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DC Illustrated: Brookland Cafe Mural

15
Feb 2012
David Gaines   

When I lived in the area, it was a non-descript wall that no one noticed unless answering the call of nature from a night out on the scene. Today, there’s a 3-story mural on the side of Brookland Cafe that you can’t miss unless you had too many drinks from a night out on the scene.

12th Street Mural in Brookland in Washington DC

The mural, unveiled Oct. 2010 is titled “A Survivor’s Journey” and depicts survivors of domestic abuse…

Everyday in the District of Columbia, 76 calls are made to the police for help with domestic disputes and violence. The mural will raise awareness about domestic violence in our city, and spread a message of hope and healing.

DASH (District Alliance for Safe Housing) is excited to partner with artist Joel Bergner to create a mural that honors survivors of domestic violence and tells their stories of victory over violence.

On the Joel Bergner’s [the artist] site, he gives a tour of the mural, explaining what the different images represent. It is located at 3740 12th Street NE.

Category: DC Illustrated  Tags: , ,

Happy Birthday Nadia Mitchem!

10
Feb 2012
David Gaines   

Nduku and I went to One Lounge the other day in Dupont Circle to celebrate the birthday of her friend Nadia.

Nadia Mitchem and Nduku Malombe

Category: Birthday Parties  Tags: , , , ,

Gianni’s Birthday Celebration at POV

05
Feb 2012
David Gaines   

Recently, the only birthday parties I’ve been attending have been for the children of friends. Mars’ son Optimus, Gessie and Carl’s daughter Aiyana, Irene’s daughter Nadra, and one of Nduku’s cousin’s two children’s birthdays. Not to mention the spike in baby showers this past year. The last birthday celebration, though, was for grown-ups only. We celebrated Marita’s significant other Gianni’s birthday at POV atop The W Hotel…

Gianni's Birthday at POV

Happy 1st Birthday Optimus

Aiyana's First Birthday

Erykah's First Birthday

Born on Halloween, Erykah Mack celebrated her first birthday with a costume party.

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Mandu Sept. 17, 2011

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Category: Photos, Social Events  Tags: , , , , ,

Najwa and Her TV Programs

02
Feb 2012
David Gaines   

 

Another one of those small Najwa moments in time captured on video. When Najwa starts watching the TV, there’s really not much you can do to get her attention, other than turn it off. Of course she’s learning how to turn on the satellite box and the TV on her own.

As we look back to this day, the shows she likes [that we'll let her watch] may not be popular in the future. I grew up on Tom & Jerry, He-Man, The Flintstones, GI Joe, Transformers and Autobots, Scooby, Thunder Cats and a bunch of others I’ll remember after this gets posted.

Najwa’s generation include Dora the Explorer and Diego, Caillou, Blues Clues, Elmo and the Sesame Street gang [I watched that, too], Chica and the Sunny Side Up Show, Nina and Star with the Goodnight Show, Chuggington, Tinga Tinga [actually, I haven't seen this lately], What’s Your News?, Monkey See Monkey Do, The Wiggles and some others I’ll remember when Najwa jacks the TV from me.

Then again, maybe when Najwa gets my age TVs will be pass´e; and her kids’ shows will be in 3D on handheld entertainment devices.

 
Category: Najwa, Najwa in Motion, Najwa Photos, Photos  Tags:

Celebrating the Year of the Dragon

29
Jan 2012
David Gaines   

Photos from the Chinese New Year’s Parade in Washington, DC, celebrating the Year of the Dragon…

 
Category: Parades, Photos  Tags:

Najwa at Spring Mill Bread Company

14
Jan 2012
David Gaines   

Every now and again we’ll go wherever the wind blows to find something to eat. Barracks Row is a common landing spot to find something new, well, it was for Nduku. She got breakfast from Spring Mill Bread Company, while Najwa, as kids do, entertained herself with the beverage case.

