Still Life with Robin: Palindrome Day, A Demo Rd ni' Lap

by Peggy Robin

It’s 8.18.18, which reads the same forwards and backwards, making it a palindrome, and making today Palindrome Day. Or at least, Limited Palindrome Day. A full Palindrome Day would use the four-digit year. The next four-digit palindrome day will occur more than a year from now, on September 10, 2019 (9.10.2019). [For more on palindrome dates, see: https://faculty.up.edu/ainan/palindromedates21stcentury2011.pdf]

Go Hang a Salami! I'm a Lasagna Hog and Other Palindromes 

Gotta love this holiday!

Or perhaps revolt against it?

"Revolt, love!" raved Eva. "Revolt, lover!" 
(Eva, like Ida, is one of those characters who frequently declaims in palindromic mode – but not as often as Eve, or Anna, or Bob, or Hannah, or Otto, or Nan, or those perpetually paired sisters, Enid and Nadine.

For Palindrome Day, you can refresh your memory of the most famous palindromes ever composed:

Napoleon’s lament: 
“Able was I ere I saw Elba.”

The one about the canal: 
“A man, a plan, a canal – Panama!”

From the first man to the first woman: 
“Madam, I’m Adam.” (Or the slightly longer version: “Madam in Eden, I’m Adam.”)

There’s my favorite theological/ornithological question: 
“Do Geese See God?”

And my all-time favorite, a greeting, though it has no obvious application: 
“YO! Banana Boy!”

Want more? The palindromist Fred Derf (real name Neil Picciato) has come up with this 460-item list:

http://www.derf.net/palindromes/old.palindrome.html

If you would like to celebrate this day by gathering with fellow lovers of front-to-back-to-front-again wordplay, there’s a party you can attend, this very afternoon. It’s the Chevy Chase Library’s Palindrome Day Party at 2 PM. And it’s free. All ages welcome. (Children 8 and under must be accompanied by an adult.) The Chevy Chase Library is at 5625 Connecticut Ave. NW. More info: https://www.dclibrary.org/node/59782

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Still Life with Robin is published on the Cleveland Park Listserv and on All Life Is Local (La Col Sie Fill La) on Saturdays.   

Get Out! - Events Column for August 17 - 23, 2018

Double Dutch Photo by Seaman George M. Bell
(Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

We wanted to share some events and activities that list members might be interested in. Have a great weekend -- and week beyond, too. If you know of an event that the 17,900+ members of the Cleveland Park Listserv should know about, email us at events @ fastmail dot net.

Peggy Robin and Bill Adler
Publishers, Cleveland Park Listserv
www.cleveland-park.com     

Friday, August 17 from 5 - 8:30 PM, Jazz in the Garden at the National Gallery of Art. The Gallery invites visitors to find a seat among the monumental works of art in the Sculpture Garden and enjoy one of the city's favorite summertime activities. The featured performance on this Friday will be the swing piano trio, 3Divas. Free. At Constitution Avenue and 7th Street NW. More info: https://www.nga.gov/calendar/jazz/jazz-in-the-garden/3divas.html     

Friday August 17 at 8 PM, AU in the Neighborhood: Movie Night, screening “Coco,” with special guest The Great Zucchini. Coco is the story of an aspiring musician, Miguel, who is confronted with his family's ancestral ban on music, and enters the Land of the Dead to find his great-great-grandfather, a legendary singer. The movie will be screened on AU's main quad and will include a special performance by local legend The Great Zucchini. Free popcorn will be provided and all are welcome to attend. Feel free to bring blankets and lawn chairs! For additional information, please contact Andrew Huff, Director of Community Relations at 885-2167 or email ahuff @ american dot edu    

Saturday, August 18 at 2 PM, Palindrome Party at the Chevy Chase Library. Celebrate palindromes on this palindromic date (8-18-18). Palindromes are words, phrases or other sequences that read the same forwards and backwards. Play palindrome games, listen to palindromic music and learn fun trivia about palindromes. Enjoy palindrome-themed art and books. Whether you know a "Hannah" or "Bob," or have a "mom" or "dad" or "pup" or "sis," or were born in "2002," or have traveled in "a Toyota" or "kayak," or just want to enjoy some zany palindrome fun, please join us. We guarantee you'll leave knowing some fabulous palindromes you didn't know before. All ages are welcome. Children ages 8 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Free. The Chevy Chase Library is at 5625 Connecticut Ave. NW, https://www.dclibrary.org/node/59782 

Saturday, August 18 at 3 PM, It’s Chuck Brown Day! The Fourth Annual Chuck Brown Day, hosted by DC Parks & Recreation, invites DC residents to experience the city's original sounds outdoors at the Chuck Brown Memorial Park. There will be music headlined by Trouble Funk, great food for purchase and a back-to-school backpack giveaway! DC Public Library will share information, photos and stories from the Go-Go Archive, and you are encouraged to share your go-go story with us! FREE  and open to the public. Chuck Brown Memorial Park is at 2901 20th St NE, across from the Woodridge Library, 1801 Hamlin Street NE. More info:  https://www.dclibrary.org/node/61261      

Saturday, August 18 from 3 - 5 PM, 2018 Murch Elementary School Ribbon Cutting and Fun Fest. Please join Mayor Muriel Bowser for a celebration of the newly modernized Murch Elementary School. All are welcome to join us for carnival activities and snacks as we welcome the Murch Elementary students and staff to their new school campus. Murch Elementary School is at 4810 36th Street NW. Free. Register at http://bit.ly/2MKf0PI       

Saturday, August 18 from 6 - 8:45 PM, The Turtle Park Jazz Project, presented by the Friends of Friendship "Turtle" Park. This free concert in the park features: Baba Ras D (kid-friendly act!) at 6 PM; Donvonte’ McCoy Quintet at 7 PM. A variety of food and ice cream trucks will be on hand. Bring a blanket and a picnic and enjoy a summer evening at the park for adults and kids of all ages. To volunteer to help Friends of Friendship ("Turtle") Park build this and other traditions, contact volunteer @ turtlepark dot org 

Sunday, August 19 from 12 noon - 1 PM, Ekam World Peace Festival. "You can be an instrument for peace in a world torn apart by conflict and misery." On Sunday, August 19, 2018, people of all faiths from all over the world will join in one powerful voice to raise the collective consciousness for peace. You are invited to join us in Washington DC, the Nation's Capital, to meditate with hundreds of thousands of other peace makers for peace within ourselves, our families and communities, and the world. Washington DC is a designated Peace Point, one of 7,000 Peace Points around the world where people will gather to be connected to Ekam, the Oneness Field. For a list of Peace Points in the US, click here: https://www.ooacademyusa.org/. The World Peace Meditation is happening at the Unity of Washington DC, 1225 R St NW, Washington DC 20009. Doors open to all who want to be a light for peace at 12 noon and will be completed by 1 PM. Free. At Unity of Washington DC, 1225 R Street NW. Register: http://bit.ly/2OGvbOO     

Monday, August 20 at 4 PM, DC Retro Jumpers/Double Dutch for Fun. Learn fun jump rope tricks with the Double Dutch for Fun Jumpers. A family program for children ages 6 and up. A signed waiver is required for all participants. At Capitol View Library, 5001 Central Avenue SE, 202-645-0755, https://www.dclibrary.org/node/60120

Tuesday, August 21 at 12 noon, Peabody Room Presents: Unearthing Secret Histories at Georgetown’s Historic Halcyon House. Excavating at Georgetown’s landmark Halcyon House in 1985, archaeologists found a wealth of household trash that provided new insights into experiences of residents, from the enslaved people living on the site in 1810 to a possibly gay or gender nonconforming resident in the early 20th century. Jenn Porter-Lupu, Northwestern University doctoral student in anthropology, discusses new findings based off the unstudied artifacts from the collection. Artifacts from the site will be on display. In the Peabody Room (3rd floor) of Georgetown Neighborhood Library, 3260 R Street NW. This event is free and open to the public. More info: http://dclibrary.org/node/35929   

