Mid City DC Magazine – July 2025 by Capital Community News

WHAT’S ON WASHINGTON

Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens’ Lotus & Water Lily Festival

Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens, 1550 Anacostia Ave. NE, is a unique destination within Anacostia Park and a hidden gem in DC. The summer lotus and lily blossoms are a must-see during their peak blooming period in July. The 2025 Lotus & Water Lily Festival is from Friday, July 18, at 8 a.m., through Sunday, July 20, at 8 p.m., and features information tables, arts and crafts, tours and cultural performances. Lawn chairs and blankets are welcome as are dogs on leash. www.nps.gov/keaq

“Vivian Browne: My Kind of Protest” at the Phillips “Vivian Browne: My Kind of Protest,” on view at the Phillips Collection, 1600 21st. St. NE, through Sept. 28, is the rst museum retrospective of the artist, activist and educator Vivian Browne (192993). The exhibition offers more than 60 paintings and works on paper from several key series. It uncovers the depth of Browne’s extensive career and her enduring commitment to activism and education. www.phillipscollection.org

Shark Bites and Brews at The Wharf

On Saturday, Aug. 2, from 5 to 8 p.m., Shark Bites and Brews returns with sharkthemed fun. Ride the mechanical shark on Transit Pier, listen to live music on the Floating Stage, party like a shark and play games while you “ n”ish with a shark hat and other Paci co swag. Sign up for the doughnut-eating contest and be the rst shark to devour the desserts. Free admission. www.wharfdc.com

Gunboat “Philadelphia” Preservation Project at American History Museum

Visitors of this new exhibition at the National Museum of American History, third oor east, can follow the project to preserve the gunboat “USS Philadelphia,” part of a small American eet built in the summer of 1776. Sunk during battle, the vessel was raised and eventually moved to the museum, where conservators are assessing its condition. www.americanhistory.si.edu/explore/projects/gunboat-philadelphia

Vivian Browne, “For You,” 1974. Oil on canvas, 46¾” x 50¾”. Courtesy Adobe Krow Archives, Los Angeles, and RYAN LEE Gallery, New York. © Vivian Brown

“Apropos of Nothing, a Comedy” at the Keegan

Owen confesses, apropos of nothing, that he’s in love with his best friend’s wife. But it’s just “a passing phase,” he tells him. Unfortunately, now that it’s out there, everyone’s lives are suddenly turned upside down. With the help of a precocious millennial all parties examine their lives and relationships for the first time. Tickets are $54 (plus $5 fee) for adults, $44 for seniors, students and under 25. “Apropos of Nothing, a Comedy” is at Keegan Theater, 1742 Church St. NW, from July 12 to Aug. 10. www.keegantheatre.com

“Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” at the National

When Harry Potter’s headstrong son Albus befriends the son of his fiercest rival, Draco Malfoy, it sparks a journey with the power to change the past and future. Prepare for a race through time, brought to life with the most astonishing theatrical magic ever seen on stage. Tickets start at $66. “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” is at the National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, from July 8 to Sept. 7. www.broadwayatthenational.com

“How the Sausage Gets Made” at CHAW

Freshman Congressman Nathan Newbright explodes onto the DC political scene with hope and gumption to accomplish the impossible: passing a bill. In this political comedy, Newbright navigates the duality that the purpose of government is to help people, but it is run by … people. Faction of Fools’ “How the Sausage Gets Made” is at the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop (CHAW), 545 Seventh St. SE, from July 17 to Aug. 9. Tickets are $27 (pay-it-forward price, $37, child price or times-are-tough price, $17). Family-friendly, contains some PG-13 humor. www.factionoffools.org

The Goons: Violent Society American Television at Black Cat

The Goons hardcore/punk band from the DC area blasts high-octane, aggressive rock. Their 1996 debut, “Living in America,” was called a “ravenous punk onslaught” by Suburban Voice. Hear them at Black Cat, 1811 14th St. NW, on Saturday, July 19, doors at 8 p.m. Advance tickets are $25.13 with online fee. www.blackcatdc.com

“Dungeons &

Dragons the Twenty-Sided Tavern” at

the KC

A blend of theater, gaming and storytelling, this show is for you whether you are curious about D&D, a diehard gamer or a lover of adventure. Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the role-playing game in an interactive adventure on stage and a room full of your newest friends. “Dungeons & Dragons the Twenty-Sided Tavern” is at the Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater from July 22 to Aug. 3. Tickets are $39 to $159. www.kennedy-center.org

Theater Night

A curated preview of theater in the DMV

by Matthew McClure

As this column was being written, Angelenos hoisted flags representing their ancestral countries of origin over burning cars while National Guard troops and LAPD officers attempted to smother a rising tide of civil unrest linked to immigration crackdowns across their simmering city. For the protesters, being simultaneously proud of their roots while also fiercely loyal to American values wasn’t incongruent, because being American is complicated – perhaps more now than ever before. This month’s column looks to theater that asks a

question many of us are grappling with as our nation celebrates 249 years of independence from monarchical tyranny: What does being an American mean to you?

In the Spotlight

Kim’s Convenience, Olney Theatre Center Showing June 25 – July 27 www.olneytheatre.org

What does being an American mean to you? Is it defined by how well you’ve assimilated if you happen to be from elsewhere? How skillfully you navigate the idio-

syncrasies of the country you now call home?

