The Cheap Art Sale is December 12

The Cheap Art Sale has become one of my favorite holiday events in Mount Pleasant. With new artists every year, the sale is diverse enough that you can return each time, finding something unique and worthy of gifting (yes, even to oneself). The sale features art priced at $50 and below, with lots of photography, paintings, and prints. 

The Cheap Art Sale is happening next Saturday, December 12, 2015 from 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM. As always, the sale will be held at La Casa, 3166 Mount Pleasant St NW. 

From the organizers:

"The 2015 Cheap Art Sale will be held from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 12, at La Casa, 3166 Mt. Pleasant Street NW, in Washington, DC. This year’s sale will benefit An Open Book Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting literacy among disadvantaged children in the greater Washington, DC, area.

The Cheap Art Sale, now in its sixth year, gives shoppers an opportunity to purchase unique, inexpensive holiday gifts and one-of-a-kind items while supporting a good cause. Most of the art will be priced at $50 or less, and half of the proceeds from the sale will be donated to An Open Book Foundation. 

Participating artists include Bekka Barker, Ian Delaney Dougherty, Nico Fertakis, Tina Pell, Carol Petrucci, Alexandra Silverthorne, Cait Sherwood, Stephanie Vermillion, and photographers from the Smithsonian’s open darkroom. Drawings, paintings, prints, photographs, jewelry, ceramics, and needlepoint will be available for purchase. The sale will be held in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood of Washington, DC, a short walk from the Columbia Heights Metro station.

An Open Book Foundation promotes literacy among low-income children in local schools through author visits and other events. Rather than just distributing books, it ties books to visits by authors and illustrators. This connection ensures that children have an attachment to the books they take home, and the ones donated to their classrooms and library, which entices them to read. The books provided during these events are often the first books the children have ever owned. More information is available on An Open Book Foundation’s website, http://anopenbookfound.org/, and its Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/anopenbookfoundation."

Bancroft Holiday Tree Sale

The Bancroft Holiday Tree Sale is back for 2015. The two-day sale is this weekend, December 5-6, from 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM. This is always a fun event and the choice trees move early, so don't sleep in too late. Bancroft Elementary School is located at 1755 Newton Street NW. From the organizers:

"BANCROFT HOLIDAY TREE SALE On December 5 and 6 from 10-4, the Bancroft PTO is sponsoring its annual holiday tree sale on the school playground (off 18th Street, North of Newton) with trees for every budget, wreaths, roping, and tree stands.

COME FOR YOUR TREE; STAY FOR THE FUN, FOOD AND SHOPPING -- Unique Gifts made by Bancroft students and parents ★ Holiday cartoons & films shown in the cafeteria All Day ★ Homemade Goodies: Sweet and Savory ★ Special Pop-up Store provided by Old School Hardware with holiday items such as lights, wreath and tree accessories"

Peace in 2015

Mount Pleasant Holiday Party!

Get ready for another busy holiday season in the city! The Mount Pleasant Holiday Party helps kick it all off. It's on December 6th at Lamont Park. The party is from 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM. All the details are in the flier below. However, please note that this also the same day as the Holiday Tree Sale at Bancroft Elementary School, just a few blocks away (1755 Newton St NW). 

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year you guys! See you on the flip side.

Cheers.

Cheap Art Sale!

The Cheap Art Sale has become a staple event for winter in Mount Pleasant. It returns for the 5th iteration this year. The sale serves three important purposes. It is a neighborhood mini-market for holiday shopping, a venue for local artists to show off their styles, and a benefit for a worthy non-profit organization. This year's Cheap Art Sale is on Saturday December 7, from 1PM - 5PM. The location is La Casa at 3166 Mount Pleasant St NW and the beneficiary is Family and Friends of Incarcerated Children. From the organizers:

"On Saturday, December 7th, the fifth annual Cheap Art Sale will host artists from across the city who will show and sell original works of art, and donate half or more of all the proceeds to Family and Friends of Incarcerated People. 

