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Cyclist Struck at 11th and U NW Thursday

borderstan — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:45:27 +0000

Borderstan has not found any updates today on the condition on the 20-year-old male cyclist who was seriously injured Thursday after being hit by a car at 11th and U Streets NW. According to numerous sources, the accident occurred at 10 am. Dcist cites city sources who said the young man has life-threatening injuries; his identity has not been released. WJLA reported that the cyclist had died, but this was not picked up by other media outlets and has not been confirmed by officials. Get an RSS Feed for all Borderstan stories or subscribe to Borderstan’s daily email newsletter.

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Passport DC Continues

Mathew Harkins — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:00:51 +0000

From Mathew Harkins. Email him at mharkins[AT]borderstan.com. It’s now the mid-point of May and Passport DC is still going strong. This annual event here in DC began on May 4 with their kickoff event, the Around the World Embassy Tour, but the festivities and excitement continue along this weekend. Have your friends been talking about the great French food and wine they’ve been sampling at Café du Parc? Were you envious that you didn’t get a chance to bring Mom to the International Mother’s Day Bazaar at the Islamic Center? Don’t feel too bad (just don’t tell Mom about that Mother’s Day event) because there is still plenty to do happening nearby and all around the city. Start things off on Saturday morning with a trip to the Fiesta Asia Street Fair, stretching along Pennsylvania Avenue NW between 3rd and 6th Streets. From 10 am to 7 pm, you’ll find special activities for children, dance lessons, music performances, martial arts demonstrations and much more. Even better? This event is free! Whether you’re a seasoned yoga practitioner or a beginner, you can head over to the Textile Museum on Saturday morning at 11 am for Yoga in the Garden (and be mindful that they recommend reserving your spot). If the weather is still holding up on Sunday, why not take a walking tour of Latin American Heritage in DC? Starting at the Columbia Heights metro station, and going from 3 to 5:30 pm, this walking tour will weave through Columbia Heights and Adams Morgan, explaining along the way who painted the street murals, which were the earliest Latin American restaurants, and much more. There’s even an optional Latin American dinner at the end. Later that evening, head over to the Embassy of Haiti for A Taste of Haiti’s Cuisine. This event, running from 6 to 9 pm and requesting cocktail attire, will feature authentic dishes from Chef Stephen Durand, Pastry Chef Valery Abraham, and DC’s well-known Chef José Andrés. This event is free but you will need to register here. This is only a tiny sample of all the events happening this weekend. There are plenty more to choose from to suit your taste over not only the next couple days, but also the next few weeks. So get out there and see all that the world has to offer right here in DC. A full list of Passport DC events taking place this month can be found here. Get an RSS Feed for all Borderstan stories or subscribe to Borderstan’s daily email newsletter.

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Friday Links: Stuff You Might Have Missed

Willis Shawver — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:00:47 +0000

From Willis Shawver. Follow him on Twitter at @WShawver or email him at Willis[AT]borderstan.com. The Internet is a big place and you can’t be expected to see everything. Don’t worry: Borderstan Missing Links are here to help. We’ve collected some highlights from the past week that you might have missed. Enjoy.

The District

A church and a strip club join forces in opposition of proposed M Street bike lanes. (DCist)
The sequester shuts down the National Arboretum on weekdays. (The Washington Post)
Commission to spend next six months considering changes to the DC height ban. (WAMU)
Don’t be alarmed if you see Kwame Brown out and about. His house arrest sentence ends. (CityPaper)
Times are tough for food trucks in DC, but Arlington is considering longer service hours. (WAMU)
Between 2000 and 2011, the number of biking commuters has nearly doubled in DC. (CityPaper)
Why didn’t anyone tell me about DC’s largest swimming pool? (Popville)
DC Government to consider $1 billion plan to bury power lines in the District. (WTOP)

DC Housing

The top 10 DC zip codes where homes sell the fastest. Mount Pleasant ranks second. (UrbanTurf)
Construction of a 10,000-square-foot hydroponic greenhouse begins in Anacostia. (Curbed)
The National Cathedral wins $100K to repair damage from 2011 earthquake. (BizJournals)

