All Life Is Local

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Still Life with Robin: Flying the 51 Stars (and 13 Stripes)

by Peggy Robin

If you attended the DC Statehood hearings on Thursday, September 19, you know that Mayor Muriel Bowser arranged for Pennsylvania Avenue to have 51-star flags flying all along the route to the Capitol. Nice touch, Madam Mayor! (See the news video here: http://bit.ly/2kJHf8B. )

If you would like to support DC statehood, here’s a quick, simple, and rewarding way to do it: Just donate $51 or more to DC Vote’s membership drive, and your reward will be your own 51-star flag in return – go here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/51-star-flag-and-membership-drive-tickets-72861437521. And if one day we should ever get a Congress with a majority in both houses who care about voting rights for ALL, your 51-star flag could turn into the official flag of the United States.

In the meantime, its purchase price will be contributing to the goal of getting real representation for the 702,000 of us ~give or take~ who live within the roughly diamond-shaped entity that is now just the plain, old, unstately district.

For those with an interest how that extra star was fitted into the canton (that’s the name for the blue field that holds the stars in the top left corner of the flag), you might enjoy reading this 2012 article on flag design from Smithsonian Magazine: http://bit.ly/2kYozBQ (Try not to be put off by the fact that the article was written in anticipation of Puerto Rico’s statehood movement succeeding ahead of our own, and the 51st star representing an island in the Caribbean, while DC remains a colony.)

Now for those rooting for BOTH Puerto Rico and DC to become states, here’s a site that shows what a fifty-TWO-star US flag would look like.

https://www.reddit.com/r/vexillology/comments/8feqte/stars_of_us_flag_with_5170_states/

In fact, on the awesome site above, you can see the possible star layouts for US flags with fifty-one through SEVENTY states of the union. Just don't ask me where states number fifty-three through seventy will be found!

For more on the design of our current 50-star flag, listen to the story told by its designer, Bob Heft, in this brief StoryCorps piece: https://storycorps.org/stories/bob-heft/

And let's leave this subject with a rousing salute in song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxZvDTnlvKM

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

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Get Out! The Events Column Part 2, Sunday Sept 22 - Thursday, Sept 26, 2019

DC Public Library Image

Sunday, September 22 from 11 AM - 4 PM, Taste of Georgetown. Now in its 26th year, The Taste of Georgetown offers creative tastes from more than 30 of the neighborhood’s best restaurants, along with beer and wine. This foodie event takes place in the heart of Georgetown, on K Street NW, between Wisconsin Avenue and Thomas Jefferson Street and along the scenic Georgetown Waterfront. Benefiting Georgetown Ministry Center's Homeless Assistance Programs. This family- and pet-friendly event is free to attend. One taste ticket is redeemable for one restaurant taste, beer (full pour), or wine (full pour). Click here http://bit.ly/2kEZ3BO to buy advance tickets - 5 tickets for $24; 8 tickets for $35; 11 tickets for $45. Same day tickets: 2 tickets for $12; 7 tickets for $35; 10 tickets for $45. Both cash and credit will be accepted on-site. Tickets are non-refundable. This event is on, rain or shine. Complete details at http://www.tasteofgeorgetown.com/

Sunday, September 22 from 11 AM - 7 PM, Fiesta DC. With an estimated attendance of 200,000 people, Fiesta DC takes place on four stages showcasing live music bands and international well-known artists, over 50 businesses, restaurants, community organizations, food vendors and more! On Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/events/514119979132296/. .Free. Along Pennsylvania Ave NW, from 3rd to 7th St NW.

Sunday, September 22 at 12:30 PM, Community BBQ at Wesley Methodist Church. Stop by for a time of FREE neighborhood fun, food, and surprises! Enjoy food from a variety of countries and cultures, as well as a bounce castle (not necessarily in that order)! There will also be a gun-melting demonstration by artist Stephanie Mercedes as part of National United Methodist Church’s Gun Violence Prevention ministry. The melted gun will be turned into an artwork, which will be permanently installed in our Wesley Campus church building. Free. At the Wesley Campus of National United Methodist Church, 5312 Connecticut Ave NW.

Sunday, September. 22 at 2 PM, Garden Concert Series: Bumper Jacksons Duo. 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 the Bumper Jacksons Duo. The Bumper Jacksons are hot and sweet, painting America's story from the streets of New Orleans to Appalachian hollers. Unafraid to scrap together new sounds from forgotten 78's, the Bumper Jacksons elegantly balance paying homage to the traditions while fashioning their own unique, playful style. 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. Please note: In the event of inclement weather, concerts are held inside the library. Free. At the Northeast Library, 330 7th St. NE. More info https://www.dclibrary.org/node/64435; for other dates in the Garden Concert Series go to http://bit.ly/2mljRyC .

Sunday, September 22 at 7:30 PM, Concert: A Hebrew Overture. Legendary clarinetist Charles Neidich performs a striking, klezmer-influenced work by Jewish-Argentinian composer Osvaldo Golijov. Shostakovich’s haunting wartime trio and Prokofiev’s infectious sextet fuse Jewish folk music with the unmistakable sound of the 20th-century Russian greats. Program: Prokoviev, Overture on Hebrew Themes; Shostakovich, Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor; Golijov, Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind. Tickets: $10 - 20 at https://chiarina.org/concerts/a-hebrew-overture/. At St. Mark’s Church, 301 A Street SE.

Monday, September 23 at 4:30 PM, Kid's Art Time: Traditional Hispanic Heritage Folk Art - Tree of Life Project. In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we will learn about traditional artisans from Mexico, Central America, and South America and their artistic styles! Then, you will have an opportunity to create folk art masterpieces rich in Hispanic heritage. If you like creating art in various mediums and expressing yourself creatively, then join us! Ages 4 and up welcome. Free. At Mt. Pleasant Library, 3160 16th St. NW, entrance on Lamont St. More info on this program and on other traditional Hispanic heritage folk art programs this month at https://www.dclibrary.org/node/64973

Monday, September 23 from 6 - 8:30 PM, Kickoff event for Banned Books Week: Team Rayceen presents Rayceen’s Reading Room, featuring authors, poets, comedians, and more - hosted by Rayceen Pendarvis. This event will take place in the newly renovated Cleveland Park Library, in the community room, directly across from the main entrance on Connecticut Avenue NW. Doors to the community room will open by 6 PM and the program will begin at 7. This event will be live and uncensored. Free and open to the public! More info: http://bit.ly/2kJsLFO

Monday, September 23 from 7 - 9 PM, Magnificent Main Street: Woodley Park’s Beautification Celebration, featuring Ward 3 Councilmember Mary Cheh and Washington, DC Deputy Mayor for Economic Development and Planning John Falcicchio. From its naming in 1801, Woodley Park has been home to presidents, the National Zoo, and welcomes over four million visitors annually (roughly 20% of DC's tourist population!). The needs of a modern tourist epicenter with such a celebrated past are great. Help us raise the funds required to meet this challenge - and at the same time, enjoy Lebanese Taverna’s complimentary bar and traditional Lebanese delicacies. Be the first to see beautification proposals for the neighborhood's commercial corridor and give your input. Learn what WP residents have to say about their neighborhood, its future, and offer your own ideas for retail diversity. Be a part of keeping DC the entrepreneurial capital of the USA by helping small businesses improve and thrive in your own neighborhood. Tickets: $25 - go to https://woodleyparkmainstreet.org/ and scroll down to see the “tickets” pay box. Lebanese Taverna is at 2641 Connecticut Avenue NW.

Tuesday, September 24 at 7 PM, Author Talk: Ann Crittenden on Raising Children: The Most Undervalued Leadership Credential. This event kicks off a new season of Tuesday Talks at the Cleveland Park Library. Award-winning journalist, author, and lecturer Ann Crittenden will discuss Raising Children: The Most Undervalued Leadership Credential. Raising kids confers invaluable lessons in managing adults. Crittenden came to this conclusion not only through her own child-rearing experience, but also by interviewing prominent leaders in various fields who had also been hands-on parents. Hear more from Crittenden on her findings, and how your parenting may be preparing you for much, much more. In addition to writing critically-acclaimed books, Crittenden covered economic topics for The New York Times, initiated numerous investigative reports, and was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. Crittenden’s book will be on sale that evening, and she will be available to sign books. The talk is free and open to the public and takes place at the Cleveland Park Library, 3310 Connecticut Ave NW. Seating is on a first come first serve basis, so please come early to get your choice of seats. RSVPs are strongly encouraged - go to http://bit.ly/2ksXNS7. To see the other speakers in this season’s Tuesday Talks, visit www.cpbiz.org/speakers. The Tuesday Talks Series is brought to you by the Cleveland Park Business Association and the Cleveland and Woodley Park Village, in collaboration with the DC Public Library.

