Get the info on Borderstan art galleries. (Luis Gomez Photos)
From Luis Gomez. Catch his photos at One Photograph A Day. Follow him on Twitter @LuisGomezPhotos.
Enjoy the beginning of the year with the new exhibits at the galleries in the neighborhood.
Adamson Gallery at 1515 14th Street NW
- Chuck Close, “New Work” runs through February 2.
- Gallery Hours: Tuesday through Friday, 11:30 am to 5 pm; Saturday, noon to 5 pm.
Ann Loeb Bronfman Gallery, DC Jewish Community Center, 1529 16th Street NW
- “Sukkat Shalom/Tabernacle of Peace” by sculptor Dalya Luttwak.
- Gallery Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 10 am to 10 pm; Friday, 10 am to 4 pm.
Contemporary Wing at 1412 14th Street NW
- “a head of hair,” A Solo Exhibition of New Work by Sonya Clark, opens February 1 and runs to March 2.
- Gallery Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 11 am to 6 pm.
Curator’s Office at 1515 14th Street NW
- Check website.
- Gallery Hours: Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 6 pm.
doris-mae at 1716 14th Street NW, 2nd Floor
- “John James Anderson and Rachel England,” opens in March.
- Gallery Hours: Call for an appointment; gallery staff is in the building Monday through Friday during business hours.
Gallery plan b at 1530 14th Street NW
- New works by Ted Milligan with Michael Curry Mosaics runs through February 17.
- Gallery Hours: Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 7 pm; Sunday, 1 to 5 pm.
Hamiltonian Gallery at 1353 U Street NW
- Joshua Wade Smith, “Here nor There” closes February 9.
- Gallery Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, noon to 6 pm.
Hemphill at 1515 14th Street NW
- Steven Cushner: The Shaped Paintings, 1991 – 1993. Opened January 12 and runs through March 9.
- Gallery Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm, or by appointment.
Hillyer Art Space at 9 Hillyer Court NW
- “Works by John Reuss, Marcia Wolfon Ray and Amy Hughes Braden“.
- Gallery Hours: Tuesday through Friday noon to 6 pm; Saturday and Monday, noon to 5 pm; and by appointment.
Joan Hisaoka Healing Arts Gallery at 1632 U Street NW
- Present-Day Oracles runs through February 23.
- Gallery Hours: Wednesday through Friday, 11 am to 5 pm; Saturday, 11 am to 3 pm; and by appointment.
Long View Gallery at 1234 9th Street NW
- “Gothic Resilience” from Colin Winterbottom opened January 10 and runs through February 10.
- Gallery Hours: Wednesday through Saturday, 11 am to 6 pm; Sunday, noon to 5 pm.
Project 4 Gallery at 1353 U Street NW
- Gallery Hours: Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 6 pm.
Transformer Gallery at 1404 P Street NW
- Forest Z., Allread: “Cabinets of Curiosity” opens January 19 and runs through February 23.
- Gallery Hours: Check the website for upcoming events.
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From ArtSee. Email contact[AT]artseedc.com and follow ArtSee@ArtSeeinDC on Twitter.
Peter Karp, “Running.” (Courtesy Studio Gallery)
First Friday is the DC arts patron’s steady date. Always accountable, eternally pleasing and ceaselessly entertaining, the informal evening of gallery hopping and exhibition viewing offers a delightful break at the end of the humdrum workweek.
ArtSee recommends beginning February’s First Friday at Hillyer Art Space, where Denmark-based artist John Reuss will be showing provocative works on paper, described as “existential surrealism” and “psychological realism,” and Maryland Institute College of Arts (MICA) graduate Marcia Wolfson Ray will be displaying sculptural works constructed from natural forms and materials, each inspired by the material’s intensely personal beauty and physical properties.
Studio Gallery will be showing for the first time, Peter Karp’s Solo Show: Shadows. The artist who cites Kurt Schwitters and other Dada masters, as well as Man Ray, and Joseph Cornell as his greatest influences, will be juxtaposing photographic images with found objects, cutouts and geometric shapes, in order to expose the ambiguity of what we perceive as real, objective, and true.
