"We have a cat and would like to find someone who can feed him while we are gone."
A blog for the Bloomingdale neighborhood in Washington, DC.

North Capitol Main Street
Announces
CLEAN & SAFE SENTINELS COMING TO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS DISTRICT !!
On Tuesday, November 24, 2009 at 11:00 am, 1703 North Capitol Street, NE, North Capitol Main Street will launch the first of its kind in the North Capitol Community -- its inaugural Clean & Safe Sentinels Program. The NCMS Clean & Safe Sentinels will be responsible for keeping the business corridors that surround Bloomingdale, Eckington and East Shaw/Truxton Circle neighborhoods clean and safe for businesses, resident-customers and visitors to the area.
Services will be provided by Ready, Willing & Working (RWW), which provides work opportunities and supportive services to homeless and formerly incarcerated individuals. The program's holistic approach empowers men and women to break the cycles of homelessness, welfare dependency and criminal recidivism to achieve permanent self-sufficiency -- through gainful employment and life-skills training.
NCMS sought the services of RWW because of its excellent track record in providing maintenance, cleaning and landscaping services to Capitol Hill Business Improvement District as well as to Barracks Row Main Street.
RWW President Patty Brosmer says "With an emphasis on enjoying what we do and a philosophy that we are serving the public, we are looking forward to making a big difference for those who live, work and do business in the NCMS area."
"Once the program is up and running, we are urging residents to help NCMS make this program a complete success by sharing your comments and making suggestions on how we can improve in any area, says Pat Mitchell, President of NCMS." "It's going to take a united effort -- coordination with businesses, police, social services and residents -- to make the program a model of success and each resident can do his or her part by being invested in the idea of a clean and safe community."
Garry Clark, Executive Director
202- 905- 6039
I was wondering if anyone else has noticed the new tattoo parlor business on the unit block of Florida Avenue NW on the north side of the street. At first, it missed my attention because it opened up around Halloween and I thought the large signage was a Halloween decoration (a massive skull). For those residents who will soon be going to sea and require body identification in case they fall overboard and wash up on some distant shore, this maybe a good thing. For the rest of us, this may be a harbinger of things to come for our neighborhood. I would expect that the next business to open in that block will be a strip bar, like the ones Charlene Drew Jarvis used to allow in Ward 4 along Georgia Avenue NW (there are good political contributions involved). Perhaps these types of operations will appease those who oppose the Bloomingdale Farmers’ Market on R St. For the rest of us, who are trying to uplift and improve the neighborhood, this is yet another slap in the face."
In reference to the tattoo parlor neighbor...when are we gonna stop bitchin about little things..we don't have a grocery store cause someone complained. We don't have a police substation cause some one complained. The reservoir site is collecting dust cause we couldn't get it together. The bandits and drug houses are flourishing in our neighborhoods and we don't complain together or enough. There are people who like tattoos and are not stuffy and realize that a neighborhood consist of different likes and dislikes that have to work together...get over it...it hasn't been bad for U st and the Strip joint hasn't done M and 18 bad either...looking at the messes we are in now, I would take Drew Jarvis over Fenty anyday..Focus boo...fix up your property and home and pay for that space ...then work with your neighborhood. Florida Ave is full of other things that need to be redirected...like folks that need jobs..so when an opportunity opens let it open it is just ink on the skin..not blood on the sidewalk or a gun in your face.
Washington, D.C. -November 18, 2009 - NCMS is pleased to annouce the launch of its first BID Liter Clean Team for the NCMS corridor. NCMS, Inc. is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization, designated by D.C. Main Streets and funded by the Department of Small and Local Business Development. NCMS focuses on the commercial neighborhood revitalization of the NCMS corridor. NCMS recently received the grant approval from the Department of Small and Local Business Development. The grant will completely fund the 1st year of operations. NCMS will utilize the services of Capitol Hill BID - Ready, Willing, and Working during this first year. The NCMS Clean team will work five days a week from 10AM to 6PM.
Rhode Island Avenue between Second Street, NW and North Capitol Street, NE
(northern boundary); North Capitol Street between Rhode Island Avenue, NE and New York Avenue, NE (eastern boundary); New York Avenue between Second Street, NW and North Capitol Street, NE (southern boundary); and First Street, NW between New York Avenue, NW and Rhode Island Avenue, NW (western boundary)
Happy Thanksgiving!
