H St is by far the best bar scene in DC for those who have a college degree, and don't still act like they are in college. Not to generalize too much, but roughly age 26 and above.
H St. CC caters to the youngest crowd (except maybe Fri/Sat upstairs at little miss whiskey's), but I still don't think it is anywhere near as annoying as places in Dupont like sign of the whale, etc.
Anytime I have friends in from out of town, I bring them to H St. they are usually a bit scared at first, but then always have a blast.
I'm glad that I have been able to see such a fun neighborhood grow around me.
I feel like is has definitely hit critical mass, and am looking forward to what the next few years will bring.
Last week the Washingtonian was saying H St was bad.... glad they changed their minds. http://www.washingtonian.com/blogarticles/restaurants/bestbites/18090.html Notes From the Field: Smith Commons Our critics give new restaurants a quick look and report back with their first impressions.
By Kate Nerenberg H Street, Northeast, is so chockablock with mediocre food that the opening of a handsome sit-down option—with a romantic Brooklyn-like vintage-warehouse feel, nonetheless—brings hope for something better. The very new Smith Commons, however, seems better suited to drinking than eating. And that's even selling the cocktails a bit short; both standard (martini, margarita) and original (the "Tarboro Viking"—bourbon, ginger, lime) concoctions were outstanding. The food's shortcomings—inedibly fishy crabcakes, mushy prawns—were more a problem of poor sourcing than poor cooking. If the kitchen finds a different fish supplier, we'd knock back a few drinks and try again.
It is a crying shame that Toyland was named in the magazine. That interview was done with Erin, and has nothing to do with Fake toyland. The website that Anon 3:31 posted is the old website that hasn't gone away. Very deceptive to keep using the old site (with a picture picture of Erin and their farewell tweet). I went to fake toyland to ensure my bitterness and was legit....it is. The place is....terrible. David screwed the neighborhood, and a ton of good people over. fake toyland doesn't deserve a penny. I hope dave and vince sell soon and get out of the neighborhood ASAP! Hopefully the "what goes around" happens to them 10 fold.
Neighbor that is tired of hearing about Toyland
said...
I think what is really a crying shame is the fact that some people dont have a life and continue to harp on petty neighborhood gossip. I wouldnt know Erin, Garrick, or David if I tripped over them in the street but I am so tired of hearing about this. GET OVER IT.
"David screwed the neighborhood, and a ton of good people over."
Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
Firstly, I doubt you know Dave. If you did you probably know that he doesn't a mean bone in his body. Further, he's been in this area a lot than most people on this board and is responsible for much of the resurgence of the neighborhood. He's very popular. New, old, rich and poor -they all adore him. They think he's a righteous dude.
Now on to your screw comment. Dave didn't fire, screw, take advantage of, took, hoodwink, bamboozled, or led anyone astray. Once again just so we are clear, neither Dave nor the new management told any of the employees that they were fired, laid off or let go.
I have been fired and fired others before, and usually it involves and uncomfortable and awkward communication, by an employer with an employee. This exchange never happened. Nobody had a meeting with the Bobs.
If you want to know where people got the impression that they were "screwed over", perhaps you should ask Erin and Garrick, because after talking to some folks, that maybe your guide to the truth. However, I'm not sure you can handle the truth.
So I am sure that you will continue your incessant posting about how Toyland destroyed the entire quadrant of North East DC. I can feel the conflict inside you. Let go of your hate. It's not too late. Because as the proverb goes:
"No one is as angry as the person who is wrong."
*To occupy your time with something more constructive, I have hidden several famous movie references in my paragraphs. See if you can find them all!
I appreciate your attempt at levity in this situation. While your Malcom X, star wars, few good men, and big lebowski quotes don't fit the situation at least it isn't hostile. I love free public discourse.
That said, my opinion is thus:
I know david. He certainly does come across as a "rightious dude", but sadly this isn't the case. His recent dealings shown his true colors, something I have suspected for a while. All show, no go. In my opinion he is a snake in the grass. Being here the longest doesn't confer a right to screw people over. I posted how it was a shame that Fake toyland is lucky recipient of some unwarranted positive press. That article was written for a different bar. What was a great asset to the neighborhood is now a loss. So thank you for the wisdom. It is worth exactly what I paid for it.
You keep saying that he screwed people. Who are you talking about? We have determined that the employees walked out with Erin and Garrick and not fired. And it is clear that neither Erin nor Garrick were screwed. So the people the screwed people that you and others continue to mention simply don't exist.
Given this, I am asking you and others to please stop. You are making peoples' lives miserable and a lot of lines have been crossed. Even people that have nothing to do with this are getting harrased in public. So now that you have the facts that what is driving your angst is false and misguided, it is time to move on.
I understand you liked Erin and Garric -they are likable people, but eventually you have to accept that they did and said a lot of wrong things and took advantage of a lot of people -including their employees and patrons. So once again I am asking you and others to please stop. At this point , as the poster pointed out, this has crossed the line into bullying and has gone way too far.
Good Christ, does EVERY SINGLE FUCKING ARTICLE on this blog really have to have some pathetic comments pro-/anti-Toyland? Every single goddamned post? Are your lives really this empty? Give it a rest.
My parents are in town this weekend and this Sunday we wanted to go somewhere for lunch. I suggested we try out the Argo and maybe they are open. It is only noon and even it is a Sunday I am sure they would be open. So, after finding a parking spot and getting to the front door, we found out it was a 30min wait. WOW!!!! on a Sunday and they are that busy? Cool. We went else where. How long ago was the fire? They are that busy? I am happy for the Argo.
Rich, Really...I'm sure you and your good buddy/business partner Dave have established that Erin and Garrick and everyone else "walked out", but that didn't seem to be the case the night the lost their jobs. I find it hilarious that you talk about crossing lines and cyber bullying, yet in the same post take the time to disparage Erin and Garrick. Hypocrite much....me thinks so. Oh and your Yelp review is like getting to fair and balanced news of fox. This will continue unit fake toyland is gone.
