From Mathew Harkins. Email him at mharkins[AT]borderstan.com.
Not your old radio. (Luis Gomez Photos)
When thinking of live music venues, listening stations are generally not the first things that come to mind. But The Sunshine District, a new venue opening up this Saturday, June 22, is looking to change that. Located at 2010 9th Street NW, this brand new, two-story, two-stage venue is looking to bring something new and something local to the music scene.
Local Music Listening Stations
The reasoning behind the listening stations is that DC has a quality local music scene but it isn’t always easy to learn or hear about these bands. There’s a lot of local music and lot of national acts that come careening through this city, so it can be difficult for bands to be discovered. Enter the Local Music Listening Stations.
There will be five listening stations at The Sunshine District, each one with a CD player and a record player. There will also, naturally, be a selection of CDs and vinyl, all supplied by local artists. This means that patrons will be able to listen to some good new music and local artists have a new method of being discovered. What more could you ask for in a new music venue?
Drinks To Match The Music
Oh, you could ask for specialty drinks based off local music acts? Well luckily for you, they have that covered. The specialty drinks at The Sunshine District include: The Time Columns (Band: Time Columns), The Echo Wallbanger (Band: The Echo Wall), Good Clean Fun (Band: Good Clean Fun), MacKaye Side of Things (Musician: Ian MacKaye) and more. You get to see live bands, discover local acts in the listening stations and get a slight history lesson at the bar. Sounds like my kind of venue.
You can find out more about the drinks, the venue, upcoming acts, and even possibly win a spot on the guest list plus one for the soft opening on Friday, the 21st, by checking out The Sunshine District’s Facebook page.
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From Mathew Harkins. Email him at mharkins[AT]borderstan.com.
Beer Tasting at the Heurich House Museum (Luis Gomez Photos)
The Heurich House Museum, recently featured here for the outdoor Golden Cinema Series, is back on the calendar this week with History & Hops, featuring Heavy Seas Beer from Baltimore.
This session of the monthly event is Thursday, June 20, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at the Heurich House Museum (1307 New Hampshire Avenue NW).
The History & Hops series takes place on the third Thursday of every month and features beer tastings from different local craft brewers while offering tours of the museum. The museum itself is the former home of Christian Heurich, DC’s most famous brewer, making the pairing more than perfect.
June’s Featured Brewery: Heavy Seas
According to the website for the Heurich House, “Heavy Seas founder/Maryland brewpub pioneer Hugh Sisson and Brewer Chris Mallon will present their signature Loose Cannon Hop3IPA in a firkin (cask), along with their just released Holy Sheet Uber Abbey Ale, which has been aged in brandy barrels. Other beers on deck will be Small Craft Warning Uber Pils, and Powder Monkey – a British style Pale Ale with a slight American twist in its hop profile.”
And on top of all that beer tasting and museum touring fun, all proceeds from ticket sales go towards conservation efforts at the museum. So you can enjoy this beautiful summer weather, taste some great local beers, tour a fascinating home/museum and support a local institution at the same time. It is truly a beautiful combination of things.
Tickets for this event cost $30 and can be purchased online here. And to learn more about the Heurich House, head over to their website.
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From Mathew Harkins. Email him at mharkins[AT]borderstan.com.
The Fojol Bros. food truck. (Luis Gomez Photos)
Just a couple of weeks after the DC Council rejected proposed regulations on the food truck industry, the subject is back in the news. The Council met yesterday to approve a number of regulations that had been amended since last being rejected.
After dragging on for four years, these new regulations may finally put this ongoing debate to an end.
What Was Approved
- As Borderstan noted when these regulations were last up for approval, one proposal was to create “mobile roadway vending zones.” These zones would be handed out to various food trucks through a lottery process on a monthly basis and would apply to the most popular and busy areas around the city.
- These zones and this lottery process were approved, but instead of requiring food trucks without access to the zoned areas to stay 500 feet away, they must now stay only 200 feet away.
- Another proposal was that food trucks outside the zones would only be able to set up at sidewalks with at least 10 feet of unobstructed space. The amount of space has now been dropped to just six feet of unobstructed space, which is the same regulation for outdoor restaurants and cafes.