Dear Friend,
As we prepare for Thanksgiving, we need your help BIG TIME!!! in being able to provide baskets to inner-city families needing food to feed their families a Thanksgiving meal.
With so many people needing food for their Thanksgiving meal, we ask that you consider partnering with us by making a tax deductible donation that will help us provide food to the families asking for our HELP!!!
For a donation of $25.00 you can help feed a family of four.
The Community Thanksgiving Basket Give Away
Theme: HARVEST SEEDS OF LOVE IN LIVES OF PEOPLE YOU MEET EACH DAY
Saturday, November 21st
Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church
315 Rhode Island Ave., NW
10:00am
Come join us as we give Thanksgiving baskets to those in need!
Mission Statement:
As a community-based organization, the EXTENSION Center’s mission is to provide educational training services that positively impact lives of children, youth and adults living in inner-city neighborhoods.To accomplish our mission we sponsor 7 rallies, 6 educational training programs and Good Samaritan Emergency Compassion Relief Projects for people needing help
getting back on their feet.Contact Us
Extension Center
1720 1st St. NW.
Washington, DC 20001
Phone:
202. 387. 3082
Extensioncenter @ verizon.net
www.extensioncenter-dc.org
Dear Neighbors,
I'm writing to enlist your help with my latest community-based performance endeavor! The piece we're working to create will be an original play that explores and builds connections between elders and young adults, weaving together elements of oral history and remembrance, and sharing vital wisdom that will help the younger generations build a sustainable future. We're very early in the process, but the topic is already starting to catch fire and ignite some wonderful conversations. I'd really love for the seniors among you to consider my invitation to be interviewed, and for the younger folks, it would be wonderful if you could talk with the seniors in your life to see if they'd be interested in contributing an interview to the project. Of course, I am happy to answer any questions that you may have before you make a decision.
Right now, my collaborator and I are conducting interviews with senior citizens, particularly those of the World War II generation, as part of our script-building process. This generation has seen such amazing things, from World War II and the Great Depression to the Civil Rights and Women's Movements, all of which have relevance to our current struggles. In addition to their memories of the "big events" that are recorded in other histories, they also hold a wealth of experiences, beliefs, strategies, lessons, and strengths that history books can never capture. It is from the richness of their ideas, memories, advice, and dreams that we're beginning to create this theater project.
My partner and I will conduct interviews one-on-one, or in a group, depending on what each participant prefers. Each interview will be recorded in a digital audio format, and will be used to build the script of the play. Additionally, the voice recordings may be played during the performances. Interviews can be scheduled in the afternoon, evening, or during the weekend, and will be conducted at the location of the interviewee's choosing. (We will travel to you.) The interviews are informal, and feel like comfortable conversations over a cup of tea. So far, they've been fun and enriching for everyone involved.
If you're an elder in our community with a story to tell, this is your chance!
It's also possible, for those of you who are interested in having these interviews as part of your own family history, to arrange to conduct an interview yourself. You'll need your own digital audio recorder and we'll provide you with a few simple guidelines to help make your interview a success. This is a really wonderful activity for after Thanksgiving dinner....
Please feel free to be in touch with me via email or telephone (443.812.9407) if you have any questions at all, or if you're interested in starting the process.Thank-you, Bloomingdale, for all of your support!
Very best,
Melanie St. Ours
I'm a Bloomingdalian who is excited to be in the neighborhood during what will in hindsight be known as the great resurgence... I was at a party and people actually knew Bloomingdale - some said they were actively looking to be in our neighborhood because of its proximity to downtown and because of all the development happening around us. These were folks who are actively looking to relocate from Adams Morgan and parts of Columbia Heights because of parking problems, increasing crime and proximity to downtown.
I was astounded - three years ago when I mentioned Bloomingdale folks looked at me like I was talking about a department store - no not Bloomingdale's... dummy, BloomingDALE, over by LeDroit Park...
With all the activity going on, continued development including the condos right across NJ Ave, and what's slated for the sand filtration plant I, for one, am not going any place.
If you've got a foothold here, you should think twice before uprooting and rolling out. This is actually a place that I love to be.
Does anyone still use radiators for heat and have a company they use that they are happy with? I love my radiators and do not want to give them up, but am having a hard time finding people who still work on them.
I would appreciate it if you could circulate this message on your listservs and to your various networks.
