If you haven’t heard, there’s a revolution under way and you my e-friends, can all be a part of it. It’s called Popularise, and it will change the way we interact with our community.

Popularise is a bottom-up approach to real estate that is challenging the norm and breaking barriers, creating an authentic conversation about how a neighborhood is built and who is given an opportunity to participate in the discussion. By going online, users can submit ideas for what is built in a space–a real-life Sim City of sorts (go on 90’s babies, you know you love it already). Simply said, you decide what goes into your community. Yet this has never been done in this way, until now.

The responsible trailblazers are brothers Ben and Daniel Miller and associates Brandon Jenkins and Kenny Shin of WestMill Capital. But these DC natives are not your usual old school real estate developers. For starters, they wear high tops, listen to Daft Punk, ride their bikes to work and are as good at cooking as they are at eating. But don’t take their young swag as a sign of inexperience. Though they sleep little, they dream big.

Courtesy of Popularise

“We know it may seem a little crazy, but really it’s the current model that doesn’t make any sense. You have big money, Wall Street types with no vested interest in the community making short-term decisions without thinking about long-term consequences,” said Jenkins. “Who wants to live in a neighborhood full of corporate chains with banks and drugstores on every corner? We believe Popularise will become the norm, because ultimately, the neighborhood is your customer, why wouldn’t you be asking them what they want?”

The Popularise boys have seen the city transform and now want to become part of its continued growth. They have chosen DC as the model for this crowd-sourcing approach to real estate, but hope the concept will someday expand to other cities. Their first location is a vacant building at 1351 H Street NE, right next to the Rock & Roll Hotel. Whether it becomes a high-quality retail store like DURKL, or a pizza joint and cocktail den, they are allowing those who will most benefit of the development- the local residents- to go online and be heard.

While this creative thinking is commendable, the Popularise team is well aware of the risk involved in turning a system literally on its head. Not knowing what concept will ‘win’ or how the community will react to the end result is of course a daunting reality, but they are creating a platform for debate where none existed before. “Ultimately, our goal is to use the community feedback as a tool to help us build the best project possible for the neighborhood…We don’t view the process as a win or lose situation” says Jenkins. “We would love to take several of the ideas that have been suggested and do three great projects on the street.  A neighborhood is a constantly evolving place and we want Popularise to become a platform for a community to help shape that growth.”

So the question is this: If you had the power to build a new place in your neighborhood, what would you build?

Let the popular rise up. Submit your ideas, I know I have.

I’ll admit, I struggled a bit trying to figure out what to write a “Best of…” article around for this week. Sports? Covered. Food? Taken. I had to look deeper than the usual fare: what was it about DC—and about WeLoveDC in particular—that I really enjoyed over the past year? I realized that one of the perks we have is the slew of interview opportunities we’re given for the site. So why not look at some of the more interesting interviews we’ve done over the course of 2011?

Often, I find that through the glimpse of someone else’s eyes and perspectives, we’re given a mirror to gaze into our own lives and see where we are, what we’re missing, and what we can hope to achieve. We wrote quite a few interviews and features on people who live, work, and/or visit the DC area this year and I wanted to take a moment and point out some of the ones that really stand out. I hope you take a moment to dive into these great features and either revisit some old friends, or find your own inspiration to make a better 2012.

Chef Allison Sosna of DC Central Kitchen. Photo by Marissa Bialecki.

First off, there’s Capital Chefs: Allison Sosna of DC Central Kitchens. I admit, I love reading about people who do inspiring things and help others in our community. I completely forgot about Marissa’s interview of Chef Sosna until I was looking through our past articles and remembered that she was also on a November episode of Chopped on Food Network.

Dedicated to helping kids form a better relationship with food and healthy eating, her mentoring of the DCCK chef staff and commitment to the organization’s mission is something of note.

Michael Darpino had a chance to get a few words from the tight-lipped Henry Rollins back in February, scoring an interview that was very lively to read. Not one for a lot of words, Rollins spoke volumes about himself and his views of life with his clipped answers. Through that, we were treated with a glimpse into his mind and methods.

Probably the more odder interviews I’ve had in quite a while came from Annie Jacobsen, author of a new book on Area 51. The assertions and “revelations” in her latest work (Russian midgets in a saucer!) were definitely eyebrow raising. And of course, the discussion of secret programs and other projects at the classified area in Groom Lake, Nevada is always fodder for the water cooler.

"Standing with Japan"; courtesy NCBF

My interview with National Cherry Blossom Festival President Diana Mayhew back in March revealed just how complex planning for the DC’s annual tradition can be. The Festival heavily relies on volunteers to make things happen and the upcoming 100 year anniversary is no exception.

The NCBF battles weather and bloom forecasts each year but found itself facing a different challenge in 2011 because of the earthquake and tsunami that hit northern Japan. Mayhew and her team went into overdrive to collect donations of all kinds for the affected people and still managed to present our area’s beautiful blooms to visitors and locals alike.

Back in August, Chris caught up with Jason Mendelson, the “Metro Music Man.” Around here, Metro usually invokes images of packed platforms, late trains, and constant misery. But for this Alexandria resident, our transit system was the inspiration for a series of songs, a musical mission to encapsulate the flavor of every station on the circuit. Fascinating stuff.

Rachel’s self-interview about the National Mall is also worth a mention. Written more as an introspective into her own memories of the Mall and the Lincoln Memorial, it causes us to pause and reflect on our own pathways to the present. How many of us have places in this city that gives us similar pause? And how much have we changed since we first laid eyes on them?

‘Metro Blogger Roundtable’
courtesy of ‘Samer Farha’

As I mentioned earlier, Metro is one of this area’s most confounding organizations. A necessity for many and convienence for others, it is most identified as a source of commuter headache. Back in February, WMATA named Richard Sarles their new CEO, and Samer had a chance to sit in on a “blogger roundtable” with the new chief. Their discussions gave a semblance of hope to all of us at a time when the agency was embroiled in fare hikes, route changes, and other issues. It’s a very interesting look at the man who inherited a mess of a transit system, and what his game plan would be moving forward.

Probably one of my most interesting and fun interviews this year was one with Emil Her Many Horses of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian. Conducted during a preview of the museum’s newest exhibit (A Song for the Horse Nation), it was both educational and personal. To discover a thread that weaves not just an individual life, but that of community and society, is an epic journey we should all strive to undertake. Our lives are more colorful and vibrant for it.

We hope you’ve enjoyed the many glimpses we’ve given in these and other people’s lives over the last year. We look forward to new faces, new voices, and new opportunities to share, educate, and inspire in 2012. Have a great New Year!

photos courtesy of Hanson

Most of you out there remember the band Hanson  (brothers Isaac, Taylor and Zac) as the cheerful trio of kid pop stars responsible for the infectiously catchy song ”MmmBop” in the late nineties. What you may not know is that they were more than one-hit wonders. Their major label debut album Middle of Nowhere earned them three Grammy nominations, and produced six top 40 singles in the US. After that album the group split from their major label, formed their own label and has since released five studio albums. They have maintained a loyal fanbase, and are dedicated to giving their fans unique and personal experiences through their live shows. While Isaac, Taylor and Zac are still young (30, 28 and 25 respectively) they have the kind of  musical career that so many work for their whole lives to attain. They are successfully maintaining their own label, touring, and continue to produce albums that chart high on the Billboard Independent Albums chart. Their latest album, Shout It Out returns to their roots, bringing back a more pop sound, with some nods to Motown and old-school Rock & Roll.

Hanson is currently on tour, and will be playing Wednesday, October 19th at the State Theater in Falls Church. Lead singer/keyboardist Taylor Hanson took a break out of his busy tour schedule to talk with We Love DC’s Alexia Kauffman (and make one of her teenage dreams come true) about tour, becoming famous as a kid, the music industry, and even Katy Perry. (Full disclosure: Alexia was a big fan back in the 90s, and knows all the lyrics to every song on Middle of Nowhere.) 

Alexia Kauffman: How’s your tour going?

Taylor Hanson: Tour’s going really good. You know we’ve definitely focused a lot on touring the last several years, being a live band that continues to change things up and make things interesting, so this tour, kind of the whole mission was just to make sure that every time fans came out to see a show that they were, you know, catching something new.

AK: How did you come up with the idea of having fans vote for what album they will hear on your “Musical Ride Tour”?

