A new organization is helping District residents in need find a new hobby and make money at the same time.
That organization, District Mugs, started in August with help from nonprofit Streetsense. The idea, according to duo Shreya Bhargava and Lise Courtney d’Amico, is simple: Give people who are homeless or who have experienced homelessness the knowledge to build a sustainable small business.
“There really are no economic opportunities for the homeless,” d’Amico said. “We wanted to create a program where they could build something for themselves.”
Once a week, participants meet at the Streetsense headquarters downtown to paint coffee mugs.
“Our participants make as many mugs as they can during the class,” d’Amico said. “They actually sign the bottom of the mugs so we know who created each one.”
Then, at a later date, the artists, Bhargava and d’Amico set up a booth at a local business and dole out mugs for donations. A drinking vessel can be yours for a suggested price of $10 or more.
“When we get a donation, we keep away a small fraction of that toward our supplies, ” Bhargava explained. “The rest of it goes toward the artist whose mug was sold.”
Last weekend, District Mugs set up a booth at Mellow Mushroom in Adams Morgan and distributed nearly 30 mugs. To date, the group has sold about 280 mugs and raised nearly $2,000.
The process has been “incredibly rewarding” so far, d’Amico said.
District Mugs also sets up shop at West Elm (1728 14th St. NW) or at the Pottery Barn in Clarendon. Locals who want to see where the organization will pop up next can follow the group on Facebook.
Photo courtesy of District Mugs
Update at 9:23 a.m. Thursday — Cove sent us the following statement:
Yes, unfortunately I can confirm the sad news that cove K St has been closed. This summer, we made a series of improvements to coves across the city — upgraded workstations, more call boxes, and separate focused and social sections for different kinds of work styles — and ultimately decided that we didn’t think we could bring our K St location up to our standard for the best member experience possible.The good news is that cove members in the area are well-supported by our South Dupont location that sits just 3 blocks away, as well as our other locations in the 14th St, Chinatown, Columbia Heights and Eastern Market neighborhoods. We’ve learned a tremendous amount from operating our first downtown location and its closing will enable us to focus on future growth and locations that deliver the full member experience. We are excited to extend cove’s offering to new neighborhoods and communities in 2017.
Co-working startup Cove appears to be scaling back its operations in D.C.
The company abruptly closed its location at 1990 K St. NW Monday. A sign on the front door of the business read, “Cove K St. is closed.”
The co-working space also no longer appears on the company’s list of locations. Workers were spotted moving things out of the space earlier today, a reader told Borderstan.
Cove’s locations on 14th Street and in Dupont, Columbia Heights, Chinatown and Capitol Hill are still listed as open on the company’s website.
We were unable to reach a Cove representative for more infromation. We’ll update this story if we do.
Photo courtesy of Elayne Burke
A local nonprofit organization once again is trying to make it safer, and cheaper, to get home during the holidays after drinking a little too much eggnog in the D.C. area.
The Washington Regional Alcohol Program is covering taxi fares up to $30 as part of its annual holiday SoberRide campaign, which starts Friday and ends Jan. 1. The free cabs will run from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. every day during that period.
“Last December, nearly 1,500 (1,456) Greater Washington residents did the right thing and availed themselves of this lifesaving service rather than possibly driving home impaired,” WRAP president Kurt Gregory Erickson said in a statement. “For SoberRide’s hours of operation during just last New Year’s Eve, alone, such ridership (580) translated into the removal of a would-be drunk driver from our shared roadways every 49-seconds.”
To get a complimentary ride, call 800-200-8294.
