more stripping on the strip: jp's returns
TRANSCRIPT
More Stripping on the Strip: JP's ReturnsBy Randy Rieland
By the end of the year, if not sooner, Glover Park could again be home to two nude dancing clubs.
Early in October, DC’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Board ap-proved the transfer of a liquor license to a new ownership team that says it will be running JP’s Night Club, closed since a fire destroyed it in January 2008.
The alcohol board also denied a request by Glover Park’s ANC to hold a public hearing on the new group that will take over JP’s, opening the way for the strip club to get back in business by “late fall,” according to Philip Mathew, one of the new owners of the operation.
It’s the most recent chapter in a saga of “License, License, Who Gets the License?” in which several different individuals over the past year have been identified as JP’s latest management team. Paul Kadlick, who last spring said he was one of club’s owners, but now identifies himself as only a representative of the new owners, says all the twists and turns have been due to business and tax considerations.
But that has only raised the hackles of Glover Park’s ANC mem-bers, who, dating back to a public hearing in the summer of 2011, have been fighting the reopening of JP’s. They’ve argued that a nude dancing club is no longer appropriate in a neighborhood where the number of children under 18 has risen 60% since 1990.
Glover Park ANC commissioner Jackie Blumenthal points to “the incongruity of mothers wheeling strollers past men going in and out of these walled-off and curtained storefronts with bump-and-grind music leaking out,” a situation she described as “inappropriate and potentially dangerous.”
“Nude dancing,” she added, “tends to attract patrons from outside the local area and is associated with ‘secondary effects’ such as prostitu-tion and drug use.”
But others are less concerned about the impact on the com-munity, an attitude expressed in a post on The Georgetowner’s website last year: “Kids see worse than the storefront on their phones, their computers, their iPods, iPads and notebooks and whatever, and they hear far worse every single day in school.”
Then there’s the matter of fights and street crime. ANC member Brian Cohen raised that point during the 2011 hearing, noting that between 2002 and 2007, police were called from JP’s address 12 times
and that seven of the incidents resulted in assault charges being filed. JP’s attorney at the hearing contended that most of the fights started in or in front of other nearby bars.
For his part, Officer Freddie Duclos, a DC police officer who works the Wisconsin Avenue strip at night says that he has seen fewer calls for police at Good Guys than other bars in the neighborhood. “Good Guys has a great security staff,” he said. “They rarely contact the police for issues.”
That said, Good Guys is also the location of Glover Park’s most horrific violent crime in recent memory—the 2007 incident in which a drunken patron who had been thrown out of the club returned with a gas can to set it on fire. In an ensuing confrontation, he badly burned one of the bouncers, Vladimir Djordjevic who died of his injuries three years later.
Mathew, along with JP’s other new owner Jason Daniel, cite their experience in running a number of area nightspots, most notably Cities restaurant in Adams Morgan. Mathew promised to maintain “an open-door policy” in working with the community.
“We believe we have taken all the appropriate steps to seamlessly transition this business back into Glover Park, and create as little of a footprint in the neighborhood as possible,” Mathew said.
Vote & watch the returns on November 6
The GPCA will meet on Tuesday, November 13
NOVEMBER 2012
The Monthly Newsletter of the Glover Park Citizens' Association
Glover Park
2
Glover Park Gazette
Elected Officers of the Glover Park Citizens' Association (GPCA)President Sheila Meehan ([email protected])1st Vice President Melissa Lane ([email protected])2nd Vice President Allen Tomlinson ([email protected])Treasurer Cheri Meyer ([email protected])Secretary Jarrett Ferrier ([email protected])Sergeant at Arms Jack Everett ([email protected])Federation Reps Patricia Clark, Mina Marefat, and Karen Sprecher-Keating, with Frank Martorana, AlternateMembership Director Allen Tomlinson ([email protected])Glover Park Day Amanda Gant and Cheri Meyer ([email protected] or [email protected])
Gazette StaffEditor Carol Ryder ([email protected])Design and Production Nora Korc ([email protected])Advertising Manager Maggie Simpson ([email protected])
ContactsAdvertising [email protected] [email protected] Dick & Elaine Sullivan ([email protected])
The Gazette is distributed door-to-door throughout Glover Park by volunteers. To receive the Gazette by mail, contact [email protected]. The yearly subscription rate is $20. Responsible letters to the editor will be published as space allows.
