Joe Cole Beautification Day Saturday

Here are the posted details:

Joseph H. Cole Recreation Center
Beautification Day Project
Saturday, May 2nd, 2009
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM

1200 Morse Street NE
Washington, DC 20002

Please come join DPR, ANC5B and your neighbors at the Joseph H. Cole Recreation Center Beautification Day Project.

WE NEED YOU: Volunteers are need to help paint the facility and improve its landscape. Additionally, this is an opportunity for the community learn more about the programs at the Joe Cole Rec Center and to help shape the programming at the Rec Center by taking a short survey.

WE NEED RESOURCES: If you would like to donate supplies to this effort please contact, Joe Cole Site Manager, Simmeon Williams at 202-724-4876.

Stabbing @19th & Benning Last Night

Here's the news from Alert DC:

STABBING @ 1900 B/O BENNING RD NE LOF: B/M LSW BLUE JEANS WHITE T-SHIRT & WHITE SKULL CAP L/S HEADING TOWARDS LANGSTON TERR. DO NOT TAKE ACTION CALL 911 W/EVENT I20090218045

No word on the victim's condition.

MPD stated that the stabbing seems to have followed an argument between two individuals.

Habitat Event @ Pug

Here's the flyer

Step Afrika! Celebrates 15 Years

Announcement-

ATLAS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

MAY 27-31, 2009

Celebrate 15 years with Step Afrika!

“The power and undeniable cool of stepping” (Washington Post) returns to the Atlas Performing Arts Center as Step Afrika! celebrates its 15th Anniversary Home Performance Series May 27-31, 2009. Joined by guest artists Jason Nious (from Cirque du Soleil’s Ka in Las Vegas) and the W.E.S. Group (jazz quartet), Step Afrika! will present a range of works including “Trane”: the company’s critically acclaimed merger of stepping and live jazz music.

Call and purchase tickets TODAY at (202) 399-7993 (press “2”) or visit www.stepafrika.org.

Performance Schedule

Wednesday, May 27, 2009 8:00 PM

Thursday, May 28, 2009 8:00 PM

Friday, May 29, 2009 8:00 PM

Saturday, May 30, 2009 8:00 PM

Hosted by Washington, DC’s Deputy Mayor Neil Albert, the 15th Anniversary Performance & Reception features Grammy-nominated saxophonist Antonio Hart and actress Victoria Dillard. Includes heavy hors d’oeurves, drinks and dancing.

Sunday, May 31, 2009 4:00 PM





Ticket Prices

$18.00 - Students and seniors

$37.50 - General Admission

$115.00 - 15th Anniversary Performance & Reception (Saturday, May 30th only)

To inquire about group rates, call (202) 399-7993, ext. 103.





Step Afrika! is supported in part by the DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities, National Endowment for the Arts, DC Neighborhood Investment Fund, Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation, Dallas Morse Coors Foundation for the Performing Arts, Corina Higginson Trust, Center for Neighborhood Enterprise, Capitol Hill Community Foundation, Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, American Lung Association of the District of Columbia and many generous donors.

STEP AFRIKA!

1333 H Street, NE

Washington, District of Columbia 20002

202.399.7993, xt. 112

http://www.stepafrika.org/

Car Versus Checker's Part II

Early Saturday evening a car that had been parked at the Checker's crashed through a fence adjacent to the parking lot. Apparently the driver failed to shift into reverse. The fence separated the parking lot from the front of a house on MD Ave. Two individuals were sitting in chairs in the front yard drinking. When the car crashed through it knocked the men from their chairs onto the ground. Police, and ambulance, and firetrucks reported to the scene. A friend who ran over to check it out reported that it was difficult to say if the two men were seriously injured (or just jolted) due to their level of intoxication. Apparently the driver (who did not appear to be intoxicated) knew at least one of the men he hit.

Habitat Fundraiser @the Pug

Friday May 1st the Pub will hold a fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity. Oh, and the Pug is now open for brunch both Saturday and Sunday. Bottomless mimosas for $10.

FBI & MPD Team Up For Arrests

Apparently the MPD and FBI were out in force yesterday arresting wanted suspects in Trinidad. I have reports of them on Montello, as well as on Morse.

DDOT To Excelerate Streetscape Work

In case you haven't seen it yet, DDOT issued a press release Thursday saying they will have crews working double shifts to expedite the construction. Under this new plan, all street car tracks along Benning Road should be laid down by the end of 2009 (the earlier deadline was December 2010).

National Dance Week on H Street

The Post has an article on National Dance Week. You can catch many of the performances at the Atlas. The schedule is available here.

DC Greenworks & H on White House Blog

Check out this cool video on DC Greenworks and their plans to build 11 green roofs on commercial properties on H Street.

Dogs Attack Boy in Trinidad

NBC4 reports on the incident (the kid is okay). A neighborhood source reports that the dogs were taken away for a couple of days, but have now returned. The same source claims that these dogs recently bit another neighbor, but that attack went unreported.

Kingman Park Rosedale Community Garden Seeks Support

The following came from the Rosedale Citizens' Alliance blog-

Dear Garden Friends,

Please show your support for the Kingman Park Rosedale Community Garden (KPRCG)! This year, we are attempting to purchase the land the garden occupies from current private property owner. This owner has taxes owed on the property. First, we'll have to raise the money for the
land-purchase. Second, we'll need the city to excuse the back taxes owed on the land so that the sale can go through.

We need to send letters from supporters to city council and would like to have them on hand for grant opportunities. We need these by the end of the day, Thursday, April 23!*

Please see the sample letter (below & here) and change the text as you wish to make it your own. Hand signed copies are preferable!

You can send the letter to us either by email Rosedaledc@gmail.com or contact us (Rosedaledc@gmail.com) for fax number or snail-mail address. We'd rather have a signed support letter, but due to the short notice, we'll gladly accept a support email message sent to the above email address.

*If you can't get us a letter by Thursday, April 23, please send your message/letter of support as soon as possible for future grant opportunities.

More information can be found at the Kingman Park Rosedale Community garden Website, click HERE

Thank you!

