Yet, the very existence of the glassy barrier—the kind of thing you expect to see at cheap Chinese and fried chicken carry-outs, not precious bastions of buttercream—suggests the area still has a ways to go before shedding its neighborhood-in-transition label.

"It broke my heart to do that, but it’s a deterrent," says proprietor Cindy Bullock, who runs the cupcake shop alongside her husband, Bob Bullock, and their daughters, Kristina, 20, and Alexis, 18.

“Several people asked (about the glass) and said, ‘It’s a beautiful shop, its unfortunate that you have it up,’ but we had to have it," Bullock says.

“I have owned several business in this area and we have been robbed several times," she explains. "We wanted to make [the shop] elegant and beautiful, but because of the teenagers and having my children here we wanted to protect them.”

Olivia's has picked up loyal customers who are hungry for sweet treats, and sing the shop's praises. Read the rest at Young & Hungry.

Photo by Odochi Ibe

The opening confirms a simple fact: The desire for overpriced flour, butter and sugar knows no bounds of race, geography, or economics. And even better, the line has got to be shorter than the one at Georgetown Cupcakes.

Photo by SliceofChic via a Flickr/Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License

The big story for political operatives and reporters yesterday was the back-and-forth between the White House and Republicans in Congress over when, exactly, President Barack Obama would head up to the Capitol to make a speech about getting the economy back on track that the Republicans in Congress would then ignore.

Obama had proposed delivering the speech next Wednesday night; the GOP objected, because their own would-be presidents will be debating that night in California, under the auspices of Politico and NBC News. A terrible conflict! (At least for the reporters and editors who don't have any choice but to pay attention to both events; since the speech is unlikely to do much to actually get more people employed, it's hard to get that worked up about when it happens or what else is going on at the same moment.) Fortunately for the future of the republic—as you already know if you didn't have the sense to ignore this preposterous story—the White House decided, once again, to do what House Speaker John Boehner wants, and the Obama speech will now be next Thursday night instead.

But the showdown did make us wonder about what other events here in D.C. might cause such consternation if they were scheduled at the same time. Below, as a public service, Washington City Paper presents a list of the top five scheduling conflicts to avoid. We must all do everything in our power to make sure none of these actually happen! The fate of the world is depending on it.

• Conflict: Washington Adult Kickball Association championship game scheduled for same time as D.C. Bocce league opening week.
• What Would Go Wrong: Supply of plastic cups runs dangerously short; lines to get into bars with rec-league-sponsored drink specials run dangerously long.

• Conflict: National Cupcake Day scheduled for same time as D.C. Tweed Ride.
• What Would Go Wrong: Alarming confluence of precious foods and/or outfits could disrupt the time/space continuum.

• Conflict: Metro escalator outage at same time as overactive Department of Public Works parking enforcement.
• What Would Go Wrong: Neighborhood email lists swamped with passive-aggressive posts about how inconvenienced members feel could potentially be the thing that finally brings down the Internet.

• Conflict: D.C. Triathlon scheduled for same time as Morning Joe taping.
• What Would Go Wrong: Former Mayor Adrian Fenty is fast, but not fast enough to swim, bike, run, and praise Wisconsin's union-busting Republican Gov. Scott Walker all at once.

• Conflict: Hurricane scheduled for same week as earthquake—again.
• What Would Go Wrong: Alas, Pat Collins might not make it through a second time.

Screengrab from YouTube

Mayor Vince Gray’s budget proposal takes aim at D.C.’s deficit with a combination of service cuts and new taxes and fees. To critics, the cuts (which fall heavily in the social-service sector) and the revenue measures (many of which amount to regressive taxes) will mainly hit the District’s dwindling working class. Who ought to pay instead? To judge from last week’s reaction to the Census news, plenty of local pols would be thrilled to put the squeeze to the burgeoning crop of comparatively comfortable newcomers. What would a gentrification tax look like? Washington City Paper imagines some new ideas:

New charge: Subaru excise tax

Instead of a set fee for car registration, fees will be on a sliding scale developed with automotive-aesthetics consultants. Most expensive: Late-model Subaru Foresters. Least expensive: City-leased Lincoln Navigators.

• New charge: Myopic little twit fee

New fees to be levied on all instances of people using social media to complain about writing by Washington Post columnist Courtland Milloy.

• New charge: Snowball permit

Participants in snowball fights with more than six competitors must obtain a permit from the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs. Permits for fights advertised via social media are an extra $35.