@10:34 yes I did "jam" myself...how did you know. But, it was your mom's dildo, and she touches me....so at least I got that going for me
Nothing sinister. Simply refering to the constant back and forth of real Toyland versus fake toyland and how david destroyed a great neighborhood asset.
While I normally dont agree with censoring, I would whole-heartedly support Inked taking down any future reference to this Toyland fued or anything calling David/Erica/Garrick/whoever names. This is getting out of hand.
Anon 6:16pm -- You're saying that the "constant back and forth of real Toyland versus fake toyland" will go on until then? This is a third party's blog, for the most part used (and valued) as a neighborhood resource; and you're threatening to continue to screw with its usefulness for everyone, including the vast vast majority of disinterested parties, until then?
I promise that this is my last post and none of you will ever hear from me again.
This is what Erika said on Yelp about why she assumed she was fired.
"3 days before xmas the the original management had to close the doors... then 2 days later Toyland was reopened... with the exact same cocktail menu that the original team created. Unfortunatly it had been reopened with new management, who previosly came in and befriended us. So why didn't he call us to let us know he was reopening for us to come back to work? Because shady business was going on." http://www.yelp.com/biz/toyland-washington#hrid:yub_zJwC6O7btjP_9RxYHA
So as I stated earlier, Erika was not fired. Although Erika was not contacted after the transition, it is implied that she made no attempt to contact the new management to discuss her employment.
Within this paragraph, I see a lot of assumptions, and a little bit of contempt, but nothing to suggest that she was fired. She also assumes that the new management had access to her employment file and contact information. However, I think that it is safe to say that Erika did have Toyland's phone number and where they were located.
Honestly if Erika was that concerned about her employment, she would have at least talked to the new manager. I think that what any reasonable person would have done if they were concerned about their employment. However, it also seems to me that Erika felt betrayed, and frankly, disinterested in returning to work -I really don't know.
But I can say with 100% certainty is that neither Dave nor the new management screwed, at least Erika, out of a job. There was absolutely no contact to even suggest this. She based her rational on unconfirmed assumptions and made no attempt at clarify her employment status with the new management.
And before I leave, I just wanted to leave this last little piece of proof of the cyber bulling that people have endured
I looks like Erika's post was deleted, so I did her a favor and took a screen shot.
http://i.imgur.com/cRFYR.png
Oh and I didn't notice before, she admits that she wasn't fired. Well she probably didn't need the cash given that there was a benefit for those that were screwed out of their jobs.
So I will just leave this here and let everyone draw their on conclusions.
for the record, there was not anything remotely libelous about either of the comments that were deleted. They may have been in poor taste, they may have pushed buttons, but they were not libelous. So, in the future, Inked, why don't you simply acknowledge that you are censoring your blog according to whatever standards you decide to follow on a given day.
This is not a public forum in a legal sense, and you are of course free to edit the comments in any way you see fit. Please do that, and be forthright about doing so. It's always a disappointment to see someone cloak their actions with inaccurate invocations of legal principles that are not applicable to the scenario at hand.
This is all the more necessary, given the material supplied by Rich -- it appears that you have a personal connection to the Toyland situation that you have not fully disclosed. I say this as someone who is actually much more inclined to go to Toyland now than I was before. However, if you want ot have this site remain something that approaches an objective, general interest neighborhood blog, you should give some thought to disclosing your connections to neighborhood businesses and events, and you should have a consistent policy for moderating comments.
Look, everyone involved with the original Toyland was a good person. Everyone involved with the new Toyland is a good person. I would still like to consider all parties my friends. Unfortunately, partly due to this blog (and certain comments on this blog), some of them no longer consider me their friends. FYI, this means people on both sides. So thank you anonymous jerk for messing with the blog, and my personal life. I really hope that my sleepless nights have made you happy.
Bottom line: David, Erin, and Garrick, had a business dispute. It is still being resolved. Erin and Garrick should be very proud of the Washingtonian review, which was all theirs. There is a new team now running Toyland. That team is local. They are your neighbors and friend. As I have said to Erin, and I believe she understands (because Erin is a great person, as well as a great bartender) I seek to support all non-criminal/harmful businesses on H Street. In short, I want all original parties to be happy, but I also want the new team to be happy. We have a limited number of businesses on H Street. In my opinion we should support them all. I want to support Erin & Garrick, but I also want to support the new team coming in for Toyland. They had nothing to do with what happened before. They are still our neighbors. I'll repeat that I want the original partners to work things out, but can't we all just live together in the meantime?
Thank you for that thoughtful response. I am sure that the majority of the readers of your blog would support a one time statement such as this, followed by a declaration that you will henceforth not condone needlessly negative/unconstructive comments regarding an event that is increasingly receding into the distance (i.e., just delete the ridiculous "What's happening at Toyland" crap). That keeps everything above board and nips rampant, generally negative, speculation in the bud. But, don't delete Tubbs. That guy cracks me up.
I've lived in the neighborhood for 10 years, and have been reading this blog for quite a long time. Inked provides an invaluable service.
As you stated, she has the right to delete comments when she feels the need to do so. The arrogance and ingratitude you display by stating that she needs to state a consistent policy is absurd, and the notion that people would flock away to other sites if she removes nasty comments is naive.
Those who want to use the site to air their bile, and then claim some notion of sacred objectivity need to get a life. And though they may threaten to stop frequenting Frozen Tropics, they never will, as to do so would mean ignore the best source for information concerning H St.
If the author of a blog desires to develop and sustain a reputation that places it above the puerile mewlings that typify the genre, it is incumbent upon that author to establish standards that are advertised and adhered to.
Addressing your points in turn:
You've lived in the immediate area for 10 whole years. Bully for you. Congratulations on introducing a straw man right off the bat. Since you've started off with the H street version of Godwin, allow me to provide a riposte. That's the rough equivalent of what the majority of the residents of Munich said, either expressly or by inaction, about the Jews in the early twenties. Reminder: it got worse from there. Again, congrats. You must have received an A in your freshman logic course.
