Journeys to the Heart of Fairfax
From: The Washington Post Date: April 24, 2008 More results for: traffic congestion
The question was what would readers suggest that someone new to Fairfax -- or not new
but not well versed in the area -- do or see to get a real Fairfax experience. Or what would
they like to see changed? The answers came slowly at first and then in a torrent, from
Lorton to Great Falls, Herndon to Springfield, from residents with many years -- even
generations -- of Fairfax experience to relative newcomers. Some are retired. Some work
in the District, others in the county. Still others were somewhat vague about just where
they worked, as you might expect in an area with lots of high- security jobs. Some had
little kids, and some had children who were grown and had moved away, or who had
stayed near. Some had grandkids. Their collective wisdom offered these snippets of
suggestions, musings or irritations. A couple of them wrote in Realtorese; some wrote
succinctly, even tersely, in bullet form; and others offered a sense of fluid narrative. All
offered insights, tips and different ways of looking at life in this county of well more than
a million people.
--BOB SAMSOT
I've lived in Fairfax County more than 40 years, but I remember very clearly words from
another Air Force wife, way back then: "There are some places in Fairfax County that
you just can't get to from where you are! You have to go back and start over!"
My advice to newcomers: Get a book of street maps of Northern Virginia. They can be
purchased at most groceries or drugstores. Mark your new home with a big black X.
Locate major shopping centers and circle them with a red marker. As you find a food
store you are familiar with, go to your maps and mark its location with another color.
Then do the same with schools, churches, banks, doctors, restaurants. Choose any colors
you wish, but keep a "code" inside the book, in case you forget.
Your homework will pay off many times over!
Ardith B. Kramer
Springfield
Kramer and her husband have used this approach to navigate cities, states and countries
in their assignments.
In spring 2005, faculty and students spotted a copper metal butterfly on a fence post
between two classroom buildings. A new feature was underway at Northern Virginia
Community College's Annandale campus. Known as the Butterfly Memorial Garden, it is
designed to attract native butterflies. Staff and volunteers of NVCC's department of
recreation, parks and leisure studies devote talent and energy to caring for it year-round.
Plants include buddleia (butterfly bush), joe-pye weed, bee balm and Shasta daisy.
Among the butterfly species likely to appear are monarchs and painted ladies. Last
spring, two park-style benches were installed in the garden, along with two butterfly
houses and a copper disk atop a slender pole about three feet high, a mud bath for
butterflies. The garden has grown abundantly in size and popularity. What's more:
NVCC's Annandale campus was certified in May 2006 as a backyard habitat by the
National Wildlife Federation.
Shirley Nuhn
Oakton
Nuhn is on the NVCC faculty and says the garden is a place she cherishes for peace at
times of stress, a sign that there is always something hopeful.
We love our neighborhood in Annandale, between Braddock Road and Route 236. We're
close to lots of grocery stores and shopping malls. But something is missing: nice
restaurants. There are about three, and all the rest are Asian, fast-food or pizza shops.
Please, there is an empty store at Braddock and Backlick. We all would love to see an
Old Country Buffet there or [one of many other chain-owned family restaurants]. Thanks
for letting me sound off.
Betty McGuire
Annandale
McGuire has lived here 30 years and has reared five children.
I moved to Fairfax County from Richmond in 2002, having lived in Manassas and
Stafford County. I was happy to be back in the Northern Virginia area. In the past few
years, we have moved south to Lorton.
I love where we are. . . . I feel comfortable walking to all that I need. The fact that I can
drive to Springfield and then take Metro to take advantage of much this area has to offer
is a thrill.
Fairfax County has an excellent library and park system. Being a history buff, I find a lot
to see and do.
One of the biggest weaknesses in the county is the lack of affordable housing for middleclass workers and retirees. Unfortunately, rents are high and are pushing many of us out.
The county must address housing for others who have difficulty finding affordable rental
property in a safe environment.
