Being relatively new to Instagram, I’ve been learning to capture beauty in things I see every day—and then post those yummy details for instant gratification. What’s more, I’ve been lucky enough this fall to find myself in places around town that are striking and memorable. So here’s a visual smorgasbord of my comings and goings.
Sep. 10: Coming out of a meeting in Georgetown. This tableau of black, white and gray, punched up by the yellow and green signs, spoke to me.
Sept. 25: In National Airport’s old terminal, waiting for a flight to Chicago. I hadn’t been here in a long time, and forgot how amazing the architecture is.
Oct. 22: Liljenquist & Beckstead Jewelers, Tysons Corner. I attended an event sponsored by Capitol File Magazine, and finally got to see Barry Dixon’s spectacular interior design—along with eye-popping jewelry!
Oct. 29: Varnish Lane nail salon in Friendship Heights. Designer (and friend) Lauren Liess held her book signing in the salon where she did the interior design. I swear I’ve never been in a nail salon this chic! I was elated to hear that they have plans to open in Virginia before too long.
Oct. 31: University of Maryland. I took my son to a SneakerMania convention (don’t ask), and wandered the campus while he was there. Besides the grand old academic buildings, I was most excited to see the new president’s home and events center, designed Barnes Vanze Architects, where I’m doing some marketing consulting work. I’d seen this structure so many times in photos, so it was neat to see it in person.
Meanwhile, elsewhere on campus… I’m loving the metal grid between the columns. It would make a cool bracelet, don’t you think?
And this chandelier at the entrance of another academic building. Gorgeous.
Nov. 3: Longbridge Park, Arlington. School was out for election day, so I took my son to Longbridge Park, in South Arlington near the Pentagon. It’s most known as a soccer venue, but it’s got a spectacular promenade where you can see the flights take off from National Airport.
The other views aren’t bad, either. See the train coming through?
Nov. 5: Air Force and Pentagon memorials. I was out on a reporting assignment, and couldn’t help but stop on this beautiful day. Breathtaking views, all basically in my back yard.
I didn’t realize until I finally walked through this memorial that the granite surface of the benches looks like it comes right up and out of the gravel, like it’s all one, organic element.
Each bench has flowing water underneath, so when you sit in this garden, you hear the gurgling water from all around. It’s lovely and soothing.
Seeing the date and time brought me (tearfully) right back to that day, when I was nearly eight months pregnant, trudging up Capitol Hill when I was a reporter for Scripps Howard News Service. I was too afraid to take the Metro, since the Pentagon had already been hit.
Well, now my visual diary is up to date. I’m headed to Chicago tomorrow, so it can start back up again in a new city! Have a great weekend.
