Business behind Mr. Stupid

       You can’t help but to notice the man sitting on Georgia Ave and V Street beating his drums, selling sculptures with a strong aroma of incents surrounding him. If you don’t notice him he definitely will notice you and either greet you with a “have a blessed day” and most likely follow that up with a comment about the lord or the devil. So I decided to find out who this man was but after introducing myself and explaining I would be writing a report on him he said “I don’t want to be recognized as the man on Georgia Ave”. Me: Well with this story you will be more than the man on Georgia Ave. I’m interested in getting to know more than the obvious. Man: Well all you need to know is I am here to make sure I spread the lord’s word and that you are not destined to follow in the devils path. Me: Could I have the pleasure of knowing your name? Man: Oh of course, I am Mr. Stupid. Realizing I was getting nowhere I decided to enter the restaurant he sits in front of. I had never been in it but have passed it several times and it always seemed to be empty.

            As I open the door to Torries @ Wilson I here “I don’t see nothing wrong with a little bump and grind” sung by R.Kelly, two waiters behind a round dinning counter that allows you to see a part of the kitchen and a scent of something beginning to burn. There is a women sitting on a couch on the phone and a man at the counter eating a piece of cake. Alongside the walls are pictures of Martin Luther king, Mohammad Ali, and other well-known people, some pictures are even signed. The walls are wooden and there are two wooden booths before you enter a dining area on the left which is currently empty. There’s a table filled with flyers and a donation box for stop the violence, a brown skin baby doll in the middle with flyers surrounding it reading African American Dolls at collectible show, a couple of uptown Magazines and flyers for the restaurant.

            The lady on the couch I noticed turned out to be the owner and her name is Edith Stevens. She seemed very annoyed and told me she only had a few minutes. Even though I was there to ask some questions I ended up being the one who had to answer a lot of questions. Stevens: Have you eaten here before? Me: No but I am planning to today, what is your most requested dish? Stevens: The Country Breakfast. Me: Okay sounds great I’ll have that, do you get a lot of Howard students? Stevens: No and I don’t understand why! I see them up at the Chinese restaurant right pass us but no one bothers to come in here. Me: Have you advertised with the school paper or advertised your restaurant at Howard? Stevens: Yes! Haven’t you seen it? We were in the hilltop a couple of months ago and for the past 3 years we have been included in the packets they give to freshmen’s of near by restaurants.  Howard students are always coming here to interview us but no one eats here I don’t get it. Do you? Me: Maybe the man outside is a distraction, we get warned to be extra cautious while walking in the neighborhood. Stevens: Who Gene? Ha Ha ha…well I guess your right I have heard him yell out some weird things but he wouldn’t hurt nobody. Me: How long has your restaurant been open for? Stevens: well I was asked to run it in January of 1998. Me: Who asked you to take over? Stevens: The Corporation that runs this restaurant TGFS. Me: What does TGFS stand for? Stevens: It’s very personal I am not going to tell you. Me: Okay well how did they know to contact you do you run another restaurant? Stevens: TGFS is my step daughter’s corporation and yes we sister restaurant I Florida Ave’s Grill. Me: That’s great, who owned the restaurant before you? Steven:  Wilsons did in 95, Hot Shop and role before. Me: Have you are any previous owner done any catering to Howard University? Steven: YES we used to cater in Blackburn cafeterias when Dr. Cheeks was running things but when the next man came he hired a white company.  Me: Is there anything you would like to know or include in my story? Stevens: No No No… you already know too much but you could find out for me why no one eats here that would be nice.

According to washingtondc.menupages.com Torries @ Wilson is a clean place, great food, service is slow but the food is worth the wait. I used a Lead with flair because I wanted to catch the reader’s attention. I picked this place because I know everyone passes it on their way to rite aid, the Chinese store or the metro and you can’t help but notice the eccentric man right outside. I believe people would be interested in this place because living on campus we have limited places to eat at so getting to know a local restaurant could be helpful for a hungry night.

A walk down Georgia Ave...

It was a great Friday afternoon, sun was shinning weather was great, cars blasting music, and a bunch of students walking towards campus passing Starbucks on the corner as usual. Even though the trees had no leaves and a smell of exhaust coming from the bus greeted us before we took our walk, It felt like a happy day! As we walked down Georgia Avenue and took in everything around us we could not help but to notice a man about 6'5 in a green shirt and jacket placed on one shoulder singing rap lyrics up and down the middle of the streets. Some people laughed, some just starred, and others just ignored him and went about their day. Walking down Georgia everything feels old. The  buildings seem abandoned but are not. In front of Howard University's Hospital, the corner of Georgia Ave and V st is a man with a long grey braided beard selling scents and sculptures  in front of Torrie@Wilson's a restaurant that has Christmas light hanging around the top of the roof. As we walk pass him he yells out to us "He loves you" and wishes us a great day. As we approach Georgia Ave and Florida the streets are much busier, older men are hanging at the corner of CVS pharmacy, a man is in front the corner of the boost mobile store selling water while go-go music plays loudly form a stereo attached to the store wall. People are going and coming from all directions via car, scooter, bike and feet as we all usually are when we or on Georgia Avenue but today was differnt because I actually noticed the environment instead of just being apart of it.

SUPER BOWL WEEKEND

It's amazing what you notice when you sit back and just observe. February 5th the Saturday night before the big Superbowl Sunday I went to a pre-party / get together at a lounge in Brooklyn N.Y. The smell of BBQ and buffalo wings lingered as i walked in noticing all of the black, green, white and Gold on the walls, tables, and clothes people had on. The energy was great a bunch of people laughing engaging in conversations  about the Pittsburgh Steeler's and the green bay Packers. I took a seat in the middle of the lounge, I could hear "Black and Yellow" by Wiz Khalifa play lowly in the back round. Lights were dimmed, there was about 100 people. I could hear the group of 4 guys next to me making bets on tomorrows game..."I got 50 your boys are gonna loose"..."WHATT nah i want 100 bucks when the steelers win boyy!" ESPN played on the flat screens surrounding the lounge, recaps of the teams were being showed and highlights of the best players along with predictions. People at the bar seemed to be more focused on the T.V, if something they didn't like was said they would all take there right fist bang it on the bar counter and suck there teeth in unison. People were so sure of there teams winning. You could see it in there face expressions, so intense eyebrows up in the air causing wrinkles in the middle of their heads, so sure of their selves ready to explain there cases to an fan of the opposing team. I for one never watched a game of football in its entirety but for some reason the energy of the room and all of the excitement felt by the people there got to me, and for the rest of the night i became a part of the noise.