The Neighborhood

We live in a wonderful two-story house at the junction of two Arlington neighborhoods, Cherrydale and Maywood. Both have a real sense of community and identity. Cherrydale is going to have a Neighborhood Parade on September 22, which we'll miss unfortunately. Maywood had its annual block party last Saturday, a feast of fun for dozens of little kids. Along with a potluck and desserts for a Bake-off, the featured food was kabobs from the neighborhood favorite, Tarbouch Mediterranean Grill. The kabobs were lamb or chicken with four different excellent sauces.

Cherrydale is a historic district listed with the National Register of Historic Places, filled with 19th and 20th century revivals. Historic markers dot the streets. It has a wonderful assortment of services to walk to. Closest to us is Safeway, just one block away. We're enjoying its terrific wine selection, decent assortment of organics, and a machine where you can rent a DVD overnight for $1.49. One block west is Cherrydale Hardware, an old-time hardware shop where a useful staff person asks to help you as soon as you enter. Upstairs is the Cherrydale Masonic Lodge; we're not joining. Next door is the Sun and Moon Yoga Studio where Ack now go on Wednesday morning. We roll out of bed and five minutes later we're at the studio for a 7 am class. Ask to see our pigeon pose! Next in line is a Thai restaurant we haven't tried yet, mainly because they've had the same whiteboard sign in their front window at least since we arrived: "Special Today! Soft shell crab!" No, thanks. Next is Hair Vogue Salon where I got the longest haircut I've ever had (long in time duration, not in hair length). As usual, Ack couldn't tell I'd gotten it cut but then neither could Paddy. Around the corner is Portabello's, an excellent little restaurant. I had a delicious Parmesan crusted cod dinner on Tuesday and Ack enjoyed his sauteed shrimp Provencal.

Those are the delights to the immediate west. My favorite destination to the east is three blocks away, the entrance to the Martha Custis Trail. This is a winding off-road trail that parallels major roads and highways for miles before connecting with still more paved off-road trails. Last week Ack and I biked from the house east along the trail down to the Potomac where we connected with the Mt Vernon Trail. Dodging many Saturday morning joggers, we rode south along the river, past National Airport to Washington Sailing Marina. Today I headed west on the trail, winding through parks and along a creek on a circuitous route to the public library. Some of the trails are former rail beds with consistent elevations; not the Custis Trail. The grade on some of its hills is so steep that one biker described it as "a real roller coaster." The same can be said for the streets in the neighborhood; lots of hills, some amazingly steep to walk up and down.

A treasure that I discovered while biking to the north of us one day is the Potomac Overlook Regional Park, a place that is very well funded by the look of the infrastructure and programming they offer. To the south are the nearest Metro stops, shopping areas, post office, and heaviest traffic-not my favorite part of Arlington so far.