Want to Help Build a New Playground?

A neighbor email this to me and asked me to post it:

Sign Up to Help Build a New Playground at 45 P Street NW

I am a local parent who is excited about the new playground that will be built at the Associates for Renewal in Education (ARE) facility at 45 P Street NW. The playground will be open to the public when school is not in session so it will be a great benefit for kids in the neighborhood. I talked with the project manager from Kaboom which is sponsoring the playground to get some more details.

Volunteers are needed to help build the playground on Thursday, Sept. 15 from 8:30 am-2:30 pm. You can sign up to volunteer and to receive updates from Kaboom at http://projects.kaboom.org/projects/5201-washington-capitals No building experience is required, and gloves, dust masks and sunscreen will be provided for volunteers. There will be supervision for youth with some activities, but I don’t know the age range for the kids who will be supervised.

ARE has served the DC area for more than 30 years, and the organization provides child care and pre-kindergarten classes at 45 P Street NW. You can read more about ARE HERE I hope our community gets behind this project and rolls up our sleeves to help! Another playground would be a great addition to the neighborhood.

Best,

Brendan L. Smith

the Saturday, 8-6-2011 NCMS Art + Music Walk needs volunteers to help make it a great day

See this message from Truxton Circle resident and North Capitol Main Street Executive Director, Lonna Hooks:

** ART WALK **
Needs YOU!

Art Walk is quickly approaching and we need volunteers to help make it a great day for all!

J o i n U s

Wednesday
August 3, 2011
7:00pm

NCMS Office
1703 North Capitol St, NE
Washington, DC 20001

We have several details to finalize and a sign-up sheet will be available. There are still several slots open for you to lend a hand.

If you can help to make this year's Art Walk a great success we hope to see you at the meeting.

Please RSVP HERE or email Lonna Hooks at lhooks@ncmsinc.org if you plan on attending.

Contact Information
North Capitol Main Street
1703 North Capitol St, NE
Washington, DC 20001
202-670-1703
www.ncmsinc.org

DC MUD profiles 2429 1st St NW - on the market for $724,999

Hey! The DC MUD blog has profiled a Bloomingdale residential property for sale -- 2429 1st Street NW, located on the southeast corner of 1st & Channing St NW. Across the both the McMillan Reservoir and the McMillan Sand Filtration site.

http://dcmud.blogspot.com/2011/07/your-next-place_27.html

Yoga District relocates from 1st St NW to 3rd & Florida Ave NW

See this news:

http://www.yogadistrict.com/the-studios/yoga-district-bloomingdale /

Investigating Where We Live (including Bloomingdale!) Opening Reception - Friday, 07-29-2011

Dear Bloomingdale residents:

Thank you again for your time, contribution, and support of our teens involved in Investigating Where We Live.

Andrew and I hope you will join us and feel free to forward email and attached invite to others.
For those who are not digitally connected, would you please help us spread the news and/or suggest avenues to do so?

Investigating Where We Live
Opening Reception
Friday, July 29 from 6:30 – 8:30 pm
@ National Building Museum

Investigating Where We Live is a four-week summer program in which local middle and high school students use photography, interviews, and sketching to explore, document, and interpret
Washington D.C. neighborhoods.

The 2011 exhibition features student's stories about Bloomingdale, H Street, and Mount Pleasant through photography, writing, art, and other creative expression.

Come see students’ fresh perspectives on these vibrant and historic neighborhoods!

The Friday opening reception to the exhibit is FREE. After that, there will be an admission charge for exhibits of $8 adults, $5 youth.
If you're unable to join us Friday, the exhibition is on view to the public from July 30, 2011 through May 28, 2012.

Check out the IWWL blog here:
http://nbmoutreach.tumblr.com/archive

More info on IWWL here:
http://www.nbm.org/families-kids/teens-young-adults/iwwl-program.html

My best,
Bessie Lee
National Building Museum 401 F St. NW Washington, DC 20001 www.nbm.org Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

WCP Housing Complex picks up on Snorre Wik's wordless McMillan YouTube video

Recall Bloomingdale resident Snorre Wik's wordless video on the McMillan Sand Filtration site? http://www.youtube.com/vidiot9000#p/a/u/0/WeOwqFyh5-8 .

Looks like this YouTube video got noticed by Lydia DePillis of the Washington City Paper Housing Complex column.

Here you go:

Persistent Grumbling at McMillan Produces Pretty Video
Posted by Lydia DePillis on Jul. 25, 2011 at 8:19 am
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/housingcomplex/2011/07/25/persistent-grumbling-at-mcmillan-produces-pretty-video

In the last few days, a wordless little ditty on the historic elements of the McMillan Sand Filtration Plant site hit the internet. Made by Bloomingdale resident Snorre Wik, it`s part of an attempt by local leaders to press for as much historic preservation and park space on the McMillan site on North Capitol Street as possible.

Even after an extensive community engagement process last winter (http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/housingcomplex/2010/12/16/the-great-reset-mcmillan-has-bedeviled-developers-for-decades-can-the-latest-try-be-the-last/ ), some local advisory neighborhood commissioners thought those elements—along with stormwater and traffic mitigation—were inadequate. They declined to quickly give the draft concept their initial stamp of approval, which would have given the private development team strength going through the zoning and historic reviews.

In June, the city announced (http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/print-edition/2011/06/10/dc-changes-course-at-mcmillan-will.html ) that it would be taking over those processes, which will include traffic and stormwater management studies. After a community meeting on the subject, commissioner Hugh Youngblood laid out his take on a local blog (http://bloomingdaleneighborhood.blogspot.com/2011/06/hugh-youngbloods-thoughts-from-thursday.html ).

``I received the clear message that the community is ready to deploy its skills and dedication into an effort equivalent to the Manhattan Project with the mission of taking the power back and developing a plan for the historic McMillan by by the people and for the people,`` Youngblood wrote.

Youngblood`s group is talking with an Australian landscape architect and planning a survey of residents to come up with a few points of agreement. ``Things that are the major drivers of external impacts need to be addressed first rather than last,`` he told me a few weeks ago. ``I do think we need to start over in terms of transportation and stormwater, and in terms of a park.``

This project has ``started over`` so many times that even the closest observers can lose track.

