New feature: Heard on the forums

Today we're introducing an occasional feature to this blog, "Heard on the Forums". We're going to report to you a sample of what people are talking about DC's various online forums.

From tenleytown@yahoogroups.com, there's speculation on the race for city council chair.
"Jon" wrote:
--As many may have heard today, Linda Cropp has finally announced that she was running for mayor by an email her campaign staff fired off to all the news media. Coucilwoman Kathy Patterson earlier told all the news media that if Ms. Cropp officially runs for Mayor that she would vacate her seat on the council and officially run for Chair of the city council. Ms. Patterson is out of town but will be back Friday. Let's see if she carries through and battles it out with Jack Evans and Jim Graham for the coveted title of CHAIR!--

And praise for the District government in the Cleveland Park Yahoo Group, Leonid wrote:
--As many of us, including myself, sometimes complain about one or the other side of DC government, I want to mention a very good experience(and not the first one I have!) with consumer protection part of DC government. Early this year, I was a recipient a fraudulent job done by CaseDesign handymen. Written and phone complaints to Case manager making clear that the fraud committed were not responded at all. However, few weeks after I complained to DC Department of Consumer and RegulatoryAffairs, I got a check for full refund from Case.--

Quotes from online forums do not represent an endorsement of Best of Washington DC T-shirts and Gifts and are provided for informational purposes only.

For more of what our neighbors are talking about, click the link to that forum. And please remember to visit www.cafepress.com/bestofdc and buy a shirt.

Until next time...

What are those new links? Tell us about your site

We've added some new links to this blog. Here's what you'll find when you click. Check these sites out.

In Shaw Blog (http://www.inshaw.com/blog/): thoughts on the changes in the Shaw neighborhood
Frozen Tropics Blog (http://frozentropics.blogspot.com/): musings about the Trinidad neighborhood
DC Watch (http://www.dcwatch.com/): on-line magazine covering local city politics in Washington, DC
dcist (www.dcist.com): dcist is a website about Washington, DC

Do you have a DC neighborhood blog? Tell us about your site in the comments section.

And while you're checking out the links, remember to visit www.cafepress.com/bestofdc and buy a shirt.

Up to Five

Five, count 'em 5, candidates are running for the mayor of DC now. If you've been following the race you'll know former utility executive Marie Johns and Councilmembers Adrian Fenty and Vincent Orange already had announced their intentions to run for mayor. Now joining the race are Council Chair Linda Cropp, a veteran of DC politics by any yardstick, and Michael Brown, who has a famous daddy (who we're declining to identify).

Previously we asked if anyone else thought more than a year prior to the election is too early to be campaigning. Apparently we weren't the only ones with that thought since the same question was addressed in yesterday's issue of themail on DCwatch.com. Gary Imhoff is spot on with his observation that only we "political junkies" have been paying attention to the race and everyone else will wait until about a month before the primary to tune in.

Ok, political junkies, what do you think of these 5 candidates? Do the candidates with little name recognition have a chance?

After sharing your thoughts in the comments section, please visit www.cafepress.com/bestofdc and buy a shirt.

Until next time.

Q: What's happening at Best of Washington DC T-shirts and Gifts?

A: A lot.

We've listened your comments and revamped the site. Now we bring you a site that's easier to navigate, features more DC communities, and has a greater selection of designs. Best of Washington DC T-shirts and Gifts welcomes the communities of Dupont Circle, Eckington, Foxhall, Glover Park, Logan Circle, and Petworth.

Check out the site, see other new products and buy a shirt at www.cafepress.com/bestofdc.

How an Office Worker became a T-shirt Peddler Too

Once upon a time I started a new job. One thing that my new employer wanted was company t-shirts. We even had a meeting in which we talked about creating company merchandise. Post-meeting, a co-worker e-mailed around the link to PETA's cafepress shop as an example of what we might do.

That e-mail lit the light bulb in my head. If my employer could sell merchandise on-line with practically no upfront costs, why couldn't I? Since I couldn't come up with a reason not to do it, I started thinking about what would be on the shirts.

In the streets, I noticed people wore lots of location tees: Atlanta, Brooklyn, Harlem, Georgetown... Wait Georgetown? Not Georgetown University, just Georgetown, as in the neighborhood in Washington DC. So I thought, other DC neighborhoods should have t-shirts. And that's how I came up with t-shirts that feature the names of neighborhoods in my little hometown, Washington DC. Best of Washington DC T-shirts and Gifts was born.

My employer still hasn't figured out what it wants to put on its company t-shirts.

The end (of the beginning)

Please visit www.cafepress.com/bestofdc and buy a shirt.