Finally, I am thrilled that the leaders of Fairfax County are not giving in to the region's
fears regarding undocumented workers. I am very happy I made the move to Fairfax
County.
Louise H. Werner-Rhoades
Lorton
Werner-Rhoades taught in the state corrections department, volunteers at Lorton's library
and worries about how literate society will be in years to come.
As a mother of a 4-year-old, I absolutely love the opportunities available to my family.
Between the great school systems and the community activities, you can't beat Fairfax
County. In particular, the Fairfax County parks program through Parktakes is just great.
We work full time, but there are still so many options available to us for our son. He has
done swimming, gymnastics, soccer and art. Now he's in karate. The cost is very
reasonable. We are also fortunate to have such a high-level preschool in the county.
Patty Richter
Springfield
Richter and her husband, John, work in the District.
Many bus stops are littered with trash. An easy solution would be to have a receptacle
next to the sign. More difficult is implementing an education program to counter littering.
Maybe these businesses [whose workers litter] could initiate in-house programs to teach
their workers.
Camille Sabourin
Reston
Sabourin says she notices the trash particularly when she walks her dog.
After 20 years in the military, we decided to come to the metro area for a second career. I
must say, we weren't disappointed. The Realtor told us we had landed in "the best spot in
town." We were impressed with the lovely tree-lined streets, the way residents cared for
their homes and how polite everybody was. We were promised good schools and weren't
disappointed. The trash was picked up when promised, the police helped when needed
and medical facilities were easily accessible.
But all those things that attracted us have somehow mutated. George Mason University
has exploded, and students are no longer community activists. Our neighbors are still the
best, but occasionally a renegade won't be a part of the team. Traffic is a nightmare. The
good quality of life that brought us here has been lowered considerably. We will stay
because we have established our way of life. And our beautiful daughter [Diana, who
loved Robinson Secondary, where she went to school] is buried in the cemetery close by.
We can't leave her alone.
Jean Dempsey
Fairfax
Dempsey is a historical interpreter at Mount Vernon.
I live near George Mason University and love living in Fairfax County. There are so
many entertainment possibilities, [including] movies, live theater and wonderful
restaurants. We're two hours from the mountains and four hours from the beach. We're
also fortunate to have more than seven grocery chains to choose from, which keeps prices
competitive.
What I feel great shame about is that the richest county in Virginia looks like a trash heap
with all those ugly plastic advertisement signs (and political ones as well). The names
and phone numbers are on these signs. Hire a few people to photograph them, impose
fines and monitor the roadways until this situation is remedied. Plant wildflowers in
suburban medians, eliminating the need to mow during the summertime.
Francis McCollum
Fairfax
McCollum is retired.
I live in a retirement community in Springfield. I am thankful every day to be here. I am
glad that the slow wheels of bureaucracy have turned steadily forward to allow my
community to be built. I am glad I come from a generation that puts a priority on civic
responsibility.
In spite of the occasional human errors, I am glad that it is safe for me to vote, and I can
feel certain that my vote counts. I am thankful that in an increasingly frightening world, I
feel some security.
Thank you, Virginia -- Fairfax County -- Springfield -- Greenspring Retirement
Community!
Kay Cumbie
Springfield
Cumbie was widowed a year ago; she remembers that, as a young pastor's wife, she
traveled across one-lane bridges on Braddock Road to visit church prospects who had dirt
floors and no electricity. She says her money would go further if she lived elsewhere, but
she loves "every square inch of Northern Virginia."
Huntington Forest:
119 detached homes built in 1982 sitting atop a hill, no drive- thru traffic, 2 streets and 3
cul-de-sacs . . .
Besides the excellent Fx Cnty public schools, we have a private Montessori school right
in the middle of our neighborhood.
The longest street is Gentle Lane, a street very appropriately named.
Lots of neighbors walking dogs and young families pushing strollers.
Kids outside shooting hoops, riding bikes & trikes.
