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The Week Ahead…& Some Photos from the Past Week

The Week Ahead…& Some Photos from the Past Week

by Larry Janezich

Posted Sunday, November 23, 2025

Hundreds of community members showed up for the lighting of the Capitol Hill Tree on Saturday night.

Members of the Capitol Hill Chorale performed, leading up to…

…the countdown and illumination.
The annual lighting ceremony features the evergreen tree “Sonny” in the SW Quadrant of Eastern Market Metro Plaza, honoring the late George Didden III for his many contributions to the Capitol Hill community. Members of the Didden family were on hand to flip the switch.

ANC6B is holding a Special Call Meeting on Monday night to discuss the ANC’s protest of the application from Aloha for a license to sell medical cannabis at 539 8th Street, on Barracks Row. Recent changes in ABCA regulations could spell trouble for Aloha. See details below in The Week Ahead….

Here’s the first glimpse of the interior of the Taco Bell  coming to Barracks Row at 411 8th Street, SE. A source tell CHC the plan is to open in December or early January.

Blackbird Salon at 8th and Virginia Avenue, SE (which occupies the ground floor corner space at far right in the photo) was probably happy to see the city’s treatment of the scruffy empty lot in front of their store. When the city cleaned up the pile of cut stones salvaged from the demolition of the CSX tunnel and stored underneath the freeway next to Garfield Park, they moved them to this corner. Over the past month, they became the basis for a landscaping project.

The Week Ahead…

Monday, November 24

ANC6A Community Outreach Committee will hold a virtual meeting at 7:00pm.

Among items on the draft agenda:

  • Announcements and Reminders: People’s Front of H Street, Sunday Clean ups in 6A01
  • Keep K Street Clean
  • H Street Online

ANC6B SPECIAL CALL VIRTUAL MEETING: ABC Committee Aloha Protest – 9:00pm

For info on how to join the meeting, go here:  https://anc6b.org/

Agenda:

  • ALOHA – Medical Cannabis Retailer – 539 8th Street SE.  Second application for medical cannabis retailer license, including Delivery Endorsement. ANC6B has retained legal counsel (Kerry Verdi) to assist with protest. 
  • For additional information, please contact Ellen Opper-Weiner, Resident Member Chair of ANC 6B Alcoholic Beverage & Cannabis Committee at eowlaw@aol.com and Commissioner Samuel Pastore Vice Chair of the ABC Committee at 6B05@anc.dc.gov

Capitol Hill Corner Would Also Like You to Know About:

Now through Sunday, December 7

4th Annual Better Together Small Business Gift Card Exchange

For more see here:  https://bit.ly/3JO8c6F

Friday Nov 28, 2025 – Sunday, Jan 4, 2026

The Folger Frost Fair

Celebrate the season with a month-long winter festival at the Folger. Enjoy festive decorations, holiday music, free activities, and more.

For details, see here:  https://www.folger.edu/whats-on/programs/folger-frost-fair/

Native American Heritage Day Featuring Hoop Dancer Joseph Secody

Friday, November 28

National Museum of the American Indian: 11:30am – 4:00pm

Learn about the art and power of the Hoop Dance with performances by award-winning dancer Joseph Secody (Navajo). Performances begin at 11:30 AM, 1:30 PM, and 3:30 PM. 

At 12:30 PM and 2:30 PM join curator Anya Montiel (Mestiza/Tohono O’odham descent) for a closer look at the museum’s special installation Making a Statement, featuring custom Gucci gowns worn by actress Lily Gladstone (Siksikaitsitapi [Blackfeet]/Nimiipuu [Nez Perce]) at the 96th Academy Awards.

For more, go here:  https://bit.ly/3K66bCQ

Friday, November 28

Eastern Market & Hill is Home Holiday Time Machine (21+ only)

6:00pm – 10:00pm

Eastern Market’s Holiday Time Machine promises to be a homegrown, historic antidote to the impersonal shopping experience of Black Friday: a festive gathering of local makers and artists, plus the introduction of delicious, social-media ready hot chocolate drink by Melt by Hippie Sippin.’ Republic Restoratives, a small batch, women-owned distillery will be at the event, offering samples of their award-winning spirits.

