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hillrag.com â€˘ February 2013

Est. 1981

D SOL

SHAW

CAPITOL HILL 1020 Pennsylvania Ave., SE $312,000

www.chriszimmer.com/1020pa104

Stan Bissey 202-841-1433 THE BISSEY TEAM

PETWORTH

$549,000 3BR/2.5BA & basement! Pete Frias 202-744-8973 www.PeterFrias.com

5611 5th Street, NW #21

4367 Embassy Park Dr, NW

Mid-$100s Renovated 1BR Condo Fern Pannill 240-508-4856

$840,000

OON NG S I M CO

N SOO ING COM

WESLEY HEIGHTS

1536 1st Street, NW

www.MouseOnHouse.com/21976

Genie Hutinet 202-413-7661

CAPITOL HILL 118 3rd Street, SE Listed @ $1,420,000 We represented the buyer. Todd Bissey 202-841-7653 THE BISSEY TEAM N SOO ING COM

633 E Street, SE Towering 5BR/4.5BA with garage is one of the Hill’s premier properties!

CAPITOL HILL

THE

448 New Jersey Ave, SE COMING SOON! Todd Bissey 202-841-7653 THE BISSEY TEAM

Todd Bissey 202-841-7653

BISSEY TEAM

AT JOHN C. FORMANT REAL ESTATE, INC.

CLEVELAND PARK

3616 Conn. Ave., NW #107

Stan Bissey 202-841-1433

COMING SOON! Pet-Friendly 1BR w/ Private Patio!

Todd Bissey 202-841-7653 THE BISSEY TEAM

D SOL

MOUNT VERNON SQUARE 1225 5th Street, NW

CAPITOL HILL 1732 E Street, NE $389,500 - CONTRACT www.MouseOnHouse.com/21565

Fern Pannill 240-508-4856

PETWORTH

CAPITOL HILL

Mid-$700s

1521 K Street, SE

1518 Freedom Way, SE

Renovated 2-Unit Building Pete Frias 202-744-8973 www.PeterFrias.com

$329,500 - CONTRACT Pete Frias 202-744-8973 www.PeterFrias.com

$575,000

$549,500 - CONTRACT

www.MouseOnHouse.com/21033

www.MouseOnHouse.com/21566

Genie Hutinet 202-413-7661

Fern Pannill 240-508-4856

4924 3rd Street, NW

“WHERE WASHINGTON SHOPS FOR A NEW ADDRESS!”® 225 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20003

Tel: 202-544-3900 www.johncformant.com

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Feb. 13

What’s Inside

ineveryissue 14 16 50 124 132 134

Go ... See ... Do Washington’s Best Calendar Hill Rag Crossword Classified Ads Last Word The Nose

capitolstreets 27 28 36 38 40 42 44 45 46 48

E on DC / E. Ethelbert Miller The Bulletin Board The District Beat / Martin Austermuhle The Numbers / Ed Lazere DCPS Closes Some Schools / Ellen Boomer In Memoriam: Mark Dixon / Peter J. Waldron ANC 6A Re port / Maggie Baccinelli ANC 6B Report / Emily Clark ANC 6C Report / Jennifer Zatkowski ANC 6D Report / Roberta Weiner

communitylife 51 52 54 56 58 60

Shirley Bailey Retires/ Virginia Avniel Spatz Sneed’s Barbershop Closes / Peter J. Waldron Capitol Riverfront News / Michael Stevens H Street Life: / Elise Bernard South By West / Will Rich Barracks Row / Sharon Bosworth

realestate 63 66

The State of Real Estate Capitol Hill / Don Denton Changing Hands: Home Sales / Don Denton

ARTSdiningentertainment Special 71 74 78 80 81 82 84 86

Intriguing Henry V / Barbara Wells Dining: Rogue 24 / Emily Clark Dining Notes / Jonathan Bardzik The Wine Guys / Felix Milner Sizzlin’Sizzling Express / Celeste McCall Art and The City / Jim Magner It’s Our River / Charnice a. Milton At the Movies / Mike Canning

The Upper Brackets Sizzle Here On The Hill

91 94 96

Spa World / Pattie Cinelli Being Prepared Financially for Pet Emergencies / Chris Miller DVM Discover More About Yourself / Ronda Bresnick Hauss

kidsandfamily 97 100 102 104

Kids & Family Notebook / Kathleen Donner EHS Cleans Up CHM’s Garden / Janice MacKinnon Community as Classroom: Cesar Chavez / Emily Clark School Notes / Susan Braun Johnson

homesandgardens 115 118 120 122 134 136

The Hill Gardener: Can a Cup of Coffee Save the World? / Rindy O’Brien Garden Spot: A Plan for Garden Greatness / Derek Thomas Fixing or Recycling Electronic Gadgets / Catherine Plume Dear Garden Problem Lady / Wendy Blair Profile: D Street Construction / Ellen Boomer Dear Garden Lady / by Anonymous

Cover Info: “Heart Exposed” by Tré is from the Floating world series (Ukiyo-e). It is a Limited Edition series of photographs that tell a story about love and hope. Here is the short poetic paragraph written by Tré when this piece was released: Dainty footsteps lead to the place her delicate heart was filled. Overwhelmed, she bowed whispering, “Sweet heart, be still.” The weight of love is gentle and light. In love, when tender heart’s replete, hope will bring it flight. This piece will be showing in the February show at Touchstone Gallery. www.touchstonegallery.com – 901 New York Avenue NW. 202-347-2787 • info@touchstonegallery.com Open: Wednesday-Friday 11-6, Saturday-Sunday 12-5. See more work by Tré at www.tregallery.com.

UNDER CONTRACT

beautyhealthﬁtness

28 9th Street, NE - $1,495,000. Prominently sited Hill landmark.

UNDER CONTRACT

The Literary Hill / Karen Lyon The Jazz Project / Jean-Keith Fagon

18 5th Street, NE - $1,495,000. At last...everything on your WISH LIST is here! Gorgeous top to bottom renovation! 5 generous bedrooms. 3.5 baths! 2 car OFFSTREET PARKING. Phyllis Jane Young 202-544-4236

UNDER CONTRACT

88 90

nd 70% of our upper bracket buyers are already connected to our neighborhood. As the largest and oldest office on the Hill, our 60+ agents know this market and these buyers better than anyone. Whether buying or selling in the upper brackets, let us put this experience and these contacts to work for you.

1874 2nd Empire splendor. Rich in period detail and historic legend. Pluses include English basement unit with certificate of occupancy and garage. Linda Pettie 202-276-3172 and Michael Tubbs 202-487-7206

324 Independence Ave., SE - $1,495,000. Elegant Victorian

with parking, 3 bedrooms. 3.5 baths. Great family room. High ceilings, plaster moldings and medallions, fireplace and a cozy enclosed sun room. 2 blocks from Library of Congress, US Capitol, restaurants and shops. Manuel Cortes 202-556-5754

441 New Jersey - $1,499,000. Democratic & Republican Clubs

1 to 2 blocks! Lower level has a large living area + a small bedroom & bath. No yard but large, walled party deck off living level. Great for entertaining. Ryall Smith 202-531-6400 Grant Griffith 202-741-1685 and Andrew Glasow 202-285-3600

318 10th Street, NE - $1,069,000. Beautiful, tip-top shape and loves

to entertain! 2 bedrooms + office/sunroom. Superb basement au pair suite. Elegant natural wood, wainscoting w/artisan detail. Grand rear patio with gas cooking, irrigation & waterfall. A+ garage. Renovated kitchens/baths. Shaughn White 202-669-2772

656 Massachusetts Ave. - $1,535,000. Victorian elegance meets

21st Century functionality in this 3200+ square foot row house built in 2003. Chef style eat-in kitchen, French country dining room, incredible walk-in wine cellar, expansive built in media center. Spacious bedrooms. Garage parking. Topher Cushman 202-327-4682

Don Denton Branch Vice President Coldwell Banker Capitol Hill Direct: 202-741-1683 Office: 202-547-3525

ddenton@cbmove.com http://donalddenton.xactsite.com/

A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR:

LOOK FOR YOUR NEXT HILLRAG ISSUE ON: MARCH 2nd

Read All About It! This past year Capital Community News has made a major investment in its online presence. We now have website for each of our community newspapers: www.hillrag.com; www. eastoftheriverdcnews.com; www.midcitydcnews.com, where we report news as it happens throughout the month. Starting in January, we made a commitment to daily public safety reporting. The Blotter, our new online column, now reports on all aspects of crime and public safety. For over thirty years, readers have relied on The Hill Rag for factual, concise, unbiased reporting. It is this approach that will guide our new column. Also, readers should expect tips and expert advice on how to live safely in our urban environment. So, “Read All About It!” on www.hillrag.com.

Best Regards, Melissa Ashabranner Executive Editor; Capital Community News, Inc.

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 Arts, Dining & Entertainment Art: Jim Magner • jjmagner@aol.com Dining: Emily Clark • clapol47@gmail.com Celeste McCall • celeste@us.net Hit the City: Joylyn Hopkins • joylyn@joylynhopkins.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: Scott Fazzini • scott.fazzini@gmail.com Theater: Barbara Wells • barchardwells@aol.com Travel: Maggie Hall • whitby@aol.com The Wine Guys: Jon Genderson • jon@cellar.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

Gwyn Jones • gwynjones@aol.com Stephen Lilienthal - stephen_lilienthal@yahoo.com Celeste McCall • celeste@hillrag.com Charnice Milton • charnicem@hotmail.com John H. Muller • jmuller.washingtonsyndicate@gmail.com Alice Ollstein • alice.ollstein@gmail.com Will Rich • will.janks@gmail.com Linda Samuel • indabsamuel@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 BEAUTY, Health& Fitness Patricia Cinelli • fitmiss44@aol.com Ronda Bresnick Hauss, LCSW • www.quietwaterscenter.com quiet_waters_center@yahoo.com Mariessa Terrell • mterrell@sbclawgroup.com Candace Y.A. Montague • writeoncm@gmail.com KIDS & FAMILY Kathleen Donner • kathleendonner@gmail.com Susan Johnson • schools@hillrag.com Society & Events Mickey Thompson • socialsightings@aol.com Homes & Gardens Rindy O’Brien • rindyob@mac.com Derek Thomas • derek@thomaslandscapes.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.

Judith Capen • judith.capen@architravepc.com HomeStyle: Mark Johnson • mark@hillrag.com Catherine Plume • caplume@yahoo.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 Classified Advertising: Maria Carolina Lopez, 202.543.8300 X12 • carolina@hillrag.com Distribution Distribution Manager: Andrew Lightman Distributors: Southwest Distribution 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

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 • www.capitalcommunitynews.com EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Melissa Ashabranner • melissaashabranner@hillrag.com

12 H HillRag | February 2013

THE NUMBERS DON’T LIE - THE HILL IS LOOKING UP! WE’RE HERE IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT SELLING OR BUYING, LONG TERM OR RIGHT NOW.

Our listings sell for an average of 99% of the asking price. Licensed in DC, MD & VA.

ACTIVE 727 11th Street NE $699,000

Choices, choices…turn right out your door & saunter to 100 restaurants, bars & shops on H St? Turn left & head for Capitol Hill: Barracks Row/Eastern Market? Or head out back to your lovely deep landscaped private patio & garden? Move in ready, open, updated 3BR, 2 ½ BA w/PKG. Hdwds, high ceilings, bay windows, exposed brick, ample closets, prof landscaped private rear garden. Heaven on 11.

ACTIVE 1623 Constitution Ave, NE $530,000 2 master suites, large back yard with garage door parking, metro, H St, have it all! Let the sun shine in. Plenty of light and open space. Renovated and move in ready, this house is a charmer.

ACTIVE 4200 Mass Ave NW Unit #120, WDC 20016 $799,000 2 Level, nearly 2000 luxurious square feet at the prestigious Foxhall. HUGE terrace patio. Security, concierge, parking, storage, pool.

SOLD – BAXTER HOUSE 118 3rd ST SE • $1,420,000 Look Us Up on Facebook! Megan Shapiro (Cell) 202-329-4068 meg@megandgeorge.com

George Olson (Cell) 202-203-0339 george.olson@rmxtalk.com

(Office) 202-547-5600

www.megandgeorge.com Allegiance

The Norris Group hillrag.com H 13

GO.SEE.DO. Frederick Douglass Birthday Celebration

Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey was born into slavery in Talbot County, Maryland, around 1818. The exact year and date of Douglass’ birth are unknown, though later in life he chose to celebrate it on February 14. On February 16 (the nearest Saturday), come celebrate Frederick Douglass’s 195th birthday and explore Douglass’s Civil War. The Frederick Douglass House in Southeast DC will have music from the period, reenactors demonstrating a soldier’s life and weapons, activities for kids, and lectures on African American soldiers in the Civil War. At the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site, 1411 W St. SE. Opening ceremony begins at 10 a.m. and activities run all day until 3:30 p.m.. Free and open to the public, no tickets required. Swing by and wish Mr. Douglass a happy birthday. 202-426-5961. nps.gov/FRDO

Frederick Douglass impersorator at last year’s celebration. Photo: Courtesy of the National Park Service

Chinese New Year Parade in DC

Chinese New Year’s lion dancing. Photo: The AD Agency 14 H HillRag | February 2013

On Sunday, February 10, 2013, the Chinese community of the greater Washington metropolitan area will be celebrating the “Chinese Lunar New Year 4711” in Washington, DC Chinatown. The lunar year 4711 will mark the year of the snake. Occupying the 6th position in the Chinese Zodiac, the snake symbolizes such character traits as intelligence, gracefulness and materialism. When it comes to decision-making, snakes are extremely analytical and precise. Contemplative and private, the Snake is not outwardly emotional. He can appear cunning and reticent and works very modestly in the business environment. The Snake will plot and scheme to make certain things turn out exactly as they want them to. The parade starts at 2 p.m., Mayor Vincent Gray will speak at 3 p.m., followed by a special fire cracker presentation at 4 p.m. The Parade starts at 6th & I sts. NW and ends at 6th & H sts. NW. chineseparadedc.com

Green Hat Distillery Tours and Tastings

Green Hat Gin is a truly unique artisanal spirit. Each batch of Green Hat Gin is crafted in this small DC distillery. The result is a super-premium gin that excels both in the finest cocktails and with a small cube in the gin-lover’s neat glass. They mill the highest quality soft winter wheat fresh for each batch and mash it in a temperature-controlled process to release the sugars needed for fermentation. The mash is then fermented to create the “beer” that feeds our distillation process. After being concentrated and clarified in our traditional copper pot still, two more distillations transform the crystal spirit into a refined and gently aromatic gin. In the final distillation, they suspend their hand-selected botanicals inside the still to allow passing spirit vapors to gently extract the right flavor and scent notes. Finished with chill filtering and bottled by hand at the distillery, Green Hat Gin is a Washington original. Cheers! On Saturdays, stop by anytime between 1-4 p.m. for a tour and tasting. New Columbia Distillers LLC, 1832 Fenwick St. NE. 202-733-1710. greenhatgin.com

The New Columbia Distillery

“Lunch Bites” at Anderson House

The Society of the Cincinnati is the nation’s oldest patriotic organization, founded in 1783 by officers of the Continental Army and their French counterparts who served together in the American Revolution. Its mission is to promote knowledge and appreciation of the achievement of American independence and to foster fellowship among its members. Now a nonprofit educational organization devoted to the principles and ideals of its founders, the modern Society maintains its headquarters, library, and museum at Anderson House in Washington, DC. Once a month on a Friday at 12:30 p.m., you are invited to an in-depth talk by an Society staff member about an artifact, painting, weapon or other item from the Society’s collection. On February 15, learn about “Unique 18th-Century Bookbindings.” On March 15, learn about “Conserving a Portrait of a Revolutionary War Veteran.” The talks are free and there is time for questions and answers. Anderson House, 2118 Massachusetts Ave. NW. 202-7852040. societyofthecincinnati.org

A Society of the Cincinnati staff member discusses the treasured portrait of Isabel Anderson in the Anderson House Dining Room during a Lunch Bite object talk. Photo: Courtesy of The Society of the Cincinnati

Olney Theatre Center Opens Its 75th Anniversary Season with Spring Awakening

Spring Awakening, winner of eight Tony Awards including Best Musical, will open Olney Theatre Center 75th Anniversary Season playing on the Mainstage from February 7 through March 10. Spring Awakening celebrates the unforgettable journey from youth to adulthood with a power, poignancy and passion you will never forget. In the tradition of Hair and Rent, Spring Awakening is a musical that has captured the heart and soul of a new generation. Based on the Expressionist play that caused a scandal in 19th-century Germany, Spring Awakening features a captivating score by Grammy Award-winning songwriter Duncan Sheik and book and lyrics by Steven Sate. Spring Awakening is beyond sex and controversial issues. It’s about conversation, one that Olney Theatre Center invites the Washington D.C. metro area to be a part of. Tickets are $32-$65. Olney Theatre Center, celebrating its 75th Anniversary in 2013, is an award-winning, nonprofit, Equity theatre. Located just north of DC in Montgomery County, Olney Theatre Center offers a diverse array of professional productions year-round. For more information, visit olneytheatre.org. Spring Awakening Director Steve Cosson. Photo: Courtesy of Olney Theatre Center hillrag.com H 15

H H H

FEBRUARY

HillRag CALENDAR

VALENTINE’S

Sara Dabney Tisdale and David Zimmerman. Photo: C Stanley Photography

The Minotaur at the Atlas. Through Feb 17. A young man with the head of a bull paces his cage and contemplates his fate. Across the sea a warrior sets sail with just one goal. Between them, a girl is ready to take on the world…as soon as she can win a Connect Four game. In this smart and sexy modern retelling of this famous myth, playwright Anna Ziegler (Photograph 51, Dov and Ali) creates a whimsical, haunting and poignant tale about the difficulty of writing your own story. Rorschach Theatre, Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. 202-399-7993. atlasarts.org 16 H HillRag | February 2013

The Creative Class: Mixed-Media Valentines Using Your Photos. Feb 9, 2:00 PM. Join The Creative Class! Create mixed-media valentines using your photos. They will make copies of a photo you bring. Collection highlights: Lowve poetry. To register for the workshop, email TheCreativeClassDCPL@gmail.com The Creative Class is a series of workshops for adults at DC Public Library through which participants create handmade projects using materials in our collection as inspiration. Southwest Library, 900 Wesley Pl. SW. 202-724-4752. dclibrary.org/southwest Woo at the Zoo. Feb 9, 4:30, 6:30 and 8:30 PM. Looking for the wildest way to celebrate Valentine’s Day without breaking the bank? Attend the Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s fourth annual Woo at the Zoo on Saturday for an opportunity to learn about animal mating, dating and reproductive habits in an honest and humorous forum. Attendees and their “deer” ones will enjoy complimentary hors d’oeuvres and the opportunity to decorate sweets for your sweetheart. A cash bar will also

FEBRUARY CALENDAR H H H 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. $30. For 21 years and older. nationalzoo.si.edu The Fabulettes at the Corner Store. Feb 9, 8:00 PM. This is their annual “lovefest” dance party. $30. Corner Store, 900 So. Carolina Ave. SE. 202-544-5807. cornerstorearts.org Valentine’s Day Card Workshop. Feb 9, noon-4:00 PM. They’ll have pretty papers and neat valentine-themed stamps to decorate your card. Nothing delivers love better than giving a handmade card to your valentine. Visit the museum’s stamp store and send the cards to your loved ones with a special Postal Museum postmark. Free. Free Program. No reservation required. National Postal Museum, 2 Massachusetts Ave. NE. 202-633-5555. postalmuseum.si.edu History of Chocolate. Feb 12, 7:00 PM. Food historian Joyce White traces the history of of chocolate from its ancient beginnings in Meso-America to the modern day. This interactive presentation will focus on how chocolate has changed through time in terms of its cultural value and how mechanization has altered its production process. This presentation will be followed by a tasting of hot chocolate the Aztec way, an 18th century-style chocolate tart, a 19th century-style chocolate pudding, the 20th century chocolate bar, and its

21st century incarnation: with sea salt. $12. Dumbarton House, 2715 Q St. NW. 202-337-2288. dumbartonhouse.org The Sweater Set Serenade at The Fridge. Feb 14, 8:0010:00 PM. Get your romance on with The Sweater Set this Valentine’s Day as the girls layer vocal harmonies over multiinstrumentals that will melt your heart. Longtime fans and newcomers alike will be dazzled by inventive renditions of cover tunes and a sneak peak of brand new songs off their forthcoming record. Featuring curly-haired temptress Shenandoah Sowash performing her original poems, the coy musings of pixie poetry professor Mel Nichols, and artwork exploring intimacy by Lisa Marie Thalhammer. Complimentary chocolate dipped strawberries and cupcakes will be served as well as an opportunity to write your sweetie a Valentine. $15. For all ages. The Fridge, 516 1/2 8th St. SE. thefridgedc.com Deborah Tidwell. at the Hill Center. Feb 14, 7:30 PM. Washington, DC based jazz vocalist and cabaret artist Debra Tidwell has performed on both local and national stages. For her portrayal of Billie Holiday in Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, Ms. Tidwell received a Helen Hayes Award Nomination for Best Actress in a Musical and was awarded the Mayor’s Arts Award as Outstanding Emerging Artist. Attendees of this special Valentine’s Day performance will get a sweet treat from The Sweet Lobby and a complimentary glass of Prosecco or sparkling water! $15. Tickets should be purchased

Cupid’s Undie Run. Feb 9, (doors at noon, run at 2:30 PM). Cupid’s Undie Run is a 1.5 mile underwear-run around the the Capitol on Valentine’s weekend to benefit the Children’s Tumor Foundation. If you’re not running, you’ll want to watch. Pour House, 319 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. 202-546-0779. cupidsundierun.com

in advance at hillcenterdc.org, as this show will sell out. Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital, 9th and Pennsylvania Ave. SE. 202-549-4172. hillcenterdc.org Our Love Is Here To Stay: An Evening with Laura Baron, Patty Reese, and special guests with Patty Reese. Feb 15, 7:30-10:00 PM. $15. Ebenezers Coffeehouse, 201 F St. NE. 202-558-6900. ebenezerscoffeehouse.com

BLACK HISTORY MONTH 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, $17; children ages 6-11, $8; and children under 5 are admitted free. mountvernon.org Bound for Freedom’s Light-African Americans and the Civil War. Through Mar 2, 2014. This installation will focus on the roles that individual African Americans played during the course of this hard-fought conflict. National Portrait Gallery, 8th and F sts. NW. 202-633-8300. npg.si.edu A Tribute to Rosa Parks on her 100th Birthday. Feb 4, noon. On Dec 1, 1955, Rosa Parks refused to yield her seat to a white passenger on a city bus in Montgomery, Alabama. This act inspired the Montgomery Bus Boycott, led by a young Martin Luther King, Jr., and began a movement that ended legal segregation in America. William S. Pritzer introduces the 2002 documentary Mighty Times: The Legacy of Rosa Parks (40 mins.) Presented in partnership with the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. National Archives, William G. McGowan Theater, Constitution Ave. at 7th St. NW. archives.gov Help Me to Find My People-The African American Search for Family Lost in Slavery. Feb 6, noon. After the Civil War, African Americans placed “information wanted” advertisements in newspapers for missing family members. History professor and author Heather Andrea Williams uses slave narratives, letters, interviews, and diaries to describe the devastation when people were sold away from their families. Williams traces those who were separated, chronicles their search, and documents the rare experiences of reunion or the tragedy of loss. A book signing will follow the program. William G. McGowan Theater, National Archives, Constitution Ave. at 7th St. NW. archives.gov We Speak the Souls of Ancestors. Feb 7, 6:00 PM. Dc Commission on the Arts and Humanities, features Poetry by DC Poet Laureate, Dolores Kendrick and artworks by:Akili Anderson, Osereime Aimua, Anne Bouie, Sharon Farmer, Rik Freeman, Vaimoana Niumeitolu, Ellington Robinson and Wilmer Wilson IV. 200 I (Eye) St. SE. RSVP: speakthesouls.eventbrite.com

Runners passing the Madison Building of the Library of Congress. Photo: Courtesy of Cupid’s Undie Run 18 H HillRag | February 2013

A Matter of Worth. Feb 9, 10:30-11:30 AM. Come and bear witness and listen to a dramatic reading of “A Matter of Worth” by Marcia E. Cole. The year is 1855 and every enslaved man, woman, and child is subject to being sold. On this day, someone else makes the call, but 73-year-old Hannah and others have plenty to say as they provide special insight and wisdom. For reservations, call 202-633-4844. Anacostia Com mun ity Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. anacostia. si.edu

Come and honor

Black History Month at the

ur Museum highlights the African-American experience in early Alexandria with exhibitions, speakers and interactive programs. Housed in a building originally constructed in 1940 as a library to serve black citizens, the museum examines AfricanAmerican history, art and traditions.

Open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

703-746-4356 alexblackhistory.org

hillrag.com H 19

The First Hebrew Language Immersion Public Charter School in DC

NOW ENROLLING: 2013-2014 School Year Pre-K, Kindergarten, and Grade 1 The only Hebrew Language Charter School in the United States where children will learn all subjects in both English and Hebrew. Innovative learning culture and commitment to early literacy and numeracy. Diversity and global citizenship.

Learn more and Enroll online:

www.SelaPCS.org 202-670-SELA (7352) Application Deadline: March 15, 2013 Lottery Date: March 22, 2013 (if applications for a particular grade level exceed available space)

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Look no further... * Yarn * Classes * Community

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202.544.0702 • www.theknittingloftdc.com 20 H HillRag | February 2013

Frederick Douglass in Washington, DC: A Panel. Feb 12, 6:30-8:30 PM. Join them for an enlightening panel discussion on the dynamic role that Frederick Douglass played in the history of Washington, DC during the era of Post-Emancipation. The panelists are Ka’mal McClarin, the curator of the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site; Dr. Clifford L. Muse Jr., Howard University Archivist and Associate Director of the MoorlandSpingarn Research Center; and John Muller, journalist and author of Frederick Douglass in Washington, D.C.: The Lion of Anacostia. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, Black Studies Center, Room 316, 901 G St. NW. 202-727-0321. dclibrary.org/mlk “Harriet Tubman: The Chosen One” at THEARC. Feb 14, 10:30 AM and 1:00 PM. The 45-minute show will be performed by one woman, Gwendolyn Briley-Strand, who will transform into over a dozen characters while taking the audience on one of the nineteen journeys Harriet Tubman traveled through The Underground Railroad. Ms. Strand is an expert on the life of Harriet Tubman and has performed this play since 1993 in many schools, universities and organizations throughout the United States. Free. Attendance requires RSVP. THEARC, 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE. 202-889-5901. thearcdc.org Against the Odds: The Artists of the Harlem Renaissance. Feb 24, 2:00-3:30 PM. Against the Odds: The Artists of the Harlem Renaissance remembers the glory days of the Harlem Renaissance and the artists who persevered and survived despite the struggles working against them. This one-hour presentation traces the history of this pivotal American movement. A discussion will follow the film. Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. anacostia.si.edu ‘Things Fall Apart’ Book Discussion at Southeast Library. Feb 26, 7:00 PM. In honor of Black History Month, the monthly book club will read Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. Southeast Library, 403 7th St. SE. 202-698-3377. dclibrary.org/southeast Changing America-The Emancipation Proclamation, 1863 and the March on Washington, 1963. Through Sept 15. On August 28, 1963, at the March on Washington, Martin Luther King Jr. began his speech by declaring, “Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of captivity ... In a sense we have come to our nation’s capital to cash a check.” Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. anacostia.si.edu 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 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 firstcome, first-served walk-in basis. Visitors are strongly encouraged to make a reservation to guarantee their place on the tour. Tours last approximately 30 minutes. 1411 W St. SE. 202-426-5960. 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. African Ancestry is the world leader in tracing maternal and paternal lineages of African descent. 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. African Ancestry is committed to providing a unique service to the black community, working daily to improve the cultural, emotional, physical, spiritual, and economic well-being of peoples across the African Diaspora. For more information, visit africanancestry.com.

SPECIAL EVENTS Atlas INTERSECTIONS Festival. Feb 22-Mar 10. The unique all-arts INTERSECTIONS festival returns for its fourth season bringing together more than 100 performing groups over twelve days. The festival presents intersections of music, theatre, dance, film and spoken word that offer new ways to see ourselves and to celebrate our community and our world. All five Atlas performance spaces will be alive with world premieres and innovative collaborations among artists of all ages, races, cultures and art forms. Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. 202-399-7993. atlasarts.org National Cherry Blossom Festival. Mar 20-Apr 14. Kite Festival, Mar 30; waterfront fireworks, Apr 6; parade and Japanese street festival, Apr 13. .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 ww.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/get-involved.

MUSIC AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD Marine Band at the Library of Congress. Feb 9, 8:00 PM. “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band pay homage to Francis M. Scala, the first musician designated leader of the Marine Band during President Lincoln’s tenure. Tickets required. Coolidge Auditorium, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. SE. 202707-5502. loc.gov Carol Morgan Quartet at the Atlas. Feb 13, 8:00 PM. A Julliard graduate, jazz trumpeter, composer, and author Carol Morgan leads her own trio, Carol Morgan’s Case Study, organ trio Morganix, The Carol Morgan Quartet, and is a member of the New York-based DIVA Jazz Orchestra. She has performed at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola (Jazz at Lincoln Center, NYC), and The Lionel Hampton Jazz Club (Paris). $15-$25. Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. 202-399-7993. atlasarts.org Katharine Key CD Release with Andy Sperandeo at Ebenezers. Feb 16, 7:00-10:00 PM. $12. Ebenezers Coffeehouse, 201 F St. NE. 202-558-6900. ebenezerscoffeehouse.com

Keith Wesby Project at Ebenezers. Feb 21, 7:30-10:00 PM. $10. Ebenezers Coffeehouse, 201 F St. NE. 202-558-6900. ebenezerscoffeehouse.com Justin McRoberts & Christopher Williams with Christopher Williams at Ebenezers. Feb 22, 7:30-10:00 PM. $15. Ebenezers Coffeehouse, 201 F St. NE. 202-558-6900. ebenezerscoffeehouse.com Ministers of Music at Hill Center. Feb 23, 1:00-3:00 PM. Patrick Lundy and the Ministers of Music offer gospel with a contemporary spin along with a screening of “Say Amen, Somebody.” Tickets required. Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital, 921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. 202-707-5502. hillcenterdc.org Elikeh: Between 2 Worlds. Feb 23, 10:00 PM. Led by Togo-born Serge “Massama” Dogo, the group blends various styles of west-african styles-afrobeat, highlife, soukous-into a tight, forward moving sound that keeps one foot in the past and another towards the future. Get up and move to music that is wowing audiences throughout the east coast. Free. Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. 202399-7993. atlasarts.org Theo Bleckmann at the Atlas. Feb 28, 10:00 PM-noon. Vocalist Theo Bleckmann and guitarist Ben Monder present a program covering jazz, cabaret, classical, experimental and improvised music. Tickets required. Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. 202-707-5502. atlasarts.org Red June at the Corner Store. Mar 1, 8:00 PM. Concert with the great roots grass band. $20. Corner Store, 900 So. Carolina Ave. SE. 202-544-5807. cornerstorearts.org Mike Farris with Soul Suit at Ebenezers. Mar 1, 7:30-10:00 PM. $15. Corner Store, 900 So. Carolina Ave. SE. 202-544-5807. cornerstorearts.org Church of the Epiphany Weekly Concerts. Every Tuesday, 12:10 PM. Free but free will offering taken. 1317 G ST. NW. 202-3472635. epiphanydc.org

and geography, students from six DC universities offer a theatre piece about the next generation stepping up to the plate. $5. For ages 16 and older. Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. 202-399-7993. atlasarts.org Twelfth Night at CHAW. Through Feb 23. Twelfth Night begins with a shipwreckand from there, Taffety Punk takes a daring leap into the waves to explore Viola’s journey through Illyria. Director Michelle Shupe’s adaptation immerses the play in a watery grave through which Viola fights for breath and fights to survive. $10. CHAW, 545 7th St. SE. 800-838-3006. tix.taffetypunk.com Our Town at Ford’s. Through Feb 24. Thornton Wilder’s Pulitzer Prize-winning drama presents a timeless commentary on the transience of human existence. Teenagers George and Emily meet, fall in love, marry-and suffer the slings and arrows of everyday life. Wilder transforms their ordinary story into a poignant and captivating exploration of mortality and the interconnectivity of human beings. Ford’s Theatre, 511 10th St. NW. fords.org Henry V at the Folger. Through Mar 3. Imagine the thrilling grasp for power by a young king whose ambition reaches beyond the English court to the fields of France. Folger Elizabethan Theatre, 201 E. Capitol St. SE. 202-544-4600. folger.edu Good People at Arena. Through Mar 10. Enter South Boston’s Lower End, where minimum wage is the maximum wage and hard work and sacrifice don’t ensure success. Facing eviction, single mother and mouthy “Southie” native Margaret Walsh reunites with an old flame who “made good,” hoping that his fortune can somehow improve her own. But not every man wants to relive his past, and with each surprising twist of their meeting they discover the dire costs the truth can hold. Arena Stage, 1101 Sixth St. SW. 202-4883300. arena-stage.org Hughie at Shakespeare Theatre. Through Mar 17. Shakespeare Theatre, Lansburgh Theatre, 450 7th St. NW. 202-547-1122. shakespearetheatre.org

THEATER Magic in the Air-Zip Zap Circus USA & AirBorne DC! Feb 22, 8:00 PM; Feb 23, 5:30 PM and 8:00 PM. A collective of dancing aerialists takes flight in a soaring salute to courage, risk and joy in a benefit performance for the youth empowerment programs of Zip Zap Circus USA. $15-$25. Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. 202-399-7993. atlasarts.org African Continuum Theatre-About Face Youth Playwrights. Feb 24, 2:00 PM. Student playwrights seek audience input when they take to the stage to respond to highprofile current events. Free. Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. 202-3997993. atlasarts.org NextUS. Feb 28, 7:00 PM. Collectivelycreated across boundaries of race, gender

LITERARY EVENTS Plot to Assassinate Lincoln on Eve of Civil War Is Subject of Book Discussion. Feb 7, noon. Daniel Stashower uncovers the riveting true story of the “Baltimore Plot,” an audacious conspiracy to assassinate Abraham Lincoln on the eve of the Civil War, in “The Hour of Peril: The Secret Plot to Murder Lincoln Before the Civil War” (St. Martin’s Press, 2013). Stashower will discuss and sign his book in Dining Room A, 6th floor of the James Madison Building, 101 Independence Ave. SE. This Books & Beyond event, sponsored by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, is free and open to the public; no tickets are required. loc.gov Southeast Library Book Sale. Feb 9

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(monthly on the 2nd Saturday), 10:00 AM-2:00 PM. 403 Seventh St. SE. 202-698-3377. dclibrary.org/ southeast

SPORTS, DANCE AND PHYSICAL FITNESS

Poets BH Fairchild & Mary Jo Bang at the Folger. Feb 11, 7:30 PM. Award-winning poets B.H. Fairchild and Mary Jo Bang come together in a reading that highlights their inventive and creative poetry. Reception and book signing to follow. $15. Folger Elizabethan Theatre, 201 E. Capitol St. SE. 202-544-7077. folger.edu

DC Rollergirls. Feb 2, 4:00 PM. (Doors open at 3:00 p.m.) Tickets are $12 for ages 12 and up, $6 for children 6-11, and free for kids 5 and under. Tickets are available in advance at ticketmaster.com or at the door on bout day. Individuals with a valid military ID can purchase tickets for $10 at the door. Bouts are at DC Armory. dcrollergirls.com

Acquisitions Night 2013 at the Folger. Feb 21, 6:30-8:30 PM. Browse and perhaps adopt recent additions to the Folger collection during our annual benefit for the acquisitions endowment. Rare books, manuscripts, and works of art will be on display with Folger curators and librarians on hand to answer questions. Buffet dinner served in Great Hall. $100. Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 E. Capitol St. SE. 202544-7077. folger.edu

Washington Capitals Ice Hockey. Feb 3, 5, 9, 21, 23 and 25. Verizon Center, 601 F St. NW. 202-628-3200. capitals.nhl.com

EXHIBITIONS AND GALLERY OPENINGS AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD Artists at the Hill Center Galleries. Through Feb 24. 28 artists. Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital, 921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. 202-549-4172. hillcenterdc.org Nobility and Newcomers in Renaissance Ireland. Through May 19. Often portrayed as a country in conflict during the 16th and 17th centuries, Ireland was in fact a place of intermingling culture and adaptability. Nobility and Newcomers explores the opportunities and challenges open to both Irish and English nobility, and reveals Ireland as a land of ideas and art. Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 E. Capitol St. SE. 202-544-4600. folger.edu

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CHAW Photography Exhibition. Feb 2-Mar 1. Opening Feb 2, 5:00-7:00 PM). The exhibition features works from local and regional artists using a variety of photographic processes including black and white, color, traditional, alternative, material, and digital. Admission to the opening and exhibition is free. Gallery hours are 9:30AM-9:00 PM (M-Th), 9:30AM-6:00 PM (F), and 9:00AM-2:00 PM (Sat). CHAW, 545 7th Street, SE. 202-547-6839. chaw.org Lisa Marie Thalhammer’s Intimate Network at The Fridge. Feb 2-24. The art in Lisa Marie Thalhammer’s Intimate Network prompts an examination of intimacy and relationships. The artist chooses to paint people from her life that unravel the boundaries between the personal and political. Lisa Marie lives openly as a queer individual, and her work documents her networks of family and friends within the LGBTQ community. The subjects assert ideas about civil rights, marriage equality, polyamory, and gender identity while also disclosing a profoundly private look at the inner workings of the artist’s life today. The Fridge, 516 1/2 8th St. SE. thefridgedc.com INDUSTRY Gallery Opening-Tobias Klein. Feb 9, 6:00-9:00 PM. Virtual Sunset: An extraordinary original and interactive digital installation. Visitors have an opportunity to login to Google Earth and enter a city. Through a projector Tobias’ installation will replicate the sunset at that time, in that city, through his use of plexiglass tubes hanging from the ceiling. There may be a Parisian sunset...or an LA sunset...in the DC Gallery! INDUSTRY/Washington, Atlas Theater District, 1358 Florida Ave., NE. 202-399-1730. industrygallerydc.com

