The Calm Before ...

 THE GEORGETOWN WATERFRONT FRIDAY EVENING, 8 O'CLOCK

It's a warm and steamy night in Washington, but we had a beautiful sunset. The calm before. But with the humidity at almost 80% we need something to bring in dry and cooler air. Irene will do that, but I'm hoping not with the impact initially forecast. She is said to be losing a little energy tonight, though that doesn't mean a whole helluva lot with a storm that's hundreds of miles wide.

 OUTSIDE THE GATES AT WASHINGTON HARBOR

INSIDE THE GATES AT WASHINGTON HARBOR

 THE BAR AT NICK'S, DENIED ITS VIEW

 SEQUOIA, NO GATES AND THEREFORE CUSTOMERS

I felt sorry for the restaurants on the Georgetown waterfront. They've been hit hard enough by the flood earlier this season, but tonight Washington Harbor has the gates up. Memo to Washington Harbor: the river doesn't flood before the storm. These businesses will lose the whole weekend. It would have been nice for them to have the gates down, the river view and therefore steady customers tonight. Interestingly, outside the gates it was beautiful (see photo above). Inside the gates it was empty, dreary and claustrophobic. Over at Sequoia, not blocked by gates, it was very busy. So, I felt for Nick's Riverside Seafood and The Sports Junkies, who were having a party there. Maybe it will fill up later, after 10pm.

Seems to me that Washington Harbor management could have raised the gates after midnight or in the morning. 

PREPARED FOR THE EXTREME

I've heard from friends tonight who are doing last minute shopping. The markets are jammed. I've heard from friends evacuating the shore. The highways are jammed. The streets of Georgetown were busy. Some restaurants were busy, like Sequoia, but others only half filled. Their customers were standing in line or stuck in traffic. But still good to be out tonight because tomorrow night it will be all about hunkering down. Up in the residential area, the thick air was thick with the scent of backyard grills.SENSIBLE SANDBAGGING AT THE COLONIAL PARKING GARAGE ON K STREET

It was interesting to see who has sandbags out. For example, the Bebe boutique on Wisconsin above M. They have sandbags in front and are boarded up. That may be a little much. If the Potomac rises to that level, Bebe and everyone else will have bigger problems than what sandbags can resolve. On the other hand, it makes total sense that the Colonial Parking garage on K is fronted by sandbags and a plastic barrier. They have been flooded before.

 DINING OUT ON A STEAMY EVENING AT WISCONSIN AND N STREETS

Did you receive the pre-recorded phone message from Pepco today, saying basically the power may go out and now that we've warned you we're off the hook. We'll get to it, but don't be driving us crazy with complaints because, see, we've told you it could happen. 

This evening at 6:30 there was an announcement that Mayor Vincent Gray had declared a State of Emergency in DC. That's good. It's a means of preparing for the worst but hoping for the best. Also, this announcement about sandbags:

The DC Department of Public Works said today that the demand for sandbags by District residents exceeded its supply of about 7,000 bags.  As a result, DPW discontinued distributing bags at 5 pm.  DPW will receive a shipment of about 2,700 bags by Saturday morning that will be available for pick up by District residents starting at noon, Saturday, August 27, on a first-come, first-served basis.   Residents, with DC identification, may pick up sandbags (up to five per household) at its New Jersey Avenue and K Street, SE site (entrance on New Jersey at I Street, SE).   Distribution will continue until the supply is exhausted.  The sandbags weigh between 40 lbs. and 50 lbs. and residents will need to load them into their vehicles.