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** surviving the apocalypse in style: a luxury apartment in a nuclear missile silo
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** Posted by Franklin Schneider
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http://urbanscrawldc.com/2016/01/28/surviving-the-apocalypse-in-style-a-luxury-apartment-in-a-nuclear-missile-silo/

“Fwd: Thought you might enjoy this.”

Has anyone ever enjoyed a forwarded email like this from their parents? I doubt it. Because when they say that they “thought you might enjoy this,” what they really mean is, “I enjoyed this, let’s discuss this thing I enjoyed.” Which, you know, you probably did not enjoy, because it’s usually an article with a headline like “You’ll NEVER go anywhere alone EVER AGAIN after you hear this woman’s story!” Or “Watch this HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT disprove five hundred years of so-called ‘science’ with A BIBLE VERSE and A PURPLE CRYSTAL he found at the DOG PARK.”

But once in a while, these forwarded items are interesting, though not for the intended reasons. I recently received a forwarded email from my father about this luxury survival bunker in upstate New York (http://www.silohome.com/) that’s built into a former nuclear missile silo. On the ground level, it’s a regular home, but underground are two levels of reinforced concrete living space, which leads to a huge nine-level missile shaft that goes two hundred feet underground and can withstand a nuclear explosion. The subject line read, “Thought you might be interested in this.” And I was, as was he. But we were interested in it for completely different reasons. My dad is sort of an eccentric; he’s a prepper, though he’s too lazy to do any actual prepping, and he wants to be a survivalist, though when my mom goes on vacation, he eats cereal for every meal because he can’t cook. He’s interested in this house because he wants to buy it, and live there, so that when the imminent
collapse of civilization comes to pass, he’ll have a chance at surviving. I’m interested in it because it represents the weird intersection of luxury real estate development with apocalyptic prepper paranoia. With this tension in mind, I thought it might be interesting to discuss this house with him. Our instant-messaging exchange, lightly edited, is below.

Me: This is a pretty nice house. Just the above-ground part of it, if it was in Northwest DC, would be a couple million at least. Open floor plan. Three walls of oversized windows, lots of light.

Dad: The windows are nice. But if you were anywhere near them during a nuclear explosion, you’d be sliced to ribbons by pieces of glass split seconds before you were vaporized by the blast wave. ...read mor (http://urbanscrawldc.com/2016/01/28/surviving-the-apocalypse-in-style-a-luxury-apartment-in-a-nuclear-missile-silo/) e (http://urbanscrawldc.com/2015/10/29/granny-pods-and-the-future-of-parent-warehousing/)


** a review of back there, then: a dc historical genealogy memoir
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** Review by Stacie Marinelli
Posted by Robert Bettmann
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http://urbanscrawldc.com/2016/01/25/a-review-of-back-there-then-a-historical-genealogy-memoir/

When Marietta Stevens Crichlow was turning 90, her daughter Linda was in the midst of preparing a special birthday remembrance when she came upon a genealogical memoir that Marietta had been researching and writing for many years. Fascinated by this neatly assembled collection of stories and documents, Linda took up the task of organizing and extending the narrative of her African-American family’s past into a coherent document, eventually published as Back There, Then. The result is a history of the Stevens-Crichlow ancestral line from slavery to the present, as well as historical surveys of places where family members had lived and notes about various world events that affected (particularly) African Americans.

Updating Marietta’s manuscript involved more research in libraries and archives, interviews with relatives, consultation with academics, and membership in the African-American Genealogical Association. While the names of a few enslaved family members could be found, no details of their lives were discovered. To give some idea of the wide reach of genealogy sources, documents searched included marriage licenses, birth certificates, death notices, city directories, census data, land deeds, business cards, estate records, gravestones, local histories, newspaper articles, maps, diaries, photos, letters, and church newsletters. A look at the handwritten letters and directories included in the appendices gave me a real admiration for the hard work of historians who must decipher faded and often illegible records.

A genealogical memoir attempts to document rather than embellish a family story. What can’t be known is often as interesting as the “facts.” To fit this model, Marietta and Linda validated what they could with a wide range of resources, but also included some family lore they could not document. One of the most compelling mysteries is whether the slave owner Wilmer McLean (in whose home Lee surrendered to Grant in 1865) fathered a child named Lucy with Betsy Love, Marietta’s enslaved maternal great-great grandmother. ...read more (http://urbanscrawldc.com/2016/01/25/a-review-of-back-there-then-a-historical-genealogy-memoir/)


** finding peruvian flavors in the district
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** Posted by Travis Mitchell
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http://urbanscrawldc.com/2016/01/26/finding-peruvian-flavors-in-the-district/

Washington is home to many diverse cuisines, representing countries from around the world. Peruvian food is among the most flavorful and comforting of all these choices. It’s also something that most people likely haven’t thoroughly explored.