Washington Wizards Basketball. Feb 4, 6, 8, 19, 22, 23 and 27. Mar 1 and 3. Verizon Center, 601 F St. NW. 202-397-SEAT. nba.com/wizards Brian Sanders’ JUNK at the Atlas. Feb 9, 8:00 PM and Feb 10, 4:00 PM. Brian Sanders’ JUNK is known for their ingenious use of found objects and clever inventions that bridge the gap between dance and physical theater. Sanders’ choreography blends traditional dance theater with an inventiveness and physicality that gives reason for critics to hail JUNK as “Philly’s most imaginative perpetrator of dare-devilish physical theater” and declare Sanders as “the city’s most exciting choreographer.” $28. Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. 202-399-7993. atlasarts.org Bright Beginnings 5K. Mar 2, 8:00 AM. Bright Beginnings supports homeless children and families. At a larger location this year, the Bright Beginnings 5K will start and finish at West Potomac Park. Participants will enjoy a scenic view of the Tidal Basin, Hains Point, and the Potomac River. brightbeginningsinc.org/5k EmpoweRun 5K. Mar 2, 7:30 AM. Race for a good cause! Vort Port International is a 501(c)3 non-profit that empowers impoverished communities through training, education, and appropriate technologies. Rock Creek Park. vortport.org/empowerun Ice Skating at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden. Through mid-Mar (weather permitting). Monday-Thursday, 10:00 AM-9:00 PM; Friday-Saturday, 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 DJ’s in the Garden-Spin, Cut and Groove. Thursdays through Feb 28, 6:00-9:00 PM. Keep warm on the ice while a DJ spins popular music from the 1960s, ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s, including a wide range of musical styles such as Hip-Hop, R&B, Disco, Pop, Rock and Roll, and Soul. Skaters may make requests to guest DJs and twirl across the ice to their favorite tunes. National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden, Seventh St. and Constitution Ave. NW. 202-289-3361. nga.gov/ginfo/skating Canal Park Ice Rink. Open Monday-Friday, noon-9:00 PM; Saturday, 10:00 AM-10:00 PM; Sunday 10:00 AM7:00 PM. Adult fee is $8; children, seniors (55+) and military fees are $7. Skate rental i $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. Public Skating at Fort Dupont Ice Arena. Fridays, noon-1:50 PM; Saturdays, 11:15 AM-12:15 PM. Dress for warmth and safety. A helmet or knit hat is strongly recommended (loaner helmets are available). $5. $4 for kids and seniors. $3 for skate rental. Fort Dupont

FEBRUARY SPECIALS! at Sizzling Expressâ€“ Savings All Day Long! A free 16oz water bottle with every sandwich purchase Every $10 spend on the hot & cold food bar will get a free 2oz. size cookie or 16 oz bottle water. 10% off on Beer, Wine and Cocktail Drinks at the bar Exp. 02/28/13

Where the Freshness Sizzles and the Service is Express OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK 600 Pennsylvania Ave. SE 6:30 am-10:00 pm 202.548.0900 SIZZLINGEXPRESSCAPITOLHILL.COM

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Ice Arena, 3779 Ely Pl. NE. 202-584-5007. fdia.org Pentagon Row Outdoor Ice Skating. Through mid-Mar. 10:00 AM-11:00 PM. $7$8. $3 for skate rental. 1201 South Joyce St. Arlington, VA. 703-418-6666. pentagonrowskating.com Rumsey Pool. Public swim, Monday-Friday, 6:30-9:00 AM; noon-5:00 PM and 6:309:00 PM. Public swim, Saturday, 1:00-5:00 PM and Sunday, 9:00 AM-5:00 PM. 635 No. Carolina Ave. SE. 202-724-4495. dpr. dc.gov Southeast Tennis and Learning Center (indoor courts). Open daily; Monday through Saturday, 9:00 AM-9:00 PM; Sunday, 9:00 AM-6:00 PM. Four indoor courts. Six outdoor courts. Summer hourly fees at $6 to $10 for adults. Kids 17 and under play for free. 701 Mississippi Ave. SE. 202645-6242. dpr.dc.gov

MARKETS Fresh Tuesdays at Eastern Market. Every Tuesday, 3:00-7:00 PM. Tuesday afternoon farmers’ line of fresh produce. Eastern Market, 200 block of Seventh St. SE. 202-6985253. easternmarket-dc.com Union Market. Wednesday-Friday, 11:00 AM-8:00 PM; Saturday-Sunday, 8:00 AM8:00 PM. The newly-opened Union Market is an artisanal, curated, year-round food market featuring over 40 local vendors. 1309 Fifth St. NE. 301-652-7400. unionmarketdc.com

CIVIC LIFE Mayor Gray’s State of the District Address. Feb 5, 7:00 PM. Sixth and I Historic Synagogue, 600 I St. NW, 202-4083100. Attend in person, watch on DCN, or follow on Twitter via @mayorvincegray. National Archives Hosts Program on American’s Political System. Feb 28, 7:00 PM. Discussion titled “The Parties Versus the People: How to Turn Republicans and Democrats into Americans.” This public program is free, and no registration is required. William G. McGowan Theater of the National Archives Building. Attendees should use the Special Events entrance on Constitution Ave. at 7th St. NW. archives.gov Community Office Hours with Ward 6 Councilmember Tommy Wells. First Thursday in Southwest at Channel Inn; third Thursday on H St. NE at Sova; fourth Thursday in Shaw. Please call the councilmember’s office for Shaw location as it varies. 8-9:30 AM. All Ward 6 residents encouraged to come out and meet with Councilmember Wells and members of his staff. 202-724-8072. tommywells.org Congresswoman Norton’s NW District Office. Open weekdays, 9:00 AM-6:00 PM. 529 14th St. NW, suite 900. 202-7835065. norton.house.gov

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

ANC 6A. Second Thursday, 7:00 PM. Meeting at Miner Elementary School, 601 15th St. NE. 202-423-8868. anc6a.org

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

ANC 6D. Second Monday, 7:00 PM. Meeting at 1100 4th St. SW, DCRA meeting room, 2nd floor. 202-554-1795. anc6d.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

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glass, books and photographs are an example of the available items. 1819 35th St. NW. 202-775-3532. or georgetownfleamarket.com

ANC 6B. Second Tuesday, 7:00 PM. Meeting at Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital, 921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. 202-5433344. anc6b.org ANC 6C. Second Wednesday, 7:00 PM. Meeting at Heritage Foundation, 214 Mass. Ave. NE, first floor conference room. 202-547-7168. anc6c.org

First District PSA Meetings. Feb 2, 10:00 AM-PSA 107 at Tyler Elementary School, 10th and G sts. SE; Feb 9, 6:00 PM-PSA 103 at Mt. Vernon Community Improvement District, 901 4th St. NW; Feb 14, 6:30 PM-joint PSA 101 and 102 at Calvary Baptist Church, 755 8th St. NW; Feb 14, 7:00 PM-PSA 104 at Sherwood Recreation Center, 640 10th St. NE; Feb 16, 7:00 PM-PSA 105 (meeting rotates every month in SW) location will be announced at the previous meeting and on listserv) Feb 2012 meeting at Town Square Towers, 700 7th St. SW; Feb 16, 6:30 PM-PSA 108 at Liberty Baptist Church, 527 Kentucky Ave. SE; Feb 25, 10:00 AM-PSA 106 at Community Room of 1D Substation, 500 E St. SE. H

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Congratulations on 6th Year as #1 Re/Max Team in The Nation’s Capitol!

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I’ve been waiting 22 years to sell this home, but feel oddly ill-equipped to convey what you’ll see or feel. You are humbled, like what happens when we stare out to sea & feel small, coupled with a cunning craving, a coveting of livable art, your capture, to place just so in the sun. An Unbearable Lightness of Being...Wait a minute! Is that a family room off the kitchen? Toss me a Pop Tart Mom!!!!

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Capitol Streets Is This My Month or Are You Just Happy to See Me?

by E. Ethelbert Miller

t’s February again. Should I celebrate Black History Month or just St. Valentine’s Day? Which is more difficult – being black or falling in love? What I love about DC, is that it’s a city where history can jog or walk alongside you. This city is almost Ground Zero if you want to remember the Civil War. I keep thinking one day I’m going to run into Walt Whitman caring for black youth near Gallery Place. The world keeps changing and now and then I notice that I’ve been moving a little slower. I also find old habits and behavior slipping away without a wave or a hint of a good-bye. I would hate for Black History Month to disappear like Saturday mail or bus service in Southeast Washington. With all this post-racial lint and ash being attracted to black bodies one never knows. I can see Black History Month ending like a librarian deselecting a collection of books. Before I lived in D.C., I lived in the South Bronx. In the years before rap music, the cold air would blow down Longwood Avenue and come February one thought about getting out of school on Washington and Lincoln’s birthdays and about cutting out hearts for Valentine’s Day. There was only Negro History Week then. Teachers made bulletin board displays and George Washington Carver appeared like the old black man on the box of Uncle Ben’s rice. No one told me that the historian Carter G. Woodson started the whole thing back in 1926. It was 1959 and I was into playing baseball even in the snow. I was nine and blackness was seen primarily in the rocks of coal being delivered to my apartment building. My father worked in the post-office, having come

to America from Panama, his father staying behind resulted in his roots being cut in half like a canal across his heart. I came of age without any real knowledge of segregation or the Civil Rights Movement. I was the baby in the family protected from my own ignorance. Looking back on my childhood, I wish I had been given more than a flu shot of Negro History Week. Even today my body needs more than a month of Black History. The present continues to be a dangerous place to live. I walk these DC streets, I ride the buses, I listen to the profanity of school children, I see and no longer see the homeless, or the men with dirt and construction mud on their clothes, women waiters, secretaries, busboys, government workers, and everyone from Mexico, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Bosnia, Korea, North Carolina and Louisiana. History descends and pulls all of us into a strange gumbo. How best to make sense out of all these ingredients? What is the history of all this? At times we all need to see the green lights. We need to know when to – go. Hopefully, an understanding of history provides a roadmap. How many times have I been lost in this city? A neighborhood changes, we give a street a different name. What will be the “history” of all this new construction around town? Will Black History Month one day be taught and celebrated in a city with just a few black people? Will Chuck Brown be just a street and Duke Ellington a building? Memories are the things we cannot forget. There is so much Black History I still know nothing about. Every month there is something new to learn. Lincoln is in the movies – true Emancipation is still a coming attraction. Be sure to check out the trailer this month. H hillrag.com H 27

bulletin board CHRS Presents “Permits 101: What You Need to Know”

Representatives from various agencies will make a presentation at Maury Elementary, 1250 Constitution Ave. NE, on Feb 27 from 7-8:30 p.m. Topics will include under what circumstances permits are needed and how to get them. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. The event is free and handicapped-accessible and the public is encouraged to attend. For more information, visit chrs.org, or call 202-543-0425. Dustin Hoffman (as Carl Bernstein) and Robert Redford (as Bob Woodward) leave the Library of Congress after researching information on the Watergate burglars in “All the President’s Men.” Photo: Courtesy of The Everett Collection

Overbeck Lecture: “Hollywood on the Potomac”

On Tuesday evening, Feb 5, 7:30 p.m., Hill Rag film critic Mike Canning will deliver an Overbeck History Lecture based on his new book “Hollywood on the Potomac: How the Movies View Washington, DC.” Canning has long been fascinated by the ways that moviemakers have depicted our nation’s capital. With clips from films spanning more than half a century, he’ll present amusing examples of mangled geography and cultural tonedeafness, along with some notable cases where the filmmakers actually got it right. Canning’s book, which grew out of an Overbeck lecture he delivered in 2007, examines more than fifty motion pictures of the Sound Era, from Mr. Smith Goes to Washington to J. Edgar, and includes essays on politics and film and on the challenges of location shooting in Washington. His February 5 lecture will be new, not a repetition of the 2007 presentation. A longtime Capitol Hill resident, Canning worked for 28 years as a press and cultural officer for the U.S. Information Agency both in Washington and overseas, and began writing movie reviews for The Rag upon his retirement from the Foreign Service in 1993. Since 1999 he has also served as a programmer and commentator for the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop’s classic films series. In addition, he has published a number of articles on the treatment of Washington and the U.S. Congress in American feature films. The lecture will be held at the Naval Lodge Hall at 330 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. and will conclude with a book signing. As usual, admission is free but a reservation is required due to limited seating. Please email OverbeckLecture@aol.com and indicate how many seats you will need. 28 H HillRag | February 2013

Quaker Dialogue and PotluckIreland and Israel: Reflections on Peace and Conflict

Fr. Sean McManus, a resident of Capitol Hill, has deep roots in the conflict and subsequent peace in Northern Ireland. He arrived in the US in 1972 and founded the Irish National Caucus, a lobby group that campaigned for the US adoption of the Macbride Principles that are a corporate code of conduct for companies doing business in Northern Ireland. These principles have become the Congressional standard for all US AID to, or for economic dealings with, Northern Ireland. He is also the author of My American Struggle for Justice for Northern Ireland, published in 2011. Fr. McManus grew up in Northern Ireland and experienced much of the violence firsthand. His life, works and hopes share a connection to both his home country and the Mideast. In October, he joined the Interfaith Peace Builders delegation to Israel and Pales-

tine where he met WPH Program Coordinator Brad Ogilvie. They shared meals while talking about faith, conflict and peacemaking. He will talk about his experiences and insights as they relate to global conflicts, with specific attention to a successful peace (Ireland) and an on-going conflict in the Mideast. Feb 10, 6:30 p.m. William Penn House, 515 E. Capitol St. SE. 202543-5560. WilliamPennHouse.org This is an opportunity for fellowship among Quakers, attendees and fellow seekers. Bring a dish to share; family members, neighbors and friends are always welcome. Note: William Penn House is an alcohol and tobacco free facility. William Penn House hosts groups and individuals who visit Washington to help make this a better world. We host programs and seminars on peace and social justice issues and on Quakers, past and present.

Library of Congress Main Reading Room Open House on Presidents’ Day

Twice each year, the Library of Congress opens its magnificent Main Reading Room for a special public open house. The spring open house will take place on the federal Presidents’ Day holiday, Mon., Feb. 18, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Photography (no tripods) will be allowed. The Main Reading Room is located on the first floor of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. SE. Reference librarians will be available to demonstrate the Library’s online resources and discuss access to the Library’s vast onsite collections, including services and collec-

tions for use in family history research. No other reference services will be available and all other Library of Congress reading rooms and buildings will be closed. loc.gov

DC Streetcar Construction Continues Along H Street/ Benning Road

Construction work along the H Street/Benning Road to ready the corridor for DC Streetcar continues. Through February, work will include surveying activities, track bonding and utility relocations. Lane closures will be well-marked. Parking may also be affected. More detailed construction related notices, including specific dates and locations, are available by request. Please send an email to construction@ dcstreetcar.com and indicate your wish to receive H/Benning updates. For more information about the DC Streetcar, visit at dcstreetcar.com.

How to Take Really Good Digital Photographs of Gardens and Flowers

On Feb 12, Karen Rexrode, horticulturist and artist, will discuss new digital techniques (the basics, with some new tips).for photographing the plant world at the Capitol Hill Garden Club meeting. The meeting is at the Church of the Brethren, 337 No. Carolina Ave. SE. Refreshments at 7 p.m. and the program starts at 7:30 p.m. Regular meetings are

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The Akoma Drummers Perform at St. Augustines’s Art & Spirit Coffeehouse

A West African drum troupe, The Akoma Drummers will be the featured entertainment at the Wednesday, Feb 6, 7:00 p.m. program of St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church’s Art and Spirit Coffeehouse, 600 M St. SW. To celebrate Black History Month, the diverse group of drummers and percussionists will perform music of the African Diaspora ranging from traditional West African to funk and DC’s own go-go. Coffee and desserts will be served throughout the evening, followed by Q&A. The Southwest Episcopal Church’s Art & Spirit Coffeehouse series opens on the first Wednesday of each month to showcase local artists in their various media as they perform and share how their faith, art and social worldview intersect, according to the Rev. Martha Clark, Priest-in-Charge at St. Augustine’s. Donations will be accepted to help provide honoraria for the guest artists. Contact rector@staugustinesdc.org, 202554-3222 or visit staugustinesdc.org for more information.

CHRS Annual House and Garden Tour, May 10-11

Each year since 1958, CHRS has organized a tour of homes, gardens and other structures on Capitol Hill. This annual event, held every Mother’s Day weekend, showcases approximately ten renovated buildings in the 200-year-old community. Community grants are usually awarded from a portion of the proceeds. The 56th Annual House and Garden Tour will be held on Saturday May 10 and Sunday May 11. chrs.org

New Fitness Studio Opens in Southeast

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I live, work, serve and play ON THE HILL! John Bratton Bratton Realty LLC 202-744-2642 (c) john@BrattonRealty www.brattonrealty.com 30 H HillRag | February 2013

Atlas Fitness opened its doors for business last month at 920 11 St. SE across from Ginko Gardens. Owner Tim Bruffy has more than 10 years of experience in the fitness industry and holds a degree in education and sports medicine. Tim trains clients of all fitness levels. He also offers his clients Atlas Access-use of the fitness facility on the days they don’t have a training session. Mr. Bruffy renovated a three-floor empty storefront next to Papa Johns Pizza. “Every piece of equipment in Atlas has multiple uses and doesn’t take up space,” he said. The

studio has three levels and is a no-nonsense, cleanly organized training facility. Atlas Fitness is open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. To contact Bruffy call 240-320-4541 or email timbruffy@aol.com.

“After the Music Stopped: The Financial Crisis, the Response, and the Work Ahead” Author Conversation and Book Signing

On Feb 6 at 7 p.m., Princeton economist and former deputy chairman of the Federal Reserve Board Alan Blinder discusses his book After the Music Stopped: The Financial Crisis, the Response, and the Work Ahead with Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times columnist and author Thomas Friedman. Blinder shows with bracing clarity how the U.S. financial system, which had grown far too complex for its own goodand too unregulated for the public goodexperienced a perfect storm beginning in 2007. Things started unraveling when the much-chronicled housing bubble burst, but the ensuing implosion of what Blinder calls the “bond bubble” was larger and more devastating. Free. RSVP at hillcenterdc.org or by calling 202-549-4172. Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital, 9th and Pennsylvania Ave. SE.

CHGM Distributes Toys, Books, Clothing, and Household Goods to Hundreds of Local Families

Capitol Hill Group Ministry (CHGM), a DC non-profit committed to addressing homelessness and assisting families in crisis with housing and other needs, distributed Christmas gifts for hundreds of local children and families from the Capitol Hill United Methodist Church sanctuary this season. “Our Adopt-a-Family Christmas project provided an opportunity for hundreds of local donors to give of their time and money to make Christmas special for our neighbors in need,” said Barfonce Baldwin, Executive Director of CHGM. “Not only will children receive toys and books to brighten their holidays, but households will be provided with basic necessities including clothes, sheets, blankets, and kitchen goods, thanks to the contributions of generous supporters of CHGM.” This gift drive, as well as an annual Thanksgiving food drive and back-to-school backpack drive, are special projects for CHGM, which provides traditional social services to thou-

sands of DC residents in need of housing each year through a holistic approach aimed at enabling consumers to become self sufficient. Residents are referred to CHGM through DC Social Services and through CHGM’s street outreach program which distributes information about services directly to homeless individuals on the streets of DC with the help of volunteers. If you would like to learn more about Capitol Hill Group Ministry’s work, visit CHGM.net.

Adventurers to Discuss Imperial Trans-Antarctic Centenary Expedition 2014

A team of adventurers who hope to traverse the Antarctic continent along the same route planned by Sir Ernest Shackleton in 1914 will discuss the ill-fated early expedition and their plans for 2014, in a lecture at the Library of Congress on Feb 20. Expedition leader Joanne Davies, team member Stewart Stirling and U.S. liaison Glenn M. Stein will present “By Endurance We Conquer: Ernest Shackleton and Lessons of Leadership for the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Centenary Expedition 2014.” The talk will start at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 20, in the West Dining Room on the sixth floor of the James Madison Building, 101 Independence Ave. SE. The illustrated lecture, sponsored by the Library’s Science, Technology and Business Division, is free and open to the public. Tickets are not needed. The team is determined to complete the mission that Shackleton once set out to achieve-to cross Antarctica from the Weddell Sea to the Ross Sea via the South Pole. Shackleton viewed his continent-crossing expedition as the last great polar journey after Roald Amundsen and Robert Scott conquered the South Pole in 1911-1912.

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Capitol Wellness Expo

The Capitol Wellness Expo is on Feb 7, 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m in the Cannon House Office Building. They will start with personal wellness (beauty and athletic performance tips, nutrition, mindfulness, and more) and then integrating wellness practices. In the afternoon, they will examine wellness policy issues and discuss the future of health care and wellness. In an adjoining room, they will have exhibits, demos, networking, discussion groups, and classes. The program is designed for members of Congress and staff but all are welcome. Free. See details at Mcbarnette.com/capitolwellness2013. Cannon House Office Building, Rooms 121 and 122.

DC United Announces 2013 Major League Soccer Schedule

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D.C. United announces its 2013 Major League Soccer regular-season schedule. Winner of 12 major domestic and international titles, United begins its 18th regular season campaign on Saturday, Mar 2 on the road in a repeat of the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals against the Houston Dynamo. The Black-and-Red will then host Real Salt Lake the following weekend for its home opener on Saturday, Mar 9. The club will play a 34-game schedule with an even split of 17 home matches and 17 road matches. Twenty-five of these contests will be against Eastern Conference foes. 2013 season ticket, half-season, and four-game plans are now on sale through the D.C. United office at 202-587-5000 and online at dcunited.com. The four-game plan includes the home opener against Real Salt Lake, the last home of the year against

the Houston Dynamo, and matchups against the New York Red Bulls and the LA Galaxy. D.C. United will provide the best price, value and benefits to full season ticket holders with the club. The biggest addition to the benefit platform is a brand new social area located in the Champions Club exclusive for season ticket holders before and 30 minutes following each game. The area will have discounted food, drink and other season ticket holder items.

Street Outreach Volunteers Needed

Capitol Hill Group Minstry’s Street Outreach Services works to build personal relationships with the chronically homeless individuals of Ward 6. Three days a week, their Street Outreach coordinator and volunteer teams provide our neighbors with both direct services as well as information and referrals to other services offered throughout the city. Their Street Outreach team aims to empower and provide hope

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for families and individuals so that they may lead healthy, fulfilling, and productive lives as they choose on their own. This work is made possible through the various volunteer groups and individuals who donate their time to help the neediest members of our community. Throughout the Hyperthermia months, their volunteer teams 202.543.6118 can be seen distributing bottled waters, bagged lunches, healthy snacks, and other vitally needed assistance. Perhaps the most important service delivered to our chronically homeless neighbors is a friendly face and conversation. CHGM is always looking for more volunteer groups and individuals to help. If you would like more information, contact Jacob Wilkins at Wilkins@ chgm.net.

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Call for Mayor’s Arts Awards Nominations

The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities is accepting nominations for the 28th Annual Mayor’s Arts Awards. The awards are the most prestigious honors conferred by the city on individual artists, teachers, nonprofit organizations and patrons of the arts. The Mayor’s Arts Awards recognizes artists and organizations in five categories - Excellence in an Artistic Discipline, Excellence in Service to the Arts, Innovation in the Arts, Outstanding Contribution to Arts Education, and Outstanding Emerging Artist. The awards are limited to individuals and not-for-profit organizations that reside in the District of Columbia. The Mayor’s Awards for Arts Teaching are limited to full-time arts teachers who are employed by a District of Columbia elementary, middle or high school. The three categories for arts teaching are Excellence in Teaching Performing Arts, Excellence in Teaching Visual Arts and Excellence in Teaching Language Arts. Teachers in all hillrag.com H 33

artistic disciplines (visual arts, music, theatre, dance or humanities-based) are eligible for nomination. Click here, dcarts.dc.gov/DC/DCARTS/ Events/Mayor’s+Arts+Awards, for more information.

DDOT Invites Public to Transportation Idea Exchange to Get DC Moving

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On Feb 9, 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G St. NW, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is holding a DC Idea Exchange, a family-friendly public event, held to share ideas about how District residents, workers and visitors can have convenient and reliable multimodal options that connect them to economic and quality of life opportunities. Anyone who drives, walks, bikes, rides a bus, or takes a train in DC should attend to help shape the plan to develop a bold, new transportation vision for the District. The public is invited to drop in anytime or stay throughout the day to hear information, participate in interactive activities and to join a panel discussion. With a rapidly-growing population and the increasing demands on the whole system, it is essential to take steps to keep DC moving. The Idea Exchange will introduce moveDC, a collaborative transportation planning effort to incorporate all methods of transportation in the District of Columbia into a single Multimodal Long Range Transportation Plan. moveDC is led by DDOT’s Policy, Planning and Sustainability Administration (PPSA) and is expected to be completed by early 2014. For those who need special accommodations or language assistance services (translation or interpretation), contact Jordyne Blaise, Office of Civil Rights, 202671-5117 or Jordyne.Blaise@dc.gov by Feb 6. These services will be provided free of charge.

4th Annual DC Black Theatre Festival Open Call

The DC Drama Department is proud to announce the 2013 DC

Black Theatre Festival, a week-long festival celebrating the thriving theatre community in Washington DC, June 21-30, 2013. Playwrights of all skill levels and races are encouraged to submit. All chosen Full-length Plays, New Works Reading Series and Workshop are supported by the festival with 100% of the ticket sales going directly to the performing group, facilitator and/or playwright. Submission categories: full-length plays, one-act plays, new works reading, workshops and plays with erotic themes (for adult theatre program). Submit your application online at DCBlackTheatreFestival.com or DCBTF.com. The deadline for all submissions are Mar 1, 2013. Any questions? Contact the DCBTF staff at info@DCBTF.org.

DDOT 101 Orientation Webinar for DBE Firms

On Feb 11, 10 a.m.-noon, the District Department of Transportation’s Office of Civil Rights is hosting a DDOT 101 Orientation webinar on Monday, Feb 11, for DBE firms. The webinar is part of DDOT’s Office of Civil Rights webinar series on How to Do Business with DDOT. This webinar will provide an overview of DDOT’s organizational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as key details on the agency’s contract and procurement process. Endrea Frazier, Vice President of Legion Design/Campbell & Associates will facilitate the webinar. This training is free of charge and is required for all newly certified and re-evaluated DBE firms. It is also open to other small businesses who are interested in conducting business with the agency. Advanced registration is required no later than Friday, Feb 8, at 3.gotomeeting.com/register/791191806. For more information, contact Chloe Miles at cmiles@ mhmiles.com or 202-525-2740.

Free Credit Counseling

Having good credit is more important than ever. Today, credit checks are required not only when

applying for a loan or a credit card but also when applying for a rental lease and even some jobs. Housing Counseling Services, Inc. (HCS), a non-profit agency, now offers free Money Matters workshops on how to repair and improve credit. These workshops help consumers understand all of the factors that affect their credit, how to build credit and repair damaged credit, and how to dispute errors on credit reports and deal with loan fraud and identity theft. Individual credit counseling is also available by appointment. Please call HCS at 202-6677006 for more information or attend the next Money Matters workshop on Wednesday, Feb 13, at 6:00 p.m. at 2410 17th St. NW, Suite #100.

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Would you like to watch the Super Bowl 2013 with some diehard fans? The STP students and Overnight Guests at the Mission plan to enjoy an evening of hard-hitting football and all the traditional snacks on Feb 3, and they would like your company. Please come to help serve the food and fellowship with their friends at 5:00 p.m. Central Union Mission is at 1350 R Str. NW, 202-7457118. Learn more at .missiondc.wildapricot.org.

Free Radon Test Kits for DC Residents

Radon gas may be in your home. Radon is the 2nd leading cause of lung cancer. Testing is the only way to know if your home is safe. Call the District Department of the Environment at 202-5352302 for a free radon test kit. To request a kit online, visit ddoe.dc.gov/radon. H

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The Race Begins!

One Voters Sentiment. Photo: Andrew Lightman

by Martin Austermuhle

ouncilmember Jack Evans (D-Ward 2) may be the only member of the D.C. Council crossing his fingers for U.S. Attorney for D.C. Ron Machen to bring the hammer down on Mayor Vince Gray. Why? Because it’s as good a chance as the longest-serving member of the city’s legislature will get to finally move up to the sixth floor of the Wilson Building. With Gray gone and a hastily called special election leaving candidates little time to organize and fundraise, Evans would be able to call upon his well-heeled supporters to quickly stock his campaign coffers with the money needed for the electoral sprint. With a large bankroll and a small electorate to convince, Evans could finally satisfy his longstanding wishes to become mayor, albeit only until the end of Gray’s term in early 2015. With 2013 upon us, it’s time to start the mayoral prognosticating again. Too early, you say? Nonsense: the 2014 primary is next April, hardly 15 months off. If candidates with true aspirations haven’t already put a date on when they plan to announce their intentions, they’re already behind the curve. (See Fenty, Adrian.) And even more pressing is the fact that Machen continues investigating Gray’s 2010 campaign, leaving open the possibility that he could resign and a special election could be suddenly called. In that circumstance, Evans would be at a significant advantage. But in any other normal circumstance—Gray finishes out his term unscathed— Councilmembers Muriel Bowser (DWard 4) and Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6), both of whom are likely contenders, would quickly become the frontrunners in the race to replace Gray. Both are candidates that come well-prepared for their respective mayoral bids, en36 H HillRag | February 2013

joying similar benefits and drawbacks that would make a matchup between the two interesting to watch—and hard to call.

Location, Location, Location

First, Bowser. She hails from Ward 4, which for long has posted high turnout (42 percent in the 2010 primary, higher than any other place in D.C.) and served as a decisive bellweather in citywide elections. Lose Ward 4, the thinking goes, and you stand to lose the election. (In 2010, Fenty lost it to Vince Gray, all but sealing his fate; last November David Grosso took a significant number of votes from Michael Brown on his way to the big upset.) For now, Ward 4 seems to be safely behind her: in last year’s April primary, Bowser fended off five challengers, taking just shy of 65 percent of the vote. But not only is Ward 4 her base, but it will also play a role in helping Bowser define herself and her candidacy. During a January swearing-in speech that could just as well have doubled as an official announcement of her decision to enter the mayoral race, Bowser used Ward 4 to establish her citywide bonafides. “In Ward 4, we are a perfect microcosm of the city. We are black and white and Latino. We are Christian and Jews, we are straight and gay, we are east of the park and west of the park. We’ve lived in D.C. for five decades and we’ve lived here for five minutes. We’re Democrats and Republicans. We are dreamers,” she said. Wells is no less well-situated. Ward 6 is now the biggest single ward in the city with 69,367 registered voters in 2012. It also boasts some of the precincts with highest turnout and the single-fastest growing precincts. In the 2010 election, Wells won 75.10% of the vote in the Democratic primary. With the 2011 redistricting, Ward

6 now stretches from Shaw to the Anacostia River, encompassing demographic diversity that is the envy of much of the divided city. It is the only ward to touch all three quadrants and both rivers. In November, Grosso used Ward 6 precincts to help carry him to victory, racking up impressive margins in parts of Capitol Hill that Brown could not overcome elsewhere.

Crafting and Managing an Identity

Both Bowser and Wells have good places from where they can launch their campaigns, but they’ve also been careful in crafting and managing their identities on the council- especially Wells. By becoming the guiding voice on the council for a livable and walkable D.C., Wells has shored up support among the new urbanists across the city. More so than Bowser, Wells has crafted an issue-based identity for himself over the last few years and pushed legislative initiatives to support it. On the environmental side, his crowning achievement was the Anacostia Cleanup and Protection Act of 2009, the so-called “Bag Bill,” which put a tax on plastics bags to fund cleanup of the river. He also has waged a quixotic crusade for ethics and campaign finance reform in the face of opposition from his colleagues

on the dais. He was a strong supporter Public Trust’s campaign to ban corporate contributions to DC elections. His recent oversight of the libraries and parks, has allowed him to make a name for himself outside of Ward 6. Wells has just taken over the helm of the Judiciary Committee, which will no doubt garner him even more District-wide attention. While Bowser has played it a little more safely, she has avoided the controversies that bedevil many of her colleagues with a laser-like focus on constituent services. With new residents, she has played up her associations with Fenty. Alternatively, she has diligently represented the concerns of old African-American residents on issues of taxation and parking. Dogged in her oversight role as chair of the Committee on Government Operations, she has been a consistent advocate of open government. There, Bowser guided the adoption of comprehensive ethics legislation in late 2011, which garnered her citywide attention.

Timing and Challenges

Both Bowser and Wells have been quietly laying the groundwork for their mayoral bids for quite a while. Wells openly said last July that he was eyeing a run. In January, he promised to launch an exploratory campaign in order to raise money and hire staff. Bowser has remained mum on her plans. However, after crushing all comers in last year’s Ward 4 Democratic primary, she opted to spend money on her campaign—including ads placed on 14th Street bus lines. She can count on strong support from old Fentyites such as political consultant Tom Lindenfeld and former councilmember William Lightfoot. That’s not to say that both don’t have obstacles to overcome. While Bowser isn’t far from Fenty on many things, she’ll still have to carefully balance when to make the association and when to avoid. Ward 1? Sure! Ward 7? Maybe not. As the chair of the council’s

Economic Development Committee, she will certainly have access to money, and a higher citywide profile. However, she’ll also have to handle accusations that she’s a tool of the city’s most prominent developers. Finally, if Councilmember Vincent Orange (D-At Large) runs, she’ll face the likelihood that they’ll be fighting for some of the same votes. Wells, on the other hand, will have to overcome the difficult stigma of being a white candidate in a city that largely still isn’t. Being the dean of livable and walkable DC may engender support among people enamored with bike lanes, but it can still be a hard sell to communities that have more pressing needs. Yet, Wells has had a great deal of experience reaching out to those communities during his tenure overseeing Human Services, and at his perch at Parks and Rec. Undoubtedly, the public will see a tough-talking Wells at the helm of the Judiciary Committee. He will seek to balance any Bowser fiscal advantage by recruiting a set of true-believing volunteers to staff his effort.

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Finding a Path to Victory

Wells and Bowser are both compelling candidates; and what makes this contest even more interesting is how each will find their way to victory. In this, Bowser has more options. She’ll play up her Fenty acolyte credentials when she wants, while stressing her Washingtonian roots to long-term residents skittish about the new urbanism. If Orange doesn’t run, she will work hard to secure the city’s eastern wards while pulling in enough of Ward 3’s votes to narrow Wells’ options for victory. While Wells rests his hopes on Ward 6. He will contest Bowser in the city’s eastern half. That’s not to say Wells is a rival to be taken lightly—if anything, he’s managed his two terms with surprising political skill, and he’ll likely organize an enviable campaign organization. All the while, Evans will simply be hoping that Gray is forced to resign before April 2013. Martin Austermuhle is the Editor-in-Chief of DCist.com and a freelance writer. He lives in Columbia Heights. H

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DC is Swimming in Cash

When Will it Spend Some of It to Make DC Stronger?

he District’s financial fortunes have turned around stunningly from the Great Recession. The city ran a $400 million surplus last year, and tax collections in 2013 are even better than in 2012. With the city’s population growing at the fastest rate in decades and construction cranes continuing to dot the horizon in many neighborhoods, things are looking good. You might think this would have prompted discussions about neglected investments that the city could now afford to make. You’d be wrong. Mayor Gray wants to put the 2012 surplus in reserves, to help improve DC’s bond rating. And despite obvious signs of growing coffers this year, the CFO has declined to officially certify the new revenues – out of concern that federal budget cutbacks will kill DC’s economic buzz. To borrow from The Rime of the Mariner, there is water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink. That may change soon. Mayor Gray has signaled an interest in restoring cuts to programs that were left under-funded in the recession, such as programs that help build affordable housing. That is good news. While building up savings is fiscally responsible, so is making targeted investments that meet high priority needs and improve DC’s the quality of life. The good news is that it looks like DC will have resources to save some and spend some. DC’s rising resources also are an opportunity to tackle some thorny problems. Prior to the recession, for example, the city started a process to end chronic homelessness, but that effort has stalled for years. DC Public Schools Chancellor wants to raise test scores at the lowest-performing schools, yet hasn’t been given any new resources to do so. This enthusiasm needs to be dampened a bit by the outlook for the federal budget. If there are deep cuts, DC will have to make up for reduced grants in transportation, education, health care and more. And if cuts in the federal workforce are steep, the DC area will feel the effects especially hard. While that calls for some caution, it shouldn’t hold DC’s leaders back from making some smart uses of the growing revenues. 38 H HillRag | February 2013

by Ed Lazere point. Beyond that, the city’s tax collections this year appear to be so strong that we can save the full surplus and still have resources to spend to improve education, health care, housing, and more.

Tax Collections Coming In Strongly This Year – But Not Officially

DC’s $400 Million Surplus: Wow!

Every January, the District finds out how our budget fared in the previous year, when the audit of city finances is released. Dr. Gandhi, the CFO, always steers the District’s financial ship to have at least a modest surplus – since a deficit could bring back a federal control board. But we never know just how large it will be. It is sort of like the city’s Christmas bonus, a month late. Apparently we were good boys and girls last year. Revenues in 2012 were $400 million higher than expenses, both because tax collections were higher than expected ted and because expenditures were lower than expected. Mayor Gray’s plan is to place 100% of any surplus into savings, to build up reserves that fell in the recession. The goal is to save $700 million in two recently created reserves. That is a lot of money to set aside, when there are school library shelves that are bare and funds to help victims of domestic violence are depleted. We at the DC Fiscal Policy Institute have always taken a spend some/save some approach to the city’s annual surplus. That said, the savings million target should be reached soon, probably a year from now, and Mayor Gray says it will be ok to spend the surplus at that

DC’s good financial news isn’t just about last year’s surplus. Tax collections are pouring in this year at a rapid clip, not because of rate changes but because the economy is doing so well. As of the first quarter of the city’s fiscal year, cash reports show collections are 18 percent higher than a year before. Imagine your salary rising 18 percent, or getting 18 percent return on an investment. That is how good the news is. Except that the increase has not been officially recognized yet. The CFO has declined for an entire year to make any estimates of tax collections for 2013, even though such forecasts are supposed to be done every quarter. The reason? Dr. Gandhi has cited federal budget uncertainty to delay making projections of 2013 revenues. In particular, deep cuts from “sequestration” could lead to cuts in federal employment and contracting, which would hurt the DC region. Yet when the next revenue forecast comes out – in February – the CFO will have four months of actual tax collections for 2013 to look at, and it will be hard for him to ignore that reality. The federal budget picture remains unclear, and probably will for some time. DC needs to move ahead and adjust economic and revenue forecasts as new information becomes available.

