Seasons Change

Rock Creek Park, from Ellington Bridge

Holy cow. We got a bit of winter this weekend and I had to officially retire the little summer wear I had left and break out the puffy jackets. I wasn't quite ready for it, though. I never am. 

Seasonal changes are fantastic in this part of the country and Washington is no different. Street-side café seating, plentiful restaurant patios and lively night life make strolling around the District's neighborhoods a treat in fall weather. From Mount Pleasant, we can stroll east though Columbia Heights, across the park to Cleveland Park or south to Adams Morgan and U Street. Even getting dressed to go out is easier. As in: I'm not that fashionable, but having to wear layers makes everyone look cool. We're firmly in layer weather now. 

Leaves are changing color, the shady side of the street is getting downright cold and if you have a heater or radiator, it might be getting its first workout in a few months. This is a great time to be in DC. Coffee everyday, all day. And apple cider is my favorite! (Brandied apple cider for those of you who prefer adult beverages.) Farmer's markets are still around, but not for long. And if you work a 9 to 5, your after work sunlight hours are getting shorter by the day. So, enjoy the Washington fall and get in a few long distance strolls before the winter weather sets in. Peace.

Friday Fun Post: Through Being Cool Edition

On my never ending list of favorite bands from the 90s is New Jersey's Saves the Day. They were young and energetic, played great shows, had both catchy hooks and lyrics and embodied the best of pop punk at the time. I still love them! This is off the 1999 album Through Being Cool. It's Shoulder to the Wheel. Have a great weekend!

Photos: Haydee's

Halloween Party on Lamont Street is Oct 31

DC's best Halloween block party is happening again this year, in Mount Pleasant. Lamont Street NW between 17th and 18th will play host to hundreds of candy seeking kids (and sometimes their parents). Yes, this is the event at which our house gave away over 2,000 pieces of candy in 2007.

In a minor change, I'll be collecting candy this year, not giving it out. So, bring some for me. Also, look out for music, marshmallow roasting and of course, the costume contests. No word on the zombie walk, but ever since I started reading World War Z, I can do without this year. Huge thanks to the organizers who filed the paperwork, planned the events and made this happen; it's a great tradition!

The details:

Who: You, your friends, Mt Pleasant residents, other invited costumed revelers.

What: Lamont Street Halloween Block Party

When: Monday October 31, 2011; 6:30-9:00PM

Where: Lamont St NW b/t 17th and 18th in Mount Pleasant, DC

Phillips Collection

Phillips Collection

Every week the city manages to surprise me in a good way. A new underground gallery, vibing dance spot or vegan food option. And then there are the "re-surprises;" awesome places I know of and have enjoyed, but that slipped off the radar for some reason. Phillips Collection fell into that category yesterday. I've been many times, have had friends work there and of course the place has been around for 90 years; well well before my time in DC.

Yesterday I was reminded to check out Degas’s Dancers at the Barre: Point and Counterpoint. Degas! Right off of the 42 bus! Awesome. Phillips, of course, has other works by modern masters, including Edgar Degas. This exhibit is special and a treat. As the title hints at, the exhibition is centered around the artist's years-long development of a well known painting, Dancing at the Barre. It's a special exhibition and nice compliment to the permanent collection of mostly modern work. Dancers is open until January 8, 2012.

Phillips Collection is located in a beautiful space at 21st and Q Sts NW. Much of the museum is in the former home (c. 1897) of Duncan Phillips, founder. It's about 1 block from the Dupont Circle Metro station as well as the closest 42 bus stop. Closed on Mondays and some holidays. (Hours and other info) Admission is by donation except for weekends, when it's $10 or $12 including any special exhibition like Dancers. Catch this show before it is over. Well worth the time and minimal admission.

Enclosed courtyard

Friday Fun Post: Ottomania!

Zeba Bar. Have you been? This is a newer bar, in Columbia Heights; blocks away from Mount Pleasant. It has three levels, multiple bars and a patio (but you better get on that soon, it's getting cold!). Zeba is at the corner of 14th and Newton NW. I'm told by trusted sources that it has a chill vibe, good happy hours and good Mediterranean food (yum!). 

A crew of stellar DJs (India Nile, Beatrix, vANNIEty Kills) from Mount P + nearby are hosting a party there this weekend. This Saturday, Ottomania! hits Zeba. Think Gypsy punk, Balkan beats and other music from Bosina to Greece to Turkey. Totally danceable and starts right around party o'clock, 10PM, and goes until closing. Hint: bar special for Saturday is Lagunitas + Jameson = $6. What, really? To good to be true, yea? No, it's real.

I'll swing by at some point, so maybe see you there. Zeba is located at 3423 14th St NW, a few blocks from Columbia Heights Metro station or 42 bus. Directly in front of the 52/54 bus stop. FREE.

Slow Down, Pretty Please

This is a neighborhood PSA: Slow down, please. 

One of the first posts on this blog was, in fact, about speeding cars in Mount Pleasant. In my little world, this is still a problem! We can debate all day about whether DC, VA or MD produces the most horrendous driving  But, one offense that drivers from all three are guilty of is speeding through Mount Pleasant.

With virtually no enforcement, no bulb outs and only scattered speed humps I feel like speeding is not really checked in Mount Pleasant. There is usually sufficient traffic on Mount Pleasant Street itself to limit speeding, but the four way stops and pedestrian crossings are fair game for more aggressive drivers, apparently. There's really no straight-shot east/west route in and out of the neighborhood. So, people are always scheming to make a quick left onto Park Road, or cut through on Kilbourne, or beat the light on Irving, or whip around the turn at Monroe Street; the list goes on. 