(McMillan silo image courtesy of Suzanne Des Marais.)

Open Houses in and around Bloomingdale for 07/24/2011

Personally, I'd rather be at the pool today, but if you are willing to brave the heat, there are a bunch of open houses scheduled for today. The same information can be seen in a map format. To see information for individual listings, scroll over the push pins on the map.

short film on the landmarked McMillan Sand Filtration site

See this message from Bloomingdale resident Snorre Wik:

We made a short film starring The McMillan Reservoir:

http://www.youtube.com/vidiot9000#p/a/u/0/WeOwqFyh5-8 .

The film is titled "McMillan Park."

(McMillan silo image courtesy of Suzanne Des Marais.)

closure of Florida Avenue Park on 08/01/2011 as the 1st step towards renovations

From: Geovani A Bonilla[SMTP:GBONILLA @ HOSPICEMAN AGEMENT.COM]
Sent: Friday, July 22, 2011 5:37:53 PM
Subject: Florida Avenue and First Street Park to Close for Demolition on Monday, August 1st.

Dear Commissioners, Community Leaders and Friends of the Florida Avenue Park,

I received a call from Ms. Jackie Stanley from DPR to notify me of the scheduled closing of the Florida Avenue Park. The park will start the pre-construction, demolition phase on Monday, August 1st (as we had notified the committee, this could have taken place anytime after July 9th when the contract was approved).

Commissioner Thomas, DPR and I will be coordinating a community meeting the week of August 8th to discuss the project and for community input. As leaders of your community, this information is being shared with you to discriminate to your constituents. We will be putting out flyers and notices of the meeting once we set the exact date and time.

Regards,

Geovani A. Bonilla
Bates Area Civic Association, President
Washington, DC 20001
Email: gbonilla@hospicemanagement.com

DC's worst pop-up of all time, 26 P St NE, recently sold for $699,000

I spied this neighborhood property sale:

P Street NE, 26-First Savings Mortgage Corp. to Doustan II Corp., $699,000.

Recall that Mari of the InShaw blog reported this piece of crap:

http://www.inshaw.com/blog/2009/02/26-p-st-ne-tall-piece-of-crap-for-sale.html

and who could forget the Prince of Petworth's label of "The Worst Pop-Up of All Time?

http://www.princeofpetworth.com/2010/01/worst-pop-up-of-all-time/

(Image courtesy of Prince of Petworth.)

mystery "Bloomingdale" playground location identified: unit block of P St NW

A post over at the Bates Area Civic Assiciation (BACA) blog provides the answer to the question of the location of the mystery "Bloomingdale" playground as reported in the Washington Examiner (http://washingtonexaminer.com/local/2011/07/teaming-build-super-playground):

The location?

The unit block of P Street NW.

See the BACA blog post: http://batesareacivicassociation.org/2011/07/21/new-are-playground/

And see this video press release: http://washingtoncapitals.tumblr.com/post/7859290415/john-carlson-elliot-segal-from-dc101-and-kaboom .

So while this new playground isn't actually in Bloomingdale, it is nearby in Truxton Circle/Bates area. Another park in the community!

Ecumenical Council's Annual Fellowship Festival this Saturday, 07-23-2011

See this message & event announcement from ANC 5C04 Commissioner John Salatti:

As part of several efforts to connect our neighborhood and our churches, this year's Ecumenical Council Festival will take place right in the heart of Bloomingdale in the parking lot behind Windows Cafe. The event is a big neighborhood block party. So come out and have some fun!

I look forward to seeing you there,
John

John T. Salatti
Commissioner, ANC 5C04
Vice President, Bloomingdale Civic Association
John.Salatti@gmail.com
"Together, Building a Better Bloomingdale"


The North Capitol Street and Rhode Island Avenue Ecumenical Council
in Partnership with
The Bloomingdale Community

is hosting its Annual Fellowship Festival

Saturday, July 23, 2011
11:00 am to 4:00 pm

on the Parking lot of Mt. Bethel Baptist Church
located at 1st Street and Thomas St. NW

There will be food, fun, friendship and festivities

All are welcome and there is no charge.
Rain or Shine

There will be activities for all ages and prizes galore

Examiner: unnamed Bloomingdale playground to be built; who can identify this mystery park ?

See this brief article from the Tuesday, July 19, 2011 Washington Examiner newspaper on page 4. Note that this article does not appear at the Washington Examiner website.

And note that the name of the location in Bloomingdale is not explicitly mentioned.

Heart of the City

Teaming up to build a super playground

Children from the Bloomingdale neighborhood in Northwest Washington will get the playground of their dreams, thanks to the Washington Capitals, Capitals defenseman Mike Green, DC 101 DJ Elliot Segal and KaBOOM!, a national nonprofit dedicated to saving play.

Children will draw their dream playgrounds and designers will incorporate elements from their pictures into a final design of the playground, to be built September 15, 2011. It will provide a safe place for more than 600 children to play.

-- Betsy Woodruff

missing supercans

See this message:

I live on the 100 block of T Street NW(west of RI). My supercan is missing, and it looks like others in the alley are as well. Can you ask your loyal readers if anyone else's cans have gone missing and if anyone has any theories?

mark your calendars for the Saturday, 8-6-2011 NCMS Art + Music Walk

See this message Lonna Hooks, Executive Director, North Capitol Main Street:

Want to view the nicely formatted version of this message? Then click here: http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=tp9zhzcab&v=001TTzY1hjm9Fjyoymnkq1-IOa5lozIREEUrf7-S7MUbr7t-VKpEMHfLIUFYN10ZlTb2Wzo8VA3BWRPrpLV-NR1E4eBACG1GYR7ndFphmi6IiuCOZNDKftk_heqby0iE7Y29I4ZorLzxiLJ7j_dG9QEPw%3D%3D

NCMS 2011 Art + Music Walk

for the hipster, the chic, the buppie, the yuppie, the old and the young, the kids and the puppy :)

Mark your calendar . . .

