Photos: Sunday in the Park

Oh goodness. Near perfect stroll and people watching at Malcolm X/Meridian Hill Park today. Just pure good times. Drumming, dancing, frisbee, soccer and laying in the grass. This event is uniquely tied to this spot, and to this park. For every cynical DC thought that floats through your head, come by this place on a Sunday evening and be recharged. And bring your drum, dancing shoes, friends or all of the above. Or just chill out and take it all in.

Who Knew? Michelle Obama in Mount Pleasant

Yesterday First Lady Michelle Obama visited Mount Pleasant's own Bancroft Elementary School. Bancroft is located at Newton and 18th Sts NW. Obama had been working with the students on the White House's vegetable garden and decided to return the favor at the school's garden. Her remarks were quite nice and so was the gesture in general. A typical public school in the District with some pretty extraordinary students who had a really swell Friday. Pretty neat story. Hopefully the Prez and the First Lady keep up the DC public appearances. Oddly, this story was overshadowed by a near simultaneous visit by Barack Obama to Five Guys in Southeast.

Friday Fun Post: I Feel Like Mountain Goats Today

I have been absolutely swamped with personal and work commitments the last two weeks. However its FRIDAY! And this video pretty much sums up how I feel right about now. Its "This Year" by The Mountain Goats. Enjoy.

Forget Teddy, Let the Nationals Win!

This Year: Nationals = 13 Wins; Teddy = 0 Wins. But, he's not THAT far behind. Sad really.

Circulator Still a Mystery for Some

Is it just me, or does the new Circulator route through Mt Pleasant seem like a little nugget of inside knowledge? The neighborhood blogging and transit communities are privy. So are a few downtown workers that gather at the Mt P and Columbia heights stops every morning. But otherwise, I don't think the masses realize how great this bus is or that it even exists.

There is absolutely no advertising for the new route. Some riders don't realize that the bus is limited stop once they get on. So far the drivers have been nice about dropping people off at the next corner when this occurs. Other potential riders are hesitant to get on or ask the driver about the route when waiting for the regular Metro bus at designated stops. The bus is almost always empty, even on days and during times when it should be packed. And those in the know are constantly talking up the bus while riding it, in my observations.

Once again, this bus is awesome. It has consistently run about every 10 minutes so far. All along a route of only 7 stops from Woodley Park to McPherson Sq. It runs until the Metro closes each night, and yes that means until 3AM on the weekends. It costs $1! That is a steal. And it's virtually an express bus. The new route connects with Metro Rail at several stations as welll as the east-west Circulator route. Yes, for some the infrequent stoppage is a problem. The regular Metro bus is still running for those folks. But for everyone else, please take advantage of the Circulator. Late DDOT know that they have hit upon a great idea and that we support it.

Apartment Houses: Copperfield

16th Street NW at Columbia Road

Keeping Tabs: Sriracha Sauce and the Curse O' Les Boulez

Adams Morgan Public Art: Three rather uninspiring works of art are finalist for permanent installation at the corner of 18th and Columbia Rds NW. DC Commission on Arts and Humanities is set to choose one of the three entries by next month (PDF of the proposals). The winning proposal will be installed this upcoming winter. The location is the new large sidewalk bulb-out created by recent streetscaping in front of BB&T bank and Adams Mill. If we must choose one, I'd prefer the second proposal, "Sunflowers." Its the only one by a DC artist. This, the most bearable of the three, consists of 18 foot tall stainless steel sunflowers with stained glass colored accompanying butterflies. Yes, 18 feet tall and 14 feet wide. This thing is huge. But much better than other other two entries. And local.

No 2009 Screen of the Green: I was waiting for this story to be retracted, but it looks final. HBO, the former sponsors of the yearly free movie fest on the Mall has called it quits. They couldn't find a suitable cosponsor. For nine years, we've been able to saunter down to the National Mall on a few warm afternoons during the lazy DC summer and watch some great films on a huge screen set up among the Smithsonian and other government buildings. One of the best free cultural downtown events along with Jazz in the Garden at National Gallery of Art. Hopefully that tradition sticks around a little longer.

Les Boulez: In what columnist Micheal Wilbon might call the Curse O' Les Boulez, the Washington Wizards got pretty much what they deserved last night at the NBA Draft Lottery. This was not the draft ceremony itself, but an actual lottery to determine the order of the June 25 draft. The Wizards (Les Boulez is a reference to a previous team name; the Bullets) were at statistical odds for the second draft slot. They even had a 17.8% chance to nab the first pick. Alas the lottery placed them in the 5th slot. We won't be getting wunderkind Blake Griffin. I'm going to go ahead and suggest choosing Eric Maynor of my alma mater, VCU. Not considered a top 10 pick, but I like the guy. Los Angeles Clippers took the number one spot and will likely choose Griffin, considered the best college player available in the draft.

