clarendon day recap

Ok, so this posting is a little late, but I have a lot of late postings still waiting in the queue. Clarendon Day was a fall neighborhood street festival that took place last Saturday 21 October. Not surprisingly, I was doing homework that morning, but I couldn't stand being inside all day on such a nice day, so on a whim I headed out with my camera just to go practice. I wasn't expecting much as it seemed like a flea market combined with a showcase of local restaurants. Turned out to be just what I needed though: interesting sights, sounds, and tastes with a bracelet for beer. Good beer too -- Magic Hat #9 -- until they ran out and only had Miller Lite to spare. I still drank the Miller Lite though (I've had much much worse before).

The food was great -- unhealthy, but fantastic. I had a gumbo shot topped with a piece of cornbread from IOTA Club and Cafe, a chopped pork barbeque sandwich from Rocklands, and a chili dog from Hard Times Cafe. What can I say, I have a weakness for southern food.

The local music was pretty good too -- I found a couple of bands that I really liked.

Welbilt, somewhere between rock and pop


8 Track Jones, 80s rock and pop



They finished their set off with Journey, Don't Stop Believing. Definitely going to catch another one of their shows sometime.

The Positions, indiepop (with a brass section)

Not my best photo, but the pink trumpet was interesting. The band was so good that I forked the money over for a CD.

And after some beer, one gets a little more creative and finds some shots no one else is bothering to look at, like street chalk...





Lastly, I ran into a friend, a fellow Hoo, who was working the Arlington Virginia Community Role Models booth there at Clarendon Day. Just wanted to give it a plug -- it sounds like something I might get involved in. If anything, this festival was the first time I've felt a real sense of community in all the time I've lived in Northern Virginia. Maybe I've finally found a place around here that feels like it should be home :)

Oh, I ran into both Virginia Senate campaigns and some local Congressional campaigns there too. I'll be back with my official endorsements soon. Only one week until Election Day.