So What Can DC Do with its Growing Revenue?

To start, the District can restore programs that were cut in the recession. Funding for affordable housing fell one-fourth in recent years, even though rents in the city continued to rise in the recession. Beyond restoring cuts, DC can make some bold investments to tackle problems that have

vexed the city for years--such as eliminating chronic homelessness. During the winter, families have a right to shelter, and the system gets overwhelmed, leading to reliance on motels to house some families. Starting April 1, the District’s obligation ends, and families get turned away even if they have no safe place to go. With growing resources, the city can tackle homelessness year-round and in a way that gets families out of shelters as fast as possible. Education is another area ready for transformation. Later this year, the city will release a study on the adequacy of funding for DC schools. Contrary to popular perception, DC does not spend a lot more per-pupil than suburban jurisdictions, if special education is taken out. The DCPS chancellor wants schools with proficiency rates hovering around 25% to gain 40 points over five years. That cannot be done without added resources for things such as longer school days. Finally, the District could use its new-found resources to make a number of smaller investments, such as extending library hours and enhancing library collections, better funding of job training programs, and expanding Capital Bikeshare. There will be those who argue that the District should return the surplus through tax cuts. And that may make sense in targeted ways. But if the city is thriving now, with its current tax system, the argument for reducing taxes to improve competitiveness is weak. A 2011 poll of DC voters found that maintaining good services is far more important than holding taxes down. It is great news that the District is a stronger city than it has been in a long time. The test for the Mayor and DC Council will be how they use the city’s growing resources to make it even stronger. Lazere is the executive director of the DC Fiscal Policy Institute (www.dcfpi.org), which conducts research on tax and budget issues that affect low- and moderateincome DC residents. H

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DCPS to Close Some Schools While Capitol Hill Schools Expand

fter two months of citywide speculation DC Public Schools (DCPS) Chancellor Kaya Henderson announced that just 15 schools will close rather than the proposed 20. Five schools originally slated for consolidation – Francis Stevens, Garrison, Smothers, Johnson, and Malcolm X – will remain open owing to concerns about children’s safety as well as the equitable distribution of financial and academic resources. In addition, several programs that DCPS deems particularly successful will expand, including School-Within-A-School, Capitol Hill Montessori, School Without Walls, and Banneker. While the anticipated financial savings of consolidating schools is significant, the actual impact on children, their families, and their communities is still uncertain.

Rationale for DCPS Closures

Owing to under-enrollment in some schools and high operating costs to maintain half-empty, out-of-date buildings, DCPS will close 15 schools, 8 of which are located in Wards 5, 7, and 8. In the months since the proposal was released Henderson has held several community meetings to hear from constituents including parents and city council members. This process is “the beginning of a new partnership” between DCPS and communities, Henderson stated. Does this latest round of school closures, just five years after former DCPS Chancellor Michelle Rhee 40 H HillRag | February 2013

by Ellen Boomer closed 23 schools, really mark a new chapter for the city, or will it aggravate the economic and academic disadvantage of students east of Rock Creek Park? DCPS “can save at least half of what was spent” on school closures, according to Henderson, and has learned from the mistakes made in 2008. By closing nine schools between Wards 5 and 7 and two schools a piece in Wards 4, 6, and 8, DCPS

anticipates saving $8.5 million annually. There will also be “additional savings from reductions to the [DCPS] central office,” according to the DCPS Consolidation and Reorganization Plan, though the plan does not specify what these reductions will be. “Core reading programs, world language programs, and library and media services” will benefit from the influx of funds, according to the plan.

DCPS at a Crossroads

Although Chancellor Henderson and DCPS representatives spent considerable time listening to community feedback about the proposed consolidations, the numbers are still troubling. In reaction to the previous round of school closures, 3,000 students left DCPS and went to public charter or private schools; the upcoming closures will displace more than 2,500 students. Nearly 40% of students attend charter schools, which have seen a 21% enrollment increase in the past two years. “We have to get this round of school closings right,” DC Council Education Committee Chairman David Catania pointed out during the Education Committee hearing, adding, “we have to show demonstrated success soon.” Otherwise, he stated, “I believe we are within a year or two of hitting an irreversible tipping point.” DCPS, members of the city council, and the stakeholders must “embark on an era of collective effort and responsibility…If there is true competition [between public and charter schools], we will make each other better.”

Ward 6 Schools Expand

Closing under-enrolled schools will enable a fuller complement of academic programs and allow DCPS to enlarge high-demand schools. Two of the five schools slated to expand are in Ward 6. School-Within-A-School (SWS) will relocate to the Prospect Learning Center (whose students will be

mainstreamed into neighborhood schools) and will grow from a PK-1 to a PK-5 school. Capitol Hill Montessori at Logan will add more early childhood classrooms and will expand to include sixth, seventh, and eighth grades. DCPS is “creating good opportunities for families” by responding to the “huge demand and wait lists” at SWS and Capitol Hill Montessori, according to Suzanne Wells, founder of Capitol Hill Public Schools Parent Organization (CHPSPO). Both of these schools give students a developmentally appropriate amount of autonomy. SWS offers a “project-based curriculum and emphasis on social-emotional learning,” according to Adam Ruben, chair of the SWS Expansion Committee. The “Reggio Emiliainspired curriculum emphasizes creativity, critical thinking and problem solving,” as well as adherence to “Common Core standards,” noted Ruben. With “walkable schools” that have enjoyed “extraordinary success,” Ward 6 can be a model for the city, according to Ward 6 Councilmember Tommy Wells. Henderson is “substantially expanding programs parents choose and like” and being “entrepreneurial in a competitive [educational] environment,” Wells stated. By directing funds to schools that are in high demand and ensuring their status as citywide lottery schools rather than inboundary schools, Chancellor Henderson is enabling schools in Ward 6 “to support Wards 5, 7 and 8 and the whole city,” Wells said. Perhaps Ward 6 can lead the charge in demonstrating that, with strong academic programs and parental involvement, public schools can be the best option for the city’s children. Ellen Boomer is a resident of the Eastern Market area, freelance writer, tutor, and former teacher. She can be reached at emboomer@gmail.com. H

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M e m o r i a m

Mark Dixon, Neighborhood Activist by Peter J. Waldronw

ark Dixon, long time ANC commissioner (2002- 2012), former Chair of ANC6C and neighborhood activist died on January 23rd at Washington Hospital Center of complications from quadruple by-pass heart surgery. A viewing was held at Mount Airy Baptist Church and a Homegoing Service was held for friends and family on February 2. His family was at his side at his passing. According to former ANC commissioner and friend, Keith Silver, Dixon had struggled with poor health for the past year and remained in the hospital after his surgery on December 19. He is survived by his daughter Marqita; two sons, Marcus and Curtis; and five grandchildren, as well as a sister, Margaret Vaughan and three brothers, Paul Holmes and Adrian and Grayson Dixon. Dixon was 70 years old Dixon was recently re-elected to the newly created ANC 6E06, a central part of the newly gentrifying residential areas of North Capitol St, including the NOMA neighborhood. Dixon, a life-long District resident was known for his tireless work in the community, especially at Sursum Corda and Temple Courts, and for his skillful balancing of the interest and concerns of those new arriving residents to his ANC District as well as his unstinting and relentless representation of those long term residents who had lived through more difficult years. Dixon, a retired District government worker, attended Theodore Roosevelt HS and graduated from St Augustine College in North Carolina in 1971. Dixon was intensively involved with PSA 101 working with MPD toward improved public safety. He was a volunteer at the Gospel Rescue Mission working to train ex-offenders for work and with the

42 H HillRag | February 2013

Mount Vernon Triangle CID efforts to promote and sustain viable businesses. According to Silver, Dixon organized cookouts and trips to the Nationals game for the youth of Temple Courts and Sursum Corda. A fixture at the National Night Out event celebrating crime-free streets and neighborhoods Dixon was a congregant at Mount Airy Baptist Church. Nancy Rosen formerly Chair of CAC, details an arm’s length list of community efforts led by Dixon and concludes : “He had his hands in all of those pots.” Rosen wistfully recalls that Dixon loved to “hand dance” and never missed a Thursday night at his favorite club. District One Commander Daniel Hickson worked with Dixon on community policing issues in a neighborhood that struggled with poverty and change. “Nothing he did was about Mark. It was about his community.” says Hickson. “He was just a huge presence. It doesn’t do justice to say he was an advocate He got things done. He built up good will and was able to reach out in many directions to get things done. “ Ward Six Councilmember Tommy Wells fondly recalls Dixon forcing him to come to every single Wednesday meeting for over two years to show his commitment to the Sursum Corda community after the closing of Terrell JHS and Walker Jones ES. Dixon maintained pressure for a K-8 school with a recreation center and computer lab, convinced it would benefit the community’s long term interests. “You had to prove to Mark that you were going to be there with him. He was really tough, said Wells.” A viewing will be held at Mount Airy Baptist Church located at 1100 North Capitol St on February 1st from 6-9 p.m. A Homegoing Service will be held for friends and family on February 2nd at 11 a.m. H

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capitolstreets ANC reports

NEWS ANC 6A

by Maggy Baccinelli

A New Commission

At their first meeting in 2013, on Thurs. Jan. 10, reelected ANC6A commissioners David Holmes, Nicholas Alberti and Andrew Hysell welcomed the newly elected J. Omar Mahmud, Gloria Nauden, Jay Williams, Sondra Phillips-Gilbert and Calvin Ward. In a 7-1 vote, the Commission approved a slate of officers and committee chairs, re-electing Holmes as commission chair and Alberti as treasurer, and electing Mahmud as vice-chair and Nauden as secretary. The vote also returned three committee chairs to their posts: Adam Healy to the Alcohol Beverage and Licensing Committee, Elizabeth Nelson to the Community Outreach Committee, and Mahmud to the Transportation and Public Space Committee. No chair was appointed for the Economic Development & Zoning Committee, and commissioners agreed to meet separately to discuss who could fill the spot. Holmes said he would be willing to take over temporarily, if needed.

Destination: Capitol Hill Parks

In their community presentation, Lt. Jerry Marshall of US Park Police, and the National Capital Parks – East Superintendent Alex Romero 44 H HillRag | February 2013

and Central District Manager Dr. Joy G. Kinard, updated meeting attendees on park crime, and NCP’s efforts to partner with DPR. Marshall said the most aggressive offenses reported in ANC6A parks are quality of life offenses, primarily dogs off leashes. When an audience member asked whether Marshall knew about a recent incident, in which the perpetrator stole a cell phone off of a jogger while in a local park, but was apprehended outside of it, Marshall said he did not, and explained that all arrests outside the parks are counted by NPD, through a different reporting system. Commissioners requested patrols to be present during early morning and dusk hours, and other popular jogging times. Marshall explained that the US Park Police force is a “24-hour operation,” and that recently, additional beats have been added to the primary beat area downtown, which frees up more cars to patrol the outer parts of the district, including Capitol Hill. Romero and Kinard followed Marshall, and focused on their budding efforts to bring a variety of programs to NCP-East parks. They talked about the success of the Movies by Moonlight program, which they plan to continue and expand, and said they also want to implement wellness programs and local jazz nights. Romero is working with Park Police to explore the possibility of serving alcohol at some park events. In closing notes, Kinard told the audience that because of President Abraham Lincoln’s recent visibility in

popular culture, Lincoln Park, which is home to the Emancipation statue, is getting more public attention. NCP – East has been sought out by organizations that want to do public and community service, and the Emancipation statue was featured on the cover of the National Park Service publication, The Sentinel. Kinard said to expect increased activity and visitors at Lincoln Park, but assured community members that all service events will have a National Park Service employee on sight.

Council Chair Gets Heat on Crime

Following the Dec. 24 fatal shooting of 28-year-old Jason Emma on the 1200 block of C Street NE, the opportunity to hear from DC Council Chair Phil Mendelson on public safety in the District brought ANC6A community members out in droves to the January meeting. Many fired at Mendelson for the DC Council’s December decision to reject Mayor Vincent C. Gray’s request to hire 48 police officers. Emotionally charged commissioners, neighbors of Emma, and other community members expressed their frustration with the decision, and pleaded the importance of increasing police force levels in the area.

Mendelson explained that he rejected Gray’s request because it “appeared out of nowhere” and Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier had not yet briefed him on the hiring plan. He adamantly drove home the point that if the Council had approved the Mayor’s request in December, more police would not yet be patrolling the streets, and recent crime would not have been prevented. Lanier briefed Mendelson on the morning of the ANC6A meeting, and the Chair said he expects the Council will approve the plan in the next few months. Mendelson said there are still some questions that need to be worked out, but as it stands, the hiring plan will allow Lanier to hire 60 more police than the 300 per year already accounted for in the budget. With an attrition rate of less than 20 police per month, he said this is a responsible rate at which to increase the force. He also said the Chief ’s plan was proactive: “It’s not to deal with existing crime, but rather to get ahead of the curve in areas that are growing in terms of night life and residential population.” But existing crime is what mattered to the increasingly frustrated and outspoken audience. Responding to them defensively, Mendelson

ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSION 6A DAVID HOLMES, CHAIR, 202-251-7079 Serving the Kingman Park, Linden, Near Northeast, North Lincoln Park, Rosedale, and Stanton Park communities

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ANC 6A generally meets the second Thursday of the month, at Miner Elementary School, 601 15th Street, NE.

www.anc6a.org

ANC 6A, 2nd Thursday, February 14, 7PM said that although violent crime had risen 3 percent from 2011 to 2012, it was down over a five-year period. And from 2011 to 2012, homicides dropped by 19 percent, and robberies were almost exactly even (there were six more in 2012 than in 2011). He admitted that crime was still too high, but did not concede that hiring more police was the best way to reduce it. â€œResearch shows the most effective way to reduce crime is swift and certain justice. Close the case quickly, prosecute aggressively and you get a conviction,â€? he said, adding that this may require better resources and training for detectives. Mendelson reported other Council initiatives and NPD successes, including increased hotline call rates. Addressing the correlation between education and crime, he explained efforts to coordinate with DCPS and CFSA to identify truant juveniles and provide them with the resources they need to stay in school. He also talked about efforts to promote enhanced penalty warnings. This was not enough for the community members, who had suggestions of their own. One woman received a round of applause when she suggested the use of cameras. Mendelson explained that the police force has 90 mobile cameras, but they have not notably helped to close cases. He said research shows cameras do not reduce crime, but rather, they displace it. An audience member whose car had been stolen, and house had been broken into twice, was content with displacing crime away from his property, and said he had thought about putting up cameras as a deterrent. He asked Mendelson about the possibility of offering a stipend to residents in high-crime areas who buy similar deterrents: â€œIâ€™m perfectly willing to fund my own deterrents to crime.

Maybe the city can help utilize people who want to help you,â€? he said. â€œCameras donâ€™t require pensions.â€? To this, and in closing, Mendelson said, â€œI donâ€™t really know how to respond to that â€Ś People should feel safe in their neighborhood. I apologize if Iâ€™m not coming across as empathetic. The response of the government should be that which is most effective. There are not easy solutions.â€?

In Other Actions...

The Commission unanimously supported the two-year PUD extension of H Street Connection (901 H Street NE). According to the Zoning Commission order, developer Sam Rappaport was up to file for a building permit in January 2013, and start construction by January 2014. As a result of complex leases that the current retailers hold, and the slow-to-improve financing market, Rappaport requested to file for a building permit in January 2015 and start construction by January 2016. Correction: The December ANC6A report incorrectly stated that the Commission rejected the ABL Committeeâ€™s recommendation to write a letter in support of eliminating restrictions on Cusbahâ€™s public space patio hours. The ANC voted 3-2-1 in favor of this recommendation.

Alcohol Beverage Licensing Committee 3rd Tuesday, February 19, 7pm â€˘ Sherwood Recreation Center Corner of 10th & G Streets, NE â€˘ Chair, Adam Healy, 556-0215 Transportation & Public Space Committee 3rd Monday, February 18, 7pm â€˘ Sherwood Recreation Center Corner of 10th and G Sts. NE â€˘ Chair, Omar Mahmud, 546-1520 Economic Development & Zoning Committee 3rd Wednesday, February 20, 7 PM â€˘ Sherwood Recreation Center Corner of 10th and G Streets, NE â€˘ Chair, Drew Ronneberg, 431-4305 Community Outreach Committee Monday, February 25, 7:30pm â€˘ Church of the Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith Annex â€˘ 1235 C Street, NE â€˘ Chair, Elizabeth Nelson, 543-3512

Please check the Community Calendar on the website for cancellations and changes of venue. Attend a meeting! Volunteer for a committee! Itâ€™s your ANC!

Advisory Neighborhood Commission 6C P.O. Box 77876 â€˘ Washington, D.C. 20013-7787 www.anc6c.org Call (202) 547-7168 for meeting time and location. ANC 6C generally meets the second Wednesday of each month.

ANC 6C Commissioners: ANC 6C01 Keith Silver 6C-01@anc.dc.org ANC 6C02 Mark Dixon (202) 438-2228 mdixon402@hotmail.com ANC 6C03 VACANT

ANC 6C07 Bill Crews anc6c07@aol.com

ANC 6C04 Tony Goodman (202) 271-8707 tonytgood@gmail.com ANC 6C05 M.Tony Richardson (202) 997-6662 tonyrichardson08@gmail.com ANC 6C06 John Scott Price (202) 577-6261 6CO6@anc.dc.gov

ANC 6C08 Karen Wirt (202) 547-7168 6C08@anc.dc.gov ANC 6C09 Kevin Wilsey (202) 669-5184 kwilsey@thelansburgh.com

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capitolstreets news curtail repeated ER visits for certain diseases to the health of a neighborhood plagued by noise, odor, garbage and rats from a nearby fast food restaurant.

New Year, New Faces, New Officers

The ANC welcomed four new commissioners—Nichole Opkins, Phillip Peisch, Chander Jayaraman and Sara Loveland—and quickly dispensed with the task of electing officers. The five positions had one nominee each, and all five were elected unanimously, with the election overseen by the executive director of the Office of Advisory Neighborhood Commissions, Gottlieb Simon. Brian Flahaven will serve as chair, Ivan Frishberg vice-chair, Phillip Peisch secretary, Brian Pate treasurer and Nichole Opkins parliamentarian. With the election out of the way, the Commission whipped through a complicated agenda in about two hours.

Patient Health, Neighborhood Health

During community speakout, health worker Virginia Davis promoted a new program designed to reduce visits to the emergency room by Medicaid patients suffering from asthma, diabetes and hypertension. Capitol Clinical Integrative Network (CCIN), supported by a grant from Medicaid, is modeled on a successful program in New York. Medicaid patients with the three targeted diseases will receive free home visits from a community health worker, Davis said, noting that about 20,000 patients in the area could be eligible. CCIN will soon be up and running, with offices, website and phones, she said.

Fast Food, Furious Neighbors

When Chipotle and its developer, Street Sense, received a fast-food exception to locate on Barracks Row in July of 2011, they came to an agreement with ANC 6B 46 H HillRag | February 2013

and nearby neighbors in a good-faith effort to avoid the kinds of problems that residents are now complaining about. According to Linda Elliot and Nathan Wilderman, who appeared on behalf of 7th Street residents, problems persist more than a year later, and the neighborhood is plagued with noise, garbage, odors and rats despite numerous phone calls and emails to the restaurant and its developers. Newly-elected commissioner Phillip Peisch, who represents the district where Chipotle is located, said the restaurant has been “a huge disappointment” to neighbors. Commissioner Frishberg said the agreement created a model, and the problem presents a “test of process regarding fast-food establishments.” Everyone on the commission agreed that Chipotle is out of compliance with the terms of the agreement. But since ANC has no enforcement powers, the commission will inform the BZA to ask for their help in solving the problem. Commissioner Flahaven announced that he will put the issue onto the Planning and Zoning Committee agenda for February and invite homeowners to participate.

Semantic Showdown

What should have been easy passage to approve certificates of need for MedStar Health to establish ambulatory and urgent care facilities on the Hill devolved into semantic quibbling. The motion came from the Planning and Zoning Committee with a “no objection” designation. Commissioner Pate introduced an amended motion to indicate approval rather than “no objection,” because he said “two more primary care physicians on the Hill” is a compelling reason for support. Commissioner Garrison thought that changing the wording would set a bad precedent. Despite statements of support from most of the commissioners, based on neighborhood need and MedStar’s positive track record, Commissioners Garrison and Oldenburg voted against the amended

motion, which passed 8-2. The two commissioners then abstained from voting to approve the certificates of need, even though they both said they support MedStar’s plans. That motion passed 8-0-2. The new facility, at 228 7th Street SE, will be staffed by primary care and family practice physicians, as well as an ER-trained physician for the urgent care clinic. Representatives from CSX announced the opening of a community outreach office at 861 New Jersey Avenue SE during reconstruction and updating of the Virginia Avenue tunnel, set to begin by the end of 2013. The tunnel, running approximately 4,000 feet between 11th and 2nd Streets SE on the Anacostia side, will be modernized to allow for double stacking of containers and more efficient use of trains. The community outreach office will consist of three CSX police officers. According to Officer Andrew Ford, “We want to be quick and responsive in dealing with traffic issues during construction.” Ford also noted that the outreach office shares space with Capitol Police and the Department of Homeland Security and will work with the DC Police Department on safety issues during tunnel construction, especially around underpass streets where people walk. Updated information is available at www.virginiaavenuetunnel.com.

Homework for Commissioners

Toward the end of the meeting, Commissioner Pate handed out what he called “a homework assignment” for the other commissioners—an outdated list of vacant and blighted buildings in Ward 6. Pate noted that some of the buildings had been bought and rehabbed, but that some were still vacant and many were still receiving the homestead tax exemption. He urged commissioners to check out the properties in their districts to determine status. Commissioner Garrison said the tax issue bears looking into. “If some of these blighted and vacant properties are claiming a homestead tax exemption, the owners are in violation

of the law and could be committing tax fraud,” he said. H

ANC 6C by Jennifer Zatkowski Note: ANC6C now includes only 6 Commissioners, rather than 9, due to the redistricting.

Election of Officers

ANC6C elected its new officers – each position was unopposed and all were voted in unanimously. Karen Wirt will remain as Commission Chair, and new Commissioner Danielle Schiffman was elected Vice Chair. Returning Commissioner Scott Price was elected Treasurer, and Commissioner Tony Goodman was elected Secretary. As for Committee Chairs, the Commission postponed electing Chairs to the Education, Public Safety and Grants Committees – these will be elected in February. The remaining committees only had 1 nominee each, and all were elected unanimously. Commissioner Eckenwiler was elected Chair of the Zoning Committee, with a Vice Chair of Ryan McGinnis. Joe McCann was elected Chair of the Transportation Committee, and Tony Richardson was elected Chair of the Alcoholic Beverage Committee.

Streetcar Update

Ms. Salaam and Mr. Garraffa, Deputy Director of Engineering and Construction, presented a construction update on the H Street NE streetcars. There will be major construction commencing in early February at the intersection of 3rd and H streets NE. Mr. Garraffa assured the Commission that they are not going down 3rd St NE. They will also be working between 21st and 23rd streets on Benning Road. Mr. Garraffa stated that they hope to be operational in 2013 – not with regular service, but the goal is to

have the streetcars operational. They also hope to be in regular service by the end of this year. Commissioner Goodman asked how long it would take build the car barn, after all approvals are given. Mr. Garraffa aims to have the facility built within 20 months after approvals are received. A question was asked about losing two lanes of street traffic in order for the streetcars to turn around. At the Hopscotch Bridge, you will lose a lane. But at the top of the bridge, there is a very large shoulder, which will be used for the streetcar turn-around. This will also discourage the standing and parking of cars on the Union Station side of the Bridge, because the shoulder will be used as a lane for street traffic. For questions, email construction@streetcar.com. There is a draft visual of the turn-around on the Hopscotch Bridge on their website.

Not A Dogpark – 3Rd & M Streets NE

Douglas Development has proposed installing a fence in public space where currently there are planters. This fence will be erected shortly. According to Commissioner Goodman, “this is not a dogpark, just an unlocked fenced area” where people might bring their dogs. There will be bulletin boards and bag stations.

Murry’s Grocery Store/Closing Of Public Alley 600 Block of H Street NE

An extremely large project has been proposed for the 600 block of H Street NE, that will have frontage on 6th Street as well as I Street NE. The project will have 450 residential units, 73,000 square feet of retail space on the ground floor and two levels of underground parking. There are a number of areas the applicant is seeking rezoning for. Applicant is seeking to have the public alley closed to allow development of this residential

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Overbeck Project and Capitol Hill Village Underwritten by

The Walter and Karla Goldschmidt Foundation

SAT., FEB. 23 FROM 1:30 - 4:00 PM @ Lutheran Church of the Reformation (212 East Capitol Street, NE) Free & Open to all, best for ages 12 and older. The event will feature a keynote speaker, panel of March participants, student chorus singing civil rights songs and the student winners of “I Have a Dream” speech contest. More info at: www.capitolhillvillage.org and/or www.capitolhillhistory.org This ad is sponsored by

hillrag.com H 47

capitolstreets news and retail structure. Commissioner Goodman expressed that this was a very important project for the development of H Street. He noted that the Applicant has been very open to questions, has attended many, many neighborhood and ANC meetings, and has been tremendously responsive to neighborhood concerns. Three residents expressed opinions on the project. One resident expressed concern that the large delivery trucks will not be able to make the turn into the alley. Applicant explained that the curb cuts proposed will allow the trucks to safely make the turn into the alley. The second resident to speak said that trucks regularly pull into the alley, and they don’t have a problem making the turn into the alley. A curb cut wouldn’t result in the loss of any street parking spaces. The third resident spoke in support of the project. The Commission voted unanimously to approve the alley closure in a letter to DDOT. H

ANC 6D by Roberta Weiner

Monument Not Building a Monument, Says ANC

Monument Realty, which has had its logo prominently displayed on the fences at South Capitol and M Streets SE for several years, is, like many DC developers, beginning to move forward with an office building with ground floor retail space that will mark an entryway to the Southwest/Near Southeast community. 1 M Street SE will face the Capitol to the North and the Nationals’ home and a new Frederick Douglass Bridge to the South. And the Commission is disappointed in what they’ve seen of the proposed plan. The plan presented at the January ANC meeting shows a nearly 31,000 square foot building, with 17,000 square feet of ground floor retail, The building, sheathed in 48 H HillRag | February 2013

glass, is primarily a rectangle with an angled wall at the corner angling toward South Capitol Street. The plans also show a “green wall”, a two-story vertical garden extending from outdoors into the building’s lobby. These plans are a modified version of an earlier design presented to the ANC and, according to Monument’s Dennis Hughes, the new plan incorporates many suggestions made at earlier presentations to the Commission. But not well enough, said several Commissioners. Commission Chair Andy Litsky pointed out that the building is at the heart of the ANC, on the most important corner in the neighborhood and the building doesn’t say that, Commissioner Ron McBee added that the building lacks inspiration. He said that the Capitol and the bridge provide physical and cultural connections for bringing people together in ways that they haven’t been before. Several people spoke to the need for a better, more inspired design, and said that the building will be there for a long time and should reflect a higher level of excellence. And with that, the ANC voted to oppose the plan at the Zoning Commission, citing the quality of the design as the reason.

ANC Moves To Control Private Development on Public Land

Motivated by the prospect of the possible development of the public land adjacent to the Randall Recreation Center, ANC 6D unanimously passed a resolution urging the Mayor and his administration not to take any “substantial action” relating to public land use until the commission and the community have been engaged in developing a Small Area Action Plan for Southwest. A Small Area Action Plan is a tool used by the DC Office of Planning to ensure the effective and inclusive use and development of parks and other public land in a community in a way that will increase, according to the resolution, “efficient delivery and coordination of necessary neighborhood improvements and

minimize conflict between stakeholders amidst significant neighborhood change.” A comprehensive Small Area Action Plan, which will cover the many parcels of public land in Southwest, is scheduled to be done for the area some time in 2013, and the ANC’s concern, according to Chair Andy Litsky, who authored the resolution, is that, as the area becomes increasingly attractive to developers, parcels of public land will disappear. The current problem is the potential use of the Randall Recreation Center for a KIPP charter high school. The Rec Center, adjacent to the Randall School which is slated to become a museum and residential development designed by noted architect Bing Thom, is rundown and underutilized. The pool and playing fields behind the rec center could be threatened as well.

CSX To Open Community Office in Southeast

Andrew Ford, the newly-appointed head of security for the CSX tunnel project, announced that the company is opening a community outreach office at 861 New Jersey Avenue SE. They will have security officers with law enforcement powers and explosive-sniffing dogs, and will also serve as a community. Office hours will be set once the construction begins, and he said he wants to make the office a welcoming place where neighbors can share their concerns. He promised a 24-hour turnaround on any problems that arise and would work closely with the federal affairs office. In the meantime, he said he is walking around, talking with people and getting to know the neighborhood. A southeast resident said there had been no notice about Officer Ford’s appearance at the ANC, and Mr. Litsky invited him to return to the March meeting to meet with neighbors. He can be reached at andrewford@csx,com, or by phone: cell: 215/356-0803; office: 1/800/232-0144.

New Officers Elected

A new year, new boundaries, and two new members—ANC 6D, like all the others, began its new twoyear session with election of officers for the 2013. Each Commission has its own rules for elections, and 6D is no exception, with the major one being a two-year limit on terms of office. It was an uneventful election, with no contested races and a mix of long timers and first timers becoming the new officers. And the winners are: Chairman: Andy Litsky, who also served as chairman last year; newcomers Ed Kaminski, Vice Chair and Donna Hopkins, Secretary; and former Chair Ron McBee, Treasurer . The election was conducted by Gottlieb Simon, head of the District Office of Advisory Neighborhood Commissions, who for 25 years, served as the Executive Director of ANC 6D.

In Other News.,,

In other actions, ANC 6D… Heard a detailed report on the impact of Inauguration Day on the 6D area. The nearSoutheast-Southwest area was a central location for private bus parking, volunteer gathering. There were buses set up for warming stations and a tent in Lansburgh Park. The National Guard was deployed to facilitate traffic, and, for the first time, a water taxi plied a route between Old Town Alexandria and the Southwest waterfront. • Approved a request by Arena Stage to extend its hours to 2 AM, Sunday-Thursday, 3 AM, Friday-Saturday. The Arena representative said that there are only four or five times a year when there are events at the facility that may run late, but the blanket extension will save getting special permits for each event. • Agreed, after some discussion, to allow Secrets, a gay club in Buzzard’s Point, to extend its hours. The club manager agreed to be a better neighbor and attend ANC meetings. H •

Permits 101: Ask the Experts

February 27 from 7 to 8:30 PM -- Doors Open at 6:30 Maury Elementary School, 1250 Constitution Ave., NE

any Capitol Hill residents are considering making home improvements in 2013, and they are not alone. The latest quarterly Harvard-sponsored Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA) study finds that the remodeling recovery is underway and predicts home improvement spending will increase almost 20% this year, thanks to low financing costs and other factors. DC agencies have been working hard to streamline the approval process. Does that kitchen upgrade require a permit? What about refurbishing windows? Repairing retaining walls? To help our community members navigate the improvement maze, CHRS will host a forum called “Permits 101: What You Need to Know” featuring officials from the District of Columbia’s Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) and the Historic Preservation Office (HPO). The speakers will provide overviews of their agencies’ residential requirements and take one-on-one questions after a group Q&A. Rabbiah “Robbie” Sabbakhan, DCRA’s Chief Building Official, Permitting & Inspections, will explain which situations require a permit and will describe how DCRA has streamlined its services, including online permit applications and the one-stop Homeowner’s Center at 1100 4th Street, SW. HPO Preservation Specialist and Capitol Hill resident Amanda Molson works with owners of historic properties who are planning repairs, in-kind replacements or alterations. She will explain how the historic preservation guidelines and standards apply to proposed changes. This event is open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to bring photos to help illustrate their questions. A brief CHRS membership meeting will precede the forum.

202-543-0425 www.chrs.org hillrag.com H 49

Crossword Author: Myles Mellor • www.themecrosswords.com • www.mylesmellorconcepts.com

“Hail to the Chiefs” by Myles Mellor and Sally York Across: 1. Steamed dish 7. ___ and Ladders 13. Plunk for 20. Wild ass 21. Second-smallest continent 22. More dependable 23. Former newspaper publisher 26. Met expectations? 27. Cores 28. Strains 29. World Service provider 32. Sana’a native 34. Man of Porto 36. Tinted 38. ___ point 41. Swell place? 42. Make a scene? 45. Heart parts 47. It has a shell 48. Comedian Bill, informally 50. Shake slightly 53. Author of 27 books 58. Spoiled 59. Camden Yards player 60. Anklebone 61. Stiffen 62. Coxcomb 63. Get smart 64. Nobel, for one 65. Emulates Xanthippe 68. ___ du jour 70. Top dog 75. Ryokan ﬂoor covering 79. Density symbol 81. Spicy stew 84. Column style 85. Vegas visitor, maybe 86. Disease origin 88. Native of Denison, Tex. 91. Giggle 92. Lansing-to-Flint dir. 93. Big heart? 94. Certain Muslim 95. Roulette bet 96. 2, on an ATM 99. Beta follower 101. Poet Hughes and others 102. Arrow poison 105. Most masterly 109. No-goodnik 110. Match play?

50 H HillRag | February 2013

113. Craggy 116. Experimental computers by Xerox 118. Choate graduate 124. Frisky 125. Social breakdown 126. Gathering places 127. Not so likely 128. Tend to, as a bad lawn 129. Potential

Down: 1. Hemp fiber 2. Alicia of “Falcon Crest” 3. Fold, spindle or mutilate 4. City on the Yamuna River 5. Circumspect 6. Sgt. Bilko 7. Military order 8. Run smoothly 9. Celestial 10. Medicinal balsam 11. “Beowulf,” e.g. 12. Stitches shut the eyelids of a falcon 13. Radiant 14. Elhi org. 15. ___ Novo (Benin’s capital) 16. Less refined 17. Mayberry man 18. Let out 19. Work units 24. School of whales 25. Wranglers alternative 29. Indian dishes 30. Colorless gas 31. Composite material 33. “O Sanctissima,” e.g. 35. Pilgrimage 37. Went out 39. Category of arachnids 40. Large-eyed lemur 42. Quick 43. Sun block? 44. Short-winded 46. Like 47. Examined by touch 49. South African verandah 51. Ballpark figure 52. Champ 54. Black 55. Unnerve

Look for this months answers at labyrinthgameshop.com 56. Jewish month 57. Witty reply 66. Showy 67. Pilot’s place? 69. Spare 70. Enlarge 71. Made like a cow 72. Forced open 73. ___ Mass 74. Feel compassion 76. Mimicry 77. Jiltee of myth 78. High dudgeon 80. Circus cries

81. Bummer 82. To-do list 83. Type of poet 86. Climbed over a wall, maybe 87. Yahoo 89. Drop from Niobe 90. Foot 97. Exchange 98. Last name of a trio of baseball brothers 100. Butterﬂy, e.g. 102. 1,000 escudos 103. Not healthy 104. Actress Samantha

106. ___ Grove Village, Ill. 107. Baseball datum 108. Island nation east of Fiji 110. Cracked 111. “Coriolanus” setting 112. Ersatz 114. Tierney 115. One taking a bow? 117. Priggish one 119. It may be added to impress 120. This can be white 121. Long intro? 122. One of the 12 tribes of Israel 123. To this day

Community Life Capitol Hill “Ambassador” Retires Shirley Bailey Ends 25 Years at National Capital Bank

by Virginia Avniel Spatz

ustomer service seemed a little “It was interesting to watch the reac- Shirley’s advice, Didden believes, odd to Debra Keats when she tion in the first month or so Shirley was “wasn’t so much nickels and dimes. It first joined the National Capi- here. Customers already knew her from was core values.” tal Bank, over 17 years ago. “I’d see the A&P [where she’d been a cashier customers waiting while tellers were for many years, before the store closed], Changes and Constants free,” she relates. She tried ushering so there was a warm feeling right away. “I enjoyed my time at the bank. I waiting customers toward available Soon, we had lines three and four deep really did. And I miss it,” Bailey said a windows. But tellers waiting for Shirley,” few weeks into her retirement. and customers alike Didden reminisces. Bailey saw many changes in the resisted her efforts to “We never could use bank: There were no computers when speed service. What those velvet ropes – she started, no human resource departpuzzled her seemed putting everyone in ment, no comptroller. Some of those obvious to everyone one line for the next large changes involved struggle. But teller. That didn’t work one constant was the neighborhood. else: “They’re waiting “A lot of customers walked in from for Miss Shirley.” here. Other tellers unShirley Bailey derstood. No one was the neighborhood. I watched some of them grow up. Some died and their served the community offended.” as a teller for 25 years, NCB has seen children now come in....Capital Hill and many customers, many tellers come and the bank are like their own little Keats soon learned, and go. The job is of- country. You knew everyone.” “This is a community bank, and had a special relationten used as a stepping ship with her. By the Shirley Bailey, retiring after 25 years as stone to another or- Shirley Bailey was an important part teller and “Ambassador” at the National time Miss Shirley Capital Bank’s central branch. Photo: ganization or another of that,” concludes CEO Didden. “She retired in December, Talonda M. Hammett, NCB position in the bank, was our ambassador.” H Keats, now Senior Didden says. Vice President, was no longer sur- Bailey was offered promotions, prised by customer response. The bank but she declined. “It was her deciannounced a retirement reception be- sion to keep doing what she did ginning at 1 p.m. on a Friday, she says. best, and no one did it better.” Miss Shirley assisted custom“But the lobby was packed the whole day. People arrived first thing in the ers with their accounts. As she demorning, asking me, ‘Is this the receiv- scribes the job, though, it is clear that she was at least as concerned ing line?’” with encouraging manners in “No One Did It Better” children, discouraging smoking in Richard Didden, Sr., the bank’s teenagers, and challenging elders CEO, says Bailey’s particular knack for on grouchy behavior. Bailey ofconnecting with the community was ev- fered and expected respect from ident from the start. Bailey and Didden customers, and she helped fellow both recall how she arrived for a 9:00 tellers do the same. a.m. interview and was at the teller’s Bailey’s stability in the powindow by 10 a.m. “It was like I’d always sition allowed her to train new Fellow tellers with Shirley Bailey at her retirement party, been there,” Bailey reflects. tellers, Keats adds. But Miss Dec. 14, 2012. Photo: Talonda M. Hammett, NCB hillrag.com H 51

communitylife

Sneed’s Barbershop Closes by Peter J. Waldron

he closing of Sneed’s Barbershop at 8th and I Sts, SE on December 15th was little noted and quietly done. Two plain paper announcements were placed in the window in the weeks preceding. According to Robert Sneed, 20 year owner of the barbershop, each of his six barbers moved quickly to find other employment at other locations including the Marine Barracks. Sneed’s was and will be forever known as the place that the Marines who bivouacked at the Barracks would come for a “high and tight” cut. And for the “civilians,” as Sneed referred to the rest of us (full disclosure: I was a customer for the past twelve years ) including neighborhood kids, MPD officers, as well as the Marines, it was the closing of a Hill institution. As word spread, list servs and blogs were punctuated with Sneed reminisces. The Connolly family who lived on the Hill for years planned their Saturday mornings around their visit to Sneed’s. Carol Connolly, whose lawyer husband Sean is a JAG in the military, wrote from Connecticut that both of her boys got their first cuts at Sneeds, Sean at age one by Mr. Jeff who is also a DC Firefighter and Brendan by Mr. Cooper. Carol adds: “Sneeds always [had] a great mix of people. Neighborhood customers, tourists and our proud military men and women.” According to Sneed one hundred customers a day flooded his business. They now face the prospect of finding another barbershop. Sneed, now 75, says he is ‘tired and retired ” and done with the long hours and work days of cutting hair. Raised in Fuqua-Varina, North Carolina, Sneed says that he moved to 52 H HillRag | February 2013

DC in 1962 after completing barber college. He cut hair at the Marine Barracks until he opened his own business on 8th St in the early ‘90s. Soon after and as a reflection of his impact on the competition, the Marine barbershop closed and Sneed’s business success grew with a virtual monopoly on the Marine hair cutting market. In 2000 Sneed bought the his shop’s building on 8th St for $200,000 and in December along with shuttering his business he sold the property to a developer for a price considerably north of the 2012 DC appraisal of $500,000.00.

