On Tuesday afternoon, Council member Charles Allen sent an update to neighbors of the proposed retail weed establishment at 421 East Capitol.
In his message, Allen shared that, in a meeting with ABCA, the property owner and tenant agreed to remove the sign and alter the name of their establishment, which did not match the alcohol license renewal application. In the meeting, ABCA emphasized that the new business could not sell or gift cannabis—nor could they apply for a medical cannabis license, owing to zoning. ABCA emphasized they would enforce the letter of the law.
During the meeting, the tenant and business owner declared a desire to “only to sell groceries, beer and wine if the license is approved, and they’d like to sell cigarettes and cigars.” Based on the original name and choice of sign, Allen expressed “strong skepticism.”
The ABCA is preparing a memorandum of these events for their Board to consider when reviewing the liquor application of the business owner.
Development of the RFK Stadium site is like building a small city: a vast, waterfront parcel in the heart of the capital.
Contrary to Mayor Bowser’s public assertions, the legislation transferring ownership of the site to DC does not require the construction of a stadium.
Then why build one?
Some people will always be against a stadium. Citing the missed chance to redevelop this parcel as mixed-use development, Greater Greater Washington calculates an “opportunity cost” totaling $3.3 billion over the course of the next 30 years. Other opponents regard the NFL as an abomination, or maybe an enormous NFL stadium which stands empty and idle most of the year as a bad investment of taxpayer dollars.
Likewise, some people will always support a stadium on this site, particularly one that returns the Washington Commanders to DC. Presumably Mayor Bowser numbers among this group, given the remarkably poor deal she negotiated with the Commanders.
Setting aside these two ends of a spectrum, I’d guess that most people fall somewhere in between. This editorial is directed to them, particularly to Capitol Hill/Hill East residents.
A Stadium, But Not on These Terms
It is not surprising to learn that the city will be on the hook for the “horizontal” costs, or the necessary infrastructure improvements, entailed in stadium construction.
But the term sheet presented by Mayor Bowser also includes a taxpayer subsidy for “vertical” costs: stadium construction ($500 million) and parking garages ($356 million). Somewhat lost in the outcry over this direct subsidy to billionaires are the indirect costs of the deal, including the property tax that the city will waive for the developers; the sales tax that will be collected but won’t go to the District; and the interest payments on bonds that the city will need to carry to complete this project.
Rather than defend the terms of a poorly negotiated deal, Mayor Bowser has done her best to ramrod it through the Council as currently written. According to the term sheet, an “exclusive negotiation period” between the District and Commanders will expire by July 15 – or it will expire if the Council makes any significant changes to the term sheet. According to Greater Greater Washington, Council chair Phil Mendelson “is signaling” that he will let the deadline pass so the Council could review the deal properly and insist on better terms. After all, to consider the baseball field, the Council had 11 months; the Council discussed the deal on Audi Field for 7 months.
DC has suffered enough of high-handed treatment of late. It’s a shame that, in this, her legacy-making move, Mayor Bowser has decided to treat the Council with such contempt. As it currently stands, given that the Mayor has tied the stadium deal to the budget, the Council cannot even hold a hearing focused only on the RFK stadium deal.
A Stadium, But Not at This Time
Regardless of the fate of the national economy, DC is now headed for a localized recession, owing to the devastating employment effects of the Trump Administration’s cuts to the federal government.
Recently, in the wake of these cuts, Moody’s downgraded DC’s bond-rating, meaning that a stadium constructed under the Trump administration will cost more than one built under an administration run by Kamala Harris.
More important, even if Congress passes DC’s Local Budget restoring the city’s money, the city still faces an enormous budget shortfall – meaning, there will be steep cuts to city government.
In her just-released budget, Mayor Bowser has shifted some payments to next fiscal year and declared a hiring freeze in an attempt to blunt the effects of this shortfall. But already a new DC jail is gone from the budget. Notably, the Council has shunted aside the Mayor’s economic forecast for the stadium and commissioned their own.
