Month: May 2006

Well Jimbo and I decided to meet up at Duffy’s Irish Restaurant and Pub for a little happy hour grub and wandered into a Guinness promotion. It would have been more enjoyable if I actually liked the taste of beer. Completely wasted on me. What wasn’t wasted was the beef and cabbage. I really liked it. The cabbage was not overcooked and the beef sliced thin. There were some other ingredients like carrots and potato, but I’m not a carrot person.
But what I really wanted was the fish and chips. Big fries and slightly salty cod. I think that’s the way it should be. I’m not sure because for all the times I’ve gone to the British Isles, I never felt a need to grab fish and chips, I always go for the curry. But it was good and the Happy Hour price was about $6 for this big plate of food. Jim didn’t even finish his plate. Maybe it was the big glass of Guinness, and the little tasting glasses of stout, lager and ale that did him in.
Decor wise, Jimbo noticed a lack of permanency. There were a few Harp things on the wall, the ceiling tiles were white, and it was well lit. Maybe, in time, the place will develop character. Hopefully, whomever is going to move into the condos (Floridian, Rhapsody?) near by will make it their place and determine the character. My snipe regarding the place, to be fair I apply to almost all “Irish” pubs in the city, as being fake Irish pubs. To me, what makes an Irish pub Irish? Irish people. And maybe a guy playing traditional Irish music.
But as a restaurant meeting place goes, it looks good and the food (well fish, chips, beef & cabbage) is good too.

Well a little birdie told me that in about a month or so Dave’s on NJ and R ST NW will be no more. Hopefully something good will go in. Maybe a coffeeshop, maybe a cafe, something with sidewalk seating (oh to better watch the dealers on the corner)? Who knows, but one thing, Dave’s go bye-bye soon. Get your carry out while you can.

I figure I’ll post this link for the Post article “Developer Has the Past in Mind for Shaw” right now I have nothing to say on the matter. Well I have a bit of skepticism, particularly with the Jemal property and the Howard Theater.

COVE (COalition for Voter Empowerment)a group of neighborhood groups (Bates, Bloomingdale, Eckington, Edgewood, & Hanover Areas) is having Marie Johns speak at the McKinley High School Amphitheater Wednesdays May 24 from 6:30 p.m to 8:30 p.m.
The COVE idea was to get candidates to come to our section of the city and address our particular needs. First up was Vincent Orange and from what I heard it was disappointing. It seems that the citrus really didn’t address the portion of HIS WARD represented in the room. Attendees expected more because, well, he is still the Ward 5 councilman and the questions and concerns related to a part of Ward 5.
Johns is speaking on the 24th, Brown on June 7, Fenty June 21, and Linda Cropp June 28. Hopefully the other candidates will bone up on the issues concerning this little portion of Ward 5, well, beyond it’s location and some trivial bit of info.
In my heart I know who is going to win the Mayoral race. Sadly my prediction is not for my favorite candidate. It’s this weird 6th sense that has only steered me wrong once (2000 presidential election). And now that political race 6th sense says Linda Cropp will win the Democratic Primary, which more or less is the whole race for mayor because none of the other parties are running any serious candidates and the city is something like 90% registered Democrat. You know, I hope I’m wrong about the Cropp prediction.

Just looking at what’s up for sale:
301 R St NW 700K (actually 699,900 but I’m rounding up). 4/2 Selling as-is. It is a big corner lot and needs work. I mean you could live there while putting in a lot of swear (I mean *sweat*) equity but it would be crack house living.

1417 1st St NW 500K. 4/2 Make the residents of 1st happy and be their neighbor.

1542 1st St NW 600K. 3/4 Ditto. But 600K seems like a lot. Maybe turn one of those bathrooms into a really small bedroom. Well it’s got a basement.

1620 4th St NW 400K. 2/1.5 Price reduced. Probably would help matters if the owner spiffied up the yard. Removed the old mail, paint, oh I don’t know, make it look like it was maintained….

