Sunday Farmer's Market

The Fruits Are Arriving!

Agora farms will have more of the fast selling BING CHERRIES as well as APPLE SCHNITZ, BLUEBERRIES, NECTARINES, and APRICOTS

Also on tap this weekend will be:

Free range eggs
Amish butter (unsalted)
Amish popcorn
Veggies - Baby spinach, spring mix, radishes, zucchini, summer squash, portabella & crimini mushrooms, potatoes - fingerling, red, white and creamers.
Amish tomatoes
Shelled peas
Broccoli
Green Beans

In addition, Fresh off the Roast will be there with amazing home roasted fresh coffee - beans by the bag, freshly brewed cups of hot or ice coffees too!

Sweet Daisy Cakes will be back with their mouth watering treats of rum cakes, chocolate cakes and delicate yogurt based treats.

Upper Crust Bakery with the remarkable breads and scones.

Roxanne with the wonderful gifts and crafts.

Kata with her one of a kind jewelry pieces.

Avner with images from around the world.

And perhaps one or two new vendors

So check us out on 12th and Newton from 10 am - 2 pm

Avner Ofer, Manager
Brookland Historic Farmers Market

2008 Presidential Contributions

Brookland Loves Obama

More than 117 Brooklanders in the 20017 Zip Code have contributed to one of the presidential candidates in the current election cycle. Contributions show a clear favoring of Barack Obama, but donations covered a broad range of candidates.

Here is the dollar breakdown:

Obama -$46,117.00
Clinton- $19,351.00
Giuliani- $4,600.00
Richardson- $2,350.00
McCain - $1,900.00
Edwards- $720.00
Romney - $575.00
Huckabee- $550.00

Interesting stuff. You can view a map with more detail here.

Brookland Split on Fireworks Ban

Issue doesn't make a bang with residents

Just in time for the 4th of July, it seems that Brooklanders are split 50-50 on the issue of banning fireworks. I'm torn, as every July 4th I'm up til all hours as my neighbors two doors down launch fireworks to all hours of the night, but at the same time, I loath giving the DC government more power to micro manage our lives.

Listserve Banishment

Two to One Support Banning Bad Posters

By a vote of two to one (10 to 5) respondents favor some form of banishment from the listserve for bad or rude postings. The question came from a series of over the top, insensitive postings on the Pope's visit and some equally childish retorts. My thoughts here.

The logical next question would be, what type of behavior should trigger a listserve banishment?
See the survey at left.

Summer Time

Sunny with a chance of occasional blogging.

A bit of a blog lapse on my part. Business travel and such. But more importantly, it's time to take advantage of the longer days and nice weather to sit on the porch and interact with you all in real time. More blogging to come, but perhaps not daily.

In the mean time, here are some cool pictures from my recent business trip.

The audidence for my lunch time speech.

A room with a view (Palms Casino, Las Vegas)

Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River

Cool Cell Phone Picture

It looks sort of fake doesn't it? But this is a picture of my nephew warming up to pitch at a baseball game a few weeks ago. I have a Blackberry Pearl with electronic zoom. Anyway, I think it is somewhat interesting. 

Friday Dance Off

Enjoy

Byte Back Celebration and Auction Tonight!

Byte Back will be Celebrating Steve Seiden, who is stepping down from thier Board of Directors after 8 years of service!

This event will feature a Silent Auction, hors d'oeuvres, wine and music.

Byte Back is located at 815 Monroe St NE, across from both the Colonel Brooks Tavern and the Brookland Metro.

Auction items up for bid include:
A Mexico Getaway to Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, or both!
Box Seats to see DC United Play the RedBulls next Saturday night!
A week in Ocean City right on the beach!
Four Redskins Tickets!
A week in Martha's Vineyard in a 6 BR house a block from the beach!
A set of 20 Movie Theater Tickets!
Dinner for Two at the Famous La Fourchette Restaurant in Adams Morgan!
An Ice Skating Birthday Party for Ten!
A $150 Gift Certificate to Brew Your Own Beer!
A Luxurious 50-Minute Massage at Somafit in Georgetown!
Five Hours of Landscape Design from a Harvard-Educated Landscape Architect!
Four Hours of IT Assistance
!Six Hours of Electrical Service!
A DVD player!
And from our own Ward 5: Foursome of Golf with Councilman Harry "Tommy" Thomas, followed up by lunch!
One Month of Martial Arts Training at Northeast Taekwondo Martial Arts Center!
$30 off shoe repair at Brookland Shoe Repair!
Two Large One-Topping Pizzas from Pizza Boli!
Apparel and earrings from the 3610 Shoppe!And much, much more!
Tickets are $25 at the door.

Bring your friends! Byte Back volunteers are admitted free of charge!

[Editor's note: With this many exclamation points, how could you not have fun!]

CAU Development Meeting

Abdo development is hosting an informational meeting about their project at Catholic University.

The meeting will be Wednesday, June 18, 2008 from 7-9pm at The Catholic University of America, Pryzbyla Center, Great Room A

In the meantime, please feel free to contact Toby at Abdo if you have any questions. He can be reached at 202-265-9393 or by email at toby@abdo.com

St. Anthony's Spring Concert

Please join the St. Anthony Music Ministry adult and youth choirs for thier annual spring concert.

The concert will be Sunday June 8, at 4 pm in the church at 12th and Monroe Sts. NE.

The music will be wonderful! The concert is free, but we take up a collection to benefit the youth music ministry scholarship fund. All are welcome, please join us!

Dance Africa @ Brookland's Dance Place

DC's 21st annual festival celebrates the dance and music of theAfrican Diaspora while honoring traditional heritage and itstransformation into contemporary forms.

More info at Dance Place's Website.

Sunday Farmer's Market

Hi neighbors,

This Sunday we will have our favorite vendors selling some great produce, art, crafts, cakes, bread and coffee.

Here is a sample of the goodies for this week:

• Free Range/Hormone free Eggs
• Home churned Amish butter (unsalted)
• Baby Arugula
• Spring Mix,
• Radishes
• Sugar Snaps
• Beets
• Portabella Mushrooms
• Cremini Mushrooms
• Asparagus
• Amish Tomatoes
• Potatoes
• Basil
• Flowers & Herbs

We are on Newton and 12th.

Come by bring the family and friends. Enjoy a good cup of coffee, an amazing sorbet, great produce, and beautiful art.

Open 10am - 2pm see you there.
Avner Ofer
manager

No Easy Answers?

Check Points for Trinidad

An interesting story in the Post today about the crime wave in the Trinidad neighborhood.
An emergency measure I suppose, but one that raises a lot of questions. Will the criminals move to a new area?, will the MPD have to set up checkpoints in other neighborhoods? Is there a better answer? Is this temporary and if not is it sustainable?

Finally!

Farmer's Market Tonight!

