Photo by PoPville flickr user mosley.brian

From time to time we talk books and movies but today I want to ask you about magazines. I’m still a bit of the old school so I don’t have an ipad or other tablet yet. And I’m starting to get some awesome deals in the mail for really cheap magazine subscriptions. Alas I cancelled all previous subscriptions because I couldn’t keep up. So I’m thinking of slowly easing my way back in with only one magazine. So for those of you who still read magazines – what is your favorite?

Photo by PoPville flickr user jleathers

For this week’s Friday Question of the Day let’s talk grocery stores. If you could have Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Wegmans, Safeway, Giant, YES! Organic Market, H Mart, Harris Teeter or Target move into your neighborhood – which would you be most excited to get?

Photo by PoPville flickr user Mr. T in DC

A few folks have sent me links to this story – Popular $5,000 DC Homebuyer Tax Credit for first-time buyers not renewed for 2012 tax year:

First-time homeowners in the District of Columbia, who purchased their principal residence after Dec. 31, 2011, will not be able to take advantage of the popular $5,000 DC Homebuyer Tax Credit when they file taxes this year.

The tax credit that has made homebuying affordable for thousands of DC residents since it was first introduced nearly 15 years ago was axed from legislation during negotiations over the fiscal cliff and was not included in the American Taxpayer Relief Act signed by President Barack Obama last week, according to a spokesman for Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC).

An attempt to make the credit retroactive for 2012 purchases and extend it into 2013 was unsuccessful, but the congresswoman is working on a plan to get the credit reinstated, he said. There’s no specific plan of action or timeline in place yet.

And in yesterday’s GDoN post some readers were concerned that they were being priced out of the DC real estate market. So for this week’s Friday Question of the Day – I’m wondering how many of you who are considering buying a home in DC would be more inclined to do so if the $5,000 tax credit were reinstated for 2013?

We often talk about crime and safety in DC. Despite statistics some people say adamantly that the city and/or their neighborhood has become less safe. Others state just as adamantly that the city and/or their neighborhood has become more safe. Obviously we’re talking about one’s perception of safety. So for today, never mind statistics, I’m just curious how you feel. Do you feel more safe, less safe or the same compared to five years ago?

Best Chinese food often comes up in the rant/revel posts. We once took a crack at it back in 2008 but obviously a lot has changed since 2008. So for Jewish Christmas (Chinese food and a movie for those not familiar) I went to New Fortune up in Gaithersburg and was pretty dissapointed. It wasn’t terrible but it wasn’t nearly as delicious as I was promised. I think we need a proper thread to find some seriously good Chinese restaurant recommendations. So let’s say within a 45 minute drive (of course the closer to DC the better) – where’s your favorite Chinese restaurant? Maybe we should make it into two parts – favorite Chinese and favorite Dim Sum?

Lots of folks still have vacation on the mind or are still actually on vacation so I thought I’d go with another fun Friday Question of the Day – What are you most looking forward to in 2013?

I’m most excited about the Stephen Starr restaurant, Le Diplomate, coming to the former laundromat at 14th and Q St, NW in Logan Circle. I’m also looking forward to checking out the Daikaya Ramen shop coming to Chinatown. What are you guys most looking forward to seeing?

Lots of folks have the holidays on their mind and are starting to take off work so I thought we’d just do a fun question this week. I was listening to the The Tony Kornheiser Show and while it is on a sports radio station it seems they almost always have random discussions about anything but sports. Yesterday they were talking about the most famous person to have went to their high school and I thought it’d be interesting to learn the same from you guys.

Depending on who you ask, the most famous person who went to my high school [South Side Cyclones represent!] was either Howard Stern or Doris Kearns Goodwin. How ’bout your high school?

Photo by PoPville flickr user carkrame

So I was having this discussion the other day and was curious what you guys do. I suppose the question could be how do you deal with stress in general but some folks say their stress levels increase exponentially this time of year dealing with travel, family, work etc. I would say I deal with stress primarily by walking and listening to music though I am also known to enjoy a few beers. Sometimes I find reading a good book really mellows me out as well. I don’t play as often as I used to but a game or two of ping pong is also a good stress reliever for me.

Do you guys have any secrets – How do you manage your stress?

Photo by PoPville flickr user philliefan99

DDOT writes:

We need your help to identify a tagline for the DC Streetcar. A tagline is a slogan or phrase that conveys the most important attribute or benefit. Our streetcar brand is getting an upgrade and you can be a part of creating this new image by sharing your input in this survey that takes 5 minutes or less to complete. We ask that you submit the survey no later than Friday, December 14, 2012.

I thought this could make for a fun Friday Question of the Day as well. I’m already laughing in anticipation: What tagline would you give for the DC Streetcar?

Photo by PoPville flickr user johnmcochran2012

Time for another fun Friday question of the day – a friend of mine recently recommended the show Prisoners of War, an Israeli series that Homeland is based on. I’m freaking loving it (though parts can be extremely difficult to watch.)

