Category Archives: Business and Money

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Oh You Embassy Folk! You’re So Funny!

Photo courtesy of
‘The Last Lion’
courtesy of ‘LaTur’

As the USA v. England World Cup match up fast approaches, the American and British embassy folk have begun the typical trash talking/friendly betting that normally occurs when two nations/cities play each other.

The email stream between both ambassadors has leaked on to the internet exposing the wager and now the details of their little bet are fully known.  If the US wins, then the US Ambassador gets a pub dinner on the crown. If the English win, then the English Ambassador gets a steak dinner on the colonies.

Personally, I think the wager is somewhat of a win-win situation for the British Ambassador.  He gets either the win and a steak, or if he loses some “home-cooked” food from his favorite pub. Whereas, if the USA wins, our Ambassador merely gets some fish n’ chips, and if we lose, he has to fork out for a steak dinner, and you know the British Ambassador isn’t gonna settle for a Tasty Diner steak. We’re talking Charlie Palmer’s here.

Adventures, Business and Money, Entertainment, Essential DC, Fun & Games, History, Life in the Capital, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Lax Bros/Gurls Are Taking Over

Photo courtesy of
‘Lax.com’
courtesy of ‘teamstickergiant’

This past weekend Maryland hosted both the Men’s and Women’s NCAA lacrosse semifinals and championships. The women’s Division I championship game at Towson University, saw Maryland take home the national title against Northwestern and, according to the Baltimore Sun, the match drew 9,782 people — the most ever to see a women’s lacrosse game in the US.

The mens’ games started on Saturday at Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium, continued through Sunday and culminated with the DI Championship game between Notre Dame and Duke on a scorching Memorial Day. Although attendance for the final game was low, a mere 37,126, the entire weekend’s turnout was 116,289, up from last year’s 102,601 turnout at Foxborough, MA. The games stay in Baltimore for 2011, go to Foxborough for 2012, and 2013 and 2014 are up for grabs.

While the increases in attendance are good reasons to keep both championships in the MD area, in recent years lacrosse has begun to grow beyond its traditional East Coast/Prep School roots. The game’s popularity on the West Coast, Colorado and the South has  been growing like gangbusters, with many footballers taking up sport in the off-season for fitness maintenance. The same is true for female athletes who need to stay in shape for fall season sports like soccer and field hockey.

The sport is also seeing a growth in popularity among the non-prep schoolers, as demonstrated in “City Lax” playing Thursday at Silver Spring’s AFI Silver. This documentary follows a sixth grade, inner-city Colorado lax team as they learn how to play the Native American team sport and take on the prep school crowd.

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Magic Johnson & Co. Makeover Landmark Hotel

Photo courtesy of
‘Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Inglewood, Calif., 1996’
courtesy of ‘cliff1066â�¢’

On Tuesday, May 25th at 3:30pm,  Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Mayor Fenty and Canyon-Johnson Urban Fund (CJUF) and Lowe Enterprises will unveil their 150 million dollar restoration of the historic Landmark Washington Hotel located at 1919 Connecticut Avenue NW.

The renovation project hoped to return the hotel to its glory days with significant overhauls to the lobby, 1070 guestrooms, outdoor and indoor event/meeting areas, including the 36,000 square-foot, largest column-free International Ballroom complex.

The renovations, which began in 2009, are scheduled for completion on June 1, 2010. Can’t wait to check the place out.

Business and Money, Life in the Capital, News, The Daily Feed, The District, We Green DC
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Move That Hybrid Electric Vehicle!!!

Photo courtesy of
‘ups’
courtesy of ‘loop_oh’

United Parcel Service (UPS) is expanding its alternative fuel fleet and deploying 17 new next-generation hybrid electric delivery trucks in the metro DC area.  These vehicles are part of a 200 alternative fuel vehicle expansion taking place in DC, Austin, Houston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Long Island, Minneapolis and Louisville.

Whenever you acquire a solar PV system or an electric vehicle, the seller may provide you with an option to install a charging point in your residence as well. For electric vehicle owners, it’s possible to charge the vehicle at your house through the use of a home charging point. While charging both types of electric vehicles is a straightforward process, EV charger installation, on the other hand, isn’t so simple. According to electricians near Williamsburg, the charging process only requires you to connect the vehicle to an electricity source using a cable.

According to UPS’ press release, the new fleet will ” reduce fuel consumption by roughly 176,000 gallons over the course of a year,” and will “reduce the amount of CO2 gases released annually into the atmosphere by 1,786 metric tonnes. ”

This UPS “green” fleet uses a multitude of alternative energy technologies, such as hydraulic hybrid technology, regenerative braking (when energy generated from applying the brakes is captured and returned to the battery as electricity,) compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas, propane, electricity, etc. Learn more about electricity usage at Forbrukerguiden.no.