From the Brookland CDC-
TWILIGHT MARKET(4:00--7:00 PM)
June 3, 2008

Mike Tabor of Licking Creek Bend Farmin Pennsylvania finally has enough produce to make the trip to Washington worthwhile.He will be bringing tomorrow night--. spinach. red and white scallions. radishes. lettuces. green rabb and mustard. greenbeansAnd maybe--. strawberries. broccoli. carrots Tabor has a new BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag) policy.

Yum!

Bannishment from the listserv

Neck and Neck!

It's down to the wire and it appears as if the slightest majority favors the ability to ban folks from the list serve under certain circumstances. One day left to vote. The original posting on this topic may be found here.

Home Tour Slide Show

Brought to you by the Menkiti Group

Missed the Brookland Home and Garden Tour? No worries. Experience it here.

Brookland House and Garden Tour 2008

Good Job GBGC!

Perfect weather helped to drive attendance at the 2008 Brookland House and Garden Tour. Folks from across the city spent the sunny afternoon touring eight of Brookland's notable residences. Another great community building event and a great way to meet neighbors and show our Brookland to the rest of the city.

Congratulations and Thanks to the Greater Bookland Garden Club for organizing the event.
Pics to follow.

Fireworks Ban?

Fenty, Graham Propose Ban on the Sale of Fireworks in the District

Here's the press release:

New Legislation Improves Enforcement Capabilities and Safety of ResidentsToday, Mayor Adrian M. Fenty and Ward 1 Councilmember Jim Graham joined DCFire & EMS Chief Dennis L. Rubin to announce proposed legislation that wouldeffectively ban the use and sale of all consumer fireworks in the Districtof Columbia, except those staged by professional pyrotechnics experts.

The Fireworks Neighborhood Safety Emergency Act of 2008 will help prevent the personal injury and property damage that traditionally stems from the use of fireworks by the general public. The legislation removes anyexceptions to the current ban and would allow multi-faceted enforcement thatincludes DC
Fire & EMS Department and the Metropolitan Police Department(MPD). "The time has come to once and for all extinguish these dangerous devices,"said Mayor Fenty. "This legislation will bring us in line with neighboringjurisdictions in recognizing that the safety of our residents must bepreserved."The proposed legislation expands the current district to allow direct MPDenforcement of the ban. Previously, only Fire and EMS were able to providedirect enforcement of the ban allowing MPD only secondary enforcementcapabilities. Complete fireworks bans are in effect in Montgomery andPrince George's counties as well as Baltimore, Md. "This injury saving, public safety measure has great clarity and it will help a lot of people," said Graham.Last year the Mayor's Citywide Call Center received more than 4,000 calls none 12-hour period during the July 4th holiday due to improper use offireworks in the District, the same number of calls usually made in a24-hour period. "Fireworks are not toys that can be treated casually," said Chief Rubin."It is essential that District residents leave any handling of thesecombustible devices to licensed experts."

I for one think the DC government micromanages too much of our lives, but then, I'm also up to all hours on the 4th of July as my neighbors shoot off fireworks until the wee hours of the morning, raining debris onto my roof and yard.

What do you think? Should DC Ban Fireworks? (Survey in the upper left)

Award Winning Neighbor

Brooklander Author Wins Award

Congrats to Brooklander Willet Thomas for his recent Egan Award.

Free Energy Audits

Free Home Energy Audits Available to DC Residents

With air-conditioning season just around the corner and energy costs on the rise, the District Government is again offering free energy audits to single-family homeowners.

The DC Department of the Environment's Home Energy Rating System (HERS) program identifies a home's energy deficiencies and provides homeowners with cost-effective, energy improvement recommendations.

The HERS Program will send a RESNET certified Auditor to evaluate a home's existing energy condition, including walls, floors, ceilings, windows, doors, hot water heating, heating and cooling mechanical systems and other related aspects. Once the home audit is complete, a detailed HERS improvement analysis report is provided to the homeowner. Recommendations range from no-cost behavioral changes to major improvements to reduce energy loss in the home.District residency and DC homeownership are the only program eligibility requirements.

To schedule a free HERS audit, interested residents should call Willie Vazquez at 202.671.3304 or LaKeisha Estep at 202.673.6733.To learn more about the HERS program, visit ddoe.dc.gov.

More Money for Stadiums?

DC United Seeks $250 million.

I'm a big a sports nut as the next guy, but a couple hundred million here (Nationals Park), a couple hundred million there (D.C. United) and soon we're talking real money.

The funny thing is that the Verizon Center, which has had a tremendous impact on development in the Chinatown area, was built by Abe Pollen, with his own money. I'm more skeptical of the investment in the baseball park, a soccer stadium and such.

Count me as a huge skeptic when it comes to publicly financed stadium deals.

Yard Sale, Saturday May 31

Multi-Family Yard Sale

Saturday May 31, 10am-4pm
4700 12th St. NE (Corner of 12th and Buchanan Streets)
Items include:

• Womens' clothing and shoes
• Brand newbrand new Ikea merchandise
• Lamps
• Sewing machine
• Cookware
• Ceramics
• Baby toys
• Books
• Baskets

Have at it.

2008 Political Contributions

Interesting

Residents of the 20017 zip code that encompasses a good portion of Brookland proper have donated more than $83,212 to the various presidentail campaigns. You can view the map here.

I did not know this....

Nazi Laws on Gays Enforced Until 1969

As June is Gay Pride month (and next week), I found this article to be especially interesting.
After World War II, when they liberated the concentration camps and freed the occupants that included Jews, Catholics, political prisoners and gays, the government put the gays back into jail, in some cases until 1969.

What is hard to comprehend sometimes is that key civil rights battles were fought during many of our lifetimes. There are folks here in Brookland who were on the front lines of the civil rights movement. Having largely come of age after many of these important battles, it's stories like these that remind me that not long ago it was a vastly different world.

Here's another story that got me thinking of this. Zelma Henderson, the last surviving plaintiff from the Brown v. Board of Education case, has passed away.

Who are the people in your neighborhood?

Let's get to know each other!

Inspired in part by this long running bit on Sesame Street, the Brookland Blog would like to invite you to send us your Brookland story. Tell us about yourself, how long you've lived in Brookland, what you do, hobbies, etc. Send it along with a picture of your house, your family, your local business or even your pet and we'll do a regular posting of the people in our neighborhood.

Send you stories to Fortinandrew@hotmail.com

The Brookland Listserv - Musings

The Comfort of Semi-Anonymity

Sometimes I long for the days when I could settle into the couch and enjoy one of the over the top TV dramas like Melrose Place or Dynasty. Of course from time to time I can find just such drama on the Brookland Listserv.

Don't get me wrong, I love the Brookland Listserv. It's a great way to get insights into what folks in the neighborhood are thinking and to connect with like-minded people for projects like the Great Brookland Yard Sale. And I'm not taking issue with folks who offer ideas and suggestions on development or other projects that I may not necessarily agree with.

What strikes me as jaw-dropping though are both the crassness and insensitivity of some of the postings. Perhaps it is the comfort of facing a computer screen that causes us to sometimes loose our sense of decorum, I don't know, but when such comments move beyond differences of opinion and move into personal jabs and denigration, it becomes harmful to the ongoing function of the listserve by causing people to tune out or fragment into more narrowly focused listservs.

