Photo by PoPville flickr user pablo.raw

You can talk about whatever is on your mind – quality of life issues, a beautiful tree you spotted, scuttlebutt, or any random questions/thoughts you may have. I’ll open this thread every Monday and Friday. So anything good happen to you this weekend?

Safe travels to those still on the road!

A long time favorite of PoPville, Pho Viet located at 3513 14th Street, NW gets some serious love from the Washington Post this weekend:

What makes the broth from this kitchen so intoxicating is its clarity. If it weren’t for the fine white noodles occupying the center of the bowl, a diner could see straight to the bottom. Dip your spoon into the pale golden liquid, raise it to your lips and taste: Nguyen says it can take 12 hours for her to make the stock, which starts with beef bones and water and develops with onion and ginger, and I believe it. The result is limpid yet rich.

And Pho is arguably the best meal for this weather. I celebrated my Jewish Christmas there and couldn’t have been happier. If you are lucky enough to live within a 1 mile radius – they deliver! (202-629-2839) You can see all their Pho options here.

Photos from DDOT’s Facebook page taken by Alan Karchmer

DDOT writes:

Visitors who approach the District from the south will receive a colorful welcome when the 14th Street Bridge rehabilitation project is completed. The northbound bridge has not opened as a drawbridge since the 1960s, but the Operator’s Tower still stands and is now receiving a much-needed facelift as part of the project. That facelift includes the addition of a dynamic light feature in the tower’s six windows, that will serve as a beacon into the city.

Artist Mikyoung Kim’s kaleidoscope effect design was selected from 122 applications and four other finalists by the DC Commission of the Arts and Humanities (DCAH). Reflective and dichroic acrylic and light kaleidoscopes have been embedded in the frames of the six windows, and displayed with a rotating lighthouse beam. The light feature will be visible day and night.

Photos from DDOT’s Facebook page taken by Alan Karchmer

Woah, this pretty big (burger) news slipped under my radar last week. Rogue States was forced to close their doors back in Oct. due to a burger fumes dispute with a neighbor. Now the Washington Post reports:

“The owner [of the building] plans to build that vent to the roof at his own expense, to replace the controversial Smog Hog scrubber system, and hopes to reopen [Rogue States] to the public around Feb. 1.”

A planned second location is still in the works at 1931 14th St. NW [by 14th and U St, NW] and hopes to open in April according to the Post.

Just last week we learned that Inti Peruvian Restaurant had closed at 1825 18th St. NW. Turns out we already know who is moving into the space – The Cajun Experience DC. According to a recent liquor license application, they will be a:

“Casual restaurant serving Cajun southern comfort foods with a seating capacity for 46 patrons and a total occupancy load of 70. Request a summer garden with 24 seats and entertainment endorsement featuring a DJ, combo band playing jazz and blues.”

Sounds awesome. They hope to open in January.

According to their Web site:

December 2008, during a hard recession in the US economy, a thing most people thought couldn’t be done was born. While sitting in a house in Ashburn, Virginia, Bryan and Melissa Crosswhite finally stated the obvious; Cajun food is what the world needs to experience.

With a few hundred dollars in the bank, and Bryan on unemployment, the couple took on a challange. They decided to test the market to see if people would want this great food which the Crosswhites loved and charished.

Melissa cooked the dishes and Bryan took off with a marketing plan. The plan was to contact 3 major companies in the area and offer them a free lunch as long as they gave us feedback on the food. The response was overwhelming and people began to ask where they could get such food.

Over the next three months, Bryan and Melissa turned a small 1700 sq foot historical house into today’s Cajun Experience. With around $30,000 raised by their friends and family, the dream was born. People from DC, Baltimore, Richmond, West Virginia and Pennsylvania flocked to have “a taste of South Louisiana”

Five months into the business, The Cajun Experience was featured in The Washingtonian magazine in “Best Bites”, and less than a year later, June, 2010, was named one of the “Top 100 Best Bargain Restaurants” by The Washingtonian. The restaurant has also been featured in The Washington Post and The Washington Business Journal.

