Three Kings Day parade on Sunday featuring live animals, celebrating the Epiphany

I feel like I always miss this holiday somehow, but on Sunday, the Gala Hispanic Theatre had their annual Three Kings Day procession.

The procession, which is common in Latin American countries, features people dressed like the three wise men, plus live animals like a donkey and camel. Three Kings Day is the day when the magi arrived bringing gifts for Jesus.

There, the Three Kings Day is a more important holiday than Christmas, according to WTOP, and the procession symbolizes Mary and Joseph's search for a place to stay. They then arrive at a Nativity scene, and there's also a show at the theatre.

Pretty neat to see this as one of my traditions in our diverse neighborhood.

Photo by Jim Gilmore

City adds more buses to 14th Street, Georgia Avenue routes

This is good news. WMATA recently announced that they're adding some buses to a number of lines around the city, including our area: 14th Street and Georgia Ave NW. Here's the rundown:

• Saturday service will be increased on the 52, 53, 54, 14th Street route to reduce crowding.

• Increased service on the 70-Georgia Avenue-7th Street route weekdays from 7 p.m. to midnight, Saturdays from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. and Sundays from 8 p.m. to midnight.

• MetroExtra 79 service seven days a week between Archives and Silver Spring.

Sounds like good stuff.

It doesn't address some bigger more structural issues on 14th Street, like bus bunching, stops every block, and congestion around DCUSA, but hey, every little bit helps.

DCist has a little more.

City installs new traffic cameras: see where they are!

Recently the city installed a number of new traffic cameras: rather than speed, these cameras focus on drivers blocking the box (being stopped across intersections), driving through crosswalks, and not coming to a complete stop at stop signs.

You may have seen them, they're big and blocky and on the side of the road, rather than the small ones that catch speeders. I spotted the one here on 11th near Lamont. They're a good thing to improve traffic flow and protect pedestrians, but they also mean that drivers need to be careful.

There were a few snafus with the roll out, namely that the city didn't give enough notice, so they've pushed back issuing tickets until February 1.

But in the meantime, you can check out the city's interactive map of where they are. In Columbia Heights, there's only a few, but some can be moved, so you may need to check back occasionally.

New pizza place, Custom Fuel Pizza*Salads, opening at 2301 Georgia

If you like pizza and live near Howard U, you are about to be in luck. Custom Fuel Pizza*Salads, a budding local chain, is opening up a location at Georgia and Bryant on January 7th.

Located across from McDonald's, The place sounds like &pizza, which itself is sort of like Chipotle: you stand in line, choose a crust, sauce, toppings and such, and the pizza rolls through an oven, or you can choose an already designed pizza. They deliver too.

Aside from pizza, they also have a lot of salads, plus beer, wine and margaritas (at least in the downtown location, not sure about the booze at this location.) Here's their full menu, with lots of different kinds of salads and pizza.

Right now there's only one other location at 1747 Penn. Ave NW, but they're opening this one and another one in Harlem as well owned by former New York Knicks stars John Starks and Anthony Mason.

The pizza itself looks pretty tasty (at least on their website, pictured above) and the interior of the downtown one looks pretty cool too. I bet this place will be popular with Howard students, and also fills a gap in pizza places -- there really aren't any nearby aside from Red Rocks up at 11th and Park.

You can read more at their website or follow them on Twitter.

Hat tip to Park View DC. Here's the location:

Beware of taking Uber this New Year's Eve, prices go way up!

New Year's Eve is a big time for cabs and car services in the area, but be careful if you're taking Uber. During times of high demand (like this evening) they increase their prices a lot, calling them surge pricing. The idea is that there will be tons of demand and they want there to be drivers available. Sometimes these prices go as much as 7.75 times the normal fare, and people were stunned to get bills of $300+ for their normal cab ride.

The other day Uber posted a video about how to avoid the high fares. So be careful.

You might want to try Lyft, Mytaxi, or other similar apps or services.

In addition, SoberRide is available, the idea being that they give free cab rides to people who may have had a few too many. You have to call them though at 1-800-200-TAXI.

And if you know of any other good options, leave them in the comments! I feel like there's always a new taxi app or car service starting up.

Here's what's going on in the neighborhood this New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve is upon us and a lot of local spots are doing things for it -- while some are doing nothing on purpose. Here's a little rundown, and feel free to add other options in the comments.

One good thing about our area is that there are always lots of chilled out, no cover options.

• The Pinch is having "Blueseque," with live bluegrass and burlesque. No cover or dress code.
• The Looking Glass Lounge also has no cover or dress code, with $4 shot specials and a champagne toast at midnight. Here's the Facebook event.
• Acre 121 has happy hour specials as usual from 5-7, a special dinner menu, and the Michelle Raymond Band closer to midnight: $10 cover, free champagne toast, $6 champagne cocktails and $5 for all beers. Here's the FB event.
• The Red Derby is having an "Old Hollywood Silver Screen Ball," so wear some retro finery, with a photo booth and champagne cocktails. I assume there is no cover. 
• Eatonville has a prix fixe dinner with red snapper, bourbon duck, filet mignon or eggplant canales, plus lots of other courses
• Meridian Pint is also having a prix fixe dinner with hand seared scallops, rack of lamb or creamy risotto, plus lots of beer pairings, including aged beers 
• Room 11 is low key with $5 punch and festive cocktails, and they're closing the kitchen at 10 pm to prepare for a big hangover brunch
• Wonderland has two DJs, DJ Meistro and DJ Deep Sang, doors open at 8. Probably no cover too, and they are having a hangover brunch as well, starting at 11
• Park View Patio has a $39 open bar, but it seems to be sold out. Sorry.

Please add other ideas in the comments! I'm going to The House. Not really.

Fire today at Hubbard Place apartments at 14th and Otis, put out quickly with no injuries

Just got this note and a photo from a local resident -- there was a fire today in the Hubbard Place building at 3500 14th Street NW. Here's more from the tipster:

one of the machines at the shoe repair shop caught fire at around 3:30pm, forcing many residents out of their apts at Hubbard Place...3500 14th st & Otis. Mr. Willie called 911 and used his fire extinguisher. 5 fire trucks and lots of dc's bravest had everything under control quickly. Thankfully, no one was hurt.

Glad to hear it, and glad that both the resident, Mr. Willie, and the fire department were able to get to it quickly.