DC deploying additional traffic enforcement cameras starting this month

The District of Columbia Department of Transportation will be deploying about 20 additional traffic enforcement cameras citywide, beginning this month. Here are those most likely to impact Bethesda, Chevy Chase and Potomac drivers:

Stop sign camera at EB Fessenden Street and 44th Street N.W. (December 15, 2021)

Stop sign camera at Blagden Avenue and Allison Street N.W. (December 15, 2021)

Speed camera at 4700 block of Reservoir Road N.W. (February 2022)

Speed cameras at 3100, 3700, 4800 blocks of South Dakota Avenue N.E. (January-February 2022)

Photo courtesy DDOT

Bethesda residents awakened by DC Water boil water alert

Many Bethesda residents received a rude awakening just after 2:00 AM this morning, when DC Water issued a boil water alert for several neighborhoods in Northeast Washington. A government alert, of the type that would be used if a tornado or foreign missiles were approaching, was inexplicably sent to cell phones in parts of Maryland as well as the District. Water in Bethesda is provided by the WSSC, not DC Water, and so there is no need for concern about the water supply in Bethesda this morning. There's also no concern if you are in Spring Valley, the Palisades, Chevy Chase or other parts of Northwest Washington.

Beyond the inconvenience of waking people with a false alarm in the middle of the night, the alert gaffe is inevitably going to create confusion. If you are new to Bethesda, for instance, you might assume DC Water is your provider, and be wasting time boiling water this morning. 

For any readers who actually live in Northeast Washington, the affected communities under the boil water advisory are: Edgewood, Brookland, Fort Lincoln, Woodridge, Queens Chapel, Michigan Park and North Michigan Park. Full information from DC Water is available here.

Maryland earthquake felt in Bethesda, across DC region

UPDATE - 3:00 AM, August 4, 2021: The USGS now reports that the earthquake occurred at a depth of 3.4 kilometers. Latest USGS map pinpoints Clarksville, MD as epicenter, although it has not been officially named as such yet.

A 2.1 magnitude earthquake was felt in Bethesda, Rockville, Silver Spring, Derwood, and other parts of Montgomery County; Prince George's County, and Howard County at 2:11 AM this morning. The sound was audible here in Montgomery County, and was more noticeable than the shaking of the ground. According to the United States Geological Survey, the epicenter of the earthquake was 3 km from Highland, Maryland.

THRōW Social DC and Kick Axe Throwing opening in DC's Ivy City

The District continues to clean Montgomery County's clock in nightlife. THRōW Social DC and Kick Axe Throwing will be the newest addition to DC's nighttime economy when they soft-open January 31, 2020 at 1403 Okie St. NE. Their official grand opening will be on February 6. The 22000 SF facility will include five curling rinks and six FootBowl (a game that combines football and bowling) "ranges" on the former's upper floor, and twelve axe-hurling ranges on the lower floor.

The Aspen lodge-themed
Kick Axe Throwing

The founder of D.C.'s Escape Room Live, Ginger Flesher-Sonnier, is opening the D.C. THRōW and Kick-Axe location. Come with enough players for a team (eight), or the venue will help by pairing you with other smaller groups and individuals.

Axe ranges - Gilius Thunderhead
would be proud!

Kick Axe is far from the first axe-throwing enterprise in the District, but the upscale ski lodge aesthetic promises to set it apart. THRōW takes a decidedly different tack, themed around a Palm Beach tropical concept. It features a standard Las Vegas nightclub/dayclub feature you won't find in Montgomery County - cabanas.

A nightlife venue with cabanas?
You're definitely not in MoCo!

Kick Axe Throwing and THRōW Social DC will be open Wednesdays and Thursdays, 3:00-11:00 PM; Fridays and Saturdays, noon-2:00 AM; and Sundays, 11:00 AM-9:00 PM. THRōW is open to all ages; Kick Axe is open to everyone age 8 and older (children are offered foam axes to throw). Kick Axe patrons must wear closed toe shoes, and high heels are prohibited there. Expect to pay $29 per person for an hour of each gaming experience.

If you haven't been to Ivy City recently, you won't recognize the revitalized neighborhood near Route 50 and an Amtrak maintenance facility. Top-rated restaurants include La Puerta Verde and Ivy City Smokehouse. The latter has a rooftop deck. Other highlights include City Winery, Target and Nike Community Store. The nearby Echostage is a nighttime destination for many a young Montgomery County resident, after 18 nightspots closed in Bethesda alone following the County Council's disastrous Nighttime Economy Task Force debacle earlier this decade.

Photos courtesy Kick Axe Throwing and THRōW Social DC

Tenleytown Target construction looks ahead of schedule (Photos)

Will Target be the new CVS? After opening a number of smaller, urban-format stores - including the new one in downtown Bethesda, the retail giant is preparing to open a full-size location at CityLine, at 4500 Wisconsin Avenue in 2020. But as you can see here, the construction appears to be ahead-of-schedule, with the interior shell, lighting, and a good amount of flooring nearly complete. No signage has been installed yet, and there are obviously a lot of shelves, counters and massive inventories to be brought in.

