Michelle Kingston • March 7, 2012

Natural medicine is nothing new to Dr. Snejana Sharkar. Growing up, her mother would cure her colds with ingredients in their kitchen. “Teaspoons of herbal honey, black pepper and red wine several times a day,” said Sharkar. “For coughs and congestion, she would make a warm compress for my chest with crushed poppy seeds.”

After receiving several Masters Degrees and Board Certifications, Sharkar is now giving her patients the same care her mother gave to her.

“I believe in conventional medicine, too, don’t get me wrong,” she said. “But it’s more beneficial to treat botanically first, using hydrotherapy and even healing with massages and acupuncture.”

Dr. Sharkar spent seven years at a family practice in Washington, D.C. as an ANCC Board Certified Nurse Practitioner and then 12 years specializing in adult cardiology before opening her own practice in Georgetown in February 2011. She received her Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine (ND) from the University of Science, Art and Technology, Montserrat, British West Indies and London, United Kingdom, is Board Certified in Integrative Medicine and is a member of the American Association of Integrative Medicine. She is the only provider in the Washington, D.C. area who holds a certification with the Wilson’s Temperature Syndrome (WTS) Restorative Medicine.

Her new private practice, Indigo Integrative Health Clinic, is focused on allowing the body to heal itself by discovering and treating or removing the cause of pain. IIHC is located at 1010 Wisconsin Avenue and is open Monday – Wednesday. Her patients receive her time and devotion at each appointment. She tells them to leave 60-90 minutes in their schedules for their initial visits in order to get the most out of what the clinic has to offer.

Contact Indigo Integrative Health Clinic at 202-298-9131 or go online to schedule an appointment at www.IndigoHealthClinic.com.

Michelle Kingston • March 5, 2012

One Georgetown University student was sexually assaulted at 36th and N Streets at 2:15 a.m. on Sunday. They were physically injured after being beaten by the suspect who is described as an 18-22 year old white male standing 5-foot-11 to six feet tall with short brown hair, wearing a dark shirt and blue jeans.

Later that evening, 2 students were victims of an armed robbery at 9:30 p.m. at 33rd and N Streets. According to the Department of Public Safety, 2 men approached the students. One of the suspects pointed a two-tone, semiautomatic hand gun at the students and demanded money, while the other suspect searched the student’s pockets and took their wallets and cell phones. Both suspects fled the scene by foot towards Wisconsin Avenue.

The suspects were described as black males wearing dark clothing. The gun carrier was wearing a mask and stood at 5-foot-6 and the other suspect stood at six feet tall.

University officials are urging Georgetown students to not walk alone late at night. The Metropolitan Police Department is handling both incidents and currently investigating. The Department of Public Safety encourages anyone with any information to contact them at (202) 687- 4343.

Michelle Kingston •

The Federal Highway Act of 1956 changed the lives of Americans. Thousands of jobs were created, cars were purchased and suburbs emerged. Our economy thrived and revitalized our nation. Trains were no longer needed as automobiles were affordable and all the rage.

56 years later, it is 2012. Cars are not as affordable. Gas prices are through the roof. Our carbon footprints are larger than life. And our economy, well, we all know how that is.

To help with job creation and get America moving again (and fast), many are in support of bringing the High Speed Rail to the United States. The HSR will connect major cities together with a 17,000 mile national high speed rail system with an estimated completion date by 2030.

The trains are revolutionizing the world as they speed across countries at 220 miles per hour. They currently operate in more than 20 countries worldwide including the UK, France, Spain, China and Germany. In Japan, 9 billion passengers have been riding the trains for over 45 years without a single fatality. Ten more countries are under construction including Saudi Arabia and Italy. Turkey, Morocco, Russia, Poland, Brazil and Argentina are among the 14 countries currently under development.

The High Speed Rail Summit, an independent, nonprofit trade association focused on advancing the speed rail in the country, will be meeting in Washington, D.C. on February 28- March 1 where supporters and opponents of bringing the trains to our nation can voice their opinions. Numerous highlighted speakers who will be in attendance include U.S. Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, U.S. Congressman John Mica, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and U.S. Congressman Jim Oberstar. They’ll inform the public and continue to gain popularity and support to begin building the trains that could reshape our country’s transportation system and kick our economy back in to full gear.

The speakers will discuss the many challenges with launching a major new infrastructure project as large as this, such as the high cost to begin the project (just $98 billion in California alone), but will also stress the importance of bringing the high speed rail to the United States. The High Speed Rail Summit said the project will not only revive our economy and add millions of new jobs, but it will reduce our dependence on oil, reduce congestion and provide safe and affordable transportation. These trains have the ability to take 18.6 million cars off the road, said Peter Calthorpe for the New York Times. “This type of development means less air pollution, fewer respiratory diseases, less water consumption, efficient local infrastructure and lower costs to local governments,” he said.

