What the Helen of Troy is This

This is, understandably, a new perennial question:

“Dear PoPville,

I made an interesting observation a few weeks ago while commuting home from work. I was stopped in traffic at the top of 395 where the tunnel ends and I noticed the large storage door open next to the northbound lanes. Just inside the door sits a very large statue of a lion. It seemed like a very surprising thing to be stored in there. I’d be interested to know if anyone has the backstory on why it’s in there and where it came from. Feel like a weird DC secret.”

We’ve previously learned that: (more…)


Zoo


“The Zoo’s day-old female Asian elephant calf explores an enclosure inside the Elephant Barn Feb. 3, 2026. Photo by Roshan Patel, Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute”

From the National Zoo:

“For the first time in nearly 25 years, elephant care staff at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI) are celebrating the birth of an Asian elephant—an endangered species. The female calf was born overnight Feb. 2 at 1:15 a.m. to 12-year-old mother Nhi Linh and 44-year-old father Spike. The pair bred in April 2024 following a breeding recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan (SSP). Asian elephant pregnancies last 18 to 22 months on average; Nhi Linh’s pregnancy was 21 months. (more…)


Columbia Heights


“Pablo in Columbia Heights”

“Dear PoPville,

A random act of kindness happened yesterday! My husband finally decided it was the day to dig our car out (I know we are slow, but we had nowhere to go) . While he was at it, a stranger showed up and helped him with a much better tool. He had his dog with him and mentioned he was going around helping people. (more…)


Sponsored

This article is sponsored by RLAH @properties.

4327 8th St NW
4327 8th St NW

A detached Petworth home with a wraparound porch — and its own garage and driveway: 4327 8th St NW

  • Detached corner lot in Petworth

  • Slate-floored wraparound porch

  • Detached garage and private driveway

  • Rebuilt in 2013

  • Five bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths

Other Notable Fresh Listings:

  • The Most Expensive Home of the Week is a 9BR/9.5BA Victorian compound in Dupont Circle, pairing a four-level renovated residence with a private elevator and custom millwork with a fully renovated, income-producing three-unit building next door—all for $7M.

  • “Modern 3-level penthouse loft with monument views from a private rooftop terrace in a prime DC location! This bright and open penthouse unit features 1,800 sq ft of living space and over 800 sq ft of private outdoor space with two balconies and an amazing rooftop terrace with a hot tub, outdoor shower, and stunning monument views.”

  • “Newly refreshed and remarkably versatile, this Dupont Circle compound offers a unique combination of an updated main residence, a legal 1BR/1BA lower-level unit, and a detached carriage house with private garage parking—creating endless possibilities for guests, an au pair, multigenerational living, home offices, private retreats, or income-producing space.”

  • Your REO/Bank-Owned Property of the Week is a “spacious Petworth rowhome offering multiple levels of living space and a flexible floor plan” whose “finished English basement provides additional living space with one bedroom/bonus rooms, a full bathroom, and a wet bar.”


BikeDC


hero from the PoPville archives

From DDOT:

“The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) invites you to attend public meetings for the 11th Street NW Multimodal Safety Project from L Street NW to Monroe Street NW. This project updates the existing bike lane and improves safety for all road users for one of DC’s most heavily used bicycle corridors. (more…)


Event

The evening ranges freely across the American songbook, threading together the theater music of Sondheim, Rodgers and Hart, Bernstein, and Weill with the songs of Ives, Barber, and Liebermann, and the setting of poets as distinct as E. E. Cummings, Langston Hughes, and Allen Ginsberg. It’s a program that moves with ease between the bright patter of numbers like “The What-Cha-Ma-Call-It” and the aching intimacy of “Lonely House”—music that captures both the exuberance and the tenderness at the heart of the American voice.

Bliss brings to this repertoire a voice of exceptional beauty — bright, focused, and capable of extraordinary refinement — along with a natural feel for the wit, swagger, and vulnerability this music demands, whether he’s channeling Sondheim’s restless “Being Alive,” or the sly nostalgia of “One for My Baby.” Expect an evening that is as much a portrait of a nation’s music as it is a showcase for one of the outstanding tenors of his generation.


Rant/Revel


photo by Rudi

You can talk about whatever is on your mind – quality of life issues, a beautiful tree you spotted, scuttlebutt, or any random questions/thoughts you may have. But please no personal attacks and no need to correct people’s grammar. This is a place to vent and/or celebrate things about daily life in D.C.

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sports

Ed. Note: There was The American Le Mans Series at the RFK Stadium parking lots back in 2002.

From Monumental Sports:

“INDYCAR and Monumental Sports & Entertainment have teamed up to promote this summer’s historic Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. The event will be the first-ever motor race on the National Mall and city streets, taking place August 21-23 in celebration of America’s 250th birthday. (more…)