and their mischievous pound puppies present a hilarious canine thrill show for the whole family for two great causes--the Atlas and animal rescue for ages 2 and older. $15$12. On Mar. 1 and 8 at 1:30 p.m., Body Wise Dance wants you to meet a gentle character who longs for spring and a friend in a participatory dance-theatre piece and Swordsmen’s Rendezvous at Gadsby’s Tavern post-show interaction On Saturday, Mar. 8, noon-4 p.m., experience this unique living history with innovative dance artprogram as you learn a skill all 18th-century gentleman must know–swordist Margot Greenlee. For play. The one-hour program includes reenactment of 18th-century swordages 5, up. $8. On Mar. 1 play and a display of 18th-century weapons. This popular family event is at 10 a.m. and Mar. 8 at suitable for all ages and will include some audience participation as you prac1 p.m., GALA Hispanic tice your new-found talents. Program recommended for second grade and Theatre & Wit’s End Pupolder (adults will have fun too!). Tours are pre-scheduled with timed tour pets Fábulas Mayas offer slots, each tour lasting one hour. $6 per person, ages five and up. Gadsby’s a bilingual adaptation of Tavern Museum, 134 N. Royal St., Alexandria, VA. traditional Mayan legends 48 u midcitydcnews.com
and fables featuring puppets, movement, and song from an innovative puppet company and awardwinning Hispanic theatre. For ages 5, up. $8. There’s more. Go to intersectionsdc.org. The Atlas, 1333 H St. NE. 202-399-7993. atlasarts.org
Registration Open for KiDS ROCK D.C. Run
On Mar. 16, noon, at RFK Stadium, kids can be part of Rock ‘n’ Roll USA Marathon weekend excitement by participating in KiDS ROCK D.C. KiDS ROCK, is a non-timed, non-competitive event for children in grades K-6. Kids can become marathon finishers on race day by completing a cumulative marathon training program in the weeks leading up to the race. Or, they can simply choose to run the one-mile course on race day. Registration is $15 through Feb. 15; and $20, Feb. 15-Mar. 9. kidsrock. competitor.com
G-Rated “Hidden Universe 3D” at Air and Space
An extraordinary journey into deep space, Hidden Universe 3D brings to life the farthest reaches of our universe with unprecedented clarity through real images captured by the world’s most powerful telescopes. Stunning, high-resolution 3D images of space allow you to peer deep inside the earliest galaxies and nebulae, watch stars being born in vivid clouds of gas and dust, tour the surface terrain of Mars, and witness images of distant celestial structures including awe-inspiring views of the Sun. Seen for the first time in IMAX 3D, these dramatic new images offer fresh insight into the origins and evolution of the universe. National Air and Space Museum on the Mall. airandspace.si.edu
Kids’ Music: Rainbow Rock Band at Ebenezers
On Feb. 15, 10:30-11:30 a.m., the Rainbow Lady (Kate Moran), Princess Fiddlesticks (Lynn Rovelli), Captain Toe Tappin (Kevin de Souza), and Guitarmony Gus (Derek Evry) will entertain your little ones with a combination of classic and original children’s tunes. This duo or trio will keep you bopping in your socks until you just can’t rock anymore! Always on hand, inside the box of fun, tambourines, shakers and more for your little one to join in. $6 in advance, $8 at the door. Everyone over 1 year must have ticket. Ebenezers Coffeehouse, 201 F St. NE. 202-558-6900. ebenezerscoffeehouse.com
Annual Mardi Gras Family Day
On Saturday, Feb. 22, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., come out for the Mardi Gras Family Day, which includes the celebratory traditions in South Africa this year. There will be storytelling, face painting, mask-making, and other hands-on activities, live performances, and more. Attendees can also participate in the Art of Adornment workshop with creative artist Januwa
Moja-Nelson (workshop space is limited, sign up upon arrival). For more information, call 202-6334875 or e-mail ACMinfo@si.edu. Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. anacostia.si.edu
Presidents’ Family Day at the American Art Museum