KPRCG

SAMPLE SUPPORT LETTER

April 23, 2009

Re: Support for the Kingman Park/Rosedale Community Garden (KPRCG)

To Whom It May Concern:

I am pleased to write this letter in support of the Rosedale Citizens' Alliance (RCA) and the community garden they sponsor, in the lot bounded by the alleys of 20th, 21st, D and E Streets NE.

As a resident of the Kingman Park/Rosedale Community, I appreciate their efforts to create a welcoming community space for all to enjoy. For several years, this land was not maintained and became a dumping ground for junked vehicles and other trash. The garden group has been a
good steward of the land for the past five years. I support their efforts to purchase the land and maintain it as a community garden and gathering space.

The KPRCG, which is run by RCA, has been a community gathering point, providing a space for the residents of Kingman Park and Rosedale to connect with each other, share stories and celebrate our neighborhood. Under the care of RCA, the site of the KPRCG has become a unique space for neighbors to gather.

I support RCA's efforts to purchase the land and encourage the city council to waive the back taxes owed by the current property owner. This will ensure that the land is preserved as a community space, providing more space for growing edibles, growing our garden, building
and beautifying our community.

Sincerely,

Name
Address

H Street Mural Meeting Tonight

From the listserv:

A preliminary draft of the H Street mural will be presented for public comment Thursday April 23 at 7 pm at the Atlas Theater, 1333 H St. NE. The public is encouraged to attend.

Here's a summary from the organizers:


On April 14, City Arts, a DC nonprofit that creates community murals and mosaics, held a meeting at the Atlas Performing Arts Center to receive community input on a design for its planned mural at 1010 H Street, NE.

Those in attendance were interested in the following overarching themes for the mural: H Street as a shopping district and arts/entertainment district, families engaged in these activities, the phoenix rising, energy and movement, and portraying H Street as a warm and exciting place.

We discussed including such images as the Uline Arena, where the Beatles played their first U.S. concert and where circuses performed, the old streetcar line and car barns, the first automobile dealership in the city, a representation of past and present businesses along H Street, the old
Atlas movie theater, and images of the H Street Festival.

Residents are encouraged to email or mail photos that support these themes to City Arts. Please email materials to info@cityartsdc.org or send by mail to City Arts, 1857 Lamont Street, NW, Washington, DC 20010. Please ensure that your materials reach City Arts by Monday, April 20 so that City Arts staff can begin working on the mural design, which will be shown to residents next week.

All residents are invited to preview the design for the mural on Thursday, April 23 at 7:00 pm. The meeting will take place in the Atlas Performing Arts Center's Lab room. For more information, contact City Arts at 202-331-1966.

Danna M. Reynolds
Managing Director
City Arts
www.cityartsdc.org

Big News From Sova

Hey guys, I know that this is kind of long (and some people don't like menus), but Frank Hankins from Sova has some pretty cool stuff going on over there, and he wrote an open letter about that I'm posting below. By the way, the Formosa rocks.-

Drinking on H St., NE just got a whole lot better.

Several months ago, I decided it was time to ante up and work with a consultant who could come in and overhaul the entire wine bar. Thanks to a number of the constructive comments I received on this site, and to some great customer feedback I received over the last year, that convinced me do it now, as opposed to waiting any longer. I wanted someone who could help create a better list of wines by the glass, but also keep the prices at a moderate price point. I guess you could say, I wanted a better selection of good value wines. In addition, I wanted to take advantage of my full liquor license and add a quality selection of spirits (no rail drinks).

What I initially envisioned, and what we now have today, as of 1 week ago, is beyond what I could have imagined. Thanks to a great customer who’s been in the food business for a number of years in DC, I mentioned my desire to him at the end of last year, and he said that he could recommend two people that I should talk to. He mentioned that they were both very well known in DC, and that it would cost me some money, but that they both could do a very good job of fulfilling what I initially had in mind.

After sending out e-mails to both of these gentlemen, I set up a meeting with the one who replied first and we met at Sova in early January. His name is Derek Brown. Derek has a resume that would make him very desirable for even the finest of restaurants in the city. And as a matter of fact, he’s worked at two of the best restaurants in DC. Derek was the sommelier at Citronelle for two years, and he was also sommelier at Komi for another two years. He’s one of the founders of the DC Craft Bartenders Guild (www.dccraftbartendersguild.org), and he’s now more famous because he’s the guy who’s behind the creative list of cocktails at one of DC’s hottest bars, The Gibson (at 14th & U Sts).

I was honored to even have Derek consider working with me, seeing as he doesn’t take just any job. He has a reputation to uphold, and he didn’t want to take on another job if he didn’t think it could work. At the time, The Gibson was about to open that weekend, and he made it clear that this was going to be his only other consulting job while The Gibson was getting ready for takeoff. Out of all the questions he had for me, the most important one was, am I willing to do what it takes financially and commitment wise to make this thing not only work, but be a big success. That also included him working with a committed staff he would have confidence in that could carry out this mission. I sucked it up and said I was on board. A few weeks later, he started on the path to create another one of DC’s best drink menus. He liked the idea of the wines we had, and decided we should create a drink menu of creative cocktails made with grape based spirits. After some initial discussion, it was decided that we could come up with a number of drinks made with different Brandy’s and Pisco’s. In addition, we would have a great selection of other spirits such as grappa, port, great scotch’s, vodka’s, bourbon’s and gin’s to name a few.

Flash forward to 6 weeks ago when we were trying to assemble our staff to carry out this mission. A gentlemen who had just moved to town from Portland, Oregon about a month before, and was one of the founders of the Oregon Bartenders Guild (www.oregonbarguild.org), befriended Derek and asked him about any places in town that would be interested in having someone of his experience. Derek recommended Sova and spoke to him about the project we had underway. A few weeks later after spurning other offers from more established restaurants and bars, Jamie MacBain was ready to accept the Bar Manager position at Sova. He liked the idea of starting with a place that had a clean slate, and where he could assemble his own staff and have more creative input at the outset. Jamie MacBain was most recently the Bar Manager at Park Kitchen in Portland, where he developed a great following because of his passion and insatiable appetite for great food, wine, beer, and spirits. We are so honored to have him here.

