Bisnow reports on Art All Night at North Capitol Main Street !

Click on the link to read the entire BisNow post:

ART ALL NIGHT - NUIT BLANCHE! 
Washington DC
The Scene 
Sep 29, 2015 
Alfredo Flores, Bisnow

Saturday we went to Art All Night: Nuit Blanche at North Capitol Main Street, an all-night exploration and celebration of contemporary art that covered five vibrant DC neighborhoods. We snapped Senate staffer Benya Kraus with Carly Calbreath and Kristen Velloza.
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Friends of McMillan Park: "ANC Commissioner Sought $8 Million More for McMillan Project without Consent of Full ANC"

See this 09-30-2015 message from the Friends of McMillan Park:

Friends of McMillan ‏@McMillanPark22m

22 minutes ago

ANC Commissioner Sought $8m More for McMillan Dev Project without Consent of Full @ANC5E http://bit.ly/1Rgfol8  #BloomingdaleDC #DCethics

ANC Commissioner Sought $8 Million More for McMillan Project without Consent of Full ANC

Records obtained through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request reveal that Commissioner Dianne Barnes, then Chair of DC Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 5E, asked the District Government to give $8 million more to Vision McMillan Partners (VMP), a consortium seeking to commercially develop historic landmark McMillan Park, for construction of an apartment building intended for senior citizens. Commissioner Barnes made the request on behalf of ANC 5E although there is no record that the full ANC voted to make or approve such a request. ANC Chairs have no power to pretend to speak on behalf of a full ANC without specific authority to do so approved by a majority vote of a given Commission.

The District Government, at least as far as is known to the public, has yet to provide the additional funds requested.  VMP has set aside some of the housing included in its development proposal specifically for senior citizens.

On September 26, 2013, Commissioner Barnes sent an email to Marchim Williams, Ward 5 Liaison in the DC Mayor’s Office of Community Affairs, requesting that the District Government give an additional $8 million to VMP to cover overlooked costs of including a seniors-only apartment building in VMP’s plan for mixed-use development at McMillan Park. Barnes told Williams, “Regarding the request for the Senior Building, Ms. Corbett, the Project Director, informed me that they made the Senior Building fit physically, but it does not yet fit financially. VMP will need additional subsidy of about $8M to make the 80-90 unit senior building affordable to households at 50-60% of Area Median Income.”

Commissioner Barnes did not indicate why VMP did not request the additional money directly.

Commissioner Barnes also sent the email to the offices of DC Councilmembers Kenyan McDuffie, Anita Bonds, Muriel Bowser, David Grosso, and Vincent Orange.

The only apparent response that Commissioner Barnes received to her request for additional funds was from Councilmember Anita Bonds who expressed her support for VMP’s project centered around a one-million square-foot medical office tower.  Councilmember Bonds asked Commissioner Barnes what she could do to help make the project a reality. On the same day, Councilmember Bonds emailed Commissioner Barnes and said, “Can we talk about how I can help make this development a reality. Many months ago I understood that the community had settle on many of the items you mentioned herein as components of the McMillan project. Has there been a change? Let me know when you are available to talk about the project.”  Although Councilmember Bonds and Commissioner Barnes agreed to meet to discuss senior housing, the content of their subsequent discussion was not revealed in this correspondence.

It remains unclear who authored the email request for an additional $8 million sent by Commissioner Barnes.  The font, grammar, tone, and vocabulary included in the email differ substantially from that of other Barnes letters reviewed as part of this FOIA request.  Records obtained through the FOIA process reveal that Commissioner Barnes maintains extraordinarily close relationships with VMP employees and with key District Government officials pushing to develop McMillan Park.  For example, the records reveal that the ANC 5E resolution of support for the McMillan project was written for Commissioner Barnes by VMP’s public relations contractor, Tania Jackson.  It is possible that the Barnes request for the additional $8 million was also ghost-written by VMP or by an associated organization.

The District Government fought the disclosure of Commissioner Barnes’ emails and other public records related to the McMillan Park project for over one-and-a-half years.  Judge Nash of DC Superior Court ordered the District Government to turn over the last records in July 2015.  Kirby Vining was represented by Don Padou in the FOIA suit to obtain the hidden records.

