Daily Candy: Red and the Black

Daily Candy taps a Red and the Black for a weekend concert, but check out the street reference. Because everyone knows where Wylie and Linden are, right?

HEAR
Ilad
What: Area rockers perform tracks from their stellar new record, National Flags.
Why: We salute ye.
When: Thurs., 9 p.m.
Where: The Red & the Black, 1212 H St. NE, b/t Wylie St. & Linden Pl. (202-399-3201).

NAPA 1015 Valentine's Menu

NAPA 1015 Valentines Day Menu
Reservations: 202-396-6272

First Course
Goat cheese and beet salad drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette and caramelized walnuts
or
Caesar salad
Hearts of romaine lettuce with our house Caesar dressing

Second Course
Vegetable terrine
Layers of roasted red pepper, eggplant, and smoked gouda
or
Foie gras
Served with brioche and raspberry pear chutney

Third Course
Lobster tail stuffed with crab meat
or
Medallions of beef tenderloin served with au poivre sauce
or
Corn and parmesan polenta
Served with sauteed vegetables and a roasted tomatillo sauce.

Fourth Course
Creme Brule
or
Fresh berries paired with chocolate fondue
Chocolate mousse garnished with amaretto whipped cream and raspberries

$50.00 per person

DCmud Burnham Place Architect Named

DCmud reports that Akridge has named Shalom Baranes Associates as the architect for Burnham Place at Union Station.

DC Adds 25M to H Street Streetscape

Here is a statement from Tommy Wells' office-

You’ve probably heard about all the different H Street, NE related funding opportunities from a variety of sources, but we’ve put up a page on our website with much of this information consolidated into one place. The total is over $76 million being invested on H Street, NE.

Link: http://www.tommywells.org/content/view/333/30/

Two big items:

1) Please join Councilmember Wells and Mayor Fenty tomorrow morning at 10:30 am at the Starburst intersection for the announcement and groundbreaking of the streetscape and street car projects.


2) Please note the deadlines for applications for several of the programs listed on this webpage, and also note that the funding awards are “rolling”. Organizations or property owners that want to apply should move quickly because the funding agency isn’t waiting until the deadline to make the awards; they are giving awards to eligible applicants along the way. If a very worthy applicant waits until the deadline to apply, the funding may well have run out. So if you know of folks interested, please encourage them to move quickly.

Get the pdf here for full details.

Artistry of Paul Johnson @Gallaudet

Here's some info from Gallaudet on an upcoming reception and exhibit the University is hosting:

Opening reception for 'Three Dimensional Mythology: The Artistry of Paul Johnston'

Join the Gallaudet University Art Department for an opening reception for "Three Dimensional Mythology: The Artistry of Paul Johnston's Handscape Masks" on Tuesday, February 5, 4-6 p.m., Washburn Arts Building lobby. Enjoy food and festivities and celebrate Fat Tuesday and the kick-off of this new colorful exhibit.

Dr. Johnston has created a mysterious and multifaceted vision of deaf culture that reflects his deeply personal journey growing up deaf in a hearing world. The masks confront a variety of issues, from the struggle to acquire language to combating stereotypes. Each character's individuality confronts the notion that all deaf people are alike, said Johnston, a long-time Gallaudet professor.

These vibrant fusions of eyes, hands, and faces derive their personality from the expressive nature of sign language. Over a 10-year period, Johnston has created 50 masks from mixed media, enlivening each with brightly colored paint, feathers, and ornate wire. He has created four mythological character groups: performer, learner, communicator, and worker.

The exhibit will run February 5-March 5. The Linda K. Jordan Gallery is open Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

H Street Heritage Trail Mtg 2/19

From the trail people:
The third H Street Heritage Trail meeting was marked by an articulate account from Sam Smith, long-time DC journalist, of the riots in 1968. The group then drew up preliminary ideas for the route of the Trail, having it begin at Union Station, make it's way up Benning Road and ending south and east of Union Station in Capitol Hill.

This is all preliminary and of course part of the discussions to take place in the coming months, but it was great to see such a visual representation of things.

