RSS FeedSegway Face
We won’t lie; we thought we had coined a new phrase. Google quickly proved us wrong, Segway Face has been mentioned at least once before back in 2007, and there may be times other than that. While we love the definition on that page (especially this part: “Doesn’t everyone ride one of these to pick up the mail.”) it does not define what we have in mind.
Neither does the phrase Segway Smile quite match the phenomenon we see on the street. What we’re talking about of course are the tourists on Segway tours throughout the city. They look like fun tours, and everyone seems to be having a good time, but they all seem to have the same look on their face (we’re calling it Segway Face too, dammit!). Not a big smile, but not a cocky smirk either. It’s somewhere in between, like the person is both excitedly thinking “I can’t believe I’m riding on a Segway” and also thinking “don’t smile, look cool, nothing out of the ordinary here.”
Want to break them out of our version of the Segway Face? Catch them while stopped and talk to them. They’ll almost always loose the cooler side and bust out a smile or start to laugh as they address you. Again it’s cute; we like to see people having a good time, just a little quirk we’ve noticed with those on the tours.
We’ve yet to go on one of the Segway Tours, but once the warmer weather is here to stay we’ll give it a try. Only please don’t make eye contact with us or talk to us, we don’t want to lose our Segway face.
Does Yelp Do The PQ Justice?
<Yelp article in NYT begged the question, how does Yelp treat the PQ and its businesses>
<spread of reviews: 540 spots – 32 have 10 or more review>
<http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/20090322/ap_on_hi_te/tec_social_web_growing_pains>
<one reviewer reviewed Pepco with an average of 1.5 stars…how many people are going to rave about the power company – any power company, no reviews of the DOJ or DC Government, AARP got one star because a 20 something received an offer in the mail…fair? you be the judge. maybe businesses should get an opportunity to provide an official statement for each Yelp review.>
<Juan Valdez – no note that it is closed (did get 4.5 stars though)>
<9 got 4.5 stars including the Potbelly’s on Indiana Avenue. we like Potbelly’s here at PQ Living so were good with that>
<conclusion: for reviews that have many contributors, you’ll probably get a fairly balanced opinion that approximates reality. other results are inconsistent. reflection of true/average public opinion. we’re not so sure?>
To Challenge Your Property Tax Assessment Or Not?
By now, most PQ condo owners should have received their 2010 Real Property Tax Assessment Change Notice from the DC Office of Tax and Revenue in the mail. According to OTR’s website, Penn Quarter (assumed to be part of the “Central” neighborhood in this PDF), fared well in the past year and averaged a 1.73% increase in property value (only 7 neighborhoods out of 62 had an increase). Thus, we can expect our assessments to increase for 2010 by a similar percentage.
However, this blogger is starting to hear grumblings from PQ residents about what DC thinks your condo is worth versus what it could fetch on the open market (i.e. DC’s number is too high). Fortunately, DC OTR provides an appeal process for those who think that the assessment is unreasonable.
Without getting specific about condo buildings or dollar amounts, are you planning on challenging your 2010 tax assessment? If you have done so in the past, care to share you experience? All appeals must be filed by April 1.
DC Link Roundup: Heard In The ‘Hood
U Street – A new U Street NW at 13th and 14th Streets? A hotel even? We’ll see. [14th and You]
U Street II – Construction continues on The View 14 just north of U Street NW on 14th Street NW. Once completed, some of those apartments will have killer views of DC as the building is on the initial upward slope of 14th Street. [DC Metrocentric]
Penn Quarter – Video thoughts of Red Velvet cupcakery patrons. [Washingtonian]
Capitol Hill/East End – ANC6C will have it’s Planning, Zoning and Environment meeting this Wednesday, March 4. [Life in Mount Vernon Square]