“bumblebirds” (formerly Good Stuff Eatery) Opens Mar 14 on PA Ave SE
By Larry Janezich
Posted March 9, 2026
The former Good Stuff Eatery Morphs into “bumblebirds”
“bumblebirds,” Spike Mendelsohn’s newest fast-casual restaurant features Southern fried chicken sandwiches, spirited cocktails, will OFFICIALLY open at 11:00am Monday, March 16, 2026 at 303 Pennsylvania Ave SE on Capitol Hill. BUT – a grand opening celebration will take place on Saturday, March 14, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm. (free fried chicken sandwiches or nuggets for first 100 people in line + giveaway for a party for 6 at bumblebirds)
Celebrity chef, bestselling author, and television personality Carla Hall is partnering with the Mendelsohn family (Cathy, Harvey, Micheline, and Spike) and their Sunnyside Restaurant Group to bring the new concept to life. Photo: Johnathon Pushnick
Photo: Vina Sananikone
Menu highlights include:
The OG Bumble – Crispy Fried Chicken, Black Pepper Ranch Slaw, Cheese, Pickles
The Blue & Buffalo – Celery Leaf Slaw, Creamy Blue Cheese, Spicy Buffalo Sauce
The Sassafras – Grilled Chicken, Collard Garden Aioli, Pickled Red Onion
Last Saturday’s open house on the future of H Street. The DC Office of Planning has launched a new H Street Land Use and Market Study covering 3rd to 15th Streets NE. This study will help shape what gets built, what kind of businesses we support, how public spaces are designed, and how to strengthen H Street’s identity for the long term. Here’s a photo of participants in the meeting on Saturday afternoon. For more on the study, go here: https://engage.dc.gov/w68032
Here’s what some participants want to see on H Street, NE. movie theater, local bike shop closer to Eastern High, Outdoor-focused business (beer garden), art gallery/creative spaces, music venues, children/family oriented businesses, hardware store, home goods/gardening store, offices/medical.
CM Charles Allen interacts with ANC6A and C Commissioners who were at the open house, from left: Commissioners Jay Adelstein (6C), Roberta Shapiro (6A), and Stephen Kolb (6A).
Update on renovation of SE Library. The renovation is expected to be complete by June. The Library will reopen a couple of months after that. Here are two photos – a view of the Historic Entrance restoration in progress and a view of the Historic Entrance from inside the Library. (Photo: DCPL)
Installation of wood bookshelves on the main floor is complete. (Photo: DCPL)
Wood and plaster restoration, staining and finishing on the main floor are complete. (Photo: DCPL)
For more, Commissioner David Sobelsohn’s ANC6B SE Library Task Force will hear a verbal update regarding the final stages of renovations of the Library on Monday evening at 6:30pm. For info on how to attend or join the meeting on line, see below.
A banner of the façade of the SE Library trumpets Women in Construction Week, March 1 – 7.
Whiting and Turner Construction takes a moment to celebrate Women in Construction. (Photo: DCPL)
The Week Ahead…
Highlights:
Tuesday – ANC7D – DC Office of Planning: RFK Master Plan Presentation
Wednesday – ANC6C – CM Charles Allen presentation re budget
Monday, March 9
ANC6B Southeast Library Task Force will hold a hybrid meeting at 6:30pm.
Meeting location will be 700 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE; Second Floor, Conference Room #1 (entry adjacent to Trader Joe’s).
For info on how to join the virtual meeting, go here: https://anc6b.org/
Agenda:
Update regarding the final stages of renovations
Discussion of how to keep the Arthur Capper interim library open until the Southeast branch opens
Input from nearby neighbors if there are lingering renovation issues.
Tuesday, March 10
ANC6B will hold a hybrid meeting at 7:00pm.
Meeting location will be at 700 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE.
