We Would Like To...

...leave you with a few more words from the editors.  We really enjoyed this opportunity to get to know the neighborhood that we will be calling home for four years.  When we talked together about our first couple of months here at George Washington, we both felt the way that it was so easy to fall into a routine of Starbucks, Au Bon Pain, and Bertuccis.  Their close locations are a help when in a rush but unfortunately, that is all they have to offer.  Nobody remembers your face at theses places; you can't just walk up and say, "I'll have my regular, please" without getting a crazy "who are you?!" look in return; and you certainly don't feel like you have built any relationship with your neighborhood in the process.
We will be the first to admit that Foggy Bottom is not a secret haven for Bohemians, but that doesn't mean that there is no real substance in the businesses found there.  Our exploration of Foggy Bottom has given us a better understanding, as well as a thorough appreciation, for the unknown in the known.  We were also amazed by the way that these local places like Sol Café and FoBoGro are trying to work together, something we had no idea about before.  We enjoyed hearing what the smaller business owners had to say and some of them really affected our outlook on Foggy Bottom.  We can only hope that our readers will remember this the next time that they are in need of a caffeine fix or are heading out to dinner with friends!
-JC&DG

And You May Wonder…

…why did Josie and I pick these certain places? I admit, Foggy Bottom isn’t the most Bohemian place in DC, but there definitely is more to it than countless stores of Starbucks and crappy food. Each one of the venues that we chose represents Foggy Bottom and what it has to offer. From the student run grocery store and coffee stand to the Pakistani-run hotdog stand, each one solidifies our experience in Foggy Bottom.  Do you want to go to the Bertuccis in 2000 Penn that is also back in your mall at home or that small bar around the corner where you can choose from 30 different types of burgers? With a wide array of restaurants, Foggy Bottom does lack a particular type of venue in my eyes: an actual coffee shop where you can just sit and work for hours on end, and no, not another Starbucks please. 


While visiting my best friend who goes to NYU I had a couple hours to spend by myself, so I took it upon myself to be studious, but also adventurous at the same time. My friend told me of a coffee shop in the area where I could go and get free Wi-Fi, a good latte and a comfy seat.  I instantly fell in love as I walked into the bustling coffee shop filled with an eclectic collection of people, let alone chairs. There were people deep in conversation and also people alone, absorbed in a book or work. After two hours of on and off working and people watching I had to leave. Ever since then I have wished that Foggy Bottom had something similar to offer.  I feel that a coffee shop of that sort would flourish within the university campus.  Café Orbis, the coffee shop, described by Richard Lloyd in his book Neo-Bohemia, idealized the ones in New York City. Nowhere like Café Orbis existed in Wicker Park before it opened and when it did, it was highly successful and received national recognition.  Foggy Bottom, let alone GW, is in desperate need where students and adults can casually congregate for hours and be surrounded by an atmosphere something different from Starbucks.

-DG

Where May You Ask...

If You're Looking for a Late Night Hot Dog....

...wander past the CVS located in 2000 Penn at night, there is small stand – similar to the ones you can find lining the streets of cities like London or New York late at night. However, it is not that common to see them throughout DC. This hotdog stand in particular has acquired a specific repertoire amongst GW students for the owner does not just supply hotdogs, but also his wisdom as many say. His name is Manouchehr, more commonly known as Manouch among the students. Many often joke about how it is one of the experiences you must have before leaving GW, so I decided I had to try it. Though his hotdogs may not be the freshest ones in the area, for a mere $3 you don’t just go there for the dog; you go there for the experience. 


Freshman Cory Grever vividly recalls his first experience, “I remember the first time I went to Manouch, and it was in November of this year. There is a special GW sauce that my friend told me to get, but it wasn’t that good – it actually tasted like gross mush with peppers, onions and I’m not sure what else but some people really like it. Besides the pretzels and hotdogs, which aren’t my choice for late night eating now, I talked to Manouch. He told me that he’s writing a book, or wrote it – but either way I’m pretty sure it’s not published. He also rambled on about other stories, but people say that he lies about all of it. I think he’s a little crazy but it’s a good time before I head back to Thurston”. I had a similar experience, because though I wasn’t expecting top of the line hotdogs like the ones in Yankee Stadium or anything I admit, I did have high expectations for the much talked about GW sauce. Besides that Manouch is quite the character. Though I didn’t receive any it is also said that he gives out advice to the students, although what kind of advice would you really want from a man who runs a hotdog stand?

