Terrifying Christmas creatures will march down H Street during an annual holiday celebration this weekend.
D.C.’s “Krampusnacht” festivities kick off at Gallery O on H (1354 H St. NE) this Saturday at 5 p.m.
The event is centered around the mythical Krampus, a cloven, horned monster that punishes naughty children around Christmas each year. Legend has it that the Krampus appears alongside Saint Nicholas to shake chains, flick its tongue and cart off misbehaving children in a sack it wears on its back.
This year’s Krampusnacht celebration will include a charity benefit, live musical performances and of course, the big Krampus march down H Street.
More on the event from the Krampusnacht Facebook page:
(Updated at 4:10 p.m.) The cousins behind Dupont Circle’s DGS Delicatessen are planning to bring a “neighborhood bar” to the H Street corridor, D.C. Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration documents show.
DGS co-owners Nick and David Wiseman are working on a watering hole at 1337 H St. NE, according to ABRA paperwork Borderstan obtained today. But the name of the bar is unclear.
Documents the Wisemans filed under a company called “Bespoke 1337” repeatedly say the spot’s name is to be determined. But one document refers to the place as “Butcher’s Word.”
The ABRA paperwork also doesn’t provide details on the bar’s menu or when it will open. Documents do say, however, that the spot will have room for nearly 200 people, including 65 seated customers. It also will provide chairs for 15 people outside.
Neither Nick nor David could immediately be reached for comment.
The space between Dangerously Delicious Pies and H Street Country Club previously spent time as an illegal funeral home and a “live, work, and studio space,” according to Washington City Paper. The building also was set to become a bar from Eric and Ian Hilton.
Photo via Google Maps
A thief asked a man for cigarettes and then pulled out a gun t0 rob him in Truxton Circle last night, police said.
The armed robbery occurred on the 1500 block of 1st Street NW about 7:45 p.m. Tuesday.
The victim was near 1st and Q streets NW when a man came up to him looking for marijuana, according to authorities. The victim said he didn’t known anyone with weed, and the man left.
But he returned and asked for cigarettes. As the victim was pulling out a pack of cigarettes, the man flashed a handgun and took the victim’s wallet, cellphone and Helly Hansen jacket.
The robber then hopped into a white car and drove away.
Police released descriptions of two men wanted in connection with the crime. It wasn’t immediately clear what role the second suspect played.
Robbery 1500 b/of 1st St,NW .LOF 2 B/M's. S(1) blk hood swtshrt, 6' 160 lbs armed wi/a gun. S(2) drk complx dreads. L/S N/B in a whte vehcle pic.twitter.com/tuiq2asAlm
— DC Police Department (@DCPoliceDept) November 30, 2016
Photo via Google Maps
A motorist came perilously close to plunging their car into Rock Creek earlier this afternoon.
Someone behind the wheel of a taxi ran their car off of Rock Creek Parkway near the exit ramp to P Street NW around 12:30 p.m. today, according to D.C. Fire and EMS.
Though the red taxi cab ran over the embankment, it did not continue into the water.
One person was taken to the hospital with minor injuries after the crash. Another person was treated on the scene, fire officials said.
Taxi partially down embankment Rock Creek Parkway N/B prior P St NW. 1 to transport with minor injuries & 1 treated on scene. pic.twitter.com/La0MSj28Ve
— DC Fire and EMS (@dcfireems) November 30, 2016
This isn’t the first time someone has driven off that stretch of road. A driver plunged their car into the creek near the P Street Bridge in April.
A 14th Street purveyor of knickknacks, furnishings, furniture and local art will transform into a holiday bazaar later this week.
Miss Pixie’s (1626 14th St. NW) is scheduled to host its 4th annual holiday market event this Friday, Dec. 2, at 5:30 p.m.
More than 20 D.C.-based vendors are expected to fill the boutique with handmade goods and other artisan wares. Local businesses slated to attend the event include Typecase Industries, Brand Dave and Handmade Habitat.
