Three years ago, I found Metblogs and it was a great home for me. I had so much to say, so much sass to get out, and this haphazard family gave me the opportunity to express myself in 1,187 posts and too many comments to count.

In that verbosity, I honed my blogging craft. I learned how to illuminate, motivate, and when needed, aggravate readers to effect change. Sometimes that change was small, Innocent Children followers may now know a bit more about Uganda, and other times I was humbled by the power of online rabble rousing; Free Our Streets is a case in point.

Now, I’ve gown in my blogging to be the publisher of OLPC News, a recognized leader in commentary on the One Laptop Per Child program. For me, OLPC News eclipsed Metblogs right about when Leslie Stall interviewed me on 60 Minutes. From then on, Metblogs was a low priority in my life.

And with this post, I’ll be exiting Metblogs. First, I’m joining the crew of We Love DC, in their new endeavor. Join us for the joy and conversation. Next, I have a radical change in my own life, one that will definitely rock my world:

In tonight’s mail, I received a very interesting letter from “Mary Holder” – she and her husband want to buy my house. All I have to do is email her at mh.pronto@gmail.com or call her on (301) 841-7316 and she sounds like she’ll come running with a bucket of cash.

Sound too good to be true? Yep, sure ‘nuf does. Especially when a closer look at the handwritten-looking letter shows that its actually mass-printed, with only my name and address written by hand.

Then there is the matter of the reply address on the card. 611 Pennsylvania Avenue SE is a UPS Store, not an office, so dear mary is looking more suspect by the moment.

Last but not least, there is the problem (for her) that not only do I love my house, I can actually afford it too. So I’ll be trashing her letter and I suggest you do the same.

Wayan’s DC Photos

Check out this parking sign madness on Upshur Street in Petworth – 2 hour parking allowed in a Metro bus zone.

I wonder which one the parking attendant will notice as they write you a ticket? Or which one the judge will agree with if you contest it?

That reminds me – have you contested a parking ticket recently? The last time I did, using a clear photo of parking sign madness like this one, I never heard back from the DMV. The ticket just disappeared.

Anyway, as this sign is right before an actual bus stop, with a bus shelter and everything, do the neighbourhood a favor if you’re parking outside Domku: Find a clearly legal spot.

Best varmint hunter ever

My next door neighbour, Joe Martin, was up early last week and noticed Petworth’s newest resident; an urban coyote:

If you were up early this morning as I was, you would have had the opportunity to see a coyote walking down Varnum Street NW towards Grant Circle…

The coyote was gallantly walking in the middle of the street, coming down from the 300 block, heading west after crossing 4th Street NW. It stopped by the side of a home across Varnum, probably looking for their Christmas decorations.

Now before you go thinking he saw a fox or a mangy dog, let Joe set you straight:

Absolutely not a fox. My windows were within 30 feet of the coyote, well lit on my street. After it crossed into Grant Circle, I went to my computer and looked at photos of coyote to verify what I saw. The ears stood up, busy, full tail. I had no doubts whatsoever. I also looked at the animal with binoculars.

Personally, I say “welcome” to this Wile E. Coyote and wonder what wild animals you’ve seen in our fair city.

Oh and deer don’t count – they’re everywhere.

Wayan’s DC Photos

How do you improve on the best pizza in Washington DC? Simple, add beer!

Moroni Pizza now has its liquor license so a cold Negra Modelo can arrive with your Diavola pizza, or in tonight’s departure from Italian to Salvadorean specialities, pescado entomatado.

They also added paint, paintings, and even a jukebox to make it cozy. Heads up to local artists: if you want to show off framed works, stop by and talk with the owners.

I will be the guy in the corner rubbing my belly in happiness.

Moroni Pizza
4811 Georgia Ave NW
(between N Decatur St & N Delafield Pl)
Washington, DC 20011
(202) 829-2090

Wayan’s DC Photos

The 2008 elections are a year away, right? In November 2008. Then why is this Kwame Brown 2008 election sign up already?

The DC Council elections are not Presidental level contested. There are not a dozen contenders per slot who need to get name recognition by January.

In fact, Kwame will probably not even have competition. So my kind and gentle neighbor, thanks for the thought and activism, but chill the f**k out.

