August 25th, 2010
For this blog entry, I would like to concentrate on one of Washington DC’s hidden treasures: The Palisades. This historic Washington DC neighborhood is located along the Potomac River between the Georgetown University campus and D.C.-Maryland border. Commonly referred to as one of Washington DC’s lesser-known neighborhoods, the Palisades neighborhood is made up mostly of townhouses and apartments. The true real estate gems are located along the Potomac River overlooking the Virginia riverfront.
Sprinkled throughout the Palisades are notable Washington DC landmarks such as the German Embassy, St. David’s Episcopal Church, Sibley Hospital, and the Francis Scott Key Elementary School, which has served the community since 1928. The remnants of the old Capitol Transit #20 trolley, which used to run from Union Station, make a trip to the Palisades totally worth it on their own. The Palisades is also home to the famous Fletcher’s Boat House on the Potomac River, Washington DC’s finest recreational fishing hole. This site has been around since the 1850’s!
For those of my readers who enjoy good food, the Palisades is a neighborhood you should not miss. Such restaurants as Figs, Et Voila, Kotobuki, and BlackSalt call the Palisades home.
Looking to purchase a home or commercial space in the Palisades? I have served the Washington DC community for 35 years and have extensive real estate experience within these neighborhoods. Feel free to get in touch and don’t forget to inquire about my most up-to-date listings.
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Tags: BlackSalt, Et Voila, Figs, Fletcher's Boat House, Francis Scott Key Elementary School, Kotobuki, Potomac River, Real Estate Washington Dc, The Palisades, Washington DC
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August 22nd, 2010
Weather aside, summer is quickly coming to a close. For families with young children, this means the beginning of the school year. This Monday marks the official first day of school for the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS). Whether you live on Capitol Hill, Trinidad, the Palisades, or any of the Northwest Washington, sending your children back to school is no easy task especially if you are new to the Washington DC area.
The District of Columbia Public School (DCPS) System has developed a series of tools that will help with you and your child’s smooth transition. Whether you are looking for enrollment forms, immunization requirements, school supplies lists, or applications for free and reduced meals, DCPS has developed a First Day of School website. For those parents familiar with YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook, DCPS has official registered accounts with each of these social media networks (see links below).
If you are a young family looking to purchase a new home and are concerned about finding a public school for children, please feel free to contact me. I in Chevy Chase, Northwest Washington DC, Capitol Hill, and the up and coming Trinidad DC neighborhood.
Website: http://dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/firstday
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/dcpublicschools
Twitter: http://twitter.com/dcpublicschools
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/dcpublicschools
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Tags: Capitol Hill, Chevy Chase, Palisades, Public School, Real Estate, Trinidad, Washington DC
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July 13th, 2010
While looking at a Washington DC Metro map over the weekend, something dawned on me: what other area in the United States can you hop on local public transportation and conveniently travel across two states lines? One of the many stops along Washington DC’s Metro line is the community of Chevy Chase-Bethesda, Maryland. Home to nearly 120,000 residents, Chevy Chase-Bethesda is a great alternative commuter community for those who wish to avoid the, at times, overwhelming ebb-and-flow of Washington DC without sacrificing convenience and culture.
In June 2010, the International Downtown Association awarded Downtown Bethesda with the prestigious “Downtown of the Month” award. This accolade does not surprise me in the least. Downtown Bethesda is littered with small bookshops, boutique retail stores, antiques, and art galleries featuring local artist talent. The downtown area is also home to some of the area’s greatest restaurants. From July 23 – August 1, 2010 Chevy Chase – Bethesda will be hosting their annual Restaurant Week. I suggest you use this time to get familiar with the area, if you already aren’t. I guarantee you will quickly realize that Chevy Chase-Bethesda is one of the areas most unique and vital neighborhoods.
Ranked as the #1 Top-Earning Towns by Money Magazine, Chevy Chase-Bethesda, Maryland’s residential real estate is actually quite diverse. Condominiums, in the form of high-rises, are aplenty and represent a convenient and affordable alternative for young or first time buyers. The area also offers an increasingly sizable inventory of apartments for students and young professionals. I’m a firm believer that no matter what your budget, Chevy-Chase-Bethesda has something to offer the young, old, and in-between.
