Friday Question of the Day

901, a new, high-end restaurant debutting next spring at 901 9th St, NW

By Prince Of Petworth

I’ve always thought this was an interesting property that has been vacant for a while at the corner of 9th and I St, NW. Well the Downtown BID shares some very interesting details about the space:

“The majority owner of the Capitol City Brewing Company (1100 New York Avenue) has signed a 10-year lease to open 901, a new, high-end restaurant debutting next spring at 901 9th Street, space previously occupied by Pearl Restaurant and Lounge. Entrepreneur David von Storch, whose holdings also include Vida Fitness (601 F Street), plans to serve keg beers brewed by Capitol City in the new establishment. As for the menu, expect to see ahi tuna tartar, Wagyu beef meatballs and All-American bison sliders.”

And let me tag on to this info with a quick Friday Question of the Day – where is your favorite place to simply grab a beer? Not best sports bar, not best bar food, not best anything else except for best beer options and atmosphere?

Friday Question of the Day – Where Was Your Favorite Meal in DC?

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user ken_1001

I’m gonna be a little selfish for today’s FQotD because I have a birthday coming up and I’m curious where some of your most memorable meals have been in the DC area? I’m not talking about most expensive, just most memorable. It could be something like Thai X-ing or it can be more high end like Komi. What jumps straight to your head when someone asks you – where is the best meal you’ve ever had in DC?

For me, in 13 years here, my favorite meal remains one I had at Obelisk (2029 P St NW). But I’m looking for a new one this year. Where should I go?

Friday Question of the Day (Serious Edition) – Should DC Attorney General be an Elected Position?

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user Faucetini

“Dear PoP,

Proposed Charter Amendment IV – The Elected Attorney General Charter Amendment. It’s on the ballot…one should one vote? Can’t seem to find a lot of pro/con analysis. I turn to you PoP.”

And I, of course, turn to PoPville. I’m actually glad this question was asked because I think it’s really important but I haven’t really given it much consideration. So what do you guys say? I know a Post editorial advised against it but I haven’t been following the issue to closely. For those who support electing an attorney general – what are the arguments in favor?

How serious of an issue do you think this is? I’m guessing a lot of minds have not yet been made up on this issue so I look forward to hearing both pro and con arguments.

Friday Question of the Day (Fun Edition) – What’s Your Favorite Documentary

By Prince Of Petworth

I think it may have been mentioned in last week’s random reader rant and/or revel but someone recommended a good documentary. I also love documentary films and since I finally got a Netflix account (it only took me 2 years and Blockbuster closing in Adams Morgan…), it’s time I start building the queue.

Back in Oct. ’08 we talk about our favorite ‘regular’ films here.

Ed. Note: And I’ve learned to stop combining my FQotD with different topics so a serious question about the election will be in a different post above.

Friday Question of the Day – Should it be OK for Protesters to get paid to Protest?

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoP,

After MPD told me that the picketers outside my office building (downtown) who are protesting another firm in the building, didn’t need a permit to cause a ruckus and disrupt my business, I did a quick Google search to find out more about the picketers’ grievances. I’m all for fair wages and labor standards, and I’m also for allowing people to protest in public. But what I found out about these particular picketers destroyed any and all goodwill I had for them. They’re non-union workers, paid by the unions to protest!

There was a Wall Street Journal article written up about this practice in July. Sure enough, the unions in the article are the same ones represented on my sidewalk, and the signs are the same, too.

According to the WSJ, they have no opinion about the issue they’re protesting. These folks have been around almost two weeks, and there’s no indication that they’re going anywhere anytime soon.”

The WSJ article says:

“For a lot of our members, it’s really difficult to have them come out, either because of parking or something else,” explains Vincente Garcia, a union representative who is supervising the picketing.

So instead, the union hires unemployed people at the minimum wage—$8.25 an hour—to walk picket lines. Mr. Raye says he’s grateful for the work, even though he’s not sure why he’s doing it. “I could care less,” he says. “I am being paid to march around and sound off.”

Ed. Note: It is not clear if these particular protesters are paid or not but I still think it’s an interesting question.

Wow, I’ve never heard of something like this before. It def. is an interesting question. What do you guys think – is it cool to hire people to picket/protest for you?

Friday Question of the Day – What Should Fenty Do Next?

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user a digital cure

Earlier this week Mayor Fenty confirmed he’s considering becoming a professor at his alma mater Oberlin College to teach political science. So I thought it’d be a fun Friday Question of the Day to either predict or suggest what would be an appropriate next job for him. Where do you guys think he will end up? I don’t know if it’s just me, but is it strange that he might move to Ohio? Would you be surprised if he left DC?

We can also throw this question out there for other Fenty Administration officials (answers can be both serious or joking) where do you think Michelle Rhee will end up? Gabe Klein (he has not resigned but I’m guessing he’s not likely to be asked to stay onto a new administration) from Department of Transportation?

