This Month 4 Capitol Hill Goes Bananas for Mexican Restaurants 7 Head South of the Border in Your Own Backyard 10 Latin Rhythms at the Oxford Academy of the Arts 12 Jekyll and Hyde: The ANCs Two Faces 20 Renaissance on M Street Departments VoiceMail... ....................3 Ask Judith....................14 Business Bits ..............16 DownLoad....................22 Capital Kids .................27 Sports News................30 Community Calendar ....32 Classifieds...................34 VOICE Vol. 1 No. 3 June 18 1999 of The Hill Ol! Capitol Hill Loves to Go Latin! 216 7th Street, SE 202-393-1111 pcrcap@erols.com 5025 Wisconsin Ave., NW 202-362-3400 pcrnwst@erols.com The Rock is the Answer Prudential Carruthers Realtors 334 Constitution Ave NE $366,989 Very nice Baret Linde, very good property, 3br, 3.5ba, cac, osp, walking distance to the Capitol. JOHN SMITH 202 546-9640 ROB BERGMAN 202 546-1553 1435 4th St., SW #25 $99,000 Serene Beauty & Waterview! 1br, 1ba apt w/balc, pkg, pool, luxury complex, a/c. BEA PAGET 202 554- 5317 #19 8th St., SE $355,000 Bricks & Land! Could be neat condo project or fabulous home, my engineer envisions an interior garden w/pool and huge rear apt w/pkg. JOHN SMITH 202 54-9640 ROB BERGMAN 202 546-1553 239 G St., SW #119 $169,000 Absolutely Gorgeous! 3br, 2ba, thermal windows, bright & cheerful w/lots of upgrades. JUDITH EVANS 1 800 8648444 2933 University Terr NW $649,000 A RARE FIND! Wonderful home , lots of space, 3br, 3.5ba, huge rear deck, sunken lr has gas fplc and marble mantle, hwd flrs. JUDITH EVANS 1800-864-8444 1007 Maryland Ave NE $395,000 11 2br, 1 one br, all separately metered, close to metro & shops! FRANK R*A*Y 202 393-1111 EXT 125 712 11th St. SE $198,999 Owner will hold financing w/12% or more down! 3br, 1.5ba, upstairs was 1br apt, main floor office space and bsmt was Realtor space. JOHN SMITH 202 546-9640 1105 Maryland Ave NE $257,000 Great house on a hill! Great garden setting, large yard, huge deck, 3br + den, fplc, sep 1br rental unit. JOHN SMITH 202 546-9640 ROB BERGMAN 202 546-1553 1432 C St., NE $159,000 Delightful renovation, 4br, 2.5ba, fplc, new everything, alluring spaces, its all here. FRANK R*A*Y 202 393-1111 EXT 125 428 8th St., SE $205,000 Great opportunity for Business, front store dry cleaners, and bldg included in this price, 2 levels w/an upstairs apt, needs renovation. BEA PAGET 202 554-5317 3665 Horner Pl., SE $79,000 Fabulous new renovation, perfect for FHA, VA, or HPAP, like a brand new home, carpeted throughout and all new appliances, 3br, 1.5ba. BEA PAGET 202 445-5317 1116 D St., NE $225,000 Treasure Trove, Victorian Bay, newish roof, cac, hwd flrs, 3br, 1ba. JOHN SMITH 202 546-9640 ROB BERGMAN 202 546-1553 1149 Abbey Pl NE $110,000 Ongoing renovation in progerss, 4br, 2ba, all new kit, fantastic countertops and carpet. FRANK R*A*Y 202 393-1111 EXT 125 1234 North Carolina Ave NE $329,000 Dreams do come true! Majestic all new renovation overlooking Lincoln Pk, lavishly finished w/marble ba, hwd flrs, designer chefs kit. FRANK R*A*Y 202 393-1111 EXT 125 Thanks for your paper. I look forward to the next issue. NINA TRISTANI Dear Voice of the Hill, I was somewhat surprised to read the article begging Fresh Fields to open a store in Capitol Hill. Your online survey does not allow for an opposing voice against this narrow-minded effort. I recently moved to Capitol Hill because it is a real neighborhooda feeling lacking from many areas of Washington, DC. We have plenty of markets in this neighborhood to buy fresh produce, the main one being the Eastern Market, along with the farmers stands on the weekends. Ive been pleased with the selection provided by the Safeway on 14th Street. The management at the Safeway is clearly in touch with the changing consumer demands on the Hillstocking organic dairy products, organic vegetables, organic frozen foods, fresh juices, soy milk, tofu and a wide variety of meat substitutes (veggie burgers, etc.) I would be interested to know if any of the people who are desparate for the a better place to buy groceries have reached out to Safeways managerto ask for some of the specialty food items people in this neighborhood seem to want. Safeway has shown me that they are receptive to the needs of consumers in VOICE of the Hill / June 18, 1999 www.voiceofthehill.com 3 Voicemail The Voice of the Hill is published and distributed monthly to Capitol Hill residence and business locations. The focus is on the community and includes contiguous neighborhoods from Gallaudet University to the Navy Yard and from the Capitol to the Stadium Armory Complex. Publication and distribution is the third Friday of each month. Advertising deadline is the first of the month preceding publication. Voice of the Hill 120 11th St., SE, Rear Washington DC 20003 202-544-0703 Main office 202-544-2557 Editorial 202-547-5133 Fax www.voiceofthehill.com bruce@voiceofthehill.com stephanie@voiceofthehill.com adele@voiceofthehill.com Staff Stephanie Cavanaugh, Editor Bruce Robey WebMaster Adele Robey Graphic Design and Production Tamra Testerman Advertising Randy Norton, Schools Editor Gene Miller, Church Editor Larry Kaufer, Sports Editor Shaun Koiner, Circulation Manager Phoenix Graphics, Inc. T/A Voice of the Hill Publisher Contributing Writers Stephanie Briggs Judith Capen Stephanie Deutsch Jeanne Eck Kristen Hartke Sharon Isch Randy Norton Duncan Spencer Tamra Testerman Memberships Printing & Graphic Communication Association Printing Industry of America Capitol Hill Association of Merchants and Professionals Art Directors Club of Metropolitan Washington Barracks Row Business Alliance Dear Voice of the Hill: Thanks for providing me such a wonderful way to keep up with neighborhood activities while Im off on my exotic travels. You probably wondered who was logging in from Sofia, Bulgaria, Tbilisi, Georgia and Yerevan, Armenia! A goal for my next trip is to find a computer that will allow me to a) pull down the paper and b) respond on-line. ANN RICHARDS Dear Voice of the Hill: Congratulations on a fine local newspaper; Im impressed and will continue to read it. I have been a resident of the Hill since 1968 and support you in your efforts to bring all of us residents a lively, uptodate account of whats happening. Thanks and keep up the good work. Let me know when you start charging for the paper, its worth it! SHELDON SHALIT Dear Voice of the Hill: I received a copy of the Vol. 1 No. 2 issue of the Voice and was very impressed. The look of the paper is great too. I have a background in publishing so I can appreciate the freshness of the layout of your paper. I have lived on the Hill for almost 20 years and am very excited about the wonderful changes taking place. VOICE of The Hill Capitol Hill. Lets reach out and make Safeway an even better place to shop. We dont need a new supermarket. We already have one. JILL CASHEN Dear Voice of the Hill: I am sitting here on Friday night (5-14) reading the print version of the new Voice. More particularly, I am reading your excellent piece on the House Tour. It is both funny and informative. Indeed, it is entirely professional, and most readable, in a way nothing that focuses on the Hill has been, really. Which is to say, I am very impressed by your publication and equally enthusiastic about its future and the contribution it can make to the community. But most of all, I want to thank you for the quality of your writing . I know that putting out a regular journal is extremely hard work. My message to you is: It will be tempting to chuck it. Dont, please. Keep doing it, for the sake of life on this little green home we like to call the Hill. Thanks, CHARLEY DONNELLY BY SOME BIT OF SERENDIPITY, this June issue includes words from managing editor Stephanie Cavanaugh, writers Stephanie Briggs and Stephanie Deutsch, an interview with Stephanie Negley, and a story about Stefanie Cytron (who, along with her mother Margaret, just received a black belt in Tae Kwon Do). We were going to include an interview with the infamous Stephanie, she of the door-to-door scams, but sadly, we were scooped by City Paper. Capitol Hill astrologer Jeffrey Howard Stiehm, comments on this extraordinary occurrence: This is an unusual year. The planet Pluto returns to orbit outside of the planet Neptunea phenomenon that only happens once in 250 years; The stock market has soared to new heights; President Clinton led NATO in a SMART war against the country that gave the world an automobile known as the Yugo; and five Stephanies are in this issue. There, this wasnt serendipity after-all. It was just in the stars. Theres another very noticeable S in this issue, Shakespeare. Tamra Testermans article on the M Street, SE Renaissance is so bard larded that we couldnt resist a little contest. To the first person that correctly identifies all of the quotes AND references, will go a buffet brunch for two (with all the Mimosas you can handle) at Banana Caf! You may e-mail your answers to stephanie@voiceofthehill.com, or fax them to 547-5133. Dont forget! July is our short fiction and poetry issue. If you have a story (750 words or fewer) or poem that youd like to submit, get it in right away. If you have questions, please call Stephanie Cavanaugh at 544-2557. One last note, we know we said that wed publish the Voice on the 15th of the month. That was until we noticed that this month, in order to be out by the 15th, wed have to send the paper to the printer on the 10th (losing two days to the weekend). That didnt make sense, particularly since we couldnt begin home delivery until the 19th. So we dont have to fidget with this again, were making a permanent change to publishing on the third Friday of the month. Bulk drops to neighborhood shops and restaurants will be made the day the paper comes out and, if youre in the Capitol Hill historic district, well make home deliveries Saturday and Sunday. ADELE, BRUCE & STEPHANIE VOICE of the Hill / June 18, 1999 4 www.voiceofthehill.com Capitol Hill may have more ceveche, ropa vieja, and enchiladas marineras than Adams Morgan. And its so much more than just Mexican; its Cuban, Caribbean, and Central American specialties, accented by bright hues of pink and blue stucco and the swirling sounds of a salsa beat. On a dreary January day with Congress back in session, its like taking a one-hour vacation south of the border. But in June, with the mercury inching into the nineties, Mexican BY KRISTEN HARTKE Hey, did you see that new Mexican restaurant that opened up next door to that other Mexican restaurant? With ten restaurants on Capitol Hill that serve Latin American food, its getting so you cant throw a tamale without hitting a burrito around here. For a neighborhood with a practically non-existent Latino population, that makes it possible for our neighborhood to have so many successful restaurants which essentially serve the same cuisine? Is it the margaritas? The chips? The ambience? The total of the check at the end of the meal? This recent goldrush in Mexican restaurants was so intriguing to the staff of The Voice, we asked those same questions of our readers. The salsa survey posted on The Voice web site asked residents to respond to a variety of questions: which restaurants take on a whole new flavor. Whether youre licking the margarita salt off your lips under the patio umbrellas at La Loma or biting the heads off fresh jalapenos in the air-conditioned chill of Tortilla Coast, a Mexican restaurant is an icon for summer on Capitol Hill. Whether you live near Lincoln Park or Marion Park, Senate-side or House-side, there are probably at least two Mexican restaurants to choose from within walking distance of your house. But what is it Capitol Hill Goes bananas For Mexican Restaurants VOICE of the Hill / June 18, 1999 www.voiceofthehill.com 5 restaurants they eat at most often, which is their favorite, and which has the best margarita and best salsa. We were also curious to know what kind of a premium was placed on outdoor patio dining as well as the proximity of the restaurant to patrons homes. The responses to these questions showed particular trends among Hill dinersand also proved that survey respondent and Texas native Mary Pressnall was right when she said In my opinion, there can never be too many (Mexican) restaurants in the neighborhood. A restaurant boom is happening all over the region. Eric Peterson, president of the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington, says that Washington residents spend the most per capita on restaurant dining than anyone in the country, and that we are seeing significant growth in new restaurants. You see new restaurants going up on every corner these days, says Peterson, the way you used to see gas stations during the 50s and 60s. This is unquestionably true on Capitol Hill, where several long-established Mexican restaurants have opened up second, and even third, new locations as the owners see opportunities to expand into other areas of the Hill. This restaurant expansion has certainly allowed local residents a real choice when it comes to where to go for a Mexican meal. A vast majority of respondents said that having outdoor tables available was a real plus, which gave big numbers to restaurants with patios like Banana Caf, La Loma, and Red River Grill. Most curious, and something wed need another survey to figure out, was the shift between the restaurants people said they ate at most often as opposed to the one they picked as their favorite. The big winner in the Restaurants Eaten at Most Often category was Banana Caf, with 45%, followed by La Lomita Dos with 39% and Las Placitas with 30%. However, the Favorite Restaurant was Las Placitas, with 19%, followed by La Lomita Dos with 17% and the original La Lomita with 14%. While Banana Caf came in with only 11% in the Favorite Restaurant category, it garnered 21% of the vote on Best Margarita, edging out Las Placitas and La Lomita Dos, which tied at 17%. And in the Best Salsa category, Banana Caf won again with a whopping 29%, followed distantly by Las Placitas and the original La Lomita, which each got 19%. Banana Caf got a lot of positive comments in other areas, including that it has the most festive atmosphere, and one respondent particularly likes going there because of the beautiful art - which is certainly a complement to owner and artist Jorge Zamorano, who is the creator of many of the colorful paintings which grace his restaurant. And what is the most important ingredient in any restaurant? The food, of course! While we did ask respondents to tell us their favorite appetizer and entree, there was very little consensuswhich is probably to be expected. However, chips and salsa definitely won out as the best appetizer; in fact, one respondent says that the chips and salsa are so good at Banana Caf that she doesnt even need to order an appetizer (dont worry, Jorgesomeone else will). The only entree which garnered multiple votes was Las Placitas vegetarian tipico platter from its Salvadorean menu, and a few respondents cited Las Placitas as having more vegetarian options on its menu than the other Mexican restaurants. Some respondents were quick to point out that the food served in our local Mexican restaurants is not truly Mexican. Sheldon Shalit, a California transplant, urged restaurateurs to visit a home-style restaurant in East LA and they will discover new ways to flavor their food. Readers Say Ol to Banana Caf, Las Placitas Voted favorite restaurant, Las Placitas at 518 8th Street SE. Restaurant Eaten At Most Often? Banana Caf at 8th and E SE. VOICE of the Hill / June 18, 1999 6 www.voiceofthehill.com Grill and Tortilla Coast, which respondent Mary Bloodworth (who is in the age 30- 40 category) likened to a packed fraternity party although she thinks the food and frozen margaritas at Tortilla Coast are great. Families accounted for many of the respondents, and they chose Las Placitas as most child-friendly. High praise, however, came from parent Susan Horowitz for the staff at La Lomita Dos, who she says are particularly warm to her daughter and other children in the restaurant. Her biggest criticism, one familiar to most local families, is Lots of restaurants have these old rickety metal high chairs. I think they could invest in some of the good wooden high chairs and then no one would get their fingers pinched. Three of the ten restaurants on our survey are newcomers to Capitol Hill, although Cancun Cantina, which was opened by the owners of Las Placitas, has a strong following already, receiving 21% of the vote in the Restaurants Eaten At Most Often category. La Loma, which comes to us courtesy of the La Lomita family of restaurants, did well among respondents because of its outdoor patio. The recently- opened Thunder Grill at Union Station only received two responses on our survey, winning high praise from one and an undecided vote from the other. Thunder Grill is still an unknown quantity in our local Mexican restaurant scene, and, with fairly upscale furnishings in an upscale location, may be catering to a different audience. Here on Capitol Hill, the Mexican restaurant auditheir home was important in their choice of where to eat. The Park Caf especially seemed to spark fierce loyalty among Lincoln Park residents, and respondent Mary Pressnall, who lives near Stanton Park, has often chosen to eat at Red River Grill primarily because of its location near her home. Recently, however, she and her husband decided to check out Banana Caf; later she gushed, The food was fabulous - and it wasnt a bad walk at all! Kristen Hartke is a freelance writer living on Capitol Hill ence seems to be looking for comfortable, quick, and cheap, which were all buzzwords which came up again and again in the survey responses. Josh Mendelsohn told us that at La Lomita Dos The service is sometimes so quick that I hardly have time to relax and enjoy the atmosphere. Good service was mentioned at many restaurants, notably Las Placitas and La Lomita Dos, and one respondent even lamented the loss of waiter extraordinaire Henry from Las Placitas to La Lomita. Location was also key, with twothirds of the respondents saying that the restaurants proximity to Hes right. Most of the Mexican restaurant owners and cooks on Capitol Hill actually came here from Central American countries like El Salvador and Honduras as well as from the Spanish Caribbean, and so the food they serve tends to be a fusion of different flavors and ingredients which are not traditionally Mexican. According to Carol Meyers of the National Restaurant Association, the hottest restaurant trend these days is something called micro-ethnic cuisine, which may account for the popularity of Las Placitas and Banana Caf among our survey respondents, who had high praise for the Salvadorean and Cuban specialties found, respectively, in those restaurants. The survey gave us a good crosssection of Capitol Hill. Age demographics put most respondents in the over-30 category: 31% age 30 - 40; 28% age 40 - 50; and 25% age 50 - 60. The under-30 crowd, accounting for 16% of the respondents, tended to frequent Red River Far left: The original La Lomita (housed in what was once Maguires Resturant). Immediate left: Offspring La Lomita Dos. Left: Park Caf. Below: Tortilla Coast, Bottom: Red River Grill Cancun Cantina, a Las Placitas offspring VOICE of the Hill / June 18, 1999 www.voiceofthehill.com 7 BY JEANNE ECK Capitol Hill may be blessed with a marvelous choice of Mexican restaurants, but you dont always have to go out for margaritas and antojitos that will leave you screaming ol. Take your friends south of the border this summer without leaving leaving your own backyardjust string up those Christmas lights, arrange your patio chairs around a kiddie pool, plug in a tape of rushing surf, don something drifty, and let the party begin! Margaritas 101 There are margaritas, and then theres the Original Margarita. Says veteran bartender Randy Strom, Director of the Professional Bartenders School in San Francisco, California, the margarita was created in 1948 in Acapulco, Mexico by a socialite named Margarita Sames. Sames, renowned for her chi chi pool side parties frequented by American celebrities, was frustrated by her guests refusal to try the native liquor, Tequila. She created the margarita to lure them into tasting her favorite spirit, and guests enjoyed the concoction so much, they began to refer to it as Margaritas drink. When her husband presented her with crystal champagne glassware etched with her name to serve her special drink in, the margarita, says Strom, took off. Margaritas margarita was a mix of premium Tequila, Cointreau and freshly squeezed lime juice, a combination thats too expensive for many restaurants to make. Most substitute Triple Sec (a generic, less expensive orange liquor) for pricier Cointreau, a lemon juice/sugar/ water base (known in the bartending trade as sweet and sour) or a commercial margarita base. Plenty of local restaurants do offer higher grades of margaritas. The Cadillac is made with gold Tequila, Cointreau or Grand Marnier and sweet/sour mix. A Top Shelf is made with the same ingredients as a Cadillac, but with premium Tequila such as Patron, Herradura or Sauza. Each is prepared in the same manner and served straight up (without ice). All ingredients are poured into a bucket or shaker over 1 cup of ice cubes and shaken or stirred until icy cold. The ice is removed and the drink is poured into a serving glass dipped in coarse salt, with a fresh lime wedge placed on the side as a garnish. That salted glass, by the way, comes from a tradition that is centuries old. Tequila is made exclusively in Mexico from the agave plant. In its distilled form, its been around since the early sixteen hundreds. Salt and Tequila have historically been served together. Originally white, unmatured tequila was very harsh going down the windpipe. Salt acted as a soothing agent, says Strom. Though distilling and aging has made Tequila much smoother, margaritas are still traditionally served in a salt rimmed glass. Rub the edge of the glass with a little lime juice, or sweet and sour mix, to help the salt stick. If you like frozen margaritas, dont thank Margarita Sames. Says Strom, a lot of bartenders claim they invented the frozen margarita, even a bartender at the famous Beverly Hills Hotel. Though the culprit may be fizzed in history, the popularity of the frosty concoction is a certainty. So trendy is this grown-up slushy that Isidoro Amaya recently popped $3000 for a frozen margarita machine for his newest restaurant, Cancun Cantina. Because the machine turns the Tequila, Triple Sec and sweet/sour mix to slush, no ice is added. As a result, these frozen margaritas pack a major punch. Special thanks to Isidoro for sharing his recipe for a regular margarita (which has a more fruity taste because he uses more sweet/sour mix than other restaurants). He also passed along a trade secret, chilling the Tequila an idea Randy Stom, who supplied the other recipes in this article, thought muy bueno. Las Placitas/Cancun Cantina Margarita (makes 15, 12 ounce servings) 1 cup ice 1 bottle chilled Tequila (33 ounces) 12 ounces Triple Sec 12 gallon (64 ounces) sweet/sour mix Salt Fresh lime wedges Put all ingredients in a shaker or bowl, stir quickly until chilled. Remove ice. Dip rim of glass in salt. Add margarita. Garnish with fresh lime slice. Margaritas Margarita (one serving) 1 cup ice cubes 3 parts premium Tequila chilled 2 parts Cointreau 1 part freshly squeezed lime juice Salt Fresh lime wedges Put all ingredients in a shaker or bowl, stir quickly until chilled. Remove ice. Dip rim of glass in salt. Add margarita. Garnish with fresh lime slice. (To make a pitcher of Margarita Sames margaritas: In a shaker or mixing bowl, combine 3 cups ice cubes, 3 cups premium Tequila, 2 cups Cointreau, 1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice. Stir or shake until chilled. Remove ice. Serve in glasses that have been dipped in salt. Garnish each glass with a fresh lime slice.) Cadillac Margarita (one serving) 1 cup ice cubes 1 oz. Gold Tequila chilled [for a Top Shelf Margarita use Patron, Herradura or Sauza Tequila] 12 oz. Cointreau or Grand Marnier 1 12 ozs. freshly squeezed lime juice or sweet/sour mix Salt Lime wedges Put all ingredients in a shaker or bowl, stir quickly until chilled. Remove ice. Dip rim of glass in salt. Add margarita. Garnish with fresh lime slice. Frozen Margarita (one serving) 1 cup ice cubes 1 oz Tequila chilled 12 oz Triple Sec or Grand Marnier or Cointreau 1 12 ounces sweet/sour mix or freshly squeezed lime juice Blend together in an electric blender for 20 seconds (or until ice is dissolved). Salt glasses. Place fresh lime slice on side of glass. Serve immediately. [for a frozen fruity margarita add 1 cup pineapple, mango or strawberry before blending, and omit salt]. Entertaining Head South of the Border in your own backyard in your own backyard VOICE of the Hill / June 18, 1999 8 www.voiceofthehill.com Park Cafe on Capitol Hill 106 13th St., SE at the east end of Lincoln Park Continental & Latin Fare Mon 6pm-10pm Tues-Sat noon-3pm & 6pm-11:30pm Sunday noon-8:30 pm Large Wine list New Menu Items Daily Specials Mention the ad and recieve a special surprise! 