In October, 2010, a second location was established in Purcellville, VA, and The Cajun Experience is currently seeking locations in the DC metro area.

I’ll be sure to update when they open up. Anyone ever check out either of their Virginia locations?

And don’t forget Hot N Juicy Crawfish is also coming soon to Woodley Park.

Thanks to all who wrote in about the opening. The Upshur dog park is actually located at 4300 Arkansas Avenue, NW at the corner of Arkansas and Allison Streets, NW. You can see Facebook page here. Looks good!

Couple more shots including hours and a super long ramp after the jump. (more…)

Two more entries from Som Records (above) and Crooked Beat Records (below). I love the contrast.

I love this display every year. Just as cool if not cooler than elaborate lights.

These two beauties are next door to each other on Swann St, NW in Dupont. I’m slightly partial to the one above. Which do you prefer?

Duffy sends the good word, “free wings both nights from 8pm to 9pm with drink purchase.”

Duffy’s (a PoP advertiser) is located at 2106 Vermont Ave NW by 9:30 Club.

Photo by PoPville flickr user ericandkatherine

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

Have safe journeys, lots of fun and a very happy holidays and Merry Christmas to all of PoPville. Regular posting will resume Monday.

Photo by PoPville flickr user ekelly80

We first heard the rumor back in July but I’ve noticed work is still ongoing at the former Brown Sugar restaurant and adjacent spaces next to Pinz-n-Needlz Tattoo on the 900 block of U St, NW by Vermont Ave. [Sadly, the Brown Sugar sign has been removed.] If the scuttlebutt is true that a Sweet Mango (Jamaican Jerk Chicken) could be opening a 2nd location here, I wonder how the recent fire at the Petworth location will affect the timeline. The Petworth location at the corner of New Hampshire and Georgia Ave remains closed will repairs are made. More info as it becomes available.

This home is located at 67 N Street NW:

View Larger Map

The Craigslist ad says:

“Gorgeous high-end renovation mixes old and new. Open floorplan, dark floors, high ceilings, 2 fireplaces, exposed brick. 1-car parking, zen patio, small front and sizeable back garden space. In-law suite rents easily for 800/month. Huge master suite with double showers, large walk-in closet with a ton of shelving and Bosch laundry center. One bedroom converted to open, loft-like office space. True chef’s kitchen with built-in professional appliances, double dishdrawers, double-thick honed granite, custom made modern base cabinetry. Truly thoughtful, functional design with high end finishes throughout. New roof. A dose of modernism while attempting to keep the charm of a 100-year old Victorian.”

You can see photos if you scroll down the craigslist ad.

Does $499,900 sound reasonable for this one?

View Larger Map

Awesome, Mt. Pleasant is getting a Temporium. From a press release:

As part of the city’s new Temporary Urbanism initiative, the DC Office of Planning (OP) has awarded Mount Pleasant Main Street (MPMS) a grant to establish a “Temporium” in an unoccupied retail space at 3068 Mt. Pleasant St. NW. A Temporium is a temporary, pop-up retail space for local artisans to exhibit and sell their work. The Mt. Pleasant Temporium is scheduled to open for 24 dates between late January and February.

The Mt. Pleasant project will feature handmade goods for sale from 20 local, independent crafters and artists, as well as special programming that includes autobiographical and theatrical storytelling, trunk shows, educational panels, and live music. The Temporium will be developed in partnership with SpeakeasyDC, Hello Craft, Radio CPR, Partners for Livable Communities, the DC Office of Planning, and several neighborhood-based community groups. The vendor curator, Hello Craft, also helps produce the annual Crafty Bastards Arts and Crafts Fair.

Continues after the jump. (more…)

Photo by PoPville flickr user pablo.raw

You can talk about whatever is on your mind – quality of life issues, a beautiful tree you spotted, scuttlebutt, or any random questions/thoughts you may have. I’ll open this thread every Monday and Friday. So anything good happen to you this short week? Any fun travel plans?