Najwa Gaines at Spring Mill Bread Company in Washington, DC

Najwa Gaines at Spring Mill Bread Company in Washington, DC

Category: Najwa Photos  Tags: , ,

Najwa Enjoying the Warm Winter Day

07
Jan 2012
David Gaines   

It was a [relatively] warm winter day, so Najwa took a little walk…

Najwa Gaines taking a walk in the neighborhood

Najwa Gaines taking a walk in the neighborhood

Najwa Gaines taking a walk in the neighborhood

Najwa Gaines taking a walk in the neighborhood

Category: Najwa, Najwa Photos  Tags:

Celebrating Aiyana’s 1st Birthday!

07
Jan 2012
David Gaines   

The ladies and I headed out to Gessie and Carl’s to celebrate the first birthday of their daughter Aiyana. Last time I saw Aiyana, she was the size of my palm with a head so full of hair she looked like she was wearing a wig. A year later and my goodness how fast kids grow!

 
Category: Birthday Parties, Photos  Tags: , , , ,

Walking SW Waterfront Before The Upheaval

01
Jan 2012
David Gaines   

We started the year with one of our typical walks, this time at SW Waterfront by the water.

Nduku and Najwa in SW Waterfront in Washington DC by the Odyssey

It won’t be long before this entire area sees another facelift, as it did decades ago during the urban renewal. The Odyssey is one of the boats [or is it a ship? or a yacht?] that is part of the landscape, part of the definition of SW Waterfront. Hopefully it sticks around when the cranes come to rip its new identity out of the ground.

Category: Coming Soon to DC, Najwa, Najwa Photos, Nduku Photos  Tags: , ,

Najwa on Christmas Morning

25
Dec 2011
David Gaines   

A few photos of Najwa on Christmas morning…

 
Category: Najwa Photos, Photos  Tags:

Group Photo From Our Holiday Party

14
Dec 2011
David Gaines   

A group photo of most of us at Multivision, Inc. during our holiday party…

Multivision Inc

 
Category: Social Events  Tags:

Eckington’s Number One Redskins Fan

12
Dec 2011
David Gaines   

The lady and I were riding through Eckington, feeling out the neighborhood as we prepare to purchase a home [eventually], and came across this yard. Now who wouldn’t want to be neighbors with this person?

Category: Photos, Redskins  Tags: ,

Story Behind “The Hand” at HSW

07
Dec 2011
David Gaines   

The Hand at the Historical Society of Washington DC
“The Hand” which sits on the grounds of the Historical Society of Washington
at Mt. Vernon Square facing K Street NW.

The Hand at the Historical Society of Washington DC

The Hand at the Historical Society of Washington DC

 

The Hand is a sculpture commissioned by Vincent DeForest in 1968 in celebration of the African American struggle for civil rights:

The sculpture was commissioned by activist Vincent DeForest in 1968 to become the centerpiece of an historical mural celebrating the African American struggle for civil rights; the hand and mural together were intended to be part of the Poor People’s Campaign that year. DeForest was a leader in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and wanted to use art as a means to tell the story of African American history.

The mural was composed of panels representing aspects of civil rights struggles, and was erected as part of “Resurrection City” here in Washington. Coming first in May 1968, over 7,000 protesters were living on the Mall when the police tore down the encampment on June 19 and removed everything – including the murals – from the area. The Hand had not yet been installed.

All materials from “Resurrection City” had been hauled to Ft. Belvoir and DeForest managed to rescue the panels and store them safely. These panels are now hanging inside HSW as part of the exhibition Riots are the Language of the Unheard which focuses on events of 1968 here in Washington. DeForest kept The Hand for decades at his home. When he and his family left Washington in the 1990s, DeForest moved The Hand to an alley garden near his former home in Takoma, DC.

In preparation for the 1968-focused exhibition, HSW Executive Director Sandy Bellamy contacted DeForest because she knew he had later worked for the National Park Service and had focused on the preservation of African American landmarks. When she learned that The Hand and the murals were still in Washington she sought permission to include them in the exhibition. The Hand was overgrown and rarely seen in its alley home, now in front of HSW, it is admired every day.

