How NOT To Increase the Curb Appeal Of Your Home - 07/31/08 01:28 PM
We all know that trees, shrubs and ornamental plants can beautify a house and certainly increase its curb appeal. Usually, that is. There are some, however, that don’t help, like when they’ve grown to completely obscure an attractive façade, or when their roots have started to invade the foundation of the home like a malicious tumor, bringing in moisture and threatening the substance of the whole structure.

The "tree" in the chimney here, right at the front of a house I just showed, is probably not a serious threat.  But it's on a beautiful old house on a beautiful block in … (5 comments)

Progress on Military Road--My Shaky Flip Video Debut - 07/26/08 04:48 PM
Dear Vered and Allan and girls,
as promised, I'm keeping an eye on the renovation/construction of your home while you're overseas for the summer.   You've had enough time to witness the "demolition" and even more time to study what was left while waiting for permits from the DC bureaucracy, so let's see how it's all going to come back together in the next few months!
ActiveRain (thank you, guys!) rewarded us for our participation in the inspiring Makeover2Takeover contest with this amazing little flip video camera.  I have been playing with it for a few weeks now.  So much cooler than … (2 comments)

Neither/Nor--DC's Strangest Suburb - 07/25/08 03:12 PM

Okay, all you historic homes buffs: take a look at the picture on the left.
Where would you think this is? In the US? Holland? Poland? Some place in the Baltic? And when do you think the houses were built? In the 19th century? Or the 17th?
Well, try again. How about 2008, brand-new construction in the Washington, DC suburbs?
Yes, you read that correctly. The National Park Seminary in close-in Silver Spring is the quirkiest new development in our ‘burbs, an eclectic mix of townhouses and condos that are sleek and contemporary inside and feature facades in Tudor, Colonial … (9 comments)

Colonial Village -- Open Sunday, July 27, 2-5 pm! - 07/23/08 06:36 PM
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