V.w.verweij

Thanks to Emily for sending: “Admittedly this is my corgi on the metro. His name is Barkley (IG: @barkleyhehe)”

*This series will feature any pets in a backpack. On metro, or not. Corgi, or not. Please email your sightings to princeofpetworth@gmail.com

Getting pollen from one flower to another is the main reason why flowers exist in the first place. It makes sense then why pollen is often made readily available to pollinators. For many flowering plants, this means directing the pollen-filled anthers outward where they are ready to take advantage of floral visitors. The sunflower family (Asteraceae) does this a bit differently than most. They utilize a technique called secondary pollen presentation.

Though secondary pollen presentation is not unique to the sunflower family, their abundance on the landscape makes it super easy to observe. For the sunflower family, what looks like a single flower is actually an inflorescence made up of dense clusters of individual flowers. Each individual flower is roughly tubular in shape and, oddly enough, the anthers are tucked inside the tube facing the interior of the flower. It may seem odd to hide the anthers and their pollen inside of a tube until you see the blooming process sped up.

The sunflower family actually relies on the female parts of the flower to bring the pollen out from the floral tube and into the environment where pollinators can access it. Members of the sunflower family are protandrous, meaning the male parts mature before the female parts. What this means is that the style of the flower can be involved in presenting pollen before it becomes receptive to pollen. This allows enough time for pollen presentation and reduces the likelihood of self pollination.

As the style elongates within the floral tube, one of two things can happen with the pollen inside. In some cases, the style acts like a tiny piston, literally pushing the pollen out into the world. In other cases, the style is covered in tiny, brush-like hairs that rake the pollen from the sides of the floral tube and carry it out as it emerges. In both cases, the style remains closed until enough time has passed for pollen to be taken away from the inflorescence.

After a period of time (which varies from species to species), the style splits at the tip and each side curls back on itself to reveal the stigmatic surface. Only at this point in time is are the female parts of the flower mature and ready to receive pollen. With any luck, much of the flowers own pollen would have been collected and taken away to other plants.

The combination of sequential blooming of individual flowers and protandry mean that members of the sunflower family both maximize their chances of pollination and reduce the likelihood of inbreeding. Add to that their ability to disperse their seeds great distances and myriad defense strategies and it should come as no surprise that this family is so darn successful. Get outside and try to witness secondary pollen presentation for yourself. Armed with a hand lens, you will unlock a world of evolutionary wonders!

Photo Credits: [1] [2] [3]

Further Reading: [1] [2]

Arlington has placed near the top of a new list ranking “the best cities for singles” in 2019.

Arlington County is No. 6 out of the 130 places in the U.S. ranked by online rental marketplace Apartment List. The county received high marks for date affordability and dating satisfaction.

Also making the list locally were the District (No. 3) and Alexandria (No. 10). Atlanta placed No. 1, followed by Madison, Wisconsin. Stockton, California was dead last.

The top 10:

1. Atlanta, GA
2. Madison, WI
3. Washington, DC
4. Bloomington, IN
5. New Orleans, LA
6. Arlington, VA
7. Minneapolis, MN
8. Boston, MA
9. Pittsburgh, PA
10. Alexandria, VA

“Cities were ranked by a weighted score based on the following metrics: satisfaction with local dating opportunities, percentage of singles in the area, date affordability, satisfaction with social life,” a spokeswoman noted. “Overall, men tend to view their dating experiences more positively than women: on average, 36% of men rated themselves satisfied, compared to 25% percent of women.”

Image (below) courtesy Apartment List

If you have any animal/pet photos you’d like to share please send an email to princeofpetworth(at)gmail(dot)com with ‘Animal Fix’ in the title and say the name of your pet and your neighborhood.  If you love the animal fix and want to ensure PoPville’s long term viability please consider donating to our Patreon here.

“Chinch, the chinchilla, of Columbia Heights”

“Paprika, the toy poodle, of Anacostia, hanging with her Chewbacca toy.”

“A clouded leopard cub at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo.” courtesy Smithsonian’s National Zoo

Word of Mei Xiang not being pregnant was rough but this salves the wound a bit.

From the Smithsonian’s National Zoo:

“For the first time, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo is home to rare clouded leopard cubs. The two cubs are the newest residents on the Zoo’s Asia Trail and will make their public debut Wednesday, Sept. 11. The Zoo has been home to adult clouded leopards since 2006.