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Contents
JP's Returns ....................... 1
President's Report .............3
GPCA Minutes ...................3
ANC 3B News ....................4
Glover Park History ...........4
Glover Park Village ............5
Commercial Confidential ...6
Where Am I? ......................7
Guy Mason Fundraiser .......8
Babes in the Nabe ............. 8
Parenting in the Park .........9
Ice Skating Rink Opens ... 10
Stoddert Fall Festival ......11
Glover Park
If you love living in Glover Park, get involved! Join the Glover Park Citizens' Association today!Generously support the group that takes care of your neighborhood.Preserve the family-friendly quality of our community.Communicate your ideas to improve your neighborhood.Act locally to get things done.
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Membership feesSingle $20Double $35Senior $15Former/absent resident (no vote) $20Business/corporation (no vote) $75
Donation $____
Return form and fee to GPCA, P.O. Box 32268, Washington, DC 20007 Make check payable to GPCA.
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November 2012
Glover Park Citizens' Association November 13 • 7 p.m.
Glover Park Community Center at Stoddert
Police Report
Treasurer's Report
Vote: GPCA 2013 Budget
Holiday Parties
Jarrett Ferrier's Mural
Secretary's Report
New Business
President’s Report
Prepared for Frankenstorm?Sheila Meehan
As I write this—just ahead of the Ga-zette going to press on October 26—there are dire warnings of a possibly
epic super storm moving up the Atlantic coast that could affect millions of people.
Many in Glover Park will be prepared. After dealing with at least seven outages in less than two years, we have flashlights in every room and are already starting to raid our freezers—better to eat now than toss it all out after days without power.
The good news is that we are resilient and look out for our neighbors. The bad news, of course, is that we have adapted to a grim level of neglect and incompetence. We are in Pepco’s “bottom 2 percent.” Think about that. We are at the bottom of one of the country’s worst-performing public utilities.
Pepco representatives made a belated ap-pearance at the October ANC meeting. They came armed with a map illustrating the area’s feeder lines and an explanation that three of the seven incidents originated in Hillandale (in 2010) and four were the result of storm damage (with trees, again, cited as a major culprit). A new “consumer advocate” came too, tasked with serving as the focal point for customer and community relations.
The future will tell us whether Glover Park’s chronic power problems are finally get-ting the attention they deserve. Left unan-swered is why a public utility could get away with doing so little for so long.
In an Emergency. The looming “Fran-kenstorm” also is a forceful reminder that we
need to look out for our seniors and those with special needs.
Dangerous weather conditions and gruel-ing power outages are hard on everyone, but they are especially dangerous, and possibly life threatening, for those not limber enough to fend for themselves. Some of our residents will need a little more help from their neighbors in times like these.
Honoring Glover. One of the most neglected spots in Glover Park is about to get a major face-lift and just in time.
That weedy, oft-littered, and graffitied set of stairs that provides a cut-through from W Place to 37th Street will be the site of a Jarrett Ferrier mural honoring the neighbor-hood’s namesake, Charles Carroll Glover. In October, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities awarded Jarrett a grant of $11,800 to begin work on his mural (see the April 2012 Gazette for more information and a sketch of the mural).
Why just in time? You may have noticed that those steps are seeing significantly more foot traffic now that the new stop signs on 37th at W Place provide a safe means to cross the street there.
Holiday Partying. Please join Santa and the Marines on Friday, December 7, to get the holiday season off to a lively start and support a great cause, Toys for Tots.
The GPCA customarily does not meet in December, but we are hoping to start a new tradition—a no-work, all-fun get-together on Tuesday, December 11.
No resolutions, no business—just a chance to relax and meet your neighbors. Bring a snack or share some of those holiday cookies you’ve been baking. We will be invit-ing our neighborhood charitable organizations (bring your checkbooks if you’d like to make end-of-the-year donations) and we hope to have some of our police officers on hand to thank them for their work.
Don’t Forget to Vote! Our monthly meeting will be held a week later this month due to the presidential election. It’s been a long, long electoral season. Cast your vote and spend the evening with your friends.
We’ll see you on Tuesday, November 13, at 7 p.m.
GPCA October 2012 Minutes Police Report. Officer Duclos, who is
a foot-beat officer on Wisconsin Avenue, stressed that the community should not leave items in cars, as theft from autos is a real problem. In addition, he reported on assaults and other rowdy behavior from patrons at Mason Inn. ABRA has required a second officer to patrol that area on weekends; the officers are charged with responding to any issues on The Avenue.