-DG

(Photo Courtesy of GW Hatchet)

You Wouldn’t Believe Me If...

...I told you that I was so full that I don’t think I’ll be able to eat again for days.  That is exactly what Lindy’s Red Lion does to you.  With a menu including over 30 different kinds of hamburgers, how could you leave feeling anything less than stuffed?  Of all the restaurants in Foggy Bottom (TGIF...Bertuccis...), I feel pretty safe making the claim that it has the most character.  When you first enter, it is hard not to notice the crowd that is made up by your not-so-typical Foggy Bottom residents.  Although there were some college students scattered about, I found myself wondering where these people came from and why flocked here at this hole in the wall place.  There was a gathering of people around the bar either sitting, or walking around with burger in hand, as well as small tables crowded by people.  


I came with Devon and her friend Maren, our guest investigator of all things Bohemian in Foggy Bottom.  We went right at the time when work was letting out and people would head to their favorite local bar for a drink.  It took a good ten minutes for us to even get noticed waiting for a table and after that, another five to get seated.  The waiter led us through the jammed restaurant and I must admit, I felt a like a little bit of an outsider as we shuffled through all of the ‘regulars’.  It seemed like the waiters knew their regular patrons and vice-versa and needless to say, Devon, Maren and I did not appear to be regulars.  You know the feeling you get when you walk into a party and know nobody there?  This was a little bit too similar... 


While analyzing the surrounding setting I couldn’t help but feel a connection between Lindy’s and any one of the bars that Richard Lloyd refers to in his book, Neo-Bohemia.  In Neo-Bohemia, Lloyd discusses the way that many of the bars in the Wicker Park area of Chicago come to represent their own social hub for the workers and patrons.  He analyzes the way that a lifestyle can be built around these bars and how there is an interconnected community between bars in a neighborhood that is constructed by the way that these patrons and workers create a social dynamic within each bar.  In my mind, this dynamic could easily translate over to life at Lindy’s and the real low-key and tight-knit impression that I got from it could very well  have its own social circle (one that we were most definitely not a part of).   The decor looked as though it hadn’t been touched in years.  Various old beer taps cover the walls, but most impressive of all was the photograph of Robert F. Kennedy that was positioned right near the front door that was signed personally by RFK to Lindy.  There was also a mirrored wall across from the bar, trying to give off the illusion that you actually weren’t all packed in.  As we were being led up to our table we passed a door that led to outside seating which was quite a surprise.  We followed the man up the stairs to the second floor which again surprised us with a third tier that jutted off of that.  There is a lot more to the restaurant than meets the eye. 


The menu took some time to tackle.  We were all overwhelmed by the abundance of options including some extremely unique spins on regular hamburgers.  With names like “Capital Punishment”, “Davy Crockett," “Blue Beard” it is near impossible to settle on just one burger.  Devon and I therefore opted for the most satisfying option which allowed you to pick for different burgers that were prepared in “miniature form”.  Our poor vegetarian friend Maren had to settle on just one regular sized burger.  The service was great and the food was even better.  We all left extremely satisfied and unnaturally full.  It was a fun experience that really enabled me to feel more connected to the parts of Foggy Bottom that I know very little about.  Although it’s not exactly my scene and I don’t see myself becoming one of Lindy’s beer guzzling, hamburger munching regulars anytime soon, I would not hesitate to go back.   
-JC

The One Stop Shop...