Oh, and about that second guy who was recommended to me several months ago as a person who could overhaul our program. His name is Dan Searing. He’s a good friend of Dereks and is also a member of the DC Craft Bartenders Guild. Dan is in the process of opening a wine bar with some partners in Columbia Heights called Room 11, but in the mean time, Derek asked him if he could help us get our program off to a great start. Dan has worked at Pharmacy Bar in Adams Morgan, The Looking Glass Lounge in Columbia Heights, and he started the now defunct Thursday Night Punch Club at the Warehouse Theater near Chinatown. We are so honored to have Dan here.

We have also assembled a great crew of other bartenders and staff to help carry out this mission, and we hope that you’ll come by to introduce yourself to our new staff, and partake in a great selection of drinks.

Having said that, here’s our initial list of wines, beers, and cocktails.

Cheers!

Frank Hankins


Sparkling Wines

$11 NV Ewald Gruber “Punkt Genau” - Sparkling Grüner Veltliner
Weinviertel, Austria

Means “On the Dot”. Delicate effervescence with the scent of freshly peeled apples and long finish that includes exotic
fruits.

$9 NV Charles de Fère “Cuvée Jean-Louis”, Blanc de Blancs Brut - Ugni blanc, Colombard
Nuits St. George, Burgundy, France

Crisp apple aromas and some baking spice for good measure. Crisp on the palate where lime, green apple, and pepper
run the show.

$8 NV Marumoto “Hou Hou Shu” - Sparkling Sake
Okayama, Japan

This quintessential sparkling sake can go toe-to-toe with champagne. A wisp of nigori with a delightful sparkle on the
palate. Great balance of sweetness and acidity.

White Wines

$12 ‘07 Vincent Girardin “Les Vieilles Vignes” - Chardonnay
Saint-Véran, Burgandy, France

Lively, refreshing green apple and citrus characteristics. Excellent balance with a long finish. A rising star producer in
Burgundy.

$10 ‘08 Crios de Susana Balbo - Torrontes
Salta, Argentina

Alluring perfume of spring flowers, peach, apricot and a hint of citrus. On the palate the wine is dry, smooth textured,
layered, and succulent while retaining a sense of elegance.

$9 ‘06 Hope Estate - Verdelho
Hunter Valley, Australia

Intense floral aromas of orange blossom, guava, and honeysuckle with ripe citrus overtones. A clean finish of zesty citrus
characters.

$8 ‘08 Argiolas “Costamolino” - Vermentino di Sardegna
Sardinia, Italy

Intense, ripe nose with cream and peach aromas. Fairly full-bodied wine with a long, ripe finish. Perfect aperitif.


Red Wines

$12 ‘05 Massaya “Silver Selection” - Cinsault, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mourvèdre
Bekaa Valley, Lebanon

Deep cherry red with a lovely nose of framboise that is a prelude to rich, cooked fruit and pepper.


$10 ‘07 Doña Paula Estate - Malbec
Mendoza, Argentina

Dark and winey, with currant paste, cocoa powder and Turkish coffee notes backed by a solid grip on the fleshy finish.
Nice hint of grilled sage adds dimension.

$9 ‘08 Gaia “Nøtios” - Agiorgitiko
Peloponnisos, Greece

Deep red, with notes of butter, caramel, and gooseberry. Round body with delicate tannins.

$8 ‘08 Cono Sur - Pino Noir
Vallee Central, Chile

Bright red in color. Intensely aromatic. Notes of cherry, raspberry, and strawberry intertwined with softer traces of plum
and a subtler smokiness.

$8 ‘07 Luis Felipe Edwards “Reserva” - Carmenere
Colchagua Valley, Chile

Deep garnet. Butter roasted, caramelized nuts, and baked berry aromas. Finishes with a slightly spicy, tobacco wrapper
and mineral dust fade.


Beer

$5 Lagunitas, Czech-style Pilsner – Petaluma, California
$5 Bear Republic, “Racer 5”, India Pale Ale – Sonoma, California
$5 The Brooklyn Brewery, “Pennant Ale ‘55”, American Pale Ale – Brooklyn, NY
$7 Morland, “Old Speckled Hen”, English Fine Ale – Suffolk, United Kingdom
$5 Victory, “Golden Monkey”, Tripel Ale – Downington, Pennsylvania
$8 North Coast, “Brother Thelonious”, Belgian-style Abbey Ale – Mendocino, CA
$8 Delerium Tremens, Strong Pale Ale – Brouwerij, Belgium
$9 Chimay Blue, Strong Dark Ale – Abbey of Scourmont, Belgium
$6 North Coast, “Old Rasputin”, Russian Imperial Stout – Mendocino, CA
$5 Bells Brewery, “Kalamazoo”, Stout – Comstock, Michigan
$7 Young’s, “Double Chocolate”, Stout – Bedford, United Kingdom
$8 Kasteel, “Rouge”, Belgian Ale with Cherries – Van Honsebrouck, Belgium


Hand Crafted Cocktails

$8 Andes’ Sangaree – Carmenère, Crème de Cassis, Sugar, Lemon Peel
$11 Formosa – Ramos Pinto White Port, Hou Hou Shu Sparkling Sake, Orange Peel
$10 Vieux to a Kill – St. Remy XO Brandy, Old Overholt Rye, Coffe-infused Vermouth
$9 Original Sazerac – St. Remy XO Brandy, Sugar, Peychaud Bitters, Kübler Absinthe
$10 Red Lion – G’Vine Gin, Grand Marnier, Orange Juice, Lemon Juice
$12 Champs-Élysées – Hardy VSOP Cognac, Yellow Chartreuse, Sugar, Lemon Juice
$10 Coffee Cocktail – Ramos Pinto Ruby Port, St. Remy XO Brandy, Sugar, Egg
$10 French 75 – G’Vine Gin, Lemon Juice, Sugar, Charles de Fère Sparkling Wine

$14 Peruvian Pisco Tour
El Sarcay de Azpitia Pisco Acholado, La Caravedo Puro Quebranta Orgánico,
Viejo Tonel Moscatel

$16 European Brandy Tour
Poli Traminer di Poli Grappa, Castarède VSOP Armagnac Aged 10 years,
Hardy XO Cognac

WBJ: Going Green on H

The Business Journal reports on D.C. Greenworks, an H Street business that received a grant to do 11 green roofs on H Street, and hopes to do more.

