Photo by PoPville flickr user AWard Tour

“Dear PoP,

I keep reading accounts of people being attacked on sparsely populated Metro trains (late at night, on weekends, etc) – it seems like occurrences are becoming more and more frequent as reported on Police Department listservs.

Metro keeps reporting budget crunches, and I’m sure criminals and petty thieves know MetroTrains are easy venues for their activities, since Metro Police can’t be in every car, or even on every train.

Whenever I’m on Metro late at night, I always choose to enter a more populated car, but can we take our protection to the next level by collectively occupying the first or last car of each train – say after 8pm?

You know what they say – safety in numbers! How could we organize such a publicity campaign, or has something like this been attempted in the past?”

That’s why the Guardian Angels ride the metro. From the MPD listserv:

Friday August 28, 2010 aapproximately 8:20 pm Guardian Angels was patrolling
the green line from Annacostia to Gallery Place. When the doors opened up at
the Navy Yard stop, three males approximately 20 years old, were engaging in
a loud, heated argument. The three males began to fight. Guardian Angels
rushed in to stop the fight. The males were very aggressive. The Guardian
Angels had to detain the three males and call Metro Police. When the train
arrived at L’Enfant Plaza Metro Police took one male into custody for simple
assault and disorderly.

Honestly I ride the metro (including the Green line) quite frequently late at night and have never felt uncomfortable. There have been some highly publicized fights (featured on this blog) but I’d say they are still rather rare. I’m not saying I’m a tough guy, maybe I’ve just got lucky, but it’s always been fairly uneventful (perhaps some yelling and music but no fighting).

Anyway, what do you guys think – does riding the metro late at night make you feel uncomfortable?

Would you like to see a campaign to fill the first and last cars for safety or something like that? If so how would you recommend that campaign be launched? In cooperation with WMATA?

Photo by PoPville flickr user christopher.poole

Your captions in the comments and winner picked Friday. I’m pulling for mel this week!

“Dear PoP,

While my dog and I were hiking in Rock Creek Park this weekend — not far from where Military Road and Beach Drive come together — we stumbled upon this historic gravestone just a few yards off the main trail. It has a cross etched in at the top, along with the letters “F.P.S.” and the date “Nov. 15, 1888″.

I sent a note to the Park Service to see if they knew about this one, and am still waiting to hear back.”

Very cool. Anyone know the history behind graves in Rock Creek Park? I’ve heard there is a proper cemetery as well.

Perhaps I should just call this one – yard of the day. But the afternoon light in Cleveland Park was amazing. I particularly liked how this tree was looking:

I love these two houses from the U St/Shaw area. Which do you like better?

If you have an event, fundraiser or happy hour you’d like featured on the 5pm Post, please send an email to princeofpetworth(at)gmail(dot)com and please include ’5pm post’ in the title.

So says ANC 4C Chair Joe Martin. He writes on a few Listservs:

“I spoke to the owner of Pleasant Pops over the weekend. They are one of the vendors in the Petworth Market.

Pleasant Pops is looking for a store front in Petworth to call home. Please share your thoughts.

If you have any suggestions or support the notion, please write:
http://www.pleasantpops.com/contact”

This is a no-brainer – they should move into the old Beveragemania spot at 849 Upshur St, NW. Right?

“Dear PoP,

I was wondering if you had heard anything about the new Indian restaurant opening at 1700 Pennsylvania NW soon – they’re supposedly opening in the space on Pennsylvania between the Wachovia and the parking garage. There are some permits posted on the door but I can’t find anything about it on the Internet. My coworkers and I are chomping at the bit waiting for this place to open and I was hoping you had heard something!”

I checked this place, Spice Indian Bistro, out on my Sun. walkabout hoping to bring you good news. Alas, when I peeked in the window, it seems a lot of work is still left before it comes anywhere close to resembling a restaurant. Ed. Note: When I was peeking in the window and taking photographs this is one of the few buildings where the security guard immediately came out and asked me what the hell I was doing (nicely). I’m not sure if it is because of proximity to the White House but A+ for that security firm. It looks like the space was formerly the lobby or offices to a lawfirm so if I had to guess I’d say there’s still at least another month or more of build out before they open for business. I’ll be sure to update when that happens.

Back in the day, I was once lucky enough to be invited over for a “best spot for a morning cup of coffee” coffee at this Columbia Heights home. I recently walked by it again (near today’s GDoN home) and I had to pause to appreciate how sweet it is again. Thought you guys would like it too.