...now actually exists on campus. The once historic one stop grocery store located at the intersection of 22nd and F Street NW has been renovated with a completely new look. Alumnus Kris Hart and Devlin Keating took the crumbling grocery store into their own hands and revamped it to supply the needs of the GW students. Probably not widely used by other people besides students, this grocery store not only offers the day-to-day groceries but also a sandwich bar on the lower ground floor and little necessities for a party such as cups and ping pong balls. Sandwiches, such as ‘The Famous McDougall’, named after a GW student gives the store a neighborhood connection.  While at the counter waiting for my sandwich, I realized I actually knew the person making my sandwich. It is one of the few sandwich places on campus that you might actually have a student making your sandwich, rather than a random person. However, when I went to pay the prices aren’t ones that I expected, with ones as high as $9 for a sandwich, wrap or salad. Although GW students are notorious for spending big bucks on everyday meals, I guess it was a necessity in order to keep up with the competition of other vendors in the area. One aspect that sets this grocery store apart from other ones on campus is that it has an alcohol section. It took Hart months to receive not only the alcohol license, but also the opening hours of 7am – midnight every day of the week. “There was nowhere else actually on campus that you could just walk in an grab a six pack, “ sophomore Chris Wirth said. Though it is not an ‘underground’ location throughout the GW community, to outsiders the opening of this grocery store might come off insignificant and just like any other one in the area. However, as the GW Hatchet put it, “Where else in Foggy Bottom can you find the supplies for an entire night of partying, along with munchies and hangover food, all in one convenient place?” For months, students anticipated the opening of FoBoGro and come March 2010 it officially opened to the public. As I have come to the end of my J Street money, I have been spending more lunches at FoBoGro because its located in such a convenient place for me and I have developed a soft spot for the peanut butter and jelly sandwich with bananas. Where else can I satisfy the child in me?

-DG


Check out FoBoGro on Facebook:


http://www.facebook.com/pages/FoBo/91350489369

I Don’t Know About You But…

...I’m sick of constantly having to wait in line at Starbucks for my mediocre, over-iced and over-priced coffee.  I’ve also begun to feel a bit bad about always going to these corporate chains when I really should be supporting my smaller neighborhood businesses.  This morning for my routine coffee, I opted out of Starbucks and decided on going to the little vendor down the street, Sol Café.  Sol Café is owned by George Washington student, Simone, and it is operated by her fellow classmates.  They pride themselves on getting their coffee through free trade, as well supporting other local businesses like a French bakery where they get some of their pastries.  The stand itself has been in Foggy Bottom for about fifteen years but was only recently sold to Simone.  While I was talking with Simone, she said that she was sad when she first found out that the stand was for sale because she felt that Foggy Bottom and the George Washington community would be loosing one of their landmarks, a real “gem” as she called it. After some serious thought, she decided to buy it herself.  They have faced some legal issues with the school and the city but thankfully it is still standing and thriving today.

When I arrived at Sol Café, I placed my order with Nav, a sophomore, who began working at Sole this past semester.  She said that she loved working at a place with ethical business practices like free trade.  Customer and friend to Sol, Sam Borris, then walked up to get her regular coffee. She began telling me about her relationship with the place.  She said that she always tried to get her coffee there because it is “cheaper and better tasting than anywhere on campus”.  She even has hopes of working there next semester because she was friends with Simone.  I started to understand that there was a real network behind Sol Café.  I remembered instances throughout the past year when I would walk by it and see a regular crew sitting outside of it listening to music.  It began to represent more of a social hub, rather than a place to get a caffeine fix.  This was in accordance with Simone’s wishes, who said that she was disappointed by the way that she felt the coffee scene in Foggy Bottom was “sterile on the surface”.  She noted that people appeared to only get coffee as a way to get through the day, not as a way to have an enjoyable break with friends. 

I asked her if she had any plans to expand Sol Café and she said that as for an additional cart, probably not due to the extremely strict street vending laws that DC has, an issue I am sure Manouch faces as well.  One possibility that she has in the works is to team up with FoBoGro.  Simone is hoping to build a business relationship with them where Sol gets their coffee from FoBoGro, as well as possible advertising ventures.


Simone felt that one thing that was so great about Sol was that it was a way for students to help other students.  Sol helps the students by giving them great and cheap coffee, while its customers give back to the students by helping to support their business.  After listening to what Simone had so say about her coffee stand and how the customers felt about it I really felt that it was one of GW's "gems".  It was something that not only added to the community but really helped to bring it together.  It represents a lot more than just a fun, beginner business venture for a college student.