Treebox Clean Up April 26th

The Trinidad-Ivy City Garden Club is doing a treebox clean up this weekend. Show up Sunday April 26^th at 10 am. We'll be meeting at the corner of Morse and Montello. Bring gloves, and trowels if you've got them.

Florida Market Meeting Today

Photo by Ken Firestone

Two sessions (the same meeting repeated twice):
3-5pm
6-8pm


Gallaudet University
800 Florida Avenue, NE
Merill Learning Center Building LCB Room 1111

Times Reviews Napa

The review wasn't good. The best I can offer is to say that my experiences at Napa have always been positive. The service has never been lacking, or at all unfriendly, and the food has always been very good. That said, any place can have an off night, or off table.

Roll Call Hits H

The exterior of the Atlas during the renovation.
One story on the theaters on H, and one on the streetcar. For photos taken during the renovation check out the photo set in the sidebar.

PSA 504 Meeting Tomorrow

Police Service Area meeting tomorrow at 10am. Joe Cole Rec. 1200 Morse

Hill-Talk

Sorry about the belated posting on this one, but you'll definitely want to check out the forums on Hill-Talk. You can chat about stuff happening on H Street, and the rest of the Hill. Here's the blurb-

Phoenix Graphics announces the launch of Hill-Talk, a Hill centric information site sponsored by Bruce and Adele Robey, owners of the H Street Playhouse and former publishers of the Voice of the Hill newspaper.

“Hill-Talk brings back the most popular features of the old Voice web site”, said Bruce Robey. “We include discussions on community issues, calendars of Hill events, Hill news and databases of Hill businesses. Over 25,000 people live and work on Capitol Hill and this is the central gathering spot for both.

The site is reporting a rumor that an Irish restaurant may open in the 1300 block of H Street. A while back there was talk of an Irish restaurant trying to open in the 600 block of H Street. I do not know if this is the same place.

New Argonaut Menus & Saturday Brunch

Our goal is to bring you seasonal menus featuring organic or local produce, naturally-raised meats, responsibly-caught fish and seafood, and artisan cheeses and breads.

Soups
Gumbo classic andouille sausage and seafood stew, over rice, with green onions $5/$8
Havana Black Bean vegetarian black bean purée with sugar cane molasses and rum $5/$8

Small Plates
Jalapeno and Cotija Tajo Hushpuppies $7
served with chive butter and apple butter
Sambal Tofu $8
crispy Florida Market tofu;
with sesame seaweed, grilled scallions and sweet-hot Sambal chili sauce
Grilled Yellowfin Asada $9
chargrilled and served rare;
with chimichurri sauce and green papaya salad
Blue Crab, Blue Corn & Brie $12
blue corn tortillas, lump crabmeat and brie;
with curtido slaw and our fresh guacamole
Pint o’ Prawns $12
half a pound of steamed and spiced jumbo shrimp;
with cocktail sauce and melted butter
Escargot Maitre d’hôtel $9
broiled with garlic and parsley butter and flambéed with brandy;
with toasted bread bouquet
Beer Board $10
cedar-grilled lamb sausage, andouille sausage, smoked duck breast;
Emmentaler cheese salad, lingonberry preserves, and melba toasts

Salads
Country Salad 2.0 $7
mixed greens with bleu cheese, blackened pecans, and pickled red onion;
citron-truffle vinaigrette
Dutch East India Salad $13
lemon- and curry-spiked lump crab salad with papadam crisps and mango pickle
Salmagundi Salad $13
romaine and radicchio with grilled chicken, poached lobster claw, applewood-smoked bacon, hardboiled egg, country tomato wedges, and ciabatta croutons;
creamy English mustard dressing
Flagship Salad $14
chargrilled and sliced N.Y. strip loin;
with dressed Country Salad greens, fingerling fries and horseradish sauce

Entrées
Pasta Piatto $16
saffron linguini tossed in butter;
with toasted garlic, fresh basil, country tomato, oil-cured olives and Manchego
Florida Ave. $20
ale-battered shrimp, crispy Chesapeake oysters, corn-dusted tilapia;
with Argo hushpuppies, pommes frites, cole slaw and jalapeno tartar and cocktail sauces
Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes $20
griddled, with white corn risotto, vegetable du jour and Argo cocktail sauce
Smoky Chicken $16
free-range chicken breast, grilled; wrapped with smokehouse ham and brie;
thyme scalloped potatoes, roasted shallots and Madeira jus lié
Wood-fired New York Strip (12 oz) $21
with thyme scalloped potatoes and grilled Vidalia onions;
maître d’hotel butter

Kids Menu (for children under 12) $4
Macaroni & Cheese (small)
Cheddar Grits (small)
Veggies and Dip
Chicken Tenders (2) with regular fries or fruit
Fish Taco (1) with avocado
4 oz Argo Burger with regular fries or fruit
Hot Dog (100% Black Angus beef) with regular fries or fruit

ARGO CLASSICS
(available until 11:00 pm on weeknights and 12:00 am on weekends)

Appetizers
Fries (served with lemon curry sauce and coriander aioli) $5
Sweet Potato Fries
Garlic Fingerling Fries
fresh,chopped garlic, parsley, and sea salt
Pommes Frites
long, skinny, and very crispy
Vidalia Onion Rings $7
drizzled with wildflower honey
Wings (Buffalo, Barbecue, Sambal Chili) $8
ten wings, cucumbers;
Danish bleu cheese dressing

Entrées
Organic Ale-Battered Cod $13
with garlic fingerling fries and crispy leeks;
lemon curry sauce
Fish Tacos $11
crispy tilapia with salsa cruda and rémoulade;
cabbage-cilantro slaw and avocado
Shrimp and Grits $16
Scotch Bonnet chutney-glazed;
with cheddar grits and collard greens

Sandwiches (with your choice of regular/sweet potato fries or side salad)
Grilled Mushroom Muffaleta $9
grilled portobello with provolone and smoked mozzarella, olives, grainy mustard sauce;
rosemary and garlic focaccia
Chesapeake Bay Fried Oyster Roll $13
with habanero tartar sauce, coleslaw, and Old Bay fries;
New England-style, long potato roll
Cubano $9
citrus- and spice-rubbed pork, roasted & smoked ham;
Emmentaler cheese, pickles, and mustard
Cuban roll
Pulled Pork $9
Carolina-style shredded pulled pork;
cole slaw
brioche roll
Argo Burger $9
half-pound of ground beef, grilled; with lettuce, tomato, red onion, and pickle chips;
potato Kaiser
white cheddar, Emmentaler, smoked mozzarella, Danish bleu, + $1
applewood-smoked bacon + $1.50

Desserts

Ask about our daily dessert specials!

