Jennifer Hoak Photography

East Coaster

2009-11-06T17:00:00.004-05:00

Lisa

Harvard Professor, Mother, Collector of 19th C. American Lit Prints

Sunny Smile & Style

2009-11-03T14:18:00.003-05:00

Ande

of Takoma Park

On the Court

2009-11-02T09:01:00.004-05:00

Carol, Kensington

Busted

2009-10-31T22:49:00.007-04:00

Marielle, The Ghostbuster
Halloween, Bethesda

Boulevard Bearing

2009-10-29T13:07:00.005-04:00

Captivating Katie, Bethesda

Man About Town

2009-10-28T13:58:00.003-04:00

Mr. Brownlee, Kensington

Boulevard Bearing

2009-10-26T13:05:00.008-04:00

Fashionable Mr. Pepe in Black, North Bethesda

Experto en Lenguaje

2009-10-23T16:57:00.010-04:00

Bibi Rojas

Au Pair, Language Tutor

& International Journalism Student

Hometown: Bogotá, Colombia

Bicycle Chief

2009-10-22T13:32:00.010-04:00

Mr. Own Lach
Bike Express, LLC

Behind the Donut King, Kensington, MD.
Mr. Own can fix anything on wheels.

Bike Express
3731 University Blvd. West
301.949.3338
Open 7 days A Week

Own Lach

Fortunate One

2009-09-28T18:18:00.004-04:00

Today is my fortieth birthday! Can you dig it?!

Sunday's Child

2009-09-21T13:00:00.017-04:00

Sunday, September 20th
Baby Dex, Washington, D.C.

So happy to finally meet Kelly & Jim's new baby on Sunday. What a beautiful boy!

Image Update

2009-09-17T20:39:00.013-04:00

Image Update
Bring a Friend and Receive Two Pro Portraits for the Price of One, a $250 Value Now $125 through October 9.

Clementine, September, 2009

Child Care Expert & Mother of Twins

Dragonfly

2009-08-27T15:22:00.009-04:00

“The Dragon-fly”

"Today I saw the dragon-fly

Come from the wells where he did lie.

An inner impulse rent the veil

Of his old husk: from head to tail

Came out clear plates of sapphire mail.

He dried his wings: like gauze they grew;

Thro' crofts and pastures wet with dew

A living flash of light he flew."

by Alfred Lord Tennyson 1833

Listen to the audiofile poem, Dragonfly, by Louise Bogan, 1968

Smoothie Queen

2009-07-23T19:57:00.008-04:00

Smoothie Queen
What are you drinking? I’m all about the smoothies this summer. Nearly every morning I'm whipping up my own recipe for Evie’s Favorite Smoothie with mangos, bananas and whatever fruit we have around.
If you don't own a blender, stop by the Smoothie King at White Flint Mall in Kensington for $1 off any smoothie when you show your Gold's Gym ID.

Evie’s Favorite Smoothie
Frappé the following ingredients together in blender until smooth:
3 frozen bananas
1 ripe mango
¼ cup frozen OJ concentrate
6 ice cubes
16 oz. vanilla yogurt

Serve with a slice of orange for breakfast. Try topped with honey crunch wheat germ.

Diamond in the Back, Sunroof Top

2009-07-16T12:32:00.023-04:00

Diamond in the Back, Sunroof Top

This a.m. in Rockville I spotted a mint El Dorado. Makes you want to rent a classic car for the weekend and joy ride it down to Charlottesville.

I also discovered that Classic Auto Rentals in Charlottesville, VA. will help you find your dream ride.

Driving a fine automobile can help a Detroit girl kick the, "I miss Motown blues".

Turn it up!

"Be Thankful for What You Got"
tune by William DeVaughn LISTEN HERE

Though you may not drive a great big Cadillac

Gangsta whitewalls

TV antennas in the back

You may not have a car at all

But remember brothers and sisters

You can still stand tall

Just be thankful for what you've got

Though you may not drive a great big Cadillac

Diamond in the back, sunroof top
Diggin' the scene

With a gangsta lean

Gangsta whitewalls

TV antennas in the back...

