Are you feeling frustrated at any time on the road? Do you have unpleasant thoughts behind the wheel? Would you be happy to never have to drive anywhere ever again?
If any of these questions were answered by you with an emphatic 'yes', you may want to read on. Normally, I would reserve Fridays for my thoughts on a dining experience, but today I need to throw out a few words about a drive I had on the road the other day.
I am feeling more and more like I need to have a five point harness and maybe the same HANS device that Jeff Gordon wears to work. Why would I say this, you inquire? Well, it's pretty simple - people are taking their mundane or frustrating lives to the roadways. I experienced one of these people the other day and I wish I hadn't. I did learn though, to simply take a different route when trying to get to a certain part of Rte 1.
It is much easier, trust me, to drive the speed limit and not get mad if others are driving like fools. The destination will be reached with less stress and the sane driving may even allow one to avoid a ticket from Mr. law man/law woman. The simple truth is that this life is so much better when we can just put ourselves in one another's shoes for a bit and think about how we should really be conducting ourselves in any given situation.
The aforementioned alteration of demeanor and attitude will for sure rub off on others and make this life a better place to exist. Love is all around us. It sometimes is our job to not only find it, but spread it around also.
Need a new place to dine in, off the roadway? Follow the guide below and look into some of the listings just underneath.
View from Arlington Ridge toward Crystal CityArlington Ridge is bordered on the north by the The Pentagon, on the west by the Army Navy Country Club, and on the south the City of Alexandria. The main thoroughfare is the eponymous Arlington Ridge Road. Arlington Ridge Road is lined with manors and fine homes, many of which offer picturesque view of the Potomac valley and Washington DC. Arlington Ridge has two historical points of interest: the Hume School (currently the site of the Arlington Country Historical Society and Museum) and Fort Scott (the site of Fort Scott Park). Together with the established neighborhoods of Aurora Hills and Addison Hieghts, Arlington Ridge provides some of the finest homes in Arlington County.
Are you tired of whatever it is that you do as means of entertainment? Do you live in the Washington DC area? Are you willing to drive a little ways if you aren't? Do you know what a basketball is?
If you answered yes to any one of the above questions, I have a short story for you. I have been dreaming for a long time of having basketball (NBA) in St. Louis, where I formerly resided. That never came true and then I came out east again. This past week I had the chance to go to opening night at Verizon Center to see the game between the New York Knicks and the DC Wizards.
I was very excited indeed to finally have a chance to see pro basketball live, instead of in a stinky bar with a hundred of my closest friends. The first time for any sport is a cool thing, but here in the twilight of my life, I was really looking forward to it.
I began the evening by getting downtown a little more than two hours before the game. I walked around a bit, then went into the team store and checked out some merchandise. I was helped out by a very nice lady in the store who gave me some study material on the Wizards and Capitals. I took these booklets next door to The Green Turtle and began familiarizing myself with the teams.
The time came to go into the Verizon Center and I walked quickly to my seat. Every seat in the facility had a Wizards give-away
Give away shirts at Verizon Center
shirt draped on it. My section had white shirts, but there were blue and red sections as well. The closer we got to tip off, the more it hit me that this place isn't going to be full. There were no big montages on the big screen and no hoopla at all, to speak of. I was expecting a lot more Opening Night build up, but it didn't happen. There wasn't even a crazy amount of traffic outside and I just now realized this as I looked around the arena.
The game commenced and it was entertaining indeed. Both teams had comfortable leads at different points, but the Knicks ended up winning. I am very happy to have this experience behind me and I look forward to more games very soon. The thing I learned is that I think this team needs more support. I will be back to the Verizon Center and if you like basketball, you should as well. It is a good and safe way to enjoy an evening and it is well worth the money. The tickets were a fraction of what I thought they would be for a DC sport.
If you are still looking for that dream home to hang up your Wizards cap after the game, refer to the guide below and the listings that follow.
View from Arlington Ridge toward Crystal CityArlington Ridge is bordered on the north by the The Pentagon, on the west by the Army Navy Country Club, and on the south the City of Alexandria. The main thoroughfare is the eponymous Arlington Ridge Road. Arlington Ridge Road is lined with manors and fine homes, many of which offer picturesque view of the Potomac valley and Washington DC. Arlington Ridge has two historical points of interest: the Hume School (currently the site of the Arlington Country Historical Society and Museum) and Fort Scott (the site of Fort Scott Park). Together with the established neighborhoods of Aurora Hills and Addison Hieghts, Arlington Ridge provides some of the finest homes in Arlington County.
Are you bored with the look of your yard, now that the weather is getting colder?
Sometimes at the end of the summer, things are a bit bland in the area of landscaping, then fall arrives. The fall season is magic, what with the addition of colorful leaves, trees strutting their stuff, then dumping it on our lawns. This commonly makes things a bit bland out in the yard. We have only two things to do at this point: accept a banal looking yard or fight back with some fun color.
With the onset of winter, how can this be done, without throwing money down the drain, you ask? Well, there are many cool weather choices to add to the landscape of your yard, but one sticks out to me and with good reason.
Several years ago, I was living in Godfrey, a small town in the state of Illinois. I was just finishing up another entertaining outing of shoveling 13" of snow off the long driveway, leading to the garage in the backyard. On my way to the back door, shovel working overtime, I hit something with the shovel that sprang back. I bent down to uncover what it was and this something was a grouping of purple and yellow pansies.
