Free Shakespeare at Harman

What was popularly known as Shakespeare in the Park carries on in 2009, but this time the setting is inside: at the Sidney Harman Hall in Penn Quarter. Once a year the Shakespeare Theatre Company produces a show at no cost to patrons. This is the event which used to be held way up on 16th Street NW at Carter Baron Amphitheater. It's free for the general public. Anyone; you me, your kids, neighbors or your mother-in-law. Who ever. Enter the theatre and see a full on, A-list production at no cost. The Free For All (the official name) is one of the best mid-summer treats for us Washingtonians. I feel fortunate! Not every city has it this good.

This year's production is The Taming of the Shrew. If you don't remember the CliffNotes version of this play (I know you didn't real the whole thing in high school), here's another brief synopsis. There will be no less than 21 free shows put on by the company. The fist was last night and the final performance will be on September 12th. For the entire schedule, click here. Tickets are available on at the box office of Harman Hall (610 F Street NW), beginning two hours before the show. Last night the line stretched around the corner onto 6th Street almost making it to E Street; more than a block long. And that was before 5:30.

Tomorrow there is an extra reason to go downtown. The STC is putting on a family fun fair from 10:00am-5:00pm. There will be activities for the little ones like getting your photo taken with the Bard, crafting, games, giveaways and other demonstrations. In a bid to recreate the picnic atmosphere of past Free for Alls, you'll be can bring your own food and camp out on the west lawn of the National Building Museum, just another block down on F Street. With 21 performances, I'll be sure to get to one. I've yet to visit Harman and can't pass up a FREE chance to do so. See you there!

Images From the Past: The Hospital

Mount Pleasant Hospital was one of many facilities serving wounded soldiers within the District during the Civil War. It was located near what is now the intersection of 14th Street and Park Road NW. There were several hospitals in present day Ward One, including Columbian Hospital on the site of what later became Meridian Hill Park. All Civil War hospitals located in DC were Union Hospitals. Mount Pleasant Hospital had over 1,500 beds, one of the larger facilities operating during the war. The photo below was taken at an unknown date, but first printed some time after the Civil War was over. The lithograph was published by Charles Magnus of New York in 1862. Both are now available for viewing at the Library of Congress.

Benefit at La Casa This Weekend

La Casa, at 3166 Mt Pleasant Street NW, will host a benefit show this weekend for a local community outreach, service and advocacy organization. We are Family is a non-profit serving seniors in various neighborhoods in Washington DC. They provide services such as grocery home delivery, regular friendly and social visits, transportation to appointments and more.

Mount Peasant's own Radio CPR will present this benefit show, which will feature two bands. Mostly Dimes is from Seattle and Sweatpants is from just down the road in Baltimore. The show is this Saturday, August 29th at 8:00pm. Suggested donation to benefit We are Family is $5.

Safeway Renovation Coming Along

Walk down Columbia Road from Mount Pleasant to Adams Morgan and you'll notice all the work going on at Safeway. Much of the interior has been repainted, or totally resurfaced, with earth color tones and new fixtures and shelving. The store at 1747 Columbia Road NW remains open during construction from 5AM-midnight each day. It was due for a makeover, or some would say total replacement. I shopped there when I first moved to Mount Pleasant. At the time it was the only large multi-department grocery within walking distance, save for the old Giant on 14th Street. Fast forward to 2009 and Safeway competes with Harris Teeter and the newer Giant on Park Road. And Safeway has now introduced new style stores with expanded offerings and self checkout, such as the City Vista Safeway at 5th an L Sts NW. We'll see if it's enough to lure me back in.

Strasburg: Ken Griffey Jr. or Todd Van Poppel?

I used to collect baseball cards. And hockey, basketball, football, even NASCAR and golf. But nowadays, trading cards are dead. And I doubt I'll ever recoup the value of what I paid over the years, even though that's wasn't the original point. I remember getting my hands on a coveted Todd Van Poppel rookie card. He was supposed to be the number #1 pick of the 1990 MLB draft. For different reasons, he was later selected at #14 by the Oakland A's. Anyway, he was supposed to be the next big thing. Just like NHL's Alexandre Daigle or NFL's Tony Mandarich. None of the three panned out like so many hyped stars-to-be do. Van Poppel's value as a pitcher faded quickly as did the want for his rookie cards.

