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Anacostia Art Gallery curator Barry Blackman displays
the shops myriad African-themed merchandise. |
Holiday Shopping in Shaw
“It’s our Shiloh version of the Sugarloaf (Maryland) art show.” That’s how curator Barry Blackman describes BZB’s 19th Annual Holiday Gift and Art Show at the Shiloh Family Life Center in the heart of Shaw. At the largest upscale African-American shopping event on the East Coast, you have four more Saturdays to select from 150 to 200 vendors showcasing hand-woven baskets, colorful ceramics, pillows, jewelry, dolls, books, tree ornaments, greeting cards and much more. Dates for BZB’s mega-show are Nov. 28, Dec. 5, 12 and 19. Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. First held in 1990, the show is produced by retail marketing specialist Juanita Britton, who also operates the Anacostia Art Gallery and Boutique, 2806 Bruce Place SE, practically next to the Anacostia Community Museum.
Participating artisans are “people of color” representing the United States, South America (especially the Bahia region of Brazil), the Caribbean and, naturally, all parts of Africa, said Blackman. Since BZB Proprietor Juanita Britton was tied up in a meeting and could not meet us, curator Blackman showed us around the gallery, formerly Britton’s home. In a sneak preview of the holiday show, we browsed through merchandise. We were especially charmed by a little doll, as well as gift “lollypops,” pillows, a gorgeous hand-decorated stool and African baskets. We bought a Bolga basket (from Ghana), similar to the one first lady Michelle Obama carried while shopping at the new farmers’ market by the White House.
Blackman also showed us the Ancestral Gardens, the gallery’s backyard with a colorful wooden bridge surrounded by animal figures (crafted from discarded oil drums): giraffes, rhinos, ostriches, crocodiles and even a kangaroo (don’t ask me how that got there!). Dedicated to the first president of Ghana Kwame Nkrumah (1909-1972), the garden provides a festive setting for gallery wine and food tastings, concerts, poetry readings and other cultural events.
The site of the holiday arts show is the Shiloh Family Life Center, 1510 Ninth St. NW, two blocks north of the Washington Convention Center. The closest Metro is Mount Vernon Square (Green and Yellow lines). For more information, call 202-610-4188 or visit www.bzbinternational.com.
Work Off Your Pizza
Wanna combine a good time with staying in shape? A pair of Mount Pleasant enterprises – Past Tense and Radius Pizza – is offering couples a fun way to work off calories and enjoy pizza, all in one evening. How? The yoga studio Past Tense is holding monthly Saturday Date Nights, a class for couples at all yoga levels. Participants then trek over to Radius (still wearing their sweats, I presume), a New York-style pizzeria. As they unwind, diners may enjoy half-price bottles of wine as part of the deal.
Yoga classes are $20 per couple. The next Date Night is Nov. 7 and again Dec. 5, from 7-8:15 p.m. Past Tense is located at 3253 Mount Pleasant St. NW, three blocks from the Columbia Heights Metro (Green and Yellow lines) and several bus lines. For more information, call 202-462-YOGA or visit www.pasttensestudio.com. Radius is located at 3155 Mount Pleasant St. NW; call 202-234-0808.
New Top Toque
At CommonWealth, the People’s Gastropub, chef/proprietor Jamie Leeds has tapped Abigail Fellows as chef de cuisine. Along with the new top toque, the gastropub is rolling out a fall menu of pork pies; smoked salmon on toast; duck confit risotto; steamed mussels with sausage, vermouth and squash; and beer-braised chicken with ricotta dumplings. CommonWealth has also unveiled a pig roast for $16 per person. Available on Sundays, a whole roasted pig is presented family-style (indoors or out, depending on the weather) along with two side dishes.
Before joining Leeds’ Hank’s Oyster Bar in July 2005 (where she was soon promoted to head chef), Fellows wielded her whisk at the Jefferson Hotel Restaurant, Breadline Bakery and Matchbox. The almost-1-year-old CommonWealth Gastropub is located at 1400 Irving St. NW, just steps from the Columbia Heights Metro station and across the street from the parking garage at 3100 14th St. NW, which charges $1 per hour. For more information or reservations, call 202-265-1400 or visit www.commonwealthgastropub.com.
Logan Lowdown
Birch & Barley and ChurchKey have arrived at 1337 14th St. NW. Part of the Neighborhood Restaurant Group (NRG), the twin openings mark the first Washington foray for the Virginia-based NRG, which operates a slew of eateries across the Potomac. The ground floor houses the 80-seat Birch & Barley. Heading up the kitchen is executive chef Kyle Bailey, who creates char (fish) tartar with ginger, basil and sesame chips; beet risotto with goat cheese; and loin of venison with wild rice, cranberries and squash.
Pastry chef Tiffany MacIsaac tempts diners with chocolate/peanut butter tart paired with a whiskey-vanilla milkshake; French toast with oatmeal ice cream, pecan granola and bacon-infused caramel sauce; and a roasted apple beignet with cinnamon Chantilly.
Upstairs is the 3,250-square-foot ChurchKey. Directed by biermeister Greg Engert, the bar pours 555 different beers – including 50 drafts – representing 100 styles and 30 countries. Seating 130, ChurchKey serves a beer-friendly menu of pizzas and flatbreads baked in a wood-burning pizza oven, and panini filled with prawns, chorizo and manchego-paprika aioli. For more information, call 202-567-2576 or visit www.birchandbarley.com or churchkeydc.com.
Liberty Market Reborn
We’ve visited the reincarnation of the 19th-century Liberty Market, at Seventh and K streets NW, on the grounds of the former Carnegie Library. Since its “soft opening” Sept. 29, the market is gradually expanding and now attracts about 10 vendors, who hawk produce, flowers, fair-trade coffee, jewelry and even Mexican food. “Business is happening,” said Michael Berman, president of Diverse Markets, a Washington firm specializing in the development and management of outdoor public exhibitor markets. The firm recently signed a contract with the Historical Society of Washington (which occupies the Carnegie Library building), to manage and develop the Tuesday farmers market and – eventually – a Saturday arts and crafts venue.
“We expect more customers as word gets out,” said Berman, as we purchased onions and flowers from vendor Ray Sellner, whom we recognized from Eastern Market. We also browsed colorful peppers and pumpkins displayed by Miguel Medina of Westmoreland County, Virginia.
Added Bill McLeod, executive director of the Mount Vernon Triangle Community Improvement District: “Two years ago, Michael and I walked around the neighborhood looking for a spot for a market. Then we met with the Historical Society, who wanted to do something like this. The synergy just came together.”
“When fresh produce is gone, we’ll have coffee, tea, jams, jellies, honey, breads and soaps,” Berman assured us. “We’ll operate as long as the weather permits.” Liberty Market is open Tuesdays from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Liberty Market is named after its 1846 to 1872 Mount Vernon Square predecessor, a public market serving the primarily immigrant neighborhood, then called Northern Liberties.
The closest Metro stop is Gallery Place/Chinatown (Red Line, Seventh and H Street exit). For more information, visit www.DiverseMarkets.net. |
