Vaughn Sterling tweets:
“what the heck happened to Kabuki Sushi in @UnionStation_DC? Replaced by a blue wall! We’ve been going since 2005!”
Anyone know when they closed? Being taken over by the new Walgreens? Any other fans?
NoMa (Near Northeast)
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A reader reports:
“We’ve been noticing for several months / weeks that the corner store at 522 K Street NE has been under slow and steady renovation. Today we noticed that a temporary sign for Old City Market had been put up.”
Their website says:
“Welcome to Old City Market and Oven, your convenient corner store carrying the finest in beers, wine, coffee, roasted meats, vegetables and baked goods fresh from our wood fired oven, as well as all the other provisions you may need to stock your home. Come in and have a freshly pulled espresso or cappuccino. You can sip and sit, or browse the shelves downstairs stocked with American and International foods. Pick over our ripe fruits and vegetables. Select from our vast wine and beer offerings. Snack on our fresh baked muffins, scones, cookies and other sweet or savory treats. Savor the smell of our roasted meats, fish, and vegetables. Take your time and experience it all, while we prepare your food to your specific order, or if you’re in a rush come in and head over to our grab and go.
We are here to accommodate you. But be forewarned, all of the food that is prepared in our market is cooked the old fashioned way: with fire in caves, just the way your great, great, great, great . . . grandparents did ten thousand years ago. Come to the Market and see our cave: a huge six-foot diameter stone oven. In the morning, you will see our cooks pulling out fresh baked muffins and scones, and later in the day they will be roasting meats and vegetables. Then when you are on your way home from work, we will fire that baby up to over 700 degrees and start cooking some of the best pizzas you will find in this City!”
Stay tuned for an opening date!
522 K Street, NE
Courtesy Union Station Redevelopment Corporation
From a press release:
“Today, Washington Union Station reveals a restored, historic Main Hall. Covered for the past four years in scaffolding as rehabilitation work was underway, the historic space is now unobstructed, as originally designed, for the first time in almost 50 years.
Opened in 1907 as the General Waiting Room of the station, the Main Hall was well known for its impressive scale, stretching 219 feet by 120 feet, with a ceiling height of 96 feet, and grand gold-coffered ceiling. Historically lined with mahogany benches, the Main Hall functioned as large open space until the 1940’s. The onset of World War II resulted in increased traffic at the station, and ticket counters were expanded from the West Hall into the Main Hall, to accommodate the demand. In the 1970’s as train travel declined, and air travel became more popular, ideas to reactivate the grand space were evaluated. (more…)
From an email:
“Saturday’s Rally for Recess in Northeast DC will feature DC Central Kitchen, local chefs, cross trainers and Playworks coaches, providing games, healthy food, demonstrations, A PlayShop training, fun toys and easy recipes. The Rally is supported by Playworks, DC Central Kitchen, the DC Department of Health, Kaiser Permanente and local food/drink donors. (more…)
From a press release:
“The NoMa Parks Foundation, an affiliate of the NoMa Business Improvement District, announced today that it will acquire its third parcel, an approximately half acre site at the intersection of R Street, NE, and the popular Metropolitan Branch Trail (MBT). This acquisition has been accomplished through a collaboration with Foulger-Pratt Development and with strong support from Pepco from whom the parcel was acquired. No funds from the Foundation’s original $50 million NoMa Parks grant will be required to close on this important parcel. Instead, Foulger-Pratt will donate the parcel and will also provide the NoMa Parks Foundation with certain design consultation rights as well as other community benefits. Ultimately, the new park will be transferred to the District of Columbia Government.
This acquisition of additional land to improve the MBT and provide additional park space was first envisioned in a joint study of the MBT executed by the NoMa BID, the Metropolitan Police Department and the District Department of Transportation in 2015. That study recommended straightening the “Z-turn” at R Street as an important public safety measure, among other things. “Adding this new land is so important to improving the MBT and assuring another fabulous park experience for the residents of the NoMa neighborhood and all of Northeast. We look forward to partnering with the community to plan this new green space,” said Robin-Eve Jasper, president of the NoMa Parks Foundation.
Foulger-Pratt will be developing a residential and retail project on the balance of the property bounded by the Foundation’s previously-acquired 2-acre park to the south, Harry Thomas Way on the west, and R Street to the north. (more…)
Photo by PoPville flickr user Ian Livingston
“Has anyone else felt increasingly unsafe while walking outside Union Station in the past couple months? I have noticed more people who appear to be suffering from mental issues, drug addiction, and homelessness loitering outside. In the past couple months, I’ve seen people urinating, someone openly smoking crack, and someone under the influence of some hallucinogen pretending to punch people in the head. Today, a homeless man threatened to “smack the glasses off my face” when I wouldn’t give him money. This is occurring during daylight hours, generally immediately after work. I’ve had the same walk for three years, and I don’t remember ever feeling so unsafe outside Union Station until a couple months ago. I’m just wondering a) if other people have noticed this increase b) what can be done about it. ”
From an email:
“Thought I’d share this video of parents at a DC elementary school learning for the first time that their school had a positive lead test.