Wednesday, August 15 at 10:30 AM, Shakespeare for the Young. Back by popular demand. Children will be enchanted by The Tiniest Tempest, based on The Bard's famous play, The Tempest. It’s a perfect introduction to the magic of Shakespeare for our youngest learners. See you there! Free. At the Deanwood Library, 1350 49th St. NE, https://www.dclibrary.org/node/60843     

Wednesday, August 22 from 10:30 AM - 10 PM, Ben’s Chili Bowl 60th Anniversary Celebration! Join us and our community as we celebrate 60 years of Ben’s Chili Bowl, the Ali Family, a legacy of community service, and 60 years of great chili half-smokes. There will be a press conference at 10:30 AM, a family-friendly street festival from 11 AM - 3 PM, and an evening fundraising Celebration Gala at 7:30 PM at the Historic Lincoln Theatre. For 60 years, Ben’s has graciously served the people, and every guest has always been embraced as family. When segregation was still alive, Ben’s offered a peaceful gathering place and safe haven for ALL people, regardless of any differences in background or perspective. Society has grown and changed, but Ben’s remains the same and continues to celebrate people from all walks of life as they come together to eat, laugh, and discuss life as they see it. Ben's Chili Bowl is at 1213 U St.  No rsvp needed. Event website: http://bit.ly/2Mj3pLu      

Wednesday, August 22 at 10:30 PM, Alka-Seltzer After-Party for People Who Overdid It on Chili at Ben’s Chili Bowl 60th Anniversary. If you’ve been a loyal fan of Ben’s Chili Bowl for all or part of its glorious 60-year history….well, you’re not as young as you were when you first went there, are you? And you probably can’t handle a big, hot, spicy bowl of Ben’s Chili the way you could when you were younger and had a cast-iron stomach. So if you have found you need a little something to help with the inevitable heartburn you get post-chili indulgence, then enjoy a meet-up with your fellow indigestionists (is that a word?), and we’ll offer samples of Alka-Seltzer, Pepto-Bismol, Rolaids, Pepcid, Tums, Gaviscon….you name it, you can have it. And we’ll play some wonderful old commercials, like this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxjb2UJZ-5I and this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48TewJlc6BA. We’ll meet at the Rite-Aid across the street from Ben’s Chili Bowl, or we would, if this were not the Weekly Fake Event.

Wednesday, August 15 at 11 AM, Rosedale Outdoor Story Time. Join us for an outdoor and all ages story time. The Cleveland Park Librarian will bring a parachute for sitting, colorful big books to read, and maybe some unexpected fun and games. This program is weather dependent. If it is raining or above 90 degrees please check the Rosedale Conservancy website, http://bit.ly/2Mj15nI, to see if story time is cancelled. Free. Rosedale Conservancy is located at 35th and Newark NW.

Wednesday, August 22 from 4:30 - 7:30 PM, My Brother's Keeper DC Volunteer Recruitment Fair by Serve DC. Looking for volunteer opportunities? Register for Serve DC's My Brother's Keeper one-day volunteer recruitment fair at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. This one-day volunteer recruitment fair will host 60 nonprofit and government agencies that provide volunteer opportunities with young boys and men of color. This event is designed for prospective mentors, tutors, coaches, and pro-bono consultants. Together, we can build a city of skilled professionals supporting boys and young men of color through volunteerism and mentorship. Free. Register:  http://bit.ly/2nJ0Gfz. At Walter E. Washington Convention Center, 801 Mt Vernon Place NW   

Wednesday, August 22 at 6:30 PM, DC Punk Archive Rooftop Show. The DC Punk Archive is taking it to the roof this summer for a series of concerts outside on the 3rd floor terrace at Woodridge Library. Join us for a night of local music overlooking Langdon Park and learn more about the DC Punk Archive collection. Featured bands on August 22 are: Stronger Sex; Peace and Body Roll Duo BOOMscat. Free. Capacity on the outdoor terrace is limited to 70 people and is first come, first served. The show will move inside in case of inclement weather. The Woodridge Library is at 1801 Hamlin Street NE, http://bit.ly/2PdN34H        

Thursday, August 23 from 10 AM - 1 PM, Washington DC Professional Career Fair. Get Hired! Meet face to face with top employers hiring for Sales, Customer Service, Retail, Financial Services, Management, I.T. and Government positions. If you have been looking for a new career or just ready to start a new job, you don't want to miss this exciting hiring event by Nationwide Career Fairs. Professional Dress is required and please bring additional copies of your resume. What to expect at a Nationwide Career Fair? Multiple employers hiring for open positions. Great networking opportunities in a relaxed, professional environment. Face to face meetings with recruiters, managers and human resources professionals from local and Fortune 500 companies. 100% free event for job seekers to attend. At the Renaissance Hotel, 999 9th St. NW. Register: http://bit.ly/2MpM1no 

Thursday, August 16 at 6:30 PM, A Right to the City: Histories of Neighborhood Organizing in DC. Join Dr. Samir Meghelli, Chief Curator at the Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum for a discussion about how Washingtonians have shaped and reshaped their neighborhoods in extraordinary ways. After a half-century of population decline and disinvestment, Washington, DC, today is home to a rapidly growing population, rising rents and home prices, major new development projects, but also deepening inequality. Dr. Meghelli will explore more than five decades of neighborhood change in the nation’s capital as well as the rich history of organizing and civic engagement that accompanied it. This discussion is based on the Right to the City exhibit at the Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum, highlighting six neighborhoods across the city—Adams Morgan, Anacostia, Brookland, Chinatown, Shaw, and Southwest. Register for seminar at http://bit.ly/2nGcv6h. For more information about People's University seminars, contact michele.casto @ dc dot gov. Free. At Shaw (Watha T. Daniel) Library, 1630 7th St. NW, https://www.dclibrary.org/node/61287  

Still Life with Robin: Heavens!

by Peggy Robin

Sunday, August 12 in downtown Washington looks to be a scene of fraught activity. Hate groups organized under the banner “Unite the Right” are planning to march on the first anniversary of their violent and lethal action in Charlottseville. A varied lot of groups aiming to take a stand against hate are planning vigils and counter-marches, and some are planning to confront white supremacists and neo-nazis. This article in Vox lays out who is planning action on Sunday, and where they’ll be:

https://www.vox.com/identities/2018/8/6/17653252/unite-the-right-2018-counterprotest-antiracist-washington-dc [if the long link is broken, try this: http://bit.ly/2OrCI3S ]

If you are looking for more peaceful way to pass your Sunday, you just might want to get out of town. This Sunday night, if you get far enough away from the lights of civilization (if our society can be called that, during these events), you could escape to some remote, unelectrified zone of darkness, and if it’s an area free of cloud cover or storms, you can look up at the night sky and be dazzled by the wondrous lights of shooting stars. It will be awesome – this Sunday night, August 12 is the peak night of the annual meteor shower known as the Perseids. You can expect to see 75 shooting stars per hour. Forbes.com explains the what, why, and how to watch:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/trevornace/2018/08/10/double-header-perseid-meteor-shower-and-solar-eclipse-this-weekend/#7ff7cccd3630  [if the long link is broken, try this: http://bit.ly/2Mi2wBW ]

If you’ve never viewed the Perseids or any other meteor shower, in a meadow free of artificial light before, far from any cities or towns, you should put it on your bucket list. And you can tick it off your bucket list with just a little advance planning for a trip tomorrow night. There could be widely scattered thunderstorms around the region, so check local weather forecasts and head in a direction where the skies have cleared or will be clear. You will need to find some ground without tree cover. Beaches or meadows are good. Bring a blanket, a flashlight (turn off once you’re settled!) and bug spray.

Capital Weather Gang has some excellent advice about where to go, supplemented by readers’ suggestions:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2015/08/12/best-spots-in-d-c-region-for-viewing-the-perseid-meteor-shower/?utm_term=.7a98c4137501 (or go to https://wapo.st/2w2tCD3 if the long link is broken).

May you all enjoy the peace of a starry, starry night.

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Still LIfe with Robin is published on the Cleveland Park Listserv and on All Life Is Local on Saturdays.  

