Georgetown.
Random
Photo by PoPville flickr user angela n.
From Amazon:
“To celebrate Mother’s Day, Prime Now, Amazon’s superfast delivery service, will be offering FREE two-hour delivery of fresh flowers starting on 5/13 through Mother’s Day, 5/14.
Fresh flowers are always a great way to show the moms in your life how much you love and appreciate them. Whether you want to save time by skipping a trip to the store, you can’t be with your mom on this Mother’s Day and want to send her a gift, or you just forgot to get a gift until the last minute, Prime Now has you covered! (more…)
Finally spotted a May one myself (on U Street.) And I’d say readers are sending in shots on average of about every other day.
From 14th Street/Logan Circle.
We’ve long marveled at dead Christmas trees discarded well past Christmas. The sightings in August bring immense wonder and joy. Well a live one in April is pretty damn spectacular too! Props to Jonathan for spotting this guy on 14th Street in Logan Circle. And props to the owner too – it’s a fine looking tree!
Photo of ’14th and U St, NW 1988′ by Michael Horsley
Amazing Flickr Photos of DC from 1985 to 1988
Thanks to a friend of mine for sending this incredible link to a flickr series called ‘Hidden Washington DC’. The description says:
“From 1985 to 1988 I wandered the streets of Washington DC photographing the unseen and vanishing moments of the city. These images lay dormant in the archives until I realized that they needed to be brought to life before the persons and spaces are totally lost to entropy and time.”
They are absolutely fascinating. See them all here.
And many thanks to Mr. Horsley for allowing me to post.
Photo via @NationalZoo
Red Panda, Rusty, Missing from National Zoo
@NationalZoo tweets:
“We are looking for a missing red panda, a male named Rusty. He was last seen at 6 p.m. last night.”
The Adams Morgan Listserv adds:
Animal care staff have been combing the trees around the Zoo since 8 a.m. He could be sick & hiding, or someone could have taken him.
Please help us keep an eye out for Rusty. Remember: red pandas are wild animals, & will bite if cornered or scared.
Red pandas typically spend the warm daytime hours resting, so it’s likely Rusty is somewhere in or near the Zoo hiding in a tree.
Red pandas are arboreal, territorial animals, so it would be unusual for Rusty to wander far from his home range, in his case his exhibit.
If you do see Rusty, don’t try to approach him. Stay where you can safely keep an eye on him & alert the Zoo (202.633.4888)
Scuttlebutt that makes yesterday’s Ellwood Thompson’s news look like another hot dog cart is opening
My friend, Sean, shared some scuttlebutt with me that is so sweet that I had to make it the Friday Question of the Day. First the scuttlebutt: he writes, “I was at Trader Joes and I asked the manager when they would open up another DC location and she said they were actively seeking a space near 14th and U (Streets, NW).”
Holy cow.
So for the Friday Question of the Day, at the risk of shattering my dream, what are the odds of this happening? Do you think there is an appropriate space/lot near 14th and U that could host a Trader Joes?
If one did open at 14th and U (for those that live relatively nearby) would you ever shop at Giant or Safeway again? How much parking do you think would be necessary for a Trader Joes? If they were able to open up at 14th and U – from how far away would this attract people. I know living up in Petworth I’d definitely patronize the store.
11th and Lamont St, NW
In Defense of Columbia Heights, the Real Columbia Heights
Room 11 wine bar, 11th and Lamont St, NW
Lately some Twitter users and especially Washington City Paper contributor @jasoncherkis have been kicking around Columbia Heights. Cherkis tweets:
“Columbia Heights has got to be the ugliest gentrified neighborhood in D.C.”
“What’s the difference between Columbia Heights and Silver Spring? Silver Spring has two movie theaters. CH just has the chain stores.”
“w/ Panera, IHOP, and Panda Express, Columbia Heights is turning into a food court or an airport.”
While I don’t even live in Columbia Heights I will not deny the fact that I love it – warts and all. I found the above tweets emblematic of how some people misjudge Columbia Heights.
At the risk of being oversensitive and since it’s Friday, please indulge me and allow me to address a few of the above claims.
Number 1: Columbia Heights is not DC USA. It is commonly accepted that Columbia Heights’ boundaries are 16th Street to the west; Spring Road to the north; Georgia Avenue to the east; and Florida Avenue to the south. DC USA is the mall that is located on 14th St, NW between Irving and Park Rd. And the fact that a mall has chain stores – I know is shocking and appalling to some – but it is a freaking mall. Stunning, stunning revelation.
Number 2: Mr. Cherkis – if you actually walk around Columbia Heights you will find some beautiful architecture, sculptures, parks and even independent shops, bars and restaurants (particularly on 11th St, NW). Looks are of course in the eye of the beholder but to call the neighborhood ugly, well as Bob Marley sang – “in the abundance of water the fool is thirsty.”
Number 3: Columbia Heights is not filled with only chain stores and the chain stores it does have are not evil. Oh all you super cool guys and girls who scoff at IHOP and Chipotle… You who purport to be advocates of the disenfranchised, well, the fact that you can’t see how a Chipotle and IHOP serve the residents of Columbia Heights is obnoxious and condescending to say the least. I dare you to walk by either space and not see the most diverse of clienteles representing the entire neighborhood.
Number 4: In the last 10-15 years Columbia Heights (like many of DC’s neighborhoods) has become a more beautiful and perhaps more importantly a much safer place to live and visit.
Number 5: I like Silver Spring.
Number 6: DC USA and its shops have made Columbia Heights a more convenient and livable neighborhood.
Number 7: Of course many who live in and visit Columbia Heights would like an independent bookstore and movie theater. But since those stores are failing all over the city, unless a philanthropic angel who doesn’t care about profit – comes to Columbia Heights it ain’t gonna happen.
Number 8: Columbia Heights is still defining itself and getting better and better. Like all neighborhoods it will continue to evolve over the coming years. I already alluded to the many great businesses of 11th St, NW. Well many many more are en route. For just one example – the new endeavor from the folks behind Tryst and the Diner chose Columbia Heights for a reason – because they were looking for a real community. And it didn’t take them long to realize that had found just that in Columbia Heights.