by Ann Kessler In the 1950s, before Washingtonians started traveling to the newly built malls in the suburbs, people shopped locally. Near Forest Hills, for instance, on the east side of the 4400 block of Connecticut Avenue, there were stores where you could buy shoes and women’s casual and dressy clothing. One could walk to […]
Backyard Nature: Snug as a bug in an “insect hotel”
by Marjorie Rachlin What is that pile of junk and brush in my garden? It’s a winter hotel – a place for insects and small critters like toads and garden snakes to find shelter. They need a place to keep out the winter cold and protection against predators. Many butterflies, bees, beetles, ladybugs and other […]
Neighborhood history: The day Van Ness got its own Metro station
by Ann Kessler December 5, 1981 was an historic day in the Forest Hills neighborhood. It marked the opening of the Van Ness-UDC Metro station as well as the Woodley Park and Cleveland Park stations, the first Metro stops to open west of Rock Creek Park. Although the day had started out dreary – and […]
Connecticut Ave.’s reversible lanes and potential bike lanes to be studied
by Marlene Berlin The District hasn’t conducted a comprehensive study of Connecticut Avenue in 15 years. In about 15 months, we could have a new perspective of vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian safety on the Avenue, the reversible lanes, and the impacts on neighborhood streets and nearby arterials if reversible lanes were to be eliminated and […]
I’m Eddie Cano wins raves from neighbors and the Post’s Tom Sietsema
Washington Post restaurant critic Tom Sietsema is a fan of Sfoglina. Buck’s Fishing & Camping is where he goes when he’s craving comfort food. And now he’s raving about the newest restaurant in Forest Hills. But first he had to get past the name: I’m Eddie Cano. “I was prepared to dislike the place before […]
2018 election update: The Post’s Ward 3 picks vs. reality, and history in the making
The DC Board of Elections will soon certify the results of the November 6th general election. Using the unofficial vote tally from dcboe.org, here are a few takeaways. The Washington Post’s Ward 3 endorsements were a poor predictor The Post did not endorse any of the DC Council incumbents on the Ward 3 ballot, choosing […]
Photos: Late-arriving fall foliage makes a dramatic entrance
by Marlene Berlin Last weekend, our late-arriving fall colors finally popped. (The Washington Post says it was the best in years.) It was a glorious time to be out walking in Rock Creek Park and the neighborhood. With a picture perfect blue sky and brilliant sun, the yellows, oranges and reds danced off the waters […]
Photos: The spookiest block in Forest Hills DC
Many of our neighbors go all out for Halloween. But few blocks do it up like Chesterfield Place in Forest Hills. The decorations are massive, including inflatables stretching two stories high. A deejay serenades trick-or-treaters with spooky music. One participant projects classic scary movies onto one of the houses. Scariest of all? According to resident […]
Backyard Nature: Beech drops drop in
by Marlene Berlin In the fall, as acorns rain down on our heads and mushrooms abound, another rather strange plant pops up: the beech drop. Beech drops don’t get their sustenance from chlorophyll. They are parasites that develop a structure called a haustorium. It grows into the beech roots to siphon off nutrients. For pollination, […]
No townhomes at 3101 Albemarle. Developer proceeding with matter-of-right project
by Marlene Berlin The developer-owner of 3101 Albemarle Street is no longer pursuing approval for six units of housing on the unlandmarked section of the property, and will instead develop it as “matter-of-right.” Father-and-son team P.G. and Bobby Gottfried purchased the property and historic mansion in 2017, and had sought zoning relief through a PUD […]