NoMa (Near Northeast)

Dear PoPville – Anyone Live in NoMa?

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user Vileinist

Dear PoPville,

I currently live in a group house in Columbia Heights but at the end of my lease this fall, I am planning to move in with my girlfriend. We have a small dog which makes apartment shopping a bit more difficult (and expensive) and we don’t have gads of cash to spend on a penthouse in Dupont. We recently found a gorgeous apartment with all sorts of frills in the NoMa neighborhood (it’s on the metro sign now… time to give in) that is within our price range. We love the place and understand that NoMa is getting lots of attention from developers and the like, but it is currently no Columbia Heights. How do people feel about this neighborhood? It would be convenient in terms of transportation for us, and we like the idea of being able to walk down to H street to go out, but we will certainly miss the days of the 11th street stretch in CoHi. Apartment amenities of the new place are also a huge draw (pool, gym, dog park) as we have never lived in a place that had these things. Our only concern is that the area is less walk-able and a bit higher crime. Do people like living in NoMa?

I actually recommend NoMa to folks all the time. As you noted there is tons of development coming but what I love most about it is the location. It’s like in the center of it all. You’re super close to H Street but also not terribly far from U Street (especially if you get a bike). It’s the best of both worlds. Because there is so much newer development I don’t think you’ll get that 11th St feeling that you had in Columbia Heights but I wouldn’t hesitate to move there if you found a nice apartment. I also don’t think the crime is higher there at all. I think you should go for it!

For the folks that live in NoMa – where do you find you hang out most – H Street? If so – do you walk there? Bike? Any advice for someone thinking of moving to the neighborhood?

Dupont and Union Station Jamba Juice Now Open – Georgetown, Chinatown Locations Coming Next?

By Prince Of Petworth


Union Station

Yesterday I got a tour of the two new Jamba Juices that are now open in Union Station and Dupont Circle. Full Disclosure: I got tons of free smoothies.

The DC area Jamba Juice franchises are owned by tennis great Venus Williams.

The first two in DC are just the begining. I was told that we can expect two more coming relatively soon – likely in Chinatown and/or Georgetown. Also they have small kiosks that they are hoping to place in government buildings soon as well. Oh yeah – they also may launch a street cart soon as well. Stay tuned.


1333 19th St, NW – former Ben and Jerry’s space in Dupont Circle

Mon. Afternoon Rental Option – NoMa

By Prince Of Petworth

This rental is located at 130 M Street, NE:


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The listing says:

“Ultra luxurious apartments with instant access to the red line metro. Walking distance to shops and restaurants. 9′ ceilings with floor to ceiling windows. Granite countertops and stainless steal appliances. 24 hour security and private access parking. Extra storage available. Pet friendly building. Prices vary based on floor, view, and apartment features. Prices are subject to change.”

At the moment this studio is going for $1,855/Mo.

YO! Sushi Anticipates Opening in Union Station July 23

By Prince Of Petworth

From a press release:

YO! Sushi, is crossing the pond this summer, opening its first US location in Washington, DC’s historic Union Station this July. Known internationally for its fresh perspective on Japanese cuisine and unique dining experience, YO! Sushi comes complete with its conveyor belt and popular menu of over 70 Japanese inspired dishes, to one of the world’s most dynamic, cosmopolitan cities.

YO! Sushi currently operates throughout the UK, as well as the Middle East and Norway. Washington, DC was selected for the company’s American debut because of the city’s vibrant and diverse community. YO! Sushi has built its reputation often in mass transit stations, bustling urban areas and in premium shopping centers, offering outstanding quality and excellent service with every visit. Union Station will be no exception, making YO! Sushi convenient to residents, Capitol Hill staffers, business travelers and DC tourists alike.

YO! Sushi’s conveyor belt system puts the entire menu of fresh, handmade menu items literally at guests’ fingertips, making a quality twenty minute sit-down meal a reality for someone on the go. A computer monitored tracking system ensures that no dish remains on the conveyor belt longer than one hour, guaranteeing that every dish is fresh.

The restaurant’s design caters to guest interaction, as each seat features an airplane-style call button to ring servers, as well as a water dispenser filtering complimentary chilled still water.

YO! Sushi offers guests seating at the conveyor belt, or at tables for a more conventional meal with outstanding tableside service.

