By brownpau
Thankfully for New Orleans and the Gulf Coast area, Hurricane Gustav was not another Katrina, and the area seems to have come out of the wind and rain mostly intact. Now we turn our sights to the next storm in line, Tropical Storm Hanna, whose projected track hugs the east coast pretty closely, bringing the eye close to, if not directly over, Washington, DC. Continue reading
By Tom Bridge
Peregrine
Originally uploaded by tbridge
When Murky closed their Capitol Hill location had their DC location seized by tax authorities, it was a sad day for DC, losing a great coffee shop. However, from the ashes of Murky rises Peregrine Espresso in their old location. With new fixtures and equipment, some beautiful ceramic-ware, and some of the same faces you might have recognized from the old Murky are running the show here at Peregrine.
The coffee is delicious this morning, and they offer more than just mere coffee: a selection of tasty sodas and pastries (including baguette and jam, which sounds like a great breakfast), as well as granola with yogurt. Coffee comes in One Size, and while one size may not fit all, I don’t see this as generating another controversy like the Coffee Kerfuffle this summer.
Come on down, it’s good stuff.
Peregrine Espresso
660 Pennsylvania Ave SE (just down from Eastern Market)
Washington DC
By Tom Bridge
I suppose we could use this as an opportunity to talk about legalization, or at least decriminalization, but since neither are remotely likely in my lifetime, instead, let’s look at the MPD Officer who was caught getting high in Rock Creek Park. Oops.
By Jonathan
Arlington County Alert system just put out the following warning:
There is a large water main break at N. 26th and Old Dominion Drive. Water pressure will be very low or none at all. Traffic may also be impacted while the break is being repaired.
If you are a Marymount student – I wouldn’t expect there to be water any times soon…
Update:
Arlington just posted this update:
The water is back on for residents in the area of the Old Dominion (at 25th Street) water main break. Some residents will still notice lower water pressure and crews will continue to work to restore full pressure. If residents notice discoloration of the water, they should allow the water to run until clear.
Traffic may be diverted in some area, particularly Old Dominion Drive, pending repairs.
I see you
Originally uploaded by erin m
The Post has a fascinating story (and neat-o interactive feature!) about architectural historian Don Alexander Hawkins’ efforts to reconstruct the topography of Washington, DC as Pierre L’Enfant would have seen it as he arrived in 1791.
Doesn’t sound fascinating? Okay, fair. Maybe I’m projecting. But Hawkins’ project has put him in contact with Dan Bailey, who runs UMBC’s Imaging Research Lab, and together they’re putting together the little record we have of old Washington- old drawings, paintings, and even verbal descriptions in travelers’ letters home- into a painstaking digital model of Washington as it was at the turn of the 19th century.
It’s surprising that so little similar research has been done into the geographical context of the nation’s capital, and these digital reconstructions are helpful visual reminders that even after the Capitol was built (and I had no idea the rotunda wasn’t originally part of the building) and functioning, sheep were still grazing half a mile away.
By Tom Bridge
Christian Guzman
Originally uploaded by Snaptography
Congratulations to Cristian Guzman of the Nationals who became the second player in Nationals history to hit for the cycle!
With a triple in the 8th inning, Guzman completed the cycle, finishing the game going 4 for 5 with 3RBI. Not bad for a team in dead last.
By brownpau
John McCain has announced his choice for running mate, and it’s Alaska governor Sarah Palin.
By Ben H. Rome
Reagan National Apartment
Originally uploaded by buschap
Metro has a present for you Yellow and Blue Line riders this holiday weekend. And no, you can’t re-gift it.
According to this WMATA press release, the track between Reagan National and Braddock Road will be closed for complete rehabilitation over the weekend. The stations, however, will remain open.
Shuttles will be transporting riders between stations every five minutes, but WMATA is warning riders to add an additional 30 minutes to their trip on the rails. The closing begins Friday at 9 p.m., with the expected re-opening of the line on Tuesday at 4 a.m.
By Don
I opened the Arlington county crime report mailing just now, trying against hope to catch up with my backlog of mail, and this was the first entry.
ASSAULT BY MOB-ARREST 08/25/08, 2300 block of N. 11th Street. On August 25, at 3 pm, the victim was walking and was attacked by eight unknown men. Victim suffered minor injuries to his face. Police apprehended one suspect. Cain Guevara, 19, of Arlington, was charged with Assault by Mob, and was held on a $3,000 bond.
Glad they picked up 12.5% of the assailants, but I was just fascinated by the fact that there’s a crime called “assault by mob.” My second thought was “how many people do you need to keep your group down to in order to not be a mob?” If one of them had stayed home with a head cold would they just have been plain vanilla assailants? Turns out two can be a mob:
Any collection of people, assembled for the purpose and with the intention of committing an assault or a battery upon any person or an act of violence as defined in § 19.2-297.1, without authority of law, shall be deemed a “mob.”
Interesting stuff, I think. I’m not sure what the point is; both simple assault and assault by mob are class 1 misdemeanors, so it’s not as if the law makes it more serious by classification.
image “2002 War Protest by choofly”
Kissin’ The Pickle
Originally uploaded by kk+
Tom and I spent the last week in Seattle on a much-needed vacation. Before the trip, however, I was scrambling to figure out how to deal with the four pounds of peaches and ungodly quantity of tomatoes we still had in the house from our CSA adventures. We lost our monster peach harvest from a few weeks ago due to unexpected life-happenstance, and there was no way I was letting a planned vacation cause the same tragedy.