For info on how to join the virtual meeting, go here: https://anc6b.org/
DC Office of Planning – RFK Master Plan Presentation
Elected District Government Official Updates
Letisha Vinson, Office of Ward 7 Councilmember Wendell Felder
Amber Wright, Mayor’s Office of Community Relations & Services (MOCRS)
Eboni-Rose Thompson, State Board of Education (SBOE), Ward 7 Representative
Kisha Anderson, District Department of Transportation (DDOT), Ward 7 Community Engagement Specialist
Community Matters
DC Responsible Rat Management Presentation, Max Broad, DC Voters for Animals Education Fund
Events DC (invited)
Commissioner SMD Reports
Commission Business Items
ANC 7D Committees
Other Commission Business
Proposed Motion: ANC 7D send a letter to DMPED, WMATA, DDOT, the DC Office of Planning, the Washington Commanders the D.C. Council Committee on Transportation and Environment and the National Capital Planning Commission urging immediate inter-agency coordination and calibration on transportation planning to support development of the RFK Campus.
Proposed Motion: ANC 7D send a letter to the Navy Museum Development Foundation urging consideration of an RFK Campus location for the Museum of the United States Navy.
Proposed Motion: ANC 7D send a letter to the Department of Public Works requesting posting of “No Parking Anytime” signs in the east-west alley behind The Bell Apartments on the 1700 Block of East Capitol Street, SE.
Proposed Motion: ANC 7D send a letter to the Mayor’s Office of Special Events of the District Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA) expressing support for the 45th Capitol Classic running races on May 17, 2026.
Proposed Motion: ANC 7D send a letter to DDOT requesting agency engagement and action to re-grade a portion of the alley system in Square 1069 (bounded by A St NE; 15th St NE; Constitution Ave NE; and 16th St, NE) to remediate water drainage.
Proposed Motion: ANC 7D send a letter to DDOT requesting installation of an automated traffic signal at the intersection of 16th Street, NE and East Capitol Street, NE.
H Street Study – Emma Estes and Vincent Ubiera, Office of Planning
Consent Agenda
Alcohol Beverage and Cannabis
Recommendation: ANC6A take no action with regards to the application for a substantial change to a Retailer’s Class “C” Restaurant to change hours of operation and alcoholic beverage sales, service, and consumption, and hours of live entertainment, for AG Restaurant and Lounge, 816 H Street NE
Transportation and Public Space (TPS)
Recommendation: ANC 6A send a letter to the Office of Planning team in charge of the H Street Corridor Study that includes a reference to our past letters regarding the H Street corridor, recommendations for the OP study, and asks that they reflect on the 2004 H Street study and actions taken or not taken with respect to improvements along the H Street Corridor.
Recommendation: ANC 6A send a letter of support for the Capitol Hill Classic
Recommendation: ANC 6A appoint Malcolm Laskowski (6A05) to the ANC 6ATransportation and Public Space (TPS) Committee.
New Business
Suggested Motion: ANC6A send a letter of support to DC Water to conduct night work tied to the small diameter water line replacement project on Tennessee Avenue NE between East Capitol Street and 15th Street NE as well as 15th Street between E and G Streets NE. The night work is requested at the following locations to minimize disruption to schools and is estimated to be conducted during the following phases:
Phase 1: This phase is in its final stage, and no night work is anticipated at this location.
Phase 2: Begins at the intersection of Constitution and Tennessee Avenues and continues to Corbin Place NE. Night work is currently anticipated during the last week of April 2026.
Phase 3: Extends from Corbin Place to E Street NE. Night work is anticipated during the last week of August 2026.
Phase 4: Begins at E Street NE and continues slightly past the intersection of Tennessee Avenue and 15th Street NE, including F St NE. Night work is anticipated during the first week of January 2027.
Phase 5: Begins just north of E Street NE and continues along 15th Street NE to G Street NE, including G Street NE. Night work is anticipated during the first week of April 2027.
Please note that the dates listed above are tentative and may change depending on field conditions and constru2ction progress.
Single Member District reports
Community Comments
ANC6D Alcohol Beverage Committee will hold a virtual meeting at 7:00pm
Capitol Hill Corner would also like you to know about:
Go here to see a list of upcoming events for this week and to sign up to join FreeDC: https://freedcproject.org/
Folger Salon with Debbie Finkelstein, Yunah Kae, and Austin Raetz
Thu, Mar 12, 2026 at 4:30pm
Shakespeare and popular television. Comedy and racial formation.