Sriracha Sauce: Gets it's due. By way of the New York Times.

Guess Store Open Downtown, Forever 21 Will Follow

The 1155 F Street (F and 11th Sts NW) building has been under re/construction for a couple of years. The entire property is gorgeous. The first tenant, Guess, has opened it's only store within in the District of Columbia on the first floor of the office building. Law firms with other minor tenants will fill the top floors. There is another empty retail space on the first floor facing F Street, although I don't know the plans for that space.

Guess is within two blocks of several other clothing stores including H&M, Zara, JoS. A. Bank, Banana Republic and American Apparel. Just as 14th Street NW (b/t P and U Streets) has become a mini furniture district, Metro Center could become an area known for a concentration of clothing stores. Forever 21 is slated to open by the end of the year in the Woodward & Lothrop building; the same building which houses H&M and Zara. Forever 21 and Guess also have stores in the Fashion Center at Pentagon City mall.

Richmond Debating Similar Stadium Issues as DC

Travel about 110 mile south of here on I95 and you'll see a familiar process unfolding. A city which had and lost a beloved baseball team wants to lure another. But standing in the way is the no so hidden elephant in the room: the stadium issue. Richmond, VA was home to the Richmond Braves form 1966 until 2008. The team had been playing in a stadium built in 1985, which once was considered the best in minor league baseball. Fast forward 20 years and not so much. The stadium, named the Diamond, was like our RFK. Serviceable, but with dark, narrow concourses, leaking locker rooms and a lack of revenue producing amenities like bars and quality food outlets. Long story short, the team (and its parent, the Atlanta Braves) wanted the city to construct a new stadium or else. The "or else" happened over the course of late 2007 and early 2008 when the Braves decided to move to Gwinnet County, Georgia, where, surprise, the county was building a new stadium for them at tax payers expense. It actually was a surprise to many.

The Richmond community was left stunned and the mayor (Douglas Wilder), who had not pushed the stadium issue, was partly blamed for the team's departure. Now there is a call for constructing a new stadium for a new team. Many Richmond residents residents are split, just as we were in DC over the construction of Nationals stadium. I would say most DC residents were against spending public funds for stadium construction. The jury is still out in Richmond; the main battle there is over the location of the new stadium. Build on the Boulevard (compare that to our Stadium-Armory area: near the old stadium, not much residential development directly next to the stadium, not downtown). Or, build in Shockoe Bottom (compare to our Near Southeast: will have to destroy a few historic properties, will probably make use of imminent domain, much closer to downtown and next to residential areas). All this to attract a new team, any team.

The team that looks like it will move to Richmond is far from MLB quality. It is a AA team from Connecticut. The former Richmond Braves were a AAA team that saw the likes of Tom Glavine, Ron Gant, Dave Justice, Deion Sanders and Chipper Jones performing during their prime. AA baseball is great, but the team may have to work harder to foster a decent fan base. Sound familiar?

I'm curious to see how the Richmond situation turns out. Occasionally Richmond, my hometown, is good at turning left when it obviously should turn right, missing a golden opportunity. That said, its often difficult to know when walking away from a big commitment will pay off more than taking a chance on a developer's grand plan. Usually a grand plan for a not so small fee. Condos, street cafes and bustling sidewalks around a sparking new stadium? Looks great in the renderings, but as we are learning, that vision may not materialize right away. Or at all. On the other hand, a civic investment on behalf of a private entity (the baseball team owners) could pay off in obvious ways. In regional cache, resident morale and ideally in increased taxes on new business dollars.

Richmond should look to DC, as a case study. Not because we made the right decisions at each turn, but more so to not make the same mistakes that we made along the way. Stadium or no stadium, Richmond will still be Richmond, as DC would have still been a great city without Nationals Park. We had been around since 1790 without Nationals Park and will be around for centuries after it is torn down. Richmond has been around for even longer and a new ballpark will not make or break the city. Just remember that hometown, and good luck.

Bike, Bike, Goose: Bike to Work + Bike Prom = Sweet Weekend

Bike to Work FRIDAY followed by Bike Prom SATURDAY (photo by tvol)

Two DC Owners Rated Among Sports' Worst

Two of the Washington's biggest names got some unwanted attention this week from Sports Illustrated. The SI website rated owners of the four major sports leagues. The top five (best) owners of each sport was listed. No DC owners among those groups. But, we did log two entries on the bottom five (worst) owners in two sports.

One will not be a surprise. Dan Snyder, owner of the Washington football team, was rated the 3rd worst owner in the National Football League. He has stellar achievements on the balance sheet. The team was worth $750,000,000 when he purchased it. They are now worth more than double that, now at $1.54 billion. $1,538,000,000. However the teams record is below .500 and the team has neither won, nor appeared in a Super Bowl during his ownership. He's known for spending mega bucks on washed up stars, who shall remain nameless, lest I offend the masses that seem to want to fork over their firstborn's inheritance supporting this team. Probably my least favorite of the DC sports franchises.

