6/4/01: Dupont Hair will open in basement of old Circle bar, next to HRC Action Center, below Chipotle and Gazuza. Moby Dick House of Kabob now open on N St, e of 19th. Corner Bakery & Mervis Diamonds coming to 19th & L. Mimi's plans on adding an outdoor cafe. Starbucks is rumored to be coming to the corner part of Julio's, at 16th & U. NYT article looks at AIDS in Washington, and calls Dupont Circle "a trendy neighborhood where muscular young men chat on cell phones at outdoor cafes, and the bookstores feature promotions for AIDS charity events." Later says Dupont "reflects the affluent AIDS epidemic," in comparison to Anacostia. See "In AIDS War, New Weapons and New Victims," http://nytimes.com/2001/06/03/health/03AIDS.html See also excellent story, "AIDS Altered the Fabric of New York in Ways Subtle and Vast," http://www.nytimes.com/2001/06/04/health/04AIDS.html See also http://www.20yearsofaids.org/ Leasing has begun for The Gatsby, at 15th & O. 1-br rents starting from $1,950; 2-brs from $2,300. See http://www.pnhoffman.com/15th_and_o_progress.htm Saxon Court, giant project across from Fresh Fields, opening fall of 2002, has its own Web site: http://www.pnhoffman.com/saxoncourt.htm The Evergreen, the dumpy building at 1225 13th St (n of M) will undergo an Art Deco renovation housing 75 - 80 rental units from $1,000 to $2,200. Owner hopes to lure a national coffee shop chain to the front, with outdoor seating. (Site was once home to a strip joint called the Silver Dollar Lounge.) See http://www.logancircle.org/news/news.html New pizza spot above Source Theatre on 14th St will be a Manny and Olga’s. They have a few other locations around town. I've never been to any, but enjoyed reading this '99 pizza review from The Hoya, which says "when the going gets tough, the tough get Manny and Olga’s." See "Best Slice in Town," http://www.thehoya.com/guide/090399/guide1.htm I also enjoyed reading "Going and Coming Out: A Gay Student’s Story," which explains all the young straight people in Badlands. See http://www.thehoya.com/guide/020901/guide6.htm The Hoya also studies Georgetown's Social Safeway. See "Some Selections of Singles for Safeway Shoppers," http://www.thehoya.com/guide/022301/guide6.htm The WP commented on the opening of new farmers market. See "Diversity on Display, for Sale: Columbia Heights Opens Marketplace to Heal Rifts," http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A13598-2001Jun2.html Macy's perched on signing lease for Woodies building. Mammoth 10-story HQ will expand East End, replacing ugly parking lot. See "SEC Signs $4 Billion Lease for New Home: Headquarters to Rise Near Union Station," http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A99777-2001May30.html WP profiles Union Station, which used to have a bowling alley! See "Retailing Success on Track: Union Station Is Among the Region's Top Performers," http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A16688-2001Jun3.html I wish we had a bowling alley nearby. Back in 1940, DC had 12 alleys; of those, 8 were in NW, incl 918 G St, 1729 14th St (above Riggs St), and 1226 Wisc Ave (Restoration Hardware site). In 1960, we had 16, 9 of which were in NW. The previous three were gone, but we had Acacia Bowling at 1000 U St, Hi-Skor Bowling at 13th & G, Kalorama Bowling at 1649 Kalorama Rd, and Lafayette Bowling Center at 1531 I St. By 1980, the Yellow Pages lists just 2 in the city: 3540 E Cap St, and Bolling Air Force Base (maybe that's how it got its name). Also missing are smaller bowling alleys in large apartment buildings, like the Cairo. Now, other than Bolling's 30 lanes (available if you can get past the gates), the city's only lanes are in GWU (800 21st St; 12 lanes; non-students OK), and the White House. The Banana Café team will open the Starfish Café on 8th St SE in about 2 months. See "Yes, We have No Bananas: May I Offer You a Lobster Instead?" http://www.voiceofthehill.com/latest.htm#Bananas Expect mega-campaigns to plaster selected Metro stations by September. (I've seen this elsewhere and it often looks pretty cool.) See "Metro expects new ads to add up to $3.2M," http://washington.bcentral.com/washington/stories/2001/06/04/story2.html Metro shopping for downtown sites for train storage. See "Metro eyes hotel, office for rail yard" http://washington.bcentral.com/washington/stories/2001/05/28/story4.html Jealous that the Jefferson will be getting a lighting makeover, while our fountain in Dupont will continue to splash in shadows even after the giant renovation. See "Shadows Receding Into History: Jefferson Memorial Receiving $800,000 In Upgraded Lights," http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A13160-2001Jun2.html (Demand underwater lights for the Dupont fountain!) WBJ looks at efforts to lure national retailers. See "D.C. officials meet with Wal-Mart, Costco and Ames," http://washington.bcentral.com/washington/stories/2001/05/28/newscolumn8.html Roger Lewis compares DC to Boston. See "Washington Can Learn Lessons From Boston's Revitalization Projects," http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A9791-2001Jun1.html Cool events can be found at http://www.culturaldc.org/ Through June 30: "Seven Deadly Dwarves," at Metro Cafe. See "Everything your mother warned you about: Cherry Red Productions is Washington’s purveyor of theatrical smut," http://www.washblade.com/point/010601a.htm See also review "Cheerful pop nihilism: In an abusive world, the audience takes its lumps," http://www.washblade.com/point/010601a2.htm (And note that the new Blade management no longer capitalizes the adjective "gay," thank God.) Tonight/tomorrow: Reel Affirmations