TH: Well it was actually kind of inspired by the series of shows we did called “Five of Five.” The first one we did was in New York last year, and you know this album is our fifth album, kind of like a landmark, and so we put together this series where we played each of our albums top to bottom and in a row, for a period of five days. And so we did that in London a second time, we just thought it was one of those things that was unique and fun, and it was something that was only available as far as the actual shows to a pretty small group of people, and it seemed like it’d be great to take it on the road. You know there’s something different about hearing a full album, you know actually hearing a lot of songs from one period which is kind of special, so we threw around different ideas and eventually ‘poof’, the “Musical Ride Tour” arrived.

AK: Did you have to relearn any of your songs?

TH: No, there’s definitely a bit of a hurdle to sharpen ourselves, you know sharpen up the band on everything. I mean we do play a wide range of songs, and have always played songs from every record but there’s also always songs from albums that just …you don’t play them that often. You know, a random ballad or quirky song…or just some songs that don’t make it into the set. So by doing this it definitely has forced us to step up our game a little bit, and it’s been really great.

AK: So you all started out with the band at such a young age, but you really seem to have your heads on straight, and seem to have kept it focused on music all these years. Do you have any thoughts about how you think it is that you avoided some of the pitfalls other young artists (and lots of artists in general) fall into, getting sidetracked?

TH: Well, so much of being a great artist or having a great career, to some degree just involves endurance. And I think you can’t endure time and stress and work without knowing why you’re there, knowing what it’s about. I think for us, we always have been able to just remain grateful for what we get to do. And like what you just said, essentially the answer is in the question in a way- keeping your focus on the music itself and kind of being reminded that that is why you’re there, that’s the thing that helps keep things together. By doing that and staying focused on the music you’re also trying to stay excited about it, and that helps keep you on track. Continuing to do things each time that genuinely make you feel proud of what you’re doing, and you’re not just going on autopilot; that keeps it exciting for you, and hopefully keeps it exciting for fans. I think that this is a really hard business from the point of sustainablity, because it kind of thrives, so much of the industry thrives on all the things that tear people apart. And that’s why, you know, you often see things come and go, but I think just staying centered on where you started off, that’s always a good idea.

AK: Did you ever feel like it was a challenge to move forward musically after having such a huge success with Middle of Nowhere, and becoming so huge at a young age?

TH: Well it’s definitely a double-edged sword. You get the incredible benefit of reaching millions of people, and essentially being a household name, and then also having to continue that and to grow people’s perception. It’s definitely…a mixed bag. But knowing that no matter what you end up with some kind of a challenge, I mean every band, everybody has their thing that they have to do. I would still take the challenge of having something that is really a strong impression that lasts on a lot of people and then build on that, than the other way.

AK: I know you all own your own label- how did that come about, and what has that been like? Do you all have help with that?

TH: Well, yeah we have a team- we don’t physically do every single thing, though we do a lot. We’re pretty hands-on. Essentially starting a label was driven by necessity. We didn’t start out in the business saying ‘What we really want to do is to be our own record label, and you know, run all the marketing top to bottom.’ But when we came up on our third record [we were] just being caught in record label mergers like a lot of bands, and our one label was swallowed up by another label. You know, in many ways we would have been better off if we were dropped in those days, because you find yourself with a new label that just comes from a totally different place. So we kind of survived a long, drawn-out process trying to make that record and eventually just said to the label ‘Hey, this is the record we want to make, and actually I think we’d rather leave now.’  It was really not a matter of anything except for the problem of the corporate kind of environment, where they’re not necessarily focused on the product they’re putting out, they’re really more focused on kind of towing the line for the corporate system. Anyway, the one thing that’s unique about what we did is I think a lot of artists, for good reason, would probably have opted not to go ahead and start their own thing, because there’s so much different kind of risk in that. We’ve never had another partnership as far as financing. We’ve never turned around and handed over what we want to somebody else after the fact. I mean we basically looked at all the labels that were out there, and we had a ton of other majors that were interested when we left our label in 2002, and we just said ‘You know, they’re kind of all the same.’ And so we set up shop. We began hiring a few key people, got distribution for the label, and now here we are, eight years later, and we’ve put out more records as an indie than we did as a major. So we’re proud of it, and we feel like we’re beating the odds as a young label. Every major record we’ve put out has been number one or number two as an independent release on Billboard, and we’ve continued to keep a strong fan-base and do things that we’re excited about, and work with people based on their merit instead of based on more convoluted politics within the label. It’s not that necessarily the whole process is easier, it’s just that you get to wake up every morning and go to sleep each night knowing what the challenges are, and knowing what you’re going to have to do to resolve them, and get your music out there.

AK: Do you have any interest in or plans to add any artists to your label?

TH: We definitely do have interest in working with other bands. I think we just felt like the process of signing bands feels like it’s not the future; but at the same time many bands starting off need somebody to help finance them or help get them off the ground. So that idea of a label coming in and helping makes sense, but I think what we would like to do is to be more of a service provider- to kind of come in and partner. So you’ll see us doing that in the next couple years. We finally reached that point where we feel like as a team we’ve been the guinea pigs for our own ideas enough times that we know what we feel is effective, and what we feel isn’t effective.  And that’s what you really want to do…you want to be a good partner for somebody. You don’t wanna just kinda go ‘Hey, let’s sign bands!’ because we can.

AK: Right, it doesn’t make sense exactly.

TH: Yeah, but it happens a lot.

AK: Your latest album Shout It Out sounds different from your past few albums- more electric, more pop, with some moments of Motown vibes.How did you decide/land on the sound for the album? Were there any specific influences for this album?

TH: Well we grew up listening to Motown records and classic Rock & Roll, I mean that’s where we came from and that’s where our soul sort of lives, you know? I mean we love other stuff but that’s really the strongest musical inspiration for our band. So on this record I think we were just kind of reminded of those things a little bit more. The last two albums had been a little bit more layered, and a little bit more pop rock, a little less the R&B thing. I mean obviously R&B in the old-school sense, the Motown kinda sense. And I think we just kinda got a fresh look and started listening to those records a little bit more, and just felt a fresh inspiration. It felt like we really needed to make a record that was old and loud, and kinda celebrating …”Hey this is who we are, this is what we do” and having it be as unapologetic as possible. Also Shout It Out is the first record in all respects to be uninterrupted by outside forces… we really didn’t have any co-writing on the record, we produced the record ourselves, we really recorded it, a lot of it just off the grid. We worked in our studio space in Oklahoma, we worked in a space in El Paso which is really secluded. We knew what record we were making, we went in there, we made it, and we tried to reflect that kind of clarity in all the things around the record- from the artwork to the videos. It’s bright, you know it’s definitely pop, and it’s also really, really organic, and polished in the style, but not polished in the production, it’s just very true. 

Part two of this interview will appear on Wednesday! Coming up in part two: Taylor talks Katy Perry, Tinted Windows, and more! Catch Hanson live at the State Theater this Wednesday, October 19th!

Photo courtesy Juliet Eilperin and National Geographic

A first glance at the title “Demon Fish: Travels Through the Hidden World of Sharks” would probably invoke visions of bloody feeding frenzies, mouths full of razor-sharp teeth, and the sleek arrow-shaped bodies of deadly sharks. With, of course, the appropriate Jaws theme rolling around in our heads. And we couldn’t be more wrong with that impression.

Juliet Eilperin, a national environmental reporter for The Washington Post, has the spotlight this evening at the National Geographic Museum. And what she’ll be sharing with tonight’s audience will be somewhat removed from that first glimpse of her book. Despite its fearsome title, her work is more of a revelation of this sleek, deadly species that cruise the ocean’s depths (and shallows). Let’s face it: sharks have held a solid spot of fascination in our collective conscious, often as one of fear or as an image of ‘terrible beauty.’ Eilperin shines another light on sharks, however – conservation. Demon Fish strives to expose the intricacies and personalities of the shark-human relationship and reveals it’s not all about blood, teeth, and gore.

The idea bloomed after Eilperin began looking for something to write about. The oceans have had a long pull on Eilperin; they’re a subject she can fill conversations about, and for good reason. “It’s still unknown territory to humans, to a large extent, so that’s what intrigues me,” she confided. “So much of our world has been explored and documented, but when it comes to the sea, we’re still in a period of intense discovery. Also, it’s just so different from the environment in which we operate on a daily basis.” Casting about for the right angle, a colleague suggested the shark and it intrigued her enough to explore further.

Photo courtesy Juliet Eilperin and National Geographic

Rather than go the route so many authors have gone, recounting endless tales of danger and triumph, blood and fear, she looked for something different. “We’re at such a critical point with them, both in terms of how sharks are in danger of disappearing, and we’re learning so much about them through science,” she said. “So it made sense to focus on sharks at this moment. They’re also globally distributed, so it allowed me to travel the world and meet people from all sorts of places.”

