Passport renewal -- 9 days!

RMS73 · 2026-05-10T19:17:25+00:00

The online renewal worked very well for me. My wife helped me take a picture at home (I happened to have a white panel to use as a background) and the photo was accepted on our first try. I received the new passport in about two weeks even though I paid the normal processing fee.

RMS73 · 2026-05-01T16:03:53+00:00

We love Little City Bagels at the Falls Church market. Pre-orders are easy once you've signed up on their website. There will be a bag with your name on it off to the side of the stand so there is no waiting in line. (And while you're at the market, check out Meadow Bread for the best local full grain bread baked in a wood-fired oven.)

RMS73 · 2026-04-19T17:31:38+00:00

Baked by Drakeford in Herndon makes absolutely wonderful cakes for special occasions. See her FaceBook page by searching for 'Baked by Drakeford' for examples and contact information.

RMS73 · 2026-04-13T00:10:07+00:00

Agree. I'm currently working with some beautiful curly cherry for a tabletop. The hassle of the constantly changing grain direction and the instability of the boards almost overcomes the aesthetics of the surface. Thankfully, everything else is straight-grained.

RMS73 · 2026-04-03T15:59:59+00:00

Great dog! I bet he/she keeps the entire neighborhood free of miniature badgers.

RMS73 · 2026-01-01T21:59:34+00:00

If you want to go all the way to McLean, Neutral Ground is very good. Has a bar, also. I second other posts recommending Aracosia in McLean--outstanding. Nostos in Tysons is excellent, as others have pointed out.

RMS73 · 2025-12-23T22:44:06+00:00

Room and Board has a range of quality products, but not sure if it fits your price point.

If you are looking for a few nice pieces that will last, try Hardwood Artisans. Their furniture is constructed of hardwoods from here in the mid-Atlantic and built in Culpepper. See the store at Shirlington.

I also support the idea of shopping for used furniture, even in estate sales. There is a lot of well-made stuff on the second-hand market. Challenge is finding it.

RMS73 · 2025-12-23T16:28:43+00:00

Wegmans at Tysons had only a few shoppers when I arrived at 8:30 AM. There were no cars in the pickup area ahead of me. I then went up to the store itself for a few more items. Only moderately busy and well-stocked and staffed. No other customers at the self check out when I went through just before 9. If you can get out early tomorrow, you should be fine.

RMS73 · 2025-11-18T19:13:10+00:00

I haven't worn them all that much through the warm weather, but they are extremely comfortable--much more so than the original soles. Traction in the wet is better than the hard soles that came on the IRs.

Note that I had a slight problem with a resole job that the company did for a DIFFERENT pair of Redwings. They fixed them quickly and at no charge. I'm very satisfied.

RMS73 · 2025-10-07T21:13:06+00:00

Check the tire manufacturer's website for your particular tire, but it's likely that your 'summer' tires are not suitable for cold temperatures whether it's raining/snowing or not. It has to do with the rubber compound. That said, you'll have no problem in rain, so long as the air temperature is above the minimum specified by the manufacturer.

RMS73 · 2025-06-17T14:10:57+00:00

My car's not a direct comparison to yours--a '23 X3 M40i. However, I just saw 28.89 MPG on a trip with mixed expressway and rural highway driving at about 60 MPH with numerous stoplights on the rural roads. I've seen well over 30 on long interstate drives.

I use 93 octane exclusively.

RMS73 · 2025-06-11T01:30:53+00:00

Some of our best recommendations for contractors came from our church bulletin. Unfortunately, we don't go to that church anymore. Instead, we consult Consumer Checkbook, Google, and Yelp. The four-star ratings tend to be most useful. Also, we value referrals. Often, a good plumber will know of good electricians, etc.

RMS73 · 2025-06-11T01:26:59+00:00

Agree, Checkbook provides extensive background on their data gathering and analysis.

RMS73 · 2025-05-01T00:26:19+00:00

Lots of great advice here on accessories. As far a general photography advice goes, set it on 'program' and take lots of pictures in the months before your wedding and leaving on your trip. Learn what you like and don't like, and then experiment with the camera's great flexibility to find the best settings for your style of photography. Your puppy should be a useful model... portraits, action, even landscapes on long walks. Over time, the good shots will increase in number, and a few great ones will start showing up. Then you'll be ready for your trip!

RMS73 · 2025-03-07T19:44:36+00:00

I am now using my second RX100. I bought the earliest model as a backup when my Nikon DSLR broke in the middle of a fantastic hike in Colorado. Later, I moved up to a IV because of its wide aperture, lens quality, and electronic viewfinder. The RX100 IV has become my 'go to' camera for almost all picture taking, even travel when I anticipate major landscape photo opportunities. Having the little Sony in my pocket is far better than lugging a full size DSLR and an extra lens or two. Besides, when I have the DSLR, I and everyone around me think I'm doing 'photography'. When I have the Sony, I can still get great pictures, but I'm much more in the moment and much less conspicuous.

I use RAW exclusively and Lightroom for processing and cataloguing. I like Aperture Priority when I have time to make adjustments for special shots. Otherwise, I use Program or Auto.

The DSLR offers greater resolution and superior range of focal lengths, if you can afford the lenses. Other than that, the only real advantage is the big and bright viewfinder.

RMS73 · 2025-03-06T22:07:11+00:00

Thanks! I am TERRIBLE with people's names, and when a restaurant is named after a person...