Playwright Ins Choi’s work Kim’s Convenience, on stage at Olney Theatre Center this month and being directed by Aria Velz, asks this and many other compelling questions at a time when we’ve arguably never been more aware of the identity politics of immigration. The play debuted in 2011 at the Toronto Fringe Festival and rapidly sold out, scooping multiple awards in the process including Best Canadian Play as audiences were introduced for the first time to Mr. Kim (‘Appa’), Mrs. Kim (‘Umma’) and their first-generation Korean American children Jung and Janet. You might already be familiar with the bingeable Canadian TV series of the same name based on Choi’s characters that ran for five seasons on

Stan Kang and Justine ‘Icy’ Moral in rehearsals for Kim’s Convenience. Photo by Sarah Straub.

Netflix in 2016.

For Olney’s staging, veteran DCbased actor Stan Kang assumes the role of Mr. Kim alongside fellow cast members Tuyet Thi Pham as Umma, Zion Jang as Jung and Justine “Icy” Moral as Janet. Jonathan del Palmer plays a kaleidoscope of revolving characters written to highlight the cultural and social contrasts between the Kims, their convenience store and the customers that frequent it in Toronto’s Regent Park neighborhood in the 1980s. This will be Kang’s first theater role in more than ten years after he took time off to focus on nonprofit work and family responsibilities, including his wife’s cancer diagnosis. “As much as I love it, theater is super time consuming.” he explains. “But this show came along and I really wanted to read for it. I’m having the best time of my life.”

There are specificities in Choi’s original work that give it a distinctly Canadian flavor, like the fact that it’s set in a Canadian neighborhood that’s home to scores of Korean immigrants that first arrived in the 1960s. It’s also very obviously an homage to Choi’s own family and his experience of working in his uncle’s convenience store. But the play is intrinsically translatable to the current national debate – being played out in both the streets and in our Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches – about how and why immigrants adapt to being American. “Growing up, I was very American.” Kang explains. “My parents are the typical immigrant story. My dad was working for the State Department. The family who he worked for paid for his college. He didn’t have money to go back home so my mom and dad didn’t see each other for almost six years. She came over and I was born a year later but my brother and sister are super Korean because they immigrated in their teens.”

all these sacrifices so that we can choose what we want to do.”

Behind the Curtain

How the Sausage Gets Made, Faction of Fools Theatre Company

Showing July 17 – August 9

www.factionoffools.org

What does being an American mean to you? Is your nationality given shape by the laws that senators and house representatives write in the hallowed chambers of Capitol Hill, or the slow and steady grind of the cogs in the democratic legislative machine as it chugs through committee reviews and senate hearings?

In 1869, John Godfrey Saxe said that “Laws, like sausages, cease to inspire respect in proportion as we know how they are made.” What rich material for Capitol Hill’s favorite band of fools to butcher at the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop this month in a Commedia dell’arte production that borrows from Saxe’s profound insight into statutes and those that shape them.

The amorphous ‘Asian Shopkeeper’ trope can be slippery and treacherous to write and act, but Kim’s Convenience flips the stereotype on its head and makes Kang’s character infinitely funny, loveable and relatable to all of us. Kang vividly remembers his own father and his insistence that his children adopt US mannerisms. “My dad would not let me learn Korean because he wanted me to assimilate and have a perfect American accent. You realize that there’s a policing of the dream of American opportunity so you’re going to have to work twice as hard.” Although he embraces assuming the personality (and accent) of Mr. Kim, Kang resonates with Janet and Jung’s

struggles with their parents, calling it a classic case of art imitating life. “In the play, Appa yells at Janet because she says she wants to be a photographer. I remember clearly telling my dad that I wanted to be an actor and he goes ‘Oh, it’s nice that you have a hobby.’ My mom used to tell me every night: ‘You’ll marry Korean and you have to become a doctor!’”

What’s it been like for Kang to take on a prototypical Korean accent for the role? “It’s been empowering and weird at the same time. I’ve never had an accent. I’m 59, so as old as Appa is in the play. It feels OK to play up these things that in your teens were dangerous because you just wanted to conform. What I love about the play is that it’s a slice of life in one day. Appa transitions from being traditional Korean to basically what I wish my father was, which was accepting of the idea that he’s made

Meet (very junior) Congressman Nathan Newbright. A creation of Faction of Fools’ Co-Artistic Directors Francesca Marie Chilcote, Kathryn Zoerb and their team, we get to tag along with Newbright and his colleagues and get an inside look at the meat making process while he tries to get a bill passed on the Hill without compromising too much of his integrity. Faction’s theme for 2025 has been Home Grown: For DC by DC. This production, as Zoerb says, “celebrates the hardworking nerd” and the importance of “incremental democracy.” Through Allbright’s eyes, we get to see how hard it is to make something really good – surrounded by a cast of typical Commedia characters like the braggart Il Capitano or the wealthy and meddling Pantalone – without getting your feet swept out from under you or your votes stolen.

As one particularly fractious ‘Big and Beautiful’ bill currently snakes its way through the mazes of Congress, there couldn’t be a better time to poke fun at the latent humor of American governmental structures and characters that populate them. Like with all other Faction of Fools productions, you’ll be able to enjoy How the Sausage Gets Made even if you’re not familiar with Commedia dell’Arte and its conventions. It’s a rollicking good story that hits the nail on the head in the current moment. u

The cast of How the Sausage Gets Made (L to R: Andrew Quilpa, Kathryn Zoerb, and Robert Pike) with costumes by Cidney Forkpah and masks by Waxing Moon Masks. Photo by DJ Corey Photography.

