SW Petworth Lemonade Social

Just a quick reminder that the next southwest Petworth Lemonade Social is tomorrow at 6:30pm at the triangle park at Kansas Ave and Quincy St NW. It's a great chance to meet nearby neighbors and talk with people you already know. Make sure you tell neighbors who may not be on Facebook or online about it (and then tell them to go online and read Petworth News, obviously). 

See you there!

What do you want on your pizza?

Timber Pizza Co. is organizing a community meeting with ANC 4C07 Commissioner John-Paul Hayworth to discuss their plans to open a restaurant at 809 Upshur Street NW. The meeting is Wednesday, June 30th from 7:30-8:30pm in the Petworth Library large meeting room (basement level). 

Come by and meet the owners, Andrew Dana and Chris Brady, and discuss the restaurant concept, help shape their ANC / community agreement, discuss any noise concerns (they're planning on outdoor seating), and so on.  I think this is a great idea, and kudos to Timber Pizza for being proactive!

No RSVP needed.  (h/t JP Hayworth)

Thai/Balinese Restaurant coming to Upshur St

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Image courtesy of Takeaway

Looks like Upshur Street between 8th & 9th Streets continues its growth as a restaurant row. Word is that a group is looking to open a Thai / Balinese restaurant at 845 Upshur St NW, where the closed China American Inn is now.

They hope to open in Fall 2015. I'll try to get more info.

A quick review of Timber Pizza

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Timber Pizza Co. had their portable brick oven set up at the Kennedy Street Festival on Saturday, and getting a pizza from them was high on my list of to-do's for the day. By the time I got there, there were only three pizza doughs left -- they clearly had a good day, and I clearly was lucky to get there in time.

I finally got the chance to meet owners Andrew Dana and Chris Brady in person, after doing a phone interview with Andrew a few weeks back. Both are very excited about opening up the restaurant on Upshur Street later in the winter (though with the amount of work 809 Upshur St needs, I'm thinking this might be an early 2016 opening).

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Owner Andrew Dana making me a pizza with two kinds of cheese and pepperoni.

Then we got down to the business at hand, and I ordered a half-pepperoni, half-cheese pizza (a small one to split with the family). I watched Andrew stretch the dough, put the sauce on, then the two kinds of cheese (low-moisture mozzarella/provolone, fresh mozzarella), then a couple of  thin pepperoni slices.

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Into the brick oven it goes...

Into the brick oven it went with the long-handled pizza spatula. Before I knew it, "Pizza coming out!" was shouted and the pizza came back out of the oven, steaming and bubbling. After walking around the festival for a few hours, at this moment my growling stomach and I were both very focused on the pizza. 

Over it went to Chris, who offered to put on basil (and they had some very fresh-looking basil waiting) but I declined -- not sure my 4 year old would go for it. Chris then grabs a large "rocker" pizza cutter and quickly cuts the pie up into 4 large slices. The pie went onto a perfectly cut, perfectly sized round piece of cardboard and I think I mumbled a quick "thanks" as my impatient appetite pulled me over to the entryway of a closed business where my family was sitting and waiting.

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Even with a bandaged hand, Chris is a master with the rocker.

This was a good pizza. The cheese was thick and melty, and there was good oil on the pizza without making a total mess everywhere. The bottom of the crust had that slight wood-burnt crunch, and the edge soft and thick. It folded up perfectly. The pepperoni was tasty -- cut thin so the flavor was there but it didn't overwhelm the slice. I was really hoping the pizza would be good, and Timber Pizza did not disappoint.

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No seriously, it was delicious. 

My 4-year old daughter said, chewing around her second piece, "Daddy, when they open, I want to go eat there every night." Yeah, me too. 

You can try them out for yourself this upcoming weekend. Timber Pizza Co. will be at the Petworth Jazz Project on Saturday, June 27th at the Petworth Park (6pm - 9pm). I highly recommend you show up to grab a pizza -- before they run out of dough.

Find them online at TimberPizza.com.

Introducing new Petworth News logo

I started this blog as a basic Facebook page back in late November 2014. I was unsure of how popular it might be and how long I might keep it up, and even changed its name a couple of times before settling  on Petworth News. As the page became more popular, I realized I needed to get legit and get my own brand, logo, colors, and so on. 

That's why I'm proud to introduce the new, official Petworth News logo:

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A friend of mine thought it looked like the "World of Petworth," which I thought was great. From my perspective, I think by focusing on the Avenues, Streets and Circles in our neighborhood, it calls attention to the fact that Petworth News is first and foremost a neighborhood blog. The bright colors reflect the ideas of positivity for our community. You'll see this new design on my Facebook page, Twitter and other places.

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I even created new business cards (I'm always surprised by how many people ask me for a business card). Let me know if you want one: I ordered 500!