Wednesday, September 25 from 7 - 8:30 PM, What Are the Laws of War in Cyberspace? - A Discussion with Susan Rice, MS President Brad Smith, and other industry leaders. Bombs may not be dropping, tanks may not be rolling, but America is engaged in a high-stakes cyber war with her adversaries where there are few rules, no moral framework and no end in sight. Our national security system has yet to answer critical questions emerging from this new zone of conflict: How should America protect its citizens, critical infrastructure, and other targets? Can the US help shape new “rules of war”? And what is the price of failure? Ambassador Susan Rice, former National Security Advisor, and Brad Smith, President of Microsoft and a leading voice on these issues deliver keynote addresses. David Ignatius of The Washington Post moderates a discussion on the state of cyberwarfare and this new digital battleground. Other panelists are: Gen. Keith Alexander (ret), CEO of IronNet and former head of the National Security Agency and Cyber Command; Joseph Nye, Harvard professor and co-chair of Aspen Strategy Group; Laura Rosenberger, Director of the Alliance for Securing Democracy at the German Marshall Fund, former foreign policy advisor and National Security Council staff. Admission: $15; $7 military and student tickets available - go to: https://cathedral.org/event/what-are-the-laws-of-war-in-cyberspace/. At the National Cathedral, Massachusetts and Wisconsin Avenues, NW

Thursday, September 26 at 4 PM, Zine Workshop (A Banned Books Week Event). Learn how to make a zine out of a single piece of paper and express what the freedom to read means to you. Discover more about the ways zines are used for self-publishing and sharing your ideas. For ages 13-19. Free. At Georgetown Library, 3260 R St. NW, https://www.dclibrary.org/node/65015

Thursday September 26 at 5:30 PM, Library Takeout: Finding the Bauhaus in the Public Library: Opening Reception and Panel Discussion. The Bauhaus (1919-1933) was a German art school that imagined a better world and launched some of the greatest architects, designers and artists of the 20th century—including Mies van der Rohe, architect of DC’s own Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library. Yet the school’s social vision was eclipsed by World War II and the rise of a fascist regime. Today we see traces of Bauhaus design everywhere—but what became of its utopian ideals? Further, what new perspective does this history offer on present-day challenges of inequality and shrinking public space? Join us for a cross-cultural conversation with experts from the fields of art and design, architecture, and education about historical experiments and today’s realities in design for the public good. Moderated by Maryann James-Daley, Assistant Director of Public Services, DC Public Library, with Panelists: Karen Koelher, Professor of Art History, Hampshire College; Mira Azarm, Innovation Instigator, University of Maryland Academy for Innovation & Entrepreneurship; Hazel Edwards, Chair, Howard University Department of Architecture. Presented in partnership with AIGA DC Design Week. Opening reception and exhibition is from 5:30 - 7 PM. Panel discussion from 7 - 8:30 PM. Please RSVP via Eventbrite at http://bit.ly/2koiWg4. More info: https://www.dclibrary.org/node/65118.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Get Out! The Events Column - Friday & Saturday Edition (Sept 20 & 21, 2019)

ZooFiesta

Friday, September 13, 2019

Still Life with Robin: Mini-Moon Tonight!

NASA image: Supermoon vs. Micromoon

by Peggy Robin

It’s the hat trick – three in a row for the Still Life with Robin column appearing on Friday, not Saturday. That’s because, for the third time in a row, there’s an event I want to natter on about, and if I wait until Saturday, I’ve missed it. What is it this time? No festivals or book fairs. Look up to the sky tonight, and if it’s not too cloudy, you will see it: It’s Mini-Moon!

CNN’s website explains what that means and how it happens:

“A glowing (but mini) harvest moon will light up Friday the 13th”

https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/10/us/harvest-moon-friday-the-13th-scn-trnd/index.html

Live Science, on the other hand, is calling it a “micromoon” – although it’s only 14 percent smaller and 30 percent dimmer than the typical full moon.

“On Friday the 13th, Don't Be Freaked Out by the 'Micromoon'”

https://www.livescience.com/friday-the-13th-micromoon.html

Capital Weather Gang has also gone with the “Micro” modifier, and their article includes advice about DC viewing….which could well be a bust, as odds are high that the micro-moon will be hidden behind tonight’s expected cloud cover:

“The moon rises over Washington at 7:31 p.m. Friday although clouds may obscure the view. Just look to the east about five minutes after sunset, and you’ll see the orange disk poking above the horizon. Until it’s firmly planted high in the sky, however, it’ll be tough to appreciate just how small it looks.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2019/09/11/first-time-years-full-moon-will-occur-this-friday-th/

CWG also had the best trivia about the rarity of tonight’s lunar light:

“For a micromoon and Friday the 13th full moon to occur together is extraordinarily rare. The last time it happened was in 1832 and it won’t happen again for more than 500 years according to Tony Rice, a meteorologist and engineer at NASA.”

Even a normal full moon doesn’t happen on a Friday the 13th all that often. The last time was 13 years ago, and the next time will be 13 years from now. Again, here’s CWG with some fun facts about full moons to come:

“The next time we’ll have a moon approaching fullness on Friday the 13th (before achieving total illumination the next morning) will be in a little over 13 years, in May 2033. And if you’re looking for something really riveting, mark your calendar for 2037. There will be two blue moons in a span of three months — a blue moon defined as the second full moon in a calendar month. They’ll occur on Jan. 31 and March 31, both months that will also feature a full moon on the first of the month. In addition, March 13, 2037, falls on a Friday.”

Happy Friday the 13th to all – and to anyone affected by paraskevidekatriaphobia (that’s the name for fear of Friday the 13^th – and if you were thinking, what about triskaidekaphobia? -- well, that’s just fear of the number 13), you might find some reassurance in this piece from LiveScience, debunking the superstition, which is not an ancient one, as you might have supposed:

https://www.livescience.com/17900-statistically-speaking-friday-13th-unlucky.html

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Still Life with Robin is published on the Cleveland ParkListserv, usually on Saturdays, but lately, on Fridays. It’s also available on the web at All Life Is Local.

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Get Out! The Events Column, September 12 - 19, 2019

Photo by Thomas S Mann

We wanted to share some events and activities that we thought would be of interest to list members. Have a great weekend -- and week beyond, too. If you know of an event that the 18,400+ members of the Cleveland Park Listserv should know about, please email us at events @ fastmail dot net.

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

Thursday, September 12 at 6:30 PM, The 51st Festivities: DC for Statehood, Presented by Mayor Muriel Bowser. Statehood is about the fundamental American values of equality and fairness. DC is made up of more than 702,000 people, yet because we don’t live in a state, we do not have a vote in Congress. On September 19, Mayor Muriel Bowser will give testimony to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform in favor of legislation recognizing Washington DC as the 51st state. Let’s continue to build momentum - join us for this free event championing DC statehood. The night will feature music, speakers and like-minded advocates – come share in the cause and celebrate DC’s path to statehood! Additional information to follow. To learn more about DC statehood, visit https://statehood.dc.gov/. Register at http://bit.ly/2kv22wf. At the State Room Event Space, 201 D Street NE.

Friday, September 13 from 12 - 1 PM, Nature Walk with Michael Sherrill, Golden Triangle BID, and Smithsonian Gardens. Take a stroll through the Renwick Gallery’s Golden Triangle neighborhood with artist Michael Sherrill, horticulturist James Gagliardi from Smithsonian Gardens, and David Suls, senior director of planning and policy at the Golden Triangle BID. The group leads a walking tour to explore the innovative rain garden landscaping in the neighborhood. Be sure to check out the exhibition Michael Sherrill Retrospective at the Renwick to see how Sherrill’s artwork reimagines the natural world in creative new ways. Meet in front of the Renwick Gallery, 1661 Pennsylvania Ave NW. Free, walk-in - no registration. More info: https://s.si.edu/2lLusCs

Friday, September 13 at 1 PM, District Philharmonic: Wide Open Rehearsal. Join the musicians of the District Philharmonic's Wind Octet in a Wide Open Rehearsal! In preparation for their multi-concert festival on Sunday, September 15, members of the District Philharmonic's Wind Octet will rehearse works by Wolfgang Mozart, John Philip Sousa, and more. The audience is invited to be a part of rehearsal: to ask questions, to move around the room, to hear and see the music come to life. Free. At the West End Library 2301 L St. NW, https://www.dclibrary.org/node/65044

Friday, September 13 at 4 PM Mooncake Autumn Festival. Celebrate the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival with mooncakes, stories and crafts. This program is for ages 4-12. Free. At Georgetown Library, 3260 R St. NW, https://www.dclibrary.org/node/65012

Saturday, September 14 from 11 - 2 PM, DCPS Back to School Block Party / Fiesta En La Calle De Regreso A Clases. The DC Public Schools Back to School Block Party is a 3-hour celebration to welcome students, parents, teachers, school administration, and community members to a successful start to the new school year. The Block Party is designed to engage the DC Community in a fun and welcoming environment while providing information and multiple resources from local partner organizations and District Government Agencies such as health and wellness, food access, and college and career readiness to name a few. There will be free food and fun activities for all ages including a moon bounce, mini-golf course, parkour course, and student performances. Surprise VIP guests will also be a part of the afternoon celebrations! Questions? Please contact Jerry Ilar, Coordinator, Public Events and Engagement at jerry.ilar @ dc dot gov or 202.744.0423. The event will happen rain or shine. Tickets are not needed. Everyone is welcome to attend regardless of registration (available here: http://bit.ly/2kc5Z9a). Food and free items will be given on first come, first serve basis. At Theodore Roosevelt High School, 4301 13th Street NW