Community picnics, friendly neighbors.
I've lived here for 25 years, since the houses were built, and I haven't found a better place
to live (and I'm a Realtor).
Rita McCauley-Redmond
Alexandria section
McCauley-Redmond lives on Gentle Lane.
As asphalt spreads and the county reaches "buildout," natural jewels become more
important. Dyke Marsh is one such jewel, described by U.S. Sen. John W. Warner as "a
magnificent little oasis."
At 380 acres, it is one of the last tidal wetlands on the Potomac. Congress designated it as
a nature preserve "so that fish and wildlife development and their preservation as wetland
wildlife habitat shall be paramount." It has 300 known species of plants, 6,000
arthropods, 38 fish, 16 reptiles, 14 amphibians and more than 230 birds.
Dyke Marsh provides services: flood control, water-quality enhancement, habitat, fish
nursery, shoreline stabilization, carbon storage and aesthetic enjoyment.
It has been excavated, dumped in and invaded by exotics. After 50 years, the National
Park Service is moving to restore Dyke Marsh because it is a national treasure 5,000 to
7,000 years old and one of the most significant temperate, tidal, freshwater, riverine
marshes in the park system.
It is "the nearest thing to primeval wilderness in the immediate vicinity of the city," wrote
naturalist Louis Halle in 1947. Despite its wounds, still today, visitors can savor a slice of
wilderness in Dyke Marsh.
Glenda Booth
Tauxemont community
Booth, president of Friends of Dyke Marsh, considers herself lucky that she can walk to
Dyke Marsh from her home.
Of the many county, regional, state and national parks in the Washington area, the finest
is Huntley Meadows Park.
Its 1,400-plus acres boast an extensive freshwater wetland, along with mixed hardwood
and softwood bottomland forest and brushy fields.
The wetland was formed by beaver activity and is now crossed by a boardwalk built to
modern accessibility standards. An attractive visitor center has outdoor bird feeders,
interpretive displays and classrooms.
Huntley Meadows is home to a wealth of wildlife. The park's list of bird sightings
encompasses more than 200 species. Volunteer- staffed nest box programs support
breeding wood ducks, hooded mergansers and Eastern bluebirds. Checklists for reptiles
and amphibians number more than three dozen species, including six kinds of turtles.
The park is a refuge of green and quiet surrounded by bustling suburbia.
David L. Gorsline
Reston
Gorsline is an applications software developer who has lived in the county since 1983.
Road repair: On Rolling Road South, at the overpass over Fairfax County and FranconiaSpringfield parkways, the road is very bumpy from two blocks north to two blocks south
of the overpass.
John Sherman
West Springfield
Sherman is a full-time volunteer.
I think the emergency alert network, www.fairfaxcounty.gov/cean, is one of the great
things about Fairfax County. You can get the weather or school or disaster alerts that you
want or need via e- mail or cellphone.
The writer preferred to pass along the tip anonymously.
My husband and I have lived in an apartment in the Landmark area, in a townhouse in
Lake Braddock, in a house in Fox Mill Estates (Herndon), and for the past 221/2 years in
a house near Woodson High School, east of Fairfax City. I worked in a variety of
capacities for the schools for 23 years, and my children attended county schools.
Great aspects:
Wide variety of amenities, including the parks, libraries, activities at George Mason
University, D.C. museums, theater and historical sites -- and many activities are free.
Excellent schools. I know how hard the personnel work, and I can say my children got
outstanding educations. I also know that there are programs for students with varying
needs.
Great variety of shopping (I am not a gung-ho shopper, but when I want something, it's
there), including shopping centers, town centers and now the new Fairfax City center.
Restaurants with variety and excellence. You can find American as well as all kinds of
ethnic restaurants, inexpensive ones as well as those that you will reserve for special
occasions.
Lots of opportunities for volunteer work.
Taxes that seem reasonable, considering the services we get.