Mélange Foods

Spotlight on Shaw

by Andrew Lightman

Around the corner from the famed 9:30 Club sits a restaurant whose unassuming exterior obscures its culinary innovation. Mélange Foods at 2108 Eighth St. NW is a homage to the traditional cuisine of the African-American South and Mexico, laced with the spices of Ethiopia. Most Washingtonians have ventured into the city’s many Ethiopian eateries for a dish of Doro Wat. Considered the country’s national dish, this delicious chicken braise is spiced with berbere, a spice blend that often includes chilies, fenugreek, ginger, cardamon, coriander, allspice, cumin, peppercorns, cloves and cinnamon.

At Mélange Foods (mélange is French for mix), Ethiopian-born Chef Elias Taddesse has applied the spice pro les of his native land to classic American cuisine. e result is a ery delight.

Doro Speaks to the Soul e establishment’s signature is the fried Doro Plate. Here, traditional buttermilk fried chicken arrives smoldering straight out of the fryer, fragrant with berbere. Chicken tenders receive the same treat-

ment, complimented by a yogurt dill dipping sauce. In both cases, the succulent moistness of the dish’s meat o sets the snappy crunch of its fried exterior.

Not a fan of the fryer? Try Taddesse’s char-grilled alternative. e chicken is rst steeped in a marinade of yogurt and alicha, a mild Ethiopian spice blend, combining turmeric, ginger, garlic, fenugreek and caraway seeds. en it is grilled to perfection. It is a good choice for those who faint at the sight of chilies.

No soul food establishment is complete without traditional sides. e Doro Soul menu does not disappoint. A spiced mac and cheese is berbere-in ected, topped with injera bread crumbs. A creamy potato salad arrives dressed with mitmita, a powdered Ethiopian seasoning made out of chilies, cloves, cardamon, cinnamon, cumin and ginger. Berbere fries, turmeric coleslaw and spiced collard greens are also on o er.

The Mélange Burger

Despite a personal love of Ethiopian cuisine, sometimes this writer just craves a burger. Not to worry. Chef Taddesse has added a second menu derived from his former establishment Mélange, which closed in 2023 after a very successful run.

a brown butter aioli. e Italian, sporting a smoked mozzarella top along with tomato con t and arugula, is dressed with a basil aioli. For the truly hungry, the two patty, e Double Decker, topped with American cheese, pickles, onions and shredded lettuce, hits the table anointed with “special sauce.”

For vegetarians, try e Shroomm, an enoki mushroom sandwich that can be had either with the Classic or Italian’s garnishes; or e Beyaynetu, a lentil patty, garnished with Swiss chard con t, timatin salata (Ethiopian tomato salad) and dressed with misir (lentil) spread.

e latest addition to Mélange Foods’ o erings are Moya’s tacos, which fuse Ethiopian and Mexican ingredients and traditions. A line of ice creams completes the mix.

All these ne dishes can be either ordered as take out or sampled in Mélange Foods’ modern dining room. A space whose high ceilings and large windows are o set by a dark interior illustrated by lines of graphic text. Of particular interest is the chef’s wall of spices, in which resides much of the kitchen’s magic. Some might describe the dishes at Mélange Foods as a “fusion.” Taddesse dislikes the term. “ e cuisine is an expression of my journey,” he said.

From Addis to DC

All Mélange burgers are made with dried, aged beef from Roseda Black Angus Farm in Monkton, MD. Chef Taddesse worked with this heritage purveyor to create the perfect beef blend.

Mélange burgers come three ways. e Classic, garnished with American cheese, iceberg lettuce, tomato and pickled red onions, arrives dressed with

Taddesse grew up both in Addis Ababa and Minneapolis. In Ethiopia, he had the good fortune to attend a French language international school, becoming a uent speaker. He earned pocket money while tutoring Americans in the language, while completing high school in the US.

Taddesse chose work over college, starting in fast food before becoming a busboy at Hotel So tel in Minneapolis, a modern Parisian chain. He rose to become one of its top waiters and developed a passion for cooking. When a sous chef left, he asked

Chef Elias Taddesse. Photo: Rey Lopez

Executive Chef Yann Giacomoni for a kitchen role. Initially rejected, Taddesse persisted and was eventually accepted as an unpaid intern.

Impressed, Giacomoni urged him to attend Institut Paul Bocuse, Lyon’s renowned culinary school. While there, Taddesse interned at the three Michelin-starred La Maison Troisgros in Roanne. “It was worse than the kitchen in e Bear,” he recalled. “You either choke the chef and lose everything or take all the rage in and step away.”

After graduating in 2006, he worked in elite kitchens under chefs like Alain Ducasse, Mathew Peters, and Tony Esnault, eventually becoming a commis. At New York City’s Corton, he trained under Chef Paul Liebrandt at the sh station, learning re ned plating and bold avors. e grueling 16-hour days wore him down, and he moved to a corporate executive chef role. Still, he returned to Corton on his days o to master pastries and ice cream. “Most people don’t understand how much time it takes to learn things,” he noted.

In 2014, unable to resist ne dining, he joined New York’s Caviar Russe as executive chef. ere, his work earned a Michelin star.

enter a competition to create the ultimate burger, hosted by an Addis Abba hotel. e local beef proved challenging. Most consumed it raw. e issue was its leaness. Taddesse’s creation won over a 14-judge panel, taking rst place. It proved the progenitor of the Mélange burger.

In the fall of 2016, Taddesse returned to the States, joining childhood friends in DC. Partnering with Harvey’s at Union Market, he launched a burger popup, which later moved to e Wet Dog Tavern in Shaw. In 2020, he opened Mélange, a burger and fried chicken sandwich restaurant in Mount Vernon Triangle.