In a bit of a surprise to me, the owner of the Washington Nationals, Ted Lerner was rated the 5th worst in Major League Baseball. The family has owned the team for less than five years, so I thought, at worst, they'd get a pass in this type of ranking. But no, and I can rationalize why. The team has become less valuable over the Lerner tenure. From $450 million down to $406 million. The Lerners initially tried to save money by not signing top stars and by developing young prospects. That strategy blew up when a scandal erupted this year when a fraudulent Latin American prospect scene emerged with the Nationals all up in the mix. Add to that a record which has gotten progressively worse and a fragile-at-best relationship with the city of DC and the residents of DC. All after trying to snake the city out of millions after the city constructed a half billion dollar stadium for the team in 18 months flat. Hmmm... starting to understand why they made this list in the first place. The only consolaton is that the worst owner in baseball, according to SI, is our rival Peter Angelos of the Baltimore Orioles.

Ticketmaster Disappoints at the Verizon Center

Well, this is a bummer for some of you. WTOP news is reporting that the upcoming Bruce Springsteen concert at the Verizon Center was oversold. That is, the ticketing agency sold too many premium level seats for the May 18th show. Those who purchased the oversold premium seats, which in effect didn't exist, are getting a refund for those seats and are being given a new seat in the 400 level, a bit away from their original seats. That's too bad. If you bought a premium seat, pray you don't get a call from TicketsNow (owned by Ticketmaster) in the next day or two. They're delivering the bad news as we speak. Not sure of the extent of the problem. WTOP says the number is in "the thousands."

I have always hated the online ticket buying experience. Scalpers seam to get an unfair share right off the bat. Concerts and shows are often sold out in seconds. If you've been in the "virtual waiting room," you know the meaning of frustration. And don't get me started on "convenience fees" and the secondary ticket market, which is now being dominated by some of the primary ticket sellers. Too bad for those of you who purchased the $100+ seats. At best, they'll put you on the first rows of the 400 level and not way, way up.

Apartment Houses: The Norwood

Belmont and Columbia Rds NW

Keeping Tabs: Totally Thai Edition

Lee Loo Lounge, we hardy knew thee: The mysterious Lee Loo Lounge closed without much fanfare a few months ago. The lounge and restaurant never saw me step foot in, but I always guessed it was busy with a small dedicated clientele; or maybe not. It's being replaced with Absolute Thai. No opening dates or menus were available, but there are enough Thai establishments in DC, so you can probably make an educated guess. This location (521 G St NW) isn't even a whole block from two other Thai restaurants, Kanlaya and Thai Chili.

W Hotel is still on: The venerable, best-view-of-the-White House Hotel Washington will soon become the W Hotel Washington. W is a rather sleek and chic hotel brand that could bring some cache to the historic property which is literally across the street from the Treasury and White House. The W website promises a July 16, 2009 opening and provides some draw dropping renderings of guest rooms and a new rooftop terrace; one of the main draws of the previous Hotel Washington because of the view. The W's address is 515 15th Street NW, a stone's throw from the 42 bus route.

Food/No Food/Eating/No Eating: One of the big stories last week was the revelation that Metro may consider allowing vendors to set up shop outside of Metro stations. They would be able to sell a variety of items including food and drink. The rub is the no eating or drinking policy on Metro, which would presumably still be in affect even of the kiosks were allowed. My initial reaction is, OK, let's do it. A new revenue stream for Metro and we can still keep a relatively clean subway system. The kiosks won't be inside the stations, so I don't see how this is any different from going to 7-11, buying a coffee and getting on the train. You just aren't supposed to consume it on the train. Issue over, right? Hardly. We'll keep an eye an see how this one plays out...

Buy stuff, feel better, vice versa: Washington area citizens are apparently feeling better about spending money. While the rest of the nations is still slumming through a mandatory anti consumerism stint, we are spending money in the face of this economic turn down. Well, actually we're feeling more optimistic about spending money and the economy in general. Optimism generally doesn't pay the bills for business owners, but I guess this is good news for the near future in business-land. Retail therapy, a remedy for all your ailments.

Bicycle Transit Center Coming Along

The Union Station Bicycle Transit Center is slowly taking shape. The District's attempt at making the multi-modal transit center of union Station even better is about to take a giant leap forward. The Center will be able to securely house 180 bikes, parked inside. Outside there will be room for 30 additional parked and secured bikes.

