A local organization is slated to hold an anti-Donald Trump event at Busboys and Poets next Wednesday.
DC Unite Against Hate will host a “D.C. Dumps Trump” event at the 14th Street Busboys and Poets (2021 14th St. NW) next Wednesday, according to a Facebook event post.
The aim of the event is to register D.C. voters and to mobilize volunteers to “plug into campaigns up and down the ballot to make sure Donald Trump and other hateful candidates don’t win.”
“Whether you #feelTheBern, are #withHer, or just plain hate hate, now is not the time for political apathy,” reads the post. “We’re kicking off this initiative with a night of drinks, poetry, comedy and action at the landmark D.C. restaurant Busboys and Poets.”
One of the event’s organizers, Jen Rowland, told DCist the event will include a photo booth, trivia table and slam poet Julian David Randall.
Photo via Facebook / D.C. Dumps Trump
Even President Barack Obama likes to get work done at Busboys and Poets.
The restaurant chain tweeted that Obama visited its location at 2021 14th St. NW earlier this afternoon. According to Busboys and Poets, the president met with seven former inmates in one of the restaurant’s private rooms.
Rapper-turned-actor Ice Cube, comedian Cedric the Entertainer and actress Regina Hall will stop in at the Busboys and Poets at 14th and V streets NW tomorrow.
The talented trio is scheduled visit the neighborhood spot at 12:30 p.m. to promote “Barbershop: The Next Cut,” the third and latest installment in the popular “Barbershop” film series.
Pretty sweet to have actor/director @TimRobbins1 join us for dinner last night! pic.twitter.com/kUzCWtLVD8
— Busboys and Poets (@busboysandpoets) December 17, 2015
Stars! They’re just like us!
Oscar-winning Actor and director Tim Robbins was spotted dining at the Busboys and Poets in Mount Vernon Triangle last night, the restaurant tweeted today.
Employees at the store, which is located at 1025 5th St. NW, confirmed the “Shawshank Redemption” star ate there last night.
Robbins was in town yesterday to speak at a Second Chance Act (SCA) and Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program (JMHCP) conference.
Photo via Busboys and Poets
Activist Angela Davis, revolutionary and activist Bill Ayers and “The Color Purple” author Alice Walker will help Busboys and Poets celebrate its 10th anniversary at a party in October.
The event will take place on Oct. 2 at the local chain’s Brookland location at 625 Monroe St .NE. Tickets to the celebration are available online for $45. For an extra $30, partygoers can purchase a VIP ticket, giving them entry to a pre-party reception with Walker, Davis and Jeff Zinn, the son of historian and activist Howard Zinn. The VIP reception is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m., with the main party following at 8.
The festivities will include champagne, hors d’oeuvres and music by local DJs Ayescold and Nativesun.
A spokesperson for Busboys and Poets said that more special guests will be announced in the coming weeks.
Two D.C. musicians are set to perform at a concert to raise money for a local charity organization.
Musicians Tom Goss and B. Steady will play two shows together at Busboys and Poets (2021 14th St NW) on Aug. 27 at 6:30 and 9 p.m.
The concert will benefit Charlie’s Place, a local organization that provides people in need with employment and housing placement services, nursing, HIV/AIDS testing, counseling and other crucial services.
Charlie’s Place Program Manager Matt Lang says he is hoping to raise $20,000 from the concert in order to provide free meals into 2016.
Since opening in 1990, the organization has provided more than 300,000 meals to people living in and around Adams Morgan, Dupont Circle and Columbia Heights.
Advanced tickets are available online and start from $20. Tickets on the door will be $25.
Photo via Facebook/busboysandpoets
Story League competition. (Courtesy of Story League. Photo credit: Ben Droz Photography)
From Rachel Nania. Check out her blog, Sear, Simmer & Stir. Follow Nania on Twitter @rnania, email her at rachel[AT]borderstan.com.
On Wednesday, December 19, Story League will host a story telling tournament at Busboys and Poets (2021 14th Street NW). This time around, the theme will be neighbors.
