V.w.verweij

Person First Project is a photo blog that seeks to give those currently or formerly experiencing homelessness in D.C. the chance to share their stories. In doing this, we hope to reduce the barriers that separate people in D.C. and spark a dialogue. The Person First Project aims to connect us – and to make us all feel a bit more human.

Author’s Note: George was interviewed near Central Union Mission near Massachusetts Ave. and New Jersey Ave. NW.

“I believe it’s depression. I have family members who are diagnosed with it so I’m pretty sure I have that same spirit. But I try not to go to the doctors because I don’t want to be prescribed medication, because I see what it does to my family. It makes them zombies. All they want to do is sleep all day. I don’t want to be that way. So I try to cope with it, to go through it, but sometimes it’s just so heavy. I just can’t. I end up self-destructing.

It’s pretty much ups and downs. From what I’ve read, it’s called manic. You’re up and you’re ready to do things and you want to do things. I get that way, and I get to work and I love my job. I never have any complaints about my job, I love working. But then all of the sudden I feel like I become anti-social. I don’t want to be around people. I get upset, I get angry, so I just separate myself. And that’s when I stop going to work, and I just hide in a cave for a few months.

I worked in food service for about 11 years, and then I started getting into construction. I did a little bit of courier service. I do all kinds of stuff. I do whatever people don’t want to do, I’ll do it. The last job I had was in an oil field. It was pipe inspection. It was a good job, a great job. But I just – boom, all of the sudden I didn’t want to be around anybody.”

– George

Author’s Note: I included three posts and three photos to help better tell George’s full story.

“I’m from San Antonio, Texas and I’m headed to New York City. I’m on a walking journey, looking for some change. I have a mom, a dad, a sister, a brother. I have two children. I have a bunch of aunts and uncles.”

Why did you leave?

“I felt like I was a burden to them. I felt I was more a bum back home than I am out here in the streets.

Men, we want to be able to take care of ourselves and our families. That’s what I want. I want to be able to hold a family together.

I have a son, he’s 12 years old now. His name is Murphy. And I have a daughter named Iris. I call her duck. She’s about a year and six months now. She just started walking a few months ago, so she’s going crazy. I get to see her because I can use Wi-Fi on my phone. My sister is taking care of her right now, so she sends me little clips and photos of her. And her mom sends me stuff too.

I walk around and I see families, and I see men with their kids and I wonder: How do they hold it together? That’s what I want.”

– George

“I stay on the street. I stay outside. I don’t go into shelters because I’m on the highway and I keep a field knife on me, and you don’t take those into the shelters. So usually I just stay on the street – under bridges, on the side of the road, in the woods, on the side of abandoned buildings. I don’t like to go inside because that’s trespassing.

I just try to stay away from people because I don’t like to make people feel uncomfortable. I try to find a dark spot where I can just hunker down.”

– George

A Behind the Scenes Look at Co-Writing a Book


Like many of you, I garden and I write about gardening. Both of these are essentially solitary acts. As a blogger, I get to do and say what I am interested in. But I have spent the past few years doing something very different: writing with someone else. It was a process unlike anything I’ve ever done. So I thought I’d share an honest account of that collaboration, revealing both the ups and downs of the process.

Our culture holds collaboration as a virtue. Working together toward a common goal is a parable preached by preschools and MBA programs alike. But actually doing it—sitting down with someone and then developing, for example, a 316-page manuscript focused on a marketable idea—is quite another thing altogether.

So the celebration of having an accepted book proposal was short-lived. The euphoria quickly melted into doubt. Wondering whether I could pull off a book on my own was worry enough. But seamlessly melding two viewpoints and voices into a single message was something I’ve never done before.

Of course, I had a great partner. Claudia’s big ideas and hands-in-the-dirt experience were huge assets. And her passion is contagious. I found myself looking forward to talking to her every week. We logged hours on Skype. I’d fill notebooks with thoughts; mental kindling that set my mind on fire.

But starting was hard. One of the beliefs that initially paralyzed us is the idea that you need permission to do anything. In co-writing, civility is certainly a virtue, but politeness can be a waste of time. Clear writing results from a strong point of view and logic; yet our fear of offending the other left us with little resolution on complicated points. We would end long Skype conversations courteously, but without firm resolutions. It left us mushy ground to launch our next week of writing.

