The Georgetown Metropolitan

Photo by Ben Miller.

Good morning Georgetown! GM is back from his trip and is ready to get back to keeping you up with the latest:

• Beautiful architectural prints at the Old Print Gallery on 31st.
• Hoya alums coming up with big checks to fund new athletic center.

1500 block of 33rd St.

Photo by Eddie Welker.

Yesterday GM reported that Mr. Smith’s was going to close due to a rent hike. He mentioned with skepticism that the owner was going to try to stay in Georgetown. Well the Eater is reporting that that is exactly what happened. Unfortunately it means the end of yet another landmark restaurant: Chadwicks.

They write:

Longtime Georgetown bar Chadwicks will be closing on Aug. 31st. Replacing it? Another longtime Georgetown institution,Mr. Smith’s.

The bar is shutting down its operations, and Mr. Smith’s will move from M Street to Chadwicks’ current location at 3205 K St NW, Washington, DC. Chadwick’s General Manager Nicole Maddin confirmed the news and said the deal was finalized yesterday.

“Mr. Smith has bought us out. And we’ll be moving out at the end of August,” she said.

Continue reading →

Photo by Branderguard.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• All you wanted to know about the waterfront park’s labyrinth (or the Green Electric Range, as GM dubbed it six years ago).
• Georgetown could’ve been bigger than Baltimore.

Photo by Alan Kotok.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• No updates except to say that GM has to head out of town for a week and a half (sadly not for the beach, but work) and probably won’t be posting anything after today. Catch you after Labor Day!

1500 31st St.

Photo by Eddie Welker.

The Washington City Paper reported the sad news yesterday that Mr. Smith’s is closing down at the end of the month. This will toll the end of yet another landmark establishment in Georgetown. By GM’s count, it may be the second oldest tavern in the neighborhood.

GM looked into this two years ago when another mainstay, the Guards, closed. While Martin’s is clearly the longest lasting restaurant in Georgetown (if not DC) the question of who’s second is muddled. 1789 and Tombs were opened in 1962. But Mr. Smith’s also appears to have opened circa 1962 (GM couldn’t pin down the exact date). So it could be the second oldest continuously operated restaurant. Continue reading →

Potomac River

Dramatic changes are coming to the 30 series bus lines starting August 24th. No more will the 32 and 36 buses travel the length of DC from Friendship Heights to Ward 8. These changes follow up of similar changes pushed through in 2008. Most users, though, won’t notice service reductions but longer rides will now require a transfer.

Specifically here are the changes:

• Route 32 will no longer provide crosstown service between Southern Avenue and Friendship Heights. Buses will now operate between Southern Avenue and Foggy Bottom. Crosstown service to Friendship Heights will be replaced by the NEW Route 30S.
• Route 36 will no longer provide crosstown service between Naylor Road and Friendship Heights. Buses will now operate between Naylor Road and Foggy Bottom. Crosstown service to Friendship Heights will be replaced by the New Route 30N.
• New Route 33 will operate between Friendship Heights and Archives, replacing routes 32 and 36 service on Wisconsin Avenue.

The point of the effort is to split up longer routes to ensure that they stick to a schedule more consistently. The assumption is that most riders don’t ride it the length of the route, so cutting it in half will affect few riders. Continue reading →

Photo by Ehpien.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• George is no more, it has become Chinese Disco. (GM just wishes it would go back to Georgetown Billiards).
• Neyla is closing too.