I haven’t indulged in this subject for a little while, but from time to time it’s hard for me to resist: the strategy (or lack thereof) of seasonal and holiday displays at various businesses. Many businesses make it a point of greeting customers with both products that are relevant for the season, holiday, or even
I usually shy away from timely subjects because I want my articles to have staying power. And there’s no better way to do the opposite than to cover a subject “hot off the presses” with a clear, almost immediate expiration date. It generates great buzz for 48 hours…at most. Time-sensitive subjects evoke those “presses” far
Not every city of 160,000 people commissions a nationally-recognized architect for its library, unless it’s the state capitol or largest city. Within the Commonwealth of Virginia, Alexandria is neither of these, but its proximity to the nation’s capital, its popularity among tourists, its historical importance, and—there can be no denying—its affluence have helped ensure that
Back in March, I stuck my leg out with an article that I expected to generate a “much ado about nothing” or “marking a mountain out of a molehill” response. I do have that tendency. I had stumbled upon an unusual stairway configuration during a visit to the North Dakota State Capitol complex in Bismarck.
Potomac Mills, in the heart of the vast Washington DC suburbia that is Northern Virginia, continues to show remarkable resiliency amidst the widespread decline of many—perhaps even most—conventional enclosed shopping malls. Dead and dying malls are, obviously, a familiar subject on this blog; even from the earliest days in the late 2000s, I explored Lafayette
As a general rule I avoid subjects that are extremely timely, that reflect current events as they unfold. First of all, I prefer topics that have more staying power, which is something that rarely characterizes breaking news. Secondly, this blog is always only a side hustle, and, when I begin an article, I never know
Through this blog, I strive to be a “noticer”. In many instances, no doubt, I’m realizing shifts or trends that unfolded many years ago, either so slowly that almost everyone failed to notice them (the boiling frog condition), or I’m just slow at catching on. Hopefully not the latter, and preferably neither, as far as
December 2025 has proven to be the most challenging and taxing month for meeting my blogging objectives in at least six years; I rarely struggle to get my five obligatory articles completed like I did here at the end of the year. I am not going to allow January to give me these same challenges,
I can’t claim I relish gruesome subjects, but when they’re as salacious as last month’s Exorcist steps, it was hard to resist. (And, I’ll admit, I needed an easy topic right before Halloween as I scrambled to meet my quota of articles before an extended trip overseas.) Most of the time, though, when I approach
It’s been less than a year since my article on the The Block, a small food hall in Annandale, Virginia (part of the affluent Fairfax County suburbs of Washington DC) generated a fair amount of buzz—at least by my blog’s modest standards. At that time I pointed out that The Block had bucked the trends
I haven’t indulged in this subject for a little while, but from time to time it’s hard for me to resist: the strategy (or lack thereof) of seasonal and holiday displays at various
I usually shy away from timely subjects because I want my articles to have staying power. And there’s no better way to do the opposite than to cover a subject “hot off the
Not every city of 160,000 people commissions a nationally-recognized architect for its library, unless it’s the state capitol or largest city. Within the Commonwealth of Virginia, Alexandria is neither of these, but its
Back in March, I stuck my leg out with an article that I expected to generate a “much ado about nothing” or “marking a mountain out of a molehill” response. I do have
Potomac Mills, in the heart of the vast Washington DC suburbia that is Northern Virginia, continues to show remarkable resiliency amidst the widespread decline of many—perhaps even most—conventional enclosed shopping malls. Dead and
As a general rule I avoid subjects that are extremely timely, that reflect current events as they unfold. First of all, I prefer topics that have more staying power, which is something that
Through this blog, I strive to be a “noticer”. In many instances, no doubt, I’m realizing shifts or trends that unfolded many years ago, either so slowly that almost everyone failed to notice
December 2025 has proven to be the most challenging and taxing month for meeting my blogging objectives in at least six years; I rarely struggle to get my five obligatory articles completed like
I can’t claim I relish gruesome subjects, but when they’re as salacious as last month’s Exorcist steps, it was hard to resist. (And, I’ll admit, I needed an easy topic right before Halloween
It’s been less than a year since my article on the The Block, a small food hall in Annandale, Virginia (part of the affluent Fairfax County suburbs of Washington DC) generated a fair