Yard Art Installations - by the Pinkline Project
Music
Artist Vendors
Performers (local artists)
Merchant promotions
Stuff for the kiddies
Food

Saturday, August 6, 2011

First Street NW -- between P and V Streets NW

12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m.

and then there's the grand finale at Rustic Tavern starting at 4:00

Stay tuned for more details. . .

reminder: no Bloomingdale Civic Association meeting tonight

See this message from Teri Janine Quinn, President, Bloomingdale Civic Association:

Reminder: The Bloomingdale Civic Association (BCA) does not have regularly scheduled meetings in July and August. As such, there is no BCA meeting scheduled for Monday, July 18th.

Best,

Teri Janine Quinn
President, Bloomingdale Civic Association

carpenter referral

See this carpenter referral:

I wanted to share my great experience with carpenter, Greg Hannan. He just did some wonderful work for me. Like most Bloomingdale homes, the carpentry work that I required was unusual-- non-standard floor moulding and moulding that has been unfinished in my kitchen since the re-do because I just wasn't sure what to do with it. Greg whizzed into my house and knew exactly what to do, and did it quickly for a very reasonable price. One of my outside doors was coming off the hinges--very tricking job, but he made it look easy (and used materials in my house, so I only had to pay labor costs for that tricky job). Greg is an artist which makes him perfect for non-standard type jobs (though I'm sure he can do the standard ones beautifully).

Greg can be reached at 202 - 638 then 4431 and greghannan1@yahoo.com .

Locally Grown: The Farm at Walker Jones.

This is a truly fantastic program!
The Farm at Walker Jones
New Jersey and K St NW

From their website:

The Farm at Walker Jones is a emerging urban farm that serves the great kids, families and neighbors of Walker Jones Education Campus, a DC Public School. Ground was broken in July of 2010, and during that first abbreviated growing season, we raised over 3,000 pounds of food that found its way to many in our community including students, families, the residents of two neighboring retirement communities, DC Central Kitchen, and all the great volunteers that came out to help make the school’s vision a reality.

Now in its second growing season, the farm is continuing to evolve into the urban oasis of which the planners dreamed. In addition to our food production efforts, we have installed a large scale butterfly garden outside our gate in conjunction with the Monarch Sister Schools Program, set up house for two very active beehives maintained by Jeff Miller of DC Honeybees, and have continued to refine our planting areas as may be seen in the redesigned perennial herb bed. We have welcomed Jeremy Brosowsky and Compost Cab to the farm to lead our composting efforts so that we might continue to improve the quality of our soil. We installed a watering station and an irrigation system, and await the installation of our cistern system and covered classroom area this summer as a part of our participation in the RiverSmart School program, administered by the Department of the Environment here in DC. Casey Trees also lent us support by installing persimmon trees that flank the fig trees we planted last year.

The Farm at Walker Jones serves the greater community in which it resides, but it is, first and foremost, an extension of the educational hopes and dreams for the students of Walker Jones Education Campus. It is an outdoor classroom where experiential learning integrated into the school curriculum happens side by side with the social and emotional education required to train the leaders of tomorrow. At Walker Jones, we educate the whole child, and that includes reminding that child that the foods we eat are as important as the books we read.

The Farm Stand
Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4pm-6pm and Sundays from 2pm-4pm our farm stand will be open, beginning July 3rd. We will be selling freshly harvested produce and cut flowers at extremely low prices. All profits support the school farm.

There is also a work exchange program


Work Exchange:
Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1pm-6pm and Sundays from12-4pm the farm is open to the public for community volunteer days. Anyone is welcome to lend a hand with various farm tasks and in exchange, you will be given a selection of the day’s produce. Bring your own bag!

More Information:

flickr set here

Twitter

Blog

Yelp

Open Houses in and around Bloomingdale for 07/17/2011

Looks like you may have missed out on Flatiron condos, but here is what is available and open this Sunday. If you prefer, here is the same info in a map format. To see details about each property, scroll over the push pins on the map.

Washington Post profile of LeDroit Park

See this message from Amy Reinink, author of this Washington Post real estate section article on LeDroit Park, to some LeDroit Park residents:

Just a quick note to let you know the story about LeDroit Park is live on The Post's website -- Legacy and location in LeDroit Park - (http://www.washingtonpost.com/realestate/2011/07/08/gIQAgHJWGI_story.html ) -- and that it will appear in this weekend's Real Estate section. Thanks so much again for sharing your knowledge and insight about your lovely neighborhood for the story!

Urban Turf reports that all Flatiron units under contract

See this item from Urban Turf:

All Units at The Flatiron Now Under Contract
July 14, 2011
by UrbanTurf Staff
http://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/all_units_at_the_flatiron_now_under_contract/3801

The eight units at The Flatiron (http://dcflatiron.com/ ), a boutique condo project that recently delivered in Bloomingdale, are now under contract.

The units were priced in the $200,000s and low $300,000s, and sales, which were handled by Urban Pace, went remarkably fast given that the project officially hit the market just about ten days ago. Earlier this week, Housing Complex reported that half of the units had found buyers
(http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/housingcomplex/2011/07/11/news-bits-14th-street-h-street-bloomingdale/ ).

Bloomingdale is a neighborhood where single-family home renovations have become quite popular in the past couple years as home buyers have leveraged an attractive housing stock that just needed some TLC. However, the area is not known for having many multi-unit condo projects, largely because the building stock and zoning in the neighborhood does not allow for the property type.

The apartment building at 143 Rhode Island Avenue NW (map) that is now The Flatiron had sat vacant for six years prior to developer CAS Riegler turning it into an 8-unit project over the past several months. Working with the Capitol Hill-based PGN Architects, CAS Riegler kept most of the structure of the apartment building intact while giving the interior a ``Level 2 renovation``, DCRA-speak for a renovation where no major changes are made to the existing structure or building layout.

``The Flatiron sold so quickly because it offered homes at affordable prices in one of DC`s upcoming neighborhoods,`` Urban Pace`s Jeremy Aldridge told UrbanTurf.

lost cat found; suggestion to cat owners to put collars on their cats

See this message from a Truxton Circle resident:

I just found a cat who is very sweet and clearly not feral. I don't want to bring him to the shelter, but I'm highly allergic, so I can't keep the little guy for long.

