Back Alley Behind the RNC

There is a whole neighborhood hidden behind the RNC. Actually all around DC there are back alleys with hidden gems - we just never paid any attention to them. We just watched a program about them on TV the other day. It is quite remarkable. What I thought was a regular back alley that had garage doors on each side with just enough space for a car to drive through were small homes with front doors and a lot of activity. Some of the garage doors were beautiful paintings. Some of the regular doors were artwork that was created over time due to natural evolution. Of course there are always several garbage cans. I think I liked the worker who was taking a break atop the lumber of some construction project that was about to begin. From the inside one could see the RNC - where dignitaries oftentimes escape the paparazzi - and the Library of Congress. It makes me wonder what all went on in these spaces over the last couple hundred years. We will have to keep our eyes open for more of these places. It will be interesting to see what goes on there.  

A Garage Door With No Garage

From the front it looked like most other garage doors. But once we looked again from the side it looked like something was missing. It is very difficult to find parking on Capitol Hill. Behind the townhouses are alleys. And in those alleys one can find a lot of interesting ways to manage the space. Some homeowners use it for patios and gardens, some for parking alone, or a combination of both. But because they are tucked away behind the houses, the oddities are hidden. The building codes around here are also quite strict, as one might imagine. So it was with interest that we noticed this garage door that had no garage. Perhaps it was because it was located on a main street, but also because it seemed really out of place. It certainly did not meet my idea of preserving an historic neighborhood. And it is more than likely this is the intended outcome. In our experience with garages, the idea was to keep the car out of the elements and store junk. Perhaps this person just wanted a remote controlled door.