Mélange proved a solid success; in 2021, Taddesse was named Eater DC’s Chef of the Year. In 2022, e Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington selected him as analist for “Rising Culinary Star of the Year.” In 2023, the James Beard Foundation selected him as Semi nalist for “Emerging Chef.”

Taddesse opened Doro Soul Food in Shaw in 2022 as part of a virtual food hall, along with Prescription Chicken and Motown Square Pizza.

Mélange Foods opened in April 2025 at 2108 Eighth St. NW, combining the menu highlights of Doro Soul Food and Mélange Burger with the new Moya tacos. One can certainly say this establishment truly represents the totality of his

In early 2016, Taddesse returned to Ethiopia. Paying his way by consulting for hotels, he explored the country’s rich culinary heritage.

While there, he decided to life’s journey. For more information, visit www. melangefoods.com.

Crispy, ery chicken tenders.

Photo: Rey Lopez

Shaw Businesses Hold Open House

The Shaw Open House, an annual Shaw Main Streets event to promote neighborhood businesses, was held on Saturday afternoon, June 21. Participants started at the Right Proper Shaw Brew Pub to pick up their “passports” to mark their travels for the day, along with a set of Shawbucks, coupons worth $20 for any purchases made at businesses participating in the Shaw Open House. There were a total of 20 businesses on the Open House trail including Lee’s Flowers and Card Shop, Melange Foods, LA Liquors, two Compass Coffee cafés (on Seventh Street and Eighth Street), The Roseman@Fishscale, Wanda’s on 7th salon, The Langston Apartments, Jake’s Tavern, Dacha Beer Garden, Grand Cata, Dolci Gelati Café, Urban Grape, Union Kitchen Grocery and Modern Liquors.

At the end of the afternoon, the Open

Shaw Streets

by Pleasant Mann

House participants assembled at GG’s, the recently opened private event space on the second floor of Jake’s Tavern. Anyone with a passport that had made at least six stops that day was eligible for a raffle consisting of gifts offered by the Shaw Open House businesses. Shaw Main Streets Executive Director Alexander Padro started by announcing that he was going to pass out extra available Shawbucks that could still be used until midnight, leading to a chant of “Shawbucks, Shawbucks” from the crowd. The prizes raffled off ranged from gift certificates to cans of coffee to bottles of hard liquor.

S Street Village Groundbreaking

Manna, Inc., a venerable producer of affordable homes in the District, held a groundbreaking event for its much anticipated S Street Village project at 614 S Street NW on the afternoon of June 11.

The project will provide a combination of office space and affordable housing, as well as serving as the new home of the New Community Church. S Street Village will consist of an eight-story building of 90 affordable apartments, ranging in size from one-bedroom to four-bedroom units. Amenities will include a community room, onsite management, 30 underground parking spaces and a green roof.

Speeches started with Sasha-Gaye Angus, Manna, Inc. CEO. She noted how complicated the development process was for S Street Village, asking audience members for a show of hands of those who thought that the project might never get off the ground. Then Senthil Sankaran, Managing Principal of the Amazon Housing Fund, which provided $11.6 million in gap funding for the project, spoke on how important the S Street Village is as an example of affordable housing near transportation and other amenities. Christopher Donald, CEO of the DC Housing Finance Agency, and also a member of the New

Shaw Open House participants pick up “Passports” and “Shawbucks” for the day at Right Proper Brewing Company. Photo: Alexander Padro, Courtesy Shaw Main Streets

Reverend Jim Dickerson, founder of Manna, Inc., revs up the crowd at the S Street Village groundbreaking.

Photo: Pleasant Mann

Community Church, gave a speech with a number of religious references, stating that the project was being built on “hallowed ground.” Joe LeMense of United Bank noted previous Shaw projects that his bank had been involved in, including the Whitelaw Hotel. He mentioned a discussion with an affordable housing developer, concluding that the S Street Village was the most complicated project they had ever seen.

The last speaker was the Reverend Jim Dickerson, Founder of Manna, Inc. and the pastor of the New Community Church. He characterized the project that started five years ago as “God’s Vision” becoming reality. He also credited Manna CEO Angus as the person that was able to bring it to completion. “I know how to do houses and cheerlead” about a project, Dickerson testified, “but I don’t know anything about tax credits.” The event ended with the dignitaries assembling to break ground for S Street Village.

Causa Chef Wins James Beard Award Carlos Degado, chef of Blagden Alley’s Causa restaurant and Amazonia upstairs bar, was awarded the prestigious James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Mid-Atlantic Region at the organization’s annual gala in Chicago on the night of June 16. The award is given to chefs who set high standards with their culinary skills and leadership abilities and who are making efforts to help create a sustainable work culture in their respective regions. The Peruvian restaurant was a previous finalist for a Beard Award in 2023. Delgado is also up for a local RAMMY award in August for Chef of the Year, along with Causa/Amazonia’s Kristen Wilson nominated for Employee of the Year.

Huge Starbucks Opens at Washington Convention Center

Mayor Muriel Bowser and a num-

ber of other local dignitaries gathered at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on the afternoon of June 12 to inaugurate a new Starbucks in the building. The enormous coffee shop, with its entrance on L Street, is the second largest Starbucks on the east coast according to an Events DC official.

