Source: https://www.borderstan.com/2013/04/
Timestamp: 2019-04-18 12:23:23+00:00

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A month-long show featuring 13 Mid City Artists opens Thursday, May 2 at Art17. The show highlights works by several Borderstan artists, including Scott Brooks, Michael Crossett, Gary Fisher, Sally Kauffman, Miguel Perez Lem, Eileen Lyons, Regina Miele, Lucinda Murphy, Brian Petro, Ron Riley, Marie Ringwald, Michael Torra and Robert Weiner.
Since Mid City Artists was founded in 2010, the group has exhibited and hosted open studios at Art17. The space, at Coldwell Banker Dupont, has been dedicated to displaying the art of DC artist for more than 10 years. Most recently, Kevin Duffie, who owns the real estate company’s 17th Street location, asked featured Mid City artist to be the curator of Art17.
While kicking of the spring art season at Art17 and the new collaboration between Michael Petro and Art17, the show also previews the Mid City Artists’ spring open studios. The upcoming open studios weekend will take place May 17-18 at the artists’ studios around Borderstan.
What: Art17’s Spring Art Season show featuring Mid City Artists.
When: Opening 6 to 8 pm, Thursday, May 2; exhibit on view throughout May.
Where: Art17 at Coldwell Banker Dupont, 1606 17th Street NW.
From Maggie Barron. You can reach her at maggie[AT]borderstan.com and follow her on Twitter @rookerysf.
This morning, we said goodbye to our old faithful Ikea sofa, Ektorp. It was the first major piece of furniture that Jesse and I bought together ($200 on Craigslist). It carried us through countless dinner parties, overnight guests, episodes of “30 Rock,” and, yes, a few nights of comfort after some big arguments.
In its place, we have a beautiful Room & Board York sofa bed. It’s the first piece of new, non-Ikea furniture that we’ve ever owned. It’s also the first time I’ve been able to choose the fabric! How far we’ve come!
I feared that might drive away the more normal inquiries, though. The photo didn’t quite do it justice. Or maybe it did, which made me feel worse. Had my couch always been so… schlumpy?
Responses came immediately, several from young women who had just moved in with their boyfriends. Ektorp would be their first joint couch, too. It seemed fitting.
Sarah and John ended up buying it — I think I was touched by how excited they were to get their first big piece of furniture, how they thoughtfully tested the cushions, how they tried to make the “big” decision together in a serious way. Jesse and I probably looked exactly the same to the Craigslist people who sold us the couch more than three years ago.
“This couch is really nice,” Sarah said, which made me feel sorry for the times I’d made fun of Ektorp for being old and outdated.
I am not a sentimental person. I can be ruthless about culling and getting rid of items that have outlived their usefulness. They are just things, I say. And yet, I have to admit that I am sad to say goodbye to our Ikea couch.
Maybe that’s because it feels like I’ve returned Ektorp to some sort of cosmic communal pool of furniture that city residents share. The one that’s part of the cycle of 20-something life, love, and real estate that makes our cities hum. The one that I (thankfully) don’t need to be a part of anymore.
We got the couch in! Thanks for all your help, and hope you are enjoying the new one. This post appeared first at Barron’s blog, Rookery.
From Nick Barron. Follow him on Twitter @nbarron; email him at nick[AT]borderstan.com.
A DC business is challenging the status quo of the real estate industry in a move it hopes will ease the housing shortage in the nation’s capital.
DC Home Buzz, a real estate brokerage in Columbia Heights, has moved to a flat-fee listing service, instead of the industry’s standard commission-based fees. The fee is $9,900, regardless of the purchase price of a home.
Ati Williams, owner of DC Home Buzz, hopes the move will accomplish two things: increase the amount of available housing stock in DC, one of the tightest housing markets in the U.S., and encourage others in the real estate industry to start offering flat fee services.
“We’re hoping that sellers see what a great offer we’re giving and are encouraged to put their homes on the market because they can sell their homes, get the full service, luxury treatment and save up to $20,000,” Williams said.
While some real estate agents offer flat fee listings, Williams says most don’t offer the level of service her firm is giving sellers.