A link to a posting of the notes from the three meetings is now online at http://hstreettrail.blogspot.com. There you can also see some great pictures, courtesy of Mr. Smith. We're hoping to post more soon, so if you have any, please send to gallo4343@hotmail.com.

The next meeting is scheduled for Feb. 19th at the Atlas Performing Arts Center at 7PM. In the meantime, the residents of the Delta Towers community are going to gather together to try to bring up some of their unique memories.

Congressional Chorus @Atlas

Here's the info:


Save the date...
for a Roaring Good Time...
and slip away with
The Congressional Chorus for
"A Night at the Speakeasy"
on March 8th or 9th at The Atlas Performing Arts Center, one of Washington's premier new live performance complexes.

Join your friends around our candlelit tables where you'll enjoy spirited American music of the 1920s, an era when jazz raged, gin flowed (illegally) and Charleston-crazy flappers danced the night away behind locked doors. Along with popular songs by masters such as Irving Berlin, Hoagy Carmichael, Fats Waller, the Gershwins, Rodgers and Hart, and Hammerstein and Kern, our cabarets will also feature period costumes, dancing, tasty gourmet bites and a cash bar. Get your tickets now - last year's performances were sold out!

Show times and location:

A Night at the Speakeasy
Saturday, March 8th - 8 pm
Sunday, March 9th - 4 pm

The Sprenger Theater
Atlas Performing Arts Center
1333 H Street, Northeast
Washington, DC 20002

Plan to arrive an hour before the show to enjoy food and drink and place your bids on an exciting array of goods and services being offered in a silent auction to raise money for several Congressional Chorus projects, including a new, city-wide youth music education initiative.

All tickets - $30 - available through the Atlas box office at 202-399-7993 or online at www.atlasarts.org

The Atlas Performing Arts Center, located at 1333 H Street Northeast, opened in late 2006 on the site of a former Art Deco movie theater. It has since been joined by clubs, art galleries, coffeehouses and restaurants that are making the H Street corridor one of the city's hottest, new entertainment neighborhoods. The Atlas offers valet parking, as well as shuttle service from Union Station.

Visit the Congressional Chorus website,
or www.atlasarts.org, for more information.

Valentine's @SOVA

If you haven't yet hammered out your V-Day plans you'll be happy to read that SOVA invites you all to enjoy the evening as they play host to SpeakeasyDC's Valentine's Day Story Social, with live musical performances by Stripmall Ballads. The even runs from 8-10pm and the cover is $10 at the door. SOVA is located at 1359 H Street.

WP: Community @Sidamo

Last week's Post Magazine contained the following delightfull article on Sidamo. Ethiopian Immigrants Create Community with Coffee.
Sidamo is located at 417 H Street.

Streetscape Breaks Ground Tomorrow

Here's the DDOT announcement:


MEDIA ADVISORY

Mayor Adrian M. Fenty and DDOT Break Ground on Benning Road/H Street
Streetscape and Streetcar Project

Second Great Streets Project Being Prepped to Begin Construction

(Washington, DC) The District Department of Transportation (DDOT), on
behalf of Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, invites you to a press conference to
announce plans for the highly anticipated H Street and Benning Road
Great Street Streetscape and Streetcar Project. Work on Benning Road
began in late December 2007.

H Street NE and Benning Road are vital corridors serving the near
northeast communities in the District of Columbia. Plans for their
improvement began with community and business leadership and vision.
DDOT is pleased to be able to make that vision a reality through the
investment of over $50 million in streetscape, safety, and transit
improvements that will transform the corridor from 3rd Street to
Oklahoma Avenue NE.

What: H Street and Benning Road Streetscape and Streetcar Project

Who: Adrian M. Fenty, Mayor
Emeka Moneme, Director, District Department of Transportation

When: Thursday, January 31, 2008 @ 10:30am

Where: Starburst Intersection and Plaza Intersection of H St.,
Benning, Maryland Ave, Bladensburg Rd, and 15th St NE
(by Maryland Avenue/Bladensburg Road)

Karyn G. Le Blanc | Acting Public Information Officer & Public Affairs
Specialist | Office of the Director | District Department of
Transportation

desk 202-671-3490 | fax 202-671-0650 | cell 202-497-4572 | www.ddot.dc. gov

ABC7: Source of Jimmy's Tire Fire Identified

Sparks from a masonry saw that contractors were using to repair a recently collapsed wall appear to have ignited the fire that destroyed Jimmy's Tire. ABC 7 has the story and some photos. They are also reporting that the owners are considering rebuilding.

