2/14/01:
 
Jurys hotel has mounted seven super-bright rooftop
flood lamps to illuminate the Dupont fountain.  Due to
numerous complaints, only three lamps are still being
lit.  Though not the solution I had hoped for, this
does illuminate the need for better lighting of the
fountain.  The problem with the flood lamps is that
they are blinding for anyone not viewing the park from
the comfort of a Jurys hotel room.  My proposal,
submitted over a year ago and approved by Jack Evans
and several organizations and individuals, was to
install underwater lights below each of the three
cascades.  See proposal at
http://www.announce.com/khein/dupont/dcgulp.htm .  The
Park Service has rejected this idea, but I think it
could be persuaded by someone with more clout than
myself.  You can see their official rejection letter
at http://www.announce.com/khein/dupont/letter.jpg

Lansdowne's chef Peter Pryor will bring new restaurant
this month to former Dimitri's space at 1732 Conn Ave:
 Peter's Passion looks to be nicely chi-chi in a SoBe
kind of way.  A sample from the menu:  "Seared Hudson
Valley foie gras on toasted brioche with aged-country
ham and red wine applesauce."  (See
http://www.jamesbeard.org/events/1998/10/006.html)

Club Monaco has bowed out of plans to come to former
Newsroom space at Conn Ave and S.

More jazz to be heard in neighborhood.  Twins Lounge
is relocating from Colorado Ave to 1344 U St
(upstairs) mid-March.  This is the former site of Bent
and Andulasian Dog (which is terribly missed).  One
block west, Cada Vez might offer jazz Sunday brunches.
 This is in addition to musicians at the resurgent
Bohemian Caverns and even Fresh Fields. 

Efforts underway to open a full-service restaurant
with a Negro Baseball Leagues theme, named Black Ball.
 On 14th St above U, in the cinder block building next
to Mangoes.

Harrison Square is disappointing neighbors with
"cheesy" windows being placed instead of the required
wooden-framed windows.  City apparently signed off on
a suspect variance request.  See below for more info.

See "Future use of Shaw building rooted in historic
past," re 98-year-old True Reformer Building on U St: 
http://washington.bcentral.com/washington/stories/2001/02/12/focus5.html

TAG (DC's gay artist group) artist Dan Emberley is
planning an outdoor art exhibit along U St in
September.  If interested in participating, see below.

See "Plan to preserve Tivoli upsets preservationists,"
http://washington.bcentral.com/washington/stories/2001/02/12/focus3.html

DC is selling 3 acres east of future convention
center.  See
http://washington.bcentral.com/washington/stories/2001/01/29/daily18.html

Washington Post added that the mayor will demand that
housing be built there, with a strong preference to
include a grocery store as well.  See  "Mayor Urges
Housing North Of Mass Ave,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A36700-2001Feb7.html

The wax museum mentioned in both articles first opened
in 1958 in the old Heurich Brewery at 500 26th St NW,
but was razed for what was then dubbed the National
Cultural Center (and is now the KenCen).  In 1965 the
National Wax Museum moved to Shaw, and moved again in 
1978 to southeast D.C., in the block bounded by 3rd & 
4th & E & Virginia Ave.   In that site it was paired 
with a Dolphin Theatre, the brochure of which was kind
enough to clarify "Yes - They're real live dolphins." 
(The wax dummies were made of "vinyl plestisol" 
plastic.)

Before hosting the wax museum, the 5th St NW location
had an important history.  In 1874 the Liberty Market
opened on the block.  It was the city's largest
market, with 284 vending stalls.  In 1893 it was
renamed Convention Center (2 blocks east of the jumbo
site now under construction), and for 50 years it
hosted revival meetings, fairs, auto shows, roller
skating, bowling, and a variety of amusement and
sporting events.  The fabulous brick-and-steel
building was ruined by fire in 1946.

The replacement building became home to the Center
City Market, which had to move from its original
location on Penn Ave in order to make way for the
National Archives. 

Circa 1925, nine markets were operating in D.C.,
including the 35-stall Riggs Market on P St, which
curiously enough was in the spot now occupied by Fresh
Fields.  Western Market was also nearby, at 21st and K
NW, and was one of three public markets (along with
Eastern Market at 7th & C SE and the Fish Market at
11th SW).