Competing in Wednesday’s event are storytellers and previous Story League winners Andrew Bucket, Shivali Chevtastic, Stephanie Fast, Valerie Graham, Yev Kirpichevsky, Karen Lee, Owen Ryan and Michael Zhuang.
Tickets are $15 and are available online. The event starts at 9 pm, but seating cannot be guaranteed after 9:10 pm. For more information, visit the event’s Facebook page.
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From Zak M. Salih Email him at zak[AT]borderstan.com.
Books: Always a perfect gift. (Luis Gomez Photos)
Let’s face it: Unless you’re some kind of genius with a background in organizational change management, you’re probably still not finished with your holiday shopping. But that’s okay — because no gift is as easy to find during a last-minute rush and as thoughtful and personal as a book.
But why shop and buy books online when you can still enjoy the sensory experience of wandering through an actual bookstore, combing the shelves, flipping through pages, finding hidden treasures, supporting local businesses? What better way to keep the hope alive that there’s still a place in the world for three-dimensional marketplaces for words?
Whether you’re looking for a copy of the latest award-winning bestseller, a paperback from a scholarly small press or even a dusty antique, you’ve got some options in and around our neighborhood.
Kramerbooks and Afterwords Cafe
Dupont Circle’s iconic independent bookstore, in business since 1976, has pretty much any type of book you’re looking for. Check out the table of paperback fiction right as you walk in for popular gift ideas for almost any reader.
- ADDRESS: 1517 Connecticut Avenue NW
- HOURS: 7:30 am to 1:30 am, Monday to Friday/open 24 hours Saturday and Sunday.
- PHONE: 202-387-1400
RED ONION RECORDS & BOOKS
As the name suggests, they’re a specialist in vinyl records. But they’ve also got a snazzy collection of specialty books ranging from the alternative to the obscure in subjects including fiction, art, photography and (naturally) music.
ADDRESS: 1901 18th Street NW
HOURS: Noon to 7 pm, Monday to Saturday. Noon to 5 pm, Sunday.
PHONE: 202-986-2718
Busbboys and Poets
It features a small bookshop that most of us wander through while waiting for our table. But take some time to actually shop and you’ll find great gift books on culture, politics, philosophy, activism and other topics that are good for the mind — and the world.
- ADDRESS: 2021 14th Street NW
- HOURS: 8:00 am to midnight, Monday to Thursday. 8 am to 2 am, Friday. 9 am to 2 am, Saturday. 9 am to midnight, Sunday.
- PHONE: 202-387-7638
Books-A-Million
It’s a chain, yes. But if you’re on the hunt for something popular and you’re willing to shrug off the stigma of not shopping local, this bookstore is reliable for popular books that will probably satisfy someone with whose reading habits you’re unfamiliar.
- ADDRESS: 11 Dupont Circle NW
- HOURS: 9 am to 10 pm, Monday to Thursday. 8 am to midnight, Friday to Saturday. 9 am to 9 pm, Sunday.
- PHONE: 202-319-1374
Second Story Books
Like any great used bookstore, this is the kind of place you should explore when you have no idea what to get someone (and, hopefully, nowhere to be in the next several hours). Chances are, as you comb through their packed shelves of used and rare books, you’ll find a treasure worth giving. And keeping.
- ADDRESS: 2000 P Street NW
- HOURS: 10 am to 10 pm.
- PHONE: 202-659-8884
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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.
Shrake preforming at the Ultimate Story Showcase, Story League. (Photo credit: Rachel Gwynne-Eisley)
Remember what it was like before the turn of the century?
… Yeah, I’d like to forget those side ponytails and stirrup pants mixed with grunge rock and the occasional trip to the skating rink, too, but Story League is not letting us off that easily.
On Thursday, Nov. 28, Story League is holding a story telling contest with the theme of the ’90s at Busboys and Poets (2021 14th Street NW) at 9 pm.
The evening will be packed with celebrity guest hosts and judges, such as David Crabb (host, The Moth NYC), Julianne Brienza (executive director, Capital Fringe Festival), Lavanya Ramanathan (Washington Post Going Out Guru) and Wayne Manigo (comedian).
