Trailer Trad Time Travel: Washington D.C.'s Center Market

I found these cool old photos of the long-gone Center Market at the National Archives Flicker page. The market was located where the National Archives is today, bounded by Pennsylvania Avenue, Constitution Ave, 7th Street, and 9th Street, NW. It was designed by Adolph Cluss and was built in 1871. It was demolished in the 1920s presumably to make way for the present Archives building.

 

Photo credit: National Archives

A Capital Beginning to the New Year

I began 2012 off right with a trip into The Nation's Capital on New Year's Day with Lil' Bean. As I was trying to navigate around all of the traffic circles, road closings and pedestrians, I pointed out various familiar spots in the city. There was Foggy Bottom where my college buddy and I started out our careers in an adburdly small row house. I pointed out where I used to work diligently as a young economist, putting out vital economic statistics every month. And I pointed out the spots in Georgetown (those few that are left like The Tombs,  The Sign of the Whale  and The Third Edition) that we used to retire to for a much deserved cocktail. She yawned and returned her gaze to her Nintendo DS, as you would expect a 13 year old to do.

Not surprisingly, I found a few cars in Georgetown that I'd like to own. I love the Toyota FJ Cruiser, preferably in Scuba Yellow with black wheels and full towing/sport kit. It's one of the only new cars under $50k that I really covet. I told a friend about this and his reply was "Your Daughter's been making you watch too much Japanese Anime." Given what I've come to discover about that nation's superior sense of style and design, I'll take that as a compliment. -Great old gems like this classic, restored Fiat, I always covet.

I'm old enough to remember when the area around the New York Ave. Greyhound Bus Station practically all the way to The White House was pretty gritty, indeed. That entire area is totally changed now but this art deco masterpiece thankfully is still around.

When you see the Capital Building on TV, you don't realize how massive it is. The small nature of most politicians also diminish it, unfortunately.

If you've never been to Washington, DC, I recommend that you make the trip because the city really is a wealth of culture and interesting people to see. -Much of is free which makes it, you guessed it, trailer trad!