The Express has a good article about the new restaurants coming to Columbia Heights as a part of the DC USA development. Honestly, I’m a bit envious that they (i.e., Columbia Heights) have a Potbelly Sandwich Works. Don’t ever let me hear they get a Chipotle! That would be like rubbing salt in the wounds. I know U Street is full of “unique” spots and all, but a Chipotle somewhere in the corridor couldn’t hurt…
I didn’t have the opportunity to check out the 14&U Farmers’ Market on its opening day of its new season here at the corner of the Reeves Center and U Street (why can’t they stay open until at least 2 pm?… sheesh!). But, funny blogger, Herb of DC did, and he has some great pics and amusing commentary. Who knew the farmers’ market could be so political? Check out Herb’s post!
Looks like they have some good stuff, why oh why was I at the Columbia Heights’ Giant, then? I don’t quite get this rhubarb and strawberry pie thing that I keep hearing about.
It was a beautiful Saturday, indeed! I do a lot of errands, grocery shopping, and walking around on Saturdays. So, while I was back at Columbia Heights’ DC USA, I decided to finally check out the much-panned Marshalls; the place was talked down before it even arrived. I didn’t have high hopes to begin with, but it didn’t even meet those expectations. First off, I have never liked Marshalls at all. Ever. Anywhere. But, with a little patience, I can tolerate it, if I find something worthy of purchasing. Heck, over the years, I’ve acquired a couple items of clothing from a Marshalls or two (I can deal with Ross a wee bit more, just a wee bit). But, this one, located on the lower level of DC USA, was really depressing. It seemed smaller and more cluttered than your typical huge Marshalls. The so-called shoe “Mega Store” seemed like a total bust. I was expecting rows and rows and walls upon walls of shoes everywhere–that’s what mega store brings to mind for me. The furniture, knick-knack, and other stuff was just there, seemingly out of place and not enticing. And, most importantly, the clothing was soooo unimpressive. I took a gander at both male and female clothing, just because I was that disappointed; I had to see everything. But, there were enough devotees shopping in there, so I won’t totally denounce Marshalls. If you are really pressed to shop at a Marshalls and scour the place for a “bargain,” while squeezing past other customers in aisles that are waaayy too small, go for it. I don’t think I’ll be going back. Any one have a more favorable impression of the Columbia Heights’ Marshalls?
REGISTER TO VOTE
Saturday, April 26, 2008
11:00am to 4:00pm
Metro:
Jennifer Garay was last seen Friday afternoon in the area of 14th and Irving Streets in Columbia Heights. Garay is a Hispanic female. She is 5 feet 6 inches tall, and weighs approximately 200 pounds. She was last seen wearing black pants and a black shirt.
Anyone who has information about her whereabouts is asked to call police at 202-727-9099.
With the 40th anniversary of the assassination of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I couldn’t help but reflect on how strange it is to be living here in the U Street Corridor, which 40 years ago was burned and destroyed, leading to decades of blight, stagnation, and despair. Since I began kindergarten, in a state far away, I learned about MLK. I always admired him, and it seemed so sad and so wrong for him to have been killed. I believe he was a brave, upright man who simply wanted to get this country on the right trajectory which can only happen when there is equality and justice for all of its citizens. But, never has his life seemed so real to me than now. I’m living in a 107-year old house in the nation’s capital, in a neighborhood known as the “Black Broadway,” surrounded by so much history, both incredibly positive and incredibly sad. I cannot even begin to imagine witnessing U Street through all of its changes, from its heyday, to its destruction, to the “scary” aftermath, to its new reincarnation as a gentrifying neighborhood. It really has hit home that the life and mission of MLK was so important to people’s lives that they rioted for three days and that pretty much everything I see on a daily basis is linked to what happened 40 years ago. The “stories” that I’ve heard in passing, from longtime DC residents, are real. I don’t condone rioting, but these things can happen when people’s hopes are dashed and they perceive tragedy to always be a given for their lives. The emotions were real, no doubt.
The rioting began at 14th and U Streets, just blocks from me. Rioting that devastated major areas of DC, U Street, Columbia Heights, Shaw, the H Street Corridor, etc. It is so sobering to realize how grand and integral these neighborhoods were prior to the riots, only for them to be decimated and neglected for decades, still not quite “back” to form, never to be quite the same. I cannot even begin to imagine witnessing U Street through all of its changes, from its heyday, to its destruction, to the “scary” aftermath, to its new reincarnation as a gentrifying neighborhood.What would these neighborhoods be like today if they had never been burned? What if the rebuilding had happened sooner? What if no rebuilding or gentrification ever took place? Where is DC headed…can it really accommodate people from all walks of life? I don’t have any answers, of course. But, it is just so surreal to be living here, amidst the “change,” and knowing that things have been better and also so much worse. I just hope that situations in DC (or anywhere) never become so bleak that its citizens would rather see it torched. History is really crazy. Some things definitely should be learned from and not repeated.
From Council Member Jim Graham
Dear Friends:
Beginning Monday April 7, warning tickets will no longer be issued for violating the new parking restrictions in Columbia Heights.
DDOT worked very quickly to implement new restrictions to protect residential parking prior to the opening of Target.
To give residents time to learn about the changes, I required warning tickets to be issued for the first 30 days. This warning period ends Monday. Real tickets will soon be issued for all violations.
As a reminder, some enforcement may have been premature. If you received a ticket for a new restriction during the warning period, or know someone who has, please contact me for the ticket to be voided.
For more information please visit www.grahamwone.com/parking
27 March 2008
Subject:
Dear resident:
As you know DDOT has been spending time reviewing the public realm plans for
Last week, we held a meeting with the Columbia Heights Public Realm Project Community Leaders group to provide a briefing on the status of the plan and its implementation. The community expressed deep concerns over DDOT’s proposal to incorporate the plan without the curbside extensions along
After much discussion and review, DDOT has determined that it will proceed with the Columbia Heights Public Realm Plan and will include the
DDOT will continue to meet with the community on a regular basis throughout construction to discuss and review schedules, construction and traffic plans to ensure minimal impact to the residents and businesses in the area.
Sincerely,
Emeka Moneme
Director
District Department of Transportation
Best Buy, the electronics retail giant, will open on Wednesday, March 26, at 6 PM in Columbia Heights’ new mall DC USA. I’m pretty happy. Best Buy is a great place to buy some many things, like cameras, mp3 players, software, cell phones, televisions, etc., so this store should generate almost as much excitement as Target, but not quite as much because that would be sacrilegious and utterly wrong. Just wait until the next Black Friday. All of DC USA will be a total chaotic mess! Can you imagine hordes of bargain hungry people packing the stores at 4 am and lines of people streaming out of the mall? It’s going to be ugly! That’s my prophecy. I don’t know that Sibling and I would be willing to brave that mess.
It had to have happened on that crazy Red line! On Saturday, I was returning to the sanctity of U Street from Dupont Circle. I know that I had my SmarTrip card for the Metro, and I boarded a Red line train marked “Silver Spring.” I transferred at Gallery Place, went down to the lower level to wait for a Green or Yellow line train. I got on a Yellow line train (I’m always excited when I can take a Yellow line train to U Street since they only run on off peak hours or the weekends, foolishly), and when I stood to get off at U Street, I instinctively reached for my SmarTrip card, which I keep in a plastic holder clipped to my belt loop, which, gasp!, was not present. I was so stunned, I stayed on the train until I got to Columbia Heights (there’s a good little gap between the U Street and Columbia Heights Metro stations, no?). I got off, and rode all the way back to Gallery Place and Dupont Circle to retrace my steps and search for my card in vain. (more…)
