Area Attractions
Ladies Night at the Washington Nationals - Sounds like Fun!
July 25th, 2008 Categories: Area Attractions, Friday Fun, Local Events, Northern Virginia Real Estate Dirt
I just received an email that I thought I’d share with my readers – at many places in the blogosphere, Fridays are reserved for fun - so this seems fitting.
On Thursday, August 14th, the Washington Nationals will be hosting what I think is their 2nd annual Ladies Night. See the flyer below:
Sounds like a great opportunity (and at a sweet deal, too!) to go out and support our local baseball team with all your gal-pals - it says guys are welcome, but if it were me, I’d leave ‘em at home!
Enjoy the weekend – Happy Friday
Jennifer
Serving all of your real estate needs in Arlington, McLean and the entire Northern Virginia Region!
Contact me today for a free home valuation or buyer counseling session! Spring is HERE!
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Wildlife in Arlington Virginia
June 28th, 2008 Categories: Area Attractions, Arlington Dirt, Neighborhoods, Northern Virginia Real Estate Dirt
The other day I was driving home and as I was winding my way up a curvy road in my neighborhood - something caught my eye off to the right. At first I thought it was “lawn sculpture” — but then it moved, ever so slightly… Fortunately I had my camera in my cupholder and I pulled over, rolled down the passenger window and snap snap…
Now, for those of you that don’t know – I live in Arlington Virginia. Busy roads, dense population – the closest county to border Washington DC, our nation’s capital. And here, in a neighbor’s front yard, was a deer, peacefully eating their flowers. I stopped the car and watched her for a while and she didn’t seem to be bothered by me in the least.
It’s nice to live in a community where we do still see occasional wildlife – we have cute red foxes, too! We have a nature center down the street, tucked into a great piece of parkland – what a great resource.
If you’re thinking of taking up residence in Arlington County, please give me a call. I can share all of the wonderful resources like this and more with you!
Happy Saturday
Jennifer
Serving all of your real estate needs in Arlington, McLean and the entire Northern Virginia Region!
Contact me today for a free home valuation or buyer counseling session! No time like the present!
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Arlington National Cemetery - A National Treasure and A Moving Experience
November 18th, 2007 Categories: Area Attractions, Arlington Dirt
Yesterday I had the distinct honor and pleasure of visiting Arlington National Cemetery. My grandfather, who served in Korea and in WWII is buried there, as is my grandmother who preceded him in death by almost 30 years – so we went to visit their gravesite and take in a little history, too. It is a beautiful and peaceful place – the rows so precisely laid out, the beautiful fall colors around us and it was a gorgeous day. There is so much ceremony here and I thought I would share with you some of what we saw – both with some facts and some photos. First, you will see signs like the one to the left - and it’s nice - because it keeps the chit chat down and really serves as a reminder that we’re in a cemetery to honor those who have served our country.
There are veterans buried here from every war that has involved our nation – over 290,000 servicemen and their family members have been laid to rest here
About 24 burials are conducted every weekday
When the Civil War casualties flooded the hospitals and land in and around Washington DC there was a proposal to take 200 acres of the Lee family property and dedicate it for use as a cemetery. By the end of the Civil War, over 16,000 burials had already occurred on the grounds surrounding the Lee Mansion (aka Arlington House). 
Now, the cemetery covers 624 acres.
Just below the Lee Mansion lies the grave of President John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. His grave is surrounded by Cape Cod stones and the eternal flame.
There are many other memorials that have been constructed here on the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery:
A Nurses Memorial, Spanish-American War to the present
The Mast of the USS Maine which sunk in Havana harbor in 1898 is here and marks the graves of sailors who lost their lives in that tragedy
A Memorial to the crew of the space shuttles Challenger and Columbia
An Iran Rescue Mission Memorial for servicemen killed in the hostage rescue attempt
The Tomb of Unknown Civil War Dead holds the remains of 2,111 Union Soldiers
One of the most visited sites at the cemetery, though is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers. Here a sentinel of the Third US Infantry maintains a 24 hour a day vigil over the sarcophagus of the WWI Soldier who was entombed here in 1921. There are also unknowns from WWII and Korea who lie in crypts flush with the paving.
Watching this soldier guard the tombs is a mesmerizing sight. He paces 21 paces down the mat, pauses for 21 seconds and then returns. He also maneuvers his rifle and claps his feet – it’s a reminder how rich our military is with ceremony and respect. The inscription here reads, “Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known but to God.”
One final note – a funeral conducted with full military honors is a moving experience. An honor guard accompanies the American flag-draped coffin drawn by matched horses. A band plays solemn marches while muffled drums beat the cadence for the procession. A squad fires three rifle volleys and a bugler plays “Taps.” The flag is then folded and presented to the next of kin. I have attended such a ceremony and I can tell you that it is in fact a very special experience.
Here is my daughter at the gravesite of my grandfather:
May all of those who have protected us rest in peace.
Jennifer
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St. Michaels - A Charming Weekend Getaway
October 6th, 2007 Categories: Area Attractions, Northern Virginia Real Estate Dirt
I must admit, I rarely take a day off – maybe one here or there, but generally I’m at it 7 days a week – just ask my family! This week, I had a rare treat! A very close family friend built a home there on the water a few years ago and literally, for 3 years we’ve been trying to get a date on the calendar for me to head out to visit. I can’t believe it took 3 years, but this Thursday/Friday, the calendar cleared and out we went. Here are some great photos from the quaint town just on the other side of the Bay Bridge.
A quaint row of very old (but restored) homes.
This is the St. Michaels Gazebo
Right outside the Maritime Museum
A great shed
Another great shed – right next door to the red shed above
This is the Hooper Strait Lighthouse which was relocated here to the St. Michaels Maritime Museum
So after a day and a half with my feet up - I’m back to work!
There are many homes listed for sale there, too. If you’d like information on any of them, let me know and I will get you in touch with an excellent, local resource.
I hope you enjoyed my brief photo tour of St. Michaels. We’re so fortunate here in the Washington DC area to have such great getaways less than 2 hours away! Maybe if I ever get another few days of R&R, I’ll show you some others!
Happy Saturday
Jennifer
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