Friday, September 30, 2016

package delivery -- across the street and in the front yard greens

From: AS
Sent: Friday, September 30, 2016 4:45 PM
Subject: Package delivery -- across the street and in the front yard greens


So the USPS mail delivery quality has taken such a nose dive that this happened (see enclosed photo of the abandoned packages): our mail carrier lady just simply dropped three beautiful, and presumably higher-value, packages off on the ledge of a neighbor's front-yard flower bed -- diagonally across the street from the intended recipient (21 vs 26).  The rightful owner/recipient would have never known what happened to her packages, had the neighbors not caught this.

I do not understand what it is, but something is very much off with our 20001 mail-delivery quality these days.  I routinely get mail for other addressees, which is clearly labeled. Conversely, I can only wonder how many of my pieces of mail get put in other people's mailboxes.

This "mail drop" was simply an open invitation for the packages to be stolen, as they were essentially right on the sidewalk, and opposite of where they should've been.

These days ...: If it ain't the package thieves, then it is most likely your own carrier's incompetence …
 

Open Houses in and around Bloomingdale scheduled for 10/02/2016

 
147 T St NW is priced at $819,900. and will be open from 1-4pm on Sunday

The featured property at 147 T St NW will be open on Sunday from 1pm-4pm.  It is listed for $819,900.  The listing is represented by Bloomingdale neighbor Suzanne Des Marais with the Bediz Group at Keller Williams Capital Properties.  You can find more information in the links below.

The list of open houses scheduled for Sunday in and around Bloomingdale can be seen here.  The same info can be seen in a map format here.

*Agents, to have your open houses included in this weekly post, please have them tagged in MRIS by 10am on Friday.  If you don't see your open house in the links, feel free to add in the comments.  Also, if you would like your open to be featured with a picture for this post, please e-mail suzanne at bediz dot com by 10am on Friday before the open.

cheesy, gooey goodness at the Bloomingdale Farmers Market:

BLOOMINGDALE FARMER'S MARKET


Figs
Figs at Garner.  Stuff with Keswick goat cheese and drizzle with honey.

BFM Friends,

Cheesy, gooey goodness at BFM.  Keswick's camembert, Valancay, Brie inspired cheeses.  Cucina Al Volo's eggplant parmesan lasagne, Whisked's Breakfast Burrito Quiche and the best recipe for eggplant parm.

Did you see that our Red Hen's chef Mike Friedman gave WaPo his amazing Jersey Eggplant Parm recipe?  I made it last night (but the photo is from another one I made a few weeks ago because we ate it all before I could photograph it last night.  it was so good).   The recipe is incredible,because it is the one from All Purpose Pizzeria.  And it is easy too because you don't have to splatter the entire kitchen by frying thin eggplant slices that insist on absorbing and absorbing and absorbing and absorbing all the oil. NOOOO, you roast oil slicked slices in the oven for 20 minutes and then you build your parm.  So, so easy and right on our FB page.  They have a better picture of it, btw.

eggplantparm
Make AP's eggplant parm or your own version -- addictive

Reid has been saying that this week was the last week of yellow peaches until the end of September but Conor thought there might be some for this Sunday We will see when they arrive. Conor is bringing more and more apples every week and the nice thing about Reid is that they grow about 75 different varieties --- some of which are very rare antique apples.   Did you see the Plum Torte recipe that was the New York Times all time favorite?  Use Reid's italian Plums.

BIKE HOUSE from 11-1.  Every week our friends at The Bike House help 20-30 people a week fix their bikes.
MUSIC: Jason has a surprise for us.
Watch out for our LIVE FB VIDEO VISITS with the producers at BFM.  I do them Sunday mornings and Share them, please.


We are open heat, rain or shine at the corner of first and R Streets NW in front of the Big Bear Cafe
  • Let's all bug Mountain View to bring their Paw Paws and their fresh turmeric.  I am sure you saw the good news about turmeric this week?  Shawna still has baby ginger!  No skin, no fiber, floral, the best.  Great for syrups, sodas, stir fries, pickling, freezing. I am using a stalk to flavor some stock and you can use the leaves to wrap fish or chop finely and use as an herb.
  • Pear, both Asian and Bartlett
  • Wonder what to do with Delicata Squash?  One of my favorite cookbook blogs has the answer.
  • I hope you saw that low fat cheeses are NOT better for you?  YAY, KESWICK FARMSTEAD CHEESES.
LITTLE WILD THINGS is back this week with their wonderful microgreens.  This week  I tried a new one: micro scallions. I am always delighted with how a handful of Mary's microgreens transforms a salad or a plate.

