Festival #5

In the background you can see the future home of Dangerously Delicious Pies, and the former domicile of an illicit funeral home.

Trivia @Sticky Rice

Sticky Rice is introducing a new trivia night this Sunday night. The game starts at 10:30, and from 12-2am they will be running some terrific drink specials. Stop by and check out the new night. 1224 H Street.

Family Concert @the Atlas

CAPITAL CITY SYMPHONY 2009-2010 Season

Washington, D.C. -- The Capital City Symphony is once again offering two performances of its popular Family Concert, Sunday November 22 at 2:30pm and 4:30pm. Each performance is preceded by an instrument petting zoo, with members of the orchestra displaying their instruments and even letting the children try them! The concert itself includes a special program book just for the younger set and lots of audience interaction.

This year's Family Concert is all about "What's in an Orchestra, Anyway?" Maestro Victoria Gau will take the audience on a musical tour of the orchestra, featuring works by Shostakovich, Copland, Britten, Bernstein, and more.

Tickets for Children 16 and under are FREE for all Capital City Symphony concerts!

This concert is recommended for children ages 3 and up (or able to sit through an hour-long program).

Capital City Symphony

Family Concert

Sunday, November 22 at 2:30pm and 4:30pm (instrument petting zoo at 2pm and 4pm for ticket-holders).

Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H Street NE, Washington, DC 20002

Tickets: $20/25 Adult; $16/20 Senior/Student; Free for age 16 and under (ticket required).

Tickets are available at capitalcitysymphony.tix.com or call the Atlas Box Office at 202-399-7993.

Festival #4

Sova Sessions

This Saturday DJ Chris Klang will be spinning deep house and disco in SOVA's wine bar while classically trained musician Matthew Hemerlein lays down live instrumental loops. No cover all night.

SOVA Wine and Espresso
1359 H Street

Creepy Double Feature @H Street Playhouse

Scena Theatre has a double feature of The Fall of the House of Usher and the Tell Tale Heart running through November 29th. Tickets are $25-32. Thursdays are young professional night, so $15 gets you a ticket and a beer, or glass of wine.
Thur. – Sat. @ 8pm; Sun @ 3pm

The Fall of the House of Usher, (1840) is "... a fantastical tale of the impossible that manifests the crumbling nature of Roderick Usher's inner decay ..." Don't miss Usher bemoan "... the cry of the wind, (and) ancient things groaning under the weight of age." Usher is both, "A death, (and) a resurrection". (Poe and Performance, Berkoff). Poe’s masterful story of insanity lures us into a surreal and occult dream world, blurring the boundaries between life and death, body and soul, and beauty and decay.

The Tell-Tale Heart (1834) is Poe’s masterfully composed tale of a murder, a dramatic monologue by a murderer creating the utmost suspense by re-counting and reliving the deed – at the same time psychological study of an abnormal consciousness.

Fixation @Industry Gallery 11/7

Daily Candy highlights the Ten Miles Square Fotoweek DC event at Industry Gallery. The Gallery won't officially open until next year, but this is your chance to sneak a peek at the space. Industry Gallery is located on the second floor of Conner Contemporary (1358 Florida Ave).

Join Ten Miles Square and the Pink Line Project at Industry Gallery with the work of nine local photographers for the second annual Fixation exhibit, part of the FotoweekDC festival.

These photographers each create a narrative with a short series of images, differentiating the stereotypical image of our Nation's Capital from the people actually living inside it. Their photographs inspect our city's individual subcultures and the people who thrive in them, whether it's the intense rock convulsions of serious air guitar competitors or the eager characters at the local Renaissance festival. Some create their own scenes by simply coming together as bystanders, while others transit separately in search of the same something. What these images all have in common is a fixation on subculture carved out inside the story of this city.

Featured photographers: Nicole Aguirre, Karon Flage, Angela Kleis, Drew McDermott, Amit Mehta, Pat Padua, Jay Westcott, Aziz Yazdani, and Joshua Yospyn.

