Great first brunch at Liberty Tree

Liberty Tree (1016 H St) started brunch today at 11 a.m.  The Quiche of the Day was crab-mushroom and it was to die for  with generous amounts of fresh lumb crab meat throughout.  The Eggs Kennebunkport were nearly as good -- a lobster take on eggs benedict with fresh hollandaise sauce and a hearty side of red potato homefries. 

Eggs Kennebunkport
(lobster with poached egg and hollandaise on an english muffin)

Quiche of the Day(Fresh picked crab-mushroom)

Liberty Tree will be open for brunch every Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.  Let us know how you enjoy it!

Liberty Tree begins brunch service tomorrow (Menu preview)

Liberty Tree opens for brunch tomorrow at 11 a.m. Here are a few of the new menu items available during brunch time in addition to all your favorite pizzas. The brunch menu is available until 3 p.m.  It will be expanded with time and should hopefully be available on their new patio sometime in September. 

Farmer’s Omelet 10
Olives, mushrooms, green peppers, and goat cheese
Served with homefries

Eggs Kennebunkport 15
Lobster, poached egg, hollandaise on an English muffin
Served with homefries

Buttermilk pancakes 8
A stack of three with seasonal warm berry compote

The Breakfast Pizza 12
Herb butter, homefries, bacon, mozzarella, Sunnyside eggs, and Vermont maple syrup drizzle

Filet BLT 14
Tarragon mayonnaise
Served with house cut French fries

Chef’s choice Quiche Market
Ask your server for details

This weekend on H Street

It's going to be a beautiful weekend, so the Argonaut's (1433 H St) recently reopened patio would be a great spot for happy hour tonight, or sandwiches, bloody marys, mimosas or beers all weekend. They don't have their kitchen back yet, but they've got a full drink menu and some good soups, salads, and sandwiches available. If their patio is full, the Biergarten (1355 H St) is always a great option when it's nice out.

Buzzed Spelling Bee is at the Rock and Roll Hotel (1353 H St) tonight. Registration starts at 6, spelling buzzed begins at 8. Check out their calendar for the rest of their performances this weekend.

SOVA (1359 H St) has happy hour until 7:30 tonight, and DJ Chris "Instrument" at 9 p.m. Half-priced all their great beer and wine has got to be the best deal around. SOVA is going to close on Sunday evenings at 6 p.m. now through Labor Day.

The Temporium (1300 H St) hosts a vintage clothing trunk show with Uesa Goods all weekend long. Temporium opens tonight at 6, Saturday at 2, and Sunday at noon.

H Street's FreshFarm Market (625 H St) is Saturday from 9-12. Red Apron Butchery will be there along with all the weekly vendors. Corn, tomatoes, and peaches are all in season.

Liberty Tree (1016 H St) will roll out their new brunch menu Saturday with brunch available every weekend day from 11-3.

Cinema at the ATLAS (1333 H St) runs Bugsy Malone as its 5 p.m. 70s family movie on Saturday. They describe it as "a gangster musical set in 1929 New York City. It is a world of would-be hoodlums, showgirls and all of the roles in the film are played by children, including Jodi Foster and Scott Baio." The evening Cinema al Fresco movie will be It Started in Naples where "two legendary screen stars, Clark Gable and Sophia Loren star is this witty romance set against the picturesque backgrounds of the Isle of Capri, Rome, and Naples. The dialogue is witty and the Italian scenery is spectacular." The show starts Saturday at 8 p.m. Visit the Temporium receive a 2 for 1 voucher
for any ATLAS Movie through Labor Day !

Palace of Wonders (1210 H St) hosts OLDE CITY SIDESHOW with Candy Mayhem on Saturday night. Doors open at 7 p.m. ($10), with two shows at 9:30 and 11:30.

Toyland (421 H St) is doing Madmen Sundays and invites you to "Come feel the 60's vibe with Retro cocktails and music." The party starts at 5 p.m.

Fruit Bat (1236 H St)

Fruit Bat will open in the coming months at 1236 H Street. This is the building that until recently was home to the H Street Martini Lounge and was sold after they closed in late March.

Fruit Bat comes as rumored from the guys behind Widsom Lounge on Pennsylvannia Ave SE on the other side of Capitol Hill. Wisdom is renowned for its craft cocktails and extensive absinthe offerings and Fruit Bat will similarly provide craft cocktails, featuring South American street fare & fresh-squeezed juice cocktails (think caipirinhas, etc) on H Street.

This weekend at the Temporium

Vintage clothing trunk show!
Uesa Goods
July 30-August 1

July 30: DJ Anish
July 31: DJ Gold

(e)merge discussion panel on how emerge artists build community
4 PM on July 31 @ Conner Contemporary
After-after-party @ The Temporium

Check out these great photos from last weekend.

And be sure to stop by SOVA, the Atlas, or Biergarten to take advantage of the great deals they are doing in partnership with the Temporium.