REID'S ORCHARD:  Be sure to try the champagne Candice grapes! Seedless grapes, peaches, Italian plums, Asian pears, Bartlett pears, apples (they change every week  including Gala, Honeycrisp, Gold Supreme), and 3 kinds of ciders -UV, Honeycrisp and Pear.

KESWICK CREAMERY: Have you tried their Brie and Camembert inspired cheeses yet?  Another great, gooey choice.  The last few weeks Melanie made 100 % goat milk chevre which is wonderful.

TIP:  If you like goat cheese, sub Keswick's goat cheese for mozz in the All Purpose Eggplant Parm.  Shades of Provence.

MOUNTAIN VIEW ORGANIC:  Nice to see their greens again: swiss chard, bok choy. Check out the Asian varieties of eggplant and bicolor yellow and green squash. Attila, the Hungarian pepper whisperer, loves his hot and sweet peppers.  Blues, Red Gold potatoes. Shallots. Onions in yellow, purple and white. Squash and zucchini. cherry tomatoes and beets. Mountain View loves growing unusual varieties and everything is certified organic.

NUMBER 1 SONS: 
Pickled Okra means Fall is here. District Dills pickles . Half Sours, Crispy Koshers, Distict Dills, Kicky Koshers, Horsefire and Red N Butters!Kicky Beans are back. So is Kicky Kimchi! Just in time for a grilled Kimcheese sandwich - don't forget a good slather of great butter.

WHISKED: The cookies are GREAT, too.
The perfect desserts for your parties and picnics are Whisked pies. Oven-roasted corn, sliced cherry tomatoes, and freshly chopped basil are mixed into their creamy egg filling, tucked into a flaky crust, and baked until golden. We're moving into late summer produce (think tomatoes, sweet corn, and blackberries), and here are their flavors. Blueberry Lemon. Bourban Pecan. Peach. Peach Raspberry. Salted Caramel Apple. Sea Salt Chocolate Chess. Bacon Cheddar Onion. NEW Roasted Corn, Tomato & Basil. Kale and Feta. Tomato, roasted Garlic & Goast Cheese.

CUCINA AL VOLO: I guess it is Fall. The new Pumpkin ravioli sold out in about 20 minutes last week. And because they now have their very own kitchen again (no more sharing space at Union Kitchen), they will start to bring more soups and prepared foods as well as their superb Florentine pasta. The homemade burrata ravioli always sells out too. The eggplant norma sauce makes a good veggie sidedish and a number of customers use the mushroom sauce as a mushroom soup...

TIP: No time to cook? their fresh pastas cook in less than 4 minutes. Grab a sauce and you can put together dinner in 10 minutes.  Add a salad or cut up some tomatoes and cucumbers and feta.  Finish with a Whisked Pie or cookies.
 
TRUCK PATCH FARMS:  Bryan prides himself on his heirloom tomatoes. Many, many varieties of Heirloom tomatoes, okra, green beans, many varieties of summer squash. Arugula, mesclun, spinach, kale, chards, eggplants, bunches of basil, cukes.
 
Meat Department:  SAY YES to Pork sausages, bacons, pork chops, salt pork, chops, pork sirloins, pork steaks, country ribs, spare ribs, butt roast, boneless shoulder roast, boneless and bone-in loin roasts,

GARNER: Pepper Heave, every color, hot and sweet..  Watermelon .Many varieties of eggplants, 7 different summer squash,  okra, potatoes, primo red tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers for slicing and pickling, beans, chard, garlic, candy onions. green beans. Greens. sweet corn. Red, white and Yukon spuds. Parsley, Basil and Cilantro.  Make Pesto with them. Kales. Swiss Chard.

