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Dumbarton Oaks

GM now comes to the final entry in his Seven Georgetown series: Central Georgetown. And in a way this is the opposite of what the other six Georgetowns stand for. The whole point of this series was to explore how the peripheral corners of Georgetown could stand on their own as micro neighborhoods, and that their residents could find a great deal of reasons to not leave their particular corner of Georgetown. Central Georgetown was mostly what GM had in mind when he was thinking about “the rest of Georgetown” that the residents of the other six could avoid.

But that’s not entirely fair to Central Georgetown. It is more than just the crowded sidewalks full of chain shops of M St. and Wisconsin Ave. While parts of the area can feel a bit inundated with shoppers and tourists on the weekend, plenty of its blocks are mostly quiet.

And parts of Wisconsin Ave. through Central Georgetown have resident-focused shops and restaurants. Think of the invaluable duo of Christ’s Child Opportunity Shop and Thomas Sweet’s. Boulangerie Christophe is another fantastic shop on this stretch that has quickly become a local favorite. The small shops on O and P St., off Wisconsin, are also quintessentially Georgetown. And if you’re super rich and have a taste for dramatic antiques, what better source than L’Enfant Gallerie at P and Wisconsin? (GM once saw a pair of mirrors in there he liked, and looked at the price tag. At first he was surprised how cheap they were at $125, and then he noticed the extra three zeros.)

And Central Georgetown can boast the most convenient access to two of the most important civic institutions in Georgetown: the post office and Hyde-Addison School (this, of course, is a touchy subject amongst Georgetown parents these days, given the two-year relocation of the school. But once the expansion is complete, it will be a crown jewel of Georgetown).

Speaking of schools, this area boasts no fewer than three fantastic nursery schools in Children’s House of Washington, St. John’s, and the French Maternal School. (There’s also a popular dance school on Prospect, Centre De Danse).

Ultimately, when people think of “Georgetown” they are first going to think of Central Georgetown. But nonetheless, there’s plenty of reasons a Central Georgetown resident can spend a day without leaving it, and without living too much like a tourist.

And so, that’s it. Seven Georgetowns. What do you think?

Photo by Joe Flood.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Five myths about aerial gondolas.
• The early reviews for Church Hall are positive.

Dumbarton Oaks

As first reported on DC Urban Turf, local DC coffee company, Compass Coffee, will be taking over at least a part of the Georgetown Theater space. According to the report, they will seek zoning approval for 112 seats.

So, yup, even more coffee in Georgetown! In just the past couple years we’ve added a Peet’s Coffee, Blue Bottle, Bluestone Lane (that’s a really new one), Ladurée, Dogtag Bakery, Grace Street Coffee and Boulangerie Christophe. That’s on top of the three Starbucks we already have (and another on the way), Saxby’s and the Dean and Deluca coffee bar. Of course, some of those are not primarily coffee shops, but they certainly do sell a lot of coffee. And in the case of Dog Tag Bakery, it’s Compass Coffee that they sell. Continue reading →

Photo by Streets of Washington.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• More fallout from the residency fraud scandal at Duke Ellington School.
• Spinal Tap’s Derek Smalls coming to the Q & A Cafe.

Dumbarton Oaks

Right now you have a rare chance to buy a house that is both famous for what it looks like and what happened in it. It’s Joe Alsop’s former house at 2720 Dumbarton St. and it can be yours for a mere $5,990,000.

The house is first famous for what it looks like, and that is like practically nothing else in Georgetown. The stark modern appearance, achieved with cinder blocks instead of bricks, was said to have so horrified the neighborhood that it led to the passage of the Old Georgetown Act. Here’s what the Georgetown Ladies’ Social Club had to say:

Continue reading →

Photo by Bill Starrels.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Hey garden fans, the wisteria is already blooming at Dumbarton Oaks.
• Some of the drinks you can get if you’re a member or guest of the Wing.

Tudor Place