- Councilmember Tommy Wells also added an amendment clarifying that “parking meters and similar small structures are not considered obstructions.”
- Another amendment from Councilmember Wells reduced a fine for expired parking meters from $2,000 to $50, which is the same amount that other street vendors face. That fine is doubled for repeat offenses.
Moving Forward
The passing of these amendments was considered a positive thing by both the DC Food Truck Association and the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington. Neither side won on every count, but neither did they lose, and so a compromise seemed the best that either organization was going to come away with. At least now both groups will be able to take in the new regulations and move forward.
All that is left is for Mayor Gray to put his signature on these new regulations. Given the long history of this story, let’s all keep our fingers crossed that nothing happens between now and then (though seriously, nothing should happen between now and then).
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From Mathew Harkins. Email him at mharkins[AT]borderstan.com.
Martha’s Table on 14th Street NW. (Luis Gomez Photos)
There’s a lot to be thankful for in our community. Borderstan is home to some wonderful development projects, from new condos and apartment buildings to new supermarkets to a seemingly unending supply of new restaurants, bars and cafes.
There are a lot things being offered in the neighborhood, so why not carve a little time out of your day to give something back?
Along with all those great things mentioned above in the neighborhood, there are some great venues for volunteering here in Borderstan.
N Street Village
N Street Village, located on N Street between 14th Street and Vermont Avenue, is a facility designed to help homeless and low-income women in our neighborhood through supportive services and housing. NSV takes a broad, holistic approach in assisting these women as they face a number of challenges that vary from individual to individual, including homelessness, addiction, mental illness and more.
A selection of the volunteer opportunities at NSV includes: tutoring, preparing and serving meals, maintaining the courtyard garden, helping with fundraising and much more. To find out more about these opportunities and to apply to volunteer, head over to the NSV Volunteer page.
Common Good City Farm
Since there’s no better way to state it than what’s already on their website, Common Good City Farm’s mission “is to grow food, educate, and help low-income DC community members meet their food needs.” Located just outside the Borderstan area near V and 4th Streets, CGCF is exactly what it sounds like: a small farm in the middle of the city that teaches residents and students about food production, healthy eating and environmental sustainability.
Just last year, they CGCF “provided over 6,300 pounds of fresh vegetables to low-income families.” There are many ways to help, including donations, dropping off scraps for composting and volunteering on the farm itself. See their Get Involved page as well as their Volunteer page for more information.
Martha’s Table
Located on 14th Street between V and W Streets, Martha’s Table uses education, nutrition and family support services to address poverty and issues stemming from poverty. Some of their volunteering opportunities include preparing food, tutoring children and staffing their mobile soup kitchen. You can find out more about these opportunities and fill out a volunteer application on their Volunteer Opportunities page.
Other Organizations
- Bread for the City – “The mission of Bread for the City is to provide vulnerable residents of Washington, DC, with comprehensive services, including food, clothing, medical care, and legal and social services, in an atmosphere of dignity and respect.”
- SOME (So Others Might Eat) – “An interfaith, community-based organization that exists to help the poor and homeless of our nation’s capital. We meet the immediate daily needs of the people we serve with food, clothing, and health care.”
- DC Central Kitchen – “Through job training, healthy food distribution, and local farm partnerships, DC Central Kitchen offers path-breaking solutions to poverty, hunger, and poor health.”
- Church of the Ascension and Saint Agnes – A local church, located on Massachusetts Avenue between 13th and 12th Streets, with a handful of programs that reach out to the neighborhood through blood drives, partnering with other institutions (like NSV), working with local seniors and the disabled, and more.
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From Mathew Harkins. Email him at mharkins[AT]borderstan.com.
Celebrate the third annual DC Flag Day. (Luis Gomez Photos)
As many of you living in DC already know, District of Columbia residents have neither representation in Congress nor representation on the American flag. You are probably well aware of this because you live or work here and the issue seems to come up frequently. But outside of Washington, or the DMV if we’re being generous, this issue is less than a blip on most people’s radar, at best.
