We've Moved Back to LoCo

Hello Dear Readers,

As many of you know, I started the Living in LoCo blog for the Washingtonpost.com and LoudounExtra.com back in 2006 and began this blog soon after. After many months of redirecting my domain www.livinginloco.com to this site, I've revived Living in LoCo on a WordPress template and am currently writing there, as well as publishing to a Facebook and Twitter page.

Here are all the places you can find the latest:

Website: www.LivinginLoCo.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LivinginLoCo

Twitter: http:/twitter.com/LivinginLoCo

Looking forward to seeing you all there and hearing your news and views!

Tammi

Thoughtful Words for Christmas Eve and Beyond

On this eve of Christmas, as I reflect on why I struggle so much with the holiday season, I came across a passage in a book that seems to sum it up:

"The world we have created, in our culture, is essentially an addicted world. Addicted to control, to power, to materialism. The addiction dictates the lie that the more 'matter' we accumulate, the happier we'll be. But then the human being inside goes crazy and says, 'Well, if you've got power, I'll have power, too. I will eat and drink and have drugs and have sex, everything I want, I will have.'"

"Rather than surrendering to the mystery of the soul, to the Divine that exists in all of us, we try to reach our god or goddess through more money, more sex, more chocolate, more perfectionism.

"This is the opposite of surrender to God. Because the feminine spirit has got to be recognized. She will kill you if you don't. ... We must learn to forgive our imperfections, to accept our human limitations, to accept ourselves as we are." -Marion Woodman, in What We Know So Far -- Wisdom Among Women, In Their Own Words

I am so happy to be able to spend time this holiday with friends and family who have been there in good times and bad; who have not judged, but helped in times of need. I am incredibly thankful for the overwhelming kindness and generosity of friends and complete strangers who have come into our lives this year.

I am so proud of our little girls who are growing up so fast and soaking in the world like giant sponges, absorbing everything life has to offer. Girls who are so giving and kind and still love to roughhouse, play catch, and throw themselves into snow, sledding for hours upon hours.

I am blessed to have my husband as a partner on this roller coaster of life, going along the twists and turns, hills and valleys of these ten years. He makes me laugh and works so hard to keep our cars on the track, while taking the time to give us the most valuable hugs and love every day, no matter how busy or tired he is.

Wishing you and yours the very happiest of holidays, merriest of Christmases, and many surprises and smiles in the new year.

Videos: Loudoun's December Snow Storm

I love that there are so many people who have uploaded videos of yesterday's snow storm on YouTube!

Check out a fantastic 6-minute piece by The Daily Greg where his bounding dogs and children make this look at the snowstorm in Leesburg totally giggle-worthy.

The rest are short, but fun-filled views from neighborhoods around the county:



"Navjeetc" Video: Ashburn VA Snowfall Dec. 2009
"GrantHeppes" Channel: Snow!
"Guilhassa" Video: Snow and Ice in Belmont Ridge
"ARobertTaylor" Video: December Snow Storm in Leesburg, VA
"HotSEXJ" Video: Snow in Purcellville, VA on 19 December, 2009

Best lines between subjects who are shoveling and videographer Ed Levine: Record Snowfall in Northern Virginia

ThunderSnow! Ashburn in the Fluff

What a great day for snow in Ashburn! Friends and neighbors from all over Ashburn Farm and Ashburn Village have shared their photos of today's snowstorm.

Update!
As of 7 p.m. Saturday, the snow measured a solid 14.5-inches and this morning, Sunday, Dec. 20, we've got 20-inches of the fluffy stuff. According to the National Weather Service snow totals, some nearby areas hit 19-inches Saturday, with Lucketts recording 22-inches of snow at 10 p.m.

More photos have been added to the Smugmug site (click photo above) and the Ashburn Farm Facebook page, too.

Now, time to dig ourselves out and hope for a snowplow to make an appearance!
- - - - -

As of 7 a.m. we were measuring 8-inches and it is now after 11 a.m. and we're seeing a full foot of snow in some places. Weather predictions show that the area could get as much as 20-inches.

Unfortunately, it is light and fluffy, so not great for packing into snowballs or even sledding. Kids are just sinking straight down.

Click on the photo above to see more pictures or see the slide show to the right.

If you have some photos to share, please add a link or send them to LivinginLoCoNews@gmail.com.

Happy Snow Day!

