VOICE This Month Fabulous 12 Celebrating the 4th! 14 A Hot Dog PrimerFourth food 16 Baseball in DC: Crying Foul? and festivities... 18 Ah-Choo! What to Do Capitol Hill 20 Fixing Your Flivver style 22 Futuristic Fuel: Closer than You Think 24 The Green(grocer)ing of H Street 26 Do You Know What's Good for You? 28 VSAarts Festival: Non stop Entertainment 29 Sailing the Other River 30 CHDS: A 35th and More 32 KidPower in Review Departments VoiceMail ............................................ 3 City Desk ............................................ 4 DownLoad .......................................... 8 Business Snapshots ......................... 10 Performing Arts Roundup ................. 34 Amazing Spaces .............................. 36 Urban Gardener ................................ 38 Computer Corner ............................. 40 Ask Judith ........................................ 42 Designing for Hearth and Home ....... 44 Armchair Movie Reviews .................. 46 Health and Fitness ............................ 48 Capitol Hill BID .................................. 49 Ask the Vet ....................................... 50 H Street Main Street ......................... 52 Barracks Row ................................... 53 Kids' Calendar .................................. 54 Kids' Sports ...................................... 56 Community Calendar ........................ 57 Horoscope ........................................ 59 Classifieds ........................................ 59 Business Services ............................. 60 Vol. 6 No. 4 July 2004 VOICE Voicemail The Voice of the Hill is published To the Editor: and distributed monthly to Capitol Response to the Phish Tea CafÇ Protest Hill residences and business loca-in the Voicemail section of the Voice of tions. The focus is on the communi-the Hill. ty and includes contiguous neighbor hoods from Gallaudet University to I am currently a resident on who lives on potential future H Street corri- business injured by the dor business owner, I'd like to mind-boggling decision know what the ramifications from a few people are if there are violations of this who may or may not agreement. I don't feel that requir-have even experi ing a new business to sign some- the Navy Yard and from the Capitol the H Street corridor in Old City. I am to the Stadium Armory Complex. very happy to see new business moving Publication and distribution is the in throughout this area. I was particular enced the restauthing like this will be conducive to entic-rant. I hope that ing further small business, especially a you agree that Phish restaurant wishing to obtain a liquor last Friday of each month. ly pleased to see the opening of the Advertising deadline is the first of Phish Tea CafÇ. Having dined there on the month preceding publication. several occasions it provides a pleasant, Tea should be able to license, to develop here. Although Mr. grow unhindered lest we lose yet anoth-Pittman's draft agreement was present-er fine business in 1300 block of H ed for a voluntary signature, I believe upscale dining experience that currently Voice of the Hill does not exist within close proximity to NOTE NEW ADDRESS! my particular community. I applaud the Street (we already lost Lisa's Shoes). As that if not signing it would result in a a homeowner a few footsteps away from prolonged delay in the establishment of the 1300 block of H, I have a strong per-normal operations for your business, sonal interest in the development of that PO Box 15874 owner for bring this wonderful restaurant most will open their businesses else Washington DC 20003-0874 to H St. After seeing the quality work and then area, as the abandoned storefronts can ware. only attract a bad element, while thriving The Alcohol Beverage Control Board businesses in the area can only add to 202-544-0703 Main office imagining the cost that went into reno-already has standards that a business our community. I hope you decide to 202-318-7806 Fax vating the building Phish Tea CafÇ is in, I must meet to be considered for a liquor help us keep Phish Tea. www.voiceofthehill.com was dismayed to read in Voicemail that license. The local ANCs add weight to editor@voiceofthehill.com there was an active protest regarding these standards and work with the com-ALAN C. PA GE bruce@voiceofthehill.com the issuance of a liquor license to this munity and ABC to help ensure those establishment. As a local resident I standards are met. We need to work on Wylie Street Properties Association (a homeowner's group) patti@voiceofthehill.com must say that I am not familiar with the enticing small business to H St. ANC H Street-Main Street volunteer adele@voiceofthehill.com protestant's Old City Capitol Hill 6A is working on doing exactly that. julia@voiceofthehill.com Neighborhood Association, it's agenda, Local residents should stop trying to To the Editor: or it's members; however, I am quite add arbitrary red tape and roadblocks in I don't wish to have my name published, Staff familiar with the elected members of the form of additional agreements and but I had to comment because I didn'tBruce Robey, WebMaster Advisory Neighborhood Council 6A. It possible restrictions. They only work to understand why their was an issue with Adele Robey, Design and Production seems to me that if members of this stifle future development and in the end the neighborhood association protesting Andrew Noyes, Editor Pro Tem community have input and recommenda-have the opposite effect. this establishment's liquor license. It is Patti Shea, Political Reporter tions regarding our community's develop-Encouraging small business to H St. one of the few establishments on H Larry Kaufer, Sports Editor ment, they should bring it first to the should be high on everyone's list of pri-Street NE that look safe and enticing. Julia Robey, Production Coordinator attention of the ANC 6A, individually or orities, not only to the members of the I am writing in support Phish Tea Scott Shumaker, Editor (on leave) via an association. From that point the local community, but the entire popula-Cafe. I guess there hasn't been that "elected representatives" of the ANC tion of the District's metropolitan area. much information provided as to why Publishers should make the decision to proceed Currently the vacant and abandoned there was a protest against their liquor Phoenix Graphics, Inc. with a positive or negative endorsement buildings up and down the NE sector of license and perhaps residents weren't T/A Voice of the Hill or seek more community input. It is my H St. present safety concerns are dens given much information to review. I live opinion that ANC 6A represents a larger for rodents, possible fire hazards, and in the area where Old City Capitol Hill Capitol Hill BID, Ready Willing and section of this community's vision for havens for all forms of illegal activity. Neighborhood Association resides. I amAble, Gospel Rescue Ministries future development then the relatively They are at the least an eyesore and will for encouraging new, vibrant, productive Distribution obscure, smaller, Old City Capitol Hill cost this community far more in the long businesses for the H Street area which Neighborhood Association. ANC 6A run then the perceived problems of an will provide quality products for the sur-Contributing Writers achieves this vision through input from upscale restaurant with a liquor license. rounding neighbors. I haven't had much Julio Arguello, Jr. Laurie Lindsay publicly announced meetings and the interest in frequenting the businesses Patty Brosmer Celeste McCall representatives' hands-on "meet and BEN A C A CIOPPO on the H Street corridor until recently. I Judith Capen Bill McLeod greet" interaction with the local resi-Captain USMC have visited Phish Tea Cafe and enjoyed Dave Francis Roger McShane dents. the service, food and atmosphere. I Mark Holler Linda Norton Due to the fact that they are elected To The Editor: plan to return. I have also enjoyed plays Jeffrey Howard Andrew Noyes representatives, are highly a ccessible, I am a homeowner on Wylie Street, one at the H Street Playhouse. The begin-Larry Kaufer Julia Robey and work in the open, I trust "them" to block north of 12th and H, and I have ning of the Farmer's Market is also a Beth Lambdin Patti Shea establish a policy of minimum communi-recently been informed by some neigh-new attraction I am interested in check-Richard Layman Fay Singer ty standards for obtaining a favorable bors that Phish Tea Cafe, a wonderful ing out that will hopefully draw some Nicole Spiridakis endorsement when applying for a liquor restaurant/lounge/art gallery, has inex-positive results. I along with other D.Y. Lee license. Unlike the Old City Capitol Hill plicably become the subject of protesta-neighbors are hoping that eventually we Jessica Leshnoff Erica Stanley Neighborhood Association, they do this tion by a handful of area residents. I will see more of a diverse mix of busithrough very public opportunities for the must urge you to defend this excellent nesses such as a coffee shop, ice entire local community to voice an opin-dining establishment which hires wait cream store, natural foods market, Memberships ion, add input, or provide feed-back. staff and hostesses from the communi-trendy clothing, etc. We need to support Capitol Hill Association of Merchants and Professionals With regards to Mr. Pittman's "Unified ty, displays artwork from local artisans, and encourage our local businesses so the area will thrive and even attract resi- Art Directors Club of Metropolitan Commercial and Residential Agreement," and provides H Street with its first high-dents from all over the city to want to as a local community member I'd like to class sit-down dining experience in Washington Barracks Row Business Alliance know what this agreement contains. years. I love the food, I enjoy the friendly patronize this shopping corridor. Does it represent the majority of this service, and I would hate to see the Independent Free Papers of SUPPORTIVE NEIGHBOR community's best interest or the inter-restaurant harmed in any way or have its America ests of a few? Will these Unified H Street Merchants Association Commercial and Residential Agreements spread to other business beyond those After a series of meetings between the interested parties, the Alcoholic requiring liquor licenses? Also, as a Beverage Regulatory Agency (ABRA) and ANC6A some progress has been made. Mediation is still taking place and a final resolution is still pending. cityDesk CO VERING THE HILL'S POLITIC AL SCENE AND MORE STORIES BY PATTI SHEA New Booze Rules Proposed by ANC 6A Commission revamps agreement process ANC 6A presented plans at its June 10 meeting for a template it will use when crafting voluntary agreements with local liquor stores. After months of public meetings, the commis-sion's alcohol licensing committee submitted draft agreements for Class A (store that sell beer, liquor and wine) and Class B (beer and wine only) licensed establishments. Items included in the drafts include: _ not to sell/provide "go-cups" to patrons . _ not to sell single servings of alcohol, malt liquor, or ale in containers less than 70 ounces . _ not to sell products associated with illegal drug activity . _ improve and maintain public space around the establishment . _ not to post signage advertising the sale of alcohol or cigarettes _ not to sell single cigarettes The panel moved to overhaul and tighten the agreements after it found itself protesting the issuance or the renewal of area store licenses that have failed to comply with such less-strict agreements. Voluntary agreements are contracts between the ANC and store owners who agree in good faith to adhere to the contract items. However, several area stores have allegedly broken the contracts and the ANC has taken its protest to the city-which has been known to last for months, even more than a year. The commission will present its draft template for CT Licenses (those issued to bars and taverns) and CR Licenses (for restaurants) at its July meeting. All of the proposed changes must be approved by the city's Alcohol Beverage Control Board. "We need to push the envelope with the ABC board," Commissioner Nick Alberti said. To see the draft agreements go to the ANC's web-site at www.anc6a.org Stop Signs Get Green Light Commissioner Cody Rice said the city's transportation department (DDOT) will install four-way stop signs at the intersections of 10th Street & Constitution Avenue, NE and 11th & I streets, NE. Rice said DDOT will further determine if a signal is needed at the 10th Street intersection. The bike lane along C Street, NE from 14th Street to Warren Place is almost done being striped, Rice announced. ANC OK'd on Kramer Home The city will install a home for troubled teens on Kramer Street, Commissioner Gladys Mack announced. Mack and the commission had been battling the city's Youth Services Administration plan to put the home at 1626 Kramer St., NE, claiming it would have a severe negative impact on the neighborhood. "They totally ignored our recommendations," Mack said. A representative from YSA wasn't present at the meeting. A follow-up call to the agency went unreturned. The home will house six female teens who will be supervised by the YSA. Mack said she was going to investigate why the YSA failed to weigh the ANC's concern upon make its decision. Commissioners Jessica Ward, Michael Musante, Cody Rice, Joseph Fengler, Nick Alberti and Gladys Mack were present. Commissioners Wanda Stevens-Harris and Colleen Harris were absent. The next meeting will begin at 7 p.m. on July 8 at Miner Elementary School, 601 15th Street, NE. ANC 6B OKs Zoning, Alcohol Permits Spate of outdoor seating applications approved ANC 6B approved a handful of zoning and alcohol licenses before heading into its summer break. Finn macCool's got the OK to put seating outside of its 8th Street pub-slash-eatery. There was some confusion about how many seats the tavern wanted outside, the ANC granted only enough room for 12 guests, though the applicant had stated at the meeting that he wanted 42 seats. However, commissioners said that was too ambitious of a number to squeeze into the sidewalk area, and only approved the amount request on the application with the city. The panel also approved a subsequent liquor license amendment to correspond with outdoor service of alcohol. Another 8th Street establishment, World Cuisine, also got the go ahead for outside service only on the stipulation that it not funnel music onto the patio. The commission amended the liquor licenses to the restaurant can have live, non-amplified music. Las Positas, 517 8th St., also got approval for outside seating of three tables. Again, no music can be pumped onto the patios. Finally, the Capitol Hill Tandoor & Grill, 417 8th Street, won approval to host live, non-amplified music indoors, such as a sitar player or flutist. One of the grill co-owners said the music would be on weekends. The city's public space committee has the final approval on the outdoor patio usage, but the ANC's backing is usually well regarded in these manners. M Street Rezoning Backed The panel backed a proposal by the Office of Planning to rezone M Street, SE, that will (the city hopes) attract more commercial development there. OP wants to rezone the area between 11th Street, east toward the Anacostia River from mixed use industrial/commercial (C-M-2, C-M-1, M) to general commercial use, W-3 or W-2. The commission backed the option to regulate building heights in the areas north of the Southeast Freeway to 60 feet tall-which won't rise above the current buildings on L Street. As for the rest of the land which calls for W-3 zoning, building heights could reach 90 feet. Joel Lawson from the Office of Planning said the 90 feet building height would make that portion of the waterfront more attractive to companies looking to relocate there and only impact very few landowners there. Lawson presented the plans to ANCs 6B and 6D. Owners of the incoming Maritime Plaza off M Street agreed with OP's findings and called for immediate approval of the zoning changes. The zoning commission was to hear the proposal on June 17. The outcome of that meeting wasn?t available by presstime. Commissioners Kenan Jarboe, Will Hill, Mary Wright, Keith Smith, Francis Campbell, Scott Cernich, Neil Glick and Julie Olson were present. Tell our advertisers you saw their ads in The Voice of the Hill July will be the last chance to get items on the ANC agendas before they go on summer break. ANC 6B won't meet again until September, but ANCs 6A, 6C and 6D will convene in July before recessing. The schedule is as follows: . _ ANC 6A7 p.m. on Thursday, July 8 at Miner Elementary School, 601 15th Street, NE. Phone: 423-8868 . _ ANC 6B7 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 14 at the Old Naval Hospital, 921 Pennsylvania Ave., SE. Phone: 543-3344 . _ ANC 6C7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 14 at the National Public Radio building, 635 Massachusetts Ave., NW. Phone: n/a (Note: this is a new meeting place) . _ ANC 6D7 p.m. on Monday, July 12 at the Millennium Arts Center, 65 I Street, SW. Phone: 554-1795 Commissioners Daryl Snowden and Dave Sheldon were absent. The next ANC 6B meeting will begin 7 p.m. on Sept. 14 at the Old Naval Hospital, 921 Pennsylvania Ave., SE. ANC 6C Postpones Medlink Rezoning Request Owner to make presentation to panel ANC 6C said it won't vote on a rezoning request for the nearly abandoned Medlink Hospital campus in Northeast until the site's owner can meet with them. Cynthia Giordano, attorney for Medlink owner Dr. Peter Shin, convinced the panel to issue the stay at the June 9 meeting after she said Shin didn't know that the rezoning request was before the commission. She said her client wasn't notified through proper channels, something the commissioners debunked. Commissioner Charley Docter said he called the-facility to get a e-mail address and fax number for Shin. Docter said he sent the notification to the addresses/number provided by a hospital staff member. The Capitol Hill Restoration Society (CHRS) is looking to change the zoning from R5D to R4D, which lowers the building height requirement from 90 feet to 50 feet. The tallest part of the current structure is 53 feet. These restrictions would only be implemented if Shin sold the facility to a developer who razes the building. CHRS requested the change and has already won approval from ANCs 6B and 6A. Medlink, located at 708 Mass Ave., NE, is on the border of ANC 6A and 6C. Giordano didn't find out until the meeting that the two ANCs had endorsed CHRS' plans. She said Shin wanted to meet with the panel to explain his plans for the future of the site and that there wasn't a fixed timeline to adhere to. The panel agreed. Join us on faith's journey SUMMER WORSHIP SCHEDULE 8:30 and 10:00 am Free concert 12:10 pm July 15 Paul Leavitt recital ww.reformationdc.org 212 East Capitol Street 202/543-4200 Accessible to people with physical handicaps Relations between the facility and neighbors has a somewhat tumultuous history. Recently, neighbors won a battle when the city denied Shin's request to lower the facility's parking requirement. Shin sent the commission a letter explaining his position, using somewhat explosive language. "In the event that the individuals behind this proposal are ultimately successful, a dubious propositions at best, you might want to ponder whether the ultimate outcome of such an action will accomplish the obvious aim of these individuals," the letter states. "Undoubtedly, they wish to remove Medlink's current operations from this site and they are somehow convinced that the best way to accomplish this end is to squeeze Medlink with the possibility of the site being downsized." Shin continued by saying if he "downzoned" he will have no other choice but to continue operations there for economic purposes, instead of relo- Register NOW for our Homebuyers' Bootcamp. (It's Free) Here's What You Get: . _ The "How to" buy a home most efficiently and effectively . _ Information about low down payment loan prograns and other firsttime buyer benefits . _ Free credit report and analysis . _ Assistance regarding cleaning up your credit . _ Homebuying Guidebook . _ Certificate of Completion . _ Lunch (Don't just come for the lunch) . _ $250 closing credit from Sherlocke Homes (Paid at settlement when Bootcamp graduate uses a Sherlocke Homes agent as buyer representative.) Call for July Bootcamp dates and times. Register by phone or by e-mail. Provide name, phone number and e-mail address to receiv e location and directions. Call 202-543-0954 or E-mail buyersbootcamp@aol.com We take the mystery out of real estate www.sherlockehomes.com Licensed DC, MD and VA cating the business, which he states are his intentions. Commissioner Bill Crews didn't like the dicey wording. "We're only questioning his ability to follow the law and be a good neighbor," Crews said. "He's not getting a good reception from the neighborhood." Giordano said Shin will meet with the commis-sion's zoning and planning committee then brief the entire panel at its July 7 meeting. Museum Out, Condos In The developer installing condominiums on the soon-to-be vacated Childrens Museum site said he will keep most of the 130-year-old structure in tact as the project gets underway. "We want to restore (the buildings) to their true historic fabric," developer Jim Abdo said. Abdo presented his initial concepts for the project to the commission, however, he was unable to answer some of the questions since the design, number of units and price haven't been determined yet. Abdo said he wanted to begin the public notification rocess and will keep the ANC up to date with the project as it progress. He said there will be a public meeting in July to discuss the project. Commissioner April Hall wanted to know if Abdo was going to have low-income units available because of the growing citywide problem of these families being displaced by more expensive housing. "There will be a low-income housing component," Abdo said, but couldn't say what percentage this early in the process. Commissioner Karen Wirt asked if there will be adequate parking for the facility. Abdo said there will be one parking space for each unit, with the possibility of increasing that, but again, it couldn't be determined this early. ANC Changes Meeting Place Due to the relocation of the Children's Museum outside its borders, ANC 6C will meet temporarily at the National Public Radio building located at 635 Massachusetts Ave., NW. The commission meeting day and time, the second Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m., remain the same. The first meeting at the new site will be July 7. Blimpies Permit Questioned The commission unanimously decided to ask the city how the Blimpies/Noble Roman Pizza establishment got a fast-food restaurant permit in a zone that prohibits such permits. The commission's zoning committee had suggested that it sent a letter objecting to the eatery's permit, but Commissioner Daniel Pernell said it was unfair to single out Blimpie's, a national fast-food chain. "We need to find out why they were granted that certificate," Pernell said. H Street is in the middle of revitalization and aims to encourage local businesses, and shy away from nationwide chains. But Pernell said there is a fast-food chicken store a couple blocks down. Commissioner Karen Wirt said because of the incoming revitalization in the area, the commission needs to keep its eye on what the city is or isn't doing properly. "This is an example of what can happen on H Street if we don't monitor them," she said. Commissioners Mark Dixon, Bob Morris, Daniel Pernell, Charley Docter, April Hall, Bill Crews and Karen Wirt were present. Commissioners Lawrence Thomasand Rob Hall were absent. The next ANC 6C meeting will begin at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 7 at the National Public Radio board room, 635 Mass Ave, NW. ANC 6D Backs Police Substation Say more patrols needed ANC 6D said it will send a letter to the Metropolitan Police Department asking for a substation near the Southwest Waterfront. Commissioner Andy Litsky said due to the increase of pedestrian ac tivity on the waterfront and the recent mugging of Supreme Court Justice David Souter a substation is overdue. Also included in the letter will be a request to boos bike and scooter patrols within the area claiming that will help curb incidents. No one from the MPD was present at the meeting to comment. The Voice emailed MPD for a comment, but at press time there had been no reply. Backing of Banneker/L'Enfant Project Delayed The commission held off giving its endorsement of the Washington Independence Council's vision to clean up the quarter-mile stretch from the Smithsonian Castle along Ninth Street, SW to the incoming Banneker Memorial. Peggy Seats from WIC had asked the ANC to back the project - something the ANC did a number of years ago, but no one could remember exactly when. Seats was looking for the panel to OK the group's plan, but the ANC delayed the action until schematics could be delivered to the entire panel. The commission will take the matter up at its July meeting. It is likely the panel will endorse the project. WIC is working with the federal Transportation Department to overhaul the area. The $50 million project is funded by federal money. Commissioners Ahmed Assalaam, C.W. Hargrave, Robert Siegel, Roger Moffatt and Mary Williams were present. Commissioner Ed Johnson was absent. The next meeting will begin at 7 p.m. on Monday, July 12, at the Millennium Arts Center, 65 I Street, SW. Patti Shea covers local politics for the Voice. NEED A GOOD ELECTRICIAN? Call Charlie! . _ Remodeling . _ Old and New Work . _ Quality Work . _ Low Prices 202-397-2273 Fax 202-397-2127 Lic. DC EM900042 MICHELE PIQUET, PH.D. CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST Individual, couple, and group psychotherapy CAPITOL HILL 202-544-4480 Khan El-Khalili 321 7th Street, SE 202-543-5295 1-800-397-9441 Mohamed & Venetta Khattab Owners _ Hand Made Egyptian Gifts & Oils Imported from Cairo _ Tell our advertisers you saw them in The Voice Doolittle Guest House 506 East Capitol Street A spacious and conveniently located bed and breakfast. 202 546-6622 www.doolittlehouse.com downLoad ITEMS OF INTEREST FR OM THE VOICE WEBSITE FOR THE LAST MONTH Bush Administration Pledges Support for South Capitol Gateway Project BY D AVE FRANCIS In the Bush Administration's first recognition of the South Capitol Gateway project, Mayor Anthony Williams and Department of Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta signed a memorandum of understanding on June 8 acknowledging the importance of the rehabilitation project. Sen. Jim Jeffords (I-VT), Rep. Steny Hoyer (DMD), and Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton also attended the event. The memorandum is a sign of support for the rehabilitation and development of the South Capitol Street corridor, which is bounded by N, P, 1st St. and South Capitol. Hoyer and Norton included $20 million for the project in the transportation bill that passed the House this spring. This money will likely go restoring the South Capitol Street Frederick Douglas Bridge. The Senate version of the bill, however, does not include funding for the project. The entire project is expected to cost $1.5 billion, according to The Hill. The goal of the project is to revitalize the area, drawing new businesses and improving the quality of life for residents. The area is home to one of the four final sites for a baseball stadium is the District acquires a baseball team. In a statement, Hoyer applauded the memorandum and reiterated his support for the Anacostia Waterfront Initiative and the South Capitol Gateway project. "This new and worthy gateway to the Nation's Capitol will attract thoughtfully-planned private investment and development while showcasing the Capitol in all its grandeur. The residents of the District and the people of the United States deserve no less," Hoyer said in his statement. Jeffords took the occasion to call for the passage of the highway bill currently before Congress. "I believe that we can pass a bill this year that will help rebuild our bridges, make our highways safer and create more than a million jobs. If Congress passes one bill this year, it should be the highway bill." School Board Resolution Shifting Funds to Schools Fails To Pass BY D AVE FRANCIS A District of Columbia school board resolution shifting $9 million in funds to schools to alleviate a brewing budget crisis has failed. Tommy Wells, school board member representing District Three, championed the resolution at last night's school board meeting. The vote ended in a tie, and the resolution failed to pass. The resolution's defeat comes in the wake of a Walk Out at Capitol Hill Cluster Schools this past Thursday. The Walk Out was organized in protest of school budget cuts. Supporters of increased funding for schools vociferously proclaimed their views during the public comment period at the school board meeting. Wells' resolution stated that because the Weighted Student Formula has not been increased in line with the increased cost of the District public school labor agreements, funding is "insufficient to support basic level staffing for 144 of its 157 schools and programs." Under Wells' plan, $9.5 million remaining in the public school budget for 2005 "designated for citywide initiatives" would have shifted to school budgets by increasing the Weighted Student Formula. The resolution noted that "$13 million is available to the new superintendent for new initiatives." These funds are being withheld from local schools because of Congressional disapproval of plans for the funds. Dispersal of the money is pending while Mayor Anthony Williams searches for a new superintendent and, with the new superintendent, a new plan. When asked before the meeting if the resolution would pass, Wells said, "If the support is not there, it's because of board members being obstinate and stubborn." The resolution tied with 3 to 3 with Tommy Wells, Julie Mikuta and Dwight Singleton voting for; and Robin Martin, Carrie Thornhill and Peggy Cooper Cafritz voting against. Carolyn Graham and William Lockridge abstained from the vote. This resolution's failure to pass follows a Walk Out in protest of the budget cuts organized by the Capitol Hill Cluster School Parent Teachers Association (PTA). Last Thursday, Walk Out organizers estimate approximately 300 students and parents at Stuart Hobson and Watkins and a large number at Peabody left class from 11:30 to 12:30, forming a human chain around the schools. Suzanne Wells, president of the Capitol Hill Cluster School PTA and co-organizer of the Walk Out, calls the event "fantastic," saying students carried handmade placards protesting the cuts. Ms. Wells says the cuts are "very severe," resulting in Capitol Hill Cluster Schools loosing 9 ? teachers, including an art teacher, a librarian, and 4 full time classroom teachers. This loss of teachers will substantially increase class size, Ms. Wells says. Barbara Riehle, first vice president of the Capitol Hill Cluster Schools PTA, adds that coverage from local news outlets was "great" despite Ronald Reagan's funeral dominating airwaves and newspapers last week. Wells says local television channels Fox 5 and ABC 7 aired spots on the event. The Washington Post also ran a small story. Ms. Wells laments that the Walk Out "didn't get great participation from other schools" off of Capitol Hill, but argues "the lack of participation does not mean they don't feel strongly" against the proposed cuts. Ms. Wells says she and other PTA members as well as concerned parents and students will continue to fight the budget cuts, concluding, "We're very focused on follow up." Opponents of the budget cuts made their views known during public comments at tonight's meeting. Members of the teacher's union also voiced their dissatisfaction with jobs cuts resulting from the budget crisis. Editor's Note: Please check www.voiceofthehill.com for updates on this and other school board matters. Dave Francis can be reached at dave@ voiceofthehill.com. New Cell Phone Law Will Take Effect This Month Motorists who like to use a cell phone, check a pager, or even hold a pet while d riving, may face fines this summer. These activities are all covered under the District's Distracted Driving Safety Act of 2004, which goes into effect on July 1. After a 30day grace period, violators face a $100 fine. First-time offenders, however, will not be fined if they submit proof of purchase of a hands-free device. According to a 2002 Gallup poll in conjunction with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 25 percent of 4,000 American drivers interviewed admitted to talking on a cell phone while driving. Last year, a AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety study ranked cell phone use tenth out of 11 distractions reported to have caused automobile accidents. City Council Member Harold Brazil, who was active in getting the cell phone component of the act into law, told WTOP Radio that he thinks the final version goes too far. "This business about other, non-cognitive distractions like food or cats or whatever is probably a little much," he stated. CHAMPS Salutes the Closing of FY04 The Capitol Hill Association of Merchants and Professionals (CHAMPS) held its annual meeting on June 9 at the Marine Barracks in the John Philip Sousa Band Hall. The meeting, combined with an evening social gathering, was a festive occasion with many association members and guests in www.voiceofthehill.com attendance. During the meeting portion, the membership approved the proposed slate of fiscal year 2005 (July '04-June '05) CHAMPS officers and board of directors. Current president Bill Rouchell, operator of Maison Orleans B&B, will continue his leadership role as board president for another year, with Kathleen Franzen (first vice president), Judy Wood (treasurer), and Brad Johnson (Law Offices of Bradford P. Johnson) also maintaining their positions for an extended year. J.W. Arnold of PRDC will serve as second president. First vice president Kathleen Franzen spoke briefly about the board, the smallest in many years. As chair of the board development committee she felt that the CHAMPS leadership had a great opportunity to assess the composition of the current board, look to the whole CHAMPS membership to see what individual talents or innovative business ideas may not be represented on it and be considered for a board position. Franzen encouraged any full CHAMPS member that wanted to explore serving on the board to get in touch with her. Rouchell spent a moment thanking various businesses and individuals that were helpful to CHAMPS and to the Hill's business community during the past 12 months. He also gave a joint 2004 Daniel Carroll Award for Outstanding Community Development to Abdo Development for Bryant School restoration and conversion and to Eakin/Youngentaub Associates for Bryant Square Townhomes. Mark Holler of Gingko Gardens was given a special honor for all of his volunteer work in helping to nurture and water trees and other greenery in the Hill neighborhood. Hoopla Traders and owners Laurie Morin and Denise D'Amour were awarded the CHAMPS Retailer of the Year plaque and J.W. Arnold was recognized for his CHAMPS energy and commitment by being the recipient of the President's Award for 2004. The business meeting also included the introduction of CHAMPS' visitors and membership web sites in their enhanced states. Both www. CapitolHill.org and www.CHAMPSdc.org have received a face-lift, and now that they are revitalized, both sites will better serve CHAMPS, its members and the Capitol Hill community. The sights, up and running, are currently being reviewed by the membership and additional features and information will be forthcoming. Mentioning was also made of CHAMPS' first inhouse production of the Capitol Hill Map, a major undergoing for the association, and highlights of the various business seminars and networking events