No, “off the market” does not mean “sold,” or even “under contract.” The condo, at 18th and S, is simply no longer for sale. I happen to know they got at least one good offer, so my guess is Rod and Patti decided this wasn’t the best time to be transferring assets, given his precarious legal position. I wonder if they’ll try to find tenants. Take it from me, potential Blago lessees, it’s not so bad.
You are currently browsing the monthly archive for September 2009.
Tags: Blago Condo
Over the past few weeks I’ve noticed that several businesses have spruced up exterior walls with murals. Wall art generally isn’t a new trend. D.C. saw several Shepard Fairey Obama portraits last year and there are other random murals all over the city (e.g. alley by Logan Hardware, the cowboy in Adams Morgan, Alice in Wonderland Wizard of Oz on P St., guys putting up wallpaper on 14th St.). I’m sure there are dozens that I have never even seen. But the new murals seem to be business-related, rather than works of art separate from the store or restaurant inside. I can’t think of other murals like these, except the Madam’s Organ Mural (a classic).
For example, la Madeleine, on 30th and M St. in Georgetown, recently added this:
Here’s the north exterior wall of Luigi’s Restaurant, on 19th St. between L and M:
City Dogs on 18th St. near T added this little guy (dreaming of dog bones and fire hydrants?):
I have really been enjoying the wall art. The murals are well done and it’s fun walking around and noticing new art popping up in unexpected places. The murals express a certain playfulness. Or, as la Madeleine puts it, a certain:
Tags: City Dogs, le Madeleine, Luigi's, Murals
POSH Consignment is opening soon on 18th St. between S and T. I’m glad to see some retail go into the area, which up until now has been mostly restaurants and hair salons. There are a number of empty retail spaces along that stretch so I hope POSH’s arrival starts a trend. I have high hopes for POSH. It’s list of acceptable and unacceptable items matches my own. Diane Von Furstenberg, yes, Jessica McClintock, absolutely not. Saks is in, JC Penny is a no-go. Well done, POSH.
Apparently the owners are opening a few stores at once. Prince of Petworth posted that one is opening at 9th and U. Although, the POSH website only mentions a Dupont Circle/Adams Morgan location, which I assume is the 18th St. store. Are there more?
Update: apparently Prince of Petworth got the location wrong and has since updated the post to give the correct location. There’s only one POSH. For now, at least.
Tags: POSH
Claude Taylor Photography is having a “Help Claude Pay for His Trip” sale. Buy any four photos, framed or unframed, and get the fifth free. Four photos may seem like a lot to buy to get a freebie, but these pictures make great gifts. They also look good hung in pairs. Taylor’s travel photos seem to be a staple in the homes of Dupont residents– I don’t know anyone who’s lived here over a year that doesn’t have a few. If you still need to pick some up, now’s the time!
Tags: Claude Taylor
Good news! The Dupont Circle Plant Thief seems to have ceased his/her thievery. For now, at least. Since the resident of this basement apartment demanded that the Plant Thief leave the resident’s plants alone a month ago, two more plants appeared and have stayed put. They look like basil and chives! Hope springs eternal, basement apartment dweller. Good luck!
Tags: Plant Thief
The National Book Festival is tomorrow, and there is a great group of authors coming to the Mall. I imagine that John Grisham, David Pelecanos and Jodi Picoult will be big draws. (I met Jodi Picoult and her husband a few years ago at a presidential primary debate party in New Hampshire, without really knowing who she was. She’s charming! Very nice and funny.) Gwen Ifill will be there, for the politicos. And Paula Deen, y’all! I love her. You can find the full schedule and map here. But! There are a few you definitely shouldn’t miss. They are:
Kay Ryan, 12:00-12:45 p.m.
Kay Ryan is the Library of Congress’s Poet Laureate. I saw her give a reading last year and she was great. She’s also in The New Yorker with some regularity. Her new book is The Jam Jar Lifeboat, which I haven’t picked up yet. At left, Say Uncle, a good one. See a few samples here.
Junot Diaz, 3:35-4:05 p.m.
I really loved The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. I read an excerpt of it in the Summer 2007 fiction issue of The New Yorker and was hooked. It’s about a family from the Dominican Republic that immigrates to New Jersey (or I think just the mom is from DR, and the kids were born in N.J.). In any case it’s an enthralling, fast-paced look into the lives of the family members and how they deal with each other, and New Jersey. I have no idea what Junot Diaz is like in person, but the book is very funny and has some great punchy lines. Even if he’s not funny and punchy in person, I’d love to hear him talk about writing those lines, along with his thoughts on family and Dominican culture.