A Neighborhood Barber

Top: Sneed’s Barbershop has been a fixture on Barracks Row near the corner of 8th and I Street, SE for 20 years. Center:Robert Sneed at the barbershop opning and with his wife, Shirley. Below: Sean Connolly gets his hair cut at Sneed’s Barbershop. Photo courtesy of Carol Connolly

Sneed recalls that the original price of a haircut was $1.50 for Marines and $5.00 for civilians. When Sneed’s closed in December a civilian cut was $16.00 not including tip. There was always a discount for the young Marines who were its economic backbone. Marines paid $8 for the special cut they required. Frank Zampatori, a long time Hill East resident, says he made Sneed’s his regular stop because he was paying $45 plus tip at a local competitors. “I just didn’t have that much hair to be paying that much,” he said, laughing. Zampatori, who described his barber Willy Newman as “fantastic,” said his experience at Sneed’s as “mostly all business” with “a little short conversation and in and out in twenty minutes.” He expressed his surprise at its closure with what has grown to be the prevailing sentiment: “I am at a loss where I will get my hair cut now. Any ideas? With the closing, Sneed said

ams@OptionsSchool.org

goodbye to an ancient profession, but not the oldest. Barbers were once also priests and men of medicine, and were at the center of community life, a tradition which continues to the present. A morning visit to the “tonsor,” an important source of news and gossip, was as important as a visit to the public baths. Barbering is still a thriving profession with strict requirements for licensing and training. Sneed says that time spent in barber college required hundreds of hours of training with a Master’s License the end result. Sneed’s wife, Shirley, who ran a tax consulting business on the second floor of the property say that it “costs more for a barber’s license ($150) than a medical license ($135).”

N TIO TS! A C EDU TUDEN L NA AL S O I T EP PTION C X E XCE E r fo

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Customers For the Ages

Sneed lists among his famous patrons the former Commandant of the Marine Corp and National Security Advisor to President Obama, James Jones; the Georgetown Hoyas ’s legendary coach John Thompson II as well as former heavyweight world champion prize fighter Bowe Riddick. Many pictures of other notables, mostly military, covered the walls of his shop along with Hill resident Dan Tangherlini, currently Acting Director of the General Services Administration. Pete Cana recently retired as an Air Force Flight Attendant on Air Force Two says the mood was somber as he entered the barbershop one day before it closed: “The first thing I thought was I have to find a different barber.” Cana, with 24 years service to his country says that he mainly talked football with the barbers: “I am a Giants fan and they all loved the Redskins. They would all ask how is Mr. Obama.” As for Robert Sneed he says that he is ready for a “life of fishing and some travel,” having just returned from celebrating one of his siblings 90th birthday: “We did good work. We took pride in our work.” As for his success on 8th St: “It was word of mouth and the Marine Corp.” H

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Options Public Charter Schools 1375 E Street NE Washington DC 20002 P: 202 547 1028 F: 202 547 1272 Office hours: M-F 8:00am – 4:00pm

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WWW.PETERFRIAS.COM PETER@JOHNCFORMANT.COM (202)744-8973 hillrag.com H 53

communitylife

The Capitol Riverfront Looking Back While Planning Ahead

n January 16, 2013, we at the Capitol Riverfront BID hosted our 5th Annual Meeting Luncheon. The luncheon was an opportunity to celebrate our first five years of operations as well as our reauthorization by the DC Government to operate as a BID for another five years. We also released the BID’s “2012 Annual Report and State of the Capitol Riverfront,” and the executive summary of the recently completed Urban Design Framework Plan. As part of the program, I provided an update on the state of the Capitol Riverfront neighborhood, highlighting the following major accomplishments of 2012: 1. 50,000 square feet of retail leases signed, including VIDA Fitness, Osteria Morini Italian restaurant, and Gordon Biersch. 2. Release of “GreenPrint of Growth,” a study about population growth, job creation, and investment along DC’s Green Line Metrorail Corridor. 3. Opening of Canal Park, an environmentally sustainable three-acre urban park with an outdoor seasonal ice-skating rink and water features. 4. Completion of 200 I Street SE, a renovation of the old Washington Post print building into 350,000 square feet of office that is now home to 1,200 employees and an art gallery. 5. The Washington Nationals winning the National League Eastern Division pennant and hosting over 2.4 million fans during the 2012 baseball season. The BID honored the accomplishments of the Clean & Safe Team, highlighting the significant increase in the

54 H HillRag | February 2013

by Michael Stevens

neighborhood’s cleanliness and safety. Results of the 2007 Capitol Riverfront Perception Survey showed only 6% of people felt the neighborhood was clean or very clean and safe or very safe. This year’s perception survey results reveal that 93% of respondents consider the BID clean or very clean and 73% as safe or very safe. A commemorative video was shown to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Clean & Safe Team, and crew members were presented with awards for their outstanding work over the past year. We also released an executive summary of the Urban Design Framework Plan (UDFP), a strategy to capitalize on the current momentum and accelerate the Capitol Riverfront’s development into a new kind of DC community – a connected, vibrant neighborhood of urban density, regional attractions, and distinctive local amenities. A critical moment has arrived in our neighborhood’s history as 32% of the projected buildout has been achieved. Our neighborhood is now enjoying new restaurants and emerging retail destinations. Significant infrastructure projects like the 11th Street Bridges, South Capitol Street Bridge, Virginia Avenue Tunnel, and DC streetcar system are under construction or in concurrent planning processes. Now is the time to align these regional transportation components to maximize the opportunities in Capitol Riverfront and adjoining destinations. This is also the opportune moment to enhance the finer grain circulation, build a sense of civic critical mass, optimize open space systems, and plan the amenities necessary for an engaging and inclusive community. The top five initiatives of the UDFP are the following: 1. Regional transit providing a direct, high-capacity link from Union Station to Capitol Riverfront and then continuing to St. Elizabeths campus. This can provide flexibility, redundancy, new access, and relief to the regional Metro system. It can also provide more regional accessibility to Nationals Park by connecting directly to Capitol South station and Metro’s Blue and Orange lines.

2. Local circulation, an interconnected and flexible grid connecting Eye Street, Virginia Avenue, and L Street SE. This can relieve pressure from M Street SE to distribute traffic better and possibly open up new development opportunities. Virginia Avenue SE could become a major east-west circulator connecting L’Enfant Plaza to Barney Circle. The UDFP also recommends reopening other local streets to provide better neighborhood circulation. 3. Open space, a framework seeking to link our parks more effectively and provide new opportunities for active recreation, relaxation, and community events. Through a robust street tree-planting program and storm-water retention strategies our neighborhood streets can become linear parks that connect within the neighborhood and to adjacent activity centers. Half Street SE north of M Street can become a linear park and outdoor gallery with public sculpture, while still accommodating local street traffic. 4. Civic framework, meaning civic destinations critical to a complete community. Civic uses can attract people as surely as good retail, and must be sited appropriately to serve the community and energize areas where retail will not develop. Key opportunities include the reopening of the Van Ness elementary school site as well as the development of the Arthur Capper Carrollsburg Recreation Center. 5. Clustered retail and interim uses to activate the public realm by attracting residents and visitors. This is essential to achieving a high-density urban environment. The UDFP recommends clustering future retail along Tingey and Water streets, Half Street, New Jersey Avenue, and lower 8th Street SE. Near-term interim uses and future retail should be clustered at the core of the community to create a

dynamic neighborhood and mutually reinforcing activity clusters. Temporary uses, such as outdoor public art and interim gardens and tree farms, can animate and enliven vacant parcels until development occurs. These big five initiatives will not occur overnight. In fact some could take up to 10 years to achieve. For that reason the UDFP looks at “near term implementation” strategies and tactics that can have immediate impact over the next one to three years. The bigger projects are categorized as “long term advocacy initiatives” that will involve additional strategic planning, refinement, cost estimation, and partnership development. They are imperative to the continuing buildout and success of the Capitol Riverfront neighborhood. It has been an exciting five years, and the next five will be even more pivotal as we deliver neighborhood-support retail, continue to develop a high-quality public realm, work to improve regional transit access, and continue to build a vibrant residential base. Our efforts will also focus on the creation of a range of civic and temporary uses that can further animate our public realm and support the neighborhood’s ongoing development. For more information on the Urban Design Framework Plan visit the Capitol Riverfront website at www.capitolriverfront.org which includes a downloadable copy of the annual report and the Urban Design Framework Plan Executive Summary. The full UDFP should be available for review by the middle of this month. In my previous article I spoke to the qualities and attributes that can help make a neighborhood successful and vibrant. We hope that the Urban Design Framework Plan will assist us in our ongoing evolution to becoming a great DC neighborhood and a regional waterfront destination that appeals to residents, employees, and visitors alike. Michael Stevens, AICP, is Executive Director of the Capitol Riverfront BID. www. capitolriverfront.org H

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hillrag.com H 55

communitylife

by Elise Bernard

rrrr! The temperatures have been brutal recently, but that’s no excuse to hide inside your home all winter. We’ve got new restaurants and a popular arts festival to reward those who dare to bundle up and venture out.

Intersections Arts Festival Returns to the Atlas

The ever popular arts festival Intersections (http://intersectionsdc.org) is back for another year of fabulous performances. As in the past, Intersections will feature a diverse line-up including music, cinema, theater, spoken word performances, and dance. The schedule is packed with offerings and very eclectic. There is a little something in there for patrons of all ages and interests. Many of the

h streetlife The brainchild of Vijay Ayer (composer/pianist) and Mike Ladd (poet/performer), along with Maurice Decaul (poet/US Marine veteran), “Holding It Down” is a documentary-style concert intended to shed a musical and poetic light onto the experiences of veterans of color returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Another notable offering is the award winning “Sing Down the Moon: Appalachian Wonder Tales,” which provides entertainment geared toward families with children age five and over. “Sing Down the Moon” runs throughout the festival. The show is a collaboration among the Atlas Performing Arts Center, Catholic University’s School of Music, and Tribute Productions. This musical for all ages spins familiar tales into an intriguing quilt of Appalachian lore, humor, and wisdom.

Hikari Sushi and Sake Bar Comes to H Street NE

“Holding It Down: The Veterans’ Dreams Project” is part of the Intersections Arts Festival at the Atlas Performing Arts Center. Photo courtesy of Intersections Arts Festival

The much anticipated Hikari Sushi and Sake Bar (http://www. hikarirestaurant.com) is now open at 644 H Street NE. Hikari has two levels, along with a back patio on the second floor that they plan to put into use once the weather permits. While the sushi is not cheap, it is by no means overpriced either. They offer a very wide selection of

sashimi, nigiri, and rolls. I tried some of the nigiri and a couple of rolls. Everything was very fresh and satisfying. They also have a large sake menu as well as beer, wine, and cocktails. The food menu is truly huge (and this was the opening menu), consisting not purely of sushi, but also of hibachi items as well as Korean offerings. Hikari Sushi is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.

Mother Rucker’s Subs Opens on Bladensburg

A new sub shop called Mother Ruckers (http:// dcmotherruckers.com) has opened its doors at 1101 Bladensburg Road (previously home to Sullivan’s Southern Style Seafood). It serves quite tasty Italian-style sub sandwiches and is not shy with the fillings. I ordered a large and was unable to finish half of it in one sitting (despite walking in with an appetite). The ingredients are fresh, and every sandwich is made to order. Those who used to venture over to Sullivan’s will be pleasantly surprised to see the open space, without the bulletproof plastic that once enclosed the kitchen. The shop didn’t have chairs when I visited, but the owner told me that she hopes to add seating in the future. Mother Ruckers is open from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Mother Ruckers is cash only and does not have an ATM.

Vendetta to Replace Red Palace

An Italian restaurant known as Vendetta will replace Red Palace (1210-1212 H Street NE).

events are free or inexpensive. Some offer discounts for seniors and students. This is the fourth year for the festival, based at the Atlas Performing Arts Center (1333 H Street NE, http://atlasarts.org). In 2010 Intersections drew over 6,000 visitors; in 2011 it was 9,000, and 12,000 people turned out for the festivities last year. I spoke with a representative about some of the attractions this year. One of the highlights this year is “Holding It Down: LEFT: Hikari Sushi offers items from the hibachi grill and Korean dishes, in addition to its extensive sushi menu.RIGHT: The Veterans’ Dreams Project.” Hikari Sushi and Sake Bar is one of the newest additions to H Street NE’s exciting culinary scene. 56 H HillRag | February 2013

Since before the closure of Red Palace – their last night was New Year’s Eve – I’ve been hearing rumors that it would become an Italian restaurant. I wasn’t sure if Joe Englert was involved in the new project or not (he’s been a busy guy over the past few years), but recent reports have confirmed my suspicions. Vendetta is an idea that Englert’s been kicking around for a few years, and it appeared to be on hiatus for a while. So I am thrilled to hear that it will indeed open along the H Street Corridor. Because the space is actually two buildings, it’s quite large (5,000 square feet). The restaurant will have seating for 120 patrons as well as a 16-seat “Vespa Bar” that will feature Vespas suspended from the ceiling. Vendetta will also boast two 35-foot bocce courts (free to patrons). Diners will choose from six to eight pastas and sauces that can be mixed and matched. Englert hopes for a mid-spring opening.

Cusbah Launches Lunch Buffet

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Local Indian / Pakistani restaurant Cusbah (1128 H Street NE, http:// www.cusbah.com) recently rolled out a weekday lunch buffet. The buffet is all you can eat for $10.99. It is available 11:30 a.m.-3:00 p. m., Monday-Friday.

202-678-REAL(7325) info@AnacostiaRiverRealty.com

www.AnacostiaRiverRealty.com

Thaaja Offers Fast-Casual Indian Fare

Meanwhile, a fast-casual Indian restaurant by the name of Thaaja (1335 2nd Street NE, http://thaaja.com) recently opened its doors for lunch and dinner service. For now, Thaaja is dine-in or carryout only, but rumor has it that they plan to start delivery soon. For more on what’s abuzz on and around H Street visit Elise Bernard’s blog http://frozentropics.blogspot.com. You can send tips or questions to elise. bernard@gmail.com. H

RICHARD B. TREANOR T A X

A T T O R N E Y

Tax Returns, Tax Litigation, Innocent Spouse, Offers in Compromise Wills, Estates, Probate 613 4th Place, SW • Washington DC, 20024

202-554-3467 hillrag.com H 57

communitylife

BYwest

SOUTH Wharf Receives Zoning Approval

fter more than six years of planning, the largest development to occur in Southwest in over a half century has finally received the approvals it needs to put shovels in the ground sometime in 2013. The District of Columbia Zoning Commission granted its approval in mid-January for phase one of The Wharf, which includes approximately 1.5 million square feet of residential, hotel, office, and retail uses along with three piers, numerous open spaces and gathering places along the Southwest

By William Rich District where city life meets the water. Water Street, SW will be removed to make way for new buildings, but a promenade street will be created near the water’s edge called Wharf Street, designed as a woonerf, which allows vehicular access but pedestrians and cyclists have priority. The 60-foot wide promenade will include areas for café seating, pedestrians, and vehicles. A 650 square-foot pier will extend from Maine Avenue, SW where it meets 9th Street, SW out into the Washington Channel. District Pier, as it is be-

to power the rest of the development. Wharf Hall has been designed to accommodate a variety of events, from conferences to cultural programming to concerts and will be in operation ideally between 150 and 180 nights a year. Moving east from District Pier to Parcel 3, a 278-key, four-star Intercontinental Hotel will face Wharf Street. The hotel will include a rooftop lounge and two ballrooms looking out onto the water. There will be an office building on the Maine Avenue side of Parcel 3. It was announced over a year

The Wharf covers 26 acres of land and 50 acres of water along the Southwest Waterfront. Rendering: Hoffman-Madison Waterfront

Waterfront. “The Zoning Commission’s approval recognizes The Wharf ’s world-class team of architects, planners and engineers led by Perkins Eastman,” said David Brainerd, Managing Director of Investments of Madison Marquette in a statement. Madison Marquette, along with PN Hoffman, leads the development team that will bring the project to fruition. In most of Washington, the riverfront is bordered by parkland or military installations, but The Wharf will be one of the few areas of the 58 H HillRag | February 2013

ing called, will be the grand entrance to The Wharf by land or water. Tall ships and other vessels from around the world will use District Pier to access the city. To the west of District Pier is Parcel 2, which will contain Wharf Hall, a multipurpose venue that can accommodate between 3,500 and 5,500 people, along with two apartment buildings wrapped around it. A Combined Heating and Power Facility plant is also planned on this parcel which would use clean-burning natural gas

ago that Graduate School USA would be the lead tenant in the building, but it appears that other tenants are now being solicited. Next door to Parcel 3 is Parcel 4, where a 175-unit apartment building is planned facing Maine Avenue, SW and a 134-unit condominium building is planned on the Wharf Street side. These buildings will have more of an industrial feel to them than the other buildings planned in phase one. All of the buildings in phase one will include ground floor retail, but the buildings in

Parcel 4 will have 77,000 square feet of retail in two levels, including space for a health club. Although disjointed from the rest of the phase one buildings, Parcel 11 at 6th Street and Maine Avenue, SW will be developed as a part of phase one, as well as a new 4-acre waterfront park for the neighborhood. At the new St. Augustine’s Church on Parcel 11, there will be views of the church from M Street, SW and Maine Avenue, SW since it will be located at a prominent corner. There will be a soft curved edge in front of St. Augustine’s to complement the curvature of Arena Stage across the street. The 2-story church will be approximately 15,000 square feet with the sanctuary located on the second floor offering views toward the Washington Monument. Also on the second floor will be classrooms and a library. On the ground floor, the entrance will lead to a vestibule that connects to classrooms and an all-purpose room, which will be available for community events, similar to how St. Augustine’s is now used for meetings. A plaza will be located near where Maine Avenue will intersect with a new Water Street that will include among other things a labyrinth. The other building planned at Parcel 11 will be a 109-unit condominium. The asymmetry of the facade was designed to be similar to the Tiber Island townhouses across the street. There will be a concrete base with four stories of wood frame construction above. The penthouse level will be set back 12 feet from the lower floors and will offer private terraces. A courtyard will be created on the second floor with some green space and a fountain. In addition,

there will be a green roof, but condo residents will not have access to the roof except for those with terraces on the penthouse level. While The Wharf project will bring many new residents to the waterfront, the developers needed to be mindful not to neglect the residents who currently reside on the waterfront – the houseboat owners at the Gangplank Marina, the largest liveaboard community on the East Coast. “The zoning approval process was grueling for all the participants but the end result is going to be a better project,” said Karen Anderson, President of the Gangplank Slipholders Association. “We were hugely impressed by the [Zoning] Commission’s willingness to dig deep into detail and to push the developers to address community concerns. For the liveaboard residents of Gangplank, this made a huge difference, ensuring we will be able to stay on the waterfront during and after construction. With few relocation options for liveaboards, this was critical to our community’s survival.” The Wharf will seek LEEDNew Development Gold, while the individual buildings will strive for a minimum of LEED-Silver. An elaborate 675,000 gallon cistern system will be constructed to capture the more than 25 million gallons of runoff each year that currently dumps into the Washington Channel due to the lack of permeable surfaces at present. The captured runoff will be recycled to the greatest extent possible, including the provision of chilled water for the Co-Gen plant. Solar power may also be used for lighting throughout the development. Next on the agenda for the development team is to secure financing for the project. Once financing is in hand and the land transfer is completed between the city and Hoffman-Madison Waterfront, construction permits can be pulled and the transformation of the Southwest Waterfront can begin. Will Rich is a blogger at Southwest… The Little Quadrant that Could (www. southwestquadrant.blogspot.com). H

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communitylife

Culinary Education Crawl Feb. 17, 2013 by Sharon Bosworth

arracks Row has not always been synonymous with restaurants. True, in 1913 the original Senart’s Oyster House at 520 8th Street, SE, was doing a bustling business serving oyster stew. Today at that exact same location, Senart’s Oyster and Chop House has re-appeared due to the creativity of restaurant entrepreneur, Xavier Cervera. But there was a gap of almost one hundred years between these eateries.

The hundred year gap began with World War I, then the Depression, then World War II. GI’s returned home in 1945 yearning for peace and quiet, more or less inventing the suburbs. As with so many US cities, the depth of the urban dark ages here ranged from 1960 to 2000. Certainly the founders of Barracks Row Main Street deserve the credit for bringing 8th Street, SE, back from the brink with heroic physical improvement. But the hidden market force behind the Row’s transformation has been savvy business owners who spotted an opportunity just as those dark ages were ending.

The Chef Who Saw Through the Fog

It has helped also to be an integral part of a diverse, international power center. The primary elements were all in place in 2003 when an ambitious young man planning soon to resign his job as chef at an embassy was taken by a realtor on a city-wide tour to scout sites for a restaurant. There was chaos on 8th Become a Belgian Gourmand with Chef Bart Street. Workmen were tearing out cement sidewalks and replacing them with layers of sand so that brick sidewalks could be laid by hand. Huge, diseased trees were being dug out as elm saplings were being planted. But the chef saw through the fog of construction and told the realtor it was perfect. Bart Vandaele signed a long term lease and opened Belga Café at 514 8th Street, SE. Many followed his lead. Today, the beat continues. Directly across the street from Belga Cafe, Serbian chef preside at justopened Ambar, 523 8th Street, Learning to Shuck Oysters at Senart’s SE, serving Balkan specialties. And four doors south of Belga Café at 524 8th Street, SE, Vanessa Lim and Chef Bill Tu are about to open Nooshi Sushi in a heavenly third floor all-glass aerie which includes a rooftop meditation garden. By the time you read this, Tash, featuring Middle Eastern kebabs, will be open on the first floor of that same building.

Learn to Cook From the Chefs of Barracks Row

Cupcake Decorating at Hello Cupcake 60 H HillRag | February 2013

If you frequent our burgeoning United Nations of restaurants, you may have wondered what actually goes into the creation of that perfectly seasoned sauce anchoring the Rigatoni Pesto at Lavagna, 539 8th Street, SE, or the secret ingredient that makes the Almond-Walnut Tart

so scrumptious at Spring Mill Bread, 701 8th Street, SE. Most of us will never complete chef ’s training, much less brave opening a restaurant. But you can sample the depth and breadth of worldwide cooking techniques by taking classes at the upcoming Barracks Row Culinary Education Crawl on Sunday, February 17. Barracks Row will be the campus and you can sign up for classes all day beginning at 9:30 a.m. or just take one or two classes. It’s totally ala carte. Here’s a first look, at-aglance, abbreviated course

Build Your Pizza with Matchbox Ingredients - Watch It Cook

catalogue. A few of the course descriptions are generalized because the exact dishes and/or times they will teach were not available at press time. But all restaurants listed below (and possibly one or two more) will teach classes on Sunday, February 17. The event website will show complete course descriptions with precise times and dishes in early February as they become available. Sign up on the event website http://cecrawl2013.eventbrite.com and bring home from your favorite Barracks Row chefs the secrets of their success. Don’t wait too long, though - last year this event sold out early! To volunteer or for more information about the Barracks Row Culinary Education Crawl 2013 or any of the Barracks Row Main Street events call 202-544-3188 or go to www.barracksrow.org. H

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Dogs are our link to paradise.

They donâ€™t know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden,where doing nothing was not . boring - it was

peace

-Milan Kundera

Tara Willis Beloved Companion b.2000 d.2013

62 H HillRag | February 2013

Real Estate Capitol Hill 2012-2013

by Don Denton

hen I began my career on Capitol Hill, over 35 years ago, there was one real estate adage that was true then and it is still true today – LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION – and nowhere is this more true than here on Capitol Hill. Inventories have continued to shrink (25 – 30 available properties as we have begun each of these past several years). Median sales prices rose from $542,000 in 2011 to $610,000 in 2012 (up 12%). The number of sales on the Hill for under $150,000 in 1995 represented 55% of our market. Last year there were two! While we had one sale over a million in 2000, last year we had 50 (highest to date). The percent of our market selling for over $500,000 has risen to nearly 70%. And, if you are fortunate enough to find something for less than $500,000, you have moved far from the Capitol building. As has been chronicled in many articles recently, our population is getting younger and people are staying longer. Young couples are now fighting for available inventory in the Brent or Maury or Peabody school districts (and other public school elementary hillrag.com H 63

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64 H HillRag | February 2013

districts here on the Hill)! They are thrilled to get a home on Orleans Place (home of Rayful Edmond, a notorious drug dealer in the 1980’s) to be near H Street! More recently, people are delighted to get a home at 5th and Florida just to be near the new Union Market where “all of my friends hang out!” There are more senior couples loving life in elevator buildings near the ballpark! Our 5 and 6 year olds ice skating on a sunny day at Canal Park in the shadow of what was Riteway Auto Body. I had an out-of-body experience the other morning, returning from taking my son to St. John’s, when I stopped at the light at 3rd and H… there was a huge Giant on the right and at 11 o’clock there was a trendy little Ethiopian restaurant bordered by a new bakery and that bordered by a Georgetown Valet. H Street is not what it once was! Life just keeps getting better around here. A surprise every day, and much more to come. Many long-time residents are choosing to spend significant sums to make their homes a place they can stay forever. Fill in a dog leg; dig out a basement; substantially upgrade kitchens and baths. Just drive around the Hill any day of any week and look for the dumpsters and the permits in windows and the electrician and plumber trucks. I find it exhilarating. One of the bright spots in the market last year was the activity in the million dollar plus market. With 50 sales last year, this part of the market was really popping. Who is spending this kind of money on the Hill? My informal survey shows that nearly 70% of these buyers already have a connection with the Hill.

They are either here already or they are parents moving here to be near their kids and grandchildren. Many are returning Hill natives, some who live in contiguous neighborhoods or have offices here and want to be closer to work and to our schools. 50% of these buyers have school age children. What do we have to look forward to in 2013? First, our inventories will stay tight. Young families have put down roots and are finding elementary school options that work for them. Our seniors are choosing to stay and are finding retirement on the Hill to be just what they thought they were looking for. So, nobody is moving. A lot of the inventory that we do see is older housing stock that is coming on fully renovated with hefty price tags. These are the factors that are keeping the inventory tight. The really good news is that a lot of neighborhoods that are contiguous to Capitol Hill (Rosedale, Trinidad) or near to Capitol Hill (Brookland, Petworth, Shaw, etc.) are now proving to be very viable(if not as desirable) for our traditional first time buyers. These neighborhoods have a long way to run and will provide a huge source of consumers for our restaurants and other businesses and private schools and churches. In short, 2013 should see rising prices, tighter inventories and expanding boundaries. All good if you already have your little piece of the Hill. If you would like to be included on my monthly e-mail market update, just send me an e-mail address to: ddenton@cbmove.com Don Denton is Branch Vice President at Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, 605 Pa. Ave., SE, Washington DC 20003. http:// donalddenton.xactsite.com/ H

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realestate

Changing Hands

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 16TH STREET HEIGHTS 1501 GALLATIN ST NW 1518 VARNUM ST NW

$735,000 $540,000

3 4

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY PARK 4820 CHESAPEAKE ST NW 4400 ALBEMARLE ST NW

$1,275,000 $950,000

4 3

ANACOSTIA 1435 GOOD HOPE RD SE 1325 W ST SE 1215 MORRIS RD SE

$180,000 $120,000 $100,000

ATLAS DISTRICT 1749 L ST NE

$273,121

BLOOMINGDALE 2205 FLAGLER PL NW 2417 1ST ST NW 2415 1ST ST NW

$620,000 $600,000 $500,000

3 3 3 2 3 6 3

BRENTWOOD 1814 CORCORAN ST NE 1835 PROVIDENCE ST NE

$76,700 $75,000

3 1

BRIGHTWOOD 712 BUTTERNUT ST NW 1231 ROCK CREEK FORD RD NW 1234 VAN BUREN ST NW 528 ROXBORO PL NW

$490,000 $350,000 $330,000 $242,000

4 4 4 3

BROOKLAND 1001 IRVING ST NE 1030 GIRARD ST NE 1206 SHEPHERD ST NE 4955 6TH ST NE 3503 10TH ST NE 2410 2ND ST NE 122 V ST NE 903 KEARNY ST NE 324 DOUGLAS ST NE 201 BRYANT ST NE 334 ADAMS ST NE 2505 BRENTWOOD RD NE

$760,000 $418,000 $417,000 $417,000 $348,000 $344,200 $340,000 $340,000 $272,000 $265,000 $260,000 $505,000

4 4 3 4 4 2 4 2 3 5 3 4

BURLEITH 4040 MANSION CT NW 4039 MANSION DR NW

$1,425,000 $1,350,000

CAPITOL HILL 207 14TH PL NE 117 11TH ST SE 723 MASSACHUSETTS AVE NE 647 A ST SE 505 6TH ST NE 912 I ST NE 328 TENNESSEE AVE NE 1162 ABBEY PL NE 908 12TH ST NE 1319 EMERALD ST NE 1309 C ST NE 1232 C ST NE 334 16TH ST NE

$575,000 $1,080,100 $999,000 $989,000 $795,000 $659,000 $649,000 $625,000 $612,500 $602,000 $596,000 $501,000 $465,000

CHEVY CHASE 6025 WESTERN AVE NW 5616 NEBRASKA AVE NW 3820 MORRISON ST NW 6606 31ST PL NW

66 H HillRag | February 2013

$1,265,000 $1,100,000 $960,000 $956,500

3 3 3 5 5 4 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 4 6 5 3 4

3718 INGOMAR ST NW 3251 VAN HAZEN ST NW 2606 NORTHAMPTON ST NW 3256 VAN HAZEN ST NW

$900,000 $875,000 $765,000 $850,000

4 4 5 4

CHILLUM 33 KENNEDY ST NW #302

$50,000

COLONIAL VILLAGE 7600 17TH ST NW 1790 SYCAMORE ST NW

$878,000 $700,000

COLUMBIA HEIGHTS 1482 CHAPIN ST NW 3547 13TH ST NW 763 COLUMBIA RD NW 644 KEEFER PL NW 1002 COLUMBIA RD NW 719 OTIS PL NW 776 IRVING ST NW 761 HOBART PL NW 604 COLUMBIA RD NW

$1,001,000 $910,000 $635,000 $575,000 $553,900 $515,000 $391,753 $333,000 $332,000

CONGRESS HEIGHTS 539 MELLON ST SE 3844 9TH ST SE 602 GALVESTON PL SE 3961 1ST ST SW

$279,000 $206,000 $179,000 $150,000

1 4 3 5 6 4 3 4 4 2 3 3 3 4 3 3

CRESTWOOD 1624 TAYLOR ST NW 1617 TAYLOR ST NW

$1,062,000 $580,000

4 4

DEANWOOD 5019 HAYES ST NE 3937 AMES ST NE 539 47TH ST NE 5212 EAST CAPITOL ST NE 5050 HAYES ST NE 5253 BANKS PL NE 5321 GAY ST NE 223 46TH PL NE 4248 FOOTE ST NE 4519 FOOTE ST NE

$325,000 $247,000 $240,000 $235,000 $178,000 $169,500 $147,000 $130,000 $67,500 $60,000

5 4 4 3 2 4 3 4 2 1

DUPONT 1752 CHURCH ST NW

$1,525,000

ECKINGTON 104 U ST NE 306 T ST NE 19 QUINCY PL NE 162 UHLAND TER NE

$565,000 $550,000 $525,000 $389,000

FOREST HILLS 5108 34TH ST NW 2747 MACOMB ST NW

$1,037,500 $900,000

FORT DUPONT PARK 3955 R ST SE 1100 46TH PL SE 614 BURNS ST SE

$222,500 $215,000 $199,700

FOXHALL RIDGE 4452 MACARTHUR BLVD NW 4456 MACARTHUR BLVD NW 4458 MACARTHUR BLVD NW

$1,025,035 $978,100 $976,100

3 3 4 3 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 2

GEORGETOWN 3100 P ST NW 3010 DUMBARTON ST NW 3616 PROSPECT ST NW 2719 DUMBARTON ST NW

$2,700,000 $1,900,000 $1,675,000 $1,100,000

5 4 3 3

1716 34TH ST NW

$70,000

GLOVER PARK 3850 BEECHER ST NW

$952,500

0 4

HAWTHORNE 3025 BIRCH ST NW

$655,000

HILL CREST 2216 31ST ST SE 3233 POPE ST SE 3809 W ST SE #201

$330,000 $299,750 $37,000

2 3 2

KALORAMA 2430 20TH ST NW

$1,210,000

FILL YOUR NEW HILL HOME

KENT 2818 UNIVERSITY TER NW

$850,000

LILY PONDS 143 33RD ST NE

$220,000

MARSHALL HEIGHTS 5323 D ST SE 5300 E ST SE 5200 DRAKE PL SE 5036 DRAKE PL SE

$299,900 $285,000 $235,000 $82,500

WITH LOVE!

2 4 4 3 3

MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE HTS 2910 EDGEVALE TER NW 3025 WHITEHAVEN ST NW

$5,495,000 $6,250,000

MICHIGAN PARK 4210 19TH ST NE 4100 20TH ST NE #4100

$445,900 $320,000

MOUNT PLEASANT 1877 MONROE ST NW

$750,000

OBSERVATORY CIRCLE 3815 CATHEDRAL AVE NW 2818 39TH ST NW

$1,260,000 $1,000,000

OLD CITY #1 631 8TH ST NE 1738 BAY ST SE 1408 C ST NE 306 TENNESSEE AVE NE 927 4TH ST NE 1222 FLORIDA AVE NE 1530 EAST CAPITOL ST NE 532 21ST ST NE 821 WEST VIRGINIA AVE NE 1916 ROSEDALE ST NE 1440 IVES PL SE 613 16TH ST NE

$750,000 $650,000 $640,000 $639,900 $615,000 $590,000 $550,000 $435,000 $305,000 $250,000 $236,000 $225,000

OLD CITY #2 1734 6TH ST NW 135 P ST NW 1608-/2 MA MARION ST NW 1848 8TH ST NW 1724 6TH ST NW 1431 3RD ST NW 15 N ST NW

$1,332,094 $700,000 $691,000 $565,000 $435,000 $433,000 $401,500

6 7 3 3

G IN ! M N O O C O S

332 E Street SE $749,000 2BR/1.5BA

1507 West Virginia Avenue NE $400,000 3BR/2BA

At the heart of the hill, just 3 blocks away from Congress, Metro, and Eastern Market sits this three story classic bay front. With southern sun- filled bedrooms, a large private garden, gourmet kitchen, and charming family room with fireplace this amazing house is awaiting to become your next home.

5 5 4 3 3 2 2 4 2 3 2 3 3 3

G IN ! M N O O C O S

Renovated top to bottom in 2006, but retains classic wood floors, stairs, molding, high ceilings, French doors, and more! Sunny front view over Gallaudet University entrance to track, fields, playground, plus parking in back!amazing package!

R T DE C N TRA U N CO

1237 C Street SE AMAZING development opportunity! Spacious historic warehouse with skylights just waiting for the visionary to convert to loft residence! Original brick and exposed beams. Ceilings 15’ to 17’. Large lot conveys with building for expansion, parking. Luxury residences adjacent on Adolph Cluss Court.