Saturday, September 14 from 11 AM - 5 PM, Celebrate Petworth! - A neighborhood festival organized by and for the residents of Petworth and surrounding neighborhoods, celebrating the creativity, diversity, culture, people and quality of life of our wonderful neighborhood. Activities include: Petworth History Storytelling; “Stop the Violence” Youth Basketball Clinic, in partnership with DC Parks and Recreation and their Roving Leaders - this is a co-ed clinic for 8-14 year olds with Roosevelt High School students as junior coaches (it’s on prior to the festival, from 9 - 11 AM); Main stage featuring local musical performances, dog show/contest, and other events all day long; Taste of Petworth - try the menus of local Petworth restaurants - tickets just $2! Free admission. In the 800 block of Upshur Street NW. More info: https://www.celebratepetworth.com/

Saturday, September 14 from 11 AM - 5 PM, Streetmarket: A Curated Market Experience. Streetsense is bringing a a one-day market to Blagden Alley so you can shop local, eat well, and drink up while supporting and championing locally owned businesses. If a pop-up market in a micro-neighborhood sounds right up your alley, we'll see you in Blagden Alley. Local vendors and activities include: Live mural installation with artist Marcella Kriebel; Thoughtfully crafted hummus bowls and pita sandwiches from Little Sesame; An indie selection of books for all ages from Loyalty Books; Botanical-based goods and floral arrangements by She Loves Me; A playful, modern take on Hong Kong street food by Tiger Fork; Plants and curated floral arrangements from REWILD...and many others, too numerous to list. Free. At Blagden Alley, located near the Mt. Vernon Square/7th Street Convention Center Metro stop (green and yellow lines). More info: http://bit.ly/2kDMhDs

Saturday, September 14 from 12 - 3 PM, Chevy Chase Day. Join the Chevy Chase Citizens Association for our annual Chevy Chase DC Day at Chevy Chase Community Center Commons
5601 Connecticut Ave NW. Come join your neighbors for a day of fun! Featuring: BBQ; Art Activity organized by Ch/Art; Moon Bounce; Face Painting; Balloon Artist; Ice Cream Truck; And Lots More. Free.

Saturday, September 14 at 1 PM, The Year 1919 in Washington: Tumultuous and Tragic. Washington suffered a crisis year, with a race riot, the president felled by a stroke and much more - with a dash of woman suffrage in the air. Creators Syndicate columnist Jamie Stiehm is joined by Jefferson Morley, journalist and author. Free. At the Georgetown Neighborhood Library, 3260 R St. NW, https://www.dclibrary.org/node/64940

Saturday, September 14 from 7 PM - Midnight, Art All Night in Tenleytown 2019 will transform local businesses and public spaces into pop-up galleries and performance stages for an evening of art in all its forms. Last year, nearly 13,000 people attended in Tenleytown, and this year promises to be even bigger, better, and more diverse with 200+ artists and performers featured at 19 venues. Join us for art, music, dance, theater, and more! There’s something for art lovers of all ages and backgrounds to enjoy in Tenleytown. Go to www.tenleytownmainstreet.org/art-all-night and click on the “schedule” tab to see all events, times, and locations.

Saturday, September 14 - Sunday, September 22, various times: Free Walking Town DC Tours. Over 9 days, Cultural Tourism DC is offering over 50 walking tours in all corners of DC, highlighting a diverse array of topics, including civil rights history, Irish history, Jewish history, two different LGBT history tours, many neighborhood and enclave history tours, and perhaps most intriguing, “Hidden in Plain Sight: Forgotten Memorials of DC.” Tours offered near Cleveland Park include: The Historic Springland Farm and Its Progeny; Tenleytown: The Village That Grew; and A Hill Above Washington: Fort Reno. The complete list is here: https://www.culturaltourismdc.org/portal/tour-schedule; the registration button is at the bottom of that page. All tours are free, but a $10 donation is requested from those who can afford it.

Sunday, September 15 from 6 - 9 PM, Barks and Brews Festival in Van Ness! Celebrate our canine friends at the 3rd annual Barks and Brews Festival. Tickets are $30 in advance, $35 the day of the event. Ticket holders receive unlimited craft beer! Free admission for non-beer drinkers. Live music by local favorite, After the Flood. Giveaways and prizes (for your pup!). Fat Pete's BBQ Food Truck. FUN meeting new friends, four-legged and otherwise! All proceeds benefit Van Ness Main Street. Buy tickets: http://bit.ly/2mafZAp. At Calvert Woodley Fine Wines & Spirits, 4339 Connecticut Avenue NW

Sunday, September 15 from 12 noon - 5 PM, Future Fest - a family "maker" event hosted by KID Museum. If you have school aged kids who are maker/STEM-interested or just ready to explore, then bring them to Future Fest. Here are the top 5 reasons to attend: 1. Help build KID City—Be a part of a live, communal build of a city of the future! Get creative using electronics, woodworking, and coding in a unique interactive experience for the whole family. 2. Explore cultures that shape our community—In Cultural Crossroads, experience life in China, El Salvador, Ethiopia, India, and Korea through hands-on, creative activities, music, and dance. 3. Check out the future of technology—At the Innovation Expo, discover how advances in areas such as virtual reality, robotics, urban farming, and space exploration are transforming our world. 4. Hear exciting speakers—The opening ceremony features US Senator Chris Van Hollen, Montgomery Co. Council Exec. Marc Elrich, and other local notables. Inspire your kids—We want to empower the next generation to invent the future with creativity, curiosity, and compassion. Free. At Silver Spring Civic Building, Veterans Plaza, corner of Ellsworth and Fenton, Silver Spring, MD (parking next door and red line accessible). More info: https://www.silverspringdowntown.com/do/futurefest

Monday, September 16 at 12 noon, Book Talk: "Heroes of the Underground Railroad Around DC." Many of the unsung heroes of the Underground Railroad lived and worked in Washington, DC. Enslaved people engineered escapes, individually and in groups, and with and without the assistance of an organized network. Some ended up back in slavery or in jail, but others escaped to freedom. Join us as anthropologist and author Jenny Masur tells their stories recorded in her book Heroes of the Underground Railroad Around DC. After the presentation, there will be time for discussion and debate. Free. At The Georgetown University Museum and Textile Museum, 701 21st Street, NW. No registration needed. More info: https://museum.gwu.edu/underground-railroad

Tuesday, September 17 from 5:30 PM-6:30 PM, Open House for FREE Youth Music Program. Please join us at Pilgrim Lutheran Church for this free event to learn more about the choral and instrumental ensembles of Pilgrim's Music Program. Children will enjoy singing, musical activities and snacks. Parents will learn more about this exciting program for their children. Visit "Music" at www.pilgrimbethesda.org for more details. Pilgrim Lutheran Church is at 5500 Massachusetts Avenue, Bethesda, MD. RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pilgrim-music-open-house-tickets-70789775123

Wednesday, September 18 at 9:30 PM, Washington Monument Pre-Opening Light Show and Product Placement. On the evening before the Washington Monument reopens to the public (see item below for details), there will be a light show/projection on the face of the Monument, which will “rebrand” the monument with the sponsors’ chosen images. If you attended the 50th anniversary of the moon landing in July, you saw a magnificent example of how projected images can create a spectacular vision of an object or event on the surface of the Monument. (If you missed it, you can read about it here: http://bit.ly/2kAJH0Q.) The National Park Service, under the direction of Trump administration’s Secretary of the Interior and former oil lobbyist David Bernhardt, has sold the projection rights in one-month increments for the next 12 months to put on a nightly show of images on the monument -- with the first month’s sponsorship going to the Trump International Hotel. The image projected every night on the Washington Monument for the next month will be of the clock tower atop the Trump International Hotel (See image here: http://bit.ly/2kdsCKs.) By projecting the image of the clock tower onto the surface of the Washington Monument, the Trump International Hotel’s clock tower will appear to be the tallest structure in Washington DC. Public attendance at the unveiling of this projected image is expected to exceed by far the estimated 500,000 visitors who attended the Moonwalk anniversary projection. Former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer will do the introduction for the opening of the light show on Wednesday and brief the press afterward about the crowd size. To see the complete list of the monthly sponsors that will supply the images to be projected on the Washington Monument over the next 12 months, go to: http://bit.ly/cpfakeevent

Thursday, September 19 at 9 AM, Reopening of the Washington Monument. Following a 37-month closure to modernize the elevator control system and construct a new security screening facility, the Washington Monument will reopen to the public at 9 AM. Same-day tickets for Opening Day and all tours through October 18 will be available on a first-come, first-served basis starting at 8:30 AM at the Washington Monument Lodge, located on 15th St between Madison Dr NW and Jefferson Dr SW. Starting on October 10 at 10 AM, tickets may be ordered at www.recreation.gov for tour dates beginning on October 19. For additional information, visit www.nps.gov/wamo/planyourvisit/fees.htm. The National Park Service press release is available here: https://www.nps.gov/nama/learn/news/wamoreopen.htm -- and please note the last sentence in the press release. It was not meant sarcastically, and this is not a satire for our Weekly Fake Event.