Plants are social. The layered structure of naturally occurring plant communities was the inspiration for the book. Photo by Claudia West.

And it took us many months to get into a rhythm. Initially, we both tried to write pieces of the same chapter. But our styles were so different, the early drafts were a total mess. I was verbose; Claudia was brief. I wrote in paragraphs, feeling my way through arguments as I wrote. Claudia worked from clear outlines that progressively expanded into narrative. I would spend hours polishing a paragraph without knowing what was coming next. Claudia could quickly develop content, but had a hard time expanding this into a narrative.

So we changed course. What ultimately worked best was that we’d both hammer out a basic outline. Claudia would free-form several pages of bullet points about a single topic. I would organize them into an argument and rewrite them in a draft form. Then we’d both tweak the drafts. We each had separate roles, but we also each controlled the content at several points. It was an iterative process that allowed us each to shape the idea in the way what we did best.

We struggled the most with the big idea. Our first proposal was for a book called Native Planting Design. While there were several regional books on native planting, we wanted to write the definitive resource on designing with natives from an international perspective. But several chapters into that book, we realized that the concept didn’t work. For us, where a plant came from was less useful than how they fit together in communities. So four months before our completed manuscript was due, we scrapped that idea and started over. Throwing away tens of thousands of words was painful. Getting Timber Press to agree to a new angle (and re-vet the book through several layers of approval) was even more painful. But in the end, we all agreed on the new direction.

What held us together was a single-minded obsession about the same inspiration: plant communities. The social nature of plants had been almost entirely forgotten by traditional horticulture. Yet I could not even walk down my urban street without being confronted intricately interwoven carpets of weeds. I’d bend over to examine an upright spike of green foxtail, nested in a bed of Indian goosegrass, coming out of a mat of spotted spurge. Though the plants were different, the same scene was happening in the native meadow and forest floor.  It was so seemingly obvious, so ubiquitous, that writing a book on the subject sometimes felt like proclaiming that the sky was blue or water wet.

The patterns and legibility of long established plant communities motivated me. Photo by Mark Baldwin

And yet we came to these inspirations from different points of view. For me, native plant communities were design exemplars, compositional allegories waiting to be explored. My hikes through the grassy balds of the southern Appalachians, or the granite outcrops of Georgia’s monadnocks, or riverside prairies of the Potomac Gorge told a story of patterns and structure. Though the structure is often blurred and the patterns overlapping, the arrangements of plants within these communities are for me a triumph of legibility over chaos. I could not pass a weedy median or walk through an old growth forest without filling my mind with mental notes of new combinations, new matrixes, new X’s and O’s to put together on the next plan. I came to the book wanting to tell the story of design. And to confess to my own ideological bent, I believed deeply in the potential of our native plants, but the lack of good design examples that was holding them back.

For Claudia, it was the layering of plant on top of plant—the gorgeous morphological diversity of plants above and below ground—that was the story to tell. Claudia wanted to weave the science of plant interaction and ecological niches (the natural story) together with the history of the German perennial movements (the cultural story). Claudia’s experience in Germany immersed her in the world of Karl Foerster, Richard Hansen, Wolfgang Oehme, Cassian Schmidt, Bernd Hertle, and Norbert Kuhn. Germany’s emergence from the desolation of World War II produced a renaissance of thinking about how perennials could be viable plants for covering much of the country’s public landscapes. Unfortunately, our book only covers a small amount of this fascinating history (Timber Press wanted us to focus on the larger narrative). But hopefully, Claudia will write and speak more about this in the future (her talk this summer on Karl Foerster at PPA in Baltimore was a big hit).

Claudia and me at a recent talk in Oxford, MD. Photo by Susan Harris

In the end, it was the power of the idea—and a trust in each other as colleagues and friends—that got us through the grueling process. That idea was big enough to hold together both our points of view. It’s a big tent idea: I’m confident it will support many, many other expressive variations. Whether the book is a flop or success, the collaboration itself was one of the most rewarding experiences of my professional life. It blew open my thinking about plants, and has set my thinking onto much broader horizons. I am grateful for the experience.

iPhone 6s comparison

Thanks to Ben Fishel for sending last night. So freaking awesome.

You’ll love this book too if you’re a fan of this blog. We guarantee it. This is a captivating book that details the history of our city from the early days before its birth, to George Washington’s involvement in site selection and throwing his weight behind making this audacious, possibly foolhardy project, become a reality.