9 4 2 3 2 3 3

PETWORTH 5301 4TH ST NW 4207 4TH ST NW 4313 4TH ST NW 629 QUINCY ST NW 5418 8TH ST NW 809 JEFFERSON ST NW 224 JEFFERSON ST NW 306 EMERSON ST NW 610 INGRAHAM ST NW 513 JEFFERSON ST NW 5017 9TH ST NW

$644,450 $575,000 $565,000 $453,333 $450,000 $389,000 $343,200 $305,000 $275,000 $269,900 $257,499

RANDLE HEIGHTS 2822 BUENA VISTA TER SE 2005 TRENTON PL SE 2411 S ST SE 1915 SAVANNAH PL SE

$267,000 $223,000 $170,000 $83,000

RIGGS PARK 5901 8TH ST NE 243 QUACKENBOS ST NE 5030 10TH ST NE

$314,900 $270,000 $260,000

4 3 3 4 4 4 4 3 2 3 5 4 3 3 2

ST ! JU LD O S

215 I Street NE Unit 1A $775,000 2BR/2BA Live in history at the Chapel at Abdo’s historic Landmark Lofts! This 2 bedroom 2 bath is filled with natural light and huge private patio! Top of the line finishes including granite, Wolf/Subzero appliances, Waterworks fixtures, hardwood floors, Rooftop pool, 24hr concierge, fitness center, movie theatre, club room, & private wine storage. Parking included! All this and only 2 blocks to Union Station!

G IN ! M N O O C O S

YOUR HOUSE HERE

In times of market shift, homebuyers and sellers are finding our energy, creativity, and direct experience more vital than ever. For the best results, put us to work today! Call Joel for a free consultation on market values, smart improvements, and more!

3 3 3

SHAW 77 P ST NW

$536,500

SHEPHERD PARK 1351 JUNIPER ST NW 7707 13TH ST NW 1219 FLORAL ST NW

$700,000 $594,900 $340,000

SPRING VALLEY 4628 SEDGWICK ST NW

$750,000

TAKOMA PARK 5 UNDERWOOD PL NW

$290,000

2 4 4 3 2 3

TRINIDAD 1751 L ST NE 1212 ORREN ST NE

$123,400 $426,500

3 3

hillrag.com H 67

S W E E T TA L K

U STREET

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WAREHOUSE DISTRICT 1304 GALLAUDET ST NE #102

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ARTS & Dining Imagining Henry V

Folger Production Gives Weight to Whimsy

n Shakespeare’s “Henry V,” a newly minted king, fresh from a dissolute youth spent in the company of disreputable characters, leads his country to new heights – dealing decisively with traitors, rogues, and the French royalty who underestimate him, and uniting England and France to begin an era of peace. It’s a heavy reflection on the costs of war and the burden of leadership, but under the direction of Robert Richmond creative flourishes enliven the ponderous play. From beginning to end his production turns the limitations of the Folger Theatre’s awkward little stage to advantage with inventive devices that let the imagination loose. With 48 characters and scenes spanning the English and French kings’ palaces, London’s streets, military base camps, and the battlefields of France, for more than 400 years “Henry V” has inspired elaborate sets, video backdrops, and even the on-location realism of Kenneth Branagh’s 1989 film. But Richmond brings the play back to its fundamentals, enlisting a cast of just 13 actors to embody all the parts on a spare set of rustic timbers. Even Mariah Hale’s fine costumes place the actors firmly in Shakespeare’s Elizabethan England, dispensing with any pretense of recreating the clothing of 1415 or any other period that could be cleverly linked to the play’s enduring themes. The prologue, beautifully rendered along with other illuminating soliloquies by Richard Sheridan Willis as the Chorus, asks the questions that define the evening. “Can this cockpit hold the vasty fields of France? Or

by Barbara Wells

Richard Sheridan Willis sets the stage as the Chorus. All photos by Scott Suchman.

(Left to right) Hostess Quickly (Catherine Flye), Pistol (James Keegan), Young Boy (Katie deBuys), and Bardolph (Louis Butelli) mourn Falstaff.

may we cram within this wooden O the very casques that did affright the air at Agincourt?” The answer is an emphatic yes, which makes this production a purist’s delight. The power of suggestion prevails. When two bishops ride to London, they simply bounce rhythmically on the backs of sawhorses made of two-by-fours fitted with reins. When Henry V takes to his throne, he positions himself regally on a bench atop a tiny platform, stage right. When three traitors hang, death is signaled when they jolt and rise to their tiptoes with the slight tightening of their nooses. And instead of a soundtrack, it’s the exuberant fiddle, delicate harp, and haunting soprano of Jessica Witchger that heighten the action and emotion. She moves around the stage like an earthbound fairy, and her music alone is worth the price of admission. Scenic designer Tony Cisek and lighting designer Andrew F. Griffin, both Folger Theatre veterans, know how to use the stage’s nooks and crannies to create multiple settings and suggest a breadth and depth the stage lacks. Cisek’s beams evoke soaring columns before gradually leaning into the stage – lowered by visible ropes and pulleys – to bob like the masts of ships sailing to France. Then they collapse into what might be fallen trees or crumbling buildings on the battlefield, before finally rising up once more with England’s triumph. In this make-believe set Zach Appelman casts a spell of his own as an unusually youthful Henry V. The king rallies his advisers and troops not with bravado and charisma, but rather determination and wit. It behillrag.com H 71

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King Henry (Zach Appelman, top center) leads his men in the Battle of Agincourt.

gins in Act I, when the French ambassador delivers tennis balls to Henry in response to his claims to France, with a message from the dauphin that tennis is better suited to Henry’s spirit than the conquest of French dukedoms. Few actors have delivered with such clarity and power Henry’s incisive smackdown that follows; Appelman relishes every withering line. In his battle scenes, masterfully choreographed by fight director Casey Dean Kaleba, Appelman matches his verbal abilities with physical skill, deploying a black belt in karate in a series of startlingly realistic altercations. And as if that isn’t enough, he proves a more than worthy wooer at the play’s end, charming Princess Katherine of

France (Katie deBuys) with a selfeffacing semi-monologue that’s at once heart-warming and hilarious. DeBuys is the perfect counterpoint to Appelman’s nervous energy, capturing the somewhat disingenuous reserve and a brave curiosity the princess can’t suppress. And Catherine Flye strikes a perfect note as Katherine’s attendant, Alice, who does her best to serve as interpreter for the king and princess with helpful statements like: “Oui, dat de tongues of de mans is be full of deceits: dat is de princess.” Both actresses shine in other roles, too. In most of her scenes deBuys plays a character named only “Boy,” whose innocence, fear, and ultimate murder by French soldiers are grim reminders of the victims of war.

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King Henry (Zach Appelman) and Katherine of France (Katie deBuys) learn to speak the same language.

Flye begins the play as Hostess Quickly, managing a boisterous band of rogues and then poignantly describing the death of Falstaff, the king’s rejected friend who has passed away in exile. The rest of the cast does an admirable job, usually filling multiple roles. Folger favorites Louis Butelli and Michael John Casey, Chris Genebach and Edward Christian morph easily from staid bishops, dukes, and earls into war-weary soldiers and comical commoners. James Keegan is a particularly amusing and touching Pistol, the scam artist who genuinely gushes about his love for the king to Henry, not recognizing him in disguise. Keegan and Cameron Pow, playing the Welshman Fluellen, engage in colorful verbal jousts – until Fluellen avenges an insult by forcing Pistol to eat a dreaded leek in a scene that’s humorous, humiliating, and sad all at once. Despite often inspired direction, staging, and acting, at times they don’t all quite gel, as if they have yet to achieve a synergy that makes each element all the stronger. It’s noticeable during Henry’s famous Saint Crispian’s speech, a gorgeous and nuanced rallying cry for his troops that builds to a crescendo. As Appelman gives the speech his all, the stony silence of the cast – sustained until they issue a single, robust cheer – denies him the give and take between leader and followers, actor and actors, that might more fully bring the text to life. That kind of give and take among the small ensemble cast and with its audiences, who can’t help but participate within the Folger’s intimate space, will surely build in every performance. With so much to its credit this production promises to grow in power and resonance, as living theatre at its best always does. “Henry V” is playing at the Folger Theatre through March 3, 2013. Barbara Wells is a writer and editor for Reingold, a social marketing communications firm. She and her husband live on Capitol Hill. H

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Whatever You Eat at Rogue 24, You Have Never Had It Before by Emily Clark photos: Andrew Lightman

74 74H HHillRag HillRag||February February2013 2013

f you find it, you will eat. Everything about Rogue 24 is intriguing, beginning with its location. Imagine standing on N Street NW, staring at the address where the restaurant is supposed to be and is not. 922 N Street is just a cover. Receive instructions to walk down Blagden Alley – the alley Eleanor Roosevelt once referred to as the seediest in America – turn left and arrive mid-alley at an unprepossessing door. It’s like time travel, and you half expect a slot to open and you hope you remember the password for entry. You wonder if you should be dressed in a feather boa, with a long string of pearls and lacquered cigarette holder, because Rogue 24 is like

Chef R.J. Cooper

the modern version of a speakeasy, down to the still just inside the front door. Housed in a former garage, décor is pleasant and minimal – open ducting, exposed brick walls, plain wood top tables. The front lounge resembles a living room, with low, comfortable couches and strategically placed art.

no matter how intently you watch, you won’t get to the bottom of what makes everything so tasty. Rogue 24, the inspiration of owner/ chef R.J. Cooper, is an adventure, defying any attempt at categorization. Each dish looks like a tiny work of art. We actually saw other diners taking pictures. There are three levels of dining—the Journey, the Progression and the four-course. We chose the Progression, a 16-course tasting menu (the Journey is 24-course), which we paired with their beverage suggestions.

Squid, lardo, ink, sea grass, benton’s 30-month ham broth

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Kitchen as Nerve Center

But the heart of the dining area is also the kitchen, resembling an open, inviting food lab where eager chefs are creating magic and testing the boundaries of what can be done to food. Different servers present different courses and they all know the scoop on each dish. My husband calls it a “gustatory variety show.” You can be sure that whatever you eat at Rogue 24, you have never had it before. And

“Everything about Rogue 24 is intriguing, beginning with its location.”

We started with a cocktail in a small glass, called Corpse Reviver #2, a combination of gin, lemon, absinthe and two sweet liqueurs. Our server placed what appeared to be giant tweezers in front of us,

but instead turned out to be the lazy person’s version of chopsticks. Our first few courses were madai, a Japanese white fish with coconut, chilies, coriander, ginger and lime; a crunchy, salty house-fried rice served like a shot; crispy fried shredded artichoke with nasturtium, olive oil jam and parmesan espuma (foam) and tempura nasturtium with tomato jam and lemon. Next came a change of cutlery (this happened with each set of courses), as well as a crisp white wine. An oyster was served with purple potato and crispy sea grass,

hillrag.com H 75

• • • • • • •

thrice-compressed watermelon with cheese, boneless rabbit with carrot, flavorful “soil” and bitter orange and sweetbread ravioli with pistachio and brown butter. A Columbia Valley red wine was next, along with sautéed Virginia peanuts with salt caramel and cornbread, escargot with potato and chanterelle mushroom, oxtail with celery root and onion and sheep’s milk blue cheese with champagne grapes and pistachio.

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The kitchen is at center stage in the dining room. 76 H HillRag | February 2013

STILL Eating!

Desserts came with a slightly sweet, fizzy Lambrusco. We couldn’t believe it was almost over, or that we could still eat. Passion fruit was drizzled with honey caramel, coconut and white chocolate; a coffee and condensed milk granita arrived on a bed of coffee grounds; and finally, there was a variety of chocolate, followed by tiny sweets arranged on a narrow plate. A description of food can hardly convey the variety of tastes, textures and fascinating ingredients we sampled. Service was impeccable—prompt, efficient and non-intrusive. Rogue 24 is lively but still quiet enough so that diners can converse, a near-perfect dining experience as far as novelty and flavor, service and presentation. But all this imagination and fabulous, unique food comes at a price—a steep one. Rogue 24 is a place for lobbyists and one-percenters, or very special occasions like a major promotion, anniversary or engagement. You eat, you savor, you marvel. In the end, however, you leave feeling a little guilty that you’ve just consumed a meal that represents a week’s salary for an entry-level employee. It’s a one-of-a-kind, one-shot deal, though it’s unbelievable while it lasts. And your presence there, however fleeting, is keeping some very talented and enthusiastic people employed. Those with slender wallets or maxed-out cards can opt for one of the four bar seats and the “Meet the cheftender” special—three drinks, three snacks, $55. Rogue 24, 922 N Street NW (rear Blagden Alley), 202-4089724, dinner Tues.-Sat. 6-10 p.m., closed Sun. and Mon. H

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ARTS& Dining

Capitol Hill’s Dining Scene by Jonathan Bardzik

alentine’s Day approaches, bringing a love fest to the Capitol HIll dining scene. My husband Jason and I felt the love at Hank’s Oyster Bar Capitol Hill (633 Pennsylvania Ave SE, www.hanksoysterbar.com), when Gina Chersevani walked right up to greet us on a recent cold Tuesday night.

Manager Uros Smiljamic explained, “Our guests are taking a risk on a new cuisine. With small plates you can try many different dishes and make sure you find something you like.” Trust me, there’s no chance you’ll be disappointed with anything you order. Ambar Brings Balkan Cuisine to 8th St We started with the bread Ambar (523 8th St SE, www.ambarrestaurant. basket and the traditional com) has quickly made itself at home on the Hill. beef and pork kebabs, hearty Walking in the door, we immediately bumped into friends who raved about the food. Open for just and balanced perfectly by a week, Ambar is the love child of Serbian ex-pat sugary-sweet red peppers. Ivan Iricanan, a partner in the 14th Street NW res- If calamari is on the menu, taurants, Masa 14 and El Cento D.F. with Richard Jason will order it. Always. Beautifully grilled, Ambar’s Sandoval and Kaz Okochi. The restaurant is stylish and cosy -- barn chíc. calamari was smoky with a bit As we read the menu of small plates, General of citric acid, beautifully balanced by bitter chard. A welcome relief from the typical chewy rings bathed in marinara. Gnocchi at Ambar Round two included the almond and walnut crusted chicken our friends downstairs had enthusiastically recommended. The crust on the chicken was thin and perfectly crisp. The apple, wasabi slaw was light yet creamy. Gerry chose the traditional stuffed sour cabbage which reminded me of my grandmother’s Polish Golubki, though Ambar’s smoked pork and beef with jasmine rice was more tender, refined and delicate. Having successfully shut down the restaurant (sorry guys!) we would have been okay with a polite bum’s rush after paying our check. Uros, however, invited us to enjoy a quick nip of Šljivovica, or Serbian brandy. Traditionally made with Damson plums, Ambar will stock nine flavors. We sipped plum, cherry and quince, our favorite. If you’re thinking of checking out Ambar for Valentine’s day, make your reservation now for the $35 prix fixe menu. Judging by the number of our friends who have already eaten there in the past week, it’s going to be busy. 78 H HillRag | February 2013

Bar at Ambar

Hank’s Oyster Bar Reopens Just 71 Hours After Fire

“It’s Firkin Freezing!” Gina exclaimed, serving up that night’s drink special, a far-too-easyto-down, cidery-tasting, beer punch. Asking about their recent fire, Gina gave a shout out to her amazing team who helped reopen the restaurant in only 71 hours. Hearts warmed, Gina suggested small plates of buttery, garlicky, spicy shrimp scampi, Hog Island Style BBQ Oysters and a really large plate of Chef Jamie Leeds’ famous braised short ribs. The meat, still wrapped around the bone, was perfectly tender, the fat completely melted into the muscle, and richly infused with the braising liquid. At the suggestion of our craft-cocktailiercum-waiter Jason, we ordered a side of creamy mac and cheese, earthy and sharp with smoked gouda. Jason also sent out oven-roasted Brussels sprouts. Barely caramelized, they were firm and bright, served with lightly-cooked, fresh-tasting onion. Genius, and I’m totally stealing it for my Eastern Market demos this year. The love fest continued with a second round of

cocktails. Admittedly, far past our sorority girl years, Jason and I have a predilection for more savory libations. My Hanky Panky Hill Style - a citrus, sage soda with gin was herbal and bright with just enough acid and juniper berry. Jason’s I Cannot Tell a Lie offered the sweet start and sharp bourbon finish you would expect from a Manhattan, with pickled sour cherry delivering a pleasant surprise in the middle. Our friend Gerry arrived to join us, and ordered an I Want to Know What Byrrh Is. It’s frozen and savory. I almost proposed to Gina on the spot. Heading back out into the cold, Gina mentioned their upcoming Valentine’s Day menu. Birthing Aphrodite from the oyster shell, Hank’s will be serving up an oyster filled menu, including oysterstuffed pork. For the vegetarians? Oyster mushrooms (clever!).

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Sweet Lobby Serves Up Valentine’s Treats

We recently stopped off at The Sweet Lobby (404 8th St SE, www. sweetlobby.com) for macarons. We ate our perfectly-prepared, Parisian treats, crisp on the surface, soft inside, filled with floral rose, sweet raspberry and surprising red hot chile chocolate, while they packed up a dozen more cookies for Gerry to bring home. Pretty pink cookies in hand, we asked about Valentine’s specials. The Sweet Lobby will be serving up heart-shaped macarons in each of the flavors we had chosen, plus the addition of pink champagne.

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Sapore Offers Valentine’s Dinner Cooking Class

As much as I love eating out, Jason and I spend every Valentine’s day at home. I cook a special meal, we pop a bottle of bubbly and spend the night on the couch whispering sweet nothings, like “Did you pay the cable bill yet this month?” If you’ve got similar plans, hit Sapore Oil and Vinegar (660 Pennsylvania Ave SE, www.saporeoilandvinegar.com) on Sunday night, February 10th. Owner Renee Shields Farr has hired a rockstar demo chef to host a teaching dinner. You’ll learn how to prepare three (continued on Pg. 81)

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ARTS& Dining

Trying Something Different by Felix Milner

he most thoughtful Christmas present I received this year was a copy of Wine Grapes: A complete guide to 1,368 Vine Varieties, Including Their Origins and Flavors, written by Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding and Jose Vouillamoz. The twelve hundred page tome got me thinking about the disparity between the number of grapes and wines available and the number most of us actually drink. While we currently list well over a hundred varieties (118 as of January 2013), about a third of our selection comprises of wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay. And yet that said, we are finding an increasing number of fascinating and somewhat esoteric varieties. Although it sounds obvious, one of our key jobs, if not one of the most important working in the wine business, is knowing what we sell in order to help people find what they like. With an ever-changing inventory of over three and a half thousand wines this entails the rather exciting, if not daunting task of tasting hundreds of wines every year. It is this need to discover and try wines made in every far-flung region of the world which factors into the decision-making when choosing a bottle to take home for dinner. While we thoroughly enjoy most of what we taste, we rarely allow ourselves the opportunity to take the same wine home for a second time. When it’s not part of one’s job description to taste as many wines as possible, it can often feel safest to fall back on old favorites, such as Cab, Zinfandel, or Sauvignon Blanc. Once in a while, though, it’s great to try something new. Even if you don’t find a new favorite, it might at least be a good conversation starter at your next dinner party. The authors of Wine Grapes do the practical job of limiting themselves to writing about the 1,368 varieties used in production today, not the 10,000 or so total number of grapes varieties in existence. This is still more than comprehensive enough, even for a serious wine nerd like me, and I have really enjoyed pairing the book’s entries with a few of the great new varieties I recently tasted: Mauzac, Pugnitello, and Sauvignonasse. We just received a trio of wines from Chateau Rives-Blancs, a small operation run by Jan and Caryl Panman in the appellation of Limoux tucked in the 80 H HillRag | February 2013

foothills of the Pyrenees. Apart from their two delightful whites, a Chardonnay – Chenin Blanc Blend and a 100% Chenin Blanc called Cuvee Dedicace, we also bought some of their Blanquettes de Limoux.

wine has layers of fine tannin and a good level of acidity that keeps the wine vibrant and bright.

Blanquettes de Limoux

Sauvignonasse

Blanquette de Limoux is apparently the world’s oldest sparkling wine, and which from experience can, tasted blind, easily be mistaken for a good nonvintage champagne. According to French wine law, a Blanquettes de Limoux must be made from at least 90% Mauzac. Wine Grapes has a concise, yet insightful, one sentence introduction -“Characterful, apple-skinflavoured Gaillac and Limoux variety used in dry, sweet and sparkling wines.” – which is then followed by a description of its origins and parentage, viticultural characteristics, and a section about where it’s grown and what its wine tastes like. I was excited to find that Chateau Rives-Blancs is mentioned alongside two of the region’s other leading producers. Also, Schramsberg of Napa Valley has planted a little in California. The entry on the variety has also spurred me on to track down an intriguing style called Methode Ancestrale, a cloudy, medium-sweet, lightly sparkling wine which is bottled before the end of the first fermentation.

Pugnitello

Across the border in Italy we’ve picked up another rare breed called Pugnitello. Whilst Sangiovese and more recently the big international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are becoming more and more synonymous with Tuscany, it was with eager anticipation that we received this Pugnitello from Azienda Agricola Le Buche. Apparently Pugnitello is a relatively recent find having been rescued in 1981 by researchers at the University of Firenze, who then collaborated with producer San Felice to make the first commercial bottling of the variety in 2003. Since then, four other producers, including Le Buche, have taken an interest in the variety. The vines are “vigorous but not very productive because of the small bunches, which produce musts rich in sugar, anthocyanins and tannins.” These characteristics produce a wine with an intense opaque color and a perfumed nose of rich fruit and pain grille. On the palate the

Just earlier last year we picked up a Sauvignonasse made by Napa producer Macauley. The wine is labeled under its old Italian synonym, Tocai Friulano. “The variety was introduced to Friuli, northeast Italy, in the early nineteenth century and given the name Tokai” with “the modern name Tocai Friulano appearing in the 1930s.” This was done to take advantage of the famous wines of Tokaji. As of 2009, however, after successful lobbying from Hungarian producers, the name Tocai Friulano has been banned from wine labels exported from Italy. Apparently there is not enough grown over here to worry the Hungarians! It was long thought to be a unique variety perhaps originating from Hungary but ampelographic studies and DNA profiling has definitively established that Tocai Friulano and Sauvignonasse are one and the same. The grape is an old variety from the Gironde region of South-West France, which despite its name is unrelated to Sauvignon Blanc. But all that said, what does it taste like? Macauley’s 2010 is packed with the type of nervous minerality you get from cold, wet river stones. As the wine warms up, new but delicate aromas of dried apricot and pear come forward. It has almost a sensual effect not often obtained from a white wine. The palate speaks further to the minerality of the wine, based in part from both the varietal characteristics and aging in stainless steel and concrete egg. Flavors are nothing short of savory and delicious. It is such as shame it’s not grown more widely, but what a delight it was to find this gem of a wine. Felix is Schneider’s New Media Manager and wine student currently studying for the Wine & Spirits Education Trust Diploma, a prerequisite for the Institute of Master of Wine. H

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courses that are quick enough to cook after work, and special enough to guarantee your lover will still be celebrating with you the following year. In the interest of transparency, that demo chef is me, and while “rock star” might be a reach, this year I will be celebrating my eighth Valentine’s Day with a very satisfied and well-fed husband. The meal will feature products from Sapore and Eastern Market, so no truﬄe-hunting is required. Reservations, however, are, and seating is limited, so give Renee a call.

The Pretzel Bakery Gets Fresh, Daily

If the French say love with macarons, it seems fitting that Germans would use the pretzel. A year old this April, The Pretzel Bakery (340 15th St SE, www.thepretzel-

bakery.com) is located just across the street from the Payne Elementary school baseball

diamond. Their pretzels are hand-tied and bakedfresh daily. They are only $2 each, or 3 for $5. Plus, you can get Pennsylvania Cherry soda or Birch Beer. Seriously, I just turned 6 years old again.

Happy Valentine’s Day. By the 14th, we’ll have broken the back of winter, completely moved on from those pesky New Year’s resolutions and it’ll just be a matter of weeks until the first radishes and asparagus appear back at the market. Put a smile on your face and telwl someone “I love you.”

Jonathan Bardzik is a demo chef and food writer on Capitol Hill. When fresh produce is in season he can be found each Saturday morning cooking outside at Eastern Market. You can find out what Jonathan serves Jason at home to keep him around by visiting his blog www. whatihaventcookedyet.com or his Facebook page of the same name. H

Sizzlin’ Sizzling Express by Celeste McCall

usband Peter and I have been patronizing Capitol Hill’s Sizzling Express ever since Gary Hang unveiled his moderately priced eatery at 600 Pennsylvania Ave. 14 years ago. This year Sizzling has launched a series of monthly specials for both eatin or take out. (See ad in this issue or check their website for details.) One of the best features of Sizzling is the sushi, nicely crafted by Korean-born Ray Lee. I usually order his “deluxe sampler.” I might gobble it at the bar, but in nice weather, I take it home to enjoy on my patio, while fending off my two voracious felines. Occasionally, we pick up assorted goodies from the well-stocked and always fresh salad bar, overflowing with crisp greens, artichoke hearts, bell pepper strips, olives, stuffed grape leaves, sun-dried tomatoes, pasta salads, grated cheeses, fruits, nuts and assorted dressings. Peter likes the hot buffet, especially Asian selections like Szechuan shrimp, sesame chicken, fried rice, Chinese-style broccoli. We might also encounter curried mussels, roast turkey, chicken parmesan. SizzExp’s deli section dispenses myriad sandwiches; proprietor Hang lists steak and cheese among customer favorites. Diners also go for the Baltimore reuben, chicken Caesar wraps, BLTs and burgers. Soups are delicious; Hang makes them himself (his native Vietnam is famous for hearty soups). On a cold day, I might combine self-service hot and sour and miso. SizzExp’s breakfast bar–stocked with ham, scrambled eggs, pancakes, home fries, corned beef hash, and more--gets high ratings. The pastry case contains mouth-watering cakes; sweet potato is a favorite. About 20 employees serve the restaurant, which seats 93, with more seating on the patio. The full bar is patronized mainly by evening sports fans following the action on TV. Several other Sizzling Express outlets dot the Washington area, including the Capitol Riverfront. For more information visit www.sizzlingexpresscapitolhill.com. H hillrag.com H 81

A Capitol Hill artist and writer, Jim can be reached at ArtandtheCity05@aol.com

atricia Underwood talks to you. Her language could be Japanese, Arawak, classical violin scores, the screams of war victims, or the soft voices of lullabies. The words take on new expressive forms, symbols that bring you into the conversation and welcome your thoughts and opinions. Patricia is a printmaker who also uses common materials, from beads to ropes, from wood veneers to bathroom caulk to tell her intricate stories. They are told in a series of works that are carefully researched, and reach deep into an idea. The individual narratives, each print, are expressed in a form that ultimately stands alone as a work of art. Each series is marked by strong light/dark contrasts, and compositions that are seemingly stark, yet rich in texture and conceptually profound. They are a collective search for human awareness, from the gods and goddesses that were first conceived to understand the unexplained world, to the gods and goddesses of today who dictate the demarcations of beauty, and ignore the “collateral damage” caused by cultural and military wars. “Etudes,” Patricia’s latest body of work, is pure music—a dance of symbols that produce her “visual calligraphy with classical violin scores.” She studied Japanese and finds music in their written, narrative language and evocative brush drawings.

Arawak #42

But even apart from symbols and associative meanings, the prints of Patricia Underwood bring their own grace and simple beauty that expand with the intricacies and dimensions of carefully chosen materials. Patricia earned a BFA from Miami University and a Masters in printmaking from Washington University. She is represented by the Middle St. Gallery, in Sperryville, VA as well as Parish Gallery in DC. Her work can be seen this month at the Joan Hisaoka Gallery. (See At the Galleries.) www.punderwood.com.

Jim Magner’s Thoughts on Art

82 H HillRag | February 2013

Etude #9

Humans are most likely the only creatures to think, talk and write with symbols. Some symbols are completely abstract, others are more descriptive. Without them we couldn’t read a map, operate a computer or play music. They started as pictographs. From the earliest days of visual art, pure abstract symbols were found beside more recognizable images of horses, mammoths and lions. Whole panels of dots, lines, circles and spirals—or just squiggly marks—are a critical part of the language of the cave. Although we may not know exactly what they meant to the artists and their clans, we know they had great emotional power. Eventually, those pictographs became complete lan-

Arawak #37

artandthecity

Artist Portrait: Patricia Underwood

by Jim Magner

Location, Location, Location guages and can be found in ancient and modern forms all over the world. Patricia Underwood, (see Artist Profile) uses the mysterious cave drawings of the pre-Columbian Arawak people in much of her work. She has studied the Japanese language, and also includes much of that calligraphy. Almost everything we make in the visual arts relies on symbols. You can’t paint every leaf on the tree, although some old Dutch painters came pretty close. We put paint or lines on a flat surface in ways that represent the tree. Those lines can become very simple, but we can still recognize it as a tree. Many painters have combined “realistic” pictures with abstract symbols. One of my favorites, Charles Birchfield, invented a series of graphic signs to express sounds: the ring of a blacksmith’s hammer, a rooster’s crow, or a cold February wind. He created visual ways to convey moods, like fear, “morbidness” and hypnotic intensity. There are few painters who have captured the “tempers of the night,” and the psychological impacts of the seasons as he has. That is what makes art wonderful. We can fly above the literal and quantifiable into the mysterious language of the cave—the power and mystery of symbolism.

At the Museums

“Color, Line, Light” National Gallery of Art West Building 3rd and Constitution NW • –May 26

Color, Line, Light: French Drawings, Watercolors, and Pastels from Delacroix to Signac, includes over 100 drawings and watercolors by such masters as Eugene Delacroix, Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Paul Cezanne, Paul Gauguin, and Paul Signac. They represent the great mix of stylistic movements that clashed and competed in 19th century France. If you like drawings, and who doesn’t, this is it. Also, starting Feb. 17, check out, Faking It: Manipulated Photography before Photoshop. This is a delightful history of the art of manipulating photos, from the 1840s to 1980. Yes, pictures can lie. www.nga.gov.

“Pump Me Up” The Corcoran Gallery of Art 500 17th St. NW • Feb. 23-April 7

“Pump Me Up: D.C. Subculture of the 1980s” is about the DC underground of the ‘80s. This is the “other D.C.,” the street culture that gave “visual form to the raucous energy of graffiti, Go-Go music, and a world-renowned punk and hardcore scene.” It is a local history told from a local point of view. It is curated by Roger Gastman, a renowned graffiti writer and publisher who has authored a dozen graffiti art books. The public reception and

curator’s talk is Wed., Feb 27, 7:00. For more information on times and fees: https://getinvolved.corcoran.org/roger_gastman.

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At the Galleries

Hill Center Gallery at the Old Naval Hospital 921 Pennsylvania Ave., SE • – Feb. 24

Six artists, working in a broad range of media and styles—watercolors, acrylics, photography, glass, wood and metal—fill the halls and upper rooms. This is a great opportunity to see some very accomplished Capitol Hill and other Washington area artists in one venue. Featured at the same time is the juried exhibition of the Capitol Hill Art League (CHAL). Twenty-eight artists in all medias are included. www.hillcenterdc.org.

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“Present-Day Oracles” Joan Hisaoka Healing Arts Gallery 1632 U St. NW • –Feb 23.

Ancient artists not only created revered paintings and objects, they were considered guides to the spiritual world. In this exhibit, Patricia Underwood (See Artist Profile) Anne Bouie, Gale Jamieson and Michael Platt serve as present-day oracles, using the “original intent of the art object as an aura-laden tool for mystical guidance.” www.smithcenter.org.

Capitol Hill Arts Workshop 545 7th St., SE • Feb. 2-Mar. 1

This is the seventh annual photography exhibition for The Capitol Hill Arts Workshop (CHAW). They are always terrific. The juror, Bruce McKaig,, who chairs the Photography Department at CHAW and teaches at Georgetown University, has selected 23 images from 13 artists, with a “wide range of material explorations,” that tugs at the boundaries, yet includes “beautiful narrative pieces.” The reception is on Sat., Feb. 2, from 5-7. www.chaw.org.

1 Block to Potomac Avenue metro, Harris Teeter, shops, Jenkins Row condos. New construction built in 1979. Three level townhouse approximately 2384 SF main house with 3 Bedrooms 2.5 Baths, Open layout Dining Room & wide Living Room with hardwood floors, wood burning fireplace. Rear garden, Attached garage. Zoned C2A . Good layout for small office users, retail business or live work combo. First floor efficiency unit easily opened to main house for large family home.

Kitty Kaupp & Tati Kaupp Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage 605 Pennsylvania Ave SE 202-255-0952 • 202-255-6913 kkaupp@cbmove.com

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Anne Marchand, Evolve Urban Arts Project, Pierce School Lofts , 1375 Maryland Ave, NE Jan. 31-Mar. 21

Anne Marchand investigates the forces of nature by creating tensions between polar opposites, and their relationships to a still point. The tensions create movement within the saturated colors, and between dynamic expanding forms. The textures of the layered acrylic paints add to the physical and mystic sensations she explores. If you miss the Jan. 31 reception, you can call 202-744-6439 for an appointment. www.evolvedc.com. Or www. annemarchand.com. H

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ARTS& Dining

“It’s Our River”

Exhibit at the Smithsonian Anacostia Museum Examines Urban Rivers in Crisis, Including the Anacostia By Charnice A. Milton

“This museum has a long-standing commitment to the community,” he said. “This exhibit will bring the issue closer to this community.”

About the Curators

The Anacostia River was once home to the Nacotchtank, a tribe of coastal-living Native Americans. After famed explorer John Smith sailed the river, then known as the Eastern Branch of the Potomac, the Anacostia became a major trading area for fish, beaver, and tobacco. However, between 1871 and 1873 the city government identified the Anacostia as a sewage conduit. By the end of World War II the river had also become a social barrier, as more African-Americans moved to what was considered “substandard housing” east of the river. When the first section of I-295 (Anacostia Freeway) opened in 1964, it further disconnected residents from the river and each other. By 1993 American Rivers named

t’s been called Washington’s forgotten river – for a reason. Years of neglect and abuse left the Anacostia River polluted and unhealthy. Since opening last fall, “Reclaiming the Edge: Urban Waterways and Civic Engagement” at the Anacostia Community Museum (ACM) explores the history surrounding the Anacostia and features community and government efforts to restore this and other urban waterways around the world. The exhibit is the first under ACM’s new expanded mission, focusing on universal issues affecting urban communities.

“Reclaiming the Edge” is the product of a two-year study developed by historian-journalist John Wennersten and ACM senior historian Gail Lowe. When Lowe looked for ideas for new exhibits, she asked the community for suggestions. “We asked, What are some of the issues urban communities face? Clearly in DC, we wanted to see what’s happening to our water.” During community discussions many people talked about ways to improve the river, from cleanup efforts to development projects. “There are a lot of people who are involved,” Lowe stated. “Even those not connected physically to the river wanted to do something.” While doing initial research, Lowe came across Wennersten’s 2008 book, “Anacostia: The Death and Birth of An American River.” Wennersten is a Capitol Hill resident and emeritus professor of American history at the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore, who is known for his work regarding Chesapeake Bay affairs. His book gives an environmental view of the Anacostia’s history. As co-curator for the exhibit, Wennersten has brought the issue of water conservation to a broader audience. 84 H HillRag | February 2013

Anacostia’s History

the Anacostia the fourth most endangered river in North America. As a result, the city government began to make changes to revive the river and its surrounding communities. For instance, in 2008 Nationals Park opened as the first LEED-certified green stadium for a professional sports team. Two years later the city passed the Anacostia River Clean Up and Protection Act (aka the DC Bag Tax) to raise money for river cleanup.

Worldwide Views

Although the exhibit focuses mainly on restoration efforts in DC, it also shows similar efforts around the world. One such project, the upcoming Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, located near the Thames in East London, has a connection to the Anacostia: Andrew Altman, CEO of the now-defunct Anacostia Waterfront Corporation, served as CEO of the London Legacy Development Corporation, responsible for the project.

Inspiration and Memories

“Reclaiming the Edge” also includes 16 pieces of river-inspired art, such as local photographer Bruce McNeil’s stylized photo essay reflecting on the Anacostia’s history, and selections from Chinese artist Zhang Jian-Jun’s 36-panel work, “River.” Wennersten’s favorite piece is “Talking Trash,” a mobile created by Smithsonian interns, featuring a school of fish made up of recycled bottles. “This was a great way to bring the interns into the conversation,” Wennersten said. “It’s really creative.” The exhibit also includes “River Stories,” a video series spotlighting local residents and their connections to the Anacostia. One features falconer and environmentalist Rodney Stotts, a former drug dealer, who credits his work cleaning up the Anacostia and other urban waterways with helping him turn from crime. “We had people in our neighborhoods where we were trying to clean who would ask us, ‘Why are you here? Do you really think it will make a difference?’” says Stotts in the video. “We wanted everyone to see that if you wanted change, you have to make change.”

Why It Matters

Members of the DC Mariners and Oyster Harbor Boat Club prepare for the Howard University Homecoming Capitol Classic. Throughout the years residents have used the Anacostia River for various recreational purposes. Photo: George W. Stewart

Both curators see “Reclaiming the Edge” as a call to action. “The health of urban rivers is an indication of the health of the city surrounding them,” said Lowe. “Water is non-redeemable, so we have to care for each drop.” To emphasize this point, a section entitled “You Have an Impact” displays three shopping carts as the type of refuse found in the Anacostia, and highlights what visitors can do help curb the flow of pollutants. Another benefit: connecting both sides of the city. “In the past, rivers were seen as a natural barrier,” said Wennersten. “But shutting them

In an image from “Reclaiming the Edge: Urban Waterways and Civic Engagement” Gary Hedgepath, a lifelong Anacostia resident, feeds seagulls in Anacostia Park. Photo: Susana Raab, Anacostia Community Museum

down cuts people off from the natural and from each other.” Recent years have seen more interest in using the river to connect both sides of the city, such as the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail currently under construction. Also, ACM will be holding events and discussions related to the exhibit. “The psychological disconnection is hard to overcome,” said Wennersten, “but when people come together, it’s a glorious thing.”