Venue: Great Hall – Tickets: Free; no ticket required
Book Sale – NE Library
Saturday, March 14
Friends of NE and SE Library will hold a book sale from 10am to 3:00pm at NE Library
Congressional Cemetery – New Daily Operating Hours
Beginning March 23, Historic Congressional Cemetery will implement new daily visiting hours. The grounds will now be open to general visitors from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM each day.
This change is part of ongoing efforts to improve safety and security across the cemetery landscape and reflects common operational practices at historic sites like ours. Visitors should plan their time on the grounds so that they are not arriving until the 7:00 AM opening time and exiting by the 7:00 PM closing time.
Members of the K9 Corps will continue to have after-hours access using a gate code that will be provided at orientation. The cemetery will also continue hosting evening programs and special events for registered attendees.
For more details about the new hours and what they mean for visitors, please read the full announcement on our website: https://bit.ly/3NmWjGm
National Gallery of Art – Spark Awe – On Going
Finding Awe all around
Awe is the feeling of being in the presence of something vast or profound that leads you to see the world in a different way. Awe can bring us to tears, give us chills, and uplift us.
Inspired by our beloved Finding Awe program, we’re launching more ways to cultivate awe every day. Learn strategies to nurture curiosity and wonder. https://bit.ly/47gZPZC
Here’s an early morning photo on Sunday, the day Michael Berman’s Diverse Markets Management brought the Flea Market at Eastern Market back to 7th Street, SE, following the annual January/February hiatus.
CIVIC on 8th on Saturday afternoon. CIVIC has not yet launched their cocktail bar evening hours yet. ANC6B’s ABC Committee will discuss the status of a Settlement Agreement regarding use of the outdoor patio on the E Street side on Tuesday evening. Co-owner Rhonda Foxx says, “We’re marking one month at CIVIC on 8th and continuing to grow as a place for thoughtfully made beverages—designed to move with your day…”
Big Things for Big Rooms at the Hirshhorn – Dec 20, 2025–Jul 04, 2027.
Big Things for Big Rooms traces the development of immersive, large-scale artworks since the late 1960s. This presentation of 10 artworks – five on view for the first time at the Museum – is drawn largely from the Hirshhorn collection.
Here’s Triple Candies’ monthly two-part installation in the former Li’l Pub at 655 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE.
Triple Candies’ wall text says, “Making this exhibition, we cut out and reconfigured images from this book: National Gallery of Art Collections.” Triple Candies is a research-oriented curatorial agency run by art historian co-founders Shelly Bancroft and Peter Nesbett.
The Week Ahead…& Some Photos from the Past Week
by Larry Janezich
Posted March 1, 2026
The Week Ahead…
Monday, March 2
ANC6B Parks and Public Spaces Task Force will hold and in-person meeting at 7:00pm.
The meeting location will be 700 Pennsylvania Ave SE; Second Floor, Conference Room 1 (entry adjacent to Trader Joe’s).
Among items on the agenda:
Discussion of additional issues presented by the Eastern Market Community Advisory Committee (EMCAC) related to the most recent version of the Rumsey Aquatic Center Plan as part of our general plan to comment on the plan introduced at the most recent community meeting.
Discussion of the proposed “monitor a park” plan we have been considering to improve maintenance of the parks.
Tuesday, March 3
ANC6B Transportation Committee will hold a virtual meeting at 7:00pm*
*Note: This meeting date has been adjusted to Tuesday to avoid conflicts with holidays, religious days, or other events.
Shirley Chisholm Elementary School Safe Route to School Action Plan (Notice of Intent)
ANC6B ABC Committee will hold a hybrid meeting at 7:00pm
Join Information: This meeting will be a hybrid meeting – location will be 700 Pennsylvania Ave SE; Second Floor, Conference Room 1 (entry adjacent to Trader Joe’s).
CIVIC on Eighth – Update on negotiations and ABCA schedule
Letter to ABCA about consistency of ABCA communications
Letter to DC Council supporting B26-0522, re: medical cannabis regulations & child serving institutions
Barracks Row Roundtable Discussion
MPD 1D Citizens Advisory Council (CAC) will hold a virtual meeting, 6:00 – 7:15pm.
(The 1st District has a new agenda format for the CAC meetings and is posting a wealth of new information on its website.)