Image via Washington Regional Alcohol Program
Dupont’s STK to Close Saturday — The national steakhouse chain at 1250 Connecticut Ave. NW is reportedly slated to close its doors on Dec. 17. [Washingtonian]
Handcuffed Woman Steals Cop Car, Leads Police on Chase — A handcuffed woman somehow stole a D.C. Housing Authority police car on the 2300 block of 11th St. NW last night before leading police on a wild chase. The woman eventually crashed the car in Alexandria. [ARLnow; Washington Post]
Park View’s Tchoup’s Market to Close Dec. 23 — The eatery at at 3301 Georgia Ave. NW is closing to make room for other pop-ups. [Washington City Paper]
Coworking Space and Grocery Store Planned for Bloomingdale — A developer has plans to construct a mixed-use building called “the Denizen” at 1634 North Capitol St. NW in Bloomingdale. If all goes according to plan, the building would hold a co-working space and a grocery store. [Washingtonian]
Adams Morgan to Get Cotton & Reed Rum Pop-up — The rum distillery and tasting room near Union Market is slated to host a series of pop-ups at 2435 18th St. starting this week. [Washingtonian]
Stuck in D.C. Gets Unstuck — The prolific local satire blogger uprooted and moved to New York City. All good things must end. [Washington City Paper]
Capital Hilton Evacuated After Reported Fire — Nobody was injured in the small blaze, which may have started in the hotel’s laundry room. [Washington Post]
“Rabbit Nuggets” — They’re real. They’re at Hazel. [Washington City Paper]
Three adults and one child were taken to the hospital for evaluation after someone reported a possible gas leak at a school near 14th Street earlier this morning.
The D.C. Fire and EMS hazmat unit was called to the St. Augustine Catholic School (1421 V St. NW) to investigate the reported leak around 8 a.m. today.
Firefighters initially said five people were possibly sickened during the incident, but only four were taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure.
Hazmat crews searched the building but did not find evidence of a gas leak.
@dcfireems 4th patient, adult, has requested to go to hospital. Gas in school cafeteria shut down as precaution. Incident under control.
— DC Fire and EMS (@dcfireems) December 13, 2016
“All meter readings are negative,” said D.C. Fire spokesman Vito Maggiolo.
Photo via Twitter / D.C. Fire and EMS
The Mount Pleasant Farmers’ Market is set to wrap up for the season this weekend.
The market’s last day this year in the Mount Pleasant Street Plaza is Saturday, according to a post on its Facebook page. It is scheduled to run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Vendors are slated to sell meat, eggs, squash, sweet potatoes and Christmas decorations, among other items.
“Squash and root vegetables are the stars of the late market season,” the Facebook post says.
The market also is set to have live music and a bike clinic.
Farmers and other vendors are scheduled to return for the market in April.
Photo via Facebook/Mount Pleasant Farmers’ Market
More than two dozen local businesses are scheduled to set up shop under the same roof in Shaw this weekend.
The neighborhood’s Wonder Bread Factory (641 S St. NW) is hosting a pop-up “bazaar” on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 17 and 18. The event is scheduled to run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days.
“Whether you’re looking for a last minute holiday gift or want to treat yourself in between all the gift giving, this will be the place for a special shopping experience,” an Eventbrite page for the event says. “In addition to shopping, you’ll be able to connect with some incredible makers, artists, and creatives from the DC area and beyond.”
Businesses and brands set to sell wares during the shopping event include Mimi Miller, Oh-Mazing, Magpie Cookshop and Modami Apparel.
Poppir, a company centered on “listing, searching, and booking short-term rental space online,” is hosting the bazaar.
Image via Poppir Eventbrite
Biden Dines at Dupont Pizzeria — Veep was spotted on Saturday night eating at Pizza Paradiso, the Dupont pizzeria located at 2003 P St. NW. [Twitter]
Swiss-American Restaurant Coming to H Street — Peruvian eatery Ocopa (1324 H St.), which recently closed for remodeling, is reportedly due to be replaced by Stable, a Swiss-American restaurant. [Frozen Tropics]
Driver Flips Car in Chinatown — A motorist’s car flipped over during a crash near the intersection of 6th and H streets NW last night. One person was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. [Twitter / D.C. Fire and EMS]
Suns Cinema Looks for Place in Local Film Scene — By screening underground, eclectic and lesser-known films, Suns Cinema (3107 Mt Pleasant St. NW) is making a name for itself as a “special, cinematic oasis here in the District.” [DCist]
Peek Inside New Odd Provisions in Columbia Heights — New Columbia Heights took a look inside corner market Odd Provisions, which opened recently at 3301 11th St. NW. [New Columbia Heights]
New Downtown Japanese Eatery Gets High Marks — Washington Post restaurant critic Tim Carman wrote that the food at Kanji-Kana (1018 Vermont Ave. NW) is “tasty, affordable and none too foreign.” [Washington Post]
Cops Go Shopping With Kids at Columbia Heights Target — Police took local children in need shopping at the Columbia Heights Target for the holidays. [WJLA]
Why Bars Thrive and Restaurants Die on U Street — Washington City Paper explores why restaurants, but not bars, often have problems surviving on U Street NW. [Washington City Paper]
CityCenterDC Helps D.C., Even Without Crowds — The Washington Post Magazine examines how CityCenterDC helped the District show the world it can create a high-end downtown that caters to the rich, despite a lack of crowds there.
