RSS FeedH&M Is Taking It To The Streets
We’ve noticed that for the past several months H&M has had their new stock being delivered through the front doors rather than the back loading dock. We assumed it had to do with all the construction for Zara, West Elm, and the Wax Museum. But when we asked employees about this, they told us that an accident involving a delivery truck had rendered the back loading dock inoperable, and they’ve been accepting all goods via the front doors since.
I Want My FIOS TV
I’ve wanted Verizon’s FIOS TV since I first heard about it. The promise of lightning fast fiber optic service combining Internet, HD TV and phone service all on one line is alluring. Combine that with the phone company’s historical reliability, a single bill, a good price and it struck me as my perfect digital match. Customer service number in hand, I called Verizon to sign up but what I learned in person and online is that it is unlikely we’ll see FIOS downtown (or even in dense urban DC neighborhoods) anytime soon. The Verizon rep offered to take my information and notify me when FIOS is available but I’m on too many “lists” as it is. Just say no to more Pottery Barn catalogs, I say.
Verizon is deploying FIOS in the DC metro area and you’ll see plenty of advertising for the offering but the urban infrastructure upgrade costs, a lingering specter of suspected neighborhood redlining and a high density of multi-unit dwellings all work against DC residents getting FIOS at the same time as our suburban kin, especially downtown. What’s a digital addict to do? A condo could get a high speed business data line such as a T-1 and distribute the network inside their building. The kicker there is that the condo association becomes responsible for managing a network, typically not their strong suit. So, the choice for Digital Joe and Jane is to get cable or DSL service. I’ve gone with Verzon’s DSL which is slower than cable but has been stable, reliable and inexpensive. It’s gone out for four hours out of two years of almost continuous operation. I’m using it now. Admittedly, I have contempt for paying for television but subscribe to basic cable because our building doesn’t have a master antenna which would allow for free over-the-air HD reception. Not being able to watch football runs counter to Man Laws – a snowy Fox channel wasn’t an option.
A slow corporate response to a recent multiday Comcast outage in a downtown condo keeps alive the stereotype of the cable company as a sluggish second tier player. Many developers lock condo associations into multiyear deals with cable companies in exchange for wiring the building’s infrastructure. Some agreements last a decade. Phooey on that! Competition between telecom and cable is alive and well and with Verizon spending north of $17.5 billion on FIOS this year time will eventually run out for cable. Thank goodness.
Cue the music. I want my FIOS TV.
Indebleu Ditches Seafood, Goes Indian! (707 G St NW)
Indebleu restaurant just made this announcement: indebleu reinvents itself with a warmer, more casual look and new Indian inspired offerings.
- Washington, D.C. – indebleu will open its doors on Saturday, July 14th with a whole new look, attitude and cuisine. The new, upscale casual indebleu will feature a menu of modern cuisine with Indian flavors, larger portions and more cost friendly options. An extensive selection of sharable “Smaller Plates” and “Larger Plates,” including longtime customer favorites, will make up the new menu
Details of the new menu are posted in the first comment of this post.
What’s Going On At 717-719 H St NW? (Old Chop Sticks Restaurant) *Updated*
Update: Thanks to Si for pointing us to DCRA permit # 102668! For some reason, the approved permit does not appear in DCRA’s summary document, so we don’t have further details on the construction.
Update #2: Thanks to Tom for pointing us to the developer’s website (Riverdale International) for additional info: Gallery Court II is a blend of historic renovation and modern addition. The existing 3-story historic brick building facing 8th Street NW will be fully renovated and expanded to accommodate a modern kitchen, open and private dining areas, and an outside rooftop patio.
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This blogger can’t find any DCRA permits for the obvious construction occurring on all three levels at 717-719 H St NW. There is a significant amount of construction occurring on the 8th St facade of the building, including closing parts of the sidewalk. Does anyone know what’s going on?
Background: Chop Sticks Restaurant Officially Closed (719 H St NW)
