About the neighborhood, from Wikitravel:
Columbia Heights, like much of the city, was devastated by the 1968 riots following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Efforts to revitalize the area are much more recent than in Adams Morgan or Shaw, and the lower real estate prices and cheaper dining reflect that. The center of Columbia Heights is the Tivoli Theatre, home of the GALA Hispanic Theatre. The shopping area surrounding it and the Columbia Heights metro station (which opened as recent as 1999) is brand new, of questionable aesthetic taste, and not terribly exciting—mostly shopping malls with major chain retailers like Target, Best Buy, etc. Yet just outside there are many restaurants, bars, and hipster hangouts, lending to a vibe as close to that of New York's Williamsburg in D.C.
The Wonderland Ballroom is common hangout for the people I work with, especially in good weather when we can all sit outside on the patio. There will be a lot of folks here during business hours but the cache site affords some degree of cover from curious hipster muggles. The mural is actually on the wall of BloomBar, a culture/arts nonprofit fixture of the community.
As usual with these city hides, coords are approximate; once you see the mural you'll need to rely on your geosense more than your GPS. Please remember to replace just as found, and don't forget your writing utensil -- enjoy!
** Congrats to unusualsuspect for his 52nd FTF! **
UPDATE 5.3.2012: Came by to take a photo of the newly finished and beautiful remix of "Felipe's Story" -- was afraid that something had happened to Felipe to inspire the religious imagery, but apparently this was just the artist taking the mural in a new direction.
The artist describes the work:
"Spray paint/ mosaic/ acrylic/ stencil combo! On DC's BloomBars arts center -- this is a remix of the previous mural there, "Felipe's Story," featuring the same main character. Felipe is a boy I know in Rio de Janeiro, in the favela (slum) City of God, where I spend time every year. I stay with Felipe's family and lead educational public art projects with youth. This new version of the mural portrays the universal tension between positive and negative forces, fighting for the soul of the youth. These forces are personified by Hindu deities from the mythology and spirituality of India and other Asian cultures."
UPDATE 12.2014: The artist has again beautifully remixed the work and says:
This new version of “Felipe’s Story” features a 17-year-old Felipe in the same pose as the past murals. There are two creatures struggling over him; one a demon and the other a winged bird-man who wants to guide Felipe in the right direction. As they battle to influence him, Felipe stands still, trying to figure out which way to go and what to do with his life.