DSCN6527, originally uploaded by Prince of Petworth.

I knew this week’s entries were going to be tough to chose from. It was so tough I have to pick a winner with a couple of honorable mentions. Please email me directly so I can get you PoP t-shirts.

Winner from KB:

“… and on the drums, Chief Red Eagle!”

Honorable mention from Sully:

“Did you hear the one about the Indian, the Grim Reaper, Mary, Jesus, St. Michael, John the Baptist, Queen Elizabeth, and Charlie Chaplin?”

Honorable mention from mtpopfan:

“I know their methods are unorthodox…but they’re the best damn super hero team this city’s got!”

DSCN6575, originally uploaded by Prince of Petworth.

Props, of course, go to Som Records on 14th Street.

Ed. Note: Som Records is an advertiser on PoP. The selection of album cover of the week is in no way influenced by their advertising. I simply love their selection of album covers. As always reader submitted album covers are not only accepted they are encouraged.

DSCN6482, originally uploaded by Prince of Petworth.

Though, I think this might just be a big piece of driftwood.

DSCN6435, originally uploaded by Prince of Petworth.

You can almost smell the Mediterranean Sea if you look at these numbers long enough.

DSCN6465, originally uploaded by Prince of Petworth.

These are located on the hill halfway between Mt. P and Cleveland Park on Porter. They remind of the Berkshires in Mass.

I’ve shown the one below before but I thought this angle of how the home fits onto the hill was pretty sweet:

This one is located at the 1400 block of Rhode Island Ave, NW. This one is a bit different from the others in that it only has one curb cut. Do you like this example any better than the past ones?

Here is the one from Woodley Road.

Here is the one from Mt. Pleasant. (Incidentally, I think someone mentioned earlier in the week that one of them is for sale. If someone can find the sales listing I’d appreciate it.)

Here is the one from P Street.

This has to be the greatest name for a Deli. It’s brilliant.

When we spoke about the development at 14th and Florida Ave, NW last week one commenter mentioned the Solea on the northwestern corner. So I thought put it up for judgment.

So what do you think – thumbs up or down? Another angle plus the famous Latino Auto Sale Sign after the jump. (more…)

I’m digging the night shots. This one near Dupont Circle was taken by jcasimir.

Submit your photos to the PoPville flickr pool here.

Barnard Elementary will be hosting an open house for families interested in the school on Feb 19th at 5 pm.

This home is located at 1200 G Street, SE:

View Larger Map

The flier says:

“ADORABLE VICTORIAN ROWHOUSE WITH LOTS OF WINDOWS AND LIGHT! GOOD PHYSICAL CONDITION BUT NEEDS KITCHEN, UPSTAIRS BATH. WHAT A GREAT CONDO ALTERNATIVE! YES THIS IS A HOUSE NOT A CONDO!”

More info and photos found here.

The reader writes:

“It obviously needs work (like, um, a kitchen), but it seems like even if you put in $100k (which seems high) it would be one of the least expensive 2BRs in the area. But I don’t know the neighborhood that well–does sketchy stuff happen at the gas station next door? And has anyone ever lived near a gas station–does it suck as much as I could imagine it would?”

Hmm, I’m not too familiar with this area so I’m hoping some of the Hill folks can help out with describing which neighborhood this actually is. This is a pretty small house at 490 square feet. Does $259,900 for this location sound reasonable for those in the know?

Selam is located at 1524 U St. NW. I once had drinks there and it was a great experience. There was a very international cafe type feel. Doing a quick search I saw that the Post did a feature on them a couple of years ago highlighting their music scene:

“In the past year, though, Selam has been growing under the radar, luring DJs from some of the city’s better-known clubs and dance parties to spin in the intimate basement space, whether for one night or for a monthly residency.”

So any fans of the music scene and/or the food?

Like Nichole mentioned in her post about Jimmy T’s, sometimes I too feel like I take the city for granted. I remember when I first moved here I was excited to visit all the monuments and museums and do all of the touristy things that you stop making time for once you’ve been in town for a while. I loved spending time downtown, marveling at Lincoln and Jefferson, admiring the waterfalls in the FDR memorial, or trying to convince a friend to go paddle-boating with me in the Tidal Basin. After a while these activities lost their luster, and most of the time I don’t really think about the fact that the city we live in is sort of a big deal. Then the Cherry Blossom Festival happens, or Fourth of July rolls around, or, you know, the President gets inaugurated.

On January 20th, I joined the masses on the mall and spent a few hours freezing my butt off in the shadow of the Washington Monument and I remembered that in my four years in DC, I have never made it inside. So this week, in honor of its namesake’s impending birthday, I decided to take the “official” tour.

After an uncharacteristically boring ride down 14th Street on the 52 bus, I stopped into the Washington Monument Lodge, (in the monuments eastern shadow) at 15th and Jefferson to pick up my free ticket. I made it just in time for the 10am tour and ran up to the front entrance to get in line. If you have the opportunity, it’s probably the most pleasant to go on a week day, when you won’t have to battle long lines and crowds. During busy season, people start lining up as early as 7am and tickets frequently run out early in the day, but you can always reserve them ahead of time for $1.50 each. Continues after the jump. (more…)

IMG_1833, originally uploaded by Prince of Petworth.

PoP contributor Eric Nuzum envisions his breaking point.

Everyone has a breaking point. Everything is normal, then something so absolutely annoying happens that you lose your shit. For Bjork, it was being photographed after a long flight to Taiwan. For Johnny Depp, it’s slow hotel room service. Postal workers, that dude in the movie Network–we all have that point. Hell, Lou Dobbs has made a career out of being outraged every weeknight at exactly 7pm.

Though it has yet to happen, I know the precise thing that will someday drive me into a batshit crazy rage: watching people fumble through using the “Pay Here” machine in the DCUSA parking garage.

I think my intolerance comes from my own abilities to execute this simple task. In all humility, I’m like a kendo master of the “Pay Here” machine. Even with a bag in each hand, I can insert the ticket, insert my dollar, grab my ticket, and step aside–all in less than 18 seconds. If both hands are free and I have a dollar coin, I can get it done in less than 12.

Spend three minutes hanging around the P1 elevator lobby at DCUSA and I think you’ll agree that I am the exception.

Now, for those who plan to give me grief for driving from Petworth to DCUSA, let me remind you that we live in a city where driving a car (an occasionally necessary evil, admit it) is an exercise in misery. Journeying to the “come on in, there is plenty of space”-ness of DCUSA’s garage is cathartic. It’s worth a melted iceberg or two just to have the experience.

Admittedly, part of me understands why the “Pay Here” machine might blow a few minds, as the DCUSA garage sends out screwy signals from the minute you drive in. How can someone spend tens of millions of dollars on a garage, yet fail to consider that entering and exiting on the left might confuse people? DCUSA usually pays a security person to stand there all day, just to keep folks from entering through the exit ramp. At least that guy doesn’t need to worry about the waxing and waning of the economy.

When it comes time to settle up and head out, most people look at the “Pay Here” machine like it is quantum physics equation, like it’s an elaborate puzzle or riddle or something. Overwhelmed looks of confusion abound. However, in a world of complexity, the “Pay Here” machine is really one of the simplest, most straight ahead exchanges one could have all day.  Continues after the jump. (more…)

02-12-09_1158, originally uploaded by Prince of Petworth.