A variety of housing, although some might consider that housing is difficult to find for
lower-income people.
Less desirable aspects:
High cost of living; on the other hand, there are lots of free amenities at parks and
libraries and in the District.
Bad traffic in some areas; I have to drive Route 66 to see my father, and that's the one
road I would avoid if I could.
Public transportation: We need that light rail or subway out to Dulles Airport so badly.
Western Fairfax County got badly shortchanged when Metro was built.
People new to the area should become acquainted with their local schools (attend PTA
meetings, visit the school, go on field trips with your children if you can); visit local
parks to see their offerings (in summertime, for example, several have farmers markets,
as well as year-round programs for children, athletics, pools and gyms); use our libraries;
and walk around our communities, because you see so much more when you walk.
Well over 200 words: What do you expect from an educator?
Christel Payne
Fairfax
Payne has retired from her school career and describes her life as that of an active retiree.
Need peace and quiet? Go to the Potomac River. I walk my dog along and volunteer to
maintain the Potomac Heritage Trail entering Fairfax County at Chain Bridge and
traveling five miles upstream to the Beltway bridge.
But the Potomac River-based parks extend even farther upstream: Scotts Run Nature
Preserve, Great Falls National Park and Riverbend county park. Watch migrating ducks
and geese, or follow cormorants diving during the upstream run of shad in the spring. Just
keep a lookout for the passing bald eagle that seldom lingers but glides up and down the
river.
Bruce Glendening
McLean
Glendening, a lawyer with the Federal Aviation Administration, said his two kids grew
up with many experiences on the trail.
Edgar Allan Poe Middle School in Annandale deserves a special mention. This school
has unbelievably attentive, enthusiastic and competent staff. I have been amazed that, at a
school of this size, the staff personally know my child and, from what I observe, make a
point of getting to know every child.
I get weekly e-mails with grade updates, lesson plans and other communications.
The variety of after-school activities is vast, something to involve everyone! This school
makes Annandale a wonderful place for young teenagers.
Angel Douglas
Annandale
Douglas and her husband have three teens, ages 18, 17 and 13. He works at the Pentagon,
she for the intelligence community.
What I like about Fairfax County:
The parks and recreation centers.
The elementary and secondary public schools that do a superior job and help attract top
professional parents. And we have well- regarded postsecondary schools, too, from
Northern Virginia Community College to the four-year colleges and universities.
The access to historical sites.
The proximity to the District, far enough out to avoid the city problems, near enough to
enjoy the rest.
Metro -- great for getting into the city and to Reagan National Airport.
Great places to shop, including the farmers markets.
What I dislike:
The traffic.
The difficulty in getting from place to place by public transportation.
The sameness of our architecture. Diversity would be more interesting.
The squabbling about getting more Metrorail routes built.
Mary Margaret Gates
North Springfield
Gates retired from teaching to be a Realtor.
I was born into a military family at Fort Belvoir in the 1950s and have traveled around
the world. I have since returned to Fairfax County. The Fairfax County Parkway was a
major asset, connecting the Alexandria area with Route 66 and points north. I have
enjoyed the addition of the Franconia-Springfield Metro station for easy access to the
District.
I have found Burke Lake Park enjoyable for picnicking or just a nice walk around the
lake in all seasons. Huntley Meadows Park is a good place to view wildlife.
I live in Kingstowne, which in the past 10 years has developed to include a host of
restaurants, a multiplex theater, shops, a post office, an emergency clinic and several
major grocery stores. There are a lot of hiking trails and bike paths throughout a wellmaintained community.
Brenda Geist
Kingstowne
Geist is retired from government work.
Fairfax County may have its share of traffic problems, but it also has a method, at least at
the neighborhood level, available for residents to ameliorate some of those problems.
