Beware of the speed camera.....

Saturday night I was leafing through the mail and found an envelope addressed to me from the District of Columbia. Strange. Why would they be mailing me something? Turns out it was a speeding ticket! From a speed camera! On I-295! Around Exit 2. From Friday, June 4, 2010, at 6:38 PM.

I couldn't believe it. But there was a picture of Lola and my license plate and everything. It seems I was going 61 MPH in a 50 MPH zone. Now I am not denying that I was most likely going around 60 MPH at that place in time. No one does the speed limit on this stretch of I-295. Which of course doesn't justify speeding. I was on my way to pick up the boys trying to get to Baltimore-Washington Parkway and get ahead of the traffic; which is always a nightmare on Friday evenings.

No way I could get out of this ticket and no points were being put on my license. So this morning I wrote a check (for $125) and mailed it. But it still erks me that I got a ticket in my mail.

So for those of you travel on I-295 in the District.....beware of the speed camera....it will get you when you least expect it. Or just travel in a pack of cars. The information on the camera said it couldn't work if there were multiple cars present!

Summer Entertainment Series

Well if you just don't learn something new everyday. Fairfax County has a Summer Entertainment Series that lasts through September in the major parks throughout the county. And after looking at the line-ups the acts aren't just local. Even the Steep Canyon Rangers will be performing....for free!!!!! So going to that concernt on July 22, 2010.

Check out the website if you are in the area. I'm sure there will be something for your to enjoy. Or you can come and join James, Joe, Jaime and I for a picnic under the stars.

Make no little plans

Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood.

--Daniel Burnham

Wednesday night Molly, Chris, and I made our way to the National Mall to watch a new documentary on Daniel Burnham, a gentleman some consider to be the founder of modern city planning. This was a pretty cool event since it was outside on the Mall, and it was free!

Mark your calendars for September 6, 2010. That is the national preimere of the film on PBS.

And check out Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Maddess at the Fair that Changed America. It is all about Burnham designing the Chicago's Worlds Fair contrasted against a serial killer praying on the fair goers. Really interesting. And true.

Hey You Guys!!!!

Can you believe that this month in 1985 The Goonies hit the big screen?! One of my all time favorites hands down. And luckily enough even Jaime and Joe like it too. The torch has been passed!

Check out a great article from The Washington Post on a weekend in Astoria, OR celebrating the film!

Funny enough? I have been to Astoria myself. In fall of 2005 I was in Portland for a conference. My friend Serena and I made a trek along the coast and ended up in Asotria. But it didn't really hit me where I was until we were up in the Asotria Column (and yes I walked up all 164 steps to see such an amazing view!). And then I was floored. And had a great blueberry beer at a local resturant (which if my memory serves me correct is Wet Dog Cafe). And the beach was amazing! Unlike any beach I had been on before. I went before I had a digital camera, so I have to drum up my old photos and negatives and see about getting them transfered. While we had sun/blue skies, three days later a friend went on the a conference sponsered tour, and it was cold, wet, and cloudy. We were so lucky!