202-543-0184 Las Placitas is now serving The Best frozen margaritas on the Hill at their new location Cancun Cantina Try It! and get 2 for 1 entres through July 15 for Salvadorian and Mexican for Spanish & Mexican LAS PLACITAS CANCUN CANTINA 518 8th St., SE 723 8th St., SE 543-3700 546-9340 1 coupon per table. Cancun Cantina only. Not valid Fridays or on Cinco de Mayo Do you realize is more than Burgers and Beer? Try our daily special including pasta and catch of the day. 320 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE C A P I T O L H I L L Y Los Antojitos! WARNING: To avoid major hangovers or a guest who suddenly demands snorkeling equipment for the kiddy poolmake sure you provide plenty of Antojitos, or little bites. The best Mexican dishes meld fresh ingredients so that each can be tasted and appreciated when theyre combined, each of the following recipes meets that test. From real estate saleswoman, developer, and artist Kitty Kaupp (who learned to cook like a native when she lived in Mexico), weve got a few of the authentic crude Mexican dishes she wows guests with in her own Capitol Hill home. We also persuaded Victor Amaya, owner of La Lomita, to share a version of cheese quesadillas, one of his most popular appetizers. Though Jorge Zamorano of Banana Caf would give no more than a hint of how he makes his sensational salsahe grills his vegetables before pureeinghe did share his recipe for another menu favorite, stuffed yuca with cilantro sauce. Youll notice that the restaurants do not provide measurements, so these recipes are for the experienced cook, the devil-maycare, or those who started on the margaritas a little early. Kittys Salsa 6 ripe tomatoes chopped 1 medium white onion chopped 12 fresh lime juiced (or more to taste) 12 bunch fresh Cilantro leaves (or more to taste), chopped lightly. 1 Serrano pepper minced (or more to taste. Kitty adds the hot pepper gradually until the salsa is the desired heat. If you cant find Serrano peppers, you can substitute Jalapeno) Sea salt (or regular salt) About one hour before serving: Chop the tomatoes. Put them into a large ceramic bowl and add salt to taste. Chop the onion and add to the tomatoes. Add lime juice, chopped Cilantro and Serrano pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Do not refrigerate. Serve with tortilla chips. Kittys Guacamole 2 ripe avocados 1 tomato chopped 12 medium white onion chopped 12 bunch chopped Cilantro leaves (more or less to taste) Fresh Lime Juice sea salt or regular salt 1 minced Serrano pepper Peel and mash avocados with a fork until mushy but not smooth. Add other ingredients. Adjust seasoning. Put mixture in bowl and place avocado seed in the center of the bowl. (the seed keeps the Guacamole from turning brown). Serve at room temperature with tortilla chips. May be made the night before, covered and refrigerated. Be sure to bring it to room temperature before serving La Lomitas Cheese Quesadilla Oil 1 Package flour tortilla Grated Monterrey Jack Cheese Chopped iceberg lettuce Sour Cream Guacamole Pico De Gallo (recipe follows)or use Kittys salsa Make Pico De Gallo and Guacamole. Chop lettuce. Set out bowl of sour cream. Heat a small amount of oil in a skillet and add a flour tortilla. Top with grated cheese and a second flour tortilla. When one side is browned, flip and squish down. When cheese is melted and the tortillas are browned on both sides, theyre done. Place tortillas on a serving dish. Cut into wedges. Serve hot with accompaniments. Pica di Gallo Coarsely chopped tomatoes Coarsely minced onions Finely minced Jalapeno peppers (to taste) Salt (to taste) Chopped Cilantro (to taste) Dash of oil Dash of Cumin Mix together. Adjust seasoning. Let sit for at least an hour to allow flavors to blend. Banana Cafs Stuffed Yuca with Cilantro Sauce Yuca Chorizo Raisins Olives Carrot Shredded Monterey Jack Oil for frying Boil Yuca until soft, mash like potatoes, and set aside. While Yuca is cooling, mince and saut the chorizo, raisins, olives and carrot until soft. Form balls from the Yuca and flatten slightly with your hands-circumference should be about 5 inches. Drop a heaping tablespoon of filling on top of each circle, and fold sides over filling so mixture is enclosed. Flatten slightly again. Lightly flour and fry until golden. Top with grated cheese, broil lightly to melt, and serve on a little puddle of cilantro sauce. Cilantro Sauce Water Vinegar Sugar Garlic Onion Cilantro Sour Cream Salt & Pepper Saut onion and garlic until golden. Add a little water, a little vinegar and a pinch of sugar. Cook for a minute or so. Put in food processor with sour cream and Cilantro, blend. Salt and pepper to taste. Jeanne M. Eck is a freelance writer based on Capitol Hill. New summermenu! VOICE of the Hill / June 18, 1999 www.voiceofthehill.com 9 Thank you, Capitol Hill! The generous support of Capitol Hill neighborsboth businesses and residentsresulted in the spectacularly successful l999 Capitol Hill Community Achievement Awards Dinner on May 12 at the Folger Shakespeare Library. Proceeds of $45,000 from the dinner funded the 1999 Arnold Keller, Jr., Award of $7,500 to the Friends of Garfield Park, the Joyce Garrett Award of $5,000 to the Eastern High School Choir scholarship fund, plus numerous smaller grants to community organizations. CHAMPS Community Foundation President Nicky Cymrot presents the Arnold Keller, Jr, Award to Robert Krughoff of Friends of Garfield Park for the revitalization of Garfield Park. The 1999 Capitol Hill Community Achievement Award honorees Margot Kelly, Sharon Ambrose, and Jim Parker were honored at the dinner. Special thanks to the following individuals and businesses whose financial support ensured the success of the 1999 Capitol Hill Community Achievement Awards Dinner. Underwritten by The Folger Shakespeare Library Pardoe Real Estate ERA Chuck and Susan Parsons Archangel Kathryn G. Davison Angels Antique and Contemporary Leasing and Sales, Inc. Nicky and Steve Cymrot Eastern Market Title, Carolyn Davis and Jim Duley Thom and Sabine Kennon Stanton Development Corporation: Kitty Kaupp, Ken Golding, Wm. Frank Reed Benefactors Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers Stephanie and David Deutsch Mary and Ralph Dwan, Jr. Jan Eichhorn Grubbs Care Pharmacy: Jeanette Partilla and Ed Dillon Mark and Libby Gitenstein Rick Halberstein and Leona Atkins Jack Mahoney National Capital Bank of Washington Frank and Melanie Perna, Federal Funding Mortgage, Inc. Gary and Trudy Peterson Prudential Carruthers Realtors Phyllis Jane Young Patrons Anonymous Thomas M. Arrasmith, III and Christine Fraley Linda Barnes Larry Bowers, DDS and Susan Eubank Capitol Hill Brokers Council Design Cuisine Deborah Edge, MD and Neal Mann Kathleen Franzen and Bill Taylor Holly Ross Art Services, Inc. H Street Investment Corporation John R. Hunting Gayle Krughoff Photography Guy and Nancy Martin Ross Mc Williams and Jim Simpson Jim and Marilyn Meek E. James Morton and Matthild Schneider Ruth Ann Overbeck, Washington Perspectives, Inc. Jim and Cecile Parker John Parker Adele Robey, Phoenix Graphics, Inc. Duane H. and Jane E. Ramsey Shakespeare Theatre Ed and Pat Singletary Joseph Tarantolo, MD, and Elissa Feldman Voice of the Hill Muriel and Dick Wolf Yarmouth Management, Inc. Sponsors Susan J. Ryerson Eileen Blumenthal Capitol Hill Day School Lutheran Church of the Reformation John Franzen Gary Mintz, M.D. GLK Ventures, Inc. National Association for Homecare Jane Deiter Nuland Drs. Reed and Fissel Ann Richards Karen Voellm CHAMPS Community Foundation P.O. Box 15486 Washington, D.C. 20003 202-544-1845 Over $35,000 Given to Community Organizations this Year Over the last ten years the CHAMPS Community Foundation has raised over $575,000 from Capitol Hill businesses and residents to support neighborhood organizations that work to strengthen our community. What makes the organization so unusual is that all administrative expenses are paid for by the Capitol Hill Association of Merchants and Professionals (CHAMPS), which means that every dollar received is used entirely for grants. The Foundation meets each spring and fall to consider general grant applications. An additional session is held in January to select recipients of special grants associated with the Capitol Hill Community Achievement Award Dinner. Nicky Cymrot, president of the Foundation, recently announced that between the May 12th Awards Dinner and the May 20th grantmaking session, the Foundation has awarded $35,750 so far this year. The recipients are: Grants from Community Achievement Award dinner proceeds: The Arnold Keller, Jr., Award of $7,500the largest single award given by the Foundation each yearwas presented to the Friends of Garfield Park to assist in their ambitious plans to rehabilitate Capitol Hills largest park. Grants in the sum of $1,000 each were given in the names of the 1999 Capitol Hill Community Achievement Award honorees: $1,000 to the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop in the name of Sharon Ambrose; $1,000 to the D.C. Battalion of the Young Marines in the name of Jim Parker; $1,000 to the Barracks Row Business Alliance in the name of Margot Kelly. A special Joyce Garrett Award in the sum of $5,000 was awarded to theEastern High School Choir for the Joyce Garrett Scholarship Fund. Ms. Garrett was a 1989 Capitol Hill Community Achievement Award honoree, and is the founding director of the Eastern High School Choir. When the choir was founded 26 years ago, only one graduating senior went on to college. This year, every single graduating senior in the choir has plans for higher education. The Joyce Garrett Scholarship Fund was established to provide financial assistance to any student who needs it. The Foundation also awarded grants to the following organizations during its May 20th session: Friends of Tyler School, Watkins School programs, DC Cheetahs Capitol Hill Track Club, Rosetta Brooks for a ballet program with children at Brent School, Jenkins Hill Child Development Center, Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, Capitol Hill Cooperative Nursery School, St. Mary African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, The Theater Alliance of the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, Erika Thimey Dance and Theater Company, Camp Aware, Crime Stoppers, Neighborhood Learning Center, Trees for Capitol Hill, Church of the Brethren Soup Kitchen, KidSafe, Camp Teamwork Foundation, The Hill Preschool, Food and Friends for support, The Capitol Hill Choral Society, Capitol Hill Group Ministry, Capitol Hill Chorale For more information about the CHAMPS Foundation call 544-1845. CHAMPS Foundation Announces Spring Grants VOICE of the Hill / June 18, 1999 10 www.voiceofthehill.com ballet, TaeKwon Do, Flamenco, and a variety of regional Spanish dances. If that isnt enough, Oxford is the home base for several dance companies including a belly dancing troupe and a tap dance company. This smorgasbord of motion is managed by executive director Lourdes (Lou) R. Elias, along with program director Jaime Coronado and managing director Nancy Sedgewick; the extraordinary trio are also managers, choreographers, dancers, and soloists for the Spanish Dance Theater, which is based at Oxford and maintains a performance schedule that takes them to theaters and events around the area, and around the country. Seeing Lou Elias on stage is no preparation for meeting her in person. In performance she seems six feet tall and all long, flashing limbs. In person she is an astonishingly petite coil of energy with riveting dark eyes and the scraped-back hair of the classical dancer. She is usually laden with a tote bag exploding at the seams with applications for funding and information about upcoming events, and her office is crammed with books, dance materials, files and character shoes. Along a wall in the back corner is a clothing rack stuffed with brightlyhued ruffled costumes which serve to fill the otherwise functional office with color. While the business of running a bustling studio affords her little spare time, Elias is always eager to The Spanish Dance Theater Finds a Home on the Hill Latin Rhythms at the Oxford Academy of the Arts BY STEPHANIE BRIGGS Aspring stroll on Capitol Hill is a joy to the eye. Far beyond the policy makers dance rainbows of flowers, from tumbles of roses, to haughty lilies, to sudden billows of wildflowers that take your breath away. Continue walking and youll discover its not only the flowers that are kicking up their heels. People are in motion, too. They are pirouetting, assuming tree poses, swing dancing and two-stepping, thanks to dance and movement studios at St. Marks, the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, DancingHeart Yoga, Red River, and even the Washington Sports Club. And theyre chattering castanets on 8th Street, at the Oxford Academy of the Arts. No neon lights or splashy signs draw your attention to this Capitol Hill gem. Oxford hovers above the Payless Shoe Source at the corner of 8th and D St., SE, heralded by just a tiny banner hanging above the row of windows, and a small blue and white awning shading the entrance. Climb the stairs, though, and youve entered a virtual UN of dance. A small studio with big ambitions, Oxford nurtures dancers young and older, and offers fertile ground for diversity in dance education. Between regular classes and monthly workshops, Oxfords offerings for both children and adults include salsa, African dance, Middle Eastern, jazz, musical theatre, tap, VOICE of the Hill / June 18, 1999 www.voiceofthehill.com 11 talk about what is most important to her: introducing different kinds of dance into peoples lives, and particularly the lives of children. Adams Morgan, with its large Hispanic community, was the neighborhood Elias, Coronado and Sedgewick had originally targeted when they began searching for a rehearsal studio and office space for the Spanish Dance Theater two years ago. But when word came that Kathleen Strader, the founder of the Oxford Academy of the Arts, was interested in moving on, Elias clicked her heels at the opportunity. Not only was the space perfect for their rehearsals, they would instantly realize their dream of having a school. Once they made the transition, Elias found that the Capitol Hill community was incredibly knowledgeable and supportive of the arts. As an added bonus, Elias and her partners also discovered what she describes as a budding arts enclave around the 8th Street corridor, which is home to the Shakespeare Theatres rehearsal facilities as well as the nearby Capitol Hill Arts Workshop. By using dance as a means to build self-esteem in children, Oxfords original mission has been maintained, while also giving children the tools to express themselves through the arts. Though the dance training is strictly classical, we are a bit more relaxed here, says Elias. We ask them to show us how beautiful they can begive them positive messages. Theyre kids, after all. We make Oxford a human place. A fun, affordable, safe place. Although many of the students are registered in more familiar dance classes, interest in Latin dance is beginning to grow. Elias chuckles, You dont have to be Spanish to do this kind of dance. There has really been interest from all different types of kids. Elias, whose background includes training in ballet and modern, says we like teaching everything. Kids taking tap have found that Spanish dance is just another kind of percussive dance. Elias, like many dance instructors, still struggles with attracting boys to ballet and jazz, but tap dance and Tae Kwon Do have a strong male following. There are so many boys who can really dance, she notes. They just need a safe place to try it. Boys in the program have expressed interest in Spanish dance, she suspects, due to the more machismo aspects; watching Coronado drill the floor with his boot heels and swirl his cape is certainly anything but sissy. In addition, the popularity of tap dancers like Savion Glover of Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk have changed the face of dance and sparked interest for many young boys. While Oxford maintains a full roster of afternoon, evening and weekend classes for adults and children, the studio also offers noontime dance presentations for local elementary and junior high school classes studying Latin America. The one-hour program provides an overview of Latin dance, beginning with classical 18th century performance and ending with a creative, participatory session where children clap, stomp their feet, play castanets and even learn a word or two of Spanish. Following the performance, classes often stroll down Eighth Street to the Banana Cafe or Las Placitas for lunch with a Latin flavor. Not only does Oxford offer quantity when it comes to dance education, it also offers quality in its instructors. Most of Oxfords teachers are certified by the International Spanish Dance standards, traveling to Europe each year for update sessions and exams. Students can also choose to pursue more formal training in Spanish dance at Oxford, which focuses on proficiency in disciplines such as arm positions, foot work, and castanets. On a recent Sunday, an instructor arrives to teach her Spanish Dance II/III class. Sound reverberates in the large studio, where three women in black leotards, black ruffle- edged skirts, and character shoes stomp out a complicated rhythm. They are of various ages and sizes and dance with eloquence and a beauty that is indescribable, like the first flowers of the season. It is their passion which speaks to Oxfords future. Elias jokes that someday wed like to buy Payless, adding on a more serious note, We love this area. Wed love to get more students, more workshops, and more visiting artists. In the meantime, they continue to nurture and harvest a truly diverse bouquet. Oxford Academy is located at 401 8th Street, SE, above the Payless Shoe Source. Free parking is available in the lot next door. For information on current and upcoming classes, workshops and the noontime program, call (202) 544-4962. Stephanie Briggs is a health and movement consultant currently teaching at the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, and facilitating retreats in the area and beyond. To see the genius in a young person is to give it the fertile ground required for it to burst forth and blossom, for it is not enough to be born into this world loaded with such beauty. MALIDOMA SOME At Your Service Cleaning BUSINESS AND HOME 10% off first cleaning with this ad All cleaning supplies are antibacterial and biodegradable Bonded, insured, reliable Ask about all of our serviceswindows, floors 202-483-8184 202-269-3653 Wall Street Cleaners Grand Opening 20% off all dry cleaning (minimum order $10) 99 for shirts (minimum order 3 pieces) Please come and visit us! 703 8th Street, SE (202) 544-6900 Wall Street Cleaners CAPITAL home title, inc. 703 D Street, SE Washington, DC 20003 Phone 202 544-4300 FAX (202) 544-7876 E-mail capitalhometitle@erols.com Other Settlement Locations Georgetown Chevy Chase Columbia, MD Camp Springs, MD Rockville, MD Annapolis, MD Bowie, MD Greenbelt, MD Crofton, MD Baltimore, MD Fairfax, VA Across from the Eastern Market Metro VOICE of the Hill / June 18, 1999 BY DUNCAN SPENCER You either love em or hate em. In the view of some, the Hills Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (ANC 6A and 6B) h ave become painful anachronisms that no longer respond to constituents needs, and serve few useful functions except to a small circle of amateur politicians and parliamentarians. To others, the ANC system is the necessary link between the neighborhoods and the larger world of government in a government town, and a powerful protection for residential neighborhoods that desire order and serenity. On the Hill the difference of views has become sharper, with two groups as different as Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde. The ANCs legitimate role (overview of zoning and permits and licensing for neighborhoods) still makes sense. But even this is warped by the attitudes and agendas of individual ANC chairmen, and even of single members. In a city which desperately needs enterprise and local development, they often discourage new ideas. In a city politically liberal, they sometimes exhibit an almost puritan moral conservatism. And in a city which is now ruled by Congress and a Control Board (and a reform Mayor and an invigorated City Council) it is legitimate to ask whether they have a wider role than that of a zoning watchdog. Some even ask, with civic associations reviving and Police Service Areas holding regular gatherings, especially on the Hill, whether another layer is still necessary. Under a regime (Tony Williams) that is trying to reform city departments and serve citizens better and at lower costs, they often seem to mirror the attitudes of the Marion Barry mayoralty, where government was a friend, but only to the mayors friends. As an historical relic of the first structure of 1974 Home Rule legislation, the ANCs have continued to operate, unchanged in function, suffering ups and downs in funding, in spite of enormous changes in the city they were meant to help govern. Created in an era when Washington was expected to expand to close to a million inhabitants, they are now faced with a population about half that size. Kept on a tight purse string (about $2,000 per single member district) by the city, ANCs citywide have suffered a series of petty financial scandals. Yet since they cannot deliver either jobs, or contracts, or any other benefit to their constituents, they are heartily ignored by most (but not all) residents. In the era of customer friendly government and service to the taxpayer they are a reminder of just how slow and cumbersome local bureaucracies can become. Those who choose to use them (perhaps to win a zoning variance or a liquor license or get a pothole fixed) are almost always frustrated and delayed. Those who try to defy them, however, are invariably punished by ANC vigilantes who are willing to call city inspectors at a moments notice. This is the present day perception of what the father of the ANC system, Arrington Dixon, hoped for when he oversaw their creation back in 1974. We wanted to create a structure to get full grass-roots participation in government, he told the Washington Post last year. But maybe it was too much government. Though D.C. taxpayers support the ANC system, elected ANC officials get nothing for their service, and increasingly the people who choose to serve are motivated by personal ideas and agendas which come from their own life experiences, not from the wishes of their constituents. ANC members are paid nothing for their pains, and the citizens get their moneys worth. And who can blame the commissioners? Most are elected without campaigning, many are elected by a mere handful of votes. Incumbents usually return to office. In spite of all the negatives, there seems to be an increasing number of people who want to run, and slots for which no one was willing to stand for election have shrunk to new lows. An ANC commission is the answer to one mans dream of owning a forum for his ideas, of one womans desire to make a difference. Or of one retirees wish to fill vacant days. The examples of the ANC malaise are not far to seek. ANC 6A is in a state close to chaos, with its chairman Daniel Pernell III under the cloud of a bribery investigation and clinging to his chairmanship. Parliamentarian Gregory Ferrell is a 12 www.voiceofthehill.com Jeckyll and Hyde The ANCs Two Faces News Analysis Clothes Encounters ( o f a s e c o n d k i n d ) 202 Seventh Street, SE Washington DC 20003 Metro: Eastern market 202-546-4004 VOICE of the Hill / June 18, 1999 convicted burglar. The young and mostly white middle class people who have been progressively moving into ANC 6A turf (near Northeast) are appalled by meetings where the threat of physical violence is always in the air, and not infrequently, city policemen are called in to keep order. Often unable to produce a quorum because of seething tension (some of it black versus white, but most of it simply long held resentments over acts and issues) the ANC is not productive. Former 15 year member of the group Virginia Gaddis, who resigned before last Novembers election, said peace could not come to ANC 6A until its autocratic leaders, Pernell and Ferrell, left or grew tired of tyrannizing meetings. It is awful, Gaddis said, but in almost every commission, it seems there is someone who wants to break it up. I think it is a legacy of Marion Barry. You know, I dont think he ever liked the ANCs. He didnt like anything that did not answer to the mayor. 