“The few brokerages that do flat fee listings don’t include marketing for the property, staging and the like,” Williams said. The flat fee service was requested, and DC Home Buzz can afford to offer it by being more targeted in how they spend money on marketing.
With DC Home Buzz’s flat fee service, a $400,000 transaction would save a seller $2,100, based on an estimated 3 percent commission to the listing agent and buyer’s agent. A $750,000 transaction would save the seller $12,600 based on the same scenario.
DC Home Buzz has published a question-and-answer blog post with more information about their flat-fee listing service.
From Scott Leibowitz. Find Scott on Twitter @Lebodome, email him at [email protected].
Wow. I won’t lie. Just writing that headline made me a bit emotional. However, I think the writing was on the wall for an event like this. The fact that it happened is an immense step toward equality and progress in our great land.
While in women’s professional sports this is technically not as big of a deal, in the men’s sporting world, it is a different story. The four major leagues all are generally known for rampant homophobia, masculinity, and a fairly hostile environment for men who don’t fit the norm.
Retired male professional athletes have come and told the world they are gay — but this is the first time an active player has done so.
When you live in a place like Borderstan where gay and straight people live openly and easily together, it is easy to forget that we live in a bubble. A very nice bubble, of course, but a bubble. Collins made more than sports history yesterday. He made history for all of us.
Jason Collins is no All Star, but he is considered a “pros’ pro,” which means a team player, the guy who works hard and someone who everyone respects. Many great players have battled along side Jason. With his story out there, I am hoping a lot of his old teammates rethink their own views and perhaps take a stand for LGBT rights — especially in men’s professional sports.
There has been no immediate fallout except praise and understanding. Fellow athletes (including Kobe Bryant) have come out in support. Others have not. I know that in my younger days a team locker room would have been a rough place for Jason’s courage. It is my wish that my children won’t grow up in the same world, thanks to heroes like Collins.
This is a story of immense courage and risk, and hopefully it inspires others to not make a leap of faith, but to feel comfortable in knowing the world will love you equally for scoring a touchdown or loving who you choose to love.
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) has created a card with safety tips designed to help citizens prevent becoming the victim of a robbery. The 10 tips are listed below.
The card encourages residents to always be aware of their surroundings and to pay attention to activity happening around them. Avoiding distractions from electronic devices is particularly important.
Trying to multitask while walking can lead to victimization — MPD stresses it is best to walk with a purpose and with confidence and not try to text, take phone calls, listen to music, or check email while walking. If possible, do not walk alone and only walk through well-lit and well-traveled areas.
MPD also recommends only using ATMs in well-populated areas when it is light outside. Do not display large amounts of cash or expensive jewelry or electronic items.
To prevent pickpocketing, men should avoid carrying their wallet in a back pocket and instead carry it in a front pocket or an inside jacket pocket. Women are encouraged to carry a small purse that can be held in their hand.
Always be aware of your surroundings, vigilant of activity around you and attentive to individuals approaching, walking purposely and with confidence.
Do not allow yourself to be distracted by activity such as talking on your cell phone, listening to music or reading.
Protect your electronics by not displaying them.
Resist the urge to multi-task while walking; wait to make phone calls, check your email and listen to music at your destination.
If you purchase an electronic device check on the availability of a tracking system for the device (usually free at time of purchase).
Do not use ATMs that are located in remote areas, use ATMs during the daylight hours in well-populated areas.
Do not display large amounts of cash when paying for items, and do not display exces­sive jewelry.
Men: if you carry wallet, place the wallet in your front hip pocket or inside jacket pocket- do not carry in your back pant pocket.
Women: when you will be walking in public spaces carry a small handbag or purse that you can grasp with a hand.
This story originally ran on December 20, 2012.
Under The Bridge is by TheRobbStory from the Borderstan Flickr pool.
Today’s photo, Under The Bridge is by TheRobbStory. The photo was taken April 2.
From Rachel Jones. Email her at rjones[AT]borderstan.com. She is the owner of K-9 Divine and a professional dog trainer.
Take your dog swimming. Two options for off leash dog swimming in the area are Shirlington Dog Park in Arlington, Va., and Downs Memorial Dog Park Beach in Pasadena, Md.