With some effort, a single citizen can lead his or her community in calming vehicle
traffic that is affecting the safety or quality of life in a particular area. Although it might
require a lengthy and cumbersome effort to circulate petitions, publicize and conduct
community meetings, distribute ballots and convince neighbors to vote, ultimately the
county process can work. For example, the main road leading into my neighborhood in
Springfield has hills on which drivers would gain speed on the descent and maintain that
high speed on the flat stretch into the neighborhood.
We succeeded in using the county's Residential Traffic Administration Program to get
speed tables, warning signs and road markings installed. Speeding has all but
disappeared, and we feel safer. It takes determination, but the method is available.
Pat Shaw
Springfield
Shaw, an Air Force colonel on duty at the National Defense University in the District, has
two daughters in Fairfax County schools.
What is Annandale?
This was not a question when the Navy transferred our family here 38 years ago, and my
wife set about finding us the right place to live. A map showed it inside the Beltway near
Columbia Pike, an avenue with a bus line straight to my new office in the Navy Annex
overlooking the Pentagon. She pointed out that we were close, but not too close, to
everything: a Beltway to zip around going one way to the mountains and the other to the
sea, Old Town Alexandria with antique shops and bistros where we could hang out, and
Landmark and Tysons on both sides of us to help spend our money. You can't beat
location to the third power.
Today we are in our third house in Annandale, an old sailor's final hammock in a long
line of 17. We have made every community our home town. And then one day I read an
article in The Washington Post about Annandale and discovered that to some, we were
just a place name, a location, and not a real home town at all.
The author called Annandale a "state of mind." That was not bad; it was meant as a
compliment. I went on to learn that we were really citizens of Fairfax County. Fairfax
County didn't have home towns. It had Zip codes.
Zip codes are quite handy in moving the mail. They are not home towns.
So I did what the newspaper suggested, act on my state of mind. It is how you think and
what you do that matters. And I found lots of people doing real things. There was an
Annandale Beautification Committee laboring to make our "downtown" look good (isn't
it fun picking up cigarette butts?). There was a Chamber of Commerce and its Fall Parade
showcasing excitement and advertising diversity. The Korean American community's
annual cultural festival. A spring carnival and bed race to raise money for the community.
Summer concerts, trails to walk and places to swim. A library, churches, terrific schools.
We aren't missing a thing.
If the Great Oz can give a tin woodman, a scarecrow and a lion what it takes to have a
heart, brains and courage, we can give our Zip code what it takes to make a home.
So I strung it all together, added up all the bragging rights and good stuff that is here, and
declared Annandale my new "home town."
Dan McKinnon
Annandale
McKinnon is retired from the Navy and calls himself the CEO of ProBono because of his
many volunteer activities.
The year-round art shows at Green Spring Gardens Park are a very well-kept secret.
There are two venues: the historic manor house and the new Horticulture Center. It is a
much-overlooked art source. It is a delightful day out to enjoy art, nature and gardening,
and a year-round gold mine of information and inspiration for the home gardener. It's an
outdoor classroom for children and their families to learn about plants and wildlife. It's
also a museum, a national historic site that offers glimpses into a long, rich history with
Colonial origins.
The park is part of the Fairfax County Park Authority and includes woodlands, ponds and
display and demonstration gardens, which provide not only beauty but also ideas for
visitors to use in landscaping. The Green Spring Horticulture Center has a greenhouse
with an extensive collection of indoor plants, a large meeting or lecture room and a
horticulture reference library, all available to the public.
Practical horticulture information is provided to the public through lectures, workshops
and guided tours. Also in the park is a renovated 18th-century manor house used as an art
gallery and to host teas that include tours of the various gardens.
Jan Moffatt
Moffatt is an artist who shows her work at Green Springs occasionally and who makes
her artistic home at the Loft Gallery in Occoquan.
I grew up in central Virginia, lived nearly 20 years overseas and am now in the Falls
Church area. I do love the convenience and variety of life around here but am appalled at
the streams of cars. So much of it seems to come from people having to drive in and out
of, and even within, various shopping centers with their acres of treeless parking areas
(global warming, anyone?) and confusing proprietary entrances.