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Tags: Bethesda, Bethesda Real Estate, Chevy Chase, Chevy Chase Real Estate, Dowtown Bethesda, Maryland, Restaurant Week, Washington DC, Washington DC real estate, Washington DC realty
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July 7th, 2010
For those of you who frequent my Washington DC Realtor blog, you have become accustomed to reading about my fascination for all things historical. When advising my clients on purchasing property in the metropolitan Washington DC area, I encourage them to educate themselves on the historical significance of the neighborhood that of are interest to them. The best way to do so is by exploring one of Washington DC’s Neighborhood Heritage Trails. One of my favorite Washington DC Neighborhood Heritage Trails is located in the historical industrial neighborhood of Barracks Row.
Capitol Hill, known almost exclusively for its rich political history, at one point in time was the home to the United States first line of defense, the U.S. Navy. In 1799, President John Adams designated the area between Pennsylvania Avenue and Eight Street SE as the U.S. Navy Yard. Two years later the U.S. Marines would build their barracks just north of the Navy Yard, an official decision made by President Thomas Jefferson. Today, this area of Capitol Hill has become Barracks Row.
Unlike the polished white stone and regal federal home neighborhoods, Barracks Row provides South East Washington DC with a distinct industrial feel. The historic buildings of the Eighth Street commercial area are home to new businesses. Local streetscapes are being renovated as I write this by the Washington DC Department of Transportation. Barracks Row is home to the Townhomes on Capitol Hill, a mixed-income development whose design complements the nearby Victorian era row houses. Like most metropolitan Washington DC neighborhoods, any and all changes are made with the conscious effort of honoring a long history and cultural tradition.
The first sign is located on the Washington DC Barracks Row Heritage Trail is located at the Eastern Market Metro station plaza (Seventh Street and Pennsylvania Ave, SE). The self-guided tour will take about 90 minutes to complete. It looks you through the residential neighborhoods and concludes at Capitol Hill’s Eastern Market.
Along the way I suggest stopping off at Trattoria Alberto (506 8th Street, SE) for a bite of Italian dining. Capitol Hill Books (657 C Street, SE) is also a delightful Barracks Row haunt and a great spot for used, rare, and first edition books.
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Tags: Barracks Row, Capitol Hill, Navy Yard, Neighorhood Heritage Trails, Real Estate Washington Dc, Washigton DC SE
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June 28th, 2010
Fort Stevens has recently been in the news because it was said it was going to absorbed by a nearby church’s expansion. Of course, this turned out to be false. This got me thinking about the various forts around the city and I realized that I do not know much about them except that they were built during the Civil War to protect Washington DC. I decided to learn about the various forts and I started with Fort Stevens.
Fort Stevens is located at 13th and Quackenbos Streets, NW, near Georgia Avenue in the Brightwood neighborhood. The fort is located not too far from Rockcreek Park and Military Road, NW.
The original name for this fort was Fort Massachusetts because soldiers from Massachusetts erected the fort in 1861. This Fort was very important because 7th Street Pike (now Georgia Avenue) was the main road into the city from the north. The fort was renamed “Fort Stevens” after Brig. General Isaac Ingalls Stevens who was killed at the Battle of Chantilly, VA on Sept. 1, 1862. Civil War defenses were usually named after well known Union officers.
July 11th & 12th, 1864 marks the date of the most famous attack at Fort Stevens. The Army of Northern Virginia was doing very poorly at Richmond. General Robert E. Lee decided to invade the North for the 3rd time. A 20,000 man unit of Confederate forces under Major General Jubal Early attacked the fort and tried to capture Washington. The Union repelled the Confederate advance into the city. President Lincoln visited the fort on both days to observe the attack and assist in its defense. Some historians believe that if the South had taken Fort Stevens, the city of Washington may have fallen. If the South had been successful, the final outcome of the war may have been different.
The 41 Union Soldiers who died in the Battle of Fort Stevens are buried on the grounds of a nearby Battleground National Cemetery. The Battleground National Cemetery is also located in the Brightwood neighborhood along Georgia Avenue, NW.
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