held throughout the year were portrayed with a short slideshow. "Excellent gathering," was a repeated phrase heard during the course of the evening. Judy Zinter of Yarmouth Management added, "One of the nicest functions that CHAMPS has ever had. And it was most informative about the various projects CHAMPS is involved with." A special thanks to Col.. Daniel P. O'Brien, Commanding Officer of Marine Barracks, Washington, DC, and the Barracks staff, for hosting CHAMPS' Annual Meeting Stanton Park Neighborhood Association Awards Four Scholarships In late May, the Stanton Park Neighborhood Association (SPNA) bestowed four scholarships to DC high school seniors to help pay for their first year of college. Awards of $1,250 were given to Sally Hayman, Elizabeth Kurtz, Dionna Lewis, and Jamila Thompson. Sally Hayman, who lives on Capitol Hill and attended Duke Ellington High School, plans to attend Rutgers University and will study writing and the arts. Kurtz, who lives near Stanton Park, attended Wilson High School. She will attend Harvard and plans to study educational policy and human rights law. Lewis is from eastern Capitol Hill, went to Banneker High School, and will attend the University of Virginia in the fall. Lewis is interested in law and politics, and her goal is to become president of the United States. Thompson went to Cardozo High School. She will major in American history at the Eugene Lang College of the New School University in New York City and wants to become a high school history teacher. As part of her scholarship, Kurtz was named the winner of the Joe and Ruth Henson award. The award honors the memory of the Henson's, who lived on the 600 block of D Street. The Henson family offered their neighbors love, support, and kindness, and were known for lending a helping hand to others. The Henson award is funded by Dorothy Antil Bredesen, a former neighbor of the Henson's, and is meant to remind all of us what we can do to help create a real neighborhood. Kurtz won the award in recognition of her service and interest in the community. Beyond financial assistance, scholarship recipients get the pride and confidence of knowing that their efforts have been recognized and appreciated. An SPNA scholarship gives the students confidence to dream big and helps them to achieve those dreams. The Stanton Park Neighborhood Association began awarding scholarships to DC high school seniors in 1991-with preference given to students residing in the Stanton Park neighborhood and the greater Capitol Hill neighborhood. Over the past 13 years, SPNA has raised and distributed over $65,000 to 49 students. SPNA raises funds through donations by generous individuals, businesses, and institutions, and by raffling and auctioning items donated by Capitol Hill merchants at an annual scholarship fundraising event. One hundred percent of the money raised goes to the students, and donations are tax-deductible. You can read these and other news stories about life on Capitol Hill at www.voiceofthehill.com. Send your press releases and news stories to editor@voice ofthehill.com Tell our advertisers you saw them in The Voice BusinessSnapshots BY D AVE FRANCIS Al's Carryout-A Local Favorite While a language barrier might exist between the Korean owners of Al's Carryout on 8th Street, Gee Hung and Seung Kim have no problem communicating with their customers. They use "body language," says Seung Lee, Hung and Kim's son and translator. "But you don't really need to say anything if you're hungry and the food is good." Since taking over the deli a month and a half ago, Hung and Kim have created a "home-cooked environment" where everyone is welcome. Some customers have even taken to calling her "Mom," Lee says. Traditional Deli Menu Expanded Al's offers subs and sandwiches of all kinds, from conventional steak and cheese to more exotic fish selections with a variety of side dishes. It also has a traditional deli breakfast menu, which has attracted a loyal following among locals, Lee notes. All selections are reasonably priced, with most costing less than $5. But Lee said his parents have already begun offering less-traditional deli foods. "We're trying out new menus," with fresh fruit and salads, including pre-sliced watermelon and other summer favorites. All cooking and food preparation is done by Hung and Ki m, a practice in which Lee's parents take enormous pride. "My mother likes...making sure that people like her food. And she likes the compliments." The menu is not the only thing changing at Al's. Hung and Kim are planning to hang a new sign above the restaurant, and have already begun to make improvements to the interior. "When we first came here, the place looked like a jail," Lee says. "We're trying to make it open...Everybody's welcome." Currently, Al's is open for breakfast and lunch, with plans to open for dinner in the near future. Continuing a Family Tradition Al's is not Hung and Kim first venture into the restaurant business. Lee says his parents owned and operated Roger's, a successful restaurant in their native Korea, serving a mix of American and Korean fare. Hung and Lee, who live in Virginia, brought their family to the United States in 1997, both working in telecommunications before purchasing Al's this past spring. Al's has been on Barracks Row for 30 years, Lee says. And they have no shortage of family help with their new endeavor. Lee says three of his aunts and one of his cousins regularly work at the shop. "It's definitely a family business." Choosing Barracks Row Lee says his parents believed Barracks Row provided the best opportunity for a restaurant like theirs to grow. Because Al's has been around for a long period of time and already has a loyal clientele, Hung and Kim believe a foundation for success is already in place. "The whole area is changing," Lee says, with new and diverse people coming in since Hung and Kim took over. While Lee says the rehabilitation that has swept through Barracks Row has yet to reach Al's block, he thinks the restaurant can be "the center of change. A lot of people have peeked in and told us 'Wow, you look good.'" Though Hung and Kim currently own only the ground floor, Lee says his mother is interested in buying the entire building. "My mother knows this area has really good potential of being a nice neighborhood. They're really proud of what they've done so far, and are planning to do more," Lee says. Lee said his parents are excited about the opportunity to become part of the Capitol Hill community. While Lee says the work is difficult, his parents find "great enjoyment" in working to improve Al's. His parents aren't satisfied with just one location, and are currently looking for other business opportunities on Capitol Hill and around the District. But for the time being, his parents and family are concentrating on becoming a part of the Barracks Row community by making Al's Carryout a success. Lee says his family is excited to be on Barracks Row and looks forward to being around for a long time. "This is our version of the American dream." Al's Carryout is located at 1102 8th Street. Levi's Carry's on a Family Tradition Levi's will take over the space previously occupied by the Port CafÇ When looking for a location to open a second Levi's Restaurant in the District of Columbia, manager Johnny Kersey said the choice was between Barracks Row and Georgetown. In the end, Kersey said Barracks Row was the logical choice. "The area had exactly what we were looking for." "We wanted an area that is growing, developing. We'll bring a lot to the area. We're definitely going to bring that end [of Barracks Row] up," Kersey said. Levi's will bring a taste of the South to Capitol Hill beginning next month with a menu specializing in North Carolina barbecue. Offerings include pork and beef ribs, baked and fried chicken, chopped and pulled pork-and, for the more adventurous, pig's feet and liver and onions. Most main courses are offered on a sandwich as well. Levi's also has a full children's menu and an assortment of Southern desserts, including peach and apple cobbler and sweet potato pie. Portions are advertised as large enough to "satisfy the hardiest appetite." All dishes are reasonably priced with almost all choices under $10. This is the second Levi's location, joining a restaurant in Oxon Hill. Along with sit-down service, Levi's also caters events, including weddings, company picnics, family reunions and private parties. All cooking is done on-site with state-of-the-art equipment. Kersey is confident Capitol Hill residents will enjoy both services. Levi's is a family-owned business, with Levi Durham Jr., running operations with his wife Carmella and parents Levi Sr. and Gloria. The family, originally from North Carolina, entered the restaurant business more than 13 years ago and has operated the Oxon Hill location for over five years. All recipes are family secrets, and customers are promised "Southern hospitality." Kersey, who's been with Levi's for over six years, says work on the Barracks Row restaurant is almost complete, and he hopes to open in mid-July. Levi's acquired the property next door to the Barracks Row location, and are expanding so they will be able to seat approximately 100 people, according to Kersey. Finishing touches are currently being made to the renovations. Kersey said Levi's will offer outside seating soon after the opening. Already Kersey feels as if Levi's is part of the Barracks Row community. "We've been handing out fliers, getting to know some of the business owners" along 8th Street, Kersey says. Neighbors have told Kersey they are excited about the new restaurant and the potential of the southern end of Barracks Row. "We feel the same way," Kersey says. Dave Francis is Voice of the Hill's newest contributor 7/31/04 Eastern Market 327 7th St., SE _ (202) 546-CAKE the cancer diagnosis frightening, maddening, confusing but also a time for self-reflection and enhancement of personal development individual, couples and group psychotherapy for those with cancer joseph tarantolo, md board certified psychiatrist certified group therapist 202/543-5290 Salute to Excellence in Education The annual Salute to Excellence in Education, sponsored by the Capitol Hill Community Foundation, recognized six students for outstanding scholarship, leadership and community service. The honorees were selected by the faculty and administration of the individual schools. St. Peters Interparish School: Alexandra Spencer Capitol Hill Day School: Jane Abernethy and Kerry Garikes Hine Jr. High School: William Budd and Brandon Briscoe Stuart Hobson Middle School: LaNae Bragburn Award winners receive an inscribed Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. When it comes to July 4th, what better place can you be than Washington, DC? The center of democracy, teeming with history, it's your hometown, and whether you want to commemorate Independence Day with hundreds of thousands or just your sweetheart, there's an event or patriotic activity for you. So go on and celebrate! Voice of the Hill has done the all the research-all you have to do is choose where you want to go. Jazz Brunch at the National Gallery Kick off your American spirit with a succulent buffet-style brunch, complete with easy jazz and a spectacular view of the National Mall, at the National Gallery of Art's jazz brunch. The celebrated brunch is held in the museum's Terrace CafÇ overlooking the East Building atrium, and features everything your festive, international heart could desire- from savory empanadas and Yucatan scrambled eggs to dark chocolate cake and citrus salad. July 4th's featured jazz musician is percussionist Alejandro Lucini. Brunch is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., $19.95 for adults, $8.95 for kids. (202) 216-5966 Declaration of Independence reading at National Archives Relive the days of the Declaration of Independence at the National Archives. Actors from the American Historical Theatre will morph into historical all-stars, such as Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin, to tell you most everything you (or your kids) wanted to know about the holiday or their lives. A dramatic reading of the historic document will kick off on the Archives' steps at 10 a.m. Festivities, including a book fair and a musical performance by the U.S. Army 3rd Infantry Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps, will continue until 4 p.m. Independence Day Parade Sleep in a little and then hit the Dist rict's Independence Day Parade at 11:45 a.m. on Constitution Avenue from 7th to 17th streets. Bring a flag and hold it high as military bands, marching bands, floats, horse, drill teams, giant balloons, and, of course, VIPs celebrate America's birthday. Visit www. july4thparade.com for more information. Folklife Festival If the 4th rolls around and you still haven't been able to catch the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, you're in luck! July 4th is the free event's last day, so slather on some sunblock and see our National Mall transformed into perhaps the most ethnic place on the planet. Each year, the event, an annual traditional since 1967, has featured the sights, tastes, sights, smells and sounds from over 50 nations. If international cuisine is your weakness, you might want to bring some cash (or a clothespin for your nose!), because this might just be the best-smelling festival in town and, hungry or not, you'll succumb to one-or more-of its aromas. The festival opens at 11 a.m. and wraps up at 5:30 p.m. The Folklife Festival's website can be found at http://www. folklife.si.edu. Takoma Park Independence Day Parade If you'd rather a small town feel-or are just plain booked up for the actual 4th-take the short drive or Metro ride to Takoma Park, Md., for the city's famed July 4th parade. Even though it will be held on July 5th this year, the event has all the trimmings of the most traditional, old-fashioned display you'd ever want. Takoma Park's Independence Day Parade touts itself as one of the oldest on the East Coast, and makes it's way through the city's picturesque, tree-lined streets with dancers and vintage cars, and, of course, local legislators. The parade may be traditional, but Maryland's liberal little gem Takoma Park is not, so you can always expect something colorful and unexpected. The parade begins at 10 a.m. at Carroll and Ethan Allen Avenues. The route follows Carroll Avenue towards the District, crosses over to Maple Avenue along Carroll Street, then returns along Maple Avenue. Visit http://www.takoma-park4th.org for more information. US Air Force Band at Air & Space Museum Get your share of brass-induced patriotism with the United States Air Force Band and their Singing Sergeants as they perform at the Smithsonian's Air & Space Museum's sixth annual Independence Day Concert. The U.S. Air Force Band, known as "America's International Musical Ambassadors," has been delighting audiences around world since 1941. Its 24-member chorus, the Singing Sergeants, the oldest professional chorus in the US military, will join the band for marches and patriotic classics. The free show will begin at 6 p.m. on the north terrace of the museum, and will be broadcast live on WETA 90.9 FM. Check out the US Air Force Band website http://www.usafband.com/ for additional information. Mule-drawn C&O Canal Ride No need to go all the way to Williamsburg for a true step back in time. This July 4th, celebrate American with a trip down to Georgetown's C&O Canal for a mule-drawn boat ride! That's right, mules! Period-clad rangers narrate the hour-long boat rides, and mules-that darling hybrid of horse and donkey-pull visitors steadily along. Fun for both kids and adults, the ride gives participants a taste of late 19th century life along the famous canal. Catch a ride at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. or 3 p.m. $8 for adults, $6 senior citizens and $5 children. Call (202) 653-5190 for more information from the National Park Service. Organ Recital at the National Cathedral Step into the city's magnificent National Cathedral July 4th to hear a free recital on its equally magnificent 10,650-pipe organ. Performances are held on the cathe-dral's Great Organ throughout the year most Sundays, but the awe-inspiring instrument and breathtaking church may be just what you need to kick up your inspiration a notch (or ten!). The concert, featuring Erik Wm. Suter, is free and starts at 5 p.m. Visit http://www.cathedral. org for more details. Mount Vernon What better locale to celebrate the nation than at George Washington's place? Head down south to Virginia's Mount Vernon, take a tour www.voiceofthehill.com of the first president's estate, gardens or take part in the manor's Red, White and Blue July 4th celebration (featuring a performance by the National Concert Band of America and free birthday cake). Through September 6, Mount Vernon also conducts a special ceremony honoring World War II veterans at Washington's tomb of General Washington daily at 2 p.m. During the half-hour observance, held every day, veterans may enter the tomb to lay a wreath, as well as record their visit in a guest book. Fireworks on the Mall Did you really think we'd leave out the fireworks? Come early to stake out your spot on the National Mall to witness perhaps the country's most impressive half-hour pyrotechnic display, which will begin around 9 p.m. The National Symphony Orchestra will perform a patriotic prelude to the fireworks at 8 p.m. on the Capitol's West Lawn, featuring, of course, the famous "1812 Overture," cannons firing and all. Good viewing areas include the Capitol, the Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, FDR Memorial, the Ellipse, or anywhere along the Mall between 14th Street and the Capitol. Call (202) 619-7222 for more information. Odyssey July 4th Dinner Cruise Glam it up while getting the city's best view of the fireworks on the Odyssey's July 4th spectacular dinner cruise. The three-hour cruise isn't cheap at $175 per person, but how often do you get the chance to enjoy a hors d' oeuvres, a three-course meal, open bar and live entertainment on the Potomac? The uniquely designed $6 million Odyssey ship allows the cruiser to glide under bridges, its glass-atrium dining rooms offer panoramic views of the monuments and the open-air perimeter deck is perfect for celebrating. Passengers board the ship at 7 p.m., and the cruise starts at 8 p.m. Call (888) 741-0281 or visit http://www.odysseycruises.com to make reservations. Jessica Leshnoff is a regular contributor to Voice of the Hill who found plenty of must-do summer activities while researching this story. 414 SEWARD SQ. SE #105 Great Hill location, just three blocks to the US Capital and one half block off 4th & Pennsylvania Ave! Large one bedroom in the Rear corner of the building. Refinished oak floors, new kitchen, Perfect renovated Condition. A Real Value at this price in this location . 612 EAST CAPITOL ST. NE #5 Large Un-Restored Carriage House Condo in prime location! 2000 sq. ft. on two levels with the possibilities of a third level. This is a total shell, NO WALLS, NO FLOORS, A BLANK CANVAS. Calling all contractors (With talent please) HOT DOGS: An American Tradition (And German Transplant!) BY CELESTE MCCALL ot dogs, along with baseball, Georghehner, a German butcher liv epitomize summer. ing in Coburg. As early as 1487, the According to the National people of Vienna (Wien), declared Hot Dog and Sausage Council, their city the home of tasty Americans will gobble 7 billion hot "Wieners." dogs between Memorial Day and Eventually, sausages wended their Labor Day, and much of that way to America. In 1871 another munching will occur in ballparks German butcher, Charles Feltman, across the nation. Consumption will opened a Coney Island frankfurter hit its peak on the Fourth of July- stand. In his first year of business, he when 155 million franks will sizzle sold 3,684 "dachshunds," nestled in on backyard grills from coast to buns. In 1893, Chicago's Columbian coast. Not surprisingly, The Council Exposition attracted hordes of visi has proclaimed July National Hot tors who scarfed up countless Dog Month, culminating on the 21st sausages, also served in rolls. (Most with National Hot Dog Day. authorities agree that wieners-in- At major league stadiums this buns is a German invention.) That year, fans will devour 24.2 million same year, franks became standard hot dogs, which, if laid end to end, fare in ball parks because they were would stretch from Dodger Stadium tasty, inexpensive and easy to eat. to Baltimore's Camden Yards! When did "wieners" and "franks" Dodger Stadium, where folks put become "hot dogs?" Some say the away an estimated 1.61 million term was coined in 1901 at the New franks last year, led the league in hot York Polo Grounds on a cold, blus dog consumption. Camden Yards tery April day. Vendors were hawk-dragged in tenth with a mere ing the franks from portable hot 750,000 wieners sold. water tanks shouting: "Get 'em Everywhere, folks love their while they're red hot!" Inspired by "dogs." At the National Restaurant the scene, a New York Journal car-Association's annual expo at Chi-toonist, Tad Dorgan, supposedly cago's McCormick Place in May, one sketched a cartoon with the caption: of the most popular booths was "Hot Dog!" Apparently the term Nathan's Famous hot dogs. At the caught on, even though Dorgan's four-day trade show, hungry atten-original drawing is lost to history. dees (including myself) queued up to German wieners were a highly sea-sample the all-beef franks, plopped on poppy seed rolls and slathered with spicy deli mustard. They hit the spot. History One of humankind's oldest processed foods, hot dogs' forerun-ner-sausage-dates back to antiquity. Long before the advent of refrigeration, a reliable way to preserve meat was to grind it up, stuff it into natural casing and smoke it over a fire. Sausages were even mentioned in Homer's Odyssey. Frankfort-on-Main is probably the birth place of the frankfurter, but some experts claim that the popular wurst, called a dachshund or "little dog,"was created in the late 1600s by Johann High in calories, fat, cholesterol and salt, corn dogs-and hot dogs in general-are probably not among the healthiest foods. But health concerns don't stop the average American from downing 60 hot dogs each year. For adults, the condiment of choice is mustard, while children prefer ketchup, but these preferences vary from region to region. According to factmonster. com, when youngsters were asked what topping they would choose if their parents weren't looking, 25 percent responded: chocolate sauce. Get 'Em While They're Hot If you crave a hot dog, wiener, bratwurst or something similar, here's what we found on Capitol Hill and beyond: For a German wurst platter, CafÇ Berlin (202-543-7656) serves weiss-wurst (white sausage) and bratwurst (pork), accompanied by sauerkraut. Priced at $14.95, this hearty platter goes well with a frosty brew beer on a hot summer day. A national chain, Frank & Stein Dogs and Drafts, has outlets throughout the Washington area. Nearby locations are Union Station's food court (lower level, 202-289-3661) and L'Enfant Plaza's concourse (202-554-7320, open weekdays only). F&S varieties include "chili dog," "deli dog," "slaw dog," and "Tex-Mex dog," as well as half-smokes, kielbasa and Italian sausage with side orders of sauerkraut, fries and cheese sticks. Franks come in regular and jumbo, and prices range from around $2.65 to about $5.40 for a combo platter with fries and soft drink. Ask about daily specials. L'Enfant Plaza's F&S serves no alcohol, but Union Station offers Bud and Michelob on draft. Also at the Union Station food court: New York Deli dispenses regular and jumbo dogs, topped with mustard, relish, chopped onions, soned mixture of pork and beef. Today's American hot dogs are usually concocted from beef, pork, and chicken or combinations thereof. Some are "all beef" or "all chicken," and "regular" franks are a mixed bag of cereal, wheat germ, milk solids and various meat products. Nutritionally, there isn't much difference between these varieties. Only about half of any hot dog is meat. Remaining ingredients are fat, water, spices, flavorings, and chemicals. An "all beef" or "all meat" wiener contains 145 calories, a "regular" has 130 calories, and chicken hot dogs have 115 calories each. But these numbers can be significantly higher. A Ponderosa's "child's hot dog," for example, has 248 calories and a Dairy Queen dog packs in 280 calories. Typically, 80 of those from fat and only 12 percent from protein. In addition, most commercially marketed franks contain nitrates which prevent the growth of botulism and preserve the meat's characteristic reddish color, which would otherwise be lost in processing. Hot dog variations have sprung up, among them "corn dogs." Supposedly created in 1942 for the Texas State Fair by Neil Fletcher, corn dogs are franks dipped in corn batter, deep fried and served on a stick. etc., priced at $2.49 and $2.99 Across the way, the sit-down family restaurant Johnny Rockets is billed as the home of "the original hamburger." But the brightly lit, retro eatery sells more than that: chili dogs with cheese, mustard, relish and onions, all for $4.49. The homespun Jimmy T's (202-544-7346), 501 East Capitol, composes a kid's platter with a corn dog, chips and soft drink for $2.25. Closed Monday and Tuesday; breakfast and lunch only. Pete's Diner (202-544-7335), 2112 Second St. SE, offers a plump all-beef frank, folded in a bun with all the usual goodies, tagged at $1.59. In front of the Penn Office Building (600 Pennsylvania Ave. SE) the Golden D Brand hot dog and sausage stand has been operating for three years. The proprietor is not sure how many he sells daily, but on a nice day, folks line up for all-beef franks and half-smokes, topped with mustard, ketchup, relish, cheese, you name it. Prices range from $1.25 for a simple dog on a bun up to $3.50 for one with soda and chips. Another popular hot dog stand is situated in Eastern Market, next to Union Meats. There, shoppers may select from various all-meat franks and half-smokes with all the trimmings: relish, mustard, ketchup, etc. Prices go from 80 cents to $1.75. At Union Station, the sprawling America (202-682-9555) restaurant includes hot dogs in its extensive, all-American menu: "Two New York Yankees Franks," served with fries, for $6.95. Open daily. Or travel downtown to Spy City CafÇ (202-654-0995), Ninth and F Streets NW next to the International Spy Museum. Last spring, executive Frank Morales unleashed "gourmet dogs:" Red Square Dog, a half smoke with red cabbage, slaw, mustard and red chili sauce for $3.25; the Langley Dog, Hebrew National all beef frank with spy chili, cheese and onions for $3.25; the Disguise Dog, diner's choice of Hebrew National or half smoke with "disguises," including spiced relish, jalapeno cheese, sautÇed onions, coleslaw, sauerkraut, tomato salsa and BBQ relish. Open daily, Spy City CafÇ is at 800 F Street NW, a block from the Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro (Red, Yellow/Green lines). Celeste McCall is a regular contributor for Voice of the Hill DREAMS OF FIELDS BY PATTI SHEA There's no crying in baseball. Well, that's what we're told anyways. But some on Capitol Hill are crying foul over the mayor's plan to install a baseball stadium somewhere in Ward 6. Where exactly? That's the $500-million question. Mayor Anthony Williams told Major League Baseball (MLB) that the city would fully-fund a stadium inside the District and gave them four options - all in Ward 6. The proposed sites are: at or near RFK Stadium on East Capitol Street, NE; the southeast corner the New York Avenue and North Capitol intersection; the southeast quadrant of South Capitol Street and M Street; and somewhere near or on the Banneker Overlook in southwest. Williams stunned many in these neighborhoods in April when word leaked about his intentions. He told Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig, a former used car salesman, the city would pay for the venue with taxpayer dollars. MLB owns the downtrodden, all but ignored Montreal Expos, which plays some home games in San Juan ... as in Puerto Rico. The MLB owners, and perhaps even scarier, Selig, have the final say on where exactly to export the Expos. Williams says to bring baseball back to the District after 33 years would be quite a triumph and reinstate a mystique to the city lost decades ago when the Washington Senators left the swampland for the tumbleweeds of Texas. Who's on First? The price tag for the stadium ranges between $280 million to more than $500 million - it all depends on who you ask and if they're up for reelection. City planners say they don't have a No. 1 site yet, but call the RFK site an attractive candidate because it would be the cheapest to build. RFK guesstimates hover around $280 million to $340 million - it depends on how many luxury boxes there are. The priciest is the Banneker site hitting that half billion spot. Steve Green, special assistant to the mayor and one of the players involved in the baseball talks, says neither MLB nor the city don't have a favorite site yet. "All we've done to date is provide options to MLB," Green told the Voice. He said the city is eyeing properties that have the least amount of impact on nearby residents. The exact funding schematics have yet to be made public. What is known is that businesses will be taxed and no money will come out of the general fund. Not eager to repeat the Arena tax debacle that clouded the MCI Center downtown, planners say only 12 -14 percent of city businesses will be taxed. Green said those businesses will likely be hotels, bigger chain restaurants and law firms, etc. The mom and pop stores that are unique to the Hill won't be assessed any extra stadium tax, he added. Those taxes are expected to generate $11 million to $19 million a year in revenue, not including the sales tax revenue from tickets sales, concessions and parking. Jeff Coudriet, the City Council's finance committee clerk who would be a key drafter of the tax plan, said no matter what the final finance plan will be, it needs to be designed in such a way to insure the tax revenue to guarantee the bond payment. This was one of the lessons learned from the MCI Arena Tax. "The city can't be on the hook for that payment," he said. "That's something they need to think long and hard about." But George Didden, president of the Capitol Hill Business Improvement District, said a stadium tax may not be the best way to go. "I think we would all like to see baseball here but we're all afraid of this so-called arena tax that took a long time to go away," he said. Instead, Didden said businesses should pledge to buy season tickets to assure attendance and let the cost of ticket sales offset the price, instead of the business community. Ward 6 Councilwoman Sharon Ambrose agreed saying there is no way she will vote for the stadium if it calls for implementing a tax on all businesses. "There's no way I am going to hit all the businesses in this city with another arena tax," Ambrose said. "It was grossly unfair when we did it before." Mark Tuohey of the DC Sports and Entertainment Commission (SEC) said the goal of the city and commission is to find a location that will create and stimulate economic development. "The RFK site is not a realistic alternative," Tuohey said, adding the homes surrounding the park and absence to any sort of retail or commercial venues make it a poor location to accomplish the moneymaking goal. "The important thing is the stadium's relationship to the community it's in." The final determination will be made by SEC and mayor's office, he said. www.voiceofthehill.com Although not jazzed about the possibility of a baseball stadium in the city, Ambrose said the best site out of the four proposed is the South Capitol spot. "It's a non-starter as far as I'm concerned," she said. "But looking at the South Capitol and M site I can see real possibilities for redevelopment along M Street." She added that there is more of a possibility to have a Camden Yards/Inner Harbor-type atmosphere at the M Street site, than the other three. And the worst site? The Banneker location. "Southwest has a very strong sense of community. I think it would be destructive for that community to have a baseball stadium," Ambrose said. The City Council was set to pass the Anacostia Waterfront Initiative when Councilman Jack Evans, D-Ward 2 and chairman of the coun-cil's finance committee, on the Friday before Memorial Day Weekend slipped in an amendment that would provide transportation and AWI revitalization dollars to stadium construction. Evans was pushed by the mayor's office. By the following Tuesday, Evans withdrew his amendment because of public outcry, not to the surprise of Ambrose. In an interview before Evans' amendment proposal, Ambrose said someone from the mayor's office asked her to propose the same amendment. But Ambrose said she wasn't going to do anything until MLB made up its mind and she got input from the community members. "I'm certainly not going to discuss it anymore without a community meeting," she said. "And I haven't had a community meeting about it because I don't want it to be any more real and I don't want it to get anymore legs, if you will, than it has right now. And right now it doesn't have any. Right now we don't have a funding plan and we don't have any assurance from Major League Baseball." Commissioner Andy Litsky of ANC 6D - which includes the M Street and Banneker sites - said putting a stadium at Banneker would undo years of work by the Southwest community members who worked on the AWI. "Nowhere does it show a stadium there," Litsky said. "To put one there would be the height of hypocrisy." The Banneker site would require a platform over the Southeast/Southwest Freeway - which contributes to the $500-million sticker price. It would also bump the National "...businesses should pledge to buy season tickets to assure attendance and let the cost of ticket sales offset the price, instead of the business community." Childrens Museum from its pro-office to confirm Murray's statement revitalized blighted downtown posed site. wasn't returned. neighborhood citing Denver's Coors But Litsky said when it comes to However, those familiar with the Field and Baltimore's Camden Yards that particular site, it's not a NIMBY proposal say the North Capitol site as examples. He said property values issue. isn't a top pick. Even the extended in those areas have increased. "It shows if they go forward with media coverage surrounding the Green said the M Street - future that proposal the complete disregard issue hasn't covered this site thor-home of the federal Transportation of the community action by the oughly knowing what a dark horse Department - would be the perfect Williams administration," he said. candidate it is. area to benefit from a stadium. "If this administration is vested in the planning process and to simply If You Build It, Will They Seventh Inning Stretch slip a stadium into a neighborhood Come? MLB isn't expected to make a deci that has already been planned is Pushing aside the money issue for a sion until after the July All-Star insulting." moment, there are skeptics out there break. Some predict a decision will Litsky made it clear that he wasn't wondering if there is enough of a fan come by Aug. 1 before the September anti-baseball or anti-stadium. "I'd base here to fill a stadium. playoff rush begins. like baseball here, but I want it to Ambrose said the fans may come, Selig-creator of inner-league play make sense when it comes." He and the clever one that called a tie in added Williams has done a good job but they may not stay to spend the 2002 All-Star gam-isn't budging bringing planning to the forefront money. "All those years we had the and hasn't given a clue to what city on projects citywide, but said, "If the Redskins at RFK and not one person gets the team. Northern Virginia, mayor's legacy is solely rested upon stopped for a cup of coffee in Ward Portland, Ore. and Norfolk, Va., are whether he brings