76 P St NW 639K. 4/3.5 Says you can park in the rear.

51 P St NW 469K. 3/2.5 On the market 90some days.

1506 1st NW 469K. 2/1 Says it has been renovated. But really that much for just 2 bedrooms and a bath! ‘Come on, throw in 1/2 a bath.

59 Bates St NW 566K. 4/2.5 On the market for over 100 days. Price reduced several times. Was 700K. Try. Not. To Make. Crack. Comment.

58 Bates St NW 420K. 4/2 Live across the street instead. Also on the market over 100 days. At least it is priced a *bit* better. Selling as-is.

110 Bates St NW 425K. 2/2 Does not have that cool “Bates Street” 2nd floor thing jutting out.

218 Q St NW 500K. 4/2 Says it is a new renovation. And it does have the “Bates Street” 2nd floor thingy.

1410 3rd St NW 389K. 3/1. Estate Sale. So that means as-is.

When the garden club actually was talking about gardening, one of the topics was helping folks with their gardens. Gardening costs money. Some of you may have heard of the $64 dollar tomato, where when you think of all the money that goes into pest control, fertilizers, and what have you. Also gardening takes time and care. Some folks don’t have it or won’t give it, or a combo of the two.
Anyway, only because I was pouring over M&K’s K’s garden idea books and seeing the canna named, did I mention the flower at the meeting. A few years ago a senior gentleman a couple of doors down gave me some rhizomes for yellow and red flowers and I planted them in the ground. With no real effort on my part they grew and multiplied. I even dig up a few and gave them to the renters next door and Ms. Shelia. The renter’s are gone and their cannas are coming up, along with all the weeds. Ms. Shelia has a yard full of little canna plants coming up. Her soil is hard and hasn’t really been worked and she doesn’t have a spigot in the front, so I don’t think the yard gets a lot of water.
In trying to get the edible theme going in my yard I have expelled the cannas. Some I gave away. Some I have placed in the treebox. The treebox is hard. There isn’t a lot of soil, and it only gets watered on occasion. Yet half of the cannas I put in the box are coming up.
So if they can survive the treebox, Ms. Shelia’s yard, and negligent renters, they can survive any yard in the hood.

This just in….

Apparently the dry cleaners on 4th St, just south of Florida is getting the final inspection today and will be opening shortly.

Yes, yes. I know. It’s been “this close to opening” forever. I talked to the owner this morning and she said they will be open very soon. I’m going to believe it this time.

From Jim:

COMMUNITY UPDATE

By Jim Berry, ANC 5C01

PSA 501 Meeting: Thursday, May 18, 2006
Please be advised that the PSA 501 community meeting for our area will be held on 5/18/2006 at St. Martin’s Catholic Church, 1908 North Capitol Street, N.W., between the hours of 7:00 and 8:00 p.m. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this monthly meeting forum, it provides an opportunity for residents to meet and interact with the leader of PSA 501, Lt. Dean Welch, as well as officers under his command who patrol our neighborhoods. More specifically, these meetings offer residents and others the chance to share their public safety concerns with the Metropolitan Police Department at the neighborhood level, and an opportunity to engage in a “Partnership for Problem-Solving” process that is a collaborative strategy of community policing which is designed to lead to their eventual resolution. For more information concerning PSA 501, you may contact Lt. Welch at (202) 698-0268.

Annual Ward Five Cookout and Spring Cleaning: Saturday, May 20, 2006, from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.
Ward Five Council Member Vincent B. Orange will be hosting his annual cookout and spring cleanup this coming Saturday, at Langdon Park & Recreation Center, 20th and Franklin Streets, N.E. In addition to refreshments and entertainment, Behnke’s Nurseries will be sponsoring a plant give-away.

