I’ve shown one of these houses back in the day. They are so phenomenal, especially because this is what they look out on:

They are from 3437 – 3453 17th Street, NW in Mt. Pleasant. A friend asked me recently if I would ever move out of Petworth. I think it would be very unlikely but if I somehow came into possession of one of these homes, I’d have a very tough time turning it down…

Different angle and a closeup after the jump. (more…)

Photo by PoPville flickr user *tinadelarosa

Hello PoP fans! Amy from Free in DC guest posting here. I’m really excited to have a chance to share some highlights from my site here with you. I’m hoping to show you a side of DC that doesn’t always get a lot of attention which is what I think makes this city great. DC may very well be the best city in the world for free things to do. I see DC as a super cool and creative city that offers lots of wonderful things to do that don’t much, if anything, to enjoy! Each Thursday, I’ll highlight arts, culture and consciousness related events happening Thursday – Sunday that I consider most interesting and will share them with you all here on Prince of Petworth. So, without further ado… I am happy to share with you some suggestions for this eve and this weekend!

Tonight, the Fridge hosts a special Art Show at their super cool space in Eastern Market featuring the work of Incarcerated Youth from 5-7pm. It’s also the final weekend for the DC Environmental Film Festival and the G40 Art Summit where you can catch lots of art, free performances and lots of free film screenings and discussions. Tonight, there are also two amazing fundraisers happening for great causes, one  at the Chi Cha Lounge for Green DC supporting Planting Empowerment from 6-8pm, details here, and the other at The Black Squirrel in Adams Morgan, where my friend Emily, who is racing in her first Triathlon, will be raising money for the Ulman Cancer Fund from 6-8pm with live music, details here. You can read more about the Green DC event here and more about Emily’s event here.

During the day this weekend, you can also check out free yoga classes at Unity Woods locations and you can also see free Film Screenings on Tibetan Buddhism at the Freer and Sackler Galleries in affiliation with their current exhibit, In the Realm of the Buddha, which is now offering free tours at 1pm daily. You can also check out the Annual Kite Festival on The Mall this Saturday and find other happenings at the Smithsonian here. On Sunday, I invite you all to Get Trunk! which will be featuring a DJ and jewelry from my friend, Deidree Bennett of MiSHi, at Napoleon in Adams Morgan from 3-6pm. There will also be a rally/ celebration in Malcolm X/ Meridian Hill Park from 2:30- 6:30pm to Support the Drum Circle, which was halted last Sunday after park police said that the group needed to have an official permit for this weekly informal gathering that has been taking place for years.

During the eves this weekend, you can check out Art, Beats and Lyrics this Friday night, though that is likely to be pretty packed and you need to RSVP and get there early to get in, or head over to the closing reception for This is Our Body in Takoma from 6-9pm and the opening reception for a new show at the Hamiltonian on U St Saturday night from 7-9pm. After that on Saturday night, you can head to Crab’s Claw House Show featuring live music from my friends in the band Mother along with two other acts. Sunday night you can meditate with IMCW or check out some live music at BloomBars or live classical music at NGA.

Whatever you do, hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

Want more ideas for low cost and free things to do in DC? Visit Free in DC or follow @FreeinDCBlog on twitter.

Anyone interested in a once a week rental porn post?

This one is located at 750 3rd Street, NW:

View Larger Map

The Craigslist ad says it is a 2 bed/2.5 bath. You have to look at the photos here.

It’s yours for $4854 per month.

Photo from PoPville flickr user fromcaliw/love

“Dear PoP,

On my walk home today from the gym in Columbia Heights I was confronted twice by two different groups of teens (ages 12 – 16???) asking for money. I believe one was trying to get new uniforms for a basketball team; I didn’t listen long enough to find out what the other was for.

The method is always the same– the teens are carrying a plastic crate, typically filled with nasty boxed candy. I’ve been approached outside DC USA, Giant, the sidewalks of DC, and tonight they knocked on my front door. Sometimes they have a lamented card with a pre-written speech; other times they show some type of “ID.”

I donated a few bucks once and in return got a box of stale chocolate and caramel chews. Now I politely tell them I’ve all ready donated and they normal walk away.

Are these groups legit? Do people donate? I’d like to think these teens are doing something productive and staying out of trouble. A part of me wonders where the money ultimately ends up.”

I too have wondered if these groups are legit. I’ve actually seen them get kicked out Target on a few occasions. I actually feel bad for the little kids. I’ve seen small kids maybe 10 years old making this approach. Does anyone know if these fundraisers are ever legit?

The great shot above was taken by Wake Up The Giant. And below is another cool shot from the National Marathon by *tinadelarosa.

Submit your photos via email or to the PoPville flickr pool here.

This home is located at 2803 11th Street, NW:

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The flier says:

“Totally charming bayfront Victorian in Columbia Heights. 3 BR’s and 2 FB’s. Gracious entry and grand staircase. Generous room sizes. Separate dining room. Updated table space kitchen. Excellent condition with great character and lots of period details. Beautiful hardwood floors and high ceilings. Fenced rear patio. Walk to Columbia Heights Metro and Target.”

You can find more info here and a virtual tour here.

Well 11th and 13th Streets, NW are some of my favorites streets so I was really looking forward to take a peek inside this one. It’s got some great bones though I was sad to see the fireplaces closes up. What do you think of the house itself? Does $629,000 sound reasonable for this 3 bed/2bath?

It has been almost a year since I noticed DC Noodles opened up at 1410 U St, NW. A friend who works nearby says it is fantastic. You can see their menu here. Any fans?

And for the curious you can see their controversial mural here.