 
PANORAMA: French breakfast pastries like palmiers, almond croissants plus the plain and chocolate crosisants, baguettes, the olive oil buns that grace the 25 dollar hamburgers at Central and the Rustiques.  Sandwich breads, too.  If they are out of a bread you crave, ask them to save one for you for next week.  Late risers:  they have lots of whole wheat, multigrain and sourdough boules and loaves that sell out early.  So reserve what you want!  Email if you do not see something you want, please.
 
Food Justice News: Our Bonus Matching Program has restarted and we are matching SNAP Food Stamps, WIC, CVC and SENIOR FMNP vouchers up to $10 per week per family with market tokens that people can use to buy fruits, vegetables, meat, cheese and eggs.  We hope this will help fill some of the the gap now that the incredibly successful Produce Plus Program has ended for the year.

As you probably know, SNAP food stamps are pretty stingy, WIC only gives $25 a YEAR for fruits and vegetables and SENIOR  is similarly paltry.
 
 
Robin, Teds and Danielle

neighbor: "how do I contact DCRA to investigate a developer flip - digging out basement at 55 W St NW with no permit"

See this tweet:



Thomas Alanson@tommyalanson                         
how do I contact DCRA to investigate a developer flip? They're digging out basement at 55 W with no permit or warning
1:41 PM - 30 Sep 2016

inviting all neighbors, friends and family -- to the Quincy Place NW block party -- Saturday, 10-01-2016



St. George's Episcopal Church Homecoming -- Sunday, 10-02-2016

From: Rev Kent Marcoux [mailto:kmarcoux=stgeorgesdc.org@mail23.suw17.mcsv.net] On Behalf Of Rev Kent Marcoux
Sent: Friday, September 30, 2016 1:54 PM
Subject: St George's Homecoming Sunday - Join us!




misdelivered package

See this 09-30-2016 message:

If this is you and you were expecting a package delivery this week, please contact mary.awosika@gmail.com .It was wrongly delivered to my residence. Let's make arrangements for pick up.


Crafty Bastards at Union Market is this weekend; here are the neighborhood artists/businesses that are participating

Here is the link for info on this weekend's Crafty Bastards event being held at Union Market.



Here are local vendors participating:
  • DeNada (from 52 O Street Artist Studios)
  • goshdarnknit (from Bloomingdale)
  • Kelly Towles (from 52 O Street Artist Studios)
  • Kicheko Goods (from 52 O Street Artist Studios)
  • Marcella Kriebel Art & Illustration (from Bloomingdale)
  • Mint Lola (from 52 O Street Artist Studios)
  • Whisked LLC (from the Bloomingdale Farmers Market)

Thursday, September 29, 2016

neighbor reports that Thomas Street NW in Bloomingdale is now open

See this tweet:

jenna@i_am_Jenna                         
Thomas st is open for the first time in years and I don't even know how to react.
5:13 PM - 29 Sep 2016

happy birthday to Ward 5 Councilmember McDuffie

See this tweet:

Mr. Frost@Edmond_Frost                         
Happy Birthday to member () & Chair Pro Tempore !!
11:11 AM - 29 Sep 2016


Bloomingdale resident Jennifer Sigler pursuing her dream with Cotton Canary -- local fundraiser

From: Matt
Sent: Thursday, September 29, 2016 1:38 PM
Subject: Local fundraiser


You may notice the scenery for the fundraising video. This is a Bloomingdale resident who is chasing her dream!  



come join in on the fun at Saturday's Quincy Place NW block party!



one week from today: Common Good City Farm's "A Night on the Farm" gala fundraiser

See this fundraising event announcement from Common Good City Farm, located near 4th and V Street NW.   Be advised that the tickets are now all sold out!

From: Common Good City Farm [mailto:info=commongoodcityfarm.org@mail124.atl11.rsgsv.net] On Behalf Of Common Good City Farm
Sent: Friday, August 26, 2016 11:02 AM
Subject: A Night on the Farm 



our early bird tickets today!
Is this email not displaying correctly?View it in your browser.

You are invited to attend:

 

A Night on the Farm 2016

Thursday, October 6, 2016 from 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM  
Common Good City Farm is hosting our fifth annual fundraising event, A Night on the Farm. Join us as our urban production farm transforms into an elegant cocktail party where you can enjoy farm-fresh bites prepared by local chefs, tasty libations, farm tours, live jazz music, and fun raffle items. 