Speaking of Fresh Fields, they will open a store near
Baltimore's Inner Harbor later this year (at Fleet &
Exeter).  For more on Baltimore, see "Baltimore buzzes
with retail, hotel, office projects,"
http://washington.bcentral.com/washington/stories/2001/02/12/focus11.html

The Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind is sporting a
giant banner promoting the Saxon Court luxury condos
which will soon replace that building.

The Duran paint store at 15th and P is expected to
move to 14th & Clifton in 2-to-3 years.  Metropolis
Development is planning new construction for site...

The beautiful homes under construction at 15th & O
will, alas, be rented instead of sold.

One more trip down memory lane - if dolphins swimming
in DC weren't enough, Woodies, back when they lavishly
decorated their display windows for Christmas, one
year included a penguin scene - yes, with real live
penguins - in the corner window at F & 11th.  Woodies
even built a pool - yes, with real water - for the
penguins to play in.

See "Mayflower hosts history when presidents stop in,"
http://washington.bcentral.com/washington/stories/2001/02/12/focus15.html

The DC Heritage Coalition has a wonderful new Web site
out at http://www.dcheritage.org - be sure to see the
Dupont Circle/Kalorama information at 
http://www.dcheritage.org/information2550/information.htm?area=2522
The event calendar is great.

Metro is expected to run Yellow Line trains to at
least Ft. Totten later this year.  My idea is to
(instead) have it run parallel up to U St, then
continue on its own up to 18th & U, with an entrance
at the Marie Reed tennis courts, giving Adams-Morgan a
real stop (another entrance could be added at the 17th
& U parking garage).  Later, big bucks could buy a new
transfer station with the Red Line at Kalorama (at the
Hilton), then it could continue under T St to upper
Georgetown.
 
Roger Lewis wrote about potential of massive river-
front site (SE Federal Center), west of Navy Yard, at
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A46794-2001Feb8.html
Former Washington Gas brownfield site east of Navy
Yard is already being developed.  See drawing at
http://www.lpcommercial.com/pow/e.htm (only the
building in upper-left-hand corner is under
construction).

WP has a Flash-powered retrospective of U St.  See
http://washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/photo/blackhistory/front.htm

NYT offered lengthy tourist perspective of DC.  See
"Washington D.C. Offers Many Vacation Options for
Families,"
http://nytimes.com/2001/02/09/living/09WASH.html
 
See "Deal on Woodies Building Depends on Office
Space,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A50800-2001Feb9.html

See WP article on murder outside of Royal Palace: 
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A54619-2001Feb10.html
.  Anyone that has any information is asked to contact
Kathleen O'Connor (US Attorney's office) at
202-514-7560 or Kathleen.O'Connor@usdoj.gov  

See "Landlords take classes so not locked out in
disputes,"
http://washington.bcentral.com/washington/stories/2001/02/12/focus12.html

Tonight, Feb 14:  Valentine's day rock & roll dance
party at the Black Cat's Red Room - free, 9pm.  See
http://www.burn-one.com/music/schedule/index.html?id=1046

Thursday, Feb 15:  Opening night for "Poona the
Fuckdog and Other Plays for Children" at Metro.  See
below.

Friday, Feb 16:  Reel Affirmations presents "Auntie
Mame" at DCJCC, 7:00 & 9:30.  See below.

Saturday, Feb 17:  Organizational meeting for "Greater
U Street Historic District Historic Police and Fire
Call Boxes."  See below.

Wednesday, Feb 21:  Washington Opera holding auditions
for supers (extras) for Don Carlo.  If interested,
call Supernumerary Coordinator Jennifer Crier Johnston
at 202-437-6782 or 202-295-2447, or e-mail
jjohnston@dc-opera.org 

Friday, Feb 23:  Opening of "50x3" book cover exhibit
at Kitchen [K] on U St.  See http://www.kitchenk.org 

Saturday, March 3:  Workshop on drafting a strategic
plan for improving quality of life on U St.  See
below.