And don’t forget that one of DC’s most respected artists, Steven Cushner, has brought back a series of shaped paintings that he executed in the early 90s, to Hemphill Fine Art. Steven Cushner: The Shaped Paintings, 1991- 1993 challenges viewers to consider the irregularly constructed canvases and structural forms as inspired by such pioneering minimalist artists as Frank Stella, and Washington Color Field Movement painters like Thomas Downing.
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The 2012 Auto Show at the Convention Center. (Luis Gomez Photos).
Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines.
The Washington Auto Show is back in town, and it runs February 1 through February 10 at the Washington Convention Center (801 Mount Vernon Place). The show will feature more than 700 models from 42 manufacturers, and will highlight some of the leading technologies and most sustainably built cars in the auto industry.
Discount for Borderstan Readers: WANADA and The Washington Auto Show are offering a special discount to Borderstan readers. Save $2 on your ticket by going to the ticket purchase page and entering code BSTAN2OFF.
At this year’s show, the 2013 Green Car Technology Award will be given to a maker of an important technology in use today that’s helping create a new generation of fuel efficient, alternative fuel or low emission vehicles.
Some other events at this year’s show include the Fiat Indoor Drive & Ride, Military Day, speed dating and appearances from cartoon characters for the little ones. For the full schedule of events and daily hours, check the website.
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What’s the Weekend Warrior got planned? (Luis Gomez Photos)
From Katie Andriulli. Email her at katie[AT]borderstan.com and follow her on Twitter @kandriulli.
It was recently brought to my attention, in this article from The Onion USA Today that roaming cats are basically killing all the beasts in our skies (and most of those on land, too). Also, there are over 300 roaming cat colonies in DC alone. Basically, what I’m trying to say is that if you go out this weekend, your chances of getting attacked by a cat are probably pretty high. But don’t let that stop you!
Thursday
- Plus 10 points to Ginger Root Design for throwing an anti-Valentine’s Day drinking party today from 6 pm to 10 pm. Minus 10 points for making me think about Valentine’s Day two full weeks before it’s absolutely necessary.
- In the mood for some banjo with your beer? Obviously you are. One of Columbia Heights’ newer, more notable dive bars, The Pinch, is teaming up with DC Brau tonight for their inaugural Brau Ramble, a bluegrass & beer bonanza that will take place on the last Thursday of every month. The music starts at 8 pm, and it’s free. There will also be tons o’ drink specials and a 9:30 Club ticket giveaway to boot.
Friday
- It’s Pisco Sour Day (because why not?) Learn how to make one at home (warning, it’s kinda annoying), or better yet, visit the friendly barkeeps at Lincoln, Ceiba, or The Gibson who will froth your egg whites for you.
- Slam back Chesapeake Bay oysters for 50 cents each and Alexandria’s own Port City beer for $4 a pint at the always solid Urbana in Dupont, which kicks off the first of several local oyster and beer happy hours tonight from 4 to 7 pm. Then go stand drunk outside the Kennedy Center and beg someone for an extra ticket to one (or both) of tonight’s sold-out Louis C.K. shows.
Saturday
- Today is Groundhog Day, when we place our hopes and dreams for the future in the hands of a panicked, obese rodent. If for some ungodly reason you’re awake at 7:30 am, head over to the Dupont Circle fountain to see if Punxsutawney Phil’s taxidermied cousin Potomac Phil sees his shadow or not. Or, better yet, sleep in, order some pizza, and watch Groundhog Day on Netflix for the one-thousandth time. It still holds up.
Sunday
- Well guys, it’s Super Bowl Sunday. Will Ray Lewis cry? (Probably) Will any of the 30 second commercials be worth the $4 million companies spent on them? (No) Will you eat one of these recipes made in a crock pot? (If you know what’s good for you) Tune in to CBS at 6:30 pm to find out the answers to these questions and more. Oh, and once that’s over, fire up the DVR, because PBS ain’t letting some frivolous gentlemen’s sporting competition preempt Downton Abbey. #FREEBATES
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From Joey Gavrilovich. Email him at [email protected]
Martha’s Table on 14th Street NW. (Luis Gomez Photos)
Now in it’s 34th year of service in the 14th Street community, Martha’s Table, founded in 1980 by Jesuit priest Horace B. McKenna and Georgetown University professor of sociology Veronica Maz with $93 cash on hand, has hired Patty Stonesifer as its next president and CEO.