Ward 6 Dems Mayoral Forum & Endorsement

The Ward 6 Democrats Mayoral Forum was packed with nearly 400 votes cast, but ended in no endorsement in the Mayoral primary. Vince Gray was mixed on streetcars. Fenty criticized him for pulling funding for them "in the dark of night" and Gray claimed he supported them, but was for more planning and was concerned about where and how the cars would turn around. Gray also refused to commit to retaining Michelle Rhee as Schools Chancellor or Cathy Lanier as Chief of Police, which did not endear him to the crowd, espcially the many young parents in attendance. Fenty criticized Gray for criticizing everything he's ever done, but showing up at all of his ribbon cuttings to join in taking credit for various new parks, developments, etc.

Fenty focusing on results, referenced the Eastern Market fire and swift rebuilding effort and summed up his candidacy as "speeches & promises are nice, but results are what counts when you're running for mayor."

Gray spent much of his time harshly criticizing the Mayor and his leadership style. Gray had a busload of seniors that he brought in, which contributed to a disproportionately senior population. It was bizarre to see a large, traveling tourbus shipping people around a single ward within a city. Also Ward 5 resident Robert Vinson Brannum was among the loudest and most disruptive of a crowd of vocal Gray supporters who repeatedly shouted over Fenty. Brannum was seen earlier in the day shouting into loud speakers from a car in front of the Washington Post. Four other candidates for Mayor also participated.

The final tally had Gray ahead by approximately a busload of votes, but his percentage of the vote fell short of the 60% threshold for an endorsement.

Link Roundup

City Paper's Tim Carman enjoys Liberty Tree's (1016 H St) seafood more so than its pizza.

He also has the story and details behind Taylor's new Roast Beef Sandwich, the Cherry Street.

Sharee Lawler shared on THIH about her experience at a recent H Street Office Hours with Councilmember Tommy Wells. Wells hosts these "community office hours" on H Street the fourth Thursday of the month, often at SOVA at 8 am, though there will be no meeting in August.

The Argonaut reopened and now has a host of specials back in place. The Argonaut has always had a great list of specials, so it is great to see Tuesdays is once again Taco night (1 large fish taco = $5), Thursday is again Neighborhood Night (10% off check for 20002 patrons with id), and weekend brunch includes $5 make your own bloddy marys and $9 bottomless mimosas. Although the kitchen remains closed, the menu is growing by the day.

City Paper's Housing Complex and DCmud both cover the Zoning Commission's hearing on the PUD for the H Street Connection Redevelopment. The Zoning Commission seemed generally impressed with the plans and the community's work to negotiate for various amenities, but expressed hope for additional amenities and some concession to address concerns of the building's nearest neighbor on 8th St about traffic, etc. Expect those matters to be resolved by the next meeting in September.

DDOT announced plans to place new bikeshare locations at 4th and H, 11th & H, and the western end of Lincoln Park early this fall.

WaBizJo's Mike Neibauer notes that DDOT has put out a Request For Qualifications (RFQ) for the H Street streetcar line. He explains that this step is a precursor to a Request for Proposal (RFP) from the qualified contractors.

Reminder: Ward 6 Dems Mayoral Candidate Forum and Endorsement tomorrow night at 7 pm

Media Advisory: July 26, 2010
Ward 6 Democrats

Immediate Release
Contact: Charles Allen
Ward6Dems@gmail.com

Ward 6 Democrats to Host Mayoral Candidate Forum & Endorsement Vote

On Tuesday, July 27, 2010, the Ward 6 Democrats will host a Mayoral Candidate Forum and Endorsement Vote at the North Hall of Eastern Market.

The candidate forum is open to all members of the community to provide an opportunity for the Democratic mayoral candidates to discuss and debate issues important to the residents of Ward 6. While the candidate forum is open, the endorsement balloting will be limited to registered Ward 6 Democrats.

What: Mayoral Candidates Forum & Endorsement Meeting
Where: North Hall of Eastern Market, 225 7th Street SE (accessible via Eastern Market Station)
When: Tuesday, July 27, 2010, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Mayor Adrian Fenty, Chairman Vincent Gray, and Leo Alexander have confirmed their attendance.

The forum will be moderated by Sam Ford, ABC 7 News, and Andrew Lightman, Editor, Hill Rag. Ward 6 neighbors are encouraged to submit recommended questions to be asked by the moderators via Twitter (@ward6dems), Facebook or email directly at ward6dems@gmail.com. Attendees at the forum will also be encouraged to submit questions on note cards at the event.

Temporium launches tonight, events throughout the weekend

Featured in yesterday's CityShopGirl Deal of the Day, the Temporium launches at 1300 H Street tonight.

DC’s best designers show their wares in The Temporium, a design shop + wifi lounge.
July 23 through August 15, 2010
Located in the former R.L. Christian Library at 1300 H Street, NE.

