Category Archives: Nature

Around Town: April 13-15

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What are your plans for the weekend? Consider “meeting up” with a Catalogue nonprofit, such as …

Capitol Hill Arts Workshop (545 7th Street SE)

Tango dancers of all levels have an opportunity to practice, collaborate, and learn in a collective space at a Free Tango Practica on Friday at 7:00 PM.

District of Columbia Arts Center (2438 18th Street NW)

At DCAC on Friday & Saturday at 7:30 PM, Landless Theatre Company presents a DC premiere: SPIDERMUSICAL: A Second Chance for Awesome. Nab tickets .

Rock Creek Conservancy (over 50 locations around the DC area)

Join in the 4th annual Extreme Cleanup on Saturday at 9:00 AM when thousands of volunteers will help keep trash out of Rock Creek, the Potomac River and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay. Click here to register at your local clean-up.

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Around Town: Upcoming

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For those celebrating, have a very good holiday! And here’s a quick look at some upcoming events:

Arias with a Twist at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company (April 6 – May 4): Drag chanteuse extraordinaire Joey Arias and master puppeteer Basil Twist invite you on a magical mystery tour through space and time. Nab your tickets right here for this trippy, madcap, musical fantasia.

LearnServe Panels and Venture Fair with LearnServe International (April 12): What would you change in your community? Find out how the next generation answers that question, as LearnServe Fellows — high school students from nearly 30 schools — debut their plans to make a difference in their communities. Picture a science fair for social action projects! More information right here.

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In The News …

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Not Enough Qualified Workers in DC? (Washington Post via DCentric): “Unemployment in some DC neighborhoods is as high as 25 percent. At the same time, cranes fill the skies in pockets of the city, signaling economic activity. So why not encourage hiring unemployed DC residents for those projects? That was the intent behind tightening the District’s hiring rules for projects receiving city money. But now builders and contractors say that the new hiring standards are impossible to meet because the city simply lacks qualified workers.” To learn about a Catalogue nonprofit focused on construction training, head to DC Students Construction Trades Foundation.

3 new private conservation reserves established by communities in Peru (Mongabay: environmental news): “Three new private conservation areas in the Amazon-Andes region of Peru will help buffer the country’s national park system while offering new opportunities for local people to benefit from protecting ecosystems. The new private conservation areas cover 18,882 hectares (46,659 acres) of habitat ranging from high elevation grasslands to cloud forests to rain forests […] The new reserves are also significant in that they are part of a broader initiative by the Amazon Conservation Association, an NGO with offices in Washington DC and Peru, to support sustainable livelihoods in a region that is traditionally very poor.” A Catalogue nonprofit, ACA preserves miles of wilderness through sustainable use of resources, research, and education.

Housing costs trouble many Arlingtonians (Washington Post: Local): “The biggest problem facing Arlingtonians, by many measures, is the cost of housing. If you don’t have it, and you’re not financially well-off, you can be in for a long, painful search. “Affordable” housing options usually are targeted at those who make 60 to 80 percent of the median income,” which is $110,000 in the county. “Further down the income ladder are those who are already homeless. A-SPAN, the Arlington Street People’s Assistance Network, recently received a $93,000 grant from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide housing and case management for six chronically homeless adults in Arlington.” Also a Catalogue nonprofit, A-SPAN also operates Opportunity Place, where homeless individuals can take a shower, wash clothes, secure a health-care referral, and obtain an address.

Around Town: March 24-25

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An awesome range of events coming up this weekend …

Reading: A Family Affair with Literacy Council of Northern Virginia (James Lee Community Center, 2855 Annandale Road, Falls Church)

A free, five-hour event, this family literacy day brings books alive through a variety of venues: visitors can see, hear, become, read & write, and even click (through computer activities) great books on Saturday from 9:30 AM to 2:30 PM. Learn more right here!

Tree Planting! with Anacostia Watershed Society (Waterfront Park, 4601 Annapolis Road, Bladensburg)

Come roll up your sleeves and help to restore the health and natural beauty of the watershed on Saturday from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM; simply zip an email to hbailey@anacostiaws.org to sign up.