Top hats, Lincoln logs, and presidential portraits? Oh my! American Art and the National Portrait Gallery team up again with President Lincoln’s Cottage for their annual Presidents’ Family Day. On Saturday, Feb. 15, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m., begin your holiday weekend with patriotic craft activities, performances, and special guests! American Art Museum, 8th and F sts. NW. 202633-1000. americanart.si.edu
Smithsonian Discovery Theater on Tour Presents: Lions of Industry, Mothers of Invention
On Feb. 13 at 11 a.m., Discovery Theater’s interactive play honors the creativity and genius of African American entrepreneurs and inventors like beauty innovator Madam C.J. Walker, “peanut man” George Washington Carver, academic giant Booker T. Washington, and even cranky potato chip inventor George Crum. The play demonstrates how the featured inventors all solved a problem or fulfilled a need and how great things originate and develop with an idea, imagination, and the belief that you can make it happen. Students will see that with creativity and commitment, they too can make improvements to the world around us. It is for ages 8-12. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G St. NW. 202-727-0321. dclibrary. org/mlk
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Shake Up Your Saturdays: Shakespeare in Love at the Folger
On Feb. 8, 10-11 a.m., explore what many believe is the most beautiful love poetry of all time--along Midcity DC | February 2014 u 49
with Shakespeare’s hilarious tales of mistaken identity and absurd anticsall in the name of love. Recommended for ages 6-12. It’s free but reserve your spot. Folger Shakespeare Library, E. Capitol St. SE. 202-5447077. folger.edu
Orphie and the Book of Heros at the Kennedy Center
Spunky and curious Orphie, a young girl in Ancient Greece, sets out to save storyteller Homer and his Book of Heroes in this humorous world premiere musical-a quest that takes her from the heights of Mt. Olympus to the depths of the underworld. For ages 9 and up. Performances on Feb. 8, 9, 16, 23 at 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.; and Feb. 15 and 22 at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. The 11 a.m. performance on Sat., Feb. 22 is sensory-friendly. $20. Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW. 202-416-8000. kennedy-center.org
DC Parks and Recreation Outdoor Explorer Family Adventures
Outdoor Explorer: Family Adventures is series of outdoor recreation excursions, designed for families to enjoy the great outdoors together. Excursions are on the 2nd Saturday of each month. The next adventure is ropes course and zip lining at Go Ape! on Mar. 8. Other adventures are Apr. 12, hiking the Capital Crescent Trail; May 10, kayaking Piscataway Creek; June 14, horseback riding at Misty Manor Stables; July 12, white water rafting on the Potomac; Aug. 9, hiking the Anacostia River Walk; and Sept. 13, biking in Rock Creek Park. All adverntures leave from a DC recreation center. dpr.dc.gov
Celebrate Youth! High School Choir Festival at the National Cathedral
On Wednesday, Feb. 26, the National Cathedral Choral Society brings together choirs from DC public, charter, and independent schools with members of the DC Youth Orchestra for the ninth annual Celebrate Youth! high school choir festival. The
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groups work together in a day of music making that culminates in a grand concert in the nave of the Cathedral. Ben Hutto, festival director. The festival concert is at 7 p.m. It is free and open to the public. Washington National Cathedral, 3101 Wisconsin Ave. NW. nationalcathedral.org
Purchase DC Student Transit Passes at WMATA’s Website
DC Student Transit Passes can now be purchased through WMATA’s website using a debit or credit card. The WMATA website allows the purchase of a monthly rail/bus pass, 10-trip rail passes and 10-trip bus pass at wmata. com. DC Student Rail transit passes will be available for use two business days after the on-line purchase and the discounted 10-trip bus pass will be available for use three business days after the purchase on-line. Transit passes may still be purchased at any one of the Metro Sales Offices in the District and other approved retail outlets. For more information on DDOT’s School Transit Subsidy Program, visit ddot. dc.gov/SchoolTransitSubsidy.