Thanks to PoPville flickr user pablo.raw for uploading these great shots of Rev. Rob Hardies blessing pets at the All Souls Church Unitarian on 16th and Harvard St, NW.

This rental is located at 2824 Devonshire Pl NW:

View Larger Map

The Craigslist ad says:

“-Updated Kitchen, Gas Stove, Hardwood Floors
-Water, Gas, Electric INCLUDED, Summer AC Fee ($50 per month per AC unit)
-Additional Storage Available, On-Site Manager, Vending Machines, Coin Operated Laundry”

Does $1420 sound reasonable for this 1 bedroom?

Photo by PoPville flickr user Rukasu1

“Dear PoP,

who the hell is doing fireworks? It is driving me crazy to find out and google searches or websites do not help. From my top floor window I saw a professional fireworks show I think on july 2 or 3, it was right before the july 4th fireworks, and recently I just saw it again, big professional show. From where I am it looks like it is in the National Harbor or Nationals Park areas but neither of their websites say anything about it, I checked both times that I have seen them. Got any idea? Id love to find out so I can know when they will be done so I can watch them : )”

Hmm are they coming from Nationals home games? You know when a home run is hit? Or is it a bigger show than that? Anyone know?

Photo by PoPville flickr user dcjabbour

Submit your photos to the PoPville flickr pool here. Follow PoPville on twitter here.

Photo by PoPville flickr user caroline.angelo

Image courtesy of DDOT

Forgot to mention this from Friday. From DDOT:

Building off the existing Georgetown Metro Connection route (also known as the “Blue Bus”),which already boasts nearly 40,000 riders a month, the Dupont Circle – Georgetown – Rosslyn Circulator line will begin service on Sunday, August 29. The new DC Circulator line will operate from 7 am to midnight Sunday through Thursday, and from 7 am to 2 am Friday and Saturday.

“The ridership and demand for this route is already here and we already subsidize it, so it made sense to make it part of the Circulator system,” said Director Klein. We are looking at multiple locations throughout the city for expanding the system and look forward to launching additional routes in 2011.”

“The Rosslyn Metro Station has the highest number of entries and exits in Northern Virginia per day at over 36,000 on average and is among the top 10 stations in the Metrorail System,” said Board Chair Fisette. “Since the ‘Blue Bus’ started, more than four million riders have used the service connecting Arlington with Washington. The Circulator’s takeover of the route is a testament to the successful partnership formed in 2001 between the Rosslyn and Georgetown Business Improvement Districts and the DC and Arlington Government to launch the route.”

DDOT is currently conducting a comprehensive study to guide the expansion of the Circulator system over the next five to ten years. That includes an ongoing collaboration with neighborhoods east of the Anacostia River to determine the best route for a new line in this location. This planning effort will be completed this fall.

Other Circulator Service Changes after the jump. (more…)

This home is located at 3610 Rock Creek Church Rd, NW:

View Larger Map

The flier says:

“Wow – stunning doesn’t do this one justice! gorgeous wider plank hardwood floors, high ceilings w/ crown moldings, recessed lighting, top of the line chef’s kitchen w/ granite, stainless, cherry cabinets, breakfast room leading to huge shaded deck, over-sized garage, fully fin lower level 1br in-law suite, & all only 2 short blocks to metro!!”

You can find more info here and photos here.

Does “stunning do this one justice”? Does $564,900 sound reasonable for this 4 bed/3.5 bath?

Perhaps someone put something in my coffee but the video above has blown my mind.

Another reader would like to know what app you guys recommend for your iphone:

“Dear PoP,

I’m the proud new owner of an iPhone. One of the functions which pushed me from “that’s neat” to “I so need that” was access to real-time bus and metro information. Now I’m a little flummoxed about which of the many DC transit apps are the best, and am curious about which are your readers’ favorites. Important functionalities to me are real time arrival info, and being able to look at stops/routes on a Google map (especially for bus, since as far as I’ve ever been able to tell that type of information is provided nowhere else by WMATA).”

From a WMATA Press release:

Metrorail customers can now get real-time next train arrival information by phone, in addition to online and via web-enabled mobile devices.

Customers may simply call Metro’s Customer Information phone number, 202-637-7000, and say “Next Train.” They then will be prompted to say a station name or enter the first four letters of the station name to hear when the next trains will arrive at the selected station within a 20-minute window.

For stations that serve more than two Metrorail lines, such as Gallery Pl-Chinatown, L’Enfant Plaza and Metro Center Metrorail stations, customers will be prompted to say or enter the Metrorail line color they are traveling on such as “Red Line” or “Green Line.”