This blog is for anyone, and covers news and events happening in Petworth and the surrounding communities like Brightwood, Park View, Shepherd Park, Crestwood, 16th Street Heights, and so on. There are readers in DC, California, Maryland, Virginia and New York, one fellow in England and two readers in Serbia (hi Kevin & Cica!). I hope you all find value in the blog and dig the new design and look!

Thank you for reading and supporting Petworth News.

DC Green Neighbors wants to help you be efficient

DC Green Neighbors will be setting up a table at the Petworth Farmers Market this weekend (June 20th) as part of their "green-focused market." The volunteer group will be sharing information on energy efficiency, solar panels, rain barrels and more, and will also have things for kids to play with and learn from (like worms!). 

Green Neighbors is an all-volunteer group of residents of the Petworth, Park View, Brightwood, and Columbia Heights neighborhoods. Their goal is to lower the emissions of carbon and other pollutants that contribute to global warming and to make renewable energy and other sustainable resources more accessible to everyone in the community. Green Neighbors see themselves as part of a larger District-wide, regional, national and international movement to preserve our climate and planet for future generations.

Trying to live the "think global, act local" concept, the group meets once a month, usually the third Monday, at the Petworth Library’s (depending on the availability of the meeting room). 

Stop by their table to meet and learn more about how to live green this weekend at the market. 

Kennedy Street Festival this Saturday!

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This is a great summer for the Petworth area, and it continues with the upcoming Kennedy Street Festival on June 20th, now in its second season!

The Festival is from 11am - 3pm and runs along Kennedy Street NW from 3rd Street to Georgia Ave. A community-driven, crowd-funded event, the Festival includes live music, food trucks, creative vendors, community resources, activities, art, face painting and more!

Kennedy Street isn't closing -- the Festival takes place on the sidewalks and in private space with music and art. (608 and 716 Kennedy Street will be filled with vendors.) Brick and mortar businesses will be open and serving up specials. Come out to enjoy street performances by jazz, soul, classical, folk and roots musicians. Compete in a neighborhood scavenger hunt or buy raffle tickets for a chance to win Washington Nationals seats, (donated by At-Large DC Council member Elissa Silverman).

Look for specials and guests at local favorites Culture Coffee, Andrene's Cafe, Tony's Place and Taqueria D.F. Local arts vendors include local master wood carver Boluwaji Omisore, funky thrift purveyor Vintage Glam, new local screen-printers Aniton Ink, and many more. Food trucks including Street Cream, Timber Pizza, and Karat Cakery will be filling neighborhood niches. 

(Timber Pizza Co. is opening a restaurant at 809 Upshur St NW, and Karat Cakery is a carrot cake food truck. I love carrot cake. I love food trucks. I'm so there.)

This year marks 100 years of Kennedy Street (more or less!). The street was laid out across the farmland of what is now Manor Park, Brightwood Park, North Petworth and 16th Street Heights between 1911 and 1918. Today, Kennedy is the commercial heart of these neighborhoods, with huge untapped potential to be a walkable, locally-serving main street. We'll have several DC government agencies and neighborhood volunteers on hand to talk about what's coming to Kennedy Street NW, including two streetscape improvement projects, a restaurant and apartment development, and more.

The Festival is a project of the Kennedy Street Development Association (KSDA), an all-volunteer, not-for-profit group of businesses and residents committed to enhancing community and commercial life on Kennedy Street. For more festival info, follow KSDA on Facebook and Twitter (@KennedyStreetNW).

MPD patrol catches robber in the act

This is why you have MPD patrols in the city. Good work MPD!

From 4D Captain Brian Bray:

"At approximately 8:22 P.M. on today’s date [6-17-15], members of the Metropolitan Police Department were conducting surveillance in the area of New Hampshire Avenue and Gallatin Street, NW, when they observed  a male suspect approach a male victim and punch him in the face without provocation.  

The suspect then snatched cash from the victim’s hand, and fled the scene.  The MPD officers who observed this crime exited their unmarked vehicle and ordered the suspect to stop.  The suspect continued to flee on foot, and threw the victim’s money to the ground.  The suspect was apprehended after a brief foot pursuit.  The victim’s money was also recovered.  The suspect was arrested for Robbery Force and Violence.

Anyone who witnessed this offense, or may have information about this offense, is asked to call the MPD Command Information Center at 202-727-9099.  Thank you!"

Pictures from Grant Circle Social

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Neighbors braved the potential threat of rain and came out to the Grant Circle Social tonight, and were rewarded with no rain, cool(er) air and a bunch of people waiting to meet. There were new faces joining us tonight, as well as some "regulars." It was great to see everyone (and to meet Brandon Todd's mom!).

If you're interested in joining a Circle Social planning committee, comment below or sent Rob Mandle a message on the Grant Circle Social event page.

Feel free to tag yourself in the photos on Facebook!

Neighbors braved the potential threat of rain and came out to the Grant Circle Social tonight, and were rewarded with no...

Posted by Petworth News on Wednesday, June 17, 2015