Partay time!

Some community events are coming up...two in the neighborhood and one in Anacostia that I promised my friend I would help promote. In chronological order, they are:

Anacostia: Never Far From Home > Opening reception July 30th @ 6:30pm

The Gallery at Vivid Solutions hosts Anacostia: Never Far From Home, a look at the past and present of Anacostia, with the help from local bloggers Fred Joiner (fredjoiner.wordpress.com/), Nikki Peele (congressheightsontherise.com/) and David Garber(anacostianow.blogspot.com/). This interactive exhibition includes community participation -- everyone is invited to bring their own photographs to hang on the community wall and assist the gallery in telling a visual story of Anacostia. The exhibit will evolve over the course of the show, as local residents and bloggers react to and build their story.

(Contact us to be involved: bferraro@archdc.org / 202-365-8392)

Exhibit will be on display until September 10th, 2010. Melani Douglass will leading educational workshops during this exhibit, if interested please contact her at: mdouglass@archdc.org

2010 Fellowship Festival > July 31, 2010 from 11am-4pm

sponsored by the North Capitol Street & Rhode Island Avenue Ecumenical Council of Churches

This community fellowship event will take place at the Harry Thomas Sr. Recreation Center at Seaton Place and Lincoln Road NE. Live entertainment, FREE health screenings, food/drinks, games, face painting, etc.

This event is free and open to the public...come out and meet Eckington and Bloomingdale community members in a fun and festive atmosphere.

First on 1st Bloomingdale Art Walk > Saturday, August 7, 2010 from 12-4pm

sponsored by North Capitol Main Street

Find it along First Street, NW (between Florida and Rhode Island Avenues, NW). Come out for live music, activities, and some outstanding art!

More information at: The Pink Line Project

Liquor License = F-bomb

Just came from the Eckington Civic Association meeting...

Thankfully, it was brief, especially since I screwed up the time and had to run up and down the street a few times, all under the watchful eyes of the neighborhood youths hanging out on the corner.

It seems like every community meeting I have been to (it's been awhile I know), whenever the word liquor license is dropped, someone might just as well have dropped the f-bomb or cursed someone's mother. Whenever those two words pass someone's lips here in DC, the tone of everyone changes and semi-confrontation is in the air.

Tonight, we found out that the firehouse on N. Capitol, a beautiful piece of architecture, is finally going to see life once more (some of us hope) as a restaurant and tapas lounge. The gentleman the developer has signed a lease with is from an immigrant background and has extensive experience with restaurant operations. Of course, once the white developer asked for support for their liquor license application, some people chose to get their dander up and make sure the developer fully understood that he needed to abide by a very strict process, at least with respect to gaining the support of the ANC. Of course, the ANC just released their draft guidelines this past week...they haven't even been formally adopted yet...but 'you better make sure everything is in order'. Oh and while we're at it, those of us who feel the need to show off our "authoritah" (think South Park) will ask you crazy questions like whether your property is actually zoned commercial and whether you're trying to sneak a 'Go-Go' club in under the radar on N. Capitol St. Seriously folks! I couldn't stay quiet on the Go-Go comment and noted that we could have a more positive view on the project but that went over like a lead balloon. The developer had the ultimate trump card in hand though, when he mentioned that there would be north of 100 jobs at stake in the project. Once the dog and pony show was over, we got around to approving an ECA meeting for the 2nd where the developer and lessor will make a formal presentation to the neighborhood folks gathered...and a subsequent vote to lend ECA support will follow on the 16th. You can be sure I will be at both meetings.

The ANC will be a whole different ball of wax and I am sure we'll run through the same liquor license 'respect my authoritah' charade again...ughhh...once again, wish some folks could liberate themselves from mental slavery (and I have some good reggae tracks I can cite to back me up on that point).

Before I go...no new info on the shooting but will try to see what I can find out via the list-serve.

The Heat is on...

Well, just into July now and I have been on sabbatical...not really, though I wish I was. Had some good job leads over the last month that took a lot of my attention and I have needed to focus on personal issues. Anyway, I am back...

Another reason for my lack of posting is the fact that I haven't been able to attend a lot of the recent community meetings and feel like I haven't been as up on the issues as of late. Checking out our Eckington list-serv just a moment ago...I have fresh fodder.

1) Apparently there was a shooting near the 100 blk of Todd Place late Thursday afternoon...that's pretty damn close to where I live. I am not sure on the full details but the ECA Meeting is coming up on Monday so I hope to learn more about what exactly occurred. Regardless, of the precise cause there has been a lot of "traffic" in the area lately and I am not talking vehicular. I just nod, smile, ask 'how's it going?' and move along but I am very perceptive and the vibe isn't necessarily the greatest.

2) My other message is to conserve power folks! I was reading about the miserable state of affairs for people in the southern half of Eckington and, from over at Frozen Tropics, I understand parts of H St. and Trinidad were also without power during this most recent spike in temps. I am sure PEPCO needs to do a much better job but, from the house I live in, I know we all could do better at keeping our AC set to reasonable temps and remembering to turn it down when you're going out, unless you have a pet or someone home-bound. Granted I am more heat tolerant than most but on my most recent days at home, while having the AC on, I do try to keep the lights off as much as is feasible and let in some natural light. Also, if you have a clothes line, dry your clothes outside in this blazing heat...free solar energy from above! Several of my neighbors have been doing that lately and I would join them, if I only had the line. If you really must use your dryer, do so in the evening when power demand is less. It's easy to blame the utility (and they have their issues) but we also have responsibilities too and need to do our part to help make sure our aging electrical grid can survive the extra burden when it's hot out.

Some more energy saving tips from our friends in California here.

In the meantime, stay cool!