H Street's newest addition kicks off the live musical performances.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Timmy Sparkle & Abu
*Acoustic Guitar & Drum
*Performing from 9:15pm to 11:15pm
*No cover or drink/check minimum
Friday, March 7, 2008
The Mike Gillespie Trio
*Jazz Flute with accompaniment
*Performing from 9:00pm to Midnight
*Drink/check minimum: $15.00 per seat
44 comments:
Jazz flute is for little fairy boys.
Little Ham 'n Eggs comin' at ya, hold on people hope ya got your griddles...
ok, i'm bringing this up based on a conversation at work.
according to a co-worker who lived in these parts during the 80's.
pap & petey's is trying to create some kind of rennaisance of the glory days of this neighborhood. i.e., black culture on h street, which once was a preeminent neighborhood for african american in dc (don't forget, half of georgetown was too, way back in the mid-late 1800's - and look at it now!)
the fact is (according to said co-worker, the "gentrification" of the hood does not really lend itself to the kinds of establishments that cater the glory days of a majority black neighborhood. the new folks moving in to the area have concerns and desires that worry most about their kids, their schooling, where they can spend their disposable income, where they can eat a decent meal or buy a sundry necessity without being accosted on the way in (or out).
the folks that cherish the hood's history can't even afford to pay the prices of places that want to patronize the past.
so pap's is doomed.
she also said to look at NoMa and the Florida Market. they too were historically significant in a diferent context and a different age, and a different make up of the city, and they're on their way out.
she also said that many long time residents would love to sell and leave. lots of bad memories, and better opportunities (space, schools, etc.) in adjacent states.
so...
rock and roll hotel seems to be doing well, as is palace of wonders, etc.
in her head, the future is looking toward columbia heights, etc.
where the new residents create the demand for the services they desire.
in sum, economics dictates that the gentrification of the hood will run a lot of these new afro-centric business out.
i'm just curious. what do people that live here think?
i need a good answer/rebuttal.
(can't wait to hear layman's response, if he still cares to dish out his opinions....)
just curious... OH, and for what it's worth, my colleague is black - or African American if you prefer.
First, a $15 cover for jazz in this town is a bargain. If they have good acts, they'll draw from all over the city.
On no cover nights, it's dirt cheap.
I was at Pap & Petey's last night and it felt like a neighborhood bar. How can that not be appealing to everyone around here?
What qualifies as a "new afro-centric business"? I'm white, but I love jazz and am even more enamored with the idea of live jazz within walking distance. If you mean the abundance of wig shops, hair dressers, bodegas, and fried food establishments, then sure, I think some will find themselves either priced out or cashing in on their real estate values, but they aren't really "new." I see no reason that Pap & Petey's can't prosper here.
that's why i'm asking!
apparently, real jazz and r&b can be had for less than that at other places in/outside the district.
Seriously?? Is this a joke or some ignorant provocation? "according to a co-worker who lived in these parts during the 80's.." The 80's were hardly the glory days of any DC neighborhood and, quiet as it's kept, Blacks have, can and do open and maintain quality businesses that lots of people of all ethnicities patronize - even nail salons. And for the record there ARE professional Black people (like myself) living, working and patronizing businesses in this neighborhood. Spend some time doing something other than posting crap on this blog (which is a positive neighborhood resource)
think "history and economics" people.
you all should have been there during the discussion.
she moved to MD, and doesn't even want to come to these parts anymore - or her three kids, for that matter.
for the record, i'm technically white. but i don't live in a "white" world.
8th and H
seriously. get over it.
i'm relating a conversation.
if you have an intelligent opinion, express it please.
8th and el.
trust me, your opinion will be read by "black professionals" like yourself, so please....
think in the larger context.
not everyone is like you.
History and economics: Your co worker hasn't lived in the City for over 20 years. Her experiences can best be described as out of date and understandably colored by bad experiences. Why would you accept her characterization of YOUR neighborhod unchallenged. Don't fall into the trap that many whites do of believing anything negative Blacks say about other Blacks - Black folk can be cynical and negative too. Economics - as long as P&P's is well capitalized there is no reason to imagine (especially after less than one week in business) that it will not thrive since it is filling a niche for the west end of H. St. As for the $15 cover, if that's too much for you (or others) then just patronize the nights without a cover charge. Win/Win - just the way I like it.