Friday, March 9: - Horizons Theatre presents "I Want
to Tell You" - "a powerful cry for new alliances to
form between the straight and GLBT community" to
support safe schools for all students, at St. Thomas 
(known as church where F.D.R. worshipped).

Thanks to readers who confirmed hypothesis that
dracaenia and beds-as-furniture in restaurants are now
"in."  For NY Times' take on the latter, see
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/02/14/living/14BED.html

Readers are welcome to post or pass on the Update. 
Additions or subtractions from the mailing list can be
requested to dupont_circle@yahoo.com (new people are
asked to include block where they live and how they
heard about it).  Comments are welcome.

May everyone enjoy a fabulous Valentine's Day
Michael
------------------------------------------------------
--- "Cherry Red Prods."
 wrote:

CHERRY RED PRODUCTIONS
"Cherry Red Productions never ceases to shock and
amaze!"-Wash Post
****

"POONA THE FUCKDOG AND OTHER PLAYS FOR CHILDREN"

Poor Poona!  She's the star of her very own super-cute
children's play and, still, no one will play with her.
 Even the handsome prince only punches her in the gut.
 But Poona's luck is about to change.  In the
twinkling of an eye, her fairy god penis comes to the
rescue, bestowing her with a beautiful pink box -- big
enough for all her (newfound) friends to play in!

Welcome to the magical Kingdom of Do, and the lovable,
unpredictable world of Jeff Goode's "Poona the Fuckdog
and Other Plays for Children."  Best-known to
Washington theatregoers for his "The Eight: Reindeer
Monologues " (staged by Source in 1996), Goode scored
an Off-Broadway hit with "Poona" in December 1999. 
The show has gone on to receive nine more productions,
pushing Miss Poona about as close to cult stature as
might be possible for a two-year-old play.

Now, Goode's fetching everymutt, played by Cherry
Red's favorite dragstress Lucrezia Blozia, will make
her waggish way to Washington!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"Poona the Fuckdog and Other Plays for Children"
by Jeff Goode
directed by Ian Allen
Opens Feb. 15th
Thurs, Fri, and Sat at 8:00 p.m.
Doors open at 7:15 p.m.
Metro Cafe
1522 14th St., NW
(Between P & Q)
Admission $10 Thurs, $15 Fri, Sat

For more information, call our hotline at (202)
675-3071.  Tickets are general admission and are
available for purchase at the door, or in advance,
from Cherry Red's website, at
http://www.cherryredproductions.com

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN PREVIEW
Valentine's Day at 8:00

Be the first kid on the block to catch "Poona."  And
on the cheap!  Tickets go on sale when the doors open
at 7:15 p.m.  Sorry, no reservations or advance sales.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"POONA" T-SHIRT PROMO
Just $19.99!

Get free admission to "Poona" with your purchase of
the official "Poona the Fuckdog and Other Plays for
Children" t-shirt!  We're practically givin' 'em away,
boys and girls!  Be the envy of family, friends, and
congregation!  For just $19.99, get your "Poona" tee
delivered right to your doorstep -- all shipping and
handling included!  (uh, "handling," huh-huh.)  That's
a $35.00 value for only $19.99!  It's true: $15
tee-shirt, $15 ticket to "Poona," $5 s & h!  We ain't
lyin'!  But don't take our word for it, visit:
http://www.cherryredproductions.com/tshirts.htm

------------------------------------------------------
--- PkelseyW@aol.com wrote:

Historic Police and Fire Call Boxes lovers and
friends! 

CSNA member and house-restorer extraordinaire Tania
Shand (Tania.Shand@mail.house.gov) is taking the lead,
and coordinating our Greater U Street Historic
District Historic Police and Fire Call Boxes!  An
organizational meeting will be held at the Thurgood
Marshall Center, (1816 12th Street, Heritage Room)
Saturday, February 17 at 11 a.m.  We will discuss the
city wide effort, and how the U Street community can
get involved and preserve and restore these little
gems into neighborhood icons.  All are welcome!       
  
------------------------------------------------------
--- CarlosAriasDC@aol.com wrote:

Greetings...

One In Ten presents Reel Affirmations Classic... a
special screening of Auntie Mame... the original 1958
version with Rosalind Russell... 