Consuming raw or undercooked meat, fish, shellfish, poultry, dairy, or eggs can increase your risk of food-borne illness and can pose a health risk to certain individuals. Individuals with severe allergies should be aware that our kitchen processes foods that are (or may contain) common allergens including, but not limited to, nuts and shellfish.

AR-GOES-GREEN!
In an effort to reduce waste,
we encourage you to bring us back your “to go” containers from this Argonaut meal
in exchange for $1.00 off a future meal.

An 18% gratuity will be added to parties of six (6) or more.
No separate checks for parties of four (4) or more.

BRUNCH

Our goal is to bring you seasonal menus featuring organic or local produce, naturally-raised meats, responsibly-caught fish and seafood, and artisan cheeses and breads.

Brunch
Fresh Fruit Cup $4
Fresh Fruit Bowl (With yogurt and honey) $6.50
Country Breakfast $10
two eggs fried or scrambled, with English muffin;
homemade sausage, applewood-smoked bacon or fresh fruit;
hash fries or cheddar grits
Blue Corn and Blueberry Flapjacks $8
maple syrup, powdered sugar and fresh fruit
Rum Toasts and Brie $8
with pecans and maple syrup
Everything Bagel & Cream Cheese $7
served with lettuce, country tomato and red onion; served with fresh fruit
Scottish Smoked Salmon $10
spiked with cracked chilies, peppercorns, and dill;
served with Everything Bagel, cream cheese, and tomato caper relish
Northern Necker Sausage Patty $8
homemade VA pork sausage on an English muffin; with apple butter and cheese grits
Steak and Eggs $16
grilled petite filet mignon with maître d’hôtel butter;
on English muffin with two fried eggs and hash fries
Gumbo classic andouille sausage and seafood stew, $5/$8
over rice, with green onions
Havana Black Bean vegetarian black bean purée $5/$8
with sugar cane molasses and rum
Country Salad 2.0 $7
mixed greens with bleu cheese, blackened pecans, and pickled red onion;
citron-truffle vinaigrette
Salmagundi Salad $13
romaine and radicchio with grilled chicken, poached lobster claw, applewood-smoked bacon, hardboiled egg, country tomato wedges, and ciabatta croutons;
creamy English mustard dressing
Flagship Salad $14
chargrilled and sliced N.Y. strip loin;
with dressed Country Salad greens, fingerling fries and horseradish sauce
Blue Crab, Blue Corn & Brie $12
blue corn tortillas, lump crabmeat and brie;
with curtido slaw and our fresh guacamole
Pint o’ Prawns $12
half a pound of steamed and spiced jumbo shrimp;
with cocktail sauce and melted butter
Crabby Patty $12
grilled jumbo lump crabcake;
on English muffin with lettuce, tomato, onion, jalapeno tartar, cole slaw and pomme frites

Egg whites or egg substitute available.

Kids Menu (for children under 12) $4
Pancake (1) with fruit
Fruit cup
½ Bagel & cream cheese
Chicken Tenders (2) with regular fries or fruit
Brunch starts at 10am Saturdays and Sundays.
$5 Bloody Mary Bar
$9 Bottomless Mimosas
and they have MLS & MLB sports packages on DirectTV.

Spoiled & Rotten Relocates, Adds Game Lounge

Here's the info I received-
Spoiled and Rotten is moving to 1012 Hst. and will be bringing back the Kids Clothes and Kids Shoes. along with 2 sections for the Kids Spa. We will be open Friday at 12-7pm sat 11-7. sun 1-7

In the interim, there will be a Boy’s Video Lounge opening soon! It will cater to young boys celebrating their birthdays, where they are actively engaging in video game competitions against another and other competitors around the world. The lounge comes fully equipped with plasma screen televisions, a basketball court, surround sound animations and much more relating to the world32 of sports.

City Paper: House Partially Collapses

The City Paper covers the story of a Florida Avenue house that suffered a partially collapse due to adjacent construction.

Power Outage Strikes NE

Lights out everybody. The following went out on the 6A listserv-

Pepco reported power outage affecting traffic signal lights in the North East area, from 18th Street to 41st Street on Benning Rd. NE and parts of Florida Avenue NE (Near Gallaudet University). The cause of the problem is a feeder outage and 2400 customers are without electrical power. DDOT Rope Unit, Traffic Control Officer's and MPD are on site assisting with traffic control.

I also got an email from a resident of 12th & Maryland who reported having no power. Depending on who you believe, the power may be fixed anytime, or it may not be back up until sometime tonight.

DCist covers the story. So does the Post. According to the Post, around 2,300 customers in NE are currently without power. Obviously, traffic lights, and power to business is down as well as power to residences.

Stolen Car Impales Montello Rowhouse

A car that was reportedly stolen crashed into the livingroom of a rowhouse (1100 block of Montello) tonight. Amazingly, no injuries have been reported (the driver fled). Police and firefighters were out in full force.









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And some easier to see versions of the dark photos-

Open House @Atlas

I just heard that the Atlas will be hosting a monthly open house starting soon. Details are below:

Atlas Performing Arts Center to hold Open House Saturday April 18^th

So you’ve been meaning to check out a show…Wondering what goes on behind that marquee? The Atlas will being opening its doors for a monthly Open House, offering neighbors a chance to stop by, take a tour of the building and chat with staff and volunteers about the history of the project and learn about everything going on at the Atlas today.