With the pros and cons piling up across the country, it might be difficult to decide to stand for or against the High Speed Rail. Join others this Tuesday- Thursday at Alion Conference Center, 1100 New Jersey Ave S.E., directly across the street from Navy Yard metro station, for speeches, networking events and programs to establish an opinion on the project that could quite possibly change the way Americans travel. Again.

Register here:

YouTube Video: High Speed Trains Around The World

Michelle Kingston • March 1, 2012

The Dutch outfit Suitsupply, known for its quality suits at reasonable prices, will be opening its doors at 2800 Pennsylvania Avenue at the Four Seasons. The only other US location is in New York.

Move over Einstein’s Bagels, Noodles and Company is taking over Einstein’s Bagels old location by the Safeway building at 1855 Wisconsin Avenue. Dine in or take out a wide array of menu options, all containing noodles of course.

Michelle Kingston • February 23, 2012

The Georgetowner’s very own society columnist, Mary Bird, was featured in The Washingtonian this week with her two 13-year-old Burmese cats, Sam and Slutie. The article, “Love Your Pets: Crazy For Cats,” written by Gwendolyn Purdom, headlined six D.C. area cat lovers.

More than a lover, Bird is a supporter, too. Involved in various animal societies, she spends a lot of her time making sure animals are being taken care of as well as she treats her own.

Bird’s cats have taken over her apartment. “Their stuff is all over this place,” she said in regards to their toy baskets and framed photos.

These two are actually the second set of Burmese cats that Bird has spoiled. The original Sam and Slutie passed away years ago and her late husband, Collins Bird — who ran the Georgetown Inn — insisted they purchase Sam 2 and Slutie 2. “We’re not changing their names,” she said he told her.

Today, Bird resides in her apartment near Washington National Cathedral with the felines who do not step outside often. “Their paws have never touched pavement,” she told Purdom. “They have their annual visit to the vet, which is very traumatic.” Aside from this, the 2 of them stay indoors and continue to be loved by their overly kind and caring owner, our Mary Bird. [gallery ids="100513,118819" nav="thumbs"]

Michelle Kingston •

When I woke up on the first morning of the Conservative Political Action Conference on Feb. 9, I didn’t know what to expect.

I got ready, remembered to pack my student ID, put on my blue sweater, and ran out the door. When walking into the site of the convention, the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, I quickly realized I had grabbed the wrong colored clothing item.

Everyone was wearing red.

It was like this throughout the entire weekend. I spotted red skirts, dresses, ties, fingernails, and shoes. Each day, supporters sported buttons of their favorite conservative leaders. They held signs for who they believe should win the 2012 election. They passed out pamphlets and brochures, asked people to sign petitions and promised to give away free sunglasses and chapsticks if anyone stopped to talk to them for just a brief moment about their far-right political views.

Bloggers, reporters and conservatives flooded the hotel lobby. Booths upon booths displayed water bottles, stickers and pens in support of the right to bear arms, pro-life campaigns and the end of Obamacare.

I walked in to the hotel each day ready to be approached by ideas and views which I wasn’t sure if I was for or against. Do I agree with how Republicans want to help our economy? Do I like the way they want to deal with Social Security and Medicare in the future?

I walked into the hotel feeling bombarded by the strong conservative beliefs of others. There were men in fat-suit costumes that represented big government, there were men dressed in Colonial garb, ranting about our Founding Fathers. There were also the political leaders themselves demanding that the right side was the best side.

Former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain called liberals stupid people in his speech.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said, “Conservatives are more fun because we’re always right.”

Former Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann said, “Obama’s miscalculations are changing history.”

Former Governor of Arkansas, Mike Huckabee, called birth control pills a direct violation of our first amendment.

Rick Santorum, a Republican presidential candidate, predicted that Obama’s health care plan “will crush economic freedom.”

At times, these ideas and thoughts from our leaders were so harsh, negative and opinionated that I never once stopped tweeting, constantly hashtagging CPAC. I never once stopped snapping photos, capturing smiles, glares, standing ovations and OccupyDC protesters outside. I never once stopped recording the speeches of guest speakers. I never once stopped thinking about what the Democrats would say in response to these Republicans.

I never once stopped trying to figure out where I stood.

Each day that I walked out of the conference and out of the hotel feeling more and more educated about our country’s political divide, I questioned which side of the line I belonged — and if it would ever be okay just to stand right in the middle. [gallery ids="100498,118107" nav="thumbs"]

Michelle Kingston • February 8, 2012

Did you have any trouble accessing your favorite sites last Wednesday? Wikipedia, Reddit, Mozilla, Wordpress.org, TwitPic, Good Old Games and a couple of handfuls more shut down on Jan. 18 to participate in the largest online protest in history.

