Tag: business

North Capitol, Catania Bakery

For news about the TC it seems I have to keep up with the Eckington listserv. How wacky is that? Anyway, as some of you know Saturday Catania Bakery was robbed, as sadly one of the many summer crimes that has occured in the area in the past month or so (I’ll be so happy when school starts up). Discussion on the listserv about the robbery brought up this from ANC leader Kris Hammond:

There is some good news. Nicole the owner is currently renovating one of the buildings. Pat Mitchell, myself, Jessica (Nicole’s granddaughter), and Paul of Warehouse on 9th Street recently viewed the property for artist studio potential. We all want the buildings filled and it has been very slow, but I recently learned that there have been some personal extenuating circumstances that are part of the reason. Hopefully it will all change soon. Nicole/Catania just recently successfully rented out office space on the second floor of another building.

Kris

Well good thing that office got leased out.

Bloomingdale Farmers Market


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Originally uploaded by In Shaw

You know that feeling? That feeling you have when you look around and all is right with the world. That’s what I had sitting inside the Big Bear, sipping an ice tea, looking out the big open windows and watching business at the new farmer’s market buzz along.
When I got there it was midday and apparently there was a rush and some producers sold out. I heard tale of a big crowd of people waiting on the sidewalk, curving around the corner waiting for the market to open at 10. Then this crowd bought a bunch of stuff, leaving just flowers, lamb, plants and berries to the after church crowd. Really, at noon there wasn’t a lot to choose from, you early people bought everything!
I wound up buying strawberries, cherries, the last head of lettuce from one vendor, and some frozen lamb chops. The lamb was a bit pricey for me, so I probably won’t be buying it on a regular basis. But the cherries were just right and very sweet.
Sitting with some friends I noted how the market and the cafe fed off each other. The Big Bear was a bit crowded inside with every table taken lucky us a couch had just freed up. People wandered from the cafe to the market and from the market to the cafe. This was the best location for both.
Some of you may remember there was an attempt of a farmer’s market a few years ago that failed. It had several problems. I went maybe once and it was a hot dusty parking lot at Florida and North Capitol with a sprinkling of vendors. The produce was pitiful looking, Mary Ann Wilmner mentioned she bought strawberries from the failed market and the berries were rotten below the surface. The poor fellow who representing the non-profit running that market got reamed at the BACA meeting by the citizenry. This market is a far cry from that sad memory.
According to the fliers I have, there will be more vendors next week. Considering I wasn’t at the market during the rush, I guess Sunnyside Farms was there with the eggs and the veggies. I guess the people selling the cherries was Reid’s Orchard and the ones selling all the flowers Dragonfly farm. Next week Truck Patch Farms, producing salads, greens, and pasteurized pork. And at some date not mentioned there will be a cheese vendor and a baker. Another flier lists a laundry list of herbs, fruits, veggies, flowers and meats that will be at the market.
This market and this coffee shop seems to be just the thing that the area needed. It has been wonderful to run into friends and neighbors at the Bear over the past few days. Mary Ann said that it was nice for the community to come and meet at some place other than a BACA meeting. Where if you’ve been to a BACA meeting, much bitching takes place. Then she or someone else also threw around the idea of starting up a neighborhood knitting group. Beautiful.

Friday miscellany

One. Shaw, or the Shaw School Urban Renewal Area is Florida Ave, North Cap, NY to M St, to 15th St. And if one of the creators (national capital planning commission) of that border keeps fiddling with the Shaw plan but not the borders, then what was Shaw in 1973 then it is still Shaw in 2007. There are enclaves within Shaw that have exerted their own identities, but in my mind they are still in the dysfunctional family called Shaw.
Community Reporter Jenny Johnson is incorrect in her article saying that Big Bear is part of Shaw’s Rapid Transformation. Eckington/Bloomingdale is the neighborhood the Bear is in. The Bear just sits on the border, so Shaw’s TCer’s are happy it is so close.
Flipping through some early 20th century neighborhood history Eckington and the TC have been closely linked. Or so it seems. My fav was the Eckington Citizen Association complaining that there were too many schools being placed in the 1st Street/ North Cap region along P.

Two. Going to see the family so no posting for a while. I’m going to Florida in the Summer.

Three. Sunday. Go to the Big Bear between 10 & 2 and hopefully there will be a Farmer’s Market.

Semi-Lazy Sunday at the Big Bear

Big Bear CafeDisclaimer: I write this owing Stu $4 plus tax.
For a place that had a soft or quiet opening it was plenty busy when I walked in. Saturday I popped by and got an iced tea and ran into some folks I knew from the Alley Cat Allies adventures with feral kittens episode. I came again Sunday morning with a newspaper and a want for hot tea. Like the day before, I ran into three sets of people I knew from the area.
The space is lovely. Even better the little outside seating area where folks with dogs can enjoy their coffee beverage in the sun. Inside, you can sit at a stand alone comfy chair, small tables or the counter. I overhead that some of the art on the wall came by a local neighborhood artist who came by and asked if the Big Bear owners needed art. Maybe this may be the start of a wonderful public art space, who knows?
Now I am not a coffee drinker. I hate the taste of it. So, I cannot judge the coffee. All I know, looking at the boards, was there were several coffee choices. I had tea, there were two black tea choices. I dislike Earl Grey, so for me, one choice of tea. I had an iced tea on my first visit, that was good. Second visit, I had hot tea. My only complaint, was the tea was too hot when I got it. But a lot of restaurants serve tea that’s way too hot in my opinion. I had it with the prosciutto and gruyere croissant, and it was good. I’d have it again. Right now the menu is limited. Hopefully, that will expand.
The hours, if I remember them right, will be 6:30AM to 7:00PM. That may change depending on how things go. After 7, the Bear will be serving as a meeting space for at least one community group, and thus closed for business. The early morning hours will allow morning commuters and early birds to stop by and pick up a cup of joe for that walk to the metro. In the middle of the day at home parents, telecommuters, retirees and you odd people with the odd work hours can hang out there an make use of the wi-fi.
I am quite curious to see how the area develops around the coffee shop. Next Sunday, the Bloomingdale Farmer’s Market will be right in front of the Bear from 10AM to 2PM, and I can see how the two can feed off each other. During the week, I wonder if lounging outdoor coffee drinkers will have any impact on the tiny triangular park between Florida and R in how residents and others use the space.