Popular Culture

Need your Prince Harry fix? The 21 swoon-worthy moments from his American visit. (BuzzFeed)
After eight seasons, we finally met the mother on How I Met Your Mother. (Entertainment Weekly)
An interactive Web site that charts every reoccurring joke from Arrested Development. (Recurring Developments)
The 25 creepiest book covers of all time. Yes, Goosebumps and R.L. Stine is on the list. (ShortList)

Sports

Check out the possible wedding registry for RGIII. I call dibs on the waffle maker. (Bed Bath & Beyond)
As the injuries mount, the Nationals might have misdiagnosed a Bryce Harper concussion. (DeadSpin)
They might be the worst MLS team this season, but DC United will soon have their own beer. (DCUnited)
After the Capital’s playoff loss, Tony Kornheiser lashes out at Caps fans and … (The Washington Post)
… Michael Wilbon has a few choice words for Alexander Ovechkin. (The Washington Post)

Random Picks of the Week

Your random blog of the week … a cat that doesn’t like his vest … and your Moment of Zen (NSFW).

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Saturday: Shaw Dog Park Spring Clean Up

Luis — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:30:15 +0000

From Luis Gomez. Catch his photos at One Photograph A Day. Follow him on Twitter @LuisGomezPhotos. The spring Shaw Dog Park Cleanup Day is this Saturday, May 18 at 10 am. Shaw Dogs asks that you bring garden tools, wheelbarrows and rakes (and remember to wear gloves). Tasks will include picking up litter in and around the park, raking gravel, filing holes, tending the tree boxes and performing some basic repair work. The park is on 11th Street NW between Rhode Island Avenue and R Street and is run by the Shaw Dog Park Association, a non-profit organization, which holds monthly meetings. Get an RSS Feed for all Borderstan stories or subscribe to Borderstan’s daily email newsletter.

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Today and Tomorrow: Mid City Artists Open Studios Debuts Curator-led Tours

eliza — Thu, 16 May 2013 14:00:02 +0000

From Eliza French. Follow her on Twitter @elizaenbref; email her at eliza[AT]borderstan.com. The Mid City Artists will host their spring Open Studios this Saturday, May 18, and Sunday, May 19. This time around, 21 studios around Borderstan will be open to the public. Visitors can download this comprehensive map as a guide for their studio tour and for detours to local businesses and galleries that support the weekend. This weekend also marks the first time Mid City Artists will offer curator-led tours of the studios. Each tour with one of four local curators will include six to eight studios. The group hopes the tours will help audiences interact with the artists and more fully engage with the works. There will be two tours on Saturday and two on Sunday. Each two-hour tour focuses on a common theme that re-emerges in the featured works. Registration is free, but space is limited to 10 people per tour. Works on view include sculpture, glass, painting, photography, drawing, printmaking, mixed media and found object collages. The wide variety of works comes from an equally diverse pool of artists. Participating artists include: Chuck Baxter, Scott G. Brooks, Jane Cave, Robert T. Cole, Michael Crossett, Thomas Drymon, Aster da Fonseca, Gary Fisher, Charlie Gaynor, Sally Kauffman, Miguel Perez Lem, Eileen Lyons, Lucinda Friendly Murphy, Betto Ortiz, Mark Parascandola, Dave Peterson, Brian Petro, Marie Ringwald, Peter Alexander Romero, Richard Siegman, George H. Smith-Shomari, Michael Torra, Robert Wiener and Colin Winterbottom.

The Details

What: Mid City Artists Open Studios
When: Saturday, May 18, and Sunday, May 19
Where: View the map for details.

Guided tours take place at noon on Saturday, and at noon and 2 pm on Sunday. Register here to attend. Get an RSS Feed for all Borderstan stories or subscribe to Borderstan’s daily email newsletter.

