If you visit me often you know that 99.9% of the time I post a photograph. I’m trying to put more time into writing but love photos and feel compelled to take them and post them, good or bad. After pondering whether or not to continue to accompany writings with irrelevant pics and vice versa, I’ve discovered that I prefer to saddle you with both, as I did here. Afterall, some of you may only be interested in reading while others couldn’t care less (or can’t bear the embarrassment for my lack of writing skills) and only hope to have something half interesting to see. That being said, today’s your lucky day (or not), as here I’ve found a bit of relativity…

I took this photo in Old Town Alexandria a few weeks ago—loved the reflection of bare limbs and blue sky in the glass facade. The building is located in Transpotomac Canal Center Plaza in Old Town North and having lived a few blocks away some years back, I remembered that the first floor housed Fleetwood’s Restaurant & Blues Club, owned by Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac.

Situated on the Potomac waterfront, the club opened in 1994, but closed just a few years later. Apparently, Fleetwood had a penchant for high-risk restaurants and real estate. His first restaurant by the same name had also closed not long after opening in Los Angeles. The Alexandria spot was supposedly popular so I don’t know why it closed, but I wondered if it had anything to do with the old adage, “location, location, location.” I had always wondered why his club took residence in Old Town North, away from all the Old Town “action” less than a mile down the road. At that time, Old Town North was a less-developed area (even more so than today) and consisted mostly of commercial office buildings, high-rise condos and one large hotel. There were some restaurants scattered about, but most were small eateries that catered to the weekday lunch crowds. At night the area was usually dark and deserted with scarce foot traffic. Actually, I remember feeling that it was unsafe to walk there, at night, alone. Possibly even more unsafe at night, alone, with a few drinks in ya. Yikes.

In contrast, just nine blocks south lies the more quaint Old Town that included all of the nightlife as well as shops, restaurants, marinas and historical sights. Especially on weekends, there is no shortage of tourists, diners and party-goers roaming about.

If Mr. Fleetwood were to return for another venture and needs a consult, I might be available…heh ;o)

If you happen to end up in Old Town Alexandria, stop by the Visitors Center at King and Fairfax streets to pick up a map and get information on the walking tour where you’ll hear that in the 80s, Mick lived in Old Town in the same (reconstructed) townhouse in which George Washington lived…yeah, really!