The First Open House will be held Saturday April 18^th from 10am to 12pm.

The Atlas’ Spotlight Café will be open selling simple refreshments.

No need to RSVP just stop on by.

For old photos of the Atlas during the renovation please check out the Flickr set near the bottom of the sidebar.

ANM Space for Lease

I spoke to the owner of ANM Deli & Convenience on Sunday. He told me that they would like to keep the store open, but in this economy that is tough to do. He would like to lease the space for 3-4 years, and then hopefully return to open the Ethiopian restaurant he originally planned to open (the store was an initial test).

Taqueria Districto Federal on H?

Prince of Petworth has a post up indicating that a reader passed her conversation with the owner of this taqueria. The owner reportedly said that he was looking at opening an additional location on the H Street Corridor. Now THAT would be tasty.

Info on the Police Involved Shooting @2nd & K

Apparently the Park Police responded to a report of a man with a gun, and the suspect then tried to flee the police in a car. The suspect hit something with his car, and then struck an officer with that car when the officer approached. Police opened fire. The suspect then made a u-turn and tried to hit the officers again. They fired again and struck the suspect. The suspect drove off, but hit another police cruiser about a block away. He was apprehended and taken two the hospital (he suffered multiple gunshot wounds). Neither the suspect, nor the officer struck by the vehicle sustained life threatening injuries. This information came from the Park Police pressroom blog.

WUSA9 reports on the story.

Trinidad Neighborhood Association Mtg

Meeting
Tuesday April 14, 2009
Trinidad Recreation Center
1310 Childress St NE
7:00 PM-8:30 PM
~ refreshments will be served ~

The Trinidad Neighborhood Association is a community based, volunteer driven organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in the Trinidad Neighborhood by identifying and addressing community concerns, and promoting opportunities for economic development by engaging community stakeholders.

Agenda
• Old and New Business
• Committee Reports
• Guest Speakers: ANC Rosetta Davis (New Parenting Class) & Ms. Kathy Henderson (Court Watch)
• ANC Announcements/Community Concerns
__________________

Trinidad Neighborhood Association

E-mail: trinidadneighborhood@gmail.com

Gentrification Forum

A friend sent me information from a forum on gentrification that he heard discussed on WPFW. From the way he described it it sounds like to may be more of real discussion that the title (Gentrification and the Callous Affluent Class) implies. The forum is really a three part event held on different days. First they will screen the documentary "Brick by Brick" that looks at gentrification in DC. The second event is a panel discussion on gentrification in North America. Part three is a panel discussion on gentrification worldwide.

Here's how the organizers describe it:

The panel discussions will allow the community to thoroughly examine the implications of gentrification, gentrification and racism, the institutionalized gentrification, the economic implication of gentrification, the implication of culture gentrification, the appropriation of African American cultural icons for the benefits of the 'gentrifiers', and the following questions will be addressed:

• Have they come to live with us or displace us?
• Who owns the planet?
• Gentrification: Latest stage of colonial power - or - it's relationship to colonialism?

All events are to be held at Sankofa Video and Books (2714 Georgia Ave NW).

Shooting @14th & Maryland

Fox news reports on the fatal shooting of a woman a little before 9am this morning.

The Post also covers the story.

New Menu & Hours @Langston Grille

The exterior of Langston Grille


The first floor bar


Langston's pork chops


A typical soul food offering at the Grille

All photos provided by Langston Bar and Grille.

Daily Hours (Open 7 Days)

Open for Lunch Tues. Wed. Thurs. & Friday - 11:30am

Happy Hour: Monday – Friday 4:30pm to 7:30pm

$5 Drinks / $3 Coronas / $3 Fish or Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Saturday -5pm - 1am

Sunday 11am - 10pm

(Friday and Saturday Food Served Until 1am)

Sunday We Feature Our Brunch Menu All Day. $9

Daily Menu Items: All Dinners served with your choice of two sides

Fried Chicken - $12

Roasted Chicken - $12

Salmon Cakes - $10

Pork Chops $10

Beef and Turkey Burgers $7

Ribs (Pork) - $14

Livers - $6

Meat Loaf - $10

Fish - Whiting/Tilapia - $10

Oxtails - $8

Crab Cakes (Special) - $11

Pulled Pork - $7

Sides - $3.50

Collar Green, String Beans, Yams, Fries (Sweet Potato or French),
Butter Beans, Salad, Black Eyed Peas, Cabbage, Okra.

The Atlantic: Streetcar Dreams

A writer for the Atlantic Monthly bemoans the lack of progress on streetcars in DC.

Whither DC United?

Now that the soccer team has been rebuffed by PG, the team will have to continue its search for a new home elsewhere. David over at Greater Greater Washington muses over the idea of locating the soccer stadium on the site of Hechinger Mall. This, of course, is pure fantasy, and isn't going to happen. But it did remind me of a conversation I recently had with a friend regarding Hechinger Mall. Imagine if somebody did drop a stadium on that site. Or what, for that matter, would you like to see on the space if Hechinger Mall were to magically disappear?


And check out this old WBJ article I stumbled across while Googling Hechinger. Also of interest is a pdf you can download if you want to see the square footage of various spaces in the mall. That, and apparently a guy who calls himself Fuzzy Byskitz wrote a love song to Hechinger Mall. That, and who could forget this classic Craigslist post. Never saw the original Hechinger's store at the Mall? Now you can at least see a few photos from when it first opened back in 1981. Greater Greater Washington also looked at Hechinger Mall recently during a discussion of reusing old big box stores. I'd like to direct your attention to one of the comments. The writer talks about his interest in opening a diner at Hechinger Mall and the fact that his proposal was rejected because there was concern that a diner would attract too many patrons and they would take up too much parking. Hmmm...

Wells' Tax Legislation Passes

The Washington Business Journal reports that the property tax deferments (benefiting businesses hurt by construction on H Street NE and 7th Street SE) proposed by Tommy Wells have passed.

