Lucy Matuszeski, 20 months, models one of Nelson's creations at Monkey's Uncle

The cutest little hats for Hill babies, toddlers and even some lucky adults are now in stock at The Monkeys’ Uncle, hand-knit by expert knitter and long-time resident  Elizabeth Nelson. First the hats, then the full Nelson.

Hats: OMG, the hats are exquisite little gems of needlework meant for heads as small as a babies’ and as big as a mayoral candidate’s! There are about 40 in stock, with patterns I will call classic,  Byzantine, Ming Dynasty and, Nouveau Pirate. Some of the simpler, smaller hats can be completed in six to eight  hours, but most take 10-12 hours or even a bit longer, all proceeds go to Maury Elementary, and they are priced between $10 and $15, depending on size and complexity. This is The Monkeys’ second year working in collaboration with Maury and Nelson.

Nelson: This lady is a neighborhood benefactor to Maury and its greater community. She is a long-time volunteer who has been at Maury longer that any other individual — faculty or staff. She is also a master gardener.

Last year, Nelson asked the guys at Monkeys’ Uncle if they would sell a few hats as a fundraiser for Maury, which they did.  This year they surprised  her by offering to do it again, she said. It should be no surprise! Jay Keegan, co-owner with his partner Michael McFadyen, does it out of kindness and support for Hill schools, he says.  “It gives me a great deal of pleasure to make them and to see them on the street.  I’m super glad that ‘my’ school is benefiting and totally grateful to Monkey’s Uncle for being such good sports,” Nelson says.

Nelson says her grandmother taught me to knit when she was about 13,  making bandages for lepers.  ”No exercise will give you perfect tension quite like knitting a 3 ft. by 4 in. swatch using size 0 needles and crochet cotton.  I enjoyed it but didn’t really get into it (partly because it can be a very expensive hobby) until I “inherited” a giant box of yarn some 30 years later,” Nelson said.   I decided to “knit up” the contents and by the time I was finished, I was hooked –- totally addicted,” she said.

One wonders how she does so many and offers them for free, as a way  for one of her favorite places to raise money. She is admirably generous, and she just now cannot stop!  ”Like a chain smoker, I need to do it constantly, while walking, riding the bus, even while dining out or at parties.  I enjoy knitting for children much more than for adults, especially small items like hats and mittens.”

Disclosure: I am a Maury Elementary parent, The Monkeys’ Uncle consigner and a fan and neighbor of Nelson.

Image courtesy of the Old Naval Hospital Foundation

Things are well underway at the Hill Center, especially underground. The restored Old Naval Hospital, scheduled to open next June and offer cultural, educational and civic programs to the community, will be heated and cooled by a geothermal system, and this week there’s a drilling rig on site digging 30 wells that are 350 feet deep.

Nicky Cymrot, president of the Old Naval Hospital Foundation, said the decision to install a geothermal system, to the tune of $875,000, was an expensive one, but just one of many steps that are being taken to ensure costs to maintain and run the center’s building and programs are as low as possible for the generations to come.  The foundation has a long-term lease from the city for the building and they’re planning for the long haul. “Also, since we’re only 9 blocks from the Capitol, we wanted to set an example with use of resources,” she said.

There are dramatic things happening inside too, including removal of years of paint and trim stripped away, replacing miles of ad hoc wiring, tearing down temporary walls and beginning construction on the multi-use classrooms, workshops, offices and event space. Plans are under way now to develop programs that appeal to a cross-section of the community.

Ad hoc committees of community members are forming to make sure the center offers classes and workshops that appeal to a variety of individuals. The center will contract with existing program providers like the Writer’s Center in Bethesda, the Levine School of Music or L’Academie de Cuisine, or Capitol Hill Arts Workshop. Cymrot says partnering with seasoned, experienced vendors with proven track records is key because, “we want to want to be sure what we bring (to the center) is excellent. We’re going to do our best to have a very rich and interesting mix of things going on.”