Get Out! - The Events Column August 10-16, 2018

Enid A. Haupt Garden
Photo credit: Another Believer (Wikimedia Creative Commons)

We wanted to share some events and activities that list members might be interested in. Have a great weekend -- and week beyond, too. If you know of an event that the 17,800+ members of the Cleveland Park Listserv should know about, email us at events @ fastmail dot net.

Peggy Robin and Bill Adler

Publishers, Cleveland Park Listserv

www.cleveland-park.com 

Friday, August 10 from 4 - 11 PM, Truckeroo! Truckeroo brings local food trucks to The Bullpen near Yards Park in the bustling Capitol Riverfront neighborhood to dole out everything from barbecue to crepes to premium, hand-scooped ice cream. About two dozen wheeled food sellers show up, and there are picnic tables and shade to keep things cool. There will also be games, cold beverages and live music to create the full-on summer experience. Free admission. The Bullpen is at 1299 Half Street SE, https://thebullpendc.com/truckeroo/      

Friday August 10 from 8 - 11 PM, Garden Party: From Africa to Asia. There’s no better place to celebrate summer than the Enid A. Haupt Garden, flanked on either side by the National Museum of African Art and the Sackler Gallery. Spend a late-summer evening in the dramatically lit garden, and enjoy exclusive late-night access to galleries featuring art from the African and Asian continents. Add music by DJ As-One, specialty cocktails, and curators’ talks, and you’ve got a garden party you just can’t miss. More of the evening’s features include: a GIF photo booth courtesy of OM Digital; a cash bar and African and Asian-inspired food for purchase, from vendors including the People’s Bao, West Tribes, and Haenyo; both Museum stores open until 10 PM. Come dressed in your global garden best! The party goes on rain or shine, but in case of rain, will take place inside the S. Dillon Ripley Center - entrances at 1000 Independence Ave. and 1100 Jefferson Dr. SW. Must be 21 years old with valid photo ID to attend. Tickets: $25 for General Admission; $60 for VIP Admission - available here: http://bit.ly/2M2sERP  More info: https://www.facebook.com/events/403977680090191/ 

Saturday, August 11 from 10 AM - 2:30 PM, 2018 English Learners' Back to School Fair by DCPS, MOLA, OSSE, UDC, My School DC. Join us at the English Learners' Back to School Fair! Come see all the AWESOME community resources located right here in DC and learn more about how to support your English Learner student. This event is for linguistically and culturally diverse DC students and their families, including DC students who are learning English as a second language. FREE entertainment, games, face painting, and moon bounce. FREE giveaways: hundreds of backpacks, school supplies, and more. FREE kid haircuts! FREE food! FREE health services! FREE legal consultations! Childcare available (ages 4-12). Giveaways are while supplies last and services are on a first-come, first-served basis. At Columbia Heights Educational Campus, 3101 16th Street NW. Advance registration is not required but it is strongly encouraged. - go to http://bit.ly/2nkGTmr Questions? Contact vicki.de-javier @ dc dot gov.  

Saturday, August 11 from 1 - 3 PM, “Investigating Where We Live” – Opening Reception. What was it like being a teenager in Washington, DC, in 1968? Going to school? Hanging out with friends? Hearing about Dr. King’s assassination and the many responses? Participating in Resurrection City and demonstrations? How does that relate to youth’s experiences in the city 50 years later? This summer, teens from the DC metro area spent five weeks looking back at this historic year through the lens of youth experience and culture, and have curated an exhibition that shares their points of view. Working in studio teams, they collaboratively and individually produced photographs, artwork, installations, and creative writing that express their reflections and connections. Meet the teen participants at the exhibition opening reception and view their work. Free. All ages. This event does not require an RSVP. At the National Building Museum, 401 F Street NW, https://washington.org/event/investigating-where-we-live   

Saturday, August 11 at 2 PM,  Garden Concert Series: Jess Eliot Myhre & Chris Ousley. Join us for an afternoon of music in the beautiful garden area beside Northeast Library. Bring a chair, sit back and enjoy the sounds of Jess Eliot Myhre and Chris Ousley, co-founders of The Bumper Jacksons, a hot and sweet duo, who paint America's story from the streets of New Orleans to Appalachian hollers. They've been honored multiple times as the Mid-Atlantic's "Artist of the Year" and "Best Traditional Band" at the Washington Area Music Awards. Bursting at the seams with some of the richest threads of old America, Bumper Jacksons bring you into the center of a party where everyone's invited and the dance floor never sleeps. This concert is the third in Northeast Library's new Garden Concert Series, generously sponsored by the Friends of the Northeast Library, 330 7th St. NE, http://bit.ly/2vrTado    

Sunday, August 12 from 3 - 9 PM, AfroBeatsDC Day Party. HipHop, AfroBeats, Dancehall, Soca Party - Come for the Great Music, and Great Vibez. It’s an International Melting Pot! All genres! Amazing DJs! Age 21+ | DressCode: Fashionable. Free admission. 3rd floor - AfroBeats Exclusive - A dedicated floor to AfroBeats! Rooftop - International at Decades DC, 1219 Connecticut Avenue NW,  http://bit.ly/2McOX6R       

Monday, August 13 at 7:30 PM, Board Games for Grown-ups. Join your neighbors and friends at the Chevy Chase DC Library for an adult board game night. Themed games, strategy games, cooperative games and every-player-for-themselves games—we’ll have a board game that makes you want to play. For ages 18 and older. Chevy Chase Library, 5625 Connecticut Ave. NW, https://www.dclibrary.org/node/59574  

Tuesday August 14 at 4 PM, Fab Lab Pop-Up at NoMa: Eco Planters. Visit us at Fab Lab NoMa, where you can make and keep an eco friendly planter. We would like to film the process of creating living art in a maker space, however we will have an area zoned for no filming if you're uncomfortable with the concept. Visit bit.ly/labsclasses for registration. Free. Registration is limited due to the hands-on nature of the class. Children ages 6-12 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian at all times. Children under the age of 6 are prohibited from entering the space except during specially designed events. The Fab Lab at NoMa is a weather-dependent space, and may close at short notice due to adverse conditions. We will do our best to notify class members in advance. Please check DC Public Library’s Twitter account for closing notices. NoMa Pop-Up is at 1150 First St. NE, https://www.dclibrary.org/node/61281     

Wednesday, August 15 at 8 PM, The Hamilton Lottery Losers Gathering and PityFest. Have you been entering the lottery for Hamilton tickets every day? And losing every time? Feel like you keep missing your shot? Join your fellow losers and toast your bad luck together. You can sing the songs from the show you haven't seen and you can one-up each other with your Hamilton trivia knowledge. Going to the Hamilton Losers Lottery may not be as good as getting to see the show, but it’s not nothing! OK, it really is nothing….because it’s the Weekly Fake Event!  

Thursday, August 16 at 6:30 PM, A Right to the City: Histories of Neighborhood Organizing in DC. Join Dr. Samir Meghelli, Chief Curator at the Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum for a discussion about how Washingtonians have shaped and reshaped their neighborhoods in extraordinary ways. After a half-century of population decline and disinvestment, Washington, DC, today is home to a rapidly growing population, rising rents and home prices, major new development projects, but also deepening inequality. Dr. Meghelli will explore more than five decades of neighborhood change in the nation’s capital as well as the rich history of organizing and civic engagement that accompanied it. This discussion is based on the Right to the City exhibit at the Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum, highlighting six neighborhoods across the city—Adams Morgan, Anacostia, Brookland, Chinatown, Shaw, and Southwest. Register for seminar at washingtoniana.eventbrite.com. For more information about People's University seminars, contact michele.casto @ dc dot gov. Free. At the Shaw (Watha T. Daniel) Library, 1630 7th St. NW, https://www.dclibrary.org/node/61287      

Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, 7 p.m., Library Takeout: Go-Go Archive at the Big Ugly Truck Pop-Up. Join the Go-Go Archive team and Library Takeout at The Big Ugly Truck's outdoor dance party located at 14th and U St. NW. The truck will invite local DJs to spin the finest of DC's go-go sounds. Need a break from the dance floor? DC Public Library staff will have information about the Go-Go Archive and upcoming programs, and you can sign up for a library card or summer challenge. DC Public Library is continuing in an effort to collect tapes, records, CDs, ticket stubs, flyers, stories and anything else the community would like to donate for preservation within the DC Public Library. Have a story you would like to tell? We'll be on site with a recorder and can capture your go-go story. Visit dclibrary.org/chuckbrown for more information about the Go-Go Archive. Free. At 14th and U St. NW, https://www.dclibrary.org/node/61262    

Still Life with Robin: Get Informed about Your Mail

USPS Mail Truck - Public Domain

by Peggy Robin

It’s not often I have anything good to say about the US Postal Service. I’ve had more than my share of delivery complaints over the years --no, make that decades!-- including experience with ALL of the following: neighbors’ mail being delivered to me; my mail being delivered to neighbors; weird mail meant to go to far-flung places that could not possibly be mistaken for my address being delivered to me; notices of attempted delivery of packages time-stamped for when I knew I was home and could have accepted the package; packages left on my doormat that were addressed to neighbors who live ten blocks away…..I’m sure I’m leaving out five or six other kinds of postal delivery errors. And I was far from the only one.