Category: DC Illustrated, Photos  Tags:

Trip to the National Harbor

03
Dec 2011
David Gaines   

Though everything in me wanted to do something in The District, Nduku had never been to the National Harbor in PG County, so off we went. I’m not the biggest fan of it, perhaps because they took The Awakening away from DC, but it definitely has character.

 
Category: Nduku Photos, Photos  Tags: , ,

Najwa at Fayetteville’s Only Landmark

27
Nov 2011
David Gaines   

It’s amazing how after all these years, this is the first time I actually visited Fayetteville’s only landmark — the Markethouse. Probably because back in the day it was where they sold slaves, but still. I called a couple of my people and they all not only mentioned they never visited it, but they asked why I was there.

Regardless, we took Najwa downtown Fayetteville, NC, where there was a little festival and people walking around in character to Dickens’ Scrooge. I don’t know the story like that, but did Scrooge have a slave?

Fayetteville NC

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Najwa is just determined to get her hands into the water at all costs.
 
Category: Najwa, Najwa Photos, Photos, Road Trips, Travel the World, Traveling  Tags: , ,

Najwa Learning How to Use Eating Utensils

22
Nov 2011
David Gaines   

Chad was in town, and as usual, his schedule was so chaotic that we didn’t catch up until the next morning at IHOP. And he got front row seats to watching Najwa pretending like she knew how to use eating utensils.

 

Najwa Gaines at IHOP learning how to use eating utensils

Category: Najwa, Nduku Photos, Photos  Tags: , ,

Need a Lift?

05
Nov 2011
David Gaines   

Najwa at the helm

If she could only reach the gas pedal [or more importantly, the brakes], maybe I’d let Najwa take the wheels out for a spin.

NOTE: There were no animals injured or killed during this photo op. But 15 years from now…

Category: Najwa, Najwa Photos  Tags:

Fur

04
Nov 2011
David Gaines   

David Gaines and Nduku Malombe at Fur in Washington DC

Ankit, one of my co-workers, was hosting an event at Fur in Washington, DC. We stopped by with some friends, the first night out without the little one.

Diella and Doug Pendleton at Fur in Washington DC

Nduku Malombe and Diella Pendleton at Fur in Washington DC

Nduku Malombe at Fur in Washington DC

Category: Nduku Photos, Photos, Social Events  Tags: , , , ,

Happy 1st Birthday to Optimus!

29
Oct 2011
David Gaines   

It’s funny how when you’re a parent, your weekend plans change. It used to be resting all day to hit the streets at night. Not it’s attend birthday parties by day and rest at night. Most of the time.

This weekend we went to Falls Church to celebrate Simone and Mars’ son’s first birthday. The theme was Transformers. Why? Because his name is Optimus. Only Mars!

 

Najwa and Optimus

Category: Birthday Parties, Photos  Tags: , , ,

Dam Newton!

23
Oct 2011
David Gaines   

There isn’t much to say about the game between the Redskins and Panthers other than Hex Grossman and John Hex combined couldn’t do the things Dam Newton did to us this weekend. Can we get in on the “Suck for Luck” sweepstakes?

Photos from this weekend in Charlotte, NC, where I was hanging out with fellow die-hard Washington Redskins fan Mike Jackson and his family and friends…

Redskins vs. Panthers 2011

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There's an enemy in our midst![img src=http://davidgaines.com/wp-content/flagallery/redskins-vs-panthers-2011/thumbs/thumbs_1310skinsfans.jpg]
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Jenny wanted me to stand on a chair so I wasn't so much shorter than Mike. Not sure if this helped the picture.[img src=http://davidgaines.com/wp-content/flagallery/redskins-vs-panthers-2011/thumbs/thumbs_1303.jpg]
Mike and his sister.[img src=http://davidgaines.com/wp-content/flagallery/redskins-vs-panthers-2011/thumbs/thumbs_1295hogette.jpg]
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Mike's ride seemed to be one of the main attractions.[img src=http://davidgaines.com/wp-content/flagallery/redskins-vs-panthers-2011/thumbs/thumbs_1293dice.jpg]
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Category: Everything NFL, My People, Photos, Redskins, Social Events, Sports  Tags: , , ,

Celebrating Diwali [at FedEx Field?]