Todd Van Poppel was such a fascinations of mine, in part, because his rookie cards themselves were so hyped. It wasn't so much his actual talent that was lauded, but his potential talent. Not the number of wins he'd produced at that point (in HIGH SCHOOL), but the number of wins he could potentially rack up. And if you got in on the ground floor with the rookie card of a potential legend, you'd be considered prescient, and maybe a little wealthier. I wanted in on the novelty and the few bucks that could possibly come along with cashing in on his potential stardom years down the road.

Enter Stephen Strasburg. The lowly Washington Nationals selected Strasburg as the first player in this year's baseball draft. That means they wanted him over everyone else that was available. The best of the best. And he's playing in DC.

The Washington Post offered articles with titles like The Future Starts Now and A Franchise, and a City, Pin Their Hopes on a Mighty Arm and (jokingly) All Hail Our Right-Handed Savior, Stephen Strasburg.

Who is the face of DC sports right now? Alex Ovechkin, Gilbert Arenas, Clinton Portis? Ovechkin is the most recent DC sports star to make even the non-sports fan pay close attention; to hockey no less. Maybe in time Strasburg will have that type of star power, but that's a high and mighty expectation. All rooted in circumstance and in his potential.

There was another first round draft pick whose rookie cards I also coveted. Chosen #1 overall just three years before Van Poppel. He played way out in the Pacific Northwest and had the same weight of potential talent hung on him, mostly based on his fathers name, Griffey. Junior Griffey has lived up to and exceeded that potential. Expectations surpassed. Did he change Seattle as a city? You could argue that. But no sane person could hold someone like Strasburg to those standards at this point in his pro career (all of three days old). Is it nice to imagine that one person can save a franchise? Yes. Realistic? Not really. That being said, the optimist in me is hoping that whatever he's got to offer, that he offers it sooner than later and give us DC sports chumps something to really cheer about.

Apartment Houses: The Park Monroe

3300 16th Street NW between, well, Park and Monroe. I know a few of you who live in this building. Never been inside though. Well, maybe once.

CH Under Construction

While the Mount Pleasant portion of Park Road is very close to being polished and done, Columbia Heights is a mess of construction workers, narrow and restricted lanes and traffic backups. 14th Street has been reduced to two lanes between Irving and Park. That's slowing he 50s buses and makes for rough turning angles for larger vehicles. The Kenyon St-14th Street intersection has been temporarily reduced to one lane. The landscaped plaza (pictured left) in front of Park Triangle Apartments is taking shape, but remains mostly roped off as of last night. It is looks like it could be a valuable and active public space that's actually. The gravel pit which was there before was rarely used, naturally. It was all gravel!

Park Road in between 16th Street and Mount Pleasant Street is much improved. I will post photos of it after all the work is done, but the work is virtually finish as I write this. The changes at the intersection of 17th St, Park Rd and Mount Pleasant Street have made life a little easier on pedestrians. And the general streetscape improvements --including bulb outs, new light fixtures and new sidewalks-- were spot on and worth the wait.

The folks in Columbia Heights are still dealing with a Park Road with severely restricted parking and one travel lane instead of two. And that's all the way from 13th Street to 16th. Three painfully long and slow traveling blocks. After the 14th Street and Park Road reconstructions, DDOT will move onto Irving Street between 16th and 14th. All work is scheduled to be complete by Spring of 2010.

Even Hiatt Place, the short street connecting Irving and Park Roads, is getting some action. The Bell Multicultural High School is getting a new athletic field. The new space is adjacent to the rear of DCUSA, where the old Bell School was located before being expanded an rebuilt on 16th Street. The new athletic field is made of a field-turf like artificial material similar to the new fields at other Ward One schools Harriet Tubman Elementary and Cardozo Senior High. Thanks to Derek for the photo of the field construction in progress.

Science Club

Science Club had eluded me for years. I finally went last week. The restaurant and club is just blocks from Dupont Circle and the 42 bus line. Its at 1136 19th Street NW; not far from the Palm or Java Green. This place encompasses part of a row house. There is a bar and seating on the ground floor (more like a basement actually), more seating and another bar on the second level, and table service on the third floor. It was dark and moody inside, exactly how I imagined it from the outside. There is outside patio seating as well.

