Monthly Archives: March 2012
Friday Traffic in Cleveland Park
The center of Cleveland Park was clogged with traffic for much of the day today. You might guess that the source of this congestion was throngs of people pouring into the Tiger Mart for MegaMillions tickets. Sorry, that’d be a wrong guess, you’re clearly spending too much time look at your Twitter feed. The source was much more banal … the continued water main project along Porter St. By 3PM things were starting to clear up some.
This Week in Cleveland Park Listserv
One of the best parts of our neighborhood is the small town atmosphere that the Cleveland Park Listserv helps to create. Each Friday we will pull out some (possibly out of context) gems from the Listserv to share with our neighbors and friends. We hope these outtakes of the neighborhood news will get you ready for another great weekend in Cleveland Park!
I think most people support … until they receive a ticket …
Mayor Gray has said that his goal is to blanket the district with speed cameras. That sounds like a terrific idea; I think it would be lovely to live in a city where everyone drives the speed limit.
So if you want to pry this from my daughter’s hands, let me know…
My daughter found (and fell in love with) a small beaded change purse today in the Hearst Park tot lot. If you can tell me what it is shaped like and what was in it, I am happy to give it back to you.
Way to set the record straight! Also, is this beat down Martin Austermuhle week or what?!
In 2008, there were reports on this listserv about the escaped loof lirpa and the ninja cyclist… Well, they are all in the news again this week. Today, in his Washington Post blog, “Coyotes, bears, deer and the loof lirpa”, Martin Austermuhle incorrectly credits the National Zoo, when we all know it was Bill Adler who broke the news about the loof lirpa.
You mean Cash-4-Gold isn’t fair?!…
Can anyone tell me where in the DC area I can get a fair price for some old gold rings I no longer have use for?
A rare miss for the Apple empire…
In late January I purchased an Apple TV for $100 which has never been opened or used. Apple’s return policy is only for 14 days. I am willing to sell for $75.
Get them a basketball hoop instead…
I’ve been looking for a relatively inexpensive table for two tall kids (7ish years old) — not tall enough for the adult table, but way too big for the toddler type tables. This is for them to do art projects and homework on.
Whining Problems in Ward 3…
It’s time to ban gas-powered leaf blowers in the District of Columbia. In the past, this message might have been more appropriate in the fall, during leaf blower season, but now gardening companies deploy leaf blowers all year round, sometimes in teams of two or more, making it hard to work, use the phone, or even think.
Cooperative urban gardening… we love it!…
I have a half box of asparagus crowns ready to plant, for free. First-come, first-served.
Cleveland Park Mentions
What’s the world saying about Cleveland Park this week? Find out every Thursday in Cleveland Park Mentions…
From Washington City Paper’s Housing Complex blog
What the District’s Building in the Next Six Years
“Other libraries are in luck…Cleveland Park and the Palisades got a few million dollars each for scopes of work for their own upgrades.”
From DCist blog
An Editorial Aside: The Great Chick-Fil-A Controversy of 2012
“So I was surprised when Dean Gold, owner of Cleveland Park’s well-regarded Dino, quickly took to Twitter and Facebook to chastise us for saying chicken lovers should “rejoice” at the news of the new addition to the city’s vibrant food truck scene. “Fck em,” he tweeted…”
From the Washington Post theBUZZ
Crowds turn out for ‘The Hunger Games’ opening night in D.C. area
“Tickets for “The Hunger Games” sold out at AMC Loews Georgetown. At the Uptown Theater in Cleveland Park, the line of mostly pre-teens and college students wound around the block.”
From CBS Local
Best Nachos In DC
“Alero: In their simplest form, nachos are just tortilla chips topped with cheese, but as you will soon realize, D.C. area spots can serve up nachos with toppings to transform this dish into something much more exciting than that.”
From Washington City Paper’s Young and Hungry blog
La Forchetta Vows To Topple 2Amys As D.C.’s Highest Neapolitan Temple
“Restaurateur Hakan Ilhan has taste-tested all sorts of artisanal pizzas around town. “2Amys, in my opinion, was No. 1,” Ilhan says, referring to Peter Pastan’s uber-popular pizzeria in Cleveland Park. Yes, Ilhan is speaking in the past tense. Like any confident operator of a brand-spankin’ new gourmet pizza joint, Ilhan boldly asserts that the pies at La Forchetta, scheduled to open April 2 in Tenleytown, will set a new high watermark for Neapolitan-style craftsmanship in the District.”
Cleveland Park RAMMY Nominees
This 2012 RAMMY finalists have been announced. This year, Cleveland Park venues are featured in 4 of 16 categories. Ripple is the overall standout, earning two nominations. Last year, the neighborhood’s only nomination went to Dino for Wine Program of the year (Taberna del Alabardero, Gustavo Iniesta won).