Amid turmoil and retrenchment, it is difficult to say what this stadium will “cost” the city in terms of what is defunded as a result of its construction.
A Stadium, But One That Works for the Neighborhood
Economic researchdemonstrates that stadiums do not generate “new” growth or revenue. In the best-case scenario, they just focus growth on a certain location.
Stadiums might be worthwhile if they are used to kickstart the revitalization of a particular neighborhood, but, even then, there exists a very real danger of overreach. An astonishing number of empty storefronts currently surround Capital One Arena, a more active stadium located in a much more commercial neighborhood. Public officials assured us that the keeping the Leonsis’ teams and a promised stadium renovation would bring tenants back; so far, that hasn’t happened.
By and large, Hill East is not a neighborhood in need of revitalization. The kinds of things that Hill East might need or want would be best served by a mixed-use development, not a stadium.
In light of just what little purpose a stadium can serve, the hulking parking garages planned under the current term sheet are an affront to the neighborhood. No stadium in the heart of a city built in the 21st century should be based on automobile traffic. In this and in other respects – particularly in regard to the environment – the Mayor has declined to seize this opportunity to construct a stadium of the future.
Instead, she wants to build a 20th century stadium while the city strains under the weight of a 19th century presidency.
My Verdict on the Stadium Deal
In more stable times, the case for stadium construction would be stronger, particularly given the fact that the city has slow-walked Phase II of the Reservation 13 development, effectively tying its fate to RFK.
At this time, facing the Trump administration, a strong case could be made for RFK redevelopment without a stadium, which would create new housing and neighborhood resources, generating growth and revenue.
In more stable times, the case for a stadium would be stronger if it were a 21st century stadium that better harmonized with the surrounding neighborhood.
But it is bad luck for the Commanders ownership that their bid for a new stadium coincides with a crisis moment in DC history, the likes of which I have not seen since the 1980s.
The only way to make the case for an NFL stadium at RFK at this particular moment is if the public subsidy for vertical construction is reduced to $0; the DC Local Budget Autonomy Act passes Congress and is signed by the President before the DC City Council votes on the stadium deal; and the stadium development makes better use of public transportation and green technology.
Maybe the DC City Council will move the dial on the public subsidy and a more imaginative development, both of which are under their control. But the Commanders’ owners, who profess to love DC, would do well to pledge the necessary resources to move Republicans in Congress to respect our city a little more.
East Capitol Weed Shop Proposal Runs Aground on City Regs
by Larry Janezich
Posted June 9, 2025
East Capitol Weed Shop Proposal Runs Aground on City Regs
by Larry Janezich
Posted June 9, 2025
Well, this didn’t take long. After receiving more than 50 emails since yesterday, this morning CM Charles Allen updated constituents on the proposed weed shop on East Capitol. The update came, he said, after a conversation with Fred Moosally, the head of DC’s Alcohol Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA).
The bottom line is that ABCA confirmed:
“There has been no cannabis retailer application filed for this address. Any sales taking place would be illegal and ABCA will have investigators looking into this.
The signage (in particular, the cartoon marijuana leaf with a rolled joint) is not allowed with our laws for cannabis retailer advertising. ABCA will be following up on that.
Even if there was a license application and the signs were lawful, this location and property is zoned residential, so DC law does not allow a cannabis retailer here anyway. They will not be allowed to open as a legal and lawful business. And if they try to operate as an illegal business, ABCA has the tools necessary to close them down and even padlock the doors.”
Allen also said that ABCA has not approved the request to renew the retail liquor license and the Board will be apprised of the issue and the findings of the ABCA investigation before considering the renewal. He credited ANC6B Commissioner, Jerry Sroufe, for being active on this and for pushing ABCA to recognize the potential change in this store from their previous presentation and commitments to the ANC.
Allen added, “What we’ve seen is a clear departure from what this business proposed to the ANC, ABCA, and to the community. It’s bad faith and I will work to make sure that ABCA and the Executive agencies follow through on their commitments to us.”
