Crime in Dupont-Logan-U Street area.
Jaywalking doesn’t measure up to armed robbery or stealing a car. But, DC Police were issuing tickets on Monday around 3 pm at the intersection of 14th and R Streets NW to pedestrians who were crossing the street while “Don’t Walk” signs were flashing.
A Borderstan reader sent us an email on Monday afternoon: “I just wanted to let you know that the police are stationed at 14&R issuing jaywalking tickets. I received one. At one point, they were issuing tickets to a whole group of people. There were three police officers standing there. All of the things going on in Logan Circle and the police are focused on this.”
Regarding more serious matters, there were eight robberies, three assualts, three stolen autos and four burglaries reported in the past week. Three of the robbries and two of the assaults with guns; one robbery involved a knife.
One of the assaults was particularly bad. Full details are below, but a man was beaten up but five suspects early on the morning of Saturday, July 24, on the 1400 block of Swann Street NW. He had to be taken to the hospital for treatment.
Robbery
- Thursday, July 22, 5 pm, Massachusetts Avenue and Thomas Circle NW-Pocketbook Snatch.
- Friday, July 23, 8:30 am, 1400 block of 15th Street NW (Alley)-Assault with Intent to Rob.
- Friday, July 23, 8:41 am, 14th and P Streets NW-with Knife.
- Friday, July 23, 11:50 pm, 1000 block of N Street NW-with Gun.
- Saturday, July 24, 12:34 am, 1300 block of U Street NW-with Gun.
- Sunday, July 25, 4:25 am, 11th and O Streets NW-with Gun.
- Monday, July 26, 12:52 pm, 1800 block of S Street NW-Pocketbook Snatch.
- Monday, July 26, 10:25 pm, 900 block of Westminster NW-Force & Violence.
Assault with a Deadly Weapon
- Saturday, July 24, 3:45 am, 1400 block of Swann Street NW: ” A Felony Assault offense occurred in the 1400 block of Swann St., N.W. (PSA 208) and was subsequently reported to the MPD. The victim reported that while walking in the area he was struck on the back of the head by a suspect. A witness approached and observed the suspect along with four other suspects kicking the victim about the head and body. All suspects then fled the scene. The victim suffered lacerations and contusions to the head and was ultimately transported to the hospital by DC/EMS. The suspects are described as #1-Hispanic/Male, 21-24 YOA, 5’2″-5’4″, 130-150 lbs. with black hair and a slender build. He was wearing a white shirt and black pants; #2-Hispanic/Female, with a medium complexion and build and black shoulder length hair. She was wearing a brown shirt; and #3 through#5-Unknown.”
- Saturday, July 24, 3:50 am, 1300 block of Florida Avenue NW-Gun.
- Saturday, July 24, 7:44 pm, 1800 block of 13th Street NW-with Gun.
Stolen Auto
- Saturday, July 24, 18th and S Streets NW.
- Wednesday, July 28, 1400 block of 16th Street NW.
- Wednesday, July 28, 14th and Rhode Island NW.
Burglary
- Thursday, July 21, After 8 am, 1400 block of R Street NW.
- Friday, July 22, 1300 block of Vermont Avenue NW.
- Saturday, July 24, 6:55 am, 1800 block of 9th Street NW-Residence.
- Sunday, July 25, After 7:08 pm, 1100 block of U Street NW-Specialty Store.
The Dog Days of August are upon the theaters in the Dupont-Logan-U Street area. (Luis Gomez Photos)
The only show at theaters this weekend in the Dupont-Logan-U Street area is Noises Off, which enters the second weekend of its run at the Church Street Theater.
Meet Neighborhood Artists
Next weekend: Make plans for Sunday, August 8, at the Source Theater for “Open Source: Meet Your Neighborhood Artists”–check the schedule as events run from 11:30 am to 6:30 pm. This event is part of the MidCity Business Association’s annual Dog Days Sidewalk Sale.
Full details for below the fold.
