The Preakness Stakes Take Center Stage

On Saturday afternoon, May 19^th, the eyes of the sporting world will be on Baltimore, Maryland, where, at Pimlico Race Course, the Preakness Stakes will be run.

The Preakness Stakes is the second leg of the Triple Crown, horse racing’s most prominent series of tracks. The three-leg event begins with the Kentucky Derby, which was held two weeks ago in Louisville, Kentucky. That is followed by the Preakness, and the stretch closes with the Belmont Stakes in Long Island.

A horse hasn’t won all three races of the Triple Crown in almost 40 years. This year, after taking the Kentucky Derby, the horse I’ll Have Another is looking to win the second leg. And you can be there to see it. Unlike the grandiose Kentucky Derby, the Preakness is a more relaxed party, one that you can attend with minimal planning.

Pimlico Race Course is in Northwest Baltimore, on the outskirts of town, just about an hour from Washington, D.C. It’s one of the oldest horse racing venues in America, having hosted its first races in the 1880s. The track is steeped in horse racing lore, with greats such as Seabiscuit and War Admiral dueling on its famed dirt track.

If you’ve never been to a horse race before, Preakness Day is the perfect time to give it a try. There are eight races, allowing for a full day at the track. There you can learn the intricacies of racing, as well as try your hand at placing some bets. Other races being run on Saturday include the Maryland Sprint Handicap and the Dixie Stakes.

The crown jewel is, of course, the Preakness Stakes, which will be run at 4:30 p.m. Twelve horses are entered, all vying for the win.

There are two ways to attend the Preakness Stakes. If you prefer to watch the races, then Grandstand or Concourse tickets can be purchased for around $100. There, with bleachers to sit and room to walk around, you can survey the track.

The younger generation, though, is going to be interested in infield tickets. There, a day long raucous party takes place, with performances from Maroon 5, Wiz Khalifa and Maryland’s favorite cover band, Mr. Greengenes. Infieldfest, as it’s known, is considered one of the biggest events of the year in Maryland. And if you’re so interested, you can still join in the wild fun. Just $60 will give you access to the infield, along with an official Preakness mug that can be filled to your heart’s content. That’s right, there are unlimited refills on beer from 8:30 a.m. all the way to 6:30 p.m. No wonder it’s such a party.

Of course, if crowds or hiking up to Baltimore isn’t appealing to you, there’s still options to watch the race in this area.

The most popular place to catch the race on Saturday will be one of D.C.’s newer bars, Jack Rose Dining Saloon. They’ll be showing the race on every TV on their upstairs patio, and one of Maryland’s most famous beers, Flying Dog, is the special for the day. Drafts of almost every kind of Flying Dog will run $5 from 2:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. And if you know anything about the Preakness, and Maryland as well, you’ll know the official drink is the Black-Eyed Susan, a combination of vodka, whiskey, sour mix and orange juice. At Jack Rose, they’ll be making a special sno-cone version, which will certainly go down smooth.

Which is why this Saturday, whether you attend the Preakness or not, break out your inner Maryland and watch one of the most exciting events in all of horse racing.

- David

Silver Spring, MD Market Report – 5/1/12

In the past 90 days, the Rockville office of Avery-Hess, Realtors has closed one sale, has 3 properties under contract and has two active listings in Silver Spring.

Houses in Montgomery County, which includes Silver Spring, are on the market an average of 94 days.   The average sale price is $391,552, but with the spring market heating up we expect to see those prices increase.  The biggest issue in this area is the lack of inventory for buyers and we are hopeful that we will see more houses on the market as the weather warms up.

March 2012 Real Estate Market Statistics for 20902 Silver Spring, MD

March 2012 Real Estate Market Statistics for 20906 Silver Spring, MD

The opening of the new ICC makes travel from the Silver Spring area to Prince George’s County and the Laurel area as well as west to Frederick much faster and easier.

A number of new communities are being built in Silver Spring, including a very large townhouse and single family development on the grounds of the former Indian Spring Country Club.  Access to Metro and public transportation as well as major highways makes Silver Spring a most desirable area with its easy access to downtown Washington as well as Baltimore.

With the arrival of warm weather the many parks and playgrounds in and around Silver Spring will be filled with children of all ages.

Market data and commentary provided by Kathy Fleskes & Serena Toro, Rockville Regional Office.

Search for homes in Silver Spring, and all of the DC Metro: www.averyhess.com

Germantown, MD Market Report – 3/27/12

The real estate market in Germantown is very diverse and dynamic.  The area of Germantown we will be discussing is zip code area 20874.

The market statistics for February 2012 are much improved over February of 2011.  And all I can say about that is “thank you”.

Average Sales Price is up 26.15% to $301,417.   196 Pending Sales last month, this is up 47.37%.

