Patriotic Window

As you might imagine, Washingtonians take federal holidays very seriously. When I lived in California, I don't recall building managers placing American flags on their property in observance of national occasions, like Memorial Day and Independence Day. While city governments decorated their streets and buildings in festive red, white and blue flags, streamers and bunting, private building management just did not seem to make a similar effort. In Washington, DC, this is not the case.

While walking around my neighborhood over Memorial Day weekend, there were American flags displayed all around town. In honor of every patriotic holiday, this large office building in the heart of North Arlington drapes a large flag -- at least three stories long -- down the front of the building. It can be seen for blocks when walking or driving on Clarendon or Wilson boulevards in the Court House area. On Sunday, the reflection of this flag could be seen in the window of one of its neighboring buildings creating a patriotic window. Even though it would have been easier to just photograph the large American flag hanging from the top of the AUSA Building, this composition offers viewers a glimpse of the flag through a more interesting filter.