I lived in some places where the shopping centers were made up of clusters of stores
surrounded by the parking lot, the opposite of the pattern here of the buildings
surrounding the parking.
I'm not talking about enclosed malls, but covered storefront entrances such as what you
find at the Leesburg Corner outlets. At the shopping centers around Baileys Crossroads, I
end up driving between the Safeway and Borders, or Kinko's and Old Navy! At least
Baileys Crossroads Center has some trees to help lower the summer temperatures.
Furthermore, proprietary entrances for each property require us consumers to get on and
off Route 7 or Arlington Boulevard or Wilson Boulevard, etc., thereby adding to the
general traffic disruptions.
And because we are all sitting in our cars, there is less and less feeling of community or
human interaction, adding to the soulless nature of Northern Virginia. After all, we all
immediately respond to the small-town feel of Leesburg and the city of Falls Church.
Perhaps we can try adding even a smidgen of this feeling to the rest of the county, so that
we don't end up looking like northern New Jersey.
I realize that private-property rights determine many of these problems, but wouldn't it be
nice if the county encouraged developers to reduce traffic, plant some trees and work
with their neighbors to provide secondary access roads?
And wouldn't it be nice if we could add a little nature to our environment, in the shape of
a few trees? There are sound environmental reasons for reducing the high levels of
warming produced by all the cars and tarmac. And taking the long view, even in times of
budgetary stress, will add long-term value to our lives and our state.
Anne Sheerin
Falls Church
Sheerin has two children in Fairfax schools; she says it seems local authorities are doing
anything, from development to cutting down trees, to pick up a buck.
Hands down, what I like the best about Fairfax County is the vast park system. Some are
so large one can hike for hours and not see the same thing twice. Then some are as small
as a postage stamp in comparison but easily passed through on an inspiring walk in the
morning before work.
There are bicycle trails, walking trails, sports fields, concerts, off-leash dog areas and
farmers markets. There is so much Fairfax parks offer to everyone. It's nice on a day off
to be within a few minutes' walk or drive to visit a well-maintained park.
Candace Kiman
Falls Church
Kiman is a native Washingtonian and florist whose passion is gardening and taking her
German shepherd for walks in the parks.
Residents of Vienna know that just beyond busy Maple Avenue (Route 123) is a vibrant
town that is pedestrian-friendly. There are many destinations to walk to in Vienna:
A Town Green that offers free entertainment in the summer and even has water fountains
for dogs.
A plethora of well-equipped playgrounds. Families come from all points to enjoy the
shade, playground equipment and sandbox stocked with toys at Meadow Lane Park.
Home-decorating shops. My favorite is Stuff, with a mix of unpretentious antiques and
old jewelry.
The Vienna Dog Park, which always yields a buddy for our golden retriever, even if it is
likely to be another dog owner willing to give her tons of pats.
A choice of four ice cream shops .
Every Thomas the Tank Engine fan should visit the Vienna Railroad Station to see the
HO-scale model railroad. Once a month, the Northern Virginia Model Railroaders open
the station. They will punch your child's ticket with his or her birth date, free.
Carolyn Ubben
Vienna
Ubben is a proud resident of Vienna.
West Springfield-Cardinal Forest Area Offers Apts, Condos, T/H, S/ F Homes With A
Price Range Of $200K-$1 mil. Elem, Intermed, H.S., Several Preschools. Places Of
Worship. Giant, Whole Foods, CVS, World Gym, Local Restr. With Outside Eating,
Misc. Shops, Fastfoods, Post Office. Medical/Dental Offices. Two Parks, One With Lake
And Trails, One Of The Best Private Golf Courses, Divisional Swim Team Pools. Metro
Buses, Trains, Slug Lines, 395, 495, Fx. County Pkwy. All This Surrounded By A
Beautiful Forest.