The most recent example of this was the Pope's visit to Brookland. For some of us the Pope is God's #1 contact here on Earth, for others he's a bureaucrat/theologian of a large religious organization, for some he is the enabler of a legacy of abuse and repression and perhaps for some of us he is all of these things. Of course, it also provided an opportunity for some anti-Catholic screeds on the listserv that in turn prompted some taunts about gays and lesbians.

Why do we feel comfortable dumping on people of faith and phrasing things in ways that we would NEVER dream about saying in a room full of people? And when faced with such crassness, why do we feel the need to respond in kind?

Of course this brings up an interesting issue? Could a person be banned from the Brookland Listserv?

Usually after one of these exchanges the offending poster makes hay out of 'freedom of expression' and constitution guarantees and such. What most don't realize is that freedom of expression applies to governments and government actors, not individuals. As a private enterprise, the Brookland Listserv is under no obligation to publish or allow an individual to participate in the online community. In fact, there are a few examples when allowing a poster to take things too far could create legal liability for the poster and perhaps the listserve operator, specifically making false, defamatory statements. More importantly, free expression doesn't mean consequence free expression.

Anyway, if there's a point to all this I suppose that it is that we should not be afraid to say what's one our minds, but perhaps be a little more cognizant of how we say what's on our minds. Despite the fact that our message is being communicated on a computer screen, there are real people at the other end of the line.

4,563

Belated Memorial Day Thanks

The ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan continue to be waged. As we have such a large country, the impact for those of us without loved one's in harms way sometimes seems remote.

As of yesterday more than 4,563 men and women have lost their lives in service to our country.
This number includes 7 men and women from the District of Columbia, 80 men and women from Maryland and 136 from Virginia. Far, Far too many.

Brookland House & Garden Tour 08

Sunday, June 1, 2008

Remember fellow Brooklanders that this coming Sunday is the Brookland House and Garden Tour sponsored by the Greater Brookland Garden Club. This year's tour has a mini-theme of "Brookland Goes Mod!" and will feature some rather unique homes in addition to the more traditional styles you'd find in Brookland. If you've ever wanted to peek into some of these gems that grace our community, this is your chance (or at least your chance to do it and not get in trouble!). The tour runs from Noon to 5 PM.

You can purchace tickets at Petals, Ribbons & Beyond which is located at 3906 12th Street (at Quincy). Tickets are $12 in advance at $15 on the day of the tour.

Better Brookland Development Group

Taking on the BSAP

Last night, Tuesday, 5/20/08, about thirty people met at St. Anthony’s cafeteria according to Brooklander John Freely.

They formed an adhoc group to address the Office of Planning’s final draft of the Brookland/ CUA Metro Small Area Plan.

The grou is calling themselves the Better Brookland Development Group. Their first action was to draft the following statement:

"We, the undersigned, are dissatisfied with the final draft of the Brookland Metro Small Area Plan (issued April 26, 2008)."

The BBDG wants to see a truly open community based discussion of the final draft plan. This would require an open ended comment period, longer than the thirty days suggested by the Office of Planning. It would require more and better outreach to community meetings by the Office of Planning.”

If you support this statement, join them this coming Tuesday, May 27, at 7:00 PM in the same location, 3400 12th Street, NE, near 12th and Lawrence Street. The BBDG will make further plans to insure full community input and continue to talk to our neighbors about the broad implications of the Brookland Metro Small Area Plan.

Brookland Farmers Market

Check it out this Sunday

The Brookland Farmers Market will be rolling out some new vendors this week!

Avner Ofer, Market Manager reports the following:

This Sunday we have many more vendors:

Upper Crust Bakery with amazing breads.
Sweet Daisy Cakes with the ... sweet cakes
Penn Farms with fresh strawberries, asparagus, mixed greens and more.-
Avner Ofer Photography displaying images from around the world
Michas sorbet - all home made and amazing
Agora Farms with a range of goodies including free range eggs, baby arugula, apple cider (last of season until August), rhubarb and more
Fresh Off The Roast will be serving the best coffee in DC and selling the beans as well New Start Farms and the wide array of plants, and herbs - LAST CHANCE for your spring plants.

We are on Newton and 12th. 10am - 2pm.

We encourage you to bring yourown bag to carry your goods. Again if you or anyone you know would like to be part of the Marketplease contact me. See you Sunday.
Avner Ofer, Manager
Brookland Historic Farmers Market

BSAP in the Post

More on the BSAP

Ok, they dazzle with the clock tower, but the rest of the details are slim. The plus side is that Brookland is in the papers.

Brookland Small Area Plan

They're Kidding Right?

I finally had a chance to sit down and look over the Brookland Small Area Plan put out by Metro. The BSAP, is the plan by the city to build up development around the Brookland Metro Station.

You can view the plan here.

When it comes to development, I'm fairly lassez faire. I mean, if investors want to pour millions of dollars into our neighborhood, that's a strong vote of confidence in our community. More shops, people and homes mean more reasons for people to visit Brookland and can help us all get a better return on our substantial investments in our homes, plus create some jobs for folks in the neighborhood. At least that's how I felt until I read the plan.

In short, the BSAP is the Britney Spears of development plans. This thing is a mess.

My initial toughts are:

The buildings proposed for the development plan physically sever the relationship of Brookland to Catholic University and the Basilica. The development around the metro station will be up to 7 stories high, or 70 feet (if not more), buildings proposed for both Monroe Street and adjacent to the Metro Tracks will create a wall that will destroy the historic sight lines that bind the community to CUA and its institutions.

While the BSAP discusses creation of green space, it fills in most of the open land around the Metro station and provides few specifics on what green spaces will be preserved, created or expanded.

The density of the plan appears to make no concession to the historical context of the neighborhood, which is know for its lush open spaces and large yards which were cornerstones development during the turn of the century when Brookland was being developed.

On the positive side there is discussion of expansion of the Metropolitan Branch Trail which would help create a new connection between Brookland the the rest of the city.

Development around the Metro station will help create opportunities for more people to use transit, which is good for the environment.

Smart development is more than welcome, and the ability to maximize the value of the land and still be compatible with the values and aesthetics of the neighborhood aren't mutually exclusive values.

While I don't think we should dismiss or fight all investment in Brookland, in fact we should seek it out and welcome it, I don't think the BSAP pays homage or respects the surrounding community.

I say bring on the development, but let's revisit the plan and bring it in line with the values and needs of Brooklanders!

1001 Jackson, NE

This project began with the razing of an existing 1920’s bungalow. The owner purchased the property with the intentions of renovating the existing house and building an addition. However, after closer inspection, the foundation proved to be in very poor shape and the wood frame above was – at best – mediocre. The decision was made to raze the structure and design a modern home that acknowledges and celebrates the arts-and-crafts style of the original home and its neighbors.