The article above is based on documents 005761, 009506, and 009510 available in the “Barnes FOIA Documents” folder at the following location:

• http://sites.google.com/a/mcmillandocs.org/mcmillan-documents/

Bloomingdale could use a JBG development project.

Bloomingdale could use a JBG development project.

There.

It has been said.

Thrillist: Best Lunch Spot in Bloomingdale - is Boundary Stone!

Click on the link to read the entire Thrillist post:

THE BEST LUNCH SPOT IN (ALMOST) EVERY DC NEIGHBORHOOD

BY LAURA HAYES

a V Street NW resident reports front yard vandalism

See this 09-28-2015 message from a resident on the 100 block of V Street NW:

We wanted to report that our house had vandalism in our front yard last week. Our 2 stone planters (very heavy) on our front steps were thrown over and one was totally destroyed and the other was knocked off and damaged. We reported the vandalism to the police.

seeking yard maintenance referrals

See this request:

I wanted to ask if anyone has a recommendation for someone they has used for yard maintenance whom they think is worth recommending for service.

46 Seaton Place NW to be converted into a two-family flat

Washington Business Journal reporter Michael Neibauer spotted this DCRA permit for a Bloomingdale street address:

• 46 Seaton Place NW: Another conversion from single-family to two-family flat.

make plans to attend this Saturday's Fall Fest 2015 by Rhode Island Avenue NE Main Street !

Here is a plug for this Saturday's Fall Fest 2015 sponsored by Rhode Island Avenue NE Main Street:

10 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Rhode Island Ave. NE, between 20th and 24th Streets NE

For the last 4 years, the Rhode Island Avenue Fall Fest has showcased our beautiful tree-lined commercial district in one of the hottest real estate markets in DC, and has attracted hundreds of visitors for a day full of shopping, food, and entertainment for the whole family. Fall Fest 2015 promises to be bigger and better – more music, more art, more food, and more fun!

Bates Area resident Amanda Adams at CityLab: "What I Learned From Talking With My Neighbors About Gentrification"

Click on the link to read the entire CityLab post by Bates Area resident Amanda Abrams:

NAVIGATOR

What I Learned From Talking With My Neighbors About Gentrification

How conversation helped me connect with longtime residents in my rapidly changing neighborhood.

• AMANDA ABRAMS
 
• Sep 25, 2015 
• •  
  • • Back in June, my neighbor Jess proposed holding a party in our shared back alley. She emailed a handful of us with the details and added, “Please spread the word! We'd love to extend this to all the neighbors.” Her point, I knew, was to ensure that the party wasn’t just white people like us, but an actual representation of our Truxton Circle neighborhood, formerly a predominantly African-American community in central Washington, D.C. that’s now about evenly split between blacks and whites.
      But when the party finally occurred, all the guests at the shindig were—surprise!—young, professional, and white. We were “those gentrifiers,” the ones who interact only with other new, white residents. I overheard Jess complaining about it: “There's always this separation. I don't know how to get around it.” But she admitted she’d barely mentioned it to longtime black residents. “I just didn’t have people’s emails,” she shrugged.
    • ...

"Stunning Diptych Wall Mural to Take Shape in Bloomingdale"

So is one of the wall murals in Bloomingdale displayed at the link below in Bloomingdale?

Or is the diptych wall mural not yet created in Bloomingdale?

Where might the Bloomingdale wall mural be planned?

See this vaguebooking post from Nest DC:

nest DC ‏@NestDC  8h8 hours ago

Just a little something happening at the Nest: Stunning Diptych Wall Mural to Take Shape in Bloomingdale... http://fb.me/4dV3GTeBC 

10:12 PM - 28 Sep 2015 

assault & robbery on Flagler and 2nd NW Saturday night

See this 09-28-2015 message:

     I wanted to raise some attention to an incident that occurred on Saturday night at between Flagler and 2nd / U Street NW around 10pm. I had some friends over before the Art All Night Event and leaving my house to head to the event, three of them (all female) were attacked by a group of teenagers. The kids were between the ages of 14-16 and there were around 12 of them. They aggressively pushed the three women to the ground, dragging one by the hair, and stole a handbag containing wallet, passport and other valuables. While throwing punches, the children threatened to "stay off of our turf," indicating that they were in fact from our neighborhood. Luckily there were two men who live nearby who witnessed the incident and immediately intervened. The kids got away running up 2nd and Flagler streets towards V.