St. Georges Boulangerie Update– Here’s a hopeful sign: the arrival of new equipment waiting to be installed at the forthcoming French Bakery at 7th and C Streets, SE, across from Eastern Market. There hasn’t been much progress on the build out inside, though the demolition work is well underway. A fall opening looks more likely than one hoped for this summer.
Pasha Castle Arrives at 615 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE – The Mediterranean dessert shop serving Turkish and Lebanese sweets and savories opened last Monday. Among menu items: chocolate crepe, pistachio ice cream, kaake sandwiches (sesame coated soft bread with cheese or turkey), caramel latte frappe, baklava milkshake, ten infusions, hot chocolate and hot and cold coffees. Here are some photos.
Lavender Retreat Wellness Center Celebrates: Farther down Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, at number 1236, Lavender Retreat is celebrating its 10th Anniversary. Founder and CEO Jaime Bohl says she strives to mold Lavender Retreat into a world-class alternative health organization offering massage and acupuncture therapies, Chakra balancing, Reiki healing, and Naturapathic healing. Here’s a link to the website: https://www.lavenderretreat.com/
ANC6B’s Planning and Zoning Committee met last week. Resident member and former commissioner Corey Holman (top center) is stepping down as Committee chair as he is relocating. Commissioner Vince Marino (top left) will fill in as chair until a new Chair can be elected.
The ANC6B Transportation Committee chaired by commissioner Karen Hughes (top center) also met last week. Residents continue to express unhappiness about the up-coming June 28 Open Streets Event which anticipates closing North Carolina Avenue SE between 6th and 11th Streets SE, East Capitol SE, as well as Massachusetts Avenue between 13th and 17th Street SE from 7am until 5pm. No vehicles will be allowed on or to cross the route at any time. One block north and south of the route will also be closed except to residents of those blocks. Parking will not be allowed on any of the segments from 12am to 5pm on Saturday.
Triple Candies is back with the June installation in the space formerly occupied by the Li’l Pub at 655 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE. This month’s offering references the DC World Pride celebration. Triple Candie is a research-oriented curatorial agency run by art historian co-founders Shelly Bancroft and Peter Nesbett. Their purpose is to create alternative exhibition methods making that the object of critical focus rather than what is displayed (which for the most part does not include original artworks).
The Week Ahead…& Some Photos from the Past Week
by Larry Janezich
Posted June 8, 2025
The Week Ahead…
Highlight:
Tuesday: ANC7D meeting. Topic: RFK development and Community Benefits Agreement.
Monday, June 9
ANC6B Parks & Public Spaces Taskforce Meets at 7:00pm In Person Only) POSTPONED UNTIL MONDAY, JUNE 16.
This meeting will be held 700 Pennsylvania Ave SE; Second Floor (entry adjacent to Trader Joe’s).
ANC6B Southeast Library Task Force will hold a hybrid meeting at 6:30pm.
Meeting location will be 700 Pennsylvania Ave SE; Second Floor (entry adjacent to Trader Joe’s)
National Republican Club of Capitol Hill, 300 First Street SE.
Tunnicliff’s Tavern, 222 7th Street SE.
Hunan Dynasty, 215 Pennsylvania Avenue SE.
Beuchert’s Saloon, 623 Pennsylvania Avenue SE.
Pacci’s, 106 13th Street SE.
The Roost, 1401 Pennsylvania Avenue SE.
Alcoholic Beverage & Cannabis Committee New Applications
ZomTum, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue SE; Application for new Class CRestaurant license with Sidewalk Café and Alcohol Carry-Out & Delivery endorsements;
Garden Hill LLC, 1322 G Street SE; Application for new Medical Cannabis Retailer license with Delivery endorsement; Protest Hearing Deadline: June 30, 2025.
Consider Request from Councilmember Felder’s Office on Community Benefit Priorities.
Commissioner SMD Reports.
Transportation/Public Space Committee.
Proposed Motion: Recommend ANC 7D issue a resolution that “appropriate DC government agencies should develop new parking facilities on the RFK campus in a manner that neither impedes access to recreational areas along the Anacostia River for neighborhoods that adjoin the campus nor disproportionately contributes to an increase of vehicular trafficin these same neighborhoods. Additionally, parking facilities should not interfere with potential location of additional Metro.