For that and for info on how to join the meeting, go here: https://1dcac.com/
Agenda:
1st District Outreach Community Report
Intro Captain Michael Hamelin, Lt. Marija Giannakoulias
USADC Community Outreach – Chris Wade
CSOSA Report – Michael Bonds
1st District Commander Christopher Dorsey
1st District Crime Statistics and State of 1st District Police operations
State of Sectors 1 – III Crime, Safety, Business and Commercial Concerns
State of Specific Patrol Service Areas (PSAs) Crime, Safety, Business and Community concerns
1st District Chief of Detectives – Lt. Ebony Boyd: Cases of interest – wanted/apprehended individuals.
ANC, residents, and businesses additional questions
Thursday, March 4
ANC6B Planning and Zoning Committee will hold a virtual meeting at 7:00pm.
Agenda:
Wingstop, 406 8th Street, SE, Application for Zoning Adjustment, Settlement Agreement.
Improving by-right “gentle density” guidelines under the Comp Plan
***
Capitol Hill Corner would also like you to know about:
Go here to see a list of upcoming events for this week and to sign up to join FreeDC: https://freedcproject.org/
Hill Center Event
A Nation at Peace with Itself: The Enduring Legacy of John Lewis
A Conversation Featuring John Lewis’s Longtime Director of Communications, Brenda Jones, Playwright, Psalmayene 24, and Historian, George Derek Musgrove
Wednesday, March 4 – 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – $12.00
Presented in partnership with Mosaic Theatre Company and their production of Young John Lewis: Prodigy of Protest by Mosaic’s Playwright in-in-Residence, Psalmayene 24
Join us for a conversation honoring the legacy of former Congressman and Civil Rights icon, John Lewis. Psalmayene 24’s new musical, Young John Lewis, honors the legendary “Conscience of Congress.”
Brenda Jones is the former Senior Presidential Speechwriter for President Joseph Biden, the first African American woman to ever hold that title. Before her appointment to the White House, she was an award-winning political communicator, speechwriter and author who worked in the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, DC for nearly 16 years. She was the primary speechwriter and lead communications strategist for the late Rep. John Lewis. In 2015, she was named “One of the 20 Most Powerful Women Staffers on Capitol Hill” by National Journal magazine. In 2012, she won an NAACP Image Award for her book collaboration with Lewis called Across That Bridge: Life Lessons and a Vision for Change, which hit The New York Times Bestseller list in 2020. She is also a first-place winner of the Theodore C. Sorenson Speechwriting Awards and the co-author of a four-book series on political women called Queens of the Resistance about the lives of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Chairwoman Maxine Waters, Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Live! At the Library: An Evening with Norah O’Donnell
Thursday, March 5 – 6:00pm-8:30pm – Doors Open: 5:30pm – Free but registration required
Join broadcast journalist Norah O’Donnell as she explores the overlooked women who shaped American history in “We the Women: The Hidden Heroes Who Shaped America,” her new book chronicling female pioneers from 1776 to the present.
“We the Women: The Hidden Heroes Who Shaped America” is prominent broadcast journalist Norah O’Donnell’s new book, a kaleidoscopic portrait of unsung American women from 1776 to now who have shaped America, though they may not have received the credit they deserve. O’Donnell’s career has been marked by covering women’s stories and she is a natural choice to now tell their stories in print. She includes the stories of such women as the Forten family women, who were considered the “Black Founders” of Philadelphia, to the first women serving in the armed forces even before suffrage had passed. Join us as O’Donnell is in conversation with Dana Bash about these untold stories.
Live! At the Library: A Conversation with Robert Pinsky
Thursday, March 5 – 6:30pm – 7:30pm – Free but registration required
Join former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky as he returns to the Library for an engaging conversation on his poetry and criticism with Substack book columnist Ron Charles—followed by a book signing!
Former three-time U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky returns to the Library for a discussion of his poetry and criticism with Ron Charles, who writes about books on Substack. A book signing will follow.
Robert Pinsky was born in Long Branch, New Jersey, in 1940. His poetry collections include “Sadness and Happiness” (1975), “The Figured Wheel: New and Collected Poems 1966-1996” (1996), “At the Foundling Hospital” (2016) and “Proverbs of Limbo” (2024). In addition to editing five anthologies, Pinsky has published several books of prose, translations of Dante and Czesław Miłosz, and the computerized novel “Mindwheel” (1985).