6B, by contrast, seems to be strong in self esteem. Says newly elected member Ken Jarboe, I had heard all sorts of stories about the ANCs. That they were dysfunctional. But this ANC is very functional. I think it does a remarkably good job of fulfilling its role. Deborah Lindeman, another ANC 6B member, says she thinks the commission functions extremely well. But you would be hard put to find such accolades among the business community. Feeling particularly bruised, for instance, are the backers of the future Bluestone Cafe, a group of Hill residents with a dream of an upscale eatery near Eastern Marketand a vision of sipping wine on a pleasant patio, watching the streets ever varied movement. ANC 6B hit the restaurant plan like a sledgehammer, with one member, Leonard Hacker, carrying on a minute investigation of their liquor license application. Hackers objections related to an anachronistic DC law prohibiting the sale of liquor within 400 feet of a school. He also found fault with Bluestones placarding process, the public notices, printed on rusty orange cardboard, which announce hearings on liquor licenses. Hackers hatchet job may come to naught (the Alcohol Beverage Control Board seems inclined not to require the cafe to laboriously re-placard at press time), but he succeeded in damaging the enterprise, which planned to open in early May. Now July 4 looks like the mark. And he did succeed in preventing the cafe from serving drinks outside within sight of a public school, a certain economic negative for Bluestone. For his pains, Hacker faces a recall campaign led by an angry group of Bluestone Cafe backers, headed up by Robin Rains, one of the partners in the enterprise. Bluestone is not the first Hill restaurant to butt heads with the ANC. Alcione Vinet, proprietor of The Park Cafe on Lincoln Park, ran a similar gauntlet in a five-year fight to win the right to serve wine at his family restaurant. And Bluestone will not be the last. A lively fight over the licensing of a new enterprise, the Red River Dance Hall and Saloon, is coming with ANC 6B as its venue. In all three restaurant licensing cases, the ANC reacted to individual pressures, mostly those of constituents who did not want business incursion in their neighborhoods. Seldom, if ever, did the ANC formulate policy of what was good for the neighborhood as a whole. In this sense, there was no politics involved in the ANCs actions or lack of them. There seldom is, as few ANC candidates bother to say whether they are for or against development (or any other issue). They dont because they dont have to. Simply standing at the polling place with a few printed cards is enough. Therefore the voters get no idea at all whether their commissioners favor one thing or another. Everyone, it seems, is for two things: good government and better schools. Unfortunately the ANC system has almost nothing to do with the working of these larger spheres. But until ANCs begin to lead the way politically, by forming coalitions or campaigning for specific issues, they will continue to remain dusty rooms where a few gather when their block is affected. And that may be the reason why longtime Democratic activist John Capozzi says ANCs dont work. Capozzi says that the nature of the ANC process is flawed. We have people who get elected, but they dont belong to a party, they dont really do politics. It means they dont have any political training. The former shadow representative of the District to Congress added, The people (in the ANCs) are not really involved in politics. They play at politics and it isnt as easy as it sounds. Duncan Spencer is a freelance writer and regular columnist for The Hill. Jeffery Watson Brings New Direction to Capitol Hill Arts Workshop BY SHARON ISCH Ask what makes living on Capitol Hill so special and youll find Eastern Market on almost everyones lips. Jeffery Watson is out to see that next time youre asked, the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop trips off your tongue just as easily. And just as deservedly. From its beginnings in the 70s as a couple of dance classes in somebodys basement, the Workshop has evolved into one of Americas unique community arts centers, offering quality arts instruction in a diversity of disciplines to children and adults, and serving as home base for the Hills Art League, Theater Alliance, Chorale and arts outreach programs. Now its time to move up to the next level. On July 1, Jeffery Watson becomes the Arts Workshops new director, bringing with him an impressive record as a Capitol Hill arts innovator and community activist: He is co-founder of the contemporary arts ensemble crossCurrent, is on the piano faculty at the Levine School of Music, serves as assistant conductor and accompanist for the Capitol Hill Chorale (a Workshop program), and over the past four years has designed festival services and liturgy for the Church of the Reformation, conducted all its choirs, and created its New Connections programs, featuring weekly lunchtime concerts for the Hill community and monthly performances of cross-cultural and contemporary music, dance, drama, literature and visual arts. For his next number, Jeffery Watson takes on the challenge of making the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop as indispensable to the Hill as Eastern Market. For example, hed like to see the Arts Workshop become the communitys favorite gathering place. And, perhaps, a starting point for new-resident walking tours. And the place youll recommend to new neighbors looking for ways to integrate their kids into the community. And your own destination-of-choice when youre looking for kindred spirits to explore the what-ifs and why-nots. And why not? Clearly the Workshops new director has the kind of can-do credentials that can lead the way. www.voiceofthehill.com 13 LEAKBUSTERS, INC. Plumbing and Remodeling 202-544-5000 MD 19586 WSSC 70086 AA CO 101923 DC 949 ANNAP 723 Hot Water Heaters Boiler Installations Free Estimates Gas Co. Financing Back Flow Prevention and Certification Now Specializing in Lawn Sprinkler Systems on the Hill! BONDED INSURED Oil to Gas Conversions Drain Cleaning Repiping Installation Gas Logs 311 & 315 7th Street, SE 202.543.1705 www.wovenhistory.com Store Hours: 10-6, Tue-Sun. Eastern Market Metro Woven History and Silk Road Announcing 3 new shipments from Nepal, Pakistan and Turkey 320 new carpets. VOICE of the Hill / June 18, 1999 Dear Judith: I live in a last quarter-19th century house with a painted brick facade. (Unfortunately, it must, I think, remain painted because the brick has been repeatedly patched with different kinds of mortar over the years). Anyway, I recently discovered that the mortar has turned to sand. How do I find a mason who knows how to match mortar to old brick? What can you tell me about how to do the matching so that I can intelligently quiz masons before hiring? Can you recommend a mason? Can you tell me where to get more information or recommendations? Thanking you in advance VERY MUCHfor your help. Crumbling Dear Crumbling: It is sad but true that sometimes right-thinking people expend prodigious amounts of effort and money to remove the paint from their brick houses, only to discover that they cant get all the paint off, or that the paint disguises a lot of truly awful brick repair work. For a lot of us, the best solution is to keep painting our houses once theyve been painted. But, you asked for advice on finding a mason and making repairs, sothe best way to find someone to do the work is to talk with your friends and neighbors who have had, or are having, repointing done. However, recommendations from satisfied customers will only take you so far. There are a few things you want to look for, discuss with your mason, and be prepared to insist on by monitoring the work. The first step in brick repointing is cleaning out old mortar from the joints. If the mason doesnt rake the joints back far enough, the new mortar becomes just a thin coating over that old powder and will soon pop out. The rule of thumb is to rake out a joint to a depth of 112 times its height, or until solid mortar is found. If you are just going to repoint selective sections of your wall, you may be able to insist that the mason use all hand tools. For entire walls, though, masons will probably insist on using power tools, unless you and your trust fund can pay for all the hand-work. The tool usually used is a 412 slowspeed hand grinder that (in a moment of mason inattention or fatigue at the end of a day) can cut into the brick. The best practice is to allow use of power tools to cut a line down the middle of the horizontal joints, then have them rake out the mortar against the brick and the vertical joints. Have the mason do a sample section to establish a standard of quality to match the rest of the job. The second critical concern is the mortar itself. If your house is nineteenth century, a lime mortar was commonly used. Lime mortar can be roughly matched by a 1:2:12 mixthat is, 1 part Portland cement (white is better than gray for historic work), 2 parts lime, and 12 parts sand. You must insist your mason use a soft mix like this. Basically he should be mixing his own mortar, not using stuff out of a bag. Fortunately, most reputable masons working on the Hill today understand this. If you are going to repaint the repointed work, the color of the mortar mix may not be so important. Still, I would advise trying to match the color of the original mortar as closely as possible. Even though you may not be thinking of removing the paint and fixing the previous bad patches, someone in the future may, and it would not be nice to make the job harder. Matching color means manipulating the color of the Portland cement (gray or white) and the color of the sand. Ask the mason to mix-up and install as many test patches as it takes to get a good match. Finally, you want to match the joint profiles already on your wall. There is considerable discussion in the professional fields of restoration about how much to repoint. The party line is: repoint only as much as is deteriorated. If you are going to repaint, you can probably get away with repointing only the parts of the wall that clearly need work. But if youre repointing because of moisture problems, you may still have a problem after selective repointing. Remember, the brick on Capitol Hill buildings is one of their major character defining elements. Brick is what stands between us and the wolf. Doing brick repair badly, or letting an unqualified contractor work on your home, can threaten the actual brick (by using mortar thats too hard) or create problems for future generationslike those created for you by previous property owners. Take your time. Study up. Maybe even experiment a little yourself so you really know what youre talking about when you contract for the work. Dear Judith: Im so tired of painting my iron front stairs and was considering replacing them with brick. Any ideas? Rusty Dear Rusty: Dont do it! Yes, painting, or any form of maintenance, is much less fun than ripping and changing. But every material known to humankind needs maintenance, so changing from cast iron, which will pretty much last forever with a little attention, to brick, which is ill-suited to horizontal applications, is a step in the wrong direction. Maintenance is kind of a dirty word in our society where every material is touted as low maintenance. We should really rethink this prejudice. As a colleague once pointed out to me, we do a lot of routine maintenance on our bodies every single day, with a minimum of resentment. Imagine having all your teeth pulled in favor of dentures as lower maintenance. No flossing, no brushing twice a day or semi-annual dentist visits, gum work, root canals, caps: just drop em in the Efferdent every night. 14 www.voiceofthehill.com ???To Find Your Voice ?? GABRIELLE HILL Spiritual Coach 202/544-4386 ? Ask Judith FREE CLASSES! June 21 and 23 Call for Info 544-0841 221 5th Street, NE Kamakshi Hart, Director VOICE of the Hill / June 18, 1999 Not to mention, such a change (to brick, not to dentures) would be denied by the Historic Preservation Review Board if youre in the Historic Districtjust as it should be! Dear Judith: I often work late and am really sick of looking for a parking place when I get home at night. Sometimes I have to park two blocks away from my house. I live on one of the diagonal state avenues so my front yard is really deep. I was thinking about paving part of it so I would have my own parking space. What kind of permit do I need? Wobbling in My Spikes Dear Spike: Thank you for thinking about doing this properly and officially, but forget it. If you look at the plat you got when you bought your house you will see that your front property line is right at the front of your house. If you have a bay or porch, it probably sits on city property (or the public space that Pierre LEnfant created for the use and enjoyment of us all when he laid out our astonishingly wide streets). As public property, the use of our front yards is a privilege granted us in 1870 with various subsequent additional provisions. It is a highly regulated privilege though, whose violations are legion. Infringements range from the relatively minor (our bushes arent supposed to be taller than three feet or extend more than six inches over the sidewalk) to the egregious, like cars parking in this public space. Im afraid, therefore, that your choices are limited to solutions other than paving your front yard. Can you bike to work? Rent a garage? Take a cab home? Buy a Hill house with a garage? Telecommute? Carpool in someone elses car so theyre the ones who have to find a parking place? Have Scotty beam you up, or over. It may be of slim comfort, but most of us are in the same boat when we come home late. But, bad as it may be, think about parking in Georgetown or Dupont Circle! And, think about the appalling toll in pollution, expense, ugliness, auto-related fatalities and maiming, and isolation exacted in environments totally organized around automobile convenience The Capitol Hill Restoration Society has published Guidelines on all three of todays topics: Red Brick, Brown Brick, Pressed Brick, and Common Capitol Hill Brick, deals with a variety of historic brick dilemmas; Cast Iron: Firmness, Commodity, and Delight, has detailed recommendations about maintaining cast iron; and Yours, Mine and Ours: Front Yards and Other Public Space on Capitol Hill, explains exactly where your toe ends and mine begins. You can buy single issuesor get an entire set if you become a new member of the Society. Call 202- 543-0425. By the way, for more on historic brick, a really excellent book is usually available at the Building Museum, Masonry: How to Care for Old and Historic Brick and Stone, by Mark London. Look carefully at the cover building being repointed; not only is it on Capitol Hill, but the Restoration Society currently occupies the basement! Judith Capen, AIA, is a practicing restoration architect and author of many of the Capitol Hill Restoration Societys award-winning guidelines for Capitol Hill houses. www.voiceofthehill.com 15 ANTIQUES BUY SELL TRADE 701 N. CAROLINA AVE, SE WASHINGTON, DC 202-543-1819 Banana Cafe & Piano Bar Serving the Best Cuban, Puerto Rican, & Mexican Food in the City! Open for lunch, dinner & Sunday Brunch No Cover! Piano Bar Upstairs Tues-Sat Performances by Deena Javor and Chuck Smith Happy Hour Tues-Fri 5-7:30 Upstairs only Drink Specials with Free Hors doeuvres 500 8th St, SE 1 block east of Blue/Orange Eastern Market Metro / 202-543-5906 We have been located on Capitol Hill for more than 20 years serving the District of Columbia and Maryland Let us make your refinance, purchase or sale hassle free with no stress Call us 202-544-0800 650 Pennsylvania Ave., SE Suite 170 Washington, DC 20003 327 7th St., SE (202) 546-CAKE Log On! www.voiceofthehill.com Your online daily newspaper for Capitol hill VOICE of the Hill / June 18, 1999 When Rebecca Bisgyer and her husband Nick Garnett opened Dog-Ma last September, they were responding to their own needs as pet-parents. Rebecca had been working as a corporate executive at a currency trading firm, Nick was the executive director of a Greek cultural organization, and their long hours at the office were giving one of their dogs separation anxiety. The situation was so bad that every morning brought another panic attack. Hiring a dog walker at $15 for 30 minutes brought no relief, neither did it give the pup enough exercise. Rebecca and Nick spent a year researching the day care concept before abandoning pumps and ties for sneakers and shorts. They realized along the way that their pet problems were far from exotic. Separation anxiety in particular is so pervasive that drugs have been developed to help pets cope. The problem is the hectic life of many pet owners. Tough schedules, travel, and multiple obligations leave little time for taking pets on proper walks, or giving them the attention they need. She felt that this was definitely an area where day care might help, a lot of the problems could be solved with activity. Even so, day care is not right for every dog. Aggressive behavior just wont do, they need to be completely socialized and healthy. For pets that do not spend a lot time around other dogs, day care might be a mistake. Rebecca says, its the most hyper-stimulating environment you can but its apparently the playground favorite). Pups are also free to wander in and out of the bright and immaculateoffice all day, and nap on benches or bag beds. Rebecca says that finding the right space was a challenge, but this location had it all. Theres plenty of room and its conveniently located, yet also far enough away from homes so it isnt a disturbance. Oh yes, the Northwest residents also noticed that the Hill has quite a few dogs. In addition to day and night care, Dog-Ma offers Dog-Matic Training, a 10-day obedience course that includes 8 one-hour training sessions with Michelle Beardsley, and 3 in-home sessions to make sure your pet listens to you as well as Michelle. Puppy pre-school classes are offered for those too young for obedience training. Pups between the ages of 10 weeks and 5 months are 16 www.voiceofthehill.com imagine. But for pets who love being around people and other dogs, and have no history of aggression, day care can be wonderful. Most dogs are pack animals, says Rebecca, that flourish in this environment. Theyre tired and loving when they get home, and you dont have to watch them if theyre chewers. Theyve been doing it all day. To make sure that it will be a romp for your pet, the canine scholars at Dog-Ma are carefully screened for behavior problems before they are accepted, and given constant supervision throughout the day. One of Dog-mas hottest services has become boarding, but this is unlike any kennel your pooch has ever seen. Says Nick, its more like a slumber party. Dogs flop where they will, watch movies Lady and the Tramp and 101 Dalmations are particular favoritesand are free to climb into bed with whoevers assigned night duty (often Rebecca and Nick). There is a 10 dog capacity for night stays, and if your pup is not a regular, a day of day care might be required to make certain the party will be a pleasure for everyone. Such a stay aint cheap. Dog-ma charges $40 per night, a rate thats somewhat discounted for vacations longer than 3 days. But, Nick says, this is a premium service, with a whole different level of attention. The 7,000 sq. ft. center, on Virginia Avenue between 8th and 9th Street, SE, includes a 5,000 sq. ft. yard, with a kids pool for splashing, a sprinkler for dashing, and various climbing toys (you may not think of a picnic table as much of a toy, Mickeys Patio 406 8th Street, SE 202 544-4842 Federal City Iron, Ltd. All Ornamental Ironwork Expert Cast Iron Stair Repairs Window Bars & Security Gates Fencing & Tree Boxes Metal Repairs SPECIALIZING IN CAPITOL HILL STYLES 202-547-1945 Best Price Guaranteed! Free Estimates 321 (rear) K St., NE e-mail: steel1M@aol.com Dog-Ma Leaders of the Pack Business Bits VOICE of the Hill / June 18, 1999 taught basic behavior skills like sit, come, leave it, and down, along with house-breaking (!!!), no chewing, and no barking. Though Dog-Ma offers bathing on site, its limited to basic dirt removal. Full grooming can be arranged at Doolittles, and theyll provide transportation so you dont have to schlep. Soon to come is a visiting vet, wholl give maintenance vaccinations, and treatments for heart worms and other parasites. Dog-Ma charges $25 a day for 1112 hours of care, $20 a day if you use the center three or more times a week, and $17 per day for daily visitors. For more information call Rebecca Bisgyer or Nick Garnett at Dog-Ma, 821 Virginia Ave., SE, Washington, DC 20003. 