Mayor Bowser hailed the opening as another step in her effort to encourage the generation of jobs and revenue in the District. Events DC

CEO Angie Gates welcomed Starbucks as it joined over 20 other food and beverage outlets in the Convention Center serving visitors and the surrounding community. Luis Sepulveda of Aramark Sports + Entertainment, which manages the provision of food services at the Convention Center, also noted the importance of the Starbucks opening to the center and the community. u

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Mayor Muriel Bowser and other dignitaries cut the ribbon for the new Starbucks at the Washington Convention Center. Photo: Alexander Padro, Courtesy Shaw Main Streets

ANC 2G Commission Addresses Alcohol and Cannabis Licenses

by Pleasant Mann

Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 2G held its monthly meeting for June on June 12, 2025. e meeting was held as a virtual conference.

Commission Chair Steven McCarty (2G04) called the meeting to order. Commissioners Howard Garrett (2G01, Vice Chair), Alexander M. “Alex” Padro (2G02), Nicole Shea (2G03, Secretary), Sheena Berry (2G05) and Rachelle Nigro (2G06, Treasurer) were in attendance. e commission had a quorum to conduct business.

ird Police District. ird Police District Commander Sean Connors, along with Lieutenant Alan Herring, joined the meeting to discuss public safety issues. Violent crime had gone down 22 percent, while robberies were down 28 percent. Assaults with a deadly weapon went up slightly in the ird District, from three in May 2024 to ve during the previous month, largely occurring in Columbia Heights. ere were no homicides or sexual abuse cases in the last month. Crimes of theft went up, largely in retail stores. e Seventh Street corridor is a driver of crime in the ANC, and the police have crime suppression teams working on it. ere are teams that address quality of life violations that lead to arrests. If a club announces a special event, the police will try to shift resources to the area to prevent disturbances. e ird District is also trying to prevent thefts from auto on side streets.

Port Royal, 1118 Ninth Street NW. Request for support for a new tavern liquor license. Commissioner McCarty, the Single Member District (SMD) commissioner for that location, announced that the commission had drawn up a settlement agreement for the establishment. A lawyer for Port Royal interjected that they were going to amend their application and ask for support for a stipulated license at the commission’s July meeting. Commissioner Padro suggested that the commission could support the stipulated license request at this meeting. A motion to support the new license, the settlement agreement between the establishment and the commission, and the request for a stipulated license passed unanimously.

Lalibela Ethiopian Restaurant and Lounge, 1608 Seventh Street NW. Restaurant liquor li-

cense renewal. Commissioner McCarty started by saying that the ANC Alcohol and Cannabis Licensing Committee (ACLC) recommended protesting the license renewal. Commissioner Padro, the relevant SMD commissioner, replied that he had wondered why residents of the Asbery Dwellings senior building had complained about late night noise and disruptive behavior outside the establishment. He found that Lalibela had started to rent its space out to promoters, which usually leads to trouble. He has since gotten the restaurant’s owners to stop using promoters immediately and agree not to use promoters in the future. As a result, there had not been any recurrence of the problems over the previous two weekends. Padro concluded that he would be comfortable supporting Lalibela’s license renewal.

A Lalibela owner joined the meeting to say that Padro had outlined all the corrections they had made recently. Commissioner Shea asked Padro if he thought that the current settlement agreement with the establishment covered all the corrections in operations recently made. He replied that he did. A motion to support the renewal of the license passed unanimously.

STK Steakhouse, 901 Massachusetts Avenue NW. e ACLC recommended supporting the restaurant’s alcohol license renewal. Commissioner Berry, in whose SMD the restaurant is located, said that she supported the renewal. A motion for the commission to support the renewal of the license of STK Steakhouse passed unanimously.

Zeppelin, 1544 Ninth Street NW. Restaurant liquor license renewal. e ACLC recommended supporting the renewal. Commissioner Padro noted that the restaurant had the same owners and management as Chaplin’s on the same block A motion to support the license renewal passed unanimously.

Rito Loco/El Techo, 606 Florida Avenue NW. Restaurant liquor license renewal. Commissioner Garrett said that he had not received any complaints from neighbors about the operation of the establishment, although there had been some in the past. He added that the owner has taken a number of measures to mitigate any potential nuisances, with Garrett concluding that he supported the renewal. A motion to support renewal of the

license passed unanimously.

427 Ridge Street NW. Asking for support of an application before the Historic Preservation Review Board to subdivide a lot. e owners explained that when the home next door to their residence became available, they bought it to increase the size of their backyard. ey want to join their two lots so that they are collectively eligible for the DC Homestead Tax Deduction. e owners are not planning to remove the house on the second lot, keeping it for guests or a mother-in-law unit. Commissioner Nigro’s motion to support the application passed unanimously.

Resolution to Address Gun Violence. A request for the ANC to support a resolution asking the Mayor and City Council to develop and adopt a comprehensive strategy to reduce gun violence in the District. Some commissioners questioned who the sponsors of the resolution were. Commissioner Padro thought the language in the resolution was innocuous. e motion to approve the resolution passed in a vote of 4 yeas, zero nays and 2 abstentions.

XXX Distributions, 1209 10th Street NW. Commissioner McCarty announced that the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Board (ABCA) issued an order that conditionally approves a medical cannabis retailer’s license for XXX Distributions (trade name: Positronics), provided that the applicant submits a security plan for the establishment in the 90 days following the board’s order. McCarty said that ANC 2G protested issuing a license, but ABCA had dismissed a number of their concerns. Commissioner Padro said that ABCA should not have issued any license until they saw a security plan. McCarty wanted to appeal the issuance of the license. He made a motion to request $20,000 from the O ce of ANCs’ Expert Legal Assistance Fund to le a formal appeal of the issuance of XXX Distributions’ license. e motion passed unanimously.

