Archive for September, 2009
Pork Barrel Barbeque (BBQ) is Coming to Alexandria! Part One
September 18th, 2009 Categories: Alexandria
We are so excited, Pork Barrel BBQ is coming to Alexandria! And even more specifically, it’s coming to our very own Del Ray neighborhood.
But first, a little background. My parents used to live in Southern Maryland in a community known as Scientist’s Cliffs near Port Republic, MD. Getting there was a straight shot down Rt. 4 (Pennsylvania Avenue) with only a slight detour down a side road in Huntingtown, MD. There, situated between a deserted post office and a Maryland state road equipment yard, in a gravel parking lot, was John’s Open Pit Barbecue.
It didn’t matter if we were on the way to Thanksgiving dinner or Mom and Pop’s annual Fourth of July crab feast, we always stopped at John’s. And it was always the same – a huge, towering sandwich of pulled pork, full of crispy bits, (topped with coleslaw for Virginia), and hot sauce.
Take out only, you grabbed a huge handful of napkins and headed out to the broken down picnic tables in the parking lot. There, juice dripping to your elbows, you entered barbecue nirvana. Turkey, crabs – oh pshaw – the name of the game was BARBECUE!
In fact, we loved John’s so much that when it came time to plan our wedding, we opted for a down home menu with fried chicken, deviled eggs, cornbread, potato salad, coleslaw and BARBECUE!
Sadly, John’s closed many years ago. We have been looking for good barbecue ever since.
And that’s why we are so excited about Pork Barrel BBQ coming to Alexandria! Barbecue, real barbecue, takes time and bears careful watching so we are taking our time with this story. Be patient – it’s worth the wait.
Tomorrow, part two.
Michael
| Currently 5 Comments »
When is the City of Alexandria Liable? Part One
September 17th, 2009 Categories: Alexandria
An email thread on the Del Ray listserv this afternoon called into question just what the City of Alexandria is liable for in terms of “public property.”
The question was posed by a neighbor whose car was parked on the street under a tree in front of their house. Sidewalks and the strip of land between the sidewalk and the curb/street are city property, as are trees planted by the city.
A tree limb fell on the car, damaging the hood and bumper to the tune of about $1200. Neighbors, sitting on their porch, witnessed the incident and called the police to file a report.
The couple in question then called the Office of the City Attorney, Risk Management Division. The city is self-insured, so the claim was processed by a third party.
After sending photos, a police report, getting two estimates and providing other information (several times), the couple was notified that the city will not cover the damage because they (the city) were not notified about dead limbs – although none were readily visible.
Consider: does this mean that citizens have to monitor the health of city trees and contact the city aborist about potential problems? What if that happened to a car parked by a visitor along King Street?
Stay tuned tomorrow for how another neighbor fought the City – and won.
Michael
| Currently No Comments »
Neighborhood ListServs – Information at Your Disposal
September 16th, 2009 Categories: Alexandria, Del Ray
I don’t know if its just Northern Virginia or not, but here neighborhood listservs are to the 21st century what party lines were to our grandparents. Everybody “listens in” and everybody has an opinion!
Essentially, a listserv is an electronic mailing list that a person can use to send one message to multiple addresses. Prior to 1986 these lists were generated and maintained by a human administrator. Novel concept, right?
But then, in 1986, the software that eventually became Listserv was invented by a college student (what else?) and allowed members to join or leave the list without a human administrator. Listservs are usually established on something like Yahoo and have a “moderator” and some established rules – like no political or business advertisements, no foul language, etc.etc., but beyond that it is an open forum.
The neighborhoods of Del Ray, Rosemont and Beverley Hills have listservs that are particularly active in this area and between the three number well over 1000 members. One of the things I enjoy the most is the vibrancy of shared information. Need a plumber, neurologist, painter, cake maker, or a certain variety of Halloween costume? Just put a request out and voila – within minutes you will have multiple suggestions.
And on the reverse side, if a vendor, craftsman or small business owner overcharges, is rude or does not deliver as promised – the listserv is equally quick to spread the word.
In Kingstown, “moms” have developed a strong bond – sharing information about feeding, play dates, moms night out and even planning meals for new families – all through the listserv.
Generosity is another hallmark of neighborhood listservs. Need to borrow a pair of hedge clippers, a tent or maybe a folding table? Just put it out there and someone will respond. Want to get rid of left over paint, an old kitchen cabinet or that old microwave? Just list a “curb alert” and it will be gone before nightfall.