DC Youth Orchestra to go on International Tour
In June 2014, DCYOP’s Youth Orchestra will participate in a residency and side-by-side tour in Colombia with Orquestra Metropolitana Batuta, which is part of the world’s second largest national youth orchestra system, Batuta (or Fundación Batuta). The Youth Orchestra will travel to Colombia between June 24 and July 2, 2014. As part of the residency, DC Youth Orchestra Program students will work with master teachers from Batuta and have combined activities and cultural excursions with their Colombian peer musicians. DCYOP will also be traveling with several of its faculty who will help with the project and engage in side-by-side professional development workshops with Batuta. Following the residency, the combined 120-piece orchestra will hit the road on a bus tour performing two concerts outside the capital, and one in Bogotá. u
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AWARDED BEST WASHINGTON, DC CONTRACTOR OF 2012 BY ANGIE’S LIST
Changing hands is a list of most residential sales in the District of Columbia from the previous month. A feature of every issue, this list, based on the MRIS, is provided courtesy of Don Denton, manager of the Coldwell Banker office on Capitol Hill. The list includes address, sales price and number of bedrooms.
Neighborhood
Price BR
FEE SIMPLE BLOOMINGDALE 67 W ST NW 125 S ST NW
$765,000 $716,326
BROOKLAND 1337 RITCHIE PL NE 412 AVA WAY NE 1010 CRITTENDEN ST NE 1304 FRANKLIN ST NE 1535 NEWTON ST NE 4754 6TH PL NE 901 LAWRENCE ST NE 5020 6TH PL NE 2915 CAPITOL ST NE
$520,000 $495,000 $426,500 $425,000 $410,000 $385,000 $380,000 $379,900 $370,000
COLUMBIA HEIGHTS 1322 QUINCY ST NW 445 QUINCY ST NW 1524 SPRING PL NW 627 LAMONT ST NW 1342 PERRY PL NW 649 KENYON ST NW 1215 QUINCY ST NW 752 HARVARD ST NW 459 LURAY PL NW 618 HARVARD ST NW
$914,500 $830,000 $774,000 $675,000 $645,000 $620,000 $606,000 $577,300 $525,000 $425,000 $2,258,000 $2,000,000
KALORAMA 2429 CALIFORNIA ST NW 1814 24TH ST NW 2325 ASHMEAD PL NW
$2,330,000 $1,795,000 $1,200,000
MOUNT PLEASANT 1831 INGLESIDE TER NW 3334 17TH ST NW 2027 ROSEMONT AVE NW 1855 LAMONT ST NW
$810,000 $775,000 $757,500 $641,000
4 3 4 4 3 3 4 4 4 3 4 4 5 4 4 3 4 3 3 3 3 8 6 4 4 4 3 3 4 1
PETWORTH 4606 KANSAS AVE NW 5005 7TH ST NW 4822 5TH ST NW 5502 4TH ST NW 5331 2ND ST NW 4811 ILLINOIS AVE NW 719 MADISON ST NW 719 GALLATIN ST NW 4015 NEW HAMPSHIRE AVE NW 5124 5TH ST NW 5113 NEW HAMPSHIRE AVE NW 5131 NEW HAMPSHIRE AVE NW 4100 5TH ST NW
$689,600 $569,000 $550,000 $550,000 $545,900 $517,500 $477,000 $450,000 $440,000 $425,000 $425,000 $420,000 $390,000
1810 1ST ST NW #2
4 4 4 4 5 3 4 2 3 3 4 3 4
2615 4TH ST NE #201 613 HAMLIN ST NE #4
$620,000
3
WOODLEY
$225,500 $104,000
CLEVELAND PARK 3971 LANGLEY CT NW #595 3446 CONNECTICUT AVE NW #308 3701 CONNECTICUT NW #812 3100 WISCONSIN AVE NW #408