baseball here, 6, or any other place in the city," she among the other front-runners, but then that is a sad commentary on said. "Those suburbanites zipped the District is the only city that his administration." into RFK, locked their car doors in offered a fully-funded park. Both Green and Tuohey said the Banneker site hasn't been thorough-the parking lot, went to the game, Tuohey said once a site is selected, hustled back into their cars and went all the proper vetting, including a ly vetted and didn't want to com-home." slew of public meetings, will occur. ment on the plans there. On the Ambrose recognizes that there And Green isn't buying the other side of the Hill, the Near weren't any establishments in the peanuts and Cracker Jack just yet. Northeast Neighborhood area for gamegoers to patron, but There are a lot of "ifs" to confirm Committee is clearly worried about a added, "those suburbanites weren't before the baselines get chalked: If possible stadium there. Committee member Loree Murray about staying around. And I don't the District is awarded the team; if believe baseball fans will either." MLB can sell the team; if the City said a stadium would be "devistat-The Expos have a less-than stellar Council can agree upon a funding ing" to area. She added that attendance record, which is one of mechanism; and if there isn't a law-Councilman Harold Brazil, D-At-the reason MLB has lost tens of mil-suit. large, has talked to the committee lions annually since owning the Green said if the city is awarded about the project and promised it team. The team doesn't have any the stadium, then it will begin to wouldn't go there. future Hall of Famers, which usually hold public meetings and start craft-A call to puts fans in the stands. ing the financial package. That pack-Brazil's "I don't think it brings that much age and stadium design and con-to the city, I truly don't," Ambrose struction could take a couple years said. "If you have a dynamite until the first pitch. team, then yeah, you're going to But that's just fine with him. get a whole lot of folks. And "It will be great to have to think even if you got a so-so team, about it," Green said smiling. you'll get a lot of people who take clients... But I What Do You Think? have never seen that the Voice readers, tell us what you think dollars work. It seems to about Major League Baseball possible be that it is a 'lost return to the city. What would name leader' in most cities. I the team? Your e-mail may be used think MLB are stick-in a follow up story. Send responses up artists." to patti@voiceofthehill.com Planning's Steve Patti Shea is the Voice's political writer. Green She is an avid baseball fan and agrees said in with Bull Durham's Crash Davis that urban there should be a Constitutional cities amendment outlawing the designated stadium hitter. have Tis the Season for Summer Colds BY ANDREW NOYES weltering sunny days and lazy More than 200 different viruses hazy nights are the hallmarks of are known to cause common cold summertime in the city but symptoms. Some, such as rhiwho could forget about the dreaded noviruses, rarely produce serious ill-summer cold? It all starts with a nesses while others, such as parainstuffy nose, a sniffle or a scratchy fluenza and respiratory syncytial throat and then it snowballs into full virus, cause mild infections in adults blown infirmity. but can bring on serious respiratory Every year, Americans suffer about infections in children. one billion colds and the price paid An estimated 30 to 35 percent of is enormous. According to the adult colds are caused by rhinovirus-National Center for Health Statistics, es and are most active in early fall, about 62 million cases in 1996 spring and summer. Researchers required medical attention or result-report that coronaviruses cause a ed in restricted activity. The same large percentage of adult colds, priyear, colds caused 45 million days of marily in the winter and early restricted activity and 22 million spring. days lost from school. Approximately 10 to 15 percent of adult colds are caused by viruses that are also to blame for other, more severe illnesses, according to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Thirty to 50 percent of adult colds, presumed to be viral, remain unidentified. Seasonal changes in relative humidity also may affect the prevalence of colds. The most common cold-causing viruses survive better when humidity is low-the colder months of the year. Cold weather also may make the nasal passages' lining drier and more vulnerable to viral infection. Although the chance of getting a cold in summer is only 1 in 4 when compared to winter probability, England's Cardiff University health researchers report that there are some special factors that could increase the risk: Flying. Long haul jet flight tops the list since there is no other instance when individuals are as likely to be squeezed tightly together with several hundred potential sources of cold infection. "Experiments on exposing uninfected volunteers to others with common cold infections have shown that the chances of catching a cold are directly related to the number of hours of exposure to infection," they report. Hence, an individual is much more likely to catch a cold on a long trip when compared to a short flight. Air conditioning. In Washington, air conditioning is simply a summertime must-have but it may actually contribute to infection with common cold viruses. According to experts, the lining of the nose is covered with a thin layer of mucous that protects against infection. Since air conditioners extract moisture from the air they may cause some drying of the protective mucous blanket in the nose causing a predisposition to infection. The cold air may also help viruses to establish a hold in the nose as viruses reproduce better in a cold nose. Stress. Chill out. Any form of stress will lower one's resistance to infection by depressing immune response. Although summer is the time for vacationing, many psychologists classify such trips as major sources of stress. Think traffic jams, home security, packing, crowds. Traveling Overseas. Cardiff researchers state that travel to foreign countries can itself increase the risk of viral infection since one is likely to encounter new viruses with no immunity to them. Prevention & Treatment Tips (compiled from National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and additional sources) Handy work. Washing one's hands is the simplest and most effective way to thwart rhinovirus colds. Not touching the nose or eyes is second. Cold carrying folks should always sneeze or cough into a tissue and, if possible, one should avoid close, prolonged exposure to persons who have colds. Since rhinoviruses can live up to three hours outside the nasal passages, cleaning environmental surfaces with a virus-killing disinfectant could also help prevent the spread of infection. A cold vaccine. So close but yet so far. Researchers working on a vaccine that could prevent the common cold have experienced some gridlock in recent years due to the discovery of many different types of cold viruses, each carrying its own antigens (substances that induce the production of specific protective proteins). Until scientists find ways to combine numerous viral antigens into one medicine or utilize existing antigenic cross-relationships, prospects for a vaccine are poor. Pending major breakthroughs, only symptomatic treatment is available. Remember what your doting mom would lovingly advise: get plenty of bed rest and drink fluids, gargle with warm salt water for a scratchy throat, use petroleum jelly for a raw nose, and take aspirin or acetaminophen to ease a headache or fever. Nonprescription cold reme-dies-like decongestants and cough suppressants-may relieve some symptoms but will not prevent, cure or even shorten the duration of the illness. However, nonprescription antihistamines may have some impact in relieving inflammatory responses such as runny nose and watery eyes. Antibiotics. Unfortunately, these prescription medications do not kill viruses and should be used only for rare bacterial complications like sinusitis or ear infections. The use of antibiotics "just in case" will not prevent secondary bacterial infections. Vitamin C. Does it really make a difference? Many folks are convinced that truck loads of vitamin C will prevent colds or relieve symptoms. Researchers have tested this www.voiceofthehill.com theory in several major controlled studies and to date, no conclusive data have shown that amounts of vitamin C prevent colds. Eat those oranges anyway-the vitamin may reduce the severity or duration of symptoms. But studies have also shown that taking vitamin C over long periods of time in large amounts may be har mful. Steam. While inhaling steam may temporarily relieve congestion, recent studies found that this approach had no effect on the symptoms or amount of viral shedding in individuals with rhinovirus colds. But steam may temporarily relieve symptoms of congestion associated with colds. Tips, tricks and medication aside, the symptoms should improve within a few days-although some colds may last as long as two weeks. If the sickness lasts longer, consult your doctor. You wouldn't want to miss out on all that summer fun. Andrew Noyes is editor pro tem of the Voice of the Hill. There's nothing he abhors more than a fierce summer cold except perhaps for the sticky summer humidity. Tune-Ups to Cracked Blocks: Getting Your Car Fixed on the Hill BY GENE MILLER t used to be that when old and M, across from the Navy Yard. And of course it didn't hurt that Dobbin threw a shoe, you would His daughter, Gina, took over the her father had married a local girl: go to your local blacksmith, a business in 1994 when her father Gina's mother is an Eastern High hurly-burly fellow in a heavy passed away and has been running it School graduate who grew up on the leather apron. While he ham-ever since. The wall behind the Hill, but is now retired in Florida. mered a new shoe onto Dobbin's counter bears autographed testimo-Gina continues: "There are nice peohoof, you could catch up on the nials from some of their patrons: ple all around here that know each local metal-working news: the iron Eleanor Holmes Norton, Trent Lott, other. We know all the neighbors he was working into a gate for the Charles Rangel, Jack Kemp, Harold whether they're customers or not." Nelsons, and the rake that widow Brazil and Albert Wynn, for example. Not only do the neighbors know Johnson broke when she was chas-"They all come in here," says serv-each other, the repair shops do, too: ing a mongrel dog away from her ice manager and master mechanic "There's competition here, but it's chickens. David "Woody" Woodall with just friendly," says Gina. "If people have Well, some parts of what used to the right touch of pride in his voice. repairs we can't handle, we send be are still alive on the Hill. These And what do they get done here? them to other shops here: front-end days, when your horseless chariot "We do brakes, shocks, tune-ups, air-alignments go to Distad's. We send throws a shoe or starts to hick and conditioning, oil changes, lubes-all engine work to J.J. Johnson at the snort out on the main drag, or- the regular maintenance." And there Exxon at 12th and Pennsylvania. J.J. worse still-won't leave its stall at all, in the middle of the pictures is a used to work at Giant. He was always you can take it to a local repair shop shot of Ben Nighthorse Campbell interested in cars and left Giant to where you'll find people who know astride his Hawg. "Oh, we don't work come to work as a mechanic for my the Hill and your car just as well as on his motorcycle," says Woody, "He dad. We helped get him started that blacksmith knew his town. just fills up here." when the opportunity opened up at Unlike the travails of buying a new Gina Croci was happy to talk the Exxon." car-all those dealers having long about her father and doing business And on a busy morning with the since fled to suburban acreage- on this busy corner by Seward air hanging wet and heavy on 4th there are auto repair shops all Square: "The Hill has an old-timey Street, a man in a blue shirt and blue around Capitol Hill that have been neighborhood feeling. Had my tie comes in the door of the Capitol run by the same families for decades. father had this station in the sub-Hill Servicenter with a plaintive Take the Capitol Hill Servicenter at urbs, I wouldn't have been there. request: "Do you have someone who 4th and Pennsylvania, SE, for exam-Being here meant so much to him, will take a nail out of my tire?" "Sure ple. Louis Croci started in 1969, mov-and I just couldn't let it go when he do!" answers Woody, and he's off to ing there from the Navy Esso at 2nd wasn't able to do it any more." see to it. In a Washington Consumer Checkbook survey in 1991, Distad's was well ahead of the pack in number of respondents (over 100, compared to fewer than 10 for some other shops) and percentage of satisfied customers: over 95 percent. The same spirit thrives a little further down the Avenue at 9th Street, SE at Distad's, where Gina and Woody send all their front-end alignments. The petrol flavor du jour at Distad's is BP, but it used to be Amoco and many other flavors before. Of course, the original flavor here at this site was probably rum: Distad's is on the site of the original Tunnicliff's, which was once the Hill's most fashionable inn. Converted into the service station, it was demolished in 1931 to make way for a new gas station. Harold Distad took over the operation in 1959 and it's now owned and run by his three sons John, Roy and Richard, with some help from their sister Donna. Distad's has two other shops in the area in addition to the service station on 9th, so they can do even more than the front-end alignments that Gina and Woody send their way. They handle the routine items like brakes, shocks, tires, and batteries at their Pennsylvania Avenue location, and ship the more complex computerized performance problems to their shop on Maryland Ave., NE. They also have a tire and brake specialty operation in Anacostia at 2320 Martin Luther King Avenue, SE. John Distad echoes Gina Croci about doing business on the Hill: "It's all about the people. There's such a wide range here on the Hill: good, bad, tall, short, rich, poor, but mostly a lot of good people. There are some families we've been serving for generations: their grandfather, father, and now the sons are coming here to get their cars worked on." A Washington Consumer Checkbook survey in 1991 bears out the loyalty John is talking about: of the District auto repair shops surveyed, Distad's was well ahead of the pack in number of respondents (over 100, compared to fewer than 10 for some other shops) and percentage of satisfied customers: over 95 percent. The survey was a sweep for two of the Hill's auto repair shops: running neck and neck with Distad's was Finley's at 518 10th NE. Distad's takes in all American and Japanese cars, but they rely on their colleagues, too: if you have a Mercedes or a Jaguar, you'll get sent over to DPL Motors on 13th and E, SE, where Geraldo Maroclo is the service manager. Or if one of your fenders needs a couple of hits of Botox, you'll get sent to Jerry's, also over on 13th and E, SE. Jerry's has a body shop in addition to doing all kinds of other repairs. Another close-in venue for repairs is the Capitol Hill Auto Service Center at 615 Independence Avenue. The manager there is Phillip Fox, a tall, sandy-haired fellow. You can still hear a touch of his hometown of Melbourne, Australia, in his voice Two of Capitol Hill's close-in auto repair shops: left, Captiol Hill Auto on Independence Ave., and Hill Auto Repair on E Street, SE when he ribs you by saying that his Of course, your mileage may vary, shop has been there "...for 140 years." and the shops mentioned above He's quick to explain that 615 aren't the only auto repair shops on Independence was a carriage repair the Hill. Several years ago, there was shop before cars came along. When a brief but lively thread on the Voice the horses got put out to pasture, the shop stayed behind, shifted gears, and started to fix those new-fangled contraptions instead. Phillip says they'll work on any make or model. They do engine work as well, although they'll refer you elsewhere if your transmission needs a little tickle. Or a big one. See our web site www.washingtonparish.org Phone (202) 547-9300 The Rev. Dr. Judith A. Davis, Rector of the Hill's discussion list about mechanics on the Hill. While some swore by one or another shop, others swore at the mention of the same shop's name. It's not always easy to find someone you trust to work on your car, but if you live on the Hill, you have some great places with fine reputations to choose from. CHRIST CHURCH-a welcomi ng community of faith and fellowship with a big heart and room to grow. 620 G Street, SE Just two and a half blocks south of Eastern Market Metro station Summer Worship Schedule SUNDAY 8:45 am Bible and Bagels 9:30 am Holy Eucharist II Followed by refreshments Nursery opens as of 8:40 am WEDNESDAY 7:30 am Holy Eucharist II Please come for the Eucharist followed by a light breakfast and conversation. Join us. All are welcome. Auto repair shops mentioned above and in "Hill Talk" at www.voiceofthehill.com: Capitol HIll Servicenter, 339 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE (202) 5474054 Distad's BP, 823 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE (202) 540-0200 Finley's Auto Service Center, 518 10th St., NE (202) 544-1110 P&A Exxon Service Center, 1201 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE (202) 5466146 Capitol Hill Auto Service Center, 615 Independence Avenue, SE (202) 5435155 DPL Motors, 1323 E Street, SE (202) 296-0654 Jerry's Custom Automotive Center, 1311 E Street, SE (202) 543-3000 Hill Auto Repair, 712 E Street, SE (202) 540-4000 Gene Miller is a frequent contributor to Voice of the Hill hydrogen can be made from many different resources." Hydrogen can be manufactured from ethanol, methane, the electrol- Fill 'Er Up ysis of water and other natural sources. As a result, hydrogen production can be a homegrown indus- try-no foreign imports needed. Another benefit is environmental safety. Hydrogen is not buried in pockets in the earth as oil is. In hydrogen production, there is no need to drill into the ground. It is a renewable and unlimited resource. The element emits little to no toxins BY MEREDITH MOISE as it is used. In fact, a byproduct of hydrogen use is water (remember H2O). As a nation, we will save billions of dollars each year by boosting hydro-Later this year, Shell will open a hydrogen fueled vehicles on a com-not produce carbon dioxide nor sul-gen production for consumer use, hydrogen fuel station at 3355 mercial scale." As gas prices continue fur, two major ingredients of the experts report. As it stands, America Benning Rd., NE. No big deal, right? to escalate, consumers are demand-damaging greenhouse effect. imports $1 billion dollars worth of Wrong. The station will actually be ing more fuel-efficient vehicles and Hydrogen is also a renewable oil each week. If hydrogen producan add-on to an already existing sta-some are calling for more research resource. You don't have to tear up tion is increased at home, imagine tion and it will offer both liquid and and development of vehicles that an Arctic wildlife preserve to dig it the savings. gaseous forms of hydrogen for a eco-use alternative sources of fuel. up nor do you have to import it from Serfass also contends that hydro-friendlier group of General Motors' Enter the hydrogen fuel cell. Few war torn lands. It can be made right gen fuel cell vehicles are more effihydrogen fuel cell vehicles. of us really think of the hydrogen as here at home. In fact, NASA has used cient than today's conventional The cars and vans will offer rides a fuel source. In fact, hydrogen is the it as an energy carrier for decades-it engines. "A fuel cell is three to four to local and federal government offi-Earth's most abundant element. has fueled the odyssey into the stars. times more efficient than today's cials to illustrate the efficiency of Although the most abundant, it easi-National Hydrogen Association engine," he asserts. "In fact, the hydrogen-fueled cars, officials ly combines with other elements, spokesman Patrick Serfass believes whole vehicle is 15 percent more report. The station proves to be a thus it is rarely found by itself in there are a handful of reasons to efficient." shrewd move by Shell and GM to nature (think water). It is tasteless, look at hydrogen as a natural fuel Before you elect to join the hydro-market the hydrogen-fueled automo-odorless and not poisonous under alternative. gen fuel bandwagon, there are some biles, especially in light of soaring common conditions. "There are three main reasons to things to consider. Hydrogen as a gas prices at the start of the summer What makes it so appealing as a switch to hydrogen: energy security, fuel is really not marketed to the travel season. fuel source is its lack of byproducts environmental property and energy public. Hydrogen is mainly used for Shell Hydrogen's website notes when burned. The National independence," Serfass, a Capitol industry purposes. Serfass recounts, that the station is part of "the part-Hydrogen Association reports that Hill resident, says. "Hydrogen will "Right now, the element is used nership of Shell and GM to develop the combustion of hydrogen does help reduce oil imports because mainly to remove sulfur from gas and to make fertilizer." Because hydrogen production is not geared toward consumer use, the current cost of transporting it is high. "Right now, cost effectiveness depends on how far the hydrogen has to travel to get to the buyer. This is all very new. Most people don't buy hydrogen," he says. However, Serfass and his colleagues at the National Hydrogen Association are optimistic about future use. The hydrogen fuel cell has been around for about a century. It's being used in the natural gas and aerospace industries. With hybrid cars making news on the road, it's only a matter of time before hydrogen, as fuel, will make its way into the public consciousness. "I think the first step to bringing hydrogen from industry gas to a publicly consumed fuel is to move to a hydrogen-based economy," says Serfass. Hydrogen advocates hope that the U.S. and its allies will catch on to the demand for alternative, more efficient forms of fuel. As a matter of fact, the energy companies realize the days of fossil fuels are numbered. Serfass believes that the dawn of Construction is underway at the new Shell hydrogen station on Benning Road. the hydrogen fuel age is at hand. "Shell recognizes hydrogen has www.voiceofthehill.com To Market, To Market ast week I went to see Super Size Me, the docu mentary film that won rave reviews at Sundance, as well as at film festivals in Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Washington, DC. The film is reported to have chimed the death knell for the McDonald's "Super Sized" Value Meal. The film quite simply follows a man (Morgan Spurlock-producer, director, and 'guinea pig,' as the film's website acknowledges) who has decided that he will consume only McDonald's meals for one month. Spurlock's inspiration came from a law suit which made headlines until it was dismissed in January 2003, in which two teenage girls sued the fast-food giant for causing health concerns that they, as two women not even out of their teens, should not yet be riddled with. The cause they said? Too much fast food. The blame? Aggressive marketing campaigns by the fast food giants, McDonalds's in particular. The case (which was argued by George Washington University's own law professor John Banzhaf) was ultimately dismissed, because the judge ruled that there was not sufficient evidence to prove that the girls' health concerns had been caused by the McDonald's food. BY SHIRLEY SER OTSKY Spurlock set out to see if he could bereft of its own local produce. prove that link. Not so, says Bernadine Prince, Whether or not you agree with the founder of the Washington, DC claims of the case, the movie is both based FRESHFARM Markets. engaging and exhausting. I won't The FRESHFARM mission is relaruin it for you-it is worth seeing in tively simple. "To build and the theater or at least renting on strengthen the local food movement DVD when it comes out. And the in the Chesapeake Bay watershed," DVD is sure to be complete with all the literature explains succinctly, if sorts of disturbing out-takes. Though rather dryly. No worries - to hear when you see what they kept in this Bernadine tell the story of the film, you may not want to see what Market's inception, and of her pas-they took out. Just like with the con-sion for the project - is anything tents of a chicken nugget, there are but dry. some things that you'd just rather not know. From Humble Beginnings If nothing else, the movie makes Unex pectedly, Bernadine was you think about what we as trained as a field archeologist. She Americans put into our bodies every jokes that she has "always been dig-day and just how far we have strayed ging in the dirt, but for different rea-from the agrarian societies of turn of sons (than farming)!" the century America where every-"My mother was a Russian immithing we consumed was produced grant who made everything from within a day's worth of travel. And it scratch. Then I started a food co-op isn't just the fast food companies in college..." she recalls. No Big Macs that are recruiting their food sources for this kid. Years later Bernadine from far off lands. found herself working as a fund-rais-Even a consumer with a gour-er at the American Farmland Trust, a mand's eye strays far from his or her private, nonprofit organization hypothetical backyard to fill their founded in 1980 to protect our shopping cart. Lychees from nation's farmland by, "working to Thailand. Artichokes from stop the loss of productive farmland California. Peaches from Georgia. and to promote farming practices Oranges from Florida. Judging by that lead to a healthy environment" the contents of the average Whole In the late 1990s the idea of the Food's cart you would think that the FRESHFARM Market emerged as a mid-Atlantic coast was completely potential project for AFT. At first no one at the organization stepped forward to assume its helm. Bernadine, who had managed to keep her green thumb in the dirt by maintaining an organic flower garden at her home on Capitol Hill even while working in development, seized the reigns- or rather, the hoes-for the new program. She enlisted her friend Anne Yonkers, to assist. "I met Ann ten years ago when she gave a presentation about a potential producer-only farmers' market in DC like the NYC Greenmarkets. I knew immediately that it was a good idea so I raised money to hire her and be part of my staff at American Farmland Trust. At AFT I was the chief fundraiser and took the markets on as an additional part of my job." The pair opened up the Dupont Market in 1997. The launch of the FRESHFARM markets brought the first ever "pro-ducer-only" farmers markets to the District. "Producer-only" is defined as a market whose representative farms can sell only what they grow and produce themselves. In addition, FRESHFARM dealers must come from farms located within a 150mile radius of DC. "That's what makes us different from a place like Eastern Market (where they sell things like peaches from South Carolina!)," Bernadine explains, "We are very strict about it being producer only-we want to make sure of (the market's) integrity-that it is not a resale market." In the case of edible goods, that definition is pretty clear. All fruits and vegetables must be raised on the dealer's farm. But that also extends to produced goods like jams and jel-lies-meaning that these items that must be made exclusively from fruits raised on that farm, or in the case of soaps, all ingredients that make up the product (including any herbs or flowers added to the mix) must be raised by the seller. "At the Dupont Market we have a fish dealer, but all of the fish comes from within the 150 mile radius, and he nets it himself" Bernadine assures me. Popular Produce "For the last two years the Dupont Circle Market has been a year round market." Bernadine reports. During peak season, that market now boasts over 30 farmers, proffering fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, cheeses, fruit pies, breads, fresh pasta, cut flowers, potted plants, soaps and herbal products. In 1998 a second FRESHFARM Market was launched in the historic town of St. Michaels, Maryland, on the Eastern Shore. "And last year we started the www.voiceofthehill.com Penn Quarter Market on Thursdays (from 3p.m. - 7p.m.) down on 8th Street between the Portrait Gallery and the National Archives. It's a great site-so incredible to look at those structures there!" That same year a Saturday market was added in Georgetown at the Hyde Elementary School on O Street, NW. And on a Saturday morning earlier this June, the H Street Market celebrated its inaugural market day. As a Hill resident, Bernadine speaks with particularly pride of the H Street Market. "The DC office of planning approached me and asked, Can we do this at H Street?" They started looking for potential sites and discovered "This parking lot (on H Street Northeast, between 6th and 7th streets) that is not used for parking on Saturdays." But more importantly to Bernadine, neighborhood residents were involved in efforts to make the market a reality. "The community of H Street was asked, what can help bring a sense of community here? And the first answer was a farmer's market... that's why I do this, it's my passion because I know this makes a difference for the community as well as for local farmers." Saturday markets present unique challenges because "Saturday is the most popular day for markets, so it's very hard to recruit farmers." But recruit they did, starting in December of 2003. They acquired the necessary permit from the city in January of 2004, and by March they were receiving applications back from farmers. The application process is not a simple one. "The farmer lists everything about their operation", explains Bernadine. "What kinds of trucks they use to transport their goods, all the crops they grow on their farm, how large the farm is, what farming processes are used (e.g., organic farming), they give us a map of the farm, a copy of their liability insurance, and a County Extension Agent signs off on the application, as proof that they are in fact a farmer." And that is only the beginning. "If they are new to our organization, we ask what other markets they attend and check their background (for reliability and quality.)" All new farmers get a personal house call from Bernadine herself. That way, "We get to see what this guy's growing and doing!" The Big Picture The H Street Market will mark the fifth successful FARMFREASH venture in less than a decade. Not a bad track record. But, if as the literature that is distributed at the market points out, "Family farms are disappearing at an alarming rate-over a million acres paved over every year!" then Bernadine's dream may be facing an impossible foe-strip malls and Wal-Marts. But the literature is also quick to point out that "Farmers markets across the country are proving that this trend can be reversed." And it seems they're right. The Green-market movement in New York City has been wildly successful. A program initiated by the Council on the Environment of New York City, Greenmarket has organized and managed open-air farmers markets in New York since 1976. The goals of Greenmarket mirror those of the FRESHFARM, that is, "to provide regional small family farmers with opportunities to sell their fruits, vegetables and other farm products to New Yorkers, (thereby) supporting farmers and preserving farmland for the future. " The result has been astounding. There are now 42 markets in 31 locations in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island, twenty of which operate year-round. Over 250,000 customers frequent the markets every week during peak season. While the statistics are impressive, they are not nearly as convincing as a Saturday spent wandering through the market at Union Square in Lower Manhattan. My years in New York allowed for many an afternoon spent wrestling with typical New York mobs, as aggressive Manhattanites haggled for the last hand-twisted Amish pretzel. My experience at the H Street FRESHFARM market one Saturday was more copasetic. A sandwich board on he sidewalk in front of the market announces, "Local farmers! Local food!" The market is still modest in size, including nine dealers as of mid-June. "We are hoping that we will start small, and grow the market slowly," explains Bernadine, "To make sure the farmers are successful." Enthusiastic shoppers mill around the tables, eyeing everything from the jams at the D&S Farm in Charlotte Hall, Maryland table, to the "Gardeners Gourmet" selection, that includes collard greens, must ard greens, peashoots, arugula, mesculin, spinach, tat soi, swiss chard, and red Russian kale. Phew. Which brings us to another important aspect of FRESHFARMS. Education. There are recipes and literature distributed at every market, and frequent chef demonstrations, to aid a situation where, as Bernadine recounts, customers find themselves overwhelmed by the selection. "There are 12 different kinds of squash here! What do you do with this?!" I watch a moon-faced little girl sidle up to one of the tables. "Daddy, cherries!" she exclaims gleefully. A middle-aged woman approaches the on site market manager. "I went to every dealer," she boasts, arms laden with bags. "And bought something from every single table". "Now what you need is a really good coffee shop here!" she exclaims. The H Street farmers market is a welcome addition to the ever more vital H Street neighborhood. As I wait for my bus to take me away (sadly without any purchases of my own, as my day of running errands hardly lends itself to a heaping market basket in hand) I notice Murry's Foods, a long time staple on that stretch of H Street. I stop in to get a soda, and am dismayed to see a postage stamp sized produce department, and row upon row of processed food items. Four different brands of boxed mac and cheese. Ten flavors of TastyKake Snack Cakes. Curious, I eye the ingredient list on the Jelly Krumpets. Thirty-seven in total. Or 38, if you count "natural flavors" and "artificial flavors" as two different items. It makes me appreciate the H Street FRESHFARM Market all the more. And just think-next week they are adding a baker to their retinue! See you at the market... Shirley Serotsky loves to consume locally grown, fresh produce and baked goods, but also recognizes the merits of an occasional TastyKake. What Do You Know About Food and Nutrition? BY LAURIE LINDSAY Quick and easy. Keep it simple. Instant results. Short and sweet. With a lick and a promise. We want things fast and uncomplicated these days so check out the 10 questions below for some speedy information and trivia about food and nutrition. 1. How many teaspoons are in a tablespoon? 2 _3 _4 2. How many ounces are in a half gallon? _24 _40 _64 3. Aunt Mary brings fried chicken to your Fourth of July picnic. Everyone eats at 7 p.m. and then goes to see the fireworks. When you return home at 10 p.m., you clean up the kitchen and discover that there is leftover chicken on a platter. Which decision below is the safest? _Discard the chicken. Do not eat it tomorrow. _Transfer the chicken to a covered container and refrigerate it immediately. _Refrigerate the chicken immediately but reheat the chicken before eating it tomorrow. 