543-7805. For the More Traditional, Yet Elegant Pet Vacation Doolittles has just become the official drop off and pick up point for Capitol Hill pets for transportation to the best kennel in the areaClub Pet in beautiful Chantilly, VA. In the past year, Club Pet has been voted the Best Dog Spa by Washingtonian magazine, and Best Kennel in the Mid-Atlantic Region by Delta Air Lines. It is the only kennel in the area certified by the American Boarding Association. Club Pet is billed as a First Class Hotel for Pets, with luxurious accommodations at affordable prices. Each fuzzy guest can enjoy non-allergenic plush bedding, soothing music, daily brushing, playtime and plenty of exerciseas well as a bright, cheery, air-conditioned (or heated) atmosphere. And theyre geared to cater to special needs, diets and medications. There are also special accommodations for cats, and the kennel can board any type of petincluding rabbits, gerbils and snakes (they dont say anything about spiders, but if they take snakes.). Beginning in July, Capitol Hill residents will be able to make reservations at Club Pet, drop off their little beasties, and pick them up again at Doolittles, Monday through Friday. Pets will be transported to and from the kennel in Club Pets tres posh air-conditioned van. Doolittles Pet Supply, 224 7th St., SE, 544-8710. OK, the Pets are Set, Now for the Petunias Summer vacations can be a killer for gardens. They are for mine. I waffle between trying to find a kid willing (and reliable enough) to handle the watering chore, or doing my rain-prayers before scootwww. voiceofthehill.com 17 Rental Source We dont have to be taught that Capitol Hill is an exciting place to live. It is in the city, but has a small-town feel: friendly neighbors, trees, a farmers market, schools nearby. To educate yourself about rentals on the Hill, call us. Every day we provide a list of apartments and houses for rent by e-mail, fax, or in person. And if you have property that you would like to rent out, call us. Our professional management services can ease your homework and simplify your math. Come visit us next to Eastern Market, give us a call, or send us an e-mail. Let us help you make Capitol Hill your playground. YARMOUTH MANAGEMENT Your rental source on Capitol Hill since 1981 309 7th Street, SE Washington, DC 20003 202/547-3511 Fax: 202/547-9361 E-mail: Rent@YarmouthM.com Jackie Jackie von Schlegel, CBR, GRI Capitol Hill is our neighborhood, we hope youll make it yours. Licensed in DC, MD and VA 202-547-5600 (W) 202-543-4296 (H) email: jackiev@realtor.com REMAX Capital Properties VOICE of the Hill / June 18, 1999 ing out of town, and I almost always come back to a disaster. If this pattern sounds familiar, an automatic sprinkler system sounds a reasonable alternative and given the size of our yards, it shouldnt take terribly deep pockets either. Bob Clendening of Leakbusters Plumbing has planted enough of these rigs in Hill gardens that it has become a minor specialty. Hell advise you on the best systems, install the one you choose, and hook it all up to a programmable timerso youll come back from Bali to find a jungle, not a desert. Bob Clendening, Leakbusters Plumbing, 202-544-5000. Booked! While Borders and Barnes & Noble may brew up lattes to sip with your Rilke, the Hills Trover Bookstore is packing them in with book signings by heavy hitters. On Thursday, June 3, the line flowed out the door and down the block for an audience with Jesse Ventura, who was on hand to sign copies of his memoir, Aint Got Time to Bleed. Though the wrestler-turned governor was scheduled to linger from noon to 2PM, the visit was chopped at 1:15, when the store ran out of books. Said Andy Shuman, 460 copies were sold in an hour and fifteen minutes. Venturas sales tied with two previous signers, Colin Powell and Newt Gingrich. Fourth runner-up on the all time greatest list, by the way, was Barry Williams, who played Greg on the Brady Bunch. Now theres a quartet. Star Spotted While Jesse Ventura has shot out of entertainment orbit to political stardom, Lyle Lovett still sings for his supper. The one time beast to Julia Roberts beauty, was spied last week slipping into a topsecret bash at the luxurious Washington Court Hotel. Its rumored that he was the evenings main entertainment, as well as a guest. Washington Court Hotel, 525 New Jersey Ave., NW. 628-2100. Everina Lights Up Prudential A wonderful collection of Capitol Hill artist Everinas acrylics on canvas is now on display at Prudential Real Estate. Though only her paintings are included in this show, Everina also paints the most joyful home objectsflowerpots, lamps, chairs, armoiresmany of which have been on display for the past few months at the Dupont Circle Xando. Dont drag your feet about viewing the show, four pieces sold in the first three days. Prudential Carruthers Real Estate, 216 7th St., SE. 393-1111. Home on the (Free) Range Didja know that Market Poultry at Eastern Market sells the very same free-range chickens as Fresh Fields? Market Poultrys owner Mel Inman says hes been carrying birds from the brothers Eberly of Stevens, PA. for years. The itty bitty fryer broilers weigh in at about 2 1/2 pounds, and are raised with no synthetic pesticides, no hormones, and little or no antibiotics. The cost? $1.99 a pound. Mel adds that all of the chickens in his case are free-range birds, enjoying happyif shortlives hunting and pecking around Allen Farms in Seaford, DE. Theyre raised without hormones, but might have been exposed to some antibiotics and synthetic pesticides(chemicals that can cause allergic reactions in a few people. As for taste, Mel says some folks seem to notice a difference in flavor, but he feels its more a matter of perception, like some folks swearing that brown eggs taste better and are healthier. The organic eggs in the case are another story. When asked if he notices a difference, Mel says That I do! Im not sure why, but the taste difference is noticeable. The organic eggs are shipped in from Green Castle, PA on Wednesdays and Fridays, and run $1.50 a dozenless, by the way than the same eggs at Fresh Fields. Market Poultry, Eastern Market, 543-7470. Some Times You Gotta Slow Down to Loosen Up Yoga is not all granola. Over-doers of every ilk swear by yogas ability to de-tense, strengthen and stretch out the kinks (and they do it without abandoning a single vice). Care to try it? The DancingHeart Center for Yoga is offering four FREE classes this month. Theres a basics class on Monday, June 21 at 5:30PM, and another on Wednesday, June 23 at 7:15PM. A gentle & prenatal class is Wednesday, June 23 at 6PM. The fourth session, on Friday, June 25 at 6:30PM, is open to all levels. All you need to do is call and register. DancingHeart Center for Yoga, 221 5th St., NE. 544- 0841. Harried yet Hungry? Urban Services offers food shopping services and delivery to your door, or your kitchen counter. The Hill-based service shops stores like the Brookville Supermarket, Yes! Natural Gourmet, 18 www.voiceofthehill.com 545 7th Street, SE Washington, DC 20003 202-547-6839 e-mail: chaw@mindspring.comWeb site: www.chaw.org Capitol HillArtsWorkshop Register now. Please call the Workshop 202/547-6839 or visit our Web site or times, rates, details. Whyfore art thou watching reruns? Come join us for MIDSUMMER NIGHT CLASSES for Adults & Teens June 21-July 30 Acting Shakespeare iMac Computer Graphics Swing Dance Contemporary Dance Ballet Deep Stretch Funk Aerobics Yoga Photography Watercolor and Drawing Open Art Studio (with live models) Pottery/Ceramics Deep Listening Jesse, Jesse, Jesse! VOICE of the Hill / June 18, 1999 and Cleveland Park Wines (places were unlikely to hit on the way home). Orders can be called in, or placed via the Internet. To check out the offerings try their website, www.urbangrocery.com, or call for a catalog. Steve Urban, Urban Groceries, 544- 5081. Two New Businesses on 8th Street Form a Perfect Team One is guaranteed to leave your ruffles dripping with tomato sauce and mozzarella, the other will restore them to a pristine flounce. Todays Pizza at 531 8th St., SE is the first DC store of a mini-chain birthed in Baltimore. The carryout-delivery menu goes beyond pizza to calzone, subs, and more substantial entrees like lasagna, veal parmesan and Italian sausage. Current coupon-specials include two extra-large pizzas with one topping for $16.95. Todays Pizza, 546-6001. Wall Street Cleaners at 703 8th Street SE is also part of a successful mini-chain. Mrs. Kim, the owner, says that all cleaning and laundering is handled at her suburban Virginia plant, and they specialize in leather, suede, wedding gown, and drapery cleaning. Though a price list for alterations isnt in print, tailoring is available at the shop, and Mrs. Kim says, tell them good price! Grand opening specials include 99 for shirt wash and press, and 20% off your dry cleaning tab (minimum 5 pieces). Wall Street Cleaners. 544- 6900. www.voiceofthehill.com 19 LARRY C The Intelligent Choice for Your Real Estate Needs 202-547-3525, ext. 228 Over 10 years experience in Real Estate Licensed in DC, VA and MD Why settle for less when you can get the best. 1115 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE,Washington, DC Phone: 202-543-6157 Fax: 202-543-9048 www.voiceofthehill.com/fragers.htm Mon.-Fri. 7am-7pm, Sat. 7am-5:55pm, Sun. 8am-5pm VISA, M.C., AMEX & DISCOVER Senior Art Scholarship Established at Arts Workshop A Tribute to Maureen Yonis from Her Family Maureen Yonis may not have lived on the Hill for very many years, but she touched a lot of lives in the time that she had with us. Thanks to her daughter Barbara Black, Barbaras husband Matthew, and her grandchildren, Gillian and Kendall, she will continue touching lives. Barbara and her family have established a scholarship fund at the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, for low-income senior citizens who wish to study art. Maureen, you see, took great pleasure from her years of watercolor study at the Workshop. She would have loved to have been at the June 3rd student/faculty art exhibition (where two of her pieces were on display), a showcase that drew over 200 artists and guests. But this year she was at the gallery in spiritthe new annual Maureen Yonis prize was announced at the event. To contribute in Maureens name. please contact the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, 545 7th Street, SE, Washington, DC 20003. Telephone 202-547-6839. June 19 - July 16 VOICE of the Hill / June 18, 1999 BY TAMRA TESTERMAN The Navy Yard is the single biggest development in D.C. This could be a Renaissance for this part of the city not seen since World War II Councilmember Sharon Ambrose It is the year 2004, millennium madness of the 90s is a laugh in your rearview mirror, and President Hillary Clinton is in the White House. Imagine a warm Saturday afternoon in June. You have the usual menagerie of guests from miles away; San Antonio or Santa Fe, doesnt matter. They want to see the monuments, the Smithsonian the.well, you know the drill. But first youll take them on a little neighborhood tour. You start your day with a blueberry pancake breakfast at Eastern Market, just like in the old days. Then you do a little shopping on Barracks Row (formerly called 8th Street) the historic corridor is lined with shops in beautifully restored buildings, spotted with quaint gas lights, and dottted with flower-filled tree boxes. You wander down to the foot of the street and pick up the water taxi at the Navy Yard for a little jaunt to Alexandria. Or maybe, you take a long bike ride on the Riverwalk along the Anacostia, where a blooming, lush green public garden awaitsget the picture? The gleaming new administrative offices of the Shakespeare Theatre are living testimony that these images of Capitol Hill in the year 2004 are no midsummer nights dream. There are some major changes coming, and as the bard might have said, the whirligig of time will bid them pass anon. Hoist Sails and Fly When, a few years ago, Congress decided the rents were too high in Crystal City for its 5000 or so Navy staffers, a decision was made to move these bureaucrats to the government owned Navy Yard on the southern fringe of Capitol Hill. The plan is already phasing out the occupation of several key offices in Crystal City and the Pentagon, including the Navy Procurement office (a major military industrial complex player). By the year 2001, the Navy projects that the Yard will have nearly 7,000 new workers, most of them civilians in administrative positions, bringing the population to nearly 11,000. Considering that these folks have grown accustomed to the perks of the Crystal City Underground and the Pentagon (where shopping is easy and the sports facilities close by) privately leased space for retail shops and restaurants is being planned. Also by plan, are minimal facilities to entertain and feed everyone, and limited parking. The Navy is counting on these new troops making use of the Capitol Hill commercial area, and hoping many will commute by Metro. While the Navy Yard development may be a broad brushstroke on the canvas of this M Street Renaissance, it is also driving development beyond the fortress walls. Splashing along in the wake of the Navy Yard newbees, will be the 4,000 or so private sector contractors, who by law must be steps from the agencies they supply, and will require office space in the immediate area. The DC Department of Housing and Community Development is using that sea of new employees to leverage private and public (and private/public) economic development of the surrounding area. Already several new hotels and office buildings, with prime retail and restaurant space, are set for the north side of M St, and millions will be pumped into streetscaping. Washington Gas has named the Lincoln Property Company as developer for its 10 acre parcel across from the Navy Yard at 12th and M street SE (though the blue prints for a multi-commercial venture for this property are under tight wraps, were given to understand that a hotel, shops and offices are part of the package). The Florida Rock project, which would develop the river bank from South Capitol Street to Buzzards Point has cleared most obstacles. And Councilmember Sharon Ambrose is busily prodding Hillary Clinton to sponsor the development of the South East Federal Centerin the same way Jacqueline Kennedy inspired the revitalization of Pennsylvania Avenue through the Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation. In a letter to Clinton she details plans to make the area adjacent to the Navy Yard a museum destination, turn the dilapidated Anocostia green spaces into a public garden, and create a new appreciation of the river and her shores. The activities of the big guns on M Street are fueling the keepers of the Hills 8th Street/Main Street Project to re-vitalize the battle worn array of shops and office spaces along Barracks Row. Included in their plans are a transportation shuttle system that will ferry people between the Navy Yard and Pennsylvania Ave., and an area beautification initiative. New gas street lamps, tree boxes and sidewalk repair are some of the cosmetic changes planned. In addition, an in-depth historic exploration of the area will guide the reconstruction of building facades and the historic ambiance of the street (the oldest commercial corridor in the Federal City). 20 www.voiceofthehill.com 515 8th Street, SE, Washington, DC 20003 1 Block South of Eastern Market Metro (202) 546-5303 Fax: (202) 546-2224 Visit us at www.washingtonpost.com/yp/szechuanhouse It is also known as the oldest and most authentic Chinese restaurant on Capitol Hill since 1982. CARRY OUT MENU Mon-Fri 11am-10:30pm Sat & Sun 12 noon-10:30pm How good are we? Just ask your neighbor! $2.00 OFF ORDERS OVER $15 (Before Sales Tax. With coupon only. One coupon per party. Expires 6/30/99. Carry out and delivery not included) We use low cholesterol oil 95% MSG free ANDREW LINDEN PHOTOGRAPHY 703.538.6481 Certified by the Professional Photographers Association of America The right moment... click. THE ORIGINAL HEALTH, DIET AND FITNESS BOOT CAMP of Capitol Hill for Full and Small Figures Call G.I. Jane for a FREE workout! 202-547-7906 645 Pennsylvania Ave, SE Mon-Fri 6:30am-9:30pm Sat 9:30am-3pm www.washington.digitalcity.com/bootcamp BIG SUMMER SPECIAL 1/2 OFF 12 Workouts with Trainer Expires July 1. With this ad. Not valid with any other offer. Renaissance on M Street A Giddy Whirl of Expectation VOICE of the Hill / June 18, 1999 www.voiceofthehill.com 21 The 8th Street/Main Street project was created several years ago by the Barracks Row Business Alliance, an association of businesses in the 8th Street commercial corridor. It has now spun off as a separate non-profit, with an agenda modeled after the National Trust for Historic Preservations Main Street programs. According to the director Linda Gallagher, June is the month the group will receive word on the status of a $362,000 grant from the Department of Housing and Community Development. The project funding request has overcome many bureaucratic obstacles in a competition with 126 other projects for revitalization funds. Considering the outcome of the funding battle, the group will either move forward, or continue the search for financial backers. Gallagher believes its only a question of when, not if. The wheels are in motion and the support is forth coming hopefully. Camels are a great choice of cheap transportation on some parts of the planet, but around Washington, you need four tires, not four hoofs, to get around. Thats where National Capital Bank can help you. We have one of the lowest new car loan rates in town for any breed of car, truck, or sport-utility vehicle. So if youre on the prowl for a Mustang, Cougar, Ram, or even a Beetle, just stop by or call (202) 546-8000 to apply over the phone. Looking for cheap transportation? We recommend Option B. 316 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E. (202) 546-8000 5228 44th Street, N.W. (202) 966-2688 Rates subject to change without notice. Loans are subject to normal credit criteria. Member FDIC. Option B. 6.95% APR New Car Loans Up to 60 Months. 60 monthly payments of $19.78 per $1,000 borrowed. Option A. Conly Robert PERSONAL COMPUTER FLUENCY Training and application support for MS Office Word Excel Access Outlook Powerpoint 623 North Carolina Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20003 Phone/Fax 202.546.8084 email rconly@bellatlantic.net The Dreams Here Still, Even When I Wake It Is All the actors in these development projects are in agreement that the first few years of the new millennium will usher in the opening of many new businesses, community beautification projects, and the realization of a dream. A vision of one warm day in June when, with great pride, residents of the area can enjoy all the potential of the Anocostia river, and the surrounding M and 8th Streets. Some dreams may be the children of an idle brain, begot of nothing but vain fantasy, but this dream hath a wallet at its back, and will, by hook or crook, materialize. And when it does, it will be the greatest Renaissance for this area since W.W.II, a fitting way to ring in the millennium. Retired US Army Captain Tamra Testerman, is the author of two books, an artist, pilot, ex-Pentagon staff officer, and a former teacher of military history at Georgetown. Dare we say shes a Renaissancewoman? VOICE of the Hill / June 18, 1999 22 www.voiceofthehill.com move the hard-core unemployed from the streets and into jobs. Says Gordon, these are folks whove been down and out for a long time, and take job rejection personally. They are not drug addicts or alcoholics (CAGs traditional clients) who need intense rehabilitation before they can expect to hold jobs. Rather, they are people who want to work, but lack the basic skills to find employment. Skills as simple-seeming as proper grooming for an interview, smiling, speaking clearly, shaking handsand showing up on time. The goal, says Gordon, is to adjust the attitudes of chronic unemployed individuals, all of their attitudes about the work place. They have to feel good about the workplace, and learn to consider the employers position. The employer is looking at the job candidate and considering whether he wants to spend eight hours a day with this individual, and wants to be assured that his business will be in good hands. STRIVE was founded thirteen years ago by Sam Hartwell, a highly successful white businessman, who was later joined by Rob Carmona, an African- American ex-con who pulled himself up by the boot-straps, earned a masters degree in social work, and now serves as the leader of the national STRIVE program. The 3-week course was described in a 1997 60 Minutes segment as part bootcamp, part group therapy. Its a stint thats tough on the psyche, and uses such extreme in-your-face, straighten-up and fly-right, tactics that 50% of those who enroll drop out before they complete the course. But 80% of those who finish remain employed two years after training. In addition to the New York operation, STRIVE now has affiliated programs in Baltimore, Philadelphia, San Diego and Battle Creek, MI. A London office is also set to open shortly. Though the DC STRIVE program will comply with the spirit and philosophy of the original, there will be some modifications. Traditionally, STRIVE operates without the buttress of support services, concentrating entirely on getting people ready for the work place. But Gordon and Kneedler feel that DC requires different handling. We need to be more comprehensive, and more understanding of personal situations that get in the way, like transportation issues, babysitting problems, and financial management, Gordon says. Between [Lynn Kneedlers] expertise with social services and case management, and my ten years of hands-on rehabilitation work, the two agencies can put together a dynamic STRIVE operation. These modifications have been made with the blessing of the parent organization. Funding for the program comes from a combination of public and private grants. DC has awarded a half million dollar Welfare to Work grant, Moving the Unemployed into Jobs DC STRIVE Program to Open this June Since 1988 Hal Gordon, president of the Holy Comforter-St. Cyprian Community Action Group (CAG), has been engaged in rescuing the homeless and chemically dependent in the Capitol Hill area and providing rehabilitation, housing and interim employment. Over the years the program has served over 400 people, and expanded from a room in the church basement to 11 residential treatment facilities and a main office at 901 Pennsylvania Ave., SE. This summer, Gordon teams with Lynn Kneedler and the Capitol Hill Group Ministry, to bring an extraordinary new program to the Hill, and the District. The DC branch of the New York based program called STRIVE, will open in a donated building at 1108 3rd St., SE, and offer intensive work-readiness training intended to downLoad with private foundations like Arcana, Cafritz, and the Prince Charitable Trust contributing another $85,000. A $25,000 challenge grant has also been established by the Jovid Foundation. The STRIVE budget is $280,000 per year, which cover the costs of 10 three-week cycles, with 45 students per cycleand support services to see graduates through the first year after completing the course. Essential to STRIVEs success is, of course, finding work for the graduates. Gordon says, The key is to develop relationships with employers, and allow them to participate in the training. Gordon is working with the Chamber of Commerce to locate businesses that are looking for trainable people. Once identified, they will be invited to participate in mock job interviews, and provide input on what they see as an individuals shortcomings. When employers see the quality of the program, theyll be calling for clients before we call them. Neither Gordon nor Kneedler expect to be involved with day to day operations after the first six months, though both will remain on the board of directors of the non-profit. An executive director is being hired, along with a trainer, a job developer and a data processor. All will go through the STRIVE Academy in New York before taking over the reigns in Washington. Gordon says, putting STRIVE in place completes the loop for Lynn and myself. Both CAG and the Group Ministry have, up until now, brought people to a point where they are reasonably stable, and ready to seek employment. By adding a work-readiness program, the work of rehabilitation will be complete. Navy Yard Waterfront Festival Features Tall Ships 3 Ships, Battle Reenactments and More, June 19th and 20th The Washington Navy Yard continues its bicentennial celebration with a tall ships visit and waterfront festival June 19-20. Tall ships Half Moon, The Karmar Nyckel and The Dove will be tourable (and organizers hope to arrange a watery gun battle). Therell also be band concerts, exhibitions by the Navy and Marine Drill Teams, military reenactments by the English Civil War Society of America, plenty of food booths, facepainting and other kids entertainment, and fireworks on Saturday night. Saturday the Festival runs from 11AM to 7PM. Sunday theyll roll out the cannons from Noon to 5PM. The Navy Yards at 8th and M Sts., SE. VOICE of the Hill / June 18, 1999 The Navy Yards bicentennial, which began with a kick-off exhibition March 27 at the Navy Memorial, continues through the year with other thrilling events, topped off with a formal ceremony in Leutze Park on October 1, the Yards official 200th birthday. 