The owner worked with DC-based Studio:CrowleyHall, a residential architecture firm with a penchant for a very personal approach to quality modern design. Together they developed a design that would make use of this prime site while respecting the adjacent architectural heritage.

Starting Green

From the beginning, efforts were made to demonstrate the feasibility of sustainable building and development. Instead of just demolishing the house, it was disassembled – piece by piece. Asphalt shingles were recycled, wood that was not reusable was ground up to create mulch, the entire concrete block masonry foundation was recycled, cast iron pipes and radiators were recycled and an great number of the original 18-20 foot wood floor and ceiling joists were donated to Community Forklift – a non-profit that sells reclaimed building materials. Many of those timbers are being used in new projects today. As a result, demolition costs were cut in half and the amount of material that went to landfill was reduced by approximately 60%.
The site was then excavated to accommodate 9’ basement ceilings with two separate entrance areaways and concrete stairwells to grade. The footprint was expanded slightly while leaving plenty of green space on this 4,800 SF corner lot.

Modern Design

The design is truly unique: It features a curved hallway of exposed Douglas Fir timbers that act as a load bearing element and reach all the way to the roof, creating a verticality that complements the already expansive openness of the floor plans.

The new residence features a custom master suite and three additional rooms on the 2nd floor. The first floor includes a spacious great room with uninhibited views from the cook’s kitchen all the way into living room. The basement makes room for an in-law suite as well as a spacious workshop for the owner.

Green Design

In addition to the manner with which the original structure was disassembled and recycled, this project incorporates several elements that align with the goals of sustainable design. The eaves are designed to shade the interior during the summer and, in the winter, let the sun’s warmth and light inside to help warm the home. The building was situated on the site to take advantage of natural breezes which assist with cooling and provides fresh air ventilation. Hydronic radiant floor heating makes up much of the first and second floors reducing the need for forced air heat. Forced-air mechanical systems include a two-stage natural gas-fired furnace with variable speed air handlers and are among the most efficient available. A heat pump offers further support for the lofty 2nd and 3rd floors. The project utilizes natural, sustainable materials where possible, such as concrete, wood and glass. The beautiful Douglas Fir timbers were sourced from sustainable managed forests. Concrete counter tops are planned in the kitchen. Much of the wood-siding is reclaimed lumber interspersed with concrete fiberboard. Reclaimed oak flooring is planned throughout the first and second floors.

At completion, this handsome home will provide approximately 3,300 square feet in 5 bedrooms, 3 ½ baths, a vast kitchen/dining/living room, a home office, a full in-law suite and approximately 700 square feet of workshop & storage space.

8th annual Houses and Gardens of Brookland Tour – Brookland Goes Mod!

The 8th annual Houses and Gardens of Brookland Tour, Sponsored by The Greater Brookland Garden Club (GBGC), will take place on Sunday 1 June 2008 from 12:00 to 5:00 p.m. Homes, featuring a variety of architecture and garden designs will be open to visitors.

Unique to Brookland, the neighborhood contains a number of Modern homes interspersed within the originally all Victorian community. The 2008 event will feature a few of these gems. Modern homes in Brookland are not a new phenomenon, but have been a constant element since the Mid 1900s when African American architects began building homes in the International Style – a house by Hilliard Robinson will be featured on the tour. In addition, several newly built Modern designs/additions will also be on the tour. The traditional older homes on the tour provide for a marvelous contrast both in architectural style and in how the gardens are implemented. Homeowners and Garden Club docents will be available at each property to provide details and answer questions.

The event will be held rain or shine. All profits from the Houses and Gardens of Brookland tour will be used for maintenance of community “pocket gardens” and street tree plantings

.”What began as a ritual of monthly garden parties among neighbors has evolved into a major cultural event to share the beauty of our community, to demonstrate opportunities for gardening in unique spaces large and small and to raise funds to support our local pocket parks,” explained Jeff Wilson, director of the GBGC. “By contrasting this year’s Modern focus to the more traditional Colonial, Craftsman, Cottage, Queen Anne and Victorian styles, this event will present a marvelous cross section of the Brookland neighborhood’s gardens and houses.”

Tickets are $12.00 pre-event and $15 the day of the tour. Tickets can be purchased at Petals, Ribbons & Beyond, at 3906 12th Street between the hours of 9:30 a.m. and 6:30p.m. Monday through Friday and 10:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. Saturday. Tickets will be on sale at the store on Sunday, June 1st from 10:00a.m. to 3:00p.m..

“The tour reflects the Brookland neighborhood’s approach to gardening: not a solo past time, but a social event,” says Don Padou tour coordinator.

The GBGC, a completely volunteer run entity, was established in 1998. In addition to the annual Houses and Gardens tours, the Garden Club holds monthly meetings and educational sessions, hosts plant sales, coordinates municipal plants of trees and flowers, and maintains several pocket parks along the 12th Street corridor for the benefit of all. Since the tour began in 2000, over 50 houses and gardens have been highlighted.

Brookland House & Garden Tour Info

Click here for info on the House and Garden Tour.

Brookland Home & Garden Tour

3021 15th Street, NE

Brookland Home & Garden Tour

Sneek Peek at 1254 Irving Street

Brookland House & Garden Tour 08

Saturday, June 1, 2008

The next big thing for Brookland will be the Greater Brookland Garden Club's annual House & Garden Tour.

The tour will take place on Sunday, June 1st, from Noon until 5PM.
Information and Tickets are available at:
Petals, Ribbons & Beyond, 3906 12th Street, NE
Phone: 202-636-2048

I've reached out to the Garden Club for additional information. Stay tuned!

We're Back!

Post Yard Sale Pause

Team Brookland. Kudos again for the most excellent job on the First ever Great Brookland Yard Sale.
I've been on the road for work the past few weeks, leading to a lack of blog activity. But I'm back and turning attention to new ways and events to promote Brookland.

Another big thank you to those of you who provide feedback. In short what we found were those that took the step of providing additional information about their yard sale, posted signs directing folks to their sale area, did better than those who did less marketing of there personal yard sale.

Even thought I my sale was the only one on the my block, we got significant traffic and sold about 80% of the items we had put out.

Anyway, there seemed to be enough interest in doing this again next year. So stay tuned.

Yard Sale Slide Show!

Photos from the Great Brookland Yard Sale

Thanks again to the sponsorship from the Menkiti Group. They did an excellent job on map distribution and in helping promote the GBYS. If you're looking to buy in Brookland these are the folks to help (heaven forbid any of us would want to leave!).

You can view the slide show here.

Post Yard Sale Thank You & Survey

Great Job Team Brookland

The Great Brookland Yard Sale was an impressive showing for our first attempt at such an event. 50 plus yard sales, 4 open houses, 3 church events and a whole lot of neighbors & visitors milling about on the nicest day of the year so far. 

A big round of applause to the planning volunteers: Summer, Sam T., Sam R, Chris, and Jenny. 

Shout outs to Stop, Blog and Roll, Best of Brookland & Prince of Pentworth for helping get the word out. 