Stonesifer was previously appointed in 2010 by President Obama to serve as the Chair of the White House Council for Community Solutions, and in 2012, she completed her term as the Chair of the Smithsonian Institution Board of Regents.
In the 10 years prior, she was the founding CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the largest transparently operated private foundation in the world, which reported a $36.2 billion asset trust endowment in September 2012.
Patty Stonesifer will begin her work as the President of Martha’s Table on April 1, 2013.
“Patty brings unprecedented potential to Martha’s Table which is critical because the organization has never been more needed by the community,” said board chair Cathy Sulzberger. “Patty has a demonstrated commitment to service, experience tackling complicated issues, and the ability to engage the community in creative problem solving.”
“I look forward to getting to work – and we have a lot to do,” Stonesifer said. “One in three children in the District experiences hunger, and the past few years have left many families with great instability. Martha’s Table is working to make sure our community’s children and families have access to the basics — food, clothing and education. The amazing network of staff, volunteers, donors, and partners are absolutely phenomenal; and together, we can make a real difference in the lives of our neighbors and our city’s children.”
Martha’s Table reported just over $6 million in financial and in-kind support in 2011. The organization helps more than 1,100 people a day by addressing community needs through food and clothing programs, and works to find sustainable solutions to poverty based in education and family support services.
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Super Bowl 2013 in Borderstan. (Luis Gomez Photos)
From Kent Barnes. Follow him on Twitter @KentBarnes, email him at kent[AT]borderstan.com.
It’s that time of year again when more than 100 million Americans gather round the television with family and friends to watch the greatest sporting event of the year, the Super Bowl.
This year’s game brings added intrigue for local fans, as the Baltimore Ravens are one of the two teams vying for football glory.
Here’s everything you need to know to guarantee yourself an exciting Super Bowl Sunday:
Game Day Info
- The AFC Champion Baltimore Ravens take on the NFC Champion San Francisco 49ers
- Sunday, February 3 with kick-off around 6:30 pm.
- Watch the game on CBS (channel 29 in standard definition, 212 or 809 in high definition) with halftime entertainment by Beyonce.
Where You Can Watch
- Lucky Bar – Enjoy Bud Light pints for $3.50 or pitchers for $14, Yuengling pints for $4 or pitchers for $15, and a variety of food specials.
- Buffalo Billiards – Offering Miller Lite and Coors Light pints for $3.50, buckets of the same for $15, $4 bottles of Redds Apple Ale, and a chance to win a flat screen TV.
- The Front Page – Looking for variety? Partake in $21 beer towers, $3 Miller Lite and Yuengling pints, $5 Stoli & Fireballs, $7 Red Bull Vodkas, $6 food specials, and a raffle for a flat screen TV.
- Stoney’s – The perfect neighborhood bar on P Street.
- Judy’s Bar & Restaurant – Offering Happy Hour all night long starting at 6 pm. $3 beers, $5 rail drinks and $15 for Margarita pitchers. “Wear your jersey supporting your team in Super Bowl XLVII and the bartender will buy you a shot! (And remembering that Ethan is from California and a Niners fan, if you wear a Niners jersey you might even get a second shot out of him!)”
- Duffy’s Irish Pub – Gonna need a pitcher? Duffy’s is offering $12 Miller Lite pitchers, and $20 Blue Moon, Heineken, Ranger IPA, Loose Cannon IPA, and Yuengling pitchers.
- The Mad Hatter – Enjoy $5 food specials, $3 Bud Lights, and $5 fireball whiskey shots.
- Public Bar – Offering $3 Miller Lites and Coors Lights, $5 Redbull Vodkas, and other exciting giveaways.
- Touchdown – With a selection of selection of local, domestic, and imported beers.
- Nelly’s Sports Bar – The always fun crowd at the bar with multiple screens and the party starting at 6 pm.
