Sarah from Old City Green plants ground cover in a treebox at 17th and Q Streets NW on Saturday. The treeboxes were renovated during the 2010 17th Streetscape project and are maintained by local businesses and community organizations. Last fall students from Ross Elementary School on R Street planted spring bulbs with help from Old City Green. (Matty Rhoades)
From Michelle Lancaster. You can follow her and tell her your news on Twitter @MichLancaster. Email her at [email protected].
Supply & Demand: Why Your Rent is Too Damn High
Urban Turf explains why you may feel like channeling your inner Jimmy McMillan while looking for new digs. Turns out, the vacancy levels are the second lowest in the country (only behind metro NYC), which allows owners to keep boosting the rents. Be sure to take the Borderstan Reader Poll, Rent: What’s Your Pain?
Locals Unplugged — Don’t Miss
If you own a small business in DC or just dream of opening your own, come on out to Busboys and Poets on October 13. This edition of Locals Unplugged! is hosted by Live Green and Think Local First DC and will feature Jasmine Chehrazi, founder of Yoga District. Get some good advice, ask some questions and learn the zen of navigating business red tape. There’s a small fee, which you can pay here, to get your ticket.
U Street is a ‘Great Place in America’
The American Planning Association issued their ‘Great Places in America’ list, which includes great public spaces, neighborhoods and streets in the United States. This year, U Street NW made the list of the Top 30 (Eastern Market has been named to the list in the past). DCist notes that the resurgence of the neighborhood is one of the top reasons the area made the list, yet is also a source of concern to area residents grappling the growing pains of gentrification.
New Little Sister for DC?
Or big sister, since the city in question is Ankara? At any rate, Mayor Vince Gray just announced that Ankara, Turkey is the latest addition to DC’s list of sister cities (making it 12 total). Washington City Paper dives into what requirements a city must meet in order to become a sister city, what other cities made the list and what the heck a sister city actually means.
Where Chefs Eat, After Hours Edition
Despite the abundance of bars and restaurants on 14th Street NW and Dupont Circle, you may be hard pressed to find our local chefs hanging out on a bar stool after hours. That is, according to the Washingtonian‘s informal poll of some chefs. The list includes El Centro DF and Masa 14’s Antonio Burrell, who ditches the neighborhood for the far reaches of H Street NE or Annandale… although we forgive anyone for Honey Pig noms. Any surprises on the list?
