On Saturday I got a flier advertising the Mt. Sinai Baptist Church Nurses’ Ministry’s Church and Community Health Fair. What I really wanted to do Saturday was ask questions of what I’m assuming is some clothing ministry that was out on the corner of 3rd and Q that day. But I was running errands and trying to catch buses so that didn’t happen.
If you haven’t seen them or ever walked by that corner when they are out, every so often (it seems monthly or quarterly) on a Saturday there will be free clothing offered. The couple of times I’ve passed there have been people fingering through the racks of clothes. When I walked by this weekend there were “gently used” (got that phrase from EBay) women’s and children’s shoes. There were children’s clothing as well as adult clothing. And then there is the big chalkboard saying “Free Clothes” just so it is clear of what’ going on and offered.
The flier I got is for free health screenings and some shots & tests that are to occur on the 26th from 10AM to 3PM. The screenings are for prostate cancer, glucose (for diabetes, body fats or lipids), and blood pressure. The tests are for HIV, urine, and hearing. The shots are for the flu and tetanus. This is to occur in their lower auditorium. I’m guessing that’s the same area where we have the BACA meetings.
For more information I gather one would contact Mt. Sinai and their office # is 2/ 667-1833.
Tag: events
Couple of weekend things
Several communities near and in Shaw will be having clean ups. In the Truxton part of Shaw on the 22nd is the Bates Area Clean Up to take place between 10AM and 1PM. One may gather at 1st and P. Now the thing about this clean up is you can join a group and clean up, over at 1st and P and work your way from that point. Or you can clean up your own street, sidewalk, front yard, whatever. The idea is to clean up and beautify the neighborhood.
From Anita:
Dear Neighbors,
This is a friendly reminder that our individual undivided attention is needed in front of our homes, the sidewalks, curbs and gutter, alleyways, treeboxes and flower gardens. Additionally, we can do “first-hand observation about the appearance and safety features requiring service in our community” — areas missing grass, broken sidewalks, overrun tree boxes, inoperative fire hydrants, etc. Lets join together in the Neighborhood Clean up by giving whatever amount of time you can spare to helping to keep our community clean, safe and a great place to live for all.
Since I had mentioned canning this week and since I have a novice’s idea of what I’m doing, may I suggest the canning lecture at the Historical Society (801 K Street, NW) at 1PM (yeah you can do it right after cleaning the community). Specifically it’s called Family Urban Gardening: Cooking & Preserving Summer Bounties.
Bundy stuff
First the bad from Mr. Moulton:
Dear Ms Choke,
With a shooting in broad daylight yesterday afternoon, in DPR’s park within yards of the Bundy School (future home of Safe Shores) on O Street NW, hundreds of local residents hope your office will consider public safety when making a final determination of parking options for Bundy School tenants in the next few days. A police report from the Third District MPD is copied below.
As you know, many residents in our community are happy to share the responsibility for working collaboratively with our local MPD officials to make our community as safe as possible and enliven dead zones around our homes for the sake of our families and children as well as those who will receive necessary services at Safe Shores.
Will OPM be sound proofing the windows at Bundy School?
Daily Crime Report – 3D
Thu Aug 6, 2009 10:00 am
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MPD-3d/message/6856PSA: 308
CCN: 09110947
RPT DATE: Aug 05, 2009
OFFENSE: ADW – Assault With A Deadly Weapon
METHOD: Gun
BLOCK: 400 B/O O ST NW
LOCATION: Park Area
START DT: 08/05/2009
START TM: 14:42:00
Hopefully there will be the staffing necessary around after this fiscal year is over to address this. At the BACA meeting the OPM rep tried to make the audience understand that the office is cutting about 9 (if I remember right) positions and that has consequences.
Good news also from Mr. Moulton of CCCA or an event announcement that there will be a Jazz on the Green event at Bundy Park August 21st at 6:30 with a Brazilian jazz ensemble. See more here (PDF). It is great that groups and individuals are putting on outdoor arts events around the neighborhood. The First on First, over in Bloomingdale was a blast. Hopefully this will be a fun little event.
Tonight! The Big Bundy Meeting
The image shown is a suggestion posted by a Mr. E. Smith where there is parking close to the Bundy building and a greenspace on the P Street side. I like it.
The meeting regarding the proposed parking lot is tonight (July 9, 2009) at 7pm at the Scott Montgomery Elementary School (421 P Street NW).
I got the flier today regarding the meeting. I do have some criticism of it, but keep in mind I am pro-dog park. One it doesn’t mention the dog park idea at all. It just mentions greenspace. I understand why this was probably done, but full disclosure may be the best thing in the long run. Last criticism is the mention of shootings near Bundy Park, considering all the other factors in that general vicinity, I fail to see how it links up with problem. Otherwise there are wonderful and very valid points, such as the 600sf of building space to 1 parking spot code, meaning only 25 spaces are needed and pointing out that the 400 block of P is deserted and needs eyes and feet.
Also contact Eleanor Holmes Norton about this and express you concern as this involves a federal land transfer.
Fringe Festival Item: A Tactile Dinner
Weird but good. I enjoyed it.
There was an announcement that went up on the MVSQ blog about a preview for this… thing. So I went, not really knowing what to expect except that it was about food. I like food.
Food was deconstructed and the audience was the participant. No sitting back and just observing. It was a futurist meal. We “ate” beef (or mushroom if vegetarian) air, had salad (locally grown) without the aid of forks and knives, had a sugar cube course, and ended the meal with a spray of coffee or tea. Throw in some dance, and wrap it in futurism and a good time was had.