6th Annual Mid-Atlantic Beer & Food Festival Looking at Eastern Market for September Event The Mid-Atlantic Beer and Food Festival, one of the countrys top regional craft beer events, is planning to move their annual festival from downtown Washington to Capitol Hill. The Festival, which will take place September 18 and 19, 1999 at Eastern Market, showcases the regions top micro-breweries from Virginia, the District of Columbia, Maryland and Pennsylvania as well as additional guest breweries. The two-day event is expected to attract more than 10,000 beer lovers from up and down the East coast. This years Mid-Atlantic Beer and Food Festival promises to be the best yet, says Mark Duros, president of the Mid-Atlantic Association of Craft Brewers, the Festivals organizer. Consumers can sample a wide range of fresh, flavorful beers in the heart of our nations Capitol. The move to Eastern Market gives the event an all-around fall festival flavor-stroll along the streets, enjoy live music, taste world-class microbrews and food, and browse the shops and vendors. Julie Bowens, president of CHAMPS says, The benefits to the Capitol Hill business community of having an event of this magnitude on the Hill are many. Not only will our neighborhood receive a great deal of free positive publicity, but well also have the opportunity to introduce literally thousands of new visitors from within our city and beyond to the Market and Capitol Hill in general. I truly look forward to the festival. Most area business people appear to agree that the festival would be a positive for the community. The event has a trouble-free track record, attracts an upscale audience, and would bring plenty of very positive exposure to the Hill from visitors and from the media. Organizers have passed the first phase of city approvals, they now need residents and businesses to sign off on the street closing. CHAMPS Votes Grubbs Pharmacy Business of the Year New Officers, Directors Installed, and Awards Distributed at Annual Meeting The Capitol Hill Association of Merchants and Professionals (CHAMPS) presented Ed Dillon and Jeanette Partilla of Grubbs Care Pharmacy with the 1999 Libby Sangster Award for Business of the Year at their Wednesday, June 9, Annual Meeting. Grubbs was selected for their years of outstanding service and commitment to the Capitol Hill community. Previous winners of the award (which is named for the original owner of Antiques on the Hill) include: Banana Caf, Doolittles Pet Supply, the Monocle, Holly Ross Framing, Moon Blossoms and Snow, and Haydens Liquor. The Hills newest Coffee Caf, Xando, was also presented with an award for their architectural enhancements to the building at the corner of 4th and Pennsylvania Ave., SE. In election results: Julie Bowens of Juleon Books will serve a second term as president of the organization; Dennis Bourgault of Doolittles has advanced to 1st vice president; Kathleen Franzen, Woman Friday, is 2nd vice president; Jeanette Partilla of Grubbs Pharmacy is treasurer; and Alice Wilson of Antique and Contemporary Leasing is Secretary. New members of the Board of Directors are Bruce Robey of The Voice of the Hill and David Hill, manager of The Hotel George. A Fresh Fields for the Hill? Over 300 Surveys Received, Store Management Contacted Surveys from Voice readers are continuing to pour in. We received over 200 responses since the May issue appeared, bringing the tally to over 300. Considering the volume, and our shortness of hands, the new responses have not been tabulated. It shall be done for next month. One thing we will say, and this we gathered from just a quick glanceHill dwellers sure do eat out a lot. We did contact Fresh Fields Marketing Director Sarah Kenny just before publication of this issue. She has looked at the web site, is excited about what were doing, and also the response were getting. The president of the company is traveling right now, but Kenny promises shell talk to him as soon as hes back. We promise that as soon as we hear, youll hear. Updates will appear as soon as we have news to report, so check in frequently at www.voiceofthehill.com. Len Hacker and Charles White Weigh in on Bluestone Caf ANC Commissioner and HINE PTA Prez Blast Duncan Spencer ANC Commissioner Len Hacker and Charles White, acting president of the Hine Jr. High School PTA, a pair slapped by Duncan Spencer in the May issue of the Voice of the Hill for their opposition to the liquor license for the new Bluestone Caf, sent letters to the editor in early June. Space prevents us from carrying the letters in full. We are pleased, however, to make them available to you at www.voiceofthe hill.com. As it now stands, an ABC Board Fact Finding meeting was held on Wednesday, June 2. According to Bluestone attorney Paul Pascal, the only issue now is whether the placard announcing intent to seek a liquor license was properly posted. ANC Commissioner Len Hacker claims it was not always visible, while Bluestone owners (and the building owner) insist that it was. Though the decision was not final as of our publication date, Pascal feels fairly confident that the ABC Board will accept the evidence presented and the license will be granted. Unfortunately for those of us who enjoy both dining al fresco and a drink with dinner, it appears that no alcohol may be served on the Bluestone terrace at all. Pascal says there is a very clear DC law that prohibits serving alcoholic beverages in clear view of a school. Robin Rains, one of the owners of the Bluestone, says that theyll cope by promoting specials on virgin drinks on the patio. For more on the Bluestone and the ANCs, see Duncan Spencers column in this months Voice. Tempest II RR Steakhouse & Saloon vs the Neighbors Another neighborhood fracas is being debated on the Voice website. This ones between Sandy Thompson and Steve Sabatini, who want to open a country western dance club and restaurant at 11th and Pennsylvania Ave., SE, and Tom Link, spokesperson for Residents against Red River (RORR). Neighbors are not pleased to have the club in a residential neighborhood (even though the property is commercially zoned). They fear crowds and increased parking congestion in an area that is already overloaded with cars. Thompson and Sabatini (who changed the name of the club from Red River Dance Hall and Saloon to avoid confuwww. voiceofthehill.com 23 Patricia Elmes Farley, Linen, silkscreened Think Twice TOM AND ALICE FAISON A couple of best sellers Twice the energy Twice the persepctive Twice the responsiveness Twice the knowledge Twice the satisfaction TOM & ALICE FAISON Realtors RE/MAX Capital Properties 202.547.5881 or 202.255.5554 FAISON@Realtor.com VOICE of the Hill / June 18, 1999 sion with the separately owned Red River Grill on Massachusetts Ave., NE) say theyll be providing a good steak house, along with country western dancing. They recognized the parking problem, and have arranged for valet parking in the lot at 14th and Pennsylvania Ave, SE. They also intend to hire a security guard who will not just watch over patrons, but residents of 11th Street as well. For more details, check Point Counterpoint on www.voiceofthehill.com. Tempest III The Naval Hospital Heat is rising over the disposition of the Naval Hospital at 921 Pennsylvania Ave., SE, long time home of ANC6B and one of grandest structures on the Hill. The towering Victorian was built just after the Civil War, is on the National Historic Register, and is also on the top ten list of most endangered historic buildings. Friendship House has been occupying the building since last September (without a lease) and has making renovations in preparation for opening a computer training center for welfare-towork clients. The Capitol Hill Restoration Society and Councilmember Sharon Ambrose have been lobbying hard since Friendship House moved in to ensure that all work done on the structure complies with historic guidelines. They would also like to leave options open for the future of the building (it has often been proposed as an ideal mansion for DCs Mayor). The city has now prepared a lease that is under fire by restoration advocates. The five-year lease allows a near automatic renewal, and does not address restoration concerns. Ambrose would prefer to see a three-year lease, and a public discussion about the best use of the building. Tempest IV Neighbors vs Tortilla Coast A petition has been started, and a letter has been sent to Hill realtors, protesting the application to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board (ABC Board) by the Tortilla Coast Restaurant at First and D Sts., SE to add live musical entertainment Mariachi bandsto the operation. Organizers, who claim the restaurant is already a source of parking and noise problems, say their petition has already been signed by over 70 residents. The letter to realtors notes that allowing Tortilla Coast to become more of a nightclub than a restaurant, will affect the quality of life in the neighborhood, which is of major concern to you and your trade organizations. Hearings on the application will be held on Wednesday, June 23 at 9:30, in the ABC Board hearing room, at 941 N. Capitol St., NE. Library of Congress Displays Thomas Jeffersons Rough Draft of the Declaration of Independence Exhibit Runs June 16 through September 4 The rough draft of the Declaration of Independence, in the hand of Thomas Jefferson with emendations by John Adams and Benjamin Franklin, will be on display in the American Treasures of the Library of Congress exhibition from June 16 through September 4. This is the third summer that the rough draft of the Declaration of Independence has been displayed in the permanent, rotating American Treasures exhibition, which features more than 270 items representing a cross section of the Librarys vast repository of rare books, music, manuscripts, maps, photographs, drawings, audio clips and videotapes. These Mean Streets Raising Cain about Pop Holes Many Capitol Hill streets have been in the process of being repaved since, what, last November? And the lumps are still battering the undersides of our Ferraris. What do you call what amounts to a raised pot hole a pop hole? Thats what we might as well begin calling all of those water and sewer covers that hover well above the asphalt. Says Councilmember Sharon Ambrose, the fault lies with a lack of coordination between WASA, the water and sewer people, and the Department of Public Works. She presents two options for complaints: you can either call Councilmember Carol Schwartz, tzarina of DPW, or (she said with a sigh) Tawanna Shuford, Ambroses over-worked constituent services liaison, at 724-8072. Water Taxi to Start in December 1999 Commuter Service will link Occoquon to Navy Yard John Imparato, who is heading up the Navy Yard expansion, announced that a water taxi service between Occoquon and the Navy Yard is expected to begin in December 1999. Imparato told business people attending a recent Barracks Row Business Alliance meeting, that the service, run by River Jet Inc., is now soliciting bids for a watercraft design. River Jet has considerable experience in setting up similar services in other major cities. Initially local service will be timed for commuters, but fairly rapid expansion to daytime jaunts between the Hill, Georgetown and Old Town is anticipated. A shuttle bus to Metro will be provided for commuters who want to use the service to get to jobs outside of the Navy Yard. The DCRA a Friendlier, More Kindly Agency? News Post, and Reader Response Lloyd Jordon, the newish director of DCs Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA), says that it is now safe to apply for building permits and business licenses. Contractors and residents need no longer fear the orneriness of either the system, or the employees. And in most cases, youll be in and out of the agency in 20 minutes, and after stopping at a single desk. Jordon was a guest speaker at Councilmember Sharon Ambroses May 24 briefing session for developers and other stakeholders in the blooming restoration of the M St., SE business corridor. The meeting included representatives from the Navy, the Marines, Washington Gas, CHAMPS, the Barracks Row Business Alliance (BBA), and private developers. Said Jordon, DCRAs new facility at 941 N. Capitol St., is a friendlier, more kindly agency, that provides one stop shopping for most building permits and business licenses. When Jordon came to the DCRA 8 months ago he says the agency was 6 months behind in issuing building permits, and 3 months behind in inspections. These days he claims, youll go to one desk and have your permit within 20 minutes. If your permit is denied, youll have an explanation just as quickly. That 20 minute, in and out promise applies to smaller residential and commercial projects. Complex, multi-use developments that require layers of administrative rubber-stamping, will be approvedor notwithin 30 days. In addition to streamlining operations, Jordon has instituted a Development Ambassador Program. Jordon wants developers to work with the DCRA from the conceptual stages. Once the agency is contacted, a team will be assigned to help you through the stages, help you interface with other city agencies, and help you get the project through. Rotary phones, lack of FAX equipment, and antique computers were partly to blame for earlier woes, says Jordon. The new location is equipped with all the bells and whistles, and he feels the agency will become the nations leader in technology by the end of the year. When this article was posted to the web site, it ended with the following: The VOICE admits its left eyebrow is frozen in an upward position over Jordons assurances. If readers have had direct experience with obtaining permits and licenses from the newly streamlined DCRA, please e-mail your kudos or hisses to the editor: stephanie@ voiceofthehill.com. Just before press time, we received a copy of a letter from Dennis Bourgault, owner of Doolittles, to Frank Moody, DCRA Business Center Manager. Heres his take on the friendlier, more kindly agency. Dear Mr. Moody: I am a business owner on Capitol Hill and Vice President of the Capitol Hill Association of Merchants and Professionals (CHAMPS). Yesterday, I stopped at your Business Center on my way to work to check on the status of a corporations annual report filings. I feel compelled to share with you my first experience there. In short beautiful new building, clean new offices, com- 24 www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / June 18, 1999 fortable new chairs and pretty new carpeting, but, with a few exceptions, same old frustrating, painful, dont-give-a-damn service we suffered through on H Street. To begin with, just finding the right office was puzzling. I did not see any signs on the street or on the building itself indicating where the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs was located. Perhaps I missed them. I knew the office had to be around there somewhere because there were big District flags flying outside the complex of buildings and there were several government employees wearing identification tags outside. By chance, I was fortunate to pick the right building on my first try. Entering the building, I looked at the directory for the Corporations Division; it said Seventh Floor. I assumed I would go there to look up a corporate annual report. I proceeded to the Seventh Floor, and got out of the elevator to find no signs indicating where the office was located. Wandering the halls, I finally found the room and entered to find no one there. Finally, a pleasant, friendly woman approached. I told her what I wanted and she directed me back downstairs to your office, the first floor Business Center. I had incorrectly assumed the Business Center was the one-stop permit office, not the office housing corporate records. Now begins my first experience with the new District Government at work. Entering the Business Center, I see several large desks, several teller-like window-desks, and a lot of chairs in the middle of the room. No signs indicate where to go next. I approach the first large desk. Although there are three chairs positioned behind the desk, no one is there. Another man is waiting with me. After a few minutes, a woman returns from the far end of the room. She is Ms. Margaret Gordon. She helps the man next to me with his vending license questions. She is professional, patient and courteous. She also appears to be giving the correct advice, and I am impressed. She helps me next. I tell her I want to check on the status of a corporations last filing. She gives me a form to fill out. It is the right form. I fill it out and return it to her. She gives me a number, 50, and asks me to take a seat. Again, I am impressed. Seems like the new system is working. I take my seat. Time passes. And passes. And passes. The people around me look tired and frustrated. I quickly realize the system is not working. Twenty minutes pass before I hear anyone from the teller-like window- desks call a single number. I was doing some reading and thought maybe I was not hearing them, so I try to pay more attention. The numbers are called, but sporadically and in no apparent order Number 60, then 52, then 35. I am concerned, but then I hear Ms. Gordon explain to someone else that different people are assigned different questions and the numbers are not called in sequential order. So, I try to relax. But, the frustration builds and the familiar H Street pain begins. Now that I am paying closer attention, so as not to miss my number being called, I have to watch the people work behind the teller-like windows. It went something like this at the window-desks I have arbitrarily numbered from right to left: A woman is standing behind the woman at Window 3, talking. She looks at the people waiting about fifteen of us and continues to talk. Eventually, after about 12 minutes of standing and talking, she returns to her Window, number 9, on the other side of the room. I think, a little inter-office break, no big deal. There are a lot of balloons at her desk and she stands and talks some more, then she disappears. Maybe its her birthday. The woman at Window 3, now alone, picks up the telephone. She talks for about 25 minutes. It is clearly a personal call a lot of laughing and eyerolling. I look at her, she looks at me, she continues to talk. She finally gets off the phone. She picks up a catalog and begins to browse. I think, maybe she is on break. I am there over an hour now. She never calls a number. Meanwhile, the woman at Window 1 is looking at some brochures. Mostly shes looking around the room. Sometimes, she looks at the computer. She never calls a number. The woman at Window 2 is pressed into service. Margaret Gordon walks a tax-paying citizen up to her and she has to address some issue. Then, the woman at Window 6 send someone else down to her. She seems upset, but does the work. Then, she gets up and takes a break. No numbers being called here either. At some point, a few men in suits enter behind the row of window-desks. For a few minutes, the room livens upa lot of movement, people doing things. But, after about five minutes, the men leave and I continue to wait for 50. At this point, Ive heard maybe 3 numbers called by a few people apparently working hard at the far end of the room. Maybe the people at the other windows are not supposed to call numbers. But, then, what are they doing? Most of the time, there is no one at Window 4. I think maybe she is at lunch. It is mid afternoon. The Window 4 lady finally makes an appearance. She sits down, picks up the phone, talks and laughs. She hangs up, stands up, looks around the room. She talks to the Woman at Window 5, who apparently was trying to work. She laughs some more. I am not laughing. The women at Windows 1 and 3 are talking now too. Window 2 lady is gone. No numbers are called. Window 4 lady continues to stand in her space. Arms crossed, she looks at us. She picks up a flyer on her desk and reads it. She looks around some more. After about 15 minutes of this, she leaves. Out the door. Maybe her shift is over. Now it is nearly two hours. My meter is about to run out. All I want to do is check the status of a corporate filing. I dont want to get a ticket. I overhear someone at the other end of the room answering a corporate question over the phone, and I think maybe I can do that. I have my cellular phone. Maybe there is a number I can call and talk to one of these people sitting behind these desks. I approach Ms. Gordon and ask if there is a telephone number I can call. She politely asks for my number. I give her my 50. She walks me over to the far end of the room to the few people who appear to be working. They are very nice. In about three minutes, they pull up the information on the computer, print out some forms off of the internet, and I have all my questions answered. Thank you, Mrs. Gordon. Youre a saint. I glance back at the Window ladies. Still no numbers have been called. The people in the chairs slump lower, waiting for Godot. I return to my car, three minutes to spare, and go to work. Yes, things are really turning around in the District. A new Mayor, a pro-active City Council, a budget surplus, talk of desperately needed tax breaks for small businesses, new city offices, stateof- the-art computers.... But where is the management? Where is the work ethic? I have a suggestion perhaps we should be paying these Business Center advisors on a piece-work basis. Pay them by the number of people they help in a day, rather than the number of hours they can sit behind desks finding ways to look busy. If they worked one tenth as hard at serving the business community as they do trying to look as though they are working, I would have been in and out in five minutes. I realize there have been a lot of changes in a relatively short period of time. I can only hope that management and employee training are next on the agenda. I can tell you from experience that www.voiceofthehill.com 25 Lloyd Jordon, the newish director of DCs Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA), says that it is now safe to apply for building permits and business licenses. Contractors and residents need no longer fear the orneriness of either the system, or the employees. And in most cases, youll be in and