Caitlin Franz • April 23, 2015

The seventh annual Potholepalooza will begin in Washington, D.C., April 1 and continues throughout the month.

Major evacuation routes and federal aid roads will receive priority repairs, according to the District Deparment of Transportation (DDOT).

However, Potholepalooza creates a month-long series of repairs directed by requests made to the city. In that time frame, the crews will work as quickly as possible, including on nights and weekends.

Pothole repairs are considered to be an effective temporary repair to extend the life of the driving surface before repaving takes place.

You can request pothole repair services by calling 311 or by completing a service request online through DDOT’s website. All you have to do is indicate the pothole location (i.e., address, intersection) and describe the severity of the problem (i.e., depth, width, number of potholes in one location). A service request will be put into the tracking system with a service request number.

It is DDOT’s standard to fix potholes within three business days of the time they are reported.

If the pothole hasn’t been repaired by the specified date of completion, you are encouraged to call 311 or 202-727-1000 with your service request number.

Caitlin Franz •

The Georgetown gas station at 2715 Pennsylvania Ave N.W. is under new management.

The former Lukoil/Georgetown Getty has become a Valero gas station.

Abe Sayyad, station manager, said the change took place at the beginning of April.

“We provide the lowest gas prices of any station in the area,” Sayyad said.

In addition to offering low price fuel and affordable automobile repair services, the gas station is working to bring more convenience store elements to the location, including snacks and drinks.

Valero is currently in the process of incorporating the store. The transition should be completed within the next few weeks, according to Sayyad.

“We’re happy to be in the area,” Sayyad said.

The D.C. council prohibited the sale of property containing a gas station for a use of any other kind without prior approval from the Gas Station Advisory Board.

Caitlin Franz •

A second person was arrested on Wednesday morning in connection with the stabbing death of lawyer David Messerschmitt, who was found dead at the Donovan hotel in Washington, D.C. Feb. 10.

A 19-year-old woman, Dominique Johnson was charged with conspiracy to commit armed robbery, according to a statement released by the Metropolitan Police Department.

Last week, Jamyra Gallmon, 21, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. She allegedly went to his hotel room after answering a Craiglist ad Messerschmitt had placed for a sexual encounter with a man

Gallmon and Johnson were reportedly roommates.

Messerschmitt was found dead Feb. 10 at the Donovan Hotel in a fourth-floor room. He had stab wounds in his abdomen, groin and heart.

According to court documents, Gallmon acknowledged that she intended to rob Messerschmitt, but pulled a knife from her sweatpants, which she used to stab him. She then took his cash and Metro card.

Johnson’s initial appearance in D.C. Superior Court was Thursday, and Gallmon is due in court on Friday.

Caitlin Franz •

This Thursday, April 16 marks the 153rd anniversary of the abolition of slavery in Washington, D.C. Over 3,000 enslaved persons were freed in the District eight months before the Emancipation Proclamation called for the end of slavery in 1862.

A series of events will be held to commemorate D.C. Emancipation Day, beginning with a parade down Pennsylvania Avenue at 11 a.m. Thursday, April 16.

Freedom Plaza will serve as the end of the parade route and the venue for a concert at 5 p.m. that will feature performances from Doug E. Fresh, Maysa, Eric Benet, Raheem DeVaighn and more.

A program discussing black life in the District in the 19th century will take place at the National Archives at 7th Street and Constitution Avenue NW from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. The discussion is presented by the Smithsonian National Museum for African American History and Culture, The National Archives and the D.C. Office of Public Records.

A candlelight vigil at the African American Civil War Memorial & Museum on Vermont Avenue and U Street NW will begin at 6 p.m. It will feature a reading of the names of the 3,100 enslaved individuals freed by the Compensated Emancipation Act of 1862, as well as a screening of Marvin Jones’s film on Dunbar High School.

The night ends with fireworks at 8:30 p.m. and a screening of Selma at 9:15 p.m., both at Freedom Plaza.

Caitlin Franz • April 21, 2015

The annual Spring Art Walk presented by Georgetown galleries on Book Hill will take place on April 17 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Nine galleries will participate in an evening stroll and showcase a special exhibition of fine art.