DC agency informational announcements, Department of Aging and Community Living; DDOT study, driver signage to slow speeds of MBT micro-mobility users.
Plenary agenda.
Alcohol and Cannabis Licensing Committee.
Washington Marriott Capitol Hill, 175 L Street NE, renewal, entertainment summer garden.
Transportation and Public Space Committee.
Requests for Resident Only Parking in NE, 100 block 4th Street, unit block 5th Street, 100 block 5th Street, 600 block 7th Street, 700 block 7th Street, 300 block Maryland Ave.
ANC 6A request to support bus priority routes.
1232 4th Street NE, TOPS, paving, curb, gutter, sidewalks.
Planning, Zoning, and Economic Development Committee.
424 7th Street NE, special exception from rear-yard requirements to demolish a two-story rear addition and construct a two-story addition with basement.
406 7th Street NE, special exceptions from rear-yard and lot occupancy requirements to demolish a two-story rear porch and replace with an enlarged two-story with cellar enclosed rear addition to a three-story with cellar principal dwelling unit.
605 Constitution Ave. NE, Concept approval to construct a third-story addition to an existing one-story row dwelling with a two-story addition.
Presentation regarding Mayor Bowser’s FY26 Budget – Mr. Stephen Miller, Chief Technology Officer, Government of the District of Columbia.
Consent Agenda
Alcohol Beverage and Cannabis
Recommendation: ANC 6A protest the renewal of a Class C restaurant license for Focus DC 1348 H Street NE, unless a settlement agreement is reached and that the ANC Chair and Vice Chair and the ABC Chair represent the ANC in this matter.
Recommendation: ANC 6A send a letter to ABRA supporting a stipulated Class C restaurant license for Feru at 1128 H Street NE.
Recommendation: ANC 6A renegotiate the settlement agreement with Montana Liquors at 710 H Street NE and that ANC Chair and Vice Chair and the ABC Chair represent the ANC in this matter.
Transportation and Public Space
Recommendation: ANC 6A send a letter of support and suggested modifications to DDOT NOI regarding the 800 & 900 blocks of West Virginia Avenue NE.
Recommendation: ANC 6A send a letter to the Mayor, City Administrator, Deputy Mayor for Economic Planning and Development, DDOT, and Council Member Charles Allen in support of the H Street NE bus priority lanes.
Economic Development and Zoning
Recommendation: ANC 6A withhold support for the pending request for a zoning map amendment for the property at 1000-1014 H Street NE to rezone the property from the current NMU-4/H-R zone to the NMU-5/H-R zone, subject to letters of support and coming to a draft agreement/acceptable MOU with the residential neighbors.
Recommendation: ANC 6A send a letter of support to BZA for use variance and special exception on parking requirements to allow a seasonal outdoor patio at 1382 East Capitol Street, NE; Della Barba Pizza, LLC.
Transportation and Public Space.
Recommendation: ANC 6A send a letter to DDOT requesting they include TSI 2500296033 concerning the 900 block of A Street NE in future quarterly prioritizations.
Standing Committee Reports
Economic Development and Zoning
Suggested Motion: ANC 6A draft a letter to be sent to the DC Council regarding its concerns about Mayor Bowser’s FY26 Budget. The draft letter will be placed on the July 2025 ANC 6A meeting agenda to allow for community input and a vote by the Commission.
ANC6D Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis Committee will hold a virtual meeting at 7:00pm.
The “Original” Moonlighters: Since 1990, The Moonlighters have been performing throughout the United States as one of the country’s best-loved and most authentic Motown and variety dance bands.
Saturday, June 14, 9:30am – 12:30pm.
Eastern Market Metro Park & Barracks Row Walking Tour: Starting at the park (701 Pennsylvania Ave. SE) Barracks Row Main Street hosts this walking tour to explore the vibrant neighborhood filled with historic sites, shops, and eateries.