Music & Lyrics by William DeVaughn - "Be Thankful for What You Got"

June

2009-06-27T17:09:00.005-04:00

Poems: "June 10," by David Lehman, Reprinted at The Writers Almanac

June 10

The sun like whiskey and caffeine

goes right to your head

slowing you down then speeding you up

you spend one hour looking at three

hanging plants and ten minutes

reading the obits lamenting the man

(I knew him, we had Irish Coffee

one cold December night)

who had the ill fortune to die

on a day when somebody really famous

like the leader of a rock band

died and so his obituary was overlooked

and I am thinking of him today

I'd tip my cap to him if I were wearing one

but I'm not I'm standing here

unprotected in the sun

that has gone to my head like a song

Mermaid Party

2009-06-23T16:55:00.009-04:00

Mermaid Party

Last weekend, Miss Paula rocked the house with a fun ballet party for our four year old princess. Contact her at dynopaula@yahoo.com

Gone and Goodbye

2009-06-22T22:24:00.005-04:00

Soundworks, the local Stereophonic/ Hi Fi Equipment dealer (really?!) at the corner of Ct. Ave. and Knowles is finally gone. So what will replace the blacked-out, bizarro world store? Hopefully something cheery like a Big Wheel Bike Shop, an All Fired Up Store , Milton Chandeliers from West Howard Ave. or a Vespa Dealer. Something FUN would be oh so nice!

Six Years Ago Today

2009-06-16T11:32:00.012-04:00

Six years ago we had our first child. She now informs us of her favorite birthday cake flavor and gift preferences.
Just Cakes in Bethesda is a family favorite for their yummy carrot cake and fancy frostings. They offer adult and kid classes these days as well as a mean Key Lime Pie.

Free cupcake coupons can be had if you register for their e-newsletter.

Horse Rental

2009-06-12T22:51:00.007-04:00

Today we drove by Meadowbrook Stables at my friend Kelly's suggestion. We love horses and the kids really enjoyed getting up-close with the horses and walking around the stables. Meadowbrook offers a great summer camp and lessons for ages six and up.
Local trail rides are more difficult to find but check out Wheaton Park Stables where you can drive up Georgia Ave. and book a Sunday ride for under $40.

The nicest trail riding around is west to Virginia at the Marriott Ranch in the Blue Ridge foothills. I plan to be there at least once this autumn. Sunday, July 12th is a 9a.m. Breakfast Ride through Paradise Valley with breakfast served beneath a tree. Saturday, July 18th is a Twilight Dinner Ride beginning at sunset which includes a cowboy dinner and guitar entertainment. Stay the night at the ranch's B&B and tour the neighboring wineries the next day for fun. Then bring a few bottles back home for yours truly.

Free Baseball

2009-06-06T22:15:00.013-04:00

We recently discovered Bethesda Big Train Baseball at Shirley Povich Field & Cabin John Regional Park. Big Train is something special. These summer college baseball games are choice local family fun. Every seat at Povich Field is a good one and kids five and under get free admission.

-Friday, June 12th: Andy's Parties sponsors, "Halloween in the Summer," night where kids in costume get in free.
-Saturday, June 20th: Carnival Night. Arrive at 5:00 for unlimited moon-bounces, rides, games, and prizes. Sponsored by Talk of the Town.
-Sunday, June 21st: Washington Nationals' Night. Father's Day where Dads & kids can play catch on the field before the game. Sponsored by Washington Parent Magazine.

Banjo Jam

2009-05-31T20:41:00.006-04:00

You probably first heard Ralph Stanley on the sound track from the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou? I heard his band perform an amazing sold out show in a Flagstaff highschool auditorium when I lived out west. Catch Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mt. Boys with his banjo at the Birchmere in Alexandria, VA on June 13th; or come on down the house to hear my husband kick out the banjo jams.

Slurpee

2009-05-28T16:58:00.006-04:00

Slurpee. Still a buck twenty-nine but now you and Jr. can decide if you'd like to hand your seventy-one cents change to the panhandler inside the Kensington Sev.

Bethany Beach, DE

2009-05-22T11:12:00.003-04:00

This weekend begins summer and trips to the shore. Conch or just their shells often wash up on the beaches of the mid-atlantic. If you are lucky you'll find a live one to toss into a conch salad or conch ceviche. Conch is best served with rum punch or a skinny margarita. Yum. recipe courtesy of Skinnygirl.

Park and Playground Rehab

2009-05-20T11:48:00.007-04:00

MoCo Playgrounds

Ready to get your local Montgomery County playground improved? Randolph Hills Civic Association President Matt Tifford spent three years as a squeaky wheel working with MNCPPC to completely replace the playground at Viers Mill Park at the intersection of Beach and Garrett Park Rd. His advice? Start by finding out if your favorite park is on the list for renovation with MNCPPC and contact the park manager for that park. Next get in touch with talented Department of Parks playground designer Kathy Dearstine Kathy.Dearstine@mncppc-mc.org . Finally, consider attending a MoCo Parks planning board meeting when capital improvements are discussed to fast track your park renovation and remember calls and emails from other concerned citizens make all the difference.

On May 21st, The Town of Kensington Sector Plan draft will be presented to the Planning Board it includes a section on Kensingtons parks http://www.montgomeryplanning.org/community/kensington/documents/Kensingtonfinaltext51309.pdf See page 22 for details!