Additionally, the holiday party will feature live jazz music, a raffle and food from nearby eateries such as Ice Cream Jubilee and Maki Shop.
Photo via Facebook / Miss Pixie’s
Police are searching for a man filmed grabbing two packages off the front porch of a Columbia Heights home last week, according to authorities.
The theft happened on the 3500 block of 13th Street NW about 2:30 p.m. Friday.
A home surveillance video police released yesterday shows the man walking up to the two packages and putting a coat over them. He then picked them up and left the porch.
It wasn’t immediately clear what was in the packages.
Anyone who can identify these individuals or who has knowledge of this incident should take no action but call police at (202) 727-9099 or text your tip to the Department’s TEXT TIP LINE at 50411.
Video via YouTube/Metropolitan Police Department
Trader Joe’s to Open Store Near Union Market — The grocery chain reportedly has signed a lease for a building under development at 1240 4th St. NE. If all goes according to plan, the new store would open in the second half of next year. [Bisnow; DCist]
Downtown Eatery Vidalia to Close Dec. 15 — The Southern restaurant at 1990 M St. NW is slated to close Dec. 15, according to its owner. The space will be turned into “Honeysuckle,” a new “American regional” restaurant from a former Vidalia chef. [Washington Post]
From Monkey King to Tiger Fork — The Hong Kong themed eatery slated to open in the former Rogue space at 922 N St. NW restaurant won’t be called Monkey King after all. Why? The restaurant’s former name was too similar to a Texas noodle joint. Instead, owner Greg Algie said he’ll name his forthcoming restaurant Tiger Fork. [Washington City Paper]
‘Hitler Was a Hero’ Scrawled on Shaw Sidewalk — Someone wrote “Hitler was a hero” in orange chalk on a sidewalk in Shaw recently. The message was washed off by about noon yesterday. [DCist]
Bad Saint Scores Another Good Review — This time from the New York Times. Guess those lines won’t be getting shorter any time soon? [New York Times]
A crowd is expected to gather in Columbia Heights this weekend to watch a big tree light up for the holiday season.
The Columbia Heights Initiative is scheduled to host the 6th annual Columbia Heights Tree Lighting Extravaganza in Civic Plaza this Saturday, Dec. 3, at 6:30 p.m.
The festive party will include the tree-lighting ceremony, free cocoa, candy canes, carols and “perhaps even a visit from Santa,” followed by festivities at local businesses and restaurants, organizers said.
The community group is also looking for volunteers to help out with the event.
Construction crews will soon break ground on a project to redevelop a former gay nightclub in Dupont Circle.
Phase 1, which opened at 1415 22nd St. NW in 2012, was known primarily for being the Northwest outpost of the famed Capitol Hill gay bar. But the club quietly closed last year, and developer Rock Creek Property Group swooped in to purchase and transform the property soon after.
Now, the company has plans to turn the historic building into office or retail space by next April.
From Rock Creek Property Group:
To preserve the property’s intended design, the original carriage house doors will be replicated, the façade repaired, certain windows will be restored and others replaced in a manner sensitive to the property’s historic nature.
To create a modern interior, skylights will be integrated into the building on the second floor, and soaring 10- to 15-foot ceilings will open up the space. Additionally, at the rear of the property there will be a large roof deck, accessed by the second floor. The property’s façade is currently covered by a concrete wall addition that was added in the 1940s, when it became a tire and car shop. To open up the front and expose more natural light, the building will feature a glass NanaWall system stretching through most of the property’s street front.
“Our goal with this property is to bring it back to life,” said Rock Creek Principal Gary Schlager in a press release. “After years of neglect, the original grandeur of the architecture was lost.”
The company is currently looking for a tenant to fill the space.
Rendering courtesy of Rock Creek Property Group
A gym focused on teaching people how to properly bend, move and stretch is slated to open in Dupont next week.
D.C.-based fitness chain Urban Athletic Club will open its new workout studio concept, “Reset,” at 1742 Connecticut Ave. NW on Dec. 10, according to company founder Graham King.