Moroni Pizza in Petworth

Do you enjoy the fancy Red Rocks Pizza? I know I love its bar and outdoor patio. But like their all Flash website, they’re more style than substance. Yes, they have good beers, but the food… I’ve had better. Specifically, I’ve had Moroni & Brother’s pizza.

Now starting off, the restaurant on Georgia Avenue at Delafeild, isn’t much to look at. It doesn’t have outdoor seating. Its not packed with the young and hip Columbia Heights crowd. It doesn’t even have a bar.

You could best describe it as a humble first business by Denis and Reyna Velasquez, who have been managing Pizzeria Paradiso in Dupont Circle and Georgetown for the past 15 years.

But that would be an understatement.

Oh.My.God! The food is gooood! First off, the pizza, thin crust with multiple vegetarian options, is stunning. Better yet, they have a full menu that spans form Salvadorian tamales for breakfast to Mexican enchiladas for lunch to mariscos specialties for dinner.

My favorite: the whole marinated fish.

BB loves Moroni Pizza

See, I am particular about my tilapia. First I want it whole. No wasteful and tasteless fillet that insults the life taken for my meal. I wanna see the head, look my meal in the eye, and fight over the cheek meat – the best always. When I am done, even the cats go hungry.

And I’m not the only one that ♥ Moroni & Borthers. Just check out Prince of Petworth’s love, the review on Yep, and even Sveilks on DCist agree that Moroni rocks over the Red.

Better yet, Moroni delivers! Yes, you read that right. You don’t even need to visit the restaurant to enjoy their stunningly good food. Just pick up the phone and call 202.829.2090 for the best meal you’ll have all week.

But what I think is best of all is the owners attitude. From the very onset, they’ve been open to suggestions both online and in person. They are also quick to customize and overall, the nicest folk. Last but not least, unlike Red Rocks, you can always get a seat.

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse at the corner of Upshur Street and New Hampshire Avenue. That the Petworth Eyesore at 4143 New Hampshire Avenue NW couldn’t take it to that next level of ugly, it has.

Petworth Eyesore Photos

Look at the Petworth Eyesore now. Notice anything missing? Like say a front porch?

Granted, the original porch wasn’t much to look at, but at least it was a porch so it matched the neighbourhood. Now the house, porchless, looks naked.

Here, take another look at the household degradation of a once majestic edifice. At this point, I only wish the contractor would go bankrupt and sell the house to a developer that would bulldoze and start new.

The house is well beyond saving now. And I’m not just talking about the porch, which was my last straw. Just look at the half-assed chimney. Now doesn’t that say “fire hazard” to you? It says melted vinyl siding and a housing code violation to me.

And maybe to the DCRA too. The Petworth eyesore trash is full of fresh PVC piping torn out to put a shower box in. Seems that the unlicensed plumber’s work wasn’t up to standards either.

Anybody got a sledgehammer, or better yet, a wrecking ball? I wanna set my own standards now.

I remember the first time I saw a sweet DC kiss. Last summer, a moving truck took a too-tight turn and ruined an Ohioan’s vacation. Then Brownpau saw a serious DC parking lot kiss, offender unknown. And who could forget the Metrobus DC kiss that sent passengers to the emergency room?

My very own DC Kiss

Each time, I felt sorry for the recipient and wondered if the kisser got away with their transgression. Saturday morning, I found the answer the hard way.

In mid-post about Dousing IMF Protestations, I get a call from my neighbour: “Did you hear that crunch? Sounds like someone just hit your Mom’s truck.”

That’s not the phrase you want to hear when your Mom is in Hawaii, entrusting you with her pickup after saying “Now don’t you wreck it. I think of your father every time I drive it.”

Sprinting outside, I found that my new neighbour, in her haste to move in, gave me a taste of DC parking problems, a DC kiss of my very own.

The neighbour, apologetic to a fault, was nice enough, and the fender, while bent past salvage, doesn’t hinder driving and can be replaced easy like, did put a bummer on my weekend.

While it might sound fun, a DC kiss ain’t – for either party.

As part of the Washington Post trying to get more involved in the local blogging community, Marc Fisher (“Raw Fischer”) has named his first Blogger of the Month: Wayan’s Betrothed Prince of Petworth.

Congrats to the Prince for being singled out for his “passion to make the place where he lives better”. Being featured by the Washington Post is a pretty cool honor and who knows, maybe Wayan will be next?