Treasurer’s Report. Cheri Myer gave a detailed presentation of the proposed budget for 2013. A motion was made and approved to vote on this proposed budget at the No-vember 13 meeting.
Pepco Outage Follow-up. President Meehan voiced concern and suggested the GPCA invite a Pepco representative to discuss
the reasons behind excessive outages. A mo-tion was made and passed that the GPCA will create and submit a list of questions to Pepco in advance of their visit. A copy of these ques-tions will be sent to the ANC, Mary Cheh’s office, and the Public Service Committee. Another request is to obtain a map with the grid system within Glover Park.
Status of JP’s. Milton Grossman, rep-resenting ANC member Jackie Blumenthal, reported that the ANC called for ABRA to hold a hearing to gain a better understanding of the ownership of the establishment.
A motion was made and passed that the GPCA send a letter to ABRA stating that the GPCA aligned itself with the ANC. Said letter was created, emailed, and successfully received by ABRA.
Glover Park Holiday Party. Joe Fiorillo announced that once again GPCA, in con-junction with the Friends of Glover Park and DC Parks and Rec, will be holding its annual holiday party on December 7 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Glover Park Community Center at Stoddert. There will be refreshments, Ma-rines on hand to collect new toys for Toys for Tots, and, of course, Santa!
2013 Membership Drive. Alan Tomlin-son reported on the upcoming membership drive for the GPCA. He noted that the GPCA’s 338 current members is only a small fraction of our community. He was happy to report that individuals may now pay online for a 12-month membership and that one can sign
Continued on page 10
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Glover Park Gazette
Your ANC Members Ben Thielen, 3B-01, North Glover Park [email protected], 641-0303
Jackie Blumenthal, 3B-02, East Glover Park [email protected], 333-7488
Charles Fulwood, 3B-03, West Glover Park [email protected], 338-9484
Vacant, 3B-04, Cathedral Heights
Brian Cohen, 3B-05, South Glover Park [email protected], 337-0134
Visit ANC 3B: www.anc3b.org or e-mail at [email protected]
ANC 3B News
Pepco Outages, Streetscape Delays, JP’s is ComingJackie Blumenthal
Pepco appeared at our October meeting with what will hopefully turn out to be good news for our notoriously unreli-
able power grid in Glover Park. The seven power outages in the last 20 months put the electric feeder system in our neighborhood among the 2% of least reliable feeder systems in Pepco’s entire service area—meaning that we are now getting some special attention.
According to Chris Taylor, Pepco’s public affairs manager, the company has analyzed the causes of all of our recent power outages. Three were caused by outdated equipment, and the company has since replaced all of this equipment and upgraded other key parts of our feeder system; other outages were caused by falling tree limbs, and in response Pepco has implemented an aggressive tree trimming program in our neighborhood—you’ve prob-ably seen evidence of their work as you walk around the neighborhood.
In addition, Pepco is implementing—as of November 1—a new switching and connection system that is intended to allow them to switch Glover Park to alternative feeder systems and isolate outage problems when they occur. The goal here is to improve the electric grid so that a single fallen tree branch on Davis Place or 39th Place (or even in Burleith) does not cause an outage in all of Glover Park.
It’s good to know that Pepco is focusing on power outage problems in Glover Park. Let’s hope that over the next year we see evi-dence that the improvements are working.
Wisconsin Avenue/37th and TunlawDDOT announced plans to begin the final paving of Wisconsin Avenue on October 29, starting with the section from 34th Street to Hall Place. However, as the Gazette goes to press it is unclear how the weather and
Washington Gas will hold up these plans. Once Wisconsin is paved all the way to Massachusetts, the new lane configuration lines will be put down. We expect that the change to less-bright streetlights north of Calvert will occur before the end of the year.
The redesign of the intersection at 37th and Tunlaw is now finalized. At least three of the five lost parking spaces will be replaced; two more spots are pending. The plan calls for two low-impact development areas that will be landscaped to create the new intersec-tion. Details are posted on the ANC website. Whether construction on the intersection occurs in November or next spring depends on receiving clearances, having Wisconsin available for detours, and the weather. We will keep you posted.
