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I had such a good dry cleaner in Cleveland Park. Those people were amazing. They smiled, they were fast, and they were professional. I’d pained me to give up this great dry cleaner. It is kind of like finding a good dentist, when you find one you stick with them. But no, a new dry cleaner was opening up in Petworth and I was going to support it. Because I am good person. I am caring person. I have illusions of grandeur, wait, I’m digressing. So, I have frequented Kilroy Dry Cleaners on Upshur St. on multiple occassions. They all have been less than pleasant but tonight takes the cake. I enter the store at around 6:30 in the evening relieved that it was still open because I’ve been wearing the same shirt the entire week and last week. So, I say “hello, how are you doing?” Silence. Deadly silence. The woman behind the counter looks at me like I had just strangled a kitten. Ok, I’m cool with that, maybe she was just having a bad day. So, I begin to count out my shirts, 1,2,3…19. That is pretty impressive. Anyway, my 20th was a flannel and then she decided to speak to me. We don’t do that, she growled. Yikes, I quickly took it off the counter and awaited my ticket. But she simply stared off into space, in complete silence. I wish I could properly explain what her eyes looked like. I honestly felt that if I looked in to them my heart would immediately stop beating. Then fire flew from her finger tips as she rosined up the bow…no, wait a second, that is from a song. But you get the point. Finally, she finsished her day dream and printed out the tickets. Whew. I was relieved. So I said thank you, have a good night. Silence. deadly silence. I froze. I was confused. Maybe she didn’t hear me. So I said, thanks. Nothing. Not even a grunt. So I just stood there confused. What the hell was going on? I literally just stood there for like five minutes. So, I say when can I pick them up? She growls a day. I say thanks again. Shit, at this point all I needed was a grunt or a nod. And I’m literally bewildered by the silence. So I’m standing there and she says “that’s it”. I swear if she had a gun she would have shot me dead on the spot.

Has anyone else had an experience like this at Kilroy Cleaners on Upshur St? I’m still a little stunned. And I have a strong suspicion that I’m not going to get all my shirts back. Oh well, I’m going to see how the pick up goes, but if I recieve the same reception I’m afraid I’m going to have to go back to the dry cleaners in Cleveland Park and that makes me very sad.

The Washington Post reports today that “Fenty Against Illegal Guns”. That was the link to the metro section from the Post’s home page. Hmm, I’m no political expert but that seems like a pretty safe stance to me. I can imagine the internal debates that took place before finally choosing a side: Well, there are a lot of illegal gun owners in the District and that may mean a lot of voters. But no, Fenty took the high ground and is against illegal guns. Well, bravo I say. The courage of this man makes me proud to be a Ward 4 resident. Actually the article is not bad, I should really just be making fun of the Post lead in but it was too good to pass up.

I would like to bring attention to a comment I recieved under the “Petworth Pride” post. I will include the entire post and my response but basically a gentleman talks about gentrification and the fact that when he went to Domku he was the only black person there and as a result he won’t be returning. I was very disturbed by this sentiment. Do you agree, disagree, what have your experiences been like?

reuben said…
Hi. Im a 50 year old DC resident ( and I currently reside in Brightwood-your neighbor to the North). I am also a black man. I read these blogs with interest, and, alas, sometimes with bewilderment and concern.. Like you (all)-I am frustrated when folks are so cavalier about , say, throwing trash on the street, but what does it mean when a fellow Petworth resident says things like ( and I paraphrase here)”things will improve as the neighborhood continues to change”. Hmmmm. Now I know that good, progressive folks like to say that gentrification is about class, not race. But when the dust clears, who (largely) remains? The diversity folks claim to crave somehow disappears… It’s a paradox, I think. Like the time I went to Domku and found myself the only black face in an otherwise black neighborhood. I wont be back. Enjoy, new DC residents. I aint (necessarily) mad at you. No more than I am mad at the kids tossing wrappers around.

1/23/2007
Prince of Petworth said…
Reuben thank you for your comments I think they are very important. I’d like to address two points you make first gentrification and second Domku.