Here is an update from this same neighbor:

This might, however, be a good time to put in a plug for people to put a collar on their cats, even if they are indoor/outdoor cats. It would have saved the cat's owner a lot of anxiety, who was worried something had happened to it.

Rustik Tavern seeking witty, droll, clever quotations pertaining to Bloomingdale, Rustik or bars in general for Rustik apparel

See this 7/11/2011 message from Rustik Tavern`s Diton Pashaj:

We`re in the process of finally getting some apparel (t-shirts, sweatshirts, etc) to offer for sale to our customers. We don`t necessarily want to have the generic, regular shirts.... we want to make them a bit witty and personalized.

If anybody would like to submit witty, droll, clever quotations pertaining to Bloomingdale, Rustik, DC or bars in general, we would love to get some input. For any quotation that we use on a t-shirt, we`ll offer a $30 gift certificate to whomever submitted it.

It`s a neighborhood tavern, after all, and we wouldn`t be where we are without our regulars, and their input is very valuable to us.

We`d like to get the quotations by Friday if possible.

seeking referrals for auto mechanics in the area

See this message from an Eckington resident:

I was wondering if you or anyone in the community had any recommendations for an auto mechanic in the area.

agenda for next ANC 5C meeting

Supplied by ANC 5C04 Commissioner John Salatti:

ANC 5C
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 Harry Thomas Recreation Center
7:00pm -9:00pm (1743 Lincoln Road NE)

NOTICE/AGENDA
Monthly Public Meeting

At the appropriate time, all attendees will be given the opportunity to participate in the meeting, offer suggestions and make recommendations for consideration. Unless otherwise noted, floor time is limited to 60 seconds. During deliberations, Commissioners are limited to 5-minute presentations and 90 seconds for comment. Please limit your comments accordingly. Thanks in advance for your cooperation.

Parliamentarian………….Ronald Herbison, Professional Registered Parliamentarians

Part I: Opening 7:00 pm
Call to Order…………………..………………………….…..Commissioner Edwards, Chairman
Roll Call/Quorum.…………………………………………………….
Adoption of Agenda
Review/Approval of Minutes.………………………………………..

July 5, 2011 Special Meeting Report/Approval of Minutes
Election of Recording Secretary (nominations to be accepted)

Part II: Business Administration

Financial Report.………..……………………..……….Commissioner Salatti, Financial Secretary
Review/Approval 3 Qtr Financial Report…...…………Commissioner Ransom, Treasurer
Report & Pay Bills……………………….……..………
2011 Meeting Schedule

Part III: Community Concerns, Updates and Resolutions 7:25 pm
1. Community Concerns……………………………….……..………………….
2. Update Re: Redistricting…………………….……………………….……….…….
--MPD
--Ward/ANC
3. Statehood Subcommittee Update………………………..………………Commissioner Thomas
4. Speed Hump Resolution………………………………………..…………Commissioner Pinkney
5. Updates Re: Strategies for Resolving Outstanding DDOT Issues…………..…..……………….
--Speed Hump Resolution 100 V Street NE
--Park Place/Trinity Traffic Controls
6. 1744 North Capitol Street
7. Committee Reports/Updates…………………….
--Grants Committee Update
o Statement of Use Reports Due
--Dunbar PTSA
--Metropolitan Basketball League
--Cougars Competitive Cheer Program Association
--World Mission Christ Extension Center
--Do The Write Thing
o Status of Bloomingdale Civic Association Documentation

8. Meeting/Adjournment…………....…………….…………………..................9:00 PM

seven Ethiopian immigrants at 81 Florida Avenue NW evicted this morning, 07/11/2011 - emergency housing needed

See this message from ANC 5C03 Commissioner Hugh Youngblood:

Neighborhood Family in Need of Emergency Housing

This morning the family living at 81 Florida Avenue NW fell victim to a reckless and abusive landlord who was taking monthly rent payments in cash from them and failing to pay the mortgage with the proceeds. As a result, the Marshall evicted the family of seven Ethiopian immigrants this morning and moved their belongings onto the street.

I met with the patriarch of the family several times today to discuss solutions. He was very distraught about how something like this could happen in the land of opportunity. Luckily, the family has moved all their possessions into the homes of friends. What they need now is a one-bedroom apartment to rent asap--today/tonight. They have cash to continue to pay the rent.

If you have an extra room for rent and would love to earn a little short-term cash, please call me so that I can refer the message.

Thank you,

Hugh Youngblood
Commissioner, SMD 5C03
240 then 925 then 1079
anc5c03@gmail.com

Open Houses in and around Bloomingdale for 07/10/2011

Properties in Bloomingdale continue to sell at a fast pace. The Flatiron Condos, at 143 Rhode Island Ave NW, which opened last week for a preview tour, are already 50% sold in the first week! I profiled a Bloomingdale sale on 2nd Street NW for princeofpetworth.com, which reflects a short time on market and strong sale price for the area.

If you're looking for open houses in the neighborhood this weekend, here is the list. The same info can be seen in a map format. To see details about each property on the map, scroll over the push pins.

seeking referrals for tree removal services

See this message from a U Street NW resident:

I am wondering if anyone knows of a good tree removal service or hauling company? I had a tree fall during the storm on Monday night and must get the tree out of my back yard!

Artists Off Rhode

Sean first wrote about this as a call to artists and now it's happening! There are several Bloomingdale artists in the show, including Don Burns, Gracy O., and myself.

Here's the official announcement from the gallery:

Talk about a hunch paying off. A call for art and...voila!
Artists off Rhode - an enticing glimpse into the well of artistic resourcefulness to be tapped along the Rhode Island corridor.


Opening reception - Friday, July 8, 2011, 5 - 7 pm

Off-Rhode Studio @ Art Enables

2204 Rhode Island Avenue, NE

Washington, DC 20018

Entrance at the back off 22nd street

Free and open to the public

Art Enables is proud to host 13 uncommon artists who will inaugurate our OFF-RHODE STUDIO with a show that combines solid artistic integrity with a refreshing absence of uniformity



Dino Almaguer Derran Eaddy Gracy Obuchowicz

Ninette Axelson-Dean Sheila Freeman Charles Reiher

Don Burns Jason Haber Lindsay Stone

Suzanne Des Marals Hope Hodges

Susan Downs Emily Locke



The show will be up through July 29, 2011. Visitors are welcome M-F, 9am to 4pm.