           

     Many police officers showed up on the scene, including a detective and a medic. My friends are fine, just shaken up for the most part. After their statements were taken and they were released by the officers, we could see two young boys following and watching us on their bicycles.

     

     The stolen bag was found, empty of all its contents somewhere along V Street. I wanted to request everyone in the neighborhood to keep an eye out for my friend's passport which was among the stolen items. It is a passport for the Republic of Turkey and if anyone locates it, I would be very grateful if they could give me a call at 508 then 340-0430 to return it.

             

     I'm writing this email to you and the community to not only request increased vigilance and safety, but also to raise concerns about the youth in our neighborhood. The socio-economic characteristics of Bloomingdale has changed rapidly over the past few years, but our neighborhood still remains very diverse and in fact almost 30% of children in this area are below the federal poverty line. This percentage is a higher rate of childhood poverty than 70% of U.S. neighborhoods. Just 10 years ago there were 1,200 kids in our community zone that are on Temporary Assistance for Needy families and although this may have improved over time, there is no denying that development in Bloomingdale has been disproportionately more beneficial to the middle and upper classes.

     I'm using this incident that occurred not to chastise our youth but instead to bring attention to everyone that if we want to call this place home we need to do something now.

break-in attempt in Bloomingdale last Wednesday, 09-23-2015

See this Instagram image and message:

• thedcartiste"Matthew 12:21 The second is: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other command greater than these." A very unwise man tried to break in my house with me home. Around 4:30am last Wednesday. Im pretty sure at this point it's a neighbor. Not sure what the intentions were but I want mine to be plain. 
  This is Just a polite reminder to folk that I don't play when it comes to my kids my art my home my life.....If you come in my house uninvited you will leave missing at the very least a limb and a half if God blesses you.
  I look pretty but please don't let it fool you. 
  On a side note. What's up with my neighbors not warning us that they've been experiencing breakins. If your going to take over neighborhoods at least be neighborly. It's pathetic. And the fact that half the block knows who dude is and he's still doing his thing shows me I have to watch out for yall too. Cause cowards are just as dangerous. Hence the commandment.
  
  #bloomingdaledc #dmv #dc #lovethyneighbor

• intellexualdesign🙌🏾 those neighbors taking over destroy tight communities and rebuild commercial community shells... And wonder why they are not welcome or desired in so many places

"beware of hipsters"

See this tweet and pic:

Tammar Berger ‏@Canuckdc  18h18 hours agoWashington, DC

#beware #bloomingdaleDC

6:22 PM - 27 Sep 2015 

lost dog on Bryant Street NW

See this 09-27-2015 message:

Jetta, a tan female Mountain Feist weighing about 12-14 lbs, went missing from her Bryant Street NW home near 1^st Street NW after 7:00 pm Saturday evening.  She is very friendly and everyone in the neighborhood knows her.  It is not clear how she left the house, and there is some information that someone in a stopped car may have taken her (but perhaps as a good Samaritan).  If anyone has seen her or has any information regarding her disappearance, please contact: Rene Wallis at 202-286-4952.   

Washingtonian: "Wicked Bloom DC Opens with Smoky Booze, Mac n’ Cheese Waffles"

Click on the link to read the entire Washingtonian article on just-opened Wicked Bloom DC:

Wicked Bloom DC Opens with Smoky Booze, Mac n’ Cheese Waffles

The bar from the DCity Smokehouse team is ready to rock.