Personally I tell all my new-to-Alexandria clients to join a neighborhood listserv as soon as they can. It’s the best, the fastest and the friendliest way to learn your way around.
Need more information about how to find a listserv in one of these areas? Call me at 703.927.4554 or email me at [email protected]
Michael
| Currently 76 Comments »
Exploring Historic and Scenic Virginia
September 15th, 2009 Categories: Things to Do
The Commonwealth of Virginia is rich in both history and natural scenic beauty. From the extravagant majesty of the Blue Ridge Mountains to the poignant battlefields of Petersburg and Appomatox, Virginia is awash in things to do and see.
Whether you want to camp or hike, bike or raft, Virginia offers multiple opportunities for day trips as well as overnight adventures.
And if you prefer a pristine B&B and an elegant restaurant after a day of exploring, well that’s available too.
These are just some of the titles that we found to help you plan your trip for:
Exploring Virginia
- Exploring the Appalachian Trail – Hikes in the Virginia’s
- Best of the Blue Ridge Parkway
- Off the Beaten Path – Virginia
- Fun with the Family in Virginia
- Waterfalls in Virginia and West Virginia
- 75 Hikes in Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park
- Official Virginia Civil War Battlefield Guide
- Official Guide to America’ s Historic Triangle
- Birds of Virginia Field Guide
- Guidebook to Virginia’s Historical Markers
From my wife Virginia – “My family used to make the 300 mile+ trek from West Virginia to Savannah, GA every summer. There was no completed interstate then and we took advantage of the more leisurely pace to stop at EVERY historical market along the way. I credit that early experience to my life long love of history.”
Enjoy,
Michael
Related stories:
Northern Virginia Calendar of Events for Fall 2009
A Day in the Virginia Countryside – Part Three
| Currently No Comments »
Dan Brown Mania Comes to Northern Virginia
September 14th, 2009 Categories: Alexandria, Whatever
Dan Brown mania is coming to Northern Virginia tomorrow, Tuesday, September 15. Remember Dan Brown of major seller “Angels and Demons” fame? Dan Brown of mega seller “Da Vinci Code” fame?
Yes, it’s the same Dan Brown back with “The Lost Symbol“, the third in his adventure trilogy. In the first book, the hero, Professor Langdon raced through Rome; in the second he (Tom Hanks) raced through Paris and London; on Tuesday he will race through Washington and Northern Virginia.
Did you know that places receiving even the smallest mention in the “Da Vinci Code” received visits from thousands of devoted readers who were convinced that Brown’s fiction was a convenient vehicle for true fact?
In fact, some of those places were stretched so far beyond their normal capacity that they had to hire extra staff, increase their hours of operation and add bathrooms to accommodate the crowds. One location in rural Scotland went from 40,000 visitors a year to over 175,000 a year!
Is it any wonder that Mark Tabbert, director of collections at the George Washington Masonic Temple - right at the west end of King Street in Old Town Alexandria - is perhaps not looking forward to Tuesday? Or, as he said in the Washington Post,” We might have to spend the next 25 years responding to Dan Brown’s fiction. That’s what I dread.”
But then there is the upside (we think). Tourists need hotel rooms, transportation, restaurants, etc. Who knows, maybe they’ll like it here so much they’ll even need housing.
Until Tuesday,
Michael
<!– /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math”; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:1; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-format:other; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:0 0 0 0 0 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1073750139 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:”"; margin-top:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:”Calibri“,”sans-serif”; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoPapDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; margin-bottom:10.0pt; line-height:115%;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} –>
/* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:”Table Normal”; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:”"; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:”Calibri”,”sans-serif”; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
| Currently 1 Comment »
Living in Old Town Alexandria
September 12th, 2009 Categories: Old Town, Real Estate News
The Washington Post does a weekly feature every Saturday where they profile a neighborhood in the greater Washington, DC metropolitan area.
This week they choose Old Town Alexandria and we thought this was a perfect opportunity to share what some folks have to say about living in this richly historic, wonderfully friendly and walkable neighborhood.
A sidebar to the story is full of facts and figures about Old Town sales numbers over the last 12 months.. But keep this in mind – in August, while the average sales price was down, the number of sales was up 12 percent and days on the market declined from 113 in August 08 to 99 in August 09 (houses only).
Want to know more about properties in Old Town? Give me a call at 703.927.4554. To read the entire article, click here.
Michael
| Currently No Comments »
Craigslist Real Estate Scam Hits Northern Virginia
September 11th, 2009 Categories: Real Estate News
Well it happened – I got hit by the Craigslist real estate scam that has been going around the country. Like a lot of real estate agents, I use Craigslist for listings, open houses, rentals, etc.