There are many school kids, elderly, dog walkers, walking commuters, bikers and everyone in between trying to enjoy ourselves and get around. Let us do that in peace and safety. Slow down, please.

Chinatown

Irish Whiskey Coming to Dupont

Am I a fan of Irish whiskey? Yes. Not a connoisseur, but a fan. But then only sometimes. It's an acquired taste. And depending on when you drink it over the course of an evening, it can put you to sleep or set you on a course of who-knows-what's-next.  OK, really, I only know one Irish whiskey and it's very common. Probably available in every bar in DC. Starts with a J, ends with an N. 

Maybe this place will teach me about the good (better) varieties.

Irish Whiskey Public House is slated to open this fall in Dupont at 1207 19th St NW. The newly painted bright green building is across the street from Mai Thai & the old Sam & Harry's. No menu that I have found, but lunch and dinner appear to be a part of the mix. This will be a restaurant and bar, not a tavern. No details on an exact opening date, but I'll pass it along as soon as I know. 

If you  have tips about other openings or questions/comments email the42bus@gmail.com or connect via Twitter @The42BusDC.

Water Taxi on the Potomac

ShopHouse is Veg Friendly, Very Good

All the hype over ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen kept me away until recently. But I'm glad I finally visited! Two words that are near and dear to my heart: vegan, affordable. And perhaps another: fast. ShopHouse is all three.

Dupont is a long, long way from Bangkok, and faithfully replicating Asian dishes for hurried, cost conscious Washingtonians might be near impossible. But, I'm less concerned with whether or not ShopHouse dishes have an authentic taste as much as I was with whether they have a GOOD taste. 

They pretty much delivered. The elongated space on Connecticut Ave opens at 11AM each day and closes at 10PM. Yes, it was founded by the same folks who operate Chipotle, the fast causal Mexican restaurant that seems to be in every NW neighborhood at this point (ShopHouse has just one location in DC). 

The serving station is similar to Chipotle. You choose the base, protein, main vegetable, other toppings and sauce in a conveyor-belt type of assembly. Get your drink, pay and take your food to the seating area. Choose banh mi sandwich or a bowl (rice or noodle). The menu is simple --I love that-- and veg/vegan friendly! Organic tofu was just great. The Chinese broccoli was fresh and the flavors really came out alongside the brown rice, pickled veggies and tamarind vinaigrette (hot-hot-hot) that were also in the bowl. 

My meal of rice bowl, plus drink was under $10, a lunch WIN-WIN. I will be back to ShopHouse hitting up another combination of veg friendly lunch soon. I'm be curious to see if another store opens in DC or elsewhere and if the concept is proven a success via expansion or produces this one small store in Dupont.

ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen is located at 1516 Connecticut Ave NW, near BGR Burger and Sweetgreen. 

New Mount Pleasant Cleaner is Georgetown Valet

Yay, dry cleaners. Just what we needed....?

Now we know that the cleaners soon opening at 3247 Mount Pleasant St NW is local chain Georgetown Valet. The original owner of the chain had been looking to expand as of two years ago and the brand has finally reached our part of NW. Not that we were lacking. I don't do much dry cleaning at all, but have been loyal to Lamont Street Cleaners. And just a block away from Lamont is Mount Pleasant Cleaners. There you go; three dry cleaners in three blocks. Once open, looks like the hours at Georgetown Valet will be 7:30AM-7:00PM (M-F) and 8:00AM-6:00PM Saturday. Closed on Sundays. Welcome to the neighborhood Georgetown Valet.

APA Film Festival Starts Today

The 12th annual DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival starts today. There are multiple venues (all downtown) and the films run until Saturday October 15th. Tonight's opener looks HOT. Saigon Electric is set in the Vietnamese mega-city and looks to be more than just a coming of age flick. It presents a more intimate and exciting look at being a youth in the class-stratified underground dance scene of present day Vietnam. The trailer roped me in! Looks like a pleaser.

There are over 50 total films being show at 4 venues: Goethe-Institut, E Street Cinema, U.S. Navy Memorial and Freer Gallery of Art. A mix of full length and short. Here's the full schedule. Enjoy!

Park Road NW

2012 Cherry Blossom Festival: Bigger & Better

Cherry Blossom Family Day Festival 2008

This cold snap may have you thinking about impending winter weather, but I'm going to ask you to go even a little further into the future. Next spring, the National Cherry Blossom Festival will mark the 100th anniversary of the arrival of Japanese cherry trees to Washington, DC. And next year's celebration will be anything but normal.

Organizers have lengthened the festival to a full 5 weeks: March 20-April 27. That's up from two weeks. First Lady Michelle Obama has been recruited as the honorary chair. The Postal Service will release a 100th Anniversary stamp to mark the occasion. And the Martin Luther King Jr Memorial will be framed with in-bloom  cherry trees for the first time since its completion. There are other changes as well.

The opening ceremony will be moved to a large venue; the Walter Washington Convention Center (March 25th). And the associated Family Day will still be at the National Building Museum, but expanded to two days (March 24-25). The vaunted Cherry Blossom Parade will occur later, on April 14. That's the same day as my favorite Cherry Blossom event, Sakura Matsuri! That's the Japanese street festival. Food, dance performances, lots of great outfits and costumes; more. Check the early details for the full list of events here.

Even as the temps drop on the march to winter, keep in mind this 5 weeks of spring fun marking a friendship between Japan and the United States.