My friends painted a surly picture of Science Club to me; one of too many rude party boys and loud 21yo birthday girls, but we encountered attentive staff, chill fellow diners and a great atmosphere in general. The bonus is the food! There is an extensive vegan menu and I'm kicking myself for somehow not ever going here before. Tofu skewers and vegan burger are favorites. The fries, or frites, stack up with the city's best. Dinner will set you back though. That order of frites is $7 and entrées hover around the $12. Not too terribly out of line, but after an appetizer, entrée, dessert and drink, you might be looking at $30-$40 per person. However, the food was great and for a once in a while dining experience, worth it. I will have to venture back on a Friday or Saturday to see if Science lives up (or down) to the party hype.

Revitalization, More Movies + the Radio

***From Mount Pleasant Main Street:

Movies in the Park Series Begins
The first of 2009's Movies in the Park will be the cycling-themed movie "Breaking Away." Mount Pleasant Main Street will host the event on Saturday August 22nd in Lamont Park (Lamont and Mt Pleasant Sts NW). The event starts at 7:00PM with a "Yoga for Cyclists" session by Past Tense, free bike clinic & repair, restaurant specials, and live music. The series will feature a movie each fourth Saturday in August and September.



***From Hear Mount Pleasant:

Small Area Revitalization from the Office of Planning
Did you go to the meeting on June 14th held at Bell High School? Did you go to the ANC meeting on August 4th to talk about the future of Mount Pleasant? It is so important that you make your voice heard in this Office of Planning Neighborhood Revitalization Plan.

The Office of Planning has released an online survey. Take a couple of minutes to check it out.

Mount Pleasant on the Radio
Did you hear the story last week about Mount Pleasant on WAMU's local news segment during Morning Edition? A reporter used Mount Pleasant to illustrate a recent DC Fire Department report that names 34 neighborhoods as "areas of concern." Read the written version. Listen here (WMA player).

Madison Square Garden South?

The Washington Business Journal is reporting that the Madison Square Garden LP company is looking for real estate in the District for a possible venue. The owner of the famed Garden in midtown Manhattan sees DC as a prime market for a new venue. The 6,000+ seat performance space would bring direct competition to other venues like DAR Constitution Hall and Lisner Auditorium.

Where are they looking? Well, who knows. Perhaps the location of the (allegedly) failed House of Blues project at 5th and I Streets NW. The article indicates MSG LP is looking for a spot near existing transit and shopping. Smart. I'm assuming they want to be downtown. That doesn't leave much wiggle room. There's the Center City development at 10th and H. A few empty or underused parcels near Nationals Park in Near Southeast. Maybe they'll jump on the NoMa/New York Avenue bandwagon. Time will tell. We're a long way from moving any dirt around, but an exciting prospect all the same.

John Hughes Film Series at Asylum

After the success of the Wes Anderson movie series, Asylum has decided to keep the summer of free movies going. This time, the movies of the late, great John Hughes will be the subject. He had quite a few hits, but Asylum will be showing those falling into the high school angst/coming of age genre. If you were born in the late 70s or early 80s, you should know these films very well.

Ed McNally's recent editorial on Hughes really made me laugh. And he mentioned a great quote from Hughes, via Ferris Beuller: "Life moves pretty fast. You don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." Is that not the truth? Abe Froman, the Sausage King of Chicago couldn't have said it any better.

And who can top James Spader in a white linen suit, cold chillin, fake-smoking a cigarette in the stairwell of his high school. CLASSIC. The movies will be shown during the last week of August. Asylum is located at 2471 18t Street NW. The schedule:

Sunday, August 23
Free Double Feature Matinee 4:00PM
Sixteen Candles (John Cusack!)
The Breakfast Club (Molly Ringwald)

Tuesday, August 25
Free Double Feature 8:00PM
Weird Science (Kelly LeBrock)
Pretty in Pink (James Spader; clip below)

Thursday, August 27
Free 8:00PM
Ferris Bueller's Day Off (guy who married Sarah Jessica Parker)

Photos: Dupont Done Up

17th Street NW, during the recent Pride Festival.

Pizzeria Paradiso on the Move

Pizzeria Paradiso is moving!! But not far. My favorite pizza place in all of DC is moving the original Dupont location a few feet down P Street to a new, larger space. The second floor location now located at 2029 P Street NW can seat 35-40. Contrast that to the 100+ that can be seated in the Georgetown location. Hopefully the new shop's capacity is equivalent to the one at Georgetown. The new Dupont location will be at 2003 P Street NW, adjacent to Le Pain Quotidien. 2003 P St NW used to house The Bike Shop, if you recall. I nearly bought a bike there once several years ago. That's all I really remember about that place. Smelled like rubber inside.

