DCUSA Readies for Holiday Shoppers

The holiday shopping season has arrived at DCUSA. Snowflake lights cascade over the escalators; a small stereo plays Christmas music on the lower level (but whatever was playing at 7 am this morning, it was quite depressing); and Port-a-Johns are coming for Black Friday shoppers. Brags Councilman Jim Graham:

I worked with Metro/WMATA to secure the early opening of Metro on Friday at 4 a.m. instead of the usual time of 5 a.m. Other plans include store specific lines for early bird shoppers, access to restrooms before stores open and street entertainers.

 
DCist has more info.

Circulator Bus Stop Coming to the Neighborhood?

The Examiner has a small article about Metro and Councilman Jim Graham’s proposal to eliminate the 98 bus that runs from Woodley Park to U Street. Its replacement would be a Circulator bus—similar to what runs along K Street between Union Station and Georgetown—that would connect Woodley Park and McPherson Square. According to the article, the route would have stops in Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights, and the U Street Corridor. DCist has a few thoughts on it, too.

When I lived in Adams Morgan, I was a fan of the 98 bus because it cost only $.25 however oftentimes it was easier just to walk to U Street because traffic was so bad on 18th Street. While there is no final decision on the Circulator route or start date, below are my ideas for where the bus should provide service.


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The Heights - New Menu for Trying Times

I just got an email alert from the Heights letting me know that their menu, like my wallet, understands this crap economy.

They cut their prices, expanded the options, and are claiming a "recession-proof" happy hour.

You can view their menus on their website.

I checked on my favorite item - the steak salad. It used to be $13.95 at dinner and it's now going for $10.95, though I didn't notice much of a change in the lunchtime price - $10.50. Some things didn't change - like the bloody mary - but they make up for it by opening at 9AM for brunch.

Public Art comes to Columbia Heights this Weekend

The developers of the old Bi-Rite building on 11^th Street and Park Road are bring public art to the neighborhood this Sunday with a community-based art installation.

Who: Tim CON (DC), Dave AREK (MD), Decoy (DC), Billy Mode (MD), VJ (DC), Gaia (MD), Leon Rainbow (NJ), Will Kasso (NJ), Peter Krsko / Albus Cavus (DC) and other local artists.

When: Sunday, November 9, 2008, from 2:00pm to 6:00pm. The completed installation will remain on exhibit until early 2009.

Where: 3400 11th Street NW, Washington DC (intersection of 11th Street NW and Park Road)

For more information about the artists visit http://www.albuscav.us/index.html.

Also be sure to read the Washington Post's positive profile of BloomBars.

DC Now Part of Google Street View

Google Maps has finally introduced street view for DC. I already found my apartment and car, but the most interesting view is that of 14th and Irving streets. Set your view in the middle of the intersection and it is a fairly recent picture, but start heading east or west on Irving and it flashes back to over a year ago. Check it out for yourself.


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Pete's Apizza Now Serving Breakfast

Great news courtesy of the Prince of Petworth:

Starting Monday [Ed note: today], Pete's Apizza (right outside of the Columbia Heights metro) will open at 7AM for folks to grab a cup of Illy Caffe (espresso drinks and regular coffee), as well as breakfast pastries.

I plan on stopping by before voting tomorrow morning, but did anyone check it out today?

Listserv Post of the Day

Scratch that, make it Listserv Post of the Year.

Some backgroud, first. The local listservs are abuzz with messages about the homicide at 11th and Harvard earlier this week. As usual, William Jordan is a frequent poster. But the biggest surprise was MPD's response to one of Mr. Jordan's e-mails about how to deal with crime in the neighborhood. The exchange is below:

Re: [columbia_heights] Murder at 11th and Harvard

From: 3DSubstation@yahoogroups.com

On Behalf Of William Jordan
Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2008 9:31 AM

Neighbors are the key to building a safe community. This community is
filled with good potentially good neighbors. Good neighbors of all
persuasions we have to find ways to build on this base. It will take
hard work because we are such a complex community and its easy to get
lazy and stay in our little cliques. But we have to focus on building a
network of neighbors who will look out for each other. Feeling safe is
going to come with neighbors and gaining a better knowledge for the
neighborhood. You will be OK, but be wise and alert.

In 3D, MPD's hands are tied by politics. The current Ward political
order fears the very independent diverse network of neighbors which is
the prerequisite we need for a stronger neighborhood and therefore safer
streets and homes. The political order wants to be the buffer for all
actions and this approach is not adequate for this community. MPD is
being asked to be substitute neighbors, bell hops, props in a political
show and when necessary scapegoats. As long as this continues MPD will
not be as effective as they could and this community will not get
significantly stronger and safer.

When we as neighbors start meeting and working together and taking the
lead in the effort to make this community safe, we will see real
progress and MPD and the political order will become more effective for
us. And when 302 is safer all other the surrounding PSA will be safer.
But as long as we look to MPD and the political order for leadership
this is sadly the best we can get.

Until you are and feel safe, my 21 year old daugther, college senior,
is not safe and therefore, I am not safe. As long as 3D puts politics
ahead of working creatively with all in this community to make you all
safer they are going to have a problem with me. In fact, I am pretty
sure substation leadership has been politically ordered not to work with
me because I refuse to go along with a dog and pony show as a plan for
ensuring your safety and the safety of my family.

Look to your neighbors first. There a good officers out there, but
petty politics is underminding their effectiveness.