Courtney Sieloff. (Luis Gomez Photos)
We first met neighbor Courtney Sieloff almost three years ago through our dogs. That’s a common way to meet people in Dupont-Logan and we count numerous friends, neighbors and acquaintances through our pooches.
Sieloff is a long-time progressive (I still say “liberal”) activist and blogger. She set up the first Borderstan.com template for us two years ago and taught us how to use WordPress. When I heard she was at Netroots Nation 2010 in Las Vegas, I followed up with some questions about this year’s annual gathering of progressive bloggers and activists.
Sieloff: I attend to exchange new ideas with friends and others who inhabit this space. I’ve been a political junkie and organizer forever, and I was quick to jump on the idea that new media offers creative ways to expand ideas and engage in the political process in new ways.
Plus, I love being among the first to play with new online toys–I’m currently a big fan of Foursquare and I get most of my news from Twitter. I founded and run an online membership organization called JobsthatareLEFT, that helps progressives find meaningful work. Currently my membership tops 12,000 people nationally. I’m also a founder of WIPT, a networking organization for women in the online political space.
Borderstan: How many have NN conferences you attended… and how did this one compare?
Sieloff: This was my second Netroots Nation. I attended one–there have been five–in Chicago, in 2007. I would have loved to attend the two in between, but the DNCC was in 2008, and I got married in 2009. Chicago NN was particularly exciting as it was during the presidential primaries. Seeing all of the candidates, and listening to them speak rather candidly was very refreshing.
This year, NN10 was more focused on issues and policy, and what the current administration is doing. The crowd has seemed to grow and vary–there seemed to be a lot of people 50-plus who were very interested in joining this space, which is really quite exciting. One major difference seemed to be based on location; Chicago lacked the distractions of gaming and fantastic swimming pools so most of the attendees seemed to stick to the official events a bit more. For the record, I ended up “up” for the trip, winning at blackjack.
Borderstan: What are the one to three main points you’d share with readers about NN 2010?
Sieloff: That NN10 is able to attract speakers like Van Jones, Elizabeth Warren, and AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka is a testament to the power of online communications in the progressive space. Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s presentation was amazing, and she ended with really inspiring advice for women interested in running for office.
The breakout panels are run by excellent practitioners in new media, and they are entirely accessible–you can have lunch with any of these folks after their panels. In addition to the panels and speakers, there are a number of other amazing offerings, like seeing documentaries, attending caucuses based on your specific political interests, and chatting with future elected officials from all over the nation. Here’s the link for the main speakers–worth a watch: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nn10-pavilion.
Borderstan: What are you up to these days, blogging-wise… professionally?
Sieloff: I recently finished a master’s degree in women’s studies and public policy, and was the executive director of a small nonprofit organization. Currently I’m pretending I’m on summer vacation, but really I’m seeking out a policy or new media position. I do have a small “vanity” blog, but right now it mostly has pictures of my potted garden and new recipes.
Borderstan: Tell me, again: How long have you lived in the Dupont-Logan-U Street area?
Sieloff: I lived at 17th and R for two years, and I have been living on Corcoran Street for the past four years, along with my husband, Luke Peterson and our dog, Juno.
ACKC at 1529 Q Street NW. (Alejandra Owens)
From Alejandra Owens at One Bite At A Time
I don’t know about you guys, but every once and awhile I need a treat that appeals to my inner 6-year-old. And when my inner 6-year old isn’t craving a scotch slushee, she’s craving a sundae loaded up with toppings galore. It’s been hot out which only exacerbates my desire for a cool treat.
When I heard that Artfully Chocolate Kingsbury Confections at 14th and Q NW (ACKC from now on) served up a $3.50 sundae with unlimited toppings I first picked my jaw up from the floor, then wrangled my sugar-loving friend into meeting up with me for the experience.