- Solly’s Tavern – Enjoy $3 PBR, Budweiser, Bud Light and Miller Lites, $5 Ya-Hooo Shandies (half Bud Light, half Mountain Dew), “pit beef sammiches” for ravens fans and “mission style burritos” for 49er fans. More importantly, Solly’s will hold a raffle to benefit a friend of the bar who recently lost his mother and sister, and all his belongings in a Falls Church house fire. The raffle will include gift certificates, a gift basket, Wizards tickets, Capitals tickets, and more.
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From Rachel Nania. Check out her blog, Sear, Simmer & Stir. Follow Nania on Twitter @rnania, email her at rachel[AT]borderstan.com.
2029 P Street NW. (Luis Gomez Photos)
On Friday morning, leave your granola at home. Washingtonian reports that P Street will be the new home to a retro-style donut shop — and it will launch a soft opening Friday, February 1.
The shop, called Cool Disco Donuts at 2029 P Street NW, is owned by Aaron Gordon of TangySweet and Drafting Table, among others.
According to Washingtonian, Disco Donuts will offer varieties such as glazed, Boston cream, crème brûlée, passionfruit glaze, chili-spiked Mexican chocolate and peanut butter and bacon from pastry chef Stephanie MacGlaughlin. A liquor license may also be in the works for “donut shots.” Talk about a good start to the day.
Friday’s soft opening will take place from 4 pm to 8 pm. The grand opening is scheduled for next Friday, February 8, from 8 am until 8 pm. Regular hours (after February 8) will be Tuesday through Sunday from 8 am until 8 pm.
Update: There has been a controversy with the name Cool Disco Donuts, Jessica Sidman has the story.
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From Allison Acosta. Email her at allison[AT]borderstan.com.
Ross Elementary School on the 1700 block of R Street NW. (Luis Gomez Photos)
DC Public Schools (DCPS) opened the annual Preschool/Pre-Kindergarten and Out-Of-Boundary lottery application on January 28th. Parents have until February 25 to consider the options and narrow their choices down to six programs. DC Public Charter Schools operate their own lotteries that are separate from the DCPS lottery. This year, most charter schools have an application deadline of March 15.
Parents of young children who will be age 3 or 4 by October 2013 must apply to the Preschool/PreK lottery if they wish to enroll their children in DCPS. Although many Preschool and PreK spots are available, children are not guaranteed access to these programs.
If you have a child Kindergarten age (5) or older, you are guaranteed enrollment at your local DCPS. Borderstan residents are zoned for one of the following DC Public Elementary Schools: Cleveland, Francis-Stevens, Garrison, Marie Reed, Ross, Seaton or Thomson. If you wish to enroll your child at a school other than the one you are assigned, you can apply to the Out-Of-Boundary Lottery.
The DCPS lottery application allows you to choose up to six school programs, ranked in order of your preference. Some schools offer two programs; for example Marie Reed and Cleveland offer both dual language Spanish/English and English-only programs. Each program counts as one of your six lottery choices. If your child wins a spot at a school, he or she will be waitlisted at any school you ranked higher on your list, but not at schools you ranked lower.
In order to help you decide which six programs to list on your lottery application, you may want to start asking your friends, neighbors, and even strangers on the playground where their children go to school and what they see as the school’s strengths and weaknesses. You can find demographic information, test scores, and more on the DCPS school profiles website which allows you to sort by grade level, location, and special programs. The website www.greatschools.org also has school profiles for DCPS, public charter schools, and private schools.
As you contemplate which schools to put on your DCPS lottery application, you may want to consider the chances of winning a spot at that school. The DCPS lottery gives preference to children who live in-boundary (for Preschool and Pre-K), for children who have a sibling at the school, and for children who live within a “reasonable walking distance” (within a 3,000 foot square) of the school. Past lottery results can be a helpful guide, as some of the most sought after schools rarely admit students from out-of-bounds.
Open Houses
Once you have narrowed down your choices, most schools offer open houses where you can meet the principal and get a walk-through of the school. Below is a list of the upcoming open houses for Borderstan’s schools:
- Cleveland: February 13 at 9 am; and April 17 at 9 am.
