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DC Hidden Murals #8: The Alchemy of Ben Ali Traditional Cache

Hidden : 11/12/2011
Difficulty:
2.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1 out of 5

Size: Size:   micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:

The eighth in a series of caches I hope will bring attention to DC's wealth of "hidden" mural art.

"The Alchemy of Ben Ali" on the side of Ben's Next Door at 1211 U Street NW DC was realized over a two-week period in October 2011 by artist Eric B. Ricks and Murals DC.


The U Street metro is just down the street for commuters and there's plenty of street parking. Some stealth may be necessary but few will question an interest in the mural. WARNING: If you don't go in the historic Ben's Chili Bowl for a chili half-smoke, you'll never forgive yourself.

From Wikipedia:

Ben's Chili Bowl is a landmark restaurant in Washington, D.C., located at 1213 U Street, next to Lincoln Theatre, in the Shaw neighborhood of northwest D.C. It is known locally for its chili dogs, half-smokes, and milkshakes, and has been an integral part of the neighborhood's history since its founding in 1958. It was frequented by both police and protesters during the 1968 Washington, D.C., riots, and is regularly visited by celebrities, such as Bill Cosby and Chris Tucker. The restaurant's founders have been inducted into the D.C. Hall of Fame.

Bonus video: A behind the scenes look at the mural's creation by videographer Wes Felton with an interview with Eric B. Ricks and ending with the reaction of Virginia Ali as she is introduced to the work.

Original cache container held a bison tube FTF award. As usual with these alley hides, coords are approximate; once you see the mural you'll need to rely on your geosense more than your GPS -- remember to bring your favorite writing utensil and enjoy!

** Congrats to derektiffany for the rainy-day FTF! **

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Zntargvp. Ybbx qbja vafvqr lryybj n srj vapurf.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)