European Food Shines at Local Farmers Market
• June 18, 2013

“Autre chose?” asks Joelle as her customer pays for a quiche. Joelle and her husband sell fresh Belgian food at the Rose Park farmers market every Wednesday afternoon. Sweet smells welcome all under her tent, marked by a bright “Les Caprices de Joelle” sign.

Nearby their booth, a cucumber is purchased, a pain au chocolat is coveted and a head of lettuce is examined. Despite the tiny raindrops drizzling down around the tents, shoppers mingle among green produce and golden homemade bread.

“Even though it is rainy, people come anyway,” Joelle said.

Joelle moved to the U.S. eight years ago. A native Belgian, she studied the culinary arts in Belgium before crossing the Atlantic.

She said the farmers market is important to her as a chef, especially “coming from Europe, [where] everything we make is from the farmers market.”

Naturally, her booth specializes in Belgian waffles, but not like any found in America.

“We order the sugar from Belgium. It’s made from beets,” she said. “It takes a long time for the sugar to get here since we ship it.”

Crêpes, marinated carrots, lentil soup and chicken turnovers are just some of the European foods Joelle has to offer, but she is not alone.

Bonaparte Bread offers French pastries and bakery items. At this booth, Claudio sells croissants for $2, French bread for $3, and pain au chocolat and almond croissants for $3.50. Claudio is relatively new to the market, having only sold there a month, but his booth seems to be exactly what farmers’ market founder Leslie Wheelock had in mind.

“I moved back from France and missed the markets,” Wheelock said.

When she proposed the idea of a farmers market to the Friends of Rose Park board, they assigned her to the task of creating it. The market is sponsored by the Friends of Rose Park and the DC Parks & Recreation Department. As an all-volunteer market, Wheelock depends on personal contacts, the Friends of Rose park website and e-mail to connect to new vendors. Though other markets in the district might be more commercial, she said the Rose Park market is optimal for new farmers and vendors.

“Farmers who have never been to market before come here.”

Wheelock said customers can even bring their pets. The market often has a booth that sells dog treats.
She said the market relies on the strong sense of community surrounding it to help it succeed.

“Unless we have neighborhood support, the farmers don’t come.”

The market is held every Wednesday from 3 to 7 p.m., May through October.

Safety Program Looks to Expand
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-In light of a recent armed robbery near the Paper Mill in Georgetown, the Citizens Association of Georgetown is asking for residents help to expand their Public Safety Program to areas south of M Street.

“Any kind of crime that involves a gun is very scary for people,” said CAR Director Diane Colasanto. “We got requests from residents of the area to do more and we are very responsive to those requests. We know how frightening it is.”

CAR’s Public Safety Program includes extra police officers to patrol the residential streets on the weekends, private guards patrolling five nights a week and other efficient endeavors.

For more information or to make a tax deductable donations, visit CAR’s website.

Georgetown Apple Store to Open Friday
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After waiting more than two and a half years following a purchase of a Wisconsin Avenue building, Apple Inc. will open its doors in Georgetown on June 18 at 5 p.m.

Apple purchased the building, located at 1229 Wisconsin Ave., in 2007, according to the Washington Business Journal.

A lengthy approval process, focused on the storefront’s design, delayed the store’s opening, according to the Washington Business Journal. The Old Georgetown Board and the Advisory Neighborhood Commission turned down the store’s original designs because they did not fit into Georgetown’s historic look.

The board and commission rejected four designs before eventually approving a modified store design in March 2009, according to Vox Populi.

The Georgetown Apple store is the most recent of eight Washington area stores.

ESPN Zone Scheduled to Close
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-The beloved and popular sports bar and restaurant, the ESPN Zone, owned by Walt Disney Co., has scheduled to close down its Washington, Baltimore, Chicago, Las Vegas and New York locations on Wednesday, June 16 the Washington Post {reported](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/09/AR2010060906292.html). Due to the poor economy, Disney felt that the restaurants were not generating enough revenue to justify their existence because the sports fan favorite is expensive to maintain.

The Denver and Atlanta closed last year, leaving only two restaurants, one in Anaheim, CA and one in Los Angeles, both which will be owned and run by companies other than Disney. Anyone that has scheduled and paid for an event taking place at the ESPN Zone after June 16 will be reimbursed.

Jimmy Dean Passes Away
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-Our favorite sausage entrepreneur and Virginia neighbor, Jimmy Dean, passed away yesterday at the age of 81.