out of the agency in 20 minutes, and after stopping at a single desk. Now it is nearly two hours. My meter is about to run out. All I want to do is check the status of a corporate filing. I dont want to get a ticket. I overhear someone at the other end of the room answering a corporate question over the phone, and I think maybe I can do that. I have my cellular phone. Maybe there is a number I can call and talk to one of these people sitting behind these desks. VOICE of the Hill / June 18, 1999 26 www.voiceofthehill.com additions since she became Chair to the Committee on Consumer and Regulatory Affairs: AMY MAUROCoverage of Committees on Judiciary, Education, Government Operations, and Education, and Constituent Matters concerning Public Safety & Education Issues. e-mail amauro@ dccouncil. washington.dc.us MARGE FRANCESEExecutive Assistant (maintains the Councilmembers Schedule) e-mail mfrancese@dccouncil.washington.dc.us TAWANNA SHUFORDConstituent Issues (except MPDC), ANC Issues. e-mail tshuford@ dccouncil. washington.dc.us ERIC ROGERSCommittee Coverage of Public Works, Human Services, Finance & Revenue, & Economic Development; Constituent Issues (except MPDC). e-mail erogers@dccouncil.washington. dc.us FRANCINE EDWARDSOffice Admin Assistant. e-mail fedmonds@dccouncil.washington.dc.us ESTHER BUSHMANCommittee Clerk (Committee on Consumer & Regulatory Affairs). e-mail ebushman@dccouncil.washington.dc.us JASMINE YATESCommittee Administrative Assistant. e-mail jyates@dccouncil. washington. dc.us JEFF COUDRIETAlcoholic Beverage Control Issues and other DCRA constituent issues. e-mail jcoudriet@dccouncil.washington.dc.us BRAIN ZIMMETPublic Service Commission, Peoples Counsel, and Insurance Issues. e-mail bzimmet@dccouncil.washington.dc.us SKIP COBURNNuisance and Abandoned Properties and Related Public Safety Issues. e-mail scoburn@dccouncil.washington.dc.us If you wish to reach any of the staffers by mail, the address is: The Honorable Sharon Ambrose Ward 6: Council of the District of Columbia, 441 4th Street, NW, Suite 710, Washington DC 20001. Phone 724-8072; fax 724-8054. e-mail sambrose@ dccouncil.washington.dc.us Getting a Grip on DCs Criminal Justice System Councilmember Brazil Hosts a Seminar If youre endlessly scratching you head over DCs criminal justice system, Councilmember Harold Brazil has arranged a special evening just for you. Brazil has set up a public meeting with US Attorney for DC Wilma Lewis, Chief Judge of DC Superior Court Eugene Hamilton, Police Chief Charles Ramsey, Corrections Trustee John Clark, and an official from the Department of Corrections. The question and answer session will be held on June 23, from 6:30PM to 8:30PM at Council Chambers, 441 4th St., NW. For more information, the contact number is 724-8174, or email hbrazil@dccouncil.washington.dc.us The Download section of The Voice is just a taste of the news that has been posted to www.voiceofthehill. com over the last few weeks articles and news bites, gathered from weeks of web-writings, that we think are worth repeating in the paper. lent purpose. Please contact Ms. Karim or Mr. Galbraith at (202) 698-3299 Staff Changes at Councilmember Sharon Ambroses Office An Up to Date List of Shuffles and Additions Councilmember Sharon Ambroses office has just released a list of staffers, and an update on their responsibilities. There have been a number of people running small businesses, working six and seven days a week, do not have time to waste waiting for the District government to get its act together. My heart goes out to the people I left slumped in their chairs watching the Window ladies in disbelief. And my thanks goes out to Ms. Gordon Dennis P. Bourgault, Esq. Now, we do realize that Dennis Bourgaults experience was not with DCRAs Building Permit and Business License Division. It is, however, a recent experience at the remodeled, upgraded facility. ( It is also a letter that many of us have always wanted to write.) Calling all Computer-Phobes Time to Learn Your Alts and Controls The Northeast Branch Library is currently offering FREE computer workshops for adults in Microsoft Word and Excel. Anyone interested in these classes can call (202) 698-3320 and register with the Librarian. And while were at it: Buddy, can you spare a computer? The Northeast Childrens Librarians are interested in assisting children in the community with their homework assignments. They have a large collection of educational CDs for this purpose, but no stand-alone computer. If anyone on the Hill is interested in donating a computer with a Pentium processor and a CD Rom drive, it would be much appreciated and used for an excel- Recently, Citibank and young Capitol Hill artists collaborated to raise money for art scholarships for the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop and the Watkins Afterschool Enrichment Program at the First Annual KidsArt Exhibition at Citibank. The works will be on sale and on display at Citibank through the end of June. Pictured above holding the banner: Ernest Skinner, Vice President, Citibank; Danielle Flynn; Alani Kravitz; Sarah Maines; Nina Monroy; Emily DeKouadio and Caressa Rice. Second Row: Citibank Staffers Cam Carson-Wagnon; Tarek El Bourini; Ian Briggs; Sheila Cheek; Trevor Hamilton; Georgia Diamantopoulos; Tracey Johnson and Branch Manager, Karen Brooms. A good time was had by all! VOICE of the Hill / June 18, 1999 www.voiceofthehill.com 27 capitalKids Hill Student Excels at School Without Walls 15-Year-Old Elizabeth Bellis Heads for University of Chicago this Fall BY KIRBY CAPEN, SPECIAL HIGH SCHOOL CORRESPONDENT For some people, DC public high schools are about children wearing bullet-proof vests and not being able to read. There are plenty of horror stories, but we sometimes get image and reality confused. The valedictorian of the School Without Walls (SWW) class of 1999, a life-long Hill resident, has gone all the way through the DCPS system from pre-K to 12th grade. Her Grade Point Average is 4.2 on a scale that only goes to 4 (because of her Advanced Placement and college classes). Besides that, she is only 15, a level 9 gymnast (level 9 is third from the top position ranking), a competitive swimmer, a cellist, and she got 800 on the SAT II in literature (where the maximum score is 800.) She is now off to the University of Chicago, thinking about majoring in literature or philosophy. She has found out that her strengths are verbal. She says she is not into math. How can she be graduating from high school at 15? She told me she started to read when she was three. But, in the fourth grade she was bored and acting out. After she was tested, her teachers said to come back next year in the 6th grade. I wondered what made Elizabeth Bellis a star. Having a studious older sister who was valedictorian at SWW the year before gave her a lot to live up to. She told me her parents push her hard, but are supportive. Does she have to work really hard? Even though I have gym three hours a day when Im not hurt, and have to practice cello, its not really that difficult. I just make sure I do a lot of work on the weekends. Three hours a day of gym sounds like a lot of work. Can she be normal? I hang out with friends, spend hours on the phone...listen to music, do pretty much all the normal teenage stuff.... Pretty normal, I guess, even though she hates movies. I wish the best for our Capitol Hill homey. Kirby Capen is a Capitol Hill resident and 9th grade honor student at School Without Walls Mother and Daughter Gain Black Belts Margaret and Stefanie Cytron Trained at Oxford Academy Margaret Cytron, a publications supervisor at the Library of Congress, and her daughter Stefanie, a sixth-grader at Stuart Hobson, were both awarded first degree black belts in Tae Kwon Do at a formal ceremony on June 4, in Richmond, VA. The honors were presented by Grandmaster M.P. Kim, president of the US Tae Kwon Do College, and Master Erica Gutman, who is the Cytrons teacher (and also a Hill resident). Stefanie and her mom have trained together since January 1996 at the Oxford Academy of the Arts. Final black belt tests require demonstration of knowledge of written material and expertise in formal routines, including: kicking, sparring, and breaking boards. Stefanie broke all three of her boards the first time! Metropolitan Police Boys and Girls Club Needs Camping Gear Kids Need Clothes, Bedding, Luggage and Toiletries The Metropolitan Police Boys and Girls Club, in an effort to provide for the children attending Camp Ernest W. Brown this summer, is requesting donations of good, usable items before June 30, 1999. They are in need of the following: Luggage, boys and girls clothing for ages 7-13, towels and wash-cloths, blankets, bed linens, pillows, toiletries. Please leave your donations at Club Number 14, located at 4103 Benning Rd., NE between the hours of 10 AM and 6:30PM. You can also bring donations to the 1st District Substation at 500 E St., SE. For additional information, contact Lt. S. Peters on 727-3566, or Officer J. Leonard at 727- 4661. CHAMPS Salutes Excellence in Education Awards CHAMPS Salutes Excellence in Education Awards are presented annually to an outstanding member of the graduating class at Capitol Hill Day, St. Peters, Stuart-Hobson and Hine Jr. High School. The awardees are selected by the faculty, who are asked to consider excellence in scholarship, leadership and community service. The 1999 Award Winners, each of whom received a Websters Collegiate Dictionary, are: Capitol Hill Day School, Rachel Garwin; Hine Junior High School, Tamika McCalop; St. Peters School, Karla Davis; Stuart-Hobson Middle School, Lynn Cartwright-Punnett. Reading, Games and Crafts for Kids, All Summer Long at the Northeast Branch Library Read Into the Future with the Summer Quest Reading Program. The Northeast Librarys ongoing Summer Program encourages kids to read age-appropriate fiction and non-fictionand get rewards for their participation, like MacDonalds coupons and tickets to sporting events. For wanna-be readers, the library also offers a film and story hour from 10:00 - 11:00 AM on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Beyond the book, theres a Chess/Board Games Club forming. 7-15-year-olds can learn chess and other strategic and educational games on Mondays and Wednesdays from 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM and 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM. Adult note: Donations of chess sets and board games would be appreciated and put to good use. Budding artists have a forum at the library too. The Arts and Crafts Club, also for ages 7 through 15, will develop creativity through work with various media such as paper, yarn, paints, crayons, beads, etc. Times: Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the Summer from 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM. Children may sign up at the Northeast Library or call (202) 698-3299. The Hill has a Winner in Kirby Capen 9th Grader Captures Second Place in Library Photo Contest Capitol Hill resident Kirby Capen, a ninth grader, honor student at School Without Walls, and Voice cub reporter, has been awarded a second place prize of $250 in the Beyond Words: Celebrating Americas Libraries photography contest. A second photo submitted by Capen rated an Honorable Mention. Another Honorable Mention was earned by Cathy Pfeiffer for her entry in the adult amateur division. All of the participants and winners of the contest were honored with an awards ceremony at the Martin Luther King Library in April. First place winners photographs will be forwarded for judging in the national competition which is sponsored by the American Library Association and the Library of Congress, in celebration of the Bicentennial of the Library of Congress. VOICE of the Hill / June 18, 1999 28 www.voiceofthehill.com School News COMPILED BY RANDY NORTON Capitol Hill Day School: Auction Breaks Records. The Day Schools May 7 auction, Millennium Madness at Club 2K, broke all previous records! A big thank you is extended to all of the merchants and neighbors who helped the school raise over $80,000 for the financial aid fund. Celebrating Spring. Students from pre-k through 8th grade celebrated spring on May 21 with a festival featuring song, dance and drama. Students worked with the art department to create sets and props for the event, including a larger than life portrait of Beethoven and hand puppets representing the diverse population of the United States. First graders presented The Binding Tales of Beethovens Bookworm, a lively musical about Beethoven featuring many of his best known melodies. Second graders sang about travelling on the Underground Railroad in a ballad about Harriet Tubman. Third graders demonstrated what they had learned about U.S. immigration through songs, dances and games brought to this country from Ireland, Greece, Ghana and Chile. Fourth through seventh graders sang a variety of American folk songs. Eighth graders performed scenes from Shakespeares Much Ado About Nothing, a reprise of their performance at the Folger Theater earlier in the month. Afterwards, the enthusiastic performers and their families and friends gathered in Providence Park for an ice cream social, generously provided by the Ben and Jerrys at the Old Post Office Pavilion. Graduation Day. Eighth grader Rachel Garwin was the CHAMPS Salutes Excellence Award winner. Rachels teachers say shes always motivated, shows thoughtfulness and creativity in her written assignments, asks plenty of questions to deepen her understanding of material, and actively participates in classroom discussions. The well-rounded Ms Rachael also plays soccer and basketball, is captain of the CHDS girls basketball team, is a fine actressand has an excellent sense of humor. Also recognized for excellence in academic performance were Colin DeGraf, Kate Spivey, and Iris Lowery. Math, science and computer buff, Colin, is also an avid reader of science fiction, and a whiz at physics. Teachers say he is a positive, if quiet, role model for his fellow students. Kate is an animated and expressive writer(one of 40 finalists in the citywide Parkmont Poetry Festival. Shes also a smashing actress, who played the title role in the sixth grade musical Oliver! And she swims competitively outside of school. Iris is an all-around excellent student, long-distance runner, and actress. In the eighth grade performance of Much Ado About Nothing she gave a stellar performance as Beatrice, the female lead. She also played the role of Nancy in the sixth grade performance of Oliver! Congratulations to the graduating eighth graders: Nick Barbash, Megan Bradley, Justine DOoge, Colin DeGraf, Rick Edwards, Rachel Garwin, Cameron Latimer, Hugh Livengood, Iris Lowery, Sasha Ludwig-Siegel, Summer Martin, Allison Mathis, Anna Soloway, Kate Spivey, Brandon Swain, and Jio Thompson. We wish them all the best as they go on to high school! Capitol Hill Cluster Schools: Stuart Hobson receives EXXON Award. Stuart Hobson was the only District of Columbia school selected for the 1999 EXXON Award for Schools. The award of $1,000 was presented at an assembly in which the students were encouraged to strive to achieve despite the obstacles in their lives. Capital Childrens Museum Summer Camps VOICE of the Hill / June 18, 1999 Jazz Jumpers Triumph Stuart Hobson Jazz Jumpers triumphed at the 1999 Double Dutch tournament semifinals. The fifth grade teams took first and fifth places in the singles division and second in the doubles. The sixth grade teams took second in singles and doubles. The seventh grade teams finished first and second in singles and first in the doubles division. At the citywide finals the Stuart Hobson seventh grade singles and doubles teams received third place trophies. The seventh grade and fifth grade teams also garnered fourth place finishes at the finals. Special Recognition. Stuart Hobson teachers Sandra Jenkins and Lesa Warrick-Thomas (and their students) received certificates of appreciation from the Anacostia Watershed Society. Catherine Taylor was Stuart Hobson teacher of the month of May, while Diedre Neal earned the honor for April, and Karen Waters for March. Alicia Nash was named teacher of the month for June. Veronica Marrero Receives Essay Award. Veronica Marrero, a 12 year old student at Stuart Hobson Middle School won the third place prize of $25 in an essay contest sponsored by the District of Columbia World War Memorial and May Day Corp. The topic was Why my teacher is the good news in education. The good news teacher who was the subject of Ms. Marreros essay was Diedre Neal of Stuart Hobson. Cluster Students Complete Frog Count for the Year. Eighth graders at Stuart Hobson have finished their counting of the frogs project at the Aquatic Gardens. A frog party, was held on Thursday, June 3 at Peabody Elementary to celebrate their fine work. (For details on the project, see story in the May Voice). Stuart Hobson Students Honored. Cosby Washington has been selected to participate in an aeronautics and rocketry course, and has been awarded a full scholarship to attend a www.voiceofthehill.com 29 summer program at the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore. Andy Serfass was selected by American Aerodyne Aviation to participate in the annual Air Show at Andrews Air Force Base on May 14. Lynn Cartwright-Punnett and Andy Serfass were nominated for the Discovery Young Scientist Award, the winner of which receives a prize of $10,000. Langston Tingling-Clemons won second place and Charles Davis was third in the I Love Life and Want to Live contest. Fifth grader Tyeisha Stuckey was awarded $100 for her essay on Racial Justice in a YMCA essay contest. Eighth graders Vanessa Marrero and Mark Parker were first-tier winners in the Do the Write Thing Contest. Stuart Hobson Students of the Month of April were: fifth graders Evan Wright and Marita Percival; sixth graders Megan Arias and Keith Andrews; seventh graders Jeremiah Perry and Natika Townsend; and eighth graders Tiffany Mattocks and David Powell. Eliot Junior High: Roach Receives Assistant Principal of Year Award. Eliot Junior High Assistant Principal Andre Roach was named Assistant Principal of the Year for the District of Columbia. Mr. Roach, who in the past also served as assistant principal at Stuart Hobson Middle School, received the award from The National Association of Secondary School Principals and McDonalds restaurants. Mr. Phew! The frog count is officially over. Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 10-9 Friday, Saturday 10-6 Sunday 12-6 522 Eighth Street, SE 202.543.3030 Drymount & Lamination Conservation Framing Pre-framed gifts Commercial Discounts Calligraphy Major Credit Cards Accepted Buy 2, Get 1 Free! Bring in any three items for framing and the least expensive is FREE! OR take 20% off any 2 items OR 15% off 1 item. Frame of Mine offers custom framing but we specialize in do-it-yourself picture framing. We cut all the materials and work with you to put it all together. You leave with a picture thats ready to hang! VOICE of the Hill / June 18, 1999 Mets Cole Roofing Braves Pellet Construction Dodgers Dr. Ray Rangers Antique & Contemporary Leasing T-Ball games are played at Providence Park, 3rd and E St. SE, from June 12 to July 31 (except July 3). Saturdays 9 AM, Wednesdays 6 PM. Coach Pitch (for 7-8 Year-Olds) Pirates Nortel Marlins Fragers Hardware Yankees Grubbs Pharmacy Twins Pardoe Real Estate Diamondbacks Saguaro Silver White Sox Rush Construction Games are played at Kingsman Field, 13th and D St., NE, from June 12 to July 31 (except July 3). Saturdays 9AM and 10:30 AM. Tuesdays and Wednesdays 6 PM Coach Pitch (for 9 - 11 Year-Olds) Cardinals architrave, p.c. architects Rockies Federal Funding Mortgage Corp. Orioles Congressional Title Tigers Doolittles Pet Shop Games are played at Tyler Field, 10th and G St, SE, from June 12 to July 31(except July 3). Saturdays 9AM and 11 AM. Tuesdays and Wednesdays 6 PM. Volunteers Are Needed! The league needs volunteers for field preparation and maintenance tasks. Teams need help marking foul lines, setting up bases and with various gametime tasks. Two crews are needed, one for Kingsman Field at 13th and D, NE, and one for Tyler Field at 10th and G St, SE. Please donate your time to help provide positive recreation opportunities for our children. Each volunteer will receive a green golf type polo shirt to be worn for games (and around the Hill). Contact John Parker, League Commissioner; (W) 202-546-7000 x251 or (H) 202-546-8570. 