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Rosa Mexicano’s 575 7th St, NW location.

From a press release:

Rosa Mexicano Restaurants has signed a lease with Grosvenor Americas for 7,304 square feet of ground floor retail space within 5225 Wisconsin Avenue NW, a 93,000 square foot office building in the Chevy Chase submarket of Washington, D.C.

The new restaurant, which is expected to open in November, will be the third Rosa Mexicano restaurant in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and the 13th nationwide. The other two national capital area restaurants are located in the Penn Quarter of Washington, D.C. and National Harbor in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Rosa Mexicano’s most recently opened new restaurant is in Miami’s iconic South Beach neighborhood.

You can see their menus here. We judged the Penn Quarter location here.

“Dear PoP,

Here is a mystery and something that has bugged me for years in DC – whats up with all those newspaper boxes all over town? Who regulates them? Does DC get any money from their use of public space for advertising?

It seems like every other corner has 6-8 boxes lined up in varying states of decomposition – falling over, tagged and stickered, broken and busted – adding so much ugliness to DC. Is there any hope that my dream of a totally reigned in newspaper box DC will ever become a reality?

There must be a way to balance freedom of the press without having Apartment Showcase block my walk to work every day.”

Hmm, this is an interesting question. Well, first – do you guys find these boxes as ugly as the OP? Second, do you know if the city regulates them? And finally – do you think through technology and natural evolution they will end up going the way of the public telephone and dodo bird anyway? If so how long – 5, 10, 20 years?

Kristi Green is the author of the blog DC Wineaux. She further indulges her love of wine in her work at a wine bar on U St NW.

Upon first entering the warm, bright space inside Schneider’s on Capitol Hill I was a bit overwhelmed by the floor to ceiling shelves, tightly packed with 12,000 different bottles of wine.

I stumbled through the walls of bottles to the always-alluring funky-labeled Charles Smith collection. Charles Smith was Food and Wine Magazine’s winemaker of the year for 2009 and it was his Boom Boom Syrah that caught my eye (even though I went home with The Velvet Devil Merlot). Just above the shelves bearing the CS collection are the wines of the K Vintners label, also made by Charles Smith–these wines employ super vintage winemaking styles (like foot-stomping!), high quality grapes, and command a higher price than the collection of wines bearing his name.

After my solo exploration of the wine section at Schneider’s, I enlisted the help of the staff. I asked for some recommendations and was taken to Spanish reds and French whites–my two favorites of the old world.

At the recommendation of my newfound guide, I purchased a 2000 Bierzo, a rich full bodied Spanish red with great aging potential. Having already been in the bottle for eleven years, we decided together that it’s definitely ready to drink now. I did spend more than I typically would on this bottle but judging by some internet research, I got it for $15-$25 less than I would have spent elsewhere.

His next recommendation, a 2007 Savennieres (by Domaine de Baumard) is an exhibition of great quality and great value (only $20!). Savennieres (named for the place it’s made, like Champagne) is a full bodied, dry white wine, made from the chenin blanc grape. This rich white pairs well with poultry and light fish–it’s racy acidity works wonders with creamy sauces as well.

The store has a great selection for every price range–they boast that their least expensive bottle is a $5 Chilean “vino de mesa” and their most expensive bottle is $4500; what wine could command such a price? A 1991 Chateau Lafite Rothschild.

Specific recommendations after the jump. (more…)

Photo by PoPville flickr user nairdaecartal

While I still feel like I’m in a science fiction film when MPD addresses us as “citizens”… the info below is good stuff. Props to the “female citizen” and MPD for getting the stolen items back and arresting these criminal geniuses.

From MPD:

“Dear citizens, on 2/28/11, a female citizen was approached by two juvenile subjects from the rear when they began striking her to the upper body. The juvenile suspects stole her cell phone and laptop following the assault. Later, the female citizen texted her cell phone number and offered a reward for the return of her stolen property. On 3/2/11, she received a response from an unknown person who wanted to meet her in a predetermined location.

MPD members were alerted and an observation post was established. MPD members observed the suspects arriving at the location and carrying a laptop. The suspects were immediately stopped and a positive identification of them was made. These suspects were arrested and charged with robbery, receiving stolen property, extortion, and burglary (from an earlier offense.)

Through their efforts, the MPD was able to apprehend these suspects in a safe an effective manner. Citizens are reminded to be aware of their surroundings and report all criminal offenses to the police department by call 911.”

Danny Harris is a DC-based photographer, DJ, and collector of stories. He launched People’s District, a blog that tells a people’s history of DC by sharing the stories and images of its residents. You can follow People’s District on Twitter @PeoplesDistrict, and can read his previous columns here.

