12/14/01:

WP ran a 1923 flashback of the four sandboxes which 
were in Dupont Circle park until 1939. Left unsaid was
that they were removed after investigations showed 
that drunks and dogs used the sandboxes for toilet 
purposes, leading children to break out in various 
rashes and skin problems. See "Backlight,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A58839-2001Dec5.html

South-of-Circle Xando closed on Dec 3rd; will reopen
as a Xando/Cosi in mid-January.

17th St's TrueValue's plans for expansion include new
construction along rear towards the alley, along the
back of three buildings, including behind shoe shop. 
Should more than double existing floor space.

Cobalt has scrapped plans for a private VIP club.
Downstairs, New York's acclaimed cafe FoodBar should
open early next year.

The Carnegie Institution has a new exhibition, "Our 
Expanding Universe," through May 31, including a book
store. Rare chance to see this beautiful building in 
the heart of Dupont (16th & P). Open Tuesdays through
Sundays, noon - 5; Thursdays open till 8pm. See 
http://www.carnegieinstitution.org/new_home_page/exhibit/home_page.html

Across the street, The Embassy Building is now home to
Double R Productions, bringing even more show business
glamour to Dupont. See middle of "Marketing & Media,"
http://washington.bcentral.com/washington/stories/2001/12/10/newscolumn6.html

Rouge Hotel now open on 16th St north of Scott Circle.

More info on HRC's purchase of B'nai B'rith B'lding. 
See "HRC risks $400,000 deposit, buys $9.8M building,"
http://washington.bcentral.com/washington/stories/2001/12/10/newscolumn7.html

7-11's lease is up by mid-January for their space at 
14th & RI Ave. Expect construction for new Caribou 
Coffee to begin soon afterwards. Unfortunately, 7-11
will be moving across the street, to newly-renovated
space at SW corner.
   Abdo says he's trying to get businesses like a 
cafe, bank, home furnishing store and drycleaners to 
his other properties in the area.

Sparky's has a Web site: http://www.sparkyscafe.com/

WP profiles historic building at 2118 Mass Ave. See 
"The Cincinnati: A Society That's In the Blood,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A35078-2001Dec12.html

American University student Michael Fisher is seeking
gay men to interview for his history thesis about how
Dupont Circle become a gay neighborhood. If you lived
in DC in the 40s, 50s, 60s or 70s and would like to be
interviewed, contact him at duponthistory@hotmail.com.

WP's Travel section reports "...with one of the 
largest concentrations of gay men and lesbians in the
United States, the District has more than two dozen 
gay nightspots, each catering to a different 
clientele." See stay-in-DC ideas in "Gay Getaway,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A9023-2001Dec7.html

WP lists neighborhoods that "go all out with holiday 
decorating." No DC streets are included. Wouldn't it
be nice to see some coordinated decoration along 17th
St, P St, or Conn Ave? See "It's a Beautiful Night In
the Neighborhood,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A2623-2001Dec6.html

Mt. Pleasant has a new Italian Restaurant, Bella Roma,
and its handsome bar Barbelow underneath, in same 
building as The People Garden.

Plans are underway to redevelop the "Colortone 
Building," a former printing plant located in the 
alley between Ontario Rd and 17th St, just north of 
Kalorama, behind the old Brass Knob warehouse, across
from the old Citadel/roller rink. Developer wants to 
add two stories. One floor would be used for The Sitar
Center, a music and arts school for at-risk kids, with
other floors to be used for 12 artist loft/studio 
condos. Will also have 32-36 parking spaces.

Marie Reed pool re-opening delayed to after Christmas.
Project complete except for underwater lights.

1774 U St, long-vacant 4-story building near 18th & 
Florida, is now renting 10 apartments, ranging from 
$1,200 to $3,200 (2 bedrooms, a study, a pent-house 
and private roof deck), with 10 more opening later.

Starbucks at NH Ave & U St opened on Tuesday 12/11/01.

GoodWood suffered a fire on Tuesday, 12/4/01, with 
traces of gasoline found in front. See "NW Fire 
Believed Intentional,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A59269-2001Dec5.html

Republic Gardens on U St is closed for renovations, 
while owner Marc Barnes (who recently opened Dream in
Ivy City) turns it into "more of a lounge thing."