The renovated space features 11 program rooms, some that will be perfect for small groups and seminars, while others are designed for community meetings, such as the monthly ANC 6B meeting which will resume there next summer. Each room is being planned for mixed-use and the hope is the building will be bustling with activity all hours of the day. An art studio, computer lab and a large demonstration kitchen for cooking and nutrition courses will make the most of the high ceilings and grand windows. Several non-profits will rent office space on the top floor, and meeting space and conference space will be available for rent.

Income from renting event space will also be key to the center’s sustainability. Foundation members have been consulting with event planners to make sure the space is appealing to a variety of hosts, so expect to see everything from fundraisers, to anniversary parties to corporate retreats making the most of the gardens, halls and conference rooms. The extensive gardens surrounding the building, designed by 8^th Street firm Oehme, van Sweden & Associates, have been laid out in such a way to accommodate a tent; let’s hope a dance floor is also an option. There will also be a café in the carriage house on the west side of the property that will offer a family-friendly and healthy spot for breakfast and lunch.

With this flurry of activity and planning, it’s a good thing the search for an executive director for the organization is nearing an end; the application pool closes September 15. The board has already received more than 48 applications and Cymrot says they look forward hiring the person who’s the perfect blend of business acumen, creativity, and civic energy by the end of October.  Top on the new director’s to do list will be forwarding the capital campaign efforts and finding underwriters for the rooms, gardens and fence pieces.

Image courtesy of the Old Naval Hospital Foundation

Your typical good Samaritan may pick up an abandoned purse or wallet tossed after a mugging or even a child’s sippy cup or toy that’s been catapulted from a stroller, in hope of returning them, but it really takes an upstanding citizen to haul home a hundred pound urn and locate its proper owner years later. The volunteers in charge of restoring the Old Naval Hospital and transforming it into the historically-accurate Hill Center are hoping angels like that really do exist, and that urns will start coming out of the woodwork at any moment.

During the years the building sat mostly empty, and the grounds and the property looked like something out of a Edgar Allen Poe novel, pieces of the iron fence went missing. A number of the finials and flourishes that fell off were collected by concerned neighbors and have been recently returned to the Old Naval Hospital Foundation. It’s hoped the same sense of civic pride and concern motivated whomever made off with the large urns that graced the top of the fence posts. The decorative cast-iron pieces were several feet high and a foot and half wide, not the kind of thing one makes off with lightly, right? It’s time for those urns to come home, so should you have one in your garden or garage, save your back and contact the Foundation – they’ll be happy to pick them up.

If they’re not able to locate any of the original urns soon, the foundry in Baltimore that’s reconstructing the fence will use historic photographs as a model for the replacement pieces. Wouldn’t it be grand if they could recast from one of the original pieces?

Speaking of the fence, did you know that you could “own” a piece of it? Well, with your donation of $5,000 for a section of the monumental structure, or $2,000 for a post, not only will you help underwrite the preservation of the iconic property, but you or our organization’s name will be permanently recorded on name plates built into fence.  A number of the segments have been sold already, and Hill Center President Nicky Cymrot is encouraged by the outpouring of support for the project shown thus far. She said to date $9 million for construction funds have been raised for the $12 million dollar project. The $3.2 million capital campaign will ensure center and its variety of programs are not only up an running next year, but sustainable for many years into the future. Donors have the opportunity to put their stamp on rooms to be dedicated as meeting and event spaces as well as to classrooms for a host of activities from jewelry making to cooking demos to basic and advanced computer training.

Read more later this week about the status of construction, programming and space use planning and the search for the executive director at the Hill Center.

Originally uploaded to flickr by BAR Photography.

The storm that blew through on Sunday, July 25th, took quite a toll with toppled trees, scattered debris, power outages and intersections without street lights for days.  It came on so suddenly that Eastern Market merchants were caught unprepared,  sustaining significant damage to their displays and inventory.

