Just north of the District of Columbia on Massachusetts Avenue is a very special community – Westmoreland Hills. Composed of nearly 500 luxury homes, this elegant community is placed among rolling hills and tall shade trees at Westmoreland Circle close to Massachusetts Avenue in Bethesda, MD. The oldest house in Westmoreland Hills was built in 1923 – a charming clapboard NE style colonial at 4516 Wetherill. However, most of the homes were built in the late 1940s and 1950s. Traditional colonials are interspersed with a few split levels, giving the neighborhood architectural variety. In addition, Cape Cod Court is a small court directly off Massachusetts Avenue filled with fourteen homes which were built in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
FEATURED LISTING – 5113 DALECARLIA DRIVE
I confess that this house is very special to me. One of my best friends grew up in this house, and I remember lots of sleepovers with her in this house on Dalecarlia Drive, filled with giggles and happy times. Now the house is on the market, ready for a new home and good times. This stately five bedroom three and a half bath colonial sits on a 9000 square foot lot on one of the prettiest streets in Westmoreland Hills. The well proportioned living room has a fireplace and lots of light. The elegantly red dining room has French doors to the patio and back yard, and the green den opens into the large family room with its tile floor and wood ceiling suggesting a previous life as a sun porch. The family room connects with the kitchen and the patio and yard. Don’t miss the finished lower level with a bedroom and full bath or the attached one car garage. 5113 Dalecarlia is listed for sale by Washington Fine Properties for $1,395,000 with a tax assessment of $1,132,850. If you are interested in seeing this property, you can give Lise Howe a call at 240-401-5577 to arrange a private showing.
FEATURED RESTAURANT – LEDO’S -5245 River Road, Bethesda - (301) 656-5336
Not every meal has to be a luxury event! Sometimes you need a quick and casual dinner after an MSI soccer game,
because you forgot to defrost the chicken, or just because! That is when you head to this Maryland classic pizza joint –Ledo’s, which first opened in 1955 in Adelphi, Maryland by the University of Maryland, and has now spread beyond Maryland to Delaware and Florida!
There are some unique qualities of Ledo’s Pizza that come from its long history. As Ledo’s says: Square ‘Cause Ledo Pizza Never Cuts corners! People often ask why Ledo’s Pizza is rectangular. The round pizza pans commonly seen today were very new in the fifties. Rectangular baking pans were readily available, hence the square pizza.
The Ledo’s pizza sauce is uniquely sweeter than most sauces, so if you would rather skip the pepperoni pizza, you might consider their white pizza or even a grilled portobella salad or a lasagna. I am always tempted by the chopped chicken, apples, celery and dried cranberries salad tossed in an apple cider dressing and served over a bed of crunchy romaine lettuce and topped with croutons and glazed pecans.
FEATURED SERVICE – SKI CENTER
At the back of the Spring Valley Shopping area near the Crate and Barrel is the Ski Center. Their story goes back 75 years to the time when the founder, Adam Kahane, was a youngster in Europe who fell in love with skiing. In 1959, Adam and his wife Gertrude opened Ski Center. Ike was President, and the Head Standard was king of the slopes. It was a time of lace-up leather boots, baggy pants, wooden skis, and beartrap bindings. Things have changed a lot; even though they still love those baggy pants.
Now that winter is coming it is time to get your skis waxed and your bindings checked. What – like me with no skis? You can rent skis for a weekend or a week from downstairs at the Ski Center and then head upstairs to get a beautiful wardrobe for apres ski! Remember, sometimes, it is just as important to look good as to ski well!
In case you are moving from someplace wonderful like Vail or Tahoe to DC, and you are anxious about where you are going to ski from now on, don’t despair! There are a number of ski resorts within a few hours drive from Washington, DC. Ski resorts in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia are shown on the map below. Most of these destinations offer skiing, snowboarding, and snowtubing. See a complete list of the ski resorts near Washington DC. And of course, flying out west is always an option!
FEATURED EVENT – THE NUTCRACKER IS COMING!
Each year the Washington Ballet presents the Nutcracker at the Warner Theater. My daughter danced in the
Nutcracker for several years, first as a mouse, then a soldier and finally as a clown in the second act! Septime Webre’s The Nutcracker returns to the Warner Theatre again this year to offer a unique twist on this family favorite. Set in Washington, DC and filled with hints of Americana, this production features the heroic George Washington as the Nutcracker, King George III as the Rat King and cherry blossoms dancing on the Potomac. This is a Washington, DC tradition that cannot be missed!
Originally founded as The Washington School of Ballet in 1944 by legendary ballet pioneer Mary Day, The Washington Ballet (TWB) was incorporated as a professional company in 1976 and is one of the pre-eminent ballet organizations in the United States. TWB built an international reputation presenting bold works by choreographers from around the world, and its first artist-in-residence, Choo-San Goh, set the tone for the company’s emergence as a powerhouse among national companies. Contemporary pieces by Christopher Wheeldon, Mark Morris, Twyla Tharp, William Forsythe and Nacho Duato expanded the repertoire, as did Neoclassical masterworks and fresh interpretations of 19th century classics. If you miss the Nutcracker or just can’t face the Sugar Plum Fairy one more time this year, you should definitely make time in your schedule to see something else by the Washington Ballet, like Le Corsaire or Carmen.
FUN FACTS FOR WESTMORELAND HILLS
One of the many joys of Westmoreland Hills in Bethesda Maryland is its great neighborhood park, tucked away in the back of the neighborhood. Probably only a few people in Bethesda realize that there is a link to the Civil War in this wonderful neighborhood park with its playground, softball field, multi-use field and two tennis courts.
Located at Westmoreland Hills Local Park, Battery Bailey was a man-made hill constructed to support cannons aimed at protecting the reservoir of water for the City of Washington. It was located between Fort Sumner and Fort Mansfield, constructed during the Civil War as a part of a circle of forts to protect the city.
This Civil War fortification at Battery Bailey was one of a series of forts, batteries and entrenchments constructed at half-mile intervals around Washington, DC. President Lincoln established the defensive perimeter of military works that was 34 miles in circumference. Its purpose was to defend the city from Confederate Army attacks.
The site was named for Col. Guilford Dudley Bailey of the 1st regiment New York artillery, who was killed on May 31, 1862 at the Battle of Seven Pines. If you plan to visit, why not pack a sandwich and enjoy lunch in the picnic area? The 10.1-acre park was acquired by M-NCPPC in 1951.
After you have a wonderful time checking out Westmoreland Hills, you might want to start checking out the other homes in Bethesda, Chevy Chase or elsewhere in Montgomery County, DC, and Virginia. Remember that Lise Howecan help you with Luxury Homes in Westmoreland Hills, townhouses in Kenwood Forest, Studio condos in Foggy Bottom, and everything in between! Just give Lise Howe and the team a call at 240-401-5577!
Comments(0)