Buy a kiddie pool for your patio or backyard. Even if you have a small patio, your dog will love splashing around in a kiddie pool.
Make doggie “popsicles.” Freeze chicken or beef broth in an ice cube tray and give them to your dog as a cool treat.
Limit your dog’s outdoor time during peak sun and never leave him in a hot car. If you are worried about them being bored, add some training or stimulating toys to make up for the shorter walks in summer. Signs of heat stroke include heavy panting, difficulty breathing, bright red gums and unsteadiness.
If you see these symptoms, try to immediately cool your dog by placing her in a tub of cool water (not freezing) or using a cold cloth to cool her feet and groin area. If symptoms persist, go to the vet right away.
Summers in DC can be brutal for everyone. Make sure your dog is comfortable and happy this summer!
Construction work on the apartment building at the southeast corner of 17th and O Streets NW is moving forward. Construction began in late December and is expected to be finished by next spring.
Located at what used to be a parking lot owned by First Baptist Church of Washington, the residential project of 220-unit apartment building is in hands of architect Eric Colbert of Eric Colbert & Associates.
According to Colbert, most of the units will be junior bedrooms (with some two bedrooms) and all apartments will be rental units.
As a child, I never understood the allure of the movie Peter Pan.
Sure enough, it had a rightful place in the pantheon of colorful, over-sized Disney VHS containers that my sister and I piled next to the television. But given the choice of Maleficent’s anger or Ursula’s wit, I never felt a burning desire to choose the prepubescent teen who used soap to attach a shadow.
Today, however — as a 29-year-old living in Washington, DC — my opinion of the story of Peter Pan is radically different. Why? Because Washington, in many ways, is Neverland.
Every year, thousands of newly minted graduates, waving elite bachelors, masters, law, and medical degrees, descend on the nation’s capitol for their first true foray into the real world. They arrive in a magical, boxed off land called Northwest, where the phrase “he was born in D.C” turns more heads than “he has a boyfriend.” Everyone is young, attractive, and smart — and in close proximity.
On any given day of the week, bars are hoppin’, kickball fields are packed, and pheromones are raging. Happy hours flow seamlessly into dinner, evenings flow seamlessly into brunch. No one has kids, no one has mortgages, no one knows if they’re quite ready to go to law school this year or next — and no one seems to mind.
For many, it’s almost like a second high school or college experience, tailor-made for academically driven students who grew up too fast. But that’s the catch. Those of us who grew up too fast are – in the end – the ones that have the most growing up to do. And in a city like DC, that process is as turbulent as it is illuminating.
When I moved to DC five years ago, I had two degrees, perfectly matted in expensive frames. But unfortunately, as my grandfather warned against, I had largely allowed “my schooling to get in the way of my education.” I could explain the balance of powers that created World World War I, but I had never balanced a check book. I had held a litany of internships, but never a full-time job. I knew what “rent” was from references in NBC sitcoms and Broadway musicals, but I had never paid it on my own — let alone had to furnish the space that came along with it.
We know everything — and nothing — at the same time.
In no sphere is this more accurate than the field of dating. Washington, DC is likely the only city in America where a bad break up on a Tuesday could have a direct impact on U.S. foreign policy on Wednesday.
Why? Because deep down, not one of us knows what we’re doing when it comes to relationships — and our romantic emotions. In every professional corner of the city, twenty-somethings, thirty-somethings (and all the way up) are dating again for the first time in years. Some of us are starting to date for the first time at all. Tearfully crying into a Jumbo Slice on the sidewalk at 2 am is now as much a DC rite of passage as watching the sunrise under Lincoln’s gaze.
The silver lining? All of us — in our own ways — are “finally” growing up in Washington together — and that fact cannot be overlooked or underestimated. We’re all dealing with new opportunities, new challenges, new emotions, new anxieties, and new personal responsibilities And we’re doing it on our own, away from our families, in one of the most chaotic and expensive cities in America, under some of the most powerful bosses in the world.
When we remember that fact, it makes it easier to forgive each other – and ourselves – if and when we make mistakes along the way.
This column originally ran on March 8, 2012.
See photos from the new BodySmith.
After moving to a new location where they totally renovated the former AYT auto service shop space, the new BodySmith space at 163014th Street NW is open.