Over the span of two years, Eilperin traveled the globe in search of different angles to look at the planet’s more deadly aquatic species. She discovered that sharks weren’t the one-dimensional species that exists in today’s common mindset. These were a creature entwined in many cultures for a variety of reasons—and one in danger of finding itself on the sliding slope to extinction.

She easily shared our society’s instant fascination with the shark, despite its dangerous nature. “I think we’re fascinated by their many senses—the fact that they can detect a drop of blood in an Olympic-sized swimming pool, and use electro-reception to spot a fish buried in sand. Plus, the fact that they can eat us is both terrifying and compelling.” But she also discovered much, much more.

Photo courtesy Juliet Eilperin and National Geographic

One cultural viewpoint stands out from her travels. Her inquisitiveness took her to Hawai’i, where she found a more nuanced view of sharks among the islands’ ancient culture. “I loved how the Hawaiians saw them as sort of Mafia godfathers, where if you paid proper homage, they would reward you but punish your enemies,” she explained. And yet, in other parts of the world, the shark is nothing more than a prop in a massive culinary scandal. Shark fin soup, she discovered, could be a considered more a culinary scandal than delight.

In many Asian homes, serving shark fin soup is a way of proclaiming the high status of the celebrants and honors the guests around the table. The continent’s growing wealth and population explosion has begun to outstrip the ocean’s ability to provide for the ever-increasing demand of shark fins. Eilperin says that between 1996 and 2000, nearly 73 million sharks were killed globally to supply the fin trade. And the soup? She was floored to find that the fin was nothing more than a “translucent, tasteless bit of noodle.” It added next to nothing to the delicacy; the dish proved to be less a culinary dish and more of a status icon.

That bit of discovery was an eye-opener for Eilperin and presented itself as an obvious solution to simple conservation. “Simply reject the global consumption of shark’s fin soup and the catching of sharks in kill tournaments in the U.S. and elsewhere,” she said. “More broadly, people just need to focus on what’s happening in the oceans.” Because sharks reproduce very slowly, there is no way for the species to reproduce fast enough to prevent overfishing. Sustainable shark fisheries are a pipe dream.

Photo courtesy Juliet Eilperin and National Geographic

Photo courtesy Juliet Eilperin and National Geographic

One cannot go on a two-year trek to write about sharks without getting in the water with them and Eilperin was eager to join in. Shark dives varied in how they were conducted and she had a myriad of experiences. “A typical dive often involved a scientist or dive operator chumming the water with bloody fish to attract the sharks, but in the case of whale sharks, we didn’t do that,” she said. “And with the exception of my one cage diving experience with great whites in South Africa, I just went diving or snorkeling with sharks without any specific protection. And most of the time I was swimming near coral reefs, so there were other great animals and plants to see as well.”

Her first dive was also her most memorable. “The first time I got in the water with sharks in Bimini I was terrified, so that experience is still the most vivid for me. I recall them coming from all directions, and I was shocked by how beautiful they were.” The range of photographs chosen for the book showcase much of the animal’s predatory beauty—and the rawness of its coexistence with humanity.

Photo courtesy Juliet Eilperin and National Geographic

By the end of her research and subsequent writing, Eilperin’s perspective on this deadly species had been altered. Her experiences encompassed many different species under the water but also hundreds of personalities across the globe. Her book recounts many of her encounters, from fishermen to shark fin traders to scientists. “I have a much closer connection to the sea now than I did before I started writing the book, which is amazing. And I would do it again in a heartbeat—through I think my family, especially my mother, is happy I’m not in the water with sharks quite as much as I used to be.”

Eilperin’s experiences are winding tale of discovery – not just of the mysterious shark but also of our human interactions with this oft-misunderstood species. More than just a Hollywood “boogeyman,” the shark has firmly planted its toothy bite into the fabric of many cultures. Eilperin shows us that it’s now up to us to return the favor; through even simple awareness and conservation, the shark will not fade as a mystery but remain as a living symbol of this planet’s terrible, graceful beauty.

Join Juliet Eilperin tonight at 7:30 pm at the National Geographic Museum. The Museum is located at 1600 M Street, NW. Tickets are available online or by calling the box office at 202.857.7700. There will be a wine and dessert reception after the program. Parking is free for all program attendees who arrive after 6 pm.

Photo by Josh Sisk

Volta Bureau is the new electro/house/dance collaboration of DC’s movers & shakers of the electronic music scene Will Eastman, Micah Vellian (Miguel Lacsamana) and Outputmessage (Bernard Farley). I have known Will and Miguel for several years, initially through my old band Soft Complex. Miguel (then under the moniker Person) did a remix for our 2006 EP, and we had the pleasure of performing a live set at Will’s Bliss Pop dance party at the 930 club in 2007. I was super excited to hear they had come together to form this new group, along with Bernard Farley- they all have talent, drive and style in spades. I have a feeling this trinity is one to watch!

This week I had a chance to chat with Miguel, aka Micah Vellian, and ask him a few questions about Volta Bureau.

Alexia Kauffman: So, I know you all have been active in the DC music scene for years, but how did you decide to come together for this project?

Micah Vellian: Bernard Farley (Outputmessage) and I were living in the same house, with a shared studio space, around 2007 and worked on Dmerit.  Around that time, Will Eastman and I started working on music together for his tracks. For the next few years we wound up just bouncing ideas off each other, remix each others’ stuff and DJ together.  Initially, all three of us had vastly divergent styles, but eventually we all started moving towards the same musical direction.  The best example of that is Will’s balearic-esque remix of Dmerit’s “Stuck On You”. That was the first track where all three of us had a substantial input. The bulk of the original work was Bernard. I added a few elements. Then Will retained a lot of our ideas, but switched up the atmosphere and sequencing.  At this point, Dmerit wasn’t even sure if we were going to release a remix EP. Will had taken the initiative to promote his remix, and then the next thing we knew, Tiesto had charted it on his blog! So it kind of forced the issue of releasing an EP. But, more importantly, we realized that the sum of all our work was larger than the individual parts.

AK: Can you explain what exactly Volta Bureau is? (band? dj troupe? other?)
 
MV: Volta Bureau is a band of producers/musicians. Live performance is going to be a central part of Volta Bureau.  Sure we’ve only been DJing, thus far, but our live show will be our main mode of performance.
 

AK: How would you describe/What would you call the kind of music you all are creating?

MV: It’s often hard to define one’s style, especially when you’re involved. We definitely want the music speak for itself. Fortunately for us, Chad Clark said this, regarding our music, on Twitter the other day;  “House music made with deep love for the form. Worth your attention.”

AK: What are each of your roles in the group?

MV: There aren’t really any defined roles, per se. We play to our strengths and we all work towards a common goal. When it comes to writing music, performing, and everything else involving the band, we all strive to share the load equally.

 
AK: What has the creative process been like as far as putting songs together, recording and preparing for live shows?
 

MV: When it comes to creating songs, we all bring ideas to the table and finalize everything once we reach an enthusiastic consensus.  I can’t go into details about our live show, because we are trying to keep it under wraps until our first live performance in October at Artisphere. With that said, however, it’s not just going to be three dudes up there staring at laptops.  It will be a live performance.

 
AK:  Where did the name come from? What is the significance?
 

MV: Will got the name from Alexander Graham Bell’s laboratory, of the same name, based in Georgetown.  It’s perfect because the lab developed a lot of audio technologies. We, as a group, work in a very scientific way. It can’t really be helped, seeing as how all three of us come from academic backgrounds (Will was a former historian, Bernard has a Masters in Abstract Algebra, and I used to teach English).  All three of us also love DC and what better way than being named after an historic DC landmark?

 
AK: What are some of your main influences? (musical, literary, art, etc…)
 

MV: Collectively, we are all into Kraftwerk, Cajmere, Daft Punk, Moroder, Chic, Salsould Records, Larry Levan, Robert Hood, New Order, Prince, Zapp & Roger, Quincy Jones, Aldous Huxley, George Orwell and Mark Rothko.

 
AK: Aside from influences, are there any musicians out  right now that you’re really excited by?

MV: Azari & III, Maya Jane Coles, Runaway, Maceo Plex, Art Department, Tensnake, Danny Daze, and dOP

 
AK:  How was it opening for Thievery Corporation a couple weeks ago? Was the crowd receptive? Was that the biggest crowd any of you have played for? (Pretty impressive gig!)
 

MV: It was definitely a huge crowd. We didn’t really get to dj as long as we usually do, but people seemed to dig what we were playing.

AK: What can people expect from your live show?

MV: We want people to enjoy our music as much as we do. So if anything, that’s what one can expect from our shows.