Empire of Mud is one of the best books detailing the history behind Washington, D.C.

Below is one of the final passages, and best, from the book, which really sums up Washington:

Two rival forces had whipsawed Washington City throughout its troubled history. Initially Southern congressmen paralyzed the growth of the capital to keep it weak and undeveloped so the national government, by extension, remained feeble and inhibited with respect to the states. After the war, Northern congressmen emboldened the growth of the capital so the federal government would stand dominant and uninhibited over those states.

In both cases, the interests of local voters were irrelevant. Southerners didn’t care to aid a city for which they had so little use. Resident’s rights became even more constricted once Northerners decided to use their power to develop the capital. Any threat to that power–even voting in municipal elections–had to be stymied. Racial politics only added to the equation and ensured that white residents could, through statutory and constitutional law, keep African Americans from exercising their franchise in the District, even as they grew to a residential majority in future decades. In stripping away the franchise, Congress ensured that the District remained a ward of the nation, the sole province of national politicians. The day-to-day rulers changes, their motivations differed, but the disenfranchisement stood.

Get the book, read it, and tell us how you like it. This is not a book that will disappoint. Dickey has done some incredible research into the city’s past, and brings to life people that have had incredible impact on our city’s evolution from Pierre L’Enfant to Alexander “Boss” Shepherd, Frederick Douglass to Mary Ann Hall. The variety of colorful characters is wonderful and will keep you up late reading this book.

Here’s an interesting YouTube video we dug up about the book.

I had to see what a $16,500 rental looked like – not too shabby, not too shabby.

This house is located at 3023 Q Street, Northwest. The listing says:

“This Bracketed Italianate residence was built in 1868 by Henry Cooke, DC’s first mayor. Located on Cooke’s Row, 3023 was Cooke’s own residence and boasts numerous architectural details including the grand three-story curved staircase. This home is graced with 13 foot ceilings on the main level, seven bedrooms, five full bathrooms, five fireplaces and off-street parking with garage.”

You can see more photos here.

This 7 bed/4.5 bath is going for $16,500/Mo.

This week’s Pet of the Week is Yofi. This fluffy little goldendoodle loves living in Clarendon and playing with other dogs. And, of course, being Insta-famous.

Here’s what one of Yofi’s humans said about her.

Yofi is a female mini goldendoodle puppy (mix of a golden retriever and poodle) new to the Clarendon area.  Yofi loves exploring her new neighborhood.  Whether she’s frequenting Clarendon hot spots and enjoying the fleeting warm weather, or walking around the ‘hood and getting tons of belly rubs from friendly neighbors, she loves the Arlington life.

Yofi loves sniffing and romping with other puppies, but isn’t afraid of big dogs either!  Yofi enjoys going on hikes, running around at Gravelly Park, and visiting the Clarendon Dog Park to play with her doggie friends.

When she’s not out and about, Yofi loves cuddling with her humans and chewing on giant dog toys.  Feel free to check her out on Instagram @yofi.doodle for more adorable puppy pics!

Want your pet to be considered for the Arlington Pet of the Week? Email arlingtonnews@gmail.com with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet.

Each week’s winner receives a sample of dog or cat treats from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, along with $100 in Becky’s Bucks. Becky’s Pet Care, the winner of three Angie’s List Super Service Awards and the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters’ 2013 Business of the Year, provides professional dog walking and pet sitting services in Arlington and Northern Virginia.

The number of wolves alone around Chernobyl is more than 7 times greater than can be found in other nature reserves.

Two weeks ago, in response to a crowd-sourced catcalling map from students at the University of North Carolina, I suggested that men should be banned from the streets. Judging by this worrying domestic violence map it appears that men should also be banned from the home. The Domestic Violence in Los Angeles map plots reports of domestic violence made to the Los Angeles Police Department in

From the craft room to the bathroom to the kitchen, the humble apple has many more application than just sauce and pie.

If you have any animal/pet photos you’d like to share please send an email to princeofpetworth(at)gmail(dot)com with ‘Animal Fix’ in the title and say the name of your pet and your neighborhood. Your photos will go into the queue (usually 2 weeks wait) and will be posted in the order I receive them. If you’ve already entered your pet and would like to do so again – that’s no problem – just space the entries out a bit. Please try to send horizontal photos 640×480 (medium size on your iphone) if possible. If you’re not using an iphone any size is fine.

