Yayla Bistro Review
For lunch today, HB and I went to Yayla Bistro. Some of the girls at work had been talking about it, and we finally thought to go. I haven’t done a restaurant review in a while on here. I have been busy with the little one, haven’t been out as much as we used to, and haven’t been passionate about a restaurant in a while. Yayla Bistro has broken the slump. When I think of Mediterranean food, I think of Greek. I’ve been to Greece, and I can name my top three Greek restaurants. Turkish food on the other hand, is more unknown to me. I can, however, now saw that I have a favorite Turkish restaurant. It was cold and rainy today. The Turkish coffee, sweetened to you liking, definitely warmed me up and hit the spot. My glass of Turkish wine was different, a bit thin perhaps, but delicious and infinitely drinkable. HB’s glass was even better (though she liked mine more). The Yayla soup, a special and recommended by our waiter, was amazing. Words literally fail me; I don’t know how to describe it. The complimentary bread and olive tapenade were great. The mezzes are when I started to get blown away. The grilled calamari was perfectly cooked, charred, and well-seasoned. The Halloumi cheese was surprisingly good. The orange marmalade was a better than expected accompaniment, and the cheese had a curd-like squeakiness. The Lahmacun (flatbread) was excellent as well. Next time, I’ll be hard pressed not to order the calamari and halloumi, but I’m excited to try a new entree. As good as the food was, I think the service was even better. I’m kicking myself for not getting our waiter’s name. He was very knowledgable and passionate about the wine list, had great suggestions on the menu, and answered our questions about the food and customs without judgement. He even brought me a new coffee dish (mine had some coffee spilled on it) when he saw me taking pictures. We’ll definitely be back. Probably for half-priced wine Monday, or live entertainment on Thursday.
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First trout at Holmes Run!!!
As you can see from my first post this year about Holmes run, and my recent catchup post, I’ve had some trouble landing my first trout in this stream. On Tuesday, the conditions seemed perfect. I watched the rain hit my office window, and remembered that I had my rod, bag, and waders in the truck downstairs. I left work about 2:30 and was on the water by 3.
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- Cold and rainy, perfect.
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- I fished this San Juan worm all over Holmes, but only this little guy wanted it. I didn’t even realize I had him on until I went to cast.
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- First trout!!!
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- I switched to this wooley (from the Urban Angler) and cast near the second crossing. I felt a bite or two, and then hooked one. I saw him under the surface, and he looked to be about a foot long. Then he threw the hook. I cast some more but nothing. I moved on, but came back about 40 minutes later. A few more bites, and then a huge hit. I was so worried about losing him, but I got him in the net.
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- I moved down about 50 yards and landed this little guy about 30 minutes later. He broke the surface and lept what felt like 2 feet in the air. It was pretty awesome. Right after this picture he flopped out of the net and threw the hook. Lucky I was quick on the shutter. I didn’t get my tape out, but this one looked to be about 8 inches or so.
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- I’ve been trying for a Holmes Run trout for a good while now. I celebrated my catch(es) with a nice dram of Talisker.
I got some great advice about fishing Holmes Run on twitter from @RobSnowhite, @flyfishdc, and @UrbanAnglerLLC. Thanks again guys!
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Thanksgiving ’15, FJ’s Bday
This year I realized that the true test of how much you like your relatives is whether or not you wish they lived closer. I really wish mine did. It was great to see everyone and I hope we can all get together again soon. #SmithMountainLake16
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- EF gobbled and wobbled
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- Lots of family in town
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- I bet LeBeef wishes I was as well-behaved as these two when I was their age. Great kids.
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- Kat had never heard of pinball. That makes me feel old.
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- Waiting for the movie to start selfie
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- Popcorn
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- Working up an appetite
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- THE Thanksgiving dress
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- Homemade duck pate
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- The fruits of our labor. Thanks to everyone that made it happen!
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- Jodi’s apple pie. Delicious even though I was stuffed.
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- Charades!
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- Effie got the most thoughtful handmade gifts. We were blown away. We have an amazing and loving family.
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- Black Friday FCC style
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- Saying our goodbyes. A great time was had by all. We’ll miss everyone.
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- Leftovers
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- FJ’s Bday at McCormick & Schmick’s. I had a martini with Aviation gin. It was delicious.
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- My redfish was very very good.