H Street in NY Magazine

New York Magazine recently ran a story on what to do when traveling to DC. One section of the article, An Oddball Day, suggests checking out H Street. That section begins with that typical New York cliche about how everyone in DC is boring and uptight.
"For a city that’s filled with button-downed Brooks Brothers shirts and Ann Taylor pantsuits, it’s great to see that there’s still some dirty, weird folks around."
But they obviously mean that dirty, weird thing in the best possible way, because the gist is overall positive. Palace of Wonders, The Red and the Black, and the Argonaut all received explicit mentions.

Broke & In Love @R&R Hotel

From the Rock and Roll Hotel-
Rock and Roll Hotel's special engagement for all you broke chumps that wanna get some on Valentines Day. $40 all inclusive meal for two with a Bottle of Champagne, shared Appetizer, choice of individual entree, and a fondue dessert. Chris Price rockin' out 80's love songs all night. seating is limited to 50 couples with one seating @ 8pm and the second @ 10pm so act quick you broke bastards.

Choices:
Appetizer

Cheese Plate;
Brie with truffle oil
Goat cheese with fig preserve
Gorgozola with honeyed walnuts
Served with grilled flat breads and marinated olives

OR

Mixed green salad with hazelnuts and raspberry
vinaigrette

Entree

Citrus glazed salmon with key lime vinaigrette

OR

Grilled chicken breast with white wine-caper sauce

OR

Grilled eggplant napolean with pomegranate glaze,
roasted red pepper-walnut sauce and goat cheese (can
be ordered vegan w/o the cheese)

All entrees served with roasted rosemary potatoes and
grilled asparagus

Dessert

Warm bittersweet fondue for two with fresh berries,
poundcake and marshmallows


Reservations only, contact fritz@rockandrollhoteldc.com or steve@rockandrollhoteldc.com

New Citipizza Now Open

For those of you not inclined to make your own, we now have a decent delivery option right here on H Street. New Citipizza is located in the 504 H Street, and their phone number is 202-544-6292 . I believe they do delivery, or pick-up. I'm not totally sure about the pick-up thing. I used to order from the original Citipizza, and it was always a good local option that showed up in a timely manner and took credit cards.

WP: Theaters Opt For Bio-Musicals

The Post has a piece on why some DC theaters are offering more bio-musicals. They offer the H Street Playhouse as an example. Tickets are currently available for A Nite at the Dew Drop Inn. Here is the info from the Theater Alliance website:
Conceived and Directed by James Foster Jr.
January 31 - February 16
Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 5 pm

Recreating the "hole in the wall, through the woods on a gravel road, moonshine still in the back" juke joint experience, A Nite at the Dew Drop Inn offers low-down blues, hot piano, singing that makes you want to stand up and shout, and a tribute to the "Queen of the Blues," Miss Dinah Washington. It's an evening of music and dance and foot-stomping you won't want to miss! So, get ready to kick back, enjoy refreshments with your friends, and experience a wildly entertaining evening, as we convert the H Street Playhouse into Capitol Hill's hottest "juke joint." Featuring: Andy Torres, Yvette Manson, Stephawn Stevens, Kimberly Spencer-McLeod; and Ralph Herndon on piano.