Back on January, the Cleveland Park Citizens Association organized a big sit-down with USPS officials and local political leaders and pushed for improvement in mail delivery and a better response to complaints. It’s definitely helped. Certainly, thanks are due to all who have been watchdogging the problem. But I’m here to tell you there’s another tool in the toolbox, and I think it’s helped even more: It’s called “Informed Delivery.” It’s a USPS mail imaging program that allows you to receive a once-a-day email displaying the images of the envelopes you can expect to receive in the mail later that day. You can sign up for it here: https://informeddelivery.usps.com/

I’ve been signed up since May, and I have to say, “Good job, USPS!” Each morning, I open an email from USPS that shows me the images of the mail items I can expect to receive. Not every blessed thing. I don’t get images of flyers and circulars – just the mail that comes in normal sized envelopes. But so far, it’s been totally accurate. It’s reassuring, too. I used to worry all the time that I wasn’t receiving bills, or worse, checks that people had put in the mail. Now I can see what’s coming, and so far, I have actually received everything that’s the Informed Delivery Program has told me to expect. Quite a change from the patterns of the past.

Has being a member of this Informed Delivery Elite made the Postal System take more care with my deliveries? I won’t complain if it has. Would I recommend it to anyone else who’s been plagued by missing mail? You bet! Anything that helps to keep the Postal System on target has got to be worth trying. So join us! And you too can be one of the still-small but rapidly growing “Informed Delivery” movement!

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Still Life with Robin is published on the Cleveland Park Listserv and on All Life Is Local on Saturdays.  

Get Out! The Events Column, August 3 - August 9, 2018

Meridian Hill Park (Malcolm X Park).
Photo by Ben Schumin on July 6, 2005
(Creative Commons Share-Alike 2.5)

We wanted to share some events and activities that list members might be interested in. Have a great weekend -- and week beyond, too. If you know of an event that the 17,800+ members of the Cleveland Park Listserv should know about, email us at events @ fastmail dot net.

Peggy Robin and Bill Adler
Publishers, Cleveland Park Listserv
www.cleveland-park.com   

Friday, August 3 at 3 PM, Reptiles Alive. Enjoy an exciting live animal show. Professional wildlife presenters will entertain audiences with funny and fascinating facts while showcasing a colorful variety of exotic animals. A family program for children ages 5 and up. Free. At the Cleveland Park Library,  3310 Connecticut Ave. NW, https://www.dclibrary.org/node/60138   

Friday August 3, 5–8 PM, Hip-Hop and Kung Fu at Freer/Sackler Museum. The final event of this new summer series features Shaolin Jazz, the brainchild of local creatives Gerald Watson and DJ 2-Tone Jones. Inspired by the iconic hip-hop supergroup the Wu-Tang Clan, Shaolin Jazz will spotlight the parallels among hip-hop, jazz, and martial arts cultures as they spin tracks on the Freer plaza. Hong Kong street food by Tiger Fork, flavorful Indian cuisine by Rasa, Asian inspired cold treats by Ruby Scoops, and specialty cocktails by Please Bring Chips will be available for purchase. Cool off inside by viewing the Freer’s exhibitions and a free Made in Hong Kong Film Festival screening of Legendary Weapons of Kung Fu at 7 pm. This cult classic martial arts flick gets a new soundtrack as DJ 2-Tone Jones mixes hip-hop, soul, funk, jazz, and more for a memorable moviegoing experience. Free; no tickets required. The Sackler/Freer is at 1050 Independence Avenue SW. More info: https://www.freersackler.si.edu/events/all-events/#/?i=1

Friday, August 3 from 6 - 8 PM, Heurich Museum’s Summer Cool Down. The Heurich House Museum will open its first floor during First Friday Dupont, the first-of-the-month art walk/tour of galleries in the Dupont Circle neighborhood. Grab a beer from this month’s featured brewery, Denizens Brewing Co, while touring the museum’s first floor and cooling off in the Castle Garden with a kiddie pool and misting station. This month’s event will feature a first look at the “Art of Beer,” a new exhibit in the Carriage House Gallery, exhibiting works from prominent local artists and their craft beer designs. Free and open to the public - drinks and snacks available for purchase. Heurich House Museum is at 1307 New Hampshire Avenue NW. More info: http://bit.ly/2vaYDoz  

Friday, August 3 from 6 - 9 PM, First Friday Concert series at Cathedral Commons presents Caiso Steel Band. Bring your lawn chair and dancing shoes and join us on Newark and Wisconsin Ave for a free performance of Caribbean music from Caiso Steel Band. Enjoy  local food & drink -- fun for the whole family. Free. More info on the series: http://bit.ly/2IbBN7T

Saturday, August 4 from 12 - 8 PM, Civic Fest! Get active. Get Inspired. Get Involved. CivicFest is an all-day event intended to inspire people to work together in their communities with joy, courage, wisdom, and kindness. Come for an hour or stay the whole day! Surrounded by the beautiful Meridian Hill/Malcolm X Park (walking distance of both Columbia Heights and U Street Metro stations), we will bring together music, dance, yoga, art, workshops, conversation, community, and nature to reawaken our sense of hope in our ability to work together to make a better world. 20+ nonprofits from the DC area are at CivicFest 2018! Sign up to tutor or mentor a child in DC! Help create a movement in DC to build the civic culture we all need to elect better leaders, enact better policies, and weave a civic fabric of empathy, hope and wisdom through our actions, large and small! Free admission. At Meridian Hill/Malcolm X Park, 16th and W Streets NW. Learn more at civicfest.us

Sunday, August 5 at 2 PM, Lecture: Picturing Alexander Hamilton. Guest lecturer Heidi Applegate will guide visitors on a voyage through art that features Hamilton, his family and other essential persons from his life. Free. At the National Gallery of Art, East Building Auditorium, Madison Drive at 4th St NW, http://bit.ly/2LWreYk 

Monday, August 6 at 3:30 PM, Japan-in-a-Suitcase. Join us in the Children's Programming Room as our partners at the Japanese-American Society present Japan-in-a-Suitcase. They will bring a suitcase of items from modern Japanese life, and we can: Learn basic Japanese greetings and words; Practice origami; Practice writing Japanese; Try on traditional clothing; and more! For children ages 6 and up with their caregivers. Free. At the Tenley-Friendship Library, 4450 Wisconsin Ave. NW, https://www.dclibrary.org/node/60922

Monday,  August 6 from 6 - 8 PM, 12 Things You Should Know About 1968...and Why They Matter Today. Join Dr. Marya Annette McQuirter for an interactive discussion exploring why 1968 was such an incredible year in Washington, DC. She will share her Top 12 List of the most important events that took place throughout the entire year of 1968 and how they resonate with what's happening today. Dr. Marya Annette McQuirter is curator of the dc1968 project, a digital project featuring #OTD stories and photographs throughout 2018 about activism, art, architecture and everyday life in 1968 via dc1968project.com and @dc1968project on Instagram and Twitter. At the Petworth Neighborhood Library, 4200 Kansas Avenue NW, Free, but please register: http://bit.ly/2McUxTi

