AN-sur Man: Sound and Sense of Place

Drumroll, please. . . .

"GLUH-ver. Please. Everybody calls it GLOH-ver, and it's absolutely wrong. It's GLUH-ver Park."

And then she said, "Call the bus people and tell them to shape up. I mean, really. That's terrible."

I asked Nancy whether she went out of her way to correct people who mangle the family name. Not really, she said.

"I have enough trouble with my married name."

For the record, it's SY-ming-ton, not SIH-ming-ton.

Look Through Any Window

Two weeks ago in this space, we explored the fishbowl existence that many who reside in Old Town Alexandria experience. That brought this comment from Anne Monahan :

"Talk to many Old Town Alexandria residents (we've lived here 29 years) and you'll find they consider street-level rooms 'public rooms,' to be kept neat and viewable for the tourists. We frequently have our shutters open because I am a bit claustrophobic. It's been entertaining over the years to watch the tourists watch us. My children will never forget the woman, nose pressed to the window pane, who commented: 'I like the country Hepplewhite stand, but that print is really tacky.' "

Julia Feldmeier (that's FEHLD-my-ur) helped research this column. If you have a question about the Washington area, send it toanswerman@washpost.com. Or write John Kelly, The Washington Post, 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20071. Please include your name and the town you live in.