Maria Lawrence
Springfield
Lawrence's four children went through Fairfax schools. No surprise from her writing,
she's a full-time real estate agent.
As an 82-year-old individual and a member of the seventh generation of my family to
live in western Fairfax County (Floris Community, Herndon area) I know this is a great
area in which to live, and you have within easy reach wonderful activities to be involved
in and interesting places to go.
We are offered historic homes and history lessons, wonderful markets in season, parks to
play in, classes to take, churches of many denominations, schools known as outstanding,
access to three major airports, the U.S. government in action at our back door, an
opportunity to meet people from around the world, four seasons and weather that is not
too bad.
Margaret C. Peck
Herndon
Peck has been in and about the original 48 states and says she saw no place that seemed
better.
Fairfax County is very animal-friendly, and one of its hidden treasures is the large
number of animal rescue groups offering homeless animals for adoption.
Both newcomers and longtime residents should check out www.petfinder.com, which
lists about 1,750 dogs, an equal number of cats, and more than 200 rabbits available for
adoption in the immediate D.C. area, as well as birds, guinea pigs, hamsters, ferrets,
iguanas and many other species.
Many groups specialize in a particular breed of dog, so why spend big bucks to get a
purebred when you can use your money for dog toys and treats instead? Some local
shelters also display their animals on Petfinder.com; the situation of these animals is
critical; they will be killed if they are not adopted.
You can save a life and get a bundle of love by adopting a homeless animal.
Holly Sternberg
Annandale
Sternberg describes herself as an animal rights activist who is not a neutral bystander.
She rescues rabbits.
The things I like most about living in Fairfax:
The library system with pleasant, helpful staff.
Fairfax County Park Authority facilities, especially the RECenters for water classes and
the county and Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority outdoor facilities.
Historical properties such as Mount Vernon and many others.
Governmental access and resources.
Police and fire protection.
Restaurants and entertainment.
Broad educational opportunities for all ages.
What I dislike:
Along with everyone else, traffic congestion and its concomitant problems, such as air
pollution.
Bernice Colvard
Annandale
Colvard is retired.
I've lived in Fairfax County for 35 years. The two things I have always enjoyed are the
wonderful libraries and public parks.
Having raised a family here, we often visited local parks for picnics and playtime. Our
favorite is Frying Pan Park, where we came to visit the animals ("Why do those pigs
smell sooo bad, Mommy?") and to catch a glimpse of farm life.
And the libraries: We spent many happy hours in the children's section and left with a
bagful of great picture books, my three sons each clutching a book of particular interest.
My children are now young adults with busy lives. I continue to visit the parks, however,
reveling in a bit of green space and an expanse of trees.
Regarding the libraries, I am always amazed and delighted at the vast selection of books.
Before you know it, you have an armful and can learn how to prune a tree, where Eric
Clapton was born and how to make a low-fat, low-salt and yet perfectly delicious dinner
(is there such a thing?).
Advice for newcomers and longtime inhabitants: Get out there and explore or rediscover
the parks and libraries. You are paying for them, after all.
Martha Briggs
Herndon
Briggs owns a trophy-and-award business, and her husband works at George Mason
University. They have three sons, two in college and one in high school.
If anything sets Fairfax County apart from other jurisdictions, it's the abundance of wellmaintained parks. Accotink Park is high on the roster of our favorites.
Our grandchildren's favorite feature is the carousel. No grandchildren's summertime
sleepover is complete without a ride on the delightful Accotink Park merry-go-round.
James V. Dolson
Springfield
Dolson was in the U.S. Marine Corps and has enough grandkids to give him authority on
summertime grandchild sleepovers.
Like many Fairfax County residents, I am a transplant from somewhere else. I grew up in
Wickford, R.I., a historic fishing village established in the 1600s. Perhaps that's one
reason I love living here: It has so many similarities to the home of my youth.