The new hybrid trucks, currently being deployed in DC, will look exactly the same as regular UPS trucks, except for the additional labeling identifying them as hybrid electrics. So keep your eyes peeled.

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Whole Foods Opens In Friendship Heights

Morning Coffee Bar by pquill

Starting today, the Whole Foods Market (WFM) at 4420 Willard Avenue NW opens its brand spanking new, gourmet delicacy-revealing doors to the public.  This latest addition to The Shops at Wisconsin Place and the Whole Foods Market chain is twice as large as the current shop on River Road and, as experienced in yesterday’s blogger preview, brings new and innovative offerings to the area and highlights local growers, products and farmers.

According to my tour guide Ellen James, Whole Foods defines the term “local” as any location within one day’s drive of the store. That means the truck needs to leave and return to the store within 24 hours. So we’re reasonably talking PA, MD, DC, VA, DE, and WV.  If you really pushed it, perhaps NC, NJ, NY, etc. but WF knows that’s pushing it.

Throughout the tour it was clear that deep thought and local area market research went in to the design of this facility and hot sauce store. Not only will you find the traditional WF staples (salad bar, global cuisine bar, olive bar, meat counter, cheese shop, fish monger, soup station, etc.) but some additions and features specific to our regional palates. Continue reading →

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Georgetown Moby Dick’s Expanding

Photo courtesy of
‘my moby dick’
courtesy of ‘cdrummbks’

Moby Dick’s House of Kabob is tasty. Nom falafel. Nom Kebob-E Kubideh. Just Nom. Too bad their small, cramped Georgetown location at 1070 31th NW does not particularly invite sit down enjoyment of Moby’s tasty Mid-eastern fare.

Then comes word and construction permits that Moby’s is expanding the Georgetown location into the adjacent, now-defunct, laundry/dry cleaning shop.  This is a much welcomed development for those of us who wanted a dine-in experience to accompany our hummus.  Hopefully, construction will lead to a Moby’s similar to the Dupont Circle location at 1300 Connecticut Avenue.

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Fear Not People Of Rosslyn, District Taco Will Be Back

Photo courtesy of
‘Taco Truck Love.’
courtesy of ‘nikkiprice’

Yesterday, I received a distressed email from a friend of mine about the fate of the much loved Rosslyn, VA breakfast burrito truck, District Taco (DT). And yes, I’m well aware of the hypocrisy of a taco truck calling itself “District Taco” when it primarily operates in the NoVa corridor. But a good breakfast burrito is a good breakfast burrito, and worth saving.

According to a message on District Taco’s facebook page, the next door Baja Fresh filed a complaint to Monday Properties, the company that rents DT its morning operational space, that DT was stealing too much of their business.  Consequentially, Monday Properties raised the rent on DT forcing the truck’s owner, Osiris Hoil, out of his usual Rosslyn morning location.

Really, Baja Fresh?!! Really?!! District Taco is “stealing” your business? Isn’t this just some plain, good old American capitalism? Was DT’s superior product hurting your little feelings? Perhaps, you should stop whining about DT and focus your efforts on making a better breakfast burrito. Bam!

Fortunately, via District Taco’s twitter account, Mr. Hoil has not given up on Rosslyn and his loyal breakfast followers.  He is currently working with Arlington to find a new location just down the street. Hope to see you back in action real soon, District Taco.

Business and Money, Essential DC, Food and Drink, Life in the Capital, The Daily Feed
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I Declare the Grocery Store Games Officially Open!

SupermarketGladiators

At 8:05am this morning, literally minutes after the new Social Safeway opened its doors to public, and the competition between the super giant and the Whole Foods up the street had already begun.

As I walked down Wisconsin Avenue, the former Pizza Hut, located directly across the street from Whole Foods entrance and parking garage was being decorated with a big bright banner/decal that read “Hungry Georgetown? Safeway: We are just down the block.” How neighborly and friendly of the Safeway to let Whole Foods know they’re there for them. I mean WF might indeed be hungry and in need of a good sandwich.

In all seriousness, I’m all about some good competition.  WF has had it made  since the Social Safeway closed last year for renovations leaving Glover Park, Burleith and Georgetown residents sans a non-organic, “non-gourmet,” whole paycheck devouring grocery store. Advertising the new Safeway directly across the street from WF is a genius marketing maneuver by Safeway. Well done sirs. Well done.

Shop Around The Corner

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Massage Parlor Leads To Huge Bust

Photo courtesy of
‘I could use one of these right now…’
courtesy of ‘abstract duck’

After a six-month investigation, local sheriffs have made nine arrests and charged the owner of Green Therapy, a Loudon county massage parlour, with operating a “bawdy place” and allowing massages to be performed without a permit.