It was almost 8 months after the positive lead test. J.O. Wilson [660 K St NE] had also had gone the entire previous school year without any lead tests (from 4/24/14 – 8/20/15).
This school was not on DCPS’s list of 12 schools that tested positive. Despite the positive lead test and a student being injured this school year by a sink falling off the wall at the school, DGS rated the plumbing systems in this school as “Good.”
I also think it’s important to note that this is a great and growing school with a great community and great teachers being held back by its facilities problems.”
ARTIST ARRON DE LA CRUZ FROM A PAST POW! WOW! EVENT (BY BRANDON SHIGETA)
From a press release:
“POW! WOW!, the global art movement that celebrates culture, music, and art worldwide is taking over the District during the last ten days of May as POW! WOW! DC. Local, national, and international artists will convene to enrich and enliven area neighborhoods with their murals. POW! WOW! DC is lead by local artist Kelly Towles, along with many great partners and volunteers.
Of the 17 participating artists, at least four will represent DC, including No Kings Collective, Decoy, and Matt Corrado. Other artists are flying in from as far as Hong Kong (Caratoes), Honolulu (Pro Gress), London (INSA), and Australia (The Yok).
In partnership with the NoMA Business Improvement District (BID), the majority of the murals will appear on walls in the NoMa neighborhood. This includes walls on or near Ibiza night club, 411 New York Avenue, The Crucible building, and 1215 3rd Street.
From Towles:
“I wanted to bring POW! WOW! to DC because of the impact that street art has on this community. Art transforms the urban landscape, and this allows the public to watch those transformations and celebrate the process. It will be rad.”
OPENING CELEBRATION
In addition to the rare opportunity to watch street art in progress, DC residents will be able to attend opening and closing celebrations. The opening event will take place on May 21st from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the NoMa Junction lot at the intersection of 1st and L Street NE. The opening celebration will include live painting by participating artists, music from local DJs, and a local marketplace of food trucks, beer, and other goods.”
Photo by PoPville flickr user evegophotos
2016 Lineup – Choose Your Own Adventure:
June 1: Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark (PG)
June 8: Princess Bride (PG)
June 15: Guardians of the Galaxy (PG-13)
June 22: Jumanji (PG)
June 29: Fast Five (PG-13)
July 6: Pee Wee’s Big Adventure (PG)
July 13: Life of Pi (PG)
July 20: O Brother, Where Art Thou? (PG-13)
July 27: E.T. (PG)
August 3: Apollo 13 (PG)
August 10: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (PG-13)
August 17: Jurassic Park PG-13
Special Screening of Purple Rain – Tuesday, June 7
Q: What’s the best way to get to the new site? (more…)
1275 First St, NE
From a press release:
“Local education nonprofit Turning the Page has been raising funds through their own used bookstore, Carpe Librum, in downtown D.C. (1030 17th St, NW) since the store’s opening as a year-round shop in September 2013, but Carpe Librum originated as a “pop-up” and for twelve years was simply an annual event. Turning the Page has brought back the Carpe Librum pop-up in addition to the year-round store with great success in the NoMa and Mount Vernon Triangle neighborhoods. This spring, Carpe Librum has returned to NoMa for a pop-up bookstore at 1275 First St, NE.
All proceeds from the pop-up directly benefit Turning the Page and their family engagement programs in D.C. public schools. The pop-up sells high-quality, gently used books, CDs, and DVDs, all priced $1-$4. All items for sale have been donated by the public and donations of used books, CDs, and DVDs can be dropped off directly at the pop-up whenever it is open.
The Carpe Librum NoMa pop-up opened to the public on Monday, April 25th. Regular hours are Monday through Friday 11am – 7:30pm and Saturdays 11:30am – 6pm. The pop-up will remain open for only a limited time.
This Carpe Librum pop-up was made possible by StonebridgeCarras and the NoMa Business Improvement District.”
“Dear PoPville,
Came home yesterday to a note left in the crack of my door. Upon getting this, I immediately messaged my upstairs roommate (who handles our cable) to find out what was up. The copy/paste Comcast label was an immediate red flag for me. After calling Comcast to confirm – we can officially say this is a total scam! The scammer left this in our mailbox on the front of our house, but to leave it at my door they had to get super creepy. They unlocked our back gate, came into our backyard, and walked down to my rear-entry basement apartment in a desperate attempt to see if someone was home – and most likely try to get inside. Luckily, we were all at work. Who knows what would have happened! We suspect if you call the number, they’ll try to extort you not to “turn off your cable.” Scary, and super creeps! This all sounds very much like the fake “Verizon techs” who were wandering around a few month ago. NoMa residents – beware!!”