I’d like to be completely clear that I think the “neighborhood changing and improving” has to do with neighborhood pride, less crime, less garbage and more restaurants, bakeries, etc. This is not an attack on the current residents who as I have mentioned many times are the backbone of the community. Diversity is key and essential to Petworth’s reputation and fortunes. I do consider myself progressive. And I think the emphasis our development has on affordable housing and mixed income rentals will help keep the neighborhood diverse. Also, many of the old time residents have homes that are purchased and in the clear. So I don’t expect a mass migration of any sort. We need to work together to build a neighborhood that we all can be proud of.

Second, as far as Domku is concerned, one of the things I love about Domku is the diversity of its patrons. You have old people, young people, “hipsters”, parents, babies, black and white. I believe that Domku does attract many of the “new” residents but that is not at the exclusion of the old residents. I’m sure the owner of the place would love all the business she can get. As for you never returning because you were the only black person there, I find that very sad. I think you should give Domku and the neighborhood restaurants another chance. I know for a fact that there have been many black patrons there. Anyone else have some thoughts?

In my haste I didn’t realize it snowed the other day. Apparently everone was talking about it. So, sorry about that. It snowed in Petworth too. It is gone now. Breaking news: we may get a single snow flake this afternoon. I suggest you put 20 pounds of salt on all sidewalks, lawns, roads, and just to be safe you should probably tape a couple of bags of salt to your shoes. Safety first.

Please see page B5. (ed. note: when I reference post articles the link will always be in the title to take you to the article, until I get tech savvy and learn to put links in the actual post.) At any rate this is a very good article on the fact that Fenty has endorsed Muriel Bowser.

Well one of my neighbors got a dog. They let the dog out in the backyard every morning. Anywhere from 5:30-7:30 in the morning. The dog barks. Loudly. It is cold out there. And the backyard isn’t even all that big. Hell, if I were staring at the alley in the cold every morning I’d be barking too. Now I got to call bullshit on this move. When I had a dog, I walked the dog every morning like clockwork. That is what the dog wants. That is good for the dog. That is healthy. Now, you let your dog out in the backyard every morning so it doesn’t get any exercise and barks like a communist dog. This is not fair to your neighbors or to the dog. On a scale of 1-10 how passive aggressive is this post?

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Domku’s Indian Menu this weekend was terrific. The place was packed. And for some reason it had a very strong Park Slope feel to it. I think that is another reason why Petworth is a phenomenal place it has a very strong Brooklyn vibe. Like parts of Brooklyn, based on my experience at Domku, there seems to be a baby explosion in Petworth. Which is nice. Unfortunately the service at Domku still needs a little work. It did take about a half an hour just to get our drinks. So I’d like to echo something that I read in the comments section of Petworth News: Domku should get some bread to put out while people are waiting. Bread, just bread, and maybe a little butter will make all the difference. Having said that, it was still great to see the place packed and the food was delicious. They even had some sweet Indian themed tunes. Gotta love it.

I love Columbia Heights Coffee, it has very fast wireless, great people and a cool vibe. Unfortunately I witnessed someone order a hot apple cider as I was waiting for my coffee. Wouldn’t you know it, a hot apple cider equals Mott’s apple juice heated up with a cinamon stick thrown in. On the coffee front I thought it was quite funny that the beautiful blonde cashier was explaining to the Ethiopian man working the coffee station how to properly make the coffee. She looked like she was from Sweden. Now Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee. Is it just me or is something wrong when a Scandanvian type is explaining to an Ethiopian how to make coffee? Or is that just a horrible stereotype? However, the coffee was delicious and that is the bottom line.

I was walking up New Hamsphire crossing over to Otis Street, when I saw a beautiful orange and green sign with a big 7 in the middle of it. There are those out there who for some reason share a love of 7 Eleven stores. The coffee, the convenience they are beautiful in their own right. So at this point I was quite giddy, strolling across Otis when I get a better look. Damn, it is a fake 7 Eleven, 7 Days or some crap like that. I love the mom and pop stores, but to toy with us like that is criminal. Next I’ll encounter a Dinking Donuts and really freak out.

I was walking home through Mount Pleasant this morning and I kept encountering these Mt. Pleasant Heritage signs that also pop up in Adam’s Morgan and the U Street area. So where is our heritage? Petworth of course is the location where Abraham Lincoln wrote much of the Emancipation Proclamation for starters. Where are our signs? I know we may have bigger issues to deal with but I think we are just as entitled to these signs. ANC reps: Hook us up!