Monthly Archives: August 2011

Places With History

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August 31, 2011, Washington, DC: I like places with a past, cities with history. But Washington is rare in that it possesses both a local history and a national one. Washington is the keeper of our national story. While there are times that gets annoying (ie, class trips clogging sidewalks), there are times we can appreciate our proximity to a fascinating storyline. We can appreciate stopping into a museum on a frigid winter morning, and we can appreciate summer nights like last night, when we took a jog down to our nation’s newest memorial, a tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr.

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Hometown Southport: Hurricane Irene

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August 28, 2011, Washington, DC: A few days ago I reflected on the serene end of summer in my hometown of Southport, Ct. It was a different story there this morning. My parents’ house off the harbor weathered the storm well, but here’s what they documented today on Harbor Road after high tide following Hurricane Irene.

All photos credited to Beth Barrett.

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Shelter From The Storm

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August 27, 2011, Washington, DC: This is one of those days when we are reminded of the most basic reason to appreciate our homes. During a natural disaster like an earthquake or a hurricane (or this time both in the same week), we are reminded that it’s a luxury to spend time discussing the “extras” and instead return to the most fundamental reason to love where we live. We are gently, or sometimes jarringly, reminded to first and foremost cherish home because it is a roof over our heads. It keeps us dry. It gives us shelter.

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Two Bikes, Two Boats and An Earthquake

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August 23, 2011, Washington, DC: Living in cities, I’ve often given thought to how I’d get out of dodge when catastrophe strikes. I’ve concluded the best way getaway would be to hop on a bike or lace up my running shoes. I think I first imagined these scenarios while driving through the Lincoln Tunnel. The thought of ever being stuck there in a car really made an impression.

Today I inadvertently had a chance to test my transportation theories following our East Coast earthquake. The lesson: In the event of an emergency, follow your gut and take anything but the car.

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Repeat Travel: August in Saratoga

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August 22, 2011: This is the first in a series of travelogues featuring great places through the eyes of people who choose to return there time and time again. These people are not tourists, nor are they locals. They are repeat travelers who intimately know their destinations — not as home, but as a place on the map that repeatedly urges them to pack their bags.

Would you like to contribute to Neighborhood Nomad? If so, let me know.

The Place: Saratoga Springs, New York

The Traveler: Beth (Three cheers for mom!)

When do you visit: Every August

What made you first decide to go here? What keeps you coming back?
August means I get to toss a small duffle in the car and head to Saratoga Springs, NY, with my husband David who loves the trip even more than I do. He started going to the Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course  with four of his college friends in 1974 and to this day it’s an annual trip for them. He and I go the weekend prior.

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Shore Style

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August 21, 2011, New Jersey Shore: What is it that draws us to the coast? Is it the grey shingled homes that blend in here by the dunes, so steadily weathering the rain and wind? Is it the salty breeze off the water? The grilled seafood dinners on a screened in porch?

We are drawn to the shore for both its style and its lifestyle. But we also come here because the coast is a place where it’s easy to feel like our best selves.

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