08
Oct 2011
David Gaines   

Considering the cost to fly to India for a week with a one year old, Nduku and I are postponing our plans for celebrating Diwali there. Luckily, there was a Diwali celebration right in our backyard. But, of course, not quite the same.

Until we make it across the globe for the original, we hung out at FedEx Field where there was a celebration. To my dismay, and perhaps it’ll be the same on the subcontinent, there was no meat in the food! But there was plenty of entertainment with music and dance, plenty of new sights and sounds for Najwa to experience and a lot of eyes on us, three of the maybe 10 non-Indians amongst the hundreds.

When I went to the ticket booth to buy the tickets to enter FedEx Field, the ticket seller politely informed me that it was Diwali and not a Redskins game going on. Funny.

 

Category: Najwa Photos, Nduku Photos, Photos  Tags: , , , ,

Najwa’s Birthday Photos From Mandu

01
Oct 2011
David Gaines   

Comcast is a joke. We’re virtually begging them to take our money and set up our internet, but for whatever reason, they continue to find ways to not set us up for internet. Hence I’m just now getting around to posting the photos from Najwa’s birthday party at Mandu. I’ll b!tch about Comcast later [then DirecTV after them]. For now, here’s Najwa:

Mandu Sept. 17, 2011

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Category: Birthday Parties, Milestones, Najwa, Najwa Photos  Tags: , , , ,

Najwa’s Buddy Dillon

24
Sep 2011
David Gaines   

Other than her mom and dad, Najwa spends the majority of her time with the babysitter and the other kids she watches. Here’s Najwa with Dillon, one of the other kids who’s known Najwa for more than half her life…

Najwa and Dillon

Najwa and Dillon

Category: Najwa, Najwa Photos  Tags: ,

Najwa’s Birthday Studio Photos

17
Sep 2011
David Gaines   

Najwa Gaines on her first birthday

After we wrapped up Najwa’s birthday party at Mandu [I'll post those photos in a moment], Nduku set an appointment for us to take some studio portraits. My mom is in town and bought Najwa a traditional Korean dress called a Hanbok, worn for celebrations. I’m relieved Najwa cooperated, well, as cooperative as we could’ve hoped for considering her temper [which she might've got from daddy?] when forced to do things she doesn’t want to do [just like daddy].

Portraits From Najwa's First Birthday

 

The other dress Najwa was wearing was a gift from Belinda Sillas-Robinson, a friend from back in my Westover days. It was a BaByQ Shower gift, and we’ve been waiting for the right moment or it to make its debut.

Category: Najwa, Najwa Photos, Nduku Photos, Photos  Tags: , ,

Grandma’s In Town For Najwa’s 1st Birthday

02
Sep 2011
David Gaines   

Last time my mom was in town, she was there witnessing Najwa come into the world. Now a year later,she returns to celebrate Najwa’s first birthday.

As usual, being a typical Gaines, we don’t know what time she got to DC, but she just knew she remembered how to get to our pad. She did get one thing right — we live just off of M Street. Only she was on M Street SW instead of NW and after a turn here and there, she was in Oxon Hill.

Once we got to the pad, though, it was play time for Najwa…

 

Najwa with her Korean grandmother

Category: Najwa, Najwa Photos  Tags: ,

Najwa Finally Facing Forward

22
Aug 2011
David Gaines   

Najwa actually has a few weeks and a pound to go, but instead of waiting, we went ahead and turned her car seat around. At first I was skeptical about her sitting in the middle, visions of her flying through the windshield in an accident. Our friend Jenny, though, mentioned that most accidents tend to be t-bones, getting hit on the side by people running red lights or stop signs. Or if the car flips over, you don’t want your child right at the shattered window.

With the number of straps and belts connecting the seat to the car, I’m pretty sure she’s the safest passenger in the car. And now she has a view to go along with it.