Two Green Therapy employees were charged with giving massages without a permit and, more seriously, a third employee was charged with willfully touching or fondling a sexual part of a person. Law enforcement additionally charged 5 male customers for frequenting a bawdy place.

Business and Money, Food and Drink, News, The Daily Feed
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13 DC Cosis Change Ownership

Photo courtesy of
‘cosi’
courtesy of ‘sara~’

13 Washington, D.C. Cosi restaurants will be changing their ownership from Cosi Inc. to Capitol C Restaurants, LLC in a deal worth $8.4 million, which translates to roughly 4 million Chicken T.B.M. sandwiches and 2 million Signature salads.

Capitol C plans to expand its Cosi restaurant reach by opening  an additional 6  locations in the district.  There are currently 143 Cosi establishments throughout the U.S. and U.A.E., 44 of which, like Capitol C’s locations, are operated as franchises.

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DC To Get A Waffle House, Courtesy of Fred Smoot?

Photo courtesy of
‘The Old Waffle Shop’

courtesy of ‘Penelope700’

Former Redskins cornerback, Fred Smoot, loves DC. Despite his current free agent status, the footballer hearts our city and has developed a deep connection to the fans and DCers, he’s met during his tenure on the Deadskins’ roster.

Although his player status for the 2010 season is still very much up in the air, Smoot told Kevin and Rock on 106.7’s The Fan that no matter what he plans to keep his connections to the area by opening up D.C.’s first ever Waffle House. During the weekly radio show, Smoot stated, “I’m actually in the process of starting a couple businesses up here. I’m bringing Waffle House to D.C. — I think they’ve been yearning for it for a long time. My first location is right off 14th and U.”

Of course, Smoot’s plan will not only bring the deliciousness of tasty waffles to the area and meet the heavy demand for the breakfast item, but will also revive the long lived syrup vs. gravy debate that this September saw syrup take the prize. Perhaps it’s time for a rematch?

Business and Money, Food and Drink, Life in the Capital, News, The Daily Feed
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Get Your Greek/Turkish On

Photo courtesy of
‘Greek Salad’
courtesy of ‘christaki’

Starting April 30th, Dupont Circle will be getting a new Greek and Turkish restaurant. Agora will feature small plates prepared on the wood-fired oven and charcoal fired BBQ grill, and overseen by Turkish born Chef Rasit Gulsen, formerly of Nizam’s Restaurant in Vienna, VA.

The restaurants menu will feature Turkish and Greek fare reflecting owner, Latif Guler’s, heritage growing up in the small town of Foca, Turkey.  The restaurant will highlight wines and beer from the Mediterranean regions of Turkey and Greece, and will serve a nice selection of Ouzo, an anise-flavored spirit widely consumed in Greece.

The two-story, 170-seat restaurant located at 1527 17th Street, NW, (aka the “doomed” spot that was formerly Jack’s, Le Pigalle, Peppersm, etc.) has been transformed to a Mediterranean oasis by Brie Husted Architecture and features a collection photos that capture the everyday life of picturesque Foca. Other features an upstairs expansion complete with 48 seats that can be used for private dining and a sidewalk café that can accommodate 34 guests for both the lunch and dinner service.

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America The Beautiful Quarters To Feature Local Sites

Photo courtesy of
‘two hundred two-bits’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’

Starting in 2010, the United States Mint will issue 56 quarter-dollar coins featuring designs depicting national parks and other national sites as part of the United States Mint America the Beautiful Quarters Program.

The first regional quarter will be for Fort McHenry National Monument representing Maryland in 2013.  Followed by Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park in 2014, Delaware’s Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge in 2015 and West Virginia’s Harpers Ferry National Historic Park in 2016.  DC rounds out the pack with Frederick Douglas National Historic Site located in SE in 2017.

Each year, the public will see five new designs depicted on the tails side of America the Beautiful Quarters.  The quarters will be issued in the order in which the honored site was first established as a national site. This year the quarters will feature Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas, Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, Yosemite National Park in California, Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona and Mount Hood National Forest in Oregon.

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Zipcar Acquires The UK’s Streetcar, Car Sharing Across The Pond

Photo courtesy of
‘zip’
courtesy of ‘NCinDC’

Zipcar, the world’s largest car sharing service, announced it has acquired Streetcar, the UK’s fastest growing car club. The acquisition will benefit both Streetcar and “Zipsters” (Zipcar members) by offering more vehicles, a greater variety of hybrid and other green cars, and more locations, and give members access to both networks’ vehicles located in cities in the United States, Canada and United Kingdom.