Feedback

We've gotten mixed feedback from various participants on the level of traffic and success of various sales. Here on Irving, we had a great sale - selling close to 80% of what we put out. Other areas reported light traffic. Of course there are lots of variables involved too like merchandise for sale, pricing, signage, etc.  We'd like to know your thoughts. If you could please take a minute or two to share your thoughts, it will help us (or others) make the next community event even more successful.  Please email your thoughts to 

Fortinandrew@hotmail.com

Specifically, we'd like your thoughts on the following questions:

1) Did you enjoy the Great Brookland Yard Sale?

2) How was your sale? Did you get good traffic?

3) Did you provide any pre-sale information such as a yard sale story or a list of items for sale to include on the yard sale map?

4) Did you put up any signs to direct people to your sale? 

5) Do you think we should hold a Great Brookland Yard Sale 2009? 

Again, any feedback you can provide would be great, we'd also love to hear from shoppers about their experience as well. 

Again, you can email your comments to Fortinandrew@hotmail.com or simply add them to the comment section here.

Thanks for participating!

Don't Forget!

Post Yard Sale Ice Cream Social!

Sunday @ 4PM at Our Saviour Church 1616 Irving Street, NE

Bring some ice cream to share, toppings, bowls, utensils and fellowship provided.

Share your yard sale experience and eat some ice cream!

Thanks!

THANK YOU!

Thanks to everyone who made the effort to come over to Brookland today and making the Great Brookland Yard Sale a success.

Good Traffic, Nice Weather

GBYS A SUCCESS!

We're getting positive reports from almost every quarter of Brookland that traffic is good and folks are in a shopping mood. 

A couple of early 'lessons learned"-  

Yard sales with "Yard Sale Stories" or posted info on what was for sale got good traffic.

Yard sales on the eastern end of Brookland, farther from the 12th/13th street core, are seeing less traffic. 

Everyone did a great job of getting the word out. WTOP was even running short info blurbs about the sale this morning.

Yard sale shoppers LOVED the maps. 

More to come and don't forget the Ice Cream Social tomorrow at Our Saviour! ALL ARE WELCOME (Please bring some ice cream!)

Brookland Vistor Center

Maps, Shuttle Bus & Refreshments:

Attention Brookland Shoppers! 

Yard sale maps for vistors are available at the Brookland Visitors Center located at 3420 9th Street, NE.

Additionally, the BCDC has organized a shuttle van to move people around Brookland for the yard sales.  The van will leave from the Brookland Visitors Center from Noon until 3PM. 

The BCDC also has donated 14 tents to be used at St. Anthony's for the sale. If
you need one call Vinnie Wholfarth at 202-297-1125 or send me a text message.

Light refreshments and water will also be available at visitors center throughout the day.

Brookland CDC
Historic Brookland Main Street

'SMALL TOWN IN TOWN"

Post Yard Sale Ice Cream Social!

Team Brookland,

To close out the Great Brookland Yard Sale weekend, you are cordially invited to attend a social activity on Sunday so you can meet your fellow yard sale participants.

We can share stories and thoughts about the Great Brookland Yard Sale. So, we hope you can attend:

The Great Brookland Ice Cream Social

Sunday at 4:00PM

Our Saviour Church

1616 Irving St NE

Please Bring Some Ice Cream to share (like an ice cream pot luck!)

We'll provide the spoons, bowls, toppings and napkins.

A big thanks for Pastor Todd for helping bring us all together.

Please Drop me an email if you'd like to attend atfortinandrew@hotmail.com

All Systems Go!

Great Brookland Yard Sale Starts at 10AM!

Unless we wake up to a surprise rain shower, all systems are go for the Great Brookland Yard Sale!

Remember, you can print up the map by clicking on the link to the left. Yard Sale locations will have a small supply of maps to assist you as well.

Come early, stay late, find great deals and buy lots of stuff!

My Yard Sale Story

1254 Irving Street, NE - GBYS-HQ

Come check out where the GBYS got started, 1254 Irving Street, NE.

Going on our fourth year in Brookland, we've come to love the friendly & diverse neighbors, the big yards, leafy streets, affordable housing (relatively speaking) and the proximity to all DC's offerings.

More importantly, we've got a lot of good deals for you as well. As an added bonus, we have very special, limited edition Great Brookland Yard Sale T-Shirts for the first 3 purchasers (One of each size - XL, L, M).

Check out my slide show.


Items for sale will include:
Play Station 2 (w 2 cntrls, 6 games)
Glass and column dining table
Cannon SLR Camera
Krupps Coffee/Espresso Maker
Sony G-Protection Discman
Old Sony School Discman
3x5 area rug (gold and black)
2- 2x8 runners
variety 2x3 area rungs
Kitchen items
Night Stand
Bombay Table Desk
Small Dresser
Gray GAP winter coat (brand new)
Men's Wool Over Coat (44R)
84" Gold Silk Drapes (8 panels!)
Mens clothing (L, XL)
Candle Holders
Asian Art and Statuary
Book, Books and more Books
Vintage Asian TV Lamp
Vintage Tiger TV Lamps (2)
Fog Machine
Ikea Lounge chair
Ikea 'fuzzy' chair
Cambodian musician statutes (brass)
Cambodia Apsaras (carved wood)
Ikea Cigarette Lamp
Small Lamps
Throw Pillows
and more....

Attention Sellers!

The Final Countdown

It's hard to believe, but the Great Brookland Yard Sale is the day after tomorrow! A couple of planning items to help you out.

The default hours of from 10am to 4pm

Our sponsor the Menkiti Group will be printing yard sale maps and distributing a small supply of them to all yard sales on Saturday morning. If you're on the map you should be getting some.

A fully updated map has been posted to the Brookland Yahoo Group, it may be found in the FILES section in the Great Brookland Yard Sale folder and map is called GBYS Map.pdf (You are encouraged to print and copy this as well).

Additional copies of maps can be picked up at the GBYS-HQ at 1254 Irving Street, NE on the day of the sale from 11am to 3pm

Let's keep our fingers crossed for a lot of yard sale shoppers!

Great Brookland Yard Sale

Key Information:

Just a reminder that the Great Brookland Yard Sale is scheduled to run from 10AM to 4PM on Saturday, April 19th. Participating yard sale locations will have hard copy maps for shoppers or you can print up your own map by clicking on the google map on the left side of this page.

The weather is predicted to be AWESOME!, Mostly Sunny, High 80 with a strong chance of good shopping!

We can't wait to show you all our great neighborhood.

Dmitri’s Yard Sale

1266 Jackson St, NE  

(corner at 13th, on 13th street side)

Dmitri joined in the Great Brookland Yard Sale just today. He's the 53rd Brookland resident to join us.

This is a good yard sale to hit up toward the end of your Brookland tour as the hours will be 2:30 to 4:30. 