Poo Poo,
A bit of advice. Don't admit your online persona in the neighborhood...you may get your ass kicked.
If you'd come out of your mother's basement for some fresh air, you'd know that Pap & Petey's is a breath of fresh air in the neighborhood.
It is decidely not seeking to "create some kind of rennaisance of the glory days of the neighborhood." I've been several times and felt nothing but a cool vibe from a friendly new neighborhood establishment. Check out the website, it is the realization of a small business owners dream.
Your condemning it is just another demonstration of the fact that you are an ass. I guess that means your pseudonymn is fitting...
They way it sounds -- it is a $15 check min a person. Is that right? I think free Jazz if you have three drinks is a bargain anywhere. Most people that can afford to pay the taxes on a 500k+ house can afford that. As a white guy in the neighborhood I can't wait to go out to Pap and Petey's. If they are as nice and as welcoming as other people have said they will be with us a long time. As much as I like all the vacant properties it will be nice to have another one occupied for a change.
Poo Poo,
You should change your name to productive conversation assassin. B/c constructive conversation seems to die whenever you show up on this blog.
Honestly, its amazing you have time to post to this blog considering all the houses you keep telling us you are buying and all the businesses you keep telling us you are running.
Tell your "friend" all the technically white people in the hood really appreciate the reverse racism.
Wasn't U Street NW more the black mecca than H Street, way back when? I may have my local histories confused, but wasn't H Street always a mix of everything, more neighborhoody than anything?
I couldn't agree more with Tired of Poo said. I don't consider myself a music afficianado(my husband certainly is) but even I perked up when I saw the first two music offerings at P&P. Cool vibe, breath of fresh air....I thought that described it perfectly. We haven't done this kind of thing in years(kids, long time Hill residents)but I want to try P&P.
Recreating the past never even crossed my mind. Poo Poo tell your friend that everyone on H is way ahead of the curve(which is very difficult to comprehend for the average area resident, until it is in their face and the trend has peaked the average District/area resident doesn't get it).
whatever.
i'm relating a discussion.
i didn't have to do that, but i did, thinking it would generate some constructive dialogue.
i'm done.
bitch amongst yourselves, and i'll just post commentary on bullshit from now on.
good for you?
yeah, i thought so.
btw, hillman.
you're sort of correct.
depends on which decades to which you decide to attribute the neighborhood.
there aint much "eye"talians to around to chime in.
oh yeah. the colleague at work grew up with the old couple's family - the one who's house burned up on florida because of the cigarrette.
and knew the girl that got run over by florida market.
so.....
go figure out where she's coming from.
i'm excited to hear all of your pertinent opinions.
if you don't know what i'm talking about, search inked's blog.
Poo poo, you're always promising to disappear and not comment any more, and then there you are again, like a yeast infection that just won't go away.
I hate to say this: White folk that make six figures - how many of you would want to go move to a poor white neighborhood (regardless of the cute housing stock) or on the edge of a trailer park that's slated to be bulldozed sometime in the undetermined future. None of you because you don't want to be confused with some unemployed white trash. Something to think about when you're wondering why six figure earning blacks shy away from this neighborhood as a living/entertainment option. So poo, you might be right, your co-worker might not want to hang in this 'hood because of all the folk she'd rather not be mistaken for by growing number of people who don't distinguish between the difference. Don't be mad at me everyone for saying this. A black friend of mine from FL explained this to me when she came to visit me here in the 'hood. She was trying to explain to me why our neighborhood wasn't necessarily a destination for high income blacks regardless of the rich cultural history. And then there's the issue of the phenomenon of black on black crime which is a turn off for high income blacks too. Again, a conversation I had with a friend that I'm probably not supposed to repeat on a blog. Let the flogging begin.
"Jazz flute is for little fairy boys."
-hmm..i'm quite sure irvin mayfield and kermit ruffins would disagree. If you don't know who either of them are, then you have absolutely no right to critique the genre.
And poo poo..please, just do us all a favor..and make a solemn vow never to post anything ever again..despite how "informed" or "educated" you feel your post may be.
7th and H
"Jazz flute is for little fairy boys" is a quote from one of the greatest movies in American history, Ancorman.