For more information: 202.554.9455 or www.art-enables.org

Pepco power shutdown tomorrow, Thursday, 07/07/2011 – all day – for Channing, Bryant and 1st St NW

Please see this 7/6/2011 message from ANC 5C07 Commissioner James Fournier:

As part of the ongoing efforts to curtail brownouts in Bloomingdale, PEPCO will be shutting power to Channing Street, N.W., the NORTH side of Bryant Street, N.W., and First Street, N.W. between Bryant and Channing Streets NW.

The reason for the shutdown is to replace ``very old`` cable that presents a fire hazard with modern, more reliable cable. PEPCO has been is this part of Bloomingdale all day yesterday and today, and my understanding is that PEPCO knocked on affected residents` doors today with the message. In the event folks did not get that message though, I thought I`d follow-up.

Best to all,

Commissioner James Fournier
(ANC 5C07)

master bedroom for rent on 1st St NW near Big Bear Cafe

See this message:

Master Bedroom For Rent in 1st Street NW House Starting August 1

I was wondering if you could add a post I made on my blog into the next newsletter and blog post. All of the content can be found here: http://jasontheexploder.tumblr.com/post/7305038415/the-master-bedroom-in-my-bloomingdale-dc-rowhouse-is

Crispus Attucks Park act of vandalism on Monday, 07/04/2011

See this message from CACD Board member Molly Scott:

Between the hours of 1:00 and 10:00 a.m. on July 4th, vandals cut down the fence in Crispus Attucks Park that is in place to protect the new grass seed on the great lawn.

Please understand a few facts about the fence:

• It is in place to let the new grass in that area of the park take hold and become strong enough for activities. It is not in place to inconvenience anyone.

• Opening that area of the park before the appropriate time increases the chances that we will have to reseed again next year.

• The grass seed, fencing and landscaping contractor cost roughly $1,200 and was paid for by donations from area residents and Crispus Attacks Park board members. Those funds – and indeed all park support comes donations from your neighbors. We do not have a large store of funds to maintain the park.

This project, approved by the board, is a short-term inconvenience for the long-term good of the park. The goal is to have healthy grass with strong roots in that area for everyone to use for years going forward, as opposed to having to close the great lawn every spring for reseeding.

Please be patient with our progress as we try to make the park a better place for all residents. The fence has been replaced, and will remain in place for the rest of the summer. A police report has also been filed. The rest of the park remains open for your enjoyment. We want people to utilize the park respectfully – and we need the park to be able to stand up to the wear and tear from that use.

If you have any questions, please contact board@crispusattuckspark.org. We respect the views of our neighbors and will answer your questions and hear your concerns.

Thank you,
The Crispus Attucks Park Board

friendly reminder that Rustik Tavern is closed today - Monday, Independence Day, 7-4-2011

A quick reminder from Diton:

rustikdc Rustik Tavern DC
Friendly reminder- we will be closed today(July 4th).

Please RT. @rustikdc #bloomingdaledc

Flatiron Sneak Peek on Tuesday

I don't think the link to RSVP works on this post, but you can rsvp to flatiron (at) urbanpace dot com. For more information, you can also visit dcflatiron dot com.

Open Houses in and around Bloomingdale for 07/03/2011

For a holiday weekend, there are quite a few open houses scheduled. Here is the list. The same information can be seen in a map format. To see details for each of the properties, scroll over the push pins on the map.

bicycle stolen outside of Big Bear Cafe on Friday, 7/1/2011

See this message:

My name is Liz Abel. I work at Big Bear Cafe with Stu Davenport. He put me in touch with you because he said you could help get the word out to the neighborhood about my bike being stolen. Yesterday (Friday, July 1st) sometime between 1:00pm and 6:00pm my bike was stolen outside big bear cafe on first street. It was a beautiful 1980s vintage light blue fuji road bike with yellow brake lines, a black seat, drop handle bars, and multi color stripes at joints.

Attached is a picture of my bike model that I found online. It looks exactly like it except my brakes are all metal-- they don`t have plastic yellow part at the top. This bike means a lot of me. I know some other identifying details however I`m worried to share them with the neighborhood because someone might just remove these from the bike. I can let you know these details as well if you need. I was hoping to put the word out around the neighborhood in case anyone sees it. They can call me at 717 then 333 followed by 5058. I`m also offering a cash reward of $100.

Police on Horseback.

bicycle stolen off front porch last night

See this message from a Bloomingdale household:

*sigh* my bike was stolen last night off my front porch. I had recently purchased it from a neighbor and had not yet gotten a chance to register it/ have it insured, etc. I was also stupid for not locking it up this one time, too. Lessons learned, right? Anyway, it is a bike that is hard to not recognize. It is a Schwinn cruiser in a Mary Kay shade of pink (think of those pink cadillacs they give top sellers of Mary Kay products) and white. It is big and very heavy. I`ve reported it stolen already. if you happen to see it, contact the police first and give me a ring later at 240 followed by 506 then 6777. I`ll probably never see it again....but you never know....

missing cat on the unit block of Q Street NW

See this message from a resident on the unit block of Q Street NW:

My cat has been missing from my apartment on 41 Q St. NW since Sunday 6/26/2011
afternoon!

Here is my ad on craigslist, which includes some pics of my cat:

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/laf/2466167376.html

free Cycle Plus exercise bike

See this message:

A Bloomingdale resident gave me a free Cycle Plus exercise bike in March, but now I am moving to a smaller place temporarily & wanted to see if anyone would like the exercise bike. It is in great condition & is self powered. I am moving this week, so it is free to whomever can come pick it up. It is on wheels, but is still pretty heavy. Please e-mail me as soon as possible if you would like it! kayamicheller@yahoo dot com.

introducing the North Capitol Main Street Art + Music event blog: http://northcapitolartwalk.wordpress.com/

See this message from Lonna Hooks, Truxton Circle resident and Executive Director, North Capitol Main Street regarding the Saturday, August 6, 2011 NCMS Art + Music Walk event.

