How Do They Stay in Business?

So, I found myself strolling along Connecticut Ave. in Dupont a couple of days ago, and I stumbled upon the recently opened Smoothie King just north of Q Street. It was in the middle of a Sunday afternoon, and I noticed that they were closed. A bit odd, I thought, until I noticed the hours posted on the door.

Now tell me, how do they stay in business with hours like that? What clientele are they aiming for? "The lunch crowd is simply too overwhelming. And forget about afternoons and evenings. I know, let's only open for a few hours in the morning, but never past noon."

Am I missing something?

Like, OMG! A Real World Spotting

I know it's become terribly unfashionable to do any kind of write-up on that young adult reality program that is currently being taped in our fair city. Still, one is not used to seeing a man with humongous hair and denim shorts waltzing around followed by a camera crew.

So it was that I found myself strolling around Dupont this afternoon with camera in tow, just taking some snapshots on a lovely (and quiet) summer day, when I stumble upon the cast and crew of the Real World taking a walk down S Street, and then down Connecticut. I have no idea what they had been up to, but one of them did have a basketball.

...and no, the 14thandyous are not stalking the RW cast. We're far more interested in stalking Kal Penn.

Real World Coming to Dupont?

According to DCist, it seems that the forthcoming "Real World" series set in DC will in fact be based at a house in Dupont. Now, the question in our minds is: is this in *real* Dupont, which ends on or about 16th Street? Or is this "real estate agent" Dupont, which extends over to around 12th Street or so? Inquiring minds in Logan would like to know.

I can see it now...Tre and Ashley get into a General Tso's-slinging fight at the Great Wall Szechuan House, then kiss and make up over a Charo at ACKC. Meanwhile, Donovan and Brianna are caught locking lips in a booth at the Gibson, unaware that Kelly's friend Cole is watching it all from his perch on a stool just a few feet away. Oh, the drama!

Borderstan, it seems, is wondering the same thing.

High Heel Race — Save the Date

For the uninitiated, the annual drag high heel race on 17th Street is held on the Tuesday before Halloween, the 28th this year. Along the 17th Street route between P and S Streets, festivities start early. Between about 7 and 9 p.m. outrageous queens dance, strut, and roller skate up and down the blocks in a perpetual looping parade, usually livened up by a rolling speaker stack. By race time, the spectator lines are at least six rows deep from the curb. Get there early to claim a prime viewing spot for yourself. Another option is dining on one of the local bar patios. Be forewarned, however, that management will not allow fans on the sidewalk or from indoor seating to pour onto their patios and decks at race time; several local businesses have had ABRA fire marshal enforcement issues from such pile-ons. I hope to see the same incredible turn-out this year as in years past. There's just such a good vibe along 17th Street and all day in Dupont as queens start walking toward the race. Please just remember to leave your dog at home. There is a lot of noise and small animals can be nearly invisible to the thousands of pairs of feet in a crowd.

If you've missed the event in past years, check out this You Tube compilation of images and videos.

Fifth Day of Christmas (Shopping): Travel Gifts

I'm going to have to speed up my gift ideas postings before Christmas is upon us. Accordingly, gifts for the travelers in your life:

Little Luxuries
Go Mama Go (1809 14th St.) has a bunch of small items that make trips a little easier and more pleasant. Consider subtly scented luggage refreshers in fun patterns. For tired eyes, silk covered eye pillows and eye shades may help. Find all three of the above on a table in the center section of the store. Go Mama Go also stocks mini Archipelago Botanicals face and body products small enough to make it though airport security. For a little on-the-road soothing for mind a tummy, you can also pick up travel tins of five tea bags each. Flavors range from fruit-infused black teas to holiday spice, and a variety of greens.

To freshen the guest bedroom or hotel room, Candleman (1745 Connecticut Ave.) has Botanicus candles in mini tins. For Yankee Candle haters these are strong but not cloying candles scented with essentials oils -- from a Maryland company to boot.

We would all love to have the cashmere hoodie and travel blanket from Horchow. If you can't justify breaking the bank on a blankie for big kids, West Elm (1020 G St.) has very soft cotton bamboo blend throws. Weird, bamboo.