As many of our neighbors are aware, Howard University is updating its campus plan in accordance with the Zoning Commission's requirement that such an update take place once every ten years. Part of this plan includes the development of the Howard Town Center, a project described in some detail in the DUKE Plan, enacted by the Council of the District of Columbia on June 21, 2005, which had a great deal of stakeholder input. Following the most recent selection of a developer for the Town Center, a series of meetings took place in August, September and October, where a number of neighbors became more familiar with the most current plans for the project. The Pleasant Plains Civic Association hosted the first meeting on August 31st. Commissioner Gail Holness of Single Member District 1B11, where the project is located, hosted a second presentation on September 14th. The LeDroit Park Civic Association included this presentation on their agenda on September 22nd, and ANC 1B included the presentation of this project at their October 4th meeting. Questions about the project were entertained and suggestions for the enrichment of the plan were received.
Howard University is continuing the data collection phase of its campus planning process, and as part of that process, we are engaging our neighbors in a more comprehensive way than we have in the past. This includes:
• participation in quarterly Community Advisory Committee (CAC) meetings, which have taken place continuously since 1998, and includes area residents, civic association leaders, Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners, church, business and community organization representatives in the area;
• participation in individual interviews of community members from these same groups, which were conducted in September, 2009;
• participation on campus plan working groups which will be organized once the campus plan team has collected and analyzed enough data to report back for review and discussion; and• participation in a community-wide survey that is distributed on-line and in hard copy for those without computers.
With this communication, we are inviting our neighbors to fill out the survey attached in the link below:
http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB229PW39UT5J
Please take a few minutes to give us your feedback on this survey. As the draft campus plan begins to come together, we will be making presentations at area ANC and civic association meetings, so that we can receive your feedback at that point as well.
We look forward to your participation, and if there are any questions, please feel free to contact me directly.
Maybelle Taylor Bennett
Director
Howard University Community Association
2731 Georgia Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20001
Ph: (202) 806 - 4771
Fx: (202) 667 - 5964
HORRIBLE CRIME IN BLOOMINGDALE ON 1700 FIRST ST
NWFIRST STREET NW, 1700 block, 1:25 p.m. Oct. 16.
A man entered a residence and assaulted a person. The person was then bound with wire and tape. The assailant fled with property.I can't believe that someone in Bloomingdale had to endure being bound with wire and held hostage while a thief steals their belongings. That person must have been deathly frightened not knowing if they would be killed in their own home. Note that this happened around noon time! This same awful scene happened a few years ago on the 2100 block of First St NW. A home owner, a strong 30 yr old male, went into the alley at 8 PM to empty the trash. He was abducted at gun point by 2 men lurking in the alley, taken into his house, and bound and gagged in the kitchen. He had two dogs, one ran upstairs, the other was shot. The assailants started to haul items out the rear door as the owner sat tied on the kitchen floor, wondering if he also would be killed. Neighbors noticed this activity and called 911. Police arrested the scumbags. The two owners said screw this, sold their house and moved to Washington state. They didn't feel safe in their own home anymore. Keep your doors locked at all times and call police if something seems odd.
Now read this feedback from a resident on the unit block of S Street NW:
Just wanted to make a follow-up comment in addition to Mr. Levesque's on the home invasion/robbery. I was shocked that I first read about this in the Bloomingdale email! We get the MPD updates and didn't hear anything - being from a smaller community, an event like this would have been front-page news, followed up with tips on what happened, what the risk factors were, what citizens should be looking out for (suspect, description - where are the "wanted" posters with the suspect's description?), and what you can do to protect yourself - in your own home - at lunch time no less. I'm always shocked these crimes are taking place right next door to us in broad daylight or even at 9 PM when all of our neighbors are home. I realize it's hard to hear through the brick rowhouses and hard to look out if you only have windows in the back, but please take a moment to look out your window if you hear shouting and take a moment to call 911 if you see something suspicious! I sometimes feel I'm completely alone walking down the deserted sidewalk at night, yet I know I'm surrounded by people inside their homes and since everyone's decks and yards are out back, the main streets are devoid of neighborhood "eyes". I'd also like to get more information as soon as possible from our police force on this home invasion, what the risk factors were for this individual and what we need to be looking out for!!
