Thursday, January 31, 2008

Beer Sampling at Timor, 7 PM - 8:30 PM

A message from Timor proprietor Kim Wee:


Yes, it's been a while since our last wine or beer tasting here at Timor Bodega….had some noise issues with the new refrigeration, but blissful silence has been restored, so the place is now good for a chat again! 10 new labels from 4 great American breweries are now waiting for Bloomingdale's beer drinkers at Timor Bodega.

The format will be a little different from the last tasting. Instead of a cover charge, let's try this: When you come in, you pick a beer that you are interested in. I'll open it and the beer will be sampled. If you like it, you can buy the remainder of the six- pack, minus the cost of one bottle. If it's not for you, we'll move right along to the next sample.

Although I am happy to offer courtesy sampling at any reasonable hour for beer drinking, it would be great to do this when at least a few people are around. So I am setting the time for the event loosely at 7 PM - 8:30 PM, as opposed to 7PM on the dot.

Now in:

LAKEFRONTt, Milwaukee:

Organic ESB
Cattail Ale

BELLS, Kalamazoo:

Best Brown Ale
Third Coast Old Ale
Winter White Ale
Double Cream Stout

HE'BREW:

Genesis Ale

LAGUNITAS, Petaluma:

Censored Ale
Lagunitas IPA
Lagunitas Brown Sugar


Timor Bodega
200 Rhode Island Avenue NW
M-F 4:30-8:30
SAT: 9-8
SUN: 9-6
202-588-5612

Monday, January 28, 2008

big bear book club

a friend was telling me just the other day that the americans read an average one one book per year. one. i read like.. uh.. twice that. easy.
these libraries make me want to read more... or at least travel more



BIG BEAR BOOK CLUB - FIRST MEETING

The first meeting of the Big Bear Book Club will take place on Wednesday, January 30, from 6:30-8, at Big Bear Cafe. This meeting will be mostly just to get the club started, where we'll discuss lineup and logistics, etc. However, our first book is In Defense of Food, by Michael Pollan, and we could be getting into a discussion then. The book is available at 20% discount from any Olsson's Books (about 18 bucks).

If you have any questions, please direct them to joseph_rieu@yahoo.com. Hope to see you there!

Cheers,
JOE

Thursday, January 24, 2008

recycling



i received this email:



I recently moved into a multi-unit building in the neighborhood, and I'm hitting a huge roadblock when it comes to recycling. I am from Anne Arundel County in Maryland, and I have been spoiled with co-mingled, county-wide, curbside recycling. I have not had such luck in the District. Because I am not a homeowner and not renting in a 3-unit-or-less building, I am unable to use the blue bins to have the city pick up my recycling. My building does not pay for private recycling collection, so I have been trying in vain to find a metrorail- or metrobus-accessible (prefferably co-mingled) recycling facility. Thus far I have been transporting my recyclables to my parents' house, begging friends to take some along when they leave my apartment, and otherwise swimming in cardboard, plastic and glass.


Anyone have any answers?



Sunday, January 13, 2008

CHERYL'S GONE: A READING SERIES AT BIG BEAR CAFE

CHERYL'S GONE: A READING SERIES AT BIG BEAR CAFE
JANUARY 17, 2008
8:00 PM
CORNER OF FIRST AND R NW WASHINGTON DC
http://www.bigbearcafe-dc.com/

POETRY by CAREN SCOTT
Current NOVA-ite / Ex Floridian and Atlantite. Author of poems dealing with the supernova that is occurring between your lungs and below your sternum. Also, excellent at playing the singing-saw.

POETRY by CATHY EISENHOWER
Poet and author of the collections Language of Dog-Heads and the upcoming Clearing Without Reversal.

PROSE by JEN GIRDISH
Award-nominated essayist and journalist for places like the Washington Post and the Washington City Paper.

MUSIC by SAHBA SIZDAHKHANI
Drummer, soundscape artist and post-revolutionary composer. Visit him online at sahbasizdahkhani.com to listen.

Hope to see you there--

Joe
(BigBearReadings@gmail.com)

Friday, January 11, 2008

luciana cafe

See Kris Hammonds Post about a new restaurant on North Capitol.

EC-12: Is there a restaurateur in the house?

Here is a sad and frustrating message from Konrad Schlater, Special Assistant in the
Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development

All:

We had hoped to close on the sale of the fire station to NextGen Development by the end of the 2007. Unfortunately, due to lack of performance by the developer under our sale contract we did not proceed to closing on the sale as planned.