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- Blackberry Jam Cake, made by LeBeef
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- Saberage
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- Prezzies
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- Apple Cider Mimosas
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First Waterfowl Hunt
My buddies and I have been upland hunting for a while, but I’ve never made it out Waterfowling. With Thanksgiving coming up, I wanted to get a nice goose or some duck for the table. I’ve been bothering my friend Rob forever to take me out, but since he moved to Tennessee, CW and I took matters into our own hands.
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- Before the hunt I cleaned my shotgun. This has to be the cleanest its been since it left the factory.
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- Finally getting it out for its intended purpose.
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- CW and I left his place in Stafford well before first light, and in about twenty degrees.
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- The views alone were worth it.
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- I don’t know how these photos came out so great.
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- We had some flock of geese come by, and had a good chance at two ducks. It was slow, as the weather was too nice. I should have had those two ducks, but its hard to be ready when its that slow.
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- The weather hasn’t been ideal, but I didn’t know that before booking our hunt. I did learn a lot though, and hopefully we’ll have a much more fruitful hunt when I get my group out there.
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- The first two ducks we saw swooped by before we even saw them. The second two I really should have hit and missing them is still haunting me.
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- Bluebird day. Since the action was so slow, The Crabman offered CW and I half off our next trip. Class Act. I’m going to plan one for January. Mark your calendars.
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- CW, no shade at all, but I have to show this.
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- The crabman came to get us at low tide.
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- Since we didn’t have waders, he offered to carry us. CW went first.
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- He asked if CW was about 250… Somehow, he not only held CW up, but managed to walk him through the water and mud about 20 yards.
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- It was an amazing feat of strength.
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- I don’t always got to Moes…
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- After the first attempt at washing my face.
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- Our lone prize.
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- I breasted this one out, got some leg meat too, but still ordered a few ducks from the organic butcher of McLean for Thanksgiving. Thanks again to CW for prospecting with me.
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- Posted my first report to DU
I can’t wait to get the rest of the group out in January when the weather finally cools down and the migration heats up. Thanks to The Crabman and Richard for taking us out.
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EF’s First Birthday, Fiola Mare, Taste by Katie
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- Dressed up in her Paris dress for a night on the town. LeBeef got this for her before she was born.
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- Jazzed up.
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- It was a beautiful and foggy night
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- I joked that we should get EF Lobster Ravioli for her birthday. It didn’t go over as a joke.
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- But she loved it.
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- I had a barrel aged cocktail. I didn’t get a picture, but it was served to much fanfare
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- HB and I split the Under the Sea entree. Jes.
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- Someone got cranky, so we went for a walk.
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- HB knew our waitress from High School
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- They didn’t have the Maderia I ordered so they brought this. Sweet, but delicious.
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- We got about four desserts, and EF tried them all.
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- Then they found the Maderia.
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- EF really had a great time. Lobster ravioli, four desserts, and a selfie with a senator. What a birthday.
On the day of EF’s birth, we went out to Fiola Mare. Even though EF is a very well-behaved diner, the choice in venue was really more for us. HB has done an amazing job parenting and pumping, and deserved a night out at one of the top 5 restaurants in DC. It did not disappoint. On Saturday, we had EF’s party. Taste by Katie catered, and did an absolutely amazing job. Katie worked with us to get the menu just right, and then executed it beyond my high expectations. I couldn’t recommend Taste by Katie more. The fried chicken was spicy and moist. The sweet potato biscuits were delicious. The okra and sausage tarts were the first to run out. The Sally Lunn bread parfaits went over great. EF enjoyed a little of everything, but loved the slaw and mac and cheese. Check out my yelp review of Taste by Katie. Thanks again to our incredibly generous friends. EF loves her new books and toys. Thanks again to FJ and LeBeef for hosting. Thanks to Chelsea for making the cake. Thanks to HB for planning everything!
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- Getting ready
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- Taste by Katie really hooked us up. The food was amazing.
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- The Modern Father.
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- OMG. Wish I had these fried chicken and sweet potato biscuits now
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- smash cake
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- My Birthday prezzie to LB
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Catchup, Fall ’15
Fall is always a busy time for me, but I’ve neglected the blog for over a month at this point. Here is all of the stuff we’ve been up to that didn’t warrant a whole post:
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- Oktoberfest
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- LB watching the game at a sports bar
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- Chillin at Marteen’s soup party
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- We tried to recreate Slades’ cheddar burger
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- EF’s first Indian food
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- Chillin with Aunt Cici
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- Tupelo Honey is amazing. The brunch is insane.