4. How long will eggs stay safe and in good quality in the refrigerator? _2-3 weeks _4-5 weeks _6-7 weeks 5. Lycopene is a pigment in plants. What color is this pigment? _red _blue _green 6. If you want to increase the fiber in your diet, which food is the best choice? _beef _oatmeal _celery 7. The Nutrition Facts Panel on a box of cereal says that one serving is one cup and that one serving provides 10% of the Daily Value (DV) for iron. In general, what does this immediately tell you? _The cereal is a low source of iron. _The cereal is a high source of iron. _The cereal makes a good contribution to the iron needed daily 8. Which combination of foods below provides at least the recommended amount of calcium for adults? _8 ounces milk, 6 ounces flavored yogurt, and 1 ounce cheddar cheese _two 8 ounce servings of milk, 1 ounce cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup of canned kidney beans _two 8 ounce servings of milk, 2 ounces cheddar cheese, 1 egg, 1/2 cup ice cream 9. In a Vietnamese restaurant, an entire page of the menu may be devoted to a category of entrÇe called Pho. What type of dish is Pho? _A spicy rice dish _A noodle soup _A meatless entree 10. Who said,"Never eat more than you can lift." _Miss Piggy _Mark Twain _Dr. Atkins Take 10. of raw celery contains about .6 grams of fiber. Three ounces of broiled sirloin steak has 0 grams of fiber. Fiber contributes to feeling full after eating, reducing blood cholesterol, maintaining healthy blood sugar levels, and maintaining the regularity of our digestive systems. Many adults consume less fiber than is recommended. Aim for 25 grams a day from whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. 1. 7. C. A food that supplies 10 percent of the DV in one serving is considered a good contribution to the iron needed each day. As a general guide, 5 percent DV or less is low and 20 percent or more is high. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), "The percent DV shows how much of the recommended daily amount of a nutrient is in one serving of the food." The percentage is based on eating 2000 calories in a day. Even if you do not know how many calories you eat, you can use the DV as a general frame of reference. It's helpful to eat foods that are high sources of iron since the goal is to eat 100 percent of the DV during your day. 8. C. This combination could beeaten during a day to reach the goal of 100 percent of your Daily Value for calcium. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) research shows that many Americans are getting only half of the recommended amount. Calcium helps maintain strong bones at all ages. It prevents osteoporosis, a disease in which bones become brittle and break more easily. Other roles of calcium include maintaining healthy blood pressure, muscle contraction and relaxation, and transmission of nerve impulses. For more information see the chart below and 8 ounces milk (ordinary glasses hold 8-16 ounces) 30% 1 ounce cheese 20-30% 1/4 cup grated cheese 20% 6 ounces flavored yogurt 20% 1/2 cup ice cream 10% 1 egg Only 2% 1/2 cup canned kidney beans (a small amount) Only 4 % 2. 9. B. Pho is Vietnam's traditional noodle soup. In Vietnamese cities, this soup is widely available as a street food. Residents frequently sit at low tables and chairs on the sidewalk morning, noon, or night to enjoy this meal as they chat with friends and family. In the Vietnamese restaurants in our area, Pho comes to the table as a large bowl of delicious, steaming broth that is thick with thin rice noodles. www.3aday.org. Amount of food % Daily Value (DV) for calcium When ordering the soup, you review a long list of selections and get to choose what cut of beef is added to your soup in thin slices, for example, steak, tripe, or small meatballs. Some restaurants also serve Pho made with chicken. Accompanying the bowl of soup is a plate overflowing with bean sprouts, basil leaves, and hot peppers. Add these to your soup according to your taste. Containers of hot sauce and fish sauce are already on your table to be used as condiments for the soup. As you eat with your chopsticks and spoon (and, if necessary, a fork), don't be surprised to find yourself slurping the noodles with delight. Additionally, you and your fellow diners may sniffle and perspire. It's all part of eating Pho. At the end of it all is another nice surprise: a meal of Pho is usually inexpensive. 10. A. Although Dr. Atkins and Mark Twain both said a lot about food, it was Miss Piggy who said, "Never eat more than you can lift." Laurie Lindsay, RD, LD, is a contributing writer for The Voice of the Hill. As a registered and licensed dietitian, she specializes in food and nutrition communications, particularly presentations and writing. She is the author of Making the Breast of It: A Cancer Survivor Talks About Reconstructing Her Life with Resilience, Resolve, and a Robust Sense of Humor. See www.LaurieAomari.com for more information News from the Friends of Southeast Library The Next Book Sale Will Be Held In October The Friends group - Here's an opportunity to contribute to the community in a very significant way. Volunteers for the Friends group are always needed and welcome, especially now as we prepare for the October book sale, which is our method of raising funds for library needs not included in its budget. We have fun, we do useful work, and we sometimes have cookies! Contact Janet McGregor at (202) 547-8897. Library activiti es - Volunteers with skills to share are sought for future programs; contact Candace Townsend, the Branch Manager, at (202) 698-3375. Among those activities which are currently scheduled for July are: Adults Book Club, 3rd Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. Teens Art expression, cartooning. The system-wide Holla' Back summer reading program is in full swing. Prizes, such as a stereo, book bags, etc., will be awarded at the close of the program. Another summer reading program , sponsored by the Friends of Southeast Library, is also under way. Prizes will be gift certificates which can be redeemed in local stores. Children Story hour (Thursdays at 10 a.m.), lap time (Thursdays at 11:30 a.m.), preschool movies (Wednesdays at 10 a.m.), chess (Wednesdays at 4 p.m.). Some activities connected with the Summer Quest reading program for children are: Puppet theater - July 9 (Friday) 10:30 a.m. Story teller - July 14 (Wednesday) 1:30 p.m. Singer - July 23 (Friday) 10:30 a.m. Call ( 202-698-3377) or visit (403 7th Street, SE) the Library for further information on the current schedule. It's always a good idea, too, to call ahead when planning to attend a specific activity. 2004 VSA Arts Festival BY NICOLE SPIRID AKIS pplause resonated Greenberg Theater, the Hilton of the event included Panasonic, through Union Station Washington hotel and the which funded the Odyssey Stage in last month as audience Smithsonian Institution all hosted Union Station, Delta Airlines, members seated at two art and literary exhibits, dance, vocal WAMU radio station and the stages and passersby alike and theater performances, artist Rasky/Baerlein Group, Inc, a public were captivated by the 2004 VSA arts demonstrations, literary readings, relations firm. The United Nations Festival performances on an unsea-and workshops. in New York City exhibited the artsonably cool afternoon on the third Ellen Levy, spokeswoman for VSA work of the 12 Festival Fellows from day of the event. arts, said the welcome and support December 3, 2003 - January 15, Nearly 100 visitors assembled in from the community made the festi-2004, and the National Press Club the main hall watched as dancers in val a resounding success. hosted a festival exhibit in its down-wheelchairs used scarves and props "It was a wonderful outpouring of town headquarters in June. to interpret the rhythmic music that support-our volunteer support was Though this year's festival was the transcended the usual street noise amazing," she said. "I think the gen-fourth put on by the organization, a and chatter typical to the building. eral public was just amazed and sur-nonprofit largely funded by the While the main showcase for the prised by the high quality of the Department of Education, 2004 was 1,000 artists who participated in the artists work. It truly highlighted the first year it was brought 'home' festival was Union Station, Gallaudet what we do on an educational level." to Washington, Levy said, University, the Kennedy Center, The 2004 festival-which opened Previously held every five years, National Press Club, WVSA School on June 9 at the Kennedy Center- the production will now become an for Arts in Learning, the H Street boasted President George W. Bush annual event. Playhouse, Ronald Reagan National and first lady Laura Bush as hon-"Union Station was very pleased Airport, the Harold and Sylvia orary chairs. Other major sponsors with how [events] went, so we will come back," Levy said, adding that one of the most successful days of the four-day festival was the family day events held at the Station. Held in Columbus Circle, as well as inside and outside the building, thousands of visitors streamed through to view an art exhibit in the west hall, and to participate in a variety of all-age activities. Levy attributed part of the festi-val's success to its public nature, and said in most cases groups who rent space keep their events closed; in this case, the local community was welcomed and encouraged to attend. Three years in the making, the festival called artists from all nationalities and ages to apply to participate in the festival. Founded in 1974 by Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith, according to the organization's website www.vsarts.org, VSA arts is an international nonprofit dedicated to 'creating a society where people with disabilities can learn through, participate in, and enjoy the arts.' Art-based programs in creative writing, dance, drama, music and the visual arts are offered by a network of affiliates in 49 states and DC, as well as 64 countries, the web-site said. National programs offered by the organization include the Playwright Discovery Award, which recognizes young adults who 'promote awareness of disabilities through creative playwriting.' Awardees receive scholarships and a production of their script at the Kennedy Center, as well as a trip to see the performance. Nicole Spiridakis is an occasional contributor to Voice of the Hill. Scenes from the various stages and exhibition spaces at Union Station during the VSA arts 2004 Festival. Performances included African dance, percussion ensembles, tales of Snow White and the Lorax, jazz and art. Photos by Scott Suchman Sailing comes to DC's other river ANDY EGGERS The Anacostia has long been urban adventure-seekers to the On summer days, Kids Set Sail, the Washington's neglected river. While Matthew Henson Center at 2000 sister program of DC Sail, takes over the Potomac boasts parks, monu-Half Street, SW. After collecting life the Anacostia. Run by Duncan Hood ments, and historic port cities, the jackets and sails, everyone heads and partially funded by the proceeds Anacostia conjures images of urban down to the dock and listens as from DC Sail, Kids Set Sail provides blight and industrial decay. Tiffany gives out instructions on children from the neighborhoods In the last year, though, white basic boat safety and rigging. In a surrounding the river the opportunisails have made an appearance on few minutes, the boats are deemed ty to learn sailing. The program the overlooked waterway, thanks to sea-worthy and push off, headed hopes to get 150 kids onto the water DC Sail and Kids Set Sail, two fledg-away from the power stations and this summer. "We try to do two ling sailing programs run by the warehouses of industrial DC and things at Kids Set Sail," says Hood. National Maritime Heritage toward Haines Point. "We introduce kids to sailing, which Foundation. Operating out of a con-"I love sailing, and I love to pass mainly means teaching them how to verted Pepco pumphouse located 20 on that love to people who are new work as a team to sail a boat. At the blocks directly south of the Capitol, to it," Tiffany says. He leads his crews same time, we want them to apprecithese programs are providing kids through basic sailing maneuvers, ate this natural resource that is in and adults from across DC a chance peppering his sailing instructions their backyard. And meanwhile, of to sail in the backyard of the with comments about the occasion-course, have fun!" nation's capital. al riverbank wildlife, architecture at The city's planning office is Thacher Tiffany, a 26-year old for-Fort McNair, and the city's develop-pleased to see DC Sail and Kids Set mer competitive sailor, runs DC Sail, ment plans for the Anacostia area. Sail establish a presence on the river. the adult program that offers "It's a view of this city that most "DC Sail is successfully demonstratevening sailing lessons on week-people never see." says Tiffany. "You ing what a tremendous resource the nights. At 6 pm each night he wel-really get a sense of what an over-Anacostia River is to this city," says comes a crew of aspiring sailors and looked resource this river is." Andy Altman, director of DC's Office of Planning. "The future of the river isn't just about real estate - it's about citizens, young and old, discovering or rediscovering what a treasure this river is. By offering sailing opportunities to young people and adults DC Sail is making the future of the river visible." Bringing sailing to the Anacostia was made possible through the joint efforts of a number of p layers. The idea began with a group of young Brookings Institution research assistants, including Tiffany, who were interested in establishing a community sailing center in the District. Their efforts attracted the attention of Rich O'Brien, who had established Kids Set Sail in Annapolis, and the Photos by Kennward Ward National Maritime Heritage Foundation, which was seeking out new ways to promote sailing education. The combination of inspiration, experience, and financial resources made the current programs possible. DC Sail and Kids Set Sail are currently in their second year and operate on a modest scale, borrowing space and maintaining only five boats. Ten years from now, they hope to have established a permanent community sailing center patterned after successful programs on the Charles River in Boston and in Baltimore's Inner Harbor. "It's one thing for the river to include a boat ramp or a marina, both of which cater to boat owners," explains Tiffany. "Community sailing is different because it offers people the chance to try out sailing without making an enormous financial commitment. And it provides benefits to more people for the same amount of riverbank." Despite all the talk about the impending revitalization of the Anacostia waterfront area, not much change is yet visible. DC Sail's sailboats share the river with sand barges destined for Anacostia's gravel yard, and the fledgling sailing cen-ter's closest neighbor is an aging power plant. But the arrival of sailing on the Anacostia is one sign that the river is taking on new life. "One of the exciting things here is that recreation is leading the way," says Uwe Brandes, Project Manager of the Anacostia Waterfront Initiative. "As much as we see tons of potential for this area, some people still tend to think of the Anacostia as an urban wasteland. But the sailing community is out ahead of that and recognizing that this is an outstanding resource for everyone." For more information about DC Sail, see www.dcsail.org. For more information on Kids Set Sail, see www.nmhf.org/KidsSetSail. Both programs are part of the National Maritime Heritage Foundation, www.nmhf.org. Day School Shared Experiences at Capitol Hill Sixth graders build a pyramid on the Mall during the annual School picnic. BY ANN DY E ew schools combine "picnic" and "standardized testing" in the same sentence; with Capitol Hill Day School it's a tradition. The annual "school picnic" on a Friday in late spring after a long week of testing is one of many events that unite children in the school. As sixth grader Noah Nichols says, "It gives kids a break and celebration. It's a main event of the year that we look forward to." Della Spradlin, a teacher at the school since 1972, remembers the first picnic on the Mall after testing in 1979, and recalls being rained out only one year. That year, instead of loading up the school buses with sports equipment and the picnic supplies organized by each class, the children created a picnic spread in their classrooms, and P.E. and other specialist teachers circulated with ideas for indoor games and activities. Rain did not interfere with tradition. This year, after picnic lunches on blankets under the trees in front of the new Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, students from different grades organized impromptu kickball and boys vs. girls tug of war games while visiting tourists stood by to watch. As sixth grader Miranda Fox puts it, "The picnic helps the school and community mix and stay together. We like it." A new tradition began this year with the Shared Stories project. Each month, a committee of teachers selects a book that can be read at all grade levels and that encourages a thoughtful discussion among students and teachers in the School. Because the whole school participates, teachers believe that the shared stories send a powerful message about the value of each individual in the community, and about how each person's behavior affects others. During the last week of school, master early childhood teacher Kathryn O'Donnell organized a school-wide vote of students and teachers, complete with secret ballot voting boxes, to select the favorite Shared Story book of the year. The voting ranged widely among the eight contenders over two days, but the final winner was Daniel M. Pinkwater's, The Big Orange Splot. The story begins when a seagull drops a can of orange paint on Mr. Plumbean's house, causing him to get a joyful idea that affects his entire neighborhood. Pinkwater's charming book celebrates creativity and individuality, not a surprising choice for a school community located on Capitol Hill. Third grade teacher Becky Amaral was especially pleased with a discussion about hidden talents springing from a reading of TaroYashima's Crow Boy. Her students realized that "many kids may not have talents that are obvious in school, like being good at math or reading, but that doesn't make each child's unique talents less important." The children in her class decided to find ways to share their own hidden talents with others through non-fiction writings, such as one third-grader's intense interest in horses and how to ride and care for them. Fifth grader Clare Mulligan remembers that Crow Boy made the point "that everybody's special and unique and that's a good thing." For many years, adults in the school have fostered the tradition of cross-grade interaction as a way to build and celebrate community. The tradition of "buddy classes" began over 10 years ago when third grade teacher Chris Doszkocs arranged a scheduled system for different grades to come together for lunch or other shared activities. "Buddies" and "buddy classes" have evolved over the years, and it's not unusual when visiting the School to see children of different ages sharing a walk to an assembly at Results Gym with their buddies, or quietly reading a book together, or buddies giving each other "high fives" in the stairwells. As kindergarten teacher Linda DeGraf says, "It helps both younger and older kids; the younger ones look up to the old, the older ones become leaders and truly care for the younger ones." This year, to celebrate its 35th birthday, the school sponsored a Family and Friends Barbecue Picnic in Garfield Park the first Saturday in Eighth grader Cal Silcox stitches an applique on the School's wall hanging. June. Rain canceled the moonwalk and face-painting activities, but a crowd gathered under a tent to twist balloons into hats and to hear graduating 8th grader Jane Abernethy's solo vocals with The Capitol Hill Day Trippers. The band also featured parents Tim Muzzio on guitar and Wayne Nicolosi on flute. Also on display at the event were large textile wall hangings created by students, teachers, and staff especially for the school's birthday. The wall hangings illustrate events and ideas shared in the school community over the years. Each eighth grade student, for example, picked symbols to represent favorite memories of school studies, created appliquÇs, and stitched them by hand onto panels. Other classes have picked other themes, such as lifecycles and frogs for first grade, Chinese characters for fifth, and Fibonacci sequences for seventh. Field education, Langston Hughes, Shakespeare and other all-school themes are included. The wall hangings consist of eight large panels, each panel 21-inches-wide by 7-feet-long, that will be displayed in the foyer of the School. Each day, as children, visitors, and staff enter the School, the fabric hangings will be a visual reminder of many of the school's cross-grade, shared experiences, and a constant reminder of the community that created it. Ann Dye contributes news of the Day School every month during the school year. Pandamania comes to KidPower/ The result: Panda L'Enfant! dealing with the emotions of the 1968 riots. Trinette explored her sadness: I am sad when I am all-alone. I am sad when my friends are gone. I am sad when there's nothing going on. I am sad when I don't feel strong. I am sad when I turn on my friends. I am sad when friends turn on each other. I am sad when ther e are bad things going on in the world. I am sad when I feel that the world has turned. I am sad when I feel the world is coming to an end. I am sad when there is violence going on. I am sad when all the lights are shutting down. I am sad because people die every day. Kayanna looked at her anger: I feel powerful when I go out side and no one that I know is there. I feel powerful when people hear me. When someone hits me and I can't hit him back, I become powerful. My tears fall when I am mad. When I am angry I need to calm myself down because I will throw things around the room. Rodney spoke of personal sorrow: When I am mad I want to cry. I want to die. My brain turns on and off. It makes me so sad. It makes me think of being vio lent. Sometimes I want to hurt some one when he says things about the people I love. The maddest I've ever been was when my father died after being shot. It made me cry all day and night until my tears dried up. I balled up my fists in anger. I wish he had stayed alive forever so I could really have gotten to know him. The applause came, and the year ended. But there is so much more to come. Summer camp is right around the corner with overnight trips, documentary film sessions, and a journey to a working farm. Next year, we are invigorating our arts program with partnerships with Georgetown Day School and the H Street Renovation Project. We have five new program directors from Eastern High School, George Washington University, and Howard University to help guide our curriculum. We will complete our neighborhood documentary and have a world premiere in September. Kid Power is even expanding to a new site at Tubman Elementary School. There is much work to be done, and the kids are ready! Read more at www.kidpowerdc.org. THOMAS JENKINS and COMPANY A Professional Corporation Certified Public Accountants Corporation, Partnership, Trust, Individual Income Tax & Financial Planning 202-547-9004 Washington, DC Capitol Hill Art & Frame _ Expert custom designs _ Museum quality materials _ Superior frame selection _ Same day framing available _ Custom framed mirrors 623 Pennsylvania Ave., SE 202 546-2700 10-6 Tues-Sat _ Eastern Market Metro PerformingArts Roundup BY JULIO ARGöELLO , JR. Let's start off this column by bidding you can sport a beehive hairdo a fond farewell to our local critters instead? Beehive the 60s Musical (and I don't mean theatergoers, Sensation comes to the Kennedy silly)! I mean the "other" pesky crit-Center and will celebrate the music ters-that's right, the CICADAS! of Diana Ross, Tina Turner, Connie After a short hiatus of about five Francis, Aretha Franklin, The Angles, months (as opposed to 17 years) The Shangri-Las and many more. Crowns makes its triumphant return The Kennedy Center mounts a brand for encore performances at Arena new production of The Glass Stage.." Why cover your head when Menagerie as part of its Tennessee Williams Explored series. This play is a compelling story of a St. Louis family struggling to cope with the harsh realities of the Great Depression and the bitter memories that haunt them. The Who's Tommy rocks its way to the Studio Theatre. This raucous sensation, full of larger-than-life characters and driving rock music, is a tale of a young boy's journey from pain to triumph. Get ye to your local theatre and catch a show or two-heck, if you can afford it, why not see them all? ARENA STAGE Crowns July 22-31 Crowns returns for encore performances! In keeping with Arena's dedication to producing new plays, Regina Taylor's story of what you can learn about a woman solely by studying her hat will grace Arena's stages. Set in the South and driven home with rousing gospel music, Crowns is the oral history of African-American women known as "hat queens." The fabric of a woman's life can be told through the fabric of her hat. Did you know that? Just as a piece of cloth is woven to create a hat, so are the lives of these southern women. And just as a hat can be complete with velvet trim or an ostrich feather, these stories and histories of African-American women are full and finished with great style. Crowns peers into the lives of women as it celebrates family, faith, love, loss and finding one's true identity. Crowns will play in the Kreeger Theater. Tickets range from $52 to $67. To order tickets online, go to: www.arenastage.org or call the sales office at 202- 488-3300. THE KENNEDY CENTER Beehive the 60's Musical Sensation July 1-31 Six fabulous women and a smokin' five piece band, over 50 costume and wig changes and 15 cans of hairspray bring back the greatest female singing stars of the 1960's. Beehive features the music of Diana Ross, Tina Turner, Connie Francis, Aretha Franklin, The Angles, The Shangri-Las and many more. Beehive the 60's Musical Sensation debuts in the Terrace Theater at the Kennedy Center. Tickets range from $45 to $48. To order tickets online, go to: www.kennedy-center.org or call the ticket sales office at 202-467-4600. The Glass Menagerie July 17-31 The first play to establish Tennessee Williams as a major new playwright and Broadway success, The Glass Menagerie is a compelling story of a St. Louis family struggling to cope with the harsh realities of the Great Depression and the bitter memories that haunt them. Revealed in flashback, the play follows the lives of shoe factory worker Tom, torn between his role as the family breadwinner and the desire to lead a life of his own...his abrasive mother Amanda, once a grand Southern socialite, now trying to maintain her dignity amidst the gloom of the ten-ement...and Tom's frail sister Laura, who has retreated to an imaginary world caring for her collection of glass animals. As tensions mount and tempers flare, the prospect of a husband for Laura becomes their final chance for stability and escape. But this gentleman caller's arrival could also deal a powerful blow that shatters their tenuous dreams. The Glass Menagerie makes its debut in the Eisenhower Theater at the Kennedy Center. Tickets range from $25 to $75. To order tickets online, go to: www.kennedy-center.org or call the ticket sales office at 202-467-4600. The Producers July 1-31 Based on Mr. Brooks's Academy Award(r)-winning 1968 film of the same name, The Producers, the new MEL BROOKS musical is the story of Max Bialystock, a down-on-his-luck theatrical producer, and Leo Bloom, a mousy accountant. Together, they hatch the ultimate scam: raise more money than you need for a surefire Broadway flop and pocket the difference. Their "surefire" theatrical fiasco? None other than the musical Springtime for Hitler. Unfortunately, their foolproof plan backfires when the show becomes a hit. The Producers is showing in the Opera House at the Kennedy Center. Tickets range from $35 to $90. To order tickets online, go to: www.kennedy-center.org or call the play in the theatre. You won't want to miss this spectacular modern revival for our time! The Who's Tommy makes its debut in the Second Stage Theatre at the Source Theatre. Tickets are $30 and seating is general admission. To order tickets online, go to: www.stu-diotheatre.org or call the box office at 202-332-3300. WOOLLY MAMMOTH THEATRE The Radiant Abyss July 1-18 The Radiant Abyss by Angus Maclachlan is a gritty, grinning, and strangely spiritual play with one of the wildest (and most distracted) sex scenes in the history of theatre. In a chaotic North Carolina rental office, no-nonsense businesswoman Erin Skidmore uses her wiles to persuade her baby-faced young lover and his innocent-seeming but intense girlfriend to make a big statement by undertaking a little crime. But the bizarre act of defiance by these three $39. To order tickets online, go to: desperate oddballs goes horribly www.kennedy-center.org or call the awry, and sets all three perpetrators ticket sales office at 202-467-4600. on the razor's edge between darkness and transcendence. Julio ArgÅello Jr. is a freelance The Radiant Abyss is showing in editor/writer. He writes the Performing the Film Theater at the Kennedy Arts Roundup in The Voice each Cen ter. Tickets range from $24 to month. ticket sales office at 202-467-4600. THE SHAKESPEARE THEATRE Cyrano July 1-31 Cyrano-swordsman, poet, musician and philosopher-loves his cousin Roxane, but his larger-than-life nose prevents him from telling her. When she begins to fall in love with the young guardsman Christian, Cyrano puts all his talents into helping Christian woo Roxanne. Charming, proud and romantic, Cyrano is one of the theatre's most memorable characters. Beneath the play's carefree bravado is a quiet undertone of sacrifice and longing. Michael Kahn directs one of the most loved plays of the last century, described by the critic Robert Coleman as "the greatest theater piece ever penned." Tickets range from $44.50 to $66. There are also a limited number of Standing Room Only (SRO) tickets available at the Box Office sales window for $10 (cash only). To order tickets online go to: www.shake-spearetheatre.org or call the box office at 202-547-1122. STUDIO THEATRE The Who's Tommy July 1-31 This raucous sensation, full of larger-than-life characters and driving rock music, is a tale of a young boy's journey from pain to triumph. The Who's Tommy is the most electrifying evening of rock and roll ever to AMAZING SPACES Holistic Living on Capitol Hill Feng Shui Transforms Home BY ERIC A STANLEY When one first approaches Marilyn anyone she was considering buying water," Adams said. "It is about com- Adams' 8th Street, SE home, they are her current home. "I have four kids, fort wherever you are." greeted by a welcoming sense of but I didn't tell them because I knew Clark made use of the Bagua Map calmness and serenity. It's the lush they would talk me out of it because when designing Adams renovations. garden, the curved sidewalk and of the crime," she said. "I came over Baguas are quadrants of a space, and bold red door that make her Capitol and checked every nook and cranny each quadrant needs to have the chi' Hill row house so special. of the neighborhood out at about to promote balance and harmony. Adams, an acupuncturist, began 10:30 p.m., and thought 'if I'm For instance, Clark decided to the transformation in 1999, when going to get mugged, it will happen paint the outside door to Adams' she first moved to the Hill from now.'" office red to attract new business and Bethesda, Md. "I moved from a larg-Adams was safe that night-and increase wealth and prosperity. And er to a smaller place, and I needed to continues to be secure-in her reno-it seems to be working. "My practice make the most of my space," she vated 1870 house. is very prosperous," Adams said. said. "It was time for a change in my In addition, the sidewalk leading life, and I was born in DC, so I want-The Art of Feng Shui ed to come home." She used the Chinese philosophy of The decision to relocate her home Feng Shui to guide her remodeling and office on the Hill was a decision and enlisted the expertise of Jose that surprised even Adams. "I had Gutierrez, an architect in Dupont planned to move to Northwest; I Circle who specializes in small didn't want to live on the Hill spaces, and then recruited Roger because of the Hill I knew growing Clark, a Feng Shui practitioner, who up, it was known to be dangerous," also does construction. Adams said. "But, I met my realtor Adams, who has been an acupuncon the Hill, and I never even went to turist 10 years, was familiar with the Northwest, I liked the ease of this methods of Feng Shui as she often community." Due to the misconceptions Adams and her friends and family had about Capitol Hill, she did not tell uses it in the treatment of clients. "Feng Shui creates a very flowing liv ing space and means wind and Marilyn Adams' walkway before and after feng shui. up the office was long and straight which allowed energy to flow too quickly. A bump and planter were put in slow the energy and allow people to enjoy the rest of the yard. The entry to Adams' residence is located in the fame and reputation Bagua, which is represented by the color red and the element of fire. The stoop was painted red, and conical trees were added, because cone shapes represent fire. Birdbaths with two swans nestled together were added to the garden to fulfill the love and marriage Bagua, where it is important to have pairs of things. In the center of the walkway a large sun was placed and painted yellow to represent Earth, yet another Bagua in Feng Shui. Making More Out of Less A big part of Adam's renovations revolved around the idea of making wise use of her space since her residential and office space totals 1,500-square-feet. From her compact office equipment to her all-in-one washer and dryer, she has done just that. In order to convert a former bedroom and kitchen into treatment rooms for her patients, she replaced old work tables with smaller ones, brought in softer lighting and even had the bathroom entrance and toilet placement redone. "It was a major change, but you can do it, all it takes is money and a plumber," she said. "It works fabulous once you get in the flow of being efficient." Her treatment rooms are painted in warm, soft hues with soft lighting on exposed brick. The idea of extended landscape, another component of Feng Shui, is a theme that plays out throughout Adam's home and office. The view from her treatment rooms, kitchen and bedrooms is window flower boxes that give the illusion of an extended garden. "Everything can be a pleasure, a feast for your eyes," she said. "When you come into a room you don't want to see the whole thing, you want to be a bit curious," Adams said. "It is the first impression of someone's home, when you first walk in." And for Adams grand entrance, there is an extravagant plant stand that allows one to peak through luscious greenery into some of her home. "In Asian cultures, people put their best scrolls or art, whatever they have at the entrance to their homes," she said. Once in Adam's home, the living room is complete with clean and simple lines. She had storage cabinets built and covered with cushions to double as a couch and guest beds. There are contrasting colors on walls and mirrors to make her space appear larger. "If you have things in your house you don't like, or pictures of people you are not compatible with, it drags you down," she said. To maximize the area, Adams even has a small flat screen television, which is covered by a drapery and fits right in as an accessory. "You don't want the screen uncovered, because a blank screen draws energy in," she said. "You want to keep toilet seats down, because the chi, or energy, can run down inside." Her bedroom is adorned with soft, flowing drapery, rounded corners on all shelves and, of course, flower boxes outside her window to promote an extended landscape. "When you get up in the morning, you need something pleasant to look at," Adams