Joseph Park • July 24, 2014

SoulCycle, the New York-based, indoor-cycling studio, will open its first location in D.C. Aug. 2, the company confirmed. After months of great anticipation, SoulCycle’s first D.C. studio will be located at 2301 M St., NW, in the West End.

“SoulCycle is indoor cycling reinvented,” said Elizabeth Cutler, co-founder of Soul Cycle. “It’s a 45-minute long, full-body, cardio workout on a bike, with weights and core engaging choreography thrown in. It’s also a human experience that makes you feel alive. It’s a combination of inspirational instructors, riding as a community, high-energy music and a dark room that makes SoulCycle more than just physical.”

Cutler expressed her excitement in opening up a new studio in D.C. and discussed plans of expansion in metropolitan Washington. The West End studio is the 30th location for SoulCycle, founded in 2006.

“We’ve wanted to open in D.C. for a long time — really since we opened in New York,” Cutler said. “We are thrilled the time has finally come. Fortunately, we also found our second studio which will open in Bethesda at the end of the year.”

The SoulCycle studio, which has been attracting many celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, has provided locals with the unique experience to inspiring fitness experience.

“We are both searching for an inspiring and challenging fitness experience,” said Julie Rice, co-founder of SoulCycle. “The goal at SoulCycle is deeper than simply getting you to sweat. We help people find their personal strength and joy through exercise.”

The first class – “First Time Ride” – is $20. Thereafter, a one-time class is priced at $34 with other price packages for more classes. A 30-class package costs $850, which a 50-class package – with concierge service and other perks — expires after one year and costs $3,500.
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Joseph Park • July 17, 2014

Anthony Lanier, owner of EastBanc, Inc., said that despite the fact there is a contract to buy the gas station property at 2715 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, the gateway to Georgetown, there is nothing substantial developing in terms of his company’s plan to redevelop the property. EastBanc is already working on a condo project near Key Bridge near Georgetown’s western gateway.

“We have no plans as of now,” Lanier wrote of EastBanc’s intention about the property in an email. As first reported by the Washington Business Journal, speculations have surfaced that there are still plenty of questions unanswered as to whether or not the current owners could stay as joint-venture partners and re-develop the gas station into a residence property.

According to the Washington Business Journal, Lanier said he believes that there is potential to create a signature project on the given site for its unique location at the intersection between M Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, which serves as a gateway to Georgetown.

The station is owned by ABC Automotive LLC and is assessed at $1.9 million, according to the D.C. Office of Tax and Revenue.

Joseph Park • July 16, 2014

What would you do if you lost your dog? Janet Mihalyfi has not stopped looking for Havoc, her five-year-old, mixed-breed dog since he ran away Nov. 9, 2013.

Mihalyfi has searched around American University Park, Spring Valley, Wesley Heights, Palisades and Glover-Archbold Park – and near the Dalecarlia Reservoir, where Havoc ran away along the Little Falls Bike Trail.

Now Mihalyfi, who moved to Washington from Boston with her two dogs last fall, has expanded her search into Georgetown. Havoc’s image on posters can be seen around town. It shows he is a Lab-Rottweiler mix with mostly black and tan fur. He weighs about 50 pounds.

“I always like to go take my dogs for runs everywhere. It wasn’t until last November on an afternoon, where Raze [the other dog], Havoc and I went for a run and I let them off their leash,” Mihalyfi said. “I only did that because we were in a fenced area. They began chasing down a deer. Raze managed to come back but Havoc never did.”

Mihalyfi, who works in marketing, said that she has done everything she can to find her missing dog. Over eight months, she has spent an enormous amount of time and almost $30,000 searching for Havoc.

“From putting out thousands of posters to installing heat-sensitive cameras at eight different feeding locations, to hiring professionals with scent-tracking dogs, I have done everything I can do to find Havoc,” Mihalyfi said.

“The scent will remain for at least six months for these trained dogs to smell and track down where Havoc may be,” she said. “As long as Havoc is still alive and well, I’m hoping to find him soon with the help of technology and other volunteers.”

While she has been criticized by some for her overzealous posting of street flyers, Mihalyfi expressed gratitude to the community for the encouragement she has received in her search.

