As part of an ongoing effort to share valuable information on DC’s neighborhoods, Urban Igloo is launching a series of interviews with local experts – bloggers, community association leaders, listserv moderators, and others who have unique, on-the-ground insights and tips. For our inaugural interview, we are excited to chat with Andrew Wiseman, author of the New Columbia Heights blog.
Thanks for joining us, Andrew, for our first neighborhood interview. Tell us a little about yourself. How did you get into blogging about Columbia Heights?
I've been in DC about 12 years, staying here after finishing college at GW. I read a lot of local blogs and wrote one about GW basketball, but there wasn't one about Columbia Heights, despite the fact that so many new things were going on. So I decided to start one!
Briefly describe Columbia Heights to someone moving to DC who's looking for the right neighborhood fit.
It's a rapidly gentrifying (or maybe already gentrified) urban neighborhood with lots of nice older townhouses, brand new condo buildings, and a lot of new restaurants, bars, and retail, plus Latin American food and shops. Really almost a brand new mini-downtown in an older and diverse neighborhood. Very close to downtown also.
What are the people like who live there?
There's a real mix -- families who've been in the area for generations, young people looking for less expensive townhouses to rent, urban professionals in new condos and renovated homes.
What are the best things about living in Columbia Heights?
Everything I need is within walking distance -- groceries, bars, Target, restaurants, the Metro, friends, U Street, and Adams Morgan. I always run into people I know on the street or going out.
What impact has the opening of the big-box stores (Target, Best Buy, etc.) had on the neighborhood?
Huge! It's a real magnet -- all your needs are basically there. Much easier to walk over to Target and Best Buy than to take the Metro or drive to Virginia, as I used to have to do.
What other trends are you seeing in the area?
Other than the new big boxes, there have been a few new yoga places, chains like Chipotle, and great ethnic restaurants like Pho places and Latin American chicken.
Please share some of your favorites:
- Favorite bar: tough one. Red Derby is a cool dive with lots of beer, Wonderland is a neighborhood watering hole, and Room 11 has great food and a great and very knowledgeable bartender, Dan Searing.
- Favorite nice restaurant: CommonWealth -- hearty English pub food -- meat, cheese, Scotch eggs. Good happy hour deals too.
- Favorite cheap restaurant: El Rinconcito II, a traditional Latin American place across from the Giant. Great pupusas and other Central American food. Taqueria Distrito Federal is also really good.
- Favorite place to shop: Got to be DCUSA, with the Best Buy, Target, Marshall's, Linens and Things, etc.
- Favorite coffee shop: Columbia Heights Coffee. Laid back vibe and good drinks.
- Favorite area to walk around: Meridian Hill Park, a beautiful park with great views and a big fountain.
- Favorite (other) DC neighborhood blog: DCist.com is a good site, covering a lot of the city. Also like pqliving for Penn Quarter and Borderstan for the area between Logan Circle and Dupont.
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