Holiday Gift Suggestion: Official 2007 National Cherry Blossom Festival T-Shirt on 'Holiday Sale'

The official 2007 National Cherry Blossom T-Shirt which usually goes for $15, is currently on sale online at $7, in celebration of the holiday season. Another gift idea may also be the official 2007 National Cherry Blossom Festival poster at $10.

While I do not have them all in frames, I have a collection of the National Cherry Blossom Festival posters that date back to the 80's. And, in recent years, have made a point to purchase a t-shirt or two during the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival.

Here are the official store and store index links. As well as the National Cherry Blossom Festival website.

Click the image to purchase the 2007 National Cherry Blossom Festival t-shirt at the $7 holiday sale price.

Tickets Are Selling Fast for Jenifer Lewis & Keith Boykin Saturday Night Special Screening of "Dirty Laundry"

The 7:45 showtime of "Dirty Laundry" that Keith Boykin is hosting tonight, Friday, 07 December is already SOLD OUT!

Since many could not make it tonight, Boykin is happy to announce that he and cast member Jenifer Lewis will be hosting a special Saturday screening of the movie at 7:45 pm at the Clearview's Chelsea Theater at 260 West 23rd Street.

This time you have to move quickly to get your tickets because they will probably sell out early. But if you can't get tickets for that show either, never fear. Tickets are still available for the other showtimes.

A New York Times review of the movie today says the "cast spins ... comic gold."

3rd Annual Downtown Holiday Market opens TODAY at 12 noon

Beginning at 12 noon today, the Downtown DC BID and Diverse Markets Management will kick-off is 3rd annual Downtown Holiday Market.

For 17 exciting days from Noon to 8:00 pm, at Penn Quarter, the sidewalk on F Street between 7th and 8th in front of the Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture will be transformed into a marketplace of local artisans selling a diverse array of goods including: art, crafts, jewelry, textiles, photography, pottery, clothing, prepared food and other high quality gift items. Enjoy live entertainment and refreshing food and beverages while you shop.

Each year, the event gets better and better.

All-weather large-screen monitors running continuous, looped programming with sound are a new and exciting addition to this year’s Market. Additionally, several food and beverage vendors will offer a variety of interesting savory, sweet and seasonal treats.

Taken during the 2006 Downtown Holiday Market the above image is in included in my December 2006 Photographs Never Before Seen (December 2007) project and Downtown Holiday Market 2006 collection. And here are images from the 2005 event.

Opening at 12 noon TODAY which is Friday, 07 December 2007, the event will take place every day, from 12 noon until 8 pm, thru Sunday 23 December.

Friday's Photo of the Week . 07 December 2007

Man Reading the News Paper . L'Enfant Plaza WMATA Station

SW WDC . Thursday evening, 06 December 2007

2007 Friday's Photo of the Week

Artist Robin Carol Blum 'Makes A Bold Statement'

By trade a newspaper artist with a master’s degree in illustration, Robin Carol Blum’s vibrant collection utilizes photos converted onto acrylic film, while everyday objects such as leaves, mesh, wire & fabric are intertwined.

The introduction of found street objects such as license plates & red light switch plates generate a bold urban composition. The smaller pieces are collages created with original cover letters & stamps from across history & the world.

All of the artist’s one-of-a-kind art will liven up your home & are perfect for small city walls. Your own photographs can be added to make the art more personal.

On 01 November 2007, the Zack's Taverna Art Gallery introduced the unique artwork of Capitol Hill resident Robin Carol Blum with a 5:30 - 8 pm opening reception. Located at 305 Pennsylvania Avenue in SE WDC, a second special viewing and reception will be held on 20 December 2007, from 7 until 10 pm.

Formerly the Taverna The Greek Islands, Zack's Taverna, serves Greek and mediterranean food and is a popular restaurant/bar for the Capitol Hill crowd.

Should you visit Zack's Taverna for lunch or dinner before the 20th December event, be sure to take the time to view Robin Carol Blum's 'Bold Statement' exhibition. Zack's Taverna is opened from 11 am until 11 pm, daily. Telephone at 202-547-8360.

Contact Robin Carol Blum at 202-547-1942 or Blum50@comcast.net .

Saint At Large & Masterbeat 2008's 'After The Ball' New Year's Eve Party

For its 8th year, Masterbeat New Year's Eve will become a global celebration. Host cities, Los Angeles and Miami promise multiple spectacular events over the weekend.

Get tickets here for the Masterbeat 2008 event happening in a city near you.

On New Year's Eve, Masterbeat will introduce you to the Future of Dance! Celebrate the end of the year and the beginning of 2008 at the largest New Year's event in the world!

In NYC, the 'Saint At Large' & Masterbeat 2008 will host an "After The Ball New Year's Eve Circuit Party at the The Nokia Theatre in Times Square. Featuring DJ Manny Lehman and special guests Les Go-Go Bleu de Montreal, the celebration will began at 12:30 am and will last until 8 am.

WDC Ranked #1 In Walkability

A Brookings Institution survey ranks the 30 biggest metropolitan areas according to the number of "walkable urban places" relative to the area's population. The WDC area is ranked as #1.

As one who, over the years, has embarked photo walks I could not agree more.

Click photo to view my Pedestrian 2007 and ongoing pedestrians project.

One of the reasons that I have always enjoyed WDC and NYC is due to their walkability.

WORK Holiday Party (NYC) - 8 December 2007

Georgetown BID's Holiday Open House . Friday, 7 December 2007 . 4:30 - 7:30 pm

The Georgetown BID will host its 3-hour Holiday Open House on Friday evening, 7 December 2007 from 4:30 until 7:30 pm at 1055 Thomas Jefferson Street, Suite L-11.

RSVP at jbell@georgetowndc.com or telephone 202.298.9222.

Here is a larger version of the flyer.

Here is my ongoing Georgetown flickr photo set and recent Downtown DC BID 10th Anniversary Celebration blog posting.

AT&T to Disconnect Pay-Phone Business After 129 Years

Dec. 3 (Bloomberg) -- AT&T Inc., the biggest U.S. phone company, plans to leave the pay-phone business after 129 years as more people use wireless handsets to make calls on the go.

The first pay phone, installed in 1878, had an attendant who took callers' money, AT&T spokesman Michael Coe said. Inventor William Gray set up the first coin-operated phone in 1889 at a bank in Hartford, Connecticut. Both devices were operated by AT&T predecessor companies.

Verizon Communications Inc., the second-biggest U.S. carrier, still operates about 250,000 pay phones and has no plans to exit the business, spokesman Jim Smith said. The company will shut down an unprofitable line unless the location pays a fee to keep it operating, he said.

"There are people who still need them, and so we still sell them,'' Smith said.

To contact the reporter of this story, email Crayton Harrison in Dallas at tharrison5@bloomberg.net.

Click the above 3 December 2007 photo of AT&T service technician Larry Wimberley working on a pay phone in Chicago IL by photographer Tim Boyle/Bloomberg News to read the complete article.

As a result of the increasing use of cell phones, in recent years, and not unlike my interest in call boxes, I have embarked on several ongoing pay phone and phone booth projects. So when searching the internet for information pertaining to this blog posting I was delighted to learn of the Pay Phone Project.