By Anna Spiegel | September 25, 2015

We love the barbecue at DCity Smokehouse. The limited space? Not so much, but that’s less of a concern with the opening of Wicked Bloom DC Social Clubon Friday. The bar, located a few steps away from the Florida Avenue smokehouse, is outfitted with 49 seats for sipping cocktails or local brews, and digging into smoky pub grub from pitmaster/chef Rob Sonderman.

...

have you seen the Bloomingdale House Tour promotional postcard ?

See this message from the Bloomingdale Civic Association House Tour Committee:

last call for houses for the Bloomingdale House Tour & Art Show 2015

Last Call for Houses:

                     

Less than 3 weeks to go for the opening of the HISTORIC, HIP and HAPPENING Bloomingdale House Tour.  The committee still needs a few more houses to take this tour over the top.  Consider adding your house to the list.  The committee has taken care of everything, recruiting real estate house sitters, requesting additional MPD presence during the tour, advertising, and raising money.  All we need is YOUR HOME.

                                                

To sign up or ask questions about putting your home on the tour, contact Felicia N. Davis no later than September 29, at 202-422-3310 or email at bcahousetour2015@gmail.com.

  

Details

                                         

 - BLOOMINGDALE HOUSE TOUR & ART SHOW

  -Theme: HISTORIC, HIP & HAPPENING

-        October 17, 2015

 - Time 1 – 5 pm 

See this Instagram gram from Art Soiree regarding tonight's Art All Night in the North Capitol Street corridor.

Here is the link to the image below.

regarding package theft: Capitol Food Mart is a UPS station -- and can accept package for neighbors

See this 09-25-2015 message:

The "Capital Food Mart" (the green convenience market between the Firehouse and Pub & the People) is a UPS station and can accept packages for neighbors.

. 

see what's planned for Saturday's Art All Night along North Capitol Street !

See this info on Saturday night's Art All Night event in the North Capitol Street corridor!

The two pages below can be found here -- the master PDF for Saturday's citywide Art All Night.

Bloomingdale resident and Certified Financial Planner Chuck Donalies: The Frugal Planner's Weekly Dispatch

See this message from Bloomingdale resident and Certified Financial Planner Chuck Donalies:

Subject: The Frugal Planner's Weekly Dispatch
From: chuck@donaliesfp.com
Date: Fri, 25 Sep 2015 15:59:21 +0000

The Frugal Planner's Weekly Dispatch News, Ideas, & Things I Find Interesting Issue 1 Comparing Your Financial Situation to Others I read an article on Fox Business that asks "Are You Better Off Financially Than the Average American?". Let's face it, everyone, including me, compares their financial situation to that of a family member, friend, or even a celebrity. This is a bad habit to get into. Let's stop comparing ourselves to others. Who cares what kind of car someone else drives or how big their house is? Instead, let's focus on the short- and long-term goals we want to achieve. I guarantee we'll all be happier.   Fear and Greed I recently had the pleasure of hearing Carl Richards speak at the XY Planning Conference in Charlotte, NC. If you aren't familiar with Carl, he's a fellow CFP® and Director of Investor Education for Buckingham Asset Management. He's also an artist with a talent for visualizing financial concepts through simple drawings. You can see his work weekly in the Sketch Guy column in The New York Times. His "Fear and Greed" sketch is one of my all time favorites because it sums up perfectly how most investors behave. This video (3:36) is worth your time. Productivity and Parkinson's Law Many years ago I came to the realization that I could accomplish more by setting deadlines for tasks I wanted to complete. Only recently did I discover my observation has a name: Parkinson's Law. If you're unfamiliar with Parkinson's Law, then here it is: Work expands to fill the time available for its completion. If you give yourself a week to complete a task, it will probably take you a week to overthink and stress about it prior to completion. However, if you give yourself two days to complete the same task you'll probably find a way to get it done. As an entrepreneur, I'm constantly looking for ways to boost my productivity. Understanding the psychology behind Parkinson's Law has enabled me to do just that. Lifehack.org has a good article about how to use Parkinson's Law to your advantage.   Share                                                               Tweet                                                               Forward                                                               Copyright © 2015 Donalies Financial Planning, LLC, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Donalies Financial Planning, LLC 52 R Street NW Washington, DC 20001 Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list