Charming old streets with remnants of cobblestone and brick? Check. Centuries-old
homes once occupied by the early architects of our nation? Check. Standing at the water's
edge watching boats glide by? Check. Woods, trails and streams to traverse and absorb
the beauty of nature in all its magnificence, no matter what the season? Check.
Fields bursting each spring with the rainbow colors of flowers, dancing in the wind; and
horses, serenely grazing in their pastures? Check.
As a bonus, a short drive over the river gives me access to world- class museums and
cultural and entertainment venues and a front-row seat, so to speak, to the activities and
procedures of our federal government. (Well, maybe that's not such a plus sometimes.)
Yes, there is traffic, and, yes, the taxes are always an issue. But life has trade-offs, and I
am happy with my trade.
Laurie Bell
Great Falls
Bell is a chef and has run a catering business for 15 years. Her husband grew up in
Annandale.
Falls Church is a nice place to visit, but I don't live there. I didn't know this for a couple
of years after I moved to Fairfax County, as I have a Falls Church mailing address, Zip
code 22043. Guess the post office has an exception from honoring county lines.
I live in an unincorporated corner of our county called Pimmit Hills, just inside the
Beltway and just over the line from Falls Church.
Falls Church, all 2.2 square miles of it, is different from Fairfax County. The city
provides extra services to residents, such as letting them rake leaves into the street, where
a big truck comes by and sucks them up -- no bagging.
Residents pay a price for such privileges: extra taxes. We are just a county, of course,
although we do have a city or two within our beautiful county.
There is no city tax exemption for us Fairfax County residents when we shop in Falls
Church. It's not much of an additional burden, but it can add up.
What annoys me most often is the fact that all three major nearby sources of home
delivery of pizza have their ovens in Falls Church and therefore charge me the city tax.
Each bite I take reminds me that I am helping subsidize Falls Church's excellent school
system, when I know in my heart that my pizza money could be better spent better
educating our county's children so that they don't end up having to deliver pizza for a
living.
Robert J. Surrette
Falls Church
Surrette is a retired government employee.
What we have:
A gorgeous golf course, a beautiful recreation center and tennis courts. For entertainment,
there is Music Under the Stars, Friday Night Live for the younger set, the Herndon
Festival, Labor Day Jazz Festival and wine tasting, Latino festival and a great Fourth of
July celebration.
We also have farmers market Thursday mornings with Fun Days, entertainment for kids,
Runnymede NatureFest, Herndon Garden Tour and more.
Coming through town on the hike-and-bike trail, you can stop at the old Herndon railroad
station, climb on the red caboose, have ice cream at Dairy Queen and/or a slice of bread,
free, at Great Harvest Bread Co., all within 100 yards.
Herndon in summer is the best.
Ruth Tatlock
Herndon
Tatlock, 80 as of this month, is retired.
On the border of Annandale and Alexandria lies the hidden community of Parklawn.
With its tranquil, tree-lined streets and proximity to the Pentagon and Washington, it is
one of the best- kept secrets in the metropolitan area.
Three major roads embrace our neighborhood, which is diverse in culture and in age.
Some of our residents purchased these homes when they were new, in the '50s. Other
residents are downsizers or young first-time buyers with toddlers.
Our neighbors come from all across the United States and the world. We have an
elementary and a middle school within our perimeter. The fascinating thing about this
neighborhood is that everyone stops to smell the roses. Walkers and pet lovers enjoy the
sidewalks and pathways.
But more importantly, our community is filled with involved and caring people. Our
Neighborhood Watch program has been active for more than 20 years. A citizens
association has recently been established. Picnics, pool parties and other functions are on
the calendar for all residents.
The community of Parklawn would love to have you as a neighbor. We suggest you come
see us!
T.J. Chipres and Rita Hicks
Parklawn neighbors
Chipres is "a webmaster and computer geek"; Hicks was born in the District and
widowed 15 years ago.