Performances:
6-9 PM Music by Yoko K!
7:30 PM ayyoko confidential
9:00 PM Suspicious Package (recently mentioned in Spin magazine!)

Portrait photographs:
Have your portrait taken by Ten Miles Square photographer Tracy Clayton in front of a specially commissioned backdrop created by fab artist Cory Oberndorfer.

Celebrate DC's newest art center with:
--The opening of Koen Vanmechelen's Cosmopolitan Chicken Project (DC) at one of DC's top contemporary art galleries, Conner Contemporary.
--G Fine Art's new space on the same block.
--A first look at the home of the new Industry Gallery, a contemporary design exhibition space.

$10 suggested donation

Special Deal:
$2 tall-boy PBR drink special at the Rock & Roll Hotel if you wear our wrist band.

Huge thanks to our beer sponsor PBR and event sponsor Scion for making Fixation possible.

Industry Gallery is located on the second floor of Conner Contemporary, at 1358-60 Florida Avenue NE. When it opens in 2010, Industry will specialize in 21st century design, focusing on international artists who create functional art from industrial materials.

Stop by downstairs and check out the opening of Cosmopolitan Chicken at Conner Contemporary.

More on the Martini Lounge Incident

ANC 6A Commissioner Joe Fengler passed on this ABRA generated summary of the ABC hearing that followed a non-fatal stabbing at the H Street Martini Lounge:

On November 4, 2009, the ABC Board held a Fact Finding Hearing on Investigative Report No. 09-251-00278. This matter concerned the stabbing of two different patrons on the night of October 27, 2009 at Humphries Enterprises, LLC t/a H Street Martini Lounge located at 1236 H Street NE. The altercation resulted in an action by Chief of Police Cathy Lanier to close the establishment for 96 hours pursuant to her authority under DC Official Code Section 25-827.

ABRA Investigator Ileana Corrales, MPD Detective Sabrina White and MPD Officers Joseph Thomas and Charles Johnson testified as to the incident. Officer Johnson was present from the beginning as this area is a part of his regular beat. He witnessed two large groups on the second floor who became embroiled in a physical altercation that had escalated from a verbal fight. One group was comprised of DC Firefighters who were celebrating a birthday. The other group was comprised of several young male patrons. Officer Johnson was successful in calming the two groups down from the verbal altercation when one of the firefighters “flew over his back” and sparked the physical fight. Additional MPD assistance was called (upwards of 10 officers) who broke up the fight and dispersed the crowd. MPD inquired of the crowd if anyone was hurt and no one spoke up. It was only after learning that two patrons went to the hospital for lacerations did MPD realize that they needed to return to the establishment and treat it as a crime scene. There was also testimony that bar staff was cleaning up the blood before MPD could fully secure the second floor.

Detective White testified that she arrived on the scene after the fight. When attempting to interview and secure information from the owner, Mr. Humphries, she testified she was thwarted in her efforts to do so. Mr. Humphries was not cooperative in her opinion and was not forthcoming in providing any information. She also suspected that Mr. Humphries and another gentleman may have deleted the video footage from the hard drive on the laptop as she approached them.

Mr. Humphries testified that he was downstairs when the fight broke out and as he was beginning to ascend the stairs, people were leaving. He voluntarily agreed to close the bar for the evening upon the request of MPD. He stated that he has complied with the Board’s requirements that resulted from a May 2009 Fact Finding hearing (an altercation between a patron and security personnel) by filing a Security Plan and upgrading his camera system, however these measures were not taken until after the deadline set by the Board. Mr. Humphries does have six operational cameras in the establishment which properly recorded footage up through October 17, 2009 but he did not realize that a certain switch had to be triggered for the 30 day override and that’s why the incident on October 27, 2009 was not recorded. He also stated that he fully cooperated with ABRA and MPD and is willing to undertake any additional requirements imposed by the Board.

