Glover Park Farmers' Market 2010 Season Opening 5/8/10

The Glover Park Farmers' Market, which was hailed last summer as a valuable addition to the neighborhood, is soon starting its second season on Saturday, May 8th 2010. It will run every Saturday from 9:00-1:00, rain or shine, through October 30th.

The location is the Hardy Middle School parking lot (where the Georgetown Flea Market is held) across from the Social Safeway at Wisconsin and 34th Streets.

Info from those managing the market: "The Glover Park-Burleith Farmers’ Market is a producer-only market, featuring local fruit, vegetables, meat, cheese, bread, eggs, plants, cut flowers, handmade soap, pasta, gelato and more. Live bluegrass music, local fruit, vegetables, meat, cheese, cut flowers, gelato, plants, bread and more. Dogs are welcome. WIC coupons accepted."

Kudos to Lauren Biel and the others who have worked tirelessly and selflessly to make this market a success, hopefully year after year.

Link to Glover Park Farmers' Market website

Stoddert Elementary Buy-a-Brick Fundraiser

Stoddert Elementary School in Glover Park has had construction of it's new facilities underway for over a year now and is attempting to raise money for school services through a Buy-a-Brick Fundraiser before construction is complete. Donors can receive an engraved brick to be installed as part of the school construction project near the entrance to school and new recreation center.

Standard bricks (4"x8") are a $75 donation, and family/class pavers (8"x8") are $275K. See their website to donate online and reserve your brick, but act fast before construction is complete!

Link to Buy-a-Brick online

Angelico Pizza in Glover Park

Angelico Pizza will be opening soon at 2313 Wisconsin Ave., replacing the italian restaurant Mama Maria's which went out of business last year. Angelico Pizza has a store in Tenleytown and seems to be following the lead of Z-Burger in expanding from Tenley to Glover Park, considering the market possibilities in the neighborhood. Angelico is also planning to open restaurants in the active H Street and U Street corridors. Liquor license application is pending.

Pizza Hut Closes

The Pizza Hut store next to the Salvadoran Embassy has closed. The store primarily was used for delivery and take-out, though also had a couple of chairs for diners. No word yet on what will replace it, though it is currently another vacant and papered-up eyesore. How about another drycleaners??

Woman crashes car into Whole Foods elevator

On October 1st an elderly woman driving a car in the Whole Foods garage crashed into the garage level elevators. Supposedly she accidentally stepped on the accelerator instead of the brake. The woman had minor injuries and no one else was hurt. Rumors of elevator riders plunging to the ground were unfounded.

Restaurant Specials and Discounts

Here are some Glover Park restaurant specials, discounts and events ongoing. Subject to change of course, so check with the restaurants.

BLUE RIDGE:
Stroller happy hour - Thursdays 5-7 pm - drink specials and special accomodations for kids and parents.
Oyster happy hour - Mon-Fri 5:30-7 pm - $1 oysters on the half shell; and drink specials

BREADSODA:
Happy hour - 4-7 pm - $4.00 beer and wine specials

GIN & TONIC:
Open bar - $20 Saturdays and Sundays during football games
Tuesdays until 10 pm - 2-for-1 drinks

KAVANAGH'S:
Happy hour - Mon-Fri 4-7 pm - drink specials
Monday - 2 slices and beer - $5
Tuesday - 2 salad, 12" pizza, 2 drinks - $24
Wednesday - half price bottles of wine and lasagna specials
Thursday - 1/2 price pints of beer

OLD EUROPE:
Octoberfest - September thru October - drink and dinner specials

SHANGHAI TEA HOUSE:
Lunch combo specials weekdays

SURFSIDE:
Happy hour - Mon-Fri, 5-6 pm - half price drinks
Monday: Free Chips and 7 layer dip with the purchase of an alcoholic beverage.
Tuesday: Kids eat free night. One free kids meal with the purchase of one regular dinner item
Wednesday: Half priced wine and bloody mary

TOWN HALL:
Happy hour - Mon-Fri 5-7 pm - $3 beer
15% off dining before 7 pm Mon-Fri
Tues 5 pm to close - half price bottles of wine
Glover Park night - Wed. 5-10:30 pm - $15% off your bill for Glover Park residents

TWIST at SAVOY:
Thursday - live jazz night and 2-for-1 dining specials
Friday - 2-for-1 appetizers
Saturday - half priced bottles of wine with 2 entrees
Sunday - bring your dog happy hour - 4-7 pm - drink specials

See all Glover Park restaurants, reviews and menus at: http://www.gloverparkdc.com/Restaurants.htm

Glover Archbold Park Deer Population

The National Park Service is considering using sharpshooters to reduce the overpopulation of deer in Rock Creek Park, including its Glover Park extension of Glover Archbold Park. The proposal has caused controversy as those opposed to the measure argue there are more humane ways to reduce the population, while those who support it believe that is is the humane way to deal with the problem that has grown into a real threat to the habitat and to people. The last estimate in 2007 was 82 deer per square mile - 4 times the maximum acceptable number.

Stoddert Rec Center

The Stoddert Recreation Center construction finally has begun after much planning and debate. Sadly, the entire field has been fenced in, the baseball diamond demolished, and some big old oaks threatened. Neighbors look forward to the completion of this long-term project and the restoration of some green space to congregate.