Regarding "invaluable service." Entirely subjective on your part, and, again, a weak appeal to false and unsupported authority. If we can place a value on every newspaper currently running, we can place a value on a blog that manages a few posts a week.
Further, while the arbitrary deletion of comments may be unlikey to drive readers from the site, it does have a direct bearing on the degree of regard with which the site will be held.
Finally, the PoP blog already provides more, and more timely, news regarding H street in all respects, belying, in every possible way, the rest of your plaintive wail.
A winner is you. You got the power-up and won the game!
"This is all the more necessary, given the material supplied by Rich -- it appears that you have a personal connection to the Toyland situation that you have not fully disclosed."
You just -in your own passive aggressive way- accused Ink of something, that you read from a post, written by someone with questionable credibility, in anger and then deleted. You just accused someone of something based on an unsubstantiated rumor and now you want to have a condensing conversation about credibility, GTFOH!
Seriously, tell me you just didn't muster the nerve to do that. This is the same BS that got us here in the first place. Seriously you people don't learn. Perhaps you should stop taking the word from people that you like as scripture and start using some of those critical thinking skills they taught you at whatever pretentious school of higher learning you attended. Do some research people.
This is why It took me all of ten minutes to discredit Erika's story that everyone was so eager to jump on board. And why you people threw a benefit for people that lost their jobs that didn't lose their jobs. All because none of you, as a collective, will use your critical thinking skills.
And I'm not even going to touch the second paragraph of pure insanity. All I can say as I sit here is WTF?
Christ, you people give me a headache. I'm going to bed.
Obviously, I mustered all kinds of things that elicited an irrational response from you. Read everything again, slowly, and you'll perhaps begin to comprehend that I have given credence to all positions stated by the respective parties involved. I made constructive, accurate usage of the preceding material to make valid points regarding the content of posts and comments to this blog. My "insane" comments were intentionally ludicrous, to illustrate the failings in logic that have pervaded this debate; a problem you have just mightily compounded. So, yes, go to bed. That is the best possible thing you can do. Indeed, just do that every day, all day. That would be best for everyone.
and, fyi, when you do something directly, like I did in that post, there's nothing "passive aggressive" about it. But, Christ, that sure sounds like a fancy term to you, don't it?
Look, just because you're wordy, doesn't mean what you write has substance. You accused someone of something based on an unsubstantiated rumor. Now just man up and admit it. That's another problem with you people, you can't admit you're wrong. Apologize and move on. It's not that big of a deal.
And yes, anytime you trivialize the holocaust, Nazis, Hitler, or anything event surrounding that horrible place and time, by comparing it to a blog, it's per se insane. There are no if, and or buts about it. To be honest, because it was so insane and over the top, I honestly have no idea what you trying to call him. Are you suggesting that he's someone that just stands by and just accepts the obvious atrocities because he has lived here for ten years? I don't get it. You lost me. And frankly I don't care.
What you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone reading this thread is now dumber for having been exposed to it. Go to sleep, and may God have mercy on your soul.
rich: no no, don't go to bed, please post a few more "this is my last post on this subject" messages.
a topic won't die if you refuse to let it die, man.
hedy or hedley: really? you consider tubbs' references to penises and labia and posts like "i have a member that can prolapse your anus" to be a positive contribution to the blog? really?
Oh, I'll agree that Tubbs' comments make nothing approaching a positive contribution to the substantive dialogue of this blog. However, the fact that you can quote him from memory indicates that I'm not the only one that those comments left an impression upon. I'm sure the guy is a flaming asshole, but the comments made me laugh more often than not. I fear that posts from morons like Rich have driven him away. I need my fix.
Oh, I have no intention of letting this die until I am satisfied pointing out who these people really are. For instance h. lamarr said... is a passive agressive know it all that's unable to even formulate proper analogies. On top of that, he's obviously clueless about what's appropriate.
He just called you a cowardly holocaust bystander -I think.
His reply? Not an apology. Not a clarification. Nothing more but than a quote from Billy Madison. At least that wasn't as wordy.
Then you question his judgement about what he thinks is appropriate?
But you're right, I should let this die. He's just not going to get it. That cake has already been baked, as my grandmother used to say.
1. he didn't call me anything. i'm a different anon.
2. you "have no intention of letting this die until I am satisfied pointing out who these people really are"? what exactly do you think you're going to accomplish by doing that? are you hoping to win a pointless argument? or are you hoping to convince all the spectators that a particular poster is a bad guy -- which, since the poster is completely unidentifiable as they're using a pseudonym that can be trivially thrown away and replaced with another one, is just as pointless?
perhaps this cartoon will help to illustrate what i'm getting at.
Ah Lamarr...It's funny the image of you that forms in my mind:
The little man; frustrated because not enough people in his life realize just how smart he is. He tries his best; using lexicon handpicked to impress, regularly bringing up the use of logic (he actually got a B+ in that freshman course; damn professor didn't realize either). He even keeps that textbook from that course handy, just for such internet exchanges (the only place his brilliance is is allowed to truly shine).
The first sign came from "the puerile mewlings that typify the genre," You really must write that down in your journal, as I'm sure there will be many more occasions to impress people with that one.
Next, "Congratulations on introducing a straw man right off the bat."
Poor Lamarr, do you know what a straw man is? I would suggest you do a bit of review from that freshman logic text.
Then you mention Godwin's Law, and follow by enacting said law with a weak analogy (again, check the textbook).
You then state my views are "Entirely subjective", which of course they are to a degree, as are yours, and most everyone's on blogs such as these. Of course, you call my authority "false", though knowing many of the business owners, knowing how inked has played a pretty large role, seeing how this blog drawn people together for almost 7 years, I think that does give me some insight, which while not absolute (is yours?), is a bit more than false.