WP covered unveiling of historic walking tour signs.
See "On U Street, Signs of Neighborhood's Times: 
Heritage Trail Details District's 'Black Broadway',"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A36704-2001Nov29.html

WP reports on spate of recent violence. See "Killings 
Rattle Neighborhood: Columbia Heights Has 3 in 5 Days;
Police Increase Patrols,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A35091-2001Dec12.html

Final bids are in for 7 NCRC lots. See "Developers
pitch proposals for Columbia Heights sites,"
http://washington.bcentral.com/washington/stories/2001/12/03/story6.html
   See also "Builders Offer Plans for Renewing 
Columbia Heights,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A61804-2001Dec5.html
   See also http://www.ncrcdc.org/rlarc/propertiesCHeights.htm

More coverage of Columbia Heights and Wax Museum site
(at 5th & K) proposals: See middle of "District Beat,"
http://washington.bcentral.com/washington/stories/2001/12/10/newscolumn4.html
   See also "Final four builders present proposals on
museum,"
http://www.washingtontimes.com/businesstimes/20011210-83984413.htm

See "D.C. Delays Selection of Hotel Developer: One-
Month Postponement Criticized by Convention Center 
Officials,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A40787-2001Dec13.html

WBJ reports building at SW corner of 17th and K will
be demolished in 9 months. See "Clock ticking on 
landlord's K St. demolition decision,"
http://washington.bcentral.com/washington/stories/2001/12/10/story8.html

I applaud the mayor's decision to use Klingle Road for
a hiking and biking trail. Not an easy decision, but 
the best way to connect an urban village to nature, 
instead of providing access from one highway to 
another. See "Mayor Opposes Reopening Klingle: Repairs
to Little-Used NW Road Deemed Too Costly,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A40900-2001Dec13.html
   See also http://www.klinglevalley.org/

Georgetown's FAO Schwarz will close after the 
holidays. (So check out the big sale.)

Historical Society will study potential for historic 
designation of Shaw area roughly bounded by N St, 7th 
St, Florida Ave, and NJ Ave. See "East Side of Shaw 
to be Surveyed for Possible Historic District Status,"
http://www.intowner.com/fr/issue/stories/story2.htm

WP looks at 7th St's history shown in documentary "The
Old Days: Jewish Life in Washington, D.C." See "Making
Contact With a Not-So-Distant Past: Oral Histories, 
Photos Bolster Recollection of Faded Communities,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A31955-2001Dec12.html

Benjamin Forgey reviewed handsome new 11th St building
between E and F streets. See "History Is Only Skin 
Deep: Old Bricks Conceal a New Lincoln Square," 
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A42491-2001Nov30.html

In spite of the plethora of vacant storefronts down-
town, you should still drop by to see the annual 
Christmas displays at Woodies, the fun lights along F
St, and the lit-up Wilson Building and Market Square. 
And don't forget to shop at Apartment Zero and Vega on
7th St. See http://www.downtowndc.org/update.html
   Chicago's Potbelly Sandwich Works is coming soon
to 5th & F.
   For an idea of just how vibrant F St used to be,
see my list of shops in 1960, [1] below.

WP covers reopening postponement of National Portrait
Gallery and American Art Museum, originally scheduled 
for 2005. See "D.C. Opposes Delay Of Museum Makeover,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A18041-2001Dec9.html

New Capitol Hill Firehook Bakery will open January 1
on same block as Xando, Starbucks and Ritz Camera.

WP looks at changes at Eastern Market. See "A Turning
Point in 'Thirty Years' War': Capitol Hill Residents
See Better Times for Historic Shopping Site,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A28365-2001Nov28.html

Funky sculptures expected to roll out this spring. See
"Herd on the Street: D.C. Arts Panel to Trot Out 200 
Decorated Elephants and Donkeys,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A34631-2001Dec12.html
   Application deadline for artist entries is January 
25. I'm hoping we get some fun versions in Dupont! See
http://dcarts.dc.gov/services/artsnpp/party_animals.shtm

Bethesda has a new super-hip bowling alley, from owner
of NYC's trendy Bowlmor, described as "an art gallery 
you can bowl in." Please, God, let some wise soul do 
the same for 14th St! See "Striking It Rich in 
Bethesda,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A38081-2001Dec13.html
   See also http://www.bowlmor.com/
   My favorite bowling alley is in Minneapolis, 
Bryant-Lake Bowl, which has only 8 lanes, with a cozy
cafe in front, and an adjacent caberet. See
http://www.bryantlakebowl.com/

WT reports Reston Town Center will get an arts center
and 690 more apartments. See [2] below.

