Extended Thursday Hours at the Phillips

Thu., Aug. 20 (5-8:30pm): PHILLIPS AFTER 5, the popular weekly extended summer hours programs at The Phillips Collection (21st & Q Sts.) will be showcasing local video artists John Bowen of Videokiller and Robin Bell, in collaboration with Dissident Display, will be presenting “Sensory Remix: A Video-Art Collage,” comprising live projections, mixing and distorting original and found video with music. Elsewhere in the museum the John Kocur Quartet will be performing original music interspersed with classics by Cole Porter, Jerome Kern, and Antonio Carlos Jobim.

And, since this is an art museum which is currently featuring the special exhibition “Paint Made Flesh,” there will be a showing of a documentary featuring an interview with British painter Francis Bacon that reveals the lifestyle and inspirations behind this acclaimed artist’s haunting paintings. In addition to being able to view the special exhibition for a $12 admission charge (admission to the “After 5″ event is by donation), the permanent collection galleries will be open –  as will a cash bar. For more info, call 202-387-2151 and for a complete rundown on the remaining weekly programs through September 3 visit http://tinyurl.com/npw3vb.

Open House at The Dance Institute in Columbia Heights

Sat., Aug. 22 (12noon-4pm): The Dance Institute of Washington (3400 14th St.), just three blocks north of the Columbia heights Metro station, will be hosting a free OPEN HOUSE. Visitors will be able to take part in free classes and enjoy performances by the Institute’s pre-professional students at 1:45 pm and by the Washington Reflections Dance Company starting at 3:35 pm. In addition, there will also be studio tours and a Q & A sessions with Fabian Barnes, the Institute’s founder. For more info and to RSVP for any of the free classes, call (202) 371-9656 or send an email to astewart@danceinstitute.org.

The free, 30-minute classes will accommodate dancers of all ages and skill levels and will be offered at the following times: 12:15pm — Ballet (youth), Hip Hop (youth), Pre-Dance; 1:10pm — African (youth), Modern (adult), Pre-Dance; 2:05pm — African (adult), Jazz (youth), Pre-Dance; 3pm — Hip Hop (youth), Ballet (adult), Tap (youth).

Columbia Heights Heritage Trail Nearing Completion

Wed., Aug. 26 (7pm): Planning for the October opening of the Columbia Heights Heritage Trail will be the subject of a METING to be held at the Urban League, (2901 14th St.). The signs for the Trail are now in production, and their installation will coincide with the completion of the plaza at 14th Street and Park Road, expected to be around the end of September. The District’s transportation department has given the Heritage Trail Working Group permission to hold the opening ceremonies on the plaza on Saturday afternoon, October 24. For more info, contact Mara Cherkasky at Cultural Tourism DC, either by email to MCherkasky@CulturalTourismDC.org or by calling (202) 661-7582.

JCC to Commemorate 40th Anniversary of Stonewall

Thu., Sep. 10 (7pm): The DC Jewish Community Center’s Gay & Lesbian Outreach and Engagement (GLOE) Committee will be presenting “Breaking Down a Stonewall: 40 Years of LGBT Jewish Activism,” a special program at the Sixth & I Historic Synagogue (600 I St., NW) to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the STONEWALL RIOTS with an insider’s look at several generations of activism from the LGBT Jewish community. The $6 can be purchased on line at www.washingtondcjcc.org/gloe. For more info, contact GLOE’s director, Justin Lerner by email at justinl@washingtondcjcc.org or call (202) 777-3253.

The program will be moderated by Winnie Stachelberg, Senior Vice President for External Affairs at the Center for American Progress. Prior to that role, she served as Vice President of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. Members of the panel will include Anne Kronenberg, Harvey Milk’s 1977 campaign manager and current Director of Policy and Planning at the San Francisco Department of Public Health; Dr. Dana Beyer, the first transgender candidate for State Delegate in the Maryland House of Delegates, and current Vice President of Equality Maryland; and Robert Raben, former Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Clinton Administration and founder of the Raben Group. Also invited is Frank Kameny, the well-known — especially to local residents — leading figure in the gay rights movement who petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court with the first civil rights claim based on sexual orientation. He also known for having coined the slogan, “Gay is Good.”

Weekly Free Noontime Organ Concerts to Resume at Thomas Circle

Fri., Sep. 11 (12:15pm): The weekly MUSIC AT MIDDAY free, 45-minute lunch hour concerts at National City Christian Church on Thomas Circle will be resuming for its 26th season. But this year, things will be different: First, the weekly programs will be on Fridays (they had been on Thursdays) and secondly, the programs will feature performances on the church’s magnificent 7,000-pipe, five-keyboard Möller organ exclusively, demonstrating, in the words of Charles Miller, the church’s Minister of Music, the “thrilling, sublime, audience-friendly, and entertaining music written by the great musical geniuses . . . and performed by Washington DC’s finest concert organists.”