Showcasing goods by the following fantastic designers:
Billy Colbert, Dana Greaves, Derringer Friday, Dopeville, Bill Johnson, de*Nada, Kristi Love, Jon Wye

Grand Opening Festivities!
Friday, July 23
DJ Obeyah

Saturday, July 24
6PM: Will Rast
7PM: Alex Vans
8-10PM: DJ MikeBolo

Sunday, July 25
2 to 4 PM: BT Richardson

Ward 6 Dems host Mayoral Candidates Forum & Endorsement Meeting Tuesday, July 27, 7 p.m. at Eastern Market's North Hall

The Ward 6 Democrats invite you to a Mayoral Candidates Forum & Endorsement Meeting

What: Mayoral Candidates Forum & Endorsement Meeting
Where: North Hall of Eastern Market, 225 7th Street SE
When: Tuesday, July 27, 2010, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

The Ward 6 Democrats proudly invite you to attend a Mayoral candidates forum and endorsement vote. Mayor Adrian Fenty and Chairman Vincent Gray have confirmed their attendance. The forum is open to the public and provides an opportunity for the Democratic mayoral candidates to discuss and debate issues important to the residents of Ward 6.


Moderators:

Andrew Lightman, Editor, Hill Rag
Sam Ford, ABC 7 News

While the candidates forum is open to all members of the community, the endorsement balloting will be limited to registered Ward 6 Democrats.

If you have any questions, please contact us at ward6dems@gmail.com

Temporium launches Friday evening at 1300 H St

Please join us for a special opening reception of The Temporium, a temporary store featuring a few of the best DC-based fashion designers.

Where: 1300 H Street, NE (R.L. Christian Innovation Center)
Date: Friday, July 23
Time: Opening reception from 6 to 7 PM. Festivities continue until 10 PM.

Meet the designers! Billy Colbert, Dana Greaves, de Nada, Derringer Friday, Dopeville, Bill Johnson, Kristi Love, Jon Wye, Albus Cavus, AM Radio.

Cupcakes and refreshing beverages sponsored by istrategylabs!

Read more about the project at www.temporiumdc.com

The Temporium will run from July 23 through August 15, 2010 the former R.L. Christian Library at 1300 H Street. Its hours will be Thursdays from 6 to 10 p.m., Fridays from 6 to 10 p.m., Saturdays from 2 to 10 p.m., and Sundays from 12 to 5 p.m.

Link roundup

City Paper touts Taylor's (1116 H St) new house roast beef sandwiches.

The Argonaut (1433 H St) reopened. They don't have a kitchen or their first floor dining room, but they do have a pretty good menu going nonetheless.

Mike Neibauer reported in the Washington Business Journal that Tommy Wells is working to make the Giant coming to 3rd and H a reality by amending the H Street TIF to fund the construction of parking spaces for it and to make it accessible to small business owners. Wells had a very productive end to the current Council legislative session.

East City Art has some early pictures of the Temporium, which opens at 1300 H Street this Friday evening.

Washington Post's Express Night Out touts the Star and the Shamrock (1341 H St).

Clark Ray takes CM Phil Mendelson to task for flip flopping on streetcars. He was very against them before he joined the rest of the Council in backing Tommy Wells' bill to allow wires on H Street.

Capitol City Diner announced that the H Street shuttle will be adding a Bladensburg Rd stop near the Diner to allow easy access to it and to Jimmy Valentine's from H Street and the rest of DC.

Trivia night at Biergarten Haus starts tomorrow night

Come to the first-ever Trivia night at the Biergarten Haus (1355 H St) tomorrow, Tuesday, July 20, and get 10% off everything you order for the first go-around.

6:30 Food and drinks--10% off--come try the great German beer and Food.

7:00 Trivia starts

8:30 Trivia Ends--prizes awarded--Winning team gets a Boot of Beer for the team (and maybe more)!

You can make teams ahead of time, or you can just show up and grab a team when you get there.

Questions will be from all kinds of categories:

General Knowledge: What color is vermilion a shade of?

TV: What famous actor of Batman & Robin Legend has also been featured on the popular cartoon show, Family Guy?

Crappy Music: What terrible David Geddes song tells the tale of a young girl whose father accidentally kills her while trying to shoot her lover?

Think you can win it? Just want to have a good time? COME OUT AND JOIN US!

50% off Dangerously Delicious Pies from Living Social

Today's Living Social Deal of the Day is $25 for a $50 gift certificate to Dangerously Delicious Pies (1339 H St). This is a great opportunity to stock up on cowboy quiche, mixed berry, key lime, baltimore bomb, or the delicious pie for lunch/dinner option, the S.M.O.G. (steak mushroom onion gruyere).

Red Apron Butchery doubles down at H Street Farmers' Market

Red Apron Butchery will be coming twice as often to H Street. Starting this Saturday, July 17, Red Apron will be at the H Street Farmers' Market (625 H St) every other Saturday morning.

Red Apron comes from Chef Nathan Anda who is well known for his charcuterie, nitrate and preservative-free hot dogs, and his absolutely outstanding pastrami. Red Apron joined the H Street Freshfarm Farmers' Market this summer and was initially participating in the first market of the month only.

Roll Call: H Street Rolls Out a Barrel of Fun (with Biergarten)

Today's Roll Call has this nice review of DC's most popular new spot, Biergarten Haus (1355 H St).

Mug Shots: H Street Rolls Out a Barrel of Fun
July 15, 2010
By Alison McSherry
Roll Call Staff
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stepping into Biergarten Haus, one of the newest bars to open on the H Street Corridor, is like stepping out of D.C. and into a Bavarian watering hole where people chat quickly and happily, albeit in English rather than German. At the same time, though, it feels less like a vacation in the Alps and more like a trip to the Germany Pavilion at Epcot, thanks to all the strollers.