Reset won’t focus on the gut-busting workout routines. Instead of fast and furious cardio or weightlifting sessions, the gym’s trainers will teach people how to do a squat and flex their joints the right way.
In other words, it’s a gym that caters to people who don’t go usually to the gym.
“If you’re hunched over all day, your hip flexors are tight, your chest is tight,” King said. “[Reset] is about getting your body back to its normal state.”
During classes, the studio’s instructors will lead patrons on “dynamic movement patterns, voodoo flossing and foam rolling, active isolated stretching, restorative yoga and Qi gong,” according to a press release. Additionally, Reset will have a quiet meditation room and host regular “Yoga Party” events with a live DJ and a local yogi.
But the gym isn’t only for newbies, King said. Reset will also help people recover after a full week of Crossfit or Pilates.
“The person who is hitting high-intensity classes five days a week, they just need a place where they can shut everything down and get their body back,” King explained. “We look at it on both ends of the spectrum.”
And the low-intensity nature of the workouts doesn’t mean they’ll be easy.
“It’s going to be challenging,” King said. “But it’s going to put people back into proper form and use.”
Reset will host its grand opening party at the Dupont Circle studio on Saturday, Dec. 10 from 4-6 p.m.
Image courtesy of Graham King
Police have arrested a 40-year-old man they said tried to run from them after he held up a business on the H Street corridor yesterday afternoon, according to authorities.
Alphonso Eric Bell of Southeast D.C. faces robbery while armed and unlawful possession of a firearm charges in connection with the crime, police said. Information on his lawyer wasn’t immediately available.
Bell is suspected of stealing $1,000 in cash at gunpoint from a commercial building on the 1200 block of H Street NE, police said. But authorities haven’t identified the business where the crime happened about 5:15 p.m. Monday.
Cops in the area saw Bell run inside the building and heard a commotion. He left the location soon after, and officers pursued him.
The officers caught him about a block away and found a .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun with 12 rounds in the magazine and one round in the chamber. Cops also recovered the stolen money.
Photo via Google Maps
A new watering hole near U Street is set to start welcoming pups and people by mid-December.
Wet Dog Tavern, a new “dog-friendly” beer garden, is set to open its doors at 2100 Vermont Ave. NW in a matter of weeks, according to general manager Raj Lal. Though the bar was originally slated to open over the summer, some construction and permitting issues have delayed that process.
When the bar finally opens, it will serve beer, wine and seasonal cocktails. The idea, Lal said, is to keep things simple and unsophisticated.
“I want to focus on producing great, balanced cocktails that patrons can connect with and really enjoy,” Lal said. “I’m a huge fan of a well-made perfect manhattan, so you can expect to see something like that offered. Perhaps a twist on a margarita and a warm cocktail or two for our winter opening.”
The bar will also pour some beers “that are being brewed for us out of a Pennsylvania brewery,” Lal added. “For the rest of the taps and bottle choices, we’ll be focusing on nationwide brews, not just the same local breweries that are commonly found around this area.”
Patrons can sip their drinks in a heated outdoor beer garden that will be large enough for about 75-100 people. The tavern’s interior will hold between 35 and 50 people, Lal added.
As the name implies, customers seated in the outdoor area can bring along their canine companions.
“We plan on having tables outside where people can bring their dogs,” Lal told us in April. “You want to walk your dog, you can bring them here.”
Photo courtesy of Raj Lal
A group of people wanted in a robbery in which thieves beat a man unconscious in Columbia Heights this month have appeared in surveillance footage, according to authorities.
The violent robbery happened on the 3600 block of 11th Street NW about 9:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 7.
Video police released yesterday shows five people walking around the Walgreens in Chinatown. At least two of them buy items at the store.
The people in the footage used the victim’s credit cards, according to authorities. The victim lost his wallet after a group of people punched and kicked him, causing him to lose consciousness.