There has been an ongoing informal debate between those who support the rec center and what they see as great value to the neighborhood, and those who feel it will cause congestion, destroy the park and come at a great expense for the benefit of a small number of people. There are valid arguments to both sides, but once the construction is done it will be an attractive addition to the neighborhood.

Downloand pdf's of updated plans and renderings at the school's website at:
http://www.stoddert.org/RecCenter/reccenter.html

Glover Park Farmers Market

The Glover Park Farmers Market has been open for business for 3 weeks now - each Saturday morning, at the location of the Georgetown flea market across from the Social Safeway. Patrons have given it rave reviews for freshness, variety and the friendliness of the vendors. Stop by on a Saturday morning.

You can get updated info on vendors, weekly entertainment and more at the Farmers' Market website: http://www.dcgreens.org/

Wisconsin Overlook club

An illegal nightclub has been operating in Glover Park for a while now. The internet is abuzz with advertisements for all-you-can-drink dance parties at "Wisconsin Overlook", a club operating under the radar of DC and Glover park officials, and unlicensed to operate any business let alone serve alcohol and charge admission. The club is located in a new residential/commercial building at 2136 Wisconsin that has had a hard time attracting new tenants. It appears that the owner is 2 years in arrears on sky-high property taxes and the property has been flagged for a DC tax sale in September.

DCRA, ANC3B and the GPCA have done nothing to stop them, probably because they haven't applied for any business or liquor license, permit, or zoning variance so it seems no official has been paying attention. Yet, they all have attacked Town Hall relentlessly as they tried to legally navigate all these hurdles to operating their business.

Ceviche Closes; Kitchen Opens

Ceviche, the restaurant that opened to fanfare in Glover Park last year, has abruptly closed its doors as of the beginning of 2009. Apparently the concept just didn't work for the location and business was not so good. Ceviche had replaced the Austin Grill, a mainstay in Glover Park for many years. Ceviche's owners have not given up though - they have opened a new restaurant called Kitchen which will have a southern theme in its food and decor. Seems the food will be cheaper, the chairs are from the Salvation Army and the barstools are John Deere tractor seats. Is this a commentary on the Glover Park clientele??

Interestingly, Ceviche was tied to Gin & Tonic nearby (having the same owner) and apparently served as its kitchen for any food. Since Ceviche closed, Gin & Tonic has been ordering takeout from Z-Burger and serving their food at inflated prices. Strange. When it opened Gin & Tonic was touted as a restaurant serving traditional American tavern food, but they apparently serve no food at all and have no kitchen, so it is really just a bar with a Z-Burger take-out option for drinkers who get the munchies and don't want to stroll next door to Z-Burger. I wonder how that affects a restaurant's operator's license and liquor license in DC......

Originally posted 1/27/09

Water Main Break on Manor Pl

A water main broke at Manor Place and 37th st. causing 'Class 4 rapids' down the hill, tearing out some asphalt, opening a sink hole and causing low water pressure for many residents and no water for some. The main is repaired, but as a result of the damage the road will be closed at least for a week for repairs. A secondary break occured on Observatory Pl. and a gas line broke as a result of the water main break.

See article at WJLA News 7 online. http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/1108/572683_video.html?ref=newsstory

Originally posted 11/25/08

Surfside, Busara, & ZBurger, Oh My!

Surfside
Work is well under way at Surfside at 2444 Wisconsin. The restaurant should be open for business in July.

Z-Burger
The popular burger joint (think Five Guys) with a location in Tenleytown plans to open a store in Glover Park in August at 2414 Wisconsin. Expect these store to sprout in various locations in the DC metro area in the next few years.

Busara
This critically acclaimed Thai restaurant that has been in Glover Park for at least 15 years will unfortunately close pretty soon. Rumor has it that the owner of the Mendocino Grill in Georgetown will take the space and open a new restaurant. No further details or timeline at the moment.

Good things are happening with Glover Park's streetscape and restaurant scene! Vacant and shoddy storefronts are finally dispappearing and being replaced by establishments that will draw neighbors as well as people from in and around the city.

Originally posted 6/16/08

Gin & Tonic Tavern to Replace Grog & Tankard

The Grog and Tankard, a mainstay bar/music venue in Glover Park for four decades was closed last fall due to a devastating fire at the neighboring strip club JP's. They will not re-open. Latin Concepts, the organization that owns Ceviche nearby, has agreed to buy the space and plans to open a restaurant/bar called Gin & Tonic Tavern. Insiders have tagged it as a "classic American tavern". Renovation work and opening dates are yet to be determined.

Originally posted 6/16/08

Glover Park Restaurant Update

Glover Park has three new restaurants for residents and others to enjoy:

Shanghai Tea House
2400 Wisconsin Ave. NW
Opened a few months ago in the space vacated by a photography shop below Heritage India. Patrons I have heard from have raved about it: bubble tea, good full selection of lunch and dinner items, all at very reasonable prices. Traffic is light since it is new and not really advertised much (I've gotten no flyers and seen no print ads) which means you can have the place to yourself and not feel crowded.

Surfside
2444 Wisconsin Ave. NW
David Scribner (Dahlia's, Jetties) plans to open Surfside, a casual restaurant in the vacant space formerly Apollo Market. See the full story from January 21. Construction is well under way. No target opening date firm yet.

BreadSoda
2233 Wisconsin Ave. NW (former My Bakery & Cafe location)
BreadSoda will open very soon. See January 21 story for more details. Sandwiches, salads, coffee, wine, 14 beers on tap, and pool tables.

Originally posted 5/2/08