August in Washington

It's often said that during August nothing happens in Washington. The heat and humidity are oppressive. Congress is in recess. The president is on vacation. But don't believe everything that's said. While those federal pols may be on break and the weather may approach unbearable, local politics has kept going through the summer.

Although the primary election for the office of Mayor of the District of Columbia is scheduled for September 2006, the campaign season has already begun. Council members Adrian Fenty and Vincent Orange as well as former utility executive Marie Johns have announced their candidacies.

While it's exciting to have all of this buzz about the mayor's race, has the process started too early? Does the timing matter? You're invited to share your opinion about the timing, the candidates, or any other aspect of the mayoral race in the comments section.

And after you've had your say, please visit www.cafepress.com/bestofdc and buy a shirt.

Sale! Sale! Sale!

Back to School sale

$5 off orders over $50

Use Coupon code: B2SALE

at www.cafepress.com/bestofdc

Now through 9/6/2005

An Animal Rights Question

An animal rights discussion on a t-shirt blog? What's up with that? Here's what:

The other day someone said shirts for dogs are cruel...What do you think? As sellers of dog t-shirts at www.cafepress.com/bestofdc, we want to know. Please let us know through a comment on this blog.

Thanks in advance.

What is Inspire Tees?

Q: What is Inspire Tees?

A: Inspire Tees (www.cafepress.com/inspiretees) is a new online shop that provides T-shirts with (Positive) Attitude. Inspire Tees, a sister site of Best of Washington, DC T-shirts and Gifts, carries t-shirts that display uplifting messages of hope, joy, love and other positive thoughts. Visit today at www.cafepress.com/inspiretees.

New: Adams Morgan Kids Baseball Jersey

Read all about it! Get your kid the Adams Morgan Kids Baseball Jersey. It comes in child sizes small through large. This shirt can be yours at www.cafepress.com/bestodc.

More Shameless Promotion: LSBlogs.com

LS Blogs.com is the directory and search engine for bloggers. It includes free submission for blogs, blog hosts, tools and related sites. Search for "washington dc t-shirts" and see who comes up:).

Breaking news: Adams Morgan is a Best of Washington, DC Community

What better way to welcome Adams Morgan to Best of Washington, DC T-shirts and Gifts than with this cute fury friend? Get your Adams Morgan teddy bear now at www.cafepress.com/bestofdc.

New Service: Request your Neighborhood

Here's the situation, you visited www.cafepress.com/bestofdc, and you didn't see your neighborhood on a shirt. Don't despair, we'll put your community on a shirt if you e-mail us at bestofwashingtondc@yahoo.com. And yes, we'll even do neighborhoods that are outside of Washington, DC.

You'll be representing your community in no time.

Shameless plugs for BlogSearchEngine.com & StatCounter.com

BlogSearchEngine.com listed us in its directory the day after we submitted the site to them. Bravo. Their link is at the bottom of this page.

StatCounter.com is tracking hits to this blog for free. Their link is also at the bottom of the page.

Why focus on Washington DC neighborhoods?

Q: Why focus on Washington DC neighborhoods?
A: Because I live here and it's the best place on earth.

Seriously, I started Best of Washington, DC T-shirts and Gifts because many people regard Washington as the nation's capital and seem oblivious that is the hometown to thousands of people like me who grew up here. Put another way Washington DC is more than monuments and politicians, it's my hometown.

Next time: A little help from our friends

Celebrate Brookland Women's T-shirt

Celebrate Brookland Women's T-shirt

You'll be pretty in pink in the Celebrate Brookland Women's T-shirt. Get one today at www.cafepress.com/bestofdc.

Next time: Why Washington DC neighborhoods?

Fort Lincoln Men's Ringer T

Fort Lincoln Men's Ringer T

Fort Lincoln is a modern DC neighborhood with a civil war past. Celebrate the community and history with the Fort Lincoln Men's Ringer T. The "rings" come in your choice of black, blue, or orange. Available now at www.cafepress.com/bestofdc in sizes small through extra-large.

Next Post: Pretty in Pink

Brookland Tot Shirt

Featuring a toy motif that's sure to delight, the Brookland Tot Shirt is available in sizes 6 months to 4T at www.cafepress.com/bestofdc.


Coming up: What's a grown-up to wear?

Brookland Onesie

Best of Washington, DC T-shirts and Gifts (www.cafepress.com/bestofdc) sells gifts for the entire family. This is our Brookland onesie. It's available in sizes from 6 months to 2T. We also carry baby bibs with the same design.

Next time: More tot gear