Dear PoPville

“As I said, no one was harmed. This time.”

By Prince Of Petworth

plant

“Dear PoPville,

I currently live in the apartment building above what used to be Pharmacy Bar, now High Dive.

About 30 minutes ago, a huge potted plant fell of the ledge of one my neighbors who live in the expensive Lofts at Adams Morgan. When the plant crashed I raced to the window to see what it was, as I looked across the alleyway I could see someone (I assume the loft owner) looking out of their window as well. Now, luckily no people were hurt or cars were damaged by this pot but that could have easily happened.

As of this e-mail, no one from the apartment has come outside to check on the pot or bothered to clean up the mess. I’ve attached pictures of the fallen pot and the ledge from which it fell. What bothers me is that just because someone pays a premium price for a fancy loft, they are not absolved from the responsibility of being a resident. What’s sad is, this is not the first time this has happened in the year and a half I’ve been living here.

Please share this and get the word out there. As I said, no one was harmed. This time. But these people need to be held accountable for their irresponsibility.”

Talking Turkey

By Prince Of Petworth

talking turkey
Photo by PoPville flickr user Erin

“Dear PoPville,

Can we start a thread on Thanksgiving Turkeys? Where to get it, how to prepare it?”

I’d also be curious to know pounds/per number of people.

“as predicted, neighbor is not interested in compromise”

By Prince Of Petworth

curb
Photo by PoPville flickr user random lady

“Dear PoPville,

In front of our house, there is a sidewalk curb space where there used to be a tree. For the last several years, a number of people (including me) have been using this space for X purpose. A few days ago, a neighbor commandeered the space for Y purpose – and built something on the space so that it can no longer be used for X purpose. (I’m intentionally being vague here, so this doesn’t devolve into a debate about everyone’s subjective opinions on bike racks, vegetable gardens, dogs, flowers, sculpture, etc.) I thought that sidewalk curb spaces were city property, and that none of us had any more of a right to that space than anyone else. On this basis, I’m considering ever so politely “adjusting” what neighbor built so that the cutout can continue to be used for X purpose. (I’m trying diplomatic channels first, but I have little hope of success based on prior experience with neighbor). What is the rule here? Are curb spaces owned by the city, or by the owner of the property they are in front of? What if the space is in front of more than one property?

Update – as predicted, neighbor is not interested in compromise. I suggested an alternative that would have allowed the sidewalk cutout to be used for both X and Y purpose. Neighbor responded with a lengthy justification of Y purpose as the only “proper” purpose, and topped that off by threatening to take legal action against anyone who disturbs what neighbor built on the space.”

“Do I have the right to file a complaint with the city?”

By Prince Of Petworth

garbage

“Dear PoPville,

As I made my way to my car this morning, I unpleasantly discovered that the trash collectors had spilled material from the recycle bin and left the mess all over our alley. Have you ever seen anything like this?? Do I have the right to file a complaint with the city? Any recourse?? This is obviously pure carelessness on the part of the trash collectors, and now it is my problem to clean up!”

Ed. Note: Well I certainly wouldn’t leave a tip come Christmas time…

To Tip or Not To Tip?

By Prince Of Petworth

tip
Photo by PoPville flickr user Bossi

“Dear PoPville,

This morning, when my father in law was taking out our trash cans, the trash man said something to him to the effect of “why don’t you ever take care of us at Christmas?” My FIL took this as an insinuation that we should be tipping them at Christmas, like you would a doorman. Is this a reasonable expectation? How would one even go about tipping the trash collectors and how much would you tip? If you don’t tip, will your trash not be picked up?

I’m curious if this enterprising trash collector took my FIL for a fool or if I’ve been a fool for the last ten years and owe some serious back-bonus pay to the trash collectors.”

Ed. Note: I was always that you should tip postal workers and trash collectors. You guys?

“thank you stranger for the 911 call”

By Prince Of Petworth

21998861423_c4466628c0_z
Photo by PoPville flickr user bajidc

“Dear PoPville,

I would like to thank the stranger who helped make a 911 call on V Street yesterday [Saturday]. I rushed out of my house around 6pm yesterday like a crazy lady not knowing what to do with my unresponsive 9month old baby and grabbed the first person I saw and asked him to dial 911. He was so helpful talking to the operator and waiting for help to come. I was so caught up in the moment and only realized much later when we were sitting in the ER that I forgot to ask for his name and thank him properly. Definitely the scariest halloween to date, but we are now all healthy and happy.”

“They had Chicken Ranch pizza on the shelf — but with NO BACON”

By Prince Of Petworth

wiseguy
4th and H Street, NW

Ed. Note: I am a native New Yorker and a huge pizza lover. I have never heard of Chicken Bacon Ranch pizza. Admittedly I haven’t lived in New York in over 18 years. Though I too consider Wiseguy New York Pizza the best pizza in DC. In fact, Wiseguy NY Pizza could smack me in the face and make me eat mayonaise and I’d still return for their pizza.

“Dear PoPville,

I moved here last year with fairly low expectations for DC pizza. No big deal — I can eat it when I’m home. However, I found a place that totally surprised and impressed me: Wiseguy New York Pizza in Chinatown.

