of The Hill VOICE This Month 10 The Rise, Fall and Rise of a Neighborhood 14 A New Natatorium Brings New Concerns 26 Deals on Wheels 17 Preparation: Recovery and Resolve 20 Library Lessons 21 Blogging: Hip and Hot 24 Chuck Burger: Taking Chances 26 The Future Is in the Planning 28 Fall Festivals 32 Vegging Out in Fall 36 Eye See You 38 Break Time Kicks 39 Bluegrass Lives 40 Strictly Ballroom Departments VoiceMail............................................3Out of theOut of the Business Bits .....................................4City Desk............................................6DownLoad ..........................................7Ask Judith ........................................42Designing for Hearth and Home.........44Armchair Movie Reviews ....................46Health and Fitness............................48back toback to Barracks Row ...................................50 schoolschool Hill Treasures....................................51Ask the Vet.......................................52Kids' Sports .....................................54Capital Kids......................................55Kids' Calendar ..................................56Community Calendar .........................57Horoscope........................................59Classifieds .......................................59Business Services ............................60Restaurant Review ............................62pool...and Vol. 5 No. 6 September 2003 "WHERE WSHOPS NEW ADDRESS!" Sales ·· · ASHINGTON FOR A Rentals Commercial Leasing Property Management www.johncformant.com Congratulations to Capitol Hill's John C. Formant Senators (a.k.a. Washington Senators) on their 4th League Championship (Girls 13 & Under) & their valiant run in the 2003 World Series, where they defeated the #1 ranked team in ing the National Championship! We're proud of you, girls! John C. Formant Senators in Florida for 2003 World Series Gallaudet--Coming in September Gallaudet -- Coming in mid-September Recently remodeled 3BR/1.5BA on 3 finished levels w/ hwd flrs, large rooms, & a deep back yard (2 separate lots) with a large deck, a garden, & plenty of PARKING! $199,000 Call Todd Bissey at 202-841-SOLD (7653) Shaw--407 O Street, NW 628 Massachusetts Ave., NE Over 1900 sq. ft. of GUTTED space & the zoning allows for the possibility of adding 1000 sq. ft. off the back. Convert to 2 MBR Suites w/ large & bright 1BR in-law suite & PARKING! $445,000 Call Todd Bissey at 202-841-SOLD (7653) One of the top 5 renovations Todd & Stan have seen! Magnificently renovated & sunny 1900 sq. ft. 3BR/2.5BA w/ fp, oak flrs, granite, stainless, & cute back yard! $349,500 Call Todd Bissey at 202-841-SOLD (7653) TODD AND STAN'S AUGUST ACTIVITY 121 10th Street, NE (Selling Agents) Listed @ $649,000 Under Contract 317 10th St., NE #10 (Listing & Selling Agents) Listed @ $249,000 Under Contract 414 Seward Square, SE #305 (Selling Agents) Listed @ $189,500 Under Contract 315 16th Street, NE (Selling Agents) Listed @ $275,000 Under Contract 1310 Congress Street, SE (Listing Agents) Listed @ $269,500 Under Contract 1243 I Street, NE (Selling Agents) Listed @ $339,000 SOLD 219 12th Street, NE #1 (Selling Agents) Listed @ $289,000 SOLD 323 7th Street, SE (Upstairs Office Space) Leased in 2 weeks! BISSEY&BISSEY Residential & Commercial Real Estate Consultants 202-841-SOLD Todd Bissey & Stan Bissey This lovely Victorian sits just steps off of Lincoln Park on one of the most beloved blocks on the Hill! Call Pete Frias at 202-744-8973 Featuring 3 large rooms, 1 smaller room, a partial bsmt, full 419,000 Call Pete Frias at 202-744-8973 Shaw--20 Q Street, NW $429,000 Call Pete Frias at 202-744-8973 Over 1700 sq ft of renovated office space zoned for Commercial or Residential use within 2 blocks of the Potomac Ave. METRO! bath, plenty of storage & a nice fenced-in brick patio. $ 129 Kentucky Avenue, SE 1231 Pennsylvania Ave, SE Investor's delight: 2 large 3BR apartments, central air, stor- age basement, & 2 car PARKING in Red Hot Shaw! SOLD PETE'S AUGUST ACTIVITY 806 Maryland Ave., NE (Listing Agent) SOLD 401 Kentucky Ave., SE (Selling Agent) SOLD 129 Kentucky Ave., SE (Listing & Selling Agent) Under Contract New Renovations--Just Listed: Columbia Heights -- 4124 13th Street, NW: 3BR/3BA $415,000 Columbia Heights -- 3032 Park Place, NW: 3BR/2BA $315,000 Shaw -- 1411 5th Street, NW: 4BR/3.5 BA (Includes In-Law Suite) $449,500 PETE FRIAS, ESQ. Winner of GCAAR's highest honor, the Platinum Award. 202-744-8973 Pete Frias 225 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, S.E. WASHINGTON, D.C. 20003 TEL: 202-544-3900 FAX: 202-546-1771 VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 of The Hill VOICE Voicemail The Voice of the Hill is published find out what we as resiand distributed monthly to Capitol More Uline History Hill residences and business loca tions. The focus is on the commu-To the Editor: nity and includes contiguous neigh-Congratulations on the interesting story Problems in Our Parks dents of the District's neighborhoods can do before this situa- To the Editor: borhoods from Gallaudet University on the history of Uline Arena (Voice of My name is Fred Saddler, and I am tion gets further to the Navy Yard and from the the Hill, August). While recounting local a resident of Capitol Hill (5th & D out of hand. Capitol to the Stadium Armory basketball history, writers often forget to Streets, NE). This morning, while walking Complex.Publication and distribu-mention one of the finest pro teams of my dog in Stanton Park, I came across tion is the last Friday of each all to play here, the Washington Bears, several areas in the park that contained FRED SADDLER month. Advertising deadline is the who claimed the 1943 World Championfirst of the month preceding publi-ship of pro basketball by beating the cation. Oshkosh All-Stars 43-31 at the annual Chicago tournament held in those years. Voice of the Hill The Bears, a black team, played one 120 11th St., SE, Rear year in DC and were principally made up human feces and assorted other human 410 5th Street, NE waste (including empty liquor bottles). A 202-546-8455 closer inspection of the entire park turned up two more such spots in the fenced children's play area. Restoration Society Shares I immediately phoned the U.S. Park Reservation 13 Concerns Washington DC 20003 of members of the renowned New York Police, who, although they later came to 202-544-0703 Main office Renaissance touring team. One member inspect the park, informed me that their NOTE: The following letter was released to 202-547-5133 Fax of the Bears, William "Pop" Gates, is resources are stretched so thin with The Voice of the Hill. now in the Hall of Fame. Other stars Homeland Security duties that they have Andrew Altman were Johnny Isaacs, "Dolly" King and little time to police Stanton, Lincoln, or Director, DC Office of Planning www.voiceofthehill.com Zack Clayton, who later became a any of the city's public parks properly 801 North Capitol St., NE, Suite 4000 editor@voiceofthehill,com famous fight referee. (including many in the highly visible Washington, DC 20002 bruce@voiceofthehill.com A few years back, Gates and other downtown area). In fact, he said, the RE: Proposed Zoning of Reservation 13 patti@voiceofthehill.com surviving members of the Bears told me only time that they really come to the adele@voiceofthehill.com that after winning the 1943 title, they park is when someone complains about were allowed to play a game at Uline, dogs running off-leash, to which I Dear Mr. Altman: Staff which they understood was the first time responded (as even many non-dog own- I am writing you on behalf of the Capitol Hill Restoration Society (CHRS) regard- Scott Shumaker the arena was integrated for a team ers do) that policing grossly abhorrent ing the Office of Planning's proposed Editor sport. I've not had occasion to verify the human behavior was a bit more impor- Bruce Robey story, but I always assumed it was so. zoning of Reservation 13. I want to tant than errant canines and their hanthank you for the opportunity toebMaster It was also great to see the mention dlers (who usually pick up their waste). ment on the proposal and on your staff'sof Earl Lloyd, whom I remember seeing My question is thus: who is going to close work with the community. CHRS Adele Robey Graphic Design and Production with the Syracuse Nationals when I was do something about the deteriorating also acknowledges the hard work and Andrew Noyes, Assistant Editor a youngster. public safety situation in the District's effort that went into the master plan and Various claims have been made about neighborhood parks that fall under U.S. the proposed zoning. As you will see Patti Shea, Political Reporter which were the first integrated teams in Park Police jurisdiction? I have noticed below, we do not totally agree with the Larry Kaufer, Sports Editor pro basketball. The late Lester Harrison, a marked increase in the number of founder of the Rochester Royals (now mainly homeless men drinking and then proposed zoning, but we do believe that our frank remarks will lead to a better Publishers the Sacramento Kings), used to insist bedding down for the night in Stanton proposal.Phoenix Graphics, Inc. that the first black players really were Park. Each morning, at least six or T/A Voice of the Hill Dolly King, who played for the Royals in seven of them are to be found asleep In response to your announcement of a June 19, 2003, public briefing on the 1946, and "Pop" Gates who was with on the park's benches or on the ground. proposed zoning, CHRS established a Community Action Group: the Tri-City Black Hawks (now the Atlanta On one occasion earlier this summer, I working group to review the Hawks) the same year. In 1946, both even saw a man urinating against a tree proposal. The committee is composed teams were members of the old in plain sight of Massachusetts Avenue, of CHRS members with expertise in zon-National Basketball League, one of the Distribution as well as the children from the cluster Contributing Writers leagues that consolidated into the NBA school adjacent to the park! ing and planning; it includes residents of Laurie Aomari Celeste McCall in 1949. the Capitol Hill East area. Gary While I certainly sympathize with their Peterson, an at-large board member and Stephanie Briggs Bill McLeod Since then, the NBA has insisted that plight, a phone call to the nearest shel- newly-appointed chair of the CHRS zon-Judith Capen Gene Miller the first black players (in the NBA) were ter (Mitch Snyder) revealed that they JoAnne Carey Andrew Noyes Chuck Cooper of the Celtics, Lloyd of the indeed have space for these people, and ing committee, agreed to chair the working group. Gary and I attended the June Gene Clapp Ruth Hayes Robbins Capitals and Nate "Sweetwater" of the even now I and my fellow parishioners at meeting and made comments on theVictoria Curtis Julia Robey Knicks, who all joined the league in St. James Episcopal Church make gener- proposal at that time. Now, having com- Mark Gallagher Shirley Serotsky 1951. But there are also claims of other ous provision to aid the Capitol Hill pleted a further review of the proposal, Colin Gustafson Patti Shea isolated instances of integrated teams Group Ministry to find food, clothing, and CHRS submits the following comments: Dug Hanbicki Nicole Spiridakis at basketball's highest levels going back shelter for these unfortunate men. 1. General comments.We believe the Larry Kaufer Padraic Sweeney to 1911 or so. However, they must be made to go to goal of the master plan is to make Beth Lambdin Robert Wander Also, whenever the subject of the the shelter, at least for hygiene rea- Reservation 13 an extension of Capitol Washington Bears comes up, which is sons--a child nearly thrust his hand into Hill. The proposed zoning does not Memberships much too seldom, considering they were a pile of the feces this morning! How reflect that goal. The zoning category R- Washington's first World Champions in long will it be before there is a hepatitis 4 is the overwhelming zoning category Capitol Hill Association of basketball, I ask if there's anyone outbreak or worse--a situation that Merchants and Professionals for residential property on Capitol Hill. around who remembers the team; the would affect far more than just District The proposal has no R-4. Frankly, we are Art Directors Club of Metropolitan team also played under the name Washington Lichtman Bears, after a chain of movies Barracks Row Business Alliance theaters. Sadly, I've yet to encounter Independent Free Papers of anyone here who remembers them. citizens? I have contacted Congresswoman disappointed that there is no R-4 and Norton's office,Chairwoman Cropp's believe that it must be added. 2. Process. As was discussed at the office, my city councilwoman, Mayor June briefing, the zoning determination America Williams' office, my ANC commissioner, is just one step in a multi-step process H Street Merchants Association JIM MYERS DC subcommittee Chair Tom Davis, and to develop the property. The Office of On the cover: Eric and Alex Bergman the Washington Post. Please help us to continued on page 41 www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 BusinessBits Jackie Von Schlegel: Experience and a Love for the Hill Jackie Von Schlegel has been involved in the real estate industry for over three decades. A mortgage banker for 20 years, she made the switch to real estate broker in 1988 and now heads the Von Schlegel Realty Team, a small group of real estate professionals on Capitol Hill. The company has grown to 10 employees from the original two in only five years. Although Jackie and her associates are licensed in DC, Maryland and Virginia, their business concentration is focused on the Hill. She calls the Hill the most unique and friendly neighborhood in the entire metropolitan area. In a competitive industry Open Daily 11- 6, Sat. 10 - 6, Sun. 12 - 5, Closed Monday 705 North Carolina Ave. S.E On Capitol Hill www.thevillageoncapitolhill.com 202 · 546 · 3040 TTHHEEVVIILLLLAAGGEELAND · SEA · SKY PAINTINGS BYALAN BRALEY SEPT 13,- OCT 30SEPT 13,- OCT 30SECOND SATURDAY they have managed a high degree offers their clients the services of a of success, being named the #1 professional photographer to create Re/MAX real estate team in DC for brochures of properties and a clean2002. ing service to help prepare homes to Since she started in a "hot" be shown. The business employs a market in 1988, Von Schlegel has full time marketing director to seen that market go down and enhance their business, something back up again, and noted that curunique in the area. rent real estate prices on the Hill Von Schlegel is a big supporter of have adjusted to where they children and animal causes, to the should be over the last 10 years. extent that she is sometimes referred Ever increasing amounts of reguto as Aunt Jackie, or the "cat lady." lations and paperwork have made Jackie's advice to aspiring real the practice of home buying and selling a more difficult task, as well. Beyond the traditional services, Von Schlegel estate brokers - try to join a good team with experienced professionals. The Von Schlegel Realty Team is located at 220 Tati Kaupp and Kitty Kaupp Coldwell Banker-Pardoe 546-7000 x 257/247 kkaupp@coldwellmove.com Residential and Commercial Sales In Washington, D.C. and VA Specializing in Capitol Hill www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 7th Street, SE, across from Eastern Market. Aunt Jackie can be reached at 202-547-5088, or visit her website at www.jackiev.com. --BRIAN COOK Bravado Hair Design When Jeeun Kim and Thu Nguyen bought Bravado Hair Design earlier this year, their main aim was to build on the success that the salon's former owners celebrated for 13 years. To meet this objective, the partners-- both new to Capitol Hill--decided to keep the name, maintain the extensive list of services and preserve the bou- tique's trademark warm, welcoming atmosphere. The result has been astounding, Kim says. The salon is fully ooked on weekends. "Everyone seems to know everybody," Kim says of her new neighborhood. "They're all extremely friendly and really supportive of small businesses." Kim, who has 11 years in the salon business under her belt, specializes in manicures, peticures and waxing. Nguyen has a decade of experience in the industry and most recently worked in Dupont Circle and downtown salons. Also on staff is stylist Latoya Johnson, previously with Bubbles in Pentagon City. 522 Eighth Street, SE 202.543.3030 Capitol shop Monday, Friday, Saturday 10-6 Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 10-9 Sunday 12-6 www.frame-of-mine.com Hill's only do-it-yourself Frame custom framing also available Serving Capitol Hill for 20 years Bravado is open seven days a week and offers 50 percent off haircuts for new clients. Bravado Hair Design Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday & Sunday 9 a.m.-4 p.m. 655 C St. SE Phone: 202-543-6118 --ANDREW NOYES FourSeventeen A VICTORIAN TOWNHOUSE INN "A Capitol Place to Stay" Deluxe accommodations and breakfast 417 A Street, SE 202 543-1481 News Bits Since the ANCs did not meet in August, there is no City Desk this month. It will return in the October issue. Natatorium Opening Sept. 5 Re-named William H. Rumsey, Sr., Aquatic Center The opening of the William H. Rumsey, Sr., Aquatic Center (formerly Capitol East Natatorium), will be held at 4:30 p.m. Friday, September 5, at 635 North Carolina Ave., SE. William H. Rumsey Sr., spent more than 40 years as a Washington educator and who was director of the D.C. Recreation Department from 1976 to 1983. Dr. Rumsey started his career in 1939 as a recreation aide in charge of shower maintenance at the old Dunbar High School pool. By the 1960s, he was a high-profile educator who oversaw a night-school diploma program for dropouts. In a press release from the Department of Parks and Recreation, appreciation was expressed to Linda W. Cropp, Chairman, Council of the District of Columbia; Sharon Ambrose, Councilmember, Ward 6; Kevin P. Chavous, Chairman, Committee on Education, Libraries And Recreation ; Capitol Hill Restoration Society; ANC 6B; management of Eastern Market; and patrons of the Aquatic Center for their patience throughout this renovation An honorary committee has been established at continued next page GIL PAINTING CO. Residential · Commercial Interior and Exterior Painting Plastering, Drywall, Wallpaper Removal Power Washing, Carpentry Good References · Low Prices Free Estimates (301) 370-9940 · (301) 445-4385 Licensed. Bonded. Insured 202-544-4366 www.fdgrayton.com www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 the center, with Neil O. Albert, chairperson; and directors emeritus Betty Jo L. Gaines, William B. Johnson, Carol Hill Lowe, Robert P. Newman and F. Alexis H. Roberson. Note: A story on the Natatorium appears in this month's issue. Boys Town Oral Arguments to be Heard DC Court of Appeals Sets Date of Sept. 16 NOTE: The following is taken from a press release. On September 16, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments regarding Boys Town's right to build and operate a residential treatment facility for 40 youth at 14th and Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, as a "matter of right." In May 2002, the Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) ruled that the group home operator could not build its planned facility as a "matter of right." Due to the considerable size of Phase 1 of Boys Town's planned facility--four group homes for 24 youths--the BZA ruled that Boys Town needed to seek a special exception to the zoning rules because the project was one large facility and not four independent, unrelated projects, as Boys Town had presented in its application. Boys Town appealed the BZA decision to the DC Court of Appeals. The Southeast Citizens for Smart Development (SCSD), a volunteer group formed by neighborhood residents to promote economic development in the Capitol Hill East neighborhood, appealed the Zoning Administrator's issuance of building permits for Phase 1 of Boys Town's planned facility. SCSD hired an attorney for this appeal, and the SCSD filed a brief with the District of Columbia September ANC Calendar All four Captiol Hill ANCs come off summer break this month. · ANC 6D: 7 p.m., Monday, Sept. 8, 400 I Street, SW, Westminster Church · ANC 6B: 7 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 9, 821 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, Former Navy Hospital building · ANC 6C: 7 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 10, 800 3rd Street, NE, Capital Childrens Museum · ANC 6D: 7 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 11, 601 15th Street, NE, Miner Elementary School Court of Appeals supporting the BZA decision. In August 2001, Boys Town sued the SCSD and its leaders, Will Hill and Ellen Opper-Weiner, along with the Mayor, the Ward 6 Councilmember, and other city officials, contending that SCSD's actions and those of city officials amounted to discrimination against the children Boys Town serves. The Center for Individual Rights (CIR) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) represented the SCSD and its leaders in that lawsuit, contending the group and its leaders were merely exercising their first amendment rights to engage in free speech. The lawsuit was recently dismissed. "The community simply wants Boys Town to follow the law and hold a special exception hearing to obtain the variance it needs to build this project," stated SCSD Chair Will Hill, longtime neighborhood resident and ANC Commissioner. "Boys Town tried to circumvent the law by presenting the projects as individual, unrelated component parts, rather than what it really is--one large facility. The BZA saw the project for what it is. We are hopeful that the Court of Appeals will uphold the BZA decision," stated Ellen Opper- Weiner, Vice Chair of the SCSD. City's Chief Historic Preservation AdvocateWill Speak at September CHRS Meeting Residents of Capitol Hill will have the opportunity to meet Lisa Burcham, the new head of the city's Historic Preservation Office (HPO), and hear about new historic preservation programs during the September 24 Capitol Hill Restoration Society (CHRS) meeting. The 7:30 p.m. meeting, to be held at the Old Naval Hospital (921 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE), will provide a forum for Capitol Hill residents to find out more about what is underway at the HPO--and to start a dialogue about historic preservation in the city and on the Hill. Residents of Capitol Hill, living in the city's largest historic district, have a special interest in the programs and policies of the Historic Preservation Office. Burcham, an enthusiastic advocate for historic preservation, brings a great deal of knowledge about successful historic preservation programs across the country through her work as director of state and local partners and as senior program associate for the National Trust for Historic Preservation here in Washington. After joining the historic preservation office in February, Burcham has been working with the staff to develop "New Directions for DC's Historic Preservation Office in Education, Economics, and Community Engagement." All Capitol Hill residents are invited to attend. There will be a very brief CHRS business session prior to Burcham's presentation to vote on the next year's budget and some proposed by-laws changes. Community Invited to Plan Future of H Street Corridor The District Department of Transportation invites the community to a series of meetings to help plan transportation improvements for the H Street, NE, Corridor. The meetings will be held at the Capital Children's Museum Auditorium, 3rd and H Streets, NE, at the following times: Monday, September 8, 4-8 p.m. Tuesday, September 9, 2-8 p.m. Saturday, September 13, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. The meetings are a key part of DDOT's H Street, NE, Corridor Transportation Study, which runs from North Capitol Street to the intersection of Benning and Bladensburg Roads and Maryland Avenue. Attendees will be asked to comment on proposals currently under consideration, including new crosswalks, light and benches, widened sidewalks opportunities for public art, and improved transit service, and to contribute their own ideas. Architects, engineers, designers and planners will be on hand to answer questions and take suggestions at "learning stations" devoted to transit, parking, streetscape changes and other relevant topics. Short overview presentations, to be given on the hour, will orient attendees to the proceedings. Material from these meetings will be incorporated into the study's recommendations that will be the basis for DDOT's improvements to the H Street Corridor. Members of the H Street NE community, including residents, merchants, property owners and others are encouraged to attend. For more information, interested persons are asked to contact Rachel MacCleery (202) 671-2555 or rachel.maccleery@dc.gov. More information can also be found on the DOT webpage under "H Street Transportation Study," at www.ddot.dc.gov. Festival of the Building Arts Planned Discover the Art and Craft of Building The Festival of the Building Arts will be held at the National Building Museum on Saturday, September 13, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., rain or shine. This fun-filled event welcomes visitors to discover the skills and secrets employed in the building arts. Visitors can participate in many hands-on activities and explore a construction equipment "petting zoo." Master artisans will demonstrate their trades. This Old House® craftsmen Tom Silva and Richard Trethewey will be on hand to discuss their television show and offer home improvement advice. The National Building Museum is located at 401 F Street NW--(Judiciary Square Metro, Red Line). The event is free; no registration is required. For more information, interested persons may call 202-272-2448 or visit www.nbm.org. Clarification In our series on H Street History, which concluded in last month's edition, Nancy Schwartz was incorrectly identified as the "chief" historian of the Historic American Building Survey. Additionally, she was one of three co-authors of the National Trust for Historic Preservation's book, What Style is It? The other authors were the late John Poppeliers and S. Allan Chambers. www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 downLoad ITEMS OF INTEREST FR OM THE VOICE WEBSITE FOR THE LAST MONTH The following stories have appeared during the past month at the Voice of the Hill's website. Log on at www.voiceofthehill.com daily for updated news that affects our community. Save the Date to Celebrate Capitol Hill Business Improvement District Plans Official Launch The Capitol Hill community is cordially invited to join the Capitol Hill Business Improvement District (BID) as the organization celebrates the official launch of BID services at noon on Thursday, Sept. 18, at the Eastern Market Metro Plaza, located between 7th and 8th Streets and Pennsylvania Avenue, SE. Mayor Anthony Williams, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, Councilmember Sharon Ambrose and BID Chairman George Didden III have been invited to speak. Invitations will be mailed to all BID members soon. In the meantime, interested persons may contact the BID office at 202-842-3333 with questions. Arts Workshop Director Moving On CHAW's Watson Announces Resignation, Effective Sept. 27 Dr. Jeffery Watson, Director of the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop since 1999, has announced his resignation, effective Sept. 27. In accepting his resignation, Board President Laurie Gillman said, "We are grateful for Jeffery's leadership and vision during his time at the Arts Workshop. He has accomplished many strategic goals in a short time Doolittle Guest House A spacious and located bed and 202 546-6622 506 East Capitol Street conveniently breakfast. www.doolittlehouse.com and has taken the Arts Workshop to a new level of professionalism and artistic excellence. He will be missed, but we are excited for him in this new chap- ter of his career." Watson is leaving the Arts Workshop to pursue his musical calling as composer and conductor, and as pianist for QuinTango, a world-touring quintet of musicians whose concerts and educational presen- tations have been enjoyed by thousands from Capitol Hill to Costa Rica. "This was not an easy decision to make," Watson stated. "The Arts Workshop has been a wonderful home for me, and I have had a great opportunity to work with the community at large and the extraor- dinary artists who are the Arts Workshop family. As many artists understand, it is very challenging to maintain an active musical career while holding down a separate full-time job with considerable responsibilities. I am in love with the Arts Workshop and proud of my accomplishments here, but I have been presented with amazing opportuni- ty to focus on playing and composing." Though people on Capitol Hill know Dr. Watson as the Arts Workshop's Director, many are less acquainted with his substantial career as a pianist, conductor, and composer. He holds degrees in piano performance from DePauw University, The Eastman School of Music and The University of Maryland, with additional studies at the University of London's School of Oriental and African Studies and the Chautauqua Institution. Watson has performed for the Piano 300 concert series at the Smithsonian Institution, the Garth Newel music festival, the Summer Music Series at the Washington National Cathedral, the National Symphony's Prelude Concert series at the Kennedy Center, and for a number of seasons with the Contemporary Music Forum at the Corcoran Gallery. He has also performed as soloist with the Honduran National Symphony, the Kennedy Wright Rowland, LLC Historic Conservation Consultants P reserve the historic character of your neighborhood while earning significant federal income tax benefits.We can assist you in making a charitable contribution of a facade easement on your property, which the IRS has concluded should result in an income tax deduction of 10-15% of the property's appraised value. Phone: (202)543-9477 Email: info@wrightrowland.com Center Opera House Orchestra, and the Kirov and Washington Ballets. Additionally, Watson has composed music for theater productions and for liturgical use, as well as a major choral work, Where Every Voice is Heard, which celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Arts Workshop and was recently performed by the Lesbian and Gay Chorus of Washington, DC. Dr. Watson's conducting experience includes work as associate conductor of the Kennedy Center's production of Sunday in the Park with George during the Center's 2002 Sondheim Celebration as well as being assistant conductor of the Capitol Hill Chorale for six years. Watson's time with the Arts Workshop has been marked by considerable growth. He arrived in July of 1999, taking the helm of an organization facing significant debt. In his time at the Arts Workshop, that debt has been eliminated, staffing has been stabilized and programs have expanded. Highlights of his tenure include co-founding the Capitol Hill Youth Chorus, expanding course offerings, building ongoing outreach relationships with the Higher Achievement Program and Kidsafe, Inc., and hiring the first Development Director for the Workshop. By the end of the last fiscal year, the Arts Workshop boasted a clear turnaround in its financial situation and is now working on a new strategic plan to articulate its next set of growth and educational goals. "It has been an incredible experience here," Watson said. "I am especially proud to leave the Arts Workshop in a strong position as an active and thriving arts organization with substantial community support." As for the future of the Arts Workshop, the Board of Directors is working with Dr. Watson and the staff to plan and implement an effective transition. "The Arts Workshop is now a leader in providing arts education, performance and exhibition oppor- THOMAS JENKINS and COMPANY AProfessional Corporation Certified Public Accountants Corporation, Partnership, Trust, Individual Income Tax & Financial Planning 202-547-9004 Washington, DC www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 tunities to the residents of Capitol Hill and the greater Washington, DC, area," said President Laurie Gillman. "We are proud of Jeffery's role in making the Arts Workshop a respected and fiscally responsible organization. We will continue his legacy of success and commitment to building community through the arts." News from the Friends of Southeast Library A memoir writing group is still forming at the library. Margaret Hollister asks those who have already contacted her about this to call her at (202) 544-7763, even if they have already done so; the original list of those interested in joining the group was misplaced. The next book sale is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 18, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.. An Honor Cart, kept stocked with a selection of donated fiction and non-fiction for sale, remains on permanent display in the library. All income goes to support library activities. The Friends group -- Volunteers are always needed and welcome. Folks may contact Janet McGregor at (202) 547-8897. Library activities -- Some of the new and ongoing activities at the Library are these: · Mystery and non-fiction book clubs, community forums, movies, computer tutorials; · Teens: Cartooning, art expression, creating rap songs and poetry, games, movies; · Children: The Summer Quest reading program for kids 14 and under runs through mid- September. Ongoing programs include story hour, lap time, preschool movies; · All ages: The chess program, sponsored by the U.S. Chess Center, is planned to continue through September on Tuesdays, 7-8:30 p.m. Call (202-698-3377) or visit (403 7th Street, SE) the library for further information on the full range of activities and the current schedule, or visit its website www.southeast5.com.It's always a good idea, too, to call ahead when planning to attend a specific activity. Second Saturday Set for Sept. 13 Marday Building Open House Held in Conjunction with Activities Capitol Hill galleries, merchants and restaurants traditionally stay open late on the second Saturday of the month to bring special receptions, sales and events to their patrons. Second Saturday, planned for Sept. 13, is a program of the Capitol Hill Association of Merchants and Professionals (CHAMPS). For more information, interested persons may call 202-547-7788. In conjunction with Second Saturday, Evolve Property Management, LLC, plans to participate by opening the Marday building, a 27-unit multi-fam- ily apartment building located at 815 Maryland Avenue, NE, to the public, beginning at 7 p.m. Everyone is invited. Drinks and hors e'oeuvres will be served. In August, Evolve completed renovations to the first floor common area hallways of the building, converting the space into a gallery for the Evolve Urban Arts Project. Beginning on Sept. 1, the Marday will feature works by resident artist Dorri Woods (www.DorriWoods.com) for residents and their guests to enjoy. For additional information about Evolve Property Management, LLC and/or Evolve Urban Arts Project, interested persons are asked to visit www.evolveLLC.com. Are You Safe from the Blaster Worm? Take Precautions to Protect Computers BY FAY SINGER A type of computer virus, known as a worm, rapidly circulated around the internet in August. It is known by several names such as W32.Blaster.Worm, Lovsan.worm, Win32.Poza, WORM_MSBLAST and W32/Blaster. Unlike the types of virus which attach to email, this worm attacks computers running Microsoft Windows through TCP port 135. This means it can attack any computers attached to the internet. To safeguard your computers, you need to make certain you have the latest updates for your antivirus software. In some instances, your "live updates" will not notify you of this needed update, and you will need to manually go to the website for your anti-virus software and download the most recent updates. You also need to go to Microsoft.com and install the most recent Microsoft Windows updates. After Windows and your anti-virus software have been updated, manually run your anti-virus software to scan your PC for viruses. More detailed information about this worm is available all the anti-virus websites. Fay C. Singer Small Business Data Solutions www.sbds.biz 202-841-9928 St. Coletta Community Amenities Note from Sharon Raimo, Executive Director, St. Coletta of Greater Washington St. Coletta of Greater Washington will be opening a new facility for children and adults with mental retardation and autism in fall of 2005. We are interested in offering a community amenities package to our neighbors. Qualified community groups will be able to use our facilities at night or on weekends on a first come, first served basis. Spaces open for public use include a full court gymnasium, a 4,000-square foot community room with catering kitchen and a 9,000-square foot "village green." The gym and community room will be available with a charge for cleanup and security. The village green will be available for larger events and at additional cost. Any bona fide community group that carries its own liability insurance will be considered eligible. If your group would be interested, please indicate by filling in the form available on the Voice of the Hill website. First-ever Barracks Row Fest Coming to the Neighborhood Oct. 4 Music, Food and Fun Part of the Celebration Discover Historic Barracks Row at the first ever Barracks Row Fest, to be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 4, along 8th Street, SE, F through G Streets. As the first commercial corridor in Washington, Barracks Row is rich in history, and now as the first recipient of the Main Street USA in the District, holds a promising future. This bustling portion of 8th Street, SE, nestled between Eastern Market off and Pennsylvania Ave to the north and the Navy Yard on M Street to the south, is home to the Marine Barracks of Washington, DC, the oldest post of the Corps. But that's only part of the story. Today this area is also home to a diverse and burgeoning shopping and dining destination. October's Barracks Row Fest marks the completion of the streetscape improvement project--brick sidewalks, new globe street lights and trees--and a new beginning as an entertainment and retail area. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will kick off the event, celebrating the completion of months of planning and construction. The guest list includes Mayor Anthony Williams and Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton . Live music will be featured throughout the day, ranging from the Marine Corps Band to Mariachi musicians, keeping in tune with the diversity of the neighborhood. Food booths will offer a variety of cuisines as well as chance to taste the local fare. Other activities will include face painting and a "Best Dressed Pet" contest. Art is an essential ingredient to life on Barracks Row. One of the festival highlights will be an exhibit of original pieces created by participants of the Arts Enables program. Their mission is to help adults with developmental disabilities pursue the creation of folk and fine art as a way of achieving self-expression and finding a meaningful role in society. Streetscapes created by Arts Enables participants are being used as the Barracks Row Fest logo and on T-shirts and posters. Rounding out the arts experience will be arts and crafts booths, shops featuring guest artists, and a children's art exhibit. Log on to www.voiceofthehill.com for more information as this special day approaches. DC Water and Sewer (WASA) Launches New Skimmer Boat In an ongoing effort to reduce the impact of general waste and debris on its principal waterways--the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers and the Washington Channel--the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (WASA) launched a new skimmer boat to remove floatable debris from the water. This new boat will help improve WASA's proactive pollution control efforts by increasing the capacity to collect debris by an addnal 500 tons per year. "The District of Columbia is committed to improving the quality of all of our local waterways, but our focus today is on the Anacostia River--the river most impacted by pollution," said Glenn S. Gerstell, Chairman of the Board, District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority. "This new skimmer boat is a welcome addition that will help our mission of serving the public, protecting the environment and in the process, help restore the Anacostia River and transform it into a valued resource for the city." Currently there is one trash skimmer boat in daily operation. The skimmers help to keep Washington's rivers clean by removing trash from all sources (litter, upstream sources, storm water) in addition to combined sewer overflow. The program has removed over 3,000 tons of debris in the past several years. Lesbian & Gay Chorus to Hold Open House Scheduled for Sept. 2 Calling all singers! The Lesbian & Gay Chorus of Washington, DC will hold an open house for prospective members at St. James Episcopal Church, 222 8th Street, NE, from 6:30-8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 2. This season, the 35-voice, non-audition, commu- nity-based chorus will debut Quilt Panels, a 45minute work for symphonic band and chorus that the LGCW commissioned with DC's Different Drummers DCDD. The world premiere of this new www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 work by composer Robert Maggio is Dec. 1 at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland. The upcoming concert season will also include a full-length performance and a celebration of LGCW's 20th anniversary. LGCW's repertoire ranges from classical to popular music and includes songs of gay and lesbian pride and cultural diversity. For more information, interested persons may contact Jill Strachan at 202- 546-1549 or visit www.lgcw.org. Congratulations Robert Sands Winner of the DiamondBack Outlook Mountain Bike Congratulations to Capitol Hill resident Robert Sands, who was selected as the winner of a DiamondBack Outlook mountain bike from Doolittle's, Capitol Hill's pet supply store and grooming salon. Robert was selected as the winner in a drawing held at Doolittle's on July 31. The mountain bike giveaway was part of the Eukanuba Challenge. Robert was thrilled to win the bike, noting that he "rides his bike every day." He also stated that it was the first time he ever won anything. As fate would have it, Robert does feed his dog Eukanuba dog food, which sponsored the bike drawing. Doolittle's owner, Dennis Bourgault, said he was also pleased that the bike went to someone who will actually use it on the Hill, and who is a regular Doolittle's customer. Dog Training Classes Coming to The Hill Doolittle's is pleased to announce a new partnership with Ruff Ruff Doggie Services that will bring dog training classes to Capitol Hill. The group dog training classes will start at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 9, (the Saturday after Labor Day), and will continue for 8 weeks. The classes will begin and end at Doolittle's, across from Eastern Market at 224 7th Street, SE. The goal of the classes will be to teach dogs basic obedience: heel, sit, stay, down and come. Between the weekly classes, owners will be responsible for reinforcing the behavior taught in the sessions. The cost will be $130, and participants will receive a 10 percent discount on any training treats or supplies bought at Doolittle's. Dogs must be at least six months old to participate. Space is limited, so persons interested in participating are encouraged to sign up at Doolittle's as soon as possible. Ruff Ruff owner Marzelle Johnson will be conducting the classes. Marzelle has been training dogs for many years, has extensive experience in animal training and behavioral management, uses positive methods and has stacks of personal testimonials. Ruff Ruff's mission is simple: "to provide real life training for dogs and their owners, so that the dog and the owner are able to handle any situation. We will help you and your dog live in bliss." Khan El-Khalili 321 7th Street, SE 202-543-5295 1-800-397-9441 Owners ·· Hand Made Egyptian Gifts & Oils Mohamed & Venetta Khattab Imported from Cairo always bright." --BENJAMIN FRANKLIN JOHN JANKE (202) 857-4385 202-543-1600 ANATOLIA BAZAAR (202) 543-7099 i: 11:00-6:30 ANATOLIA TURKISH CAFE (202) 544-4753 Please your palate and take a journey into the realm of timeless heritage, cuisine and rediscover Anatolian carpets, kilims, glassware and fine dining... Availablefor PrivateParties LOOK! "The used key is Let my thirty years of real estate experience work for you. Real Estate Capitol Hill's Only Vietnamese Restaurant · Lunch and Dinner Parties · Full Bar · Vegetarian Specialties · Pho--Traditional Vietnamese soup · Carry out 11am-10pm Sunday-Thursday 11am-11pm Friday and Saturday 1129 Pennsylvania Ave., SE 631 Pennsylvania Ave., SE Tues-FrSat-Sun: 10:00-7:30 Mon: Closed 633 Pennsylvania Ave., SE Mon-Fri: 11:30-2:30, 5:30-10:00 Sat: 5:30-10:00 Sun: Closed 10% off with this ad Dine in only Tell our advertisers you saw them in The Voice SAVE! www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 The Rise and Fall of a Community The Navy Yard Neighborhood--Past, Present, and Future BY COLIN GUSTAFSON T he southern strip of 8th St., SE, is quiet throughout the week. As Eastern Market fills with the chattering voices of Sunday shoppers, this small community fronting the Navy Yard remains mostly silent save for the rhythmic tap of a ham mer two blocks away. And on Monday, as Capitol Hill awak ens to the morning rush, an eerie calm continues to per vade this remote stretch of pavement. Indeed, mention of the Yard-front is likely to prompt head scratches and responses, like, "I haven't been down there a lot," or "Where's that?" even among residents who have lived within a mile of it for decades. Those familiar with the area often describe it in the less-than-flat- tering terms: "dicey;" "wine coun try," as named by one business owner for the prevalence of brown bagged liquor bottles on the street; a "no-man's land," still recovering from the effects of poverty, accord ing to one resident; a "ghost town" to many others. These descriptions, while a bit exaggerated, have a ring of truth about the community's bleak isola tion. An Historic Desert Island Every morning, the Porte Café opens its doors to a largely empty street, which it shares with a used car lot and a convenience store that has been chained shut for almost a year. A block away, a row of abandoned houses with boarded-up windows and graffiti scrolled across the brick facades rise from dense patches of unkempt grass and overgrown weeds. Believe it or not, much of this is historic property. Situated between the Washington Navy Yard and the Marine Barracks, this neighborhood is actually home to a rich past spanning back to the founding of the nation's capital. The abandoned houses, vacant lots, and converted storefronts were once homes for the hundreds of industrial laborers who worked in the Navy Yard's massive ordnance factories over the course of almost two centuries. In the early 1800s, armorers, blacksmiths, carpenters, caulkers, and sail makers traversed the cobblestone paths of what is now M Street. At the turn of the 20th century, the humble-looking Porte Café and the closed convenience store next to it were Martin Schneider's Navy Yard Exchange, a locally famous restaurant serving copious amounts of crab and beer to local marines. Two blocks west, near the site of the Capper-Carrollsburg senior homes, stood the original Eastern Market, which first sold meat exclusively and did not move to 7th Street until 1872. Perhaps the most impressive structure in the neighborhood today, aside from the Navy Yard, itself, is the car barn, one the District's first hubs of public transportation. This building "mimics the medieval castles and fortresses of the Renaissance with angle towers, blind arrow slits, and conical broh roofs," according to one author cited in the Barracks Row historic context report. The car barn, which now houses a charter school, originally served as the Washington & Georgetown Railroad Company Streetcar station, where 19th-century commuters embarked on the 40-minute cable car ride to the Georgetown waterfront. "There really is so much situated between these two lynch pins--the Navy Yard and the Barracks--that is integral to our past," says Gary Peterson, chair of the zoning committee for the Capitol Hill Restoration Society. "But it was left out of the historic neighborhood regrettably because of ill-conceived city planning." For the past several years, Nancy Metzger and other Restoration Society members have tried to rectify this oversight. In 2001, she and Beth Hannold coauthored an exhaustive, 80-page Navy Yard and Barracks Row's history. Then, in January 2002, after working their way through stacks of permit applications, Metzger and colleagues successfully lobbied the ANC and the Historic Preservation Board to annex the Yard-front community into the city's Historic District, now the largest of its kind in the country. Thanks to these efforts, the Yardfront area is now officially part of "old Capitol Hill." This new "Hill" status clearly will not alleviate the area's current problems. But it will give the Restoration Society jurisdiction to protect it from private contractors. Now, no one can buy up the historic property--25 percent of the buildings here are dated prior to 1865--and knock it down in order to build an apartment high-rise or an office building, Peterson explains. This is a relief to Metzger, who has headed the effort to preserve these blocks. "This neighborhood makes the rest of our history so much more www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 pertinent," she says. "Without considering the Navy Yard and what's in front of it, you really don't understand Capitol Hill history." Growth and Decline To understand this history, Metzger says one first must realize that the Yard-front was not always the socioeconomic desert island it has become. Rather, this Southeast "village" was active and self-sufficient--the nucleus of what Metzger calls an "arc of development" emanating northward. The now-thriving, northern part of 8th Street originally emerged as an offshoot of advances already going on in front of the Navy Yard. Like many other communities across the country, this one grew in spurts with the ebb and flow of American military conflict. City designer Pierre L'Enfant (who, interestingly enough, envisioned East Capitol Street as Wash- ington's downtown commercial center) first noncommittally dubbed this land in front of the Anacostia "Exchange Square." But it soon took on far greater significance when Congress ordered the construction of the Navy Yard when faced with the threat of war against France in 1799. Later, in 1814, President Madison had the Yard burned to the ground on the eve of the British invasion. But after the fire, the community quickly pulled itself back together. Initially a shipbuilding facility, the Yard evolved into a large-scale munitions plant and began attracting more and more laborers who took up residence in the surrounding blocks. Throughout the 19th century, the Yard employed tens of thousands more. With this growth and the construction of the Marine Barracks down the street, local commerce boomed. Dry goods stores, dairy and butcher shops, barbers, and clothing retailers began popping up. Restaurants and theaters soon fol- The newly-snnexed historic orridor of 8th and M Streets, SE. lowed, and Barracks Row eventually came to be a "fashionable" part of town, attracting Washingtonians and tourists alike. For a while, it was even a popular night-life spot. As the surrounding blocks took on prominence, so did the Navy Yard, itself. While maintaining its primary function, the Yard also served as a ceremonial outpost, receiving foreign dignitaries from the shores of the Anacostia and drawing major political figures, like Abraham Lincoln who reportedly visited the Yard on the day of his assassination. This community was also home to many famous Washingtonians-- mayors, military leaders, and the city's first physician, Frederick May-- who shacked up in luxurious, two-story brick houses along Virginia Avenue. Another important Washingtonian, Elizabeth Haines, one of DC's first female entrepreneurs, lived three blocks away in the 1200 block of 8th Street, Southeast. Haines worked as a merchandise broker and founded the largest dry goods store in the eastern section of the city in 1866. To accommodate a growing clientele, she eventually 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 relocated to the building at the corner of 8th and D that now houses Footlocker. But, this cosmopolitan heyday would not last forever. In the latter half of the 19th century, Virginia Avenue lost many of its wealthy residents to the posh neighborhoods of northwest. The community subsequently regained its blue-collar character, but was now more ethnically diverse. Italian, Irish, Scotch, and German immigrants, as well as black ex-slaves filled the factories of the Navy Yard, which still thrived as an industrial center. 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 www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 With this area, developers are taking some high risks for the immediate future. After the Civil War, a second wave activity waned until 1962, when the of development hit most of the Yard dismantled its arms production neighborhood as hundreds of thou-program and converted to an adminsands of new workers and federal istrative post. Soon thereafter, the employees flooded the city. But this bustling population of laborers population boom quietly spelled the departed, and the Capperbeginning of the end for the Yard-Carrollsburg housing projects went front. As its arc of development grew up to the west, initiating a gradual northward, business activity became deterioration of the area's socioecoconcentrated at the Pennsylvania nomic condition. Avenue end of 8th Street. The construction of the I-395 Meanwhile, this commercial corri-Southeast Freeway during the 1960s dor's very foundation began to stag-and 70s was the final blow to this nate ever so slightly. area, effectively severing it from the In 1929, the Navy Yard area was rest of 8th Street and isolating it the hardest hit of all 8th Street from the commercial activity just neighborhoods by the Great blocks to the north. "The overpass Depression. In the decades that fol-created a big gap," says Peterson, a lowed, its once lively industrial Hill resident for over 33 years. "And that divided what has historically been one continuous human corridor." Peterson continues: "The freeway was an artificial, man-made, physical barrier. But it also became a mental barrier. And now, you just don't think of going south of there for anything anymore." The freeway also unseated Virginia Avenue as one of the area's primary east-west thoroughfares. As a result, much on this major avenue declined along with the rest of the community. Once lined with rows of extravagant homes, a local firehouse, and the area's first black public school, the avenue is now little more than am untended strip of grass dotted with semi-empty lots and storehouses, at many points. Some in the Restoration Society have lobbied the District government to raze this portion of the freeway and replace it with a refurbished Virginia Avenue, but they have been unsuccessful so far. In the mean time, trd-front lingers in the shadow of I-395. Hope for the Future? Nonetheless, many are optimistic about the future. For one, officials say the area is becoming safer. While it still suffers from crime and localized poverty, business owners say they sense improvement. "This place is everchanging," says Jan Camaratta, who has managed a travel agency on M Street for three years. "Right now, you don't feel the fear that you did before. You can put something down on the street and not have to worry about it being gone when you turn your back." Others look forward to the substantial public development slated here. A large, new Marine Barracks facility is currently under construction at the corner of 7th Street and Virginia Avenue. This is also good news for Camaratta who believes these barracks will bring in a large, new clientele. "The marine barracks were a welcome sight to us," she says. "We literally kissed the ground when we saw it." The District government also has big plans. The city will soon establish a Southeast branch of the Department of Transportation on M Street. It is also preparing to implement a Hope-6 project to rebuild the Capper-Carrollsburg neighborhood  MICHELE PIQUET, PH.D. CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST CAPITOL HILL 202-544-4480 Handyman on the Hill Brick & Stone Concrete Roof Repairs · (202) 543-0954 Attention! Individual, couple, and group psychotherapy Masonry Brick Pointing Carpentry Decks & Fences Painting 202-206-7185 Panchita Bello Broker Licensed DC, MD and VA A Team of Experts Representing buyers and sellers · Providing personalized service/by appointment only · Serving Washington, DC, northern Virginia and suburban Maryland · Giving the quality of service we would want if we were you · Offering Homebuyers' Bootcamp-- a free, indepth seminar covering all aspects of the homebuying process · Taking the mystery out of real estate www.sherlockehomes.com Register NOW for our FREE Homebuyers' Bootcamp. buyersbootcamp@aol.com or call 543-0954 www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 with over 1,500 new, mixed-income housing units. Additionally, the Navy Yard is expected to bring 5,000 new employees to its Latrobe Gate in the coming years, according to a report by Bill McLeod in last month's Voice. Officials expect this influx of new residents and employees to be a powerful impetus for business. "The sheer movement of bodies is going to be astounding," Peterson says. "It's certainly going to bring a hell of a lot more people here very quickly, and that will give everyone a big boost and spur the growth of this place." Still, others are careful not to get too excited, too quickly. The neighborhood may be back on the historic map, but, for many, it is another question whether it will actually rejoin Capitol Hill quite so quickly. Dick Wolf, chair of the City Planning Committee, believes the area will first have to allow business to filter down from the north, where it currently thrives on northern parts of 8th Street. Only then will the Yard-front be able to overcome the barrier posed by the freeway and reconnect with the rest of the corridor and the greater Hill community. And this could take quite some time, Wolf says. "My whole experience in community development on the Hill, which goes back 35 years, is that it is very incremental," he says. "With this area, developers are taking some high risks for the immediate future. But, for this area to rejoin the main street program for the long run--it will just be a matter of time." He adds, "And time is one thing the developers and the people have on their sides." Colin Gustafson, Hill native, is the Voice's summer intern. Nancy Metzger, Elizabeth Hannold and Donna Hanousek contributed to this article with their "Barracks Row 8th Street Survey Historic Context" report. · Full time Staff Doctor On Site · Complete Veterinary Services · Science Diet & Prescription Diet foods · Cat Boarding · Totally New Facility · Morning drop off service · International Health Certificates · Microchip ID 202-544-2500 Julie D. Giles, DVM Susan R. Cooke, VMD 609 2nd St, NE across from Union Station UNION VETERINARY CLINIC High Quality General Practice Monday 8-8, Tuesday-Friday 8-6 Saturday 9-2 Worship --Sunday 11:00 am We warmly invite everyone to share in a journey of faith and service to our community and the world. 201 Fourth Street, Southeast Washington, DC 20003 tel 202.547.8676 fax 202.547.2182 wsc@capitolhillpreschurch.org www.capitolhillpreschurch.org LaPlazaRestaurant Fine Mexican/Salvadoran Cuisine 629 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE 202-546-9512 15% off with this ad LOOK! SAVE! Fall colors now in stockFall colors now in stockTrees Shrubs Perennials Soils Mulches Herbs Fountains Pottery House plants Books Seeds Garden Plaques Statuary and much more Celebrate the change of season with a new wardrobe for your garden. 911 11th Street, SE Washington, DC 20003 202.543.5172 ginkgogardens.com Monday-Saturday 8am-6pm Sunday 9am-5pm www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 Capitol EastNatatorium: Diving Into Controversy On the Eve of the Pool's Reopening, Residents Express Concerns BY PATTI SHEA A mong the row houselined streets of Capitol Hill sits a gray-faced, awkwardly-square building adjacent to Eastern Market. Once the site of a fire station, the Capitol East Natatorium has housed one of the city's five indoor pools for nearly 30 years. However, for the past 17 months, its doors have remained closed and the pool was drained, undergoing a much-needed facelift. Now, on the eve of the natatori- um's grand reopening, during which it will be renamed the William H. Rumsey, Sr., Aquatic Center (see details on page 6), some residents are wondering if the new pool will be anything like it used to be--with poor maintenance, litter and all that went with it. The natatorium is scheduled to reopen on Sept. 5 after months of delays and broken grand reopening promises. Officials at the city's Department of Parks and Recreation say they're not to blame for the delay, but some residents don't agree. The project was originally set with a $1.3 million price tag, but has soared past the $3 million mark, according to park officials. The city closed the pool last year to refurbish the thirty-something- year old building's electrical, mechanical and alarms systems. However, the park department told Voice of the Hill that once the work began, it was discovered that the systems had deteriorated extensively and needed total replacement. Department spokesman Darrick Nicholas said these changes escalated the cost of the project, nearly tripling its original budget. "DPR requested changes to the original scope, and unforeseen utility issues caused both time delays and an increase to the budget," Nicholas said in a statement to the Voice. 'Lack of Communication' The cost of the project isn't what exactly is irking some Hill residents, activists and business owners. Most agree the updates were needed, adding that the city had negligent maintenance habits with the pool over the past two decades. What is griping the residents is the city's handling of the renova- tion--more notably, a "total lack of communication" between the city planners and residents closest to the project. After it shifted plans to replace rather than renovate the pool hall's mechanics, the parks department decided to install heating, ventilation and air conditioning machinery on top of the building. Residents argue that these plans weren't included in the original plans they were shown during public meetings last year, and they felt the city should have notified them--espe- cially those within the line of sight of the massive stainless steel ducts and fans--about its intended changes. Brian Furness, current member and former president of the Capitol Hill Restoration Society, agrees. "I think we were misled back in 2002," Furness said. Concerns Over Impacts ss said the new machinery was installed without any studies about possible aesthetic concerns or noise impacts to neighboring homes and businesses. Furness said he requested project documents through the Freedom of Information Act, and those documents show no evidence of these studies. The parks department said all needed studies were conducted and there was no other place to install the ventilation and heating system. The planning department signed off on the permits. "The only aesthetic impact came as a result of having to provide the rooftop unit for the HVAC upgrade," Nicholas said in the statement. "There were no financially feasible alternatives for placing this unit; however, it was absolutely necessary to properly control the environment of the facility. Again, plans and subsequent inspections for this work were approved by [the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs]." Nicholas said public documents do prove the studies took place. Even if the studies were conducted, that doesn't help Catherine Held, who lives across from the natatorium. Held, who purchased her home across from the pool hall in 1972, called the city's handling of the situation "horrible" and said she was never notified of the project changes. "What we have here is very promising," Held said. "The city should have been in touch with the neighbors." Held said the roof-mounted machinery, which is clearly visible from her front door, is an "eyesore" and hopes the city does something to camouflage the machinery. www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 "This is terrible," she said. Mary Wright, ANC 6B commissioner whose single member district includes the natatorium, said there are a lot of bad vibes between the neighbors and city planners. "There has been a lot of stuff not done in good faith," Wright said. Furness said the city was supposed to put up screens to hide the machinery, but didn't know the timetable for doing so, or if one was even set. The answer to that question was not available to the Voice at press time. Along with the "ugly" machinery, Held added that when the natatorium was in operation, its users would leave behind trash and the city neglected to do anything about it. She's anxious to see if a new interior and new pool brings a new respect for the building and the grounds around it. "The natatorium [staff] does nothing to control its users," she said. Future Plans Part of the problem, Held, Furness and Wright say, stems from pool users coming from outside the District. Held said she has seen vans pull up in front of the building with Maryland tags, drop off a half-dozen or so kids, and take off. The unsupervised kids, she added, leave trash lying around that eventually ends up on the stoops of surrounding residents. "It's been a problem to the residents of the 600 block of North Carolina Avenue for a long time," Held added. Well, the parks department is trying to do something about the problem. Fees will be assessed to pool users to help pay for maintenance costs. Different fees will be applied to District and non-District residents and will be determined by age (see sidebar). For instance, non-resident children ages six and under will pay $3, while a resident of the same age will be free. Park officials hope by charging users to use the natatorium will make up for upkeep, costs since much of the reason why the pool was closed was due to its unsanitary and unsafe condition. Held hopes this works. "This District should take better care of what it owns," she said. Patti Shea is the Voice of the Hill's political reporter. She can be reached at patti@voiceofthehill.com. Natatorium Fees Single Admission Resident Non-Resident Children under 6 FREE $3.00 Youth: 6 -17 yrs. $3.00 $4.00 Adults $4.00 $7.00 Source: DC Department of Parks and Recreation Doolittle's -Your #1 Source for Flea, Tick & Mosquito Protection New K9 Advantix Now Available! Also - Frontline & FleaScience Topical Treatments, Carpet Sprays & Foggers, Shampoos & Collars Everything you need to keep your "Best Friend" pest FREE! Doolittle's --The Best for Our Best Friends! (202) 544-8710 -- www.doolittles.com Across from Eastern Market -- 224 Seventh Street, SE, Washington, DC Coming in September! Dog Training Classes with Ruff Ruff Doggie Services! Group Classes Beginning After Labor Day! Check the store for sign-up information! Space is limited, so sign up early! Here's what one satisfied client had to say -- "In just a short time Kaellie was performing as if she had been trained for years. It is so much easier for us to walk and I enjoy her more when we are outside." T. R. Dean Log on! www.voiceofthehill.com FEA TURED PR OP ER TIES 129 6th St., NE Capitol Hill Rarity, a large fully-detached home with 33 windows on all four exposures. Built in 1867 in the Hisotric District, this home has many striking original features, grand entertaining space, 11 ft. ceilings, music room. Over 4000 sq. ft., exceptional storage and off street parking. Comfortably priced at $849,777 1345 F Street, NE Top of the line, tasteful, 5-year young, complete renovation of a Victorian! 2-3 BR, 1.5 BA, open entertaining, columns, oak flooring, table space kitchen with granite counters, laundry room. The home is wired for sound and security. Much more to see. Listed at $379,777 2737 Devonshire Pl., NW, Unit Nos. 501 and 530 The Woodley Park Towers. Large unit on the top floor, rear of the building, park views from every room. Enjoy watching the huge oak trees suring a summer storm from your private terace. 2033 sq. ft. of open entertaining space. 2 BR, 2 BA, den, butlers pantry with service entrance, secure 24 hours, front desk and guest parking. Listed at $729,777 RE/MAX R ESIDENTIAL R EAL E ST A T E Work with a real estate professional. Get the results you want. WDCAR Platinum Award Winner for 2002 202-262-3848 (O) 202-546-1553 (H) www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 DEALS on WHEELS Your Car is Ready to Die. You Need a New One. You Live on the Hill. What Are Your Options? BY GENE MILLER So the old Plymouth Horizon end up calling a salvage yard some-and Florida, NE--or if you were real- Aunt Bertha gave you is, to put it where and paying them $100 or so ly rolling, Capitol Cadillac at 1260 politely, incontinent. And it sounds to cart the remains away (you may 22nd St., NW, and drive home in like it's going to cough up a piston or avoid this fee if you can drive the car your new car. two whenever you step on the gas. to the salvage yard yourself). Be sure But there aren't any dealers down- Your mechanic tells you Aunt to keep any and all pieces of paper town anymore. The last one even Bertha's baby could go anytime any-having to do with these transac-reasonably close to the Hill was where, and you start thinking about tions, because you may at some Northeast Ford over on West euthanasia. point need to prove that you don't Virginia and Montana Avenues, NE What's the best way? A bullet own or have the car anymore. If your (they finally gave it up in 1991). between the headlights? And then old Horizon ends up back out on the the ramifications sink in: you live on street and abandoned somewhere, Nearest Dealers the Hill; you've got an old, nearly you will still be the last owner of The closest car dealers to the Hill dead car; there aren't any car dealers record. You'll find yourself having these days are clustered together for miles around, and, besides, you too many unwanted conversations down in Marlow Heights and don't have any way to get there. with the police and collection agen- Suitland. There are lots of other deal- Whaddya gonna do? cies about a car you no longer own. ers scattered around the Beltway, If your car really is too old to trade Having all the paperwork from the most of them miles from you or any in, or you just don't want the hassle, transfer shortens such conversations Metro stop. Go to Metro's handy there are charitable organizations considerably. trip-plan online, and you might that will take your car and auction it And now what? Well, you can join find the trip will take you two hours off and you can claim it as a dona-the sweaty pilgrims honoring the (and you'll be walking that last halftion on your income taxes. But Blessed St. Velocipede at the Shrine mile to Sheehy Ford). many of these organizations are tak-of the Broken Sprocket. But what if If you're lucky, you have a kind ing only late model used cars these you want air conditioning? A radio? and generous friend who will ferry days, so don't be surprised if you Pleasant conversation when you you from the Hill to Marlow Heights have to put in some serious phone travel? A back seat? You're going to or Tysons Corner to kick tires and time finding somebody who will need another car. slam doors and agonize over trim take your senile and doddering old Used to be you could just go on color and worry about whether car. over to Ralph Brown Buick at 6th you're getting a good deal. If you In the worst-case scenario, you'll and H, NE, or Eaton Chevrolet at 6th have such a friend, compensate him or her handsomely--say, a lunch or two at Kinkead's or the Colvin Run Tavern?--because watching other people buy cars ranks right down there with cleaning other people's bathrooms. You might also try to see if the dealer you are interested in provides free shuttle service to the nearest Metro station. Many dealerships offer this service to customers who bring their cars in for servicing, so you might be able to snag a ride that way. You can also rent a car for a week or two while you do your car-shop- ping. Flexible, Zippy Options There are several ways to go here. You can try the major car rental companies, some of which have outlets at Union Station, or you can try one of the companies that rents used cars. The closest one of those is Rent- a-Wreck at 1252 Half Street, SE. They'll rent you a compact for $25 a day or $145 a week. Shop carefully, as some of the lesser known companies like Enterprise can offer very good prices for longer-term rentals. There is still another option that is just opening up in the Washington area: you enroll in a car-sharing service like Flexcar or Zipcar. Each of these companies has leased parking spaces around the city where they park cars for their members to use. If you want to use one, you become a member, reserve the car, drive it around and then park it back where you got it so the next person can use it. That's it. No hassles finding parking late at night, no insurance, no gas, no maintenance. Drive it, then forget about it until you need it again. Zipcar has Beetle Belinda parked by Eastern Market, Golf Gerty on Kentucky Avenue, SE, and Golf Ginger at Union Station. Belinda and Ginger currently go for $9.50/hr., while Gertie is a cheaper date at $8.50/hr. Flexcar's cars go for just $8 per hour and have numbers: 3807 is around 6th and Maryland, NE; 3804 is by Eastern Market Metro; 3806 is by Union Station; and 3809 is near 5th and H, NE. Membership in Flexcar or Zipcar requires a major credit card and a good driving record. Either company may be reached online at or or by telephone at their local offices: Flexcar's Washington number is 202- 296-1359 and Zipcar's is 202-737- 4900. So, a novitiate at the Blessed St. Velocipede's still looks attractive? Well, whatever makes your wheels go 'round. Gene Miller is a longtime contributor to The Voice of the Hill. www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 I was in Chicago on Sept. 11, 2001. I'd flown out there that morning and didn't return until the following Saturday. Only later did I understand that I really was coming home to two communities: the one where I live, Arlington, Virginia; and the one where I go to church, Capitol Hill. Arlington is my home; I grew up there and have lived there most of my life. St. Mark's Episcopal Church on Capitol Hill is where I've worshiped for the last ten years. I belong to each community and have wonderful friends in both places. And both were harmed by Sept. 11, each in its particular way. In the months that followed the attacks, like so many other Americans, I gradually came to terms with my fury and my fear and began to adapt to our changed circumstances. As I did so, I began to take note of how my two communities were bearing up. Both had taken some heavy blows. One place eventually began to fill me with a sense of relief, and even pride, as it sorted itself out. The other slowly aroused a sense of frustration and anxiety-- fear, really--as it struggled fitfully with the post-Sept. 11 reality. It's the Hill for which I've been afraid. After Sept. 11, there was no lack of interest or passion among my friends at church in the broader issues that faced our country. War and peace, civil liberties, the crisis in the Middle East--all received a lot of scrutiny. Especially as the immediacy of Sept. 11 and the anthrax attacks faded, such questions seemed to be foremost in whatever discussion we would have. What didn't get much attention, however, was how to prepare--in the sense of "emergency prepared- ness"--for what might happen next, or for some other emergency that might befall the community. I've been particularly shaken by com- www.voiceofthehill.com Becoming Prepared Recovery from Terror, Resolve for the Future BY PA DRAIC SWEENEY ments such as, "I can't bring myself alone--not by any means--but they to do anything," or "We're so close led the way. For all the horror and to the Capitol," or "It's not some-sorrow of that day, it is remarkable thing we can control." and gratifying that my rather under- The good news is that there are stated hometown today has living folks hard at work on the Hill prepar-heroes of its own--especially our ing not only their own families, but first responders. their neighborhoods as well. I'm The Hill, it seems in hindsight, going to try to tell something of had an experience that was less their stories. To set the stage, deadly, but in some ways more harthough, I'd like to talk a bit first rowing. about my other community-- Arlington. Dealing With the 'What Ifs' Rather than a direct hit, Sept. 11 for A Community Responds the Hill was a near miss. No injured I've always suspected that when peo-to rescue, no fires to extinguish, no ple who don't live there think of reconstruction to anticipate. The "Arlington," the next word that plane that went down in comes to mind is "cemetery;" a Pennsylvania and subsequent specuquiet, leafy park devoted to monu-lation about the terrorists' intenments, icons and the departed. To be tions left everything to the imaginasure, Arlington has them in great tion. And unlike the Pentagon, the abundance: the Iwo Jima Memorial; Capitol has no glacis of parking lots, the Pentagon, of course; and not highways and open space between it least, our nation's honored dead. and the neighboring community. By comparison, Arlington the The "what ifs" are awful to contemcommunity is altogether livelier and plate. more low-profile. Increasingly cos-And then there was anthrax. mopolitan and polyglot, as well as The Hart Building closed, the developing a growing business cen-Capitol daycare center turned into a ter, Arlington is also sober-sided and vaccination clinic, and the bitter process-oriented. We value highly tragedy of nearby Brentwood inspirour tradition of good government ing more grim "what ifs." and display a certain inclination Through the fall of 2001 and into towards wonkery. Maybe it's our the following year, Arlington carried abundance of lawyers and civil ser-on in fairly characteristic fashion. By vants, but we're proud--even smug October 2001, the Arlington Civic at times--about the meetings, task Federation--the real grassroots of forces, and prodigious talk with local politics--was peppering the which we pursue our community county government with questions life. ranging from the basic and sensible Sept. 11 was a direct hit on that to the truly geeky. Talking, planning, communityve been talking, grant writing, talking some worse, of course, but what did hap-more, in public and in private, gradpen was more than bad enough, ually Arlington's citizens and comleaving nothing to the imagination. munity leaders came around to a And Arlington responded. From our clearer picture of how we'll care for firefighters and police to a wide array each other the next time disaster of community groups and individ-strikes. ual citizens, Arlington and its people While Arlington bustled purposestepped up to fight the fires, rescue fully (and I bustled along, as a Red the injured and care for others. Not Cross disaster volunteer), I tried to understand what was happening with my church community. Like religious congregations all over America, St. Mark's initial response to Sept. 11 was a service held the next day. Church was packed the following Sunday; prayers were offered for those who suffered, and the sermon examined the events of the previous week. Most of all, we cared for each other in a moment of terrible fear and pain. As Sept. passed into October, though, and anthrax began to cast its own pall over the Hill, the subject of terrorism faded gradually--never totally absent, but less and less acknowledged. Members of the congregation did talk and argue about the war on terrorism, military operations in Afghanistan, and other national issues. We even quarreled over returning the American and Episcopal Church flags to the sanctuary, which we finally did after a decades-long absence. Taking Practical Steps Something we didn't do, however, was to take any practical steps to prepare for future emergencies. Finally, several of us realized that we really needed to discuss Sept. 11 and its aftermath and figure out how to respond. We met six months to the day after the attacks, and talked about our various reactions and emotions. By the time we finished, we'd settled on two broad areas of activity: efforts to understand better the nature of the conflict that had led to the attacks, and emergency preparedness. Explorations of the "big picture"-- especially a lecture on the Middle East and an inter-faith service with other Hill congregations--generated considerable interest. Not surprisingly; it's quite natural to want to draw closer spiritually and emotionally to one's neighbors in times of trouble. And it would be quite out of charac VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 "There's a good deal of feeling that it's not in our control," says Alison Feighan; that disasters are "not something you can necessarily react to or prepare for." ter for St. Mark's people not to intel-Alison Feighan; that disasters are ment of Mental Health, thinks some lectualize the conflict, explore the "not something you can necessarily of this reluctance to due to the fact global implications and so on. react to or prepare for." that "there hasn't been a whole lot Emergency preparedness was "I just feel like there's nothing you of attention paid to anthrax" and quite different. The energy, simply can do," said David Deutsch of East the lingering, unseen influence that put, wasn't there. For my part, I was Capitol Street; "I don't fear the great experience had on the community. willing to work on emergency pre-big emergencies, it's the little every-Glenn notes that "bio-terrorism is paredness at St. Mark's, but not as a day ones," like a child drowning at such a different experience" from leader--if a major disaster strikes, my the swimming pool, that concern Sept. 11, that coming to terms with place will be in Arlington, both as a him. Another Hill acquaintance the former will probably take some resident and a Red Cross volunteer. reports that some of his neighbors time. And I believed that someone who believe "we're so close to the lived in the District, preferably on Capitol" that there's nothing they Just Doing Itthe Hill, and had a more direct stake can really do to prepare. Two Hill residents who've come to in any plans we made, would be It's this fatalism, most of all, that terms with the post-Sept. 11/post- more suitable. leads me to fear for my friends on anthrax reality and are doing some- We muddled on with a project the Hill. In any emergency short of thing about it are Norman Burr and that no one opposed, but for which the Apocalypse, there will be those Sig Cohen. "You're never concerned there was very little enthusiasm, who are injured, possibly homeless, about anything," Norm says, "until either. More than a year after we certainly frightened, who will need it hits home." began, we have a work plan the care of others--starting with Significantly, it hit home for Norm approved by our parish council, and their friends and neighbors. I know in an unavoidable fashion on Sept. a member of the church staff is the Hill too well to doubt its gen-11 at the Pentagon, where he was a stockpiling supplies of water in the erosity. But preparation can make a civilian employee. "Nobody had a parish office, but that's about it. big difference. plan," he relates, and when the My Hill friends have various Glenn Parkinson, a Hill resident attack came, "everybody was runexplanations for the apparent lack of who coordinated the June 28 "Inter-ning, but nobody knew what they energy. "There's a good deal of feel-Generational Dialogue on Home-were doing. That's scary." ing that it's not in our control," says land Security" for the DC Depart-Building on their previous Neighborhood Watch experience, Norm and Sig--both longtime residents of the 100 block of Tennessee Avenue, NE-- "decided to get the block together." Beginning in the spring of 2002, Sig and Norm met with their neighbors on both sides of the street. They got to know each other better, exchanged contact information and identified health care professionals living on their block. Everyone was urged to store extra food and prepare "go bags" in case they needed to evacuate the neighborhood. Spare basements, propane stoves, and other resources were also identified. The Tennessee Avenue group has made its plans on the assumption that in a major emergency, evacuation will not be possible for some time. "Every street out of here is going to be a parking lot," Sig contends. So having families lay in stocks of food and water and other supplies, along with identifying extra space and those professional health care skills, are priorities. Another key objective, according to Norm, is ensuring that the frail and elderly have someone to look out for them in an emergency. Getting organized, they say, was not a big deal. "It took a couple of weeks to get things together," Sig says. "People on the Hill like their privacy," Norm observes, so phone numbers and email addresses remain confidential. The two, who are both semi-retired, worked at it and found that people reacted very well to the idea of being better prepared. So far, the "Tennessee Avenue group" is not tied into DC Government programs, such as Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training now getting underway for District residents. While they're interested, Sig and Norm stress the importance of local people taking responsibility for themselves and their neighbors--"it www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 all goes back to being concerned with one another," Norm says. Guiding the Way Greg Smith, of the 900 block of East Capitol Street, has taken a slightly different approach. Greg began with his concerns for his own family--his wife Missy and their young daughter. After Sept. 11, he went to the websites of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Citizen Corps and DC Emergency Management Agency (EMA). He and his wife made plans, prepared a "go kit," and stockpiled water and other essentials. Greg then decided to take things further. Believing that few people would wade through the dense information then posted on the websites, he decided "to boil them down to their essentials." The result was an eight-page "Unofficial Capitol Hill Anti-Terrorism Guidebook." "Five minutes, and you robably get through it," he says. Greg distributed the Guidebook to his neighbors and at church. Greg is pretty modest about his work; he humorously compares himself to "Jimmy Stewart blowing his whistle," as an air-raid warden in It's A Wonderful Life, and suspects that "there are some folks that probably think it's much ado about nothing." Sig Cohen, who distributed the guidebook to his neighbors on Tennessee Avenue, thinks otherwise; his advice to Hill residents who want to be better prepared: "Get a copy of the 'Guidebook' and get to work." until first responders arrive. In DC, 620 residents will receive CERT training, which is being conducted by the George Washington University. For more information, visit the DC Commission on National and Community Service website, at www.cncs.dc.gov, or call (202) 727-7925. Despite these resources, one thing the people I spoke with almost never seemed to mention--beyond the websites--was their local government. Several were sobered by official advice--standard advice not unique to the Hill or DC--that fire and other emergency services might take as long as 72 hours to reach them in a major emergency. Many of the 35 to 40 people at the Inter- Generational Dialogue in June-- especially younger people and African Americans--expressed considerable suspicion of the federal government and post-Sept. 11 security measures. This is something the Hill's elected representatives might wish to ponder. In the meantime, Sig Cohen advises his neighbors, "You don't need the government; it's like the Nike ad: Just do it!" Padraic (Pat) Sweeney is a graduate of Washington-Lee High School in Arlington, Virginia, where he lives today. He is also a Red Cross Disaster Services volunteer and a member of St. Mark's Episcopal Church on Capitol Hill. Mr. Sweeney works for a U.S. Government agency in downtown Washington. Your Neighborhood Furniture Source for Leasing or Buying Monday-Friday 9am-5pm Come Visit 709 12th Street, SE our Huge on Capitol Hill Free off-street parking Showroom! Convenient to Eastern Over 20,000 Market Metro square feet of furniture, carpets, paintings, lamps and accessories 202.547.3030 www.antiqueleasing.com Antique& Contemporary LEASING AND SALES 709 12th Street, SE · Washington, DC (Interested folks may email Greg for a copy, at Greg.Smith@sablaw.com). Basic Next Steps For those who want to dig more deeply, there are various resources. If you have internet access, the "Ready.gov" website is a great place to start. Operated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, this site explains three basic steps to prepare yourself and your family: "Make a Kit," "Make a Plan" and "Be Informed." These steps are explained in very accessible language, with more detailed information available at the click of a mouse. The same information, organized somewhat differently--but localized for the District--is available in printed form from the DC EMA, at 202- 673-2101, ext. 1137. Ask for "A Family Preparedness Guide." DC-specific information can be obtained on-line at http://dc.gov/citizen/preparedness/ index.shtm. Interested DC residents may also want to look into CERT training. This program trains citizens in basic disaster survival and rescue skills that would enable them, in the event of a major emergency, to care for themselves and their neighbors www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 I'm of a fearsome mind to throw my arms around every living librarian who crosses my path, on behalf of the souls they never knew they saved. --AUTHOR BARBARA KINGSOLVER Growing up, my friends and I trekked down to the library every Saturday morning, always choosing one new Nancy Drew mystery, one book about animals (we wanted to be vets), and often one more that snagged our attention on the way to check-out. When my own kids were young, we spent many hours in the children's room, enjoying story hour, socializing, and choosing picture books for the quiet moments in the week ahead. Like many others, though, I strayed. For several years I browsed bookstores instead of libraries, buying books to read, then letting them pile up on shelves like so many outgrown toys. Post-divorce downsizing made me realize how many books I had accumulated that I no longer needed, so I sold them, donated them and kept a few special ones. Instead of buying more, I decided to revisit the local library, remembering the cozy atmosphere and the free books. After an hour's worth of reading dust jackets with my shoulder propped up against the wall, and checking out the librarians' choices I left, with an armful of free books and a renewed passion for this organization. I wondered though, do others follow the same path? Do they leave like I did, or has there been a steady stream of steadfast library goers whose passion for the institution never waned? And I wondered, what about the backbone of the library visitors, the students, pouring over card catalogues trying to locate research sources: does research get done anymore in libraries now that information can be so easily downloaded on personal computers? How do they entice back the patrons like myself who left for a cup of coffee and a quick read, but now years later are back, older, wiser and ready to take full advantage of the library's free books and programs? I turned for answers to the branch managers at our two Capitol Hill libraries, Northeast and Southeast. Sherry Vollin, branch manager at the Southeast Library crackled with energy as we spoke. Interruptions were frequent but revealing; this library was hopping on a hot, lazy, mid-August evening. The chess teacher arrived first, followed by the after work crowd who filtered in while librarian Tracy Meyer's teen art group departed. According to Vollin, the library has evolved into a community center, still offering plenty of books and other reading material but also activ-on the various topics live nearby and ities and discussions to pique the lend their expertise to the discusinterests of every age group. sion, as well as suggesting new topic At 6,000 square feet, it is the city's ideas. smallest branch library, but Vollin I asked Vollin if there is a program makes sure every square inch is used, that she holds nearest and dearest to much as it has been since its open-her heart about what a library ing in December 1922. should be. "Partnering with the local I used to go to the library all the schools," she said. "We go into the time when I was kid. As a teenager, I schools and do a presentation about got a book on how to write jokes at our BLEND (Bridging Libraries in the library, and that, in turn, Education and Neighborhood launched my comedy career. Development) program. It is --COMEDIAN DREW CAREY designed to reach out to young children, show them the joy of reading, and also to work with the teachers The hush-hush restrictions are letting them know what we offer, looser now. Boisterous children and how our resources can complegather in their area for story time, ment their curriculum." and teenagers slouch near the fire-Vollin insists that her circulation place for the rap and poetry forum staff gets mentioned, as well, pointor to participate in "Holla Back," a ing out that in such a small library citywide program designed to everyone pitches in. Their areas of encourage teenagers to read and expertise are well-known to regular write. visitors. Need a mystery? Ask Tracy. Displayed along the walls above Afro-American history? Check in the stacks are the art pieces that with Kerry or Sally. It is a team effort. these students created in their cartooning class when they weren't "You knew I'd wanna read it. ... busy getting homework help. You're a book tease." Community forums covering timely topics such as "Do We Need --JESS, GILMORE GIRLS EPISODE Baseball in DC?" are offered twice a ON THE WB NETWORK month, and all neighborhood folks Patricia Sullivan is the branch manare invited. Frequently the experts ager arcorner at the Lessons from Capitol Hill Libraries BY RUTH HAYES R OBBINS Southeast Branch Northeast Branch Northeast branch library, a two-story Georgian Revival style brick building; the first public library built in DC entirely with public funds. Opened in 1932, it has over the years undergone renovations both architectural and program wise. Now under Sullivan's creative care it continues to be an active community resource for all ages. Many of the programs offered are similar to ones at Southeast, children's story hour, chess and afternoon crafts, homework help and other programs designed to entice teenagers back. Recently Sullivan started a new program about Anime, stories based on Japanese graphic novels, apparently the latest rage among the young adult crowd. It impressed upon me how librarians need to continually update their own knowledge in order to stay in touch with the interests of such a diverse group of people that frequent the stacks. Those who declared librarians obsolete when the Internet rage first appeared are now red-faced. We need them more than ever. The Internet is full of 'stuff' but its value and readability is often questionable. 