Thursday September 19 from 5 - 7 PM, Take 5! The Shook and Russo Quartet. Join the Shook and Russo Quartet featuring Amy Shook (bass), Frank Russo (drums), Pat Shook (tenor sax), and Jonathan Epley (guitar) as they honor the tradition established by jazz masters and perform original material. This performance will feature music from their upcoming album. Free. In the Kogod Courtyard of the Smithsonian American Art Museum at 8th and F Streets NW. More info: https://americanart.si.edu/events/take-5-shook-and-russo-quartet-september-19-2019

Thursday, September 19 at 5:30 PM, Curator Gallery Talk: American Myth and Memory: David Levinthal Photographs. There’s more to cowboys than rodeos, more to Barbie than pink, and more to baseball than peanuts and crackerjacks. Join Joanna Marsh, curator of American Myth and Memory: David Levinthal Photographs, as she takes a closer look at David Levinthal’s photographs, which explore the cultural prominence of such quintessential American ideals. Free. At the Smithsonian American Art Museum, 8th and G Street NW - meet in the G Street Lobby. More info: https://americanart.si.edu/events/curator-gallery-talk-september-19-2019

Thursday, September 19 from 6 - 8 PM, DC Alleys: Past, Present and Future. Washington DC’s historic alley network has become one of the most desirable locations to live, offering close-knit communities, unique architecture, and a human-scale setting. As changes in the DC Zoning Code continue to offer more opportunity for alley development, the likelihood of architects designing within this context has grown. However, there are numerous challenges, including contradictions in the code, lack of infrastructure, and issues of access. Meanwhile there is a great deal of potential for responsible and sustainable development. Please join AIA|DC and the Capital Area Custom Residential Architects Network (CRAN) for a lively panel discussion among local experts and decision-makers about the past, present, and future of DC’s alley neighborhoods. Presented by: Christine Shiker, Partner - Holland & Knight; Thor Nelson - Washington, DC, Office of Planning; Elizabeth Emerson, Principal and Co-Founder - EL Studio; Mark Lawrence, Principal and Co-Founder - EL Studio. Refreshments by Kafe Leopold. Tickets: Free for Students, Assoc. AIA, AIA, and DAC Members; $25 for Non-Members. Registration required: https://www.aiadc.com/event/dc-alleys-past-present-and-future. At Boffi/B&B Italia Cady's Alley in Georgetown.

...And don’t forget the REACH Festival at the Kennedy Center, going on all week and next week, through Sunday, September 22. For the schedule of events, go to: https://cms.kennedy-center.org/festivals/reach/schedule. For (free) timed entry passes, go to: http://bit.ly/2lFTLpD. For location and visitor information, go to: https://www.kennedy-center.org/pages/visitor/directions

Friday, September 6, 2019

Still Life with Robin: Reaching THE REACH

By Peggy Robin

DC is becoming quite the Festival City! We had the fabulous, overflowing, bookiest BookFest ever last Saturday. And this Saturday kicks off a two week extravaganza of FREE Kennedy Center performances to celebrate the opening of the new annex, called THE REACH.

If you haven’t been following along – or watching the building rise like a white sheet bending in the wind along the Potomac River – appearing sinuous beside the stodgy old, pole-propped utility-station-like behemoth that is the original Kennedy Center building – then you can get caught up to speed by reading the architectural/cultural review by Washington Post critic, Philip Kennicott: https://wapo.st/2m3jBEp

I’m posting this column, which normally comes out on Saturdays, a day early on Friday, so that you will have a chance to look over the schedule and pick out shows you want to see and order up free passes. There’s a ton of stuff to see and there are also interactive demonstrations, kids activities, street performances, etc., -- that’s the good news. And now for the bad news: Almost all of the free timed entry passes available for the coming week are gone. And both weekends are completely sold out (if by selling out, the meaning is, all the free passes are taken). But if you act fast, you can still snag some passes for some of the performances taking place during weekdays. Or you can just mosey on down to the Kennedy Center/REACH Festival and see what you can walk into. And ogle the architecture. Get familiar with the layout, Because if you like theater and live performances, I suspect you’re going to be visiting – and taking your out-of-town guests – quite a bit!

The Washington Post put out its own guide called “How to make the most of the 16-day festival celebrating the Kennedy Center’s expansion” -- and I can’t improve on it:
https://wapo.st/2lywgin. The only thing that might be even more useful is The Reach Festival’s mobile app, so that you have all the info at a touch on your smartphone:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/reach-fest/id1473629528

May The Reach Be With You!
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Still Life with Robin is usually posted on the Cleveland Park Listserv and on All Life Is Local on Saturdays, but this is the second week in a row that it’s been posted on a Friday, so that it's out before the start of a festival on Saturday.

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Get Out! The Events Column, September 6 - 12, 2019

We wanted to share some events and activities that we thought would be of interest to list members. Have a great weekend -- and week beyond, too. If you know of an event that the 18,400+ members of the Cleveland Park Listserv should know about, please email us at events @ fastmail dot net.

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

Friday September 6 from 6 - 8 PM, First Friday: Food As An Art! Local food distributor, Neek & Nan’s is bringing their Fresh Seasonings and Sauces to the Heurich House Museum for First Friday Dupont (see https://washington.org/event/first-friday-dupont for other free events in the First Friday monthly program for participating museums and galleries around Dupont Circle). Guest are invited to shop locally made food and create their own food art with colored pencils, markers, and collage paper. The Heurich Museum’s doors will be open for guests to explore the family home of DC's most successful brewer, Christian Heurich, and learn more about his historic brewery in the exhibit HOME/BREWED: How the Chr. Heurich Brewing Co. Witnessed DC History. This is event is free and open to the public. Local beer will be on tap and snacks will be available for purchase. The Castle Garden will be open weather permitting. Heurich House Museum is at 1307 New Hampshire Avenue NW. More info: http://heurichhouse.org/events/2019/9/6/first-friday-food-as-an-art

Saturday, September 7 at 11 AM, Sing Talk and Read (STAR) Family Festival at Deanwood Library. This event, hosted in partnership with the Department of Parks and Recreation, will celebrate the importance of early literacy and how parents can help their child prepare for kindergarten. The Deanwood Library and Recreation Center will be transformed into a play space where families can participate in a number of early literacy activities, enjoy live performances, and interact with community partners. This year's festival will feature performances by Latin Grammy Award-winning 123 Andrés and Christina, Pacific Rhythm - Polynesian Entertainment, and a special station honoring Books from Birth program graduates. Additionally, the first 300 guests will receive a copy of Sing With Me DC: A book of nursery rhymes for children from DC Public Library, illustrated by DC artist Carlos Carmonamedina. Guests will also have an opportunity to interact with DC's incredible community of support behind early education. Free. At Deanwood Library, 1350 49th St. NE, https://www.dclibrary.org/starfestival

Saturday, September 7 from 5 - 7 PM, Concert at Forest Hills Park, featuring Grammy-nominated (for a children's recording) progressive hip hop artist Christylez Bacon with violinist Karin Kelleher opening the show. Come join us at the amphitheater - the closest entrance is from the 3200 block of Brandywine. Armand's Pizza will be on sale - cash only. For updates and more info, go to: https://www.facebook.com/ForestHillsPlayground/

Saturday, September 7 from 5 - 8 PM, Opening Reception for the exhibit Fictive Certainties, featuring photography by Ginevra Shay and María Tinaut. The exhibit runs from September 7 - Oct 5. Free. De Novo Gallery is at 1287 4th St. NE, https://www.denovo-gallery.com/events/fictivecertaintiesopening

Saturday,September 7 from 6 - 8:30 PM, The 3rd Annual FREE Turtle Park Jazz Project, presented by Friends of Friendship “Turtle” Park. Join FOFP for an evening of fabulous music and lots of fun! Bring a picnic or buy dinner from the variety of food trucks we’ll have on hand and don’t forget your blanket or lawn chair! Schedule of performers: 6 PM, Musicians from Middle C Music; 6:40: The Michael Sweeney Experience: A Motown Journey. Friendship “Turtle” Park is at 45th and Van Ness Streets NW. More info: www.TurtlePark.org

Sunday, September 8 from 12:30 - 6:30 PM, The 14th Annual Interfaith Unity Walk and Resource Fair, 2019. Over 1000 people of all faiths and backgrounds will come together on one day to celebrate the diversity of our region, to visit houses of worship, and most importantly, to listen to each other and ask questions of each other. “Now is the time for us all to come together and to publicly declare that this is a no hate zone and to unite around our shared humanity." Register at: http://bit.ly/2k0Bjro. Registration is free, but if you would like to donate, the suggestion is $25 for the general public and $15 for seniors and students -- but all donations are thankfully welcomed. Schedule: Check-in/walk-in registration and resource fair is from 12:30-1:30pm. Opening Ceremony from 1:30-2pm, Closing Ceremony from 5-5:30pm. This year, in celebration of the 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth, there will be a gathering from 6-6:30pm at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial near Dupont Circle. Check-in, the resource fair, and the opening ceremony are at Washington Hebrew Congregation, 3935 Macomb St NW. Ten houses of worship will be along the walk, each one having its own programming, demonstration of rituals, tour of the building, offering of traditional foods, and introduction to the religion and its practices. Click on the link below for updates and information about programs and service projects for this year’s walk: https://ifcmw.org/programs/unity-walk/unity-walk-faq/. Click below to sign up for this year's pre-walk storytelling workshop and community picnic:
https://ifcmw.org/storytelling-workshop-and-community-picnic/