With a cherry on top. (Alejandra Owens)
I figured it would be a tiny, kid-size cup of vanilla ice cream given the price. But, no! It’s a very, very large serving of vanilla, chocolate or swirl soft-serve. Upon ordering my serving of swirl, my new best friend behind the counter asked me, “Would you like a cherry on top of that?” Would I…what? “Like a cherry on top of that!” Why… YES! YES I would!
Walk on over to the unlimited toppings bar and you’ll find white chocolate sauce, dark chocolate sauce, peanut butter sauce… sauces with which to drown your sundae in. Sprinkles of all flavors, candies, smushed cookies and more are at your disposal too.
I don’t think you can tell in the picture, but I got white chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, sprinkles and smushed Oreos. I have a thing against ice-cold M&Ms… it’s just not how they’re supposed to be, so I stopped there.
The Sundae. (Alejandra Owens)
U Streeters and Logan Circle folks may already know ACKC is more than just a chocolates store, but being the Duponter I am, I was surprised to find a full coffee bar with free WiFi. You can bet that I’ll be heading to ACKC more often now that I know they are so much (deliciously) more than a chocolate candies store.
Have you guys tried the sundae? Do you frequent the ACKC cafe?
There are nine art galleries in the Borderstan area. (Luis Gomez Photos)
It’s the last weekend for two exhibitions at Borderstan galleries… but first a bit about two openings.
- Thursday: gallery plan b on 14th Street has an opening reception Thursday from 6 to 8 pm with artists Jason Wright and Mike Weber… meet the artists whose current exhibition, “Take You Home,” runs until August 29.
- Saturday: Irvine Contemporary, also on 14th Street, will have a preview of “Introductions 6” this Saturday from 3 to 6 pm. An opening reception with invited artists Firelei Baez, Claire Callagy, Steven Cummings, Hedieh Javanshir Ilchi, Brendan Loper and Wafaa Yasin will also be held from 6 to 8pm.
Exhibits are closing at Project 4 and Long View Gallery. See Cecile Oreste’s post about Long View’s “Informed Design” closing this Sunday. Get the details about all the galleries in the Dupont-Logan-U Street area below the fold.
What Caribbean beach town is Mystery City #17? (Luis Gomez Photos)
Welcome to Week #17 of Luis’ collection of cities from South America, Europe, Australia and North America.
Last Week: Mexico City
Last week’s Mystery City was Mexico City and the street scene is near the city’s Torre Latinoamericana. The 45-story “Latin-American Tower” was built in 1956 and is one of Mexico City’s most famous landmarks.
How did readers do guessing the identity of #16? In addition to Mexico City (24% of voters), the choices were Santiago (top choice with 29%), Lima (24%), São Paulo (18%) and Caracas (6%).
This Week’s Photo
We will reveal the identity of #17 next Wednesday. As you can tell from the choices, it is a Caribbean beach town and not a large one at that. It is in one of five countries located in the southern and western ends of the sea. Be prepared to do some online research to figure out the identity of this week’s city.
Previous mystery cities have been Caracas, Valaparaiso (Chile), Sydney, Bratislava, La Paz and Santiago, Long Beach, Toronto, St. Louis, Valencia (Venezuela), Genoa, Colonia Tovar (Venezuela), Prague, Viña del Mar (Chile), Asbury Park (New Jersey) and Mexico City.
For Week #17, vote for your choice below.
<br /> <a href=”http://polldaddy.com/poll/3535739/”>Mystery City #17: What city is this?</a></p> <p><span style=”font:9px;”>(<a href=”http://www.polldaddy.com”>polls</a>)</span><br />
Get live music listings at eight venues in Borderstan. (Luis Gomez Photos)
Check out the live music listings below for Thursday, July 29, through Sunday, August 1… always plenty to hear at clubs in the Dupont-Logan-U Street area.
17th and U Street NW: The 1600-1800 blocks were closed for about two hours due to water main break at Florida and U. (Luis Gomez Photos)
The water main break at Florida and U NW. (DDOT)
U Street-Florida Avenue NW between 16th and 18th Street was closed during Tuesday evening rush hour due to a water main break. The break, where Florida Avenue merges into U Street, shut off traffic from about 3:45 to 5:45 pm. DDOT has photo of the actual break site.