The event – co-hosted by local blog The Hill is Home – is a preview of the entire holiday experience.  For only $30 at the door or $25 for early-birds who buy online, you can attend a holiday party you actually want to go to…  Go here for more https://www.thehollydays.com/ and      here for tickets https://bit.ly/4rfcftn

Saturday, September 29

Small Business Saturday on Capitol Hill For more see here:  https://bit.ly/3JO8c6F

Also, at 10:00am on Saturday:

Labyrinth Games and Puzzles at 645 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, hosts their Annual Staff Cookie battle to benefit Toys for Tots. Staff members bake cookies (subsidized by management).  Customers eat the cookies, vote for their favorites with donations and the cookie that earns the most wins. All of the donations go to Toys for Tots.

Sunday, November 30

11:00am – 1:00pm

Eastern Market.

The Betty the Yeti Welcome and Parade (all ages!) 

Santa Claus – who will appear Saturdays from 11am to 1pm  at the Market, and iconic cryptid Betty the Yeti – who will appear Sundays from 11am to 1pm.

Monday, December 1

Leaf Collection in underway.  Here’s a link to DPW’s real-time leaf collection tracker.  https://dpw.dc.gov/leaf   (The search for your home address doesn’t appear to be working, but you can track which neighborhoods and undergoing leaf collections. Monday, December 1, leaf pick up will start in Section C.)  

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Capitol Hill’s Small Business Gift Card Exchange Starts Saturday, November 22

Capitol Hill’s Small Business Gift Card Exchange Starts Saturday, November 22

by Larry Janezich

Posted November 21, 2025

A slew of Capitol Hill business organizations are sponsoring the 4th Annual Better Together Small Business Gift Card Exchange running Saturday, November 22 through Sunday, December 7, 2025.  The event is one of two local promotion efforts to encourage community support for local small businesses this holiday season.  This Saturday launches the holiday season with the lighting of the Capitol Hill Holiday Tree at Eastern Market Metro Park starting at 5:30pm. 

Here’s how the exchange works: shop at any of the 31 participating business (see below) between 11/22 and 12/7 and receive a free gift card from another local favorite.  Some terms apply and gifts are available while supplies last.

Participating Businesses include:

Eastern Market Pottery, Clothes Encounters, Relume, Photopia, La Casina, Music on the Hill,

Labyrinth Games & Puzzles, Hill’s Kitchen, East City Bookshop, Mr. Henry’s, Barrel, Little District Books,  Awakening Bar & Grill, DCANTER Wine Boutique, Ambar, Frame of Mine, The Miracle Theatre, Bistro Cacao, Café Berlin, The Queen Vic, Granville Moore’s, The Pug, City Dogs, Jade Fitness, Hill East Burger, The DC Dentist, Ginkgo Gardens, Santa Rosa Taqueria, Good Stuff Eatery, We, the Pizza, Hawk & Dove.

Here’s a map:  https://capitolhillbid.org/bettertogether

Launched by Kathleen Donahue, owner of Labyrinth Games & Puzzles, during the post-COVID recovery, Better Together celebrates the strength and spirit of Capitol Hill’s small business community.  Shopping local means investing in your community – supporting the people, schools, and organizations that make Capitol Hill thrive.

The second event is The Barrack’s Row and Eastern Market Main Street’s Sip and Shop on Monday, December 1 from 5pm to 8pm with wine tastings and exclusive in-store specials. DCanter will be providing different wines to each location so it will be a walking wine tasting.

Participating businesses include: 

Clothes Encounters DC, Eastern Market Pottery, Refume, Capitol Hill Books, Groovy DC Cards and Gifts, Paris Bleu, Spin Time Records, East City Books, Labyrinth, Hills Kitchen, DCanter. 

Here’s a map locating participants:  https://bit.ly/47Rvth3

Capitol Hill Corner will post a comprehensive list of additional Capitol Hill holiday events on Saturday, November 22. 

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The Week Ahead…& Some Photos from the Past Week

by Larry Janezich

Posted February 2, 2025

The Week Ahead…& Some Photos from the Past Week

by Larry Janezich

Posted February 2, 2025

RFK and the Commanders:  The exterior demolition of RFK is underway.  The Friends of Kingman Park RFK Taskforce will hold an in-person meeting on Tuesday, February 4, at St. Benedict’s Church to solicit community input on RFK in anticipation of a February 20 community meeting hosted by Friends of Kingman Park featuring representatives from the Washington Commanders.  The event is billed as an opportunity to meet and learn about proposed plans for RFK.  Since the Mayor’s office has not reached aa agreement on the proposed construction of a new stadium, any plans presented will be provisional and subject to change.  A sign over on the south side of RFK shows the sentiment of how some in the community feel about the stadium. 