ANC 2G will not meet in the month of August. Its next meeting is on ursday, September 11. e meeting will start at 6:30 p.m. Plans are to hold this meeting as a virtual conference. Visit www.anc2g.org for more information. ◆

BULLETIN BOARD

Chinatown Show and Tell: Summer Sightlines Program at SAAM

Historically, Chinatowns have served as vibrant hubs of culture, entrepreneurship, and community. However, the landscape of these historic neighborhoods has changed drastically to adapt to displacement, rising cost of living, and current community needs. On Saturday, July 26, 4 to 6 p.m., at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Eighth and G streets NW, featured speakers will bring an object to share a story about their personal connections to and their current work in East Coast Chinatown neighborhoods. americanart.si.edu.

ALDI Opens on H Street, NE

An ALDI grocery store has opened at 801 H St. NE. Aldi, stylized as ALDI, is the common company brand name of two German multinational family-owned discount supermarket chains operating over 12,000 stores in 18 countries. In 1976, Aldi opened its rst store in the United States in Iowa and, in 1979, Aldi acquired Trader Joe’s. Store hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., daily. stores.aldi.us.

Union Market Ace Hardware Opening in Late 2026

In late 2026, Union Market Ace Hardware will open at 1234 3rd St. NE within the Central Armature Works develop-

MOMENTUM PARK(OUR) Training Course at the NBM

rough July 20, the National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW, invites visitors of all ages to move, climb, leap, and experience architecture like never before with MOMENTUM PARK(OUR), a new installation that transforms the National Building Museum’s West Court into an immersive Parkour training course. To participate, guests will need to purchase a Parkour ticket which includes admission to the Museum. e Parkour ticket will be $5 in addition to the cost of regular museum admission. Participants should wear rubber-soled athletic shoes. rough a custom-designed architectural landscape featuring four obstacle courses designed for di erent age groups and with varying degrees of challenge, the experience invites participants to move uidly and creatively through space. nbm.org.

ment. Occupying two levels and totaling over 9,150 square feet, this location is just steps from the NoMa–Gallaudet Metro station, providing easy access to residents and businesses in one of DC’s fastest-growing neighborhoods. acehardwaredc.com.

Mamie “Peanut” Johnson Plaza Unveiled

On June 2, Mayor Bowser was joined by the District Department of Transportation and the NoMa Business Improvement District to cut the ribbon on the redesigned Mamie “Peanut” Johnson Plaza, formerly known as Dave omas Circle. e event also celebrated the completion of the Florida Avenue Multimodal Streetscape Project. Both of these projects improve overall safety across the Florida Avenue NE corridor. Prior to the redesign, the intersection at Florida Avenue NE and New York Avenue NE was one of the most dangerous intersections in the city. Key improvements include the addition of two-way tra c on First Street NE, the restoration of two-way tra c on Florida Avenue NE, new protected bicycle lanes, enhanced pedestrian connectivity, better vehicular ow, and reduced driver confusion. e transformation along Florida Avenue from Second Street NE to H Street NE includes new sidewalks, protected bike lanes, new tra c signals, landscaping enhancements, curb realignment for tra c calming, and additional bus platforms.

Map of George Washington’s ve farms.

Lives Bound Together: Slavery at Mount Vernon

Explore the lives of the 317 enslaved people who lived and worked at George Washington’s ve farms, gristmill, and distillery with their new exhibit, included with admission. Uncover the voices of the enslaved through artifacts and ancestral histories. Find out how enslaved people formed families, created tight-knit communities, earned money, and acquired personal possessions; understand George Washington’s views on slavery; and enter the 18th-century estate through new visual displays. After you view the exhibit, visit the men’s and women’s bunkrooms, the stove room, and the shoemaker’s shop, setting an immersive scene of what daily life was like along the north lane. mountvernon.org.

Coach Travis Graves o ers just enough support to help a student face a challenge at American Parkour. Photo: Courtesy of American Parkour

DCHFA, Your Homeownership Resource in the District.

DCHFA, Your Homeownership Resource in

DC Open Doors

DC Open Doors is your key to homeownership int city. is programo ers competitive interest rates and lower mortgage insurance costs on rst trust

DC Open Doors is your key to homeownership i city. is programo ers competitive interest rates and lower mortgage insurance costs on rst trust

homebuyer or a D.C. resident , be purchasing a home in the District of Columbia Visit www.DCHFA.org

DC Open Doors

homebuyer or a D.C. resident , be purchasing a home in the District of Columbia

DC Open Doors is your key to homeownership i city. is programo ers competitive interest rates and lower mortgage insurance costs on rst trust homebuyer or a D.C. resident , be purchasing a home in the District of Columbia

HPAP provides interest free deferred loans for down serves as a co-administrator of this DC Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) rst-time home buyer program.

DC Open Doors is your key to homeownership in the city. This program offers competitive interest rates and lower mortgage insurance costs on first trust mortgages.You are not required to be a first-time homebuyer or a D.C. resident to qualify for DCOD. You must, however, be purchasing a home in the District of Columbia.

HPAP provides interest free deferred loans for down serves as a co-administrator of this DC Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) rst-time home buyer program.

years or older who have fallen behind on insurance and tax payments as a result of their reverse mortgage. Quali ed District homeowners can receive up to

DC4ME

years or older who have fallen behind on insurance and tax payments as a result of their reverse mortgage. Quali ed District homeowners can receive up to

DC4ME provides mortgage assistance with optional down payment assistance to D.C. government employees.

