The Devil’s Fork was located at 1616 Rhode Island Ave, NW which is now home to CSIS’s HQ.
Back in the day you coulda got a room at the Gramercy Inn for 36 bucks a night. And today you can buy an old bar of soap from the Gramercy Inn for about $13 on Amazon.
I’ve been meaning to kick off this series but keep forgetting about it. God bless the week between Christmas and New Years which seems to move at a glacial pace. So for fellow D.C. restaurant/history nerds – have I got a treat for you! My in-laws rock and got me an amazing birthday gift a couple years ago – a mounted set up of all their old D.C. restaurant matchboxes (they moved to the area in the mid-60s and are avid restaurant goers.)
Obviously we must start this series with the legendary Duke Zeibert’s.
From Trust for the National Mall:
“The Trust for the National Mall and the National Park Service relocated the Lockkeeper’s House, the oldest structure on the National Mall, as part of a major restoration project that will transform the historic structure into a new educational site on the National Mall. Learn more and donate at www.nationalmall.org/lockkeeper”
Photo by PoPville flickr user Eric P.
From a press release:
“Washington National Cathedral will join churches across the country as it rings the Bourdon (funeral) Bell on Tuesday, October 3, in memory of those killed last night in Las Vegas. The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, Episcopal bishop of Washington, will be joined by local and national religious leaders representing many faiths. Their message is to take a moment for prayer while also urging a national conversation to end gun violence. (more…)
Connecticut Ave between Van Ness and Upton St, NW.
Photo by PoPville flickr user Brian Mosley
Thanks to Jeanne for passing on:
“Read this interesting bit of dc history your readers may find interesting.”
From Atlas Obscura:
“The 160-foot-tall, 12-story Cairo building opened in 1894 and immediately dwarfed the surrounding neighborhood, inciting an uproar and eventually leading to the height limit.
Unlike cities like New York and Chicago that were pressed for downtown real estate, critics argued that there was no reason for such a massive building in sleepy Washington.
The Commissioners of the District of Columbia were soon inundated with complaints that reflected fears of depreciated property values and even natural disasters. Not only would the massive Cairo shut out light and air, but its upper stories stood beyond the reach of D.C. fire engines. Some predicted a calamitous fire that could send bricks and debris raining down on neighboring properties.”
For those unfamiliar it’s worth reading the whole story here. Change some words around and this could easily reflect a “Dear PoPville” or two from today…
via Facebook
From MPD:
“Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Major Crash Unit are investigating a fatal traffic crash that occurred in the 1100 block of Florida Avenue, Northeast, on Saturday, August 26, 2017.
At approximately 11:17 pm, a Piaggio scooter was eastbound on Florida Avenue, Northeast in the far left lane of travel. The operator of a Volkswagen Touareg was also traveling eastbound on Florida Avenue, Northeast in the far right lane. The driver of the Touareg attempted to make a U-turn from the far right late to go westbound on Florida Avenue, Northeast. As the Touareg crossed the left lane of travel, the scooter struck the driver’s side rear of the Touareg. Directly following the crash, the driver of the Touareg stopped his vehicle and, along with other witnesses, attempted to assist the operator of the scooter. DC Fire and EMS arrived on the scene and transported the operator of the scooter to an area hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
The decedent has been identified as 39 year-old Cassidy Karakorn, of Northeast, DC.
The case is currently under investigation by the Major Crash Investigations Unit. Anyone with information regarding this case should call 202-727-9099.”
From the Human Rights Campaign:
“The HRC Family is mourning the loss of our beloved colleague and friend, Cassidy Karakorn. Over her 17-year career at the Human Rights Campaign, Cassidy tirelessly championed civil rights for the LGBTQ community. As Director of Consumer Marketing, Cassidy’s eye for fashion and art made a transformative impact on HRC and helped us reach more people than ever before. Her work was often deeply and profoundly moving; this past June, she worked with renowned artist Meghan Geckler to bring to life an eight story public art installation remembering the 49 lives taken in the Pulse Nightclub shooting and other victims of hate violence. (more…)
Gregory Gabriel Kavadias via Facebook
“Dear PoPville,
My husband and I didn’t see this covered on your blog but thought it should be since the Greek Spot has been such an institution/go-to for numerous years in the U street area.
We were pretty taken aback/saddened by the news of Gregory Gabriel Kavadias‘ passing, when we got takeout from greek spot tonite for first time in a few months. They had a sign up honoring the life of Gregory. I remember him from the very beginnings of their opening. Beyond being the purveyor of some delicious food, he was always super personable and it was nice to chat with him about various happenings, from food to family to music. (more…)
3426 Connecticut Ave, NW
UPDATE from the Cleveland Park listserv:
“I’m delighted to share that AMC’s Director of Corporate Communications, Ryan Noonan, has announced the following:
In response to community feedback, AMC will maintain the Uptown signage, with an upgrade to LED lighting for better energy efficiency and to ensure the sign remains in good working order. We continue to evaluate additional exterior signage plans, including the addition of the AMC brand on the theatre. We appreciate the passion and feedback from the community, and look forward to serving moviegoers at AMC Uptown 1 for years to come.
I will share any additional information as it becomes available.
Thank you,
Emma Hersh
ANC 3C05″
So let’s say your neighborhood loses two of its most popular restaurants, what could possibly be worse than that? C’mon down AMC Theatres!!!!! JFC. Thanks to all who messaged. (more…)
via The Legend of Cool “Disco” Dan
Thanks to a reader for passing on from the The Legend of Cool “Disco” Dan Facebook Page:
“With heavy hearts, we are saddened to report that Danny Hogg, known worldwide as Cool “Disco” Dan, passed away on July 26, 2017 due to complications from diabetes.
Like most people in the Washington DC area, we knew Cool “Disco” Dan’s mythic graffiti signature before coming to know him as a person. We were teenagers in the early 1990s and this name was everywhere. His signature really was mythic, because in our circles, tall tales abounded about the Dan behind the name.
With a name so big and so famous, one expects an enormous, superhuman character to be behind it. Yet Dan – Danny Hogg – was short, with dark skin and an ability to become almost invisible even as he stood right in front of you. He was quiet and avoided eye contact. But he wasn’t unfriendly, you just had to be patient as he overcame his shyness to become the laughing, smiling storyteller he could be when he was comfortable. (more…)