“‘All tuckered out with dads shoe and my bone..living the pups life in Shepherd Park!’ -Andy”

“Gidget enjoying a sunrise lemongrass snack in Brightwood Park.”

“Layla of Mt. Vernon Square (previously from Shaw) visiting her big sister, Sara (retired Thoroughbred) of Upper Marlboro, MD.”

courtesy &pizza

And in other chain news:

“&pizza, the first Washington, DC-based fast casual pizza company, known for its trademark ampersand, gourmet handmade pies, inventive flavor combinations, localized store design and dedication to the communities they serve, has added new products for fall. Additions to the menu include: The launch of &TEA product line; The Boss Hogg, The OG, Backyard Lite signature pizzas and White Birch Beer Craft Soda. The updated menu will run starting September 28 at all 12 freestanding &pizza locations. However, the Boss Hogg and White Birch Beer Craft Soda will be only available during the fall.

“Innovation is at the core of what we do,” said &pizza founder Michael Lastoria. “&pizza strives to push the boundaries of what’s possible which is evident in our new products. From the Boss Hogg to the White Birch Beer, we remain vigilant in our mission to curate seasonal experiences for the District in a way that only &pizza can.”

&pizza’s full list of new menu items includes:

● &TEA New product line to feature small batch, handcrafted teas with organic sugar. Flavors to include Peppered Chai, unsweetened Lemongrass White Peach, Spiced Thai and Sweet Mint. All locally produced in Washington, DC

● Boss Hogg A signature pizza covered in BBQ sauce, quattro formaggi blend cheeses and caramelized onions, topped with smoked corn, pork BBQ, tortilla strips, fresh cilantro, red pepper chili oil and a singular lime wedge

● The OG A classic tomato pizza with fresh mozzarella, grape tomatoes, fresh basil and olive oil, sprinkled with salt and pepper

● Backyard Lite A signature pizza covered in roasted garlic purée, fresh mozzarella, roasted peppers, caramelized onions, grape tomatoes, arugula with a fresh squeezed lemon juice and sprinkled with salt and pepper

● White Birch Beer Craft Soda Brewed with pure cane sugar, a touch of honey and essence of birch extracts, this soda has both a smooth and distinctive flavor. The bite and sweetness of the soda pairs perfectly with the Boss Hogg”

If you have any animal/pet photos you’d like to share please send an email to princeofpetworth(at)gmail(dot)com with ‘Animal Fix’ in the title and say the name of your pet and your neighborhood. Your photos will go into the queue (usually 2 weeks wait) and will be posted in the order I receive them. If you’ve already entered your pet and would like to do so again – that’s no problem – just space the entries out a bit. Please try to send horizontal photos 640×480 (medium size on your iphone) if possible. If you’re not using an iphone any size is fine.

“Birdie lives in Brookland, but today she decided to take a message to the Capitol. Preach Bird, preach.”

“Hila from Columbia Heights”

“Wilbur, an English Bulldog puppy from NoMa, is just waiting for the weekend.”

Photo via Smithsonian’s National Zoo

From the National Zoo:

“Keepers had a chance to weigh Bei Bei on Monday, Sept. 28, when Mei Xiang left her den to eat. He now weighs 1,850 grams, or 4 lbs! Mei Xiang is spending more time out of the den, and has even been sleeping in her enclosure for short periods of time as long as Bei Bei is content. One of their recent snoozing sessions was briefly interrupted by a rather surprising sneeze.

The David M. Rubenstein Family Giant Panda Habitat has been closed to the public since Aug. 20, and will remain closed until further notice to provide quiet. As we mentioned in our last update, Bei Bei will go on exhibit for the first time in early 2016.”

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October 2nd, 2015: In conclusion, I hope we all learned a lot today about computers, and hit me up any time you have a computer problem because I stand ready to assist you. I thought I was the first one to come up with this idea, but it turns out there's papers about it! So not only is this comic TRULY HILARIOUS AS ALWAYS, it's also mega legit. – Ryan

If you have any animal/pet photos you’d like to share please send an email to princeofpetworth(at)gmail(dot)com with ‘Animal Fix’ in the title and say the name of your pet and your neighborhood. Your photos will go into the queue (usually 2 weeks wait) and will be posted in the order I receive them. If you’ve already entered your pet and would like to do so again – that’s no problem – just space the entries out a bit. Please try to send horizontal photos 640×480 (medium size on your iphone) if possible. If you’re not using an iphone any size is fine.