AK:  Any plans for touring/out of town shows in support of your new album?

MV: It’s too early to say, but we “Hope” to support our new single in the coming months. 

AK:  Plans to take over the world?
 
MV: Not currently, but you never know.

You can see Volta Bureau perform a DJ set this Saturday for the record release party at U Street Music Hall. Their first live performance will be at Artisphere in Arlington on October 8th. Check out the video for their first single “Hope” here, or listen here.

Volta Bureau

“Hope” Record Release Party

U Street Music Hall

Saturday, September 3rd

10pm/$10

Interest in gardening is on the rise, from my neighbors growing tomatoes in patio containers to community gardens bursting with multiple produce plots. Increasingly there’s a practical need to provide access to affordable food through growing your own. Early this week I attended an intimate event honoring a local community gardening hero. It was by far one of the more inspiring evenings I’ve spent in a while, whose honoree proves that persistence to a simple idea and dedication to helping others can result in good for all.

For the past three years, Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi has supported Giving Through Growing, a partnership program with the American Community Gardening Association (ACGA). This year they’ve awarded $40,000 to four community gardening ‘Heroes’ who made the grade in a nationwide contest, and Arlington’s Alison Kindler of the Fort Barnard Community Garden is one. Top Chef alum Candice Kumai is the GTG ambassador, and she was also on hand to salute Kindler’s efforts to enrich our community through growing fresh food for urban families. Fort Barnard has been in operation since 1975 – they even have their own bee hives! The garden works closely with the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC), which helps provide groceries to families in need. Some 8% of Arlingtonians live below the poverty line and the percentage is increasing – AFAC distributes to over 1,200 families each week. Fort Barnard dedicates one of their garden plots exclusively to AFAC.

Kindler started gardening at Fort Barnard some twenty years ago, with a plot as a Father’s Day present for her husband. “Here, honey, you can go play in the dirt,” she quipped, but her main motivation at the time was really to grow organic produce and be able to put “healthy, safe food on the table.”

‘Woodbridge Robert Mondavi wines’
courtesy of ‘Jenn Larsen’

Winning the GTG grant will enable Kindler to help better organize the AFAC plot as they continue utilizing the square footage gardening method, expanding the raised beds, installing a drip water system with a timer so the volunteers can more easily work on their own plots in tandem, and develop better composting. Listening to the obviously passionate Kindler detail her plans inspired me to learn more about community gardening in my neighborhood. For Arlingtonians, Fort Barnard is definitely popular – though about seven plots open up each year, there’s a two year waiting list.

‘Candice Kumai’
courtesy of ‘Jenn Larsen’

GTG ambassador Candice Kumai noted that the importance of access to farm fresh foods is both healthy for the individual and helpful to communities. Kumai is an enthusiastic advocate of farm-to-table eating habits and how they can bring communities back together in a strong communal spirit – echoing the principles of the late Robert Mondavi. As host of Lifetime’s Cook Yourself Thin and author of the cookbook Pretty Delicious, she’s also proof that eating healthily can give you a gorgeous glow!

‘Zola Wine & Kitchen’
courtesy of ‘Jenn Larsen’

Zola Wine & Kitchen was the setting for the event, serving up seasonal delicacies like lavender grilled scallops (prompting a discussion with Washington Gardener’s knowledgeable editor Kathy Jentz about a local lavender farm that sounds like a must visit) and lamb chops with a pecan and currant relish. All locally sourced, of course. Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi supplied the wine, offering their pinot grigio, cabernet sauvignon, and sparkling wine. It was all very relaxed and conducive to conversation, and I came away convinced I need to cultivate more gardening in my life, and certainly more community outreach.

‘Chef at Work’
courtesy of ‘Jenn Larsen’

‘Lamb Chops’
courtesy of ‘Jenn Larsen’

Taking control of one’s own food source through organic gardening was once seen as a little eccentric. Now with an ever more uncertain economy and many in dire need, it’s become a real practicality. Local ‘Heroes’ like Alison Kindler are proof of that, and a true inspiration.

You’ve seen it all over social media. You’ve heard Samuel L. Jackson and maybe even Werner Herzog narrate it. You’ve probably laughed your ass off. Even if you don’t have children and haven’t a clue how agonizingly painfully frustrating it can be to get them down for that nap, I bet you’ve heard of Go the F*ck to Sleep.

Author Adam Mansbach is in town tonight for a reading of his own work at P.J. Clarke’s from 6pm-8pm. The event is free and open to the public with copies of Go the F*ck to Sleep available for purchase and signing. It’s his only area appearance. Mansbach’s book is a current New York Times bestseller and definitely one of the more hilarious satires around, but he’s also no slouch in other areas – such as being the founding editor of ’90s hip hop journal Elementary, an authority on hip hop culture and aesthetics, and author of notable novels like Angry Black White Boy.

Not bad cred. I think I’ll pick up a signed copy for my newbie parent friends. Hopefully they won’t throw it at me for not being sleep deprived and surrounded by diapers.

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If the above doesn’t work for you here’s a direct link to the District 1.5 : HDR Time-lapse from Drew Geraci.

Via the power of the interwebs, I stumbled across this awesome HDR time-lapse by Drew Geraci. The shots were taken over a 3 day period, during which Geraci was stopped 9 times by the National Parks Service and 3 times by DC Metro police;  post-production (rendering, editing, etc.) took Geraci only 1 day. This is the photogs first full scale production time-lapse using the new HDR technique that he’s developed from his own personal photography experience.

Personally, I’m loving the locations selected; they really capture the heart of this city. Whoever said that DC is a sleepy town clearly needs to see this as the locations selected, be they thoroughfares, monuments or sites, are packed with pedestrian and vehicular activity. In the 3 plus minute long video, we’re taken on a whirlwind trip around DC through saturated hi-def quality of the shots and kickass crescendoing musical accompaniment. Tre cool.

Huzzah! DC’s very own Dolcezza will be on ABC’s “The View” today at 11am and we’ll get to see owners Robb and Violeta Duncan chumming it up with Whoopi, Sherri, Joy, Elizabeth and Babs. I can only assume they’ll be talking about: 1) Gelato–in particular their seasonal summer flavors (Peach, Pineapple Cilantro, Mojito…) and 2) Dolcezza’s focus on locally produce ingredients and their collaboration with local area farmers.

If you’re not familiar with Dolcezza, you can read about how They Make DC or visit them at their three area shops in Georgetown, Dupont Circle and Bethesda.

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Back in late April when I profiled publican Andy Duffy on the challenges of running your own tavern, we talked about the hope that the hours restrictions would be lifted on Duffy’s in a then-upcoming ABC Board vote. The restrictions have been a real hardship over the past five years since Duffy’s opening, causing him to lose out on providing drinks and nosh to the post-concert crowd, and there’s always been the worry that the limited hours might eventually sink the beloved neighborhood pub.

Worry no more. Word from Duffy is that the ABC Board has voted to terminate the “voluntary” agreement, which means the restrictions will be lifted. That gives Duffy’s the same hours benefit as other popular nightlife options in the area he helped to make popular. As a local resident and an unabashed fan of Duffy and his pub, I’m thrilled. The paperwork still has to go through (UPDATE 6:30pm: Official license has been received and new later hours will start this Sunday 7/10), but this is still great news and a sign that sometimes, being a true gentleman who perseveres does work out in the end.

Congratulations!

UPDATE 2pm: For more details on the actual ABC order, read on after the break.

Fellow drinks writer and Duffy regular Moses has read the order to terminate (and many thanks to him, as I’m not the greatest with legalese!). Here’s his summary of how it goes down:

“The hours restrictions and other operating restrictions are no longer required, as Duffy’s was able to show there is no harm to the neighborhood in relation to: peace, order and quiet, residential parking and vehicular safety, or property values.  Note, any request for outdoor cafe seating would have to go through a separate process.

There are two stipulations: 1) Amplified music cannot be heard inside nearby residences, and 2) No smoking permitted within 8 feet of neighboring property.”

We’ll keep you updated as plans progress. Again, congrats to Duffy’s! A well-deserved Guinness is in order.

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Society6, an organization that connects artists with unique opportunities and empowers them to make their artwork available for sale without giving up control of their rights, recently completed an innovative project titled “50 And 50.” The idea behind this endeavor was to recruit 50 designers, one per each state, and have them illustrate their state motto using the same color-scheme. The results are modern, yet historical grounded, designs that would make any wall fit for oversized art proud.