The District has many Peruvian restaurants, from casual to formal – and some are just months old. Here are some dishes that curious diners should know about when ordering and exploring these foods.

Peruvian-Style Chicken

Peruvian cooking is perhaps best known for fantastic rotisserie-roasted chicken. This method produces meat that is juicy and savory and skin that’s crispy and delightful. The dish is typically accompanied by traditional Peruvian side dishes such as fried potatoes or yucca, rice and beans or a simple salad. Put it all together and you’ve got a meal that’s tasty, filling and super affordable.

It’s easy enough to find these types of restaurants in the area, though the best spots are in the suburbs (these are generally far superior to anything in the city proper). Pencil in a trip to Super Chicken (http://www.superchickenfallschurch.com/) , which has multiple locations including in Falls Church and Tysons. In the city, you can find solid versions at Chicken Rico (http://www.chicken-rico.com/) or Chix DC (http://www.chixdc.com/menu.html) , which has a couple of addresses. There’s even a version at Del Campo (http://delcampodc.com/) , although it’s most known as being an Argentinian steakhouse. ...read more (http://urbanscrawldc.com/2016/01/26/finding-peruvian-flavors-in-the-district/)


** person of interest: tricia mccauley, district devil beard oil
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** Posted by Lauren Stafford
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http://urbanscrawldc.com/2016/01/27/person-of-interest-tricia-mccauley/

Beards have become more and more popular among the male population, they are everywhere, especially during the winter months (and of course no shave November). I have a friend with a very impressive two-years-in-the-making beard. We’ve actually had some conversations about how to take care of it, and caring for a beard (http://www.districtdevil.com/) is not as easy as shampoo and conditioner. It takes some TLC to keep both your beard and the skin underneath your beard in a healthy state. Enter, Tricia McCauley, creator of District Devil Beard Oil (http://www.districtdevil.com/) .

Her inspiration according to Etsy (https://www.etsy.com/shop/DistrictDevil) , “District Devil was inspired by a bearded friend. He asked if I made beard oil – I didn’t, and I thought it was kind of hilarious. Then I started researching, and learned that (a) beard oil is so helpful to facial hair and skin, and (b) most beard oils out there are just oil, with a dash of scent. I have a master’s degree in herbal medicine, and knew I could create a product that really, really supported beard health.”

What makes District Devil unique?

They smell amazing and you won’t find anything fake in District Devil’s oil. Each bottle is formulated by an herbalist so it is nothing but natural, good for you ingredients. Some of those ingredients include argan oil, chamomile, and burdock root which all support not only the health of your beard, but your skin as well, which is just as important. Even better, they are homemade in DC.

Tricia gave us a little more insight into her life, so here is a little bit about who she is…

What is a typical day for you (or your team)…?

There’s no really typical day. Depending on the season, tasks include infusing herbs in oil, blending up beard oil, making labels, updating website or social media, ordering supplies, vending at a market, scoping out retail opportunities, bringing orders to the post office. ...read more (http://urbanscrawldc.com/2016/01/27/person-of-interest-tricia-mccauley/)


** 5 must-know restaurant week tips
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** Posted by Travis Mitchell
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http://urbanscrawldc.com/2016/01/22/5-must-know-restaurant-week-tips/The annual winter Restaurant Week (http://www.ramw.org/restaurantweek) promotion is happening right now and runs through Sunday the 31st. It’s a long-running tradition in the city that’s designed to drum up business during the slow winter season as well as encourage customers to try restaurants that might otherwise be out of their budget.

The basics of the deal is that participating restaurants offer fixed-price menus that run $22 for lunch and $35 for dinner and typically include three courses. But that’s only the beginning of navigating a successful Restaurant Week. Here are a few things to know when deciding whether or not to take advantage of the deals.

1. Not all restaurants offer full menus.

Participating in restaurant week doesn’t always mean you’ll be able to pick off the whole menu. Some places prefer to pare down to a few choices per course to make the week more manageable for the kitchen and servers as well as manage the costs of offering more expensive items.

