Nancy's Notes From Florida

Brookside Gardens

May 18, 2017

Brookside Gardens is a fifty-acre horticultural garden located inside Wheaton Regional Park in Maryland. It’s one of my favorite spots to visit in the area. Flowers, ponds, and wooded trails make for a pleasant escape from urban congestion. We met our niece there for some quality time together.
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Bethesda has its fans. We headed on foot to the shopping district nearest the Hyatt Regency. Here are some landmark businesses.
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If you have a car and some free time while you’re in the area, Brookside Gardens is worth the visit. Also look for the Nature Center nearby. Wear your walking shoes and a hat.
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Washington D.C. Wanderings

May 16, 2017

After visiting the Library of Congress, we strolled past the Supreme Court. Here I am by the steps of this impressive building. The structure is inspiring, making you hope that justice truly is being served inside its doors.
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Across the street is the Capitol Building, always an awe-inspiring sight. The tall Washington Monument reaches toward the sky at the other end of the Mall. Having been in town before, we’d already seen many of these sites and museums.
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The buildings where our Senators and House representatives meet or have their offices are impressive as well.
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We passed patches of greenery, mini-parks with flowering bushes and graceful trees.
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Our path took us to Union Station, where we browsed the shops before taking seats in the bustling East St. Café for a leisurely Asian lunch.
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Then we took the Metro back to Bethesda.
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Library of Congress

May 12, 2017

Visiting the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. is an awe-inspiring adventure. As you climb the steps toward the entrance, you’ll be impressed by the massive size of the structure.
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Inside the Thomas Jefferson Building, we passed through a bag check and then had to figure out where to go. Everywhere we looked, the architecture beckoned. I could have stood all day gazing at the intricate ceilings, wall décor, and majestic columns.
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Look at these folks. They don’t look too happy. Maybe they’re spirits trapped in the walls.
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After we admired the Great Hall, we headed upstairs, planning to work our way down. Here are some photos from an exhibit titled “Exploring the Early Americas.”
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We saw “Echoes of the Great War” about WWI and a display called “Drawing Justice.” The latter contained paintings of true-life courtroom dramas. I never knew such a field of artwork existed. Famous trials were depicted here in vivid details.
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I liked seeing Jefferson’s library, or at least a facsimile of books he’d kept there. Some are originals and others are reprints.
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The main Reading Room drew me like a lawn mower to a blade of grass. Up a flight of stone steps, we paused on a landing where we could peer below at the hallowed halls. Researchers sat at desks while other archways led to more reading rooms beyond.
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Downstairs, we viewed the Gutenberg Bible behind its glass case.
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By now, we’d become tired and hungry, and so we passed on the other exhibits. We couldn’t help stopping in the gift shop. We left with our imaginations enriched and our wallets a few dollars lighter.
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Murder by Manicure Audiobook

May 10, 2017

Murder by Manicure Audiobook, book #3 in the Bad Hair Day Mysteries, is now available at Audible, iTunes, and Amazon. Narrated by the talented Mary Ann Jacobs.
MURDER BY MANICURE (2400)
Hairstylist Marla Shore joins a fitness club to get in shape but discovers a dead body instead of an exercise routine. Jolene Myers, a client at Marla’s salon, has drowned beneath the frothing waters of the whirlpool. When Detective Dalton Vail determines Jolene’s death was no accident, Marla decides to give her deductive skills a workout and help solve the case.
Excerpt:
Arnie wrung his hands. “She’s a former classmate. We went to high school together, and she had a crush on me. The ugliest dog in school, that was her. A real fresser, too. Ate everything in sight. And now she’s here! Oy vey, what am I going to do?”
“What do you mean?” Marla glanced furtively at the reception area, hoping her next client would be delayed. Arnie needed her, making her nurturing instincts surface.
“Hortense is in town. She wants to see me. She’s on her way over here.”
“So? You can exchange a few reminiscences and then she’ll leave.”
He leaned forward, breathing heavily. “You don’t understand. She likes me. Hortense said she’d been sorry to learn my wife had passed away, and how difficult it must be for me to raise two kids on my own. I could tell from her tone of voice that she’s still interested in me.”
“Hortense never married?”
“She’s divorced.” His brows drew together. “I said the only thing I could think of to get rid of her. I told her I was engaged.”
Marla smiled gently. “Arnie, how could you? The poor woman probably just wants an hour of your time.”
“No, no. She’s moving back to Palm Haven. I had to discourage her. Tell me you’ll play along. I knew you wouldn’t mind, since you’re such a good friend.” Taking her by the elbow, he steered her into the rear storeroom. “She’ll come to the salon. Tell her off for me, would you please?”
“Me?” She wrinkled her nose. “Why would she come here?”
His eyes grew as round as bagel holes when the front door chimed. “That may be Hortense,” he croaked. “Marla, you have to save me.”
How bad could this woman be to make Arnie so afraid of her? Intensely curious, Marla strode toward the reception desk.
The woman standing by the counter wasn’t the ugly horse Arnie had depicted. Nor was she Marla’s next client. A tall, sexy blonde, she wore a short skirt and bolero jacket with black high heels. Wavy hair cascaded like a river down her back. A delicate lilac fragrance wafted around her.
“This is Marla Shore,” said the receptionist. “She owns Cut ’N Dye.”
“Hi, I’m Hortense Crone.” The woman grinned, displaying a row of perfectly aligned teeth. “I was told Arnie Hartman came in here. Y’all can call me Jill; I use my middle name now,” she added, extending her hand.
Marla exchanged a firm handshake. This was Hortense? A bubble of laughter welled within her. Would Arnie be surprised to see what a looker his classmate had turned into!
“He’s in the storeroom. I’ll get him for you. Hey, Arnie,” she called, eagerly anticipating his reaction. “Someone here to see you.”
All eyes in the salon turned in their direction as Arnie shuffled toward the front, gaze downcast like a condemned man.
“Congratulations, Arnie,” crooned Hortense. “You have a lovely fiancée.”
Marla, entertained by Arnie’s sudden, shocked glare as he raised his eyes, didn’t catch on right away until she heard snickers from her staff.
“Don’t tell me,” she said to Hortense. “Arnie told you we’re engaged?”
Listen to a sample from Murder by Manicure Audiobook

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Disney Ramblings

May 5, 2017

We visited Epcot at Disney World again for the annual Flower and Garden Festival. The colorful flower displays were as beautiful as always.
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Bypassing the crowds at Future World, we strolled around World Showcase to sample the foods in the various marketplaces. We headed right toward Canada, stopping by to get the beef tenderloin tips in a flavorful mushroom sauce along with mashed potatoes and cooked carrots. The meat was a bit chewy for my taste. Cost $6.50 for a generous portion.

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We moved on to the United Kingdom for the corned beef and cabbage which my husband ate. It’s a dish he likes at any time. Cost $5.50 per portion.

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At France, we noticed the fast-food café had moved toward the back while its former space is now occupied by an ice cream shop.
Next on the menu were the potato pancakes with applesauce from Germany. These are always good. Cost was $3.75. Dessert was the winner: blueberry buckle with pepper berry sorbet at The Berry Basket. $4.25 each. Well worth the visit!

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As if this wasn’t enough eating for the weekend, we took a walk the next day at Disney Springs. Planet Hollywood has reopened since our last visit. The dome looks a lot better without its prior garish colors. The Edison is still under construction but looks to be a big themed restaurant when it’s finished. Not much else had changed that we could notice.
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We ate lunch at the Boathouse, where I dined on this delicious crab and avocado dish. Fully sated, we returned to our condo to rest for the afternoon.
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