Hands down, Wiseguy is the best DC pizza I’ve had in my two years here, and is nearly as good as real New York pizza. I stumbled into it accidentally and was shocked at how good their pizza was, but not just any pizza — Chicken Bacon Ranch pizza, which every New Yorker knows is the BEST kind. There was a point last year when I regularly walked out of my way just to get it. It’s great.

Recently, after quite some time of not having Wiseguy, I went back and brought a group of friends, telling them how great the Chicken Bacon Ranch pizza is. I got there, they didn’t have it on the shelf, I asked for it, they said they didn’t have it, I got something else (begrudgingly) and I moved on.

Last night, I called ahead of time. I said I was coming in in about an hour and would like to get a couple of slices of chicken bacon ranch. I hung up the phone and grabbed my friend and took him to Wiseguy.

They had Chicken Ranch pizza on the shelf — but with NO BACON. I asked for two slices of that but with bacon on it and he said no because they “don’t alter their pizzas.” So I told him I had called ahead to request it, and he says, “Oh, are you (my first name)?” And he takes out a whole Chicken Bacon Ranch pizza from the oven and says, “you ordered this.” And I told him that I didn’t want an entire pizza, I just wanted two slices. I asked him if I could just have two slices of that, and he said no, I can only buy the whole thing. So, I asked what he was going to do with it if I didn’t buy it, and he said he was going to let it go to waste.

So I asked him again for two slices of Chicken Bacon Ranch, and he again said I could only buy two slices of Chicken Ranch (no bacon). And I told him that’s not how it works in New York, which he obviously replied “this isn’t New York,” and then I pointed out that they call themselves Wiseguy NEW YORK Pizza, which he didn’t have much to say to. I think I won that round. I left without buying the Chicken Ranch.

I even contacted the manager and he stood by the policy that they don’t alter the pizza and said they no longer put bacon on their chicken/ranch pizza — which is insulting to CBR lovers everywhere. Anyway, I’m upset. And now I need a new pizza place because they clearly aren’t as great as I thought they were. Such terrible service. I even offered to pay extra for the bacon but to no avail!

Anyone in PoPville wanna make a recommendation?”

“My question is: Are they right?”

By Prince Of Petworth

6232882131_013fbdbce3_z
Photo by PoPville flickr user Phil

“Dear PoPville,

For the past month or so, there has been a terrible odor coming from the fridge and freezer in the house I rent. My housemates and I have done everything we can think of to solve this issue- We have cleaned regularly and aggressively with bleach-based cleaners, used baking soda and fresh coffee grounds, used commercial odor eaters. All of these make the issue slightly better for some time, but the smell still persists in varying levels. We have checked for dead animals, that that water filter is properly draining, and there is no water collecting. The smell seems to be coming from the back of the fridge/freezer, but we do not have the tools to pull off the paneling. The smell has permeated our food such that we’re not using the fridge for much food storage anymore. Unsurprisingly, it’s also highly disgusting.

A few weeks ago, we reached out to the landlord for assistance with this issue. They sent a repair person, who said the fridge was working “perfectly” (…) and thus they had no further obligation to assist.

My question is: Are they right? My understanding is that the fridge is a fixture, and they are responsible for making sure the fixtures are in working condition. A smell that’s preventing us from using it seems like it’s not in working condition. But I’d like to have a better sense of my rights/obligations before I throw down the gauntlet with them. Who’s in the right here?”

Help “Yesterday, I got a letter in the mail from Penn Credit Corporation- a debt collection service- claiming that I had 30 days to pay my outstanding debt to Pepco”

By Prince Of Petworth

pepco

“Dear PoPville,

I recently moved to the country and am not quite sure how to proceed with issues like this….

I called Pepco in May to turn on electric service in my apartment, which is B102. Somehow, someone at Pepco ended up putting two apartments worth of service in my name- B102 and C102. I do not live in C102, and I never indicated that I did. I think it was probably just a mistype or other issue on their end.

I started getting bills for both apartments, and called Pepco many, many, many times to let them know that they had the wrong person for apartment C102. Each time a rep told me the problem was fixed, but I kept getting bills. Meanwhile, I continued to make on time payments for my apartment’s electric service.

When I called in August, after getting 4 months of bills for this wrong apartment, the rep let me know that there was “an investigation open in my name regarding this apartment”. This was crazy to me, since I don’t live in apartment C102 (although I’m sure whoever does has been enjoying months of free electric). I had to fax them a copy of my lease to prove that I did not live there and I have never lived there. I faxed the lease in August and was told everything would be taken care of.

Yesterday, I got a letter in the mail from Penn Credit Corporation- a debt collection service- claiming that I had 30 days to pay my outstanding debt to Pepco. For the apartment that I don’t live in. I cannot believe this is still going on and now am genuinely concerned it is going to affect my credit. The mistake was wholly on Pepco’s end- someone incorrectly put an account in my name and now refuses to take my name off that account. No one at customer service seems to be able to help, and I’m not sure where to go from here. Is there something I can do besides keep calling and file a formal complaint? Has anyone been in a similar situation in the past? Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you kindly in advance!!”

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