Regarding the deletions you state "it does have a direct bearing on the degree of regard with which the site will be held."
By whom? You? How do you measure regard? And you accuse me of subjectivity and false authority....:)
You then mention the improving coverage of H St. by other blogs, which I agree with, but then state that because there are other useful blogs, this belies "in every possible way, the rest of your plaintive wail."
How so? Just because other sites are improving, how does that belie my statement that this blog is the best source for information on H St.?
I hate to be repetitive, but again, check your textbook.
You end your posturing with the insult "A winner is you. You got the power-up and won the game!"
This is one of the most juvenile tricks used by those who simply want to win an argument. First, engage in an argument (usually with insulting language designed to gain a reaction). Then, bow out with a scoff "Go to bed", mocking others and accusing them of being too competitive. I'm sure this worked well in college when you got into arguments at parties, but it's simply too transparent for it work in the real world.
And now I will follow suit, as I'm clearly too brilliant to continue this silliness. I must now go eat dinner with my wife and child, telling them amusingly of the 'fools and dilettantes' who frequent this blog
This is nuts people. I really don't know how these people find this type of behavior acceptable.
"p.s. this is not my last posting, i promise! it is only the beginning!!!"
This is what she wrote to me. Honestly, I have no idea why these people are so angry. Now they are using whatever means of harassement to bully others. They don't even care if they can be identified anymore.
What bothers me the most is that these are the people that many of you decided to hitch your wagon to.
I realize that most people have decided to move on from this thread, but I just wanted to leave this as evidence of the level of harassment people are receiving.
Amanda, you don't know me, or what is going on with me. I'm single. I'm not dating anyone, and I'll ask you to please leave your commentary on my personal life off this blog. I don't write posts about who you may, or may not be dating. I'm just asking for the same level of respect.
I pulled down the New Years post because it contained numerous defamatory statements, and lots of innocent references to those statements that would have had to have also been removed. That is time consuming, and I was busy. When you create and run a blog for six years then you can come to me and complain about it.
We need to have a conversation about civil behavior. I understand the you're upset. I understand that your were not happy about what you think you lost. However, that does not give you nor anyone else the right to bully, stalk and harass others for just trying to live their lives. The bottom line is that you and others have taken this way too far.
Further, as I stated earlier, no one has been able to give us clear answers to the following questions:
what gave you the impression you were fired, who fired you when did this communication occur. where did this conversation happened, and how was it delivered.
This gives me and others the impression that you made a unilateral decision not to come back to work. In addition, it appears that you made no effort to communicate your decision to the new management.
I understand it is easy to get caught up in the moment and it's to pull yourself back to ground. Especially when others around you are not giving you room to do so. However, to say that you lost your job is simply not truthful. Try to take an objective look at Erika's explanation of what she meant by "screwed out of a job." Point to me where this occurred because I frankly don't see it. This needs to be resolved. People are suffering over it.
At some point you and others need to understand that the business decision that were made wasn't meant to hurt you. The relationship was simply not working out. You had nothing to do with it. It wasn't about you. People need to be able to make the best decisions for themselves and families without intimidation.
Take a look at the posts that people have sent me. Keep in mind that I'm someone that don't know from the other 600,000 people that live in DC. Read what the ugly things that they are saying mostly in part to their belief from the impression you and others gave them that you were screwed out of your jobs.
This is what needs to happen. You need to give a clear explanation on how you lost your job. And no, just stating that you were screwed doesn't cut it. You also need to do more in the efforts to squelch this issue not only here but on other online mediums as well.
Your supporters are not letting this go and this will not just blow over as you probably hope. I am just asking you to answer my questions. If you disagree with my current suspicions then please clearly explain to us how I'm wrong. I think at this point you at least owe us that.
This is going too far. And it's really sad. I actualy read over Erika's comment that had appeared on Yelp and it seemed to me that she was just responding to Rich (which i'm assuming is the same Rich that's writing on here). He seemed to mention that the staff had been let go by the original Mgmt before any of this happened. I seem to think she was in the right for standing up for herself. It's a shame that her posting had been deleted. I don't understand why anyone is going around bad mouthing and hurting peoples reputations. Rich you are definatly guilty of this as well. Alot of people seem to be getting angry at what you are saying. Being antagonistic. I have actually gone in to the new Toyland because i didn't know what was going on. I asked where certain people were, which is usually what happens when you walk into your regular bar and don't see those familiar faces, and once i did that I recieved terrible attitude. I don't think that is fair. I will not be going back because of how I was treated. It's just not customer service. So it seems to me that certain actions of the new mgmt and staff are what is getting them on everybody's bad side. This is sad and everyone needs to move on and unfortunatly that does include you,Rich.
58 comments:
Toyland has a website: www.toylanddc.com/about.html
Does anyone who actually lives near H St. hang out at the H St. Country Club?
I do
@Hank:
I know of several kid's birthday parties that have been held there. Pretty good Mexican food, too. Best to go on a weekend.
Why do you ask?
H St is by far the best bar scene in DC for those who have a college degree, and don't still act like they are in college. Not to generalize too much, but roughly age 26 and above.
H St. CC caters to the youngest crowd (except maybe Fri/Sat upstairs at little miss whiskey's), but I still don't think it is anywhere near as annoying as places in Dupont like sign of the whale, etc.
Anytime I have friends in from out of town, I bring them to H St. they are usually a bit scared at first, but then always have a blast.
I'm glad that I have been able to see such a fun neighborhood grow around me.
I feel like is has definitely hit critical mass, and am looking forward to what the next few years will bring.
Last week the Washingtonian was saying H St was bad.... glad they changed their minds.
http://www.washingtonian.com/blogarticles/restaurants/bestbites/18090.html
Notes From the Field: Smith Commons
Our critics give new restaurants a quick look and report back with their first impressions.