Fifth District Police Citizen’s Advisory Council (CAC) Meeting: Thursday, May 25, 2006
Much like the PSA meeting, the CAC monthly meeting allows for a personal interface with officers from the Fifth District Metropolitan Police Department, but at the command level. That is, this process involves a focus on issues and matters of public safety that tend to have a MPD District-wide effect upon residents and other stakeholders. As suggested, the opportunity routinely exists for residents to present any major concerns that they might have, directly to the Commander of the Fifth District, Jennifer Greene, and there are a number of committees through which the CAC pursues and accomplishes the various goals that it sets for itself.

Help Send a Kid to Camp: Benefit Dinner on June 2, 2006
The MPD Police Chief’s Citizen Advisory Council is sponsoring their annual Joseph K. Smith Memorial Summer Camp Fund Dinner on Friday, June 2, 2006, between the hours of 6:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m., at The Washington Navy Yard, Washington/Commodore/Anacostia Banquet Room, 8th and M Streets, S.E. Tickets for this affair are $40.00 per person. Proceeds from the dinner will be used to (1) send inner-city youths to Camp Brown; (2) to construct additional cabins at Camp Brown; as well as to (3) assist in the renovation of any cabins that are in a current state of disrepair. Those of you who are interested in purchasing tickets to this dinner may contact me at (202) 387-8520 as soon as possible.

Fee Cat and Dog Vaccinations: Saturday, June 3, 2006 for Ward Five Residents

District law requires that all cats and dogs be vaccinated against rabies and distemper by four (4) months of age, and be kept current. The best thing you can do to protect yourself and your family from rabies is to vaccinate your cats and dogs against this fatal disease. In addition, all dogs must have a current dog license.

Puppies and kittens 8 weeks old need Distemper shots. Then a booster every three weeks until 12 to 16 weeks.
Their first Rabies shot is at 14 to 16 weeks and it is good for one (1) year only.
After receiving the second Rabies shot a dog or cat must be re-vaccinated at least every three (3) years.
All pets must be brought to the clinic by a responsible adult.
Dogs must be secured on a leash and cats must be in a carrier box
This is your opportunity to buy a license(s) for your dog(s) and get free shots too.
Dog licenses cost $13.00 for spayed or neutered dog and $46.00 for an unsprayed or unneutered dog.

On 6/3/2006, residents may get their dogs and cats vaccinated at Fire Station Engine 26, 1340 Rhode Island Avenue, N.E., between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. and they may purchase licenses as well as other relevant services, if needed.

You could buy a house in Shaw.
First, is 1417 1st St NW in the TC. $500K, four bedrooms, two baths near red line metro, 395 for those quick escapes to Virginie, and possibly one of the problem houses. We don’t know. (‘Cause Truxtionan was all like “hey look.” And I’m all like, “you wanna post it?” and he’s like “nah, busy.”) Requires work. $500K and still needs work. People of 1st street, what do you know?

Instead of the TC you could for $70,000 more blow your cash on 1910 Vermont Ave, in the U Street area of Shaw, the former home of opera star Lilian Evanti. It is in the National Registry of Historic Places. It is three bedrooms, one full bath and one half bath and a heck of a lot closer to the metro than 1417 1st to one. Anyway it boasts of original details, generous rooms, and a 1990s kitchen and bath. But really is it worth $70k more than a non-descript house, in a non-historic district with 1 bed and .5 baths more in Truxton? We will see in time.

From the Mt. Vernon Square Listserv:

The MVSNA board will propose to the membership at the meeting tonight [5/16] that the association pledge $500 to help, and we will seek matching donations from neighbors. Thanks to those who already made pledges through this listserve. Donations can be made to the Mount Vernon Square Neighborhood Association and given to Jeff Parke, our treasurer, at the meeting tonight, or mailed to Mount Vernon Square Neighborhood Association, P.O. Box 50526, Washington, D.C. 20091-0526. Just note “NJ Ave Donation” on the memo line and 100% of your donation will be passed on as part of the MVSNA gift. I am in the process of tracking down the woman who lived there.