Friday Fun Post: Fifty People, One Question

Photos: Getting Ready

Another Rita's: Penn Quarter

Rita's is opening in Penn Quarter. Popularly known as Rita's Water Ice, the Philly based company has already opened franchise locations in Columbia Heights, Adams Morgan and Brookland-Woodridge. There are two others planned for H Street NE and Anacostia.

Rita's has an awkward tag line, "Ice Custard Happiness." Doesn't really roll off the tongue. And are there other sorts of ice besides water ice? We may never know. The address is 610 H Street NW, directly above the New Big Wong restaurant.

The Sound of Two Hands Clapping for Metro

For an oft-maligned, oft-ridiculed, cash-challenged, and much complained about agency, Metro performed exceptionally well last week and I want to publicly thank them. They set all kinds of records and still managed to move the masses to (or close to) their desired destinations. Some of the numbers:

On the very first day of the week Metro rail broke it's Sunday ridership record with 616,324 trips. That was the day of the Obama-attended free concert at the Lincoln memorial. The concert drew about 400,000 people.

The next day saw the shattering of the all time Metro rail record with 866,681 trips. A record which would last less than 24 hours. Monday's rail ridership was the second all time record breaking day within the last six months. The previous record was set in July 2008 on the day of a national women's conference and a Nationals game.

Of course Tuesday was the big day. And by big, I mean BIG. A new Metro rail ridership record was set and just destroyed Monday's number. Inauguration day travel helped Metro rail record 1,120,000 trips, a huge 30% increase over the previous record. Its the first time in Metro's history in which its provided an excess of one million trips by rail. The number isn't exact, I presume because Metro was forced to open gates for entrance/exit without payment (or record) for safety reasons.

Metro bus, which I took to the festivities, logged an impressive number on January 20th with 423,000 trips taken. More than half were taken on the rapid bus corridors set up within the city.

All this with occurred amidst an atmosphere of multiple cooks in the kitchen. The Secret Service, Presidential Inaugural Committee, Capitol Police, Park Police, MPD, National Guard, DDOT, VDOT and a handful of other major forces were shaping policy and practice on the ground for the last few weeks. Metro had to respond to their wishes and demands as well as serve the customers, many of whom were new to the system. Even a near tragedy, a woman falling on the tracks just ahead of a train, didn't cripple the system's ability to move us around on Tuesday.

So, a rare standing ovation for Metro as I applaud its leader John Catoe, and the employees, for making it work and proving that our transit system is viable and indeed world class.

Now, back to work on improving and enhancing service. And getting Metro a dedicated funding source from the Feds, Maryland, DC and Virginia. Thanks Metro.

Keeping Tabs: All Over the Place Edition

**The New York Times often writes better articles about the District than some of our local papers. Here's a great one about the emerging restaurant scene in the "real DC."

**Turns out that great classical music piece performed at the inauguration was not as great as it appeared.

**Trying to simplify the trip form NW to the H Street NE area, the businesses there have teamed with the District to offer a new shuttle originating in Gallery Place. Whatever happened to the streetcar plan?

**I sometimes forget that we have our very own state university, the University of the District of Columbia. They are expanding and will soon offer programs on a community college campus. They may seek to partner with Southeastern University, the small, private school located on I Street SW.

**A bunch of folks with tickets didn't get into the inaugural ticketed area. Is it me, or did everyone with Purple problems get the tix unexpectedly "from a friend at the last minute." Hmmmm. Maybe the generous one's were the smart ones.

**Also from the NYT, a columnists waxes poetic about how nice we all were to each other this week. Perhaps it had something to do with the exit of a certain Boy King.

Maoz Veg in Dupont

Soon to be the best falafel shop in DC. Maoz, a Euro transport, has been in Philly for 5 years and I can't wait for this Dupont location at 1817 M Street NW to open. Apparently on a very flexible opening schedule, Maoz may start serving within the next three months. Or not. I will be visiting soon thereafter. All vegetarian menu. Maoz began in Amsterdam and is surely the inspiration for Amsterdam Falafelshop in Adams Morgan.

Another win for Dupont considering the news about Java Green locating on the other side of the neighborhood later this spring.

Next Inauguration Post: January 2013

Lived up to all the hype. Crowded, cold, extraordinary. A full review after the dust settles. We have a new neighbor, and I think this one's a keeper. Congratulations to the new President of the United States, Barack Hussein Obama.

