A regular summary of irregular news and notes from neighborhood blogs and email lists around the District.

All Things Considered! The Bates Area Civic Association blog posts notice of a liquor license sought between Florida Avenue and New York Avenue on North Capitol Street. The license would apply to a liquor store, not a restaurant. Unsurprisingly, commenters quickly voiced their displeasure for such an establishment: “Unbelievable! Our neighborhood really needs to shoot this down. I will be filing a petition on this and hope others do too. Anyone have any advice on the process from past experience?” And, of course, comparisons to the beleaguered Shaw’s Tavern immediately follow. One commenter insists the liquor store and restaurant are equal because “they both involve the corrupt, ridiculous DC liquor licensing process. You criticize Shaw’s for ‘forging’ a license. I say they’re heroes because they looked at a broken system and decided they weren’t going to play by those rules. I’m guessing some ABRA reps wanted their pockets greased and the Shaw’s Tavern people wouldn’t play ball. Regardless, it’s tragic because instead of ending up with a decent restaurant, 30 new jobs, and a potential community focal point, we will likely end up with ANOTHER dump of a liquor store perpetuating the crime, loitering, and rampant public consumption of alcohol that already plagues that section of North Capitol.” The ranter continues, “And it matters to me because all that crap spills over onto the blocks where I live, and also winds up costing me tax money to support the social and police services needed to ‘support’ a neighborhood full of liquor stores and garbage food. I think the people that run Full Yum are actually doing a pretty good job, all things considered; I just don’t see the need for ANOTHER ANOTHER ANOTHER liquor store.”

Give Me Space: The Georgetown Metropolitan asks what the future of the neighborhood’s third places might look like following the closure of Barnes & Noble: “What made Barnes and Noble a particularly great Third Place was that it offered Georgetowners and visitors alike a place to escape from the heat or the cold (or just the crowds), but you didn’t have to pay anything to use it.” One commenter doesn’t quite believe in the concept of third places—”I always thought third places were something like the bar from that old show Cheers…not some sort of store where you perpetually browse. Granted the Starbucks in the Barnes and Noble was an example of the new version of third places…but really will the requirement to walk a block up the street to the next Starbucks be such a hardship?”—but another has a few suggestions. “Some other places where it is fun to go in and browse, whether buying or ‘just looking’ (which can easily turn into buying, as we all know!) are Random Harvest and The Phoenix. And while they’re not places to just hang out, you almost always see neighbors at Scheele’s and Morgan’s. Also, local houses of worship are also important ‘third places’ to lots of people…not only the religious services, but also the work done on the soup kitchens, overnight shelters in the winter, and other volunteer activities; as well as concert series and so on.”

Virtuosos, Please, Pt. II: Violin appears to be a popular choice amongst—or mandate for—the city’s elementary-aged children. Yesterday, a member of the Takoma Park email list sought an instructor for their 7-year-old daughter. Today, a member of the Tenleytown email list has a similar request: “I’m hoping to find a violin teacher for my daughter in the AU Park area and would really appreciate any recommendations. We have been going to Middle C but I’m looking for a change.”

Too Prepared: A member of the Brookland Kids email list offers the following: “I prepared 3 gallon sized zip lock baggies full of ice in anticipation of losing power. We never lost power on our block so before I dump them I was wondering if anyone needed it.”