From Berrak Sarikaya
Donate your used clothing this weekend. (Courtesy Gifts for the Homeless)
Clean out your closet and do a good deed at the same time. This weekend Gifts for the Homeless, Inc. (GFTH) holds its annual used clothing drive. Bring your clothes to The Portals III on D Street between 12th and 13th St. SW (map) from Saturday to Sunday. Hours are 8:30 am to 6:30 pm.
Several hundred volunteers will be coming together to sort, categorize, repackage and then deliver the thousands of bags of donated clothing, blankets, and other necessities to dozens of area shelters to distribute to the homeless. For more than 20 years, GFTH’s annual Used Clothing Drive has distributed tens of thousands of bags of used clothing to shelters in D.C., Maryland and Virginia.
There is still time for interested offices, individuals, families, and school groups to donate clothing and/or to volunteer. For more information or to make a donation, visit GFTH’s website.
“The clothing we collect each year is delivered to more than 70 area shelters, from an eight-bed home for men with AIDS to a 1,600 bed facility serving men, women and children,” said Bart Epstein, president of GFTH, which is a non-profit, all-volunteer organization supported by the region’s legal community.
A volunteer with GFTH says, “Anyone with donations literally can drive up on the side of the building (near the Mandarin Oriental hotel) and volunteers will collect the donations curbside, so there’s no need to find a parking spot and that makes it extra easy and quick to donate. Donations also can of course be brought in by hand.”
“Every year, we meet the needs of more and more homeless people and families by delivering warm clothing to increasing numbers of shelters and soup kitchens. We intend to serve every facility in the region that helps the homeless — from emergency shelters to transitional shelters to shelters for battered women and children to soup kitchens. Any shelter or soup kitchen in the area with needs should let us know so that we can do our best to meet their needs.”
GFTH was created in 1986 by lawyers in the district as part of an effort to give back to the city during the holiday season. Over the years, GFTH has grown into a year-round operation that collects used clothing and monetary donations (used to purchase new clothing such as socks, sweatshirts, long underwear, blankets, hats and gloves.
Did you think you heard gunshots Monday evening near 14th and V St. NW? You did, according to MPD’s Lt. Alberto Jova, the commander of Police Service Area (PSA) 305:
On November 29, 2010, at approximately 7:00 p.m., members of the Third District were investigating the sounds of gun shots in the vicinity of the 1400 block of V Street, N.W. Upon their arrival, members observed a male individual matching the lookout for the suspect. Members pursued the suspect on foot and observed him tossing a gun to the ground. The suspect was apprehended without further incident. A revolver was recovered on the scene.
Below is a list of robberies, assaults, stolen autos and burglaries in the Dupont-Logan-U Street area over the past week. Crimes are from police reports for Police Service Areas 208, 307 and 305.
Robbery
- Friday, Nov. 26, 6:30 am, with Fear (strongarming a person), 13th and M St. NW.
- Saturday, Nov. 27, 1:50 am, Pocketbook Snatch, 13th and S St. NW.
- Saturday, Nov. 27, 1:40 am, 1400 block of 11th St. NW.
- Sunday, Nov. 28, 1:50 am, with Force & Violence, 1500 block of 12th St. NW.
Assault with a Deadly Weapon
- Thursday, Nov. 25, with Gun, 1400 block of R St. NW (Residence).
Stolen Auto
- Monday, Nov. 22, 1500 block of Q St. NW.
- Wednesday, Nov. 24, 11:30 pm, 1300 block of S St. NW.
- Friday, Nov. 26, after 11:30 pm, Connecticut Ave. and R St. NW.
Burglary
- Tuesday, Nov. 23, 1700 block of T St. NW.
- Between Nov. 23 and 28, 1300 block of 18th Street NW (Residence).
- Wednesday, Nov. 24, 1400 block of T St. NW.
From Alejandra Owens at One Bite At A Time
This one is for the foodies. Have you ever been to a restaurant where you can tell which dishes the chef has put his/her heart and soul into? The ones they’ve tested over and over to perfect? I tasted that at least four times at Eola.
Eola at 2021 P St. NW: Alejandra says “Go Brave.” (Alejandra Owens)
Eola is a cozy restaurant overlooking P St. whose space has been at least three different things in the last five years. Now it’s a “modern American restaurant” where Chef Dan Singhofen whips up some serious magic.
All I have to say is: Go Brave. Go there willing to try new things. It’s the exotic, different dishes where Chef Dan shines the most.
Yes, his pumpkin soup is silky and smooth like you wouldn’t believe. But his foie gras, pig brain and coddled egg dishes are the ones you will walk away remembering — and not just because you ate pig brain.