Najwa Gaines finally facing forward in the car

 
Category: Najwa Photos  Tags:

Najwa and Nduku

21
Aug 2011
David Gaines   

A couple of photos of Najwa Gaines and Nduku Malombe as we lounge around the pad…

Najwa Gaines and Nduku Malombe

Najwa Gaines and Nduku Malombe

 
Category: Photos  Tags: ,

Najwa’s Pilgrimage to Redskins Training Camp

08
Aug 2011
David Gaines   

Najwa Gaines and David Gaines at the Washington Redskins 2011 Training Camp in Ashburn, VA
If I look tired in the picture as we first entered Hog Heaven, it’s because I was! Najwa is not a lightweight anymore!

With the filthy rich owners and pretty damn rich players finally agreeing on how to share billions of our dollars, it’s finally time for some football. So what better to do to celebrate than to attend the Redskins training camp in sweltering summer heat?

Najwa, who was rocking Redskins gear the moment the nurses let us dress her up [yes, less than 24 hours after birth!], got to attend her first Redskins camp before she even turned one. I waited 37 years for this.

more…

Category: Najwa, Najwa Photos, Redskins  Tags: , , ,

Najwa’s First Trip To The Beach

01
Aug 2011
David Gaines   

David Gaines and Najwa Gaines at Rehoboth Beach in DelawareWhen Najwa was 3 months old [maybe 4] giving her a bath was like subjecting her to waterboarding. Maybe the water’s too hot? Not hot enough? Maybe all babies let out bloodcurdling screams when the water touches their bare bottoms?

If Nduku ever wanted me to do something, all she had to do was say we were about to give Najwa a bath. “Wash the car? I’m on it.” “Watch more reality TV? We can DVR it and rewatch it after it goes off.” “Vote for a Republican? It is secret, right?” Standing pat while torturing Najwa with a bath was a bit more than I wanted to bear so early into fatherhood.

more…

Category: Najwa, Najwa Photos, Nduku Photos, Road Trips, Travel the World  Tags: ,

Najwa at the Columbia Heights Fountains

12
Jul 2011
David Gaines   

Najwa Gaines playing in the water at the Sculpture Garden

more…

Category: Najwa, Najwa Photos  Tags: , ,

Najwa at the Sculpture Garden

10
Jul 2011
David Gaines   

It seems like yesterday when giving Najwa a bath that she would go berserk as soon as she felt the water hit her little bottom. Now she has a fascination with water and if it wasn’t for mommy, Najwa would’ve dived right into the fountain at the Sculpture Garden!

Najwa Gaines playing in the water at the Sculpture Garden

more…

Category: Najwa, Najwa Photos  Tags: , ,

Sunshine (Dedication to Najwa and Nduku)

08
Jul 2011
David Gaines   

Initially I was simply looking to capture this moment in time by piecing together some videos of Najwa. Then I had this idea that maybe I could figure out how to add some music to the video — considering Najwa doesn’t really say much anyway. Then what if I sprinkled in a few pictures here and there of Najwa between the video clips?

Figuring that out was the easy part. The hard part was which of the hundreds of hundreds of pictures of Najwa do I use? The video was turning into the story of Najwa from birth to just shy of 10 months old. And as I was putting on the finishing touches, how could I do a biography on Najwa without her mother Nduku!?

Now, I had thousands more pictures to choose from! I started to look for a much longer song, but L!ssen’s live version of “Sunshine” said exactly what I was saying with the photos. And of course the soundtrack had to be go go…


Najwa Gaines

 
Category: For Your Viewing Pleasure, Najwa in Motion, Najwa Photos, Nduku Photos, Parenthood, Upendo wangu  Tags: , ,

Congrats to Roselane and Duane!

25
Jun 2011
David Gaines   

The ladies and I headed out to Rock Creek Park to celebrate the baby shower for my good friend Roselane and her beau Duane…

 
[BTW, much thanks to Gianni for manning the grill, which got a little violent as you can see int hat last photo.]
Category: Photos, Social Events  Tags: , , , ,
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