Tuesday, August 7 from 5 - 7 PM, “Our Shared Street” Pop-Up 2018 by Arlington Transportation Partners. Our Shared Street Pop-Up is a block party where you can get to know your neighbors and local transportation options. There are also tons of great giveaways happening and fun activities. The event will be held on a closed street at the intersection of S Oakland Street and Columbia Pike in Arlington, VA. Free. More info: http://bit.ly/2O185Sz   

Tuesday, August 7 at 12 noon, Fab Lab Pop-Up at NoMa: DIY Vintage Lace Bracelet. A little lace is a perfect accent for a summertime outfit! Learn how to DIY your own bracelet using vintage lace and a small clasp. Space is limited, so please register at http://bit.ly/labsclasses to reserve your spot. The Fab Lab at NoMa is a weather-dependent space, and may close at short notice due to adverse conditions. Please check the DC Public Library Twitter feed for notice of closings. Free. The Fab Lab Pop-Up at NoMa is at 1150 First St. NE, https://www.dclibrary.org/node/60860 
 
Wednesday, August 8 from 2 - 7 PM, 6th Annual Bellevue Back-to-School Bash - plus MPD’s “Beat the Streets” Event. This free celebration is fun for the whole family and aims to kick off a healthy, safe and successful school year with backpacks and school supply giveaways. The event will also include live music from the Junk Yard Band, free face painting, caricature art, Samsung Virtual Reality experiences, raffles and prizes. Special appearances from Miss Teen DC USA and Miss USA. Come out and have a great time with your neighbors! Free. Bellevue Library is at 115 Atlantic St. SW, https://www.dclibrary.org/node/61165/

Wednesday, August 8, 6 - 7:30 PM, The History of Our Urban Forest. This program from Casey Trees offers an engaging and educational look at the trees that you see every day when you're walking the streets of Washington, DC. Maddy McPhee, community education coordinator for Casey Trees, will deliver great information on the history of the urban forest in our neighborhoods, as well as talk about some tree biology and give some tips for identifying the trees that you might see out and about. Free and open to the public. At Anacostia Library,1800 Good Hope Road SE, https://www.dclibrary.org/node/61237

Wednesday, August 8 from 9 PM - Midnight, Sneak Some Zucchini onto Your Neighbor’s Porch Night. If you have a vegetable garden, just about now you should have an overabundance of zucchini. What do you do with it all? Give it away! But what if you’ve already offered it to your friends and family and they have taken all they can handle? That’s when you are glad it’s August 8, the day designated for anyone to sneak around at night dropping off bags of their excess green squash on neighbors’ porches. And you don’t even have to leave a note. Yes, this is a real holiday! I know you might think it’s the Weekly Fake Event http://bit.ly/cpfakeevent, but it was created many years ago by Tom Roy of Wellcat.com and it’s in the Farmer’s Almanac, and it’s on all the calendars of national days, like this one: http://bit.ly/2AxEZIo. For real ideas of what to do with your zucchini today, go to Twitter and enter the hashtag: #SneakSomeZucchiniOntoYourNeighborsPorch - and you will be amazed at how many things you can do with a zucchini!

Thursday, August 9 from 11 AM - 4 PM, Things Unseen: The Fluency of Abstraction - exhibition at American University’s Katzen Museum, 2nd Floor. Exploring themes suggested by internationally acclaimed artist Sam Gilliam, this exhibition features artists Adrienne Gaither, Alteronce Gumby, Allen Jackson, and David Smedley. These artists use abstraction as a conduit to express their keen observations. The broad implications of the exhibition signify the fluency of abstraction and its many interpretations. What is absent is present. The artists explore the unseen through abstract sculpture, painting, and photography. Curated by Janell Blackmon Pryor. Free. Katzen Arts Center is on Massachusetts Avenue just north of Ward Circle, on the east side of the street. More info: https://american.edu/calendar/?id=7798391      

Still Life with Robin: Lizards & Leaf Blower, Crane & Crowe

Photo by J.M. Garg (Wikimedia Creative Commons)

by Peggy Robin

You know I hate the noise of leaf blowers. I thought I would never, ever have a good word to say about them. But now I do! It’s because of science. Harvard researchers wanted to find out how tropical lizards are able to hold onto their tree limbs during hurricane force winds. So they set up an experiment and mimicked the force of the hurricanes using a leaf blower in a lab. You can see the experiment in action here:

https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/video/3906510-researchers-use-leaf-blower-to-see-how-lizards-endure-storms/

Don’t worry – the lizards who could not hold on in 108 mph winds (yes, they cranked up the leaf blower to over 100 mph!) were blown into a soft net, unharmed. Rattled perhaps, and deafened, most likely, but otherwise OK.

That’s not the only strange animal story in the news this week. Have you seen the cover story of the Sunday Washington Post magazine? It’s been available online for the past few days (see:

https://wapo.st/2LH0kn7). It’s the oddball but heartwarming story of a crane named Walnut who needed a mate for life. But she had been hand-raised by humans and so found herself confused and unattracted to the male cranes sent to woo her. Then a man came along who seemed to understand her and appreciate her. He even learned to do the crane mating dance with her. Through his devotion to her, and with the help of artificial insemination (there’s science put to good use again!), he brought about the laying of many rare crane eggs. Their love story may go on for many, many years, as the white-naped crane from China can live to be 60 or more. Her human mate, named Chris Crowe, is now 42, and may one day want to retire from his job as a bird keeper at the Smithsonian’s Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, VA – but as the Washington Post story tells us, he knows he would never be able to leave her. “I’d feel like a jerk,” he says gallantly.

After a week of news of fires, floods, and many other forms of disaster, it’s always nice to hear of a couple dedicated to each other’s welfare, together for the long haul – and especially so when they come from different backgrounds, or in this case, different species!

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Still Life with Robin is published on the Cleveland Park Listserv and on All Life Is Local on Saturdays.   

Get Out! - The Events Column July 27 - August 2, 2018

Khatanbold Urlagbaatar, DC Mongolian Dance Group,
and Washington Samul Nori at the Freer/Sackler

We wanted to share some events and activities that list members might be interested in. Have a great weekend -- and week beyond, too. If you know of an event that the 17,800+ members of the Cleveland Park Listserv should know about, email us at events @ fastmail dot net.

Peggy Robin and Bill Adler

Publishers, Cleveland Park Listserv

www.cleveland-park.com    

Friday, July 27 from 5 - 8 PM, Music in Motion, featuring Khatanbold Urlagbaatar, DC Mongolian Dance Group, and Washington Samul Nori. This event is part of the Fridays@Freer/Sackler series. Enjoy performances by featured artists, including Mongolian horsehead fiddle player Khatanbold Urlagbaatar and dancers from DC Mongolian Dance Group, who will showcase new interpretations of traditional Mongolian choreography. Then, experience the exciting rhythms and movements of traditional Korean music with Washington Samul Nori. Expanding the international experience, Tibetan cuisine by Chef Dorjee Tsering, Mongolian bites by Manhattan Café, Asian-inspired cold treats by Ruby Scoops, and specialty cocktails by Please Bring Chips will be available for purchase. Cool off inside by viewing the Freer’s exhibitions and a free 7 pm screening of Zombiology: Enjoy Yourself Tonight, a comedic riff on the zombie pop-culture craze from Hong Kong. Director Alan Lo and actress Venus Wong will join us as special guests. Free; no tickets required. Will move indoors in case of rain. The Freer/Sackler is at 1050 Independence Avenue SW.    

