Columbia Heights

Dear PoP – Do Your Readers Know Anything about this Building?

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoP,

I am thinking of buying this apartment. It would be the first place I own and is a short sale so I really want to do my research. Do you know anything about the building? Or even better the apartment? Also, any advice about how to handle short sales would be greatly appreciated.”

This condo is located at 1401 Columbia Rd, NW. It’s a 1bed/1bath going for $249,900 ($195 condo fee). But don’t short sales generally sell for much higher? If you could get it for that price, that’d be pretty amazing, I think. You can see more photos of the apartment here. What do you guys think? Anyone know anything about the building?

The 5pm Post – Contribute to the DC State Fair photo contest!

By Prince Of Petworth

The theme of the 5pm Post will change every day and per your suggestions will be a mix of philanthropic or simply fun things to do as well as random unique DC features and events. It’ll be a bit of a hodgepodge but if you have any suggestions, recommendations or photos capturing DC pride please send an email to princeofpetworth(at)gmail(dot)com.


Photo by PoPville flickr user Mr. T in DC

This looks like it’s gonna be a great event and I get to be a guest judge! From a Ten Miles Square press release:

Mark Saturday, August 28 on your calendar to check out the first DC State Fair, part of Columbia Heights Day on the field at Harriet Tubman Elementary School.

DC has no county fair or state fair where DC residents can show off their talents in things like baking, canning, urban agriculture, photography, etc.  But this year, we’re planning to change that.  A group of bloggers is partnering with Columbia Heights Day to create a DC State Fair tent, where there will be competitions such as Tastiest Tomato, Best Home-Made Pie, and so forth.  DC residents will submit their entries for a chance to win glory and prizes.  The DC State Fair will be held on August 28th, concurrent with Columbia Heights Day, at Tubman Elementary Field (11th and Irving Streets NW).

And what’s a state fair without an awesome photo contest?  Show us your photos of supreme DC spirit: display our cultural independence in images!  Enter your two best images to our Flickr pool by midnight on Sunday, August 22.

Heather Goss from Ten Miles Square and DCist, along with special guest judges and DC Spirit Experts, Philippa Hughes from the Pink Line Project and Dan Silverman from the Prince of Petworth, will pick a handful of favorites for semi-finalists, which will be displayed online the week before the fair.  Our Grand Prize Winner, First and Second Runners-Up will be printed, framed, and displayed at the DC State Fair on August 28.  Winners will get to take their framed prints home, to show off their DC pride to friends and family.

Entrants must live in the District of Columbia.  (Virginia, Maryland, we love you, but you have your own fairs to enter!)  Entry is free, limit two photos per person.  Questions, please email Heather at [email protected].

There is no fee to enter the DC State fair.  However, donations to the organizers are greatly appreciated!  Recommended donation is $5 per entry (but judging will be blind, and donation status will not affect results).  Please visit the DC State Fair website and click the Paypal link.

Good Deal or Not? “Country style kitchen” edition

By Prince Of Petworth

This home is located at 1374 Taylor St, NW:


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The flier says:

“Top to bottom renovation right off of 14th st! Close to shops and Metro. This beautiful renovation includes 4bdrms, 3.5 baths with marble tile. Country style kitchen with granite, maple wood cabinets and stainless steel appliances. Private 2 car parking with garage door. Bamboo wood flooring, a fully finished basement and many more modern upgrades! This one will not last.”

You can find more info here and photos here.

What do you think of the reno? The kitchen? What exactly is a country style kitchen? Does $659,900 sound reasonable for this 4 bed/3.5 bath?

Red Derby roof deck Update

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoP,

I recently read on your site that the Red Derby might be building a roof deck – and that they had no a/c. Any update on either? I’d like to go there this weekend, but without either the deck or a/c I’d probably go somewhere else. Thanks!”

In June we had a quick update about the progress of Red Derby’s roof deck construction (3718 14th St. NW at Quincy). To answer the reader’s question – the air conditioning is working again!!! And the construction of the roof deck is progressing nicely. When I stopped in last weekend I was told that the roof deck is looking like a Sept. completion. But in the meantime the downstairs is open and air conditioned. You can even see the eventual steps to the roof deck:

The 5pm Post

By Prince Of Petworth

Based on yesterday’s comments – welcome a new PoP feature, The 5pm Post. It’ll change every week and per your suggestions will be a mix of philanthropic or simply fun things to do as well as random unique DC features. It’ll be a bit of a hodgepodge but if you have any suggestions or photos capturing DC pride please send an email to princeofpetworth(at)gmail(dot)com

Unfortunately, I’m gonna kick this off with a bit of sad news: A reader sends in word that there was an armed robbery at French’s Dry Cleaner, 3706 14th St NW, August 9.

“Dear PoP,

Are you interested in doing a little blurb on this business and encouraging people to use French’s for their dry cleaning and tailoring this week? I’d like to launch a one week campaign to show community support.”