By Kate Nerenberg
H Street, Northeast, is so chockablock with mediocre food that the opening of a handsome sit-down option—with a romantic Brooklyn-like vintage-warehouse feel, nonetheless—brings hope for something better. The very new Smith Commons, however, seems better suited to drinking than eating. And that's even selling the cocktails a bit short; both standard (martini, margarita) and original (the "Tarboro Viking"—bourbon, ginger, lime) concoctions were outstanding. The food's shortcomings—inedibly fishy crabcakes, mushy prawns—were more a problem of poor sourcing than poor cooking. If the kitchen finds a different fish supplier, we'd knock back a few drinks and try again.
Smith Commons food was very average last Saturday. I had the veal and my girlfriend has the lamb.
Hopefully it improves.
It is a crying shame that Toyland was named in the magazine. That interview was done with Erin, and has nothing to do with Fake toyland. The website that Anon 3:31 posted is the old website that hasn't gone away. Very deceptive to keep using the old site (with a picture picture of Erin and their farewell tweet).
I went to fake toyland to ensure my bitterness and was legit....it is. The place is....terrible. David screwed the neighborhood, and a ton of good people over. fake toyland doesn't deserve a penny. I hope dave and vince sell soon and get out of the neighborhood ASAP! Hopefully the "what goes around" happens to them 10 fold.
I think what is really a crying shame is the fact that some people dont have a life and continue to harp on petty neighborhood gossip. I wouldnt know Erin, Garrick, or David if I tripped over them in the street but I am so tired of hearing about this. GET OVER IT.
Tubbs is a loser, two bits!
Just had to pull two libelous comments. Not funny guys.
"David screwed the neighborhood, and a ton of good people over."
Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
Firstly, I doubt you know Dave. If you did you probably know that he doesn't a mean bone in his body. Further, he's been in this area a lot than most people on this board and is responsible for much of the resurgence of the neighborhood. He's very popular. New, old, rich and poor -they all adore him. They think he's a righteous dude.
Now on to your screw comment. Dave didn't fire, screw, take advantage of, took, hoodwink, bamboozled, or led anyone astray. Once again just so we are clear, neither Dave nor the new management told any of the employees that they were fired, laid off or let go.
I have been fired and fired others before, and usually it involves and uncomfortable and awkward communication, by an employer with an employee. This exchange never happened. Nobody had a meeting with the Bobs.
If you want to know where people got the impression that they were "screwed over", perhaps you should ask Erin and Garrick, because after talking to some folks, that maybe your guide to the truth. However, I'm not sure you can handle the truth.
So I am sure that you will continue your incessant posting about how Toyland destroyed the entire quadrant of North East DC. I can feel the conflict inside you. Let go of your hate. It's not too late.
Because as the proverb goes:
"No one is as angry as the person who is wrong."
*To occupy your time with something more constructive, I have hidden several famous movie references in my paragraphs. See if you can find them all!
Rich,
I appreciate your attempt at levity in this situation. While your Malcom X, star wars, few good men, and big lebowski quotes don't fit the situation at least it isn't hostile. I love free public discourse.
That said, my opinion is thus:
I know david. He certainly does come across as a "rightious dude", but sadly this isn't the case. His recent dealings shown his true colors, something I have suspected for a while. All show, no go. In my opinion he is a snake in the grass. Being here the longest doesn't confer a right to screw people over.
I posted how it was a shame that Fake toyland is lucky recipient of some unwarranted positive press. That article was written for a different bar. What was a great asset to the neighborhood is now a loss.
So thank you for the wisdom. It is worth exactly what I paid for it.
Cheers.
Cyber-bullies are the 'snakes in the grass'. Yall are acting like mean teenagers. Move on. Get lives.
Are there 75 good bars in DC?
You keep saying that he screwed people. Who are you talking about? We have determined that the employees walked out with Erin and Garrick and not fired. And it is clear that neither Erin nor Garrick were screwed. So the people the screwed people that you and others continue to mention simply don't exist.
Given this, I am asking you and others to please stop. You are making peoples' lives miserable and a lot of lines have been crossed. Even people that have nothing to do with this are getting harrased in public. So now that you have the facts that what is driving your angst is false and misguided, it is time to move on.
I understand you liked Erin and Garric -they are likable people, but eventually you have to accept that they did and said a lot of wrong things and took advantage of a lot of people -including their employees and patrons. So once again I am asking you and others to please stop. At this point , as the poster pointed out, this has crossed the line into bullying and has gone way too far.
@6:48:00 PM
I bet you then went home and jammed yourself with a big dildo because nobody will touch you with that attitude. It is a real turn-off.
Toyland closes pretty early now. Guess there isn't the customer base to support it being open like it used to be.
Good Christ, does EVERY SINGLE FUCKING ARTICLE on this blog really have to have some pathetic comments pro-/anti-Toyland? Every single goddamned post? Are your lives really this empty? Give it a rest.
Jeebus I wish this blog had registration.
My parents are in town this weekend and this Sunday we wanted to go somewhere for lunch. I suggested we try out the Argo and maybe they are open. It is only noon and even it is a Sunday I am sure they would be open. So, after finding a parking spot and getting to the front door, we found out it was a 30min wait. WOW!!!! on a Sunday and they are that busy? Cool. We went else where. How long ago was the fire? They are that busy? I am happy for the Argo.
Rich,
Really...I'm sure you and your good buddy/business partner Dave have established that Erin and Garrick and everyone else "walked out", but that didn't seem to be the case the night the lost their jobs.
I find it hilarious that you talk about crossing lines and cyber bullying, yet in the same post take the time to disparage Erin and Garrick. Hypocrite much....me thinks so. Oh and your Yelp review is like getting to fair and balanced news of fox.
This will continue unit fake toyland is gone.
@10:34
yes I did "jam" myself...how did you know. But, it was your mom's dildo, and she touches me....so at least I got that going for me
Anon 3:43pm -- by "This will continue until fake toyland is gone," what exactly do you mean? What will continue?
curmudgeon:
Nothing sinister. Simply refering to the constant back and forth of real Toyland versus fake toyland and how david destroyed a great neighborhood asset.
