A regular summary of irregular news and notes from neighborhood blogs and email lists around the District.
Bikes, Beer, Target: New Columbia Heights takes a stab at the LivingSocial map of D.C. stereotypes: “So is it accurate? The neighborhood certainly has a fair amount of bikes, beer and burglaries, but so do other hoods, and we have lots of other stuff. Maybe ‘bikes, beer, Target’? ‘Group houses, older residents, bars’? I dunno. What are your ideas for our stereotype?” At present, no commenters have suggestions, but one scoffs, “The map authors are a bit off on some of their geography (see houseboats and the touristy stuff) and not so subtle or informed about some of their stereotypes (see GWU, GU, Howard, and CUA—but nothing on AU). I’m guessing it was made by someone who lives on Capitol Hill and has been in DC for less than 5 years.”
Brookland: __________: Speaking of ideas, the Brookland email list is full of ways to represent their neighborhood on a community t-shirt, prompted by a list member’s design pitch. “This does nothing at all for me…the abreviation B-land is likewise dumb. I was thinking a good portrait of Colonel Brooks. Born(date)-died (date)————-OUR FOUNDER,,, remember my slogan for the banners. ‘A ghetto with lawns’ That’s catchy! If you want a decent T-shirt, spend some time and get some good graphics. We have had these abreviations, and simple logos that really do very little,” responds one member. (Unsurprisingly, this was not met with open arms.) Other suggestions included “Brookland— Y’all Know We Ain’t in Noo Yawk, Right?” and “Brookland: Where the trees give you shade and the ANC gives you shit.”
Raccoons, Not Rats: A member of the Chevy Chase email list alerts, “After seeing the two young, dead raccoons on the Pinehurst Tributary trail on Sunday, I called the Rock Creek office of the park service early on Monday morning to report it. They were gone when I walked my dog there in the late afternoon. It does make one wonder if someone is using a poison nearby.” Another member reports that the incident wasn’t isolated: “I just came upon the third young, dead raccoon this week, in the park land between Aberfoyle and Beech. No signs of attack, etc.; they just expired on the trail. The first two were together on the trail, near Western, Sunday-yesterday. This young one today, nearly dead, is just off the trail at the end of Aberfoyle—looks like he was heading to the water and couldn’t make it. What’s going on? Are neighbors putting out rat poison? These raccoons look like they’ve been poisoned.”
Poems for Sale: One member advertises on the Cleveland Park email list, “I will custom create a special poem or song lyric for your presentation at that next memorable family or business get-together.” They go on to provide a sample of their work: “To embellish your next special bash/Use one of my poems; make a splash!/Whether spoken or sung/T’will trip off your tongue/You can get one for not too much cash.”