9/6/01:

Infill project at 18th & R building luxury condos.

MW posted photo of 8/11 subterranean fire at 17th & Q.
See http://www.metroweekly.net/hearsay/17thgoboom.jpg

Former Washington Redskin Barry Wilburn was caught 
mugging people at knifepoint in Dupont Circle, and was
sent to a halfway house pending his trial. See "Ex-
Redskin Charged in D.C. With Robbery,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A16697-2001Aug29.html
   Dupont has a halfway house at 1816 19th St, the 
Trudie Wallace House, which houses only women.

WP profiled bright-colored Dupont home. See "A Globe-
Trotting Couple's Color-Drenched Apartment Inspired by
Exotic Locales,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45730-2001Sep5.html

Dupont-to-Rosslyn shuttle has begun, going down M St
to G'town. See http://www.georgetowndc.com/shuttle.php

Fluid, the WP reveals, is actually an event held after
10pm at the still-open Eritrean restaurant Selam (1524
U St). See "Getting Into the Flow at Fluid,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A19395-2001Aug30.html

Above article also reveals The Black Cat will move a 
few doors south into The Cage, opening September 15.
Main stage will be on second floor. First floor will 
contain a performance space and bar on one side and a 
smoke-free cafe (a la Food for Thought) on the other.

Abyss, proposed nightclub for 1115 U St, has withdrawn
liquor license application.

Go Mama Go got a full profile from the WP. See
http://eg.washingtonpost.com/profile/1063990/

Fusebox art gallery will open at 1412 14th St 
September 22. See [1] below.

At Tuesday's "14th St Renaissance" forum, Jim Abdo 
said he's turned down offers from Subway, Blockbuster,
and Hollywood video for his 14th St properties.

WCP wrote brilliant, long-overdue article on stretch
of abandoned buildings along Florida Avenue. See 
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/cover/cover.html

See "Options for Klingle Road Outlined: Study Gives 
Mayor Seven Choices for Action on Long-Closed Route 
Through Park," (I'd prefer a car-free bike trail.)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A48425-2001Sep5.html
   See report at 
http://www.ddot.dc.gov/news_room/2001/september/09_04_01pr.shtm

G'town still working out its $8 million issue with 
the NPS. See "Turning Point For The Waterfront Park,"
http://www.georgetowner.com/08.30.01_Issue/editorials_opinion.html

15th & I luxury condos being built will get device for
stacking over 70 cars. See "Garage of the Future Finds
a Space Downtown: Computer Will Park Cars, Making 
Ramps Unnecessary and Leaving More Room for Vehicles,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A36783-2001Sep3.html

Sale of G St Mather Building (once home to UDC's arts
program) was made official. Ground floor will feature 
an art gallery, a dance studio, and an auditorium. 
See "Mather Building Renovation Set: Long-Vacant
Downtown Site to Become Arts-Condo Project,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A10894-2001Aug28.html
   See also http://www.culturaldc.org/mather_pr.html
   See also building pictures at 
http://www.pnhoffman.com/the_mather_pressrelease_pics.htm
   See also ceremony pictures at 
http://www.pnhoffman.com/pressrelease_pics.htm

See "Discovery to Shut Down Store at MCI Center,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A21954-2001Aug30.html

It's not quite Wolfgang Puck, but it's probably 
exactly what the tourists prefer: "McNuggets to Join 
Moon Rocks at Air and Space,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A10431-2001Aug28.html
   Our best museum food is in National Gallery of Art.

WP revealed a gay hip-hop scene in SW Chinese 
restaurant, dismissing "headache-inducing techno music
a la Manhattan's Chelsea or Washington's Dupont Circle
lounges, where gym bunnies in Prada eat sushi and 
drink wine after a long day of shuffling legal 
briefs." Didn't know we had gay lounges selling sushi,
but it's not a bad idea. See "Brothers in Arms,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A22230-2001Aug30.html

Firehook Bakery will expand into old Chesapeake Bagel
Bakery space on 200 block of Penn Ave, SE. Voice of 
the Hill quotes Chesapeake as deliberately moving out
of DC because "the DC business climate is prohibitive.
There’s more profit and less hassle in Virginia." See
http://www.voiceofthehill.com/latest.htm#Firehook

Results II opens later this month at 3rd & G SE.