And so today, we find ourselves on the third annual DC Flag Day. The first thing that DC Flag Day organizers are asking you to do is to change your Facebook photo to a picture of the DC flag or a picture of you with the DC flag. If you head over to their Facebook page or the Facebook pages for LetUsVoteDC or Neighbors United for DC Statehood, you can show support by “liking” their pages, but you might also fins some photos that you’ll be able to use for your profile picture. Their goal with this particular initiative is to raise awareness across the country and the world of an issue that many people are unaware of.
DC Flag Day Rally
Later today, DC Flag Day will be holding a rally in Dupont Circle. The information for that is as follows:
- When: Friday, June 14, 2013, 6:00 pm
- Where: Dupont Circle
- Program: Shadow Senator Paul Strauss
Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton - Sponsors: LUV DC, DC Vote, LuxuryDC, We Deserve Statehood
- LUV DC will be distributing DC flag stickers and temporary DC flag tattoos at the event, which is expected to draw a large number of DC residents. Show off you DC pride by wearing DC flag apparel, DC flag tattoos (both real and temporary) and waving DC flags. There will also be an unveiling of a DC Voting Rights banner that residents are crowdfundin. The 16-foot banner will be hung across a street in DC on a later date if the fundraising goals are met by midnight on Friday June 14th. If you’d like to support this effort, you can do so here.
About DC Flag Day
DC Flag Day was born back in 2011 by Allyson Behnke and Brooke Lynn Locke. As Allyson says, “DC has a rapidly growing population of highly educated people, small business owners and urbanites. We also have a lot of longtime locals who love this beautiful city… but no one who lives in Washington, D.C. has representation in Congress or on the American Flag. Back in 2011 I had friends who got arrested in the name of DC Statehood, including my good friend Brooke Lynn Locke. We decided to found DC Flag Day to bring awareness to DC’s lack of representation.” As Allyson also pointed out in an email, “The iconic DC flag symbol consists of the bold ‘two bars and three stars’ modeled after none other than George Washington’s family crest. Washington fought against taxation without representation. Ironically, two centuries later, citizens in Washington, DC have yet to win that battle.”
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From Mathew Harkins. Email him at mharkins[AT]borderstan.com.
Outdoor seating opening today at Maddy’s Taproom. (Luis Gomez Photos)
As we first reported here a few weeks ago, Maddy’s Taproom is finally opening up their outdoor seating area today. The barriers delineating the dining area from the sidewalk were installed earlier this week, followed by brand new tables and chairs.
As previously noted, this outdoor area is located on the L Street side of the location at 13th and L Street. The tables and chairs being set out will be able to accommodate 50 customers. If all goes well, the outdoor seating may eventually expand onto 13th Street, opening up the ability to serve another 45 customers.
With these two areas in place, Maddy’s will double the seating capacity and get you out into the sunlight while enjoying some of the 40 beers on tap and the “Texican” food it has become known for.
What To Expect Outside
As previously reported, the new outdoor areas will be operating from 11 am until midnight, seven days a week. The menus will remain the same both for inside and outside seating and, very importantly, you’ll still be able to enjoy happy hour pricing while basking in the sun. And don’t forget that this new outdoor area is dog-friendly, so you don’t have to feel bad about leaving your dog at home when you’re heading out for a drink or a bite to eat.
It’s not likely that Maddy’s had your dad in mind when setting today as the opening day for the outdoor seating, but with Father’s Day right around the corner, this makes for a great outdoor brunch location.
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From Mathew Harkins. Email him at mharkins[AT]borderstan.com.
A nice outdoor space to celebrate Father’s Day. (Luis Gomez Photos)
According to Wunderground.com, the weather here in DC should be pretty nice for Father’s Day this Sunday. This means that no matter the type of dad that you have, there’s something for you to do together, both indoors and outdoors. You’ve surely been thinking of something nice to do for the guy but incase you haven’t, we’ve put together some ideas for you.