Last Friday a 20-inch water main broke on the 1800 block of 14th Street NW.
DC Water is the entity responsible for DC’s water and sewer system.
Home Rule opened in 1999 on 14th Street NW north of S Street. (Tom Hay)
From Tom Hay
For Borderstan‘s ongoing series on local entrepreneurs and retail businesses, I sat down with Rod Glover, one of three co-owners of Home Rule located at 1807 14th Street NW. Home Rule is the landmark housewares store on the 14th Street corridor offering everything a stylish urban residence needs. Greg Link and Glover opened the store in September 1999. Grace Allison joined them as an owner about two years ago and is also the store manager.
Glover, who has a fine arts background, initially got involved with Home Rule when his neighbor Link, who was working on the concept for the store. Glover needed artist studio space, and the lease for the 14th Street location included the whole building, so the second floor fit the bill. He then became involved in the business and continues to work there part-time while working on his art. Glover currently has studio space in West Virginia and plans are in the works for an upcoming show of his art early next year at Gallery plan b down the street at 1530 14th Street NW.
Home Rule’s Rod Glover. (Tom Hay)
Borderstan: Do you recall why the location on 14th Street was selected?
Glover: Affordability. With the idea of, if you build it they will come. The reputation of the area was not fantastic, but we thought enough people would venture over
Borderstan: Are there any surprises about the way 14th Street has developed over the past decade?
Glover: The big surprise is that it happened at all. We were hoping for the changes, and when it really did happen we were thrilled.
Borderstan: Tell me about your window displays?
Glover: Well some are concepts that just pop into my head, others are inspired by a product line or a manufacturers display. The themes revolve around a product or some searsonal aspect or anything that would get a customer to stop and come theough the door.
Borderstan: Any advice for people who are interested in starting a retail business?
Glover: Make sure you have help… a support network of others who understand retail. It is a difficult business and if you don’t have the skill set, you will need to have people in your network who do.
Borderstan: How has Room & Board opening affected foot traffic?
Glover: It is somewhat too soon to tell… I think we have lots of customers walking though the door with R&B catalogs, so that is a visual cue that it has been a boon to foot traffic.
Borderstan: Do you think the DC Government can do more to help small retail entrepreneurs?
Glover: Yes! It is very frustrating to hear the city tries to lure big box stores by giving tax breaks. I wonder if there is anyone in city government who wants small businesses to survive.
Borderstan: What is the biggest challenge a retail business owner faces today?
Glover: Getting your customer to come back. There is a lot of competition for the consumer dollar, especially in the current economy. You can’t rest on your laurels. You always have to keep everyone interested in returning and find new customers.
Borderstan: Can we expect the usual great bargains from Home Rule during this years Dog Days Weekend?
Glover: Absolutely!!
From Amy Melrose at Free in DC
I’m back after a nice vacation and happy to report that there are quite a few free and low cost things happening in Borderstan this week! Hope you enjoy these highlights from Free in DC.
Tuesday, July 26 to Saturday, July 31
Tuesday: Tonight in Stead Park, at 1625 P Street, you can enjoy a Free Outdoor Screening of Hitch. The film starts at 9:00pm but it’s best to arrive a little early to get a good seat and be sure to bring your own blanket or chair.
Wednesday: On Wednesday night you can enjoy Free Yoga in Dupont Circle from 6:00 – 7:30pm, be sure to BYO yoga mat. Practice the Art of Silliness later on Wednesday with Kostume Karaoke at Solly’s at 11th and U Streets, 8:00pm – 1:30am.
Thursday: On Thursday you can get back to the more serious issues at hand, like who to elect for Council if you live in Ward 1. Jim Graham, Bryan Weaver and Jeff Smith will be on hand to answer your questions at the Ward 1 Councilmember Candidate Forum at the True Reformer Building at 12th and U Streets from 6:00 – 8:30pm.