30 www.voiceofthehill.com Capitol Hill Childrens Baseball Season Begins! The 9th season of the Capitol Hill Childrens Baseball League began on June 12th. This year more than 250 kids from Capitol Hill and nearby areas of DC, Maryland, and Virginia registered. The league has 3 divisions, T- ball, 7 - 8 yr. old coach pitch, and 9 - 11 yr. old coach pitch. Here are the teams, sponsors, and schedules. T - Ball Blue Jays National Capital Bank Mariners Stanton Development Athletics Halberstein & Byrne Reds Als Pizza Roach, an educator in the Washington area for 30 years, received a ring and an award of $1,000. Holy Comforter St. Cyprians: Holy Comforter St. Cyprian Roman Catholic School has announced its 1999 graduates from Eighth Grade and Kindergarten. Congratulations to all! Eighth grade graduates are: Camille Ashford, Gerald Battle, Lotonja Carroll, Cynthia Cheatham, Joseph Gray-Rush, Jermani Hickman, Cladoris Kemp, Jerry Limes, Ronald Metts, Chris Powell, TaVon Sneed, Chris Wallace, and Tinika Williams. Graduating from Kindergarten are: Dajuan Anthony Adams, Antwan Alphonso Aiken, Courtni Megan Cade, Michael Avery Cain II, Sade Nicole Canty, Kerrick Odell Craig, Jr., Kyandra Leshae Crowder, Jeremiah Angie Hendy, Glenn Everett Johnson, Darien Michelle Lawrence, Carlton Richard Mays, Cortanee Marie Moore, Janae Nicole Shaw, Kevin Jamal Simpson, Tiara Sade Smith, Cahli Marcus Thomas, Shannel Rayon Wallace, Darius Eugene Warren, Sterling Alexander Willis, LaTiller Jennie Wilson, and Ashley Ann Young. St. Peters School: Award Winning 8th Graders. Amanda Reid received the St. Peters PTO award for her contributions in service, citizenship, and scholarship. Karla Davis was presented the CHAMPS Salutes Excellence Award as an all around good student and contributing member of the class. Kara Wagner received the Knights of Columbus award for faith and service. Ryann Williams received the American Legion Award, an award voted by his peers, for his patriotism, schol- Notice! The deadline for the July edition of the Voice of the Hill is July 1, 1999. Since schools coordinator Randy Norton will be taking a brief break, please send all July information to the attention of Stephanie Cavanaugh, Voice of the Hill, 120 11th Street, SE, Washington, DC 20003. You may also e-mail to stephanie@voiceofthehill.com, or fax to 202-547-5133. You may also phone her with questions at 202-544- 2557. We particularly need student writing and news of valedictorians, graduates, and honor students from the school year just ending. If you have your September schedule set, please send that along as well. Remember: If you dont let us know your news, theres a good chance we wont know about it. Thanks for your help! Full Moon BY ERIC SCHLEIN The moon is full tonight, And there is something not quite right While lying in my bed, I hear a howling, And all of a sudden a peculiar growling. While stepping down, and onto the floor, I hear a knocking at the door. Tis a knocking like no other; Could it be my long lost brother? I shiver and quiver like never before, Standing in silence beside the door. I slowly move to take a peek, And there he is, my neighbors cat Zeek. So it was just a cat. How about that! But theres one thing for certain, As I try to close the curtain The moon is full tonight, And there is something not quite right. Eric Schlein is in the 7th grade at the Owl School Look for more kids writing in the July Voice of the Hill. arship and honor. Kathleen Johnston gave the valedictory address. St. Peters Graduates Select High Schools. St. Peters graduating eighth graders are off to a wide variety of high schools. Adriana Ciocci and Amanda Reid will attend Bishop OConnell, Karla Davis is going to Our Lady of Good Counsel, Danielle Flythe is off to Stone Ridge, Marcus Gates will attend Archbishop Carroll, Courtney Barefoot, Rhonda Richardson and Tiffany Hall are headed for the Academy of the Holy Cross, Kara Wagner and Kathleen Johnston will be at Georgetown Visitation, Steven Lacy and Garrett Wong are going to Gonzaga, Whitney Lanum will be at Our Lady of Good Counsel, Tamika Lewis has chosen Seton, Eunice Parker-Mann may be going to St. Johns (shes undecided), Kelly Watkins will attend Liberty High School (Fauquier County, VA), and Ryan Williams is off to Benjamin Banneker High School. SPORTS NEWS COMPILED BY LARRY KAUFER SPORTS VOICE of the Hill / June 18, 1999 www.voiceofthehill.com 31 BY STEPHANIE DEUTSCH Stephanie Jane Nagley, the new associate rector at St. Marks Church, grew up a long way from Capitol Hilland took a circuitous route to get here. Until she was ten, she lived in the tiny town of Lacrosse, Washington (population 350), then her family moved to the big city of Pendleton (with its 15,000 people and annual rodeo), and moved yet again (when she was a senior in high school) to Spokane. Stephanie has zigzagged the country several times in the years since then, living in Texas, Wisconsin, Ohio, Virginia and California, and now has come here, to be part of our community. I didnt grow up on the wrong side of the tracks, Stephanie says, explaining the moves of her childhood years. But I did live between them. Her father was an agent and telegrapher with the Union Pacific Railroad and her first home was the train depot in Lacrosse. One of her earliest memories is of her father setting his watch every morning so that it exactly matched railroad time. Another is of the Y stick he used to hand messages up to the engineers of the trains that stopped at his station. Lacrosse was a happy place to be a child, with lots of bike riding, easy friendships and a gas station so relaxed, says Stephanie, that Bob Gordons dog used to charge ice cream bars at Charlie Freebergs gas station. Stephanie loved animals and told her grandfather she wanted to be a vet when she grew up. Why dont you be a doctor, he suggested. So she went into nursing. As it happens, she eventually got her PhD from Case Western Reserve (the Harvard of nursing she calls it) in Cleveland, and spent eleven years teaching at Kent State and at Case. Ten years ago, when she was in her late thirties, Stephanie felt the sense of call that led her away from nursing and towards the priesthood. It definitely was not convenient, she says. She was doing research as well as teaching, and her work was stimulating, but I found that the kingdom didnt come because I could think better; I needed to reconnect with something more basic. It took a year to make the decision that led her, in the fall of 1990, to Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria. At Virginia, she found that old habits die hard, and she became the Seminary nurse. But she was also enthralled by her theological studies and active in student government, serving as the student body president in her final year. That was good preparation for her first job after ordination, which was as associate rector at a large, quite traditional, Anglo-Catholic church in La Jolla, California. We had 800 members so it was busy, she remembers. Eucharist every day, four services on Sunday, 15 to 20 weddings and 15 to 20 funerals a year. It was a big church. La Jolla was a learning experience in other ways, too. It was a traditional church community and not everyone was receptive to a female priest. I had the experience of clergy refusing to celebrate with me, she says. There were times when this was difficult, but it also helped strengthen her own commitment to her new career. When she got a phone call from the St. Marks search committee, looking for an associate for Paul Abernathy, the new rector, she was interested. There are churches out there that just have reputations. You know about them, Stephanie says, St. Marks is one. It was, in particular, the tradition of strong lay leadership and openness to the new that attracted her. When she came east to see the place, she and Abernathy clicked immediately. She started working at St. Marks in January. While female clergy is not a controversial topic at St. Marks, the congregation has been wrestling with a decision that certainly will be. In an upcoming meeting, the Vestry will conclude two years of exploration and decide if St. Marks will offer a church blessing to same sex unions. Stephanie knew this was on the agenda when she accepted the job, though she was not queried specifically on her views about it. It is not, however, a subject on which she is reticent. How we spend ourselves in our intimate lives, thats how we relate to God, Stephanie says. It is absolutely central, she believes, to be monogamous in such relationships. She feels it is tragic for the church not to strongly support monogamy, including when it is between people of the same sex. It is her view that the blessing of such unions will actually strengthen traditional marriage, not undermine it as some fear. Intimate unions present the ideal of one person offering himself, or herself, in service to another person. That, Stephanie says, is a good thing. Despite her busy schedule and engrossing work, Stephanie still has time to enjoy getting to know the Hill. Though she settled in Alexandria, a place she was familiar with from her time at seminary, she admits she has dreams of a little town house on Capitol Hill. She loves the neighborhood, and gets a particular kick out of seeing the tourists. Theyre so excited about the city, she remarks, and its so open to them. The Capitol, the Supreme Court, the Library of Congress, its all just right there for everyone to go into and see and experience. I like that. Stephanie Deutsch is a Capitol Hill based freelance writer. Churches Interview with Stephanie Nagley VOICE of the Hill / June 18, 1999 CURRENT EXHIBITIONS EXHIBITIONS AT THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS The Work of Charles and Ray Eames: A Legacy of Invention The first posthumous retrospective of the work of the influential husband-and-wife design team of Charles and Ray Eames is on view in the Northwest Gallery of the Library of Congress, Thomas Jefferson Building; it will remain through September 4. The Eameses are perhaps best known for the form-fitting chairs that bear their name, but they also designed and created buildings, toys, films, multimedia presentations, exhibitions and books. The exhibition, The Work of Charles and Ray Eames: A Legacy of Invention, draws together more than 500 items from their vast body of work - uniting the sources of their inspiration, the personal documents of their lives and the finished products of their genius. An Eames film program began May 25; see schedule for details. Hours for the exhibition are 10 AM to 5 PM Monday-Saturday. Public contact: (202) 707- 4604. By Securing to Authors: Copyright, Commerce, and Creativity in America (Fourth Floor, Green/Blue Corridors, Madison Building, indefinitely) The exhibition features a wide range of items that have been copyrighted in America, including original Ken and Barbie dolls, Martin Luther King, Jr.s I Have a Dream speech and the statue of the Maltese Falcon that was used in the film of the same name. Exhibition hours are 8:30 AM to 5 PM, Monday-Friday. HERE TO STAY: THE LEGACY OF GEORGE AND IRA GERSHWIN (George and Ira Gershwin Room, Northwest Ground Floor Corridor of the Jefferson Building, open indefinitely) The George and Ira Gershwin Room is a permanent exhibition area for materials from the Librarys George and Ira Gershwin Collection, the worlds preeminent resource for the documentary legacy of the Gershwin brothers. Here to Stay: The Legacy of George and Ira Gershwin includes Georges piano and desk, Iras typing table and typewriter, a self-portrait oil painting of each brother, handwritten musical manuscripts and other documents that chronicle their lives and careers. An audio-video kiosk allows visitors to view film footage and learn more about the Gershwins and their music. Exhibitions at the Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 East Capitol St., SE Seeing What Shakespeare Means Exhibit celebrates the New Folger Library Shakespeare editions of the plays, published and distributed nationwide by Washington Square Press. Illustrations from 16th and 17th century books in the Folger Library collection illuminate Shakespeares metaphors and make known the unfamiliar. See what Shakespeare meant when he called Cupid a blind really boy or when he said it harrows me with fear. Behold such wonders as armies flying in the sky or men whose heads grow beneath their shoulders. Through August 21. The Shakespeare Gallery The Shakespeare Gallery is a new resource for Folger visitors, enabling them to explore the Folger collection and extensive material on Shakespeare through an innovative interactive computer program. The permanent multimedia exhibition is adjacent to the Folger Great Hall. Exhibitions at the Capital Childrens Museum, 800 Third Street, NE. 50 Winning Posters from the 1999 Reading is FUNdamental Poster Contest The theme of the 1999 Reading is FUNdamental Poster Contest, Read With Me, inspired entries from hundreds of thousands of children across America. The 50 best are on display from June 2 through September 6, 1999. Everybody Wins! Books Project Exhibition The Museum and Everybody Wins! DC proudly present an exhibit featuring books created by children in this years Books Project, an interactive literary experience for third graders at Gage-Eckington Elementary School. The children worked with expert volunteers to write, illustrate and bind their very own wonderful and imaginative stories. Runs June 5 through September 6, 1999. US Savings Bonds National Student Poster Contest The 52 first place winners of this years US Savings Bonds national Student Poster Contest are on exhibit through July 25, 1999. Over 28,000 children participated in last years contest, representing all 50 states, DC, and Puerto Rico. Exhibitions at the Postal Museum, Down With Frauds! Taxation as Consumer Protection In the 1870s, a widespread reform movement to regulate and tax adulterated products began to appear in the United States. For the first time, federal regulations mandated new standards for truthful labeling and product advertising. Down with the Frauds! features more than 25 rare revenue stamps used to identify imitation products and to provide revenue to the government to pay for the costs of enforcing truthful advertising, correct labeling and new consumer laws. Through September 10, 1999. THE GRACEFUL ENVELOPE A selection of 75 artful envelopes from around the world is on view from the museums fifth annual Graceful Envelope Contest. Calligraphers created decorative envelopes using this years theme, celebrate the beauty in nature. Participants used scores of different styles, decorative paper, special inks and paints to transform their envelopes into works of art. Through October 31, 1999. June Friday, June 18 US Armed Forces Military Bands Summer Concert. 8PM, East Terrace, US Capitol. Concerts are every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday through August 31. Same time, same place. Musical Praise Worship in Lincoln Park 7:30pm in Lincoln Park. Join the Lincoln Park UMC Inspirational Choir in concert while the sun is setting Marine Parade. Marine Barracks, 8th and I Sts., SE. Repeated this and every Friday evening through August 27th. Admission to Parades is FREE and open to the public. However, reservations are strongly recommended. To reserve, send a post card to: Parade Tickets, Marine Barracks, 8th and I Sts., SE, Washington, DC 20390. For recorded Parade information, call 202-433-6060 Do the Right Thing (40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks/ Universal, 1989), a National Film Registry nominee is tonights film at the Library of Congress. 7 PM, Mary Pickford Theater. Reservations may be made by phone, beginning one week before any given show, by calling (202) 707-5677. Reserved seats must be claimed at least 10 minutes before show time, after which standbys will be admitted to unclaimed seats. All programs are free, but seating is limited to 64 seats. Yappy Hour! Dog Adoption! Washington Humane Society volunteers will be on hand with some canines in search of human companions! From 4:30 until 6:30 PM in front of Doolittles. 224 7th St., SE. Saturday, June 19 Tall Ships and Fireworks. Celebrate the 200th birthday of the Washington Navy Yard at the two-day Waterfront Festival! Several tall ships will be tourable (and organizers hope to arrange a watery gun battle). Therell also be band concerts, exhibitions by the Navy and Marine Drill Teams, military reenactments, plenty of food booths, and fireworks on Saturday night. Saturday the Festival runs from 11AM to 7PM. Sunday theyll roll out the cannons from Noon to 5PM. The Navy Yards at 8th and M Sts., SE. Storytelling and Story Illustrating Festival. Meet special guest Pappy Drewitt, from the popular PBS television show Pappyland. All day event. And while youre here make a pop-up fathers day card for pop (from Noon- 3PM). The Capital Childrens Museum. 800 3rd St., NE. Gospelfest and Career Fair. Food, job information for individuals 14 and up, and the music of at least three gospel choirs. Payne School, 11PM to 3PM. FREE. Make Cool Stuff for Dad from Stamps! The Hands-on Learning Center at the Postal Museum will show you the way to use canceled stamps to make cool crafts - bookmarks, paperweights, pencil holders, coasters, magnets. All of them, perfect gifts for Fathers Day. Postal Museum, 1-3PM. Folger Shakespeare Library Garden Tour. Two tours today , 10 AM and 11AM. 201 E. Capitol St., SE. 544-4600. Sunday, June 20 HAPPY FATHERS DAY! Tall Ships and Fireworks. Celebrate the 200th birthday of the Washington Navy Yard at the two-day Waterfront Festival! Several tall ships will be tourable (and organizers hope to arrange a watery gun battle). Therell also be band concerts, exhibitions by the Navy and Marine Drill Teams, military reenactments, plenty of food booths. Noon to 5PM. Washington Navy Yard. 8th and M Sts., SE. Make a Pop-Up Fathers Day Card II! Craft it for that special dad in your life at the Capital Childrens Museum. 800 3rd St., NE. NOON - 3PM. Monday, June 21 Yoga Basics. Free class at DancingHeart Center for Yoga. 5:30 PM. 221 Fifth St., NE. Call 544-0841 to reserve space. US Armed Forces Military Bands Summer Concert. 8PM, East Terrace, US Capitol. Concerts are every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday through August 31. Same time, same place. Tuesday, June 22 The Combat History of the Navy Hospital Corps with Mark Hacala, U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation. 10:30AM to 11:30AM. Marine Corps Historical Center. Washington Navy Yard, 8th and M Sts., SE. US Armed Forces Military Bands Summer Concert. 8PM, East Terrace, US Capitol. Concerts are every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday through August 31. Same time, same place. Wednesday, June 23 The Presidents Own US Marine Band Concert. West Terrace of the US Capitol. 8PM. For more info call 433- 4011. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. Directed by John Ford and featuring: Jimmy Stewart, John Wayne, Vera Miles and Lee Marvin. Presented by Capitol Hill Cine. Market 5 Gallery, Eastern Market (Corner of 7th Street and North Carolina Ave. SE). 8PM. $5.00 at the door (bring a little extra for popcorn, beer, and soda). FREE Yoga Classes at DancingHeart. Gentle/ Prenatal session at 6PM, beginners class at 7:15PM. DancingHeart Center for Yoga & the Art of Living. 221 Fifth St., NE. You must call to register! 544-0841 33rd Annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival Begins! Music, dance, song, food, crafts, storytelling, demonstrations, cultural workshops. On the Mall. Daily, June 23-27 and June 30-July 4. 11 AM to 5:30 PM. Evening concerts and dancing 5:30-9PM (except July 4). Thursday, June 24 33rd Annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival! Music, dance, song, food, crafts, storytelling, demonstrations, cultural workshops. On the Mall. Daily, June 23-27 and June 30-July 4. 11 AM to 5:30 PM. Evening concerts and dancing 5:30-9PM (except July 4). 32 www.voiceofthehill.com Community calendar VOICE of the Hill / June 18, 1999 Friday, June 25 33rd Annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival! Music, dance, song, food, crafts, storytelling, demonstrations, cultural workshops. On the Mall. Daily, June 23-27 and June 30-July 4. 11 AM to 5:30 PM. Evening concerts and dancing 5:30-9PM (except July 4). Yoga. Free open class at DancingHeart Center for Yoga. 5:30 PM. 221 Fifth St., NE. Call 544-0841 to reserve space. Only in the Way (1911); The Cry of the Children (1912); The Vagabonds (1915); and The World and the Woman (1916), historic silent films (with live musical accompaniment) produced by the Thanhouser Co., tonight at the Library of Congress. Edwin W. Ned Thanhouser, grandson of silent motion picture pioneers Edwin and Gertrude Thanhouser, will guest curate the program of films that chronicle the evolution of early cinematic style. Films will be screened in the Mary Pickford Theater, Library of Congress, at 6:30 PM and will be repeated at the same time on Tuesday, June 29. See June 18 listing for reservation information. Marine Parade. Marine Barracks, 8th and I Sts., SE. Repeated this and every Friday evening through August 27th. Admission to Parades is FREE and open to the public. However, reservations are strongly recommended. To reserve, send a post card to: Parade Tickets, Marine Barracks, 8th and I Sts., SE, Washington, DC 20390. For recorded Parade information, call 202-433-6060 Saturday, June 26 Doolittles K-9 Socialization Group! Designed for dogs who have some obedience skills and reliability around distractions. Emphasis is on heeling, sit-stays, down-stays (and fun!) around the Eastern Market area. No reservation needed! $10.00 per session (FREE for those who have previously trained with Michelle Beardsley, Capital Canines!). 224 7th St. SE. 544-8710 Make an Oragami Book. Folding fun at the Capital Childrens Museum. 800 Third St., NE. Noon -3 PM. Call 675-4120 for information. Sunday, June 27 Make a Sun Shader at the Childrens Museum. Get ready for summer sun and fun. Make and decorate your very own sun shader for the summer - youll stay looking cool all summer long. Capital Childrens Museum. 800 3rd St., NE. NOON - 3PM. Writing Effective Letters of Complaint. Author Ellen Phillips shares the secrets of writing effective complaint letters. Book signing follows. 2- 3 PM. Discovery Center. National Postal Museum. 2 Massachusetts Ave., NE 33rd Annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival! Music, dance, song, food, crafts, storytelling, demonstrations, cultural workshops. On the Mall. Daily, June 23-27 and June 30-July 4. 11 AM to 5:30 PM. Evening concerts and dancing 5:30-9PM (except July 4). Monday, June 28 US Armed Forces Military Bands Summer Concert. 8PM, East Terrace, US Capitol. Concerts are every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday through August 31. Same time, same place. Tuesday, June 29 US Armed Forces Military Bands Summer Concert. 8PM, East Terrace, US Capitol. Concerts are every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday through August 31. Same time, same place. Library of Congress Films. The Thanhouser film program is repeated this evening at 6:30 p.m. See June 18 listing for reservation information. On Ralph Ellisons Invisible Man. John Callahan, literary executor of the Ralph Ellison estate, delivers the annual Bradley Lecture with a talk on Ellisons masterpiece in the Montpelier Room, sixth floor of the Madison Building, Library of Congress, at 6:30 PM. Public contact: (202) 707-3302. The Capitol Hill Restoration Societys Preservation Forum. Meet James van Sweden, of world famous landscape architectural firm Oehme and van Sweden. 6:30 PM at Giorgios, 218 7th St., SE. Wednesday, June 30 The Presidents Own US Marine Band Concert. West Terrace of the US Capitol. 8PM. For more info call 433- 4011. Juneteenth. Author and scholar John Callahan makes a second appearance at the Library of Congress with a discussion of his own editorial work on the just-published posthumous novel by Ralph Ellison, in the popular Books & Beyond series. His title for this evenings program is Juneteenth: On Editing Ellisons Posthumous Novel. The event will be held in the Mumford Room, sixth floor of the Madison Building, at 6:30 PM. Public contact: (202) 707-5221. 33rd Annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival. Music, dance, song, food, crafts, storytelling, demonstrations, cultural workshops. On the Mall. Daily, June 23-27 and June 30-July 4. 11 AM to 5:30 PM. Evening concerts and dancing 5:30-9PM (except July 4). July Thursday, July 1 When Knights Were Bold (Biograph, 1908); Richard the Lionhearted (Cines, 1912); Shamus OBrien (Imp, 1912); Brennan of the Moor (Solax, 1913); and Kidnapped (Edison, 1917) will be shown tonight, at 7 PM at the Library of Congress, as part of the summer series on adventure films from the silent era. All films will be shown in the Mary Pickford Theater on the 3rd floor of the Madison Building. See June 18 listing for reservation information. Public contact: (202) 707-5677. 33rd Annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival! Music, dance, song, food, crafts, storytelling, demonstrations, cultural workshops. On the Mall. Daily, June 23-27 and June 30-July 4. 11 AM to 5:30 PM. Evening concerts and dancing 5:30-9PM (except July 4). Friday, July 2 Lost in America (Warner Bros., 1985) and The World of Franklin and Jefferson (Eames Office, 1976) tonight at the Library of Congress. Both films will be shown in the Mary Pickford Theater, at 7 PM. The film by Charles and Ray Eames is being screened in connection with the Eames exhibition in the Jefferson Building. Free. See June 18 listing for reservation information. Public contact: (202) 707-5677. Marine Parade. Marine Barracks, 8th and I Sts., SE. Repeated this and every Friday evening through August 27th. Admission to Parades is FREE and open to the public. However, reservations are strongly recommended. To reserve, send a post card to: Parade Tickets, Marine Barracks, 8th and I Sts., SE, Washington, DC 20390. For recorded Parade information, call 202-433-6060 33rd Annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival! Music, dance, song, food, crafts, storytelling, demonstrations, cultural workshops. On the Mall. Daily, June 23-27 and June 30-July 4. 11 AM to 5:30 PM. Evening concerts and dancing 5:30-9PM (except July 4). US Armed Forces Military Bands Summer Concert. 8PM, East Terrace, US Capitol. Concerts are every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday through August 31. Same time, same place. Saturday, July 3 Make a Personal Art Book. Get crafty at the Capital Childrens Museum. Noon - 3 PM. 800 3rd St., NE. For more info call 675-4120 33rd Annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival! Music, dance, song, food, crafts, storytelling, demonstrations, cultural workshops. On the Mall. Daily, June 23-27 and June 30-July 4. 