“People here in D.C. are just so nice,” Mihalyfi said. “Oftentimes, I have had many pet owners call to encourage me in my search and to just offer help where it is mostly needed. I wouldn’t have carried on this far with my search if it weren’t for the help of the volunteers.”

“I want to encourage locals in Georgetown to keep a look out for Havoc,” Mihalyfi said. “And if you do find him, do not call him or try to get him on your own because he will get scared and run away. Please call me and keep him in sight until I arrive.”

For more information, visit www.BringHavocHome.com, go to Facebook page, “Bring Havoc Home,” or call Janet Mihalyfi at 248-755-7594. [gallery ids="101806,139929,139932" nav="thumbs"]

Joseph Park • July 14, 2014

To celebrate of the 30th anniversary of the sister cities relationships between Washington, D.C., and Beijing, China, “Design@+” will run tomorrow through July 11, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., in the Powerhouse at 3255 Grace St., NW. The show, along with workshops, will present unique designs that resonate two distinctively different cultures.

“Design@+” — organized by the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities, State-Owned Cultural Assets Supervision and Administration Office of the People’s Government of Beijing Municipality and other organizations — will feature 80 contemporary designs by D.C.-based and Beijing-based designers, covering a wide variety of designs including furniture design, product design, fashion design, graphic design and digital and interactive design.

The Design @+ Initiative — the initiative that this exhibition is built upon — is an attempt to build a platform for designers to share their ideas, concerns and opinions. It also serves to provide an educational experience for future generation of designers who are looking to stay up-to-date with the contemporary designs.

**Some of the highlights for the exhibit include:**

• Designers’ talk: Design Matters – Tuesday, July 8 (10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.): A dialogue session between designers and curators on the different practices, marketing and educational aspect of the design industry.

• Roundtable Discussion: City Level Dialogue—Tuesday, July 8 (1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.): A discussion between officials from the two cities, Washington, D.C., and Beijing, on how the two cities can help in carrying out effective cultural exchanges.

• Google Art Night Talk: What is the Role of Technology (such as 3D printing) in Industrial Designs? Wednesday, July 9 (7 p.m. to 9 p.m.): This conversation aims to focus emerging technology in industrial design will feature co-founder of 3Doodler (the world’s first 3D printing pen). It will be broadcasted live through Google Hangout.
More information on this exhibit can be found [here](http://a585620891.oinsite.yh.mynet.cn/design.htm).
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Joseph Park • July 7, 2014

“This is a great opportunity to showcase the Kenyan culture in Washington, D.C.,” said Phyllis Kandie, Kenya’s Secretary from the Ministry of East African Affairs, Commerce and Tourism. “The U.S. and Kenya have enjoyed a strong diplomatic relations, and festival like will help our people to tie a stronger knot by understanding the Kenyan culture.”

This year, the 48th Smithsonian Folklife Festival, which celebrates diverse cultural traditions each summer, features two nations: “China: Tradition and the Art of Living” and “Kenya: Mambo Poa.” Visitors enjoye a wide variety upbeat music concerts, dance shows, traditional art displays and food stations to buy authentic food.

Representatives from the Kenyan government also attended the festival on July 2 to look around the different sections and interact with tourists.

“It is great to see how successful this event turned out to be,” said Hassan Wario, Ministry of Culture, Sports and the Arts. Tourists visiting the site are enjoying some authentic Kenyan cuisine, and we have had food run out at our station. Ever since the festival began, we have had so many visitors enjoy Kenyan music from our Ngoma stage.

Kandie also expressed her positivity in attracting more American tourists to visit their homeland.

“This year, we have had 125,000 American tourists in Kenya,” Kandie said. “Some of them come for vacation, but an increasing number of development tourists are coming as well. We are hopeful that a festival like this will attract more tourists to Kenya.”

The Smithsonian Festival will continue on July 4 through July 6 at the National Mall.

Joseph Park • July 3, 2014

The Crime Museum’s latest interactive gallery asks the question: “Counterfeit Crimes: Are You Part of the Black Market?” It will teach visitors of all ages about counterfeit products – sold on prices far lower than the original — that hurt businesses, lead to loss of jobs and can injure consumers using unsafe products.