Tickets to the contest are $10 and are available online.
Those interested in participating can submit a 100-word story synopsis online or fill out a card at the show. The winner will be announced at the end of the night and will receive $100 cash as a prize.
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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.
A public forum with DC Councilmembers will take place at Busboys & Poets on Sunday, September 9. (Luis Gomez Photos)
On Sunday, September 9, DC at least six members of the DC City Council will participate in a public forum with local journalists and residents from 5 until 8 pm at Busboys and Poets (2021 14th Street NW).
So far, Phil Mendelson (D-At Large), Michael Brown (I-At Large), Vincent Orange (D-At-Large), Jack Evans (D-Ward 2), Muriel Bowser (D-Ward 4) and Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6) are confirmed to participate in the forum. Bowser and Evans are on the ballot this year. Mendelson is running in the special election for Chairman of the DC Council to replace Kwame Brown, who resigned earlier this year.
“Many communities feel disconnected from what ought to be their city hall,” said Nick McCoy, a local activist and moderator of the upcoming event. “We’re holding this forum to reassert the people’s right to hold our public servants accountable.”
Local media outlets such as the Washington Blade, the Washington Informer and WPFW, among others, will have an allotted time period to question the candidates. Time will also be made for members of the public to address the officials.
For more information, contact Nick McCoy at (202) 280-5403.
Green Real State at Busboys & Poets. (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.
On Thursday, August 30, the DC Net Impact Professional Chapter will host a panel discussion on sustainable real estate options in the DC metro area. The discussion will be held at Busboys and Poets (2021 14th Street NW) from 6:30 to 8:30 pm.
Geared towards renters, homeowners and those in the market to purchase a home, the conversation will include tips on how to save money on energy and and how to make your home healthier and more sustainable. DC and Maryland property managers will be on-hand to share their experiences in green real estate.
Panelists for the night include:
- Michael Kiefer, Green DC Realty (moderator)
- Wayne Gleason, building manager at the Argyle (Mt. Pleasant)
- David Borchardt, Tower Properties (including the Blairs, Silver Spring)
- Greg Abbe, audit program manager at Elysian Energy
- Andy Corral, green building manager at Elysian Energy
Tickets for Thursday’s panel are $10 for DC Net Impact members and students, and $20 for guests. Online registration is required through Eventbrite. Can’t make it out on Thursday? Follow the panel discussion on Twitter @DC_Net_Impact with hashtags #DCNI and #NetImpact.
DC Net Impact is an organization with a mission to inspire, educate and equip the Washington DC metro community to use the power of business to create a more socially and environmentally sustainable world. For more information, visit the Eventbrite registration page.
Eat Local First will host two events on Thursday, including a locally sourced cocktail reception and a panel on local businesses. (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.
Eat Local First is in full swing this week. Tomorrow — Thursday, July 19 — the DC-based campaign will host two events: one to discuss the benefits of local food businesses and another to celebrate the art of local cocktails.
A Panel on Locavore Business
From 8 to 10 am, Eat Local First will convene a local panel to discuss how businesses are growing, sustaining and adapting to changing consumer behavior. “Locals Unplugged: Transforming Business for the Locavore” will take place at Busboys and Poets (2021 14th Street NW). Tickets range from $15 to $20 and can be purchased online.
Panelists for the event include June Blanks of Bodega, Ellen Kassoff Gray of Equinox/Watershed and Caesar Layton of Arganica.
The Art of Local Cocktails
If you’re looking to cool down from the high temperatures of the week, stop by Tryst at the Phillips (1600 21st Street NW) on Thursday evening for a taste of locally sourced libations.
The cocktail party, featuring Honest Tea-based creations, starts at 5 pm and goes until 8 pm.There is a $10 suggested donation at the door for 2 free drink tickets. A portion of the sales benefit the Eat Local First campaign.
Eat Local First Week runs July 14-21. (Courtesy of Eat Local First)
About Eat Local First/Think Local First DC
Eat Local First is a campaign of Think Local First DC, a non-profit organization that works with independent businesses, consumers and policymakers to grow a sustainable local economy in DC.