Capitol Hill Arts Workshop – Annual Meeting
Saturday, March 7 – 10:00am-11:00am – RSVP below
Black Box Theater, 545 7th Street, SE
Find out everything about the CHAW Universe you could possibly want to know: finances, programs, partnerships – all the things that make CHAW the community anchor that it has become. Share your insights and hopes for the future of CHAW. You’ll hear from CHAW board members, executive director, director of education and special guest Liz Brown, CHAW’s new gallery manager as she shares her gallery vision for the future. Light refreshments will be served.
Please use the RSVP button above to let us know if you are coming and if there is anything in particular you’d like to hear about. amy@char.org
Upcoming Series: Congressional Cemetery Event
STORY CIRCLES
Saturday, March 7th at 1pm
Saturday, March 21st at 1pm
Sunday, March 29th at 3pm
Saturday, April 4th at 1pm
Sunday, April 19th at 1pm
Story What? A Recorded History Project
Story Circles bring people together in small, facilitated groups to share stories and memories shaped by their experiences at the cemetery. Together, our stories build a record of community care, connection, and collective memory, revealing what makes this place meaningful to you, to us, to DC. No preparation is required. No RSVP required. Recording the stories you share will be Dr. Michelle LaFrance, associate professor of writing and rhetoric in the Department of English at George Mason University.
French Bakery at Eastern Market Expects March Opening
by Larry Janezich
Posted February 28, 2026
Saint-Georges Boulangerie across from Eastern Market visible at the far right.
The bakery’s pastry chef Slama Abdenour said he expects Saint-Georges will open in about three weeks. He says he thinks the final permits to be approved next week. The café will need a couple of weeks after that to get up and running, with a a soft opening on a Friday in March with a grand opening the following week.
Here’s the view from the north entrance to the restaurant on C Street.
And here’s the view from the 7th Street side, looking at the north entrance.
Part of the decor, and as they say, very French.
CHC reported the coming of the bakery in the space formerly occupied by Radici at 303 7th Street, SE, in June of 2024. The café will be the first U.S. venture for the team of restaurateurs who own five restaurants in Paris.
Spotify is setting up shop on NJ Ave in a former residential town house at 440 New Jersey Avenue, a block from the House Office Buildings, but without ANC6B’s hoped-for “Settlement Agreement” governing their business operations.
The conventional wisdom is that Spotify will use the space for the company’s congressional lobbying efforts, like other corporate owners of residential buildings on New Jersey Avenue.
When the company purchased the property last year, they proceeded with plans to renovate the property and applied for Historic Preservation Office (HPO) approval since the property is in the Capitol Hill Historic District. HPO referred the application to ANC6B which is charged with advising the Preservation Board whether the community supports, opposes, or has no opinion on the application.
ANC6B found no fault with the proposed renovations as such, but has long opposed the use of residences for corporate business purposes – prohibited by city regulation which are not enforced – so decided to condition their support of the application on Spotify’s acceptance of a “Settlement Agreement” like those attached to businesses and developments seeking approval for Historic Preservation or Zoning applications.
ANC6B, along with ANC6C (their counterpart north of East Capitol Street), strongly oppose the use of residences for corporate business. But the Mayor’s Office has explicitly directed the Department of Buildings not to enforce the ban.
In an effort to bring a measure of regulation to Spotify’s plans, the ANC appointed Commissioner Tyler Wolanin – in whose single member district the property lies – to pursue a Settlement Agreement with Spotify. In response, Spotify’s lawyers replied with a proposed non-binding “Memorandum of Understanding” covering some of the points addressed in the proposed Settlement Agreement. In addition, Spotify modified their proposed renovation so that they could receive approval at the HPO staff level, which meant that they no longer needed review by ANC6B.