Big Bear Cafe– 1st and R St NW. Sat & Sun 7:30AM-evening, M-F 6:30AM-evening
Stu- I will repay you your money Monday after work.

Bar hopping in Shaw

This week I and one of my hosts at the place where I’m staying, went to Vegetate’s upstair’s bar. After warming the seat for about an hour of noshing and sipping we headed out. I think that’s when I suggested we check out BeBar down the street.
I’d never been and wanted to check it out as a business. We got there when it wasn’t crowded. There were a bunch of people clustered up at the bar and just a few people seated on the opposite side of the room. From the bar you can watch videos. If the sound actually sync’d up with the mouths of the singers I could not really tell you. I’m getting old, it just sounded like noise to me. After a while the videos do suck you in. But my legs were getting tired and I chose to sit on the other side of the room. That’s when the fun started. From our seats we had a lovely view of the bar crowd. My host pointed out the sad appearance of the popped collar amongst several of the men. We made other fashion observations. People are so entertaining.
Then it got crowded and we walked back home. If we wanted to, and if it wasn’t a work night, we could have continued on to ODB. But then, I guess if you were starting a bar hop in Shaw, wouldn’t you start at ODB, at least to line your stomach with heavy food? Then hit BaBar and then 2nd floor of Vegetate. There is also the bar at Warehouse, if you just want to start with a beer. You also can get beer at the Mongolian Grill/ Tokyo Sushi.
The choices you have for a night out without having to risk a DWI or the newly increased cab fare have increased.

BACA meeting, TC happy hour & etc

The lousy meeting notes from last week’s BACA meeting are up at the super secret site. Okay user name is ‘thismeeting’ pswd: ‘neverhappened’.
Also check out the TruxtonCircle dot Org discussion board as there is a TC happy hour in the works for June. I expect Eckington people to crash it. It’s okay, we like you NoFlo people anyways.
Oh, other random things that I’m not bothering to link to because the links require 3 extra more steps than I care to take right now:
There were meetings about the Florida Market this week. (See Frozen Tropics and Rebuilding Space)
Arrests in the Montgomery schoolyard and rocks get thrown at Fox5 cameraman. (ANC2C)
The BACA website is not working for me. (DCBACA.ORG)
Big Bear Cafe said somewhere (probably on the Eckington listserv) that their aiming for a June opening. They open, when they open.
Soil samples are the new thing going on with the EC-12 firehouse.
As far as my renovation… waiting on inspections and I’m looking for the perfect tile. If you know where I can get a hold of a nice checkerboard black and white pattern for the bathroom, email me.

What circle of Hell is Radio Shack in?

Yesterday I wanted to throw things at the staff at the 7th St Radio Shack at Gallery Place. I did not for two reasons. One, it is assault. Two, I have a lousy aim.
I went in to buy some rechargeable batteries. I was already annoyed that the batteries weren’t in the same area as the regular batteries nor with the rechargers. When I found them it was unclear how I would check out. There is a circular desk where you’d think you’d be able to check out, but it isn’t clear. Particularly when several staff members were helping other customers with phone plans. Phone plans are complicated things and I understand that by standing behind a phone customer I won’t be helped for a good long while. Other people who just had purchases, no phone, were trying to get the next available staff person. The same staff person who decided to step back onto the sales floor.
Helloooo. People just wanting to buy one little thing.
I was steamed.
The woman trying to return a defective bluetooth thing, looked nearly defeated.
The guy trying to buy a cable wire looked pissed.
This is my second ‘so angry I want to throw things at people’ experience at this Radio Shack, which is about 1/3 of my experiences with this Radio Shack. Best Buy is a little out of my way, and I reserve the trip out to Tenleytown for large purchases. Are there any other options for electronics needs near Shaw with better customer service?

More on Eastern Market

I’ve just finished reading some of the comments on the Washington Post site about the Eastern Market fire. The big theme I see is that what mattered wasn’t the architecture of the building, which was lovely, but the merchants, the running into neighbors, the relationships formed was the thing that mattered. My concern for the people of Capitol Hill, is that those in charge will get too fixated on the body of the market, the systems, the size of vendor space, etc., and make the soul a second thought.
Another theme I noticed was a concern for the merchants, a by product of those relationships formed between patron and shopkeeper. Realizing while the powers that be figure out what to do, the merchants need support. The Capitol Hill Community Foundation has already set up a fund so that people can contribute.