Animal heads hang high on the wall, while the sprawling back garden is filled with long wooden tables designed for communal drinking and even a few smaller high-top tables made from large beer barrels. After pounding a liter of beer, you may find yourself tapping your foot and yearning to twirl around the room to the sounds of the German band playing in the corner. Between the oom-pa-pa music and the high-quality beer list, this may be the happiest place on H Street.

Biergarten Haus (1355 H St. NE) is the brainchild of Aaron McGovern and Arturas Vorobjovas, owners of the swanky Russia House Restaurant and Lounge at Dupont Circle. The bar opened its doors in 2003 and quickly became a go-to bar for Russian expats — including several members of the Washington Capitals — and the women who love them.

After the success of Russia House, McGovern and Vorobjovas decided to open a second bar with European flair, though this time they opted for a German theme. The beer garden craze took over New York several years ago, but as with most trends it has taken some time to trickle down to D.C.

The two men “decided to do the Biergarten with a traditional German fare restaurant because we both loved the idea and the European feel of these style places,” McGovern says. “Also, D.C. doesn’t really have a place like this.”

The business partners decided on H Street when they found a piece of real estate that would allow for both indoor and outdoor seating. The bar consists of two floors and an enormous back patio area. It is not uncommon to see strangers sharing a brewsky at a communal table or to see young children running around the garden. This sense of community was part of the neighborhood’s appeal.

“We liked the community’s involvement in the neighborhood and its resurrection from its glorious day of the past,” McGovern says, referring to the early 20th century prior to the 1968 race riots, when H Street was a bustling neighborhood filled with shops and restaurants.

The bar opened its doors in June just in time for the World Cup. Opening night featured a packed house and a long line down the block, despite the fact that the Biergarten Haus has more than 300 seats. Would-be customers lined up hoping to grab a liter of German beer and munch on pub fare.

Twelve beers are available on tap and 14 more in bottles. Draft beers come in liter and half-liter mugs and are priced from $6 to $19. While many of the names may not be familiar to the untrained eye, the wait staff is friendly and happy to recommend a beer that tastes like whatever beer you normally drink.

The beer is accompanied by a wide variety of German food. Biergarten Haus offers a small bar menu in addition to a larger main menu. Bavarian pretzel rolls served with slices of cheese and potato pancakes accompanied by applesauce and sour cream are perfect for snacking. The main menu is a bit more substantial, featuring noteworthy German dishes such as Wiener schnitzel, lightly breaded and pan-fried veal, and a variety of sausage platters.

Now that the Biergarten Haus has been open for about a month, McGovern has his eye on the future, though he’s mum about what it may be.

“The wheels are always spinning. Who knows what’s next?” he says. “But I can assure you, whatever it is will certainly lend itself to great fun.”

$25 gift certificates to Star and Shamrock on sale for $10

What's the Deal? is currently selling $25 gift certificates to the Star and the Shamrock (1341 H St) for $10.

Save the date for the H Street Festival: Saturday, September 18

The H Street Festival is the Third Saturday in September, so this year's festival will be held in two months on Saturday, September 18, 2010. Save the date and stay tuned for more details at twitter.com/HStreetFestival.

Clark Ray champions streetcars, chastizes CM Phil Mendelson for flip flopping on issue

DC Council At-Large candidate Clark Ray champions streetcars and calls out CM Phil Mendelson in this press release. Ray notes that Mendelson stood alongside Council Chair Vince Gray in nearly derailing streetcars and was a regular critic of the plans to install them in DC until he recently reversed track and voted with the rest of the Council to pass a bill to permit an overhead wire along H Street earlier this week.

Ray is a a veteran of the Clinton-Gore Administration and the former Neighborhood Services Coordinator under Mayor Williams and Director of the Mayor’s Office of Community Relations and Services and of the Department of Parks and Recreation Director under Mayor Fenty. Ray is running a spirited campaign against Phil Mendelson, a former social worker who chairs the Committee on Public Safety & the Judiciary.

Taylor Gourmet house roast beef available starting Friday

Taylor Gourmet (1116 H St) will begin serving house roasted beef this Friday.

Check out this gorgeous shot of Taylor's freshly roast beef. If Taylor's roast beef if half as good as their roast pork, you are going to want to try this immediately.

Temporary streetcar wires bill passes, permanent bill still pending; and other legislative accomplishments from CM Tommy Wells

DC Council unanimously approved temporary legislation yesterday to prohibit overhead wires around the National Mall and to allow a public process for determining whether the wires can be used in other parts of the city, including H Street. Councilmember Tommy Wells has championed the issue and continued to work to reach a compromise to allow streetcars to begin operating on H Street soon. A vote on permanent legislation is expected after the Council returns following their August recess. The Council previously passed emergency legislation to accomplish the same (emergency legislation is in effect for 90 days; temporary for 225, both are used to enact immediate mandates without being subect to the usual Congressional approval process).