But there will also be more. Hands-on displays of organ pipes, colorful photographs of the inner workings of the organ, interesting information on pipe organ history, and a post-recital demonstration of how the organist operates the five keyboards, pedal board, and over 300 controls will provide an up-close and personal look at this complex and fascinating musical machine. The idea behind this interactive approach to engaging the audience is to convey the fun and excitement experienced by the amazing sounds and energy put forth by a great pipe organ as is this one. As Dr. Miller says of the organ, it is truly a “magical, musical, mystical machine!” To learn more, call 202-797-0103.

SELECTED STREET CRIMES

Reported for July 3-28 2009

Bryant, 100 blk.: food delivery man robbed of cash at gunpoint by 2 teenage boys [11:45pm, Fri., 7/24]

Calvert, 1900 blk. (inside park): man’s wallet lifted from his pocket by another who came from behind & when he turned around to confront the robber, was slashed in his face with a knife [3:30pm, Fri., 6/17]

Champlain, 2300 blk.: man & woman robbed of wallet & purse at gunpoint by 2 men following first having been asked “for change” [3:15am, Sun., 7/5]

Columbia, 500 blk.: 2 persons robbed at gunpoint by 2 others [3:15am, Sat., 7/11]

Columbia, 1000 blk.: person accosted by 2 men demanding money, then assaulted; nothing taken [3:45am, Sun., 7/5]

Columbia, 1000 blk.: woman starting to get on her scooter accosted by 2 men who pushed her to the ground & then rode off on the scooter [6am, Sat., 7/18]

Columbia, 1600 blk.: woman accosted by 2 others, one of whom demanded her wallet, then punched her causing her to fall, whereupon both turned & grabbed the purse of another woman & fled but then dropped the purse which was recovered [1:15am, Tue., 7/14]

Columbia, 1800 blk.: man approached from behind by another who grabbed his backpack & robbed him of his iPod that was inside the backpack [6pm, Thu., 7/10]

Conn. & Kalorama: man attacked & robbed of cell phone by 2 men, one of whom (21 year-old from Lanham, Md.) was arrested [12:45am, Sat., 7/25]

Florida, 100 blk.: man accosted by another who forced him into adjacent alley at gunpoint where 2 other men joined in robbing him of cash & his shoes, whereupon he was struck on the head with the gun [1:45am, Thu., 7/23]

Florida, 100 blk.: person attacked & robbed by 5 teenage boys [10:45pm, Sat., 7/25]

Georgia & Newton: man robbed of cash at gunpoint by 4 others [2:30am, Sun., 7/19]

Georgia, 3500 blk.: man at ATM approached by another man & woman, the man, with his hand near his pocket suggesting he had a gun, demanded money but got none when the other one ran into a nearby Laundromat [10:45pm, Sat., 7/4]

Georgia, 3500 blk.: man approached by 2 others from behind, struck on his head causing him to fall & then robbed [11:45pm, Fri., 7/17]

Georgia, 3700 blk.: woman’s purse snatched while waiting for bus by 2 men [12:15pm, Sun., 7/5]

Georgia, 3700 blk.: man assaulted by several others outside Metro station entrance [12:30am, Fri., 7/17]

Gresham, 700 blk.: man attacked & robbed by 2 others [11:45pm, Mon., 7/28]

Harvard, 1400 blk.: man approached by another who asked that he follow him into the adjacent alley & when refused demanded cash & moved his hand to his waistband as to suggest he had a gun, but obtained nothing [10:45am, Wed., 7/15]

Holmead, 3400 blk.: man accosted by 3 others, one of whom demanded his wallet at knifepoint but when he removed it from his pocket he tossed to another who was with him, whereupon the 2 men who tried to rob him fled [1:45am, Sat., 7/4]

Kennedy, 300 blk.: man robbed at knifepoint by another [11:45pm, Sat., 7/11]

Kenyon, 600 blk.: man getting out of taxi accosted by 2 others who demanded money, then stabbed him in the stomach & robbed him [3:30am, Sat., 7/5]

Kenyon, 1100 blk.: woman robbed by man who was then chased by some witnesses who succeeded in recovering her property [10:30pm, Sat., 7/18]

M, 1300 blk.: woman approached by man who spoke to her but when she did not respond, he pushed her & attempted to take cash from her but she fled & reported incident to an MPD officer who made an arrest [9am, Sun., 7/19]

Monroe, 1000 blk.: man threatened & robbed by 5 others [2:15pm, Sat., 7/25]

Morton, 700 blk.: 2 persons assaulted & robbed by man [12:45am, Mon., 7/20]

New Hamp., 1700 blk.: man accosted by 2 others, one of whom put him in a chokehold & robbed him [2am, Thu., 7/16]

Ontario, 2200 blk.: man robbed by another at gunpoint of wallet, cell phone & iPod [2:45am, Sat., 7/4]

P, 1700 blk.: man who tried to run away from 2 others following him tripped & fell, whereupon they kicked him & demanded money but then fled without robbing him [11:15am, Tue., 7/7]

