Why Gentrify?!

U Street’s Ben’s Chili Bowl will celebrate its 50th anniversary on August 22. It will also expand into the Shanghai building next door with a 2,700 square foot restaurant that will seat 70 patrons and serve beer and other newer fare, such as salads. A lot is planned for the big anniversary!

The grand opening will coincide with the 50th anniversary celebration of Ben’s this Aug. 22. Ben’s 50th anniversary gala will be held at the historic Lincoln Theatre Aug. 21. Comedian-activist Bill Cosby will serve as Master of Ceremony. “It will just be a celebratory night to celebrate mom and dad and the legacy of Ben’s Chili Bowl,” Nizam Ali said. On Aug. 22, U Street will be closed and there will be musical performances and dancing in the street. On Aug. 24, there also will be a concert at the 9:30 Club. More can be learned about the history and legacy of Ben’s from their book, “Ben’s Chili Bowl: 50 Years of a Washington, D.C. Landmark,” which will be on sale Aug. 18 at area bookstores. The book is on pre-sale now at Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com.

An independent film by filmmaker and DC native, Laurence Hewitt, will debut at the Lincoln Theatre on Sat., May 24 at 6 pm. Cost is $20. See the trailer and description below.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gufp_TLb2Eg&feature=related]

It takes hard work to make your dreams come true. In “My Brother…My Keeper,” a star basketball player’s dreams are blindsided by a freak car accident that leaves him deaf. As he works through daily struggles, he battles to keep his dreams afloat.

Opening performance by comedian, Carlos Jordan, and R&B recording artist, T-West

The film will be closed captioned.

Well, there are once again some obstacles holding back the Howard Town Center project.  For starters, after there seemed to be some progress at last concerning the embattled Howard Town Center located at Georgia Ave and V St NW, the Washington Business Journal reported, on Friday, that its lead developers, Trammell Crow and Fort Lincoln are no longer the lead developers of the Howard Town Center project due to Howard University considering “current market realities,” including competing development projects in Shaw, Chinatown, and the U Street Corridor.  Howard issued a second request for bid proposals on May 6, with surprised many.  Reportedly, Trammell Crow is still interested and committed to the obligations and terms it agreed to with Howard two years ago.  Councilman Jim Graham surmises that the protracted litigation has probably affected the bottom line on the project, especially since real estate values have changed quite a bit in the interim.  All I know is that this project better get started sooner rather than later and it better be good.  Let’s move forward everyone and start building!

Now to the Lincoln Theatre.   WaPo’s Marc Fisher wrote an interesting article on the new proposed Lincoln Theatre development.  NotionsCapital blog writer Mike Licht has written that the solution to the Lincoln Theatre’s revenue problems was solved in 1927 with the Colonnades, an underground jazz nightclub.  Licht has suggested to the DC government previously that they ought to consider recreating an underground spot like the Colonnades for the Lincoln Theatre’s backlot, but, surprise, nobody really listened.  Fisher sounds like he’s in support of this underground Colonnades-type facility, but has concerns about how developers will meet the parking demands.

When: Every Saturday at 10:30 am, beginning April 1 through October 31, 2007
Meet: U Street/Cardozo Metro station (Green line, 13th Street exit)
Cost: Cash only! $10
Children 3 and under free
For more information: www.washingtonwalks.com
Phone: 202-484-1565
Email: info@washingtonwalks.com

Take a walk along Washington’s “Black Broadway,” where Duke Ellington grew up and was inspired, where musical greats such as Cab Calloway and Dizzy Gillespie played local clubs into the wee hours of the morning, and where movie palaces mingled with pool halls, restaurants and barber shops.

Here in the shadow of Howard University, African Americans created a strong community that produced leaders for the city and the nation. You’ll see the Lincoln Theatre, a 1922 movie palace, restored to its gilded glory; the Thurgood Marshall Center, a grand historic building that once housed the first full-service African American YMCA; and The African American Civil War Memorial, the only national monument to Black Civil War soldiers.

What you need to know:

• No reservations necessary for regularly scheduled walks.  Large groups should notify Washington Walks in advance.
• Tickets are cash only!
• Your guide will be wearing a Washington Walks badge. Judith, Phyllis, or Sandra lead this tour.
• Each walks lasts approximately two hours.
• Walks are given rain or shine.

THIS EVENT IS FREE TO THE PUBLIC BUT RSVPs ARE REQUIRED…

Molly Smith, Artistic Director — Arena Stage

Warmly invites you to join us for a special preview of the first season of ARENA RESTAGED a two year, multi-venue festival of American Voices Directed by Anita Maynard-Losh co-hosted by the Lincoln Theatre

Friday, May 30, 2008
The Lincoln Theatre
1215 U Street, NW Washington, DC 20009

7:00pm House Opens
7:30pm Performance
8:30pm Taste of U Street reception with featured artists

Arena Stage will once again make history in the 2008/09 season by launching a massive two-year festival celebrating the rich mosaic of our nation’s voice leading up to the opening of Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Come enjoy this
unique opportunity to sample what we have in store for you next year! Experience performances by Grammy Award Winner Maureen McGovern, political satirist Josh
Kornbluth, and Broadway veteran Matt Bogart. More artists are being added every day!