As far a poo poo is concerned, why do people always want to shut off the speech of those they disagree with?
Poo poo...I reread your original post and I can't follow the logic of your friend(or maybe it is yours). What new afro-centric businesses is she/you talking about?
As far as Columbia Heights is concerned, have you read what they will have with the new mall opening there on Saturday? While it is great that new development is in the Distict, it is a city version of a suburban strip mall in the city. One could legitimally ask..is this Potomac Mills or the middle of an urban area. If your friend lives in the suburbs, she will probably feel more comfortable there(all the stores will be familiar.
H Street seems more unique...would you rather have Ruby Tuesdays or Granville Moore?
I'm not sure why everyone is so mad at Poo for this one...it's actually a decent starting point for a constructive conversation, if anyone bothers to set aside past experiences with the man as an instigator and general nuisance. ;-)
Has Duke (or anyone associated with Pap & Petey's) given any sort of indication that they are aiming for the kind of renaissance that poo's co-worker is talking about?
If so, I haven't heard it.
It seems to me that this co-worker is basing her opinion on the fact that P&P is black-owned and plans to feature jazz and R&B - neither of which means that the goal is to appeal to an exclusively black clientele (check out the crowds at Blues Alley and HR57 on any given night to see for yourself).
Poo poo - First, ask her if she considers Sidamo part of that same 'renaissance' effort because it's black-owned, as well? Seems a bit odd that anyone would think that black business owners are/should be attempting to recreate a black entertainment corridor, rather trying to create a new entertainment corridor that caters to anyone who wants to come.
And then invite her to join you at either (or both) some time so she can experience them for herself instead making judgments based on her own prejudices.
1. A drink minimum instead of a cover is great. I'm probably going to drink that much anyway if I go out to a show, so I'm excited.
I went by P&P's on Tuesday, and I'm wondering where they're planning on putting the band. Anyone know? I enjoyed the place, and the prices were reasonable, but it seemed a little clean and prefab - I think I'll enjoy it more once it gets a little lived-in and scuffed up.
2. I'm Just Sayin' - did you read the NYT article Inked posted a week or two ago about gentrification in Harlem? It quoted a wealthy black woman who felt like she was looked down on by a lot of the new relatively affluent black folks in the neighborhood because they saw her North Face bubble coat and Tims and assumed she was an old timer in the neighborhood. Seems to reinforce your point.
3. 7th and H - You are my favorite little gentleman. And Kermit Ruffins is a little fairy boy.
4. Mike - Leaving aside any discussion of what it would mean to try and create a "black renaissance," whether anyone is trying, or whether such an attempt - were it to be me made - would be successful, I think that we could make a clear distinction between the entrenched majority and the relatively recent Ethiopian immigrants. Not to suggest anything about either party, but considering the cultural divide, I don't think an Ethiopian run business could likely be considered under any circumstances to be part of such an effort.
I cannot speak for Poo Poo but I would go to Ruby Tuesdays more than Granville Moores.
Is a Ruby Tuesday opening up?
That would be great!
i have a hard time believing the pnp owners would sink all this money into a scheme to produce some sort of socio-economic stand, a fight against gentrification. jumping to that conclusion just because the business' black owners want to feature jazz and blues is just ridiculous. poo, i think your friend needs to add some meat to the bone here because the current hypothesis is weak at best.
Anon 9:48...Ruby Tuesday's is opening in Columbia Heights. You might get in on the ground floor and lobby the new H Street Connection development, if that is what appeals to you.
I frequent the west end of H more than the East end. It never occurred to me to think of Sidamo, Noveau Fleur and now P&P as 'afro-centric".
Long live Poo Poo! Thanks for sparking so many comments on every post--from the West end.
The Ruby Tuesday in Chinatown is closer than Columbia Hts.
A boy can dream!
What ever happened to the bookstore that was were P&P currently is?
That place was opened for what seemed like 2 weeks and closed for good.
Sheriff, I rarely agree with you, but I'm behind you 100% on your last comment.