Prefer to read the nicely formatted Constant Contact message? Then go here:
http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=tp9zhzcab&v=0013fJXCVJ8X4FmWzWybeuRbCfcug3KBBdpzWvmsXS6f6jTY7JCxm-JcAX3O9I6DSTgNJPH5zIstEcsICFitz9y8eA3me2F7hcHQsCw7XQcKX4xzKIMoyOiFhQfymTcGv-kjLuCt7D347QeG-HJ_c5PcA%3D%3D

NCMS - 2011 Art & Music Blog

JOIN OUR BLOG! - STAY INFORMED http://northcapitolartwalk.wordpress.com/

We are working hard to make this year's Music & Art Festival a fabulous event for the entire community.

Join Our Blog!

Get Up-To-Date Information!

MUSIC & ART WALK INFORMATION
2010 Art + Music Walk in Bloomingdale, DC

The North Capitol Main Street Art + Music Walk is back for its third year! Previously known as "First On 1st", this summer's iconic arts and music festival is bigger and better than ever - featuring four areas for live music and cultural performances at the launch event, and at least twenty homes throughout the North Capitol neighborhoods of Eckington, Bloomingdale, and Truxton Circle featuring sculpture and other installations for the entire month of August.

JOIN OUR BLOG TO GET MORE INFORMATION! http://northcapitolartwalk.wordpress.com/

North Capitol Main Street
1703 North Capitol Street, NE
Washington, D.C., District of Columbia 20002
202-670-1703
www.ncmsinc.org

Open Houses in and around Bloomingdale for 06/26/2011

Open houses in and around the neighborhood for Sunday can be found here. The list is ordered by price. The same information can be seen in a map format. Scroll over the push pins to see details about each property.

The lovely home pictured above will be open from 1-3pm on Sunday and is located at 1824 North Capitol Street NW. The owners just lowered the price to $449,900., which is a phenomenal deal for a beautifully renovated 3 bedroom plus den, 2.5 bath home with a private deck. It's really worth seeing if you are looking in that price range and want to be in Bloomingdale!

Bloomingdale 1903. Plats!

I found better and more plat images HERE

North Bloomingdale


South Bloomingdale



i added a few more years here

North Capitol Main Street July 2011 board & committee meetings

See this message Lonna Hooks, Truxton Circle resident and North Capitol Main Street Executive Director:

Want to see the nicely formatted Constant Contact message? Then click here: http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=tp9zhzcab&v=0013fJXCVJ8X4FmWzWybeuRbCfcug3KBBdp0KO8w6vnByDyP2wjSOdPFn_a0UzrQKXl7JqpiHmJre-wCcrdrlbTL9S4vNEgeswWzw6AezWmp8-BUMS48-5k7ynNBhNnutyhjJ3uGQvZEn0ice34m6LBPg%3D%3D

July Board & Committee Meetings

Economic Recovery (ER) & Design Committee Meeting
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
7:00pm

North Capitol Main Street Board Meeting
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
7:00pm

Promotion & Organization Committee Meeting*
Thursday, July 21, 2011
7:00pm

*(Promo/Org Meeting has changed to the 3rd Thursday in July)

All meetings held at the NCMS Office
1703 North Capitol St, NE
Washington, DC 20001
202-670-1703

Please RSVP HERE (lhooks@ncmsinc.org)if you plan to attend or email Lonna Hooks at lhooks@ncmsinc.org.

CONTACT INFORMATION
North Capitol Main Street
1703 North Capitol St, NE
Washington, DC 20001
202-670-1703
http://www.ncmsinc.org/

Fab Lab DC

I wanted to share some information about Fab Lab DC.

Fab Lab DC
Give ordinary people the right tools, and they will
design and build the most extraordinary things.
That’s the idea behind Fab Labs, which originated
at MIT by Professor Neil Gershenfeld, who teaches,
How To Make (almost) Anything.
Fab Labs provide access to prototype tools for personal
fabrication, like a personal computer that can output
functional objects instead of images on a screen.
The labs have spread from inner-city Boston to Africa
and Norway, with projects tackling applications in
areas including healthcare, agriculture, housing,
and communications.
FAB LAB is coming soon to DC



You can find more information about Fab Lab DC HERE
I took a tour of their Mobile Fab Lab and got to hear a bit about it and their plans and see some of their equipment.

I was told that their DC location would be on North Capitol, between Florida and New York.

introducing Love and Carrots, a Bloomingdale-based business

See this message from Bloomingdale resident Meredith:

LoveandCarrots.com

Two long term DC residents, Meredith and Saren, have just initiated a home organic gardening company based out of Bloomingdale. Its called Love & Carrots, and their goal is to expand the local food movement into residential backyards, thereby getting more people to experience the benefits of home grown.

They offer custom organic garden design, installation, and maintenance services-- but that only underlies a new, unique and more hands on approach to gardening services that is intended to making home gardening as ``un-overwhelming`` and ``un-intimidating`` as possible. They additionally teach gardening basics to adults and kids, provide services like harvesting if customers are away, and to top it off, they will preserve/can your extra garden produce for healthy eating all winter!

Here`s a website you can check out:

LoveandCarrots.com

You`ll see on the website that they are putting in a pro-bono garden for Cardozo High School to kick things off. Its about time the DC area sees a company like this.

Review of Windows in Washington Post

The Washington Post Going out Guide has a review of Windows Cafe.
Read it Here.


Windows Cafe and Market

101 Rhode Island Avenue NW
202.462.6585

couple seeking 1 BR apartment in Bloomingdale

See this housing request message:

Hello - I am a current resident of Bloomingdale (1st and V st NW) who is searching for a 1 BR apartment that my girlfriend and I can call home starting in August. I have lived in the neighborhood for two years and would love to continue living in the community. A little about us. I am currently completing my thesis for my master program while also working part time on a project at a DC think tank. Katie works in international development and is currently in Uganda for work until July 20. We are a clean, respectful, easy-going couple that likes to be out doing things around town.

the NCMS Art & Music Walk is coming Saturday, August 6 - and we need YOU!