'Stuff' doesn't give you a competitive edge; high-quality related information does. --PATRICIA SCHR OEDER, ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN PUBLISHERS PRESIDENT I queried Sullivan about computers and their place in the library. She shared with me that they have nine computers instead of the usual four, thanks to the outstanding Friends of the Library group (who recently donated extra copies of the new Harry Potter book and more of the graphic novels the teens prefer as well). She mentioned that the computers are continually in use and very popular, but that the book circulation has not dropped off as a result. And she hastened to add that most people now recognize that Internetbased research is often insufficient when delving into a study topic. Sullivan related that teachers frequently require students to use other sources, bringing them to the librarians who are happy to help. "Libraries have a lot to offer the community," Sullivan said. "We welcome and encourage and try to offer something to please everyone." Poetry and jazz nights, book clubs and games, movies and art, it is all here. Libraries are very much alive and kicking on Capitol Hill. I am going to grab my library card and saunter over to check out the latest mysteries. Tracy, can you recommend a good one? This is Ruth Hayes Robbins' first contribution to The Voice of The Hill. www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 Climb Aboard the Blogging Bandwagon Hill Residents Join the Latest Online Revolution BY ANDREW NOYES In a city where unabashed, opinion-process of updating his online offer-$1.00 for partners for each day that you ated pundits are a dime a dozen, yet ings became as easy as writing an e-dress "kasual." Kasual? [Huh?] very few make a living of it, a sexy mail. Deliberate stupid spelling is my #3 subculture is seeping through CrookDimwit, Pusateri's "sandbox pet peeve (right after parking spot Washington's politically-charged to play around in," offers daily takes hawks and smokers who flick cigarette neighborhoods--and the Capitol on life and the world around him butts on sidewalks). I'm not talking Hill community is at the core of this along with useless trivia and experi-about people who can't spell. I'm talkuprising. ments in Flash technology. Much to ing about the national plague of inten- An online community of increas-the chagrin of web-based dog watch-tionally misspelled words. Stupid ingly prodigious proportions is ers, however, the Abbiecam is absent spelling is a national epidemic. springing up--a community where from the current site. Want some Krispy Kreme donuts and everyone has a soapbox on which to After being urged by readers to some Kool Aid? Let's fill up the car at stand and one person's punditry is as add a "comments" option to his blog Kwik Trip, then go to Rite Aid to pick up equally opportunistic as the next. to facilitate feedback from visitors, some some Krazy Glue, a pack of Kool This neighborhood--housed Pusateri says CrookDimwit "went cigarettes, and a Quik-Lok... After that, inside the warm glow of one's com-from being a one-way soapbox for we can pick up the children at Kidz puter monitor--is a network of often my various thoughts and ideas to a Korner (not to be mistaken for the interconnected authors whose fre-bustling community of readers." Kuddle Kids Korner). quently updated rants, raves and "I've been stunned how many Perhaps the worst offender of this commentary are arranged chrono-people want to chime in and com-inexplicable trend of deliberate moron logically--like a website's "What's ment on what I've posted. Some peo-spelling was a commercial printer I New" page or a personal, but very ple I know personally, some I've occasionally work with in Florida: Kwik public, diary. never met. My posts typically get a Kopy. Their name includes three, The content and purpose of these couple dozen comments and my site arguably four, deliberate misspellings in "weblogs," or "blogs," varies great-now gets over 100 visitors a only eight letters. Quite an achieve- ly--from web links and narrative to day...This still amazes me." ment. Was "Quick Copy" really such an news about companies, people and Unlike some Washington blogs, unthinkable name? places. A few present photographs, Pusateri's site doesn't provide a com-Cabbie confessions and other poetry, mini-essays and even fiction. munity service, or address a defined thoughts...One of the little pleasures of It seems as though nothing is off goal or mission. city life is meeting interesting cabbies. limits in the blogosphere, so sit back "Frankly, the whole thing feels As I rode across town Sunday morning, and relax as some of Capitol Hill's kind of narcissistic and self-indul-my taxi driver had a lot to say about the most innovative and entertaining gent to me," he scoffs. But the free-merits of a good leather couch, why a web-based authors are revealed. lance writer says blogging is an ideal swimming pool with lots of young "mental exercise" and he executes ladies around it is essential, and how Matt Pusateri: much of his writing while commut-you have to be over 60 to appreciate CrookDimwit.com ing on the Metro. baseball. His plans for the rest of the Blogging, Pusateri says, gives fel-weekend? "I'm going to eat a lot of ice www.crookdimwit.com low Capitol Hill residents "a sense of cream and sleep in my 'good chair.'" For Capitol Hill resident Matt shared community experiences." "I The cabbies I've had have been a fas- Pusateri, his foray into blogging know a lot of DC bloggers, and many cinating array of characters: the radical began four years ago, when he creat-of us share the same loves and hates Muslim from Saudi Arabia with dreams ed a site chock full of movie reviews, about Washington. A lot of us are of stardom as a standup comic, the fempolitical rants and the "Abbiecam"-- close in age and are dealing with inist granny with strong opinions about a live web camera that showed visi-similar issues: trying to figure out the Redskins defensive woes, the former tors what his dog, Abbie, was doing career, life, relationships, adult-cop who "missed the action," the strugduring the day while he was at work. hood." gling father with four kids at home, a The voyeuristic Abbiecam was a Curious about Pusateri's posts? former football player who saw his life's huge hit and attracted scores of visi-Take a peek inside CrookDimwit: dreams end when he tore up his knee in tors. college, the guy who swore he'd been "People found my dog much more Just say NO to stupid spelling! I got taken by aliens in Vietnam, the cabbie interesting than anything I had to an e-mail at work the other day at work who said he gets "invited in" [by] say," he muses. that included the following: female passengers a few times a month, The Los Angeles native says the REMINDER: we have an existing "kasu-and the 70-year old former boxerite was a pain to maintain, but al for your day" policy in our office. If told me about the time he got knocked when Blogger was launched, posting you elect to dress "kasual," that cost out by Rocky Marciano. was made more automatic and the will be $.50 for staff and associates and www.voiceofthehill.com Kate Villano: Cyanotic Copy http://www.betakate.blogspot.com/ Originally, Capitol Hill dweller and data analyst Kate Villano began blogging for her friends--compiling anecdotes and telling stories about her daily routine--and in a short time became a regular contributor to the DC blog landscape. "For me, it's an exercise in writing," she says."It's hard to do writing at home and not be published--you wonder what the point is a lot of times. But when you're published in any way, even if nobody's reading it, it feels like you're writing to an audience and that's a lot easier." She says she can "bitch and moan" in her posts, yet when she's able to fine tune her rants and add a splash of humor and creativity, it's less like bellyaching and more like entertainment. Villano finds blogging cathartic and tries to blog daily to keep web surfers coming back for more. "I think that if you want people to read it, you can't get away with anything less," she says of her frequent updates. "People stop reading and they forget." According to Villano, "there's nothing much about current events that hasn't been said," so she typically refrains from regurgitating news on her blog. She sticks with more personal subject matter--fami- ly matters, trips to amusement parks and general musings on life. Take a gander at some excerpts from Cyanotic Copy. Chunky McChunkster on a Roller Coaster...I spent the day at King's Dominion on Sunday. What I love about theme parks is that they're supported entirely by teenagers and white trash families. They were so many fat chicks in bikinis there that [I] felt svelte. I sat down on a bench, and my thighs said, "Hey Kate, we're too bony. Hand us another piece of fried chicken." I tried to protest, but my mouth was full of $6 funnel cake. This should be posted at the entrance VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 of all Six Flags parks: Skinny girls in bikinis and unbuttoned shorts look sexy (trashy, but sexy). Fat girls in bikinis and unbuttoned shorts look like their gut has escaped. I'm all for being comfortable with your body, but there comes a point when you should think about covering [it] up. I sweated...all day in jeans, but at least my thighs weren't clapping. They were just ogling the cotton candy. Kate's plan for a happy existence (part I) 1. Don't e-mail or call anyone back -- it just encourages them. In fact, don't answer your phone at all. 2. When you do see your friends, complain about how you never hang out. 3. Research every new idea you have neurotically, but give up if any participation requires leaving the apartment. 4. Spend ridiculous amounts of money on shoes too uncomfortable to wear. 5. Eat only one food item (asparagus, cereal, cheese, V-8) obsessively until you are sick for days. (This works for almost any food.) Why I've been away... My grandfa- ther's funeral was this week. Death is very odd. I'm sorry, Grandma. I'm sorry, Mom. I'm sorry, Uncle Tommy. But I'm not sorry for my second cousin Maureen; she is sorry for me. And so are my parents' coworkers and friends. My condolences. Are you OK? How are you? You press your lips together and pull the corners of your mouth tight, in a nonsmile smile. I'm good. I'm fine. I'm hanging in there. I'm OK. My sister and I are sorry together. We cry and laugh and talk about how we'll never have sex because Grandpa's watching now. Everyone is very tired and busy, busy. You make work for yourself. The grass needs cutting. Vacuum the living room again. When was the last time you bleached the bottom of the garbage cans? Wild mood swings and naps whenever you can get them. I'm sorry, Grandpa. I'm sorry we 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 argued about politics. I'm sorry you never got to visit D.C. I'm sorry we never got to see a Yankee game together. Please give Grandma the strength to get through this so she can be with us through all of the things you won't. Maureen Thorson: DC Metro Blog Map & Reenhead.com www.reenhead.com Maureen Thorson, proprietor of Reenhead.com, had been blogging for about eight months when, in June of 2001, she noticed that the Daypop Top 40--a list of the top 40 links being posted by various blogs and other websites--was featuring at least two online maps where web surfers could locate city blogs by subway station. Novel idea, she mused-- DC should have something similar. And the DC Metro Blog Map was born. During its short but pervasive tenure, the interactive site has been featured in the Washington Post and Slate.com, and bloggers residing near almost all of Metrorail's stations have clamored to have their tiny corner of the World Wide Web added to the map. "There seems to be a good response in that there are a lot of people joining the map, and there have been several surges in the number of people applying to be on it in response to A-list blogs running posts on it," she said. Thorson receives 10 to 20 requests a week from bloggers requesting to be listed on the site. A one-woman vetting process ensues to ensure that each prospective blogger's rants are appropriate and belong in her network. The former Capitol Hill resident and law student is unsure of exactly how many blogs are currently listed on her map but in April, the count numbered 250, and many more have been added since. "A lot of people seem to have regional blog pride. They like knowing there are other DC bloggers out there," Thorson says. "As for services to the community, it's a great way to find like-minded bloggers in your area to make friends with. I suppose if you're a Capitol Hiller who wants to meet other bloggers in your area, the map gives you a convenient way to find them." So what does this domain diva report that Washingtonians blog about? Thorson's response: "everything [and] nothing"--everything from political blogs to "Seinfeldian dither blogs." Thorson's personal blog, however, includes an amalgam of this and that. She infuses her own commentary into reports captured from all corners of the web. Here's an excerpt... "You look like you could use 337 recipes for pickles. You can pickle just about anything, you know. Bologna, rosebuds. You can even make candied pickle sticks. I made two quarts of bread-and-butter pickles yesterday, and hope that I can find more pickling cucumbers at the farmer's market tomorrow. However, be forewarned! Pickling can make you very, very edgy, due to the frightening amounts of boiling water involved. Do not pickle barefoot." Mr. Ashcroft begins his charm offensive while Congress and Justice toy with expanding ye olde Patriot Act to --guess what?-- the war on drugs. Cause, you know, it's not like we're already a little psycho on that front. Remember, smoking a joint inspires terrorism! Let's arrest everyone with Rasta hats! Or, hey, it's Tuesday, let's declare everyone named Dave a threat to human civilization! By the way, Mr. Ashcroft's new educational site on the Patriot Act begins with the preamble to the Declaration of Independence. Which is, as Mark puts it, seriously f 'd up. HUD is proposing a homeless person tracking base. So we can learn their migratory habits? So you can know if the guy in your town who thinks a unicorn is following him is the same unicorn guy who was in Toronto in May? Let's just put bar codes on their heads! That wouldn't be creepy or anything. Michael Schlesinger: DC Metro Action www.dcmetroaction.com Longtime political activist Michael Schlesinger has been reaching out to citizens and urging them to take action on a range of hot-button community issues for years. Butgrassroots organizing campaign to new heights last year when he started the DC Metro Action blog, a citywide resource for local activism and participation on a collection of socially just issues. "I noticed the growth of the blogging craze and discovered how easy the format is to use. I played around with a few different concepts but found myself mostly reporting on local political news and events," the Capitol Hill resident purports. "As my contacts with local organizations grew, I saw there was a need for a single listing of the enormous progressive activity in the Washington, DC area. DC Metro Action was born to provide that service." Since his site launched, Schlesinger's readership has soared. He garnered 500 hits in February, 800 in April and surpassed the 1,000 mark in July. "DC Metro Action gives folks a single place to read about the variety of work being done locally in Washington by progressive organizations," he says. "Along with an 'Action of the Day,' my blog links to non-profit job banks, local neighborhood and cultural groups, and the DC blogging community." Schlesinger's view is that blogging is a form of micro-publishing--a way to reach a niche audience. In a community as close knit as Capitol Hill, Annual Arts Ball & Auction Frederick Douglass Museum For more information or to purchase tickets, call 202-547-6839 SAVE THE DATE Capitol Hill Arts Workshop's SATURDAY OCTOBER 4, 2003 www.chaw.org Experience i/ /igh Mass . . DC 20002 129 t all this Sunday at St.James' 7:40 am Matins 8 am Low Mass 10 am HCALL 202 546 1746 OR VISIT WWW.SAINTJAMESCHURCH.ORG 222 EIGHTH STREET NE WASHINGT ON www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 he says, there is ample potential for readers to make neighborhood blogs successful. "Big publishers may rack up hundreds of thousands of hits daily, but local bloggers are happy with far less," he says. "If I reach even one person a week and give them a sense of social justice, spur them on to attend an action, or educate them about a critical local issue, then I am doing what I set out to do." Any kind of activism is a good thing, Schlesinger says, and DC bloggers are "part of a revolution in the way people network and communicate. It's the future." John Mitchell: Beaverhausen Blog http://www.beaverhausenblog.com The sky's the limit on the uniquelynamed Beaverhausen Blog--a bicoastal discourse on culture, politics and sex that launched in May 2002. North Lincoln Park resident John Mitchell and his California-based coauthor Ben Bartos spent many hours exchanging e-mails chock full of news blurbs and commentary on current events. Then, a thought occurred to Mitchell: "You know, if we're putting all this effort into chatting amongst ourselves, why don't we try this new thing called blogging and see if any other people would be interested in it?" The good news is that online audiences were interested, and their site is thriving. Reader comments have been supportive and quite interesting, Mitchell says. "It's like we put out some fly paper to see what sticks." Mitchell, a corporate lawyer and self-proclaimed "political science type," and Bartos, a Sacramento policy analyst who his friend says is "very into pop culture," provide a unique combination of viewpoints on their blog. Both men work high pressure jobs and look to the blog for fun and relaxation. Sometimes they will post several times daily and on occasion will go a few days without adding something new. "My philosophy is blog rather than don't blog," Mitchell says. "Put something up there and it engages you in the happenings of the day and it keeps people reading it." Excerpts from Beaverhausen Blog... From the Rose Garden... Bushie this morning responded to a question about gay marriage by saying: "I am mindful that we're all sinners and I caution those who may try to take a speck out of the neighbor's eye when they got a log in their own. I think it is important for our society to respect each individual, to welcome those with good hearts." www.voiceofthehill.com Regardless of the underlying intent of his statement, the criticisms are sure to arise about the President equating being gay with sinning. Love the sinner, hate the sin, but be sure to remind the American people that it is a sin. As John posted yesterday, no wonder gays are facing a backlash. Fruitcake Fracas - The best part about all the newsprint being wasted on the meltdown in the House Ways & Means committee this past week is that the antichrist himself, Rep. Tom Delay, called the anti-gay slurs being slung by Petey Stark (D-Cal.) "incredibly offensive." Guess he should know. A Different Sort of Quota - The WaPo unveils a front-page exposé that shows U.Va. is discriminatory against -- horrors! -- Northern Virginians. As the wealthiest part of the state, NoVa's better schools churn out hundreds of qualified candidates for the number two public university in the country -- so much so that all the spots would quickly be taken if the admissions folk didn't take kindly to those of us from "the sticks." Or so the premise goes, although college officials dispute it. I always wondered how my classmate Tater knew so many people at U.Va. from back home in the lil' Appalachian town of Abingdon. Andrew Noyes is assistant editor of The Voice of the Hill. A self-professed media junkie, he finds Washington's numerous blogs a refreshing addition to the all-too-familiar Fourth Estate. Basics of Blogging Inspired by stories of Capitol Hill bloggers? Eager to start documenting your thoughts and feelings or politics and prose on the World Wide Web? Here's a quick lesson in the basics of blogging to get you started. · Blogger is rapidly becoming one of the most popular free blog hosting siteson the web. The site also offers some of the most user-friendly tools and applications as well. · Visit w and create a new account including your username, first and last name, email address and password. Remember to write down your username and password for future reference! · Under the heading "Your Blogs" on the right side of the screen, click "Create a New Blog." · Come up with an imaginative title and description for your blog and enter thetext in the boxes indicated. Here, you can choose to make your blog public or private. If you opt for a public blog, it will be available through Blogger's network. · Choose to host the blog at Blogspot,a free ad-supported hosting service, or to FTP it to your own server. If you're a beginner, the first option is recommended. · Create a catchy address for your blog. It will take the form of http://____.blogspot.com so be creative and make up a URL that is short, easy to spell and easy to remember. · Choose a template for your site from a variety of colorful and eye-catching designs. This can be updated or replaced with a new template at any point. · Voila, there you have it--your very own space on the World Wide Web where you can speak freely about current events, local happenings or reflect on issues in your own life. Tips & Tricks Now that you've begun your blog, here are a few guidelines from the experts that will help you utilize your site to its fullest potential. · Post early, post often. There is no bigger blogging blunder than neglecting your site and posting sporadically or infrequently. Once web surfers see your site, the likelihood of return visits is directly proportionate to the frequency of updates. This means the more you blog, the more regular readers you will receive. · Get listed. If you want to increase you readership, there are several websites that will publicize your blog. The DC Metro Blog Map is one such site featuring local blogs categorized by Metro station www.reenhead.com/map/metroblogmap. html. Another site is DC Bloggers, www.dcbloggers.com which allows you to add your website via online form. MetroBlogs is a third site that operates a "web ring," or online network, of city blogs, http://www.metroblogs.com. --Andrew Noyes SECURITYE LITTLE JOE BONFIGLIO NOTE: This month, the Voice continues its regular feature, "100 Words from the Hill," with the topic of "security." Look for more assignments in future editions. Take a Minute Security is a very strong word. It is very important to me and the United States. Although I love America, more security is needed. Look at our people in Iraq dying every day. That's not fair. It's time for us to start fighting for them, and we should start now. Just take a minute. Think of the people that received calls saying that their rela- tives got killed or hurt in the war. I know that they are crushed. People get hurt in wars, but maybe if Americans had a little more security and love, those people would not have died. Age 12 E Street, NE Under the Covers I really want to sum up security with a happy image, say: my mom tucking me into my childhood bed again, with dramatic reading of "Carrot Nose," and one too many covers for a kid who radiates heat like a kerosene stove. This evening, security has slumped to Jersey Barriers protecting our city's most celebrated landmarks and endangered Starbucks. I will continue to define security through reinforced concrete until I again have faith in the leadership of our country that ought to radiate mercy and measure. Security is under the covers. Maryland Avenue, NE 100 Words from The Hill VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 Risky Business Chuck Burger Has Found Success by Not Playing it Safe BY SHIRLEY SER OTSKY C huck Burger is a true school was an appropriate place for Renaissance man--perhaps the self-proclaimed peacenik, named one of the last of his kind. for the revered former Secretary In a day and age when young peo-General of the United Nations who ple are encouraged to "specialize" in had died tragically in the pursuit of order to make their resumes more peace only a decade before. appealing in a desperate job market, The move to Columbia Maryland it is rare to find someone who has marked Chuck's first journey to the followed their bliss down as many DC area, a region he would eventualvaried career paths as Chuck has. ly call home. In 1975 he migrated to It's even more exceptional to find George Washington University, someone with a credible degree in where he received his degree in "Revolutionary Politics." "Hey!" International Politics. Chuck explains with a chuckle, "It During that time Chuck lived in was the '70s--that was a very mar-Northwest. "When we came down to ketable skill to have!" Washington, we lived in Adams Chuck has been a small business Morgan when it was--well, it was owner. Chuck has worked in the not what it is now." He speaks of the Gourmet foods industry. Chuck has extreme racial diversity of the neighsold coffee. Chuck has run political borhood, before it became the social campaigns. Chuck has been trailed mecca for herds of nomadic twentyby the KGB (but if I told you that somethings seeking cheap pizza and story I would have to shoot you, so domestic beer that it is now. "I lived I'll leave that up to him). Chuck has with a Swede--and he thought, 'so dined with dignitaries. this is America!'" he recalls with a Chuck has been instrumental in laugh. Chuck remembers DC in the making Capitol Hill the vital neigh-'70s as a much more intriguing place borhood it is today. Chuck works than it is now. "We would go out in with the Alcohol Control Board. Georgetown--and back then there Chuck sells real estate. And that's were all these rumors--a kind of only the tip of the iceberg. mystique." Born and raised in Pittsburgh, But mystique and all, Washington Chuck made his first of many risky could not contain Chuck once he life choices when he decided to finished his degree. Discouraged by attend college at Kent State the story of a brilliant teacher he University in Ohio after the Kent had at GWU who had published State shootings had happened. He three books and earned a doctorate wanted to be in the thick of things. in his early twenties, and then strug- "I was a big non-violence freak back gled for years just to get a job at a then," he recalls. "So I served as a Midwestern University, Chuck set peaceful protester there--we would his sights on more exotic locales. He stand between the rioters and the moved to Sweden (have you noticed police." the strong Swedish theme to this story?). "I was going to teach at Following the Bliss Stockholm University," he says, But while Kent State was at the time "because there, they would appreci a hot spot of national politics, ate my degree!" Chuck discovered it wasn't a very "Plus," Chuck admits sheepishly, good school. So after a year in Ohio, "I was in love with a Swedish he eagerly accepted the opportunity woman..." to represent his campus at the Dag "It was a good time," Chuck remi- Hammarskjold/ United Nations nisces. "You could do that then-- College in Columbia, Md. The just move overseas for two years." But two years, one failed romance and "a billion stories" later, Chuck faced the inevitable--a return to the states and a real job. Or at least the first of many real jobs. Making a Mark in DC So in the late 1970s, upon his return, he made his first venture into the retail world working at Georgetown Coffee, Tea and Spice. The store was ahead of its time, dealing in gourmet coffee and eventually branching out into the rapidly growing gourmet cooking business. That store blossomed into two, with a second location breaking ground in Tyson's Corner. And then another, in Philly. By this point Chuck was becoming a name to know in the gourmet foods industry. "I was running gourmet food stores, had become a big time buyer--I didn't know how to cook - but I knew everything associated with cooking!" European cookware companies sought his expertise, and he was traveling a great deal with the business. He had achieved the style and vocabulary of an honest to goodness European epicurean, and he took his new role very seriously. He wore Italian leather shoes. He carried a man bag. Chuck recounts a story of speaking with a woman at a trade show about a certain line of cookware. He finished his spiel, and yet the woman seemed to want to hear more, and more! Encouraged by her enthusiasm, Chuck continued to share his boundless knowledge, only to have her interrupt him, finally, with a question. "I'm a linguist," she admitted. "And I have to ask. Are you from Pittsburgh?" Italian leather notwithstanding, you can take the boy out of blue collar America, but you can't take the blue collar out of the boy. Chuck's highbrow, nomadic lifestyle was halted by the death of his father, which brought him back to Pennsylvania and then again down to the District. It was a life shift. Settling down seemed like the right thing to do. And, while he was at it, Chuck decided to plunge down yet another career path. It was the early 80s, and Chuck was still employed as an independent contractor for a gourmet store. But he had this idea to open up a line of coffee shops around the city--starting with Capitol Hill. Now, do recall that during this time, a cup of coffee still meant sitting at a diner clutching a lipstick stained mug. Starbucks was yet to break onto the scene (although Chuck recalls in another story that while dealing in Gourmet Coffee machines, he had once hired Howard Schultz --who would later become CEO of Starbucks). Chuck and his business partner were eager to venture into the entrepreneurial world. They had the capital necessary, and, more importantly, they had a vital idea. Gathering 'Provisions' But, as the sages say, even the bestlaid plans go awry. The pair's source of capital disappeared when Chuck's partner's marriage dissolved, and they were suddenly back where they had started. But not quite. They had found a location they wanted, on Seventh Street across from Eastern Market. At the time there was a small Safeway store next door--they were sure to benefit from the foot traffic--and yet the commercial potential of the area was still relatively underdeveloped. So Chuck and partner hustlup their remaining resources and opened a smaller version of their original vision--a coffee shop and sandwich counter aptly named "Provisions." And "provide" they did. But to hear Chuck tell it, the store provided more than lunch fare. "Every Thursday we would have dress up day," Chuck recalls, "So one week we www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 dressed up as police officers. We freaked everyone out," he says with a devilish laugh. "They thought we were actually policemen!" Another time they borrowed the characteristic orange smocks of the Safeway employees next door. Chuck even convinced a Safeway employee to make up little "Hello my name is" tags for the Provisions staff. "'We sold the store to Safeway!' we announced to everyone." But Chuck's favorite gimmick was the offer of a free ham sandwich to anyone who could sing the full first verse of Gilligan's Island on the spot. Many attempted. Only three succeeded. "They wanted that ham sandwich," Chuck laughs. Chuck's venture as a Capitol Hill entrepreneur also launched his career as an active member of the Hill business community. In 1985 he became one of the founding members of CHAMPS (Capitol Hill Association of Merchants and Professionals), and today he still serves on the board. From 1985 through the early 1990s he served as President of the Eastern Market Business Association. ...And On to Real Estate And in the mid-80s he sold Provisions to trek down yet another career path--that of selling real estate. He started by dealing in Northwest neighborhoods, but eventually secured a position at the office that is now Pardoe Real Estate. Chuck finds selling real estate on the Hill a unique, but sufficiently challenging, venture. The Hill is a rapidly changing neighborhood--"Actually made up of eight different neighborhoods [that we classify as the Hill]," Chuck explains, "but with a growing sense of unity." And a constantly shifting selfimage. He speaks of the days when crime on the Hill ran rampant, diffused more by an extremely proactive neighborhood phone tree, than by the District police--a time when you would not go past 8th Street. "But then the housing boom happened, and now it's blown out! "Neighborhoods are challenged with these changes. But that is the part of real estate that interests me-- what goes on in these neighborhoods when people get really challenged." And to hear Chuck tell of it, the Hill deals well with these challenges. "On Capitol Hill, people don't tend to hold a grudge." ...And Neighborhood Politics And that doesn't even scratch the surface of Chuck's active political life. He served as President of the Ward 6 Democrats. He chaired the Ward 6 Redistricting Task Force. And he Campaign Managed Sharon Ambrose's bid for the Ward 6 Council seat in both the primary and general elections. He speaks fondly of his activities concerning the ward, and of Ward 6 in general. "Right now we are such a developing ward!" he marvels. "We have so much going on in Ward 6--I mean, it's just huge!" His active roll in Hill affairs also led Chuck to a life partner. He met his wife while serving on a committee to replace the Hine Junior High (located at 7th Street and Pennsylvania, SE) Band instruments and uniforms that were lost in a fire in 1991. Hine's story is one of a phoenix rising from the ashes. Edward Anderson, a visionary music teacher, arrived at the school in 1985 to find a total of four student musicians. He taught the students on makeshift, weathered instruments, until they rose (as did the school's reputation, thanks to the work of a committed principal) to the top of District standards. So while the fire that destroyed the instruments could have been the end of it all, it was only a roadblock. Thanks to the work of Chuck and the Hill community, Hine raised $60,000, well over the amount they needed. In 1993 the band played at Clinton's inaugural ceremonies. Chuck gets mistyeyed telling the story. I get mistyeyed hearing it. And Chuck continues to try his hand at new ventures. He tells me stories about his new position as Interim Chair of ABRA (the Alcohol Control Board), where he gets to try his hand at Starsky and Hutch-like operations, seeking out hidden speakeasies around DC (among other, less glamorous duties). He serves as a board member for EMCAC (The Eastern Market Community Advisory Committee) and speaks enthusiastically about their work in getting the physical structure of Eastern Market up to par. And who knows what's next for Chuck--little would surprise me. Oddly enough, early on in our talk, Chuck lamented that he had "goofed off until I was 30, maybe that's a mistake; it is really hard to start career tracking after 30!" But I disagree. Chuck's life has been filled with vast and varied experiences. And that doesn't come with prudent plotting. Perhaps Hammarskjold said it best: Never look down to test the ground before taking your next step; only he who keeps his eye fixed on the far horizon will find his right road. Chuck Burger has kept his eye on the horizon. And new horizons keep on popping up. Hill resident Shirley Serotsky is one of the Voice's regular contributors. DC. . marine biologistf, f tfff, , , Ll· · i· . . llliams, , , call , . Voice of the Hill Welcomes New Assistant Editor Andrew Noyes has been named The Voice of the Hill's new assistant editor. Andrewhas more than five years experience covering breaking news, politics and human interest topics, and his political and feature reporting has appeared in newspapers and magazines around the country. He's no stranger to Capitol Hill--frequently spending several days a week covering Congress for a European news agency and, at night, trying new restaurants and lounges in the neighborhood. While reporting on politics and policy present constant professional challenges, feature writing feeds his spirit and soul. Always in search of engaging opportunities that allow for "out of the box" thinking and cre- ative license, he's excited to join the Voice staff. Andrew has his master's degree in journalism & public affairs and his bachelor's degree in public communication from American University. The West Virginia native's experiences in writing and editing are varied including stints at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in Prague, Czech Republic, States News Service and Bernan Essential Reference Publications in DC and The Register-Herald in Beckley, W.Va. Outside the realm of jour- nalism, Andrew has worked in public relations and public affairs, including consulting posi- tions at the nation's largest pro- fessional employee organization and a boutique media training and crisis communication firm in Feel free to contact him at voice@andrewnoyes.netHe dreams of being aHelp make his dream come true Past perormance is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal will fluctuate so that an investor's savingswhen redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. An official statement othe program which describes specific terms and conditions will be mailed to you on request. The Government of the District of Columbia does not guarantee investments in the program. In addition, tax benefits for the program have limitations and tax laws are subject o change. Depending upon the laws of the customer's home state, avorable tax treatment or investing in a Section 529 College Savings Plan may be limited to investments made in a Section 529 College Savings Plan ofered by the customer's home state. Consult with your tax advisor before you invest. The DC College Savings Program is underwritten and distributed by Calvert Distributors Inc.member NASDa subsidiary of Calvert Grouptd. #4057 (8/03) The DC Colege Savings Plan Big federal and DC tax benefits A varety of investment options Start with as little as $25 with automatic deduction There's no better way to start saving for your child's future. DC Colege Savings Plan