When?
this Friday, February 16th, 2001

Where? 
DCJCC Cecil Goldman Theater (corner of Q and 16
Streets)

What time?
7:00pm and 9:30pm (two scheduled screenings) 

How much?
$10 (special fundraiser), tickets sold at the door
only

Help us to kickoff a new year of Reel Affirmations
with this special screening... 

------------------------------------------------------
--- Scott Pomeroy  wrote:

Dear Friend of the Shaw/U Street neighborhood:        
       February 8, 2001 

All of us listed below hope you will save Saturday,
March 3 for a community workshop.  We will be working
on a strategic plan to link the rich history of the U
Street neighborhood with opportunities to improve the
quality of life for those who live and work in the
community.  You know this neighborhood well, and we
need your ideas.

The workshop will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. at the
Thurgood Marshall Center for Service and Heritage,
1816 12th Street, N.W., and will include refreshments.
 

We know you are aware of the rich history of the
neighborhood, and U Street itself, dubbed Washingtonıs
"Black Broadway" by Pearl Bailey who got her start
here.  The current PBS programs on jazz by Ken Burns
once again showcase the brilliance and elegance of
Duke Ellington, who grew up with and was inspired by
the people of this community.  However, it was not
only entertainers, but also leaders in science, law,
the military, education, and the fine arts who lived
and worked here, many of them associated with Howard
University.  Now we also have the nationıs only
national memorial to African American Civil War
soldiers, the beautifully restored Lincoln Theater,
Whitelaw Hotel, Thurgood Marshall Center, and the
soon-to-be completed True Reformers Hall.  New clubs,
shops, and restaurants are opening everywhere.

Tourists from around the nation, who are looking for
special places like this, will be coming here, and in
fact, already are.   It is essential that we plan for
them, so that the opportunities they can bring--new
dollars, new business opportunities, and new
jobs--benefit the community of people who live and
work here.

Help us plan how the past can help frame a better
future for the neighborhood.  Because we need to plan
for space and refreshments, please let us know if you
will attend.

E-mail the Coalition at Julie@dcheritage.org or call
us at 332-7105.

Dominic Moulden                        Kathryn Smith
Manna CDC                              DC Heritage
Tourism Coalition

Scott Pomeroy                          Frank Smith
Cardozo/Shaw Neighborhood Assn.        African
American Civil War Memorial

Derek Kowalczyk                        Jocelyn Russell
U Street Business and Arts Coalition   The Lincoln
Theater

Joyce Bailey                           Lori Dodson
Black Fashion Museum                   Shaw Heritage
Trust/Thurgood Marshall Center   

------------------------------------------------------
---  wrote:

Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2001 17:19:23 -0500
From: Michael Seto 
Subject: TAG Art Treasure Hunt, new show

Jim's and Diane's and Mike's ideas have been bouncing
around in my brain for 24 hours now, and they won't
stop, so I figure I better do something about it.  I
suggest combining several really cool ideas for a show
to happen in September.  I will curate a show that
will take place on the street, in the 'hood,
tentatively to be called the "TAG Art Treasure Hunt". 
If you're interested, please e-mail me back directly
(i.e., don't drag the whole TAG mailing list through
the discussion) at riceandpasta@juno.com

Ideas follow.

Dan Emberley
===
Time: Show will run for month of September (weather
good, touristas gone, I have time on my personal
schedule to rope this thing together, everyone's back
from the beach, can go dark on 10/1, which I think is
"Art Against AIDS' day)

Location:  Windows and sidewalks in the blocks north
of U, south of Florida, between 13th and 18th Streets
NW.  Basically, from U Street Metro to Franklin's
Coffee House by was of Meridian Hill Park.  Area open
to extension if necessary, but I want to keep the
space compact enough to be walkable in an hour,
otherwise the energy will be too diffuse.  This is a
neighborhood of mixed uses, with retail on U, the park
to the north, and lots of residential in between.  The
residential tends to be right on the sidewalk, not set
back by yards/gardens.  Permanent displays will be
installed in windows of residential and retail
buildings after discussion with the owners.  Temporary
performances and installations can happen right on the
street or in the park.  "Found Objects" can be
included in the show (personally, I'm thinking of
using the view corridor at the intersection of 16th
and U as a piece).