Seven area neighborhood and community leaders spoke in support of Mr. Humphries and asked the Board not to impose a suspension.

The Board voted 6-0 to send the matter to the Office of the Attorney General to Show Cause the enforcement of any alleged violations, chiefly due to the allegations that Mr. Humphries interfered with an ABRA or MPD investigation and he failed to comply with the Security Agreement.

Festival #3

NY Ave Corridor Meeting

WHAT: The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) invites you to a public
meeting on upcoming New York Avenue, NE Corridor projects from North Capitol
Street to Bladensburg Road, NE.

WHY: Learn more about the five projects and provide input on how to keep traffic
moving during construction.

WHEN: Wednesday, November 18 6:30-8:30 P.M.

WHERE: McKinley Technology High School Auditorium 151 T Street, NE

RSVP to Mary Ellen Akins makins[at]stratacomm.net with Public Meeting in the subject line or 202-589-2750

Street Tree Drama

The LA Times had a piece on street tree planting in NYC that reminded me of conversations I've recently had with friends about tree in Trinidad. Trinidad has lots of female ginkos. Sometimes they drop very smelly fruit on the ground. This is a huge problem that gets worse when people step on the fruit. The City tried injecting the trees with something to stop them from producing the fruit, but it didn't entirely work. For this reason (and possibly others) some people called to try to have some trees cut down. For reasons, that may, or may not have been related (I don't know) several trees were cut down, and have yet to be replaced.

Festival 2009 #2

The winner of the worst female tattoo award poses with her trophy during the H Street Festival. As part of her prize Paul Roe of British Ink (508 H Street) will fix her tattoo.

Good: Rebranding the 'Hood

Good Magazine looks at the anatomy of rebranding a neighborhood.

SCI AM: Porous Pavement

Scientific American has a interesting short on EPA testing of different types of porous pavement. They are trying to find the type best at filtering out impurities before they run off into the soil, or a nearby body of water.

Cone Tree

An archive photo of the 800 block of 12th Street.

Much Ado About Nothing Off H

Express reports on the Folger Theatre's production of Shakespeare's play. Much of the action takes place just off H Street. WAMU (scroll down) identifies one location as the alley behind Horace and Dickie's. I haven't been able to listen to the piece yet, so I don't know if the WAMU reporter mistakenly thinks that alley is in Trinidad, or if part of the play really is set in Trinidad. I suspect the latter because I think the Director picked Trinidad so its name could fit with his Caribbean theme.

THIH: 14th Street, Shell & Squatters

The future site of Angelico's reportedly houses squatters

The Hill Is Home talks to Tommy Wells and covers the issues at 14th between Maryland and H.

Cosmopolitan Chicken @Conner

Koen Vanmechelen - Cosmopolitan Chicken Project (DC) Mechelse Giant - lambda print - 47 x 47 inches.

KOEN VANMECHELEN: Cosmopolitan Chicken Project (DC)

November 7 - December 31, 2009

Conner Contemporary Art is pleased to announce Koen Vanmechelen's Cosmopolitan Chicken Project (DC) .This is the first solo exhibition in a U.S. gallery by the celebrated Belgian conceptual artist, who is currently exhibiting in two official 53rd Venice Biennale collateral exhibitions and in the 3rd Moscow Biennial.

Featuring live chickens, the exhibition also includes taxidermy sculpture, video, and photography, as well as drawings and paintings in tempera made from eggs laid by chickens bred by the artist. In his ongoing global enterprise, The Cosmopolitan Chicken Project, Vanmechelen is systematically crossing all breeds of chickens to create a world-mongrel chicken. His premise is that each country/region selectively cultivated a breed of chicken expressing its cultural identity. The artist seeks to reinvigorate the species with genetic integrity which centuries of domestication and inbreeding have diminished. His initiative poses ethical questions regarding genetic engineering, globalization, and individuality, while advocating the role of artists in promoting communication and interaction across many types of boundaries, between geographical areas, races, cultures, ideologies, and professional disciplines, such as art and science.