The cubs are a male named Paitoon and a female named Jilian. They were born April 29 and March 24, respectively, at the Nashville Zoo. Visitors will be able to see them for short periods of time during the morning at the clouded leopard exhibit from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

The cubs are learning how to climb but will need to be supervised by keepers while they explore and acclimate to their new exhibit. As they become more independent, they will spend longer periods of time on exhibit until they no longer need keeper supervision, and visitors will be able to see them for much of the day.

“The cubs are extremely curious and precocious; they have been exploring and investigating every nook-and-cranny of their new home,” said Michael Brown-Palsgrove, curator of Asia Trail. “It’s a great time to visit the clouded leopard exhibit to see them and learn about all our conservation efforts here and in Thailand.”

Clouded leopards are arboreal and have large paws with sharp claws and long tails that help them adeptly navigate forest canopies of Southeast Asia. The Zoo’s energetic cubs spend most of their time perfecting their natural climbing abilities and wrestling and vocalizing to each other.

Keepers are training them to participate in their own daily and veterinary care. During meal times, keepers train the cubs to only approach their individual stations for food. They are also in the early stages of target training or teaching them to touch a target so keepers can look at different parts of their bodies. Finally, the cubs are training to hold still for vaccinations and health exams.

“Clouded leopard cubs Jilian and Paitoon at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo.” courtesy Smithsonian’s National Zoo

Paitoon and Jilian will live together as a socially bonded pair but will not breed when they are adults. Although they were born to different parents, they are not an ideal genetic match. Clouded leopards are usually hand-raised as cubs to increase the chances they will survive to adulthood and are paired with their future mates by the time they are 1 year old.”

The red glowing street lights allow light-shy bats to cross the road.

1720 14th Street, NW

What the what?!!? Well that was fast, as we say. Thanks to Joe, Josh and Alex for sending last night. While Peregrine celebrates 11 years, (don’t forget free coffee today!), the news is not so good next door. The Meatball Shop only opened here, after much fanfare back in October 2018.

This is the former Cork space (RIP Sparky’s.) Not sure what happened exactly but this is not the first meatball fail in D.C. Who can forget the mighty and equally swift fall of Meatballs back in 2012. Updates when we learn what happens to the space.

If you have any animal/pet photos you’d like to share please send an email to princeofpetworth(at)gmail(dot)com with ‘Animal Fix’ in the title and say the name of your pet and your neighborhood.  If you love the animal fix and want to ensure PoPville’s long term viability please consider donating to our Patreon here.

“Freddy, looking regal as always, Logan Circle”

“These two lovely Shiba Inus are sisters, Roxy (salt and pepper color) and Lexi (caramel color), lived in Bloomingdale with their two dads. At the time of these photos, they were both 15 years old. Since then, Roxy has passed leaving her dads and her sister. She enjoyed “long” walks with her family in their red wagon to Big Bear on Sunday mornings.”

To do their part toward tackling the climate crisis, the Emerald Isle is undertaking a massive reforestation project.

Our photo of the day comes from the waters off Sydney, Australia.

(Updated at 11 a.m.) County crews replaced the first “Jefferson Davis Highway” sign this morning as officials work to complete Route 1’s renaming to “Richmond Highway” in Arlington.

Arlington County Board Chair Christian Dorsey and Del. Mark Levine stomped on the sign honoring Confederate President Jefferson Davis, folding it up as crews placed the first new “Richmond” signs in Crystal City this morning at the 23rd Street S. intersection.

“It felt great,” Dorsey said afterward. “We are at a point now where we don’t have to have these monumental signs hanging over the streets of Arlington.”

Arlington’s lawmakers have pushed for the change for several years, but were stymied by conservative representatives in Richmond. The county renewed its efforts last year in the wake of Amazon’s arrival.

Earlier this year, at the prompting of Del. Mark Levine, Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring issued an opinion that local leaders could sidestep Richmond entirely. The opinion clarified that the Arlington County Board had the authority to change the name on its own.

In an statement Wednesday, Levine wrote that today’s event was important because the General Assembly named the highway after Davis long after the Civil War — in 1922 — and Davis himself few connections with Virginia.

“The purpose instead was to terrorize Virginia’s black population into submitting to unconstitutional second-class legal status under Virginia law,” said Levine. “In 1922, Jim Crow laws, lynching, and the KKK were at their peak power, while poll taxes, literacy tests, and grandfather clauses kept the descendants of the courageous African-Americans who fought Davis and died for the Union from exercising their constitutional right to vote.”

“While it is necessary for us to honestly discuss and interpret Virginia’s history, I feel strongly that commemorating the president of the Confederacy through the name for a major thoroughfare is not appropriate,” Virginia’s Commonwealth Transportation Board Secretary said after approving the name change in May.