Good news: Local mural artist and activ-ist Jarrett Ferrier has been awarded a grant to upgrade the steps connecting 37th Street to W Place. His project will include a mural featuring the life of Charles Glover at the bot-tom of the steps and a decorative gateway arch at the top. Jarrett also created the “Welcome to Glover Park” signs.
JP’s Will ReopenOn October 3, DC’s Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration denied ANC 3B’s request for a public fact-finding hearing on ownership issues related to the JP’s nude dancing license and approved the ownership transfer that puts a new group of people in charge of that license. This means that once the interior build-out of JP’s is completed, the license will be reactivated and JP’s will be back in business. At that time, the license will need to be renewed and public comment will be sought. Meanwhile, ANC 3B has sent a resolu-tion to ABRA decrying its refusal to recognize
that residents have a real stake in who owns and operates JP’s (see ANC website) and is seeking a Freedom of Information Act release of documents related to the ownership issues.
ANC 3B will meet on November 8 at 7 p.m. at Stoddert School. Watch the ANC website or Glover Park listserv for details on the upcoming agenda.
Glover Park History
Upper GeorgetownCarlton Fletcher
In 1769, the city of Georgetown was enlarged by 200 acres, laid out in 300 lots, called the Beatty and Hawkins’ Addition to Georgetown. Of those 300 lots, the 50 on either side of Wisconsin Avenue, from R Street to Davis Street, and west to Huidekoper Place, constituted the northern extension of the corporation of Georgetown. Because the eastern part of Glover Park falls within that northern extension, the earliest record of the settlement of the neighborhood that preceded Glover Park is preserved in the municipal property tax assessments of Georgetown.
Check out “Glover Park” at gloverparkhis-tory.com. To contribute your memories and photographs, email [email protected].
The northernmost lots of Beatty and Hawkins’ Addition to Georgetown (1769); Back Street, West Street, Fay-ette Street, and High Street correspond to the present Tunlaw Road, Whitehaven Parkway, 35th Street, and Wisconsin Avenue.
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November 2012
Glover Park is at the forefront of the “village” movement—pro-viding access to services with the goal of helping neighbors in need and seniors stay in their community. Glover Park Village
provides opportunities for neighbors to help neighbors with simple tasks that improve the quality of life and connect neighbors.
Activities include popular healthy cooking and nutrition classes, with the fourth in a series of eight being held on Tuesday, November 13, 3-5 p.m. at Guy Mason and taught by neighbors Juliette Tahar, chef, and Martha Rebour, holistic nutritionist. There will be a book talk by Liliane Willens November 17, about her living in China from birth through the early Mao years; and a poetry jam event open to anyone who wants to read a poem of their own, or favorite from another poet in January. See www.GloverParkVillage.org for details.
Each week in Glover Park, Village volunteers take neighbors to the doctor, grocery store, run errands, help sort through overstuffed closets and drawers, tend to the garden, change light bulbs, move heavy boxes, check in on housebound neighbors, or take them for walks.
Neighbors receiving services have had fascinating lives. One was a prisoner of war during World War II, another worked at the local bank to buy her house in the 1950s—a tough thing for a woman to do then—and another is planning her third trip around the world. Village volunteers include Peace Corps volunteers, journalists, social work-ers, psychologists, and people who’ve had careers in communications, photography, and finance.
Glover Park Village is providing assistance so that folks are able to stay in their community, stay connected to neighbors, and have an improved quality of life. Please help the Village to identify neighbors who need assistance—particularly as gardens need some clean-up for the winter, and sidewalks need shoveling.
One of a small percentage of villages that doesn’t charge a mem-bership fee, Glover Park Village is administered by volunteers. The Vil-lage is a charitable 501(c)(3) and has been funded by the Glover Park Citizens Association, ANC 3B, and individuals in the neighborhood.
There are close to 30 villages in the DC metropolitan area, the largest concentration of villages in the US. Join your neighbors at Village educational meetings, cooking classes, to request services, to volunteer to provide services, or all of the above. Contact the Village at [email protected], visit the website, www.GloverParkVillage.org, or call 202-436-5545.
Glover Park Village
Neighbors Helping NeighborsPat Clark
Maggie SimpsonWC & AN Miller RealtorsA Long and Foster [email protected]
Real Estate Watch
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The Gazette is online!
Go to:www. gpcadc.organd click the"GPCA Gazette" button for the latest issue.
