Cava Opens at 11am Tomorrow

Reader photo showing the exterior of the new Cava location

The new Cava at 601 H Street NE opens tomorrow. Swing by early for some Mediterranean fare if you can. To celebrate the event Cava will pick up the tab for the first 202 meals.

Happy Holidays!

 

I hope everyone is able to enjoy a little time off to spend with family and friends this year. I'll keep my fingers crossed as we near the end of the year that 2018 may have great things in store for us all.

Local Briefing: Behind the Swampoodle Name, Atlas Doghouse Opens, & NoMa BID Pajama Drive Update

Image courtesy of NoMa BID

WAMU has a story on Swampoodle Park and the history of the Swampoodle neighborhood from which the new park at 3rd and L Street NE takes its name.

Atlas Doghouse (1371 H Street NE), which provides dog walking, training, and boarding, opened to the public this past weekend. It's conveniently located just down the street from currently expanding AtlasVet (1326 H Street NE).

According to a press release the NoMa BID pajama drive that collected pajamas, socks, underwear, mittens/gloves and hats for children sized infant to teens brought in over 500 pajamas that will go to kids in the District's foster care system. This the NoMa BID drive was an effort in support of the larger DC Holiday Pajama Drive.

A Shooting & a Stabbing Over the Weekend & an Arrest in the Jan. Murder of Awlachew Ayele

Friday evening we had a shooting in the 1500 block of Benning Road NE. The Washington Post reports that the victim was a teenage female who was wounded in the incident, but conscious and breathing when located by police.

There was a stabbing about 2am Sunday morning in the 1400 block of H Street NE. I don't have any information about the victim's status.

MPD also made an arrest Friday in the murder of 66 year old Awlachew Ayele, whose body was discovered along with the body of a dog after a fire at his apartment in the 1100 block of Queen Street NE on January 26th. The fire was later determined to have been intentionally set, but police had stopped short of labeling it a homicide early on. This is a bizarre story that I mentioned back in February when Fox 5 reported that Awlachew had complained to police the afternoon of January 25th that drug dealers had kicked in his door and taken over his apartment. Hours later police were summoned to Awlachew's apartment and he reported that he had been assaulted. The next day he was found dead.  Fox 5 also posted video shot inside of Awlachew's apartment in which you can see the words "You Going DOWN" and Ayele's last name written on the wall. Fox 5 also found court records showing police had found drugs during a raid three years before at a different apartment in the same building after another individual made a similar claim about drug dealers taking over his unit. The Fox 5 story says the landlord told a reporter that he had repeatedly complained to police about drug activity at the building, and showed the station emails to that effect.

This Weekend: Uni Bistro Hosts a Charity Flea Market & Santas Take Over Wunder Garten

Here are two fun weekend events to help you battle any end of the year stress.

Night of a 1,000 Santas at Wunder Garten

Tonight is the Night of 1,000 Santas Dance Party (7–11pm) at Wunder Garten (1101 First Street NE). Put on your best Santa gear and head over to shake a tail feather on the dance floor. Admission is free (even if you've been naughty). The event will feature a dj, drinks, food, and plenty of holiday cheer. It's a fun way to celebrate the final weekend of Winterfest, the pop-up holiday makers market and all around seasonal festival.

Shawafel to Close H Street NE Location this Month

Shawafel owner Alberto Sissi confirmed to me that he will close his original location at 1322 H Street NE on Dec. 23. He plans to reopen the shop at a new downtown location (818 18th Street NW) in the spring. Alberto is also currently exploring the possibility of opening a location near Eastern Market.

He told me he is "very sad to leave H [Street]," but indicated he has "been priced out of the market." Alberto said his landlord intends to essentially double the rent for the H Street NE location if the shop remains there beyond the end of the year. He added that he "really appreciate[s]...everyone that supported Shawafel and it's been a great pleasure serving this wonderful community."

Say Hello to Swampoodle Park

The new park coming to 3rd and L Street NE has a name. It's going to be called Swampoodle Park. Swampoodle was the name of a 19th century Irish neighborhood near where the park stands today. Swampoodle Park will consist of roughly 8,000 square feet, part of that falling within the public right-of-way. Per the NoMa Parks Foundation, the completed "park will include plantings and gathering spaces; a vertical play structure designed for children ages five and up; and a large space for dogs to run and play, complete with a dog agility ramp." Construction was to be completed by November, but is still ongoing due to delays. They are now shooting for January.