“Duke the Whoodle in Rosslyn”

“Donna Martin just wants some love and infection”

“Essie Enjoying the last days of summer”

Gov. Terry McAuliffe has declared a state of emergency for Virginia in response to an impending nor’easter and Hurricane Joaquin, which is making its way toward the East Coast.

McAuliffe declared the state of emergency to allow Virginia businesses, residents and officials to prepare for the impending storms.

“I cannot stress enough the imperative for Virginians to focus on the rainstorms that are headed our way tomorrow and Friday, well before Hurricane Joaquin could potentially impact Virginia,” McAuliffe said in a statement. “The forecast of up to 10 inches of rain in areas across Virginia could result in floods, power outages and a serious threat to life and property. As we continue to track the path of Hurricane Joaquin, I have instructed the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security to make every preparation for a major event Thursday and Friday.”

The nor’easter is expect to hit the area Thursday and Friday bringing a prolonged period of torrential rain and the potential for dangerous flooding, McAuliffe said in a statement. The rain may continue as Hurricane Joaquin approaches.

Joaquin is currently expected to make landfall at some point on Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.

The hurricane’s possible trajectory has it hitting North Carolina around 2 p.m. on Sunday and moving through Virginia, D.C. and Maryland Sunday and Monday. Another path, however, predicts Joaquin will bypass the East Coast completely.

Joaquin is currently a Category 1 hurricane with winds up to 85 miles per hour and is floating around the Bahamas and other Caribbean islands, according to NWS.

Virginia officials issued the following tips for staying safe when flooding is expected (after the jump).

Get Ready

• Download the free Ready Virginia app for iPhone® and Android™, which features a customizable emergency plan, a checklist for gathering emergency supplies and an “I’m Safe!” feature that allows you to quickly send a text message to let family and friends know you are safe.
• Decide how and where everyone will meet up with each other if separated.
• Choose an out-of-town emergency contact for your family and give that person’s phone number to each family member.
• Sign up for text alerts/weather warnings that may be offered by your locality. 

Prepare for flooding

• Know the weather terms and what you should do:
  • Flood Watch or Flash Flood Watch: There is an increased possibility of flooding or a flash flood in your area.
  • Flood Warning: Flooding is occurring or will likely occur very soon. If emergency officials advise you to evacuate, do so immediately.
  • Flash Flood Warning: Flash flooding is occurring. Seek higher ground immediately – don’t wait for official instructions.
• Be prepared to evacuate. If evacuated, don’t return to your home until local officials say it is safe.  After floodwaters recede, roads could be weakened and could collapse. Buildings might be unstable, and drinking water might be contaminated.
• Use common sense and look for information. If water is rising quickly or you see a moving wall of mud or debris, immediately move to higher ground.
• Do not walk through moving water. Look for areas where the water is not moving. What might seem like a small amount of moving water can easily knock you down.

Drive safely

• Know the road conditions before you travel. Go to www.511Virginia.org or dial 511 from any phone for real-time traffic information and road condition reports.
• Do not drive into flooded areas. If your vehicle becomes surrounded by rising water, get out quickly and move to higher ground, if possible.
• Flood water might cut off access to roads. Be prepared to stay where you are until floodwaters recede.

Stay informed

• Listen to NOAA Weather Radio and your local media to know when flood watches and warnings are issued.
• More flood preparedness information is available at www.vaemergency.gov/readyvirginia/stayinformed/floods.

Other resources

• If you need help, information or resources during or after the storm, call 211. Those with hearing impairments can call 711 to connect to the Virginia Relay Center for assistance with the call. Videophone users may dial 1-800-230-6977.
• www.vaemergency.gov – go online or on your smart phone for statewide storm updates
• @vdem – Twitter feed for storm updates from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management

This week’s Arlington Pet of the Week are siblings, Biscuit and Waffles. These cute corgis were selected as part of Crystal City’s Pups and Pilsners event and social media contest. Biscuit and Waffles had a paw-tastic time partying at Pups & Pilsners in Crystal City. They’re pretty different but both love cuddling and begging for food.

Here’s what the dogs’ “corgmom” said about them.

