Wednesday, September 30, 2009

The Lincoln Memorial

Continuing with the theme of Washington, D.C. based memorials, I write today about the Lincoln Memorial, located across the National Mall from the Washington Monument. It was built in memorium to President Abraham Lincoln and is overseen by the National Park Service.
The achitect was Henry Bacon, the sculpter of the Lincoln statue was Daniel Chester French, and the painter of the interior murals was Jules Guerin. Construction finished in 1922 and the building itself is in the shape of a Greek Doric temple. The stones used to build the structure are from several regions of the United States. Inside is a statue of a seated Lincoln and the inscription of two of his speeches, the Gettysburg Address and his speech given at his second inauguration. The murals depict an angel, the freeing of a slave, and the unity of the North and South.
The landing on the steps leading up to the monument is the sight of Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous "I Have a Dream" speech.
The Lincoln Memorial can be seen on the back of the penny and $5 bill (U.S. currency), both of which contain Lincolns portrait on the reverse side.

http://www.nps.gov/linc/index.htm

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Arlington House

I was thinking today about what it'd be like to live in the Arlington House (minus the tourists), also known as the Robert E. Lee Memorial. The Arlington House is a National Memorial, overseen by National Park Service, in Arlington, VA that was once the home of Confederate General Robert E. Lee.
The Greek Revival-styled mansion was designed by George Hadfield, who also worked on the design of the U.S. Capitol Building, under orders of George Washington Parke Custis, step-grandson of President George Washington, to be his home. Custis' only child to survive into adulthood, Mary, wed Lee shortly after his graduation from West Point Academy.
The mansion was built on a plot that included 1,100 acres of land, purchased by Custis' father in 1778, around the beginning of the 19th century. The house features 3 levels, two kitchens, 1 very small bathroom (yikes!), 8 massive columns on the portico, and North and South wings off the main structure. The building alone covers almost 28 acres. Some of the more interesting aspects include the wine cellar, school and sewing room, and the conservatory.
Over the centuries it has been used as a family home, plantation, military headquarters, community for emancipated slaves, and cemetary.

http://www.nps.gov/archive/arho/tour/home.html

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Washington D.C. Sports

Washington D.C. is one of eight cities in the United States with 5 professional sports teams (NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB, MLS).
The Washington Wizards (formerly the Washington Bullets) play basketball in the NBA. They play in the Verizon Center in Chinatown. They have won one championship (1978). Former players include Earl "the Pearl" Monroe, Elvin Hayes, Dave Bing, Moses Malone, and Michael Jordan. Current stars include Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler, and Nick Young.
The Washington Redskins play football in the NFL. They play at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland. They have won 3 Super Bowls ('82, '87, '91). Former players/coaches include Sonny Jurgenson, George Allen (coach), Art Monk, Joe Gibbs (coach), and Bruce Smith. Current stars are Clinton Portis, Santana Moss, and Albert Haynesworth.
The Washington Capitals is a professional hockey team in the NHL. They play in the Verizon Center. They have not won a Stanley Cup. Former players include Rod Langway, Dale Hunter, Mike Gartner, Peter Bondra, and Jaromir Jagr. Current stars are Alexander Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, and Mike Green.
The Washington Nationals play at Nationals Park. They have not won a World Series. Formerly the Montreal Expos, they were founded as the Nationals in 2005. Current stars include Livan Hernandez, Adam Dunn, and Alberto Gonzalez.
The D.C. United play at RFK Stadium. They have won the MLS cup 4 times ('96, '97, '99, '04). Former players include Marco Etcheverry, Jeff Agoos, and John Harkes. Current stars are Jaime Moreno, Luciano Emilio, and Christian Gomez.
Other sports teams in Washington are the Washington Mystics (basketball, WNBA), Washington Freedom (soccer, WPS), Washington Bayhawks (lacrosse, MLL), Washington Kastles (tennis, WTT), Washington D.C. Slayers (rugby, ANRL), Baltimore Washington Eagles (football, USAFL), D.C. Divas (football, IWFL), D.C. Explosion (football, NAFL), and Washington RFC (rugby, RSL).