Friday Question of the Day – What Questions Should Be Asked of MPD Chief Cathy Lanier and Others

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user AWard Tour

After Wednesday’s daytime shooting we noted that there is going to be a crime meeting Sat. morning Oct. 9 from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at St. Gabriel’s Church, School Hall, 510 Webster Street, NW with Cathy Lanier, Chief of Police; Kimberly Missouri, Commander, Fourth District and many others including Council Member Muriel Bowser who organized the event. Unfortunately I have a wedding to go to and I will be out of town. But I know I have some questions and I’m wondering if it might be helpful to prepare some questions before the event. So for the Friday Question of the Day let’s take this opportunity to come up with some good questions for the Chief and others.

Ed. Note: I have the utmost respect for many officers in MPD and understand that the problem can not be fixed by MPD alone but I’m curious how they see their role.

Personally, I’d like to know what the Chief’s vision of community policing is and whether or not she thinks it is working? If she thinks is it is working, then what specifically can/should be done with gang retaliatory attacks that we see every year all over the city?

How come in my over 13 years in DC I’ve only seen cops on foot a handful of times? Simply, why don’t we see regular patrols on foot?

A quick aside, when I was walking home Thurs. afternoon I saw fresh gang graffiti on a pole near a recent shooting. I saw an MPD patrol car drive by and I stopped it. While the officer was extremely kind and attentive, I asked if they realized that there was gang graffiti here? They did not. Like I said, they were very attentive in writing down the info but my point is, if you are only riding around in a patrol car you are going to miss a lot of details.

I would also be curious if bluntly asked – does she see the problem of youth gangs/crews getting better, staying the same or getting worse? If not getting better – what can MPD do in the long term that is a preventative measure rather than simply reactive measures?

What questions will you ask?

Friday Question of the Day – How did You Choose Your Neighborhood?

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user AWard Tour

When I first moved to Washington back in the summer of ’97 I really didn’t know anything about the city. I ended up living in Woodley Park and Cleveland Park and spent a lot of time in Adams Morgan (which I loved) only because I wanted to be on the metro’s red line. In 2003 I moved to Petworth and fell in love it with it rather quickly. I loved my house and yard. I loved the proximity to U St and Columbia Heights, I loved the people, the porches, Grant Circle and more. Over the last 4 or 5 years I’ve really started falling in love with many other parts of the city as well. Capitol Hill for one is an area that I completely ignored when I first moved to the city and I have become absolutely enamored with many of its neighborhoods today. There are also parts of Brookland, Bloomingdale, Shaw, Mt. Vernon Square, Mt. Pleasant, Dupont and yes even Georgetown that I have fallen in love with. All this is a preface to say – if I moved to the city tomorrow and had to pick a place to live – I’d have no idea where to pick. (Obviously buying a home vs renting a place could make a big difference.)

So let’s make this a two part question – if you were to move to the city tomorrow knowing what you know now – what neighborhood would you choose to live in and why? And for the second part, if you were to buy a house or condo tomorrow what neighborhood would be your first choice? And prices should be included into the equation, I’d love to buy a house in Cleveland Park or Logan Circle but there is no way I could afford one so I’m sticking with my Petworth bungalow! I also really like Petworth because it is easy for me to get to other neighborhoods that I like. But if I were looking for a place to rent I’d look for a roomate/group house (I’d also be 22 years old again) and pick either the U St area or near Eastern Market. What about you guys?

Friday Question of the Day – What is your Favorite DC Festival?

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user K’s Clicks

I guess I’ve always known DC has been a festival city but I never really appreciated just how many festivals we host until this year. Just off the top of my head – H St, NE, Adams Morgan, Barracks Row, Cleveland Park, Mt. Pleasant Fiesta, Georgia Ave/Caribbean Day, Crafty Bastards, Greek Festival, Turkish Festival, Cherry Blossom, Smithsonian Folklife Festival, Capitol Jazz Fest, National Book Festival, Capitol Pride, Fiesta Asia!, Dance DC Festival, Festa Italiana, and Duke Ellington Jazz Festival. Many are listed here. Did I leave any big ones out?

Perhaps picking only one is impossible, if that’s the case, what are your top three?

I’m gonna vote Georgia Ave/Caribbean Day, Mt. Pleasant Fiesta ( this Sunday) and Folklife Festival. You?

Friday Question of the Day – What Has Been the Biggest Retail/Restaurant Tease?

By Prince Of Petworth

We obviously talk a lot about rumors and scuttlebutt and we have to take those discussions with a grain of salt. But there is something particularly painful (at least for me) when a liquor license is applied for and we have official word that a new restaurant/retail chain is coming. Then many months later. Nothing. It stings me every time this happens. So when I passed the old Olson’s bookstore at 418 7th St, NW in Penn Quarter, I had to do a double take. Looks like the arrival of Wagamama in 2010 is not to be. From their Web site it looks like their only US location is in Boston. And now a for lease sign has gone up at the Penn Quarter location. Very disappointing.

So for the Friday Question of the Day, and perhaps they eventually will still come but, what retail/restaurant did you think was coming to DC but no longer is – is most heartbreaking? Wagamama? Elwood Thompsons (though there is still a sign up at DCUSA)? REI? A Kite store? H Mart? Walmart? Wegmans? Something else?

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