- Francis-Stevens: February 7 at 8:30 am; February 12 at 8:30 am; February 16 at 10 am; February 21 at 8:30 am.
- Garrison: February 2 at 9 am; February 5 at 9 am; and February 19 at 7:30 am.
- Marie Reed: March 30 at 9 am.
- Ross: February 22 am time TBD; and March 15 am time TBD.
- Seaton: March 31 time TBD; and March 6 time TBD.
- Thomson: February 7 at 9:30 am; and March 21 at 9:30 am.
The lottery results will be posted online March 8, and you will be able to access your results with the number you receive when you submit your application. With large numbers of parents entering the lottery for six DCPS and several charter schools, expect wait lists to move significantly over the summer and into the beginning of the next school year.
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Snow Day is by Joe in DC from the Borderstan Flickr pool.
Photos of the Day are pulled from the Borderstan Reader Photos pool on Flickr.
Today’s photo, Snow Day was taken by Joe in DC. The photo was taken on January 24.
If you don’t already have a Flickr account, you will need to sign up for one, and then join the Borderstan Reader Photos group. Already a Flickr member? Join the group! You can submit up to five photos per day in the Borderstan reader pool. We are looking for photos from DC’s Dupont, Logan and U Street neighborhoods.
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From Rachel Nania. Check out her blog, Sear, Simmer & Stir. Follow Nania on Twitter @rnania, email her at rachel[AT]borderstan.com.
Due to escalating events in Mali, Malian musicians Supernova King and Master Griot Cheick Hamala Diabate with Cameroonian singer Taka Tanni and Finckya of the Congo will take the stage at the Mead Center for American Theater (1101 6th Street SW) on Monday, February 4.
H.E. Al Maamoun Keita, ambassador to the U.S. from the Republic of Mali, will address attendees to give the most up-to-date information on the crisis in Mali and the region.
Tickets are $25 and 100 percent of proceeds raised will be donated to humanitarian organizations working in the region to support refugees and IDPs.
The event will take place from 6 to 9 pm. For more information on tickets, contact 202-779-6277.
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From Kent Barnes. Follow him on Twitter @KentBarnes, email him at kent[AT]borderstan.com.
They are on the court. (Scott Leibowitz)
District sports fans rejoice! After a dreary end to 2012, the Verizon Center is finally back to being the hub of the local sports scene.
Buoyed by the return of star player John Wall, the Wizards have reeled off seven wins in January after only mustering four in October, November and December combined. The awful start to their season all but guarantees the team will miss the playoffs for the fifth straight year, but the recent improvements should bring more fans to the area, much to the delight of local bar and restaurant owners.
Perhaps more importantly to the majority of District residents, the Capitals finally took the ice on January 22 after a lengthy lockout delayed the start of the season. The lockout did nothing to cool the local fans’ enthusiasm as the team continues to sell out their games and dominate local sports coverage (along with William Howard Taft). And thanks to the compressed schedule, those fans can catch Capitals games about twice a week between now and the end of March.
As always, if you can’t make it out to the Verizon Center to see the Wizards or Capitals in person, head to your favorite Borderstan bar for a beer and the big screen.
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Chuck Harney of the Bike Rack. (Luis Gomez Photos)
From Rachel Nania. Check out her blog, Sear, Simmer & Stir. Follow Nania on Twitter @rnania, email her at rachel[AT]borderstan.com.
Here at “Borderstan People,” we like to profile local movers and shakers who are spicing up the neighborhood in a variety of ways. Recently, we caught up with Bike Rack owner Chuck Harney to chat about business, the neighborhood and biking in the city.
Here’s what he has to say.
Borderstan: When did you start Bike Rack and what was your inspiration for beginning the business?
Harney: The shop opened in May 2007. I actually wrote the business plan in 1997. My inspiration came from being a cyclist and living in a part of the city that was not served by a shop. Personally, I was also inspired by my desire to own my own business.
Borderstan: Do you live in the neighborhood?