said. "With my house, I feel like I'm the luckiest person going." Adams also enlisted the help of a professional organizer, Jill Lawrence, to help maximize her space. "Jill-of-all Trades spent six hours helping me organize and it really helped. "You don't realize how much affects you until you start changing things." From Ordinary to Extraordinary While many of the changes made to the house are subtle, Adams has noticed a difference in her home and office space since she first moved in. "People, my patients especially, say they feel safe here, and that their treatment starts as soon as they come up the walk," Adams said. "I feel more at ease with living, my life is easier, and I'm more calm and collected." In addition to Roger Clark, Adams also recommends Elizabeth Webber as a Feng Shui practitioner on Capitol Hill for those interested in transforming their own amazing space. Erica Stanley is a regular contributor to Voice of the Hill who plans to transform her own 'Amazing Space' in due time. Until then, look for her pieces on fun, funky happenings in the Voice. Bountiful Blooms of Summer BY MARK HOLLER hen I was still just knee high to a grasshopper, I recall my dad bringing home some small spindly plants. He and I planted them in our yard where I grew up in western North Carolina. It was fall of the year and I remember there being a slight chill as we labored. He said a friend had given him these plants. They seemed weak and lackluster and I couldn't imagine why we were wasting our time on such trivial twigs. Well ok I thought to myself, Dad has really lost his mind this time, still not realizing the forthcoming beauty of what our labors would bring. I felt I had more significant shrubs and flowers to attend to. You see, my interest in chlorophyll actually began quite early in life.... not realizing at that time that my hobbies from childhood would lead to my adulthood career. Anyway, in the spring of the following year after planting those weak twigs, I noticed how they were gaining strength, standing more erect, and growing seen. It all began as twigs and culminated in a row quickly. School had ended for the year and it was of summer blooming trees thirty feet tall. the later part of May when I took notice of these Obviously, I was impressed, and I'll always be able plants again. One of my summer chores was weed-to close my eyes and float back to that special place ing, mowing, and edging of plant beds. Being that where my siblings and I chased one another under there were about fifteen of these plants in a row on the watermelon skies. one end of our spacious country yard, it was just Crapemyrtles, which were once more of a staple more of my precious sunny summertime hours farther south, are now a staple of our existence here spent on a chore rather than summer fun. So I in the Washington region as well. They can be made a point of asking Dad just what those plants found in bountiful supply blooming in many gar- were. dens from June through July and into August. As it turns out, we had planted the offshoots of Everyone has a favorite being that the flower colors crapemyrtles from a friend's garden. Within a few range from various shades of pink, red, purple, and years, we had a row of the most gorgeous watermel-glorious white. They even range in size from dwarfs on colored summer blooming shrubs I had ever For the framing and preservation of fine art and documents Hours: Monday and Tuesday, Noon-6 pm Wednesday through Saturday, 10 am-6 pm or by appointment 516 1/2 C Street, NE 202.544.8408 on Stanton Park ffs@pobox.com about two feet tall to trees approx. thirty feet tall. Crape myrtles survive summer heat quite well and provide us with summer color when most other trees have long finished their spring blossoming. So it's no wonder their use has become more ubiquitous. Lagerstroemia indica is the botanical name for the common crapemyrtle. These trees appear in great numbers throughout the southeast, southwest, and into California. I've never been to Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts, but I have been told they even brighten the summer there as well. Crapemyrtles are not fussy plants. While they will fare better in a spot that is properly prepared by loosening the soil and adding organic matter, they will also grow in more adverse conditions. After all, I saw them grow and mature quite well in red Carolina clay with no amendments. If you do add organic matter, do so uniformly throughout the area that will become the root zone so that roots will spread out evenly. Newly planted crapemyrtles will benefit from mulching to conserve soil moisture. If soaking rains are not plentiful after planting, be certain to water deeply one to two times per week for two to three months. Watering needs will vary depending on the amount of rainfall and daily temperatures. Once established, crapemyrtles endure droughts well, however they do flower more abundantly if watered during droughts. Full sun is best for crapemyrtles. They still perform fairly well even in light shade. Heavier shade reduces their growth rate and promotes sooty mold on the foliage and powdery mildew on flower buds GET THE WEIGHT OFF NOW! Intense strength training and nutrition We are a safe haven for full figures- No intimidation! . _ Avoid the crowds-6 per group! . _ Special classes for 40+ . _ Lose 3-4 dress sizes . _ Men welcome CALL G.I. JANE AND BUY A SPOT! and new leaves. Be certain to provide enough water if shade trees are nearby as they will compete with your crapemyrtle for moisture. Diminished sunlight and lack of moisture are two factors sure to cause disappointment with your crapemyrtle. Crapemyrtles flower on new growth often referred to as new wood. The best time to prune is in late winter or very early spring prior to the emergence of new growth. Do not prune a crapemyrtle in fall before it is dormant as pruning encourages plants to send out new growth. Should an early freeze occur, it can be very damaging to plants which are not in full dormancy. Pruning of crape-myrtles is not a necessity for flowering. In fact, crapemyrtles bloom quite well with no pruning at all. However, the flower clusters tend to be larger when they are pruned, and smaller but more abundant when unpruned. So either way still produces a summer color show. I find it is best to choose crape-myrtles for a garden based on their mature size even if you do prune them each year. Various flower color is available in all sizes of crapemyrtles, (dwarf, intermediate, and tree size), therefore bloom color does not have to be the final factor in making your choice. Crapemyrtles look unnatural if they have to be pruned back severely each year in order to keep them in scale with their given growing space. Severe pruning promotes an abundance of new shoots which look like pom-poms. This is what we commonly refer to as "crape murder" in the landscape world. The choices in size and flower color are many, so choose correctly for your urban or suburban site to avoid this. The leaves of crapemyrtles are yellowish green or bronzy when they first emerge and then turn a medium to dark green at maturity. Leaves are 1inch to 2 and ? inches long by ? inch to 1 and ? inches wide. The fall color is usually that of red, orange, and yellow dispersed throughout the plant. White flowering types have only yellow fall color. Spectacular summer flowering is the obvious reason most people choose a crapemyrtle for their garden, however, the bark of crapemyrtles is the second most regarded reason for planting these beauties. As they age, the bark intensifies with exfoliating shades of brown, gray, cream, rust, and cinnamon depending on the cultivar. This trait is especially noticeable in winter when trees are flanked by snow. The exfoliating bark can also be easily highlighted in spring and summer by surrounding the trunk(s) with a groundcover such as ivy, periwinkle or hosta lilies for example. If you have garden lighting, then by all means use an uplight to show off the trunk of your crapemyrtle in all seasons. Young and newly planted crapmyrtles will benefit from monthly fertilization during the first year. Use any general purpose, balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10. After establishment, an annual application should be made in spring just before the end of the dormancy period. In our region, I recommend this be done in April since crapemyrtles break their dormancy later than most plants do in spring. In fact, crapemyrtle leaves do not emerge in our region before late April or even early May. They are warm weather creatures. Do not over-fertilize as this promotes too much vegetative growth and decreased flowering. From my own experience, I can advise you that a healthy established crapemyrtle will flower nicely even without fertilization. If you know your soil is poor or if your crapemyrtle performed poorly in the previous growing season, then definitely fertilize it. There are several diseases that sometimes affect crapemyrtles, which you should be aware of. As I stated earlier, proper site selection is a key factor in avoiding disease problems. Powdery mildew, Cercospora leaf spot, and sooty mold are the attackers. Powdery mildew is most frequent of the three and occurs when we have warm days followed by cool nights and high humidity levels. Powdery white mold covers and distorts the new leaves and flowers. If not treated, leaves and buds will drop and the mildew continues to spread. Cercospora leaf spot appears in mid-summer and fall usually during periods of wet humid weather. If untreated, leaves fall prematurely and the spots continue to spread throughout. Both powdery mildew and Cercospora can be brought under control with a fungicide application as soon as the problem is apparent. There are also disease resistant cultivars introduced by the National Arboretum that should be considered in your selection process. In the 5 to 10 foot tall category is Caddo (bright pink), and Tonto (red). In the 10 to 20 foot category is Apalachee (light lavender), Catawba (violet purple), Sioux (vibrant pink), and Yuma (medium Lavender). On the 20 feet or more list is Fantasy (white), Tuskegee (dark pink), and Tuscarora (dark pink). The last problem of crapemyrtles I need to mention is sooty mold.This is a brown or black coating on leaves and stems which is a fungus growing on the secretions of insects such as aphids. Mostly it is simply unsightly and it may block out sunlight thereby reducing the photosynthesis process. The best prevention is insect & disease resistant cultivars, and if necessary a treatment with an aphid killing insecticide. Overall I feel the problems that might be encountered with a crapemyrtle are few and are easily dealt with in comparison to the enjoyment and beauty that they can provide to the summer garden. I should mention that as the flowers fade, the falling matter can be a source of problems if the tree is sited near a swimming pool or a pond. If you have a sufficient filter in either situation, then probably this just means a bit more filter maintenance for a few weeks. There are so many crapemyrtle cultivars, I can't possibly list them all here. Rather I will direct you to two great sources to fulfill your dreams and cravings of crapemyrtles. The book, Dirr's Trees and Shrubs for Warm Climates, by Michael A. Dirr is an excellent source with detailed photographs. Also, the National Arboretum website is quite informative, and it lists all of their introductions which I might add are all winter hardy here in the DC region. Their web address is www.usna.usda.gov. The Arboretum continues to do intense research and breeding of Lagerstroemia indica . I have even heard the rumor that a true red flowering cultivar is on the way and may be introduced by the National Arboretum in another year or two..... not magenta or any shade of pink. Red will be a welcome color addition. Now through July is a great time to visit this incredible horticultural paradise if you have any inclination to view the many cultivars of crape-myrtles available to you while they are blooming. Enjoy them in your summer garden. Mark Holler is the owner of Ginkgo Gardens on 11th Street, SE and contributes his thoughts on city gardening each month. Time to Kiss Windows 98 and ME Goodbye! BY FAY SINGER love sick computers! They are my livelihood. However, I cringe every time I get a call about a sick computer running Windows 98 or ME. Microsoft has given up on Windows 98 and ME, or at least tried to. They had announced that all support for these products would end on January 16, 2004, but found 98 and ME were still being marketed in third world countries. They have agreed to provide "critical security" updates and continue to make online support available through June 30, 2007. However, you can be assured that Microsoft is not spending any time or efforts on these products, and the "blue screen of death" remains intact. Microsoft's solution for fixing the problems with 98 and ME was to come out with operating systems to replace them. If I were a less honest person, the cash register in my head would go ka-ching, ka-ching when someone calls with a Windows '98 problem. Instead, I explain that troubleshooting operating system problems is often time-consuming and, therefore, expensive. I advise my clients that they can put their money to better use by upgrading, as opposed to paying me to fix the unfixable. Windows XP in a good, solid operating system. I'm not saying it's perfect, but it's darn close to it! A close friend who works for a large technology company told me that XP costs his company over $500,000 annually in lost service call revenue. Personally, I have been running XP since the trial version first became available to Microsoft developers five years ago. Have I crashed it? Yep! I crashed it while testing a program I was writing a program that exchanged data with the XP operating system. The crash was my fault, not XP's. Over the years I have done lots of stupid things which have caused XP to lock up on me. For the most part, the problems were fixed by rebooting the computer. There have been times when I've locked it up so bad that I had to unplug the computer to get it to reboot. However, you've got to remember that it's my job to break things so I can learn to fix them. In the event you are not yet convinced that it's time to bit the upgrade bullet, I will enumerate a few more reasons to help convince you to make the move System Restore, The No. 1 Reasons to Upgrade to XP XP's built-in System Restore is, in my opinion, the biggest improvement over previous versions of Windows. This feature is automatically enabled when XP installs. It works by taking snap shots of your system and saving them as "restore points". At a minimum, System Restore requires 200 MB of hard drive space, and will automatically quite working if you do not have this much drive space available. I have configured System Restore to its maximum setting, which uses 12 percent of the hard drive space available on my computer (currently 6867 MB). This allows System Restore to provide better protection by saving more restore points. Changing System Restore to use less than the maximum setting is being "penny wise and pound foolish." If you are concerned about running out of hard drive space, uninstall software you do no use and archive old files to CD. Alternatively, it is much less expensive to add new hard drive storage than it is to call in a consultant to fix your computer's operating system because System Restore does not have adequate room to function. At this point you might be thinking "Okay, Fay, if XP is so great, why would I need System Restore in the first place?" Because "stuff" happens, and that "stuff" is not necessarily the fault of XP. Installing old software can cause problems which cannot be undone by the uninstall process. XP is smart enough to know when you are adding new software and automatically creates a restore point. You do not need to be a computer expert to use System Restore. Microsoft has created a very friendly interface called the System Restore Wizard which guides you step-by-step through the process. In the event you need to use System Restore, you do not need to be concerned about losing data you may have created or changed subsequent to the restore point. The restoration process only rolls back system changes, not data. Sometimes adding a hardware component can cause operating system problems. If you are using older hardware with your new XP operating system, you should always check for updated device drivers specifically designed to work with XP before installing the hardware. I have also seen new hardware cause incompatibility problems. It is always a good idea to check for updates, even when installing new hardware. If a faulty device makes your PC behave erratically, you can use Rollback Driver feature instead of System Restore. One final note about System Restore. Viruses usually disable this feature. If your computer starts behaving erratically, and your efforts to use System Restore fail, your computer infected by a virus. Automatic Updates, Upgrade Reason No. 2 When Microsoft first introduced the automatic update feature, some sectors of the information technology community expressed concern that they did not want Microsoft spying on them. In this age of identity theft, a certain amount of paranoia is good. In the cause of Microsoft's automatic updates, I suspect these individuals might have been smoking something that caused their paranoia to go beyond a rea sonable, healthy norm. Today many software products rely on automatic updating capability. To protect your computer, it is vital that your operating system and anti-virus software are up-to-date. If you have an always available Internet connection, like DC Access's Broadband service, cable or DSL, your computer can be set up to update automatically. If you still use a dial-up connection, you will probably have to update XP and your anti-virus software manually. While XP can automatically download the most recent updates, it is up to you to actually install them. When updates are available, a small "Windows on the world" icon will appear on the right side of the task bar (the blue strip at the bottom of the screen). A message above the icon will tell you that updates are ready to install. Whenever you see that message, click on the icon to install the updates immediately. Remember that you can multi-task in Windows-you don't have to stop what you are doing to run the update. It runs happily in the background while you continue your work (or game). There will be occasions when your computer will have to restart before the updates can take effect. The update process will give you the option of restarting your computer or continuing what you www.voiceofthehill.com are doing. In that event, you save your work as soon as possible and then restart your computer. Whatever you do, do not put off installing updates. Some of the newer worms scan for outdated systems. Keeping your operating system up-to-date, and running good anti-virus software that is also up-to-date, will go a long way toward protecting your computer. Pundits are quick to point out that all these patches and updates would not be necessary if Microsoft had written XP right in the first place. My response is "build it and they will come". Microsoft is a big target, one that most hackers aim for. Some viruses, worms and Trojans target vulnerabilities in other operating systems such as Apple and Linix. Nothing is safe. In their June 15th issue, Information Week ran an article about a new mobile phone worm! Helpful Help, Reason No. 3 to Upgrade You do not have to be a guru or power user to learn XP and to take advantage of its many features. The Help and Support features built into XP are powerful and easy to use. You can learn about any feature by typing it into the Search box, and pressing the "go" arrow. The results of your Help search will offer interactive links to walk you through any steps you need to take. For example, if you need to open Control Panel, but have no idea where or what a Control Panel is, simply clicking on the underlined word will open the Control Panel for you. XP has built-in "wizards" for many tasks. For example, a Networking Wizard will take you step-by-step through the process of networking your computer. As previously mentioned, there is a System Restore Wizard. The wizards all feature content sensitive help to further assist you in the process. Making the Move to XP Microsoft offers several versions of XP, including a special edition for multi-media PCs. I always recommend XP Professional. It costs about $100 more than XP Home, but contains features that make it well worth the price difference. XP Pro offers Remote Desktop, greater networking flexibility and more robust backup and restore features. If you are currently running Windows 98 or ME, you are eligible for the special upgrade pricing. The upgrade path is a clean one, meaning you simply stick in the XP CD and let it run. There is no clean upgrade path from Windows 95. If you are still running Windows 95, bless you, your computer probably still has a 51_4" floppy drive, no CD ROM drive, and is not capable of running XP. The Microsoft XP web site offers detailed information about their XP products. It contains an abundance of information about upgrading from prior versions of Windows. They even have tools to help you determine if your computer is XP-ready. While XP will run on a PC with 128 MB of RAM, I recommend that you have at least 256 MB. If you are buying a new PC, by all means get one with 512 MB of RAM. The slight difference in price will make a big difference in how long and how well your computer investment will serve you. Still not convinced that you should upgrade to XP? In that event, please clip my ad from The Voice and keep it handy. Ka-ching, ka-ching! Fay Singer is the owner of Small Business Data solutions. Demolition Derby: DC-style BY JUDITH C APEN Dear Judith Our house had one of those corrugated metal garages when we bought it. Now we would like to replace it with something more substantial and since we have a really big lot we think it will be no problem from the lot occupancy side of things.* But, we're wondering if we will be allowed to demolish the junky old metal garage? TIN CAN ALLEY Dear Tin Can I think it is likely you can get a permit to demo your junky old metal garage. However, be advised! Your first step is to get a demolition permit from the District of Columbia and that's where things get interesting. To get the demo permit you will be required to have the garage inspected for asbestos (ACM's: asbestos containing materials) and lead. If your little garage is packed with these toxic substances you will have to find a contractor licensed to deal with and dispose of these materials. You will have to submit pictures of your garage, if you and it live in a historic district, to be shown to the Historic Preservation Review Board staff to make sure you are not planning to demolish something that contributes to the historic fabric...It has actually occurred to me that these little corrugated metal sheds are representative of a time, but so far the preservation staff generally allows them to be torn down. Another hurdle that some of my clients have faced is the requirement that they list their demolition contractor and provide proof of his insurance. I haven't figured out in what cases this is required, just be prepared for the possibility. Another possible fly in the ointment of replacing your current garage is that you will naturally need a building permit for the new one and it will have to *Many of us on Capitol Hill live in the R-4 zone, which, simplistically, limits us to covering 60 percent of our lots with building, porches, and some other things. The formula is not totally obvious as, for instance, any dogleg well less than five feet in width counts as covered. You need to know precisely what your lot area is, which means knowing where your property lines are and where your house sits on the property as well as the various rules and exceptions to calculate your lot coverage. meet the various zoning requirements, including the one requiring that the new garage must be twelve feet from the centerline of the alley. This can be a problem in the narrower alleys on Capitol Hill ...and is a requirement for the new garage even if the current one doesn't comply. Good luck! Dear Judith I just noticed a brick on the outside wall of my house has kind of disintegrated. Just the one, but the paint has fallen off it and it is crumbling into red powder. What should I do? Does this mean my wall is in danger? Is there something like termites, but for brick? BUSTED ON 11TH Dear Busted Nowadays, bricks are manufactured in highly automated processes so every brick is indistinguishable from all the others in a batch. The first time these bricks are actually touched by a human hand may be when laid by a mason. This was not always the case. While the late nineteenth century bricks in your wall were manufactured at a brickyard, opposed to in the backyard, as they might have been a hundred years earlier, they were typically fired in beehive kilns. You can see some of these on the edge of the National Arboretum along New York Avenue. Beehive kilns were fired variously with wood, charcoal, and later coal. Wood and charcoal burn at from 350 to 400 degrees F (in contrast to the 2000 degrees F in modern brick manufacturing). In the nineteenth century, one of these kilns might be fired for three or four days while modern brick spends perhap s twelve hours at 2000 degrees. Besides being fired at lower temperatures, another major difference between modern and historic bricks is the great variability from brick to brick in historic bricks. Much of this variability is from position within the kiln. Inevitably, some bricks were more completely fired than others. Some were weirdly distorted; others ended up with almost glazed ends or sides. Because as many as a third of the bricks in a kiln could be defective, brickmakers were loathe to discard the less than perfect. Thus, as someone in the trade observed to me, "everything went into the wall." This meant softer bricks, broken and weirdly shaped bricks were all built into walls, the imperfect ones inside with the better bricks as facing. Even so, the "better" bricks are much softer than modern brick because of their lower firing temperatures. The clay is not nearly as vitrified as clay in today's bricks. Because they are softer, our bricks are vulnerable to damage from freeze/thaw cycles and from inappropriately hard mortars. (Freeze/thaw cycles are the reason our asphalt roads develop rampant potholes around February. It snows. The snow melts. Water finds its way into cracks where it expands with the next cycle of freezing temperatures, expanding and making the crack bigger. A soft brick absorbs some moisture. The temperature drops. The moisture freezes blowing apart the brick. But, the bricks all around the vulnerable one may, purely by chance, be enough harder to resist the freeze/thaw cycles. Inappropriately hard mortar actually crushes the soft adjacent brick when it expands. Whatever the cause, the result is crumbling brick and potholes.) Because your disintegrating brick is low on the wall where it is more likely to get wet, either from rising damp or splash back, I think it is likely freeze/thaw has done it in. The solution is not unlike that for similarly disintegrating green stone, as I discussed in March: chip out the crumbing brick, find one to replace it, and slip it in. Be sure to use a soft mortar for your new brick, like a 1:2:6 or 9 mix. (That means one part of portland cement to one part of mason's lime, to six or nine parts of sand, by volume, usually a coffee can. The 1:2:6 is a slightly richer, or stronger mix, the other somewhat softer. Use mason's lime, not garden lime.) The hardest part will be mixing up such a minute bit of mortar. Since it is just the one brick, you might consider buying a tube of exterior latex caulking instead and setting your brick in caulk. After the caulk gets a good film, paint new brick and caulk to match the rest of the wall and keep an eye out for other exploding bricks. One every few years is nothing to be alarmed about. Start worrying if this is just the first and next year you see ten, twenty the following year...If you do: call me again and we'll look for serious root causes. So where, you asked, do I find a brick? I advise keeping your eyes open. I often see the odd, old, solid brick just lying around on the sidewalk, in alleys, or wherever. Borrow the neighbor's dog to give you an excuse for strolls around the neighborhood and I think you will find your brick before long. And, when you're looking for a dog to borrow, ask the neighbors if they have some bricks lying around in the yard. Many of us do. As you begin to pick up loose bricks you'll probably have to go through a few to find a good fit and you'll begin your own little pile of backyard bricks. Who knows? Maybe you'll meet more neighbors as you look for your brick: it takes a village both to raise a child and to own an old house... Judith Capen, who, after wanderings along the 40th North Latitude in her youth has settled permanently on Capitol Hill, writes this popular column. K.C. COMPANY Owned and operated by the Cassidy Family since 1931 12100 Baltimore Ave. Suite 1 Beltsville, MD 20705 TIM ALLEN, Sales Leader 301-419-7669 Fax 301-419-2963 Mobile 301-675-9324 Email tallen@kc-pella.com VIEWED TO BE THE BESTTM Travelers' Aid BY LIND A NORTON t's here! Those long awaited 94 days of summer are in full swing...and they are for more than just drinking lemonade. There's no doubt about it, friends and relatives will be visiting in droves. For the last two summers, visitors have tended to stay away from this area, but this spring and summer, despite astronomical gasoline prices they are back in force. All you had to do was take a trip to see the cherry blossoms or to the dedication of the World War II memorial this spring to realize that tourists are BACK. All over the world people who have been delaying a visit to the nation's capital have decided to show up this year. What with the hotels fully booked, it's likely that family and friends will be housed in our very own homes. We love them all, or at least most of them, but where will we find space for them? Where Will They Sleep? Even casual acquaintances that are "friends of a friend" and are not really coming to visit you, are going to want somewhere to sleep. Those more closely related may be staying for a while and are going to want more commodious arrangements. Out of necessity, the spare room in many homes becomes the "catch all" room. What with boxes of old tax records, out of season clothing and the "give away" area, there can be hardly room to stand, much less use the bed or open a sofa bed. What's a host to do? Well, fold up that ironing board! Here's a plan for a small "guest room" that's easy and inexpensive to put together before the company arrives...and you won't even have to find another place to store all of your stuff. Plan for a Temporary Guest Room First, you'll need an under-used or spare room. For the sake of this project, let's use the ever popular junk room...the back bedroom. Supplies: Wire storage system: These can be customized to your individual storage needs. You'll want some hanging space for those out of season clothes. Beyond that, shelves are the most flexible. You can use cardboard file boxes or vinyl bins to form a tidy wall of labeled boxes. If using a wire system, the drawer units come in handy for out of season clothing or small items, though they are a bit more expensive. Ceiling track hardware: You may not be familiar with this type of drapery hardware, except as it is used in hospital rooms. Now, because of the popularity of loft style open living spaces with very high ceilings, it is readily available. Mounted to the ceiling, it allows an entire "wall" of fabric to be suspended and easily opened. Draperies: These too, are now available ready made in longer lengths. Inexpensive long (108120") panels can be found ready made at Ikea, on the internet and at most linen sources. For this purpose you could easily hang any number of king sized flat sheets (108"x110") as well as canvas, scrim or muslin from the track or from a rod or cable drapery system. Make sure that you use enough panels to make the resulting wall sumptuous in appearance (at least 2-1/2 times the length of the rod). Aero bed, inflatable bed: By now almost everyone is familiar with these mattresses. Aero beds are available everywhere housewares and linens are sold. They are stored in duffel of sorts and then, when you need them, you inflate the mattress in minutes with an attached electric pump. They very closely approximate the dimensions and comfort of an inner spring mattress and far exceed most sofa beds for both. There is even a bed frame available to fit the mattress and to raise it off of the floor, making it easier to get in and out of bed. Properly dressed with a fluffy mattress pad, sheets and comforter, they rival a regular bed for comfort and best of all, they are easy to deflate and store when not in use Bed side tables: These can be almost anything; depending on the height of the bed. They just need to be large enough to hold a reading light and provide space (perhaps a small dish or tray) in which the travelers can put change, watch, rings, keys, glasses, etc. so that they won't lose track of them in a new environment. The "tables" could consist of a stack of coffee table books, a stac k of vintage suitcases, two drawer metal file cabinets covered with tablecloths-items that have other uses when the room is not in use as a guest room. The file cabinets can be topped with a flat surface door to give you a desk or work surface. A choice of several bed pillows: It is particularly important to have hypo-allergenic pillows on hand if needed. Of course, you may prefer to skip all of the above and have your guests bring their own sleeping bags and camping mattresses. Or, you can make a phone call and arrange the whole thing. Rental cots and roll-away-beds are available from Just Ask Rentals at Frager's Hardware. Where Will They Eat? Fortunately, summer vacation visits are more relaxed than holiday visits. Expectations of "a big fuss" are lower and everyone tends to be more casual. Meals eaten outside, whether picnic style or with great formality are one of the true joys of summer life. Few of us have an outdoor table that will seat more than our immediate family but for casual outdoor dining we can extend the seating capacity by adding additional tables to the ends, bringing out that "desk top door" mentioned above, or at several tables (a la restaurant dining) for dining comfort. Tables and additional chairs can be borrowed or rented, and can easily be broken down and taken indoors when thunderstorms approach. Whether you dine on china and silver or from disposable dishes, get everyone to help at least with set up and clean-up. There's more time to visit and the hosts will be less frazzled. Be sure to make something readily available for snacking. You may even want to put out a Bed and Breakfast-style cold buffet to accommodate early and late risers. How Will I Occupy Them? All right, they've had a good night's sleep, they've eaten three dozen bagels, (they know that vacation food is free of calories, fat and carbs) now what? You're not the one on vacation; you have to go to work! Everyone involved will have a better time if the hosts make a few advance preparations. 1. 1. Get a visitor parking permit from the 1D1 Police Station. 2. 2. Go online to the Metrorail/bus site at: www.wmata.com Metro has built a great web site. It provides maps, timetables and information about what is near each station in seven languages. They also include information about their one-day, ride all you want passes ($6.00 each), which are great for people visiting the area. You can go on-line in advance of your guests' arrival and order the pocket guide in any of twelve languages. 1. 