Why Gentrify?!

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9M7WZi_D37I&feature=related]

Earlier in April, U Street welcomed yet another chic boutique to its retail arsenal. Dekka, owned by husband and wife team Joshua and Luciana Titkin, is the District’s first and only co-op that features fashion, art, and music. The boutique is located at 1338 U St NW, 2nd Fl. To read more about it check out this and this.

For more information about DEKKA contact Luciana Tiktin at (202) 486-6204.

In a beautifully-designed and updated space, DEKKA is both wholesale and retail-oriented. Customers visiting the DEKKA showroom can shop for unique apparel and accessories, view paintings from local artists, and browse music from independent artists. Fashion, art, and music - magically combined under one roof.
Wholesale buyers can, in turn, shop exclusive pieces for their retail needs.

I have been looking at this strange piece of art that suddenly appeared a not too long ago in this lot that is popular with the homeless just off U Street, on 10th Street NW, behind the Chinese carry-out, next to the green Bratton Realty house. It looks like some Col. Sanders type thing. I wish I had taken a picture of it before it got BROKEN, but I didn’t want the residents of the lot to get paranoid.

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I am a huge fan of this mural on the side of the True Reformer Building (1200 U St NW)! I’m impressed every time I see it. Apparently it was created by G. Byron Peck in 2004. The man in the mural, of course, is the legendary Ben Ali…naw, just kidding, it’s Duke Ellington! This is my favorite artwork on any building that I have seen. What’s yours?

Since I use the 10th Street entrance at the illustrious U Street/Cardozo/African-American Civil War Memorial station, I was completely ignorant to the vibrant, super cool mural at the 13th street entrance (now of course I’m envious).  But, there is some really nifty artwork at that entrance, as I discovered on my way to the Rite Aid on U and 13th after a trip to Dupont Circle on Saturday. (more…)