WP covers press conference on state of our trees. See
"D.C. Confronts Tree Deficit,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A46220-2001Sep5.html

WBJ looks at pending DC legislation which would:
   * "Promote a 'vibrant and exciting streetscape' in
commercial areas; 
   * Unify and improve the appearance of commercial
zones by using coordinated signage, banners, street
furniture and lighting; 
   * Upgrade and standardize vending carts and kiosks
used for street sales of food and souvenirs; and 
   * 'Improve the aesthetics and highlight the special
nature of streets in the nation's capital' by using
public art."
   WBJ also reports Golden Triangle BID is launching
effort to corral newspaper vending machines into
attractive "condos." See "Private sector may take over
public-space management,"
http://washington.bcentral.com/washington/stories/2001/09/03/newscolumn4.html

Metro hopes for approval of FlexCar program, placing 
22 Honda Civics at various stations. See "Metro Plans
Rental Cars at Its Stations: Subway Passengers Would 
Pay by the Hour to Drive After Leaving the Trains,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A48980-2001Sep5.html

See "New Md Metro Route Down to 2 Choices: Options Are
Slow Trolley Inside Or Fast Train Outside Beltway,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A26952-2001Aug31.html

WT says "City officials in Ba'more are aiming to build
upon the successes of well-established and recently 
trendy neighborhoods to attract and keep residents." 
See "Council formed to fight urban flight,"
http://www.washtimes.com/metro/20010905-31776772.htm

Kitchen K's "Revealing the Process of Design" exhibit
extended through 9/26. See [2] below.

Tonight: Volunteer orientation for WABA's BikeDC. See
[3] below.

September 7 - 9: Atlantic Stampede gay rodeo. See
http://www.asgra.org/atlantic_stampede_2001.html

Friday, September 7: Metropera, 8pm at Dupont Circle
plaza. Free. See [4] below.

September 7: Dupont Circle First Friday open house. 
See http://www.washingtonprintmakers.com/friday.html

September 7: Cherry Red's "Killer Joe" opens at
Metro Cafe. See http://www.cherryredproductions.com/

September 8 & 9: Adams Morgan Festival. See 
http://www.adamsmorganday.org/

September 8 & 9: The local Gloxinia and Gesneriad 
Society will sell exotic flowers at the National
Arboretum. See [5] below.

Saturday, September 8: "Art happening" at U St Metro,
13th St, for Triangle Artists Group Art Treasure Hunt.
See http://www.tagdc.org/arttreasurehunt/arthunt.htm
   See also "Everything That's U: Treasures Of the 
Street,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A49040-2001Sep5.html

Sunday, September 9: Big Ken's open house 12 - 6; lots
of free shows. See http://kennedy-center.org/openhouse

Monday, September 10: Construction watch tour of Logan
Heights development (2100 block of 10th Street), 4:30;
free. Part of the AIA's "Architecture Week," September
9 through 15. See http://www.aiadc.com/calendar.htm#AW

Tuesday, September 11: Speak Easy at HR57 on 14th St;
Washington Storytellers Theatre's monthly event - you
should drop by once to see what's going on. $5. See 
http://www.washingtonstorytellers.org/speakeezy.htm

Sunday, September 23: BikeDC, big trip through town.
See http://www.waba.org/new/ride_with/bikedc2001.php 

Saturday, October 6: Neighborhood Action Citizen 
Summit II, Convention Center. Sign up now to make your
voice heard. See http://neighborhoodaction.dc.gov/

Best regards,
Michael  
------------------------------------------------------
[1]   
Sarah Finlay and Patrick Murcia are pleased to 
announce the September 22, 2001 opening of Fusebox, a 
contemporary art gallery located at 1412 Fourteenth 
Street, NW, in Washington, D.C.  Fusebox will be the 
city's premier exhibition space for emergent artistic 
activity.  The gallery represents regional, national, 
and international artists practicing at the leading 
edge of global æsthetic discourse.  Fusebox is 
committed to a cultural program that will enhance the
city's rich intellectual, economic, and historical 
landscape.