The highway was named after Davis at the request of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, a group which sponsored confederate monuments across the south in the 20th century, including a now-removed plaque in Bluemont Park. In 1946, the group also commissioned a stone marker along the highway bearing Jefferson Davis’ name, which county or state transportation officials are not quite sure what to do about.

“I’m proud of Mark Levine for getting this through,” said Freddie Lutz, owner of longtime Crystal City LGBT bar Freddie’s Beach Bar, who attended this morning’s ceremony. “It’s a great, progressive move. I’m all about celebrating diversity.”

“It’s been a long time coming,” Levine said. “It’s a sign of oppression. It was wrong to put it up [then] and it was wrong today.”

Levine added that having himself and Dorsey personally take the Jefferson Davis sign down “wasn’t planned that way, but it’s wonderful symbolic justice.”

Officials previously estimated that total cost of changing Jefferson Davis Highway to Richmond Highway in Arlington would be around $17,000, and that work would continue through October.

Alexandria voted to nix the name last year. Earlier this year Google Maps began display the new name on the Arlington portion of the highway.

“We are thrilled about the overdue name change,” Tracy Sayegh Gabriel, President of the Crystal City Business Improvement District, told ARLnow. “It’s much more consistent with our values — and provides a progressive and inclusive environment to live and work.”

Jay Westcott contributed to this report.

I am not a list maker. Never have been and never will be. That being said, there are always going to be certain plants that I feel I need to see in the wild before I die. The white-topped pitcher plant (Sarracenia leucophylla) was one such plant.

I will never forget the first time I laid eyes on one of these plants. It was at a carnivorous plant club meeting in which the theme had been “show and tell.” Local growers were proudly showcasing select plants from their collections and it was a great introduction to many groups which, at the time, I was unfamiliar with. Such was the case for the taller pitcher plants in the genus Sarracenia. Up until that point, I had only ever encountered the squat purple pitcher plant (S. purpurea).

I rounded the corner to a row of display tables and was greeted with a line of stunning botanical pitfall traps. Nestled in among the greens, reds, and yellows was a single pot full of tremendously white, green, and red pitcher plants. I picked my jaw up off the floor and inquired. This was the first time I had seen Sarracenia leucophylla. At that point I knew I had to see such a beauty in the wild.

More like white and red top…

It would be nearly a decade before that dream came true. On my recent trip to the Florida panhandle, I learned that there may be a chance to see this species in situ. Needless to say, this plant nerd was feeling pretty ecstatic. Between survey sites, we pulled down a long road and parked our vehicle. I could tell that there was a large clearing just beyond the ditch, on the other side of the trees.

The clearing turned out to be an old logging site. Apparently the site was not damaged too severely during the process as the plant diversity was pretty impressive. We put on our boots and slogged our way down an old two track nearly knee deep in dark, tanic water. All around us we could see amazing species of Sabatia, Lycopodiella, Drosera, and so much more. We didn’t walk far before something white caught my eye.

There to the left of me was a small patch of S. leucophylla. I had a hard time keeping it together. I wanted to jump up and down, run around, and let off all of the excited energy that had built up that morning. I decided to reign it in, however, as I had to be extra careful not to trample any of the other incredible plants growing near by. It is always sad to see the complete disregard even seasoned botanists have for plants that are unlucky enough to be growing next door to a species deemed “more exciting,” but I digress.

Sarracenia leucophylla flower [SOURCE]

This was truly a moment I needed to savor. I took a few pictures and then put my camera away to simply enjoyed being in the presence of such an evolutionary marvel. If you know how pitcher plants work then you will be familiar with S. leucophylla. Its brightly colored pitchers are pitfall traps. Insects lured in by the bright colors, sweet smell, and tasty extrafloral nectar eventually lose their footing and fall down into the mouth of the pitcher. Once they have passed the rim, escape is unlikely. Downward pointing hairs and slippery walls ensure that few, if any, insects can crawl back out.

What makes this species so precious (other than its amazing appearance) is just how rare it has become. Sarracenia leucophylla is a poster child for the impact humans are having on this entire ecosystem. It can only be found in a few scattered locations along the Gulf Coast of North America. The main threat to this species is, of course, loss of habitat.

A large conservation population growing ex situ at the Atlanta Botanical Garden.

