Takoma (Takoma Park)

La Mano Coffee Bar Coming to Takoma Raising Money for Huge Pepco Bill

By Prince Of Petworth

la_mano_coffee_takoma
304 Carroll Street, NW

Back in Dec. 2012 we learned La Mano Coffee Bar was coming to Takoma. A reader sends word that they’ve started an indiegogo fundraising campaign:

Having already raised the vast majority of capital needed to open, we are seeking $15,000 to help ensure a timely opening and smooth transition into full operational status. We want to make sure we are fully powered, well-staffed and ready for the enthusiastic crowds from day one. Your funds will help us open our doors by:

Covering costs to connect to the electrical service from the public domain outside our front door into our meter inside. We, the small business owners, are responsible for paying Pepco to “flip the switch”. The price to do that is set at their discretion and their time frame. We do not receive any reimbursements, credits, or breaks for paying for this neighborhood improvement, from either our landlord, the city, or Pepco itself. We owe them over $10,000 within 30 days or we will lose permit approval of our request and have to start over from the beginning of the permit process again.

Covering payroll for the hiring and training of our employees. We expect to create eight to ten new jobs in Ward 4 of Washington, D.C.

You can make a contribution and see the rewards here.

Proposed New “255-unit, five-story residential structure” for Takoma Metro Site

By Prince Of Petworth


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From the TakomaDC Listserv:

We are elected officials representing the area that includes and surrounds the Takoma Metro station. As officials, we reached out to WMATA (Metro) to understand the agency’s intentions regarding development at the station. WMATA executives briefed us last Friday, May 31. We very much appreciate the executives’ willingness to meet, and we feel community members also deserve to know about WMATA’s plans.

PROPOSED NEW BUILDING @ TAKOMA METRO

WMATA is working with development partner EYA toward creating a 255-unit, five-story residential structure at the Takoma Metro site. The five stories include ground-level parking for transit users and a level of parking for residents with three stories of one- and two-bedroom apartments above the parking. There would be a step-back of the upper levels on the Eastern Avenue side to three stories.

The structure would replace the current paved parking area. The current set of bus bays would be preserved in place, with the addition of one bus bay and three bus layover spaces carved from the current park. WMATA would claim the right to place an additional bus loop or other transit functions in the park in the future. WMATA would also construct a bicycle-parking structure, for transit users, on the station grounds.

The revised design is at least a partial victory for community members, who had pointed out that EYA’s previous design, over 80 townhouses with two-car garages and new surface streets to support them, was the antithesis of transit-oriented design.

But 255 residences are more than twice the 65-95 units called for in the District of Columbia’s Small Area Plan for the site. And this would be the largest project by far in the area around the station. The planned 255 units, supported by nearly 200 residential parking spaces, would have a significant Takoma-area impact that must be thoroughly analyzed.

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Randomly Awesome – French Open Watch Party at Takoma Station Tonight

By Prince Of Petworth


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From Council Member Bower’s Office:

We just found out today that the District Department of Parks and Recreation and the Citi Open Tennis Tournament are co-hosting a French Open Watch Party this evening at Takoma Station located at 6914 4th St NW. There will be complimentary food buffet (until 7pm), drink specials all night and prizes will be raffled off as well. So, if you are a tennis fan or want to check out a Ward 4 gem, do stop by and enjoy!!

Busboys & Poets Applies for Liquor License in Takoma, Will have 112 Seat Summer Garden

By Prince Of Petworth

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235 Carroll Street, NW

Back in Feb. 2012 scuttlebutt was confirmed that a new Busboys & Poets would be coming to the Takoma Central project in Takoma DC. The building is slowly starting to rise and Busboys has recently applied for a liquor license:

“American Bistro with full entrée menu serving breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner with a seating capacity of 216. Total occupancy load of 237. Background music and live entertainment will be provided to include, but not limited to, poetry readings, occasional showing of films, and a pianist. Summer garden with 112 seats.”

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Officer Involved Shooting: 700 Block of Tewkesbury Place, NW

By Prince Of Petworth


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From MPD:

On Wednesday, April 3, 2013, at approximately 9:10 pm, members of the Fourth District Vice unit received information that there was a man armed with a gun in the 700 block of Tewkesbury Place, NW. Upon arrival, officers attempted to stop an individual who ran and pointed a gun at an officer. That officer discharged their weapon but did not strike the suspect. The suspect was apprehended and a gun was recovered on the scene. There were no injuries to the officers or the suspect.

Dolci Gelati Café Coming to Takoma Park this Spring and to Shaw next Spring

By Prince Of Petworth

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7000 Carroll Ave

From a press release:

More than six years after Dolci Gelati first came to DC, Chef Gianluigi Dellaccio and his business partner/wife Anastasia have announced that they will open Dolci Gelati Café, their first storefront, in Takoma Park this spring—a second location will follow next year in the Shaw neighborhood, at the City Market at O. Dolci Gelati can currently be found at Nationals’ Stadium and the National Zoo as well as in restaurants and markets throughout the Washington Metro area such as Whole Foods and Taylor Gourmet.

The first planned location will open its doors in Takoma Park early this spring and is being opened in tandem with fellow Italian and local entrepreneur Marcello Mina. This first shop, just 10 minutes from the Dolci Gelato laboratorio “kitchen”, will be on 7000 Carroll ave., in the heart of the trendy neighborhood.

Dolci Gelati Café will open their second location next spring at the City Market at O development on 8th street between O and P Street. The complex will be erected in Shaw and will also include a renovated state of the art Giant as well as a hotel, apartment complex and other retail and restaurants.