First, if I were a partner then I wouldn't be a paying customer.
Now I have one last question for you and I'm done.
Who told the employees that they were fired that night?
While I normally dont agree with censoring, I would whole-heartedly support Inked taking down any future reference to this Toyland fued or anything calling David/Erica/Garrick/whoever names. This is getting out of hand.
@8:02:00 PM
here here.
Free Tubbs!!!!
Anon 6:16pm -- You're saying that the "constant back and forth of real Toyland versus fake toyland" will go on until then? This is a third party's blog, for the most part used (and valued) as a neighborhood resource; and you're threatening to continue to screw with its usefulness for everyone, including the vast vast majority of disinterested parties, until then?
I'm sure your parents would be very proud.
I've only been to Toyland once, right when it opened. But with all these jackasses trying to shut it down, I now plan to frequent it often.
I promise that this is my last post and none of you will ever hear from me again.
This is what Erika said on Yelp about why she assumed she was fired.
"3 days before xmas the the original management had to close the doors... then 2 days later Toyland was reopened... with the exact same cocktail menu that the original team created. Unfortunatly it had been reopened with new management, who previosly came in and befriended us. So why didn't he call us to let us know he was reopening for us to come back to work? Because shady business was going on." http://www.yelp.com/biz/toyland-washington#hrid:yub_zJwC6O7btjP_9RxYHA
So as I stated earlier, Erika was not fired. Although Erika was not contacted after the transition, it is implied that she made no attempt to contact the new management to discuss her employment.
Within this paragraph, I see a lot of assumptions, and a little bit of contempt, but nothing to suggest that she was fired. She also assumes that the new management had access to her employment file and contact information. However, I think that it is safe to say that Erika did have Toyland's phone number and where they were located.
Honestly if Erika was that concerned about her employment, she would have at least talked to the new manager. I think that what any reasonable person would have done if they were concerned about their employment. However, it also seems to me that Erika felt betrayed, and frankly, disinterested in returning to work -I really don't know.
But I can say with 100% certainty is that neither Dave nor the new management screwed, at least Erika, out of a job. There was absolutely no contact to even suggest this. She based her rational on unconfirmed assumptions and made no attempt at clarify her employment status with the new management.
And before I leave, I just wanted to leave this last little piece of proof of the cyber bulling that people have endured
http://i.imgur.com/zjLkG.png
Farewell.
This is the very very last post, I promise.
I looks like Erika's post was deleted, so I did her a favor and took a screen shot.
http://i.imgur.com/cRFYR.png
Oh and I didn't notice before, she admits that she wasn't fired. Well she probably didn't need the cash given that there was a benefit for those that were screwed out of their jobs.
So I will just leave this here and let everyone draw their on conclusions.
Best,
Rich.
I can't speak for everyone, but I could care less about the Toyland drama.
I will continue to go there since its the closest bar to my house.
i dont care about the toyland drama either. since people are saying business is slow there, i'll make a point to go there more often.
All this crap made me want to go, too. I did and I had a nice time.
Good food and nice people.
for the record, there was not anything remotely libelous about either of the comments that were deleted. They may have been in poor taste, they may have pushed buttons, but they were not libelous. So, in the future, Inked, why don't you simply acknowledge that you are censoring your blog according to whatever standards you decide to follow on a given day.
This is not a public forum in a legal sense, and you are of course free to edit the comments in any way you see fit. Please do that, and be forthright about doing so. It's always a disappointment to see someone cloak their actions with inaccurate invocations of legal principles that are not applicable to the scenario at hand.
This is all the more necessary, given the material supplied by Rich -- it appears that you have a personal connection to the Toyland situation that you have not fully disclosed. I say this as someone who is actually much more inclined to go to Toyland now than I was before. However, if you want ot have this site remain something that approaches an objective, general interest neighborhood blog, you should give some thought to disclosing your connections to neighborhood businesses and events, and you should have a consistent policy for moderating comments.
Look,
everyone involved with the original Toyland was a good person. Everyone involved with the new Toyland is a good person. I would still like to consider all parties my friends. Unfortunately, partly due to this blog (and certain comments on this blog), some of them no longer consider me their friends. FYI, this means people on both sides. So thank you anonymous jerk for messing with the blog, and my personal life. I really hope that my sleepless nights have made you happy.
Bottom line: David, Erin, and Garrick, had a business dispute. It is still being resolved. Erin and Garrick should be very proud of the Washingtonian review, which was all theirs. There is a new team now running Toyland. That team is local. They are your neighbors and friend. As I have said to Erin, and I believe she understands (because Erin is a great person, as well as a great bartender) I seek to support all non-criminal/harmful businesses on H Street. In short, I want all original parties to be happy, but I also want the new team to be happy. We have a limited number of businesses on H Street. In my opinion we should support them all. I want to support Erin & Garrick, but I also want to support the new team coming in for Toyland. They had nothing to do with what happened before. They are still our neighbors. I'll repeat that I want the original partners to work things out, but can't we all just live together in the meantime?
Thank you for that thoughtful response. I am sure that the majority of the readers of your blog would support a one time statement such as this, followed by a declaration that you will henceforth not condone needlessly negative/unconstructive comments regarding an event that is increasingly receding into the distance (i.e., just delete the ridiculous "What's happening at Toyland" crap). That keeps everything above board and nips rampant, generally negative, speculation in the bud. But, don't delete Tubbs. That guy cracks me up.
h Lamarr.
I've lived in the neighborhood for 10 years, and have been reading this blog for quite a long time. Inked provides an invaluable service.
As you stated, she has the right to delete comments when she feels the need to do so. The arrogance and ingratitude you display by stating that she needs to state a consistent policy is absurd, and the notion that people would flock away to other sites if she removes nasty comments is naive.