Pack It
Stop using those paper luggage tags from the airline flight desk. Now that you're an adult, try durable and more attractive alternatives. Go Mama Go stocks plain and elegant leather tags in neutrals and soft contemporary tones. Home Rule (1807 14th St.) stocks vinyl tags in bright colors and psychedelic patterns. Candida's World of Books (1541 14th Street) has super durable hard plastic and nylon webbing ArtTags with attractive photos of world landmarks encapsulated within. At Go Mamma Go and Pulp (1803 14th St.) find passport covers to coordinate with you new luggage tags.

Go Mamma Go also carries every size zip pouch and reusable shopping tote. Designs here are modern, not froo-froo, and include small metal mesh zippered bags on keychains, leather pencil cases, and bags made of woven plastic.

Stay Fresh and Clean
Germ phobes will appreciate adorably packaged Cheeky Monkey hand wipes from Pulp. Whole Foods has some less adorably packaged but nicely scented antibacterial hand gels. Fight travel breath with mints in novelty tins from Pulp. High maintenance travelers will like beauty products from Blue Mercury (Kiehls, Bliss, Dermalogica, Acqua di Parma). With a rotating stock of special holiday gift sets, it may be easier than usual to find travel-appropriate sizes.

Travel Books and Maps
Travel narratives will get your giftee in the mood for the journey ahead. I particularly like Bill Byson's yarns. In a Sunburned Country should be required reading for anyone going to Australia. Find numerous other travel stories at Candida's World of Books

In a twist on the traditional guide book, Go Mama Go has pocket size guide books to major US and international cities. The guides are bound in durable vinyl and even include a useful compass on the spine. Candida's stocks guides from the major publishers as well as maps. For your relatives who always get lost in DC, pick them up a full or pocket size local map.

One of my favorite romantic ideas for travelers is Places to Check Out: A Do-It-Yourself Travel Guide, a spiral-bound notebook decorated after the design of US passport pages for your travel thoughts. Any sort of travel journal is well suited for the introspective globetrotter. Try Written Word or Pulp for some nice ones.

For anyone who's ever griped about travel, there are books for the surly adventurer. At Kramer's or Candida' have a look for the following: Jon Krakaeuer gives us a ton or reasons never to go into the back country from Into the Wild to Into Thin Air and Under the Banner of Heaven, a story of fundamentalist nuts holed up in the desert southwest. Stephen Clarke indulges in a favorite pastime of Americans in Europe -- poking fun of the French-- in his book A Year in the Merde. The paranoid will like Worst Case Scenario Handbook: Travel. Folks who have had a State Department assignment or leisure travel experience in the developing world might like the Jetlag Travel Guides. Countries explored in the Jetlag series include Phaic Tan, San Sombrero, and Molvania.

Nostalgic Traveler or Homesick Ex-Pat
Candida's carries travel books that are more than just guides to other locales. To get in the cultural spirit of your favorite places, you can find poetry, travel narratives, fiction, and cookbooks from around the world.

Remind your giftee of his favorite place(s) on the globe with a photo from Claude Taylor’s Gallery (1627 Connecticut Ave.) A great coffee table book is Transit Maps of the World from Proper Topper in Dupont or Georgeotwn; some of the maps themselves are art and others will help you figure out where you took a wrong turn in Rome. Food can be another happy reminder of time spent abroad. Try some sweets and treats from World Market or pre-fab international cooking kits from Whole Foods or Trader Joe's.

The Fourth Day of Christmas (Shopping): For Arts Lovers

Logan and Dupont are perfect for finding gifts for your artsy and arts-loving giftees. So if you didn't get all of your holiday gift buying done on cyber Monday, I have a few suggestions for you. I'll keep rolling them out by category over the next few days or so. For the most part gift suggestions are ordered by approximate cost.

Gifts for Artists
Help your favorite starving artist with a gift of high-end supplies from Utrecht at 1250 I St. My personal favorite are the uber-creamy Prismacolor pencils.

Surprise a musically inclined giftee by refurbishing his college guitar. Sophocles Pappas’ Guitar Shop (1216 Connecticut Ave.) provides repairs and restringing. They also offer lessons if your favorite musician also needs retuning.

Visual artists may also appreciate having their opus framed. Gallery 2000 (1601 Connecticut Ave.) can help to dress up and preserve most flat compositions.