Sunday, September 8 from 11 AM - 7 PM, DC State Fair. The DC State Fair is a free showcase of the District’s agricultural, culinary and creative talents and a daylong celebration of all things homegrown. While the DC State Fair is inspired by time-honored state fair traditions—growing and gardening, animal husbandry, and deep-fried foods—it also honors the things that make the District of Columbia unique. This means the DC State Fair holds competitions to find the tastiest mumbo sauce, best honey, and most creative hula hoopers in the city; puts on a Pet Parade instead of a pig race; and works with local businesses and organizations that are committed to helping our community thrive. The event will have a new location at Gateway DC, an innovative and unique state-of-the-art park and pavilion in the heart of St. Elizabeths East Campus. Gateway DC is located at 2700 Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE. Plan ahead: pack a reusable water bottle, reusable cutlery and a shopping bag. Help the Fair be more sustainable. Free. Register https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2019-dc-state-fair-tickets-65253292354

Sunday, September 8 from 12 noon - 6 PM, Adams Morgan Day - celebrating our 41st year in 2019! Adams Morgan Day is a family-friendly celebration with music, art and activities for all ages. Attendance and entertainment are free, and local businesses and restaurants offer deals for the day.Enjoy music all day on our two stages at Columbia Rd and Marie Reed Plaza, catch the shows at the DCPL Performance Tent on 18th and Belmont, boogie with us on the Dance Plaza at 18th and Kalorama, or soak in some performance art in Artist’s Alley! Family Fun Zone on the Marie Reed Grounds and Soccer Field. More about events, performers, vendors, and neighborhood businesses at: https://www.admoday.com/

Monday, September 9 at 12 noon, Lecture: Spies in the Civil War. Join Vince Houghton, historian and curator at the International Spy Museum, to uncover the hidden world of spies during the Civil War. Home to many southern sympathizers, Washington, DC, was a hotbed for covert activity by the Confederacy. After the presentation, there will be time for discussion and debate. Free; no reservations required. Bring your lunch and enjoy a cup of coffee on us. At The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum, 701 21st Street, NW, https://museum.gwu.edu/civil-war-spies

Monday, September 9 at 4 PM, Harry Potter Movie Night. Join us for a special screening of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Enjoy a themed snack and learn about our special Harry Potter Night. All month long come check out our Harry Potter decorations and enjoy fun activities like a quiz and scavenger hunt. Free. At Cleveland Park Library, 3310 Connecticut Ave. NW, https://www.dclibrary.org/node/64954

Monday, September 9 at 6 PM, Group Apparition Spell to Deliver Banned Harry Potter Books to Schoolchildren in Nashville, TN. Perhaps you have read about the children at St. Edwards School in Nashville, whose principal has removed all Harry Potter books from the school's library on the grounds that they promote the practice of witchcraft. If you or your children want to help these deprived Tennessee schoolchildren recover the lost magic of Harry Potter, then come to this group apparition ceremony at the Cleveland Park Library, just after the end of Harry Potter Movie Night (or stick around, if you've been there for the movie), and we will assemble over a stack of Harry Potter books and use the apparition spell in the attempt to make them disapparate from Cleveland Park and apparate into the St. Edwards School Library. We especially invite anyone with experience and success in using this spell to join us. We will supply the complete set of Harry Potter books to be delivered magically to the target address. Children must have parental permission to participate in this magic feat. Please be sure to have your parents sign the online parental consent form at http://bit.ly/cpfakeevent before attending.

Monday, September 9 at 6:30 PM, Civil Rights Activism and the Barry Farm/Hillsdale Community. In the 1950s and ‘60s, Barry Farm/Hillsdale’s residents—in particular residents of Barry Farm Dwellings—were in the forefront of Civil Rights activism in Washington, DC. Museum curator and author Alcione M. Amos will lecture on the history of this period when parents in the community were active in the fight to integrate schools in Washington, DC and residents of Barry Farm Dwellings were organizing themselves, with the help of the Southeast Neighborhood House, to defy the oppression of the welfare system and to create new opportunities for neighborhood youth. This program is presented in conjunction with the exhibition A Right To The City and in partnership with DC Public Library. Please RSVP at http://bit.ly/2ltHODo. Free. At Anacostia Library, 1800 Good Hope Road SE, https://www.dclibrary.org/node/64405

Tuesday, September 10 from 5:30 - 6:30 PM, Open House for Free Youth Music Program. Join us for a free event for children grades 3 through 12. The Music Program at Pilgrim Lutheran Church is accepting new children for its Junior Choir, for children grades 3 through 8, and Teen Ensemble, grades 9 through 12. The program is free to families of the DC metro area and is designed to expand a child's love for music through a fun, supportive and spiritually enriching learning environment. At the Open House, we will offer singing, musical activities and snacks for kids and a reception for parents, where you can learn more about this educational and fun program for your child. Please RSVP at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pilgrim-music-open-house-tickets-70786180371. If you can’t attend the September 10 event, another Open House is offered at the same times on Tuesday, September 17. RSVP for the 9/17 event at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pilgrim-music-open-house-tickets-70789775123

Wednesday September 11 at 7 PM, Love's Way - A Book Talk with Sig Cohen. Families with aging parents and loved ones often struggle with issues like caregiving, end-of-life planning, and the need for transparency. Sig Cohen, co-author of Love’s Way: Living Peacefully With Your Family As Your Parents Age, will discuss these and other concerns that crop up often when we least expect them. Drawing on his mediation and personal experience from working with families, he will also address parents’ quest for independence vs. their adult children’s concern for their safety, fear of initiating necessary conversations, and what documents everyone needs. RSVP for this free talk on Eventbrite: http://bit.ly/2lvXeab. At the Northeast Library, 330 7th St. NE.

Thursday, September 12 at 7:30 PM, Regennia Williams: My Story, My Song, My Sources, a Washington, DC Jazz Book Tour Event. Join author and historian, Dr. Regennia N. Williams, as she presents on the process of researching her latest title Washington, DC Jazz, an "Images of America" publication co-authored with Rev. Dr. Sandra Butler-Truesdale. Hear clips of oral history from DC jazz legends, learn about where Dr. Williams found her most telling sources and share your own insights to the world of jazz in our nation's capital. Dr. Regennia N. Williams is an independent consultant, an author, an educator, a historian and the founder and director of the RASHAD Center, Inc., a Maryland-based nonprofit organization. In 2018, Dr. Williams served as the humanities scholar for "Washington, DC, Jazz: The Music of the Metropolis and Beyond," a DC Legendary Musicians Humanities DC grant-funding project. Free. At the Francis A. Gregory Library, 3660 Alabama Ave., SE. More info: https://www.dclibrary.org/node/64164

Thursday, September 12 at 6 PM, Cottage Conversation: “All the Powers of Earth: The Political Life of Abraham Lincoln, Vol. III, 1856-1860. Join us as Sidney Blumenthal and Representative Jamie Raskin discuss Blumenthal's new book, All the Powers of Earth: The Political Life of Abraham Lincoln Vol. III, 1856-1860. Cottage Conversations offer relaxing evenings to socialize and learn something new about our 16th president from authors, collectors, and artists. The program begins with a cocktail reception, is followed by the conversation, and concludes with a book signing. The reception begins at 6 PM at the Robert H. Smith Visitor Education Center. The Conversation starts at 6:30 PM in President Lincoln's Cottage. Admission: $10 for the lecture and $10 for the reception, available here: http://bit.ly/2lEJ46w. President Lincoln’s Cottage is at 140 Rock Creek Church Road NW

Thursday, September 12 at 6:30 PM, The 51st Festivities: DC for Statehood, Presented by Mayor Muriel Bowser. Statehood is about the fundamental American values of equality and fairness. DC is made up of more than 702,000 people, yet because we don’t live in a state, we do not have a vote in Congress. On September 19, Mayor Muriel Bowser will give testimony to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform in favor of legislation recognizing Washington DC as the 51st state. Let’s continue to build momentum - join us for this free event championing DC statehood. The night will feature music, speakers and like-minded advocates – come share in the cause and celebrate DC’s path to statehood! Additional information to follow. To learn more about DC statehood, visit https://statehood.dc.gov/. Register at http://bit.ly/2kv22wf. At the State Room Event Space, 201 D Street NE.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Still Life with Robin: BookFest 2019!

by Peggy Robin

You normally get “Still Life with Robin” on Saturdays. But not when it’s the Saturday of the Labor Day Weekend, because that the day of the Library of Congress National Book Festival – the best free annual event in Washington, DC that does not involve fireworks!