RAMMY Finalists from Cleveland Park
Rising Culinary Star of the Year: Logan Cox, Ripple
Pastry Chef of the Year: Alison Reed, Ripple
Wine Program of the Year: Dino
Restaurateur of the Year: Ashok Bajaj – Knightsbridge Restaurant Group (Ardeo, etc)
Complete list of 2012 finalists
Congratulations to all RAMMYS finalists. The awards ceremony / fund raiser will be held on Sunday, June 24.
Cleveland Park Condos (March 28, 2012)
Inside a 422 square foot 1-bedroom newly available at 3616 Connecticut Ave
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.
The cheapest 2-bedroom went off the market this week at, it had a list price of $375,000. It was replaced by a new 1-bedroom condo featured below.
Total properties: 12
Median days on the market: 43
Total 1BR/studio: 7
1BR/studio price range: $249,000-$409,000
Median 1BR price: $317,000
Total 2BR: 5
2BR price range: $410,000-$675,000
New property spotlight:
3616 Connecticut Ave NW, Apt 206
Built-in bookshelves and parking available at this relisted condo
1 bedroom and 422 square feet of living space
DC United and West End Cinema Deals
DC United at home in RFK Memorial Stadium in Washington DC (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Living in the city doesn’t always have to be so expensive. We love these deals because it means we can enjoy more of the city at the same price. We encourage you to take a look at them and if they provide value to you, jump on it!
Sadly, the US team will not make the Olympics in 2012. Drown your sorrows with a pint and some real professional soccer with DC United at RFK Stadium. Granted, the team has yet to win, but they earned a tie in their last game! Remember that DC United is a franchise with 12 national and international soccer championships to its name. With this deal your DC United tickets are 50 percent off!
West End Cinema – 2 tickets for $11
If you have not been to the West End Cinema yet, we highly suggest that you check it out. It is DCs newest art-house movie theater and we think its a great addition to the community. At 23rd and M, it’s not the easiest to get to from Cleveland Park, but, hey, it’s spring! To give you an idea of what the West End Cinema runs, they are currently playing the documentary Undefeated, animation Chico and Rita, and La guerre est declaree. I like West End Cinema as a good alternative to E Street Cinema.
Ok that’s it for today, feel free to share great urban living deals with us. DC United and West End Cinema are just a start.
Envy My Food – Edition #7
Welcome to out weekly feature Envy My Food. Each week we hope to share a wide array of restaurant food from Washington, DC. Our first full month of this feature – hope you’ve enjoyed!
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!
Veggie Sandwich from Sugar Magnolia
Photo credit: Cleveland Parker (via Flickr)
Aztec Cheese Enchilada from Co Co Sala
Photo credit: Sherrinemae (via Flickr)
Udon Noodle Soup from Java Green Cafe
Photo credit: Robert Dennis (via Flickr)
Georgetown Cupcakes
Photo credit: Platipus329 (via Flickr)
Potstickers from Mandu – photographer blog
Photo credit: AK_Wong (via Flickr)
Bus Stop Parking Tickets
Last week, we got a series of emails from Porter St about the new bus stop in front of 2501. It seems that during the construction of the new crosswalks on Porter, the bus stop sign was moved into areas where residents usually park. This seems to have been done without the proper signage to mark off a new bus stop area. Worse still, the signs from the old bus stop area remain in place, preventing parking in that space as well. Sadly, the bus cannot use this old space because of the newly installed crosswalks.
ANC3C Commissioner Richard Steacy informed us that DDOT is aware of the problem, yet will not have anything fixed for 10-15 business days. This seems ridiculous since this is an easy fix that should have been completed immediately upon movement of the stop, AND a 311 request regarding the stop seems to have been made on March 6.
For those of you who received tickets, we apologize… that sucks. Steacy says, “I would certainly urge them to challenge the tickets. With photos of the signs in relation to the bus stop.”
Best of luck, and please let us know the outcome. Despite the inconsistency in sign placement, the parking code does seem to have two different bus stop violations. DCMR subsection 2409.3 orders a $100 violation for obstructing a bus zone delineated with signs and 2409.8 is a $50 violations for parking within 20 feet of a bus zone that is not marked by signs.
Poor Porter St. Not only do they have to contend with walking up the hill, but they also have the speed cameras, terrible road conditions, and unfair parking tickets galore.
The new bus stop with one person parked in it
As you can see, the sign indicates the stop is to the right of this vehicle (as it used to be)
A view of the old stop, with the new crosswalk in the middle of it
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.