Friday, July 27 at 7 PM, Civil War Tour - Friday Night History at Sunset Program: Freedom's Forts: Fort Stevens, Camp Brightwood, and Slavery. This Civil War History Tour of Fort Stevens will focus on the Federal encampments in Washington DC. Enslaved African Americans fled to Union lines, including Camp Brightwood, and were employed as servants and laborers. The interaction between slavery and freedom will be the focus of the program. The free tour will run approximately 90 minutes. Fort Stevens is located at 6001 13th Street, NW, near the intersection of 13th and Quackenbos Street, NW. More information about the History at Sunset programs can be found at the Civil War Defenses of Washington website: https://www.nps.gov/cwdw/planyourvisit/history-at-sunset.htm   

Friday, July 27 from 7:30 - 9:30 PM, Family Full Moon Experience, hosted by The Friends of the National Arboretum. Please join us for the first Family Full Moon Experience! The plan is to gather at the US National Arboretum after hours, for a mini version of our full moon hike. We will be walking around the grounds, off pavement, so best to leave strollers at home. Learn more about the US National Arboretum and experience the collection at night. We will have flashlights but don't be surprised if we do not need them. The moon and fireflies will light the way. Children younger than 15 are welcome to attend this full moon experience. Adult tickets (16 and older) are $25; each adult can purchase up to 2 child tickets (15 and younger) for $10 each - go to http://bit.ly/2LOINq4. No pets. Full Moon Experience will happen rain or shine. United States National Arboretum is at 2400 R St. NE.   

Friday, July 27 at 8 PM, Firefly or Lightning Bug?: A Colloquy. The term you use to identify a small flying insect that produces a glow of light from its rear end says a lot about you and where you come from (see http://bit.ly/2AcdLqV for a map of linguistic usage). Our distinguished panel of experts will include a linguistic anthropologist, a noted entomologist, and an eight year old child, who will demonstrate the most advanced “catch and release” techniques. This event will take place outdoors, the location to be determined by our experts who will judge the conditions of the evening and pick a meadow likely to attract a suitably large gathering of our luminous subjects. The location will be posted at this link: http://bit.ly/cpfakeevent. If you would like to go to a real version of this (fake) event, you can travel to the Great Smoky Mountains next June -- but first, you may want to learn more about the annual gathering of fireflies here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCWkzQqO7Ro  

Saturday, July 28 from 5 - 7 PM, Concert and Picnic in the Park at Forest Hills Playground. The performers at this free concert are a Maryland duo, Naked Blue, who have performed with Aimee Mann and Joe Cocker, among other notable artists. Learn more about them at https://www.nakedblue.com/. Pizza sales begin at 5 PM, and the music will start at 5:30 PM. Pre-order your pizza here: https://goo.gl/forms/GYf3TAkMyPP4wVSb2. This free, fun, all-ages concert is held at the Forest Hills Park amphitheater (3200 block of Brandywine Street, by the tennis courts). Go to https://www.facebook.com/ForestHillsPlayground/ for more info and any changes or cancellations for weather. 

Saturday, July 28 from 5:30 - 7:30 PM, July Jazz & Lily Pads @ Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, hosted by the Friends of Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, National Capital Parks-East and EastRiver Jazz. Come enjoy the lotus flowers and sweet sounds of jazz, R&B, and go-go, featuring the amazing JoGo Project! Bring a chair, blanket, picnic, and all your family and friends. This event is free and open to the public. If you drive: Free parking at the Aquatic Gardens at 1550 Anacostia Ave NE. If the lot is full, street parking is available. If you metro: The Park is a 10-15 minute walk from the Deanwood Metro Station on the Orange Line. More info and registration at http://bit.ly/2A9Tq5x 

Sunday, July 29 from 1 - 3 PM, History Bites: Ice Cream! Escape the summer heat and enjoy a nice cold treat! Learn about ice cream, ice, cold dishes and how they kept things cold with a short talk! Then bring your sweet tooth and prepare for things to get chilly as you discover the true origins of ice cream while sampling some delicious flavors, and some downright unique ones! Enjoy viewing rarely displayed items from the Dumbarton House collection and learn the favorite flavors of some important figures in history and how they kept their favorite treats cool! Buy your tickets ($20 - $25) through this link: http://bit.ly/2AcJQP3. Dumbarton House is at 2715 Q Street NW. More info: http://dumbartonhouse.org/ 

Monday, July 30 at 6:30 PM, Mapping Segregation in Washington, DC: Restrictive Covenants, Racial Steering, and the Fight for Fair Housing. Join Mara Cherkasky and Sarah Shoenfeld of Prologue DC to explore the long history of displacement, race and real estate in DC. The legal segregation of housing, schools and public space led to disinvestment and white flight in the 1950s and 60s. Learn about the demands of black home seekers, civil rights attorneys and fair housing advocates, and the legacy of their efforts. For more information contact Washingtoniana librarian Michele Casto at michele.casto @ dc dot gov. This event is part of a series of seminars inspired by the teach-ins at Resurrection City, the Poor People’s Campaign civil rights encampment on the National Mall during the summer of 1968. The series is part of DC Public Library’s year of art, activism and education commemorating the 50th anniversary of the events of 1968. Free. At the Shaw (Watha T. Daniel) Library, 1630 7th St. NW, https://www.dclibrary.org/node/61036 

Tuesday, July 31 at 3 PM, Pacific Rhythm. Enjoy traditional music and dances from Hawaii, Tahiti, New Zealand, Fiji, the Cook Islands and Samoa, presented with authentic costumes for each island. You’ll be up on your feet as this dance troupe teaches you some Polynesian dances. This is a family program for children of all ages. Free. At the Cleveland Park Library, 3310 Connecticut Ave. NW, https://www.dclibrary.org/node/60136 

Tuesday, July 31 at 6:30 PM, Harry Potter 20th Anniversary. It's been 20 years since the Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Come celebrate with trivia, crafts and surprises. Costumes are not required, but encouraged. Free. At the Chevy Chase Library, 5625 Connecticut Ave. NW, https://www.dclibrary.org/node/60401     

Wednesday, August 1 at 6 PM, NoMa Fab Lab Pop-Up: DIY Mending Workshop. This Wednesday is our Do-It-Yourself Mending Workshop, where you can learn how to do basic garment repair. Please bring in your own (clean) garment and learn how to fix a hem, sew on a button, or create a patch! Space is limited, so please register at http://bit.ly/labsclasses to reserve your spot. The Fab Lab at NoMa is a weather-dependent space, and may close at short notice due to adverse conditions. We will do our best to notify class members in advance. Please check DC Public Library’s Twitter account @dcpl for closing notices. The NoMa Fab Lab Pop-Up is at 1150 First St. NE, https://www.dclibrary.org/node/60863    

Wednesday, August 1 at 7 PM, DC Jazz: An Author Talk. Maurice Jackson and Blair Ruble, co-editors and contributors to the recently published collection of essays, DC Jazz: Stories of Jazz Music in Washington DC, will discuss the social, economic and historical conditions surrounding DC’s jazz music history. Jackson, a Georgetown University professor and historian, and author Ruble are two of ten area contributors to this collection. DC Jazz traces the earliest beginnings of the District's jazz scene, focusing on Duke Ellington, the history of Howard University’s music program, the significance of 7th and U Streets, segregation, long gone music venues and more. The event will be co-moderated by Reuben Jackson, archivist at the Felix E. Grant Archives at the University of the District of Columbia, and DCPL Special Collections Archivist, Ray Barker. Copies of DC Jazz will be available for purchase at this event. Free. For all ages. At the Shaw (Watha T. Daniel) Library, 1630 7th St. NW, https://www.dclibrary.org/node/61120 

Thursday, August 2 at 2 PM, Reptiles Alive. Enjoy an exciting live animal show. Professional wildlife presenters will entertain audiences with funny and fascinating facts while showcasing a colorful variety of exotic animals. A family program for children ages 5 and up. Free. At the Tenley-Friendship Library, 4450 Wisconsin Ave. NW, https://www.dclibrary.org/node/60150 

Thursday, August 2 at 7 PM CR Gibbs Summer Lecture Series: "From Black Cargoes to Black Lives Matter: A Brief History of African-American Protest." Join award-winning historian CR Gibbs for his monthly summer lecture series at the Deanwood Neighborhood Library, 1350 49th St. NE. https://www.dclibrary.org/node/60821. Free and open to all.  

