Bad Day

I just received word from a friend and IT Guru, that my devoted hard-drive, which has been with me since 2002, has died. It even broke the disk repair machine. So, there is more than a little sadness in losing nearly 80gigs of music and all of my photos from Iraq, Bosnia and other places......

Cue taps....

Looking for a Roommate

After a great school year, my current boarder/renter/roommate/new friend Dr. God* is moving out in a few weeks to search latin america for the next Lazarus. This means that unless my mortgage company plans to reduce my monthly payment (unlikely) I need a new roommate.

The room in the house for rent is cozy (8 x 12) with a large closet. Huge bathroom with washer and dryer is shared. Remainder of the house is furnished with free phone, wireless internet and cable.

House is close to 80 and G8 bus lines and about 15 minute walk to RI ave or Shaw metros. Close to Howard, Trinity and CUA.

Looking for a laid back, responsible, mature and clean tenant. I am a SPM who has enough spare time to blog, and a job good enough to afford bottled beer on occasion and a grill to prepare meat and veggies on.

Please email me at johngalt332002@yahoo.com for more information.

(*PhD student in theology at CUA, thus the name)

(EDIT: Potential renters, obviously I am cool enough for this post to be picked up by Wonkette, so you know its a great place to live. As for the P, perhaps it is a reference to Naughty by Natures piece de resistance from the 1990's) Thanks for the shout guys!

Trash, Trash Everywhere.

Spring has finally sprung. Tulips are up, the sun is out, and people are spending time outside. In general, spring in DC is beautiful, my favorite time of year. However, there is an underside to all of this, as is usually the case. Trash. We are still beset with the following forms of trash;

-illegal dumping in the alleys off R St.
-Neighbors leaving trash cans on the streets
-unofficial bulk pickup items strewn on the sidewalks
-take out containers, cans, bottles, condom wrappers and crack bags
-campaign posters
-household demolition waste

I often wonder if people litter because the environment is already littered, or because they just have no sense of civic society. Do people really not understand that throwing your S*it on the ground ain't right?

I guess it all comes down to personal responsibility. Its the responsibility of members of a community not to litter. Until then, the civic minded have to keep things clean. It is our job to point out to our ANC leaders, council members, and the proper authorities when people are breaking the laws (think Lincoln Arms). And it is the responsibility of our lawmakers, and municipal workers to keep up with resident requests and enforcement of existing laws.

If there is any desire to make Eckington a clean and prosperous section of town, with businesses and a significant drop in crime, these steps are a good start.

The Building Went for How Much?

More movement in the NE office building market. Check this article in CPN.

Ownership of Capitol Plaza I, a new 292,000-square-foot office building in the city's blossoming NoMa submarket, has changed hands just five months after its completion. A partnership involving the Stephen A. Goldberg Co. sold the Class A property to VEF Advisors L.L.C. in a $94.5 million transaction.

Paul's Wholesale Flowers

Over the last year, I have passed by the strip of shops on Eckington Place without stopping. The fencing and words wholesale on the front had lead me to believe that these stores were only for other florists, wedding planners and the like.

However, Leslie Manning has informed me via her blog that the store is open to the general public. She even beams "you can get calla lillies and still have enough money left for wine.

You can bet I will stop there on my next trip down Eckington Place.

Paul's Wholesale Florist
1621 Eckington Place, NE

Big Bear

The owners of the Big Bear Cafe are putting in the finishing touches of the restaurant, and over the weekend encouraged neighbors to 'pop in' and say hello. It is a great time to meet the owners, while shooing away the monotony of their chores.

First and R St NW.

Prevent Flooding Before it Happens

Where to Call In Your Clogged Storm Drains at WASA

From Bloomingdale resident Sara:


If don't already have it - add 202-612-3400 to your cell phone or Rolodex.

That is the 24/7 hotline number for WASA - where you can call in clogged storm drains. If there is standing water (on rainy days) they try to send someone same day /asap - but they get a lot of calls.

The M-F 9-5 Customer Service number is (202) 354-3600

Do your part to help - keep the curbs and catch basins (to storm drains) debris free - so they dont clog and cause flooding.

DC North is Out

The new DC North is out on newstands and online. Visit here

A New Store for Nearby Bloomingdale

Bloomingdale resident, Scott Roberts found a flier blowing around on the street yesterday from the T Street Market. Here is the text from the flier:


We have a new look

T Street Market on the corner of 1st & T Street NW

80 T Street NW
Washington DC
Tel. 202-332-0713

Hours of operations; 9:00 am to 9:00 pm - seven days a week.

Some of the featured items include:

DC Lottery
Beer and wine
East African food
Various beverages and groceries
Health food
Household items
And lots more

What we bring to the community?

-- express service: Call us ahead of time and we will have your groceries ready for you.

-- reasonable price: We make effort to accommodate our customers.

So come check us out and give us some feedback on what you would like to see from your neighborhood market.

Easter Sunday Service

I will be the first to tell you that going to church every Sunday is not on the top list of my priorities. Usually that list includes; sleep, coffee, home depot, eastern market, or yard work. This Sunday is a special church day, so i thought it would be appropriate to go to church.

So, I went down to the Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church in Bloomingdale, on the corner of 2nd and Rhode Island. I didn't really know what to expect, but rushed around to make the service around 7am. The church was deceptively large, considering the size of the external structure. There must have been about 350 people there for the early morning service. The choir was 60 people strong and the music bellowed through the dome of the church and out into the foyer as I entered.

I felt a few eyes on me as an usher directed me toward an open pew. One was most certainly because I arrived late. The other, well, because I was the only non African American in the place. This is not a commentary, just an observation.

The church was full of energy, great music, dancers and participatory congregation. The minister was excellent, and gave a great sermon. His dynamicism was amazing.

On the way out several people wished me a happy easter, and others asked that I make Mt. Pleasant my regular church. Which was great.

We live in a good community. Hope you all had a happy easter.

Examiner Article on Eckington