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- First ride on the metro
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- Family tradition, Pumpkin patch pics
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- Holmes Run, still no trout
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- Effie with one of my heros, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_V._Cherry
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- Remind anyone else of CNU?
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- Got off work early and enjoyed the Portrait Gallery
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- Somebody has earned a new nickname…
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- Met CNote for drinks and cigars at Shelly’s
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- Fish on! Caught on a wooley wubanub. 20 pound rainbow, not too shabby.
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- EF’s first Halloween, she was a rainbow trout
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- HB pumped for a year. I couldn’t be more proud of her. I’ll make sure EF knows and appreciates what you did for her. Best Mom Ever!!!!!!!!!
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- LeBeef cleaned up at the awards
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- O’GF leftovers
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- Officially one!
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- Out celebrating Jodiah’s 30th
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- Arcade afterparty
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- Jammers
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- Matchy-matchy
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- Being part of this family isn’t all fancy restaurants and St. Maarten, its also xmas tree shopping in the low 40s in the rain
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- EF had a great time anyway
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- My girls
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OGF ’15
Way back in about ’04 or so, our buddy HW was having a birthday. Somehow, we decided to have a pig roast. Thing is, none of us had ever smoked a whole hog before. We found a website from three guys in Miami about Cuban style whole hog. We got some cinderblocks at home depot, and got to work. We had a crazy amount of people show up, we had shirts made, and everyone left tipsy and full. It was a great success. This year marked our 11th Anniversary, and 10th O’GF. Things have changed since college, but when we’re all together its just like old times. Here’s to 70 more!
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- The inside of my trailer hitch. I had to chisel it out.
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- I used my gun cleaning kit to get the rust out.
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- This took way more work than I was expecting
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- Finally, I was ready to trailer a smoker
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- This was about one load of 20
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- Thom wasn’t wrong that these sneak up on you
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- A gentle caress by Gari Meltcher
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- Pam, where you’d buy this cigar?
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- CW hooked us up with breakfast
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- Spicy a-meat-a-ball
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- The weather was not ideal, but we made due just fine
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- The night before, we listened to the neighbor’s suppressed 223 solving this problem
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- baby selfie
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- The pig is done!
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- Thats a lot of girls. More on the way.
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- Hogleen Pigmore
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- Things got intimate
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- Happy Birthday HW
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Archives and Natural History Museum, Old Ebbitt Orca Platter
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- Waking up for a giant of a day
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- fueling up
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- LB learned about a hero at the Archives. We also saw the, Spirited Republic exhibit, but there was no photography
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- The things daddy has killed museum
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- Chandler’s favorite exhibit
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- quarter sized kill shot
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- Sarah
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- T-Rex snack
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- Dolly Sods
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- LB loved the sparkles and colors
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- LB’s first trip to Old Ebbitt, HB’s too!
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- EF’s first time ordering off the kids menu
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- Orca platter
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- Lil Churchill picking out a digestif
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The Woods, Berkeley Springs Apple Butter Festival
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- Thirsty
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- grillin out
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- LB
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- #Merica
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- Open fire vittles and Glascock were my favorite apple butters
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- Apple Butter BBQ from Taras
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- Panorama at the peak
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- Whats that?
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Sigep Patriots Project ’15
On the Sunday after Veterans Day, I went down to Arlington National Cemetery to participate in the Sigep Patriots Project. We have 111 brothers buried at ANC, so a bunch of us volunteered to place roses at their final resting places. Its a really great cause, and I truly enjoying helping out. Thanks again to Ed for starting the project and organizing the event this year.
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- Arlington National Cemetery near opening time
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- I’ve been many times, but the sheer number of graves still gets to me
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- My group started in the Columbarium
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- Ed wrote up a bio of each person, which really made it a more personal and rewarding experience
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- The ANC app is really amazing. It made finding all the grave sites a breeze
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- Our group enjoyed learning about the different symbols/emblems on all the markers
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- This Unitarian emblem took us forever to figure out
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- A temporary marker, where I assume a spouse is about to join her husband. We saw many of these.
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- One member of our group was the wife of a brother who is currently deployed. I thought the fresh graves might affect her. If it did, she didn’t show it. We were all impressed by her strength. It certainly affected me.
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- Arlington House in the background
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- HW
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- Brunch after the event
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- Discussing some of the more interesting bios
This was a really rewarding and enjoyable experience. It was also a great way to actually observe Veterans Day. I look forward to helping out again next year.
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