The “FBLT” — foie gras “bacon”on truffled brioche with petite greens and maderia aioli — was a dish best served in silence. My friend literally made me stop talking while we ate it because he wanted to savor it that much. We went for crispy pig ears (delightful, really!) to snack on and the pig brain — though ours was prepared differently and did not come in tortellini — was had near the end of the night. And it melted — just melted! — in my mouth in the most orgasmic way. These are items you will not want to miss. I promise.
So readers, would you try Eola‘s pig brain and foie gras dishes?
- Where Am I Going: 2020 P St. NW (P St. & Hopkins St.).
- When Am I Going: Tuesday through Saturday from 5:30 to 10:30 pm
- Paycheck Pain: Appetizers will run you between $8 and $19 while entrees will go for $24 to $31.
- Say What?: You can hear a pin drop.
- What You’ll Be Eating: I bet most folks will go for the pasta dishes, the beef loin or the pork. I was feeling adventurous and went with a foodie friend, so we went headfirst into the more exotic dishes. The chef’s style is modern American, which seems to be a catch-all these days for chefs who are trying new and exciting things — and exciting the meal was!
The 15th St. bike lane is becoming two-way. Some 15th St. parking spots were lost, but more were added on side streets; DDOT says there will be a net gain of 7.5 parking spots. (Luis Gomez Photos)
From Berrak Sarikaya
The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) began extending and revamping the 15th St. bike lane in late October, which was originally put in place in the fall of 2009. One completed, the bike lane will extend north to Euclid from U St. NW and south to E St. from Massachusetts Ave. NW. The two-lane work on the stretch from V St. south to Massachusetts Ave. is completed.
The original bike lane was one-way southbound. Now the protected bike lane — it is on the west side of 15th St. between parked cars and the sidewalk — is becoming two-way, complete with a yellow stripe dividing the lane.
While some very visible parking spaces have been lost at certain cross streets along 15th St., DDOT says that there will actually be 7.5 additional spaces between N and V St. NW; details below.
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Wednesday: ANC 2F Meets
The monthly meeting of Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 2F is Wednesday, Dec. 1, at 7 pm at the Washington Plaza Hotel at 10 Thomas Circle NW. ANC 2F serves the Logan Circle area.
Of note is the ANC’s new role in public education. From ANC 2F: “The Community Forum portion of the ANC 2F meeting this month will consist of a joint meeting with the Logan Circle Community Association, dedicated to the D.C. Public Schools in our area. With the newly created Education Committee of ANC 2F and a similarly proposed one of LCCA, a determined effort is initiated to improve the quality and suitability of our public schools.”
From Berrak Sarikaya
Wednesday is World AIDS Day and the 2010 theme is “Building on Success.” World AIDS Day is celebrated each year on Dec. 1 around the world. It has become one of the most recognized international health days as well as a key opportunity to raise awareness, commemorate those who have passed on, and celebrate victories such as increased access to treatment and prevention services.
Dec. 2 deadline: The D.C. HIV Prevention Community Planning Group (HPCPG), is looking for new members. The HPCPG is an all-volunteer group that works with the D.C. government each year to create a prevention plan to stop the spread of HIV in the District. Download the fact sheet and application.
According to the Whitman-Walter Clinic, there are more than 15,000 people living with AIDS in the Washington metropolitan area and tens of thousands more are estimated to be infected with the HIV virus.
Chuck Baxter in his studio. (Luis Gomez Photos)
From Cecile Oreste at danceDC
The familiar saying, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” is particularly relevant to Mid City Artist Chuck Baxter. For more than 15 years, the Shaw resident has created works of art from objects found in the alleys of D.C. Basketballs, ties, yogurt containers, vodka bottles, lighters and car air fresheners have all been artistic inspiration to the area’s “foremost collector of gutter gifts.”
Whether you view his work as trash or treasure, Baxter has had great success exhibiting in the area. He has shown his work at Artomatic, Arts on Foot, Touchstone Gallery, Studio Gallery, Mid City Caffe and the 17th Street Festival, among others. Currently, he is part of a group show, “Social Network in the Neighborhood,” with 11 other Mid City Artists at DC Loft Gallery on 14th Street NW.
When it comes to his artistic process, Baxter admits that there is not much planning involved. The approach may differ for each piece, but the result is always something unique.
“I rarely have a preconceived notion of what I’m going to do,” he said. “I usually look at the materials and think about what I can do with them. Sometimes it comes to me. Sometimes I manipulate the material.”
Chuck Baxter says his work is rarely political, but there was an exception at Artomatic last year. (Luis Gomez Photos)
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Tuesday: ANC 2B Meeting on Hank’s Oyster Bar
Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 2B is holding a special meeting on Hank’s Oyster Bar tomorrow night, Tuesday, Nov. 30. Location is the Hotel Dupont (Dupont Circle and New Hampshire Avenue NW) at 7 pm. The meeting will deal with the ANC’s recent letter of protest sent to the city’s Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Board on Hank’s recently terminated V.A., it’s request to expand next door and it’s outdoor dining hours.