Marilynne Robinson, 3:45-4:15 p.m.
I love Marilynne Robinson and Gilead is one of my favorite books. (Thanks for the recommendation, MK!) It is beautifully written and full of slow, contemplative observations about living a good life. Robinson writes from the point of view of an aging pastor in Iowa, who sends letters to his young son about his daily life. It’s not plot-driven, but every page is a pleasure to read.
I have a huge problem with Junot Diaz and Marilynne Robinson being scheduled at overlapping times! If it were me, I’d go to Junot for 15 minutes or so and then head over to Marilynne.
Judy Blume, 5:00-5:30 p.m.
Fudge-a-Mania and Are You There God, It’s Me, Margaret. Enough said, she’s a classic.
Tags: Judy Blume, Junot Diaz, Kay Ryan, Marilynne Robinson, National Book Festival
Eola, a new restaurant on P St. between 20th and 21st (where Mark and Orlando’s used to be), opens today. Eola serves contemporary American cuisine, and looks to be more upscale than most places on P St. It’s likely the only restaurant with a tasting menu, anyway. (Except, of course, for Obelisk.) I peeked in yesterday and it looks comfortable and inviting. The walls are a soft yellow and and feature photography from local artists. Eola is owned by chef Daniel Singhofen, who is new to the D.C. restaurant scene.
Tags: Eola
Women Empowered Against Violence (WEAVE), one of D.C.’s foremost service providers for survivors of domestic violence, announced today that it is closing its doors. This is a huge loss for District residents in need of these services. WEAVE is currently the only D.C. organization that takes a holistic approach to problems faced by domestic violence survivors. Not only does WEAVE provide legal assistance to women seeking civil protection orders, but it also offers counseling, financial planning and education services. WEAVE also extends its legal assistance to immigration, custody and divorce issues. The idea is to address all the challenges women face in overcoming domestic violence so that they can make a clean break.
Unfortunately, WEAVE’s work will end by 2010. The closure announcement cited a decline in charitable giving and “shifts in government priorities” for the funding shortfall that is causing the shut-down. In past years WEAVE had received $800,000 from the D.C. Office of Victim Services. Back in July, sensing the city’s financial strain, WEAVE urged its volunteers and donors to contact City Council members to ask for their continued support of domestic violence services. Despite these efforts, the Council made significant cuts to victim services programs (along with a whole host of other cutbacks) and WEAVE lost its funding. Fundraising from private donors could not close the gap.
I have been volunteering with WEAVE for years, and I am heartbroken that they are closing. The staff is wonderful and has been providing an invaluable service to the D.C. community since 1996. Well done, WEAVE, we’ll miss you.
Update on 9/26: WEAVE has launched a fundraising site to keep it afloat. Visit www.saveweave.org for more information or to donate.
Tags: WEAVE
Last night I tried a few new recipes from “Cooking with Nora.” Nora Pouillon, that is, owner of Restaurant Nora at Florida and R St. and the chef behind its tasty New American cuisine. Nora uses seasonal, local ingredients and the recipes in the book are easy to follow. She is also the force behind the Dupont farmers’ market! The book is organized into four-course menus by season (I did not cook a four-course meal, however). Even though we’ve had some cooler weather I decided on a menu from the “summer” section, because the ingredients featured in the summer menus are still in season.
I chose ten tomato salad to start, which is what it sounds like: ten kinds of tomatoes, plus basil and a balsamic vinaigrette with a little garlic. Then, grilled shrimp with mango-avacado relish and watercress. This also includes a generous dose of cilantro, my favorite herb. For dessert, peaches in red wine with mint.
Nora’s book is great for a few reasons. First, the recipes are simple but not too simple– Nora definitely seasons her food well. Second, Nora’s book gives nutritional information for each recipe and seems to be all-around healthy. She’s light on the butter. Third, the pictures are beautiful and she gives suggestions on how to plate things. Finally, she recommends wine pairings, which I haven’t paid much attention to so far but could prove helpful. I’ve attended a few wine tastings but spent more time socializing than listening, so I still don’t know much about wine.
The food turned out great! See my photos after the jump.
Tags: Cooking, Nora Pouillon, Restaurant Nora
A tipster pointed out this message on top of a metal fence post on New Hampshire Ave., between Corcoran and R St. I have a few questions. 1. Is this actually a love letter, or is it more of a breakup letter? 2. Was Emil present at the writing of the message? 3. If not, did the author expect Emil to come upon the message? We’ll probably never know, but I hope the outcome is a happy one for Emil and everyone else involved. Oh, and it’s unsigned! Would Emil even know who the author is? Intrigue!
Tags: Love Letter