Monday Night Wines @Argo

All bottles of wine ½ price with dinner

wine tasting starting at 7pm
(1/28 2/4)

Come see our new look and enjoy our expanded wine list!
The Argonaut is located at 1433 H Street

Argo Weekend Specials

SPECIALS
To Drink
Prima Pils, Victory Brewing, Pennsylvania $6
Bock, Abita Brewing, Louisiana, (Mardi gras seasonal) $5

To Eat
New England- White clam chowder with potatoes and bacon, $5/$8
Chowder crackers
Fish Tacos-Crispy Tilapia, cilantro-cabbage slaw, salsa cruda, $10
House made remoulade, with avocado salad
Wood Fired Spiced Salmon-Horseradish Potato salad $14
and Rhotebraut
Shrimp & Grits- scotch bonnet chutney glazed, $15
with chow-chow relish and cheddar grits

Combat and Redemption @the Atlas

The Post features a great review of three short operatic works being presented a single piece at the Atlas Performing Arts Center. The three short pieces are Monteverdi's Combattimento, Mozart's The Impresario, and Holst's Savitri. Together they make up Combat and Redemption, which you can catch again on the 26th and 27th. The Atlas is located at 1333 H Street. Purchase tickets here, or call the box office at 202-399-7993.

Nouveau Fleur Blooms on H

Many of you may have noticed something new occupying the first floor space in the Language Doctors building. The building, located on the northeast corner of 5th and H, doesn't yet boast a permanent sign on the first floor, but a white banner announces the opening of a new business. The business is Nouveau Fleur, and a visit inside is sure to impress.

An assortment of arrangements and single flowers greet visitors upon entry. When I stopped by they were running a special on Star Gazer Lilies.

Owner, Debbie Moultry, and her sister pose for the camera. Both women are Master Gardens who are very excited to finally see the dream of Nouveau Fleur realized. In addition to the many cut flowers, pots, and living plants on sale in the shop, Ms. Moultry also offers event planning services.

The space is very nicely decorated and has a light and airy feel that fits its purpose well.


Proving that Nouveau Fleur is more than just a good choice for Valentine's Day, or brightening up your dining room, both women spoke of their hope that customers will return for advice on how to care for living plants.

They also spoke of plans, once the weather turns to spring, to offer herbs, and other plants out in the patio area. In addition, they will offer classes in caring for plants, composting, and other areas.

Whether you make a special trip, or stop by after yoga, or coffee, you'll definitely be impressed by what's sprouted on this corner. Nouveau Fleur, 500 H Street, 202-352-2153.

American Observer: SOVA

Check out this great review of SOVA from the folks in American University's School of Communication's journalism program.

Family Night @Argonaut

Family Night
At The Argonaut
1433 H St NE

Every Wednesday Night

kids 12 and under eat free
With Adult sandwich or entrée purchase

It Can Be Amazing

In Shaw offers up the example of what was once a true ugly duckling building occupied by a check cashing place, but that has now been reborn as a swan. Click on the photos to enlarge.

USA Today: King's Vision on H

The owner of George's Place is one of those interviewed
USA Today looks at H Street, as well as neighborhoods in Chicago and Kansas City to evaluate progress and short fallings over the past forty years.

Massive Fire Guts Jimmy's Tire

Firefighters arrived on the scene around 1:30pm. The fire continues to burn. Firefighters broke down the door of at least one neighboring, but unconnected rowhouse. Three people escaped unharmed from the tire store.











Currently none of us has any water pressure, and things are very smokey, but less so than they were. The family whose door was broken down is safely situated at a neighbor's house where they have been invited to stay. I received a phone call from a neighbor who swore she could see the smoke a couple of hours ago when her plane took off from National. As you can see, I got lots of pictures. Not shown is the giant fireball that came shooting out of the right side of the building around 2pm.









The water pressure is back. The firefighters are now using foam, though I believe they may still be using some water. There is a report of one firefighter injury. Firefighters expect to have the fire out sometime tonight with continued observation through tomorrow. One source cited the cause as a possible spark from the nearby condo construction.









WUSA9
ABC7
NBC4
At 7am they are still spraying the fire with foam that now coats the streets and gives the appearance of freshly plowed snow. And once again there is no water for many of the nearby residents. A section of the building has now been cut apart, allowing better access to the fire. If Jimmy's Tire could have been saved as a shell when this fire started that possibility is now gone. This one is a tear down for sure. Let's hope the owner had lots of insurance that will cover this.