Sponsored by The Government of the District of Colthony A. WiMayor Office of the Chief Financial OfficerOffice of Finance and Treasury © 2003 Government of the District of Columbia For more information visit www.DCCollegeSavings.com800.305.4775or contact your financial advisorACT BY DECEMBER 31 FOR A 2003 TAX BREAK www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 Woody and Ricks S ome of Washington's oldest business corridors are being transformed with the help of two innovative city planners. Karina Ricks and Derrick Lenardo Woody are bringing community leaders together with District resources to help areas like Capitol Hill's Barracks Row and H Street, NE, recapture their former commercial prosperity. After joining DC's Office of Planning in 2000, Ricks knew she was working with a mayor-- Anthony Williams--and a District planning director who "truly valued neighborhood planning," she recalled. Up to that point, she said, there were "few examples of neighborhood planning of the scale [they] took on in 2001." During that year, her office released a blitz of what Ricks calls "SNAPs"--strategic neighborhood action plans. These plans, meant to create a coordinated, strategic outline for community improvements, were created for areas citywide--39 in total. Ricks herself oversaw the completion of four SNAPs in Ward 6. The first step in completing a SNAP is to go out into the community and survey the population. Those responses, she said, determine an area's top improvement goals. In Capitol Hill and Northeast, Barracks Row and H Street emerged as clear priorities among members of the community. Recreating the Hill's Historic Byways Two Innovative City Planners at the Helm of Local Change BY VICTORIA CURTIS Getting There "Transportation challenges are significant for H Street, NE," Ricks said. "Parking is scarce, and traffic is heavy. Sidewalks tend to be narrow and unappealing." But, she said, plans are in the works for a complete streetscape redesign, trees to line the sidewalks, and new lighting. Ricks said plans are to begin work in 2004. Creative use of transportation is integral to the restoration of these communities. In fact, H Street could also see a trolley, streetcar, or light rail in the future. The hope is to bring shoppers to the area from all corners of the city. Ricks also said that the DC Department of Transportation, for the first time, is changing the way it repairs the street to accommodate Barracks Row's business needs. The DOT, she said, is completely renovating one section of the street at a time, rather than having the entire corridor under construction at once. As a result, the time each business is negatively impacted by streetscape improvements is reduced. Also, Ricks said, this new method ensures that the much-needed streetscape reconstruction doesn't jeopardize commercial revitalization (Editor's Note: See "The View from Barracks Row" for more information on streetscape improvements, business growth and upcoming special events planned for this section of Capitol Hill). In Barracks Row, they are looking to use the boon of the Eastern Market Metro to build opportunities for that section of the Hill. Ricks said if used to its potential, the Metro could become a gateway into the neighborhood. Though it is a great resource, providing thousands of passenger boardings each day and serving as a hub for bus transportation, Metro has been a persistent concern of community leaders in Barracks Row since the beginning of the process, Ricks said. Drawing people into the corridor using the Metro's position is one goal. Ricks is now working with the community to "give a physical sign that you've arrived in the neighborhood," by planning the renovation of storefronts along 7th Street, which borders the Metro station. This will provide continuity between Metro and the 8th Street corridor, which lies only slightly out of the view of the casual pedestrian. The goal here is to give people the opportunity to discover Barracks Row. Full of a color and life of its own, Barracks Row should grow to be an attraction in its own right. Community Leadership "There are a lot of promising things for Barracks Row to look forward to," www.voiceofthehill.com Once identified, restoring these residential development in the origicommercial areas can be a difficult nal Pierre Charles L'Enfant plan for undertaking, which is why many the city, created in the 1790s. communities turn to District leaders The area grew into a bustling like Ricks and Woody, who lend con-shopping district, and in the 1950s, siderable knowledge and experience during the height of segregation, H to rebuilding commercial zones. Both Street's primarily black-owned busi- Ricks and Woody help the communi-nesses offered "a range and quality ty and small businesses to navigate of goods that rivaled many of the the myriad requirements of resusci-city's other prominent shopping distating failing commercial areas. tricts," according to Ricks. But like many other historically Two Historic Main Streets busy areas, new developments and a Barracks Row is the District's oldest shifting population caused H Street's commercial thoroughfare. It abuts prominence to erode. Now, almost a the Navy Yard's beautiful Latrobe third of the area's 280 properties are Gate and runs the length of 8th abandoned or vacant. The area has street, only footsteps away from the serious transportation problems, Eastern Market Metro. Recently, the and its streetscape, with narrow or Capitol Hill Historic District was nonexistent sidewalks, is in serious expanded to include four blocks need of a facelift. around the Latrobe gate, which now Both Barracks Row and the H gives the area a firm foothold for his-Street Study Area have been awarded toric development purposes. the designation of a "DC Main But Barracks Row faces serious Street." With this moniker, the DC challenges. Some foot traffic, pre-government releases comprehensive cious to area businesses, never makes assistance to the communities in it to this alcove of unique shops and order to develop and improve the eateries, because most people head commercial zone. north across Pennsylvania Avenue to In total, aid to these areas is valthe better-known Eastern Market. ued at $420,000 per year, according Current improvements to the area's to District government figures. streetscape also must be handled Resources offered include consulting deliberately so businesses are not lit-services tailored to each commercial erally blocked off from shoppers. area, training and development for H Street, NE, is in a similar posi-staff, and matching funds for comtion. The H Street corridor, which munity projects. The designations runs from North Capitol Street, NE, are applied for, and designated to the Hechinger Mall area, was a through a competitive process. VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 said Ricks, and most of the recent positive developments are thanks to "talented, experienced people in the Capitol Hill area," working in their own community to urge along commercial improvements. The same is true of H Street, NE, she said, where two neighborhood commissions monitor the growth of the neighborhood. They have "all worked collectively ... to guide, review, help shape, and now implement strategic plans," Ricks said. For example, the Capitol Hill community has established the first Business Development District (BID) not in the downtown area, set for its official launch on Sept. 18. In a BID situation, businesses in a geographic area essentially impose a tax on themselves, which they then reinvest in their communities. Money is commonly used for street sweepers, information booths or other amenities that can help a business area improve its image. New Communities Around the Old Barracks Row has been a community in its own right for quite some time. But Ricks said there is a new community emerging that will draw even more attention to this Capitol Hill treasure. Next spring, housing for the $34.9 million Arthur Capper/Carrollsburg E IV project will break ground, and bring with it residences for about 7,000 people. There will also be 10,000 daytime employees flooding to the area when the U.S. Department of Transportation Headquarters moves to the area just west of the Navy Yard. The challenge is to create the area as "an extension of Capitol Hill, to integrate the 8th Street Barracks Row connection," Ricks said. Also, the District's "home again" initiative is focusing on areas like H Street, NE, to "convert vacant and abandoned properties into quality homeownership opportunities," Ricks said. reStoring the Hill "The City is open for new, creative small businesses to open shop. Eighth Street, SE, is a great place to do that. And we're willing to help," said Derrick Lenardo Woody, economic revitalization project manager for the District office of planning. Attracting businesses and helping them stay in business is key, he said. In his role, he provides assistance to businesses with their particular growth issues and, whenever possible, pairs them with resources available from the District. With a background in architecture, and experience working with a range of public and private organizations, Woody helps renew commercial areas through the District's program "reSTORE DC." The program aims to aid small business through design, promotion, organization, and economic restructuring, said Woody. Creating an Image He is particularly interested in helping communities find urban designs that are appropriate for their particular corners of the District. He works with areas that have an older, traditional commercial fabric and helps them to improve their image and stimulate business. But historic preservation guidelines in areas like Barracks Row can be stringent, bordering on the restrictive. Woody has worked with other District planners to update current rules for storefront improvements. It is important to preserve the "integrity of these historic buildings, but also maintain flexibility in how these businesses create their retail image," Woody said. Woody has spearheaded an innovative new program in the H Street development that would pair local businesses with District artists to help design signs and storefronts to increase retail image and attract customers. The DC Commission on Arts and Humanities, the office of planning, and reSTORE will offer $7,000 to artists to work up with up to 15 businesses along H Street to create "creative and expressive commercial signs." He also works with neighborhoods to market their specific opportunities. Woody said they are looking to create "niche" markets that capitalize on the inherent character of each community so that the District is expanded as a patchwork of unique communities--some historic, some modern, but all of them open for business. This is DC-based freelance writer Victoria Curtis' first submission to The Voice of the Hill. " house looked as good as possible." - Dean Rosen, Capitol Hill 202.544.2135 Attention to details is what makes the difference. As a result, over 90% of our work comes from repeat customers. Exterior House Painting · Interior Painting · Faux Finishing At Tech Painting No Detail Is Overlooked. Count Everyone was extremely courteous and professional. The entire crew worked very hard and seemed to go the extra mile to make sure that every inch of the Tech Painting Co. Our reputation for high-quality painting has developed slowly, one customer at a time. Custom Wallcoverings · Plaster and Drywall Repairs · Paint Removal Details www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 Fun Fall Festivals BY CELESTE MCC ALL A s summer wanes, kids return to Some of the entertainment is school and trees don their delightfully bawdy, but it's all in fun. leafy autumn finery, fall festi-Nor will you go hungry or thirsty; as vals are in full swing. 42 food and drink stands hock huge Some events might require a week-smoked turkey legs, meat pies, end getaway, while others are within stuffed spuds, corn on the cob, ice an easy hour or so drive from cream sandwiches and other fun Capitol Hill. There's something for fare. everyone at these entertaining, often Five beer stands and five taverns educational gatherings: vibrant provide liquid nourishment. autumn foliage, German bier and Admission is not cheap but it's wurst, wine, apple butter, foot-worth the $16 for adults; $14 for senstomping music, lots of arts and iors 62 and older; $7 for children 7crafts and even flying pumpkins. 15; free for kids 6 and younger. Pumpkins? We're getting to that. Directions: from Washington, take New York Avenue NE to Route 50 East Maryland Renaissance to Annapolis. Exit at Route 3 North and Festival follow this for 2 miles to Route 450 East; turn right onto this route. Proceed Already underway and running each 6 miles to the intersection of Route 450 weekend through Oct. 18-19 is the and Crownsville Road and turn left at Maryland Renaissance Festival on the light. (You'll see a Quik Mart store Crownsville Road, near Annapolis. at the intersection). Go a half mile and Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. the Festival is on your right. Now in its 26th year, the "faire" For more information, call 1-800- attracts as many as 225,000 guests 296-7304. per season. More than 1,300 partici- pants-many in traditional Tudor garb--delight visitors with mud Sugarloaf Crafts Festival wrestling, sword swallowing, music, This coming weekend, Sept. 5, 6 and singing, mime, jousting, battle reen-7, brings the Sugarloaf Crafts Festival actments, you-name it. to the Prince William County Fairgrounds in Manassas, Va. Based in Gaithersburg, Sugarloaf hosts expos for crafts persons along the East Coast, including Gaithersburg. (The Gaithersburg Sugarloaf Festival is coming up Oct. 10-12 at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds). The Manassas Sugarloaf event is expected to attract 300 artisans who will demonstrate their considerable skills while offering their wares for sale. There will also be live entertainment and plenty of tasty victuals including pit beef, chicken pita, turkey legs, Philly cheese steaks and funnel cakes. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. all three days. Admission is $7 for adults, kids under 12 are free and parking is in included in the price of admission. The Fairgrounds are located at 10624 Dumfries Road, Manassas. Directions: Take I-66 West, go 21 miles to Virginia Route 234, take South bypass (exit 44). Follow Virginia Route 234 for 9 miles to Dumfries Road. Turn left and proceed one third mile to Fairgrounds; entrance is on your left. For more information, call 800-210- 9900. Oktoberfest at the Bavarian Inn Coming up on Sept. 21 is the annual Oktoberfest at the Bavarian Inn in Shepherdstown, W.Va..--we've attended this several times and it's a blast. The fest is held from noon to dusk (rain and shine) on the sprawling grounds of the lovely inn. Guests (they are expecting 3,000 this year) will be treated to German-style oompah music by Edelweiss, thigh-slap- ping Alpine dancing by the Schuhplattler Gebirgstrachten Verein Washingtonia. There will be plenty of sausage and Teutonic-style accompaniments; beer and wine will flow. Wine drinkers may taste four different kinds, and may purchase a bottle if they choose. Admission is minimal: $2 for adults and 50 cents for children 12 and younger. Directions: Take Beltway/Route 495 to Interstate 270 North towards Frederick, Maryland Take right exit onto Interstate 70 or Frederick Bypass. Turn right on Exit 49; left onto Alternate Route 40 towards Braddock Heights, near Boonsboro. Turn left onto Route 34 towards Shepherdstown. The Bavarian Inn is at the first right after crossing the Potomac River bridge. For more information, call 304-876- 2551. Williamsburg Scottish Festival On tap Sept. 27 is the Williamsburg Scottish Festival, at the Williamsburg Winery, 5800 Wessex Hundred, three miles from historic Williamsburg, Va. From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., guests will enjoy athletic events, sheep herding, compettive Scottish dancing, bagpipers, artisan demonstrations and beautiful Celtic arts and crafts. Virginia wines will be available, and there will also be a pub tent and traditional Scottish fare. Come and discover your Scottish ancestry by visiting various clan (family) tents who will help you trace your Gaelic roots. Admission: $10 adults, $5 for children. Directions: From Route 199, turn onto Brookwood drive, left onto Lake Powell Road, go one mile to winery entrance. For more information, call 1- 888-883-2738. Springs Folk Festival The weekend of Oct. 3 brings the Springs Folk Festival, at the Springs Folk Festival Grounds, along Route 669 in Springs, Pa. Time: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For this fall foliage event-dat- ing back to 1958-- more than 140 crafts people will demonstrate how our forebears worked and played. Visitors may view such bygone skills as sheep shearing, haymaking, weaving and spinning. Folks will also partake of Pennsylvania "Dutch" food (Sausages, dried corn, funnel cakes), and beverages while listening to toe-tapping bluegrass music as well as a church choir. Admission is $5 for adults 18 and older; $2 for children 6-18; free for youngsters 5 and under. Admission includes a tour of a fascinating little museum. Somerset County ("America's County") has been in the news twice over the last two years. One event was tragic, the other had a happy ending. In Shanksville, Flight 93 crashed on Sept.11, 2001, after Todd Beamer and fellow passengers and crew valiantly fought the terrorist hijackers. Nearby is the site of Quecreek Mine, where nine coal miners, who had been trapped underground for 78 hours, were rescued in July 2002. Directions: Get on 270 North and merge into 270 West. Take 68 West, exit 19 (Grantsville, Md.) Turn right and follow signs for 3 miles north of Grantsville to Route 669, site of the festival. Springs is just over the Pennsylvania state line. For more information, call 814-662- 4158. Waterford Homes Tour and Crafts Exhibit Closer to home and slated for October 3, 4 and 5, is the 61st annual Waterford Homes Tour and Crafts Exhibit in historic Waterford in Loudoun County. www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 Hosted by the Waterford Foundation, the event attracts as many as 10,000 visitors who enjoy music, dance, juried arts and crafts, music, dancing, military re-enact- ments, citizens in historical costumes, and lots of great food. A culinary highlight is the Red Hot & Blue barbecue stand, with ribs, chicken, ribs and coleslaw. The Country Store offers jams and jellies, baked goods, freshly made apple cider, and soft drinks. Tickets are $15 for adults at the gate; $13 in advance (until September 19, see phone number listed below) Seniors are $13 at the gate and in advance. Children 12 and under are free. Proceeds go to the foundation, which strives to preserve and protect Waterford village and the surrounding area, which was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1970. Directions: Take Route 7 West to Route 9 West to Route 662 (Clarkes Gap Road) to Waterford. The festival is by the old school house. From the Beltway: Take Route 267 (Dulles toll road/Greenway) towards Leesburg. Take left exit onto Leesburg bypass (Route 7) West. Take Exit Route 9 West (Charlestown/Hillsboro). Make a right at the Texaco station onto Route 662 (Clarke's Gap Road). Go 212/miles into Waterford. For advance tickets and more information, call 540-882-3018. Apple Butter Festival Like apple butter? If you do, or just want to get away for a weekend and enjoy some lovely mountain scenery, check out the 30th Annual Apple Butter Festival in Berkeley Springs, W. Va. Dates: Oct. 11-12, noon to 5 p.m. Sponsored by the Coolfont Resort, the event packs a lot into a weekend. On Saturday, a parade begins at 9 p.m., followed by the festival opening ceremonies. Apple butter making goes on all day, and if you've never seen this process, you're in for a treat (visitors are invited to help stir the bubbling mixture, but keep youngsters and pets away from the huge copper kettles, this stuff gets hot!). There's also a turtle race (I assume you bring your own contestants), Dixieland jazz, an egg toss and hogcalling contests. For directions and more information call 1-800-447- 8797. If you want to try making apple butter at home, here's what you do: Begin with 10 to 12 bushels of outside Lewes, but members of a apples, which you need for a stan-nearby church were endangered by dard 40-gallon kettle. Peel and quar-flying pumpkins so the action shiftter the apples; this process is called ed to nearby Millsboro. snitting, don't ask why. Then, add We attended the chunkin' a few enough cider to cover the apples. years ago and found the event about Cook slowly (stewing), stirring con-as spellbinding as watching paint tinuously, for eight hours. Add sugar dry. But some people are really into and spices to taste; cinnamon and it--the competition attracts as many cloves are favorites. When apple but-as 20,000 onlookers. ter is thick enough to stick to an Dozens of participants vie with upside down saucer, it's done and each other in developing the most ready for canning. Then comes the effective projectile machine (sans best part: If you're still awake, scoop explosives). Many resemble medieval the last remnants of apple butter catapults and are capable of hurling from the pot with freshly baked a large gourd hundreds of yards. bread. Directions: Take Route 50 East to 404 to Georgetown (Del.), drive around Punkin' Chunkin' the circle to Route 9 and 404 East, to Competition Crossroads of Route 5 South approxi- Last but not least, one of the nation's mately 5 miles. You will see Hollyville oddest festivals (if you can call it Road (305). Turn west and go approxithat) is the annual Punkin' mately 2 miles and you will reach a fork (Pumpkin) Chunkin' competition in in the road. Go straight ahead 1 mile on Millsboro, Del. This year's dates Hollyville Road and you will come to are-appropriately enough--Oct. 31, Harmony Cemetery Road (306). Turn left and you are there. For more infor- Nov. 1 and 2. mation, call 302-684-8196. Located at the intersection of Routes 305 and 306, the Millsboro Hill resident Celeste McCall's writing site is about three hours from Washington. For years, this bizarre appears in the Voice each month. event--first held in 1986--took place Randolph Cree hair etc. For the past two years Randolph Cree has provided quality service and style to your neighborhood. The Seventh Street location is serving this business well by allowing us to attract talented stylists to Capitol Hill. Well, we have done it again! The Randolph Cree Styling Team Welcomes Ginger Christine Specializes in Transformations, Corrective Color, Make-up, and Up-do's, Tony and Guy (TIGI) Advanced Coloring Techniques Graham Webb Trained, 10 years of experience 325 Seventh Street SE Washington, D.C. 20003 tel. 202-547-1014 www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 September 16 Overbeck Lecture: The Burning of Washington New Season of History Lectures Gets Off to a Dramatic Start The new season of Overbeck History Lectures gets off to a dramatic start at 8 p.m. Tuesday evening, Sept. 16, as highly-regarded author and lecturer Anthony Pitch tells the amazing story of the British capture of Washington, DC, in the summer of 1814, with a special focus on events on Capitol Hill. The burning of the Capitol, the Navy Yard and the White House brought our new country precariously close to extinction, and, of course, were devastating blows to this fledgling community. Be sure to reserve your seats now for this event, to be held as usual at the grand old Naval Lodge Hall at 330 Pennsylvania Ave., SE. Admission is free, but a reservation is required. If possible, please reserve by email at overbecklecture@aol.com to ease the sending of a confirmation and any updates. You may also leave a message at 202-544-1845, in which case be sure to leave your full name, street address phone number, plus an email address if you have one. Anthony Pitch is the author of The Burning of Washington: The British Invasion of 1814, along with numerous other books and publications, and is noted for his anecdotal history tours for the Smithsonian Resident Associates and other organizations. He has worked as a journalist in England, Africa and Israel, served as senior writer in the books division of US News & World Report, and is now at work on a new history of the Lincoln assassination. Copies of his Burning of Washington, which was a History Book Club selection, will be available for purchase and signing after the lecture. 202-588-2021 202-543-6383 Modified Bitumen Star ROOFING C O MP ANY 1159 4th St., NE Washington, DC 2002 Metal , Tin and Copper Roofs Roof Coatings Specializing in Historic Flat Roofs www.voiceofthehill.com ® 202.546.5881 or 202.255.5554 · 2003 houses sold: $$$ given to Capitol Hill Schools: Knowing your home will be sold properly: PRICELESS GONE! 5 days, 15% above list price! 527 3rd Street, NE NEW IN SEPTEMBER! 22 8th Street, SE Fabulous Federal just steps to Eastern space. Gleaming Heart-Pine floors, 3br/2.5ba, double living room, sep dr and large garden. NEW IN SEPTEMBER! 724 6th Street, NE Low $300s! Open Victorian just 6 blocks to Union and Parking! This is a BIG small house at an incredible price! Run for your wallet! NEW IN SEPTEMBER! Low $400s home with 2 suites, cathedral ceilings, GONE! 5 days, 12% above List Price! 510 13th Street, SE GONE! 5-days, 17% above list price! 311 4th Street, SE of selling your house 202-255-5554 or email tom@realestateindc.com GONE! 5 days, 3% above list price! GONE! 7 days, 23% above list price! 1118 Park NE NEW IN SEPTEMBER! Low $500s Olin Drive, right off Arlington Blvd, corner stone Colonial with large kitchen huge unfinished basement. Maintained by same family for 30 years! NEW IN SEPTEMBER! 1430 K Street, SE Mid $200s! Open, renovated, close to Metro Deeep back yard. Jason 202.415.7400 With so many satisfied clients, week after week, shouldn't you give Call, e-mail or visit us on the web. 202.255.5554 or 202.546.5881 or tom@realestateindc.com RE/MAX CAPITAL REALTORS220 7th Street, SE, Washington, DC 20003 tom@realestateindc.com www.realestateindc.com OVER 90 OVER $15,000 FEA TURED PROPERTIES Tom's Team Will WORK with your budget WORK with your style WORK with your schedule Your needs are our business! Market! Traditional warmth in wide open Station w/2 br, 1.5 baths Old Town Greens off Route 1 in Old Town! Charming community, totally loft-like town parking and wide open spaces everywhere! To find out the secrets successfully, call Tom Faison at 2823 Saint Croix Dr. in Vienna VA. Falls Church 4br/2ba, HUGE Lot! and CHEAP!!! 3br, 1.5baths, large yard, basement, light everywhere! Jason Townsend and Tina Hopkins Tina 202.277.2004 Tom's Team Tom a call before making your next move? TOM FAISON Associate Broker, GRI RE/MAX CAPITAL REALTORS www.realestateindc.com www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 L ooking at my garden in August, I was still bemoaning my inability to get more planted this year. The tomato plants were covered with ripening produce, but this was not enough consolation for the prepared soil left fallow. Particularly painful was to watch that portion of the garden remain weed-free while, despite my efforts, weeds didn't give up in the planted area! There's Still Time to Plant In an effort to console and encourage, Tom Tyler, Capitol Hill resident and Extension Agent for Environmental Horticulture in Arlington County, says that there is still time to plant more vegetables even if the days are getting shorter. "The season is winding down but it's not finished for the ambitious," Tyler says. "There is the possibility of a fall garden. For this area, the only time you cannot really harvest things is in the deepest part of winter." Tyler points out an advantage to fall gardening. "The pest potential is less at this time of year because frost will kill some of the insects just as the plants are coming to maturity. If you do encounter pests, you treat them the same way we discussed earlier this year" (see the June issue of The Voice of the Hill, available online, or log on to: http://everest.ento.vt. edu~idlab/vegpests/veg1.html). Fall gardening actually seems simpler than spring and summer gardening. This may because the more physically demanding work, for example, improving the soil, is usu- IT'S NOT OVER 'TIL IT'S OVER: VEG OUT WITH A FALL HARVEST BY LAURIE LINDSAY A OMARI about one inch of water per week" (for more information about water and weeds in your garden, see the July edition of the Voice). With all the interesting possibilities, I naively ask why few people have fall vegetable gardens. Tyler declares the obvious, "Most people run out of energy and interest!" In other words, they fizzle out, and the gardening bug takes a dirt nap. He says, "It's called Spring Fever for a reason! Spring Fever usually ends when you return from your first summer vacation and you find the ground overrun with weeds." Going Under Cover When your vegetable gardening is finished for the season, don't forget the cleanup. Tyler says you can cut anything down as soon as it dies. "Cut it down to the ground. Leave the roots in if you wish, because they will enrich the soil. You can also incorporate the dead plants into the soil as long as they are not diseased or insect ridden." Tyler continues, "Turn the soil over the dead plants. Then add another inch or two of compost. Adding the compost in the fall allows more time for the compost to improve the soil. This will decrease your work in the spring." If you can't stand the sight of the empty garden, consider growing a cover crop or "green manure." Tyler describes how to do it: "In October plant winter rye, buckwheat, clover, or hairy vetch. Garden centers will have these seeds. Sow the seeds in vacant garden space. You're actually growing the organic matter to enrich the soil." During the late fall and winter, winter rye will grow about four inches high before the plant becomes dormant. It will then stay green through the freezing part of the winter. Tyler says the cover crop starts growing again early in the spring. "That's the time to cut it back and turn it over. A cover crop can be like a weed so you have to cut it early in the spring. If these plants flower, they will die because they are annuals. To a small extent, the cover crops will reseed themselves." Tyler mentions that some gardeners plant their new seeds and small plants directly in the stubble of the cover crop. "If you like the results of your winter cover crop, you can grow this any time of year in vacant space." Fall is the ideal time to build a raised bed if you didn't have time to build it in the spring. A good source for preparing the soil and making a raised bed is the Virginia Cooperative Extension website (www.ext.vt.edu, click on educational programs and resources, then click on fruits and vegetables). ally done earlier in the season. (For a so they might require staking. They refresher on preparing the soil for need to grow along a fence, for planting, see the May issue of the example, one made of chicken wire. Voice). For some varieties, the fence should "The big issue for fall gardening is be five to six feet high." Tyler says timing: both your time and the time that the seed packet will usually the plants take to grow," notes Tyler. indicate the height of the grown "The way to calculate this is to check plant. "You can use that as your for the first frost date in our area. guide for the height of the fence." This tends to be the end of October. If broccoli is one of your favorites, Then count the days backward on it can be ready to eat about two your calendar. Some plants need months after planting. Tyler nearly two months to produce and describes how to harvest broccoli then they may need two more weeks and cabbage. "Cut the head of brocafter that to mature. They mature a coli or cabbage at the base, but leave little bit more slowly in the fall sun-the plant in the ground and allow it shine than they do in the spring to keep growing. The broccoli will sunshine." In short, this means you develop spears from its side branchshould consider planting as early as es. The cabbage will sprout again possible in September. where you removed the earlier cabbage. The new growth is smaller, but Leading Candidates for Fall just as tasty as the first crop." Gardening "Plants that like the cool weather are Long Lasting Vegetables the best ones to sow now," advises Some vegetables have some very Tyler. "These include lettuce, desirable characteristics for the fall spinach, broccoli, cabbage, peas, gardener. Tyler explains, "Kale, colbeets, kale, collards, turnip greens, lards, and turnip greens can be and carrots. All of these will survive planted now. However, the flavor of light frost. these vegetables actually improves "Of these, the lettuces are the easi-after the first frost! Carrots can even est. In this area, leaf lettuces are the stay in the ground through the winbest to try. Green and red leaf let-ter allowing you to harvest sometuces work well. You can also try thing fresh very early in the spring. some of the greens typically found Garlic is best planted in September, in a mesclun mix." These could and you can also harvest it in the include arugula, dandelion, frisée, spring." mizuna, mache, radicchio, oak leaf, Tyler adds, "Grow these fall garden endive, and sorrel. plants as long as they will tolerate If you like peas, sugar snap peas the weather." As with things planted and snow peas are particularly pleas-earlier in the season, Tyler reminds ant for fall gardening. They are also gardeners to mulch any new planteasy to prepare since the pods are ings to keep weeds under control. He edible. Tyler observes, "Peas are tall, says, "Fall garden plants still need www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 Top 10 Reasons to Plant Your Garden for Fall 1. You never got around to planting a garden in the spring. 2. You had great results in the spring, and you want to continue your success. 3. You had mediocre results in the spring and want to refine your methods. 4. You want to continue your supply of fresh-picked vegetables. 5. You're tired of staking tomatoes and beans. You want to work with plants that are quick and easy to grow. 6. You want to impress your friends and neighbors. 7. The neighbor kid is threatening to let his dog roam around on your grass if you stop the weekly payments for his work in your garden. 8. Your kids are not impressed. They dare you. They promise they will eat spinach if you grow it now. 9. You don't want to look at old, scraggly dead things in the garden from now until spring. 10.You want to "eat local." Composing Your Compost "Build compost in the fall," remarks Tyler. "This is the perfect time since there is the most excess organic matter during these months, for example, autumn leaves. Composting is easy to do even here in the city. Use a container because you'll have to look at this in the yard all winter. Also, a closed container will be rodent proof." Once you have the container with the autumn leaves inside, what's next? "Through the winter you turn the compost about once a month. The more you turn it the better." He's specific about what not to put into your compost. "Include your kitchen scraps, but don't add meat, dairy foods, bones, or feces from dogs and cats." For more information about composting, check out http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/ envirohort/426-325/426-325.html. Rottin' Entertainment for Kids "Worm composting is increasingly popular," says Tyler with enthusiasm. "Do this indoors in a plastic storage container. Use red worms purchased from bait shops or by mail order. Feed the worms kitchen scraps. The worms will digest the scraps and their worm castings (the results of their digestive process) will enrich the soil." Tyler asserts that children especially enjoy worm composting. "The worms reproduce in the bin," he states. Visit http://www.cityfarmer. org/wormcomp61.html and http://www.kidsgardening.com/Dig/Di g.taf, part of the website for the National Gardening Association, for detailed instructions so you get the best results. "Start with worms in damp, shredded newspaper. Gradually start to feed the worms to discover how much they eat-- they're much better if you don't overfeed them! "This is true recycling. You'll save water by not using the disposal. The yield will be enough to compost for houseplants but not enough for an entire outdoor garden. Worm composting is a small scale operation, but it can be continuously active." Still Need Something More To Do? "At a minimum, put your raked leaves on your garden," recommends Tyler. Take time to mix them with the soil to get better results." Other possibilities include making garden notes of what worked and what didn't work so you know what to do next year. Some gardeners like to winterize their tools in the fall-- that is, they clean them and then, if they are metal tools, they sharpen and oil them. Tyler suggests bringing the garden back into the house too. "Seed herbs in pots outside and bring them into the house for the winter. Parsley, dill, rosemary, basil, and cilantro all will grow in a sunny window." For more information about vegetable gardening and flower gardening, e-mail your questions to Tom Tyler at the Arlington Unit of Virginia Cooperative Extension (Ttyler@vt.edu), or call the Horticulture Agent with the UDC Extension Service (202-274-7166). Laurie Lindsay Aomari, RD, LD, is a beginner gardener. As a registered and licensed dietitian, Laurie helps people aim for good health, no matter what their size, and to enjoy their eating more. She does this through presentations and writing. She also helps organizations make their nutrition communications more successful. See www.LaurieAomari.com for additional information. 202-543-4342 back-to-schoolers: finance his creole caribbean seafood restaurant. He walked into The National "I literally couldn't believe it. Not only did he listen to my idea, but he loaned business products and services visit might never have opened." · 202-546-8000 · 202-966-2688 www.NationalCapitalBank.com · Open Daily 10-6 417 East Capitol Street, SE Paul Cymrot riverby@erols.com Steve Cymrot Message to Like do good work. Like read a lot. Budding restaurateur Jorge Zamorano didn't quite know where to turn to Capital Bank not knowing what to expect.Within minutes, he found himself talking with George Didden, the Chairman of the Bank. me the money I needed. You don't see that kind of banking service anymore!" We believe in people at The National Capital Bank; that's what we're about. To learn about NCB loans or our full array of www.NationalCapitalBank.com or call 546-8000. As Jorge Zamorano discovered, "You just don't get better. I recommend NCB to everyone." "Without NCB, the Starfish Café We Believe In People... 316 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20003 5228 44th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20015 TDD 202-546-0772 www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 1107 Pennsylvania Ave., SE 202-543-0100 Monday - Saturday 7am-4pm To save 10% on all of your Frager 's purchases visit www.voiceofthhill.com and look for our banner! Plumbing Heating Drills Welders Lawn Garden Recreation Concrete Floor Care Compressors Hoists Jacks Lifter Baby/Guest Business Moving Trailers Ladders Sitework Compaction Much More Laurie's Broccoli and Tomato Salad This salad is most colorful and attractive the same day it is made. It looks great on a plate with fish, chicken or other pale food. It totes along easily for a potluck. Yield: Prepare 3/4 cup to 1 cup of vegetables per person to help meet daily nutrient needs. Time: About 25 minutes if you use the freezer. Note: Broccoli and tomatoes in this recipe are used in a ratio of approximately 1 to 1. Broccoli: approximately 50% of the salad Rinse raw broccoli. Cut into bite-size pieces. Steam the broccoli pieces in _ to 1 inch boiling water or in a steamer basket over boiling water. Steam the broccoli just until it is bright green and you can just get a fork into it. Broccoli should still be firm. Immediately drain the broccoli and put it in a bowl or plastic con- tainer. Chill the broccoli in the refrigerator or freezer. This happens faster if the broccoli is in a shallow single layer in the container (do not freeze the broccoli). Tomatoes (Any color regular size, cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, or plum/Italian tomatoes): approximately 50% of the salad Chill the tomatoes. Shortly before serving, rinse the tomatoes. Cut cherry or grape tomatoes in half or cut plum tomatoes into quarters or slices. Cut larger tomatoes into 1-inch chunks. Add the tomatoes to the bowl of broccoli. Italian salad dressing (Your favorite homemade or bottled, regular or reduced fat): add to taste Salt and pepper: add to taste While tossing the vegetables very gently, add the Italian dressing a table- spoon at a time until the vegetables are coated. Use just enough dressing so that the vegetables have a bit more flavor than they would have on their own. Add salt and pepper as desired. Cover the container and chill the entire salad until serving. Toss once gently if the dressing has settled on the bottom of the bowl. $1477 September 12-21 5TH ANNUAL YARD SALE Items from all departments under the Big Top. 1115 Pennsylvania Ave., SE 202-543-6157 · Fragers@erols.com Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-7pm · Saturday 7am-5:55pm Sunday 8am-5pm Frager's HardwareFrager's HardwareWe now carry a full line of Benjamin Moore paints www.voiceofthehill.com HOTSHEETHOME OWNERS' TIPS The newest listings from Schlegel 412 U Street, NW newly renovated home features three bedrooms/one bathroom,original heart of pine flooring, new central appliances, clawfoot tub in All within an easy walking distance to the Metro!! $450,000 · RE/MAX Allegiance Bethesda, MD 20817 202-494-7433 or 301-493-8066 mmills@fhhlc.com Memo for September from Matt Mills The Mortgage Man The #1 Re/MAX sales team in $36,000,000 in sales and listings Outstanding agents, there are ways to soothe your savage beast. Clean your gutters. Many "roof leaks" are actually caused by overflows when gutters are filled with leaves, sticks, stop up the ground drains, and that can lead to an unexpected basement swimming pool. Gutters need to be cleaned at ® coverage. color between flushes, you have a flapper valve that needs replacement. Or if the water in the tank is overflowing into cords on your lamps and appliances to make sure they are not cracked or the plugs broken. If the cords or plugs are creosote build up, but also will assure that the chimney is sound, both for the fireplace and the furnace and water and cooling bills. While you check the paint on your woodwork, check the paint over the mortar lines between your bricks. If you poke it with a key or screwdriver and the paint breaks and the mortar turns to sand, you may need to get a mason in to repoint the bricks. ®-based lubricant in your outside locks. 