Photos: City Alive for Inauguration

Photos: Inaug Concert

Metro was fine. We even had seats on the way back up on the green line.

Security was surprisingly a breeze. Got there at 1:30pm and staked out a decent spot.

Did anyone else notice the strange and awkward sequence with the eagle and its handler? I really wanted it to be released. I don't know the purpose of having it there. Anyone?

I was interviewed by a TV station from Alabama. Worst questions ever! I guess they're just handing out journalism degrees for nothing these days. When asked who I was there to see I said "uh... the President-elect." She says "No, I mean aren't you excited about the music? Who are the performers you want to see." So I chumped out and gave the usual guy answer: Beyoncé. Nice. Too late to take it back I guess.

The "pre-show" invocation by Gene Robinson was not aired on television. Weird, as it was the only live portion of the "pre-show" and was a rather good speech.

Best performance: Toss up between John Mellencamp and Garth Brooks. Brooks wins in a coinflip. He got the crowd moving and dancing! Long way for a guy with a seriously creepy alter ego. I mean, who even remembers Chistopher Gaines. I mean, really. No one.

Final Notes: The Inauguration Bears Down

**Don't worry, worriers. Only about 200 of the city's 1,000 alcohol-serving bars and restaurants have been approved for extended hours during inauguration. Check The 42 Bus post from January 13 to see which bars are taking advantage.

**Metro is changing plans almost daily, responding to the Inaugural Committee and other factors. After initially reserving its parking lots for buses only, they reversed field and are now opening Metro station parking lots to the general public, starting at 3:30am on January 20th. The first trains start to roll at 4:00am that day.

Metro decided to run trains until 2:00am on Tuesday morning to accommodate the visitors attending balls and other late night activities on Monday night. That's a change from the midnight closing proposed before.

On the bus front, thankfully Metro has also added special bus service in DC, reversing a decision to run a Saturday schedule for all routes on January 20th. Some routes will still run on a Saturday schedule, but Metro has dedicated several rapid bus corridors to get people pretty close to the inauguration and parade. 16th Street NW is one of the corridors for us Mount Peasant folks. Those special routes will have rush hour service all day on January 20th until 9:00pm.

Metro is also urging us to walk, if possible and has a new map (PDF) giving walking directions from various stations, including several in Virginia.

**And speaking of our friends from my home state, the Commonwealth, well, they are miffed and upset. Government agencies have decided to close all Potomac River crossings (save Wilson Bridge) to private automobile traffic. The rules are slightly convoluted, but basically only charter buses, Metro buses, taxis, limos and emergency vehicles will be able to cross a bridge to get into DC on January 20th. Otherwise, if you are approaching from the south in your own car, you need to take the beltway west to Bethesda or north to New York Ave (Route 50), then drive into DC.

Pedestrians from VA will be able to use various river crossings. That's the message of the day, transit or walking. If you live in Arlington or Alexandria, I would seriously consider taking the Metro to Arlington National Cemetery and then walking across the Memorial Bridge. The Washington Post provides a nice little map here. For us in DC, we'll be allowed to walk in the I-395 3rd Street tunnel, but who would want to! Scary!

**The Times-Dispatch thinks traffic back-ups will literally extend 110 miles into Richmond, VA.

**Recent weather reports indicate below average temperatures, low-30s, and overcast. No snow as of today's forecast.

**Most of the get rich quick inaugural apartment rentals flopped. As I said before, there is an extremely limited market for your circa 1970s bi-level home in Bowie. No, Annandale isn't "only minutes away" form DC. And that short drive into town you promised from Shirlington isn't looking that great right now either. Look at the bright side; you probably needed those new linen and towel sets anyway.

Photos: Union Station aka Obama Merchandise Central

Apparently Union Station is actually Obama Merchandise Central. There are nearly 10 establishments in the station selling Obama/Inauguration items only. Most are carts, some have been around for a long time and all were super busy when I visited today. A button maker I encountered on my trip to Portland last year is even there. They are cleaning up. Another fellow is selling photos "with" Obama. One guy sold Obama sandals. Even larger corporations are getting in the game. IKEA set up their version of oval office for a promotion they are calling "Embrace Change." And Pepsi has plastered the station with buzz words from the Obama campaign, each including a Pepsi logo. Very 1984-ish in a weird way. Anyway, it'll all be over in 6 days.