The structure will encompass 1700+ square feet including some retail. The retail portion will include administrative space, bike rental and even bike repair. During business hours attendants will control access to the building. After hours, bike owners will have access to the inside space, and their bikes, by way of access card. Pretty neat! There will be some type of membership system. Initial rates were supposed to be something like $100 per year, or $1 per day to park. Cheap considering the convenience of knowing your bike is safely parked. I'm betting a SmartBike DC location won;t be far off, or part of the Center proper. Go DDOT! Keep it coming.

Friday Fun Post: Best Adams Morgan Bar

This is all about you. I have an opinion, but I want to know what YOUR favorite Adams Morgan drinking hole is. Criteria is pretty wide open. Cheap drinks, expensive drinks, decor, ambiance, hot bartenders, good food, sports bar, quiet, loud, good people watching, DJs and dancing; whatever you think makes a bar great. Any reason is a good reason. I only listed a few here, so if I'm missing your favorite, please list the bar in the comments and maybe I'll show some love next time around.

poll by twiigs.com

Reasons to Be Car Free in DC #11: Limited Stop Bus

Everyone knows the knock on DC Metro buses. They're slow, they bunch up, and make too many stops. Well, Metro and the city of DC have addressed some of those concerns and begun to offer limited stop buses. The buses don't necessarily aim to mimic subway trains, but instead augment train service and local bus service. Mount Pleasant is served by several of the lines including the city sponsored Circulator and Metro's S9 and 43 buses. The 43 isn't so much a limited stop bus. It just skips two stops on Dupont Circle in order to avoid the traffic tie up that is the circle itself. For riders traveling from downtown back to Mount Pleasant, the after work trip is made that much shorter. Like other limited stop buses in DC, they only enhance service, not eliminate it. Riders can still catch local buses that make stops on nearly every block if needed.

The Circulator and S9 are true limited stop buses. The new Circulator from Woodley Park to McPhereson Square has only seven pick up and drop off points for the entire route. The southbound bus makes a stop in Mount Pleasant proper at Irving and Mount Pleasant Streets. The S9 is a breath of fresh air (well, not literally) for 16th Street NW commuters, providing a much faster route from Silver Spring to Downtown. It stops about every five blocks, instead of every block, or every other block. I appreciate the trend and hope it continues, especially with a cross town bus or two. Limited stop H4 anyone?

Photos: Return of Mt P Farmer's Market

Library Renovation Talks Continue Tonight

A meeting tonight will help shape the course of renovations for our very own Mt Pleasant Branch Library. TheInTowner had a great article chronicling the potential renovations in the last issue.

The meeting is 6:30pm tonight, May 4, at the Library (3160 Lamont St NW).

According to DCPL, the last meeting determined several wants and needs among area residents. They included:

Services most important to residents

• Children’s services and early literacy
• Information about community events, organizations and services
• Lifelong learning and personal interest
• A comfortable place to read, study, use computers and meet neighbors
• Learning to read and write for adults, children and teens
• Programs and services that promote cultural awareness and diversity
• Provide books, DVDs and CDs–reading and viewing for pleasure

What residents value most about the Mt. Pleasant Library

• Location and convenience
• Friendly staff and excellent customer service
• Programs for children
• Free access to the Internet
• Availability of meeting space
• Collections–books, CDs, DVDs
• Computers and free WiFi

What residents dislike about the Mt. Pleasant Library

• Not enough computers and time limits on computer use
• Appearance and condition of the building, particularly the lower level, meeting rooms, bathrooms and heating system
• Access to the children’s area–stairs are very narrow
• Feeling unsafe–presence of customers without homes and noisy teens
• High noise levels, especially in children’s area
• Customers without homes using library as a place to sleep
• Some staff appeared to be overworked
• Need more meeting room space
• Need a broader collection of materials
• Need more reading space for young people

The most striking features of the renovations promise to be the side garden on Lamont Street and the addition of an entire rear wing to the building. And finally, the ADA accessibility of the building won't require patrons to enter through a subterranean door, essentially putting visitors in the basement of the library.

Farmer's Market Starts Saturday

Finally! Must be spring if the Mt Pleasant farmer's market is starting. And the first one is this Saturday. The market is held at Lamont Park, right next to the first stop of the 42 bus, in the heart of Mount Pleasant. It's every Saturday from 9am-1pm. The final market is a ways off, in November. Trying not to think about that day right now. Focusing on tomorrow...

A few changes, some good, some meh. From Mount Pleasant Main Street:

New this year: A free weekly drop-in bike clinic; yeasted breads from Atwater Bread of Baltimore; Cherry Glen Goat Cheese Company from Boyds, Maryland; humanely raised goat meat and veal from Painted Hand Farm; and more.

Bikes, yea! Veal, why??? I'm definitely bummed about that. Was there a market for veal? At the farmer's market? I'm confused. Well, up the veggies. And up the bikes. See you there.