Ceremonial Last Run of the Fire House Horses: Sunday. Starting at William H. Rumsey Aquatic Center (635 North Carolina Ave. SE), the site of the former Capitol Hill Firehouse. One hundred years ago, the DC Fire Department held a ceremonial Last Run of the Horses to commemorate the service of the great fire horses, which assisted in fire responses before firetrucks came to be. DC Fire and EMS Department, in partnership with the Friendship Fire Association and the DC Fire & EMS Foundation, will re-enact the historic ceremonial Last Run of the Horses, using a cosmetically preserved 1905 American LaFrance horse-drawn steam fire engine. You can cheer on the procession from Rumsey to Lincoln Park, and then join the small reception at the park.
Comments Off on The Week Ahead…& Some Photos from the Past Week
The former Congress Market at 421 East Capitol SE.
Signage appeared Saturday, June 7, on the former Congress Market at 421 East Capitol SE, indicating it intends to open as a cannabis dispensary. Neighbors are up in arms at the prospect and a lot of them sent emails of protest to CM Charles Allen and ANC6B.
It didn’t take Allen long to respond, despite it being a weekend, let alone a Sunday.
As it turns out, it does not appear that the owners of the shop have begun the process of applying for a license to dispense medical marijuana. The expectation in the neighborhood has been that the former corner store would reopen as just that. The owners had applied and the ANC had supported the application to renew the store’s previous retail alcohol beverage license – but this has nothing to do with the sale or gifting of cannabis. Word spread that the renewal might come up tomorrow, June 9, at an Alcohol Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA) hearing, and neighbors felt blind-sided, feeling that they had lost an opportunity to protest and would have had they suspected the intent to open a dispensary.
Sunday morning Allen reached out to Fred Moosally the head of ABCA to apprise him of the issue and the illegal signage. Moosally, he said, will flag the property for inspection and alert the ABCA Board of the pending application for the alcohol license renewal. Allen told neighbors in an email, “I’ll work to get more information from (Moosally) this week and follow-up…. This feels like a bad actor trying to open up under false pretenses, not engaging with the community about what it needs and wants, and appears clearly to not be what the neighborhood needs.”
New Gathering Place at Hill Center – The new construction on the grounds of Hill Center will be seating in the round for community gatherings and the Center’s outdoor activities. According to Hill Center Executive Director Diana Ingraham it will be named in honor of Hill Center visionary John Franzén. Franzén, who died in 2020, was one of the Center’s founding board members and at one time was president of the Old Naval Hospital Foundation which created Hill Center. He was also one of the founders of the Ruth Ann Overbeck Capitol Hill History Project.
Here’s a rendering of the finished project – The pavilion was designed by Oehme, Van Sweden and is expected to be completed in June. A grand opening is planned for October. In addition to being remembered as a prominent community benefactor, Franzén had a long career in national politics as a media consultant for Democratic candidates, and progressive environmental groups and education organizations.
CM Charles Allen’s Community Office Hours – Friday morning, CM Charles Allen held community office hours at The Roost on Pennsylvania Avenue, SE. A contingent of Hill East residents showed up with questions about RFK. David Wyman (center left), who recently purchased a home near RFK told CHC that the biggest concerns of nearby residents are the parking garages cutting connectivity for the neighborhood to the Anacostia River and having large parking structures cannibalize potential development. He said that retail and commercial businesses and more housing should not come at the expense of parking.” (That’s ANC7D commissioner Ebony Payne in the orange top with back to camera.)
Update on Saint-Georges boulangerie near EasternMarket – A source familiar with the status of the development of the new French bakery told CHC that the project is back on track after getting temporarily derailed by an unreliable architect and a burdensome permitting process. New equipment is scheduled to arrive this week and the owners hope to open this summer – though it would not be surprising to see that slip into early fall.
The Flying Mexican on Barracks Row – The former Playa Ocho at 514 8th Street, SE, Barracks Row, is morphing into The Flying Mexican. The space has been occupied by a series of Mexican food restaurant since its days as the home of Capitol Video Sales.