Out: Nolan's; In: Town Tavern and It's Loooooong List of Rules

At 2323 18th St NW in Adams Morgan. I never stepped foot into Nolan's. And probably won't ever visit Town Tavern. There are no less than 15 "No's" on the list of rules for admittance. A guy under 23? Sorry. Can't get in. A guy without a collar shirt. Nope. Wearing a hat? No. Jersey? Nah. Only one form of ID? Stay away. Guys night out? No admittance. Groups of guys must be "accompanied."

Anyway, that's according to the written rules (PDF). Who knows if they'll be enforced. This place is a New York City transplant, so perhaps the DC rules will differ once they open. That's this Saturday night January 17. Appropriate attire required; unless you are the scantily clad model on their awesome website. Don't worry, you're probably spared, its guest-list only. A little before and after in photos.

200+ Bars to Extend Hours, None in Mt Pleasant

Thanks to a lot of hard work by Capital Spice (huuuuuuuge props), its easy to see that no Mount Pleasant bars or restaurants will be taking advantage of extended inauguration hours. I'm not sure there was an expectation or even desire to have any bars on Mt Pleasant Street open that late anyway. Not to mention voluntary agreements.

However, there are quite a few on the 42 bus line. Here are some of the notable places on the 42 which are allowed to serve until 4:00am and remain open 24 hours/day January 18-21:

Perry's, Rhumba Cafe, Cashion's, and Jyoti in Adams Morgan. I'll eat at Jyoti any time of day or night. May have to pay them an after midnight visit next week.

In Dupont, there are heaps of places, but the hot spots will probably include Hilton Hotel, Bistro du Coin, Gazuza, La Tomate, Kramerbooks (no surprise there), Front Page, and Eighteenth Street Lounge.

Downtown and PQ have so many I won't list them all, but if you're inclined to party into the late night on 7th Street over the inauguration weekend try RFD, Clyde's, Rocket Bar, Indeblue or Fadó.

Park Road Again: Pho 14

Park Road between 14th and 16th Sts NW is constantly changing. Before DCUSA opened we were wondering if the mall would kill small businesses on that block. Well, over the past two years, several businesses have opened, including Simply Soles, a shoe boutique.

Well, get ready pho fans of DC. Looks like a Vietnamese restaurant by the name of Pho 14 will be opening there soon. Construction permits were issued for 1436 Park Rd NW in December and a sign went up a few days ago, pictured. No details yet. Its a small space in between Simply Soles and Pollo Sabroso.

Lindsay Czarniak Thinks I Have Style

Take that, everyone else. Local TV personality Lindsay Czarniak commented that my winter coat "...was very stylish" last weekend at the NBC 4 Health & Fitness Expo. I took the opportunity to meet some of NBC 4's on-air talent including, Czarniak, Michael Flynn, Dan Hellie, and Jane Watrel. They signed autographs, chatted up visitors and took photos. I thought that was a nice gesture by the sponsors and the queue line full of people demonstrated the popularity that "being on TV" can bring. Bob Ryan took a break just before I got to the head of the line and the fellow in front of me was crushed! He really wanted to meet the station's meteorologist. They all turned out to very nice people. As for the jacket comment, I'm sure she was just being nice, but it made my day.

Java Green Coming to Dupont

Owners of Java Green are opening a sit down restaurant and cafe at 17th and P Streets in Dupont. The current Java Green is primarily a lunch spot for downtown office workers and does very well with its Korean inspired vegetarian and vegan menu. They have a devoted following, including yours truly.

The new restaurant will have table service, but will also have community tables à la Busboys & Poets for those who just want to grab a coffee or tea and lounge for a while. Expect free Wi-Fi and a relaxed atmosphere. I'll post more details including the address and menu details as they come.

UPDATE: The restaurant will inhabit the space which now is 17th Street Cafe, at 1513 P Street NW. I don't think 17th Street Cafe is even open at this point. There's no firm date, but the build-out will happen in February for a March opening. Its the green building below.

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Speed Wash Laundry Looks Like It'll Become Speed Wash Laundry

All I have to go on is this grainy cell phone image, but its the best I could do. The workers papered the window after I took this photo. If you can't tell, there are new washers and dryers being installed in the building. Speed Wash closed last year and the building (3058 Mt Pleasant St NW) has been for lease since. It looks suitable for other types of businesses, but once a laundromat, always a laundromat, I guess.