What Father’s Day list is complete without a recommendation for brunch? We have neither the time, space, nor bandwidth to list all of the places offering brunch and/or brunch specials on Father’s Day, so let me just mention one here. The Hamilton, admittedly a little out of the Borderstan boundaries, is putting on a Father’s Day Gospel Brunch at 12:30 pm on Sunday. I wouldn’t include it here if it didn’t sound pretty awesome. Buy your tickets, get there early for good seats and your fill of Southern breakfast classics, and then hear a great show at 1 pm by the Gospel Persuaders.
Okay, so you’ve eaten way too much mac and cheese, beef brisket, french toast and home fries. Provided you and Dad can still move, take advantage of the great weather by renting some bikes from Capital Bikeshare and touring around some of Borderstan’s great parks. In case you didn’t make it into brunch – I know, everybody seems to be out – you can pack a picnic and relax in Logan Circle, Meridian Hill Park, or wherever your favorite place is.
Is Your Father The Handyman Type?
We are fortunate to have one of the very best hardware stores in town at Logan Hardware on P Street. If there is a project he has been working on, has been planning to work on, or is even just lingering in the back of his mind, the smart and friendly staff will be able to help out. And even if there isn’t a household project in mind, this store is stocked with enough stuff that something will likely catch his attention. For bonus points, offer to help out with whatever he’s working on.
Is Dad The Sporting Type?
The Nationals are going to be playing the Indians in Cleveland at 1:05 pm on Sunday, so why not treat the guy to some beer and bar food at one of our sports bars? Maddy’s Taproom, Stoney’s, Buffalo Billiards, etc.; there’s no shortage of places to while away the afternoon in the glow of America’s pastime. If he’s more of an Orioles guy, the Red Sox will be visiting Baltimore at 1:35 pm on Sunday. If you’re ambitious, head out to Baltimore; if you’re feeling local, sidle up in front of those bar televisions with your neighboring Nats fans.
Whatever you do, there are two things to remember. One, your dad enjoys spending time with you no matter what you’re doing, so don’t stress out too much and just have a good time with the guy. Second, try not to convince your dad that Father’s Day was last weekend. I did that last Sunday and stressed how good of a son I was because I remembered Father’s Day was the 9th while he thought it was the 16th. It made him happy at the time. I think he’ll be laughing at me come this Sunday.
Enjoy your day, dads!
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From Mathew Harkins. Email him at mharkins[AT]borderstan.com.
“American Savage. “(Courtesy)
We’re not trying to become your one-stop weekend planning website but we can’t help noting that in the midst of all the Pride and other various activities this weekend, Dan Savage will be at the P.O.V. rooftop at W Washington DC Hotel (515 15th Street NW) on June 9 signing copies of his newest book, American Savage.
From 6 to 9 pm, you’ll be able to take in the spectacular view from the P.O.V. rooftop and enjoy the Bliss Spa massage station while having a cocktail and getting your book signed. On top of all that, you can enter to win a Bliss “Pride and Joy” package, which includes: a rapid rub massage, a “manly-cure” or hot cream manicure, an oxygen blast facial, and a basic brief “he-wax” or basic bikini wax.
Savage Love
Dan Savage is best known for writing the internationally syndicated column, “Savage Love,” which deals primarily in relationship and sex advice. He is a frequent guest on media talk shows, has written a number of books, and among many other things, was the co-founder of the It Gets Better Project along with his husband, Terry Miller.
Books will be available for purchase at the event. If you’d like to attend, send your RSVP to: savage[AT]brandlinkdcrsvp.com
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From Mathew Harkins. Email him at mharkins[AT]borderstan.com.
Run and Dye the town. (Luis Gomez Photos)
Look, I know it’s easy to let time slip by and realize that you haven’t left the Borderstan neighborhood. Restaurants, theatres, music venues, grocery stores, galleries, parks… it’s easy to see how it happens.
But it’s time to shake off that neighborhood dust and I know exactly where you should go: RFK Stadium. Wait, wait, hear me out.
Coming up on June 8, Run or Dye is coming to Washington, DC; to RFK Stadium, specifically. Run or Dye is a 5K fun run where you and everyone else crazy enough to sign up get showered in multicolored powdered dye throughout the course.
Naturally, the dye is safe and ecofriendly, so there’s no need for any moral qualms about this run. And not only that, but Run or Dye has teamed up with Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic for this event, so you’ll know that some of your registration fee will be going to a good cause.