New Specials @Napa

A message from Napa-

In addition to our regular menu, we are happy to introduce the following specials

Weekly Events at Napa 1015

Happy Hour: Tuesday – Saturday 5pm to 8pm

$ 4 Drinks / $ 5 Tapas

In addition to our Traditional California Inspired Cuisine we are also offering the following options:

Tuesdays

10% off entire check

Wednesdays

California Burger & Beer Night

Signature Burgers and highlighted

California & Local Microbrewery Beers

Thursdays

Mexican Night

Come join us for Authentic Mexican Cuisine

Fridays and Saturdays

Enjoy our Traditional California Inspired Cuisine and Wine Feature

Sundays

Sunday Brunch 10 a.m. until 2 pm

Beer & Burger

Wednesday Nights

Menu

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California Patty Melt

Topped with Caramelized Onion, Goat Cheese. Lettuce & Tomato $13

Lamb Burger with whole Grain Mustard, Spicy Eggplant Salsa, lettuce & Tomato $13.5

Grilled Salmon Burger with Cucumber Dill Caper Aioli, lettuce & Tomato $13.5

Thai Chicken Burger with Basil Cilantro Mayo, Lettuce & Tomato $12

Chipotle Burger with Roasted Pepper, Jack Cheese, Chipotle Mayo, Lettuce & Tomato $13.5

Wild Boar Burger with Dijon Mustard Lettuce & Tomato $13.5

Ground Sirloin Burger with Cheddar, Blue Cheese, Lettuce & Tomato $13

Vegetarian

Portabella Burger with Mozzarella, Basil Mayo, Lettuce & Tomato $12.5

Nut-Meat Burger with Swiss Cheese, Whole Grain Mustard, Lettuce & Tomato $12.5

Your Choice of

Sweet Potato Fries Or Idaho Potato Fries

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Beer Selections

North coast blue star wheat $6.5
North coast schrimshaw pilsner $6.5
Anderson valley boont amber $7
Green flash hop rod red $7
Bear republic racer $7
Williamsburg Chesapeake pale ale $6.5
Williamsburg coffee stout $6.5

New Castle Brown Ale $6.5

Paulaner Hefe - Weizen $6

SOL $5

Dos X $6

Heineken $5

Heineken Light $5

Amstel Light $6

Capital Spice Covers Folkman

Local food blog Capital Spice joins the party.

DCist: Folkman on Food Network

DCist covers the story.

The Washington Business Journal also reports on the news.

Folkman to Compete on Next Food Network Star

Folkman and Sous Chef prepare the mussels that defeated Bobby Flay on Throwdown

It's official guys, Teddy Folkman (the Chef at Granville's) will appear as a competitor on the upcoming season of The Next Food Network Star. This has been long rumored, but the Food Network confirmed it today. Thanks to Capital Spice for sending me the press release. Expect full coverage from them on this one.

Press release-

WHAT WILL THE NEXT FOOD NETWORK STAR COOK UP THIS SEASON?

Ten Finalists Compete To Star in Their Own Series; Premieres Sunday, June 7th at 9pm ET/PT



Season Five of Food Network’s Most-Watched Series Sizzles
With Guest Appearances by Bobby Flay, Rachael Ray, Ina Garten, and Many More!



NEW YORK – APRIL 7, 2009 – The stakes are higher than ever when The Next Food Network Star returns this summer with a star-studded fifth season on Food Network. As television’s most challenging food fight, the series provides 10 hopeful TV chefs the chance to compete for the ultimate dream job: his or her own Food Network show. Iron Chef Bobby Flay leads the selection committee that ultimately decides the winner’s fate and launches one lucky man or woman into a food and television celebrity. The series kicks off on Sunday, June 7th at 9pm ET/PT as the finalists cater Food Network’s “Sweet 16” party with network talent and media there to judge.



“This season we’ve created the biggest and toughest challenges the show has ever seen,” said Bob Tuschman, Senior Vice President, Programming and Production. “We have an incredibly competitive group of finalists who are hungry to become Food Network stars, and they all came to win.”



The 10 finalists include: Brett August (Washington Heights, N.Y.), Katie Cavuto (Philadelphia, Pa.), Melissa d’Arabian (Keller, Texas), Teddy Folkman (Alexandria, Va.), Eddie Gilbert (Manhattan Beach, Calif.), Jen Isham (Orlando, Fla.), Debbie Lee (West Hollywood, Calif.), Jamika Pessoa (Atlanta, Ga.), Michael Proietti (New York, N.Y.) and Jeffrey Saad (Los Angeles, Calif.).



This season’s finalists must prove their culinary expertise and star potential through a series of complex challenges. In each episode, their cooking chops will be put to the test to see who can handle the pressure and present the most mouth-watering food. Challenges include catering a party for a roomful of Food Network stars, impressing the “Barefoot Contessa” herself in the Hamptons and preparing a comforting meal for returning soldiers on the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum. The show also flies to sunny Miami – for the first time – where the finalists must survive a beachside wood-grilling challenge for Red Lobster and create a delicious dinner for a group of culinary elite at a screening of Columbia Pictures’ movie Julie & Julia (in theaters August 7). Throughout the season, they will also have to prove they have star quality and dazzle a variety of media outlets with their personalities, including Access Hollywood, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Food Network Magazine, and USA WEEKEND.



Rachael Ray, Giada De Laurentiis, Alton Brown, Guy Fieri, Ina Garten, Emeril Lagasse, Gina and Pat Neely, Masaharu Morimoto, Ted Allen, Tyler Florence, Michael Symon and the season four winner, Aaron McCargo, Jr., will appear throughout the season to help guide the finalists through the challenges. The selection committee comprised of Flay and Food Network executives, Bob Tuschman (Senior Vice President, Programming and Production) and Susie Fogelson (Vice President, Marketing and Brand Strategy), will narrow the field down until the finale. The winner will be revealed during the series finale on Sunday, August 2nd at 9pm ET/PT, and he or she will receive a six-episode show that will premiere in August 2009. The Next Food Network Star is produced by CBS EYE too Productions.