DC4ME provides mortgage assistance with optional down payment assistance to D.C. government employees. DC4ME is o ered to current full-time District government employees, including employees of District government-based instrumentalities, independent agencies, D.C. Public Charter Schools, and organizations, provided the applicant/borrower's employer falls under the oversight of the Council of the District of Columbia.

years or older who have fallen behind on insurance and tax payments as a result of their reverse mortgage. Quali ed District homeowners can receive up to

COVID-19

DC4ME is offered to current fulltime District government employees, including employees of District government-based instrumentalities, independent agencies, D.C. Public Charter Schools, and organizations, provided the applicant/borrower’s employer falls under the oversight of the Council of the District of Columbia.

COVID-19

DC MAP COVID-19 provides nancial assistance to those a ected by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Quali ed borrowers can receive a loan of up to $5,000 per month to put toward their mortgage for up to six months.

COVID-19

Summer Evening Live Music at the Botanic Garden

e US Botanic Garden invites visitors to come to enjoy owers, live music, and refreshments on the third ursdays of July, August and September. On July 17, Aug. 21 and Sept. 18, the Garden will stay open until 8 p.m. for visitors to enjoy the golden hour amidst the USBG plant collection from around the world. Musical groups will perform in the Conservatory Garden Court beginning at 5 p.m. each date: July 17: Pine Apple—powerful pop and bluesy melodies over Bossa nova and funk grooves. Aug. 21: Tornado Rose—Americana and bluegrass band featuring gorgeous vocals and high- ying strings. Sept. 18: TrapCellist — Chanel Kelly blends classical technique with modern genres including R&B, soul, and hip-hop on acoustic cello. In partnership with the Friends of the US Botanic Garden, local restauranteur Vintage Views will have lemonade, botanical non-alcoholic mocktails, and snacks available for purchase during all extended evenings. Entrance is free and tickets are not required. Learn more and plan your visit at usbg.gov.

e Mid-city DC Bulletin Board includes event notices, volunteer opportunities and other community news. Do you have a notice for the Bulletin Board? Send it to bulletinboard@hillrag.com.

Tornado Rose performs on Thursday, Aug. 21.

CHANGING HANDS

Changing Hands is a list of most residential sales in the Midcity DC area 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.

Kids & Family

Hear the music of the Revolution at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Archeology Family Day at Mount Vernon

On Saturday, July 18, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., explore how archeology has shaped what we know about the Washingtons, the lives of the enslaved people who lived at Mount Vernon and the 18th century at Archeology Family Day. Learn with Mount Vernon educators through hands-on activities. Participate in your own miniature dig, put broken objects together, make your own replicas out of clay and pick up take-home activities. Hear the music of the Revolution at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. All activities are included with admission: adults, $28; youth six to 11, $15; kids to age five, free. www.mountvernon.org

Soar Together Family Day: The Sun at Maximum Activity

On Saturday, July 12, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (online July 11), join the Air and Space Museum on the National Mall for a family day about our Sun, a dynamic star that can produce big eruptions. The Sun is now at “solar maximum,” when it becomes extra active every 11 years. Through activities, demonstrations and experts, learn how the Sun can affect the Earth, explore the science that helps us stay prepared and see the Sun’s changing features for yourself. www.airandspace.si.edu

First Saturdays at the NGA

Each month, join the National Gallery of Art in the East Building for a fun and relaxed experience featuring artmaking, films and a variety of pop-up activities. All activities are free, and most are first-come, first-served. Some require registration. Here is the Aug. 2 schedule: Kid’s Play Space, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.; Drop-In Artmaking, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.; Face Painting, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.; Children’s Yoga, 10:30 to 11:00 a.m. and 11:15

Heure du Conte: Bilingual Fun in French and English

On the first Friday of every month, 10:30 to 11:00 a.m., Shaw Library, 1630 Seventh St. NW, invites children from birth to five, accompanied by an adult, to enter into a world of fun and make-believe. Through stories, songs and movement, children will discover the joy of reading and savor the flavor of language. La bibliotheque de Shaw invite les enfants de 0 a 5 ans, accompagnes d’un adulte, a entrer dans un monde de divertissement et d’imagination. A travers les histoires, les chansons et le mouvement, les enfants pourront decouvir la joie de lire et savourer le gout de la langue. Rejoignez-nous! Join us! www.dclibrary.org

“Class Action: Education and Opportunity in the Nation’s Capital”

The DC History Center has opened “Class Action: Education and Opportunity in the Nation’s Capital.” This family-friendly, interactive exhibition showcases the ways in which DC’s residents have fought to ensure educational opportunities for Black children for over two centuries. Families will find oldfashioned chalkboards, a library nook, a costume locker and vintage furniture. The exhibition is free and open to the public. Regular visiting hours are Thursday to Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. The DC History Center is on the second floor of the Carnegie Library, 801 K St. NW. www.dchistory.org

Photo: Courtesy DC History Center

PK3 – 8th Grade

to 11:45 a.m.; Pop-Up Library, 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.; Sculpture Garden Guided Tour, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. www.nga.gov

“The World & Me”: Caring for the Planet’s Future with Company E and Sound Impact

On Saturday, July 12, from 10:00 a.m. to noon, join the National Museum of Natural History for a special “The World & Me” to celebrate natural diversity and movement with local dancers from Company | E, musicians from Sound Impact and educators from the museum. Explore hands-on activities and discover how to take care of Earth for future generations. Performances are 10:20 to 10:50 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to noon. Hands-on stations and activities are open from 10:50 to 11:30 a.m. This program is held in Q?rius, the Coralyn W. Whitney Science Education Center, on the ground floor of the museum. Enter through the Constitution Avenue entrance.