gay film fest. See http://www.reelaffirmations.org/pride/schedule.cfm Tonight: Phyllis Richman speaks to DCCA. 7:30. See http://www.dupont-circle.com/calendar.htm Thursday, June 7: Neighborhood Planning Workshop for Dupont & beyond, 6-9pm (w/free dinner). See [2] below. June 7: Forum for discussing public sculpture to be erected at traffic island at 18th, Columbia, and Adams Mill. 7pm at 3rd District police HQ. See [3] below. Saturday, June 9: Bike the Anacostia with the Sierra Club, 10am. See [4] below. Sunday, June 10: Capital (gay) Pride parade, 11am, from 26th & N to Dupont Circle plaza, to R, down 17th to H, down 15th to Penn Ave. Street festival starts at noon. See http://www.capitalpride.org/ Tuesday, June 12: Symposium and luncheon on 14th St, at WNDC HW. See [1] below. June 12: "Yours Truly" - Monthly storytelling; stories from letters, real or invented. 8pm at HR-57, $5. See http://www.washingtonstorytellers.org/ Friday, June 15: Official opening of Ozone Studio, new photography studio/gallery at 1404 P St. First show is travel photographs, entitled "Wanderlust." 6 - 10pm. See http://www.ozonestudio.com/ Best regards, Michael ------------------------------------------------------ [1] The WNDC Educational Foundation of the Woman’s National Democratic Club and the Urban Development & Housing and DC/Metro Task Forces invite you to celebrate WASHINGTON, DC: A Comeback City with a neighborhood walk, morning symposium and luncheon Neighborhood Walk - Round trip, WNDC to Logan Circle Wednesday, June 6, 10:30-12 Noon Meet in Club foyer Morning Symposium - 14th Street: Good Things Do Happen! Tuesday, June 12, 10:00-12 Noon Panelists and their topics include Wayne Dixon, president, Logan Circle Citizen’s Association: The view from Logan Circle Dupont/Logan Circle developer Jim Abdo: Restoration and Renewal Community activist Rev. Sandra Butler-Truesdale: Something for Everyone? Luncheon - Washington: Planning for the Future Tuesday, June 12, 12:30-2:00 Luncheon Speaker, Andrew Altman Director, Office of Planning, District of Columbia Luncheon price: $16.50 per person ($5.00 is tax deductible.) Checks should be made payable to WNDC-EF and mailed to: Woman’s National Democratic Club 1526 New Hampshire Avenue NW Washington, DC 20036 202/232-7363, Ext. 3003 - WomansNDC@aol.com ------------------------------------------------------ [2] GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA OFFICE OF PLANNING Improved Infrastructure Traffic Controlled Development Public Safety Affordable Housing Small Business Support Parks Join your neighbors of Burlieth/Hillandale, Georgetown, Foggy Bottom, West End, George Washington University, Dupont Circle, and Connecticut Avenue/K Street. Make sure YOUR issues are heard. This Neighborhood Planning Workshop lets you identify specific action items for the city to undertake and future projects to include in the budget. Help the city prioritize what improvements to make in your neighborhood. Thursday, June 7th 6:00 to 9:00 pm Francis Junior High School 2415 N Street, NW (A light dinner will be provided) To RSVP or get additional information contact Chris Shaheen, Ward 2 Neighborhood Planning Coordinator: 202-442-7600 or chris.shaheen@dc.gov. Part of Mayor Anthony A. Williams' Neighborhood Action Agenda ------------------------------------------------------ [3] Coming this fall will be a great new sculpture on the traffic island at 18th Street, Columbia Road, and Adams Mill Road. The Latino Economic Development Corporation nominated the site for the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities Public Art program, and the Adams Morgan site was one of six selected citywide. On June 7, from 7-9PM at the Third District police station at 17th and V, a public forum will be held so that members of the community can tell the semifinalist artists selected for the site what they want to see in the coming sculpture (size, material, theme, etc.) Any questions can be directed to jgibson@ledcdc.org or 202-588-5102x14. Thanks, Josh ------------------------------------------------------ [4] The Sierra Club "Restore the Core" campaign is focusing this year on the Anacostia River and the neighborhoods along its shores. To let folks see first hand the current sorry state of the waterfront, a series tours of the waterfront are being offered - several bike and walking tours are scheduled, and one boat tour is planned. The first tour--on June 9 from 10AM to 1PM--will be for bikers. The itinerary includes: Ft. McNair, Buzzard Point, the Matthew Henson Earth Conservation Center, the Southeast Federal Center and the Navy Yard, the Capital Rowing Club and Marinas, and the Swirl Facility. The tour is free, and open to all. But please bring photo i.d. for entry onto federal property, water and a snack. Helmets are required. Riders will meet outside the Waterfront-SEU Metro Stop (Green line), at 4th & M Streets SW. The tour will end at the Stadium/Armory Metro Stop (Orange/Blue lines) at 19th & Independence SE. FUTURE TOURS: Navy Yard/Southeast Federal Center Walk Saturday, June 30, 10am-Noon Meet at the Navy Yard Metro station (Green Line), at M and Half Streets Exit. RFK to Anacostia Park Bike Loop Saturday, July 21, 10am-1pm Meet at Stadium/Armory Metro station (Orange/Blue lines) at Independence Ave and 19th St SE Exit. Anacostia by Boat Saturday, August 11 Details forthcoming. Reservations will be needed. Anacostia Historic District and Poplar Point Walk Saturday, September 15, 10am-Noon Meet at the Anacostia Metro station (Green line), at Howard Ave exit. For more information about these tours contact: Melanie Mayock at (202) 547-3689, mkmayock@yahoo.com |