Biscuit and Waffles are two corgis that love to eat, sleep and play. They also love to travel to California to visit their grandma and grandpa, and love car rides to corgi meet ups. Biscuit loves to play tug of war with corgmom and corgdad while, Waffles loves to bark and be the fun police. They also love to destroy carpet and sleep under the bed.

Waffles is a huge love bug and loves to pin people down and give them endless amounts of kisses. Biscuit is more independent but loves to snuggle during nap time. We both perfected the “puppy eyes” to get as much fruit, vegetables, and ice cream as we can (anything but seafood).

Want your pet to be considered for the Arlington Pet of the Week? Email arlingtonnews@gmail.com with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet.

Each week’s winner receives a sample of dog or cat treats from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, along with $100 in Becky’s Bucks. Becky’s Pet Care, the winner of three Angie’s List Super Service Awards and the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters’ 2013 Business of the Year, provides professional dog walking and pet sitting services in Arlington and Northern Virginia.

On September 22, 2015 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announced that the greater sage-grouse does not warrant listing under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). A key element of this historic and positive decision was the unprecedented, range-wide land use planning effort undertaken by the BLM.  Without the sustained and coordinated efforts of thousands of BLMers on these plans, including years of collaboration with a wide range of partners and stakeholders across 10 western states, none of this would have been possible. 

“This collaborative, science-based, planning effort is the largest land conservation effort in U.S. history,” said BLM Director Neil Kornze. “Through this unprecedented effort, the BLM has crossed into a new era of true landscape-level management that will make us a stronger, more agile organization for decades to come.”  

Thanks to the coordinated and sustained efforts of the BLM and others, the greater sage-grouse does not require Endangered Species Act protection.

The greater sage-grouse plans contain three common elements that will be critical to their success: (1) minimizing new or additional surface disturbance in important habitat, (2) improving habitat condition range-wide, and (3) reducing the threat posed by rangeland fire. These common elements are grounded in the best available science, developed by our own internal experts, who are some of the best and the world, as well as their counterparts in state wildlife agencies and range of research institutions.  These plans build upon and complement the significant conservation efforts put in place by the states and provide a layered approach to management that offers the greatest protection to the most valuable sagebrush habitat.

As DOI Secretary Sally Jewell explained yesterday, “This [was] truly a historic effort – one that represents extraordinary collaboration across the American West.” This epic conservation effort will not only benefit the sage-grouse, but also “westerners and hundreds of species that call this iconic landscape home, while giving states, businesses and communities the certainty they need to plan for sustainable economic development,” she said.

In developing the greater sage-grouse strategy, the BLM and other agencies worked to amend 98 disparate land use plans in less than four years through a coordinated approach that incorporated regionally appropriate science-based conservation measures throughout the bird’s range. The final landscape-level plans are the result of a robust multi-year public process involving western governors, county commissioners, ranchers, federal agencies, and other stakeholders.  

The FWS reached its determination after a thorough analysis of the best available scientific information and considering the extraordinary collective efforts of the BLM and others to conserve sagebrush habitat. Based on these considerations, the FWS was able to conclude that despite long-term population declines, greater sage-grouse remain relatively abundant and well-distributed across the species’ 173-million-acre range, and the species does not face the risk of extinction now or in the foreseeable future, and therefore does not need ESA protection.

With these actions, “The BLM has helped to preserve the West’s heritage of ranching and outdoor recreation; protect hundreds of wildlife species such as elk, mule deer and golden eagles that also rely on sagebrush habitat; and strike a sustainable balance between conservation and development,” said Kornze.

In developing the greater sage-grouse strategy, the BLM and other agencies worked to amend 98 disparate land use plans in less than four years through a coordinated approach that incorporated regionally appropriate science-based conservation measures throughout the bird’s range.

For more information on the greater sage-grouse decision, including the press release and the announcement video by DOI Secretary Sally Jewell, visit https://www.doi.gov/sagegrouse. 

#TravelTuesday, find beauty on your public lands! 

BLMer and My Public Lands Tumblr blogger, Alec Bryan shared these amazing photos of wildflowers and wildlife rebounding from the Oregon Gulch Fire of 2014. “The variety of colors in the burn scar was amazing.” 

Well – let’s pack up the internet for today…

A reader spotted yesterday and when begged for comment revealed it was from:

“Logan Circle. No idea how he got there. His owner was a few feet away talking to a neighbor completely unfazed.”