ANC6B’s Planning and Zoning Committee met February 5 to consider how to proceed in the face of Spotify’s proposed MOU, given the ANC’s loss of leverage because the HPO application was now moot. The committee voted to oppose a motion by Committee Chair Vince Marino to recommend that the ANC enter the MOU into the HPO’s case record along with a statement that the ANC does not object to the project. The committee then voted to recommend that the ANC send a letter to CM Charles Allen, the DC Department of Buildings, the Historic Preservation Review Board, and candidates for mayor, informing them of ANC6B’s consistent opinion that the city is inadequately enforcing the separation of residential uses and commercial uses, in particular by allowing lobbying shops to set up in residential areas near the Capitol building. A subcommittee was named to write the letter after the motion receives approval from the full ANC. This language was sent as a recommendation to the full ANC.
ANC6B met to consider the Committee recommendation on February 10. Commissioner Wolanin proposed an amendment to the proposal for a letter to city officials by adding another resolution stating that ANC6B approves Spotify’s promises in the MOU which included agreeing to abide by DC regulations concerning noise, trash, yard maintenance, maintaining a continual presence in the house as a point of contact for the neighborhood, and other issues. The resolution also stated that the ANC does not endorse the use of the property, which is in a residentially-zoned area, for nonresidential purposes, and states that the ANC believes that the company’s promise to have the home occupied by a full-time caretaker is intended to evade zoning regulations, and does not adhere to the intended use of the house’s zoning category.
It was the consensus of the Committee that the original committee language recommending that a letter be sent to city officials and mayoral candidates pointing to the lack of enforcement of regulations on use of residential buildings be postponed and considered at the next ANC meeting in March.
With that understanding, the motion to approve the Wolanin resolution was agreed to by unanimous consent. The resolution will be posted on the ANC website.
Wolnan said, in a written statement, “I think that this resolution is a useful step for the neighborhood. We have a lot of corporations and PACs who buy houses near the Capitol for lobbying purposes, and usually the ANC doesn’t have a chance for any input. Now, for the first time, neighbors have an agreement to point to any time they have trouble with the company’s use of the house, whether that trouble comes next year or ten years down the line.”
That being said, it is noteworthy that the agreement is unenforceable and depends on the good will of Spotify.
In recent years, numerous residential neighbors have complained about their corporate neighbors, pointing to events which were widely assumed to be fundraisers bringing traffic and parking issues, and next day cleanups which left piles of trash on the block outside of the normal trash pickup hours. In September of 2023, during an effort to pressure the city to enforce regulations against corporations’ business use of residences led by then ANC6B01 Commissioner Frank Avery, residents listed 22 residential properties near the US Capitol owned by corporations. See here: https://bit.ly/40kHCq2
At first that effort made headway, with the strong support of CM Charles Allen, and the new Director of Buildings Brian Hanlon seemed committed to enforcing the law. That came to a sudden halt when Hanlon told ANC6B Commissioners that he had been instructed by the City Administrator to cease enforcement actions against use of residences for commercial purposes. See here: https://bit.ly/4s2xiif
Last Monday, to mark the celebration of Presidents’ Day, the Library of Congress opened the floor of the Main Reading Room to the public – anyone who had a timed entry ticket to the building. Here’s the view just inside the main entrance.
View to the right.
And the view to the left.
The central structure in the Reading Room is known as the central desk, which sits directly under the 160-foot, domed ceiling. The mahogany structure allowed the librarians to monitor the reading room, the card catalog, and access to book conveyor systems. Prior to today’s digitalized card catalogue, a reader looked up a book’s location in the stacks in the card catalogue which surrounded the central desk, submitted a blue request slip to a librarian at the central desk who sent it by pneumatic tube to the level below which returned the book to the desk via conveyer belt, from which it was delivered to the seat where the researcher was working.
Here’s a view of the dome.
And, zooming in, a mural of twelve seated figures, male and female, are arranged against a wall of mosaic patterning. They represent countries, or epochs, which in 1897, when the building was constructed, were thought to have contributed the most to the evolution of western civilization.
The top of the dome features a painting – Human Understanding – by Edwin Blashfield. The female figure is in the act of lifting the veil of ignorance and looking forward to intellectual progress.
Discussion of a substantial change request to a Retailer’s Class “C” Restaurant to change hours of operation and alcoholic beverage sales, service, and consumption, and hours of live entertainment, for AG Restaurant and Lounge, 816 H Street NE.
ANC6B will hold virtual Executive Committee Meeting.
The standard business of the Executive Committee is adoption of upcoming meeting agendas and setting the agenda for the next meeting of the full ANC.
