Since 1998, the Kiwanis Club of Tysons Corner, Virginia, has actively served the community and in…read morethe process, has enriched the lives of its members. Members are young in age and lively in spirit. Members range from mid-twenties to mid-forties, and live in many of the surrounding areas of Tysons Corner. Meetings are held twice a month, on the second and fourth Tuesdays at 7:30 pm, in Room 229A at George C. Marshall High School in Falls Church. I really love being a member of this club. My favorite projects are teaching Safe Sitter classes, working in Clemyjontri Park and supporting Key Club and CKI. We're a friendly group, so please come out to a meeting to find out what we're all about.

This was me and my daughter's first year back after the pandemic. I grew up going to the county…read morefair so it brings back great memories. Really grateful for the free parking at the Bozman Govt Ctr and the bus transportation provided to/from the fair....very well organized. We visited on Friday night and it was packed. The fair was filled with lots of food trucks, rides, games and indoor vendors. There was something for everyone. We had a great time sampling food and drinks and walking around with my granddaughter. She could only ride the carousel but we're looking forward to next year, she'll be walking then. Great job Arlington County!!

What a joy! I was looking for something to pass by and glad I stumbled up the county fair dates…read more Though from my location I honestly could've walked, I opted to park at the recreation center and ride a school bus over for $2. The bus came quickly and she even waited for people as they were obviously walking over. Nice variety of vendors and their lines weren't ever too long. The cheese fries and candied apples were really good and at a decent price. My least favorite was the snoball that was about $11 I believe. Not worth the lack of flavor. I also grabbed some beer from the beer park. I liked that it had its only little area. Muddy outside so I didn't go too far towards the games but I enjoyed and liked that there was space to sit.

The Smithsonian Folklife Festival in D.C. is a popular annual summer event, but this was my first…read moretime attending. The six day festival highlighted indigenous cultures and honored the 20th anniversary of the National Museum of the American Indian. I enjoyed the food, performances, presentations, and crafts. It's definitely worth a visit and is a nice event for the whole family. I was also really happy the festival was set up in shaded areas under the trees instead of the National Mall lawn. The heat was brutal today!

This marks my one year anniversary for moving to Washington DC. And one of the first things I did…read morewas attend the Folklife Festival. Last year it was a bit larger as it was highlighting China and Kenya. This year the focus is on Peru. Both years ave consisted of different showcases of traditional life in the respective countries. This year they had native Peruvians marking clay scultures, tin work, a Andean mountain rope bridge, boats,and other items. They also had different organizations (a native village's homegrown radio station for instance), traditional dancing and singing, and of course alpacas. They always have local restaurants which specialize in authentic food from the respective country(ies). Prices are cheaper for what you'd pay for food in the metro DC area so this is a welcome change for those working in the area to grab a quick bite to eat for lunch. Everything but the food and handicrafts at the marketplace are free. Come get a window on life in another country.

Just finished the walk yesterday...39 miles!!! This was an amazing event to take part in. Everyone…read morewas so nice and the energy was amazing. I met so many great people and heard so many amazing stories. The fund raising was a little hard at times (this year Avon Walk DC raised 8.1 million!!) and my feet have never hurt so bad but I would definitely do this walk again and encourage anyone thinking about it to register and walk. You won't regret it.

My sister-in-law is doing this in Washington DC. It's a 39-mile walk over two days to raise money…read morefor breast cancer research. Let me know if you're interested in donating to her team.

This is a wonderful mural. You will find it on the side of the now vacant Ben Chili Bowl,…read moreoverlooking an alleyway. There is metered street parking available within a reasonable walking distance, but it may be difficult to find. You can also pull into the alley and get a quick look at the mural. The mural is the work of Aniekan Udofia and Mia Duval, painted in 2017 as part of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities Commissioned Project. The mural depicts some Black iconic figures. Prince, Barack and Michelle Obama are prominently featured on the mural. You will also find Jesse Jackson, Comedian Dave Chappelle, and Muhammad Ali. The mural leans heavily on local people, featuring local radio legends Russ Par and Donnie Simpson, Go-Go legend Chuck Brown, Singer Roberta Flack, Former DC Mayor Marion Barry, DC Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, Rapper Wale, Comedian and Activist Dick Gregory, Local News Anchor Jim Vance, and Actress Taraji P. Henson. In the upper-right corner of the mural, Harriet Tubman holds a torch, symbolically leading the way for all the icons in the mural. I really, really like this mural. The artwork is great. You can actually tell which person it is in the mural. It is a colorful mural with a lot of action, but not too busy. It could use a little touch-up work, but still looks great for being almost 10 years old. I would put this mural on the must-see list if you are in the area.