# # #



FOOD NETWORK (www.foodnetwork.com) is a unique lifestyle network and Web site that strives to be way more than cooking. The network is committed to exploring new and different ways to approach food - through pop culture, competition, adventure, and travel - while also expanding its repertoire of technique-based information. Food Network is distributed to more than 98 million U.S. households and averages more than 9 million unique Web site users monthly. Food Network programming is available internationally in more than 150 countries. Food Network is headquartered in New York, and maintains offices in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit and Knoxville, Tenn. Scripps Networks Interactive (NYSE: SNI), which also owns and operates HGTV (www.hgtv.com), DIY Network (www.diynetwork.com), Great American Country (www.gactv.com) and Fine Living Network (www.fineliving.com), is the manager and general partner.

WBJ: DC To Revamp Stormwater Charges

The Washington Business Journal has an interesting piece on proposed changes to the stormwater fees. The District Department of the Environment ("DDOE") will hold a hearing on the topic on the 13th. Under the new rule, single family homes, individually metered apartments/condos, and building with 3 or fewer units would pay $2.57 a month. Other structures would pay $2.57 per 1,000 feet of impervious surface on their property. So, basically this would provide an incentive (albeit a small one) for commercial properties, and large property owners to do things like install a green roof, consider setting up a rain garden, or just not unnecessarally paving that extra area.

Wells Requests Property Tax Deferments on H

The Examiner reports that Councilmember Tommy Wells (Ward 6) has asked the Council to grant a deferment for businesses impacted by the construction on H Street NE, and Seventh Street SE. Under his proposed legislation the businesses would be granted an extension allowing them until September 15th to pay funds that would normally come due on March 31st. Wells explains that the rationale behind his legislation is that the value of land on a corridor like H has gone up (so taxes have risen), but customer traffic is down because of the heavy construction (and possibly also the economy).

Philadelphia Water Ice Reopens

The best place to get cheesesteaks on H Street (and possibly in all of DC) is open again. The hours are 11:30am-8pm. Philadelphia Water Ice is currently celebrating its 5 year anniversary.

Photo by Mike Bechtol. Photo provided by Philadelphia Water Ice.

Fitness Together Celebrates 1st Anniversary

Announcement-

Fitness Together- Capitol Hill 1- Year Anniversary Celebration/2009 Global Race for the Cure Fund Raiser

Fitness Together invites all Frozen Tropics readers to join us in our Anniversary Celebration

We would like to opportunity to thank our clients and the community for your continued support. Along with our theme of health and fitness, we are also kicking off our efforts to raise funds for the Susan 2009 Susan G. Komen Global Race for the Cure to fight Breast Cancer.

WHEN: April 8th, 2009

TIME : 5 -8 pm

WHERE: Pap and Petey’s

421 H Street NE

We will be giving away One Week of Free Personal Training every 30 Minutes.


Please support us and the global movement to end breast cancer forever! Impact your world and your community today - make a donation or join our team “ Fitness Together”

http://www.info-komen.org/site/TR/GlobalRaceForTheCure/GlobalRace/1215836881?pg=team&fr_id=1140&team_id=95760&JServSessionIdr009=zlc2yay4o3.app27a

Call Today and schedule your first session!

202-558-6486

www.FTCapitolHill.com

Joy of Motion Special

Announcement-

Please let your readers know that Joy of Motion Dance Center, 1333 H St. NE, is running a special for adult drop-in classes: 2 weeks of unlimited classes for $49, or 4 weeks of unlimited classes for $89.

Also, our Intro to Dance program starts up again the week of April 13. For $85, you can learn the basics of hip hop, salsa, belly dance, or ballroom in just 5 weeks.

It’s easy to sign up – just go to www.joyofmotion.org.

Early Morning Shots Fired @13th & Wylie

I've received multiple emails about the 10-15 shots fired early this morning. All reports I've received say there were no injuries. Police responded.

Florida Market Tour Saturday

Explore Florida Market
When: Saturday, April 4, 2009
Where: Meet at the SW corner of 4th and Morse Street.
Time: 10 AM
Cost: Priceless/Free

Get the details from Rebuilding Place.

TIC Garden Club Meeting Sunday

Announcement-

Tony will graciously open his home yet again for a much need Garden Club meeting. Sunday, April 5th( at 12pm), seems like a great day for eating, meeting and planning. The address is 1130 Montello Ave NE.

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UPDATE
Apparently it's now going to be at 12pm, not 10am as earlier announced
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RP: Funeral of Loree Murray

Rebuilding Place has a nice piece on Ms. Loree Murray who recently passed away. She was a longtime activist in the H Street/Near Northeast Community. Her funeral is tomorrow at Pilgrim Baptist Church, 7th and I Streets NE, Washington, DC. Viewing is from 9-10 am. The services begin at 10 am.

WP: Peters Funeral

The Post covers the funeral of Erika Peters, and here sons.

CP: Peters Triple Homicide

The City Paper takes a closer look at the recent stabbings of a other and her two young sons at the hands of her live in boyfriend.

WP: ACLU Alleges Police Wrongs in Raid

The Post reports that the ACLU has filed suit on behalf of a woman whose home was raided by police seeking evidence tying her son to a shooting at 15th & F NE. The son did not live with the mother, and the ACLU says police did not do enough to determine whether he lived there before obtaining the warrant. The ACLU alleges that police violated DC law by failing to get the required special permission from a judge to execute the warrant at an early hour (inhabitants awoke at 4:30am to the sounds of breaking glass, and flash bang grenades). The house that was raided is in the 1300 block of Queen Street (Trinidad).

Micky's, Looking Back

Micky's in 2005.


And in 2006. As you can see, the building pretty much just sat there and decayed for years.

Here's a more recent shot. I got kind of excited when I saw some men up on ladders outside. I asked a couple of guys who were working on the place about the plans, but it didn't seem like anyone had anything distinct in mind. But I do think the building looks a little better now. Micky's closed before my time. Did anyone ever visit the place?

WP: Non-Profit Settles for $100K

The Post has a story on the Institute for Behavioral Change, and how it had to pay a large settlement to the District because it billed for treatments it never provided. The Institute, which is now defunct, has/had an office on H Street. I'm told that the organization's CEO, a Mr. Mabry, is associated with a restaurant/lounge, that seeks to open at 401 H Street.