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M Street Bike Lane Opponents Batter DDOT at Public Hearing

David McAuley — Thu, 16 May 2013 13:00:23 +0000

From David McAuley. Email him at david[AT]borderstan.com. Congregants of the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church (1518 M Street NW) led the citizens who came out in force last night (Wednesday), May 15, to urge that development of the planned M Street bicycle lane be stopped. The meeting was held at the West End Library, 1101 24th Street, by the District Department of Transportation (DDOT). Church members were joined in their objections by local businessmen concerned that the bike lanes would reduce their business, and citizens who felt that the project was a waste of taxpayer money. Supporters of the bike lane, although present, seemed smaller in number and less vocal at the meeting. The strong community feeling seemed to take Mike Goodno, Jim Sebastian, and Sam Zimbabwe, DDOT's three presenters, by surprise. The audience sat quietly through most of the initial sideshow presentation, which described several studies about the traffic on the existing L Street bike lane and projected design of the M Street lane. Project Manager Goodno said that the installation of the bike segment would be installed over three weeks in August. Eventually someone interrupted to ask: “Am I to understand that this is a done deal?” Sam Zimbabwe answered, “In some ways yes, in some ways no.” After that, the meeting was dedicated to defending the M Street bike lane from suggestions that it be scrapped altogether. On Wednesday morning, Metropolitan AME Church issued a “call to action” on its Facebook page. It read, in part: “The city is proposing to install bike lanes on M Street from 14th Street to 28th Street. This action will affect parking for church services, especially funerals and Sunday angle parking. We (as a church body) need to submit testimony during the public response period.” As a result, at least 20 of the 80 people attending the meeting seemed to be members or supporters of the Metropolitan AME Church. They said that the church had not been contacted. DDOT said that they had contacted someone at the church that morning. A claim that DDOT representatives had been to the church years previously to solicit comment were met with incredulity. One person asked, “Is it open for discussion that you will avoid the 1500 block [of M Street]?” DDOT indicated that it would be difficult or impossible to divert the bike lane around one particular block. A local businessman also spoke against the bike lanes. “If you're talking about eliminating [traffic] lanes, you're going to have gridlock,” he said. “Every merchant on the block is very concerned. I respectfully think this will be a disaster.” Another attendee told the businessman he was mistaken. “Bike trails will increase your business,” he said. One woman who identified herself as a bike rider and a DC resident said the community was frustrated but a compromise might be reached. “I don't know what the urgency is,” she said. “You have not done your due diligence.” At times the conversation was less the civil. DDOT was always polite to audience members, but sometimes audience members were not polite to each other. On three separate occasions, Zimbabwe had to threaten to stop the meeting altogether. After the meeting, one pro-bike audience member said that many pro-bike audience members had attended the meeting but had not contributed. She minimized the importance of the protest. “There are always people like that at these meetings,” she said. Get an RSS Feed for all Borderstan stories or subscribe to Borderstan’s daily email newsletter.

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Meridian Hill Park, Carter G. Woodson Home Receive Grants

Mathew Harkins — Wed, 15 May 2013 13:00:57 +0000

After a three-week voting process, Meridian Hill Park and the Carter G. Woodson Home National Historic Site have been announced as two of the winners in the Partners in Preservation grant competition. Washington National Cathedral was the winner of the popular vote and the recipient of $100,000. Our two local sites are two of the 12 runners-up and are receiving $50,000 and $75,000 grants, respectively. Partners in Preservation is a partnership between American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The two have teamed up “increase the public’s awareness of the importance of historic preservation in the United States and to preserve America’s historic and cultural places.” To that end, the partnership has committed $1 million to preservation efforts in the DMV area.

Meridian Hill Park

Meridian Hill Park was singled out for being a “nationally significant example of Neoclassicist American park design […] whose ambitious scale, intent, and historic integrity has not been matched in the United States.” Currently, Meridian Hill Park is the home to some of our favorite weekend moments and memories, whether having a picnic with friends, playing with our dogs, or just walking through this beautiful oasis in the city. The money awarded to the park will go to “stabilize and repair exposed aggregate concrete grotto.”

Carter G. Woodson Home National Historic Site

The Carter G. Woodson Home National Historic Site was the original home for the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). At present, the site is closed to the public but the plan for the property is to transform it into a museum of Dr. Woodson’s work — he is known as the “Father of Black History” — as well as the work of the ASALH. The money awarded the site will help “rebuild the front and rear façade in order to stabilize [the] home for public access.”