3. Put together a packet of local tourist maps and up to date guides. (A number of times and procedures have changed in the last couple of years.) 2. 4. Place a bag or basket of travel sized toiletries, etc., in the guest room; and make sure that there are plenty of towels. 3. 5. Local magazines, novels set in DC and, of course, a copy of the Voice of the Hill on the bedside table will provide riveting reading for your guests. 4. 6. For a gold star in your "hostess with the mostest" crown, add a vase with fresh fruit, flowers and a dish of chocolates. High quality design & preservation framing is our top priority. Rotating Exhibits of Local and International Artists 513 11th St, SE Capitol Hill 202-544-7577 www.gallerynewman.com What If You Are the Guest? Don't forget to helpful and don't forget a gift for your hosts! Have a great visit! Linda Norton is a regular contributor to the Voice of the Hill. Her decorating business, Linda Norton Interiors can be reached at Norton@olg.com. BY BETH LAMBDIN cial poignancy. Peter invites her to Neverland, but dren in quality family-friendly films includ-how will she and her two young brothers get there? ing two of my favorites from last year, the They can't fly. No problem; all they have to do is suspenseful Spellbound and the magical think happy thoughts, and soon they're up, up and Whale Rider. away, much to the dismay of Peter's jealous fairy, Tinkerbell (Ludivine Sagnier, described by some as Holes (2003, Rated PG) a comic genius, described by me as annoying). At his month's column features amazing chil-This film is based on Louis Sachar's nifty story that one point, Tinkerbell drinks a poison potion ear-won several prestigious book awards. The screen marked for Peter. I was up for letting her croak-but version does the story proud. Shia LaBeouf stars as then I succumbed to the spirit of things and joined Stanley Yelnats IV (Yelnats is Stanley spelled back-the chant, "I do, I do, I do believe in fairies." wards). Stanley comes from an eccentric family Neverland is exciting, filled with mermaids, lost with a history of bad luck that they blame on an boys (infants who fell from their prams and went 18th century curse placed on their Latvian ances-unclaimed by their parents), pirates and Peter's nemesis-Captain Hook (Jason Isaacs in a dual role tors. In the present day, a miscarriage of justice lands Stanley at Camp Green Lake, a juvenile detention center in the middle of nowhere, run by an evil war- as Hook and Mr. Darling). Eventually Peter and the Darlings face a choice-remain a kid or grow up. What would you choose? Check out the DVD den, Sigourney Weaver (encouraged by her young Special Features for an alternate ending and funny daughter to play the role) and her two toadies, the scenes with the beautiful Newfoundlands that memorable Mr. Sir (a hilarious Jon Voight) and Dr. played Nurse Nana. Pendanski (Tim Blake Nelson). The lake long ago dried up and each day the boys are dispatched to Spellbound (2003, Rated G) dig holes in the hot sun, carefully avoiding the rat-Don't confuse this Oscar-nominated documentary tlers and dreaded yellow-spotted lizards. with the 1945 Hitchcock film starring Ingrid Mr. Sir tells the boys that digging holes in the hot Bergman and Gregory Peck. This Spellbound from sun will turn them into good boys. Maybe, but Director Jeff Blitz, stars eight kids: Harry Altman, there's more to it than that. Stanley forms an Ted Brigham, Neil Kadakia, Emily Stagg, Angela endearing relationship with Zero, the runt of the Arenivar, April Degideo, Nupur Lala and Ashley litter and a nearly mute fellow inmate, but a first-White, all unknowns, but all remarkable, nonetherate digger. Stanley teaches Zero to read, a good less. Spellbound is an edge-of-your-seat, nail biting deed that pays off big for them both. The film adventure that takes us into the wild world of weaves together (not always seamlessly) three sto-spelling bees following these young people as they ries: one that starts with the curse, one that contin-advance through regional bees to make it to the ues through the Old West and one that re-emerges Show-in this case the 1999 National Spelling Bee at Camp Green Lake. Is it karma? Check out the in Washington, DC. DVD feature that gives the real story behind the yel-low-spotted lizards. Peter Pan (2003, Rated PG) Author J. M. Barrie's younger (and favored) brother died when they were kids. Barrie faced the impossible task of replacing this idealized lost boy. But his painful childhood was good for something. Out of it sprang the magical story of Peter Pan that has entertained children and adults since 1904. In this handsome production directed by Australian J.P. Hogan, we first meet Peter in late 19th century England, where as the story goes, "all children grow up but one." Jeremy Sumpter is an androgynous-looking Peter and Rachel Hurd-Wood (making her screen debut) is the pre-teen Wendy Darling. Poor Peter lost his shadow but lucky Peter found it in the Darlings' nursery. Peter is instantly smitten with Wendy and Wendy is intrigued by Peter and his stories of Neverland. Poised on the verge of womanhood, his stories of a place where you never grow up hold spe- Can you spell "darjeeling?" One of the contestants did, successfully, but it was a struggle and ironic given his Indian heritage. But that's what makes the film great. It's not just for lovers of words; it's also Norman Rockwell updated, a slice of 1999 Americana, reminding us that we are a nation of immigrants that defy stereotypes. The kids represent various ethnic as well as socioeconomic backg rounds. My favorite, Angela, hails from Texas but her parents are native Mexicans who illegally crossed the border so their kids could have a better life, local girl Ashley lives in a tough DC neighborhood, and privileged Emily from New Haven, Conn. brings her au pair to the competition. And, what about the parents? They run the gamut, from barely involved to obsessive; one father has an entire village in India praying for his son's success. And, there's the rub. It is, after all, a competition, meaning that someone has to lose. Don't miss the irony of one hometown banner advertising, "congradulations," to its champion. Whale Rider (2003, Rated PG) Keisha Castle-Hughes was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar last year-not bad for her first movie role. She is 12-year-old Pai, a Maori girl with unshakable faith in herself. That's good because grandma (Vicky Flowers) can shield her only so much from her obtuse grandfather, Koro (Rawiri Paratene). Koro, the current chief, is desperate to find his successor. In every Maori generation for the last 1,000 years that title has passed on to the eldest son of the eldest son. Pai's father should have been the anointed one, but instead fled New Zealand after his wife and Pai's twin brother died in childbirth. Early in the film, Pai says about her grandfather, "he wished in his heart, I'd never been born. But, he changed his mind." He grows to love her (it'd be impossible not to) but he can't envision a female chief. But, Pai has the heart and spirit of a warrior. She struggles to find her place in this culture where tradition and the modern world clash-and in her grandfather's heart. In Pai both the natural and the supernatural meet; she has a touching, mystical relationship with the whales. Castle-Hughes is terrific and never more affecting than when she makes yet one more attempt to connect with her grandfather during the school play. What in the world is wrong with this man? Watch and see whether this stubborn old geezer wakes up to the miracle that was always right in front of his face-before it's too late. Beth Lambdin is a freelance writer who frequently writes about film. Agree? Disagree? Let Beth know how you feel about her reviews at lambdinb@tontologic. com Summer Warriors BY D. Y. LEE emember last November or December when you were curled up in front of the fireplace with your gigantic mug of cocoa after eating a meal large enough to feed an entire small country? Remember those two weeks in January when you engaged in that new diet and exercise routine? Seems like a long time ago, doesn't it? Especially now when you're trying to get away with your family to Rehoboth and realize that your Speedos aren't, well, up to speed. Or maybe you've gained a couple of inches around your waist? Enter the summer warriors-a class of people who differ from weekend warriors because they engage in huge amounts of physical activity only during the summertime. injury to sideline you for the rest of the summer The summer warrior has many motivations. (and potentially the rest of the year), here are some Some need to shed their winter layer of insulation tips to keep you active and feeling good for the next and strive to lose weight as quickly as possible. two months: Some have extra time on their hands because of the 1. Ease into it. Of all the tips, this one is the most end of the school year or a slow down in business. effective. If you engage in a level of activity that The rest receive a revelatory burst of energy because your body is prepared for, you will probably not of the sun and heat. hurt yourself. So, start out with short bouts of activ-This energy is released through sports. It could be ity and try to curb your newfound enthusiasm that summer recreation leagues organized by the may egg you on to go "just a little bit longer." Department of Parks and Recreation or organiza-Gradually increase the length of time you are tions such as DCBaseball.org, group social activities active and stop when you are tired. When you get such as leisure walking or biking, household chores too tired, your biomechanics start to falter. In other like gardening or painting, or increased gym activi-words, when you're out there gardening and your ty. knees or hands start to ache, you may start to move So, what happens when an overweight, out of in ways that are incorrect and even dangerous. To shape person goes from zero to 60 too fast? Injuries, prevent such compensations, don't even let your-injuries and more injuries. So, before you allow an self get to that point. 2. Eat to support your activity. Engaging in higher levels of physical activity or exercising in hotter weather will increase your metabolism-as your body heats up, you are burning more calories. What does this mean? You will need to increase the amount of food you eat in order to make sure that YOGA your body has enough resources to provide needed on the hill energy as well as build/maintain your muscles and other body functions. This may apply even if you are trying to lose weight. If you are averse to count- Joinus fora ing calories, then follow this rule: eat when you're FREE class! hungry. Eat small meals throughout the day (with this ad - expires 7/31/04) approximately every four to five hours. And of course, the extra food you take in should be of a Ongoing classes high quality-more fruits, vegetables, and whole for all levels grains; not candy bars and chips! 3. Allow for enough rest.The general rule is that after any strenuous activity you should allow those worked muscles to rest anywhere from 24 to 72 Capitol Hill YOGA, ltd. hours, depending on your fitness level. This is a pretty big range-how do you know how much rest 221 5th Street, NE ~ 202.544.0011 www.capitolhillyoga.com you need? Start out with 48 hours of rest. If those muscles feel fine and you aren't experiencing any general tiredness, you can experiment with a lower rest time. On the other hand, if you don't feel up to par by 48 hours, then you need to take more time off. 4. Schedule a massage. The benefits of regular massage are too numerous to discuss here. It is enough to say that massage will help you recover from hard activity, aid in preventing and healing injuries, is a great stress-reliever, and is one of the most fun ways to burn calories! Here on the Hill we have a bunch of sources for massage therapy: . _ Anu Day Spa (544-8268) . _ The Arrington Holistic Health Care Center Inc. (544-4453) . _ Gold's Gym (554-4653) . _ Healing Hanz Therapy (543-8272) . _ Newlife Wellness Center (544-4478) . _ Results the Gym (234-5678) . _ Skin Beauty Lounge (543-6993) . _ Washington Sports Club (547-2255) Individual massage therapists can be found through the American Massage Therapy Association (www.amtamassage.org). 5. Listen to your body. Communication with your body can be a tumultuous experience. Your body is always talking to you, but it is your decision whether to listen to it and acknowledge what it is saying. So, if you ignore everything else that I've said so far, take this last bit under consideration. If your body tells you that it is tired, hurt, or just "doesn't feel normal," this is a big message telling you to stop and think about what you've been doing and what you are about to do. Your body will allow you to abuse it, but will get back at you in the end. So, how do you know if you need to see a doctor as opposed to just needing some rest? If the pain: . _ doesn't get markedly better after 48 hours after applying RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation), . _ is acute/sharp, . _ impairs daily activities, or . _ doesn't feel better later in the day or with movement, then you should seek medical attention. These are general guidelines. Everyone would benefit from calling their doctor with any injury to find out if they should come in immediately. Follow these tips, dear summer warrior, and you will survive this season and be able to conquer many more to come. D.Y. Lee is a yearlong warrior and a health, fitness, and lifestyle writer. She can be reached at dy.lee@earthlink.net. Ready, Willing & Able Co-Founders, George and H arriet McDonald www.voiceofthehill.com Kitty Care Dear Dr. Carey: Capitol Street Cats wants to thank all the wonderful people who have adopted kittens and cats from our adoption events. For those who are considering expanding their families and have not yet stopped by, Capitol Street Cats sponsors adoption outreach events at Doolittle's Chateau- Animaux pet supply store at Eastern Market on most Sundays from 11:30 to 3 p.m. To familiarize people with the adoption process in which several rescue/placement organizations participate, I thought I'd sum it up briefly. Upon choosing a cat or kitten, people are given forms to fill out. Renters must provide proof from the landlord or rental agency that cat ownership is allowed. The veterinarian of those who currently own or previously owned a pet will be contacted for a reference. Most of our organizations feel that young kittens should not be placed as "only cats" and will not make such placements. Applicants must sign an agreement stating they will not declaw the cats or allow them outside. The fees for adopting cats or kittens are for the medical expenses of testing for feline leukemia and FIV, neutering or spaying, and basic vaccinations. A "home visit" completes the approval process. While this may appear complex, the procedure helps deter people from making impulsive decisions. We want the humans and pets to be happy. Dates for cat and dog adoption events can be found on the Special Events section of http://www. chateau-animaux.com/. JULIE WALKER Dear Julie: Thank you for all hard work. Some of my sweetest patients have come through your adoption events, and I've always had a special place in my heart for our wonderful Capitol Hill cats. Dear Dr. Carey: I have a six-month-old indoor-only calico cat named Cringer and was delayed in making an appointment to get her spayed. When she went into heat, I waited a few weeks to schedule an appointment, but she went right back into heat again! Now what do I do? Wait some more or have her spayed anyway? NICOLE What every good dog should know! 8 Week Class starts July 10 at 9 a.m. Space is limited - sign up soon! Sponsored by RUFF RUFF DOG TRAINING & Doolittle's Chateau-Animaux 224 7th St, SE, Washington, DC (202) 544-8710 www.chateau-animaux.com ! Worship -Sunday 10:00 am We warmly invite everyone to share in a journey of faith and service to our community and the world. CAPITOL HILL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Rev. Andrew I. Walton, Pastor 201 4th Street, SE (corner of 4th & Independence, SE) Washington, DC 20003 tel 202.547.8676 www.capitolhillpreschurch.org Dear Nicole: Ask your veterinarian's recommendation. Some veterinarians will perform the surgery and others will wait until the heat cycle ends. The problem with waiting is that female cats are "polyestrus" meaning they cycle in and out of heat frequently. This is Mother Nature's way of ensuring a robust feline population. Female cats will cycle many times during a season (indoor cats can sometimes cycle year round) until successful mating occurs. In order to prevent the dilemma you now face, and to help curb the current cat overpopulation crisis, I recommend that female cats be spayed prior to the first heat. (Early spaying also helps prevent the occurrence of mammary cancer, which can be particularly aggressive in cats later in life.) Now that Cringer is already in heat, the decision on when to spay her depends upon you and your veterinarian. If you wait, however, keep a close eye on Cringer. She will become crafty in finding ways to slip out of the house in pursuit of a tom to fulfill nature's love call. Were Cringer to get out, scenarios include her getting lost or injured, contracting feline AIDS or leukemia from an infected tomcat, and her coming back pregnant. Dear Dr. Carey: It's been four months since my wife's 16-year-old cat Precious died and she still cries at the mention of her name. My wife says she'll never get another pet because she can't bear the thought of going through this again. Is this normal? When should my wife get over missing Precious? She seems so sad and misses Precious so much that I sometimes feel that I should just come home with a new cat or kitten, but I don't want to hurt her more. What should I do? CONCERNED Dear Concerned: I am sorry for you and your wife's loss. I am sure your wife deeply misses Precious. Sixteen years is a long time to love and nurture someone and the development of such a tremendous bond is natural. Your wife's feelings are not unusual and I've heard other people express similar sentiments. Sometimes these same people go on to get new pets and sometimes not. When and how people get over such a loss is individual. Many times, bonding with a new pet helps people find closure and move on. The wisdom in presenting your wife with a new cat or kitten is something only you can decide, and remember you are taking a chance. I have seen such well meaning attempts succeed and fail. Sometimes the new pet is welcomed, sometimes not. If you decide to present your wife with a new cat or kitten, make sure the people you adopt from know what you are doing and that there is a chance you may need to return the kitten or cat. If you suspect your wife's grief is interfering with her ability to function, gently suggest counseling. Your veterinarian should be able to provide you with the names of grief counselors who are compassionate and knowledgeable about pet loss. While there is no timeframe for getting over missing someone we love, supportive friends, family members, and professionals can help in overcoming this loss. Dear Dr. Carey: When my dog stepped on a piece of broken glass that was hidden in the dirt, I dabbed the cut with alcohol right away to kill germs and prevent an infection. When I got my dog to the vet, I told her what I did. She said something about alcohol not being the best disinfectant for a cut. I used alcohol because I'd seen vets use it and thought it was the best way to kill germs fast. If alcohol isn't good, what should I have used? SAMUEL S. Dear Samuel: Nothing kills germs instantly (some studies report that alcohol takes 30 minutes to kill germs) and I'm sure your dog wasn't too happy about having his cut foot dabbed with alcohol. Peroxide is a better choice to clean minor scrapes and superficial wounds, and it doesn't sting like alcohol. Veterinarians use alcohol to dampen an animal's fur and remove the top layer of grime prior to drawing blood. To disinfect prior to surgery, veterinarians shave and repeatedly scrub the surgical site. They also scrub their hands, fingers, and arms for at least three minutes before donning sterile caps, gowns, and gloves. As not all human preparations are safe for pets, put together or purchase a pet first aid kit for such future mishaps. "Pet Medic Kits" that contain instructions and supplies are available at Doolittle's Chateau-Animaux at Eastern Market. Dear Dr. Carey: My 12-year-old mixed breed dog Mesa has myelopathy. It has caused her to become almost paralyzed in the back legs. We have gotten a dog "wheel chair" for her called a K-9 Cart. She was happy with the cart for a long time and was able to get around on walks, eliminate, and even catch a ball at close range. Lately, she has become more tired and is having difficulty using her front legs. I have to lift her up for everything and it is getting difficult. What else can we do to help her? RO N Dear Ron: I applaud your efforts to keep Mesa comfortable and happy. You have already done a lot in getting her adjusted to the dog cart and nursing her along with such a debilitating disorder. While not considered a painful condition, myelopathy robs dogs of their mobility and greatly affects their quality of life. Gradual weakening of the back legs caused by the nerve degeneration of myelopathy leads to the eventual inability to use the rear legs and difficulty with urinating and bowel movements. Many dogs need help to stand and walk as the front of the body weakens as the disease progresses. Other treatment options are acupuncture (by a certified practitioner familiar with myelopathy), supplementation with EACA (a compound that helps with stabilizing the condition), vitamins, anti-oxidants, hydrotherapy (swim therapy), and steroids, if the condition suddenly worsens. If Mesa gets so weak that she cannot use her front legs, you will notice her health rapidly decline. Please have her evaluated by your veterinarian if this occurs. Dear Dr. Carey: My puppy chomps on grass and mulch in the park and my backyard. (In fact, just about everything he comes across ends up in his mouth.) Is it okay for him to eat grass? NEW PUPPY OW NER Dear New Puppy Owner: Puppies explore and learn about the world by tasting, smelling, and mouthing things. Many dogs enjoy chomping on mulch and grass and it is generally not cause for alarm, but it is best that you remain in charge of what your puppy eats. Dirt and mulch can sometimes result in an upset stomach and can predispose a dog to worms as parasite eggs are ever-present in the environment. Other health concerns include chemicals used in lawn pesticide and preparation substances. Paying special attention to your puppy when he starts to sniff around can help you react more quickly. To discourage this behavior, use firm voice commands and snatch from his mouth things you do not want him to eat. Early and consistent training is all part of raising a well-behaved and obedient dog. Keep in mind that as long as you pay the vet bills, you're in charge of what your puppy is allowed to eat. On these steamy days, err on the safe side and keep your dogs at home and in air conditioning. With the high humidity and heat, it is important that dogs and cats remain in cool and well-ventilated areas. Do not walk your dogs on hot pavements such as streets, parking lots, and sidewalks. And, NEVER leave a pet in a parked car for even a few minutes. Capitol Hill is Pet Friendly! Call Pawticulars (202/546-7387) for dates of upcoming adoption dog and cat events. Grubbs Pharmacy on 4th and East Capitol Streets offers compounded medications for pets. Call Dr. Michael Kim at 202/543-4400 for more information. Dr. Carey has owned the Takoma Park Animal Clinic since 1987. She has provided house calls on Capitol Hill and throughout the District of Columbia and Maryland since 1982 and has a special interest in hospice care. H Street: The New Hot Spot BY RICHARD LAYMAN H Street Food Co-op Update With the support of staff members at the National Co-operative Bank and H Street Main Street (HSMS), Amira Moore-Page, the prime mover behind the developing H Street Food Co-op, was awarded a scholarship to attend the Consumer Cooperative Management Association annual meeting in Minneapolis last month. Calling it a great experience, she toured seven co-ops in the Twin Cities including "The Wedge,"a store that is as grand as a Whole Foods Market. She attended technical assistance sessions on topics including board governance, financial management, and development. Conference attendees were excited about the showcasing the co-op approach in the neighborhood of the U.S. Capitol, and offered to provide advice, models, and assistance as the H Street Food Co-op conducts feasibility studies and begins the process of developing a store in the neighborhood. The Co-op has suspended its food buying club activities to focus on store development. For more information contact Amira Moore-Page at 202-388-4220 or at amirracle@hotmail.com, or sign on to the Co-op has an email discussion group, hstreet_food-coop@ yahoogroups.com. New Chair for the Design Committee Brendan Danaher, a neighborhood resident and member of the ANC6A Economic Development and Zoning Committee, is now chairing the Design Committee. As a Committee Chair, Danaher was recently elected to the HSMS Board of Directors. The Design Committee is working on a variety of projects including the Streetscape and Transportation Study, storefront-facade improvements, tree box improvements and other projects that affect the appearance of the corridor. Danaher has announced plans to tap for H Street the energy and design skills of students from the architecture program of Catholic University and the planning and historic preservation program of the University of Maryland. For more information and to volunteer, contact Brendan Danaher at bjdanaher@ yahoo.com. Liquor licenses: Looking Forward or Looking Backward? Alcoholic beverage sales are a tough issue for neighborhoods in transition. These neighborhoods often have more stores selling liquor and cheap beer and wine than do more stable communities. Such sales often contribute to crime, vagrancy, and litter. Few shoppers want navigate beer, wine, and liquor bottles and cans strewn over the sidewalks so they decide to shop somewhere else. Many people and organizations in the H Street neighborhood have worked years to address this issue and put limits on the sales of alcoholic beverages that tend to be consumed "on the street." Other residents have rallied in support of such sales, in part because these businesses (liquor stores and corner markets) have been some of the only ones in the neighborhood that have regularly given donations and financial support to schools, community groups and organizations. The issues of single sales and an over-concentration of liquor, beer and wine licenses have proven to be very divisive. Successful commercial districts provide patrons with a "complete experience," places to see, shop, and eat. If the experience is incomplete, patrons won't linger and the business district won't become a destination; it will continue to struggle. Thus, restaurants are essential, and in many cases drive commercial district revitalization, provided they have a lively and comfortable atmosphere and high-quality food and service. Such establishments are key to the revitalization of the H Street commercial district. Until there are a number of decent restaurants, (and they don't have to be fancy) the corridor will not thrive. Thus, it would appear to make little sense to treat the licensing issues of a very nice restaurant- where liquor is consumed on the premises-the same way that those of a liquor store are treated. But that's happening on H Street, and it endangers the survival of success of the Phish Tea CafÇ. The owners of Phish Tea opened a handsome new restaurant on the 1300 block of H. The establishment is subject to the economic realities of any restaurant operation. Food costs tend to be about 30-40 percent of the cost to the customer; beverage costs, including alcohol, tend to be about 20-25 percent of what the customer pays. The remaining operating profit must cover labor (cooking, serving, cleaning, managing), rent, utilities, maintenance, and taxes. Higher profit margins on alcohol are a major factor in restaurant viability. Unfortunately, Phish Tea has been targeted by two small unincorporated civic organizations that are bedeviling the restaurant's manager with a 10page "voluntary agreement" covering all aspects of the restaurant's operation, from the sales of liquor, to approval of catering events and food preparation methods. The groups that ostensibly drafted the agreement claim that they don't have the authority to modify the agreement without consulting their lawyer-it's all or nothing. These onerous demands risk putting the restaurant out of business. It happens that certain provisions in Alcoholic Beverage Licensing regulations give this group the power to veto the granting of a "stipulated license," a temporary license provided to new businesses that want to establish a track record before applying for a permanent, long-term license to sell alcohol. Phish Tea was welcomed with enthusiasm by a majority of its neighbors and its opening was considered a harbinger of long-sought and much-need-ed change. The restaurant enjoys the support of the H Street Main Street program and ANC6A, but has become the target of individual interests that are not in the best interest of H Street's viability. H Street Main Street Annual Meeting The First Annual H Street Main Street Meeting was held the evening of June 21, and it was a smashing success. Held in Lyme Lounge, the special gallery space at Phish Tea at 1335 H Street NE, the meeting featured a slide presentation about HSMS accomplishments thus far and its plans for the future. (continued on page 60) Good Design Makes Cents BY BILL MCLEOD any people think that a Main Street project is just a paint up/fix up program, but it is so much more than that: retail market analysis, marketing and promo tion, fundraising, organizational development, vol unteer recruitment and retention. But, design is the most tangible-the most visible-of all projects that Barracks Row Main Street tackles. Good design is important to convey a message of quality. Goods and services must be on par with the appearance of their surrounds. For example, if a restaurant offers good food for moderate prices, yet the exterior needs painting and the awning is faded, then shoppers will think the establishment is poorly run and will walk on by. Sign Guidelines Last year, the Design Committee of Barracks Row Main Street created sign/awning guidelines to raise awareness about the standard of good sign design on 8th Street. To spread the word about good sign design to business owners in a non-confrontational way, the sign guidelines were printed up and hand delivered to each establishment. Then, a copy was placed on the Barracks Row Main Street website (www.barracksrow.org) for all to see. The Design Committee believes that this passive way of improving sign design has been a slow and effective way of creating change without turning off our audience. Miller Reporting, a faáade restoration paid through private funds Sign Grant A matching sign/awning grant was introduced shortly after the guidelines were available, not to pay for signs (the average sign costs $3,000!), but to pay for a portion of it. Basically, the matching sign grant program is a motivator. Barracks Row Main Street offers five sign grants each year, reimbursing a business up to $500 toward the cost of a new sign. If business owners submits a sign grant applications, the sign design is reviewed by the BRMS design committee, which may or may not make suggestions. The design is then reviewed by DCRA and the Capitol Hill Restoration Society to issue a permit. Then, the sign is fabricated and installed, and the design committee reviews the completed sign and compares it to the submitted drawings. Receipts are then submitted for reimbursement. Well, the sign grant program has finally taken off. Last year, Barracks Row Main Street had only three submissions for the entire 12 months, but this year, we have had four submissions in five months. Great news! The matching grant is gaining momentum. And more importantly, the grant program is creating spin-off signs through private dollars. A number of businesses have installed new signs using the sign guidelines as a guide without applying for a grant, such as Finn MacCool's and Stitch DC. Now that is what I call bang for your buck! Attitude Exact, a recipient of a sign/awning grant Faáade Guidelines The design committee created the smaller and more-focused sign guidelines and sign grant program as a learning tool for the bigger chore of crafting faáade design guidelines and grant program. The faáade guidelines are in their final draft form and are being reviewed by the Capitol Hill Restoration Society, Office of Planning, and Historic Preservation Office. They contain advice on paint analysis, window restoration suggestions, preservation principles, and tips for repointing brick and stone for commercial buildings. There is a lot of preservation material available for residential properties, but significantly less for commercial ones, especially written for the average small business owner or building owner. And, because of the technicality of some of the subjects, illustrations about spalling, to roof lines, to sympathetic infill construction will be included. As you can see, the design committee will have its hands full over the next few months hand deliveying and mailing faáade design guidelines to merchants and building owners, and then consulting with them about potential renovations. Faáade Grant Our next challenge is to fund a faáade grant program. Faáade repair is not cheap-painting one side of an elevation can easily cost $10,000! (You probably have seen how some of the Barracks Row buildings have "experienced" differed maintenance.) Regardless, BRMS has been writing grants to fund this matching faáade grant program to make it a motivational tool to address some of the more glaring design issues along Barracks Row, so keep your fingers crossed. ReStore DC has a grant program that may be used to fund a faáade grant program, but it must be commercial, and ideally for retail on the first floor. Our grant request was for 25 facades at $10,000 each, with a two-to-one match, so the building owner would have to pay for their renovations up front, ultimately paying $30,000 or more, and then be reimbursed by ReStore DC up to $10,000. The grant program would be available on a first-come, first-serve basis until the funds were exhausted, and funneled directly from ReStore DC to a building owner upon the approval of the Design Committee. The tougher bet is the Department of Housing and Community Development, which had the most onerous grant application I have ever written. DHCD is targeting low-income areas only, so only half of Barracks Row is eligible-south of the SE Freeway. The structure of the grant program would be an 80/20 grant, so DHCD would pay 80 percent (continued on page 60) Kids' Calendar COMPILED BY CALENDAR FELLA Thursday, July 1 . _ Mayan Medallions-Study the ornaments worn by the ancient Mayans, and then make a medallion of your own. 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Capital Children's Museum, 800 3rd Street NE, 202-675-4120. (Program repeats on July 8, July 15, July 22, and July 29). . _ Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears-In this upbeat film/writing workshop, children will watch the James Earl Jones narrated film version of a memorable fable, then write and illustrate their own sequel. 10:30 a.m. - noon. Reservations suggested. Anacostia Museum & Center for African American History & Culture, 1901 Fort Place SE, 202-287-3369. . _ Folklife Festival: Mid-Atlantic Maritime Communities, Haiti, & Latino Music-Explore the rich heritage of these distinct and diverse cultures at the always popular Smithsonian Folklife Festival. 