Month: July 2009

1st on First and other things

Other blogs have mentioned it and here’s a reminder that there will be an arts festival on Saturday the ‘first’ of August on First St NW, between Windows and Big Bear. See more here at the BACA Blog.

I see that Scenic Artistan is closing shop for the Bloomingdale Blog.

The DC GOP wanted me to let y’all know they brought food to the last CCCA meeting (over in the Ward 2 section of Shaw). I just wanna know did they bring something other than soda and cookies? I would have asked the Patrick Mara (who spoke at the CCCA mtg) looking guy I saw get on the Metro at Mt. Vernon Square Wednesday, but I’ve been quite pre-occuppied with some personal business that involves a lot of hurry up and wait, so I didn’t ask.

Speaking of, I’m probably going to be low key for the next week as the personal business has been taking up a lot of energy and time and thought. Anyway, have a good weekend.

Great work by MPD

This is from the 5D listserv. This is how it is supposed to work.

THEFT CAUGHT IN PROGESS!!!!

Officer’s Henry and Hain of PSA 501 in partnership with the residence of PSA 501 were dispatched to 14 N Street NW after receiving a tip from citizens that a subject was breaking in a car. Once they arrived, they observed a male subject later identified as Kwan Kearney attempting to start a vehicle in the block. The suspect then began to run but was quickly apprehended by the officers. Great partnership and work by the community and these officers!!!! !

How to tell your neighbor they owe taxes

Mr. BaancBlog suggests it is the neighborly thing to do, and I have done it once. And I do know how embarrassing it is to approach your neighbor with such news. Here’s how it went down. The neighbor who I noticed was listed on the Tax Sale list, put out by the city tax office and published in the Washington Post, had offered me a ride to the metro. On the way I mentioned that it may have been a mistake but he was listed as owing unpaid property taxes and he might want to check it out. He guessed that his mortgage company screwed things up and he’d check it out.
Typing this out I now remember a neighbor with whom I’ve mainly just shared friendly waves with, and not much else, came over with a troubled look to tell me I had a Clean City lien on my house. Something she just noticed when trying to fight her assessment. I sorta knew about it already, and it was something that was from the previous owner’s time. I thanked her and that was it.
I have looked at the 2009 Tax Sale List (PDF) and none of my neighbors from my street are on it. So I don’t have to bother trying to figure out how to gently fit tax liens in the conversation.
If your interested in the tax lien sale, go for the interest rates, not for the properties. I’ve heard that most property owners pay the taxes. But then again you might get lucky and get to foreclose on a free & clear (no mortgages or other liens) house with a dead guy in it. My own experience with the sale is in a fit of frustration I was the winning bid for an alley. I made a little money on the interest on the taxes the owner/developer owed. The rate is 1.5% a month on the taxes owed. You don’t earn any interest on any amount of money you bid over taxes owed. Considering what my savings account is currently offering it is an okay investment, not the greatest, but okay.

Building Museum Photog Exhibit

There is a program at the National Building Museum that relates in part to Shaw. The program is called Investigating Where We Live, and uses photography, creative writing and exhibit design to teach DC and DC metropolitan area teens about the design process. The students have explored the neighborhoods of Shaw, Columbia Heights and the U Street Corridor, and documented it through photographs, drawing, writing and interviews.

The culmination is an exhibit about the three areas that the teens design and plan and that will be on display here in the Museum for five months. The opening of the exhibition will be on Friday, August 7, 2009, 6:00 – 8:00 PM at the National Building Museum (401 F Street NW; Red line – Judiciary Square).

We have also started a blog about the program, which students are contributing their thoughts and photos to www.iwwl.blogspot.com