Lots of “Zip Car” like options now…
From @_newms
Saw so many @car2goDC during my run this AM! Can’t wait to check it out. This guy is chillin in #clevelandpark. http://pic.twitter.com/u5DL7dGr
Definitely some delicious stuff…
From @seespotwaddle
Sugar magnolia @RippleWDC = reason I gain 10lbs this spring. Giant meringue and gf brownies alll mine! #sugarcoma #food #mmm #clevelandpark
Nightmares…
From @Pancakepopple
Someone is whistling the theme to #andygriffith at the #cleveland park #wmata stop, glad to know #drunks revert to #50ssitcoms cognitively.
And the rain no less!
From @adamallabout
The line for Hunger Games at Cleveland Park. #bonkers http://t.co/2DJyACOj
Frozen Four excitement…
From @bcstreetlight
Hanging with BC expats for a night of hockey… Let’s go, Eagles! (@ Cleveland Park Bar and Grill w/ 5 others) http://t.co/Wo6AMtjB
Do drivers have volume control?
From @kcivey
“No Passengers” train through Cleveland Park just now repeatedly sounded loudest horn I’ve ever heard on #Metro. Ears still recovering.
It’s that time…
From @cajunjen
Dropping blossoms in Cleveland Park. http://t.co/DwaMIxXl
Is Floriana Restaurant Owner Opening a Cleveland Park Joint?
Cleveland Park could be adding another restaurant to the fold. Rachel Tapper recently tweeted that her husband, David, would be opening a restaurant in Cleveland Park this June. No word on concept, name, etc, but we’re excited about the possibility of another dining option in the neighborhood. We’ll update you when we hear more.
Their current restaurant is Floriana in Dupont Circle at 1602 17 St. NW.
Sugar Magnolia Opens in Cleveland Park
The much awaited Ripple Market–aka Sugar Magnolia–has opened in Cleveland Park. We noticed varying degrees of social media buzz about the opening, including some very enthusiastic approvals. When we walked in last night it was kind of quiet, definitely more staff than customers, but the menu looked amazing.
The menu includes its featured house-made ice cream sandwiches. These frozen pieces of deliciousness come in six different varieties including ginger cookie, waffle cookie, chocolate wafer cookie, peanut butter cookie, cocoa meringue cookie, and chocolate chip cookie. You can also find a nice variety of baked goods including oatmeal raisin cookies, butterscotch pudding, brownies, chocolate chip cookies, blondies, and house-made granola.
As the market’s slogan, “purveyors of sweet treats and savory snacks” indicates, there is plenty for those of you who shun the sweet. Four sandwiches are included on the menu: veggie, porchetta, smoked mackerel, and prosciutto. Its salad and prepared foods selection includes pate, liver parfait, pre-sliced meats, local potato salad, and marinated beans.
The young boy in front of the store begging his mother for an ice cream sandwich made us realize that Sugar Magnolia is not just another grown-up hot spot; it’s also likely to draw a considerable amount of traffic from those seeking post-zoo treats.
This Week in Cleveland Park Listserv
One of the best parts of our neighborhood is the small town atmosphere that the Cleveland Park Listserv helps to create. Each Friday we will pull out some (possibly out of context) gems from the Listserv to share with our neighbors and friends. We hope these outtakes of the neighborhood news will get you ready for another great weekend in Cleveland Park!
Given recent studies on DC, your best marketing campaign may be “free weed(s)”…
We moved into a house that has an overgrown backyard. We’re starting to redo it and would like to get rid of some of what’s there. If you would like any … please let me know.
Not your average Cleveland Park car…
1994 Jeep Cherokee Laredo; 4 door; 6 cylinder; 156,000 miles. It is in “fair condition” per Kelly Blue Book valued at $1300 for private sale. Asking price is $750; repair records available; AC & 4 wheel drive do *not* work…
Just in time for your summer fiestas…
I have an Igloo cooler in good shape, which just needs a little cleaning. It’s free for the first taker; it’s sitting curbside…
Great initiative! Make a job, don’t take a job…
I am a sophomore at the Maret School and a longtime Cleveland Park resident. I will be on spring break from March 24th to April 3rd, and during that period I am available for dog walking, garden work, or any other odd jobs that you may need assistance with.
Ominous sign?
I used to have goldfinches and other birds in my backyard, near Rock Creek Park. Last week I bought new premium goldfinch food and regular bird food at the Wild Bird Store, washed my feeders, and waited to see birds. So far not a single bird.
Slate Rock and Gravel in Bedrock. Contact Fred Flintstone…
I am looking for custom slate pieces to replace broken parts of front yard pathways. Thanks.
Speaking of the Stone Age…
The CD player in my son’s room broke recently and we need a free or cheap replacement. It obviously doesn’t have to be anything fancy but if you have an extra CD player around your house, I’d love to take it off your hands.
