U Street

T-2 Minutes to Trader Joe’s on 14th Street! UPDATE – Now Open – Behold the First Customer and more Photos

By Prince Of Petworth

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1916 14th Street, NW

@Kspits tweets us:

“5 mins til #TraderJoes opens on U street! They’re handing out free grocery bags.”

And thanks to a reader for sending these photo updates:

“The woman in purple MAY have been the first shopper to check out; accounts are murky…”

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“The store was bustling, crowded and fun. Employees and shoppers alike both seemed happy and excited about the moment.”

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“The rarely seen trader Joe’s loading dock, where the real magic happens. Lots of wine on pallets moving in here.”

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Anyone know the Story Behind the ‘Rose’ Imprint at Velvet Lounge?

By Prince Of Petworth

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I’m super intrigued by this – I was going to start a new series, which I think I still will, about neon signs around the District. Anyway, as I was admiring Velvet Lounge’s on U Street – I noticed this brick these block letters:

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Wild – anyone happen to know the story?

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915 U Street, NW

Race between Trader Joe’s and Streets Market and Cafe to be first to Open on 14th is getting Close

By Prince Of Petworth

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2400 14th Street, NW (between Belmont and Chapin)

A reader sends word that the Streets Market and Cafe website is now live (though mostly a holding page):

“Our Top Priorities

Build honest relationships of trust and loyalty with our customers
Offer a wide variety of wholesome quality products
We are dedicated to providing the highest quality of customer service
Be a supportive partner to our communities”

And ‏@bustyredhead sends an updated photo showing the store nearly stocked. Will they open before Friday?

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Pho Wheels Pop Up at Dodge City Tonight

By Prince Of Petworth

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917 U Street, NW

From an email:

“With spring (almost) here, Dodge City is excited launch a new series of culinary pop ups! Tonight we are hosting our good friends from PhoWheeLs Food Truck, who will be setting up shop and showcasing their delicious tacos starting at 6 PM. Enjoy happy hour specials like the
Pho Wheels Spiked Punch while you munch one their five tacos:

-Duck: Roasted duck breast, Asian coleslaw, hoisin, scallions, sesame seeds, roti canai
-Bibimbap: Beef brisket bulgogi, kimchi slaw, rice, cucumbers, gochuchang mayo, scallions, sesame seeds, chili flakes, fried quail egg, roti canai
-Musubi: Spam, Chinese sausage, rice, pickled radishes & carrots, roasted seaweed, kewpie mayo, soy glaze, wasabi furikake, wasabi sesame seeds, roti canai
-Porkbelly: Caramelized porkbelly, pickled radishes & carrots, sriracha lime mayo, scallions, roti canai
-Mushroom-onion tofu tacos (vegan): mushroom-onion tofu, pickled radishes & carrots, cilantro, vegan sriracha lime mayo, roti canai

Happy Hour 6-9pm
$3 High Life
$5 Rail Drinks
$1 off all Draft Beer”

Touchdown Sports Bar becomes Handsome Cock on U Street – Seriously – I think

By Prince Of Petworth

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1334 U Street, NW

Update from the Handsome Cock’s facebook page:

“Our landlord doesn’t like the name , so for a while we will have fun with this song without a proper signage. We will stand firm and sooner or later we will put our name outside.”

Earlier this month Barred in DC noted:

“The folks behind the cult favorite dive bar The Codmother appear to be set to soon open a new dive [Handsome Cock] in the upstairs space at 1334 U St. NW formerly home to the Touchdown Sports Bar & Grill.”

What sounds like an early April Fools joke appears to be legit. There is a Handsome Cock facebook page set up for 1334 U St, NW and it says they soft opened on Friday. On Sunday afternoon a big question remark remained in the window:

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So it’s not clear if this is a new dive bar, a new gay bar, a new gay dive bar, a new French bar, a new French dive bar, a new French gay dive bar, well there are many possibilities…

Anyway, Touchdown replaced Momo’s sports bar at the same time Codmother replaced Cafe Nema back in Jan. 2011. Handsome Cock (?) is located on the second floor of 1334 U St between the recently opened Fainting Goat and New Town Kitchen & Bar:

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Updated photo from Clif Burns after the jump:

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Reader Reports Michelle Obama at Kapnos Last Night

By Prince Of Petworth

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2201 14th Street, NW

Thanks to a reader for sending word:

“Looks like Michelle Obama was at Kapnos again this [last] evening. There were secret service agents outside who wanded us down before we entered, but we had no idea who it was until we caught a glimpse of her dashing out with agents all around her later in the evening.”

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