Dear PoPville

“I am seeing a LOT of businesses still boarded up even though they are open.”

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoPville,

I love walking around the city as my primary form of exercise these days. I am seeing a LOT of businesses still boarded up even though they are open. Given the conjecture that we are likely past the point of destructive behavior related to the election, and hoping that we don’t have more unrest, does anyone know if there are ANY mandates around restoring business and storefronts to BAU (Business as usual)? It looks horrible and is definitely not what we need as we go into the holiday season.“

“Local gift package recommendations?”

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by Miki Jourdan

“Dear PoPville,

Wondering if you might be able to crowdsource some ideas from your readers on any good purveyors of gift baskets/packages for the holidays (preferably from small/local places)? I’d really like to send my fellow quarantined family and friends some fun gift baskets with a variety of goodies they can enjoy–maybe a mix of tasty treats and/or booze? Rather than giving the gift of just random stuff they don’t need (or not sending anything at all), I thought it could be nice to support some local businesses perhaps and send some varieties of yummy treats my loved ones can enjoy this holiday season.”

Another reader asks: “Looking for holiday gifts by local DC artisans, especially artists of color. Bonus points if proceeds go to local DC-based charities! Any recommendations?”

Experiences getting COVID-19 testing results recently

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by Vincent

C_brescia asked yesterday: “Are some/many people experiencing delays in getting back their COVID-19 testing results?”

Most early replies tend to be between 2-5 days.

Amanda (and others) recommend: “Make an account on labcorp…you get the results as soon as they come in, rather than waiting for them to report to dc health, then dc health reporting it to you.”

Though Phil notes: “I did that, and it’s hit-or-miss in terms of timing. LabCorp doesn’t always beat DC Health by that much, if at all.”

Missed Connection at The Coffee Bar

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoPville,

This morning [Tuesday] when getting a latte at The Coffee Bar in Shaw a man approached me thinking I was someone he was waiting for. I was swift to tell him he had the wrong person. He blamed the mix up on the mask. But in reflection, I wish I wasn’t so quick to dismiss him. He was tall and skinny. I had cheetah print sneakers on. Hoping you enjoyed your time with whomever you mistaken me for, but would love to connect!”

Ed. Note: If this is you, please email [email protected] so I can put you in touch with OP. PoPville is not affiliated with either party, please proceed with any potential connection at your own risk using caution as you would any online encounter. For those curious about passed missed connections, some have been made and when possible I’ll try to update when/if more are made.

“Donate FSA Dollars?”

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by Geoff Livingston

“Dear PoPville,

I have hundreds of unspent FSA dollars to spend before the end of the year. I’d love to be able to purchase and donate needed items to local DC shelters, relief organizations, schools, etc! Curious if readers have any suggestions of who I should connect with?”

“Are these privacy screens considered fences?”

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoPville,

We are looking at purchasing a house in Brentwood that is a corner lot – the long side is RIGHT alongside Rhode Island Avenue. There is the usual 3 ft high chain link fence next to the sidewalk, and the current owners put up a 7′ fence the requisite distance back from the sidewalk to block the noise. We’re not a fan of this look and we’d prefer to be able to use the entirety of the yard – that’s why we’d love to buy an end unit! We are not usually fence people; we love being able to chat with our neighbors from the front porch and we generally think tall fences take away a lot of neighborhood charm. (more…)

“I hope everyone who lives in this area knows how lucky they are to have such good neighbors.”

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by Miki Jourdan

“Dear PoPville,

Writing to share a brief story of many good Samaritans I encountered on Sunday while on my bike in upper Brookland/North Michigan Park. I was riding in the neighborhood on my way to College Park when my bike basically broke down thanks to recurring tire issues I’ve been dealing with. I set up on a street corner in the grass trying to fix the problem for about 45 minutes (more…)

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