Las Posadas Puppet Performance in Mount Pleasant

Mount Pleasant attracts the most talented, motivated and creative people in Washington. DC's best neighborhood for lots of reasons, and here's another.

On December 19th the Puppet Underground (Mt P based) will present a "Puppetry Posada" of sorts starting at La Casa on Mount Pleasant Street.

Las Posadas (translation: the inns) are a traditional Christmas themed celebration which take place over a 9 day period beginning on December 16th. It's primarily practiced in Mexico. Las Posadas tell the Christian story of Mary, Joseph, and their search for shelter in the days before Mary gives birth. The story is told over the 9 days in 9 different houses within the community.

The Puppet Underground, partnering with Hear Mount Pleasant, will host a shortened, one night version of Las Posadas here in Mount Pleasant. on Saturday December 19th. It will be a more secular affair, including musical interludes, cantastoria (I had to look it up), folk telling and various other holiday themed performances, both religious and non-religious.

The evening begins at Casa, 3166 Mount Pleasant Street NW. The show will then literally go on the road, traveling to nearby neighborhood homes over the course of the next 120 minutes or so. You will have to go outside a few times during the performance, so dress accordingly. Bonus, though: at each stop snacks and a warm beverage will be available.

Expect a party-like atmosphere and family friendly, all ages puppetry.

So, again with the details:
What: A Mount Pleasant Puppetry Posada
When: 7:00 PM Saturday December 19th
Where: Begins at La Casa, 3166 Mount P St NW
Who: Puppet Underground + Hear Mount Pleasant + You
How (much): Suggested donation = $5+, but all are welcome and no one turned away
RSVP: Please email the organizers so they can plan accordingly at PuppetUndergroundDC@gmail.com

Return of Cabaret del Barrio

These events were previously held in the mid and late 90s and sport a triumphant return next week. The location is Don Jaime's, 3209 Mount Pleasant Street. This Sunday, March 8 beginning at 6:30pm.

Performances by five artists, including one of my favorites Machetres, although I haven't seen them perform live in a few years. This event is courtesy of Hear Mount Pleasant, which will have its next monthly meeting a day later on Monday March 9 at La Casa.

Live Music and Sensibility Win Out in the End

Proponents, rejoice, enjoy, sing along, maybe even dance. Opponents, this is what you were afraid of? Haydee's Restaurant experienced sights and sounds not experienced in years yesterday. Live music. Spirited sounds spilled over from late afternoon into the evening on Sunday inside the venerable, much loved local restaurant after the establishment was part of a decision to amend the restrictive voluntary agreements that had been in place for a decade. The two groups involved with shaping the new agreements were Mount Pleasant Neighborhood Alliance (opposed to restructure of VAs) and Hear Mount Pleasant (proponent of restructure of VAs). The VAs had restricted associated establishments from offering any live music and dancing. The voluntary agreements had teeth because the a neighborhood group, or really any handful of residents, could oppose a restaurant in ABC hearings, a death knell for most restaurants in a city like DC. See Mt Pleasant Residents Show Support for Businesses for some background.

The previous VAs, over time, seemed to encompass all that is wrong about neighborhood covenants. I support laying groundwork to prevent disputes, but the process under which the these particular VAs were perpetuated appeared to leave out the unabashed voices of not only the businesses involved, but many residents of the neighborhood the covenants were supposedly protecting from rogue businesses. And the businesses appeared to be safe, responsible entities which bore no resemblance to the nuisance establishments that dot the city's other commercial/entertainment areas.

No one wants Mt Pleasant to be Adams Morgan or Cleveland Park or Georgetown. We are in no danger of "becoming" any of those. We will change, we are changing as a neighborhood. As is every other cluster, neighborhood, ward and quadrant in the District. How we choose to manage the change is what's important. We should strive to create a fair and equitable system in which residents are made feel empowered, not shunned because they are renters, or new; where owners are given credit for due diligence and operating as good business neighbors; where clients and customers are given a chance to vote with their pocketbooks and where we can have good, clean, responsible FUN! The ideas are easy to come by, practice a little harder. For once I agree with Marc Fisher, that "Democracy in the District can be a painfully slow and frustrating beast..." I would add that real democracy anywhere can be painful, slow and not satisfactory to parties involved. But the beauty is that whatever the dispute, we each have a chance to shed some light on the matter from our very own personal point of view. And if we wish, turn our two cents into a dollar, use it to tip the band, and dance he night away.