As I will be at BookFest 2019 most of tomorrow, my column is coming out tonight, mainly to say that you should go, too! Hop on the Metro, head on down to the Convention Center, and be sure to pick up your free totebag first thing, so that when you go around to the various exhibits and author appearances, you can pick up any little freebies and tchotchkes that may be handed out, and just drop them in your roomy bag. Pens and pencils, bookmarks, notepads, booklets, posters, comic books, and sometimes even hardback books are among the giveaways up for grabs every year. And if you’ll be buying copies of any of the featured authors’ works to be autographed, you can stick them in your totebag, too.

There will be over 100 authors at BookFest 2019 – but here are the Big Names: Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Joyce Carol Oates, Barbara Kingsolver, Philippa Gregory, Sara Paretsky, Natasha Trethewey, Alexandra Horowitz, Linda Sue Park. Now you may be starting to wonder if any men have been invited! Yes, there’s Marcus Zuzak, Nathan Englander, Henry Louis Gates, Frans de Waal, Evan Thomas, David Brinkley, David McCullough, and ....well, I think I'll stop there. The complete list, conveniently in alphabetical order, is here: https://www.loc.gov/events/2019-national-book-festival/authors/. You can find speaking times, book signing times, and locations, too -- go to https://www.loc.gov/events/2019-national-book-festival. You will also find panel discussions, kids activities, a poetry slam, and books, books, and more books, everywhere you look. You can download the free mobile app to your phone if you are digitally inclined: Get the National Book Festival app for iPhone, iPad, or Android - more info here: https://www.loc.gov/apps/?loclr=blognbf.

This year’s BookFest is expected to be the biggest one ever, so if you don’t like crowds….this may not be the thing for you. In that case, stay home and read a good book!
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Still Life with Robin is published on the Cleveland Park Listserv and on All Life Is Local on Saturdays (except for today, when it’s still Friday.)

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Get Out! The Events Column, August 30 - September 5, 2019

Library of Congress 2019 National Book Festival

Friday, August 30 from 5 - 8 PM, DIY Denim Bar: Goodwill Pop-up at the Adams Morgan Community Center. Goodwill's DIY Denim Bar is a FREE event in collaboration with Transportation Junkies where you can learn how to upcycle and transform old denim with help from experts on things like patch and button-making and no-sew design. DC Public Library’s Library Takeout will also be there with books for check-out on topics like fashion, DIY and sustainable living. You can also sign up for a library card and learn about the many free resources that DC Public Library provides. At the Adams Morgan Community Center at the Line Hotel, 1770 Euclid St NW. More info: https://www.dclibrary.org/node/64863

Friday August 30 from 7 AM - 7 PM, Opening of the LegoLand Preview at National Harbor. The LEGOLAND® New York Resort will open in 2020 in Goshen, NY, but you don’t have to wait -- the fun is coming to you! At the Legoland Preview you will find LEGO® building activities, visits from LEGOLAND New York characters, models created by the Danish company’s master builders,” plus cars used at Legoland’s driving schools, and you can take selfies at our large sculptures made of plastic bricks. The exhibit continues through Monday, September 2. On Sunday, September 1, we will be showing “The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part” on the massive movie screen along the Potomac River. Free. At 165 Waterfront St at National Harbor. More info: https://www.nationalharbor.com/events/legoland/

Saturday, August 31 at 1 PM, DC Strings - Concert Finale. DC Strings is dedicated to bringing fun, high-level classical music concerts to communities throughout D.C. Under the leadership of Founding Artistic Director, Andrew Lee, DC Strings seeks to reach a wide spectrum of audiences with performances that engage the communities in which they occur. All ages are invited to attend this Summer Challenge, Concert Finale at Deanwood Library, 1350 49th St. NE, https://www.dclibrary.org/node/64750

Saturday, August 31 and Sunday, September 1, both days starting at 7 PM, Labor Day Weekend Music Festival 2019. Now in its 4th year, the Festival showcases the diversity of DC’s local music scene as a part of Mayor Bowser’s 202Creates initiative. By featuring artists working in different musical styles and genres over the course of Labor Day Weekend, the Festival is a demonstration of the depth and breadth of our local musical talent. Saturday line-up: GoGo Symphony; Zen Warship; Kokayi. Register for the Saturday show at http://bit.ly/2Zrof0X. Sunday line-up: Main Swing Jazz Ensemble; Akua Allrich & the Tribe; Sheldon Thwaites Music. Register for Sunday show at http://bit.ly/30FqmLO. Artists and schedule subject to change. Both evenings will have ASL interpreters. Hosted by Tony Richards at the Lincoln Theatre, 1215 U Street NW. Tickets are FREE with RSVP.

Saturday, August 31 from 9 AM - 8 PM, The LOC BookFest 2019. At the 19th Annual Library of Congress Book Festival there will be more than 100 acclaimed authors and poets, giving readings and talks, with every genre and interest well represented. All free! Plan your day well in advance to make sure you get into the more popular sessions. Start at https://www.loc.gov/events/2019-national-book-festival and look up events by author, stage, type of event, and more. And don’t forget to pick up your free tote bag, poster, and many other goodies, such as bookmarks, notepads, pencils and pens, and more! At the Washington Convention Center, 801 Mt. Vernon Place NW.

Sunday, September 1 from 9 AM - 8 PM, The ELOCyberspace National E-BookFestival 2019. The Library of Cyberspace is holding the first ever festival of E-books! As befits a book festival dedicated to books that exist on the digital plane, this e-book fest does not need to be held in a physical location. You can log into our e-book virtual conference from your computer or mobile device anywhere in the world and choose which of a myriad of sessions to attend. And you will never need to line up in a hallway, or rush to nab a chair with a view of the stage, and then worry about someone sitting in front of you with a hat or big hair. Because the authors do not have to be there in person, this e-book conference can have all the biggest names, including authors who are dead -- represented by their digital avatars. Hear Shakespeare read his sonnets! In our children’s lit and YA section, Louisa May Alcott will discuss how closely Jo March was modeled on her own life. And in the fantasy genre, we anticipate the most popular session will be on “Interview with the Vampire,” where the featured speaker will be the vampire himself! In digital media, everything is possible. Attendance is free but you must register and create a log-in to participate -- go to http://bit.ly/cpfakeevent.

Sunday, September 1 at 8 PM, National Symphony Orchestra: Labor Day Capitol Concert 2019. The National Symphony Orchestra led by Principal Pops Conductor Steven Reineke performs its annual free Labor Day weekend concert on the West Lawn of the US Capitol. The concert features vocalists Mykal Kilgore and Nova Payton in a program of popular songs by R&B hitmakers including Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, James Brown, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, and others. If you want to stake out a good seat, you can arrive when the gates open at 3 PM and catch the open rehearsal held at 3:30. Pack a picnic dinner and enjoy the free music in one of the farewell traditions of a DC summer night. This is a free event - no tickets or registration required. No alcohol permitted. In case of inclement weather, please call the National Symphony Orchestra's Summer Concert Hotline at (202) 416-8114 after 2:30 PM to find out whether the performance will take place at The Capitol, or whether it will move indoors to the Kennedy Center Concert Hall. If the concert moves indoors, there will be NO open rehearsal. More info: https://www.kennedy-center.org/calendar/event/NTLAB

Monday, September 2 from 10 AM - 2 PM, The 50th Annual Kensington Labor Day Parade and Festival. The Parade begins in St. Paul Park at 10 am and ends at Town Hall, where the Festival is held. Musical entertainment begins after the Parade. The Parade travels down Connecticut Avenue from St. Paul Park toward Kensington Town Hall, and will feature local marching bands from area schools; equestrian show groups; dance groups; floats and ambassadors from local churches, schools, non-profits, and businesses; and local, state, and federally elected officials. But this is just the beginning! As the Parade moves towards Town Hall, Armory comes alive with the captivating and exquisite aroma of your favorite and newly discovered foods, along with diverse vendors, games and activities for children of all ages. The event is held in rain or shine (unless severe weather conditions). More info on the Town of Kensington’s website: https://tok.md.gov/featured-events/labor-day-parade-and-festival/

Tuesday, September 3 from 8 - 10 PM, Poetry at Anacostia Open Mic! For two hours audiences can expect a diverse chorus of voices and a vast array of professional spoken word performers, open mic rookies, musicians who are all thought leaders and artists local to our scene, and beyond. Hosted by Brandon Douglas. A poet, rapper, teacher, and actor, Brandon has been a production team member with City at Peace DC for 4 years, using theatre arts to teach cross cultural dialogue and nonviolent conflict resolution. He facilitates writing, performance, and social justice workshops, and is a teaching artist organizing and coaching high school poetry clubs in DC with nonprofit org Split This Rock. Tickets are $5, available in advance at http://bit.ly/2ZxiZVB; if purchases in store, cash only. At Anacostia Busboys and Poets, 2004 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE

Wednesday, September 4 at 7 PM, Journalist Patricia Miller will discuss her book Bringing Down the Colonel: A Sex Scandal of the Gilded Age, and the "Powerless" Woman Who Took On Washington. In 1884, they met on a train. She was 17; he was 47 and married. After a nine-year affair that resulted in the birth of two children, Kentucky congressman Col. William Breckenridge left Madeline Pollard "ruined." Bringing Down the Colonel chronicles how Pollard, a woman of low social standing, sued Breckenridge for "breach of promise." He had promised to marry her, but married someone else. With sex outside of marriage considered irredeemably ruinous for a woman, Pollard's lawsuit did the unthinkable. It challenged society's entrenched belief that sexual activity outside of marriage was acceptable for men, but not for women. Recent news makes clear that women's sexual behavior is still judged more harshly than men's. Bringing Down the Colonel is the story of one of the earliest women to publicly fight back. Miller vividly recreates the Pollard-Breckenridge case, arguing for its rightful place within the history of women's rights. Patricia Miller is an award-winning author and journalist who spent ten years researching the Breckenridge-Pollard saga. Space is limited; seating is available on a first come, first served basis. Book sale and signing to follow event. Free. At the Tenley-Friendship Library, 4450 Wisconsin Ave NW, https://www.dclibrary.org/node/64747.