The nine featured venues and their respective exhibits are Addison/Ripley Fine Art with Malthusian Paintings, 25 Years and Counting, All We Art with Forms of the Journey, Artist’s Proof Gallery with Les Printemps, Cross Mackenzie Gallery with Blast Off, Views of Man and Flight, Maurine Littleton Gallery with Botanical Wanderings, Neptune Fine Art with Modern & Contemporary Master Works on Paper, Robert Brown Gallery with Thirty Years of Discoveries: Paintings, Calligraphy and Ceramics, Susan Calloway Fine Arts with Layered Memories: The In-Between, and the Washington Print Makers Gallery with Jack Boul: Monotypes.

Enjoy refreshments as you add to your collection or begin cultivating one.

For more information visit georgetowngalleries.com or call (202) 333-0353.

Caitlin Franz • April 14, 2015

?“We’re thrilled to open our largest studio yet in the heart of our nation’s capital,” announced Ruth Zukerman, co-founder of Flywheel Sports, known for its intense indoor cycling and barre classes. “Given that Washington, D.C., is one of America’s healthiest cities, we understand the need to provide the most effective, results-driven workout – a product that we consistently deliver every single day.”

The company’s Dupont Circle neighborhood location at 1927 Florida Ave. NW offers stadium-style seating, custom bikes, as well as complimentary towels, indoor cycling shoes and seat cushions for riders. It is Flywheel’s 33rd location in the U.S.

Since its founding in February 2010, Flywheel has combined technology with its work-outs to help participants track their results. The new D.C. studio also features the TorqBoard, which allows riders to view their resistance, speed and power. Riders may choose to have their names displayed on flat-screen at the front of every studio, which allows for friendly competition in the classes. After each ride, comprehensive data is stored and made available to riders on an individual Performance Page, which can be found at www.flywheelsports.com.

Additionally, the two-story facility offers FlyBarre, which features a series of small, intense interval exercises choreographed to contemporary music. These classes are designed to target the arm, abdominal and thigh muscles.

Both Flywheel and FlyBarre individual classes start at $28. Flywheel spinning shoes are included in that price. For class times and more information, you can visit www.flywheelsports.com or call 202-830-0755.

Caitlin Franz • April 13, 2015

As the weather warms, the petals of Washington’s most famous trees – the gift of the Japanese people in 1912 – will begin to descend, decorating the sidewalks, lawns and roads around the Tidal Basin with cheery, cherry reminders of the renewal of spring.

One of the best locations to enjoy the blossoms is the historic Dumbarton Oaks estate, where the gardens are one of the major works of landscape architect Beatrix Farrand. The property was owned by Mildred Barnes Bliss and her husband, diplomat Robert Woods Bliss, who could not have had more appropriate last names to match this haven.

The estate, library and art collections were given to Harvard University in 1940, with 27 acres of the gardens given to the U.S. government to be made into a public park. The gardens are preserved as part of a Harvard initiative that supports garden and landscaping studies.

The Dumbarton Oaks Gardens are open to the public daily from 2 to 6 p.m. A brief docent-led garden tour takes place at 2:10 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. The tours begin across from the Garden Gate House, just inside the entrance to the gardens at R and 31st Streets.

March 15 marked the beginning of the gardens’ regular season, a few days before the start of the 2015 National Cherry Blossom Festival. However, because Mother Nature is not always as ready for spring as we are, the garden is subject to closure due to hazardous weather conditions.

For another unique perspective this spring, check out these opportunities to view the cherry blossoms from the water:
Potomac Riverboat Company offers a special cruise departing from Georgetown’s Washington Harbour through April 10. The narrated 50-minute tour features the Embassy of Sweden, the Kennedy Center, the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument and the Tidal Basin. Tickets are $15 for adults and $8 for ages 2-11. Tickets may be purchased at the ticket booth or online at potomariverboatco.com.

Boomerang Boat Tours offers an hour-long cruise along the Potomac with beautiful views of the 3,750 cherry trees. The route also passes by the memorials and landmarks, along with the Memorial and 14 Street Bridges. Tickets may be purchased at georgetowndc.com.