Ashburn's Sorrento Grill Serves Last Lunch

In the "news that sucks" category, I just found out that the Sorrento Grill in Ashburn is serving its last meals today at lunch.

According to Dave, the manager of this location, the restaurant row landlord foreclosed on the property and the bank that now owns the loan asked all the restaurants in the small suite of spaces on Waxpool Road (next to the Embassy Suites) to leave about two months ago.

Sorrento Grill has been hanging on and fighting to keep their space along with Moe's, Five Guys, and the Spicy Pickle.

It has been one of my favorite places to have business lunches because the food is so great and reasonably priced. The daily specials are under $10 (today is chicken with saffron rice, served hot with fresh pita, and drizzled with a tomato-based sauce), and the restaurant is known for lamb and other well-grilled kabobs.

Dave said they'll have to give up the investment they made in the intricate tile work and fountain that is a focal point of the restaurant, but going now could stem future losses.

For those fans who can travel a bit further, Sorrento Grill has a location at the Clock Tower shopping center in Herndon, at the corner of Sunrise Valley Drive and Centreville Road.

It will be interesting to see what happens to the other restaurants in the ill-fated restaurant row.

Are your favorite restaurants still in business?

*Photo from www.sorrentogrill.com

Change Is in the Air: New Blog TK

Wow, it has been way, way too long since I've updated this blog!

Not that there isn't anything to say -- I'm just doing it mostly on Facebook and Twitter where it is easier to share information quickly with a lot of people.

But I miss writing more than 140 characters and have a plan in mind for this space. Maybe a name change, maybe a different focus, maybe a new look...

We shall see in the new year. In the meantime, if you happen across this blog, I am still posting links in the "mini-blog" column on the right.

Happy Holidays!

- TM

Music Promoters Missing the Links Listeners Want

Hey concert promoters, want people to buy tickets?

How about putting a link to hear a music clip in your email or other promo!

Seriously, I'm interested, but I just don't feel like doing the extra work to search and wade through all the results to figure out which one will give me the free listen.

I get emails every week from the 9:30 Club, Ticketmaster and a number of other D.C. area event promoters and it drives me bananas that someone takes the time to put in a great photo, well-written copy, but no link to actually *hear* what this band sounds like!

In a way, I feel like it sends a subtle message that if it isn't worth their time, it isn't worth mine. Oh, but no doubt there is a very prominent "click to purchase" message:

---

Ramble On

Outside of Lucero’s hard-living leanings, they’ve also got a knack for writing sincere, Americana-flavored gems. For their upcoming tour, the band are bringing along fellow Memphians Amy LaVere and Cedric Burnside (grandson of noted Delta bluesman R.L. Burnside) and Lightnin’ Malcolm, giving the States a taste of what makes their city so musically unique. Take a break from the hubris of D.C.’s sophisticates, and get down with some real rock n’ rollers.

LUCERO
Ramblin' Roadshow and Memphis Revue
w/ Amy LaVere & Cedric Burnside and Lightnin' Malcolm
This Thursday!
October 15

click here to purchase tickets

(Just for kicks, I went ahead and searched for the above band, got their main site, clicked through to enter the site, then clicked on their MySpace page to get free song samples, then clicked on a song to listen. I count that as 4 clicks plus the search, completely inefficient.)

So, make it about the users and you could actually get more action on your transactions!

This applies to any entertainment promotion and even stories in the news sites. Thankfully, Fritz Hahn of D.C.'s Going Out Gurus does it right!

As you can see in his blog entry Nightlife Edition, he has "listen" text and links throughout that give readers a sample of exactly what he's talking about.

Friday, Oct. 16
French DJ Francois K (listen) has had an indelible touch on dance music since the 1970s, when he spun disco and house at the Paradise Garage and Studio 54 in New York. In the '80s and '90s, he was a producer and remixer for Depeche Mode, the Pet Shop Boys, the Smiths, the Cure, U2 and Kraftwerk. These days, he can fill clubs from London to Ibiza with a mix of house, Detroit techno and electro, and he still holds down a weekly dub-focused residency in New York called Deep Space. When he comes to D.C., he plays ... Muse. Go figure, but don't miss an opportunity to see Francois K in such an intimate setting. Tickets for the 18-and-over event are $10 in advance, $15 at the door before 11 and more afterward.

Tell me, music fans, what motivates you to go from browsing to buying? And which shows are a must-see this winter, wherever you are?