And yes – absolutely consider this a bonus caption contest photo.

There are two D.C.-area eateries that made Yelp’s Top 100 List in 2014. One is a restaurant in Dupont Circle marked on Yelp with “$$$$.” The other is a taco truck in Arlington.

Tacos El Chilango parks at the corner of 14th Street N. and N. Quinn Street nearly every day. From the truck, people can see drivers whiz by on Route 50. Before customers get a $2.50 taco (or five), they might stand in a line that goes down the block. The menu is limited to only six kinds of meat tacos and a small selection of drinks. But no one is complaining.

Making Yelp’s Top 100 List in 2014 was no easy feat. Engineers from Yelp took into account number of reviews and star ratings to reveal the most popular spots in the country, over the past 10 years that Yelp had been up and running. Tacos El Chilango made number 58.

Jesus and Juan Antonio Santacruz opened the truck together in Arlington in 2007. Juan Antonio now runs El Chilango’s D.C. location (1119 V. Street NW), which opened in 2012. It has a somewhat larger menu including veggie options and indoor and outdoor seating space.

When the two first opened shop, they were inspired by their parents, who moved from Central Mexico to Mexico City in the 1950s and opened their first taco business.

“My parents had the house, and in the front they had the business, so we practically lived there. We are eight siblings and we all have taco shops,” Juan Antonio said.

Five taco stores are in Mexico, and three are in the U.S.– the two El Chilango locations, and Tacos El Papi, another truck, owned by their eldest brother, is parked on Columbia Pike in Arlington.

Juan Antonio and Jesus established their space because Jesus lives nearby, and one winter they got snowed into the spot. People started noticing the truck because there aren’t really other businesses around. And so they stayed.

What makes these tacos special? People could look to the 349 Yelp reviews (only five of which are under three stars) or ask someone who took to the street at lunchtime today.

Maurice Dayton calls himself a “religious patron” of El Chilango. He said he comes to get his lunch at the truck at least twice a week. He’s not the only super fan — 55 Yelp reviews used the word “love” to describe their feelings for the fresh tacos.

“I’m not lying, I’m from Texas and I know a thing about tacos, this is the closest I’ve come to being back home with tacos, and I have to say, it’s even better,” Dayton said.

Jesus says the secret to the tacos is never changing the recipe — and keeping ingredients fresh every day.

“A lot of people ask for sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes and we say ‘no.’ We like to keep them authentic, the way we grew up with them, the way we make them in Mexico. We make everything pretty much every day,” Santacruz said.

Dayton lives in Maryland but works in a nearby State Department office, where he says everyone makes the walk down to the truck. He mentioned a few other spots he said had good tacos, but they didn’t compare.

“I just absolutely love coming here. You have to try the El Mixto. They’re some of the absolute best tacos anywhere. I wish I could franchise this place,” Dayton said, laughing.

Matt Evans is a longtime patron of the truck who just moved in Arlington, just blocks away from El Chilango’s parking spot — a move he’s very excited about.

“I have a lot of coworkers who are super into District Taco, and hands-down this is way better than District Taco. It’s that authentic, it’s like California tacos,” Evans said.

It makes sense that they would be authentic, as “Chilango” is a Mexican slang word meaning the people who live in or come from Mexico City. And Juan Antonio says even though there is the most business on Fridays and Saturdays, the truck is busy year-round.

“Even when it’s so hot or so cold, people want tacos,” he said.

This #WomeninSTEM Wednesday, We Learn about Soil Sampling

Chelsea Aquino, BLM Oregon Hydrologist conducts soil samples in the Lakeview District by freezing the soil with liquid nitrogen. The Wood River Wetland is located on the northern border of the Klamath Falls Resource Area. This 3,200 acre wetland is home to a large variety of plants and animals.

Photos by BLMer Alec Bryan.

This 7-Ft. Kid Jail is now available at Toys R Us

buy this print!

You do the first one at home. Don't deny! WE ALL DO THE FIRST ONE.

Step Aside Pops is OUT IN STORES!! Buy yours now! The reviews have been lovely, thanks everyone who has a hand in that business! How can I not be pleased with things like this NPR review? I have also been showing up in interviews, like at the Guardian, or best of all, talking with my old pal Lisa Hanawalt over at Jezebel.

I'm neck deep in a book tour!