The evening will feature:
             

Inspired bites highlighting the best of our farm's seasonal bounty from:

Big Bear Cafe
Dino's Grotto
The Royal 


Local Libations include:

Specialty Signature Cocktail
Craft beer from Right Proper Brewing Company


More farm-fresh bites & tasty libations to come!


We hope you can join us in celebrating food, friends, and community.

Can't make it? You can still support our meaningful programs by making a
contribution.   


A special thank you to our sponsors!


Give 1 For Good Food, A Program of Michele's Granola
DC Water
Hungry Harvest

Interested in becoming an event sponsor?  View our
sponsorship brochure or contact Rachael@commongoodcityfarm.org

All proceeds support Common Good City Farm 

Common Good City Farm
V St NW, between 2nd and 4th St NW
Washington, DC 20001
Events powered by Eventbrite
Copyright © 2016 Common Good City Farm, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you signed up to be on our list. Thank you!
Our mailing address is:
Common Good City Farm
PO Box 26030
Washington, DC 20001

seeking recommendations for a strong attorney experienced in suing home renovation contractors

See this 09-25-2016 request:

I wonder if you could post a request to the Bloomingdale list?  

Can anyone recommend a strong lawyer experienced in suing home renovation contractors? I'm, um, asking for a friend.  


Please email me at NHopkinson@gmail.com .



seeking stage and speaker system for free or at a discount for the Saturday, 10-29-2016, Autumn event at the Park at LeDroit

See this 09-29-2016 request:

Hello Park at LeDroit Friends and Neighbors: Looking for leads on companies or businesses that may have a stage and speaker system that they could lend us (or give us a discount on!) for the fall event in the park on 10/29. Please email mfyodorova [at] hotmail dot com.

found on the unit block of Randolph Pl NW: abandoned silver "RAZOR" scooter

From: Andreas
Sent: Wednesday, September 28, 2016 10:31 AM
Subject: Found abandoned silver "RAZOR" scooter on unit block of Randolph Place N.W.


Everyone: If it is yours, or more likely rather your kid's, please let me know.  It is a non-motorized, basic little scooter, silver

Friends of McMillan Park: What happened in McMillan case before the DC Court of Appeals

From: HistoricWashington@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, September 29, 2016 12:56 AM
To: HistoricWashington@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [HistoricWashington] What Happened in McMillan Case Before DC Court of Appeals



Preserve, restore, and reopen McMillan Park for the people.
FRIENDS of McMILLAN PARK

What Happened in the DC Court of Appeals with the McMillan Case on September 20th? 
Dear Friend of McMillan Park,

Last Tuesday, September 20th, was the long-awaited date to present oral arguments in our case before the DC Court of Appeals, seeking to right the wrongs done in the zoning and preservation process concerning McMillan Park.  We remain optimistic, but we must wait for the court's written decision on this matter that likely will not appear until January 2017 or so.  But out of a desire to share with our supporters who were unable to attend or watch the proceedings online (and there were many who were able to join us at the court or view the proceedings online!), here is a press release we have issued concerning the court proceedings last Tuesday.  We have done our work and of course hope that the judges will see merit in our presentation, oral and written, for the sake of some much better planning for the future of our park.  We are hoping that this press release will be picked up by some in the local media, but we want to share this with you, too, for all our work depends on your interest and support.
#### (text of press release)####

HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMUNITY COMES OUT IN FULL FORCE TO STOP THE MAYOR FROM DESTROYING  MCMILLAN PARK
City Outsources Defense of its own Zoning, Preservation Decisions

A virtual who’s who of the historic preservation community in Washington came to support the lawsuit designed to halt the deeply flawed development plan approved by the Mayor and the City Council that would lead to the destruction of the historic McMillan Sand Filtration Plant in Ward 5.

An amicus brief to the lawsuit originally brought by Friends of McMillan Park was filed jointly by The Committee of 100 on the Federal City, and the DC Preservation League. The lawsuit was also joined in part by the McMillan Coalition for Sustainable Agriculture, and DC for Reasonable Development.. The National Trust for Historic Preservation, was a party at the administrative hearings and had also previously submitted public testimony to the National Capital Planning Commission and Zoning Commission citing erroneous assertions by the NCPC concerning the obstructed view of the Capitol from President Lincoln’s Cottage.