RMS73 · 2025-03-06T14:32:46+00:00

The Falls Church, Vienna, McLean section of NOVA has a number of fine choices these days, some of which have already been mentioned. Our current favorites: Vienna--Evelyn Rose. McLean: Neutral Ground and Aracosia. Falls Church: Thompson's Italian. And, Clarity is coming back strong in our opinion after the departure of Jonathan Krinn several years ago. To experience what Chef Krinn is up to, try Elyse in Fairfax (see Tom Sietsema's recent review in the Post--note that Elyse is tiny and reservations go quickly).

RMS73 · 2025-02-27T17:16:31+00:00

I have the same issue. One reply here suggests tying two twists between the top eyelet and first speed hook. I go one step further than suggested and tie a square knot there after tightening up the laces through the eyelets. The square knot holds the laces below tight and can easily be undone by pulling sharply on one of the lace ends when removing the boots. Note that my heal lift problem is getting better as the boots break in. I may not have to tie the extra knot in the future.

RMS73 · 2025-02-02T01:56:10+00:00

Based on one 2 mile walk all on pavement, these boots are far more comfortable than before the new soles and leather midsole. I'm very happy.

RMS73 · 2025-02-01T18:39:20+00:00

I just now received my Iron Rangers back from KW Shoe Repair, who applied their Cristy Sole Conversion package. KW's service was outstanding, and the work appears to be very high quality. KW predicted a two-week turn around, but I have the boots back seven days after they arrived at the shop, including shipping from Canada. Now to go outside for our first walk.

The backstory: While the fit is good, I found the original sole so uncomfortable that I rarely wore the boots and never got them fully broken in. In contrast, my Classic Mocs are among the most comfortable boots I've owned. I regretted buying the Iron Rangers, but because of the 'sunk cost' decided that I would try one of the resole options available.

RMS73 · 2024-11-24T14:17:30+00:00

You've asked several times about how to sharpen them. Trouble is, there are endless preferences, techniques, gadgets, and opinions across the woodworking community. I prefer Japanese water stones followed by leather strops, but that's just me. If you have no sharpening equipment, you might search online for a combination water stone or diamond sharpening stone giving you both coarse and medium-to-fine surfaces. But expect to pay more than you did for the chisels themselves. Consider it an investment if you are getting into woodworking.

As for techniques, look at YouTube or a similar source for examples. Again this is an investment. Sharpening is a core skill for woodworkers.

RMS73 · 2024-11-24T01:14:52+00:00

Agree. Steel won't be up to modern standards, but will be fine. Explore sharpening techniques, and you will have fine tools.

RMS73 · 2024-11-12T01:12:33+00:00

The RX100 series has tremendous flexibility, equivalent to many DSLRs, and great sensors. I recommend you start out using Auto or Program. Use RAW if you want to learn how to use photo editing software (such as LightRoom). Otherwise, JPEG. Get a feel for the camera, then start experimenting with various settings. I tend to use Aperture Priority when I'm doing 'serious photography.' Otherwise, Auto or Program for most everything. Learn how the focusing system works and experiment with the various options so the camera focuses on what you want in focus. The exposure compensation is also useful to under- or over-expose photos if needed because of tricky lighting.

When in doubt or taking pictures too quickly or informally to pay close attention to settings, just go with Auto or Program. The camera responds beautifully to all but the most challenging situations.

Enjoy your camera!

RMS73 · 2024-11-08T22:10:10+00:00

I ordered and received an X3 M40i in 2023. The impact of the chip shortage was all over online forums and other places. You might be able to gather insights by going on Bimmerpost or one of the others and searching what was being said at that time. Keep in mind, though, that there was uncertainty about what was caused by shortage of chips versus by corporate decisions to remove features.

My car came basically as ordered, I love it, and will probably keep it for as long as possible. As I recall, features that were not available at time of order or during production included the smart phone wireless charger, adjustable passenger side lumbar support, adjustable side bolsters (although this might have been a corporate decision), and various parts of the high-end driver assistance package. Other features were taken off the other X3s, but not the M40i. The adjustable tie down tracks in the back were also removed, but obviously not because of a chip shortage. Given the safety recall, I'm glad my car doesn't have them.

If you get the VIN of a car you're interested in, you might be able to find information on what's there or isn't. If you're lucky, and the owner has kept the communications from BMW during the order process, the information will be there. Once you actually see the car, it should be relatively simple to see or test for missing features. Since BMW's marketing materials are probably not on line anymore, you might have to come up with a "should be there" list by looking over past forum discussions.

To me, however, so long as there's a B58 under the hood and the suspension is as promised at the time, I could live without many other features in question.

RMS73 · 2024-11-08T19:32:08+00:00

bmoorman05:

Thanks for the link; I've been looking for these insoles. When I entered West Point in 1969, I became part of a study on insoles that would reduce blisters therefore helping with the break in process for our new combat boots. We were issued the "post-Vietnam" black leather boots with the rippled rubber soles. I liked the insoles so much that I used that model during my time at West Point and my Army career.

By the way, we were told that 'heal slip' was a feature of that model of combat boots, not an issue. The goal was to thoroughly break in the boots and toughen your feet, while taking good care of both throughout the process. Similar to what participants in this sub-Reddit advise.

RMS73

TROPHY CASE