So if you need some drycleaning/tailoring and live in the area, it would be a nice gesture to stop by French’s (right near Red Derby).

For those looking for fun philanthropic fundraiser happy hour – this is a good one in Adams Morgan:

City at Peace DC uses the performing arts to develop the skills, talents, and confidence of young people to promote cross-cultural understanding, conflict resolution, and violence prevention. For the last 15 years, this award-winning program has worked with more than 1,000 young people to build trusting relationships, achieve artistic excellence, and create lasting change in the lives of participants, their families, their schools, and their communities.

City at Peace’s programming is thriving despite the fiscal challenges facing our country. (Just this week we are teaming up with with Metro Teen AIDS and Mayor Fenty’s 2010 Summer Youth Employment Program for a city-wide street theatre tour.) Our books, however, are hurting. To keep City at Peace thriving, we must raise $25,000 by September 1. JOIN US for a special fundraising event featuring City at Peace cast, staff, and board members.

When: August 10, 2010 from 6:30pm-9:30pm

Where: Angles Bar and Billiards (2339 18th Street, NW)

What: City at Peace celebration

Why: Because City at Peace needs you and YOU need a City at Peace

Snacks will be provided. All drinks are 1$ off all night Adams Morgan’s
best hamburgers and pulled pork sandwiches are 2 for 1.

DC needs City at Peace. In 2008, nearly 4,500 DC youths were arrested for criminal activity and 92% of deaths of residents aged 10-24 were caused by homicide. DC’s high-school graduation rate is less than 50%. City at Peace participants are less likely to be caught up in violent crime, are more likely to graduate high school and to attend college. They also consistently report choosing career paths that, but for the program, they would not have considered within reach.

Nationals Fans after the jump (I can’t believe it but I’m going to my first game of the season tonight! And if you lost your pet bunny check a photo and location after the jump. (more…)

Good Deal or Not? “gorgeous spa bathrooms included” edition

By Prince Of Petworth

This condo is located at 1428 Monroe St, NW:


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The flier says:

“1700 square foot 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathroom plus PARKING. Gourmet Kitchen with Jenn-Air Stainless Steel appliances. Maple hardwoods, washer/dryer & gorgeous spa bathrooms included. Vibrant Columbia Heights location with shopping and dining at your doorstep. Just 2 blocks to Columbia Heights METRO. Walk Score 92/100.”

You can find more info here and a virtual tour here.

Hmm, another pop up condo but I’m glad to see that the bathroom conveys… What do you think of the condo itself? Ah it seems to be a short sale, so what do you think this 3 bed/2.5 bath will go for? The asking price is $450,000.

Celebrating Anniversaries on 11th St, NW! Congrats to Wonderland (6 Years) and Congrats to Room 11 (1 Year)!!!

By Prince Of Petworth

It seems like Wonderland (at the corner of 11th and Kenyon St, NW) has been there for ever. I can hardly believe it has already been/is only 6 years old! Owners Matt and Rose (pictured below) kicked off the celebration with a champagne of beers toast Sun. night. I hate to be that old guy who says “I remember when” but I remember when Wonderland was not open and all I can say is that they have been an phenomenal addition to Columbia Heights and DC in general. Yeah some nights are better than others but it is undeniable that a Sat. afternoon beer on the patio is very close to heaven. When people talk about a neighborhood bar, I think Wonderland is their template. So congrats to Matt and Rose and all the employees and neighbors who make Wonderland such a fun place to visit. (and thanks to Tina for the photos)

And in other 11th Street, NW celebratory news – Congrats to Room 11 (corner of 11th and Lamont) on their one year anniversary (another amazing addition to the Columbia Heights dining scene). From an email:

“We’re celebrating our first anniversary tonight! To help everyone get in a celebratory mood we’ll be offering complimentary glasses of our delicious Spanish sparkling wine (with purchase while supplies last) and featuring drink specials on wine and cocktails all night (a punch is rumored). And we still have some of yesterday’s hopalicious guest tap, Moylan’s Hopsickle! So please come out and help us celebrate our first birthday! Most importantly we’d like to offer a big thank you to all of our loyal supporters and our wonderful neighbors.”

What the Helen of Troy is This? (Reader Request)

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoP,

What the heck constitutes a farm vehicle and what the hell would one be doing in Columbia Heights on Saturdays from 7 to 4?

Why PoP?

WHY?”

Hahaha, I think I can actually answer this one. It’s gotta be for the Columbia Heights Farmers Market, right? I don’t think they actually bring combines or tractors but just regular trucks to unload. That is an awesome sign though!

Dear PoP – New Target Reconfiguration?

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoP,

You may have already covered this, but today I went to the Target at DC USA, and the new layout sucks. I understand they are creating space for fresh produce, which is great; but I was wondering if some of the isles are going to remain that narrow. They are about the width of the grocery carts!”

Hmm, I went to check it out and it seemed really open. My guess is that since the grocery expansion isn’t coming until Oct. they’ll probably tweak the final layout.

Have others noted that the new Target layout sucks?

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