Southeastern North America has seen an explosion in its human population over the last few decades and that has come at great cost to wild spaces. Destruction from human development, agriculture, and timber production have seen much of its wetland habitats disappear. What is left has been severely degraded by a loss of fire. Fires act as a sort of reset button on the vegetation dynamics of fire-prone habitats by clearing the area of vegetation. Without fires, species like S. leucophylla are quickly out-competed by more aggressive plants, especially woody shrubs like titi (Cyrilla racemiflora).

Another major threat to this species is poaching, though the main reasons may surprise you. Though S. leucophylla is a highly sought-after species by carnivorous plant growers, its ease of propagation means seed grown plants are usually readily available. That is not to say poaching for the plant trade doesn’t happen. It does and the locations of wild populations are best kept secret.

Sarracenia leucophylla habitat [SOURCE]

The main issue with poaching involves the cut flower trade. Florists looking to add something exotic to their floral displays have taken to using the brightly colored pitchers of various Sarracenia species. One or two pitchers from a population probably doesn’t hurt the plants very much but reports of entire populations having their pitchers removed are not uncommon to hear about. It is important to realize that not only do the pitchers provide these plants with much-needed nutrients, they are also the main photosynthetic organs. Without them, plants will starve and die.

I think at this point my reasons for excitement are pretty obvious. Wandering around we found a handful more plants and a few even had ripening seed pods. By far the coolest part of the encounter came when I noticed a couple damaged pitchers. I bent down and noticed that they had holes chewed out of the pitcher walls and all were positioned about half way up the pitcher.

I peered down into one of these damaged pitchers and was greeted by two tiny moths. Each moth was yellow with a black head and thick black bands on each wing. A quick internet search revealed that these were very special moths indeed. What we had found was a species of moth called the pitcher plant mining moth (Exyra semicrocea).

An adult pitcher plant mining moth (Exyra semicrocea) sitting within a pitcher!

Amazingly, the lives of these moths are completely tied to the lives of the pitcher plants. Their larvae feed on nothing else. As if seeing this rare plant wasn’t incredible enough, I was witnessing such a wonderfully specific symbiotic relationship right before my very eyes.

Fortunately, the plight of S. leucophylla has not gone unnoticed by conservationists. Lots of attention is being paid to protecting remaining populations, collecting seeds, and reintroducing plants to part of their former range. For instance, it has been estimated that efforts to protect this species by the Atlanta Botanical Garden have safeguarded most of the genetic diversity that remains for S. leucophylla. Outside of direct conservation efforts, many agencies both public and private are bringing fire back into the ecology of these systems. Fires benefit so much more than S. leucophylla. They are restoring the integrity and resiliency of these biodiverse wetland habitats.

LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT PLACES LIKE THE ATLANTA BOTANICAL GARDEN ARE DOING TO PROTECT IMPORTANT PLANT HABITATS THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHEAST AND MORE.

Further Reading: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

If you have any animal/pet photos you’d like to share please send an email to princeofpetworth(at)gmail(dot)com with ‘Animal Fix’ in the title and say the name of your pet and your neighborhood.  If you love the animal fix and want to ensure PoPville’s long term viability please consider donating to our Patreon here.

“Charlie from Petworth… Instagram @ohsweetcharliecat”

“This Riley, a 1-year-old Shihpoo, from Cathedral Heights. She was featured when she was a wee one, but she became a blonde as she grew up, and wants to show it off!”

Spike likes playing frisbee, playing with a chew toy, and sniffing out explosive chemicals in Reagan National Airport.

The black labrador retriever is one of four — soon to be five — explosives detection canines patrolling the airport. This morning (Monday), Spike led a public demonstration at a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoint to show off his nose and teach the public about airport bomb dogs for National Dog Day.

Daniel La Rose, Spike’s handler, says the daily grind of ensuring the safety of the travelling public is made better for Spike by making sure every activity feels fun and rewarding.

“It has to be interesting for the dog,” La Rose said, “he needs to feel productive.”

Activities include searches throughout the airport, and sometimes aboard aircraft and checked baggage areas. A lot of the work is what La Rose calls “cutting the wake” — walking past crowds as the dog sniffs through the wafted scents, kind of like going through the wake of a boat.

The dogs smell in ingredients, Daniel La Rose said. A lot of lotions, makeup and perfumes share some chemical elements with explosives, so La Rose warned that passengers wearing heavy perfume for their plane trip may attract the attention of explosives dogs.

Spike needs frequent stimulation. La Rose said it looks easy, but the daily job is a lot of work finding ways to keep the dog constantly positive and active.

Sometimes the Spike will be taken through areas where dummies are planted for the dog to find, to keep him training and to earn playtime with La Rose. The dogs work for play, La Rose explained, not treats. Every day is a game of hide and seek, with a few minutes playing with a tennis ball or a loving pat on the head the reward for a job well done.