Wait, So What Is This, Exactly?
Okay, toxicity and charities out of the way, what else is going on here? First of all, this race is for anyone and everyone. There’s isn’t even an official timer, so you’re encouraged to run, walk or run-walk as fast or as slow as you like. You can run this by yourself or get a couple of friends together to do this as a team.
With so many colorful dyes being thrown around, the recommendation is to wear bright whites or grays so that you can be the best living canvas you can be. Oh, and 5K equals 3.1 miles, but you already knew that, right?
While the course is subject to change, right now the fun run will begin at RFK and stretch as far north as Benning Road NE and just short of Pennsylvania Avenue SE in the south.
Registration is $55 for individuals and $50 per person for teams of four or more. And Borderstan readers, you already know that there’s a Borderstan group on Flickr. If you run this race, please take some photos (careful with your camera around all that powdered dye) and submit them to the Flickr pool.
Summer is a great time to get in shape – beaches and pools, anyone? – and this 5K run should be a fun and memorable way to start shaping up if you haven’t already.
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From Mathew Harkins. Email him at mharkins[AT]borderstan.com.
Show your Pride. (Luis Gomez Photos)
Looking for the Pride Parade map?
Capital Pride Week may be coming to a close but that means there are still two big events coming up this weekend: the Pride Parade and Festival.
Regularly voted DC’s Best Parade by Washington City Paper, the Pride Parade is a spectacle you shouldn’t miss. As for the Pride Festival, this is the 17th year that the festival is being held on Pennsylvania Avenue between 3rd and 7th Streets NW, complete with entertainers, beverage gardens, food vendors, a dance tent and much more.
Pride Parade
The Pride Parade is tomorrow, Saturday, June 8. It kicks off at 4:30 pm at 22nd and P Streets NW, just west of Dupont Circle. The route will stretch for about a mile and a half, weaving it’s way through the Dupont Circle area before ending at 14th and R Streets NW in the Logan Circle area. This is the first time that the parade will travel north on 14th Street, a testament to how popular this corridor has become.
Organizers expect more than 100,000 spectators to be on hand for the parade this year, so if you’re planning to stake out a good spot to watch, you should do so early. And you’ll want to have a good viewing location as there are more than 170 contingents in the parade from local businesses, Capital Pride Heroes, politicians, drag queens and more. The contingents are made up of floats, vehicles, entertainers and whatever else people can think of.
Lynda Carter, best known for her role as “Wonder Woman,” will be serving as Super Grand Marshal of the parade this year. For a list of all the award categories this year, check out Capital Pride Parade Awards page, and for a list of the winners from last year, check out Borderstan’s write-up on the parade.
Pride Festival
After all the excitement of the Pride Parade on Saturday, keep the weekend fun going by heading over to the Pride Festival on Sunday, June 9, on Pennsylvania Avenue between 3rd and 7th Streets NW. Exhibit hours are from 12 to 7 pm and the main stage activities will continue until sunset. With the Capitol Building as the backdrop, expect to join more than 150,000 spectators taking in the entertainers and politicians; enjoying the food and drink at the two beverage gardens, at Taste @ Pride, or at any of the many food vendors on hand.
There will be three stages at the festival with a range of local and national entertainers. At the Capitol Stage, located at the east end of the festival, the featured headliners include: Emeli Sandé, Icona Pop and Cher Lloyd. The Dupont Stage, located more toward the center of the festival, will have various styles of entertainers (featured headliner: Eric Himan and the Soultre Singers) and promises to be a bit more relaxing. The Monument Dance Tent is a new addition to the festival this year and will primarily feature DJs and will be equipped with a shaded dance floor.
This entire weekend is going to make for quite the Pride party – we hope to see you out there!
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From Mathew Harkins. Email him at mharkins[AT]borderstan.com.
Comedy on the Table at Velvet Lounge. (Luis Gomez Photos)
Show your support for Capital Pride while supporting local comedians by heading over to the Velvet Lounge this Friday, June 7, for Comedy on the Table. If you’ve been in DC long enough, you’re sure to have heard of this biannual comedy event. If you haven’t heard of it, listen up as it’s completely worth your time.