753 FAIRMONT ST NW #1 $817,000 1421 FLORIDA AVE NW #7 $680,000 1448 HARVARD ST NW #UNIT 4 $560,000 2723 13TH ST NW #2 $545,000 1390 KENYON ST NW #726 $520,000 1438 COLUMBIA RD NW #103 $477,750 1448 HARVARD ST NW #UNIT 3 $475,000 3511 13TH ST NW #302 $472,400 2914 11TH ST NW #101 $465,000 3606 ROCK CREEK CHURCH RD NW #101 $394,900 3511 13TH ST NW #403 $384,900 1354 EUCLID ST NW #B-401 $353,000 1448 HARVARD ST NW #T-1 $349,000 3318 SHERMAN AVE NW #102 $345,000 809 OTIS PL NW #301 $339,900 3511 13TH ST NW #202 $334,900 1401 COLUMBIA RD NW #303 $329,000
3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 2 1 1 1
COLUMBIA HEIGHTS
$1,145,000 $785,000 $437,500 $359,900
3 2 2 1
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DUPONT 1615 Q ST NW #404 1825 T ST NW #604 1545 18TH ST NW #312 1545 18TH ST NW #703 1820 T ST NW #5 1545 18TH ST NW #816 1816 NEW HAMPSHIRE AVE NW #706
$443,000 $440,000 $370,000 $347,000 $799,000 $355,000 $280,000
KALORAMA 2123 CALIFORNIA ST NW #E9 1822 VERNON ST NW #401 1929 19TH ST NW #4 1954 COLUMBIA RD NW #411 2032 BELMONT RD NW #106 18301830 CALIFORNIA ST NW #7 1811 WYOMING AVE NW #3
$1,320,000 $985,000 $860,000 $462,500 $399,000 $353,500 $680,000
2 1 1 1 2 1 1 3 3 2 3 1 1 2
LOGAN 1201 N ST NW #C 1515 11TH ST NW #1-1 1109 M ST NW #11 1529 14TH ST NW #402 1125 11TH ST NW #304 1001 L ST NW #710 2020 12TH ST NW #703
$500,000 $443,500 $800,000 $525,000 $375,000 $437,000 $520,000
MOUNT PLEASANT 1635 IRVING ST NW #3
3220 17TH ST NW #107
$663,650 $535,000 $530,000
2 1 2 1 1 1 1 2 2 2
SHAW $449,900
U ST CORRIDOR $469,900 CONDO 2101 11TH ST NW #305 2446 ONTARIO RD NW #4 2200 17TH ST NW #205 2038 18TH ST NW #102 2440 16TH ST NW #512
1 1 2 1 1 1
14 O ST NW #B 2650 WOODLEY PL NW $880,000 3
ADAMS MORGAN
3
$495,000 $328,000 $295,000 $287,500
SHAW 1654 EUCLID ST NW #303 1524 3RD ST NW
$740,000
BROOKLAND
DUPONT 1918 17TH ST NW 1711 S ST NW
BLOOMINGDALE
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2 1 1 2
Midcity DC | February 2014 u 51
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MIDCITY FEBRUARY 2013
FIND US AT THESE LOCATIONS! 14U Cafe
1939 U ST NW
Andrene’s Carribean
308 Kennedy ST NW
Azi’s Cafe
1336 9th ST NW
Ben’s Chilli Bowl
1213 U ST NW
Bicycle Space
1019 7th Street, NW
Big Bad Woof
117 Carroll ST NW
Big Bear
1700 1st ST NW
Bioscript Pharmacy
1325 14th ST NW
Brookland Metro
801 Michigan Avenue NE
Bus Boys & Poets
1025 5th ST NW 2021 14th ST NW
Caribou Coffee
1400 14th ST NW
Carls barber shop
1406 P St MW
Chatman’s Bakery
1239 9th ST NW
Chester Arthur House
23 Logan Circle NW
Chinatown Coffee
475 H ST NW
City First Bank
1432 U ST NW
CNN Office
224 7th ST SE
Coldwell Banker
1606 17th ST NW
Columbia Hts. Coffee
3416 11 ST NW
CVS
DC Child & Family Services Agency
200 I Street SE
Drafting Table
1529 14th ST NW
Dunkin Donuts
1739 New Jersey Ave NW
Emery Recreation Ctr.