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Glover Park Gazette
Commercial Strip Confidential
Liquor Board OK’s JP’s License TransferMargaret Guroff
JP’s Night Club (2412 Wisconsin Ave.) is one step closer to reopening, nearly five years after a fire gutted the strip club. On October 3, the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board allowed Jason K. Daniel and Philip M. Mathew to assume ownership of the JP’s liquor license from Brian Petruska, who bought it last year.
Advisory Neighborhood Commission 3B had requested that the liquor board hold a hearing to assess the fitness of the two men before transferring the license to them, but no such hearing was held. Nor did the liquor board grant ANC Commissioner Jackie Blu-menthal’s September 28 Freedom of Informa-tion Act request for documents related to the club’s ownership. (Blumenthal has filed a formal appeal.)
At its October 18 meeting, the ANC passed a resolution strongly objecting to the transfer of the JP’s license without a hearing. The ANC also vowed to work to change the law that allows liquor licenses to change hands without public input.
The JP’s license is currently in a dor-mant state called “safekeeping.” The ABC Board has promised to hold a public protest
hearing when the license is reactivated, but that hearing won’t occur until after the new owners finish the building’s interior and open their doors. Building permit applications for interior walls, bars, and stages at the vacant building were pending at press time.
*Balance Gym (2121 Wisconsin Ave.) is expanding. In a recent email to members, owner Mark Crick announced that the fitness club had leased 6,000 square feet of basement space to build “a fully-fledged CrossFit (and CrossFit Kids) program, a spin studio, additional locker rooms, a new strength area, and a large open multi-use turfed area for training and classes.” Changes to the first floor will include an expansion of gym space and changes to the group exercise schedule. The changes are likely to occur over the next six months, Crick’s message stated.
*On Friday, September 28 at around 3 p.m., two men in white hats stole another man’s wallet on the sidewalk outside of Glover Park Hardware (2251 Wisconsin Ave.), according to a police report. The thieves, who were not known to the victim, sandwiched him, and one made a grab for his wallet. The suspects then escaped by running south on Wisconsin, but their images were caught on a surveillance camera, the report states.
*Einstein Bros Bagels, which lost its spot at 1815 Wisconsin Ave. last year due to a major renovation, has leased the vacant Fan Fair and Vespa storefronts at 2233 Wisconsin Ave., according to a Georgetown Metropolitan commenter who goes by the handle “Downtown Dave.” The new location should open “in a few months,” he writes. The adjacent storefronts at Georgetown Plaza have been vacant since Vespa and Fan Fair closed in late 2008. Einstein’s did not respond to our requests for comment.
*Salads and fro-yo are coming to the BodySmith building (2200 Wisconsin Ave.) “before the end of the year,” according to Nic Jammet, the owner of the Sweetgreen café chain. Sweetgreen has leased the building’s sunny first-floor storefront, which was previously used as an exercise studio by BodySmith. The training gym will remain a building tenant, offering personal training and spa services in its basement space via a new entrance on W Place.
*
In late August, Old Europe (2434 Wisconsin Ave.) underwent a complete remodel—its first since the 1980s, according to owner Alex Herold. Along with fresh paint and new wood paneling, the dining room received some much-needed repairs. The new look is “cleaner and fresh,” Herold told us during construction. “It’s high time.”
*Remy Esquenet, the primary owner of 2317 Wisconsin Ave., is suing his former business partner for full ownership of the building, the City Paper reports. The storefront, home of Sprig & Sprout Vietnamese restaurant, is one of several that Esquenet owns with the former partner, Jeremy Landsman, a Baltimore developer who pled guilty in June to involvement in a marijuana trafficking ring. The two men went into business together in 2011, shortly after Landsman—unbeknownst to Esquenet—had been indicted under seal. “It’s a crazy story,” Esquenet told the paper. The restaurant, originally expected to open in September, has been hampered by construction delays. It is now scheduled to open early this month.
Meanwhile, the liquor license for Margarita’s Restaurant, which was formerly located in the building, was cancelled by the ABC Board over the summer. Now the licensee, Maria Villalta, has requested a reconsidera-tion of this decision, saying she was in Mexico caring for her elderly parents during a crucial ABC Board hearing. The board has scheduled a hearing on the matter for October 24. A rever-sal of the cancellation would not affect Sprig & Sprout, but would allow Villalta to open a new restaurant elsewhere in Glover Park.