Local Briefing: Khepra's Relocating, Pug Fundraisers & One Eight Distilling Happy Hour Event

 

Khepra's is Moving 

The blog District Cuisine has a post up announcing that Khepra's (402 H Street NE), a raw food and juice bar with quite the following (and great food), is moving a few doors down to 408 H Street NE. I've heard rumors for quite a while that Khepra's was seeking a larger space, and it's great to know they found one so near their current home.

Caroling on the Corner Tomorrow 12/12

 

Join NoMa BID and the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington tomorrow (Tuesday, Dec. 12th 5:30–6:30pm) for Caroling on the Corner. It's a free holiday sing-along at 1150 First Street NE. The event is free and open to all. If you bring a new pair of pajamas for the DC Holiday Pajama Drive (and arrive before they run out) you can snag a drink coupon for a complimentary seasonal cocktail at Noma's Wunder Garten (1101 First Street NE).

Krampusnacht 2017 Photos

I wanted to share some photos from this past Saturday's Krampusnacht festivities on H Street NE. There was a really large turnout this year, and I felt like a higher percentage of people wore costumes than in recent years. These are some highlights, but you can see all of my Krampus photos from this year on flickr.

Election Cycle Coming to 1108 H Street NE

Local blog District Cuisine has been serving up lots of news about area spots recently, and it's not all confined to food. Last night District Cuisine tweeted about Election Cycle, the new spin studio taking over The Daily Rider's old space at 1108 H Street NE (the Daily Rider is still working on their new space at 600 H Street NE).

Ward 5 Holiday Party 12/13 at Dock5

Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie will host the Ward 5 Holiday Party Wednesday, December 13th (6–9pm) at Dock5 at Union Market (1309 Fifth Street NE). Join friends and neighbors for an evening of holiday cheer. Admission is a new unwrapped toy for the annual toy drive for children in our community. You can register through Eventbrite.

Can You Identify this Person of Interest in a Robbery on H Street 12/3?

MPD Seeks the public's help to identify this person of interest

At 6:56am Sunday, December 3rd an individual entered an establishment in the 1300 block of H Street NE. The individual took a flat screen tv before fleeing the scene. If you have any information about this crime, or can identify the individual shown above, please call 202-727-9099. You can also text the information to x50411. Crime Solvers of Washington, DC currently offers a reward of up to $1,000 to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest and indictment of the person or persons responsible for a crime committed in the District of Columbia.

Mythology Announces Big Changes at 816 H Street NE

Screenshot from Mythology's website

Mythology (816 H Street NE) made a major announcement via email on Friday. The restaurant and lounge occupying the first two floors of the three story building will vacate the 1st floor in order to focus fully on the 2nd floor lounge. Mythology ceased first floor operations this past Sunday, but will soon be back up and running upstairs.

Bar Elena Launches Brunch Service Tomorrow

Photo by Bobby Spero

Newly opened Bar Elena (414 H Street NE) will begin serving weekend brunch tomorrow, and the menu features some pretty tempting items. You find versions of brunch classics, such as cornmeal pancakes (available in sweet for $11 or savory for $16), and three different Eggs Benedict (lobster $18, ham $12, or smoked salmon $13), plus salads, sandwiches, and plenty of seafood options. Some items are, or can be altered to be gluten free, or vegetarian/vegan. Carnivores can enjoy a classic burger ($14), but Bar Elena also offers an intriguing beet and chickpea burger with black beans and pico ($13). As I mentioned, seafood makes a prominent appearance on the menu. There's a buttered lobster roll with fennel slaw ($18), moules frites in a dijon cream or tomato jus ($15), and well as selections of oysters and clams from the raw bar. A press release suggested the Spaghetti Sandwich (served on a baguette with tomato sauce and gran padano, $12) if you happen to have over-indulged the night before. Elena's brunch cocktail game is strong with Mimosas, Poinsettias, and Bellinis. Bloody Marys, Micheladas, and Caesars among the options.