Monthly Archives: February 2012
First Look at Sushi Para in Van Ness
Although Van Ness residents could alway revel in a “Taste of Pleasure” for their sushi, there was considerable excitement when Sushi Para entered the market. The Chicago sushi chain announced its entrance into the DC market right in the middle of Van Ness and nearly across the street from its biggest neighborhood competitor.
Sushi Para has been open for two months and has received, at best, mixed reviews. Some buzz surrounding the restaurant includes excitement for its $22 all you can eat sushi special (you need to ask for it). Other buzz has centered on hit-or-miss food quality and service. We have heard more than a few negative comparisons to Spices in Cleveland Park, which is admittedly a tough act to follow for a new restaurant.
What have you heard about Sushi Para? Have you had a good experience there?
Cleveland Park Condos (February 29, 2012)
Good view of the kitchen in this 1-bedroom at 3616 Connecticut Ave. This condo is 731 square feet.
What’s it take to own property in Cleveland Park? For many young professionals this means taking a look at the condo market along Connecticut Ave. Regularly, we will be looking at the price level of condos available in Cleveland Park. Our survey area will be all condos for sale with a Connecticut Avenue address from Macomb to Tilden.
Total properties: 13
Median days on the market: 101
Total 1BR: 10
1BR price range: $159,000-$409,000
Median 1BR price: $349,000
Total 2BR: 3
2BR price range: $374,000-$675,000
New property spotlight:
None – we had 3 active listings go pending this week, including a $649,000 2-bedroom at 3883 Connecticut. It will be interesting to see the final sales price.
Best Cleveland Park Nail Salon?
It seems like every couple of months an empty Connecticut Ave. storefront is filled with a new nail salon. (In fact, we recently suggested seven businesses we’d like to see open in Cleveland Park, in case anyone was out of ideas and tempted to open up another nail salon.) But even with four options in a two-block strip, I’m still not sure I’ve found my favorite. Maybe that’s because two (Toe Tally and Cleveland Park Day Spa) have the same owner.
So what do you think readers? Vote for your favorite Cleveland Park place to get a mani/pedi. I’d love to see your favorite manicurist/pedicurists in the comments!
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Envy My Food – Edition #3
Welcome to out weekly feature Envy My Food. Each week we hope to share a wide array of restaurant food from Washington, DC.
Want to contribute to the fun? You can join our Flickr group, @CleveParker on Twitter, or send us an email with your picture. Bon Appetit!
Sushi assortment from Spices
Photo credit: Jonas Salone (via Flickr)
French toast brunch at Ardeo + Bardeo
Photo credit: tedeytan (via Flickr)
Green salad from Ris
Photo credit: laura padgett (via Flickr)
Macaroni and Cheese from Boulevard Woodgrill – photographer blog
Photo credit: eamadowns (via Flickr)
Mushroom, chèvre & pesto omelette from Le Pain Quotidien
Photo credit: viviannguyen_ (via Flickr)
Cleveland Parker Interviews Ripple’s Alison Reed
Chef Alison Reed, Ripple
Ripple pastry chef Alison Reed was kind enough to entertain our random assortment of questions last week. Here’s some highlights. Thanks for your time Alison!
CP: Other than trading endless Nelly and Jay-Z for endless Cake and Beck, what’s the biggest difference between your current role at Ripple and your experience at St. Ex?
AR: Ripple is significantly larger than Saint Ex and more focused on fine dining. This gives me the opportunity put a more sophisticated touch on the desserts that I make for the dining room … and the chance to open up the market is going to be such an amazing experience.
CP: What excites you most about your new employer?
AR: Growing as a pastry chef among an amazing new work family and opening the market
CP: We think you got robbed in the Eater’s Hot Chef contest. Clearly Goldian wasn’t messing around with her picture, did they not give you the glamour shot option?
AR: Haha, I didn’t find out about the contest until 5:00 that day, I had no option as to what picture they chose, it came from Thelistareyouonit.com.
CP: We hear you support sustainable food and ingredients. Does this make your job more difficult as a pastry chef?