Comedy on the Table is a comedy show that began as a way to highlight some of the funniest women performing in DC while supporting local causes and organizations. The inspiration came from Permanent Wave, a feminist collective based in New York that would put on benefit concerts that showcased female musicians.
Since beginning in October 2011, Comedy on the Table has expanded to include male comedians as well. Some of the participants this time around have been performing in the area for upwards of four years while others are a bit newer.
A Great Night For Great Comedy
Organizer and performer, Valerie Paschall, told me that many of the performers from previous Comedy on the Table events have gone on to acclaim at even bigger events. Some, she said, have “gone on to win local comedy competitions, open for touring acts at the Improv and Arlington Drafthouse and get slots on the Women in Comedy Festival in Boston.” With a cover charge of only $5, this might be your best opportunity to see some of the funniest comedians around.
For this show, Comedy on the Table will be returning to the Velvet Lounge for the third time. They’ve been known to pack the house, so be sure to get there on time. And because this show only happens twice a year, you’re guaranteed a new slate of comedians from previous shows (with the exception of the very funny and friendly organizer/comedian, Valerie Paschall).
Details for the show are:
- The place: Velvet Lounge
- The cover charge: $5 (and there are always sweet drink specials at Velvet Lounge)
- The start time: 7 pm doors, 7:30 pm show time.
- The lineup: Kat Timpf, Michal Ketner, Dana Bell, Glo, Curt Mariah, Valerie Paschall. Hosted by Matty Litwack.
For this show, Comedy on the Table will be supporting Capital Pride. Past beneficiaries have included House of Ruth, Martha’s Table and HIPS.
For even more information, along with videos of some of the performers, check out the event’s Facebook page.
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June 8: Shaw Main Streets Roaring 20’s Bar Crawl. (Luis Gomez Photos)
From Mathew Harkins. Email him at mharkins[AT]borderstan.com.
You’ve read the book and you’ve seen the movie(s), so now it’s time to “Get Your Gatsby On” with the Shaw Main Streets Roaring 20’s Bar Crawl. Happening this Saturday, June 8, from 1 to 7 pm, this is a fun way to explore your local bars and restaurants while also supporting the preservation and restoration of the Shaw neighborhood.
Organized by Shaw Main Streets, they promise “an afternoon of cocktails, friends, and fun, Gatsby-style.” This is the third bar crawl that Shaw Main Streets has put together and given the theme of the crawl, they encourage period costumes, though they are definitely not required.
Where To Be And What To Expect
There are six different locations participating in this event, all located in lower central Shaw. Each will have on hand signature drinks, cocktails and food specials. There will also be raffled prizes at each stop along the way.
The venues/arrival times are:
- 1 – 2 pm: Bar 7, 1015-1/2 7th Street, NW
- 2 – 3 pm: Queen of Sheba, 1503 9th Street, NW
- 3 – 4 pm: Old Dominion Brewhouse, 1219 9th Street, NW
- 4 – 5 pm: A&D, 1314 9th Street, NW
- 5 – 6 pm: The Passenger, 1021 7th Street, NW
- 6 – 7 pm: Penthouse 9, 1318 9th Street, NW
Tickets are $15 in advance and $25 at the event.
Purchase tickets for the bar crawl here.
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From Mathew Harkins. Email him at mharkins[AT]borderstan.com.
Food trucks drama. (Luis Gomez Photos)
The rest of the country may think that the big news in Washington recently has to do with Benghazi or the IRS scandal, but we’re all too well aware here that all politics are local.
And so, in one of the longest running debates going on here in DC, this past Friday the DC Council’s Business, Consumer and Regulatory Affairs Committee voted to reject proposed regulations on the food truck industry.
The legislation, which had been proposed by the Gray administration, sought to control the thriving industry by designating which food trucks would be allowed to operate in certain zones and where those blocked from those zones would be allowed to operate.
Those zones, offering more than 150 spots located in the most financially advantageous areas, would be doled out by lottery every month. As for operating outside of those zones, food trucks would need to stay at least 500 feet away and would only be allowed in locations where there is at least 10 feet of unobstructed sidewalk.