With only a 135 Active Listing, which is down -32.16%, coupled with a drop in Days on Market and low interest rates, Germantown 20874 is gaining momentum and I expect this Spring to continue with increases.

Germantown, Maryland is located approximately 25 miles outside of Washington, D.C. and is the third most populous place in Maryland (after Baltimore and Columbia).  It is divided into six town sectors or “villages.”

The center of Germantown is located at the intersection of Route 118 and Middlebrook Road.  This area is considered the center of Germantown because the Up County Government Center, the library, the Black Rock Arts Center, multiplex cinema and pedestrian shopping featuring an array of restaurants are all located there.

There are 3 exits to I-270 less than one mile away from the Germantown town center and the MARC train is walking distance.  The Germantown Transit Center is also in close proximity and provides Ride On shuttle service to the Shady Grove red line.

Market data and  commentary provided by Kathy Fleskes Managing Broker and Serena Toro.

Wheaton Regional Park’s Plethora of Outdoor Activities

With temperatures rising for the past few weeks, Washington D.C. seems to have shaken the shackles of winter for good. And with the warmer weather, people are hankering to get into the great outdoors.

This city is full of areas to experience nature in all its glory, but for a truly unique adventure, one needs to escape the city limits and venture outside the Beltway.

Thankfully, you don’t have to go too far past 495 to visit the biggest and most diverse regional parks in the area.

Wheaton, Maryland, situated straight north of the city and just a couple miles outside the Beltway is home to Wheaton Regional Park, a massive outdoor center with nearly unlimited activities for people of all ages to partake in.

The park is just a bit north of the town, surrounded by suburban neighborhoods. It’s so large that it’s divided into three areas, each with its own unique character and activities.

For those interested in getting some exercise, head to the Orebaugh Area section of the park, where there are plenty of options. For starters, Orebaugh has two ice rinks, indoor and outdoor arenas. The later is closed for the summer, but the former is open year round for free skates, where you can grab admission and rentals for just $10.

Alongside the ice rink there are indoor and outdoor tennis courts, softball and baseball fields and an outdoor basketball court. For those traveling with man’s best friend, there’s a gravel dog park to let your puppy roam free.

If you’ve got kids in tow, then the best part of the park to visit is the Shorefield Area. And the highlight of that area is the brand new Adventure playground, which just opened. The two-acre park is a child’s paradise, with obstacles to scale all over the place, including climbing nets and walls. There are also playground staples like swings and slides, as well as a concrete zoo full of sculpted animals.

For kids who love real animals, there is the Wheaton Park Stables, where on Sundays and Tuesdays, from 12-1 p.m., kids can get pony rides for just $5. If your child wants to ride more inanimate objects, there is a 1860s miniature replica train that goes on a tour through the wooded areas of the park, as well as a carousel from the early 1900s.

The train and carousel are open seven days a week starting May 1^st. In this upcoming month of April, it’s just open on weekends, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Now if its boisterous kids and noise you are looking to escape, Wheaton Regional Park also has the perfect place for you.

In the Glenallan Area of the park, you’ll find one of the prettiest and most serene spots in the area. Brookside Gardens is a 50-acre botanical garden with an amazing array of floral and fauna and ponds and streams. It’s just the place to wander around and forget city living for a couple of hours. There are quiet gazebos, an azalea plot with over 300 different versions of the plant, as well as rose garden with every type of the lovely flower imaginable.

So with warmth having finally arrived for good, head to Wheaton Regional Park for outdoor activities that cover the entire spectrum.

- David

Ring in 2012 with a Local New Year’s Eve

Many people insist the best way to spend New Year’s Eve is to go to Times Square in New York City. But why leave Washington, D.C. when there’s plenty to do here!

In the greater Washington, D.C. area, there are many unique ways—different from what you may be used to—to ring in 2012.

One of the most all-encompassing celebrations, with plenty of entertaining events for adults and kids, is First Night Alexandria, which occurs all throughout Old Town Alexandria and includes scavenger hunts, live music and a ball drop at midnight.

The party begins at 1:00 p.m. on December 31^st with the third annual Fun Hunt, a search throughout Old Town that all attendees are eligible to participate in. Clues take you around the area and lead to answers on quiz sheets everyone is given. The hunt runs until 4:45 p.m., but only takes around an hour-and-a-half to complete, so scavengers can maintain a leisurely pace.

Anyone that completes the hunt correctly is eligible for the prize drawings, with first prize taking home an overnight stay at the Lorien Hotel & Spa in Old Town, free personal training sessions, gift certificates galore from many of the shops in Old Town and passes for a cruise on the Potomac. Second and third place also receive bounties, with overnight stays at other Alexandria hotels as part of the prize packages.

