The Georgetown Metropolitan

Cashell Alley

Sad day for Georgetown preppies, young and old. The Lacoste store has closed. It was at its location on M St. just east of Wisconsin for over twelve years, which is not a bad run, really.

If you’re GM’s age, you probably still think of Lacoste shirts as “Izods”, the company that made them in the 1970s and 80s (Rob Lowe is probably wearing an Izod in the picture above). They were so popular in the 80s that by the time the 90s rolled around, they were considered comically gauche, like a Member’s Only jacket or Jams. It wasn’t until after 2000 when Lacoste started making the shirts under their own name that they re-entered the fashion world.

This also led to the unfortunate return of the “popped collar” fad of about ten years ago.  It was one thing for the first wave preppies of the 70s and 80s to do it, but to copy such an obnoxious look is doubly irritating to anyone with a remote sense of good taste.

Thankfully that trend died out. Nonetheless, unfunny people still use popped collars as a go-to insult when aiming to criticize Georgetowners for something. It’s tiresome.

So, see you later alligator…

Photo by Mike Maguire.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• GU students protesting over the school’s contract with Nike.
• Come for the cupcakes at Baked and Wired, stay for the cookies.

1000 block of Wisconsin Ave.

Just before the New Year, the Washington Post published an article arguing that Georgetown’s restaurant scene was looking up. The writer went so far as to predict that “you” would be eating there next year. Since the “you” in question is a Washington Post audience that loves to hate Georgetown, this was quite the prediction.

The article mentions several points that others have argued before. Firstly, that a Republican White House means more young Republican staffers, staffers who like fratty and preppy places like Georgetown’s Smith Point. (This would seem to count against the prediction that the “you” would want to come to Georgetown since it would mean joining these Trents, Chets, and Chads). But beyond that, the article argues that the end of the liquor license moratorium has contributed to a flow of new restaurants from respect Continue reading →

Photo by Ania Mendrick.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Awkwardness averted.
• Not one of the school’s brightest moments: in 1830 Georgetown students voted “no” on the question of whether slaves should be liberated.

Georgetown Waterfront Park

GM knows that this is the time of year when parents of young children looking to make plans for next fall start applying to nursery schools. And with that in mind, please consider GM’s heartfelt recommendation: the Children’s House of Washington.

The Children’s House of Washington (or C.H.O.W.) is a Montessori school located in the Dumbarton Methodist Church right here in Georgetown. It doesn’t get quite the same attention as some of the other nursery schools around Georgetown, but GM has sent his daughter there for three years, and he can say with confidence that it was absolutely one of the best decisions he (and Mrs. GM) made for her. Continue reading →

Photo by Mike Maguire.

Good morning Georgetown and Happy New Year! Here’s the latest:

• Georgetown didn’t vote for Trump, but his brood may settle here nonetheless.
• Peete’s coffee finally, finally, opened. Will sell “slow coffee“.
• Not many other changes since GM logged off for the holidays. Some new clothing shop in the old Dandelion Patch space, Boulangerie Christophe still hasn’t opened, and it looks like another of the cheap clothing stores at Wisconsin and O St. is really, genuinely, closing (there’s a “for rent sign”).

GM is going to take this chance to sign off for the holidays. See you in 2017!