The museum, in partnership with the International Anti-Counterfeiting Association and the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center, opened up its newest gallery that offers in-depth examination on counterfeit crimes June 23. It is the first of its kind in the United States.
“What many don’t realize is that the counterfeit trade is organized crime on a global scale, and the counterfeiters don’t care who gets hurt,” said Robert Barchiesi, president of the International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition. “We want the public to understand the real price of counterfeit goods.”
Some of the counterfeit artifacts on display include, purses, video game consoles, sports jerseys and other electronics.

“The crimes outlined in our other galleries have primarily been those that are obvious crimes, for which the public generally comprehends the crime and the resulting punishment,” said Janine Vaccarello, chief operating officer of the Crime Museum. “As always, our mission at the Crime Museum is to educate utilizing interactive and informative exhibits and this gallery has allowed us to do that while touching upon an area we are all familiar with—consumerism.”

The new gallery will replace the former America’s Most Wanted Studio located on the museum’s lower level. The museum is located at 575 7th St., NW, less than a block from the Chinatown-Gallery Place Metro Station (Arena Exit). Regular business hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Thursday; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sunday. More information on daily hours and ticket prices are available at www.crimemuseum.org.
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Joseph Park •

Residents of Hillandale are complaining about the armed, security vehicles that are crowding in front the residence of the nation’s top banker, Janet Yellen.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the residence of Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen is crowded with oversized security vans armed with guns, surveillance cameras and “security trucks sit idling on the street for approximately 22 minutes every morning” to pick up Yellen to work, causing frustration among neighbors.

Some residents have argued that despite the fact that they comply with the security measures put forth by the government, the price of security is just too high, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The Wall Street Journal said that after Yellen became the Fed Chairwomen, a house was rented for her near her residence. Also, a surveillance camera was installed.
Hillandale residents told the Wall Street Journal that they now want the FBI or the Fed’s inspector general to evaluate “what appears to be an excessive level of [Federal Reserve] security” on Yellen’s street at “enormous government cost to taxpayers.”

In response, the Federal Reserve told the Wall Street Journal that Yellen receives the same level of security as her predecessors and chose not to respond to questions about the detail’s cost.

Joseph Park • July 2, 2014

The Georgetown Business Improvement District (BID) is working to extend its term for another five years, as required by the Business Improvement Districts Act of 1996. The current term expires Sept. 30. The Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development will hold a hearing on the Georgetown BID, at 6 p.m., July 10, in Room 120, the Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.

This public hearing is to inform citizens about the renewal application. All interested parties have an opportunity to present their views on the application in a public forum and ask questions.

After the hearing for the Georgetown BID, the participating voting members will vote on whether or not to approve the $17.5 million dollar estimated budget that will impact Georgetown for the next five years. The cost of BID services is financed by a self-imposed tax on the businesses within the community. The Georgetown BID income comes directly from the businesses of Georgetown, its members. It is calculated by the “non-exempt” commercial portions of property at a rate of $.1545 for every $100 of assessed value (see page 21 of the Five Year Renewal Plan).

The projected budget proposal has a two percent annual increase in BID tax that will be applied in 2016 (see page 22 of the Five Year Renewal Plan). The expenses of the operating budget will go towards different projects throughout the Georgetown BID which will include: street services, marketing improvements, transportation and destination management.

Complete copies of the application will be available, starting Thursday, July 3. The recertification package will also be available at – www.GeorgetownDC.com/renewal.

Those who wish to present testimony or present written comments on the application must do so by noon, Monday, July 7, 2014. Send them and direct any questions to Lincoln Lashley at lincoln.lashley@dc.gov. Telephone: 202-741-0814.
We want your input on the Georgetown BID to help us report on the nature and activities of BID as they relate to your businesses and our community. We hope you’ll take a few minutes to answer the questions below.

Please send your responses to editorial@georgetowner.com

1. Are you familiar with the Georgetown Business Improvement District (BID)?

2. Has the Georgetown BID helped you as a local business? If so, in what ways?

3. Are you familiar with the 15-year plan for 2028? Which part of the action agenda are you most interested in?

4. How can the Georgetown BID help your business?