Fortunately for us, although not part of 50 states, DC was included in the project and represented by Oliver Munday, whose  illustrations and designs have graced bookcovers, TIME, The New York Times, Wired, etc. And for those of us completely naive to DC’s “state” motto, it’s “Justice For All” or as the Romans prefer “Justia Omnibus.”While the DC motto is definitely on the design, it takes a huge back seat to the neon sign inspired “Cash for Gold,” which I can only assume is Munday’s cunning and subtle commentary that DC’s motto may as well be ‘Cash For Gold” because it’s impossible to have “Justice For All” when citizens lack full government representation. I also think the usage of “Cash For Gold” and the small campaign button-esque DC state flag are a commentary on the DC political scene; more specifically how the money and power of the federal government overshadow DC on both a local and national level.

Love or hate Munday’s execution, there is no doubt that he put some thought into the piece and that he’s definitely trying to make it more than just a pretty piece of wall art.

On a lighter note, as DC was included in the project, we’ve come up with a few alternative project names:

50 And 50, +1

51* And 51*

Any others out there?

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Travel + Leisure readers have spoken and our nation’s capital is not one of the top ten dirtiest cities in America. In the publication’s annual America’s Favorite Cities survey, participants gauged “dirty” in a variety of ways: litter, air pollution, even the taste of local tap water and the publication found New Orleans, Philadelphia, Memphis, New York City, and our neighbor to the north Baltimore, wanting for cleanliness.  That’s not to say that DC didn’t appear on the more comprehensive list; in fact, it was ranked 15th on the list.

The America’s Dirtiest Cities list is only one of the many compiled from reader’s responses about 35 U.S. urban destinations. The publication breaks down responses by those according to visitors and those according to residents. DC ranked well in the historical sites/monuments (duh!), museums/galleries (duh again!), business hotels, public transportation/pedestrian friendliness, etc. We didn’t do so well when it comes to all-in-one retreats, affordable hotels and relaxing retreats.

What I find most insightful and funny about the survey’s results is where visitor and resident opinions align. For instance, both groups give DC high marks when it comes to culture, but pan the city on local food specialities (coffee, barbecue, micro brews, etc.) and new year’s eve celebrations. Things get funny when it comes to ranking DC inhabitants; while we get high marks for intelligence and diversity, both groups ranked us below 25 when it comes to stylishness, friendliness and attractiveness.

The set of the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s production of Old Times, directed by Michael Kahn. Photo by Scott Suchman.

If you’ve seen Shakespeare Theatre Company’s excellent production of Old Times, chances are your first impression was of a monochromatic letterbox, as the minimalist all-white set seemed to float against the black proscenium (and if you haven’t seen Old Times, you need to get hopping over to the Lansburgh this week, as closing is July 3. It’s a thought-provoking performance of Pinter’s play, as Don noted in his review). Almost every surface is white, with glass and chrome punctuations.

Not surprisingly, it was the cleanest backstage I’ve ever seen.

An all-white set presents many challenges, from design to execution to maintenance. I spoke with designer Walt Spangler and the STC run crew about their experiences with Old Times, and even learned the secret ingredients to keeping whites bright and cigarette ash in its proper place. And when a set’s this minimal, it’s not a simple process – sometimes a designer has to go through fifty different ashtrays to find the perfect one.

Steven Culp, Holly Twyford and Tracy Lynn Middendorf on the set of the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s production of Old Times, directed by Michael Kahn. Photo by Scott Suchman.

Pinter may not be the easiest playwright to delve into, but his stage directions are clear. “He describes how many doors there are and where everything is,” Spangler explained. From the beginning of the design process with director Michael Kahn, the team knew they wanted to play homage to the original 1970’s time period while updating it in a “startling” space. Accentuating the already natural letterbox feel of the Lansburgh’s proscenium stage with its wide panoramic proportions, he created a “floating box” of an all-white set surrounded by a black reveal lifted off the deck to create the “isolated, surreal landscape they are stuck in.”

“It gives it a density, a certain weight and gravitas,” Spangler said, “a black portal that falls into the void.”

The monochromatic nature of the design came about as discussions intensified about what color stage items should be – given the loaded meaning of everything in Pinter, it soon became evident removing most color except in Jane Greenwood’s costumes would allow the actors the clarity of expression the play requires. It certainly worked for me – when I saw the play, after a few minutes getting used to the all-white set in pre-show, it faded into the background as the actors themselves rightfully took command. Every eyebrow raise became all the more potent given the white surround, as faces took primary focus.

Just as Eskimos have hundreds of words for snow, so matching whites across paint and fabric was a difficult task for Spangler and the STC scene shop. At the design center where they made the furniture, “they showed us every single white leather upholstery they had,” Spangler recalled, “it was painstaking.” Even a lampshade that was slightly off the exact white pulled focus and had to be changed. When a set becomes that minimal, the process becomes more challenging.

Steven Culp, Holly Twyford and Tracy Lynn Middendorf on the set of the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s production of Old Times, directed by Michael Kahn. Photo by Scott Suchman.

Lighting an all-white set has its challenges, and Spangler worked closely with lighting designer Scott Zielinski. There’s a lighting “trough” in the ceiling of the boxed set with the LED lights built in, so that the practical needs of the production are met with clean aesthetics. There are no unnecessary shadows in the course of the production, a testament to Zielinski’s skill. “It took some doing to get it that subtle, the finesse,” Spangler said, noting that there are hundreds of lighting cues in the show in order to keep it that simple.

Even the build was particular. “Every flaw would be noticeable,” Spangler said,” there was no fudging by the shop, they were very careful. Even in the way the room is built is sturdy.” Seams had to be perfect. Not only was the backstage the cleanest I’ve ever seen, the consideration and skill that went into the build was clear from behind the set as well. It looked like it could withstand anything. The plywood was pristine.

With all the care and attention to the design process and the build, keeping the set clean for every performance is of paramount importance. STC’s intrepid run crew for Old Times surely deserves a special Helen Hayes award for the time they spend restoring the set to its all-white glory. It’s repainted almost every night. The spike marks are in silver and gold pen so as not to distract. The crew spends at least forty minutes before each show in a four step process that includes some twenty minutes on hands and knees with Magic Eraser. During the performance they’re on high alert for any accidents. There’s a large supply of makeup wipes backstage for any emergency swipes to the couches, and aloe vera gel for the ashtrays to extinguish those pesky cigarettes smoked throughout the play.

‘Backstage at STC’s “Old Times”‘
courtesy of ‘Jenn Larsen’

“Wait,” I stop, being shown the cleaning cabinet backstage, “um, is that K-Y?”

Yes indeed. It turns out that’s the other secret ingredient besides aloe vera gel to keeping the potentially messy cigarette ash in place and off the whites. From the sublime to the mundane. That’s what it takes to create the magic of theatrical minimalism.

Many thanks to Lindsay Tolar at the Shakespeare Theatre Company, the run crew of Old Times, and Walt Spangler for the gracious interview.

When I first introduced myself as the newest We Love DC arts writer to Lauren Gentile, Director at Irvine Contemporary art gallery on 14th Street, she warned me that I would struggle to find works that would meet my “street art” beat. At the time, I was researching the P Street Shepard Fairey mural, and she was quick to point out that neither he, nor any of the other artists represented in that tiny gem of an alleyway, were DC-based.

This was true, of course; but as it turns out, maybe not for long.

The DC blogosphere has been buzzing lately over “vitaminwater uncapped LIVE’s” month-long takeover of 1213-1217 14th Street. In a last hoorah before its scheduled demolishment later this year, the multi-story building has played host to a “cultural extravaganza” of musical performances, fashion shows, and Art Whino gallery’s second annual G40 Summit.

Playfully (or something like that) named after the G20 Summit that unites political heavyweights, the exhibit unites leaders in “New Brow”—contemporary underground art that draws from graffiti and skater culture—with thousands of pieces from New York, California, DC and around the world on display. While DC is no stranger to galleries and art shows, the truly unique nature of underground art literally exploded onto the street last Saturday, when Art Whino hosted its “Artapalooza” live painting session in the parking lot adjacent to the venue.

Open to the public, Art Whino Executive Director Shane Pomajambo offered curious visitors old disc covers, paints, and Sharpies (and screws, to attach the ‘canvasses’ to the side of the building) to create their own street art.

Meanwhile, armed with glosses, spray paints, permanent markers and duct tape, a handful of Art Whino artists went to work on white-washed Masonite boards, which the artists themselves had painted, drilled and hung to the surrounding wire fence earlier that morning.

Within just a few hours, one canvas depicted a neon green and purple landscape of electric wires; another a busy black-and-white labyrinth of abstract shapes. Painting side-by-side over the course of the afternoon, Miami-based artist Wes Roos connected with DC-area native Bobby Moore, agreeing to join in a scheduled painting session the next day, when Art Whino would be hosting its first “Creative Art Market” at Navy Yard.