The Council also unanimously passed Wells' bill to strengthen school truancy rules as well as his lifting the veil on juvenile confidentiality legislation.

Congratulations to Councilmember Wells on a big, successful day. Be sure to pass along your appreciation to him, to his Chief of Staff Charles Allen, and to his transporation aide, local ANC6C Commissioner Anne Phelps for their important accomplishments the next time you see them on H Street.

Argonaut plans to partially reopen tomorrow (likely cash only, sans kitchen)

The Argonaut has posted this update (and photo) on their website.


In short, they plan to reopen the patio and the upstairs tomorrow, while the downstairs and kitchen remain closed pending post-fire renovations. The goal is to have two beers on tap and other beer, wine, and cocktail selections as well as limited menu of offerings, including sandwiches/panini (including peanut butter and nutella), soup (gazpacho), salad that can be prepped in advance and cooked on panini presses, etc. At least initially, they will likely operate cash only.

It's all coming together very quickly and there are sure to be some bumps in the road, but this is great news for the granddaddy of the new restaurants and bars that have arisen during the H Street renaissance. Be sure to stop by and say hello soon.

Link roundup

Girl Meets Food touts the Star and the Shamrock. Did you know they have a children's menu? They do. And it's half priced at lunch time Monday through Wednesday.

City Paper's Housing Complex Blog reports that Yes! Organic Market on the south side of Capitol Hill is looking for a new, larger location and that they are looking at H Street where they would be welcomed with open arms.

THIH highlights the Wylie Street cocktail at SOVA. SOVA's cocktails are as impressive as any on H Street and a number of them have neighborhood-themed names.

Mike Neibauer reports in the Washington Business Journal that CM Tommy Wells introduced a bill to allocate $5 million for H Street small business improvement and another $5 million for Guy Steuart's Development on the 300 block of H Street, which is slated to host a Giant grocery store and 212 residential units. The funds will come from a $25 million Tax Increment Financing (TIF) pot that the Council allocated a few years back, but which has not been used thus far. If passed, this bill should be a major step forward in moving this expected development ahead.

Toyland to add outdoor seating

Toyland (421 H St) recently filed an application to use the public space along the 5th Street facing portion of their property for patio seating and hopes to have outdoor seating later this summer. ANC6C will consider the application at its monthly meeting on Wednesday evening.

WP: Temporium retail incubator coming to 1300 H St on July 23

Today's Washington Post has this story on the Temporium, the temporary art, fashion, jewelry, and design retail incubator shop, which opens at 1300 H St on July 23.

For artists, storefront on a shoestring

By Danielle Douglas
Capital Business Staff Writer
Monday, July 12, 2010; A11

Lugging dresses, necklaces, clutches and earrings around the District is not exactly how Dana Ayanna Greaves likes to spend her weekends. But the designer behind Artistic Aya says that setting up shop in the city presents a number of challenges. Where rents are affordable, foot traffic is scarce. And where shoppers fill the streets, lease rates are astronomical.

So Greaves was thrilled when Philippa P.B. Hughes, founder of the Pink Line Project, invited her to sell her wares at the Temporium, a kind of retail incubator sponsored by the city. "Trunk shows only last for a few hours, and that doesn't always give customers enough time," Greaves said. "So the store is great because people will have more time to view the collection and decide to buy."

The Temporium, located in the former R.L. Christian Library at 13th and H streets NE, is an outgrowth of the D.C. Office of Planning's "temporary urbanism" initiative. "We want to activate vacant spaces and create lively neighborhood corridors throughout the city that would support creative entrepreneurs and highlight retail potential in emerging areas such as H Street," said Tanya Washington, chief of staff at the Office of Planning.

She said the city brought together a number of creative types, including Hughes, to brainstorm on the best uses for the empty spaces sprinkled about the District. Hughes championed the idea of establishing a short-term retail collective. These artist incubators are fairly common throughout New York and Los Angeles but have not become so on the D.C. design scene.

Hughes, a local cultural maven, has organized a fair share of visual and performance art events throughout the city, including a few exhibits at vacant retail spaces. Most of those events, she said, focused on the experience of the art, whereas the Temporium is about the business of art. "This is about creating a business model that is viable," she said. "If the designers sell their goods, expand their brands and get new customers, that would be a mark of success."

Each of the 12 designers and artists slated to occupy space at the store is expected to contribute about 10 percent of their earnings. That revenue will be coupled with the $20,000 grant provided by the city to operate and spruce up the space. The temporary store will be open from July 23 to Aug. 15, during which time Hughes expects to host a variety of events on the weekends to generate buzz.

Hughes said it wasn't hard to find people to offer their work for sale at the boutique, given the close-knit nature of the city's artist community. "I haven't had one designer turn me down, because it is such a fresh approach for D.C. and for showing work," she said.

Artists, Hughes suspects, are also drawn to the fairly low cost of participation. Retail rents at fashion-forward, high-traffic corridors such as Georgetown can average between $80 and $100 a square foot, said Steve Solomon, a broker at Solomon Real Estate. Even in areas such as H Street NE, where rents range from $20 to $50 a square foot, leasing, say, 1,000 square feet and paying utilities would be difficult for many young designers.
"I would love to open a store, but it's not feasible at this time," Greaves said. "So this is a great way for me to explore it further." Besides, she added, "in D.C., Philippa is the go-to woman for engaging, quality events, for artists, designers and creative businesses. So this is a good fit."