• Items for sale include: 
  
• Books on tape (still in shrink wrap),
  
• Girls clothes (toddler to size 10),
  
• PEZ dispensers,
  
• Framed photo prints of Washington scenes
  
• Vintage 1946 mouton coat,
  
• Small space heaters, 
  
• Redskins collector Coke cans,
  
• Kids toys, 
  
• & Miscellaneous galore
  

Kenny and Marguerite's Yard Sale @ St. Anthony's

12th Street, NE between Lawrence & Monroe

Kenny and Marguerite have lived in Brookland for the past 4 years and have participated in St. Anothny's yard sale for the last 3 years.  Since they are now expecting Baby #2, they are looking to clear out more items before the baby arrives.

 

Items for sale include:

• 19 inch color television
  
• 13 color television
  
• VCR
  
• Scanner
  
• KidCo Configure Gate (Still in the box)
  
• Lots of CDs and Books
  
• Household items - dishes, cookware
  
• Samsonite Suitcases

Check out Kenny and Marguerite's yard sale (and the many others) that will be set up at Saint Anthony's Church as part of the Great Brookland Yard Sale! 

Shopping the Great Brookland Yard Sale!

We're Looking Forward to Seeing You!

On behalf of the more than 50 yard sales scheduled for Saturday, we're looking forward to having you visit our community and find some great deals. To make the most of your trip to Brookland, here's some helpful pointers.

1) Check out the map to the left - It shows all the active events scheduled as part of the Great Brookland Yard Sale. If you click on the various locations, many have info on items they will be selling.

2) You can print up the list and map via the google map or simply visit any of the yard sales where you'll be able to get a printed map of the days activities.

3) Read this Blog, many residents have provided "Yard Sale Stories" to keep you informed of what they will be selling.

4) Move to Brookland! - Big yards, great old houses and close to metro? What's not to like? In case you decide to stay, we have several open houses scheduled so stop by and see what your missing by NOT living in Brookland.

A Chance to Give Back - 4 the Kids!

Volunteers Needed!
Adopt-a-can & Help-build-a-playground

As some of you know, there is a blossoming group of neighbors looking to create safe and fun playspaces across Greater Brookland.

We are inviting yard sale participants to "Adopt a Can" for a small, friendly fundraiser towards getting new equipment at Turkey Thicket.

If you are interested, we will provide you with a can (or jar or some container), a small sign, and some fliers to place at your yard sale.

We ask that you provide a safe space, watchful eye, and let folks know that it is there. This is a great way to raise a little funds (since folks will have small change and checkbooks at the ready) and to spread the word about a great community initiative.

If you are interested in "Adopting a Can," please email brooklandjess@earthlink.net with your address by FRIDAY at NOON.

We'll be running around first thing on Sat AM to deliver the cans to those who volunteer.

Saundra & Tom's Yard Sale Story

4703 7th St NE

My husband and I moved to Brookland 2 years ago after spending a year volunteering in the developing world. We lived in a small condo until my father moved in with us after retiring from his career as an automotive technician. We loved the neighborhood so much, we bought a house a mile from our condo.

Now we have some extra items from our combined households.

• Our major items for sale:
• Washer and dryer
• Mac Tool Box
• A nearly complete set of tools from my father's shop collection (almost everything an auto technician will need)- includes box, tools, and creeper
• Desk
• TV stand
• Desk chair (gray rolling chair)
• Kirby Vacuum- 2 years old, rarely used (with extra bags)
• Stroller
• CD book shelf
• Black leather recliner chair
• Golf clubs
• Assorted paint
• Assorted random items

See you Saturday!
Saundra

Vicki's Downsizing Sale Slide Show!

1309 Girard, Street, NE

Vicki's Yard Sale Story can be viewed here.

Anne on Newton has got some Books!

1309 Newton St NE

Anne on Newton reports that she does a lot of reading while traveling by plane. So if it is some summer reading you want, then definitely stop by Anne's yard sale.

She'll also be selling:

• Household items
• Home repair materials
• Rolling office chair
• Clothes
• Brand new scanner

Looking for Bikes? Frames?

Check Out Vinnie's Yard Sale @ 3418 9th Street, NE

On the yard sale at 3418 9th Street, 1/2 block from metro. Vinnie will have dozens of used frames of all sizes. Prices start at $3.00, wood, metal, and some with glass are available. He'll also have (3) three 10 speed bikes to sell 26", all in very good condition. One is a shogun racer 1/8 inch tire (very light weight), New at $550.00 sell for $200.00.Two are Fuji, and are $100.00 or best offer.

More Sales Added!

Attention Brookland Shoppers!

We hope you plan on coming out to Brookland on Saturday as we have a great day of shopping set up. We now have more than 50 yard sales scheduled as part of the Great Brookland Yard Sale event!

Remember Maps will be available at each yard sale location or you can always click the map link to the left and print it up.

We very much look forward to seeing you on Saturday.

Peggy and Paul are Pricing to Move!

3422 10th Street, NE

Peggy & Paul invite you by their yard sale to check out an array of reasonably priced household items and vintage tchotchkes. Items for sale include: 

13 ft Gorilla expandable ladder

Mid-century cocktail glasses

Antique wig stand

Italian men's suit (Size 40 R)

Jewelry

And other items..

Vicki's Downsizing Yard Sale @ 1309 Girard Street NE

Having been in her house and having accumulated a lot of great stuff, Vicki feels it's time to allow others to enjoy some of her great finds. So please help her downsize and check out some of her great deals on items like: 

• Mini blinds 
  
• Ceiling fan
  
• Buffet
  
• Shelving unit
  
• Auto pet partition
  
• Beaded curtains
  
• Wooden stool
  
• Radiator covers
  
• Picture frames
  
• Latex Paint
  
• Planter boxes
  
• Christmas tree stand
  
• Purses!
  
• Books
  
• Garment bag
  
• Tote bags
  
• Luggage
  
• Video tapes
  
• Dining room chairs
  
• Ethnic figurines
  
• and Much, Much More!
  

Yard Sale Story

Chris, Ken, Marcia & David's Garage/Yard Sale

Attention early bird shoppers, Chris, Ken, Marcia, and David's Garage and Yard Sale will be open by 9:00 am Saturday.

They are located at 1218 Kearney St. NE . The sale will be in both their garage and their back yard. So, be sure to look for the flags and balloons.

Some of their items will include a six-string guitar, Nats and Postal Service memorabilia, SOHO supplies, Cow collectibles, assorted electronics, and lots of gift and Christmas items.

They're are pricing to sell, so bring plenty of Georges, Abes, and Alexanders!

Attention Brookland Shoppers!

How to make the most of your visit to Brookland

45 yard sales is a lot to choose from, so how can all you potential shoppers make the most of your visit to the Great Brookland Yard Sale? It easy. 

You can check out the yard sale map on the left. Some yard sales have provided a partial listing of the items they have for sale. All locations will have maps to distribute, so if you pick one location, you can get a map of all the yard sales scheduled that day. Better yet, you can click on the map to the left and print it up. It will provide you a list of all the yard sales and include details for each sale (where provided). 

What are you waiting for? Set your clocks and come to Brookland next Saturday...We can't wait to show you our neighborhood. 