202.547.5088 and 301.493.8066 Sladen House Second time on market in over The best of both worlds--period details and modern conveniences. Featuring four good sized bedrooms; three and one half baths, two ensuite and half on main level; plus in-law suite in Glorious patio garden and carriage house with garage parking for two cars and 400sq ft a perfect "10". SOLD CLIP AND SAVE The Von Realty Team Gorgeous semi-detached Italianate Victorian on charming block in Ledroit Park!! This air, cherry cabinets, stainless steel bathroom, off-street parking, and large rear yard. This month's answer provided by Tim Burr, Yarmouth Management Matt Mills MBA, CSSP Senior Mortgage Consultant Relationship Manager Washington D.C. is one of the hottest areas in the United States in regards to getting renovation costs back from home improve- ments! Question of the Month: How can you put some money into renovating your home while being able to afford the pay- ments? First Horizon Home Loans offers a variety of low costs ways to get the dollars needed to perform repairs and renovations on your home! Did you know that you can purchase a home, or do a refinance, getting a loan based on the "after improvements" value? In many cases this allows a buyer to purchase a reno- vated home with no money at the closing table. Interest rates from 4% with zero points are available. Easy qualification and quick turnaround is our specialty. Call Matt to discuss the multiple options that are available to secure your renovation funds. APRs are available upon request. visit us at www.jackiev.com / 220 7th Street, SE · 202.547.5088 6903 Rockledge Dr., Suite 520 www.mattmills.net Washington, DC for 2002 with over outstanding results! Taming Townhouse Tempers Houses hate their owners. Why else would roofs leak, drains back up, walls crack, showers mildew, fuses blow? But and seeds or when clogged downspouts cause water to run down the side of the house. The leaves and seeds can also least once a year. If you have lots of trees around your house, you should do them more frequently. While you are checking the gutters, take a look your roof. Tin roofs, which are on many Capitol Hill houses, will last for a hundred years if they are cared for. You don't want that replacement to occur during your watch. The pri- mary care tin roofs need is paint every three or four years. But be sure to use Tinolinroof paint for the most effective Get your heat and airconditioning serviced annually, and change any air filters monthly. Make sure the heating technicians check your flue for proper draft to ensure that carbon monoxide doesn't build up. You'll save money with an efficient system, and you will be far less likely to find yourself cold in the winter or hot in summer. In addition, your system will last longer, saving you major replacement costs. Check your toilets twice a year. Put some food color in the water in the tank. If the water in the commode changes the drain, you may need to replace the workings of the shutoff valve. While you're at it, replace washers in any drip- ping faucet. By making these repairs regularly, you can cut your water bills substantially. Make sure the lint filter in your dryer is cleaned every time it is used. You should also check in the dryer vent once a year to make sure that lint has not built up. A clogged vent can cause a fire. While the dryer is pulled out to check the vent, clean the lint on the wall and floor behind the dryer. That, too, can become a fire hazard. Turn off the inside shutoff valves for outside faucets before the first frost and don't turn them back on until the last chance of frost has passed. Leave the outside faucets open so they drain. And make sure the hoses are disconnected while the faucets are turned off. Speaking of shutoff valves, take 10 minutes every other month to turn off and on all the other shutoff valves in the house: the main one where water comes into the house, the one over the water heater, the ones under the sinks and toi- lets, and the ones behind the washer. That way, your shutoff valves will work in an emergency and you won't need a plumber when your washing machine needs repair. Use your vacuum cleaner crevice tool twice a year to clean under the refrigerator. Pop off the front vent of the fridge and clean the dust from the coils. You can even do it with a paint brush or duster. This will keep the compressor from having to work so hard, improve the efficiency of your fridge, and extend its life. Test your smoke detectors and, if they are not hard wired, replace the batteries at least once a year. Your life could depend on them working in an emergency. Do away with extension cord spaghetti. An overloaded extension cord can become a fire hazard. Also, check the bad, replace them. They ar e dangerous. If your fireplace works, call in the chimney sweep every two or three years. The inspection will not only look at heater. Make sure the woodwork on the outside of your house is caulked and painted. A small crack can let water into the wood leading to damage. This is particularly true for windows and sills. The caulk will also help with your heating Twice a year, spray a quick shot of a TeflonDon't use oil or graphite. Interior locks need the same treatment annually. If you treat your house well, it will be kind to you. It won't catch you with a quick hit when you least expect it. And it will also cost you less in the long run. Tim Burr is a freelance writer who has been living on Capitol Hill since 1966. He also happens to work for Yarmouth Management Company, the rental company that manages about 650 properties on the Hill--so he knows what of he speaks. This page is brought to you each month by The Von Schlegel Realty Team First Horizon Home Home Loans 120 11th Street, SE 100 years!! This super deep corner Victorian abuts 30 foot wide Sladen's Walk and is absolutely stunning in every way. lower. +/- second floor office, make this VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 eye see you Selecting Eyeglasses: What You Should Look For BY STEPHANIE BRIGGS Last year, a fellow journalist made an that I would ever be behind the caused by strong prescriptions for ers. Glass resists scratches without a astute observation on the state of wheel without by trusty lenses). By farsighted corrections. Because the coating. Although it is more durable, eyes in America. He was covering the way, the opposite of nearsighted-lenses are positioned closer to the it can be heavier than other lens the annual public radio conference ness is farsightedness, or hyper-face, there is less eye magnification, materials. Although glass lenses are for young, up-and-coming radio pro-tropia, vision that is better for and one avoids that small-eyed look resistant to heat and chemically grammers when he noted that the objects at a distance. that traditional lenses cause. treated for impact resistance, due to event could have been misconstrued People with strong nearsighted-safety issues, doctors rarely prescribe as an eye wear convention. Where to Start ness benefit from aspheric lenses them. Participants were young, hip, and First it's important to know the key that are thinner and more light-Other lens options that fit a variwearing a cross section of some of players when it comes to purchasing weight. ety of needs include polycarbonate, the most unique and fashionable your frames. An optometrist can pre-Bifocal lenses correct for distance the lightest, most durable, and eyeglasses on the market. scribe medications limited to the eye and close-up, but the line in the impact-resistant lenses available I remember my first pair of glasses. and performs a multitude of tests middle of the lens sometimes causes today. Ten times stronger than ordi- Actually, I recall the day that my and exams inside the eye, the retina images to "jump and blur." Bifocals nary plastic, they are unbreakable-- mother realized that I couldn't see. It and optic nerves. An ophthalmologist aren't great if you spend time at the good for children and perfect if you was in the parking lot of the Shop is a medical doctor with a specialty computer, since you have to tilt your have little or no vision in one eye Rite supermarket, and she was repri-in eye diseases and can prescribe a head back to get the power for close (and they're great for active sports). manding me for not standing in the full array of prescription drugs and work, which is below the line in the There is also an alternative for peo- 10-items or fewer line. perform laser and eye surgery. An lens. Trifocals correct for distance, ple with strong prescriptions. High "Can't you read what that sign optician is educated in the practice of mid-range and close-up and are a index lenses are thinner, therefore says?" she scolded, pointing at the lit lens crafting and vision correction perfect choice for individuals who making stronger corrections more sign through the market window. methods. do a lot of "arm's length" work, such attractive. "It doesn't say anything," I It is the optician who will assist as computer operators. Computer responded, looking at what appeared you in finding the eyeglasses that are users should be aware of the fact that Special Coatings/Tints to me to be a blank light. best suited for your needs, whether there are a variety of options for you If you are the outdoor type, spend- Thus began my foray into the your glasses will serve as business or when it comes to lenses that include ing time in strong sunlight, or an world of eyewear. Every year I had a formal, casual or active wear. The special filters and antireflection coat-office warrior surrounded by fluoresnew pair of frames, which is well-most important feature is finding ings. More on these choices follow. cent lighting, you are at risk of expodocumented by annual school pho-the correct frame, and there are Both bifocal and trifocal lenses are sure to harmful UV rays. UV protectos. The decision to pursue acting many formulas to determine what available in all lens materials. tion can be added to plastic lenses. eventually led to the world of hard frame fits the shape of your face and Progressive, or no-line, bifocals When it comes to protection from contact lenses, and technology nose, but for the sake of brevity let's provide the benefits of bifocals but the sun, prescription sunglasses are would later soothe my irritated eyes place that assessment into the hands offer a smooth transition from dis-the most obvious choice. If fashion with newer soft lenses. Then some-of a competent optician. The only tance to close-up, providing the fea-is your focus, tinted lenses offer a fun thing strange happened about 10 tip I have is when your frame size is ture of continuous clear vision at all and practical alternative, especially years ago. Frames became funky and correct, your pupil should be in the distances. They have the advantage for those who are light sensitive. fashionable, and my addiction for center of the lens and the frames of appearing to be single vision lens-One problem with tints is that they eyeglasses returned. should not touch any part of your es and are available to all lens materi-offer no UV protection. My vision is pretty bad. According face, especially when smiling. als and also made in aspheric forms. Transition lenses are the most to my optometrist, if I failed to wear popular tinted lenses. Activated by my glasses on a dark and dreary Everything You Wanted to Lenses UV rays, they darken in the sunlight night, I wouldn't know that someone was walking in front of my car Know About Lenses You have your prescription in hand, and lighten indoors. If you desire to Single vision lenses function as all-and some indication of your particu-filter the light rays entering your until I hit him and heard him scream. Diagnosed with myopia, or purpose glasses. They correct one lar eye needs. Now it's time to select eyes, polarized lenses are your nearsightedness--vision being better field of vision, either close up or far your lenses. Plastic lenses weigh less choice. They significantly reduce for near objects than for far--I could away. Aspheric lenses provide special than glass and are virtually unbreak-road glare and improve depth perable. Plastic is also easier to tint and ception. barely get out of bed without my visual and cosmetic benefits. They has the same visual acuity as glass-- Now that you have decided on glasses (so there was no need to fear eliminate the bulging appearance it's the most common choice of buy-your tint, it is necessary to protect www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 your lenses from scratches and disturbing glare. For plastic lenses, scratch resistant coatings are imperative. To eliminate common glare discomfort, anti-reflective lenses are in order, particularly when you are dealing with glare from computer screens, fluoresc lights, headlights from night driving, and everyday strain. Some people find that the A/R coating helps them to see better, allowing eyes to focus faster during night driving and reducing glare that causes eye fatigue. Kids and Eyewear Since safety is probably first and foremost when purchasing eyewear for children, polycarbonate lenses are your best choice. With that said, purchasing frames should not be complicated or confusing. Make sure that the glasses fit. Select frames that are designed especially for children, not mini versions of adult glasses. Your optician will be key when making this selection. Because children are active, look for good quality metal or plastic frames with flexible spring hinges and a good warranty. It is worth spending a little extra money to have a good quality frame with a good warranty. Once the purchase is made, check for redness behind the ears or on the side of the nose, making sure that the frames aren't rubbing or sliding around. They also shouldn't slide down the nose. Often a simple adjustment of the nose pads or earpieces can correct the problem. Remember that the bridge must fit on a child's nose, so don't buy glasses assuming that your child will "grow into them." This will not only cause discomfort but also provide inadequate vision. Let your child have input when selecting eyeglass frames. When they play a role in the selection, there is a better chance they will wear them (it also helps if you wear contacts to put them away for a few weeks and wear your glasses in order to set an example for your child to follow). If your child uses a strong prescription, the lenses can look thin and be uncomfortably heavy. Talk to your optician about special polycarbonate lenses in an aspheric design. Selecting anti-reflective coating will cut down on glare and remove reflections from the front of the lenses, making the glasses more appealing. Frames It is virtually impossible to write about the multitude of frames on the market. Basically, they are available in plastic, metal and rubber (used mostly in sports framing). Whatever your decision, your best bet is to enlist the help of a good optician who should ask you questions about your lifestyle. By asking the proper questions, he or she will have better insights on how to advise you on the frames that are best suited for you. Presbyopia This is the most difficult part of this article. You see, I am on the other side of 40 and have discovered that reading the newspaper or a book has become a challenge. I have left the world of myopia and entered Presbyopia, a type of farsightedness caused by the gradual changes in the lens within the eye preventing me from focusing on close objects-- except in my case, I now have to take my glasses off in order to read. Most of us will eventually find our way to the local drugstore and purchase inexpensive reading glasses until the time arrives when prescription glasses are required. Will you need bifocals or progressive lenses? Ask your doctor to recommend which are best for you. Where to go Okay, now it's time to shop. Right here on the Hill are the following eyecare specialists: Reed & Fissel, 635 Pennsylvania Ave., SE, 202-546-2838; Optical Images, 50 Massachusetts Ave., NE, 202-289-4111; and United Optical, 645 Pennsylvania Ave., SE, 202-547- 0956. Of course, the list of facilities and the number and variety of frames are endless. If you can't find what you want in one place, then a quick look in the yellow pages indicates that the opportunity to find the funkiest frames are no more than a subway stop away. Eye'll be seeing you! Stephanie Briggs is a regular contributor to The Voice and an assistant professor of English at CCBC Catonsville, Md. She currently owns two pairs of glasses (spring/summer and fall/winter) and contact lenses (when she wants a change of pace). 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 202/543-4200 Join us on fSWORSHIP SCHEDULE 8:30 am 9:45 am 11:00 am FREE C--PL, PIANO 8 pm September 26th 212 East Capitol Street Accessible to people with physical handicaps aith's journey UNDAY Traditional Service of the Word Holy Communion "Coffee and conversation" following services Nursery opens at 9:45 am Sunday School at 9:45 am ONCERTAUL EAVITTwww.reformationdc.org Tell our advertisers you saw them in The Voice www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 Every Monday through Thursday, soccer action comes to Folger Park, courtesy of these athletes. (Photos by Scott Gates) traverse the sidewalk running roughly through midfield, smiling all the way, with luggage! After a goal is scored, there is usually only a brief smattering of applause to indicate that the consensus is that indeed a goal has been made (there's no ball in the back of the net; there's no net). A good pass, or a strong challenge for the ball, more often garners hollers of approval or groans of dismay. All in Good Fun Given their Salvadorian and Guatemalan roots, players, of course, communicate in Spanish. There's lively banter and an abundance of laughter. Even a rudimentary knowledge of Spanish makes clear that some of the chatter is PG-13 at best. It's a physical game with plenty of contact and even collisions, but little arguing. Again, it's all in good fun. Squeezing every bit out of that fun into the time they have, no halftime or breaks from play are declared. One or two players will drop out at a time for a swig of water. For the most part, despite the fast pace, most players seem intent to be in on every last second of the action as possible. Though players admitted to being "a little tired" while scrambling to leave, on the whole they appeared ready for another hour or more of play--if only they could. In contrast to the slow trickle of players who come to the park, the exit is amazingly efficient. A scarce few minutes pass from the moment the goalkeeper picks up one cone, places it on another, and begins walking up the field to the instant that the last player quits the park. At about 4:45 p.m., players raced off in all directions, some piling into cars, to hit the showers and resume the workday or move on to other concerns of the day. Suddenly all is quiet, and the casual observer would not know anything of the sort had just taken place. Most participants in these games follow professional soccer. They claim they "don't like D.C. United anymore," because the team no longer has any Salvadorian players. True enthusiasm for soccer in this country tends to bubble up to the surface of the mainstream only once in a while--in a World Cup year or with a successful film such as Bend it Like Beckham. Yet the long-standing dedication to the sport exhibited by this group is but one indicator that a strong undercurrent of passion for the game can be found in this country-- and most certainly in this city, if you keep your eyes open as you pass through your day. DC resident Scott Gates' work often appears in The Voice of the Hill. www.voiceofthehill.com Serving Up Kicks at Break Time An Enthusiastic Group Brings Soccer to officials, and rarely is there an audience. Small-sized traffic cones, set about one yard apart, serve as goals (the small size of the goals makes it safe for goalkeepers to sit, kneel, or fetch another soccer ball while the action is far afield). Despite the loose boundaries and the casual atmosphere, the play is not at all unruly. Players stick to their positions and work as a team. At times, there may be as many as twenty players per team, which leads to some of the swarming around the ball that soccer moms must endure when their children romp around on the soccer pitch. And sometimes staff from one restaurant will take on the staff onother, but it's usually hard to get a critical mass from just two establishments at any one time. On a rather balmy day in August, 25 players showed up for the action--enough to field two fullsized teams and throw in a few more to boot. After taking about ten or fifteen minutes to change shoes and shirts, warm up, and shoot the breeze, the game begins unceremoniously with someone punting the ball to approximately midfield-- wherever that may be. On this day, one team did seem to dominate the play, but this is beside the point. "After a hard-working day we come here to relax," says Mendoza, adding that this is "how we forget our routine" for a while. In fact, many here are catching a much-needed break from a long day of work that begins in the morning and runs well into the night. And not much stands in the way of play. "If there's no snow, we're here," says Mendoza. The joy emanating from these "fun games" seems contagious. Passersby seem happy to help retrieve stray soccer balls. In fact, one couple dared to Folger Park BY SCOTT GATES You may want to drive a little more slowly around Folger Park at 3rd and D Streets, SE, from 3:30 to 4:45 in the afternoon. Every so often, a soccer ball will slowly roll or bounce its way into the streets there. For on Mondays through Thursdays, a group of young and not-so-young men meet in the park for an informal, yet energetic soccer match (they sometimes gather on Saturdays, as well). What makes this gathering unique is that almost all of the guys assembled are from El Salvador, with a few from Guatemala, and almost all are staff of restaurants on the Hill-- waiters, cooks, busboys, dishwashers and more from La Plaza, La Loma and other neighborhood eateries-- even the Republican Club. Though the names and faces have changed over the years, this group of athletes has been getting together since 1988. When asked about this tradition, Jaime, who's been playing here for five years, says, "talk to Henry." Henry Mendoza has been there from the beginning. Though he is indeed the person to talk to, things with this ad hoc soccer team seem to happen by consensus, without any established group leadership. By Their Own Rules There aren't any goalposts, nets, or white lines at perfect angles to demarcate the field boundaries. Even a few small trees are very much in play, with passes and runs made on all sides. Consensus determines when to give up chasing after one ball that's gone well off course and to put a second into action instead. There's no penalty box and no VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 ON THE HILL, THE GRASS IS BLUE Orange Line Special: Dedicated to the Music BY MARK GALLA GHER Bluegrass music is one of those urban image of rural America, and it things that can only be described as should be no surprise to find a workquintessentially American. In fact, ing bluegrass band here in this secthe genre has its roots during the ond kind of capital city. earliest periods of European colonization of this continent. From the Top Its father is the fiddle- and bag-Local bluegrass band Orange Line pipe-based folk music of the coun-Special traces its roots to the Wash- try's early English and Scottish set-ington Folk Festival. Current Orange tlers, and its mother is an oral tradition of ballads that goes back to the other side of the Atlantic. Add to Line band member Charlie Bean was looking for musicians to back him up at the festival and met Lynn that mix a banjo (an instrument Healy and Richard Hess. The trio with African roots) and perhaps a played as the Too Many Friends of guitar and bass, and you have the ingredients needed for a modern bluegrass experience. But Bluegrass in DC? Bluegrass is a genre I associated with perhaps Kentucky and Tennessee, and I remember seeing signs every year for a bluegrass festival during my tenure in rural Southern Maryland. For these reasons--and a dash of ignorance--bluegrass, in my mind was a rural form of music. But to answer the previous question, there is bluegrass to be found in the District. Bluegrass City This should not come as a surprise. As with everything "American," bluegrass comes in many forms, Charlie Bean. Hill resident and bass player Mike Licht soon joined them. The now quartet did not play together again until the following year. They started pondering a new name, and, wanting to stay with the traditions of bluegrass, toyed with railroad names. The first solid option was Potomac Valley Express, until inspiration hit in the guise of DC's underground iron horse. As the group was meeting it was realized that all of them got together by taking the Metro's orange line trains; embarking at their neighborhood Metro stops including Vienna, Courthouse, Eastern Market and Capitol South. The coincidence was hard to pass up, so they became Orange Line Special. Shortly after mandolin player Paul changes constantly, shows up in sur-Gregory joined the group in 1999, prising places, and eventually can be they decided to record an album. expected to develop a constituency The album, Next Stop: Bluegrass City of sorts (a lobby?) in our nation's was released in 2002 and includes a capital. selection of traditional and more Surprisingly, I discovered that DC modern Bluegrass songs, including was for years considered to be the an original 1980 composition by capital of bluegrass music. This is Mike Licht titled "Hot Tub of Tears" because --contrary to popular that's been performed by many belief--bluegrass is an urban form of other bluegrass bands. music. The album's cover is aptly adorned Bluegrass was found in many with the band's namesake; an industrial cities after World War II as impressionistic image of DC's Metro rural migrants came to such places by Hill artist Michael Swartzback. as Cincinnati, Chicago, and Detroit and Flint, Mich., following the Dedicated to the Sounds movement of jobs from the country They Love to the cities. In fact, bluegrass was I recently had the pleasure of sitting not coined as genre until the 1940s, down with band member and 23named after Bill Monroe's Blue Grass year Hill resident Mike Licht. He Boys. Bluegrass exploded here in the came to DC from Austin, Texas. A District during the folk revival of the longtime songwriter and bass player, 1960s, as government jobs drew the (whereas most of his earlier work is second wave of bluegrass enthusi-not necessarily bluegrass), Licht is a asts: college grads. diehard enthusiast for bluegrass and In this sense, bluegrass is really an many of the crossover folk traditions. www.voiceofthehill.com The other band members are equally dedicated to the music they play. Banjo picker and vocalist Richard Dress is, as Mike says, "a selftaught bluegrass scholar." He has a bluegrass collection that numbers over 12,000 recordings collected over his 35-year coupling with the banjo. Paul Gregory is originally from England, but upon arriving in Tennessee became enamored with the mandolin, and according to the band, "has never looked back." In contrast, Charlie Bean left the U.S. for England while he was pursuing his education, and it was there he became interested in bluegrass and folk music. He returned to the states on a grant to study and research traditional Appalachian music, and lived on the Hill while working for the Library of Congress for 20 years. Guitarist and vocalist Lynn Healey, a native Washingtonian, "was raised by bluegrass music during the folk music revival in the 1960s," says Mike. "She learned Bluegrass guitar by listening to Charlie Walker at the old Shamrock in Georgetown. Her parents snuck her in." Mike has dedicated much of his professional career to music in many forms. He came to DC and the Hill as a Smithsonian Fellow studying the harmonica. He has also worked for the DC Commission for Arts and Humanities, the DC Folk Festival, and the Library of Congress. From the many years of playing, writing, and earning a living dealing with music, he is a wealth of knowledge regarding bluegrass tons and the genre's history in DC. "Bluegrass music has a fascination with the railroads," says Mike. "A train is the most powerful image you can find in bluegrass. Appalachia was one of the last places the railroads came to in America, and really helped develop their rural musical traditions. Before the railroads, it was hard to get instruments, but once the railroads started bringing mail order catalog instruments, and people could travel easier, it really allowed the roots of bluegrass to develop." Train of Tradition "The railroad, a train, represents power and freedom" and aided in the migration from the mountains to the cities where bluegrass was truly born, continues Mike. It is this tradition that helped the band get its name. During performances, they even introduce each other by their Metro stop. "We still do it," says Mike, "even though Paul moved off the orange line to Silver Spring. It's funny since we have a song titled Silver Spring that was written before Paul's move, about a couple that breaks up because one of them moves to Silver Spring." At least this move does not have such a sad ending. It is unfortunately ironic that Orange Line Special has to leave the bluegrass capital for most of their performances. Hill resident and band member Mike Licht says "there used to be a half-a-dozen places on the Hill where you could go for live music." But places like Julio's, the old pizzeria just off Pennsylvania Avenue, "where I used to play and go to just to listen, and the Emerald Isle where I was the house bass player," recalls Mike, are long gone. "There is a long tradition of bluegrass on the Hill, in the artists and the talent." So instead, Mike and the other members of Orange Line Special head to Tiffany's in Alexandria and other bars and small venues in the greater DC region. They also frequent folk music festivals, such as this month's Takoma Park Folk Festival. But Orange Line Special's music can be heard on the Hill by clicking through the Internet. The band recently released an original song titled "Tiffany's Tavern," and placed it as a downloadable MP3 on their website and with the Washington Post. The song is named after the real-life Tiffany's Tavern in Old Town Alexandria. The bar, owned by a Greek immigrant, has featured bluegrass performances for 23 years, with no cover. It was in the spirit of this dedication to bluegrass that inclined the band to place the song online (at www.orangelinespecial.com). As Mike says, "You can't buy this recording, you can only get it for free." Regional freelance writer Mark Gallagher last wrote about the Lyra Music Ensemble in The Voice of the Hill. VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 Watching the Champs Dance From the Rhythms to the Fashion, Local Dance Competitions Shine BY GENE CLAPP T his is a message of hope for the the competitions live: traveling to multitudes who share my deep one of the hotels at which these disappointment at the disap-events are held is not as easy as setpearance of the annual TV program tling down in front of the tube in "Championship Ballroom Dancing." your slippers. And the quality of the I do not have the full story, but, dancing at the local events is usually according to sources, the bean coun-not as high as that on the PBS ters at PBS decided there was not Special...a good comparison would enough money to continue produc-be watching the Yankees playing vering the show. Thus, with the stroke sus one of their farm teams. of a pen, they denied us the pleasure Nevertheless, the quality of the of seeing the highlights of one of the dancing at the live performances is country's top ballroom dancing far superior than what one can see competitions, the Ohio Star Ball. on most dance floors in the area, Gone are the elegant couples and the overall experience is tremen- (always referred to in the dance dously engaging--and intense. world as "ladies" and "gentlemen") --the ladies in long dresses trimmed Sparkle A'Plenty at the hem with ostrich feathers, The Virginia State competition, and the gentlemen in white ties and which my wife and I attended, was tails--dancing the waltz, foxtrot, typical. Arriving at the ballroom, we tango, and other "smooth" dances. were greeted by a cacophony of Banished from the screen are the sights and sounds. The atmosphere spectacular "Latin" dancers (many of pulsed with music, in styles ranging whom are actually of Russian origin) from the samba to the foxtrot, from in their exotic costumes (more on the sound systems for the competithis below) dancing the samba, cha tions and boom boxes used by the cha, rumba, and others. Never more CD vendors. will we see, even in re-runs, the ever-The dominant visual impression effervescent Sandy Dennis and the was of sparkle and excess......a sea of wooden, but knowledgeable, former feathers, glitter and chiffon. Anyone champ Ron Montez commenting on could purchase amazing and exotic the action. dance costumes, shoes, jewelry, and There are, however, live competitions right here in the Washington area. In July of each year, there is the other accessories I never knew existed. Many of the shoes were also covered with rhinestones, and they Virginia State Ballroom seemed to have fatal allure for poten- Championships, and, in August, the tial buyers (my wife owns two pairs). Capital Dancesport Championships. Next April a new event, the Cherry Blossom Dancesport Festival, will debut. There is a downside to watching For those whose tastes run to something special, a white lace bustier with dangling strings of beads was especially attractive. Milling around these merchants were the spectators waiting be admitted to the ballroom. The crowd included men and women of all ages, and a few children. I understand it used to be common for most men to wear evening clothes to such events, and there are still a few who do so. But here, as in so many other areas of modern life, standards have slipped. I even spotted a few gentlemen dressed in sport coats and the occasional non-conformist without a jacket. The ladies, however, apparently view dance championships as rare events where they can really dress up, and perhaps give free play to normally repressed exhibitionist impulses. Although the young tended to favor short black dresses, ladies or all ages may arrive wearing skirts with deep slits, asymmetrical hems, and extraordinary beadwork. A nontraditional young blonde appeared in a silver lame top highlighted with sequins and jeans woven in metallic thread. A distinguished, retired scientist, whom I have encountered at various local dance classes, passed by wearing a tigerskin bodysuit and black transparent pants. The Competition Begins Once inside the ballroom, the spectators tried to find their seats. In contrast to the indoor sports arena in which the show broadcast by PBS is held, most of this crowd was at tables arranged around the edges of the dance floor. Individual dance studios reserved the choice ones for their students and teachers, while unaffiliated spectators were at tables situated further back in the room. Many of the competitors, obviously tense, began stretching exercises. The men were typically sleek and gaunt--looking like they might have tried out for the lead role in the movie The Pianist. They walked with perfectly straight postures through the crowds. Women in long gowns and warm-up jackets practiced tricky routines with their partners. Music swelled, and the audience was invited to dance. Since most of those attending are experienced, the general level of dancing was quite good. Finally, the competitions began. My wife and I attended on the third of the four-day event. By then, preliminary rounds had narrowed the field considerably. At the Virginia championships, there are normally two groups in each of the major categories of dances - smooth and "American rhythm," a variation on the Latin style. Dancers in each group compete in semifinal rounds, and the best in the respective categor off in final rounds. Stern-looking judges are posted on the sides of the dance floor with clipboards holding rating sheets, intently watching the dancers perform; the couples try to present a flawless performance while maneuvering as best they can through the traffic on the floor and, at the same time, catching each judge's attention. As the pace heats up, the polite decorum of the crowd evaporates. Spectators, encouraged by the master of ceremonies and filled with the spirit, shout out the numbers (pinned to the backs of the male competitors) and names of their favorite couples. Periodically, the emcee shouts to the audience to give them a "nice round of applause." This can all get rather intense. The evening's program, which includes the competitions, award ceremonies, special exhibitions by top pros, and free dance periods for the audience, usually will run from about 8 p.m. until midnight or later. The music is booming, the audience is yelling and applauding, and the emcee joins in through the public address system. Yet, what is most absorbing, and enervating, is watching the dancing. The couples performing the waltz and other smooth dances swoop and glide around the entire floor, trying mightily to concentrate on their respective performances while avoiding collisions. In the Latin section, the dancers move with what seems like impossible speed and with more freedom and flash. In each dance, the couples must demonstrate their ability to perform prescribed steps. But the action is so fast and the movement of the partners vis-à-vis each other is so skillful that one can often identify the dance only by the rhythm of the music. The effect of it all can be breathtaking. I generally come away from these competitions both exhilarated and exhausted. Not much gets done the next day. Spicy Outfits I have to say a few words about the costumes worn by the dancers, primarily the ladies in the Latin dances, in competitions at this level. The gentlemen can be dealt with quickly; in most dances, black clothing predominates among the male contestants, with some using their well-oiled chests as accessories. Although the men's role is to lead, the women are the center of attention. The men's black clothing serves to keep them out of the spotlight and to provide a backdrop against which the lady can shine - much as a black velvet cloth does for a jewel on display. In earlier times, the term "scantily clad" might have been used to describe these female dancers. By current standards, however, the phrase might apply to a large proportion of the teenage girls one sees on the streets. Much closer now is www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 the image conjured up by the phrase "Las Vegas showgirl." At the Virginia championship, four of the female contestants wore micro-mini skirts and brief tops, with great reliance on transparent materials, and a strategic sprinkling of sequins and rhinestones to insure a modicum of modesty. The "less is more" trend has been underway for some time. The lack of fabric does not appear to give the dancers a clear competitive edge (in fact, a few years ago, a group of female professionals issued a statement objecting to the trend, but did not seem to have any effect, since it has inexorably continued). Performing in skimpier garments does not seem to significantly increase these dancers' mobility. Nor, to return to the showgirl analogy, does it serve the purpose of expanding the audience for the performances. The audiences do not vote on the winners, and many of the judges are older women. All I can say is that the motivating idea seems to be simply to attract as much attention as possible to the dancer. The costumes do that very nicely. How to Share in the Experience The organizers of these competitions do not seem to be concerned with attracting larger audiences. There is little or no advertising. Rather, their focus appears to be on the limited membership of the "dance community," so outsiders have to remain vigilant in tracking upcoming events. Unfortunately, by the time this article comes out, the other major championship in the area will already have taken place. However, take heart. Those who want to experience the energy, athleticism, precision, artistry, and sheer beauty of ballroom dancing performed at a high level can obtain information on next year's events by going to the "Competitions" section of the website, www.dcdancenet.com. You might also rent some of the movies available on dance. Strictly Ballroom is an Australian comedy/satire on dance contests; the Japanese film, Shall We Dance?, (also a comedy) focuses more on two men's introduction to ballroom dancing. Or, go wild and rent The Tango Lesson. Best of all, mark the dates of the live events on your calendars and go to one. Hill resident Gene Clapp's work appears each month in The Voice of the Hill. Voice Mail, continued from page 3 Planning (OP) proposes to prepare next a Reservation 13 Overlay District and then to use the planned unit development procedures (PUD) of Chapter 24, DCMR 11. Almost all objections to the proposed zoning raised at the June briefing were answered with, "That will be taken care of in the PUD process." Since that is the case, it seems wasteful of public time and money to do anything now but skip the zoning and overlay district stage and go directly to the PUD. 50 feet deep, residential (double-loaded) mid-rise structures about 75 feet deep, and office buildings about 110 feet deep. However, the illustrative master plan indicates relatively narrow structures (that take on the appearance of row houses) in areas where buildings of 7-10 stories are suggested. 6. Mid-block changes. Good urban design suggests that it is better to change uses mid- block rather than across the street. This allows similar 3. Density. However, if OP insists on uses to front one another across proceeding with zoning, the proposed streets. While there is some attempt to zoning is too intense given the possibili-do this in the master plan (some disty of a PUD. OP is recommending six dif-tricts are separated mid-block), it has ferent zones (SP-1, SP-2, C-2-A, R-5-D, been completely abandoned in the pro- CR, and W) that have specific FAR and posed zoning. height limitations. However, a PUD appli-7. Parks. The neighborhood park is cation allows for an increase in FAR from illustrated in the master plan as having a low of .5 to a high of 2.5 in the zones structures that are only 40 - 70 feet and allows up to a 20 foot height high (4-7 stories) on three sides and 90 increase. For example in the CR zone feet (7-10 stories) on one side. However, the FAR is 6.0 limited to 3.0 non-resi-the proposed zoning allows 90-foot tall dential with a height of 90 feet. Under a buildings on three sides and 50 feet tall PUD, the CR zone has a FAR of 8.0 limit-buildings on one side. It also should be ed to 4.0 non-residential with a height of dedicated public space. 