Moving Forward

Although “Reclaiming the Edge” is on view until September 15, the research is ongoing. In fact, the exhibit was the inspiration for “Urban Waterways” an interdisciplinary project that won a 2011 grant from the Smithsonian. Wennersten and Lowe are proud of the audience feedback. “People have come in a little quizzical; however, they left with a new sense of connection,” said Lowe. The exhibit’s overarching theme, “It’s Our River,” is a reminder about how every visitor is connected to the Anacostia. “Everyone stated that they enjoyed the experience,” said Lowe, “but they left with a new sense of responsibility.” The Anacostia Community Museum is located at 1901 Fort Place SE, Washington, DC 20020. Open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily except December 25. For more information, visit anacostia.si.edu. H

hillrag.com H 85

ARTS& Dining

ATTHE MOVIES

Films by the Numbers: A Quartet Redeemed and a Trio Condemned by Mike Canning

Quartet

It’s rare enough for a commercial movie to focus on “old people”—since the core of the American movie-going audience is still 14-to-24 year-old males (with their occasional dates). Still, with Oscar-nominating season among us, one film, “Amour,” is receiving some attention, though it is an art film (in French) made by an Austrian/German, with several nominations, including Best Film. It stars—shockingly—two 80-year-olds, and while the film is poignant, it is also immeasurably sad and will hardly draw steady crowds. Another new film, “Quartet,” (From Left) Billy Connolly, Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay, and Pauline Collins appear in “Quartet.” Photo courstars actors almost as old but tesy The Weinstein Company. in a much sunnier and blithe mood and with direct appeal deign to join a trio of other veteran fustian Cedric Livingston (Michael to the “Masterpiece Theater” crowd (the film opened January 25 and vocalists to perform in the home’s Gambon), has an extra importance, annual gala concert in honor of Gi- because the retirement home is desruns 98 min.). “Quartet,” not to be confused, by useppe Verdi’s birthday, most spe- tined to be closed for lack of funds, the way, with the recent “A Late Quar- cifically, to join them in the quartet and it is hoped that tickets to this spetet” about a string ensemble, is likewise from Verdi’s “Rigoletto,” one of op- cial reunion event can save the place. musically themed as it focuses on a era’s greatest ensemble pieces. The Horton’s presence and the quartet’s stately English home, Beecham House, others are Jean’s one-time husband appearance are deemed important to for retired opera singers and other pro- and tenor Reginald “Reggie” Paget that end. “Quartet” is directed, with a sure fessional musicians (Beecham being (Tom Courtenay), the ribald and a famed English conductor). Yet this randy baritone Wilfred “Wilf ” Bond and gentle hand, by Dustin Hoffman, story of seniors is not so much concen- (Billy Connolly) and the semi-ditzy only this great actor’s second directotrated on age’s frailties and disabilities mezzo-soprano Cecily “Cissy” Rob- rial effort (after an unbilled project in the late 1970’s). Patently good with (though they provide some fodder for son (Pauline Collins). Though revered in the house, Hor- fellow actors, he gets idiosyncratic, jokes), but on the home’s denizens’ unassailable love of music and their con- ton remains apart and superior to the pleasurable performances from his others there, evidently frustrated that principals, all of them past 70 (as is tinued enthusiasm for it. The core of the plot, written by her once privileged life has come down Hoffman himself ). It is particularly veteran screenwriter Ronald Har- to a rented room, however handsome, rewarding to see again the great Tom wood and based on his 1999 play, and also concerned about how she will Courtenay—a distinguished actor for concerns the arrival of a once-re- appear—“I don’t know what my fans more than 50 years—get a part apt for nowned opera diva Jean Horton will think,” she grumbles. This par- his gentle, thoughtful character, one (Maggie Smith) and whether she will ticular musical soiree, directed by the who has made, he says, “the transi86 H HillRag | February 2013

tion from opera singer to old fart with aplomb.” His Reggie shines in a fine scene where he defends, ever so gingerly, the value of opera to a group of skeptical high school students more attuned to rap. Maggie Smith, now imprinted for so many as the acerbic Dowager Countess in “Downton Abbey,” easily handles the role of Jean Horton, being appropriately haughty yet still appreciative of other figures in her musical world. That musical world, by the way, is one of the pleasures of this picture, with many of the secondary characters in the film actually being classical music pros of a certain age. They must have had a ball given this new exposure. It should be noted that in handling opera within the film, Hoffman does not have his veteran actors pretend to sing on camera with dubbed voices, though one genuine opera queen, Gwyneth Jones (also in her seventies), actually delivers a Puccini aria. The final scene shows the actors affably reunited on stage then cuts to a long shot of Beecham House itself as the divine quartet from “Rigoletto” finally rings out, radiantly (from a classic London recording conducted by Richard Bonynge). A fitting finale in both respects.

West of Memphis

The end of 2012 came up with two major innocents-wronged documentaries in as many months. “The Central Park Five,” made by Ken Burns and family, exhaustively re-told the dispir-

iting tale of four black teens and one Hispanic kid in New York convicted of mugging the “Central Park jogger” in 1989 though the only evidence against them was police-forced flimsy confessions. All did their time. Similarly, a gory child-murder case in eastern Arkansas in June 1993 (first chronicled in an HBO series entitled “Paradise Lost”) involved three more teens accused and convicted of a crime they probably did not do. That story is told in “West of Memphis,” a new documentary by director Amy Berg, recapitulating the whole case and making of it compelling true drama (Released January 25th, the film is rated “R” and runs 147 min.). The case involved the murder of three 8-year-old boys, killed, apparently tortured, and left buried in a roadside pool by a trio of twisted Goths or “Satan-worshipers,” as they were seen by an outraged community looking for blood. These high

not have been mutilated by human hands but rather were victims of voracious turtles. Berg also carefully assesses other, more likely, suspects, like Terry Hobbs, a raw drifter who was stepfather to one of the three boys. One real wild card comes in the person of Lorri Davis, a woman who begins to write to Echols in prison, then becomes convinced of his innocence, and—with the help of celebrities like Eddy Vedder, Johnny Depp, and director Peter Jackson (who co-produced “West of Memphis”)-aims to win Echols’ release. In August 2111, the three did get out of prison after a bizarre plea deal which got them off for the prison time they had done while still having to admit their complicity in the grisly crime. It was an agonizing decision for them, but they took it to become semi-free men in their thirties. This is grim material, to be sure,

Damien Echols at the time of his trial in 1999 in “West of Memphis.” Photo by Lisa Waddell © The Commercial Appeal; Courtesy Sony Pictures Classics.

school “cultists” were apparently led by Damien Echols, along with his confreres, Jason Baldwin and Jesse Misskelley. The much-publicized trial of 1999 ended with Echols getting the death penalty and the two others a life sentence. Starting slowly and developing her case methodically, Berg undercuts a crucial Misskelley confession that appears to have been coerced; she underlines the community’s loathing for the strange (if relatively articulate) Echols; and she tracks down experts who suspect that the children could

but it is much better and more convincingly told than the standard TV “true crime” junk. “West of Memphis” certainly propels you along, leaving you wondering what will happen next, but what it doesn’t provide is surcease: the final, positive identification of a true villain. Long-time Hill resident Mike Canning has written on movies for the Hill Rag since 1993 and is a member of the Washington Area Film Critics Association. He is the author of “Hollywood on the Potomac: How the Movies View Washington, DC.” His reviews and writings on film can be found online at www.mikesflix.com. H

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the

LITERARY HILL

A Compendium of Readers, Writers, Books, & Events

by Karen Lyon it happen, and the massive security precautions that, happily, turned out not to be needed. If you were in DC on August 28, Georgetown professor Michael 1963, this book will serve as a heart- Eric Dyson’s essay provides a soening reminder of a day when people ciological and historical context came together for a brief shining mo- for the march, which he says “regment. For those who weren’t here – or istered around the globe as a seisare too young to remember – it might mic shift.” At the heart of the book inspire the hope that, even in these are fifty-seven of Leonard Freed’s divided times, such a moment could photographs, whose “moral beauty,” happen again. Dyson writes, seem to provide the “This Is the Day: The March “subliminal suggestion: This is what on Washington,” a book of remark- it should always be like.” An afterword by scholar Paul M. Farber focuses on Freed, a pioneer in socially conscious photojournalism whose work hangs in the Metro- A pair of local historical researchers tell you everything you ever wanted to know about politan Museum of Congressional Cemetery. Art, the Museum of Modern Art, and the J. Paul Getty Museum (which published the book). Leonard Freed died in 2006. A book launch for “This Is the Day” will be held at the Library of Congress on Tues., Feb. 5, at noon. Michael Eric Dyson and Leonard Freed’s A new photo-essay book celebrates the 50th anniversary of The March on Washington. widow will be part of the program. For able photographs by Leonard Freed, more, visit www.loc.gov or call 202the near-impossible: they have written marks the fiftieth anniversary of the 707-5221. a detailed, exhaustive, yet eminently March on Washington for Jobs and If you have memories of the march readable 400-page history of the beFreedom, and the day when Martin that you’d like to share, The Ruth Ann loved Capitol Hill landmark that Luther King, Jr. delivered his stirring Overbeck Capitol Hill History Project some have called “an American West“I Have a Dream” speech. wants to hear from you. Go to www. minster Abbey.” Accompanying Freed’s power- capitolhillhistory.org/memories/. “In the Shadow of the United ful photo essay is a foreword by civil States Capitol: Congressional Cemrights leader Julian Bond, who details etery” by Abby Arthur Johnson and the behind-the-scenes development Buried History Ronald Maberry Johnson chronicles Future historians owe a large debt two eventful centuries of the cemof the march, the controversies that almost sank it, the players who made to two local professors who have done etery’s history, from its inception in

The March That Changed Everything

88 H HillRag | February 2013

1807 to its bicentennial anniversary in 2007. The Johnsons trace the complex custody of the cemetery from its beginnings under the ownership of Christ Church on Capitol Hill, through the involvement of various Federal agencies, to the 1976 formation of the Association for the Preservation of Historic Congressional Cemetery. Drawing on extensive archival materials, they describe the funeral processions and monuments, the impact of the Civil War, the political wrangling over responsibility for its care, the people involved in its long history, and the notables who are buried there. Accompanied by more than 30 pages of photographs, “In the Shadow of the United States Capitol” reinforces the assessment of Senator Byron Dorgan, who in appealing to Congress to provide financial support for the cemetery, said, “[it] is important to the memory of who we are, who served our country, how we treat them in death, and how we respect their memories.” Abby Johnson is Adjunct Professor of Liberal Studies and Ronald Johnson is Professor Emeritus of American History at Georgetown University. Their book is dedicated “to the many volunteers who, over the past two centuries, contributed vision, time, and energy in maintaining and affirming the unique status of Congressional Cemetery as a place of national memory.” For their devotion to documenting its history, the Johnsons decidedly deserve a similar tribute. “In the Shadow of the Capitol” is available in Congressional Cemetery’s gatehouse or at congressionalcemetery.org.

The Rocks That Built Washington

While he was researching his book about the Potomac River, Garrett Peck stumbled upon a littleknown quarry in the village of Seneca, Maryland. A literary journalist and self-described ‘history dork,’ he immediately smelled a story. It

Literary journalist Garrett Peck shines a light on a long-forgotten quarry that helped to build DC.

wasn’t long before he was braving thickets, poison ivy, and snakes to take a closer look. “Up close,” he writes, “you can see the wondrous layers of red sandstone and even pick out chisel marks and grooves from the tools that split the rock. There must have once been a loud din from the constant ham-

mering, the crunch of rock falling from the cliff, the shouts of foremen and the brays of mules. Today, there is only silence, save for the wind rustling the trees.” And yet this moribund quarry once supplied the stone for some of the most prominent edifices in DC. What happened here and how did it come to this end? In his new book, “The Smithsonian Castle and the Seneca Quarry,” Peck gracefully links the story of the quarry to the Smithsonian Institution, the C&O Canal, the Civil War, a political scandal, slavery, and a building boom. Relying on primary sources such as newspaper articles, archival records, and interviews, he diligently unearths the history of this oncefamous quarry “that brightened the Washington skyline.” His research has paid off in an engaging illustrated tale of the quarry’s past that also makes a strong case for its future. As Smithsonian Castle Collection Curator Richard Stamm writes in the book’s foreword, “It is [Peck’s] hope that a better public awareness of the historical importance of these sites will help preserve them. Otherwise, they will become the archaeological digs of future generations or – worse – forgotten entirely.” Peck, who is also the author of “Prohibition in Washington, DC: How Dry We Weren’t,” and “The Potomac River: A History and Guide,” will give a talk about “The Smithsonian Castle & the Seneca Quarry” at the Hill Center on Thurs., Feb. 28, at 7pm. The talk is free, but reservations are required. Register at HillCenterDC.org/ or call 202-549-4172. H hillrag.com H 89

JAZZProject by Jean-Keith Fagon

Concert In Athens ••••• Kim Kashkashian, Jan Garbarek, and Vangelis Christopoulos, ECM

There is a moment of clarity when we first hear a piece of music that connects to your emotions, feelings, thoughts, and that purest of all revelations that nothing is more important than being alive. Concert In Athens did just that for me. Every song touched me as only the purest music can. From the opening track, “Requium For Willy Loman (Death of a Salesman),” your heart flutters in wonderment, ever so fleetingly, then breathes a sigh of sweet relief as the music releases your heart into a world of joy and peaceful reconciliation. It is a moment of reflection when all that was ever important remains in your heart, pure, and simply memorable. And the album doesn’t stop as it carries you along its journey with pieces like “Invocation: Who Is Afraid Of Virginia Woolf,” “Laura’s Waltz: The Glass Menagerie,” “Farewell Theme: The Beekeeper,” and “Waltz of the Rain: Number Ten.” Greek composer Eleni Karaindrou (who wrote all of the pieces) has given us an album triumphant with ethereal blessings, glorious celebrations, and noble revelations. “Each of my compositions seems to be part of a mosaic which takes on its ultimate form very slowly through the years,” Ms. Karaindrou once said, and with long-standing friends like soloists Jan Garbarek (sax) and Kim Kashkashian (viola), Concert in Athens is a finished project boasting new compositions originally written for theater productions directed by Antonis Antypas including Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf?, The Glass Menagerie, and Death of a Salesman. According to Ms. Karaindrou, the differing demands of theater music opened up a new emotional range for both Mr. Garbarek and Ms. Kashkashian to explore. “I sought to share with them memories from past and more recent voyages in the worlds of theater and poetry. With Jan, I plunged deep into the fascination and torment of Arthur Miller, of Edward Albee and Tennessee Williams.” This is Mr. Garbarek’s finest, most powerful performance to date. This is a man with the golden touch on the saxophone, and one that is known for his signature style that incorporates a crystalline tone, long, haunting, sustained notes, and generous use of silence. Concert in Athens is Ms. Karaindrou’s tenth release on ECM. Performers include Kim Kashkashian (viola), 90 H HillRag | February 2013

Vangelis Christopoulos (oboe), Eleni Karaindrou (piano), Sergiu Nastasa (violin), Renato Ripo (violoncello), Stella Gadedi (flute), MarieCecile Boulard (clarinet), Sonia Pisk (bassoon), Vangelis Skouras (French horn), Socratis Anthis (trumpet), Maria Bildea (harp), Dinos Hadjiiordanou (accordion), Aris Dimitriades (mandolin), and Camerata Friends of Music Orchestra with Alexandros Myrat (conductor).

The Sirens ••• Chris Potter, ECM

The profligacy of jazz musicians these days is neither good nor bad, even though at times it can be overwhelming for jazz critics like myself. Still, as the legendary reggae singer Bob Marley once sang, “when the music hits you, you feel no pain.” And on some days like now, it certainly feels good, if not damn good. On Chris Potter’s latest album, The Sirens, the sound of the saxophone from the title track, “The Sirens,” is like the watery roar of the sea, a kind of cautionary warning of an impending storm. But this is no ordinary storm that spells doom and disaster. No, this is Mr. Potter’s invitation-only-storm for jazz lovers and curious-minded adventurers of the musical high seas. In ancient Greek mythology, the Sirens were dangerous and beautiful creatures who lured nearby sailors with their enchanting music and voices to shipwreck on the rocky coast of their island. For Mr. Potter, death awaits no one, except the experience of the unadulterated pleasure of his beautiful music worthy of today’s Sirens mythology. Melodic, introspective, vital, organic, transcendental, and colorfully translucent, the music comes swirling in wave after wave from its vast oceanic landscape of endless space. Hark now to the drifting, tempestuous sounds of “Dark Wine Sea”; the rich, caressing, and beguiling “Dawn (With Her Rosy Fingers).” The Sirens is Mr. Potter’s ECM debut as a leader. Other musicians include Craig Taborn (piano), David Virelles (prepared piano, celeste, harmonium), Larry Grenadier (doublebass), and Eric Harland (drums). Chris Potter will be performing March 16 at The Hamilton, 600 14th Street, NW. Call 202787-1000 for reservations. All CDs and DVDS reviewed in this article are heard through Bowers & Wilkens 802D Speakers and ASW 4000 subwoofer, and Rotel Preamp 1070, amplifier 1092 and CD player 1072. CDs are available for purchase through amazon.com For more information about this column, please email your questions to fagon@hillrag.com. H

Health & Fitness Spa World

An Exotic and Inexpensive Way to Cleanse and Pamper Yourself by Pattie Cinelli

had heard about Spa World in Centreville, Va. a couple of years ago from a fellow dog walker. But even though I get massages and reflexology regularly, I was skeptical about feeling comfortable participating in a communal bathhouse. Over the years, Spa World came up in several conversations. My curiosity was piqued. I decided to spend my birthday in December doing something good for myself. A trip to Spa World fit the bill. I told friends and family about

a month before this is what I wanted to do and all were welcome to join. Many were interested, but most, when they heard you had to be naked in the baths or found out it was in Centreville, they declined the offer. My friend Pat Morgan and I made the trek. From Starbucks on 8th Street, SE the distance to Spa World is 29.3 miles. We started at 9:43am on a sunny Friday morning and arrived at 10:19am â€“ definitely not a long drive.

What is Spa World?

Spa World, at 50,000 square feet, is the largest Asian-style spa resort for the entire family (children are welcome) in the U.S. It is in the middle of a nondescript strip mall next to a Korean bank and a few doors down from a Korean grocery store. It is open 24/7 and it often used by travelers who have time in between flights. Spa World opened in 2008 and, according to the Washington Post, is owned by a Korean construction

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company and golf course owner. Spa World is designed as a jimjilbang, a large, gender-segregated public bathhouse in Korea, furnished with hot tubs, showers, Finnish-style saunas, and massage tables. It is a recent cultural phenomenon that came about in Korea when traditional single-family homes with heated floors used for sleeping were replaced by western-style high rises and raised beds. However, in other areas of the building or on other floors, there are unisex areas, usually with a snack bar, a heated floor for lounging and sleeping, wide-screen TVs, exercise rooms, ice rooms, heated salt rooms, and sleeping quarters with either bunk beds or sleeping mats. Many of the sleeping rooms can have themes or elements to them. Usually jimjilbangs will have various rooms with different temperatures to suit guests’ preferred relaxing temperatures. The walls are decorated with different woods, minerals, crystals, stones, and metals. Often the elements used have traditional Korean medicinal purposes in the various rooms. Most jimjilbangs are open 24 hours and are a popular weekend getaway for Korean families. During the week, many hardworking Korean men, whose families live out of the city for cost savings, stay in jimjilbangs overnight after working or drinking with co-workers late into the night, and one can sleep overnight, enjoy the bathhouse and sauna, and wake up fresh and ready to travel the next morning. Jimjilbangs are also popular with Korean women and traditionally, Korean mothers, who used to take care of themselves in rooms made of loess (called “Yellow Mud” in Korean) for three weeks before giving birth.

The Bathhouse Experience

It was all business at Spa World’s front desk. We signed in, received our “number” from which all extra services is charged, and were given our lounge wear – orange Bermuda shorts and a baggy utilitarian short sleeve top. For $35 you can soak in the bade pool, relax under infrared lights, dip in an ice pool, sit in a dry or wet sauna, relax in one of seven poultice rooms (healing saunas), work out in a spacious gym, nap on a reed mat

on the communal 104-degree heated onyx floor, watch TV, surf the internet and relax or read in one of the leather lounge chairs. For an additional cost you can get a delicious and inexpensive Korean meal, a foot and hand massage, several different body scrub packages, a manicure, pedicure or a private full body massage. Pat and I decided on the scrub special which cost $95 for a body scrub, oil body massage and cucumber facial. A sea of female bodies of all ages, shapes and sizes in various degrees of nakedness, moved about in the locker room where we disrobed and grabbed a hand towel to carry with us into the three-foot deep bade pool. The bade pool is a state-of-theart water massage therapy pool with several water jets of varying pressure and heights designed to relax and release tension in different parts of the body. “I was an instant fan,” said Pat Morgan. “Other guests were all too happy to initiate us novices into what station was good for the neck, shoulders, legs, etc. The 90+ degree water leads to total relaxation.” Pat and I moved to the hot tubs (100+degrees) to prepare for our body scrubs. We were instructed to soak for at least a half hour before our appointment. Two athletic professional body scrubbers --Korean women clad in black bras and underpants-- called our number. We were directed to an area next to the pool where there were about seven massage tables. Nude women with towels over their eyes lay on pink tables receiving a variety of spa services. Body scrubs are part of Korean culture. They relax and cleanse the skin from bacteria, dirt and dead skin cells by vigorously rubbing with loofah mitts. Surprisingly, I was neither self-conscious nor uncomfortable at any time during the scrub. After showering and donning our loungewear, we ventured into the communal area. I was struck by how calm everyone was. Several men and women were lying on the heated floor resting or quietly chatting. Others were seated in lounge chairs reading or watching TV and enjoying a smoothie.

Poultice Rooms

After a meal of steamed dump-

Claire P. Cargill, DDS lings, chicken teriyaki and a smoothie, we tried out the seven poultice rooms. According to Spa World information, the rooms generate radiant heat from natural earth elements such as red hot clay, elvan, gems and geranium. Benefits include not only positive effects of thermotherapy, but also that of infrared rays, which is thought to remove harmful toxins from the body. My favorite poultice room was the red clay ball room – a “well-being” room filled with red clay and yellow jade balls. By rolling on the floor covered with these balls about two or three inches thick, you can create the effect of acupressure or massage. It is a sensuous and invigorating experience. I also enjoyed the beauty of the amethyst gem room. Made with gems including green quartz, rose quartz, and amethyst, it emits several million energy oscillating waves per second. The power from these gems increases energy and adjusts the balance within the body improving the body’s overall condition. “All in all, I never felt so relaxed – or so clean!” said Pat. “When you sign in at the entrance desk you are given a frequent guest card. After 10 visits the 11th one is free. I’m hooked and my card will get as good a workout as I did.” Driving back to the city I was concerned that I would be too relaxed to enjoy my night out at the Gay Men’s Chorus. To my surprise I felt calm yet energetic. My experience at Spa World was not what I expected. I thought I would enjoy it, but I did not anticipate the transformative effect I experienced from being thoroughly cleaned, pampered and renewed. I felt at ease with myself in a new way. Spa World is the perfect gift for someone you love, especially yourself. For more information about Spa World: www.spaworldusa.com. Pattie Cinelli is a health and fitness specialist who teaches clients and students how to feel and look better. She can be reached at: fitness@pattiecinelli.com. H

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beautyhealthfitness

Being Prepared Financially for Pet Emergencies by Chris Miller, DVM

alking around the Hill during this post-holiday season you might see young puppies on leashes with

Dr. Chris Miller performs surgery at AtlasVet on H Street, NE.

their happy, new owners leading them and exploring together. There is nothing quite like 94 H HillRag | February 2013

the euphoria of a new pet in the home. New pet owners are generally optimists. Most have a false sense of security about their animal’s health: “Mixed breed pets are always healthy.” “My pure bred is fine. I researched for months to find this cat or dog. I have the best breeder around.” or “My older cat or dog has never had a problem, why should I start worrying now?” Of course we should know better. A quick discussion with my colleague, former ER veterinarian Dr. Antkowiak, will quickly set you straight. With over 15 years of emergency veterinarian experience, he knows the consequences of not having a plan in place for when your pet develops a sudden or severe health problem. Often disaster strikes on a holiday, during the middle of the night, or when owners are out of town. This can make not being financially prepared a nightmare and can waste valuable time that is best spent on decision making and treating. Having an emergency financial plan in place with your family or your pet sitter, can save time, stress and in some cases, your pet’s life. As the quality and standard of care of veterinary medicine increases, so can the price tag. If your dog were to develop an acute or complicated problem that cannot be fully diagnosed by your primary veterinarian, you might be referred to one of several veterinary specialists. An after-hours problem will require the use of an emergency veterinarian at a 24-hour facility. If the concern is believed to be caused by a neurologic problem, you may be sent to a veterinary neurologist who might recommend an MRI. Or maybe there is chronic pain or a systemic problem that is ailing your pet. In these cases the aid of an orthopedic specialist or an internal medicine veterinarian might be the next best step. In each of these cases, you can plan on spending around $150200 for an initial visit with advanced diagnostics, surgeries or hospitalization for treatment quickly jumping to the hundreds to possibly thousands of dollars. There are several strategies to keeping up

with costs of medical care for your pet. The most common approach is to depend on your savings. We strongly encourage pet owners to start a “rainy day” savings account for possible veterinary medical problems. It is easy enough to divert $5, $10, or $20 a paycheck, depending on your income, into an account solely to be used for veterinary emergencies. However, this is often not an option for people who are caught off guard by their pet’s acute decline in health. A line of credit is another option. A common question for veterinary clinics is “Do you offer payment plans?” These days, very few vets offer any form of in-house credit. There is just too much risk to the business. They do, however, offer third party payment plans such as CareCredit™. These types of companies provide credit specifically for medical care, much like a credit card. They are very helpful for families that need help in a pinch, but credit approval is needed (this can be performed online prior to arrival http://www.carecredit. com/apply/) and while there is often zero interest initially, once this period is over (60 – 120 days) the interest rates skyrocket. Pet insurance is becoming a much more accepted and encouraged way of being prepared. Dr. Antkowiak says, “In my experience, owners with insurance have the cushion of a safety net and are able to quickly consent to necessary diagnostics that can get us to a diagnosis faster and make treatment easier.” The pet insurance industry is still in it’s infancy but is growing rapidly. There are an ever increasing number of companies to choose from with 5-10 that are trying feverishly to corner the market. The most commonly seen companies at AtlasVet are Trupanion, ASPCA, VPI, and Petplan, but there are many more to choose from. While many of the aspects of pet insurance function much like human insurance, there are several major differences. The primary difference is that your veterinarian is rarely involved directly. Payments to the veterinarian are required by the owner at the time of service and

the insurance company then will reimburse the pet owner once a file has been claimed. This means you need to know what kind of insurance you have and what it covers. There is also a seven day to three month delay in getting reimbursed. Some plans just cover accidents, while other more indepth plans can cover some breed specific diseases that often are considered pre-existing. The more expensive plans will cover routine visits and prophylactic diagnostics. This way your pet is covered for sudden, severe problems that might arise as well as increasing the chance that more chronic issues will be caught and treated earlier. It is important to note that if you purchase a plan from a specific hospital (i.e. Banfield) instead of an insurance company, that plan will only be accepted at that specific facility or chain of hospitals. So do your research: There is nothing more frustrating or disheartening than finding out your insurance company will not be reimbursing a treatment you believed to be covered. Furthermore, do not be the client who asks if they should get insurance after a shocking diagnosis. Like with human patients, insurance just does not work that way. What holds true in other aspects of life applies to pet ownership: Be financially prepared for the unexpected. Even young or healthy pets can take a quick turn for the worse. Knowing what your goals and expectations are with your pet will help you with decision making later. Even though it is difficult to consider, understanding what your options are and having a financial plan for when things go poorly can save the day. Dr. Antkowiak is a graduate of the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Miller is a graduate of the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine. Both Dr. Antkowiak and Dr. Miller reside in Capitol Hill and are the owners of AtlasVet (the Atlas District Veterinary Hospital) at 1326 H St. NE (www.atlasvetdc.com, www.facebook. com/atlasvetdc, @atlasvetdc) H

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beautyhealthfitness

Discover More About Yourself Relax and Connect Deeply

by Ronda Bresnick Hauss, LCSW

uring the winter months, when it is cold and dark outside, we tend to have more opportunities to be reflective. Whether sitting in front of a fire with a good book or going out for a walk, we generally have more quiet time to ourselves and fewer activity-filled days. Winter is a perfect time to learn and experiment with reflective practices that can help you gain insight, intuition and wisdom. There are many ways to learn about yourself that are deeply relaxing and nurturing.

Music

Listening to music can be both pleasurable and deeply relaxing. It can help us cope with the stress of daily life. Music also has the potential to heal, and has been used by some in the medical community to help patients who are facing serious illness. Dr. Mitchell Gaynor, a board certified oncologist and author of the book, “The Healing Power of Sound: Recovery from Life-Threatening Illness Using Sound, Voice, and Music” has documented his use of music to help heal the seriously ill, particularly cancer patients. Music has also been created to produce states of deep relaxation, similar to those achieved in meditation, by deliberately stimulating the brain to produce theta waves. Theta waves are present in our brain when we are highly relaxed and peaceful. This kind of music incorporates the resonant tones of Tibetan bells, and a variety of nature sounds combined with synthetic music. The music is said not only to induce a deep sense of peace but also to enhance insight.

This music might be helpful to those who want to experience meditation but have difficulty with traditional sitting meditation. Examples of this kind of music include: “The Power of Peace in You” by Marlise Karlin and “Brainwave Suites” by Dr. Jeffrey Thompson.

Hypnosis

Hypnosis is another tool that can induce a state of deep relaxation and simulate personal insight. Hypnosis is an altered state of consciousness where your attention becomes more concentrated and focused. It quiets

Joy.” This CD will teach you to walk in peace whether you are in the country or on a busy city street. Walking a labyrinth can also help to induce a state of quiet meditative contemplation. Labyrinths have been in existence for thousands of years. A labyrinth is a single path that is walked for personal, psychological or spiritual growth. It has one path to the center and the same path back out, and is not to be confused with a maze which has dead ends and many trick turns. A maze is a puzzle to be solved. A labyrinth is a journey that can stimulate the right brain and

written, “Ten Poems to Change Your LIfe” - which he calls a dangerous book, because, as he points out, great poetry calls into question not less than everything. Each poem offers a glimpse into a personal journey - and opens us to consider looking deeply into our own lives.

Prayer

We meditate and pray to align ourselves with a power greater than our own individual identity. There is no right way to pray nor must it be associated with a religion or a particular place. We might pray during meditation, while being in nature, or when listening to great music or poetry. Prayer is one way we can communicate from our heart and ask for insight and wisdom. It can expand our consciousness and give rise to new possibilities. In all of these ways - through poetry, prayer, meditation and music - we have the opportunity to explore and expand who we are. We can do that with pleasure - by experiencing a deep sense of peace while we learn. “There is no need to go to India or anywhere else to find peace. You will find that deep place of silence right in your room, your garden or even your bathtub.” – Elisabeth Kubler-Ross.

“It is not that I’m so smart. But I stay with the questions much longer.” –Albert Einstein

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the mind creating a feeling of peacefulness. It enables you to concentrate intensely on a specific thought, memory, feeling or sensation and use this openness and focus to improve your health and well being. Dr. Michael Yapko a clinical psychologist uses hypnosis to help people address pain, anxiety, depression and insomnia. His CDs are available on his website: www.yapko.com

Walking Meditation

Walking meditation is another way to connect with yourself, relax or work through difficult emotions while being in nature. The Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh has a beautiful book and CD “Walking Meditation: Peace is Every Step. It Turns the Endless Path to

involves imagery, intuition and creativity. There are several labyrinths in the D.C. area, including one at the National Cathedral, one at the Georgetown waterfront park and one at Westminster Church at 4th and I Sts, SW.

Poetry

Listening to poetry can help us to connect to ourselves, find courage and clarity. The poet David Whyte produced a CD series, “Clear Mind, Wild Heart”, in which he reads aloud and discusses the poetry of Emily DIckinson, William Blake, Rainer Maria Rilke, and many others. The poetry he has selected asks us to look at ourselves and at our world in ways that bring both insight and pleasure. The poet Roger Housden has

Ronda Bresnick Hauss is a licensed clinical social worker and the founder of the Quiet Waters Center for Trauma, Stress and Resilience, on Capitol Hill. She uses an integrative & holistic approach to psychotherapy – addressing the connection between the mind, body and spirit through the use of traditional talk therapy, hypnosis, meditation, visualization, and creative, non-verbal techniques. She can be reached at: 202-544-5050 or at www. quietwaterscenter.com H

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by Kathleen Donner

Capitol Hill Cooperative Nursery School Accepting Applications

CHCNS is a parent-run pre-school for 3-year-olds. It is an independent cooperative located physically within–but not affiliated with–Watkins Elementary School. The school has been serving the Capitol Hill community for more than 50 years. CHCNS offers an opportunity for parents to visit the classroom and see the school environment and their students in action. The Open House sessions are held at Watkins Elementary School, 420 12th St. SE, Classroom 109. February open houses are Tuesday, Feb 12, 6-7:30 p.m. and Wednesday, Feb 20, 9-11 a.m. You can also contact their membership team to schedule a private tour at info@chcns.us. Application forms for children who have older siblings that attend or previously attended CHCNS are being accepted now. Application forms for all children will be accepted through Feb

25. Families will be notified by Mar 8 if they have been accepted. Capitol Hill Cooperative Nursery School is 501(c)(3) non-profit organization fully licensed by the District of Columbia. They provide children a stimulating, nurturing environment inclusive of innovative field trips, weekly live music performances, and structured play and learning. Membership is open to all children who will be three years old by Dec 31 of that school year. CHCNS attempts to achieve a mixed racial, cultural, and gender student body.

mote mountain peaks of Mexico, with breathtaking cinematography from an award winning team including Oscar winner Peter Parks. Be captivated by the true and compelling story of an intrepid scientist’s 40-year search to find their secret hideaway. Unravel the mysteries and experience the Flight of the Butterflies. $9. Show runs daily at 11:50 a.m, 1:25 p.m. and 3:55 p.m. at the Samuel C. Johnson IMAX Theater, National Museum of Natural History, 10th St. and Constitution Ave. NW. 866-8687774. si.edu/Imax

G-Rated “Flight of the Butterflies” in 3D

Capitol Hill Little League Spring Training

The monarch butterfly is a true marvel of nature. Weighing less than a penny, it makes one of the longest migrations on Earth across a continent to a place it has never known. Follow the monarchs’ perilous journey and experience millions of them in the re-

Across the Hill young ballplayers are checking their cleats and oiling their gloves in anticipation of spring baseball and softball. Capitol Hill Little League is offering winter clinics to warm up players before practice starts. CHLL is also currently registering boys and girls, ages 7-12, for spring baseball and softball. The registration deadline for the Majors division (ages 11-12) is Feb 24, with two tryout days to follow; all other divisions (ages 7-10) must register by Mar 12. Practices, which take place on neighborhood ball fields, begin the week of Mar 18. Opening day is Apr 13. Learn more about clinics and the spring season as well as register your player at capitolhilllittleleague.org.

2013 Summer Youth Employment Program Announced

Last year’s opening day. Photo: Krister Holladay.

Mayor Gray and the DC Department of Employment Services have announced that the application process hillrag.com H 97

kids&family for the District’s 2013 Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) has opened. The program will provide six weeks of meaningful employment and work-readiness training to District youth this summer. The online application for the 2013 SYEP is available to District residents between the ages of 14 and 21 at summerjobs.dc.gov.

Rocknoceros at Ebenezers

Rocknoceros (pronounced like rhinoceros) has dominated the Washington, DC children’s music scene since its inception in 2005, winning four Washington Area Music Awards, and landing an ongoing Video-on-Demand offering through COX Cable. Rocknoceros performs more than 20 shows each month, independently produce a bi-weekly video podcast series, and they have just completed their second animated music video for the PINK! CD. They have sold 10,000 CDs, with their first two CDs each winning Best Children’s Recording from the Washington Area Music Association. Join them on Mar 2, 10 a.m.-noon, for this fun family show. $10 (everyone 1 year and older). Ebenezers Coffeehouse, 201 F St. NE. 202-558-6900. ebenezerscoffeehouse.com

Imagination Stage Brings “Brother Bear” to the Atlas

Watch as Brother and Sister Bear experience a full year of glorious seasons. You will see a waterfall melt, meet a butterfly, chase an elusive fish, and skate on an icy pond. Children are invited to join the action with a small bag of props that help create magical moments. Perfect for ages 1-5. $8 for children and adults. Groups of 20 or more, $5. Feb 13-18. Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. 202399-7993. atlasarts.org

African American Pioneers in Aviation Family Day

On Saturday, Feb 9, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., visitors will meet famed African American pilots from World War II, the Tuskegee Airmen, who fought discrimination both at home and abroad; learn about the accomplishments of other black pioneers of aviation and space; talk to Museum experts; participate in hands-on ac98 H HillRag | February 2013

tivities; and listen to stories. Free. National Air and Space Museum. 202633-1000. airandspace.si.edu

Teen Game Night at SW Library

Come join the Southwest Neighborhood Library for game nights and play a host of Wii video games or enjoy a nice board game. Game nights are every Monday and Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m. Southwest Library, 900 Wesley Pl. SW. 202-724-4752. dclibrary.org/southwest

“Wintry Mix” at the National Gallery of Art

This program of heart-warming animated shorts celebrates winter’s frosty fun. The Gruffalo’s Child (Uwe Heidschötter and Johannes Weiland, U.K./Germany, 2011), the sequel to the award-winning 2009 film The Gruffalo, turns the tables as a young Gruffalo heads into the wintry woods in search of a big, bad mouse. The Snowy Day (Weston Woods, 2005, U.S.) based on the 1963 Caldecott Medal–winning book by Ezra Jack Keats, will be shown with Carrot on the Beach (Pärtel Tall, Estonia, 2008), Spot and Splodge in a Snowstorm (Uzi and Lotta Geffenblad, Sweden, 2008), and The Girl and the Fox (Tyler J. Kupferer, U.S., 2011). Approximately 60 minutes. Saturday, Feb 2, 10:30 a.m. and Sunday, Feb 3, 11:30 a.m. For ages 5 and up. All film programs are shown in the East Building Auditorium. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Groups are welcome. Food and drink are not permitted. Programs are free and subject to change without notice. For up-to-date information on the current month’s films, please call 202-789-3030.