Friday: It’s back to fun stuff with the Friday Grand Opening Party for a Morton Fine Art, a New Art Lab & Exhibit Space near 18th & U Streets from 6:00 – 9:00pm… and you can also check out the DC based Singer & Songwriter Carolyn Malachi at U Street Music Hall for her EP Release Party at 7:00pm ( there is a $10 cover for the show).
Saturday: Drag your poofy dresses and tuxs out of the closet and tease your hair up a bit on Saturday night and revisit your high school days at the free Prom Themed Party at Axum on U Street, where they’ll keeping with the Prom theme and playing 80’s and 90’s music from 9:00pm – 3:00am.
Quite an eclectic mix of things to do this week it seems. If you’re still not sure where exactly Borderstan begins or ends, you can check out a fabulous outlined map of Borderstan here!
For more low cost and Free Things to do in DC and the Metro area, visit Free in DC, follow @FreeinDCBlog on twitter and become a Fan of Free in DC on facebook.
Shaw Dogs in July: Monthly meeting Wednesday, clean up on Saturday. (Luis Gomez Photos.)
The July meeting of Shaw Dogs is this Wednesday, July 28, at 7 pm at Hotel Helix on Rhode Island Avenue NW. The group takes care of the Shaw Dog Park on 11th Street NW (between Rhode Island and R). It is a non-profit organization and meetings are open to the public.
Saturday Clean Up
The next clean up at the Shaw Dog Park is this Saturday, July 31, at 9 am. Volunteers are always needed and should bring shovels, rakes, push-brooms and wheelbarrows, if possible.
Dog Days on 14th Street
Shaw Dogs says that its new dog park t-shirts have arrived and will be on sale at the booth near City Paws Animal Hospital at the Mid City Dog Days Sidewalk Sale festival, August 7-8.
You can join the group’s Yahoo! listserv, Dog Owners of Greater Shaw.
DC’s Ward 1 includes the U Street area and small parts of Logan Circle and Shaw. (DC Council website)
There is a public forum Thursday evening featuring the three candidates for the Ward 1 DC Council seat. Location is True Reformer Building, Lankford Auditorium, 1200 U Street NW. Doors open at 6 pm and the program begins at 6:30 pm.
The three candidates are incumbent Jim Graham, Jeff Smith and Bryan Weaver (love his campaign video); Graham is running for a fourth term on the Council. Event organizers said attendees will be able to ask questions of the candidate.
The U Street area is in Ward 1 as are small chunks of the Logan Circle and Shaw neighborhoods (the bulk of these neighborhoods are in Ward 2). Other neighborhoods in Ward 1 are Adams Morgan, Kalorama, Mount Pleasant and Columbia Heights. It is the smallest of DC’s eight wards in size and the most densely populated. A detailed PDF map is on the DC Government website.
The forum is sponsored by DC Jobs Council, DC Jobs with Justice, Defeat Poverty DC, Empower DC, Fair Budget Coalition, Jews United for Justice, Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless, and Wider Opportunities for Women. For more information, contact Ben at [email protected], 202-234-9119, ext. 4.
Sponsored by
Mary Burgan is the Borderstan Movie Fan.
Mary the Borderstan Movie Fan’s column on movies runs every two weeks. Mary Burgan is a retired professor of English and association executive. Her previous reviews are listed at the end of this post.
Some bad books make great movies and some great books are turned into bad movies. I was reminded of this after having finally read the three novels in the international best-selling trilogy by the late Stieg Larsson.
And then, of course, I had to see the films of the first two, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl Who Played with Fire, which have been running in and around DC for the past several months. The third novel, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest, has not yet been released as a film.
The books in Stieg’s Millennium Trilogy are full of extreme violence against women–complete with rape, sadism and incest. There is also official corruption that plays in highly plotted action–all in the service of intricate puzzles that are unraveled by Mikael Blomkvist, an investigative journalist, and Lisbeth Salander, “The Girl,” who is not only a highly tattooed and pierced denizen of Stockholm, but also a bravura computer hacker.