See this message from Lonna Hooks, Executive Director, North Capitol Main Street (and Truxton Circle resident):

Want to see the nicely formatted version of this message? Then click here: http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=tp9zhzcab&v=001cVDYB6QxH7yLA6-D26pd-n3bkvJfVOvmbNCDHer4d5mxPynwMFM9GfHu92_NYCdDLZgSWiNH08lQ00srHZvpT5qxsQNICpAMJUt-a_pjkON_yUI72zFKTxWscRSG5UvmPorScNorhWtPSAsfsi2FuQ%3D%3D

2011 NCMS Art + Music Walk

The Art & Music Walk is Coming
Saturday, August 6 - and we need YOU!

Are you an artist that would like to exhibit your outdoor sculpture work or other installation for an entire month?

Are you a homeowner who would be interested in hosting a beautiful work of art in your front yard throughout August.

If so, then we want to hear from you! Email josef@pinklineproject.com to get involved.

Art Walk & Music Festival
For the last 3 years, North Capitol Main Street, Inc. has presented the annual Music + Art Walk to showcase the neighborhoods of Eckington, Truxton Circle, and Bloomingdale, showcasing live music, great art, and fine foods from area restaurants.

This year, we have a goal of including twenty (20) artists and homes to display art, and there will be four stages set up to feature live performances during the kick-off celebration on Saturday, August 6.

North Capitol Main Street
1703 North Capitol St, NE
Washington, DC 20002
202-670-1703
www.ncmsinc.org

"apparently legal to sell fireworks in temporary stands in residential neighborhoods"

Here is an update on the fireworks stand on 1st Street NW -- from the neighbor who first reported it:

I called Harry Thomas` office and got the whole story.

If the sellers are permitted, it is legal to sell fireworks and apparently legal to sell them in temporary stands, even in residential neighborhoods -- that is why they often are sold by the bodegas or mini marts. According to Leonard in Mr. Thomas` office, selling fireworks is a very long standing tradition in this neighborhood and others. He says every year they get lots of complaints, and many more about the noise -- but unless the firework sellers are selling dynamite-based products, it is perfectly legal if permitted.

"fireworks for sale on 1st Street NW? Is this legal?"

See this message from a 1st Street NW resident:

I`m new to the neighborhood and was surprised to come home and find a little
vendor shack being built to sell fireworks on 1st Street NW.

Really??????

People have jokingly said ``It`s good to be gone over July 4th``. Now I see why--I can`t believe this is legal, but the owner of the Micro Mart says that it is.

Any suggestions of who to reach to in terms of an elected official in city government to voice my concerns?

Honestly, we can`t control the graffiti, street trash, and number of liquor licenses--I`m an urban person--but I`m shocked that we allow street sales of fireworks.

tonight's Bloomingdale Civic Association meeting

See this message from Teri Janine Quinn, President, Bloomingdale Civic Association

Please Join Us for the Bloomingdale Civic Association Meeting
Monday, June 20, 2011 at 7pm at
St. George`s Episcopal Church
(2nd & U Streets, NW)

Agenda Highlights:

• Howard University – Update on Changes to the Campus Master Plan



• Update on BCA Representation on the McMillan Advisory Group (MAG)



• Heritage Trail Request for a Letter of Support



• ``Get the Rats Out of Here``: Presentation on reducing rats in the neighborhood from Gerard Brown, Program Manager, the Rodent & Vector Control Division, Bureau of Community Hygiene



• Discussion about Block Captains and Safety Issues with a representative from the 5th District Police Department



• North Capitol Main Street`s Request for a Letter of Support for the Art Walk

Please spread the word to your neighbors…especially those without Internet access. Also, St. George’s is fully handicapped accessible and has a separate room for families and children. We hope to see you Monday night!

The next Bloomingdale Civic Association Meeting will be held Monday July 18, 2011.

John Salatti wants to add some text regarding the meeting being family-friendly:

To ensure that all Bloomingdale meetings are family friendly, we have reserved a room at St. George`s for parents and children. They can use the space as a place to take a break during the meeting, or parents can organize some activities so that most parents can be in the meeting while other parents are watching and playing with the kids.

Open Houses in and around Bloomingdale scheduled for 06/19/2011

Check out the link here for open houses scheduled in the neighborhood for Sunday. You can see the same information in a map format with directions. To see information on individual listings, scroll over the push pins on the map.

Hugh Youngblood's thoughts from Thursday night's McMillan meeting

See this 6/17/2011 message from ANC 5C03 Commissioner Hugh Youngblood:

Dear Fellow Members of the Community,

Thank you very much to everyone who joined for Thursday night`s Joint SMD Meeting on the McMillan Project. We greatly appreciate the level of energy that you all delivered to the discussion and your explicit calls for community action. I received the clear message that the community is ready to deploy its skills and dedication into an effort equivalent to the Manhattan Project with the mission of taking the power back and developing a plan for the historic McMillan by by the people and for the people.

Another personal takeaway from the dialogue was that you`ve lost faith in the ability of your elected leadership and the DC Government to serve as a neutral broker between the profit-motivated development team and the people who live here. This means that we need to tackle the ``McMillan Manhattan Project`` from a grassroots level, and we certainly have the talent required to get the job done.

I captured extensive notes last night comprising the wide variety of community concerns and construction design input. My office will work with the offices of SMDs 5C04 and 5C07 to produce a consolidated set of minutes and issues, which we will socialize with the community in short order. I`ll paraphrase a few of the highlights of the discussion now:

- We need to start operating like a business and go on the offensive in order to effect change. This means that many members of the community will need to take on this project as a full- or part-time job, likely without pay.

- We need to embrace the historical significance of this magnificent site and honor the role that it played in delivering the essence of life on this planet--clean water--to the DC community in the generation that preceded us. We need to establish a conservancy to serve as our vehicle for historic preservation.

- The time for action is now.

- What can we (the individual members of the community) do Right Now to get started?

I propose that we identify the answer to the question above as follows.

- Take a survey of all the skills and talents within the community members who wish to work on the project and identify the ways in which we would each most love to serve.

- With a basic comprehension of our talent pool, we design an aggressive summertime project to create a community design for the site. We can supplement any gaps in local talent by tapping into the summer internship market and by outsourcing pieces of the work electronically to the global open-source development community.

More to come. Please share your thoughts.