Dr Gridlock revisits pedestrian issues, looking at
13th & Logan and NH Ave & M. See "Wanted: Domestic 
Security Inside the Crosswalk,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A32080-2001Dec12.html

City looking at tree legislation. See "Council Bill 
Seeks to Curb Tree Losses: Measure Targets Impact Of 
Development, Renovation,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A31935-2001Dec12.html
  You can read the bill at 
http://www.foxhall.org/DCGov/TreeBill2001.htm

WT looks at cycling in the city, from the city's bike
map being readied, to the high accident rate at Conn 
Ave and L. See "Bikers beat D.C. gridlock,"
http://www.washtimes.com/metro/20011209-72704001.htm

Metro began car-sharing program. See "Metro Rolls Out
Deal Providing Cars for Rent Near Stations,"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A58234-2001Dec4.html
   FlexCar has cars in Dupont (in the Colonial Parking
Garage between NH Ave and 19th, south of the circle) 
and Woodley Park. See 
http://www.flexcar.com/members/dc_locations.asp
   ZipCar has its own program, independent of Metro, 
with the following locations:
   * Corner of 18th and California 
   * Dorchester House, 16th & Kalorama
   * Woodley Park, at the Marriott Hotel
   * 2415 18th Street, Colonial Parking lot
   See 
http://www.zipcar.com/parkingLocations.jsp?metroareaid=2
   See also results of their survey, [3] below.

Metro's budget request includes plan for long-awaited
passenger walkway between Farragut North and West, and
another between Metro Center and Gallery Place. See 
"To Keep Up, Metro Wants $4.5 Billion: Rail Cars, 
Walkways, Tunnels on List," 
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A6099-2001Dec6.html

Tonight: Fresh Fields celebrates their 1-year 
anniversary with the Thomas Circle Singers, 6-7pm.
   It's amazing to reflect on the businesses that
have arrived in the wake of Fresh Fields: Ozone 
Studio, Hamburger Mary's, Empire Video, Fuse Box 
Art Gallery, and further north Go Mama Go, Manny 
and Olga's, and Flowers on 14th. Thai Tanic hopes to 
open on New Year's, and the new BodySmith gym could
open a few weeks after that. Further down the line is
the new Caribou Coffee and the Studio Theatre 
expansion.
   A block away, The Gatsby opened with 52 units at 
15th & O. Hundreds more will open nearby in the next 
two years, including:
   * The Ashton and The Dalton on Q near 14th
   * 12-unit The Emerson on 12th near N 
   * 25-unit The Willison on RI Ave near 14th
   * 46-unit Saxon Court on Church near 14th
   * 75-unit The Evergreen on 13th near N 
   * 77-unit SoLo Piazza at 13th & N
   * 269-unit, 15-story Post Mass Ave at 15th & Mass

Tonight: "A Mommie Dearest Christmas" at DCJCC, 7pm
and 9pm. $8. See [4] below.

Opening tonight: Bluebeard, by Cherry Red, 8:00 at 
Metro Cafe. See http://www.cherryredproductions.com/ 

December 14, 15, 21 & 28: Victorian Christmas at the 
Heurich House Museum; candlelight tours, 6 - 8pm. See
http://www.hswdc.org/Meet_Us/Meet_Us_index.asp#news 

December 14 - 16: Capitol Hill Arts Workshop sponsors 
a weekend arts package, Winter Wonderland Weekend. See
http://www.chaw.org/winterwonderland.htm

Saturday, December 15: Go Mama Go! hosts reception for
painter Paula Amt and photographer Shawn Davis, 3 - 7.

December 16 & 23: Freshfarm Market's last two days -
get rutabaga, squash, wreaths, lip balm, apple butter,
cheese, herbs, salad, meat, eggs, cider, soaps and 
other stocking stuffers. (Nothing says Merry Christmas
better than an old sock filled with fresh meat!) We
are so lucky to have this market so please support it.

Tuesday, December 18: First meeting of the DC Bicycle
Advisory Council, in the Reeves Center. See [5] below.

Wednesday, December 19: 2nd Annual Mayor's Holiday 
Party for the GLBT Community at Badlands, 6-10pm.

Thursday, December 20: 3rd 3rsday, 7th St artsy open
house. See http://www.culturaldc.org/3rdthursday.html

Best wishes for a Merry Christmas!
Michael 
------------------------------------------------------
[1]  
Saddled between the Hecht Co store at 7th St, and 
Woodies at 11th, F St was home to a vibrant shopping
scene. The list below shows the highlights that I 
found in the 1960 city directory, leaving out 
vacancies and various fur shops, jewelers, beauty 
shops, sewing machine & repairs shops and dressmakers,
some of which were not on the ground level.