Please go check out Sol Café for yourself to see all that it has to offer! 

-JC


Check out Sol Café on Facebook:


http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sol-Cafe/279644590050



Photos courtesy of Facebook.

Before We Were Here...

...this area was not inhabited by thousands of 18 - 22 year olds aimlessly running throughout the streets. It was predominately occupied by the working class, a sharp contrast from the notoriously wealthy upper-class students and government workers that now populate Foggy Bottom. Especially after the Civil War, the growing industrial economy drew in many types of laborers from various ethnic backgrounds. Due to the lack of money, the working class built their own modest, stone townhouses close together which exemplifies the close knit community that was created during this period. These houses are now part of the Foggy Bottom Historical District and are still occupied to this day. However, come 1912 when The George Washington University named Foggy Bottom its official campus larger buildings began to be erected in area. Noted Washington architects helped design the buildings in order to maintain the feel of the neighborhood, yet be able to facilitate all the needs of the University. Over the years, the campus has grown and developed to accomodate what the students like.  This take over by the University and government spurred the introduction corporate chains to the neighborhood.  What was once a small working neighborhood is now a budding University with a Starbucks on every other block and a Bertuccis ready to feed the masses. These mainstream eateries began to push out smaller, locally owned venues. Although this may be convenient for the face-paced worker, it has taken away some of the neighborhood's old charm.  Not all hope is lost though, if you desire something a little more personable you may just have to dig a little deeper.
-D&J

Hello, My Name Is...

...Devon Guralnick and I am freshman at George Washington University. From growing up in London I am already accustomed to the idea of a Starbucks on every street corner and other chains scattered throughout the city. However, amongst them were always the small, individually owned restaurants and cafes that had their own personality and character. Each one drew in a different crowd and offered something new. Whether it was the neighborhood pub that had its own cozy feel, a bar that served their drinks out of paint cans or a café in the side of cheese shop that offered a inimitable menu that incorporated various cheeses in almost every dish, they were all unique. These types of restaurants could be found everywhere throughout London, and more importantly, in every neighborhood. Coming to Foggy Bottom at first I thought it very similar to London until I realized I had to travel blocks before I could find places like I could find just down the street from me at home. Only after a semester of living in Foggy Bottom did I begin to explore the restaurants outside the domains of our campus (and within).  Since then I have began to appreciate the area that we live in more and think it is important that more people realize that our neighborhood has more to offer than the chains of shops run by the same people who run Gallery or the typical food of Au Bon Pain and Bertuccis.

- Devon Guralnick 

Hi!  I'm Josie Charrington and I am also freshman at George Washington Universty.  I moved to Washington DC from a suburb of Philadelphia and although it had its fair share of chains, there were a number of small neighborhood places that I had grown attached to.   As any person would, I quickly began to explore my new neighborhood of Foggy Bottom as soon as I got there.  I had high hopes of finding that great café, or cozy, hole-in-the-wall restaurant that you always pictured in cities.  You can imagine my initial disappointment when instead of finding these things I was bombarded with the all to familiar Starbucks and Bertuccis.  But like all places,you have to dig deeper to find all that it has to offer.  As I devoted more time to exploring my city, I was in turn rewarded.  I found my own places that I visit regularly and soon it all felt like home.  My only hope is that other people will take the time to discover what else their city has to offer, beyond the shallow corporate chains that seem to be everywhere!
-Josie Charrington

Welcome to Foggy Bottom...

…the home of George Washington University, various government buildings, the World Bank, The Watergate and residents. At first glance it appears to be a place with an unusually high amount of Starbucks and eateries that are only open Monday thru Friday, meant for servicing the employees who return home on the evenings and weekends. People laugh when the word ‘Bohemia’ is associated with Foggy Bottom because it seems like one of the most stereotypical areas filled with student after student or countless people in suits. However, take a second look at that eatery, grocery store or restaurant/bar you just passed – there’s more to it. They’re not all franchises. Amongst them are independently run businesses with a purpose behind them – besides gaining profit. These other stores are the ones that we, Devon Guralnick and Josie Charrington, will be exploring.