Thank you,

Hugh Youngblood
ANC, SMD 5C03
70 R St NW
240 . 925 . 1079
anc5c03@gmail.com

Saturday alley clean-up for the unit blocks of Adams, Bryant and Channing Streets NW

See this message from ANC 5C07 Commissioner James Fournier regarding Saturday's unit block of Adam`s, Bryant, Channing, N.W. alley cleanup:

The alley clean-up for the unit blocks of Adams, Bryant and Channing Streets N.W. will be from 9:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. tomorrow. In order to allow residents to get stuff to the alley, the truck will start coming down the alley at approximately 11:00 a.m. In addition, the Mu Lambda chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity has graciously agreed to allow an overflow dumpster to be placed at the corner of Bryant and First St. N.W. (in the back). If the truck becomes filled or folks want to get rid of larger items in advance of the truck`s arrival, they can wheel their items into that dumpster.

I know everyone knows this, but it bears repeating that the alley clean up is not a dump and roll event. We`ll need residents and volunteers to help get items into the truck or over to the dumpster as well as to spruce up the alleys. Bring dollies, gloves, rakes, pruning shears and yourselves to make this a meaningful event and to meet your neighbors! If anyone has questions you can reach me tomorrow at james.fournier9@verizon.net . I`ll have my iphone with me until 1 p.m.

Commissioner James Fournier
(ANC 5C07)

BACA Flower Power Walk & Reception: Saturday, 06/25/2011

Bates Area Civic Association President Geovani Bonilla has asked me to post the upcoming BACA Flower Power event:

FLOWER POWER 2011 WALK AND RECEPTION, SATURDAY, JUNE 25

Friends and Neighbors,
It is time to enjoy the warmth and wonderful plants, flowers and colors of our Nation’s Capital. We invite you to be a part of our neighborhood garden walk and reception.

During the neighborhood walk, you will see some of the best gardening in our community and experience the different styles and architecture of our homes. You will be invited to neighbor’s front and back yards to see the great garden each home has to offer.

At the end of walk, you will vote on your favorite yards and help select the best in each category. Of course, it is summer, so a reception will follow. The reception will give you the opportunity to meet new neighbors and catch up with old ones.

When: Saturday, June 25, 2011
4pm – 5:30pm Garden Walk
5:30pm – 6:30pm Reception

Where: Walk will originate at the Florida Avenue and First St. Park Wine and Cheese Reception will be held at 1500 First St. NW

Tickets are $10 each. For tickets, you may contact: Geovani Bonilla at 202-255-3312

Edible Garden Tour

Edible Urban Garden Tour
Friday, July 15th from 3-8PM

GET YOUR GROW ON with DC's first Edible Urban Garden Tour hosted by Loulies.com,
Friday, July 15th from 3-8PM.

Explore city spaces and residential gardens that will open their doors and gates for the public
to see what growing good food in our own backyards, front yards, rooftops, and empty lots is
all about. It’s a chance to ask questions, learn from and hear what inspires some of DC’s best
gardeners.

The tour will start at the beautiful, plant-filled garden shop named Old City Green and stretch
through the revitalized neighborhoods of Shaw, Bloomingdale and Ledroit Park. Plus, see for
yourself and learn more about Common Good City Farm the community garden that Prince
Charles recently toured as part of his inspiring Future of Food visit to DC. A map of tour
locations will be distributed on the day of the event at Old City Green. The tour is self-guided
and will cover several miles so a bike or a car is recommended.

By organizing this tour, we hope to support the "grow your own" movement and create a
community event designed to be a resource for so many local residents interested in finding ways
to grow their own food. For questions, please send an email to Bettina@loulies.com.

Tickets: To purchase tickets for this event, visit www.loulies.com. Tickets are $20 each, with a
portion of the proceeds to support Eat Local First DC.

Loulies.com – real kitchens, real food
###

Suzanne Simon and Bettina Stern post advice and inspiration for cooking in your home kitchen
at Loulies.com. They strongly encourage their readers to eat in-season and locally and they try
to teach people how to shop and what to cook. Visit their site or sign-up with them for upcoming
posts on in-season cooking and eating.

Emery Education Center

See this message received from a Bloomingdale resident:

I am writing this message to alert parents and potential parents who have or are planning to enroll their child or children at Emery Education Center. I am writing this letter only after trying to get this matter resolved through the school and then through the Chancellor's office. On May 19th my 11 year old child informed me that when he exited the stall of the boys bathroom, another male student was standing in the bathroom with his penis exposed and his hands on his gential. The male student asked my son "do you want to suck my gentials (of course he used a more profane term). My son stated that he ran from the bathroom and told the teacher. The teacher told him to sit down. She only reacted when he told her that he was going to tell his mother. I never received a call from the school that this had happened to my child. In addtion, my son was never interviewed by the principal or assistant principal. My son was visibly upset about this incident. I did go over to the school on May 20th to discuss this with the principal and assistant principal. Not much was resolved and really they did not seem to feel that they had done anything wrong by not alerting me to the fact that my son was exposed to a predator. As a result of my talk with them they did at least make a police report. The outcome of this report or any other action taken by the school is unknown to me. When I told princiapl Moore that I would be contacting the Chancellor's office. He stated "do you want the number".

I wrote the Chancellor's office on June 8th, 2011. I finally received a response back from Mr. Wayne Robinson who is the instructional superintendent. He stated that he would talk to the principal but did not offer much more than that. He asked me "what do you want me to do"? When I asked about the intervention and prevention methods that would be put into place to ensure that this would not happen gain, Mr. Wayne Ryan informed me and I quote " I can not gurantee that this will not happen again. I am apalled and upset by this statement. I informed him as well as the principal that there are very young children that attend this school and that this matter needs to be looked into. How do we know that this child has not done this before? Needless to say my son will not be attending Emery for the next school year. I am writing this to let other parents know so that you can make an informed decision and keep your child safe. The fact of the matter is that this kid continues to attends Emery and children continue to go to the bathroom sometimes unattended.

Please do not take this an attempt to bash the school or the principal. I am simply putting out information that I think is important for parents to know. To me this is a very serious incident that was not addressed in an appropriate or timely manner.