TL:DR - A oasis in Washington, DC…read more While the phrase "hidden gem," is too often overused, the Tregaron Conservancy is place where that label is completely apropos. Located off Macomb Street in the toney Cleveland Park neighborhood, this is definitely a spot frequented by locals. Walking up to the small gate entrance, it's almost as if this a secret garden of sorts. Make you way up the winding path, and visitors encounter some of the most beautiful green spaces in all of DC. The Tregaron Conservancy and the associated grounds are joint tenants with the adjacent Washington International School (https://tregaron.org/news/washington-international-school-tregaron-conservancys-perfect-partner). Just be aware that while the main sections of the Tregaron are open to the public, the school portion is not. While the Tregaron is not expansive, there are many nice sections. There are benches down by the Lily Pond which I have often enjoyed a coffee and conversations with friends. The remaining grounds are kept pristine with slight hills which are perfect for an afternoon picnic or just sitting to enjoy sunny days. There is also the scenic Klingle Valley trail which winds through the woods and eventually connects up with Rock Creek Park after crossing through busy Connecticut Ave. Good information before you make the trip: https://tregaron.org/planning-your-visit My advice is to take the Metro to the Cleveland Park stop, and make the short 10 minute walk. There are many restaurants and bakeries where you can pop in, get a beverage and pastry to enjoy at the Tregaron. Bonus Tip: If you need to use a restroom, the Cleveland Park Library is at corner of Connecticut Ave and Macomb Street (https://www.yelp.com/biz/cleveland-park-library-washington?osq=cleveland+park+library&sort_by=date_desc) There aren't many "attractions" at the Tregaron...but that's really the point. It's a place to escape the concrete jungle that is DC and commue and appreciate nature, at least for a short while. If you are looking for an "in the know" place and want to impress long time DC residents and visitors alike, I highly recommend visiting the Tregaron Conservancy.

The Tregaron Conservancy is a beautiful hidden gem for a short walk in a natural setting right…read moreinside the city. I'm amazing by how much of an escape it feels like as it's tucked on a very small land area. It may not be a tourist destination to make a trip out for, but I am so grateful to have this local spot. The area could be walked through very quickly, but I have also spent hours sitting by the pond and birdwatching or just enjoying nature. The park can be tricky to find, I access it from Klingle Valley Trail. Note - this is the Conservancy which is an outdoor park. I believe the "Estate" is now the Washington International School building and is not open to the public.

This sculpture is located near the White House. I caught my eye as I was walking to take pictures…read moreof the White House. It is a little plaza area that has a statue, benches, and a fountain. The fountain was not operating during my late November visit though and the plaza was not being maintained. The location of this monument is deliberate as it is the site of the first Boy Scout Jamboree in 1937. Funding for the monument was obtained by various Boy Scouts Troops from across the county. Being a former Boy Scout, I really found this attraction very interesting. The monument features a sculpture that was made by Donald De Lue in 1964. The sculpture depicts a Boy Scout in uniform, leading a naked male figure, only having his private area covered by a cloth. That figure symbolizes love of country, citizenship, patriotism, loyalty, honor, integrity, courage, clean living, and physical development. The scout is also leading a half naked female figure with a flame coming from her left palm, that symbolizes the spiritual qualities of good citizenship - enlightenment with the light of faith, love of God, high ideals, liberty, freedom, democracy, love of humanity, lighting the way. The sculptures are very detailed and nicely done. You can see the power and pride coming from them as they walk. The base of the statue has the inscription, On my honor I Will do my best, To do my duty, To God & my, Country and to obey the, Scout law to, Help other people, At all times, To keep myself, Physically strong, Mentally awake And morally Straight". I am sure that during Spring and Summer this place is better maintained and nice, including the fountain operating. This is definitley worth a stop, especially if you are already going to see the White House anyway. It is not only a place to see, but a spot to take the load off for a bit while touring downtown.