Packaging:  A map of pieces displayed will be made
available around the neighborhood, and given out at
the opening in Meridian HIll Park or at U Street Metro
plaza.  I will prepare and print the maps, and make
sure stacks are available around the area during the
run of the show.

Theme:  No theme, but if people want to "adopt"
existing streetscape or found objects in the
neighborhood as a piece, go for it.  (This could give
me a chance to put my conceptual art class from
undergrad to good use.)

Participation:  This is a show open to all TAG
artists, regardless of gender, orientation, AIDS
status, medium, etc.  As curator, I would expect to
curate the show (duh).  Of course, the very concept of
the show means property owners and artists working
together pretty closely, so if I "deselect" a piece,
that doesn't mean you can't show it.  It does mean
that it will not appear in the map/writeup.  I have no
idea on what grounds I would declare a piece
inappropriate for the Treasure Hunt, I hope to get
some input from other TAG members who have done this
before, but I want to reserve that right.  

Installation:  I will negotiate with businesses and
homeowners I know to see who will give us
space/street-facing windows.  I live on Seaton Place,
a street with narrow sidewalks and big windows, and
envision 5-8 houses letting us do something in their
spaces.  Artists who know someone in the neighborhood
can negotiate with friends/business owners re using
their window space for their own work (i.e., this is
where I can get lazy about venues, and the show can
grow as large or as little as we can get space to show
things).  I suspect most property owners who
participate will let us show a painting, sculpture, or
other more traditional piece of art.  People with whom
you have a more direct connection may let you do an
installation.  For instance, I own a white fence which
is the major thing you see coming down the alley
between Seaton and V Street:  someone could
paint/install a piece/modify the fence into a piece
which would use that space and be visible from 17th
Street. 

Publicity: I suspect that this would the kind of cool
thing that the Blade/MW/CityPaper would love to write
up, and I could easily package the map text into an
article they could use. 

Sales: Artists could put their names, prices, and
contact info right in the window with the piece. 
Prices of pieces for sale and contact info would also
appear on the map.

Resources:  Annie A., of course, is the queen of using
retail space for temporary art exhibition, and we
could get her advice/input.  Friend
homeowners/business owners in the neighborhood could
fall from the soft-touch from an acquaintance.  There
are several existing restaurant venues that already
show art, like Franklyn's, and even if they choose not
to show one of us, could be roped into passing out our
map.

Constraints:  This will be a public show, being seen
by many more people who would enter a gallery.  That
means that dicks, vaginas, and other genitalia would
be shown at the discretion of the propertyowners. 
Hey, it's their space, we'd be borrowing it.  On the
flip side, there would be no constraints on what the
artist and propertyowner could agree to, so 
if the St. Augustine's convent on 15th Street won't
show your piece, maybe the owner of Results the Gym
will.

Opening: I'm envisioning a couple of live performance
days, probably on weekend nights, where maybe we could
rope in some of our friends in the Arts Consortium to
provide street music in Meridian Hill or on U Street. 
We could do food at some of the exhibiting venues.  At
minimum, we could hand out food and maps in my living
room.

So, intrigued?  E-mail me.  If there's sufficient
interest we can get a group together and iron out the
details.  

Dan Emberley
riceandpasta@juno.com

------------------------------------------------------
--- PkelseyW@aol.com wrote:

 can't go into too much background, because I've been
through it so many 
times!  Long story short:  Wood windows (and doors)
were promised at all the (1.5 years worth of) local
Historic District review meetings, as well at the
city's Historic Preservation Review Board, where both
preliminary and final hearings are taped.  Hearings
finished approx. last spring, and what is actually
being installed today on the 98 homes is very low cost
vinyl windows inconsistent with the historic
preservation regulations in the city.  I've asked the
developers to explain how that came about at the next
CSNA meeting, which is March 8th, and to field
questions in the meantime.  We expect a large turn out
as it's a development themed meeting, and our location
will be determined later.  Please mark you Calendar
for March 8th at 7 pm, however.    
       
Paul Williams, CSNA Co-President