Rando With Real Throbbing Action

The Ballston Beaver Pond is about to get a makeover, but a little later than originally anticipated.

In January, county officials re-initiated a public discussion on a redesign for the pond. The pond was originally built in 1980 to collect stormwater runoff from I-66. To the surprise of county officials, beavers moved in and made the pond their home. The beavers dammed up the drainage system and were joined in the habitat by muskrat, geese, ducks, heron, egrets, redwing blackbirds, fish, turtles.

The stormwater goals have since been further hampered by invasive vegetation and litter. But after some initial work 5-6 years ago, Arlington now hopes to transform the pond to something beyond its initial concept: it wants to turn the pond into a stormwater management facility and pedestrian-accessible wetlands.

“This pond receives runoff from more than 300 acres of urban and suburban land and represents the most feasible opportunity within Arlington for a larger regional stormwater management facility,” the county said on the project page. “Retrofitting the pond so it provides more water quality treatment helps the County comply with the municipal separate storm sewer system permit and contributes to restoring the Chesapeake Bay.”

Plans for the project include a boardwalk with informative signs and benches along the eastern edge of the pond.

Initial projections for the project had construction starting sometime this winter, but stormwater outreach specialist Lily Whitesell said the project is currently still in the permitting phase with VDOT. Once construction of the project starts, it’s projected to last 9-12 months.

“Once [permitting] is completed, it will go to procurement, likely in early 2020,” Whitesell said. “Then we will likely go to construction in summer or fall 2020.”

The fundamental design of the project remains the same, and Whitesell said the intense storm in July showed the need for expanded capacity at the pond.

There will be some closures during the project. Whitesell said the trail on the east side of the pond will be closed during construction, but the trail adjacent to Fairfax Drive that leads to the Custis Trail will remain open.

When the trail reopens, the wetland will be designed to revive the native wetland plants and habitat, like turtles.

“We anticipate that turtles, a wide variety of migratory birds, pollinators, amphibians, and other valuable wildlife will use the pond,” Whitesell said. “We’ve heard from local birders and other wildlife enthusiasts that they are excited about the new habitat benefits of the project.”

But despite the namesake, the county are not planning to bring beavers back to the park, and in fact will actively do all they can to keep them away.

“Unfortunately, beavers would reshape the land and potentially compromise the water quality and habitat goals of the project and pond safety,” Whitesell said. “Beaver baffles will be installed to discourage beavers from the pond area.”

Photos 2, 3 courtesy Arlington County

Arlington will host an all-things-bat event later this month for families looking to learn more about the nocturnal mammals.

Next Saturday, August 24, people can check out the festival at the Gulf Branch Nature Center (3608 Military Road) from 6:30-9 p.m. The event will include a live bat show as well as games, crafts, and a walk to teach participants more about bat habitats.

The bat shows are led by Leslie Sturges, who runs the Save Lucy Campaign conservation program. Sturges is a former Smithsonian zookeeper who founded a Virginia bat rescue center called Bat World NOVA.

Sturges also wrote a book called “Lucy’s Story,” which follows the life of an imaginary little brown bat named Lucy as bats nationwide struggle with a deadly fungus that’s decimating many bat populations.

Animal Control Chief Jennifer Toussaint previously told ARLnow that the epidemic has hit the county hard, and asked residents’ help in saving any of the remaining ones.

“Eight years ago as an officer I would periodically bring in little brown bats,” she said. “I haven’t seen one in about two years.”

Organizers for the Arlington festival wrote in the Facebook event description that the event is a chance, “enjoy a thoroughly batty evening and add to your knowledge of local night life.”

Registration is required for the festival, and costs $5. Anyone interested in attending can sign up on the county’s website, or by calling the Nature Center at 703-228-3403.

Image via Flickr/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

The long-awaited resurrection of the Lee Highway Taco Bell is finally at hand.

The drive-thru Taco Bell next to the Kentucky Fried Chicken reopened today (Tuesday) at 4923 Lee Highway.

The restaurant shut down in September to be torn down and completely rebuilt. The new interior features new self-checkout stations, where staff were helping walk newcomers through the ordering process today. The self-checkout stations feature a wider range of options and customization than what’s featured on the display menus.

Despite little advertising of the reopening visible from the street, the rebuilt Taco Bell still had a steady stream of customers around lunchtime — most of whom were too busy with their meals to indulge interview requests.