Classes for Arts ‘n’ Craftsy Types
Crafty folks may enjoy offerings from G Street Fabrics (11854 Rockville Pike
Rockville, MD). Though the sewing class options are certainly plentiful and diverse, one can also take crochet and knitting courses, some jewelry making classes, bookbinding workshops, and home design instruction.

This area has two institutions offering professional level instruction in a variety of media – the Arts League of Washington at the Torpedo Factory (10 North Union St., Alexandria, VA) and Glen Echo Park (7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo, MD). Classes range from darkroom photography to silver jewelry making and glass blowing. Some courses are one or two day weekend seminars and others meet once a week over a two month session.

Gifts of art
We have quite a few galleries and other retailers selling art in our neighborhood. Photography is usually the least expensive type of artwork to buy, but if you want to splurge you can buy one of Tipper Gore's masterpieces at Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams (1526 14th Street NW) for about $800 to $2200. But there are plenty of stores in the more affordable range. My favorite are the color photographs at Claude Taylor’s gallery (1627 Connecticut Avenue). His prints range in price from a very reasonable $20 for an unframed 5”x7” photo to $200 for a framed 14”x20”image. The gallery is also holding a five for the price of four sale. Taylor’s images capture iconic and prototypical scenes from famous sites around the world – a perfect gift for the traveler or former foreign exchange student. His palette tends to skew toward saturated reds, blues, greens and oranges, a lively complement to minimalist neutral home interiors.

If black and white photography is more your style, and Tipper is beyond your desired price point, Pulp (1801 14^th St.) is currently featuring works by Frank Muzzy. Many of his photos feature architecture and stone sculpture rendered in black and white in medium contrast. Relatively large framed pictures are selling in the $400-ish range.

We also have a few galleries in the area featuring gorgeous paintings. My mostest favoritest artist, Chris Stephens is current exhibiting at Longview (1302 9th Street). His works are primarily slightly abstracted landscapes and stark representations of buildings. One of the pieces currently hanging reminds me of Van Gogh in both palette, brush stroke, and starkness. A serene composition of depicting a landscape along a river looks like a contemporary interpretation of the impressionist style. The prices range from $250 for his studies on board to thousands for his larger framed compositions. If his work is within your price range, I think it’s a fabulous value.

Also at Longview are some some more affordable gift items including wooden bowls and ceramic gift bags that look exactly like the paper versions — very wild.

For art lovers whose pockets aren’t as deep, Plan B (1530 14th Street) has a December show of art priced at $500 and under. I haven’t seen the exhibit yet so I can’t really say what types of art are hanging, but I can say that I’ve liked past shows there – everything from non representational abstract art to more traditional landscapes.

I will also recommend the Nevin Kelly Gallery at 1517 U Street. This month’s show is “Attainable Art” featuring works under $1500. The show includes artworks from a number of the gallery’s regular artists. Subject matter ranges from non-representational color block compositions to still lives and abstract works depicting people.

The Third Day of Christmas (Shopping): Gifts for the Working Stiff

Unfortunately, I can't picture the gifts I talk about without potentially violating the copyrights of manufacturers and policies of some stores. I've linked to the websites of the various stores mentioned below so that you can preview some their merchandise and get a sense for their respective styles. Many of the sites also have online ordering.

By the by, I hope that everyone understands that "Christmas gifts" are also suitable for Hanukkah, Kwanza, Yule, Saturnalia, Pagan Winterfest, or any winter solstice holiday you prefer. That said, here are some gift ideas for the desk-bound in your life:

Unusual and Classy Office Supplies
Fahrney's Pens (1317 F ST.) has elegant pen and pencil sets, a huge improvement over the Bics that your giftee is presently using. Prices range from $30 for basic roller balls to over $600 for a limited edition Parker fountain pen.

Bring some individuality to your giftee's office supplies. Letterpress 4"x4" note sheets from Go Mama Go (1809 14th St.) are an attractive alternative to Post-Its. Next door at Home Rule (1807 14th St.) check out the brightly colored contemporary desk accessories from painted binder clips to scissors shaped like rabbits. Just a hair down the block Pulp (1803 14th St.) stocks fun graphic attache folders from Roger La Bourde.