Anyone who has information regarding this case should call police at 202-727-9099. Additionally, information may be submitted to the TEXT TIP LINE by text messaging 50411. Crime Solvers of Washington, DC currently offers a reward of up to $1,000 to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest and indictment of the person or persons responsible for a crime committed in the District of Columbia.
Video via YouTube/Metropolitan Police Department
Logan Circle’s “Barrel House” Could Be Redeveloped — A developer has plans to redevelop the former home of Barrel House Liquors at 1341 14th St. NW into a seven-story mixed-use building. Will the barrel stay put? According to property owner Eric Meyers, the big barrel will be incorporated into the final design. [UrbanTurf; DCist]
Trump ‘Welcome’ at Ben’s Chili Bowl — President-elect Donald Trump is welcome to stuff himself silly with cheese fries and half-smokes at Ben’s Chili Bowl, says co-founder Virginia Ali. You know, when he’s not threatening to strip Americans of their citizenship for legally protesting. [TMZ]
Odd Provisions Corner Store to Open in Columbia Heights This Week — Odd Provisions, a self-described “extraordinary corner market,” is slated to open in Columbia Heights this Friday, Dec. 2. [Washingtonian]
Bei Bei is A-OK — The giant panda is doing well after his emergency surgery last week. [Washington Post]
Borderstan Blueprint is a listing of interesting events for the week ahead across D.C. If you’d like to see your event featured, fill out our event submission form.
For more events, be sure to check out our event calendar.
Tuesday
Georgian Table Cooking Class
Anthony Bowen YMCA (1325 W St. NW)
7-9 p.m.
The recreation center will host a cooking class put on by The Georgian Table, a local blog dedicated to sharing the cuisine and culture of the country.
A People’s Choir Sing-Along: Cravings
DC9 (1940 9th St. NW)
7:30-9:45 p.m.
A crowd of total strangers will meet to sing pop songs related to a particular theme. This month’s theme is “cravings,” or songs about longing and desire.
Wednesday
Queer Girl Movie Night: November Edition
Suns Cinema (3107 Mount Pleasant St. NW)
8 p.m.
This month’s “Queer Girl Movie Night” at Mount Pleasant indie theater Suns Cinema will serve as a post-election “space to heal,” according to organizers. The movie night regularly highlights films that elevate queer women.
Thursday
One Year Anniversary
CRISP Kitchen + Bar (1837 1st St. NW)
5 p.m.
The Bloomingdale chicken restaurant and bar will celebrate its first birthday with $1 specials and shots and (presumably free) high fives.
Friday
Christkindlmarkt
Heurich House Museum (1307 New Hampshire Ave. NW)
4 p.m.
The historic Dupont Circle mansion and museum is scheduled to hold a three-day holiday market beginning Friday afternoon. More than 40 local artisans and vendors will set up shop at the mansion to sell their wares.
Saturday
The History and Politics of Gentrification in Mt. Pleasant
D.C. Public Library, Mt. Pleasant (3160 16th St. NW)
1-3 p.m.
How did the neighborhood get its start? How did racial housing policy shape the neighborhood’s development? How is the neighborhood now being “sold” to the public? Scholars will help answer questions like these and more during this discussion.
Columbia Heights Tree Lighting Extravaganza
Civic Plaza
6:30-8:30 p.m.
This year’s annual tree-lighting party will include complimentary cocoa, candy canes, carol and maybe even a visit from Santa.
Sunday
TamalFest
Bell Multicultural High School (3101 16th St. NW)
1-5 p.m.
During the festival, “a stellar group of local tamal makers” will dole out samples and compete to see who steams the best tamale.
Monday
Songbyrd Music Trivia
Songbyrd Music House and Record Cafe (2477-2475 18th St. NW)
7-10 p.m.
Songbyrd’s music experts are writing questions in anticipation of this music trivia event. “Stay tuned for more info, and in the meantime, brush up on your music knowledge,” the bar said on its Facebook page. “Wikipedia is a good resource.”
Photo via Facebook / The Georgian Table