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. National Mall adjacent to theSmithsonian Institution. (Festival continues July 2, July 3, and July 4). . _ Origami-Learn origami, the fascinating Japanese art of paper folding. 12 - 3 p.m. Capital Children's Museum. (Program repeats on July 2, July 15, July 20, July 22, and July 29). . _ Improv Art Family Program-Develop a lifelong appreciation for creativity and expression through Art Night on the Mall, an ongoing series of directed art projects and self-guided tours. 4 - 6 p.m. Ages 5 11 with adult. Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, 7th Street and Independence Avenue SW, 202-357-2700 or 202-633-4674. (Program continues on July 8, July 15, July 22, and July 29). Friday, July 2 _ Mexican Bookmarks-Craft a bookmark using Ancient Mexican symbols. 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Capital Children's Museum. (Program repeats on July 9, July 16, July 23, and July 30). Saturday, July 3 . _ Huipil Shirts-Design your own paper huipil shirt using various colors and shapes. 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Capital Children's Museum. (Program repeats on July 4 and July 31). _ Outdoor Pixilation-Learn the basics of animation in the great outdoors, then become a star by animating a likeness of yourself. 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 2 p.m. Ages 5 and up. Register at front desk on day of activity, as space is limited. Capital Children's Museum. . _ UV Bracelets-Explore the properties of ultraviolet light, and make a UV-detecting bracelet of your own. 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Ages 3 and up. Capital Children's Museum. . _ Princess Sunni's Birthday-Help Princess Sunni become Queen of Sun Wise Land in an afternoon of educational sun fun. 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. Capital Children's Museum. (Program repeats on July 10, July 17, July 24, and July 31, and at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on July 4, Jul y 11, July 18, and July 25). . _ Summertime in Japan-Try on the traditional Japanese clothing worn during summer festivals. 12 noon - 3 p.m. Capital Children's Museum. (Program repeats on July 4 and July 31). . _ Buddhist Stories-Listen intently to a session of traditional Buddhist tales. 1:15 p.m. Arthur M. Sackler Gallery (Level 1), 1050 Independence Avenue SW, 202-633-1000 or 202-633-4880. Sunday, July 4 _ Kid's View of the City-This impressive exhibit of student art features work by students from John Eaton Elementary School here in D.C. As part of the museums City by Design planning program, students studied both the design and architecture of their own neighborhoods, then created these ambitious pieces to depict where they live, play, and learn. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. National Building Museum,401 F Street NW, 202-272-2448. (Program continues daily through August 1). _ Independence Day Concert-Join the internationally renowned United States Air Force Band and the twenty-four voice Singing Sergeants for an evening of patriotic song. 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. National Air and Space Museum (North Terrace), 6th Street and Independence Avenue SW, 202-357-2700 Monday, July 5 . _ Mayan Pyramids-Discover the secrets behind the amazing Mayan pyramids, and then build one of you own. 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Capital Children's Museum. (Program repeats on July 12, July 19, and July 26). . _ Tanabata-Celebrate the 'star festival' by making your own star decorations, from 12 noon - 3 p.m., and delight to "The Story of Tanabata" at 2:30 p.m. Capital Children's Museum. (Program repeats on July 6, July 7, and July 8). Tuesday, July 6 . _ Sun Mask-Create an Aztec inspired mask of your own. 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Capital Children's Museum. (Program repeats on July 13, July 20, and July 27). . _ Dream Time-Heidi Rugg's Barefoot Puppets offer up traditional Aboriginal tales from the Australian Outback. 10 a.m. and 11:30 p.m. All ages. Tickets $5 adults, $4 children (ages 2 - 16), $3.75 resident members. Call 202-357-1500 for reservations. Arts & Industries Building (Discovery Theater, West Door), 900 Jefferson Drive SW. (Program repeats on July 7, July 8, and July 9). . _ WCCM-TV: Special Effects-Discover the visual tricks that make space ships fly and people shrink, as we learn the secrets behind special effects. 2 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. and 3 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. Ages 5 - 15.Space is limited, so sign up at the front desk on the day of the activity. Capital Children's Museum. (Program repeats on July 13). _ Year of the Monkey-Examine China's unique cultural history, and celebrate the Chinese New Year by making your own Chinese puppet. 2 p.m. Ages 6 -14 with adult. Arthur M. Sackler Gallery (Sackler Classroom, Level 2). (Program repeats on July 7, July 8, July 13, July 14, and July 15). Wednesday, July 7 _ Pterosaur Terror-Learn about historic Mexican fossil finds, then make your own flying reptile. 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Capital Children's Museum. (Program repeats on July 14, July 21, and July 28). . _ Create a Codex-Create your own historical record book, or codex, using Mayan glyphs and symbols. Space is limited, so sign up at the front desk on the day of the activity. 1 p.m. Capital Children's Museum. (Program repeats on July 14, July 21, and July 28). . _ Conservation in Action-Learn stamp conservation techniques and strategies from the postal museum staff. 2 - 4 p.m. National Postal Museum (Atrium), 2 Massachusetts Avenue NE, 202-357-2991 or 202-633-5534. Thursday, July 8 _ WCCM-TV: Weather or Not-Write a weather report based upon your own Mouse Pad Computer Lab meteorological research. 2 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. and 3 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. Ages 5 - 15. Space is limited, so sign up at the front desk on the day of the activity. Capital Children's Museum. (Program repeats on July 15). Friday, July 9 _ Japanese Bookmarks-Make your own bookmark, or shiori, using Japanese washi paper. 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Capital Children's Museum. (Program repeats on July 16, July 23, and July 30). Saturday, July 10 _ Tacos to Go!-Enjoy the story of "Paco y el Taco," and then make your own Mexican meal. 10:00 a.m. -4:30 p.m. Capital Children's Museum. (Program repeats on July 11, July 17, and July 18). . _ Digital Painting-Young artists are invited to use computers to broaden the scope of traditional painting. 11 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. and 12 noon - 12:30 p.m. Ages 3 and up. Capital Children's Museum. . _ Kendama-Craft your own version of this popular Japanese toy. 12 noon - 3 p.m. (This program repeats on July 11, July 19, and July 21). Sunday, July 11 _ Super Spinners-Study the basic physics of rotation and motion, and then build your own paper helicopter. 12 noon - 3 p.m. Ages 3 and up. Capital Children's Museum. Monday, July 12 _ Tools As Art-Use washers, nuts, and bolts to construct your own tool derived creative design. 12:30 p.m. - 4 p.m. All ages,$5 per sculpture. National Building Museum. _ Japanese Storytelling-Revel in an afternoon of traditional Japanese storytelling, or kamishibai. 2:30 p.m. Space is limited,so sign up at the front desk on the day of the activity. Capital Children's Museum. (This program repeats on July 14, July 26, and July 28). Tuesday, July 13 . _ Down on the Farm-Investigate elementary science with a series of engaging and instructive games and experiments. 10:30 a.m. - 12 noon, for ages 2 - 3. $11 materials fee, with advance registration required. Capital Children's Museum. (Program repeats on July 14, July 20, and July 21). . _ Color Connection-Learn the Japanese names for a rainbow of colors. 12 noon - 3 p.m. Capital Children's Museum. (Program repeats on July 27). Wednesday, July 14 . _ Fractured Fairy Tales-Rand Whipple and the Box of Light Theatre Company combine humor, story, movement, and audience interaction in a unique stage show that presents new and zany takes on some of the world's most famous and best loved tales. 10 a.m. and 11:30 p.m. All ages. Tickets $5 adults, $4 children (ages 2 - 16), $3.75 resident members. Call 202-357-1500 for reservations. Arts & Industries Building (Discovery Theater, West Door). (Program repeats on July 15 and July 16). . _ Pattern Builders-Children investigate recurring patterns in stories, building materials, and throughout the museum. 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Ages 4 - 7. National Building Museum. . _ Fanstruction-Make a hand-held fan in the shape of various buildings. 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. All ages,$3 per art project. National Building Museum. Thursday, July 15 _ Drawing a Positive Image-Join award-winning cartoonist Todd Sprow for a playful and pride-filled illustration workshop. 10:30 a.m. - noon. Reservations suggested (202-287-3369). Anacostia Museum & Center for African American History & Culture. Baseball on the Hill... Catch I t ! Friday, July 16 _ Mars Day-Take part in a Mars trivia contest, see a meteorite, study the latest images coming back from the Red Planet, chat with the museum's planetary geologists and researchers, and revel in the renewed interest in earth's mysterious neighbor. 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. National Air and Space Museum. Saturday, July 17 _ E-Nikki-Make a Japanese picture diary, or e-nikki, to capture the highlights of your summer vacation. 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Capital Children's Museum. (Program repeats on July 18 Sunday, July 18 _ Ice Cream Around the World-Celebrate National Ice Cream Day with a tasty treat. 12 noon - 3 p.m. Capital Children's Museum. Tuesday, July 20 _ Agoo! Amee! ("Hey everybody, listen up!")-Kofi and Kwame of Anansegromma lead the audience through a lively set of West African songs, dances, and call and response games. 10 a.m. and 11:30 p.m. All ages. Tickets $5 for adults, $4 for children (ages 2 - 16), and $3.75 for members. Call 202-357-1500 for reservations. Arts & Industries Building, Discovery Theater (West Door), 900 Jefferson Drive SW. (Program repeats on July 21, July 22, and July 23). _ Gifts for Kings and Queens-Marvel at the breathtaking hammered silver and gold objects in the museum's "Luxury Arts of the Silk Route Empires" exhibit, then craft a silver pendant of your own. 2 p.m. Ages 6 -14 with adult. Arthur M. Sackler Gallery (Sackler Classroom, Level 2). (Program repeats on July 21, July 22, July 27, July 28, and July 29). Wednesday, July 21 _ Playful Pop-Up-Fashion a colorful pop-up house from a single piece of paper. 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. All ages,$3 per art project. National Building Museum. Thursday, July 22 _ The Pageantry of the Post-Discover the connection between the postal system and the British monarchy, and examine a collection of British stamps. 12 noon - 4 p.m. National Postal Museum (Atrium), 2 Massachusetts Avenue NE, 202-357-2991 or 202-633-5534. Friday, July 23 _ Fun in the Sun Safety Workshop-Learn sun safety in this interactive, family-oriented workshop presented by the EPA. 11 a.m. - 12 noon. Ages 2 - 5 with adult. Advance registration required. Capital Children's Museum. Saturday, July 24 _ Balero-Make your own version of balero, a favorite Mexican cup and ball game. 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Capital Children's Museum. (Program repeats on July 25). . _ Airplane Mobiles-Make a simple mobile with airplanes built from and decorated with common crafts materials. 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. All ages, $3 per mobile. National Building Museum. . _ Robert Strong-Join showman Robert Strong and his pals for an hour of mayhem, magic, general zaniness, and much juggling. 12 noon. Tickets $5 adult, $4 children (ages 2 - 16), $3.75 members. Call 202-357-1500 for reservations. Arts & Industries Building, Discovery Theater (West Door). (Program repeats at 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. on July 25, July 26, July 27, July 28, July 29, and July 30). . _ Mt. Fuji-Make your own replica of this sacred and majestic Japanese landmark. 12 noon - 3 p.m. Capital Children's Museum. (Program repeats on July 25). Sunday, July 25 _ Secrets of Seeds-Examine the secret life of seeds and explore the wonder of plant growth. 12 noon - 3 p.m. Ages 3 and up. Capital Children's Museum. Wednesday, July 28 _ City Designers-Young designers will uncover design and architectural elements during a scavenger hunt, and then create a model city comprised of their own building constructions. 10:30 - 1:30 p.m. Ages 6 - 12. National Building Museum. _ Shining Shapes-Use everyday buttons, beads, and sequins to decorate your own mirror window ornaments. 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. All ages,$3 per art project. National Building Museum. Late Registration! CAPITOL HILL BASEBALL & SOFTBALL LEAGUE Coed Summer League T-Ball 6-under _ 7-8 Coach Pitch _ 9-11 Machine Pitch June 19th through July 31st 202.546.7000 ext.251 www.sportsonthehill.org Kids' Sports BY LARRY KAUFER The Senators-No longer the Underdog ince their top 10 finish in the 2003 World Series, the Capitol Hill based girls 14U-fast pitch softball team has been ramping up for the 2004 World Series. Ahead of some expectations, the team has 59 wins and 12 losses since last year, and currently is on a 25 game winning streak in national class tournament play. Since early May, they have been ranked number one in the 14U U.S. Specialty Sports Association list of 1500 teams from around the nation. Although they are based at and practice at Tyler Field, 10th and I St. SE, the Senators have played all of their games away around the Mid-Atlantic. They have won five straight national tournaments against some of the best teams from Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. In a recent tournament they did not allow an earned run in two days of play. At that pace, the Senators will likely be the top seed in the 2004 World Series to be held July 25 to August 1 at the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex, home to the Atlanta Braves farm system and host of top tournaments in country. Barring the unforeseen, they will likely be the favored team in the battle for the national title. If successful, the Hill's team would bring the first fast pitch national title to DC, no small achievement for a program started just 5 years ago. Coach Stan Kolbe and assistant coaches Dave Martin and Rick Polan have had their players hard at work preparing for the return to the World Series. They know that arduous preparation and long hours of practice are the minimum standard for the top teams. So far no serious injuries have limited their ability to compete and they hope that good training and fortune continues, allowing the starting line up to stay intact leading up to the Series and throughout the very tough week of matches they will play in the late July heat in Orlando. The Senators have outstanding hitting (team average .300+), pitching and defense with a team largely made up of returning members from last season. With a top catcher in Brittany Polan and a pitching staff led by two pitchers with earned run averages under 1 per game-Carly Martin and Alie Kolbe-the team also features a solid defensive group to back them up. The infield standouts are Meg Krasne at first, Erin Buddemeyer at second, Michelle Linford at short and Casey Rolla at third. In the outfield Vicki Webb is in center, Michelle Tabisz and Kelly Costello sharing left and Sonya Soloway and Alani Kravitz sharing right field. While the World Series experience was a bit intimidating and distracting last summer, this time Coach Kolbe believes everyone can stay focused on winning first and tournament fanfare second. Their experience last year as the youngest team at the playoffs was the best prelude for their run at the top. "Competing for the national title in any sport may come your way only once in a lifetime so give your absolute best effort this time around," Coach Kolbe reminds the players. While the Senators have been giving 100% on the field, the team's success is also due to the generous contributions of local businesses and associations who finance the team, its travel and tournament expenses. Locally-raised funds have been the key to restoring and maintaining the once neglected Tyler Field-now a showplace field for local teams and proof of community interest and investment in youth sports. The Senators' organization, a division of the Capitol Hill Baseball and Softball League (CHBSL), is grateful to the following generous supporters: John C. Formant Real Estate, Von Schlegel Realty Team/Remax, Finn macCool's, Kathy Davison, Realtor; Splash Carwash; Sheet Metal Workers International Assoc.; The Sheet Metal Contractors National Association; Danner Development; Grayton Plumbing; Amato Industries; Long Island Sheet Metal Contractors Association; Phyllis Jane Young, Realtor, Capitol Title Insurance Agency; Results-The Gym; Larry Chartienitz, Realtor; the Optimist Fund of the Capitol Area; and the DC Sports and Entertainment Commission. In addition to all of the great financial supporters, Coach Kolbe thanks all the wonderful parents and volunteers who have put forth the huge effort necessary to transport the team to far off stadiums to play as many as seven tough games in two days. Without this collective participation and support, and the girls' dedication, the team would be spectators at the 2004 Series on ESPN and not the ones on the field and television screen playing for the World Series title. Coach Kolbe summed it up, "To be in the final game of the 2004 World Series on August 1 has been our goal since the moment we left the Series last year and we are on target to get there at this point in the season." In the time left before the Series, the team will be busy raising the funds necessary for travel, fees and tournament expenses. Senators fans and supporters can help by sending tax deductible donations to: Senators Softball, 605 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20003. For questions about donations or other issues, please e-mail Senators Softball@aol.com or call John Parker, Commissioner of the CHBSL at 202-546-7000, ext 251. New Seating at Ludlow-Taylor Ballfield The ballfield at Ludlow-Taylor Elementary School at 6th and G St. NE has been the home of the Ludlow-Taylor Warriors for several years. The Warriors are coached by Greg Selfridge and are a 1112 year old baseball team that is part of the Capitol Hill Baseball and Softball League(CHBSL). The field has 60 f t. basepaths, a pitching mound, and a grass infield, all in excellent condition as it was recently renovated for school and youth league games. Good fields are good fields but when good fields have seating, they become great fields-ask any spectator. The CHBSL, through its commissioner John Parker, recently applied for and received a grant from the Capitol Hill Community Foundation to purchase and install a new set of bleachers at the field. Needless to say, they were a hit from day one for team practice, for team meetings, and for spectators at the games who find a welcome relief from standing for several hours to watch a game. Many thanks to the Capitol Hill Community Foundation for their continuing support of youth sports around Capitol Hill. Larry Kaufer covers kids' sports for the Voice. The new bleachers seating the Ludlow-Taylor Warriors team from this Spring 2004 season. July 1 THEATER: Renegade Theater presents Anything Goes! at 8 p.m. Set sail on the USSAmerican on a transatlantic voyage with Reno Sweeny and her Angels, the Bishop and his Chinese converts, Public Enemy #13 and his gun moll, British high society and his fiance....and her mother, and a chorus of championship swing dancers! Amidst mixed identities, clever disguises and rousing dance numbers with music by the incomparable Cole Porter, find out if Boy gets Girl gets Boy gets Girl to live happily ever after! The show is at the Warehouse Theater, 1021 7th St., NW, between New York Avenue and L Street. Tickets are available on the web at www.renegadedc.org or by calling the box office 301-871-1487. Don't miss the boat! BOOK TALK: Olsson's Book Store will host a presentation by Josh Olsen, author of Better Places, Better Lives: A Biography of James Rouse at 7 p.m. The career of James Rouse, real estate developer and master planner, is the story of how and why America was built the way it was during the last half century. From affordable mortgages on suburban homes to inner-city urban renewal, from the shopping mall to the festival marketplace, and from a planned community for 100,000 people to individual homes for the poor, Rouse was there, leading the way. Olsen's biography touches upon all aspects of Rouse's life- from his boyhood in a rural town to his golden years in a city he built from scratch. This is the first book to chronicle the trend-setting develop-er's inspirations and to explore the ramifications, good and bad, of his many innovative projects, all the while explaining how he leapt from one to the other, turning plans into places, building what he believed to be a better America. Olsen will give a talk on his biography, answer questions, and sign books. Olsson's is located at 418 7th St., NW. For more information, call 202-638-7610. July 2 ART OPENING: Color My World, a membership summer show opens with a reception from 6 to 8 p.m. at 9 Hillyer Ct., NW. For information, call 202-378-0203 THEATER: Renegade Theater presents Anything Goes! at 8 p.m. at the Warehouse Theater, 1021 7th St., NW. Refer to July 1 entry for production details. Tickets are available online at www.rene-gadedc.org or by calling the box office 301-871-1487. July 3 THEATER: Renegade Theater presents Anything Goes! at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. at theWarehouse Theater, 1021 7th St., NW. Refer to July 1 entry www.voiceofthehill.com Community calendar for production details. Tickets These concerts are held on team of women from every 6:30 p.m. at the Goethe-are available online at the first and third Wednesday class, region and religion pro-Institut Washington, the www.renegadedc.org or by of each month from 12:30 duce a story that is both German Cultural Center, 812 calling the box office 301-pm to 1:30 pm in the Frances touching and compelling. Seventh St., NW. For informa-871-1487. and Armand Hammer Caught in a love triangle with tion call, 202-289-1200. Auditorium. There is no a young bomber pilot, who charge for this event; tickets like all the airmen had an July 4 are not required. Call 202-80% chance of dying before July 13 THEATER: Renegade Theater 639-1770 for more informa-completing a 30 flight tour of EXHIBIT VIEWING & PRESEN-presents Anything Goes! at 2 tion. duty, the girlfriends know that TATION: The Corcoran pres- p.m. at the Warehouse any night could be his last. ents Portraits and Politics: Theater, 1021 7th St., NW. Visit www.girlfriendsthemusi-Photographs from the Front Refer to July 1 entry for pro-July 8 cal.com for more information Lines of History at 7 p.m. duction details. Tickets are THEATER: Capital or call 800-372-7299. Karin Ballard, winner of the available online at www.rene-Renaissance Theatre pres-White House News gadedc.org or by calling the ents Nervosis, a one-woman Photographer 2004 Political box office 301-871-1487. show based on stand-up com-July 10 Photo of the Year Award, as edy material written and per-THEATER: Capital well as numerous other pres- formed by Renaissance Theatre pres-tigious awards, has traveled July 5 comedienne/humorist ents Nervosis at 2 p.m. and to Iraq four times, accompa-FAMILY: The Capital Children's Meshelle Foreman Shields 8 p.m. at the H Street nying General Tommy Franks Museum invites you to discov-during her leave of absence Playhouse, 1365 H St., NE. and Secretary of Defense er how the Mayans built their from the Temple University Refer to July 8 entry for pro-Donald Rumsfeld. She is a pyramids and create one to Psychology Doctoral Program. duction details. For informa-contributor to Time, take home. This event is on-For nearly 90 minutes, tion and tickets, call 877-426-Newsweek, US News and going from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Meshelle's witty and hysteri-9372. Learn more online at World Report, and Paris For more information, visit cal observations on (and imi-www.capitaltheatre.com and Match, among other major www.ccm.org. The Children's tations of) liars in church, www.blackwordsonline.com. publications. Ballard gives a Museum is located at 800 Condi Rice's sexuality, black pinpoint presentation focus3rd St., NE. For more informa-folks and planes, and other THEATER: Renegade Theater ing on the images she caption, call 202-675-4120 or instances of nervosis, will presents Anything Goes! at 2 tured on her travels to Iraq, visit www.ccm.org. have you laughing and think-p.m. and 8 p.m. at the Afghanistan, and the Persian ing...and wondering if you've Warehouse Theater, 1021 7th Gulf. The exhibition viewing MUSICAL THEATER: got it. The show is at 8 p.m. St., NW. Refer to July 1 entry follows. Admission is $12 for Aldersgate Church Commnity at the H Street Playhouse, for production details. Tickets Corcoran members and $16 Theater presents Annie at 3 1365 H St., NE. For informa-are available online at for the general public. For p.m. In the depths of thetion and tickets, call 877-426-www.renegadedc.org or by information, log on to 1930's, Annie is a fiery young 9372. Learn more online at calling the box office 301-www.corcoran.org or call 202orphan girl who must live in a www.capitaltheatre.com and 871-1487. 639-1770. miserable orphanage run by www.blackwordsonline.com. the tyrannical Miss Hannigan. Her seemingly hopeless situa-THEATER: Renegade Theater July 11 July 14 tion changes dramatically presents Anything Goes! at 8 THEATER: Capital DANCE: The Library of when she is selected to p.m. at the Warehouse Renaissance Theatre pres-Congress presents a special spend a short time at the res-Theater, 1021 7th St., NW. ents Nervosis at 4 p.m. at dance performance at 12 idence of the wealthy muni-Refer to July 1 entry for pro-the H Street Playhouse, 1365 noon in the Madison Hall. The tions industrialist, Oliver duction details. Tickets are H St., NE. Refer to July 8 Oinkari Basque Dancers, from Warbucks. Quickly, she available online at www.rene-entry for production details. Boise, Idaho, perform the tracharms the hearts of the gadedc.org or by calling the For information and tickets, ditional dances brought from household staff and even the box office 301-871-1487. call 877-426-9372. Learn the Basque region of the seemingly cold-hearted more online at www.capi-Pyrenees Mountains of France Warbucks cannot help but taltheat re.com and and Spain to the West by learn to love this wonderful July 9 www.blackwordsonline.com. immigrants in the late nine-girl. He decides to help Annie THEATER: Capital teenth and early twentieth find her long lost parents by Renaissance Theatre pres-THEATER: Renegade Theater centuries. In 1960 a group of offering a reward if they would ents Nervosis at 8 p.m. at presents Anything Goes! at 2 young Basque Americans travcome to him and prove their the H Street Playhouse, 1365 p.m. at the Warehouse eled to the town of Donosti in identity. However, Miss H St., NE. Refer to July 8 Theater, 1021 7th St., NW. Basque country and became Hannigan, her evil relative, entry for production details. Refer to July 1 entry for pro-inspired to form a group that Rooster, and a female accom-For information and tickets, duction details. Tickets are preserved these dances. Now plice, plan to impersonate call 877-426-9372. Learn available online at www.rene-after forty years, the sons those people to get the more online at www.capi-gadedc.org or by calling the and daughters of the founding reward for themselves which taltheatre.com and box office 301-871-1487. members carry on the tradiput Annie in great danger. www.blackwordsonline.com. tion. The name "Oinkari" Aldersgate United Methodist means "fast feet," an apt Church is located at 1301 THEATER: Renegade Theater July 12 description of the acrobatic Collingwood Rd., Alexandria, presents Anything Goes! at 8 FILM SERIES: The Goethe-dance style. The peformance Va. For more information, call p.m. at the Warehouse Institut presents Master is free of charge; all are wel-703-799-7061 or visit Theater, 1021 7th St., NW. Game in conjunction with come. www.aldersgate.net. Refer to July 1 entry for pro-Hybrid Forms: Trends in duction details. Tickets are Documentary Filmmaking, an available online at www.rene-on-going film series devoted July 15 July 6 gadedc.org or by calling the to young filmmakers experi-THEATER: Capital CONCERT: Don't miss a spe-box office 301-871-1487. menting with blending fact Renaissance Theatre prescial evening with Lyle Lovett. and fiction. Documentary ents Nervosis at 8 p.m. at The tall Texan returns to Wolf MUSICAL THEATER: Women's films show life as it really is - the H Street Playhouse, 1365 Trap to amuse with his witty Memorial Theater presents or do they? As filmmakers H St., NE. Refer to July 8 stories and songs, from old Girlfriends at 8 p.m. Set in experiment with blending his-entry for production details. favorites to tracks off his lat-England in 1941 during World torical fact and narrative, they For information and tickets, est album, My Baby Don't War II before the United blur and transcend the bound-call 877-426-9372. Learn Tolerate. The show starts at States joined the war, and aries of what makes up a more online at www.capi- 7:30 p.m. at the Filene focusing on the lives of two documentary film. Many new, taltheatre.com and Center at Wolf Trap, 1624 best friends, Girlfriends is an young filmmakers disregard www.blackwordsonline.com. Trap Rd., Vienna, Va. In-house emotionally compelling musi-the media-related differences tickets are $36; lawn tickets cal that celebrates the mem-between film, television, and THEATER: Renegade Theater are $22. For More bers of Great Britain's famous the new media, producing presents Anything Goes! at 8 Information call 703-255-Women's Auxiliary Air Force hybrid forms of documen-p.m. at the Warehouse 1900 or log on to www.wolf-as they struggle to survive taries that no longer fit into Theater, 1021 7th St., NW. trap.org. and fight to win. As an evoca-any tightly prescribed cate-Refer to July 1 entry for pro tive reminder of our world sit-gories. The films in Hybrid duction details. Tickets are uation today, Girlfriends asks Forms, directed primarily by available online at www.rene-July 7 why we go to war for both the young filmmakers, provide a gadedc.org or by calling the JAZZ CONCERT: Jazz up your good and bad and honors taste of the wide variety of box office 301-871-1487. lunch time as the Corcoran those who have risked their trends which are made possi-Gallery of Art continues its lives to preserve freedom for ble with digital technology. All free jazz concert series with all. The bravery, camaraderie, films are 16mm. Admission is the Susan Jones Quartet. solidarity and humor of this $5 and the film starts at rhythms and fast footwork. stand the constant struggle $35.00 - $90.00. Purchase July 30 The group places a large with one's past and the ability tickets by phone at 202-295-THEATER: Capital emphasis on improvisation, to learn from it, leave it 2400 or log on to tap in its purest form, and is behind, and embrace the sure to be a rich palate for future. The show is at 8:30 the ears, delighting fans of p.m. at the H Street rhythm tap and newcomers Playhouse, 1365 H St., NE. alike. Admission is $15 for For information and tickets, Corcoran members and $20 call 877-426-9372. Learn for the general public. For more online at www.capi- Renaissance Theatre in asso- www.kennedy-center.org. ciation with illpoets.com pres ents The Definition of: A Hip Hop & Poetry Introspective at July 28 8 p.m. at the H StreetFAMILY WORKSHOP: The Playhouse, 1365 H St., NE. Capital Children's Museum Refer to July 22 entry for pro-presents Create a Codex at 1 duction details. For informainformation, log on to taltheatre.com. p.m. Document historical tion and tickets, call 877-426-www.corcoran.org or call 202-events, just like the Mayans, 639-1770 July 23 RELIEF PRINTMAKING & THEATER: Capital BOOKMAKING WORKSHOP: Renaissance Theatre pres-The Capitol Hill Arts ents ...So Goes a Nation, at Workshop hosts an Intensive 8:30 p.m. at the H Street Relief Printmaking and Playhouse, 1365 H St., NE. 9372. Learn more online at by creating your own codex, or www.capitaltheatre.com and record keeping book. Space www.illpoets.com. is limited; sign up at the front desk the day of the activity. The Children's Museum is July 31 located at 800 3rd St., NE. THEATER: Capital For more information, call Bookmaking workshop with Refer to July 22 entry for pro-Alex Huttinger from 6:45 to duction details. For informa- Renaissance Theatre in asso-202-675-4120 or visit ciation with illpoets.com pres-www.ccm.org. ents The Definition of: A Hip8:45 p.m. Students will learn tion and tickets, call 877-426-how to effectively plan and 9372. Learn more online at create a unique book illustrat-www.capitaltheatre.com. ed with the student's own relief and/or monotype prints. Hop & Poetry Introspective at LECTURE: The Corcoran pres-8 p.m. at the H Street ents New Manners for the Playhouse, 1365 H St., NE. New Times: An Evening with Refer to July 22 entry for pro-Letitia Baldrige at 6 p.m. duction details. For informa-This workshop runs for four July 24 Hailed by Time magazine as tion and tickets, call 877-426-weeks at the Capitol Hill Arts THEATER: Capital "the foremost American 9372. Learn more online at Workshop, 545 7th St., SE. Renaissance Theatre pres-authority on manners," Letitia www.capitaltheatre.com and For more information or to ents ...So Goes a Nation, at Baldrige is universally recog-www.illpoets.com. register, call 202-547-6839 or 8:30 p.m. at the H Street nized as our country's leading visit www.chaw.org. Playhouse, 1365 H St., NE. authority on executive, FILM: Films on the Hill pres-Refer to July 22 entry for pro-domestic, and social man duction details. For informa-July 21 tion and tickets, call 877-426-FILM: Films on the Hill pres-9372. Learn more online at ents The Iron Mask (1929), www.capitaltheatre.com ents The Master of Ballantrae ners. With her legendary (1953), the third in their sum-background in both the gov-mer swashbuckler series and ernment (including her stint in based on the novel by Robert the Kennedy White House) Louis Stevenson. Set at the the second in their series of and business worlds, she is time when the Scots were try-summer swashbucklers, and July 25 the primary authority on the ing to restore Bonnie Princebased on the works of integration of goals that often Alexandre Dumas. When THEATER: Capital twins are born to the King of Renaissance Theatre pres-Charlie to the throne, Errol seem at odds with one anoth-Flynn stars as a betrayed vet-er - family, work, and pleas eran of that war who, when France, one is raised to be ents ...So Goes a Nation, at 5 ure. Her latest book, Letitia shanghaied by pirates, turns the king. The other tries to p.m. at the H Street Baldrige's Guide to New usurp the throne and puts the Playhouse, 1365 H St., NE. rightful king in prison wearing Refer to July 22 entry for pro-an iron mask. Douglas duction details. For informa-Fairbanks, the screen's origi-tion and tickets, call 877-426-nal swashbuckler, sets things 9372. Learn more online at right. Preceded by Charlie www.capitaltheatre.com. Chaplin in Easy Street. The the table on them before Manners for New Times returning home for revenge. (Scribner 2003) leads us into The film begins at 6 p.m. atthe complex world of the new the Capitol Hill Arts Work- millennium. In a remarkable shop, 545 7th St., SE. Admisevening, Ms. Baldrige pro-sion is $5, and is payable at vides a personal look at new