Those who want to use the site to air their bile, and then claim some notion of sacred objectivity need to get a life. And though they may threaten to stop frequenting Frozen Tropics, they never will, as to do so would mean ignore the best source for information concerning H St.
-12th St.
12th St.:
If the author of a blog desires to develop and sustain a reputation that places it above the puerile mewlings that typify the genre, it is incumbent upon that author to establish standards that are advertised and adhered to.
Addressing your points in turn:
You've lived in the immediate area for 10 whole years. Bully for you. Congratulations on introducing a straw man right off the bat. Since you've started off with the H street version of Godwin, allow me to provide a riposte. That's the rough equivalent of what the majority of the residents of Munich said, either expressly or by inaction, about the Jews in the early twenties. Reminder: it got worse from there. Again, congrats. You must have received an A in your freshman logic course.
Regarding "invaluable service." Entirely subjective on your part, and, again, a weak appeal to false and unsupported authority. If we can place a value on every newspaper currently running, we can place a value on a blog that manages a few posts a week.
Further, while the arbitrary deletion of comments may be unlikey to drive readers from the site, it does have a direct bearing on the degree of regard with which the site will be held.
Finally, the PoP blog already provides more, and more timely, news regarding H street in all respects, belying, in every possible way, the rest of your plaintive wail.
A winner is you. You got the power-up and won the game!
Wait hold up!
"This is all the more necessary, given the material supplied by Rich -- it appears that you have a personal connection to the Toyland situation that you have not fully disclosed."
You just -in your own passive aggressive way- accused Ink of something, that you read from a post, written by someone with questionable credibility, in anger and then deleted. You just accused someone of something based on an unsubstantiated rumor and now you want to have a condensing conversation about credibility, GTFOH!
Seriously, tell me you just didn't muster the nerve to do that. This is the same BS that got us here in the first place. Seriously you people don't learn. Perhaps you should stop taking the word from people that you like as scripture and start using some of those critical thinking skills they taught you at whatever pretentious school of higher learning you attended. Do some research people.
This is why It took me all of ten minutes to discredit Erika's story that everyone was so eager to jump on board. And why you people threw a benefit for people that lost their jobs that didn't lose their jobs. All because none of you, as a collective, will use your critical thinking skills.
And I'm not even going to touch the second paragraph of pure insanity. All I can say as I sit here is WTF?
Christ, you people give me a headache. I'm going to bed.
Obviously, I mustered all kinds of things that elicited an irrational response from you. Read everything again, slowly, and you'll perhaps begin to comprehend that I have given credence to all positions stated by the respective parties involved. I made constructive, accurate usage of the preceding material to make valid points regarding the content of posts and comments to this blog. My "insane" comments were intentionally ludicrous, to illustrate the failings in logic that have pervaded this debate; a problem you have just mightily compounded. So, yes, go to bed. That is the best possible thing you can do. Indeed, just do that every day, all day. That would be best for everyone.
and, fyi, when you do something directly, like I did in that post, there's nothing "passive aggressive" about it. But, Christ, that sure sounds like a fancy term to you, don't it?
Actually I am going to touch it:
Look, just because you're wordy, doesn't mean what you write has substance. You accused someone of something based on an unsubstantiated rumor. Now just man up and admit it. That's another problem with you people, you can't admit you're wrong. Apologize and move on. It's not that big of a deal.
And yes, anytime you trivialize the holocaust, Nazis, Hitler, or anything event surrounding that horrible place and time, by comparing it to a blog, it's per se insane. There are no if, and or buts about it. To be honest, because it was so insane and over the top, I honestly have no idea what you trying to call him. Are you suggesting that he's someone that just stands by and just accepts the obvious atrocities because he has lived here for ten years? I don't get it. You lost me. And frankly I don't care.
And on that note I am going to bed.
What you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone reading this thread is now dumber for having been exposed to it. Go to sleep, and may God have mercy on your soul.
rich: no no, don't go to bed, please post a few more "this is my last post on this subject" messages.
a topic won't die if you refuse to let it die, man.
hedy or hedley: really? you consider tubbs' references to penises and labia and posts like "i have a member that can prolapse your anus" to be a positive contribution to the blog? really?
Oh, I'll agree that Tubbs' comments make nothing approaching a positive contribution to the substantive dialogue of this blog. However, the fact that you can quote him from memory indicates that I'm not the only one that those comments left an impression upon. I'm sure the guy is a flaming asshole, but the comments made me laugh more often than not. I fear that posts from morons like Rich have driven him away. I need my fix.
@1:01:00 AM
Oh, I have no intention of letting this die until I am satisfied pointing out who these people really are. For instance h. lamarr said... is a passive agressive know it all that's unable to even formulate proper analogies. On top of that, he's obviously clueless about what's appropriate.
He just called you a cowardly holocaust bystander -I think.
His reply? Not an apology. Not a clarification. Nothing more but than a quote from Billy Madison. At least that wasn't as wordy.
Then you question his judgement about what he thinks is appropriate?
But you're right, I should let this die. He's just not going to get it. That cake has already been baked, as my grandmother used to say.
rich:
1. he didn't call me anything. i'm a different anon.
2. you "have no intention of letting this die until I am satisfied pointing out who these people really are"? what exactly do you think you're going to accomplish by doing that? are you hoping to win a pointless argument? or are you hoping to convince all the spectators that a particular poster is a bad guy -- which, since the poster is completely unidentifiable as they're using a pseudonym that can be trivially thrown away and replaced with another one, is just as pointless?
perhaps this cartoon will help to illustrate what i'm getting at.
rich and h. lamaar should get a room already.
Wow!
Inked- I love your blog and all that you do for the neighborhood. Keep it up. You are awesome.
3:46,
thanks for the kind words. Some of us obviously don't know how to play well with others.