And just like that, DC became ever more “a scene.”

For a long time, that was not the case, explained Pomajambo, a New York City transplant and Catholic/Virginia Tech graduate. It was “very, very, very underground,” he said of the art scene. “You wouldn’t know about it unless you [were part of it yourself].”

Frustrated with the limited opportunities for street artists in the area, Pomajambo used his own personal collection of New Brow works to open a gallery in Virginia nearly five years ago. Over 1500 people attended the grand opening; and in his mind, the scene has continued to pick up since.

“The more people producing events, the better the scene,” he said, citing the positive efforts of Phillipa Hughes, Ready Set DC, and other “institutions” working to build out DC’s art culture. This is why, he says, he organized the G40 Summit, and now the Creative Art Market series at Navy Yard (notably, inviting prominent local DJs to each of these). “And it’s working—people are flying down. Artists feed off each other [here]. Next thing you know we’ll have huge [New Brow] collectors.”

And what does the DC scene look like?

“DC’s a very different beast [from California and New York],” said Pomajambo. “You have those pocket cultures. The scene doesn’t fit in Georgetown.” It doesn’t quite fit in Adams Morgan, either, he continued. Nonetheless, “They run the whole city in their own way.”

“What’s cool about DC is that [the city] has super DC spirit,” he said, noting how nowhere else do so many residents have tattoos of their own flag. “That’s what I love about [it.] They’re diehards.”

All photos by the author.

Pictured: Shea "DJ ReOffender" Mulcahy // Photo by Rachel Levitin

While a lot of us were off at the beach, visiting family, or at weddings this Memorial Day Weekend, Shea “DJ ReOffender” Mulcahy was busy turning a hobby into a professional freelance career.

ReOffender is a self-proclaimed “Man of Music.” When he’s not at his day job, he finds himself singing or at the keyboard writing songs. And him and his iPod? Well forget about it! If you saw him, you’d think they were permanently attached.

“Basically, music is my life. I love that anybody could express themselves through music,” he said. That’s what got him hooked on learning to DJ.

Pictured: DJ ReOffender // Photo by Rachel Levitin

The DJ itch originally veered its head while ReOffender was in high school. He had a few friends who told him about gigs they would play. They would gush about how much freedom over the music selection there was while spinning records. As far as he heard, there were nothing but good things to be said. There was just one problem. Those friends never really talked about how they got started and he never took the time to ask.

Fast forward a decade and ReOffender has found himself the perfect way to learn to DJ while in the District: Beat Refinery.

Beat Refinery has two locations, one in Bethesda (Maryland) and one scheduled to open this month in Herndon (Virginia). The Bethesda location is where ReOffender got his start after hearing about the classes from a friend.

“In a nutshell, I’ve learned all the tools in order to take what was first just an interest of mine into a serious hobby and then into a professional career,” ReOffender said of his time with Beat Refinery.

“I’ve learned more about music theory, mixing and blending techniques, turntablism and scratching, different types of programming and software, and overall how to prepare for all types of gigs.”

ReOffender has been at it for almost a year now and spent his Memorial Day weekend driving around the greater DC area performing the entire time. For example, in a 72-hour period, ReOffender went from an in-store hip-hop gig at The Sports Zone in Greenbelt, Md.  to a top 40 dance-club night at Lupe in Dupont Circle and finally the Stars, Stripes, and Spokes bikini contest at RFK Stadium with Real Housewife of DC Michaele Salahi as a judge on Monday.

Pictured: DJ ReOffender at the Stars, Stripes and Spokes bikini contest with guest judge Michaele Salahi // Photo by Rachel Levitin

These gigs didn’t just hop onto his doorstep one day and say “Take me,” though. ReOffender attributes his success in landing professional gigs to the contacts he’s made through Beat Refinery and the online DJ community via Twitter.

Beat Refinery offers small class sizes of 8-10 students for 90 minutes at a time over six weeks. Beginners start with the basics including an overview of DJ theory (yes, there is such a thing), usage of DJ software, equiptment set-up, basic beat counting, and beat matching. Classes are available to DJs of all levels, though, from the beginner to the professional.

ReOffender’s favorite class so far was beat juggling and scratching techniques. Why? He learned from DJ I-Dee, a well-known name in the world of scratch music. That’s what Beat Refinery Offers – professionals in the field are at your fingertips if you choose to utilize the opportunity. It’s like Luke finding Yoda.

“I’m a firm believer in the fact that it’s never too late to learn anything new,” ReOffender said of his time with Beat Refinery. “If you have the drive then you should go for it.”

Summer Sessions at Beat Refinery are now open for registration.

Photo by Cameron Whitman // www.cameronwhitmanphotography.com

This little cutie was found Sunday afternoon in an alley near 16th NE. His rescuers describe him as “ridiculously sweet, trusting, quiet, and well-behaved” and as much as they’re enjoying his companionship, they’re hoping to reunite the pup with his family ASAP. If you recognize him, please email founddogdc@gmail.com.

Click here to view the embedded video.

In their search to find Sass, the owners have uncovered both the positive and negative facts of recovering their dog, including:

1) The city department charged with disposing of dead animals, does not notify pet owners even if the dead animal has tags and other easy identification.

2) While many area shelters post pictures of animals brought to their shelters online, the DC shelter does not, even though they have the capability.3) There are good people at the animal shelters.

4) There are trackers across the country that can be brought into help. Sassafras’ owners have had two in, one from Georgia and one from Baltimore, and others have provided advice.

5) There are many people willing to help out and complete strangers have done great things. Many of the volunteers who’ve helped are searching for their own lost animals or are just simply compelled by the story.

6) Social media really is active in DC – in addition to rescues and other dog groups that have posted, tweeted, and facebooked, there are many local neighborhood listservs and blogs that have responded. The above video, created to help with the search, now has more than 1100 views and the blog has more than 5200 page views.

7) Unexpectedly, and disgustingly, there are many crank callers who have made this painful situation much worse for Sassafras’ family.

Should you have any information about Sassafras, please contact Jeff and Beth at findsassafras@gmail.com or  call (202) 664-2301. Also visit the  “Find Lost Beagle Sassafras” blog to spread the word about Sassafras, and help this story have a happy ending.

Tomorrow, secrets of Area 51 will be revealed.

Okay, not quite all. But more than you’d expect. The International Spy Museum is hosting a special (and free!) documentary screening and author discussion tomorrow evening at 6:30 p.m. in conjunction with the National Geographic Channel. Annie Jacobsen is a contributing editor at the Los Angeles Times Magazine and an investigative reporter whose work has also appeared in the National Review and the Dallas Morning News. Her two-part series “The Road to Area 51” in the Los Angeles Times Magazine broke online reader records and remained the “most popular/most emailed” story for ten consecutive days. Her findings resulted in both a new book, AREA 51: An Uncensored History of America’s Top Secret Military Base, and a companion National Geographic special, Area 51 Declassified.

Jacobsen has been busy prepping for her book tour, which kicks off at the Spy Museum, but managed to squeeze off a few answers to WeLoveDC regarding Area 51, its purpose, and what really went on at America’s most well known Top Secret facility.

Annie Jacobsen, author of AREA 51: An Uncensored History of America’s Top Secret Military Base; photo by Michael Hiller

The idea for tackling the subject started innocuously enough. “In 2007 I was at a Christmas Eve dinner when an eighty-eight-year old scientist named Edward Lovick leaned over and said to me, ‘Have I got a good story for you.’” Jacobsen was surprised, as she had always known Lovick as a designer of airplane parts for most of his career. “As a national security reporter, I hear this line frequently—my work depends on it—but what Lovick told me ranked among the most tantalizing things I’d heard in a long time.”

What Lovick told her was that he wasn’t really an engineer but a physicist. More shockingly, he had been a physicist who had played a major role in helping the CIA develop in the area of aerial espionage. “The reason Lovick could suddenly divulge information that had been kept secret for fifty years was that the CIA had just declassified it,” she said. Why the secrecy? Lovick admitted that much of his secret work took place at Area 51. The top secret facility has gone by many names: Groom Lake, Dreamland, Paradise Ranch, Home Base, Watertown Strip, and Homey Airport. Nonetheless, it was confirmation that the facility was indeed real.

The admission triggered Jacobsen’s investigative nose. “I wrote to the assistant secretary of defense requesting an official tour of the Groom Lake Area,” she said. Lovick had told her that the CIA had given up control of the place decades earlier. “My request was formally denied, on Department of Defense letterhead, but oddly with the words ‘the Groom Lake Area’ separated out in quotes attributed to me, so as to make clear the Pentagon’s official position regarding their Nevada base: that locale may be part of your lexicon, they seemed to be saying, but it’s most definitely not officially part of ours. When I learned that the name Area 51 was still classified, that the government has never officially admitted that it actually exists, I sought to learn why.”