Was it my imagination, but I had thought that the street hoodlums that hang out on the corners had abandoned Bloomingdale last spring... until just the past few weeks. It was such a nice spring and summer: no bullets flying, no loitering drug dealers on the corners -- a great community. I thought that we had turned a corner and that those guys had given up on the drug markets in this community and had moved on.
However, in the past, literally, 3 weeks they've all returned.
Drug dealers hanging out in the old haunts, shootings in the same places...the helicopters...it's all back. What happened? Anyone know what the word on the street is? Did the police release a bunch back of the crew back into the community? Did some gangs just decide to retake the corners? It's like night and day.
It was a nice preview of what Bloomingdale can look without these street thugs plying their trade here. I'm a bit disappointed to see them back.
From: "Thomas, Harry (COUNCIL)"
Date: October 27,
2009 7:40:13 PM CDT
To: Peter Frampton
Cc: Carole Frampton,
"Rodgers, Neil (COUNCIL)", "Pittman, James (COUNCIL)", "Nix, Susan (COUNCIL)"
Subject: RE: We support DC School Reformthanks for your email and sharing your concerns.
From: Peter Frampton Sent:
Tuesday,
October 27, 2009 8:05 PMTo: Thomas, Harry (COUNCIL)Cc: Carole FramptonSubject: We support DC School Reform
Dear Mr Thomas,
as residents of Thomas St NW, Ward 5, with two girls in the DC Public School system, we support Michelle Rhee in her efforts to reform the school system. Change was never going to be easy nor painless, but it is really making a difference in the lives of the children who are most dependent upon the school system to achieve their dreams in life.Please support Michelle Rhee's efforts. She's doing it for the children.
Many thanks for your services to the city and in our Ward.
With kind regards,
Peter Frampton,
father of Chloe 7 and Lydia 5, who attend Ross Elementary.
Peter Frampton
Thomas St NW
Washington DC
20001 USA
Care to commment?
Let us review, once again, what the rules are for posting comments:
1) Identify yourself. A full name would be best, but at least include a first name.
2) Identify your neighborhood.
3) Totally anonymous posts will not be allowed and be deleted, regardless of the content of the comment. BOTH name and neighborhood name are required!
Thanks for honoring the rules.
I feel like crime, especially dangerous/violent crime, has escalated in this neighborhood over the last few months. I don't dare walk my dog at night anymore. It also concerns me that I do not see many police cars patrolling the area, despite all the recent events. And I don't know what needs to be done at this point. Though a gated community is not the solution, perhaps something like private neighborhood security patrols or more video cameras should be considered.
What else can/should be done?
How can we get the police to focus on our area more? Please don't respond by telling me to leave the neighborhood - I live in Bloomingdale because I love it, but also don't want to feel like I can't leave my house in the evening (or the morning, for that matter considering that many horrible events have occurred during daylight) without a high chance of getting mugged or worse. My thoughts go out to all who have had to experience these ordeals firsthand.
. News .
Rania was profiled in the cover story of the Washington Post Weekend on October 2 in an article titled Crafts With an Edge. Click here to read.
. Gallery Neptune .
Opening tomorrow night, Rania’s exhibit at Gallery Neptune will feature new directions in her Knit Together series in a two-person show with metal sculptor Joyce Zipperer.
The show opens tomorrow, Saturday, October 17, 7-9pm, and will run through November 14. According to dcist, and Daily Candy, you'll really want to see this show. Gallery Neptune5001 Wilson Lane, Bethesda, MD 20814 [2nd Floor]
A few blocks from Bethesda Metro Station [Red Line]
Click here for map
Gallery Hours:
Thursday–Saturday, 12-5 pm, also by appointmentPlease see web site for details and additional event information.
. James Renwick Alliance Day .
Rania and Sean are both participating in this James Renwick Alliance Craft Artist Exhibit and Sale.
From the web site: JRA Day is sponsored by the James Renwick Alliance, an independent national nonprofit organization that celebrates the achievements of America’s craft artists and fosters scholarship, education and public appreciation of craft art. The JRA was founded in 1982 and is the exclusive support group for the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, our nation’s showcase of contemporary American craft.JRA Day
The Woman’s Club of Chevy Chase7931 Connecticut Ave NW, Chevy Chase, MDSaturday, 11am-5pm
map and directions
Admission:$5 for James Renwick Alliance members$7 for non-members
Free Parkingplease visit web site for details
. Artwork Online .