Q?rius is located on the right as you enter the museum. www.naturalhistory.si.edu

Follow the Trail to Uncover Hidden Stories at SAAM

Take your family through the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery’s shared building at Eighth and G streets NW, and become art detectives on this new audio tour. The activities reveal hidden stories and meanings behind featured artworks. Figure out the clue to the next stop on the trail. Recommended for families with elementary-school-age children. To start the tour, pick up a map from the information desk in the G Street or F Street lobby and follow the trail www.americanart.si.edu

Little Artists, Big Stories at the ACM

“Duel Reality” at Shakespeare (Two Households, Alike in Agility)

Through July 20, at Shakespeare’s Harmon Hall, 610 F St. NE, “Duel Reality” distills Shakespeare’s epic love story to the core of its conflict. Fusing circus, theater and dance, two feuding families face off in an acrobatic sporting arena where death-defying stunts are challenged by life-affirming passion in this retelling of “Romeo and Juliet.” Hailed by critics as a “very slick, heart-stopping, awe-inspiring performance” (Edinburgh Festivals for Kids), it will thrill the whole family. Youth tickets are available to kids 17 and under for $35 with the purchase of an adult ticket. www.shakespearetheatre.org

On select Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10:15 to 11:15 a.m. (July 8, 10, 22 and 29; Aug. 5, 7, 14, 19, 26 and 28; Sept. 2, 4, 9, 11, 16, 23 and 25), discover the magic of creativity with the Anacostia Community Museum’s storybook reading program for early learners. Through stories, exhibits and hands-on art activities, children explore the legacy of Black arts education in the District, building curiosity and appreciation for artistic expression. Recommended for ages 18 months to seven years. The Anacostia Community Museum is at 1901 Fort Pl. SE. www.anacostia.si.edu

Great Hall Story Time at NPG

On all Tuesdays in July and through Aug. 12, from 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., join the National Portrait Gallery in the Great Hall for an interactive story time that gets up close and personal with art. Participants will look closely at portraits and read stories as they learn about people who have shaped history. The NPG is at 800 G St. NW. www.npg.si.edu

“Dory Fantasmagory” at Imagination Stage

It’s tough being the youngest. Dory’s siblings won’t play with her and there are monsters to battle all over the house. With help from her fairy godfather, Mr. Nuggy, her monster-friend Mary and her mighty imagination, Dory sets out to win her family’s attention. “Dory Fantasmagory” is at Imagination Stage, 4908 Auburn Ave., Bethesda, Maryland, through Aug. 3. It is best for ages four and up. Tickets start at $15. www. imaginationstage.org

Friday Family Fun Concerts at Hill Center

Here’s the lineup: Mr. Gabe, July 11 and Aug. 1; Uncle Devin, July 18; Groovy Nate, July 25; King Bullfrog Happy Hour, Aug. 8; and Miss Niki, Aug. 15. Concerts are from 5 to 7 p.m.; $14 per child two and older; $7 per grownup. Hill Center is at 921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. Tickets at www.hillcenterdc.org.

Welcome to a Native Place

On Wednesdays through Sept. 24, from 1:00 to 1:30 p.m., enjoy tribal songs from Alaska to Florida with Dennis Zotigh (Kiowa, Isanti Dakota and Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo) in the American Indian Museum’s Potomac Atrium. After the 30-minute pre p.m., sweet little penguin Mumble can’t sing a single note, in a world where everyone needs a heart song to attract a soul mate. Mumble feels he doesn’t belong, but he

LOC Summer Family Days

On Saturday, July 19, sta from the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled at the Library of Congress will present materials and activities to show the many ways in which they serve patrons and their families. On Saturday, Aug. 9, take part in a fun- lled program celebrating America’s national pastime. Create your own player persona by crafting a baseball card, explore items from the library’s baseball holdings and meet representatives from the Washington Nationals. See the Racing President mascots when they stop for a look at their personal collections at the library. Each Family Day includes a creative activity, connections to Library of Congress collections, a chance to talk to sta experts and a guide to using library resources at home. Activities are held on the mezzanine level of the Je erson Building from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The events are free, but timed-entry passes are required to enter the Je erson Building. Register for free tickets at www.loc.gov.

can tap dance brilliantly. Tickets are $8. Miracle Theatre is at 535 Eighth St. SE. There is a public parking lot on Eighth between I Street and Virginia Avenue. www.themiracletheatre.com

Kids’ Movies on the Big Screen at Miracle Theatre

In “The LEGO Movie” (2014), July 17, 10:30. a.m. and July 18, 2:00 p.m., Emmet, an ordinary LEGO gurine who always follows the rules, is mistakenly identi ed as the Special, an extraordinary being and the key to saving the world. Unfortunately for Emmet, he is hopelessly and hilariously unprepared for such a task, but he’ll give it his all nonetheless. In “Happy Feet” (2006), July 24, 10:30 a.m., and July 25, 2:00 p.m., sweet little penguin Mumble can’t sing a single note, in a world where everyone needs a heart song to attract a

soul mate. Mumble feels he doesn’t belong, but he can tap dance brilliantly. Tickets are $8. Miracle Theatre is at 535 Eighth St. SE. There is a public parking lot on Eighth between I Street and Virginia Avenue. www.themiracletheatre.com

Sorting and Shaping Seeds Family Program at the Botanic Garden

On Friday, July 18, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., take a close look at seeds to learn about di erent strategies that plants have for seed dispersal. Sort seeds into categories based on their shapes and structures to predict their primary mode of dispersal, then engineer your own seed for dispersal via water and/ or animal. This is a free, drop-in program. No registration is needed. www. usbg.gov ◆