Unfortunately, being new to the eat-local movement, my preservation skills are pretty much limited to… freezing. I have no canning jars, no recipes, no nothing. I made a sauce out of the tomatoes and sliced up the peaches to freeze in quart-sized bags.
So of course it’s THIS week, with all this frozen produce in my freezer, that the Post runs an article on Heather Shorter, proprietress of Jam Tomorrow. She’s renting space in the kitchen of Ray’s the Classics in Silver Spring and will be selling her homemade pickles to restaurants and specialty shops around the area.
Continue reading
IMG_3632b
Originally uploaded by D©Bloom
There are a bazillion photos photos of the Capitol. The dome peeking out through the trees, the dome at night, the dome rising above the city skyline- it’s an easy shot because DC office buildings are height-capped such that none of them may rise to a level “higher than the house of the People.”
And it’s those acres of shots of the Capitol dome that made this photo of the Capitol stick out for me. There are multiple types of architectural and decorative detail in just this one photo, and the only evidence of the dome is the Lady Freedom statue, out of focus in the background. Good eye, D©Bloom, and thanks for sharing this with us.
Have you checked out the We Love DC Flickr group lately? Better yet, have you joined it?
By brownpau
It never ends. It only gets lulzier! We are in receipt of the following alert from alert.ema.dc.gov: Transportation Incident. Disruption at Foggy Bottom-GWU. (All of the station’s entrance escalators are out of service due to mechanical difficulties. Shuttle bus service has been established. The station’s elevator is operational, the station remains open).
We already knew all the escalators were out but if only one is open (not clear from the alert) then that means a possible line outside the station at rush hour like we had on Monday. Click through the jump to see a map of alternative ways home if you want to skip the shuttle bus.
By Tom Bridge
Apparently, the first thieves have tried to get their hands on a SmartBike. It was a complete failure, according to WTOP:
Someone tried to steal a SmartBike from the rack at the Shaw SmartBike location over the weekend, D.C. Department of Transportation spokesperson Karyn LeBlanc says.
“The person came and took the back tire and lifted it – physically lifted it over the rack – in hopes that it would snap the lock,” LeBlanc says.
The rack proved too mighty for this thief, however, and the bike did not come off the rack. SmartBikes are secured into racks by steel locks.
You’re going to have to try harder than that to get one of the SmartBikes…
By Brittany
KRS One, courtesy of Million DJ March
“The Million DJ March is here… The time is now,” says the official website of The Million DJ March a two day event which will be staking out space on the National Mall to honor the hip-hop DJ. On Friday and Saturday, numerous performers and speakers will appear to raise awareness about… the concerns of DJ-Americans, I assume.
Headliner KRS-One writes on the event’s blog regarding the goal of the event that, “Once and for all, the American public needs to hear from the DJ’s in a unified voice. There are questions that the American public has for for the DJ and one of the concerns of the American public, for DJ’s in every medium, is the lack of responsibility that DJ’s show to younger ears. The DJ’s I know care about the public they play for; many of them are responsible parents themsleves. It is not that DJ’s are irresponsible, it is that DJ’s do not speak in one unified voice on anything. By signing your name to this event, among other things, you vow to uphold a standard of excellence in the art of deejaying.”
Remember, you too can hold a big event on the National Mall – just remember to get the permits.
By Tom Bridge
“Hey wait a second. That looks awful familiar,” I said to myself as we wandered the Olympic Sculpture Garden in Seattle. Turns out, it’s one of three of the versions of the sculpture in the world! The other famous one being the one we knew immediately: The National Sculpture Garden on the Mall:
Aw man, and I thought we were a unique snowflake…
By Amélie
tidal basin with paddle boats and monument
Originally uploaded by needlessspaces
Hey travelers, if you’re rushing out to IAD, BWI, or DCA… slow down. There’s a ground hold for take-offs since the FAA’s flight-plan system is now down, in epic fashion. Some airlines and airplanes are being let out on IFR, instrument flight rules, however, instead of backing up the lounges at the airport, check with your airline before leaving your house or other departure point before you head out. Also, web bonus, if you want to listen to Dulles’ (IAD) tower, click here.
By Don
hit me with your best shot, courtesy of feeb
Today’s WaPo has an article about the large uptick in the number of measles cases in the US – the highest in 10 years, with another 4 months to go in the year. It reminded me of my experience this year with the measles vaccine, and I thought I’d share it.
Continue reading
By Brittany
Don't Be Glib
By Ben H. Rome
A School Bus and Capitol Hill
Originally uploaded by Smiley Man with a Hat
Just a friendly reminder to everyone as we head into the final days of summer: school’s back in session, and that means school buses are out in force once again.
If you see the yellow flashing lights, slow down and prepare to stop at least 20 feet from the bus so kids can safely exit and cross the street. You MUST stop even if coming from the opposite direction unless the road you are on has a median – this rule is common to Maryland, the District, and Virginia. Drive safe, everyone.
By brownpau
This gets old really fast, but all three escalators at Foggy Bottom Metro Station are out once again, with only one available to act as both up and down stairs for a rush hour crowd this afternoon. GW Hatchet has details, and as usual, I was on hand to get video:
By 