After the letter was sent, ANC 2B reached an agreement with Hank’s on the patio hours, with the current hours to be maintained and, apparently, written into the restaurant’s liquor license. See Tom Hay’s story from Wednesday: ANC 2B and Hank’s Reach Agreement on Patio Hours.
Maybe it’s cheesy, but here at Borderstan we thought we’d share what we are all thankful for this Thanksgiving! Some of us got silly, some of us serious, some stayed in the ‘hood and some shared what they’re thankful for in life. But please know, dear readers, we’re eternally thankful for you. – The editors and writers at Borderstan
• • • • • •
Alejandra: I am thankful for good friends who share my love of Banana Leaves delivery. I’m thankful Whole Foods’ wine cheap wine selection. But most of all, I’m thankful for the great guys at Zorbas who know when one is sick, baklava makes it all better.
Danny: I am thankful for the endless discovery of the brilliant live music that flows through our nation’s capital. And I am extremely grateful for my incredible friends and family all around the world!
Luis: I am really thankful for all of the wonderful contributors who make Borderstan possible.
Mary: I am thankful for the yard/gardens at the corner of 15th and P, at 1521 P, and 1511 16th for making my day every time I walk by. Then there’s Robert who plays the saxophone by Whole Foods. And finally the pecan chocolate chip cookies at Whole Foods (when they have them!).
Matty: I am thankful for the croissants at Steam Cafe, the lox at Java House, great neighbors, and a neighborhood where I can walk most everywhere. At home, I am thankful for Luis, Lupe and my garden. I am thankful to live in a climate where winter is not five months long. And next year I hope to be thankful for an affordable diner on 14th St. where I can get a hamburger at midnight — I’d settle for 11 pm, indoors, because this is DC, after all.
Michelle B.: I am thankful for Chai Tea. I am thankful for my boyfriend and dance partner who is always so supportive of what I am doing. I am thankful for a weekend of non-dorm room diet.
Mike: I’m thankful for Express shirts that come in all of the amazingly bright colors that I wear every day. I’m thankful for Glee for providing me with hours upon hours of great music and entertainment. I’m thankful for ballroom dancing and my amazing coach. Most of all, I’m thankful for the unbelievable family members and friends who I love!
Tom: I am thankful to live in such a walkable and fun neighborhood. I am also thankful for all the eye candy in my neighborhood.
Thanksgiving weekend: Shows at three local theaters. (Luis Gomez Photos)
There are three shows in the neighborhood this Thanksgiving weekend:
- The Odd Couple at Theater J closes this weekend with shows on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
- Superior Donuts is at the Studio Theatre, 1501 14th St. NW, with shows Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
- Golden Boy is at the Church Street-Keegan Theatre on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
No shows Thanksgiving night.
Listings for 10 galleries in the Borderstan area. (Luis Gomez Photos)
The weekend after Thanksgiving is usually a good time to see a show or take in a gallery exhibition. Lots of people have departed by plane, train, automobile or bus. So if you are in the neighborhood, here are two closings and an opening at local galleries (and check out the listings for seven other area galleries below),
- Thomas Muller’s “Neither Here Nor There” closes Saturday, Nov. 27 at Project 4 Gallery, 1353 U St. NW: “Through sculpture and other media, Muller creates time-based installations that question the existence of an object or an idea in time, memory, and language.”
- Scott Brooks’ “We the People” closes Sunday, Nov. 28 at Long View Gallery, 1234 9th St. NW: “Scott Brooks’ work reflects the political and economic turmoil that take up the head space of those who are paying attention. ‘We The People’ maintains the detailed figures and story-telling themes Brooks has become known for allbeit on a much larger scale. In the past, Brooks’ message was often subtle, hidden in his elaborate tableaus. In contrast, ‘We The People’ blatently speaks to the pop-culture obsessed and politically charged landscape in which Brooks lives today.”
- At gallery plan b, 1530 14th St. NW, the Year End Group Show opens Friday, Nov. 26, with artist reception on Saturday, Dec. 4.
Listings for exhibitions at Bronfman Gallery, Curator’s Office, Hamiltonian Gallery, Hemphill Fine Arts, Irvine Contemporary, Long View Gallery, Project 4 and Transformer Gallery are below.
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. You can contact Mary by email.
I went to see For Colored Girls partly because I had been wondering about the films of Tyler Perry. An African-American friend from my church choir got so carried away praising his movies to me last summer that I resolved to investigate them.
I saw his posters at theaters. And when I went to the Cineplex, I noticed lots of black customers at the ticket counter, and I realized that they were going to the latest Tyler Perry film.