The new Paradiso, which will open sometime this summer, will also house a Birreria Paradiso, like the Georgetown location. Birreria carries close to 100 bottled and draft beers (my fave: Victory Prima Pils) to go with your pizza selection. I don't try to match one with another. Beer + pizza. Can't go wrong if you try. For the vegans, yes! They do serve vegan pies, with or without soy cheese. The Pizzeria Paradiso web site has photo progress of the new space here. Pretty neat. Count me in as one of the first "new" customers to this new space.

Friday Fun/Serious Post: Conversation Among Cats

Apartment Houses: The Northbrook

16th and Newton Streets NW. Actually two buildings. Circa early 1920s.

Keeping Tabs: Target is Cool. Coffee is Hot. School Rulz. Metro Droolz.

***The Washington Post comments on the big box explosion in Columbia Heights and the "hip" kids who shop there. I don't actually believe that people have been moving to CH for any kind of street cred or "bragging rights" as the article puts it. Seems like a win/win/win for the most part. Residents get their amenities (like blue ray dvds and micheal graves microwaves), the city gets tax $$$ and developers chalk up another completed project. General street scape aesthetics took a hit, but hey, who cares about architectural diversity in a down economy. Beats empty, concrete strewn lots. This just in: shopping at Target doesn't make you cool or uncool. Shopping at Bed Bath and Beyond however...

***On a related note; the word "hipster" is meaningless. It means NOTHING. It's not definable. I refuse to use that word. Some people use it as a slur, other people think they are it. Some people use it as an adjective. No, no, no. Just stop Washington Post. Just stop everyone. Please. Not cool.

***Stop leaning on the Metro train doors. One opened during travel yesterday. Not cool.

***Chinatown Coffee Company is open. In this aforementioned down economy, I'm still spending indefensible amounts of money on soy lattes. But if you've had one at this place, you'd understand. They'll get a Coffee/Riot entry at some point. For now, you should just visit on your own. They're open every day of the week. Come today before work and I'll buy you a drink. Pretty cool.

***Taxi drivers in the District just got a small ruling in their favor. The DC Council voted to get rid of the maximum fare within the District. It was set at $19 for any one ride within the city. Now, the rider will pay the entire metered fare. Hard to imagine a normal fare reaching $19 from point A to point B within DC, but for those of you to whom this applies, sorry. Let the meter decide the fare. Cool.

***The University of the District of Columbia is about debut a new master plan which its leaders hope will improve the prestige of the school and success rate of its students. The school is officially breaking up into two separate entities; an upgraded, more rigorous four program and a new two year community college element. The four year school will still be based in Van Ness, but the community college will have satellite campuses all over the District; very much like a state system. I really want UDC to succeed and serve its students well. That means treating them like college level academics so their degrees actually has value. Good moves. Very cool.

Fiesta DC Moving to Columbia Heights

The best photos taken for this blog belong to the festivals. Adams Morgan Day, Crafty Bastards and Fiesta DC are always a photographers friend. Last year's Fiesta DC was golden. Hot as hell and sweaty, but golden all the same. Food, fun for kids, music, dancing and fooooood. The main event consisted of a parade of nations traveling south from Lamont Street to Irving Street along Mount Pleasant Street NW. See photos of the 2008 Fiesta DC here. And while you're at it, 2007 photos here. The festival also doubles as an acknowledgment of Hispanic Heritage Month; September 15-October 15.

Well, this year all the food, all the fun, the set up, clean up, food, music, dancing and foooood will happen in Columbia Heights. The weekend is the same; September 27th. Hours pretty much the same; 11am-7pm. But the location is now 14th Street NW from Spring Road to Columbia Road.

Fiesta DC had probably outgrown Mount Pleasant. 14th Street is much wider and the route will be longer (nearly 10 blocks, instead of about 5 in Mt P). The streets of Mt Pleasant were pleasantly crowded during the festival last year, but Columbia Heights should allow for more vendors and more space for spectators to view the parade and peruse the goods. I'll make the trip over of course. Here's to a festival that's better this year than last! And last year's was pretty great!