Photo by PoPville flickr user Laura_Grageda

Dear PoPville,

Do you know of any bars that are open late on christmas eve and then all day on christmas day?

I got an email saying that Jack Rose, 2007 18th St, NW, would be open Christmas Eve. I’m also guessing there is probably some overlap with spots that were open on Thanksgiving. Anyone else know for sure who’s open on Christmas eve and/or Christmas day?

Photo by PoPville flickr user fromcaliw/love

From a WMATA Press Release:

This morning, Metro conducted a post-incident review of yesterday’s incident that caused the emergency evacuation of riders and prompted an investigation of a mechanical failure on one of its 5000-series rail cars.

“I want to thank the D.C. Fire Department for its leadership and recognize the outstanding job they did, both on incident command and on the safe evacuation of our passengers,” General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Richard Sarles said. “Our review this morning concluded that the methodical and deliberate plan that was developed with the highest safety precautions possible, combined with the exemplary work of fire, transit police and safety officials resulted in a safe and orderly evacuation in a reasonable time frame.”

While the root cause of the loss of the friction ring from Blue Line train #406 has not yet been determined, Metro officials have further identified that the loss of the friction ring is related to a potential hub failure — a part of the brake assembly that holds the friction ring in place. The cause of the possible hub failure remains under review. Metro has identified 34 hubs from the same batch on sixteen 5000-series rail cars. Those sixteen cars have been removed from service while inspections continue.

The review also identified two areas where Metro will be focused on after-action improvements. The first is improving customer communications to passengers aboard standing trains and to others before they arrive at the impacted stations, as well as those traveling throughout the system. The second area is radio communications that are challenging in certain underground locations. Signal boosting technology continues to be tested in several locations, and is being conducted today to identify possible solutions to improve radio performance.

I think of Granville Moore’s as the grand daddy of the “new” H Street, NE. Though with so many new restaurants opening up – I’m wondering if there are still dedicated fans? You can see their menu here. For the fans, any must order items?

Granville Moore’s is located at 1238 H St, NE.

Photo by PoPville flickr user thisisbossi

Dear PoPville,

I often take a taxi home from National and whenever I leave the airport, the cab driver charges me $2.00 for luggage. This is the case even when I am only carrying a medium-sized duffle bag, which is small enough to bring in the back seat and as carry-on luggage. The sign in the cab says that they will only charge for “large” luggage, and when I looked it up under DC cab regulations, it says that the bag must be 32 x 18 x 9 inches for the cab to charge you extra. I generally really like DC cab drivers, but I am sick of arguing with them every time I cab it home from National. Do you or your readers have the same issue, and any suggestions on how to handle this?

This problem will likely become moot soon. A couple weeks ago the Taxi Commission proposed:

Proposed amendments will: (1) increase the “additional mile” rate from $0.25 per 1/6 mile to $0.27 per 1/8 mile which represents a mileage rate increase from $1.50 per mile to $2.16 per mile [for both intra-city and interstate fares]; (2) increase the waiting time rate from $15 per hour to $25 per hour; (3) eliminate extra fees including luggage fee, large bag fee, trunk fee, unenclosed animals fee, personal service fee, additional passengers fee, and fuel surcharge fee and; (4) change the snow emergency rate into a flat fee.

Of course the “mileage rate [will] increase from $1.50 per mile to $2.16 per mile”.

Photo by PoPville flickr user KJinDC

A couple weeks ago we noted that there was a special place in hell for these criminals. Mad props to officers of the fifth district.

From MPD:

On Friday, December 9, at about 7:45 am, an 85 year old woman was getting ready to enter her car in the area near 20th and Shepherd Sts., NE. It was cold and she was scraping the ice off her windshield. A young man got out of the passenger side of a gold car that had been idling in the block. The man approached the woman and then opened her car door and took her purse from the seat and threw it into the gold car. As she tried to fight him off, he returned and jumped into her car and drove off.

On Monday, December 19, at about 10:15 am, an alert Fifth District officer spotted the stolen car travelling west on Florida Avenue. She followed the car until other officers arrived, and then the car was stopped in the 200 block of Florida Avenue, NE. Four men, two adults and two juveniles, were arrested. Our detectives are looking into possible connections between the four men in the stolen car and any other criminal activity in the area around 20th and Shepherd and elsewhere in the Fifth District.

1251 H St, NE is the former Danny’s Carryout located next to Smith Commons. According to a recent liquor license application, Sol Mexican Grill will be a:

“New Tavern serving Tex-Mex cuisine with a full bar. Entertainment will include a Dee Jay on Fridays and Saturdays. Seating capacity is 35. Total occupancy load is 49. Summer Garden with seating for 10 patrons.”

And in related restaurant news, it looks like (Tacos) Impala Cantina Y Taqueria is back on track with a new sign saying coming this Spring to 1358 H St, NE:

Photo by PoPville flickr user MsMistry

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. But please no personal attacks. I’ll open this thread every morning at 10am.

Back in July ’11 I shared some scuttlebutt saying that a new Thai restaurant was coming to Bloomingdale at 1832 1st St, NW (next to Yoga District.) I’m happy to report that construction has begun:

I’ve learned that it will be a sit down Thai and Japanese restaurant called Aroi. If all goes according to plan they hope to complete the renovations and open in May 2012. Stay tuned.

Photo by PoPville flickr user guy_incognito

Your captions in the comments and winner (free PoP t-shirt) picked Friday.

‘Pakistan Peoples Party headquarters – Lahore, Pakistan’

Crooked Beat in Adams Morgan is not messing around:

More highlights from some of my East Capitol Street favorites. This one is nice from the front but spectacular from the side.

Photo by PoPville flickr user hellomarkers!

Dear PoPville,

My family is currently participating in Sandy Spring CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and enjoying it. We have an opportunity to start a CSA site here in DC neighborhoods for the 2012 season, working with Sandy Spring CSA, which has been in operation for ten years. Here is how it works. You sign up in the winter for a subscription to organic vegetables and fruits that you recieve May through Oct in a weekly share box, delivered to a specific location near you. The site host provides a place for the weekly produce boxes to be delivered for pick up by members and, in return, the host receives a free veggie and fruit share worth $950. It is a growing part of the local food system. Good for the earth, the eaters and the farmers. If you are interested in being a site host, please contact Erin to explore. erin@sandyspringcsa.com or 301-438-3927. Their website is www.sandyspringcsa.com

The retail space formerly home to Bemmi Hardware at 12th and Florida Ave, NW has been locked up for ages. While it would be awesome to get a hardware store back in business at this point I’d be happy to see anyone open. Or, hell, even convert it to an apartment/living space.

The huge old church at 14th and Maryland Ave, NE looks like it may finally be getting fixed up. It had been for sale last I checked but just last weekend I noticed that the very early demo appears to have started. Though, I didn’t see any dumpsters so I’m not sure how far along the plans are. But the location and property are pretty amazing so it’ll be interesting to see how the renovations turn out. Anyone hear any news/scuttlebutt about who’s coming?

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