The remaining local winners include:

All Souls Church Unitarian — Adams Morgan, DC
Greenbelt Theatre — Greenbelt, MD
LAMB at Military Road School — Brightwood, DC
Colvin Run Mill — Great Falls, VA
Congressional Cemetery — Barney Circle, DC
Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church — Scott Circle, DC
Dumbarton Oaks Park — Georgetown, DC
Mount Vernon — Mount Vernon, VA
The GALA Hispanic Theatre at The Tivoli — Columbia Heights, DC
Sixth & I Historic Synagogue — Mount Vernon Square, DC

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July Construction Start for 15th and V NW Residential Project

borderstan — Tue, 14 May 2013 15:00:05 +0000

Construction is expected to begin in July on the 95-unit residential building at the northeast corner of 15th and V Streets NW, next to the Paul Laurence Dunbar Apartments. As part of the development, Jair Lynch has been working with the residents’ association of the Dunbar Apartments to recapitalize and renovate the building, which holds a status as affordable housing for senior citizens. The new building will not have the affordable housing requirements of the Dunbar Apartments. It will be on property that is now parking for the Dunbar Apartments. In November 2011, the Historic Preservation Review Board approved the concept design for the building, which includes 95 residential units in nine-stories with two levels of underground parking. The new building will also feature a fitness room, a roof deck and environmentally friendly finishes (the developers are currently seeking Energy Star Certification).

Project Update

Last week there was a community update:

Construction start is July 2013.
Permits have been issued for grading, sheeting and shoring to support excavation, foundation to grade.
JAIR LYNCH will continue to review development progress with ANC 1B, local civic associations and the other community throughout the project.

May 21 Meeting

On May 21 JAIR LYNCH is hosting a meeting with three members of ANC 1B and their constituents: ANC 1B12 Zahra Jilani (1B-12), Ricardo Reinoso (1B-05) and Deborah Thomas (1B-04). The meeting runs from 6:30 to 7:30 pm at the Paul Laurence Dunbar Apartment (2001 15th St, NW). There is also a tentative date, June 19, for a meeting with the project contractor to explain construction details and how it will affect the neighborhood will look during construction. If you have any questions contact Kaleena Francis at kef[AT]jairlynch.com at JAIR LYNCH Development Partners. Get an RSS Feed for all Borderstan stories or subscribe to Borderstan’s daily email newsletter.

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Logan Circle Heritage Trail Coming in July, Seeks Community Support

David McAuley — Tue, 14 May 2013 13:00:52 +0000

From David McAuley. Email him at david[AT]borderstan.com. The new Logan Circle Heritage Trail is nearly here! Two-and-a-half years in the making, the 15 signs that will mark the walking trail have been finalized and should be in the ground by the beginning of July at the latest. The trail will officially open on Saturday, July 13. There will be a public opening ceremony in the early afternoon in Logan Circle. After some time to explore the trail itself, a celebratory event will take place at the Studio Theater (1501 14th Street NW) from 5 to 7 pm. Local politicians, dignitaries and celebrities are expected to attend. The trail will have 15 stops in all, starting at the Jewish Community Center (1529 16th Street) and ending at the Studio Theater. Other stops will include: • St. Luke's Church (1514 15th Street) • “automobile row” (Church and 14th Streets) • the Whitman-Walker Clinic (1701 14th Street) • Louise Hand Laundry (1404 12th Street) • the Korean Legation (15 Logan Circle) • Mary McLeod Bethune House (1318 Vermont Avenue) • Luther Place Memorial Church (1226 Vermont Avenue) • National City Christian Church (5 Thomas Circle) One sign on 14th Street will also note and explain Logan Circle's colorful past as a place of prostitution. There's still a lot of work to be done before the grand opening of the trail in June. Community assistance will help make this a success. The Logan Circle Heritage Trail Working Group, formed by Cultural Tourism DC, is looking for community assistance in making the kickoff a success. There are many ways for local business, organizations and individuals to help. The ways requiring money are:

Be a sponsor for the event. Contributions ranging from $1,750 to $10,000 come with a variety of publicity opportunities on promotional literature, press releases, event programs, signage, relevant web pages and other venues. Contact Margaux Faris at Mfaris [at] CulturalTourismDC.org for more information.
Advertise in the keepsake program that will accompany the opening ceremony. The program will have photos and maps from the trail markets and will be distributed to the expected 250-300 participants. Prices range from $95 for a quarter page to $380 for a full page. Contact Liane Toohey at Ltoohey [at] CulturalTourismDC.org
Fund the printing of a guidebook for the trail. Usually, each walking trail in DC is accompanied by a guidebook, but there is no money in the budget for one. The project needs to do fundraising to the tune of $29,000 for 10,000 copies of a guidebook. These guidebooks would be provided free of cost to local businesses, libraries, schools, visitor's centers, etc., for distribution to tourists and residents. Contact Maggie Downing at MDowning [at] CulturalTourismDC.org.

For those of us without businesses to advertise, or perhaps even money to spare, there are ways to help requiring only time and effort:

Know a celebrity with a connection to Logan Circle? The Working Group would like to find one to host the July 13 ceremony. Local media figures like WAMU's Kojo Nnamdi and NBC4's Pat Collins have done the emcee duties for events like this in the past.
If you both don't have extra bags of money and don't know any celebrities, don't despair. There are still ways to help. Cultural Tourism DC is looking for volunteers to work on the day of the event. Also...
When all the hoopla is finished and the dignitaries have gone home, the signs of the Logan Circle Heritage Trail will remain in place and need care. Sadly, these signs often attract the attention of local graffiti writers. If they are not taken care of, they soon become illegible. Cultural Tourism DC is looking for concerned local residents to “adopt a sign” and become “the eyes and ears” of the trail, so it can be enjoyed by visitors for years to come. Cultural Tourism DC will give you a free bucket.

For questions about these last three items, contact Maggie Downing at MDowning [at] CulturalTourismDC.org Get an RSS Feed for all Borderstan stories or subscribe to Borderstan’s daily email newsletter.

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Alive Juices: Juice Up! Local Juices Delivered to your Door

aparnakrishnamoorthy — Mon, 13 May 2013 16:00:24 +0000

From Aparna Krishnamoorthy. Email her at aparna[AT]borderstan.com. Follow her on Twitter @aparnakris. Green and red brews of fruits and vegetables (that look unappetizing and like it came straight out of the Potomac) have been all the rage the last couple of years. We all know that eating fruits and vegetables is good for our health, but who really has the time to shop for kilos and kilos of vegetables, juice them (in that $500 juicer!) and drink it up? Enter Alive Juices. Started by programmer turned master juicer, Rachan Malhotra, Alive Juices makes and delivers juices right to you. Within DC, they deliver to your house, to your office or even the gym or yoga studio! No more excuses.

Organic Ingredients, Six Different Types

All their juices have been extensively tested, use organic ingredients as far as possible and are freshly made in a commercial kitchen in Silver Spring. Alive Juices currently offers six different juices, each with a distinct flavor (mint, carrot, ginger, etc.) and targets a different health aspect (cardiovascular, colon health, etc.). All the juices are unpasteurized to preserve the living nutrients (hence the Alive juices, get it?) and are based on Ayurvedic principles. And while juicing has been a fad only recently in the West, Ayurveda, the ancient Indian line of medicine has prescribed juices and concoctions of herbs and vegetables for more than 5,000 years. Hardly a fad really. I recently had the chance to try some samples of the juices, and was very happy with what I had. All of the juices contain what they call the “Big 5” — sprouts, ginger, garlic, apples and lemon. That may not sound so appetizing, but in fact the juices are really good. Even the green juice was really good with the bitterness of the greens cut by the ginger and lime. In addition to the juices, sometimes they also provide nutritious nuts and seeds, so that you don’t snack on that bag of chips. Nice touch. Want to give it a try, or get more information? Check out their FAQ’s , email info[at]alivejuices [dot] com or call 202-436-2300 to order. Not ready to order yet, but want to try a sample first? Stop by the Rolls on Rolls food truck during lunch time and ask for a sample of the juices. And while you’re there, get a paneer kathi roll for lunch. Get an RSS Feed for all Borderstan stories or subscribe to Borderstan’s daily email newsletter.

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