Anyone who is interviewing, working directly with clients, or thanking donors needs to have attractive thank you cards. A short walk from Go Mama Go, Home Rule, and Pulp is The Written Word at 1427 P St. which stocks lovely paper goods. There you can find all manner of cards as well as address books and day planners that the Palm averse still use.

Caffeine Dependent
Instead of supporting Starbucks or Caribou by buying their gift cards, get a Firehook "DC Born and Bread" gift card. Your giftee need not live or work in Dupont to redeem the card; Firehook now has locations in Alexandra, Tysons, and all over DC.

Tea drinkers will appreciate loose leaf teas from Teaism (2009 R St.) or the unique Tea Forte pyramid tea bags from Sweet Magnolia (1534 U St.).

We caffeine junkies also need desk mugs and travel mugs. Sweet Magnolia has especially beautiful ceramic mugs with brightly colored designs combining floral and stripe patterns for about $9. They also have more masculine designs including chili peppers and mostly solid colored mugs accented with subtle stripes in earthy tones. Pulp has really fun ceramic mugs including "Bush's last day" and designs from Anne Taintor , "the original vintage humor company." Great durable travel mugs from Bodum can be found at Home Rule (1807 14th St.).

If you know someone who insists on Starbucks, consider buying him a day or week wireless access pass. Passes are available from T-Mobile here. The passes can also be used at T-Mobile HotSpots at airports, Hyatts, Borders, etc.

Working for the Weekend
We've all had the friend or coworker who reliably suffers from a Friday morning hangover. Support their Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights with fun cocktail accessories including flamingo-topped picks and mini umbrellas from Go Mama Go at 1809 14th St. Add to the festive atmosphere at holiday parties with bubble soap packaged in mini champagne bottles from Pulp (1803 14th St.) . For the party aftermath consider an elegant silk eye pillow from Go Mama Go and a Mr. Bump gel ice pack from Pulp, which you may want to wrap up with some Advil and Gatorade.

Politically Themed Stuff
We all know that the Federal Government is the largest employer in the area. Lobbying firms and political think tanks can't be that far behind. If your politically-oriented giftee has a sense of humor, get him a Quotable Notable card from The Written Word at 1427 P St. Cards feature die cut full body photos of politicians as well as stickers with "quotes" from that person. For example, stickers with the George W. Bush card include "Rove made me do it" and "WWJD". If your political junkie giftee is not in the mood for poking fun of politics, head over to AMERICA!'s Spirit in the West Hall of Union Station for more serious gifts such as campaign memorabilia.

The democratically aligned among your friends and family may appreciate the numerous anti-Bush offerings from local stores including magnets, mugs, and stickers from Pulp (1803 14th St.) and Wake Up Little Suzie (3409 Connecticut Ave.).

Second Day of Christmas (Shopping): Gifts for Your Host

Late additions have been typed in at the bottom of this post.

With Thanksgiving next week I thought this topic was timely.

Food and Wine
Before you start shopping for the Thanksgiving meal consider going to the farmers market at 14th and U this weekend. Saturday will be its last day of the season. Just amble down to the Reeves Center between 9 and 1 for some great fresh farm goods. If you can't make it on Saturday try the Dupont market right next to the north exit from the Metro station from 9 to 1 on Sunday.

If sending a gift basket is your style, order one up from Whole Foods. (I know that I'm violating my locally-owned standard, but this option still beats ordering from Harry and David.) You can easily order online and either pick the basket up yourself or have it shipped.

Cheese is a good reason to be alive. The amazing Cowgirl Creamery (919 F St.) exists in only two places in the world — Point Reyes Station, CA and Washington, DC. I love it so much that I stopped by the CA location on my honeymoon. At the store you can usually get a sample or two and good advice on selecting cheeses. Online orders and cheese clubs are also available.

For wine try De Vinos at 18th and U (2001 18th Street). The small shop is rated well for having a good selection given its size. It also made the W*USA 9 A-list. If your shopping takes you into Dupont rather than U Street, Best Cellars (1643 Connecticut Ave.) is perennially popular though not truly a local shop. They too are lauded for having great inexpensive wines as well as an easy to understand classification of wines by taste and style. Online orders of "six packs" can be shipped to DC, MA, NY, and VA.