• New charge: Bike tolls

Toll gates to be installed on dedicated city bike lanes. Frequent bikers will be able to buy EZ-Pass transponders for rapid payment (for an additional fee, EZ-Pass handlebar clamps are also available). Tolls doubled for bicyclists wearing spandex bike shorts.

• New charge: By-the-plate restaurant tax

Rather than calculating restaurant taxes by traditional method, new formula will charge based on number of plates used—handing tapas fans a larger chunk of the bill for city services.

• New charge: Food-line surcharge

50 percent tax hike on any foods (like cupcakes) purchased at establishments where the line snakes out the door, or at food trucks with more than 11 people waiting at a time.

Photo by Darrow Montgomery

Support Your Local Federal Fashionistas! Fashion tastes in D.C. often get slammed for being boring. Federal News Radio's "Who is the best dressed fed?" contest might reinforce that notion. But there are only two federal finalists who are locally based! Steven Calvery of the Pentagon Force Protection Agency ("...he is always professional and totally put together") and Jay Krasnow of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency ("He is one of those individuals that consistently dresses with impeccable taste and elegance."). Since Krasnow works for an agency that deals with mapping, he has The Needle's full support! Voting closes on Monday, so vote soon! +2

Georgetown Library Readies for Reopening: The Georgetown Public Library, which was the scene of a major fire in April 2007, reopens on Monday! This is good news for a number of reasons, including lessening the confusion for some patrons of the now-closed interim library who have been returning checked-out materials to construction workers. +3

More Food Truck Discontent! So, Curbside Cupcake won D.C.'s first-ever Curbside Cookoff, sparking the ire of those who think that cupcake frosting is a tool of Lucifer. Today's food truck controversy? The New York Times' Charlie Savage has a message for the El Floridano food truck: Naming a Cuban sandwich Fidel "hurts your authenticity." -2

Try Giant: It looks like it might be foolish to seek out a deal on guacamole ingredients at the Columbia Heights Target. -1

Yesterday's Needle rating: 37 Today's score: +2 Friday bonus points: +2 Today's Needle rating: 41

In less positive news for the city, The Examiner reports that over $1 million in lawsuits have been brought against the city over the inaccurately calibrated breathalyzer fiasco. So far, 12 of the approximately 400 drivers who were received DUIs thanks to tests performed with the faulty breathalyzers have sued.

Your daily dose of crime news: Ronald T. Brisbon, who is currently serving 65 years to life for 2000 drive-by shooting in Southeast that killed two people told police that he's also responsible for five other murders that occurred between 1994 and 2000. Metro Transit Police are looking for taxi driver Tanveer Fayyaz, who allegedly raped a 36-year-old mentally disabled woman while he was working as a contract driver for MetroAccess. Finally, Prince William County police arrested two men for possession of counterfeit $100 bills. One hint that the bills weren't legit was that they had the phrase "BILLETE DE LA SUERTE ALASITAS" (Spanish for "Lucky Ticket") written on one corner.

In addition to the escalator and impersonation issues, Greater Greater Washington has found yet another problem for Metro to address: inadequate signage.

To end on a sweeter note: DC Cupcake, the TLC reality show about Georgetown Cupcake, premieres tomorrow. I you can't wait that long to know about the ins and outs of the cupcake industry, though, We Love DC got a sneak peak of the first episode at the show's preview party.

"Beginning at 8:30 a.m., the first 200 couples will receive a box including Hello Cupcake’s signature chocolate and vanilla flavors, offering congratulations and best wishes.  Catania will personally greet couples and hand out cupcakes between 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m."

What will Catholic Charities being handing out?

Congress Heights on the Rise gives 7D police and Asst. Chief Diane Groomes an "A+." The blogger writes: "The Advoc8te sees the police out in full force in my neighborhood in  response to the carjackings this week. There are about 10 police cars on our street and we feel much safer!  This increased police prescence is MUCH appreciated!" Sure. But what about all the murders in 7D?

In Bloom posts a narrative of a beatdown in Bloomingdale:

"On Wednesday, at 5 PM, Brad was attacked by 6-7 young men, at the corner of 2nd and S Street, who wanted absolutely nothing other than to beat the utter crap out of him. Brad, aside from being a military guy, is also an urban-savvy guy, who said that his instincts never warned him that something was about to happen. On his way to the Big Bear Cafe, half the group rushed him from the front..."