To help these business owners get back on track, Flea Market at Eastern Market manager Tom Rall announced a micro loan program.  According to the Flea Market’s newsletter this month, Rall has started the program with $20,000.  The intention is to give small, low interest loans ($500-$1000) that can be paid back over one or two years, depending on the size of the loan.  The money could help exhibitors fix or replace assets damaged during the storm.

Good luck to merchants getting back on their feet!

Photo by María Helena Carey

While racking my brain trying to think of a meal/vendor combo to suggest for this week’s Market Meals, inspiration struck.

Okay, well, more like hunger struck.  I became intensely hungry thanks to a wicked barbecue-themed conversation earlier in the day, and I started thinking of one of my favorite things to eat, ever: cioppino.

It’s okay to stare there, glassy-eyed and confused at the screen, East Coasters, because cioppino is a West Coast delicacy.  It originated back in the 19th century in San Francisco, when Italian fishermen would make a tomato-based stew with a mix of leftover catch-of-the-day fish and other seafood.  Having a proper bowl of cioppino is an experience that I hope everyone — except those who are highly allergic to shellfish — is able to have at least once in their lifetime, because it’s a sight to behold.  The redness of the tomatoes highlights the chunks of white fish, lobster tails, crab legs, clam shells, or whatever kind of assorted fancy or plain seafood goes into the version of the soup you are getting.  You must eat it with a good, crusty sourdough bread and a good glass (or two) of white wine — preferably the same kind you used to mix into the cioppino broth.

To me, few things are as good.  And while I may lament that I am three thousand miles away from the best cioppino ever (please play a tiny fiddle for me), I can still attempt to recreate a local version of it and eat it and be merry; and maybe you would like to do so, too.

The first thing you need to know is that this is a white fish soup that comes together best when you have very fresh ingredients, such as the wonderful fish and seafood you can get at Eastern Market’s Southern Maryland Seafood — the earliest versions of cioppino were made in the boat, actually.  The second thing is that anything goes: if you want to add mostly shellfish, do so.  If you want to add mostly fish, go for it.  If you just want to have spicy tomato soup with crusty bread — and I just have to ask you to go to Trader Joe’s for some sourdough, and you can thank me later for that — that is fine too (hello, vegetarians!).  Just remember to have fun and ask the folks at Southern Maryland which is their freshest white fish for making soup on the day you visit (as of today, they had tons of fresh flounder, sole and haddock, as well as clams, mussels and tiny little octopi for those who are a little more adventurous).  Here are a few recipes from Simply Recipes (a favorite online recipe box), Epicurious, and from Food Network, to give you an idea of how easy it can be to put together.

What are you waiting for?  If I have to come over to your house to make it, I’m eating it too, you know.

Lee takes orders and reminds us to "pay later"

You may remember me from my post about sandwiches a few months back. After that post I was actually referred to as “the girl who hates sandwiches,” but that couldn’t be any further from the truth. I love my staples from home — Macaroni with red gravy and ricotta, pizza with extra cheese, cheesesteaks with extra cheese, hoagies with any kind of cheese — and I do my best to fill up on my favorite comfort foods when I’m visiting family in New Jersey, but there are times when I don’t get home as often as I should. So when I’m craving a hoagie, which is often, I head to Prego, located at 210 7th Street SE.

Prego’s menu features typical deli fair, including soups, salads, breakfast sandwiches, hot sandwiches and traditional deli sandwiches, but what brings me back to Prego time and time again is the “Genoa and Provolone.” The soft, but substantial roll is given a generous serving of creamy mayonnaise, packed with fresh cut salami and provolone then topped with crisp iceburg lettuce and perfectly sliced red ripe tomatoes. It is the closest thing to a hoagie that I have found in the city, and I’m not ashamed to admit it.

Prego owner Choong Lee, who previously owned a deli in Chantilly, Va., bought the store from its original owners four years ago and has been working the front counter ever since.

“I owned a deli in Chantilly, Va.,” said Lee, “but it was more for Monday to Friday customers only because it was in an industrial area. Here I have many customers from the offices and the neighborhood all week long.”