Thursday, September 5 at 3:30 PM, End of Summer Reading Party. Join us to celebrate the end of summer reading with a party. Sand art, ice cream and of course... the chance to water balloon the librarians from the children’s department if you've read more books than we did over the summer. (Don't forget to enter your book titles on Beanstack [https://dclibrary.beanstack.org/reader365], so we can tell what you've read! If you have questions about how to do this, see us in the Children's Department.) Either way, come and celebrate a well read summer with us. Free. At Georgetown Library, 3260 R St. NW. https://www.dclibrary.org/node/64785

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Still Life with Robin: The T-Storms of August

Photo by Tech Sgt. Cherie Thurlby - Public Domain

by Peggy Robin

Today was a rare one, wasn’t it? When I first stepped outside to pick up the newspapers, the air temperature was at an all-but-forgotten 63 degrees. Low humidity. Sunny but with a few puffy clouds scudding through the blue above. A light breeze. I don’t believe we’ve had a day so glorious since May. And yet this was August in Washington, DC. And it wasn’t a dream….

Now let’s think back to the week before, which was more or less what we’ve come to expect all the time in August. By that I mean, you never really know what to expect in the way of bad weather. Hot and humid, of course, but toward the end of every day you have to ask yourself, will there be an afternoon or evening thunderstorm, or won’t there? You turn to the Capital Weather Gang and every day, you see, it’s “40 percent chance….. 50 percent chance.” And those thunderstorms are never everywhere -- they’re always “widely scattered.” Which means this: if you are planning to invite people over to a backyard barbecue, your house will be at the very epicenter of the storm. You’ll see rain in sheets, lighting in bolts, and hailstones flying like golf balls on a driving range. Your back yard will turn into a reservoir from edge to edge. And if you cancel the barbecue based on the chance of a thunderstorm? That’s when you discover that “widely scattered” means that the sun will keep on shining on your backyard, while the next neighborhood over is the one under water. It’s as if the Capital Weather Gang’s predictions have merged with Murphy’s Law.

To see what this looked like historically, we have only to flip back through the collection of weather pix and videos posted from around our area last week. The Washington Post had an amazing collection of storm/not-storm shots (you will need to scroll down past all the technical descriptions of how the severe thunderstorm developed so quickly) to see the reader-submitted pictures:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2019/08/21/how-violent-storm-with-hail-high-winds-erupted-over-washington-just-minutes-tuesday/

Even better were the photos of the skies after the storm was over. Spectacular sunsets, and rainbows, too:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2019/08/22/wednesdays-thunderstorm-was-spectacularly-photogenic-followed-by-rainbow-stunning-sunset/?wpisrc=nl_buzz&wpmm=1

The Popville blog also had a fine collection of photos:

https://www.popville.com/2019/08/lets-appreciate-last-nights-dope-post-storm-sky-for-a-sec/

But my award to the most dramatic video goes to Chris Duncan, a Twitter poster, for his ““Welcome to L'Enfant Falls” video:

https://twitter.com/CTDPIX/status/1163931600280797186

The Capital Weather Gang tells us that this unusual spell of fine weather will be with us through Monday or maybe Tuesday, and then it's back to “chance of a thunderstorm” in the afternoon or evening. And that's the way it is in August in DC....

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

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Get Out! The Events Column, August 22 - 29, 2019

Bei Bei - Smithsonian National Zoo

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 18,400+ 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

Thursday, August 22 at 9 AM, Bei Bei’s 4th Birthday! Giant panda Bei Bei will be another year older! He will receive a panda-friendly frozen cake specially made by the Zoo’s Department of Nutrition Science on Thursday morning. Visit the David M. Rubenstein Family Giant Panda Habitat to celebrate with us. It won’t be long before Bei Bei leaves us, and moves to China, as stipulated in the Smithsonian Zoo’s breeding agreement. Transporting an animal thousands of miles takes a considerable amount of time and effort to plan. The process is well underway which includes working with other federal agencies, researching travel logistics, coordinating with colleagues in China, and preparing Bei Bei for the move. Come and celebrate with him while you can! Free. The Smithsonian National Zoo is at 3001 Connecticut Avenue NW. More info: https://s.si.edu/2z7y6u2

Thursday, August 22 at 6 PM, Mayor Muriel Bowser's 5th Annual Women's Equality Day Celebration. Please join Mayor Muriel Bowser, the Mayor’s Office on Women’s Policy and Initiatives, and the DC Commission for Women to celebrate the 5th Annual Women’s Equality Day Celebration, to honor August 26, 1920, when the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution was certified as law, giving women the right to vote nationawide. Attendees are asked to wear something yellow or gold to show your support of Women’s Equality! Register for this free event at http://bit.ly/2z9grlE. At Hook Hall, 3400 Georgia Avenue NW.

Thursday, August 22 from 6 - 9 PM, A Night of Swing at the Omni Shoreham. Blow the night away with the Sax, Trombone and Trumpet, the beat of bass and drums, and hot vocals! The Imperial Palms led by the Incomparable Chou Chou Scantlin – Chou Chou (“Shoo Shoo”) has been wowing audiences with musical nightclub entertainment from the 20’s, 30’s, and 40’s, and has shared the stage with some of the greats like James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Natalie Cole, Gloria Gaynor, as well as notable engagements from Met Galas to royal weddings – are performing in the Omni Shoreham’s Secret Garden Music Series! Free admission. Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/night-of-swing-tickets-68700339565?aff=ebdssbdestsearch. The Omni Shoreham Hotel is at 2500 Calvert Street NW. Access the Garden via Robert's Terrace.

Friday, August 23 from 5 - 8 PM, Funky Dawgz Brass Band (funk and hip-hop). Catch the last concert of the summer series of Jazz in the Garden at the National Gallery of Art. Spend an evening among the Sculpture Garden's monumental works of art set to the sounds of Funky Dawgz Brass Band. The Sculpture Garden is at 7th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. During jazz concerts, the Pavilion Café offers a special menu of creative American cuisine and refreshments. Alcoholic beverages may not be brought into the Sculpture Garden but may be purchased at the café. Free admission. Info on the 2019 Summer Jazz Series at: https://pavilioncafe.com/jazz/jazz-schedule/

Saturday August 24 from 11 AM - 4 PM, Guy Mason Recreation Center's 4th Annual Taste of the World Celebration. This festival will highlight the diversity of international communities that live and thrive in the District of Columbia. The festival is divided into 3 areas: Entertainment Area - to exhibit and display traditional music and dances, which include audience participation; International Food Court - to sample native food specialties; and a Market Area – where shoppers will be able to browse and shop through a veritable marketplace of handmade products. Free admission. At Guy Mason Recreation Center, 3600 Calvert St NW, https://tasteoftheworld19.splashthat.com/

Saturday August 24 from 12 - 6 PM, 17th Street Festival. Historic Dupont Circle Main Streets presents the Tenth Annual 17th Street Festival, featuring more than 120 artists and makers selling everything from homemade candles, clothing, jewelry, and paintings. Other exhibitors include area nonprofit organizations, politicians, and local entrepreneurs. And to top it off, the festival is “kid friendly” with a special Kids Zone which will include an inflatable slide, snow cones, and activities. The live music will come from a variety of acoustic entertainers not up on a stage but roving up and down the street all day, including an African band, flamenco dancer, mariachi band, a Chinese lion dancer, and a New Orleans jazz band. Free admission. In the 1500-1600 blocks of 17th Street, NW. More info: http://www.17thstreetfestival.org/