 802  Gabriel's Barber Shop
 802  Capone LT Music Co
 804  Model Home furniture
 806  General Typewriter Co
 808  John Lekas florist
 816  George's Radio & Telev Co
 818  Washington Shoe Inc
 820  Harold's Restaurant

 910  Knickerbocker Fashions Inc
 912  Sample Hat Shop
 914  Std Drug Co
 915  Equitable Savings & Loan Assn
 916  Stewart Men's Clothes
 918  Polly's Beauty Shop
 919  Std Upholstering Co Inc fabrics
 920  Ritz Hotel
 921  Shah & Shah jewelers
 922  Nelligan's Boot Shop
 928  Gotham Gifts
 929  Capital Sewing Machine Co
 931  Mill End Shop fabrics
 932  Maran's greeting cards
 934  Metropolitan Theatre
 938  Greeting Card City
 941  Herzog's men's clothing
 942  Natl Shoe Shop

1000  People's Drug Store
1001  Rich B Sons shoes
1003  Woodward & Lothrop
1004  Castelberg's Jewelers
1006  Federal Bake Shops
1008  Farmer Fanny Candy Shops
1010  Rochel's woman's clothing
1010a National Peanut Corp
1012  Webster Clothes Inc
1014  William Allen Originals shoes
------------------------------------------------------
[2]                                   December 3, 2001

Apartments, arts center planned for Reston 

By Chris Baker
THE WASHINGTON TIMES

Regional real estate group Trammell Crow will build
more than 690 apartments and an arts center in Reston
Town Center. 
   Alexan Reston Town Center will feature two four-
story buildings, each with a basement level and two 
levels of underground parking. The buildings will be 
located across Town Center Parkway from the West 
Market neighborhood.
   The first building will have 362 apartments and 
2,300 square feet of retail space. Construction is
slated to be completed by fall 2003.
   The second building will have 336 apartments and 
4,000 square feet for the Greater Reston Arts Center.
It is scheduled to be completed by fall 2004.
   Terrabrook sold Trammel Crow the 8.5-acre parcel
where the Alexan complex will be built. Terms were not
disclosed.
   "Because there is currently a great demand for 
rental housing, Alexan will complement the town homes
and condominiums now available within Reston Town 
Center," says Thomas D'Alesandro IV, Terrabrook's vice
president and eastern manager.
   The apartment market in Northern Virginia remains
strong, although vacancy rates are up, according to 
the most recent report by real estate research group
Delta Associates.
   Delta surveyed 70,207 apartments in Northern 
Virginia in June and found 1.2 percent - or 831 units
- were vacant. The vacancy rate in June 2000 was .1 
percent, Delta said.
   The new home of the Greater Reston Arts Center will
complete a Fairfax County requirement that Reston Town
Center includes space for cultural uses.
   The 1987 rezoning of the 455-acre town center site
committed Terrabrook to 8,000 square feet for cultural
uses. The 4,000-square-foot ice skating rink in the 
heart of the town center also helps fulfill the 
requirement. 
------------------------------------------------------
[3]  
   Date: Tue, 11 Dec 2001  
   From: "Robin Chase"  
Subject: ZIPCAR: Response to Survey--No More Deposit! 
   
Zipcar "Notify Me's" are just as great as Zipcar 
members. We had an incredible response to our survey 
(30 percent). We listened. We learned.  We respond.

Foremost, WE'RE RESCINDING THE REQUIREMENT FOR A 
MEMBER DEPOSIT. Your survey answers were the last step
in our evaluation of the need for member deposits. 
Zipcar has been in business 16 months now. We're well
funded and we've been watching how members treat the 
cars, how much bad debt we've accumulated, and been 
weighing the trade-off between the protection member 
deposits offer us against the higher threshold for 
signing up. Your responses tipped the scale: no more 
member deposits!

We were happy to see that everyone understood our 
service well. Also, a good number of you are trying to
rely on your feet and public transportation. We 
support you. Those of you who are hanging on to 
underused pieces of metal, we say, "Simplify!"