While he may best be remembered for his breakfast foods, Dean was also a country music artist. Best known for his 1961 country hit, Big Bad John, Dean was inducted to the Virginia Country Music Hall of fame in 1977 and the Country Music Hall of Fame in February, 2010.

His career also included various TV and acting stints such as CBS’s “The Jimmy Dean Show” and a James Bond movie, “Diamonds Are Forever”

Dean died of natural causes in his Henrico, Virginia home and is survived by his wife Donna Meade Dean.

DC2NY Bus Goes to the Beach
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-The Washington Post reported cost-efficient DC2NY bus that offers easy transportation to and from Manhattan and D.C. will now be running to the Delaware Beaches of Rehoboth and Dewey for the summer. The bus began this route on Memorial Day weekend, and it will last through Labor Day weekend.

The bus offers three pickups per weekend at Dupont Circle and Union Station, plus holidays. Passengers can be dropped of at the fire station off Rehoboth Avenue or at the Lighthouse entertainment complex in Dewey.

The bus offers a wi-fi, free bottled water and movies during the ride.

After Conspicuous Absence, Fenty Notes Education Achievements
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After not appearing at Monday night’s debate on education, Mayor Adrian Fenty spoke Tuesday at Payne Elementary School in Southeast on the educational achievements of the city’s public schools since he took office.

Fenty noted making progress in meeting court-ordered benchmarks in special education and a new teachers union contract, according to the Washington Post.

During the news conference, Fenty said he never confirmed that he would appear at Monday’s event at what was intended to be a debate between him and Vincent Gray, the chairman of the D.C. council and the mayor’s challenger in the Democratic primary. He added that he had attended nine out of 12 forums but could not appear at every forum before the Sept. 14 vote.

Fenty’s absence at the education debate raised several eyebrows, especially since the struggling school system has been a focus of his administration.

However, Fenty said he had other obligations, such as attending a vigil for Steven Mahogany, who was shot and killed Saturday. However, council member Harry Thomas Jr. said the mayor arrived at the vigil around 8:30 p.m. when it began at 8 p.m. and the debate was scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Gray answered questions Monday concerning how he could do a better job than Fenty in the area of education. He continued to promote educating the city’s youth from birth through age 24. Gray said this distinguishes him from Fenty, since the mayor focuses only on kindergarten through 12th grade.

Read the Washington Post article here.

DC Lifts Evening Meter Limits
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The D.C. Department of Transportation has relaxed its evening parking policy by lifting meter time limits in the evening, and will implement a new pilot program in July to explore ways to make parking easier.

Recent complaints concerning the policy of ticketing for meter violations until 10:30 p.m. caused this minor change, the Washington Business Journal reports. While enforcement will continue into the evening, the two-hour parking limit at meters has been lifted.

This means drivers who decide to park at a two-hour meter in Georgetown do not have to move their car after two hours. However, they will have to put more quarters into the meter in order to stay longer.

While people did not mind paying for parking in the evening, many did complain that the two-hour limit made it hard to enjoy certain activities, such as a movie or going to dinner at a restaurant.

Under the proposal, meters in high-demand areas will be reprogrammed so drivers can insert four hours worth of quarters when they first arrive.

The District is also working on new technology so drivers won’t have to carry quarters or continuously circle streets to find one of the city’s 17,000 metered spots, according to the Washington Examiner.

Several pilots, started by July 19, will include “pay-by-space” programs where drivers enter the space number when they pay and sensors on spaces that are able to tell if the spot is empty, allowing drivers to find available spots.

A pay-by-phone feature is also expected, which will include a smart phone application to 1,000 spots in Foggy Bottom, Georgetown and around the Nationals stadium.

Starbucks Offers Free Unlimited Wi-Fi
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As of today, all company-owned Starbucks Coffee stores will offer free Wi-Fi to anyone with a laptop, tablet, mobile phone or other device capable of accessing the Internet.

Starbucks has offered Wi-Fi in the past but access was limited to two hours a day per customer and only available to customers who were members of the My Starbucks Reward program, according to the Starbucks newsroom.

The new Wi-Fi system offers free Wi-Fi to anyone, no Starbucks card required. Customers can also access the Wi-Fi with one click of the mouse as no username or password is needed.

This new system is part of the store’s way of increasing their ongoing commitment to enhancing customer experience, according to the Starbucks newsroom.

Many Georgetown residents were unaware of the free Starbucks Wi-Fi.

