Miss Pixie's Furnishings & Whatnot: Miss Pixie in the window of her store on 14th Street NW. (Luis Gomez Photos)

Luis took this shot of Miss Pixie with her pink Christmas Tree when we passed by the store earlier this week around closing time. She told us that the tree is not for sale although she gets offers.

I remember shopping at Miss Pixie’s store when it was on Adams Mill Road in Adams Morgan. One spring Saturday afternoon I went into the store with a friend. Somehow she ended up purchasing a wrought iron bird bath—for me. Cocktails may have been involved. The bird bath now lives a few houses away with a neighbor.

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Here are my picks for things to do during the weekend in Borderstan, really close by or in the city… restaurants, galleries and theater.

U-Topia, 1418 U Street NW. (Photo: Luis Gomez)

La Carbonara, 1926 9th Street NW. (Photo: Luis Gomez)

Local 16, 1602 U Street NW. (Photo: Luis Gomez)

U-topia at 1418 U Street NW is a great spot on the U street corridor. Jazz and art come together to help you celebrate an excellent meal… Brazilian jazz on Thursdays, 9:30 p.m. to 1 a.m.

La Carbonara at 1926 9th Street NW is in Shaw’s Little Ethiopia. This recently opened Italian restaurant has received mix reviews, from excellent to bland, perhaps depending on the day of the week. If you are feeling adventuresome, give it a try and let us know.

Local 16, at 1602 U Street NW is a nice place to go during the week. The weekend is totally different and it can get crowded and uncomfortable. The menu is American food with an Italian influence. Local 16 has a beautiful roof top deck.

"Ink Storm" at Transformer Gallery, 1404 P Street NW. (Image: transformergallery.org)

"Mirage Series" by Steve Alderton at Touchstone Gallery, 406 7th Street NW. (Image: touchstonegallery.com)

"Color, Texture and Mood" by Michele Cormier, Touchstone Gallery, 406 7th Street NW. (Image: touchstonegallery.com)

“Ink Storm” at Transformer Gallery, 1404 P Street NW: “This exhibition highlights how artists CHEN Shaoxiong, DAI Guangyu, and Paula TSAI, three emerging Beijing based artists who re-interpret and re-invent traditional Chinese uses of ink through video, drawing, and mixed-media installation, incorporate ink into their work, ink, and how each individual exploration offers compelling contributions to contemporary art discourse.”

“Mirage Series” by Steve Alderton at Touchstone Gallery, 406 7th Street NW: “The series includes portraits, cityscapes, still-lifes, and landscapes. One landscape includes what appears to be two farm structures viewed from across a field; the hot, shimmering light of a summer’s day has had its effects. Another painting shows a cityscape, with a mass of loosely rendered buildings. In both works, the atmosphere has seemingly blurred many of the specifics—but there is enough information in the watery images to transfix and invite one in. The artist’s technique successfully conveys the essence of his message, but also effectively leaves room for personal interpretation. The result is strong and engaging.” Read the full story

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The Ganymede Arts Festival runs through Sunday, September 27, at Miss Pixies Backroom Palace, 1626 14th Street NW. (Image: Ganymede Festival website.)

The week-long, third annual GLBT Ganymede Arts Festival continues this week, running through Sunday—right in the heart of Borderstan. All festival performances are at Miss Pixies Backroom Palace (in the rear of the retail store) at 1626 14th Street NW (west side of 14th between Corcoran and R Streets NW). Ticket information is at the Ganymede website.

The mission of the Ganymede Festival is to “provide high-quality, professional theatre and art that fosters social and cultural awareness of and for the glbt [gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender] community.”

• Wednesday at 7 p.m. – “GLBT Stand Up Comedy Night” (Pay what you can donation)
• Thursday at 7 p.m. – “American Premeier Reading” by Australian GLBT playwright. (Pay what you can donation)
• Friday at 7 p.m. – “Rockin’ Women’s Night” with Hope Leigh Rollins and and Esmirelda. (Pay what you can donation)
• Saturday and Sunday - Featured theatrical event, “After the Garden – Edie Beale LIVE at Reno Sweeney.” Saturday show at 8 p.m.; Sunday shows at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tickets are $25.
• There is also a post-festival event on Saturday, October 10, at Miss Pixies: “Catie Curtis Lives with Tom Goss.” Tickets are $25.

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Oops, we missed this one. But Prince of Petworth has it: “Mid City Caffe To Open June 14th (Above Miss Pixie’s on 14th Street).” From PoP:

So it was a little later than April… From a press release:“On Sunday, June 14th, owners Fernando Acha and designer Mick Mier will unveil Mid City Caffé, a new coffee shop in Washington, DC. Located at 1626 14th Street, Mid City Caffé will offer the neighborhood and greater D.C. community a traditional coffee and pastry destination…”

Read full posting. Thanks, Prince.

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Image: Washington City Paper Web site.

Borderstan winners in the Washington City Paper's "Best of D.C." competition. Top row, from left: Rice, Miss Pixies, Bang & Olufsen and 15th Street NW. Middle row, from left: DC JCC, Cork, HR-57 and Green Pets. Bottom row, from left: Halo, Flowers on Fourteenth, Vida Fitness and The Bike Rack. (Photo: Luis Gomez, One Photograph A Day.)

The Washington City Paper’s Best of D.C. awards were announced this past week and I decided to go through every category to see what Borderstan businesses and entities had won awards.

Before starting, I figured that since we are such a small mini-hood, an autonomous region of the Dupont Circle and Logan Circle neighborhoods, that I would have to include neighboring and nearby winners. After all, our commercial strips are the north side of the 1400-block of P Street NW and the west side of 14th Street NW from P to S Streets.

I was wrong. Businesses in our little enclave between 14th and 16th and P and S Streets NW did incredibly well in the City Paper competition: 10 businesses, one community-based organization, one locale and one individual (a bartender) made the list of favorites from the Readers’ Poll and City Paper Staff Picks. Several businesses were winners in more than one category.

Read the full story

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