Consulting Firm Will Move to Barracks Row – Speaking of Oehme, Van Sweden, here is a pair of photos of the landscaping firm’s former offices at 800 G Street, SE, and the status of the conversion into the new headquarters for the DC consulting firm, Capital Group, founded by Curtis Porter in 2011.
Friday Night Live on Eastern Market Metro Plaza – Friday night, dancers performed the Lion Dance on the Eastern Market Metro Plaza as part of Barracks Row Main Streets’ celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Photo: Deborah Hernandez
The Week Ahead…
Monday, June 2
ANC6D will hold an administrative meeting at 7:00pm to set the agenda for the meeting of the full commission on Monday, June 16.
Please contact the office at 6D@anc.dc.gov if you wish to have a link to view the Admin meeting.
Tuesday, June 3, 2025
MPD 1st District Community Advisory Committee will hold a virtual meeting, 6:00pm – 7:15pm.
424 7th Street, NE: Zoning Adjustment – Expedited-review application for a special exception from the rear-yard requirements to demolish an existing two-story rear addition and construct a two-story with basement rear addition on an existing semi-detached two-story with basement.
406 7th Street, NE. Zoning Adjustment Application for a special exception from the rear-yard requirements and a special exception from the lot occupancy requirements of to demolish the existing two-story rear porch and replace with an enlarged two-story with cellar enclosed rear addition to a semi-detached three-story with cellar.
605 Constitution Avenue, NE. Historic Preservation for concept approval to construct a third-floor addition to an existing one-story row dwelling with two-story addition.
Thursday, June 5
ANC6B June Planning & Zoning Committee will hold a virtual meeting at 7:00pm.
Leah Daniels: “After 17+ years of owning Hill’s Kitchen, it is time for me to pass the baton. I am thrilled to introduce amazing people to continue the legacy of Hill’s Kitchen. After this weekend, Sarah and Miles will be the new owners of the store.”
Leah Daniels, founder and owner of Hill’s Kitchen’s and dedicated community supporter and advocate, announced today that she has sold Hill’s Kitchen to Sarah Needles and Miles Hamilton. She said her last day as proprietor of the store will be Sunday and the sale goes to closing on Tuesday. She said she has no idea what she will do next – the store has been so consuming: “I’m so in the weeds but I haven’t thought about anything – that’s part of the problem – that the store is everything and all-encompassing that there’s no chance to think about what’s next. There’s no chance to think strategically or plan so I have to let it go to let other opportunities open up.”
She added, “This is a happy moment but I’m devastated,” she said tearfully. “I love this store of course that’s why this is so hard. I’m not leaving the neighborhood…I want people to be able to find me. Maybe I’ll have office hours at Tunicliffs or Peregrine or somewhere else,” she laughs. She says to her customers, “Stop by the store and come say goodbye to me over the weekend.”
Asked why she decided to sell, Daniels says “This is 100% my choice. I don’t know, I’m just looking to open up the world’s other adventures. The community has been amazing and supportive through 17 plus years. I started working on the store – I incorporated the week after I turned 26 – so it’s just time for a new adventure. Sarah and Miles are going to be amazing stewards for the space and hopefully bring new space and life to it. They’ve made it clear to me that it is important to them to keep the keep the emotional heart of the store.” She says, “They’ll certainly focus on cooking classes and events and things – they have to figure out the space upstairs – but they have an energy that will be a wonderful addition to the community.”
Daniels expects that after closing on the sale the store will be closed for a number of days, “because they’ve got to get their sale system going – they need to learn how the lights work and then they’ll be up and running maybe the following Tuesday.”
CHC asked CM Charles Allen for a comment on the contributions Daniels has made to the community. Allen says, “Oh my gosh. Everybody loves Leah. For 17 years she’s been the face of Hill’s Kitchen and created just a beloved local business. I think we’re blessed to have people like her that invest the time. I also think after 17 years of knowing every single person that walks through the door, what they thought, what they like, the allergies they may have, and how they like to cook, I’m excited for her to figure out what her next chapter is going to be. And I know she has she has been very intentional to make sure that the store and what it means to everybody is going to be in good hands with the next owners.”