Most art will be priced at $50 or less. The Cheap Art Sale is an opportunity for shoppers to purchase unique holiday gifts and one-of-a-kind items. Participating artists include Mike Ferguson, Tom LeGro, Anthem Press, MbM designs, Ian Delaney Doherty, Nebsi Camancho, Lisa Marie Thalhammer, Alexandra Silverthorne, and Arelle Hughes. Artwork sold will include prints, photography, knitted wares, jewelry and more.

Family and Friends of Incarcerated People brings services to the children of the incarcerated and at-risk youth.  They promote social, cultural and youth development as a way of avoiding intergenerational incarceration through various programs including a summer youth retreat, roller skating socials and field trips.

To find out more about Family and Friends of Incarcerated People check out their website:  http://www.ffoip.org/ or Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/FFOIP"

Bancroft Holiday Tree Sale is December 7+8

The annual Bancroft Elementary Holiday Tree Sale is back, and it is happening on Saturday December 7th and Sunday December 8th. The Bancroft School PTA hosts this yearly tree sale, which doubles as benefit. I've shopped here many times, and yes, there are actually trees for all budgets and of all sizes, provided you don't wait until the last second. They will also have a supply of stands, wreaths, and other limited accouterments. Not kidding, if you are into this idea, don't wait until 3PM on Sunday to make moves. Go early.

The sale starts at 10AM each day and ends at 4PM. Bancroft Elementary is located at 1755 Newton St NW, but the trees are sold around back near the playground. Just walk a little further down 18th Street, or follow the smell of pine needles.

Union Station

Holiday Celebration in Lamont Park This Saturday

This Saturday will be one of the busiest and funnest of the year in Mount Pleasant. In addition to the Cheap Art Sale at La Casa, Mount Pleasant Farmers' Market and Amani's Open House, the Mount Pleasant Business Association is hosting the Holiday Celebration in Lamont Park. From 1:00PM until 3:00PM, see Santa and Ms. Klaus, watch a puppet show, make a craft (or two) and more.

Of course Lamont Park is located at the corner and Lamont and Mount Pleasant Streets NW. This is the same space that hold the farmers' market.

This event is a collaboration of our great businesses in Mount Pleasant (MPBA) and the organizers that worked so hard to present Make It Mount Pleasant earlier this year. If that event was any indication, don't miss out this Saturday, should be very cool. Bring family, friends, or just yourself.

If you're on Facebook, check out more and RSVP to the event page. And see you there!

Santa and the Three Kings checking out Mount Pleasant (photo by Rick Reinhard)

Cheap Art Sale is Saturday December 8

This is the 5th annual Cheap Art Sale. So, so cool that this event has endured and is still happening in Mount Pleasant. The concept is simple: high quality affordable art, made by locals, benefiting a worthy local organization. Most art will be priced at $50 and below. Artists will donate a portion of their proceeds to ¡Empodérate! Youth Center in Columbia Heights. 

Like last year, the Cheap Art Sale will take place at La Casa, 3166 Mt Pleasant St NW. The date is Saturday December 8, from 1:00PM to 5:00PM.  From the organizers:

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Fifth Annual Cheap Art Sale to Benefit La Clinica del Pueblo’s ¡Empodérate! Youth Center

On Saturday, December 8th, the fifth annual Cheap Art Sale will host artists from across the city who will show and sell original works of art, and donate half or more of all the proceeds to the La Clinica del Pueblo’s ¡Empodérate! youth center. Most art will be priced at $50 or less. 

The Cheap Art Sale is an opportunity for shoppers to purchase unique holiday gifts and one-of-a-kind items. Participating artists include Mike Ferguson, Arelle Rodriguez, Tory Pedonti, Anthem Press, Heidi Phelps, Jane Claire, Les & Oscar, and others. Artwork sold will include jewelry, prints, photography and more.

¡Empodérate! (Empower Yourself!) is the only bilingual HIV program that targets young gay and bisexual Latino men and young male-to-female transgender Latinas. The youth center is a safe, supportive space, offering counseling and social events, as well as free HIV testing. 