Our smaller pieces can be purchased online anytime and shipped anywhere around the world.
Rania's illustrated Moleskine and knit paintings are at: shoofly.etsy.com
Sean's experimental pieces in glass and concrete can be found at scenicartisans.etsy.com
. Follow Us .
Looking for more details about what we're up to? There are many ways to keep track of us, here are some of our links!
:: Sean Hennessey ::Email: art@wheresmycoffee.comTel: 202.550.4634Blog: : wheresmycoffee.comArt portfolio: dcsean.comTwitter: twitter.com/wheresmycoffeeFlickr: flickr.com/wheresmycoffeeFacebook: facebook.com/pages/Sean-Hennessey
:: Rania Hassan ::Email: darnknit@gmail.comTel: 202.320.9300Blog: goshdarnknit.comArt portfolio: raniahassan.comNotebook Portfolio: trunkt.org/shooflyTwitter: twitter.com/goshdarnknitFlickr: flickr.com/goshdarnknit.comFacebook: facebook.com/pages/goshdarnknit
Please be sure to visit event links posted above to make sure dates haven't changed since sending this out. Thanks for reading down this far, we hope to see you sometime soon at one of our events!
Interested in joining the North Capitol Main Street Effort? What are we looking for? We need your help in obtaining project volunteers, new excited members, and potential board members.
Ready to start right away?
Contact Garry Clark at
gclark@ncmsinc.org or call 202-905-6039Garry ClarkNorth Capitol
Main Street, Inc.
North Capitol Main Street is funded by the Department of Small and Local Business Development and D.C. Main Streets.
None other than Stu Davenport and his development company.
I love the urban mix at our farmers market here in Bloomingdale:
Old fashion live fiddle music,
Ultra chique menu items with fab ingredients
FREE Bicycle repairs and tune-up
No wonder Bloomingdale Farmers market is the 7th favorite small market in the entire USA!!!
I resent the hijacking of our very small block for the privileged few who pay exorbitant prices to vendors who do not even live in our neighborhood or DC.
The tacky and illegal pcv/metal pipe and other homemade sign posts that litter our beautiful tree boxes so as to promote this dreadful market (these must be removed immediately as they are against city ordinance).
The arrogance of a few (including our ANC rep and owner of Big Bear) who does what's best for (his)business and NOT the the citizens of the 100 block of R Street NW. I am hoping someone will run against him during the next election.
What is the source document for claiming 7th in the USA?
I suspect the original poster meant chic and NOT chique. For many of the old time neighbors, however, BFM fiddle music and menu items are from chic!+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
neighborhood name are required! Thanks for honoring the rules.And let’s review, once again, what the rules are for posting comments:
1) Identify yourself. A full name would be best, but at least include a first name.
2) Identify your neighborhood.
3) Totally anonymous posts will not be allowed and be deleted, regardless of the content of the comment.
BOTH name and
Volunteer opportunities include:
RSVP to Patricia Mitchell at pmitchell @ columbiadb.com or 202- 547-7979.
Shaw Main Streets, the commercial revitalization and historic preservation organization serving central Shaw's 7th and 9th Street commercial corridors, will hold its sixth annual community forum on major development projects on Wednesday, September 30, 2009 at 6:30 PM at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, 801 Mount Vernon Place, NW, Room 102B (enter from L Street).
Alice Thompson and Justin Bellow are formerly the Ward 5 Outreach and Service Specialists in the Mayor's Office of Community Relations & Services (MOCRS). They have moved on.
Recall North Capitol Main Street Winter Blues fun-fun-fun fundraising events?This is your last chance to bulk order wrought iron fencing for your tree box.
Your neighbors are coordinating a bulk purchase and installation of wrought iron fencing in Bloomingdale.
We already have enough neighbors interested in an installation to reduce the cost by buying in bulk.
The negotiated the cost of a single 4’x8’ tree box is $480. Price will vary depending on the size of an individual tree box. The contractor we chose also contracts for DC and therefore can guarantee the installations are in accordance of city code.
Please contact me at krayon @ gmail.com if you are interested in participating in the bulk order of tree box fencing. We will begin installations in October.
Also send me your contact information if you are interested in a city grant that pays for tree box fence installations. We are considering submitting a city grant to install tree box fencing for all of Bloomingdale.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Karyn
1826 North Capitol St, NW
202- 306- 0608