AR: Between Logan and I we use what is local and sustainable (and available) at the time. Sometimes it can be difficult depending on the season. Looking forward to spring and summer that is for sure!
CP: So what’s this mystery bakery all about…you can tell us we’re trustworthy…
AR: There is really no mystery, we are just refining our lineup of goodies for your eating pleasure
CP: You do lots of volunteer work with DCPS, what’s your favorite moment there?
AR: I worked with Ross Elementary for the past 3 years, we brought a farmer in from Rocklands Farm during DC Farm to School Week, he brought a real chicken in to the classrooms and it was so amazing watching the children’s reactions. They also got to name him Peanut as well. You feel good even making a small difference in these kids lives.
CP: How about some rapid fire?
Best wine at Ripple: Grochau Cellars “Commuter Cuvée” Pinot Noir 2010 (Willamette Valley, OR)
Best cocktail at Ripple: ”You’re killing me” (Smalls gin, orange, luxardo amaro, Riesling)
Pastry Chef Hero: Emily Luchetti ( I worked under her during my externship at Farallon in San Francisco) she is a great influence to look up to
Best DC neighborhood (be careful here….): I am a 14th Street/U street girl at heart, but I must say I am really getting to love Cleveland Park, a nice change of pace.
You follow us on Twitter. Thank you. Other than us… favorite Twitter follow: Anthony Bourdain has some great pics and hilarious posts, but I tend to follow any restaurant in DC and NYC food news.
Tweets from this Weekend – Cleveland Park Style
Our weekly installment that takes a look at tweets from in and around the Cleveland Park area over this past weekend.
Oh dear…
From @kmoc13
Quebec House Cleveland Park bar crawl continues…
Shocking… from 70 to flurries…
From @davefeinman
brief flurry here in Cleveland Park
Have seen the car parked many times on Conn between Porter and Rodman…
From @donaldtaylorii
@mathewlesko sighting. Clue car in Cleveland Park heading south on Connecticut Ave.
Cleveland Park photo love…
@siegelonthefly
Cleveland Park #chillin http://t.co/EfZDqTBy
Did not know, putting high on the list…
From @cpuptowngirl
Did you know you can get pizza by the slice at @DCPalena Market? http://ow.ly/9i06P #Noms #ClevelandPark
Yup, it’s an excellent and long overdue service added some time ago…
From @mike_lock
@firehook_bakery in Cleveland Park has WiFi now? When did I miss this??? #productivesunday
$900,000 Real Estate in Cleveland Park
Here’s a really nice property pending sale in Cleveland Park. The location is 3200 Porter St NW, Washington, DC. The asking price is $900,000 for this 3 bedroom + 2 bedroom in-law suite. From the listing agent
Elegant and pristine 3 bedroom, semi-detached home plus a gorgeous, renovated 2 bedroom in-law suite. This open floor plan creates functional flow and is great for entertaining yet allows cozy gatherings at the living room fireplace or quiet times with a book in the sunroom, on the deck or in the screened porch. At the hub is an open, table space kitchen with ample work space and room to gather around the counter and breakfast nook.
This is a unique property blocks from the metro and significantly below $1 million. It’s only been on the market for 21 days and, not surprisingly, already has a contract pending…
My favorite things are the property are its outdoor spaces…
and the open concept.
Check out a 360 degree tour of the house. This property is listed by Marjorie Dick Stuart.
This week in the Cleveland Park Listserv
So wait … Listserv is making poor UDC sponsor posts to get word out about its great season?!…
“The UDC Firebirds basketball teams play their last home games this Wednesday night at the Van Ness campus… Cleveland Park Listserv Sponsor.”
Cleveland Park Listserv Sponsor — hahah just kidding…
“I am posting this for a friend who has suddenly lost much of her sight. She needs someone very honest and reliable to help her sort her mail, pay bills, file, etc.”
Is the issue the fines or sneakiness of the camera…
“Is there a petition to sign in support of current fines — and more cameras? I’d love to sign one: If you don’t want to pay the fines, just don’t speed! I hope someone will create such a petition if one does not already exist.”