Meanwhile, in the auditoriums where I was heading to see the latest George Clooney or Meryl Streep flick, there were hardly any African-Americans in the audience. My choir friend made me see that despite all our efforts toward diversity in America, we tend to segregate ourselves as movie audiences.
Tyler Perry is one of the most prolific and popular film-makers in the country, but very few white people know about his movies.
Recent crimes of note include a burglary that occurred yesterday on 21st St. NW between Q and R. MPD 2nd District Commander sent the following burglary warning:
On November 22 at about 10:00 am, a suspect forced his way into a home in the 1600 block of 21st Street NW. The suspect apparently gained entry through basement door and once inside, forced an occupant to give him money.
While inside the home, the suspect restrained the victim and placed him in another room, then proceeded to go through the rest of the home and search for valuables before leaving. The victim in this case was not seriously injured. The suspect was described as a black male, 30-37 years old, approximately 5’6″-5’9″, 140-150 lbs, and a dark complexion. Please continue to exercise caution by making sure front, side, and basement doors are locked. If you have an alarm, make sure to activate it. Lastly, please call 911 immediately to report any suspicious activity.
Below is a list of robberies, assaults, stolen autos and burglaries in the Dupont-Logan-U Street area over the past week. Crimes are from police reports for Police Service Areas 208, 307 and 305.
Robbery
- Friday, Nov. 12, 12:42 pm, Pocketbook Snatch, 1500 block of 15th St. NW.
- Saturday, Nov. 13, with Force & Violence, 1300 block of P St. NW.
- Saturday, Nov. 13, 2:35 pm, Florida Ave. & R St. NW.
- Sunday, Nov. 14, 12:42 am, with Force & Violence, 1500 block of T St. NW.
- Monday, Nov. 15, 7:05 pm, 900 block of French St. NW.
- Friday, Nov. 19, Pocketbook Snatch, 1600 block of 14th St. NW.
- Sunday, Nov. 21, 10:45 pm, with Gun, 1100 block of 10th St. NW.
Assault with a Deadly Weapon
- Friday, Nov. 19, 12th & T St. NW.
- Friday, Nov. 19, with Gun, 18th St. & Florida Ave.NW.
- Sunday, Nov. 21, 2100 block of P St. NW.
Sexual Assault
- Saturday, Nov. 20, 2:30 am, 1500 block of Q St. NW (Residence-Home)
Stolen Auto
- Wednesday, Nov. 10, Connecticut Ave. & S St. NW.
- Sunday, Nov. 14, 15th and U St. NW.
- Monday, Nov. 15, 1400 block of Rhode Island Ave. NW.
- Sunday, Nov. 21, 5 to 7:30 pm, 14th and W St. NW.
Burglary
- Monday, Nov. 15, 1700 block of Massachusetts Ave. NW.
- Monday, Nov. 15, 1700 block of 14th St. NW.
- Tuesday, Nov. 16, 11:30 am to 3:30 pm, 1900 block of 17th St. NW.
- Friday, Nov. 19, 7:30 am to 3 pm,1200 block of N St. NW.
- Saturday, Nov. 20, noon to 11 pm, 1000 block of P St. NW.
- Monday, Nov. 22, 10 am, 1600 block of 21st St. NW.
From Tom Hay
Thad — Keep Moving Green’s wandering, homeless polar bear — was spotted walking down 14th Street in Logan Circle Tuesday morning. Thad was accompanied by Keep Moving Green’s Steven Baumstark as they cross the country promoting a grass roots effort to live green.
Click to enlarge: Thefts from autos in PSA 208/Dupont-Kalorama, Nov. 15-22, 2010. (MPD Crime Database)
Going out of town for Thanksgiving… and leaving your car parked on the street for a few days? Take 5 minutes, go to your car and do a few quick things that will reduce the likelihood of your car having its windows smashed and your valuables taken.
Thefts from autos (“smash and grabs”) are the most common crime in the area.
The accompanying maps show the location of smash-and-grabs in the Dupont-Logan-U Street area in the past week, Nov. 15-22.
Click to enlarge: Thefts from autos in PSA 307/Logan Circle, Nov. 15-22, 2010. (MPD Crime Database)
The police warn: Do not leave anything of value visible in your car. Never leave a cell phone, coat, brief case, dry cleaning or even bags of groceries on the seat of your car — and don’t leave anything of value in the trunk.
This precaution also extends to hookups for Global Positioning Systems (GPS), satellite radio and iPods.
Click to enlarge: Thefts from autos in PSA 305/U St., Nov. 15-22, 2010. (MPD Crime Database)
Why? If a thief sees a hookup, he may assume that the GPS, satellite radio or iPod is somewhere in your car — and break in to look for it. Thieves will even target cars where the outline of the suction cup for a GPS hookup is visible on the windshield.