11 AM to 5:30 PM. Evening concerts and dancing 5:30-9PM (except July 4). Sunday, July 4 Fireworks, the National Symphony Orchestra, Picnic at the Capitol. Independence Day events: all day, the last day, of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the Mall. Noon parade on Constitution Avenue; 5-9:15 PM free entertainment at the Sylvan Theatre on the Washington Monument grounds; 8 PM, the star-studded concert on the west steps of the Capitol Building; 9:20 PM FIREWORKS! Monday, July 5 US Armed Forces Military Bands Summer Concert. 8PM, East Terrace, US Capitol. Concerts are every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday through August 31. Same time, same place. Beginner Line Dance at Red River. Four week session begins tonight. 7:30-8:30 PM. 641 PA Ave., SE. 546-5566. Tuesday, July 6 The Red Kimono (Mrs. Wallace Reid Productions, 1925), a film from director Dorothy Arzner, will be shown in the Mary Pickford Theater, Library of Congress, at 7PM. See June 18 listing for additional information. Public contact: (202) 707-5677. US Armed Forces Military Bands Summer Concert. 8PM, East Terrace, US Capitol. Concerts are every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday through August 31. Same time, same place. Wednesday, July 7 The Presidents Own US Marine Band Concert. West Terrace of the US Capitol. 8PM. For more info call 433- 4011. Thursday, July 8 Beginner 2-Step Classes at Red River. Four week course begins tonight. 7:30-8:15 PM. Advanced beginner session is 8:30-9:15 PM. 641 PA Ave., SE. 546-5566. Goods (Eames Office, 1981), and American Madness (Columbia, 1932) are two films scheduled at the Library of Congress for this evening. They will be screened at 7 PM in the Mary Pickford Theater. See June 18 listing for additional information. Public contact: (202) 707-5677. Friday, July 9 Marine Parade. Marine Barracks, 8th and I Sts., SE. Repeated this and every Friday evening through August 27th. Admission to Parades is FREE and open to the public. However, reservations are strongly recommended. To reserve, send a post card to: Parade Tickets, Marine Barracks, 8th and I Sts., SE, Washington, DC 20390. For recorded Parade information, call 202-433-6060 Learn East Coast Swing Dance at Red River. Four week course begins tonight. 7:30-8:30 PM. 641 PA Ave., SE. 546-5566. My Fair Lady (Warner Bros., 1964), George Cukors Oscar-winning film, can be seen in tonights program at the Mary Pickford Theater, Library of Congress, beginning at 6 PM. See June 18 listing for additional information. Public contact: (202) 707- 5677. US Armed Forces Military Bands Summer Concert. 8PM, East Terrace, US Capitol. Concerts are every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday through August 31. Same time, same place. Saturday, July 10 Creating and Telling a Story Workshop. With master story teller Bill Grimmette. Two sessions, 1-1:30 PM and 2-2:30 PM. Also today: Make a Book Cover. Decorate your own book cover. Noon-3 PM. Both events at the Capital Childrens Museum. 800 Third St., NE. For more info call 675-4120. Cat Adoption! K-9 Socialization! Socialization class at 10 AM is designed for dogs who have had some obedience skills and are reliable around distractions. Emphasis is on heeling, sitstays, down-stays (and fun!). No reservation needed! $10.00 per session (free for those who have previously trained with Michelle Beardsley, Capital Canines). Washington Humane Society brings on the poor homeless kittys from 11AM - 2PM. Doolittles, 224 7th St., SE. Sunday, July 11 Decorate Your Personal Art Books Cover. Coool activity at Capital Childrens Museum. Noon to 3PM. 800 3rd St., NE. For more info, 675-4120. Monday, July 12 US Armed Forces Military Bands Summer Concert. 8PM, East Terrace, US Capitol. Concerts are every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday through August 31. Same time, same place. Tuesday, July 13 US Armed Forces Military Bands Summer Concert. 8PM, East Terrace, US Capitol. Concerts are every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday through August 31. Same time, same place. The Cossack Whip (Edison, 1916) and two different versions of Beverly of Graustark (Biograph, 1916; Cosmopolitan, 1926) will be screened tonight in the Mary Pickford Theater, Library of Congress, at 6:30 PM. See June 18 listing for additional information. Public contact: (202) 707-5677. ANC6B Meeting. 921 PA Ave., SE. 7PM Wednesday, July 14 The Presidents Own US Marine Band Concert. West Terrace of the US Capitol. 8PM. For more info call 433- 4011. Thursday, July 15 Blowup (MGM, 1966) and SX-70 (Eames Office, 1972) are being shown in the Mary Pickford Theater, Library of Congress, at 7 PM See June 18 listing for additional information. Public contact: (202) 707-5677. Theres a Duck in There Somewhere! Watch and speak with noted duck decoy carver, Sandy Stromberg, as he demonstrates the art of duck decoy carving and painting at the National Postal Museum. Demonstrations will continue on July 15, 17, 22, 29, 30 from 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM until the original block of wood is finally transformed into a beautiful duck decoy. This series of demonstrations celebrates the recent issuance of the 1999 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services Federal Duck Stamp. Friday, July 16 Tocatta for Toy Trains (Eames Office, 1957) and Closely Watched Trains (Filmove Studio Barrandov, 1966) are tonights films at the Library of Congress, Mary Pickford Theater. Showtime is www.voiceofthehill.com 33 prego Italian Deli Carryout, Italian Groceries and Cheeses 210 7th Street, SE 202-547-8686 Gandels GOURMET DELI & LIQUORS Fine Wines and Liquors Gourmet Deli and Carryout 211 Pennsylvania Ave., SE 202-543-1000 7PM. See June 18 listing for additional information. Public contact: (202) 707-5677. US Armed Forces Military Bands Summer Concert. 8PM, East Terrace, US Capitol. Concerts are every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday through August 31. Same time, same place. Marine Parade. Marine Barracks, 8th and I Sts., SE. Repeated this and every Friday evening through August 27th. Admission to Parades is FREE and open to the public. However, reservations are strongly recommended. To reserve, send a post card to: Parade Tickets, Marine Barracks, 8th and I Sts., SE, Washington, DC 20390. For recorded Parade information, call 202-433-6060 Capitol Hill Arts Workshop Works in Process Series A new play by Keith Bridges Watching Left. A young womans personal relationships are damaged by a lifealtering trauma. As she comes closer to mending those relationships, she is forced to face the realities of the trauma. With reception and discussion to follow. 7:30PM. Call 202-547-6839 for information. Suggested donation $5 Saturday, July 17 Recycling Fun! Use recycled materials to make a personal art book. Noon-3PM. Capital Childrens Museum. 800 3rd St., NE. For more info call 675-4120. Garden Tour. Folger Shakespeare Library. Two tours today, 10 AM and 11AM. 201 E. Capitol St., SE. 544-4600 Sunday, July 18 More Recycling Fun! How to make recycled paper workshop. Four sessions:11AM, Noon, 2PM and 3PM. Capital Childrens Museum. 800 3rd St., NE. For more info call 675-4120. Monday, July 19 US Armed Forces Military Bands Summer Concert. 8PM, East Terrace, US Capitol. Concerts are every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday through August 31. Same time, same place. Tuesday, July 20 US Armed Forces Military Bands Summer Concert. 8PM, East Terrace, US Capitol. Concerts are every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday through August 31. Same time, same place. Rockabye (RKO, 1932) and Our Betters (RKO, 1933), two of director George Cukors films are featured in tonights screenings in the Mary Pickford Theater, Library of Congress, at 6:30 PM. See June 18 listing for additional information. Public contact: (202) 707-5677. Wednesday, July 21 Stay home, and read a good book. Thursday, July 22 Wagon Tracks (Paramount- Artcraft, 1919) and The Toll Gate (Paramount-Artcraft, 1920), two films nominated for the National Film Registry, are being shown tonight in the Mary Pickford Theater, Library of Congress, at 7 PM. See June 18 listing for additional information. Public contact: (202) 707-5677. Friday, July 23 Raiders of the Lost Ark (Paramount, 1981), a nominee for the National Film Registry, will be screened tonight in the Mary Pickford Theater, Library of Congress, at 7 PM. See June 18 listing for additional information. Public contact: (202) 707- 5677. US Armed Forces Military Bands Summer Concert. 8PM, East Terrace, US Capitol. Concerts are every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday through August 31. Same time, same place. Marine Parade. Marine Barracks, 8th and I Sts., SE. Repeated this and every Friday evening through August 27th. Admission to Parades is FREE and open to the public. However, reservations are strongly recommended. To reserve, send a post card to: Parade Tickets, Marine Barracks, 8th and I Sts., SE, Washington, DC 20390. For recorded Parade information, call 202-433-6060 Saturday, July 24 Make an Accordion Art Book. Capital Childrens Museum. (Activity recommended for ages 7-10). 12PM-3 PM. 800 3rd St., NE. Call 675-4120 for more info. Doolittles K-9 Socialization Group ! Socialization class at 10 AM is designed for dogs who have some obedience skills and are reliable around distractions. Emphasis is on heeling, sit-stays, down-stays (and fun!). No reservation needed! $10.00 per session (free for those who have previously trained with Michelle Beardsley, Capital Canines). Doolittles, 224 7th St., SE. Sunday, July 25 Book Illustrating Workshop. Meet and learn from book illustrator and author Paige Billin-Frye. Two sessions, 1- 1:30, and 2-2:30. Capital Childrens Museum. 800 3rd St., NE. Call 675-4120 for more info. Monday, July 26 Day of the Fight (RKO, 1950); Flying Padre (RKO, 1951); The Seafarers (Lester Cooper Productions, 1953); and Fear and Desire (Kubrick Productions, 1953) are on the program for tonights show in the Mary Pickford Theater, Library of Congress, at 7 PM. See June 18 listing for additional information. Public contact: (202) 707-5677. US Armed Forces Military Bands Summer Concert. 8PM, East Terrace, US Capitol. Concerts are every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday through August 31. Same time, same place. Tuesday, July 27 Dance Girl Dance (RKO, 1940), directed by Dorothy Arzner, can be seen in the Mary Pickford Theater, Library of Congress, this evening, at 7 PM. See June 15 listing for additional information. Public contact: (202) 707-5677. US Armed Forces Military Bands Summer Concert. 8PM, East Terrace, US Capitol. Concerts are every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday through August 31. Same time, same place. Wednesday, July 28 The Presidents Own US Marine Band Concert. West Terrace of the US Capitol. 8PM. For more info call 433- 4011. Thursday, July 29 Silents! Three silent adventure films will be screened tonight in the Mary Pickford Theater, Library of Congress, at 7 PM: By Right of Sword (Biograph, 1910); The Two Sons (Imp, 1909); and If I Were King (Fox, 1920). See June 18 listing for additional information. Public contact: (202) 707- 5677. Friday, July 30 Marine Parade. Marine Barracks, 8th and I Sts., SE. Repeated this and every Friday evening through August 27th. Admission to Parades is FREE and open to the public. However, reservations are strongly recommended. To reserve, send a post card to: Parade Tickets, Marine Barracks, 8th and I Sts., SE, Washington, DC 20390. For recorded Parade information, call 202-433-6060 Two Eames films, Kaleidoscope: Jazz Chair (Eames Office, 1960), and Lucia Chase (Eames Office, 1978) are on the program for tonight at the Library of Congress. Showtime is 6:30 PM., in the Mary Pickford Theater. Playtime (Specta Films, 1967) will also be screened. See June 18 listing for additional information. Public contact: (202) 707- 5677. US Armed Forces Military Bands Summer Concert. 8PM, East Terrace, US Capitol. Concerts are every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday through August 31. Same time, same place. 34 www.voiceofthehill.com VOICE of the Hill / June 18, 1999 Classified Ad Placement Form First Name _________________________________________________________________ Last Name__________________________________________________________________ Address ____________________________________________________________________ City/State/ZIP ______________________________________________________________ Phone Number _____________________________________________________________ Email_________________________________ Category Apartments/RoomsAutoBooksChildrens Items Electronics Furniture Office Other ______________________________________________ Personals Positions Services Tools Website Newspaper Both The web classified ads are a free community service of the Voice of the Hill. Newspaper ads are $20 for the first 20 words and $.25 per word thereafter. Visa and MasterCard are accepted. Please describe the item and please be concise, there is a 200 website character limitation (there is no limit to print ads)__________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ Please enclose payment with order. Mail to Voice of the Hill, 120 11th Street, SE, Washington, DC 20003. Or fax information (credit card payment only) to 202-547- 5133. Credit Card Number/Type____________________________________Exp. Date ______ Name on Card ______________________________________________________________ Signature___________________________________________________________________ classifieds Want to purchase Quality used books, Single volumes or entire library! Call Steve at Riverby Books 202- 544-1925 Home grocery delivery Urban Services delivers to the Hill and Northwest DC from Yes! Natural Gourmet, and Brookville Supermarket in Cleveland Park. Log on to www.urbangrocery.com or call 202-544-5081 for catalogue. Internet Access and Web Hosting Plans start at $10 per month. We provide personal service at great prices. www.DCAccess. net 202-546-5898 or Info @ DCAccess.net. Capitol Hill Mssage Certified Massage Therapist. Conveniently located in northeast. Provides relaxation therapy through aromatherapy, music and massage. www.pathwaysdc.com 202.480-7588. Jeffrey Coulter Now thats what we call convenient! (Spotted on North Carolina Avenue) JULY PHYLLIS JANE YOUNG PARDOE Real Estate ERA Office 202.546.7000 ext. 232 Home 202.544.4236 email: phyllisjaneyoung@realtor.com Licensed broker in DC, MD and VA. The Best View on Real Estate! 133rd Annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival! Music, dance, song, more. On the Mall. Daily, June 23-27 and June 30-July 4. 11am-5:30pm. Evening concerts and dancing 5:30-9PM (except July 4). 2Marine Parade. Marine Barracks, 8th & I Sts., SE. Repeated Fridays through August 27. FREE Reservations recommended. Parade Tickets, Marine Barracks, 8th and I Sts., SE, Washington, DC 20390. 202-433-6060 3Freedom Jazz Fest at Freedom Plaza, 14th and PA Ave., NW. For info call 202- 723-7500. 4Fireworks, the National Symphony Orchestra, Picnic at the Capitol. Independence Day events: all day, the last day, of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the Mall; Noon, parade on Constitution Avenue; 5-9:15 PM, free entertainment at the Sylvan Theatre on the Washington Monument grounds; 8 PM, the star-studded concert on the west steps of the Capitol Building; 9:20 PM FIREWORKS! 5US Armed Forces Military Bands Summer Concert. 8PM, East Terrace, US Capitol. Concerts are every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday through August 31. Same time, same place. 6Kennedy Centers Millenium Stage Summer Concert Series. Free on the East Terrace of the US Capitol every Tuesday and Thursday at noon. 7The Presidents Own US Marine Band Concert. Free on the West Terrace of the US Capitol. 8PM. Also July 14 and 28. For more info call 433-4011. 8Beginner 2-Step Classes at Red River. Four week course begins tonight. 7:30-8:15 PM. Advanced beginner session is 8:30-9:15 PM. 641 PA Ave., SE. 546- 5566. 9Learn East Coast Swing Dance at Red River. 4-week course begins. 7:30- 8:30 PM. 641 PA Ave., SE. 546-5566. 10Creating and Telling a Story Workshop. With master story teller Bill Grimmette. Two sessions, 1- 1:30 PM and 2-2:30 PM. Capital Childrens Museum. 800 Third St., NE. For more info call 202-675-4120. 13The Cossack Whip and 2 versions of Beverly of Graustark Pickford Theater, Library of Congress, at 6:30 PM. (202) 707-5677. ANC6B Meeting. 921 PA Ave., SE. 7PM 14Free Jazz at the Corcoran Gallery The Tim Eyerman Quartet performs at 12:30PM, call 202-639-1700 for details. 15Theres a Duck in There Somewhere! Watch decoy carver, Sandy Stromberg, transform a block of wood. 10AM to 5PM, July 15, 17, 22, 29, 30, or until hes finished. National Postal Museum. 16Capitol Hill Arts Workshop Works in Process Series A new play by Keith Bridges Watching Left. With reception and discussion to follow. 7:30PM. 202-547-6839 for information. Suggested donation $5 23Raiders of the Lost Ark (Paramount, 1981), a nominee for the National Film Registry, will be screened tonight in the Pickford Theater, Library of Congress, at 7 PM. (202) 707-5677. 24Make an Accordion Art Book. Capital Childrens Museum. (recommended for ages 7-10). 12PM- 3 PM. 800 3rd St., NE. Call 675-4120 for more info. 17Garden Tour at the Folger Shakespeare Library. Two tours today, 10 AM and 11AM. 201 E. Capitol St., SE. 544-4600 18Recycling Fun! How to make recycled paper workshop. Four sessions:11AM, Noon, 2PM and 3PM. Capital Childrens Museum. 800 3rd St., NE. For more info call 675-4120. 19Library Day! Have you visited your local library yet this summer? It may be time to renew your library card, and its a great day to read a book! 20Rockabye (RKO, 1932) and Our Betters (RKO, 1933), two of director George Cukors films, Pickford Theater, Library of Congress, at 6:30 PM.(202) 707-5677. 21Free Jazz at the Corcoran John Eaton performs at 12:30 PM. For info call 202-639-1700 22The National Zoo has free concerts every Thursday at 6:30 on the Lion- Tiger Hill. Tonight features, Tough Act to Follow. For more info call 202-673-4717. 30Two Eames films, Kaleidoscope: Jazz Chair (Eames Office, 1960), and Lucia Chase (Eames Office, 1978) 6:30 PM., Pickford Theater Also Playtime (Specta Films, 1967) (202) 707-5677. 31Mary Cassatt Exhibit at the National Gallery of Art continues through September the 6th 25Book Illustrating Workshop. Meet and learn from book illustrator and author Paige Billin-Frye. Two sessions, 1-1:30, and 2-2:30. Capital Childrens Museum. 800 3rd St., NE. Call 675-4120 for more info. 26Day of the Fight (RKO, 1950); Flying Padre (RKO, 1951); The Seafarers (Lester Cooper Productions, 1953); and Fear and Desire (Kubrick Productions, 1953) Pickford Theater, Library of Congress, 7 PM. (202) 707- 5677. 27Dance Girl Dance (RKO, 1940), directed by Dorothy Arzner, Pickford Theater, Library of Congress, 7 PM.. (202) 707-5677. 28 Full Moon 29Latin Music on the Plaza: Paul Hawkins and La Jazz at the Hirschhorn Museum Sculpture Garden starting at 5:30. 11Decorate Your Personal Art Books Cover. Coool activity at Capital Childrens Museum. Noon to 3PM. 800 3rd St., NE. For more info, 675-4120. 12Dont Forget! Smithsonian Museums are open until 7:30 all summer, and Georgia OKeefe: The Poetry of Things is on view at the Phillips Collection through July 18th. Its a great day to catch an exhibit! 605 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE / 202-547-3525 / www.pardoe-capitolhill.com EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY 1122 D STREET, SESPECIAL SPACIOUS TOWNHOUSE. MOVE IN!! All your remodeling has been done! Two-car parking! 3BR, 2.5BA, Fam RM, 2 FPL, CAC, lush garden. Can return to single fam w/income $$ unit. Flex + Location + Light! Hurry! $289,000. ANGELA GRIMMER (202) 546-7000 Ext. 235 121 13TH STREET, NE AB FAB terr lvl 1BR overlooking Lincoln Park. Large dogs welcome! Southern light! $66,000=cheaper than rent! ANGELA GRIMMER (202) 546-7000 Ext. 235 1212 EAST CAPITOL STREET, NE Exquisite detail! Original treasures! Vict Townhouse w/hi bsmt unit potential! Oak in-laid floors, stunning chandeliers! CAC. 3BR. $298,500. ANGELA GRIMMER (202) 546-7000 Ext. 235. 141 12TH STREET, NE Sleek 2-story, 2BR, 1.5BA apt. w/wide, deep deck, CAC, new w/w carpet, FPL, southern light floods many windows! $149,000. ANGELA GRIMMER (202) 546-7000 Ext.235. 207 CONSTITUTION AVENUE, NE SO CLOSE IN! Luxurious location-and it has a rental unit @$725/mo. Which helps pay approx. $100,000 of your mortgage. Elegant living and separate dining room + eat-in kitchen- 2 large BRs + 2.5 baths. All this and parking in the rear. This one will not last. KITTY KAUPP (202) 547-1001- H or (202) 546-7000 Ext. 257-W 4409-4425 MACARTHUR BLVD., NW The luxury of newly constructed townhouse with location! 3BR/3.5BA + study/den (or home office), LR/FPL, Sep.DR, state of the art kitchens, corian countertops, garage, and very deep private gardens. Great opportunity to own a new home. Only 3 available. CHUCK BURGER (202) 546- 7000 Ext. 280 or 543-7336/KITTY KAUPP (202) 546- 7000 Ext. 257 or 547-1001 609 2ND STREET, NE LIVE AND WORK-Zoned for office or residential-close to Union Station, Judicial Courts bldg. & Sentate-6 off. suites, 4-car parkingcharm of hardwood floors and FPL-great value at $279,500. KITTY KAUPP (202) 546-7000 Ext. 257. 804 D STREET, NE Historic property-Great Complex- Victorian Mini Mansion & 2-story carriage house + English bsmt. Rental unit-approx. 5000SF-can be used residentially or commercially. Huge interior courtyard with parking. Very impressive office complex. $440,000 KITTY KAUPP (202) 546-7000 Ext. 257. 1641 E STREET, SE Light filled Civil War flat front TH-Complete with 2-story Carriage House for parking & finished studio space. Main house 2BRs with open den/living area-living room with FPL, Sep. dining room and eat-in kitchen-Great space & patio. $179,000. ROSALIE STROUBE (202) 543-3817 & KITTY KAUPP (202) 546-7000 Ext. 257. 717 8TH STREET, SE COMMERCIAL OFFICE1st floor & apartment-2nd floor, across from Marine Barracks and Eastern Market Metro-3000 SF @ $300,000. 735 8th Street, SE-5500 SF for $435,000 AND 713 8th Street, SEthe Old Broker Restaurant-5500 SF for $500,000 complete with furnishings and equipment-turn key. KITTY KAUPP (202) 546-7000 Ext. 257 or DON KING (202) 546-7000 Ext. 260. 634 NORTH CAROLINA AVENUE, SE #5, ENJOY THE CAPITOL live in this elegant 2BR condo only steps to Eastern Market and Metro! CHUCK BURGER (202) 543-7336. 634 NORTH CAROLINA AVENUE, SE #4, CLASSIC STYLE & location in this large top floor 2BR condo! Why rent invest! Great Buy! CHUCK BURGER (202) 543-7336. 206A JUSTICE COURT, NE CAPITOL LOCATION! Steps to SOB and Hill! Stylish Townhouse 1BR with all the features. Lease Parking Available. CHUCK BURGER (202) 543-7336. 1860 CLYDESDALE PL., NW #403NYC STYLE LIVING. Overlook Rock Creek Park. Walk to Metro. Bike to Work. Steps to Adams Morgan or Connecticut Avenue Nightlife. Bright, Full-Sized 1 Bedroom on Top Floor of a Top Notch Coop with No Debts, No Underlying Mortgage, No Special Assessments. Low Fees. Price $89,000. KAREN VOELLM (202) 546-7000 Ext. 263 808 G STREET, SE ABSOLUTELY ONE OF A KIND. MAGNIFICENT AND IMPOSING. SOARING ENTERTAINING SPACES. A Real Working Kitchen, Atrium to Patio Dining, Five Fireplaces, Second Floor Library with Terrace and Fireplace. Two Bedrooms with Full Baths. One with a Fireplace. Roof Deck. Garage. One Bedroom Unit and an Efficiency Unit. KAREN VOELLM (202) 546-7000 Ext. 263. Dont let this parade pass you by! Dont let this parade pass you by!