In fact, the store is almost always busy, whether you stop in for a mid-week sandwich at lunch time or a mid-afternoon glass of sweet tea on a Saturday.

While my regular sandwich is all about the salami and cheese, I have, from time to time, tested a few of Prego’s other offerings. The chicken salad is delightful and is not overrun with pickles or relish. The meatball sub is tasty, though I should admit that nothing can ever compare to the meatballs my dad makes. Finally, the chicken parm, which may be considered soggy for some, remains the best chicken parm sandwich I’ve had outside of the Garden State.

So when you are in the mood for a good sandwich (read: not Subway) that is not over priced (read: Taylors), stop by Prego, order a sandwich however you’d like it, grab a bag of chips and add in a sweet tea for good measure. You’ll be glad you did.

Photo by María Helena Carey

Do you have $20 burning in your pocket, a bike, and an earnest desire to make life a little better for many?  Then Hill and Go Seek is the event for you!

On Saturday, August 28th from 5-8 pm, two-person teams will go around Capitol Hill, trying to complete the fastest route between ten points of interest around the neighborhood, from Barracks Row to H Street, and from RFK to Eastern Market.  Throughout the race there will be challenges and tasks the riders must complete to accrue points. Afterwards, there will be a party at H Street Country Club to close the event and announce the winners — which non-riders can attend for $5! The event is being hosted by Capitol Hill Business Improvement District and CHAMPS — Capitol Hill’s Chamber of Commerce — in partnership with Capitol Hill Bikes, The Office of Tommy Wells, DDOT’s Capital Bikeshare and the Washington Area Bicycle Association (WABA).  The proceeds will go to Ready, Willing & Working a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization that empowers men to break the cycles of homelessness, welfare dependency and criminal recidivism through a paid-work rehabilitation program offering supportive services that allow individuals to achieve permanent self-sufficiency.

Want to be part of it?  Then you can preregister through the race’s Eventbrite site, or at Capitol Hill Bikes, 718 8th Street, SE; or you can just show up the day of the event and hope there is still room for you and a buddy!

image uploaded by qwrrty on Flickr

Are you running out of things to do with the kids this summer?  Or do you have an aspiring cook in the family?  Or maybe you just want to give your little one the cooking bug so you can finally get some support in the kitchen? (kidding!)  Whatever the reason, if you have a child between the ages of eight and eleven, here’s your chance to let your kids make a mess in a kitchen that isn’t yours.

Wendy Ripley, a Hill resident and pastry chef/consultant, will be teaching a series of cooking classes at Hill’s Kitchen July 19-23 and July 26-30.  Wendy’s work includes testing and writing recipes for Michel Richard’s (yes, of Citronelle) next dessert cookbook — soon to be released by Harper Collins.

Space is limited so sign up soon!  Tuition for each session is $195 which includes all food and supply costs.  To reserve a space in this cooking class, please email events@hillskitchen.com with the number of attendees, your email address, your phone number, and the class name as the subject line.

Session I:  July 19-23 – Chefs in Training. 9am-12.

Young Chefs will learn to cook easy and delicious breakfast, lunch and dinner menus. In addition the class will cover basic knife skills, kitchen safety, table setting, plating, napkin folding, and clean up. Campers will eat their creations at the end of the session. A paring knife an apron, and a notebook for students to add daily recipes will be included in tuition. Menu subject to change.

• Monday: Breakfast:  Summer Vegetable Frittata, Oven Roasted Home Fries, Blueberry Muffins, and Fruit Smoothies
• Tuesday: Lunch: Vegetable Quesadillas, Fresh Salsa, Guacamole, and Aqua Fresca
• Wednesday: Dinner: Summer Vegetable Lasagne, Garden Salad, and Garlic Bread
• Thursday: Everything In Between Snacks: Granola Bars, Fruit Plates, Popsicles, and Nachos with Homemade Chips
• Friday: What’s in the Fridge?: Young Chefs create their own dishes and recipes from available fresh ingredients.

Session II: July 26-30 – Pastry Chefs in Training, 9am-12.