*Heritage India (2400 Wisconsin Ave.) recently inaugurated a new brunch menu on Saturdays and Sundays. Diners can order a la carte, or, during any two hours between 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., as much as they like for a per-person charge of $29.95 including alcoholic beverages or $19.95 without them.
*Mayfair & Pine (2218 Wisconsin Ave.) is now open for breakfast—including French toast, buttermilk pancakes, or a full English breakfast—both Saturdays and Sundays starting at 7:30 a.m.
*Additional reporting by Laurie England.
Got a question or a hot tip about the com-mercial strip? Email us at [email protected]. Confidentiality is assured.
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November 2012
Photos by Deena Loeffler
Where Am I? By Deena Loeffler
Hello fellow GP residents, I hope you enjoyed following the directions. The theme for this month is “seeing dou-
ble.” Human beings like to think in pairs, like two hands, a musical duet, or bookends. Here are a couple of pairs I’ve seen in Glover Park.
The first picture is on a street that has one-way traffic until this sign. If you’re driv-ing here, you might go by a softball game or
lots of kids playing soccer; if you’re walking here, you might be waiting for a bus.
The second picture is part of a sign for a place where you could get some plastic surgery. This isn’t Hollywood, but we have glamorous people in DC.
The third picture is home to some very important workers who help run physical fa-cilities. I’ve been in this building to cast votes
for elections, as I’m sure we will all do soon for the upcoming presidential election.
Good luck guessing and I’ll be back next month! Our mystery photo boundaries are: Glover-Archbold Trail to the west, Fulton Street to the north, Naval Observatory to the east, and Jelleff Rec Center/Social Safeway/Hardy Middle School/Whitehaven Parkway to the south.
Answers to October 2012’s Where Am I?
1. Driveway to Wells Fargo Bank, 3700 Calvert St., NW2. Intersection of Calvert and 37th, NW3. Solo Parking, 2243 Wisconsin Ave., NW
Holiday Party in the 'Hood
It's time to celebrate the holidays Glover Park style!
Not only will the neighborhood kids have a chance to get up close and personal with Santa Claus (parents, bring your cameras!), we’ll also have an opportunity to make the holidays a little better for kids who aren’t so lucky. Once again our party will tie into the U.S. Marines Toys for Tots. Please bring an unwrapped toy for a boy or girl who otherwise may not get any presents.
There will be pizza, crafts, games, door prizes, and the Second Annual Youth Art Show and Sale. Help us out by bringing a side dish or a dessert.
Where: Glover Park Community Center at Stoddert
When: Friday, December 7, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Contact: [email protected] or Joe Fiorillo at [email protected].
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Glover Park Gazette
Guy Mason Fundraiser a SuccessCarol Ryder
The Friends of Guy Mason had its fundraiser on October 11 at the Savoy Suites. The annual party, which raised
more than $20,000 this year, has funded so much over the years for the Guy Mason Rec Center and Park including playground equip-ment, sandboxes, a stroller path, swings, a fragrance garden, kilns, and card tables.
“Over the course of the three-hour recep-tion, which included a band sponsored by
local investment counselor Pamela Wise, we probably had 150 people join us. Towards the end, DC Council chairman Phil Mendelson also made a surprise appearance,” said Dan Melman, the current president of the FOGM.
The party had a silent auction that in-cluded a robust showing from local businesses donating their goods and services—Sushi Ko, Kavanaghs, and Slate, as well as DC’s Fiola and Central, Wide World of Wine, BodySmith, Lil
Omm Yoga, and Washington Sports Club.The event would not be possible without
the generosity of the Savoy Suites, which has hosted the party for several years; Pearson’s, also a mainstay for years, with its donation of the beer and wine; and Whole Foods, which provided the soft drinks and flowers. Several organizations made financial contributions: TTR Sotheby’s International Realty, Town Hall, Apex Home Loans, and The Care of Trees.
Photos by Ben Droz
FOGM President Dan Melman, former Guy Mason Director Caryl King, current Director Ralph Wright.
Pilar Bustamante, Mary Abbjay, Mina Montalvan, Ariadne Henry.
Pat Barron and FOGM Treasurer Meg Markham.
Babes in the NabeGeorgette Eftekhari
Glover Park is keeping busy with little ones joining our neighborhood. It seems as though there is a baby boom
on 39th Place this year!A new babe was born at 2446 39th Place
—Markus Paulson Murray was born on April 5, 2012, to Brian Murray and Kari Paulson.