Weather Report

80% Change of Awesome!

The weather report for next Saturday is up and things are looking good for the GBYS.

The current forecast predicts only a 20% chance of precipitation, which means an 80% chance for awesome!  

Keep sorting, pricing and organizing!

Maps!

Great Brookland Yard Sale Maps!

The Menkiti Group, our yard sale sponsor will be dropping a small supply of maps off at each yard sale location between the hours of 9 and 10 am on Saturday, April 19th.  They'll be supplying each of us to 15 or so color copies of the map to hand out to our yard sale guests. In addition, you can also pick up copies at 1254 Irving Street, NE (GBYS-HQ) or download the file and make some copies yourself. Three ways to get the job done!....

The Home Stretch!

Let's Get Ready to Rummage!

OK Team Brookland, just one week to go to the great Brookland Yard Sale! Make sure to take time out this weekend to get your stuff organized, priced and finalize your yard sale strategy. Remember if your goal is to get rid of stuff, price accordingly. Also, make sure to have bags on hand for your shoppers, they'll buy more if they can carry it away easily.  And be prepared with some small bills and change.

For more helpful tips, check out the links to the left. 

On the Road

Just and FYI that I'll be on the road on business travel Thursday to Monday. I'll still be checking email and updating the blog, but I may not be as quick getting back to you as I usually am.

Good News!

Our Yard Sales are Legal...


An emailer posed the question this week, "Does DC Law require us to obtain a permit to host a yard sale?"

As you know, DC is pretty much like any city - lots of rules and regulations . Anyway, DC Code Title 11, section 203.6 of the DC code allows a resident to host up to five yard sales a year without special permitting.

Now you know....

Marketing Update

Marketing to Date:

Just another update on how we're getting the word out about the yard sales.

We're running an ad in the City Paper and on their website.
Set up and populated this blog to build excitement and inform shoppers
The yard sale is posted on the WTOP Funformation Calendar
We've been posted on a vareity of local blogs (Stop, Blog and Roll, Best of Washington, DC)
We're on the Washington DC events calendar.
We ran an online ad in the Washington Post*.
An ad was placed on the DC Craig's list.
Ran a story in Brookland Heart Beat.
Sent yard sale invitations, fliers and maps to local churches.

We'll be pushing to get some more local media coverage next week as the event approaches.

Remember, you don't need any permission to run an ad, put up a flier, tell a friend, coworker or others about our event. The success will hinge on our many small efforts rather than the centeralized efforts here at the Blog.

Keep getting the word out, post some signs! Keep up the good work!

Post Yard Sale Pick-Up

Need Ideas of Possible Charities

One of the services we'd like to offer yard sale participants is coordinating with a local charity to pick up our unsold goods. So far, we haven't had much luck. Goodwill told us they weren't interested, and I'm awaiting word from the local Salvation Army.

Any reader or local charity have an idea of who might be interested in benefiting for our collective donation? Drop me and email @ fortinandrew@hotmail.com

Vicki's Yard Sale Story

Downsizing's the game @

1240 Perry Street, NE

"The yard sale event seemed like a great opportunity to get rid of some of my stuff," according to Vicki on Perry.

Vicki's yard sale might a real find as she and her husband are trying to liquidate some of their inventory. They ran an Italian Deli in Brookland and later on Connecticut Avenue. "Our business was a victim of the post 9/11 slowdown." she reports. "At present, my husband and I are looking for full time employment and we hope to use the yard sale proceeds as a means to send our kids to summer camp."

So, get some good deals and send some kids to camp. What better reason to shop?!

Vicki's yard sale items will include a handsome hutch and an assortment of other fine items that include:

Claw foot tubs

Antique sink

Antique hutch/desk

Leather office chairs

Mega-Girl clothes and shoes (ages 6-12)

Child's bike

Roller blades

Ice skates

Toy & games

Sports gear

storage containers

Assorted stainless steel items

Bon Chefware food display/platters

Bar items (mirror, glasses, corkscrews, posters, etc. - from closed deli!)

Barbie power wheels

Karaoke tape recorder
Cash register

Doll

Phone

Make a List

Check it twice..

Despite the lack of creativity in today's headline, some good advice as your prepare for your yard sale on April 19th. With more than forty (FORTY!) yard sales scheduled to take place across Brookland, you'll want to make sure your yard sale stands out, or at least, those looking for the items you have for sale can find you. Listing your items can help do just that!

The google map of the yard sale allows us to link your yard sale location with stories here on the Brooklandblog. Check out my house (1254 Irving Street, NE). You can click on a link that takes you to a slide show about some of my big-ticket items. If you develop a short bullet point list of items (as many of you have) we can add it to you map locations or link it back to the blog to provide more information about your sale. If you send in 4 or 5 digital pictures, we'll even put together a short slide show for you.

So don't delay, make a list and send it in so your yard sale stands out. send to Fortinandrew@hotmail.com (Subject: Yard Sale List)

Free Trees!

Green Up Your Yard!

Things just keep getting better! Not only are we headed for a great, community-building yard sale event on April 19th, but soon-to-be-Brookland-based Casey Trees has announced a Tree Give away pilot program targeted to Ward 5 residents! Big yard sales and free trees - you just can't beat Brookland!

Here's the info from Casey Trees Website:

Spring is a great time to plant trees. And this spring Casey Trees and the District Department of the Environment (DDOE) have teamed up for a pilot tree giveaway event for Ward 5 homeowners.

As part of a pilot program in partnership with the District Department of the Environment, Ward 5 homeowners are eligible to receive up to two free shade trees to plant on their property this spring.

Reserve one or two trees in advance by phone or email. Provide your name and contact information and specify which of the available trees you would like from the list below.

Arrive on April 26th for this one time only pick-up event. You must pick-up your tree during the event listed below and pledge to plant the trees on your property and water them regularly.

April 26, 2008, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
St. Anthony School
12th & Lawrence St NE
Washington DC 20017

Ward 5 homeowners are eligible to choose up to two free trees from a choice of three species:Princeton American Elm (Ulmus americana 'Princeton')River Birch (Betula nigra)Black Gum or Tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica) Tree species info.

Reserve your trees in advance by sending an email to dcshadetree@earthlink.net or by phoning 202.529.2037. A limited number of unreserved trees will be available on the pick-up date for drop-ins. Pre-registration is advised.Only Ward 5 residential property owners are eligible for this pilot tree giveaway project. We are testing this for possible expansion next year. Commercial properties and businesses, institutions and mulit-unit residences should consider applying for our Community Tree Planting Program.

Adopt-a-Sign 4 the Great Brookland Yard Sale!

Hey Brookland!

We need your help to keep up the momentum on the Great Brookland Yard Sale.

We need volunteers to adopt-a-sign for the day of the big event.

Here's how to do it:

1. Pick one of the adopt a sign locations from the yard sale map.
2. Email your adoption notice to Fortinandrew@hotmail.com
3. Create an eye catching sign to direct people to the nearest yard sale.
4. Put your sign up on the morning of the 19th.
5. Watch the customers flow into Brookland.
6. Remove sign and recycle.