Baked Goods
My favorite bakery in the entire Washington area is Amphora (294 Sunset Park Drive, Herndon). If you happen by some misfortune to be in Herndon you must stop by. Actually it may even be worth renting a Zipcar for this place. Cakes are light and fluffy and have the most heavenly icings and fillings including booze flavored wonders. My wedding cake came from them and I couldn't have been happier.

If, however, you want to stick to places within walking distance, there are myriad options. In my opinion, Whole Foods is worth skipping. A lot of the cakes are dry and not very flavorful. I can recommend the fruit tart though. Cake Love (1506 U St.) gets mixed reviews. People either love the super dense expensive cakes or find them dry and less flavorful. Take a test drive with a cupcake from Love Cafe. If pumpkin is your thing, they have a number of seasonal selections. Of course, Firehook (1909 Q St.) is a fabulous choice for cakes, tarts, and pies. If you don't feel like balancing a cake on your lap for duration of your trip to a holiday dinner, they have locations across DC as well as Alexandria and Tysons.

Flowers
The shop doesn't look like much, but the flowers I've gotten from Flowers on Fourteenth (1718 14th St.) have been great and very well arranged. I think that they prefer you to call ahead, but I've also been helped on the spot. FTD is an overpriced mega company that frequently drops the ball on accuracy and quality during holiday peak order times. So put down your mouse and walk down the street to a family-owned business.

Additional Ideas
Most of you will be enjoying turkey on Thursday, and some of you will dine on it again at Christmas. At Home Rule (1807 14th St.) you can purchase turkey accessories such as lifters, a lacer, stuffing bags, and reusable pop-up timers. They also stock a truly weird candle in the shape of a roasted whole turkey.

After every meal comes the clean-up. Also available at Home Rule are the fragrant Caldrea home products. It is now possible to lust for dish soap and counter cleaner.

Sweet Magnolia (1534 U St.) carries wooden serving trays so beautiful that they could be considered art. The trays feature raised edges and are currently stocked in three different themes — butterfly, vegetable, and desserts. As well potpourri from Sweet Magnolia will help chase away lingering cooking smells.

12 Days of Christmas (Shopping)

It's about that time when DC residents will wander zombie-like down to Gallery Place, Metro Center, and, worse, suburban malls to buy generic holiday gifts from chain stores. No one wants to receive another faux cashmere scarf, slippers, or coffee table book. In this post and subsequent entries I will highlight more original gifts available from DC businesses, most of them in Logan Circle and Dupont.

Disclosure: I do dislike the early holiday shopping ads, but I feel the need to counter their influence before Black Friday 2007 arrives.

Take Me Out
Your friends and family may already own much of what you could afford to buy them. Give them the gift of time with you and encourage them to try something fun that they may not have done on their own. I've tried to order the following by approximate cost.

Guided Walking tour
Washington Walks offers some really interesting walks on a regular basis including Moveable Feast: A Taste of DC, described as a "snack-a-thon". Take a walk with your giftee for $10 per person or give them a $40 Walkabout Card good for five walks.

House Tour
The Logan Circle Community Association will be holding their annual LCCA House Tour on Sunday, December 2. Enjoy a little house porn and an early holiday gift for only $15 per ticket.

Dinner and Gallery Hop
Dupont has quite a few commercial art galleries. On the first Friday of every month galleries stay open late and often have a unique feature of the night such as food and wine or live music. For more information go here. Before you begin your art stroll have dinner at any one of Dupont's great restaurants. (I recommend Heritage India at 1337 Connecticut Ave.) Similar gallery events also occur in Gallery place on the third Thursday of the month and in Georgetown on third Fridays.

Dance and Dine
You and your giftee want to dance, but you feel awkward about it, and Arthur Murray just isn't your thing. So learn salsa in a casual setting at 14U (1939 14th St.) on the first Friday of the month. For an exotic experience, grab some mezze and free belly dancing lessons at Mezze in Adams Morgan (2437 18 St.) on Sunday nights at 10.

Or combine your dancing with some embassy hopping. The International Club of DC hosts a number of dance lessons and some balls at fantastic locations around the city. Upcoming are waltz and salsa lessons at the French embassy on December 19th for $20-$35 per ticket. They will also be hosting a New Year's Eve gala at the Wardman Park Marriott ($155 per ticket or $215 for VIP tickets), and a Viennese ball at the National Museum of Women and the Arts on February 23rd.