This is disturbing, but remember the cool tag on the Exxon station (“Up here Silly“)…
“Over the past month (or at least since Metro closed the street level elevator), I’ve noticed graffiti popping up in multiple areas in the neighborhood. I am very disturbed that this seems to be escalating.”
#insertsocialmediatooljoke
“I’m looking for someone who can give me a several hour tutorial in using social media tools.”
Ugh sadly this is becoming a burning question…
“Would anyone recommend a security system for a single family home? Thanks for your suggestions.”
Bike Riding Options from Cleveland Park
With no snow in sight, it seems that cycling season may be starting early this year in Cleveland Park. I already noticed a lot of people out and about this weekend. Here’s a few of my favorite trails (and a couple new routes I want to try). All can begin in Cleveland Park.
1. Rock Creek Park Trail South (Start on Porter Street; out-and-back paved trail takes you to Georgetown)
2. Rock Creek Park Trail North (Start on Tilden Street; out-and-back street trail takes you to the Maryland line)
3. Rock Creek Park Trail to Capital Crescent Trail (Start on Porter Street; 20 mile loop)
4. Cruise the Mall (Start on Rock Creek Trail headed south, follow the solid red line on this map to see the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Memorial, and Tidal Basin)
5. Circle the Capitol (Start on Rock Creek Trail headed south, follow the blue trail on this map down Pennsylvania Ave. to the circle trail around the Capitol)
No bike? No problem. You can rent bikes at Connecticut Ave. & Newark St. NW. If you’re new to cycling, Washington Area Bicyclist Association has some fantastic resources on bike laws, bike safety, and bike commuting.
Cleveland Park Mentions
What’s the world saying about Cleveland Park this week? Find out every Thursday in Cleveland Park Mentions…
From Washington Post’s Lifestyle section…
Yellow perch, a small treasure
“Long a champion of local and sustainable products, the chef-owner of Dino, the rustic Italian enoteca in Cleveland Park, was rhapsodizing about a delivery of yellow perch on its way to him. The small fish had been caught in a Chesapeake estuary just the day before.”
From Washington Post’s All We Can Eat blog…
More than 20 Local Chefs, Restaurants are Beard Semifinalists
“Among the other local nominees are Palena’s Frank Ruta and Birch & Barley’s Tiffany MacIsaac, who were selected as semifinalists in the outstanding chef and outstanding pastry chef categories respectively.”
From The Express…
Produce Results
““I’m the unhealthiest person,” 48-year-old Andrea Thimm proclaimed during a visit to Hawthorne Homemade last week. But her presence at the new rustic market and juice bar near her house in Cleveland Park is an attempt to change that.
From David Klion’s blog…
DC Metro Stations, Ranked
“Cleveland Park: 91″
From The Daily Meal blog…
101 Best Restaurants for 2012
“87. Palena Café, Washington, D.C.”
Daily Deal for Half Off at Lavandou
Cleveland Park’s own Lavandou has a daily deal today offering 50 percent off your next meal. You can choose the dinner ($25 for $50) or lunch ($15 for $30). In a somewhat unique twist, the restaurant also offers 15 percent off a subsequent visit, something that would be great for Cleveland Parkers. You have until June to a take advantage of the promotional value of this deal.
Palena’s Frank Ruta up for James Beard Award
Good news for Palena’s chef and co-owner Frank Ruta who was recently one of twenty chefs nationally (and the only in DC) nominated for outstanding chef by the James Beard Foundation. Ruta who got his start in the Carter White House, has been with Palena since its opening in 2000. After Palena opened, accolades came quickly for Ruta as he received the Best Chef honor from Food and Wine in 2001. In 2007, Ruta won the James Beard Best Chef Mid-Atlantic award. Since the restaurant’s expansion into the old Magruder’s space it has received renewed recognition.
Other Cleveland Park highlights include Ardeo + Bardeo owner Ashok Bajaj, nominated for outstanding restaurateur.
Check out all James Beard nominees for 2012.