Zipcar currently offers hundreds of cars in the Metro DC area that members can rent out by the hour or day.  Car sharing services, like Zipcar, are a fantastic way to get the benefits of having a car without all of the associated costs.

Business and Money, Food and Drink, Life in the Capital, The Daily Feed, The District, We Green DC
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DC Chef Talks Sustainable Seafood On CNN

Photo courtesy of
‘Anacostia Fish Market #34’
courtesy of ‘andertho’

Barton Seaver, executive chef at Northwest DC’s restaurant Blue Ridge appeared on CNN today to speak about the realities of seafood sustainability and ways that Americans, and the world for that matter, can make their menus more sustainable when it comes to seafood.

Seaver recommends switching out mainstream choices such as tuna, swordfish and salmon, which have been seriously over fished and over eaten, with smaller, plentiful species like mackerel, sardines, clams, catfish, oysters, and my personal favorite, anchovies. Another practical and healthy suggestion is for restaurant and home chefs to use more vegetables in their dishes. And with the DC farmers market season ready to kick into gear, it’s the perfect time to incorporate produce from local sources into our cooking.

These simple and implementable cooking choices, according to Seaver, can have a measurable impact on depleted fish populations and can help in comprehensive efforts of seafood sustainability.

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Tie Me Up, Tie Me Churchill Downs

Photo courtesy of
‘Ties’
courtesy of ‘bdesham’

Georgetown-based menswear designers, Charles and Patrick, have scored it big with the 2010 Kentucky Derby Icon logo tie. Made from 100% Italian printed silk, the neckties are handmade in the US, come in four colors: yellow, pink, blue, and orange, and feature the emblematic Kentucky Derby rose.

The 136th Kentucky Derby takes place on Saturday, May 1 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The annual event features the cream of the crop of three year-old Thoroughbred horses in a head-to-head race for a $2 million dollar purse.

Business and Money, Downtown, Food and Drink, Life in the Capital, News, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Name That Burger Joint

Photo courtesy of
”
courtesy of ‘Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie’

This past Monday, BLT Restaurant Group launched an online “Name Game” contest to find the best name for its three new burger restaurants opening later this year in New York City, Los Angeles and Washington, DC (1317 Connecticut Avenue).

You must submit your burger joint name before Friday, April 30 and on Wednesday, May 5, the BLT Restaurant Group partners will select their top three choices and opened up voting to the public with the final winner announced on Monday, May 10. The two runners-up will receive $250 gift certificates to BLT Restaurants.

Adventures, Business and Money, Food and Drink, Life in the Capital, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Happy Hour

Photo courtesy of
‘mmm…free goo…’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’

If you missed last week’s Free Cone Day don’t fret, because the Ben & Jerry’s in Georgetown is throwing ice cream happy hours from 4-7pm. The happy hour special is 3 scoops for a mere $3.  That’s an uber steal considering scoops normally go for $2-3 a pop.  With the fantastic sunny and warm weather predicted for the next few days, let’s trade up our HH beers for some HH Cherry Garcia.

All Politics is Local, Business and Money, Life in the Capital, The Daily Feed, The District
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FEMA To Redraw DC Flood Maps

Photo courtesy of
‘Potomac River Floods Washington Harbour’
courtesy of ‘brownpau’

Yesterday, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced , they’d be revising flood maps for Washington, D.C. over the next six months.  Per FEMA’s flood map database, the most recent DC flood maps are from 1985, so I’d say DC is in good need of some updating.

The maps help local officials and residents identify known flood risks, and assist in making insurance and development decisions. Maps are updated, per Congressional guidance and direction, to provide communities with solid information on how to mitigate and insure against the risks posed by floods.

DC home and business owners who purchase flood insurance should talk with their local insurance agent to discuss how revised flood maps may affect their options and rates. More information on flood insurance is available at www.floodsmart.gov.

Business and Money, Life in the Capital, News, The Daily Feed, The District, We Green DC
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DC Bag Tax Nets $150,000 For Anacostia River Clean Up

Photo courtesy of
‘Reusable Giant Bags’
courtesy of ‘Mr. T in DC’

The District’s 5-cent bag tax, which started in January 2010,  netted approximately $150,000 during its first month of enactment. According to the D.C. Office of Tax and Revenue, only 3 million bags were issued in the month of January compared to 2009’s 22.5 million bags per month average, and it appears that the new law DC shoppers has been successful in altering  shopping bag habits faster than was expected.

Prior to enactment, the new tax was estimated to generate $10 million in revenue over the next four years and would fund the Anacostia River Cleanup Fund. Given January’s results it appears that consumer behavior has changed so rapidly that this revenue may fall short of its original projection.