Bar Hopping
Pick up the tab for a night of bar hopping in the neighborhood. Some places I love are Bar Pilar (1833 14th), Saint Ex (1847 14th St.), and Chi-Cha Lounge (1624 U St.). Top off the evening with a Nutella calzone at Coppi's (1414 U St.). Remind new parents what it's like to get out at night by also securing a baby sitter.

Jazz Night
Try HR-57 (1610 14th St.), Bohemian Caverns (2001 11th St.), or Twins (1344 U St.) for a night out. HR has a BYOB policy, very low cover charge, and a really relaxed atmosphere. At Twins you can enjoy two great neighborhood traditions — Jazz and Ethiopian food. Bohemian is arguably the most famous area club with the most unique atmosphere.

Fine Dining
Use this gift as an excuse to treat yourself as well as your giftee to a great dinner. Swanky neighborhood establishments include Komi (1509 17th St.), Restaurant Nora (2132 Florida Ave.), and Viridian (1515 14th St.).

Wine Tour
Tour the wineries of Virginia in a limo. Virginia Wine Country Tours will chauffeur you around in a luxury sedan for $70 per hour or $35 per person (based on a minimum number of people and the reservation of certain type of car). They also have options ranging from hiring a chauffeur to drive you in your own car to renting a luxury yacht. Alternatively you can tour on the cheap by offering to be a designated driver on a self-guided wine tour. See the Virginia Wines website for more information.

Drag is a Beautiful Thing

The annual high heel race down 17th Street is tonight. Somehow I have managed to miss this DC event in all four years that I have lived in Logan, but this year I'm going to be there.

The race itself runs between Church and R Streets at 9 p.m. However, the scene starts well before then around 7 o'clock. Some suggest getting down to 17th Street around 6 in order to get a patio table from which to watch the festivities.

[Photo taken from 2003 race photos at http://www.boldnewlook.com/screamsuite.html]

Fire at Alberto's Pizza

I didn't notice this along my walk to the Metro this morning (I usually come up Q St.), but there was apparently a fire overnight at Alberto's Pizza, located on the 2000 block of P St., just off Dupont Circle. No word yet on the damages to the building, which also included a Subway restaurant. Traffic was shut down on P St. for part of the A.M. commute, which I'm sure made a lot of people traversing into Georgetown very, very happy.

I hope the fire was nothing serious, because I'm quite a fan of Alberto's pie--it's pretty straightforward stuff, but the spices they throw on top of the pizza makes it a cut above the Manny & Olga's fare. It's also a nicely pedestrian alternative to Pizzeria Paradiso across the street (and one of the few pizza joints that will deliver to our corner of Logan). Here's hoping that they're back up and running soon.

The Sense in "Street Sense"

Out of curiosity, I picked up a copy of Street Sense this week. Until now I'd been walking by vendors near Whole Foods and the Dupont Metro almost daily. I'm happy to share that it appears to be a legitimate paper backed by a great pro-homeless organization. (Admittedly, I had originally expected to deride the publication as a load of bunk, and my motivation for purchasing Street Sense was mostly to provide fodder for this blog.)

What's very cool about Street Sense is that 75 cents on the dollar goes to the person selling it. All of the vendors are indeed homeless who work as independent contractors, and some also serve as contributing writers. I was very pleased to learn that this paper has provided a more dignified alternative to panhandling as a source of income for those on the streets.

The organization itself is an above-board 501 (c)3. (I haven't conducted any serious investigative journalism, but I have confirmed that they are listed by the IRS as a non-profit.) Page two of the paper gives a full disclosure of their donors, vendor code of conduct, board members, contact information, mission, and editorial policy. Better still, the inside back page is used for a "Community Service Index" of shelters, food banks, and other services for the homeless.

The content mostly relates to issues of concern for the homeless and low-income communities such as the location for the new Central Union Mission and Fenty's poverty agenda. For those who are not personally involved in issues of social justice or homeless advocacy, it could be a little overwhelming to regularly read the biweekly paper. But perhaps it could be an occasional alternative to passing time on the Metro with the Express.