Saturday, August 24 at 1 PM, Documenting Queer History. Join us for a moderated discussion about how queer history in DC is being documented, and why it is important. Hear about the methods and motivations for documenting queer history. Speakers will include: JEB (Joan E. Biren), a photographer, filmmaker and social justice activist who began chronicling LGBTQ+ lives in 1971; Ty Ginter (they/them), a Queer hxstorian and historic preservationist who specializes in intangible heritage and the built environment. They are the co-founder of DC Dykaries, an oral history and documentation project that focuses on documenting and preserving Washington, DC's lost lesbian, Sapphic and womxn's heritage; Jose Gutierrez, a local and national long time human rights and social justice activist, immigration advocate, Latinx LGBTQ historian, artist, writer and a poet; Meg Metcalf, the Women’s, Gender & LGBTQ+ Studies Collection Specialist and Reference Librarian at the Library of Congress. Meg has served in various leadership roles at the Library, foremost of which is her stewardship of the LC employee organization for LGBTQ+ staff and allies, LC-GLOBE. Free and open to all. At the Mount Pleasant Library, 3160 16th St. NW (entrance on Lamont St.) More info: https://www.dclibrary.org/node/64369

Saturday August 24 from 1 - 6 PM, Community Day Open House at Arena Stage. A great day full of activities, including live music, face painting, pony rides, dance performances, storytelling, delicious cuisine from “Taste of Southwest,” and much, much more! Don’t miss the props sale (1-5 PM) offering items straight from the stage: pick up the perfect accent item and beautiful pieces from historic Arena Stage productions, including Carousel, Anything Goes, South Pacific, Kleptocracy, Disgraced, Smart People, Mother Courage and Junk. Pricing begins at $1 and includes full dining room table sets, lounge chairs, and specially-priced, handmade prop and set pieces that will be perfect in any living or office space. Another “don’t miss” event: fantastic aerial performances from Wings Aerial Entertainment, acrobatics, stilt walkers and more (2-6 PM). Arena Stage is at 1101 Sixth Street SW. Free admission. More info: https://www.arenastage.org/arena-events/70thanniversaryseason-communityday/

Saturday, August 24 at 8 PM, Dwarf Planet Day. On this sad day in 2006, the planet Pluto, discovered in 1930 by 24-year-old self-taught astronomer Clyde Tombaugh, was stripped of its status as a full-fledged planet by a decree of the International Astronomical Union and demoted to the demeaning category of “dwarf planet.” On the 13th anniversary of this event, The Friends of Pluto the Planet and Animated Disney Dog (FoPPADD) will hold a rally outside the Naval Observatory at Massachusetts Avenue at 34th Street to demand restoration and respect for the undersized but plucky little planet. Without Pluto, the schoolchild’s mnemonic for the planets, “My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas” becomes, “My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Nine….?” And while we’re at it, what about the Kuiper Belt? Let’s have a way to honor all 100,000+ asteroids and planetoids (objects larger than 100km in diameter) in the outer reaches of our solar system. To read the list of planetary demands and add your signature to the online petition, go to http://bit.ly/cpfakeevent.

Sunday, August 25 at 2 PM, Jazz in the Basement: Nicole Connelly plays the work of German trombonist, Albert Mangelsdorff, an innovator known for his improvisational style and use of multiphonics. Musicians: Nicole Connelly, trombone; Derrick Michaels, tenor sax; Max Murray, bass; Dominic Smith, drums. This event will take place at the Goethe-Institut Washington located at 1990 K St. NW (enter on 20th St.) - free - all ages. Seating is first come, first served. More info: http://bit.ly/2Ze3GF5

Sunday, August 25 at 3 PM, Commemorations of the 400th Anniversary of African American History. DC will join national parks across the country this weekend in honoring four centuries of African American history with a bell ringing, to mark 400 years to the day that the first ship of enslaved Africans arrived in Hampton, Virginia, then occupied by the British. The National Park Service has asked that parks nationwide ring bells for four minutes (one minute for each century of African American history) at 3 PM EDT. Some of the DC parks and historic sites participating are: The Carter G. Woodson Home: DC Strings will perform at 2:40 PM, followed by the bell ringing and a tour of the Logan Circle site. Frederick Douglass National Historic Site: In addition to the bell ringing, the site in Southeast DC. will host a house tour and a group reading of Douglass’ 1852 speech “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” Mary McLeod Bethune Council House: The bell ringing at 3 PM will be followed by a tour of the house near Logan Circle. Georgetown Waterfront Park: This commemoration starts at 2 PM, with speakers and a wreath laying at the meditation labyrinth at 33rd and Water Streets NW. Georgetown churches will also ring their bells at 3 PM. DCist has information of these and other events at: http://bit.ly/31Y2zHr

Sunday, August 25 from 3 - 5 PM, Museum Jam at Sandy Spring Museum. Bring your stringed instrument and join a bluegrass jam at the Museum. Whether you are a relative newbie to jamming or a seasoned musician, you will enjoy the camaraderie as we share favorite songs and learn from one another. All ages are welcome. Listeners welcome, too. Hosted by Mary Burdette of Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival and Bruce Evans of the Fire Hazards. Reserve your spot ($5): http://bit.ly/2HgNOHL. Sandy Spring Museum is at 17901 Bentley Rd., Sandy Spring, MD 20860.

Monday, August 26 from 6:30 - 9:30 PM, Women's Equality Day: "On the Basis of Sex" movie screening. Join Northern Virginia Legislators to celebrate Women's Equality Day on August 26th with a free screening of "On the Basis of Sex." Following the film, there will be a brief panel discussion (starting at 8:30 PM).The film shows how Ruth Bader Ginsburg changed America. Today, Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a long-serving and respected Supreme Court Justice. But her first encounters with the nation’s highest court came years before she was nominated to it. On the Basis of Sex is the story of Ginsburg as a young lawyer and one of her numerous groundbreaking gender-discrimination wins in the Supreme Court. Felicity Jones stars as Ginsburg in a powerful biographical drama that, despite being set in the 1970s, speaks volumes to America today. Register for free tickets: http://bit.ly/2NjJkUu. At the Cinema Arts Theatre, 9650 Main St, Fairfax, VA 22031

Tuesday, August 27 at 4:30 PM, Step Afrika!'s 2019 Summer Step Xplosion at the Cleveland Park Library. Step Afrika! is one of the top ten African American dance companies in the United States. Founded 25 years ago as the first professional company dedicated to the tradition of stepping, the company blends percussive dance styles practiced by historically African American fraternities and sororities, African traditional dance and influences from a variety of other dance and art forms. Step Africa! integrates songs, storytelling, humor, and audience participation. The blend of technique, agility, and pure energy makes each performance unique and leaves the audience with their hearts pounding. Step Afrika!'s one-hour workshop will be an interactive and exploratory experience that focuses on using your body as a drum featuring Master Percussionist David Pleasant and Ethnochoreographer Jakari Sherman. Free and open to all. Cleveland Park Library, 3310 Connecticut Ave NW. More info: https://www.dclibrary.org/node/64833. To attend, please register at
https://stepafrika.secure.force.com/ticket/#sections_a0F0h00000z2yIcEAI. To see all available performances, go to https://www.stepafrika.org/performances/step-xplosion/

Wednesday, August 28 from 6 - 8 PM, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and The "I Have a Dream" Speech Walking Tour. August 28 marks the 56th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream" speech, delivered at the Lincoln Memorial during the 1963 “March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.” We invite you to join us for a FREE guided walking tour to honor the life and legacy of Dr. King. The highlights of this program, presented by DC History and Culture, a nonprofit organization, will include listening to a complete version of the ”I Have a Dream” speech where it was actually delivered by Dr. King, the Lincoln Memorial, and a visit to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. Our program will begin at the Washington Monument Lodge (15th St NW, between Madison and Jefferson Drives). This event is open to the public and all are welcome to attend, including children and groups. Event takes place light rain (sprinkles) or shine. Register here: http://bit.ly/31MX3Ho

Thursday, August 29 from 6:30 - 8:30, City of Jasmine (2019) by Olga Grjasnowa - Book Talk & Author Appearance. The Goethe-Institut Washington and the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany welcome author Olga Grjasnowa for a discussion of her recently translated work, City of Jasmine, an intimate and striking novel that offers real insight into the horrors and inhumanity of war, whilst also focusing on the humanity of the protagonists. Olga Grjasnowa is recognized as one of the most talented and admired young authors working in Germany today. Her first play, Mitfühlende Deutsche (Compassionate Germans), won the Dramatist Prize from the Wiener Worstätten. She has written the novel All Russians Love Birch Trees, and her new novel is City of Jasmine. Free. At the Goethe-Institut Washington, 1990 K Street NW - Entrance on 20th St., lower level. Register at http://bit.ly/2Ze3OEz

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Still Life with Robin: Flying the 51 Stars (and 13 Stripes)

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Get Out! The Events Column Part 2, Sunday Sept 22 - Thursday, Sept 26, 2019

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Get Out! The Events Column - Friday & Saturday Edition (Sept 20 & 21, 2019)

Friday, September 13, 2019

Still Life with Robin: Mini-Moon Tonight!

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Get Out! The Events Column, September 12 - 19, 2019

Friday, September 6, 2019

Still Life with Robin: Reaching THE REACH

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Get Out! The Events Column, September 6 - 12, 2019

Friday, August 30, 2019

Still Life with Robin: BookFest 2019!

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Get Out! The Events Column, August 30 - September 5, 2019

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Still Life with Robin: The T-Storms of August

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Get Out! The Events Column, August 22 - 29, 2019

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