5701 Georgia Avenue, NW
Emmaus Services for the Aging
1426 9th Street, NW
Enviro. Working Group
1436 U ST NW
First Cup Coffee
900 M ST NW
Foster House Apts.
801 Rhode Is. Ave, NW
Giant
1050 Brentwood RD NE 1345 Park RD NW
Habesha market
1919 9th st
Harris Teeter
1201 First St, NE 1631 Kalorama RD NW
Petworth Metro
3700 Georgia AVE NW
Phyllis Wheatly YWCA
901 Rhode Island Ave NW
Providence Hospital
1150 Varnum St NE
Reeves Center
2000 14th ST NW
Safeway
1045 5th ST NW 1701 Corcoran ST NW 1747 Columbia RD NW 6501 Piney Branch RD NW
Senior Wellness Center
3531 Georgia Avenue, NW
Shaw Library
945 Rhode Island AVE NW
Shaw Mainstreet
875 N Street, NW
Shaw metro
1800 7th st NW
Shephard Park Library
7420 Georgia Avenue, NW
Starbucks
1600 U ST NW 2225 Georgia AVE NW
Heller’s Bakery
3221 Mt. Pleasant ST NW
Howard University
2225 6th ST NW
Java House
1645 Q ST NW
Kennedy Rec Center
1401 7th ST NW
LAYC
1419 Columbia RD NW
1000 U ST NW
Lincoln Westmoreland Apts.
1730 7th Street, NW
7th ST & Rhode Is. Ave, NW
110 Carroll ST NW
Long & Foster
1401 14th ST NW
1501 14th ST NW
1117 10th ST NW
Love Cafe
1501 14th ST NW
1501 U ST NW
128 Kennedy ST NW
Marie Reed Rec Center
2200 Champlain ST NW
Takoma Metro
327 Cedar ST NW
1418 P ST NW
MLK Library
901 G ST NW
Takoma Park Library
312 Cedar Street, NW 1620 V ST NW
State Farm
3327 12th ST NE
Street Boxes
925 Monroe ST NE 2022 14th ST NW 8th & R Streets., NW 1400 Block P Street, NW
1637 P Street, NW
Modern Liquors
1200 9th ST NW
Third District MPD
1700 Columbia RD NW
Mt. Vernon Sq. Metro
700 M ST NW
Trilogy NoMa
151 Q Street, NE
1900 7th ST NW
Mt. Pleasant Library
3162 Mt. Pleasant St. NW
Tryst
2459 18th ST NW
2129 14th ST NW
Northwest One Library
155 L ST NW
Turkey Thickett Rec Ctr.
1100 Michigan Avenue, NE
3031 14th ST NW
Off Road Cycling
905 U Street, NW
U Street metro
900 U st
Wilson Building
1350 Pennsylvania AVE NW
3601 12th ST NE 400 Mass. AVE NW
Paul Laurence Dunbar Sr. Apartments
2001 15th Street NW
Windows Cafe
101 Rhode Island AVE NW
6514 Georgia Ave, NW
Petworth Library
4200 Kansas AVE NW
Yoga District
1830 1st ST NW
MIDCITY YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
54 u midcitydcnews.com
Midcity DC | February 2014 u 55
Shaw Main Streets is a designated DC Main Streets program and is funded in part by the Department of Small and Local Business Development, Vincent C. Gray, Mayor.