The space at BodySmith is ample and modern with lots of natural light. If you are ready to use the cardio equipment, there are nine 50-inch flat screens that will keep you entertained during your workout. The kickboxing studio is already set up, and Chuck Harney of the Bike Rack is in charge of the spinning studio.
The first level is 5,400-square-feet, containing the lobby, personal training studio, massage and treatment rooms and a new organic juice bar. The juice bar, JuicyMax, will face the street and will have its own entrance. It will serve cold-pressed juices, coffee, tea, fruit yogurt, protein shakes and small breakfast items. JuicyMax will be open soon.
The second level of 8,000-square-feet has a separate space for classes and areas for spinning, boot camp and kickboxing. It also has a full free-weight station, strength circuits and treadmills for cardio workouts.
Their regular programs include muscular endurance training, cycle, Punk Rock Fitness (punk music, tattoos, fun and fitness), fit-functional interval training, kickboxing (taught by NYC’s Ken Charney), pilates, yoga and boxing.
There are 20 personal trainers and 12 instructors available to check and customize your experience. At BodySmith they are ready to create what is best for you with the proper motivation from the beginning.
Personal training, partner training, group training and off-site training are available; you can check their rates.
Bart Vandaele of Belga Cafe is getting ready to open B Too. The weekend showed lots of activity at Vandaele’s new restaurant at 1324 14th Street location, just steps from The Pig and its new chef Michale Bonk.
After a year of a renovations, the opening was expected to be in April but the new opening date is May 7, according to Washington Business Journal. A peek through the front window shows that the furniture and decorations are mostly in place; the inside of the place looks gorgeous.
It seems like the 14th Street corridor is blooming this spring with new restaurants. After Le Diplomate’s April 12 soft opening and subsequently great reviews, many are waiting for the openings of Cafe Di Bari, M Cafe bar (both at at 14th and R NW) and Ghibellina.
B Too’s menu will offer waffles, Belgian dishes and a wide selection of beers. There is more information on the restaurant’s Facebook page.
With a major update last week DC-based Contactually is looking to be your tool of choice for managing your network while at your computer and on the go.
Contactually syncs with your email, Facebook and Twitter accounts to help you organize those with whom you communicate. You can organize your contacts into groups that Contactually calls “Buckets,” and set how often you want to be reminded to communicate with a member of each Bucket.
Each day you can get a reminder email letting you know who in your contacts you’re supposed to follow up with that day.
Email templates: You can create templates to use when emailing your contacts. The templates include fields you can add to a template that will automatically update with a contact’s information when sending an email.
Quick introductions: Fire off email introductions to people in your network from Contactually in a small number of clicks.
Content sharing: Quickly share links and articles you find with people in your network, and save them to your Contactually account so you can access them in the future.
iPhone application: A new Contactually app for the iPhone is coming soon that will let you import your phone contacts, log telephone calls you’ve made, and email your contacts from within the app.
Group messaging: You can now email more than one contact at a time with personalized messages.
Along with Band, Contactually’s co-founders are Tony Cappaert and Jeff Carbonella. The company, which announced a $1 million seed round in March, has been growing since first covered by Borderstan in 2012.
Now with six full-time employees in addition to its co-founders, Contactually is hiring for five additional positions. The company is located in Dupont Circle.
DC Police reported two robberies in the area Sunday night, April 28, one involving a gun and the other with force and violence.
The gun robbery occurred around 9:15 pm near the intersection of Q Street and Vermont Avenue NW, just north of Logan Circle. The robbery with force and violence happened around 11 pm on the 700 block of Florida Avenue NW and involved three suspects. More details on both crime are below.
Pastries is by ekelly80 from the Borderstan Flickr pool.
Today’s photo, Pastries is by ekelly80. The photo was taken at The Coffee Bar, April 21.
Glen’s Garden Market: “At Glen’s Garden Market, shoppers will select from the Chesapeake Bay Watershed’s finest produce, meats, poultry, dairy products and specialty foods in a space designed to celebrate seasonality and offer unprecedented access to environmentally sustainable, locally grown foods. The store will showcase foods grown or created by farmers and artisans in DC, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania and New York.” At 2001 S Street NW.

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