“Speaking as a lawyer, it seemed to me that the court expressed concern about the justifications of the Zoning Commission and the Mayor’s Agent decisions to move forward with the dense development of the site,” said Tony Norman, local attorney, founder and chairman of the McMillan Park Committee, responsible for working to have the site added to the DC Inventory of Historic Sites.  “The court also raised important concerns about the Zoning Commission’s failure to address the gentrification impacts of the project.”

Curiously, the city did not file its own brief in the Court of Appeals and did not send any of its own lawyers to defend the decisions of the DC Zoning Commission or the Mayor’s Agent for Historic Preservation, but instead outsourced this work to the law firm representing the proposed developer, Vision McMillan Partners.  While this is apparently perfectly legal, does the city not care enough to defend its own decisions? The outsourced law firm presumably will send its bill to the city, which has already paid about one million dollars to this firm under its exclusive rights agreement to develop the McMillan site..

The case ended up in the District Court of Appeals as a result of a lawsuit filed by Friends of McMillan Park to challenge the DC Zoning Commission and the Mayor’s Agent for Historic Preservation decisions to approve the high density McMillan development plan even though it ran roughshod over many local historic preservation and zoning regulations in force.

“I am astounded,” said Mary Pat Rowan, Ward 5 resident, landscape architect, and Committee of 100 member, “The administration of Mayor Bowser no longer even pretends that it is something other than a wholly owned subsidiary of Vision McMillan Partners. You sue the city, and VMP lawyers—the most expensive in town—defend the city. And the taxpayer is stuck with the tab. This is not a government of checks and balances, but a government of bank checks and bank balances. The people of the city are not only swindled, but their patrimony is slated for demolition.”

“We didn’t see a single citizen sitting with the lawyers representing the city’s development at the hearing,” noted Kirby Vining a director with Friends of McMillan Park, a lead plaintiff in the case. “By contrast, it was a happier day across the aisle from the blue suits where over 60 dedicated McMillan supporters came out to support the fine efforts of lawyers Andrea Ferster and Jason Klein who made professional, measured and precise points before the judges to support our case that the zoning and preservation processes in this case were deeply flawed and should be thrown out. We don’t know what the court will ultimately decide, but we do know that in the court of public opinion, we have made a strong case that resonates with the people.”


###

Thank you for your continued interest and support, 


John Salatti, Kirby Vining, and Hugh Youngblood
Board of Directors, Friends of McMillan Park, Inc.

If you have any questions, please contact restoremcmillan@gmail.com or call 202.213.2690.
 
Contribute to the Save McMillan Park Legal Fund

Copyright © *|2013|* *|Friends of McMillan Park|*, All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:
Friends of McMillan Park
16 Franklin Street NE
WashingtonDC 20002



Posted by Daniel Goldon Wolkoff

rear break-in yesterday on the unit block of Bates St NW; items stolen; police report filed



From: C.
Sent: Wednesday, September 28, 2016 9:50 PM
Subject: Reporting a break-in

I'm writing to report a break-in at our house on the unit block of Bates St. NW this afternoon (Wednesday, September 28) around 2:30pm.

While we were at work, someone broke in through our back door (at the alley between Bates and Q) and stole our TV, laptops, jewelry, and other electronics.

A big thank you to our alley neighbors on Q St. who called the police.

We've filed a police report but wanted our neighbors to be aware, double check their locks, and be safe!


neighbor asks if there is interest in tracking neighborhood crimes, etc.

See this 09-28-2016 message from a neighborhood resident:

Question: Is there anyone in the neighborhood tracking crimes, dates, locations, types, police activity, resolution of cases, Including perhaps those neighbors' reports that did not make it to the police and/or including those cases where neighbors came out to help deter or scare off a possible thief/perpetrator. Including perhaps linking to related surveillance videos, pictures, descriptions etc. and collecting all of this (and making it available publicly) in one place?  

I would imagine this to be a valuable database.  Unfortunately, I don't think I have the time to implement such project, but I wonder if anyone else has thought of this — and better yet — might have started compiling material?

And to consider if this would indeed be helpful and/or whether there be legitimate concerns about such project.