If “foreign” detective novels translate easily to the screen because language is not so important as plot in them, then there is some loss in the adaptation of the Tattoo novels. This is because a lot of the plot has to be cut out to make the narrative fit the less than two hours required for most films. Too much plot can sink a movie. A novel can take a lot more, though The Millennium Trilogy sits dangerously low in the water.
The Road Tattoo runs along the 800 block of Vermont Avenue NW,between H and I Streets. (Luis Gomez Photos)
A contingent of volunteer workers completed artist Steed Taylor‘s Road Tattoo on the 800 block of Vermont Avenue NW yesterday–before the late afternoon thunderstorm hit.
The Tattoo honors DC-area soldiers who have died in recent wars and the names of five children of local soldiers were incorporated into the design. There was a brief dedication ceremony in mid-afternoon attended by mothers of three solders. The Veteran’s Affairs Department is on the east side of the street.
The group included as many as 20 volunteers at various times on Saturday and Sunday; installation work was halted on Saturday afternoon due to the extreme heat. Taylor and gallery plan b on 14th Street NW worked with the District Department of Transportation to plan and implement the street art. This project was originally planned for 14th Street NW between Q and Church Streets.
According to Paula Amt, owner of gallery plan b, regular high-gloss latex paint is used. The asphalt paving material soaks up the paint and Taylor’s Road Tattoos can last up to three years.
Examples and photographs of Taylor’s exhibit were on exhibit at gallery plan, which is on 14th Street between Church and Q Streets.
News from Dupont-Logan-U Street NW. (Borderstan)
On ANCs, liquor licenses and voluntary agreements. Two good pieces on DC’s Advisory Neighborhood Commissions and their role in liquor licenses, voluntary agreements with businesses–and the expansion of Hank’s Oyster Bar at 17th and Q NW. The two posts: “Knee-jerk liquor license opposition undercuts credibility” by Dave Alpert of Greater Greater Washington… and read Ben’s post over at 14th & You, ““Voluntary Agreements” – Necessary or NIMBYism?” He gives a good rundown on what is happening at several different ANCs around the area with regarding to small business oversight and VAs. Try not to be exasperated when you read either article; it probably won’t be easy.
New local blog, danceDC. Check out danceDC, a new blog by Borderstan resident and contributor, Cecile Oreste. Oreste regulary contributes pieces on artists and the arts in the Dupont-Logan-U Street area. Now she has her own blog dedicated to dance in DC, including info on dance classes.
DC Number 2 for job-hunting college grads. The article at the Washington Business Journal about DC being the Number 2 metro area in the country for job-hunting college grads won’t be a surprise for our are. The Dupont-Logan-U Street area was a draw for college grads even before the recession hit–but with the availability of federal government jobs in the region, it’s even more pronounced now. The list is from Businessweek magazine. Note to candidates for mayor and council: What’s your plan to keep DC an attractive place for these desirable young transplants?
Is MOVA moving? Popular P Street gay club, MOVA, was the subject a rumor in the Washington Blade last week that it was closing. The owner of the club assured Borderstan that this was not the case. But they might be moving? Maybe.
Gray leading reader poll on mayoral race. You can still vote in the Borderstan reader poll on the DC mayoral race–on the Borderstan landing page, right nav bar. Fenty led until a Gray surge on Friday.
Who owns 113 abandoned and vacant DC properties? The DC Government is a larg owner of such properties–113 in all. Read Cary Silverman’s piece, “Home Again: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly,” at his blog, the Other 35 Percent. Silverman says that one-fourth are abandoned houses while the rest are empty lots. It’s a good, detailed explanation of the situation and what these properties mean for neighbors.
More speed cameras in DC. The Washington Post reported that DC is getting nine more “mobile radar cameras” at intersections around the city. But, none are in the Borderstan area.
Borderstan User & Privacy Policy. Please read Borderstan’s new User & Privacy Policy.
