Riderwood: In the Heart of Art and Culture

Silver Spring, MD – Living just six miles from the coronary heart of Washington, D.C., people at Riderwood, an Erickson Senior Living community in Silver Spring, Md., are well-positioned to appreciate of a extensive array of nearby and regional cultural opportunities.

And many thanks to the community’s Distinctive Excursions Committee, it’s effortless for them to consider benefit of this thrilling advantage.

“The particular journeys provided at Riderwood are a single of the principal reasons why I moved below,” says Elaine Hauptman, who serves on the committee. “Not only do we have hassle-free obtain to all the society and art in Washington, D.C., but we are also shut to Baltimore and all the wonderful artwork and theater out there there. I look at myself extremely lucky.”

Selection of excursions

The 7-member Particular Trips Committee, comprising the two residents and staff, fulfills twice a thirty day period to build a calendar that offers a wide range of museum visits, shows, and cafe outings.

“We get the job done alongside one another to system and present a wide range of systems to meet the tastes of our group,” suggests Elaine. “So several of our citizens appear from the D.C. and Baltimore location, and our place permits us to indulge in all that the area has to give. What is far more, the one of a kind tastes of our residents give us incentive to be imaginative in our planning.”

In the final several months, people traveled to D.C. to get pleasure from August Wilson’s Seven Guitars at Arena Stage, Van Gogh: An Immersive Working experience at the Rhode Island Heart, and a performance by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at the Kennedy Centre. The committee also strategies functions in nearby Columbia and Annapolis, Md., as perfectly as areas in Northern Virginia.

“The specific trips give inhabitants an chance to go out in the community, frequently to the varieties of situations they attended ahead of their move,” says Judith Johnson, a resident and committee member. “They are pretty preferred. Individually, I like to go to the artwork museums, plays, and concerts. I come across them stimulating.”

With globe-class venues located just miles from Riderwood, the Specific Visits Committee also dedicates alone to preparing outings to smaller venues, this kind of as the Katzen Arts Heart at American College and the newly opened National Museum of the United States Army.

Food for considered

In addition to museums and live performances, the Distinctive Outings Committee ideas weekly excursions to community dining places.

“You can delight in a varied cafe dinner at Riderwood each and every day,” notes Elaine. “Nevertheless, our community is filled with numerous ‘foodies’ who love to check out.”

Lately, Riderwood inhabitants liked the prospect to dine at Millie’s Spring Valley Restaurant in D.C. G&M Restaurant in Linthicum Heights, Md. Hudson Coastal Grill in Fulton, Md. and L’Auberge Chez François in Excellent Falls, Va.

“We often tie in a restaurant with a planned museum take a look at,” says Elaine. “The African Museum of American Heritage features excellent, authentic African food items. And Gertrude’s at the Baltimore Museum of Artwork is a most loved place, usually in level of competition with the exhibitions all through the museum. Our committee also celebrates particular vacations by indulging in foods. Cinco de Mayo and St. Patrick’s Working day are favorites.”

Doing the job jointly

With so lots of possibilities offered, the most difficult operate for the committee is determining on a plan. In an effort and hard work to mirror the distinctive preferences and choices of citizens, members perform with a vary of resident groups to approach occasions reflective of their plans.

“It can be really vital to us to function alongside one another with our neighbors,” states Elaine. “We try to plan at minimum two situations all over every month’s special designation. For occasion, in November, in honor of Native American Heritage Thirty day period, we worked with Riderwood’s Indigenous American group to strategy a journey to the Baltimore American Indian Middle. There, we relished a docent-led tour on the heritage, society, working experience, and achievements of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.”

In February, the committee labored with Riderwood’s African American club to host a excursion to the Slave Museum in Sandy Springs, Md., and in April, Riderwood’s Earth Day Committee requested journeys to a recycling plant and a vegan cafe.

“1 of the most excellent points about Riderwood is our variety and our committees, who get the job done with our resident groups to system so many exciting and fascinating activities to opt for from,” states Elaine.

Stress-absolutely free travel

No matter if listening to the symphony, experiencing a gourmand food, or contemplating a get the job done of art, Riderwood’s committed transportation workforce gives door-to-door company to and from all the particular trips.

“Our workforce operates to assure that residents appreciate a protected and at ease vacation,” says Riderwood transportation supervisor Bob Porterfield. “Just about everybody opinions on how great it is to no longer have to be concerned about traffic and parking.”

This summer months, Bob and his crew look ahead to furnishing transportation to some of the most popular tickets in town – Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen, and To Get rid of a Mockingbird at the Kennedy Centre. Inhabitants are also fired up for the approaching significant tea at the Mansion at Strathmore, browsing at a variety of craft fairs, and consuming their way through the Amish Marketplace.

“There genuinely is something for absolutely everyone,” says Elaine. “And if you are unable to find what you happen to be hunting for – just question!”

To discover more about economical, independent senior dwelling at Riderwood, request your free brochure or plan a stop by to get the scoop on amenities, ground options, and so substantially much more.