EAT BRGZ Closes Eastern Market and the West End Locations.  The sign on the door says, “We’ve made the strategic decision to move on to an exciting new chapter.  It has been a our greatest pleasure serving this community over the past five years ….  Thank you for all the love, support and memories that will last a life time.”  EAT BRGZ owner Brandon Gaynor opened the burger joint in early summer of 2019, featuring a new concept based on a “complex burger” which set it apart from competitors.  See here:  https://bit.ly/2IOOcj3

Update on Lobby Bar.  Here’s a photo from the past week of the on-going renovation of the former Boxcar at 224 7th Street, SE, across from Eastern Market.  The owner of the new Lobby Bar expects to open at the end of February.  Photo credit:  Maggie Hall. 

Acqua al 2’s owner Ari Gejdenson is stirring up the across-the alley-neighbors.  Gejdenson is reopening AA2 at 212 7th Street across the street from Eastern Market.  All well and good.  However, the restaurant’s liquor license placard in the front window includes an application for an “Entertainment endorsement to provide live entertainment inside of the premises and on the sidewalk café with dancing and cover charge.”  And it goes on:  “House of operation alcoholic beverage sales, service and consumption and live entertainment for inside premises and for the sidewalk cafe.   Sunday through Thursday 7:00am to 2:00am Friday and Saturday 7:00am to 3:00am.”  That may be a bridge too far.  The application will come up before the ANC6B ABC Committee which will hold a virtual meeting on Tuesday night at 7:00pm (see below for details). Could be contentious. 

Foliage at Frager’s takes over the former Hype Café Space.  Staff says Foliage at Frager’s opened up the new space a few weeks ago.  A grand opening is a month or so away, but customers are welcome in the new space which is fully stocked with garden supplies.

Here’s what inside the former café looks like now.

BTW – Frager’s is holding its second annual Ladies; Night on Thursday  February 13, from 5pm – 8pm, with 20% off everything in the store during the event which features demonstrations, giveaways, and “good eats.” 

The Week Ahead…

Monday, February 3

ANC6D will hold a virtual Administrative Meeting at 7:00pm.

Tuesday, February 4

ANC6A Alcohol Beverage & Cannabis Committee will hold a virtual meeting at 7:00pm.

Agenda:

  • Discussion of a new Medical Cannabis Retailer license with delivery endorsement at Dreamy DC, 1111 H Street, NE.
  • Discussion of a letter requesting the city council to pass legislation creating a provision for a moratorium zone for cannabis licenses equivalent to the provision for a moratorium zone for alcohol licenses.
  • Discussion of a new Class C Restaurant license with carry out and delivery endorsement at Dumpling Hot Pot Beyond, 1216-1218 H Street.

ANC6B Alcoholic Beverage & Cannabis Committee will hold a virtual meeting at 7:00pm. 

Agenda: 

  • New restaurant liquor license for Acqua al 2 (212 7th Street, SE)

MPD First District Citizens Advisory Council Monthly virtual 6:00 – 7:15pm

Agenda: 

  • Discussion of crime in the First District

Also on Tuesday:

  • The Friends of Kingman Park RFK Taskforce will hold an in-person meeting at St. Benedict’s Church to solicit community input on RFK
  • Representatives of Bridgepoint Hospital at 213 7th Street, NE, will hold a community meeting featuring Chris Lafontsee, the  new Chief Executive Officer, Capitol Hill and Perry Limes, the new Vice President of Business Development.  The purpose of the meeting is to discuss Bridgepoint Healthcare and community issues.  The meeting is at 6:30pm in the Bridgepoint Hospital Conference Room.   

Wednesday, February 5

ANC6B Transportation Committee will hold a virtual meeting at 7:00pm.

Agenda: 

  • Update on the Potomac Ave Metro construction.
  • Continued discussion on the Penn/Potomac improvement project. Discussion will focus on forming an agreement with NPS for maintenance of the park in the traffic circle.
  • Discussion on Lincoln Park traffic safety collaboration with ANC 6A
  • Presentation on traffic closures related to the Capitol Hill Classic and discussion of a support letter request

ANC6C Planning, Zoning, and Economic Development Committee will hold a virtual meeting at 6:30pm. 

Agenda:  TBA

Thursday, February 5

  • ANC6C Transportation Committee will hold a virtual meeting at 6:30pm. 

Agenda:  TBA

Capitol Hill Corner would also like you to know about: 

Hill Center Events

Tuesday, February 4 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Free

Reel Abilities Film Festival – 2 screenings. Deaf Giants and Rally Caps.  For more and tickets, see here:  https://www.hillcenterdc.org/event/reelabilities-film-festival-greater-washington/

Rally Caps (In this star-studded family coming-of-age drama, young Jordy, who is recovering from a serious Little League baseball injury, goes to summer camp where he forms a friendship with Lucas, who just had Cochlear Implant surgery. Together, they form a special bond as friends and pitcher/catcher duo and lead their team in the camp championship game.)

