515 8th Street, NW
Medium Rare’s second location on Barracks Row is getting close to opening in the former Fusion Grill space at 515 8th St, SE.
@MediumRareDC tweets the opening will be “super duper soon ….” You can see their menu here. Stay tuned for an opening date.
655 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE
Thanks to a reader for sending word of the sad news that Li’l Pub was closing on Capitol Hill. I spoke with owner Howard Scherr who confirmed that the Li’l Pub was closing and their last day would be January 6th. He says that building was sold to CVS next door. Mr. Scherr says he realizes that the Li’l Pub was an institution and that “we will all miss each other.”
Last November 2012 there was a rumor of a closure. Sad news for an iconic spot:
“Built in 1937 as Little Tavern No. 20 – Little Tavern was: a chain of hamburger restaurants in Baltimore, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. The first Little Tavern opened March 24, 1927 in Louisville, Kentucky, by Harry F. Duncan. The first Washington location was opened in October 1928 and the first in Baltimore opened its doors in June 1930. By 1937, there were 33 shops open. At the height of the chain, there were almost 50 locations. Duncan sold the chain in 1981. The last restaurant closed on April 29, 2008.”
705 N Carolina Ave, SE
The long vacant space, formerly The Village Art Gallery, finally has a new tenant – Pinktini Fashion Boutique:
Photo by PoPville flickr user KJinDC
From MPD:
“The First District has seen an increase in package thefts the past few years around the holiday season. First District Officers are aware of the historic trend and are giving special attention to residential areas. Within this past week, we have made three arrests of individuals regarding separate package thefts. In two of these incidents, the Officers were initially alerted by concerned neighbors who called 911 to report suspicious activity. I would like to thank the citizens who reported the activity and request the assistance of the entire community in being vigilant and reporting to 911 anytime they observe suspicious activity or persons. In each of the below incidents, the stolen property was also recovered.
· On Friday November 29th, at about 6:45 pm, a 19 year old male was arrested for a package theft from the 200 block of 11th Street SE
· On Saturday November 30th, at about 9:30 am, a 50 year old was arrested for the theft of a package from the 600 block of A Street SE
· On Thursday December 5th, at about 7:30 pm, a 25 year old male was arrested for the theft of a package from the 1200 block of Independence Ave SE
In addition to your vigilance, we also like to ask that you consider having packages delivered to an alternate site (work place or friend’s home) where someone would be present to accept delivery.”
Photo by PoPville flickr user JoshBassett|PHOTOGRAPHY
From AOC.gov:
“The U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree will will be lit by Speaker of the House John A. Boehner during a ceremony on Tuesday, December 3, on the Capitol’s West Front lawn beginning at 5 p.m. Architect of the Capitol Stephen T. Ayers, FAIA, LEED AP, will serve as master of ceremonies.
This year’s tree is an Engelmann spruce from the Newport Ranger District of the Colville National Forest in Washington State. It was harvested on November 1, and is currently traveling from Washington across the country; making stops in 22 communities along the way.
After it arrives at the U.S. Capitol and is secured in the ground, the tree will be decorated with thousands of ornaments, handcrafted by Washingtonians to reflect this year’s theme, “Sharing Washington’s Good Nature,” which highlights the state’s historical, cultural, and natural beauty.
The Capitol Christmas Tree has been a tradition at the U.S. Capitol since 1964. The tree will be lit from night fall until 11 p.m. each evening through January 1, 2014.”
This rental is located at 125 3rd Street, Northeast:
The listing says:
“Live & entertain in this grand residence, once home to several political power-houses! Home sits perfectly on a beautiful tree-lined street near the Capitol. Features include: double parlor, built-ins & fireplaces, elegant dining rm, bright updated kitchen, luxurious master suite w/ walk-in closet & large bath w/ Jacuzzi tub, heart of pine flrs & private terrace for entertaining!”
You can see more photos here.
This 3 bed/3.5 bath is going for $3,850/Mo.
323 7th Street, SE
From Monkeys’ Uncle website:
“It is with heavy hearts, that we announce today we will be closing Monkeys’ Uncle at the end of the year. It has been an amazing 5 years, and we consider our little shop a huge success in almost every measure.
The one measure that has eluded us is financial success. Our plan is to operate through the month of December, selling down the current inventory of clothing. We will not book full appointments, but will
continue with our “Quickie 3″ for a few more weeks so that we are able to supply your little ones with seasonally appropriate essentials. The selection in our store right now is quite good and we encourage our friends, loyal customers, and consignors to stop by and stock up.
We are thankful for the friendship and kindness that the community has embraced us with, and consider ourselves blessed for the experience.”
749 8th Street, SE
Great news for serious donut fans living or working on the Hill. A couple weeks ago District Doughnut tweeted the good news:
“It’s official: opening on barracksrow, Spring 2014 #doughnutheaven @ sneed’s barber shop”
You can see their delicious looking doughnuts here.
Also of note – Capital City Subs has closed next door. Stay tuned to see who takes over that space.
This edition of Eating Around Town was written by Abbey Becker.
I want to love Beuchert’s Saloon (623 Pennsylvania Avenue SE) again. I used to live near Eastern Market, and I remember walking by the papered-over front window on my twice-daily walk to the Metro and looking for some kind of notice about their opening. Once they did, I think I probably went at least five times before I moved away in July. I was taken with the atmosphere, the service, the cocktails, the food.
After a visit last weekend, though, I have to wonder if something happened, or if they just had a bad night. I’m hoping it’s the latter.
The feel is much the same, I’m happy to report—it still exudes a neighborhood feel and a genuine kind of coziness that’s tough to find in that part of town, or in the city itself, for that matter. Once inside, it’s easy to forget that you’re in the middle of a big city in 2013, rather than inside an early 1900s speakeasy. (It was once a saloon, and later a speakeasy, from 1880 to 1934.) The twin taxidermied bison heads over the hand-built walnut bar define, in my mind, what makes Beuchert’s great: attention to detail with a little bit of quirkiness. The dim lighting, subway tiling on the walls, brass accents, and jazzy soundtrack make for a throwback that’s all respect for the past and no gimmick. One of my favorite parts is that the owners are still working on the floor during service, even though Beuchert’s has been open since March. To me, that’s a mark of true pride and care.
If you’re planning a visit, I’d recommend sitting at the front bar. In my experience, it’s more fun to perch on the wooden barstools and interact with the bartenders. While the tables at the back make dinners with more than one friend easier, it feels a bit lonelier back there, like you’re missing the action. And there’s something to be said for eating and drinking a fancy cocktail at the bar that makes you feel like you’re echoing what happened there so many years ago.
But let’s talk food and drink here. (more…)
Photo by PoPville flickr user ekelly80
From MPD:
“Over this past weekend, the First District responded to two reported apartment burglaries where entry was gained through an apartment window accessed by way of a fire escape. Both incidents occurred in PSA 107, north of Independence Ave SE. In at least one of the incidents the apartment window was left unlocked, in the other the resident believes they locked the window. Please ensure that your apartment windows are properly secured, particularly those that can be accessed by way of a fire escape.
The First District has Officers who will respond to your residence to assist with a home security survey. To request a survey, contact your PSA Lieutenant or Carolyn Smith, the 1D Outreach Coordinator, [email protected] . Please call 911 any time you observed suspicious activity or suspicious persons.”