Rebirth is the theme of Vanmechelen's D.C. exhibition, as he explains, "The whole world is trying to be reborn." The artist describes this show as "a call to America to adopt a lost generation" of chickens, which he cross-bred while the birds were "in exile" from the U.S. Seven years ago, he had planned to cross, on U.S. soil, a Mechelse Redcap rooster (descended from his crossing of the male progeny of a Belgian Mechelse Koekoek rooster and a French Poulet de Bresse hen with an English Redcap hen) with an American Jersey Giant hen. In the wake of the Sept. 11th attacks, he was unable to import live birds into the U.S., so, in 2002, he bred the Mechelse Giants in Belgium. Since then, Vanmechelen has achieved crossings with several additional breeds in various countries, moving his project into its 13th generation. Yet, he considers the separation of the 4th generation of Mechelse Giants from the U.S. to represent a profound rupture, which this exhibition will symbolically reconcile. Vanmechelen feels now to be "the right moment to move forward by integrating the American audience, with its own diversity and a newly-elected president," into his cross-cultural experiment

There will be an opening night reception, Saturday, November 7th from 6 to 8pm.

Additional information may be found at: http://www.connercontemporary.com/.
For further information or images, please contact the gallery @ 202-588-8750 or info@connercontemporary.com.

Conner Contemporary Art is located at 1358 Florida Avenue, NE –Washington, DC 20002 in the Atlas / H Street Historic District. Gallery hours: Wednesday - Saturday 11-5pm.

Bier Garten Haus Update

I received an update from an owner of the new German beer garden coming to 1355-1357 H Street. It sounds like things are moving along well.

We will have the following going on at Biergarten Haus:

Polka

Not be over-priced

Different size beers (Normal, Large, & Manly) In Glass not plastic

Custom Made Bar stools, Benches, & Tables made out of Oak that is being imported from over seas

Amazing brunch service on both Saturday and Sunday

Inside & outside televisions and projectors for sporting events

A huge promotion for the World Cup South Africa 2010

Small Sandwich shop selling Brats & other Sandwiches late into the night

A beautiful 2,000 square foot Beer Garden to sit outside and enjoy good friends

Many more details will be coming soon.

We are very excited about becoming part of the H street Family. If anyone needs more information on anything please call me at 301-775-4710

We strive to be a people's place, No attitudes just fun

Chris Chambers

How to Reach Me

I've seen a few people ask how to reach me. Using the "about me" link in the sidebar will get you there. Otherwise you can email inked78[at]hotmail.com. I suggest using "frozen Tropics" as the topic.

Updated Hangouts and Haunts

I'm sure I missed something, but here is updated and expanded update Hangouts and Haunts post. You can always find this one on the sidebar. It gets updated from time to time.

Sugar, Something Else to Try

I haven't yet been, but I've recently been hearing interesting things about a newish soul food restaurant just north of the Ivy City line. Sugar (1803 West Virginia Ave), only boasts limited seating. But, I'm told the flavors they turn out are anything but small. I look forward to a taste test soon, but for now I'll leave you with the Yelp reviews. You can also view the menu online. Sugar describes its cuisine as upscale soul food, but a glance at the prices reveals that most entrees are under ten dollars. the menu also includes a smattering of Caribbean food, and a promise that speciality shakes are "coming soon." Check them out for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Despite what the Yelp review says, 1803 West Virginia is definitely NOT in Brookland.  