***
Capitol Hill Corner would also like you to know about:
Go here to see a list of upcoming events for this week and to sign up to join FreeDC: https://freedcproject.org/
Wednesday, February 25
Hill Center Event
Screening of Documentary Film, “The Last Battlefront: Quest for the Vote in DC”
This one-hour documentary is the first historical film on the right for self-government in Washington, D.C. told through the lives and voices of its citizens.
Mary Cassatt: An American in Paris. West Building.
Now through August 30, 2026.
Mary Cassatt’s art and life reflect an independent spirit that defied expectations for women in her time. Explore three galleries in the National Gallery’s impressionist collection to look closely at how she worked. Some 40 paintings, drawings, and prints—largely drawn from our rich holdings of her work—show an artist shaped by tradition yet radically modern.
Admission is always free and passes are not required.
Rosalind and her cousin Celia are forced to leave the court where they find respite and adventure in nature, inevitably succumbing to the madness of love and delightfully unpredictable circumstances.
This production offers a love note to DC, imbuing the Forest of Arden with the familiar vibes, culture, and characters that mark the District as a singular, resilient, and redemptive place of belonging.
Maru San from earlier this week at 327 7th Street, SE.
Photo inside taken from earlier this week.
Maru San at Eastern Market Opens with Peruvian Fish Rolls Friday Feb. 20
By Larry Janezich
Posted February 19, 2026
Award winning Chef Carlos Delgado’s Maru San Peruvian Fish Roll restaurant is bringing something new to the Eastern Market neighborhood. Maru San offers carry out and walk-ins for the 25 stool counter like the traditional Japanese specialty sushi restaurants – the only seating. A special reservation schedule limited to four at one 7:00pm seating promises an elegant tasting menu experience. Delgado is also co-owner of the Michelin acclaimed Causa and the Amazonia – Peruvian restaurants in Blagdon Alley.
Peruvian fish rolls – referred to as Nikkei rolls – are similar to sushi, but not the same, being a fusion of Japanese technique and Peruvian cuisine and are distinguished by the use of citrus-based sauces, spicy peppers, and warm, toppings.
Little Engine Rotisserie Chicken Opens at Eastern Market on Tuesday, Feb 17
By Larry Janezich
February 16, 2026
Rob Sonderman’s Rotisserie and Wings restaurant – “Little Engine” – opens Tuesday, February 17, at 11:00am, across from Eastern Market, at 250 7th Street, SE.
Sonderman says, “So we try to serve something that is recognizable but taken to the next level as far as the flavor goes.” He’s a veteran of opening restaurateur Steve Salis’s Catalogue Group’s Federalist Pig and Honeymoon Chicken, and struck out on his own last summer after ten years.
He’s a life-long resident of the Eastern Market neighborhood and this is his first venture in Southeast, for which, he partnered with Jeff Zients, owner of part of Call Your Mother on Barracks Row.
Here are some photos from this weekend’s soft opening for family and friends.
Little Engine was formerly the site of Eat Brgz.
The “Little Engine” logo suggests “revving up” the chicken and wings offerings with high-quality flavors at a reasonable, family friendly price point.
Here’s Sonderman, hands-on, in the kitchen. He was formerly the pitmaster at Federalist Pig.
The dining area decor announces that it’s family friendly. Especially with …
An impressive baseball card collection.
Here’s the menu. Little Chicken will be open daily, 11:00am – 9:00pm.
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The Week Ahead…& Walk for Peace Photos from St. Mark’s
by Larry Janezich
Posted February 15, 2026
Last Wednesday, 19 Buddhist monks who travelled the 2300 miles on a four month Walk for Peace from Fort Worth, Texas to Washington, DC arrived at St. Mark’s Church on Capitol Hill, at 301 A Street, SE. This photo is after their 11:00am arrival while they were in the church for lunch.T here were some 400 monks, organizers and supporters inside the church and more than 1000 in the street and lining it outside, including security, organizers, and members of the public.
The public crowds they attract are large and emotional – many brought flowers and signs to welcome them. Some carried Buddhist flags.
The monks departed the church at 1:30pm to visit the Lincoln Memorial, the Peace Monument on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol, and George Washington University Smith Center.