Live in Mount Vernon Square reported bullets are flying in their neighborhood. This is from last week: "There was another shooting.  About ten feet away from my residence.  I dont understand this and why MPD and our political leaders can't stop this if they really wanted to. Are our lives worth less than the residents of Foggy Bottom, Georgetown, Glover Park and MacArthur Park?"

Prince of Petworth reports that more cupcakes are coming to D.C. Ugh.

The Triangle reports that a deli at 3rd and K Streets NW will be closing and a soul food outpost will be moving in.

DC Teacher Chic has something in common with Michelle Rhee.

*photo by Darrow Montgomery.

The New Teacher On The Block has a fascinating post on what their classroom of autistic kids found endlessly fascinating, and what totally freaked them out. The teacher writes:

"Many of you know that children with autism frequently become obsessed with objects that a typically developing child would probably not give another glance. I've decided to give a list of the things my kids have been ridiculously fascinated by this year..."

The list of obsessed objects includes: a stapler, a stack of blank index cards, and an ad for a Moon Bounce. The list of things that repelled them were just as interesting. One child "recoiled in fear" when he saw a cupcake. Also on that list: a spork.

*photo courtesy of thinkgeek.com.

By the time I got up there, most of each cake had been eaten, but it looked to me (judging by the wrappers) that Baked & Wired's goods are slightly larger than Cakelove's concoctions. And in this case, bigger is definitely better. The cakes were that perfect consistency (not too dense, not too crumbly), and the frosting was delicious. The type of frosting you'd eat out of the container while watching a rerun of your favorite show. If that's what you're into.

I didn't have a whole cupcake, so I think it will be necessary to try a (much) bigger sample before giving this shop a true recommendation. I mean, it's only fair. And wow, look at that: Baked & Wired is open till 7 p.m. on weekdays...just enough time after work to cruise down there on my bike. Hmm.

I casually mentioned to one of my co-workers yesterday that I wished there was a great cupcake place nearby. To my surprise, she told me there were actually a couple bakeries devoted to cupcakes in the city; the closest shop to the office is a mere 15-minute hop over to U Street. After a lengthy discussion about our preferences regarding the tasty treats, I decided I'd try the first bakery this morning.

Enter CakeLove.

The less-than-humble "The CakeLove Story" section of Warren Brown's "About CakeLove" shrine to himself and the play-by-play of his creative "brilliance" was more than enough to leave a bad taste in my mouth, let alone the misspellings, punctuation errors and typos that littered his site. (Note to Mr. Brown: I would be thrilled to tidy up your site. I am a copy editor, after all.) I'm getting dizzy just trying to figure out whether the name of his creation is Cakelove, CakeLove or cakelove. Let's just pick a way to write it and stick with it, OK?

CakeLove seems to just be a glorified Safeway bakery. For one, I couldn't believe my eyes when the person behind the counter wrapped the first cupcake, a raspberry frosting on vanilla concoction, in wax paper. What happened to the idea of using tongs to delicately place a frosted treat into a cardboard box, preferably in little cupcake stands? The folks at this shop definitely have the right idea when it comes to the cute cardboard boxes, but Brown needs to hit up a couple other cupcakeries — yes, I'm making that word up — and see how the treats should be presented. Heck, he should use his Food Network show to pay for the trip!

First stop on the tour: Magnolia Bakery in New York City, made famous on an episode of Sex and the City. It was my first true cupcake experience, and boy was it glorious. I bought enough to take a couple home with me to Seattle, but they didn't even make it off the plane.

Trophy Cupcakes, in the Wallingford neighborhood of Seattle, has great presentation, in addition to amazing frosting, though the cupcakes themselves are a bit hard to stomach. I don't know about you, but my ideal cupcake shouldn't make me feel like I just ate a brick. Those were some dense little cakes.

More recently, I visited Cupcake Royale, in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood. Known for its "Legalize frostitution" bumper stickers and shirts, Cupcake Royale comes in a close second in quality to Magnolia Bakery. Its recipe of just-the-right-amount-of-fluff and frosting to (almost) swoon for makes it a top dessert stop on my 2008 Sweets Tour.

CakeLove, though? I'd say skip it. The frosting looks gross (especially at room temperature), the cake is a tad too dense for my palate, and just looking at the chocolate on chocolate treat on my desk makes me want to have a burger and a milkshake to wash down the nasty, cheap Safeway/Costco-like buttercream frosting taste lingering on my tongue.

I hope the next cupcake shop suggestion is far better than this.