Harney: I live in Adams Morgan
Borderstan: When did you move to DC?
Harney: I moved to DC from Los Angeles in 1991
Borderstan: What about this neighborhood made you chose your location?
Harney: Our current location was not my first choice. However, as development in the Logan Circle area began to take off, it seemed like a good idea to be as close to 14th Street as possible.
Borderstan: What can customers expect from your business?
Harney: In my opinion and experience, our customers can expect a really friendly and knowledgeable staff, absolutely no attitude and we do not look down on anyone, a clean and attractive store stocked with the items that our customers tell us they want through their choices and feedback, a high level of community involvement and professional and expert repair service.
Borderstan: Do you think DC is a biker friendly city? Why or why not?
Harney: I do believe that DC is a much friendlier city toward cyclists than it has been before at anytime. I also believe that it will continue to become a friendlier city toward cyclists in the future. This is the result of local leaders who believe that DC can become a “cyclist’s city” and to local groups and organizations who continue to lobby for things like bikeshare, bike lanes, bike parking, education for cyclists and motorists, alike, and an enforcement of motor vehicle laws in regards to cyclists.
Borderstan: Where is your favorite place to bike in the city?
Harney: Come see me.
Borderstan: Where’s your favorite place to hang out in the neighborhood?
Harney: That’s a leading question, I dont want to upset anyone, so I will say that I love the entire neighborhood, there is no bad place to hang out.
The Bike Rack (1412 Q Street NW) is open Monday though Friday from 8 am until 7 pm, on Saturday from 10 am until 6 pm and on Sunday from 10 am until 5 pm.
CheeseBowl 2013. (Laetitia Brock)
From Laetitia Brock. Email her at laetitia[AT]borderstan.com. You can follow her at @FrenchTwistDC and on her own blog, French twist DC.
No matter how hard I’ve tried, I just can’t get into American football. Okay, to be fair, I haven’t tried that hard — though I did go to a Redskins game once.
(Laetitia Brock)
I know the Super Bowl is coming up this Sunday, and I must confess I don’t really care. I don’t even care about the halftime show or the commercials. But this year, cheesemonger Carolyn Stromberg is giving me a reason to pay attention to the big Maryland-California showdown. Or at least to a Maryland-California showdown. Being French, I will pay attention to a cheese showdown.
Carolyn Stromberg, of Seasonal Pantry and Righteous Cheese fame, is staging a Cheesebowl at her Union Market outpost. I’m sure the playoffs were grueling, but only two teams remained!
(Laetitia Brock)
Competing for team Maryland is a Monocacy Ash cheese from Cherry Glen Goat Cheese Co., paired with a Belgian white style Stillwater Cellar Door beer. Team California is the surprisingly paired aged Vella Dry Jack from Vella Cheese and dark Stone Smoked Porter from Stone Brewing Co.
Neither team really has a strategy for winning; patrons decide the outcome of this 2013 cheesebowl. Whichever $7 pairing sells the most before the February 3 kickoff gets the trophy.
Now these are rules I can understand. If only football was this easy.
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Chocolate City Beer. (Brian Hussein Stanton)
From Rob Fink. Follow him on Twitter @RobDFink or email him at rob[AT]borderstan.com.
Just several blocks south and east of Catholic University, Chocolate City Beer is a small yet prominent fixture in the District’s burgeoning craft beer scene which I had the pleasure of visiting this past Saturday. It would be possible to mistake 2801 8th Street NE for a handsome brick building if it wasn’t for the breweries’ insignia draped over its north wall.
Traveling down a short wooden staircase and across a gravel driveway puts you at the entrance of the brewery. The immediacy of the space is quite literal; somehow a boil kettle, bright tank and multiple conical fermenters are nestled into what amounts to no more than an oversized garage. Remarkably enough, the atmosphere remains cozy.
Chocolate City Beer. (Brian Hussein Stanton)
Despite their relative size, the beers coming out of Chocolate City Beer are making unique contributions to our local beer scene. The two specific beers available for sampling, an amber ale and a dark Vienna lager, are not styles brewed by any other local brewery (at least currently or regularly). Most importantly, this is how they fared against the palate of yours truly.