Another Sunday at the BFM


Buckets o tomatoes
Originally uploaded by In Shaw

Well another Sunday another $50 spent, half of that going to Copper Pot. The rest was spread out among Reid’s Farm, where I picked up some plums and nectarines, and the other vendors. Actually, I didn’t spend that much at the other vendors because I’m running out of fridge and counter space as I also hit up the Penn Quarter Market on Thursdays.
Speaking of, I had a great conversation with Stefano Frigerio, the Copper Pot guy, who sells at the Penn Quarter, 14th & U, and Bloomingdale Farmer’s Market. He (and his wife) noticed that a lot of his 14th & U customers work around Penn Quarter, so they wind up buying their pasta on Thursday. I work around Penn Quarter, but I didn’t buy any pasta, I just asked what he’d have on Sunday and reserved some braised lamb ravioli. I really limit my PQ purchases, since I tend to see the some of same thing at BFM. I’ll pick up mushrooms and cured meats, and maybe a gazpacho at PQ.
Anyway, back to BFM, which once again was a great place t run into neighbors, see the doggies, see the multitude of ways to strap on a baby or cart kids, oh and buy some local produce and good pasta. I do really appreciate it being here, paired with Big Bear, it creates a great atmosphere. Not everyone likes it, and there are other markets some prefer over BFM. Yet for me BFM is just close enough, just small enough to be just right for me.

SUVs and houses don't mix


That’s a wrap
Originally uploaded by In Shaw

The good thing about the accident on Florida Avenue on July 16th was the worse thing damaged were the stairs.
Further along on Florida Avenue remains the reminder from a 2006 crash where a SUV crashed into a townhome. The facade was ripped away and slowly built back up and then, nada. The wrap has been covering this building for a good long while. One wonders if it will be like this for years to come.

Lemon Cucumber


Lemon Cuke
Originally uploaded by In Shaw

In this neighborhood I can easily find a fight to get into, billboards, dog parks, zoning, new uses for closed schools, social services. But today, I’m turning towards my garden where I can pick a fight with evil, evil tree rats, spider mites, aphids, the odd alley cat, and weed trees blocking my light.
Others have been getting nice juicy red tomatoes, and mature veggies for weeks now. I’m just now getting cucumbers and the odd tomato. Luckily the squirrels have had greater interest in B.’s tomatoes than mine but they do leave B.’s half eaten green tomatoes in my pots. So far the evil tree rats have left alone my cucumbers.
Pictured is one of several lemon cucumbers that I’ve been able to harvest. No they don’t taste like lemons. They are about the size of a tennis ball and are yellow, lemony in looks. This is one variety. Another variety of the lemon cuke is one with soft fur as opposed to the spikes, and looks like a melon. The second kind I like because I could eat it straight off the vine.
I was thinking about making a cucumber soup, but any other ideas of what to make with a handful (two tennis ball sized cukes) of cucumbers?

Wardman house in danger


100_0767.JPG
Originally uploaded by In Shaw

The blue house. Well both houses, are Wardman houses. I looked and found proof. In October 22, 1902 the then Harry Wardman received approval for permit number #756 from the city to build 1721 4th St NW. Permit # 757 was for 1709-1719 4th Streets, NW.
Fast forward to 2001-2002 and Behzad Hosseinkhani buys the place $110K. In 2008 the house went on the market with very little (no) improvement for $368,000. Apparently didn’t sell. Also in it seems the city seemed to figure out the place was vacant and began charging at that rate (Sq. 519 lot 54

Some notes on the 2C notes

Commissioner Theresa Sule posted the notes of the ANC 2C meeting on the 2C04 listserv, which then was reposted on the MVSQ listserv. So if you want the full notes you will need to consult those listservs.

The case of the sexual assault that occurred a few months back on th 1600 block of Marion has been closed and a suspect arrested.

Parcel 42 is a project that will be 100% affordable at 50% of the Area Median Income which $51,350. The project is exploring its financial options. The project would be workable if the project had and higher AMI. If this were possible a lower AMI could also be able to create a range. In its current situation the project can not be financed. Given the current problems if the AMI was lowered on the project without making some of the units market, the project would be even more
difficult to finance.

and it is not the only project in the Shaw area with financing problems, Radio One, understandably may not be able to anchor the big project that was supposed to go on Parcel 33.

Tom Petty wanted support for the Friends of Bundy Field to have a dog park on the Bundy vacant lot. He has a petition of 200 supporters. The parking lot is a 75 car parking lot. Commissioner Chapple motioned to develop a compromise between OPM and the friends of Bundy. The motion was 2nd by Commissioner Padro. Motion failed with a 2-2 vote.
Commissioner Sule motioned to actively support the Friends of Bundy Field in finding alternative space in ANC2C for a dog park. Motion was 2nd by Commissioner Brooks, motion failed with a 2-2 vote.

And lastly the commission voted to have Pair Networks host the ANC website. I’ve been using Pair for a decade for my hosting needs and I have enjoyed their consistently good and affordable service, so good choice.