Deaf Giants (Baseball-loving 10-year-old Bracken and his younger deaf brother investigate the contrast between early 1900s inclusion of deaf players in baseball and the present, seeking to understand why representation has regressed.)

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The Week Ahead…& Some Photos from the Past Week

The Week Ahead…& Some Photos from the Past Week

By Larry Janezich

Posted December 15, 2024

Last Monday, there were signs of progress on the buildout for Dos Toros Taqueria, opening at 215 Pennsylvania Avenue – formerly the Firehook Bakery.  Dos Toros Taqueria – a San Francisco-style taqueria – has announced the opening of three outlets in DC. The enterprise has a dozen locations in NYC.  Here’s a link to the restaurant’s menu at the NYC outlets:  https://www.dostoros.com/menu  Photo credit:  Bob Gellman

Last Friday, CM Charles Allen held community office hours at Pretzel Bakery at 15th and C Street, SE. 

Friday afternoon, DC Public Library posted the December construction update on the modernization of the SE Public Library.  The Library closed on January 4, 2024 and is scheduled to reopen in early 2026. Here are a few photos from the update (see here: https://bit.ly/3ZEo7YL ) The one above shows the lower level, excavated and braced. Photo credit DCPL.

The new addition, lower level, facing South Carolina Avenue. Photo credit DCPL.

Laying of the concrete slab on the lowest level is complete.  The windows mark the original building’s lower level. Photo credit DCPL..

The new opening in the roof for the skylight.  Photo credit DCPL..

The Week Ahead….

Monday, December 16

ANC6B SE Library Taskforce will hold a hybrid meeting at 6:30pm.

The in-person meeting will be held on the 2nd floor of 700 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE.  The entrance is adjacent to Trader Joe’s.

 For info on how to join the meeting virtually, go here: https://anc6b.org/

Agenda:  Status of the renovation of the library and how to improve services at the DC Public Library’s Arthur Capper TechExpress, located on the second floor of the Arthur Capper Recreation Center in the Navy Yard neighborhood at 1000 5th Street, SE.  Services include wi-fi access, public computers, printing, copying and scanning as well as item return and holds pick-up.  For more, see here:  https://www.dclibrary.org/plan-visit/arthur-capper-techexpress

Tuesday, December 17

ANC6B’s Executive Committee will hold a virtual meeting at 7:00pm.

For info on how to join the meeting, go here: https://anc6b.org/

Agenda:  To set the agenda for the January 14 meeting of the full commission.

Thursday, December 19

Community Meeting on Rumsey Aquatic Center (Rescheduled from December 12): 

DC Department of Parks and Recreation will host the first community meeting on the demolition and modernization of the Rumsey Aquatic Center, December 19, at 6:30pm in the North Hall of Eastern Market.  The design/build team are expected to take part in the meeting.   For more, see here: https://bit.ly/3ZsHnsv    

ANC6C Grants Committee will hold a virtual meeting at 7:30pm.

For info on how to access the meeting, go here:   https://anc6c.org/hot-topics/

Agenda:  TBA

Capitol Hill Corner would also like you to know about:

Closure of Downtown Metro Stations Dec. 20-30

WMATA plans to close some Downtown Metrorail stations for the Blue, Orange, and Silver lines between Friday, Dec. 20, and Monday, Dec. 30 to improve tracks and signaling.  During the closure, shuttle buses will replace train service at affected stations, providing customers with alternate access to stations. Stations will reopen Dec. 31.  Work will be completed in two phases:

Dec. 20-26: Farragut West, McPherson Square, and the lower level (Blue, Orange, Silver service) at Metro Center will be closed.

Dec. 27-30: Farragut West, McPherson Square, lower level (Blue, Orange, Silver service) at Metro Center, Federal Triangle, Smithsonian, and the lower level of L’Enfant Plaza (Blue, Orange, Silver service) will be closed.

For more info, go here:  https://bit.ly/3ZE3ZGl

Friday, December 20

Hill Center Event – 7:00pm until 9:00pm – $20

Holiday Music Spanning the Centuries Featuring Vox Pulchra and Celebrated Multi-Instrumentalist Tina Chancey.

For more info, to register and get tickets, go here:  https://bit.ly/3VGqo4H

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