A bar in Adams Morgan hopes to raise some money for the activists demonstrating against the Dakota Access Pipeline at the Standing Rock Reservation in North Dakota.
Bourbon (2321 18th St. NW) is scheduled to host a benefit event this Sunday, Dec. 11, from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m., according to a Facebook event post.
The event will include DJs, drink specials and a raffle with prizes that include “gift cards from local businesses and art from local artists,” the bar said.
Patrons can pay a suggested $10 donation at the door to benefit the Standing Rock activists.
“DON’T STAND DOWN as Energy Transfer Partners could try to appeal their decision to reroute, and of course President-Elect Donald Trump’s team continues to fully support the pipeline,” the bar wrote on its Facebook event page.
Those who can’t attend but still wish to help out are encouraged to donate a new Gofundme page Bourbon recently launched.
Photo courtesy of Bourbon
A farmers market in Columbia Heights is slated to close for the season this weekend, but not before holding one last holiday sale.
The Columbia Heights Farmers Market, located at the intersection of Kenyon and 14th streets NW, is selling Christmas trees and other yuletide goodies this Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The market’s vendors will sell trees, olive oil, holiday plants from Plantmasters, cookies from Bjorn’s Bakes and other assorted gifts and local products, according to a representative of Community Foodworks.
The neighborhood’s outdoor market is scheduled to return the second week of April.
Photo courtesy of Columbia Heights Farmers Market
Logan Circle Hotel to Get High-Profile Chefs — Bayou Bakery’s David Guas and Marcel’s and Brasserie Beck’s Robert Wiedmaier are set to open restaurants in The Doubletree Hotel at 1515 Rhode Island Ave. NW, which is set to become The Darcy. [Washington Business Journal]
DCPS Chancellor Nominee Stops By Columbia Heights School — D.C. Public Schools chancellor nominee Antwan Wilson visited Tubman Elementary School yesterday, a day before his final D.C. Council nomination hearing. [DCist]
New Mixed-Use Development to Open in Shaw — A building with retail and office space is planned for the former Holzbeierlein Bakery warehouse at 1812-1827 Wiltberger St. NW. [UrbanTurf]
Park View Eatery’s Owner Talks Gentrification — Colony Club owner Max Zuckerman spoke to a Kojo Nnamdi Show producer about gentrification. [Kojo Nnamdi Show]
The Washington Area Bicyclist Association wants to help you stay alive while walking, biking or driving on District streets.
WABA is scheduled to host a traffic safety workshop titled “Walk, Bike or Drive… We Want You Alive” at the Mount Pleasant Library (3160 16th St. NW) on Thursday, Dec. 8, at 6:30 p.m.
The workshop will focus on Vision Zero, D.C.’s ambitious initiative aimed at ending all traffic fatalities by the year 2024.
Cleopatra is set to become the butt of jokes from Bob Marley, Jeffrey Dahmer and other historical figures in Adams Morgan tonight.
Laugh Owens Laugh is scheduled to hold a free comedic roast of the Egyptian pharaoh at Rendezvous Lounge (2226 18th St. NW) from 8 to 10 p.m. The D.C. comedy group hosted a roast of Moses this fall.
In addition to Marley and Dahmer, Cleopatra’s roasters played by comedians are slated to include:
- Yasser Arafat
- Genghis Khan
- Janis Joplin
- Edgar Allan Poe
- Saint Patrick
A snake, which allegedly killed her, is scheduled to host the festivities.
Roast organizer Ahmed Vallejos said the show’s comics picked which historical figures they wanted to play, regardless of any connection to Cleopatra.
“It’s a weird mix of people,” he said.
Photo via Facebook/Laugh Owens Laugh