SEI Shaping Up, Too

SEI (say) joins Vapiano as a new addition to the Penn Quarter dining scene. They look to open soon and are hiring staff as we speak. SEI describes itself as "modern Asian sushi/sake bar & lounge." A mouthful, but I imagine something like Asia 9 with more flair and star power, taking nothing away from Asia 9. Think pan-Asian with a dedicated sushi bar and swank decor. Check the photos.

The SEI website is a little lacking at this moment, but both Penn Quarter Living and Metrocurean have some additional information. SEI is located at 444 7th Street, NW.

11th and F, NW

Vapiano a Month Out

The embattled Chinatown construction project known as Vapiano is about open for business. After some delays and days in which, to the casual observer, no work went on, the Italian cuisine restaurant is scheduled to open next month according to the Washington Business Journal. Apparently there were major issues related to constructing the basement and other problems related to the size of the this particular restaurant, one of the largest in the chain at 7,000sq feet.

The upscale dining chain started in Germany and already has a locations in at 1800 M St NW in DC, Ballston in Arlington and Dulles Town Center in Loudon. As of today, three of four U.S. Vapiano restaurants are located in the Washington DC area. However, there are plans for a Chevy Chase restaurant and additional locations in Atlanta, Detroit, Chicago, Baltimore and several other U.S. cities.

Expect a reasonably priced dinner experience with appetizers and salads at $5-$10 and pizzas/pasta entrees at $8-$12. Of course wines and desserts are available for a small fee. I'll be excited to try this place out. Its close enough to qualify as being on the 42 bus line, about 4 blocks from the closest stop. The address is 623 H Street NW.

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Multi Space Meters for Mount Pleasant

Looks like the Mount Pleasant parking scene is going the way of Adams Morgan and Penn Quarter. Solar powered multi space meters are being installed all along the commercial strip. The green parking posts will replace the old meters, which allowed for only one car per meter. The new multi space meters allow as many cars hat can fill a block's worth of curb space. They accept coins (no pennies) and credit/debit cards. Take the receipt you get after payment and place it in the front window, left side of your dashboard. No word if the double parkers will make use of the extra spaces.

Citibank Closing its Adams Morgan Branch

Citibank is closing its Columbia Road location this spring. The bank at 1749 1/2 Columbia Road NW will close on March 27, 2009. The two closest remaining Citibank locations are at 3241 14th Street NW (Park Triangle building) and 1225 Connecticut Ave NW.

Adams Morgan still has its fair share of banks with PNC, BB&T, BanComercio, Suntrust, Bank of America and Wachovia each within two blocks of 18th and Columbia.

43 Bus Up and Running; Other Changes for 42

Morning and evening commuters who live in Mount Pleasant have a new, faster option for bus service to downtown. The 43 bus started running last week looks to be a smart move by WMATA.

The 43 generally runs the same route as the 42, but with a few time-saving changes. This route only operates mornings and evenings only on Monday-Friday. To be exact, 7:50am-9:15am and 3:20pm-7:00pm. Morning buses begin in Mt Pleasant and terminate at 17th and I (Farragut Sq). The northbound afternoon 43 buses begin at Farragut and terminate at Lamont and Mt Pleasant Streets NW.

The 43 does not make stops at Dupont Circle. When traveling on Connecticut Ave, in both directions, the 43 bypasses the Circle by traveling through the underground tunnel. The two bypassed stops (Dupont Circle South and Q Street stops) will still be served by the 42 bus.

Dupont Circle was always a time killer for the 42. It added the most time to the trip downtown, more than any other factor. The downside to the move is that it will take a little more work if you want to catch the 43 after exiting the Dupont Metro station. You'll have to walk an additional block north or south on Connecticut. But at that point, it runs the same route as the 42, so unless you really, really want to ride the new bus, just catch the 42.

A few minute changes to the 42 schedule: WMATA added a 2:15am, 2:40am, and 3:04am southbound buses to the Monday-Thursday Schedule. They previously only ran on Friday nights (early Saturday morning).

Park Road Under Major Construction

As part of a year+ long project that affects Mount Pleasant and Columbia Heights, Park Road is under major construction. The always busy street is even more congested from 14th Street NW to Mt Pleasant St NW as of last month. There is one west bound travel lane between 16th & Mt P Streets and reduced sidewalk space.

The utility work is being done in conjunction with the Columbia Heights Street Scape. When finished, the road will have a completely new serface, markings and both north and south sidewalks will be widened. The south sidewalk is particularly in need of widening. Expect at least one sidewalk to be completely open at any given time along the route.

Friday Fun Post: Give It Up Timmy