Irving Street For Sale Surprise

The Heights Life checked out some of the local real estate this weekend (not that we can afford it - we're just curious).

Along Irving Street we discovered a simple looking tall red row house with a "for sale" sign. We looked it up, curious about prices in a down market and well... we did not discover a simple row house at all. Not.At.All.

We don't know what to say. We're still processing this. But take a look at the house. Like it? Hate it? Ever been in it? We are infinitely curious what people think of this place.

Breaking News: 14th Street Shutdown

14th Street is shut down at Irving Street, heading south. Traffic is being directed down Irving Street.

Not sure what's going on just yet - but there were at least two cop cars and a fire truck at work. We would have run down 14th to scope it out - but it's COLD out there tonight. Anyone have an update?

UPDATE: Commenters point out there was a shooting on the 1300 block of Columbia Road. A woman was shot in the leg while parking her car. Prince of Petworth and The Washington Post have more details.

Listserv Post of the Day

Honestly, your bloggers do more than just celebrate drinking in the neighborhood.

From the WardOneDC listserv:

WINE & BEER at Pete's New Haven Style Apizza

Pete's New Haven Style Apizza, located in the Highland Park building at the Columbia Heights Metro, 14th and Irving Streets, now has wine and beer! We're starting off with four beers on draft this weekend: Allagash White, Yuengling, Dogfish Head 60-Minute IPA, and Dominion Lager. Because we just obtained our license today, we probably won't have a full Friday night's supply of all four brews, but rest assured we'll be restocked tomorrow. We're also working with a distributor to offer a selection of bottled beers starting next week, including a great Italian summer favorite, Peroni. Stay tuned! On the wine side, we have five reds and five whites, all Italian, with a range intended to match the flavors of your meal, from light and summery to fruit-bomb reds. We'll publish a detailed list shortly. Pete's has been open for three weeks now, and we are most grateful for all of the support and kind words. If you're from Connecticut, make sure to tell us! We're beginning to keep a map highlighting the town of origin of out Connecticut guests!

Mike Wilkinson Pete's
http://www.petesapizza.com
202-332-PETE (7383)
Sunday-Thursday 11A-10P
Friday-Saturday 11A-11P

WTF: The Highland Park lobby

The best (read most ridiculous) website ever describes it as a "modern lobby with color-changing lighted 3form® walls." I describe it simply as, is this really necessary? While Washington has its share of gorgeous, albeit overpriced, apartment buildings and their equally luxe lobbies, the lobby for Highland Park is unlike any other.

Walking east on Irving a few nights ago, I wondered where the odd neon lights reflecting on the sidewalk and off the dark DCUSA storefronts was coming from. It was the Highland Park lobby, obviously, with a design aesthetic more akin to Miami Beach or nightclub set from an old episode of Alias. Not only are there color-changing walls and DWR couches, but there are suspended acrylic ball chairs, bamboo shoots, and orchids. My camera phone pictures capture only a taste of the mod-ness, so take a moment and stop to watch the pretty lights and experience the trippiness of it all.

Look What We Found!

Not to encroach on the Prince of Petworth's lawn art territory, but this planter/farewell card/lawn art on Irving was just so lovely.

It's missing an antler, but it does seem to be producing some fine foliage. And, as an added bonus, it has personal messages written all over it, plus a drawn-on mouth and eyeball. did I mention it's as gold as can be? Does anyone know this gem's full story?

Listserv Post of the Day

In addition to this blog, the various Columbia Heights listservs are a must read in knowing what is going on in the community on all fronts. This new feature highlights a listserv message of the day, even though we might not post one every day. Today's comes from Ward One Councilmember Jim Graham on the Columbia Heights Yahoo Group:

CORRECTION: shooting, 700 NOT 1200 block of Irving

Posted by: "Jim Graham" grahamwone@gmail.com grahamwone2000
Fri Apr 25, 2008 6:32 am (PDT)

Sorry about that, I was providing information given to me by MPD. The shooting in fact occurred on the 700 block of Irving.

A peek inside Pete's Apizza

On an errand/brunch combo-outing this morning, I noticed that the signs for Pete's Apizza in the Highland Park building are now up. (I would have posted a photo, but I forgot my cellphone and now it's too rainy to go back out.) I took a quick peek inside the restaurant, and it looks like it's nearing completion, although the red pepper flake shakers on the wooden tables are still empty. The Pete's website says opening in mid-April, but a liquor license hearing notice on the door is dated for May 14. The notice also included the hours--until midnight on weekdays and 1 am on weekends. Pizza by the pie and slice are on the menu, as well as pastas, salads, and paninis. And Illy coffee, a favorite of mine.

CommonWealth gastropub set for mid-summer

The DC foodie community and Top Chef home-game players have been anticipating Jamie Leeds' Columbia Heights gastropub for months, and we now finally have a name and approximate opening. CommonWealth should open on Irving Street in mid-summer.

Amanda at Metrocurean has more details:

Located in the Highland Park building at 1400 Irving St. NW, CommonWealth will have a serious case of Anglophilia. Young Brit bands will play on the sound system, and British football will air when available. Checkers, backgammon and chess will be set up in the pub area, which will stay open between lunch and dinner and for late-night snacks....

The regular menu will offer a lighter version of traditional British fare using local ingredients and modern techniques. Yanks may need a translation for dishes like potted shrimp, toad in a hole and pork pastie. Also on the menu: fish and chips, bangers and mash, Welsh rarebit, steak and Guinness pie and sticky toffee pudding.

I am happy to hear the menu will feature lighter British fare since I don't think 90-degree days are the best time to enjoy a heavy meal. But fish and chips (R.I.P. Temperance's fish sandwich) and a good beer are welcome anytime.

Where are the Columbia Heights Bus Shelters?

As construction winds down at the Columbia Heights metro, will new bus shelters finally arrive to 14th and Irving streets? The answer to that is you'll have to wait until the end of October, at least.

The new bus shelters, part of an agreement between the city and Clear Channel Adshel, made their debut back in the fall. Adshel's website has a calendar of when shelters are supposed to be installed, and it's conveniently divided by ward. And, I have to say, finding the construction schedule was a big surprise, since navigation on dc.gov often starts and ends in extreme frustration. Except when paying parking tickets, I know that process well.

Drunk and Disorderly on Irving

As I exited the Metro just before 9PM I ran right into an arrest, complete with horses.

An attractive young man passing by asked if maybe the fellow in cuffs was caught feeding the animals, but since the creatures were contained butt-out in their trailer, I didn't think so.

I spoke with one of the police officers who had been transporting the horses. He said they came across the now-arrested man on their way out of the neighborhood for the night. No hard criminal here, he was just drunk and belligerent.

The officer also told me, "We try to keep the neighborhood safe."

Yes, they do, not always successfully - but they were certainly present and in control this time. And hey - they brought the horses!

What Just Happened at 14th and Irving?

Either a PETA protester thought that Metrobus was made of fur, or the police were just cleaning blood off the street.

By the time I walked by the bus had been unloaded, but there was still a confused looking crowd meandering about. It's unclear what happened - only a couple of officers and no medical personnel were on the scene. Hopefully my PETA theory isn't too far off?

UPDATE: I just spoke with the friendly neighborhood bike cop (who knew we had a friendly neighborhood bike cop?!) and he said there haven't been any incidents that he knows of. A broken down bus and a busted ketchup bottle? Maybe. (PS - Friendly neighborhood bike cop was also young and good looking, thought the ladies may want to know.)

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