To find out more about ¡Empodérate!, check out their website:

http://www.lcdp.org/our-services/community-health-action/empoderate-youth-center

*     *     *

Please note that the list of participating artists was as of late last week. The lineup could possibly grow before December 8. This has always been a very cool event and this year looks to be the same! Stay tuned for more awesome Mount Pleasant winter happenings; there are others in the works!

Holiday Market Opens Today

The Downtown Holiday Market returns to Penn Quarter today at noon. This year --the 6th-- over 180 vendors will rotate in and out of booths on F Street over four weeks. The last day is December 23.

The Market location is the regular spot, F Street NW between 7th and 9th Sts. This is right on the front door of the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery and across the street from the International Spy Museum.  

Each day from 12:00pm-8:00pm mostly local vendors will sell everything from soaps and scarves to pottery, pies and portraits.  Here's the full list. 

Musical performers will entertain visitors on a small stage throughout each day and if last year is an indicator, there should be a few overhead heat lamps scattered around in order to keep us warm while browsing.  Cool new feature this year: gift certificates for the Market itself. That's cool.

Looking forward to it! Another chance to skip that trip to the mall... or at least put it off until you really, really  have to.

Holiday Booty Market

The hits just keep coming! Two weeks ago, I did a rundown of the alterna-shopping options for this holiday season. They included Rock-N-Shop at the Black Cat and the Cheap Art Sale here in Mount Pleasant. Now, another in Adams Morgan.

Right up there with the best of the rest is the Holiday Booty Market. This market will take place inside the Design Within Reach, a high end furniture store on Columbia Road. Unlike the rest of the items inside that store, the prices for the for HB Market will be within reach.

And the list of 20 vendors looks fantastic!!

Holiday Booty Market will happen this weekend, on December 19th from 10am t0 5pm. 1838 Columbia Rd NW, directly accessible from the 42 bus.

Downtown Market + DIY Shopping

For the 5th year, the Downtown Holiday Market will operate on the sidewalk in front of the National Portrait Gallery. It opens today at noon and runs until 8:00pm daily until December 23. That's pretty close to Christmas for all the late blooming shoppers. The location is F Street NW between 7th and 9th. Free entertainment on tomorrow including three bands playing blues and rock throughout the day.

Expect the usual; lots of hand made jewelery, crafty items, various mediums of art, clothing and artisan foods. Not all of the artists will be at the market each day. Some are there the first two weeks, then leave, others aren't here now, but come later. Check the website to see what may look interesting to you and plan your visit accordingly.

Downtown Holiday Market won't be the only place to shop while avoiding malls, department stores, DCUSA and Georgetown. Here are a few other ways to get unique or local gifts for yourselves and others.

Rock-N-Shop at the Cat
Recently reached favorite holiday tradition status among our circle of friends. This is sort of a free for all for dealers or collectors of old records, video games, screen printed shirts, crafty art, vintage clothes and other stuff I can't even imagine right now. Drink beer, walk around, listen to sweet DJs and maybe buy something from a person you probably already know. This party has gotten increasingly crowded over the years, so come early. December 19. 8PM until. Black Cat Mainstage. 1811 14th Street NW.

Cheap Art Sale at La Casa
A longer write-up from earlier this week is here. But, basically this is a STELLAR art sale with STELLAR artists, many from Mount Pleasant. The prices happen to be CHEAP. They are trying to provide great art at affordable prices (nothing over $100) and help out Neighbors' Consejo by donating the proceeds. Tomorrow! 1-5PM. La Casa. 3166 Mount Pleasant Street NW.

