Fresh locally grown food on H Street

If you'd like to support your community when purchasing some of the freshest and tastiest food from our region, FRESHFARM Markets' H Street location is a real good look. The non-profit organization supports local farmers and artisans throughout the Chesapeake watershed. They've been operating on 13th, between H and Wylie Streets, NE since 2004. The remaining 2014 events will feature grass-fed meats, fruits, veggies, eggs, pastries, flowers and more. They'll take place on Saturdays from 9am-Noon until December 20. Click below for a few additional shots from last Saturday.

Taste of DC

We checked out Taste of DC during last week's holiday weekend. We were impressed with the crowd, especially on a Sunday prior to a 4 p.m. Redskins game. Although these Yelp comments  feature mixed reviews, we were extremely satisfied with our traditional outdoor festival go-to meal. Here's an old-school hint... you can't go wrong with the freshly grilled teriyaki chicken on a stick.There's usually a long line, but it's definitely worth the wait.

Click below for footage. If the video does not appear, CLICK HERE.

The 2014 H Street Festival

An estimated 125,000 folks came out to the annual H Street Festival last week. Here's some footage from the 2014 event:

If the video does not appear below, CLICK HERE

NoMa Summer Screen's final viewing of the season

According to nomabid.org, the NoMa Summer Screen film series is scheduled to go on this evening. If you're not familiar with the series, check out this previous OnOurBlocks post. Tonight's viewing of Hook, which is appropriately a family-friendly film featuring Robin Williams, starts at 7 PM. As always, several food trucks will be onsite. Click below for a list of culinary options and recent pics from earlier this summer.

DMV Connections... A national morning show host

Which of the following morning show personalities grew up in Prince George's County Maryland, where she attended Bowie High School?

A. Kelly Ripa

B. Gayle King

C. Kathie Lee Gifford

D. Hoda Kotb

Update... Dollar Tree opens at Hechinger Mall on Benning Road

In an earlier post, we told you that the Dollar Tree at Hechinger Mall was expected to open on July 7, 2014. After a brief delay, we can now report that the store was open and operating on August 1, 2014. From the looks of things during our visit, this should prove to be popular location in the Northeast quadrant of the city.

Pret A Manger Opens on Capitol Hill

Pret A Manger has opened at 3rd & Pennsylvania Avenue, SE. The former Cosi location announced its opening with a live DJ and free samples. The international chain has stores in the UK, Hong Kong and France. The US region currently operates in New York, Boston, Chicago and DC. This is the eighth location to open in the District.

DMV Road Trip... The Northern Neck of Virginia

Courtesy Google Maps

There's not much like a nice road trip to recharge your spirit from time to time. On a recent excursion, On Our Blocks traveled to the historic Northern Neck of Virginia. A relatively short drive down Maryland's route 301 over the Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge will expose you to some of the region's historical treasures. For more about the birthplace of George Washington and a day cruise to Tangier Island,CLICK BELOW.

Another Dollar Tree is coming to DC

Dollar Tree is scheduled to open at the former Hechinger Mall on Benning Road. According to workers installing the sign in the photo above, the store will begin conducting business next Monday (July 7, 2014). Patrons of the nationwide chain, which operates in all of our 48 contiguous states, know that all items sell for $1 or less. Many may feel that that this is a welcomed neighbor in the H Street/Benning Road corridor. 

DMV Connections... The 2014 USA World Cup Soccer Team

Congratulations to the USA World Cup Soccer team, which won their first match this week against Ghana. Their next match takes place Sunday at 6:00 PM against Portugal. This edition of DMV Connections recognizes which one of the following USA team members, who attended DeMatha Catholic High School in Prince George's County Maryland?

A. Kyle Beckerman

Courtesy mlssoccer.com

B. Damarcus Beasley

courtesy worldfootball.net

C. Clint Dempsey

courtesy bleacherreport.com

D. John Brooks

courtesy ussoccerplayers.com

DMV Legal... Redskins Trademark Canceled by United States Patent and Trademark Office

According to The Washington Post, the USPTO has canceled the Washington Redskins' trademark registration. CLICK HERE for more.

DMV Media... Live broadcasts of Mystics games delivered free to mobile devices

Courtesy WNBA.com/mystics

In what could be considered a clear sign of what's to come in sports media, the folks at Monumental Network are providing a live stream of Mystics WNBA games. Currently the mobile app, Mystics Live, is fully supported by Apple iOS phones and tablets. Since Ted Leonsis and his group at Monumental Sports & Entertainment also own the Caps and Wizards, we could very well be getting a glimpse into how live sporting events will be directly distributed to fans by the teams themselves. Could this trend prove to eliminate a significant source of revenue for broadcast companies?

The app reportedly offers viewers six camera angles, instant replays and team stats. It is available on devices within a 75-mile radius of DC. For more, check out this June 16, 2014 announcement from Monumental Network.

A video update on the H St./Benning Road streetcar & H St. development

On Saturday, we got footage of DC officials providing an update on the progress of the streetcars along H Street and Benning Road. Check out the video footage below.

IF THE VIDEO DOES NOT APPEAR, CLICK HERE.

DMV Connections... International Athletic Brand Founder

Which of the following founders of a major athletic brand is a native of the DMV?