In this case it was a very nice rental for a very particular client. We had a number of discussions about how she wanted the property described, the pictures she wanted taken, etc. etc. All that was done and neatly posted with the property offered for $3200 a month.
Day before yesterday I got two calls on the townhouse, both quoting the rental price at $1200. I double checked the post and the listing – no, it was $3200.
Finally one of the perspective renters called the person who had responded to his email and he said yes, he was the owner and he was renting it for $1200 – just send him a deposit check, he would leave the keys, etc. etc. Usually it’s something about how the “owner” has to leave the country in the next day or two.
Fortunately this smart Army officer had the good sense to get back to me and I confirmed that yes, it was a scam. The deal is this – these Craigslist scam artists take your entire listing, pictures and all and change the price and some of the contact information
Sometimes they even take a sale and list it as a rental. It has happened in numerous spots around the country but this is my first experience with it in Northern Virginia.
Buyers/renters beware : IF IT SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT IS. Think twice about how realistic an offer sounds and then run, not walk, to the AGENT (not the Craigslist scam artist) who listed the property in the first place.
Want to see the original listing for this great Old Town Greens property? Click here.
Thanks for stopping by – and be careful out there,
Michael
| Currently 4 Comments »
Remembering September 11
September 10th, 2009 Categories: Alexandria
Do you remember where you were on the morning of September 11, 2001? My wife Virginia and I were at a business meeting in the western part of Fairfax County.
As we drove back into Alexandria on I-66 we could see black smoke billowing in the distance.
And the rest is history.
The flag in this picture was given to me by a client, LTC Joe Gleichenhaus, former commander of the 2nd Battalion, 11th Artillery Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, now stationed at the Pentagon.
The flag went to Afghanistan when Joe was deployed in Oct. 2004. It flew in a USAF A-10 Warthog during combat missions over Afghanistan with Operation Enduring Freedom.
Tomorrow the flag will fly in front of the Coldwell Banker office in Old Town Alexandria.
Remember and be grateful.
Michael
| Currently No Comments »
Northern Virginia Calendar of Events for Fall 2009
September 9th, 2009 Categories: Alexandria, Things to Do
Get your pen or pencil and favorite calendar and mark these great events happening in Northern Virginia. This is by no means a complete list for Fall 2009 but it does take into account some of our very favorite people and places. Pick one, pick them all!
Northern Virginia Calendar of Events for Fall 2009
- Sept. 12-13 Alexandria Festival of the Arts
- Sept. 19-20 Virginia Wine Festival
- Sept. 24 – Oct. 4 Virginia State Fair
- Sept. 26 National Book Festival
- Sept. 26 Historic Alexandria Homes Tour
- Oct. 1 First Thursday
- Oct. 1 Corn Mazes
- Oct. 3 Art on the Avenue
- Oct. 3-4 Fall Fiber Festival
- Oct. 4 Blessing of the Pets, Historic Christ Church
- Oct. 4 Pumpkin Patch
- Oct. 10-11 Old Town Food and Wine Festival
- Oct. 10-18 Alexandria Boutique Week
- Oct. 17 International Gold Cup
- Oct. 17 Del Ray Chili Cook-Off
- Oct. 25 Del Ray Halloween Parade
- Dec. 4-13 Mt. Vernon by Candlelight
- Dec. 5 Scottish Walk and Parade
- De. 6 Lessons and Carols at Historic Christ Church
All of these events either take place in Northern Virginia/Alexandria or are just an hour away by car. We’ve got our calendar all planned out, anything you would like to add here? Just let us know.
Michael
| Currently 1 Comment »
Real Estate Trends in Northern Virginia and Alexandria – Del Ray
September 8th, 2009 Categories: Del Ray, Real Estate News
Real estate trends in Northern Virginia, especially for Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood continue to track upward. There were 18 houses sold in August 09 compared to 15 in August 08 and the average price is up 13 percent. The only reverse in this trend is longer days on the market – an average of 48 days in August 08 but 62 days in August 09.
These numbers represent sales in zip code 22301 which encompasses the primary neighborhoods of Del Ray and Rosemont which is bordered by Rt. 1, King Street and the Braddock Rd. Metro tracks.
For more information about single family houses, condominiums and townhouses in Northern Virginia for these great Alexandria neighborhoods, give me a call at 703.927.4554.
Michael
| Currently 1 Comment »
; ?>/images/MatoChiclet.gif)