Statements by Sarah Needles and Miles Hamilton:
As the new stewards of Hill’s Kitchen, we hope that the heart of our store is shaped by the same passion and love for food that has always been at the center of our lives, whether in a bustling restaurant kitchen or around our cozy dining table at home. As former restaurant professionals, we’re here to offer up our expertise, share a few recipes, and provide a space where everyone—home cooks and professional chefs alike—can gather, learn, and celebrate the joy of cooking together. Our mission is simple: to make your kitchen experience richer, more joyful, and a little bit bigger—just like the dining room table we’ve always cherished. – Sarah and Miles
Sarah Needle moved to Washington DC after graduating from Smith College. Like many recent college graduates, she found a need for a part-time job and wound up at Hill’s Kitchen. There, and in her personal time, her cooking hobby turned into a true passion and career. Sarah cooked at A Rake’s Progress under Chef Opie Crooks, Mt. Pleasant favorite Elle, Tail Up Goat, a Michelin-starred restaurant helmed by Chef Jonathan Sybert, and then its sister restaurant Reveler’s Hour. While at Reveler’s Hour, Sarah’s food found its way into the New York Times, The Washingtonian, and the Washington Post.
Miles Hamilton cut their teeth in the New York dining scene when a nannying job serendipitously turned into their first cooking job at Houseman, under the guidance of Chefs Ned Baldwin and Adam Baumgart. After cooking at a number of beloved restaurants in New York City (Diner, Cervo’s, and Hart’s), Miles moved to Washington DC in 2019 to cook at Tail Up Goat and Reveler’s Hour, where they eventually made the switch from back to front of house. Miles managed the floor at Tail Up Goat before ultimately becoming the Service Director of Reveler’s Hour, where they were awarded the 2024 RAMW RAMMY Award for Best Service Program.
Most Saturday mornings you find Tarek Fhad sitting in the window of Peregrine Espresso drinking coffee and drawing. CHC asked him about his drawings.
Fhad said, “It’s kind of like yoga – a place which makes me happy and a place that makes me use my creative mind that’s an escape from everything – I just live in that drawing for an hour or hour and a half.”
Swing…
Originally from Lebanon, Fahd says he’s been drawing for 30 years. It started with what sounds like a voyage of self-discovery while he was studying interior design in college. In those days, he would draw sketches of people during breaks between classes. He says, “I started drawing people doing different things and saw how they’re connected to different parts of their lives and I was able to find my own character in the people that I drew.”
Now, he doesn’t draw people like he did then. He draws designs – “But,” he says, “I still have people in my patterns. There’s always a hidden person in my patterns – so it always starts with a person hidden in the pattern and with a moon, and the whole pattern builds around them.” He has hundreds of these sketches.
Le Balcon…
Asked if he had thought about commercializing his art, he said: “I never thought about doing the full commercial thing. I don’t want to put it on T shirts and pillows and like all that. What I want to do is I want to be able to draw and enjoy it…. For me art has to be accessible to everybody … I enjoy drawing and it’s something that is part of me and if I can share it with the people around me and they’re happy that makes a huge difference to me.”
In keeping with making his art accessible, he thought of a way to do that through Etsy. “So I have an Etsy store and you can buy a digital download for $1.99 and print it and color it. I wanted a store that was not a chore – involved in packing and shipping….”
Big windows, small cities…
He says, “I’m originally from Lebanon I grew up in Lebanon and I’ve been in the United States for almost 20 years. I came here and loved it and I decided to become a citizen. I’m influenced by both Lebanon and the United States and I try and put all of that in my drawings.
I made a choice to become an American and there are a lot of beautiful things in this country and a lot of beautiful things in Lebanon and drawing is a way of trying to find where you belong and I belong in-between those two countries. The United States offered me a lot of opportunities – I drew in coffee shops in Lebanon I still draw in coffee shops here and finding a way to mix those influences in my art is very interesting for me.”