Levine School of Music Launches Spring Series at Hill Center

Levine School of Music and Hill Center launch a new spring series at Hill Center beginning Feb 7. Children will learn from Program Coordinator and Instructor Youlee Dziuk who says, “My favorite part of teaching and sharing music with young children is to see them grow up-both in size and in their music making.

Students start with us as babies and toddlers, and watching them begin to walk, talk, and become little people is truly amazing.’ Thursdays, Feb 7-May 30; Levine’s Music Time for Babies & Toddlers (4 mo-24 mo.), 10:30-11:15 a.m.; Levine’s Round We Go (2-3 years), 11:15 a.m.-noon; Levine’s Adventures in Music (3-4 years), 3:304:15 p.m.; Levine’s Exploring Music (4-5 years), 4:15-5 p.m.; Levine’s Discovering the Music (5-6 years), 5-5:45 p.m. For more information about individual programs or to sign up, visit hillcenterdc.org.

Options Student Wins Capitol Hill Spelling Bee

Options Public Charter School student Julien Ingram became this year’s Capitol Hill Spelling Champ by correctly spelling “homogeneous” in a competition that had 32 contestants (6th through 12th grade) and lasted 13 rounds. Mya Ballad, a very talented 6th grader at Options, was the runner-up. Options offers alternative programs, which motivate students to stay in school by giving them the requisite social skills to increase their self-esteem, effectively manage anger and frustration, and achieve academic excellence. optionsschool.org

Discover Engineering Family Day at the National Building Museum

On Feb 16, 10 a.,m.-4:30 p.m., the National Building Museum and the National Engineers Week Foundation invite you to debunk the myths of engineering and discover how professional engineers turn an idea into reality. Celebrate National Engineers Week by participating in this free, hands-on, and fun-filled festival. This is a free, drop-in program. $5 donation suggested. Program and activities are most appropriate for children ages 5-13 with adult supervision. Registration is not required. National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW. 202272.2448. nbm.org At Discover Engineering Family Day visitors can:(1) FLY Become a rocket scientist and explore aerodynamics (2) BUILD Learn to build a suspension bridge using only basic items (3) EXPLORE Discover the concepts of mechanics and motion us-

ing a wind tube (4) MAKE slime and learn the properties of a “semisolid” (5) DESIGN and construct a structure to help protect from a tsunami (6) INVENT a pop-fly lever and see how high it launches a ping pong ball (7) MEET an astronaut and (8) DISCOVER alongside Curious George and Cat in the Hat from WETA and PBSKids.

“TRUANCY: A Crisis in DC Public Schools” Panel Discussion

On Saturday, Feb 23, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.at the Anne Beers Elementary School, 3600 Alabama Ave. SE, join a panel of experts to discuss school truancy in a forum where parents will learn the new truancy guidelines for DCPS. To be discussed are the fact that 20% of DC students are truant (5 times the national average), that K-8 had at least 10% of DCPS students miss more than a month of school in 2011 and that DC school system’s overall graduation rate is only 56% The panelists are Adele Fabrikant, Deputy Chief, Office of Youth Engagement, DC Public Schools; Eshauna Smith, Senior Policy Advisor, Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education; Jeffrey Brown, Counselor, Anne Beers Elementary School; Dane Jefferson, Assistant Principal, Randle Highlands Elementary School; Tamika Williams, Parent, Anne Beers Elementary School; Matrina Matthews, PTA President, Randle Highlands Elementary School; and The Honorable Zoe Bush, Judge, DC Superior Court. The moderator is De’Andre Anderson, HCCA Chair, Education & Recreation.

Shake Up Your Saturdays! Family Program: Nobility & Newcomers in Renaissance Ireland

These family workshops provide a morning of history, activity, performance, and fun! Explore how 16th century Irish and English culture intermingled and influenced each other, and how we still see this exchange of ideas today! Free but reservation required. Program is for ages 6-12. Feb 9, 10-11 a.m. at the Folger Shakespeare Theatre, 201 E. Capitol St. SE. 202-544-4600. folger.edu

Let Kids Have Fun Staying In Shape With Kickbike!

This spring it’s time to get kids out and moving with KickBike-the perfect combination of a scooter and a bicycle that not only keeps kids active but also let’s them have fun as they kickbike to school with friends or practice skating new cycling tricks on a warm afternoon. The Freeride Junior, $249, is specifically designed for the younger rider, ages 5 and up. It’s built to handle roughhousing and without all the extra chains, pedals, and gears to worry about your little one won’t be dealing with the “fear of falling” and getting scratched up while learning to ride. And since they are engaging a large group of muscles to power the bike by kicking balance and coordination is less of an issue. kickbikeamerica.com

Mardi Gras Family Day at Anacostia Community Museum

Can’t make it to Mardi Gras in New Orleans? No worries. On Feb 16, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., come celebrate it at the Anacostia Community Museum in a day of exciting activities including entertainment, arts and crafts, face painting, balloon art, dancing, and costume contests. When you walk through the museum doors don’t forget to sign up for the Adornment Workshop with Januwa Moja-Nelson who will dress you up in wonderful raiment for a free keepsake photo to take with you to remember this fun-filled day for the whole family. Whatever your age is, there is sure to be something to interest you at the Mardi Gras Family Day. This event is free and open to the public. For more information call 202-633-4875 or email ACMinfo@si.edu. Anacostia Com mun ity Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. anacostia.si.edu

Come Cruise with us! DS C H6 : 0 0 P MG

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CAPITOL HILL DAY SCHOOL AUCTION The National Capital Bank of Washington Don Denton, Coldwell Banker Capitol Hill • International Dairy Foods Association • Macro Solutions Phyllis Jane Young, Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate Gary Jankowski Real Estate • Johnson Law Group • Larry Bowers, DDS • Splash! Car Wash • Tech Painting Terry Brown Reatly Team, ReMax Allegiance • The Boston Beer Company • Winning Connections

DCPS Announces Innovative Internship Program for Students with Disabilities

DCPS has launched a new career-focused mentoring program for high school students with disabilities. The program, called Competitive Employment Ophillrag.com H 99

kids&family portunities (CEO), will connect high school students with disabilities to professional mentors who work in a range of competitive occupations. The CEO program will focus on providing students with career exploration, soft skills training, goal-setting support and paid internship opportunities. Approximately 20 students will participate in the program. Current agency partners include NASA, The Architect of the Capitol, The HSC Foundation, Northrop Grumman, Socially Ahead, Capital Area Asset Builders, and The Advisory Board Company. The level of student interest was very high, as over seventy students applied for only twenty slots. DCPS will provide a stipend of $8 an hour to enrolled students throughout the duration of their professional development training and summer employment.

Mid-Winter Family Festival at Textile Museum

Yearning for spring? Do you and your kids have cabin fever? Escape the winter doldrums and visit The Textile Museum for the fourth-annual Mid-Winter Family Festival! This year’s program explores the arts and artisans of Turkey. Kids of all ages are welcome for a day of fun, complete with a puppet performance and the chance to try a new craft activity. Shadow puppets have been used to tell stories in Turkey since the Ottoman Empire, and visitors to the family festival will have four opportunities to see a special performance by the Crescent Moon Karagoz Shadow Puppet Theater. After a performance, learn how to marble paper with artist Tugba Musurlu, and brighten your home with your example. “Zoom in” on textile structure and materials while learning how to use a microscope with the George Washington University Chemistry Department¬¬-and pretend you are a scientist or conservator! Or take a family guide and explore the current exhibition The Sultan’s Garden: The Blossoming of Ottoman Art on your own and surround yourself with the color and luxury of the Ottoman Empire. Feb 2, noon-4 p.m. The Textile Museum, 2320 S St. NW. textilemuseum.org. H 100 H HillRag | February 2013

National Day of Service at Capitol Hill Montessori School Eastern High Key Club and Kiwanis of Capitol Hill Pitch in to Help

by Janice MacKinnon

t was a glorious morning on January 19! The sun shone brightly, warming up over a hundred volunteers who had came out for National Day of Service at the Capitol Hill Montessori school. Inspired by President Barack Obama’s call for service celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Eastern SHS Key Club and its sponsor, the Kiwanis Club of Capitol Hill, organized an impressive array of cleanup projects “inside and outside.” School personnel worked overtime to get ready for the day. Capitol Hill stepped up to provide

Ward 6 Councilmember Tommy Wells and students. Photo: Janice MacKinnon

supplies. Thank you Capitol Hill Community Foundation, National Capital Bank, and Frager’s Hardware! This was truly an example of what Kiwanians call the K-Family. Eastern SHS Key Club Advisor Christopher Franklin structured the day, pulling together adults and teens from area Kiwanis and Key Clubs. School leaders, particularly teacher Lesa Warrick, organized an energetic and excited group of youngsters from the Stuart-Hobson Builders Club, K-Kids at Montessori, and “graduates” of the Builders Club,

who are now in high school but came back when called for service. When teachers and students returned to school, they found freshly painted walls and doors, a brandnew natural play space, cleaned-up gardens with wood chips, and inspiring quotes from Maria Montessori on their walls. A brand-new greenhouse was constructed. Key Clubbers also partnered with Teens Opposing Poverty to collect blankets for the homeless during the day. Capital District Key Club Governor Bowden Saunders led a welcoming ceremony that included prominent Kiwanian Linwood Watson, CHM Principal Brandon Eatman, Councilmember Tommy Wells and finally Ambassador Ron Kirk who emphasized the significance of the day’s linkage to ideals of service represented by Dr. King. It was an exciting day but perhaps one of the most satisfying parts was the leadership and commitment exhibited by the young people from our various schools. They all worked hard at their stations. They were happy and energetic. Here are some of their reflections: “It felt really good to do service. Our school needed a bit of work and it was like coming together to help the building look better” – Ava Pugh. “It felt good that people were spending their time on a Saturday to help make our school look good. It was fun being able to work in the garden.” – Ben Butler. Who could not say the day was a grand success. Gabrielle Horton, a 10th grader at the Field School, and former Builders Clubber, said “Saturday’s Community Service Project was a really amazing experience. It was heart-warming to see how many people and families from our community showed up to help make our city a better place. At the end of the day, I looked around and saw tremendous progress, from the towering piles of blankets to donate, to the inspiring quotes painted on the walls of the school. I am incredibly proud of our community and I’m glad that I was part of the project. “ Go to http://capitolhillkiwanisclub.org/national_ day_of_service_2013 or more quotes and photos. H

Give Yourself a Chance This Year Train with Pattie Cinelli, a certified personal trainer with experience, versatility and sensitivity. Winter is the perfect time to make a change: • finally lose and keep off those 10 lbs. • reduce stress and feel better. • become stronger and more flexible. Get fit, have fun and feel good ...and be ready for summer! Single, partner or small group sessions are available either at your home, at Effervescence Fitness Studio in NE or at Results Gym. Let’s talk. Call or email today!

202-544-0177 fitness@pattiecinelli.com

THE DANCE INSTITUTE OF WASHINGTON

HOSTS A SPECIAL WINTER

OPEN HOUSE

“Fall in Love with Dance” March 2nd, 3 – 7 p.m. March 3rd, 3 – 5:30 p.m. “Dance Like No One Is Watching” - Mark Twain In commemoration of the Dance Institute’s 25th Anniversary, this Open House is an open invitation from the students and teachers of DIW to participants of all ages, from children to adults and senior citizens, to come and discover what the buzz is all about. “Fall in Love with Dance” will offer free sample dance classes, mini performance exhibitions, dance program auditions, and a fun registration drive for DIW’s 2013 Summer Programs.

202.371.9656 www.danceinstitutewa.org 3400 14th Street, NW in Columbia Heights

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kids&family

Community as Classroom

Cesar Chavez Public Charter School for Public Policy by Emily Clark

Chavez students help to rebuild New Orleans through a program New Orleans and Back. 102 H HillRag | February 2013

very school day there are small miracles happening in a building tucked away on 12th Street SE, a block behind Frager’s Hardware. Students arrive from all over the District to attend the Cesar Chavez Public Charter School for Public Policy on Capitol Hill. But the minute they walk through the doors, they are no longer students. They are scholars. The idea of citizenship, of involvement in community, of learning to analyze information and seek help is instilled in each of the 400-plus scholars at Chavez. One hundred percent will apply to college; 85 percent will attend; 70 percent will graduate, exceeding the national average by at least 10 percentage points. Last year students were awarded more than $600,000 in scholarships, including a full-ride Trachtenberg scholarship to George Washington University. The goal this year is $1 million. At least seven scholars this year have already received funding for college next fall, according to college counselor Jamanda Porter. College recruiters and scholarship-granting foundations regularly visit the campus to meet with students. The school has partnered with the Kaplan organization to give juniors free access to the same kind of SAT prep class that usually costs a few hundred dollars. According to Principal Daneen Keaton, the goal beginning in 9th grade is “to make kids feel that they are part of a cohesive unit and get them ready for college.” Freshmen and sophomores do public advocacy projects on topics ranging from gay marriage to the environment. Juniors intern at various organizations on and around the Hill, then research, write and present a 20-page thesis. But this is not a story of scholars and statistics. The kids who attend Chavez are imbued with the idea that they can make a difference. All during high school, they’re out in the community, with internships and service projects. They are mentored and then learn to mentor. They get help and learn to

help others. In other words, Chavez is turning out confident kids who have the skills to make their mark on the world. On the Hill Chavez scholars have participated in the Barracks Row Fall Festival and the Moms on the Hill fair. They take part in voter registration drives and volunteer at Little Lights ministry. They work at places like the B Spot and Starbucks.

A Different Kind of First Day

When school started last fall, senior Marquis Thompson did not gather his books and take his usual 15-minute walk to Chavez Capitol Hill. Instead Thompson spent the first school day at the White House, where he attended a symposium on innovation and got to throw his ideas out to a panel of experts. During his four years at Chavez, Thompson has racked up honors, maintained excellent grades and learned how to mentor others. He is one of 14 semi-finalists for a Posse Foundation scholarship—a record number for Chavez. He took the SAT last spring and scored highest in the school. Marquis Thompson recalls with pride his participation in the school’s New Orleans and Back program, which sends students to continue the ongoing rebuilding efforts in that city’s lower 9th Ward. “I had such a good mentor when I first went in 10th grade, and he inspired me to be a great mentor when I went back last year,” Thompson said. “When I return to New Orleans in June, I will be both a mentor and a junior teacher. It’s a lot of responsibility and a daunting prospect.” Thompson said the program emphasizes both the New Orleans part and the “back” part. “When we returned last year, we made lesson plans to teach about concepts of home and community all across DC.” Marquis Thompson serves on DC’s Youth Advisory Committee, has joined a running club, participates in the Spoken Word group at school and does community service as a member of the National Honor Society.

at Chavez. When his parents moved to New York Avenue last year, Sadalah briefly thought about transferring to McKinley Tech, closer to home. “I decided to stay here. My research topic last year was IsraeliPalestinian relations and how to find common Chavez students help to rebuild New Orleans through a ground. I also got to visit program New Orleans and Back. the Senate and debate at GW on the drug war When he applied for the Posse with Mexico. Last sumscholarship, Thompson survived mer I did an international affairs multiple rounds of interviews to internship at Howard University become a finalist. “They asked a and visited the State Department. friend of mine to name his favorite McKinley Tech couldn’t offer that.” action hero. I wish they had asked Becoming a scholar is a gradme that.” ual process. Kids enter Chavez at Thompson disclosed that Bat- all levels, advanced to struggling. man is his favorite, because he’s al- There are social workers and alumways prepared. ni advisors, a special period at the “But that includes being pre- end of the day for kids who need pared for the unexpected. You can help and a Saturday school for make lots of plans, but you have to upgrading skills. It’s a small, nurbe flexible.” Although he did not get the scholarship, Thompson remains positive. “It knocked me off the horse for a while, but with the support of family and friends, I’m back in the game,” he said. Next year Thompson would like to study English at a liberal arts college. He is looking at NYU, Wesleyan and Ithaca College, among others. He is also interested in military service, either before or after college. His takeaway from Chavez: “There are always people here to help you get where you want to go. So, in turn, you should do the same Junior Elmu Sadalah speaks during a Chavez for others.” debate. Photos: Courtesy Chavez Capitol Hill

Debating His Future

Elmu Sadalah is one busy junior. In addition to all his class work and college prep work, he is on the debate team as well as Model United Nations, Youth in Government and Teens Run DC, a cross country running group. He appeared in a major role in last year’s school production of “Rent.” When he has time, he takes advantage of some of the classes offered by the Tiger Woods Learning Center, which has offices right upstairs

turing environment, right in the neighborhood, where the kids stay in touch long after graduation and even return to tutor others. Former students act as mentors to those in college, to help make their college years successful ones. Principal Keaton described Chavez graduates as “scholars with a wealth of experiences,” ready to connect with the world.

1250 Taylor St. NW Washington, DC 20011 p. 202 545-0515 f. 202 545-0517 www.bridgespcs.org

Serving Pre-K3, Pre-K4, Kindergarten and 1st grade for the 2013-2014 school year

A new grade will be added each year through 5th grade. INFORMATION / OPEN HOUSE SESSIONS ON THURSDAYS: February 7 & 21 from 9:30 am – 10:30 am March 7 & 14 from 9:30 am – 10:30 am April 11 & 25 from 9:30 am – 10:30 am You must register to attend, limit of 20 people per session. Call (202) 545-0515 to register.

Application deadline March 15th, 2013. Lottery March 22nd, 2013 Apply for admissions at www.bridgespcs.org or by coming to the school. We are building on our strong foundation as an early childhood program. Come be a founding member of the elementary school!

Program Features: Before Care starting at 7:30 am and after care until 6:00 pm. Small classroom size and well trained staff. Individual planning for each student. Hands-on and project-based curriculum. Bridges Public Charter School is free and open to all DC residents. Tuition paid by non-residents.

OPEN HOUSE Monday February 25th 9am - 10:30am ABOUT US: •

Founded in the fall of 1999

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Accredited by Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools

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Pre-school – 5th Grade

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Independently run with a strong Board of Trustees

•

Challenging Curriculum

•

Exciting Creative Arts and Technology Program

•

Positive school culture

•

Open to all DC Residents

Open Enrollment for Preschool – 5th Grade February 1st-March 15th (All DC residents) 5300 Blaine Street, NE Washington, DC 20019 202-398-6811

Please visit us at www.artstechacademy.org

For more information on Chavez PCS, go to chavezschools.org or call 202-547-3424. H

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School Notes compiled by Susan Braun Johnson

will take place Sat., March Club overlooking the Wash16, from 7 to 10pm at Eastern ington Nationals ball field on Where in the World? Geography Bee Market’s North Hall. There Saturday, February 9, 2013. Every student in grades four through eight This year’s auction is promwill be a raffle, silent auction competed for a position on their class team for ising to be the best party and limited live auction for the school-wide National Geographic Bee dur- ever, with fabulous items exciting items like gift certifiing Catholic Schools Week at the end of January. and many new surprises in cates for spa services and resThe winner of the school-wide Geo Bee will go on store! Join the school comtaurants, vacation and hotel to compete in the District of Columbia National munity to share a great time packages, gym memberships Geographic Geography Bee in April. Good luck and extraordinary access to and much more. Last year’s Geo scholars! event raised over $60,000, Nationals Park, including which helped to fund salaries the players’ own batting cages for teachers’ aides and imporwhere you can take a swing Safety Patrol Stars tant enrichment programs. Hats off to the St. Peter School Safety Patrol! or two (or more!) against acHelp us surpass last year’s A dedicated group of sixth graders, led by Dean tual pitchers. Tickets are $95 fundraising goal while enjoyof Student Life Lacy Woodside, arrive at school - for more information, send Maury teacher Mr. Scott is highly effective at teaching AND building train tracks. ing a fun evening with neighearly and stay late to assist students who walk to a message to spsdcauction@ bors and friends. Tickets are school, help those who are in the carpool line, and gmail.com. See you at the direct them safely to and from their classrooms. ball park! - Sally Aman. St. Peter School, 422 Third $30 per person in advance and $35 person at the door. Heavy hors d’oeuvres and beer and wine are Members must maintain good grades and serve as St, SE; 202-544-1618, www.stpeterschooldc.org. included in the ticket price. student role models in order to serve on the patrol. If you wish to become a Community SponThanks to our safety patrol stars! sor of Maury at the Market, or if you are a local merchant who would like to donate goods or serSt. Peter School Auction at Nats Park–GAME ON! YAY for Mr. Scott! vices to the auction, please contact Linda Samuel at Mark your calendars for an exciting, unique, Maury preschool teacher Scott Harding has lindabsamuel@yahoo.com. Visit the event website home run of an evening! The St. Peter School an- earned the Rubinstein Award for Highly Effective at www.mauryatthemarket.org for ticket purchase nual auction will be held at the PNC Diamond Teaching. Award winners were nominated by edu- information, an updated list of goods and services cators, parents, and communi- to be auctioned, and to view our sponsors! Maury ty members, and then selected Elementary, 1250 Constitution Ave., NE. 202by a DCPS panel. In addition 698-3838; mauryelementary.com; Facebook and to the honor and a monetary Twitter. - Heather Schoell. award, Mr. Scott and his class are part of a DCPS film that will be used to recruit quality teachers. Mr. Scott loves Congratulations to the first and second-grade facilitating exploration; his students in the Washington Tennis & Education little people are winding up Foundation/Academics Program at Ludlow-Taylor a unit on recycling, and will Elementary School. Led by Ms. Kelly, the students then move on to study clothdefeated DC Prep at Edgewood 9–7 in Jan. ing – what we wear and how Ludlow-Taylor has been planning for the school’s it’s made! Phase I renovation this summer. The draft plans were just unveiled. Get ready for some big changes! The Maury at the Market exterior will get a facelift, with new windows and Maury’s flagship fund- paint. The new interior layout will right-size rooms, raiser, Maury at the Market, add on a Parent Resource Room and a devoted art Members of the St. Peter School Sixth Grade Safety Patrol. Credit: Ms. Lacy Woodside

News from St. Peter School

Maury Elementary School Notes

Ludlow-Taylor News

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kids&family room, and the administrative offices will move to the front of the school near the entrance. Additionally, the security area will shift and your first stop when you enter the building will always be the security desk. In other phases of the renovation, a Black Box Performing Arts Space will be added as well as a gymnasium. Plans also include replacing the playground with new structures and stateof-the-art ground surfacing Want to know more? Stop by the school and see the plans for the renovation that will be enlarged and affixed to the wall in the entrance area. Don’t forget to stop by for Java with Principal Cobbs on Feb 8, 8–9 a.m., to learn more about the school or come to the PTA meeting on Feb 20, 6:30-7:30 p.m., to hear more about the renovations. LT’s next open houses are Feb 13th, 6:30–7:30 p.m., and Feb 21th, 9:30–10:30 a.m. See you then! - Rebekah Benson-Flannery. LudlowTaylor, 659 G St, NE The website is http://ludlow-taylor.org/

Eliot-Hine Middle School News Introducing Linda Brown

It’s a challenge to keep the undivided attention of a classroom of middle school students, especially right after lunch, but Linda Brown makes it look easy. She takes full advantage of the smart-board in her classroom to illustrate the relationship between the Pythagorean Theorem and . . . baseball. The students quickly note that the baseball diamond includes two righttriangles. Ms. Brown will ask leading questions but the kids have to come up with the answers for themselves, and explain how they did it. That’s central to the new International Baccalaureate Programme (IB) curriculum that’s been implemented this year at EliotHine. Ms. Brown has been with the school for over 20 years, making her more than ready for this fresh challenge and the re-introduction of Algebra to the school’s offerings. She notes that there is increased rigor in the new standards and that students are required to relate their mathematical thinking to real-life situations. Some of her students find this challenging but 106 H HillRag | February 2013

programs from 9 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. from September through May. For more information about RPNS, please visit the school’s website at www.riverparknurseryschool.org or call 202546-7767.

Tyler Elementary News

Math class at Eliot-Hine MS

she is committed to meeting the needs of individual students based on their current understanding – and then push them to reach their full potential. Ms. Brown is working with her colleagues to host additional Family Math Nights (tons of fun!). If you would like to attend, contact her through the school. – Elizabeth Nelson, Eliot-Hine Middle School, 1830 Constitution Ave NE. 202-939-5380, www.eliothinemiddleschool.org.

River Park Nursery School News Celebrating 50 Years!

Did you know River Park Nursery School is FIFTY years young in 2013?

And we are celebrating with a bash for the ages: our annual Sock Hop and Auction. The event, attended by hundreds of Hill residents and scheduled for March 2, is a fantastic party! Since 1963, River Park Nursery School, located now in the heart of Capitol Hill at the Lutheran Church of the Reformation on historic East Capitol Street, has provided an exceptional environment for children ages 3 to 5 to play and learn. Led by Bernadette Blum, River Park plays a vital role in fostering the development of young children. Please visit our website to purchase tickets or donate! The River Park Nursery School is located at 212 East Capitol Street, NE. It operates with 3, 4, or 5 day

Is there anything more encouraging for budding artists than to see their work on display in a world-renowned gallery? Tyler Elementary is proud to announce that artwork by Tyler students is currently on display at the Phillips Collection. Over the course of the academic year, all students will participate in a partnership program with the Phillips Collection as part of the Arts Integration Initiative. Tyler is also launching an additional program called Historias Retrato/Portrait Stories, developed in collaboration with the National Portrait Gallery. In this program, students will learn how to read portraiture and to develop a biography and portrait for an historical figure of their choosing. Perhaps the most exciting aspect of Tyler’s Arts Integration Initiative is that much of what students are learning is being incorporating into the classroom curricula. For example, students study works of art, identify key details, and write essays about what they see. They are also learning about shapes and mathematical principles by studying the works of cubist artists such as Paul Klee. It’s an exciting time at Tyler Elementary! *The Phillips Collection is located at 1600 21st St, NW. Colleen Cancio. Tyler Elementary, 1001 G St, SE. www.TylerElementary.net.

Cluster School News

Visit the Young Artist Exhibit at the Phillips Collections to see work by students at Tyler Elementary

The Capitol Hill Cluster School Auction will be held at the Atlas Performing Arts Center on, March 15 and is the biggest fundraiser of the year. Please check the auction website at www.capitolhillclusterschool.org/ support-us/auction for more information and to learn how you can help. The Capitol Hill Classic is accepting applicants at: http://www.capitolhillclassic.com/ Peabody is in the process of

working with DCPS, architects from R McGhee and Associates and members of the Peabody community to create plans for Peabody’s modernization. Work will take place this summer. There will be having a community meeting on February 7 to share the plans with the community. Cooperation with the Smithsonian EdLab also continues. Ms. Lehrer’s Kindergarten class is studying George Peabody, who the building is named for, and will be having a special tour at the National Portrait Gallery to see his portrait. Ms. Wood’s PK class has learned about food banks and kitchens and prepared 100 sandwiches, took them to So Others Might Eat and helped to serve them. These projects incorporate technology, museums and problem-solving.

Stuart Hobson

Dates to Remember:

Feb. 4: Principal’s monthly Meet and Greet at the Peabody Library, 2-3 p.m. Feb. 5: Peabody open tours, 9-11 a.m. Feb 6: Principal’s monthly Meet and Greet at the Stuart-Hobson Library, 9-10 a.m. Feb 8: 100th day of school celebration Feb 12: CHCS night at Tunnicliff ’s Tavern, 5-10 p.m. Feb 21: Watkins Stepping Stones, Peabody-to-Watkins transition *The DCPS out-of-bounds lottery is open through February 25th. -Maria Helena Carey & Katie Baptiste, Peabody Primary – 425 C St NE. Watkins Elementary– 420 12th St SE. Stuart-Hobson Middle School Campus – 410 E St NE www.capitolhillclusterschool.org.

Cesar Chavez PCS News Million Dollar Class

The Chavez Schools’ Capitol Hill Class of 2013 has been dubbed the “Million Dollar Class,” and seniors Victor Dinarte and Isamar Vaquero are helping their class reach the $1 million mark. Victor Dinarte was selected as a recipient of the Comcast Lead-

At Stuart-Hobson, Mr. Munz’s Technology Class students are learning touch-typing and workspace ergonomics. Students also learn office applications and how to properly operate their computers. The U.S. Capitol, the White House, the National Mall & Memorial Parks, the Supreme Court and the National Archives provide the perfect setting for learning about our nation’s Constitution. Mr. McGrath’s eighth-grade students at Stuart-Hobson Middle School spent a day on the We the People Constitution Tour, an exciting, curriculum-based learning experience that helps our students familiarize themselves with their city and their gov- Chavez Scholars Isamar Vaquero and Victor Dinarte, Recipients of Comcast and Posse Scholarships ernment. After the tour was over, Mr. McGrath ers and Achievers Scholarship. This asked students for feedback about award, funded through the Comcast the tour and what they learned. Here Foundation, recognizes high school is what they said: seniors from Comcast communi“I learned that the Constitution ties for commitment to community is the founding document for our service, academic achievement, and country and that all laws come from demonstrated leadership. To acit.” - David S. knowledge these accomplishments, “That tour was awesome! Can Victor will receive a one-time grant we go again tomorrow?” - Preshus C. of $1,000. Isamar Vaquero was chosen as a

Pre-School – 8th Grade

Intellect Inquiry Imagination Integrity Located 3 blocks from U Street Metro Station Green/Yellow Line 1328 Florida Avenue NW 202-248-6825

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Brent Elementary students, parents and teachers take part in the Annual Bird Count

Posse Foundation recipient out of hundreds of applicants across the district. Posse is one of the most comprehensive and renowned college access and youth leadership development programs in the United States. Posse identifies public high school students with extraordinary academic and leadership potential and extends to them the opportunity to pursue personal and academic excellence by placing them in supportive, multicultural teams – Posses – of 10 students. As a Posse Scholar, Isamar will receive a four-year, full-tuition scholarship provided by Pepperdine University. Both Victor and Isamar are active in the Chavez Schools’ community. They are involved in several clubs, including Debate, New Orleans and Back, and We The People. In addition, Victor serves as senior class president. The Chavez Schools is extremely honored to recognize the accomplishments and hard work of these scholars and wishes them continued success in college and beyond. -Christine Lai. 709 12th St. SE, chavezschools.org.

School Within a School at Logan Annex Expansion News

SWS is excited to announce its plan to move to a permanent location 108 H HillRag | February 2013

this summer! The school’s new home will be 920 F Street NE, where Prospect Learning Center currently resides. (Prospect will be consolidated at the end of the 2012-2013 school year.) The SWS community looks forward to settling into the larger space and moving forward with its plan to add two new 2nd grade classes – and, possibly, two new preschool classes – in the upcoming school year. 16th Annual Jazz Gala & Auction: SWS’s annual fundraising gala is quickly approaching! This year’s event will feature a live performance from The Junkyard Saints, hors d’oeuvres, an open bar, and live and silent auctions. March 9th • 6-10 p.m. at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church (118 3rd SE. To purchase tickets, view the auction catalog, or make a donation, please visit http://swsauction.org/. Final Pre-Lottery Open House: The DCPS Lottery is just around the corner . . To learn more about SWS and the Reggio Emilia approach to learning, please attend our last prelottery open house. Talk with current SWS families, meet our inspiring teachers, and explore our creative learning environment. In the upcoming school year, SWS will have 40 open slots for pre-K students, with limited space available in the Kin-

dergarten, 1st grade, and 2nd grade classes. Feb 6th • 6-7:30 p.m. • Sapna Mirchandani. SWS at Logan Annex, 215 G St NE. www.schoolwithinschool.org.

Brent Elementary School News Brent’s Bird Count Success

Brent’s birdy tradition continued on January 12, when more than 200 members of the school community turned out for their annual urban bird count. Bird watchers traveled to Hains Point, Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens and the National Arboretum. Brent also had a wonderfully energetic group of PK and K students back at the school for the schoolyard bird discovery. This year they forged a new partnership with the National Park Service and the Earth Conservation Corps, while enjoying the familiar faces of all the bird experts Brent families have met over the years. In all 734 birds from 15 different species were recorded. Highlights included a Cooper’s Hawk and three Great Blue Herons.

Spring Gala Save the Date

Brent’s Spring Gala, “A Taste of the Hill,” will be on March 23 from 6-10 p.m. at St. Mark’s Church. The event sold out last year so buy your tickets

today. This event is an annual fundraising gala hosted by the Brent PTA to provide the very best resources possible to support all Brent students. The event features superb food and wine as well as live music and fabulous auction items such as vacation stays, artwork, dining gift certificates, and creative class baskets. Tickets are available at http:// brentelementary.org/gala. - Denise Diggs. Brent Elementary, 301 North Carolina Ave SE, www.brentelementary.org, 202-698-3363.

Capitol Hill Day School News

February events at Capitol Hill Day School highlight our unique field education program, student-centered learning based on discovery and challenge, emphasis on critical thinking and analysis, and commitment to social-emotional as well as academic growth.

Black History Month

CHDS students are engaged in a school-wide study of the 1963 March on Washington, continuing last year’s focus on the legacy of Dr. King, and tying into classroom studies of the history, music, art, and literature of the Civil Rights Movement. Field trips will connect students to many of the events and exhibits celebrating

SUMMER CAMPS! the 50th anniversary of the March.

Curriculum Night

Organized by faculty, this informal evening allows parents to experience the inquiry-based approach to learning that their children enjoy every day.

What does it mean to be an “independent” school?

At CHDS, it means that teachers invent and interpret curriculum in response to students’ needs and interests, and that we value a child’s enthusiasm for and investment in learning, which cannot be measured by standardized test scores. “Independent” also means maintaining accreditation through periodic self-examinations overseen by the Association of Independent Schools of Maryland and DC (AIMS). CHDS teachers, administrators, and Trustees submitted a comprehensive report describing and analyzing our cur-

ricula and programs. In April, the AIMS accreditation team will observe classes and meet with teachers and administrators. Based on its findings, CHDS will prepare “a school-improvement road map for the coming years” (www.aimsmddc.org), after which AIMS will make its accreditation decision. While demanding, the accreditation self-study provided a welcome opportunity for school-wide conversations and self-reflection. -Jane Angarola, CHDS, 210 South Carolina Avenue, SE 202-386-9919 or jangarola@ chds.org

Friends Community School News Celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Friends Community School marked the birthday of Dr. Martin

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kids&family non-violence, racial justice and peace for which he worked. Friends Community School is a Kindergarten through 8th grade Quaker school located in College Park, MD that welcomes students of all beliefs. It educates a growing number of children from Capitol Hill, Xue Qin, University of Maryland MCERT candidate, holds up the Chinese characters for “It’s OK” in Ms Buckner’s 1st grade class as well as students from other parts of the metropolitan Luther King, Jr. with music, art and a field trip to several sites in Wash- area. -Eric Rosenthal, 5901 Westington. On Jan 24, classes went to chester Park Drive, College park, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memo- MD; www.friendscommunityschool. rial, Lincoln Memorial, Frederick org Douglas House or “Changing America: The Emancipation Proclamation, 1863 and the March on Washington, 1963,” an exhibit at the National First gGaders Learn Chinese Museum of American History. Amidon-Bowen students are Earlier in the month, students disreceiving Chinese language instrucplayed artwork and performed music tion through the Center for Chinese at the 22nd annual College Park TribLanguage Teacher Certification and ute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at Development, at the College of Eduthe University of Maryland Clarice cation at the University of Maryland. Smith Performing Arts Center. StuCandidates spend a full year interndents sang three songs: Dona Nobis ship in the classroom gaining practical Pacem, This Land is Your Land and experience, and helping to create new Salaam Alaikum. Third and fourth materials for instruction. The Program grade students displayed artwork modeled on Adinkra textiles from can lead to a Masters Degree or ChiGhana. Each of the Adinkra symbols nese Language Certification only. The was inspired by the life and words of program also offers a five-year program for undergraduates leading to a Dr. King. Friends Community School is Masters Degree with certification for a Quaker school and the religious teaching Chinese language. In the fall semester Qi Zhao met Society of Friends, or Quakers, had with Ms. Buckner’s 1st grade stua close association with Dr. King dents Monday and Wednesday. She from the mid-1950s until his death was then assigned to another school in 1968. Quakers helped arrange a to complete her full year internship. pilgrimage he took to India with his Starting this January, Xue Qin is aswife, Coretta Scott King, to visit the signed to Amidon-Bowen for her secpeople and places associated with the ond semester of the internship. The innon-violent leader Mahatma Ganstruction is organized in fast paced 15 dhi. They supported many of his acminute, small group sessions, with lots tivities in the United States and the American Friends Service Commit- of visual materials, adapted for young tee, itself a recipient of the Nobel learners. Ms. Qin plans to broaden the Peace Prize, nominated Dr. King for instruction to include participation in the award, which he received in 1964. Chinese celebrations later in the year. Friends Community School students - Meg Brinckman. Amidon-Bowen study Dr. King and the principles of Elementary School, 401 I St SW.

Amidon Bowen News

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School Without Walls HS

After what was a much needed break, school started up again. “Waking up before 10 a.m.? This is outrageous!” “I woke up and it was actually dark outside” Comments like these could be heard as students entered the building on the first day of school. It’s been two weeks and school is in full swing, with finals for our half year classes and projects to wrap up before the semester ends. Going back to school is not all work though. The ski club had an allday ski trip recently. Anyone, regardless of experience, could go on the excursion, which included a lesson, lunch, and transportation plus a full day of skiing with friends! Also, the school is holding its winter formal, this year called the “Inaugural Ball”, on the Friday before the Inauguration. This is one of the school’s more formal events and is taking place at Eastern Market. June seems very far away, however, a new semester begins, and with this, students take new electives. There are plenty of elections to choose from. Want to be a lawyer? Take Constitutional or Street Law. Like singing? Take Concert or Show Choir. But that’s not

all; there are options for dancers, painters, writers and more. There are even Advanced Placement classes that are electives, notably AP Human Geography and AP Psychology. School is back in session after a nice, long break, but we can still wish for a snow day! - Delmar Tarragó, 11th grader. The School Without Walls, 2130 G St, NW. http://www.swwhs.org.