Following the show, join us for a Taste of U Street! Several local restaurants will show off their culinary creations just for you. This is a great opportunity to sample the Arena Stage productions for next season, taste the offerings of local restaurants and explore the beautiful, historic Lincoln Theatre.

Tickets are FREE! but space is limited. To ensure your place, please reserve seats by calling Arena Stage Sales Office at (202) 488-3300.

Valet parking will be provided and is $14 and the Lincoln Theatre is right across the street from the U Street/African American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo Station.

This is so timely! I have been thinking about snitching for a little while, about bad neighbors and vacant property owners, but maybe it is okay and there won’t be any retaliation. The Peaceoholics, DC’s well-known peacemaking group, will be hosting a free event at the Lincoln Theatre with Anwar Glover from “The Wire” tomorrow, 5/13, at 6 pm. This looks like it could be a good event for any transitioning community, although I’m kind of paranoid already…

Peaceoholics Presents
What’s Snitchin?, Tuesday, May 13, 2008, 6:00PM, Lincoln Theatre
Peaceoholics as part of the Rebuild the Village Month sponsor the “What’s Snitchin And What’s Not” Forum titled “Can the Police and Community really work together? If so how? If not why?” with Peaceoholics Co-founders Ronald Moten and Jauhar Abraham, HBO’s the “Wire” Star Anwar “Big G” Glover, Original LA Crip Rock Johnson, US Attorney’s Office Albert Herring, Metropolitan Police Department Assistant Chief Grooms, Former Delta Force member Lowell Duckett, and Former Harlem Drug King Pin Azie.
This is an exploration into discovering and defining the roles of community members and the Police department in establishing a trusting cohesive relationship, which would allow residents to feel comfortable assisting police in transforming their neighborhoods into safe, productive, and livable communities.

Well, U Street is always full of action, and more importantly, always full of music. Here’s the weekend roundup of where you can catch a show:

Polvo, the influential indie rock band from Chapel Hill, NC is reunited for their first show in almost a decade. They will be performing with Sir Arthur & His Royal Knights at 9 pm tonight (5/9) at the Black Cat. Cost is $13.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TA1DoMNL3GA]

Dorothy Norwood and Friends will put on a Mother’s Day Gospel gala at the Lincoln Theatre on Saturday, May 10 at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $40. I think I read that Dorothy was born in 1935. She has been well-preserved. Check out this classic footage:

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKqN4cic3JA&feature=related]

Drive-By Truckers, the Southern rock band, known for its “three axe attack” (that’s guitars, not actual axes, of course) will perform at the 9:30 Club tonight (5/9) and Saturday at 9 pm with the Dexateens. Cost is $20.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3icBcr1_Tw]

The Scare, the Australian punk rock band will perform at the Black Cat on Sunday (5/11) at 9 pm with Police & Thieves and Lion of Judah. Cost is a mere $8.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxe9Xgxd7is]

Saturday, May 10, 2008, 7:30PM, Lincoln Theatre, Cost is $40
Us Helping Us
Black Mother’s Day Gospel Concert
Dorothy Norwood & Friends Perform at the 5th Annual Black Mother’s Day Gala. Affectionately known as “The World’s Greatest Storyteller,” Dorothy Norwood’s soulful vocals and uplifting delivery have made her a trailblazing pioneer and living legend of modern Gospel music.

“Funded in part by the DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities, an agency supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.”

Friday, May 9, 2008, 5:30PM, Lincoln Theatre

Cooking Up a Future XI: Year of the Phenomenal Woman
Honoring Dr. Maya Angelou’s 80th Birthday and Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the Maya Angelou Public Charter School

Special Guest: Maya Angelou

Hosts:Patti Austin, award-winning vocalist & Renee Poussaint, award-winning journalist

The See Forever Foundation/Maya Angelou Public Charter School will host its eleventh annual fundraiser featuring the school’s namesake, Dr. Maya Angelou. This year’s theme derives from one of Dr. Angelou’s most celebrated poems, “Phenomenal Woman.” The event will be a momentous occasion featuring celebrity guests, alongside the talents of the school’s aspiring students.

“Funded in part by the DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities, an agency supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.”

VIP Reception & Program, $300
General Reception & Program, $200
Program Only, $100

To purchase tickets online, visit www.ticketmaster.com. To purchase tickets by phone, call See Forever Development Department at 202-797-8250.

Thursday, May 8, 2008, 1:00PM, Lincoln Theatre, Free

In observance of the 3rd annual National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day, Still I Rise: A Celebration of Resiliency Through the Performing Arts

Special Guest: Host Keke Palmer

Poets, actors, dancers and musicians from the DC metro area high schools come together to celebrate the power of the performing arts to triumph over hardship. Keke Palmer (”Akeelah and the Bee”) hosts this Awareness Day event.

Go to www.vancomm.com/awarenessday today to reserve your seat.