Archive for October, 2010
Silver Spring’s Urban Pumpkin Patch and Farm Stand
October 21st, 2010 Categories: Silver Spring Neighborhoods, silver spring real estate
A Pumpkin Patch recently opened on a vacant lot in East Silver Spring on Fenton Street between Thayer and Silver Spring Avenues.
It looks like it might be an urban kid’s heaven at this time of year.
Usually you would have to drive outside the Silver Spring CBD to find a pumpkin patch and farm stand like this one and it sure helps with the scenery on Fenton Street right now.
Besides pumpkins, there are ciders, some pretty impressive gourds, squash, apples, potatoes and onions
Opens around 10am and closes at dusk.
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Old Fashioned, Overlooked, Out of the Way Dive with the Best Burgers and Breakfasts in Silver Spring, MD
October 6th, 2010 Categories: Silver Spring Neighborhoods, Silver Spring Takoma Park Restaurants, Takoma Park Real Estate, silver spring real estate
Step back in time behind the cases and coolers of beer, wine, snack displays and 
the cramped cash register to one of Silver Spring’s best kept secrets, the Flower Delicatessen Restaurant.
A little lunch counter/restaurant and bar that’s been in business since 1937. Located in the Old Flower Avenue Shopping Center where most of the original businesses have been replaced and the historic Flower Theatre sits closed.
The current proprietor “Hadi” took over the Flower Deli from the original owner in 1979 and “redecorated” the bar/restaurant. Nothing fancy here, just good food, friendly staff and what everyone can appreciate, prices from another era!
One regular named “Jim” has been coming to the Flower Deli since 1975. Jim Lives in nearby Takoma Park and was in the “music business”. Jim comes for lunch at least 2 or 3 times a week and always sits at the bar. He says he loves watching the Redskin games there during the season.
An elderly lady with a cane has been having lunch there for a least 30 years. She says you can’t beat the prices, “where can you get a hot dog (Genuine Hebrew National) and a cup of coffee for less than $3.00?” She says the Deli beats the Tastee Diner hands down.
The red headed waitress, Gloria has been working at the Deli for over 27 years. She’s efficient and personable. Gloria works the breakfast and lunch shift.
Some people think that the Deli has the best breakfast in town. The owner says people rave about his 
breakfasts. He say’s it’s all about the sausage. A few years back he changed the sausage meat brand he was buying, many of the customers noticed and complained, so he has switched back to his original brand, and no . . no one would tell me what brand of sausage it is.
The most expensive Breakfast on the menu is the “Flower Special”
That’s 2 Pancakes – 2 Eggs with choice of bacon, ham, sausage, corned beef hash or scrapple served with hash browns, white toast, butter and jelly . $4.59
No wonder the Flower Deli is beloved by all construction workers and contractors.
In my humble opinion, the hamburger is the best one in Silver Spring. For some reason it tastes familiar, like the burgers my mother used to make when I was a kid.
The 1/4 lb hamburgers are $2.29 and cheesburger $2.49.
Located at 8707 Flower Avenue, Silver Spring , Md 20901
Open 6:30 AM – 12 Midnight Monday through Friday
Saturday and Sundays 7:30 AM – Midnight
BTW - The other old fashioned thing about the Flower Deli, besides the ambience and the prices, they don’t take Credit Cards – So bring some good, old fashioned CASH.
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Woodsy Vibe and Eclectic Mix in Highland View of Sligo Creek Neighborhood
October 5th, 2010 Categories: Home Sellers, Homebuyer, Silver Spring Neighborhoods, silver spring real estate
Located Just inside the Beltway adjacent to the Indian Spring Neighborhood. 
The boundaries are roughly, Sligo Creek Park to the south, University Blvd to the north, Piney Branch Road and Takoma Park to the east and Franklin Ave to the west. Flower Avenue is the Main drag through Highland View with the old Flower Ave Shopping Center positioned at the edge of the neighborhood on the corner of Piney Branch Road and Flower Avenue. The main citizens association for residents of Highland View is called the Sligo Branview Citizens Association. Subdivisions included in this area are named Highland View of Sligo Creek, Branwell Park, Long Branch View and Brookside Forest.
Highland view is an established mature neighborhood with a “woodsy vibe”. You will find ample wooded lots with an eclectic variety of home styles including cape cods, colonials, bungalows, tudors and mid century modern. There are several old early 1900’s Farmhouses scattered through out the area that pre date the suburban development. Highland View of Sligo Creek was first developed in the 1930’s by E Brooke Lee’s North Washington Realty Co. The neighborhood began as a “bedroom community” and was advertised as having “golf, swimming and beautiful parks near main arterial routes of tranportation”. 
Homes in the Highland View neighborhood are older, charming and unique, unlike the cookie-cutter tract homes of the 1950’s post war suburbs.
Schools:
The location of the house within this neighborhood determines which elementary school children will attend. Montgomery County Public Schools has 6 Elementary Schools that serve this area: Highland View Elementary, Pinecrest Elementary, Montgomery Knolls, Oakview Elementary, Rolling Terrace and New Hampshire Estates Elementary.
The majority of students in this neighborhood attend Eastern Middle School, a smaller percentage attend Silver Spring International Middle School.
Montgomery 
Blair High School is the base High School for this area of Silver Spring. At the high school level the Downcounty consortium is available giving students a choice regarding their academic area of study. The five high schools in the Downcounty cluster include Northwood, Albert Einstein, John F. Kennedy and Wheaton High Scchools.
It is always best to check with the Mongtomery County Public School locator by street address to find out the schools kids will attend in a given neighborhood.
Shopping
The closest large grocery store is the Giant Food on Arliss Avenue, within walking distance for the neighborhood. There are also many ethnic shops and 
restaurants in the Flower Avenue Shopping Center. Downtown Silver Spring and all it has to offer is less than 2 miles away. There are plenty of Ride-On Bus and regular MetroBus stops throughout the neighborhood to wisk you to Downtown Silver Spring or Takoma Park or their Metro Stations.
Links to some Parks, Recreation and a Library within walking distance:
Longbranch Community Center
Longbranch Pool
Silver Spring YMCA
Sligo Creek Park
Longbranch Library
Longbranch Park
Real Estate Sales for Highland View, Brookside Forest, Branwell Park and Longbranch Village Subdivisions in Silver Spring, Md 20901.
2010 YTD 20 Single Family Homes have Sold
Average Listing (Asking) Price - $393,455
Average Sold Price – $386,543
Average Seller Subsidy – $5,660
Lowest Sales Price – $181,500 for a very “beat-up” 3 Bedroom 1940’s Colonial Foreclosure.
Highest Sales Price – $572,000 for a completely renovated 3 Bedroom 1930’s Cape Cod.
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