This doesn’t mean avoid 100 percent, but if you’re set on a particular dish, be sure to check the menu ahead of making a reservation. A few good bets offering full menus are Chef Geoffs (http://www.chefgeoff.com/) , Belga Cafe (http://www.belgacafe.com/index.asp) and District Commons (http://www.districtcommonsdc.com/district.html) . (http://urbanscrawldc.com/2016/01/22/5-must-know-restaurant-week-tips/) ...read mor (http://urbanscrawldc.com/2016/01/22/5-must-know-restaurant-week-tips/) e (http://urbanscrawldc.com/2016/01/22/5-must-know-restaurant-week-tips/)


** Elko Tract: virginia's abandoned "area 51"
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** Posted by Franklin Schneider
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** http://urbanscrawldc.com/2016/01/27/elko-tract-virginias-abandoned-area-51/
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** It sounds like something out of “The X-Files” – just east of Richmond is a fake city, built by the government to fool Nazi bombers during WW2, that was repurposed after the war for secret use.
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During World War 2, the government was afraid of enemy incursions onto the US mainland; Japanese bombers had already attacked Oregon (http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/six-killed-in-oregon-by-japanese-bomb) , and in the First World War, a German u-boat had opened fire on the Massachusetts town of Orleans (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_on_Orleans) . In 1942, soldiers from the 936th camouflage battalion came to the Elko Tract and laid down a fake airstrip, built buildings made of canvas stretched over plywood, and wired a system of working lights, in case German or Japanese bombers made it to the east coast. If German bombers appeared in Virginia, the plan was for the real Richmond to turn out all the lights, while the fake Richmond would light up like a Christmas tree. Nazis would then drop their bombs on the fake Richmond – Elko Tract – and then go home, none the wiser. These tactics had proved successful in Europe, where Britain had diverted German bombers
and successfully concealed planning for the Normandy landing by using inflatable tanks and fake military installations to fool German spies.

Of course, no Nazi bombers ever crossed the Atlantic, and after the war, the state of Virginia found themselves with a fake, empty city on their hands. After some debate, they decided to build an African-American hospital on the site. (Hospitals were still segregated in Virginia at this time.) By 1956, the local government had built all the necessary infrastructure – sewers, roads, sidewalks, even a water tower – when the hospital plan was derailed by local opposition from people who didn’t want black employees living nearby. ...read more (http://urbanscrawldc.com/2016/01/27/elko-tract-virginias-abandoned-area-51/)


** this weekend: bei bei, food & spies
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** Posted by Lauren Stafford
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http://urbanscrawldc.com/2016/01/28/this-weekend-2/Baby Panda Bei Bei

Now that the snow has pretty much cleared the streets, you can finally go see Baby Bei Bei at the Smithsonian National Zoological Park (http://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/giantpandas/) . He is a lot bigger than he used to be but still adorable and worth a visit. Pandas are a very entertaining animal but there are less than 2,000 left in their native habitat (around 300 are surviving through captive conservation), luckily The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute is a leader in giant panda conservation. Visits to the zoo are free, and a fun way to spend the afternoon. If you can’t make it to the zoo you can catch a glimpse of the panda family on their Panda cam (http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/WebCams/giant-panda.cfm) , but be careful, when they are active it will suck you in.

http://www.ramw.org/restaurantweek

DC Winter Restaurant Week

Now – January 31

During Washington DC Restaurant Week, more than 250 of Washington, DC’s finest restaurants offer 3-course lunches for $22 and 3-course dinners for $35. Washington, DC Restaurant Week is a great opportunity to experience Washington, DC’s best restaurants at affordable prices. Cuisines include Contemporary American, Mexican, French, Mediterranean, Italian, Southern, Seafood, Spanish, California, Pan-Asian and more! ...read more (http://urbanscrawldc.com/2016/01/28/this-weekend-2/)


** in other news...
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** Posted by Franklin Schneider
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http://urbanscrawldc.com/2016/01/26/in-other-news-285/Drones Helping Sell Big Ticket Real Estate (http://www.lohud.com/story/money/business/2016/01/22/drones-helping-sell-big-ticket-real-estate/77055878/) [lohud] The latest thing threatening the livelihood of real estate agents everywhere: $49 of Chinese-made prop propellors and a flip-phone-quality digital camera.

This Interactive Map Will Show If Your Street’s Been Plowed (https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/local/2016-snow/dc-plows/?%3Ftid%3D=sm_pg) [Washington Post] Oh man, that feeling when your street’s been plowed, but you know via social media that the street your boss/ex/enemy lives on hasn’t been plowed yet and probably won’t be for days. Oh man.

How To Assess Your Roof After a 20-Inch Snowfall (http://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/how_to_look_at_your_roof_after_a_20_inch_snowfall/10794) [Urban Turf DC] A surprising number of the uglier pop-ups around town have completely flat roofs. Anti-pop-up people, cross your fingers. ...read more (http://urbanscrawldc.com/2016/01/26/in-other-news-285/)


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213 Battle Street SW
5 Bedrooms l 4.5 Baths
http://dcreresidential.com/agentsgallery/andrew-riguzzi
Andrew Riguzzi
202.595.5757

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