Thursday, August 2 from 7 - 8:30 PM, Summer Evenings at the National Arboretum: The Hip-Hop Orchestra. Pack a picnic, bring a lawn chair or blanket, and relax below the Capitol Columns. "The HHO" is a collaborative music project featuring a new generation of DMV artists who color sound with spirit using a diverse palette of personality and strokes of Hip-Hop bringing you classic medleys and landmark originals. More about the The Hip-Hop Orchestra at:  https://www.facebook.com/TheHipHopOrchestraAtUmd/. All concerts hosted by Friends of the National Arboretum are free, but reservations are required - go to: http://bit.ly/2JUbXSU. Sorry, dogs and alcohol are not permitted. Gates open at 6 PM; concerts go from 7 - 8:30 PM. pm. Enter through the R Street NE Gate (2400 R St. NE)   

Still Life with Robin: Rained Out!

Photo by Shootthedevgru, Australia (via Wikimedia Commons)

by Peggy Robin

Sorry....there was no Still Life with Robin on Saturday or Sunday. Called on account of rain! Will be back next weekend, once we've dried out.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2018/07/22/heres-how-saturdays-storm-unleashed-a-historic-july-deluge-in-washington/?utm_term=.77357edd236d



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Still Life with Robin is published on the Cleveland Park Listserv and on All Life Is Local, usually on Saturdays, and occasionally on Sundays....but every now and then we skip one, as we did last Saturday.

Get Out! - The Events Column, July 20 - 26, 2018

Friends of Turtle Park

We wanted to share some events and activities that list members might be interested in. Have a great weekend -- and week beyond, too. If you know of an event that the 17,800+ members of the Cleveland Park Listserv should know about, email us at events @ fastmail dot net.

Peggy Robin and Bill Adler
Publishers, Cleveland Park Listserv
www.cleveland-park.com     

Friday July 20 from 10 AM - 3 PM, Mars Day at the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum. Celebrate the Red Planet with educational and fun activities for all ages that expose visitors to the latest developments in planetary science. Talk to scientists active in Mars research and mission planning, learn about current and future missions, and see a real meteorite from Mars. Learn about the history of water on Mars, with planetary scientist Ross Irwin; test your skills as you maneuver a robotic rover or collect samples with a robotic arm in this hands-on activity with small robots. Also, quizzes, games, interactive programs - for the  full list of activities and paticipating scientists, go to https://airandspace.si.edu/mars-day. All free. The Smithsonian Air & Space Museum is on the Mall at 600 Independence Avenue SW.

Friday, July 20 from 5–8 pm, Fridays at Freer/Sackler: Global Nomads, featuring DJ Ayes Cold and Huda Asfour. Spend Friday night on a musical and culinary journey around the world. Catch a set by DJ Ayes Cold, known for her genre-bending sound. Delve into the repertoire of the Arab region and neighboring cultures by joining a Mashriq Maghrib Music Jam Session with Huda Asfour and other local artists. Tibetan cuisine by Chef Dorjee Tsering served in a traditional handcrafted nomad-style tent, Middle Eastern street food by Z&Z, Asian-inspired cold treats by Ruby Scoops, and specialty cocktails by Please Bring Chips will be available for purchase. Cool off inside by viewing the Freer’s exhibitions and a free 7pm screening of Paradox, a Hong Kong action film that will take you into the Thai underworld. Free; no tickets required. In case of rain, activities will move indoors. The Freer/Sackler Museum is on the Mall at 1050 Independence Avenue SW, https://www.freersackler.si.edu/events-overview/after-hours/

Friday, July 20 at 10:56 PM, National Moon Walk Day. It’s the 49th anniversary of that first “small step for a man” on the moon (see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlBO4VBY6BQ). We’ll celebrate this day by doing the moon walk. Step outside around 10:50 PM and then at exactly 10:56 (the same time, EDT, that Neil Armstrong first set foot on the lunar surface), start your dance moves. (If you don’t know how to moon walk, try this Youtube tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGm6v9-1ZBU.) If you don’t feel like dancing, you might want to sing instead. Here’s a good song to celebrate this event, “Fly Me to the Moon” - see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6dl4hDJbsQ. If you’re wondering if this is the Weekly Fake Event (http://bit.ly/cpfakeevent)…..well, it could be. But it can be as real as you like, because you can really do all of these things to celebrate that first Moon Walk on July 20, 1969. 

Saturday, July 21 from 10 AM - 3 PM, Day of Archaeology Festival at Dumbarton House. This event is a fun-filled day for both adults and children. Children can get hands-on with mock excavations, crafts, and 3D printed artifacts. Speak with archaeologists in person and learn about their projects locally and globally. There will be live music, family activities, face painting and food trucks for all to enjoy. The Day of Archaeology Festival is a great way to learn about DC’s local history and visit Dumbarton House! Free. Learn more here: http://dumbartonhouse.org/event/7-arch-festival. Dumbarton House is at 2715 Q Street, NW. 

Saturday, July 21 at 11 AM, Story Time with Washington Nationals Player Sean Doolittle. Meet Washington Nationals Pitcher Sean Doolittle at this special story time event for families. He will read stories and answer questions. Free. At the Cleveland Park Library, 3310 Connecticut Ave. NW, https://www.dclibrary.org/node/60814

Saturday, July 21 from 11 AM - 7 PM, Fiesta Asia Street Fair. Celebrate Asian Heritage at the 12th annual National Asian Heritage festival, featuring more than 1000 performers on five stages, representing more than 20 cultures for 8 consecutive hours. Live performances by musicians, vocalists, dancer, martial artists; Pan-Asian cuisine; a shopping bazaar; kids friendly interactive activities; talent competition, cultural parade, Bollywood street dancing, and exhibits of traditional and contemporary Asian crafts. The Street Fair takes place along Pennsylvania Avenue NW between Third and Sixth Streets. Register here (free): http://bit.ly/2NthZMj

Saturday, July 21 from 2 - 4 PM, DC Puppy World Cup! Mayor Muriel Bowser Invites You To
The DC Puppy World Cup, celebrating athletic puppies from across the District! The Columbia Heights Gym will be transformed into a Puppy Soccer Field! This awesome day will be offered to puppy owners that have been registered in DC and have all of their needed shots. (Registration has closed, but keep this in mind if you are thinking of entering a pup next year.) Some of DC's cutest athletes will dribble it out in true FIFA Fairplay in Puppy Cup action! Teams will enjoy an up-tempo, safe game that will be fun to watch. We’ll also have a pop-up dog park for adult dogs. Enjoy fun giveaways and prizes for winners of games - while supplies last! Free. At the Columbia Heights Community Center, 1480 Girard Street NW. More info and RSVP: http://bit.ly/2uM6WGw

Saturday, July 21 from 3 - 7 PM, Free Concert at Marvin Gaye Park, presented by Mayor Muriel Bowser and the DC Department of Parks and Recreation, featuring live music, local artists, local vendors, riverside cafe with food samples and dishes from local chefs. Fun for all ages. Free admission.This concert is part of a series taking place on the third Saturday of the summer months -- also on August 18 and September 15. Marvin Gaye Park is at 5200 Foote Street NW  (Riverside Center Entrance). RSVP: https://marvingayeparksummerconcertser.splashthat.com/ 

Saturday, July 21 from 4 - 6:30 PM, WWAC Panel Discussion & Reception. Spend your Saturday afternoon with former members of the Washington Women’s Arts Center. Judith Benderson, Barbara Frank, and Taina Litwak will join the exhibition’s curator, Françoise Yohalem for a panel discussion that looks back at the history of the Washington Women’s Arts Center and its influence on the Washington art scene that still resonates today. A reception will follow the panel. Free and open to the public. At the American University Museum Katzen Arts  Center, northeast corner of Nebraska and Massachusetts Avenues. More info: https://www.american.edu/cas/museum/ 

Saturday, July 21 from 6 - 8:45 PM, The Turtle Park Jazz Project. Bring a blanket and a picnic and enjoy a summer evening at the park for adults and kids of all ages! Hear the Susan Jones Quartet - Susan Jones, jazz violin; Tom Lagana, guitar; Dallas Smith, bass; Tom Jones, drums…along with other members of the DC Federation of Musicians. Plus strolling Magician and Juggler for the kids. Variety of food and ice cream trucks on hand. Free admission. Friendship (“Turtle”) Park is at 45th and Van Ness Streets NW. More info: http://turtlepark.org/events/#event2   