Park (Pl.), 3500 blk.: man sitting on his porch approached by another who robbed him of cash at gunpoint [10:45pm, Thu., 7/23]

Q, 600 blk.: 2 persons approached by a boy who implied he had a gun but got nothing when he was pushed by one of the persons & then both fled [5:45pm, Sun., 7/19]

Rock Creek Church & Spring: man & companion assaulted by a group of juveniles who then robbed him of his bicycle [10:15pm, Sat., 7/11]

Rock Creek Church, 800 blk.: person robbed of wallet by man who acted as if he had a gun & then got into a parked car & drove off [6:30am, Mon. /27]

S, 1400 blk.: person accosted by man who appeared to have gun & robbed cash, iPhone & Blackberry [10:30pm, Mon. 7/13]

Sherman, 2200 blk.: woman robbed of wallet by man who acted as if he had a gun [3am, Sun., 7/26]

Swann, 1700 blk.: woman assaulted & robbed by 3 men [4am, Sun., 7/19]

T, 200 blk.: man sitting on bench surrounded by 3 others, one of whom brandished a knife, then was assaulted & robbed [2:30am, Thu., 7/16]

Taylor, 800 blk.: man accosted by another who had been sitting with a group of men & a woman that he was passing & who demanded that he give him his iPod, and when he refused, he was placed in a chokehold, shoved to the ground & robbed not only of the iPod but also of his cell phone & keys, though the keys were then tossed back to him by one of the other men as the group fled [12noon, Mon. 7/13]

U, 100 blk.: person in a car robbed of iPod & cell phone at gunpoint by 2 men [11:15pm, Wed., 7/22]

Upshur, 800 blk.: customer sitting at a table on a restaurant’s sidewalk patio had wallet that was out on the table grabbed by 2 young men who were passing by [11pm, Wed., 7/8]

1st, 1000 blk.: man assaulted by 3 others who robbed him of bicycle & backpack [2:45am, Sun., 7/5]

1st, 1100 blk.: man assaulted & robbed by 2 others [4:15am, Sun., 7/19]

6th, 600 blk.: person approached by woman who snatched a bag, whereupon companion attempted to get it back but was struck on the head [10pm, Fri., 7/3]

7th, 800 blk.: cash snatched from woman’s hand by man riding past her on bicycle [3pm, Tue., 7/7]

7th, 1400 blk.: man who  had just left the Kennedy Recreation Center accosted by 6 others who knocked him to the ground & robbed him of his shoes [9pm, Tue., 7/28]

9th & Sheridan: woman who refused demand of man for money then assaulted & robbed [2pm, Sun., 7/5]

9th & Kennedy: man driving forced to stop when another walked out in front of the car, whereupon he smashed car window, brandished a gun, grabbed a duffle bag from inside the car & passed it to another [3am, Mon., 7/6]

10th, 1800 blk.: woman’s purse snatched by man but recovered following her chasing him & him dropping it as he fled [7:15am, Fri., 7/17]

11th & Park: woman’s purse snatched by man who came from behind [6:15am, Sun., 7/12]

11th, 1200 blk.: man threatened & robbed of cash & keys by 2 others [12:15am, Thu., 7/23]

11th, 3300 blk.: man attacked & robbed of cell phone & bicycle by 4 teenage boys [10pm, Fri., 7/24]

13th, 1900 blk.: person’s property snatched by another who came from behind [10:15pm, Fri., 7/24]

13th, 2200 blk.: 2 persons approached by 2 men, one of whom asked for directions following which both men brandished guns & robbed them [3:45am, Sat., 7/11]

13th, 3500 blk.: man attacked & robbed by 5 teenage boys [11:30am, Sun., 7/26]

14th & Girard: person foiuled attempted robbery by boy who then fled [11:15am, Wed., 7/15]

14th, 3900 blk.: man threatened & robbed by 3 others, 2 of whom (one, age 18 & the other, age 23) were arrested [9:15pm, Sat., 7/25]

15th & Harvard: man accosted by 3 others who got out of vehicle that had pulled alongside, one of whom hit him on the head with a gun, demanded his money & when he did not turn it over was assaulted by another of the men who thereupon robbed him [5:30am, Sat., 7/4]

15th, 2300 blk. (alley): man accosted by another wearing a ski mask, forced to the ground & robbed of wallet, cell phone, sunglasses & bracelet [10:30am, Thu., 7/23]

16th, 3100 blk.: man accosted by 4 others demanding his cell phone & when he refused was assaulted & robbed of it and cash [3am, Sun., 7/5]

16th, 3600 blk.: man accosted by boy with knife who attempted to rob him but was arrested at the scene my an MPD officer who witnessed the incident [8pm, Fri., 7/17]

20th & Belmont: woman threatened & robbed of cell phone by 2 men who then fled in a waiting car 1:15am, Thu., 7/23]