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Washington D.C. Music

Researching the local music scene, I decided to write down my favorite musicians and musical groups from Washington, D.C. Being fairly new to the area, I hope there's much more to come:
-DJ Kool (rap)
-Duke Ellington (jazz)
-Fugazi (emo)
-Marvin Gaye (r&b)
-Minor Threat (punk)
-Thievery Corporation (dub)

So far I think my favorite venue is Madam's Organ, and my favorite show has been Atmosphere (Blueprint, P.O.S.) at the 9:30 Club.


*If you contact Mike Webb to buy or sell a house with him, I promise he will sing for you.*

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Wakefield High School

Wakefield High School is one of three high schools in Arlington, VA. It's located one block from Alexandria and is fully accredited based on Virginia's SOL examinations. In March 2008, the school had 140 teachers to 1364 students. That amounts to just under 10 students per teacher.
Wakefield has recently pushed to encourage students to take more AP programs. The school offers the Spanish Immersion Program and views the arts (music, theater, and visual arts) as an important part of a student's learning experience. All seniors are required to to participate in a senior project prior to graduation.
On the first day of school this year, President Barack Obama gave a speech to students at Wakefield that was televised nationwide.
Wakefield's sports teams are known as the Warriors and their colors are green, white, and black. Athletically, they participate in the Virginia High School League. They play their homecoming football game against Edison this Friday at 7:30. Come to the game. You may run into Mike Webb. He's a licenced realtor who would be more than happy to talk to about buying or selling your house (between plays, of course).

Friday, September 18, 2009

Intelligent Cities

"Do you think a city is complicated enough that we can say it has a sort of intelligence?" (asofterworld.com)

Intelligent cities (communities, clusters, regions, etc...) are those territories characterized by high capacity for learning and innovation, which is built-in the creativity of their population, their institutions of knowledge creation, and their digital infrastructure for communication and knowledge management. The distinctive characteristic of intelligent cities is the increased performance in the field of innovation, because innovation and solving of new problems are distinctive features of intelligence (Komninos 2002 and 2006).

http://www.factmonster.com/us/cities/most-intelligent.html
In early 2007, Travelandleisure.com and CNN Headline News asked more than 60,000 Americans what they like—and don't like—about 25 large American cities and used the poll results to rank the cities based on a variety of topics, including most intelligent, most attractive, and best culture. Washington, D.C. is rated #4. Find a house nearby with Mike Webb.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Washington Monument

The Washington Monument is one of the most recognizable structures in the world. Built to commemorate the United States' first president, George Washington, the obelisk is made of marble, granite, and sandstone and stands at over 555 feet tall at the end of the National Mall. It is the tallest structure in Washington, D.C. and the tallest purely stone structure in the world. Designed by Robert Mills, it's construction, started in 1848, took almost 40 years and was halted for a period during the American Civil War.
You can visit the monument anytime, but in order to take the elevator to the top for an amazing view you can pick up a free ticket at the Washington Monument Lodge on 15th Street. These tickets are first come-first serve and are for same-day use only, so get them early because the Monument is open from 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. between Labor Day and Memorial Day.
When you look out over D.C. and the surrounding areas, you have the perfect view to pick out a house. Make sure to call Mike Webb to see when you can move in.

http://www.nps.gov/wamo/index.htm

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Autumn in Virginia

Virginia has so much to offer during the colorful months of fall. Between seasonal activities such as picking apples, meandering through a cornmaze, or choosing the right pumpkin, and the spectacular sights and stunning views, like the vibrant foliage on the National Scenic Byways or a firey skyline over the Blue Ridge Mountains, you can experience all of Virginia's autumn transformations with your family and friends. Now is a great time to be part of the changes around you. Advance yourself by buying a beautiful and affordable house in Northern Virginia with Mike Webb.

http://www.virginia.org/fall/home.asp