Eastern H.S. News

In our continued effort to attract and retain the best and brightest incoming students to Eastern we are launching a set of small, specialized academic programs available to students in the ninth grade that students within or outside of Eastern’s boundary can apply for and gain admission. You can learn more about these programs and apply by visiting our new website: www.easternhighschooldc. org. Application deadlines: February 1, 2013 and, based on available spaces, April 15 and May 15.

Accelerated Cohort@Eastern

The Accelerated Cohort at Eastern (ACE) is designed as a two-year program specifically for students who

School Without Walls freshmen catch some fresh air on the outdoor terrace after finishing their midterm exams.

have the motivation and habits of mind to meet above-grade level academic standards in the ninth and tenth grade years.

Health and Medical Sciences Academy (HMSA)

The Health and Medical Sciences Academy (HMSA) is a four-year Career and Technical Education Program that has a strong tradition of preparing high school students for post-secondary education and careers in the health and medical field.

BUILD

The BUILD Program helps students develop their own business ideas, write business plans, pitch to funders, launch real businesses, and receive individualized academic advising for their school-work and college planning. As they reap the rewards— from keeping their profits to gaining self-confidence—they clearly see the connection between the classroom and career success. We are looking for students most interested in BUILD and although there are no academic requirements, only 25 students will be able to participate. Interested students must commit to the BUILD program for four years, participate in a family orientation, stay after school to meet with a business mentor and to develop their businesses, and attend evening and weekend events. - Emma Osore, Eastern Senior High School, 1700 East Capitol St. NE, www.easternhighschooldc.org; Twitter: @ EasternHS; http://www.facebook.com/easternhighschool

J.O. Wilson ES News Giving to the Community

J.O. Wilson ES 5th grade students made a great impact recently at a local center for homeless women. Long time J.O. Wilson supporter, Mrs. Carol Wheeler, won the bid for student decorating at the Taste of H Auction to benefit J.O. Wilson Elementary last fall, and generously paid it forward to N Street

Come meet our teacher, Ms Frances, and see why your 3 year old (by 12/31/13) will love this school!

OPEN HOUSE

at Watkins Elementary School, 420 12th Street SE, Classroom 109. Tuesday, February 12, 2013, 6:00pm – 7:30p Wednesday, February 20, 2013, 9:00am - 11:00am

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Village, which provides services to homeless women. J.O. Wilson art teacher, Mrs. Elizabeth WyrschBa, organized the creation of holiday decorations and took twelve students to N Street Village to decorate their multipurpose room in time for Christmas. While there, students took a tour of the center and met some of the women who are served by N Street Village. The students had a wonderful time and commented that “it felt good to help the homeless.”

Student Authors in Action

The second and first grade students at J.O. Wilson ES held a publishing party recently after they completed an informational writing unit, creating non-fiction books on a topic of their choice. The young writers gathered artifacts, costumes, and conducted research to create a display to enhance their final piece of writing and dressed in costume to bring their books to life. The young scholars presented their work in a fair format and fellow students, teachers, staff and parents came to show their support. Samantha Caruth, J. O. Wilson Elementary School, 660 K St NE, 202-6984733, www.jowilsonelementary. org, jowilsonpta@gmail.com.

Camp Runs: June 24–August 9th For more information visit www.potomacschool.org/Summer Programs for ages 3 1/2 to 17. Camps including: • Swimming • Cooking • Nature Science • Out For Fun • Theater • Art Classes for all ages • Ancient Cultures, Gods and Gladiators • Discovery Camp • Girls Sports & Leadership • Sewing & Fiber Arts • Before and After Care Too! • And More!

FREE TRANSPORTATION! 1301 Potomac School Road Mclean, VA 22101

703-749-6317

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Friendship Collegiate Academy Students Earn Full-Ride College Scholarships

Friendship Public Charter School, which serves nearly 8,000 mostly disadvantaged students in Washington DC and Baltimore proudly announces that three of its students have earned Posse Scholarships. This year’s winners are Kendra Spruill, Phillip Pride and Kirk Murphy. Spruill will attend Bucknell University while Pride and Murphy have accepted places at Sewanee: The University of the South. They will study Psychology, Computer Science and Business Management respectively. Their grade point averages are 3.9, 4.0 and 3.6 respectively.

Enc Empowouraging e Imaginrment and a Safe ation in an Enviro d Caring For Chnment ild Ages 3 ren -9

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The recipients will receive four-year full-tuition scholarships from colleges that partner with the Posse Foundation. In 2011, the Foundation received over 14,000 nominations for 560 scholarship slots nationally. The graduation rate at Friendship’s Collegiate Academy on Minnesota Avenue in Northeast D.C. Three Friendship Collegiate Academy Students, Kendra is 91 percent - 35 percent- Spruill, Phillip Pride and Kirk Murphy Earn Scholarships age points higher than the ing by greeting students as they engraduation rate for D.C.’s traditional public high schools. And tered the building. The atmosphere was warm and 100 percent of the graduating class is inviting, yet Newtown was not far accepted to college. Some 75 percent from everyone’s mind. of Collegiate Academy’s students Throughout that week, Jefferare eligible for free or reduced-price son students had been collecting school lunch. stuffed animals to send to ConIn the last four years Friendnecticut to help put a smile on the ship students have earned over $21 faces of those affected by the tragmillion in scholarships. - Dan Croedy. Student Isiah Lattimore said he nin. Friendship Collegiate Acadwanted to show that we care about emy, 4095 Minnesota Avenue, NE. what’s happening, while student http://www.friendshipschools.org. Ajani Young said that he wanted to bring them some comfort. Many boxes of stuffed animals had been collected and all will find Students Show Support to good homes in Newtown. Sandy Hook As we grieve for the victims and In Newtown, twenty young chil- their families and we debate gun dren and six adults lost their lives control, the students at Jefferson in a senseless act of violence. As the worked to help bring comfort during nation mourned the loss and the isa difficult time, which had fallen in sue of tighter gun control regulations the middle of the holiday season. rose to the forefront, the students at It was comforting to see such an Jefferson wanted to send a message of outpouring of affection for kids that love to those affected. these students had never met. - Bruce As I entered Jefferson AcadDarConte, Education Chair- Near emy on the early morning of DeSE/SW Community Benefits Coorcember 19 for a meeting, I was dinating Council (CBCC). Jefferson, greeted by friendly security staff 801 7th St. SW. http://profiles.dcps. who provided both tight access dc.gov/Jefferson+Middle+School H control while making me feel welcome. Principal Gordon was stand-

Jefferson Academy News

Jefferson Academy Students Show Support to Sandy Hook 114 H HillRag | February 2013

Homes & Gardens the hill gardener

Can a Cup of Coffee Help Save the world? Some Hill Residents Think So.

Article and Photographs by Rindy O’Brien

ver think about how your everyday actions, like drinking a cup of coffee, might impact the world? Ever think about where those birds that tweet to you in spring and summer go in the winter months? Some Hill residents, and now Hill students, have been contemplating these questions and here’s what they’re learning.

Everything is Connected

For Hill resident, Collie Agle, connecting the different threads of life is not a parlor game. It has been his lifetime passion, and he continues to find the journey to be exhilarating. His philosophy of living is that everything is con-

Mary Procter and Bill Matuszeski, Capitol Hill participants, with the four Barahona children of their host family in El Tule, Honduras. Photo courtesy of Mary Procter:

nected to everything else and everybody. “I think understanding the relationship of nature to what we do everyday is so important,” says Collie, “and it can help us make our own daily choices ones that help take better care of the earth.” Collie was a Peace Corps volunteer in Peru in the 1960’s where he became fluent in Spanish and watched what the destruction from over-logging was doing to the soil. It left lands in poor condition and impacted the way people could farm for their own families. “I knew that working to bring more knowledge to the people in these mountain villages while at the same time sharing this experience with more people at home was my calling,” Collie said. From that time forward, he and his wife, Betsy, have been doing just that in a number of efforts through the Episcopal Church of Honduras, and now Sustainable Harvest International and the Trinidad Conservation Project (TCP). In addition to the countless hours of hillrag.com H 115

homesgardens service he and Betsy give each year to TCP, Collie is also involved locally with the Anacostia Watershed Association. He is a certified kayak instructor and you often see his van with his Pathways logo and yellow kayaks on top parked around the Hill. He is interested in helping more folks on Capitol Hill become knowledgeable about the beauty and

home,” Collie noted, “before it all sinks in, but for many it is a profound experience and they have gone on to study and find careers in international development or social justice work.” Additionally, the connection is being made at the Capitol Hill Day School which is partnering with the Smithsonian’s Bridging the Americas cross-cultural environmen-

Volunteers and donors to the Trinidad Conservation Project gathered on November 14, 2012 at the Frederick Douglas House to share memories and updates on the TCP. Photo: Rindy O’Brien

Collie Agle at home on Capitol Hill works everyday to connect our hill environment to the Honduras countryside he works to protect. Photo: Rindy O’Brien

natural wonders of the Anacostia River. He also wants to teach Hill residents about storm water runoff and how to reduce its impact. “I am always amazed,” said Collie, “at the number of people who just don’t stop and think about these things.”

Seeing for Yourself

St. Elmo’s Coffee shop in the Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandria is the only coffee shop in the area carrying bird-friendly certified coffees. Photo: Rindy O’Brien 116 H HillRag | February 2013

Since 1989, Collie and Betsy have been taking young people and adults to Honduras on ten-day trips. The biennial teen trips are part of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church’s children’s outreach programs, and in 2010 eleven teens and five adults were part of the group. Both Collie and Betsy say that getting to witness the transformation of these young people waking up or finding their inner compass is one of the best things that comes from the trips, and they love being part of that process. “Sometimes it is after the students get

tal education program. The paired classes learn and exchange information about the migratory birds that winter in Latin America and return to the US and Canada each spring to breed. They learn about the plants and the impact that global climate change is having on the birds. More than 120 individual donors, five area churches including St. Mark’s Episcopal and All Souls, and seven different organizations including American Forest, Pew Charitable Trusts, and the Environment Policy Network contribute to keep the TCP project going. This year, the annual trip for interested adults is scheduled for early April. “You don’t have to have to be a farmer or gardener to come on the trip,” Betsy says. “We really want to provide an opportunity for people to learn about the villagers’ work and the connections we have to one another.” If you are interested in going, contact betsy@agle.net.

Window & Door Everyday Actions Can Connect You

But, if you don’t have the time to go off to the mountains for ten days, there is something you can do every day to help. In 2011, the families in the village were introduced to “birdfriendly” shade grown coffee, which is a certification created by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center. If the coffee farmer meets the criteria set by the Smithsonian, then the coffee can be sold as such and the customer can be assured that it was produced in a way that provides a habitat for migratory birds and wildlife. In Washington terms, we call that a win-win situation. Shade coffee is used to describe coffee trees grown in a traditional way, under at least a partial forest canopy. Currently, there is no government certification for organic coffee, so it is a little hard for the consumer to know exactly how the coffee was grown. Buying organic is good, buying shade coffee better, and buying Bird-Friendly or Fair Trade coffee the best. So, where can you get your sustainable cup of Jo? Well, this is where being a part of the global solution comes in. You have to ask your local coffee shop to start carrying it. When I went to the Smithsonian’s website, the only local shop that was serving Bird Friendly in our area was St. Elmo’s Coffee Shop in Alexandria. “It may cost a little more,” says Collie, “but, I bet if enough Hill folks ask for it, the shops would start brewing it, and what a great market for this coffee we could make, besides giving our summer song birds a great home while they are on their southern stays.” For more information about where to order Bird-Friendly coffee online, and general information on the coffee, go to http://nationalzoo.si.edu/scbi/ migratorybirds/coffee. Rindy O’Brien sampled the BirdFriendly coffee at St. Elmo’s and is off to ask her favorite Hill coffee shop to carry it. If you have thoughts or ideas, contact her at rindyobrien @gmail.com H

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homesgardens gardenspot

A Plan for Garden Greatness by Derek Thomas

FROM TOP TO BOTTOM: With proper care the front garden of a Hill condo can become a lush welcome mat. This south-facing garden thrives because the plants were chosen correctly and given the right exposure. Lush landscapes like this need lots of personal attention. Tough plants like cone flower can withstand traffic and thrive in urban settings.

118 H HillRag | February 2013

he holidays are quickly becoming a memory. The uninvited north wind seems to be making itself quite at home, and our gardens are, with few exceptions, very dormant. This is the perfect time of year to plan for what your garden will need this spring. Ask frank questions of yourself and your relationship to your garden. What would you like to have your garden become? What needs to be changed, added, or deleted? What worked, or did not, and why? Many of the reasons that our city gardens thrive, or fail, come down to simple yet real facts that every gardener must consider. Three of these are environment, space, and time. We city gardeners have to accept our limitations. We need to consider the issues that confront us when planning for garden greatness.

Traffic

City gardens may need to withstand the feet of many passersby. Planting delicate flowers in the tree box in front of your home is beautiful, yet everyone will not be as caring of your handiwork as you. Planting a border of Liriope can be just as beautiful and can withstand the foot traffic that our two- and fourlegged neighbors can inflict. Many

gardeners have installed fencing to help protect tree-box plantings. However, you should be mindful that your fencing does not create a hazard to pedestrians. Many DC gardeners install fencing for their front yards. This is a good idea and will go a long way to protect your plants. Another consideration is the postal worker. If your mail carrier has been using a shortcut to navigate your garden, consider that when planning a redesign. Perhaps you can lay a walkway in flagstone or place a design element with steps to the garden and give a proper place for your mail carrier to pass.

Exposure

Find out which direction your house faces. If you are doing a front-yard garden and you have a southern exposure with no trees to add shade, do not plant hosta and expect picturebook results. Plants need the proper environment. If your favorite plant is not performing in your front yard, and you have the soil properly prepared, perhaps the exposure is wrong. Consult with your landscaper or garden center pro before installing the plants. The most important thing is to learn from past mistakes. If a certain plant has not done well and was purchased from a reputable source, improper exposure may have contributed to your failure.

Scale

The most important thing to consider is the space you are working with. If your front garden is 8 by 10 feet, using an arbor, statue, or fountain designed for a country estate will not work. If you have trouble with the design phase, be realistic. One of the reasons small gardens fail is that the designer (homeowner) tries to fit one of everything into the space. Repetition is a basic law in landscape design. Perhaps the second most common failing is in not considering the plants that are installed and their mature size. A good design should look good when installed, yet should also take in consideration that the landscape will truly be mature in about ten years. Find out what size that â€œcuteâ€? tree matures at,

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homesgardens and reconsider if the tree or shrubs you want to install will some day be 60 feet tall.

Time

The gardens that look well maintained look that way because they are. Be realistic about how much time you have to devote to the project. Many homeowners turn the actual maintenance over to a professional. There are many firms that can design and maintain a garden for you. That by no means indicates that the garden is no longer yours. You are the one who decides how much involvement your schedule allows. For an 8 by 10 foot garden you should be able to dedicate at least two hours per week for necessary maintenance. If using a professional company, budget for two visits per month. The costs can vary, but this is an investment and you usually will get what you pay for. Do a little interviewing of the potential gardener or landscaper. They should be able to answer your questions and devise a plan for your needs.

Planning

Put together a checklist of what is important to you. Prioritize the list and then move it into action. This can be the most important phase of achieving garden greatness. Many resources are available to you during this phase. Perhaps most important, be willing to make, and learn from, mistakes. The quest for garden greatness is ongoing, and the best gardens this summer will begin with planning right now. Derek Thomas is principal of Thomas Landscapes. His garden designs have been featured on HGTV’s Curb Appeal and Get It Sold. His weekly garden segment can be seen on WTTG/Fox 5 in Washington. You can reach him at www.thomaslandscapes.com or 301642-5182. You can find and friend us on Facebook at Facebook/Thomas Landscapes. Follow us on Twitter @ThomasGardenGuy For Great Garden Tips. H

120 H HillRag | February 2013

Fixing or Recycling Electronic Gadgets! UBreakItIFixIt on Barracks Row has a Solution

recently heard a story on National Public Radio’s “Talk of the Nation” that really caught my attention. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. produces more than two-and-a-half million tons of electronic waste each year. The majority of this e-waste goes un-recycled, so most of our discarded electronics are ending up in landfills raising both health and environmental concerns. Disposed of improperly, metals, including lead and mercury from batteries and other metals from motherboards can leach into groundwater. Considering the wide number of electronic devices out there, e-waste pollution is an ever-growing environmental problem.

by Catherine Plume

But what do you do with those gadgets when they break or you’re ready to upgrade? Capitol Hill residents can now find one solution to this dilemma on Barrack’s Row. Located next door and upstairs to Popeye’s at 409 8th St SE #200, UBreakItIFixIt will fix anything from an Xbox to a Kindle to an iPad to a laptop computer. I stopped by UBreakItIFixIt on a Saturday afternoon in January and spoke with the store manager, Jovan Woods. UBreakItIFixIt opened on Barrack’s Row in November 2012. With more than 50 stores across the US, the Barrack’s Row store is their second location in DC – with the other located in Cleveland Park. Business is beginning to take off and the Barrack’s Row store is now repairing over 200 devices per month. Repairs for electronic devices are done on site. Behind the reception desk, you’ll find a clean and well lit work area well stocked with lots of tiny electronic repair parts. With this set up, most repairs can be processed within 30 minutes and come with a 90 day guarantee. The company’s website www.ubreakitifixit.com pro-

vides a pricelist for repairs or you can stop by the store for a quick estimate. According to Woods, replacement of cracked or shattered screens is their most common repair, but their technicians can also replace most cameras, microphones, etc on your phone, computer, iPad, etc. And if they can’t fix your device, you don’t have to pay. While most of their repairs are on Apple products due to their popularity, they’ll work on almost any electronic device. UBreakItIFixIt will also buy your unwanted device and resell it or buy your unfixable or no longer wanted device and salvage it for spare parts. When I visited, they had a wide array of iPhones and iPhone like devices for sale in the shop. And, if you’d rather sell your no longer needed device on your own, UBreakItIFixIt will wipe your device’s hard drive clean for a very reasonable $20! But, if you’d rather sell your electronic device on your own, there are several options with varying procedures. Amazon Trade-In will take a wide array of products including books, video games, movies and electronics while Best Buy Trade - In and

Nextworth offer a marketplace for most electronics. Gazelle focuses on resale of Apple products. Other options include e-cycle. com and ecyclingcentral.com. Of course Ebay and Craig’s List are also options – or just pass your device along to a friend. But remember, be sure to have the hard drive on any electronic device wiped clean before you resell your device.

Safe Disposal

If you don’t want to bother with reselling your device and if you don’t want to sell it to UBreakItIFixIt so they can salvage parts, please dispose of your unwanted device properly. The EPA estimates that less than one in 10 mobile phones are recycled, and only about 25 percent of all e-waste is collected for recycling. In a better world, manufacturers would be responsible for ensuring the proper disposal of their products once they’re no longer wanted. This “cradle to grave” concept accounts for hazardous waste from the point of generation until it is no longer hazardous (either treated or destroyed through incineration or disposed of in a landfill). Until this concept gets stronger legs, it’s up to you – the consumer – to be responsible for the proper disposal of the products you buy. DC offers a free hazardous and e-waste disposal program for residents every first Saturday of the month from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. and on the previous Thursday evening from 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. at the Ft. Totten Transfer Station, 4900 John F. McCormack Road, NE not far off North Capitol. An internet search for “DC Department of Public Works Hazardous Waste and E-cycling” will get you to a comprehensive list of the many items that can be re- or e-cycled at this drop off. Why not get some good neighbor points and send out a note to your neighbors and see if they have some e-waste that they’d like you to drop off while you make the trip up there? Catherine Plume is a blogger for the DC Recycler: dcrecycler.blogspot.com H

hillrag.com H 121

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Dear Garden Problem Lady, by Wendy Blair My husband feels we should remove our cement front walk and install permeable pavers. He says they are environmentally superior. Can you explain briefly why? This is about sending nontoxic filtered water into our much-polluted local rivers. Rainfall that does not run off cement and pavement, but instead enters the ground, is filtered by vegetation, roots and soil. This means it is cleansed of the heavy metals and other toxins found in city rainfall. Our landscaper told me he can identify three microclimates on our front yard. Is this something good or bad? It is very good to know about and probably bad not to know about. He means that parts of your garden differ one from another – in what could be a lots of ways. Maybe one part is sunny, another so shady that temperatures very between the two by as much as 15 degrees. One side might be windy, another so sunny and protected you could try growing a banana tree there. Our Pieris shrub did poorly in a sunny but very windy spot, so we moved it to a shady place with much more protection. Now it is a bit rangy. I think I should prune away its spindly-looking top trunk. When is best to do this? Not now. Wait until just

122 H HillRag | February 2013

after blooming – if you do get blooms. Pieris enjoys protection from too-hot summer afternoon sun, but needs some sunlight for best blooming. Squirrels have torn the fat buds off my Japonica camellias and shredded them – not even eaten them, just destroyed them. Now they are tearing up the earth, digging as much as they can, getting at the springflowering bulbs. Even worse – I think they are breeding – the squirrels I mean. Perhaps you have lost sympathy with fertile little Squirrel Nutkin? She is supposed to stick to nuts and seeds, but around here she is omnivorous – although she does not care for either daffodil bulbs or some crocus bulbs. The only way to prevent her from eating other bulbs like tulips – is to spread ½ inch metal hardware cloth (a heavy metal mesh you cut with wire cutters) over places where you planted them. Mothballs, hot pepper flakes etc. etc. are useless. But you must remove the hardware cloth before the bulbs start pushing up through it in the spring. As for protecting camellias, bird netting – extremely awkward to use because everything catches in it – installed in the autumn over the whole shrub -- will allow camellia buds to survive to become blossoms. Too late for that now, however. Capitol Hill Garden Club programs are free. February 12, 2013 program on How to take Really Good Digital Photographs is at 7 pm at the Church of the Brethren, 4th Street door, corner North Carolina Avenue and 4th Street, SE. Membership details at 202-544-4261. Feeling beset by gardening problems? Send them to the Problem Lady c/o gardenlady@hillrag.com. Your problems might prove instructive to others, and help them feel superior to you. Complete anonymity is assured. H

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Specializing in perennial gardens, landscape design, yard maintenance, seasonal contracts-free estimates for major cleanups, spring/fall cleanups, mulching, pruning, trimming, weeding, debris removal, leaf removal, light hauling, planting and more. Pressure washing, decks patios. Emergency Service Available. Call today! 240604-5390.

Kathleen Soloway Interior Designer/Psychotherapist 202-543-7040 • ksoloway@designforchange.net

www.designforchange.net

Masonry

iron work

Suburban Welding Company

Derek Thomas / Principal - Certified Professional Horticulturist, Master Gardener. Member of the MD Nursery and Landscape Association & the Association of Professional Landscape Designers

baseMent clean out

All Moving & Hauling. Basement and Garage Clean Out. Pick up for Donations. R.W. Enterprize. Call 202-6740300 or 301-929-0664.

painting

Welding & Ornamental Iron Work • • • • •

Repairs of Original Cast Iron Staircases Window bars and door security gates Handrailings & Stair Railings Fences, Sidewalk Gates, Tree Box Fences DC code approved bedroom window security bars • Excavating, back hoe services and tree stump grinding • Certified welding

landscaping

24-hours, 7-day service Free estimates

Moving & hauling

703-765-9344

www.suburbanweldingcompany.com

Peach Moving Services When Trust Matters Most Residential, Office & Commercial

Little Peach in Training

SUPPORT YOUR NEIGHBORS AND LOCAL BUSINESSES! 126 H HillRag | February 2013

Short Term Notice Moves Local & Up to 300 mile Radius Expert Packing & Unpacking Temporary Storage by the Day Hourly Rates

Michael Pietsch (aka Peach) Capitol Hill Resident

202.368.7492

www.peachmoving.com

SUPPORT YOUR NEIGHBORS AND LOCAL BUSINESSES!

n Out. -674-

pest control

F L K Termite, Pest &

Rodent Control More than just killing bugs, we take care of your home • Babies, children, pets, no worries, customized treatments • Latest environmentally sound methods and products • One time, monthly, bimonthly, quarterly, yearly LICENSED & INSURED

Free Estimates

301.273.5740 301.576.3286

WHS PLUMBING & HEATING Superior Service and Quick Response

We are Repiping & Drain Cleaning Specialists · Competitive On The Spot Pricing · Same Day, Nights, Weekends & Emergency Service · Licensed Plumbers and Gasfitters · Underground Domestic Water and Sewer Line Leak Detection · Underground Pipe Locator

Hill Family Owned & Operated

We are a family-owned business with three generations of expertise in Capitol Hill.

• New tin, copper & membrane roof systems • Inspections & repairs • Roof painting • Gutters, spouts & skylights

Call William at

(202) 255-9231 20 years of experience Licensed, Bonded and Insured LSDBE Certified

www.whsplumbingandheating.com

Recommended roofer of Capitol Hill Village and Dupont Circle Village Licensed-Insured-Bonded

Call now for a FREE ROOF INSPECTION

WWW.FLKPESTCONTROL.COM

202-569-1080

tom@rthomasdanielroofing.com www.rthomasdanielroofing.com

FLAT ROOF SPECIALIST WE STOP LEAKS! • Roof Repairs • Roof Coatings • Rubber • Metal • Slate

pluMbing

• Tiles • Chimneys • Gutters • Waterproofing • Roof Certifications

We Do Everything!

BOYD CONSTRUCTION INC. LIC. BONDED. INS

Serving Capitol Hill for 50 Years

OSEPH C. BAUER, INC.

75 years in service

BBB

Member

202-223-ROOF (7663) ALL TYPES OF ROOFING REPAIRS

Plumbing and Heating Licensed and Insured

DC 202.547.3477 MD 301.420.3200

Wright Brothers Plumbing LLC

Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Heating • Residential and Commercial • Servicing all Major Brands • Gas Fittings & Boiler Repair

24-HourEmergency Service wrightbrothersplumbinghvac.com (202) 635-9300 Serving DC Since 1987

SUPPORT YOUR NEIGHBORS AND LOCAL BUSINESSES!

Star Roofing Company RELIABLE

Specializing in Residential & Commercial Flat Roof Systems

202-543-6383 All work done by owner • Free Estimates Insured • Licensed • Bonded

roofing / gutters r.w. roofing

We offer the most competitive price in town. All Roofing & Rubber Roofs. We do everything: replacements, repairs, maintenance and coatings. See our ad under general contracting. 202-674-0300 or 301-929-0664. hillrag.com H 127

Keith Roofing

ROOFING

WOOD & WHITACRE HISTORIC RENOVATIONS 20 years on the Hill Slate - Tile - Copper Specializing in all Flat Roof Systems and Leaks Free Estimates • Work Guaranteed Licensed Bonded Insured

JEFFREY WOOD

cell 301-674-1991

FLAT ROOF SPECIALISTS MODIFIED BITUMEN 10% OFF SKYLIGHTS WITH SHINGLES THIS AD SLATE CHIMNEY REPAIRS COATINGS & PAINTS GUTTERS & DOWNSPOUTS ALUMINUM & VINYL SIDING PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE

Residential/Commercial Over 40 years in Business Chimney Repairs Storm & Wind Damage Repair

“50 Years Experience”

All Work Managed & Inspected by Owners

G&G

HOME IMPROVEMENTS

202-425-1614 Licensed & Insured

202-828-0713

Insurance Claims • Free Estimates • 24Hr. Service

Our Prices Won’t be Beat!

Fully Insured • Licensed • Bonded “No Job Too Large or Small” Senior & Military Discounts Available!

“Stopping Leaks is Our Specialty”

www.BikramYogaCapitolHill.com

welding

Look better, feel better and change your body!

WE DO IT ALL

Suburban Welding Company

We install new rubber and shingle roofs Licensed • Bonded • Insured

Family owned & operated 40 Years Experience

202-607-4038 202-487-7182 128 H HillRag | February 2013

24-hours, 7-day service Free estimates

703-765-9344

www.suburbanweldingcompany.com

SPECIALIZING IN SEAMLESS GUTTERS

• ALL ROOF REPAIRS • ROOF REPLACEMENTS • GUTTER REPAIR • GUTTER REPLACEMENT • INQUIRE ABOUT OUR SPECIALS • FREE ESTIMATES

Massage Therapy

• • • • •

Licensed, Bonded & Insured Free Estimates Senior and Government Discount 10%

• FLAT ROOF SPECIALIST • WATERPROOFING • ALUMINUM ASPHALT COATING • SLATE REPAIRS • SHINGLE REPAIRS • CHIMNEY REPAIR

Welding & Ornamental Iron Work

202-489-1728

“Try a new coating vs. a roof replacement.”

• Reduce stress • Increase Strength + Flexibility

202-486-7359

EMERGENCY REPAIRS RUBBER & FLAT ROOFS WATER PROOFING SLATE ROOFS LEAK REPAIRS METAL ROOFS GUTTER REPAIRS SHINGLE ROOFING CHIMNEY REPAIRS FACIAL/SOFFITS ALUMINUM ROOF COATING

ALL LEVELS WELCOME! No reservations required!

All Work Inspected by Owner...Deals Directly with Customers! All Work Fully Guaranteed

Roofing & Gutters

NO JOB TOO SMALL!!!

Introduction Offer $20

for 7 days of unlimited yoga!

Bikram Yoga Capitol Hill 410 H ST. NE 202-547-1208

DANIEL PARKS

Johnston & Johnston Roofing

WE OFFER 35+ CLASSES A WEEK!

EXPERT WORKMANSHIP AT REASONABLE PRICES!

FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED

www.wood-whitacre.com

Burn Over 700 Calories in one class

other services

Alex Williams

beauty/health/fitness

Seamless Gutters

Living on & serving the Hill since 1986

• Box Gutters

Dr. David Walls-Kaufman

• Gutter Guards • Gutter Repairs • Gutter Cleaning • Flat Roof Repairs • Water Proofing Free Estimates

(202) 256 6981 (301) 858 6990 Licensed • Bonded • Insured

Chiropractor 411 East Capitol St., SE All are welcome to Dr. Walls-Kaufman's free Saturday morning Tai Chi class at 8 am in Lincoln Park

202-544-6035 Because Optimal Health is Impossible Without Optimal Posture!

organizing Jill-of-all-Trades

Do you love your home? Do you smile when you open the door to come inside? If the problem you face is that you feel overwhelmed by stuff with no where to put it away -- please know that help is available. We can co-create storage systems that are really matched to you and your family. Imagine you have a structure for where your stuff goes that is simple, clear, easy to remember and see, and effortless to access and put away. Can you just feel the stress melting away like snow in Springtime? Call Jill for help at 202-544-5455 and check out the web site www. jillofalltradesdc.com

SUPPORT YOUR NEIGHBORS AND LOCAL BUSINESSES!

O a

• • • • • •

shoe repair

Eastern Market Shoe Repair

• Shoes • Boots • Purses • Luggage 645 Penn Ave., SE upstairs M-F 8:30-7 • Sat 9-6

202-543-5632

pet services Big dogs, puppies, hard to handle and older dogs. I love them all ….and I also love kitties.

Phillip DuBasky

WINNER!

One Stop Shopping for your Mutt or Meow

Dog Walking, Kitty Care & Pet Sitting

4 Hire Dog Walker* 4 Arrange for Cat Sitting*

Never missed a walk in 10 years

Ad! *FREE Consult when you mention this

Serving Capitol Hill Since 1995

Experienced and Reliable Outstanding Hill References • Insured by PSA

202.889.0996

dog training

4 Pick up Kitty Litter 4 Buy Dog Food, Treats & Toys Personalized Service from our Knowledgeable Staff

the you way eate your stuff and the l for ww.

software/coMputers 508 H St. NE 407 8th St. SE Dog Walking

202.450.5661 202-546-7387 202.450.9258

Barracks Row location is now open 7 days a week!

www.metromuttsdc.com

zoolatry (zoo-ahl’-uh-tree) the worship of animals – especially a pet

Mid-Day Dog Walking Service

Anchor Computers On-site Service for Homes and Businesses • • • • • •

Troubleshooting, Repairs & Upgrades Virus and Spyware Removal New and Existing Computer Setup Network andWireless Installation Data Recovery, Transfer and Back-up Webpage Development

Pet sitting – Medications Administered Crate Training Insured – Bonded Member of National Association of Professional Petsitters

(202) 547-WALK (9255) Meet Our Walkers Online at

www.zoolatry.com

Larry Elpiner Elpiner 301.767.3355 • 202.543.7055 www.anchorcomputers.com

indoor pet sitting

Would your INDOOR cat or kitten like to be pampered, cared for and played with while you’re away or at work? Then you should give me a call as I would love to pet-sit your cat or kitten. Joyce at 202-547-0556

pet adoption

CAPITAL CATS

Adoption Event at Howl to the Chief Sundays Noon to 3 PM 733 8th Street, S.E.

a five-minute walk from Eastern Market Metro.

Visit our Web site to view pictures and their engaging personalities at www.capitalcats.petfinder.com or www.homealone.petfinder.com Capital Cats is a non-profit cat rescue organization on the Hill that has many wonderful, personable cats and kittens available for adoption to good homes.

hillrag.com H 129

MISC. FOR SALE - Firewood WELL SEASONED FIREWOOD Conveniently Located Just Outside DC • Pickup or Delivery • Large or Small Amounts • Over 10 years Serving DC Open M-F 10am-4pm • Sat 10am-2pm

(202) 554-4100 firewdfac@yahoo.com 4521 Kenilworth Avenue, Bladensburg, MD - Rear Lot

OPPORTUNITIES – $$$

INCOMOERTUNITY OPP

WANTED: Independent...motivated... profit-driven entrepreneurs! Our business is exploding. Need business partners. Will train.

Work OPPORTUNITIES BOOKKEEPING

CAPITOL HILL

Bright and sunny 1 bedroom penthouse apartment in corner row house. 1000 sq ft, fireplace, close to Eastern Market, H Street, and Union Station. $1775. (202-544-4261) bbrauth@gmail.com.

COMMERCIAL SPACE

Great location at Eastern Market. 655 C Street, SE. 600 sq feet. Call Darien for details. 202-288-98369.

LEARN Language

Chinese on the Hill

Helen Zhu

professional language instructor (for children and adults) Group classes at Hill Center September 4

Mandarin lessons Cooking lessons

202.885.9406

www.chinesehorizon.net 130 H HillRag | February 2013

WANT TO ADVERTISE IN THE CLASSIFIEDS? CONTACT CAROLINA LOPEZ

202.543.8300

X12

CLASSIFIEDS

FOR RENT

Bookkeeping, filing. Part time, about 3 mornings a week. Local real estate office. Call 202-546-2859 or email gdunphy@mindspring.com

CLASSIFIEDS

THE 2013 CAPITOL HILL COMMUNITY GUIDE! Covering the vibrant neighborhoods of: Capitol Hill • H Street • Capitol Riverfront • Southwest • NOMA

A RESOURCE DIRECTORY THAT CAPITOL HILL RESIDENTS CONSULT ALL YEAR ROUND • • • • • • • • •

2012 Yearbook & Highlights of Living on the Hill Directories: Real Estate, Home Services, Businesses, Services & Pet Services Guide to Shopping on the Hill Dining, Arts and Entertainment Beauty Health & Fitness Raising Kids & Schools Living in the City: the ABC’s of Urban Life, Sightseeing, Getting Around and Public Safety Community Resources: Organizations and Volunteer Opportunities Maps: Street Maps, Metro, Public School and ANC Boundaries; DC Zip Codes

HAVE IDEAS, COMMENTS OR PHOTOS TO SHARE? email us at carolina@hillrag.com

hillrag.com H 131

thelastword

Inauguration 2013

Photos by Andrew Lightman

132 H HillRag | February 2013

hillrag.com H 133

the NOSE by Anonymous

ear Readers, can you tell The Nose the significance of the numbers: $140 million, $58 million, $240 million and $417 million? The Nose knows you can. Yes, they are the DC budget surpluses of the last four years celebrated by Natwar “Not That” Gandhi, Mayor Vincent “Can’t Find His Shadow” Gray and the members of our highly esteemed DC Council. Budgeting is an arcane science perhaps best left to more mathematical individuals than yours truly. At its root, it involves making a predication of future revenue and then matching expenditures to that estimate; a simple matter of arithmetic rather than calculus. One might excuse one underestimate due to the unexpected windfall from the taxation of a large estate; or a few million more generated by traffic cameras. However, when Gandhi repeatedly underestimates future revenues, it is obvious, at least to this poor scribbler, this is the result of a deliberate strategy. Here is how it works. • The CFO (Creative Fiscal Obscurest) significantly underestimates coming

year’s fiscal revenues; The Mayor and DC Council cut programs in an annual bloody ritual largely driven by deficit panic; • At year’s end, there is a major surplus; and Councilmembers proclaim a budgetary Christmas; • The Mayor insists the surplus be added to the rainy day fund; • Patting himself fulsomely on the back, our sainted CFO touts the growth of the fund to Wall Street and the public as evidence of his prudent management. What is the end result of this senseless charade in fictive budgeting you may ask? Cuts to the very programs that make the District a decent place to live. Gandhi’s games also prompt the Council to throw the District’s less fortunate citizens under the bus. “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me,” goes the famous Chinese proverb. Dear Readers, we have now been fooled FOUR times! Perhaps they did not have School House Rock in India when Natwar was coming up. Here is a version certain to appeal to DC Councilmembers: •

417 is a magic number. Yes it is, it’s a magic number. Somewhere in the ancient, mystic, accounting fraternity You get 417 as a magic number. Forget the past and the present and the future! Abandon Faith, Hope, and Charity! Being Heartless, Ruthless and Hardhearted Gives you 417 as a magic number. It takes millions to build a stadium. It takes millions to make a convention hotel stand. It takes millions to win an election. It takes millions to pave bike lanes. To balance a budget requires a million cuts. Every budget cut has a million impacts. No more, no less. You don’t have to guess. When it’s 417 you can see, It’s a magic number. A Mayor and his Council made a city budget, Yes, they did. Then Natwar said, “Cut! Cut! Cut!” And they got 417 as their magic number. Perhaps it is time to send Gandhi to the District’s new community college for a refresher course in Excel. What say you, Dear Readers? Have a comment for The Nose, email thenose@hillrag.com H

134 H HillRag | February 2013