Not a fan of poo poo and actually cheered when the owner of the tire shop smacked him down for suggesting the fire was an insurance scam but why the outrage on this one? Is a jazz joint necessarily designed for a black audience? I don't think so but possibly. Would business owners on H street be wise to offer something desirable to the changing demographics? It would seem so. I recall a Post article where the owner of one of the suit shops on H street said he was stocking more polo shirts or something like that. (pretty funny actually)
What am I missing? I am not being deliberately obtuse here. Please explain why we're mad at poo poo this time?
Anon. 11:50,
The problem with poo's post, I think, is that like so many of his other posts, he consistently bases his comments/theories/pronouncements, whatever you want to call them, on faulty and even offensive assumptions.
For example, he says that the people who cherish the hood's history (ie, african americans) can no longer afford to buy a house here. Not only is that statement patently wrong, but it implies that if you are white you are somehow incapable of cherishing/honoring the neighborhood's past (or even liking jazz for crying out loud!) by sheer dint of the color of your skin. If that doesn't fit the definition of racism I don't know what does.
Last time I checked, there were a variety of people and ethnicities at the H Street Heritage trail meetings who wanted to make sure that the history of the street was documented and preserved for future generations.
I could pick out additional examples in his post but I really don't think it would matter. Basically, to say that one neighborhood should be exclusively black or exclusively white, or should exclusively cater to one or the other, is where the trouble lies.
Poo, why don't you tell your friend to go back and watch every episode of Sesame St. Maybe then they'll realize that multiple ethnicities can live together without excluding or boycotting one another.
Kerry:
In response to your comment, "7th and H - You are my favorite little gentleman. And Kermit Ruffins is a little fairy boy." ...
thank you (i think) for the kind words. very sweet ;)
Dang, I get smacked down by poo poo and i haven't even posted yet. My jazz studies professor from Howard will tell you that if you want to make a decent living playing jazz today, you better be catering to people of fairer complexions and higher tax brackets. Good example would be the the jazz series' given at huge concert halls like the Kennedy Center, right down to the $30-$60 admissions charged for Blues Alley. Rarely do you see a big name playing at Twins or HR57 or even Bohemian Caverns nowadays.
I can't speak for Duke, but I don't think the intention for P & P is to recreate the black experience on H St. But I do believe that the venue will provide local and small time talent to a developing area with a growing night scene. Much like you can see local stars rocking it out at the Rock and Roll hotel. I also think with the wide range of cultures in this neighborhood, the place will be filled regularly with people who like jazz from every background.
My .02
I have been to Paps several times since they have opened and I love it. I am very happy that he finally opened. Last night talking with Duke, he mentioned that people were talking about a $15 cover. I had no idea people were talking about it here because I actually have a real life and do more then troll blogs. That is a shot st Poo incase you missed it. Duke has no idea where the $15 cover comes from. He said that there will be NO COVER, only a two drink minimum. Because that is what people generally have.
I really like P&P. Duke is great, so is the staff, the prices are reasonable. Welcome to the neighborhood, P&P!
Pooster, you should actually go to a place before you bash it and show how absolutely ignorant you are of the facts (and also show your thoughts on race).
Pap & Petey's has had a widely diverse crowd each night I've been there--look at the pictures on the website and you'll see that. The appeal of the place is that it is a comfortable, neighborhood-type place with mellow music to help people relax and have a good time.
P&P's website is updated to explain that there is no cover. All they have (for that show) is a per-person minimum of $15, which with many of their drinks will get you 3 rounds (beers are $4, 5 and 6, for example).
PEOPLE,
i posted a conversation at work.
that's it.
f*ck you people really don't get it, do you?
i was looking for feedback, not stupid gut reactions.
i encourage you all to take a critical thinking class at your local community collge (or UDC - same thing).
you folks crack me up.
AND you'll likely be hearing from my colleague now that she knows this blog exists.
good luck at your yoga classes.
poo
Oh, Poo. Please don't ever go away.
--from the West end.
Everyone needs to shut up and listen to me.
I have big, important things to say.
gentrification! discord!
Iowa! wigs!
[______] is a stupid idea!
Dirty's right on everything--I would know, I'm the friend that told him about everything.
Speaking of yoga(which I love)...at mid day yesterday a lovely elegant(perfect suit with a fedora) older(over 60?) African American gentleman was at the door asking the owner(a lovely young white woman) where Pap & Petey's was. One was looking for the place the other was there already. I think that says it all.
I have heard nothing but excitement over this place.
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