Ah Lamarr...It's funny the image of you that forms in my mind:
The little man; frustrated because not enough people in his life realize just how smart he is. He tries his best; using lexicon handpicked to impress, regularly bringing up the use of logic (he actually got a B+ in that freshman course; damn professor didn't realize either). He even keeps that textbook from that course handy, just for such internet exchanges (the only place his brilliance is is allowed to truly shine).
The first sign came from "the puerile mewlings that typify the genre," You really must write that down in your journal, as I'm sure there will be many more occasions to impress people with that one.
Next, "Congratulations on introducing a straw man right off the bat."
Poor Lamarr, do you know what a straw man is? I would suggest you do a bit of review from that freshman logic text.
Then you mention Godwin's Law, and follow by enacting said law with a weak analogy (again, check the textbook).
You then state my views are "Entirely subjective", which of course they are to a degree, as are yours, and most everyone's on blogs such as these. Of course, you call my authority "false", though knowing many of the business owners, knowing how inked has played a pretty large role, seeing how this blog drawn people together for almost 7 years, I think that does give me some insight, which while not absolute (is yours?), is a bit more than false.
Regarding the deletions you state "it does have a direct bearing on the degree of regard with which the site will be held."
By whom? You? How do you measure regard? And you accuse me of subjectivity and false authority....:)
You then mention the improving coverage of H St. by other blogs, which I agree with, but then state that because there are other useful blogs, this belies "in every possible way, the rest of your plaintive wail."
How so? Just because other sites are improving, how does that belie my statement that this blog is the best source for information on H St.?
I hate to be repetitive, but again, check your textbook.
You end your posturing with the insult "A winner is you. You got the power-up and won the game!"
This is one of the most juvenile tricks used by those who simply want to win an argument. First, engage in an argument (usually with insulting language designed to gain a reaction). Then, bow out with a scoff "Go to bed", mocking others and accusing them of being too competitive. I'm sure this worked well in college when you got into arguments at parties, but it's simply too transparent for it work in the real world.
And now I will follow suit, as I'm clearly too brilliant to continue this silliness. I must now go eat dinner with my wife and child, telling them amusingly of the 'fools and dilettantes' who frequent this blog
12th st - ever wonder why your kid doesn't look like you? Ask your wife. She know why.
I just wanted to leave another example of the creepy cyber bullying that I received yet from another stalker:
http://imgur.com/9EJ6H.png
This is nuts people. I really don't know how these people find this type of behavior acceptable.
"p.s. this is not my last posting, i promise! it is only the beginning!!!"
This is what she wrote to me. Honestly, I have no idea why these people are so angry. Now they are using whatever means of harassement to bully others. They don't even care if they can be identified anymore.
What bothers me the most is that these are the people that many of you decided to hitch your wagon to.
I realize that most people have decided to move on from this thread, but I just wanted to leave this as evidence of the level of harassment people are receiving.
Well another line has been crossed.
Amanda,
you don't know me, or what is going on with me. I'm single. I'm not dating anyone, and I'll ask you to please leave your commentary on my personal life off this blog. I don't write posts about who you may, or may not be dating. I'm just asking for the same level of respect.
I pulled down the New Years post because it contained numerous defamatory statements, and lots of innocent references to those statements that would have had to have also been removed. That is time consuming, and I was busy. When you create and run a blog for six years then you can come to me and complain about it.
@amanda
We need to have a conversation about civil behavior. I understand the you're upset. I understand that your were not happy about what you think you lost. However, that does not give you nor anyone else the right to bully, stalk and harass others for just trying to live their lives. The bottom line is that you and others have taken this way too far.
Further, as I stated earlier, no one has been able to give us clear answers to the following questions:
what gave you the impression you were fired,
who fired you
when did this communication occur.
where did this conversation happened, and
how was it delivered.
This gives me and others the impression that you made a unilateral decision not to come back to work. In addition, it appears that you made no effort to communicate your decision to the new management.
I understand it is easy to get caught up in the moment and it's to pull yourself back to ground. Especially when others around you are not giving you room to do so. However, to say that you lost your job is simply not truthful. Try to take an objective look at Erika's explanation of what she meant by "screwed out of a job." Point to me where this occurred because I frankly don't see it. This needs to be resolved. People are suffering over it.
At some point you and others need to understand that the business decision that were made wasn't meant to hurt you. The relationship was simply not working out. You had nothing to do with it. It wasn't about you. People need to be able to make the best decisions for themselves and families without intimidation.
Take a look at the posts that people have sent me. Keep in mind that I'm someone that don't know from the other 600,000 people that live in DC. Read what the ugly things that they are saying mostly in part to their belief from the impression you and others gave them that you were screwed out of your jobs.
This is what needs to happen. You need to give a clear explanation on how you lost your job. And no, just stating that you were screwed doesn't cut it. You also need to do more in the efforts to squelch this issue not only here but on other online mediums as well.
Your supporters are not letting this go and this will not just blow over as you probably hope. I am just asking you to answer my questions. If you disagree with my current suspicions then please clearly explain to us how I'm wrong. I think at this point you at least owe us that.
This is going too far. And it's really sad. I actualy read over Erika's comment that had appeared on Yelp and it seemed to me that she was just responding to Rich (which i'm assuming is the same Rich that's writing on here). He seemed to mention that the staff had been let go by the original Mgmt before any of this happened. I seem to think she was in the right for standing up for herself. It's a shame that her posting had been deleted. I don't understand why anyone is going around bad mouthing and hurting peoples reputations. Rich you are definatly guilty of this as well. Alot of people seem to be getting angry at what you are saying. Being antagonistic. I have actually gone in to the new Toyland because i didn't know what was going on. I asked where certain people were, which is usually what happens when you walk into your regular bar and don't see those familiar faces, and once i did that I recieved terrible attitude. I don't think that is fair. I will not be going back because of how I was treated. It's just not customer service. So it seems to me that certain actions of the new mgmt and staff are what is getting them on everybody's bad side. This is sad and everyone needs to move on and unfortunatly that does include you,Rich.
please stop
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