Cornerstone Copper Ale – 5% ABV – Toasty caramel from hefty additions of Munich malt underpin a mild European hop presence, and with good effect. Effervescent carbonation and a medium body drive home the semi-sweet finish. In terms of food pairing, its versatility lies in its relatively mild flavor profile. Its malt sweetness would counteract your hot wings on Super bowl Sunday quite nicely. If you’re a fan of the ubiquitous American “amber” or “red,” I suggest seeking out this alternative.
Cerveza Nacional De La Capital – 6.5% ABV – American craft beer would not be American craft beer without the blurring of style classifications which this beer does in spades. Equal parts Vienna lager, Dunkel and Schwarzbier, it produces an intriguing interplay of biscuity caramel and roasted chocolate without astringency or cloying sweetness. This was easily my favorite beer of the day. If bacon, beef brisket or smoked meat of almost any kind is in your near future, a growler of this will undoubtedly elevate the experience.
Chocolate City Beer. (Brian Hussein Stanton)
Chocolate City Beer is not relegated to only two beers, however. Within the next several weeks, a few others will also make appearances. Continuing the German-inspired trend will be the The Mothership Connection, a heavyweight 8.9% ABV Weizenbock, chock full of estery banana and phenolic clove atop a deeply complex German malt profile, set to be released as early as next week. Nearly one year ago, an Imperial Stout was brewed that has since aged in Copper Fox Whisky barrels for 9 months – look for it in 22-ounce bottles during their Saturday (12:30 to 4:30 p.m.) growler hours as early as next week.
Unfortunately, Chocolate City Beer is more or less a draft-only brewery (for now at least) but that does not stop them from occupying the tap handles of regular Borderstan beer spots such as Pizzeria Paradiso on P St NW, Churchkey on 14th Street or the Big Hunt on Connecticut Avenue. Cheers!
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The proposed liquor license moratorium for 14th and U Streets NW.
From Rachel Nania. Check out her blog, Sear, Simmer & Stir. Follow Nania on Twitter @rnania, email her at rachel[AT]borderstan.com.
The heated debate over liquor licensing between some local residents and neighborhood businesses is nothing new to the Borderstan area. However, a recent push from two neighborhood groups to establish a liquor license moratorium zone for the 14th and U Street NW corridor added fuel to the already lit fire.
The proposed moratorium appears to be the reason behind a new anti-NIMBY website, In My Backyard. This site, whose owner is only given as “Michael,” is “a group designed to counter the small-but-powerful NIMBYs in your neighborhood,” according to a message on the landing page.
“What an amazingly stupid idea,” wrote one commentator, in reference to Borderstan’s piece about the proposed moratorium, posted January 22. “Let’s distort the market and discourage further development. If these people need something better to do with their free time, maybe they could do some volunteer work around the area. I’m sure there are some kids who could use tutors.”
Another commentator wrote, “Harming and estranging local small businesses takes away both their incentive and the financial wherewithal to meet the expense burden of sustaining a business-oriented entity such as a BID.”
One commentator posted a link to an opposing petition on the matter. So far there are 775 supporting signatures. (See New Citizens’ Organization Seeks Different Path for 14th Uand Online Petition Opposing Liquor License Moratorium Draws Support.)
Of the 22 commenters on Borderstan’s story, none spoke in favor of the moratorium.
In My Backyard
In My Backyard says, “It has been too easy for small groups that do not represent most DC residents to derail any kind of new development in DC,” says the website’s homepage. “With just a few signatures and some complaining, these groups successfully stop businesses and homebuilders from serving the needs of DC residents. It’s my opinion that DC will be better off with more options for consumers, not fewer.”
According the website, its primary function is to submit petitions and comments to City Council, Advisory Neighborhood Commissions and the Alcohol Beverage Control Board in support of the new developments that “can provide homes and jobs for our growing community.”
So what say you, Borderstan? Are these comments and is this website representative of the majority of the neighborhood’s feelings? Or is the issue of liquor licensing a divided issue in the neighborhood?
And “Michael,” email me — we’d like to interview you.
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