Sunday, July 22 at 2 PM, First Day of the Shark Week Celebration. It's Shark Week! We're going deep to explore these fascinating creatures as we dive into a week of exciting programming in the children's room. July 22 at 2pm: For our Sunday crafternoon program we'll create an exciting paper shark craft. July 23 at 4pm: Let's try to build a LEGO shark. Don't let it take a chomp out of you though… July 24 at 2pm: Come for Finding Nemo; stay for the snacks. July 25 at 4pm: Haven't had your fill of sharks yet? Build an underwater seascape to take home and enjoy. July 26 at 4pm: Take a breath as we plunge into some fun shark related games. July 28 at 11am: Ahoy mateys. Family story time this week will feature some real scallywags - pirates may make an appearance  and what story time would be complete without everybody's favorite song "Baby Shark"? All programs are free. At Francis Gregory Library, 3660 Alabama Ave. SE, https://www.dclibrary.org/node/61074

Monday July 23  at 1 PM, Passport to Wakanda: Shuri Design Laboratory. Experiment with a wide range of materials and creative supplies to create your own innovative three-dimensional technological models. Each participant will receive a Wakandan passport, and a "customs" stamp for every program they attend. Lunch is also provided. For children ages 5-11. Free. At the Shepherd Park (Juanita E. Thornton) Library, 7420 Georgia Ave. NW. More info: https://www.dclibrary.org/node/60911 

Tuesday, July 24 at 4 PM, Summer Challenge: Map Your Neighborhood. Let's study a few maps and then make a map. If it is not of your actual neighborhood, the map can show what you think is important in a neighborhood. This program is for ages 6 - 12. Free. At the Palisades Library,
4901 V Street, NW, https://www.dclibrary.org/node/60194

Tuesday, July 24 at 6:30 PM, DIY Home Improvement Workshop: Learn How to Use Power Tools. Looking to make improvements to your home this summer? DCPL is teaming up with Annie's Ace Hardware to provide Do-It-Yourself Workshops. You'll gain the confidence to take on your own home projects and save tons of money in the process. In this workshop, patrons will learn how to wield and operate various power tools. First, a staff member from Annie's Ace Hardware will demonstrate how to use power tools. Then attendees will have the opportunity to practice working with power tools. This workshop is free and demonstration materials will be provided. In the Meeting Room of the Shepherd Park (Juanita E. Thornton) Library, 7420 Georgia Ave. NW, https://www.dclibrary.org/node/60489

Tuesday July 24 from 6 - 9 PM, Film screening of Rosenwald: The Remarkable Story of a Jewish Partnership with African American Communities, followed by panel discussion hosted by  DC Public Schools Interim Chancellor Alexander. This powerful documentary tells the life story of Julius Rosenwald, a Jewish businessman and philanthropist who partnered with Booker T. Washington to build more than 5,500 schools that served African-American children in the south from 1915 – 1952. Many Washingtonians know the impact of these schools on the lives of their parents and grandparents and the larger African-American community. The film screening will be followed by a panel discussion that will feature Chancellor Alexander, Stephanie Deutsch – the author of You Need a Schoolhouse, a local philanthropist, and other individuals. The event will be held at American University's Spring Valley Building. Refreshments will be served. Free. Please RSVP to attend: http://bit.ly/2uONwRr - contact janae.hinson @ dc dot gov with questions.

Wednesday, July 25 at 7 PM, Book Hill Talks: Publishing Science: Experiments and the Royal Society. Abbie Weinberg, reference and outreach specialist for the Folger Shakespeare Library, will lead a discussion about the history of early modern science at the Royal Society—the world's oldest independent scientific academy. Free. At Georgetown Library, 3260 R St. NW, https://www.dclibrary.org/node/59724 

Thursday, July 26 at 6:30 PM, 'We are Headed for Some Bad Trouble': Gentrification and Displacement in Washington, DC, 1920-2018. For nearly two decades now, DC residents have been grappling with a city that is becoming younger, wealthier and whiter - a city that is gentrifying. In wide-ranging and sometimes heated debates about the topic - which have included allegations of “swagger jacking” and accusations of “black Columbusing” - District residents have had to confront difficult issues of race, class and power. This seminar will place these debates in historical context. Surveying the past 100 years of "private revitalization" or "gentrification" in DC, it will answer the questions: What is gentrification? How does it happen? Who benefits? Who loses out? And what have DC residents done to address this issue in the past? George Derek Musgrove is an associate professor of history at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and the co-author of Chocolate City: A History of Race and Democracy in the Nation’s Capital. Registration required - http://bit.ly/2O38557. Free. At the Woodridge Library, 1801 Hamlin Street NE, https://www.dclibrary.org/node/61035. This event is part of a series of seminars inspired by the teach-ins at Resurrection City, the Poor People’s Campaign civil rights encampment on the National Mall during the summer of 1968. The series is part of DC Public Library’s year of art, activism and education commemorating the 50th anniversary of the events of 1968. Visit https://www.dclibrary.org/1968 for more information or contact Washingtoniana librarian Michele Casto at michele.casto @ dc dot gov with questions.     

Still Life with Robin: Water in Old Bottles

by Peggy Robin

Wasn’t yesterday fun! Were you in a Boil Water Alert Area Home? I think that’s what they should have called it: BWAAH! My house was BWAAH until the revised map was posted later that afternoon, putting Cleveland Park and many other neighborhoods to the north of CP in the clear.

I thought I was well prepared. There’s a closet in the basement we’ve kept stocked with emergency supplies, including flashlights, glowsticks, slow-burning candles, and some large jugs of bottled water, plus a case of smaller bottles. So I put a big pot of water on the boil, and then went down to the basement to bring up one of the jugs and perhaps a smaller bottle or two, to have some water available for immediate use, until the pot had boiled and then cooled down. But as soon as I brought up the stored water, I noticed the expiration date -- it was 2007. Does water expire? When I googled that one, here’s what I found [https://www.thedailymeal.com/healthy-eating/you-don-t-want-drink-bottled-water-after-its-expiration-date]:

Water bottles all have expiration dates. You’ve probably seen them — little black dotted numbers marking when you should toss your water because it’s “gone bad.” Wait… Here’s where we get confused. How can water go bad? It can’t. Water, like oxygen or steel or any other naturally occurring substance, is simply a chemical compound; it’s ageless. However, humans have taken to storing natural-occurring water in plastic, artificial, flimsy containers, and the bottles can go bad. The plastic compounds can break down over time and leak into your water….. Plus, plastic isn't impermeable. Algae or bacteria —not the good kind — seep in and grow inside your bottled water if you leave it for too long. This can still happen even if the bottle is closed. So if you’ve waited long enough, once you finally open up that “purified” water you’re also likely opening up a bacteria-ridden breeding ground for harmful organisms.

So much for that eleven-year-old water! But no problem; it was just a matter of replacing the stock – and high time, too. But I couldn’t run to the grocery store right away. I had an appointment in Herndon, VA, so would have to pick up the water on the way home. It was well past noon by the time I was leaving Herndon. It’s a very typical bedroom community – at least out  where I was. All around me, just single family homes on big lots. I did not pass by a single store before I was back on I-66. And that meant I was back in DC before I found a convenient place to stop off at a Giant. And by the time I did (no surprise!) the shelves had all been emptied.

Still, I gave it a shot, and corralled a nice store clerk and asked if there were any boxes of water in the back. He went to look and returned in a minute with the last four bottles of a brand of bottled water I’d never seen before – Eternal. I took all four of the one-liter bottles. By the time I got home and had checked in at DCWater.com to see the status of the alert, my neighborhood was out of the BWAA. So I brought those four bottles down to the basement emergency supply closet to put them away. In the process, I discovered a few things about this brand: 1. It comes in a bottle that’s flat on one side, so that it’s made to be stored on its side in a space-saving, non-rolling stack; 2. The bottle is made from BPA-free material; and 3. It does not have an expiration date anywhere on the bottle, so I’m assuming that means if I store it in the closet and there’s no water emergency again for another 11 years…..I’m good!

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Still Life with Robin is published on the Cleveland Park Listserv and on All Life Is Local on Saturdays.