Tucked away in Fairfax County, Virginia’s extensive park network is one by the name of Brookfield. Fairfax Park Authority maintains an abundance of green space that shields this urbanized county from a state of near 100% buildout. With 43,000 acres managed by either the County, the Commonwealth of Virginia, the regional system (NOVA Parks), or
Whether it offers breathtaking natural features, a historic landmark, or simply a place for viewing other phenomena, a park can serve as an amazing magnet and catalyst for economic development. A destination park—usually state or national, and one that typically requires admission fees to enter—can yield such spinoff economic benefits that it invigorates the neighboring
In an era when almost every interstate exit offers the requisite gas/food/lodging, what is the function of publicly financed rest areas? I ponder this subject not because I have any major beef with their existence. I still use rest areas fairly often and have featured more than a few in my blog. Though most operate
Rarely a day goes by without a collective crie de coeur regarding the housing affordability crisis. Less visible, perhaps in some respects because it is in some respects a niche subset, is the lodging crisis—a shortage of temporary, leased, overnight accommodations with varying amenities attached to the lodging purchase. This shortfall, no doubt, in part
The designers of the Wilkes Street Tunnel surely didn’t expect that its novelty would someday elevate it into a tourist attraction. For over a century, it was functional infrastructure. But in 2025, what more could anyone call it? After all, it contributed to the economy of Alexandria, Virginia as a segment within an early railway,
I hate to title a blog article with superlatives, because they’re so often redolent of clickbait. Everyone knows an example: “the biggest box office flop”, “the most dangerous bridge”, “the ugliest dog”, “the heaviest married couple”. Guinness Breweries managed to build a spinoff empire out of its initial 1955 Book of Records, which according to
In some respects, it’s a tale of two streets. But since it’s actually one y-axis on the grid that comprises downtown Columbia, South Carolina, it’s not so much two main streets as an age-old distinction between north and south: two sides of Main Street. The north side of Main protrudes from one direction of the
This is a slight subject—or, rather, two subjects—which I am somewhat forcibly conflating. But it’s not an unfamiliar topic for this blog, and I keep coming back to it because it’s so rich with semantic potential: specifically, it’s the organization and branding of public restrooms. The only major reason this cluster of photos gets bunched
Continuing the spirit of the previous blog post—surveying big buildings and extolling those that look good from all angles—I migrate this time for a brief look at a building in my hometown that has always captivated me and certainly achieves minor landmark status. Most other visitors to Indianapolis who have lingered in this neighborhood have
In a move that was probably a huge shock to about four dozen people, World of Beer (WoB), the craft beer aficionado’s dream chain, closed its Indianapolis location shortly after New Year’s Day 2024. Due in no small part to the devastating effect of COVID-19 lockdowns on the restaurant industry, World of Beer is one
Tucked away in Fairfax County, Virginia’s extensive park network is one by the name of Brookfield. Fairfax Park Authority maintains an abundance of green space that shields this urbanized county from a state
Whether it offers breathtaking natural features, a historic landmark, or simply a place for viewing other phenomena, a park can serve as an amazing magnet and catalyst for economic development. A destination park—usually
In an era when almost every interstate exit offers the requisite gas/food/lodging, what is the function of publicly financed rest areas? I ponder this subject not because I have any major beef with
Rarely a day goes by without a collective crie de coeur regarding the housing affordability crisis. Less visible, perhaps in some respects because it is in some respects a niche subset, is the
The designers of the Wilkes Street Tunnel surely didn’t expect that its novelty would someday elevate it into a tourist attraction. For over a century, it was functional infrastructure. But in 2025, what
I hate to title a blog article with superlatives, because they’re so often redolent of clickbait. Everyone knows an example: “the biggest box office flop”, “the most dangerous bridge”, “the ugliest dog”, “the
In some respects, it’s a tale of two streets. But since it’s actually one y-axis on the grid that comprises downtown Columbia, South Carolina, it’s not so much two main streets as an
This is a slight subject—or, rather, two subjects—which I am somewhat forcibly conflating. But it’s not an unfamiliar topic for this blog, and I keep coming back to it because it’s so rich
Continuing the spirit of the previous blog post—surveying big buildings and extolling those that look good from all angles—I migrate this time for a brief look at a building in my hometown that
In a move that was probably a huge shock to about four dozen people, World of Beer (WoB), the craft beer aficionado’s dream chain, closed its Indianapolis location shortly after New Year’s Day