Borderstan.com is proud to be a sponsor of Eat Local First 2012 and a member of Think Local First DC. For more information on the week’s events, visit our previous post on Eat Local First Week.
Split This Rock Poetry Festival 2012 will take place at various venues in the U Street corridor including Busboys and Poets at 14th and V Streets NW. (Jill Brazel)
From Cecile Oreste of danceDC. You can follower her on Twitter @dance_DC or email her at cecile[AT]borderstan.com.
“Split This Rock Poetry Festival: Poems of Provocation & Witness” invites poets, writers and activists to DC for four days of poetry and community building starting March 22. The bi-annual event, which features poetry readings, workshops and panel discussions, will take place in various locations in the U Street corridor including Busboys & Poets at 14th and V Streets NW, the Thurgood Marshall Center for Service and Heritage, as well as Hamiltonian Gallery and the African American Civil War Memorial and Museum.
The theme of this year’s festival, “Poems of Provocation & Witness,” refers to poems that look at the wider world and reflect upon injustices in different communities, said Split This Rock Director Sarah Browning. Poems that provoke change and discuss issues of race, class and gender are an integral part of the festival, which is dedicated to Caribbean-American poet and citizen activist June Jordan who passed away 10 years ago.
According to Browning, the U Street corridor is the perfect location for a poetry festival that challenges the status quo. “DC has a rich cultural background and we wanted to both celebrate and promote the history of the area. We wanted to tell stories through a living tradition that is vibrant in the region,” she said.
The connection to Borderstan goes beyond its location. Many of the events feature MidCity writers and are also of local interest. For example, “The Radical Roots of Washington Literature” is a panel discussion led by Kim Roberts and Dan Vera on Saturday, March 24. Their project, DC Writers’ Homes, documents the homes of literary authors who once lived in the DC area, such as Zora Neale Hurston and Frederick Douglass.
Many of the homes are located in the Borderstan area, including Gwendolyn Bennett’s childhood home on T Street NW between 14th and 15th, and Mary P. Burrill’s house on 17th Street NW just east of Dupont Circle.
In addition to focusing on the festival’s theme, the organizers also put a special emphasis on providing more youth programming to reach out to the next generation of poets. “Young Voices for Justice and Peace: Youth Speak Out!,” which discusses social injustices that young people care about, and “25 Years of Youth Poetry Programs in DC: What We Have Learned, Carrying it Forward,” which explores the successes and challenges of youth poetry programs, are just two examples of these youth centered events.
To register for the Split This Rock Poetry Festival 2012, please visit their website. Student rate is $40. Day rates and scholarships are also available.
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Author Aaron Anson at ACKC on 14th Street NW. His first book will be released May 16. (Luis Gomez Photos)
From Cecile Oreste of danceDC. Follow her on Twitter @dance_DC.
Aaron Anson is an inspirational writer and new thought coach who lives in the Dupont Circle neighborhood. Raised a black devout Christian in the South and endeavoring to uphold instilled beliefs, he married and fathered two children before accepting that he was a gay man.
His first book, Mind Your Own Life, is a deeply personal memoir of his journey back to love. It is scheduled for release on Monday, May 16.
Southeast corner of 17th and R Streets NW. (Luis Gomez Photos)
From Michelle Lancaster. Got news for Michelle? Send her an email.
Valentine’s Day is over, so it’s time for my favorite holiday — half off candy at CVS! If that doesn’t drown your sorrows, fret not as Girl Scout cookie season is upon us again. Now that you’re starting your day off right with a sweet outlook, let’s see what you missed in the news.
Chocolate City No More?
Known as ‘Chocolate City’ for years, DC is in danger of becoming more ‘vanilla,’ NPR shares with us. As home prices increase, African-Americans have begun leaving for more affordable suburbs in Maryland and Virginia. We take no responsibility for provoking another ‘what’s wrong with this city’s new residents with their tweets and gizmos’ screed from a certain Washington Post columnist for spreading this story.