What developed over the course of the next few years was an accumulation of over 50 Area 51 veterans, including scientists, pilots, and soldiers. “Each man came to me by referral, starting with Lovick,” she said. “They are a small fraternity of soldiers, spies, scientists, and engineers who before this book were known only among themselves because so much of what they did was classified. On average, the book’s characters are in their mid-eighties, making the present day the third and final act of their lives. That so many individuals opened up with me, relaying their triumphs and tragedies, their sorrows and joys, has been an experience of a lifetime. Why me remains somewhat of a mystery.”

AREA 51: An Uncensored History of America’s Top Secret Military Base; photo courtesy Annie Jacobsen

The concept of a secret facility is not uniquely American. Every nation has at least one facility similar in nature, if not in scope or direction. The Soviet Union had its own copycat facility, NII-88, which was directly involved in the development and launch of the Sputnik satellite. Another Soviet facility, Novaya Zemlya, is suspected to be the site of full-scale underground nuclear testing. Yongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Center in North Korea is a suspected site furthering that country’s nuclear experimentation. And don’t forget Syria’s secret Al-Kibar site that was supposedly destroyed by Israel in 2007 in a nighttime aerial attack.

These days, the words “top secret facility” and “nuclear” go hand-in-hand. Area 51, as Jacobsen discovered, was no different, despite the facility’s place in conspiracy theories involving alien bodies and UFOs. “The truth is that America’s most famous secret federal facility was set up to advance military science and technology faster and further than any other foreign power in the world. And it still does that today,” said Jacobsen. One of the main thrusts of the facility’s purpose was harboring and developing nuclear technology, often under the oversight of the Department of Energy.

Contrary to popular thought, Area 51 was often the sight of multiple agencies conducting various technological experimentation. The projects were often compartmentalized through various systems of control. The CIA occupied and controlled a portion of Area 51 during the better part of the Cold War, developing their aerial reconnaissance programs like the U-2 and A-12 Oxcart. The Department of Defense uses it repeatedly for testing new aircraft and weapon designs, including the Have Blue (later the F-117 Stealth Fighter) and B-2 bomber programs.

‘Slide42′
courtesy of ’scopeland’

But more sinister are the implications that other secret projects have occurred there. One of the agencies involved was the Atomic Energy Commission (now the Department of Energy). The DOE has a different way of keeping secrets that runs completely contrary to standard governmental protocols. “In other words, the nuclear agency maintains a parallel body of secrets classified based on factors other than presidential executive orders. It is from the Atomic Energy Act of 1946 that the concept ‘born classified’ came to be,” said Jacobsen when asked to elaborate. “Even more terrifying is the Atomic Energy Commission’s ‘Restricted Data’ classification, which allows secrets to originate outside the government through the ‘thinking and research of private parties.’ The company’s ‘thinking and research’ would be ‘born classified,’ and even the President of the United States would not necessarily have a need-to-know about it.”

Jacobsen asserts that the DOE’s misdirection continues even today. “It is no coincidence that the agency behind some of the most nefarious and dangerous operations in U.S. history has changed its name four times. First it was called the Manhattan Project, then it changed its name to the Atomic Energy Commission. In 1975 it was renamed the Energy Research and Development Administration, or ERDA, and in 1977 it was renamed again, this time to the Department of Energy. Finally, in 2000, America’s nuclear weapons agency got a new name for the fourth time: the National Nuclear Security Administration, or NNSA, a department nestled away inside the Department of Energy,” she replied. “At the DOE website you will see that the organization prides itself as ‘the government department whose mission is to advance technology and promote related innovation in the United States,’ which makes it sound more like Apple Corporation than the federal agency that created 70,000 nuclear bombs, did untold damage to the environment, and conducted thousands of covert medical experiments on human beings without their consent.”

Jacobsen’s book goes into further detail regarding the medical experiments conducted at Area 51 and those done elsewhere by the AEC. These were uncovered by an advisory committee tasked by President Clinton in the 1990s after reporter Eileen Welsome exposed the agency’s plutonium experiments on children in Massachusetts.

‘GM “Old Look” Bus’
courtesy of ‘dave_7′

Primarily, however, the collective public curiosity is more on the possibility of aliens and spacecraft housed at Area 51. It’s not a topic that Jacobsen shies away from, either. The short version? As far as she knows, there are no alien bodies or alien spacecraft at the Nevada facility. She explores the Roswell incident from a different perspective: the crash was most likely a Russian plane; the alien bodies, Russian pilots. “I can only tell you what was told to me by my source, a man who himself worked on this rogue program, under the direction of Vannevar Bush and the Atomic Energy Commission,” she replied. “My source is an eyewitness to the Roswell crash remains, which came from Russia. He received them at Area 51, with four other EG&G engineers, and he worked to reverse-engineer this craft—he took it apart and put it back together again. But my source also told me—with no room for misinterpretation—that at Area 51, at Area S-4, he worked on the experiments with the human beings who were the pilots inside Stalin’s craft.”

So how then did Robert Scott Lazar, a 29 year-old scientist, get it wrong? Lazar appeared on a Las Vegas news show in 1989 with an investigative reporter and told the world he was a former Area 51 employee. He admitted to working on an alien spacecraft and had been shown an autopsy photograph of the alien pilot. He had also apparently witnessed scientists examining a small, live being that could have been an alien. None of Jacobsen’s interviewees ever recalled meeting Lazar, and none of them verified Lazar’s claims.

Jacobsen poses a comprehensive answer to Lazar’s claims in the book, involving governmental deception campaigns and an example from the 1940s testing of jet aircraft and gorillas. “In 1942, when the jet engine was first being developed, the Army Air Corps wanted to keep it secret,” she said. Airplanes at this time flew strictly through propeller propulsion, so the concept of seeing a plane fly without one is a mind-boggling one. “Every time a test pilot took a Bell XP-59A jet aircraft out on a flight test over the Muroc dry lake bed in California’s Mojave Desert, the crew attached a dummy propeller to the airplane’s nose. The Bell pilots had a swath of airspace in which to perform flight tests, but every now and then a pilot training nearby on a P-38 Lightning would try to get a look.

“Rumors started to circulate at local bars and pilots wanted to know what was being hidden from them. According to my interview with Edwards Air Force Base, chief Bell test pilot Jack Woolams got an idea. He ordered a gorilla mask from a Hollywood prop house, removed the mock-up propeller from the nose of his jet airplane, put on the gorilla mask, and took to the skies,” she said. “When a P-38 Lightning came flying nearby for a look, Woolams maneuvered his airplane so that the Lightning pilot could look inside. Instead of seeing Woolams, the pilot saw a gorilla flying an airplane—an airplane that had no propeller. The stunned pilot landed and went straight to the local bar and ordered a stiff drink. He told the other pilots what he’d definitely seen with his own eyes. His colleagues told him he was drunk, that he was an embarrassment, and that he should go home. Meanwhile, the concept of the gorilla mask caught on among other Bell test pilots, and soon Woolams’s own colleagues joined the act. Over the course of the next few months, other P-38 Lightning pilots spotted the gorilla flying the propeller-less airplane.

“Some versions of the historical record have the psychiatrist for the Army Air Corps getting involved, helping the Lightning pilots to understand how a clear-thinking fighter pilot could become disoriented at altitude and believe he had seen something that clearly was not really there. No one dared go public because everyone knows that a gorilla can’t fly an airplane.”

Jacobsen posits that a similar situation happened with Lazar. “Perhaps Lazar drew the only conclusion he could draw based on the information he was given,” she said. Lazar had told the reporter he had been hired specifically to work on an outer-space craft at Area 51 and was shown the photo on purpose. “I believe Lazar may have been the subject of a deception campaign. Look what happened to him when he went public with his story. Lazar lost his job and was run out of town. In written correspondence with me, Lazar has stated very clearly that it’s been difficult for him to be taken seriously as a scientist because he is known as ‘the UFO guy.’”