In recent years, H Street has attracted a steady stream of artists, but with sparse retail offerings, the area is largely in transition. "This is ultimately an initiative to stimulate community building, promoting neighborhoods and using these as opportunities to drive new economic development in areas that would otherwise sit vacant," Washington said.

PSA: water trees near your house - receive free watering bag

Recent release from DDOT Urban Forestry calling on residents to water trees in front of their homes and neighboring properties. The city will provide a free watering bag to anyone who agrees to keep it filled, as per below.

Call to Water Street Trees in Summer Heat: Residents Urged to Adopt Street Trees and Receive Free Watering Devices

(Washington, D.C.) In response to the recent heat waves and dry conditions, the District Department of Transportation’s Urban Forestry Administration (UFA) is launching an effort to engage as many residents as possible in watering street trees so they survive this hot summer.

It takes less than 10 minutes a week to fill the free slow-drip watering device provided by the city to any individual who adopts street trees through UFA’s Canopy Keepers program.

“Summer heat and normal urban pressures create intense stress for street trees,” said John Thomas, Chief Forester for the District of Columbia. “While UFA crews are watering all 3,500 new trees we planted this year, we are calling on District residents and businesses to help water street trees close to their homes and offices. Together, we can ensure that these taxpayer-funded assets provide their full environmental, economic, and social benefits for years to come.”

Please contact the Urban Forestry Administration at (202) 671-5133 or visit http://ddot.dc.gov and click on the “Trees” link (or fill out the attached form) to become a Canopy Keeper, receive a free watering device and help street trees survive the summer.

The Temporium: H Street Pop Up Design Shop coming to 1300 H St July 23

Greed Door Advisors and Pink Line Project will launch the Temporium, a pop up design shop at the 1300 H Street later this month. Beginning Friday, July 23, some of DC’s best designers show their wares in this temporary store Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings, and Sunday afternoons. Grand opening fesivities will occur on Friday, July 23 and Saturday, July 24.

Dear H Street Neighborhood Friends,

Green Door Advisors and The Pink Line Project are thrilled to present the Temporium, a pop-up design shop, in the former R.L. Christian Library Kiosk at 1300 H Street NE. The Temporium will showcase some of H Street’s and DC’s best designers and artists from July 23 through August 15. The project supports the District’s Temporary Urbanism and neighborhood retail development initiatives, and we think this project will fit in perfectly with the creative vibrancy already happening on H Street. We are really looking forward to being part of the neighborhood for a few weeks this summer!

A little about the project: with the help of DC-based artists Billy Colbert, Albus Cavus, and amRadio, we will transform the kiosk into a cool design shop and event space using repurposed materials and lighting. Over 20 DC-based fashion, art, home deco, and jewelry designers will rotate through to showcase and sell their unique creations. A few of the great local designers who will display their designing prowess include: Dana Greaves, Derringer Friday, Bill Johnson, Kristi Riggs, Hugh & Crye, and many others. We will also program DC-based musicians and performance artists to perform on the opening and closing weekends with the help of Josh Phelps, who is currently organizing the Monumental Music Festival, and Bluebrain, one of the most creative musical duos working in DC right now. Finally, we will also be coordinating with other creative businesses in the neighborhood to provide unique programs such as a panel discussion on the emerging art scene with Conner Contemporary on July 31. Please let me know if you have any ideas for collaboration!

Through bringing together and showcasing DC designers, celebrating local music, offering artistic programming and linking into other neighborhood events and resources we hope the Temporium will attract residents and visitors to H Street NE and grow the creative framework. The Temporium will also help meet several objectives established by the District of Columbia through the Creative DC Action Agenda and the Retail Action Strategy including supporting creative entrepreneurs, highlighting the retail potential of emerging areas like H Street NE, activating vacant spaces and promoting neighborhood commercial corridors. District partners include the DC Office of Planning, the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, and the DC Department of Real Estate Services.

Both Green Door Advisors and The Pink Line Project are committed to engaging with our H Street community friends in the creative, artistic and economic development of the District of Columbia, and we look forward to working with you on this initiative!
We’ll be posting updates about the project at www.temporiumdc.com. We are still adding content to the site and we welcome your contributions.

Sincerely,

Marisa Gaither Flowers, Green Door Advisors
Philippa P.B. Hughes, The Pink Line Project
__________________________________
philippa p.b. hughes
chief creative contrarian - the pink line project
commissioner - dc commission on the arts & humanities


www.pinklineproject.com
A consolidated, searchable DC arty events calendar for the culturally curious!

Metrocurean: Five Bites features H Street/NE Capitol Hill's best dishes

Every Friday, Amanda McClements hosts reader submitted "Five Bites" featuring reader submitted five favorite items from restaurants across town on her Metrocurean blog. Today's "Five Bites" is covers H Street and the NE side of Capitol Hill.