So for today’s FQotD I’m wondering if folks have other favorite foreign, old, or lesser known TV series that they recommend? Bonus points if it’s free on Hulu.

Photo by PoPville flickr user ekelly80

A reader writes:

I see that you do polls from time to time. I have always wondered how I compare realistically to my peers in financial security. I know what they say in a “perfect” world you should have X amount in your 401K by a certain age and a minimum of a 6 month emergency fund in savings, but living in the real world being a single person in a very expensive town those numbers seem to be far out of reach.

I would love to see two polls set up, one for Single People and one for Married/Partnered that show…..

Age
Retirement Savings (401K, Bonds, Stocks, anything you save but can’t get your hands on tomorrow to spend)
Emergency Fund (savings accounts, mattress stuffing, anything you put away in case you need it and can reach it quickly)

Unfortunately to put all the data you suggested would require a survey rather than a poll and the survey software I have won’t show the results to you. So maybe folks will specify their specific situation in the comments.

And also be curious to know at what age people they’ll realistically be able to retire?

But in the meantime here is a general poll question asking how much folks have saved for retirement:

City Center Rising Downtown at 9th-11th Street, NW

The huge CityCenter DC development on the site of the former Convention Center has been the subject of much speculation about who may or may not be going into the many available retail spaces. One of the biggest teases we’ve heard was the possibility of an Eataly (market place and restaurants.)

CityCenter DC’s Website says:

“Retail emphasis will focus on a broad range of distinctive restaurants and cafes, grocery/market foods, entertainment and performance venues, fashion and specialty retail, and neighborhood services. Thirty percent of retail space will be devoted to merchants with six or fewer stores in the United States.”

But last week a commenter felt strongly that:

“As for Apple, they probably won’t go to Union Station; however, they are going to City Center… They plan to open a flagship store at the corner of 11th and NY… Watch for this and more official announcements soon (think Top Shop, Uniqlo, etc.)”

So what would you rather see come to CityCenter – more restaurants including something on the scale of an Eataly or more fashion and specialty retail like an Apple store, Uniqlo etc.? In reality do you think this development can/will have a mix of both restaurants and specialty retail?

Photo of a Jameson hot toddy by PoPville flickr user Laura_Grageda

Well it’s been a bit of a rough week so I’m staying away from politics and sticking with something more fun – autumn drinks! Side question – what is the difference between autumn drinks and winter drinks? We spoke about our favorite pumpkin beers back in September. For today I’m curious about both hot and cold options including cocktails. And if you happen to have the recipe please leave that as well. Tonight looks like it’ll be the perfect night for one!

Photo by PoPville flickr user ユミYUMI

Dear PoPville,

Reading the post about Red Apron butchery applying for a liquor license got me thinking about a question I wanted to pose to the community. I was in NYC this weekend and, as always, am astonished at the hordes of (seemingly) independent, unique restaurants and retailers on every block of Manhattan. It is something that we in DC don’t seem to have nearly as many of outside of small concentrated.

Now, this isn’t meant to be a DC vs. NYC debate – what we have here is completely different and I love this place and am rooting down for the long haul. Rather, I want to know from an intellectually curious perspective what the urban planning/economics/societal reason why one walkable, urban city can sustain a bagel shop and Chinese restaurant on every block but another can’t? Is it density? Lower commercial rents? Government incentives/barriers?

And then there is the followup observation I have regarding prices – I found that I could get breakfast or take a taxi in NYC for FAR less than it costs here in DC. It was amazing the price differences that I saw. So the question again is why the price disparity from what is supposed to be an equally exorbitant and expensive city to operate in? Increased competition? More customers?

If I had to venture a guess it would be a density game that we are starting to see play out in DC on strips like 14th street and H street that are going crazy. That coupled with the fact that DC’s recent development wave is happening about ten years behind NYCs. But I would love to hear more informed opinions on it.

And, really, I just want to be able to get a bagel and coffee combo delivered to my front door by a nice man on a bike like I saw happen Saturday. That would enable my weekend laziness as I settle into winter hibernation mode.

Photo by PoPville flickr user thisisbossi

The DC Board of Elections lists the following candidates for the At Large seats (two to be elected):

David Grosso IND
Mary Brooks Beatty REP
Leon J. Swain Jr IND
Michael A. Brown IND
Vincent Orange DEM
Ann C. Wilcox STG
A.J. Cooper IND

The reader asks succinctly – “who is the best candidate?”

Do you guys know who you’re voting for or have you not decided yet? For those who’ve decided, if you feel comfortable sharing, who are you voting for and why?

If folks want to learn more there is a debate this Saturday October 20th, 3:00-4:30pm at Catholic University. Doors open at 2:30pm. The debate will take place in the Great Room on the 2nd floor of the Pryzbyla Center at The Catholic University of America, 620 Michigan Ave NE.