Silver Spring: "The Sweetheart City"

Lately I've been very excited about Albany Grove and Aspen Ridge, two in-fill townhouse developments in the general mess known as Briggs Chaney. While most new subdivisions in East County are composed of the same old Colonial-inspired schlock, Ruppert O'Brien, the Albany Grove/Aspen Ridge developer, is taking a slightly different route, building what they call "Telluride-Inspired Townhomes." I call B.S. on the name. There are a lot of hills in Briggs Chaney, but I doubt you'll find the skiing good. The Craftsman-inspired design, however, is truly a refreshing change in this land of brick fronts.

Even more interesting, though, is the blurb on the Aspen Ridge webpage about Silver Spring:

Few other areas in the Washington, D.C. are as centrally located as Silver Spring, Maryland. Within minutes, you’re at the top of the Beltway, poised to pop up to Baltimore, down to DC, across to Annapolis or over to Rockville at a moment’s notice. Better yet, if you prefer to stick closer to home, you’ll find the shops, restaurants, services, entertainment, culture, distractions, diversions and otherwise interesting destinations of Montgomery County’s sweetheart city all within mere minutes from your door.

Thus: Silver Spring is Montgomery County's "Sweetheart City." I like that. It goes well with the acorn, the penguins and those damned red U's and all of the other symbols that make our suburb special.