Ben, a lifelong DC resident who says he appreciates the culinary revitalization of his hometown, offers an all Northeast list of bites.

1. Lobster roll at Liberty Tree

2. Reuben egg rolls at Star and Shamrock

3. Caprese sandwich at Toscana

4. Moules champignon with large fries at Granville Moore's

5. Bacon, onion and Gruyere quiche at Dangerously Delicious Pies

I'd say its a pretty good representation of the best items on H Street, though I'd probably substitute Ethiopic's vegetarian sampler or signature lamb tibs for the caprese sandwich and the S.M.O.G. (Steak Mushroom Onion and Gruyere) as my favorite item from Dangerous Delicious Pies.

What else should be on a list of the best must-order items from H Street's fast-growing dining scene?

Reminder: Argonaut event at Palace of Wonders tonight at 7 p.m.

WP: Biergarten Haus is Oktoberfest year-round

Fritz Hahn has this video take on the Biergarten Haus (1355 H St). The full Washington Post review runs in tomorrow's paper and is excerpted below:

At Biergarten Haus in Northeast Washington, Oktoberfest is year-round
By Fritz Hahn
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, July 9, 2010

The buzz: Oktoberfest has come to H Street NE. That's the only way to describe the scenes in the festive outdoor beer garden at Biergarten Haus, a German-themed bar that opened in mid-June, just in time for the World Cup. More than 300 people can crowd onto the spacious back patio, and visiting is like wandering into a party in Munich.

Groups of laughing revelers toast with one-liter mugs of German beer at long wooden tables, as strolling accordionists play traditional drinking songs. The flags of Germany's 16 states flutter overhead, and chestnut trees and umbrellas offer shade.

Under a blue and white striped tent, waitresses carry trays of glasses and giant platters of sausages, sauerkraut and fried schnitzel to more tables, while a tall fountain burbles away.

But it was when Germany played in the World Cup that Biergarten Haus seemed farthest from Washington. Lines stretched down the block, with many people wearing a Bastian Schweinsteiger or Michael Ballack jersey, or a red, black and yellow scarf. As the games played on a pair of 100-inch projection screens under the tent, men in lederhosen danced on tables, hoisted steins and urged the team on with German songs. (The upside of Germany's semifinal loss? It'll be easier to get in this weekend.)

The scene: Despite the heat, Meg Rowland and her friends found drinking under the outdoor tent to be "a very enjoyable experience -- it doesn't hurt when you're drinking giant liters of beer," said Rowland, 25, the author of a blog called 2Birds1Blog.

"It's like Disney, but in a good way," said Andrew Violante, 24, who works for a nonprofit group, though he wasn't a big fan of the German marches playing over the sound system.

"It's schtick, but I'd definitely come back," Rowland added. "I can see this being wonderful in the fall."

The beer garden is the jewel, drawing everyone from college students to German natives in their 50s for a beer and a snack. It's so popular that bouncers are occasionally stationed at both the front door and the door leading out to the patio, which hits capacity early on. It's not as if being stuck inside is a bad thing. Twelve German draft beers are available inside. The two-level space is modeled after a Bavarian hunting lodge, with rich chestnut trim, displays of vintage beer steins, and mounted animal heads. (Don't miss the enormous red stag hanging upstairs.)
review continues online.

ARTventures on H Street will be quarterly event; next ARTventures on H set for September 18

ARTventures on H Street was such a success that it will now be a quarterly event with open tours of the various H Street corridor Art Galleries held every three months.

The next ARTventures on H Street will be held in conjunction with the H Street Festival on September 18. Save the date!

Is this your dog? Young, male puggle found near 12th & C on Wednesday night

Reminder that the Palace of Wonders (1210 H St) hosts the premiere of Loteria de Amor tonight. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the game show starts at 9 p.m.

The Washington Post Going Out Gurus have this preview:

Loteria de Amor kicks off
With the advent of a new game show night, H Street's Palace of Wonders is continuing to do what it does best -- serve up fun and games with a side of burlesque. The game, inspired by the Mexican version of bingo, is also spotlighting area artists; visitors won't be playing with those familiar numbered discs, but rather crafty little creations by locals, including artists Tim Tate and Dana Ellyn and arts advocate Philippa Hughes of the Pinkline Project. And to spice things up, before the game and between rounds, there will be plenty of entertainment courtesy of Palace favorites, including the evening's co-host Shortstaxx and Malibu, Mistress of Fire. As for the "amor" in the game title, there's also a bit of a dating show aspect to the evening. Prizes include a date with another audience member, although if you're already paired off, never fear, there are prizes for non-singletons as well.
-- Stephanie Merry
The Palace of Wonders
Price: $10
http://www.palaceofwonders.com/

Art opening receptions this Saturday

Conner Contemporary (1358 Florida Ave), Industry Gallery (1358 Florida Ave, 2nd floor), and G Fine Art (1350 Florida Ave) all launch new exhibits with opening receptions this Saturday, June 10. Conner Contemporary and Industry Gallery's openings run from 6 - 8 p.m. G Fine Art's reception is from 6:30- 8:30 p.m.

More information on each new exhibit is available online:

Conner Contemporary: "Academy 2010" (through August 23).