Souk, A Tasty New Option on H Street

They are still working out some kinks, so expect to wait a while if you go during a busy Friday or Saturday night. The food is worth it. Souk is a tiny spot, with an open kitchen, and a cute look overall. I ordered take out with a couple of friends. I had the stuffed grape leaves and the beef kabob. One friend had the chicken shawarma, which he adored. I'm going to order that next time. My kabob was very tasty, but the highlight was the stuffed grape leaves. I was jealous because my friend got 5, instead of the 4 I received (the menu doesn't say how many you get for $5). Either way it was a good deal. Between the app and the entree I had more than enough food for two filling meals. They were also clearly paying attention to the look of the food on diners' plates. Dishes were well presented, and attractive.  Souk's biggest problem is its size. It's really small, and that little kitchen is going to be constantly tested because there is a HUGE market over here for well priced food of this type and quality.  I expect that Souk will follow in the footsteps of Taylor and be extremely successful. Maybe they'll knock in the wall and take over next door (I doubt they'd have trouble filling the tables).

Halloween on H Street

Photo by Lenny

We started out by picking up some very tasty food from Souk, and then I walked down the street  while my friends waited for their food. It was still early (before 9), but the rain seemed to be keeping people away. I did see a couple of pint size trick or treaters on H Street receive candy from costumed Palace of Wonders owner Priscilla. After that we hit up a house party in Trinidad, and then the Argonaut for the end of the night. 

Any one else spend part, or all of Halloween on H Street?

Historic Buildings of H, a Talk

Historic buildings of H Street: An illustrated talk

Nov 10th

6:30pm - 8pm

Free

Atlas Performing Arts Center

1333 H Street NE

202-393-1199

Learn about H Street Architecture from architectural historians EHT Traceries, who will present the results of the H street Historic Building Survey

http://www.traceries.com/

I hope I can make it, but can someone provide a summary?

Thriller on H

Apparently there should be some top notch video floating around of the mass Thriller re-enactment on Friday (I'm told they had cameras on top of the Pug). For now we have quick and dirty job from a bystander. But you get the idea (and I had heard about the guy with the glowing eyes).

Robbery @11th & H

Police Alert- 



ROBBERY GUN_8:42 PM_11TH & H ST NE_2 B/M'S LONG DREADS BOTH WEARING DARK CLOTHING LAST SEEN SOUTHBOUND ON 11TH ST NE DO NOT TAKE ACTION CALL 911 W/EVENT 20090602488 

Sent on: 10/29 20:50

WP: 2 Apprehended in Burglary on Florida Ave

The Post reports, and I can personally confirm, that two males were taken into custody during the burglary of a rowhouse in the 1200 block of Florida yesterday.  Daniel Howland (18, and a Trinidad resident), and a 15 year old male (not a resident of Trinidad) were spotted by officers (who were surveying the neighborhood due to recent robberries) entering a home. The two attempted to escape with a laptop (which they then dropped), but were quickly apprehended. The burglary occurred just before 11:30 am. According to the Post, the two are suspects in as many as 13 recent burglaries in the neighborhood. Great work on the part of MPD, and also amazing timing. What are the chances of police actually happening upon a burglary in progress?

The Argonaut is Open

The restaurant and bar is now open again!

Events @Conner Contemporary

WELCOME PARTY + OPENINGS Sat., November 7th: 6-10pm. Conner Contemporary Art 1358-60 Florida Ave, NE Washington, DC 20002 v: 202-588-8750 info@connercontemporary.com www.connercontemporary.com   Join us on Facebook

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 7th:

6 to 8pm:
> Welcome party @ Conner Contemporary Art in honor of our new neighbors 
G Fine Art + Industry Gallery (gallery open houses).
> opening @ Conner Contemporary Art / Koen Vanmechelen's Cosmopolitan Chicken Project (DC).

6-10pm:
> opening - 10 Miles Square and Pinkline Projects present FIXATION @ Industry Gallery.

_______________

CONNER CONTEMPORARY ART is delighted to welcome our new gallery neighbors G Fine Art + Industry Gallery as we celebrate the exhibition openings of Koen Vanmechelen's Cosmopolitan Chicken Project and Fixation (10 Miles Square and Pinkline Projects).

> G Fine Art - @ 1350 Florida Avenue, NE - ground floor
Annie Gawlak will welcome visitors to the gallery's new unfinished space for a first look at 
exciting things to come. 6 to 8pm.