Cherry Blossom Paddling Tours allows you to experience the cherry blossoms on a three-hour kayaking trip. An instructor is there to assist kayakers every step of the way. The trek begins at the docks at Key Bridge Boathouse and heads out to East Potomac Park. Cherry blossoms are sure to line the river. For more information, visit boatingindc.com. [gallery ids="102025,134911" nav="thumbs"]

Caitlin Franz • March 31, 2015

A Latino man was attacked and robbed near 34th Street and Volta Place around 8 p.m., Sunday, March 22, according to the Metropolitan Police Department.

The alleged suspects punched the victim, leaving a gash on the left side of the victim’s face. Additionally, his DSW Shoe store and T.J. Maxx shopping bags containing clothing and shoes were stolen. However, the bags were recovered near the scene of the incident.

The suspects are three black males, ranging in age from 20 to 25 years old, police said. The men were wearing dark clothing and seen fleeing southbound on 34th Street.

The age and name of the robbery victim have not been released.

This incident is similar to a robbery that occurred March 15, during which three men punched a victim and stole his iPhone and wallet near 42nd Street NW.

Residents of the neighborhood around Volta Park are requesting increased police presence and use of security cameras.

Caitlin Franz • March 26, 2015

Kanchan Singh is looking to open the District’s first cat café, in Georgetown of all places. Singh launched a Kickstarter campaign for the café, called Crumbs and Whiskers, on March 8. By March 9, the page had exceeded its $15,000 goal, with backers and pledges continuing to roll in.

Singh is very excited about the success of the campaign.

“It’s actually blowing my mind,” she said. “This is the best Monday of my life.”

If you pledge $10 or more to their Kickstarter, Crumbs and Whiskers will write your ex’s of (or an other hated being in your life) the name in permanent marker on a litter box. Rewards are based on the amount of money you pledge. Items include post cards, T-shirts, the privilege of naming a cat and a private party.

Writing the name of donor’s ex on a litter box has been the most popular item.

After Zoning and Department of Health qualification requirements are met, campaign supporters will be notified of when to expect their rewards.

Any pledges made will not be charged to the donor’s card if the business is denied zoning approved.
The business in the process of signing a lease with plans to open this summer.

All cats at the café will be available for adoption through the Washington Humane Society. Food, meanwhile, will be prepared off-site and delivered to café. Guests will be expected to make reservations and pay an hourly cover charge.

Caitlin Franz •

The Annapolis Film Festival runs from March 26 through March 29, featuring more than 70 films at venues along West or Main streets and including St. John’s College and Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts. Visit annapolisfilmfestival.com for complete show times and film listings. Each screening will cost $12; a festival pass, $105.

The event will feature question-and-answer sessions and panel discussions. Don’t miss the Oscar-nominated documentary, “The Act of Killing,” which showcases members of an Indonesian death squad reenacting the murders they committed.

The Bethesda Film Fest takes place on March 20 and March 21 at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., featuring five short documentaries produced by local filmmakers. The event includes a discussion with the filmmakers after the screening at Imagination Stage, 4908 Auburn Avenue. Tickets are available for $10.

The Environmental Film Festival provides you with nearly two weeks of film screenings from March 17 to March 29. More than 150 films will explore topics ranging from climate change to endangered wildlife to clean-water issues. The festival will feature several local, national and world premieres. Venues are all around the city from the National Arboretum to embassies and theaters.

Filmmaker Luc Jacquet (“March of the Penguin” and “Ice & Sky”) will present a survey of his films, including a new piece.

Visit DCEnvironmentalFilmFest.org for more information. Selected films will cost $10 to $12; others will be free. This year’s festival goes is partially funded by a $15,000 contribution from the National Endowment for the Arts.

The Northern Virginia Jewish Film Festival, featuring 16 films, will run from March 19 to March 29. Its opening night will take place at Theater J and the other screenings will be shown at Angelika Mosaic. Some films will have a focus on the Jewish faith, while others will offer non-sectarian views by Israeli artists. Each showing will cost $12, and a pass for the whole festival is $64.

Some highlights include “The Green Prince,” based on the memoir of Mosab Hassan Yousef, a Palestinian who spied for Israel, and “Above and Beyond,” which is about the early days of the Israeli Air Force.