A. Phil Knight- Nike

Courtesy: fame-magazine.com

B. Kevin Plank - Under Armour

Courtesy: Harvard Business Review

C. Chip Wilson - Lululemon 

Courtesy: Forbes.com

DMV Development... Trump's Old Post Office Pavilion

courtesy trumphotelcollection.com

Pennsylvania Avenue's Old Post Office Pavilion is on track to undergo major reconstruction. Donald Trump's team will soon begin their development of the $200 million Trump International Hotel, Washington, D.C. Because of strict height limits on buildings in DC, the Old Post Office Pavilion, which many of us remember as DC's Times Square on New Year's Eve, is recognized as the third tallest building in our nation's capital. 271 guestrooms, luxury ground-level retailers and world-class restaurants are some of the amenities scheduled to be delivered in 2016.

Do you know the two structures that are taller than The Old Post Office Pavilion in DC? CLICK BELOW.

Capitol Hill's Historic Car Barn

Forbes.com has recognized the Car Barn as one of the country's most exclusive gated communities in the country. The complex was originally built between the 1400 and 1500 blocks of East Capitol Street, NE in 1896. The initial structure was a service facility for the Metropolitan Railroad Company, which maintained the city's streetcar system. According to the National Park Service, streetcars stopped operating in DC by 1962, and Car Barn subsequently went on to become a service and storage facility for DC's bus system.





Today The Car Barn is a condo community with 196 units. Its features include gated off-street parking, a community pool and close proximity to Lincoln Park. For a look at the On Our Blocks featured one- bedroom rental listing of the week, which just so happens to be in the Car Barn, CLICK HERE.

DMV Development... Rhode Island Row

Rhode Island Row is developing nicely. The site is conveniently located right next to the Rhode Island Avenue Metro Station. Carolina Kitchen and TKO Burger recently joined Chipotle, Sala Thai and Jersey Mike's as current food options for residents of the 274 apartment units. For more on the development, click below:

Little Tavern... DC's Original Burger Joint

The popularity of burger spots in the DMV sparked a recollection of the OG of the area's burger scene: Little Tavern. The Little Tavern brand thrived for more than 50 years throughout the region. Their slogan, "Buy Em By The Bag", encouraged customers to purchase what we now call sliders in multiples of three. Their distinctive tudor cottages are still prominent around town. Click below to learn more about their legacy, and let us know if you recognize pics of some of their former locations.

On Our Blocks Media... Old School DMV Spots

Advertising is powerful. Examples are demonstrated through local DMV commercials that are easily recalled decades after they originally aired. Take a look at the link below to see if you remember this Jhoon Rhee Self Defense spot?

A DMV Connections Update... Peter Rosenberg on VH1's "This Is Hot 97"

Courtesy Hot 97.com

In a DMV Connections post earlier this year, we told you that Peter Rosenberg is a graduate of Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School. Rosenberg is the morning show host for one of the country's legendary hip-hop radio stations, New York's Hot 97. Some of us may remember The University of Maryland graduate DJing at the McDonald's in Adams Morgan as late as 2007. He also worked for WHFS-99.1, WPGC-95.5 and WJFK-106.7 before moving to NYC. Last Monday the series premiere of VH1's new reality series, This Is Hot 97, made its debut. The second episode airs this Monday at 10:30 pm. Click below for clips from the premiere.

Opening Day at Nats Park

Washington Nationals fans came out to support the team for opening day at home. Unfortunately, the Atlanta Braves beat the Nats 2-1 in a competitive battle. Major League Baseball's official website features the following clip of a controversial call during the contest. Many believe that even after a replay review, the Nationals were robbed when this home run was taken away. Click below to make the call yourself. By the way, the teams face each other again at 7:05 pm tonight at Nationals Park.

April Fools' Day Commercial Spoofs

Several major brands used April Fools' Day as an opportunity to generate a buzz by creating commercial spoofs. Check out examples of spots that The Washington Post's POST TV put together:

Primary Election Day in DC

Courtesy http://dcboee.us/

It's primary election day in the nation's capital. While voting this morning, a staff member captured some footage of mayoral candidate Tommy Wells being interviewed by Fox 5's Matt Ackland. No matter who you're voting for, we hope you get out there to vote today. The polls, which opened at 143 locations at 7 am this morning, will close at 8 pm this evening. 

The NoMa Summer Screen

The folks at nomabid.org are conducting a survey to select this year's movie lineup for NoMa Summer Screen. Last year, outdoor movies were shown each Wednesday at 2nd & L Streets, NE. For those of us who remember drive-in theaters in the DMV, this could prove to be a nostalgic experience. Anyone else remember the Hillside Drive-In on Marlboro Pike? For more on how to submit your choices for this year's movies, CLICK HERE. Also, check out these old-school drive-in commercials below:

On Our Blocks Media... DC Is The Home of the Country's Top Radio Biller

According to dcrtv.com, one of the following DMV radio stations earned more advertising dollars than any other radio station in the country. Congrats to which of the following?



A. WWDC - 101.1 FM



B. WMMJ - 102.3 FM




C. WTOP - 103.5 FM




D. WPGC - 95.5 FM



E. WJFK - 106.7 FM