The Georgetown Metropolitan

Dumbarton Oaks

For the first time in decades, us D.C. voters have a genuinely competitive race for mayor on the general election ballot this November. And GM strongly recommends that you choose David Catania for your vote.

David has been a councilmember serving all of D.C. since 1997. In that election, he faced a veteran Democratic pol who probably underestimated Catania and overestimated the value of simply being a Democrat. A precedent we may be seeing repeated next month.

The simple fact is that despite not being a member of the majority party (he switched from Republican to Independent ten years ago in protest of that party’s regressive social policies) David has accumulated a remarkable legislative record. The record largely reflects the committees he’s chaired and the depth with which he can grasp an issue and bring a genuine problem-solving approach to bear.

When running the Committee on Health, he almost single handed saved the only hospital east of the Anacostia river, he pushed through the revolutionizing of the city’s response to the AIDS crisis, and he helped cut the number of uninsured residents in half.

Shifting to the education committee in 2012, Catania has wowed parents, teachers and administrators across the city with the unprecedented commitment he has displayed towards solving the pernicious problem of bad schools. He has personally visited more than 144 schools across the city. He proposed a raft of legislation reflecting deep thought about the issues. Despite a reluctant council that would rather abdicate all responsibility (and blame) to the mayor, David pushed through critical bills that end the damaging social promotion policies and ensured additional funding for schools with at-risk students. Continue reading →

Photo by Michael Cisneros.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Obamas at the Four Seasons over the weekend to celebrate their anniversary.
• Free stuff for students at Chop House.

Dumbarton Oaks

A new shop has popened* on Wisconsin Ave. near Q St. It’s called Via Umbria, and it is in many ways everything that Georgetowners claim that they want to see in a shop, but whether it will succeed is to be seen.

(*The shop is technically a “pop-up” right now. This term is used for shops that quickly open in vacant spaces without the intent to remain open long. But this doesn’t perfectly describe Via Umbria because they plan to actually open permanently at the same address following renovations which will begin after the holidays. That’s why GM is coining the phrase “popens” to refer to them.)

As described in the Georgetowner article detailing the plans of the owners, Bill and Suzy Menard, the store is essentially an Italian lifestyle store. It will sell food, wine (eventually), cooking equipment, china, cooking classes, a rental villa, and art. All Italian. Continue reading →

Photo by Dave D’Agistino.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Wink turns ten.
• GU giving out moola to entrepreneurial grads.

1500 block of 33rd St.

The BID’s transportation head, Will Hansfield, announced the other day that the BID had successfully installed a bike channel on the stairway that connects the canal down to 34th St.

A bike channel is essentially a tiny ramp that bikers can walk their bikes up a staircase. This will improve the connection between the canal and central Georgetown to the waterfront and the Capital Crescent trail. And improving this connection is one of the goals of the BID’s 2028 master plan. Continue reading →

Photo by Ehpien.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Anyone get the Jason Werth gnomes in and around Georgetown? Oh and GO NATS!!!!
• Also, GOOO to VOLTA PARK DAY!!!!

3100 block of Dumbarton St.