This year the Arlington County Fair is debuting two brand new features — a beer garden and yoga with baby goats.

The annual event will begin in two weeks and is set to welcome Arlington-based New District Brewing Company as well as a special “kid-friendly” goat yoga session to the fairgrounds at the Thomas Jefferson Community Center (3501 2nd Street S.)

“For the first time in our 43-year history, the Arlington County Fair will host a beer garden,” organizers wrote on the fair’s website. “New District Brewing Company will feature hand-crafted, delectable beers to cool you off on a warm summer day.”

Fair-goers will be able to enter the beer garden for free during the three days it will serve up drinks during the festival. The garden will be open on:

• Friday, August 16, from 3-6:30 p.m.
• Saturday, August 17, from 12-6:30 p.m.
• Sunday, August 18, from 12-6:30 p.m.

New District has not yet posted a draft menu for the fair as of today (Monday). The company is known for its golden ales and seasonal honeysuckle brew.

Fair organizers are also selling tickets for $40 for an hour-long goat yoga session on Saturday, August 17, from either 9-10 a.m. or 10:30-11:30 a.m. The baby goats are from Salem, Va.-based Walnut Creek Farm, and participants will be asked to bring their own mats.

“The goats are curious and interested in climbing and interacting with people,” organizers noted on the ticket sale page. “Children should be no younger than 10, comfortable with animals, and accompanied by an adult to attend.”

The fair will run from Aug. 14-18 and will feature rides, food, games, performer, exhibits and live music. The fair’s schedule has not yet been published on its website.

“Stay tuned for more updates as we get closer to the fair,” the website said as of Monday afternoon.

The county fair will also welcome back several carnival ride favorites, including the Zipper, the Heart Flip, and the Rainbow from the Cole Shows Amusement Company.

Prices range from $1 for a single ticket to $20 for 24 tickets.

Photos courtesy Dennis Dimick

Kind of the Hill. Now on eBay

(Updated at 5 p.m.) For some, dating across the river is apparently a bridge too far.

It’s a familiar refrain for some Arlingtonians: boy meets D.C. girl, girl learns he lives across the river, girl ghosts. In the words of one man, the river is less a body of water and more a “Great Potomac Divide.” But after I joked about the phenomenon last week, hundreds shared stories on social media of how they’ve been left adrift — or shamelessly drop dates themselves.

D.C. resident Tim tweeted that “everything was perfect” between him a girl after going on a dates at a D.C. bar, the Wharf, and Union Market. So far what happened to rip these love birds apart?

“She strongly encouraged our 4th date be in […] Ballston,” he wrote. “We never had a 4th date.”

When asked why he’d been ghosted about half a dozen times, Sean from Arlington (who asked us not to use his last name) said he wasn’t sure.

“To me, it’s just a couple extra stops on the Metro line,” he said. “But the Potomac seems to be a psychological barrier.”

In an age of dating apps with location filters — and Metro summer shutdowns — we reached out to professional matchmakers to ask just how common this geo-phobia was. Is there any hope for those looking for love in the retrocession of District of Columbia?

https://twitter.com/howisthatlegal/status/1150436866010898432?s=20

“Yes it happens but I don’t see it a ton,” said professional matchmaker Kate O’Connor, with D.C. office of It’s Just Lunch. “Everyone I work with is serious about relationships and are willing to go the extra mile. Literally.” 

Michelle Jacoby, who runs local firm DC Matchmatching and herself grew up in Montgomery County, agreed extreme location preferences aren’t common but do happen. Two weeks ago, one of her male clients from Virginia said he didn’t want to visit a woman in D.C. for their first date.

“He was insisting that she come to Virginia,” she said. “Just insisting.”

Jacoby said this can be off-putting for women who do not feel safe traveling to a place they’re unfamiliar with to meet a stranger on a first date, and it’s a gesture of courtesy to meet her at a place she’s more comfortable with.

“You want to get the girl?” Jacoby said. “Drive a little further.”

Both said they’ve mostly experienced strict location parameters with D.C.-based clients, however, and the problem can sometimes be caused by them not owning a car.

‘Ladies never go to Arlington for any guy’

This squares with the transportation woes that several D.C. residents cited when retelling their stories over social media messages this past week.

“Honestly anytime I meet someone and they want to have a date anywhere but D.C. I just decline or block. There is no way that I would like anyone enough to keep going out there,” said Rosalyn, 34, who lives in Northeast D.C. and asked that her last name not be used.