Here are the answers to the most commonly expressed 
concerns:

AVAILABILITY. Fifty percent of our reservations are 
made on the same day, and a good number on the spur of
the moment. I personally almost always reserve with no
notice. One of the reasons we have so many cars is 
because the redundancy offers backup. The more cars 
there are, the more likely something nearby will be 
available to you at any given moment. We watch 
utilization very closely. Our very low attrition rates
and high member satisfaction are a tribute to the fact
that the system works well. 

ZIPCAR VS CAR RENTAL. Is Zipcar competitive? It 
depends. When you compare, remember to add in extra 
days/time you might be forced to use a car rental 
under the "deal" terms, to add the cost of gas and 
insurance, to add special car rental taxes, and to 
compare prices with a comparable class car. You'll 
have to judge for yourself what the convenience of a 
Zipcar is worth (you pick it up and return it nearby 
at any time of day or night, in a matter of seconds 
without standing in any lines). Finally, remember that
car rental rates vary wildly throughout the year. 
Sometimes they offer $20/day rates, sometimes it is 
$70. Our goal is to provide a dependable, reliable 
service year round.

EASE OF USE. There were some fears about the ability 
to be spontaneous, about the system being complicated,
about it being easier to go rent a car. Zipcar is 
truly as quick and simple to use as an ATM machine: it
takes seconds to make a reservation and there is no 
paperwork. And yes, we do take telephone reservations 
when you aren't near the internet.

Best answer to the survey question, "What would it 
take for you to join Zipcar?" Answer: My car-owning 
boyfriend would have to dump me.

Best synopsis of Zipcar just in from a current member:
"It just works. I never doubt that it will. It's fast,
easy and the car is always there. But even less 
tangible is the brand you've built. It's quirky, cool 
and fun. I am happy to tell people about it because it
makes me feel good. I feel like I am part of a fun 
community."

I'll leave you with that.

Thanks so much for your help, hope to see your name 
soon on the application list.

Robin [Chase]
CEO
------------------------------------------------------
[4] 
Reel Affirmations celebrates the holidays with Joan 
and Christina!

RA Xtra is hoping to put you in the holiday spirit 
with a special screening of "A Mommie Dearest 
Christmas!" Mark your calendars for Dec. 14 for the 
final RA Xtra screening of 2001.
   You won't want to miss this "cheerful" retelling of 
the Crawford family story, featuring the good 
(Christina), the bad (Joan), and the ugly (so many 
choices). Come dressed as your favorite character! The
most festive "Mommie Dearest" outfit wins a prize!
   The film screens at the DCJCC's Cecile Goldman 
Theater at 7 p.m., 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. (tentative). The
box office opens at 6 p.m., and tickets are $8.
------------------------------------------------------
[5]  
The first meeting of the DC Bicycle Advisory Council 
will be held on Tuesday, December 18 at 6:30 pm in the
2nd floor community room at the Reeves Center (2000 
14th Street, NW).
   We will discuss the role of the BAC and plans for 
bicycling in DC.
   The Bicycle Advisory Council members, appointed by
the DC Council, are as follows:

Ward 1 (Graham)                 Lisa Martin
Ward 2 (Evans)                  Chris Craig
Ward 3 (Patterson)              To be determined
Ward 4 (Fenty)                  Dan Barry
Ward 5 (Orange)                 Meedie Bardonille
Ward 6 (Ambrose)                Denise D'Amore
Ward 7 (Chavous)                Raymon Murcheson
Ward 8 (Allen)                  Jacques Patterson
Schwartz                        Rudy Schreiber (chair)
Cropp                           Conrad Smith
Catania                         James Koski
Mendelson                       Amy Nevel
Brazil                          William Schultheiss
Metropolitan Police Department  Lt. Patrick Burke
DC Energy Office                Carl Williams
School Board	                To be determined
Dpt of Parks and Recreation     Ted Pochter
Division of Transportation      Jim Sebastian

The meeting is open to the public. Everyone interested
in DC bicycling issues is invited. For the meeting, 
there is new bicycle parking out from (at the corner 
of 14th and U) and in the garage. The building is one 
block from the U Street Metro station. There is also 
automobile parking in the garage.
   To find the meeting room, enter the building, take 
the escalators to the second floor, and proceed to the
back back (north end) of the building.
   In other news, we have a fledgling web site at
http://ddot.dc.gov/information/bicycle_program.shtm
   Among other things, you can find our recent report
on bicycle and pedestrian crashes.
   For more information contact: 
      James R. Sebastian
      Bicycle Program Manager
      Office of Transportation Planning
      DC Department of Public Works