The X2

The 3rd Street NE Streetcar station is was struck by a bus. Yesterday, a Megabus crashed into the eastbound 3rd Street Streetcar station. It's not clear what caused the collision, but as far as I know, there were no injuries, which is amazing. From various photos on Twitter, it appears that the bus jumped the curb with its right side wheels, hit & destroyed the rain shelter on the station platform, and heavily damaged the raised curb bumper.  This happened mid day yesterday, so I have to reiterate that not one person was injured . That's wild and welcome news, considering the circumstances. Streetcar resumed travel less than three hours after the crash. However, trains are skipping this station and will be for the foreseeable future.  Read more:  UPDATE: Streetcar Service Resumes After MegaBus Hits Platform (DCist) In transit rock-paper-scissors match, Megabus beats DC Streetcar (Greater Greater Washington)

UPDATE: They've already closed! Read more:  The Halal Guys Close Problematic H Street Restaurant (Eater DC) ORIGINAL POST: Signage isn't up yet, but New York-based The Halal Guys looks to be building out at 814 H Street NE. The space is still far from finished, but work is ongoing and they appear to be hiring. Almost exactly a year ago The Halal Guys indicated on Twitter that they were expanding into the DC area. Hello people of Washington, DC + NoVA! We are coming! First store opening this summer at Dunn Loring Metro w/ more to come! #halaleats — The Halal Guys DC (@halalguysdc) April 27, 2016 Stores at Dunn Loring, George Mason University, and Springfield all opened since then. The H Street location would join another in Dupont as the first DC franchised locations. There is a generic menu on their main web page, but I'm assuming each individual franchise restaurant can add whatever makes sense for them. I'll have to try the falafel & f...

V Street will reportedly open in the Apollo building at 6th and H NE. In more great food news for H Street, the owners of Philadelphia's V Street & Vedge  plan to open their first DC restaurant this  year.  The Washington Post and other outlets are reporting that all-vegan "street food bar" V Street will open later this year in the Apollo apartment building at 600 H Street NE. V Street in Philadelphia serves dishes such as harissa glazed tofu, chilled kung pao noodles, and Korean fried tempeh tacos. The drink menu includes beers from around the U.S., wine, and a cocktail list. They could replicate this 1-to-1 in the DC location and I think they'd be successful.  DC already has an all vegan Philadelphia-based restaurant in Hip City Veg . We certainly welcome another, especially to Northeast. Very, very cool news.  And  H Street is currently home to all-vegan Fare Well; and vegan-friendly restaurants &pizza, Bab Korean, Pow Pow, Sticky...

Keihl's will be located between Le Pain and MAC stores on the ground floor of Union Station. Union Station has turned over about half of its retail offerings over the last 5-6 years, trending towards more notable & trendy national brands. Current on-site brands include Moleskin, MAC, H&M, and food options such and Shake Shack and Le Pain Quiotidien.  Joining the retail line up is cosmetics brand Kiehl's . I was somewhat familiar with the Kiehl's name, but did not know they were over 150 years old! They have one existing DC store, in Georgetown. The new store will be on the ground floor level of Union Station next to MAC, and below the under-construction Legal Seafood, another new addition set to open in 2017.

The Holodomor sculpture is a memorial to the millions of Ukrainian victims of the man made famine-genocide of 1932-1933. This is one of the many historically and culturally significant smaller memorials that make walking DC such a rewarding experience. You could make a day out of seeing monuments and memorials that exist solely in our fantastic neighborhoods. Creation of the Holodomor memorial was the result of a collaboration between the National Park Service and the government of Ukraine. Washington, DC resident and architect Larysa Kurylas designed the memorial, including the main sculptural element, titled “Fields of Wheat.”  It specifically memorializes those that died as a result of a deliberate years-long, systematic starvation of millions of Ukrainian citizens by Joseph Stalin. The Holodomor Memorial is located at 1 Massachusetts Avenue NW, near Union Station. It's a short walk from X2 bus stop at H St and North Capitol.

Choong Man Chicken & Seafood abruptly replaced Khan's In late March, Khan's Bar & Grill abruptly switched concepts and became Choong Man Chicken & Seafood . Choong Man looks to be the first U.S. franchise of this South Korean chain . According to the website, there are over 160 locations and they appear to have a heavy focus on franchising. Here's a look at the the Korean menu . It's unclear if the DC franchise will have a similar menu or will add local tweaks. They're celebrating their Grand Opening this week. Choong Man DC has a nascent web presence and is already active on Twitter  and Facebook . it appears choong man chicken ( https://t.co/Dd21TbFYFx ) has replaced khan's express at 12th and h ne. #atlas #hstne #NEdc pic.twitter.com/wlnjRDpgeF — The X2 (@TheX2BusDC) March 26, 2017

523 H St NE - Future home to Cava. A lot has happened since my last string of posts in February. I transitioned into a new job and I'm trying to figure out how to balance out-of-work time so I can post more often. Otherwise I'm still sharing neighborhood news, observances, and other thoughts on Twitter at  @TheX2BusDC , so follow along there for real time updates and photos. OK, lots of updates! Cava Washington City Paper is reporting that Cava, the Mediterranean fast-casual style restaurant, is coming to 523 H Street. I love this place. They are vegan friendly, the staff is A+, and the meals are consistently high quality. They typically feature alternating seasonal vegetables as a main ingredient, which is a definite plus. The location at the corner of 6th and H puts it right across the street from... Whole Foods on H Street Whole Foods opened a store at 600 H Street NE. It's gotten busier each week since the March 15 debut, but I have to say ...

From (quite) a variety store to new Ethiopian fusion restaurant at 818 H St NE. ABRA placards are up for a new Ethiopian restaurant at 818 H Street NE. The trade name listed is Quara Ethiopian Fusion Restaurant. They are seeking a seating capacity of 52, a total occupancy load of 60, and an endorsement for live entertainment. For what it's worth, this appears to be related to Quara Ethiopian Restaurant in Adams Morgan. If and when the H Street NE restaurant opens, that will make three Ethiopian restaurants in close proximity, including Addis and Ethiopic , both of which I recommend. Bring on more veggie sambusas and vegan friendly meals!