“All Mozart” at National Philharmonic (The Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda)

Assistant Conductor Victoria Gau makes her National Philharmonic debut in an all-Mozart concert that opens with the joyful and beloved Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (“A Little Night Music”) on Saturday at 8:00 PM. Tickets right here!

Red Shoe 5K Run & Walk with Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Washington, DC (2303 Dulles Station Boulevard, Herndon)

Calling all runners and walkers! The Red Shoes 5K, coming up on Sunday at 9:00 AM, features a scenic fast, flat course and a special kids fun run. Sign up online and help in the fight for children’s health.

“The Art of the Fugue” at Washington Bach Consort (National Presbyterian Church, 4101 Nebraska Avenue NW)

In this rare performance of the complete Die Kunst der Fugue, experienceit in different ensemble groupings including string ensemble, harpsichord, and organ on Sunday at 3:00 PM. Tickets this way!

Scrabble Scramble at Literacy Council of Montgomery County (Manor Country Club, 14901 Carrolton Road, Rockville)

On Sunday at 6:00 PM, four-player teams will compete to achieve the highest total score and raise money for the organization’s adult literacy programs. Dinner is included, along with a cash bar. For more info, call (301) 610-0030 x202.

In The Water

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Did you catch this story of The Kojo Nnamdi Show yesterday morning?

“College campuses across the country are restricting or banning the sale of bottled water. Instead they’re promoting “hydration stations,” where students can fill up their own reusable bottles with filtered tap water. The groups behind “ban the bottle” campaigns cite environmental concerns over plastic bottle manufacture and waste as their motivation. But critics say students have a right to choose what they drink […]”

The NPR food blog, The Salt, also reports that “the bottled water war is spreading beyond campuses, though. Several cities have stopped using public funds to purchase bottled water, and Grand Canyon National Park announced Monday it will stop selling water in containers smaller than one gallon.”

And after delving into the bottle battles, you can learn plenty about the water in our own rivers right here:

– Anacostia Watershed Society: protects and restores the Anacostia River and its watershed, working hand-in-hand with local volunteers
– Rock Creek Conservancy: mobilizes over 2,000 volunteers to clean local streams and advocates for the park’s natural resources.
– Potomac Riverkeeper: increases public awareness and promotes community action to protect a great resource; volunteer citizen monitors act as its “eyes and ears”

Around Town: March 16-18

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I’m writing this blog post from the (windy yet balmy) outdoors! Enjoy the spring-like weekend with a Catalogue nonprofit …

Blackbird by Adam Rapp at District of Columbia Arts Center (2438 18th Street NW)

On Friday through Sunday at 7:30 PM, Barrelhouse Theatre presents this ferocious modern love-story between two troubled individuals who are caught in a continuing loop of bad luck and bad choices; for reservations, call (202) 462-7833. Tickets are a super-reasonable $16 and $12 for members.

Green Living Expo with Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment (at Washington Lee High School, 1301 N. Stafford Street, Arlington)

Looking for practical ways to green your lifestyle? On Saturday from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, the expo will feature businesses and organizations with products and services focusing on energy conservation, eco-friendly transportation, healthy homes, and more. Children’s activities are included, plus the event is just three blocks from the Metro.

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Around Town: March 9-11

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Hey, Greater Washington! Where are you headed this weekend?

Free Drop-In Tango Practica with Capitol Hill Arts Workshop (545 7th Street SE)

On Friday from 7:00 to 9:30 PM, tango dancers of all levels have an opportunity to practice, collaborate, and learn in a collective space; free and open to dancers of all levels.

Blackbird by Adam Rapp at District of Columbia Arts Center (2438 18th Street NW)

On Friday through Sunday at 7:30 PM, Barrelhouse Theatre presents this ferocious modern love-story between two troubled individuals who are caught in a continuing loop of bad luck and bad choices; for reservations, call (202) 462-7833.