110 feet. The chart of the FAR and 8. Existing and planned CSOSA and Heights handed out at the June meeting DC Government uses. The DC doesn't reflect this ability to increase Department of Health wants to consoli- FAR and height using the PUD process, date all of its methadone treatment and is therefore misleading. facilities on Reservation 13, and the DC 4. Design Guidelines.Further, the master plan, in Part VIII, "Implementation and Next Steps," says that design guidelines will be prepared along with the zoning. We believe that the design guidelines should be reviewed at the same time as the zon- ing--not at some future date. Design guidelines can bridge the wide gaps between the master plan and the proposed zoning (noted below). Department of Corrections has previously attempted to locate a 200 bed pretrial halfway house on the Reservation. What are the current government uses on Reservation 13, will they be grandfathered in, what will be the scope of any grandfathered use, and what other gov ernment uses are possible under the proposed zoning? These questions were asked at the briefing, and the OP staff has promised written answers. When will 5. Height of Buildings.The proposed the response be forthcoming? zoning does not match the illustrative In summary, it is our concern that with master plan with respect to the perpen-so few zoning categories, a mismatch dicular layering of districts and between the illustrative master plan and height. The master plan meshes togeth-the proposed zoning, and lack of design er three layers of neighborhood districts guidelines, too much leeway is provided (Independence Ave, C Street, and to a future developer, and too great a Massachusetts Ave.) oriented east / burden is placed on the PUD process. If west and three layers of height oriented a developer and/or the design team that north / south (2-4 stories, 4-7 stories, is selected is not very skilled at the and 7-10 stories). However, the zoning nuances required to make successful blurs together the height differentiation urban places, then the results--while in such that the majority of the structures conformance with the proposed zoning-- are 90 feet tall (9 or 10 stories of resi-could be a setback to the creation of a dential versus 7 or 8 stories of office). new, lively, mixed use, pedestrian-orient- Additional residential zones should be ed neighborhood. included in order to achieve the variation I want to thank you for the chance to in height and scale illustrated in the comment on the proposed zoning and master plan. There is also a major dis-am sure that our comments will be given connect between the illustrative master serious consideration by the OP plan and the proposed building heights staff. Any questions on our recommenregarding the depth of the dations should be addressed to Gary structures. This situation seems to be Peterson, 810 Massachusetts Avenue, further exacerbated in the proposed zon-NE., 202-547-7969. ing. The structures illustrated in the master plan do not represent what will RO BERT L. M. NEVITT be built under the proposed zoning. PRESIDENT Typically, row houses tend to be about Got something to say? We want to hear from you. Email your letter to editor@voiceofthehill.com. www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 Ask Judith How I Spent My Summer, Part 2 BY JUDITH C APEN Editor's Note: This is the second in a special twopart series. Judith will return to answering your questions in our October issue. Last month I began a twoipart rambling reflection about my personal and professional connections to the Chalfonte Hotel in Cape May, NJ, and talked a little about the University of Maryland Program in Historic Preservation, which I co-direct. I asserted the word rickety is actually more often a term of praise for me than not. I also included a sort of academic discussion about the notion of periods of significance in historic preservation along with the confession that my own period of significance is the second half of the 19th century, then a digression about how our family reacted to the idea of a resort timeshare setting the stage for the kind of places our family does like to travel to and our ideas of fun and recreation, into which the Chalfonte Hotel figures. Our Family at the Chalfonte Fast forward from 1981 and recently minted masters degrees and grad school to family life. Who would've thought it? We certainly didn't, but here we were, 12 years later with two children, Kirby, ten, and Owen, four. After we had Owen and got to know his developing MO, we realized that one of the really effective ways to know where he was and to keep him in one place was to put him in a canoe, surrounded by water. Even when we canoed tiny tea-colored streams in the New Jersey Pine Barrens (originally called to our attention by John McPhee's book The Pine Barrens) two year-old Owen didn't know the water was only eight inches deep. We strapped him in a life jacket, firmly explaining its purpose, put him in the middle of a canoe and relaxed as we floated, paddled a little, ate gorp, and ignored his pleas to explore that, or that, or that, beach. We knew he would disappear into the piney brush as soon as the canoe grated on the pebbles because he had every time he persuaded us to beach the canoes. After camping and canoeing we rewarded ourselves with a few days at the beach in Cape May at the Chalfonte. We knew we liked the rambling wooden structure, liked its comfortable, not precious, ambiance but we discovered much more the first time we stayed there with Owen. When I called for reservations for the family, I was told we would be in the Annex, where they put all families with children. Okay, the reservations clerk also explained the system of the Children's Dining Room: no children under six were allowed to eat in the dining room but were provided with their meals in the CDR. Finally, don't forget to bring a jacket. Dining in the evening was somewhat formal. This was a different Chalfonte than we knew from the work weekend, but we understood. We were boomer parents, busy and stressed, who felt like we both didn't spend enough time with our children and also that, as modern parents, we could, nay should take our children everywhere with us. Kirby went to two restaurants in her third week of life as well as a faculty meeting. Owen was a different case. In utero he thrashed. Newborn, he refused to conform to hospital newborn nursery standards and landed himself, at 14 hours, in the high risk nursery for no more reason than that we wasn't hungry and didn't care to eat, yet. At home, he didn't see any reason to waste time with sleep even though his parents were desperate for it. Once mobile, he moved into exploration mode. We suddenly understood why all that infant safety paraphernalia was Above left: This is how we kept Owen in one place: in a canoe, in a life invented. It was for Owen. He ran as jacket, surrounded by water. Above right: Two friends-for-life... or two soon as he could walk. He got an idea days...Met by my children at the Chalfonte, aided by proximity fostered in his head that needed pursuit immeby the children's ghetto and meetings in the Children's Dining Room. diately and bolted. So when we arrived at the Chalfonte, with Owen in tow, we settled into the Annex: the child ghetto, we called it. Then, although wrenched when we checked Owen into the CDR (our child, abandoned just for our dining convenience, left with strangers...) he settled right in after a token squawk and Kirby, Robert, and I headed for the dining room. And the first relaxed meal in two years! What a revelation. Service at the Chalfonte is frequently leisurely but with Owen safely incarcerated with college students who rapidly shifted into the essential-for- quality-of-life category, we all enjoyed two hours of dining, including Owen. Owen put away some kid food (peanut butter and jelly is always available in the CDR as well as kid friendly versions of what's served in the dining room and standbys like mac and cheese, ice cream), was amused with toys in the CDR, made forays with a college student in tow out to the hotel play area. Finally, as the dining room was winding down and we were finishing coffee, one of the college students brought him in to us, saying the CDR was closing. What a resounding success! One meal was all it took to convert us from hovering parents to happily delegating parents. Over the years, Owen met many college students, all of whom he adored. After all, it was their job to feed him what he wanted, play with him, follow him about only intervening to prevent mayhem. And we got lovely, peaceful meals. The children's ghetto proved a success, too. It was created to spare childless guests the racket of little feet pounding up and down the hundred foot long corridors but the real benefit was to the families of children. In the ghetto we spent a lot less time trying to rein in our children's normal behavior. And, best of all, in the hotel of some hundred rooms, weilies were together so our children could find their vacation bosom buddies very efficiently. Undying, for at least as long as we were at the Chalfonte, friendships were born, beach buddies were found and compatible mini-golf partners were acquired. A Little Background for the Chalfonte Culture Trained from age 17 in architecture, and with a concrete cast of mind besides, the notion of the "physical fabric" of the built environment has long resonated in my non-abstract soul. When I was immersed in energy conservation, I even learned the term for the unrestrained cowboys www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 who rampage about buildings opening windows in the winter, cranking up the thermostats, cranking down the thermostats, taping over diffusers, and generally wrecking havoc with carefully designed mechanical systems. We didn't even call them people: it was user factors. However, as both I and the field of historic preservation matured, we accepted that in addition to identifying and documenting moldings, analyzing paint, drawing buildings, it is also important to understand the social forces that shape an environment. The Chalfonte Hotel brought this lesson home. In the first years the University of Maryland went to the Chalfonte, scraping paint was the focus. But as the building got to be in better and better shape, and Mike and I got more involved we branched out from paint stripping. One year we had a doctoral student in American studies who spent some time in the Cape May deeds office and at the office of the local paper, published since the 19th century. We learned that the Civil War hero who built the oldest parts of the hotel actually only owned it for a relatively short time, from 1875 to 1888. Then, after a series of ups and downs the hotel was bought in 1911 by a Richmond family, the Satterfields, who owned the hotel until 1983 when they sold it to its current owners Anne and Judy. Anne herself had a long history with the hotel, her first visit to it being when she was two years old. The Satterfield years of ownership spanned a number of ups and downs, too. Bought by Susie Satterfield in 1911, the Chalfonte property was bought from her and her husband, now apparently of Washington, DC, by their son, Calvin Satterfield, Jr., of Richmond, in 1921. Calvin apparently ran the hotel successfully until 1933 when it was bought at Sheriff's sale by his mother, Susie, for $200. In 1940, Calvin Jr. bought the Chalfonte property from Susie's heirs. Calvin, Jr. died just a couple of years later leaving his wife, Mary Morris Satterfield, known as "Meenie," with three children. She ran the hotel until 1973 when Anne LeDuc and Judy Bartello started managing it, buying it in 1983. In the later years of Satterfield ownership, Cape May and the hotel itself were in decline. "Victorian" anything had taken a beating for 30 years and Cape May had long ceased to be high on the list of "resort" destinations. Had I been paying a little more attention as Thaddeus tried to sell us a resort time-share, I should have asked him if he'd ever been to Cape May... Although I've never met any of the Satterfields, I imagine the condition of our favorite old wooden hotel by the early 1980s was a product of long long years of ownership, 40 of them by a widow with children to raise, gradually overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of old woodwork, at the beach subject to salt, sand, and occasional inundation. While the financial vicissitudes of a beach resort and old wooden hotel are not ones I would wish on anyone, nonetheless, we know that a little poverty, some financial reversals, are among the better tools of the preservationist. More historic structures have been totally screwed up with much too much money than by judicious neglect. It is amazing how many years of little or no maintenance a building can survive. But clad it in vinyl siding, install lots of carpet, and lots of ductwork and it is amazing how quickly an old building loses all of its character. The Chalfonte sat out most of the 20th century in a time warp, in stasis. Now, after two decades of incremental repairs, including replacing most of its roofs, the Chalfonte is now an amazingly intact 19th century hotel with very little peeling paint but a lot of the 19th century. It is actually a pretty economical place to stay, with two very substantial meals factored in, if you just want to go to the beach, go to the arcade, go to the beach, play mini-golf. However, if your party includes little kids, you've got the ghetto (ghetto in a good way) and the CDR (recently rechristened the Children's Activity Room since its use is now optional). If you have someone who is not very interested in courting skin cancer and sweating, you have porches and rockers and all the rest of Cape May. If you really do strive-for-five (fruits and veggies) eleven and a half months a year, you can look forward to an orgy of bacon, cholesterol in the shell and on the hoof and in the casing, spoon bread, biscuits, creamed chipped beef on toast, fried tomatoes, and flounder for breakfast. Dinner features homemade rolls, comfort food like fried chicken, turkey, crab cakes, as well as lots of seafood entrees. And, all the food is from a kitchen with a social history going back to before the purchase of the hotel by the Satterfields in 1911... But, besides the quantitative amenities of meals, CDR/CAR, location and so on, the Chalfonte is part of a way of lodging supplanted by Motel 6 (exactly the same all across the country, check in at 9 p.m., be back on the road by 8 a.m.) and Holiday Inn. I grant you, the idea of walking down the hall to bathe or use the toilet made my in laws shudder, when they were alive. Theirs was the Depression generation and Holiday Inn would do nicely, thank you. But somehow our family is what my University of Maryland co-director calls defective consumers. "We like things that are retrogressive, old, laborious, not perfectly tailored, but authentic in lieu of new, easier, labor saving, and comfortable, taking us out of the mainstream of American consumer society..." To us defective consumers, staying in a rickety old historic hotel is preferable to a resort time-share! I shouldn't be surprised. After all, we have foregone many square feet of vinyl sided suburban splendor with the several SUV's in the drive, adjacent to the incredibly lush, albeit toxic, lawn taken care of by others, usually without ear protection. Of course we like the Chalfonte with its floors that bounce or undulate gently making you wonder if you need to adjust your meds, as you reel the length of the dining room of a morning. The Chalfonte with baths down the hall. And ceiling fans but no air conditioning. (With the open windows, you can listen to the clop-clop of Bob the Horse pulling the carriage while the driver describes the Historic Chalfonte Hotel to her passengers over, and over, and over.) Instead of waking up in the morning to the kids watching cartoons, you can wake up to the sounds of the hotel waking up and the smell of bacon! Finally, between beach, arcade, and bacon, you can wander the site and see if you can find what our University of Maryland students have been up to. Also, while you're at it, look for the three sawn baluster types on Howard and Sewell and for the two types of shutter dogs. I'll give you a prize if you find 'em all. Judith Capen, author of this piece, is forced to admit she does fit the stereotype of Birkenstock wearing, old Volvo driving, urban liberal. STARFISH A CREOLE CARIBBEAN SEAFOOD RNow Open for Sunday Brunch OPEN DLDINNER CPP202-546-5006 just seafood CAFE ESTAURANT AILY FOR UNCH AND ATERING AND RIVATE ARTIES 539 8th Street, SE We're more than Steaks, Pasta, Salads and Great Soups Patio Coming Soon Fulton framing services 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 202.8408 on Stanton Park ffs@pobox.com www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 Designing for Hearth and Home Back to School, Back to Work BY LIND A NORTON T he year 2003 has taken my husband and me to the Caribbean (it rained), to Washington state and California (it rained), to Maine (it rained) and to Montreal (it rained there, too!). You may have had similar experiences with travel or with staying here and going to your favorite swimming pool. It has definitely been a different sort of summer virtually everywhere in the hemisphere. There is, however, always a silver lining, and mine seems to have been twofold this year: no can- cer-causing sunburn (or tan, or anything but damp, shriveled skin) and the fact that although my husband holds his own and I'm no great shakes as a gardener, our yard looks gorgeous! I never realized what a difference 45 feet of rain could make! No doubt the sun will shine again...most likely beginning on the day after Labor Day, when it's back to school and back to work. Creating Liveable Work Space In perusing the back-to-school brochures and catalogs that have flooded in through our mail slot during the month of August, I find it amazing how much better, faster and less expensive computers, printers, copiers and all other office equipment have become. This is great news for the home office. Now even the small spaces of the typical urban home can accommodate not just homework space, but a very sophisticated office space. What kind of work space does your household need? Probably the most common home office space is where the bill paying, filing and other home management responsibilities are centered. This invariably becomes the place where internet surfing and email corresponding take place, and parents increasingly find themselves vying for computer time with game players and children who are researching and typing school assignments. Committee, group, team and charity work have been revolutionized by the computer, but still require our time. Often the time which adults have to spend on these activities conflicts with homework time or computer use by other members of the household. Yes, if you ever doubted it, for busy families the age of a single home computer is long gone. So how can we make our limited space serve all household members well? Figuring out the answer to this question is the key to planning the work space that suits your needs. Do you want a consolidated family area for paying bills and for homework? "Family work spaces" have become very popular with parents who prefer to be near their children while homework is happening without appearing to "hover." Because of the way that technology has grown, developed, and is constantly changing, the relatively unattractive space where the "home office" began is a prime area for an update. Early computer set-ups were cluttered with cables and peripheral machines that were unattractive and unwieldy. Traditional office furniture pieces did not work well with all of the new gadgets, so we added all manner of carts, holders and tables to the space. Remember when the computer was going to eliminate clutter? We didn't realize all of the manuals we would need. We didn't realize how quickly the magical machines would be obsolete and that their carcasses would be un-recyclable. Fortunately it's a new day...a welcome one for owners of homes with limited space. Office equipment and furnishings are smaller and more attractive. Refined to its efficient hilt, the furnishing industry has turned itself inside out designing all manner of products to make your home office a masterpiece of style and efficiency. Full comput- er/printer/fax/copier set-ups now require only three to four feet of desk or counter space. If you use a laptop computer, that figure is significantly less. Wireless technology has opened up a world of locations for computer access. Not everyone has a room to dedicate to a home office. Fortunately, that under-the-stair closet, kitchen counter or the bedroom where you usually pile the laundry may provide the needed space. There are, as with most projects, a few expenditures and upgrades that you'll need to make as you begin setting up a work space. Upgrading Your Space You'll need to arrange for the installation of phone and high speed internet lines that can be accessed by two or more computers. You'll also need electrical capacity, lines and multiple outlets with surge protection. Good "task" lighting is a good idea for each seating position in the room. A lone ceiling light will not be adequate. Multi or dedicated phone lines are a must if there is more than one person living in the home and using the office space. Your life will be simpler if all phone lines can be answered in more than one place in the home. To avoid added cost when school aged children are involved, you may want to have a primary "super" computer which is used for household data, and have others which can be used for email or word processing by students or when the primary unit is occupied (or by you, when your child insists that the big computer is the only one fast enough for games). You'll also want a good color printer, to which all peripherals can be connected, as well as a fax machine and a copier. These are all very inexpensive now and make those late night runs to Kinkos a thing of the past. Because of the growing problem of identity theft, a must have for any household is a paper shredder. Shredding credit card offers and any papers that contain private information goes a long way to guard your vital information. The more expensive models ( 80-100) that will also shred credit cards are worth the expenditure. It's a good idea to create or reserve space on a shelf or in a cabinet for a case of paper, manuals and other supplies. A really great homework center would also include art supplies and school project materials. Considered luxuries by some, you might think about including a wall rack or magazine sorting system for each person's important papers, a work table for collating reports or making that science fair project board, a dictionary, thesaurus, Bartlett's, an almanac and an Atlas (probably all in book form). A Pleasant Working Environment A home office or work space must be, above all, a pleasant and efficient space in which to work. When you have the luxury of selecting a room for the home office, don't automatically assume that it will be located in the least desirable or smallest room of the home. Especially if there are multiple family member users involved you may want to consider a larger, more central room or area. No one wants to do their "home work" in a dank corner of the basement. If there is no window in the space, color and art on the walls combined with the proper lighting can make the space more pleasant. You can create the light reflection effect by using a mirror to reflect light from a window in an adjacent room. It would also be a good idea to use "full spectrum" light bulbs to replicate the quality of outdoor light and reduce eye strain. In any room, the use of a standing screen, freestanding bookcase, Venetian blind, or a curtain mounted on a ceiling track can provide a room divider to dedicate a corner of a dining room, bedroom or TV room to office use. If you have ceiling height, use it. When your work area is in a full height room, you can make great use of floor to ceiling shelves or cabinetry. When you're planning a basement office area, make sure that dampness and mold do not pose a problem (after this rainy year, most people are aware www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 whether or not they have moisture difficulties). Paint your work area with warm, pleasant tones that you find stimulating...but not overly so. The area should be pleasant to work in whether it's day or night, cloudy or sunny. If more than one person will be using the area at any given time, give each worker some private space. To help save confusion and misplace d papers, it's a good idea to consider a separate table, desk, or carrel for each person who uses the works in the space. Making sure that you have added comfortable pieces of furniture, that give good support, will make work time less tiresome. The addition of a radio or tape player can also enhance the atmosphere. The number and diversity of office furniture styles now available is staggering. Not every piece will fit the personal needs of your household, so it's a good idea to establish what your own needs and that of your family before you purchase. Ask yourself these questions: · How many people will be using the space? · How many linear feet of bookshelves do you need? · How much counter or table work space is needed? · How many drawers of file space? · Which pieces of office equipment? · How many desks? · How many chairs? · Number of phone lines? Do you want a space for telecommuting? Here's a checklist that in some cases goes beyond that for a household office: · Check local zoning laws to see what type of office is allowed in your home · High speed internet line · Proper lighting · Ergonomic desk area and seating · Work/conference table-could be a folding table to put away when not in use. · Filing capacity · Multi or dedicated line phones · Computer, printer, fax, copier · Closed storage and shelf space for manuals and supplies · Suitable area for work associates to join you if necessary Linda Norton's columns appear in this newspaper every month. The Home section the exterior of your home "the biggest mistake you could make..." mistake, but a costly one. If you've hit the wall on choosing a paint color for your home's exterior (or interior) Contact Linda Norton Interiors for a color consultation: 202-544- 2924/norton@olg.com Washington Post called choosing the wrong color for Well, it may not be the BIGGEST www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 Armchair Movie Reviews Power to the People: An Homage to the Workers of America BY BETH LAMBDIN H ere are five films to honor Labor Day and America's working stiffs. Whether you're pro-labor, pro-management or somewhere in the middle, you can't go wrong with these films' powerful performances that will have you rooting for the underdog. The Grapes of Wrath (1940, NR) Based on the novel by John Steinbeck, and directed by John Ford, this movie makes me grateful to have a job. Grapes of Wrath inhabits the terrifically harsh world of the "have nots." Henry Fonda is Tom Joad, a recently paroled convict who arrives back home to the Dust Bowl of Oklahoma during the Great Depression just in time to reunite with his family before their farm is bulldozed to oblivion. The Joads, lured by flyers promising jobs and decent wages in California, load up their jalopy and begin a trek across the country. But, life doesn't get better any time soon. In one scene, Ma Joad (the wonderful Jane Darwell) struggles to stretch a meager meal to feed a gang of starving children. The movie captures both the small acts of kindness and tremendous inhumanity we seem capable of. Excellent performances abound but of special note are those by Fonda, Darwell (she won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar) and John Carradine as Casy, a former minister who is still prophetic and has a profound effect on Tom. The characters look like they just stepped out of one of Depression-era photographer Dorothea Lange's pictures. On the Waterfront (1954, NR) A film by controversial director, Elia Kazan, who named names during the "Red Scare" and will forever be a pariah to some. Regardless of how one views Kazan, this is a great movie. Marlon Brando as Terry Malloy is at the top of his game. He once had aspirations of being a "somebody," a prizefighter, but through a variety of circumstances, like many others in his neighborhood, finds himself working the docks in New Jersey under the thumb of Johnny Friendly (Lee J. Cobb). Malloy has the good fortune of developing a relationship with Edie (a radiant Eva Marie Saint in her debut role) who prods him into taking a stance against the corrupt labor bosses. Saying more will ruin the film for those who haven't seen it. There is real heat generated between Evie and Malloy and Rod Steiger is also excellent as his older brother. The film contains the classic line, "I coulda been a contender, I coulda been somebody," and won eight Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Actor for Brando and Best Supporting Actress for Marie Saint. Norma Rae (1979, PG) Sally Field is Norma Rae, textile factory worker, and a composite character based on real-life Crystal Lee Jordan and other female activists in the labor movement. Field had difficulty shaking the image of Gidget and The Flying Nun and was not a top choice for the lead, however, with director Martin Ritt's backing, she got the part and the rest is history. This was an enormously popular movie when it came out and it's still powerful today. The setting is a small, southern town dominated by the O.P. Henley Textile Mill that employs most of the townspeople, including Norma Rae and her parents. Enter Reuben Warshawky (Ron Leibman), a labor organizer from New York City who is an outsider because of what he does, where he's from and who he is (he's Jewish). Warshawky shrewdly identifies the charismatic Norma Rae as key to his union-organizing HUGH KHUGH K202-588-2224 (fplc)w/ lofty ceilings, original moldings and medallions; huge formal dining nets, two superior BRs, two baths, $699,000! Check out on ! 134 Twelfth Street NE opens to a large deck. ½ baths for 2 cars. . SOLD St NE Listed! Capitol for unique ed pool! $1,495,000. ing columned pergola to host any kind of machi- ½ baths (master is $529,000. UNDERCONTRACT UNDERCONTRACT 315 Fifth St SE 1.5 BA. unit! UNDERCONTRACT ELLY ASSOCIA TE BR OKER Winner, 'Platinum Award' Every Year Since Inception in 1998 (Annual DC Home Sales in Excess of $10 Million) ELLY email hugh@hughkelly.com GARY JANKOWSKI, Buyer Specialist, 202-439-6009 gary@hughkelly.com 14 Eighth Street NE Splendid 2-Unit Victorian with Garage! Top Eastern Mkt location features LR room w/ fplce flanked by custom cabi- CAC, absolutely delightful LARGE gar- den, new GARAGE w/ extra storage; exceptional 1-BR apartment (fplce) makes this home a REAL VALUE @ hughkelly.comLive and Entertain with all the Charm of Yesterday and all the Comforts of Today! Imposing porch-front home just 1/2 block to Lincoln Park. Incredibly spacious and light through- out. Graced with lovely oak parquet floors and woodwork in living room and foyer. Large formal dining room and brand sparkling new kitchen/family room which 3 large bedrooms and 3(including steam shower and whirlpool tub) on upper level; master suite opens to a delightful screened porch overlooking rear deck and garden below. Gated parking Plus, a spacious 2 bedroom, 2 bath apartment. $899,000. See on hughkelly.com222 Eleventh Breathtaking Capitol Hill Shangri La --Just Minutes to U.S. walled enclave. Huge LR, DR for 12, media room/den, music room, 4 superb BRs - ALL overlook private side garden with large heat- 4 baths, magnificent kitchen, 2-story carriage house (home office + garage)--total 4 car parking. Highest quality, move-in condition. 520 Sixth St. SE Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil! Deliciously overgrown Savannah garden includ- nations! Charm-filled! Brick-floored DR and Kit, LR w/ fp, den/BR w/ fplce, lge master bedroom, 2 room-sized w/ huge 4-legged soak tub). Lovely original wood floors, 3 fireplaces, incredibly enticing garden (possible park- ing) all in top location a few blocks to E Mkt and Metro! Just Listed! Stunning 2-unit in prime ultra-quiet block a short stroll to Eastern Market and Metro! Huge LR w/ fplce overlook- ing soaring, dramatic 2-story DR and DEEP garden, library w/ fplce, 2 BR, PLUS charming 1BR rental Ready to sell NOW @ $695,000! To see a complete listing of all of our properties, visit hughkelly.com www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hi ll / September 2003 efforts. Norma Rae is a multi-dimensional character; she's lived a lot of life in her 31 years and is light years away from being a nun when it comes to her sexual appetites. Unabashedly pro-labor, this movie is more than just a valentine to hard-work- ing stiffs; it's as much about Norma Rae's growth as a self-assured woman and the awakening of her social conscience. Ironically, she won the Best Actress Oscar by beating out three other actresses (Jane Fonda, Jill Clayburgh, and Marsha Mason) who turned the role down. Silkwood (1983, R) focuses on brave acts by an unlikely whistle blower. The movie, directed by Mike Nichols is based on Karen Silkwood, a factory worker in an Oklahoma plutonium plant who died under mysterious circumstances on November 13, 1974. Meryl Streep is excellent as Silkwood and equally good are Cher and Kurt Russell as her housemates and co-workers who resist her efforts to bring the company's abuses to light. Silkwood slowly awakens to the reality that the plant is committing serious violations after being shooed away from the burial site of a "hot" truck and after a friend is repeatedly "cooked" (contaminated) by the radioactive materials they handle daily. Silkwood's blasé attitude is further jolted when she gets "cooked." It's harrowing to watch the requisite scrubbing-down response. No one knows what really happened to Silkwood, but Nichols sets up some interesting scenarios. Streep gives another amazing performance as the fabulously flawed Silkwood. She is appealing and repellant at the same time. The movie doesn't carry the emotional punch of Norma Rae, but it's a story that needed to be told and serves as a cautionary tale about corporate greed and one company's total disregard for the well-being of its employees. Bread and Roses (2000, R, in Spanish and English with English subtitles) For the non-unionized janitors portrayed in this film, benefits are "roses," a luxury they can only dream about. They are more concerned with "bread," or making ends meet on $5.75/hour. While this film spotlights janitors in Los Angeles in 1999, it's a story that could apply to disenfranchised workers everywhere. Pilar Padilla is Maya, an unlikely heroine who leaves her native Mexico drawn to the promise of a better life in America. She moves in with her sister, Rosa (Elpidia Carrilo) and is grateful to get a job cleaning office buildings at night. However, reality soon rears its ugly head in the form of Perez, an abusive boss (George Lopez in a decidedly non-comedic role) and a job that is exhausting, pays poorly and offers no security. To add insult to injury, a co-worker jokes that their janitor uniforms make them invisible to the affluent tenants in the building. Conditions are ripe for Sam Shapiro (Adrien Brody), a union organizer, who encourages Maya and her co-workers to join the "Justice for Janitors" campaign. The unionized janitors make significantly higher wages and have benefits and job security. Still, the employees are a hard sell and fear (with good reason) joining the campaign. Padilla has been called a Hispanic Norma Rae and the parallels between the two films are striking. However, Padilla while appealing and big-hearted, is not particularly charismatic. She's more of an "everywoman," something that Field could never be, and it's exactly her ordinariness that makes her extraordinary. Beth welcomes your comments about her reviews. Her email address is beth@bethlambdin.com. S E Banana Cafe & Piano Bar IMPL Y XQ UISITE Lunch, Voted one of DC's top Dinner and Sunday ten Latino American restaurants by washingtonpost.com Brunch 7 Days a Week Patio Now Open! Happy Hour 5-7:30 Drink Specials No Cover! with Free Hors d'oeuvres Piano Bar Upstairs Serving the Best Cuban, Every Night! Puerto Rican, & Mexican Food in the City! 202-543-5906 500 8th St, SE www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 Hill Health and Fitness BY DUG HANBICKI A ccording to recent news reports, water is one of the most evil substances out there, perhaps edging out mercury and lead. Colorful news headlines such as "Let Your Cup Runneth Over" and "Water, Water, Everywhere" have been dotting the news landscape for the past year. It all started out innocently enough. In 2002, preliminary research findings stated that the "eight glasses a day" phenomenon was blown out of proportion. In 1945, the National Academy of Sciences Food and Nutrition Board published the original report stating that adults need 2.5 liters of water a day. The report also stated that much of this 8-12 cups could be obtained from food or other drink--a fact that had been unreported until last year. Simple enough. But then, as usual, once a controversial news story comes out, the media have to stick with it for months on end. The basic interpretation was that since Americans are drinking eight cups of water a day PLUS eating, we must be overhydrating and even risking death from hyponatremia. Let's cover the topic of hyponatremia. "Hypo" means "below" and "natremia" is in reference to sodium whose chemical symbol is Na. So, hyponatremia is a state where your body has too little sodium in order to operate correctly. Let's delve just a little bit deeper. One of the most abundant minerals in your body is sodium chloride, or salt. Sodium chloride wears many hats and is responsible for the proper operation of numerous bodily functions--unimportant things like respiration, gastrointestinal and electrical transmission behavior. Death by Drinking...Water? Are Under Contract 50% of Available Townhouses Additionally, sodium acts as a precursor to water. Whenever it enters a cell, vein, organ, etc, water follows. This is one of the main ways that water travels through your body and gets to where it needs to go. If the levels of sodium are too low, it's easy to see that these functions will break down, eventually leading to bodily death. That sounds pretty serious, right? But, for the average person, a state of hyponatremia is very difficult to achieve. For a normally healthy person, only by severely overhydrating and thus diluting the amount of sodium in the body can hyponatremia occur. Most of the cases of death by hyponatremia have involved back-of-the-pack women running a marathon. These women run a marathon in greater than four hours which means that for several hours, they aren't eating anything, are sweating sodium out of their bodies, and are drinking a cup of water every mile (26 to be exact). To top it off, as women, they have smaller bodies, so 26 cups of water takes up a greater proportion of their bodies and dilutes the sodium to a greater extent. This is not the normal drinking pattern for the average person. Therefore, the average person is not in grave danger of death by drinking. On the other hand, without enough water, bodily functions will also start to break down. In the initial stages of dehydration, our blood gets thicker and stickier and as a result the heart has to work even harder in order to keep the blood moving. The first sign of this is fatigue and reduced performance. Capitol Hill is composed of people who are above the nation's average on fitness and activity. We walk, bike and run almost every day in weather that is, recently, hot and humid. So, for the Hiller who does a lot of outdoor activities or works out on a regular basis, here some rules of thumb: 1. Drink two cups of fluid about two hours prior to exercise. 2. Drink six ounces of fluid every 15 minutes. 3. Weigh yourself right before and after exercise. For every pound lost, drink two cups of fluid and adjust rules #1 and #2 during future workouts. 4. Water is a fine fluid for workouts lasting less than one hour in moderate climates. For longer workouts or outdoor summer workouts, incorporate a sports drink that will maintain your sodium levels. 5. If your stomach can handle it, it is better to gulp rather than sip the fluid. If gulped, the fluid will leave your stomach faster and reach themall intestines where it will be absorbed. 6. Outside of the workout, aim for half your body's weight in ounces. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, drink 75 ounces of fluid a day (eight ounces in one glass). Rule #6 applies to everyone. Why am I unrelenting on this point despite the recent reports? First of all, the eight cups a day requirement is for the average sedentary adult in a moderate climate. If you are active or if it is hot or humid outside, your water requirement can easily double. Also, most people don't know the fluid content of the foods they eat, so you shouldn't rely on food for your water requirement. Considering that the majority of Americans don't even fulfill their "Nine-a-day" of fruits and vegetables, some of the most watery foods out there, I would say that it would be difficult to obtain eight cups of water a YOGA on the hill FREE class! Capitol Hill YOGA, 221 5th Street, NE ~ 202.544.0011 www.capitolhillyoga.com Ongoing classes for all levels Joinus fora (with this ad - expires 9/30/03) ltd. www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 day from your food. If you are still concerned about overhydrating, add a bit of fruit juice, vegetable juice, or sports drink to your water to maintain your sodium levels. A Side Note about Bottled Waters In my July column, I asked readers to vote for the best and worst bottled waters. The winner was Poland Springs, and the loser was Dasanti. Who knows what makes one better than the other. Some waters come from better sources, some may absorb the taste of the plastic bottle, some are bottled tap water. Most of the time, it's just a personal thing. Let's do a quick run down of the different types of waters out there: Mineral Water: Mineral water comes from natural sources and has a naturally occurring quantity of minerals in it. The minerals will vary depending on the water source. Our bodies need these minerals, but some question the health-boosting benefits of these waters. Oxygenated Water: Oxygenated water claims to increase your performance by increasing the amount of oxygen that is available to your body. The only problem is that your body is already using the oxygen from the air at an extremely efficient rate of close to 100% and so it is unlikely that it can use any additional oxygen. Purified Water: Purified water has had minerals and contaminants removed. This can be purified tap water. Spring Water: Spring water, well, comes from natural springs. Free of the chlorine and rust of city water, it can taste much cleaner and fresher. Tap Water: According to a preliminary study done by Consumer Reports in fall of 1999, tap water is perfectly fine. The study examined water from seven cities and found that all met EPA standards. Of course, even though it's safe, the taste can be a real turnoff. Also, people tend to like the portability of bottled water. That's it. There's my water article. Next month, hopefully it will be so cold that we won't be thinking about sweating or hyponatremia or mosquitoes or... Dug Hanbicki is a Spinning® instructor and Personal Trainer at Results the Gym on Capitol Hill. She is also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and USA Track and Field Coach. You can send her questions or comments at TrainerDug@earthlink.net. C APITOL H ILL 202-543-3300 FAX 202-543-9038 329 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE Margarita Madness Grande 32 oz. $11 Special welcome to Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, University of Wisconsin Fans Watch all college and pro football on our satellite package PLUS Cable on 14 TVs The Patio Is Open! Opening Soon www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 The View from Barracks Row Hill Residents Are The Best BY BILL MCLEOD L ast week, I was talking to Cissy Webb, the owner of Frame of Mine, who has been a longtime supporter of Barracks Row Main Street and was instrumental in getting the organization off the ground. Construction was right in front of her door, so I stopped by to see how her business was doing despite the veritable barricade outside her shop. But customers were coming in as usual and the place was buzzing with self-framing activity. When I asked her how construction was impacting business on the street, Cissy said,"It is amazing how people will walk through anything to get to these businesses." She was right! On the day that the concrete sidewalk foundation was poured in front of Trattoria Alberto, Fabian told me that his lunch crowd was "the best he had in months!" People were shopping and dining as if no backhoes were digging up the street. Challenges and More Challenges The 8th St., SE, streetscape project has become bigger and more challenging than anyone could have imagined. Although not the largest streetscape project in the city, it still is a $6.8 million project with lots of players. The Georgetown streetscape project is a huge construction job that includes roads and sidewalks, but also utilities, and it is estimated to take three years. But, Barracks Row didn't have flying manhole covers, so replacing utilities was not on DDOT's agenda. There are so many different entities working along Barracks Row right now on separate projects that it almost looks like a war zone. Metro Paving is pouring concrete and laying down new brick sidewalks in a herringbone pattern. Chesapeake Electric is wiring the new Washington Globe streetlights. As construction moved forward and the infrastructure was examined, it became apparent to Washington Gas that their gas mains and customer connections needed to be replaced. So, D.A. Foster is working to complete their gas line upgrades. After several water main breaks, the Water and Sewer Authority is now fully involved in upgrading unreliable service lines, although the large pipes in the middle of the street are not being replaced. Adding to utility problems, Verizon phone lines were cut accidentally when the sidewalks were being torn up in the 500 block. So another utility was on the scene adding to the panoply of workers in the 500 and 400 blocks. Renovations & Repainting Building and business owners have gotten in on the renovation boom too. They are diligently getting ready for Barracks Row Fest on October 4, even though the construction won't be completed until December 10. Popeye's Chicken has repainted its façade and hung a new sign and awning, and had a work permit displayed in its window to replace the upper-story windows. The International Center and the Washington Dental Health Care Center meticulously restored their façades by stripping the blistering paint from the wooden details and repainting. Capitol Hill Tandoor will be opening Labor Day Weekend if all goes well. You should see their new wooden door from India! The hand-carving is amazing. Starbucks is being built out right now and will be opening shortly--adding vitality to the corner of 8th and D. Welcome Fall with Integral Yoga on the Hill WITH CORRIN BENNETT FALL YOGA CLASSES Monday classes begin September 8, 7-8:30 Wednesday classes begin September 3, 7-8:30 To register, call Corrin Bennett at 543-5825 Starfish Cafe and Szechuan House will be spilling out onto the sidewalk with outdoor dining to create more vibrancy on the sidewalk. Marty's will be opening within the next few months in one of the oldest buildings along Barracks Row with outdoor seating as well. Check out their standing seam roof and freshly painted clapboards. Cork Public House has papered its windows so they can finish their interior renovations and hope to open in the near future, too. Spirit House, located at 737 8th St., has a new sign in the window, and Capital City Subs hung two new paintings in its windows to brighten up its historic façade and neon sign. And, Attitude Exact is the first recipient of the Barracks Row Main Street sign/awning grant, so a new awning should be up shortly. Improvements Abound The sidewalks and tree boxes in the 500, 700, 1000, and 1100 blocks have been completed and look otstanding. And the pocket park at 8th and Eye is almost done, except the landscaping, which is scheduled for the autumn. If you have not been to a Friday Night Marine