Abby Tannenbaum, 24, has lived in Columbia Heights for the past year and a half and says that the commute to Arlington is just too far. She told ARLnow she once had a second date scheduled in Arlington “to do him a favor since the commute to D.C. is something he always had to do.”

“I took a $20 Uber there only to be stood up and had to take a $35 Uber back,” she lamented. Tannenbaum noted that traveling this distance over Metro can sometimes take close to an hour.

“Ladies never go to Arlington for any guy, you’re better than that,” she tweeted later.

Then again, the replies on Twitter made it clear that Arlingtonians aren’t exempt from eschewing dates from the opposite bank of the Potomac, either.

Lol happened last night- person lives in Mt Pleasant. That was a hard pass coming from Arlington!!

— Downtown DC Dev (@downtowndcdev) July 14, 2019

“Maybe they don’t have time to go into Arlington every day. But there are new creative ways of keeping a relationship fun and spicy,” said O’Connor. Social media and apps like Skype and FaceTime have revolutionized relationships for busy people or those living apart, she noted.

Jacoby said she also makes an effort to find dating spots that are Metro accessible and halfway between a pair to cut down on the commute.

But the matchmakers say there is hope for the ones willing to go the distance.

I just met a guy who lives in NW DC, who crosses the bridge to Courthouse frequently. Having lived four years in Arlington, he’s like a unicorn. And I think he’s a keeper.

— Brian Cockman (@bcockman) July 14, 2019

A year or so ago, Josh, 27, said he walked from his house near Thomas Circle in D.C. all the way to Courthouse to visit his girlfriend.

“I just had to time to kill and I like long walks, so I figured why not,” he said. “She made me shower when I got there.”

It’s an attitude that O’Connor and Jacoby said is important for anyone serious about finding a partner in the area.

Jacoby said she once a male client in D.C. who refused to broaden his location parameters. While recovering from a medical procedure, the man met a woman from Herndon and fell in love. The funny part? Jacoby not only knew her, she had wanted to match them.

“He wouldn’t let me match her with him because of the location, even though I knew they would be a good match,” she said.

“You cannot expect to have all the options in the world in D.C,” said O’Connor.

‘Forever Single’

“I agree that me being too narrowly focused is probably a driver on why I’m still single,” admitted Tim, whose Twitter handle is “Forever Single.”

“I would like to say that I have nothing against Virginia and Maryland women but based on my current preferences, I prefer to only date women in D.C.,” he said.

Tannenbaum said she felt that “with how busy D.C. is, and how work-focused we all are, convenience can be the key to making it work in a difficult dating scene.”

“I’m actually heading out for my third date since Wednesday,” Rosalyn told me this weekend. “So no, I’m not worried.”

Then again, it doesn’t always work out for willing commuters, either. Intrepid footslogger Josh said he and his Courthouse girlfriend are no longer together.

“I moved to Pittsburgh and we broke up,” he said. “THAT distance was too far.”

‘Better Buckle Up’

Still, the cross-boundary dating dynamics could change now that Amazon is poised to hire 25,000 people and chose Arlington in part because of its attractiveness to young (often single) tech workers.

Asked how this could impact the dating scene, O’Connor — who previously worked as a matchmaker in Seattle — said the sheer number of employees brings “potential” to the whole DMV dating scene.

“If it’s anything like the headquarters in Seattle,  D.C. and Arlington better buckle up,” she said. “There’s going to be a lot of new single people in town.” 

In the meantime, the two matchmakers shared said Arlington restaurants offer opportunities for the perfect first date no matter who are you.

For quiet conversations, Jacoby and O’Connor said clients have approved of Circa in Clarendon, Barley Mac in Rosslyn, and the cozy atmosphere at Ambar in Clarendon. For a more upbeat vibe, they said their clients have enjoyed tapas at Palette 22 or sharing jumbo margaritas at Guapo’s, both in Shirlington.

Image via Flickr/John Sonderman

A new restaurant offering cuisine from Nepal and India is now open in Pentagon City.

Namaste Everest opened last Thursday at 1201 S. Joyce Street in the Pentagon Row shopping center, after initially shooting for a spring 2019 opening.

The restaurant’s seven-page menu includes a variety of traditional dinner plates, curries, kabobs, soups, salads, vegetarian dishes, appetizers and desserts. There are nearly a dozen different types of Indian breads alone on the menu.

The restaurant also houses a full bar with wines, seasonal draft beers and non-alcoholic options like lassies and fruit smoothies.