‘Going There’
courtesy of ‘Claire L. Evans’

According to Jacobsen, the UFO conspiracy, even today, still serves a viable function for the CIA. She states in the book that the CIA’s handling of UFO secrets is more a form of strategic deception than any type of coverup. “Look at the agency’s second director, General Walter Bedell Smith, who set UFO policy for the CIA in the early 1950s. Bedell Smith was an extraordinarily capable man, very powerful and trusted by the President. During World War II, Bedell Smith had been General Eisenhower’s chief of staff. After the war, he was Truman’s ambassador to the Soviet Union. Whatever the Russians were up to, Bedell Smith had access to it,” she said. “When he took over as director of the CIA, he told the National Security Council that the UFO craze sweeping the nation was a dangerous thing. That the American public was susceptible to ‘hysterical mass behavior’ as had happened in 1938 with the radio broadcast of The War of the Worlds.

“Bedell Smith had to have known about Stalin’s hoax with the flying disc sent over New Mexico,” Jacobsen continued. “In declassified CIA papers, he expresses concern that the Russians could be planning another UFO hoax to cause panic, overload America’s early-warning air-defense system, and make room for a sneak nuclear attack. He put together a group called the Psychological Strategy Board to start a ‘debunking’ campaign meant to reduce the public’s interest in flying saucers. He even suggested getting the Disney Corporation involved. This backfired. People were far too interested in UFOs to disregard them; it’s the same today. Presently, it serves the CIA to allow the myth of UFOs and aliens to prosper because it keeps the proverbial eye off the ball: Stalin’s flying disc and the child-sized aviators who were inside.”

There’s a lot more within the pages of Jacobsen’s book than just top secret programs and UFO-like conspiracies. She forces the reader to look hard at the moral and ethical questions that arise from such secrecy. Ranging from the American use of Nazi scientists after World War II to the abuses of the AEC to nuclear proliferation, Jacobsen delves deeply into Area 51’s deceptions and power plays, examining its effect on the American psyche. Is Area 51 still needed today? It’s a tough question to answer, and one Jacobsen doesn’t try to resolve. Instead, she takes the information gained over the course of interviews and declassified documents and lays them out before us in all their ugly glory. While we may find some of the answers we’ve sought, the questions that arise from those answers force us to continue looking, both at and beyond Area 51.

The Area 51 Declassified screening takes place tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. at the International Spy Museum, 800 F. Street NW. A roundtable discussion with the author and a few of her sources will occur after the screening. The museum is located one block from the Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro station on the Red, Green, and Yellow lines. The screening and discussion is free to the public. Copies of her book will be on sale after the program and a book signing is planned.

Pam Chvotkin loves sports. She loves taking pictures of live games. She loves talking or writing about a team and their efforts. There’s a glimmer in her eye when she watches a team progress, not only as a reporter, but as an on-looker.

After graduating from the University of Tennessee and spending some time in Knoxville, Tenn., Chvotkin moved and now currently resides in the greater-DC area.

For the moment, Chvotkin is freelancing for ESPN while serving as an active member of the DC sports media for several sports organizations. She also keeps a blog called Break In The Action.

Chvotkin took a few minutes to sit down and tell We Love DC what it is that gets here so enthusiastic about Washington sports. The following interview speaks to that.

Rachel: What is it about sports that got you thinking “Maybe I could write about this stuff” – was there a moment you just realized it was something you had a passion for?

Pam Chvotkin: I live in a family with sports fanatics, a father in sports broadcasting and two older brothers that were deeply involved with sports in high school, college, and professionally. At a very young age, it became a passion of mine as well, and followed suit. At some point, probably in middle school, I realized that I had something to contribute and I had a voice. Interestingly enough, people listened.

Pictured: WTOP’s Craig Heist and Pam Chovtkin. Photo courtesy of Pam Chovtkin.

R: In a field dominated by men, what has your experience been while covering professional sports?

P: It may be a male dominated environment, but I’ve had nothing but positive experiences from men who have taken a mentor-like role when I was first starting out who lead by example to show me what a true professional was. Because it was an industry that I had followed at a young I’ve had opportunities that allowed me to learn and grow. Regardless of sports, this profession is just like any other corporate business. I’m there, just like everyone else, covering a story. Even though I can be side tracked that it is an exciting event and happens to be something I’m very interested in, you still have to maintain your journalistic integrity. And Even though I might be a fan, I am aware that there is a very fine line between enthusiasm and reservation. By observing these male figures, I was able to learn how and when to draw that line.

R: Is there any advice you feel you could offer to women just as passionate as you who find it difficult to constantly feel the burden of a male dominated press corp?

P: Sure, make friends! Be friendly. It is often that journalists bounce stories between each other. It may be a competitive industry, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get help from others or offer to help yourself. Volunteer and put yourself in a position to learn. The great thing about sports is the trends are continually changing. Each season there is a different type of team, whether its a new structure with coaching, different players, or a strategic game plan.

For example, when I started out, I learned statistics, a mathematical approach to sports analyzation. On another occasion, there was someone else doing statistics, so I didn’t have much to do for the game other than just watch and observe. I was offered a gig with ESPN and learned how to keep track of television time outs. Although I had never done it before, I was more than eager to learn. The gig became available because the person couldn’t make the game, he was stuck in traffic. I offered to help and It was something I could add to the list of different things I could do during actual game operations. I kept building my resume from there.

In this industry you earn your wings one step at a time. It doesn’t happen overnight. When you do reach a level of success, pass your knowledge on to others. In a socially networked world, these will be your sources and people who are not only your peers and colleagues, but go a step beyond the casual fan.

Photo courtesy of Pam Chovtkin.

R: From boxing to basketball, hockey to horse racing and everything in between, is there a particular sport that you prefer covering over another?

P: I enjoy covering all sports, I think they each bring something new and exciting to the table because each are so different in their own way, but my preferences are football and basketball, both college and professional.

R: Go back and dig through that memory box they call the human brain – is there a singular game you remember being your favorite to cover or write about after the fact?

P: There were so many amazing moments I have had the chance to witness and watch live. But right now, two different experiences come to mind:

I remember back in college at the University of Tennessee, there was a game I had attended at Neyland Stadium with this “Super fan” group called Orange Nation. While I wasn’t working the game, I had written about it afterwards. Florida, one of Tennessee’s rivals had possession of the ball at the start of the 4th quarter, and was ahead by a point after a missed field goal by UT’s kicker, the first his first of his career. Talk about pressure! I remember, painted face and all, and being around other fans who were just as nervous and anxious as I was to get the ball back. That was the longest 4th quarter of my life up to that point. After an altercation, a penalty, and a forced punt with six seconds left we managed to get the ball back within field goal range. The 50-yard kick was good and we won by the skin of our teeth. The place erupted. It felt like an earthquake. My voice was gone, and I am sure I went partially deaf that night. But it was one of the best moments I felt as a fan and was excited to do a recap of the experience afterwards. I knew I wanted to find some way to cover this excitment for a living. Sports is so unpredictable!

Another memorable experience was this past years NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament I worked. The opening rounds and first game of the tournament was played in the regional city in Washington, DC. I was given a lot of responsibility. The excitement, the attention, the pressure. Not to mention the games, just wow! The experience inevitably would lead two of those teams to the Final Four (final game!) and one of them to win a National Championship. That experience overall as a collective, would rank as a significant one. I remember being in the tunnel ready to run stats out to media as the game just ended when Butler upset Pittsburgh with a last second shot by Matt Howard. The atmosphere was something I couldn’t explain. I remember the majority of the hall lights were off because it was a late game and there was nothing but me and videographers waiting for the teams to come back to their respective locker rooms. All I remember seeing is Matt Howard jogging back thinking “wow, that just happened”. It was an amazing moment to be apart of.

Pictured: Lebron James and Pam Chovtkin. Photo courtesy of Pam Chovtkin.

R: So here’s a biggie – why do you love D.C. sports?

P: The wonderful thing about working in sports within the DC area is it is diverse, accessible, and sociable. Every major sport is represented. In addition to the professional atmosphere, the college sports scene is alive with more than 15 local schools competing in over 20 different sports. We routinely have division, conference and national champions in our area. Growing up here, there was also highly competitive high school sports. Many of our local athletes go on to have successful college and professional careers. There’s something for everyone.

R: Do you have a favorite D.C. sport? If so, what is it and why?

P: I love too many sports to pick a favorite. Each has their loyal fan base which I am happy to be a part of, win or lose.

R: Despite heartbreak and embarrassment, the D.C. sports fan community remains vocal and proud when cheering on their teams from season to season. How would you define D.C. sports fans when compared to fans in other major sports cities like New York, Boston or Chicago?

P: Despite all of that, I find that our fans are knowledgeable, well behaved, and passionate about their teams.

R: What advice would you offer a new D.C. area resident when it comes time for them to decide whether or not they should root for a local team?

P: If you’re unsure of how you might feel, go straight to the source and find out for yourself. Buy a ticket and go to an event, you won’t regret doing so.