Hearings Today; Attempt to Change Voluntary Agreements

This morning, February 13, local board hearings will help decide the future of the restrictive voluntary agreements in Mount Pleasant; at least for two businesses. Don Jaime's and Haydees will be present in hearings before the Alcohol Beverage Control Board. The two businesses are attempting to nullify their current voluntary agreements (VAs). According to Hear Mount Pleasant, the attempt would be the first ever by a District licensee to terminate an active VA. Don Jaime's and Haydees are are currently in voluntary agreements with the Mount Pleasant Neighborhood Alliance. The businesses are seeking to break out of the restrictive covenants and create new VAs with Hear Mount Pleasant, an organization also representing citizens of the neighborhood. The VAs are important because depending on how any given business reacts to and follows the rules laid out in the VA, the contracting neighborhood group and other citizens can determine, through protest with Alcohol Beverage Regulatory Administration, whether the business receives a coveted alcohol sales license.

The ABC board web site lists the Haydees hearing at 10:00am and the Don Jaime's hearing at 2:00pm. The hearings will be held at ABRA, 941 North Capitol Street, NE. Its near Union Station.

Interestingly, two other businesses on the 42 bus line will also have alcohol related hearings today: Angry Inch of Adams Morgan and the Szechuan Gallery Restaurant in Chinatown. The ABRA site didn't list the specifics of those hearings, but they don't seem to be VA related.

Mt Pleasant Residents Show Support for Businesses

On a chilly night with temperatures in the mid-40s, nearly 200 Mt Pleasant residents gathered in Lamont Park to show their support for the immigrant-owned businesses that line our main street. The apple cider was being consumed by the cupful (I had two, don't tell) and many business owners like Haydee of, well, Haydee's, were standing with a good cross section of our neighborhoods other residents. The group gathered in Lamont Park and made a powerfully silent march over to the Mount Peasant Branch Library.

A little background may be in order here. The demonstration was organized for this night because the Mayor of the District of Columbia, Adrian Fenty, was meeting with the Mount Pleasant Neighborhood Alliance. The meeting was taking place at the Mount Pleasant Branch Library. The MPNA is one of several groups and organizations that operate as a voice for some residents in the neighborhood. There are others, like the ANC and Hear Mt Pleasant. That's by no means an exhaustive list. They are essentially interest groups that exist to project the voice of the people to a place where it can be heard by the decision-makers: in this case, the mayor and the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs.

At issue is whether or not the MPNA should act as the official voice of the neighborhood for city-legislated and regulated issues with binding implications for businesses and residents. On the official MPNA flier for tonight's meeting, there is a call for contributions "to our legal fees to help fight those who want to terminate our Voluntary Agreements." That's in reference to the Voluntary Agreement, a quasi-legal agreement between a business and some form of resident group (or individual residents) that determines whether or not the resident group will protest or support the business' Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration standing. In short, the decision of the neighborhood group to oppose or endorse a business' ABRA licensure is essentially a decision to make or break the business. The businesses agree to certain terms, like operating hours, conditions of operation, and so on and the resident group agrees to support the business at its ABRA hearing.

One of the conditions for all taverns, bars and restaurants on Mt Pleasant Street is that there be allowed no live music in the establishments. Some even interpret this to mean no karaoke as well. To understand Mt Pleasant is to understand that it is a neighborhood with a rich, long, and nuacned history weaving together cultures form all over the U.S. and all over the world. It is very diverse. The Latino community is one of the many that make up the backbone of the neighborhood, literally populating our main street with service and financial institutions, shops, restaurants and salons. Years ago, mariachi bands roamed the streets and haunted the establishments filling the air with an ambiance of Mexico City or San Salvador. That's now illegal under the Voluntary Agreements in place at most of our establishments. Some groups are using the Voluntary Agreements, ABRA licensure, and other regulatory matters to intimidate and harass businesses into certain behaviors.

The demonstration tonight was help to reiterate, through turnout, dialogue and petition, that the MPNA does not necessarily speak for each and every one in Mt Peasant. If there are do-or-die decisions to be made which will affect businesses and livelihoods of people living and working in this neighborhood, ALL voices need to be considered, especially those of the residents with the most on the line. Ward One Council Member Jim Graham made an appaearce at the demonstration, and later at the Library. Mayor Fenty stopped on the way into the Library and talked individualy to some of the residents and addressed the group several times as well. After about 10 minutes he dissapeared into the Library to meet with MPNA. Too be continued...

Movie Night in Lamont Park, Tonight!

Tonight at 6:30 there will be an outside screening, in Lamont Park, of the 2005 movie Independent America: The Two Lane Search for Mom & Pop. This under the radar documentary chronicles a husband and wife team who drive across the U.S. in search of the small, independent businesses and anti-corporate culture. Along the way these former journalists try to abide by rules like not traveling on interstate highways (just the local roads) and only patronizing non-chain establishments. Most of the press on this has been pretty good and the filmmakers have their own blog as well. The movie night is sponsored by Hear Mt Pleasant, Mt Pleasant Main Street, the Latino Economic Development Corporation, and Local First DC. See an extended trailer below.