Pentagon Row owner Federal Realty Investment Trust had this to say about Everest’s head chef and co-owner Nabin Kurmar Paudel:

Interested in cooking since he was a child and inspired by his parent’s restaurant in Nepal, Chef Paudel creates authentic flavors through a mixture of various foods. The menu features Tandoori specials such as lamb, chicken, goat and seafood; Indo-Chinese and Nepalese specials; vegetarian dishes; rice and biriyanis; Indian breads; as well as salads soups and desserts.

Paudel previously opened another restaurant, “Namaste,” in Alexandria. His new Arlington venture will be open Sundays through Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Kari Glinski, director of asset management for Federal Realty, previously said that it was a “priority” to continue expanding restaurant offerings in the shopping center and that Namaste Everest would be part of the “diverse choices” for diners.

“Open 7 days a week — check them out next to Smallcakes NOVA!” wrote Pentagon Row on its Facebook page.

Skin Loosening Wipes

Photo by PoPville flickr user Eric P.

From a press release:

“Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) released the following statement after news broke that President Trump wants to incorporate tanks and heavy military equipment into the Fourth of July celebration on the National Mall.

“After we have worked for years with the National Park Service to refurbish the National Mall, at a cost of millions of taxpayer dollars, President Trump now proposes to have 60-ton battle tanks there, where they would likely do significant damage. These tanks, heavy equipment, and weapons of war have no place on the National Mall at all, particularly as we celebrate the Fourth of July.

“President Trump’s decision to insert himself into the U.S. capital’s nonpartisan Fourth of July celebration keeps inviting more controversy to a holiday best known for uniting Americans around celebrations of the nation’s birthday.

The last time President Trump obsessed over heavy military equipment was regarding Veterans Day. Just as the Pentagon reminded the president of the damage tanks would do to D.C. streets, costing the federal government and District taxpayers millions of dollars, Interior and other federal officials must do the same for the Mall before it is too late. Federal officials need to bring the president to his senses to stop these ridiculous attempts to relive France’s Bastille Day instead of focusing on America’s own traditions. The federally funded D.C. Emergency Planning and Security Fund (ESPF), which compensates D.C. for security and emergency services for federal events, is still owed $7.3 million for the 2017 Inauguration, even without the costs of Trump’s unprecedented Fourth of July extravaganza.”

Now in the shop. Patreon fans get advance notice of sale items.

2701 12th Street, NE

From a press release:

“Calabash Tea & Tonic, Washington’s award-winning teahouse, opens its long-awaited second location in the Brookland neighborhood this Wednesday. The shop is located at 2701 12th Street NE and will have a large outdoor patio curated with medicinal plants and culinary herbs. Calabash Brookland officially opens Wednesday, June 19 from 11am-7pm.

Photo courtesy Calabash

The 900-square foot corner building is slightly larger than the original Calabash and features large bay-windows and a stunning “Mid-century meets Marakesh” design courtesy of A Muse Creative & Design. Glittery jewel-toned walls are accented by Egyptian pendant lamps and a live-edge wood bar, while seating and other accents, like custom ottomans and pillows from Turkey, are as flavorful and intricately designed as Calabash’s tea menu.

Air plants from Cultivate the City hang above the sofas and planters designed and constructed by the students of IDEA High School house edible herbs and flowers that are handpicked for drinks and other accoutrement.

Like its sister spot in Shaw — which has been voted “Best Tea” six years in a row in Washington City Paper’s Best of D.C. poll — Calabash’s Brookland location features over 50 organic tea blends based on founder Dr. Sunyatta Amen’s Cuban-Jamaican great-grandmother’s time-tested formulas. Calabash also serves direct trade pour-over coffees, vegetarian vittles, and kombucha. Calabash Brookland will eventually introduce weekend brunch, superfood lattes, CBD shots, scheduled programming, and more.

Photo courtesy Calabash

This location does double-duty, as it allows Calabash to expand its rapidly growing wholesale business, which includes Baked & Wired, WeWork D.C., Cove, and Culture Coffee, among others. The new jobs created in Brookland allow Calabash to continue its commitment to hiring single mothers, veterans and returning citizens.

Amen, a fifth-generation master herbalist and naturopathic physician, says, “We’re excited to bring our brand of natural living and community to northeast and make even more friends out of our neighbors.”

Calabash Brookland opens to the public Wednesday, June 19 with the following hours: Wednesday-Friday from 11am-7pm and Saturday and Sunday from 9am-6pm. Calabash Brookland will be closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

Calabash Tea & Tonic has two Washington D.C. locations. One in the city’s historic Shaw neighborhood at 1847 7th Street NW and the other in the Brookland neighborhood at 2701 12th Street NE.”