Fusebox will be a 1,700 square-foot, open, industrial-
style art space.  This lucid environment will be the 
setting for a curatorial program focusing on 
intelligent and innovative work in a broad range of 
media, including painting, sculpture, digital art, and
photography, along with video, installation, and 
performance.  

Fusebox is owned and directed by Sarah Finlay and 
Patrick Murcia.  Sarah brings a strong and 
accomplished academic background, including an M.A. in
art history from George Washington University and an 
academic internship at the Hirshhorn Museum and 
Sculpture Garden.  Her commercial gallery experience 
includes positions as Assistant Director at 
Baumgartner Gallery and assistant to the director at 
Middendorf Gallery.  Patrick holds a degree in Latin 
American Studies and an M.B.A. complemented by ten 
years of experience in finance and community economic
development.

------------------------------------------------------
[2]   
By popular demand, KITCHEN [K] - A Design Gallery has
extended "Revealing the Process of Design," a show 
that goes behind the scenes to examine the deliberate
decision-making and most inventive, conceptual and
experimental work of graphic designers, multimedia and
web designers, architects, and industrial designers.
The exhibition has been extended through September 
26th.  Gallery hours are Wednesday through Friday from
2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Saturdays from Noon until 
6:00 p.m., with extended hours for September 23rd from 
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 pm, September 24th and 25th from 
Noon to 8:00 pm, and September 26th from 9:00 a.m. to
6:00 p.m. KITCHEN [K]-A Design Gallery, 1436 U Street,
NW Suite 100, WDC  Free.  For more information 
202-232-2676 or http://www.kitchenk.org
 
------------------------------------------------------
[3]   
If you were waiting until we REALLY needed you to 
volunteer for the biggest bicycle tour in the history
of the Washington area, YOUR TIME HAS COME!

We are in critical need for 30 Bridge Marshals who 
will help the 6,000 cyclists on the tour stay safe as
they cross the four bridges on this year's 32-mile 
route - Roosevelt, Key, Benning Road, and Frederick 
Douglass Bridges. We will be sharing the bridges with
opposing traffic, separated by barrels and cones. 
Bridge marshals will add an audible warning to 
cyclists to bear right as they travel the bridges and 
to be aware of the change in grades on the approach 
and exit ramps. Bridge marshals will be equipped with
vests and radios to provide on the ground 
communications with Tour Headquarters.

Recruit a friend, recruit the office - Help us make 
BikeDC the SAFEST tour around!

Tonight, Thursday, Sept. 6, beginning at 5:30pm, at 
Martin Luther King Library, 9th and G Streets, NW, 
we'll have volunteer orientation (Gallery Place Metro
Stop). If you've already volunteered or if you are 
thinking about volunteering, plan on joining us 
tomorrow evening.

Thanks!
------------------------------------------------------
[4]  
METROPERA

A performance by Guillermo Silveira and "The Skies of
Washington"

when: Friday September 7th, 2001 at 8PM
where: Dupont Circle - Dupont Circle Fountain

Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of D.C. Metro

The "bel canto" arrives to Dupont Circle like part of
a project to revaluate the beauty of the city through
the art.

Walkers are surprised when they find diverse
personages singing opera arias at the one concurred 
circle of the District of Columbia. It is Friday 
September 7th, 2001, 8PM at night, and the magic of 
the unusual takes Dupont Circle.

The actors - twelve beings of diverse origins: the
Mexican, the Russian-Jew, the Lebanese-Armenian, the
American, and the Argentine, among others - have taken
the circle to perform MetrOpera, an initiative with
which the art goes to the conquest of the public
space.
------------------------------------------------------
[5]   
Please visit the U.S. National Arboretum in 
Washington, DC this weekend to check out "From White
to Wild: A Houseplant Spectrum", a flower show and 
plant sale presented by the National Capital Area 
Chapter of the American Gloxinia and Gesneriad Society
in cooperation with Friends of the National Arboretum.
Exotic plants will be available for sale.  Parking and
admission are free.

Where: U.S. National Arboretum, Washington, DC

When: Saturday, Sept. 8, 1-5; Sunday, Sept. 9, 9-5.

Directions: take New York Avenue to Bladensburg Road,
and follow signs to arboretum entrance at 24th and R 
Streets. The show and sale will be in the auditorium
of the administration building.