On a random week night…
Professionally, Fahd is now a data analyst. He and his wife – an engineer – live on Capitol Hill. He helps her in her community volunteer work as a bee keeper at Congressional Cemetery.
Thanks to those who showed up to say thanks to the veterans who we remember for their sacrifices in our wars.
Here’s where the Memorial Day Parade started on Constitution Avenue, NW.
TAPS is the national nonprofit organization providing compassionate care and comprehensive resources to all those grieving a death in the military or veteran community.
“PTSD Pulling for Veterans” refers to a non-profit organization, Pulling for Veterans, which uses trailers to raise awareness about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in veterans. They offer low-cost trailer rentals for educational purposes, serving as “rolling billboards” to educate the public about PTSD and its impact on veterans.
Here’s a video of the sounding of Taps at the National Native American Veterans Memorial following the laying of a wreath on Monday afternoon. The National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) hosted a ceremony to recognize the contributions of Native veterans. American Indians and Alaska Natives enlist in the U.S. military at the highest rates per capita of any group in the nation.
Wednesday, May 6, The Hill Center held a reception for the Capitol Hill Art League’s Juried Art Show, which opened Man 6 and runs through September 8. The entries were judged on the body of work submitted by individual artists. Here are the winners:
First Place: Mixed Media on canvas by Anne Barnes.
Second Place: Watercolor on paper by Tara Hamilton.
Third Place: Photos on archival paper by Rindy OBrian.
In other news, here’s a couple of photo updates on the progress on two previously-announced fast food restaurants coming to the 400 block of 8th Street, SE – Barracks Row.
Popeyes at 409 8th Street, SE.
Taco Bell at 411 8th Street, SE.
The Week Ahead…
Monday, May 27
Memorial Day. Trash and Recycling pick up slides one day.
The National Memorial Day Parade in Washington, DC, will take place on Monday, May 26, on Constitution Avenue between 7th and 17th Streets NW. The parade will begin at 2:00 PM, preceded by musical performances at 1:00 PM. For more go here: https://americanveteranscenter.org/avc-events/parade/
Tuesday, May 27
ANC6B will hold a virtual Executive Committee Meeting at 7:00pm. The meeting will include several items that were tabled from the May full meeting.
(At the Executive Committee Meeting the agenda for June will be discussed, voted upon, and adopted. At this meeting, PRIOR to the agenda for the June meeting being adopted, the Executive Committee will address the following items that were tabled during the May full Commission meeting due to time limits,)
People’s Front of H Street, Sunday Clean ups in 6A01, May 31, 2025 Block Party. Understanding the ANC6A Grant Application.
Discuss ANC6A Community Outreach strategies for Open Streets DC: Capitol Hill event on June 28, (9 am-3 pm). ANC 6A will have a booth at Lincoln Park. Details at https://openstreets.dc.gov/pages/spring-2025
Public Safety Discussion
Eastern Market Community Advisory Committee will hold an in-person meeting at 7:00pm in the North Hall, Eastern Market.
(The meeting may be available Zoom, but the coverage tends to be unreliable.)
Among items on the draft agenda:
Approval of the agenda.
Approval of the minutes.
Treasurer’s Report.
Chair’s Report.
New Format for Committee Reports
Protocols for Bikes and E-Scooters to Ad-Hoc Comm. on Public Safety
Bricks
Volunteers
Market Manager’s Report.
Tenant’s Council Report.
Operations Budget Committee Report.
Capital Improvements.
Ad-hoc Committee on Public Safety.
New EMCAC Business.
Community Questions Suggestions & Comments.
Adjournment.
Thursday, June 29
ANC 6C Grants Committee will hold a virtual meeting at 7:00pm.
American Roots Concert Series: I Draw Slow. 4:30pm – 6:30pm.
Their distinctive blend of Irish and Appalachian roots composition has been licensed for film, TV, and advertising and is widely covered and recorded by other artists.
CAPITOL HILL CORNER 