Parade this year or dined late along Barracks Row, you may not have seen the newly electrified Washington Globe streetlights brightening the night sky in the 700 block of 8th St. The street looks so safe and vibrant. At this time, · 96 percent of street light foundations are in place and wired; · 90 percent of traffic signal foundations are in place and wired; · 65 percent of brick sidewalks have been completed; · 60 percent of the underdrain system for the Low Impact Development tree boxes is installed; · 55 percent of the bluestone pavers have been installed; and · 71 percent of time has passed, but only 61% of the money has been spent. For all the latest details about construction, visit the Barracks Row Main Street website at www.bar- racksrow.org. If I didn't know there was a streetscape construction project in full swing, I wouldn't know it from all the pedestrians out on the sidewalk. I've never seen 8th Street so full of shoppers and with such a diverse crowd. It is almost as if residents have gotten used to construction and are just bearing with it to get to their favorite shops and restaurants. Capitol Hill residents really are the best! Bill McLeod is Executive director of Main Street Barracks Row. www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 Hill Treasures Oh, What You'll Find at Frager's From Knobs to Nails, Dog Collars to Mothballs, Frager's Seems to Have it All BY NICOLE SPIRID AKIS A n American flag hangs outside this hardware store, where hammer and screwdrivers coexist peacefully with candles and picture frames. The whine of the key machine cuts through the daily hubbub, and if you smile winningly, a friendly employee will offer you a Tootsie pop from a shoebox hidden under the counter. Squint hard enough, and you can almost see the 1920's-era wooden cabinets--long since replaced -gleaming in the bright lights that currently illuminate modern shelves of appliances, lighting gear and goods, thermometers, and nails. An eclectic marriage of tools and kitchen equipment, Frager's Hardware, located on Pennsylvania Avenue, is a bustling place, full of locals and the occasional government employee looking to buy supplies for repairs on Hill buildings. It's a place for "one-stop shopping"-- where shower curtains are placed next to the odd carton of mothballs, hidden among narrow aisles holding an abundance of hardware, tools and supplies. Due to a Thursday delivery, the store was especially crowded and busy the day I stopped by--I was not looking for pet supplies, although there was a nice variety of dog collars from which to choose if I had been so inclined. Co-owner Ed Copenhaver, a cheerful man with glasses who runs the store with John Weintraub, took a few minutes out of the hectic morning hours to chat a bit about Frager's' history, equally as colorful as the aforementioned dog collars. Copenhaver and Weintraub took over the already established hardware store, reopening it on August 5, 1975. Copenhaver, who lives on 14th Street, said with a laugh that his partner is the "brains" behind the whole operation. The pair had met in college as fraternity brothers; later they entered the Navy and Coast Guard, respectively. After leaving the service, Copenhaver says he was "rattling around" for a while, working at a construction company in Washington, and taking courses at the George Washington University in engineering administration. After the market bottomed out in the construction industry, the two decided to pool their resources and look for a business to buy. What they discovered was Frager's Hardware, founded in 1920 by the Frager family, and run in www.voiceofthehill.com the 1970s by two brothers who, Copenhaver says, had "had enough" of the business. The Fragers had been trying to sell the store for five years when Copenhaver and Weintraub came along, and, since they hadn't raised the price since 1969 when it had first gone on the market, the asking price looked good. "They didn't understand inflation," Copenhaver says, and this proved finally to be the key selling point. After thinking it over and looking around for about a year, the budding entrepreneurs returned to Frager's (where their contact information, taken down a year earlier, was still in evidence on a piece of paper stuck on a nail in the wall) to tell George Frager they would take over the business. In the buying agreement, it was written in that Frager would stay on for 30 days to oversee the transfer. But after a year went by and Frager was still there, Copenhaver said they finally asked him to stay on. "He was a real character," Copenhaver says, reenacting the then-70-yearold's unique walk. "The store was his life, and he was happy to teach us." Frager, who had started working in the store when he was 16 years old (in 1920) worked with the new owners for another 10 or 15 more years, until the onset of Alzheimer's Disease forced him into retirement. When Copenhaver and Weintraub took over Frager's, the beautiful old cabinets made by George Frager's father, a cabinetmaker, were still in use. They were eventually taken out to modernize the store, although Copenhaver says he kept a few pieces for their sentimental value. Now, hundreds of drill bits in all shapes and sizes reside in new glass cases with sliding doors, affording a quick and easy view of all the varieties of tools and parts Frager's has to offer. Still, one can't help but imagine the old wooden cabinets lined with green felt that displayed tools and equipment so many decades ago. The cabinets are impractical now, as there is much more merchandise to show in the modern hardware store. "There was not so much variety in the old days," Copenhaver says. In the years since the 1975 takeover by Copenhaver and Weintraub, Frager's has purchased and expanded into the store next door, where its paint operation is now based. The original five or six employees have grown to a staff of about 40-45 employees, many of who work part-time or are students on summer break needing a job. "We work ourselves to death here, especially when on a project," Copenhaver says amiably. There are some long-time employees (Copenhaver believes the current record is 11 years of service) and a recent 80-year old retiree clocked in at 12 years. All are friendly and eager to assist, even on a busy day. A majority of customers come in for small repairs and gardening supplies--I heard at least one request for an air conditioning knob while I was in the store--and Frager's does a brisk business in drywall and 2x4s. After a local Hechinger's store went out of business, Copenhaver says business at Frager's doubled. Frager's will deliver, but it is more of a convenience service than a profitable one. A unique feature is the credit account system: you will save 10 percent per month if you pay your bill on time (by the 10th of the month). For example: you'd only have to pay $90 of a $100 bill if your payment is received on schedule. Copenhaver says Frager's isn't the place to go for a large-scale building or remodeling project; that's best left to the major hardware chains. But for tools, parts, hardware, gardening supplies, a candle or three, or something to spruce up the dog or cat in these hot days of summer, Frager's is a good place to while away a few hours. And if you're very lucky (and polite), you might receive a lollipop. Nicole Spiridakis is one of the Voice's newest contributors. VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 Ask the Vet The Bunny Imbroglio BY DR. JOANNE C AREY Dear Dr. Carey: A friend of mine is giving up her young lop ear rabbit whom she received as an Easter present. She can no longer keep Bunny and has asked me to adopt her. I'm really attached to this rabbit, but I live in an apartment, and Bunny's cage is small. What am I getting into I take this Bunny? PROSPECTIVE PARENT Dear Prospective: Thank you for rescuing Bunny from the unfortunate fate of many rabbits given as Easter presents. Rabbits do make great pets, and when let out of the cage will roam the area staying pretty close to the walls. They will, however, chew and gnaw at baseboards and wires if left unattended. Rabbits can be trained to use a litter pan. Care must be taken when picking up rabbits because they can buck and struggle and dislocate their backs, causing paralysis. Do not allow small children to pick up Bunny. Have them sit on the floor and hold her in their laps. You can celebrate Bunny's arrival on Sept. 27, which is International Rabbit Day! To further address your concerns, I consulted Friends of Rabbits (FOR) who say: "Rabbits adapt well to apartment living. Contrary to popular myth, rabbits are not low maintenance companions. They have peculiar digestive systems and are healthiest on a high fiber diet consisting of timothy hay, vegetables, and good quality rabbit pellets. They do require exercise so it is imperative they be allowed out of the cage at least four hours a day. You must 'bunny-proof' your home, because rabbits must constantly gnaw to wear their teeth down. Cover exposed electric cords in plastic plumbing tubing or wire management systems. Provide your rabbit with hay, chew toys, and untreated cardboard - an alternative to electric cords. "Rabbits should not be caged without adequate bedding, especially on bare grates because it can cause severe injury and disease to their hocks. Rabbits are social creatures and thrive on daily interaction with their owners and other rabbits. Be sure to include regular veterinary care and medical maintenance. They should be spayed or neutered just like cats and dogs." To arrange for a two-hour Bunny 101 (Basic Bunny Care) class offered in the DC area, contact Friends of Rabbits (FOR) at (703) 548-6793 or visit information@friendsofrabbits.org. An excellent rabbit care veterinarian (exotic animal veterinarian) is Dr. Lynne Cabaniss of Collins Animal Hospital in Georgetown. Skin Allergy Questions Dear Dr. Carey: My veterinarian prescribed Prednisone for Marcy, my dog with skin allergies, because nothing else seems to work well. I am scared to give her this drug because I had another pet that developed cancer on it. Can Prednisone cause cancer? What else can I do? FEARFUL Dear Fearful: No. In a nutshell, prednisone does not cause cancer. Prednisone is commonly used as part of a chemotherapeutic regime to treat cancer. It is in a class of drugs called corticosteroids which are widely used in veterinary medicine to treat a variety of conditions ranging from allergies and shock to spinal injury and cancer. Cortisone is considered a "silver bullet" in veterinary medicine that has to be used cautiously. Side affects can be encountered when the cortisone is used for prolonged periods of time. The Catch 22 is that many times the disease dictates that the drug needs to be used for a long period of time. Consult with your veterinarian about the dosage, duration, and alternative drugs that can alleviate the symptoms your dog has. Many veterinarians are pulling away from heavy steroid use for skin allergies and using combinations of antihistamines, topical preparations (shampoos and sprays), diet modification, and nutraceuticals (vitamins, enzymes and fatty acids) to offset allergy symptoms. We also use skin testing or blood testing to determine more precisely the cause of the allergies and then produce allergy serum that can be injected on a specific schedule. Lymph Node or Cyst? Dear Dr. Carey: I was petting my cat and found a small lump on the right side of his neck. He's only three years old. Is this a lymph node? ED Dear Ed: What you found may be just a fatty cyst, but your veterinarian needs to do a needle aspirate of the lump to determine its composition. It won't hurt a bit. It's good practice to incorporate full body checks on one's pets to feel for lumps, skin lesions, patches of missing fur, or anything else out of the ordinary. You shouldn't be overly alarmed upon finding this lump, neither should you wait too long before getting it checked out, especially since it is a new finding. One Sick Kitty Dear Dr. Carey: I have a 13-year old, overweight cocker spaniel named Dudley. Lately he has been panting heavily and has this awful cough. He seems tired a lot and refuses to go for long walks. My vet found a heart murmur and started him on medication for blood pressure, fluid retention, and lung congestion. How concerned should I be about Dudley's health? DENISE C. Dear Denise: It sounds as though Dudley has a condition called congestive heart failure (CHF), wherein the heart fails to pump blood efficiently through the system. Symptoms are a harsh, moist cough, exercise intolerance, and heart murmur. Sometimes the tongue will appear bluish because of a lack of oxygen. Pulmonary edema (fluid in the lungs), hypertension, and kidney damage can occur with CHF. It is a heart condition that affects the entire body. www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 Common in older dogs (and, unfortunately, cockers), CHF starts in older age and can be a real problem. Evaluation by a veterinary cardiologist is a MUST. Special tests can be run to determine the extent of the disease and the heart's ability to pump blood. After a cardiologist evaluation, very specific and directed medications are prescribed to cause the heart to beat and function in the most efficient way. Dudley may require blood pressure medicines, heart muscle medicine, and diuretics (which help quell fluid retention in the chest). He should be on a low sodium dog food diet and will need frequent monitoring until he is stabilized. Please take this condition seriously. It is nothing to play with. In other words, don't delay in getting Dudley the help he needs right away. As with any chronic disorder, be observant as to the quality of his life, and his Molly, the friendly and gentle dog who was popular response to treatment and comfort level. with and loved by customers of Clothes Encounters, located at Eastern Market, passed away The Return of Thomas C.Feral peacefully at home on Aug. 19. Molly was a special Last September I wrote about Thomas C. Feral, the gift to Linda McMullen, who rescued and accepted homeless cat who "burped at the vet." He was barely her from a friend, sight unseen. She was flown to eight pounds when he was brought into the clinic. Reagan National Airport, and after their introduc- His owner later relayed to me stories of his des-tion, Linda and Molly became inseparable. Molly perate attempts to escape through closed windows regularly accompanied Linda to work in the store, Thomas the feral cat made a successful transition from the alleys of Capitol Hill to a loving home. and mirrors. Within a few days, however, he claimed a cushion and took to napping and grooming himself. Thomas has lived in a multi-cat household for over a year now, learning the ways of an indoor cat from his siblings. Other than weighing over 14 pounds, Thomas is happy, healthy, and sociable, and has no desire to return to the streets. If one didn't know his past, one would never suspect he had ever lived anywhere but inside. He loves his housemates and his doting caregiver. Thomas is a prime example of what can happen when loving people take in adoptable ferals. Mark this one up as a successful transfer from the alley to a good home! In Memoriam but when her illness became too burdensome, she could no longer make the walk. My condolences go out to Linda, and all those whose hearts Molly touched. She will be missed. On the Air Listen to Dr. JoAnne Carey raise issues and address concerns about your pet's health and environment on the Healthline/Petline segment, each first Saturday of the month on "Vital Signs," hosted by ZSun-nee Matema. "Vital Signs" investigates health, science, and spirituality and airs on XM Satellite Radio, Channel 169, from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. EST. Dr. Joanne Carey answers questions each month in this newspaper. Questions for the column may be emailed to votheditor@hotmail.com. Serving Capitol Hill since 1984 High quality design & preservation framing Rotating Exhibits of Local and International Artists Capitol Hill 202-544-7577 We have been located on Capitol Hill for more than 20 years serving the District of Columbia and Maryland Call us 202-544-0800 Suite 170 is our top priority. 513 11th St, SE www.gallerynewman.com Let us make your refinance, purchase or sale hassle free with no stress 650 Pennsylvania Ave., SE Washington, DC 20003 HOURS OF OPERATION Monday-Friday 7:30 AM to 7:30 PM, Saturday 8:00 AM to 1 PM Doctor's Hours by appointment, Early Drop Off Service Available, Preventive and Geriatric Health Care, Medical, Surgical, Dental Care Facilities, in House Laboratory and Radiology, Emergencies/Walk-Ins, Hill's Prescription Diets, Bathing 520 8th Street, SE · 202-546-1972 · Fax 202-546-8930 www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 Kids' Sports BY LARR Y KAUFER The Senators Now Have Solid National Respect Softball Team has Very Strong Senators Coach Stan Kolbe reflected that it was young team also moved from the last seed in the Showing at Orlando World Series an amazing experience for the team and their fam-series to first seed after the opening days of play. Tournament ilies. Not only were the Senators playing in the Kolbe stated, "It made us very aware of what it World Series (on Disney's perfect fields), but DC's takes to win a national title and the work needed to As last reported, the Capitol Hill-based 13U girls' softball team the Senators was closing in on the top 10 national ranking for its age group. The team entered the USSSA (United States Specialty Sports Association) 14U World Series tournament in late July and early August at the World of Sports Complex at Orlando, Florida. This was an "uphill" decision, as the Senators would be playing in the next age bracket, 14U, with a team of 12- and 13-year old girls. Reflecting this, Senators were seeded last in the tournament. The Senators responded by beating teams from New York, Louisiana, Texas, Maryland, and Virginia, plus the top seed and tournament favorite Middle Tennessee 3-2, to make it to the final round of play. Just two more wins away from the title game, they lost to Florida (5-2), who continued on to take first place. The Senators had an amazing run in the series, ending up tied for seventh place by points. There were many "highs" in the tournament, but the consensus highlight of the streak was the come- from-behind victory in a nine-inning contest against Texas. The Senators were behind in their last regulation at bat with two outs, when a Jessica Dembinski triple brought in the tying run to force the game into extra innings at 3-3. Keeping the pressure up, A happy team after its 9-inning win over Texas: they broke through with four runs in the ninth to Front row, from left: Meg Krasne, Carly Martin, Kelly Costello, Brittany Polan, Amanda Johnson, Casey Rolla, Alie win 7-3. Alie Kolbe pitched the full game, even after Kolbe; Second row, from left: Alex Spencer, Sonya Soloway, Vicki Webb, Michelle Linford, Jessica Dembinski, taking a line drive on her pitching hand in the third Sylvie Stein, Olivia Sealander, Kate Brown; Back row, coaches (from left): Stan Kolbe, Jay Johnson, Rick Polan, inning. Dave Martin. (Not pictured: Jennifer Leight) Team and individual pictures are available for pick up at Coldwell Banker Pardoe 202-546-7000 ext 251 Baseball on the Hill... Catch I t ! www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 prepare for the 2004 World Series. We have a wonderful group of fine players, the desire, and the coaching staff to get us back into the final games if we continue the level, and intensity of effort invested so far." The team has strong pitchers, outstanding hitters and defensive standouts that add up to a formidable team. Head Coach Kolbe and assistant coaches Dave Martin, Rick Polan and Jay Johnson have shaped the team into an impressive group of fast pitch softball players who have demonstrated they can compete with any team in the country. The spring/summer season ended with 30 wins and a fourth straight winning record as the team played its best softball to date. With most players returning for next year's team, the coaching staff has very high hopes for the future. The major loss will be Kelly Costello, daughter of Pete and Ellen Costello. After the series, the Costello family moved to Orlando due to a job transfer. "It will be difficult to replace Kelly, the Senators' captain for many years, and the Costello family, as they have contributed much to the team and the Hill," Kolbe stated. All members of the team and staff hope that the team's success representing the nation's capital will generate more enthusiasm and support from the city--and not just for the Senators. Many more girls in the city and area would love the opportunity to play fast pitch, but few programs exist. "Hopefully our success can change that," Kolbe continued. The Senators will have an active fall season of tournaments against nearby teams. Many of these tournaments will be 2004 World Series qualifying events. The team has also been invited to tournaments outside the region, where the season goes until the end of November. With fall national rankings and berths to next year's World Series already up for grabs, the Senators must continue to work and win to stay on track for the race to represent DC at the 2004 World Series Championship. The players, parents, and coaches want to express their gratitude to all who provided support for the season and series trip. While many teams have government and large financial backers, the Senators have a mix of area small business contributors, trade associations, and individuals. These include: John C. Formant Real Estate, Von Schlegel Realty Team, Re/Max Capital Realtors, Kathy Davison - Realtor, Results: The Gym, Phyllis Jane Young - Realtor, Long Island (NY) Sheet Metal/Air Conditioning Contractors Assn., Capitol Title Insurance Agency, Inc., Sheet Metal Workers International Assn., Larry Chartienitz - Realtor, Amato Industries, Inc., Danner Development Corp., The Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning Contractors National Assn., and Sealander Brokerage, Ltd. Those interested in contributing to the Senators' program may send their contributions to: Senators Softball, 155 E St., SE, Washington, DC 20003. Emails can be sent to SenatorsSoftball@aol.com. The Senators are a division of the Capitol Hill Baseball and Softball League(CHBSL) and are based at Tyler Field, 10th and I Streets, SE. The CHBSL is a 501c3 organization, so donations are tax deductible. John Parker is the Commissioner of CHBSL and can be contacted at 202-546-7000, Ext. 251. Larry Kaufer writes about sports opportunities for young people on the Hill every month in this newspaper. Capital Kids Spotlight Emily Siegel, Age 20 Wilson High School/University of Delaware BY COLIN GUSTAFSON For Emily Siegel, getting approval to study abroad in Israel was no walk in the park. While other rising juniors at the University of Delaware received the easy "thumbs up" to study in places like London, Sydney, or Seville, Emily was hard pressed to gain faculty support. Some professors approved only reluctantly. Others were outright discouraging. Emily recalls one history professor who seemed intent on dampening her enthusiasm with a horrific anecdote about an American student who lost her legs in a bus attack in Israel. But Emily says she would- n't be deterred, even when her parents initially urged her to choose another, safer country. On August 7th, Emily embarked on the 14-hour flight to Israel, where she will spend the next six months studying diplomacy, volunteering for humanitarian organizations, and immersing herself in Hebrew culture. For years, Emily has wanted to live in Israel. She firs visited the country on a class trip, as an eleventh grader at Wilson high school, and says she quickly fell in love with it. "I just remember it being so beautiful," she says. Around the same time, Emily also became involved in the peace movement. As a high school senior, she wrote her college admissions essay on a peace rally that she says had a profound emotional impact on her. And at college, she promptly signed up for courses on international diplomacy and conflict resolution. Right off the bat, "Emily wanted to be in something that taught her to read through to the heart of the problem and discuss it without having everyone going crazy," says her mother, Laurie. Now in Israel, Emily hopes to apply these skills as she learns more about the region at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, an area she says is largely removed from the violence. In her down time, she will volunteer for Seeds of Peace, a non-profit, peace-promoting organization that attempts to quell ethnic rivalries by teaching tolerance to young Israelis. The university's safer location has eased many a concern for her mom, who initially insisted that Emily take numerous extra precautions, like staying on campus in the evening and avoiding public transportation whenever possible. However, for Emily, these concerns must take a backseat to getting on with her daily life. "It's been violent over there for so long that you never know when it's going to get better," she says. "So I see it as something you can't sit around and wait for, even if there is that constant threat. You just have to get out there and do it." It was this strong attitude that ultimately persuaded Laurie. "Oh, I was very concerned, at first," Laurie says. "I still am...but I think Emily really feels that, somewhere along the line, somebody's going to do something to end these problems and she really wants to be part of that when it happens." In February, Emily will return to the University of Delaware to resume her old life--meeting new people through her sorority, continuing her job as a campus tour guide, and studying for her degree in international relations. After college, she says she might take up work with a non-profit working for peace. Colin Gustafson, Hill native, is the Voice's summer intern. 9/30/03 Eastern Market 327 7th St., SE · (202) 546-CAKE www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 Kids' Calendar COMPILED BY C ALEND AR FELLA Tuesday, September 2 · Hoven Droven -- Hoven Droven present an evening of violin and electric guitar fueled Swedish song and dance. Dance lessons at 5:30 p.m., musical performance at 6 p.m. All ages. John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F Street, NW, (202)-467-4600. Wednesday, September 3 · Brave Combo -- Grammy Award-winning Texas-based ensemble Brave Combo plays an intoxicating mix of domestic roots music and international polkas. Dance lessons at 5:30 p.m., musical performance at 6 p.m. All ages. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Saturday, September 6 · Bridging the Gap -- Learn about the five standard bridge designs, then help a community choose which bridge will best solve its transportation woes. 2:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.,National Building Museum, 401 F Street, NW, 202-272-2448 (program repeats every Saturday). Sunday, September 7 · Scienterrific Sunday: Chemical Changes -- Create a chemical-visual collage by using vinegar to transfer a color picture from newspaper onto white paper. 12 noon - 3 p.m. Ages 3 and up. Capital Children's Museum, 800 3rd Street, NE, (202)-675-4120. Monday, September 8 · Forro in the Dark--Northern Brazilian dance band Forro in the Dark combines hard-driving forro rhythms with ancient figure and ballroom dance music. Dance lessons at 5:30 p.m., musical performances at 6 p.m. All ages. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Tuesday, September 9 · Festival of the Building Arts -- Celebrate the many skills and crafts that make up the building arts. Try your hand at bricklaying, stone carving, plastering, blacksmithing, gilding, thatching, and more, and chat with roofers, paperhangers, painters, plumbers, woodworkers, welders, designers, and contractors about their trades. 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., National Building Museum, 401 F Street, NW, (202)-272-2448. · Wee Wonders: Hard as Rocks -- Discover the mystery of rocks and minerals in a hands-on learning session. 10:30 a.m. - 12 noon. Ages 2 - 3. $11 materials fee, with advance registration required. Capital Children's Museum (program repeats on September 16). · Gafieira Dance Club -- Cliff Korman's Gafieira Dance Club offers up the varied and exotic sounds heard in the working class dance clubs of Rio de Janeiro. Dance lessons at 5:30 p.m., musical performance at 6 p.m. All ages. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. · Wizard of Oz Sing Along -- Dress up like your favorite character (be it Dorothy, the Wicked Witch of the West, or even a Munchkin) and participate in this joyous and entertaining sing-along. A new, digitallyenhanced print of this classic musical is appropriately subtitled, so the lyrics to your favorite songs appear right there on the big screen. Make sure to arrive early for the pre-show, onstage costume parade! 8 p.m. All ages, with tickets, $27.50. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (program repeats on September 10 at 8 p.m., September 11 at 8 p.m., September 12 at 8 p.m., September 13 at 2:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., and September 14 at 2:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.). Thursday, September 11 · Earth Today -- This amazing exhibit examines the earth from space in order to study its rich and dynamic atmosphere, oceans, landmasses, and life forms. 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Exhibition Gallery 113, National Air and Space Museum, 7th and Independence Avenues, SW, 202-357-2700. (Program repeats daily). Saturday, September 13 · Digital Painting -- 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. · Mexican Flags -- Celebrate Mexico's Independence Day, learn about the colors and symbols which make up the flag, and decorate one of your very own to take home. 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Capital Children's Museum (program repeats on September 14, September 20, and September 21). Sunday, September 14 · Arches and Trusses: Tension Builds - Learn about basic building materials, then help construct an arch and truss. 2:30 p.m. - 3 p.m., National Building Museum (program repeats every Sunday). Tuesday, September 16 · Old Blind Dogs -- Old Blind Dogs enhance traditional Scottish ceilidh tunes with the rhythmic percussion and harmonica sounds borrowed from American blues. Dance lessons at 5:30 p.m., musical performance at 6 p.m. All ages. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Thursday, September 18 · At the Controls: Flight Simulator -- Sit at the controls of the museum's stunning flight simulator for an adventure-packed, adrenalin-drenched, five-minute ride. The system allows visitors to fly an array of aircraft, from the pioneering Spirit of St. Louis, to today's Top Gun-era fighter planes. 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., Exhibition Gallery 103, National Air and Space Museum (program repeats daily). Saturday, September 20 · Polaroid Collage Animation -- Create a collage by mixing photography and animation. 11 a.m. - 11:45, 1 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.,and 2 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. Ages 5 - 15. Capital Children's Museum (program repeats on September 27). · Daruma Dolls -- Make an Indian daruma doll of your very own to bring good luck and special wishes in the coming school year. 12 noon - 3 p.m., Capital Children's Museum (program repeats on September 21). · NSO Kinderkonzerts: Fiddling Around -- National Symphony Orchestra violinist Glenn Donnellan and bassist Rick Barber join forces in a lively, kid friendly program that runs the musical gamut, from clearly classical to blues. 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Tickets $14. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Sunday, September 21 · Scienterrific Sunday: Egg Paints -- Make paints out of ordinary items from the kitchen, theneggs-ellent artistic creations. 12 noon - 3 p.m., ages 3 and up. Capital Children's Museum. · A Place for a President: Mount Vernon -- Study the construction, layout, and history of George Washington's Mount Vernon, then design your own contemporary version using cardboard and craft materials. 12 noon - 4 p.m. All ages,$3 materials fee per model house. National Building Museum. Tuesday, September 23 · 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 islimited, so sign up at the front desk on the day of the activity. Capital Children's Museum. Thursday, September 25 · 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. Saturday, September 27 · Peace Ornaments -- Help create the festive ornaments that will ultimately adorn this year's Washington, DC,. tree (it will join trees from all 50 states and each US territory) in the annual holiday pageant on the Ellipse. 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Capital Children's Museum (program repeats on September 28). · Saturday Science: The Secrets Behind Color Changing Markers--Discover the phenomena of color changing markers, then use them to decode hidden messages and create invisible pictures. 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Ages 3 and up. Capital Children's Museum. · Japanese Bookmarks -- Make your own bookmark, or shiori, using Japanese washi paper. 12 noon - 3 p.m., Capital Children's Museum (program repeats on September 28). Does your organization sponsor an activity that kids would love? Share it with our readers by emailing the details of your event, no later than the 15th of the previous month, to editor@voiceofthehill.com. www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 September 2 OPEN HOUSE: The Lesbian & Gay Chorus of Washington, DC (LGCW) will hold an Open House for prospective members. Highlights of the upcoming LGCW season are the world premiere of Quilt Panels, a 45-minute work for symphonic band and chorus that the LGCW commissioned with DC's Different Drummers (DCDD). The world premiere of this new work by composer Robert Maggio is December 1st at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at Maryland. The season will also include a full-length concert and a celebration of its 20 years. All are welcome. The event is from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at St. James' EpiscopalChurch, 222 8th Street, NE. For directions, and more information, call (202)546-1549, or log on to www.lgcw.org. September 3 DISCUSSION: The National Building Museum presents "Light Benches: The Pentagon Memorial." Chosen from among more than 1,100 entries, the winning design in the Pentagon Memorial competition is a memorial park comprising 184 individual memorial units. Each unit is an elegant, self-supporting form that is at once a glowing light pool, a cantilevered bench, and a place for the permanent inscription of each victim's name. Competition winners Keith Kaseman and Julie Beckman will discuss their project. Admission is $12 for museum members; $17 for nonmembers; $5 students. Registration is required. This discussion is from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the National Building Museum, 401 F Street, NW. For more information, call (202)272- 2448, or log on to www.nbm.org. September 4 THEATER: Theater Alliance presents Painted Alice at 8p.m. Painted Alice follows a painter struggling to complete a commissioned work. Her lack of inspiration begins to beg the question of what it means to be an artist: to create or to be paid to create? In an attempt to answer that question, the story takes a surprising turn landing Alice in a dark wonderland where life, art and a great many other curious things collide. Employing Lewis Carroll's Alice In Wonderland as a springboard, William Donnelly explores the creative process and the effect it can have on the dueling passions of love and work. The performance is at the H Street Playhouse, 1365 H Street, NE. Admission is $20, and tickets are available by calling (800) 494-TIXS or online at www.boxofficetickets.com. For venue information, call (202) 396-2125 or log on to www.theateralliance.com. September 5 THEATER: Theater Alliance presents Painted Alice at 8 p.m. Please refer toSeptember 4 entry for produc- www.voiceofthehill.com Community calendar tion details. The performance Additional auditions for chil-entry for meeting details and its annual Faculty and Staff is at the H Street Playhouse, dren will be held on agenda. This meeting will be Art Show and Sale. The open1365 H Street, NE. September 7, from 1 to 3 held at the Capitol Children's ing reception is from 5 to 7 Admission is $20, and tickets p.m. All auditions will be Museum Auditorium, 3rd and p.m. in the gallery at the are available by calling (800) held at Good Shepherd H Streets, NE, from 2 to 8 Arts Workshop, 545 7th 494-TIXS or online at Lutheran Church, 100 W. p.m. For more information, Street, SE. This exhibit will be www.boxofficetickets.com. For Luray Avenue, Alexandria. interested persons may con-on display through venue information, call (202) Call (703) 548-4734 for an tact Rachel MacCleery, Ward September 30. For more infor- 396-2125 or log on to appointment. More informa-6 transportation planner, at mation, call 202-547-6839 or www.theateralliance.com. tion on the 2003-2004 sea-(202) 671-2555 or email her log on to www.chaw.org. son is available online at at rachel.maccleery@dc.gov. September 6 www.alexchoralsociety.org. THEATER: Catalyst Theater OPEN HOUSE: Ever wanted to DISCUSSION: The Washington presents Alain-Rene Lesage's take a pottery class? How September 7 DC Jewish Community Center Turcaret directed by Jesse about Ballroom Dance? THEATER CLOSING: Theater presents "My Terrorist: Terrill. Refer to the September Indulge your creative impuls-Alliance presents Painted Israeli Film & Discussion." A 6 entry for production infores at the Capitol Hill Arts Alice at 2 and 8 p.m. Please former El Al stewardess must mation. Tickets are $20 and Workshop. Stop by between refer to September 4 entry for make the hardest decision of are available through 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. to meet production details. The clos-her life--whether or not to www.boxofficetickets.com or the staff, take a tour, and reg-ing performances of this write a letter of parole for by calling 1-800-494-TIXS. ister for classes. The Arts show are at the H Street the terrorist who held her at There are two shows: a mati- Workshop is located at 545 Playhouse, 1365 H Street, gunpoint 23 years earlier. The nee at 2 p.m. and an 7th Street, SE (corner of 7th NE. Admission is $20, and Jewish Study Center and the evening performance at 7:30 and G Streets). For more tickets are available by calling Washington, DC, Jewish p.m., at the Capitol Hill Arts information, call (202)547-(800) 494-TIXS or online at Community Center offer a Workshop, 545 7th Street, 6839 or log on to www.boxofficetickets.com. For screening of the stewardess's SE (corner of 7th and G www.chaw.org. venue information, call (202) story My Terrorist, the award-Streets). 396-2125 or log on to winning 2002 Israeli docu- THEATER OPENING: Catalyst www.theateralliance.com. mentary. Discuss differing FAMILY FESTIVAL: The Theater presents Alain-Rene points of view at the post-film National Building Museum Lesage's Turcaret, directed by September 8 discussion with Laura presents "Festival of the Jesse Terrill. Sex, silliness, COMMUNITY MEETING: Take Blumenfeld, author of Building Arts," from 10 a.m. and high stakes mark this part in a series of community Revenge: A Story of Hope, and to 4:30 p.m. This fun-filled 18th century farce about a meetings related to the H her father, Rabbi David event welcomes visitors of shady tycoon and a glam-Street, NE, Corridor Transpor-Blumenfeld, victim of a terror-ages to discover the skills orous gold-digger. Company tation Study. Meeting atten-ist shooting in Jerusalem. and secrets employed in the member Jesse Terrill trans-dees will be asked to com-The event is from 7 to 9 p.m. building arts. Visitors can parports the action to the swank, ment on proposals currently at the DC Jewish Community ticipate in many hands-on smoke-filled halls of 1920s under consideration, including Center, 1529 16th Street, activities and explore a con- Paris. Tickets are $20 and new crosswalks, lighting and NW (16th & Q). Pre-registra-struction equipment "petting are available through benches, widened sidewalks, tion is required; call (202) zoo." Master artisans will www.boxofficetickets.com or opportunities for public art, 777-3269 to register. demonstrate their trades. by calling 1 (800) 494-TIXS. and improved transit service, Admission is $10 for mem-This Old House®craftsmen The show begins at 7:30 and to contribute their own bers and $15 for non-mem-Tom Silva and Richard p.m. at the Capitol Hill Arts ideas. Short overview pre-bers. Trethewey will be on hand to Workshop, 545 7th Street, SE sentations will orient atten-discuss their television show (corner of 7th and G dees to the proceedings. GARDEN CLUB MEETING: The and offer home improvement Streets). For venue informa-Architects, engineers, design-Capitol Hill Garden Club advice. This event is free; regtion, call (202) 547-6839 or ers and planners will be on invites you to its first meeting istration is not required. For log on to www.chaw.org. For hand to answer questions of the new 2003-2004 sea-more information, call information about Catalyst and take suggestions at son. The topic for the evening (202)272-2448, or log on to Theater company, log on to "learning stations" devoted to is choosing and planting www.nbm.org. www.catalysttheater.com. transit, parking, streetscape spring-flowering bulbs. The changes and other relevant club meets on the second COMMUNITY MEETING: Take THEATER: Theater Alliance topics. Material from these Tuesday of the month from part in the third of a series of presents Painted Alice at 2 meetings will be incorporated September through May. Re-three community meetings p.m. and 8 p.m. Please refer into the study's recommenda-freshments begin at 7 p.m., related to the H Street, NE, to September 4 entry for pro-tions, which will be the basis and the program starts at Corridor Transportation Study. duction details. The perform-for DDOT's improvements to 7:30 p.m. All are welcome to Please refer to September 8 ances are at the H Street the H Street Corridor. The attend without charge. Meet-entry for meeting details and Playhouse, 1365 H Street, study area runs from North ings are held at St. Monica's agenda. This meeting will be NE. Admission is $20, and Capitol Street to the Benning Episcopal Church, 1340 held at the Capitol Children's tickets are available by call-Road/Bladensburg Road/ Massachusetts Ave., SE. Museum Auditorium, 3rd and ing (800) 494-TIXS or online Maryland Avenue intersection. H Streets, NE, from 11 a.m. at www.boxofficetickets.com. Members of the H Street, NE, September 11 to 5 p.m. For more informa- For venue information, call community, including resi-THEATER: Catalyst Theater tion, interested persons may (202) 396-2125 or log on to dents, merchants, property presents Alain-Rene Lesage's contact Rachel MacCleery, www.theateralliance.com. owners, and others, are Turcaret directed by Jesse Ward 6 transportation planencouraged to attend. For Terrill. Refer to the September ner, at (202) 671-2555 or EARLY CHILDHOOD: Hill Tots more information, interested 6 entry for production infor-email her at rachel. presents Storytime, a week-persons may contact Rachel mation. Tickets are $20 and maccleery@dc.gov. end program that includes MacCleery, Ward 6 transporta-are available through art and music activities tion planner, at (202) 671-www.boxofficetickets.com or EARLY CHILDHOOD: Hill Tots geared for kids 16 months to 2555, or email her at by calling 1-800-494-TIXS. presents Storytime,a week3 years. All are welcome, so rachel.maccleery@dc.gov. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. end program that includes please join in the fun! The fun More information can also be at the Capitol Hill Arts art and music activities begins at 10 a.m. at the found online at the project's Workshop, 545 7th Street, SE geared for kids 16 months to Northeast Public Library, 330 website, http://www.bakerpro-(corner of 7th and G Streets). 3 years. All are welcome, so 7th Street, NE. For more infor-jects.com/hstreetne. This please join in the fun! The fun mation, call (202) 546-0565. meeting will be held at the September 12 begins at 10 a.m. at the Capitol Children's Museum THEATER: Catalyst Theater Northeast Public Library, 330 AUDITIONS: The Alexandria Auditorium, 3rd and H presents Alain-Rene Lesage's 7th Street NE. For more infor- Choral Society 2003-2004 Streets, NE, from 4 p.m. to 8 Turcaret, directed by Jesse mation, call (202) 546-0565. Season will be holding audi-p.m. Additional meetings will Terrill. Refer to the September tions for adults and children be held on Tuesday, 6 entry for production infor-AUCTION: St James Episcopal for the 2003-2004 season. September 9th, from 2 to 8 mation. Tickets are $20 and Church will hold an auction Adults are conducted by St. p.m. and Saturday, are available through and raffle. Items include Mark's on Capitol Hill, with September 13th, from 11 www.boxofficetickets.com or first-class roundtrip airline music director Keith S. Reas. a.m. to 5 p.m. by calling 1-800-494-TIXS. tickets anywhere in North Children are conducted by The show begins at 7:30 p.m. America, a $1,200 gift certifi- Kevin Carr. Rehearsals are on September 9 at the Capitol Hill Arts cate for laser surgery, and Tuesday nights, from COMMUNITY MEETING: Take Workshop, 545 7th Street, SE more. The festivities begin at September through May. part in the second of a series (corner of 7th and G Streets). 