The Gift of Fab at Past Tense

Mount Pleasant is doing double duty DIY shopping this weekend. Also happening tomorrow is the cleverly named Gift of Fab holiday sale at our very own Past Tense Studio. This is not just a sale for enthusiastic yogi. The studio will have several booths/tables set up inside with unique gifts like hand made holiday cards, organic skin care products, photography and more. And yes, if you want to buy a yoga mat, you can do that, too. Past Tense will have it's own booth. Tomorrow, too! 1-5PM as well. Past Tense Studio. 3253 Mount Pleasant Street NW.

Capital Riverfront Holiday Market at Navy Yard
This is a rather new one. Two years old this year, the Capital Riverfront (neighborhood near Nationals Ballpark) is hosting a holiday market that looks promising, but won't quite rival the Downtown Market. Not this year anyway. Sounds similar though; live music, crafty exhibitors, lots of jewelery, and you can bet someone's selling ceramics. December 15-18. 12-6PM. Canal Park. 2nd and M Sts SE. (PDF)

The Flea at Eastern Market
The old standby Eastern Market and accompanying flea market is a weekly delight, but I haven't been in a while. Specifically, the Flea Market operates on Sundays and there you can find various items from copper-plated cups to curios. The Flea operates out of the parking lot behind old Hines School, across the street from the historic Eastern Market building. Every Sunday. 10AM-5PM. Eastern Market. 7th and C Sts SE.

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

Help! I Need a New New Year's Gig

Dear You,

Help! Save your generation! Or at least save me.... What should I do for New Year's?

I've been obsessed about it lately. I want to do something big this year. Last two years I've spent the critical hour at house parties in Columbia Heights and Mount Pleasant. Here's a song summing up what happened at the last one--


--Ok, moving on....

Before that a show at Wonderland. And here's a photo snapshot of that night.

Year before that, a dance party on H Street NE --yes, pause for photo--
















And before that, spent over a campfire in McLean (don't ask). Prior to that, I don't remember. So, I've stayed über local, but low key and not crazy. I believe I was in bed at pretty much normal partying hour each time. And nary a hangover.

Don't get me wrong, I love staying close to home and doing it small time. It's cheaper, and I generally want to remember what I did and savior the memories outside of un-facebookable party photos. And I am a little accident prone.

I've never traveled outside of my home city to celebrate New Year's. Never. But something about this year makes me want to break out of the routine and do something different. If I do stay in DC, which for different reasons is looking more and more likely, I need to decide what to do. Staying home with a glass of wine and the TV is probably the only option I'm ruling out.

What are the epic yearly parties? Any clubs or bars actually throw a great party? (I've heard Peaches O'Dell at the Black Cat is worth it) And ANY chance there is something cool happening right here in good ole' Mount Pleasant? Hmmm, I guess I could make something happen here... but I digress. Back to other O.P.P. (other people's parties).

So... keep on the look out. And pass the good ones my way please. I have a feeling it'll be a last minute decision, but I want to have all the options, good and bad, at my feet.

Thx a million in advance,

Me

ps, i tell you this because as an artist, i think you'll understand

Happy Constitution Day!

"We the People" is still relevant 221 years after 39 delegates from 12 states signed the Constitution, helping to create the supreme law of the land. The Constitution survives today within its original structure, albeit with many important and crucial changes via amendments. The three branches often struggle with defining its meaning, enforcing its statues and interpreting modern conventions against such a basic, but complex document. Dozens of other constitutions from around the world are modeled after ours.

Today, remember not only the sacrifice that went onto creating the Constitution, but the sacrifice of those who continue to test and define the document each day. The real American heroes are those who challenge convention and law in an effort to make the Constitution real and fulfill its full potential.

Try these activities out sometime this week:

*Go see it! One of the original copies on permanent view at the National Archives
*Stroll through Constitution Gardens on the Mall (near Vietnam Veterans Memorial)
*Visit the DC resting places of two of the signers; Abraham Baldwin @ Rock Creek Cemetery and Elbridge Gerry @ Congressional Cemetery
*Read the thing! It's short and you can get a wallet sized copy here
*Check out the National Constitution Center; its in Phila, but he website is a great resource as well
*Tell someone who doesn't know about our lack of real Congressional representation