July 4th, not that bad
I looked at last year’s post and it seems that there has been little change, except no spent firecracker wound up on my roof this year. There was a large crowd that gathered at the corner setting off things that couldn’t have been legal.
Call the cops?
Ha, ha, you’re funny.
It looked like there were fireworks being set off in the direction of the Cook school and somewhere in Bloomingdale. I was on the ground, so I couldn’t tell. Big and very, very loud fireworks went off on my corner. No one set off anything in front of their houses, nor the alley. And it was less smokey than last year, however there was that eau de gunpowder smell lingering in the air the next day.
Our great BACA leader Jim Berry sent out an email about a post-firework clean up on Sunday and I did see people the day after picking up trash. Speaking of BACA there isn’t a meeting today, but rather July 13th. The winners of the BACA Flower Power walk are to be announced and awarded then.
4th of July
I feel the need to warn the new people on the block about the 4th. But then so far all signs seem to say it isn’t worth saying anything. In the past week I’ve heard only a few instances of fireworks going off. Before that maybe the odd explosion, but nothing worth blogging about.
So it is entirely possible that this July Fourth the DIY fireworks in the hood may be fairly tame and less war-zone like. But I’m not entirely sure as there are still vacant lots and other things that attract people with boxes of illegal fireworks. So we’ll see.
Also I’m available should anyone want to invite me to their rooftop gathering. Watching and comparing the fireworks from the Mall, with the various displays popping out of Columbia Heights, Brookland, Capitol Hill, and Dupont/ Foggy Bottom/Georgetown (can’t really tell) is quite enjoyable. However when stuck on the ground it’s a bunch of noise & smoke.
BFM and a teaspoon of Rolling Thunder
Besides the bikes that a few of my neighbors have, I figured the rumbling I’d hear would be limited to them and a few of their friends. Nope.
Sunday at the Bloomingdale Farmer’s Market, where I wandered over to get pasta and strawberries, I saw a parade of motorcycles lead by the police. This is not a good picture, but back on Florida Ave is where a small portion of the bikes can be seen. It was a good bunch, men, predominately Afro-American, on shiny big bikes, waving to the people and honking their horns. Traffic was blocked for several minutes and it went on long enough to make me wonder if I could get back to the other side of Florida.
The mini parade went on long enough that as they were passing my attention went back to buying things. I really like the Copper Pot’s pasta sauces and meat filled pastas. I’ll admit, I’m not that big of a fan of the spaghetti, but I like very, very, very thin noodles. Last night I had the lamb angelico(?), the lamb stuffed pasta,with a cream sauce I made from cream, white wine, garlic, a bit of lemon juice and some sage growing out in the yard. OMG that’s good. The week before I had the rabbit pasta, which is very delicate and requires a delicate sauce. So far the lamb is my favorite.
And there were two vendors selling strawberries. Last week I made strawberry frozen yogurt with those strawberries and that very smooth yogurt found at Timor’s. That was very good and no I didn’t give any of that away, like I normally do with a lot of my ice creams. So this week, I bought some more strawberries, from both vendors and once again made strawberry frozen yogurt, and pina colada sorbet. Both have booze in them so that limits who I can give them away to.
Unlike store bought strawberries, these in season, local kind, don’t have that tasteless white center I often find. The farmer’s market strawberries are tasty throughout.
UHOP parade May 23rd, you have been warned
Okay, I don’t want to get into an argument about religious or 1st amendment expression, I just want to warn some of y’all about an annual traffic nightmare/ fun parade. Depending on who you are, where you live, what you’re doing and if you actually need to get anywhere will determine how you feel about it. I live on the other side of New Jersey Ave and I take the subway, so I don’t care.
Anyway here’s some of the announcement:
The United House of Prayer for All People will be celebrating its, Annual Memorial Day Peace Parade, on Saturday May 23, 2009. This year the parade has a theme, which has been coined “Return”, adapted by our leader, Bishop C. M. Bailey.
Historically, the parade route travels passing through Vermont Avenue, however, this year, the parade route will travel down 13th Street, NW, from U. Street, NW. The actual parade route is:
6th Street – Florida Avenue – 13th Street – Logan Circle – P Street – 7th Street – back to United House of Prayer for All People, 601 M Street, NW
Because the parade route has been slightly changed, we want to provide notification to the Community and thus, sought to have this communicated to Advisory Neighborhood Commission, ANC, 2-F, so as to not inconvenience the community.
The parade, lotsa black people, groups of young men with brass instruments, and maybe drums, will be snaking through the middle of Shaw starting around 11AM and possibly finishing up around 3PM. Avoid Rhode Island Avenue, and any other cross streets through central Shaw, if you’re in a car. Now if you’re on a bike, just try not to hit anyone, you can probably ride through the gaps.
Every time I encounter the parade, there never seems to be anyone from the city (MPD, DDOT, etc) directing traffic on Rhode Island. Since the church is alerting the community with announcements, I wonder if that will change.
BACA Clean up May 9th & Flower Power Walk 6/13
Okay, I got a couple of BACA Flower Power tickets to sell. Flower Power is the Bates Area Civic Association garden walk, and this year it is going to be on June 13th. It is a good opportunity to look at others yards, see what grows well around here and steal ideas. The tickets are $10 and I take PayPal. Money goes to fund other BACA beautification projects.
Also this weekend as a part of the build up for Flower Power is a BACA clean up, with a focus on tree boxes. May 9th between 9 and 11 or noon, at the corner of 1st and P, neighbors will be gathering together to spruce up the area. It is suggested that you bring your own tools and keep them in your sights.