Photo by PoPville flickr user brunofish
Whether you’ll be eating Chinese food and watching movies or eating a delicious honey baked ham or simply enjoying some pancakes – have a phenomenal (and hopefully) relaxing holiday!! Safe and happy travels to those on the road.
Ed. Note: There will be no posts on Christmas day (pending something crazy) but we will return with a slightly reduced schedule on Thursday and Friday. Restaurant openings and closings take no holidays!
A reader writes:
“I wanted to send a community “thank you” to the Christmas Carolers at my front door yesterday evening around 6:30pm in Tenleytown! Thank you for the holiday cheer. (sorry for the poor video quality, I didn’t have my phone camera light on at the time)”
“Dear PoPville,
At around 6:30, heading west on Columbia Road NW from Adams Morgan toward Mt. Pleasant, a combination DCPD and EMS low-speed convoy was wishing rush hour motorists, bikers, and pedestrians to have, as the robotic voice repeating every 15 or so seconds shouted, a happy holiday. The strange parade consisted of a classic DCPD cruiser, a motorcycle with sidecar, an SUV, an ambulance — all with lights and sirens blazing — and a bicyclist dressed as an elf.
Needless to say, with vehicles (including a Circulator bus) pulling over — as they are trained to do — to avoid emergency vehicles displaying lights and sounding alarms, this gesture caused more trouble than cheer.
If any readers might know more about this, I would love to hear whether this poorly-planned convoy visited other parts of the city? Was it also during rush hour? And, though I’ve worked in the city for years, I’ve only recently just moved here. Is this a regular tradition in this part of town?”
Well this is amazing. Thanks to a reader for sending.
“Myself and two friends decided to build it one weekend as a display for our holiday party.”
Awesome.
More photos after the jump. (more…)
From an email:
“Gifts, Live Music, Books, Food & Drink!
The Upshur Street Handmade Arts & Crafts Fair takes place this Saturday, December 14, from 11:00am-4:00pm. Thirty local artists, crafts people, and food vendors will line the 800 block of Upshur Street in Petworth for this annual neighborhood holiday event. You’ll find one-of-a-kind handmade gifts such as pottery, wooden jewelry, knitted scarves, small oil paintings, photo prints, and tasty edible gifts, too, plus a whole lot more.
The fair’s Tailgate Music Series features four local bands rocking anything from honky tonk to jazz on the back of a pick up truck. The musical line up includes The Delafields, Herb Scott Trio, Elena & Los Fulanos, and Paperhaus.
Participating local businesses include Domku Bar & Cafe, Willow Boutique, Petworth Citizen, Nathan Hill Design, Annie’s Ace Hardware, and Fia’s Fabulous Finds. Check in for day-of specials on custom prints, clothes, delicious food, and some kickin’ cocktails that’ll warm your toes.
Join us Saturday for the 8th year of supporting DC’s local goods producers, keeping our holiday shopping dollars at home, and supporting emerging entrepreneurs in the District. While you’re at it, shop the annual Petworth Library Holiday Book Sale on the other side of Georgia Avenue.
Where: 800 Block of Upshur Street, NW, Petworth
When: Saturday, December 14, 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Transportation: Capital Bike Share at 9th & Taylor Streets, Petworth/Georgia Avenue Metro, Bus lines 70, 64″
1322 U Street, NW
Nice. From Gingertown’s website:
“It’s not just Santa’s little elves that are hard at work at Christmas time. It’s architects too! Founded in 2006 by David M. Schwarz Architects, GINGERTOWN is a one-of-a-kind holiday initiative that brings together the leading architects, designers, and architectural firms in the D.C. area with building enthusiasts – young and old – to create a town made of completely of ginger bread. And, it’s all for a good cause.
The hand crafted structures are then donated and put on display at local hospitals, health care facilities and community support organizations to help spread the message of joy and hope during the holidays. Recipients of the buildings have included: National Children’s Medical Center, the Washington Home, Martha’s Table and Hannah House.”
Unfortunately public viewing hours ended this weekend. Here’s a peek in the window from last week:
Photo by PoPville flickr user rockcreek
From an email:
“Make it Mount Pleasant
Sunday, December 8, 2013
11 am to 5 pm
Mount Pleasant St. NW
Visit Mount Pleasant Street on Sunday, December 8th for a day of entertainment and a chance to gift yourself and others. From nail polish to wallets to retro furniture, 20 local vendors will showcase their uniquely made wares at the Handmade Craft and Vintage Market.
Plus make sure you head down the street to Lamont Park for a holiday party featuring Santa, The Three Kings, and Hanukkah puppet shows. And to top it off, local businesses will provide specials throughout the corridor.
Mount Pleasant is known for its eclectic local businesses, its art and music communities and its DIY spirit. Come enjoy a great day in one of DC’s most dynamic neighborhoods.
Beats will be provided by local DJs:
Zombie
The Pinstriped Rebel
Rockactivo
Wanako
Mezkla”
2700 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, SE via Gateway DC
“Grab your family and friends and celebrate the kickoff of Gateway DC, a new green multi-purpose space in Ward 8 that will offer the DC community a fun and innovative place to gather, eat and socialize. The festival, taking place from 12-4pm on November 16, will feature a live concert with R&B artist and eight-time Grammy nominee Tank; live music by the Red Carpet Affair Band; Ginuwine’s and TGT’s DJ, DJ Young Music; games for all ages, prizes, and a variety of food and drink from local vendors
Gateway DC, located just minutes away from the Congress Heights METRO station, is a versatile pavilion that will offer dynamic programing and events, delicious food options and a flexible meeting space. Gateway DC will serve as a central events and entertainment destination for both Ward 8 residents and the DC community at large. It fills a vital need for a dynamic, affordable and accessible space where people can gather, eat, connect and create.
The Kickoff Festival will welcome community members and all DC residents to the park to introduce the space and give them a taste of what’s to come. The Festival will also feature a canned food drive benefiting Ward 8’s Bread for the City SE Center. Guests will receive a welcome bag upon entering the festival, which includes a drink ticket. In return for donating two cans of food from the approved list on www.gatewaydc.com, attendees will receive a free food ticket that can be used at any of the food vendors during the festival.” (more…)
Photos by pablo.raw
Thanks to Nancy for writing:
“I’d like to offer my humble greetings to the drag culture whose production quality in costumes and makeup puts my cheesiness to shame. I lived at 17th and Riggs from 1984-2007, and my kids [now in their twenties] grew up with the High Heel Race as their Halloween experience as much as or more than the school parties or trick-or-treating– I remember several years it was homework leverage, ie you can’t go see the Race until your homework is done. For some years lately I have wanted to present a chair-focused costume, as I have never seen a wheeler participant, so the Iron Throne seemed perfect. Daenerys Stormborn, of the House Targaryen, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Mother of Dragons, and Rightful Heir to the Iron Throne.”
Photo by PoPville flickr user zoeicaimages
From an email:
“The National Cherry Blossom Festival’s first annual Sing Into Spring competition is now underway. This is the first time in the Festival’s 86 year history that local D.C., Maryland and Virginia residents have an opportunity to score one of four coveted slots to sing in the National Cherry Blossom Parade – the largest annual spectator event in the region – on April 12.
Submissions are now being accepted online through November 15, 2013 and all local vocalists (ages 8 and up) are encouraged to participate. Twenty finalists will be selected to move forward and perform live at Hard Rock Café Washington, D.C. in early January 2014 in front of a panel of celebrity judges who will ultimately select to four winners to perform live in the Parade.”