From an email:
Vintage vendors, local crafters, artists, photo booths, cupcakes, fortune cookies, dancing, gift bags and drink specials!
FREE to enter, all ages
Event is being held at 18TH and RED.
2436 18th street in Adams Morgan
April 1st. 6:00pm
$3 draft beers, rail drinks, and house wines
Vendors accept cash, check, kisses. ATM inside bar.
THE LINE UP after the jump. (more…)
The other day a buddy mine was replacing a stove for me and asked me to pick up a plug. I was without a car and thought, oh, I’ll just head over to Cooper’s Hardware on 14th Street. Sadly it seems Cooper’s has been closed since Jan and it’s not clear if they’ll reopen. Walking around last Friday, I recalled that Bemmi’s Hardware at 12th and Florida has also been closed for ages. So I know there Pfeiffer’s in Mt. P and Logan Hardware on P Street but I’m wondering if neighborhood hardware stores will be able to survive. I guess everyone goes to Home Depot these days. So what do you think – can neighborhood hardware stores survive? Do you have a favorite? Or is it cool just to head over to Home Depot?
Thanks to a reader for sending:
“So, I noticed that a new Gelato store is going into the Metropole’s empty retail space next to Lulu Lemon.
http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2008/06/23/story10.html
There’s now a sign up in the window though. Pintango Gelato coming soon!”
The Washington Business Journal wrote back in June:
“”It’s basically going back to the original gelato where it’s a very simple and wholesome dessert, without coloring,” [Noah] Dan said. Prices will range from $4.77 for a regular portion to about $6 for a large serving, big enough for two people, he said. All the gelato will be made in-house, using organic and locally farmed ingredients.”
Any gelato fans out there? How does it differ from regular ice cream?
Food Shoppe. Really? C’mon CVS, I go to you for shampoo and toothpaste and other sundries. I always go to you for these. I hardly think stocking cans of Hormel chili qualifies you as a “food shoppe”. Just embrace who you are. Does anyone actually shop at CVS for food?
In October I wondered what happened to Cleveland Park after spotting a Halloween store where Blockbuster once stood. Things started to look up in November when I saw a running store and frozen yogurt spot open up. Well, the old Blockbuster spot looks like its found a permanent replacement – a wine shop. According to the license it will be called Weygandt Wines located at 3519 Connecticut Ave.
When I was a kid, my favorite book was Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. I probably made my mom and dad read it to me about a million times. I don’t think I have even seen a copy of this book in about 15 years, but I can still picture all of the illustrations, and I can still remember giggling like a maniac every time we got to the part when the Elementary School had to close because a giant pancake fell out of the sky and covered it up! Maybe you remember this book too, or maybe you liked Amelia Bedilia, or Green Eggs and Ham, or Babar. Either way, I’d be willing to venture a guess that most of PoP’s readership holds a fond memory of a favorite childhood book.
Unfortunately a lot of children in Washington DC miss out on the chance to make these memories. According to the US Department of Education, a common theme among underperforming children is that they have limited to no access to reading books. And more than 60 percent of low income families have not a single book at home for their children. Books for America’s founder, Stephen Hersey wanted to find a way to make it possible for families who didn’t have the means to be able to provide books for their children, and that is just what he is helping to do.
Hersey started his not for profit organization in 2002 as a way to promote literacy and education by donating new and used books of all types to organizations that serve disadvantaged communities and individuals. Since 2005 the organization has been headquartered at 1417 22nd Street in Dupont Circle, in their “Bookstore with a purpose.” How it works is pretty simple; lots of people donate books, all children’s books and others that are deemed appropriate for their recipient organizations (these include transitional homeless shelters, adult literacy programs, military bases, correctional facilities, senior centers, women’s shelters, and more) are distributed. A number of these organizations are right in PoPville too, including EL Haynes Public Charter School, Centronia, Meridian Public Charter School, to name a few. The remaining books are sold in the store at low prices. It’s a great model, and actually provides almost all of the funding for the organization so that they can be less reliant on grants. Continues after the jump. (more…)
I spotted this sign outside 1813 Columbia Road, NW in Adams Morgan near the Blockbuster. Despite the title of the post I do not believe it is affiliated with the bodega next door. I don’t believe it’s open yet, but from the looks of it the opening should be soon. I wonder if they’ll be able to compete with the cool looking Caliyogurt on 18th street a couple blocks away?
Folks seemed pretty excited about the Japanese market at 17th and U as well as the Vietnamese market on Park Road so I thought I’d feature another I passed the other day at 4111 Wisconsin Ave (near Tenleytown).
The market features one side for Filipino items and one side for Japanese items. Like the other markets the photos do it the most justice. Following was my favorite item:
Lots more photos after the jump. (more…)
Well, I’ve finally tracked down the answers to a number of questions folks have been asking for a while. So here goes. In the space pictured above there’s going to be a local coffee shop yet to be named. It is going to be owned by a pair of brothers named Jim and Brian Sullivan. They intend to make it a very comfortable coffee house with the motif featuring Columbia Heights history. The goal is to open up in May. Let’s file this under good news.
The sushi restaurant, Sake Club is still a go but I didn’t get a targeted opening date. (Irving St.)
The Caribbean place, zinnia, is a no go. A replacement has not yet been named. (Irving St.)
The forever “coming soon”, Royal Blue, is no longer coming soon or coming at all. A replacement has yet to be named. (14th Street)
I don’t know how I missed this but apparently a Peruvian steak and chicken place is coming (Park Road).
Sadly, after a very short run Coco Libre has closed at Sherman and Harvard Streets. They write on their Web site:
“We would like to inform all of our customers and supporters that, unfortunately, we had to make the hard choice to close our shop at 786 Harvard Street. This is due to forces beyond our control. We anticipate moving to another location, so please check back to get an update on where to find us and our products. Thank you to the community and take care.” (Thanks to a reader for sending.)
So we got some good news and bad news. What are you happiest/saddest about? I’ll be sure to update when replacements are named.
Career Gear located at 3320 Georgia Ave. is an organization that provides suits for men seeking employment. They also provide career counseling, and interview coaching. You can learn more about the organization here. I spoke with executive director, Louis Henderson, who explained that folks don’t just walk in off the street but are sent through a referral service. Seems like a great mission, I’m glad to see such a cool organization open up on Georgia Ave.