How Much Regulation Is Enough?
The DC Food Truck Association stated concerns that the new rules were not only too vague but that they also worried about the lottery process, saying that too much was being left to the discretion of government agencies. At the same time, the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington advocated on behalf of these regulations in the name of fairness as restaurants operate under a number of pre-existing rules and regulations.
After voting to reject the regulations as proposed, committee Chairman Vincent Orange introduced emergency legislation, approved yesterday, that will allow the committee to amend the submitted regulations instead of being restrained to simply voting for, against, or no action. The idea here is that the regulations are not completely off base and some modifications might make them more agreeable to the committee.
This debate over regulations has been going on for years now and gaining more attention as the food trucks in DC have become more prevalent. This vote is simply the most recent development in a drawn out campaign between two opposing sides. Food truck owners, restaurant owners and hungry customers will surely be paying close attention when the vote to allow the committee to amend the regulations comes up. Stay tuned.
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From Mathew Harkins. Email him at mharkins[AT]borderstan.com.
Come out and celebrate with Trevor Project. (Courtesy Trevor Project)
Much of Capital Pride Week is about celebration and much is about education, understanding and improving our communities.
One of the events this week that blends the two together is A Night Out For Trevor, a fundraising event for the Trevor Project. Taking place at the Palomar Hotel (2121 P Street NW), this fundraiser will be held on Friday, June 7, from 7 to 9:30 pm. At this exciting event, you’ll find:
- Open bar
- Hors d’oeuvres
- An a cappella performance by Potomac Fever of the Washington Gay Men’s Chorus
- Music by DJ Khelan Bhatia
- Silent auction
Standard tickets are available for $75 in advance and $85 at the door; Trevor Star tickets are available in advance for $150. All proceeds will go toward The Trevor Project’s activities here in DC and nationwide.
What Is The Trevor Project?
The Trevor Project is a suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization focused on LGBTQ teens. The Project began in 1998 after the release of Trevor, a short film about a homosexual teenager experiencing prejudice from his family and friends. The filmmakers — James Lecesne, Peggy Rajski and Randy Stone — had the realization that there were many youths experiencing in the real world what their character Trevor was experiencing within the film.
The film was released in 1994, tied for an Academy Award for Best Short Subject in 1995, and the Trevor Lifeline was begun in August 1998. Since then, the Project has continued to grow and expand its scope in helping the LGBTQ youth community.
Suicidal behavior is a troubling problem for teens overall but a significantly more prevalent issue for LGBTQ teens. A 2008 paper by the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (“Suicide Risk and Prevention for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth“) that collected a number of studies showed that LGB teens are up to seven times more likely to attempt suicide than non-LGB teens. The Trevor Project is working not just to decrease that ratio, but to help drop the total number of suicides and suicide attempts amongst all teens.
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City Market at O. (Luis Gomez Photos)
From Mathew Harkins. Email him at mharkins[AT]borderstan.com.
Whether you’re interested in renting a brand new apartment, looking forward to shopping at the new Giant grocery store, concerned about the neighborhood or just generally curious in local development, you’ve likely been paying attention to the news about City Market at O.
We’ve been reporting on the groundbreaking, the incremental updates and, as of just a few weeks ago, the new opening date for the Giant.
And now City Market at O is revealing the floor plans for some of the apartments that will become available this fall. On their Facebook page, you’ll find floor plans for three-bedroom penthouse units and for studios in the East building. Meanwhile, in the photo gallery at the City Market at O website, there’s a floor plan for the one bedroom apartment and for the two bedroom apartment.
It can be difficult to get a good sense of how apartments will actually look based solely off of floor plans but these are a good start. All of them appear to be spacious and airy with good windows for bringing in natural light. The website has a pre-leasing list that you can sign up for and as of a few weeks ago, the City Market at O leasing office was scheduled to open in June. If you like what you see, you’re probably not alone, so best to sign up while you still can.
Stay up-to-date on all these developments by following the coverage at Borderstan, checking out the City Market at O website, and by catching up on their Facebook page.
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