The Georgetown Metropolitan

Can you believe it? Get this: the mighty city of Paris is totally copying Georgetown. Check it. They’re going to build a gondola system. What a bunch of copiers.

Ok, fine. They’re not copying Georgetown. If they’re copying anyone, it’s London. Ot better yet, Medellín. Any City Lab thinks they’re avoiding the mistakes that London made with their almost never used system.

Read the article, but here are the main points, points that Georgetown ought to keep in mind when considering a system here:

• Don’t be just a tourist attraction
• Don’t replace existing transit
• Address a real problem

Continue reading →

Photo by John Sonderman.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Barefoot in Georgetown.
• So long canal boat!

1000 block of Wisconsin Ave.

Recently GM was researching an old restaurant in the archives of the Washington Post and came across this interesting find. It’s a map from 1975 and it charts out 39 different restaurants or food markets that existed in Georgetown at the time. The theme that unites them is that the food can be taken away so that you can walk around the neighborhood and eat. Click on the photo to blow it up to read what it says for each, but here’s the list:

• La Ruche
• Cafe de Paris
• La Patisserie
• Macripodaris Gourmetisserue
• Black Olive
• Ikaros
• Number One Son
• YAFCA
• Gate Soup Kitchen
• Yes
• Swensen’s
• Le Sorbet
• Maison des Crepes
• Crumpets
• The Parlor
• Neams
• Booeymonger
• French Market
• Food Mart
• Wisemiller’s Deli
• Olde Georgetown Market
• Harlod’s Deli
• Hoya
• Tony’s G.T. Carryout
• Good Old Phil’s
• Le Gourmet
• Hector’s
• Hot Shoppes
• Blimpie’s
• Little Tavern
• People’s Drug Store
• Wine and Cheese Shop
• Eagle Wine & Cheese
• Georgetown Coffee House
• Hudson Bros. Greengrocers
• Paul Muir Cheeses
• Cannon’s Sea Food
• Antiques & Artisans

Continue reading →

Photo by Mike Maguire.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Say goodbye to the canal boat today as it gets towed away. Don’t be sad, it will live out its days on a farm in the country with other canal boats.
• Plans for Fillmore school building filed by the S&R Foundation.

Dumbarton Oaks Park

If you’ve got a young child and you’re exploring nursery school options, you really ought to head to St. Patrick’s tonight. It’s the annual Georgetown Preschool Preview. Nursery schools from in and around Georgetown will be on hand to discuss their schools and answer any questions you might have. GM found it to be a very informative event when he was looking.

It’s tonight from 6 to 8 pm at St. Patrick’s at 4700 Whitehaven over in the Palisades. No need to register, just show up.

And here GM will offer his absolutely unbridled endorsement of the school his daughter attends: Children’s House of Washington. It’s a Montessori school located right in Georgetown at the Dumbarton Methodist Church on Dumbarton St. Choosing this school was absolutely the right choice for GM’s family. GM’s daughter is not even five yet and is already reading and writing. And the families are all incredibly nice. So you should definitely check it out! (And there’s still space now for older kids if you happen to be looking to enroll right away. Drop GM a line and he can put you in touch with the school.)

Photo by Tom Coates.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Huge condo project proposed for west Water St.
• The Canal Inn has sold but will stay open for now.

1500 block of 35th St.

Photo by Jen.

One thing people often say they wish there were more of is coffee shops. It seems there is just something about them that people claim to not get enough of. Well that boundless desire may soon be put to the test in Georgetown because there sure seems to be an oversaturation of coffee shops.

Over the past several years three coffee shops have opened within a block of Wisconsin and M St. That includes Dog Tag Bakery, Grace St. Coffee, and now Peet’s Coffee. According to the ANC agenda, yet another competitor is joining the fray. Blue Bottle coffee–which is known primarily for delivering gourmet coffee–appears to be opening a cafe at 1046 Potomac St. Continue reading →