Photo by PoPville flickr user Hoodsweatsh

Griffin & Murphy, LLP, is a boutique law firm in Washington, D.C. concentrating its practice in real estate law (including development, finance, leasing, zoning and condominium conversions), as well as estate planning and probate, civil litigation, and business law. The attorneys of Griffin & Murphy, LLP are licensed to practice law in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. Griffin and Murphy, LLP was founded in 1981.

Please send any legal questions relating to real estate, rentals, buildings, renovations or other legal items to princeofpetworth (at) gmail (dot) com, each week one question will be featured. You can find previous questions featured here.

Question:

POP- I’ve really been enjoying the legal questions you’re posting and definitely appreciate the efforts of the folks at Griffin and Murphy. This question actually involves my home, which you’ve featured here before.

My wife and I moved into our Manor Park row house just a little more than a year ago. It had been recently, although less than perfectly renovated. We bought thinking this could be a long term home, rather than a rest stop along the way to something bigger or better. We currently have three good sized bedroom and two full baths. My mother-in-law lives with us, so this is perfect… at least for now. The home is really lacking three things, 1) storage space, 2) a half bath and 3) a third full bath. Given that the size of the house is, in Goldilocks’s verbiage, “just right,” we knew that any additional space would have to come from outside, rather than from found space on the inside. Fortunately our home was built with a 5′x10′ “court off the back of the house. Our place is simply to enclose this court, gaining 50 sq. ft. of space on each if the three levels.

We are nearing the end of the design phase of the project and there is one issue we cannot seem to figure out. Before we began we hired an architect and began the project we consulted with the zoning office and with the permitting folks who agreed that our project was permissible. Our architect has confirmed that. In our area we are allow to build on the property line. When we discussed the project with our neighbor, he thought it was an excellent idea, but expressed concern at our plans to remove a relatively small brick privacy wall between our properties, replacing it with one of the addition’s load bearing walls. The wall was constructed such that exactly 1/2 is on his property and 1/2 is on ours. This is clear from upon observation and is clear on our survey. He informed us that his mother had had the wall built in 1973 and that it has sentimental value to him.

So, our problem is, we really like this neighbor and want to take his feelings and wishes into consideration during the process. Our architect and structural engineer are confident that we can simply build our addition on top of this existing brick wall, but that there are some remaining property-line issues. We can certainly construct the addition on top of our half of the brick wall, but it would be necessary to install metal flashing (this is thin metal meant to prevent water from getting between the old brick wall and the new addition wall. Most home have this for example over an exterior doorway or widow). This would in no ways alter the usability or function of his property and would barely be visible.

We haven’t presented this option to him yet, mostly because we are dreading the outcome. We really don’t want a fight, but this addition is well within our rights. So, what should we do here? What are our options? If he does agree to the above proposal, is it necessary to seek an easement for this purpose?

Also, a related question, how do people work on rowhouses like this? We will need access to his property in order to install the foundation for the addition, as well as to sheathe and side the house. Is there a given easement that allows this, or is that something I will also have to negotiate with the neighbor? Thanks!

Answer after the jump. (more…)

DC photographer and blogger Pat Padua tooked this shot at DC’s Eastern Market.  Join the LOOKDC photo pool.

Eastern Market © Pat Padua 2010

This is the bar to be located at 116 Rhode Island Avenue NW that we talked about at at the end of Feb.. Unfortunately still no word on the other bar, Rustik, hoping to come to Bloomingdale. But the owners of Boundary Stone had an open house Wed. evening. Thanks my friend Sean for sending some details:

Owners
Gareth and Matt Croke and Colin McDonough
They live in Bloomingdale
One of them won last years city paper’s best bartender in dc award…

They will be pursuing a Tavern class alcohol license.
They have applied for sidewalk patio seating.
They may try to turn a tiny side alley into patio seating.
They anticipate opening in January 2011.

sample menu
Salads and Starters
Edamame
Deviled Eggs
Quesadilla
Chicken Tenders
Proper French Onion Soup
Tomato Soup
Mixed local greens salad.
Caesar Salad

Sandwiches and Entress
Turkey Club
Cheeseburger
Veggie Sandwich
Grilled Cheese
Salmon
Raviolli
Steak Frites
Grilled Chicken

They are seeking signatures of those willing to support the project to demonstrate neighborhood support to the ANC. There will be an electronic form forthcoming.

Sounds great. I’ll be sure to post document seeking signatures of support when it becomes available.

I’ve seen the occasional car fire in an alley. But this is the first couch fire I’ve seen. Thanks to dullshick for uploading to the PoPville flickr pool. Unfortunately no location was given. Totally bizarre.

Aside from Malcolm X/Meridian Hill Park, when the weather gets warmer one of my favorite things is eating/drinking outdoors. With all the new places opening up I’m wondering if there are any new favorite spots. Eatonville at 14th and V Streets looks like it could be a winner.

For the record my favorite roof deck remains Local 16 (16th and U Streets, NW).

I got two separate tips from readers that I’m guessing are related. First a reader writes:

“I was on the 70 bus on my way home and there was one cop on the scene and an older black man was sprawled out on the side of the road [Ed. Note: Georgia Ave but no side street was given] in front of a grocery/liquor store (I was looking at the man). FYI. I’m sure there will be a police report soon.”

I have not seen an MPD report yet. Another reader writes to my PoPville twitter feed:

“strange black helicopter circling around Georgia and Irving for the past 15 minutes. (Pretty sure it’s real, too…)”

The “Pretty sure it’s real, too…” part cracked me up. But obviously something very serious happened. The incidents took place around 6:30pm Wed. evening. I’ll update as more info becomes available.

But I found this storm cover to be mesmerizing. I don’t know if it was the light of day but it was almost glowing. It’s located just north of Malcolm X/Meridian Hill Park.

Photos don’t really do justice to this one because the top moves. But you can see they did plant some nice flowers around it.