The crowds who had assembled to watch them pass as they left – and there were hundreds – were mostly silent. Occasionally there were soft cries of “bless you” and “thank you.”
There were a large number of additional monks who joined the Peace Walkers at St. Marks but the monks who made the journey seemed to stand out because of their resolute expressions.
MPD and a large contingent of bike-mounted officers from the Community Focused Patrol Unit escorted the marchers.
Here’s a photo inside the church after the event. The nave of the church had long tables of catered food in the front and on one side. The entire floor of the church was covered with long strips of white cloth where the monks sat while they had lunch. One of the organizers said that 400 had been served.
The next day, the monks continued to Annapolis, visited the steps of the Maryland Stare House, and then departed by bus to return to Fort Worth. They arrived on Saturday, February 14, for a peace gathering and celebration of the completion of the journey.
Torti Gallas H Street Study. DC’s Office of Planning (OP) along with the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development has picked architecture firm Torti Gallas to conduct a land use and market study for the corridor. Emma Estes and Vincent Ubiera from DC OP will join the TPS committee to present and discuss the study.
New Business
Capitol Hill Classic. Jayme Johnson from Capitol Hill Cluster Schools (CHCS) will join the committee to discuss the 45th Capitol Hill Classic. CHCS request a letter of support from our ANC to Clint Osborn, Director of HSEMA.
Notice of Installation of Raised Crosswalk at 15th Street and Constitution Avenue NE. DDOT plans to install a raised crosswalk on the north leg of this intersection.
ANC7D Economic Development, Housing Justice, Zoning, Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration Committee will hold a virtual meeting at 6:30pm.
DDOT Open House on updates on the Benning Road Project, including details on the latest updates to final design plans and next steps ahead of the anticipated start of construction in fall 2026.
Tuesday, February 17 from 6:00 pm-8:00 pm (with a brief presentation at 6:15 pm)
Where: River Terrace Education Campus, 405 Anacostia Ave NE, Washington, DC 20019
Capitol Hill Corner Would Also Like You to Know About:
Go here to see a list of upcoming events for this week and to sign up to join FreeDC: https://freedcproject.org/
Monday, February 16
Library of Congress Main Reading Room Open Event – 10:00 am – 04:30 pm
This Presidents Day, visitors are invited onto the floor of the Library’s Main Reading Room. Typically reserved for credentialed researchers, this special opportunity offers a rare glimpse inside one of Washington’s most beautiful and iconic spaces.
“Expect an electrifying recital from this duo of sought-after soloists: American violinist Benjamin Beilman and Scottish pianist Steven Osborne perform sonatas by Brahms and Franck, plus Clara Schumann’s Three Romances and Lili Boulanger’s “Nocturne” and “Cortège.””
Pre-concert Conversation with the Artists – 6:30 pm, Whittall Pavilion
Thursday, February 19
Hill Center Event
At Issue: Immigration. President Trump’s Mass Deportation Agenda: Its Consequences and Implications featuring Dara Lind and Julia Preston.
7:00pm – 9:00pm, $12.00
Dara Lind is a Senior Fellow at the American Immigration Council and Julia Preston is a journalist focusing on immigration.
“Praised for impeccable style and musicianship, the brilliant, Berlin-based Leonkoro Quartet performs music by Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Dutch composer Henriëtte Bosmans on the Library’s renowned Stradivari instruments.”
Pre-concert Conversation with the Artists – 6:30 pm, Whittall Pavilion
Rosalind and her cousin Celia are forced to leave the court where they find respite and adventure in nature, inevitably succumbing to the madness of love and delightfully unpredictable circumstances.
This production offers a love note to DC, imbuing the Forest of Arden with the familiar vibes, culture, and characters that mark the District as a singular, resilient, and redemptive place of belonging.
Congressional Cemetery Cherry Blossom 5K April 12, 2026, 9:00am
Capitol Hill Art League announces opening and reception for “Landscapes” exhibit on Saturday, February 14, 2026 running through Saturday, March 14, 2026 at Frame of Mine Gallery, 545 Eighth Street, S.E, on Barracks Row.
The members of the Art League have created views across geography, seasons and climes to bring us to places familiar and on our wish lists.
Come escape the wintry weather and step into another experience.