Chef Gianluigi currently has created more than 300 varieties of homemade gelato, and will bring his crowd-pleasing favorites such as salted caramel, white chocolate raspberry and bacio to the store daily. The Chef will also experiment with fresh, new flavors including creating a health-conscious line with tantalizing treats like Green Tea, Pomegranate Powerberry and a Super Citrus Antioxidant sorbet. Dolci Gelati Café will also feature a Social Good flavor, from which the profits will go to a variety of great causes.

“For years my creations have been bound by what the markets would order. I have so many new ideas that I want to try both in gelato and pastry and now I have my own place to do so,” said Chef Gianluigi. “I can’t wait to connect with our customers on a new level and offer new varieties that they have only imagined, while staying true to my family’s recipe that I learned growing up in Italy.”

Before creating Dolci Gelati, Chef Gianluigi was a Pastry Chef at Galileo, as well as an Italian Water Polo Champion. The Chef plans to incorporate his background as a pastry chef to develop many new items. The menu will include “cupcake cones”- ice cream cones filled with cupcake and chocolate ganache center, gelato sundaes, pastry and several varieties of praline nuts and artisan kettle corn (chocolate covered, cotton candy, bacon, and parmesan).

Dolci Gelati was started in 2005 by Former Italian champion water polo player turned pastry chef Gianluigi Dellaccio. Dolci Gelati offers many great varieties of gelato with a consistent level of quality that can only be achieved with artisan precision. The process starts every morning with deliveries from local dairy farms and other handpicked fruits, fine chocolates and other fresh ingredients. Gelato offers the same great taste as ice cream with 1/3 the fat and none of the artificial ingredients. Gianluigi uses a 100% authentic Italian recipe and local fresh ingredients to bring you a little bit of Italy across the Atlantic.

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City Market at O

Scuttlebutt Confirmed: Busboys and Poets Coming to Takoma

By Prince Of Petworth

Back in Dec. 2012 I shared some scuttlebutt that a Busboys and Poets would be coming to the new Takoma Central project at 235 Carroll Street, NW. Happy to report it’s been confirmed. The Post’s Jonathan O’Connell reports they’re shooting to open in Spring 2014. From a press release:

Federal Capital Partners (FCP) and Level 2 Development (Level 2) have signed fast-growing and highly popular Busboys and Poets to a 6,500 square foot lease at Takoma Central in the Takoma neighborhood of Northwest Washington, DC. The pioneering restaurant/bookstore/market concept will occupy a large portion of the 9,000 square foot retail ground floor of the $36 million, mixed-use development located at the corner of Carroll and Maple Streets. Takoma Central will feature 150 rental apartments adjacent to the Takoma Metrorail station and is just steps from the center of this eclectic, historic urban village. Busboys and Poets is cherished by its customers as a contemporary community center, where people gather to eat, work, browse through books and join in conversation. Takoma is considered to be one of Washington’s most diverse and popular “towns within a city” and Busboys and Poets is a perfect fit for this flourishing neighborhood.

David Franco, Managing Partner at Level 2, commented, “We are thrilled to bring Busboys and Poets to Takoma Central. Busboys’ personality is Takoma Central’s personality is Takoma DC’s personality, setting the stage for a hip Takoma celebrating both its old and new character. Takoma Central, with its commanding Busboys and Poets frontage and outdoor, multi-level terraced dining, will bridge the gap between the Takoma Metro Station and the historic Takoma downtown. Takoma will become the new “it” destination stop on Metro’s red line.”

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Grant Avenue Market Coming to Takoma Park in Spring 2013

By Prince Of Petworth


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From a press release:

The organizer of the hugely successful Fenton Street Market, in conjunction with the Old Takoma Business Association, will be bringing a new market to historic Takoma Park, MD in Spring 2013. The new Grant Avenue Market will showcase antiques, collectibles and other funky finds and will take place on one block of Grant Avenue in the Takoma Junction neighborhood in Takoma Park. Market goers can expect to find the same winning format as the Fenton Street Market – vendor booths, music and food – adding yet another activity to the busy Sunday line-up in Old Takoma which already offers the popular Takoma Park Farmers Market from 10am-2pm.

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Eating Around Town – Middle Eastern Cuisine and Market

By Prince Of Petworth


7006 Carroll Ave. Takoma Park, MD

This edition of Eating Around Town was written by Abbey Becker. Abbey lives near Eastern Market.

Neighborhood Gem: Middle Eastern Cuisine and Market

Downtown Takoma Park is nothing if not eclectic, and Middle Eastern Cuisine and Market fits in just fine. Local hangout Olive Lounge & Grill is in the back of the restaurant, but up front, you can sit down for a full meal with table service.

This is definitely a “come as you are” kind of place—on a Sunday night, there was a young family enjoying an early dinner, while at the table next to them was a man wearing headphones and a parka throughout his entire meal.

Drinks are cheap for DC. Wine by the glass for around $6 to $7 per glass, lots of beers by the bottle ranging between $4 and $5. Water in big plastic cups. No frills, but gets the job done.

You’re not impressed, I know. But order lunch or dinner and you’ll understand.

My group of four ordered the Mezza platter, a hulking tray with homemade hummus, baba ghanoush, falafels, stuffed grape leaves, what I think was a Mediterranean salad or maybe tabbouleh, and an olive-flavored dip with the texture of hummus, all served with a basket of warm, pillowy pita. The olive dip was exceptional—creamy, salty, and rich. One of the people I was with said she generally doesn’t like grape leaves, but that these were excellent (she ate two!). The falafels were maybe the best I’ve had in the District. They were lightly fried, not greasy at all, with a creamy interior that showcased the flavor of the chickpeas and nothing more. The tabbouleh was zingy, lemony, and refreshing. Don’t be afraid of the $18 price tag. It’s definitely worth it.

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