6 p.m. at St. James Epis- Auditions Times: Adults of three community meetings copal Church, 222 Eighth St. (tenors and basses especial-related to the H Street, NE, September 13 N.E. Visit www.stjames ly): 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; Corridor Transportation Study. ART OPENING: The Capitol church.org or call (202)546- Children: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Please refer to September 8 Hill Arts Workshop presents 1746 for more information. VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 CHRIST CHURCH--a welcoming 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 Christ Church in 1918 Metro station Sunday Worship Schedule See our web site 8:15 am Holy Eucharist - spoken www.washingtonparish.org 9:15 am Breakfast 9:45 am Adult Forum - Bible Phone (202) 547-9300 study and discussion of special issues 10:00 am Church School The Rev. Dr. Judith A. Davis, Rector 11:00 am* Holy Eucharist - music 12:00 pmCoffee Hour and Fellowship Nursery care for children under 3 available at 8:15 am September 14 to Major League Baseball and www.boxofficetickets.com or model of Washington's Mount September 25 There are two shows: a mati- EDUCATIONAL MEETING: NAMI (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill) of the Nation's Capital hosts an educational meeting with the topic "Report Card on Mental Health Services in Washington, DC." The meeting begins at 7 p.m. at Martin Luther King Library 907 G Street, NW. Free parking is available under the building. For more information, contact NAMI-DC at 202- 546-0646. the National Football League." This award recognizes the role that new professional sports facilities have played in the revitalization of cities across the country over the past decade, as well as their architectural and engineering excellence. This special gathering is from 7 to 10 p.m. at the National Building Museum. Individual tickets are $300. Registration is required. For information about tickets or sponsorship opportunities, call 202-272- by calling 1-800-494-TIXS. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Capitol H ill Arts Workshop, 545 7th Street, SE (corner of 7th and G Streets). September 20 THEATER: Catalyst Theater presents Alain-Rene Lesage's Turcaret, directed by Jesse Terrill. Please refer to the September 6 entry for production information. Tickets are $20 and are available through www.boxofficetickets.com or Vernon before redesigning it for the 21st century out of boxes and craft materials. This program complements the exhibition Saving Mount Vernon. This event is from 12 to 4 p.m. at the National Building Museum, 401 F Street NW. For more information, call 202-272-2448, or log on to www.nbm.org. $3 per house. Appropriate for all ages. Registration not required. September 22 THEATER: Catalyst Theater presents Alain-Rene Lesage's Turcaret, directed by Jesse Terrill. Please refer to the September 6 entry for production information. Tickets are $20 and are available through www.boxofficetickets.com or by calling 1-800-494-TIXS. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, 545 7th Street, SE (corner of 7th and G Streets). September 26 nee at 2:00 p.m. and an evening performance at 7:30 p.m. at the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, 545 7th Street, SE (corner of 7th and G Streets). September 29 DISCUSSION: The National Building Museum presents "Bing Thom," part of its Spotlight on Design series. The innovative and award-win- ning projects of Vancouverbased Bing Thom Architects reflect the firm's multidiscipli- September 16 SPECIAL CLASS: The Washington DC Jewish Community Center presents "Recipes for a Sweet Year: Learn to Bake Challah & 2448, ext. 3454 or email egilligan@nbm.org. September 18 THEATER: Catalyst Theater presents Alain-Rene Lesage's by calling 1-800-494-TIXS. There are two shows: a matinee at 2:00 p.m. and an evening performance at 7:30 p.m. at the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, 545 7th Street, SE LECTURE: The National Building Museum presents "The Digital Statue of Liberty," from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Texas Tech University's School of Architecture is one of the THEATER: Catalyst Theater presents Alain-Rene Lesage's Turcaret, directed by Jesse Terrill. Please refer to the September 6 entry for production information. Tickets are nary approach to design. Founding principal Bing Thom, CM, FRAIC, AIA, will discuss his firm's work, including the Canada Pavilion for Expo OE92, the Chan Center for Honey Cake." Learn to make the traditional round challah Turcaret, directed by Jesse Terrill. Please refer to the (corner of 7th and G Streets). first public entities to use light detection and ranging $20 and are available through www.boxofficetickets.com or the Performing Arts for the University of British Columbia, bread and honey cake for the Jewish holidays. The class begins at 7:00 p.m. and is held at WDCJCC, 1529 16th St., NW (16th & Q Streets NW). The fee is $30 for members and $35 for non-mem- September 6 entry for production information. Tickets are $20 and are available through www.boxofficetickets.com or by calling 1-800-494-TIXS. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Capitol Hill Arts EARLY CHILDHOOD: Hill Tots presents Storytime,a weekend program that includes art and music activities geared for kids 16 months to 3 years. All are welcome, so (LIDAR) scanning equipment to document historic structures, completing the first precision-measured documentation of the Statue of Liberty. The school's associate dean of research, Elizabeth I. by calling 1-800-494-TIXS. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, 545 7th Street, SE (corner of 7th and G Streets). and the highly-anticipated expansion of Washington, DC's Arena Stage. Admission is $12 for Museum members and students and $17 for nonmembers. Prepaid registration is required. bers. For registration and information about future classes and brochures, call the Jewish Study Center at 202-248-8810, or email jewishsc@erols.com. Workshop, 545 7th Street, SE (corner of 7th and G Streets). September 19 THEATER: Catalyst Theater presents Alain-Rene Lesage's please join in the fun! The fun begins at 10 a.m. at the Northeast Public Library, 330 7th Street NE. For more information, call (202) 546-0565. September 21 Louden, will discuss the project and show how this technology can be used throughout the preservation field. Admission is $12 for Museum members and students and $17 for nonmem- September 27 THEATER: Catalyst Theater presents Alain-Rene Lesage's Turcaret, directed by Jesse Terrill. Please refer to the September 6 entry for production information. Tickets are You can add your organiza- tion's events to our Community Calendar by logging on to www.voiceofthe- hill.com and clicking on "Calendars." You can also September 17 GALA: The National Building Museum hosts its 2003 Honor Award Gala: "A Salute Turcaret, directed by Jesse Terrill. Please refer to the September 6 entry for production information. Tickets are FAMILY PROGRAM: Construct a mansion for a future president! Families examine a bers. Registration is required. For more information call 202-272-2448. $20 and are available through www.boxofficetickets.com or by calling 1-800-494-TIXS. send information on your events to votheditor@hot- mail.com. $20 and are available through 58 www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 STARRY DAYS Eastern Time Edition Your Astrological Guide to the Pursuit of Happiness BY AJAI © All rights reserved This calendar works regardless of your birthday! There's more to astrology than sun signs. Astrologers look at all the planets, and the planets never stop moving. As the planets move, signs and relationships change, signaling days and times when we can change: Speeds, habits, hairstyles, living spaces, diets, careers and improve our love life. 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. Monday, Sept. 1 Friday, Sept. 12 Monday, Sept. 22 Many people sacrificed their Get ready for bed early: Find a relative, friend, or colives so that labor might be 9:39 p.m. Read spiritual worker, and irrigate with more humane. What books. Practice silence. encouragement. is the fire that burns in your Meditate. belly? Tuesday, Sept. 23 Saturday, Sept. 13 At 4:04 p.m. consider your- Tuesday, Sept. 2 Be alert for insights re: self an angel. As life contin- Prior to 2:32 p.m.., con-Career. ues to serve surprises, serve your energy, lay low, consider how an angel tidy, organize. Sunday, Sept. 14 might respond. Before you eat, pause to Wednesday, Sept. 3 reflect upon your wellness. Listen to your body. Wednesday, Sept. 24 Monday, Sept. 15 At 9:52 p.m., begin to write Thursday, Sept. 4 Lunch with someone. Talk is "Love" 100 times. It might help you feel you not necessary, only presaccomplished something ence. Thursday, Sept. 25 today if you leave work at At 11:09 p.m. a door to the 5:51 p.m. and take work Tuesday, Sept. 16 newness of the universe home with you. Talk is cheap, so unzip your opens. Snatch somelips! freshness. However you try Friday, Sept. 5 Practice brings perfection: Wednesday, Sept. 17 this will work. Any attempt to snatch will succeed.. Don't worry. Be happy. At quarter to 11 p.m., pause for prayer. Friday, Sept. 26 Saturday, Sept. 6 At quarter after noon, Stay home today. In stacks Thursday, Sept. 18 pause. Listen. There is a lotof metal, paper, and plastic, 1) Finish projects nearing going on in the world, at all count your money. completion by 3:03 p.m. 2) times. What attracts yourOr, at 3:03 p.m., give it Sunday, Sept. 7 a break until the 25th. Then attention? What, in the world, do you hear? At exactly 4:01 p.m., the renew your efforts. iron will be hot. Strike. Friday, Sept. 19 Saturday, Sept. 27 Monday, Sept. 8 First thing you get up, ask Try to get up this morning Even if you show up for yourself: "Hey self! How am when the planet Mars turns direct at 3:52 a.m.! Do work, pretend to be ret ired. I feeling?" Stay in touch push-ups. Run in place. with the feelings of your Strongly inhale. Exhale. Tuesday, Sept. 9 self, and others, all day. Repeat as necessary. You might, at 8 a.m., remember some of last Saturday, Sept. 20 Sunday, Sept. 28 night's dreams. Wash your car the old fash- Look into a mirror at pre ioned way, by hand. Darn cisely 4:20 p.m. Smile.Wednesday, Sept. 10 socks. Organize yourThe moon is full at 12:36 closets. Label things. Be a Monday, Sept. 29 p.m. Whether you are onneat freak. Prepare to 'chill' at 8:08 stage or in the audience, p.m. practice being fully alert. Sunday, Sept. 21 Give someone a helping Tuesday, Sept. 30 Thursday, Sept. 11 hand, a word of encourage- Boldness succeeds. Take the morning off. Blame ment, a hug, a kiss .... it on the full moon! But at 12:09 p.m.,be at work in full frontal attack mode! Classifieds Books Help Wanted Carolina, SE. Bike will be cov- Historic cemetery on Hill ered while parked. Please seeks 10hr/wk groundskeep-contact Dennis immediately Quality used books. Single vol-er: overseeing landscape Want to purchase at 202-548-4028. umes or entire library! Call work, the preparation and Steve at Riverby Books, 202-restoration of gravesites, trim-Garage for Rent 544-1925 ming trees and shrubs, over-Secure, clean 2-car garage seeing volunteer crews, and available for storage on light maintenance. Must Capitol Hill near Supreme Books Bought and Sold. have a preservation ethic and Court. $200/month. 202-We want what you can give, adhere to the highest ethical 546-3284we pay what we can afford. standards. Description at Capitol Hill Books. Capitol www.congressionalcemetery. Hill's used bookstore across org. Email resume: Vacation Rentals the street from Eastern congressionalcemetery@att.ne Market. 657 C Street, SE, t. by June 16th Call (202) 202-544-1621 543-0539 Beach Vacation/Golf Reserve for this season or a fall golf outing. Cherry Grove Employment Help wanted--Able to Section, No. Myrtle Beach, grow. South Carolina. 3BR 2BAAssistant Manager -- Fragers Hardware needs a home, 1 block from beach Retail multi-tasker for cashiering, with dock and channel at Outgoing, friendly, hard-working counter person, stocking, and back door. Over 100 golf individual want for busy pet computer work. Good employ-courses nearby, and more boutique. Retail experience ment history a must. Full or mini-golf than you can play. required, pet experience pre-part time. Apply in person to Rent the Robeys' beach cotferred. Contact Dennis at Nick, Steve, Edwin or John. tage....call 202-546-7410 for Doolittle's, 202-544-8710 1115 Pennsylvania Ave., SE rates or www.voiceofthehill/ cricket.htm Help Wanted Services Other Build Your Own Business Piano Lessons Ever consider a lucrative busi- Piano lessons by a seasoned Volunteer Opportunity ness in real estate sales? professional. Teaching chil- The Kreeger Museum is seek- Come learn how agents are dren and adults, beginner earning incomes of $65,000-through early advanced stu- ing docents to assist in giving tours to school groups from $600,000. Learn what is dents learn a variety of involved in getting started and styles. Convenient locations throughout the District who are visiting the galleries. building your business. Learn on Capitol Hill or in Old Town Training will cover the collechow soon you can start. Alexandria. Phone Douglas Learn why some brokerage tion as well as tour tech- Beck, with degrees from the niques for working with chilfirms are better for beginners Peabody Conservatory at 202-dren and will begin on May than others. 1 hour, FREE 675-4036career seminars are held 27. To learn more or to most Tuesdays at 1PM. You request an application, must register to attend. Cleaning Service please call 202-337-3050 or 202-393-8271x155. Residential and commercial visit our website, Larry.Kamins@Prudential cleaning. I am someone who www.kreegermuseum.org Carruthers.com. speaks Spanish, English and Prudential Carruthers REAL-Portugese. Reasonable rates, Volunteers Needed TORS, Capitol Hill office. references available. Carpet MURALS PROJECT: Need volcleaning, move in, move out, unteer coordinator/participant Help Wanted construction cleanup. refurbishing thirteen MONDRI- Cleaning person wanted part- Licensed, bonded and insured AN murals, Sixth Street, SE, time for retail and grooming Call Rosemary 202-320-0805 freeway underpass. Would shop. Contact: Dennis @ or 518-9449 work with master muralist Doolittle's 202-544-8710; Fax Bryon Peck (supervising city 202-544-9712. Rent/Sale youth volunteers) and project originator Warren Robbins, Help Wanted Founder Museum of African Dog Groomer--Full time pro-For Rent Art. robbinscenter@ yahoo. fessional dog groomer wanted Why rent a basement when com; fax (202/544-9352). for upscale Capitol Hill salon. you can have a whole Experience required. Starting house!? Beautiful house in bonus. Contact: Dennis @ Hillcrest, just minutes from Health Services Doolittle's 202-544-8710; Fax Capitol Hill. 3 bedrooms 2 202-544-9712. baths, landscaped yard, Still overweight or porch, two car garage, basement, corian countertops, smoking?... great neighborhood! You suffer needlessly! Join $2000/month. Available Peter Wesselton, CCH., November. 202-460-1157. Washington's Hypnotherapist of Embassy Row...since 1974. His 3 hour Habit Parking Wanted to Rent Restructuring LOSE WEIGHT Need to rent off street park-AMERICA/STOP SMOKINGing for motorcycle from May AMERICA programs (VIPthrough September in neigh-Private group) already used by borhood of 8th St. and North National Education Assn., National Hospital, DynCorp, US Navy, American University, Washington Post. Call: GEORGETOWN INSTITUTE To place a classified: Log on to www.voiceofthehill. com, go the newspaper drop down button, and click 202-333-7699 on "Classifieds." Then follow the directions for placing an ad. Classifieds are posted online and in the next printed www.georgetowninstitute.org edition of The Voice. The cost is $25 payable by credit card through the website. You may also fax your ad to 202-547- 5133. For info, call 202-544-0703.For display advertising, call Bruce Robey at 202-544-0703 www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 Business Directory Accounting Marina Martin, MBA Innovative and versatile range of services for small business and non-profits 547-9536 Thomas Jenkins and Company Certified Public Accountants Tax & Financial Planning Corporation/Partnership 547-9004 See our ad on page 7 Air Conditioning & Heating John W. Fulcher 510 13th, SE, 544-8156 Service, replacements, installations Antiques Phoenix Gallery 325 7th St., SE 547-7070 Antique and Contemporary Leasing, 709 12th St., SE 547-3030 See our ad on page 19 Attorneys Rick Halberstein & Karen Byrne 705 D St., SE 543-1110 Arts Center Capitol Hill Arts Workshop 545 7th St., SE 547-6839 See our ad on page 41 Association CHAMPS 621 PA Ave., SE 547-7788 Bank National Capital Bank 316 PA Ave.,SE 546-8000 wwwnationalcapitalbank.com See our ad on page 33 Bed and Breakfast Doolittle Guest House 504 E. Capitol Street, SE 546-6622 See our ad on page 7 Maison Orleans 414 5th Street, SE, 544-3694 maisonorln@aol.com Bicycles Capitol Hill Bikes 709 8th St.,SE 544-4234 Books Capitol Hill Books 657 C Street, SE, 544-1621 Good Used Books Bought & Sold. Liber Antiquus, Early Imprinted Books 19 D St, SE 546-2413 Riverby Books 419 E. Capitol St., SE 547-3228 See our ad on page 33 Catering Classic Affairs classicaffairscatering.com 504 Constitution Ave NE 202-543-4462 Contractors As a Capitol Hill homeowner for 12 years, I know the problems with a hundred year old house. We work exclusively on the Hill, so we don't spend half the day in traffic--if I say we'll be there, we'll be there. Ragnar Thoreson 544-3700 Chimney Cleaning Winston's Chimney Service Washington DC (301)571- 8546 Church Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church Worship Sunday 11am, Sunday School 9:45am wwwcapitolhillpreschurch.org 201 4th St, SE 547-8676 See our ad o2 Christ Church Washington Parish 620 G St., SE 547-9300 See our ad on page 58 Lutheran Church of the Reformation 212 E. Capitol St., SE, 543-4200 www.reformationdc.org See our ad on page 37 St. James' Episcopal Church 222 8th St., SE, 546-1746 www.saintjameschurch.org See our ad on page 22 St. Peter's Church 2nd & C Street, SE 547-1430 See our ad on page 55 Clothing & Gifts Art & Soul 225 PA Ave., SE 548-0105 See our ad on page 53 The Village 705 N. Carolina Ave., SE 546-3040 See our ad on page 4 Computer Consultant Better Computer Solutions 623 N. Carolina Ave., SE 546-8084 Dog walking services Zoolatry, Inc 202-547-WALK www.zoolatry.com Mid-Day Dog walking Service Insured - Bonded Drug Store Grubbs Care Pharmacy 326 E Capitol Street SE 543-4400 See our ad on page 29 Electric Repairs Bob Willett / K&W Electric 301-283-4004 Service work small jobs Flea Market The Flea Market at Eastern Market. Sundays, Eastern Market and Hine Junior High School. 175 Exhibitors. easternmarket.net 703/534-7612 Funeral Services Pinckney-Spangler Funeral Home 524 8th St. NE, 544-7720 A full service funeral home. Traditional burial or cremation services. Burial or cremation can be accompanied by a viewing and/or funeral or memorial service. Garden and Landscape Art Garden Design 546-6920, artgarden@ starpower.net Specializing in urban gardens with an emphasis on functional and non-functional art elements. See our ad on page 5 District Cityscapes, Inc 202-544-4886 See our ad on page 37 Frager's Garden Center 1115 Penna Ave., SE, 543-6157 Gingko Gardens 911 11th St., SE 543-5172 See our ad on page 13 Ornamental Garden 544-7831 Graphic and Web Design 312 Studio - Capitol Hill based graphics company, we specialize in: Web Site design, Illustration, logo design, portfolio design, CD presentation and collateral design. www.312studio.com; tel.: (202) 547.3456; cell: (202) 412.8322 See our ad on page 49 Hardware Fragers Hardware 1115 Pennsylvania Ave., SE 543-6157 See our ad on page 34 Health & Fitness Results the Gym 3rd & G Sts, SE, 234-5678 See our ad on page 45 Home Furnishings Antique & Contemporary Leasing & Sales 709 12th Street, SE 547-3030 See our ad on page 19 Home Repair Handyman on the Hill Washington DC 206-7185 See our ad on page 13 Hotel Capitol Hill Suites 200 C St., SE 543-6000 Income Tax Services Jackson Hewitt Tax Service 8th St., SE 554-8840 Internet DC Access 118 Kentucky Ave, SE 546-5898 www.dcaccess.net -- a local ISP See our ad on page 6 Insurance Marilyn Riehl, CLU, ChFC State Farm Insurtance Home, Auto, Life, Financial Services 301-951-0355 Massage Therapy Capitol Hill Massage Associates Swedish, Deep Tissue, Seated Massage 202.746.4834 www.speedbumps.org/ massage Healing Hands Therapies Massage, scupuncture 202- 543-6365 www.healinghands therapies.com Healthy MotionsTM Massage Therapy on Capitol Hill. Swedish, Deep Tissue modalities. 202/246/4738. www.healthymotions.com Mason Michaliga Masonry 321 C Street, SE 544-4484 Mortgage Lenders Apex Home Loans 301-474-7100 Jeffrey A. Love, Loan Officer Federal Funding Mortgage Corp 202-210-7106 jlove@ffmcorp.com at 544-0703. Address: Phone: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Business Description: Name on Card: Business Directory Listings: Voice of the Hill is including a yellow-pages style directory of businesses and services that cater to the Capitol Hill community. To be included in the directory businesses must commit to a one-year contract, payable in advance by check, Visa or Mastercard. The annual fee is $250. Each business will be given three lines in the directory; two must be used for the company name, address and phone number. An extra line is available for your name, a description of your business or service, or a direction to see your ad. Additional lines may be added at an annual cost of $60 per line (per year). If you would like to be included in the next directory, please fill in the following form and send it, along with your check or payment information, to: The Voice of the Hill, 120 11th St., SE, Washington, DC 20003. If you have questions please call Bruce Robey Your Name: Company Name: Please charge my Mastercard or Visa Card Number: ______________________________________________________________________________________Expiration Date:____________ www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 Oracle Solutions Casetech, Inc. Elizabeth Jenkins 611 Penna. Ave, SE 543 4499, www.casetech.com Office Supplies Capitol Hill Innervision Art and Office Supplies 701 8th St., SE 544-4664 Painting David Mahoney Painting Co. 544-9577 See our ad page 9 Pet Supplies Doolittle's Pet Supply 224 7th St., SE 544-8710 See our ad on page 15 Photography Motophoto 666 PA Ave., SE 547-2100 See our ad on page 18 Picture Framing Capitol Hill Art & Frame 623 Penna. Ave., SE 546-270011 See our pad page 12 Fulton Framing Framing and Preservation 544-8408 See our ad on page 43 Frame of Mine Do-It-Yourself and Custom Framing 522 8th St., SE 543-3030 See our ad on page 5 Newman Gallery and Custom Frames 511 11th St., SE 544-7577 See our ad on page 53 Real Estate Valerie M. Blake Prudential Carruthers Realtors 5025 Wisconsin Ave, NW 202-362-1348, x111, www.DCHomeQuest.com Thom Burns Coldwell Banker Real Estate 109 8th St. NE 547-5805 Larry Chartienitz Pardoe Real Estate 605 PA Ave., SE 546-7000 ext. 228 202-255-3731 See our ad on page 61 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 46 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 Kristof Realty Group/Pam Kristof REMAX Capital Realtors 202-588-2021, www.kristofgroup.com See our ad page 30 Prudential Carruthers 216 7th Street, SE 393-1111 www.prudentialcarruthers.com See our ad on page 19 Kitty and Tati Kaupp Residential and Commercial Pardoe Coldwelll Banker 546-7000 See our ad on page 4 Randall Hagner John Janke 546-9057 See our ad page 9 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 12 Real Estate Settlement Congressional Title 650 PA Ave., SE 544-0800 See our ad on page 53 Eastern Market Title 210 7th St., SE 546-3100 See our ad on page 12 Recycling Services A Variety of Recycling Services, LLC. 1717 K St, NW, Suite 613 202-508-3397 Commercial Division Restaurants Two Quail 320 Massachusetts Ave. NE 543-8030 See our ad on page 38 Banana Café 400 8th St., SE 543-5906 See our ad on page 47 Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream 327 7th St., SE 546-CAKE See our coupon on page 55 Café Berlin 322 Mass. Ave., NE 543-7656 German American Cuisine Hawk 'n' Dove 329 PA Ave., SE 543-3300 See our ad on page 49 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 30 Salons Bravado 655 C Street, SE 543-6118 See our ad on page 4 Randolph Cree 325 7th St., SE 547-1014 See our ad on page 29 Social Services Capitol Hill Group Ministry 421 Seward Sq., SE 544 0385 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 Spiritual Advisors Corrin Bennett Private Consultations 543-5825 Theater Folger Shakespeare Theatre and Library 201 East Capitol Street, SE 544-7077 See our ad on page 34 Shakespeare Theatre Education 547-5688 Therapy Joseph Tarantolo, MD Individual, couples and group psychotherapy 543-5290 See our ad on page 12 Michelle Piquet Individual, couple and group psychotherapy 544-4480 See our ad page 13 Vacation/Travel Consultants Jan Cammarata Judiciary Express Travel 7th & Penn, SE, 547-3007 Veterinarians Capitol Hill Veterinary Clinic 520 8th St., SE 546-1972 See our ad on page 53 Union Veterinary 609 2nd St., NE 544-2500 See our ad page 12 Workshops Writer's Way Workshops Make time for you! 547-3506 www.dcwritersway.org Yoga Studio Capitol Hill Yoga 221 5th St NE, 202-544-0011 See our ad on page 48 Corrin Bennett 543-5825 Private Yoga instruction, group classes St. Marks Yoga Center 3rd & A St., SE 546-4964 www.edow.org/stmarks capitolhill/arts/yoga.html The Process will be performed on a limited engagement at the H Street Playhouse, located at 1365 H Street, N.E. in D.C. in September. Show times include performances on the evenings of September 15, 20, 26,and 27, (7 p.m.) and matinee performances on Sunday afternoons, September 21 and 28 (4 p.m.). Tickets for the performances are $20 and are available on-line at www.boxofficetickets.com, by dialing 1-800-494-TIXS or at the H Street Playhouse. For more information on The Process or STR8NUP Productions call (202) 635.2427. DO YOU WANT THE JOB DONE RIGHT?? Then let the LARRY CHARTIENITZ REALTY TEAM go to work for you. To find out what your property is worth in today's Real Estate market, contact us at 202-255-3731 or by email lchartienitz@coldwellbankermove.com COLDWELL BANKER/PARDOE REAL ESTATE Specializing in Residential and Commercial property sales. Licensed in DC, MD, & VA www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / September 2003 The Hungry Wanderer La Brasserie: A French Outpost on the Hill BY R OBERT WANDER La Brasserie 239 Massachusetts Ave. N.E. 202-546-9154 A fter focusing on new restaurants recently, it was a pleasure to pay a visit to a tried and true Hill institution such as La Brasserie. Located in a row house a few blocks from Union Station on the Massachusetts Avenue restaurant corridor, this French outpost on the Hill offers a nice respite to the toils of the day, for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Warmer weather brings an added bonus at La Brasserie--dining al fresco. Even on a hot DC summer night, it is relatively cool on their sidewalk patio, especially when seated under the canopy complete with ceiling fans. The dinner menu offers a wide selection of recognizable French favorites, from soups and salads to traditional fish, shellfish, fowl and meat main courses (poisson et crustaces and viandes et volailles en Francais!). For starters, I was immediately tempted by the grilled shrimp and leek bisque. All of the soups that were tasted were finely pureed; this one had a tomato base that was savory with a slightly smoky flavor. The chilled cucumber soup, a summer special, was quite delectable and refreshing. A nice treat was the Cold Three Pepper Soup, a colorful trifecta of red, green and yellow peppers finely pureed. It was pleasing to the palate as well as the eye. The Gazpacho Andaluz was also savory, but seemed lacking due to its very fine consistency; a chunkier mix seems to be more natural choice for this type of soup. Who could resist trying the French staple unique to each purveyor, Pâté Maison or house pâté? La Brasserie's version is a generous block of goose liver combined with spices and chopped nuts, combined to make a wonderful, smoke-flavored treat. Complemented with seasoned toasted bread slices, cornichon and a few pitted olives, this is what good country French food is all about. Some might refrain from heavier foods during the hotter months, and La Brasserie offers a nice variety of starter and entrée sized salads. Of particular note was the shrimp, avocado and melon salad, a special on the day I dined. This medley, nicely proportioned and held together with an appropriate amount (read not too much) of mayonnaise, was quite delicious. Plump, tasty shrimp were plentiful among chunks of melon and slivers of avocado. Another greens option was an upscale version of chicken salad, this one containing gruyere cheese, celery and walnuts accompanying the namesake chicken. Less impressive but still satisfying than the previous salad, this was served atop lettuce with ample amounts of all ingredients brought together with a mayonnaise sauce. What made this salad even more appealing was its inclusion in a threecourse Summer Menu, the diner choosing between two choices of cold soup, salad and dessert for a very reasonable price of $20. Not found in every French restaurant, but certainly welcome as main course option, was a selection of homemade tarts. While the leek and goat cheese was a tempting choice, as was the Tasso ham, red potato and garlic combination, it was the portobello mushroom, mozzarella and onion tart that got the nod. Although full of cream and butter, the tart was just the right size and not overly rich as to make one regret eating every last bite. The main course choices ran the gamut of fish, fowl and meats. Unfortunately, the main event did- n't always live up to the promise and quality of the opening act. The least-favored dish was trout over a bed of spinach with a cream sauce, one of the daily specials. While not totally unacceptable, it definitely didn't match up with other food sampled. The usually distinctive fish wasn't too fresh and tasted bland, and was further diluted by an overwhelming amount of sauce. The saving graces were the accompanying light and buttery whipped potatoes and vegetables, lightly seasoned and nicely grilled. An interesting twist on pasta is the crabmeat and mozzarella lasagna. Small pieces of lump crabmeat replaced the traditional ground meat in this dish. The choice of crabmeat is definitely an interesting one, and it seems to work in an unusual way. I'm not sure if this up to replacing the original recipe, but it is definitely a nice adaptation. Braised veal osso buco au parmesan was the star attraction. Our server mentioned that the head chef was cooking that night, and this was one of his favorite dishes to prepare--and it showed! This dish was a round portion of tender, bone meat, nicely seasoned and delicious, as a proper osso buco should be. Topping it off with a parmesan cream sauce was a nice change and added a velvety richness. The plate was rounded off with a dollop of whipped potatoes, steamed asparagus and some grilled veggies. An added and welcome treat was finding a delicious marrow filling in the center of the bone, a very nice touch that is rare these days. Although it was more pricey than most of the other main courses (coming in at just shy of $25), it was a great taste treat. The rather large dessert menu offered both liquid and solid end-of-the meal refreshment. A long list of after-dinner drinks, including a selection of cognacs, armangnacs, ports and calvados, was very tempting. Alas, the dessert you eat with a utensil versus sip out of a glass won out. From the dozen or so choices, tarte tatin was a standout--a layer of baked apple slices swimming in a pool of buttery caramel sauce, was covered with a flakey pastry dome and cooked to order. More than enough for two (or even three) to share, this was perfect way to end the meal. Again with a slight twist on the norm, the hot crème brulee with fruit was very satisfying. Topped with a burnt top crust and adorned with a variety of fruit slices, this was quite enjoyable even on a summer evening. The terrine of three chocolates sounded more enticing than enjoyed--a small slab formed from a trio of milk chocolate, dark chocolate and mocha mousse was good but not quite a dreamy as one would expect from such a description. The slice of key lime pie was bit closer to a cheesecake consistency than the usual custard. The pie was light and just tart enough to tickle the palate; a bit more lime juice would have made it even better. The wait staff at La Brasserie was informative and professional, although inconsistent at times with a few long intervals between visits to the table. Just a little more attention to service details can really ke a nice leisurely meal a great experience. Taking advantage of their lovely outdoor patio was a treat, although one would expect to be seated on something more comfortable than a molded plastic chair. For a few extra dollars they could spring for the deluxe models. La Brasserie has stood the test of time, which is no small feat in the restaurant business. Pleasing diners with a wide variety of traditional French fare with a few twists here and there works well for this appealing and cozy eatery. WANDER'S RATINGS Food Quality · 1/2 Service · Value · Atmosphere · · = Unacceptable, objectionable · = Below average, fair · = Average to good, palatable · = Very good, recommended · = Exceptional, extraordinary Prices: Starters: $4.95 - $8.50 Main course: $8 - $26 Robert Wander reviews restaurants each month in the Voice. www.voiceofthehill.com EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY 1 The Navy Band steams into port with its final outdoor concert featuring the Sea Chanters. U.S. Navy Memorial. Free 202-737-2300 Places Please! Stage where new plays are born. More than 30 area readings. Kennedy Center 1-11 p.m Free 202-467-4600 4 Meet me in... . music, agriculture and animals. PG County Equestrian Center 4-10:30 p.m 301-579-2598 Culture yourself at the National Festival at the Kennedy Center 7 p.m. Hans Graf conducts, violinist Benjamin Schmid per- forms. 202-467-4600 2 1-2-3 hike! Free interactive foot- and autographs by NFL Hall of Fame players at the NFL Kickoff Football on The Mall 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Free. Get the Blues with the great B.B. King and Jeff Beck at the B.B. King Music Festival 2003 (tickets.com) 3 The Art of the Stamp featuring works by American artists, including Norman Rockwell. Free. 30 years on the cutting edge the Hirshhorn mounts a giant dis- play of its permanent collection getting ready for its 30th birth- day in 2004. Free. 5 Still laughing after all these years the Capitol Steps at Ron- ald Reagan Building 7:30 p.m. 202-432-7328 or 800-551-7328. The man behind the monu- ments... the Decatur House honors ing the U.S. Capitol, White House and Decatur House. 8 Kenneth Ackerman discusses the death of President James Garfield at the S. Dillon Ripley $15 202-357-3030. Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend ... rarest and most unusual go on display at the National Museum 9 A comedy of errors is brewing in an enchanted wood on a Hollywood soundstage. Arena Stage mounts Shakespeare in Hollywood. 202-488-4377 Will the fat lady sing? Find out launches its new season with Die Fledermaus 7:30 p.m. $65-$285 202-432-7328 or 800-551-7328 10 Anne Arundel County Fair 9/10-14 at the Anne Arundel County Fairgrounds 410-923-3400 Get rural! Hear Jazz ensemble Freddie at the Millennium Stage Kennedy 4600 or 800-444-1324 11 trois. Charles County Fair La Plata,MD 5 p.m.-11 p.m 301- the annual parade featuring Queen Nicotina and her court. Beatles live on stage at the 549-7500 12 Break out the tie dye and groove to the harmonies of at the Merriweather Post Pavilion Columbia, 8 p.m 202-432- 7328 Theater on the Hill...Catalyst , $20 7:30 p.m. at the Capitol Hill 545 7th Street, SE 13 Star -Spangled Banner . Reenactment of the Spangled Banner 410-962-4290 Eat & drink at the Renaissance Festival Annap- olis, 10:30 a.m.-7 p.m 800- 296-7304 Springsteen and the E Street Band FedEx Field 6:30 p.m $83 and $63 202-432-7328. 14 The kids get it right. Kids from around the world share cultural traditions through the interna- tional language of the arts. 10 a.m.- 4 p.m 703-642-0862 Alexander Festival of the Arts...outdoor festival featuring fine art...paintings, sculptures, 15 spins his own brand of fundamental truths with both tenderness p.m $27.50 800-551-7328 Minimalist icon Frank Stella discusses his work with art critic Deborah Soloman. $25 202-639-1700 19 Get along little dogie and mosey over to see the Bill Pickett Invitational a real live rodeo at PG County Equestrian Center named for African American cowboy William Pickett 7:30 p.m. 202-432-7328 . Greek Festival...Greek cuisine, culture and music today & 202-829-2910 30 Are you THINKING/PLANNING/ GETTING EXCITED YET???... 2ND ANNUAL Capitol Hill Haunted House Contest... sponsored by Phyllis Jane WINNERS...to benefit schools of your choice on the Hill + $100 gift certificate to A CHOICE ON THE Hill. Call 202-544-4236 for more details. 20 Arts on Foot...Festival fea- demonstrations, cooking les- sons, open rehearsals and the- atrical events in the Pa Quarter Dulles Day Family Festival at Dulles Airport The tarmac is opened to the public for its annual family festival. 703- 417-8745 29 A Spectacular Evening with Steve Martin Art 7:30 p.m 202-639-1700. Flying-impaired bald eagles are the centerpiece of a new refuge exhibit, the National Zoo 21 The Irish Festival of Baltimore at the Fifth Regiment 2291 Celtic music, food, histori- cal workshops and fun. Olé....Pick up some Latin American Culture at Fiesta Musical National 11 a.m.-5 p.m. foods.@ the National Zoo. Free 202-673-4717 22 The master of irony Randy Newman comes to the 703-549-7500 Newman won original song in 2002. Bon Appetit! Kitchen at the Smithsonian National Museum of American Free Pots and pans, cabinets 23 AUTUMN BEGINS... They're funny even if you don't remember them...The Smothers Brothersp.m $87.45 410-481-7328 or 800-551-7328 Mama still likes at the Kennedy Center with gui- tarists The Assads and pianist 202-467-4600 or 800-444-1324. 24 cinq! Calvert County Fair Calvert County Fair Grounds $5; Free children younger than got pig and duck races . Get hip and swing to the Afro Latin beat of Danilo Perez at Blues Alley 8 and 10 p.m 202-337-4141. 25 Spend a day on the bay at the Rock Hall FallFest, Rock Hall, MD Free 410-778-0416 See six virtual globes, each presenting a different set of real-time climate data as the National Air and Space Museum goes digital with Our Dynamic Planet. 26 Plan your house makeover at Capital Home Show, Dulles Expo 11 a.m.-10 p.m. $8; $3 age 6-12 703-802-0066 Remod- eling, home improvement ideas from more than 350 exhibitors. fair with thousands of exhibits, animals and a midway with more 800-588-3247 27 ROSH HASHANAH Did you know that ington National Cathedral is the last cathedral built in the Open House 10 a.m.-4 Free 202-537-3129 Celebrate Fairfax! Wine tast- ings, food, work from 180 Government Center 10 a.m.-6 p.m. $5 703-324-3247 28 Rock Creek Park Day... walks and other activities com- 113th ... 6828 Get down tonight., get down tonight. John Scofield brings together the electrifying ele- ments of funk, groove and jazz at Jaxx Nightclub & Restaurant 7 p.m. $23;$20 703-569-5940 6 Hop up the pike to the Baltimore Summer Antiques Fair Baltimore Convention Center 11 a.m.-7 p.m. 410- 649-7396 More than 550 antique dealers from 35 states and international vendors. the Black Family Reunion at the Monument. Join in! Noon- 8 p.m. Free 202-737-0120 Sunday Monday Thursday Friday Saturday 7 Kennedy Center Open House...Annual event cele- brates the arts with free con- on multiple indoor and outdoor stages.noon-6pm Kennedy Center 467-4600. Our own trove of treasures on the Hill...drop by the American of Congress. More than 200 16 quatre... Frederick County Fairgrounds 9 a.m. 301-663-5895 Stroll the animals. So, you think you're funny? Find out at Open Mic Night at the Improv. The Improv 8:30 p.m. $15 202-296-7008 17 Concertize...with the NSO and Emanuel Ax as Leonard Slatkin conducts the first concert of the season Kennedy Center 7 p.m $20-$75 202-467-4600 . Geo. Mason University Fall Book Festival Readings, slams, sign- tellers, dancers and interactive 18 Street. The Shakespeare Theatre opens its season with The Rivals 8 p.m. $15-$66 Didn't know there was jazz at the KC? Catch A Blues Salute 2003 - The Blue Rhythm Rural Mississippi blues and swing jazz. Kennedy Center 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. $25 202-467-4600 Offi) · September The best view on real estors Away! It's Page to theater companies perform free Prince George's County, meet me at the fairMaryland's oldest fair features Symphony Orchestra's Prelude ball games, children's activities Wolf Trap 7 p.m. 703-218-6500 It's a celebration of Arts and Letters at the Postal Museum's 10th anniversary exhibition Latrobe's Washington architect Benjamin Latrobe's designs for Washington, includ- It's a grave matter...Author Center 8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 8 some of the world's of Natural History. as the Washington Opera's FULL MOON Bryant and Kaleidoscope Center, 6 p.m. Free 202-467- Take me out to the fair part 932-1234 You just can't miss Strawberry Fields forever! 1964: The Tribute recreates the Birchmere 7:30 p.m. $20 703- Crosby, Stills and Nash Theater's Alain-Rene Lesage's TurcaretArts Workshop, Weekendevents that inspired The Star- Maryland It's The Boss! Bruce International Children's Festival at Wolf Trap photography, fused glass, jewelry...703-838-4200 Jerry Jeff Walker and wit. The Birchmere 7:30 Corcoran Gallery of Art 7 p.m. tomorrow. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church Young... $1,000 TO EACH OF 3 RESTAURANT OF YOUR tures performances, artist 7th and F St NW.482-7271 He's not just a funny man. At a The Corcoran gallery hosts Martin's first-ever public interview about his art collection. Corcoran Gallery of It's your national symbol! Bald Eagle Refuge at Faith and begorrah, it's not even March! Armory Noon-7 p.m. 410-472- There's music, dance and Latin Birchmere 7:30 p.m. $39.50 an Academy Award for best Julia Child's and counters, even Julia Child's kitchen sink is on view. . Rams Head Tavern 8:30 these boys better. Cello to die for...Yo-Yo Ma Kathryn Stott 7:30 p.m. $30-$95 Take me out to the fair part 12 410-535-0026 This one's Earth Today A Digital View of Take me...part six...Virginia State Fair, the region's largest than 40 rides. Richmond, VA Wash- 20th century? Visit the Cathedral's juried artists. Fairfax County Entertainment, ranger-guided memorate Rock Creek Park's BIRTHDAYGlover&Military Roads 426- If it's September, it must be Tuesday Wednesday certs and other performances Treasures Exhibit of the Library items. Wow! Take me out to the fair part Great Frederick Fair, midway, ride the rides, see the CONSTITUTION DAY It's All about the Words! ings, a family street fair, story- theater. 703-993-3986 Something's funny on 7th comedy....Sheridan's ce 202.262.7253 (SALE Home 202.544.4236 email: phyllisjaneyoung@realtor.com www.phyllisjaneyoung.com Licensed broker in DC, MD and VA. PHYLLIS JANE YOUNG PARDOE /Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage BID Early Report Card 562 Properties · 80 Blocks · 4 months of BID Services 3200 Visitor Assists 7500 Bags of Trash Collected 800 Tree Boxes Mulched 100 Graffiti Markings Removed Dozens of Posted Bills taken down A MILLION SMILES Come Celebrate Your Business Improvement District September 18, 2003 at Noon Eastern Market Metro Station Pennsylvania Avenue, SE between 7th & 8th Streets INVITED SPEAKERS: · Mayor Anthony Williams · Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton · · DC Councilwoman Sharon Ambrose · BID President, George Didden, III · · George McDonald, Founder "Ready, Willing & Able · Space donated by Capitol Hill BID 202-842-3333