PoPtrekker Vol. 1
03 February 2009 10:32 PM | By Prince Of Petworth in Neighborhoods - Petworth, Petworth, PoPtrekkerEvery now and then you just got to try something new. What is life without a bit of risk, yeah? So welcome to a new video feature called – PoPtrekker. PoPtrekker was inspired by the PBS program globetrekker and I thought, hell, I should do something like that around DC. And here we are. As this is the first episode it is a bit rusty in spots and was pretty much filmed all in one take and for the most part was improvised along the way.
This is a joint Prince of Petworth/Intangible Arts production. My man IA did some great filming/editing and I’m grateful for his time and skills. If you have places you’d like to see featured on PoPtrekker feel free to shoot me an email. Currently this will be a monthly feature but if folks like it, I’ll make it a weekly feature. PoPtrekker Vol. 1 takes place at Rock Creek Church Cemetery.
Follow PoP on twitter
Join the PoPville Flickr pool
03 February 2009 11:07 PM | Mr. T in DC Said:
Well done! Looking forward to more of these (and a big Globetrekker fan). A few points about Rock Creek Cemetery: the most famous artwork, the Adams Memorial, by Augistus St. Gaudens, is very, very hard to find. Other famous residents include Upton Sinclair, Tim Russert, Evalyn Walsh McLean, Christian Heurich, and Douglas Allison, an early baseball player. I have photos of most of these gravesites in my Cemeteries set on Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mr_t_in_dc/sets/72157603805546658/
03 February 2009 11:08 PM | Anonymous Said:
Love it! I actually learned something: I can take my dog there. I’ve always wanted to jog through Rock Creek Cemetary but thought it might be disrespectful or something.
03 February 2009 11:09 PM | Prince Of Petworth Said:
Just to be clear, this is not an “official” dog park or anything, but folks do bring their dogs here…
04 February 2009 5:55 AM | Morgan Said:
I like it. I say weekly. I love that park…er cemetery.
04 February 2009 6:17 AM | IntangibleArts Said:
But we never found Wonder Bread Dude!
04 February 2009 7:47 AM | Jimmy D Said:
Montgomery Blair is also known for being the pro bono representation in the Dred Scott case. He lost, but big ups for fighting that one.
04 February 2009 8:30 AM | u street girl Said:
Haha Mausoleum door of the day….
One question though, is Prince of Petworth’s shortened nickname “PoP” pronounced “pop” like the music or “P. O. P.” with each letter sounded out? I always pronounced it P.O.P. and now I’m realizing I might have been doing it wrong?
04 February 2009 8:56 AM | Kalia Said:
I can’t watch this video cause work blocks it, but we like to walk the dogs there because it is so quiet and there aren’t many people or cars in there. There are tons of different paths to take so you can always change up where you go. There are also some really amazing things to see in there like the art work on the tombs and stones, as well as the wildlife! If you haven’t gone through you should def do it at least once!
04 February 2009 9:01 AM | Anonymous Said:
Good work, and please keep it up!
04 February 2009 9:04 AM | Anonymous Said:
rad. make it weekly and include some interviews!. Like seeing a pic of the hitching post is cool. but a short vid with an interview with the owners and a shot of the wings. and washing it down with a beer. now were talkin. POP Bourdain!
04 February 2009 9:04 AM | Geezer Said:
Great feature with lots of popTential, especially if the Prince interacts with living neighborhood denizens in future productions. Could be fascinating and beautifully cringe-worthy. Thanks.
04 February 2009 9:18 AM | Anonymous Said:
more videos in general. for instance. Robyns peice about adams morgan would have been 10 times more awesome if it included a video of fights and puking in the streets. and come to think of it her kickball peice would have been awesomer if it had video of all those tool bags playing flip cup at adams mill after the match. lol. the possibilities are ENDLESS!
04 February 2009 9:34 AM | Wordwitch Said:
Um…P.o.P??? The name of that church is actually “St. Paul’s Episcopal Church”…NOT “St. Episcopal Paul’s”!!!
But you did make me laugh quite hard…..
Cheers.
04 February 2009 10:10 AM | Matt G Said:
There are signs that say dogs are allowed but bicycles aren’t. Like Anon 11:08 alluded to, I wanted to jog in there but there were no signs saying it was or was not allowed. So I have jogged in there a few times, but always early in the morning or evening, so I would encounter the fewest people. Anybody ever get a straight answer if youre allowed to jog or not?
04 February 2009 10:20 AM | eva Said:
Very cool video — I’d love some more!
Also, I second u street girl’s confusion: I’ve been calling you P-O-P (albeit in my head) for a while now.
