There was evidently some kind
of inter-species animal sporting event on yesterday, but because I don’t much care about that sort
of thing, I took myself off for a walk around the neighborhood of the Hill They
Call Capitol.
Well—the greater neighborhood,
away from the actual Capitol. As it turns out, it was Eastern Market to
Barracks Row and back.
Eastern Market proper is a
kind of food hall—boutique butchers, poulterers, fishmongers, fruiterers and
bakers. I saw some very interesting things, although I wasn’t much impressed
with the butcher I spoke with. I asked him what people do with the country ham
skins they sell, and he had not a notion.
Still—I now know where to go
if I need chicken feet.
On the weekends there’s also a flea market outside, with
quite a few interesting food stalls. Let me say that I’m very glad I went there
full, or I’d have started with the doughnuts and worked my way down from there.
After making a run past the stalls, I headed into a
residential district. I love exploring neighborhoods with a history. By which I
mean: years of lives intertwined with architecture and landscape. You can see it
in any neighborhood older than about ten or 20 years.
Well, the Hill They Call Capitol certainly qualifies
there. Here’s some of what I saw.
Most of the structures are either Federal or Victorian in
style—whether original or relatively recent construction. So when I saw this
one, on 9th Street SE, I wondered how it ever got planning
permission:
However, not only did it get planning permission, it won
an award:
Then, there was this one, which is obviously a candidate
for gentrification. Or replacement.
Here’s a political statement:
And here’s a use for those spiky iron fences you find all
over here:
So on this Monday, I’m grateful for an exploration of
this extremely interesting portion of the District.
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