YO! Sushi’s ninjas make every dish fresh to order, always available for dine-in or carry-out. The ninjas are highly trained at their craft, offering YO! Sushi signature creations like the Salmon and Avocado hand roll, a seaweed cone packed with rice, premium salmon, avocado, mayonnaise and sesame seeds, and the Spicy Tuna Gunkan, featuring top-quality yellowfin tuna with spicy masago sauce and spring onion atop two pieces of rice wrapped in seaweed.

But YO! Sushi is just as much about sushi as it is about other modern Japanese inspired food and drink. YO! Sushi’s ninjas craft hot favorites like spicy Shrimp Firecracker Rice with Asian vegetables, pan-fried Yakisoba Noodles in a mild tangy sauce with a choice of chicken, shrimp or vegetables, and Chicken Katsu Curry, crispy fried chicken with rice, a mild curry sauce and a Japanese pickle.

YO! Sushi’s Executive Chef, Noriyuki Kudo, a native of Japan, has worked in a number of renowned restaurants, most recently Sushi Roku and Katana in Los Angeles. He comes to DC with his knives at the ready and a crew of skilled ninjas ready to impress.

That Was Fast – Dangerously Delicious Pies Opens in Union Station Thursday Morning

By Prince Of Petworth

A couple weeks ago a reader wrote in with word of Dangerously Delicious Pies opening a spot in the food court of Union Station. And now Dangerously Delicious Pies tweets:

“IT’S OFFICIAL!!! Dangerously Delicious Pies will be slingin pies at Union Station Thursday at 10am!! See y’all then!”

They’ve got pretty big shoes to fill as I believe this space was once home to Vacaro’s…

Dangerously Delicious Pies Coming to Union Station Food Court?

By Prince Of Petworth

Looks like Dangerously Delicious Pies is coming to Union Station. @zcolman spots the scene above in the Union Station food court. He advises, “Time to invest in new belts.”

In Feb. 2012 we learned that Dangerously Delicious Pies would also be opening a new location in Chinatown at 901 7th Street, NW. While that location anticipated an April opening, they have not opened yet.

Dangerously Delicious Pies’ original DC space is located at 1339 H St, NE. You can see their menu here.

Zuppa Fresca Abruptly Closes in NoMa

By Prince Of Petworth


250 K Street, NE

Last night Zuppa Fresca wrote on their Facebook page:

Zuppa Fresca is closed. We have decided to close due to situations out of our control. We hope a tenant is found for the space who can comply with the outrageous demands of the Landlord and Management Company. We will be posting our entire story soon to let our customers know why we had to leave. We only hope that our story will help other young business owners who are trying to find truthful andhonest landlords and management companies.

Zuppa Fresca opened up (in what was going to be Gillian Clark’s Kitchen on K Street) in NoMA at 250 K St, NE back in Feb. 2012. They say they will be posting their entire story on their Web site soon. Stay tuned.

Streets of Washington Presents – The Government Printing Office in Swampoodle

By Prince Of Petworth

Streets of Washington covers some of DC’s most interesting buildings and history and is written by John DeFerrari. John is also the author of Lost Washington DC.

The reputation of DC’s charmingly-named Swampoodle neighborhood was for its tough Irish street brawlers. Both the Irish toughs and their swampy ground are now gone, but one immense institution has remained there through it all, the Government Printing Office at H and North Capitol Streets, NW. The printing office—nicknamed “The Swamp” in its early days—has been one of Washington’s most contradictory institutions. Once a grimy factory of hard-working laborers culled largely from the surrounding rough-and-tumble neighborhood, for 150 years it’s also been an elite producer of elegant government documents, including extraordinary hand-bound volumes of the nation’s most precious records.


GPO’s 1903 building (postcard from the author’s collection).


The 1903 GPO building today (photo by the author).

There has always been a recognized need for printing official government documents; the British designated “publick printers” for this purpose in the early colonies. Benjamin Franklin was one, producing official documents for Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and New Jersey. After independence, the U.S. Congress continued the practice of chartering private companies to do public printing, usually at fixed rates, but as the 19th century progressed and the need for printed documents mushroomed, private companies fortunate enough to be designated as official printers were increasingly accused of fraud and corruption. Congress put an end to all that by passing a law establishing the Government Printing Office in 1861. It would be a completely government-operated facility, and its chief would carry the title of Public Printer.

To outfit the new GPO, the government purchased the printing office that Cornelius Wendell (1811-1870) had built in 1857 at the corner of H and North Capitol. Wendell had been an official printer, and most of the government’s printing work was already taking place at this site, one of the largest and most complete printing plants in the country.

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