Industry Gallery: "Getting to Now - Pathways to 21st Century Design" (through August 7).

G Fine Art: Karen Yasinsky's "I choose darkness" (through August 7).

Link roundup

Tasting Table touts Star and Shamrock (1341 H St).

Greater Greater Washington summarizes DDOT, and others responses to the NCPC on the latest streetcar dust up. The current question is whether federal funds can be obtained to extend the H Street line across the river. NCPC has tried to prevent that from happening, but streetcar supporters are fighting back.

THIH's Sharee Lawler covers the recent DDOT community meeting regarding streetcars and the proposed power station on Wylie St.

The Examiner says H Street Country Club (1335 H St) is your summer date spot and gives it an A+ for first date potential. The Washingtonian touted them as the best blind date spot in town last week.

Frozen Tropics says tomorrow night will be a ton of fun at the Palace of Wonders (1210 H St) where they are hosting Loteria de Amor (Mexican bingo), an art show, and a host of performers.

Palace of Wonders (1210 H St) is also home to a benefit for the Argonaut on Thursday. Join The Palace and the DC Roller Girls for a night of DJ, dancing, raffles and fun to help benefit The Argonaut as it continues to recover from a recent fire. Doors open at 6 p.m. and for $10 they'll have drink specials, swag, contests, the DC Roller Girls, and more! Palace of Wonders wraps up the week with their fourth annivesary show on Friday. Doors open at 6:00 p.m., $10 cover, 10 p.m. show with several of their top talents.

Sietsema continues to sing Ethiopic & H Street dining scene's praises

From Wednesday's Ask Tom chat:

Q.Ethiopian restaurant

Hi Tom. I have a friend visiting from NY this weekend and he loves Ethiopian food - which he never has in NY (guess no good Ethiopian restuarants there), so we have Ethiopian food every time he visits. We usually go to Dukem on U street, but was thinking of checking out another Ehtiopian restaurant, hopefully in the same price range as Dukem. Is there any good place you can suggest? Preferably donwtown, Logan, Dupont, Adams Morgan, U street neighbourhoods. Thanks!
– June 30, 2010 10:37 AM

A.Tom Sietsema writes:

As you may have gathered from today's intro, my new favorite for kitfo and doro wat is the youthful Ethiopic in the Atlas District. If you haven't checked out the neighborhood before, you're in for a surprise: So much to do there! I think I could review a new restaurant from the Atlas District for the next two months and not complete the job.

H Street Country Club voted Washingtonian's Best Place for Blind Date

In the July 1010 Washingtonian Best Of Issue, H Street Country Club (1335 H St) is touted as a place "where you can bond over dinner, drinks, and mini-golf." It should also mention skeeball, shuffle board, and pool. It's a great spot for a blind date, a first date, a double date, or a birthday party.

In addition to groups of young adults who come in the evening hours, H Street Country Club regularly hosts childrens' birthday parties with weekend afternoon minigolf events. In the coming months, they'll add a roof deck with another 9 holes of minigolf.

They've also got some of the best specials on H Street, including free golf with dinner Sundays, $1 tacos with drinks on Wednesdays, 10% off dinner with Atlas tickets on Fridays and Saturdays, and $3 Dos Equis and $5 Classic Margaritas from 5 to 8 p.m. all week long.

Humane Society hosts adoption event at Metro Mutts, Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The Washington Humane Society will have cats and dogs available to adopt tomorrow at Metro Mutts (508 H St) between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Stop by after you hit the first farmers' market of the month.

Argo benefit a big success; auction winners and pictures posted online

The Argonaut benefit drew over 300 people to the Rock and Roll Hotel on Wednesday night and raised roughly $10,000 to support the Argonaut's employees while they rebuild everyone's favorite H Street neighborhood restaurant. The silent auction winners have been posted online as have professional photos of the event.

The event was so successful that a followup is already in the works and scheduled for July 8, at Palace of Wonders.

This weekend on H Street

Tonight:
Breakfast at Tiffany's at the Atlas (1333 H St), at 8 p.m.
Thursday night = Bluegrass at SOVA (1359 H St)
Last chance to reserve your clam boil or lobster pot from Liberty Tree (1016 H St) for your Fourth of July dinner. 396-TREE

Tomorrow:
Happy Hour half priced beer and wine at SOVA (1359 H St) until 7:30.
Moneytown at Little Miss Whiskey's (1104 H St), at 10 p.m.

Saturday:
First Saturday Farmers' Market (625 H St) with guest vendors Dolcezza Gelato & Red Apron Butchery, at 9 a.m.
World Cup Soccer: Germany v. Argentina, at 10 a.m. (Biergarten opens at 8, Star and Sharmock at 9:30, H Street Country Club at 10). Paraguay v. Spain at 2:30.
1776 at the Atlas (1333 H St), at 5 p.m.
All Associates Show Opening Reception at City Gallery (804 H St), at 6 p.m.
Acadamy 2010 opening reception at Conner Contemporary (1358 Florida Ave), at 6 p.m.
La Dolce Vita at the Atlas (1333 H St), at 8 p.m.