You were unable to Google these guys as they blacked out to demonstrate what the future could hold for the internet world if SOPA and PIPA were to be passed.

No, we are not talking about the Middleton sisters, but in fact, two bills that could potentially change the way we surf the net. The Stop Online Piracy Act and its sister, the Protect IP [Intellectual Property] Act, are designed to secure the problem with foreign-based sites selling pirated movies, music and more.

Many have argued that the bills undermine free speech and make it possible for the government to take down any site that includes links to pirated content. They also give the Justice Department more authority to stop U.S. companies from providing funding to the foreign sites. It would also block access by making it impossible to type in web addresses to these sites or by requiring Google and other search engines to disable links to the pirated pages.

The way the House bill is written is so broad that SOPA and PIPA opponents fear that some of the most visited online sites, such as Facebook, Wikipedia and Twitter that rely heavily on content uploaded by users which can then be pirated, could be targeted.

Thanks to our favorite pages turning their lights out, the public was alerted of the seriousness of the bill, showed us all how our lives could potentially be affected, and the bills were tossed to the trash — for now, anyway.

On Jan. 20, Congress shelved the bill. SOPA and PIPA were supposed to be debated and voted on, but after the protest, the office of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, released a statement explaining that they would be postponed. Pheeew.

Michelle Kingston •

Despite the Controlled Substances Act that makes cultivating, selling and distributing marijuana illegal, the nation’s capital will be welcoming weGrow, a full service hydroponic superstore, in March.
This place is a one-stop shop for everything necessary to start a garden. Commonly referred to as the “Wal-Mart of Weed,” weGrow has the largest showroom of hydroponic equipment sure to help medical marijuana cultivators and indoor harvesters but does not sell actual plants in stores.
“This is a great step forward for medical marijuana patients in Washington, D.C., and nearby states,” Wong said. “WeGrow will be here to work with medical marijuana growers to ensure the safest indoor growing practices are being followed to produce the best quality medicine for patients.”

Under a new D.C. law, doctors in the area can write medical marijuana prescriptions for patients with chronic ailments like cancer and HIV/AIDS. The law also lists 10 sites that will soon be authorized to grow the plant and five distribution centers where the medical marijuana can be picked up by patients.
The weGrow store is set to open its 2,500-square-foot store at 1522 Rhode Island Ave., N.E., near the only Home Depot in D.C. and just a few blocks from the Rhode Island Avenue Metro stop.

Michelle Kingston •

The Trust for the National Mall announced today that it has received a $7.5 million donation from David Rubenstein, Co-Founder of The Carlyle Group. The gift will provide the funding required to repair the Washington Monument, which suffered extensive damage from a 5.8 magnitude earthquake on August 23, 2011.

“David Rubenstein is a true patriot, and we are grateful for his significant and generous contribution to restore the Washington Monument, one of America’s greatest treasures,” said Caroline Cunningham, President of the Trust for the National Mall. “David’s leadership demonstrates how the public/private partnership of the Trust and the National Park Service will successfully drive the restoration and enhancement of the National Mall, home to the hope, history and heroes of the America.”

“America has been very good to me and I am humbled to be able to honor the father of our country in this way,” said Rubenstein. “Reopening the monument as soon as possible will help ensure that many people get to learn about American history and the unique role that George Washington played in the birth and life of our great nation.”

According to a report released by the National Park Service, inspectors found numerous cracked and chipped stones, including six large cracks that extend through the marble exterior of the Monument’s pyramidion, that have left the 127 year-old structure extremely vulnerable. The Monument also suffered missing mortar, the displacement of components of the lightning protection system, and damage to the elevator counter weight frame.

Congress recently allocated $7.5 million to repair the Monument with the expectation that the National Park Service in partnership with the Trust for the National Mall would raise an equal amount in private donations. David Rubenstein’s generous contribution meets that objective.

“Millions of people have seen the dramatic video of chunks of mortar and limestone raining down on visitors in the monument as the quake rocked the east coast last August,” said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. “While no one was hurt, the damage to this iconic obelisk was substantial and it has been closed to the public ever since. Thanks to David’s gift and the support of the American people, the National Park Service will once again welcome visitors to the Washington Monument and share the story of our nation’s first President.”

The National Park Service expects to award a contract to repair the monument by this August; work is expected to take 10-12 months.

The Trust for the National Mall is the official non-profit partner of the National Park Service dedicated to restoring and improving the National Mall. For more information on the Trust for the National Mall and the work that is being done to restore America’s Front Yard, please visit www.nationalmall.org.