Young Chefs will learn the basics of measuring and mixing as well as the chemistry and techniques of baking.  The course will also cover basic knife skills, kitchen safety, and dessert presentation. Campers will eat their creations at the end of each session.  Spatula and apron included in tuition. Menu Subject to change.

• Monday: Cookie Jar: Chocolate Chip Cookies, Classic Sugar Cookies, Sandwich Cookies, and Decorated Cookies
• Tuesday: Quick Breads: Banana Coconut Muffins, Coffee Cake, and Cherry Bread
• Wednesday: Candy: Mint Melt-Aways, Fudge, Gummies, and Peanut Butter Cups
• Thursday: Cakes and Yeast Breads: Cinnamon Rolls, Sugar Brioche, and Vanilla Bean Cupcakes
• Friday: Kid’s Specialties: Fruit-Juice Jell-o, Marshmallows, and Microwave Chocolate Pudding

Photo by María Helena Carey

I hesitate to start a post in this fashion: sometimes I wish I were a man, so I could get my hair cut at a barbershop — although of course, some women do actually get their hair cut at barbershops and wouldn’t spend anything north of $15 or go into a place that offers anything fancier than talc on your neck afterward.

Maybe I should do it, and soon, so that way I wouldn’t suffer in the one-hundred-degree heat: I’d have just about one millimeter of hair all around my head, styled into a Marine fade or perhaps just a High and Tight.  Or perhaps I’d flirt with a gorgeous mullet ‘do, just because who wouldn’t want a haircut that’s business up front and a party in the back?  I might even get my initials styled on the sides.  Then again, what are children for, if not to serve as vicarious agents of barbershop dream fulfillment?

Once I’ve decided what kind of hairstyle would suit me…. ahem, my child best, I would hightail it down to 8th Street, SE, where I have my choice of not just one but two barbershops –Brice’s Barbershop and Sneed’s 8th and I– that cater to the Barracks, the Navy Yard, and any man who wants to look sharp and keep it cropped close on a regular basis.

For the uninitiated, both locales offer a haircut at reasonable prices and for all ages.  An average cut at either one will run you between $11 and $15, depending on what your needs are.

And then, there are the differences: first off, Brice’s.

At Brice’s you will probably be greeted by Sheila.  Sheila is friendly and boisterous and she can be heard distinctly above the din of the television — which is always on — and that of other conversations going on in there.  You’ll be asked what you need, and much like at Starbucks, you will learn that asking for a short haircut has its own lingo and grammar.  And then you will wait a little while, before getting to sit at one of the old-fashioned barber chairs.

As she cuts, Sheila keeps it light talking to you and to the tiny patron in the seat and to the newcomers and those who are waiting.  She will talk about her dog; there will be talk about the Hill.  There may even be bits of gossip, if you listen closely enough: who spent far too much in unnecessary things; who is getting a divorce; whose house is up for sale; who may be two-timing whom.

The haircut will always be shorter than you expected.  I am sure generations of mothers and grandmothers (and wives, perhaps) have wrung their hands in agony when it is revealed just how short five millimeters are.  But since, at least for the kiddies, there is a treat involved at the end, all is forgiven and plans are immediately made for the next visit.

I think my kid needs a haircut.

image courtesy of Google Maps

We reported on the rumors last fall, as rumbling suggested that the Gary Cha, owner of Yes! Organic Market, was looking to move the store from its location on the 600 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, SE.

Washington City Paper’s The Housing Complex confirmed what Yes! fans have suspected and feared for some time: Yes! has out grown its current location and expanding into neighboring storefronts does not look promising.  Stanton Development, owners of the building where Yes! currently serves the community, say that they want Yes! to stay.  But with few options to grow within their current space, Cha seems more serious about searching for a new location.

Cha is reportedly looking to stay in the neighborhood, and is looking as far as H Street for new locations.  The City Paper reports that he has been interested in the new development at the Hine School, but as we all know, it will be several years before that project is ready for its new tenants.

You can read the full post on The Housing Complex.