These colorful and vibrant colors jumped out at me like the headlight of an oncoming vehicle just revealing itself over the next hill. I just laughed there in the snowy silence, looking at these awesome flowers. How did they do it?
I proceeded to look into it and asked a lot of questions. It turns out that they really like cold weather. The best part of this is that they come in so many color combinations. For anyone looking to add color this time of year, even with winter heading our way very soon, try some pansies out. You just may realize that they aren't so wimpy after all.
Time for a new place to plant your feet? Look at the guide below and check out the listings.
Do you hate driving after dark?
With all of the attractions in the Washington DC area, sometimes a spectacular view is missed by visitors. Within a very small footprint you can visit such magnificent sights such as The White House, The Washington Monument and The Capital Wheel at National Harbor.
1980 Nightime aerial view of Washingto , the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, and U.S. Capitol, right to left. Washington, D.C.
These wonderful attractions that draw tourists from all over the world on a yearly basis are timeless and truly sights to behold. I'd be interested to know how many of the locals have yet to actively visit (actually go inside and experience) these wonders.
An aspect that may not be thought of right away when thinking of visiting here, is how amazing these look in the dark cover of sundown. With all of the bridges allowing views from different aspects, driving to these sights after sunset gives a new and marvelous perspective. Check it out sometime, try not to veer off the road and enjoy the visual spectacle that is our nation's capital.
Are you trying to find a new abode close by DC? Look below for some help and check out the listings.
Do you Already Miss Baseball?
It's Monday and time to talk sports. The 2015 World Series is in the record books and another season complete. We now know who the Champions are and if they are your team - congratulations are in order. I know that in 154 days my team will be back at it, ready to chase down yet another crown. Until then, so many things are left undone. The off season has just begun.
I am sad to see the season go away, of course, but also excited to see what the clubs will do here in the preparation time for 2016. I know some of the things that will be on the Cardinals' minds and I hope they just make the right decisions. I can't tell you what those are, but they make the big bucks to make those calls and I just sit and wait in anticipation.
One of the moves on their mind, they've already made. The option for 2016 was picked up by the team on Jaime Garcia. I hope now that he has no desire to get hurt. I also hope he realizes that he is extremely valuable to this team and its' success.
Another big potential move the Cardinals will have to make or avoid making is that with our right fielder, former Atlanta Brave - Jason Heyward. His MLB-hating agent Scott Boras will undoubtedly want a lot. I just hope we can make the right decision with this position. The outfield happens to be such a tricky thing in MLB and a lot of clubs have been burned by throwing money away on one player only to have them end up on the DL or worse yet, just lose the talent that they had just a season ago. The regular season numbers for Heyward are far from All Star caliber. His post season average was very good (.357), but he still lacked the power and production numbers that a big budget outfielder needs to have. His clutch defense and presence in the lineup may just be enough to garner a fair offer by the Cardinals.
Either way that goes, the off season is so fun and full of anticipation. I can't wait for Opening Day, but until then, it's time to build another championship team ready to make a run at ring number 12.
Are you already thinking of your Opening Day party, too? If you still don't have that perfect place to watch the games, use the guide below and check out the listings. Today may be your day.
Are you tired of cooking for the family?
If you really need a night out of the kitchen, but still want to take the family, I think I have a possible alternative. Sometimes, going out for dinner is a big hassle. Dragging everyone out of the house, hoping for cooperation and for the odd chance that none of the kids are fighting with each other is sometimes tough to get. When this does happen the price that you pay to eat out, unless its in a drive thru window is not fun to take on.
I went out on Route 1 in Alexandria last night to Noodles & Company. This name of the restaurant alone is a magnet to me. I decided to try this out and see if it was an option for not only me, but the family outings as well. My goal was to see if the price, taste of the food and the atmosphere were conducive to family outings.
The simple answer to all of these is 'yes'. I looked up the menu before arriving on the web site, so I was already prepared to make my selection. When I did order, I found the staff to be very smiley and cheerful. This is a good sign. I ordered something that I miss very much - spaghetti and meatballs. I complimented the tomato taste with a side of tomato bisque soup and added an orange juice.
The price was very reasonable and I was happy to not be eating greasy fast food. This alone made it a good evening for me. The atmosphere in the restaurant was very clean and family oriented. It made me think happy thoughts. Again, a good thing.
When I did complete my meal, I was pleasantly surprised again to find that every morsel was delicious. For a casual, inexpensive, family dining experience this was just what I was hoping to find.
Next week I'll look for another like this and report my findings. Still looking for that dream home to complete your evenings? Check out the information and the listings below.
Real Estate and Neighborhoods of Alexandria, VA
Alexandria dates back to the colonial era and many of the neighborhoods of Alexandria reflect that heritage. However, Alexandria is also home to newer and relatively new neighborhoods like the Carlyle District and Kingstowne. To learn more about these or other neighborhoods in Alexandria VA, surf through the tabs here.
Alexandria is a highly livable city with enviable amenities, culture and attractions. The Commonwealth of Virginia considers Alexandria an "independent city" which means that Alexandria is not in any county. However, parts of Northern Virginia have an Alexandria postal address, but are actually in Fairfax County. All this can be confusing for newcomers to the area, but we try to simplify this in our guide by organizing things so they make sense for the home buyer.
You won't have to be a Virginia jurisdictional authority to find the home you want to buy, but start here for a primer on Alexandria.