William
______________________________

Re: [columbia_heights] Murder at 11th and Harvard

Posted by: "Delgado, Edward (MPD)"
Thu Oct 30, 2008 7:43 am (PDT)

Mr. Jordan

I applaud your tenacity in this endeavor and I commend you for your
efforts in the community. I would be happy to meet you to discuss what
crime strategies you think we should have in your neighborhood. I must
tell you that you make sense and in many ways and I think that it is
about time that you and I get together to talk about this.

Edward Delgado
Inspector
Third District Sub Station

Breaking news, MPD official says William Jordan is right.

Panda Express Now Open

Panda Express, the latest food option in Columbia Heights is now open. Did anyone stop by? Or will you go elsewhere for your Chinese takeout? My choice is still Mr. Chen's.

Where to Vote in Columbia Heights

Election Day is November 4. Here is a handy map of where Columbia Heights residents can find their local polling place.


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Also, Tuesday, October 28 is the last day registered DC voters can request an absentee ballot. You can also absentee vote in-person through November 3 (except Sunday, Nov. 2) at the Board of Elections and Ethics. The BOEE is located at One Judiciary Square, 441 4th Street, NW, Suite 205-North. Hours are 8:30 am to 4:45 pm.

For more information, including how to check your voting status and how to find your polling place, visit http://www.dcboee.org/voter_info/.

Target Prepares for Sale of Beer and Wine

A Sunday evening trip to Target brought about a welcomed surprise: beer and wine is finally on its way. An aisle in the grocery section of the store may have empty shelves for now, but prices are already posted. Target is advertising American lagers, domestic brews, and international drafts and prices look comparable to Giant and the like. Wine takes up the other half of the aisle, including picks for less than $12 and the awesome Wine Cube.

Based on space alone, the selection is smaller than that at Giant. And you miss the great recommendations and conversations that you get at d'vines. But the addition of beer and wine at Target adds another level of convenience to the store.

Mayorga Becomes Nori - For Now

The other day, I noticed Mayorga had officially become Nori - an Asian bistro. After checking out some reviews on Yelp - mixed to positive - The Heights Life ventured over to decide for ourselves.

The decor hasn't change, but a slightly fishy smell now permeates the place. We were seated in the dining area with the long bench below the bar. You can also sit at the sushi bar where they used to pour coffee. It was clean and cozy inside with a decent crowd for a Sunday night.

Everyone was friendly, but the servers seemed inordinately stressed. They had two people covering the dining room, and apparently that's not enough. It wasn't that the service was slow, it was that several things just never showed up until we asked - then they appeared right away.

As for the for the food - standard rolls were around $5, special rolls were $7 to $10, soup was $3, sushi combos ranged from about $15 to $20, and entrees centered around $12.

Our review will have to fall into the "mixed" category. The gyoza appetizer tasted homemade and delicious. The miso soup was good. The salad was standard, but probably not even worth $3.

The rolls, however, confused us. We ordered one spicy tuna, and one spicy tuna without the roe it normally comes with. The roe-laden roll was overwhelmingly fishy and in a very bad way. After one bite neither of us wanted to finish it. The tuna sans roe was fine - not great, but decidedly better than the roe roll. We also tried one of their twists on classic (American) sushi - a baked California cream roll, which was good.

ArtBart attempted to order inari - normally a bean curd pocket with rice. What they brought out was a seaweed wrapped six piece roll with rice and a tiny bit of bean curd in the middle. It was not good.

We might go to Nori again if sushi desperation hits and we can't get U Sushi to deliver... but I think I am more likely to hold out until Sake Club opens - even if it will cost more.

Our guess - Nori will be just another rotation in what should be a great space for something.

PS - ArtBart wants me to add that the noodle dishes that came out of the kitchen looked great. We didn't try those - so maybe we'll have to go back. Anyone else dined at Nori? Leave a note in the comments section.

Ellwood Thompson's Now Just a Year Away

Washington Business Journal reports that Ellwood Thompson's Local Market is finally coming to DC USA ... in about a year: http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2008/10/06/daily38.html

This is great news, but now what new stores will residents petition for at DC USA?

Another Great Reason to Head to The Heights

There are many reasons to love Logan @ The Heights: bloody marys on Saturdays, the steak salad, the ginger lime margarita, the patio, bloody marys on Sundays. And here is another reason to stop by: 15 percent of all proceeds on Tuesday night will benefit Columbia Heights Day (less than two weeks away).

Support the Columbia Heights Neighborhood 15% of Proceeds Donated to Columbia Heights Day  Logan @ The Heights is proud to support our neighborhood by donating 15% of Tuesday evenings proceeds to the Columbia Heights Association. Please join us for dinner tomorrow night to help this wonderful cause. ONE NIGHT ONLY... Tuesday, September 23rd, beginning at 5 PM Logan @ The Heights 3115 14th St. NW Washington, DC 20010 For Reservations, Call: 202-797-7227 Or Reserve online: www.theheightsdc.com

Columbia Heights Streetscape Project Update

Big news today on the Columbia Heights streetscape project as the Department of Transportation finally awarded a contract. Reports the Examiner:

The streets of Columbia Heights are about to receive a $15 million makeover, part of a District Department of Transportation project slated to begin in the next two months .... DDOT, which awarded the contract for the work to Civil Construction LLC last week, described the project as "an ambitious effort to implement consistent, practical and aesthetically pleasing urban landscape elements in what can best be described as the heart of the city."

Bike lanes for 14th Street are planned, too.