Author Archives: Reed Sandridge

Day 195: Brian and Lisa

Posted on July 14, 2015 | Leave a comment

Summer is a time for the beach, baseball and barbecues. Well, last weekend I didn’t go to the beach or catch any baseball games, but I did go over to the home of the Executive Director of Street Sense, Brian Carome, and his wife Lisa for a barbecue. Everyone there was connected in some way to the Street Sense Media Center, a collaborative where local filmmakers, photographers, poets, playwrights, visual and graphic artists, and audio storytellers work side-by-side with men and women experiencing homelessness to craft stories that challenge our perceptions of homelessness. The work produced in Media Center workshops over the last year has been nothing short of remarkable and it was nice to take a moment and just relax with this incredible group of people.

Day 195

Brian and Lisa, 

Thank you both so much for inviting me to your home for the BBQ. It was great to talk with you and so many other members of the Street Sense family. The food was outstanding – and while I didn’t have the pork since I’m not eating meat right now, everyone was raving about it. I probably should have cheated and just tried a bite. Anyway, I am buying that Weber Cookbook!

Thanks again – it was a wonderful evening.
Reed

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Day 194: Megan

Posted on July 13, 2015 | 2 comments
Barren Hill cocktail at McClellan's Retreat

Barren Hill cocktail at McClellan’s Retreat

At some point I became interested in mixing cocktails. For some of the more interesting ones, it seems I’m always missing one ingredient. Often times it is a tincture, bitters or syrup that has to be prepared ahead of time. So despite my interest in crafting my own cocktails, it’s nice sometimes to go some place that has all the ingredients – not to mention the expertise to make them!

Day 194bAround the corner from my house is McClellan’s Retreat. They opened up last fall where Veritas used to be. I hesitated posting this letter here because people will start to flock to this favorite spot of mine and then there will be no room for me at the bar. I guess that would be a good thing though – both in terms of the bar doing well enough to stay in business and for me not sitting at the bar as often as I may now.

Anyway, Megan is the manager and head bartender there. If you stop by, tell her I sent you. And definitely order the Barren Hill, it’s my favorite. But I caught part of a conversation one day about the pistachio syrup – the fact that possibly they’ve lost the recipe and when this batch runs out, it’s gone forever. So you better go sooner than later.

Day 194-2

Dear Megan,

It was good to see you this past weekend – it had been way too long since I had stopped in. It’s not healthy (staying away that is) and I promise not to do it again.

People talk about climate change, pandemics, ISIS… but what keeps me up at night is pistachio syrup. What will become of the Barren Hill if you run out??? Speaking of which, I was in on Sunday and Chris made me one – it was pretty delicious. You’ve got some competition!

Thanks for being my neighborhood bar.

Cheers,
Reed

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Day 192: Brätt Family

Posted on July 11, 2015 | Leave a comment

Today’s letter is for Sasha and Jamie – and their kids, although they are too young to read the letter. I met Sasha in 2009 when he directed me in the play The Laramie Project. He’s an insanely talented director and he offered to direct the play that some friends and I put together based on the Year of Giving.

His wife Jamie is a rock star. She does city planning so I thought of her as well when I saw I AM THE GENTRY Thursday night. In fact, I think she worked on some of the city planning for the area where the play took place around H Street in DC.

Day 192

Dear Brätt Family,

I hope that my letter finds you well. I enjoy seeing your Facebook updates – Mina and Austin are growing up and somehow you guys manage to stay the same.

I went to see a Fringe show last night – it reminded me of the fun (ok, so there was a little stress involved too) we had doing the Year of Giving play. The show last night dealt with gentrification and how that was changing communities and the people who make up the neighborhoods that are experiencing the changes. While it could have been many areas of D.C., it took place in an area near H Street, Northeast.

Day 192-2I think you both would have enjoyed the show. I found myself wishing you were with me. It would have been interesting to talk to Jamie about gentrification and get her perspective on what cities can do to improve things like access to resources and safety while not displacing the majority of the members of a community who can’t afford to stay. And I would have liked to discuss the play with Sasha and get his thoughts from a director’s point of view – it had some striking similarities to Year of Giving.

Anyway, it made me think of you guys. I miss you and hope that we find a way to get together this year (a way that doesn’t involve painting or moving, although, if forced to I will settle for that).

Have a great summer,
Reed

 

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Day 191: Cara

Posted on July 10, 2015 | Leave a comment

The Capital Fringe Festival has begun and I went on opening day to see I AM THE GENTRY, a moving play written and performed by local artist Cara Gabriel. If you live in D.C., you should check it out.

Day 191

 

Dear Cara,

I was an audience member at your opening night performance of I AM THE GENTRY in this year’s Capital Fringe Festival. You did a fabulous job performing your masterfully written script.

Day 191-2Community is at the heart of a lot of my work and I felt that theme strongly throughout your play. There are of course the obvious physical and economic changes that occur with gentrification, but the social changes, particularly related to the sense of community that we feel, or don’t feel, within our neighborhoods, are difficult to articulate and even more complicated to properly value.

I believe it was Ms. June in your play whose death you said would forever change the ethos of your old neighborhood. It is sad when the stalwart members of a community die or move away – they often take with them so much more than their families and belongings.

I wish you well with the play. It is thought-provoking and entertaining, but more than that, it’s an important story and I hope that you will continue to share it with many more audiences.

With admiration,
Reed Sandridge

I made an envelope liner out of the program.

I made an envelope liner out of the program.

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Day 190: Anonymous letter left at Starbucks at 24th and M, D.C.

Posted on July 9, 2015 | 3 comments

Day 190-3This might be my third letter I’ve left at a Starbucks. I left two in Starbucks cafes in New York City. Today’s letter, written on snappy stationery from 1canoe2, included a gift card good for caffein.

Day 190-2Some people dream of finding an envelope full of cash. If you’re one of them, don’t give up, keep trying. In the meantime let me buy you a coffee.

Enjoy and have a good day!

 

 

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