1600 block of Wisconsin Ave.
What Are Those Weird Green Brain Fruit Anyway?
This time a year, if you wonder around Montrose Park you’re bound to find on the ground weird softball-sized green fruit like the one above. People are often so struck by the sight of the fruit, they pick up one or two of them and bring them home. But what are they, you ask?
Despite their green color, they’re oranges. Osage oranges, to be specific. They are grown by Osage trees, which line the Parrot rope walk. These trees are prevalent in the Great Plains states, where they are often planted along hedgerows. Traditionally, the pliable but strong nature of this tree’s wood made it valuable for fence posts and archery bows. Continue reading
Filed under Around Town
The Morning Metropolitan
Photo by Byron Peebles.
Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:
- The final piece of the Georgetown Waterfront Park opened last night. Check out some pics from William Newton. Looks like the water feature is going to be awfully popular with kids.
- Good news for Georgetown seniors.
- GM heard some rumors about the mall: Target is pulling out, and now Vornado is targeting Lord & Taylor, Nordstrom’s, and/or Jeffrey’s. GM’s not really a department store shopper, so he would much prefer Target, but the department stores are more consistent with the neighborhood’s shops.
Filed under The Morning Metropolitan
WalkingTown DC Returns
One of the great annual events held in DC returns again September 23rd: WalkingTown DC. What it is is a series of fantastic free walking tours throughout the city. In some cases they’re commercial walking tours that offer the tours gratis, and in some cases (and typically they’re the more interesting ones) they are organized only for the event.
GM has been doing these for years. His favorite was from a few years ago that was based in Mt. Pleasant and told the story of the neighborhood’s music history as it wound from honky tonk to Hispanic to punk rock.
You don’t have to pay, but in many cases you have to make reservations. This is particularly the case for Georgetown related tours, which fill up well in advance of the day. Here are the Georgetown tours: Continue reading
The Morning Metropolitan
Old postcard of Dumbarton House by Streets of Washington.
Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:
- Commissioner Jake Sticka makes one more attempt to come up with a compromise ANC redistricting map, and is mostly ignored.
- Another article on the mall and yet still no new information.
Filed under The Morning Metropolitan
Not So Long Ago: Wisconsin and Q
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This week for Not So Long Ago, GM goes back to Book Hill.
Starting from right to left: today these storefronts hold the new restaurant Bookhill Bistro, Manny and Olga’s Pizza, and Sassanova. In 1993 these spaces were occupied respectively by Pad Thai Restaurant, Maison de la Rose, and Georgetown Kids.
Pad Thai was, obviously, a Thai restaurant. By 2004, at least, the restaurant was replaced with the Antique Print Gallery. Soon thereafter, the space became District Fine Arts, which itself closed in 2009. After a length vacancy, the Book Hill Bistro opened up shop. GM’s been by, it’s a cozy little space, but the menu is a bit limited and too pricey. He hopes they can adjust into a nice neighborhood joint soon.
Maison de la Rose appears to have been a flower shop, however GM was unable to find any information about it. By 2004 the pizza chain Manny and Olga’s of the deliver-very-late promise moved in. They’ve been there ever since.
Georgetown Kids appears to have been a children’s clothing store. Looks like it was a great place to stock up on Oshkosh-B’Gosh. GM’s not sure when Sassanova moved in, but they were definitely there by 2004. Continue reading
Filed under Not So Long Ago
The Morning Metropolitan
Big Cheese Truck sandwich by Byron Peebles.
Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:
- According to WBJ, Vornado is “working closely with local agencies and community groups on a plan [for the Georgetown Park mall] that reinvigorates the neighborhood.” As a boardmember of one of those community groups, GM can say that’s simply not true. Vornado hasn’t really said anything to anyone so far.
- Albrecht Muth claims that being tried for his wife’s murder is violating the Geneva Convention.
Filed under The Morning Metropolitan
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