While walking towards the White House, we came across a bronze statue of three figures: a boy, a…read morewoman, and a naked man. I stopped to take a look and discovered it was the Boy Scouts of American Monument. Unveiled on November 7, 1964, the memorial is located at the site of the first Boy Scout Jamboree that occurred in 1937. The statue stands in front of a small pool of water and inscribed on the pedestal on which the figures stand is the Scout Oath. The young boy is in a Boy Scouts uniform, and the man and woman, standing on either side of the boy, represent "American Manhood and Womanhood and the ideals they will pass onto the youth" according to Wikipedia. The woman is holding a torch (the "eternal flame of God's Holy Spirit") and she symbolizes "enlightenment with the love of God and fellow man, justice, freedom, and democracy." The man "exemplifies physical, mental, and moral fitness, love of country, good citizenship, loyalty, honor, and courage." That still doesn't explain why he's naked. [Yelp collections: East Coast 2022; Washington, DC 2022; Monuments, Memorials, and Historical Markers]

Thursday afternoon I headed down to The Birchmere to see a concert that I was really excited to see…read more- Moya Brennan. For those of you that may be unfamiliar with the name - if you've ever heard of the Irish Supergroup - Clannad - Moya is the lead singer of Clannad. Moya is also Enya's older sister. I always try to arrive at The Birchmere 30-40 minutes before the doors to the Box Office open at 5:00 pm. When picking up will call tickets you've ordered over the phone or internet, they give you a stub with a number on it. You then hang out in the bar of the Birchmere, drink, and wait for them to open the doors to the Music Hall at 6:00 pm. They then call for folks to enter by those numbered ticket stubs they hand out. So, getting down there early means you will get in the Music Hall early and be guaranteed reasonably good seats. Traffic was bad and I arrived later than I normally do - it was about 4:45 pm when I arrived. but the line was not to bad, there was only nine people ahead of me in line. I thought I was prepared for the cold weather and dressed warmly - but it was frickin' cold out! Even just standing outside for 15 minutes! I picked up my ticket, bought a second ticket for a friend and left it at the Box Office for her with her name on it, and went and hung out in the Bar with my friend Robert and ordered a Dominion Ale. This was the second time getting to see Moya perform. I saw her last performance at The Birchmere a couple of years ago when she toured to support the release of her album "Two Horizons." When the doors to the Music Hall opened at 6:00 pm, since we only had 9 other parties in front of us, we managed to secure a nice table right down in front of the stage - front row seats! Yaaaaayyyyy! Robert and I ordered dinner - we both opted for the Cajun Gumbo - it's okay as Gumbo goes, I've had better, but I've also had far worse. I also continued drinking Dominion Ale. The performance started promptly at 7:30 pm. Moya came out with her band. She announced that the evening would be a combination of music from her two latest albums - "Signature" and "Irish Christmas" plus some old Clannad songs. So throughout the evening we got to experience her take on Christmas songs. Moya has a beautiful voice, and she is a kind, funny, and beautiful soul. Her essence shines through in both her music, and her as a person. She is very sweet! She sang songs from throughout her career, including some classics such as "I Will Find You," the theme song from the movie "Last of the Mohicans" which was done by Clannad. She also sang "Robin (The Hooded Man)" some of you may have seen a British TV show from the 1980s entitled "Robin of Sherwood." Clannad performed the theme song for that show "Robin (The Hooded Man)." The crowd went nuts when she played "I Will Find You" and "Robin (The Hooded Man)." Her Christmas songs were just ethereal. Wonderful. Beautiful. Joyful. Just to be there, and experience her, feel her, was beyond any words in the languages of men to adequately describe what I felt. She sang a number of Christmas songs - my favorites were "Deck The Halls," "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," "The Wexford Carol" and "Silent Night." "Silent Night" was especially beautiful. After the performance was completed, the crowd stood and applauded and applauded and applauded until she came back out. They performed three final songs and ended with "Silent Night." She sang the song, first in Gaelic, then in English, then she motioned for the audience to join her in singing the song. There was a short 10 minute intermission during the performance - I used that time to duck out to the store in The Birchmere and purchase her two latest albums "Signature" and "An Irish Christmas." After the concert, we got in line out in the Lobby to meet Moya and have our CDs autographed by her. I was sixth in line so I did not have to wait long. She is such a lovely person, I got the chance to ask her several questions to which I've been dying to know the answers. I got to ask her about her first name - her real name is spelled "Maire" with an accent over the "a" but we stupid Americans were always mispronouncing it as something else - she has been called everything from "Marie" to who knows what else. Even though her real name is spelled "Maire," it's pronounced "Moya." If you go back and buy her early albums - you will see they are under the real spelling of her name. Anyway she changed to "Moya" for marketing because it was easier. I then asked her if Clannad had disbanded as they had not released an album or toured for a terribly long time. She laughed and told us that Clannad was getting ready to gear up for a UK/European Tour. I asked, hoping against hope - might we get to to see Clannad tour the U.S.? She said if they can work it out - find the right promoter - that the answer would be yes! I have my fingers crossed! It was a beautiful evening of music!