After the Fun Hunt, the party really gets started. All across the city, restaurants and bars will host live bands. One of the most popular acts performing is Curtis Blues, an interactive one-man blues band. He will be playing half-hour shows every other half-hour at Bittersweet, on King Street, from 7:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.  For kids, at Nickells & Scheffler, on Duke Street, 16-year-old sensation Keira Moran will play half-hour shows as well.

At midnight, after all the events are over, participants at First Night Alexandria gather on the lawn of the George Washington Masonic Memorial for a ball drop, which includes over 6,000 inflatable balls, and a dance party that lasts until 12:30 a.m.

Tickets for First Night Alexandria cost $20 per person and allow admission to all events.

If you’re looking for another way to share New Year’s with your family, but can’t expect your children to make it all the way to midnight, then Maryland Science Center, in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor is the place to go. From 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., the Center hosts its annual Midnight Noon celebration, where, when the clock strikes 12:00 p.m. on December 31, the Science Center’s ball drops and kids celebrate with noisemakers and balloons.

The entire Maryland Science Center is open during the exhibit, which means that alongside celebrating the New Year, kids can visit the great exhibits. Among the most popular are “Dinosaur Mysteries,” which includes full scale models of many dinosaurs and “Newton’s Alley,” where hands-on physics exhibits are geared toward kids.

Admission to Midnight Noon is free with paid admission to the Science Center  - $15 for adults and $12 for kids under 13.

For a more adult celebration of New Year’s Eve, Glen Echo Park, in Maryland, has just the event. The New Year’s Eve Swing Dance, held at the park, is a throwback to celebrations from America’s Big Band Era. The event begins at 8:00 p.m. with lessons for beginners, so when the Tom Cunningham Orchestra takes the stage at 9:00 p.m., everyone will be ready to roll and have a swinging New Year’s. Tickets for the dance are $25 per person.

So this New Years, instead of the typical party and midnight ball drop, head out of the house and try something totally different.

- David

Hanukkah Holiday Happenings

This past Wednesday marked the beginning of one of Judaism’s biggest holidays. Hanukkah is an eight day-long event, celebrating the re-dedication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem in the 2nd century BCE. The holiday typically occurs anytime from late November to late December, and this year it comes at the far end of the spectrum, running until December 28^th.

Around Washington, D.C., there are numerous ways to enjoy, with events in Maryland, Virginia and the District.

The biggest, literally, is the National Hanukkah Menorah, which sits right outside the White House Grounds. The Menorah symbolizes the miracle that happened in the 2nd century BCE. The story tells that when many Jews were trapped in their temple due to a revolt, they worried that they only had enough candle oil to last one night.  The oil, however, managed to last eight full days, enough time for the people inside the temple to prepare new oil.

The lighting ceremony of the main candle of the National Hanukkah Menorah, which stays lit throughout the celebration, took place on the Mall on Wednesday. But each night for the rest of the holiday, a lighting ceremony will take place for each new candle.

While it’s a symbolic way to celebrate, the National Menorah is far from the only way to enjoy this holiday season. There are plenty of activities for adults and children alike.

One of the largest celebrations is a gala aimed at the younger crowd. For 25 straight years, the Society of Young Jewish Professionals, and more recently JDate, have paired up to present the MatzoBall.

Geared toward singles under the age of 50, the MatzoBall is a nationwide event that gives young Jewish people the opportunity to mingle and network. This year, galas are being thrown in New York City, Miami, Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles. In our own town, the MatzoBall is on Saturday, December 24^th. It runs from 8:00 p.m. all the way until 3:00 a.m. and tickets cost $30.

For a more relaxing celebration, on December 25^th, revelers can head to Old Town, Alexandria, for the Hanukkah Festival of Old Town, hosted by the Chabad Lubavitch of Alexandria-Arlington. Chabad Lubavitch is Hebrew for Brotherly Love, and their Northern Virginia branch throws a free celebration worthy of that moniker. At the Crowne Plaza Hotel, on North Fairfax Street, the group will light a six-foot tall menorah, hold free raffles, host live bands and cook hot potato latkes.

Across the river, in downtown Bethesda, the Chabad Lubavitch of Bethesda-Chevy Chase will be holding a kid-friendly celebration, Thursday, December 22^nd, at Bethesda Row. Chanukah in Candyland is free to attend, and has numerous activities for kids of all ages. The perks of Chanukah in Candyland are a magic show, free souvenir dreidels, cotton candy and popcorn and a sight that is sure to wow just about every child: a menorah, which will be lit at the end of the festivities, made entirely out of jelly beans. That’s right, a jelly bean menorah.

It’s a fun way, among the many other options, to celebrate the enjoyable holiday that is Hanukkah.

-David