Heart of L’Arche Tour at L’Arche Greater Washington DC

On Saturday from 10:00 to 11:00 AM, learn more about the people and mission of L’Arche, plus hear what a family member has to say about what L’Arche has meant to them. Please contact Michelle Wirth at (202) 232-4539 for the address.

Wetland Meadow Site Prep with Anacostia Watershed Society (3901 Hamilton Street, Hyattsville, MD)

Help to control dangerous storm water runoff from reaching the river by planting native plants and flowers along the side of the river on Saturday at 11:00 AM. This event is now full.

Around Town: March 2-4

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It’s just the second day of March and yesterday sure felt like spring! So consider enjoying the first weekend of the month with one of these DC nonprofits …

Northeast Performing Arts Group (Woodson High School Auditorium, 5500 Eads Street NE)

See how today’s youth overcome the destructive forces of color bias and create hope for humanity in ColorStruck: With the Skin I’m In!, an electrifying dance musical on Friday at 11:30 and 7:00 PM. Come to be entertained and uplifted by performers ranging from ages 3 to 25.

Bowen McCauley Dance (The Kennedy Center: Terrace Theater, 2700 F Street NW)

BMD presents “Le Sacre du Printemps + More” on Friday at 7:30 PM, followed by a Gala Celebration with the artists and fans; nab your gala tickets right here!

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Around Town: February 24-26

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Good morning, Greater Washington! What might strike your fancy this weekend?

NATURE …

Meet at the intersection of Anacostia Avenue NE and Douglas Street NE for a Nash Run Trash Trap Cleanup with the Anacostia Watershed Society on Saturday at noon; these traps prevent the spread of trash without injuring or harming wildlife like fish from moving freely about the river (be sure to RSVP!). And on Sunday at 10:00 AM, join Potomac Conservancy for the monthly cleanup day at Fletcher’s Cove; this cleanup is open to all ages and the Conservancy will provide all the necessary supplies.

DANCE …

Lucy Bowen McCauley, artistic director of BMDC, will perform in Perspectivoyage, a new work created with her “artistic blind dates” Matthew Mann and David Robb at INTERSECTIONS: A New America Arts Festival at the Atlas this Friday at 6:00 & 8:30 PM. INTERSECTIONS continues through March 11, so be sure to head over to H Street! On Saturday at 8:00 PM and Sunday at 2:00 & 5:00 PM, join CityDance Ensemble for a special open house performance in the new Studio Theater and catch a glimpse into the School & Conservatory; call (202) 347-3909 to learn more. And on Saturday at 8:00 PM, Joy of Motion Dance presents Nomad Dancers’ CARAVANSARY, where dancers meet on the path of rhythm; nab your tickets here.

MUSIC …

On Saturday at 8:00 PM, the National Philharmonic presents the six celebrated Brandenburg Concertos by J. S. Bach, which display a light side of Bach’s genius and each highlight a different instrumental combination; tickets are available right here. The American Youth Philharmonic present works by Verdi, Tchaikovsky, von Suppe, Schubert, and Brahams in the AYSO and AYCO Concert, “Fate’s Fortune,” side by side with musicians from the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra; more information right here!

Around Town: February 17-20

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Enjoy the long weekend, Greater Washington! Some great events are right around the corner …

CIVILIZATION (all you can eat) at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company (641 D Street NW)

Six hungry city-dwellers scramble for sustenance in this provocative vaudeville of American enterprise and ingenuity, featuring an award-winning DC cast. Performance on Saturday at 8 PM and Sunday at 7 PM; nab your tickets here.

“Pre-Mardi Gras” Celebration at Downtown Cluster’s Geriatric Day Care Center (at Xi Omega Center, 4411 14th Street NW)

Line dancing, hand dancing, music by DJ- Mr. “C,” plus a light meal on Friday at 7PM. Proceeds to help provide therapeutic care and supportive services to at-risk older persons so that they remain in the community. Call (202) 347-7527 to purchase your tickets.

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