SpeakeasyDC and Danny will be hosting a DC storytelling night on stage at Town next week. The event will be March 8, at 8pm at Town. Tickets are $10. Details are here.

“I’ve been fixing cars since before most of you were born. I started in Jamaica, where I was born, and have been doing it for the forty years I’ve been living in Washington. I started fixing police cars over at Northeast Ford on West Virginia Avenue. After nine years there, I left to open my own business. My first shop was on 14th and Belmont, and then I moved to Georgia Avenue.

“A ways back, I returned to Northeast. Now, they call me the Mayor of Congress Street. I have been working as a mechanic here for a long time….and I mean a long time…..like 27 years long time. I can tell you everything about everything here. When I first got here, there was nothing around here and the place was rough and tough. I knew that one of these days, it was going to get better. It did.

Continues after the jump. (more…)

This home is located at 2810 36th Pl NW:

View Larger Map

The flier says:

“Large 6BR/4.5BA stucco & shingle Victorian-esque detached house with an inviting front porch, steps from the National Cathedral. High ceilings, wood floors, living room with wood-burning fireplace, separate dining room, sun room and large eat-in table-space kitchen. Lower level in law suite, 2nd KIT w/ BR and full BA. Lovely patio and 1-car detached garage.”

You can find more info here and a virtual tour here.

Aight – how does think one rank for house porn? I’m sold. This 6 bed/4.5 bath is yours for $1,575,000.

Photo by PoPville flickr user christopher.poole

In which hailing a cab carrying large electronics after a robbery and leaving your back door open while cultivating a massive illegal drug operation is probably not a good idea… Also understanding that MPD uses the term gentleman liberally…

From MPD:

I would like to acknowledge an arrest of a Burglary perpetrator. On February 25, 2011, just before midnight, Second District Officers Adam Crist and Steven Green responded to the 2700 block of P Street NW in reference to an alarm. While responding and in the 2400 block of P Street NW, the officers observed a gentleman attempting to flag down a cab with a conspicuously large unwrapped electronic item. The gentleman was subsequently stopped and a brief query ensued. The residence in question was found to be unsecured. A canvass within the residence revealed that a large electronic item was missing. The officers were able to link the item to the residence. The perpetrator also was in the possession of drug paraphernalia. He was charged with burglary and well as for the drug paraphernalia. We will make the appropriate queries to determine if the perpetrator is linked to burglaries in the area.

From MPD March 1:

On yesterdays date during the evening tour of duty, Fifth District’s burglary reduction unit was working in PSA 501 patrolling the unit block of Adams Street NW. While in the alley Sgt Purnell and the team noticed an open back door that seemed unattended. They responded to investigate the matter, as they approached the a male subject approached the door and began acting evasive. Further investigation revealed a massive marijuana farm being cultivated in the basement of the location, also recovered were three firearms and many other distribution materials. All parties involved have been charged with several narcotic violations !!

Photo by PoPville flickr user rpmaxwell

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Photo by PoPville flickr user philliefan99

Just a random shed not the shed in question.

“Dear PoP,

I was wondering if you could help me out with a dilemma though about neighbors. I seem to have met everyone on my block but the people a house down from me, who happen to have the most dilapidated shed ever. It reeks of cat pee, has no door, and the windows are broken out. It creeps me out a little but there’s nothing I can do about creepiness. What is bothering me though is the roof. It’s corrugated metal and the wind has pulled up one of the panels near the breaking point. I’m a little worried it’s going to fly off and hit something, like the cable and telephone lines or my car. I really don’t want to be ‘that’ neighbor, but do you have any suggestions about the legality of keeping a horrible shed in case I can’t convince them to do anything about it?”

It’s a good question because in addition to the issues you raised – broken sheds can be used by crews for drug dealing and bathrooms by drunkards. Unfortunately these sorts of conversations can be very awkward. I would talk to the neighbors you have already met and ask them what they think, assuming they know the specific neighbor. It might be as easy as simply sharing your concerns. If that doesn’t work – and this is the awkward part – you could alert the city. I’m pretty sure the city monitors alleys to make sure trees aren’t overgrown etc. They give out fines when folks don’t comply. I think you could probably call 311. Obviously if you talk to the neighbor first and that doesn’t work, and then you call 311 the neighbor will know it was you who probably called 311. Ah nothing is easy. Hmm, alright, I’m sticking with asking your neighbors that you’ve already met before doing anything – what do you guys think?