the door only. Visit www.film- manners to adopt, old man- THEATER: Renegade Theater THEATER: Capital film begins at 7 p.m. at the presents Anything Goes! at 8 Renaissance Theatre pres-Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, sonthehill.com for details. ners to discard and the few July 26 manners we must cling to for FILM: Films on the Hill pres-p.m. at the Warehouse ents Nervosis at 4 p.m. at 545 7th St., SE. Admission is CONCERT: Wolf Trap presents dear life. Following the talk, ents the Washington premiere Theater, 1021 7th St., NW. the H Street Playhouse, 1365 $5, and is payable at the the B-52's, with special guest Ms. Baldrige signs copies of of Culloden (1964), an inno-Refer to July 1 entry for pro-H St., NE. Refer to July 8 door only. Visit www.filmson-the Mosquitos, at 8 p.m. her most popular books. vative documentary by Peter duction details. Tickets are entry for production details. thehill.com for details. Don't miss the Wolf Trap Admission is $12 for Watkins about the Battle of available online at www.rene-For information and tickets, debut of these retro rockers! Corcoran members and $15 Culloden, the war Errol Flynn gadedc.org or by calling the call 877-426-9372. Learn JAZZ CONCERT: Jazz up your In-house tickets are $36; for the general public. For was fighting in the 6 p.m. box office 301-871-1487. more online at www.capi-lunch time as the Corcoran lawn tickets are $22. Wolf information, log on to screening of Master of Ballan-taltheatre.com and Gallery of Art continues its Trap is located at 1624 Trap www.corcoran.org or call 202 FILM: Films on the Hill pres-www.blackwordsonline.com. free jazz concert series with ents Scaramouche (1952), solo pianist Bob Vigoda. the first in their series of THEATER CLOSING:Renegade These concerts are held on summer swashbucklers. Set Theater presents the closing the first and third Wednesday just before the French performance of Anything of each month from 12:30 Revolution, Stewart Granger, Goes! at 2 p.m. at the pm to 1:30 pm in the Frances trae. The film created a sen-Rd., Vienna, Va. For More 639-1770. sation at the time with raves Information, call 703-255-from the press for its com1900. pelling realism. A must for July 29 war history buffs and Scots. July 27 THEATER: Capital This film starts at 8 p.m. at Renaissance Theatre in asso-the Capitol Hill Arts Work-the handsome hero, revenges Warehouse Theater, 1021 7th and Armand Hammer Audi- MUSICAL THEATER: The ciation with illpoets.com pres-shop, 545 7th St., SE. Admisthe death of his friend in the St., NW. Refer to July 1 entry torium. There is no charge for Kennedy Center presents The ents The Definition of: A Hip sion is $5, and is payable at longest and most audacious for production details. Tickets this event; tickets are not Producers at 7:30 p.m. The Hop & Poetry Introspective, the door only. Visit www.film-sword fight in the history of are available online at required. Call 202-639-1770 new Mel Brooks musical featuring the illpoets.com sonthehill.com for details. film. Scaramouche is based www.renegadedc.org or by for more information. makes its Washington pre-Collective, the Poemcees, and on the popular novel by calling the box office 301-miere at the Kennedy Center Psalmayene 24. Founded in FASHION SHOW & LECTURE: Sabatini and co-stars Mel 871-1487. Opera House for a limited 9-2001, illpoets.com is a col-Ferrer, Janet Leigh and July 22 Eleanor Parker. The film THEATER: Capital begins at 7 p.m. at the July 20 Don't miss Threads of Time, week engagement. Winner of lective of local artits hailing the Fabric of History at 1 p.m. a record-breaking twelve from DC, Maryland, and at the National Society Renaissance Theatre pres-2001 Tony Awards, the musi-Virginia, that focus on redefin-Daughters of the American Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, PERFORMANCE: The Corcoran ents ...So Goes a Nation, writ-cal the New York Observer ing what art truly is. Be it Revolution Museum. Rose545 7th St., SE. Admission is presents dcArtistry: tap and ten and directed by N. LaQuis calls "the best show ever" is spoken word, hip hop, mary E. Reed Miller, owner of $5, and is payable at the drum at 7 p.m. Promising to Harkins and presented in the biggest smash to hit singing, or theater, the mem-Toast and Strawberries, a door only. Visit www.filmson-be an ear-opening feast, this association with Fire, Tears, Broadway in years. Directed bers of illpoets.com do it, and Washington, D.C. boutique will thehill.com for details. evening offers a tantalizing and Ink. ...So Goes a Nation and choreographed by five-do it well. The show is at 8 provide a lecture and fashion blend of swing, jazz, blues, is the story of four black time Tony Award winner Susan p.m. at the H Street show highlighting African- latin, hip-hop and step danc-women, ranging in age from Stroman (Crazy for You, Playhouse, 1365 H St., NE. American contributions to the July 17 ing. Tumbao transports the thelate teens to mid-forties, Contact, The Music Man), the For information and tickets, fashion industry from the THEATER: Capital audience into a symphony of embarking on a healing jour-New York Times declares The call 877-426-9372. Learn 1800s to today. The program Renaissance Theatre pres-tap and drum sound. JB, cho-ney that leads them through Producers "a blissful specta-more online at www.capi-is free of charge; reservations ents Nervosis at 2 p.m. and reographed by renowned tap the dark paths of weakness cle that will leave you deliri-taltheatre.com and www.illpo-are required. Contact the 8 p.m. at the H Street dancer Robert Burden of Tap and despair to settle in a ous!" This show is not recom-ets.com. museum at 202-879-3240 to Playhouse, 1365 H St., NE. Team Two, pays tribute to old place of strength, triumph, mended for children under 12 reserve a space and for fur-Refer to July 8 entry for pro-school funk, as dancers inno-and peace. Although very dif-years. Tickets range from ther information. duction details. For informa-vatively play the music of ferent, the women are linked tion and tickets, call 877-426-James Brown and Funkadelic together by their life-changing 9372. Learn more online at with their feet. Ruffneck Jazz battles with HIV/AIDS. With www.capitaltheatre.com and is a light-hearted choreo-the cast as their guide, the Send your calendar announcements to www.blackwordsonline.com. graphic endeavor, filled with audience will seek to under-julia@voiceofthehill.com STARRY DAYS Eastern Daylight Time Edition Your Astrological Guide to the Pursuit of Happiness BY JEFFREY HOWARD (c) All rights reserved STARRY DAYS is written based upon the ever-changing positions of all the planets. Experiment: Observe what happens when you align with the planets. STARRY DAYS is written for each time zone to help us find the shifting tides of opportunity. Using this calendar can help us all in our pursuit of happiness. May you be happy. Thursday, July 1 Monday, July 12 Saturday, July 24 This afternoon, energy poured Try to get back to the comput-World peace begins with little into your career brings good er at 3:45 p.m. smiles in our own neighbor-result s. hood. Tuesday, July 13 Friday, July 2 If we turn our thoughts to how Sunday, July 25 Full Moon at 7:09 a.m. A we might improve our family The stars will help if you want good day to trim the weeds in relationships, to start a new diet today. our gardens, or those that improvement likely follows. might be growing in our minds. Monday, July 26 Wednesday, July 14 Make no plans today, and Saturday, July 3 Organize your shoes. avoid big deeds, but tonight, This afternoon play with before bed, plan bold friends.. deeds for tomorrow. Thursday, July 15 Sunday, July 4 Attempts to beautify our Family first. Family above all homes can bring surprising Tuesday, July 27 else. dividends. If we pretend to be young, healthy, happy, world-class Monday, July 5 Friday, July 16 athletes, maybe we can put a Wait till 2:26 p.m. before See a movie with friends bounce into our step, and a committing to anything impor-tonight. little flair into our work. tant. Saturday, July 17 Wednesday, July 28 Tuesday, July 6 Invite the neighbors to join Review the plans you've made Put energy into caring for oth-you in a book-reading party. to attain your goals. ers: Run for public office. Sunday, July 18 Thursday, July 29 Wednesday, July 7 Find an excuse to stay home. Flamboyance can improve our Pay attention to everyone's luck. feelings, including your own, Monday, July 19 especially this evening around A tidy workplace lifts energy Friday, July 30 7 p.m. at 2:50 p.m. Be humble. Be patient. Thursday, July 8 Tuesday, July 20 Saturday, July 31 This Full Moon (2:05 p.m.) is Focused, disciplined effort A little stroll after dinner after lunch will pay off. improves digestion. a Blue Moon, which occurs upon the 2d Full Moon in a calendar month making this a Friday, July 9 Wednesday, July 21 doubly good time to get close Work before leisure. A thoughtful, considerate per- to our sweeties. son, a slow person, makes Saturday, July 10 good progress today. Jeffrey Howard has sometimes Let's slow down and try to slept on the ground, but for think of others before we Thursday, January 22 many years he has slept on transition into me-me-me. This morning make noise. the floor, still he can be Celebrate yourself. reached at Sunday, July 11 mayyoubehappy@aol.com Read old letters or diaries Friday, July 23 this evening. If we wear our dancing shoes to work, we will have happy feet! To place a classified: Log on to www.voiceofthehill.com, go the newspaper drop down button, and click on "Classifieds." Then follow the directions for placing an ad. Classifieds are posted online and in the next printed edition of The Voice. The cost is $25 payable by credit card through the website. You may also fax your ad to 202-318-7806. For info, call 202-544-0703.For display advertising, call Bruce Robey at 202-544-0703 or 202- 841-9080. Books Wanted to purchase Quality used books. Single volumes or entire library! Call Steve at Riverby Books, 202-544-1925 Books Bought and Sold. We want what you can give, we pay what we can afford. Capitol Hill Books. Capitol Hill's used bookstore across the street from Eastern Market. 657 C Street, SE, 202-544-1621 Employment Help Wanted Light construction/remodeling. Pay will be based on experience. Call Mon-Fri 8-5 202-257-6156 Help wanted- Able to grow-Fragers. Just Ask Rental needs utility person to learn all aspects of business. Service oriented, mechanical minded, able to work all hours including nights and weekends. Willing to clean oily, dusty equipment in all weather inside and outside. Some heavy lifting required. Unbroken work history, checkable references, valid driver's license and good driving history. apply in person, 1107 Penn Ave., SE. See Jay. Help Wanted Small Georgetown law firm specializing in commercial litigation and construction law is looking for a capable individual to provide legal administrative support; requires 2-4 years experience; strong verbal/writ-ten communication skills; familiarity with Microsoft Office, Adobe, Westlaw;salary contingent on experience; fax resume to Sue (202) 822-6982 EOE Build Your Own Business Ever consider a lucrative business in real estate sales? Come learn how agents are earning incomes of $65,000-$600,000. Learn what is involved in getting started and building your business. Learn how soon you can start. Learn why some brokerage firms are better for beginners than others. 1 hour, FREE career seminars are held most Tuesdays at 1p.m. You must register to attend. 202-393-8271x155. Larry.Kamins@Prudential Carruthers.com. Prudential Carruthers REALTORS, Capitol Hill office. For Rent House for rent Charming historic alley house behind Atlas Theater. 2-story, one-bedroom end unit with lots of light. All new renovation with European-style bath, skylight, brand-new kitchen with self-cleaning oven, dishwasher, disposal, microwave, refrigerator w/ice-maker, washer/dryer. Hardwood floors upstairs, Italian ceramic tile on first floor. Includes small yard space and parking. In the heart of the new H Street Arts & Entertainment District. $1,000/month + utilities. Call Orlando at 202.369.9549 Office Space for Rent 1101 Pennsyvania Ave., SE, 2nd floor, above Frager's paint store. 2 offices, conference room about 1,000 sq. ft. $1600/month or rent as separate offices from $600/month. Call John Weintraub at home, 202-547-6746 Garage for Rent GARAGE 1 block Lincoln Park, 1/4 block East Capitol. Vehicles only. $165 - $220/ month 410-991-0038 Storage/Garage Space Available. Secure, 24 hour easy access. Capitol Hill, 1 block from metro. 10x20 garages. $125/month. 202-543-3370 or mberman@his.com For Sale House For Sale Cheverly-3009 Cheverly Ave, USA! Wonderful 4BR 2 1/2 BA all brick Colonial in the heart of town. Spacious living room w/FP, seperate dining room, HWF,Florida room, mud room,TSP,deck,fully finished basement w/knotty pine pan-eling,fireplace and 1/2 BA. Four real bedrooms! CAC, replacement windows and newer systems. 11,000 sf lot! Pool Club. Metro rail!Open 4-19-04 from 1-4. $319,000. John Parker/Coldwell Banker 202-413-5377. Services VCS Chimney Sweeps We specialise in chimney cleaning & repairs Call 301-408-8422 http://www.vcschim-neysweeps.com ELEMENTAL THERAPY,LLC The Art and Science of Alternative Health Care is your out-call professional service. Certified massage therapists serving the N.Virginia, S.Maryland and Washington DC Metropolitan area. By appointment only. Visit our website at www.ele-mental-wellness.com or call to schedule your session now at 703.606.2226. Home/Office/Conference HOMESCHOOLING? If you are homeschooling, or thinking about homeschooling, you are warmly welcome to visit Christian Home Educators of DC, Inc. (CHE DC). We feature monthly meetings with great guest speakers, a newsletter, fellowship and encouragement, tips & advice, curriculum fairs, field trips, play dates, a library, achievement testing for children of members, and much more. For more info, please call Antoinette Kearney at 526-4108. Cleaning Service Residential and commercial cleaning. Reasonable rates, references available. Carpet cleaning, move in, move out, construction cleanup. Licensed, bonded and insured Call Rosemary Clean-4U, 202-320-0805 or 202-518-9449 Vacation Rentals Beach Vacation/Golf Reserve for this season or a fall golf outing. Cherry Grove Section, No. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. 3BR 2BA home, 1 block from beach with dock and channel at back door. Over 100 golf courses nearby, and more mini-golf than you can play. Rent the Robeys' beach cot-tage....call 202-546-7410 for rates or www.voiceofthehill/ cricket.htm Other Overeaters Anonymous meets on the Hill Call for meeting locations and directions. _ Non-holiday Mondays at lunchtime - 12:10 PM- (202) 882-4886 _ Thursdays after work - 6:15- 7:15 PM - (202) 544 9828. Additional National and International meeting listings and information on www.oa.org. We work on self-defeating attitudes that hamper keeping our healthy eating resolutions, whether we over-eat or under-eat. Custom Stained Glass STAINED GLASS - custom designed, hand cut and professionally installed. Specializing in transoms, windo ws and even pet portraits! Recapture the beauty of stained glass in your home or give that special gift of color. For an appt in your home contact Sallie @ "Bent Light" -703-660-6565 Capitol Hill BID from page 49 Now came their biggest challenge: To make it all work. Most of the men (average age: 32) had never held a job outside the drug trade in their lives. They were short on education and long on legal problems, debts, and criminal records. They had incredibly convoluted relationships and psyches scarred and stunted by lifetimes of neglect and abuse. They were raised in blighted neighborhoods and in families without fathers, resources, opportunities, stability or dreams. Worst of all, most had vicious drug addictions. Many could not remember a time when they were not getting high. And yet, from day one, the men outperformed the expectations of the city contract. Ready, Willing & Able worked. The program mirrored what society would ultimately expect of those who graduated. Trainees were required to give up welfare benefits in favor of $5.50 per hour in wages, paid $65 per week toward their room and board, and put $30 per week in savings accounts. In return, they slept in comfortable beds in semi-private rooms, and ate healthy, hearty meals prepared by trainees who expressed interest in food preparation as a possible career. As the program developed, there were caseworkers on staff, nightly 12-step meetings, life skills classes, and certified teachers to help those who needed them earn high school equivalency diplomas or, in some cases, to learn to read and write. What George McDonald had known all along proved powerfully true: "Work works." By 1994, 90 formerly homeless and drug-addicted men had entered the legitimate workforce. They were staying clean, doing their jobs diligently and well, paying rent, saving money, repairing old relationships and forging new ones and looking to the future. Fast forward to Capitol Hill, May, 2003: The Director of Operations, Ray Cammas and I met the very first Ready, Willing & Able trainees back in May 2003. Eager to have the trainees hit the streets, Ray and I designed a Capitol Hill BID orientation program geared toward acclimating them to the Hill-specific nature of their jobs, of interacting with the business community and of working in a positive, nurturing atmosphere. One of the real joys and clearly something we could not prepare them for was the outpouring of affection that residents and business owners displayed to the trainees. They were constantly being thanked and hugged for the job they were doing. They would come back to the office with tales of people shaking their hands, hugging and greeting them as members of the community. This show of gratitude has had a profound affect upon the RWA trainees. They are motivated because the work they do is being appreciated and people are reinforcing their gratitude on a daily basis. The men feel proud of not only what they are doing but also in what they are becoming - self sufficient, hard working members of society. As is any rehabilitative program, some succumbed to the temptations of street life. Several has relapsed, gone into detox and reentered the program. No one is ever turned away from returning, should they show promise and sincerity in kicking their habits and taking the steps to remain drug and alcohol free. On that same note, several have chosen to return to street life for the simple reason of not wanting to adhere to the rules of the RWA Program. For those who strive to remain addiction free, the rewards are priceless. After 9 months in the program, trainees are required to seek employment and market- rate housing. They are offered assistance in obtaining driver licenses, ID's and other documents needed to obtain employment. Others have chosen to give back to the organization that helped them obtain their self respect. Some who have risen to the top during their stints as trainees have been selected to go through the Ready, Willing & Able's Supervisor in Training program in New York. This is a 90-day program geared toward honing their leadership, counseling and supervisory skills. Also, it gives the program experienced personnel who not only have gone through the experience, but have preserved and who embody the true spirit of the Ready, Willing & Able Program. Arnold Lee, the most recently selected member to head to SIT, has a white-collar background in tax preparation and auto sales, but has chosen to make Ready, Willing & Able his career. "There's not as much pressure on you and a lot more rewards," he says, continuing that he's looking forward to "helping another brother out." Arnold Lee and other successful trainees are ending their homelessness themselves by working hard for the BID and following the guidelines of the Ready, Willing & Able program. They are getting ready to debut as self-sufficient members of our community and productive, welcome members of society. It is estimated that on any given night in America approximately 750,000 experience homelessness. That's more than the entire population of Washington, DC. Our successes in partnering with Ready, Willing and Able are a small step toward lowering those alarming numbers; however, it is a big step in the right direction. Patty Brosmer is the executive director of the Capitol Hill Business Improvement District (BID) and submits a monthly column covering BID-related issues. Patty is also a licensed real estate agent, an avid photographer, and the mother of a 19 year old son. H Street from page 52 HSMS also distributed its first annual report, as well as the new 2004 Business Directory. For those who missed the meeting, the report is available online at www.hstreetdc.com/mainst or by stopping by the HSMS Office at 961 H Street NE. Call Tim Lewis at 202-543-0161 to arrange to pick up a copy. H Street Art and Humanities Festival Scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 18 The Promotions Committee is recasting the H Street Festival to give it a new emphasis on the visual and performing arts. The Committee is actively seeking sponsors and financial commitments dor all aspects of the program. Artists and crafts people will be prominently featured as will music, poetry, dance, and drama. Three stages are planned, two for music and one for performance. Other festival features will include a health and wellness area, chil-dren's arts and activities, merchandise and food vendors, local businesses, and community, education, and nonprofit organizations. The Festival will start off with the traditional parade at 10 am. Festival planning meetings are held every Thursday at 6:30 pm at the HSMS office at 961 H Street. (The first week of the month the meeting is on Friday so it will not conflict with the Near Northeast Citizens meeting.) For more information, contact Richard Layman at rlaymandc@yahoo.com or 202-544-6870, and to volunteer contact Geri Murphy at 202-543-1926 or at geridc1@hotmail.com. H Street Business Express Loan Days Loan days, which provide the opportunity for business owners to meet with small business development loan officers from area banks, are scheduled from noon to 3 p.m. on Tuesdays June 29, ,July 27, and August 31. Meetings are held in the HSMS office. For more information, contact the Washington Area Community Investment Fund at 5295505. This program is funded by the DC Department of Housing and Community Development. Barracks Row from page 53 and the building owner would pay 20 percent. And, DHCD would have its contractors do the work. Even without the faáade design guidelines and a funded faáade grant program, a number of building owners along Barracks Row have forked out the cash and gone ahead to fix up 31 different facades out of 130 buildings through private funds. Although it is a small percentage, the visual impact has been dramatic. It is encouraging to see how motivational painting a faáade impacts a neighboring building owner, who paints his or her faáade a month or so later. Wrapping Up A study conducted by Brenda Spencer, printed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in "Dollars & Sense of Historic Preservation" fo und that "80 percent of business owners stated that H Street Main Street (HSMS) is a program focused on revitalizing the historic H Street NE commercial district and its surrounding neighborhood by linking the volunteer efforts of residents, merchants, property owners and other stakeholders in our community. We need your participation to make this a success. For more information about the H Street Main Street (HSMS) program, contact Tim Lewis, Executive Director, at 543-0161, or tim.lewis@hstreetdc.com. physical improvements significantly impacted the increase of sales," and "all business owners studied considered the physical improvements to be worth the investment." We are fortunate on Capitol Hill to have a loyal and diverse population with strong demographics to support so many interesting and growing businesses, and a strong preservation ethic that has kept our old buildings standing. With improved streets and sidewalks, signs, faáades, and shops and restaurants, Barracks Row is once again becoming Washington's premier shopping and dining destination. Bill McLeod is the executive director of Barracks Row Main Street, a nonprofit organization revitalizing 8th Street, SE. You can contact him at bmcleod@barracks row.org or visit the website at www.barracksrow.org. Accounting Marina Martin, MBA Innovative and versatile range of services for small business and non-profits 547-9536 Thomas Jenkins & Company Certified Public Accountants Tax & Financial Planning Corporation/Partnership 547-9004 See our ad on page 33 Antiques Antique and Contemporary Leasing, 709 12th St., SE 547-3030 Attorneys Rick Halberstein & Karen Byrne 705 D St., SE 543-1110 Arts Capitol Hill Arts Workshop 545 7th St., SE 547-6839 See our ad on page 21 Association The Chesapeake Bay Foundation Anacostia River Initiative 725 8th St., SE (202) 544-2232 or email dsiglin@cbf.org. See our ad on page 49 CHAMPS Capitol Hill Association of Merchants and Professionals 621 PA Ave., SE 547-7788 Bank National Capital Bank 316 PA Ave., SE 546-8000 wwwnationalcapitalbank. com See our ad on page 23 Bed and Breakfast Doolittle Guest House 504 E. Capitol Street, SE 546-6622 See our ad on page 7 417 A Victorian Townhouse 417 A St., SE 202-543-1481 See our ad on page 5 Books Capitol Hill Books 657 C Street, SE, 544-1621 Good Used Books Bought & Sold. Riverby Books 419 E. Capitol St., SE 547-3228 Bookeeping Thigpen Hall & Associates Small Business Bookeeping Personal Property Appraisal Bobby Thigpen 202-546-7734 Church Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church Worship Sunday 11am, Sunday School 9:45am wwwcapitolhillpreschurch.org 201 4th St, SE 547-8676 See our ad on page 50 Christ Church + Washington Parish 620 G St., SE 547-9300 See our ad on page 21 Lutheran Church of the Reformation 212 E. Capitol St., SE, 543-4200 www.reformationdc.org See our ad on page 6 St. James' Episcopal Church 222 8th St., SE, 546-1746 www.saintjameschurch.org See our ad on page 7 St. Peter's Church 2nd & C Street, SE 547-1430 See our ad on page 33 Clock Repair HARRY FLOYD 202-543-6422 payneandcampbell@ verizon.net See our ad on page 9 Clothing & Gifts Art & Soul 225 PA Ave., SE 548-0105 See our ad on page 45 The Village 705 N. Carolina Ave., SE 546-3040 see our ad on page 4 Computer Consulting Small Business Data Solutions A Solution Provider for all your computing needs Fay Singer 202-841-9928 See our ad on page 39 Drug Store Grubbs Care Pharmacy 326 E Capitol Street SE 543-4400 See our ad on page 23 Design Build Columbia Enterprises, Inc. 202-547-7979 Electrician Charlie Lucas 202-397-2273 Fax 202-397-2127 See our ad on page 9 Garden and Landscape Art Garden Design 546-6920, artgarden@ starpower.net Specializing in urban gardens with an emphasis on functionaland non-functional art elements. See our ad on page 11 Cheryl Corson Design 202-494-5054 See our ad on page 7 District Cityscapes, Inc 202-544-4886 See our ad pn page 39 Frager's Garden Center 1115 Penna Ave., SE, 543-6157 Gingko Gardens 911 11th St., SE 543-5172 See our ad on page 15 Gifts & Collectables Anatolia Bazaar 631 Pennsylvania Ave., SE (202) 543-7099 Tues-Fri: 11:00-6:30 _ Sat-Sun: 10:00-7:30 See our ad on page 9 Hoopla Traders 733 8th St., SE 202-544-3620 See our ad on page 39 Hardware Fragers Hardware 1115 Pennsylvania Ave., SE 543-6157 See our ad on page 60 Health & Fitness G. I. Jane Fitness Bootcamp Open Mon-Thu 7am-8pm 202-547-7906 www.GIJanefit.net See our ad on page 38 Results the Gym 3rd & G Sts, SE 202-234-5678 See our ad on page 41 Home Furnishings Antique & Contemporary Leasing & Sales 709 12th Street, SE 547-3030 Home Repair K.C. Company Viewed to be the Best 12100 Baltimore Ave. Suite 1 Beltsville, MD 20705 301-419-7669 Email tallen@kc-pella.com See our ad on page 43 Handyman on the Hill Washington DC 206-7185 See our ad on page 38 Internet DC Access 118 Kentucky Ave, SE 546-5898 www.dcaccess.net - a local ISP See our ad on page 5 Insurance Marilyn Riehl, CLU, ChFC State Farm Insurance Home, Auto, Life, Financial Services 301-951-0355 Landscaping Ginkgo Gardens 911 11th St., SE 202-43-5172 Monday-Friday 8am-7pm Saturday 8am-6pm Sunday 9am-5pm See our ad on page 15 Cheryl Corson Design Washington, DC 202-494-5054 See our ad on page 7 cheryl@cherylcorson.com Mason Michaliga Masonry 321 C Street, SE 544-4484 Mediation Capitol Hill Mediation Service 125 Tennessee Ave., NE 544-5675 CHMediate@aol.com Movers Great Scott Moving, Inc. 202-546-8190 www.greatscottmoving.com Painting David Mahoney Painting Co. 544-9577 See our ad page 31 Tech Painting 544-2135 See our ad on page 23 Pets Doolittle's Pet Supply Chateau Animaux 224 7th St., SE 544-8710 See our ad on page 50 Dogma 821 Virginia Ave., SE 202-543-77805 www.dog-ma.com See our ad on page 15 _ Picture Framing Capitol Hill Art & Frame 623 Penna. Ave., SE 546-2700 See our ad on page 33 Fulton Framing Framing and Preservation 544-8408 See our ad on page 38 Frame of Mine Do-It-Yourself and Custom Framing 522 8th St., SE 543-3030 See our ad on page 6 Newman Gallery and Custom Frames 511 11th St., SE 544-7577 See our ad on page 45 Plumbing Grayton Plumbing 544-4366 See our ad on page 5 Property Management Evolve LLC 202 359-RENT evolvellc.com See our ad on page 7 Yarmouth Management 309 7th Street, SE 202/547-3511 1/2 block from Eastern Market Metro E-mail: Rent@YarmouthM.com Real Estate The Smith Brothers John Smith and Aaron Smith 202-262-6037 or 202-498-6794 See our ad on page 11 Tom Faison REMAX Real Estate 220 7th St., SE 255-5554 John C. Formant Sales and Rentals Todd Bissey 202-841-SOLD Peter Frias 202-744-8973 225 PA Ave., SE 544-3900 www.johncformant.com See our ad page 2 Hugh Kelly 202-588-2224 See our ad on page 49 Pardoe Real Estate 605 PA Ave., SE 546-7000 See our ad on the back cover The von Schlegel Realty Team REMAX Real Estate 220 7th St., 547-5600 See our ad on page 35 Phyllis Jane Young Pardoe Real Estate 605 PA Ave., SE 546-7000 See ad page 63 John Parker Pardoe Real Estate 605 PA Ave., SE 546-7000 Prudential Carruthers 216 7th Street, SE 393-1111 www.prudentialcarruthers.com See our ad on page 19 Rob Bergman Residential and Commercial 262-3848 See our ad on page 13 John Janke Randall Hagner 546-9057 See our ad page 5 Sherlocke Homes Panchita Bello 708 G Street, SE 202-543-0954 We take the mystery out of real estate Call first for appointment www.sherlockehomes.com See our ad on page 6 Valerie M. Blake Prudential Carruthers Realtors 5025 Wisconsin Ave, NW 202-362-1348, x111, www.DCHomeQuest.com Real Estate Settlement Congressional Title 650 PA Ave., SE 544-0800 See our ad on page 9 Eastern Market Title 210 7th St., SE 546-3100 See our ad on page 5 Restaurants Aatish 609 Pennsylvania Ave., SE The City's Finest Pakistani Restaurant 202-544-0931 See our ad on page 32 Finn mac Cool's 713 8th St., SE 202-547-7100 See our ad on page 11 Banana CafÇ 400 8th St., SE 543-5906 See our ad on page 45 Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream 327 7th St., SE 546-CAKE See our coupon on page 11 Hawk 'n' Dove 329 PA Ave., SE 543-3300 Marty's Family Restaurant 527 8th St., SE 202-546-4952 See our ad on page 31 Starfish 539 8th E 546-5006 See our ad on page 43 Roofing Star Roofing 1159 4th St., NE 543-6383 See our ad page 19 Salons Bravado 655 C Street, SE 543-6118 Randolph Cree 325 7th St., SE 547-1014 See our ad on page 27 Schools Capitol Hill Day School 109 S. Carolina Ave., SE 547-2244 Edmund Burke School 2955 Upton St., NW 362-8882 St Peter's School 422 3rd St., SE 544-1618 Theater Folger Shakespeare Theatre and Library 201 East Capitol Street, SE 544-7077 See our ad on page 34 Theater Alliance H Street Playhouse 1365 H Street, NE 202-396-2125 www.theateralliance.com Shakespeare Theatre Education 547-5688 Therapy Joseph Tarantolo, MD Individual, couples and group psychotherapy 543-5290 See our ad on page 11 Michelle Piquet Individual, couple and group psychotherapy 544-4480 See our ad page 7 Veterinarians Capitol Hill Veterinary Clinic 520 8th St., SE 546-1972 See our ad on page 51 JoAnne Carey, DVM Veterinary House Calls and Hospice Service 301-625-0723 Union Veterinary 609 2nd St., NE 544-2500 Yoga Studio Capitol Hill Yoga 221 5th St NE, 202-544-0011 See our ad on page 48 The Voice of the Hill Welcomes David Francis as Local News Reporter Hill resident David Francis has been named The Voice of the Hill's local news reporter. Responsible for gathering information important to Hill residents in a timely manner, updating the Voice's website content frequently, and helping to strengthen the relationship between the newspaper and community and civic leaders, Francis can be contacted at dave@voice-ofthehill.com. Francis introduces himself with the following words: "Since I graduated from college four years ago, I've lived in five different cities. I believe that classifies me as a nomad, but it's given me the opportunity to see a lot of different places and meet a lot of different people. And while I'm new to Washington and Capitol Hill, having lived here for only five months after taking a job as a reporter, I'm already growing attached to the area. In the past when I thought about my future, I planned what city I would go to next. But after only a short time here, I find myself planning a future not in New York or Chicago, but here in DC. And seeing as I've adopted DC and, more particularly, the Hill as my new home, it's impor tant to me to be connected with the community. I approached the Voice of the Hill as a way of learning about my new neighborhood. Now that I've signed on as a news reporter, I feel I have the opportunity to make a real connection with the people and area around me. "Because my office is off the Hill, I'm disappointed to say that I don't know much about my new neighborhood. Of course, I've been to Eastern Market on Saturday afternoons and brunch along Pennsylvania Avenue on Sundays, but there is much more to this area. My goal in joining the Voice of the Hill is to get to know Capitol Hill's diverse neighborhoods and people and report on news that is unavailable elsewhere. I want to provide timely news coverage, primarily on our website, but also in our monthly print edition, important to the residents of the area. To do that, I'm going to need your help, so please feel free to contact me at dave@voiceofthe-hill.com with any information you believe is newsworthy. Also, please feel free to send any concerns, comments or questions. I'll respond to as many as I can. "A bit about me; I work full-time as a daily news and labor reporter for the healthcare group at Inside Washington Publishers. I grew up in Pittsburgh then attended the University of Chicago, where I graduated with a degree in political science. After Chicago, I lived in New York for a couple of years, and then spent time in North Carolina and Pennsylvania. I've covered high school and college sports, worked as the press secretary for a local campaign in Pittsburgh, and contributed to an encyclopedia of women's history. "So now that the introduction is out of the way, it's down to business. I ask that you all keep your ears to the ground and share your stories. I'm sure you have some good ones." The publishers and staff of The Voice of the Hill is pleased to bring Francis on board. "I look forward to working with Dave," said Scott Shumaker, who will return to his duties as the newspaper's editor in August. "His presence on the Hill will enhance our news coverage and help provide more timely information to the folks who log into our website. I encourage readers to send Dave a note with their news ideas." _ 605 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE 202-547-3525 Wondering about what you can qualify to purchase www.MikeBrown.biz in this exciting Washington D.C. residential market. "Trusted Advice To Build & Protect Your Wealth" Take a few minutes and give me a call or visit me on line and I can lay out the options for you. 877-284-2848