This location, as longtime residents of Bethesda, Friendship Heights and Northwest Washington know, is one of the most historic department store sites in town. It was originally the first Sears Roebuck in Washington, D.C. when it opened on October 2, 1941. The parking structure was a marvel of engineering itself, and a heck of place to be when the nearby Civil Defense siren was tested Wednesdays during the Cold War. Only the rear pick-up at Toys R Us in Rockville, or underground pick-up at Montgomery Ward at Wheaton Plaza, could match the excitement heading down into the interior tunnel at Sears to pick up an oversize purchase.

The Tenleytown Sears, at the intersection of River Road and Wisconsin Avenue, was the Sears of choice of most Bethesdans in those days. In more recent years, Sears closed in the 1990s, and the structure was converted into a luxury residential development with retail below. Alas, the grand parking structure was lost, replaced by a new garage when Best Buy took over the 46000 SF that was left of Sears, with the rest going to housing and other retailers. When this was Best Buy, the garage was fine, but it used to try to close before Best Buy did. Not a way to encourage repeat business, to threaten to lock your car in for the night.

Alas, most of the great aspects of the legendary department stores, including Woodward & Lothrop in Chevy Chase, White Flint Mall's original anchors, and the old Tenleytown Sears, will be unknown to future generations. Target is quite pale by comparison, but it's what we've got left. And of course, it has groceries, and sometimes pharmacies, which department stores virtually never did years ago.

Equinox-funded Rumble bringing upscale boxing gym to D.C.

Rumble's first D.C. area location,
at 2001 M Street, N.W.

Rumble, an upscale boxing gym that has financial backing from high-end fitness chain Equinox, is expanding to the Washington, D.C. area next month. Their first location will be at 2001 M Street, N.W., south of Dupont Circle.

Boasting celebrity clients such as Justin Bieber, Hailey Baldwin and Kendall Jenner, Rumble is banking on boxing being the next spin bike. Rumble doesn't just offer boxing classes, but like Equinox, targets a higher income bracket than most gyms. Standard punching bags are tossed aside in favor of water-filled "teardrop" boxing bags. Hip-hop and house tracks are custom-mixed just for Rumble's 45-minute, ten-round conditioning and strength-training workouts.

Rumble D.C.'s staff of trainers

Rumble's D.C. location will open on Friday, April 12, 2019. You can reserve your spot in class online now. Will Rumble eventually join Equinox in Bethesda? Stay tuned.

Photos by Trapp Photos

The Pembroke opens at Dupont Circle Hotel

Cafe Dupont is now The Pembroke, having officially opened to the public last night after an extensive makeover of the space by interior designer Martin Brudnizki. The new interior features plush blue velvet semicircle banquettes, coral couches, brass light fixtures and hardware, marble tabletops and a 12-seat, 36' bar with leather swiveling barstools and a marble bar top.

The Pembroke's menu features culinary influences from Morocco, France, Italy, Ireland, and Spain, among other countries. Main courses include lamb shank tagine, grilled octopus, and Dover sole. Adult beverages include 10 cocktails and almost 70 wine selections from around the world.

Located in the Dupont Circle Hotel at 1500 New Hampshire Avenue, N.W., The Pembroke is open daily 6:00-11:00 AM for breakfast; 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM for weekday lunch; 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM for Saturday and Sunday brunch; and 5:00-10:00 PM for dinner (extended to 11:00 PM on weekends).

Photos: Top - Google Street View
Middle & Bottom - Rey Lopez

La Cosecha, a Latin market, to open this summer in NE D.C.

Could Latin food halls be the next trend in Montgomery County? Several Asian food halls have opened or are on the boards in the Rockville area. Word that developer EDENS is bringing a Latin food hall to Northeast Washington, D.C. this summer makes one wonder if such a market would be in the works for Montgomery County, which has a much larger Latino population.

La Cosecha will be a 20000 SF Latin market in the ground floor of the 1270 4th Street N.E. building designed by Shalom Baranes Associates Architects. The market, designed by Gensler, will include the second U.S. location of elcielo from international celebrity chef Juan Manuel Barrientos. Elcielo's first locations were in Colombia, and Miami has the only other American location.

Ali Pacha, which means ‘the plant universe’ in the Aymara language, will serve plant-based fine Bolivian cuisine. Fans of Venezuelan cuisine will want to check out Federico Tischler’s White Envelope Arepa + Ceviche Bar. Pedro J. Rodriguez and Julio Robledo will open a second location of their popular Shaw Grand Cata wine shop at the market. And Giuseppe and Mario Lanzone of Peruvian Brothers fame will open their first bricks-and-mortar concept here.

There will be more than food at La Cosecha, however. Brazilian native Carolina Furukrona’s NOVA BOSSA will curate artisanal Latin American brands, offering art and home décor, bain couture, fashion

accessories, handbags, jewelry and ready-to-wear fashions. At the market, there will be film screenings, art exhibits, and live performing arts. And the Culinary Immersion Studio will give top chefs and novices alike a chance to show their culinary skills. Additional tenants, including a coffee shop and a bookseller, are planned for the future.

La Cosecha is expected to open in June.

Renderings courtesy of Gensler