Noah Lieberman was born on July 10, 2012. He lives on 39th Place with his parents, Ross and Cynthia, and big “brother” Scamp, the dog.
Jason and Amy Orlando of 2440 39th Place welcomed their new son Matthew Orlando on August 18, 2012. He joins his sister Sophie, who is a second grader at Stoddert.
If you have a little one and want to share the news, please email me the details. Also, email me at georgette.eftekhari @gmail.com to join the Glover Park Mom Group, where you can introduce your little one to other babies in the neighborhood, socialize with other parents, join in on weekly play dates, and monthly happy hours!
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November 2012
Parenting in the Park
Cooking in the Kitchen with KidsPaige Trevor
Should we invite them in? With Thanks-giving upon us, my thoughts turn to cooking and all the joys and sorrows of
inviting your children into the kitchen with you. This holiday season shall we invite them in, not give them a VIP unrestricted pass, but invite them in? I say yes!
Pros. Kids learn so much in the kitchen. They learn where stuff is. They learn what stuff is. A 4-year-old will be able to tell you where the baking soda vs. baking powder is kept. Your 7-year-old could get out the rasp and zest up a lemon. Measuring and scooping teaches fractions. Recipes require reading and fol-lowing directions. Imagine, a child following directions. Contribution also looms large in the kitchen. Kids can contribute to the family meal or just the family snack. We all want contributing members of society and cooking can be a great way to start.
Cons. Kids are messy, slow, tippy, silly, unbalanced, noisy, and curious. Did I mention messy? Adults (at least, some adults) have learned how to cook neatly, efficiently, and with as little clean-up as possible. Not so with kids. You have to practice smiling at the flour spills, the egg drops, the scattered sprinkles, and you must remain Buddha-like as a child measures out anything. If you invite more then one child into your kitchen, expect a fight. Two siblings can spend a lot of time shoving each other over who gets to scoop the flour. Cooking with kids is colossally inefficient, time consuming, and can get ugly.
Set yourself up for success. Here are a few lessons in inviting kids into the kitchen. Only invite them if you are in the mood. If you aren’t, chances are you’re going to get ticked at them. You can say, “Yes Liza, I see you’d like to help make dinner tonight and you may help on Saturday morning when we make pancakes for Grandma.”
Invite kids in one at a time. It’s a great treat to be in the kitchen with you and it can be a wonderful relationship builder, but don’t ruin it by turning yourself into a referee be-tween your kids. One at a time works best, but do have a time in mind when the other helpful darlings will be given access to all the wonders in the kitchen.
Let them really do stuff. Don’t expect them to sit quietly and watch you. They want to spill, get dirty, try stuff–by all means, let them. Let them do some sexy stuff too–use the tools, turn on the stove, pour something heavy, chop, dice (with an appropriate knife, adequate training, and a good dose of supervi-
sion). Ask their advice. “Should we make chocolate chip or M&M cookies?” Then take their suggestion. Be sure you encourage all the efforts (remember last month’s article–low key, notice improvement, express appreciation, ask questions). “These cookies are tasty. I bet ev-eryone at the picnic is going to enjoy our hard work.” “I notice how you cracked the egg with just a weeny bit of shell in it this time.” “Do
you prefer cutting bananas or apples?” Thanksgiving. So expand your mind and
your kitchen and let the kids in. You never know–you may have a budding Rachel Ray on your hands. Let’s ask our kids if they’d help choose and prepare one thing for Thanksgiv-ing. Imagine how thankful you will be, sharing the kitchen and the food on your holiday table with your kids.
&
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responsibly sourced american products.We offer a kids menu with healthy options
Now serving breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays, 7:30 a.m.– 4 p.m.
Half price wine night on Thursdays. Choose from over 40 vintages.
Tuesdays Family Happy Hour: All kids menu items are $2 off and if your younger diners finish their veggies,
they receive something sweet to eat free of charge!
Open daily for lunch and dinner; closed Mondays
To make a reservation or inquire about private dining options
visit us online at: www.mayfairandpine.com
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@Mayfairandpine2218 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington DC 20007
See you soon!
10
Glover Park Gazette
Can a child have an inner child?
We think so.
NEWMembership
Program
jonahstreehouse.com • 202.298.6805 • 2121 Wisconsin Ave
movement • art • music • spanish
GPCA October 2012 Minutes Continued from page 3up anytime and the membership will be good for the full 12 months.