The developer has been spending a lot of time, money, and effort to push this project forward. However, the developer has failed to execute an agreement and lease with a restaurant operator - a necessary pre-condition for our sale of the building. As you may know, the original proposed operator, Mike Benson, moved back to North Carolina and abandoned the project a little over a year ago leaving the developer without a restaurant operator. Over the past two months, NextGen has been in serious negotiations with Twyla Garrett of IME Services, an LSDBE firm headquartered on North Capitol Street, to act as the restaurant operator. Ms. Garrett is just now preparing to open a restaurant with a very similar restaurant concept in Cleveland, Ohio. I have spoken with IME Services and they are very serious about this project.

Due to NextGen's failure to meet their commitments to the District under the sales contract, we have notified them that they are in default of our contract. The developer has 30 days to cure its default under the agreement. If the developer is not prepared to close on the sale, the District will have the option to terminate the agreement, restructure the terms, or find an alternative solution. It is our sincere hope that we can proceed to closing on the sale with the developer shortly. Brian Brown of NextGen Development has already completed designs for the project, obtained permits for the exterior work on the building, and lined up the necessary financing - and we are tantalizingly close to starting construction work on the firehouse. A deal between NextGen Development and IME Services represents the best hope for a prompt and successful development of the firehouse.

I can assure you that the Deputy Mayor's office along with Councilmember Thomas and his staff have been giving this project close attention and we will not take our eye off the ultimate goal, which is removing the blight of the abandoned building and replacing it with high quality neighborhood-serving retail.

I'd be happy to provide ANC5C with an update any time. Please give me a call if you have any questions about this email or the project generally.

Thanks,

Konrad Schlater
Special Assistant
Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development
(w) 202-727-6934

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Reminder*****School Reform Meeting at Emery School -- 6:00 pm

Dear Neighbors

Join us this Thursday, January the 10th from 6 PM till 8 PM for an important community meeting concerning the future of Emery Elementary school and public education in our nation's capitol.

Mayor Fenty and Chancellor Rhee will be on hand to address your concerns on school reform and the consolidation of under enrolled schools to create viable learning centers.

Emery is slated to become a Pre-K thru 8 Science, Math and Technology learning center, come find out what that will mean to the children of our community.

If you have questions and concerns this is a chance to be heard and help to shape the future of DC public schools.

Emery is located on the McKinley campus at 1720 First Street NE.

Monday, January 07, 2008

Sunday, January 06, 2008

walkable dc.

by this account, dc is america's most walkable city.
i'm a big walker, and i've walked all around 7 of the 10 cities on the list and cant quite agree. but still, if we're number 1, we're number 1.

Saturday, January 05, 2008

rumors of north capitol

posted on the eckington listserve was mention of Luciana Cafe coming to the corner of North Capitol and P NW.
i remember reading about "J. Bells" which was supposed to open in the very same spot quite a while ago.

so, we'll see.


Anyone been in the video store yet?

Thursday, January 03, 2008

mom and pop coffee shops vs starbucks

if you've read this blog much you know i like coffee. if you know me, you know i'm obsessed with it.
you may have also gleaned that i'm partial to locally owned spots and independent place with unique character.

i found this Slate article about the effect nearby Starbucks have on indie coffeeshops very interesting.

Wednesday, January 02, 2008

Coalition for the Metropolitan Branch Trail Meeting

Coalition for the Metropolitan Branch Trail Meeting

Where: Big Bear Café, 1700 First St. NW (corner of 1st and R St. NW) (Metro: red line between Rhode Island and New York Ave. stations)

When: Thursday, January 10th, 6:30-7:30

What: Come if you are interested in the current status of the trail and would like to get involved.

Family, Friends, and Community Day in

All Nations Baptist Church, North Capitol & Rhode Island Avenue NE
The Family, Friends, and Community Day
Sunday, January 6, 2008 from 9:20AM - 11AM

Join us for the Family, Friends, and Community Day in celebrating our family.
Light refreshment will be served immediately following the worship service.

Everyone is invited to attend this family event.

North Capitol Main Street Silent Auction and Party

Seeking Volunteers for the Saturday, March 1, 2008, North Capitol Main Street Silent Auction and Party



Winter has arrived . . . and that means the North Capitol Main Street Annual Silent Auction and Party can’t be far behind. This year, the theme of the Silent Auction is “A Leap Into Spring” and the event will be held on Saturday, March 1, 2008—during the leap year weekend.

NCMS needs volunteers to assist with the Silent Auction. For example, are you looking for a community volunteer opportunity that doesn’t require an ongoing commitment? Would you like to put your creative talents to work to help make a community event a success? Are you a good general worker, someone who will do the unsexy stuff, like addressing envelopes, licking stamps, making phone calls, then NCMS could use your help.

If you’re interested in volunteering for this annual community event, which promises to be the most spectacular ever, please send us an email at info@ncmsinc.org or visit our website and complete a quick volunteer form, which is located at http://www.ncmsinc.org/SilentAuctionVolunteer.shtml