52Frames Door Weekly Photo Challenge

It was really hard to make a choice for this week’s 52Frames weekly photo challenge. The subject was “door” so that meant a trip to Old Town Alexandria where there are doors of every size and shape. The problem was is that my husband had a favorite and so did I. I was also experimenting with black and white with a pop of color. He liked the old grungy door in front of a shop on King Street; I liked the blue and green doors on a very crooked and old house in the neighborhood. In between were so many other beautiful doors and colors and backdrops including a fire boat on the Potomac River and so many others that we found while strolling along the sidewalks of a town established in the 1700’s. Old town is one of our favorite places to visit because there is always something to see. I ended up submitting the old crooked house. It was a composite image made up of three layers - the original image in black and white and two more layers for each color door. The sign post was edited out of the front to make it less distracting. It would be nice to get selected this week. But I won’t hold my breath. It was quite a project. My husband is such a good sport about helping me not only take the photos by driving and walking to all of these places, but also critiquing them. We usually don’t agree and this time I overruled him. It usually doesn’t work to my advantage. 

Old Town Waterfront

I decided to take a week off from morning walks until my foot felt better. It’s been about two months since this horrible plantar fasciitis attacked both feet out of nowhere - at least that’s what I think it is. Luckily the right foot got better, but the left foot is still very painful in spite of exercise, ice, walking shoes made specifically for this purpose, and foot splints worn during the day and night. So we decided to take a ride to Old Town Alexandria and sit on a shaded bench in front of a pedestrian path that overlooks the Potomac River. We thought we would enjoy the view for a half an hour or so before we went to Royal restaurant for breakfast. I thought I’d take the opportunity to get some photos for the weekly photo challenge too. So I held my iPhone in the same position and took several photos of whoever walked, ran, or rode by. I took many more photos than are shown here with the idea of eventually putting them all in to one composite image. I still haven’t been to see a podiatrist about this problem because everyone I’ve spoken to said it takes several months to heal. I do miss walking every morning and it can be most discouraging when you think it’s getting better and then it starts all over again. So we haven’t been going to our routine spots because of the extreme heat and now this. Between my husband and me we have been a couple of live wires since the pandemic. Our lives have changed - and I don’t like it. 

Cooling Station in Old Town Alexandria

It was hot as hell over the last few weeks. It felt more like Florida than Virginia. We hadn’t been to town because of the heat and the urban jungle, but decided to give Old Town Alexandria a try because it was by the waterfront. We figured at least we might benefit from a cool breeze? Well, it was still hot as hell and we cut the walk short, and stayed on the shady side of the walkways on our way back to the car. One of the most interesting elements was an unusual looking cooling station. It was like a piece of art/sculpture that was set up by the marina right past the Torpedo Factory on the waterfront. It was a huge sphere that had what looked like steam emanating from it. But it was actually water droplets that weren’t drenching you as you passed by it. We had seen the sculpture being put in place a few weeks back but didn’t know it was actually a functional piece of work. The timing could not have been more perfect! 

Old Town Alexandria Walkabout

It’s been a while since we visited Old Town Alexandria. So we drove in for a morning walk last week - and of course, always order take out at Vaso’s Kitchen, park at Gravelly Point, watch the planes and eat a slice or two of pizza. But before we do that we park at Founders Park at the waterfront and start the walk. It’s so familiar to us that it’s almost like we live there. We have been visiting Old Town since before we moved to DC seventeen years ago! It’s always a treat to start along the Potomac River path and then meander along the storied streets of the town where George Washington had a townhouse. Mount Vernon is just a short way from there. There was an interesting sculpture that had water spraying from it - perfect for the dog days of summer. The silver and golden wild flowers flanked the scene. The flower boxes were filled with the best of flowers that will soon be cascading down the fronts and sides. A sure sign of summer are the magnolias that hint at southern charm. Of course the steep stair cases to the houses in town are daunting, but look nice as long as you don’t have to scale them. While waiting for our food order to be prepared we take a few minutes to sit on a bench in the shade and watch the activity - people, dogs and boats on the river. It’s always such a pleasant time. 

The Other Way in Old Town Alexandria

We usually visit Old Town Alexandria at least once a month for a morning walk. We generally take the path along the waterfront and then criss cross up and down past the stately old homes and townhouses. But yesterday we decided to go the other way. I read somewhere that there was a Washington Monument somewhere along the way - and we did find the miniature version. So we headed towards the airport where you can see the Capitol and the real Washington Monument in the distance. This path is the same one that winds all the way down to Mount Vernon along the Potomac River. There are a lot of new condominiums this way and everything starts to look the same after a while. There used to be some locks here to lift boats up and down - particularly during the civil war. There is also a very ugly and rusty old power plant that looks to have been there quite some time. The pathway is surrounded by a bird cage - perhaps to not get hit by any falling debris? We took the higher ground back towards the car where the old railroad track cuts through the town. After the walk we sat by the water in Founders Park and ordered pizza and chicken from Vaso’s Kitchen - a habit when we are in the area. After picking the food up we drove on to Gravelly Point to watch the planes land and have a bit of lunch. I don’t think we will probably walk that way again. But it was good to check it out for a change of pace. 

Old Town Alexandria Christmas

Every year around this time we always take a drive to Old Town, Alexandria. Aside from that we drive in about every month or so for a morning walk since we moved to northern Virginia almost five years ago. Many years ago we stayed in Old Town for Christmas because we were visiting family who lived in the area. That was before we moved to Capitol Hill seventeen years ago and Old Town became a favorite lunch destination. We love walking along the waterfront, and then return to the car via the beautiful historic streets. All of the townhouses and row houses are lovely. And they are decorated so nicely for Christmas. One can only imagine what has gone on in this place. George Washington had a home here along with so many other prominent figures. So it’s a treat to meander down the sidewalks and cobblestones and get a glimpse of time gone by. And at Christmas time it is worth the visit.