GP Gazette. Elaine and Dick Sullivan were in attendance and received a round of applause for their efforts to coordinate the volun-teers who deliver the ‘Zette. Also on hand were the Gazette’s new edi-tor, Carol Ryder, and her husband, Randy Rieland, who is contributing news stories to the Gazette.
Correction to Last Month’s Minutes. Dogs are not allowed on the premises of Stoddert Recreation field. Previous minutes were in error when noted that dogs must be on a leash.
Ice Skating is Nice SkatingCarol Ryder
Winter is around the corner so bundle up and load some organ music on your iPod
because the Washington Harbour ice rink opens this November. Located on the Georgetown waterfront on K Street, the ice rink is a multipurpose facility that changes with the sea-son—before it was an ice rink, it was a fountain, and in the spring, it will be a fountain again.
The rink is 151 feet long and 101 feet wide—larger than both the rink in Rockefeller Center in New York City and the Sculpture Garden ice rink at the National Gallery of Art here in Washington.
Open seven days week, the hours are noon-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; noon-10 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday; and 10 a.m-7 p.m. Sunday. Prices are $9 for adults; $7 for children, seniors and military; and $5 for skate rental. Skating lessons are available for all skill levels; the rink is available to rent for special events. See www.thewashingtonharbour.com/skating for more information.
On or around March 1, the rink reverts back to a fountain, ready to flow for Cherry Blossom season.
Your Neighborhood Realtor®
Allen TomlinsonGlover Park resident since 1982
Whether buying, selling, or renting in DC, MD, or VA, I am ready to work for you day and night.
Cell: 202.744.5842Office: [email protected]
It's the Ghost of W Street (aka "Soul Taker"), who appeared unbidden on October 28 to spook passing drivers and pedestrians. He seemed to be a shape-shifter, too, as he subsequently appeared in third-grader form, helping scoop up leaves from the street and prevent blocked drains.
11
November 2012
Remodel to Sell?Remodeling magazine releases a “Cost vs. Value” report every year for popular home projects, after studying the values that remodeling retains when a home is sold. For example, in the 2011-2012 report, a bathroom remodel in DC will return to a homeowner who sells a home an average of 67.7% of the average $17,068 cost to remodel the bath. According to the report, not one remodeling project has a positive return on investment when it comes time to sell a home.
What’s wrong with this picture? Let’s go back to the bathroom remodel. I wouldn’t recommend that a homeowner spend $17,000 to remodel the “typical” 5’x7’ bath described in the report. Bath
improvements don’t have to be costly to add to a home’s bottom line. Replacing dated small tile with larger stone tile, reglazing a battered tub, replacing a toilet, replacing lighting and replacing a vanity can inexpensively add appeal. When I discuss remodeling with clients, the typical bath remodel costs $5,000-7,500. So, a change in scope and math can turn a seemingly costly project into a signi� cant and positive return on investment.
Further, the “Cost vs. Value” report doesn’t speak to “saleability” – whether a home will sell and how time on the market a� ects the � nal sales price of a home. Not all homes sell. The longer a
home is on the market, the lower the � nal sales price tends to be relative to original list price. While many sellers say “I’ll let the buyer do it,” most buyers perceive renovation costs at 2-3 times the actual cost, and a buyer’s o� er on a property will re� ect this perception.
Overall, a decision on whether to renovate is better made in the context of a speci� c home’s overall renovation needs, the homeowner’s budget and — if the home-owner will soon be a homeseller — how a home will compare to other nearby homes for sale. Remember, magazine reports can’t give you all the information you need to make an informed decision.
J.P. Montalvan, MBA301.922.3700 (direct)202.333.1212 (o� ce)[email protected]
Built by a prominent developer for his family, this Chevy Chase home off ers dramatic, living and dining spaces, a custom granite kitchen, 2400+ fi nished SF, steps to schools and shopping. $725,000.
A good time was had by all at the Stoddert Fall Festival on October 13, held at the school. The kids kept busy with assorted games, face painting, a moon bounce and a teacup ride. The PTA, which sponsored the event wishes to thank Rocklands and Armand’s for donating part of their proceeds to the event, and to Whole Foods for providing water, cup cakes, pumpkins, and apples.
Stoddert Fall Festival
Contact Sue Lohsen at [email protected] if you would like a table in the craft show, or if you would like to volunteer.