Barnes & Noble customer Claudia Ceja said she uses the free Wi-Fi at the bookstore about once a month. A journalist from Mexico, Ceja has lived in Georgetown about 10 months and uses the Wi-Fi to keep up with events back home.

“Sometimes I review the news from my country or from here, but the most important is work. I need to have access,” Ceja said.

Ceja sometimes goes to Whole Foods for the Wi-Fi as well, but she likes Barnes & Noble because of the environment, she said.

“When you need to stop for a moment, you can relax,” she said.

Nick Orozco, another Barnes & Nobles customer, said he has previously gone to George Washington University for free Wi-Fi since he is able to log-in there from his iPod Touch.

“As there are so many Starbucks in D.C., I will definitely be using it,” Orozco said.

For those who do not prefer Starbucks, there are other options in Georgetown for free Wi-Fi as well.
Lindsey Grumeach, a Puro Café employee, said many of her customers have said they don’t like Starbucks coffee. Other customers are Georgetown students that come to study. Some spend “three, four or five hours, just working,” she said.

Baked & Wired also offers free Wi-Fi to its customers.

“People come in and use it all the time,” Barrett, a Baked & Wired employee, said. “A lot of people do research for work or homework. A lot of people stay awhile. As long it’s not busy we don’t mind if people stay.”

Garrett’s Restaurant and Railroad Tavern offers free Wi-Fi. Tracy, a Garrett’s employee, said having it is an advantage for the restaurant.

“We have a bunch of people who do work and play around on it. It’s good for business,” she said.

Besides Starbucks several establishments in the Georgetown area offer free Wi-Fi to customers. Here are a few places that were given good reviews on Urban Spoon.

Baked & Wired (1052 Thomas Jefferson St., 202-333-2500) – Offers fresh baked goods such as biscotti, cake, muffins, quiche and scones as well as handcrafted drinks such as espresso. Store hours: Mon.-Thurs. 6:59 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Fri. 6:59 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sat. 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sun. 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Barnes & Noble (3040 M St., 202-965-9880) – Offers an array of books, music, movies and magazines. Has an in-house Starbucks store. Store hours: Open daily from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Crepe Amour (3291 M St., 202-625-6625) – The store serves made-to-order crepes, which are handcrafted right in front of you. The creperie and espresso bar uses organic flour and natural ingredients and offers both sweet and savory crepes. Store hours: Sun.-Thurs. 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Fri. and Sat. 9 a.m. to 12 a.m.

Farmers & Fishers (3000 K St., 202-298-0003) – The restaurant by the Georgetown Waterfront serves high-quality products from sustainable agriculture from family farmers and farmers of the sea. Store hours: Mon.-Thurs. 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sun. 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Garrett’s Restaurant and Railroad Tavern (3003 M St., 202-333-1033) – The restaurant is celebrating over 30 years of business with serving good food and drinks at an affordable price. Store hours: Mon.-Thurs. 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 a.m., Fri. 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 a.m., Sat. noon to 2:30 a.m. and Sun. 6 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.

Puro Café (1529 Wisconsin Ave., 202-787-1937) – The establishment has great service and simple, modern furnishings. It offers paninis and flatbreads as well as other favorites. Store hours: Open daily 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Saxby’s Coffee (3500 O St., 202-338-3777) – The coffee shop has offered free Wi-Fi to customers for three and a half years. Store hours: Mon.-Thurs. 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., Fri. 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sat. 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sun. 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Starbucks (Locations: 3122 M St., 202-625-6706; 3050 K St., 202-298-6180; 1810 Wisconsin Ave., 202-337-5604) – Now offering free Wi-Fi to all customers. Store hours: Varies between locations.

Also visit our Google map to see the locations of these hotspots and more. [gallery ids="99159,102956,102949,102953" nav="thumbs"]

Boat Tours Back in Georgetown
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Mule-powered boat rides are back in Georgetown on the C&O Canal. In an effort to preserve the 19th-century form of transportation, the National Park Service is offering the tours of the canal until October. Park rangers aid in the historic experience with period clothing and stories of the canal’s past. The hour-long tour costs $5 for adults and children ages four and up. Children three years old and younger ride free.

Boats leave from the Georgetown Visitors Center at 1057 Thomas Jefferson Street, NW. Tours are given at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3 pm.

For more information and group reservations contact the visitors center at 202-653-5190. The center is open from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday.

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