A great way to get your creative juices flowing!

Fish Fry @ Our Saviour Episcopal Church

Fish = Energy for Yard Sale Sorting!

We're in the home stretch for yard sale preparations! So why not get a good hearty meal to give you the energy to go through all your stuff this weekend?

Our Saviour Episcopal Church, Brookland Parish is having a fish fry dinner this afternoon and evening. We'll be serving between 3pm and 8pm.

The cost is $7 per dinner (whiting or trout), with potato salad and greens.Dine in... and maybe get the early scoop on great yard sale items, or take out is available too. Church with the red doors on Irving between 16th and 17th. See you there!Todd

BIG NEWS!

The Menkiti Group - Official GBYS Sponsor!

The Menkiti Group, Your Brookland Real Estate Resource has stepped up to assist us with the Great Brookland Yard Sale!

The agents at the Menkiti Group will be providing material support and hosting open houses in the neighborhood on April 19th. Thanks to the generosity of the staff we'll be enjoying the following additional support for the Great Brookland Yard Sale.

Open Houses and Refreshment Stations: The Menkiti Group will be hosting three open houses and refreshment stations across Brookland in conjunction with the yard sale. The open houses will be serving beverages and cookies and will be open from 10 am to 3 pm.

The locations will be:

1257 Newton Street, NE

1344 Hamlin Street, NE

1704 Kearney Street, NE


The Menkiti Group will be making color copies of the yard sale map and distributing them to participants on the morning of the yard sale! If you've on the google map, they'll drop off some maps for you to share with your customers.

Finally, they've also offered to send out an email alert to their database of more than 2,000 contacts to inform them of the event!


It kind of makes me want to have them put my house up for sale, but I'd never leave neighborhood with such great, supportive neighbors like them!

Big News....

Big Yard Sale Announcement Coming Friday....

We have another exciting update for the Great Brookland Yard Sale!
One that will make our event even more enjoyable! Look for the exciting news coming in the next 24 hours!

The Marketing Continues!

We're Goin' to the Chapel....

Just a heads up that we continue our outreach efforts to publicize the Great Brookland Yard Sale. Today we will be mailing marketing kits to some of the larger nearby churches.

Packets will include a printed map of yard sale locations, copies of the yard sale flier, A blurb to include in the church announcements and a nice invitation letter from "your neighbors in Brookland".

Packets will be sent this week to:

• Israel Baptist on Brentwood


• Greater Mount Calvary Holy on Rhode Island


• The large beige Iglesia on Rhode Island (between 12th and 13th) - the name escapes me at the moment.

Next week we will also be making a push to local media to do some stories about our event. We'll be hitting up the local TV channels, radio and papers.

1254 Irving Street, Yard Sale

Lawrence & Kearny

Yard Sale Hot Spot

10th Street may have taken the cake with the most holiday lights this Christmas, but it looks like Lawrence and Kearny Streets will be packed full of great yard sales with more than 13 sales on or near these two streets.

Exciting Yard Sale Addition!

Bethlehem House Joins the Great Brookland Yard Sale!

The Bethlehem House, located at 1401 Lawrence Street, NE provides a home and services to developmentaly challenges adults. They're joining in the Great Brookland Yard Sale and will be selling small jewerly items and hosting a bake sale. Make sure to add this to your shopping itinerary.

This brings the number of faith-based participants in the event to three. St. Anthony's (12th and Lawrence), Our Saviour Parish (1616 Irving Street) and now Bethlehem House. Make sure to visit each of these sales on the 19th.

Draft GBYS Map Released!

Hand Out Map for Yard Sale Shoppers

Thanks to all who have signed up so far.

I've taken all the information on participants through Sunday and produced the attached draft map. When finalized, we can each print a supply to handout to shoppers on April 19th.

This is just a draft, but wanted to give you an idea of what we're currently working on to help make the event easy for both participants and attendees.

If you've signed up for the yard sale, please check the map to see if your location is listed properly. If you need any corrections, please email me at Fortinandrew@hotmail.com

The file is also posted on the Brookland Yahoo group page in the Great Brookland Yard Sale Folder and is called "GBYS Draft Map.pdf".

Remember this is just the draft. We'll let you know when the final map is ready to print.

Planning Your Yard Sale

Dealing with the clutter, sorting your stuff

The Great Brookland Yard Sale is just 20 days away and it's never too early to start planning. Here's a couple of tips to get you moving.

Have a plan.

Most people dread combing through the house top to bottom looking for yard sale items. Don't. Take baby steps and spend a half hour to an hour a day in each room sorting through items. Price your items as you go to save time. If you are unsure of a reasonable price, try checking e-bay to see what similar items are going for. Set a side a corner of a room to place your yard sale items.

It's in the bag

Yard sales are a great way to reuse those old grocery bags filling up the cabinet under the sink. So take a quick inventory and set aside enough bags so your shoppers can carry away their purchases. The easy it is to carry, the easier it is to buy more items. Also, start saving the newspaper to wrap your more delicate items.

Think about the sale day.

Remember there are more than 30 yard sales scheduled for April 19th. The planning committee is producing maps for participants to hand out to shoppers, but you should also think about placing signs to direct people to your individual yard sale. The main corridors will be 12th and 13th Streets, NE (as well as the other main arteries like Michigan and Rhode Island) for the farther out sales). Oh yes, and adopt a sign from the map (red indicators on the google map) to direct passing cars into Brookland.

A little Change will do you good

Don't forget to be prepared with enough small bills and coins to make some change. You'll need a good supply of one's, several fives, a couple of tens and a good supply of coins.

Read All About It

There are helpful links to yard sale tips on the links to the left of this page. Check em out.


Good luck with your yard sale preparations. Think positively, keep things in perspective and keep telling everyone you know about the upcoming sale!

CALL FOR STORIES!

Make your yard sale stand out!

With 31 yard sales and counting, shoppers will have a range of choices when they come to Brookland on April 19th. Want to increase your chances of connecting to potential shoppers?

The best way to attract eager shoppers for your gently used items is to market your sale. In other words, to tell your "Yard Sale Story".

Here's how:

• Make a list of your big ticket or unique sale items
  Take some digital pictures of these items
• Write up a short list or description or your yard sale, include information about your life in Brookland to personalize it.
• Email your photos, list of items or 'yard sale story' to me at Fortinandrew@hotmail.com
• I'll post them to the blog, then link your story to the yard sale google map! (Note: your story may be edited for space or appropriateness)

Remember, all this technology is not a substitute for all of our collective efforts in getting the word out. But a yard sale story is a great way to distinguish you sale from all the others!

More Pubilcity!

GBYS Added to WTOP Funformation Calendar!

Another great posting for our event. WTOP has added the Great Brookland Yard Sale to its Funformation Calendar! You can view the posting here.

Remember, grassroots word of mouth is really the key to any yard sale success, so each of us should be posting and distributing the yard sale fliers and telling our friends and co-workers about the event.