> Industry Gallery - @ 1358 Florida Avenue, NE - 2nd Floor
Previewing his new design gallery space, Craig Appelbaum will host a special photography exhibition, FIXATION (organized by 10 Miles Square and Pinkline Projects). 6 to 8 pm. 

> FIXATION - second annual exhibition by Ten Miles Square and the Pink Line Project featuring the work of nine local photographers. (Nicole Aguirre, Karon Flage, Angela Kleis, Drew McDermott, Amit Mehta, Pat Padua, Jay Westcott, Aziz Yazdani, and Joshua Yospyn)

with Performances:
6-9 PM Music by Yoko K!
7:30 PM ayyoko confidential
9:00 PM Suspicious Package

> Koen Vanmechelen / The Cosmopoloitan Chicken Project (DC) opens at Conner Contemporary Art.
6 to 8pm. To preview: CLICK HERE

For further information or images, please contact the gallery @ 202-588-8750 or info@connercontemporary.com.

Conner Contemporary Art is located at 1358 Florida Avenue, NE –Washington, DC 20002 in the Atlas / H Street District. Gallery hours: Wednesday - Saturday 11-5pm 

WBJ: New Gallery Comes to Corridor

The Washington Business Journal reports on the Industry Gallery's move to the H Street Corridor. The Gallery will occupy the second floor of the space owned by Conner Contemporary (1358 Florida Ave NE).

Souk Now Open

The Middle Eastern/Mediterranean restaurant located at 1208 H Street appears to be open.

Fox: H Street Martini Lounge Closed

The Chief of Police has ordered an emergency temporary shutdown of the H Street Martini Lounge following an incident on Tuesday in which two firefighters received minor stab injuries during a scuffle. Owner Cliff Humphries (who is a DC firefighter) called the shutdown an over reaction.

NBC4 also reports

Argonaut Closed for Taxes

Here's a statement from Joe Englert:

Elise,

Argonaut was closed down tonight because of a serious miscommunication with DC Tax and Revenue.
A few weeks back, a DC Tax and Revenue officer phoned me and told me that three of my establishments owed tens of thousands of in back Sales and Use Taxes.

Because two of the establishments bank locally, I was quickly able to track down every one of the checks from periods said to be owed and cleared those accounts.

Argo banks at Bank of America. These payments were much harder to trace because of it being such a large bureacracy. We knew we owed the District money and had a payment plan worked out with them. But the total they wanted on demand, however, was very high and very wrong.

Even though we kept in daily contact with the Department and even though we were told repeatedly that we were working in compliance, they came any way and shut us down. Even more frustrating, I had told a revenue officer I was more than happy to pay off the real balance, I just didn't want to pay again for periods they claimed were never taken care of. To put it in perspective, my businesses will pay about $3 million dollars in taxes this year. I owed less than 1% of this amount, an amount in contention and got closed down any way.

To make a long story short, instead of dickering with a payment plan, we are going to pay our taxes in full tomorrow. And though I do not like how the closure went down, ultimately, it is 100% my fault. I apologize to the employees, customers and neighbors of Argonaut. Very embarassing. Thanks

----------------------------------------------------------

I was also told by a trustworthy Argonaut representative that the Argonaut paid its taxes in the form of a cashier's check.

Art on Call Volunteers Needed

The Trinidad Art on Call Project is seeking volunteers to paint five callboxes in the neighborhood. The callboxes have already been stripped and primed. We will be painting them to prepare them for the installation of pre-fabricated art by local artists. We will be out and painting from 9am-12pm this Saturday October 31st. We really need volunteers because we are on a tight schedule. Those interested are asked to sign up ahead of time by emailing the Trinidad Neighborhood Association at trinidadneighborhood@gmail.com. This is a very important permanent public art installation in our neighborhood, and a great way for local artists to gain exposure. You can also call 202-494-0607, but not before 8:30am, and not after 11pm.