04 February 2009 11:02 AM | Nita Said:
Great video…I vote for more! And it may just be me, but I think with the sunglasses PoP kinda looks like Kevin Costner. (And I’ve been calling him Pop in my mind, not pee-oh-pee.)
04 February 2009 11:13 AM | saf Said:
Overall, I think this is a great idea.
I do have to second wordwitch’s comment.
Also, while today it is unusual for people in the US to think of a cemetery as a park, that has not always been true. For many generations, cemeteries were indeed also parks, and in small towns and much of the rest of the world, that is still true. (See also Congressional Cemetery.)
Howard Auster was Gore Vidal’s longtime partner – 50+ years.
04 February 2009 11:46 AM | springroadintoaction Said:
Bad-ass video guys. Great idea! And props to IA for mad editing skills.
04 February 2009 11:58 AM | Mt P Said:
PoP – You were close to the sculpture by Augustus Saint-Gaudens, sometimes called “Grief,” in the shot of you in front of the church. As you walk toward the church it’s off to the right in section E behind a grove of bushes. The parish website has a map of the cemetery – http://www.rockcreekparish.org.
There’s an interesting little section of the cemetery down by North Capitol Street that seems to be set aside for graves of individuals of the Russian Orthodox faith. Also another area set aside for State Dept. foreign service officers. All in all it’s a fascinating cemetery.
04 February 2009 12:28 PM | Odentex Said:
It’s more than a rumor PoP, Gore Vidal lived with Howard for 30+ years until he (Howard) died. Their are Koi in that frozen pond and white-tail deer that also live in there.
Oh… and I cannot believe you went to RCCC and didn’t video the Adams Memorial! That’s the most famousist thing there (other than me when I’m walking the dog there).
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bootbearwdc/13912211/
04 February 2009 12:51 PM | Anonymous Said:
Yum — where can I break me off a piece of the PoP?
04 February 2009 1:53 PM | Kay Said:
I know it was a bright sunny day, but you should have removed your sunglasses – just a thought.
04 February 2009 2:54 PM | schweeney Said:
Starting with Mt Auburn cemetary in Massachusetts a movement toward the landscape or gardent cemetary…
“Our founders believed that burying and commemorating the dead was best done in a tranquil and beautiful natural setting at a short distance from the city center. They also believed that the Cemetery should be a place for the living, “embellishing” the natural landscape with ornamental plantings, monuments, fences, fountains and chapels. This inspired concept was copied widely throughout the United States, giving birth to the rural cemetery movement and the tradition of garden cemeteries. Their popularity led, in turn, to the establishment of America’s public parks.” http://www.mountauburn.org/national_landmark/history.cfm
Oak Hill in Georgetown is also from the same movement.
04 February 2009 3:53 PM | future PoP attorney Said:
Did you use the low angle to make you look taller?
04 February 2009 5:47 PM | Jim Said:
Great job, PoP! More videos, please.
04 February 2009 5:54 PM | Dave Said:
I really enjoyed this. Who would have thought a cemetery tour could be entertaining?
04 February 2009 6:05 PM | Lauren Said:
lol @ mausoleum door of the day
04 February 2009 6:07 PM | Anonymous Said:
Clearly, PoP is not an Episcopalian. But good video, nonetheless.
04 February 2009 6:12 PM | Anonymous Said:
You do sort of get the feeling PoP would rather be somewhere else. Somewhere else with a wet bar. The PoP tour is sorta like spending the afternoon with your disinterested cool uncle who only agreed to take for the afternoon because he needs to borrow money from your mom to buy a beat up Porsche or start a goat farm in Northern California. You enjoy the tour and all, but you know that Uncle PoP would rather be in Vegas hanging out with showgirls.
04 February 2009 8:08 PM | IntangibleArts Said:
Anon: Not true! There were showgirls in the cemetery but I had to edit ‘em out for time reasons. Maybe we’ll stick ‘em back in for the BONUS FEATURES of the PoP DVD…
04 February 2009 10:14 PM | peaceyall Said:
not sure if this was meant to be funny, but it sure was! would love to see more tours of random places.
05 February 2009 10:30 AM | Nat Said:
I’d enjoy this video a lot more if I actually understood what was being said. It’s not you, it’s me. I’m deaf but I really enjoy checking out your blog. Perhaps you could somehow put in a transcript of what was being said in the vid? That’d help a great deal.
Thanks!
05 February 2009 1:14 PM | Oregonian Said:
great video!
more on Evelyn Davis:
http://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/management/2003-04-27-shareholders-davis_x.htm